The recent Kantar Brand Footprint report showcased the most-chosen grocery brands across Europe, based on their Consumer Reach Points (CRP), penetration, and frequency.
Building on from that, in this article, we explore the top 20 food brands in Europe, as outlined by Kantar's Brand Footprint data for 2022.
The Top 20 Food Brands In Europe: Kantar
| Brand | CRP (M) | Pen 2022 | Frequency 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinder | 790.0 | 50.2 | 7.6 |
| 2 | Knorr | 660.0 | 55.4 | 5.8 |
| 3 | Dr. Oetker | 646.0 | 46.0 | 6.8 |
| 4 | Milka | 556.0 | 46.2 | 5.8 |
| 5 | Haribo | 534.0 | 42.5 | 6.1 |
| 6 | Heinz | 495.0 | 39.3 | 6.1 |
| 7 | Maggi | 445.0 | 40.8 | 5.3 |
| 8 | Barilla | 424.0 | 36.8 | 5.6 |
| 9 | Lay's | 402.0 | 32.3 | 6.0 |
| 10 | Mulino Bianco | 397.0 | 11.9 | 16.2 |
| 11 | Herta | 347.0 | 20.7 | 8.1 |
| 12 | Bonduelle | 332.0 | 34.6 | 4.7 |
| 13 | Nutella | 312.0 | 34.1 | 4.4 |
| 14 | Lindt | 295.0 | 34.1 | 4.2 |
| 15 | Mc Vitie's | 288.0 | 15.8 | 8.8 |
| 16 | Hovis | 264.0 | 8.9 | 14.3 |
| 17 | Pringles | 257.0 | 29.4 | 4.2 |
| 18 | Walkers | 257.0 | 10.4 | 12.0 |
| 19 | Mc Cain | 256.0 | 23.3 | 5.3 |
| 20 | Cadbury's Dairy Milk | 247.0 | 10.7 | 11.2 |
1. Kinder
Taking the top spot with an impressive CRP of 790 million, is Ferrero-owned confectionery brand Kinder.
In January 2024, Ferrero said that the performance of its Commerciale Italia division, responsible for its Italian business operations, reported a 6.7% increase in sales in 2023, driven by demand for Kinder – in particular for the brand's new Kinderini biscuit SKU, which was launched last year. The Kinder range includes popular confectionery products such as Kinder Bueno, Kinder Egg, Kinder Ice Cream, Kinder Cards and more.
2. Knorr
A trusted name in the world of seasonings, soups, and condiments, Knorr claims second position with a CRP of 660 million.
The Knorr brand is owned by global giant Unilever, which recently launched a €1.5 billion share buyback in February 2024 after volumes increased for the first time in 10 quarters.
3. Dr. Oetker
Renowned for its baking products, pizza, and dessert mixes, Dr. Oetker secures the third spot with a CRP of 646 million.
The food companies of Dr. Oetker increased their total sales by 5.7% to €4 billion in the firm's 2022 financial year. Dr. Oetker achieved around 65% of its total sales outside of Germany. In addition to its core business areas of pizza, cake and dessert, the company's portfolio also includes digital platforms and services.
4. Milka
Famous for its creamy Swiss chocolate, Milka, with a CRP of 556 million, takes fourth position.
Milka is owned by Mondelēz International, which recently posted a rise in fourth-quarter sales, but price hikes took a toll on volumes. While price increases have helped the Milka parent improve its profit margin through its 2023 financial year, it is now starting to see demand dip as consumers cut back spending.
5. Haribo
Confectionery brand Haribo ranks fifth with a CRP of 534 million.
A third generation family business, Haribo celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2020. Its products are now available in more than 120 countries around the world, with the company frequently developing products tailored to local preferences in the different markets in which it operates.
6. Heinz
Known for its iconic ketchup, condiments, and canned soups, Heinz takes sixth position with a CRP of 495 million.
In February 2024, Kraft Heinz, the brand owner, forecast lower annual core sales growth following a failure to meet quarterly sales expectations, suggesting that that demand may continue to be low as customers adjust to previous price increases.
In the fourth quarter, quarterly volumes decreased by 4.4 percentage points, mainly due to weaker demand in North America, while prices across Kraft Heinz's product range increased by 3.7 percentage points.
7. Maggi
Maggi claims the seventh spot with a CRP of 445 million. The Nestlé-owned brand offers a wide range of sauces, seasoning mixes, and instant soups.
In February 2024, Nestlé announced plans to reduce the pace of price increases in 2024, after a sustained period of price hikes on its core brands. The company also noted that it is experiencing reduced effects from freight costs compared to previous years.
8. Barilla
Italian pasta giant Barilla secures eighth position with a CRP of 424 million.
In January 2024, Barilla announced it is planning price cuts of 7% to 13% on a wide range of products, including pasta, biscuits, snacks, and bread, an initiative valid only in Italy. The promotion will run from 1 February to 31 December 2024.
'This is a significant operation,' Barilla said in a statement. 'We are committed to helping Italian families struggling with rising food costs.'
9. Lay's
Renowned for its potato chips and snacks, Lay's ranks ninth with a CRP of 402 million.
Lay's is owned by Frito-Lay, which has been a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo since 1965.
In February 2024, PepsiCo reported fourth-quarter revenue below estimates and projected weak organic growth for 2024 due to recent price increases affecting demand for its juices and Lay's crisps. The company's net revenue declined by 0.5% to $27.85 billion (€25.86 billion) in the fourth quarter.
10. Mulino Bianco
Italian biscuit, cookie and baked goods manufacturer Mulino Bianco takes tenth position with a CRP of 397 million. Mulino Bianco is owned by Barilla Group.
11. Herta
Herta claims eleventh position with a CRP of 347 million. Herta is known for its meat products, including sausages and deli meats.
Founded by the Schweisfurth family in Herten, West Germany, the company's roots can be traced back over 125 years.
12. Bonduelle
A leading brand in canned and frozen vegetables, Bonduelle secures twelfth position with a CRP of 332 million.
In February 2024, Bonduelle said that its first half revenue was 'in line with targets' despite a limited decline in volume due to sluggish global consumption.
Bonduelle generated €1.2 billion in revenue in the first half of its financial year to 31 December 2023, reflecting like-for-like growth of 4.5%. On a reported basis, revenue declined 2.4%, the company said.
13. Nutella
Nutella, owned by Ferrero, takes thirteenth position with a CRP of 312 million, with its iconic hazelnut chocolate spread a breakfast favourite.
Ferrero's revenues increased by 21% to €17 billion in its financial year ending August 2023, driven by both organic growth and acquisitions.
14. Lindt
Lindt ranks fourteenth with a CRP of 295 million. The Swiss chocolatier is renowned for its premium chocolate truffles and bars.
In January 2024, Lindt & Sprüngli reported 10.3% organic growth in sales 2023, driven by increased product prices and robust sales. The company primarily credited the sales growth to higher selling prices, which were implemented to counteract rising raw material costs, particularly for cocoa, a key ingredient.
15. Mc Vitie's
Known for its biscuits, cookies, and cakes, Mc Vitie's claims fifteenth spot with a CRP of 288 million.
The brand is well known for its iconic Jaffa Cakes, Hobnob's, and Penguin bars.
16. Hovis
The leading bread brand on the list, Hovis secures sixteenth position with a CRP of 264 million.
The 138-year-old bakery brand was acquired by Endless LLP in 2020, a UK based mid-market private equity firm, for an undisclosed sum.
17. Pringles
Snack brand Pringles ranks seventeenth with a CRP of 257 million. The potato chips brand forms part of the recently-formed Kellanova stable, spun out of The Kellogg Company.
In November 2023, Kellanova surpassed third-quarter sales and profit expectations, as consumers continued to buy Pringles snacks despite increased prices. The company experienced a 7.4% decrease in overall volumes for the quarter.
18. Walkers
Crisp brand Walkers takes eighteenth position with a CRP of 257 million. The UK and Ireland brand is the local equivalent of Lay's.
Last June, PepsiCo announced its intention to invest £58 million (€67.3 million) in enhancing crisp manufacturing at its Walkers factory in Leicester. This investment is expected to generate 100 new jobs at the facility.
19. McCain
McCain, which specialises in frozen potato products, claims nineteenth spot with a CRP of 256 million.
In 2023, McCain Foods unveiled a $600-million (€560 million) investment in its Coaldale facility located in Alberta, Canada. The investment aims to double the size of the facility, with Max Koeune, president and chief executive officer of McCain Foods, describing it as the largest investment in the company's history.
20. Cadbury's Dairy Milk
A longstanding family favourite, Cadbury's Dairy Milk rounds out the top twenty with a CRP of 247 million.
Cadbury's parent company, Mondelēz International, reported a 7.1% increase in net revenue to approximately $9.31 billion (€8.61 billion) in the quarter ending December 2023, compared to $8.70 billion (€8 billion) in the same period the previous year.
About The Methodology
The Brand Footprint rankings reveal the brands that are winning at that ‘moment of truth’, indicating the number of times that they are chosen by shoppers. Independent of revenue, it exposes the decisions that consumers are making at the point of sale. The consumer reach points (CRPs) of each brand are calculated by multiplying three metrics: the household population, penetration, and consumer choice. CRPs are Kantar’s measure of ranking the most successful brands by the number of times that they are chosen by consumers throughout the year.
Note that all CRP figures shown measure millions of consumer reach points – i.e. a CRP of 150 would indicate 150 million consumer reach points.
For the complete list of most-chosen brands across Europe, log on to www.kantar.com/campaigns/brand-footprint.
