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NEWS Indie retailers con dent in Christmas despite widespread logistical challenges
By Greg Pitcher
Fine food retailers are tackling several logistical challenges in the run-up to the critical Christmas trading period.
Many independent businesses spoke about the approaches they were taking to overcome well-publicised supply-chain and resourcing issues this festive season.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak last month insisted there would be “good provision of goods for everybody” this Christmas a er former Tesco boss David Lewis was hired by the government to ease a spiralling logistics crisis. Shortages of lorry drivers and food production sta , as well as shipping bottlenecks, have led to gaps on shelves around the country, while nding sta for seasonal peaks is also tricky at the moment.
Daniel Williams, project manager at Cheshire-based Godfrey C Williams & Son, said logistics was the “biggest hurdle we face”.
“I am worried that some orders may not arrive for the rst couple of weeks of December – or even for Christmas at all,” he said. “Some of our suppliers are facing shipping problems, particularly with items like wicker hamper baskets shipped from China.
“Glacé fruits and almond essence are both new shortages this week, and we haven’t been able to source certain Irish cheeses for months.”
Rob Copley, owner of West Yorkshire farm shop Farmer Copleys, said he had heard of poultry shortages but was able to avoid these by dealing directly with a local farmer.
But he added: “The price of beef is going up as slaughterhouses are struggling for sta . We also asked an agency for 20 people to move pumpkins in October and they only sent us two.
“There will be big pressure on our sta over Christmas, we are squeezing everyone all the time.”
Shane Godwin, managing director of Kentbased Macknade, admitted that “logistics are a worry”.
“A lot of seasonal stock is drip-feeding in rather than arriving en masse,” he said. “Our biggest risk is butchery. Small cuts like beef ribs are a challenge and that drives up price. Sta ng has been an issue but is starting to settle down, we just have a few gaps le .
“It is di cult to say for sure if it will be a great Christmas but people are keen to make the most of this festive period. Our average spend is stronger than two years ago.”
Antonio Picciuto, owner of Buongiorno Italia in Hertfordshire, said: “Most of our suppliers have done well in keeping deliveries on time without any major hiccups. My frustration is with the couriers who deliver for our suppliers, as so much time has been wasted on tracking late parcels, and when the goods arrive they are o en damaged or even completely unsaleable.”
Short supply chains have led some independent retailers to have fewer concerns over the well-publicised turkey shortage
Calls for change in shopli law
A Liberal Democrat peer has called for a change in legislation to reduce levels of shop the .
Section 176 of the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 allows anyone accused of shop the where the value of the goods is less than £200 to plead guilty by post – similar to a parking ticket o ence.
However, Lord Navnit Dholakia has now submitted an amendment to the Police and Crime Bill that would seek the removal of this clause with immediate e ect. He said that there has been an increase in retail the in recent years, and that a greater deterrent would reduce this gure.
Warning over fraudulent complaint scam
An industry figure has urged food retailers to be vigilant after a number of outlets were targeted by apparently fraudulent demands for money.
The Craft Bakers Association issued an alert to its members warning them that the same mobile phone was being used to call outlets in different regions complaining of finding plastic in food purchased there to take away.
An online search for the phone in question revealed that a long list of businesses had received similar calls and claims for compensation.
The website Who Called Me records more than 3,500 searches for the number along with more than 60 comments about calls from it.
These detail a number of scam attempts, including “a lengthy story” about how the caller’s granddaughter had cut her lip on something within baked goods and blood had “covered their motorhome”. Many people reported a claim for compensation.
Craft Bakers Association operations director Karen Dear, pictured, said the body would consider calling in the police if the calls continued to affect members.
“We did this about six years ago,” she said. “Our industry was being targeted by an individual emailing our members to say they had found a foreign object in their product. This was eventually tracked down to an elderly lady in Luton, she received a caution and the issue ceased.”
Independent retailers were put on high alert earlier this year when Dominic Watkins, head of retail, food and hospitality at legal services firm DWF, said COVID compliance was becoming “the new PPI” for certain law firms seeking to bring claims.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT... COUNTERING CHRISTMAS SUPPLY ISSUES
ANTONIO PICCIUTO
BUONGIORNO
ITALIA
“We started our ordering much earlier and told suppliers to send all ambient stock immediately. This has caused us a storage problem, but we are managing. Our first panettone arrived mid-September and we have noticed that our clients are buying their favourites as soon as they are in.”
“We’re sticking to last year’s strategy: Keep it local. Keep it British. We’ve stocked up on some great new Cheshire food & drink products for this Christmas. As a contingency plan, I’ve set aside three days across November and December to go on collecting runs for food and drink if needed.”
“We’re moving things forward; our turkeys are online earlier for example as they are reared five minutes from our Faversham store. There are definitely more challenges than usual this Christmas, we have to watch the market. There is some vulnerability as we make sure we have the right items at the right price.”
DANIEL WILLIAMS GODFREY C WILLIAMS & SON
SHANE GODWIN MACKNADE FINE FOODS
NEWS ‘It’s on a knife edge’: warning on cumulative issues a ecting ne food trade this winter
By Greg Pitcher
Independent food retail bosses have warned of a tough winter as economic pressures squeeze shops and consumers.
Leading gures laid out the harsh realities facing ne food purveyors with government pandemic support schemes petering out and operational costs increasing steadily.
The furlough scheme ended in late September, as did the initiative allowing rms to claim back statutory sick payments to employees o with COVID-19. Meanwhile, VAT repayments deferred during the rst lockdown are now due for many, the Recovery Loan Scheme closes at the end of this year, and full business rates kick back in from early April.
Alongside this freezing of subsidies, retailers have been hit with rising costs for energy and fuel, while wages are also expected to go up over the winter. Shortages of lorry drivers and food production sta have led to higher prices for retailers, and customers are also feeling the pinch so have less cash in their pockets.
Georgie Mason, owner of Gonalston Farm Shop in the East Midlands, said it was going to be “a very, very di cult winter”.
“We can see another 25 per cent increase in the price of beef this year on top of the rise we’ve already had,” she said.
“Products aren’t coming in from Northern Ireland as they used to and we have manufacturers without the people to make products, so only a third of an order turns up. It’s a nightmare.”
Mason pointed out that the National Living Wage, which must be paid to employees aged 23 and over, is expected to rise to £9.42 per hour in April. “We will have to put our prices up, there is not a lot we can do. It is a double whammy as our costs are going up, but so are our customers’.”
Sangita Tryner, owner of Delilah Fine Foods in Nottingham, added that on top of the predicted legislative increases in pay, labour shortages were driving up wages.
“We are being squeezed,” she said. “We are staying healthy as a business but it is on a knife edge.
“Business rates are kicking back in, power costs are astronomical and there are pressures from sta asking for pay rises because they think jobs are ten-a-penny. So overheads are creeping up and there is only so much you can put on the price of a cup of co ee. I fear for some independents this winter –big time.”
Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, urged ministers ahead of the autumn statement to maintain large discounts on business rates for shops. He said independents had more than £2 billion in debts a er the pandemic.
Retailers have warned that rising costs will have to be passed on to the consumer
IN BRIEF
Walter Smith Fine As part of the Northern Foods has announced Irish government’s the closure of COVID recovery three stores in the programme, residents Midlands. The butcher are eligible to apply chain revealed to receive a £100 over Christmas that Spend Local prepaid its Denby Village, card to spend in local West Bromwich and businesses across Coventry shops would Northern Ireland. stop trading, leaving it nidirect.gov.uk with 11 outlets – many of which are within garden centres. Food and Drink Federation chief executive Ian Wright Tracklements has has warned that action hired Ben Hallam needs to be taken to for the role of curb the ‘terrifying’ rate commercial manager, of food inflation in the which includes UK. He warned of a identifying new market return to 1970s levels opportunities. Hallam of inflation if action joins the Wiltshire-was not taken. based condiment fdf.org.uk specialist after 11 years at dairy firm Yeo Valley. In the Autumn Budget, the chancellor Health food retailer announced an increase Planet Organic has in the minimum wage moved into the hot for over 22s to £9.50 food delivery market per hour from £8.91, and teamed up with giving full-time workers high-end service a pay rise of £1k a year.
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, Jeff Lawrie from J. Lawrie & Sons and broadcaster, Nigel Barden
Scottish kippers claim Great Taste Supreme Champion title
A er netting the Golden Fork from Scotland on three previous occasions, Ja y’s Mallaig Kippers – produced by Scottish family smokehouse J. Lawrie & Sons – has landed Great Taste’s top award. Read the full story on page 14.
Co-op launches Amazon grocery delivery service
The Co-op has launched an Amazon-based ordering service in England after success with the system north of the border.
The supermarket’s Bournemouth-based customers can select groceries from their local store through the online retail behemoth’s website and mobile app.
Amazon Prime members are eligible for same-day delivery on orders over £40 subject to availability.
Co-op on Amazon was launched in Glasgow in September and is expected to be rolled out in Nottingham soon, followed by more UK cities.
Chris Conway, head of e-commerce at the Co-op, said: “With convenience at the core of our approach, we are committed to finding new ways to expand access to our products and services, and are delighted to share our products on Amazon.
“Co-op on Amazon will offer shoppers a shopping experience with ease, speed and choice of great value products conveniently.”
Olivier Girard, head of Amazon UK Grocery Marketplace, added: “Our partnership with Co-op is another way for us to provide our Amazon Prime customers with more choice, value and convenience to shop for their everyday groceries.
“The launch of Co-op on Amazon means Prime members in Bournemouth will be able to use Co-op on Amazon as part of the benefits, at no extra cost, wherever it is available. Prime provides access to the best of Amazon, and we are looking forward to being able to expand the offering to more of the UK throughout the course of the year.”
NEWS New FRA research set to determine true value of British farm retail sector
By Tom Dale
A new research project is looking to quantify the impact that farm retail has on the UK’s economy, local communities and suppliers a er the industry grew during the COVID pandemic.
The study – launched by the Farm Retail Association (FRA) in collaboration with Shropshire-based Harper Adams University – hopes to build a clearer picture of the sector with a view to developing it further.
It is estimated that there are currently more than 1,000 premises nationwide coming under the de nition of ‘farm shop’, but the research will aim to clarify this gure and determine the wider impact of the stores.
Senior food retail & marketing lecturer at Harper Adams University Alastair Boot said there was evidence that consumers’ appetite for farm shops had grown during the pandemic, with retail patterns changing as shoppers tried to stay local.
“There is a need to build up a picture of the sector as a whole and its impact across the country – and this is where our research, commissioned by the Farm Retail Association, will come in,” he said. “Once we develop that clearer understanding, it can be used to make the case for the nation’s existing farm shops, and to help develop the sector further.”
Rob Copley, chairman of the FRA, said: “This is the biggest research project that the FRA has ever undertaken, and the results will y the ag for our industry.
“We are encouraging all farm retailers to take part in this nationwide survey to get a clear picture of what our sector is worth to the economy and re ect the vital role our farm retailers play in communities.
“This will then help not only promote farm retailers but also support those businesses with planning applications and funding bids.”
The survey results are expected in Spring 2022.
FRA members should have been contacted with a link to the survey, and the organisation is urging any who have not yet received it to get in contact. Non-member farm shop owners can complete the
After a raft of new openings during COVID, the FRA is taking stock
survey at harper-adams.
onlinesurveys.ac.uk/farmretail-survey-2
IN BRIEF
Walter Smith FineIn the year of Foods has anthe brand’s 40th nounced the closure of three stores anniversary in the UK, Filippo Berio has posted record sales in the Midlands. for 2021 of more than The butcher chain£50m. revealed over filippoberio.co.uk Christmas that its Denby Village,The British West BromwichIndependent Retail Association has and Coventry produced a series of shops would stop free posters to inform trading, leaving it with 11 outlets consumers about the recent contactless payment limit increase, – many of which advising them that until are within garden centres. terminals have been updated, the previous £45 limit will still be in Tracklements hasplace. hired Ben Hallambira.co.uk for the role of commercial manager,With COVID cases on which includes the rise again, eight identifying new in ten adults think social distancing is market opporimportant – but only tunities. Hallam four in ten actually do joins the Wiltshire-it, according to new research by the Office based condiment for National Statistics.
Bid to cut food ‘greenwashing’ DOWN ON THE FARM The latest from farm shops across the country
In a bid to minimise ‘greenwashing’ the Environment Agency has launched a project to standardise the measurement of the environmental performance of the food & drink sector.
The project aims to simplify the measuring and reporting of key environmental performance areas to enable consumers to make easier decisions, and it hopes the scheme will incentivise companies towards greener processes and operations.
The Food & Drink Federation broadly welcomed the initiative, though warned that methodologies for measuring ecoperformance varied widely. Minskip Farm Shop was last month crowned Farm Shop of the Year in the Yorkshire Post’s Rural Awards.
Beating off stiff competition from Farmer Copleys and Blacker Hall Farm Shop, the retailer was “thrilled” to win, and co-owner Emma Mosey praised the team’s hard work. “They deserve all the success in the world. We’re buzzing,” she said.
minskipfarmshop.com
A spacious new courtyard bar has been added to
Fordingbridge Farm
Shop in Hampshire, with plans for an expanded menu and a host of special events and guest chefs.
The family-run farm shop opened in January 2021 and specialises in nose-to-tail butchery and local produce from the New Forest and Cranborne Chase. The new courtyard bar, with heated marquee and seating for 100 customers, offers a wide range of wines, beers and spirits along with a menu showcasing produce from the farm shop.
fordingbridgefarmshop. co.uk
Farms to Fork is a new business built within a retirement village that is dedicated to being good for the environment and also striving to make a positive impact on the lives of families and the older population living in the area. They are also working with residents in a ‘Community Cultivation Project’, where local allotment societies donate home-grown fresh fruit and vegetables which are then sold to raise money for charity.
farmstofork.co.uk/aboutthe-farmshop
When closure struck its café and a huge part of its revenue at the beginning of lockdown, the Coldharbour Farm Shop team, inspired by the major growth in brewing and distilling on their doorstep, decided to create a gin that was synonymous with the area.
‘Flaming Barrel’ Gin made a successful debut at the Ottery St Mary Food & Families Festival earlier this month.
