SPOTLIGHT ON ANDREW WILD OF WILDS OF OLDHAM
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR CASH & CARRY/DELIVERED WHOLESALERS
FEBRUARY 2022
Exclusive!
VUSE HAS Dawood Pervez on shaking up Bestway
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Forrest invests in future expansion
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Contents
February 2022
This month don’t miss... 06
Booker introduces a delivery fee for all of its retail customers.
10
10
First Choice marks 10 years of supplying foodservice operators.
Sugro looks for a new MD after Neil Turton decides to leave.
ESSENTIALS 05 06
20
Editor’s Comment Industry News
FEATURES 12
Interview Dawood Pervez, MD of Bestway, talks to Cash & Carry Management about the steps he has taken to stabilise the business.
16
Behind the Scenes Forrest Fresh Foods becomes the preferred central distribution partner for Sugro’s members and expands its business in several ways.
20
Achievers Scotland’s top wholesalers and suppliers are honoured at the Achievers 2022 awards dinner.
22
Spotlight
AG Barr won the coveted Achievers awards of Best Overall Service and Best Foodservice Supplier, as voted by Scotland’s wholesalers.
33
22
Andrew Wild, managing director of Wilds of Oldham.
CATEGORY INSIGHT 24 28 31
Vaping Convenience Breakfast Category Management A definitive guide to enhancing the customer experience, with advice from key suppliers on maximising opportunities in specific categories.
Andrew and Annie Wild had their work cut out when Covid hit.
Wholesalers and buying groups discuss category management.
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February 2022
03
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[ EDITOR’S COMMENT ]
Debate fuelled by delivery fee
N
ews that Booker is introducing a delivery charge from the end of this month (page 6) has not gone down well with the retailers it serves. Some of these retailers spend thousands of pounds per week with the wholesaler, and one could therefore argue that the delivery fee, as a proportion of their outlay, is quite small. However, if a retailer gets three deliveries per week, the new charge adds up to more than £4,600 for a Premier or Family Shopper store annually, and nearly £5,500 for an unaffiliated store. Booker said it had ‘no option’ but to implement the fee, blaming ‘rising costs’. Meanwhile, Nisa is adding a fuel levy to each delivery, but this is far more modest than Booker’s – £4.88 – and Nisa has said it will scrap the levy should fuel prices fall. Although the move by Booker has caused an uproar, this isn’t the first time that wholesalers have introduced delivery fees due to higher fuel prices – in 2005, Key Lekkerland imposed a £10 surcharge for orders below a minimum value, while Nisa-Today’s added 1% across the board. The recent move by Booker has prompted some competitors to say that they will not be following suit – for the moment at least. Dawood Pervez, who talks in detail about his strategy for Bestway on pages 12-15, said that he has no plans to put in
SPOTLIGHT ON ANDREW WILD OF WILDS OF OLDHAM
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR CASH & CARRY/DELIVERED WHOLESALERS
FEBRUARY 2022
Exclusive!
VUSE HAS Dawood Pervez on shaking up Bestway
S OXIC ICA CA TOXICANTS 99% TLESS THAN THAN CIGARETTES* ES S* †
* This produc t is not risk-f re e and contains nicotin e , an addic tive substance
Forrest invests in future expansion
THE CHOICE OICE IS YOURS
place delivery charges for orders above £1,000, although he adds the caveat: “Never say never. You never know what will happen with inflation”. Wholesalers are continuing to face a substantial rise in operating costs and, with profit margins in this industry notoriously tight, they are having to act to protect their businesses. Pervez admitted that Bestway has put up its non-promotional/non-tobacco prices for delivered customers. Some operators have increased their minimum order requirements, while others are looking to make improvements to their delivered model, in the hope that the efficiencies will cover at least some of the rising costs. As this issue went to press, fuel prices were at a record high and expected to climb further in coming weeks. Add these to other hikes in expenses, and many wholesalers will be forced to pass these costs on to their customers in one form or another. Time will tell if Booker has made the right decision in imposing its delivery fee, but it clearly felt it had to do something. As Mark Craven of Forrest Fresh Foods says (pages 16-18): “You can turn over hundreds of millions of pounds but if your profitability is not up there then you are just busy fools.”
Kirsti Sharratt Managing Editor
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This T his product pro duc t contains contains nicotine nicotin e and and is is addictive. a d d i c t i ve . For adult For adult nicotine nicotin e consumers co n s u m e r s o only. nly. F For or ttrade ra d e u use se only. only.
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February 2022
05
[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]
Additional funding The Scottish Wholesale Association has helped to secure an additional £10 million in funding to support the wholesale sector as it recovers from the pandemic. This is on top of the £5 million dedicated funding for wholesale announced by the Scottish Government last December. SWA chief executive Colin Smith said: “Wholesalers haven’t received the same benefits as many other businesses such as rates relief or strategic framework grants over the past year. “The SWA highlighted
Colin Smith: ‘Funding is unmatched elsewhere in UK.’
Shift to the cloud JJ Foodservice has pledged to cut its environmental footprint this year by moving its total computing infrastructure to the cloud. Chief technology officer Mick Dudley explained: “We are on a journey to migrate to cloud-based services using Microsoft Azure, which has committed to being carbon negative by 2030.” By shifting to cloud-computing, the business will rely less on hardware and physical machines. The result is a reduction in energy use and environmental impact. JJ has reduced carbon emissions by 54% since 2014. 06
February 2022
this anomaly and the real hardship faced by many wholesalers to the Scottish Government. This latest dedicated funding recognises the key role that wholesalers play in the food and drink supply chain, including supply to schools and hospitals. “We’re delighted that the Finance Secretary has accepted our calls for further support,” he added. “We have worked hard to build an excellent relationship with Scottish Government officials and helped them to understand the importance of wholesale to local economies across Scotland where our industry is a key employer. “What the SWA team has achieved is unmatched anywhere else in the UK, with the Scottish Government targeting nearly £23 million for wholesalers over the last two years. We know this funding will be a lifeline for many wholesalers.”
New delivery fee
Booker is introducing a fee per delivery, effective from 28 February. Premier and Family Shopper stores will be charged £29.95 per delivery, while unaffiliated stores will pay £34.95. According to Booker, this is a fixed cost and will not fluctuate, regardless of the size of the order. Its minimum drop of £1,000 (excluding tobacco) still applies. The introduction of the new fee follows a review by Booker of its delivery service and its cost to serve. Booker said it had no
option but to introduce a delivery fee. It added that to help maximise accuracy and availability for customers, it was changing the cut-off time to place orders to 9am for next-day delivery. This new time will apply to all delivered customers. A spokesperson for the C&C/wholesaler said: “We take these changes very seriously and regrettably have been forced to take this difficult decision due to rising costs.” Meanwhile, talks are continuing between the union Unite and Booker Retail Partners in an attempt to avoid industrial action by delivery drivers at the wholesaler’s Thamesmead site. Unite said that the planned strike action was put on hold so that a review into pay, previously reneged on by the management, could go ahead. The review will take account of recent pay rises across the sector.
North Wales food expo is back Harlech Foodservice’s Expo is back for 2022, with more than 70 food and drink producers exhibiting at Venue Cymru on 2-3 March. Household brands will be represented, along with Welsh suppliers including Village Bakery, Snowdonia Cheese, Edwards of Conwy, Ty Nant and Harlech’s own Bwydlyn Butchery. Chefs, including Harlech’s own development chef manager Stephen Griffiths, will be doing live cookery demonstrations. The wholesaler will also be offering special deals that will run over four special delivery windows aimed at
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important holiday weekends. Harlech is expecting more than 2,000 visitors to the 43rd Expo after it had to be called off last year due to the pandemic. This year there is more
interest from across the border as the wholesaler, which has bases in Criccieth and Chester, extends its reach into the North West and the Midlands after winning new contracts.
[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]
Kitwave acquires MJ Baker Foodservice Kitwave Group has acquired West Country independent foodservice supplier MJ Baker Foodservice. Founded in 1999 and based in Newton Abbott, MJ Baker offers more than 3,500 products in ambient, chilled and frozen foods, together with alcohol, confectionery and non-food items. Leading brands are complemented by a range of products under the Bakers Best Buy label. MJ Baker will be incorporated into Kitwave’s existing foodservice division which currently includes the trading operations of HB Clark & Co and David Miller Frozen Foods. Commenting on the deal, Kitwave CEO Paul Young said: “The acquisition of MJ Baker is an excellent addition
Kitwave’s David Brind (left) and Paul Young.
to our foodservice division and expands the group’s reach into the South West. MJ Baker is renowned for providing a quality delivered solution to its customers, a key part of the Kitwave Group ethos. “I am delighted to welcome the MJ Baker team to Kitwave and we look forward to continuing to build our
nationwide foodservice offering as part of our growth strategy.” David Brind, chief financial officer of Kitwave, added: “The integration of MJ Baker into the group’s foodservice division complements our existing operations and reflects Kitwave’s strategic direction and expansion ambitions, both
‘Full-strength team in place’ CJ Lang & Son has strengthened its independent retailer sales team with the appointments of Neil Ogilvie and Craig Lynn. Ogilvie joins as a business development manager, covering Aberdeenshire to Kirkcaldy. He has been in retail for over 30 years, and was most recently a business development manager at Costcutter. Lynn returns to CJ Lang as head of recruitment and key accounts. He has been involved with convenience retailing for the last 20 years, originally starting his career with CJ Lang as a field sales executive and then moving to United Wholesale Scotland in 2015 to head up recruitment and store development. In his new role at CJ Lang, Lynn will be responsible for new business SPAR
CJ Lang has ambitious plans to grow the independent side of its business.
accounts and wholesale business. Wholesale sales director Steve Irons commented: “These two new appointments reflect the growth of the company over the last 12 months and allow the business to put dedicated focus on retail recruitment. “We now have a fullstrength, excellent team in
place to ensure CJ Lang continues to be Scotland’s leading symbol group. We have ambitious plans to grow the independent side of our business and are positioned well to deliver a truly Scottish offering to grow market share and to support our customers further.” In other news, CJ Lang’s former trading director Richard Collins has returned to the Dundee-based business in the same role. As a result of Collins’ decision to leave the business in October, CJ Lang recruited Robbie Moore, previously wholesale buying manager at Morrisons, to head up the trading team. Moore remains in that post, and Collins is back to work on one-off projects linked to the company’s business transformation programme.
through acquisition and organic growth.” In other news, customers of Eden Farm can now choose from an additional 4,000 lines with the launch of Kitwave Direct in the North West. The Eden Farm website now features soft drinks, alcohol, confectionery, crisps & snacks, groceries and household items, alongside the established chilled and frozen ranges. The products will be delivered by sister company Turner & Wrights, and the minimum order is £150 plus VAT. Customers can place their Kitwave Direct order with their normal chilled and frozen order, but only online rather than with telesales.
Plant-based packaging In partnership with Yew Tree Dairy, Brakes has become the first wholesaler in the UK to sell milk in plant-based packaging. The Tetra Rex carton is claimed to be the world’s first fully renewable and recyclable beverage carton. It is made from sustainably sourced paperboard and plant-based plastics derived from sugarcane. The new packaging is recyclable in the UK. The paper fibres are turned into new paper products and the plant-based plastics are recycled into items such as reusable crates.
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February 2022
07
[ INDUSTRY NEWS ] Free access to images Unitas Wholesale has agreed a contract with Nielsen Brandbank to provide free access to digital product images for all of its members. The move recognises the importance of good quality and up-to-date images in the production of marketing materials by wholesalers supporting their customers. John Kinney, MD of Unitas, said: “A number of our members already use Brandbank; however, many do not and as a result have to access images from a variety of places. “Hopefully by negotiating this contract centrally, we save our members not only cost but also time.”
Parfetts’ recruits Parfetts has announced two senior appointments. The C&C/wholesaler has recruited Richard Fleming as head of operations (west). He will be responsible for developing the delivered service for the Stockport, Aintree and Anfield depots and ensuring excellence in the cash & carry operations. Fleming joins the business from Booker where he was an area manager.
Parfetts has also named Jason Longstaff as the new general manager of its depot in Halifax. He joins the business with 27 years of experience in the wholesale industry and was most recently general manager of the Bestway branch in Huddersfield. In his new role, Longstaff will lead the team to drive the recruitment of retailers across the region.
Richard Fleming
Jason Longstaff
New app from KFF Foodservice supplier KFF, part of the Sysco Speciality Group, has introduced an app as a new way for customers to place orders. Existing online customers simply need to download the app onto their phone or tablet and sign into their account as usual, while new customers are invited to register to receive delivery details and a password that will have them shopping in minutes. Via the app, users can browse the easy-to-navigate illustrated product catalogue to collate a shopping list, or they can take advantage of the repeat order button for a swift checkout. The app links to the website for 08
February 2022
automatic updates and allows users to gain access to multiple accounts for group management. A basket prompt serves as a reminder of forgotten items, while a favourites list makes it easy to create and maintain lists. “Around 60% of our customers currently order online, a figure that has grown significantly during the pandemic, and we have received regular requests to create an app, so we have developed one,” says KFF’s marketing manager James Mills. The South-East based wholesaler’s extensive range now includes fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, as well as fresh and frozen fish and seafood.
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Fundraising milestone James Hall & Co and its SPAR retailers have achieved a £500,000 fundraising milestone for the symbol group’s charity partner Marie Curie. SPAR has backed Marie Curie since March 2017, and James Hall & Co supports the end-of-life care charity through a number of initiatives. These include yellow collection boxes, Marie Curie’s annual Great Daffodil Appeal in March, and the National Day of Reflection (23 March). The wholesaler/retailer also donates a penny from the sale of every SPAR sandwich sold in the 600 company-owned and independent SPAR stores it services in Northern England.
£100,000 target Country Range Group is to celebrate its 30th anniversary by raising £100,000 during 2022 for charitable initiatives. The money raised will be split between Hospitality Action and local causes aligned with the 12 wholesaler members of the group. Various individual, member and group fundraising activities will be taking place throughout the year. They will include a 30 million step challenge at the group’s headquarters and its annual exhibition in June. Coral Rose, managing director, said: “Reaching our 30th year is a marvellous achievement for the group. It wouldn’t have been possible without the local support our members receive and the tireless chefs and teams working across foodservice. “It’s been a torrid two
years for everyone involved in catering, so we felt it was only fitting that we used our anniversary year to raise some much-needed funds to support and help those who need it most.” Country Range Group has also confirmed a number of business events for this year. These include two business development days in March and its Christmas Show at Bolton Football Club in April.
[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]
Commitment to net zero by 2035 Creed Foodservice has committed to achieve net zero by 2035, following planning and forecasting with specialist corporate climate action organisation, ClimatePartner. This target will be preceded by the wholesaler’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2025. Creed, which supplies over 3,500 customers across the UK, is already implementing schemes to drive down its carbon emissions, the latest of which is the installation of 1,650 solar panels at its Ilkeston depot. On completion (by the end of May 2022), it is estimated that 30% of the power used at the site will come from sunlight, whilst 181,000 kWhs of renewable energy will be fed back into the grid to provide green energy to other users.
Creed’s sustainability director Phillip Creed commented: “We’ve stuck our neck out with these targets, something the entire team unequivocally agrees is essential if we’re serious about continuing with what we have already started, and to set a clear example for others in the industry. “With this being our 50th year in business, we’ve seen
a multitude of challenges over the years, but never have we been confronted with one so pressing. “Not only will we continue to evolve the way we operate in line with these targets, but we’ll also be working hard with our 380+ suppliers and thousands of customers to achieve this endeavour and support them in their own too.”
Trade show and recruitment drive Booker Retail Partners is holding its Retail Trade Show at Doncaster Racecourse on 16 March and Sandown Racecourse on 24 March. More than 100 suppliers will have stands, and there will be over 200 exclusive deals, plus competitions and giveaways. Booker will be showing its Jack’s range of more than 575 SKUs and its food-to-go offering, including Refresh@ Premier. Also at the show, Booker will be promoting its Tobacco Club and its energy saving proposition with Saffron Business Solutions. Other service providers exhibiting will include Costa Coffee, Eskuta and Paypoint. In other news, Booker is currently looking to recruit
Customers are invited to the wholesaler’s trade show.
butchers at several of its branches. “As one of the top employers of master butchers in the UK (25% of which work for Booker), we are now looking to hire butchers from a range of backgrounds that are looking to advance their butcher career,” said a company spokesperson.
Booker offers clear career progression through its Fresh Academy which helps butchers on their path to a certified craft or to become a Master Butcher, accredited by The British Institute of Meat. As Cash & Carry Management went to press, vacancies being advertised at jobsbookercareers.com ranged from part-time trainee butchers to full-time skilled butchers.
Besides the solar panels, Creed continues to invest in technology that contributes to emissions reduction. This includes LED lighting in all warehouses, offices and yards, with voltage optimisation installed where it makes operational sense; a commitment to using suppliers of renewable energy where energy isn’t coming from solar panels on site; electric charging points at all sites for electric vehicles; and use of Euro 6 lorries. Creed also continues to tackle its waste management. It maintains a landfillfree status at all sites and works with Olleco to provide food and oil waste collection services to its customers. It also partners with Too Good to Go to sell short-dated stock and provides ongoing donations to local charities.
Support for celebrations Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity has launched a third round of its Heart of the Community Awards initiative, which will support communities in celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Nominations from Nisa retailers will be accepted via a dedicated website until 18 March, and 70 winners will be selected to receive up to £1,000 of funding for their community celebrations. Donations could be used towards entertainment, food and drinks, equipment, venue hire or decorations, and each winning good cause will also receive a decorative PoS kit with bunting. Last year, over £1 million was donated to good causes through Nisa’s MADL charity.
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February 2022
09
[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]
Turton to leave Sugro Sugro’s managing director Neil Turton (right) has announced his decision to leave the group on 19 April. “This is a planned succession process as the Covid-19 pandemic nears an end,” said a statement from the organisation. Sugro will be recruiting to replace Turton, who is working with the board to ensure a smooth transition. Turton had previously resigned from Sugro at the start of 2020 but agreed with the board to remain in the post during the Covid crisis and in May 2021 confirmed that he intended to stay on. Commenting on his decision to leave, he said: “It has been an eventful and mostly
enjoyable three-and-a-half years but it’s time to move on, and new adventures await.” Turton told Cash & Carry Management: “I’m not going to another job. I intend to spend a bit more time on my non-exec roles but enjoy life a bit. “I was 55 last December. I’ve worked with no longer
than a two-week break for 37 years. If I’m approached for new things I’m open-minded – it’s not retirement – but I’ll enjoy getting fit for and organising the Bosnia bike ride in aid of the charity Mines Advisory Group (MAG) first.” Meanwhile, Sugro has reported 16% growth for 2021 based on supplier turnover through the group. This represents a 30% rise on 2019 – the last full prepandemic year. For 2021, Sugro’s major category of confectionery was up 37%, soft drinks +26% and snacks +10%. Sugro has 82 members with a combined wholesale turnover of more than £1.5 billion.
Marwood to take over AF Blakemore has confirmed that group MDs Geoff Hallam and Jerry Marwood will be retiring at the end of the financial year 2022 and May 2023 respectively. Marwood will take over group CEO responsibilities following Hallam’s retirement, working alongside the experienced management team on the daily management of the business, as well as focusing on the acceleration and delivery of the firm’s five-year business plan.
A decade of foodservice supply First Choice Foodservice is celebrating its first decade supplying the foodservice sector. Turnover has risen from £1 million to £15 million a year, and the delivery fleet has grown from three vehicles to 30. The business development team now comprises eight foodservice professionals who, despite the pandemic, support a loyal customer base of over 1,000 caterers. First Choice began trading in 1980, serving independent retailers. However, in 2011, it changed its strategy and entered the delivered foodservice space – initially supplying the hospitality industry with a range of high quality, frozen foods. Since then, First Choice has continued to invest in its people, the customer experience and technology. In 10
February 2022
2017, the company launched the First Choice Foodservice app, which has helped to drive sales, with more and more customers signing up to the platform. “Having transitioned away from the retail sector, we are now 100% foodservice,” explained managing director Steve Ainger. “We stock everything a chef would ever need, from fresh fruit and veg and fresh meat to dry store grocery, chilled goods and a range of nonfood essentials. Added to
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this is our growing portfolio of frozen foods.” First Choice recently added a fourth freezer extension to its Burton upon Trent facility, giving a total of 15,000 sq ft for the frozen range, which now runs to more than 1,000 lines. “When we moved from independent retail to foodservice 10 years ago, we went in rather blind. Since joining Fairway Foodservice, our reputation in the sector has benefited hugely as a result of strategic product selection, marketing and advertising,” said Ainger. “I’m incredibly proud of the whole team at First Choice, a company which I have been a part of for over 40 years. We have proven ourselves to be a key player in the foodservice industry. I’m excited to see where the next 10 years will take us.”
Jerry Marwood will take over as CEO until his own retirement in May 2023.
Marwood will also implement his succession plan to ensure a smooth transition in 2023. Group chairman Peter Blakemore said: “Geoff’s contribution to the AFB business has been substantial and I would like to thank him for his dedication and commitment during his time with us and wish him every happiness in his retirement. “I am delighted that Jerry will be appointed to the CEO role, continuing to manage the planned transition and steering the company’s strategic direction. “The coming months will see further senior appointments as we structure our business in line with our long-term strategy.”
Determining the Bestway forward Bestway’s MD Dawood Pervez explains how he is shaking up the UK’s largest independent wholesaler – from streamlining its fascia portfolio to operating C&Cs as dark hubs for delivery.
B
estway’s financial results were described as ‘mixed’ in the year ended 30 June 2020: the wholesale division recorded an increase in turnover and operating profit but the retail division suffered a loss in profit, a drop in gross profit margin and a decline in store numbers. Since then, a lot has happened, not least the full force of Covid affecting trade and Bestway’s acquisition of Costcutter. Managing director Dawood Pervez (above) has taken several steps to stabilise the business, and he spoke to Cash & Carry Management’s managing editor Kirsti Sharratt about the progress made and his plans for the coming year. How did Bestway Wholesale and Bestway Retail perform in your financial year ending 30 June 2021? Until we submit our accounts to Companies House, all I can tell you is that we achieved double-digit growth across the business. We were still in turnaround mode going into that financial year. We did a lot of different things in our business: 12
February 2022
we changed our structures – our pricing, the conditions for delivery – and that was accepted by the market. During Covid, like for every other retail-focused wholesaler, our sales were incredibly strong. On-trade consumption went into the off-trade, so we saw huge increases in beers, wines and spirits. Obviously, sales of impulse soft drinks, confectionery and crisps were suppressed because people weren’t out and about as much as normal, but what we did see was an increase in takehome packs of those products. Although we are overwhelmingly ‘sales to retail’, we do have a catering business; pre-Covid it was worth £150 million, but it halved during Covid. It is springing back again now. February 2021 was when we bought Costcutter. We have a turnover figure for Costcutter in our accounts but, at that point, it was still coming from Nisa – for example, we didn’t have the buying synergies. The things that we’ve done in the Costcutter business since acquisition have improved its profitability and prospects significantly.
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How are turnover and profits tracking in this current financial year (ending 30 June 2022) and what are your targets in terms of growth? Turnover to 30 June 2022 is forecast at £3,001 million against a target of £2,928 million. Profit is tracking ahead of expectations. What has been your strategy for turning around your retail business (now under the umbrella of Bestway Retail)? Firstly, not only have our sales turned around during the course of the last financial year (2020-21) but our profits have turned around too. Bestway Retail covers all our fascia businesses [best-one, Costcutter, Bargain Booze, Mace, Supershop, Wine Rack, Tippl, Central Convenience, and Select Convenience]. Fascia retailing is a continuum. At one end, you might have a loosely puttogether offer, which is not carefully thought through – no real store planograms, no real intelligence about what’s going on in the locality – and fundamentally the retailers involved have
[ INTERVIEW ] slightly less purchase loyalty. That’s where we were to some extent. There were members in best-one that weren’t necessarily typical symbol-group material, and in some respects they were better off moving to our club (Xtra Local). When we bought Conviviality Retail [in 2018], we had to restructure and then drive the efficiency of the business. When we finally landed Costcutter, we got true convenience expertise. What we’ve been doing for the last year is effectively merging the Crewe and York head offices [Conviviality and Costcutter respectively] into one function. We also merged our best-one and Costcutter symbol teams and they are trained to talk about both fascias and both the Bestway and Nisa supply chains. Our central function pulls that all together. We also have a new business team, which is out recruiting as well. About three weeks ago, we did our first proper recruitment drive – a week on the road – and we’re working our way through all the leads. Anand Cheema has joined us from SPAR, and we’ve got a string of other retailers about to sign. With the restructure of the retail division, what are your plans for your other offices in Crewe, Huddersfield, Edinburgh and Park Royal? With the [Costcutter] acquisition, we have the opportunity to create centres of excellence across the country. In Crewe, a core function is looking after our off-licence estate, whilst Huddersfield looks after our IT framework and credit control requirements. Edinburgh predominantly looks after on-trade requirements, while York becomes a centre of excellence for convenience.
Bestway saw ‘huge increases’ in sales of beers, wines & spirits during the pandemic.
How many new retailers are you looking to recruit and which fascias will they be joining? We want to recruit over 300 retailers this year. We have a budget against each fascia: Costcutter and best-one will get the lion’s share, and we will also be adding to Bargain Booze. We are focusing on these three fascias because they have grand resonance and cut-through. Best-one is ideal for stores that are impulse-led and probably about 1,500 sq ft; Costcutter is class-leading when it comes to neighbourhood convenience – take-home with a higher chilled-led offer; and Bargain Booze is the largest off-licence chain in the UK, with some real regional pockets of loyalty and brand recognition. This year, we’ve driven forward the whole Bargain Booze offer because of the deal we did with Iceland. We’re now in 80 big food warehouses, and we will be in 120 by the end of next month.
We’re also in conversations with other people about providing them with a specialist alcohol offer. We’ve got a trial right now of a Costcutter store with a Bargain Booze inside. It’s in London and is going rather well. With your focus on those three fascias, are you planning to change the other fascias that you offer? Tippl was a solitary store trial, and we are utilising the learnings from that for Wine Rack. There are only 20 or so Wine Racks but their performance during Covid was off the charts. It is highly likely that when we find the right stores we will do a Wine Rack within a store. When you just sell alcohol, margins for retail are very tight. You have to broaden the range to other products. Select Convenience is the booze franchise that came with Conviviality. There’s a bunch that are operated by us as corporate stores, there’s a bunch
Bestway is focusing on three fascias to develop its retail business, and will aim to convert other fascia stores to these models. www.cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk
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[ INTERVIEW ] operated by Jonathan James, and there are a few more operated by others. I would suggest that if the Costcutter Bargain Booze trial or Costcutter Wine Rack trial – which then lead into bestone Bargain Booze and best-one Wine Rack – works, that would be the future for our booze fascias. We have to continue producing the Supershop offer for our retailers in Northern Ireland, but Supershop is basically a big Costcutter. Point is, it’s going to be a offshoot of what we do in Costcutter, rather than completely separate. We own 110 Central Convenience stores and I would go as far as to say that Central Convenience isn’t a brand that has any real recognition on a national basis. Over time, when it makes sense, they will most likely become best-ones or Costcutters. Mace is also less important going forward because it overlaps with bestone. So will you be trying to migrate Mace retailers to best-one? Bang on. Even if they retain their Mace fascia, if we can get enough of them to agree to move across, then we’ll give them the best-one offer. Mace retailers are generally smaller stores, and they’re struggling with the Nisa minimum order requirements. We have an offer that’s more suitable for them. Do you have any plans to increase your company-owned retail estate? We currently have 180 corporate stores: 110 Central Convenience, 16 Costcutter, 4 Co-op, 40 Bargain Booze, and 10 Select Convenience. We’re in the mode
Bestway will try to migrate Mace retailers to best-one.
to do a better job with what we have – and that means potentially removing stores we don’t need – before we say whether or not we want more. Is it your intention to keep using the Co-op to carry out deliveries to Costcutter retailers, and would you extend this to other parts of your business like best-one? Since acquisition, we’ve been in a fiveyear contract with Nisa for the supply to Costcutter. We have an opportunity to continue in that deal or perhaps come out of it at certain points, but we are acutely aware of the importance of the Co-op own-label to those retailers. We will continue to work with our partners at the Co-op to come up with the best way forward to deliver those products to our customers. What has been your strategy for enhancing your wholesale business? There’s misinformation being spread that we put up all our prices by 3%. We have not. We put up our non-promotional/
BB Foodservice’s offering will be expanded to suit a wider range of caterers.
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non-tobacco prices for delivery. Only 25% of the basket is non-promotional/ non-tobacco, and a big chunk of that is beers, wines and spirits, which we put up by a lot less than 3%! In our depots, we do one-day deals and seven-day deals where we drive down the prices as hard as we can. Oneday deals are not available for delivered customers; seven-day deals are, but we uplift the prices. There’s always been an uplift on tobacco, but it’s very small. What are your plans and priorities for increasing Bestway Wholesale’s sales and profits in the coming year? This year presents significant opportunity for our catering division, BB Foodservice. While our competitors in this space tend to operate from a single hub, we have access to a UK-wide network and a range of over 5,000 SKUs, so expanding our offering to more general catering needs such as pubs with food, hotels, sports clubs and even wedding venues could facilitate a strong rebound. Our contracts value though BB Foodservice has remained consistent and the division is well positioned to win further business in the cost sector arena. More recently, our on-trade division, Drinks Express, has seen a high level of growth as the on-trade reopens and dedicated distributors are finding it difficult to stand back up again. We will be looking at replicating that success in the South. 2021 was the biggest ever sales year for our pets division, BestPets, so we will look at building on this and increasing our market share. We will be attending a few core trade events, such as PATS in Sandown and Telford, this year to highlight our proposition to new retailers and suppliers.
[ INTERVIEW ] Our Bestway Vans Direct division [comprising Bestway Snacks and Bestway Sweets] also saw outstanding results during the pandemic as it was able to supply much-needed top-ups of key categories in between larger delivery shipments. Now used by over 20,000 independent retailers, Bestway Vans Direct has a commitment to be a company that is easy to do business with and this is demonstrated by no delivery fees or minimum order requirements. Our team of skilled professional customer sales representatives have built up outstanding personal relationships with both suppliers and retailers. We are looking to support even more independent retail customers and investigating opportunities to add to the categories already offered. What plans do you have for your cash & carry business specifically? We will continue to push down our ‘collect’ prices and offer the best package in the market to help our retailers cope with the external pressures they face. We continue to drive improved service and efficiencies through our delivered network and we’re trialling a few changes in preparation for the future. For example, our dark hub trial in Exeter [during the pandemic, Bestway altered the cash & carry operation to focus on delivery] has proven to be highly instructive and we are looking to expand the trial shortly. As the name implies, dark hubs are generally not
Bestway in numbers £3,001 million turnover (forecast for year to 30 June 2022 for Bestway Wholesale and Retail combined) 3,839 Bestway Wholesale employees 2,000 Bestway Retail employees 60 cash & carry depots 30,000 active C&C customers 20,000 Bestway Vans customers 10,000 BB Foodservice/Drinks Express customers 4,700 members of Xtra Local 2,000 best-one stores 1,500 Costcutter stores 480 Bargain Booze stores 32,000 users of Wholesale app 3,000 users of BB Foodservice app
Bestway Vans Direct saw ‘outstanding results’ during the pandemic.
open to the public and have a different layout that is based on sales, not category. While we do have a very small weekly window for ‘collect’ customers, the focus is to support delivery customers by ensuring stock availability. Booker is about to introduce delivery surcharges for its customers. You currently put a £25 surcharge on deliveries with an order value of between £500 and £1,000. Are you planning to increase this charge or apply charges to different order values? We have no plans to do that currently. Never say never – you never know what will happen with inflation. Instead of a delivery charge, we prefer to offer a good delivered price with everything included. Incidentally, no one places an order worth less than £1,000. What are your plans for Xtra Local? Xtra Local is an important part of our offering as these deals have great value and drive sales in our ‘collect’ business. Some retailers prefer their independence and want to remain entrepreneurial, but rather than penalise them we encourage it by not instilling high levels of compliance. Our four-weekly promotions are particularly well suited for those customers who choose not to be part of a disciplined symbol group. How are you using technology to enhance your service to customers? We have tailored our solutions to match changes in consumer behaviour. For
example, we have partnered with a range of ‘hyper-delivery’ apps, such as Weezy/Getir, and have latched onto the importance of product personalisation by partnering with the shopping and payment app Jisp. We are proud of the digital support we offer to our retailers, such as social media advice and management, industry-leading ordering platforms, selfservice checkout capabilities, and dedicated hubs for our retailers that offer all the necessary tools, such as planograms, to run a successful store. There have been a lot of senior management changes in recent years. For example, the ‘Power Exec’ – as the business called them – which included Paul Rowland, Lee Morris, Tony Holmes and Carolyn McMenemie, left around the time the last MD Martin Race retired (2018). Can you explain the more recent high-level departures such as Tim Fairs, Noel Robinson and Andy Cresswell? Like with all businesses, there are periods of change, but I am excited about the senior management team that’s in place today. It's important that I have a team that is aligned to my vision for the business. Staff morale is really strong at present. There were some difficult times during the pandemic when our colleagues had to go above and beyond for our customers. The commitment and collective effort from all staff has resulted in the business being in the best health it has been in for a very long time. CCM
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[ BEHIND THE SCENES ]
Forrest grows in all directions Rochdale-based Forrest Fresh Foods may have its roots in fruit & veg supply, but today the family firm operates in several business areas and has plans for further expansion.
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f you want something done, ask a busy person. It’s an apparent paradox but is deemed to hold true because busy people are often productive people, and one such person is Mark Craven, commercial director of Forrest Fresh Foods. Speaking to Kirsti Sharratt, managing editor of Cash & Carry Management, Craven barely drew breath as he gave a long list of Forrest’s achievements and its plans for further growth under the leadership of CEO Chris Craven (Mark’s cousin), operations director Jamie Kennedy, and Craven himself. Forrest has expanded from its humble origins as a fruit & veg supplier in 1996 to a multi-channel wholesaler, exporter and B2C ecommerce operator with a turnover of £51.6 million last year and an expected rise to £65 million this year.
A pallet of pop Explaining how the business began, Craven says: “Chris’s mum married John Forrest and they started up Forrest Fresh Foods on a little industrial estate in Rochdale – just round the corner from where we are now. Chris went into the business, and then Jamie and I came in. “Chris was delivering potatoes to chippies, and one day decided to put a pallet of pop on the wagon; seven years later we were influencing the market price for Coca-Cola!
The directors of Forrest Fresh Foods (left to right): CEO Chris Craven, commercial director Mark Craven and operations director Jamie Kennedy.
“Back then we were all dealing with sales and buying but we didn’t know about things like JBPs [joint business plans],” he admits. “I was an engineer, Chris was a wagon driver, and Jamie was a builder. We learned a lot as we went along and also recognised that if you recruit people who are better than
The B2C business Megaretailer.com will be ‘taken to new heights’ this year.
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you at doing certain jobs, you are going to get better results, so we built up a team. I’m so proud of our team – we now have around 80 employees and they have made our growth possible by working so well together.” Since diversifying into soft drinks in 2005, and then confectionery in 2015, Forrest has moved into alcohol, grocery, toiletries, household goods and pet care, supplying customers across the UK from its 30,000 sq ft headquarters in Rochdale, 15,000 sq ft depot in Bedlington, Northumberland, and 20,000 sq ft warehouse in Romford, Essex. Soft drinks is the company’s biggest category, accounting for £35 million of its turnover, and national wholesale distribution – anything from five pallets to full trunkers – is the “beast of the business”, according to Craven. The company recently sold its smaller retail accounts (less than £1,000 per drop) to fellow Sugro member North West Wholesale in order to
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[ BEHIND THE SCENES ] concentrate on national retail accounts, discounters and wholesalers. Forrest was also recently appointed the preferred central distribution partner for Sugro’s members. “We are the biggest Sugro member and are able to deliver to the smaller members who don’t want to take full pallets,” Craven explains. “We can supply them with products at prices where they can compete with the big boys, even though they’re buying less.” Forrest recently invested £1 million in new delivery vehicles to cope with its flourishing business, which also incorporates a clearance division. “We have built up relationships with manufacturers over the years and they trust us not to put their stock into the back door of places,” says Craven. “We have stuck to our morals and consequently have very strong partnerships.” In 2020, Forrest expanded the business from B2B into B2C by launching Megaretailer.com, selling big brands to consumers at discounted prices. This business will be “taken to new heights” during 2022, promises Craven, with enhanced marketing by influential marketer Ross Testa and a new option for consumers to buy single units. “I want Megaretailer.com to be the go-to place for consumers looking for FMCG products with big savings,” he says. “We supply cash & carries, we supply shops and we can supply consumers – the key thing is to make sure that we don’t burn any of our trade customers with the pricing.”
Great teamwork has played a big part in Forrest’s expansion.
Forrest also has a thriving export division, based at its Romford site, that deals with customers in more than 50 countries. Forrest has additional sites in Belgium and Spain, and is an international global partner with Britvic, AG Barr and other leading manufacturers. “We have a really good team in our export division,” says Craven. “For example, we brought in Alex MakinoFarrell. He’s our head of international trade for China and is fluent in Mandarin. Recruiting people who can speak different languages has made a big difference to our international business, and the growth has been phenomenal.” Talking of international links, Forrest has an exclusive partnership with Italian producer Don Ludovico to sell its wines, truffles and other regional products in the UK, and it intends to extend the range with items like olive oil and tomato paste.
Forrest has invested £1 million in new vehicles to cope with its growing business.
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If that weren’t enough, Forrest has just landed a contract from the Finnish company Finnforel to sell sustainable rainbow trout in the UK. Backed by the UK Government, Finnforel is building a giga-tank in the UK, and Forrest will sell the fish under a new brand, Arctic Fresh.
Ready for action “These are the sorts of things we do when we’re not sleeping!” Craven laughs. “We’re always up for the next thing in business.” Craven has been with Forrest for 15 years now, and he has seen “amazing growth” year on year, but it hasn’t always been plain sailing. “We’ve had some dips but have worked our way out of them,” he says. “If we hadn’t diversified – if we had just been a drinks wholesaler – we could have been on the verge of bankruptcy. We’ve had aluminium shortages, Covid and Brexit, and we have been up against foreign stock coming into the UK. “Our growth is down to really hard work and our determination to succeed,” he continues. “You can turn over hundreds of millions of pounds but if your profitability is not up there then you are just busy fools. That’s why we are now focusing in on the systems, the data, and buying at the right prices and working with the right people and the right products. “It’s also about having a bit of humbleness. We are a big business now but we are trying to keep it family-led. CCM That’s important to us.” a Forrest is currently expanding its sales and trade teams. For more information, contact Mark Craven via LinkedIn.
[ ACHIEVERS ]
‘Success is hard won’ At the Achievers awards dinner, wholesalers and suppliers were praised for their sterling efforts in developing their businesses and caring for their customers during the pandemic.
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cotland’s most resilient and innovative wholesalers were recognised at the Achievers 2022 awards dinner in Edinburgh earlier this month. Over 400 guests, including Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy Kate Forbes, attended the sell-out event, which also honoured the most supportive suppliers and the people who play such an integral part in the success of wholesale and supplier businesses. Organised by the Scottish Wholesale Association, Achievers this year comprised 17 awards across retail, foodservice, licensed, technology and community-focused areas. Two wholesalers – JW Filshill and United Wholesale Scotland – each won three awards, while AG Barr claimed two of the five supplier accolades. Colin Smith, SWA chief executive, said: “As well as shining a spotlight on the efforts of Scotland’s wholesalers, our awards recognise the lengths that suppliers and their employees have gone to in supporting their customers and communities during the pandemic. “That is one of the reasons why these Achievers awards attracted such a high number of entries, both from our longstanding members and from many of the 35 new wholesalers that joined our Association during the pandemic. “At our last Achievers, in 2019, I spoke about how the industry was witnessing unprecedented change – little did I know that the most unprecedented change was waiting in the wings! “But we have worked together as an industry, and the SWA took the lead in fighting for recognition of the impact on our sector, and for equality and fairness in recompensing our members for their losses. This has ensured that the Scottish Government recognises wholesale’s key role. “It is often said that success is hard won in challenging times and with Achievers that speaks for itself. We celebrate and acknowledge the resilience and perseverance of our wholesaler and CCM supplier members.” 20
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Some of the winners of the Scottish Wholesale Achievers 2022 awards.
Rising Star winner Meghan Henderson of Lomond Foods with independent judge Alison Nimmo (left) and Cabinet Secretary Kate Forbes.
Achievers 2022 winners Best Cash & Carry United Wholesale Scotland, Queenslie Best Delivered Operation – Retail JW Filshill Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice Lomond Foods Best Licensed Wholesaler Sutherland Brothers Best Symbol Group KeyStore, JW Filshill Best Business Initiative United Wholesale Scotland Green Wholesaler of the Year Booker Best Technology Initiative United Wholesale Scotland
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David Sutherland (right) and Evan Sutherland of Wick-based Sutherland Brothers collect the Best Licensed Wholesaler award.
Great Place to Work Faílte Foodservice Community Service Award CJ Lang & Son Employee of the Year Amanda Casey, JW Filshill Rising Star of Wholesale Meghan Henderson, Lomond Foods Best Overall Service AG Barr Best Foodservice Supplier AG Barr Supplier Outstanding Achievement Millers Larder Supplier Sales Executive of the Year Hazel Boyd, Heineken UK Best Advertising Campaign: Tennent’s ‘Don’t Worry England. We Bottle It Too’
WE WANT TO SAY A MASSIVE TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS FOR VOTING AND WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH US IN 2021
WE HOPE TO CONTINUE OUR RELATIONSHIP INTO 2022 AND BEYOND
PROUD WINNERS OF SWA ACHIEVERS AWARDS
OVERALL SERVICE AWARD
FOODSERVICE SUPPLIER
[ SPOTLIGHT ] Andrew Wild, managing director of Wilds of Oldham in the diary. This is invariably a golf weekend, but we also love fine dining – if we can combine both, that is a winner. How would you describe your personality and what approach do you take in business (and in life)? I am caring, rational and considerate, but I also have a streak running through me that lets people know if they have let me down. I feel I am a good listener to other people’s points of view and like to consider all sides before making a decision. I also think I am open-minded to change, and in fact welcome it.
Pride in family unit What have been your biggest achievements in work and outside work? It’s a bit cheesy but I take most pride in the family unit that Annie (my wife) and I have developed. We have three daughters and they each have long-term partners, who all love being together and this makes me smile with pride. At work, I am particularly proud of what Wilds has become. My brother and I started it from scratch 27 years ago and that is very satisfying. Also, Steven retired just before the first lockdown, which left Annie and I to sort out the Covid mess. In the first few days, many customers cancelled their direct debits with us, and we wondered if we would run out of cash to keep the company going. However, I believe the changes we made were the right ones – we are in a stronger position now for the long-term profitability of the company. My other big love has always been playing sport, and I am very proud of the standard I reached on the cricket field, having played several games for Lancashire 2nd XI, and even captaining an England Under 19s team (back in the days when I had hair!). Post cricket, I play as much golf as I can, and I am very proud to say that I got down to a handicap of two in 2019. Covid strains have seen it creep up a bit since then, but I 22
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am still playing off four, and I have a plan to get back to three this year. Who has been the biggest inspiration to you? My father. He left school without many qualifications and started working for his father who had a chain of cinemas. With Dad’s influence, these were converted to bingo halls, right at the start of the ’60s/’70s bingo revolution. He seemed to have such good vision in business, later developing two very successful steak bar restaurants in the ’80s. I often look at our business and wonder what Dad would think – and he died over 30 years ago! He taught me that “whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability”. What were your ambitions when you were growing up? Although I was fairly good at cricket, I don’t think I ever thought that I was good enough to be a full-time professional. I think, therefore, that I always wanted to run my own business – to be entrepreneurial like my father. How do you maintain a work-life balance? With our small team, it is difficult to take more than a week off at any one time, so Annie and I like to get regular dates
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What is your favourite film, book and song/piece of music? I’m not a big film watcher, but I remember watching The Shawshank Redemption one night and thinking, ‘Wow!’. My favourite books are the Lee Child series of Jack Reacher novels. I do like music, and as a teenager my absolute heroes were Dire Straits. I just loved how Mark Knopfler played the guitar, and Sultans of Swing is still a favourite. I also love Hotel California by the Eagles, and Coldplay, who Annie and I are going to see at Wembley in August – can’t wait! What would people be surprised to know about you? I have played football at Wembley and have played golf with former cricketers Sir Ian Botham and Dennis Lillee and former footballer Jimmy Greaves. CCM
Hotel background After doing a Business Studies degree at Sheffield University, Andrew Wild attained a Hotel & Catering Management qualification at Manchester Polytechnic. He then became a management trainee at De Vere Hotels. He later helped his father run two restaurants, and after his father died, he and his brother started Wilds, a Unitas member, in 1994. Today, Andrew and his wife Annie run the business together.
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[ VAPING ]
Knowing the system Vaping is still picking up pace and suppliers are keen to grow in the convenience channel. With an emphasis on channel-specific guidance and category knowledge, it’s the ideal time for wholesalers to ensure that they have the stock and expertise for their customers.
V
aping continues to be a flourishing market in convenience, with major suppliers focusing attention on the channel. The category is valued at around £1.2 billion in the UK, with 38% of vaping volume sales taking place in the convenience channel and 18% in wholesale (ITUK). British American Tobacco (BAT) is expanding its portfolio of premium vaping products, spearheaded by the Vuse brand, to keep pace with consumer demand in 2022. “We’ll make sure we stay highly visible to retailers and their customers in 2022. We’ll give retailers the essential information on products, trends and promotions to keep helping them build knowledge and become a trusted source of information by their customers,” says a BAT spokesperson. ”We are planning a lot of activities in the cash & carry sector this year and we’re very excited to share more details over the coming months,” adds the spokesperson. “We’re focused on activities that will both engage retailers with our product range and grow their understanding of the innovation and rigorous, science-backed testing that are the lynchpins of our development.” The manufacturer’s Vuse brand, since its transition from Vype, has helped BAT to become the fastest-growing company in the closed-system segment (Nielsen). “We continue to invest significantly in Vuse to create a global brand that adult vapers can access and engage with wherever they are. We also made the transition as simple as possible – 100% compatibility between Vuse and Vype allows the pods and devices to be mixed and matched easily,” the spokesperson explains. This closed-system segment is currently the most profitable area of the vaping market and accounts for around £44.5 million – one-third of the total market value (Nielsen).
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BAT also highlights the importance of consumer communication in the vaping sector, and has targeted activity in this area: “Transparency and consumer trust are of paramount importance to us and therefore we launched our ‘Know Your Vape’ campaign as a key plank of our brand activity for 2022, to give consumers accurate, relevant information to provide clarity, address any concerns, and debunk current vaping myths. “The campaign reinforces the premium quality and pioneering science behind the development of our vaping products. It spells out our robust testing of products, vapour and materials, over thousands of hours by our team of more than 50 scientists. It details our commitment to keep consumers at the heart of product development, our rigorous approach to ingredients, and expertise and perspectives from other innovative areas, including automotive, mobile, and computing industries.”
Vap ping in the workplace A study of 2,000 vapers, conducted by online vaping retailer E-Cigarette Direct, looked at attitudes and experiences related to employment issues around vaping: a One in five could return to smoking if tighter vaping restrictions were introduced. a 40% of vapers said that they would be more likely to stay in a job where they were allowed to vape. a Almost half of those surveyed had introduced someone at work to vaping. a Three-quarters of those surveyed were not allowed to vape at work, unless in dedicated smoking areas. a 56% of the respondents who were not allowed to vape at work wished to see more breaks to allow vaping. a More than half of the vapers would prefer to work from home (if possible), due to vaping restrictions at work. James Dunworth, chairman of E-Cigarette Direct, said: “Unlike smoking, people are legally allowed to vape inside and many use it as an alternative to tobacco. However, some workplaces provide a shared space for people to vape and smoke, which could cause a lot of relapses. “Sometimes work can be a stressful environment, which can be a common situation for relapses. Those trying to avoid tobacco-based products should be given the respect and space to vape away from cigarette smoke.”
HEETS Mauve HEETS Mauve offers a crisp menthol tobacco blend with a taste of dark forest fruits. At £5 RRP*, your sales opportunities, like our range, are continuing to grow.
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*RRP = Recommended Retail Price. All on shelf prices selected by retailer alone.
This product is not risk free and provides nicotine, which is addictive. Only for use by adults. This material is restricted to those who are involved in the business of the sale or distribution of tobacco who are aged 18 years and over. This material should not be made available to the public or sent to anyone else. IQOS is not risk free and is for adult use only. This product is not risk free and provides nicotine, which is addictive. Only for use by adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products.
[ VAPING ]
Philip Morris Ltd (PML) is focusing on retailer knowledge this year, educating stockists and potential stockists on the latest developments with its HEETS and IQOS brands. “Retailer partners should visit PML’s DTE platform or engage with their field force representative for full details on our latest trade incentives,” says a company spokesperson. “DTE forms part of an omni-channel approach we take to supporting retailers, so they get the most out of stocking IQOS and HEETS. The support and services offered extend beyond digital platforms to having more boots on the ground, with a field force that doubled in size in 2021 and will continue to grow in 2022.
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“Our DTE platform includes features such as 24-hour fasttrack delivery on our range of HEETS – including our tenth variant, HEETS Mauve – as well as peer-to-peer engagement tools and new support services, strengthening the digital support we offered retail partners in 2021,” adds the spokesperson. Since the launch of IQOS in 2016 in London, PML has seen huge take-up of HEETS (IQOS consumables). The number of stores selling HEETS has increased six-fold since January 2018, and the company is now selling almost 50 times the volume of HEETS each month than it did on average in 2017. London continues to be an important geographical consumer base for the products, with the capital remaining a key trend indicator for heated tobacco in the UK; HEETS accounts for 5% market share of the total industry sales volume for heated tobacco units and cigarette sales. Imperial Tobacco’s blu brand features new, enhanced packaging for the myblu pod-mod vape system. As well as an aesthetic update, the packaging now has blister pod packs with a perforated edge that offer better pod protection, nicotine preservation and portability. “These latest packaging enhancements will help to ensure we continue to offer the best consumer experience possible,” says Duncan Cunningham, UK corporate affairs director. “Figures show that pod systems and cartridges have seen the most yearon-year growth across all channels,” he continues. “Within wholesale specifically, closed devices such as myblu are the most popular, accounting for 3.1% of volume share versus 1.4% for open devices.” While Imperial Tobacco recognises the importance of educating retailers, it believes that wholesalers have a vital part to play in helping retailers to navigate the category and ensure that they are stocking the right range to maximise sales. “There is a huge variety of tobacco and vaping products available on the market today, so deciding what to stock can be a daunting task. Wholesalers are therefore in an excellent position to provide advice to retailers on what products they should be stocking, as well as insights into the latest trends shaping the category, such as the rising demand for value,” Cunningham explains. “By being informed about the tobacco and vaping markets, and familiarising themselves and their staff with the different products, terminologies and market trends, wholesalers can provide much-needed guidance to retailers about what consumers are buying.” He adds: “No two depots are the same so it’s important for wholesalers to consider what customers are buying most frequently, or not buying at all, and then adapt the range accordingly. The wholesalers who can remain agile will be in CCM the best position to cater for their customers.”
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[ CONVENIENCE BREAKFAST ]
New habits, new opportunities Keeping up with shopper trends is more vital now than ever, as normality returns but with a new focus. From taking more time over the breakfast occasion to prioritising different health and environmental factors, consumers have an updated list of demands.
B
reakfast remains a key opportunity in convenience and foodservice, with innovation and on-shelf appeal influencing purchases. As consumer habits have changed over the past two years, there are some key behaviour shifts that wholesalers should make their customers aware of in order to maximise profits from the occasion. Weetabix Food Company, which has the UK’s No.1 breakfast cereal brand, is following up a busy 2021 with an equally active year. “We’re backing our big brands in 2022, with new on-pack campaigns for Weetabix and Ready brek, as well as exciting NPD for Weetos and Oatibix,” says Darryl Burgess, head of sales. “More than one in three cereal purchases are decided in-store (or online) and two-thirds of shoppers are open to something catching their eye for purchase; therefore innovation is key to growth within the cereal category.” The Ready brek brand is currently featuring a promotion on limited-edition packs showcasing Roald Dahl’s iconic literary characters. The £10 million porridge brand is giving consumers the chance to win Roald Dahl merchandise. Supporting the initiative is a £100,000 shopper activity investment. This includes digital activations, eye-catching point of sale material, and consumer social media campaigns that will run across the Ready brek and Roald Dahl channels. At the end of this month, the supplier is launching a new breakfast proposition. Oatibix Flakes Nutty Crunch is a wholegrain cereal packed with honeycomb pieces, honey-coated corn flakes and caramelised nuts. The 450g pack has an rsp of £3.29 and it joins redesigned and reformulated Oatibix Original biscuits. Throughout the year, a £2 million marketing investment, including TV advertising, aims to bring Oatibix products to 600,000 new households. “It’s going to be a big year for Oatibix, with ambitions to grow the brand by over 30% by 2023,” says Gareth Turner, head of marketing. The supplier’s activity does not stop there. As people return to offices and a more mobile lifestyle, out-of-home breakfast occasions are growing and Weetabix has introduced targeted new additions to its foodservice portion pack range. Weetabix Original and Weetabix Chocolate are now available as two-biscuit portion packs to the foodservice channel and Weetabix Crispy Minis Chocolate Chip is available in a 40g portion pack. “Catering for people in the morning can be a tricky 28
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business, but there is a massive opportunity if you get it right,” says David Bone, foodservice channel manager. “We’ve seen a significant increase in demand for portion packs in the post-Covid market, and Weetabix’s new portionpack additions have been created to offer foodservice operators a tasty and nutritious cereal option.” Kellogg’s has made progress with its Wellbeing Manifesto that it launched last May. The cereal company is trialling paper liners in cereal boxes with Tesco before rolling out the initiative on a wider scale. At present, the plastic liners are not widely accepted in kerbside recycling – although this is not the case in countries such as Ireland and Belgium. “Ultimately, we would prefer plastic liners to be accepted in home recycling as our data tells us that they are better for the planet over the full life cycle of the packaging, but this trial ensures we have an alternative,” says Chris Silcock, Kellogg UK & Ireland managing director. “We know people want to do more to help the planet and that’s why we are working hard towards meeting our commitment of all Kellogg’s packaging being reusable, recyclable or compostable by the end of 2025.” Planet-friendly consumerism is also creating opportunities for out-of-home breakfast options. St. Pierre Groupe has seen several new markets opening up for its ambient bakery products.
©2021 RDSC / QB.
Ready brek is partnering with Roald Dahl to bring iconic literary characters to breakfast tables and ignite some love back into the category this winter – stock up now. *Kantar 03.10.21
[ CONVENIENCE BREAKFAST ] “Meat-free continues to be a dominant trend – notably, more than a quarter of those who call themselves meateaters say they are trying to cut down on meat, with an estimated 22 million flexitarians. This opens up new avenues for retail and foodservice breakfast opportunities away from the classic fried breakfast,” says commercial manager Scott Oakes. The supplier’s wrapped ambient products are suited to the current climate. “Add in a greater emphasis on hygiene and it becomes clear that breakfast on the move will prove popular,” he maintains. “Sales of morning goods and speciality breads were up 7% to August 2021 (Nielsen), with croissants topping the category.” The St. Pierre bakery treats range included Butter Croissant, Chocolate Filled Croissant, Pain au Chocolate, Caramel Waffles, Millionaires Waffle and Brioche Waffle. BelVita, the breakfast biscuit from Mondelez International, is also performing well in the out-of-home market. “While breakfast on the go showed a temporary decline over the past year and a half, the breakfast occasion is still growing in importance among younger age groups – particularly with 18 to 34-yearolds,” says Susan Nash, trade communications manager. “Consumers’ aspirations for healthier eating take prominence in the morning. Leading brands such as belVita are ideal for time-pressed adults and those with young families, with whom it over-indexes in terms of sales.”
‘Many of the changes to daily ‘norms’ that originated during 2020s lockdowns have become rooted in consumer behaviours’ Emilie Grundy, Saputo Dairy UK’s butter & spreads marketing controller In-home breakfast habits have shifted as hybrid working models mean breakfast is a different experience for those previously hurrying to the office, notes Saputo Dairy UK. “Many of the changes to daily ‘norms’ that originated during 2020s lockdowns have become rooted in consumer behaviours, even after greater freedom of movement has returned,” says Emilie Grundy, butter & spreads marketing controller. “Growth of in-home breakfast and toast occasions has been sustained and has been a significant contributor to butters and spreads category performance.” The manufacturer has also seen the rising demand for plant-based products fuel growth of its Vitalite dairy-free spread – it has shown volume and revenue growth of 4.2% and 8.7%, and this was expected to be boosted by the Veganuary 2022 digital campaign. 30
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Beverages at breakfast Coffee shop quality remains a key demand from consumers, and JDE caters for this both in-home and out-of-home, with high-end pod and instant options. “The demand for great taste and a diverse range of coffee styles within the breakfast occasion is clear, and with over 24 million households in the UK buying coffee (Kantar) the category is significant,” says Hannah Morris, category team leader. “If offering a morning or afternoon coffee deal, such as with Kenco Duo, merchandising the coffee on offer is a great way to generate sales of a product – particularly something new to market – as consumers would have had the opportunity to try it beforehand.” The supplier’s Kenco Duo Salted Caramel Latte widens opportunities for retailers as it suits an afternoon treat as well as a morning beverage, and in the pod sector Tassimo and Nespresso are performing strongly with their no-fuss singleserve coffee capsules. In the tea sector, Taylors of Harrogate has seen growth in the decaf market, alongside its standard black tea sales. “Yorkshire Tea Decaf is at the forefront of the decaf tea sector, with a 15.7% rise in value retail sales and 21.1% rise in volume retail sales (IRI/Kantar),” says Helen Boulter, multi-sector sales controller. Yorkshire Tea remains a category-leading brand by value in grocery retail, with more than a third of total market share. The top sellers are 40s and 80s packs. PMP options are recommended for independent retailers, to overcome the perception of higher prices in convenience stores. Typhoo is driving awareness with a brand campaign that includes mass experiential sampling, radio advertising and sponsorship, visual projection, PR and social media. “We are very confident that, as we increase our marketing focus and distribution, demand for our iconic, quality brand will be particularly strong among the nation’s tea shoppers,” says Des Kingsley, CEO of Typhoo Tea. “We want to re-establish ourselves as one of the nation’s best-loved tea brands and deliver profitable growth in the UK and internationally. We’re advising cash & carries to stock up on Typhoo brands, as product awareness will be at an CCM all-time high.”
FEBRUARY 2022
E ID U G T N E M E G A N A M Y R O CATEG
E GET TH S BASIC ! RIGHT
YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO CATEGORY MANAGEMENT
33 Category Management – the wholesale perspective 36 Bag Snacks, sponsored by KP Snacks 38 Biscuits, sponsored by Mondelez International 40 Chewing Gum, sponsored by Mars Wrigley 42 Cigars, sponsored by Scandinavian Tobacco Group 44 Coffee, sponsored by Nestlé Grocery 46 Confectionery, sponsored by Mondelez International 48 Dairy, sponsored by Kerrymaid 50 Energy Drinks, sponsored by Red Bull 52 Meat Snacking, sponsored by Jack Link’s 54 Tea a, sponsored by Tata Global Beverages 56 Tob bacco Accessories, sponsored by Republic Technologies 58 Vap ping, sponsored by BAT
[ CATEGORY MANAGEMENT ]
Attention to detail pays off Wholesalers and buying groups are working harder than ever to ensure that the category management advice they give is bang up to date and properly tailored to their customers.
U
sing insights from key suppliers along with sales data, wholesalers are providing category management guidance that can help their customers maximise sales opportunities in store. Unitas Wholesale has seen take-up of its Plan for Profit advice and planograms increase by 13% year on year through its website and 5% year on year through its app. In addition, since enhancing its website at the start of the year with easier-tonavigate planograms, a new category insights section and a new search facility, page views have almost doubled. Tracey Redfearn, Plan for Profit category controller, says: “We combine collaborative input from our supplier category experts with market insight and information directly from our members (via Unitas Data Tracey Redfearn Services) to provide retailers with an unbiased, credible core range tailored to their store profile and regional needs.” Changes in consumer habits have been reflected in the advice and planograms that Unitas offers, says Redfearn: “During the last 18 months we have seen a shift in shopper habits, where singles in areas of many key impulse categories such as crisps and confectionery have transitioned into multipack or ‘sharing’ pack sales, as a result of the rise of in-home consumption. “Similarly, with soft drinks, whilst cans and singles are now showing good signs of recovery, the category saw consumers moving into multipacks and large PET formats. These larger product formats now offer clear opportunities for retailers to trade-up.” Unitas updates its category core ranges and planograms every year. “It is important to review and supply guidance on all categories,” says
Since updating the Plan for Profit website, page views are up by 99%.
Redfearn. “However, the key focus areas for us now are wine, baby, and pet food, as retailers have requested guidance on these. “Wine is one of the highest value products sold in retail convenience but it is one of the most complex categories for retailers to understand,” she points out. “We are therefore embarking on a wine trial this year which will include depot layouts as well as retail stores.” Unitas also produces ‘Focus On’ mini guides to help independent retailers develop specific categories in their stores. The next guides in this series will feature world foods, own brands and RTD coffee. When supply chain issues have affected suppliers’ product availability, Unitas has highlighted ‘Best Sellers’ via its instore and online monthly magazine
so that retailers could focus on the ‘must stocks’ that suppliers were supplying. According to Iain Main, the recently appointed dedicated space planner for KeyStore shops supplied by JW Filshill, the last few months have been a real challenge because of product shortages. “As a business we have become more efficient at substituting alternatives SKUs where PMP availability has been challenging,” he reports. “We have also had to work hard on sourcing alternative products where larger-scale shortages were an issue.” FIlshill’s regional development managers (RDMs) have a close relationship with their customers and are in regular contact to ensure that any new category sales ranking information, together with all NPD details, are communicated as early as possible, with larger launches all supported with promotional activity. “We also encourage retailers to use our website,” says Main. “Retailers can drill down by sub-group on the website by bestsellers to ensure key lines are not missed. Also highlighted on the website are the Unitas-recommended core lines and all NPD.” He adds: “We are currently working to break down the sub-groups even further, and this will provide a more accurate picture of what to stock. This information, together with department
Iain Main (inset) has joined Filshill to work with all KeyStores on range planning.
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33
[ CATEGORY MANAGEMENT ] schematics, will highlight not only products but also how the department space should be split to maximise sales.” Filshill works closely with all major suppliers – and others – who provide detailed category insights to enable the wholesaler to create the most up-todate and forward-thinking planograms. “Ensuring that any current/future trends are catered for, the strategy is aimed at producing plans broken down to postcode level to take into account all localised trading patterns,” Main explains. “The biggest difficulty at the moment is finding bespoke Scottish convenience data to provide accurate Scottish plans as larger English sales data tends to mould the figures. However, our goal is to provide fit-for-purpose Scottish planograms, which are also tailored to demographics and the space available.”
Space audited By the end of December 2021, Filshill’s RDMs had audited the space across the entire KeyStore estate to allow the company to analyse the effectiveness of the fixtures in stores and give the retailers the opportunity to flex category space to further grow sales. “As part of our strategy, by midFebruary we will have completed our updated category revamp with additional category groups and sub-groups added to provide a greater depth of sales analysis,” says Main.
Nisa’s Ross Wright: ‘We support value/regional/format overlays where appropriate along with a variety of equipment types.’
34
February 2022
Convenience stores need to ensure they can satisfy the demand for meal occasions.
“Within the KeyStore estate it has been difficult to specifically measure any changing consumer habits without fully understanding store space. However, now that we are equipped with this knowledge, category performance and the relationship between sales and space can be further analysed to improve performance.” Filshill is creating a range review calendar to ensure that all product categories are covered on at least an annual basis and at the right time. It also continues to make the most of seasonal trends and opportunities. Nisa offers a full suite of planograms for all categories listed in the Nisa depot. These are hosted on the order capture system for its retailers and field teams to access. “There are more than 2,000 planograms in total and we support value/regional/format overlays where appropriate along with a variety of equipment types (gondola heights/bay widths, etc) so there is truly something for everyone,” says Ross Wright, space planning manager. Since the introduction of over 2,400 Co-op SKUs, Nisa has reviewed and updated the planograms to ensure they offer the appropriate amount of ownlabel products with key branded lines. “This varies greatly by category and we use a number of insight sources to ensure they incorporate the latest market trends,” says Wright. “For 2022 we will be supporting several key category events with the latest category insight and great NPD, and use the most common planogram to help our partners visualise how to best merchandise their fixtures in order to maximise sales and ease of shop.”
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Nisa works with its Co-op colleagues, along with key category suppliers, to ensure that the ranges it stocks have a wholesale overlay. These ranges are reviewed constantly by the team of category controllers (wholesale) to check that they meet the demands of Nisa’s broad retailer base. “Additionally, we perform strategic category reviews across the calendar year where the overall range is appraised in order that poor performing SKUs/range duplication are removed and replaced with any missing range and NPD opportunities,” says Wright. “Planograms are routinely updated in line with depot location changes to ensure they are up to date from a store operation perspective.”
Close attention required According to Wright, categories that require close attention are those with high turnover, such as chilled products, licensed, crisps, snacks & nuts, soft drinks and confectionery. “These are more likely to be impacted by supplier NPD and latest trends and will need reviewing regularly in order that they deliver strong sales,” he explains. “However, this doesn’t mean that smaller categories should be forgotten. By making minor adjustments to categories such as healthcare, baby care, hot drinks, snack meals and food of the world, this can improve turnover and shopper experience without huge effort from the partner.” Convenience stores need to ensure that they can satisfy demand for meal occasions, he maintains. “Many of our partners now fulfil the food-to-go occasion but we would recommend they
[ CATEGORY MANAGEMENT ] look at the ‘meal for tonight’ opportunity. We have revised this year’s promo package to include a midweek meal recommendation. “Other trends include healthy eating, dietary considerations like free-from and vegan, environmentally-friendly shopping using less plastic such as our gravity feed solution, and organic.” In preparation for the HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) legislation coming into play this year, Sugro UK is working closely with its supplier partners to produce marketing materials and bespoke advice on HFSS-exempt products, reports buyer Imran Ambalia.
Continuing trend In the guidance it gives to its members, the group has also taken into account the “biggest change” in shopping habits over the past couple of years – more consumers buying take-home packs such as multipack confectionery, crisps and snacks, and take-home packs of soft drinks. “This trend is likely to continue as the perceived value for money is greater on larger packs compared to eat-now products,” says Ambalia. He continues: “The confectionery category certainly benefits most from category management due to the confectionery suppliers being more proactive in providing category advice and data that can be shared with wholesale members and retailers. “I would say that the grocery category needs to be more focused on
providing category advice and data. It is our intention this year to work closely with the grocery and non-food suppliers on category advice for the wholesalers.” Sugro works with a number of suppliers to produce its confectionery, crisps & snacks and soft drinks planograms to ensure that they are completely unbiased. “The products featured on the planograms are based on 52 weeks of ‘sales out’ data, therefore allowing only the key products that retailers should be stocking to be featured on the planograms. “As we use 52 weeks of ‘sales out’ data to get the best possible read on the key selling lines, we update our planograms on an annual basis,” Ambalia explains. So that retailers stock the right range for key times of the year such as Christmas and Easter, Sugro has been producing category advice in the form of printed leaflets as well as e-learning modules on its website. “With e-commerce being a key part of the group strategy, we are also working on extending the category advice onto the central digital app platform of the group which will allow retailers to access category data digitally,” says Ambalia. Sugro has been offering guidance to its members and retailers when supply of certain products has been hit. “As the majority of suppliers were affected by the supply chain issues it was difficult to advise wholesaler members or their retailers to substitute products from one supplier to another,” he notes.
Sugro’s Imran Ambalia: ‘Our planograms are based on 52 weeks of ‘sales out’ data.’
Parfetts’ Steve Moore: ‘Areas with a lot of NPD need constant attention.’
“However, dependent on stock availability levels, we issue weekly communication to the group with the recommendations of products that wholesalers may decide to stock as an alternative to the original SKU.” According to Steve Moore, head of retail at Parfetts, all product categories are important, but areas with a lot of NPD need constant attention. “Also, chilled and fresh is a key area as people switch into different categories depending on the season – for example, more space for salads and dips in the summer alongside soft fruits, and root vegetables in winter,” he points out. “From a retail point of view, we would use the latest planograms coupled with detailed insight from manufacturers to ensure that retailers have the most up-to-date ranges to maximise sales and profits,” he continues. “We always take an unbiased approach and ensure we rely on dataled insights from our category partners to provide the correct ranging.” Parfetts communicates to its retailers about upcoming NPD, especially if it is backed by insight from suppliers and below-the-line support. “Getting a product onto the shelf is key; a great recent example is the launch of the Orange Twirl,” says Moore. “Most retailers are receptive to advice, and at Parfetts we hold regular retailer listening sessions where we share any relevant information that CCM helps drive sales and profit.”
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A RETAILER GUIDE TO THE 3 STEPS to maximise
your bagged snack sales
1
Understand your shopper Keep your range relevant to your customer needs
step
2
£1pmp: Ensure your stocking a good range of £1 PMPs. They are the main driver of growth in the convenience market, now worth 200m**. They makes up more than 39% of sales within Indies & Symbols and have delivered £20m of Category growth in the last year†. Sharing Moments: Sharing is the largest segment in Impulse**. Stock up for sharing moments like ‘big night in’ or BBQ. Sharing is the largest segment in Impulse.
Best
Selling
Health Conscious: 2022 will see the introduction of the new HFSS regulations, ensure you are ready to have healthier lifestyle choices available. We have seen impressive +27% YOY growth with Popchips, making it the biggest contributor of growth within healthier crisps and snacks†. Stay up to date with NPD: Keep an eye on the major brands as they deliver new opportunities for incremental sales in crisps, snacks and nuts. There can be great new flavours, range extensions, innovation, new products and seasonal activity throughout the year in savory and sweet snacking.
‡
41
POPCORN
Merchandising principles Block similar products together e.g. Flat, Ridged. 41% of sales go through the top 5 brands‡. Give the most prominent space and more facings to the best sellers.
41%
step
Food to go: To maximise ‘On the go’ sales, as well as in fixture also mechandise singles packs next to chilled sandwiches and drinks. 17% of shoppers are on a FTG mission‡‡. 48% of Lunch occasions in convenience include a crisp or snack††.
SHARING CRISPS & SNACKS PREMIUM C&S
£1 PMP CRISPS & SNACKS
Signpost brands. Stimulate purchase and make shopping easier by clearly positioning well known brands such as Butterkist and KP Nuts and other sectors in strong growth.
£1 PMP CRISPS & SNACKS
Merchandise Value snacks on the bottom shelf, leading into key brands and then £1 PMP at the top. Managers Specials! Don’t overlook offering your customers their local favourites that sell well in your store or area.
3
Fixture Management
Excite and engage
Allocate your space to create a simple to stock and easy to shop fixture.
A well laid out fixture reflects shopper missions, saving time
Create clear blocks with logical layout to help your shoppers navigate and make their choice. Manager’s Choice space allows for local choice based on your customer preference.
£1
68% of Bagged snacks shoppers buy on Impulse‡‡. Utilise displays and secondary sitings to drive snacking sales and locate in complimentary categories e.g. Soft drinks or Sandwiches.
*Nielsen Scantrack, w.e. 01.01.2022, **NielsenIQ Scantrack, Total Impulse, Total Bagged Snacks, Val Sales, MAT, w/e 01.01.22, †NielsenIQ Scantrack, Total Impulse, Shairng C&S £1 PMP, Val Sales, MAT, w/e 01/01/22, ††Lumina 2021 data to w/c 24.05.21, ‡Nielsen, Total Coverage, Total Bagged Snacks, Val Sales, MAT, w/e 24.04.21, ‡‡Lumina 12wks to w/c 24.05.21.
HANDYPACKS MAN CHOICE
...for great category & merchandising advice get our FREE ‘Perfect Depot Guide’
simply email us at snackpartners@kpsnacks.com
STOCK UP ON THE KP
and bring your snack sales alive!
Select from the KP Best Sellers to help drive your CSN Sales!
SHARING Tyrrells Tyrrells Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar 60g £1 PMP Tyrrells Mature Cheddar & Chive 60g £1 PMP Penn State Sour Cream & Chive 120g £1 PMP
EVERYDAY CRISPS & SNACKS
POPCORN Butterkist Sweet & Salty 70g £1 PMP Butterkist Sweet 70g £1 PMP Butterkist Toffee 78g £1 PMP
KP Nuts KP Nuts Dry Roasted Peanuts 65g £1 PMP
BIG Hoops BBQ Beef 70g £1 PMP Nik-Naks Nice ‘N’ Spicy 75g £1 PMP McCoy’s Flame Grilled Steak 65g £1 PMP Nik-Naks Rib ‘N’ Saucy 75g £1 PMP BIG Hoops Salted 70g £1 PMP Skips Prawn Cocktail 45g £1 PMP Space Raiders Beef 70g £1 PMP Roysters T Bone Steak 60g £1 PMP McCoy’s Cheddar & Onion 65g £1 PMP McCoy’s Salt & Malt Vinegar 65g £1 PMP McCoy’s Thai Sweet Chicken 65g £1 PMP
VALUE Space Raiders Space Raiders Pickled Onion 25g 30p PMP Discos Salt & Vinegar 34g 39p PMP Wheat Crunchies Bacon 36g 39p PMP Pom-Bear Original 19g 59p PMP
DON’T FORGET THE
From the Contributor of Category Growth for the last 7 Years
*
ARE YOU GROWiNG THE VALUE FROM YOUR BiSCUiT RANGE? While some segments within the biscuits category have shown strong growth throughout the pandemic, the total biscuit category is in decline. However there are sub-categories within biscuits that can really help drive value back into the category, so it’s really important to have the right range that is in tune with latest trends.
BISCUITS TOP TIPS Have a display of both take-home and on-the-go biscuits (we recommend 80% of space is take-home) Group products clearly into sweet, savoury and healthier biscuits %lock by brands to help the customer ǫnd what they are looking for Allocate the space according to sales potential, giving more space to bestsellers. Do ensure growing sectors that drive value are represented, however, including Healthier, Savoury and Special Treats (see table) Highlight bestselling lines
RECOMMENDED MUST STOCK BiSCUiTS – ON-THE-GO HEALTHY ALT L HY ONLY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
RECOMMENDED MUST STOCK BiSCUiTS – ON-THE-GO HEALTHY & TREATS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
2ǿer both 303 and non-303 lines
Cadbury Nuttier Peanut & Almond belVita Soft Bakes Choc Chip Cadbury Nuttier Almond & Cranberry Lu Mikado Cadbury Snack Cadbury Brunch Bar Choc Chip Oreo belVita Honey & Nuts
RECOMMENDED MUST STOCK BiSCUiTS – TAKE HOME 1. 2.
Display clear pricing, showing cash margins
Cadbury Nuttier Peanut & Almond belVita Soft Bakes Choc Chip Cadbury Nuttier Almond & Cranberry Grenade Salted Caramel Grenade Salted Peanut Grenade Cookie Dough
Oreo Vanilla belVita Soft Bakes Choc Chips 5pk Cadbury Fingers Ritz Original Oreo Double Stuǿ Cadbury Bournville Fingers
7.
Cadbury Brunch Choc Chip 5pk 8. Oreo Golden 9. Cadbury Brunch Bar ar Raisin 10. belVita NPD 11. Time Out 6pk 12. Barny
Encourage retailers to make the most of the seasonal opportunity by creating impactful displays to catch their attention when making purchase decisions in depot
3. 4. 5. 6.
Select brands that are aligned to consumer trends like wellbeing, sustainability, value and occasions
)or the full 0ondele] ,nternational core range
Ensure 13D and promotional products are stocked in advance of consumer media and work with suppliers who are supporting launches Category
Value (MAT)
Volume (Tonnes)
Value/Tonnes
Healthier Biscuits
£556.8m
61,884
9
Special Treats
£210.7m
23,475
9
Savoury Biscuits
£136.3m
17,565
7.8
Kids Biscuits
£102.5m
15,270
6.7
Crackers & Crispbread
£336.4m
50,533
6.7
Chocolate Biscuit Bars
£306.2m
48,744
6.3
Seasonal Biscuits
£100.8m
17,761
5.7
Everyday Treats
£469.1m
103,930
4.5
Everyday Biscuits
£306.5m
120,365
2.5
recommended list go to www.deliciousdisplay.co.uk uk k
Digital marketing guidance for wholesalers* Retailers’ use of digital channels has increased so a focus on retaining these customers is key:
• Understand top search terms
• Look at your data, and use a ‘test and learn’ approach**
• Have facilities to ǫlter pages by brand
• Have fast-working pages and consider having lists, past orders and favourites
• Don’t forget telephone sales as these tend to peak at busy times so are still important
• 3roduct images are key** reach out to suppliers for these
1ielsen Answers, Total 0arket, 2 w/e 04.0 .2
Planograms and great retailer category advice is available at www.deliciousdisplay.co.uk Supporting convenience retailers online 24/7: Confectionery • Biscuits • Hot Beverages • Cheese /umina :holesale 2nline 5eport 0
,GD :holesale 2nline %est 3ractice 0
*Nielsen , Sales value, total coverage MAT, 17.04.21 /LHS[OPLY HZ KLÄULK I` 5PLSZLU 4HNULZP\T JVU[YPI\[LZ [V UVYTHS LULYN` `PLSKPUN TL[HIVSPZT
Strong Availability and Great Visibility Grows Profits! Availability and visibility are key for successful gum sales. More than half of all gum purchases are unplanned, with 65% of gum purchases being made on impulse1. This rove means it has never been more important for retailers to improve gum availability and visibility to every shopper, every trip.
1 IN 3
By considering key occasions to upsell gum, retailers can further drive impulse sales as recent years have seen an evolution of traditional ‘on the go’ shopper missions.
PEOPLE CHEW G 2 UM
As consumer habits develop and change, on-the-go consumption continues to remain a crucial part of the category. The leading reason why consumers chew gum is to freshen their breath, and with levels of movement increasing, this is creating more on-the-go purchases to fulfil this need.
More than 40% of consumers chew gum because they enjoy it2. This occasion is driving sales of fruity flavours like EXTRA Refreshers.
EFFECTIVE MERCHANDISING TIPS: EFFECTIVE SECONDARY SITINGS can boost impulse sales, with more than half of gum purchases being unplanned.
46% of gum shoppers will just not buy gum if the product they want is not available3, so ensuring retailers stock the correct range at all times is crucial.
POINT OF SALE can increase awareness of new campaigns or products, intriguing and engaging consumers. INCREASE BASKET SPEND by offering cross-category promotions with gum and consumers’ morning routines, such as coffee or snacks.
IMPROVE VISIBILITY by placing popular SKUs just below eye level, at ‘buy level’ to take advantage of incremental sales. Moving gum from below to above the counter is proven to drive a 20% increase in sales4.
For more information visit www.mars.co.uk and www.availabilityintoaction.co.uk Source: 1. IPSOS MORI Shopper Survey 2019, Convenience Stores 2. Wrigley internal data
3. Snacking & treating usage study, Kantar 2017 4. Mars Wrigley internal case study 5. Kantar June 2019
TOP 5 Products Gum Singles: 1. Extra Peppermint Pellets
RECOMMENDED GUM RANGE:
2. Extra Spearmint Pellets 3. Extra White Bubblemint Pellets 4. Airwaves Menthol & Eucalyptus Pellets 5. Extra Cool Breeze Pellets
TOP 5 Products Gum Bottles: 1. Extra Peppermint Pellets 2. Extra Spearmint Pellets 3. Extra White Bubblemint Pellets 4. Airwaves Menthol & Eucalyptus Pellets 5. Extra Refreshers
45%
AIRWAVES
of Airwaves shoppers only y buy Airwaves5
Airwaves Menthol and Eucalyptus remains an important sales driver for retailers. This brand has a loyal consumer following who seek out intense mint flavour when purchasing gum. As 90% of gum is consumed during the week, Airwaves can help consumers refresh more than just their mouths2. Work and study are two key occasions when consumers choose Airwaves. Airwaves is a must stock and ensuring it’s visible in store can drive gum sales.
Availability into Action is Mars Wrigley’s NEW retailer website. Visit www.availabilityintoaction.co.uk for merchandising information and sales advice to drive gum sales.
A GROWTH MOMENT FOR CIGAR PROFITS THE CIGAR CATEGORY BRIEFING The retail sales value of the cigar category has increased by 22.3% over the last year and now stands at just over £283m. Cigar volume in the same period has also increased significantly, growing by 27.5% to 424.3 million cigars, underlining the growing importance of the category to retailers. This stellar performance is largely driven by the fastgrowing cigarillo segment, which already accounts for 43% of all cigars sold in volume terms, and accounts for £86.5m in annual sales. However, the total category growth has also been supplemented by the continual rise in the medium / large segment, albeit from a smaller base. Miniatures are still the largest segment within cigars, currently worth just under £105m in annual sales and led by our Signature Blue brand, while the small cigar segment appears to be continuing a slow but consistent decline.
Quotes and expert commentary from Alastair Williams, Country Director, Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK.
VALUE UP VOLUME UP WORTH £283M
43%
Cigarillos account for 43% of all cigars sold
PRICING AND VALUE Irrespective of the time of year, I think it’s always important for cash and carries to offer retailers a range of cigars with different price points to meet the different needs of their customers. Typically, as Spring approaches, bringing with it more outdoor smoking opportunities, some adult smokers will treat themselves and ‘trade up’, but of course this doesn’t mean that cash and carries need to start stocking a range of larger more expensive hand-made cigars! It may be as simple as a Miniature cigar smoker opting to jump to a Panatella for example.
The search for value has also been a consistent trend in cigars for a while now, evidenced by the success of our Moments Blue brand, which offers a quality smoke at a low price and is now the sixth best-selling traditional cigar brand in the UK in value terms. And with the continued impact of the pandemic on the economy for the foreseeable future, I would only imagine this move towards value will increase.
All figures sourced from IRI MarketPlace, Value and Volume sales, Time Period: w/e 28-11-2021, unless otherwise stated.
“The search for value has also been a consistent trend in cigars for a while now, evidenced by the success of our Moments Blue brand”
GETTING THE RANGE RIGHT It’s worth noting that the top ten cigar brands account for over 90% of total sales, so there’s little point offering your retail customers a huge range. It’s Miniatures which remain the engine room of the category so it’s important cash and carries get this segment right. By far the biggest player here is our Signature range, which is ably supported by our Moments brand, which offers a good quality smoke at a cheaper price. Aside from cigarillos, cash and carry operators also need to consider brands in both the Small and the growing Medium / Large segments to ensure they are covering their bases, so think about including the top-selling brands from each segment as a minimum.
KEY OCCASIONS It’s worth considering that there are key times of the year when cigar sales are on the rise. Typically, as Spring approaches, bringing with it more outdoor smoking opportunities, some adult smokers will treat themselves and ‘trade up’ to a larger format option, but of course this doesn’t mean that retailers need to start stocking larger more expensive hand-made cigars! It may be as simple as a Miniature cigar smoker opting to jump to a Panatella for example. In general, I think Cash and Carries would be wise to always have brands like our Henri Wintermans Half Corona in stock as it is the UK’s best-selling medium / large cigar and has enjoyed significant growth over the last couple of years.
MAXIMISING SALES I believe it is very important to ensure our products are merchandised in a way that it makes it easier for the retailers to navigate, find them and purchase them. Of course, consistent availability and competitive cost prices are essential, but keeping the range in sight for the retailer to buy, will ensure we have our products at the ‘risk of sale’ within their outlets. Brand blocking is an effective tool to merchandising, along with a clear category versus market trend approach to stocking products.
account for over 90% of total sales, so there’s little point offering your retail customers a huge range”
To learn more, contact your Scandinavian Tobacco Group representative, or visit us at stgtrade.co.uk for pricelists, planograms and more
Maximise your sales with Hot Beverages is a prominent category with 97.2% of UK households purchasing at least one hot beverage product in the last year. This incredible reach means that across the UK over 61bn cups are enjoyed each year. 2020 saw many consumers spend more time in home which caused the Hot Beverages category to have an exceptional year across all grocery outlets as the category grew value sales 6.23% versus 2019. This was largely driven by the No.1 segment within Hot Beverages that is coffee, which dominated the category with over 63% market share, + 2.2% vs 2019. As we move forward into 2022, consumers within the wholesale channel will continue to trade up in 2022, demanding listing of Super-Premium, Frothy, Roast and Ground and Pods segments. These segments allow for increased distribution, NPD and promotions. Super Premium is one of the fastest growing segments in coffee. Wholesalers should stock Nescafé Azera as it has added half a million value to the category in the last year in Independents and is the no.1 brand in the Super Premium segment (Super Premium Best Seller by Value Sales in Independents). Frothy Coffee growth (+6.8% Value and +12.9% Volume YOY*) demonstrates the expandability of Coffee consumption as a pleasurable treat. When considering a Frothy listing, wholesalers should know shoppers will return if the product has great quality-credentials. Nescafé Gold Frothy Coffee is the No.1 best seller in the segment (+26% value sales growth 2017-20) , at a higher price point than other products in the segment. It proves customers are happy to pay the price for better quality, being more of an indulgent product. This is backed by Nescafé Gold Frothy Coffee repeat rate being the strongest in the segment (61.3%). Wholesalers are likely to continue their expansion into online through creating and improving apps and websites. This could help wholesalers thrive if the online market trend transition well into wholesale too. We also believe that wholesalers can grow their hot beverages business by better understanding the category. Convenience shopper missions are changing as we continue to spend more time in home with main shop and planned top up shops being more important in the channel. Therefore, leading to larger basket sizes and higher spend in convenience stores. However, it also means that shoppers are more likely to purchase large pack formats so wholesalers should provide these for their customers. Another big trend in the coffee category is lifestyle changes with many shoppers choosing dairy alternatives or buying into decaf to control their caffeine intake. These trends can boost wholesalers’ sales if they understand the opportunity to cater for more coffee buyers.
Another way which wholesalers can boost their sales is by providing Price Marked packs (PMP’s) for their customers. PMP’s can be used to build trust with shoppers while also utilising brand strength and value to increase appeal to shoppers. Prices should be clearly displayed to ensure a simple shopper experience and eye catching to encourage impulse purchases. 44% of shoppers are more likely to shop in a convenience store that stocks Price Marked Packs. Nescafé provides plenty of PMP’s across their best-selling products under the Nescafé Original, Gold Blend and Azera brands.
NPD + New Launches NESCAFÉ Azera has partnered with independent Manchester-based coffee roastery, Grindsmith, to create the UK’s first craft coffee in instant format. Through this unique partnership, NESCAFÉ Azera and Grindsmith combined the worlds of instant and craft, to develop instant coffee with all the quality you would expect from your local coffee shop. Craft coffee shop sales grew a whopping 24% over the last five years and, with an increasing number of consumers working from home, coffee-lovers are looking for ways to get a cup without leaving the house. While some will hone their barista skills with fancy tech, the majority are looking for simple ways to recreate their favourite craft coffee experience. NESCAFÉ Azera’s co-created blend does just that, inviting us to rethink what we know of instant coffee. NESCAFÉ Gold Blend Roastery Collection is a range of two new premium instant coffees for people looking for a refined, high quality coffee at home. Crafted by the Nescafé Gold Blend master roasters in Tutbury in Derbyshire, the new collection gives consumers the opportunity to experience the refined taste of expertly roasted coffee from the comfort of their own home. The new range is available in two blends ‘Dark Roast’ with notes of rich dark chocolate and roasted nut for those that love an intense tasting coffee and 'Light Roast' with notes of caramelised honey and toasted biscuit for those that love a smoother profile. Each blend is rich in Arabica and roasted in two batches for a new unrivalled flavour and rich aroma.
NESCAFÉ Original
NESCAFÉ Original
NESCAFÉ Azera
NESCAFÉ Gold Blend
6x95g PMP
Decaff 6x95g PMP
Americano 6x100g PMP
6x95g PMP
NESCAFÉ Original
NESCAFÉ Original
NESCAFÉ Original
3in1 PMP
3in1 PMP
2in1 PMP
®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A 1) Kantar Worldpanel Hot Beverages Penetration percentage 52W/e 27th Dec 2021. 2) Kantar Worldpanel Hot Beverages Volume 52W/e 27th Dec 2021. 3) IRI Grocery Outlets Hot Beverages value sales %change vs YA 52 W/e 24th Dec 2021. 4) IRI Grocery Outlets Hot Coffee value sales %change vs YA 52 W/e 8th Jan 2022. 5) Kantar Worldpanel Hot Beverages Volume 52W/e 27th Dec 2021. 6) Kantar Worldpanel Hot Beverages Frothy Coffee Volume 52W/e 27th Dec 2021. 7) Kantar Worldpanel Hot Beverages Volume Nescafé Gold Frothy 52W/e 27th Dec 2021. 8) Kantar Worldpanel Hot Beverages Volume Frothy 52W/e 27th Dec 2021. 9) HIM Market Report Section 3 2019 PMP’s . 10) IRI Grocery Outlets Hot Bevs Craft Coffee Value Sales VS 5YA
STEPS TO SWEET SUCCESS While the pandemic has accelerated retailers’ use of digital channels, research conǫrms 65 of retailers purchase confectionery in depot with half of those purchasing from the main aisle. 83 of retailers also use at least one other depot so it’s important to have a strong aisle display to help increase sales.*
CONFECTIONERY IN DEPOT: TOP TIPS Display a core range covering singles, duos, blocks, bags and gifting Allocate the space according to sales potential, allocating more space to best sellers Highlight best selling lines Have clear pricing, showing clear cash margins 2ǿer both 303 and non 303 lines Encourage retailers to make the most of the seasonal opportunity, for example by displaying on rack ends at appropriate times
RECOMMENDED MUST STOCK CHOCOLATE SiNGLES^: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Cadbury Twirl Cadbury Wispa Cadbury Dairy Milk Cadbury Wispa Gold Cadbury Boost Cadbury Crunchie Cadbury Starbar Cadbury Twirl Orange
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Cadbury Picnic Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel Cadbury Caramilk Cadbury Flake Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut Frys Turkish Delight Frys Peppermint Daim
RECOMMENDED MUST STOCK CHOCOLATE DUOS UOS 1 2 3 4 5
Cadbury Wispa Duo Cadbury Boost Duo Cadbury Double Decker Duo Cadbury Wispa Gold Duo Cadbury Dairy Milk Duo
RECOMMENDED MUST STOCK MINTS 1 2 3 4 5
Trebor Extra Strong Peppermint Trebor Softmints Spearmint Trebor Softmints Peppermint Trebor Softfruits Trebor Extra Strong Spearmint
)or the full 0ondele] ,nternational core range nge
recommended list go to www.deliciousdisplay.co.uk display.co.uk
Ensure 13D and promotional products are stocked in advance of consumer media and work with suppliers who are supporting launches and creating consumer awareness 32% of retailers purchase confectionery from the main aisle so create impactful displays to catch the eyes of retailers when they are making purchase decisions in depot. Displaying products by the till point is one of the most eǿective placements Use the category knowledge of suppliers who help to promote best practice to retailers, including sharing planograms Advise retailers about spending strategy – some retailers go for best margin, that’s not always the best approach – a great margin on a product that doesn’t sell isn’t helpful
Digital marketing guidance for wholesalers** Retailers’ use of digital channels has increased so a focus on retaining these customers is key:
• Understand top search terms
• Look at your data, and use a ‘test and learn’ approach***
• Have facilities to ǫlter pages by brand
• Have fast-working pages and consider having lists, past orders and favourites
• Don’t forget telephone sales as these tend to peak at busy times so are still important
• 3roduct images are key** - reach out to suppliers for these
Planograms and great retailer category advice is available at www.deliciousdisplay.co.uk Supporting convenience retailers online 24/7: Confectionery • Biscuits • Hot Beverages • Cheese *Lumina Confectionery Activation Study Dec 2020 **Lumina :holesale 2nline 5eport 202 ***,GD :holesale 2nline Best 3ractice 202
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We have a wide range of great tasting dairy ingredients including a range of cream & custard alternatives, grated and sliced cheese alternatives, as well as ready to use culinary sauces and soft serve ice-cream mix.
KERRYMAID DOUBLE We know that using fresh cream can be challenging in the kitchen, our rich & creamy Double is the perfect alternative to fresh double cream offering great taste, functionality and consistent performance. It never splits, whips up to 3 times its volume and it holds firm for longer.
KERRYMAID ANGELITO ICE CREAM MIX Our delicious velvety Angelito Ice Cream Mix is the perfect base to any dessert, guaranteed to delight your customers and provides the highest cone yield per case.
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WHY IS RED BULL GOOD FOR BUSINESS?
NO.1
ENERGY 250ML
DRIVING THE CATEGORY
SI SINGLE SERVE SOFT DRINK. SO
For over 10 years, Energy Drinks have driven growth with sales increasing by 140% faster than any other Soft Drinks Category.¹ Red Bull Energy Drink 250ml remains the No.1 Single Serve Soft Drink and delivers 10% of all Sports & Energy Drink sales in the UK alone.²
10
%
SPORTS & ENERGY SALES
Source: ¹Euromonitor Passport, off-trade Value RSP, 2006-2020; 2Nielsen Value Sales 52 we 08.01.22 Sports & Energy Drinks.
SUGARFREE AND ZERO 250ML
GIVING SHOPPERS CHOICE 67% of UK shoppers are incremental to Red Bull Sugarfree growth, and over half of this growth comes from new shoppers.³ Red Bull Zero buyers have also grown by 478% YoY.4 In 2021, Sugarfree and Zero sales continued to grow, with both now bought by 2.9m buyers in the UK5. Sugarfree 250ml is the No. 2 best selling low-cal SKU in the Sports & Energy category6. Source: 3Kantar Take Home Panel – 08.08.21; 4Kantar Combined Panel 52 we 26.12.21; Kantar Combined Panel 52 we 26.12.21; 6Nielsen Value Sales 52 we 08.01.22 Sports & Energy drinks.
5
EDITIONS 250ML
ATTRACTING NEW CONSUMERS 77% of Red Bull shoppers agree Flavours are important.7 The latest Red Bull Editions line up FGNKXGTU VJG HWPEVKQPCN DGPGƂVU QH 4GF $WNN 'PGTI[ &TKPM CNQPI YKVJ CP KPXKIQTCVKPI DWTUV QH ƃCXQWT in Tropical, Coconut & Berry, the Red Edition and all new Green Edition, all offering shoppers a choice of tastes.
Tribes Qualitative and Quant research | Online forum| Rep Sample 1,353 mixed gender/demographics – August 2021
7
MORE CHOICES. MORE SALES.
THE RED BULL 250ml RANGE. SEE SALES FLY. STOCK UP TODAY.
CATEGORY TIPS FOR WHOLESALERS FROM THE
GLOBAL LEADERS IN PROTEIN MEAT SNACKS CORE CHILLED MEAT SNACK RANGE
+
£3M
KETING SP MAR IN 2022 END
THESE SKU’S ACCOUNT FOR OVER 80% OF THE CATEGORY SALES
BEST SELLERS IN £1 PMP BIGGER BITE AND CASH MARGIN
100% SALAMI & CHEDDAR 100% CHEESE COMBO!
No.1 CHILLED
MEAT SNACK BRAND
Sources: Nielsen Value & Unit Sales MAT to Dec 2021. Lumina Convenience Tracking Feb 2021
NPD RANGE FREE, NEW! MEAT PLANT PROTEIN. CHORIZO:
NEW!
100%
CHICKEN BREAST. OVEN BAKED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: POS.UK@JACKLINKS.COM
TREND
G R OW T H
TRADE UP
Protein has become mainstream, now nearly 1 in every 3 households in the UK buys a meat snack
Meat snacking: a £250m category +87% over the last 5 years
Meat snacking shoppers spend +27% more than the average snacks shopper
JERKY & BILTONG RANGE
HIGH PROTEIN, 100% LEAN BEEF SNACKS IENT B M A 1 . NO AND R B K C A MEAT SN E NC E I N E V N I N CO
UK’S NO.1 JERKY SKU
PROTEIN BARS
WITH A SAVOURY TWIST.
£3M MARKETING SPEND ACROSS 2020-2022.
MERCHANDISING Place on fixture next to CRISPS & NUTS High cross shop with these categories and trade up opportunity
Clip strips will be available within shelf ready boxes
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