North Kingstown, Rhode Island — Galaxy Nutritional Foods, a 25-year leader and innovator in the alternative cheese products industry, announced today it is rebranding its traditional grocery store products as GO Veggie!™ while also introducing a new dairy free line. The new brand is GO Veggie!™ and it features: GO Veggie!™ Lactose Free, a better tasting reformulation of the company’s former Galaxy Nutritional Foods Veggie® line; and GO Veggie!™ Dairy Free, the first dairy free line created specifically for the traditional grocery store channel. GO Veggie!™ replaces the Galaxy Nutritional Foods brand in grocery stores and will be available October 1, 2012, and distributed on retailer shelves shortly thereafter.
About a year ago under the guidance of a new leadership team, Galaxy Nutritional Foods began examining its existing brand identity and realized the value of creating a singular brand. Research showed that consumers were confused over which of the company’s products were lactose free and which were dairy free and that consumers had a special affinity for the company’s ‘Veggie' brand.
“Our research indicated that our consumers remember our ‘Veggie’ name more clearly than Galaxy Nutritional Foods,” said Rick Antonelli, Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Nutritional Foods. “We wanted to capitalize on this existing brand recognition and develop an identity that would also empower people to eat smart, live happy and reduce or eliminate their dairy consumption. Our new brand — GO Veggie!™ — accomplishes all of this and inspires our consumers to Get Up and Go Veggie.”
As the new brand and product lines were developed, special attention was given to package design so that the benefits were clearly communicated and confusion eliminated to help improve overall consumer safety. The new GO Veggie!™ brand ensures customers know exactly what they are purchasing. The traditional Lactose Free line, which contains casein, will be sold in the company’s familiar green color. The new dairy free and casein free line will be clearly delineated in purple.
During the research phase of the rebranding process, the company’s leadership also learned that the cheese alternative category was still grossly underdeveloped and that opportunities for growth existed if traditional grocery retailers could attract new consumers from the growing food allergy and vegan segments.
Today’s cheese alternative consumer has many different needs. According to a 2011 PanAtlantic SMS Group Segmentation Survey, 57 percent of consumers who purchase cheese alternative products prefer lactose free. These consumers are currently being well served by traditional grocery stores and supermarket chains. However, 43 percent of consumers in the category are looking for a dairy free alternative – and there are limited options.
“The dairy free segment represents a tremendous growth opportunity for our grocery retailers and us. We knew we had the size and market share to create and deliver the products that would drive category growth,” said Jamie Schapiro, Director of Marketing at Galaxy Nutritional Foods. “With the new dairy free line of products, GO Veggie!™ is now a brand that can meet the needs of the cheese alternative consumer no matter where they fall on the alternative continuum.”
The GO Veggie! Lactose Free line of products contains casein and comes in a variety of flavors in slices, shreds, blocks and grated topping formats. In addition to being lactose free, the line is low calorie, cholesterol free and contains zero saturated and trans fats and is rich in calcium. The GO Veggie! Lactose Free line has been developed for individuals who want to reduce the amount of dairy in their diets, eat healthier by reducing fats, cholesterol and animal-based products, have better heart health and manage their weight.
The GO Veggie! Dairy Free product line is completely dairy free and offers a variety of flavors in slices, shreds and cream cheese alternative formats. This unique and innovative product line has been developed for individuals with food allergies, specifically milk, and for those who want to live a vegan lifestyle. Of the top eight food allergies, milk is the second most common.
Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan®, Rice Vegan and Rice brands which are sold in natural food stores will continue to be sold under the Galaxy Nutritional Foods brand.
For more information about GO Veggie! and its products visit
www.goveggiefoods.com/trade. Logos and product images can also be found here.
About GO Veggie!™
GO Veggie!™ was launched in 2012, by Galaxy Nutritional Foods, a 25-year leader in the cheese alternative products industry, specifically for the traditional grocery store channel. GO Veggie! has two distinct product lines — GO Veggie! Lactose Free and GO Veggie! Dairy Free — which appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers including those who are lactose intolerant or simply want to improve their health by reducing their dairy and following a plant-based diet and those who want to eliminate dairy completely because of food allergy or a vegan lifestyle. Both product lines offer a variety of flavors and choices and are known for exceptional taste and melt. The two GO Veggie! product lines are sold in major supermarkets in the United States. Get Up and Go Veggie. For more information visit: www.goveggiefoods.com/trade.
Source: GO Veggie!