#OnShelf: New products and partnerships

by Louise Burgers. New variants, new pack sizes, and new brand partnerships are all marketing strategies for brands to expand their product categories; expand into new product categories; or increase market share, while building brand loyalty.

Something new from Sir Fruit producers 

The makers of Sir Fruit have introduced a new drinks and dessert offering, Luckybird – a range of locally produced and carefully crafted syrups and purees for creative beverages. Luckybird takes its cue from Southern Africa’s Lilac-breasted Roller, a bright, sociable bird; and aims to inspire barmen and mixologists. The wide product range includes syrup flavours such as, Cranberry, Grapefruit, Passionfruit, Pineapple, Strawberry, Elderflower, Blueberry, African Ginger and Triple Sec. The purees come in, Mango, Peanut Butter, Raspberry, Strawberry and Blueberry.

McCain and Shoprite partner to grow food gardens 

McCain South Africa and Shoprite will ensure greater food security in the communities of Delmas and Springs following their support of two food gardens. Community members at both gardens – located at the Siyonqoba Daycare for the Disabled and the Tholakele Centre of Hope – will be equipped with 18 months of hands-on permaculture training, plant materials and gardening tools to enable them to run sustainable gardens. The food gardens are an extension of McCain Foods SA’s food donation programme, which aims to assist communities by addressing the broader challenges of food insecurity and promoting self-reliance. Hunger relief and food security are at the core of the Shoprite Group’s corporate social investment programmes. The retailer supports more than 160 community food gardens and over 2,500 home gardens, which impact almost 17,000 beneficiaries. In the past year, more than 570 community members were trained in sustainable food gardening, assisting them to generate an income while growing nutritious and organic food.

Deep Heat and Deep Freeze sprays level up

Mentholatum SA, a health and wellness company and the makers of Deep Heat and Deep Freeze, has announced the launch of its Deep Heat and Deep Freeze sprays in a larger 250ml size can. “We are dedicated to providing effective solutions that not only satisfy but exceed our customers’ expectations, and to ensuring maximum value wherever possible,” says Irmie Marman, brand manager for both the Deep Heat and Deep Freeze products. The range is aimed at athletes, sports teams, bio kineticists and physiotherapists – all of whom typically use larger quantities than the average consumer. Available at traditional outlets in the first aid and/ or rheumatics home shelf (or via the Mentholatum SA online shop.

NEW ACCOUNT: Wilderer Distillery appoints Stratitude as new brand agency

Wilderer Distillery, producers of Wilderer Grappa, Gin, Eaux de Vie, Liqueur and Rum, has appointed Stratitude to help define and grow its brand. Given its rapid expansion in liquor markets both locally and abroad; as well as its flourishing Pappa Grappa and La Grapperia restaurants, the award-winning distiller has identified a need to bring in brand specialists to crystallise the brand and guide it in the right direction. ‘’We are proud of our heritage and fine spirits that we have been crafting for over 27 years. We want to continue this legacy and have turned to Stratitude to help us cultivate a resilient brand that attains our long-term goals,’’ says Christian Wilderer, CEO at Wilderer Holdings. From its origins as South Africa’s first private distillery and becoming the most decorated, with over 100 international medals and awards, the brand is setting its sights on specific markets for its gin and Rogue collections, which are significantly different from the grappa and eau de vie markets. ‘’An effective brand strategy will clearly define ‘who’ Wilderer Distillery is as a business, cultivate a strong brand, and help the business focus on long-term goals. It will also set a benchmark to measure progress and judge whether the brand is moving in the right direction,” says Sylvia Zanetti, lead strategist and managing director at Stratitude.

CAMPAIGN: NBA Africa and KFC Africa announce marketing partnership

Basketball fans across eight African countries will have opportunity to win tickets to live NBA games in the US and access co-branded products and merchandise, in a marketing partnership between NBA Africa and KFC Africa. The global brands will collaborate on a number of promotions and activations for basketball fans across eight countries on the continent: Botswana, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania. Through the partnership, KFC Africa and NBA Africa will launch co-branded product campaigns, limited-edition merchandise giveaways, and limited-edition KFC x NBA promotions; including the opportunity for basketball fans to win tickets to live NBA games in the U.S. and complimentary access to NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service. Said KFC marketing director, Rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, Emmanuel Kasambala: “As a brand that has been on the continent for 50 years, we are passionate about connecting with the youth at the touchpoints that really mean something to them. So, beyond the extremely cool products and merchandise we will offer, we have longer-term plans to inspire the youth to achieve more in life through basketball. We are exploring various grassroots basketball initiatives, like the refurbishment of courts, and basketball clinics in communities.”

Main image credit: Supplied.

Louise Burgers is the Publisher and Editor and Co-Founder of RetailingAfrica.com. She has spent over 20 years writing about the FMCG retailing, marketing, media and advertising industry in South Africa and on the African continent. She has specialised in local and Africa consumer trends and is a passionate Afro-optimist who believes it is Africa’s time to rise again and that the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) will be a global gamechanger in the next decade.

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