Successful dairy snacks

Data by Nielsen tell the story of stable sales on the cooled countline sweets, with túró rudi dominating. Dairy snacks represent one quarter of the market and the trend is upward. There are two keys to the success of the category: it combines health and indulgence, plus putting a dairy snack in the basket only adds less than HUF 100 to the final sum of shopping. As part of the Montice Margaréta Collection Educational Programme, in July MONA Hungary – the distributor of Montice bars – commissioned a survey among 500 mothers in the 25-49 age group, who have 6-15-year old children. The survey found that more than half of participants consumed dairy products many times a day and two thirds of them think daily dairy product consumption is important. 54 percent of participants said the category was healthy, resulting number three in the ranking behind vegetables and fruits. 30 percent eat a túró rudi many times a week and only 1 percent never has one. As for dairy snacks, 38 percent eat them less frequently than once a week but only 6 percent said they never have one; 13 percent of participants consume them daily. The goal of the educational programme is to teach children and parents about healthy eating and the beneficial effects of diary products. Viktória Hajmási, heads of Sole-Mizo Zrt.’s marketing group told our magazine that the proportion of private label products among cooled countline sweets was below the FMCG average and did not grow recently. The company entered the market with its new túró rudi range a year ago and performed well in the shadow of FrieslandCampina Hungária Zrt.’s dominant Pöttyös brand. They appeared on the marker with Mizo Boci plain and strawberry in 30g versions, plus with a 5x30g multipack. Later they put 50g Mega rudi on the market ad this year saw the arrival of 30g rudi with peanuts, which is unique because the peanuts can be found outside, in the coating. One of the most important experiences during the launch period was that the HUF 50 price was an important threshold: with a price of HUF 49 significant extra sales could be generated. Bernadett Strasser-Kátai, owner-managing director of MONA Hungary Kft. informed us that their Montice brand managed to significantly increase its market share in the dairy snack segment in the first six months. In her opinion this was primarily the result of their persistent marketing activity, e.g. being present at different events, close cooperation with the Budapest Zoo, which is an ideal place to reach their main target group, schoolchildren. The company’s position is further strengthened by the fact that it is MONA that manufactures private label products for retail chains. MONA sees potential in more multipack solutions – which appear in shops in September – and the company is testing new flavours and shapes too.