Go Ahead Fruit & Oat Bakes

Source: Pladis

Pladis is revamping its Go Ahead brand with the introduction of a new recipe for its Go Ahead Fruit & Oat Bakes designed to tap into demand for healthier biscuits.

Comprising the same soft sponge and fruity filling, the reformulation is described by Pladis as ‘non-HFSS’. A reduction in saturated fat levels means the snacks are now classed as ‘low in saturated fat’, Pladis said, and contain less sugar than the previous iteration. Each portion-sized bake remains a source of fibre, the manufacturer added, and comes in at 128 kcals.

It forms part of Pladis’ work on improving the nutritional profile of its products. In 2020, Pladis-owned McVitie’s cut sugar in nine of its biscuit brands by up to 10%, removing a total of 785 tonnes of sugar from the nation’s diets every year.

The future for healthier biscuits, which often includes on-the-go treats, is “looking rosy”, said Fran Hiebert, senior brand manager – Go Ahead at Pladis UK&I. “We’re already witnessing a strong uptick for on-the-go consumption occasions, which is great news for our Go Ahead brand,” she added.

The healthier biscuits sub-category is currently worth £560m and bought by three quarters of UK households, Hiebert noted. Within this, Go Ahead is worth £30.1m and the Fruit & Oat Bakes £7m.

“Taking all of this into account, we’ve spotted an opportunity to drive share and help our retail customers unlock incremental sales by updating some of our popular recipes and adding even more of the health benefits we know consumers are looking out for,” she said.

“By rejuvenating this popular product, we’ll re-establish brand relevance within our established shopper base, all whilst recruiting a new generation of health-conscious consumers, which will continue to promote category growth.”

Go Ahead non-HFSS Fruit & Oat Bakes will be available from the end of February in supermarkets, convenience, and wholesale with an rsp of £1.59 per pack.