Border unveils new look and £190 million category opportunity

Border Biscuits is set to make its biggest move in its 38-year history, unveiling a bold new positioning and brand identity, new packaging formats and three new products that tap into the latest flavour trends.

The new look and feel is part of a new strategy for the family-owned biscuit brand, aimed at becoming the UK’s number one “accessible premium” biscuit and unlocking a category opportunity worth £190 million to retailers.

Based on extensive consumer research and a complete brand review, Border Biscuits – already the UK’s number one premium biscuit brand in the out-of-home channel and the number one premium biscuit brand in Scotland – has identified an untapped segment within the biscuits category: accessible premium.

Many shoppers are looking to trade up from “everyday” products to more premium options that they can enjoy across “moments” throughout the day, the research confirmed. This is being mirrored in other categories such as crisps and snacks, mixers and desserts, however the research highlights few premium-yet-affordable offerings in the biscuit category, meaning many consumers end up looking for sweet treats in other categories.

Border Biscuits is on a mission to change this, leveraging its range, formats, flavours, and quality to encourage consumers to trade up from an everyday biscuit and to become the biscuit category’s signpost brand for accessible premium.

Border Biscuits are already consumed across 90 million occasions per year, led by the success of its Dark Chocolate Ginger, Classic Sharing Pack as well as Mini Packs out-of-home. As part of the re-brand, the business is adding three new products to its portfolio – a Dark Chocolate Orange biscuit and bar, alongside a Dark Chocolate Raspberry biscuit. Chocolate is the nation’s favourite flavour, and Border’s NPD demonstrates that the brand is led by genuine consumer insight, tapping into the latest trends within the sweet snacking category.

Reflecting growing consumer interest in sustainability, the brand continues to build on its sustainability efforts, having already reduced its plastic packaging by 90%. In fact, this year, an additional two tonnes of plastic will be removed from Border Biscuit’s packaging, as the Mini Pack film is now fully recyclable. The aim is that by 2025, all the packaging from Border Biscuits will be fully recyclable.

“We’ve identified a real opportunity for Border Biscuits to lead the accessible premium category. We understand what consumers want, and our trusted brand and track record in innovation mean we’re in the perfect position to deliver it,” said Paul Parkins, Managing Director at Border Biscuits. “We’re already outperforming the market in a growing category, and the brand repositioning will help retailers benefit from increased sales in the accessible premium category.”

The new Border Biscuits NPD will hit shelves from March and the new packaging will roll out across the wider portfolio in April. The brand refresh will be supported with a £5 million brand investment and significant capital investment.