The TikTok trend you butter believe: Fonterra’s new Sweet Cinnamon excites on socials
Fonterra Oceania is delighting taste buds across Australia with the launch of Mainland Sweet Cinnamon Spreadable Butter.
The new product landed on supermarket shelves last month and has since clocked up a viral rate of likes, shares, and views, taking social media – and sales expectations – by storm.
Fonterra Oceania’s Senior Brand Manager for Mainland, Caroline Stedman, said the activity around Sweet Cinnamon on social media continues to trend, with engagement in the tens of thousands of likes, downloads, and shares.
“One video on TikTok has been viewed more than half a million times, which kicked off sales that are now well above forecast,” she said.
“In fact, they’re five times higher than the initial planned run rate, by far exceeding our expectations for the launch and demonstrating the power of social media,” she added.
The innovative spread is infused with a blend of cinnamon and sugar. It marks the first time Fonterra’s brands in Australia have ventured into sweet butters under the premium Mainland brand, with a focus on adding flavour to breakfast.
“Breakfast is a daily habit for most people, and dairy plays such a significant role in it. Think butter on toast, milk in your coffee or with cereal,” Caroline said.
“So, we looked at breakfast and thought, ‘how can we make it more exciting? How can we inspire people to add more flavour and excitement to their breakfast with something they use each day, like butter?’ That’s where the idea for Sweet Cinnamon grew.”
From concept to consumer
Sweet Cinnamon started as a concept on Fonterra’s innovation pipeline two years earlier, with shopper insights and consumer trends driving the initial concept off the pipeline and into production.
“Our insights were telling us consumers were increasingly prioritising taste and convenience. They’re looking for something extra that adds a hit of flavour to their food,” Caroline said.
“Leveraging the strength of the Mainland brand, it was the perfect opportunity to extend our portfolio of flavoured spreads with a sweet one,” she added.
With Sweet Cinnamon, the product you see on shelves today is the result of trialling 27 unique formulations until we achieved the optimal combination. This highlights the extensive technical process and the importance of consumer feedback when working on a new product.
Journey to the dairy shelf
The journey from an idea to the dairy shelf is a meticulous one, beginning with a simple concept supported by a specific consumer need or occasion.
Fonterra’s Innovation and Technical teams take a lead role throughout the production process, carefully testing and trialling the product to perfect its final form.
Fonterra Oceania Senior Development Technologist, Liz Kitchen, said the process starts with numerous samples where the product starts to take shape.
"It all starts in the onsite applications kitchen by experimenting and building prototypes, using different butter blends, flavours, and textures," Liz explained.
The product then undergoes rigorous trials and sensory testing.
"At each of these steps, we receive constructive feedback on the flavour profile and mouthfeel.
"With Sweet Cinnamon, the product you see on shelves today is the result of trialling 27 unique formulations until we achieved the optimal combination. This highlights the extensive technical process and the importance of consumer feedback when working on a new product," Liz said.
Sustainable packaging firsts for Fonterra
While the product makes its way through each stage of development, Fonterra’s packaging team are considering the best way to pack and present it, with sustainability front of mind.
Fonterra Oceania Lead Packaging Technologist, Nitin Raichurkar, said Fonterra’s Australian target to achieve 100 per cent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025 is a commitment that’s driving new, innovative ways to package dairy products.
“When you buy a tub of butter, typically it is sealed with foil to protect the product and its shelf life,” he said.
“Mainland Sweet Cinnamon presented us with an opportunity to really push ourselves to innovate in design and environmental impact, to think outside of the box.
“It’s the first spread in market without a foil seal, reducing the footprint of packaging to be recycled, while disrupting the market in a way to think differently about product seals.
“It’s been quite an innovative journey overall, as to remove the foil, we had to create a new style of seal which was achieved my moving to a tamper evident pack to protect the product.
“It’s been a rewarding project that’s really pushing the boundaries of packaging,” he finished.
Excite your tastebuds
For those eager to try Sweet Cinnamon, it’s not just limited to breakfast occasions.
“Toast and crumpets are an obvious pairing, and there are plenty of ideas circulating on social media, like using it with baked sweet potato,” Caroline said.
Mainland is one of Fonterra’s premium brands and is the #1 premium spreadable brand in Australia and New Zealand.
It is known for quality dairy products made from 100% pure New Zealand butter, with the Sweet Cinnamon butter expanding the brand’s flavoured spreads range, joining Garlic and Herb.
Mainland Sweet Cinnamon is now available in Woolworths stores nationally and independent supermarkets.