Fred & Ed, the brand used by Dutch company The Greenery in collaboration with the agency Food Sense to market a range of fresh convenience products aimed at children, has been named as 'category captain' in snack fruit and vegetables.
The award was presented by FoodPersonality, a Dutch retail trade magazine, as part of its annual survey of suppliers, which polls retailers and business leaders working in the grocery sector.
According to the publication, in developing and promoting Fred & Ed – two The Greenery and Food Sense had succeeded in establishing a distinctive trademark in a sector renowned for the prevalence of unbranded and private label fruit and vegetables.
The Fred & Ed brand was first launched on the Dutch market in 2010 and, according to account manager Christ Spierings, was always conceived as something that would appeal to younger consumers.
'We chose fruit and vegetables that appealed to children because of the taste and which were accessible thanks to their size and the fact they are easily recognised,' he said.
The Fred & Ed range consists of snack tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, as well as blueberries, apples and pears.
According to the FoodPersonality survey, buyers and grocers have also been pleased with the commercial impact made by the brand, which scored above average in terms of its perceived contribution to renewal and innovation.
Respondents also said the brand's marketers had provided good support for the product in the media and had delivered 'well-executed promotions'.
