The Naked truth as Symington’s adds to Walmart link-up

The Leeds-based manufacturer initially struck a deal last year with Walmart to list five Naked Noodle products in over 3,000 stores. Sales of those five products alone means that Naked is on track to be a top five brand within Walmart’s dry soup category by the end of October.

The six new Naked products will appear in Walmart stores this month and include Naked Ramen Soups and Naked Big Eat Noodle pots.

Symington’s estimates that sales to Walmart are on track to deliver revenue of £13.5m over the next two years.

The new deal follows the news in February that Symington’s listed a further 13 products in Walmart stores across both Symington’s Naked and Twistd ranges, in over 2,000 Walmart stores. These included four Naked Rice products, five Twistd couscous dishes and four Twistd rice products.

David Cox, chief executive of Symington’s, said: “Getting a foothold into the US market is notoriously difficult for British food manufacturers, especially one of our size.

“It has been a huge achievement for the business and testament to the fantastic branding and quality of both Naked and Twistd.”

He said the Walmart tie-up is part of Symington’s ambitious international plan for the next three years.

“We are having a number of joint discussions on future product innovation so hopefully the listings are just the beginning of an ongoing strategic relationship,” he said.

The Naked brand includes instant noodle and rice pots, soup sachets and pouches as well as noodle-based ramen soups.

The brand is focussed on bringing health conscious shoppers into the instant noodle category, providing a convenient, authentic Asian meal which can be eaten at home or on the go.

Symington’s said the brand has generated consistently strong growth over the last five years.

It launched the Twistd brand a year ago, selling a range of flavoured couscous, super grains, grains and pulses, flavoured risotto, wet cup soup sachets, snack pots and world flavoured rice, based on global food trends.

Mr Cox said: “Our plans are fully focused on extending Twistd into the US, just as we have already achieved with Naked.”

Symington’s has four sites, three in West Yorkshire, and a wet meals and soups facility in Durham.

It was established in 1827 by William Symington, initially supplying tea, coffee and groceries before the founder invented instant soup and expanded into other dried foods.