Grupo Herdez has made innovation a strategic pillar of growth. All our launches are designed to respond to the changing needs of our consumers.
During 2016, we rolled out an approach that would give us insight into customer needs, enabling us to develop profitable products that exceed their expectations. We also continued to strengthen our sales channels. In this way, Grupo Herdez put innovative products on the table of increasingly more Mexican families.
Among the highlights of the year’s launches:
The implementation of the McCormick® global strategy with the Grill Mates brand, through which we incorporated seven varieties of chicken, fish, meat and vegetable seasonings into our portfolio.
The launch of three new flavors of McCormick® squeeze mustard: Dijon, honey and pepper.
In the pasta category, the launch of: Yemina + Energía®, Barilla sin Gluten®, Barilla Pronto®, and Barilla Minis®, which highlight the benefits of pasta and offer alternatives to overcome barriers to consumption. These initiatives achieved a market share value of 2% in just six months.
Furthermore, this innovative movement led us to venture into the snack category, through an alliance with Cinépolis®, the world’s leading cinema chain, with whom we launched microwave popcorn under the “Saben a Cine” concept, bringing the authentic flavor of the movies right into the consumer’s home.
Aires de Campo®, the leading marketer of Mexican organic products, launched preserves and other sugar-free spreads, cajeta (goat milk syrup), herbal teas, Mexican quinoa, sausages and chicken burgers, as well as free-range brown eggs. With these launches, Aires de Campo® continued to strengthen its leadership and comply with the most rigorous certifications in organic production, as well as meeting fair trade parameters, a hallmark of the brand.
With Wholly Guacamole®, we contributed to the innovative movement of MegaMex®; once again we were able to rise to the top of the category, thanks to customer programs and new products such as the sriracha, margarita and chipotle lime versions. In addition, the mini version was recognized as the healthiest snack by Self magazine, and Wholly Guacamole® received the “Grocery Headquarters Trailblazer Award” for 2016.
Meanwhile, in Don Miguel® we achieved a double-digit sales growth over the previous year, thanks to an increase in distribution through the price club channel and the launch of Hotzie, Chimi, The Bomb® Chipotle Chicken burrito, among other products. In fact, this last product won the “Likeliness to Buy Award” from Convenience Store Decisions magazine.
Our innovative movement also focuses on positioning Nutrisa® as a store that invites consumers to enjoy their own creations. During the year, we introduced six new soft ice cream flavors, four hard ice cream flavors and three new ice popsicles, as well as establishing alliances with Nestlé® and Ricolino® for seasonal toppings.
In addition, we launched eight new products, including dehydrated snacks, protein bars, super foods and personal care products, all with properties or ingredients that promote health and wellness. Such attributes differentiate us from the competition and are key to our leadership among consumers.
Nestlé® ice cream leveraged its experience to strengthen its leadership among children and adolescents. An important part of growth was the consolidation of Pelapop® as an anchor for the youth and fun segments. As well as making it more fun, we incorporated elements that reduce calories and sugars per portion.
With the introduction of the ice cream sandwich under the Emperador® brand, which achieved its estimated yearly sales figures in just three months, we strengthened our leadership in the young adults segment. Mega® also experienced healthy growth, thanks to its new 60 ml size with less than 200 calories.
