Holland and Barrett relaunches its entire food range

Holland and Barrett has relaunched its entire food range with the first 500 products launching throughout September marking the start of the “biggest transformation of its food category in a decade”. The news comes after the retailer has been investing in its store estate, opening 19 stores and refitting 16 in the last calendar year (Oct ’22 – Sept’ 23). The re-launch of H&B Food is being supported by a £5m marketing campaign, across out of home, print, digital, social and PR. Made up of over 300 entirely new own brand lines, designed from scratch and over 200 branded lines, the new range will see the return of over 70 chilled food and drinks to H&B’s high-street stores. The H&B range will also offer customers foods by key wellness needs or specialist diet, with new lines designed by Holland and Barrett’s expert nutritionists, chefs and in-house experts for gut health, women’s health and skin health. The launch will also see Holland and Barrett become the first high-street retailer to include the concept of ‘Plant Points’ on food labelling, helping to “encourage customers to eat at least 30 different plants a week to support their overall wellbeing”. In another first, customers will be able to have free conversations with trained advisors in all stores and online who can personalise a menu that includes the “best nutritional solutions” based on a customer’s goals. Holland and Barrett said that as a specialist retailer, H&B’s size means it can work with small, artisan producers across the UK and Ireland to bring local, first to market products to its shelves. This includes Jess’s Dairy, a third-generation dairy farmer from Gloucestershire who H&B has partnered with to bring a kefir drinking yoghurt to market. H&B has also partnered with Hodmedods and Simplicity. Hodmedods supply the range with British quinoa, flamingo peas and further grains and pulses, work directly with farmers committed to increasing biodiversity and are leading the way in regenerative farming. The new No 42 vegan sausages that are created by Simplicity in partnership with chef Ian Rankin, and are made with six plants and the power of fermentation to offer a healthier alternative. Alex Dower, chief commercial officer, Holland and Barrett, said: “We want to make wellness a way of life for everyone and what you eat is the starting place for a healthier life. That’s why we’ve spent two years redeveloping and completely overhauling our food offering. “We’ve brought together a team of nutritionists, chefs, ingredient specialists and in-house scientific experts, alongside 50 new artisanal and small food suppliers to create a truly pioneering and diet-inclusive range. Our priority has been on creating delicious food, bursting with benefits. This coupled with significant investment in a new proposition, range identity and marketing support will see H&B regain its place as the go to for the latest in healthy food on the high street.”