Sunny D plans a third relaunch in bid to regain consumer trust

Sunny D will be relaunched for the third time in eight years this spring in a bid to stem a long-term decline in sales.

The relaunch will see the base of the juice drink reformulated and its packaging redesigned. Owner Sunny Delight Beverage Company (SDBC) is planning to develop a new advertising strategy as part of a review of its market positioning.

The SDBC, which is working closely with its UK distributor Gerber Foods, is also planning to review its corporate responsibility programme with a view to encouraging consumers to re-evaluate the brand.

An SDBC insider says: “We want to look at our own social issues agenda and maybe even pick a charity to work with, to blend the fun element of the brand with some good values.”

The SDBC is working closely with a hand-picked parents advisory group (MW September 22) to find out how to win back consumer trust.

Sunny D, which was launched as Sunny Delight, was enormously successful in its first year with sales of &£160m. It immediately became one of the UK’s biggest-selling drinks brands.

But criticism from food and children’s groups over its sugar content and misleading positioning led to a dramatic collapse in sales.

In the 12 months to October 2005, Sunny D, now owned by private equity firm J W Childs, which set up SDBC, sales scraped just over &£32m.