| Salads : Salad Time |
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THE BREAKDOWN Current MAT to 01 January 2012 Total Salad Dressings & Vinegar: $63.946m Value % Chg vs YA 2.9 Total Mayonnaise: $31.914m Value % Chg vs YA 5.6 Total Pourable Dressings: $14.667m Value % Chg vs YA -0.0 Total Vinegar: $10.340m Value % Chg vs YA 2.2 Total Other Salad Dressings: $6.738m Value % Chg vs YA -1.4 Total Dry Salad Dressing Mixes: $287,057 Value % Chg vs YA -2.3 Total Fresh Fruit & Vegetables (Packaged): $505.130m Value % Chg vs YA 3.0 Total Fresh Vegetables: $272.511m Value % Chg vs YA 2.6 Total Fresh Fruit: $142.587m Value % Chg vs YA 4.5 Total Prepacked Salads: $72.947m Value % Chg vs YA 1.0 Total Fresh Herbs: $11.865m Value % Chg vs YA 9.3 Total Fresh Sprouts: $5.219m Value % Chg vs YA 5.4 * Nielsen New Zealand ScanTrack (Databank) Snap Fresh Foods has been helping New Zealanders reach their 5+ A Day for over 25 years, by continuously delivering healthy, fresh, innovative products to the New Zealand market. Snap Fresh Foods is a carboNZero certified organisation, and is firmly committed to sustainable farming, production and distribution methods. In supermarkets, Snap Fresh Foods currently ranges Krispkut Salads and Fresh Dressings, Sproutman, Dashboard Diner and Farmer Bills Baby Carrots. Sales and marketing manager Stephen Twinn says, “We re-launched our range of Krispkut Dressings, which includes three ‘gourmet’ variants: Japanese Style Vinaigrette, Japanese Sesame Dressing, and Hempseed & Honey Vinaigrette. We have 10 dressings in total, each with a vibrant taste, and free of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives.” He adds: “We also launched a Seasonal Winter Salad Mix (May to October) under Krispkut, that contains red and green spinach and baby cavolo nero. Cavolo nero is considered a “super food” and when combined with spinach delivers a high anti-oxidant mix and is a good source of vitamins A and K. Winter Salad can be eaten hot or cold. For summer we have just released Krispkut Classic Kiwi Mix of iceberg, cos, shredded beetroot and carrot ... a retro feel with a modern twist.” Twinn says the Winter Salad performed very well and the initial uptake for the Classic Kiwi Mix has been very positive. He adds: “We are currently looking at potential new products and salad mixes that are inspirational in building the base for an amazing salad and deliver fresh, ethical, convenient options. “The biggest growth area is in spinach as customers look for healthy and versatile ingredients to add to their shopping basket. Customers are also demanding fresh, New Zealand grown products. Snap Fresh Food’s products are grown in our North and South Island farms, harvested daily and aim to go to market within 24 hours.” Dressings are a flavour-driven market. Mayonnaise continues to drive growth in the Dressings category and in New Zealand supermarkets, Heinz Wattie’s leads the Dressings category*, says Melanie Taylor, senior product manager Dressings & Table Sauces (*Nielsen, Total Dressings Val. & Vol. MAT to 6th November 2011). Heinz Wattie’s dressings include Eta; Eta Gourmet; Heinz; Heinz Seriously Good and the Weight Watchers range. Among new launches in the last 12 months are: • Eta Caramelised Onion Dressing 250ml • Eta Greek-style Feta with Oregano Dressing 250ml • Heinz Seriously Good Aioli 295ml (available in an Upside Down Squeezy bottle) • Heinz Seriously Good Tartare 295ml (available in an Upside Down Squeezy bottle). “The new Heinz Seriously Good Aioli and Tartare have been a welcome addition to the successful Mayonnaise and Pasta Sauce ranges, taste seriously good and are set to contribute to market growth.” 
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Summer is peak time for fresh salads and dressings sales as consumers search for light and healthy meal solutions. FMCG talked to some of the key suppliers in these categories.
Salad Dressings 
These new dressings have been performing well since launch in August/September 2011, says Taylor. She explains: “As the dressings market is so flavour-driven, it is important that new variants are launched on a regular basis to keep consumers engaged with the category. Eta strives to keep abreast of international and New Zealand flavour trends.