Arla Foods has launched a new type of packaging for its Lurpak butter range in Denmark. The company believes that this change will revive sales of its butter range.
Arla Foods plan to sell its range of Lurpak salty butter in six 50g portion packs. The company says that this is an attempt to re spark sales of butter in the region. Arla Foods noted that in recent years other products such as the blend Spreadable has been able to dominate the market, and it has been able to outsell Lurpak by a rate of four to one. However, the last financial year saw a change in this trend. The consumption of the butter increased by 11 per cent in 2002 and the company believes that this new 'six pack' portioning will continue to strengthen this trend.
Laurent Ponty, spreads and butter product manager at Arla Foods, believes that consumers have chosen to cut back on fat intake in their daily lives because of health reasons, she believes that when they choose to include fat in their diets they choose to eat quality butter such as the type that Lurpak provides.
Arla foods has already implemented the sale of its six portion packs in the Middle East and it claims that this has raised the company's profile.
"Sales of Lurpak [In the Middle East] are rising because local consumers find the packaging economical, it is easy to use and keeps the contents fresh and protected", said Rasmus Hansen, product manager for Lurpak in the Middle East. In the first year that this packaging was introduced into the Middle Eastern market, 250 tons of the product were sold. Hansen expects this figure to double during the year, and the company hopes to see a similar trend emerge in Denmark.