Hunt's canned tomatoes: a total-store sales engine

Few categories match canned tomatoes for cuisine versatility. A central ingredient in planned home meals, and a major appeal to big basket buyers ($83.75 on average¹ when canned tomatoes are in the basket), canned tomatoes go well with meats, seafood and other high-margin protein sources, as well as vegetables, pastas, salsa and more.

Home cooks love the individuality they can bring to each meal using canned tomatoes as a base. More than any other brand, they look to Hunt's for the consistent quality across all product forms, healthful lower-sodium formulas, and recipe innovation that keep America's families excited about dinners at home.

Hunt's is the only brand represented in all seven segments: diced, sauce, paste, crushed, stewed, whole and puree—each with a distinct flavor, texture, cooking and preparation profile.

 

These product forms aren't substitutable in recipes; to be a preferred brand in all, Hunt's draws on exclusive consumer insights (cooking enthusiasts, food-involved, quality/fresh taste/nutrition seeking) that help drive the brand's delivery of the most desired traits in high-demand items.

Leadership on many fronts has catapulted Hunt's to 9% volume growth (outpacing the rise of the $1.1 billion canned tomatoes category), and #1 category share overall:³

• Hunt's delivers what consumers want in product quality, healthfulness and useful creativity.
• Hunt's tomatoes are harvested at their peak of ripeness, and diced, whole, stewed tomatoes use flash-steam to help keep their flavor and color.
• Three new no-salt-added varieties begin shipping in September.
• Take-one recipes and meal solutions at the shelf drive purchases of the category and companion food items storewide.
• The brand imprints its quality message and stirs sales wherever celebrity chef George Duran shows up on the high-profile Hunt's Crash Kitchen Tour. Hunt's consumer media spend on television, digital, social media and promotions is budgeted to grow by 30% in 2010.

1 Source: NPD Group, 2008.
2 IRI Infoscan — Total US FDMx — 39 weeks ending 2/28/10 (CAG FY 10 YTD)
3 SymphonyIRI Infoscan, total U.S. FDMx, 39 weeks ended February 28, 2010.

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A more shop-able tomato section drives category growth

The canned tomatoes category builds the most opportunities when it is highly shop-able. That's because 80% of canned tomatoes shoppers approach the shelf knowing precisely what they need. If their recipe is for a sauce or a salsa, that determines the specific product form they will buy.

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Better nutrition for health-minded consumers

Consumers are hot on the tomato trail in their quest for health. Tomatoes are America's most-eaten non-starchy vegetable (after potatoes), and most of that volume is canned, notes Mark Andon, PhD, vice president-nutrition at ConAgra Foods.

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Three new heart-healthy, no-salt-added varieties

Consumers will get the best of both worlds when they buy their preferred Hunt's brand of canned tomatoes in new no-salt-added varieties: the great fresh taste they enjoy...

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Hunt's Crash Kitchen Tour

Hunt's is continuing to crash into America's kitchens and supermarkets with Chef George Duran to show consumers that switching to Hunt's will enhance the quality and freshness of the meals they serve their families. Duran's mission is to "personally show everyone the difference between other canned tomatoes and Hunt's tomatoes" through a new integrated, multi-media campaign beginning in September.

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Tomatoes are a versatile ingredient; driving basket ring and meal solution opportunities.

• Canned tomatoes consumers shop the entire store¹
• Average basket ring for:²
  • Pasta Sauce - $91.12
  • Canned Tomatoes - $83.75

¹ IRI S3 Panel Data — Total US FDMx — 52 Weeks End 12/27/2009
² NPD Group 2 Years Ending May 2008; IRI FDMx, Current Weeks Ending 8/02/2009

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