Driving Innovation in In-shell Peanuts:
The Challenge
Hampton Farms is a family-owned company and the leading roaster of in-shell peanuts. Their salted in-shell products show reliable sales in the produce sections of supermarkets across the country. Consumer flavor preferences have widened in the last few years, and leaders in the snack food market have responded with new and differently flavored seasoned products. As a staple of baseball games and summertime, in-shells’ flavor innovation was lacking, and Hampton Farms wanted to bring excitement to the category and boost sales.
Solution
Driven by the latest consumer research, the National Peanut Board presented Hampton Farms with multiple product concepts, including flavor suggestions, technical product development expertise and promotional support.
Hampton Farms chose a Hickory SmokeHouse flavor for their new retail product. Consumers loved the flavor profile. The packaging featured National Peanut Board’s logo, reminding shoppers that peanuts are nutrient dense and have more energizing protein than any nut.
NPB partnered with Hampton Farms to produce in-store merchandising with the new product for a springtime launch at Walmarts across the country. The National Peanut Board also pitched the story to food trade media editors, which resulted in several stories.
Results
Hampton Farms Hickory SmokeHouse was the first substantial flavor innovation in the in-shell category in over 10 years. Media pickup included Perishable News and Drugstore News. Consumers were excited about the new product, and Hampton Farms reported robust sales.
Hampton Farms is the top-selling brand of in-shell peanuts in the country, according to Symphony IRI (2011).