Nestlé extends Ski out of dairy

Nestlé is extending its Ski brand beyond the dairy sector with the launch of Ski-branded cereal bars, as part of a push to reinvigorate the brand.

Nestlé is extending its Ski brand beyond the dairy sector with the launch of Ski-branded cereal bars, as part of a push to reinvigorate the brand.

The product, which is due to be launched in July, will be promoted as an all-day snack rather than a breakfast alternative. There will be two varieties – red berries and yoghurt and citrus burst and yoghurt – which will be supported by a summer television campaign.

The move follows the launch in May of Ski’s Stopgap drink, also aimed at extending the brand in the snacks market.

Nestlé acquired Ski along with the Munch Bunch brand from Eden Vale in 2002. Since then it has launched three yoghurts – a low-fat Ski, Ski D’Lite and luxury range Ski Delicious – in a bid to increase the brand’s sales.

Ski has an 8.7 per cent market share and is the third-biggest brand in the yoghurt market, behind Müller and Danone-owned Shape.

Nestlé Rowntree, the company’s confectionery division, launched a cereal bar called Rowntree Fruitsome two years ago, but it was scrapped after less than a year due to disappointing sales (MW April 17, 2003).

Industry insiders say the Rowntree brand did not fit with the cereal bar’s market position as a healthier alternative to confectionery, and that the Ski brand is more suited to that type of snack.