Malee Group moves ahead in premium fruit-juice market
MALEE GROUP is leveraging its goal to become a “health-driven global F&B firm” by investing over Bt60 million to grow its share of the Bt5 billion premium fruit juice market segment.
The company has announced three proactive strategies to support this move: a new packaging design, product portfolio reshuffle, and integrated marketing communications, starting with a leaf-shaped 200-millilitre UHT carton. Malee is the first brand to use this innovative, handy, and environmentally-friendly packaging style in convenience stores. The company is aiming for 10 per cent growth in the premium fruit juice market segment by the end of this year.
Malee plans to offset the slowdown in home sales with expansion in export trade. It epxects exports to contribute 60 per cent of total sales in the next three years, from 43 per cent currently. Export expansion will focus on potential Asean markets, such as Cambodia, the Philippines, indonesia as well as China.
Roongchat Boonyarat, chief operating officer of Malee Group Plc, said, “The company’s bold move in the premium fruit juice segment during the second half of 2017 is a major step forward for Malee Group along the path to becoming a health-driven global F&B firm. The premium fruit juice segment has excellent potential as it contributes to about one-third of the overall Bt14-billion fruit juice market (as of June 2017). The premium fruit juice segment is where you find Malee’s best-selling, or hero products, accounting for more than Bt1 billion in sales each year, which is about 50 per cent of our domestic sales.”
“Malee is investing over Bt60 million to expand in the premium fruit juice segment to reach Thai consumers and show them how we take great care in every step of the process, from selecting raw materials to production and packaging. We pour in 100 per cent dedication, value, and love into our products.
The company is delivering these qualities through three key strategies:
1) Launching a new packaging design for the first time in five years.
As part of Malee’s plan to leverage its international brand image to meet the demands of both domestic and overseas consumers, the company engaged a world-class designer to create a new packaging design under the concept “Grown With Love.” The new design reflects Malee’s dedication to caring, selecting, and nurturing young fruit until ripe and harvesting it to bring out its natural and healthy benefits, offering more than just 100-per cent fruit juice.
The new Malee packaging design is more appealing, with images of colorful half-cut fruit taken from a top-view perspective, surrounded by fresh green leaves, to reinforce the product’s freshness and flavour. The new packaging design is colour-coded according to ‘portfolio segmentation by occasion,’ so consumers and distributors can better differentiate and recognise the products to make the right choice suited to their needs. The color scheme uses four categories: Orange Crave (orange colour) for high vitamin-C oranges; Everyday Classic (dark green colour) for regular fruits; Indulgence (purple colour) for special-selection fruits; and Vegetable (light green colour) for healthy vegetable and fruit mixes.
Malee is Thailand’s first brand to use an innovative leaf-shaped 200-ml UHT carton that is easier to grip. The new packaging is environmentally friendly, and every carton has Forest Stewardship Council certification and FSC labeling, assuring consumers that the packaging material is sourced from responsibly-managed commercial plantations. Empty cartons can be recycled completely, helping to reduce waste and global warming.
2) Reshuffling its product portfolio to increase efficiency throughout the supply chain from production, to marketing, storage, and distribution.
The company has reduced less popular SKUs by 20 per cent, making it easier for consumers to select their preferred products.
3) Integrated marketing communications programme with 360-degree communications channels comprised of: i) a television commercial that highlights Malee’s dedication to offering ‘more than just 100-per cent fruit juice,’ that started airing nationwide yesterday during primetime series following the news; ii) Online media including Malee’s official Facebook page (Malee Club), YouTube, and LINE TV, as well as through online influencers to reach the new health-conscious generation; iii) Road shows and wet sampling in supermarkets, modern trade, and major shops in every distribution channel nationwide so consumers can experience Malee 100 per cent fruit juice first-hand; and iv) Attractive product displays arranged by flavour to make consumers’ purchasing decision easier, supplemented by attractive point-of-sale and out-of-home media.
