Ireland's biggest brands are putting it up to their international counterparts in the latest edition of the Checkout Top 100 Brands, produced by Checkout magazine, the leading magazine for the grocery retail sector in Ireland, in partnership with NielsenIQ.Coca-Cola tops Checkout's Top 100 Brands this year, which means that this iconic global brand has claimed the number one spot in Checkout's rankings for a record-breaking 18 years in succession. The drinks giant isn't the only brand to retain its top 10 position from 2021 - Tayto is holding steady at number two, Avonmore is still Checkout's number five brand, Brennans retains its number six position, and Jacob's has maintained its grip on the number 10 spot.
Changes at the top
While no fewer than six of Checkout's top 10 brands have maintained their positions from last year, there has been some movement in the other four positions. Having ranked at number four in 2020 and 2021, Lucozade rises by one place, to occupy the number three position in 2022. Last year Tayto moved to the number two spot, with Dairy Milk moving to the number three position. This year it is Lucozade that claims the number three position, with Dairy Milk moving to number four in the rankings.Red Bull broke into the top ten for the first time in 2018. It moved from the number 10 position in 2020 to number nine in 2021, and this year the brand moves up to the number eight spot in the rankings. This means that 7UP - which last year relinquished the number seven position that it had held every year since 2010, apart from 2019 - is now in the number-nine position.
Flying High
"We are seeing some extremely impressive performances in the rankings this year," said Maev Martin, editor, Checkout. "Volvic Touch of Fruit makes the biggest leap, climbing by no fewer than 32 places from the number-84 position in 2021, to number 52 in 2022 - one of the biggest ever jumps from within the Top 100 rankings, and the biggest that we have seen over the past five years. Volvic Touch of Fruit's outstanding performance can be attributed to a combination of factors, including a successful brand revamp and marketing drive, increased distribution, and the knock-on effect of the growth that the Mineral Waters category has experienced over the past year. "Another mineral water brand - Deep River Rock - makes a leap of 26 places up the rankings, from number 72 in 2021 to the number-46 position in 2022, while soft drink brand Fanta has increased its ranking by 23 places - moving from number 81 in 2021 to number 58 in 2022. It has been a great year for pain relief brand Panadol, as it rockets up the rankings by 30 places from the number 97 position that it occupied in 2021, to number 67 in 2022, while cat food brand Felix rises up the rankings by 24 places, from number 98 to the number 74 position."
Flying The Flag
"It is encouraging to see so many Irish brands among this year’s biggest movers, with FULFIL rising up the rankings by 17 places, from number 44 to number 27, O'Donnells climbing by 15 places, from number 64 to number 49, VITHIT moving up by 13 places, from the number 43 position to number 30, and Ballygowan rising by 12 places, from number 24 to number 12," said Martin. "Other Irish brands that are continuing to move in the right direction are Brady Family, which improves its ranking by eight places, moving from number 28 in 2021 to number 20 in 2022, Carroll's of Tullamore, which climbs four places, from number 26 to number 22, Keogh's Crisps, which makes a nine-place leap up the rankings, from number 70 to number 61, and Fitzgeralds Family Bakery, which rises by eight places, from number 41 to number 33."The Checkout Top 100 Brands is based on branded value sales across the Irish grocery sector, making it the most accurate barometer of the biggest selling brands in the marketplace. In compiling the report, NielsenIQ measures the sales performance of over 5,000 brands from over 200 product classes.
What's New?
This year, we welcome five brands to the Top 100. Evian rises by 31 places, from number 115 to number 84. Irish brand Energise Sport is up by 37 places, from the number 122 position to number 85. Well-known Irish popcorn brand Manhattan rises by 14 places from the number 108 position, to join the Top 100 rankings at number 94, Cadbury Snack (Biscuits) enters the rankings at number 95, rising by seven places from number 102, and noodle brand Koka climbs up the rankings by 20 places, from number 116 to number 96."During the past year, the Irish FMCG industry has faced even more challenges, with inflation and price being a top concern," said Karen Mooney, commercial market leader Ireland, NielsenIQ. "How consumers shop has evolved compared to a year ago when restrictions were imposed due to Covid-19, and in 2022 we have observed a revitalisation in impulse categories as shopper movements returned to more normal conditions. This year's Checkout Top 100 Brands 2022 report, in partnership with NielsenIQ, showcases how big brands matter to the Irish consumer, and it is encouraging to see the positive performance of many local brands in addition to global favourites. The trend towards health and sustainability is also evident in the movement of health-focused categories."
Top Categories
A number of categories significantly improved their rankings in Checkout's Top 100 Categories for 2022. The biggest jump from within the list has been made by the oral analgesics category, which rises by no fewer than 20 places from the number 71 position in 2021, to the number 51 position in 2022. This performance is remarkable, given that last year the category slipped down the rankings by four places, from the number 67 spot that it held in 2020. The second biggest leap from within the rankings has been made by the health/functional drinks category, which increases its ranking by 15 places, moving from number 60 in 2021 to number 45 in 2022. This follows a phenomenal 27 place vault to number 60 in 2021, from the number 87 position in 2020. These big upward leaps aren't surprising, given consumers' continued desire to improve their health and boost their immune systems. Another big mover is RTD Flavoured Milk and Shakes, which rises by 12 places from number 80, to number 68. Vegetarian Fresh Meals moves up the rankings by 11 places, moving from number 91 to number 80. The instant snacks category moves up the rankings by ten places, from number 84 to number 74, which isn't surprising, given the popularity of snacking - particularly among health conscious consumers - and the fact that people have returned to work and are back at school.
Category Leaders
Last year, Checkout welcomed nine new category leaders. This year, Checkout has five new leading brands. In pre-packed sliced meat, Brady Family is back at the top of the category, having been ousted from the top spot by Denny last year. In the yogurt, yogurt drinks and fromage frais category, Danone is the number one brand, moving up from second place in 2021. Irish brand Glenisk retained the number one spot in the category for the third year in a row in 2021, but a fire at its plant last year meant that it was absent from supermarket shelves for four months, which explains its dramatic drop from the top spot last year to fourth place in this year's rankings. Fairy is the new leader in the detergents category, as it moves up from the number two position that it held in 2020 and 2021. Last year's category leader, Persil, has to settle for second place. In the liquid soap category, Radox relinquishes its number one position to Carex, while in the other table sauces category, Eddie Rocket's "rockets" into the top five at number one, taking over the top spot from Taste of Goodness, which moves to second place.
Checkout Top 100 Brands 2022: The Top 10
1. Coca-Cola2. Tayto3. Lucozade4. Dairy Milk5. Avonmore6. Brennans7. Monster8. Red Bull9. 7UP10. Jacobs* Produced in partnership with NielsenIQ
© 2022 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
