Walkers to launch crisp and nut brand
Nobbys range will carry no Walkers branding and aims to rival McCoy’s and KP pub snacks
PepsiCo-owned Walkers Snacks is planning to launch a new sub-brand without the Walkers branding for the first time. The new brand, called Nobbys, is a range of crisps and nuts to rival market leaders McCoy’s crisps and KP nuts.
It is understood that the company is keen to keep the launch “under the radar” at the moment, because it is uncertain whether its previous failure in the pub snack market was due to the Walkers branding on its range of salted snacks. Nobbys is likely to be supported by a marketing campaign at a later date.
The launch, due in spring, will attempt to break into the pub market. It is understood that it will be rolled out across major retailers if it successful. According to TNS Data, the original Walkers crisps range was worth £265m, with Sensations worth a further £40m, in June last year.
Nobbys crinkle-cut crisps will be available in two different flavours and the nuts will come in salted and dry roasted varieties. The brand is already available in Australia under the Smiths portfolio, which is part of PepsiCo’s international snacks division Frito-Lay. It consists of a range of nuts and beef jerky.
Walkers has also launched its range of special-edition flavours for this year’s Comic Relief. The Crisp and Snack Swap range includes flavours such as cheese and pickle and bacon and tomato ketchup. Walkers will donate money from all sales to the charity fund (MW October 21, 2004).
