Thought leader: What has 5 years of sampling achieved for Fulfil?

by Joel Kaufman, Managing Director, LINK – Effective Brand Experience

From launching into the UK five years ago, Fulfil Nutrition has grown to be the fastest selling healthy snack bar, selling over 200 million units and achieving acquistion by confectionary giants Ferrero.

Throughout this time, Fulfil has been using sampling to achieve its rapid growth. From the very start of  this strategy, the brand invested in the purchase of an eye catching sampling truck that has been with them every mile of their journey.

 

Getting Listed

To begin with, new listings were helped on to shelf by activating at targeted trade shows to reach buyers. The truck has formed a visual centrepiece of many exhibitions and trade event days. This was further enhanced with a giant Fulfil bar permanently mounted to its roof acting as a navigational beacon, towering over the maze of other exhibition stands.

In addition, rather than wait for retail buyers to visit the brand at trade shows, sampling has enabled the trade show to come to the head offices of grocery multiples, convenience retailers and wholesalers. Buyer engagement event days were used to attract interest outside of prospective stockist HQs; and also to further develop relationships within existing stockists too.

Driving Sales

The truck has enabled sampling to drive measurable rate of sales growth too. When located around stores, its bold colours and size pique curiosity of passing shoppers; and the enthusiastic brand ambassadors engage shoppers to prompt both trial and purchases.

It’s been effectively utilised around many Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Co-op, Marks & Spencer, Boots, WHSmith, Waitrose, Welcome Break and independents too.

Consumer Engagement

As a healthier snacking brand, Fulfil has been able to sample to targeted audiences across a wide range of consumer events and aligned lifestyle locations. Urban area parks, tough mudders, half marathons, gyms, sports events, music festivals, university campuses, city centres and fashionable suburbs have all been reached across the UK.

Expending the event area beyond the truck with fun participatory games, direct sales and social media amplification opportunities has helped the brand experience live beyond the event day itself.

Taken in sustained combination, the above sampling strategies have played a significant role to the brand’s success. As Fulfil enters its new phase of ownership under Ferrero, it will be interesting to see how and where their new owners will take the brand and the truck, next.