United Biscuits (UB) has launched its new ‘Better Biscuits, Best Sellers’ category initiative to drive total biscuit category growth by up to £88 million in the next five years.

The campaign supports United Biscuits’ current advice platform ‘Better Biscuits, Better Business’ but with a specific focus on driving availability and visibility of the UK’s favourite biscuit products across the Convenience channel.

‘Better Biscuits, Best Sellers’ provides impartial ranging and merchandising advice by outlet type and fixture size, covering all manufacturers and takes into account the specific needs of shoppers in the different store formats.

UB has launched this initiative to ensure that retailers can identify the best-selling products within the biscuit category that they should be stocking in order to best meet their shoppers’ needs and maximise their category sales. For example, McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes, one of the best-selling biscuit products in the market, are only stocked in 70% of UK convenience stores.

United Biscuits impulse category controller Amanda Kurylowski said: “As the biggest supplier of biscuits in the UK, UB has invested in this initiative to ensure that its customers can maximise the potential that the biscuit category offers but has yet to fully realise.  

“‘Better Biscuits, Best Sellers’ will help to unlock new opportunities and sales growth for the trade. Shoppers will benefit because their favourite products will be available to them in more outlets and their needs will be met through simpler and more inspiring fixtures. Product duplication will be reduced and merchandising improved through clearer brand and product blocking.” 

The initiative follows on from the launch of the United Biscuits Category Vision and 2015 Biscuits Review and further demonstrates the company’s commitment to growing the biscuits category as a whole.

Retailers will be able to access the advice across a variety of touch points and activations, including the updated website, www.betterbiscuits.com, contact from the United Biscuits field sales team, retailer magazines, trade shows and depot tours.

Amanda Kurylowski added: “As market leaders, we feel it’s our responsibility to take a total category approach. This initiative will allow us to provide impartial ranging advice which takes a view across all manufacturers and brands across the different channels to help retailers maximise their top-line biscuit category sales.”