Page 9 - Food & Drink Magazine Sep-Oct 2020

LEFT: Denada has six flavours in its range, including two vegan-friendly ice creams, which are registered with the Vegan Society.
BELOW: Denada’s dream team (L-R): Charlotte Haygarth, Jayde Taylor and Sophie Lawrence.
TRENDING TASTE
In April, tubs of Denada took on the world too, entering its first export agreement with Middle East supermarket chain Spinneys where the range is now available in 25 Spinneys and Waitrose supermarkets across the United Arab Emirates. The combination of growth among the better-for- you, premiumisation and indulgence trends are not only aiding the success of Denada’s products, but they are driven by consumer demand, Lawrence says, which is no longer as niche as it once was.
“The better-for-you trend is happening across multiple categories, not just in ice cream, and we can see more products now that may be dairy-free, vegan-friendly,orinclude
functional foods,” she says. “With Denada, we want to be the healthier, better-for-you brand without all the typical ‘health’ cues. We believe in our product so much that we would rather look delicious than cue health, so in some ways, we’re going against the grain of what’s out there.”
The bold, colour-blocking packaging for Denada’s range has worked in its favour. Clean ingredients on the inside meant a clean design on the outside, says Haygarth, and removing the clutter from the packaging helped the products standout on shelf. Designed by Melbourne-based Jo Cutri Studio, Denada’s packaging borrows cues from outside the FMCG category, such as beauty, helpingtobreakDenadaaway
from the crowded ice cream aisle, “which was critical in catching eyeballs of both customers and category buyers,” Haygarth says.
BERRIES AND BEYOND
In October, Denada will add two new flavours to its ice cream line up – the brand’s first fruit flavour, Raspberry Ribbon, “as berry was the most requested flavour,” says Haygarth, and also Caramel Choc-Flake, a vanilla ice cream with chocolate flakes and caramel ripple.
As Denada continues to grow its export markets, production line and diversify into new products, this women-led, team of three is changing the perception of sugar-free ice cream one tub at a time. “Everyproductthatwemakewe
want to ask, ‘Does it match the taste, and does it live up to the experience of full sugar?’ And yes, it might not be as sweet but it’s about the quality,” says Lawrence. “There are about seventy per cent of packaged foods out there that have added sugar, and ideally, we want to see that flipped on its head. Finally, companies are catching up with the trend and we’re excited to be part of the movement that people can eat less sugar without compromisingtaste.” ✷
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www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | September-October 2020 | Food&Drink business | 9
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