Launching a Premium Hot Smoked Seafood range in M&S
Objective
To launch a new top-tier range of Seafood products within the M&S Collections range, encouraging M&S shoppers to trade up within the category in-store
Also to challenge premium ranges such as Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference and Tesco Finest
Approach
Previously, the team had taken a more product-led approach of suggesting new flavours and manufacturing techniques.
Opportunity - understand the category: through IDI, the team took an in-depth look at the salmon & fish category (and M&S shoppers in particular) and devised a new Premium top-tier concept range, based around meeting the needs of those shoppers.
Validation: Direct feedback on their new concept range, from 1,000 fish and seafood shoppers across the UK, including a robust sample of M&S shoppers.
Outcome
From IDI, Associated Seafoods were able to provide the buyers at M&S with new category insight, over and above the standard EPOS market data, including:
The attitudes and motivation of M&S fish and Seafood shoppers…why did they choose certain products?
Shopping behaviour towards new products
Customer segmentation across the range of products
Understanding who shopped elsewhere for these products i.e. outside of M&S, and why
IDI also gave Associated Seafoods direct feedback (and a big thumbs up) on the new proposition. This enabled them to fine-tune some of the features on both the product and packaging, and to undertand who would be more likely to buy it and what flavours they would prefer.
The range launched in M&S Food Halls across the UK in Spring 2022, including Hot Smoked Salmon, Mackerel and Prawns.
“Taking an Insight-driven approach to NPD not only got the team thinking more about the end-shopper, but also about how we could go that extra mile for the team at M&S, which ultimately is good for Associated Seafoods as well as for M&S shoppers.”
Neil Greig, Commercial Director
