Smooth move - lower Cholesterol and get 1 of your 5 a day

Always the pioneers, Cholesterol lowering experts Benecol have moved to smoothies in the UK in an attempt to lure a younger consumer into the traditionally older category of cholesterol reduction.

Writing in New Nutrition Business in August 2009, Richard Clarke reports, that the move from the Stanol smoothie aims to defy the recession. For many, at first glance, it may be seen as odd timing - much of the rest of the smoothie market has been heavily hit as consumers have traded down in 2009.

Entering among the Giants

We’ve recently seen a smoothie launch and quick withdrawal from Nestle in the UK -see Boosted Smoothies - a partnership with Australian Boost Juice. Maybe this was a timing issue - as PepsiCo’s Tropicana added a second smoothie to it’s portfolio which already included PJ’s. Whatever the cause, the category is immensely competitive - not least as market leader Innocent gained backing from the deep pockets of Coca Cola.

The Power of Positioning

But here’s Benecol’s on-trend move:  These smoothies enable consumers to enjoy a delicious drink which not only lowers cholesterol but also provides 1 of their 5 a day (UK Government-led initiative to increase the consumption of Fruit & Vegetables). So not just another generic ‘healthy’ smoothie - perhaps the trap Nestle fell into? Benecol offers a combination of skimmed milk, fruit juices and purees accompanying 2g of Plant Stanol - the active ingredient which helps to reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol into the body.

The first Benecol Smoothie by Kalbe Nutritionals in Indonesia

The move has been made by McNeil Nutritionals - responsible for Benecol in the UK, Ireland and Belgium, but they weren’t the first company to formulate the Benecol Stanol ingredient into a smoothie - that honour goes to Kalbe Nutritionals in Indonesia who launched Nutrive Benecol back in September 2008.

Will it work?
Well, in the UK, as they say, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. On that note, look out for a taste test on this blog in the near future. By it’s very nature, the cholesterol problem is lower down the list of health concerns (according to HealthFocus International Shopper Surveys) for younger consumers. So will 30 year olds start drinking these? Probably not, but McNeil will have given their original demographic target a more delicious alternative way to get their cholesterol lowering daily benefit from the brand - and that’s the smooth move.

Check Richard Clarke’s excellent article which gives an in depth view of the category, pricing and a future outlook.

How can you make sure your launch works?

If you are considering a new health launch, in the UK, or any other market worldwide, why not call us here at the Healthy Marketing Team? We specialise in helping companies - from multinational mega brands to entrepreneurial start ups - to position and launch their brands successfully into health and functional categories. We don’t charge to pick up the phone, so why not call our Senior Consultant, Sam Waterfall now to discuss your next project - or even that little idea which is playing on your mind. We can help you move from ideas and consumer data to brand success.  Sam Waterfall can be reached at sam@healthymarketingteam.com or +44 (0) 7799 643152.