SCOTTISH seaweed snack brand SHORE is boosting its UK retail presence after securing deals to supply hundreds of health and wellbeing stores across the country.

SHORE has won contracts with both Holland & Barrett and Booths this month.

Following the launch of its 100% sustainable seaweed chips in the UK a year ago and bagging its first national supermarket listing in Morrisons last month, the company will roll out its Sweet Sriracha and Peking Duck 80g share packs into 24 Booths branches from 15 August.

In a further move, its 25g impulse packs of Sweet Sriracha, Lightly Salted and Peking Duck chips will roll out to 450 Holland & Barrett stores across the UK from September, having successfully retailed the same three lines via the health food firm’s website over the past year.

“Consumers still snack for pleasure, even if choosing a healthier product, and they don’t want a trade off in taste,” said SHORE co-founder Keith Paterson. "Our chip recipes are currently being redeveloped to be HFSS compliant while still being fried for the right taste and texture, without losing any of their nutrients or unique flavour profile.”

He also said: “We’ve seen big demand for our share bags since lockdown but this summer there’s also been a real bounce-back in impulse with sales of our 25g packs booming.

"This, coupled with our work on HFSS, is fuelling conversations with retailers as they look for compliant products that still deliver on flavour. Our plant-based chips appeal to the growing number of health-conscious consumers who are increasingly seeking sustainably sourced foods, and they are a great entry point for anyone that hasn’t tried seaweed before.”.

The seaweed snack sector grew by over 30% in the last 12 months and is now worth over £4m at retail (Neilson Nov 2021).

Wick-based SHORE shipped over 400,000 packs of its seaweed chips in 2021, its first full year after launch.

Seaweed meets some key consumer drivers in the snacking category - new & inspiring snacking innovation, interest in Asian flavours, increased focus on health and wellbeing and sustainability & provenance of ingredients.


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