Expoview issue 09

EXPO VIEW

bi-monthly Newsletter

September 2013 ISSUE No9

EXPO VIEW

TOP STORY Gift Box for any occasion

Giftbox for any occasion Exceptional collection of unique products

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In this Issue:

TOP STORY : Giftbox for any occasion.

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BUSINESS ISSUES: What should we expect with the new harvest

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BUSINESS ISSUES: Future is here are you ready for it?

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BUSINESS ISSUES: Snapshot of global Top 250 retailers

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BUSINESS ISSUES: Czech and Slovak RepublicPapadimitriou success story...

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BUSINESS ISSUES: Tradition changes even in the food purchasing...

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GREEN PLANET: Three fold focus on sustainability-think out of the box

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ON THE ROAD: Fine Food Australia 2013 Anuga 2013 Invitation

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he holiday shopping season is upon us and for business owners selecting meaningful and useful gifts can be a real challenge.

Holiday gifts for clients, customers, suppliers and employees should send the message that each individual is valued, and at the time gifts should be practical in nature, so recipients can actually use them.

Even though small businesses may be struggling in an adverse Economic environment, buying gifts for your customers is just as important as ever.

Business gifts giving is in reality an investment in your company. You can solidify the relationships you have with current customers and reestablish relationships with marginal customers.

Gift giving at the holidays is also a way to strengthen bonds with family and friends.

Expoaid & Fos Products present a unique gift.

A gift to remember!

Fos gift box is a box full of Greek Traditional Flavors and representative products.

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360gr glass jar of Original Greek Kalamata Olives. A unique olive variety with purple color ,almond shape and crunchy texture.

150ml Balsamic vinegar in spray. Unique, exclusive product, from sun dried currants , without any additives.

150ml EXV olive oil in spray. Solely from olives cultivated in mountainous groves of Peloponnese region of Greece.

110gr Sea salt flakes with wild oregano.

100% Natural Sea salt flakes non proceeded shaped by the sea with Wild oregano rich in essential oils & medicinal properties.

190gr Sun dried cherry tomatoes in oil. From quality-controlled fruit grown on the fertile plains around the Nestos River Delta, dried at moderate temperatures using geothermal energy

Well chosen gifts have the ability to be effective tools for both internal and external communication. A unique gift to remember, is that gift, which shows you are familiar with what the other person cares about, no matter what its cost.

Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905

EXPO VIEW

BUSINESS ISSUES

What should we expect with the new harvest around the corner ...

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he predictions of Spanish trade unions along with Infaoliva, state that at the end of September which signifies the end of the season 2012-13, we should expect stocks of 300.000 tons of olive oil compared to 692.000 tones we had for the corresponding season 2011-12.

The new harvest will begin in early December, which is a little later than usual, due to the spring drought of 2013.

Following their last years looming predictions about reduced crop they are now calling upon the spring drought, although they cannot make claims and insinuations about smaller olive oil production this year in order to manipulate prices at higher levels. Spanish crop is estimated to reach 1.200.000 tons for this year and this constitutes a respectable size crop.

In the context of the international environment we have to note that crops of Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Turkey are expected to be lower than last year.

What conclusion could we draw based on the above? We believe that a significant effort will be made to maintain the prices of olive oil elevated levels.

The discussion rotates around stocks with no reference to what will happen to the excess stock created by the decreasing

exports and the shrinking consumption in the olive oil producing countries which are heavily affected by the adverse economic situation.

There is an pressing need for IOOC support programs.

Argentina will soon surpass Greece in olive oil production, while Italy has the potential to attain the Spanish production levels. We see new countries entering olive oil production, as they manage to overcome natural obstacles with the help of modern technology. One of these players is Saudi Arabia, with cultivations that exceed 2.000.000 of trees per single cultivar.

Cracked Green Olives - Taste is revived

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rushed Green olives are a category of traditional edible Greek olives, which has almost disappeared from the Greek and the International market.

Despite its small presence and infamous status, this olive category is in demand by the Middle East countries, who covered their needs by imports from Syria and Tunisia, with a Spanish type carved Green olives.

As from last year FOS initiated the production of this olive category, following a traditional recipe and production methods, based on the three varieties used for this, Navplion olive, Megara, olive and Athinoelia.

These three olive varieties are also used for olive extraction and have a slightly larger olive fruit than the traditionally used olive oil producing varieties with a smaller kernel.

The olives need to be collected green in order to get crushed – not sliced and processed with water and salt to remove their bitterness, and lemon to keep their natural green color intact.

After processing they are tucked in tanks with new sea salt brine, with the addition of thyme or green chili peppers. They have a characteristic taste of fresh green olive oil and the aromas of fresh olives.

Crushed olives can be used in salads, and in many recipes (pitted) or as an appetizer.

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Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905

EXPO VIEW

BUSINESS ISSUES

Future is here… are you ready to for it?

New strategies to tackle change

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he retail industry is in the midst of a customer revolution The retail paradigm has shifted from a single physical connection point with customers to a multi-pronged approach that crosses both physical and digital channels. The traditional bricks-andmortar retail store is no longer the dominant medium for purchasing goods. Instead, it serves as one of many potential connection points between customers and a retailer’s brand.

As one industry observer has noted, “While physical stores may have once enjoyed the advantage of crafting cool shopping experiences, the aesthetics of the iPad and all the social sharing surrounding online shopping today are now shifting that advantage to online retailers.”3 However, many retailers are struggling to take advantage of the increasing number of channels available to them for connecting with customers. Further, they are neglecting to make appropriate investments in technology, operations and talent that would better equip them for seizing control of these channels.

Retailers’ technology can be disparate and fragmented, and multiple physical locations can drive an unsustainable cost structure that is not flexible and often underperforms. Additionally, employees often lack the knowledge, training and tools necessary to facilitate a shopping experience that engages customers across a variety of channels and extends beyond the traditional shopping experience. As a result, many retailers are falling behind in the race to offer a unique and comprehensive experience with their brand that keeps pace with customers’ ever-evolving attitudes and expectations.

Retailers must develop an integrated strategy that aligns talent, physical space, processes, marketing and merchandising to meet consumer demands. This strategy should be supported by emerging technologies and continually adapted to remain relevant to the customer of tomorrow.

A robust retail strategy must include:

strong vision of the experience the customer desires across all channels • A nimble operating model that can adapt as the retail environment changes • A deep understanding of how to support the vision through inventive digital solutions and retail technologies, such as playbooks to make operational the omni-channel strategy.

It is time for retailers to push the boundaries in delivering a connected customer experience, and they can start with three key areas:

• A

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Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905

EXPO VIEW

BUSINESS ISSUES

Snapshot of global Top 250 Retailers

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espite difficult economic conditions, the global retail industry continued to grow, building on the rebound in growth that started in 2010. Sales-weighted, currency-adjusted retail revenue rose 5.1% to US$4.271 trillion for the world’s Top 250 retailers in fiscal 2011, building on the previous year’s 5.3% growth.

More than 80% of the Top 250 retailers (204 companies) posted an increase in retail revenue with most of the companies experiencing declining total sales being due to business sales or restructuring rather than a deterioration of their core business.

The Top 250 maintained a healthy 3.8% composite net profit margin in 2011, matching the industry’s 2010 result. Nearly all of the companies that disclosed their bottom-line results (181 of 194 reporting companies) operated at a profit in 2011.

However, fewer companies saw an increase in their net profit margin in 2011 following 2010’s improvement in profitability.

Composite return on assets was up slightly to 5.9% from 5.8% in 2010. The average size of the Top 250 in 2011, as measured by retail revenue, topped US$17 billion. The threshold to join the Top 250 in 2011 was US$3.7 billion.

From a global perspective, in the past year we have seen the economies of the United States, China, Japan, India and Brazil slow down as the impact of the European crisis has reached across the globe. Moreover, the slowdown in these critical economies influenced economic performance in their neighborhoods. For example, many economies in East Asia have been negatively influenced by the slowdown in China.

There continues to be significant uncertainty in these economies in 2013. This has had knock on effects on many other economies including Australia.

Observers who speak of the end of globalization are wrong, as are those who believe that the fate of emerging economies is no longer tied to that of developed economies. Thus, what happens in Europe will likely have a significant impact on the rest of the world.

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Top 250 quick stats, 2011

ail revenue $4.271 trillion-aggregate ret of Top 250 size of Top  $17.085 billion-average 250 retailers retail revenue  $3.721 billion-minimum 250 required to be among Top

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ar retail $5.1%-composite year-over-ye revenue growth compound 5.4%-2006-2011 composite revenue annual growth rate in retail margin 3.8%-composite net profit assets 5.9%-composite return on retail rev23.8%-percent of Top 250 s enue from foreign operation ies in 9.0-average number of countr e retail which Top 250 companies hav operations

Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905

EXPO VIEW

BUSINESS ISSUES

Czech and Slovak Republic Papadimitriou success story…

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n the past 18 months we have focused on our distribution expansion in the Czech and Slovak republic. After examining the market in cooperation with our distributor we started positioning in selected retail chains 2 products our Classic Balsamic vinegar and a Classic Balsamic cream.

The initial listings were fairly good, but what was amazing was the reaction of the consumers who embraced our balsamic cream creating room for further distribution and product range expansion. Successful product presentations, below the line activities and two cycles of PR in the electronic media & selected lifestyle magazines, lead to a distribution expansion into new chains, increasing our product range listed from 2 to 5 SKU’s.

Our main aim is to become a key ingredient for the Czech and Slovak consumers, who can find our products today in Billa, Ahold Hypermarkets, Makro, Tesco, Globus, Carrefour and Interspar. We keep supporting the products below the line but also above the line with TV cooking sponsorship and product placements. We are confident that our excellent quality and taste will place us on the top of the consumer preferences, establishing our brand as a synonym to Balsamic vinegar and cream in their minds.

FOS Olives debuts in...

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os olives have made their debut on the shelves of Intermarche in Belgium as a part of a Greek shelf including quality representative Greek food products. In the same context a range of 3 SKU’s was placed on the shelves of TESCO—UK. Greek products continue to gain ground among Italian and Spanish.

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The opportunity for “Greek sections” in the supermarkets truly exists and the response to those offering a quality range will be definitely positive.

Our aim is to offer the best, presenting Greek products exactly as they deserve, along with the well advertised Italian and Spanish products.

Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905

EXPO VIEW

BUSINESS ISSUES

Tradition changes, even in the food purchasing

Affording to be healthier?

Are dads beginning to rival moms for food purchasing decisions?

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hat we have been considering traditionally, was mom to be the only one who made nutrition and wellness a priority for the family.

Lately, among others , that tradition has changed too. As dad continues to elevate his role within the home he is becoming a even more influential force in the food purchase.

Surveys reveal that over 85% of respondents said they limit the amount of processed foods their family eats, over 75% said it’s important to know where their food comes from and more than 70% say they try to buy foods that are grown or raised locally.

Nutrition quality, taste and freshness ranked as the top three factors to influence food purchase for both moms and dads.

Moms and dads differ in how they find information.

Moms are more socially active in channels such as Pinterest and blogs, but both moms and dads tend to use magazine and food apps.

In a world, where everyone is looking for budget efficiencies and smarter engagement, there is an opportunity to implement a marketing mix that includes a variety of tools and platforms that successfully reach both moms and dads.

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Yes, you can! t is a common myth that processed snacks are cheaper than fruit and vegetables.

New research has found that an once of Lay’s potato chips (around 15 chips) cost 0.27$ compared to half a sliced cucumber at 0.14$.

Given the high rates of chronic diseases ,consumers should replace convenience foods and snacks with cheaper options like fruit and vegetables says the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

In addition to being cheaper than packaged snacks, fruit and vegetables have a better nutritional profile.

The once of Lay’s chips tots up 160 calories versus its half cucumber counter part which contains just five calories.

Typical snack foods are still too high in calories, fat, sodium and added sugars, and make few, if any, positive contributions to people’s diets.

Price is a key motivator for food purchases and while people buy snack foods for many reasons, people tend to think of them as inexpensive options compared to more nutritious fruits and vegetables.

However, the average price per serving of fruit and vegetable snacks was 0.34$ while processed snacks average at 0.67$.

Another hurdle in the push for people to make the transition from processed snacks to fruit and vegetables is that processed snacks are marketed to consumers much more than fruit and vegetables, which may in turn position these foods as more desirable and a better value.

Shelf-stable snacks also are more widely available than fresh product, so they are found in more retail venues, increasing people’s familiarity with those items.

It is time to reconsider the commonly held belief that fruits and vegetables are more expensive than unhealthy options. It is found that fruits and vegetables are often as, or more, affordable than less healthy snacks and side dishes. For example, people could save money by serving cauliflower rather crescent rolls at dinner or cucumber slices rather than potato chips with a sandwich. Fruits and vegetables also are lower in calories and often provide more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905

EXPO VIEW

Three fold focus on sustainability – think out of the box

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n our previous newsletters we have addressed the issue of sustainability individually from the side of the production or the consumption or distribution and we have seen some interesting insights highlighting what should be done to improve on each focus separately.

Voices are now raised claiming that we need to find ways to approach sustainability in a more holistic way, examining all the above parts as an integral system.

Fundamentally, food sustainability was all about ensuring, that food production is possible indefinitely. This approach was neglecting improvements on the demand side or the distribution side of the system. Since then we have seen several discussions about how consumers should change their attitudes and how retail and distribution should be adopted to reach more sustain-

GREEN PLANET able goals. These approaches although useful, tend to fail in combination as we seldom view all aspects involved, interaction between the different parts of each chain and the possibilities and impossibilities set by the broader economic environment.

When potential solutions proposed to make a system sustainable are disjoint, there is lack of focus on nutritional quality and dietary requirements, human health, environmental and socioeconomic challenges, hence the system keeps working inefficiently, with millions starving while others have surplus of food.

To take that extra step we need to leave the single focus and exceeding attention to the production side of the coin. We have to realize that the system includes all three parts, production, consumption and distribution which are a part of a more comprehensive network of economic and socio-economics parameters.

“All natural in disguise” or how to pass a fake claim and get away with it...

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ood activists have been on a bit of winning spree this month. First, on July 3, Naked Juice agreed to pay $9 million after it was sued for using the term “all natural” on the labels of juices containing ingredients like cyanocobalamin, Fibersol®-2 and pyridoxine hydrochloride. It also agreed to remove the claims from its packaging. Less than two weeks later, on July 15, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) secured a settlement with Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, under which it would stop fortifying 7UP with Vitamin E and marketing the beverage as a source of “antioxidants.” Three days later, CSPI announced another win: a judge allowed a lawsuit against vitaminwater to go forward, letting plaintiffs challenge its health claims (including that the sugary beverage supported “optimal immune function,” could increase endurance, and reduced the risk of eye disease).

Though these cases focused on different terminology, the underlying arguments were the same: Through the deceptive marketing of artificially sweetened, highly processed, by-allaccounts-unhealthy foods, Big Food is misleading consumers into believing that these products are, in fact, nutritious.

But while these cases might be short-term wins, relatively small legal victories like these point to a gaping hole in our country’s food regulation: The failure of both the Food & Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission to monitor food marketing means that the only way to keep companies in line is to go the old-fashioned, expensive American route of litigation.

While the lawsuits have successfully removed a small number of

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specific labels from grocery shelves, not to mention provided a nice source of revenue for the lawyers bringing them, their large -scale impact on industry practice is limited.. PepsiCo might be committing an internal $1.4 million to fix its Naked Juice problems, but the food giant – which earned $12.53 billion in just the first quarter of 2013 – has yet to announce any plans to change the labeling on other so-called natural foods like its Frito-Lay Natural Cheetos, Quaker Natural Granola (whose ingredients include derivatives like inulin and glycerin), and Rain Strawberry Kiwi flavored Gatorade And, according to watchdog group Cornucopia, it spent nearly twice as much – $2.5 million – lobbying against California’s Proposition 37, which would have required proper GMO labeling on anything it sold in the state.

The main issue is that the system does not work to prevent such offences. Instead it has to overcome bureaucracy, legal hurdles, and its own functional deficiencies to support a lawsuit against an offence that should not happen in the first place if the system was functioning properly.

As long as lawsuits and not regulation are the main tool against food and beverage giants, Big Food is winning.

Source: Salon—Deena Shanker

Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905

EXPO VIEW

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ver 29 years, Fine Food Australia has consistently delivered exhibitors and visitors of the highest quality, with numbers expanding each year. Impressive post-show sales results have earned Fine Food Australia a reputation as the must-attend food industry event for consistent return on investment.

This year’s Fine Food Sydney exhibition was a reflection of the big changes in the industry.

It gave visitors the opportunity to see, touch and taste products and take advantage of the networking environment that’s proven to build relationships and drive business.

Over 24,000 trade visitors attended this event , including key buyers from major hotels, independent and major supermarkets, retail stores, caterers, fast food chains, aged care institutions, bakeries and international buyers from 50 countries.

Visitors, as they were expected to, saw specialty and bulk foods, beverages, cooking and hospitality equipment and machinery, bakery products, coffee and emerging food trends.

ON THE ROAD

Educational master classes, demonstrations and competitions took place throughout the four show days and included Bake Skills, the Great Aussie Pie Competition, Les Toques Blanches, Pizza Selection and the New Product Showcase.

Expoaid presented successfully at the exhibition Papadimitriou’s balsamic vinegars, balsamic creams and Mediterranean mustards. Products which are well known for their fine taste and high nutritional value.

Kalamata balsamic vinegar is an internationally successful product produced by Papadimitriou’s factory in the southern Peloponese. With its distinctively designed label, Kalamata balsamic vinegar can easily catch everyone’s eyes on the shelves of Coles stores all across Australia.

A small debute at Fine Food was made by Fos Products presenting its range of products, starting with the Greek Traditional olives.

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isit us at Anuga food and beverage fair fair 5th to 9th of October 2013, Cologne.

We will be present at this leading food fair for the retail trade and the food service and catering market presenting the full range of Fos and Papadimitriou products. We have a few surprises in our pocket… Innovation is something we strive to achieve and we believe that you will be impressed by what we have to offer.

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Parthenonos 1,N. Erythraia Athens146 71Greece info@expoaid.gr / Tel: +30 210 6250365 / Fax: +30 210 6209905