Naming Dutch delight on Albert Heijn's shelves
How do you choose a name that fits a Dutch supermarket giant’s branding and language and resonates with consumers across the Netherlands?
In the heart of the Netherlands, amidst the vibrant landscape of its fruit-growing regions, a new apple variety emerges, destined to become the the latest addition to the fruit shelves of Albert Heijn, announcing a fresh era of local flavour and innovation.
Behind the scenes, a collaborative effort between Albert Heijn, supplier Vogelaar Vredehof, and fifteen dedicated apple growers unfolded. Their mission: to cultivate an apple that embodies the essence of Dutch taste, boasting a tantalising combination of juiciness, sweetness, crispness, and a hint of acidity—a representation of the nation’s apple orchard heritage.
Yet, crafting the perfect apple was only part of the challenge. With shelves brimming with choices, the quest for a name that not only distinguished this variety but also resonated with consumers across the Netherlands was paramount.
Exclusive and local
Albert Heijn’s broader ambition with the apple was to strengthen its positioning in the fruit shelves, drive sales, and enhance customer satisfaction by offering a unique, high-quality product that reflects the brand’s values and resonates with Dutch consumers. Doing so, by introducing a differentiated, exclusive yet local product.
To Globrands the question: develop a name for this “juicy, full-sweet, crisp apple with an acidity and a bite”, which highlights the local aspect, fits on Albert Heijn’s shelves and is liked by the whole of the Netherlands.
How do you translate that to naming? Through blind taste testing, talking about flavour associations and a good strategic sense of positioning the apple for Albert Heijn as a strong, Dutch friend. We decided the name needed to be light, yet modern, solid and have a playful feel at the same time.
With the Vogelaar Vredehof marketing team and the management, we enjoyed going through the Globrands naming process including BrandStory. Together with Albert Heijn and on the advice of Globrands, we arrived at the final choice of Sprank, which we are very happy with.
A one syllable find
And why did we choose it? The name SPRANK has character. Sprank associates with warm (sun) light and a fresh spring breeze. This creates a surprising tingle, an unexpected sparkle and has an inspiring effect.
Sprank sounds as fresh and innovative as the apple itself: juicy and crisp, more than just a treat for your taste buds. Sprank provides an infectious cheerfulness. Just that glimmer of hope we sometimes need.