Mackie’s at Taypack is expanding its snacks range with the launch of four flavours of popcorn.
The range of Mackie’s Popcorn is available in 100g bags with an rrp of £1.59, in line with its crisps range. Speaking to SLR at an experiential launch event in Glasgow, Managing Director George Taylor said the company had been working on the product for two years, with the packaging alone requiring eight months of careful design.
After trialling a number of flavour combinations with consumer testers, the firm has rolled out with four initial flavours: Lightly Sea Salted, Sweet & Salted, Butterscotch and Scotch Bonnet Chilli Pepper.
“The market for popcorn is getting increasingly popular,” said Taylor. “But there’s no Scottish brand out there yet and we want to own that space.”
He said that the company was constantly looking to drive innovation with its product offering while still sticking to its authentic Scottish roots.
There was no shortage of consumers taking away one of the hundreds of free bags handed out on Buchanan Street – the factory even had to be called to send down a second vanload.
The launch event on Thursday 7th January marked the start of a two-week experiential campaign across Glasgow and Edinburgh, where Mackie’s will be inviting customers to try the product with the chance of winning a fun prize by popping branded balloons across the cities.
“The popcorn is aimed at a markedly different audience than our crisps,” said Taylor. “It’s a younger profile, around 18-35.”
At launch the popcorn is produced with a partner, however Taylor said that if sales go as expected the Mackie’s at Taypack facility where the company’s crisps are currently made could be expanded, with a £2.5m investment. Smaller sized packs are also being considered.
He also defended the company’s move into snacks containing sugar at a time when the Scottish Government has its sights set on suppliers of snacks. “We make indulgent products, and these are treats people enjoy. Sweet and savoury popcorn have become more popular as consumers look for slightly heathier alternatives to crisps and that’s what we’re delivering.”
Mackie’s Popcorn will be available through independent wholesalers in the coming weeks.
