Getting ‘free-from’ right

NOMO exists to provide vegan and free-from consumers – as well as an increasing UK audience of flexitarians of 7.5 million (growing 27 percent within the last year)¹ – with a mainstream plant-based chocolate that tastes as creamy and delicious as traditional milk chocolate.

NOMO is positioned as an affordable, adult brand with impulse, sharing and seasonal products. Launched in 2019, it has already revolutionised the free-from chocolate category and is the number one free-from chocolate brand in the UK.² It has driven 25 percent of the growth within the category since 2020,³ which grew from £37.6 million in 2020 to £55.2 in 2022. And it is forecast to grow again in 2023 by 15 percent.⁴

The main growth driver has been penetration, as £13.1 million of the £16.1 million growth year-on‑year (YOY) can be attributed to penetration increases within the sector, as more shoppers enter the category. Frequency increases, bigger basket sizes and rises in average price have helped drive growth within the free-from chocolate industry, yet these factors have only collectively attributed to £3.0 million of the total YOY growth. Again, this highlights the importance that penetration has played within the category.⁵