Quinoa was known as the “Mother Grain” by the Incas and has been consumed for thousands of years. Native to South America, the grain is gluten-free, packed with nutrients, and is quick to prepare.
Popularity went through the roof around 2006, when restaurants began featuring this ancient grain on their menus. Kiwi Quinoa began when kiwis Dan and Jacqui travelled through South America, noting the quinoa-growing regions of Peru are quite similar to their home in Rangitikei, New Zealand. They harvested their first crop in 2016, and their quinoa is now grown in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
Early business success for Dan & Jacqui came from selling bulk quinoa into the food service channel. They are now focusing on sales of their x2 key SKUs (white and red quinoa) into the New Zealand grocery channel.
Challenge
Being a relatively new product to gain popularity, retailer and consumer awareness & understanding about quinoa is a little low.
Research from 2022 showed only ~60% of consumers are aware of quinoa and only ~45% had tried the grain. Consumption frequency can be sporadic, with the majority of consumers only trying white quinoa.
Business Goals
- Offer the best range of quality quinoa products.
- Increase grocery ranging and distribution in the New Zealand market
How our insights are helping them win
Showing how quinoa can drive incremental category growth
Kiwi Quinoa is preparing for their Woolworths Category review, where they want to increase their ranging across the stores. Appetise Insights have been invaluable to them by providing definitive data on who shops quinoa and how they consume it. This arms them with a solid case to drive incremental category growth with a greater shelf presence. Dan & Jacqui continue using our insights monthly to drive conversations for increased shelf exposure with their retailers.
Uncovering who their shopper is & what they want
After using Appetise for close to 18 months (and counting!), the Kiwi Quinoa team now has a much clearer understanding of their shoppers. Our cuisine and recipe trend insights also showed them what their shoppers care about, highlighting that quinoa shoppers love adventurous, tasty, and healthy meal options. This insight has been used across category reviews, brand collaborations, recipe creation, and social media strategies.
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