Snacking is King: Mondelēz International’s Philippine Country Head of Marketing Toby Gatchalian Reveals the State of Snacking
According to the 2021 State of Snacking Report, the role of snacking in people’s lives is expanding. 79% of people surveyed for the report say that their definition of what a snack is has changed in the last 3 years. Moreover, 64% of people surveyed all over the world say they eat more small meals throughout the day rather than the traditional three large ones. The State of Snacking report is a global consumer trends study commissioned by Mondelēz International, The Harris Poll, and Next Atlas. It is one of the ways snacks company Mondelēz International keeps its pulse on how and why people snack – to achieve its mission to lead the future of snacking.
With a purpose-led vision, Mondelēz International in the Philippines is expanding its snacking portfolio and coverage in the country with Country Head of Marketing Toby Gatchalian at the helm of brand growth and innovation. “Our company obsesses over consumers’ interests and constantly innovates to make sure they continue to reach for the goodness of our snacks when they want a delicious, wholesome, nutritious or indulgent bite, made with ingredients and packaging they can feel good about,” shares Gatchalian.
“We want to make the right snack,” he continues. “Around the world, snacks growth is set to outpace the broader food industry. We want to continue to win in this space. We have a broad portfolio of beloved snack products that people have grown up with: Tang, Eden cheese, Cheez Whiz, and Toblerone. At the same time, we’re entering new segments in snacking through our global favorites: Oreo in a more affordable format in your nearest Sari-Sari Store, Cadbury in the snackable Shots variant, and regional powerhouse Tiger in a crispy cracker pack.”
Gatchalian joined the company in 2021 and currently leads a team of more than 20 individuals across all the Company’s product categories – biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy, powdered beverages, and cheese. The Philippines is Mondelēz International’s biggest business in South East Asia and is a major growth driver for the business unit.
With a new snacking mindset, Gatchalian is utilizing his 21 years of marketing and sales background in FMCG and Banking, and as an entrepreneur to strengthen the Company’s brands and marketing excellence. Under his leadership, the company’s brands have established a virtual gallery of exciting and cut-through campaigns which explore the roles they play in Filipinos’ lives.
From the comforting creaminess of Eden cheese, which soothes the relationship between an expectant young girl and her mom during Mother’s Day. To the refreshing role that Tang, packed full of the Vitamin C of two oranges, plays in making lunch conversations between work-from-home parents and their kids in the “TANGhalian” campaign. The funny and endearing Christmas and Valentine’s campaigns for Toblerone encourage consumers to take a stand against generic gifts. The Cheez Whiz campaign inspires young kids everywhere to follow their dreams and strengthen their bodies and resolve, just like Olympian Hidilyn Diaz. To saving Dads from too much work through playtime with Oreo, dancing on TikTok with the crispy sensation of Tiger Crackers, and finding new ways to enjoy Cadbury Dairy Milk at home, with the family during the pandemic.
“Even before the pandemic, our new focus on snacking made right has sharpened our drive for making snacks that address consumers’ specific lifestyle needs, and creating campaigns that bring them to life,” explains Gatchalian.
explains Gatchalian.
“The pandemic has further heightened our strategy: Marketing and digital transformation to be consistent with today’s digitally-minded consumers. Balancing investment on global and local heritage brands to drive accelerated growth, and agile innovation by testing ideas locally, and then looking to scale the successes with speed.”
This focus on what, when, and how people snack has helped the company weather the challenges of the pandemic. In 2020 Mondelēz International in the Philippines emerged as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country, with this leadership sustained in 2021. It has retained market leadership in the powdered beverage, block cheese, and cheese spread categories, and is blazing a trail in biscuits and chocolates.
“Snacking is king – and we want to be the leaders in this space,” ends Gatchalian. “We want to disrupt and accelerate to ensure Filipinos think of us when they want a snack. Either for enjoyment, and nutritional or emotional wellbeing, we have the brands to empower them to snack right.”
For more information and campaigns about the brands;
Eden Cheese PH
Cheez Whiz
Tang Philippines
https://youtube.com/watch?v=IS-lSatAoT0&feature=share
Cadbury Shots
Toblerone
Oreo
Tiger Biscuits
