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PLACEMENT + PRICING

New World Metro

Placement

Collective was placed in the middle of the shelf at eye height. As this was New World Metro (small) the variety of products wasn’t huge but it was diverse; they had plain, gourmet, and plant based. 

Price

Small = $3.99

Large = $8.99

Gourmet = $5.29

Small Plant = $5.49

Large Plant = $8.99

Review

Gourmet – Russian Fudge: a nice hint of caramel, not too sweet.

Plant – Boysenberry: tasted good but something just felt ‘off’, like plant based products often do. It felt kind of artificial which is clearly not how they want their consumers to feel. But from their website it would seem that it is very natural.

Countdown

Note: These prices were taken from Countdown in Newtown but all Countdowns throughout the country are priced the same. 

Placement

Countdown had a much bigger range of Collective products, placed at eye height as well as different places on the two shelves below. They didn’t have plain yoghurt which I thought was interesting. Plant based products are the same price as New World Metro but other products are cheaper.

Price

Greek (Large) = $7.80

Gourmet = $4.80

Small Plant = $5.50

Large Plant = $9

Kefir = $5.90

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ENVIRONMENT

In 2021, it is generally agreed upon that veganism is morally correct for combatting the devastation of the earth, but the general population does not feel immense pressure to go vegan. At this point, it is not necessary for a dairy company to completely switch to plant-based products, but dairy companies that provide a range of plant-based products – not just a singular token plant-based product – are well-respected. The Collective website describes their vegan products as “plant-based yoghurt without compromise”. Not all of their products are available with vegan options, but their most popular ones are, which is about what society expects of a “good” company at the present time. The Collective plant-based yoghurt is made from their own plant-based milk which is made from a combination of oats, coconut and rice. 

The Collective plant-based yoghurt is also proudly “reducing CO2 emissions by planting native trees with Trees that Count, using removable paper labels, carefully selected and sourced ingredients, that have a low environmental impact and support local suppliers where possible, and made from recycled plastic (rPET) packaging”.

Reference List

‘Plant’ on The Collective Website https://www.thecollective.kiwi/plant/ 

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PRODUCT

Note: Live/active cultures are what convert pasteurised milk into yoghurt through fermentation. Some yoghurts are heat-treated “for the purpose of prolonging shelf life and/or decreasing the yogurt's natural tartness” (Cookit) which kills the live cultures. “Some of the benefits of live culture yogurt include lowering the risk of certain disease conditions such as type 2 diabetes, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis” (Live Strong). 

“Straight Up” 

Marketed as:

“Not too tangy… thick, unsweetened, culinary probiotic yoghurt”

Made with whole milk

Source of calcium and protein

Vegetarian friendly and gluten free

No added sugar

9 servings per pot

Flavours:

Plain unsweetened

Vanilla

Strawberry

Boysenberry

Blueberry

Kefir Pourable Probiotic Yoghurt

Marketed as:

“A popular yoghurt with Eastern European origins”

Having a “diverse blend of 13 live cultures”

Source of calcium and protein

Vegetarian friendly and gluten free

No added cane sugar

4 servings per bottle

Flavours:

Natural

Boysenberry

Blueberry

Mango Turmeric

Gourmet

Marketed as:

All natural

Made in NZ

Made with whole milk – “thick ‘n’ creamy”

Proboiotic

Vegetarian friendly and gluten free

5 servings per pot

Flavours:

Passionfruit

Boysenberry

Black Doris Plum

Mango

Raspberry

Russian Fudge

Tamarillo Custard

Feijoa Crumble

Plant Based

Marketed as:

Plant based blend of oats, coconut and rice

“The best tasting yoghurt grown on earth”

“Thick, creamy and, like, totally dreamy”

Vegan friendly and soy/nut free

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) free

100% recyclable packaging

Probiotic

4.5 servings per pot

Flavours:

Natural 

Boysenberry

Passionfruit

Fudge

“Probots”

Marketed as:

For kids

Containing 13 live culture strains

Probiotics

No added sugar

Lactose free

Vegetarian friendly and gluten free

Source of calcium and dietary fibre

All natural

Flavours:

Banana

Strawberry

Blueberry

Mango

“Suckies”

Marketed as:

For kids – “great in lunch boxes”

Sponsor of Forest & Bird and their Kiwi Conservation Club; every flavour has a different native bird on the packaging

Probiotic

Source of calcium

Vegetarian friendly and gluten free

“Freeze ‘n’ go”

Single serving or can be bought in a pack of 4

“Sugars from fruit + milk”

Recyclable through Terracycle, a private recycling business.

Flavours:

Sassy Strawberry

Blueberry

Boysenberry

Razzy Raspberry

Nommy Banana

Vanilla

Honeycomb

Reference List

‘Our Love For Yoghurt’ on The Collective website https://www.thecollective.kiwi/our-love-for-yoghurt/ 

‘7 Impressive Health Benefits of Yoghurt’ from Healthline, 2017. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-yogurt

‘What Are The Benefits of Yoghurt With Live Active Cultures?’ from LiveStrong, 2019. https://www.livestrong.com/article/250739-what-are-the-benefits-of-yogurt-with-live-active-cultures/ 

‘Yoghurt – Heat Treated’ from Cookit. http://cookit.e2bn.org/cooking2/foodtypes-723-yoghurt-heat-treated.html 

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BRAND HISTORY

The Collective was started by Angus Allan, a former chef and creator of Naked Organics, and Ofer Shenhav, a former chef of Pitango Organic Cuisine, in November 2009.

^ Allan & Shenhav

According to their New Zealand website, “within 10 months of its conception The Collective was New Zealand’s best selling gourmet yoghurt”. In 2011, in partnership with Gü, a UK-based dessert manufacturing company, The Collective was introduced to a few supermarket chains in the UK, accompanied by an advertising campaign with digital/social media elements and the physical element of The Collective Van touring the country during summer. 

Reportedly, in 2018, “the Auckland plant produced about 300 tonnes of yoghurt a week” (NZ Herald). The Collective is now available in NZ, the UK, France, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. The yoghurt for the UK and Europe is “made under contract in the Northern Hemisphere” (NZ Herald), whereas it is directly exported to Asia. 

Reference List

‘Who We Are’ on The Collective website https://thecollective.kiwi/who-we-are/ 

Gu Website https://www.gupuds.com/

‘The Collective Dairy Launches in UK” Talking Retail, 2011. https://www.talkingretail.com/products-news/chilled/the-collective-dairy-launches-in-uk-19-05-2011/ 

‘Equity Investment Sweetens Plans For Yoghurt Maker’ NZ Herald, 2018. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/equity-investment-sweetens-plans-for-yoghurt-maker/7B7SMGXCAM7I27EALZ262GWSUU/ 

List of The Most Popular Supermarket Chains, YouGov UK. https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/food/popularity/supermarket-chains/all 

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WEEK ONE NOTES

A brand is… image, identity, expression, communication [of a message], story, visual system, selling points, presence, advertising, collection of perceptions. A brand exists in the mind of the consumer. Marketing means solving customers’ problems profitably. Brand Identity Blueprinting is kind of like the brand’s visual system.

Companies that sell virtually the same product as one another communicate their difference by targeting specific audiences. Narrowing the target audience increases the chances of success; a smaller audience that invests more into the company is better than a larger audience investing less.

Brand communication evolved throughout the 20th century, shifting away from focusing solely on product appeals to an addition of demographic, psychographic, attitudinal and symbolic appeals, respectively. 

Brand research requires us to read into (not just literally) how the brand communicates its values, using a range of primary (self-generated) and secondary (published) sources.

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COLLECTIVE YOGHURT – INITIAL THOUGHTS