30 Jun 11 SA’s muesli supremos shift focus to healthy snacks

Durban’s Rudene and Andrew Brown can, without doubt, be credited with shifting muesli out of a hippy-health-shop niche into the mainstream in South Africa. The couple, who founded and sold not one, but two, very successful breakfast cereal companies and brands, Nature’s Source and Simply Cereal, have now taken their unflagging entrepreneurial spirit into the healthy snacking arena.

Resting on 20 years’ FMCG food experience, the Brown’s new venture, called RTE Snacks, was launched last year and based on a business rationale to tap into the fast-growing movement towards healthy eating, and the re-emergence of exotic fruit and nut blends.

“Together with our design team, O’Donoghues & Associates, we created the brand name ‘On The Go’, a brand identity and the pack designs for a new range of fusion snacks to take advantage of this opportunity,” explains Andrew.

“While basic trail mixes have been around for many years, normally in a very simply format, there is a new awareness on the attributes of superfruits and natural eating. On The Go is a premium market brand, using a wide range of choice grade fruits and nuts. With interesting inclusions such as swirls, lemon twists and so on, we have not only created a unique taste profile, we have created a  unique selling proposition.”

The On The Go fusion snack portfolio currently consists of a Premium Range in 100g packs (six variants), 50g packs (four variants) and 225g tubs (four variants), as well as an Active Range in 100g packs (three variants).

“The brand and ranges have been exceptionally well received. Within six  months of launching, On The Go has already been listed nationally by four major retail chains, as well as a host of regional  independents. By offering a high quality and interesting combination of fusion snacks we have  created a new market which retailers are quickly picking up on,” says Andrew. “We believe that there is a strong market that will continue to grow for health-focused products if they have a point of difference and, most importantly, taste great.”

RTE Snacks: email: andrew-brown@mweb.co.za

Cell: +27 82 566 3853; Office: +27 31 569 5424

PREMIUM RANGE: six variants; targeted at the upper end of the market as a “Premium Fusion Snack”. The range is available in re-sealable foil doy packs with euro slots for hangers.

50G PREMIUM RANGE: four variants; this smaller pack size is about to be launched; the smaller pack size is aimed at opening new markets, kids’ lunch boxes as a healthy snack for one. The range will be available in non re-sealable foil doy packs. As these packs are not displayed on hangers, RTE has created a dispenser box.

100G ACTIVE RANGE: three variants; this range was launched to target a specifically “sporty” market, people that lead active, healthy lifestyles and are looking for that added boost of energy, protein, power etc.   To create added brand awareness of this range, RTE is looking at avenues to have product placed in “goodie bags” for example at major sporting events.   The packaging has a “window” in the front (the grey shaded cyclists) to showcase the different ingredients in the variants: POWER – high in protein, ENERGY- high in energy, BOOSTER – high in anti-oxidants.