The NOTHING ELSE Brand: A Case Study

Abstract

The NOTHING ELSE food label, created at the Auckland University of Technology, lists the eight or less easily recognized ingredients on the front-of-pack within a circular band. This report describes the evolution of the label into a stand-alone brand for products including nuts, dried fruit, biscuits and water sold in four cafes at the university. In partnership with an established food manufacturer a NOTHING ELSE healthier snackbar was developed and sold through the university fitness centres with sales being tracked electronically by time, day and quantity. Consumers/purchasers of this NOTHING ELSE bar were asked why they bought the bar and when they would eat it as well as if they would buy the bar again and why/why not. Two thirds of the 43 respondents said that they would buy the bar again. Three key reasons for repurchase were identified: taste (n = 12), “healthy” (n = 11) and “natural ingredients” (n = 10). Positive comments about the ingredients included: no additives or preservative, the low/no added sugar, and the presence of fibre demonstrating that this unique brand concept was meeting a consumer need for transparent product information. The next steps are commercial production of the snackbar and market expansion within the university.