Innocent to roll out more products in 2011 as £2.7m ad campaign launched

Innocent is set to launch a raft of new products this year as it capitalises on Coca-Cola’s 58% investment in the firm.

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The company has launched a £2.7m TV, poster and digital campaign to position its smoothies as a healthy alternative to snacking. An in-store, sampling, press and web promotion for its Veg Pots range will follow later in the year.

It will also relaunch its juice range this year in new transparent plastic carafe-style packaging.

Marketing director Thomas Delabriere says that other “exciting new innovations will hit the shelves later in the year”.

He adds: “We are a premium brand, but doing really well in the marketplace. This year our business has grown by 14% on last year and we are in very good shape. That is why we can invest so much in the brand and our marketing campaigns.”

Coca-Cola bought 18% of the company in 2009 and increased its stake by 40% in April last year, although the company’s founders still retain operational control of the business.

Delabriere says that his marketing budget is now much larger than two years ago, which has further fuelled the growth of the brand, but his role still operates in the same way as it did when he joined Innocent from PepsiCo in December 2008 – just on a larger scale.

He adds: “Innocent is a standalone business. There is no relationship in terms of marketing between myself and Coca-Cola. I have only been to see them twice for insight and information. We are not directed by them.”

According to Delabriere, despite a tough economic climate, smoothie sales are on the up and Innocent’s market penetration is so high that 66% of people are aware that its smoothies contain two of the government’s five recommended portions of fruit and vegetables a day.