Pulses and grains brand Merchant Gourmet has rolled out a new look across its full range as it continues to grow at pace and expand into new categories.
With double-digit growth and recent innovation driving expansion in six product categories, the redesigned packs build on Merchant Gourmet’s signature colourful patterns but with a “renewed confidence in its identity”.
So far this year, Merchant Gourmet is seeing over 40% year-on-year growth and has now topped 50% market share in the UK with other launches across Europe. The new designs are showing there’s still room for scaling further, with the new packs having already delivered double-digit rate of sale increase following the launch into the market.
In its latest wave of launches, Merchant Gourmet expands two of its core ranges; introducing Drain-Free Mini Kidney Beans – building on the brand’s launch into the ready-to-eat bean space, with 77% of sales incremental to the category – and adding Quick Cook Spelt and Giant Tricolour Couscous to its Dried Ingredients range.
Alongside the new designs, Merchant Gourmet is unveiling a modernised logo that puts the word ‘gourmet’ front and centre, with an updated brand mission: ‘Everyday Gourmet’. With 68% of shoppers willing to pay more for higher quality products, Merchant Gourmet’s new look and rapid expansion across categories reflect its commitment to elevating everyday meals, injecting premium options into categories that have long lacked innovation.
With the brand refresh process led by creative agency Big Fish, and designs created in collaboration with artists and Merchant Gourmet’s in-house creative teams, each pack features patterns inspired by the ingredients or provenance of the product inside, many of which are hand-painted.
Back-of-pack recipes have also been reimagined with standout food photography and a new QR code providing recipe inspiration.
And small tweaks to the descriptions on front of pack have made it easier for consumers to understand the flavours and ingredients in each product, to boost transparency and aid decision making.
Richard Peake, Managing Director at Merchant Gourmet, commented: “Our colourful patterned packs are an integral part of our brand identity. Quality is at the centre of everything we do, and we obsess over every detail of our product, from what goes in it to how it looks on the outside. We’re proud to be bold and different, and with this refresh, we’re doubling down on that energy.”
Esther Sforza, Head of Brand at Merchant Gourmet, added: “We have previously shied away from ‘gourmet’ due to the implications of being seen as ‘too fancy’. But we’re proud of the fact that we use incredible, high-quality ingredients, and this should be front and centre of our brand identity. We’re on a mission to make everyday meals a little more gourmet, which we hope comes through in our new designs.”
Merchant Gourmet Drain-Free Kidney Beans (240g, RRP £2.25) are available now in Tesco, and the Dried Ingredients range (300g, Couscous RRP £3, Puy Lentils & Spelt RRP £3.60) is available now from Ocado or direct from Merchant Gourmet.
