Mars Inc has extended its Uncle Ben's rice offering in the UK with the launch of a 'Twice the Fibre' line.
The food giant is hoping to target parents looking to get more fibre into their family meals with the range, which offers "a blend of long grain rice and fibre grains".
The product, available in 500g and 1kg loose packs and 500g boil-in-the-bag packs, will launch initially in Asda stores.
Get More Fibre Easily with Uncle Ben's New Twice the Fibre Rice
Uncle Bens® is leading the way in healthier mealtimes with the launch of new, quick and easy-to-prepare Twice the Fibre rice, a hassle-free way of getting extra fibre into family mealtimes.
Twice the Fibre long grain rice is the latest addition to the UK's number one rice brand in a sector worth £132m, according to the latest figures1.
The blend of long grain rice and fibre grains means consumers get twice the fibre of long grain, but the taste of white rice, perfect for satisfying the whole family at mealtimes.
The product comes after a number of campaigns promoting the importance of fibre in a daily diet, most recently, a BMJ study conducted by Imperial College, London2.
Christina Hardiman, customer marketing manager for Uncle Ben's®, said consumers were paying more and more attention to their diets and the brand's NPD and communications reflected this.
"Best of both and added fibre concepts are increasingly popular in grocery, while innovation can attract new shoppers and healthy eaters," she said. "Early feedback shows that consumers love the concept, one person saying it was a great way to ‘sneak in' extra fibre to their family's diet.
"We hear shoppers saying that they should eat wholegrain, but their kids prefer white, so Twice the Fibre works as a happy compromise. Health aside, the idea is to tap into added convenience at a time when lifestyles are becoming ever faster-paced, with almost two fifths of consumers opting for meals which are easy to prepare during the week, rising to almost half for women3."
Uncle Bens® Twice the Fibre' long grain rice is available in 500g and 1kg loose packs and also as a 500g boil in the bag. The range goes live in Asda in June, with other major accounts to follow in 2012. A full launch package will be available to retailers, including a new TV advertisement campaign and in-store support during the first year of launch.
