The most chosen brands in Europe
Despite difficult market conditions, three of the Top 10 brands in Europe were able to generate growth – Kinder (rank 2), Warburtons (Rank 8), and Haribo (rank 9). For more than a decade by now, Coca-Cola takes the first place, globally as well as in Europe. Reaching 65% penetration, the brand ended up in 2 out of every 3 European households in the past year, an unrivalled achievement. Apart from Milka (rank 5) and Knorr (rank 6) as well as Haribo (rank 9) and Pepsi (rank 10) exchanging positions, the Top 10 most chosen brands in Europe remained unchanged compared to 2022.
Worth to highlight: Two of the ten most chosen brands in Europe – Kinder and Haribo – have managed to expand significantly: Whereas Kinder gained 4.2% in CRP, notably winning in times chosen, Haribo’s CRP increased by 1.8%, primarily through penetration growth.
Looking at the following ten most chosen brands, Herta (rank 17) from Germany won three ranks and French brand President (rank 19/+2) was able to rise to the Top 20.
With only four out of the Top 20 brands in Europe having increased their CRP, the 2023 Brand Footprint ranking gives testimony of the tough environment that brands have had to operate in.
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Kinder, one of the oldest brands of Ferrero, had to face some difficult times in the past years. Besides the general surge of energy and raw material costs, product recalls and supply chain issues related to Kinder products, presented a major setback for the Italian family business that is so focused on quality. The more remarkable the continued success of a brand, that was founded over 55 years ago. Little treats – a lot of joy.
Source: CPS GfK | Brand Footprint 2024 European FMCG Ranking; kinder.com
The YouGov BrandIndex analyses of the German market for Kinder Sub-Brands, Kinder Surprise and Kinder Schoko Bons from 2020 up to today, highlights that Kinder's strategy clicks. After a recognizable drop around the period of product recalls, the consideration rates at the end of December 2023 are even higher than at the beginning of 2020. Kinder Surprise succeeded in improving its position among the important target group of households with children compared from 2023 to 2022: scoring higher in the important metrics: quality, impression, satisfaction, consideration and recommendation.
“At Kinder, we love all the little moments. For family moments are never little especially when shared together.”
A closer look at the ranks 21 and following of Europe’s most chosen brands reveals some continental success stories: Austrian Red Bull jumped 13 ranks to 41, scoring double-digit growth in CRP (+15.5%), as does French water Cristaline (CRP +10.8% / rank 42), and Italian pasta Divella (rank 96).
While one of the next chapters is dedicated to brand performance in the five FMCG macro-categories, the success of some dairy brands deserves the spotlight already: Mlekovita from Poland reached rank 30 of Europe’s most chosen brands, gaining five ranks with an increase of +1.1% in CRP on +2.4% in penetration. German Weihenstephan moved up 9 ranks, with 9.8% CRP growth with a plus of 9.1% in penetration. Another German dairy brand – Ehrmann (rank 47) – won 6 ranks and 1.3% in CRP, while French Yoplait climbed 12 ranks to 82, winning both on CRP (+5.0%) and penetration (+7.8%).
Also, worth mentioning, is the success of three Italian brands making it to the Top 100 list: Aia (meat products / rank 89) jumped 15 ranks with a 5.6% increase in CRP, primarily due to growth in consumer choice (+4.6%). Mutti (tomato preserves), is moving up 20 ranks to 92 with a plus of 7.8% in CRP on +4% in penetration and +3% in consumer choice, whereas Divella (pasta), climbs 28 ranks to No. 96 on an 11% increase in CRP with +6.7% in penetration.
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The list of leading 100 brands in Europe also reveals some smaller gems. Looking at brands with a relatively modest European footprint - “small” across the total region by our definition of <10% penetration - we see brands like Cristaline and Divella scoring double-digit CRP growth.
Taking the perspective of mid-sized brands - across the total region by our definition of 10-30% penetration - besides Red Bull we must also spotlight Rexona, the only mid- sized personal care brand growing in CRP in the Top 100.
Tomatoes are at the center of Mutti’s product strategy. Since the launch of the first aluminum tube for tomato paste in the Sixties, Mutti has been expanding its product range, e. g. by sauces and pesto, most recently entering the fresh segment with three new fresh soups, “Mutti Zuppe Fresche”. The company also invests in a continuous improvement of the production process with industry-leading technologies, as well as the protection of plants through several patents. To complement this,
Mutti is investing heavily in ongoing cross-media communications, e. g. since its launch in Germany in 2022, consistently positioning the Italian family business and its core values: quality, sustainability and origin.
Source: CPS GfK | Brand Footprint 2024 European FMCG Ranking; IT Consumer Panel data ; mutti-parma.com
