One of the most recognisable icons of modern life, the ‘Smiley’ is fast becoming a trusted brand and emblem in the food retail trade.
With Smiley’s distinct focus on developing 3D-shaped foods starting to pay dividends, the brand has announced the launch of ‘Chicken Smileys’ across 275 Farmfoods stores.
With 3D remaining the cornerstone of Smiley’s food programme, Smiley has been working with Romanian Chicken supplier Transavia to get its unique and trademarked 3D foods listed at some of Europe’s leading supermarkets, including Carrefour, Iceland, and now Farmfoods.
Speaking about the latest launch, the chief executive of Smiley, Nicolas Loufrani, said, “One of the key elements of our strategy is to develop ‘shaped’ products.
"When you go for generic shapes, such as stars, anyone can copy your design, but there’s only one 3D Smiley food trademark – it is instantly recognisable, it is protected and enforceable."
Smiley has long offered 3D shapes in more ‘stable’ food formats, with a longstanding tie-up with frozen-food producer McCain, which has been selling Smiley potato products for more than 20 years.
However, thanks to recent advancements in technology, Smiley has been able to extend 3D-shaped food products in a range of new products, including ice creams, snacks, sweets, and even pasta.
This strategy has allowed Smiley to sign a host of new food licensees in recent years and has contributed to category growth of over 20% from 2017 to 2018.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Sponsored content. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
