When the Alexir Partnership first met Great Little Grains it was clear that the Sown and Grown brand was born out of a desire to think differently.
Their brief to Alexir was to think about the cereal category in a different way and to challenge the normality of the existing packaging formats, namely cartons and bags. The pack format Great little Grains wanted could not be easily packed by manufacturers but it was key to the brand as it would not only keep the freshness locked in but it would also disrupt the cereal category, creating stand-out and interest. Alexir were tasked with sourcing and packing a re-sealable tube to lock in the freshness of 100% British Grains.
The challenges were plentiful – at the time of the brief the Alexir contract packing division was a nut-free site and the tube had to be sourced from one of a network of potential suppliers. Fortunately, the management team saw this as an opportunity and with significant capital expenditure Alexir added nut co-packing to its services and partnered an exciting new brand into the marketplace.
The Alexir Partnership is well-known for its expertise and knowledge of the packaging industry to guide new products from conception through to delivery. The tube format traditionally required a metal cap seal on its base but the sourcing team looked for a more cost-effective solution with no Capex to launch. They successfully tracked down a plastic base option for the tube that could be sealed with an impact adhesive. The manufacturing partner would supply the Granola and Mueslis and Alexir would fulfil the rest of the project!
In February 2016 the first batch of Granolas and Mueslis were expertly crafted in the heart of the English countryside using 100% British grains and packed in a re-sealable tube to lock in the freshness. The production and launch went without issue and the Sown and Grown brand now sits proudly in its tubes on the shelves in the Sainsbury’s cereal aisle.
Entering the competitive cereal category with a new brand required a unique point of difference. The use of the visually disruptive tube which when combined with the striking brand design gives the new Sown & Grown brand from Great Little Grains the opportunity to be noticed at the point of sale. We have very much enjoyed our collaborative partnership with the Alexir team who have used all their expertise and knowledge to help progress this concept through to market readiness and instore launch.
