Carb Wise: Considering Low Carb Products In Your Company’s Brand Portfolio
By Jennifer Lee
June 2004
The low carb industry has this year seen a dramatic boost in the range of
products available across almost every sector. Even the candy industry has
managed to stay current with this new shift in market demand. Hershey’s
who launched their new 1 Gram Sugar Carb Bars in March, 2004, has decided to
invest more in the product after seeing just how successful their line of
sugar free Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and chocolate bars were after their
first year on the market.
With three different varieties including almond, plain chocolate and soy
crisps on the line, carb counters can expect to see carbs fall back to
anywhere from 16 to 18 grams per bar. An impressive feat and some other
companies such as the Albanese Confectionary Group, have even started
remaking the World’s Best Gummi Bears as the World’s Best Zeros,
offering consumers 0 fat, 0 sugar and 0 net carbs.
More and more products we are seeing, ranging from Gummi Bears, to bread
to beverages are taking the carb counter’s roll back and it appears that
more companies are adding something that is low carb to their lists of
options to offer the consumer. The beer industry is certainly becoming no
stranger to these demands made on lower carb living.
With Michelob Ultra offering us 2.6 carbs per serving as of last
September, Miller Lite is also putting up ads claiming that it was the
original low carb beer, with just 3.2 carbs per serving. If it’s a race to
see who has gotten there soonest, its certainly worth examining how these
companies are benefiting in this new low carb market.
Labatt Breweries of Canada, one of Canada’s
biggest brewers alongside Molson, introduced its first new low carb beer, as
of December, 2003. Nigel Miller, Director of Public Affairs has been quoted
as saying that its low carb beer, “Labatt Sterling is proving to be a
success – it’s tracking more than 65% ahead of our projections and
we’re only on the verge of the summer season when people tend to gravitate
to a lighter, more refreshing beverage.”
When asked in a recent interview how the product is faring amongst
consumers, Larina Dyck, Manager of Public Affairs for Labatt Breweries in Western
Canada reported that, “people have tried it and they’re
going back. They like the taste.” With no plans set ahead to take the low
carb feature across to its other brands, Ms. Dyck reports that “Labatt
Sterling has added to our portfolio and has added to Labatt’s overall
sales.” Taking home the American-Style Lager Gold Medal this past year at
the World Cup Beer Competition, their Blue Light product has also proven to
be a hit, taste wise amongst light beer tasters.
When asked, how would you differentiate the light beer drinker from the low
carb drinker Ms. Dyck said both varieties of beer offered a similar taste, to
consumers. Though some have said low carb is more a fad than anything, Ms.
Dyck reports, “I think we’re proving it is a long term lifestyle choice
people are making and why not be in on that?”
Labatt, who currently employs roughly 3,800 Canadians and operates
eight different breweries across Canada,
distributes its products in 40 countries around the world. The low carb
brand which was first introduced last year, is expected to continue on with
the company for quite some time. Seen as “one of the strongest brands”
in their portfolio, Sterling has been set aside in a class of its own.
When asked finally, whether she thought that there might be some emerging
low carb beer contests eventually looming on the horizon, Ms. Dyck
expressed, “I’m sure that by this time next year, for some of the low
carb beers, there might certainly be a category.”
Jennifer Lee
Jennifer Lee has a degree in English Literature from the University of British Columbia.
She holds a publishing certificate from Simon Fraser University and has worked at both Vancouver
and Western Living magazines, where she began her career as an editorial intern. She has worked
as an editor in countries such as Zimbabwe and South Africa, producing books, newsletters and
editing various quarterly magazines on a variety of international development related topics.
In South Africa, she worked to help produce a bi-weekly newsletter for the Institute for Security
Studies on crime and corruption headlines which appeared in all national and provincial papers.
Prior to working in southern Africa, she wrote articles for DMR Consulting, on mergers and acquisitions
taking place in the market during 2001. She now produces a quarterly publication at the University of British Columbia
and works on the side as a freelance writer.
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