Having previously worked with Noel on the launch of his Oops! discount supermarkets back in 2020, we were excited to welcome him back on board for this latest launch. Our remit was to generate widespread brand awareness through a range of tactics including traditional PR and influencer relations.
The innovative range – the first of its kind in the UK – features ‘fakeaway’ favourites such as Salt and Pepper Chicken, Katsu Chicken Curry, Pork Ribs, Kebab with Sriracha Sauce, and Sweet and Sour Chicken, alongside chip-shop favourites including Fish and Chips, Steak Pie, Sausages, Chips and Gravy, and Chips with Curry Sauce. Priced between £1.99 and £2.49 per pack, they have fewer calories than ‘ordering in’ and cook in under 20 minutes, saving UK consumers time, money, and calories.
The inspiration for the new range came after a discussion about the popularity of air fryers between Noel and his three children - Dara, 18, Aoife, 17 and Rory, 15. Noel saw a gap in the market and, with over 30 years of experience in the food manufacturing and distribution industry, realised he had the perfect products, suppliers, development and distribution network, and contacts to succeed.
Team Hop kick-started a press office function to raise nationwide awareness of the new products, generating buzz through our strategic press releases and media outreach. Our marketing approach encompassed traditional and digital PR around the launch coupled with storytelling, 24/7 press office, reviews, product placement, competitions, and influencer marketing to boost brand awareness and engagement while driving consumers to buy the products.
@grumpynorthernfoodie Air Fryer meals in Farmfoods now - What do we think of these?? For the proce and the size, they are an absolute bargain! Tasty as well…. Well be trying a few more of these as we love a good Air Fryer Meal and saving money!! #MJSdiner #farmfoods #budgetmeals #airfryer #budgetfriendly #foryou #fyp ♬ Walking Around - Instrumental Version - Eldar Kedem
By combining these efforts with analytics and measurement tools to track progress and optimise our strategies, we effectively elevated brand awareness and established a more substantial presence in the market.
Over the two-month project, we achieved 87 pieces of coverage in a wealth of reputable national, regional, business, and trade titles - including The Mirror, Yahoo, MSN, The Daily Record, Food Manufacture, Food Navigator, Retail Times, Better Retailing, Feast Magazine, The Business Desk, Insider Media, Liverpool Business News, Birkenhead News, and Wirral Globe, to name but a few.
Noel had this to say about the campaign:
“This is already a record-breaking range for us. Rates of sale are up to 500% greater than the leading brands, which is seven or eight times more than the best-selling products such as Bisto, which have been on the market for many years.
“Having worked with Becks and her team before, it was a no-brainer to partner with her again. Hop&Co. has real expertise in food and drink marketing, and I feel like I am in very safe hands.
“They understood the products and what I wanted for the launch really quickly – and seeing results fly in already is just fantastic. Being a ‘first to market’ product – speed is everything and Hop&Co. has moved at pace. I hope individuals and families across the UK try our range and enjoy saving time, pennies, and calories.”
