Bel eyes UK lunchbox demand with Laughing Cow Blue Cheese launch

09-Sep-2012 - Last updated on 10-Sep-2012 at 10:34 GMT

French cheese giant Groupe Bel is targeting the UK lunchbox market with the launch of its new The Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese product.

The firm has pinpointed the country’s in-home and take-out lunch market as an area of increasing demand, with research conducted by the firm suggesting that home-made lunches have increased in popularity in the UK since the beginning of the recession.

Bel also discovered that UK consumers are looking for simple ways to add more variety to their lunches.

The firm hopes that the product, which is available in 140g round boxes in selected stores already, will meet the demands of the UK’s on-the-go and increasingly health-conscious consumers.

Consumer research

“Bel research identified that there are more in home and take out lunches being since the beginning the recession, but with continued pressure on their time, consumers revealed they were looking for simple ways to add variety and more taste to lunch,” said Group Bel’s UK marketing director James King.

“This new blue cheese variant provides all the convenience of The Laughing Cow triangle but with this new and exciting twist.”

King added that while blue cheese conventionally has a fat content of around 35%, the Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese contain only 9% fat.

“Conventionally, blue cheese is known to have a high fat content, approaching 35% total fat which can be off putting to some health conscious consumers. With only 25 calories in each triangle, and only 9% fat overall, the Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese now gives consumers the opportunity to enjoy the full taste of real blue cheese, with the worry of higher fat content,” he said.

Advertising campaign

Groupe Bel will support the launch with a £1m advertising campaign for the Laughing Cow Light brand.

“Consumer insights also revealed that nearly three quarters of those surveyed agree that the new variant fits with The Laughing Cow brand, and more than half would buy it,” added King.

The product joins the existing The Laughing Cow portfolio, which includes The Laughing Cow Original, The Laughing Cow Light, The Laughing Cow Extra Light, The Laughing Cow Emmental and The Laughing Cow Cheese Dippers.

In the UK, Groupe Bel markets a number of cheese brands, including Mini Babybel, the Laughing Cow, Leerdammer, Boursin and Port Salut.