In 2015 Dutch snack manufacturer Royaan, owner of consumer brands Kwekkeboom and Van Dobben, saw a sales increase of 15% compared to 2014. The turnover amounted to € 80.1 million (2014: € 69.6 million). The manufacturer benefited from the huge success of the 2014 range launched Kwekkeboom Oven snacks and also saw strong growth in the out-of-home market with the Van Dobben brand. The combined market share in Retail almost tripled and increased from 4.1% to 11.8%.
Premium snack brand Van Dobben performed excellent with a sales growth of 14% in the Food Service market (restaurants, snack bars, petrol stations, catering, etc.). In Retail Kwekkeboom oven succeeded to create a new fresh-frozen category ‘Oven’ with its innovative line of oven snacks. This led to a revolution in consumer behaviour. In one year, the consumer sales of Kwekkeboom Oven amounted to more than € 14 million and the brand sold over 35 million snacks (about 3.6 million packages). Meanwhile, supported by a full trophy cabinet, Kwekkeboom Oven has been able to turn the rusting fresh-frozen segment (dominated by snacks for frying, little new buyers, relatively low prices) upside down. With the introduction of oven snacks the total fresh-frozen category grew again, with many new buyers and increased spending.
Kwekkeboom Oven was honoured past years with several nominations and awards, finally with the nomination of the world's best food product. This prize will be awarded in Paris in October 2016 during the most important international food trade show, SIAL. Royaan CEO Bart Bakker: "Whether we win or not, SIAL is a great springboard for our international ambitions with the brand and the underlying oven technology."
In 2015 Kwekkeboom Oven launched a total of 15 new products in the retail channel and achieved almost 100% weighted distribution for the entire range. A huge product sampling (50,000 free test products) and an intensive television advertising campaign intensively supported the brand. Bakker: "The investment in manufacturing, product development, marketing and sales over the past three years amounted to more than 10 million euros. The margins are good, but what we earn we reinvest immediately in the brand to grow at home and abroad.”
The introduction of the range Kwekkeboom Oven snacks has not gone unnoticed abroad. Royaan wants to introduce Kwekkeboom Oven in several EU countries. Bakker: "Crispness is in fact a true universal consumer need. We plan to create appropriate products for different countries that can make the difference compared to existing products and cooking methods such as deep-frying, frying in a pan or in the oven. In every country one sees different cooking methods and preferences. There is a good chance that Spain is the first country where we are going to introduce Kwekkeboom Oven.” What other countries follow when, Bakker keeps for himself.