Smiley to Serve Up Chicken

“One of the key elements of our strategy is to develop ‘shaped’ product,” says Nicolas Loufrani, chief executive officer, Smiley. “When you go for generic shapes, such as stars, anyone can copy your design, but there’s only one 3D Smiley food trademark. It is instantly recognizable. It is protected and enforceable."

Smiley has offered 3D product before in more stable food formats, maintaining a longstanding deal with McCain, who has been selling Smiley potato products for more than 20 years. Thanks to technological advancements, Smiley is now expanding into 3D shaped products including ice cream, snacks, sweets and pasta. The company has signed a raft of new food licensees in recent years, accounting for category growth of more than 20 percent year-over-over from 2017-2018.