McCain Waffles has been launched in the United Kingdom as part of a coordinated effort to stimulate brand and category growth by appealing to a broader age range of consumers who may have outgrown the company’s kid-friendly McCain Smiles product line. Eight units come per retail pack, which sells for around £1.20.
The potato waffles are lightly finished with sunflower oil to assure that a crispy outside complements a fluffy inside. Research suggests they will be eaten with a wide range of foods, such as fish fingers, beans, sausages and peas, and even as a center-of-plate dish topped with beans and cheese.
For years consumers, believing that a McCain potato waffle already existed, talked about it frequently when surveyed by consumer researchers, pointed out Mark Hodge, head of brands for Scarborough, North Yorkshire-headquartered McCain Foods (GB) Ltd. “So we have utilized all of our expertise to ensure they are the best available,” he insisted.
The rollout of McCain Waffles followed the company’s introduction of a £35 million Happy Days marketing campaign, which is expected to reach 99% of mothers in Britain. The year-long program of activity is McCain’s biggest ever marketing blitz, and part of a major drive to grow the frozen potato category by transforming the brand. Over the next 12 months the promotion will focus on four key category growth areas: Easier Family Meals, Conversion from Homemade Potato, Nutritious Kids Meals, and Sharing at Home.
