Retail Merchandiser - March/April 2017 - 10

Upfront

WELCH'S

their children
on it; there's an affinity there. We are a
trusted brand and consumers know the
quality will be great."
In 1869, Thomas Bramwell Welch
was the first to pasteurize bottled fruit
juice using Concord grapes, founding
the company and the modern, unfermented juice version we drink today.
After debuting at the Chicago World's
Fair in 1893, Welch's Grape Juice went
on to become the national family favorite it remains today.

Expanded Portfolio

Nature's Touch
Frozen Foods
Nature's Touch Frozen Foods has been a
proud Welch's licensee since 2010 with over
20 different frozen fruit SKUs and blends.
Over the years, we have had an amazing
experience building on this great relationship! Behind the Welch's brand stand real
people who really care about the products
we provide. They are a great support to our
success, both very attentive to what we do,
while trusting us to take on leads and initiatives. Our partnership has allowed us to do
what we do best, sell frozen fruit!
As the Welch's brand is a family favorite
and very much widely loved, we know when
we label our bags with the Welch's logo it's a
true seal of trust and credibility!
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Over the past few years, Welch's has
been extending its licensed portfolio
into other products - ones that have
a logical relationship to the brand -
through selective licensing partnerships.
"There is so much that goes into working at a company like this," Hendricks
says. "The goal is to maintain the quality
and that emotional connection while
giving the consumer something they
want in every product. That's why we go
after the best licensees in the business."
Welch's dedicated staff continues to
pursue opportunities to expand beyond
its walls and vineyards by identifying
categories that promote fruit, health and
taste. "We have brought on quite a few
more licensing partners to identify the
white space in retail," Hendricks says.
"We are a manufacturer of juice, jelly,
jam and spreads, but where are we not
found in the grocery store? That's my
white space."
The company's goal has been to
develop new partnerships where it can
bring its heritage and ingredients to
products. Fruit-forward products are
Welch's sweet spot. "We are careful

March/April 2017

where we go and in understanding
the depth of each partner," Hendricks explains. "When the initial
product line shows success we look
deeper into each partners' capabilities and work closely to expand their
offering of Welch's products. It's the
communication and support we give
our partners that sets us apart. We are
here to help them grow their business
and not stand in the way - just be a
guiding force."
Welch's now features in-store bakery
items, including muffins, donuts and
cookies. Oat bar baking mixes are on
shelves today and Hendricks says they
are doing quite well. K-Cups of fruit
cider will be launching in summer 2017.
"Making the product fruit-forward, is
what differentiates us. With the help of
our partners, we can bring grape flavor,
taste and the ingredient to be more
relevant everyday. We always remember
the grape farmers and their crop."
An interesting extension is grape
seed cooking oil which recently hit
the baking or cooking aisle in grocery
stores, opening up the possibility for
fruity, savory toppings, glazes and more
cooking items. "This will help people look at Welch's as a cooking item
and know the product is top quality,"
Hendricks says. "You want to trust
the brand you are cooking with - and
Welch's delivers that trust."
Welch's has also debuted three flavors
of gelatin, as well as powdered drink
mixes. Trail mix, dried fruit and freeze-

Kisko
Consumers trust and value the Welch's name
and now they can get Welch's great tasting
quality in freezer bars. These products offer
consumers the choice of premium 100% juice
ice bars or the new exciting flavors available
in the giant 5.5 ounce tubes. These items generate increased sales and incremental profits
for your freezer bar category. It is not too
late to get these items for the 2017 season.
Call Kisko at 905-652-2363 or email larry@
kiskofreezies.com.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Retail Merchandiser - March/April 2017