NPD FOR 2018 WELL-ADVANCED

The process of finding successful new products for 2018 is well-advanced having started back in January when Catherine Ford, NPD Brand Technologist at Froneri UK, and her team were given product briefs. “We then start work on formulating recipes and conducting taste panels to help select the best recipes before proceeding to production trials,” she said. “As we hold the licence to manufacture both Nestlé and Cadbury products in the UK as well as in many other countries, new recipes for these brands have to be signed-off by the licence owners too.”

Catherine also played a key role in the development of one of Froneri’s best selling new products this year – a special limited edition version of the iconic fab® lolly to celebrate its 50th birthday.

“I initially sketched out some ideas and recipes for the limited edition including a sponge cake flavoured lolly,” added Catherine. “I knew this would be technically very difficult to manufacture but when it was the clear winner in research panels, we had to rise to the challenge. Working with suppliers to develop the correct ‘icing’ coating for the application was complex as this had to have the right characteristics to allow the well-known sprinkles to adhere to it. The coating then needed to dry quickly, ready for the next process which is product wrapping.”

The product has proved a big hit with consumers attracting plenty of positive comments on social media which have also been translated into high sales levels with the special 50th anniversary limited edition proving to be the most successful lolly launch of the year.

Froneri’s Leeming Bar site also has responsibility for assisting in developing new products for the Cadbury ice cream brand in some of the other Froneri markets including Egypt, South Africa, Russia, the Philippines and Argentina as well as the UK.
Working on the recipes and sharing them with Froneri factories around the world is another of Catherine’s responsibilities. “The challenge here is that manufacturing facilities and raw materials can differ between countries. But by sharing our product and brand knowledge along with images and videos of its manufacture we ensure quality is always maintained and that special Cadbury taste is always delivered in ice cream,” she commented.

Image Caption:
Right to Left: Charlotte Hambling (UK Head of Marketing at Froneri) with Catherine Ford (NPD Brand Technologist).