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 Oils & Vinegars - March/April 2008  |
Slick Flavors
Wegmans Olio Novello is here today, gone tomorrow. But year-round oils and vinegars in store brands are also triumphs of niche marketing. Seasonal candy? That’s one thing. But seasonal olive oil? They’ve got it at Wegmans, Rochester, NY. Or did, a month ago. “Olio Novello,” they call it: Italian for new or fresh oil. It comes from olives harvested a few weeks before the New Year, then pressed and bottled. “This seasonal treat is unfiltered olive oil, with the most intense flavors and highest levels of beneficial antioxidants of any olive oil,” Wegmans explained in a press release. “Novello’s flavor and quality are at a peak near the harvest date – so this treat is best enjoyed without delay.” Shoppers were also advised to get to the store without delay: “The Novello oil is available while supplies last, but once it’s gone, there will be no more until January 2009.” Priced at $7.99, in distinctive 16.9 oz (500 ml) bottles, Novello extra virgin olive oil arrived in stores in mid-January, and was merchandised from special front end displays. Evolution in Action Time was that the range of store brand cooking and salad oils was pretty limited. There were the standard economy oils – corn, vegetable and (later) canola – with some retailers also offering peanut or sunflower oils. Then there was olive oil, in pure, light and extra virgin varieties. Back then, shortening was a big thing, and a lot of chains carried that in private label. But these days there are cooking oils, basting oils and dipping oils. There are imported olive oils in regional varieties, flavored and infused olive oils, grapeseed oils, pumpkin oils… Wegmans may be the first with limited edition olive oil, which isn’t its only innovation in the category: another introduction this year is an organic high-oleic sunflower oil – “so versatile you can use it the same way as olive oil.” Private label olive oil sales were up 9.2% to $135.5 million for the 52 weeks ended 1/27/2008, according to Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Chicago, IL. That outpaced overall growth, and produced a store brand share of 19.4%. Other cooking and salad oils produced store brand sales of $348.8 million, up 7.1%, with a share of 38.3%. But to catch shoppers’ attention, retailers have to be more creative and exploit new niches. You think you’ve seen everything? Check out Target, Minneapolis, MN, which is using its super centers to market store brand specialties even progressive supermarket chains like Wegmans haven’t tried. Kalamata Olive & Feta Cheese dipping oil, for example – you can’t make this stuff up. Other 500 ml flavored dipping oils under the Archer Farms brand at $8.69 include Chili Pepper, Lemon, Basil and Rosemary.
Ordinary Italian olive oil is $7.99, and organic $9.99. Then there are the 7.8 oz cooking oils – Mediterranean, Roasted Garlic and Fiery Chili – at $3.49. They’re based on canola oil, but with other ingredients such as, in the case of Mediterranean, roasted garlic oil and basil and thyme oils. But besides adding flavor to stir-fry, sauté and grill dishes, Target says, they can be drizzled over meat or vegetables, or mixed with vinegar to produce a salad dressing. Even when the products aren’t new, the hype still can be. Topco Associates, Skokie, IL, adorns its World Classics Trading Co. 100% Pure Italian olive oil – generally considered a cut below extra virgin – with a mock consumer testimonial: “Italians claim the olive oil from these rolling Tuscan hills was used to anoint Kings. I anointed my salad and pronounced it magnifico.” Imported specialty olive oil is the hallmark of many a private label program – and so is hype. “We work with olive oil producers throughout Italy,” noted Christine Klem, Wegmans’ merchandise manager. Its tasters, most of whom are professional chefs, make the final selection for Novello – the latest has a flavor profile associated with Tuscany. “Layers of fragrance and flavor unfold on the tongue,” the chain rhapsodized in its press release. “First, there’s a grassy aroma, then a buttery taste, and then a peppery finish.” Specialty Niches Ahold USA, Boston, MA, is one of a number of retailers to offer regional olive oils from Italy. Umbria, Sicily and Apulia varieties are available at Stop & Shop outlets under the Simply Enjoy brand in 8.5 oz bottles at $6.49. There are also flavored varieties – lemon, pepper and orange. Ahold also offers a regional balsamic vinegar of Modena in a matching bottle – same size, same price. Under its Central Market Classics brand, Price Chopper, Schenectady, NY, has introduced 8.5 oz Hot Garlic & Herb basting oil at $3.99 – grapeseed oil infused with oil of garlic, thyme, parsley and red pepper flakes. A Garlic & Herb dipping oil is also part of Price Chopper’s premium line, along with 17 oz grapeseed oil at $3.49 and 8.5 oz garlic and lemon olive oils at $3.99. Wegmans had pioneered basting oil and grapeseed oil in the same region. Dipping oils under the Private Selection brand at Kroger, Cincinnati, OH, include Mediterranean Garlic. Zesty Italian and Garlic Balsamic, all in 8.5 oz bottles at $4.99. Tarragon, red wine and balsamic vinegars are part of the same line. Bruschetta, truffle and garlic flavored olive oils are distributed by Topco under the World Classics Trading Co. brand. So is balsamic vinegar of Modena, and Topco has just come out with a basting oil. Even in standard oils, retailers are getting creative with promotion. “Time For an Oil Change” reads a point of sale placard for 48 oz canola oil at Hannaford, Scarborough, ME. Smaller copy points out how low the oil is in saturated fat, transfat and cholesterol. Because corn, vegetable and canola oil account for the bulk of store brand cooking and salad oil sales, retailers need to give them plenty of facings and plenty of push – especially now, when a recession may force shoppers to trade down from olive oil. In vinegar, private label sales were up 4.6% to $98.9 million and a 41.7% share last year. Much of the market is still in economy items like Great Value distilled white vinegar at Wal-Mart, Bentonville, AR, which retails at only 53 cents a bottle, or Market Pantry at Target – $2.39 for a 64 oz jug. But the dollar growth may be fueled mainly by the pricier items like Food Club premium aged white wine vinegar, $2.99 at Food City outlets in Virginia, or Tuscan and Chianti Red Wine vinegars at Wegmans, going in 500 ml bottles for $4.99. Recommended Suppliers
Products described or shown in this article are not necessarily available from these suppliers. For more suppliers see current Private Label Directory & Buyer’s Guide. |
