In its home market, the brand includes cereal bars, biscuits and baking products that provide at least 20% of the recommended daily amount of fiber. The UK launch comprises 90-calorie soft baked squares in two variants - Chocolate Fudge Brownies and Lemon Drizzle Squares – that have gone on sale in Tesco stores this week under the name Fibre One.
General Mills claimed the snacks contained at least 30% more fiber and 30% less fat than typical brownies, caramel cake bars or lemon bars on shelf in the UK. The manufacturer, which also sells brands including Nature Valley and Häagen-Dazs in the UK, said the launch would fill a gap in the market for indulgent snacks that were high in fiber and lower in fat.
The UK is the most developed and established snacking market for General Mills outside of North America, Arjoon Bose, marketing manager for snacking at General Mills (UKI & Northern Europe), told BakeryandSnacks.
“We specifically picked the soft baked squares range given that it was an outstanding success in the US since and really answered consumer needs in the UK,” he said.
The business added there were no immediate plans to launch other products from the US Fiber One line-up in the UK.
Sampling campaign
“Our focus is to successfully launch the soft-baked squares into Tesco and drive distribution by securing further listings in other retailers,” said Bose “We're working with Tesco to ensure the product is in the right place in store and have strong sampling and promotional activities in place to ensure the key benefits are clearly communicated to consumers.”
The Fibre One products are manufactured in Spain, and are being brought to market a month after General Mills announced plans to close its Jus-Rol pastry plant in Berwick, citing a need to consolidate production to address excess capacity in its UK baking business.
The Berwick closure is one of a number production facilities across the globe being axed by General Mills, which in its full-year results to 31 May 2015 reported a 2% fall in net sales and a 4% decline in operating profit.