The cookie category experienced a nearly 3% increase in dollar sales in the 52 weeks ended Aug. 7.
Cookie champions
The cookie category experienced a nearly 3% increase in dollar sales in the 52 weeks ended Aug. 7, according to I.R.I.
Nabisco Oreo cookies, a brand of East Hanover, N.J.-based Mondelez International, has stood atop the cookie category, and with dollar sales north of $700 million, the brand maintains a solid lead over the No. 2 cookie brand (another Mondelez brand).
To maintain its position, Mondelez has initiated efforts with its Oreo brand to keep an edge, incorporating everything from different wafer varieties to new fillings to the latest innovation: Nabisco Oreo Thins.
Mondelez introduced Oreo Thins in July 2015.
Mondelez introduced Oreo Thins in July 2015, and already in the 52 weeks ended Aug. 7, the brand had generated more than $111 million in sales, according to I.R.I. In June, Mondelez added lemon and chocolate to its Oreo Thins lineup, which includes classic, golden and mint.
Another champion in the Mondelez portfolio has been Nabisco belVita cookies. In the 52 weeks ended Aug. 7, dollar sales of belVita totaled more than $255 million, up 23% from the same period a year ago and fast-approaching the No. 3 brand: Nabisco Oreo Double Stuf cookies.
The success of belVita has led other grain-based foods companies to try and capitalize on the success of the biscuit-type product. Post Holdings in 2015 added to its on-the-go breakfast options with the launch of Honey Bunches of Oats Breakfast Biscuits.
Nabisco belVita breakfast biscuits spurred innovation in the category.
The success Mondelez has had in bringing belVita to the U.S. market has given Pepperidge Farm Inc., Norwalk, Conn., hope that similar success is in store for Tim Tam. A favorite in Australia, Pepperidge a little more than a year ago started a regional roll-out with one retailer.
During fiscal 2016 the company expanded into five retailers nationally with three varieties: original, chewy caramel and dark chocolate. For fiscal 2017 the company plans to continue in five retailers and introduced dark chocolate mint as the fourth variety in its U.S. range.
More broadly, Pepperidge Farm hopes to build on its 5% share it currently holds in the cookie category. A focus will be on increased marketing of the Milano brand, including the debut of spiced cider and toasted marshmallow varieties.
