“Being a pickler is really trendy right now and the pickle category is increasingly saturated with new small brands” like ours, said Aly Cullinane, president of the formerly named Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles. She explained: “To help differentiate us we will launch innovative new packages that are pouches” beginning in early 2016, as well as update labels to reflect the company’s new name – Mrs. Pickles.
Initial feedback has been positive to the stand-up pouches from retailers, which Cullinane says are embracing the change as long overdue for the otherwise stagnant pickle category.
She acknowledged a few other pickles are packed in pouches, but they are only whole pickles, and she will sell chips and spears in pouches.
The new packaging also allows the company to sell the pickles at a lower price point in more mainstream retailers because the packaging and shipping costs will be lower than with the heavy glass jars it currently uses, Cullinane said.
She added the company will continue to sell its glass jars of pickles at a higher price point for people who prefer them.
A new name
To further help consumers easily identify and find the gourmet pickles, the company is rebranding in mid-September as Mrs. Pickles instead of Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles, Cullinane said.
The new name better highlights the company’s flavors and pays homage to the company’s roots, Cullinane said. She explained that Mrs. Pickles is the name of the company’s original sweet and sour dill pickle flavor and what many consumers already call the pickles, according to consumer research conducted by the company.
In addition, Mrs. Pickles was the nickname of the woman who created the original sweet and sour dill pickles several generations ago, sail Cullinane. She explained that her co-founder and the company’s former president Lynnae Schneller’s Great Grandmother Toots was known as Mrs. Pickles and inspired the company’s creation in 2011.
As part of the branding, the pickle labels will now include a photo of Great Grandma Toots and a brief history of her role in creating the recipe. This change is in line with modern packaging that tells consumers stories and creates a stronger sense of authenticity.
The new name also is a logical change given the company’s namesake and former president is leaving to pursue other career options. Founder Lynnae Schneller, who is Cullinane’s sister-in-law, passed the leadership reigns to Cullinane, who previously was the vice president.
In doing so, Schneller entrusted Cullinane with the family pickle recipe, which is top secret, but includes in each barrel “a pinch of Grandma Toots sugar that she left behind when she passed to memorialize her,” Cullinane said.
The rebranding will not change the pickle packaging’s general aesthetic, which reduces the risk of consumer confusion, Cullinane added.
Specifically, the labels will continue to feature the same large three dots as the original label that consumers associate with the pickles.
Unique flavors
Beyond the pouches, Mrs. Pickles differentiates its products from the competition with its unique flavors.
“There are so many other dills on the market that it wasn’t a priority for us” to have a classic dill, Cullinane said. Rather, she explained, the firm focused on its original sweet and sour dill and its Hot Mama pickles, which have a spicy kick from jalapenos in addition to the sweet and sour dill base.
The Hot Mamma pickles also are on trend as consumers increasingly are looking for spicy foods.
In addition, both pickles are made with only fresh and not dehydrated spices – demonstrating that Cullinane has her finger on the pulse of consumer demands for fresh food. As her company moves forward with its new phase, it also will explore additional new flavors, she added.