Walkers: the verdict
What general areas have you been advising the pubs on?
"Walkers, the UK's No 1 crisps and snacks manufacturer, has been helping the Sell More Save More pubs increase their crisps and snacks sales by advising them on the correct range and display solutions, tailored to their individual customer base.
"By working in partnership with the publicans we have been able to help them recognise that crisps, snacks and nuts are integral to the pub experience and provide them with easy-to-implement advice and tips to help them get their offer and display solutions right to drive incremental revenue and profit.
"Walkers has also ensured that the pubs have been kept fully up-to-date with all the latest NPD and exciting and engaging consumer promotions. Furthermore Walkers has been helping them take full advantage of the significant marketing investment and bespoke licensed activity that has been developed for our brands over the last 12 months."
What key changes have you advised the licensees to make in your category?
"We advised the Rose and Crown to expand its range of crisps and snacks to appeal to a wider audience. We also provided advice to increase visibility with clip strips, beer mats, bar mats and staff t-shirts.
"At the Cross Keys we recommended that over and above the core range of crisps, the Cross Keys also stocked 105g sharing bags of Sensations and 55g bags of Tangy Cheese Doritos. We advised Mark that he and his staff needed to encourage trade up to the higher value packs. A variety of other suggestions to increase visibility were also recommended including posters and POS."
"At the Guide Dog we were able to give Paul advice on making the most of promotions and in particular the Walkers Do Us A Flavour activity. We were able to advise that he took advantage of the massive consumer awareness and excitement by stocking up on all 6 flavours and displaying them on clip strips behind the bar."
As a category champion, what key messages did you look to tell the four pubs involved?
"Our advice to pubs is clear key, simple and easily actionable and focuses on getting range and visibility right.
Getting the range right
95% of customer demand can be met by having a range of just six or seven products. Our key recommendations including packs for the sharing occasion are as follows:
• Three core Walkers flavours in Big Eat packs: Ready Salted, Cheese & Onion, and Salt & Vinegar
• Big Eat Quavers
• Tangy Cheese flavour Doritos (55g)
• Nobby's Salted and Dry Roast Nuts
• For more premium pubs or bars we would recommend a more premium product such as Sensations or new Red Sky crisps
Visibility is key
There's no point stocking an excellent range of crisps and snacks in various flavours or the latest promotion, if customers can't see them. Here's our advice to maximise visibility:
• Utilise back bar display solutions such as clip sticks or counter top units to display and merchandise your snacks
• Posters, beer mats or strut cards advertising crisps and snacks will remind customers of your range
• Encourage staff to raise awareness of crisps and snacks and up-sell to customers
To help drive snacks opportunities we also asked the pubs to keep these five key points front of mind:
• 50% of people spend less than one hour in the pub. Adding a bag of crisps to their drinks order is the perfect way to increase their spend.
• 40% of people go to the pub 'for a quiet drink'. They don't intend to have a meal, but will perhaps be open to buying crisps, nuts or snacks
• More than 40% of people will not have eaten in the past three hours - so why not encourage them to buy a packet of crisps with their drinks?
• One in five consumers would like to have a greater choice of crisps available in pubs
• 25% of people choose to go to the pub at lunchtime to socialise with their friends - another ideal snacking and sharing opportunity."
Source: HIM on-track 2008
Where your advice has been taken up, how successful have your changes been?
"We have been very pleased with how the pubs involved in Sell More Save More have embraced our advice and with the results and improvements that have been made.
"Walkers is committed to working with the licensed trade to help maximise the opportunity that crisps, snacks and nuts sales offer. This project has demonstrated that pubs whatever their location, size and customer base, can make an important difference to their bottom line by following our simple and easily actionable advice."
