The United Kingdom’s Big Prawn Co. is capitalizing on its inclusion as a finalist in the 2010 Seafood Prix d’Elite new products competition by promoting its Crayfish with a Dijon & Dill Mayo at the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels, Belgium, in late April.
The second product in its line of ready-to-eat seafood cocktails, Crayfish with a Dijon & Dill Mayo was launched in December, following the June debut of King Prawn Cocktail with a Sweet Chilli Mayo. Sales of both products have increased steadily, and they have brought “excitement and interest to a previously static category,” Paul Byrne, Big Prawn’s commercial director, told SeafoodSource.
The product is available at Tesco and Waitrose supermarkets, and the aim is to introduce the product to other retailers across the European market.
“We seized an opportunity in a declining market to revitalize consumer interest with the launch of a new cocktail range that had a twist on the retro classic,” said Byrne. “The standard prawn has been replaced with a more premium ready-to-eat shellfish, and this has been combined with a more exotic and modern mayonnaise recipe. The new cocktail range has appealed to existing users, awoken those who have previously bought into the category and has attracted new users to the category.”
The company plans to add more mayonnaise-based seafood items, as well as a salsas and marinades, to its chilled, ready-to-eat seafood cocktail range in the near future. New products will include King Prawn with a Cajun Spiced Tomato Salsa, Seafood Medley with a Cajun Spiced Marinade, and Mussels with a Sundried Tomato & Basil Marinade.
“This range will be completely new to the category, and once again we’re getting fantastic feedback from the trade,” said Byrne. “The versatility and great taste of our products is key, and the appeal of these products is that they can be eaten any time, any place and anywhere.”
