Coles has introduced a new range of 28 health food products. Its Wellness Road range was driven by consumer demand for healthier options, it said.
The Wellness Road range will make healthy eating affordable for the more than 40 per cent of Australians who want to be more conscious of what they are eating, Coles COO Greg Davis says. “From teenagers, through to those in their 60s and 70s, our customers are telling us that they want to eat less processed foods and cut back on sugar and salt," Davis says.
The range includes a range of nut flours, seeds, grains, oils and noodles. The products have to meet all criteria:
- reduced salt, sugar and saturated fat;
- no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners; and
- no trans fatty acids from partially hydrogenated oils.
Customers want to be more healthy but they don't want to change their entire diet or pay a "huge" premium for healthier foods, Davis says. They also "don’t have time to make a special shopping trip for a couple of ingredients".
“What we’ve looked to do with Wellness Road is simply provide our customers with uncomplicated goodness – delicious tasting and nutritionally-balanced products – and importantly, at great value,” said Davis.
Coles range taps aspiring and dedicated healthy eaters: analyst
According to Katrina Diamonon, consumer insights analyst at GlobalData, the range is not about only making health food more accessible.
“The inclusion of products such as ‘nutritional yeast flakes’ and ‘textured vegetable protein’ illustrates that the range is not simply targeting everyday Australians looking to make healthier choices. In fact, it is arguably geared more towards the ‘healthy foodie’ segment that would otherwise be shopping at an upscale natural grocer,” she says.
Diamonon adds that the move fights back against rival Woolworths’ branding as “The Fresh Food People”.
“By tapping into the needs of both aspiring and dedicated healthy eaters, Coles is effectively positioning itself as a more convenient and accessible health food destination,” Diamonon says.
