Mini Jars Case Study

Ballymaloe Foods began in 1990 with our Ballymaloe Original Relish. Now, over 30 years on, we want to offer our customers more value and variety across our much-loved products. Our Mini Jar offering provides them with a convenient, single-serve portion. The added bonus of having sealed, hygienic jars is something that consumers continue to seek out, even as we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 restrictions. Speaking with one of our valued customers on her experience using the 35g Original Relish Mini Jars, Judi, owner of The Espresso Bar in Kilkee, provided us with an insightful real-life situation using our Mini Jars in her café.

This busy Clare café serves Ballymaloe Original Relish alongside many of the savoury menu items. Judi trialled our Mini Jars as she was looking for the most economical way to offer relish to her customers. Judi filled 50g pots in house (filled individually from a 5kg pail of Ballymaloe Original Relish), the price breakdown was:

• Original relish serving = €0.32 p/pot
• Pot and lid = €0.10 p/pot
• Staffing/labour to fill the jars = €0.17 p/pot
• Total cost per 50g pot = €0.59

There was only a €0.10 difference for Judi to provide Ballymaloe 35g mini jars as an option to her customers and she felt there were a number of benefits to changing from filling in house.

“It’s premium appearance alongside our food offering – it made such a visual impact to our product” – Judi.

Benefits to using Ballymaloe 35g mini jars

• Higher appeal of branded products: Branded products have better customer appeal than unbranded as consumers often prefer to turn to
reliable, familiar brands to minimize the risk of a wrong choice (Iazzi et al, 2016).
• Improved staff efficiency: Judi found their time was needed for more important jobs in the Espresso Bar than filling individual relish pots – “we could better use them [the staff] in the shop on any given day”. She also pointed out that filling pots was “not the most stimulating job” for her staff. Minimising such mundane tasks would hopefully boost staff morale and productivity in the Espresso Bar.
• Reduce waste: On both the 50g and 40g pots being filled in-house, Judi had a high volume of unused relish. For this reason, the 35g serving sizes are ideal and help limit her waste.
• Added value to customer: Judi noted that for the consumers who don’t finish the 35g jars, they can re-lid them and take them home.
• Company cost saving: Another cost-saving measure introduced by Judi – the Mini Jars are offered with each order, not just given, which means some customers can opt not to take it.

Judi has said she “is delighted with the product” and we look forward to continuing to work with her. Huge thanks to Judi and her staff at the Espresso Bar, Kilkee for sharing their story with us! If there are any enquiries in relation to our Mini Jar range, please get in contact with us.

If there are any enquiries in relation to our Mini Jar range, please get in contact with us.

Get in Touch:

Contact: Jane Walker, Business Development Graduate E: jane.walker@ballymaloefoods.ie M: +353 86 103 9326