Sector Trend Analysis - Maple products in the United Kingdom

Contents

• Market overview
• New maple products in the British market
• Distribution channels
• New product examples
• Opportunities for Canada
• For more information
• Resources

Market overview

The recent health and wellness trend has been a key factor for the maple sector. Spreads have been under the scrutiny of sugar-wary and quality-seeking consumers, which pushed some producers into innovating unique audience-specific products. Another interesting trend is the premium appeal: British spread consumers are looking for high flavor payoff and taste-centered experiences even though, in general, the public is watching its consumption of sugar and salt. Their consumption of jam and yeast-based spreads is then reduced. However, ideal candidates are honey and maple products, which are seen as naturally healthy and naturally sweet.

There is then an opportunity for producers who want to cater to the needs of health-conscious sweet-toothed consumers in search of sugar substitutes. Furthermore, according to a survey on preferred substitutes for sugar conducted by Mintel, 41% of people were most appealed by honey. Syrups, including maple syrup, scored 19%. Although not as popular as honey, which has been around for much longer, maple syrup could win the hearts of consumers if its health halo is marketed to the same extent as honey.

Description of the above image

Honey	41
Plant-derived sweeteners (e.g. stevia, xylitol, mok fruit)	24
Fruit puree/fruit juice concentrate	22
Dried fruit (e.g. dried dates)	22
Unrefined/raw sugar (e.g. golden caster)	21
Syrups (e.g. agave ryrup, maple syrup)	19
Coconut sugar/coconut nectar	18
Zero-calorie artificial sweeteners (e.g. aspartame)	17
Molasses	9
Barley malt extract	6
None of these	23

Source: Mintel, 2017

In 2016, The United Kingdom imported about US$19.279 million worth of maple products worldwide. Overall, the world’s exports to the UK have been growing at a high rate of 9.31%. Canada remained the leader in maple product imports in 2016 with a 78.65% market share, despite its slower growth and progressive loss of market share due to expanding markets like Ireland, with a 4-year compound annual growth rate of 186.21%.

New maple products in the British market

Description of the above image

	New formulation	Relaunch	New product	New variety-range extension	New packaging
2016	1	4	13	31	12
2015	3	5	14	21	7
2014	0	0	13	11	1
2013	3	1	11	10	5
2012	0	1	5	9	2

Source: Mintel, 2017

Among the 61 new products launched in 2016, half were new variety/range extension launches. Maple products are increasingly being used as a flavoring agent, rather than syrup. This is in line with the novelty trend in the UK, where consumers are looking for new, fresh products and flavors instead of their traditional foods.

From 2012 to 2016, 183 products containing maple were launched in the United Kingdom. From 2012 to 2016, the subcategory with the most launches was Pastry Dishes with 20 products. However, from 2012 to 2015, maple syrup figured in the most popular launched products. However, in 2016, there were no syrup launches. In fact, meat products and snacks/cereals/energy bars dominated the 2016 launches, each representing 11.5% of all launches. The rise of the on-the-go lifestyle might explain the sudden jump of snack products, which went from two launches in 2015 to seven in 2016. Over the years, maple has been increasingly used as a flavoring agent to dress up a meat product or to sweeten snacks while adding a meaningful health claim. The shift in the popular form of maple can be explained by both the health awareness trend and the new flavor-seeking trend.

Description of the above image

	Meals and meal centers	Snacks	Processed fish, meat and egg products	Breakfast cereals	Sweet spreads
2016	13	20	12	3	1
2015	8	6	8	8	6
2014	6	4	4	3	3
2013	6	3	5	3	5
2012	5	1	3	1	2

Source: Mintel, 2017

The change in leading category is very interesting. From 2012 to 2015, the leading category was “meals & meal centers”. However, there was a phenomenal jump in 2016 for the snacks category, which went from 6 launches to 20, in one year. The universalization of the “on-the-go” lifestyle is apparent in the distribution of the launches: fewer breakfast cereals and spreads were launched as consumers are less attracted to the idea of a sit-down breakfast, and prefer portable food options like snacks. The challenge in the sweets spreads category is that currently, honey is leading with its extremely strong health appeal, particularly amongst older, more experienced cooks. Also, it is used in most “wet” desserts, like cake and pies. However, since maple syrup has a similar texture, it could be promoted as an alternative to honey.

Furthermore, the worldwide snacking trend made a massive breakthrough this past year. Paired with the health awareness mega-trend, maple is the ideal “fresh” sugar substitute. The free-from market has been growing at an impressive rate, and is expected to keep rising. This is good news for maple, as its recent introduction into the market also attracts new flavor-seeking consumers. Adventurous consumers will appreciate the distinct flavor of maple, and this is an advantage maple has over honey, whose taste is known to all.

Claims are becoming a huge selling tactic for manufacturers. A report on sweet spreads by Mintel estimates that “one in four global chocolate spread launches bears one or more natural claims.” Furthermore, the report indicates an increased number of launches bearing an eco-friendly certification. In fact, the environmental awareness trend is also very present in the United Kingdom, as British people feel that such issues are becoming a progressively more urgent matter. The top declining claims for products containing maple are believed to be “Low/No/Reduced Fat”, “On-the-Go”, “High Protein” and “Premium” with a decline of -100% along with Vegetarian, with a drop of -28.6%.

All the companies featured in the top five are domestic companies. Together, they occupy about 42.6% of the market in terms of launches in 2016. The top launching companies all had one thing in common: their most popular claim was “ethical – environmentally friendly package”. Also, in general, “fair trade and eco-friendly products are increasingly present in Europe.”

Distribution channels

The vast majority of new maple products launches between 2012 and 2016 were located in supermarket, with a market share of 43% of all maple products launches. Mass merchandisers/hypermarkets follow with 14% and natural/health foods occupied 12%. Department stores, convenience stores and other distributors shared the remaining 31% of total launches.

Description of the above image

	Branded	Private label	Total sample
Supermarket	767	329	1096
Mass merchandiser/hypermarket	290	71	361
Natural/health food store	298	10	308
Department store	65	85	150
Convenience store	65	72	137

The most popular package type from 2012 to 2016 was “flexible”, representing 32.8% of all launches. The most popular price was US$3.99, however only 0.47% of launches using a flexible package priced their product at US$3.99. Overall, the price distribution is very scattered, with no price representing more than 2.27% of all launches.

New product examples

Mega Maple & Pecan Clusters

Company	Brand	Category	Launch Type	Price	Pack Size	Date Published	Claims
Morrisons, UK	Morrisons (Private Label)	Breakfast Cereals > Cold Cereals	Relaunch	$2.27	500.00g	Dec 2016	Ethical - Environmentally Friendly Package, No Additives/Preservatives, Vegetarian

Morrisons Mega Maple & Pecan Clusters have been relaunched, formerly under the M brand. The product comprises clusters of oats, crisped rice and wheat flakes with pecan nut pieces and maple syrup. It is suitable for vegetarians, contains no artificial colours or flavours, is a source of fibre, and retails in a 500g partly recyclable pack.

Maple, Toasted Rice & Pink Salt Organic Dark Chocolate

Company	Brand	Category	Launch Type	Price	Pack Size	Date Published	Claims
Doisy & Dam, UK	Doisy & Dam	Chocolate Confectionery > Chocolate Tablets	New Variety/Range Extension	$1.99	40.00g	Oct 2016	Digestive (Functional), Gluten-Free, Low/No/Reduced Allergen, No Animal Ingredients, Organic, Vegan

Doisy & Dam Maple, Toasted Rice & Pink Salt Organic Dark Chocolate with 74% Dominican cocoa is made with Himalayan pink salt, which contains 84 minerals to help detoxify the body. This gluten-free handmade chocolate is suitable for vegans, said to be delicious, and retails in a 40g pack featuring the EU Green Leaf logo.

Maple Caramelised Nuts

Company	Brand	Category	Launch Type	Price	Pack Size	Date Published	Claims
Waitrose, UK	Waitrose Christmas (Private Label)	Snacks > Nuts	New Variety/Range Extension	$6.16	175.00g	Nov 2016	Seasonal

Waitrose Christmas Maple Caramelised Nuts have been launched for Christmas 2016. The product comprises cashew nuts coated with maple syrup, sesame seeds and chia seeds, and retails in a 175g pack.

Maple Bacon & Gruyere Quiche

Company	Brand	Category	Launch Type	Price	Pack Size	Date Published	Claims
Aldi, UK	Specially Selected (Private Label)	Meals & Meal Centers > Pastry Dishes	New Packaging	$2.64	420.00g	Sep 2016	Ethical - Animal, Ethical - Environmentally Friendly Package, No Additives/Preservatives, Premium

Specially Selected Maple Bacon & Gruyere Quiche has been repackaged. The product comprises maple cured bacon and Gruyere cheese baked in a double cream and free range egg custard, in a butter enriched shortcrust pastry case. It contains no artificial colours or flavourings and retails in a 420g partly recyclable   pack featuring the Grocer Food & Drink Finalist award.

Maple Peanuts with Caramel Fudge & Vine Fruits

Company	Brand	Category	Launch Type	Price	Pack Size	Date Published	Claims
Aldi, UK	Clancy's (Private Label)	Snacks > Snack Mixes	New Variety/Range Extension	$4.00	400.00g	Oct 2016	No Additives/Preservatives, Seasonal, Vegetarian

Clancy's Maple Peanuts with Caramel Fudge & Vine Fruits are now available for the festive season of 2016. This vegetarian product is a source of fibre, contains no artificial colours or flavourings, is said to be great to share, and retails in a 400g pack.

Turkey & Maple Syrup Hand Cooked Crisps

Company	Brand	Category	Launch Type	Price	Pack Size	Date Published	Claims
Marks & Spencer, UK	M&S Christmas (Private Label)	Snacks > Potato Snacks	New Product	$2.49	150.00g	Oct 2016	Gluten-Free, Low/No/Reduced Allergen, Seasonal

M&S Christmas Turkey & Maple Syrup Hand Cooked Crisps are made using specially selected British potatoes, thinly sliced with their skins on and hand cooked in small batches to give a delicious and crispy snack. The gluten-free product retails in a 150g pack.

Opportunities for Canada

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Opportunity for Canada

CETA will help provide opportunities for Canadian producers, processors and exporters to reach the EU's 510 million consumers.

It can support you by:

• Reducing or eliminating tariffs on products imported into the EU
• Improving and expanding market access for Canadian products
• Providing a competitive advantage with preferential access to EU markets

Find more details: CETA for agri-food exporters.

For more information

International Trade Commissioners can provide Canadian industry with on-the-ground expertise regarding market potential, current conditions and local business contacts, and are an excellent point of contact for export advice.

• Overview of Trade Commissioner Services in the UK
• Find a Trade Commissioner

For additional intelligence on this and other markets, the complete library of Global Analysis reports can be found on the International Market Intelligence page.

For additional information on AGUNA 2017, please contact:

Ben Berry, Deputy Director
Trade Show Strategy and Delivery
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
ben.berry@canada.ca

Resources

• Global Trade Tracker, 2017.
• Mintel Global New Products Database 2017.
• Mintel report - Sweet categories: overview of sweet spreads and sugar confectionery, 2017.

Sector Trend Analysis - Maple Products in the UK
Global Analysis Report

Prepared by: Amina Qacha, Market Analyst (Co-op Student)

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (2018).

Photo Credits
All photographs reproduced in this publication are used by permission of the rights holders.
All images, unless otherwise noted, are copyright Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada.

To join our distribution list or to suggest additional report topics or markets, please contact:

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Analysis
1341 Baseline Road, Tower 5, 3^rd floor
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0C5
E-mail: aafc.mas-sam.aac@canada.ca

The Government of Canada has prepared this report based on primary and secondary sources of information. Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) assumes no liability for any actions taken based on the information contained herein.

Reproduction or redistribution of this document, in whole or in part, must include acknowledgement of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as the owner of the copyright in the document, through a reference citing AAFC, the title of the document and the year. Where the reproduction or redistribution includes data from this document, it must also include an acknowledgement of the specific data source(s), as noted in this document.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides this document and other report services to agriculture and food industry clients free of charge.