Ready-to-drink meal brand yfood has expanded its UK retail presence to more than 10,000 points of sale, driven by growing demand for convenient, nutritionally complete food options and an increasing focus on convenience retail channels.
The milestone comes as Nestlé this month agreed to acquire the remaining shares in the German smart food company, taking full ownership of the business after initially acquiring a 49 per cent minority stake in 2023.
The expansion includes wider distribution through SPAR and Nisa stores, alongside a rollout to more than 1,500 Tesco Express outlets and an extension of its listing in over 2,000 Co-op stores.
The brand said the latest growth follows a series of retail wins and range extensions across grocery, health and convenience channels, helping it surpass 10,000 stores nationwide.
According to the company, yfood is growing at more than twice the rate of the wider ready-to-drink category and has generated £13.8 million in incremental value for the segment over the past year. Its Happy Banana variant has also delivered 25 per cent growth in the banana RTD category.
Paul Sloane, UK and Ireland country director at yfood, said the UK had become a key growth market for the brand.
"The UK has been an incredibly exciting market for yfood. Since launch, we've seen growing demand from the everyday person turning to the smart food category for convenient, nutritionally complete options that fit seamlessly into busy lives, whether that's between meetings, after the gym or during the daily commute," he said.
"Our expanding retail presence reflects growing confidence in both the smart food category and the yfood brand. As convenience continues to evolve beyond traditional snacks and meal deals, we're seeing strong appetite for solutions that combine balanced nutrition, great taste and real convenience."
Alongside the distribution gains, yfood has increased investment in shopper marketing, securing a dedicated breakfast-on-the-run fixture in Tesco Express stores and introducing educational point-of-sale materials in Boots to help consumers understand the smart food category.
The company has also launched its first UK public relations campaign, centred on changing commuting habits and the growing demand for convenient breakfast solutions. Consumer research commissioned by the brand found many commuters regularly eat on the move because of time pressures, while expressing frustration with traditional breakfast options that can be messy or inconvenient.
The yfood Commuter Code campaign promotes ready-to-drink smart food products as an alternative for breakfast, lunch and other on-the-go consumption occasions.
Each yfood bottle contains 500 calories, 30g of protein, at least 8g of fibre and 26 vitamins and minerals, positioning the range as a meal replacement option for busy consumers.