IN the ongoing effort to increase sales volume in a recessionary climate, companies like Island Grill are developing more cost-effective products for consumers. The fast food chain, which is famous for its Jamaican style offerings has added a product to its line-up that is a fraction of the cost of a regular combo meal.

The ‘Bikkle’ is a filling patty style product, featuring a festival base exterior which is filled with callaloo, saltfish or curried chicken. It was developed in an effort to help ease the high cost of fast food meals and get more customers into the Island Grill restaurants.

Island Grill CEO Thalia Lyn said the ‘Bikkle’ concept was an important innovation not just for the benefit of the customer, but the business.

“With the downturn in the economy we were noticing that our regular customers weren’t coming back as often. We were noticing that whereas they were coming back three or four times a week before, they were only coming once or twice and we knew it was because of affordability, not because they didn’t like the food,” Lyn told Sunday Finance.

The Bikkle, which is available as a singular snack, like the festival, or as part of a meal, is one of the cheapest items on the Island Grill menu. A single Bikkle, which is larger than a festival and more filling, costs $70. The Bikkle combo, at $195 comprises two Bikkles served with your choice of a regular sized soda, a bowl of soup, porridge, coffee, tea or Milo. This makes the meal not only affordable, but very versatile: It can be had at breakfast, lunch or supper. At a cost of $195, the Bikkle combo is more affordable than other popular products including the Yabba which costs between $240 and $335. Other fast food restaurants can charge up to $500 for a combo comprising a sandwich, fries and a drink.

Lyn said, given the fall-off in effective demand, the company had to come up with a product that would meet the challenges of a contracting market and the needs of a weakened consumer market.

“We have to innovate and come up with a product that the customer will gravitate towards,” she said. “We thought we had to come out with something that was like our menu. We didn’t want to stray far from our menu, our core items, but to have something affordable. So we came up with the Bikkle”.

Debbie Richards, operations manager, Island Grill, said the customers have responded well to the product, which was introduced a month ago. She said customers have already started to brand it as a “recession friendly” addition.

“People see it as a very good alternative. It is very filling, it’s satisfying and it has added nutritional value because of the filling,” she said.

The demand for the Bikkle cuts across the customer base, Richards claims, not just because of its affordability, but because of the convenience and portability. Some customers add it to a meal, others find that because it is easy to carry, they can eat the Bikkle on the go, even while driving.

“It’s not just a cost issue. If you want something lighter on one day you can come and have a Bikkle too,” she said.

Given what marketing operations officer, Brenda Thomas, describes as its growing popularity, the concern that the Bikkle will cannibalise the other products, including the more expensive items on the Island Grill menu, is a real one. However, Lyn said while cannibalisation is expected initially, history has proved that the customers will go back to the core products eventually. What is more important, she said, is the reaction from other fast food stores, which must compete with the lower-priced item.

“When we took the beverage out the competitors started to take the beverage out as well,” Lyn said of the popular ‘Satisfaction’ meal, which contains a serving of jerked chicken, a choice of three rices- pumpkin, callaloo or rice and peas, and a festival. The ‘Satisfaction’ at one point also added the drink to the combo.

“When we came up with Yabba, they responded with bowls, we came out with super festival — you know lower priced meals — they came out with a range of lower-priced meals. So everybody is watching everybody else. Sometimes this is what makes us all better. The competition is good for us. And the public benefits,” Lyn said.