The Intersnack-owned snack major ran a national competition across the UK ahead of the games which asked consumers to nominate their local pub for the chance of it being ‘recreated’ in Rio.
The Old Star Inn from Cheshire won following more than 25,000 votes and on June 12 KP Snacks opened up a mimic of the pub close to Copacabana beach complete with the pub’s British sign, fireplace, darts board and wooden bar.
KP Snacks had also developed a promotional campaign for the games, fronted by Al Murray, which gave consumers a chance to win a trip to Rio or a branded trophy glass.
Matt Collins, trading controller for convenience at KP Snacks, said the World Cup presented a great opportunity for snack makers and the pub link was a strong one.
“Enjoying sporting occasions with family and friends at the local pub is the next-best thing to being at the match itself,” Collins told BakeryandSnacks.com.
“It’s always particularly successful for crisps and snacks, as there have historically been significant sales uplifts driven by increased consumption levels, as snacks are seen as a key part of the occasion,” he said.
Retailers should stock up on specialty World Cup snacks, he said.
NPD to capitalize on World Cup and summer sharing events
Collins said it was the World Cup and summer events that provided growth opportunity for KP Snacks and had prompted new product development across its portfolio.
McCoy’s Ultimate was launched earlier in the year – a griddle-cut chip developed to tap into the male sharing occasion, he said. KP Snacks had also expanded its Phileas Fogg brand into the popcorn segment – “an important part of the snack market”, he added.
Sebastian Emig, director general of the European Snacks Association (ESA) which Intersnack is a member of, said the World Cup was a “no-brainer” for snack makers to cash in on.
“Due to the fact it goes over an entire month, it’s the perfect storm for our members to bring their products to the table… I don’t know if anybody else could seriously compete against snack makers,” he said.
A host of other snack players had developed World Cup products, including PepsiCo with its Lionel Messi Lay’s packs and Kellogg with its memorabilia-filled Pringle pots.