RETAIL THE WEEK IN
● NEWS WHOLESALERS
ASKED TO REASSESS CONTINGENCY PLANS
STORE OPENINGS
MORRISONS DAILY ROLLOUT EXTENDED
McCOLL’S TO COMPLETE CONVERSIONS WITHIN YEAR
● FACE COVERINGS
COMPULSORY IN STORES IN ENGLAND
● SPAR TEAMS UP WITH BURNLEY FC
SYMBOL GROUPS
ONE STOP FOCUSES ON DEMOGRAPHICS
RETAILERS STOCK NEW PRODUCTS PARTNERSHIPS
CONVENIENCE COLLABORATORS WAITROSE PARTNERS WITH SCOTTISH CONVENIENCE CHAIN
+
ALDI TRIALS BIG SPECIALBUYS TROLLEY
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Issue 84 Wednesday 1st December 2021
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THE NO.1 SCOTTISH GROCERY BRAND
BACK ON TV FROM 1ST DECEMBER Copyright © Snowman Enterprises Limited 2020 THE SNOWMAN (TM) Snowman Enterprises Limited
*Source: Kantar World Panel, Value Sales, Take Home Non-Alcohol Brands, MAT to 06.09.20, Total Scotland
T H E W E E K I N R E TA I L
EDITOR’S COMMENT
Facing up to Omicron The wearing of face coverings in stores became mandatory in England again this week after the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was detected in the UK. Customers are required to wear a face covering, unless they are exempt for medical reasons, and store staff also must wear a face covering in customer-facing areas. The reintroduction of face coverings is a double-edged sword; on one hand it is great that retailers, their staff, and families are being protected from this awful disease, but on the other there is much concern about the level of abuse they will receive from customers who don’t want to wear one. Retailers and staff are expected to remind customers to wear masks, but enforcement can only be carried out by police and local authorities – hopefully they will give a decent level of support. Trade union Usdaw says the government was wrong to water down safety in stores in the first place and face coverings should have remained mandatory. Its General Secretary Paddy Lillis believes this “flip-flopping” on basic Covid
measures and the different rules across the UK create confusion, reduce compliance, and can lead to conflict. It’s hard to argue differently; the disease was still around and wearing a mask is hardly an arduous task, the only difficulty being the fogging up of glasses. The fact that the face coverings rule does not extend to hospitality also causes confusion – it’s not difficult to imagine someone stumbling out of a pub and straight into a convenience store for fags without putting their mask on. Labour is calling for the ruling to be extended to all indoor settings, but that will depend on if and how quickly Omicron spreads.
LIZ WELLS, DEPUTY EDITOR
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 3
CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY 1 DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84
6
10 THIS WEEK’S NEWS IN BRIEF
Price rises hit Christmas shopping and Link extends its ‘Cashback Without Purchase’ rollout.
26 COVER STORY
CHARITY
As the supermarket looks to grow its Scottish presence, a new partnership will see Waitrose products stocked in convenience chain Margiotta’s stores.
Big-hearted One Stop staff and customers raise more than £130,000 for the Children in Need charity in just six weeks.
9 Covid-19 update
21 Post Office
30 Picks of the week
12 Symbol groups news
The P.O. hopes to raise £250,000 for
18 Newstrade
Trussell Trust.by donating 1p for every
cash withdrawal made over the counter.
The NFRN calls on publishers and wholesalers to reassess contingency plans.
28 Off-trade
20 Awards
marketing campaigns. 33 Out the box: Aldi trolley
22 Community retailing
19 Store openings
A look at the latest new products and
A new Aldi trolley has been designed with the diverse range of Specialbuys in mind.
Hofmeister, the revamped Bavarian
35 Before you go...
Co-op is named as the Emerging
premium lager brand, launches a
Franchisor of the Year.
crowdfunding campaign to attract investors.
TWITTER.COM/SLRMAG
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SLRMAG
Uber Eats takes home delivery to a higher plane, and a vodka flavour too far.
WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 5
NEWS DIGEST
THIS WEEK’S NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
CO-OP UPS ROBOT DROPS Co-op has boosted its partnership with Starship Technologies in Northampton,
INFLATION
Price rises hit Christmas shopping Hikes in energy and travel costs add pressure to household budgets and threaten what’s left of the Golden Quarter.
with an additional 31,000 households now able to access grocery delivery via a fleet of the former’s robots. Residents will be able to benefit from ondemand delivery from a further three Co-op stores.
ALDI TRIALS DRS Aldi is trialling its first
October, the highest rate of increase since April 2021. Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight at NielsenIQ, said: “The significant increases in energy and travel costs are adding pressure to household budgets and the remaining weeks of the Golden Quarter could be an uncertain time for shopper spend. “NielsenIQ shopper research shows that four in 10 households feel that their spending is constrained and, whilst inflationary pressures are now coming from both food and non-food, retailers continue to keep hold back increases in shop prices ahead of Christmas.” Helen Dickinson, British Retail Consortium boss, added: “Food was also affected by a rise in global food costs where certain staples have doubled in price in the past two years.”
redeemed against shopping.
Food inflation accelerated to 1.1% in November, up from 0.5% in October, according to the latest figures from NeilsenIQ. This is the highest inflation rate since November 2020. Fresh Food inflation grew to 1.2% in November up from 0.3% in October, the highest rate since August 2019. Ambient Food inflation accelerated to 0.9% in November up from 0.8% in
SAVE THE DATE
BP plans hydrogen production facility
deposit return scheme at its Bathgate store. Customers are encouraged to return PET plastic or glass bottles and aluminium drinks cans to a reverse vending machine. Customers will receive 10p per item in the form of a voucher, up to £5, which can be
Industry charity GroceryAid has revealed that its next GroceryAid Day will take place on 26 April. The theme will be ‘Let’s Talk GroceryAid’ and aims to raise awareness about the charity’s free welfare services to ensure those colleagues who need our support know how we can help.
BP has confirmed it is planning a new large-scale green hydrogen production facility in the north-east of England that could deliver up to 500Mwe of hydrogen production by 2030. HyGreen Teesside is expected to match production to demand and build on experience to drive down costs. BP is aiming to start production by 2025, with an initial phase of some 60MWe of installed
6 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 84 WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021
hydrogen production capacity. A final investment decision on the project is expected in 2023. Hygreen Teesside is the latest addition to BP’s integrated UK business portfolio, which includes 3GW gross of offshore wind in the Irish Sea, delivering 16,000 UK charging points by 2030, and BP and Aberdeen city’s partnership deal.
NEWS DIGEST
THIS WEEK’S NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
PAYPOINT RESULTS ‘POSITIVE’
PAYPOINT
Link extends ‘Cashback Without Purchase’ rollout
PayPoint Group has reported
PayPoint will offer the service at more than 2,000 shops before the end of the year.
Cash machine network Link is rolling out Cashback Without Purchase. This initiative means consumers will be able to withdraw cash or check balances in smaller shops without the need to buy an item in-store or pay a fee. The government made changes to the law through the Financial Services Act 2021 earlier this year to facilitate ‘cashback without a purchase’ services. PayPoint is the first of Link’s members to provide the service and will be offering it at more than 2,000 shops before the end of the year. Consumers using the service can choose to withdraw any amount between 1p and £50 rather than being restricted to notes dispensed by ATMs. Retailers are remunerated for providing this service by the cardholder’s bank via the Link member offering the service.
months ended 30 September 2021. The group’s net revenue from continuing operations increased by 21% to £56.1m in the period and its pre-tax profit from continuing operations, excluding exceptional items of £21.9m, increased by 30.0%.
NEW LIDL BOSS Lidl GB has promoted Ryan McDonnell to be its next Chief Executive, with Christian Härtnagel leaving to lead the
Tracey Graham, Chair of Link Consumer Council, said: “Protecting access to cash is absolutely vital for millions of people who depend on it. Cashback Without Purchase is a convenient new way for people to withdraw notes and coins at their local retailer.”
Peas Please recognises local shops’ commitment to healthy eating The Food Foundation has highlighted the essential role that local shops play in providing healthy food. Its Peas Please Report reveals that since the initiative was first launched in 2017, 636 million additional portions of vegetables have been sold or served. In the past 12 months alone, over 403 million portions have been added to the total.
“positive” results for the six
discounter’s Germany division. McDonnell started with the retailer in 2000, joining as a trainee buyer. The supermarket said McDonnell will start in his new role on 1 February.
G.A.P GONG G.A.P Convenience Distribution, part of the
The report recognises that ACS has updated and expanded its pledges in the past year. ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “Convenience retailers have actively and positively engaged with a range of campaigns to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables in their local areas including Change4Life, Healthy Start, and Peas Please.”
James Hall & Co Group of Companies, has won BP’s ‘Best Supply Chain of 2021’ Award. The award recognises the work the company did to alleviate supply chain issues during the summer, supporting the delivery of screen wash into 330 of BP’s service stations nationwide.
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 7
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NEWS SPECIAL
COVID-19 UPDATE
Face-coverings become compulsory in stores in England
APP AIMS TO ASSIST DELIVERY DRIVERS A multi-drop delivery driver has created a
Retailers have the right to refuse entry to customers who won’t wear a face covering but are not responsible for enforcement.
new app to assist others drivers. The DALUS App is based on a community of users. It
about abuse against their staff from customers who don’t want to wear a face covering in a shop. We will continue to urge stores to communicate the rules, but not to challenge those who refuse to abide by them.” The rules on self-isolation have also been amended in response to the Omicron variant. Anyone that has been identified as a close contact of someone who is suspected to have the Omicron variant must isolate for 10 days regardless of vaccination status. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, said: “It’s a time to be vigilant and to think about what each and every one of us can do to slow the spread of this new variant. “Getting a jab when the time comes, following the rules that we’ve put in place and getting rapid, regular tests. If we all come together once again, then we can keep this virus at bay and protect the progress that we have made.” The ACS has a one-page briefing for retailers in England explaining the key points of the rules.
digitises the “have you been to this address …” conversation, so instead of asking other drivers in the hope they know, you simply ask the app, because it does. The app has more than 32 million addresses with co-ordinates, including new builds and holiday accommodation, and properties that have not
TECH SOLUTIONS
F
ace-coverings are once again compulsory in stores in England as the country fights to contain the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the government announced this week. Omicron, which was initially discovered in South Africa, is now spreading across the world. As a result, customers will be required to wear a face covering unless they are exempt for medical reasons. Store staff are also required to wear a face covering in customer-facing areas, such as the shop floor, and retailers are required to communicate the rules on face coverings to customers using signage in store. Retailers have the right to refuse entry to customers who won’t wear a face covering but are not responsible for enforcement. Fixed penalty notices for non-compliance will be £200, doubling per additional offence. The regulations will expire on 20 December, subject to review. ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “We are helping retailers to prepare for the change in face covering rules, but they are extremely concerned
yet been completed. Users can add further information about addresses that is then available to anyone else who uses the app. The creator claims this could save drivers time, accidental vehicle and property damage, and personal injury.
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 9
C OV E R
PARTNE
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S T O RY
ERSHIPS
Convenience collaborators
Waitrose partners with convenience chain Margiotta as part of Scottish expansion plans.
F
amily-run convenience store chain Margiotta is partnering with Waitrose to expand the supermarket’s presence in Scotland. The supermarket currently has six shops in Scotland, including Morningside and Comely Bank in Edinburgh, Newton Mearns, Byres Road in Glasgow, Milngavie, and Stirling. It also supplies two Shell forecourt shops in Scotland and customers can also order its food and drink through Deliveroo from four of its Scottish shops. Margiotta, which opened its first store in the early 1970s, is owned by husband-and-wife team Franco and Audrey Margiotta and their four children. The retailer, which has 10 stores mostly in Edinburgh, prides itself on the quality and freshness of its food. The supermarket says the choice of Waitrose products will add to Margiotta’s “already impressive” range of freshly-baked goods and pastries and sandwiches, wraps and salads, which are made fresh every day by their kitchen. The partnership will see more than 600 Waitrose products become available in Margiotta’s shops over the coming weeks, with the first launch at its Dundas Street shop on 30 November. This will be followed on 1 December at Ashley Terrace, Comiston Road, Mayfield Road, Polwarth Gardens, Aberlady
Village Store, Gullane and Forrest Road, and in early 2022 at Lasswade Road and Warrender Park. Ready meals, free-from and vegan ranges, prepared fruit and vegetables, meat, snacks and store cupboard staples will all be available, as well as flowers and seasonal foods, which will include a selection from the Waitrose Christmas range.
“Margiotta will play an integral role in helping us to make Waitrose food and drink even easier to enjoy.”
Waitrose plans to explore more potential partnerships in the UK, including Scotland, in the future which will allow it to reach new customers in those areas where there is demand. James Bailey, Executive Director for Waitrose, said: “Margiotta is a long-standing, family-run business, which shares our values of quality and service and is perfectly placed to help meet our customers’ needs in Scotland. “We know convenience is key for many people and our partnership with Margiotta will play an integral role in helping us to make Waitrose food and drink even easier to enjoy.” Franco Margiotta, Managing Director of Margiotta Food & Wine said: “We are delighted to be stocking Waitrose food and drinks in our stores not only because of the quality of the products but also because of the new and increased range that we can now offer. We have always strived to bring the best food products for our customers to enjoy and I am sure that they will be equally delighted in our partnership with Waitrose.” Waitrose products will be available from Margiotta shops from 30 November at Dundas St; 1 December at Ashley Terrace, Comiston Rd, Mayfield Rd, Polwarth Gardens, Aberlady Village Store, Gullane and Forrest Rd; and in early 2022 at Lasswade Rd and Warrender Park.
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 11
SYMBOL GROUPS
NISA
Delivering results in Glasgow
Retailer Daniall Nadeem says the store’s home delivery service continues to grow despite the relaxation of restrictions.
R
etailer Daniall Nadeem, owner of a Nisa Local in the outskirts of Glasgow, says the store’s home delivery service continues to grow despite the relaxation of restrictions. Nadeem’s Motherwell Road store has been working with Snappy Shopper since January 2020 and was one of the first c-stores to launch the service. Sales have grown from a handful of online daily orders to around 50 a day. Daniall said: “Orders have gone up week-on-week since we launched, and we are still seeing that growth. “We launched before Covid really hit but when it did that had a big impact on
demand with more than 100 deliveries coming in every day at one point. We have lost about 10% of those sales, but have managed to hold on to most of the new delivery customers since Covid and we’re still getting new customers all the time through the Snappy app.” The increased demand for delivery has seen the need for a change in operations at the store. There are now staff members dedicated to managing and picking the orders coming in via Snappy Shopper. Furthermore, decisions on range and pricing are determined by the anticipated interest from online customers.
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Daniall said: “Last Easter we had a massive amount of seasonal product in the store and then Covid came along. Shoppers were not coming in because of the rules on shopping for essentials only and I was really worried about losing the sales. But I listed it on Snappy and the entire promotional bay sold in a matter of days. Now I buy pallets of products especially for Snappy and promote it online – it works really well.” He added: “Snappy is a good bolt-on for us. It’s an added service we offer but we are here for our customers who are walking in because without them the store can’t run.”
SYMBOL GROUPS
ONE STOP
One Stop bases range on store demographics The changes – particularly in fresh and chilled – are based on advanced data analysis.
O
ne Stop retailers across the UK are for the first time offering products based on their store demographics, with a number of new products now being stocked, and have updated their point of sale. One Stop says it has recognised that not all its stores are the same so, using advanced data analysis, the new tailored approach means products will be better suited to the customer. The move is also reducing unnecessary waste. The retailer has introduced several new lines, including Alpro almond milk, Cravendale filtered milks, fresh avocados, raspberries, and GU lemon cheesecake. It has also added a wider
range of snacking options for children, such as Attack a Snack, Muller Corn Crunch, and Cheese Strings. One Stop retailers have showcased the new products and strategy with updated POS, featuring modern grey shelf stripping throughout chilled and produce, a new design for the foodto-go meal deal proposition, and new navigation. Sam Watkins, Head of Product at One Stop, said: “This evolution – particularly in our fresh and chilled range – follows extensive research into what our customers want, which signals a growth in these areas and a demand for products which are healthier and
readily available. Growing these sections and targeting stores in the way we have become a key part in our long-term business plan and the launch of the new product range and POS modernisation is our first step on that journey.” Dan Amin, franchisee from One Stop in Bromwich, added: “The changes have been really well received in store and we’re getting lots of positive feedback. Customers can see the new range of products easily and the new POS gives the store a sophisticated look, that gives it a brighter feel inside. It gives a better-quality look to the products, whilst offering the same great prices which One Stop is known for.”
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P U R E W O P S E L A S YOUR
H T I W K N I R D Y G R E N E E HIGH CAFFEIN U R B N R I F O E T S A T E L B A B THE INDESCRI
H S I T T O C S 1 . 0 N FROM THE * D N A R B Y R E C O GR *Source: Kantar World Panel, Value Sales, Take Home Non-Alcohol Brands, MAT to 06.09.20, Total Scotland
ENERGY *1IS GROWING 6 X FASTER THAN SOFT DRINKS & DELIVERS THE HIGHEST*2 PROFIT PER LITRE FOR RETAILERS
NEARLY 1 IN 2 DRINKS SOLD IS AN ENERGY DRINK*3
FLAVOURS NOW ACCOUNT FOR 34% OF MAINSTREAM ENERGY PRODUCTS*4
66% of shoppers always buy the same size*5 energy can
MERCHANDISE WITH ENERGY
FLAVOURED ENERGY IS GROWING FASTER THAN ORIGINAL ENERGY*4
RETAILERS SEE 70% GROWTH FROM LISTING BOTH SIZES*6 OF IRN-BRU ENERGY
BLOCK BY BRAND
2 FACINGS FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT
STOCK THE FULL RANGE TO MAXIMISE YOUR GROWTH OPPORTUNITY *1: IRI MARKETPLACE, VALUE SALES, MAT TO 28/08/2021, SCOTLAND CONVENIENCE. *2: IRI MARKETPLACE, PPL & AVERAGE MARGINS, MAT TO 19/04/2020, SCOTLAND CONVENIENCE *3: IRI MARKETPLACE, VALUE ESALES, DRINK NOW, MAT TO 28/08/21, SCOTLAND SYMBOLS & INDEPENDENTS. *4: IRI MARKETPLACE, VALUE SALES, MAINSTREAM DRINK NOW ENERGY EXCL. ORIGINAL, MAT TO 28/08/21, TOTAL COVERAGE *5: IRI Marketplace, Value sales, MAT to 14/08/21, Total Scotland. *6: RETAILER DATA AUGUST 2021
SYMBOL GROUPS
SPAR
James Hall & Co opens refreshed forecourt
The Spar wholesaler recently bought the site in West Lancashire from Euro Garages UK.
J
ames Hall & Co, Spar’s primary wholesaler and distributor for the north of England, has opened a refreshed Spar store and forecourt in West Lancashire. The newly revamped eight-pump forecourt on the A5209 between Burscough and Parbold is now Shell branded, and there have also been some new additions to the store. It now features a Cheeky Coffee machine and a greater range of Clayton Park Bakery products. James Hall & Co recently bought the site from Euro Garages UK. The
acquisition takes the number of company-owned Spar stores under James Hall & Co’s ownership to 153, and it is the 42nd forecourt. Fiona Drummond, Company Stores Director at James Hall & Co, said: “We’ve serviced the Spar store between Burscough and Parbold for many years under its previous ownership, and when the opportunity to acquire it came along, we seized it with both hands. “It’s an exciting development for us and it offers us the chance to better support people in the locality, while taking advantage of considerable passing trade
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on a busy route that connects many West Lancashire towns and villages with the M6.” Drummond added: “The new site is also close by to where things began for James Hall & Co five generations ago with the roots of the family business firmly in West Lancashire.” Last month James Hall & Co opened a new store and service station on one of Darlington’s busiest main roads. The completely overhauled site features six fuel pumps, a jet wash, air and water machines, an ATM, and customer parking.
SYMBOL GROUPS
NISA
Cumbrian store extends range after refit
Levens Village Shop has this year undergone an extension, a refit, and has changed supply partner.
N
isa retailer Vanessa Riley has extended the range available at her store, located near Kendal in Cumbria, after a store extension and refit. Levens Village Shop, located near Kendal, is an integral part of the community with almost 300 customers using the store every day, equating to nearly a quarter of the population. The improvement work has seen the unusually shaped store made more uniform enabling Vanessa to make better use of the space and incorporate new lines. The extension was carried out in January and saw the shop grow in size, as well as creating storage space for stock. The store was also refitted in the summer and has since moved its supply partner to Nisa. Vanessa, who runs the store with her partner Dave, said: “The shop was too small and a strange shape, so we changed that and added more chillers and freezers. That’s when we decided we needed to change our supplier and we moved to Nisa.
“I was really pleased to be able to get the Co-op range for the shop, that was a really important factor for me, and we have had so much support and a great service from Nisa since before we even made our first order.” The store also features an extensive range of locally supplied products,
including cakes, breads, eggs, honey, and alcohol. Riley added: “We wanted the shop to have a point of difference – not a farm shop but a balance between good everyday value and some really nice products that you can’t pick up at a supermarket.”
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T R A D E A S S O C I AT I O N S
NFRN
NFRN calls on trade to reassess contingency plans The trade association’s contact centre saw a 112% increase in calls over the weekend as bad weather hit.
T
he NFRN has called for publishers and wholesalers to reassess their contingency plans, after newsagents up and down the country suffered more late deliveries last Saturday (27 November). Despite early warnings of bad weather and the well-publicised shortage of drivers, news publishers still printed at the usual time, causing widespread delays of deliveries, while a number of newsagents received no deliveries at all. The NFRN’s contact centre was inundated with complaints from members who were unable to get through to wholesalers’ helplines, with a 112%
increase in calls compared to a normal Saturday. NFRN National President, Narinder Randhawa, said: “We realise there were underlying issues this weekend, but everyone knew it was coming, it’s not like it was a surprise. Why couldn’t the publishers have earlier cut-offs when they knew the weather was going to be bad? “Communication from publishers and wholesalers is falling down all the time. If people are told what the situation is, they will bear with you, but our members were waiting 20 to 30 minutes to get through to helplines and when
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they did no-one seemed to know what was going on.” The NFRN’s Head of News and Connect, Brian Murphy, added: “The contingency plans that are currently in place aren’t robust enough and need to be reviewed by publishers and wholesalers. Late deliveries are bad enough, but to not send any papers at all in some cases is completely unforgivable. “We respect the need for safety first, but with driver shortages remaining, more bad weather on the way and new strands of Covid evident, publishers must print earlier to prevent a repeat of the events of this weekend.”
STORE OPENINGS
MORRISONS DAILY
McColl’s to extend Morrisons Daily roll out to 450 stores The retailer expects to complete all conversions by the end of November 2022.
M
cColl’s Retail Group has agreed terms with Morrisons to extend the number of Morrisons Daily conversions to 450 stores. The retailer expects to complete all 450 conversions by the end of November 2022, compared to its previous target of 350 in the same timeframe. McColl’s opened its 100th Morrisons Daily store last month in Cheshire
– two months ahead of schedule. In addition, Morrisons is extending its support and increasing its contribution to the enlarged conversion programme. Jonathan Miller, Chief Executive of McColl’s, said: “Within 12 months we will have 450 stores open and trading as Morrisons Daily, representing over a third of our total community store estate and over half of our sales.
“These stores have a higher grocery mix and wider breadth of product choice which is great for our customers, and with strong sales growth and better return on investment, it is great for the company too.” McColl’s said discussions with its lending bankers are ongoing and are expected to conclude by the publication of its full year results in March 2022.
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BUSINESS AWARDS
CO-OP FRANCHISE
Co-op franchise secures industry award The retailer has dedicated the win to it partners.
IRN-BRU IS BACK ON TV WITH SNOWMAN ADVERT IRN-BRU IS BACK ON TV SCREENS ON 1ST DECEMBER WITH THE IRN-BRU SNOWMAN, SCOTLAND’S BEST-LOVED CHRISTMAS TV ADVERT. ENSURING YOU HAVE THE RIGHT RANGES FOR BROAD APPEAL AND OFFERING VALUE WILL BE EVEN MORE CRUCIAL THIS YEAR WITH BIGGER TAKE HOME PACKS MEETING THE NEEDS OF SHOPPERS IN-HOME. PROMINENTLY DISPLAY ALL THREE VARIANTS OF IRNBRU TO DRIVE INCREMENTAL CATEGORY SALES.
20 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 84 WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021
C
o-op has been named as the Emerging Franchisor of the Year at the British Franchise Association Awards, which celebrate excellence in franchising. Co-op officially launching its franchise recruitment programme in 2019 and has experienced rapid growth, more than doubling the estate in the last year, and will be operating just short of 40 franchise stores by the end of 2021. The retailer has dedicated its win to the hard work and determination of its franchise partners working on the retail frontline. Martin Rogers, head of new channels for Co-op, said: “I am
incredibly proud of what the team and all our franchise partners have achieved, particularly in what has been a difficult year. Co-op franchise wouldn’t be what it is today without our valued retailers, who choose us as their trusted partner, and who really are an extension of the Co-op family. We know that through the power of partnership, we can achieve great things together and this is testament to that. “The determination, experience and passion from everyone we work with has made it what it is today – a proven scalable and ethical franchise model, and I am thrilled this has been recognised within the industry.”
COMMUNITY
POST OFFICE
Post Office tackles hunger and poverty Post Office is hoping to raise £250,000 for Trussell Trust by making a donation for every cash withdrawal made over the counter.
P
ost Office is supporting people facing poverty this winter by donating 1p to the Trussell Trust for every cash withdrawal made over the counter in any of its 11,500 branches. The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of more than 1,300 food bank centres and together they provide emergency food parcels to people locked into poverty and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. The donation will help to provide vital services such as food bank provisions and financial guidance to help families reduce the impact of increasing household bills and unexpected costs this winter.
Nick Read, Post Office Chief Executive, said: “We believe that no one should have to choose between heating and eating this winter and that’s why we’re extremely proud to partner with the Trussell Trust. “By withdrawing cash at a Post Office counter at any of our 11,500 branches for free rather than using a cashpoint, we’re hoping to raise £250,000 to help the Trussell Trust fight poverty and hunger.” Leslie Francis, Postmistress in Enham Alamein, Hampshire, added: “I’m delighted that I can make even more of a difference by encouraging customers to use cash withdrawal services at my branch. Withdrawing
cash at your local post office this winter not only supports local businesses like mine, it also helps those who need it in your community too.” Emma Revie, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “We’re so grateful to have the support of the Post Office and postmasters up and down the country to help ensure that people in crisis can continue to access emergency food this winter and beyond, whilst also supporting our long-term work towards building a future where everyone in the UK is able to afford the essentials.” ● Post Office will be donating to the Trussell Trust until 31 March 2022.
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COMMUNITY
SPAR SCOTLAND
Spar Scotland continues partnership with Scottish FA The partnership saw the launch of the Spar Future Stars Cup which is set to see more than 100 schools take part in 2022.
S
par Scotland is to continue its partnership with the Scottish FA for the next two years. The partnership began in 2019 with the launch of the Spar Future Stars Cup, which saw 105 schools across Scotland compete in the tournament in its inaugural year. The competition is designed to encourage girls between the ages of 12-16 to participate in the sport and build on the momentum in women’s football generated by the increasing profile of the Scotland Women’s National Team. The second year will begin at the start of 2022 with more than 100 schools anticipated to register again in the aim of increasing participation numbers and
proving a fun, competitive environment for players of all abilities. Colin McLean, Chief Executive of Spar Scotland, said: “Our continued partnership with the Scottish FA and our sponsorship of the Scotland Women’s National Team allows us to encourage more girls to play football and increase participation numbers. “The tournament gained momentum prior to the pandemic and we were experiencing a lot of promising engagement. It was frustrating to see it come to an abrupt halt but to have the tournament return will hopefully give all of the participants a great lift and we are looking
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forward to seeing the 2021/22 Future Stars Tournament begin early next year.” Fiona McIntyre, Scottish FA Head of Girls’ and Women’s Football, added: “We are extremely grateful to Spar for their support following the disappointment of last year’s competition being cancelled due to the pandemic. “We are now looking forward to seeing the competition become a springboard for the girls’ and women’s game in not only increasing participation but also improving their awareness of women’s football in the country. Our national team are aiming to return to their second consecutive World Cup and we hope they can act as inspiration for everyone who takes part in the competition.”
COMMUNITY
JAMES HALL & CO
Spar signs deal with Burnley FC in the Community The sponsorship will support Burnley FC in the Community’s work in education and employability, community welfare and inclusion, and football development.
S
par has signed a deal to support Burnley Football Club’s charity work. The agreement, which was facilitated through James Hall & Co – Spar’s primary wholesaler and distributor in northern England – will see the symbol group’s name added as a sponsor through the charity’s All Onside package. The symbol group has a strong brand presence within Burnley and has served the borough’s communities for many years through James Hall & Co’s company-owned Spar stores and through independent retailers. The sponsorship will support Burnley FC in the Community’s work at its portfolio of community venues and across its diverse range of sectors including education and employability, community welfare and inclusion, and football development. Tom Murphy, Marketing Manager at James Hall & Co, said: “It’s really good to formally get on board with Burnley FC in the Community through the All Onside package as we have previously supported the Burnley FC Community Kitchen.
“There are nine Spar stores in Burnley either owned by James Hall & Co or where we service independent retailers, so we are well known for supporting the borough’s communities. The charity’s fantastic work neatly aligns to this, and we are happy to partner up with Burnley FC in the Community.” Ben Bottomley, Head of Brand and Partnerships at Burnley FC in the Community, added: “I’m extremely pleased to have an iconic brand like Spar come
The sponsorship will support Burnley FC in the Community’s work at its portfolio of community venues
on board as a sponsor through our All Onside package. “Spar’s sponsorship is a welcome contribution to the broad range of vital work we do in the community, and it is particularly valuable as we tackle post-pandemic challenges including food poverty, mental health, unemployment, loneliness, and physical activity.”
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COMMUNITY
SPAR UK
Spar UK raises £2m for end of life charity The symbol group also helped the charity respond to the pandemic by distributing personal protective equipment to its nurses.
S
par has raised £2m for charity Marie Curie since their partnership began. Spar UK chose Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end of life charity, as its national charity partner in 2017 and reached the landmark through in-store fundraising, customer donations, and on-pack product donations. In addition, Spar UK also helped respond to the coronavirus pandemic by distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to Marie Curie nurses delivering frontline care. In the south-west and across the north of England, Marie Curie Nurses have been able to collect PPE from their local Spar convenience store. This has ensured they have been able to continue caring and supporting dying people and their loved ones in the community. To date, Spar has helped deliver over one million pieces of PPE to Marie Curie nurses. Megan Townshend, Senior Partnership Manager at Marie Curie, said: “Spar isn’t just a partnership that raises money. The entire organisation has integrated
what they do to benefit the vital work of Marie Curie. That includes the incredible support Spar has given distributing vital PPE to our staff during the pandemic, to Go Yellow days in stores, and my personal favourite, the Spar sandwich that includes a donation to Marie Curie.”
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In addition, Spar wholesalers regularly donate care items to Marie Curie’s nine hospices. As well as that, stock drives have also been run to keep clothes and other items flowing to Marie Curie charity shops. Louise Hoste, Spar UK Managing Director, said: “I would like to thank all our colleagues around the UK for their fundraising efforts. Their commitment and support for Marie Curie has been exceptional. We are proud to continue to do everything we can to support Marie Curie in the coming year.”
COMMUNITY
ONE STOP
One Stop donates 200,000 foodbank meals The symbol group has been working on a number of initiatives to make food more readily available to others in the community.
O
ne Stop staff and customers have worked together to donate 200,000 foodbank meals since March.The symbol group has been working on several initiatives to make food more readily available to others in the community. This includes joining food waste apps Too Good to Go and OLIO. Liz Fox, Head of Sustainability & Social Responsibility at One Stop, said: “We launched OLIO and Too Good to Go trials in 130 stores between June and September 2021 to help us save surplus food waste from landfill and so far we’ve saved the equivalent of 7,000 food bank meals.”
Foodbank provisions are also generated by the food bins placed in store where customers can donate a range of products. In addition, One Stop colleagues have also been coming up with their own ideas to get their customers involved, including Store Manager Debbie Stacey, who launched the ‘Brown Bag’ initiative. Debbie found that as Covid restrictions lifted, donations to the foodbank bin were reducing, yet the need for them was still there. Debbie’s idea was simple: to purchase brown bags and then pop them by the till for people to fill with products from around the store.
Working with Swindon Food Bank Collective she discovered the types of products they were short of and, on the outside of the bags, she then wrote down what was needed – whether it was sugar, soup or baked beans. Another colleague who goes ‘above and beyond’ is Amanda Simmister from One Stop Grey Street, in Newcastle upon Tyne. She said: “Others who are eligible don’t want to approach food banks because of their own pride. I know pretty much everyone in the community, so I knew those in dire need and discreetly passed them a bag of food when they came into store.”
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COMMUNITY
ONE STOP
One Stop raises a record amount for Children in Need Almost of the symbol group’s stores took part in the fundraising appeal.
O
ne Stop has raised more than £130,000 for Children in Need in just six weeks, smashing fundraising campaigns from previous years. The symbol group started its Children in Need fundraising appeal a month early, with almost every store across its 900 core and franchise estate taking part. Liz Fox, Head of Sustainability & Social Responsibility at One Stop, said: “The stores themselves came up with a huge array of fundraising ideas from tombolas and fancy-dress days, to ‘sponge the store manager’ and raffles. We also had ideas generated at head
office, including a ‘Pedal for Pudsey’ cycling challenge where stores each had a different target – some 100 miles, some teams doing 300. They did their cycling instore – via static bikes - or within the community, all helping to raise awareness and funds. “We’ve also had stores working together including colleagues across three stores from Sheffield who raised over £2,000 in six hours at Meadowhall Shopping Centre. They did such a great job that they even inspired the centre to turn the roof yellow with lights to celebrate Children in Need.” Money raised will be able to stay
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locally to where each store is based as Children in Need has a postcode locator enabling donations to go straight to causes within their own areas. In addition, One Stop has a large range of merchandise that it sells to help raise money, including a water bottle and crystal-encrusted gold Pudsey Bear pens. Many stores also had merchandise featuring Pudsey Bear’s girlfriend Blush. Fox added: “Our stores have proved that together we can make a difference and the passion and drive I’ve seen has been absolutely brilliant. We’re beaming with pride that we’ve been able to raise this amount which will go such a long way to helping children who so desperately need it.”
COMMUNITY
NISA
Nisa’s MADL boosts Warrington charity
Retailer Mike Sohal nominated The Walton Lea Partnership, which supports vulnerable adults and young people with learning disabilities, for a Heart of the Community Award.
N
isa’s Making a Difference Locally charity has donated £4,000 to an organisation that supports vulnerable adults and young people with learning disabilities, through its Heart of the Community Award initiative. The Walton Lea Partnership, in Warrington, was the good cause nominated by Nisa retailer Mike Sohal whose Nisa Local Dallam Stores is located a few miles from the charity’s base. The charity runs a series of social enterprises, including retail, horticulture, woodwork and recycling donated furniture and bicycles, which helps to finance the partnership.
The Heart of the Community Award has been used to pay for a selection of tools and equipment that will improve the everyday activities offered to those who use the charity. Karen Moore, support worker and lead for horticulture at the charity, said: “The Heart of the Community award has been fantastic for us as it has allowed us to spend on a range of items that will really make things so much easier for our learners.” Mike said: “What the people at the Walton Lea Project do is incredible. It was really simple to apply for a Heart of the Community award through MADL
and being able to hand over the donation knowing it will make such an impact locally, is part and parcel of what being a local, independent retailer is all about.” Nisa’s Head of Charity, Kate Carroll, added: “This sort of project is exactly what we had in mind when we launched the initiative, and it really is fantastic to see what a difference our Nisa partners can make to their communities by getting involved and supporting such brilliant local causes.” Mike also made a further application for the recently launched ‘A Moment in Time’ initiative and received a £2,000 donation for the charity.
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BRA
HOFME
Hofmeister look
Investors now have the chance to join the
H
ofmeister, the revamped Bavarian premium lager brand, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to attract investors. The brand was brought back to life by two British drinks entrepreneurs, Richard Longhurst and Spencer Chambers, who acquired it from Heineken in 2016. They then travelled to Bavaria to find a local brewery that could help reinvent it as an authentic, locally brewed super high quality Helles lager made in line with Germany purity laws that date back to 1516. The brand believes there is a gap in the market to catapult a Bavarian beer to the same level of success seen by its counterparts from other European countries. Despite Bavaria being a brewing powerhouse visited by more than six million people each year just for Oktoberfest, its beer is missing from the premium world lager brand line-up. Hofmeister is the fourth most recognised brand by UK consumers in the premium world lager category, according to new independent research, despite only returning to these shores four years ago. The brand has also won exclusive accounts at St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel and The Connaught Hotel, with off-trade listings
including Ocado, Virgin Wines, Drink Supermarket, and Beer Hawk. The brand also believes Hofmeister is ideally placed to help lead the
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fast-growing premium world lager category, currently worth £2.5bn in the UK on-trade, with premium beer categories bucking overall beer trends, growing in volume and value, as consumers are
NDS
EISTER
ks to raise £600k
e crowdfunding campaign and buy shares.
six percentage points from the same period in 2019. Investors now have the chance to join the crowdfunding campaign and buy shares for £4 each. Longhurst said: “The power of this brand is incredible. The potential scale is enormous. Anyone who grew up with Hofmeister has got a genuine affection for it. It just makes you smile and that is very special.”
distribution, targeted digital marketing/PR and trade marketing to bring the brand to life, and new hardware to support the rapid growth of distribution. The crowdfunding campaign, which launched on Seedrs.com this week, also sees the return of ‘George’, the bear who became the face and personality of the brand in its heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Gone is the pork pie hat, and in its place is a fully grown-up,
“The power of this brand is incredible. It’s hard to contemplate and understand. The potential scale is enormous.” – Longhurst
prepared to pay for better quality drinks. Since the re-opening of the industry post-pandemic, premium world beers accounted for 33% of all lager sales by value in the second quarter of 2021 – up
The brand’s growth potential has already attracted senior beer and hospitality leaders to invest in it and be part of its senior management team, including top executives from Ei Group, Greene King, Camden Town Brewery and Heineken. Spencer Chambers, Joint Chief Executive, said: “They have that brand and operational experience and, crucially have the contacts, and the network to get us a foot in the door, and a seat at the table.” Investment will be focused on hiring new sales managers to accelerate
seven foot bear who features in a chatshow video discussing why people should invest in the brand. Chambers said: “We’ve had an incredible start to the campaign. We are quickly approaching our minimum raise target of £600,000 and it looks like we will have pledges of investment well beyond that amount - if that is the case, then the full amount of share investment will be allotted. We have a very compelling growth strategy and would be excited to utilise the over funding to accelerate that.” ● Visit the Seedrs campaign page.
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NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK – J2O
J2O ADDS SOME FESTIVE SPARKLE The adult soft drink brand unveils a packaging makeover and on-pack promo.
Adult soft drink J2O is spreading some festive
and Christmas tree displays will also be available
cheer this Christmas with a sparkling pack
to help bring the occasion to life in stores.
re-design and on-pack promotion, available now.
Phil Sanders, Out-of-Home Commercial Director
A supporting marketing campaign also aims to
at Britvic, commented: “J2O is perfectly placed to
tap into the nation’s desire for festive social events,
help retailers attract new shoppers to the category,
especially as so many occasions were missed last
especially during the festive period when the brand
year due to lockdown restrictions.
brings in 38% of Christmas shoppers.
The new shimmering, 100% recyclable J2O
“By giving consumers the chance to win instant
multipacks run across the brand’s Orange & Pas-
cash prizes, we want to help increase footfall to
sion Fruit and Apple & Watermelon flavours, as well
stores and generate excitement among shoppers,
as the returning Glitterberry variant, to help drive
with the newly-designed multipacks of the most
standout on shelf as customers seek drinks to enjoy
popular J2O flavours presenting ideal adult soft
over the festive season. The on-pack promotion seeks to engage shoppers even further, with every J2O bottle giving them the chance to win instant cash prizes and add some glitz to their wintry get-togethers through the brand’s Spin to Sparkle app. J 2 O ’s
Christmas
activity will also be supported by a £1m national out-of-home advertising campaign which is expected to reach over 67% of all UK adults during key weeks of the season. Head-turning, festive-themed point of sale materials such as baubles
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NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK – IRN-BRU
FESTIVE RETURN TO TV SCREENS The new advert will be supported by special festive packs and multipacks.
Irn-Bru is returning to the nation’s TV screens
ers at Christmas, showing continuous year-on-year
again this year with the Irn-Bru Snowman.
growth.
The advert will be on air throughout the whole of
“Ensuring that you have the right ranges for
December and will be supported by special festive
broad appeal and offering value will be even more
packs and multipacks across all three variants.
crucial, with bigger take-home packs meeting the
Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft
needs of shoppers planning social gatherings this
Drinks, said: “Scottish shoppers readily associate
festive season. ”The TV advert will be supported by
Christmas with the Irn-Bru Snowman, creating a
a high-impact digital and social media campaign,
feel-good factor which translates into increased
and forms part of a £6m 2021 brand investment.
demand in the run-up to
Troy added: “We rec-
the festive period, when
ommend Scottish retailers
carbonates are a
prominently display the
key profit driver for
special packs of all
retailers.
three variants of Irnlock-
Bru, Original, Sugar
down restrictions
Free and Xtra, in
impacted many
multi-pack and larger
planned celebra-
formats. They should
tions last year,
also try to make use
Christmas will
of our impactful
be bigger than
Snowman-branded
ever in 2021.
POS, to create
Soft drinks are
in-store theatre and
increasingly
drive incremental
important to retail-
category sales.”
“After
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 31
NPD AND MEDIA
PICKS OF THE WEEK
WINTER WARMER
MODERN PACKS
RUMMERS RANGE
Vimto has brought back its ‘Win-
KP Snacks has refreshed its
Rum range Mallows Bottling has
ter Warmer,’ to give consumers
Hula Hoops brand with modern-
launched five flavoured rums. The
a new winter hot drink option. It
ised packaging across the range.
Rummers brand offers: golden
is available now in 725ml bottles
The packs, rolling out this month,
rum, banana, citrus & sea salt,
with vitamin C & D fortification.
feature vibrant colours, sharp
pineapple, and spiced rum. The
It delivers Vimto’s secret rec-
graphics and bold patterns. The
range – available via Global C&C,
ipe, made from a blend of fruits,
design aims to engage and dis-
Castell Howell and Master of Malt
herbs and spices, infused with
rupt shoppers, hinting at the
– comes in 70cl with ABVs rang-
cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
flavour in each pack.
ing from 35% to 40%.
DISPOSABLE GEEK
NEW LOOK TIGER
SPOOKY SELTZERS
Geek Bar’s flavour range is now
Tiger Tiger has unveiled a fresh
Beavertown Brewery has rolled
available in a 10mg strength dis-
look for its Chinese sauces
out its first range of hard seltzers.
posable vape offering 575 puffs.
and ingredients. Packs feature
The Ghost range is available
Flavours include Pink Lemon-
a cream and gold pearlescent
in four four flavours – lemon &
ade, Sweet Strawberry, Mango
design, gold-coloured lids, and
raspberry, peach & tropical, peach
ice, Passion Fruit, Banana Ice,
dual-language labelling. The
& lemon, and tropical & raspberry.
Sour Apple, Watermelon Ice,
brand seeks to bring authentic,
A mixed case of 12 retails at
Blueberry Ice, Strawberry Ice
easy to use Chinese ingredients
£30. The range is available from
Cream and Grape.
to the world foods category.
Beavertown’s web shop.
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NOW THAT’S A GOOD IDEA…
OUT THE BOX
A wheelie good idea
A new Aldi trolley has been designed with the diverse range of Specialbuys in mind and includes additional capacity and length for oversized products.
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Aldi is trialling a new extended trolley design, which helps shoppers snapup middle aisle Specialbuys in style, at its new Stamford store in Lincolnshire.
YOU WHAT? The supermarket said the trolley has been designed with the diverse range of Specialbuys in mind and includes additional capacity and length for oversized products, with upper and lower loading space.
ANYTHING ELSE?
“With the introduction of a Tuesday YOU’LL BE TELLING ME IT’S Key features of the 1.6m long super-sized, GOT FLASHING LIGHTS NEXT on-sale date this Christmas, it’s great that reinforced Specialbuys trolley include solid rubber wheels for extra control, a drop-down panel for easy loading of heavier items, and various hooks, clips and straps.
Ha! It also has a flashing warning light to ensure it is visible to other shoppers, a wine rack so shoppers can take advantage of the supermarket’s cheap tipples, plus a phone holder so customers can keep their shopping lists handy.
WHAT DOES ALDI HAVE TO SAY FOR ITSELF? Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “Since the first ever Specialbuy was sold in the UK, the unique range of products has grown in popularity and is now a phenomenon with something of a cult following. There are entire social media channels dedicated to discussing the next Aisle of Aldi launches.
we can give our customers even more opportunities to get their hands on the latest must-haves, and we’re constantly on the lookout for new ways to help make shopping easier – including how Specialbuy fans purchase the items from our famous middle aisle.”
WHAT ABOUT CUSTOMERS? An excited but confused PhatDadTTV tweeted: “Fantastic idea. I have noticed though that all the trolleys are too small. So maybe scrap the baskets. The smaller trolleys will be the baskets, the smaller trolleys will be the deep trolleys and then finally the deep trolleys can be the new special buy trolleys.” You know what he’s getting at.
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 33
Top performing JUULpod flavours bring in more revenue.
Designed for adult smokers.
•Menthol JUULpods are U.K.’s #2 refill kit in independent shops.4 •Berry JUULpods are the U.K.’s #1 fruit flavour.2 • Mint JUULpods are the U.K.’s #1 closed pod refill kit.1 •The JUUL Starter Kit is the U.K.’s #1 closed system in supermarkets.3
Not for sale to minors. JUUL is an e-cigarette. This is an age restricted product and age verification is required at sale. 1.IRI total market, value sales, 12 weeks to 11/04/21 sales comparison of top four performing JUUL skus versus the top four performing SKUs of our nearest competitor. 2. Based on additional sales of Mango, Golden Tobacco and Rich Tobacco JUULpods, IRI total market, value sales, 12 weeks to 11/04/21. 3. IRI total market, value sales, Supermarkets, 12 weeks to 11/04/21. 4. IRI total market, value sales, Symbols and Independnets, 12 weeks to 11/04/21.
WARNING: This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.
BEFORE YOU GO
RETAIL RANDOMS
Reefer madness Uber Eats has signed a deal with Canadian “lifestyle brand” Tokyo Smoke that will let its customers in Ontario order cannabis. Yes, really. Recreational reefer use has been legal in Canada since 2018, however getting it delivered to your door by third parties like Uber Eats is not. This means customers still have to nip out to their nearest Tokyo Smoke branch to collect their order which, impressively, will be ready for collection inside an hour. What’s so good about that, you ask? Not much for your average stoner, one imagines. You’d need to be high in the first place to pay a delivery company to not bring something to your house. However, it’s a smart move for Uber Eats. Think about it. Customer orders weed. Customer collects weed (in under an hour). An hour after that customer is back on Uber Eats ordering 17 Mars bars, five share packs of Doritos and a 14-inch pepperoni pizza.
Barking mad
portfolio of “unique spirits”: Chilli
new product innovation is set to dis-
Bacon Vodka. Doghouse says its
rupt the category with “a first-of-itskind chilli and bacon combination”.
The off-trade has done brisk busi-
There’s a reason nobody has
ness during the pandemic, with fla-
thought to imbue perfectly fine alco-
voured spirits in particular proving
hol with the taste of dead pig before:
popular with stay-at-home drink-
it’s disgusting. If you’re of a differ-
ers. This popularity has led to an
ent opinion, good for you. You’ll be
explosion of NPD from producers
pleased to know you can buy some
large and small. We’ve been treated
from Master of Malt, the Whisky
to Smirnoff Mango & Passionfruit
Exchange or the Doghouse website.
Twist, Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon and
If you do, be sure to try out the
Jameson Orange, to name but three.
Chilli Bacon Bloody Mary which,
Now independent, London-based
Doghouse advises, should be gar-
Doghouse Distillery has unleashed
nished with a stick of celery and a
the latest addition to its growing
crispy bacon rasher. Yum.
WEDNESDAY 1ST DECEMBER 2021 / ISSUE 84 / SLRMAG.CO.UK / 35
A VERY SPECIAL VINTAGE
DRIVE NEW AND IMPROVED SALES
