Sales success with larger pack & Smartprice

AMS’ Marketing Department is pleased to report a very positive start with sales performance this year on all lines far exceeding the volumes that were sold for the same period last year.

Notable success has been seen with the reintroduction of the larger strawberry pack, which has now overtaken the 227g sales volumes, together with the introduction of the new 227g Smartprice line which is soon to become available in all stores.

Asda’s decision to introduce a Smartprice strawberry to the range came with mixed feeling at the start as none of us knew what effect this would have on the main line.

However, results to date show that this line has had little impact on main line sales and our initial fears of losing existing customers have been calmed. New customers have certainly been attracted by simply being given the opportunity to purchase a product that they would not normally.

A healthy year on year growth has also been seen on raspberries, which surprisingly have out performed last year despite the problems experienced as a result of frosts in Spain. Blueberries also continue to show a massive improvement and blackberries have succeeded as a new line on the shelf at this time of year, all of which are a big positive for the berry sector.

2005 sees AMS supplying strawberries locally for the sixth year running. This year we will be delivering directly to more stores and regions and are expanding the range by adding raspberries, plums and cherries into certain areas. This is supported by Asda taking a fresh look at its locally delivered produce with a newly formed ‘local’ supplier committee who will be responsible for organising POS and events within local stores and areas.

With the results so far and the new found push behind locally supplied product we can look to the opportunities of the forthcoming British season with optimism – we certainly have increased momentum and unlike 2004 there is no major football event to get in the way.

So, with that thought, this year beer, crisps and burgers can be discarded and strawberries and cream will rightfully regain their place as the true taste of the summer.

Spring 2005