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Issue link: https://seafoodbusiness.epubxp.com/i/139359
Global Retail million (€1.4 million/$1.9 million) in 1995. By 2001, it had reached NOK 34 million (€4.5 million/$5.9 million), but this was still not enough to make a proft. Tat year, there was a board meeting and the main "Through the new design, we communicated the Lofoten values — natural ingredients, high-quality and an emphasis on the fish content that justified the higher price." — Oystein Rist, head of sales, Lofotprodukt AS issue on the agenda was to decide whether the company should close or "really start investing for the future," says Beck Saetre. Te board felt its products were high quality, but accepted the packaging was not up to the same standard. It was therefore difcult for retailers and consumers to diferentiate between its products and those of lowerpriced competitors, and so it agreed to invest in a new visual identity, including a new packaging design. To this end, it commissioned leading Norwegian brand and design agency Stromme Trondsen Design, and in 2003, Lofotprodukt re-launched its products in fresh, innovative packaging together with the new Lofoten brand. "Trough the new design, we communicated the Lofoten values — natural ingredients, high-quality and an emphasis on the fsh content that justifed the higher price," says Oystein Rist, head of sales. "We then decided to go national. We were determined to double the revenue and so we flled up a van with our products and drove to Oslo." Rist concedes the frst few years were all about knocking on doors, shaking hands with store managers and "handing out thousands and thousands of samples" to store customers. Te company eventually signed a contract with a large supermarket chain. Lofotprodukt has upgraded its packaging designs twice since: frst in 2008, to further clarify the healthy nature of the products and then last year, when it made all its packaging white. Tis set a clear design with an emphasis on natural that stands out from the competition on the supermarket shelf, says Rist. Brand building and using design as a strategic tool has been essential to the company's retail success, adds Beck Saetre, something that was confrmed in the company's 2009 Design Efect Grand Prix award from the Norwegian Design Council. Te company rolled out more new products in February this year, including a new 80 percent cod and haddock fsh burger, which was chosen as a fnalist in this year's Prix d'Elite new products competition at the European Seafood Exposition. At the same time, its frst TV commercial aired, emphasizing the fsh content and natural ingredients used in Lofoten products. "Although it is always difcult to totally isolate effects, we are convinced that the commercial contributed to the high sales we experienced for the products involved," says Beck Saetre. "Brand awareness also increased signifcantly." Contributing Editor Holland lives in London Jason Join the group of Phone: +1 253 333 0422 • Fax: +1 253 735 9420 • e-mail: sales@baaderna.com • www.baader.com We welcome Visit us online at www.seafoodbusiness.com as new member of the BAADER-Group July 2013 SeaFood Business 33