Can you please give an overview of your brand?
KP Nuts, the UK's number one nut brand, has been delivering great-tasting and high-quality nuts for over 70 years. KP Nuts has been at the heart of snacking occasions for generations, whether that's as a quick snack during the day, a sharing treat while watching sport with friends, or the perfect accompaniment to a relaxing cold drink.
We offer a variety of formats and flavours to suit all occasions, including single-serve pouches, multi-packs, price-marked packs and sharing bags, from our classic Original Salted Peanuts and Dry Roasted Peanuts through to bold, exciting flavours like Aromatic Thai Chilli.
What really sets KP Nuts apart is our commitment to quality and taste. We're more than five times the size of our nearest branded competitor, which demonstrates the strength of our brand and the loyalty we've built with consumers over decades.
How is your brand currently performing?
Nuts are an essential part of the UK snacks market, and as a category leader, with a 47 per cent share of the branded nuts segment, and a 50 per cent share specifically in peanuts, we're seeing strong year-on-year performance[1]. KP Nuts is now worth £102.7m RSV and growing at +2.5 per cent, ahead of the crisps, snacks and nuts category[2], meeting evolving consumer demands.
How is the nuts market currently performing?
Nuts remain an essential and dynamic part of the UK snacks market for several reasons.
Shoppers increasingly recognise nuts for their natural nutritional benefits, which aligns perfectly with the growing demand for healthier snacking options. Importantly, nuts are exempt from HFSS legislation.
We're also seeing nuts perform particularly well during evening sharing occasions, especially when consumers are watching sport or entertaining at home.
What’s happening with the brand at the moment?
Right now, our focus is on driving awareness and sales of our core range through exciting promotional activity.
At the end of last year, we announced a landmark new partnership with darts champion Luke Littler who became an overnight sensation when he won the World Championship. And linking KP, the nation's favourite nut brand, with a sporting favourite has really resonated. Our partnership with Luke Littler is central to our brand support strategy.
How are you supporting your brand and NPD?
We've just launched a major on-pack promotion featuring Luke, offering consumers the chance to win £180 every 180 minutes throughout the PDC World Darts Championship. With a prize fund of over £42,000, the promotion runs from 14 October until 7 December, perfectly timed to coincide with peak Christmas sharing occasions and the darts championship itself.
The promotion features across £1.35 price-marked packs of KP Original Salted Peanuts, Dry Roasted Peanuts and Aromatic Thai Chilli Flavour Coated Peanuts, with an easy-to-enter mechanic where consumers simply scan an on-pack QR code.
The promotion is also running during a key trading period for nuts, in the build-up to Christmas which is a critical period for take home snacking. It’s also when darts are at their most visible, timed to coincide with the PDC World Darts Championship. This on-pack promotion perfectly captures the excitement of darts while delivering extra value and excitement to shoppers and retailers.
How important are independent retailers to your brand?
Independent retailers are vital to the success of KP Nuts. The convenience channel is where many consumers make their snacking decisions, often on impulse, and independent retailers are perfectly positioned to capitalise on these purchasing moments.
For KP Nuts, this means independents can stock the right mix of core and flavoured varieties, position them prominently for maximum visibility, and leverage our promotional activity to drive sales.
What trends are occurring in the sector?
We're seeing several important trends shaping the nuts category. The versatility of nuts means they appeal across different missions, from afternoon pick-me-ups, a post-workout snack, or for evening entertainment and as category leaders, we know there’s still significant room to grow the UK’s consumption of nuts, and we’re ambitious in our plans as a business to attract new shoppers to the segment.
Nuts, with their natural health credentials, are an ideal choice for those seeking a more permissible snack. In 2022, 23 per cent of shoppers identified as very health-conscious, increasing to 29 per cent by 2024[3], a clear sign of health’s growing importance to many consumers. Naturally high in fibre and protein, nuts are an appealing option for health-focused shoppers.
Another significant trend impacting nuts is the strength and growth of Sharing. Worth £2bn, Sharing is the largest segment in CSN[4], with treat occasions becoming more popular, as 64 per cent of consumers are now having regular a “Big Night In”[5]. Consumers are increasingly looking for snacks that enhance these social moments, and nuts fit perfectly into this space.
Describe your brand in three words
Tasty, trusted, iconic.
References
1 Nielsen IQ, Total Coverage, Total Value, MAT 09.08.25
2 Ibid.
3 Lumina CTP 52 WE 10.11.24
4 Nielsen IQ, Total Coverage, Total Value, MAT 09.08.25
5 Mintel, 2023