Digestive biscuits, crushed 250g Butter, melted 55g Chocolate (at least 50% cocoa solids) 300g Carnation Condensed Milk 397g Marshmallows 100g
You will also need: 20cm square tin, line with baking parchment, cut short so it doesn’t set alight under the flame/grill Cook’s blowtorch (alternatively you can use your grill)
This Smore’s bar recipe can be kept for up to two weeks – just put in an airtight container and store in the fridge!
STEP 1 OF 3
Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter, then press it firmly into your tin and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
STEP 2 OF 3
Melt the chocolate and Carnation condensed milk together, stirring until combined and thick. Pour over the chilled base and return to the fridge for another 20 minutes. (Preheat the grill to 200C if using.)
STEP 3 OF 3
Once the chocolate layer has set, place the marshmallows over it in one layer. Then scorch the top of the marshmallows with your cook’s blowtorch (alternatively put under the grill for a few seconds) until golden brown. Let the marshmallow set up in the fridge for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and cutting into squares – dip your knife in hot water (then dry on kitchen towel) to make it easier to cut through the chocolate.
Energy per 100g: 1845kJ/440kcal Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal). Portions should be adjusted for children of different ages.
allergens, always check the ingredients list of each product used.
Milk
havesharedtheirdetailedsales datawithsuppliers,butusually ataprice.However,CJLang& Son– theSPARScotlandwholesaler andretailer– isofferingitssuppliers freeaccesstoitsSalesTrackplatform from1January(page14).
Aslongasasupplierhasalocaljoint businessplaninplacewithCJLang,it willbeallowedtousetheSalesTrack dataservice,whichisruninpartnership withTWC.
CJLang’stradingdirectorRichard Collinstold Cash&CarryManagement: “Wereallydobelieveincollaboration anddevelopingmutualbusiness.We can’tgrowwithoutgrowingsuppliers, andourdatacanunlocksomany opportunitiesforusboth.”
Headded:“Wearefocusingon beingdataledandneedsupplierson thejourneywithus.”
Whatmakesthismoveparticularly headline-worthyisthatCJLangwas reportedlytheUK’sfirstwholesalerto haveadatasolutioncombiningitswholesaleshipmentsdatawithEPoSsales datafromitscompany-ownedstores. Thismeansthat,fromtheNewYear,supplierswillbeabletotrack–forfree–their products’performancesfromwholesale intoretailandouttotheconsumer.
AsTanyaPepin,managingdirector ofTWC,haspreviouslypointedout,this leveloftransparencyissomethingthat thesuppliercommunityhaslongbeen
clamouringfor,asitshowsnotonly whetherplanshavebeendeliveredend toend,butalsowheregrowthcanbe achieved.
WhilesuccessofCJLang’sinitiative clearlydependsonhowthewholesaler anditssuppliersrespondtoinsightsfrom thedata,thisisapositivesteptowards buildingevenstrongerpartnerships withsupplierstodrivemutualgrowth.I wonderhowlongitwillbebeforeother wholesalersfollowsuit.
Anotherexampleofusingdatato effectchangeinthewholesaleindustry istheDiversity&InclusionSurvey recentlycommissionedbyWomenin Wholesale(page17).Thisstudyshowed thatthenumberofwomenworkingat boardlevelintheUKwholesaletrade hasrisento20%from11%in2016–but thisisstillbehindotherindustries.The researchalsohighlightedareaswhere moreworkisneededtoadvancediversity&inclusionwithinwholesale.
TheWomeninWholesaleorganisationwillnowusethedetailedresearch findingstoinformitseducationand discussionprogrammefornextyear.
Intoday’sdigitalage,unlockingthe powerofdataisakeyelementinbetter decisionmaking,anditisgoodtohear ofindividualwholesalersandtrade bodiesmakingstridesinthisregard.
Booker hasstrengthenedits partnershipwith JustEat, withthewholesaler’ssales teamnowpromotingthe deliveryservicetoitssymbol groupoperatorsasapreferredpartner.
Londis,Premier,Budgens andFamilyShopperretailers willbeabletooffercustomersarangeoffreshfood, everydayessentials,drinks andtobacco,deliveredtothe doorwithin25minutes.
“AsJustEat’sdelivery networkcanserviceover 3,000symbolgroupstores, thenewpartnershipisset toacceleratethedelivery platform’sexpansioninthe
conveniencesectoratpace,” saidPaulSinger,anarea managerforJustEat.
Inaddition,‘restaurant partners’ofJustEat–foodserviceoperatorsthatsell foodthroughJustEat–can nowgetabiggerrangeof discountsonproductsthey buy‘weekin,weekout’at BookerorMakro.These includechips,cheese,soft drinks,chickenandtakeaway packaging.
Theoffersarenotshown instore;instead,theexclusivepricesareactivatedat thecheckout.
Thepromotionschange everyfourweeks,andstock islimitedto10casesper SKUpercustomerperday onallsoftdrinks.
JustEatrestaurantpartnersalsoearncashback everyquarterofupto7%on almostalltheirpurchasesat BookerorMakro.Inaddition, allqualifyingpurchasesat Tescoearnfoodserviceoperators3%cashback.
Bobby’sFoods, the Bromsgrove-baseddistributorofsnacks,sweetsand cakestoretailers nationwide,has launcheditsfirst baggedconfectioneryrange.
Specificallytailoredtotheconveniencechannel, Bobby’s£1pricemarkedhanging bagrangeisdesignedasa mass-marketimpulsetreat thatdeliversonquality,price, availabilityandrange.
Therangeinitiallycomprises18variants,featuringa mixofprovensellers,modernfavouritesandNPD.
Bobby’smarketingmanagerCarmelinaMancinisaid: “Ourmissionisthesameas ithasalwaysbeenat Bobby’s:toservelocalretailerswithproactiverange extensionswhichdeliverfantasticsalesthroughproducts designedspecificallyforconvenienceshoppers.
“That’swhyweembarked onasolution-focusedproject todeliverauniquebagged sugarconfectioneryrange unlikeanything currentlyavailable.” Abespokemetal standisavailable toretailersand designedexclusively fortheconvenience storeenvironment, withafootprintonlyslightly largerthananA3pieceof paper.Itdisplaysall18products.
“Wehaveseenincreasing demandfor£1baggedproducts,andIdonotdoubtthat thisnewrangewillcement itselfasafirmfavouritewith consumers,”addedMancini. “Withthecurrentmarketand pricingpressures,we’re proudofthe£1pricepoint andtheNPDwe’vebeen abletoachieve–thisallows ustocontinuetosupportour retailersandofferthema pointofdifference.”
Nisa chiefexecutiveofficer MichaelFletcherhasstepped downafterninemonthsin therole.
Hehasbeenreplacedby former Co-op divisional managingdirectorPeterBatt.
Co-opCEOShirine Khoury-Haqcommented: “MichaelFletcherwillpursue anewcareerpath,supportingmultiplebusinesses.He leavesbehindahugelegacy.
“PeterBatthasextensive experienceinretailandtrading,havingbeenourdivisionalmanagingdirectorin theSouth,andbringswith himbothcommercialand operationalexperiencefrom hisrolesoutsideofCo-op.
“IhavetheupmostconfidencethatPeterwillhitthe groundrunningtosupport ourNisapartners.”
Fletcher’sdeparturefollowsthatofsalesdirector SteveLeach,wholeftNisa inMayinsearchofnew
leadershipchallenges.
Otherchangesmadeby Co-opincludeJoWhitfield steppingdownasCo-op FoodCEOafterfiveyearsin therole.Shehasbeen replacedbyformercommercialdirectorMattHood,who
isnowMDofCo-opFood.
Inothernews,Nisais investing£5millioninownbrandpricingtohelpshoppersweatherthecost-oflivingcrisis.
Morethan1,000price reductionswentlivetoNisa retailersinearlyOctober, withthetop100mostfrequentlypurchasedproducts downinprice.Co-op Fairtradebananas,freerange eggs,carrotsandbaconare includedinthelist.
Alongsidetheprice investment,Nisahasintroducedthecoreessentials rangeof330Co-opownbrandlinesrecommended forallNisaretailers.
CountryRangeGroup has appointedMartinWardasits newchiefexecutive.
Ward(right),whoofficially beganhisnewroleon1 October,hasbeenwithCRG forover20years.Hejoined in2002asafoodservicebuyer andplayedakeyroleinthe developmentoftheCountry Rangebrand.Hebecame tradingdirectorin2015.
“Iamdelightedtobe appointedthenewCountry RangeGroupchiefexecutive andamtrulyexcitedabout theopportunitiesaheadfor ourmembersandthegroup asawhole,”hecommented.
“It’sbeenanincredibly toughlastfewyearsandturbulenttimesmaylayahead, butifIhavelearntanything
inrecenttimesit’sthatour grouphastheresources,creativity,resilience–andmost importantlytheamazing peoplewithinourteams–to faceandconqueranything thrownatus.Ihavelearntso muchfromourmembers
duringmytimeandampassionateaboutthegroup retainingitsplaceasleaders inourindustryformany moreyearstocome.”
Wardadded:“Fortunately, Ihaveafantasticteamsupportingme,aswellasan
enthusiasticandmotivated boardandmemberswho creativelycollaborateto ensureweremainthebestat whatwedo.
“Wehaveambitiousplans overthenextfewyearsto reachatargetof£1billionin salesturnover.”
CommentingonWard’s appointment,JohnGould,the longest-servingCRGboard memberandMDofTurner Price,said:“Martinknows themembersandgroup insideout,andhisdetailand knowledgewhenitcomesto buyingaresecondtonone. Weknowhehastheskills, determinationandtenacity tosucceedatwhateverhe does,sowe’redelightedhe acceptedtherole.”
Brakes haswontheTraining AwardattheMotor TransportAwardsforits ChangingGearsprogramme, whichwasintroducedtoprovideasustainablesolutionto HGVdrivershortage.
Theprogrammewas alreadyindevelopment whentheHGVdrivershortagehittheheadlinesas DebbieSpear,Changing Gearsprogrammemanager, explained:“Theshortageof HGVdrivershasbeenaround formanyyears,whichiswhy wealreadyhadourownprogrammestorecruit,trainand retainthebesttalentinthe industry.However,thepandemicandBrexitaccelerated theimpactonthesectorand welaunchedournewinitiative,ChangingGears.”
Sheadded:“Changing Gearsisagreatexampleof industrynotwaitingforthe Governmenttodealwiththe shortage,butactingtocreate
ourownbespokesolutions.
“It’saboutidentifying drivingtalentandgivingpeoplereallystrongsupportto notonlypasstheirHGVtest, butalsobecomegreatdrivers.
“Itallowscurrentandnew colleaguestotakeondriving roles,withtheirtrainingand testingfundedbyBrakes.It’s notjustaboutpassingthe test,it’saboutsupportingthe professionaldevelopmentof thedriversofthefuture.”
Currentlytheprogramme
hasa100%passrateanda 96%retentionrate.
Overat AFBlakemore, thewholesalerhasenabled 108ofitsemployeestogain anewLGV[largegoods vehicle]drivinglicenceinthe past12months,freeof charge.
Asaresultofembarking onLGVdrivertrainingwith thecompany,77colleagues haveobtainedaClass1 licenceand31aClass2 licence.
AFBlakemorehascoveredalltrainingcostsand fees.Afurther34peopleare currentlyonadrivertraining schemewiththebusiness.
Thewholesalerlaunched itsfirstLGVdrivertraining programmein2008,and todayitrunstwoschemes thatenablebothemployees andprospectiveemployees withnopriorLGVdriving experiencetotrainasClass1 or2drivers.Class1upgrades areavailableforcolleagues withsixmonthsofservice. Logisticscompliance managerDaveHiggscommented:“ThedrivershortageintheUKisoneofthe biggestchallengesfacingthe logisticssector.
“Asabusinesswehave beendoingourbesttostep uptothechallengeby adjustingourrecruitment processes,reviewingdriver payandbenefits,andinvestingindrivertraining.”
Followingarecentskydive by HarvestFineFoods’ managingdirectorRichard Strongmantoraisefunds forHospitalityAction,the wholesaler’scommercial directorMarkWrighthashad hisheadshavedinaidofthe samegoodcause.
Asthisarticlewentto press,Wright(pictured)had raised£1,100forthecharity, whichofferssupportand advicetopeopleinneed workinginhospitality.
Hancocks hasgivenits Kingswaypick&mixbranda newlooktomarkits60th birthday.
Thelogohasbeen updatedfromajestercrown toaroyalcrown,withthe foundingyearaddedto emphasisethebrand’s longevityintheconfectionerymarket.
Parfetts achievedrecord sales–£14.6million–inthe weekending18September.
Thewholesalerrana ‘SeptemberSaversTrade Week’,whichsawsaleshita newhighacrossitsdepot network.TheAintreebranch wasthebestperformingof thecompany’ssevendepots, achievingsalesof£3.5millionduringthepromotion.
GuySwindell,jointmanagingdirectorofParfetts, said:“Wecontinuetoinvest backintothebusinessto supportretailersthroughthis challengingeconomicperiod.
Ourpromotionscalendar continuestogrowand meansweseeexistingcustomersshoppingwithus moreoftenwhilealsoattractingnewcustomerstoour retailclubandfasciagroups.” Inothernews,aformer churchinGarston,Liverpool, hasbecomeoneofthe largestGoLocalExtrastores intheUK.RetailerMatt Mahalingam,whooperates fiveotherGoLocalstoresin Liverpool,hasextendedhis relationshipwithParfetts withtheopeningofthenew 3,000sqftstore.
KFF hascreatedaselection ofpremiumqualitysandwich fillingsunderthePurple Pineapplebrand.
Thewholesaler’steamof developmentchefshas comeupwitharangeofover 70fillings,includingfish,
meat,vegetarian,plantbased,andlow-fatoptions. Allaremixedbyhandsothat themoredelicateingredients arekeptintact,givingthefinishedproductsahomemade appearance,somethingthat isoftenlackinginmachine
blendedalternatives,says thecompany.
Eggsinthefillingsare free-range,asarethoseused inthemayonnaise.
ThePurplePineapplefillingsaremadeatthepointof ordertomaximisetheir freshnessandshelflife. Ordersplacedbeforenoon aredeliveredthenextday, althoughbestsellerscanbe ordereduntil5.30pm.
Availablein1kgand2.5kg containers,thefillingsare madetothesamerecipe eachdayandareversatile–KFFsuggeststheycanbe usedonjacketpotatoesoras partofasalad,aswellasin wrapsandsandwiches.
Producttypeshavebeen giventheirowncoloursto makenavigationandrecognitioneasier.
Kingswaywillalsoshortly introduceanewpremium rangelabelled‘Experts Choice’,withaneasilyidentifiablegoldcrownandlogo.
Thewinnersoftheprestigious CCMChefs’OwnBrandAwards, runinassociationwiththeCraftGuildof Chefs,willbeannouncedon 10Novemberatanexclusive lunchatTheRoyalHorseguards,Whitehall,London.
Topurchasetickets, pleasecontactMartinLovell atmail.winlove@btconnect. comor01342712100.
JJFoodservice ispromoting itsown-brandportfoliowith adedicatedwebpageanda socialmediacampaignrunninguntilFebruary.
“Wewanttomakeit easierforourcustomersto findaffordable,high-quality optionsagainstabackdrop ofcontinuouspricerises,” saidchiefproductofficer SezerOzkul.
MorethanathirdofJJ Foodservice’stotalsales (36%)camefromown-brand productsinthefinancialyear ending31March2022,an increaseof20%onthesame periodthepreviousyear.
Morethan20brands developedin-housebythe JJteamarevisibleonthe page,includingitsbestsellingSuperCrispChips, Letsdoughbakeryrangeand VIVATwater.Thepagealso features19productcategoriescoveringthe500plus linesinthewholesaler’s own-brandportfolio.
“Ourcustomersare recognisingthesavingsthey canmakebyshoppingownbrand,”saidOzkul.“Weare proudtobeabletoworkwith manyoftheworld’sleading brandstogetherwithour own-brandstobeableto offerourcustomersagreat choice.”
Asocialmediacampaign ispromotingadifferentownbrandrangeeveryweek.
CastellHowellFoods providedmorethan16,000food carepacksandsupported localauthoritycateringteams tohelpeliminateholiday hungeroverthesummer.
Thefamily-runLlanellibasedwholesalerhassupportedschoolholidaynutritionsince2015withthelocal authority‘FoodandFun’initiative.CastellHowellFoods hasdeliveredqualityingredients,locallygrownvegetablesandfreshlymademeals tochildrenwhowouldhave gonewithoutmeals.Ithas alsoprovidedsportsand nutritionaleducation.
TheCaterforcemember hasworkedincollaboration withitssupplierstodevelop nutritionallycompliantmeals, arrangingthestock,packing theboxesandevenloaning
outtherefrigeratedvehicles foradditionalstorage.
DirectorMattLewissaid: “Timeshavebeenchallengingformanyfamiliesinour localarea,withmorechallengestocome,andwewant toplayaroleinensuringthat childrenaregivenanopportunitytodevelop,safeinthe knowledgethattheirdietary needsaremet.”
CyprofoodWholesale has openedanewdepotin Tottenham,London.
TheSugromember acquiredtheformerBestway branchin2021andhassince redevelopedthewarehouse toaccommodate7,000lines.
Thepremisesarethree timesthesizeofCyprofood’s existingdepot,whichisadjacenttoitsnewsiteandis nowbeingusedforstorage.
Cyprofoodheldagrand openingon1October,with
supplierstandsandpromotionsduringthedayanda VIPeventforstaffandsuppliersintheevening.
Sinceitwasfoundedin 2007asa24-hourfreshproducewholesaler,Cyprofood hasextendeditsproduct offering,anditslatestmove meansthatitcannowoffera fullrangeoffrozen,chilled andambientfoods,alcohol, softdrinks,tobacco,confectioneryandnon-foods,as wellasfreshfruitandveg.
AlanToft,whowasdirector generalofthe FWD for16 years,hasdiedattheageof 91.
Duringhistimewiththe FWD,Toftcreatedthe‘My ShopisYourShop’campaign,aswellas Independents’Week,which focusedonthevalueoflocal family-ownedstorestothe community.HealsoestablishedBlueprint,amerchandisingtemplatefordrinks categories.
Onhisretirementin2009, ToftreceivedaLifetime AchievementAwardatthe FWD’sGoldMedalDinner fromthethenchairman FrancisBall.
JamesBielby,thecurrent chiefexecutiveoftheFWD, commented:“Alanwasa passionateadvocateforall
In2009,AlanToft(right) receivedaLifetimeAchievementAwardfromthethen FWDchairmanFrancisBall.
thingsindependentandtheir roleinthecommunity,and underhisleadershipthe FWDplayedakeyrolein demonstratingtheirvalueto consumersandsuppliers.”
health,withthisworkwinningseveral industryawards.
sawturnoverincreaseto £200million–up4.4%from £191million–intheyear ending31January2022.
Thefifth-generationwholesaler, whichsuppliesKeyStoreconvenience storesacrossScotlandandthenorthof EnglandandnationalaccountsincludingtheScottishPrisonService,alsosaw operatingprofitsrisefrom£2.3million to£2.7million.
Filshillrecordedgrossprofitof£17 million(8.5%)andnetassetsgrewto £17.1millioncomparedto£15.2million thepreviousyear,anincreaseof12.6%.
KeithGeddes,chieffinancial&operatingofficer,saidthatwhilesalesand operationsduringtheyearwereonce againheavilyimpactedbytheongoing pandemic,tightcontrolsandeffortsby theFilshillteamminimiseddisruption andhelpedthewholesalertodelivera highlevelofservicetoitscustomers.
Lastmonth,thecompanyrampedup investmentaheadofitsmovetoitsnew distributioncentreinearly2023withthe acquisitionoftheindependentIainHill Ltdwholesalebusiness,locatedjusta fewmilesawayinLinwood.
Commentingonrisinginflationand thecost-of-livingcrisis–inparticular increasesinthecostoffuelandfood anddrink–Geddessaid:“Thiscauses uncertaintyforthegroup,ourstaff,and ourcustomersandsuppliers.
“However,thedirectorsareconfidentthatprofitswillcontinueatasatisfactorylevelgoingforward.”
Nevertheless,hecautionedthatthe groupremainedexposedtovarious financialandnon-financialrisks,includingahighlycompetitiveindependent retailmarketandtheriskofdebts becomingirrecoverable.“Thegroup operatestightcreditcontrolprocesses
andhasenteredcreditinsurance arrangementsforcertainkeybalances,” henoted.
Addressingsupplyissues,headded: “Industry-widesupplyissueshavebeen achallenge.However,tooffsetthisthe groupworkshardtomaintainstrong partnership-basedrelationshipswithall suppliers,andwewererecentlyranked numberonebysuppliersinanindependentsurveybyTheAdvantageGroup acrossourkeycompetitorsalloverthe UKforthetwelfthconsecutiveyear.”
DespitetheongoingchallengesfacingFilshillandthewiderwholesale/food anddrinksector,thegroupcontinuedto supportmanylocalcommunityprogrammesandgoodcausesaspartofits ongoingcommitmenttoCSR.
Italsocontinuedtoheavilyengage withitsworkforceonhealthandwellbeing,particularlywithregardtomental
SimonHannah,Filshill’schiefexecutiveofficer,commented:“Mentalhealth andwellbeingremainsattheheartof ourstrategyandwerecognisethatasa responsibleemployerweneedtodo thisnotonlyforouremployeesand theirfamiliesbutalsobecauseofthe positiveimpactithasonourbusiness andourcustomers.
“Oursafety-firstcultureisacornerstoneofeverythingwedo,andour workforceretentionandabilitytorecruit havebeenpositivelyimpactedbythese initiatives.”
Hannahadded:“Weinvestinlongtermreturnprojectstoprotectfuture revenuestreamsandthisincludesconstantlyupdatingourtechnology,equipmentandvehiclefleet–anapproach thathasresultedingreaterefficiencies andcustomersatisfaction.”
Thecompany,hesaid,continuedto measurerevenue,grossmarginand operatingprofitaskeyfinancialindicatorsandmonitorednon-financialKPIs includingstaffperformance,vehiclefuel performance,salesservicelevels/range achievements,unansweredtelesales call,returnedordersandearlywarning datecodesaspartofitsbusinessperformancereview.
Filshillisalsoidentifyingareaswhere itcaninfluenceareductioninitscarbon impactandworktowardsanet-zero emissionsposition.Drivenbyitsenvironmentalteam,thecompanysawareductionof9%initsintensityratiomeasure ofcarbonpercasedelivered.
We’re proud to be leading the industry in Great Britain, introducing attached caps across our entire portfolio* making it easier to collect and recycle the whole package and ensure no cap gets left behind. The change is a World Without Waste, helping to reduce waste, prevent litter and support the creation of a circular economy for our PET packaging.
Keep cap attached & recycle together
Whathasbeenthebiggestchallenge youhavefacedandhowdidyouovercomeit?
I’magreatbelieverinbreakingchallengesdownsothatnothingisinsurmountable.
Whatisyourfavouritefilm,bookand song/pieceofmusic?
Themusic’seasy– TeenageKicks byThe Undertones,ananthemforageneration! IdolovetheJasonBournemovies, whichareagreatbitofescapism,but myfavouritemovieisprobably The UsualSuspects. Andthebookwouldbe ThePowerandtheGlory byGraham Greene,which,althoughwritteninthe 1940s,remainsatimelessclassic.
Whathavebeenyourbiggestachievementsinworkandoutsidework? CovidwasamassivechallengeforeveryoneinourindustryandI’mparticularly proudofthewaySyscoIreland,whichI wasleadingatthetime,cametogether, workingtoprotectourcolleagues,supportourcustomers,allthewhilecreatingastrongbusinessfitforthefuture. Outsideofwork,I’dalwayswanted torunamarathonandIwasdelighted andsomewhatrelievedtohavecompletedtheDublinCitymarathon.My familyisalsoincrediblyimportanttome andIthinkmybiggestachievementis probablyraisingtwofantasticchildren, andhopefullythey’dagreewe’vedone anOKjobofit!
Whohasbeenthebiggestinspiration toyou?
Withouthesitation,ithastobemy mother,whosupportedandencouragedme.Shebroughtmeuptotreat peoplewithrespectandthat’ssomethingthatIkeepwithmeeverydayin mybusinesslife,alongwithhersense ofcommunityandrecognitionofhow importantthatis.She’s88nowand sharpasatack,andstillkeepsmeand myfourbrothersandsistersinline.
Whatwereyourambitionswhenyou weregrowingup?
Likesomanychildrenmyboyhood dreamwastobeaprofessionalfootballer,butsadlymyambitionwasnot matchedbymyability.Withmydreams ofliftingtheFACupfastdisappearing,I hungupmybootsandbecamethefirst inmyfamilytogotocollege.There,my thoughtsprettyquicklyturnedtothe worldofbusinesstowhichIwasfarbettersuited.Althoughinaquietmoment youcanstilldreamtheincredibledream...
Whatareyourinterestsoutsidework?
I’mprobablynotthebestatkeepinga work-lifebalancebecauseIlovemyjob andthechallengesitbrings.Butwhen I’moutsidework,Iliketowatchfootball, runand‘enjoy’theoccasionalroundof particularlybadgolf.
Howwouldyoudescribeyourpersonalityandwhatapproachdoyoutakein business(andinlife)? I’maninformalperson,butverydriven. Idon’tlikeformalityasIthinkit’sabarrier–Iprefertodispensewithformalities,rollupmysleevesandworkwith colleagues(andoutsidework)tofind thebestapproachtoanygivenproblem.
Ifyouwonaholiday,wherewouldyou goandwhowouldyoutakewithyou? MywifeandIhavepromisedourselves aonce-in-a-lifetimetriptoSouth America,particularlyArgentina,Chile andPeru,whenmyyoungestsonturns 18,sothat’sdefinitelytopofthelist.
Whatwouldpeoplebesurprisedto knowaboutyou?
Iusedtohaveanearring–andIcanstill probablyputoneinforyouifyoulike, althoughI’mnottoosuremychildren wouldbethatimpressed!
CCM
AftergraduatingfromDublinCity UniversitywithaBusinessStudies degreeandanaccountancyspecialism,PeterJacksonembarkedona careerinbusiness.Helaunchedhis careerwithPierre’sFoodservice, risingtofinancedirector.A12-year stintatKepakConvenienceFoods followed,whichsawhimrisetochief executive,andhethenheadedback toPierre’sFoodserviceparentcompany,AryztaIreland.In2018,Jackson joinedSyscoIrelandaschiefexecutive,beforehetooktheshorthop acrosstheIrishChannelinJanuary 2022totakechargeofSyscoGB.
SPAR Scotland continues to strengthen its position, adding stores and boosting its value offer for consumers while also enhancing retailer margins.
Sands Group, which owns David’s Kitchen and Pinkie Farm convenience stores, has left Nisa to join SPAR Scotland.
News of the coup was announced by Colin McLean, CEO of SPAR Scotland’s wholesaler and retailer CJ Lang & Son, at the company ’ s Tradeshow in Aviemore last month.
David’s Kitchen has three existing stores in Glenrothes, Falkirk and Kirkcaldy and a fourth is currently being built in Bo’ness. The Pinkie Farm store is in Musselburgh.
Commenting on the development, McLean said: “It is great news to have such a high profile convenience store group join us.
moving in the right direction,” com mented McLean. “Profits protect jobs, and we have a robust financial platform to build upon. We have better business alignment and greater consistency, we’re modernising the SPAR Scotland brand, and we have now secured addi tional investment to take the business forward.”
come,” said trading director Richard Collins.
For example, CJ Lang is supporting the SPAR Brand Spotlight initiative, which has the theme ‘Our Best For Less’. This involves putting 125 of the bestselling SPAR Brand lines into all SPAR stores in Scotland by mid January. “ This is the single biggest focus on the SPAR Brand for many years,” he reported.
Collins asked suppliers to help SPAR Scotland enhance its value proposition: “Offer EDLP [every day low pricing] on key lines rather than go down the high low route, protect our availability, and supply price marked packs on at least the same terms as plain packs,” he urged. “SPAR Scotland is also the place to come if you want to get your NPD off to a flying start. We’re hungry for any thing that will stimulate sales and cate gory growth.”
“David and his colleagues have built a hugely successful award winning business, and their growth has been very impressive over the years. We are delighted that David and his team have decided to continue the next part of their journey with SPAR Scotland.”
McLean added: “Given the recent changes in the symbol group market, we recognise the sizeable commercial opportunity and are well placed to take advantage of this. We’re turning heads. We’ve got the value, we’ve got the range, we’ve got the proposition, we know where we’re taking this business, and we’re very clear about how to use all that to recruit people.”
The 800 delegates that attended the Tradeshow also heard that CJ Lang achieved strong growth in the year to the end of April 2022. The results are to be announced formally in the next cou ple of weeks. “ The business is certainly
However, he added, the Ukraine war has led to considerable challenges including high levels of inflation and a cost of living crisis. “ We’re going to help our customers through these tough times,” McLean promised. “ We’re putting together some strong deals, we’re back on TV there’s no other symbol group in Scotland on TV as fre quently as us and we’ve got great stuff coming with the SPAR brand.”
CJ Lang recently launched a value campaign featuring bread and six packs of eggs at £1 each and two litre bottles of milk at a ‘multiple matching’ £1.27. The campaign is being supported with instore PoS and radio coverage, as well as social media activity. “ We’re bringing the ‘ value on your doorstep’ message to life in our stores, with lots more to
CJ Lang & Son is offering all of its suppliers free access to SPAR Scotland’s SalesTrack data from 1 January 2023.
The service, which is run in part nership with TWC, allows suppliers to dig deeper into category perfor mance through wholesale shipments data and company owned retail sales data.
“ We want to be data led and we want you on our journey,” CJ Lang’s trading director Richard Collins told suppliers at the company ’s Trade show. “Data is a key enabler and we have plenty to share with you.”
CJ Lang is also introducing e bate, a price and margin manage ment platform to enable suppliers to track activity on their products.
are
everyday elderlies
are single mums
are
family feeders
are searching for
are looking for increased digital
to £6 is the typical basket spend
is the average annual income of a SPAR Scotland shopper
Steve Irons, wholesale sales director at CJ Lang, told delegates that SPAR Scotland compares its pricing with Booker ’s and Nisa’s every week. “Our results are good,” he said, “and we need to land that message and change perception that we ’ re expensive because it ’s not the case.”
At the same time as boosting value for shoppers, CJ Lang is aiming to increase retailers’ average margin from 20% to 30% by driving more profitable product categories, including vape, which offers margins of over 40%, and food to go, which can generate margins of over 35%, said Irons.
SPAR Scotland includes around 200 stores run by independent retailers and 100 stores owned by CJ Lang itself. Some of the improvements, such as new refrigeration and the introduction of CJ’s food to go concept, that CJ Lang has made to its estate over the past year are being used to showcase SPAR Scotland’s offer to independent retailers.
In addition, the company is keen to highlight the successful development of the former Nisa store at Dalbeattie, near Dumfries, under the SPAR Scotland banner. “ This was a top 20 performing Nisa store and we have put two percent age points on its margin without chang ing the format,” said McLean. “ This was our first company store acquisition in many years and the exciting news is that we have more company owned stores to follow.”
He concluded: “ We’re not compla cent. We recognise we’ve got more to
do. The beauty about being a family business is that we can take sensible long term decisions to move the busi ness forward. Yes, there’s a recession going to happen at any moment, but the reality is that we’re having discussions about what to do between now and 2030. It ’s not a sprint, it ’s a marathon.”
must add at least 4% to these current availability levels. It ’s not only product shortages; late deliveries are com pounding the situation.
“
CCM
• SPAR Scotland’s inbound availability over the last 17 weeks was just 92%, reported trading director Richard Collins. “It ’s not good,” he stated. “In fact, the figures would be a whole lot worse if I stripped out the likes of tobacco and fresh milk for which we always get 100% availability from our suppliers.”
Addressing suppliers directly, he said: “ We need you to make this your number one area of focus because we
It will be lost sales and profits for us all and potentially lost customers for good if we cannot provide customers with what they want, when they want it and at a price they are prepared to pay. We are convenience retailers after all. Availability and reliability are not options; they are demanded.”
He added: “ These availability chal lenges are partly fuelled by us not pro viding forecasts. We are fully aware of this and we are determined to sort it.”
In the latest Advantage Group sur vey, suppliers rated SPAR Scotland sec ond out of 11 wholesalers a rise from ninth place three years ago. “Now we’re aiming to be No.1,” said Collins.
CJ Lang is promoting its back haul service to suppliers. Once delivery drivers have completed all their drops to SPAR Scotland stores, they can collect products from suppliers on the way back to CJ Lang’s distribution centre in Dundee, ready for onward despatch to retail stores.
“ This service maximises utilisation of our return leg journeys, taking road miles out of the supply chain, ” explained distribution director Colin Chapman.
About 20 suppliers, including Angus Soft Fruits and Total Produce, are currently taking advantage of the service.
adapttofitinwiththesehealthier lifestyles.
Whathasbeenthebestproductyou havebeeninvolvedwithandwhy?
OurBoostone-litreSKU.ItputtheBoost brandonthemapandhadthebiggest impactcommercially.Itconnectedus withtheconsumerandtrade,and pavedthewayforthefourfunctional rangeswehavetoday.
Whathasbeenyourcareerpathto date?
AfterschoolImovedtoNewcastleto studyBusinessInformationTechnology atuniversity.Ithoughtthatthecourse wasaboutcomputinginthebusiness worldbutitwasmoreaboutgetting insidePCharddrives.Ileftafterjustone yearduetothecoursenotbeingright forme–andpartyingtoomuch! Ithendecidedtotakeadegreein EuropeanMarketingatLeedsUniversity; thisturnedouttobemuchbettersuited tome.DuringthesummerbreaksI workedatafoodwholesalerdoing warehousework,whichmarkedmyfirst stepintothefoodanddrinkindustry. Oneyearlater,in2001,afterworkingin thewholesaler’stradingoffice,Ihad startedmyownbusiness–Boost!
Whathasbeenthedefiningmomentin yourcareer?
ItookabigrisklaunchingtheBoost brand–butanevenbiggerriskchangingthebrandname24hoursbefore launchday!Thebrandwasoriginally
goingtobecalledBlast,butIdecidedto changeitattheeleventhhourbecause mywifethoughtthenameBoosthada betterringtoit.
Whatisthebestbusinessadviceyou havebeengiven,andwhogaveit?
Ican’trecallwhosharedthispearlof wisdomwithme,butitwas:‘Tonotfall inlovewithyourbrandsoyouareopen toconstructivefeedback’.
Sinceyoustartedwork,howhasthe FMCGmarketchanged?
TheFMCGmarkethaschangeddrastically,andmoresointhepastfiveyears thanthelast15years.Moreandmore wholesalersandretailersaremerging, andtheincreaseofonlineshopping andtheneedforwantingthingsmore quicklyhavechangedthemarket.
Healthandwellnessishighonthe agendaforconsumers;especiallyinthe pastfiveyears,peoplehavebeenwantingmoreproductsthatarebetterfor you.Covidhasdefinitelyaccelerated thischange,sothemarkethashadto
Howdoyoumaintainawork-lifebalanceandhowdoyouspendyourtime outsideofwork? Work-lifebalanceisachievedwitha qualityteamofpeoplearoundyouto helpdelegate,andIhavelearnttostep awayfromthedetail.Aswecameoutof thepandemic,thattimetaughtmewhat theimportantthingsareandtolook afteryourselfasyourworkwillthen thrive.
Outsideofwork,Ienjoygolf,sport, familyandtravel.IamanavidLeeds Unitedfan,andBoostisalsoasponsor fortheclub.InAugustweextendedour partnershipforafurtherthreeseasons andbecametheclub’sfirstGoldTier Partner,whichputstheBoostbrandat theheartofmatchdaysatEllandRoad.
Fornewpeoplemovingintothisindustrywhatadvicewouldyougive? Thewholesalechannelisuniqueand thescaleofitisbiggerthanyoumay think.It’sarelationship-ledindustryand thepeoplemakeithappen,sosupportingyourpartnersiscrucial.However, it’snotascomplicatedasyoumaythink itis.Somemightbeputoffbythechain ofpeoplecomparedtoworkingdirectly withsupermarkets,forexample.But havingthatchainmeansyoucanbuild morerelationshipsandincreasethe brand’sexposure.
Ifyoucouldchangeoneaspectofyour workinglife,whatwoulditbe? Commuting–itwouldbegreattofixit andmakeitmoreefficientandenjoyable.Mostrecentlythetraffic,flight cancellationsandstrikesmakeitavery unenjoyabletask!
TheWomeninWholesale conferencehighlightedthe progressmadeondiversity &inclusioninwholesale andidentifiedaspectsthat stillneedtobeaddressed.
atboardlevelinthewholesale tradehasincreasedto20% from17%in2019and11%in 2016.However,wholesalingremains behindotherindustriesinthisregard (benchmark:29%).
ADiversity&InclusionSurvey, commissionedbyWomeninWholesale (WiW)andconductedbyTWC,investigatedtheprogressmadesincethe launchoftheWiWinitiative,whichsupportswomenworkinginthewholesale industrywitheducation,networkingand coaching.
Theresearchfindingsweresharedat therecentWiWannualconference, whichattractedmorethan250delegatesfromwholesalebusinessesand theirsuppliers.
“Diverseorganisationsgrowfaster andaremoreprofitable,”saidTanya Pepin,managingdirectoratTWC. “That’swhyit’ssoimportanttohave thisindustry-specificinsightwhichwill helptogetsomeimportantconversationsarounddiversityandinclusion startedinoursector.”
Thestudywasconductedin August/September2022andinvolved 184people(66%female,34%male) workingforretailandfoodservice wholesalers.
Accordingtotheresearch,the biggestdisparitiesbetweenmaleand femaleresponsesconcernedequal opportunity,withonly57%offemales agreeingthat“allpeoplecansucceedin myorganisation”comparedwith80% ofmen.
Meanwhile,60%ofwomenagreed thatthey“trustmyorganisationtobe fairtoallemployees”versus80%of men.Inaddition,womenwerethree
timesmorelikelythanmentofeelthat theyarenotincludedindecisionsthat affecttheirwork(17%versus5%).
“Thisgroundbreakingstudyshinesa positivelightontheprogressbeing madeinoursector–aswellashelping ustoidentifywherewecanimprove,” saidWiWfounderElitRowland.
Thesurveyfindingswillinformthe WiW2023educationanddiscussion programme.
TheWiWconferencesawarecord attendance,withnumbersupby39% comparedtobeforeCovid.
Themed‘BetheBestYou’,theevent featuredpresentationsfromVictoria Crouch,headofcustomermerchandisingatBrakes;SheilaGallagher,commercialdirectoratBooker;Keira Campbell,salesdirectoratHenderson Foodservice;Lisa-JayneHanson,categorycontrolleratBestway;andElaine Haynes,businessmanageratCostco Wholesale.ClareBocking,chiefcommercialofficeratDCS,chairedthe proceedings.
Topicsincludeddiversity&inclusion hacks,situationalleadershiptips,advice onmanagingmenopause,andguidance onimprovingtheworkplaceforreturningparents.
TheguestspeakerwasLeeWarren, anexpertinbehaviouralpersuasionand influentialcommunication.
Consumersarecontinuingtoseekouttrustedbrandsintheover-the-counterremedies category.Wholesalersandtheircustomersshouldstockupaheadofthewinterseason.
symptomsmosteffectivelyandonestheyknowtheycan trust.”
Whetheritsretailersshoppingindepotorcustomersin store,theaimistomaketheexperienceasquickandeasyas possible,withaccesstotheleadingbrandsacrossallkey sectorsofthecategory,advisesFreestone.
Thefocusinwinterislargelyonremediestofightcolds andflu,andshopperswillbelookingfordecongestants, throatlozengesandmulti-actionmedicinesthatfightarange ofsymptoms.
FreestonereportsthatStrepsilswasamongthetopperformingbrandsinthelast12months,showinga121% increase.Beechamsisalsooneofthemostrecognised brandsforfightingcoldandfluandoffersarangeofdifferent formatsincludingpowdersandtablets.“Depotsshouldseek tostockdifferentflavoursandformatstoenableretailersto offerchoicetotheirconsumersandensurethewidestrange ofoptions,”hesays.
However,winterremediesarenotrestrictedtocoldsand flu.“Withthepartyseasonincorporatinglashingsofrich foodandperhapsaglassofbubbles,consumersmayalsobe reachingforpainkillersandindigestionremediessothatthey canfunctioneffectively,”Freestonepointsout.
(Nielsen),withthestrongestperformersbeingcold andflumulti-symptomproducts(+130%)and decongestants(+55%).
Anothersolidperformanceispredictedthiswinter, accordingtoAndrewFreestone,sales&commercialdirector at SHSSales&Marketing: “We’resetforachallenging winterbutonewhereconsumerswillwanttofindreasonsto celebratewiththeirfriendsandfamilywhentheycan.As such,we’reanticipatingthattheremaybeanincreasein thoseseasonalcoughs,coldsandailmentsthathavebeen suppressedforafewyears,”hesays.
“Asconsumershavebecomemoreconfidentinselfmedicatingoverrecentyears,itislikelythey’llbeheadingfor theirlocalstoretopickuptheremediestheyneed,and depotscanhelpensurethatretailersarewellstockedupwith awiderangeofformatsandflavourstofightoffwhatever consumersaresufferingfromthiswinter.’’
Freestoneadds:“Whilstthereismuchinthemedia aboutthecost-of-living crisis,costisn’talways thedrivingfactorinOTC choices–whilstshoppers arelookingforvalue,this doesn’tnecessarilymean thecheapestproduct.
Shopperswanttheproductsthatwilltreattheir
TheSHSSales&Marketingteamisonhandtohelpcash &carriesmaximisethecategoryopportunity.“Thekeyadvice theteamwillshareistoensurethatallthekeysub-sectorsof thecategoryarecovered inadepotrangeand clearlysegmentedsothat retailerscanquicklyfind whicheverproductsthey arelookingfor,”says Freestone.
“Leadingbrandssuch asBeechams,Strepsils, PanadolandGaviscon shouldbeusedassignpostsforeachofthosesub-sectorsto highlightthesection,withproductsplacedfromvaluetopremiumsothatretailerscanpurchasefromacrossthewhole range.”
Freestoneaddsthaton-fixturemerchandisingshouldbe supplementedwithoff-fixturepromotionsandactivityto highlightanydealsordiscounts.
LanesHealth hasannouncedthatanewTVadwill supportdecongestantbrandOlbasfromOctober.
Thecampaignwillbesupportedbya£1.5millionmedia investment,aswellasastrongPRprogrammetoensurethat thebrandandretailsalesarewellsupportedthroughoutthe peakcoldandfluseason.
BrandmanagerClaireCampbellsays:“WithpreviousTV advertisingcampaignshavingsuchapositiveimpactonour sales,wefeelconfidentthatconsumersaregoingtolovethis campaignjustasmuchasourpreviousones.”
Sheadds:“Despitethecost-of-livingpressures,consumersarestillseekingouttrustedbrandsthatofferreassuranceandefficacy,withbrandedremediescontinuingto winoutoverownlabelinthecoldandflucategory.Olbashas astrongheritageandisawell-knownbrand,andisproudto providearangeofwinter remediessuitableforthe wholefamily.”
Ownedbyfamily-run businessLanesHealth, OlbasOilcontinuestobe manufacturedatthe firm’sGloucester-based factory.TheOlbasrange includesOlbasOil,Olbas ForChildren,Olbas Inhaler,OlbasNasal Spray,OlbasMenthol PastillesandOlbasBath.
Campbellreportsthat thepercentageofadults experiencingacoldin thelast12monthshas increasedby12%to37% (Mintel)asaresultofgreatersocialisationandinteraction.
Asthiscontinuesintothecoldermonths,theGovernment haswarnedthatflucasescouldrisetohigherlevelsthan beforethepandemicinwinter2022(PulseToday).Andvalue salesofcough,coldandfluremediesaresettoriseby7.8% in2022(Mintel).
“Wholesalersandcash&carriesshouldbepreparedfor anupliftindemandforcoldandfluremediesthiswinter,” Campbellcomments.“Asconsumersareprioritisingtheir health,retailersshouldprovideeffectiveandtrustedproductsthatofferarangeoftreatmentbenefits.”
AlsoavailablefromLanesHealthisJakemans,whichhas benefitedfromanewpackdesign.Remainingtruetothe brand’sheritage,thenewlookincludesaredesignedlogo andastand-outwhitelabel.Anew‘J’iconhasalsobeen introduced.
Inaddition,thebagsizeshavebeenchangedtoreflect consumertrendsforsmallerproductsizesforon-the-goconsumption.TheclassicJakemansvariantsofThroat&Chest, Honey&Lemon,Cherry,Peppermint,Menthol&Eucalyptus, BlackcurrantandBlueberryarenowavailableinahandy73g format,whilstthetopthreesellingvarieties,Throat&Chest, Honey&LemonandCherry,arealsoofferedina160gsize. AllJakemansproductsaresoldinshelf-readypackaging makingthemeasytodisplay,whetheronshelforatthetill.
“Jakemansisoneofthemostpopularmentholated lozengebrands,withitsThroat&Chest100gbeingthetop sellingSKUwithinmedicatedconfectioneryoverthelast12 months(IRI),”reportsbrandmanagerElizabethHughesGapper.“Overall,thebrandaccountsfor10%ofvalue growthinthecategory(IRI).
“Theongoingsuccessinthecategorycanbeattributedto Jakemans’100+yearheritageofthebrand.85%of Jakemansuserswouldrecommendtheproducttoothers (Mintel).Thisrecommendationandloyaltytranslatesinto sales–Jakemans’valuesalesarecurrentlyup57.7%(IRI).”
JakemanswillbesupportedthiswinterseasonwithaTV, out-of-home,radioandPRcampaign,ensuringthatconsumersrecognisethenewpacksonshelfandthatthebrand remainsfrontofmindthroughoutwinter,springandother keyseasonalmoments.
Thepasttwoyearshavebeenarollercoasterforthe medicatedconfectionerysector,accordingtoJonRWhite, regionalbusinessmanagerfor Fisherman’sFriend intheUK.
“Relentlesslockdownsundeniablydentedgrowthinthe category,aspeople simplyweren’tsocialising–leadingtoadramaticfallintheincidencesofcoldandflu andasubsequentfall indemandforproductsrelievingcoldand flusymptoms,”he explains.“Butnowthepictureisverydifferent,aspandemic concernslessen.”
Ex-factorysalesofFisherman’sFriendOriginalExtra Strongintheconveniencechannelwereupby89%yearon yeartoJune2022,butthereisstillplentyofscopeforretailerstocapitaliseonthegrowthofthebrand,Whitemaintains.
Withthecostoflivingrising,andstorevisitstypicallyup 10.3%andbasketspenddown12.4%aspeoplecontinueto shoplittleandoften(Nielsen),winter2022islikelytocontinuemarkinganeweraofcautiousshopping,Whitepredicts.
“Asaresultofthis,weexpecttoseemanymedicatedconfectionerypurchasesduringthecomingcoldandfluseason, likelyfuelledbyacombinationofneeds-basedandimpulseledpurchasingdecisions,”hesays.
“Duringuncertaintimes,peopleturntomorefamiliarand establishedbrandsthattheyknowandtrust.Andwith Fisherman’sFriendcontainingoneofthehighestmenthol contentsofanybrandavailable,thiswidelysoughtafterand well-lovedproductisamust-stockaheadofthecoldandflu season.”
Tohelpretailersreassureshoppersthattheyaregetting afairprice,Fisherman’sFriendisonceagainoffering80p price-markedpacksacrossitsstandard25grangethrough wholesale.
OriginalExtraStrongremainsthebrand’sbestseller–accountingformorethan60%ofsales–withSugar-Free Blackcurrantthesecondmostpopular flavour,makingup 16.8%ofsales.SugarFreeHoney&Lemon, Aniseed,andSugarFreeMintcomplete theline-upofthetop fivesellingflavours, closelyfollowedby Sugar-FreeSpearmintandSugar-FreeCherry.
Forthepastfewyears,Fisherman’sFriendhasinvested heavilyinmarketingwithits‘WhatevertheDayThrowsat You’campaign,withanintegratedapproachacrossTV,digital,socialmediaandPRactivity,peakingduringtheimportantwintersalesperiod.Thecampaignwillbebackon screensthiswinter,fromOctoberuntilmid-December.
“Celebratingourbrand’sfishingheritage,whichhasbeen attheheartofthefamily-ownedbusinesssince1865,our campaigncoincideswiththewinterseasonwherewetraditionallyseeaspikeindemand,whilstourstrongstarttothe year[valuegrowthwas28.6%betweenJanuaryandMarch
2022]proveshowmuchsalesgrowthbenefitsfrommarketingsupport,”explainsWhite.
“Assuch,itisanaturaldecisiontorepeattheactivityto ensureourlozengesremainfrontofconsumers’minds,and we’reconfidentthatitwillhelptofurtherboostsalesfor Fisherman’sFriend.”
Followingthepandemic,consumers’viewsonself-care haveshifted:69%ofpeoplewhomightnothaveconsidered self-careastheirfirstoptionbeforethepandemicsaidthey weremorelikelytodosoinfuture(Nielsen).
“WiththecommoncoldaffectingadultsintheUKupto fourtimesayear(Nhsinform.co.uk),theincreasingrateof saleofwinterremediesduringwintermonthsoffersretailers ahugeopportunity,”saysVictoriaGell,fruityconfectionsUK branddirectorat MarsWrigley.
“Asafamiliarandtrustedbrand,Locketshashelpedkeep Britsgoingthrough thewintermonths andoffersproducts consumerscan dependon.”
Lockets,which containasoothing liquidcentreanda clearingmenthol flavour,comein threeflavours–Honey&Lemon,ExtraStrongandCranberry &Blueberry.Eachpackcontains10sweets.
Reliefcandyprovedapopularcategoryasconsumers soughtsolutionstothewintercoughsandcoldsthatarrived withthefullliftingoflockdownrestrictionsin2021,points outSusanNash,tradecommunicationsmanagerat MondelezInternational. “Infact,reliefcandyasacategory hasgrownbyasignificant35%(Nielsen)overthepastyear, highlightingjusthowimportantitisforcash&carriesand retailerstogettheirrangesreadyforthisseason,”shesays.
Category-leaderHalls(Nielsen)hasgrownby50%year onyear.“ThismakestheHallsrangethefastestgrowing brandthiscoldandcoughseason,withpenetrationratesup 63%yearonyeartoo(Nielsen)asconsumerinterestinthis typeofofferingcontinuestoexpand,”Nashreports.
“Whetheritbeformentholclearingorgentlesoothing, shopperswilllookforbrandstheyknowandtrustinstore,” sheadds.
Productsthataredevelopedtohelptargetspecificissues, suchasblockednoses,atanearlyonsetdrivehighsales volumes.Best-sellerHallsMentholyptusExtraStrongprovidesthefeelingofmentholclearing,whiletheHalls Soothersrange,includingbest-sellingflavourBlackcurrant, isdevelopedto helpgentlysoothe sorethroats.
Singlesarethe mostimportant formatacrossthe category,making up61%ofsales (Nielsen),andHallsboastacohesivelookacrossthe portfolio,designedtoenableconsumerstofindtheirchosen solutionwithease.
Shoppers are expecting a whole lot more from their local convenience retailer when it comes to the hot beverages category. From barista quality coffees to health improving teas, there are a host of developments and upgrades providing profit opportunities.
The hot beverages fix ture is one that should not be underestimated by convenience retail ers or wholesalers. The cate gory is one that can spark a top up shop, drive premiumisation, a d d i n c r e m e n t a l s a l e s a n d encourage trial.
Coffee is a reliable positive performer in convenience retail, with growth this year of 1 8% (IRI). Taylors of Harrogate high l i gh t s t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e p r e m i u m i s a t i o n t r e n d i n t h i s growth This is not necessarily a simple case of trading up; consumers replicated the barista experience with at home experimentation during lockdown and this trend has stuck Coffee bags of which Taylors of Harrogate has been a driving force have increased dramatically in popularity and are now worth £12.5 million.
“ With the popularity of coffee bags only increasing, and Taylors of Harrogate’s position in this growth, they are a sta ple of store shelves as the ideal solution for busy people who want a proper roast and ground coffee but who may be short on time,” says assistant brand manager Penny Webster.
“ Taylors of Harrogate’s Rich Italian coffee bags are our best selling line in the range and a key part of our portfolio, offering a smooth blend of roast and ground coffee We’ve championed this format throughout 2022 with a multi million pound investment in TV advertising to drive con sumer awareness of the product benefits and quality ”
A l o n g w i t h t h e g r o w t h i n c o f f e e b a g s , Ta y l o r s o f Harrogate emphasises the opportunities to be found with coffee beans “Similarly, beans continue to represent a key area of growth within the coffee sector, with this format gain ing a 6% total market increase and 15% rise in convenience a result attributed to consumers wanting to r e p l i c a t e b a r i s t a s t y l e c o f f e e s a t home,” explains Webster
“As coffee beans experience key growth within the sector, offering a quality option from a trusted brand is key, whether for use in an Americano or as a base for experimentation with additional flavours and syrups ”
Ta y l o r s o f H a r r o g a t e r e c e n t l y
revamped the packaging of its Espresso Beans, making it more sustainable and more striking Lincoln & York has a firm f o o t h o l d i n t h e s u s t a i n a b l e coffee market, with 80% of its coffee either certified fairtrade, organic or Rainforest Alliance
T h e p a c k a g i n g i s a l s o a sustainability innovation, made from award winning, fully recy clable low density polyethylene
“ We are seeing a rise in demand for sustainable options as 52% of consumers are mak ing purchase decisions based on a brand’s eco credentials,” says Ross Schofield, commercial director. “Cash & carries and wholesalers will have the opportunity to boost sales and stand out from competitors as retailers and coffee shops turn to them for sustainable, ethically sourced hot beverage options ”
The supplier also recommends that wholesalers take sea sonality into account when ranging, beyond the basic ‘cold weather, hot drinks’ consideration “ We are expecting to see a spike in the number of consumers wanting seasonal hot beverages using flavoured syrups, such as cinnamon, salted caramel and pumpkin spiced. Therefore, cash & carries need to increase their stock of syrups, based on the time of year, to increase profits and allow coffee shops and out of home venues to make these simple seasonal adaptations to their menus,” Schofield continues.
“An additional way to boost sales at this time is to offer promotional discounts on particular coffee blends to grab the attention of customers, such as offering a free autumnal flavoured syrup with every pack of coffee bought.”
Notes Coffee is also upping its eco credibility, having been granted the Organic Food Federation certification “ There is huge growth and potential in the organic coffee market at the moment, and as this trend continues to storm the nation, speciality products are proving more popular with consumers This is an area we will continue to focus on as we move forward with our organic coffee range But ulti mately, it all comes down to quality Consumers want prod ucts that look great, smell great and, more importantly, taste great too,” says Ali Anderson, sales manager
The speciality coffee roaster has a fully traceable product that offers quality, ethics and sustainability The organic Ethiopian Mohammed Aki and Dambi Uddo single origin cof fee is now part of an updated production process that com plies with UK organic regulations and is fully documented during roasting The coffee is roasted at Notes’ Blackwall roastery in East London, producing over 2,000kg each week for retail and wholesale markets, as well as Notes’ 12 café bars across London
Notes coffee products are available as beans or ground coffee in 250g and 1kg bags plus Nespresso compatible home compostable pods
The hot chocolate segment as a whole is in year on year growth (Nielsen), and Mondelez International has a strong position in the category its extensive range includes C a d b u r y H o t C h o c o l a t e , C a d b u r y I n s t a n t , C a d b u r y Highlights, Cadbury Bournville Cocoa Powder, Fry ’s Hot Chocolate, and Green & Black ’s Cocoa and Hot Chocolate
“Cadbury is the UK’s No 1 hot chocolate brand and is growing at 8.7% year on year (Nielsen),” says Susan Nash, trade com munications manager “Cadbury offers a lighter alternative to enjoy hot chocolate through the Cadbury Highlights brand. Balance and wellbeing remain important considerations for many, which provides an opportunity for wholesalers and retailers ”
Cadbury Highlights Milk Chocolate has a r e c e n t l y i m p r o v e d f l a v o u r a n d p a c k design to give strong stand out on the shelf
Tea continues to be the nation’s favourite hot drink, adding £3 4 million in value to the hot beverages category last year (IRI/Kantar), and Taylors of Harrogate’s Yorkshire Tea is the No 1 brew
Brand awareness has been boosted by a series of adverts featuring famous Yorkshire faces such as Sean Bean, Michael Parkinson, Dynamo and the Kaiser Chiefs. A new campaign is targeting a wider range of consumers by appearing in cinemas as well as on prime time television, and features Sir Patrick Stewart.
“Our ambition is to grow the tea category, which means we will continue to diversify our media strategy to really tap into our consumers’ interests, as we see a move away from people watching TV in the traditional way. Whether through cinema adverts or our social presence, we know that the Yorkshire Tea brand inspires a feeling of affinity, which we think will serve it well into the future,” says Carly Murphy, Yorkshire Tea assistant brand manager.
Black tea remains the largest segment of the tea sector and is a big draw for a convenience top up shop, so it needs to be prominently displayed “At the start of the year, 88% of consumers used a convenience store, with the top up shop being the most common type of shopping trip To maximise on this, stores should ensure that essential items are always available and well stocked, in order to meet consumer demand,” advises Murphy.
“Premiumisation can be a key driver of hot beverage sales in convenience, providing an opportunity to increase overall bas ket spend and profits, so retailers should ensure they carry the best selling lines that are optimised within the fixture ”
Although black tea still heads up the segment there has been an interest in alter n a t i v e t e a s a n d t h i s i s steadily growing.
“Many people are lean ing towards variety in their tea drinking, enjoying more than one type of tea in their day and including non caf feinated hot drinks in their everyday consumption, resulting in decaf becoming incre mental to the category,” Murphy continues. “Customers won’t expect a huge range, but with the growth of hot beverages in the convenience channel, adding a great tasting decaf tea to your offering will appeal to shoppers who want variety in their tea drinking, potentially gaining incremental sales.”
Another vital piece of advice from Taylors of Harrogate is the inclusion of price marked packs “Don’t underestimate the importance of PMPs within the tea category in conven ience stores,” Murphy warns. “ They give consumers confi dence in pricing, making them more likely to purchase Customers are becoming more conscious of everything they buy, including everyday items As PMPs communicate value to the customer, and help independents build trust with their consumer base by offering consistent pricing, PMPs will become more important in the convenience sector
Manufacturersarecontinuingtogenerateexcitementintheconfectionerycategorywith NPDandlimitededitionswhilealsopromotingPMPsasapopularchoicewithshoppers.
increasedinterestindarkchocolate–arebeing tappedintobysuppliers,whoarealsohighlighting HFSS-compliantsweetstohelpthetradefulfilthe newregulationsandprice-markedpackstodelivervalue.
MondelezInternational hasextendeditsGreen&Black’s OrganictabletsrangewithSmoothbarsinPlain50%Cocoa andMintvariants(90gbars,rsp£2).
BrandmanagerAlantaMoodleysays:“Consumersare moreinterestedinorganicproductsthan everbefore–infacttheorganicmarketis nowworthalmost£2.8billion.
“What’smore,wefoundthat29%of chocolateconsumerswouldliketotry darkchocolatebutmanyimagineittobe toobitter.TheSmoothbarsaimtoattract thesedarkchocolateaspirants,providing aperfectlybalancedintensityofourfinest organicandethically-sourcedsun-dried cocoabeansforadeliciouslysmooth,less bitterdarkchocolate.”
Thelaunchwillbesupportedbyamarketingcampaign spanningin-store,out-of-home,cinemaanddigitalactivities.
Thisyear,Mondelezhasstimulatedconsumerinterestand demandwithanumberofnewproducts.
growth(Nielsen)andattractingincrementalyoungeradult consumers,”saysNash.
Alimitededition,Golden,hasalsobeenintroducedfor Toblerone.“TobleroneGoldenisperfectasaseasonalgift, helpingretailerstodrivepremiumsalesandtradeupwitha remarkableanddistinctivelimited-editionoffer,”saysNash.
Thenewlinewillalsohelpretailersappealtoyounger adultshoppers(Kantar),whohaveshownanappetiteforthe caramelisedwhitechocolateusedinTobleroneGolden. CaramelisedwhitewasthebiggestchocolateNPDin2021by morethandoublethesecondplaceNPD,worth£18.5million atretailsalesvalue(Nielsen).
MarsWrigley isalsocapitalisingon consumertrends–thedarkchocolate segmentisgrowingby15%(Nielsen) andDarkMaltesersappealtoconsumers lookingforamoreintensecocoaexperience.Madewith65%morecocoaand 30%lesssugarthanoriginalMaltesers, DarkMaltesersalsomeetthedemand formorepermissiblesweettreats–a reductioninsugarcontentisoneof thetopthreeprioritiesforshoppers(IGD).
DarkMaltesersareavailableina£1PMPtreatbag.With halfofallconveniencebasketsincludingPMPs(KamCity), thisisasignificantopportunityforwholesalerstomaximise sales,saysthecompany.
AnotherrecentinnovationfromMarsWrigleyisSkittles SquishyCloudz–thefirstproductfromthecompanythatsits withinthegummysegment.Theaeratedgummieshavethe intensefruityflavoursofSkittleswhile offeringadifferenttexturetorecruit newconsumers.
Insugarconfectionery,thecompanyintroducedthe Juiciesrange,comprisingMaynardsBassettsWineGums Juicies,MaynardsBassettsSportsMixJuiciesandThe NaturalConfectioneryCoJuicy Snakes.Theproductscontainfruit juiceandnaturalcoloursandflavours.
“ThenewJuiciesbagsareHFSScompliant,meaningtheyarenotsubjecttotherestrictionsnowinplaceand retailerscansitetheproductsanywhere instore,”pointsouttradecommunicationsmanagerSusanNash.
Meanwhile,inchocolate,anewlimited-editionflavour,SaltedCaramel, hasjoinedtheCadburyWispaGoldrangeinasingle45gbar.
“WispaGoldSaltedCaramelisthelatestwayinwhich Wispaisdeliveringvaluetothesinglescategorythrough innovation.On-trendandrelevantnewflavoursareakey growthdriverinchocolate,accountingfor28%ofcategory
MarsWrigleysaysitisessential thatmainfixturescontainbest-selling brandsandanyNPDbecause45%of confectioneryproductsarepickedup directlyfrommainfixtures(Lumina). Increasingthevisibilityofmust-stock itemswillcreatemoreintrigueforconsumers,resultinginhighersales,it adds.Theseproductsshouldbeplaced ateye-level,orbuy-level,inordertoachievethis.
Swizzels hasalsobeenbusythisyear,introducingseveral newlinestotemptconsumers.
FollowingalicensingdealwithUniversal,itproduceda limited-editionMinions-themedrangeofconfectioneryto coincidewiththeUKreleaseof Illumination’sMinions:The RiseofGru inthesummer.
ThecollectionincludesaBanana&Blueberryflavourof Squashies,MinionsTropicalChewBarsinPeach& PassionfruitandMango&Pineappleflavours,andMinions TropicalFizzindividualchewbars.
Meanwhile,inthe£24millionmallowscategory(IRI), SwizzelsintroducedMarvellousMallowsinDrumstickraspberry&milkflavour.Thesecomeina£1price-markedpack.
“Inourcurrentcost-of-livingcrisis,over53%ofBritons surveyedarehavingtoreducespendingtopaytheirbills (TWC),”sayssalesdirectorMarkWalker.“Assuch,PMPsare amuststockforretailersastheyprovidevaluereassurance toshoppers.Infact,58%ofshopperspreferretailersthatsell productswithpriceonthepackaging(TWC).”
thatitskeymarketingactivitiesandNPDaresupported.And in2023itwillberunningmorecompetitionsforretailers, whocanwinfreestockfortheirstoresandcashprizes.
StorckUK isanothersupplierthatputsresourcesinto promotingitsbrand–Werther’s–throughwholesale.
“ThisyearthebrandhascontinueditssupportofwholesalersthroughtheuseofbrandedPoSintheformofpallet wraps,shelfwobblers,posters, aisleflagsandbusstopstohelp driveawarenessandstand-outat depots,”saysmanagingdirector AndyMutton.
“Werther’sOriginalisnownot onlya£27millionbrandbutalso theUK’sNo.1caramelbrand(IRI). Itspopularityisdemonstratedby thefactthat15%ofUKhouseholdspurchasedWerther’sOriginalintheyeartomidJune 2022(Kantar).”
Squashies,whichcomein£1PMPhangingbagsanda 50pPMPtreatsize,havegrownby2.4%overthepastyear andareknownastheNo.1sweetsbrandintheUK(IRI).
“PriceistheNo.1factorwhenpurchasingsinglesconfectionery(Lumina)sothis50pPMPisamuststockforwholesalerslookingtoattractretailers,”saysWalker.
Fortherestoftheyear,SwizzelshasimpactfulPoSdisplaysforcash&carries,wholesalersandretailers,ensuring
a Displayacorerangecoveringsingles,duos,blocks, bagsandgifting.
a Allocatethespaceaccordingtosalespotential,giving morespacetobestsellers.
a Highlightbest-sellinglines.
a Haveclearpricing,showingclearcashmargins.
a OfferbothPMPandnon-PMPlines.
a Encourageretailerstomakethemostoftheseasonal opportunity,forexamplebydisplayingonrackendsat appropriatetimes.
a EnsureNPDandpromotionalproductsarestockedin advanceofconsumermediaandworkwithsuppliers whoaresupportinglaunchesandcreatingconsumer awareness.
a 32%ofretailerspurchaseconfectioneryfromthemain aislesocreateimpactfuldisplaystocatchtheeyesof retailerswhentheyaremakingpurchasedecisionsin depot.Displayingproductsbythetillpointisoneofthe mosteffectiveplacements.
a Usethecategoryknowledgeofsupplierswhohelpto promotebestpracticetoretailers,includingsharing planograms.
a Adviseretailersaboutspendingstrategy–some retailersgoforbestmarginbutthat’snotalwaysthebest approach.Agreatmarginonaproductthatdoesn’tsell isn’thelpful.
Source:Mondelez
www.cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk
PerfettiVanMelle isthelargestsupplierofsugar-free sweetsintheUK,anditssugar-freerangeisgrowingby22% yearonyear.
TalkingabouttheimpactofthenewHFSSregulationson theconfectionerycategory,marketing&trademarketing directorMarkRobertssays:“Confectioneryisoneofthetop fivecategoriespurchasedonimpulseinconveniencestores (Lumina),andthereisaclearopportunitytoprovideshopperswithmoresugar-freeandbetter-for-youproductsthat offerportioncontrolandaddedhealthbenefits–thiswillbe vitalinsupportingcategorygrowthgoingforwards.”
AnothertrendhighlightedbyPerfettiVanMelleisthe increasedinterestinveganism.“Withover1.6millionvegans nowlivingintheUK(finder.com),andVeganuaryhittingtwo milliontotalparticipantsthisyear,appetiteforhealthyalternativesisnotgoingaway,”Robertspointsout.TheFruittella gelatine-freerangeisnowworth£1.52million(IRI).
KervanGida recentlylaunchedBebetoJustBears, describingthemasthe‘goldstandardofgummybears’.The sweetscontainrealfruitjuiceandnoartificialcolours,and areHalalcertified.Eachpackcontainsupto12flavours:apple,lime, blueraspberry,pineapple,mango, watermelon,lemon,orange,cherry, strawberry,grapefruitandgrape.
GabriellaEgleton,seniorbrand manager,says:“Bebetoisallabout enjoyingthelittlethingsinlifeand creatingmomentsofhappiness,and ourJustBearsNPDistheperfect exampleofthis.Wearebringing genuineexcitementtothecategoryandindoingsowewillbe helpingdriveextrasalesforourcustomersallyearround.”
BebetoJustBearsareavailablein£1PMPsaswellasnonPMPs.£1PMPrangesarethemaindriverofconfectionery salesgrowthinconvenienceandimpulse,andrepresent 70%ofthesharingsegment(Lumina).Egletonadds:“PMPs arealsoagreatwayforretailerstounderlinetheirstore’s valueoffering,withovertwo-thirdsofconsumersagreeing thatPMPsprovideaguaranteethattheyarenotpayingmore thantheyshould(Lumina).”
KPSnacks haslaunchedits‘bestever’
TyrrellsVegCrisps.
Tyrrellshasinvestedinnewtechnology,includingverticalovens,tofry,dry andspinitsVegCrisps‘toperfection’.
Theproductisavailableinthree variants:VegCrispswithSeaSalt,Veg CrispswithBalsamicVinegar&SeaSalt, andSweetPotatoCrispswithSeaSalt.
TyrrellsisalreadytheNo.1vegetable crisp,witha43%share(Nielsen).
DanWinslet,globalTyrrellsmarketingcontroller,says:“Wearedelighted tobelaunchingourbesteverTyrrells VegCrispsinlinewithourcommitment todeliverthetastiestpremiumsnacks.”
PernodRicard hasunveiledalimitededitiondesignforBeefeaterLondon Dry.
London-basedartistLakwenahas giventheginaboldmakeoverthatcelebrates‘TheSpiritofLondon’inaway thatreflectsthemulti-culturaland multi-facetedmake-upofthecity.
TheBeefeaterxLakwenadesignis availableon70cl,75clandone-litreformatsacrosstheUKonandoff-trade.
Tosupportthelaunch,Lakwenahas takenovertheBeefeaterDistilleryin Londonwithalarge-scalemural.There arealsoactivationsatBoxpark ShoreditchandCroydon.
MondelezInternational haslauncheda promotiononbelVitaaspartofthe brand’s‘PositiveEnergy’campaign.
Shopperswillhavethechanceto winoneof250prizesincludingSpotify andNetflixgiftcards,LifestylevouchersandHeadspacesubscriptions.
Additionally,allentrantswillbe enrolledintoagrandprizedraw,with fivewinnersbeingawardeda£650gift card.
Thepromotionisrunningacrossthe range,includingthethreenewnonHFSSadditions:belVitaFruitCrunch (Raisin&CurrantandApple&Pear)and belVitaSoftBakesFilledApricot.
BirdsEye hasintroduceditsplantbasedGreenCuisineBatteredFishless Filletsintothefoodservicechannel.
Thelaunchfollowsonfromthesuccessofthebrand’sFishlessFingers, whichfeaturethesamericeprotein fillingbutwithBirdsEye’ssignature goldencrumbcoating.
GerardPurnell,businessdevelopmentcontrollerforfoodserviceatBirds Eye,says:“Ourmissionistomakethe benefitsofplant-basedfoodaccessible toall,aswellascapitalisingonthe hugeopportunityforthefishlesscategorywithinthegrowingfoodservice sector.”
BoostDrinks hasexpandeditsJuic’d 500mlrangewiththelaunchofanew flavour–TropicalFruitSourPunch.
Thenewlinehasanrspof£1and joinsthethreeexistingvariants–Mango&TropicalBlitz,Watermelon& LimeTwistandPineapple&Guava Punch–whichBoostDrinksintroduced inMaytotapintothe500mlcansegmentofenergydrinks,whichisseeing 28%growth(IRI).
AdrianHipkiss,marketing&internationalbusinessdirector,says:“Dueto theunbelievablefeedbackandsales todateofournewJuic’drange,we wantedtoaddanewboldflavour.”
DelphisEco haslaunchedtwo-litre refillsforseveralofitscleaningproductswiththeaimofhelpingconsumers tosavetimeandmoney.
Refillsarenowavailableforthe company’sMulti-PurposeCleaner, BathroomCleaner,Anti-BacterialHand Soap,HeavyDutyDegreaserandMultiPurposeDescaler,withfurtherrange extensionstofollow.
DelphisEcoisclaimedtobethe mostenvironmentally-friendly,effective cleaningproductrangeavailableto consumers.Productsareplant-based, veganandbiodegradable,whilealso ‘extraordinarilypowerful’.
