Playful websites for children

Brands adapt their strategy to the evolution of technologies and the societal trends. That's why we can see the development of websites fully dedicated to children.

www.3chatons.fr (LU)

Before, brands created their website to present the company, their products, their values and their commitments. The aim of these interface was mainly informative. But with the democratization of the Internet and the development of e-business, consumers expect more information, more commitment from brands and closer relationships with companies.

These trends lead to the increasing number of companies subscribed on social networks on a first hand, and the development of playful websites on another hand. Two online strategies for two different segments of consumers: grown-ups and children, but the same goal: enhance the loyalty of brands/products customers.

www.chez-bn.com (United Biscuits)

These websites both satisfy parents and children: parents are happy to find a secure website for their children among the jungle of references and the risks of unadapted contents, and children can freely play to funny games. 

Thanks to these platforms, children get attached to their favorite character and are more kind to ask their parents to buy the product. The strategy marketing works and the loyalty goal is reached!

www.monsieurbiscuit.fr (Bonne Maman)

And you, do your children have favorite websites to play?

Kraft Foods becomes Mondeléz International

Following the food north american market's detachement in October the first of 2012, the firm name which was Kraft Foods became Mondelez International.

This name refers to a world fills up with delicious products.

With an annual 13 billions Dollars turnover of which 37% realized in Europe, Mondelez International is one of the leader on the agribusiness market through his main markets which are chocolate, coffee, biscuits and sweets through the brands Milka, Côte d'Or, LU, Oreo, Carte Noire, Tassimo, Malabar,..

www.e-marketing.fr

A beautiful Christmas decoration with Bonne Maman!

Why not changing the traditionnal use of Bonne Maman biscuits Monsieur Biscuit into a beautiful Christmas decoration?

Don't hesitate to place it on your table, or even in your Christmas tree!

This beautiful decoration will really fit into the traditional Christmas spirit, and will embellish your house, bringing an original and gourmet touch to your celebrations!

http://bout-de-zan.over-blog.com

3 biscuits on a Crash Test

We have decided to put 3 famous biscuits on our Crash Test. We analyzed them according to their packaging, the individual packets and their taste.

La Barquette 3 Chatons, LU

Packaging: 21 pts

Packet:       17 pts

Biscuit:       15 pts

Galettes au beurre frais, Bonne Maman

Packaging: 22 pts

Packet:       19 pts

Biscuit:       24 pts

Oreo, Kraft Foods

Packaging: 25 pts

Packet:       22 pts

Biscuit:       25 pts

Here are the results of our Crash Test:

And the winner is... OREO

And you, what is your favorite biscuit ?

Biscuits in figures

In analyzing this document we can highlight the 2012 biscuits sales represent no less than 1 224 598 K€ with an increase of 2,7% regarding last year. Indeed, the biscuits market is right as well and is not touched by the actual crisis. Maybe because of the low prices in general or because for customers it is important to keep gustative pleasure.

Moreover we can see particulary the evolution per segment with, for exemple the Cookies segment which represents 71 558 K€ with an increase of 14,1% regarding last year. Actually, we assist to an explosion of the Cookies market maybe explained by a bigger assortment. For instance, the lauching of new tastes by PEPPERIDGE FARM COOKIES (double chocolate chunk, macadamia nuts,..) or the lauching of the Cookies Granola range (almonds, nuts, Daim,..). Consequently Andros-Bonne maman has launched as well his own Cookie presents in individual packaging, easy to take away. This success is due also to the appeal of  such new products with new tastes and the fact that this sort of products come from far away. People are seeking always more for a kind of change of life in their way of consume.

           

This slide reveals the sovereignty of Kraft Foods on the biscuits market with 40,7% of market shares, far away from United Biscuits with 9,5% of market shares. Andros - Bonne maman owns 5,8% of market shares. Nevertheless, the distributors brands keep an important spot on the market with no less than 29,5% of market shares. Furthermore, only United Biscuits has his market shares falling down of 0,9% regarding the same period in 2011 while all over companies improved their presence with an average rise of 0,5%.

Remark: The competitor of LU's Prince is United Biscuits'BN and the only Prince market shares represent almost the whole UB ones.

                           

Source: Nielsen Décembre 2012

Biscuits and the inheritance of our regions

Each French region has its own greedy personality in terms of cakes and biscuits. To know why, we have to go back to the 19th century and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Follow us!

The North : waffles, wafers and spéculos

Under the influence of food habits and taste preferences of merchant bourgeoisies from Northern Europe ports, the recipes of biscuits in the North of France are marked by the use of imported "exotic" sugars (eg brown sugar) and spices (such as the Dutch specific mixture, composed of ginger, cinnamon and cardamom, which perfumes the famous Spéculos).

The East : pink biscuits, gingerbread and madeleine

The political history (presence of the Dukes of Burgundy and the King of Poland / Duke of Lorraine) and the German, Austrian and Polish influences explain the cultural importance of some biscuits in the East of France.

The West : pound cake, shortbread and other butter biscuits

The presence of many seaports (Bordeaux, Nantes, Saint-Malo) and the early industrialization of the region gave birth to a massive manufacturing of dry biscuits for sailors and merchants. Moreover, the recipes of Western France biscuits reveal the economic and cultural importance of butter for a region where the dairy farming is widely developed.

The South-East : olive oil, spices and chestnut floor

Largely influenced by the Southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, South-East biscuits are prepared with spices (pepper, anise, coriander, cardamom, ginger, cloves, saffron and cinnamon) or flavored with almond and orange blossom water. The Southeast recipes are also characterized by the use of localized chestnut flour.

The South-West : cannelés, millas de Gascogne, cruchards des Landes

The recipes of biscuits in the South-West of France have been influenced by the maritime opening with the port of Bordeaux, where arrived vanilla and rhum cargo from islands, and the local maize production.

Sources : www.lesucre.com and www.biscuitsgateaux.com

Did you know... how biscuits are made?

We all love eating biscuits! But did you know how biscuits are made?

Four steps are necessary to produce biscuits:

1. The farmer sows the wheat and harvests it after 8 months;
2. The farmer delivers the wheat and discharges it in a silo;
3. Wheat is milled to make floor;
4. The biscuit manufacturer mixes floor (40%) with other ingredients and puts the pasta in the oven. The biscuits are then packaged and ready to eat!

Source : www.biscuitsgateaux.com

How do we consume biscuits ?

Biscuits are often associated with childhood and happy moments shared with family. That's probably beacause we mainly consume biscuits during the breakfast and during the afternoon break (80% of consumption time).

On average, one French consumer eats 6,66 kg of biscuits each year. French consumption is in the European average, behind the Northern countries (Netherlands, Sweden, UK).

But which types of biscuits do French people prefer ?

Source : Fabricants de Biscuits & Gâteaux de France, 2011. 

The competition begins to look harsh!

Finding this market attractive, more and more firms decided to launch into it. That was first the case of United Biscuits, created in 1948 by two Scottish family businesses, McVitie & Price and MacFarlane Lan for the Britannic market.

Thanks to a strong development, from 1960 the firm decided to widen its brands portfolio. In 1990, it bought Verkade, the Dutch biscuit market leader. In 1997, it owned la Biscuiterie Nantaise, itself set down in the French and Deutch market. The year 1998 celebrated the acquisition of Delacre. Nowadays, the Britannic company is the leader of its market in Great Britain, and owns the second place in our French market.

As for Bonne Maman, created in 1971 by the Andros family and more specifically by Jean Gervoson, it launched its biscuits’ range in 1997, extending continuously its products until becoming the third main actor in the biscuits French market.

http://www.unitedbiscuits.com/about-; http://www.bonne-maman.com/

1850, or the year when Lu tradition began...

1850, or the year when Lu tradition began... 

The brand was already precursory and innovative!

http://www.lubiscuits.ca/fr/