Me and My Brand: Zoe Trimble of Lucozade Alert

Can you please give an overview of your brand

Lucozade Alert is a stimulation drink from Lucozade, available in 500ml PMP and non-PMP cans in Original, Tropical Burst and Cherry Blast flavours. It contains naturally sourced caffeine, with Vitamin B3 to help reduce tiredness; all with the great Lucozade taste that we know shoppers love.

As a brand, we have more than 90 years’ experience of bringing energy to the UK. Lucozade Alert is a low-calorie drink with naturally sourced caffeine and Vitamin B3 to help reduce tiredness and fatigue. The recent launch of our Original flavour puts us in a uniquely strong position, as it brings another great-tasting drink from a brand that consumers trust to the stimulation category.

How is your brand currently performing?

Lucozade Alert hit the market in September 2021 and sits within the stimulation drinks category. Our latest data shows that just in just two months the range generated £1 million^[1]in sales through wholesale and convenience stores, and we have sold over 3.1 million units to date. Building on this success, Original is the latest addition to the Lucozade Alert flavours range and is available now.

2021 was undeniably a challenge for the industry due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic and how that impacted shoppers’ behaviour and requirements. However, we knew we needed to act quickly to stay ahead – so we innovated at speed, backed by in-depth insight, and brought the Lucozade brand into the stimulation drinks market with a splash. This initial launch phase for Lucozade Alert is just the start – we have big ambitions for the brand which we’ll be revealing more of throughout 2022 and beyond!

How is the Stimulation Drinks market currently performing?

The stimulation energy segment is worth over £1bn^[2] and is experiencing particularly high growth, increasing by +16.9 per cent^[3] according to recent data. This makes it the fastest growing soft drinks segment in recent years^[4]. However, even with all this growth there is still a real opportunity for retailers to increase their sales yet further, as we know that stimulant drinks are only currently bought by 12.1 per cent^[5]of shoppers.

Research has also shown us that 75 per cent^6] of adults report concerns about tiredness, yet many shoppers still don’t think stimulant drinks are for them. This “white space” is why we brought Lucozade Alert to shelves last year – giving retailers a stimulation drink that responds to these clear shopper needs.

Do you have any new product development?

Our Lucozade Energy Original flavour remains a long-standing favourite with consumers, so we’re excited to be bringing its unique and iconic taste to the Lucozade Alert range. Lucozade Alert Original will help retailers to grow stimulation drinks sales even further with an iconic flavour in this fast-selling category.

Lucozade Alert Original is just the start of our 2022 plans for the Alert range – it’s going to be a big year for the brand, so make sure it’s in your chillers!

How are you supporting your brand and NPD?

The Lucozade Alert range is being supported by PR, digital, social media and, importantly, high-visibility and impactful point-of-sale materials throughout 2022 to ensure shoppers can’t miss the brand-new cans in your chillers.

How important are independent retailers to your brand?

Independent retailers are hugely important to Suntory Beverage and Food GB&I and in particular the Lucozade stable of brands. They have always been a crucial part of the journey in getting our Lucozade drinks into the hands of consumers.

The past couple of years have shown more than ever what an important role independent retailers play in their communities by providing vital products and services to shoppers, and we’re proud to work with and support retailers across the country.

What trends are occurring in the sector?

Over the past year, consumption patterns have changed, drinking occasions have evolved and we know the importance of converting these insights into action through the launch of new flavours, formats and NPD.

During the pandemic we saw the rise in the "big night in" and other in-home occasions, but in the past year we’ve also seen an increase in drink-later formats. We anticipate drink later formats to remain popular, but the return of on-the-go formats is already being seen as workers return to the office and people’s routines evolve. With this comes a need to address mental energy requirements, so we’re excited to bring Lucozade Alert to even more shelves to help answer this shopper need this year.

Describe your brand in three words …

Stimulating, innovative, bold

^[1] IRI Total Market, 13 we 22nd November 2021

^[2]IRI: Total Market: Stimulation value sales: 52 w/e 25/07/2021

^[3] Nielsen

^[4] SBF GB&I Category strategy insight

^[5]Source: Kantar Worldpanel: Total Market: Stimulation: Penetration % of Soft Drinks: 52 w/e 05/09/21

^[6]SBF GB&I Category strategy insight