Ulster Grocer January Yearbook 2017

GROCER ULSTER

TM

Over 40 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

JANUARY YEARBOOK 2017

N O. 1 M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E LO C A L G R O C E R Y S E C TO R

ULSTER GROCER YEARBOOK AND TRADE DIRECTORY JANUARY 2017

Tel: +44 (0)28 9099 4202 www.hendersonfoodmachinery.com

GROCER ULSTER

TM

Over 40 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

JANUARY YEARBOOK 2017

N O. 1 M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E LO C A L G R O C E R Y S E C TO R

Brexit could slash jobs growth and incomes but boost retail sales

BY CLAIRE MCNEILLY

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orthern Ireland is bracing itself for a slowdown in job creation and a fall in real wages as Brexit and other global factors take their toll.

Consumers will also feel the squeeze as the economy falters, the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC) said.

But the good news is we will stop short of a recession. The warning of challenging times ahead follows a buoyant year marked by local jobs growth of 3.3% in the 12 months to September - well ahead of the UK average of just 1.3% over the same period.

UUEPC Associate Director Gareth Hetherington said that, despite the recent employment growth, future economic uncertainty should not be played down.

“We’re still forecasting wage growth, but inflation is also going to rise,” he said. “Annual earnings will increase, but it won’t be as much as this year and last year and people will start to feel the squeeze. We’re going to see lower levels of growth on the back of the uncertainty caused by Brexit, higher levels of inflation and other global

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economic factors, but it’s a slowdown in growth, it’s not a recession.”

Hetherington predicted the economy would start improving towards the end of the decade as greater certainty emerged, prompting growth rates to pick back up. “We also expect there to be additional tourism and retail spending, driven by the depreciation in sterling, and that should partially offset the slowdown in business investment,” he said.

“However, the difference between our most optimistic and pessimistic scenarios is stark. The jobs growth forecast ranges from a loss of 4,500 over the next decade to an increase of almost 90,000, such is the level of uncertainty.”

Proffered as the most likely scenario, the UUEPC Winter Outlook suggests that 32,500 jobs could be created over the next decade, with the biggest hike expected in administration and support services.

Other sectors on the rise are the construction industry and accountancy, while there is expected to be no growth at all in retail, and a decline in banking and insurance.

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A YEAR IN PICTURES

INDUSTRY COMMENTARIES

Looking back at key events in 2016

Trade offers reflections and forecasts

Administration and support services, which have grown very strongly over the past few years and continue to offer the biggest growth, include agency workers, whom Hetherington said could become more important in the near future.

He also warned that the Executive could not hide behind Brexit as an excuse for failing to address our long-standing economic challenges.

Economist John Simpson stressed that the immediate impact of the EU referendum had not been as significant as many forecasters anticipated, but he added that living standards in Northern Ireland would drop as Brexit was implemented.

“Real wages in Northern Ireland will fall by £300 in 2018 (based on an average local wage of £20,000),” he said. “The figures show that this year wages grew by 3% in Northern Ireland, while inflation was just under 1%.

“But although salaries are predicted to rise by 5% in 2018, inflation is expected to be 3.5%, meaning that consumers will be less well off. It gets worse in 2020 because wage growth is due to be less than 3% and inflation is 4%, which indicates that living standards will fall as Brexit is implemented.”

25-29

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STAR STORES

UG MARKETING AWARDS

Showcasing retail sector excellence

Entry for 2017 Awards is now open

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FORWARD

email: info@ulstergrocer.com

Volume 52, Number 1 January 2017 Editor: Alyson Magee E: a.magee@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Contributors: Michele Shirlow, Donald McFetridge, Jason Winstanley, Chloe Ormiston Sales Manager: Mark Beckett E: m.beckett@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Senior Accounts Manager: Michelle Kearney E: m.kearney@independentmagazinesni.co.uk

A lasting legacy for Northern Ireland food and drink

BY SIMON HAMILTON MLA, MINISTER FOR THE ECONOMY

Art Editor: Stuart Gray Production Manager: Stuart Gray

Ulster Grocer c/o Independent News & Media Ltd, Belfast Telegraph House 33 Clarendon Road Clarendon Dock Belfast BT1 3BG Web: www.ulstergrocer.com @ulstergrocer www.facebook.com/ulstergrocer Subscriptions: £27.50 per month £37.50 outside UK

Designed & Produced by: Independent News & Media Ltd Tel: 028 9026 4000 Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim Tel: 028 9446 3911

N Independent News & Media Ltd ©2017. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or stransmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Independent News & Media Ltd.

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www.ulstergrocer.com

orthern Ireland has always had a fantastic food and drink offering. The industry is going from strength to strength with world-class, awardwinning produce which was clearly showcased this year with the extremely successful Year of Food & Drink.

The Year of Food & Drink was good for business, good for tourism, and a boost for Northern Ireland’s reputation as a country that takes taste, quality and food provenance seriously. It was a prime opportunity to remind ourselves, and tell the world, about our regional specialities, traditional recipes, innovative products and exciting culinary experiences.

With its unprecedented numbers of local and international foodie events and festivals, and growing consumer awareness of local brands, the last year also illustrated that Northern Ireland’s food and drink is very much something to be proud of.

We genuinely have a food and drink sector with national and global potential.

I attended several of these events and was extremely impressed by how well it was embraced across the tourism and hospitality industry, the grocery and agri-food sectors, internationally, and in social media.

Our achievements speak for themselves. The record breaking success of Northern Ireland companies in the Great Taste awards, and in particular Peter Hannan’s the Meat Merchant, now the most successful UK and Ireland company in the history of the competition, was truly impressive.

Indeed, Northern Ireland’s food and drink sector won a total of 303 gold stars, a fantastic achievement that illustrates how our initiative has helped to highlight and promote a sector which is absolutely key to our economy and tourism.

Other notable successes included success at the Irish Quality Food Awards, where Genesis Crafty won a coveted Gold award, 10 products from Northern Ireland companies gained category awards, 16 were highly commended, and 11 were commended.

At the Blas na hÉireann, Irish Food Awards, Northern Ireland companies achieved 45 awards including 19 golds, 13 silver and 12 bronze awards.

But we cannot rest on our laurels. My Department, through Invest NI, is committed to helping those already exporting to sell more in established and new markets and to providing practical support and advice to those wishing to become successful exporters.

To support export focused activity, Invest NI has a dedicated Food & Drink Business Development team covering Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland, Europe and Middle/Far East. Additionally specialist agents are in place servicing export/ business development in Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

In the last 12 months almost 200 food buyers have visited NI from GB, ROI, Spain, Italy, Dubai, Kuwait, Hong Kong and Mexico to participate in Meet the Buyer events with NI companies. Last November 10 NI companies visited Food Hotel China in Shanghai, and in February 2017, 12 more companies will be on display at Gulfood in Dubai, all of which clearly emphasises the need for our companies to continue to be both visible and outgoing in taking their products to growing world markets.

I firmly believe 2016 leaves us with a strong foundation upon which to build further success.

2017 is the time to continue the momentum to ensure that our achievements endure in terms of our reputation, food and drink culture, and the tourism economy.

COMMENT & NEWS

Flexibility required as retail market evolves in 2017 W hat a year 2016 has been: Brexit, Trump and, on a more personal note for Ulster Grocer, a fairly significant change with its sale alongside three sister titles to Independent News & Media and subsequent move to Clarendon Dock.

For the grocery industry, of course, 2016 was notable as Year of Food & Drink, which gave local food and drink manufacturers a fantastic marketing platform to build on while also strengthening their links with many of the grocery retailers operating in Northern Ireland from independent shops to locallybased symbol groups and large multiples.

Brexit, meanwhile, potentially ushers in many negatives from economic depression - if not recession – and price inflation to a worker shortage and export limitations but, as the news stories on p3 and below indicate, may also yield positives such as greater support for local sourcing and a boost for local food and drink sales driven by a weakened sterling.

Our retail sector has become increasingly adept at adapting to changing market conditions and, no doubt, will respond accordingly in 2017. Wishing a happy and prosperous New Year to all our readers and advertisers.

Alyson Magee

‘Born And Braised’ named Northern Ireland’s New Signature Dish

Farmers ‘could benefit from Brexit if consumers turn to local produce’

B Bull and Ram’s Kelan McMichael, Tourism NI’s Finola Guinnane and Browns Restaurant and Ardtara Houses’ Ian Orr unveil Northern Ireland’s New Signature Dish.

‘B

orn and Braised’ has been announced as Northern Ireland’s New Signature Dish at a grand unveiling, in front of a crowd of foodie fans, at Belfast’s St George’s Market.

As part of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink 2016, Tourism NI tasked four of our top chefs to create Northern Ireland’s New Signature Dish and, following weeks of testing, collaboration and deliberation, the chefs produced a shortlist of three dishes - Born and Braised, Jowled Eel and Buttermilked Lamb - before the winner was crowned.

The four creative minds, referred to as the ‘cooking collective’, who created the final three dishes are Niall McKenna from James Street South in Belfast; Ian Orr from Browns Restaurant and Ardtara House in Derry~Londonderry; Kelan McMichael from Bull and Ram in Ballynahinch; and Chris McGowan from Wine and Brine in Co Armagh.

“The three dishes prepared by the ‘cooking collective’ are completely new to the dining scene in Northern Ireland and are made from only the best of our local produce,” said Naomi Waite, director of marketing, Tourism Northern Ireland. “While the Born and Braised, Buttermilked Lamb and Jowled Eel dishes are of restaurant quality, the recipes are available on the Discover Northern Ireland website and can easily be cooked, adapted and enjoyed at the dinner table at home.”

Ian Orr, Browns Restaurants and Ardtara Country House Hotel, said: “It’s been lots of fun working with the other guys to come up with a new signature dish for Northern Ireland.

I am really pleased with how all the dishes have turned out and delighted that the people of NI have chosen the winning dish for themselves.”

Chris McGowan, Wine and Brine, said: “The diversity and quality of produce available across Northern Ireland is astounding and we have showcased just some of it in our three finalist dishes. We hope that everyone enjoys making the winning dish at home - and remember to support local producers when buying your ingredients.”

rexit could be a blessing for farmers, with the soaring cost of imports set to see retailers and consumers turn to home-grown food, according to the boss of a Northern Ireland company.

Jack Hamilton, director of Co Down pre-pack vegetable business Mash Direct, said local farmers “absolutely” stood to benefit after the June 23 vote sent the value of the pound down and the cost of imports up.

However, concerns over the status of EU workers continue to linger over the industry. Hamilton also said that the decision to quit the bloc had prompted questions over the source of store-bought groceries.

“In the foodservice industry, the provenance conversation came up after the foreign exchange conversation,” he said. “In the UK, we still import a lot of our vegetables, which is crazy when we produce such high-quality vegetables here.

“With Brexit, it’s making people question things more than they used to, and all of that is a positive if you’re a UK farmer.

If you’re producing the stuff here, you can really go out and really shout about it, and people want to listen.”

The firm grows and packs ready-cook vegetables including mashed potatoes, red cabbage, beetroot, cauliflower cheese and seasonal Brussels sprouts from its farms in Co Down.

“All of this stuff is happening now, and retailers are wanting to talk about it and foodservices are wanting to talk about it all - it’s creating conversations we want to have,” he said. “Brand Britain is a bigger deal than it was 12 months ago.”

The family-run business was founded by his father, Martin, in 2004 and has been growing steadily since.

Hamilton expects full-year revenues to have reached £15m once annual accounts close in February.

However, Mash Direct is one of a number of businesses that may have to grapple with employee shortages in the future if EU nationals lose their right to work in the UK as a result of the Brexit vote.

Approximately a third of the company’s 180-strong workforce is made up of foreign nationals.

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NEWS

Mixed year for supermarket sector

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ritain’s biggest supermarkets had a mixed year, with stories of herculean turnarounds under new bosses, the rise and rise of Lidl and some of the worst corporate results in history grabbing most of the headlines.

Against the backdrop of a brutal price war, Asda reeled off a series of shocking sales figures indicating that it was losing the battle and the plot.

This culminated in the departure of boss Andy Clarke, after which it recorded a 7.5% plunge in like-for-like sales in the second quarter; its worst performance on record.

Its US owner Walmart parachuted in another Clarke, Sean, to replace him and he immediately set about slashing prices on hundreds of products as the grocery giant attempted to regain customers.

He at least arrested the decline. In November, Asda reported another hefty fall in sales, but this time it was only 5.8% on a like-for-like basis.

Tesco is also in recovery mode as Dave Lewis attempts a clean break with the shambolic reign of

his predecessor Philip Clarke.

In October, Lewis rang up Tesco’s third quarter in a row of rising sales and unveiled a three-year plan to get profits back on track.

He aims to slash costs by £1.5bn over the next three years to help boost margins and return the group to bottom line profit growth.

Tesco’s half-year figures showed that it was making progress and was moving on from a series of lows, including posting the biggest loss in its history last year and becoming embroiled in a £326m accounting scandal.

But the embers of Clarke’s reign refuse to die out.

This year it emerged that Carl Rogberg, Chris Bush and John Scouler - the supermarket’s former finance chief, managing director and food commercial head respectively - will face a trial in 2017 over the accounting scandal and could be handed lengthy jail sentences if found guilty.

The Serious Fraud Office charged the men with fraud by abuse of position, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, and false accounting, which carries seven years. Clarke will not face charges in the accounting scandal, according to his lawyer.

Tesco is also facing legal action from a group of 125 large investors who claim to have lost “well in excess of £100m” as a result of the accounting scandal.

Despite this, Lewis has been praised for the way Tesco has shifted its focus to the core UK supermarket, and also for his leadership during the Marmite saga.

The collapse in the value of the pound, sparked

by the Brexit vote, sent the cost of imported goods soaring.

Supermarket suppliers responded in the only way they could: by raising prices. The most high-profile example was Unilever’s attempt to charge more for Marmite.

Tesco was asked to stomach a 10% hike, and deliveries to the supermarket were halted when it refused, leading to a shortage in some stores.

Unilever, which is behind a host of household brands, has since warned that the prices of products will rise as a result of the collapse in sterling.

As forecasts for inflation continue to point upwards, shoppers are bracing for more increases in the new year, which many experts believe could drive more consumers into the hands of Lidl.

Lidl, which recorded revenues of £4.7bn in 2015, parted company with UK boss Ronny Gottschlich, replacing him with Christian Hartnagel.

Gottschlich spent 16 years at Lidl, including six years as the company’s Great Britain CEO, overseeing its meteoric rise from bit-part player to established contender.

Blood was also shed in the frozen food aisles.

Iceland (the country) launched legal action against Iceland (the supermarket) over the use of its name.

The Nordic nation lodged legal papers at the European Union Intellectual Property Office with the goal of “ensuring the right of Icelandic companies to use the word ‘Iceland’ in relation to their goods and services’’.

The store group responded by sending a “highlevel delegation” to Reykjavik in the hope of thawing relations with the Icelandic government.

Spending on essentials sees biggest rise in 20 months

C

onsumer gloom around inflation is deepening as essential spending saw its biggest rise in 20 months, according to a report.

A rise in spending on food and drink has driven essential spending to its strongest level of growth since February 2014, the latest Lloyds Bank Spending Power Report said.

Overall essential spending grew by 1% last month, the third consecutive month of positive growth.

Lloyds Bank’s analysis of its own current account data also found that spending on groceries rose by 1.6% year-on-year - its highest rate of growth since March last year.

Meanwhile, fuel expenditure rose by 5.9%, its biggest year-on-year increase since February 2013 as prices at the pump continued to climb.

The figures are in contrast with a year ago, when spending on petrol and diesel dropped by 9.3%.

Almost a third of people (31%) saw themselves

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having less money in 12 months, once all household bills and essentials have been paid, the bank’s survey found.

Those who have a negative view of inflation has risen by 11% over the past 12 months to 49%, while the most common expectation for CPI inflation is that it will rise to 2% over the course of next year.

Lloyds Bank Managing Director Robin Bulloch said: “2016 has been a year of sustained growth in consumer outgoings, with the steady rise in expenditure on food and fuel driving a significant increase in overall essential spending.

“But while consumer confidence has remained resilient in the face of some seismic economic and political events, it seems the prospect of increased inflation is finally starting to weigh more heavily on people’s future expectations.

“Concern around the impact this will have on customers’ spending power next year is now becoming evident.”

:: Ipsos Mori surveyed 2,083 adults online from November 9 to 22.

NEWS

Priory Press Packaging kick start 2017 with the highest awarded AA grade of BRC Certification P

riory Press Packaging, a leading carton board packaging printer in Co Down, is delighted to announce it has been awarded a Double AA Grade from its recent BRC (British Retail Consortium) audit. The revised issue version 5 was a comprehensive upgrade of the previous standard and was carried out in December 2016, during the company’s busiest period.

The certification body streamlines the supplier approval process, and ensures the standardisation of quality, safety and operational criteria so that manufacturers fulfil their legal obligations, providing protection for the end consumer.

Priory Press Packaging is committed to putting the highest quality assurances in place, guaranteeing that the end customer receives their packaging knowing that it has been manufactured in the safest, quality minded environment.

Priory Press Packaging, which designs and manufactures packaging such as printed food sleeves and retail boxes for the food and drink

industry, has experienced significant growth in recent months. BRC certification is now often a fundamental requirement to supplying leading retailers, and Priory Press Packaging is now an accredited printer for a number of leading supermarkets across the UK and Ireland.

The packaging printer and manufacturer, which is celebrating its 40th year in business, conducted a move to larger premises last year. With the introduction of BRC, the company was awarded

Grade A. Over the past year, the company has worked tirelessly to further improve their standards in order to reach the highest accolade from the certification body – Grade AA. Priory Press Packaging is now one of only a few carton board printers and manufacturers in the UK to hold the highest level of certification.

The success of its audit is further highlighted by the fact that the company received zero non-conformances, which is quite a rare occurrence within these standards.

The company has made significant capital investments to sustain and continue its position as a leading carton board packaging printers.

Managing Associate Mark McConville stated how pleased he was with the result. “The result endorses the commitment the company has made towards providing a quality product and service, so that our customers have complete confidence in us,” he said.

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GROCERY SECTOR ANALYSIS

Northern Ireland’s changing retail landscape: a tour around the monuments

BY DONALD C MCFETRIDGE, INDEPENDENT RETAIL ANALYST

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y the time you’re reading this, Donald Trump will be in the White House, Theresa May will hopefully have issued clearer plans for Brexit, and 2017 will be well under way with (no doubt) more surprises in store on the world stage, and also right here in Northern Ireland in the retail sector.

In April 2015, I retired from Ulster University after spending the previous 26 years there teaching retail studies.

During those 26 years I witnessed a vast amount of change in the retail sector and had the great pleasure of writing and commenting on it, in lecture theatres, seminar rooms and on a wide variety of platforms throughout the six counties, and further afield.

Space and word count prevent me from listing all the major events of the past 26 years, but I would like to at least comment on some of the most significant changes in the region.

First of all, and most significantly, we witnessed the ceasefires in 1994 which (not unexpectedly) precipitated an unprecedented period of retail change, most notably the announcements (in 1995) that Sainsbury’s and Tesco planned to set up shop here.

When challenged about why it had taken so long to establish retail operations in Northern Ireland, Sainsbury’s replied that they had just recently set up shop in Cornwall, and that they had always planned to operate here.

Some of the more sceptical commentators were not so certain that this was going to be the case but, no doubt, the improving political environment helped to encourage development plans for both Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

The arrival of Sainsbury’s and Tesco was followed, in 1997, by the arrival of Safeway in a joint venture 8

arrangement with Wellworths. Safeway was then sold to Morrisons who came to the region, but didn’t stay very long.

Morrisons, in turn, sold their stores to Asda who have become a very successful and major player in Northern Ireland, playing to their strength of pricecompetitiveness.

In the wake of this major shake-up of the local food retail sector, we then witnessed a period of rejuvenation in the convenience sector with the key players becoming much more competitive, and successful, by trading up and offering store environments and price deals which helped them to retain and, in fact, grow their customer base.

As expected, the market has settled down and Northern Ireland customers now have one of the best ranges of food retail outlets anywhere in the United Kingdom.

In 1999, Lidl announced that they were coming to Northern Ireland following the success of their introduction in other parts of the country. Initially regarded as discounters, they too have augmented their retail offering and have delineated a very clear position for themselves in the NI retail food sector.

Lidl has gone from strength to strength and is arguably one of the biggest success stories of a new operation in this region due to the fact that they are now regarded (not as discounters, first and foremost) but as retailers who offer a limited range of products at very keen prices to customers from every socio-economic grouping.

The non-food sector has also welcomed new arrivals. Junction One at Antrim and The Outlet at Banbridge were two very welcome additions in another sector of the retail marketplace. Factory outlet centres were missing from the NI retail offering until their arrival.

Victoria Square was another notable development and a very welcome addition to the retail offering in Belfast City Centre, where it has now established an extremely important position in the mind-set of Northern Ireland consumers.

It would, of course, be careless of me to omit to mention the fact that we, like consumers globally, also witnessed a not inconsiderable recession which placed consumer spending under great threat at a time when, simultaneously, online retailing was rapidly expanding.

All of these factors have had a very serious impact on retailers and the retail sector in general, and all of these factors have also had a very serious impact on consumers and their spending power.

Some commentators argue that we have reached superstore saturation point in the region and, to some extent, I agree. But, I also firmly believe that

there is a gap in the market with room here for another operator at the top-end of the retail food sector.

Marks & Spencer is generally regarded as the premium food retailer in the region, but that could all change when Waitrose arrives in the region. Research has clearly demonstrated that there is tremendous interest in the Waitrose brand and, when they eventually open up shop here, they could very well come to be the instigator of another shake-up in the food retail sector.

A recent retail research report has stated that Belfast is still lagging some way behind other parts of the UK in terms of city centre highend retailing and has identified at least 200 retail brands which are, as yet, not available in Northern Ireland.

This inevitably leads to retail leakage, ie NI consumers travelling elsewhere in order to gain access to the missing brands which inevitably means consumer spending going elsewhere.

While it is extremely important to note the vast amount of retail change we have witnessed over the past quarter of a century, it is equally important to note the manner in which consumers have also changed.

Consumers here now have one of the best food retailing offerings anywhere in the United Kingdom but they still do not have the breadth, depth or range of high-end, non-food retailing available to their counterparts in other geographic regions. This has to change.

This, I’m certain, is something which will definitely change in the coming years. There are still lots of excellent opportunities for retailers with vision who are looking to expand their physical store profile.

However, it must be borne in mind that (with the continuing rise in online retailing) store groups like John Lewis already have a loyal customer base in this region.

In Lampedusa’s novel, The Leopard, Tancredi observes: “If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change.”

And, I couldn’t agree more!

Donald McFetridge is an independent retail analyst and media commentator based in Coleraine. In April 2015, he retired from Ulster University to pursue his retail consultancy and media interests.

He is the author of several books and is a widely sought after public speaker, locally, nationally and internationally. He can be contacted at: donaldmcfetridge@outlook.com and found on twitter: @donaldretail.

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18/11/2016 17:22

YEAR IN REVIEW

A year in pictures Ulster Grocer looks back at key events in 2016

The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) launches its Alternative Programme for Government, featuring 97 recommendations setting out policy priorities for nine new Executive departm ents. Pictured are Danske Bank CEO Kevin Kingston, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and NIIRTA Chief Executive Glyn Roberts.

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Elly Hunte

Ulster Grocer and a number of its sister titles are sold by Greer Publications to Independent News & Media (INM). Pictured at the announcement are Gladys Greer, INM Finance Director Simon Snoddy and Managing Director Richard McClean, and James Greer.

It was also a landmark year for another local business – the Thompson family celebrated 120 years of importing and blending tea. Pictured at the Punjana factory are Chloe Brooker, Greg Earl and Christine McCluney. Later in the year, Thompson’s received 23 Great Taste stars.

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YEAR IN REVIEW

Glyn of Ireland; e han, Bank ell, Musgrav Sean Shee w by ax M ed l ch ge as laun ard; Ni ents’ Day w e Minister Chris Hazz nd pe de In 2016 structur IRTA; Infra slink.

Roberts, NI nway, Tran and Chris Co NI/NIIRTA;

Following the eighth annual Tesco Taste Festival in Custom House Square, Tesco celebrates 20 years in Northern Ireland. Pictured is Commercial Manager Sean Largey, who replaced Cliff Kells in 2016 following his retirement.

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Debra Johnson, trading controller at Food Force Ireland, is pictured at last year’s Direct Trade Supplier Day with Patrick Morgan and Mark Craig from Proximo UK after FFI added the drinks trade to its stable of suppliers.

Jenny esented by White’s a cake pr a ary, with ordon ak rs G ve an ni D an y; lle hite’s 5th ates its 17 f executive Fane Va neral manager, W ats celebr rs, ge he rt, chie at ha M White’s O ck es Lo Trevor and Jam ry White; Bristow to omas Hen founder Th Oats.

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YEAR IN REVIEW

Looking back at Year of Food & Drink 2016

e ism NI in th sted by Tour ill come a banquet ho od Show w ith Fo w f od of Go ks C & Drink kic aled the BB banquet are Year of Food nuary, where it is reve tured at the NI Chairman Ja October. Pic ster, Tourism first time in Ulster Hall in e Fo e th r len fo Ar d ister BBC Good Irelan in d n M er an st s rth es Fir , No nn to Barden McGui aster Nigel ister Martin BBC broadc ty First Min nigan, Depu Biggs. a ur La Terence Bran e tiv Representa Food Show

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Ahead of April’s Brewing & Distilling month, First Minister Arlene Foster visits Lacada Brewery in Portrush.

YEAR IN REVIEW

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Local poultry processor Moy Park again tops the Ulster Grocer Top 25 Local Food & Drinks Companies, and teams up with top chef Jenny Bristow to highlight Love NI Meat month in August.

St George’s Market in Belfast is named Best Market at the Observer Food Monthly awards. Host Sue Perkins and food writer Jay Rayner (who also gave a glowing review in The Guardian to new Ballynahinch restaurant Bull & Ram) presented the award to representatives from Belfast City Council.

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COMMENTARY

Year of Food & Drink a resounding success

BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

I

t’s hard to believe that our first Year of Food & Drink has come to an end. The year really has flown by so swiftly. And what a truly memorable year it has been and especially for dozens of smaller companies which are now benefiting from the heightened interest in their products demonstrated by retailers and shoppers here.

The imaginative initiative has proved a resounding success and has achieved the objectives set at the very start of the campaign spearheaded very professionally by Tourism NI with enthusiastic support from Tourism Ireland and, of course, Food NI. Invest NI made an important contribution by offering export opportunities to companies of all sizes and also by backing the tremendously successful and first-ever BBC Good Food Show at the splendid Waterfront Hall in Belfast, an event which proved to be one of the year’s highlights. DAERA also supported this important consumer-led event by subsidising smaller companies to exhibit their products within a food village which Food NI organised. It was modelled on our immensely popular Food Pavilion - bigger than ever - at the annual RUAS event at Balmoral Park.

It was good to see two of our members, Tayto in Tandragee and Irwin’s Bakery of Craigavon, winning new business on a recent Invest NI-organised stand at Hotel Asia in Shanghai.

Selecting the highlights is really difficult because there have been so many and in very different parts of Northern Ireland. However, the close collaboration between the departments of the Economy and Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs, bodies such as Tourism NI and Invest NI, local councils, businesses, large and small, and the hospitality sector has been an inspiration and has helped to ensure the success of Year of Food & Drink.

Support from major supermarkets and smaller independents and delis has helped to expand awareness here of the quality and variety of food and drink that’s readily available from a talented and dedicated group of local suppliers of superb and highly innovative products.

This collaboration has also led to one of the most important developments of Year of Food & Drink, which is the reconnection between local people and the producers of food and drink here.

It has provided opportunities for consumers and food service organisations to meet producers and to learn about their processes and provenance of their products.

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“Support from major supermarkets and smaller independents and delis has helped to expand awareness here of the quality and variety of food and drink.”

This greater awareness has resulted in new business for suppliers of all sizes and across every category. It has provided encouragement to many to come up with original food and drink products for consumers especially in categories such as dairy, beverages, charcuterie, and meat. Traditional skills from generations, charcuterie is a good example, have been rejuvenated over the past year… and by farming businesses. We’ve enjoyed new products

such as a new style of clotted cream, protein enriched milk, goat meat tacos, and new convenience meals.

And then there have been the amazing track record of the industry in securing awards. Peter Hannan of Hannan Meats brought the Supreme Champion title back to Northern Ireland in the prestigious UK Great Taste Awards with roast Glenarm Shorthorn meat aged in his amazing complex of Himalayan Salt Chambers in Moira. Comber’s Mash Direct won the coveted Food Manufacture Excellence Award, the industry’s most important recognition.

A unique goat taco snack created by Broughgammon Farm in Ballycastle won the Best Snack Food Award in the UK Street Food Awards. And Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin lifted the Irish Whiskies Award for its 12-year-old Dunville Single Malt.

Smaller companies, in addition, have reported good business from their participation in the many food festivals that have been arranged by councils and other bodies across Northern Ireland as part of Year of Food & Drink, initiatives which we have encouraged and supported. Among the most successful events were those held by the councils in Derry and Strabane, the Food Heartland of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon and Fermanagh councils. Taste of the North was an inspiring competition and it was great to the see the innovation across our industry here and newcomer Donnybrewer Butter winning the opportunity to work with the Henderson Group.

We’ve been collating information from our members about the impact of Year of Food & Drink on their sales, an exercise which is already showing positive results.

Local chefs have also made a huge contribution by taking part in culinary demonstrations on how best to cook with products from suppliers here and have included our food and drink on their menus. We’ve now a new Northern Ireland Signature Dish created by the ‘cooking collective’ of Niall McKenna, Ian Orr, Kelan McMichael and Chris McGowan.

A huge amount has been achieved during Year of Food & Drink. We have to build on these achievements in the years ahead especially in key areas such as new product development, sales outside Northern Ireland particularly in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, and to go from being a good food region to a great one.

COMMENTARY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Creating a business environment encouraging local enterprise Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir

O

ur local traders have been at the sharp end of social and economic changes that are

occurring at an increasing pace. Changes in how, where and even when we shop. The grocery sector in particular has been transformed in recent years by the growing dominance of our food based ‘mega stores’ and also the growth of multi-channel retailing, notably internet shopping, click & collect and home delivery. That change is leading to the disappearance of many of our traditional shops.

As the new Finance Minister, I now have responsibility for business rates and I am determined to do what I can to help create a business environment that encourages local enterprise. Business rates are an important source of revenue for the Executive that helps support our schools, hospitals etc. It is a largely progressive tax, but it needs to be fairer and more discerning, so that those who can contribute more do so and those who are struggling get more effective support. I also think it needs to act more as a lever of social and economic development. These principles underpin my recent Rates: Rethink, which I announced in November.

Included, within that wide ranging package are innovative proposals to replace Small Business Rates Relief with a new scheme focused on retail and hospitality. This could easily double the amount of support we deliver to deserving businesses that invest in their future. It will also substantially increase the reach of the current scheme, which has a rateable value limit of £15,000 NAV, which excludes many traditional shops in our provincial towns and arterial routes in our cities.

I would also like to take steps to cut down on vacancies, by increasing the empty property rate, looking at ways of charging owners of derelict property, create a rates incentive for shop conversions to residential use and also require charity shops to begin to pay some rates. All of these measures are in response to views expressed by the business sector this year and I hope I can count on the support of Ulster’s grocers during the forthcoming consultation on taking these steps, which I believe are necessary to help create the right conditions for commercial success.

FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES

Bringing small business concerns directly to the heart of government W

ith the decision taken to leave the EU in June, a summer of political turmoil followed. Small businesses have remained resilient throughout the subsequent period of instability. As the backbone of the Northern Ireland economy, FSB have, in ongoing discussions with both the Northern Ireland Executive and UK government, reiterated the need to protect and support our members during this period.

In September, I was invited by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire MP to sit on the Business Advisory Group and have been involved in a series of meetings with Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir on Brexit.

These are two active channels of engagement through which FSB brings the concerns of small businesses directly to the heart of both the UK and Northern Ireland governments including through sector specific discussions on agri-business.

2016 showcased the vital role of agri-business to our economy through the Year of Food & Drink. The initiative has successfully secured Northern Ireland’s position as a top food destination to international visitors. This success has been brought about by those who make our food heritage exceptional, the majority of which are small businesses.

As the largest business organisation, FSB is focused on working to protect and expand the world class performance demonstrated by the sector in recent years through looking at the challenges of the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, investigating export opportunities and bringing the voice of local small businesses to those who will be involved in the BREXIT negotiations.

Following the EU Referendum, we outlined our small business agenda for the negotiations, and will be developing this further in 2017. These include issues that are crucial to redressing concerns for many agri-businesses and small businesses as a whole. The agenda comprises of four platforms of research and work; access to the single market, freedom of movement, the future of EU-funded schemes and clarity on the future regulatory framework.

The findings of this work will be published, and used as the basis of continuing discussions with local and national government, in early 2017.

FSB NI Policy Chair Wilfred Mitchell OBE

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COMMENTARY NORTHERN IRELAND FOOD AND DRINK ASSOCIATION

Lobbying on behalf of industry re: Brexit NIFDA Executive Director Michael Bell

I

have been writing this piece for a number of years now, during which we have experienced many pivotal events for the food and drink retail industry.

I didn’t imagine that we could have any more turbulence in the market and then, along came Brexit. Whilst, I am sure, many readers are tired hearing about Brexit, it is a vitally important issue for the agri-food community in Northern Ireland; a community which arguably represents our most important industry supporting over 100,000 local jobs and representing more than one fifth of our entire private sector employment.

We are committed to lobbying on behalf of the industry in relation to key decisions that must now be taken by the government. We require structures and policies that will enable the industry to grow, which will allow us time to change and, most importantly, which will understand the complexity of the inter-relationships in the food eco-system.

Complex trade flows exist between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and with the EU – all of which will be impacted on by whichever path the government decides to follow.

In November 2016, NIFDA launched a substantial discussion document on Brexit which is available to download at www.nifda.co.uk. This 16

document aims to engage with the Northern Ireland Assembly and the UK government on the particular issues facing the local food and drink sector to ensure they are factored into future policies and trade negotiations.

In this document, we set out six critical requirements for our industry if it is to continue to grow and prosper and to meet the Agri-Food Strategy Board’s target of a £7bn industry turnover in another three years.

These six essential elements are: 1. A very close and formalised engagement with NIFDA and government officials, both at a local and national level, to understand the complexities and implications of policy decisions.

2. A commercially-workable, comprehensive trade agreement with Europe, whatever that might look like, and however that might be achieved - it is very important that we have access in commercially viable terms to the market place.

3. We need a workable labour policy. Some 50% of our employees are foreign nationals and we simply cannot function without an ongoing supply of labour in an industry which is very dependent on labour to deal with seasonal peaks and troughs.

Indeed one illustration of those seasonal peaks and troughs is the supply of turkeys at this time of

year, which is almost entirely managed within an eight-week window.

4. Export assistance to the same level as our competitors. NIFDA has been calling for an Agri-Food Export Marketing Body for Northern Ireland for many years now. It was announced by the First Minister last March and we eagerly await its establishment. It is essential that our industry has the same level of support as our colleagues in Scotland and Ireland if we are to compete successfully in a global market.

5. Arguably, most importantly, we must support the family farm base which drives the rural economy of Northern Ireland. We need to improve support for productive outcomes from farms using a balanced portfolio of policies delivering efficient output, environmental sustainability and rural society support.

6. We must continue to support building on our hard earned and deserved reputation, from operating at the highest standards of quality, safety and integrity.

We have a lot to be proud of in Northern Ireland food and drink, not least in our Year of Food & Drink 2016, and that is a foundation that we must continue to reinforce and build upon.

COMMENTARY ULSTER FARMERS’ UNION

Brexit brings challenges and opportunities UFU President Barclay Bell

I

think 2016 can be summed up in one word, ‘Brexit’. The EU referendum has dominated discussion and, while we are faced with many challenges, there are also opportunities to capitalise on. In the months since the vote, momentum has started to build and we have been working to develop an ambitious vision for our industry.

In Northern Ireland, the agri-food industry employs over 100,000 people and has a turnover of £4bn. In the UK, it employs more people than the automotive and aerospace industry put together, and the economic reach spreads to every

parliamentary constituency. Clearly agri-food is a vital industry, not just in Northern Ireland but across the UK and the UFU, alongside our UK farming union counterparts, are working to ensure Government does not overlook farmers or use the industry as a bargaining chip in its Brexit negotiations.

Overall, 2016 was a difficult year across many of our sectors. Price volatility remains a serious concern and is something that we are going to have to learn to plan for and deal with. And while sectors like beef, lamb, and pigs experienced a lift in prices

off the back of a drop in the value of sterling, for much of the year dairy prices were still far below expectation. However, towards the end of 2016 there has been some improvement. Heading into 2017, our industry needs to develop a way to deal with this volatility. And this is not just the farmer’s responsibility; there is an onus on processors and retailers as well. Primary producers are fundamental to the agri-food industry and to the wider issue of food security in the UK so it is in the interest of retailers and processors to help address this. The introduction of ASDA and Dale Farm’s ‘Farmers Milk’ deserves a mention. It is an initiative that recognises the true value of local dairy products and I would be keen to see other retailers follow suit.

Obviously Brexit will continue to feature heavily in 2017 and I feel strongly that we need to ensure the next generation of farmers is central to this debate. A UK Agricultural Bill in 2018 is likely to be the roadmap for our industry for the next 20-25 years so it will need to suit our younger farmers, who may want to embrace different ideas.

I’ve heard people question if there will there be a next generation of farmers, especially given the challenges around volatility and farm incomes. But I am convinced if young people are involved in these discussions, we can look forward to a reinvigorated, vibrant industry.

AGRI-FOOD STRATEGY BOARD

Genuine appetite amongst farming community to enhance competitiveness 2 016 has seen the culmination of key actions recommended in Going for Growth - the strategic action plan for the agri-food sector.

Particular highlights include the launch of the Agri-Food Strategy Board’s primary recommendation – a transformative capital investment scheme as part of the Farm Business Improvement Scheme and also the publication of an unprecedented, ground-breaking Sustainable Land Management Strategy.

The first tranche of the capital investment scheme is worth up to £40m with additional opportunities planned in 2017. This offers farmers the opportunity to apply for up to £250,000 to improve efficiency and productivity and a scheme of this scale can deliver genuine advancement to the sector. Nearly 3,000 farmers attended the recent information sessions, and I look forward to seeing new and innovative projects coming to fruition.

Alongside, the capital investment element, the Farm Business Improvement Scheme also seeks to broaden and expand the knowledge and skills of our farmers through Business Development

Groups. At least one in every eight farmers in Northern Ireland has registered on this scheme which demonstrates a genuine appetite amongst the farming community to enhance competitiveness.

The Sustainable Land Management Strategy offers a unique opportunity to place Northern Ireland at the forefront of productive and efficient agriculture whilst improving environmental performance and delivering long-term sustainability.

The scientific and evidence-based tools outlined in the strategy will allow the sector to maintain a commitment to sustainable development, whilst giving us a key point of difference when competing for global markets – which is particularly important as we position ourselves as an export-led sector in a post-Brexit world.

I have been asked if – in light of Brexit – Going for Growth will remain valid. Within the AgriFood Strategy Board, we are united in our view that the ambitions and vision of Going for Growth remain as relevant today as they were when we first committed them to paper, and will continue to do so moving forward. Our goal to deliver a strong and sustainable agri-food industry remains a valid one.

Agri-Food Strategy Board Chair Tony O’Neill

I look forward in 2017 to further growth within the sector; to increased confidence across our producer and processor base; and to further progress in securing a long-term sustainable future for the agri-food industry in Northern Ireland.

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COMMENTARY MUSGRAVE NI

Ambitious growth agenda continues for Musgrave NI

BY MICHAEL MCCORMACK, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF MUSGRAVE NI

M

usgrave set out its mission at the end of 2015 to be Northern Ireland’s number one consumer choice in convenience shopping by 2018 and I am confident that, with our strategy, people, ambition and brands, we are well on our way to achieving this goal.

The past year has been very successful for Musgrave as we are now over halfway into our store refresh programme in Northern Ireland across our three retail brands of SuperValu, Centra and Mace.

MarketPlace, which includes three cash and carry outlets with a retail and a foodservice business, has seen significant growth in 2016. The foodservice business in particular has been a stand out success with double-digit growth.

We have opened 17 new stores across SuperValu, Centra and Mace and revamped 70 current stores over the past year. Our retail brands are really winning in the market with all of these stores delivering strong sales growth.

Highlights include our ‘Stake in the Ground’ stores of Centra Cathedral Quarter in Belfast and Buncrana Road in Derry along with SuperValu Newcastle and Eglinton and Mace Ahoghill and Lisnaskea.

The refresh of our stores includes new product ranges, a new environment, refreshed communications and an updated training package.

With this new modernised shopping environment, 18

we’re making it easier for consumers to eat and live well and our customers are responding as shown by a significant uplift in sales.

We are also being recognised as leading the way in innovation with our products with SuperValu’s 21 day matured Best Beef Ever campaign winning the Agri-Innovation award at the UTV awards in November.

We’ve achieved fantastic results with the launch of our own brand, locally-produced Fresh For You range which rolled out across all three brands this year. We’ll be investing further in this range next year to offer our customers inspiring, convenient meal solutions and healthy options at a competitive price.

I’m very excited about next year and we have major plans for both our retail and foodservice customers as we continue to grow and move in line with what both consumers and retailers want.

The four pillars that underpin Musgrave both as a Group and in Northern Ireland are Food Leadership, Building Better Brands, Partnership and People, and these are at the centre of everything we will do in 2017.

Health is a major trend in food and drink innovation and we will lead in this area and help consumers embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle.

We will also build on current partnerships including Centra Run Together and our Action Cancer

schools programme.

We are very proud of our long-standing partnership with Action Cancer and we achieved a major milestone this year raising £2.5m over the last 10 years since the launch of SuperValu’s Big Bus. SuperValu and Centra retailers have given tremendous support during this time by engaging in a number of local charity events. We look forward to reinvigorating this charity relationship next year and continuing to help raise awareness and fundraising for such a worthwhile local cause.

In 2016, the MarketPlace brand and independent Mace retailers launched a new partnership with Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke and their mission over the next two years is to raise more than £160,000 to help those affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions in Northern Ireland.

We also introduced brand ambassadors for SuperValu with renowned chef Noel McMeel and, for Centra, with leading local nutritionist Jane McClenaghan and next year we will continue to grow these relationships to support the development of our brands.

Looking ahead, we have major plans to develop new partnerships and roll out successful initiatives from Musgrave Group such as Chipmongers in Northern Ireland, a traditional takeaway franchise which has recently started trading in the Republic of Ireland.

In conjunction with our ongoing refresh roll-out across all of our SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores by the end of 2017, we will also complete a revamp of MarketPlace Duncrue, to refresh and modernise the shopping environment for our customers. Our vision for the MarketPlace brand is to further grow our foodservice, retail and SME business in 2017.

In 2016, Musgrave celebrated 140 years in business on the island of Ireland and 20 years in Northern Ireland. We are at an exciting juncture and are focused on an ambitious growth agenda for the business.

We continue to grow because we are trusted and we are focused on innovating and staying ahead of the consumers we serve. We understand communities and what is important to our customers and we will deliver, using our brand-led approach, new and exciting opportunities for them, and for our business.

As we work to build a more prosperous Musgrave, we are in turn working to contribute to a healthier, more prosperous society. We are a family business that is determined to leave a positive and lasting legacy for future generations.

COMMENTARY SAVAGE & WHITTEN

Celebrating 100 years in business Savage & Whitten Managing Director Mark Windebank

O

utside of the grocery and wholesale world, 2016 will certainly be viewed as a memorable year with the arrival of Brexit and more recently Donald Trump. Who really knows what repercussions these events will bring in the coming years, however the lessons for us all must be to expect the unexpected and try to plan for all eventualities and outcomes.

Getting back to what we can control, Savage & Whitten celebrated 100 years in business and have had a very successful year delivering growth of 15% in what has been a relatively flat market.

Key developments during the year have seen the extension of chill, fresh and frozen ranges alongside further improvements in the food-to-go field. Also, for the first time ever as a business, we have ventured into the contract market and delivered two successes which will help us achieve further growth in 2017. Throughout the year, we have developed and strengthened our sales structures whilst working ever closer to our IT partners to improve the quality of offering to both our symbol stores and our independent customers.

Possibly the single biggest issue to emerge for our industry during 2016 was the increase in

overheads associated with the introduction of the Living Wage. Whilst, as a responsible employer, we agree that the current legislation is the correct way to proceed, we have a duty to work harder and closer with both suppliers and retailers to deliver an ongoing sustainable margin for all partners in the supply chain. We at S&W are constantly striving to help our retailers to not only increase sales but to develop their product mix into those areas which will deliver improved margins. This work will be ongoing in 2017 with overheads in our sector continuing to rise.

For next year, we expect our growth to be maintained with targets being set at more than a 10% increase. Our trading, sales, customer service and logistics teams have each developed strategies to ensure that we can deliver the planned growth whilst constantly striving to improve the service we supply to all of our customers.

I have no doubt that 2017 will be another challenging year for this sector, with the mults trying to recover ground and the discounters expanding their offering; however by working closer to all of our partners, we can deliver even greater success.

THOMPSON’S FAMILY TEA

Local tea drinkers have Great Taste 2

016 was a truly memorable year for us here at Punjana, as we celebrated our 120th birthday; that’s over a century of importing and blending some of the world’s finest teas into Belfast. We now provide tea for over a third of the country’s tea drinkers and that equates to over 50,000 cups of Punjana tea every hour, day and night.

As part of our anniversary, I journeyed with my cousin and business partner David through the tea gardens in Kenya and beyond, exploring our roots and tea heritage and documenting it for our latest TV ad - giving viewers a behindthe-scenes glimpse at the origins of the nation’s favourite cuppa.

Another monumental moment for us this year was our success at the Great Taste awards. We were thrilled to win 25 Great Taste awards, with our hero brand Punjana winning the maximum 3 stars. This is an achievement normally reserved for an exclusive, specialist product rather than an affordable ‘everyday’ product and gives great reassurance to our blending team and rewards our quality stance which is all about choosing what is best, over what is most profitable. It has undoubtedly helped to define the unique character and flavour of our hero brand, Punjana.

Thompson’s Irish Breakfast tea bags also

achieved top honours with the maximum 3 stars. Thompson’s Signature Blend again won multiple awards as did many of the company’s luxury loose-leaf speciality teas, but Northern Ireland’s favourite tea, Punjana, stands alone in its category - winning more Great Taste awards than any other blended teabag in the UK and RoI over the past 10 years, proving therefore that NI tea drinkers have indeed got Great Taste.

“Northern Ireland’s favourite tea, Punjana, stands alone in its category - winning more Great Taste awards than any other blended teabag in the UK and RoI over the past 10 years.”

Thompson’s Family Tea Joint Managing Director Ross Thompson

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COMMENTARY NI PORK AND BACON FORUM

Creating an industry-wide collaborative network NI Pork and Bacon Forum CEO Deirdre McIvor

T

he pork industry has gone through a particularly challenging time with low prices at the farm gate and cheaper imports coming into the UK which can make it difficult for us to compete.

It’s become more important than ever for us to champion the ‘Assured Origin’ product in the local market– the quality assured status labelled on NI produced pork assuring consumers of the quality

and provenance of our pork compared to the cheaper alternatives that are out there.

Developing our social media channels became a new focus this year. Our video recipes have proven really popular and we also launched our new ‘food to fork’ video series which educates people on the true meaning of the ‘Assured Origin’.

Although market conditions remain challenging,

especially following Brexit with the drop in the pound leading to higher input costs for producers, I’m really proud of the steps taken by the industry this year such as the setting up of an industry-wide collaborative network - the first of its kind for the pig industry.

Another major initiative was the development of an electronic medicines database for monitoring antibiotic usage in pigs. Through this database, Northern Ireland pork will be able to effectively demonstrate low levels of usage.

It demonstrates the forward-thinking nature of our pig producers and the industry’s desire to keep ahead of the curve in terms of market developments.

The step of monitoring antibiotic usage in our pigs combined with researching areas of improvement via the collaborative network, are bold moves which will help to safeguard the outstanding reputation of our industry.

New export markets are also hugely important to the industry and steady progress has been made in respect to the market in China and it’s been encouraging to have the support given by both Minister Michelle McIlveen and Madam Wang, the Chinese Consulate General. We’re very keen to get that market open, but we appreciate that this is not a quick process. I look forward to progressing this and I’m hopeful that it will come to fruition.

LIDL IRELAND

Working with a diverse range of local suppliers L idl Northern Ireland operates 38 stores, located across every major town in Northern Ireland. We currently employ over 800 people across these stores and in our distribution centre and support office based at Nutts Corner.

Sourcing product and locating suppliers locally within Northern Ireland has been crucial to the success and development of the company over the past number of years. We currently work closely with a diverse range of local suppliers, and in fact spent £85m sourcing Northern Irish produce in the past year. £20m was recently invested at the Nutts Corner distribution centre, which saw an increase in its footprint from 28,000 to 33,000 square metres, mostly in our fresh storage areas.

This warehouse extension opened earlier this summer and has proved crucial during our range expansion. The investment extends beyond the warehouse as a number of our older stores are undergoing extensive rebuild projects.

Throughout 2016, Lidl has again demonstrated considerably our commitment to Northern Ireland. The launch of our Great Taste Starts Here campaign has thrown the spotlight on many of our key Northern Irish suppliers and has seen them profiled on billboards, bus shelters, on

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Lidl Ireland Regional Director Conor Boyle

TV, radio and across social media. 2016 has seen our biggest investment to date in the community also with the third year of the Lid Community

Works programme. We had a record number of nominations and invested over £450,000 supporting very worthwhile local causes serving the communities we also serve with our stores.

In May, we again took part in the Balmoral Shows as a platinum sponsor. The Lidl Green Barn has become a very popular attraction at the event, giving us the opportunity to engage directly with our customers and also gave the opportunity for many of our local suppliers to engage directly with visitors. Visitors to our stand increased year on year with over 50,000 people passing through the barn and 180,000 samples were tasted over the three days. Over 10,500 cups of tea and coffee were made for our visitors.

This year has also seen the second year of our hugely successful partnership with CLIC Sargent Northern Ireland, a children’s charity supporting children and young people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Lidl NI committed to raising £150,000 before the end of February 2017.

Lidl continued in 2016 to be a supporter and patron of the Prince’s Trust, welcoming more than 20 disadvantaged young people into employment through the Get into Retail programme.

COMMENTARY TESCO

Celebrating 20 years of supporting local businesses Tesco NI Commercial Manager Sean Largey

T

here’s no doubt about it, 2016 was a big year in Northern Ireland - from our stellar performance at the Euros, the excitement and buzz surrounding the Year of Food & Drink and more recently, Titanic being crowned Best Tourist Attraction in the world.

NI is making waves like it never has before but it’s our food and drink that continually impresses on home soil and with visitors to these shores.

It was fitting then that in the year all eyes were on our food and drink industry, Tesco celebrated 20 years of supporting these same businesses.

We became very aware, very quickly when we arrived in NI in 1996 that a strong local offer was important to customers – and still is now. We strongly believe that the unique regional food and drink focus on the Tesco offer in this Province sets us apart from our competitors. Listening to our customers’ needs back in 1996 and continuing to grow our local product portfolio has resulted in an ever-growing footfall to store, resulting in the need for more stores, more staff and more investment. An Economic Impact Report, commissioned as part of our anniversary celebrations, showed we have purchased almost £5.5bn of local produce in those 20 years, working with 90 suppliers, offering more than 1,200 product lines. Our commitment to local food and drink has grown exponentially since our first year when we had a modest budget of just £50m per annum, which has increased almost 12-fold to £590m.

Our focus for 2017 will be to continue working closely with local suppliers, bringing more product lines to our portfolio and helping more artisans introduce their products to consumers through the Tesco Artisan Programme.

KEOGH’S FARM

New NPD and expansion planned for 2017 T

he snack and crisp market is constantly growing with increased competition from large players in the market. That said, we were the fastest growing crisp brand in 2014 and 2015 and Keogh’s Crisps now have 6.5% share of the Irish crisp market with ambitions to continue this growth by 30% year on year. 2016 was an extremely important year for us in terms of expansion. We now export to 14 countries, including Germany, China, France, the UAE, the USA and Switzerland, and have recently appointed a sales & business development manager (export) to focus on our export strategy. We have taken on eight new employees between 2015/2016, bringing the total to 35 people in the crisps business.

There have also been some exciting developments over the past year with the introduction of two new multipacks to the market – our Dubliner Cheese & Onion Multipack and our Atlantic Sea Salt & Irish Cider Vinegar Multipack which join our popular Farm Favourites Multipack. More recently, we launched our new flavour Chorizo and Cherry Tomato - the first new crisp flavour to be brought to market by Keogh’s Farm in two years. Creating a new flavour is a hard thing to do, especially when you’re as careful and considered as we are with our crisps. From listening to our customers, we knew that they were ready for us to bring out a new, sophisticated flavour and we believe that Chorizo and Cherry Tomato meets the criteria.

We’ve also won several awards this year such as Small & Emerging Exporter of the Year 2016, and two Great Taste awards. We were out and about across Northern Ireland at various gluten free festivals and of course the Balmoral Show where we received a great response from customers who are rapidly recognising the Keogh’s brand and becoming fans.

We very much hope 2017 will continue at a similar pace with plenty more NPD and expansion plans on the cards. For Northern Ireland, we hope to continue growth and success in the market.

Keogh’s Farm Marketing Manager Aisling Worth

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COMMENTARY ASDA

£300m of produce annually sourced from Irish companies

Asda Northern Ireland Senior Director George Rankin

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016 was another successful year for Asda in Northern Ireland. We continued to support our communities and colleagues, care for the environment and our supply chain - aiming to be a responsible business in every sense of the word.

Our approach is working, as Northern Ireland has become the number one region for growth across our UK-wide business.

As always, we’ve focused on our customers and the issues which impact on their lives, and this is brought to life through the findings of Asda’s regional Income Tracker. The most recent report revealed the spending power of the average NI family continues to rise, with discretionary income now at £105 per week, up £8 per week on the same period last year. But the pace of growth is slowing, and local families still lag well behind the UK average of £202 per week.

We know that supporting the local agri-food sector is important to our customers which is why our commitment to NI’s Year of Food & Drink was central to our 2016 plans. With £300m of produce now annually sourced from Irish-owned companies, two thirds of which is exported to our GB stores, the YoF&D provided an ideal platform to showcase the strength of our partnerships across the food chain. We invested significantly in our Supplier Development Academy which, through a series of workshops and focus groups, offered a group of local suppliers the chance to maximise their business potential with Asda. This, together with our involvement in events such as Open Farm Weekend and Balmoral Show, helped us talk directly with our customers and bring the ‘farmgate to plate’ message to life.

Our support for YoF&D culminated in the launch of Dale Farm Farmers Milk – a great example of effective supplier collaboration and a first for a NI supermarket. Costing 25p more than a standard 2 litre carton, it offers our customers the option to pay a little extra for their milk with the additional money being returned to Dale Farm to be shared equally among its 1,300 farmer owners.

Employing more than 4,500 colleagues across NI, we remain a people-focused business. Through training, career development, apprenticeship schemes and our bespoke retail management degrees, we are keen to see our colleagues grow and develop with the business. This applies to all levels, so we’re delighted to have recently appointed eight new colleagues who graduated from the Prince’s

Trust ‘Get Into Retail’ scheme, and are equally proud that, in 2016, five of our female colleagues now hold store manager positions.

Of course the local communities in which we operate lie at the heart of our business. Thanks to the success of our Community programme and our charitable trust – The Asda Foundation – we have continued to support a wide range of charities and organisations. This is driven by our team of totally committed Community Champions, each of whom dedicates a significant part of their working week to fundraising, volunteering and working with local worthy causes. In the last year alone, NI stores have helped raised over £500,000 for local organisations and good causes.

From the launch of our Wonky Veg initiative and investment in low carbon trucks to our efforts on waste packaging, we are working hard to reduce the resources needed to grow, process, store, transport and retail the range of products which we sell. We were delighted to be recognised for our efforts by winning both the Ulster Grocer Green Retailer of the Year award and Business in the Community’s Resource Efficiency award in 2016.

Our sustainability programme will continue to be of great significance to the business in the year ahead as we take a step closer to meeting our 2020 targets for resource reduction.

With this in mind we look forward to addressing the challenges and opportunities which 2017 will undoubtedly present and to playing our part in delivering the services and ranges which our customers in Northern Ireland have come to rely on from Asda.

GRANT THORNTON

Lending our weight to the development of policies

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fter a number of difficult years across the agri-food subsectors in Northern Ireland, the latter half of 2016 began to bring some better news in relation to profitability. The fall in the value of sterling has assisted exports and this is key to a sector with processing sales of £4.6bn, of which £1.3bn is outside the UK. Discussions in 2017 are likely to be dominated by the potential impact of Brexit.

The ultimate outcome from Brexit still remains unclear but, by late 2017, we should see the emerging of the shape of what is to come.

The outcome for Northern Ireland agri-food could be a game changer for the entire sector for years to come. The replacement of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) payment post 2020, the negotiation on trade agreements, the regulatory environment on standard and supply logistics to Europe are all potentially impacting

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on the future profitability of the sector. The additional unique position of Northern Ireland with its land border makes it imperative that our voice is clearly heard at Westminster and in Brussels over the period of discussion.

2017 should see the long-awaited commencement of the Northern Ireland Agrifood Marketing Body. It is clear that Northern Ireland needs to increase its sales in new markets. We have excellent products to sell so it is critical that we secure premium markets.

Despite Brexit, it remains a ‘business as usual’ approach by Northern Ireland business.

Grant Thornton will continue in 2017 to provide support to our clients in the sector locally, nationally and internationally, not least through lending our weight to the development of policies to assist the sector as a whole.

Grant Thornton (NI) LLP Head of Food and Beverage Charlie Kerlin

COMMENTARY THE CO-OP

New membership scheme, rebranding rolled out in NI

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his year has been a momentous 12 months for our 32 stores across Northern Ireland and our 709 colleagues, with the launch of our unique new membership scheme, and the roll out of our ambitious re-branding Co-op Divisional Managing programme.

Director John McNeill Our new membership scheme, which launched in September, sees Co-op members receive a 5% reward on purchases of Co-op own-branded products and services, with a further 1% going to more than 4,000 local causes and groups to make a difference in their community.

In Northern Ireland, we’re supporting 47 local causes, who are set to share £77,500 funding.

Groups set to benefit include East Belfast Sure Start, Cregagh Community Association, Lagan Village Youth and Community Group and many more.

Already we are seeing significant increases in the number of members joining us as our customers realise that, by shopping with us, not only are we delivering a compelling, convenient and cooperative shopping experience, we are benefitting

their local communities.

This year also saw us bring back our iconic, blue ‘clover-leaf ’ Co-op logo, which is being rolled out

“Membership and community, the very things that makes us truly distinctive, must be at the heart of all we say and do.” across our entire business over the next few years.

Our new look represents all that we stand for, our proud co-operative heritage and our decision that membership and community, the very things that makes us truly distinctive, must be at the heart of all we say and do.

We’ve seen like-for-like sales across our food stores rise by 3.1% and our core convenience business grew ahead of market after investment in price and products, with like-for-like sales up 4.3%.

Figures released by Kantar Worldpanel in February

show we are the fastest growing non-discounter food store - our own-brand sales have increased by 7%, with sales of fresh and chilled produce growing fastest. As consumers increasingly shop little, often and conveniently, we were also confirmed as the most frequently visited major supermarket.

In September, we demonstrated our commitment to championing best practice in the fresh produce sector by signing up to the National Farmers’ Union’s Fruit and Vegetable Pledge. This has been designed to cultivate long-lasting relationships between retailers and growers. As part of our commitment to the industry, our development of a ground-breaking, produce-sourcing model saw us become one of the first retailers to introduce three-year contracts with many fresh-produce suppliers.

We recognise the importance of the food-to-go category and work hard to make sure that our range is great quality. We continue to drive excellence and innovation, ensuring we keep our customers’ needs at the core of everything we do. We only use 100% British protein and British free-range eggs in our food-to-go range, which we know is important to our customers.

I believe we are in a strong position moving into 2017, and I look forward to driving further growth, which our members and their communities will benefit from as we champion a better way of doing business.

INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS

Engaging with business leaders to instil

good governance and leadership

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016 was a fantastic year for Northern Ireland’s single largest export and manufacturing sector, the food and beverage industry, as we celebrated the Year of Food & Drink.

The local food and beverage industry is made up of well-known multinational businesses such as Tesco and Asda, as well as a thriving SME sector which includes companies such as Armagh Cider Company and Graham’s Home Bakery.

Northern Ireland is widely recognised for the quality of our local produce, which is widely sought worldwide, being a major exporter to over 70 countries.

The IoD NI works closely with a wide range of major local food and beverage producers in Northern Ireland. We engage with the directors and business leaders to instil good governance and effective leadership through help, support and advice. Representing almost 800 business leaders of Northern Ireland, we set standards for the senior decision makers in our economy.

This excellent leadership has been recognised,

“We engage with the directors and business leaders to instil good governance and effective leadership.” with managing director of Genesis Crafty, Brian McErlain, being awarded Family Business Director of the Year at the UK Director of the Year Awards in 2016. Genesis Crafty has a strong focus on homemade, local produce which has ensured its success throughout the years.

As well as its own-label ranges, the firm also supplies to major names such as Marks &

IoD Director Linda Brown

Spencer, Tesco and Waitrose. We commend Brian and his team on their excellent contribution to the sector in Northern Ireland.

It’s fantastic to see our local directors recognised on this scale for their achievements.

2016 marked our most successful year at the awards, with Northern Ireland directors winning five national titles, including the Overall Director of the Year Award for the second year in a row, and five highly commended.

Particularly with the boost of the Year of Food & Drink in 2016, I envisage 2017 will be equally successful and I look forward to seeing more great things happening in the sector.

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COMMENTARY LYNAS FOODSERVICE

Lynas Foodservice: Delivering you more

Lynas Foodservice Managing Director Andrew Lynas

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s I reflect back on 2016, it has been a year of upsets, underdogs and most importantly the birth of my son Patrick in May. As an avid rugby fan, my highlight was the Ireland rugby team defeating the mighty All Blacks for the first time in 111 years in Chicago. However, what about the Northern Ireland and Ireland national football squads competing in the European Championship in France or Karl Frampton out boxing Santa Cruz, winning the WBA World Featherweight title in New York.

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In the political and business world, Brexit though will be the one event that will dominate memories of 2016, with the anticipation of the yes/no vote in the lead up to the election and then the many thoughts of how will this affect our business and the foodservice industry?

Yes, on the negative side we have seen inflation on our imported food categories yet the positive side is the last two quarters of 2016 that have seen a real surge of sales within the hospitality area as we attract more visitors to the region.

Outside forces will always be a distraction but, at Lynas Foodservice, we always focus on one thing and make that the centre of what we do – the customer.

Our brand promise is ‘Delivering you more’ and we wanted to really encapsulate what MORE meant so to keep it simple we used this Acrostic.

M – Make it easier: At Lynas, our team continue to aim to find ways to make things easier for you, the customer. From our new and improved Online Ordering System to thinking about technology that can make you better, our job is to make it easier.

That’s also why we have four food outlets that you can use at your convenience for that late rush or to

get a smaller pack size.

O – Ongoing growth: Growth is part of our DNA as it is for many of you and that means we want to develop new areas of the business and help you grow. Take a look at our fantastic new Mexican range and see how that might help you expand on your business.

R – Right first time: We are aware that every touchpoint is vital, from having the right stock, keying the right order, picking it, loading and delivering it, everything matters! We work relentlessly to get this better and continue to invest in technology and quality standards in 2017.

E – Everyday adding value: We want to add value in everything we do. We want to be your number one supplier, your first phone call or online order offering you a wide range of quality products at competitive pricing. If we can add value to you, our customer, then we can play a small part in helping you grow and succeed.

I am so grateful for the trust you put in us each and every day and for that I want to say a massive thank you.

We look forward to continuing to deliver you more in 2017 and beyond.

STAR STORES

Showcasing excellence in the retail sector Symbol groups and multiple retailers operating in the Northern Ireland grocery sector highlight shops standing out as ‘star stores’ for their quality of service and offer

SPAR Classic Service Station Omagh: Growing its offering and customer base

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PAR Classic Service Station had its best ever year. With shop sales showing an over 100% increase year on year, the addition of a new forecourt and an extensive store refurbishment, 2016 has exceeded expectations.

The completion of the new store and forecourt development stands out as the high of 2016, with the shop size increasing to 5,000 square feet, adding a 40-person seating area and an extensive food-to-go offering including an instore chip shop. The workforce has doubled to over 40 staff members and will continue to grow as the business is driven forward by the McCullagh family.

The official opening day was a huge success, and the Black Friday fuel promotion quite literally brought the town to a standstill by offering fuel at 94.9p per litre for one day only.

The increase in store footprint has allowed introduction of a wide range of fresh and ambient products as well as a focus on the food-to-go offering.

SPAR Classic Service Station are constantly developing their product range to suit customer needs, especially as customer habits are changing to shop little and often. The introduction and development of their own-label, take-home meal solutions has become a major footfall driver to the store and following on from some customer research, they have dedicated a large area of the store to ‘free from’ and gluten-free products.

The future is bright for SPAR Classic Service Station, with double-digit sales growth expected next year as the store continues to establish itself and grow its offering and customer base.

“Most retailers would probably run a mile from investing in this site, given the fierce competition all within 200 yards,” said Jonathan McCullagh, store owner. “We however saw this as a huge opportunity given our unique location to capitalise on the huge footfall and traffic in the area to attract customers by offering a point of difference from the multiples. We built our new store to be visually striking and ultra-modern

in design, both internally and externally. Our large food-to-go offering together with the chip shop and extensive seating area gives us a great point of difference which drives footfall to the store. Offering customers great customer service, fresh local produce, value and convenience is our core ethos and we will stick to this in 2017 and beyond.”

Lidl Andersonstown: representing the future of Lidl stores

Lidl Andersonstown Store Manager Danielle Bates

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fter six months of construction, the new 2,167-square-metre (gross area including warehouse, welfare etc; shop floor is 1,420 square

metres) Lidl Andersonstown reopened to the public at 8am on October 27.

Fifteen additional staff were recruited from the

locality to service the store, adding to the existing 15. Boasting a new architectural design and spacious layout, a bigger warehouse, wider aisles, as well as improved staff and customer facilities, the state-of-the-art building represents the future of Lidl stores in Northern Ireland. The innovative lean orientated design also features high spec operational facilities allowing staff to spend more time in a customer-facing role, further improving the customer shopping experience. The new store was an overwhelming success after it reopened with customer numbers doubling in its first full week of trade.

“Our new store has had a fantastic reception from the local shoppers,” said Danielle Bates, store manager. “More and more new faces are coming through the doors every day and the addition of a coffee machine and full range of freshly baked bread has really been welcomed also.

“Being able to offer this fantastic new shopping experience is really great and the team are just delighted with their new work space. I’d like to thank all the shoppers who were so patient while the store was closed to facilitate this rebuild – hopefully they agree it was worth the wait.”

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STAR STORES

ViVOXTRA Broughshane: 60 years in business Pictured are Gail Steele, Sandra Currie, Stacey Millar, David Millar and Don Allen.

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016 has been the best year of trading to date for ViVOXTRA Broughshane, according to General Manager Don Allen. “Sales are excellent and we’ve seen growth across all departments,” he says. “We’ve had particularly strong sales across our deli and fresh departments.”

A highlight of the year was celebrating 60 years in business.

Alistair’s father James McNeill started the business in February 1956; he sold groceries from

a van to the local farming community and then upgraded to the store soon after. “We celebrated this achievement with a week of special offers and giveaways culminating with a community fun day as a thank you for the community’s support over the past 60 years,” says Don. “James’ sole focus is on serving the community and, in recognition of this, he won a lifetime achievement award and involvement in the community award during the year.”

In June 2016, the family undertook a modernisation of the store. “With significant investment we redesigned the store layout, installed new floors, LED lighting and new freezers,” he says.

“We brought in new suppliers including Mullins ice cream. Overall it was a challenging two months but customer feedback has been excellent and sales have been fantastic following on from the completion of the re-design.

“We have seen customers looking for more and more range in their local store – it’s safe to say that customer trends have changed a lot over the course of our 60 years. Our aim is to be your one stop shop for everything. We endeavour to have the best possible range of products we can and one trend that hasn’t changed is the desire for local products.

Our customers come in time and again for local fresh products from suppliers like Barr’s, RJ Kerr’s and Fergusons.

“Our core business is strong and is supported by the community but the Ballymena area is facing challenging times. The closure of JTI and the forthcoming closure of Michelin on our doorstep will present a challenge in 2017 for us and the wider community. However we are optimistic and looking forward to the year ahead; as we continue to expand our product range and deliver what our customers want.”

Casey’s EUROSPAR: Making the store the best in class 2 016 began well for Casey’s EUROSPAR in Crossmaglen, with the addition of an off-sales in January. Over the first quarter, this brought in steady growth, contributing to additional spend throughout the store with sales stabilising at a level of 25% growth by mid-2016.

“It was at this point we decided to really push sales growth,” says Frank McPolin, general manager. “We had a detailed range review throughout the store including off-sales, butchery, deli/hot food and core grocery. Once complete, we were in a position to market the store more efficiently and targeted specific surrounding regions with promotions, through Facebook, leaflet drops and newspaper adverts. This led on to developing a store re-launch brochure, which brought new customers to the store.”

A highlight of the year was a very successful EURO for POUND promotion which attracted thousands of new customers. “This allowed them to see what was different about our store and set us apart from our competitors,” says Frank.

“From this promotion, we were able to continue to build our sales, offering the customer better range, better pricing, and better service. The success of this has been reflected in our sales growth currently running at over 75% increase

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on the same period last year.

“The last year has seen significant developments for the business; we have improved our merchandising, brought in a new management structure and improved our range for fresh food.

The business has benefited from increased external and internal digital marketing and the production of an in-store video has allowed us to highlight the changes we have made to improve our shopper experience.

“And in a final acknowledgement to our customers’ love of local produce, we are using our own cattle in our fresh and butchery department, from our local farm – meaning it is fully traceable and farm quality assured.

“In terms of customer trends, we have noticed a higher demand for fresh foods; in particular our shoppers are looking for more food-to-go and convenient take-home meal solutions. Tonight’s Tea will be a big part of our focus for 2017 and

we look forward to providing our customers with easy meal solutions.

“Casey’s EUROSPAR is very optimistic about 2017 in continuing our upward trend in sales, range, customer footfall and service. A positive and focused approach to making the store the best in class will only add to continued and sustained growth and the further development of staff training will make sure we provide the best in customer care and keep them coming back to us.”

STAR STORES

Asda Portadown: Offering local families choice, quality and value

Pictured are Simon Arlow, store manager Asda Portadown; Elaine Livingstone, community colleague Asda Portadown; Joanne Dobson, MLA; and Annmarie Rocks, Asda Foundation.

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hen Portadown’s most famous daughter, Dame Mary Peters officially opened the doors of Asda’s Bridge St store in November 2012, few would have guessed the impact it would have on the town and the local community. Giving the store her ‘golden’ seal of approval, Dame Mary spoke of her pride in supporting what she considered to be an ‘investment in the future of Portadown’.

Four years on, and under the leadership of Manager Simon Arlow, the store continues to go from strength to strength, offering local families the choice, quality and value they need and rely on.

“2016 was a tough year for the retail sector as we all faced the challenges of controlling costs and delivering on value,” says Arlow. “However Asda’s investment in quality, particularly around our fresh and chilled produce, together with a streamlining of range to avoid unnecessary duplication enabled us to focus on price and availability. We also listened to our customers and

enhanced our local range – which is particularly important as we are located in NI’s agri-food heartland, and surrounded by some of our top food and drink processors.”

However according to Simon, his store’s fan base extends far beyond ‘local’, as over the past year the Portadown store had attracted a steadily-increasing flow of customers from the Republic of Ireland.

“Located only 22 miles from the border and, with the added appeal of the strengthened euro, the store’s reputation for great value and range, particularly across health and beauty, BWS, confectionary and George, has made it a regular shopping destination for RoI shoppers,” he says.

Another noted success of 2016 has been the uptake of Asda’s e-commerce offering. With year-on-year sales increasing by 10% across Northern Ireland, the Portadown store has led the way through the expansion of its home delivery and Click & Collect services. Covering an expansive area which stretches across the Mournes to Banbridge, the store has created more jobs and invested in new vehicles to ensure a seamless service for all.

Simon can’t hide his pride in his team which is delivering on the ground and helping the store to maintain its position as one of Asda’s top trading stores in NI. “Excellence in service delivery is our mantra and it is our colleagues who play their part in making the customer experience memorable,” he says. “They do so by going the extra mile, none more so that our Community Champion Elaine Livingstone who many regard as the ‘face’ of Asda Portadown. Over the last year alone, Elaine’s efforts have resulted in over £25,000 being raised for deserving causes, groups and organisations in the Portadown area. That level of impact really resonates with our customers and stakeholders and has helped us embed in the local community.”

Costcutter Moygashel: Recognised for outstanding standards

Costcutter Moygashel store owner Melvin Moutray

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ecently recognised in national awards by Costcutter Supermarkets Group for its outstanding store standards and dedication to reducing waste, Costcutter Moygashel provides its local community with an extensive range of fresh, chilled, food-to-go, frozen and ambient groceries to meet customers’ shopping needs. This, combined with outstanding customer services and store standards, has helped the store become a stand-out convenience operator on the doorsteps of the local community and increase turnover by 16% this year.

With a large audience of office and shop workers, the team recognised a real opportunity

to offer meal solutions across the day and really up-weighted its chilled and food-to-go offering in response.

Looking at trends and customer feedback, in the past 12 months, the store’s hot food offering has increased 50%, with the hot food serve over extending from 1m to 1.5m, along with a dedicated delicatessen offering made-to-order sandwiches and salads, created using locallysourced produce.

The store is renowned in the area for its chilled food offering, including an outstanding and award-winning in-store butchery, known locally as M&W Meats. This, along with a strong range of fresh fruit and vegetables, including prepacked and now loose options, which many competitors don’t offer, has helped sales of fresh and chilled foods increase by 20% and continue to rise.

Recognising a need to augment the butchery and fresh offers to make the store a true destination for meal time solutions, Costcutter Moygashel also introduced a range of fresh locally-produced chilled meals including lasagnes, casseroles and pies, which come in a variety

of sizes to suit different needs including single servings, meals for two and also for the whole family. This has proved an extremely popular addition to the range and customers love the fact that they are handmade locally – it gives the store a point of difference and conveys the quality offered.

“What we offer is real choice; a superb range of chilled and fresh to give customers all the options to create dishes from scratch, a locally-produced range of meals as well as core branded offerings and a deli counter which allows customers to create sandwiches and salads exactly the way they want them,” said Melvin Moutray, Costcutter Moygashel store owner.

“This has helped really differentiate our store from our competitors and, make us a destination store for all our customers convenience needs.”

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STAR STORES

Moy Co-op: An 11% year-on-year sales uplift

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he Moy Co-op has been trading for nearly 20 years and is at the heart of village life. The 5,000-square-foot store has a team of 30 colleagues and is a hub for the local community.

This year the store’s performance has been excellent and sales have increased significantly - with an 11% uplift in sales compared to the previous year.

Store Manager Declan Kavanagh says this success is due to a number of factors. The store was refurbished and undertook a major range review, which led to a more focused approach to product ranges, tailored to the needs of Moy’s customers. The store layout was also improved, introducing wider aisles and reconfiguring the store to make it easier for customers to shop.

In August, the store was re-branded with the Co-op’s new, iconic clover-leaf

logo, which coincided with the Co-op’s ground-breaking new membership scheme. The scheme gives members a 5% reward on purchases of ownbranded products and services, with a further 1% going to local causes. The local causes supported by Moy’s Co-op are Moy Area Playgroup, Moy Group Riding for the Disabled and St John’s Primary School Parents Support Group.

“The reaction to our new membership scheme has been incredible and we’ve seen a 20% increase in the number of members at our store,” says Kavanagh. “It’s really caught the attention of our customers who are all keen to raise funds for community groups that are local to them and close to their hearts.

“Sales of our own-brand products have rocketed too as customers try our products and realise the great taste and quality – and earn a 5% reward for themselves too.”

As part of the re-branding programme, the team at Moy Co-op was taken out of store for an intensive training programme, which focused on demonstrating Co-op’s unique difference. Declan believes this investment further boosted the passion and sense of pride his team have in working for an organisation that does business differently and that really cares for people and their communities.

“It’s been an exciting year for the whole team and the store has undergone major improvements, which have seen fantastic results,” says Kavanagh.

“Shopping habits are changing and people are moving away from the traditional weekly shop, and instead shopping more frequently in their local, community convenience store.

“By ensuring we have the right range of great-quality products, we are in a great position to capitalise on this trend. This, together with our new membership offering, means we’re giving our customers a compelling reason to shop with us and we’re confident this success will continue into 2017.”

McGoveran’s Centra Cathedral Quarter: Achieving margin ahead of expectation F or owner Donagh McGoveran, the highlight of 2016 has been opening Centra Cathedral Quarter in June to a fantastic buzz amongst the local businesses and student community.

“We created 25 jobs, invested £500,000 and set out to redefine the convenience market in Northern Ireland with a reinvigorated coffee offer and a full new range of fresh and healthy foods, making it easier for consumers to eat and live well,” he says.

“I’m very pleased to say we’ve had a great first six months and have met all of the targets we set ourselves. Projections for year one have been fantastic in terms of sales and our margin is substantially ahead of expectation – driven by a winning combination of our food to go range and fresh food offering.”

While challenges in the run up to opening included the usual issues beyond their control, “for each of these, the team found solutions and worked through them,” he says. “The sense of satisfaction from the very positive customer feedback I’ve received and delivering sales in key areas has been fantastic.

“The convenience market has changed substantially and will continue to progress, with a real focus on health and fresh foods. We also sell these products in our other stores but we’ve captured the environment perfectly in Cathedral Quarter.”

With a vision to create a ‘social hub’ in the seated café area, Donagh believes that aim has been achieved with customers using the space to catch up with friends over a coffee or for business lunches.

“While it’s important to deliver on healthy lines, it’s all about choice for

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customers and giving them a wide range of options for food to eat now and later,” he says. “We will be working hard in the coming months to understand our customers as best as possible and ensure we deliver on their needs.

“I’m very excited about 2017 as our business is growing. The Cathedral Quarter area is a new focus of investment and the Council have major plans next year which is very positive for us and our customers.”

STAR STORES

Hoey’s Mace Moneen: Convenient ‘grab and go’ meals drive trade

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rading was very positive for Mace Moneen in 2016, with double-digit growth and particularly strong sales in the deli and food-to-go categories, while the store also won and was runner-up in a number of major retail awards.

Major developments within the store over the past year include the addition of an in-store bakery, expansion of its food-to-go options, a new coffee offer and a revamp of its deli.

“The deli has won repeat business with Sunday dinners in particular proving very popular with customers,” says Jim McConnon, general manager. “The sales success over the year has led us to expand our team, doubling our deli staff. We’re also focusing on our prepacked range in our deli and bakery and this has proven very popular.

“We’re noticing major growth trends in food to go where customers want to be able to ‘grab and go’ meals at all times of the day and with the introduction of new counters, we’ve been able to increase our range and offer customers breakfast, lunch or dinner food-to-go options. We’re now firmly focused on improving further in these areas.

“Throughout the year, we have faced the normal day-today challenges of any retail business which is trying to make improvements and achieve growth. We’ve been working hard on staff development, standards and hygiene to ensure we continue to provide excellent customer service and incremental growth on quality and service, which will mean our customers keep returning.”

Jim says he is very positive for the year ahead and expects further growth in sales. “With Moneen, we will look at how we can realign the shop and put an even stronger focus on food to go, take home and cook. We undertook major work within the store in 2015 and the new format and range is working very well for our customers so 2017 will be about tweaking this and making small improvements to ensure we stay at the top of our game.”

Long’s SuperValu Eglinton: Double figure growth after refit 2 016 has been a ground-breaking year for SuperValu Eglinton. “We have been trading from the same site since 1979, and gradually grown with the population of the village,” says Jodie Long, manager.

“After joining Musgrave Retail Partners in 2008, we knew a huge investment would be needed to compete with the growing competition and bring ourselves not just up to date, but ahead of the game. It was a difficult project to plan; building in a conservation area brought challenges as did our ambition to keep the store open every day of the construction process, by trading out of different sections as other parts of the store were demolished and rebuilt.

“Eight years after initial plans were made, construction finally began in January. By September, our store had increased in size to 10,000 square foot and we began rolling out the new features we had planned.”

The store now offers a new seating area with complimentary wifi, where customers can relax and enjoy a snack or a hot drink. “The addition of Frank and Honest coffee has proved a great success as has our new hot food bar and deli bar,” says Jodie. “We have strengthened our bakery range with new crusty breads and treats, which are baked instore throughout the day.

“We have added a new fresh fish counter which has grown in popularity with the introduction of sauces, marinades and oven-ready cooking bags.

“Our research before the refit emphasised how important the quality of meat is to customers. We increased the size of our butchery counter and introduced a meat ageing cabinet; all of our beef is Northern Irish and matured for at least 21 days. We introduced a new delicatessen selling a variety of cheeses, meats and savouries. We have added hundreds of new lines to our range, mainly across the fresh departments, with hot rotisserie

chickens amongst the most successful.

“In line with customer trends, we have a new health and wellbeing offering which has proved the biggest draw for new customers. We are selling products such as kale, quinoa, protein mixes and fresh wheatgrass, which is a completely new market for us. We even introduced a large healthy snack range around the checkout area.

“It was a challenge to manage the day-to-day operations and ensure it was business as usual during the refit. We had to ensure that we kept high health and safety standards while so much work was going on, and I’m pleased to say that we met these challenges and customers remained very loyal during this time.

“With the new look and feel of the store, it’s been a positive response from our customers and we are now enjoying double-figure growth.

“I’m excited about what 2017 holds and confident that the Supervalu brand and our store in Eglinton are well-prepared for the future.”

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My Life in the Grocery Trade David Johnson, general manager of Kestrel Foods WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? I would say that working as a factory manager is a bit like sailing; it is a series of many small adjustments that keep you on the right course rather than one big move so it is really hard to pick out one defining moment. Overall, I would say I am most proud of managing a talented group of people who helped drive continuous growth through some very challenging times. To do that, successfully and steadily, is what makes me most proud.

BRIEFLY OUTLINE YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Before joining Kestrel Foods, I worked for over 25 years with Avondale Foods. I started with Avondale Foods as part of a student placement programme from Loughry College (CAFRE) and moved steadily through the ranks to become Factory Manager.

WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? As general manager of Kestrel Foods, I work closely with the managing director to develop and implement the manufacturing strategy and objectives. We produce over 160 product combinations and export to 36 countries worldwide.

WHEN DID YOU TAKE UP THIS POST? I started with Kestrel in June 2016 WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? The best part of my job is the diversity of it, no two days are the same. We produce so many different products and deal with so many different countries that it is impossible to get bored. As soon as you are finished one task, you are immediately dealing with something completely different – I love that challenge!

Dealing with so many markets, sometimes the time difference can be a challenge – however there is nothing we can do about that!

BRIEFLY OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY My role includes the direct control of a range of dayto-day operations at our food-processing plant in Craigavon, including capacity planning, production, supply chain, health and safety, technical and quality assurance, engineering and warehouse operations.

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WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED WITH THE INDUSTRY? In Northern Ireland, we have a number of first-class food producers and manufacturers. I have been in the industry for over 25 years and recently I have seen a major shift in the Northern Irish food sector. We are more outward looking than ever before, with a big push on the export market. It’s particularly exciting to work for a company like Kestrel Foods at this time, as it has a very strong local presence, and really focus on expanding its global reach.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? In my spare time, I work as a swim coach in my local swim club, play golf when I can and I also enjoy spending time with my wife and two sons.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW I am a part-time farmer! I’ve been breeding Pedigree Charolais & Commercial Beef cattle for the best part of 25 years as well as producing crops.

RETAIL NEWS – INDEPENDENTS

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IT’S AS EASY AS 1-2-3

Emerson’s lifts UK’s Most Sustainable Independent Retailer title again 9745_TradePressStripAdvert_AW02.indd 1

Alessie Magowan, Gavin Emerson and Neill Powell

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rmagh-based Emerson’s Supermarket has been named UK’s Most Sustainable Independent Retailer for a second year running at the Retail Industry Awards 2016 held in London’s Grosvenor Hotel last month.

The supermarket houses the city’s Post Office, PhotoLab, Uluru Bar & Grill and its own off-licence, stocked with craft beers, cider and a variety of wines and spirits.

“We are continually looking to the future and planning ahead to ensure everything we do is sustainable,” said Gavin Emerson, owner.

“Every year, we all work so hard to make sure the offering we give our customers is the best.

We have to think outside of the box and think long term.

“All independent supermarkets are challenged by the big chain supermarkets, and indeed smaller convenience stores, so it’s important for us to stay ahead of the game so sustainability is an end goal for us.

“For us this covers a variety of aspects of our

26/04/2016 14:01

business from staff retention, using renewable sources for our energy, reducing food waste, food provenance, supporting local producers, supporting local families and creating new jobs.

Being sustainable is vital so for us to be able to bring this award back to Armagh, and beat stiff competition from right across the UK, is a fantastic achievement and a credit to our team here and indeed a credit to our loyal customers.

“And looking to the wider community, we also want to make a long-term, sustainable impact on local people. In our submission this year, we were able to include The Emerson’s Foundation which is our own Foundation which was set up and run by our own committee to help transform local communities. To date we have donated over £3,000 to local causes.”

Artisan bakery invests £100,000 in growth strategy

First Northern Irish cheese shop opened by artisan producer

rtisan bakery Belfast Baking Company has invested £100,000 to expand its business in Northern Ireland.

The company is opening a new bakery in Belfast in early 2017 and expects to create eight new jobs; it already employs 30 people at its first bakery, which is in the city’s Titanic Quarter and was opened last year in a £350,000 investment. The Titanic Quarter bakery also features a 50-seat restaurant and deli.

It will open the new premises in a patisserie/home bakery format. Belfast Baking has plans to offer further outlets in the city. The business is owned by Paul and Sharon McDonald.

“The new bakery will allow us to offer some traditional products to the local community while introducing different products to the mix,” said Paul.

“The new bakery will offer traditional artisan breads, patisseries and bespoke cakes, as well as take-out sandwiches and hot food options. It will be the company’s third artisan bakery in the city.

“Our business is focused on providing baking excellence using locallysourced foods, crafted by expert staff. Our bakers and cake makers have over 50-years’ experience in traditional Irish bread making and handmade cakes, which we will serve fresh daily - with a twist.

“As well as baking mouth-watering breads, we have devised a sumptuous lunch deli menu celebrating our local foods and flavouring which we know customers will love. To this we have added a fantastic evening menu.

“The deli is designed to let customers see the bakery operating during opening hours, creating a lovely buzz and allowing visitors to see the art of traditional bread and cake making, whilst enjoying locally-sourced Irish food in gorgeous surroundings from breakfast through to lunch and dinner.”

Located within Titanic Quarter’s ARC Residential and Retail Complex, the new 3,600 square foot deli and bakery is close to Titanic Belfast, Belfast Metropolitan College and SS Nomadic.

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rganic cheese maker Christo Swanepoel is opening Northern Ireland’s first cheese shop as a showcase for his and other products.

Swanepoel, originally from Pretoria in South Africa, has moved into a new and bigger creamery in Ballywalter, part of which he has developed into a shop selling artisan cheese and accompaniments including locally-produced chutney, Christo Swanepoel relishes and biscuits. The shop was to open its doors ahead of the Christmas season.

An experienced chef, he previously operated a much smaller creamery nearby in Millisle, another popular Northern Irish seaside resort, where he produced organic raw cow’s milk cheeses.

The new creamery features a glass partition separating it from the shop but allowing visitors to see the cheese being handmade and in the maturing room.

The new cheese shop is named Angeluqe’s Pantry after his wife, also a qualified chef, who will be supervising artisan products for its shelves.

“I needed more space to develop my artisan cheeses in response to the tremendous interest in my Dutch style products and saw a gap in the market in Northern Ireland for a dedicated cheese shop,” said Swanepoel.

“It’s my intention to offer a broad range of artisan cheeses from Ireland and further afield. I’ve noticed a growing interest in Northern Ireland for such cheese. Tastes are certainly developing here and there’s a growing appreciation of good artisan cheese, especially blue.”

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RETAIL NEWS

Avondale Foods launches ‘soup-erb’ range in Asda L

Colin Ferguson, head of sales Ireland, Avondale Foods is pictured with Brian Conway, buying manager Northern Ireland for Asda.

urgan-based Avondale Foods has launched a new range of single-serve ‘Just For You’ soups, in a deal with Asda, which will see the products stocked in all of the retailer’s Northern Ireland stores.

The introduction of the ‘Country Kitchen – Just For You’ individually portioned soup range builds on Avondale Food’s existing partnership with Asda, which already stocks the company’s market-leading range of coleslaw, potato salad and 500g fresh soups.

The new soup line is available in three flavours, Tomato and Basil, Cream of Vegetable and Red Thai Chicken.

“We will have been trading under the Country Kitchen brand for 25 years in 2017 and we’re renowned for our soup products - especially our traditional vegetable broth,” said Colin Ferguson, head of sales Ireland, Avondale Foods.

“The ‘Just For You’ soup launch is part of a revamp

of our current product range, to ensure we continue to meet consumer needs. The new range is tailor made for today’s busy lifestyles - creamy, indulgent soups, which make a comforting and wholesome alternative to other lunchtime staples. The individual portions mean waste is minimised and the pots are perfect to take to work or for a quick and tasty dinner for one.”

Brian Conway, buying manager Northern Ireland for Asda, said: “Avondale Foods has worked with Asda since we came to Northern Ireland 11 years ago – and since then the company has become one of our most trusted suppliers. The launch of the new range is testament to the team’s continued focus on new product development and I have no doubt the soups will appeal to our broad customer base.”

The range is available in all Asda NI stores now.

Over 300,000 packs of local vegetables were expected to sell at Christmas

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ver 300,000 packs of local vegetables and potatoes were expected to soar off the shelves at Asda stores throughout NI over the festive fortnight.

With a recent survey revealing the humble roast potato tops the chart as the favourite food consumed on Christmas Day, 80,000 bags of Maris Piper and White potatoes from Glens of Antrim in Cushendall were on offer to local spud fans.

And with carrots ranking in second position in the same survey – ahead of turkey, stuffing and gravy - almost two-thirds of the veg mountain were made up of Asda-branded carrots, parsnips and

sprouts supplied by Gilfresh in Armagh.

Dungannon-based family-owned business Quinfresh also featured on Christmas dinner tables, with nearly 40,000 bags of its pre-prepared fresh soup veg expected to be sold in the festive rush.

“Christmas is one of those occasions where tradition is key and demand for local produce peaks,” said Michael McCallion, senior buying manager for Asda NI. “Over the years, we have formed great partnerships with Quinfresh, Gilfresh and Glens of Antrim and are really delighted that their fresh veg ranges will feature prominently on local dinner tables this Christmas.”

Pictured are, from left, Elaine Cardwell, general manager, Quinfresh; Thomas Gilpin, owner, Gilfresh; Michael McKillop, director, Glens of Antrim Potatoes; and Michael McCallion, senior buying manager, Asda NI.

M&S and Moy Park treat shoppers to a festive feast

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Luke from Moira, is pictured at the Marks & Spencer Lisburn store sampling festive goodies with M&S Food Manager Conor McLoughlin and Moy Park Executive Chef Darran Benham.

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hristmas came early for shoppers in Belfast and Co Antrim as Moy Park teamed up with Marks & Spencer to treat customers to a festive feast at the retailer’s Newtownbreda and Lisburn stores.

Moy Park has been supplying M&S for over 50 years and is one of the retailer’s main turkey suppliers. One in every four turkeys purchased in the UK comes from M&S - enough to feed 2.5 million people this Christmas.

To mark the occasion and spread some Christmas spirit, the retailer enlisted the help of leading food company Moy Park to serve up its M&S signature turkey crowns with all the trimmings to hungry shoppers and families at the two popular outlets.

RETAIL NEWS

TS Foods introduces a new hot deli range with Tesco NI worth £600,000 F

amily-owned business TS Foods has produced a hot deli range to be sold in 30 Tesco stores across Northern Ireland, in a deal worth £600,000 – representing more than a 50% increase in its business.

The new listing has resulted in six new jobs being created within the company and has allowed TS Foods to significantly increase its business with Tesco NI through innovative new products.

The new range introduces a variety of new pork sausage rolls, with caramelised onion & cheese and apple & sage flavours, plus breaded cod bites and chicken olives.

Based in Castlewellan, TS Foods’ Northern Irish heritage is rooted in its produce, with all pork and chicken locally sourced. The award-winning company prides itself on the exceptional choice, quality and value of its products and has produced

the new deli range in response to consumer demand for convenient food, that doesn’t compromise on taste or quality.

“We’ve been supplying Tesco NI for 20 years and the relationship has allowed us to expand the company and provide opportunities for our own Northern Ireland suppliers,” said Joanne Molloy, commercial director of TS Foods.

“Our ethos aligns with Tesco NI in supporting the local economy, whether it’s providing jobs for local people or carefully selecting the finest ingredients for our products.

“We’re always striving to innovate and develop new products according to customer demand.

Today’s consumers’ tastes are ever changing and we try to be receptive to that. This range is designed to cater to the growing desire for tasty, quality food that’s also convenient.”

SuperValu’s beef is a cut above the rest

Anna Hazzard, marketing manager, and David Steele, director of TS Foods, are pictured with Aiden Furey, store manager of Tesco NI, Newcastle.

Sandra Weir, fresh food buyer at Tesco Northern Ireland, said: “We’re excited to introduce this new range of deli treats to our hot deli counters.

Customers are increasingly demanding tastier convenient meal solutions and the feedback on this range from TS Foods has been excellent.”

Britvic NI supports Food Force Ireland promotion Competition winner Sadhbh Nì Dhonnaile is pictured with her father Antaine O Donnaile, McAnerney’s Armagh Store Manager Fergal Ward and Britvic representative David Mullin.

Kate Ferguson and Desi Derby from Musgrave NI are pictured picking up the award from Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Garath Keating and representatives from sponsor Emirates.

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uperValu has won a business award for its Best Beef Ever campaign, picking up the Agri-Food Innovation accolade at the UTV awards held at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall.

The win comes on the back of a very successful year for SuperValu’s beef as it has already been named number one for quality and taste, in research conducted by the Livestock and Meat Commission.

With 100% of its beef sourced locally and Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured, an independent consumer taste audit conducted by Loughry College found that SuperValu’s new and improved beef was the best ahead of a number of key competitors.

The retailer’s Best Beef Ever campaign, which was supported by SuperValu ambassador and renowned celebrity Chef Noel McMeel, ran in August as part of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink’s Love NI Meat theme.

SuperValu steaks and joints are now matured for a minimum of 21 days to give a fuller flavour and improved tenderness. All butchers within SuperValu stores have also been trained on the quality of the meat, increased range, improving maturation and new cuts of meat, to be able to offer ‘expert’ advice to customers.

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ritvic NI recently ran a consumer competition with Food Force Ireland members and their customers, which saw a winner from each participating store picking up a year’s supply of MiWadi and an overall winner awarded a £500 Smyths toy voucher.

“We ran a similar competition in 2015 and, this year’s (2016) was a great success again,” said Sarah Collins, NI national account manager for Britvic.

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COVER STORY

Generating ‘fresh’ appeal in a competitive retail market Wholesale and retail sales are continuing to grow, as investment in developing stores and its fresh look yield results, Henderson Wholesale Sales and Marketing Director Paddy Doody tells Alyson Magee

Paddy Doody is pictured with Niall Creighton and his sister Gail Boyd, co-owners of EUROSPAR Creighton’s of Balmoral.

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ix months on since EUROSPAR Creighton’s of Balmoral opened its doors to reveal a modern, innovative 6,000-square-foot store offering a diverse range, it’s no surprise why the Henderson Group chose the vibrant shop for its Yearbook cover shoot.

Not only is EUROSPAR currently its fastest growing symbol group but the Upper Lisburn Road store serves as a showcase for the advantages associated with a Henderson Group retail partnership.

A whopping 70% of the EUROSPAR, SPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials stores are owned by independent retailers, with the remaining 30% of stores being company owned.

“It’s clear that the retail partnerships are driving our business,” says Paddy Doody, sales and marketing director at Henderson Wholesale.

“Working with independent family businesses, whether they’re a single site, three sites or 10 sites, we enjoy developing a partnership and a programme of joint investment. There’s probably no better illustration of that than EUROSPAR Creighton’s of Balmoral.”

The Henderson Group previously operated a small company-owned, fuel kiosk shop of around 34

700 square feet, before going into partnership with Niall Creighton, with whom it had an existing relationship at EUROSPAR Creighton’s of Finaghy.

“Creighton’s is a fabulous family-run business with great heritage,” says Paddy. “They are superb operators, who have the same vision for the future that we have as a business and, don’t forget, we’re a family-run business as well.

“And out of that was born what we have today.

Together we had to go through a lot of hoops to get to the store we have, a lot of issues in terms of planning approval and also what the look and feel of the store would be like, but it’s all been worth it because this is what we now have.”

Creightons’ relationship with the Henderson Group under the EUROSPAR brand dates back 11 years. “To unlock the full potential of what we could do here, we needed the right partner to collaborate with,” says Niall. “And we, the Creighton family, were fortunate enough to be able to build on our existing relationship with the Henderson Group.”

FRESH FOCUS With its wide sweeping aisles and back counters

piled high with produce, Creighton’s of Balmoral also exemplifies the Henderson Group’s on-going focus on its fresh offer as a driver of sales.

“The focus of all the refurbishment jobs or rebuilds we’ve done has been to drive fresh foods and create fresh food theatre when you walk into the store,” says Paddy. “We lead in with fruit and veg, dairy, bread and cakes and fresh produce, which gives a real feeling of quality in the store.

Where we’ve done this, without exception, we’ve had tremendous like-for-like sales growth, and growth in margin and therefore profitability.”

The retailer and wholesale supplier continues to focus its new product development around both its fresh and locally-sourced offering.

“That’s an investment in people, expanding our fresh food development teams – both in terms of buying and in terms of retail – and also our fresh food range,” says Paddy.

Building on the success of the enjoy local brand, one of the big launches in the final quarter of 2016 was The Kitchen, a rebrand of the innovative Meals Made Delicious concept tested in 2015. The range has been launched in SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials outlets across

COVER STORY

Northern Ireland.

Focused around fresh, convenient meals, The Kitchen features foil tray solutions to get ‘tonight’s tea’ sorted quickly and tastily and can be heated in both the oven and the microwave.

Products in the 39-strong range include mains, sides, desserts and party food, including meal-forone options, and meal deal offers on multiple buys.

Local suppliers working with the Henderson Fresh Team include the Big Pot Co. in Cookstown, Daily Bake in Armagh, Willowbrook Foods in Killinchy and Quinfresh in Dungannon.

The company also worked with the Ulster University Business School’s Food and Consumer Testing Suite to test, develop and refine the new range.

“The Kitchen is expanding our fresh food credentials, as a destination for food for now, food for later today and food for the next couple of days,” says Paddy, while also meeting on-going consumer demand for locally-sourced produce.

“Shoppers tell us they like that idea because, in a shopper’s mind, it conjures feelings of being fresher and healthier,” says Paddy. “There’s more wholesomeness about it.”

Traceability is another benefit with the Henderson Group, for example, rejecting cheaper imports in favour of sourcing all its poultry locally in Northern Ireland. “Local provenance remains very important for us,” he says.

While many of its suppliers are smaller, artisan producers, the Henderson Group is also a big supporter of bigger local businesses such as Mash Direct, which supplied the Group with larger, family size packs of its products for Christmas.

“I think Mash Direct in particular are a great example, as a company started 12 years ago and the first shop they ever sold their products in was one of our stores, SPAR in Dundonald and now you’ll get them in Fortnum & Mason in London,” says Paddy.

Coffee, meanwhile, has been another driver of growth. “Barista, our coffee offering, is going from strength to strength,” said Paddy. “We’re up to 250 outlets, which has gone beyond our expectations.

If you have a quality coffee offering, communicate widely its availability with good advertising and offer linked deals such as coffee and a treat for £3, it has great resonance with shoppers.”

Strong marketing, including overbags outside

shops, has boosted drive-by trade, with customers often picking up additional items when they stop in for a coffee.

“What we’re finding is outlets that would have dabbled in coffee with 150 cups a week, which is relatively small by industry standards, have put in Barista and now are doing maybe 650 coffee cups a week and at a higher price,” he says.

“So they may have been selling 150 cups of coffee at £1, and now they’re selling 500-600 at £1.79 so what does that tell you? It tells you the shopper is happy to pay for quality.”

ONGOING INVESTMENT “The investments we’ve made in 2016, we will continue to make in 2017, including investments in price and the cost of goods, marketing and customer communications,” says Paddy.

The Group will also continue its on-going investment in infrastructure, developing its stores and enhancing their look and feel. “It’s about taking existing stores and giving them more services, whether it’s extended food to go or a post office or off licence,” says Paddy. “It’s also about acquiring new stores, whether we are acquiring sites or building new stores. That has been part of our strategy throughout 2016, which has paid dividends, and it will continue to be part of our strategy throughout 2017.”

The Group has also completed the latest phase of its five-year plan to develop its extensive Mallusk site, a £3m investment in modern new office headquarters bringing most of its staff members under one roof for the first time.

Scheduled for completion in 2019, the fiveyear investment plan will total around £25m and upgrade the entire Mallusk facilities from foodservice operations through to wholesale warehousing.

A former M&S warehouse on an adjacent site, acquired previously by Henderson’s, has been knocked down and a new 260,000-square-foot warehouse will be built there in 2017, facilitating “our growth plans for the next 15 to 20 years,” says Paddy.

The final phase of the project will see current warehousing operations move into the new site, followed by a refurbishment and extension of the old warehousing.

Addressing the benefits of such a major capital

investment project for Henderson’s retail partners, Paddy says, “the whole idea is to drive efficiency, and reduce operating costs, so we can be a more efficient supplier into our retail base.”

Looking back on 2016: “It’s been a good year of trading with strong growth,” says Paddy. “At wholesale, we will finish the year at +5%. Our retail like-for-like sales are growing at about +3.2%, which is very pleasing, particularly in the context of some very worthy competitors out there who are obviously investing in their business as well.

Overall, we’re very pleased with where we’re at, at yearend.

“On the negative side, there’s still a huge issue with rising costs including the minimum wage going up to £7.50,” he says. “There is severe stress and pressure on all our retailers, whether they’re independent retailers or company-owned stores and it makes for a very difficult trading environment.”

Uncertainty over the impact of Brexit on the economy is a further concern.

“We’re still two years away from Brexit but we’ve had the immediate impact on currency, from the 23rd June, where sterling has depreciated,” says Paddy. “We’re going to see the cost of goods increasing over the next number of months.

“The grocery industry in the UK as a whole has shown significant price deflation over the last number of years, but I think that run is now coming to an end and we’re going to see price inflation in the grocery trade in 2017.”

A return to price inflation will create a challenging trading environment, with a likely impact on consumer confidence and spending, as well as how they shop, says Paddy.

35

We work in partnership with independent across Northern Ireland to help them grow business for them, their families and their

retailers and foodservice professionals their sales and deliver a profitable communities.

TODAY’S PROFILE

S&W Partnership – core sales increased by over 20% A store refit and range expansion, alongside a move to direct chilled deliveries from Savage & Whitten, have boosted trade, Today’s Donaghmore Store Manager Stephen Brown tells UG HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY NEW CONSUMER TRENDS OVER THE PAST YEAR? Certainly we are seeing an increase in the basket spend with more frequent visits, and consumers are continually looking for meal solutions including freshly prepared veg. Our Costa Coffee solution has been a major hit, along with the improved layout of ambient goods, condensing the range but improving flow. December 2016 saw the introduction of Today’s new consumer leaflets, which have been well received and really hit the spot! We have achieved the right balance of local produce, value and an improved look and feel, combined with a healthy margin for the store.

HOW WAS TRADING FOR TODAY’S DONAGHMORE IN 2016?

We had really pleasing results, with weekly core sales increasing by over 20% and an overall improvement in store margin; a particularly strong trading performance taking into consideration the economic uncertainty and the competiveness of the marketplace. The store has seen signification growth in the chilled, fresh and frozen departments since Savage & Whitten started delivering directly to store, meaning we can now control and manage our own range.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE STORE? I have been working at Today’s Donaghmore for four years now, and was promoted to store manager three years ago.

HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS DO YOU HAVE? We have 18 staff, four of whom work in our very busy hot food and deli department.

WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST YEAR FOR YOU? The highlight has to be the store refit and investment – early in 2016 we identified through consumer and staff engagement that there was an opportunity to grow key categories. With the help of the facilitation department, we developed a retail plan to reflect the feedback and implemented it with immediate impact on sales and margin.

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WERE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE STORE THIS YEAR? Yes we developed the food-to-go category and range available, as well as a new Costa tea and coffee dock, which has tripled our sales of hot drinks and treats.

We also introduced a spider cabinet to highlight the local meat available through S&W CDC, and bread tables engaging with local home bakeries to drive a differential and local feel to the store. With local bread and cake suppliers supporting the store such as Ditty’s Bakery and McGlaughlin’s Bakery, we have seen significant growth within this category.

WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR CHALLENGES OVER THE YEAR? I have to say the key has been listening to consumer feedback and staff, while implementing change.

Increased operational costs are a continual challenge and, with the increase in opening hours, it was important to maintain a tight control on these but with sales and margin trending upwards, our focus has been on improving availability and customer service, and engaging in the local community.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE THE PROSPECTS FOR YOUR BUSINESS IN 2017?

I feel very confident about 2017. With the majority of refit work completed, we can concentrate on driving standards and consumer loyalty. We have an active exciting marketing plan for 2017 backed up

by S&W. Local sourcing will remain a focus and the use of a digital platform for coupon downloads will assist in attracting a new consumer profile to the store, so it’s onwards and upwards!

PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUCCESS AS A TODAY’S GROUP SYMBOL RETAILER, I GET: Branded Store

Membership · Today’s Group – (No membership fee) · No weekly Marketing Fee · Signage & Branding Support

Concept Drawings

Dedicated Delivery

Deliveries · Ambient and Chill/Freeze/ Fresh Central Distribution · Central Billing with all Major Suppliers

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S&W Wholesale, Carnbane Business Park, Newry BT35 6QH

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028302 63521 028302 63143 info@sandwni.com

www.savageandwhitten.com

DRINKS NEWS

Local craft beer and spirits soar Northern Irish gin producers help boost spirit exports

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orthern Ireland companies are playing their part in what the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WTSA) has described as the ‘Year of Gin’ in 2016 after the category’s successes at home and abroad.

Two Northern Ireland boutique gin producers, Shortcross in Crossgar, and Belfast’s Classic Dry Jawbox, have been at the forefront of sales abroad during 2016.

In addition, the category in Northern Ireland has seen the emergence of new producers Boatyard Double Gin in Enniskillen, Echlinville Gin, Kircubbin, and Eight Leaf Gin, Donaghcloney.

Shortcross and Jawbox are now selling in key markets such as the Republic of Ireland, France and other parts of Europe as well as Scandinavia.

Both are in line to win business in the US early next year.

Boatyard Gin recently secured its first export business, in the Republic of Ireland, just two months after its launch. Trickle distilled

Echlinville, a single estate gin, the most recent launch, is now selling in Britain at iconic retailers such as Fortnum and Mason in London.

Gin is the fastest growing spirit category in Northern Ireland.

WTSA reported that exports of gin had grown 166% by value since 2000, and today represent 11% of all spirits exports from the UK. Domestically, sales passed the £1bn mark in October and strong sales have continued as the year comes to a close.

As published in WTSA’s latest Market Report, 283,000 hectolitres of gin – the equivalent of 40 million bottles – have been sold across all channels in the UK in 2016. The trade body calculated that that amount of gin amounted to 1.12 billion gin and tonics consumed over the past year.

Sales were higher in the on-trade, with sales over the last 12 months (October 1) up 19% by value on the same period in 2015, and now worth £619m. Sales by value in the off-trade were not

Top Irish accolade for Jawbox Gin

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awbox, the Northern Irish gin, has been named Drink of the Year 2016 by William Barry, editor of the influential John and Sally McKennas’ Guides.

The guides review the best places to eat, shop and stay on the island of Ireland. Barry also pinpoints the quality of Hannan Meats’ salt aged rib eye beef as his reason for choosing the Barking Dog in Belfast as his best restaurant in Northern Ireland.

Praising Jawbox Belfast Dry Gin, Barry recommends that it be enjoyed with ginger ale, another beverage developed in the city.

Jawbox, a premium, single estate gin distilled in Northern Ireland from locally-grown barley was launched in early 2016. It was recently listed by Marks and Spencer for almost 200 stores across the UK and has been exported to France, Germany and Spain. It is expected to enter the US market in early 2017.

The gin was created by Gerry White, an experienced publican in Belfast, in a tie-up with Echlinville Distillery at Kircubbin.

Jawbox takes its name from the large metal kitchen sinks which were a feature in Belfast homes in the Victorian era.

The product design also features a Victorian-style medicine bottle and branding.

White worked on the recipe, which features among its botanicals wild heather foraged from the Black Mountain overlooking Belfast, for the gin for over six years.

White says the gin has “a juniper berry profile, and a more classic flavour than some of the other small-batch varieties currently on the market”.

“My aim was to revive the gin making tradition in Belfast that dates back to the 19th century. It has its roots deep in the history and traditions of the city, and I want to see it on sale in Britain, the Republic of Ireland, other parts of Europe and the US,” he said.

A veteran of the pub trade in Northern Ireland for 30 years, he’s been at the helm of the award-winning John Hewitt bar in Belfast for the past 10 years.

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too far behind however and rose 13% in the 12 months to November 5 to a total of £437m.

The category has broken through the £1bn barrier, not just for the first time but six months ahead of forecasts – such has been the soaring popularity of the spirit.

“We hope that government supports our innovative gin makers who have driven an extraordinary increase in UK exports, up 166% since 2000,” said Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA. “We would like to remind government that cutting excise duty boosts business and brings more money into the Treasury. Following the cut in spirits duty in the 2015 budget, spirits duty income increased on the previous year by £125m (+4.1%) from April 2015 to March 2016 inclusive.

“The UK spirit industry is one of the most heavily taxed in Europe with 76% of a bottle of spirits accounted for by tax, the fourth highest duty rate for spirits in the EU.”

Northern Irish Hercules Brewing wins medals in Global Beer Masters

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ercules Brewing Company has won two medals for quality and taste in the inaugural Global Beer Masters.

The craft brewery, based in Belfast, gained a silver medal in the Medium Ale category for its Yardsman Pale Ale (ABV 4.80%) and a bronze in Lager Light for its Yardsman Irish Craft Lager (ABV 5.60%).

Hercules was the only Northern Ireland company to achieve success in the prestigious awards. It was up against international brands such as San Miguel and Tuborg, also bronze winners in Light Lager.

Niall McMullan, founder and managing director of Hercules Brewing Company, said the medals are “a fabulous boost for our brewing business at the end of 2016. This important endorsement positions us for even faster growth in the year ahead. It’s immensely encouraging.

“Hercules Brewing Company puts craft and local at the heart of everything we do. We now have a successful range of lagers, ales and stout.”

Hercules Brewing Company was the first craft brewery to open in Belfast in over 100 years and builds on a tradition of brewing in Belfast, which dates back to 1855. It uses traditional Irish linen to filter the beers, and employs around seven people in Belfast.

The Global Beer Masters is run by The Drinks Business publication, and is an extension of its successful Masters series for wines and spirits.

DRINKS NEWS

Irish whiskey distilleries urge global promotion

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hiskey producers in Northern Ireland are backing a call by the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) for the promotion of an internationally-marketed whiskey trail, similar to Ireland’s tourism-focused Wild Atlantic Way and Ancient East, to help capitalise on the island’s whiskey resurgence.

Its goal is to increase the 653,277 tourists who visit an Irish whiskey distillery each year to 1.9 million by 2025. Old Bushmill’s Distillery in Co Antrim, the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, already attracts around 150,000 visitors annually and has plans to create a new interactive visitor centre as part of a £30m investment in the historic distillery, now owned by Jose Cuervo, the market-leading Mexican tequila producer.

Echlinville, Northern Ireland’s most recent licensed distillery and Ireland’s only single estate whiskey, recently opened a visitor centre at Kircubbin, Co Down which has become a popular visitor centre.

“Our visitor centre is proving increasingly popular especially with international tourists,” said Shane Braniff, founder and managing director of Echlinville. “We’d certainly welcome an initiative to develop an all-Ireland whiskey trail. It would be great for the industry and for the wider economy here.”

Echlinville has revived the Dunville brand’s two historic whiskies, Dunville PX single malt and Dunville Three Crown’s blended whiskey.

Echlinville also produces the ‘Feckin’ and ‘Feckin Spiced’ whiskies.

Gin-producer Rademon Estate Craft Distillery in Crossgar, meanwhile, has laid down spirit for a new Irish whiskey, while new visitor centres are planned at The Quiet Man Distillery in Derry and at the old Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast.

As part of the new IWA strategy, the industry is calling for investment for the development of a tourism infrastructure around distilleries as well as the promotion of Irish whisky festivals abroad.

Exports of Irish whiskey are up by 60% since 2009, with annual whiskey exports valued at €410m.

Currently there are 28 distilleries operating or being developed in Ireland with plans for an investment of around €1bn to help grow its market share by 300%.

“The growing success of Irish whiskey internationally and an outstanding whiskey visitor performance to date means Ireland has the potential to compete with Scotland and Kentucky to become the world’s number one whiskey tourism destination,” adds Bernard Walsh, IWA chairman and chief executive of Walsh Whiskey Distillery in Carlow.

Irish whiskey is the fastest growing premium spirits category in the world, with production projected to grow by 41% over 2010 to 2025.

Second historic Irish Whiskey revived

by Northern Irish distillery

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unville’s Three Crowns, a Vintage Blended Irish Whiskey, has been launched by Echlinville Distillery.

Based at Kircubbin, Echlinville is Northern Ireland’s second licensed Irish whiskey distillery and the only one to distil using barley grain harvested from its own farm estate.

Three Crowns is the second Dunville branded whiskey launched by the distillery and follows the award-winning Dunville PX 12-year old Single Malt.

Echlinville, established in 2013 by businessman Shane Braniff, acquired the historic Dunville Irish Whiskey brand, once produced by the Royal Irish Distilleries in Belfast and one of the most successful whiskies in the US until Prohibition. The Royal Irish Distillery, which had been established in 1808, closed in 1936.

The launch of Three Crowns, a blend of three premium whiskies, means that Echlinville has now revived the two main Dunville whiskies.

The company describes Three Crowns as having a “sweet and smooth nose with caramel and butterscotch overtones. It stays smooth on the palate with initial sweetness balancing with grain and malt characters supported by an oak influence.

Friendly to the palate and very drinkable, the soft and lingering finish has subtle notes of walnut and dried fruits with touches of vanilla pods”.

Northern Irish craft brewers seek licensing reform Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin

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raft brewers in Northern Ireland are campaigning for a change in the region’s licensing laws to help the industry’s continuing growth.

They want the devolved Northern Ireland Executive to allow them to be able to sell online, from their own premises and at the many farmers’ and food markets across Northern Ireland.

A group of craft brewers have already met Northern Ireland Assembly members to press their case for help that will enable them to sell freely alongside other artisan food producers, without a special licence. They have argued that the existing legislation is outdated and is inhibiting the development of what has become one of the most dynamic sectors of artisan food production in Northern Ireland.

The region currently has almost 40 craft breweries producing a wide range of ales, beers and stouts for the local market, with several selling in the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and further afield.

The campaign to modernise the licensing laws is being supported by Food NI, the region’s food

promotion body, as well as Hospitality Ulster.

The group has also worked with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Assembly to address some of the issues brought into sharp focus during Year of Food & Drink. Restrictive licensing hours have become one of the most pressing issues to have an impact on tourism.

“Events such as the BBC Good Food Show, which was held in Belfast in October for the first time, highlighted the adverse impact of licensing laws on smaller producers such as craft breweries and distilleries, many of which had expressed an interest in participating but found they were unable to sell products to the public,” said Michele Shirlow, chief executive of Food NI. “There’s a need to enable smaller breweries to sell on-line, in-house and at exhibitions and country markets. Research among tourists shows that one of the top five most desirable experiences for holidaymakers is visiting a craft brewery or small distillery.”

The pressure for change in Northern Ireland comes as the Republic is considering a relaxation in licensing laws to aid ‘craft-beer tourism’.

Ireland’s microbreweries employ 439 fulltime workers, with an estimated 392 people also indirectly employed in the industry.

Microbreweries are in operation in 23 of the 26 counties, with a projected turnover of €59m this year. However, ‘craft-beer tourism’ is hampered by current licensing regulations, which require producers to have a pub license or an off-licence to sell their produce.

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SUBWAY

Become your own boss with Subway

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he SUBWAY brand is one of the largest and best known franchise organisations with over 2,300 stores across the UK and Ireland and more than 44,000 stores in over 110 countries. The brand has enabled thousands of hard-working, business savvy people to fulfil their dreams of becoming their own boss.

There are currently over 90 SUBWAY stores in Northern Ireland and the brand is actively seeking new franchisees to be part of the success story as it continues its expansion.

Franchising is an attractive proposition for ambitious and entrepreneurial individuals, keen to start their own business and become their own boss, but with the added reassurance of working for a well-known organisation within a proven business model.

The SUBWAY brand has developed a franchise system that is both efficient and effective, providing individuals with the autonomy to manage their own stores. Successful SUBWAY franchisees are self-motivated, organised and hardworking. Passionate about the brand, they are willing to get involved in all areas of the business.

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Franchisees receive all the support and training needed to get their new business ventures up and running. Regional development agents provide support and assistance with site selection, leasing, operations and store development. Every new franchisee must also attend a comprehensive two-week training course at the UK and Ireland’s SUBWAY training centre in Cambridge.

There are also regular opportunities to meet with development agents and fellow franchisees and share best practice.

Stephen Coulter is a SUBWAY franchisee with a store in Belfast. Stephen comments: “I had been watching the SUBWAY brand closely for a long time.

Once I’d decided that I wanted to make a move from my management job in the restaurant sector, I started looking around at business opportunities, specifically franchises. It made sense for me to stay within the sector that I knew well, but to apply my knowledge and experience and work for myself.

“It’s really hard work running your own business, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s one of the best things I have ever done, and what’s more important, I really enjoy it. We’re learning new things every day and making the most of all the opportunities.

“My advice to anyone considering buying a franchise is simple – just do it.

But be prepared to work hard, and that means being very hands-on in your store, especially in the early days.”

As the SUBWAY brand continues to expand, it is always looking for new franchisees to become part of its success story.

For more information: Tel: 0800 0855 058 (UK) or 1800 413076 (Eire) Email: franchiseopportunities@subway.co.uk Web: www.subwayfranchising.com

FOOD & DRINKS NEWS

Bakery sector insight column: The bread basket

BY CHLOE ORMISTON, IRWIN’S BAKERY CATEGORY MANAGER

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016 was another demanding year for the bakery industry.

A staggering £95m has been wiped off wrapped bread value in the last year. The drop in value is a result of lower prices, shoppers buying fewer packs per trip and changes in promotional mechanics across the category. (1).

The average price of a sliced white loaf in Northern Ireland is 90p, a deflation of -6% YOY (2). Bread consumption has declined by 75% (3) since the 1970s and today less than half of consumers eat a slice or more daily (4). Macro grocery trends like Health, Convenience and Indulgence have also put pressure on the bakery market.

But the good news is bakeries are continuing to develop new and innovative products to meet the needs of consumers. For this column, I have chosen some insights from 2016 which emphasise the changing tastes in bread and consumer expectations for 2017.

1. The boredom of sandwiches – Despite sandwiches being the number one food occasion, the biggest decline in bread consumption has come from lunchtime occasions -7% YOY (5).

Consumers are now looking for bread to be as highquality as the filling, so they look for alternatives in speciality and artisan breads to fulfil their needs.

2. Bread is alright - We saw plenty of articles in 2016 discussing the negative health perceptions of bread, evidenced by six in 10 NI consumers thinking bread is bad for you (6). Helping to debunk that myth, celebs like Oprah Winfrey shouted “you can eat bread and still lose weight” and astronaut Tim Peake showed us it’s ok to eat butties, even in space! The positive press from wellknown personalities highlighted the feel-good factor of bread and we expect that to continue.

3. The rise of Nutribreads – Protein and ancient grains have been an obsession for some in 2016.

Marks and Spencer’s decision to add extra fibre to its entire wrapped bread and bakery occasions range, following research that over 75% of its shoppers did not achieve their daily requirement (7), highlighted the trust and transparency

consumers are now seeking in their food choices.

Cleaner labels will still be a significant choice of purchase in 2017.

4. Driving both convenience and the healthindulgence balance – In 2016, the Mr Kipling brand confirmed that all its individual cakes will have 150 calories or less by 2018. The brand is also expanding the proportion of single pack cakes from 40%-50% (8). Portion control and reformulation will be high on manufacturer agendas in 2017.

5. The Toastie – The buzz word in 2016 had to be ‘toastie’, emphasizing the need for indulgence but also convenience. A plethora of new products launched in 2016 highlighted the benefits of toasting to get the best eating experience. In 2017, indulgent eating occasions will drive engagement with consumers.

1) AC Nielsen Scan Track July 2016 2) AC Nielsen Scan Track July 2016 3) National Food Survey 2016 4) The Grocer Report 14.9.16.

5) Kantar World Panel Usage August 2016 6) Mintel February 2016 7) M&S PR February 2016 8) The Grocer 15.10.16

World Cheese gold for Northern Ireland’s Dart Mountain B

anagher Bold, a beer-washed cheese developed by Dart Mountain Cheese Company in Northern Ireland, has struck gold at the annual World Cheese Awards in San Sebastian in Spain’s Basque country.

The semi-hard cheese has been created by husband and wife team Kevin and Julie Hickey at their purpose-built creamery near Dungiven.

The handmade cheese uses milk from grass-fed herds in the rugged Sperrin Mountains and is washed in beer from Northbound, a craft brewery based nearby in Derry city.

Named after the parish in which the creamery is located, the cheese is washed in Northbound’s number 26 craft beer, uses the local Gaelic football team’s colours, and is then aged for at least three months.

“We are delighted and tremendously proud to have won a gold award at the World Cheese Awards, the world’s most important event in the cheese calendar for our unique Banagher Bold,” said Kevin. “Winning this award is a marvellous boost for our small business and should be hugely important as we expand our marketing operations for our range of cheeses and the new varieties we will be launching soon including Ballydonegan, a new smoked cheese.

“Banagher Bold and other cheeses are deeply rooted in the area in which we are based and from which we draw our milk. We wanted to create a beer washed cheese to provide a different flavour, and using a local craft brewery, Northbound, made sense. The brewery uses fresh water from a river near to use.”

The cheese, winner of a UK Great Taste award earlier in the year, was the only winner from Northern Ireland in the World Cheese Awards held in San Sebastian by the UK Guild of Fine Foods and an integral part of the International Cheese Festival.

Now in its 29th year, the World Cheese Awards witnessed a record number of over 3,000 cheeses from across the world being judged representing Australia, the Basque Country, France, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, the USA and the UK. John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, said: “What an incredible way to cap off another record-breaking year for the World Cheese Awards. We were certainly in the presence of greatness, as nearly three decades’ worth of World Champion Cheeses took the stage in front of our audience of food professionals, cheese-makers, journalists, buyers and retailers.”

The World Cheese Awards drew entries from 31

different countries this year, from Australia to Italy and Mexico to Mozambique.

The final judging panel, made up of top names from the world of cheese, featuring cheese makers, buyers, retailers and writers, including Suzy O’Regan from Woolworths Foods in South Africa, Cathy Strange from Whole Foods in the USA, Roland Barthélemy, President of Guilde des Fromagers in France, and Mary Quicke from Quicke’s in the UK, then debated the top 16 cheeses in front of a trade and consumer audience.

Dart Mountain Cheese Company was established in 2012 as part of Tamnagh Foods, a small business which also produces awardwinning granolas.

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RETAIL ANALYSIS

Lidl is the fastest-growing multiple retailer in NI Kantar Worldpanel will be providing regular analysis of the local grocery sector and agri-food categories for Ulster Grocer. In the first of a series of articles, Ross Lincoln looks at grocery market share over the last 12 months.

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antar Worldpanel is a world leader in consumer insights, based on continuous consumer panels. We collect data on the total grocery market, allowing us to provide insight to our clients on key trends and shopper behaviour.

The Northern Ireland panel consists of 650 households, representing 1 in 1,100 homes in the region. Our panellists are representative of age, social class, size of households, presence of children and the region in which they reside.

Through the collection of our data, we enable our clients to understand their shoppers and make informed decisions tailored to specific demographics, thus presenting them with a greater competitive advantage.

At Kantar Worldpanel we understand who your consumers are, what they are buying, where they shop, how often they shop, what price they pay and how much they spend.

Over the past 52 weeks, the grocery market in Northern Ireland has seen growth of 1%, compared to the same period last year. This growth is equal to approx. £28m, with the total grocery market now valued at £3.1bn.

Price competition is strong amongst the main take-home supermarkets as volume growth has grown by 2.7%, which is ahead of value sales growth of 1%. The trend of ‘little and often’ shopping is driving market performance as shoppers are now going on more trips to do their groceries, with 10 trips extra this year than last year. As they make more trips and competition is driving down prices they are spending less on each trip with an average basket now 60p cheaper than last year. Although consumers are spending less per trip this year, this has been compensated by the number of trips being made.

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Categories such as healthcare and take home confectionary are driving market grocery performance, with 15.3% and 14.6% growth, respectively. Shoppers are spending less on fresh protein, which has seen a decline of 2.7%. Both biscuits and dairy products are growing in value relative to the market (+0.9%).

Lidl are the fastest growing retailer out of the main take-home supermarkets, seeing value sales growth of 1.9% which brings their market share to 5.2% over the latest 52 weeks. However Tesco remain in the number one spot with 34.8% of the market. It is a tight race for second place between Asda and Sainsbury’s however Asda has seen a stronger performance, gaining 0.4% market share.

Having looked at the retailers’ performance over the past 52 weeks, it is important to identify which

metrics are driving this performance. To evaluate this we look at three key areas, penetration (the number of households), frequency (how often the shoppers visit the retailers) and spend per trip.

Tesco’s dominant position and growth in sales has been driven by penetration and frequency.

There are more shoppers than the same period last year and the average spend per trip has decreased (-£2.20), however this is no surprise as consumers are shopping there more often (+3.8 trips).

Asda have also seen an increase in how often consumers are purchasing in store (+4.8 trips); however overall growth for Asda has been offset slightly due to a decrease in the number of shoppers, and a drop in average spend per trip (-£3.30).

The average spend in Lidl has remained flat over the past 52 weeks, and the number of trips has seen a slight decrease (-0.1%); therefore their growth is driven by an increase in Lidl’s penetration.

The average spend per trip in Sainsbury’s has decreased by 30p, so too has frequency, however this has been slightly offset by the increase in the number of shoppers (+ 1.5PPT) Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Lidl’s growth has been largely driven by the number of new shoppers they have attracted over the past 52 weeks. This highlights the importance of this metric in driving growth for retailers.

If you would like to learn more about Kantar Worldpanel and the services we have to offer, please contact: Seoin Talbot - 00353 1 480 8417; email Seoin.

Talbot@KantarWorldpanel.com Ross Lincoln - 00353 1 4808941; email Ross.

Lincoln@KantarWorldpanel.com

“Lidl are the fastest growing retailer out of the main take-home supermarkets, seeing value sales growth of 1.9% which brings their market share to 5.2% over the latest 52 weeks. However Tesco remain in the number one spot with 34.8% of the market. It is a tight race for second place between Asda and Sainsbury, however Asda has seen a stronger performance, gaining 0.4% market share.”

COMPANY PROFILE

Backing up the all-Ireland beverage market Twenty years after identifying a gap in the market, CBS Ireland continues to expand its range of support services supplied to the hot and cold drinks industry, co-owner Chris Dees tells Alyson Magee We also provide an electronic pick and place service for PoS. Clients can access a website function restricted to their own use, put in an order and we pick and pack it for them. That service has worked very well.

YOU ALSO OFFER GRAPHICS & DESIGN SERVICES? It’s a big focus at the minute, and we do everything from banners and wall skins to custom decals and van graphics. We offer a full digital printing service, which supplements our other departments. We work with Terex in the US, and it’s a growing sector for us with a lot of young, innovative people working in it.

WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE YOU CO-FOUNDED CBS IRELAND? I had worked in the beverage industry for quite a number of years, at Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Coca-Cola Amatil in Australia.

Having started my working career in 1975, I served an apprenticeship before I joined Coca-Cola, working in Ireland for four years before moving to Australia in 1984 and working for Coca-Cola in Melbourne until 1992. During that time, I developed into a managerial role and then returned to Coca-Cola in Ireland for two years before setting up CBS. I am a big advocate of getting your exams and went back to my school to give a talk, but I wouldn’t be an academic person myself and believe there is success beyond being an academic.

HOW DID CBS IRELAND COME ABOUT? On my return to Northern Ireland from Australia, I was working at Coca-Cola HBC and identified an opportunity to set up a support company for the entire drinks industry but primarily Coca-Cola to begin with.

I set up Complete Beverage Services (CBS Ireland) 20 years ago in 1996 with joint owner Charlie Nethery, providing key services to CocaCola, and then expanded to supply the entire drinks sector in Ireland.

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HAS HAS THE BUSINESS GROWN MUCH OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS? Initially it was just soft drinks, but we have since expanded the business into hot drinks and alcohol.

We started out with six people working for CBS Ireland, and it’s now around 50 on average as trade can be seasonal.

TELL US ABOUT THE BUSINESS We are based in Omagh and cover all Ireland. We also have a sister company in Melbourne, Australia which is not financially linked but provides similar functions to the drinks trade over there.

We provide seven key functions, which are run as separate business units: Warehousing/Storage; Refurb Centre; Technical Services; Logistics; Sales; Point of Sale; and Graphics & Design. Coca-Cola would still be one of our major clients, as would Red Bull, JD Wetherspoon and many of the large vending operators.

We have a 40,000-square-foot warehouse and refurbishment centre, where we can store anybody’s equipment. We currently warehouse all the equipment for Coca-Cola and Red Bull, and it’s distributed directly from our warehouse.

We have service technicians and refrigeration engineers, and offer a full refurbishment service including equipment upgrades such as retro fitting LED lighting.

IS THERE GROWTH FROM ANY PARTICULAR SECTORS OF THE DRINKS TRADE? We are driving the coffee side of business, as we recently took on distribution of a number of Italian coffee lines which are fully automatic and supported by the bean manufacturer Caffe Barbera. We are providing coffee docks and support equipment, which can be made bespoke to requirements, to cafes and shops including convenience stores.

We also distribute slush equipment from an independent Italian range, Elmeco Quickrem, which prepares and serves soft ice cream.

WHAT ARE THE KEY ADVANTAGES OF THE SERVICES CBS IRELAND SUPPLIES TO THE ALL-IRELAND DRINKS TRADE? We provide such a wide range of services to the drinks industry, it puts us on a very strong footing.

We also bring a lot of innovation into the industry here, as we attend a lot of global trade shows, particularly in the US, and we travel backwards and forwards to our site in Melbourne.

CBS in Melbourne is certainly a player, in terms of bringing new innovations to the market.

Having lived in Australia for eight years, I picked up a lot from the trade there where the vending sector in particular would be very aggressive and the sales techniques are very strong.

WHAT IS YOUR FOCUS IN 2017?

Our focus this year will continue to be on driving the coffee and slush machines, and we’re also looking to expand into draft wine.

As we are all Ireland, we have the logistical capability to continue to expand, and we may even look at moving into the Scotland market this year as well.

Equipment Sales at CBS

At Complete Beverage Services we have 20 years’ experience in the beverage industry in Ireland. We can provide your business with a complete range of beverage solutions across hot and cold drinks.

No matter what your business size or model we will have a solution.

Give us a call and we can help you to choose the right equipment for your business.

Mobile: 07889055305 Tel: 028 8225 0008 Complete Beverage Services Ltd.

email: sales@combevsev.com

Lancer Building, Gortrush Industrial Estate, Omagh, Co.Tyrone BT785EJ

www.combevsev.com

MALLONS

Hafner’s Sausages - continuing to spice up Ulster’s sausage market

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afner’s ,one of Ireland’s longest established sausage brands is continuing to grow in popularity with Northern Ireland’s consumers.

The Hafner’s brand can be traced back to 1882 when Frederick Hafner first opened his butchers shop on Dublin’s Georges Street.The distinctive peppery taste and unique spicy flavour caused quite a stir and stories abound of how Dublin folk queued down Georges Street for Mr Hafner’s sausages.Word soon travelled and before long people were travelling from far and wide to get a taste of Hafner’s .Many consumers in Northern Ireland can recollect relations travelling back from Dublin on the train with their prized

packages of Hafner’s sausages.

Nowadays Hafner’s sausages are still made to that great original recipe and consumers are really enjoying the distinctive taste and flavour.

Hafner’s sausages have won many awards for quality including the Great Taste Award and lately have added a prestigious cup from the Commanderie des Fins Goustiers du Duche D’Alencon in France.

Hafner’s were sizzling at the BBC Good Food Show in Belfast in October and some lucky visitors to the stand got a preview taste of a new Hafners product which will be hitting Northern Ireland’s shelves from Easter 2017...

Haffner’s new Recipe 77 is an old style sausage with hand milled black pepper and sea salt. ..something extra special for that lazy weekend breakfast.

Hafner’s sausages are available throughout Northern Ireland in Asda,Tesco,Nisa Group(Nisa Foodforce Ireland),Henderson Group(Spar,Eurospar,Vivo) and and Musgraves (Supervalu,Centra,Mace) NEW Hafners Recipe 77 will be available in leading stores in Northern Ireland from April.

MALLON’S LOW FAT GLUTEN FREE SAUSAGES

The Mallon’s family have been craft butchers for over four generations and are uncompromising when it comes to taste and quality.

They have won over 160 quality awards for their sausages and their range of Low Fat and Gluten Range sausages are no exception.

Gluten free and guilt free with less than 3% fat and only 45 calories per sausage Mallon’s Low Fat Gluten Free sausages continue to experience double digit growth in Ulster.

Mallon’s Low Fat Gluten Free range comes in three great varieties,Traditional,Garlic and Herb and Leek and Black Pepper.

As good resolutions kick in the first few months of the year are especially busy for the low fat range as consumers look for healthy yet tasty options.Mallon’s are widely available throughout Ulster with all the key groups stocking the distinctive blue packs. Look us up on facebook for great low cal recipe ideas to start the new year off.

DRINKS PROFILE

New Year, new look for Boost B

oost Drinks is looking to continue its investment in brand marketing and new product development as it launches an ambitious growth plan for 2017 and beyond.

Strong sales throughout 2016 have seen Boost perform ahead of the category and retaining its number one position in the market*. Market dynamics are evolving more now than ever before, and Boost’s focus heading into 2017 will continue to be on the independent retailer’s needs and building awareness of the consumer proposition.

The brand will be undergoing a complete refresh that will be launched early in the New Year and all Boost packaging will have a new reinforced brand identity that will continue to provide clear differentiation and stand-out within the category, ensuring that Boost remains ahead of the curve.

Boost’s other key initiatives for 2017 include: - Boost’s Sport Isotonic refresh including a new improved flavour - New 250ml PMP Summer Limited Edition - Full experiential sampling programme

- A full programme of consumer advertising, PR and social media – combining digital and traditional formats With its iconic graphics, the Release the Boost campaign will be running through 2017 with an increased investment across all channels promoting the brand’s taste, energy and price, and thereby driving demand.

“In 2017, we are keen to build on the momentum and success achieved to date and to take the brand to the next level,” said Simon Gray, founder and managing director of Boost. “Our Champion of the Independents’ commitment will remain at the core of the business while we will also invest significantly in extending our distribution geographically – nationally and internationally – alongside a greatly upweighted consumer marketing programme.”

For more information on Boost, visit www.boostdrinkstrade.com. *IRI 9th October 2016

Boost announces crystal bottle winner C

Boost’s Noel Allen with Ciara Forbes

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iara and Cathal Forbes, who run a SPAR store in Ardboe, Dungannon, have won £1,000 after discovering one of 15 special 15th anniversary crystal bottles that were hidden in promotional cases of 500ml Boost Original.

Ciara and Cathal discovered their lucky Boost bottle, having stocked up on Boost 500ml Original at Hendersons Wholesale, which is especially apt as they have been running their shop for 15 years.

Soft drinks is one of the Forbes’ top five categories and Boost is one their bestselling brands. The 250ml Original Boost SKU is one of the best overall performing products but Sugar Free and Citrus Zing, both in 500ml PET bottles and 250ml cans, are also popular with consumers - as are Boost’s Sport SKUs. Boost’s Noel Allen is very pleased to be rewarding loyal retailers with £1,000 as part of the brand’s 15th anniversary celebrations: “We owe a lot of our success to our loyal retailers and this initiative is just one of a series of activities to thank them for their continuous support,” he said.

Boost has sold its energy drinks exclusively through the independent channel since its launch in 2001, and the brand is firmly committed to its Champion of the Independents campaign as it looks to build on its market leading status.

For more information about the Boost range, visit www.boostdrinkstrade.com. *Source: IRI Marketplace Data to 9th October 2016, Unit Sales, Symbols and Independents Channel and Northern Ireland Ciara and Cathal Forbes Convenience.

Complete Range of High Quality Food

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FOOD PROFILE

Moy Park leads in innovation

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oy Park continues to lead the way in innovation, with the company’s new product launches in 2016 translating into category growth for the poultry market*.

Coupled with sustained, integrated marketing communications activity, the brand has continued to engage with consumers across the UK and Ireland.

An example of Moy Park’s continued focus on new product development is the company’s innovative and award-winning Moy Park Roast in the Bag range, which has gone from strength to strength since its initial launch in April 2015. This year, Moy Park added a new Pork, Sage and Onion Stuffed whole bird variant to the range, following strong sales of the Extra Tasty and Garlic and Herb varieties. The product launched into the Northern Ireland market in March 2016 across the convenience sector and won a UK Quality Food Award in November 2016.

The Extra Tasty variant also received a Grocer New Product Development Award in October 2016.

In 2015, Moy Park’s market insight revealed that the chilled, breaded category was in decline* and consumer research revealed an appetite for alternatives in the category*. To address this, Moy Park created Chicken Sensations. The ‘next generation chicken kiev’ was developed to bring something new to the category for consumers seeking a convenient and alternative option for dinner. Using 100% chicken breast, and available in three flavours – Cheese and Bacon, Garlic and Herb and Piri Piri, the range was listed in major retailers across the UK and Ireland. The range is currently available in the NI convenience sector.

Moy Park sought to reinvigorate the category further by relaunching its breaded range with new-look packaging and a new recipe. The rationale behind the revamped range was to attract new

shoppers, whilst reengaging with existing consumers in the category. The range launched this summer, and is available through Neil McMullan, Musgrave NI and the Henderson group. The product launch was supported with a marketing campaign including outdoor advertising, instore POS, sampling, PR and social media.

“New product development is the cornerstone of the Moy Park brand”, said Briege Finnegan, brand marketing manager, Moy Park. “The FMCG industry is in a constant state of flux, which means as food producers we need to be on the pulse of food trends and anticipate consumer needs.

Throughout 2016 we sought to engage with shoppers - responding to their needs with new product launches.

“Marketing is also an important element in bringing any new product to market and we support our product launches with an integrated marketing approach. We were delighted to receive two CIM Marketing Ireland Awards this year, winning Best Marketing in FMCG for the launch of Moy Park’s Share the Goodness advertising campaign and Best Marketing Team - in company.

“2016 has been a challenging year in the sector - we’ve seen a changing retail landscape which has been reflected through shoppers’ habits. We’ve responded to these changes, through a strong product innovation pipeline and adopted a fully integrated marketing strategy to engage with consumers. We look forward to 2017 and the ongoing development of the Moy Park brand.”

“Marketing is also an important element in bringing any new product to market and we support our product launches with an integrated marketing approach.”

Appendix *Source 1: Kantar ROI 12 weeks to 9th October 2016) *Source 2: 12 week Kantar Ireland data to 27th March *Source 3: KWP 52 we Sept 2015 % refers to yoy change

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AGRI-FOOD NEWS

Key role for Northern Ireland in European pig industry

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orthern Ireland is to play a key role in EU-funded research into pig welfare and production techniques.

Experts at Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) are taking part in a new pan-European project – EU PIG. The four-year €2m project will collate and disseminate information in the areas of health management, precision production, animal welfare and meat quality.

“AFBI’s involvement in this project demonstrates how important the research

conducted in AFBI is at a wider European level,” said Dr Elizabeth Magowan, AFBI lead researcher. “Our participation in this project will also bring state-ofthe-art knowledge in all of these areas back to Northern Ireland pig producers.

As such, we are delighted to be part of the consortium.”

EU PIG, led by AHDB Pork, is a consortium of 19 organisations from 13 member states which together account for 92% of the EU’s pig meat production and 89% of the EU’s pig herd. The consortium consists of, or will have links to, national and regional pig producer groups, researchers, rural development boards and innovation practitioners, including a number of small and medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Northern Ireland has several pork processors, both large and small, including Cranswick, which recently acquired the Dunbia business at Ballymena, and Karro.

EU PIG is a new concept which aims to improve the connection between producers and the latest science, husbandry techniques and technologies from within the industry via fellow producers, academics and advisors connected through the creation of thematic and regional platforms. It is funded by the European Commission’s research and development programme, ‘Horizon 2020’.

The next four years will see new management tools created and practical guidance available for all parts of the industry. Innovative best practice, combined with scientific knowledge, will be identified and shared via a comprehensive website explaining in detail the project objectives and how to get involved.

AFBI carries out high quality technology research and development, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing functions for Northern Ireland’s Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and other government departments, public bodies and commercial companies.

Springmount hatches business with Avoca for free-range eggs S pringmount Free Range Eggs has won its first business from one of Ireland’s leading speciality retailers. Springmount, based at Ballygowan, is now supplying its free ranges to the popular Avoca store in Belfast.

Founded by husband and wife team Andrew and Rosemary Gilbert, Springmount is focused on providing fresh eggs daily from a 16,000-strong flock of hens including its Crown-Topper double yolks. Customers include independent retailers and leading restaurants.

“Winning business with Avoca is a marvellous boost for us,” said Andrew. “It’s our first order from a major Irish retailer. We’ve already started supplying the Belfast store. The essence of our business is to provide fresh eggs from our farm gate to the plates of customers with a strong emphasis on the importance of local sustainability within our community.

“What is proving particularly popular with customers is the size and colour of the eggs. While we’ve now got a good customer in Britain for the eggs, we are focusing on developing additional outlets such as Avoca here. It’s meant developing our sales skills.

“We’ve now secured encouraging business with

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restaurants, farm shops and other retailers here and are working hard to expand these. We are proud that Bull and Ram in Ballynahinch, one of Northern Ireland’s leading restaurants, lists our eggs on its menu. We see this as very important for the business.”

The sales drive has included participation in farmers’ markets around the area including the popular one in Comber.

The eggs are produced from the family farm, set deep in rolling drumlin country, which dates back to the 18th century and has been in the family for three generations.

Andrew and Rosemary took over the farm five years ago and began to restructure the business.

Springmount was originally owned by Rosemary’s

parents, Sam and May Cromie. Andrew brought extensive experience in poultry production on his family’s farm in Moira.

The couple has created a feeding and collection unit on the farm for almost 20,000 Lohmann hens that produce upwards of 14,000 eggs each day. They are fed on a special meal developed specially by a local mill.

The farm has achieved recognition as a producer of Class A Free Range Eggs, is certified and approved by the RSPCA’s Freedom Food Scheme, which sets strict requirements for the way hens are kept, and also under the British Lion Code. It’s also a member of the British Free Range Egg Producers’ Association and is approved by the Food Standards Agency.

AGRI-FOOD NEWS

Millions to see the best of local food on airport arrival

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maller food and drink processors in Northern Ireland are being given another ‘lift’ by the region’s biggest airport to help boost their sales.

Millions of passengers arriving at Belfast International Airport will be able to see some of the region’s best food and drink producers when they arrive.

The airport plans to showcase promotional material from upwards of 30 local food and drink companies in the Arrivals concourse.

The decision to highlight the products in the concourse follows earlier initiatives by the airport to set up a Taste of Northern Ireland produce shop in the Departures zone and the inclusion of Northern Ireland food and drink in the Causeway Business Lounge for premium passengers. Fed and Watered, the main restaurant in Departures is also using local food and drink.

The airport launched the Taste of Ulster shop, which features products from around 30 companies for travellers to purchase, to support Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink last year.

The shop, supported by Ulster Artisans and

Food NI, has proved a resounding success and is now a permanent feature at the airport which handles more than four million passengers a year to destinations in Britain, Europe and the US. Smaller companies selling products in the Taste of Ulster shop include Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Passion Preserved chutneys, jellies and relishes, Made with Love jams and relishes, Kennedy DryAged Bacon, Melting Pot fudge, Suki Tea, Our Daily Bread wheatens, Ann’s Pantry traditional Irish breads, and Harnett’s Oils.

The Causeway Business Lounge features a ‘gourmet artisan buffet’ of local products including Fivemiletown Creamery’s speciality cheeses, White’s Porridge Oats, Ditty’s breads and biscuits, Thompson’s Family Teas, and Johnson’s Coffee from Lisburn. Breads and morning goods are also locally sourced, as are the butter and jams.

The airport, in addition, features locallyproduced spirits such as Shortcross and Jawbox gins, Bushmills and The Quiet Man Irish whiskies, RubyBlue vodka, as well as Hilden craft beers.

A spokesman for the airport said the new

Mash Direct Vegetable Bakes win global gold award

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o Down-based Mash Direct has been named winner of the innovation award at the International Food Show, SIAL Middle East held in Abu Dhabi.

SIAL is a global event that showcases products that are at the forefront of innovation. Mash Direct’s Crispy Vegetable Bakes were awarded the highest accolade, the Gold Innovation Award out of 251 products.

The judges awarded Mash Direct for its ‘quality and innovative recipe which exceeded very high expectations’.

This year, the show was held over three days in Abu Dhabi and attracted over 333,000 attendees, exhibiting industry leaders from over 105 countries and showcasing emerging trends in the food market.

The Crispy Vegetable Bakes are noted for their distinct use of heritage vegetables that are grown for superior flavour and not their appearance and are also 100% gluten free.

“We wanted to make a vegetable burger that didn’t masquerade itself as a ‘meat-free alternative’; we wanted to celebrate the flavour and texture of the vegetables used in the bakes,” said Martin Hamilton, managing director of the family-run farm. “My family have been growing these varieties of vegetables on our farm for six generations and we’re overjoyed that they are gaining appreciation on an international level.”

With a total of 18 Great Taste awards to date, the award-winning Mash Direct range can be found in the ready meal aisle and is available throughout all major supermarkets in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Products are also available in Ocado, Booths, Nisa and Wholefoods as well as other independent stores A recent survey highlighted eating habits haven’t changed much since the 1950s, with over 75% of British parents still serving traditional vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and peas on a daily basis.

Pictured are Melanie Gilfillan of Our Daily Bread, Jane Harnett of Harnett’s Oils, and Claire Kelly and Nathan Kelly of Passion Preserved.

promotional initiative is a further example of its support for the important local industry beyond Year of Food & Drink. The response from producers, both large and small, had been extremely positive.

The airport has also encouraged smaller companies to hold product sampling sessions in Departures over the past year and especially at peak holiday seasons.

Corndale Farm launches first two salami products

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orndale Farm Charcuterie in Northern Ireland has expanded its range of cured meats by adding two free range salamis to its existing chorizos.

Based on a family farm at Limavady, Corndale has introduced its first salamis using pork from its own free-range herd of saddleback pigs. The new salamis are garlic and pepper, and fennel.

Alastair Crown, who formed the charcuterie business in 2012, says the introduction of salami products follows requests from customers, principally chefs in high-end restaurants, for them.

It launched the free range chorizo – Northern Ireland’s first home produced - last year.

“Our two chorizo products are proving so popular with chefs, and most recently with leading delis in Northern Ireland, that developing free range salamis made good business sense,” said Crown.

“Chefs, in particular, have been pressing me for free range salami and so I decided to bring forward plans I had to create new salami products. The two products, garlic and pepper salami and fennel salami have been developed in response to these requests. Our chorizos, especially the spicy one, have been winning acclaim from chefs over their outstanding taste and texture.”

The pork comes from his herd of 60 pigs which are free to graze the fertile farmland.

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MARKETING NEWS

SSE Arena announces partnership with The Henderson Group

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he SSE Arena, Belfast has announced a site-wide sponsorship with SPAR Northern Ireland, the franchise owned by the locally-run Henderson Group, becoming an official partner of The SSE Arena, Belfast, W5 and The Stena Line Belfast Giants.

The three-year partnership, which commenced this month will strengthen links between The

SSE Arena, Belfast and SPAR, maximising existing brand synergies while also allowing both businesses, two of Northern Ireland’s most recognised brands, to work in tandem.

Branding will be prominent across digital screens at SSE Arena events, whilst the Arena, W5 and the Belfast Giants will benefit from promotional activity across the retailer’s network of over 300 SPAR stores in Northern Ireland, through in-store promotions, competitions and specially devised campaigns highlighting the partnership online.

The partnership will also help ‘mini shoppers’ through the refurbishment of the interactive SPAR store located in the Discovery Role Play Area at W5. The educational installation provides children with an engaging environment in which to learn through play, experiencing their own shopping journey. They can independently fill a

basket of typical foods you would find in a SPAR store, don branded bibs to play ‘shopkeeper,’ scan products through a till, create shopping lists and receive recipe cards to help them create delicious dishes at home.

“The SSE Arena, Belfast, W5 and The Belfast Giants bring a diverse and engaging level of family entertainment and events to Northern Ireland week in, week out, and we’re excited for SPAR to be part of it,” said Paddy Doody, sales & marketing director at The Henderson Group.

“The SPAR brand will be visible throughout these events, and we hope our shoppers, retailers and employees will all have the chance to benefit from the partnership as it progresses. SPAR is all about providing value, convenience and local experiences for our shoppers, and that’s why we know this is a great brand synergy with The SSE Arena, Belfast, W5 and The Belfast Giants.”

SSE Arena has also welcomed Henderson Foodservice, a division of Henderson Group, as the official frozen food and associated products provider.

Wilson’s Country to support The Mighty Spud campaign again

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ith local retail sales figures showing signs of a return to growth, Craigavon-based producer Wilson’s Country is supporting generic potato campaign The Mighty Spud for a second year.

Last year, the campaign was awarded Best Use of Social Media at the CIPR Pride Awards, recognising the integrated campaign created by Morrow Communications for the Northern Ireland Stakeholder Potato Promotion Group.

Northern Ireland’s food retail sector is on the rise and the potato industry is benefiting in almost equal measure, according to Lewis Cunningham, managing director of Wilson’s Country.

“The latest Kantar figures confirm an increase of 2.8% in total pack volumes over the past 12 weeks,” said Cunningham. “In value terms, the total grocery market is up 1.3% in the last 12 weeks. But the figures for the past 12 months compare a year-on-year increase in total value of 0.9%.

Tesco grocery sales have increased in value by 0.8%. The equivalent figures for Lidl, Asda and Sainsbury’s are +2.9%; +1.5% and –0.3%.

“This is indicating that a degree of confidence is coming back into the market. The fundamental driver is the fact that both total grocery pack volumes and market values have risen in unison.”

For fresh potatoes, the market has risen in value by 1.2% over the past 12 months. “But volumes are down by 8%,” he said. However: “this is 52 weeks data and the very mild September and October this year compared to last year has reduced sales volumes for the last two months.

“This confirms that consumers are continuing to buy smaller potato pack sizes. It is also interesting to note that sales of other carbohydrate sources, including rice and pasta have remained static over the past year.”

Cunningham said that, in contrast to the fresh potato market, demand for chilled wedges, diced, peeled potatoes and mash had grown significantly over the past 12 months.

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Pictured are Lewis Cunningham, managing director, and Angus Wilson, CEO, with samples of the latest You Say Potato convenience products from Wilson’s Country.

“In our own case we have entered this segment of the market with the Wilson’s You Say Potato range. We are offering both convenience and taste across a range of product options. All of these come in pack sizes suited to the needs of consumers who do not want to boil potatoes in the traditional manner and who do not want the hassle of dealing with waste potatoes that arise on the back of pack sizes that are too large for their needs.

“This new approach has entailed a major change in the strategy followed by the company up to this point. However, it is an approach that is working.”

Cunningham said that potatoes are bought by 90% of households in Northern Ireland every 12 weeks.

“This is an amazing platform from which to build a campaign to generically promote the nutritional value of potatoes. This is why we have decided to support The Mighty Spud campaign for a second consecutive year.”

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

Entries are now open for the

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G rocer Market Markei t ingAwards ngAwards ULSTER

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ntries are now open for the 29th annual Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards, which will see winners announced during the GroceryAid Ulster Grocers’ Gala Ball at the Culloden Hotel on Friday, May 19.

The Gala Ball has been a highlight of the grocery trade’s social calendar for many years, and is organised by GroceryAid – the grocer’s benevolent fund formerly known as Caravan.

The Awards are open to any company involved in retail grocery trading, from producers to suppliers and wholesalers, as well as individual retail outlets. Always hard fought with each category well represented, the Awards are widely regarded as the highest marketing accolade businesses can achieve in the sector.

The Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are recognised as a mark of professionalism, and raise the profile of companies shortlisted and those going on to win each category.

Entries should be submitted by a deadline of Friday, March 31, with shortlisted entries to be showcased in the May edition and winners in the June edition of Ulster Grocer.

G rocer Market ingAwards ULSTER

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Sponsored by:

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

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Hat trick for Henderson at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2016

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PAR Passionate about Local lifted the top prize of Best 2015 Marketing Campaign for Henderson Wholesale at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2016 on May 6 last year, also picking up the accolades of Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion and Best CSR Initiative/ Charity Partnership.

Award winners were announced during the Grocers’ Ball, an annual gala evening held at the Culloden Hotel to raise funds for grocers’ benevolent fund GroceryAid. Last year’s sold-out event saw £46,680 raised for the charity.

Awards were distributed across eight categories, with other winners including Boost Drinks, EUROSPAR, Mackle Petfoods, ASDA, Cloughbane Farm and Kestrel Foods.

Hosting the evening was TV presenter Adrian Logan, while presenting awards were Ulster Grocer Manager Mark Beckett, Miss Northern Ireland Leanne McDowell and individual award sponsors.

“It was fitting in Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink to see local company Henderson Wholesale lifting

a number of titles, including Best Marketing Campaign for its SPAR Passionate about Local campaign,” said Alyson Magee, editor of Ulster Grocer.

“Congratulations to all the winners and highly commended entries, and many thanks to the category sponsors and many businesses supporting the Grocers’ Ball.”

Judges of the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2016 included Michael Maguire of Quintus, Marian Norwood of Ulster University and Emma Cowan of Summerisland.

So what are you waiting for?

This is a prime opportunity to generate valuable PR, raise your company profile within the grocery and food sector, target potential customers and network with key clients who will be in attendance at the Gala Ball.

Register your interest today To receive an entry form and/or find out further information about entry requirements, please contact Mark Beckett on 028 9026 4267 or at M.Beckett@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Fee: An administration fee of £100 plus VAT will be charged to enter.

All entries will benefit from editorial coverage in the magazine.

Entries must be received by Friday 31st March.

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

Ulster Grocer 2017 Marketing Awards categories Best Marketing Campaign 2016 Best Marketing Campaign could potentially involve a corporate, brand or project campaign, and food suppliers, grocery wholesalers and retailers are all eligible to enter. While the subject matter of the campaign may be any aspect of grocery retailing, the marketing campaign should include some or all of the following elements – press, TV, radio, outdoor, in-store POS/merchandising, PR, website, leaflet, digital and SMS activity.

Best Brand Among the most prestigious and tightly fought categories, Best Brand welcomes entries outlining marketing activity aimed at building a brand of any size in the Northern Ireland grocery market. The brand could be, but is not limited to, food and drink, and equally could be a retail brand from independent stores through to multiple and discount retailers.

Judges will examine the effectiveness of any brand building activity in relation to PR, advertising and Sponsored by: marketing campaigns, brand visibility and customer loyalty, and take into account the results achieved in relation to the size of the business.

Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion could be a standalone promotion by a retailer or supplier. Equally, it could potentially involve a joint promotion between two companies, for example, two manufacturer/brand owners running a cross-promotion on complementary products or a retail group and a manufacturer working together on a promotion.

Entries are welcome involving both Sponsored by: exclusive single-store promotions and activity running across a group of stores.

Best New Product Launch/Relaunch For Best New Product Launch, entries are invited from brand owners outlining their marketing activity to launch any new grocery product (not limited to, but including, food and drink) into the marketplace.

This may include any of the following: press, TV, radio, outdoor, in-store POS/merchandising, PR, website, leaflet, digital and SMS activity. Pre-existing products which have been relaunched with new branding, and a complementary marketing strategy, are also eligible for entry. Please note: this category covers the marketing of new or relaunched products, rather than the new product development process.

Best CSR Initiative/Charity Partnership Best Corporate Social Responsibility or Charity Partnership is focused on the strength and commitment shown by retailers, producers, wholesalers and suppliers to CSR/charity initiatives and partnerships rather than the marketing of such activity. Open to any business operating in the retail grocery sector, from small Sponsored by: producers and independent retailers through to large suppliers and multiple retailers, this category will also be judged on tangible results from the partnerships.

Green Retailer of the Year Green Retailer of the Year is one of only two categories in the Awards (alongside CSR/Charity) which are not judged exclusively on marketing activity. This category is open to retailers of any size from single shop traders to national groups operating in the Northern Ireland market. Entries should outline any environmentally-friendly activity undertaken in grocery retailing from local sourcing through to in-store green initiatives such as LED lighting, solar panels, green management systems and communicating green activity to customers.

Best Artisan Food Product Campaign Introduced in 2015 for the first time to recognise an emergent category in the local grocery sector, Best Artisan Food Product Campaign recognises that small producers often have limited marketing resources at their disposal but can make clever use of them. This category is open to producers, manufacturers, wholesalers or retailers marketing artisan food, and entries should outline any press, TV, radio, outdoor, in-store POS/merchandising, PR, website, leaflet, digital and SMS activity. Entries outlining any activity during the Year of Food & Drink are welcome.

Best Food Export Marketing Exports are a vital part of the business mix for Northern Ireland producers, and this award recognises efforts to successfully market, gain access and launch local products into international markets (from the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain to the other side of the world). Any local food, drink or other grocery product which has successfully gained access to new markets, secured new customers in existing 1995 markets or boosted existing export contracts are eligible for entry.

EXPORT NEWS

Northern Irish Boatyard Double Gin in export breakthrough Joe McGirr

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oatyard Double Gin, the recently launched Northern Irish craft gin, has won its first export sales, supplying the gin to retailers in the Republic of Ireland.

The Enniskillen-based distillery, founded by Joe McGirr, a former chief operating officer of London Distillery Company and an executive

at Glenmorangie, has signed with the Celtic Whiskey Shop in Dublin to distribute the gin in the Republic. In addition, one of the Republic’s biggest off licence chains, O’Brien’s, is now selling the gin in its 41-strong retail shops across the Republic, as well as online.

“This is tremendously encouraging business for just coming as it does within two months of the launch of our unique gin,” said McGirr. We’ll be pushing ahead with plans to grow sales in the Republic, the United Kingdom and other key markets.”

The export breakthrough comes as the company has announced a global design award in recognition of the unique branding of its Boatyard Double Gin, the first in a portfolio of spirits planned by the small distillery on the picturesque shores of Lough Erne, Northern

Ireland’s Lakelands.

It was awarded the Master Award for gin at the Spirits Design Masters 2016, part of the internationally renowned Spirit Masters series.

“We wanted special branding to reflect the uniqueness of our product,” said McGirr. “The labels used on our bottles are printed on a traditional 1960s letterpress and the font we chose was actually inspired by an old receipt I found from the first tractor my father ever bought, giving it an authentic and craft feel.

“A lot of time, care and thought went into the branding of this super-premium product, so we are delighted to be included in the same conversations as some of the most established brands in the world, especially considering that we only launched Boatyard Double Gin in September.”

New boxed products from specialist in relishes P assion Preserved, an award-winning local producer of savoury jellies, preserves, relishes and chutneys, has created a range of boxes for convenience home catering.

The company, which is owned by Claire Kelly and is based near Lisburn, has grouped its extensive range of products into boxes for existing and new customers in the UK, Republic of Ireland and the Middle East.

The range of boxes include ‘Hot’ (spicy), ‘Cheese’ (cheeseboard accompaniments), ‘Party’ (for easy entertaining) and ‘Taster’ which enables shoppers to select their own three jars as a bespoke gift. A ‘Limited Edition’ box is also available featuring products selected by Kelly.

The small company has won a series of UK Great Taste awards for its range of hand-crafted

products which are made from ingredients grown

by Kelly in her own small holding. She grows a number of ingredients including chillis in her own poly tunnel.

“I decided to pull all my products together in formats that would make it easier for customers to use for their specific requirements such as, for instance, with a cheeseboard or to accompany spicy meals such as a curry,” she said. “The boxes provide guidance on how to best to use the products for meals or snacks. They are also designed as ideal gifts.”

Claire Kelly gave up a successful career as a chartered accountant and business adviser to pursue a passion in food production, creating her own recipes for jellies, relishes and chutneys including the spicy Kasundi Indian inspired

relish, Watermelon Rind Pickle, Savoury Watermelon Jam, Spiced Damson Jelly, Vampire Jelly Sunshine Relish.

Customers include Fortnum and Mason in London and Saveco in Kuwait City.

Gourmet popcorn producer expands to grow exports

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ocal gourmet popcorn producer Pop Notch has opened a new factory to enable it to grow sales in Europe and the US. Located at Maghera, the new site enables it to manufacture 25,000 bags a week.

Established in 2013 by Declan McBride, the small business aims to build on existing sales in France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Iceland and develop new opportunities identified in the US, Canada and Hong Kong. It also supplies popcorn 64

to retailers in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The business gained a Blas na hEireann gold award for one of its three-strong range of popcorn.

The range is sweet and salty, salted caramel and chewy marshmallow in 130g bags. It has also won UK Great Taste awards.

The company recently introduced a snack range for children in 20g bags with banana, apple and strawberry flavours.

“Demand for our gourmet popcorn is growing strongly in all our established markets and attracting inquiries from other parts of the world in which we don’t yet have a presence,” said McBride.

“The sort of growth we wish can really only be achieved by expanding sales in markets outside Northern Ireland. Our strategic focus is now on building business abroad and particularly in the US, the home of popcorn. I believe that we can compete

there successfully with our range of luxury flavoured popcorn. We’ll also be focusing on expanding sales in Britain and the Republic.

“UK sales of popcorn grew by 169% over the past five years to reach an estimated £129m in 2015. It really is an exciting time to be involved in the popcorn market. The facts show it’s a growing market, and customers are looking for healthier snacks that don’t substitute good taste or quality.

“What we’ve created is a luxury popcorn in some different flavours that’s aimed at foodservice outlets and high-end retailers.”

All flavours of Pop Notch popcorn are gluten free and made with all natural ingredients including real pieces of marshmallow, not flavouring. The business uses a special kind of Argentinian mushroom corn to produce extra-large popcorn pieces that lock in the flavour.

APPOINTMENTS

Mount Charles team boosted by nine key appointments

F

oodservice and business support services firm Mount Charles has recruited nine people to key roles within the rapidly-growing business.

The company says the appointments, some of which are new roles, will provide a significant boost to the company’s senior team and day-to-day operations.

“We’re very happy with these strategic hires, which have been made in response to the fast rate of growth we’ve been experiencing,” said Cathal Geoghegan, managing director of Mount Charles.

“In the last five years we’ve created new divisions such as cleaning, security and outside event catering and beverage provision, seeing total employee numbers shoot up to around 2,000. In the last year alone we’ve won new contracts worth over £7m so the deliberate strategy to grow the business through diversification has so far been successful.”

Ian Todd, director of Finance & IT Role: key areas of responsibility include financial control, planning and strategy; operational and management support; leadership of both the finance and IT departments; and development and control of the company IT infrastructure, systems and processes.

Simon Toye, Group development chef Role: Responsible for the creation and development of bespoke catering solutions for the company’s client base.

This involves the continual review, development and improvement of the menu portfolio and development of chefs across all units.

Bryan Hill, business development manager Role: Responsible for generating new catering, beverage and vending business and for retaining and growing existing contracts through the development of long-term business relationships

Janice Stewart, Group manager Role: managing the company’s contract at Ulster University, supporting unit management in achieving budgetary targets, KPIs and the professional delivery of a quality catering service. Business retention and sales growth are an integral part of the role.

Leo McNamee, regional manager Role: responsible for overall operations and employee management for key Mount Charles catering contracts including Ulster University, Fed & Watered at Belfast International Airport, City of Derry Airport and Exeter Airport, and Mossley Mill in Newtownabbey.

Miriam Stevenson, brand & marketing manager. Role: Responsible for driving product innovation and for the development of strategic marketing plans for each brand across the company’s wide portfolio. Miriam will work closely with the operations team to increase market share and ensure that all commercial goals are met from a marketing and brand perspective.

David Phelan, senior bid manager Role: Responsible for leading the sales support team to retain incumbent contracts and win new business across the Group’s service portfolio. David and his team work in conjunction with Operations, Business Development, Finance, HR, Marketing, Procurement and Health & Safety departments to manage the proposal and bid lifecycle.

Niall Donnelly, key account manager Role: Responsible for leading service delivery across the company’s cleaning division, managing Area Managers and Supervisors whilst overseeing a number of key contracts throughout Northern Ireland, supporting growth and implementing business improvements.

Nicola Looby, operations manager Role: The role entails working alongside the senior catering operations team on strategic planning, delivery of the company’s operational strategy, further development of brand standards and service delivery across the catering division.

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SHELFLIFE

To see your product featured in Shelf Life, contact Mark at m.beckett@independentmagazinesni.co.uk or Tel: 028 9026 4267

Local artisan potato producers launch limited edition crisps

K

eogh’s Crisps has launched a new Irish Chorizo and Cherry Tomato crisp flavour, a limited edition product resulting from a collaboration between the Gubbeen Smokehouse in Co Cork and Keogh’s.

Keogh’s launched in Northern Ireland two years ago, and the Province is now the family’s largest export market. This latest development is part of a successful year for the Keogh’s team with eight new recruits and distribution now to 14 countries around the world.

This new limited edition flavour, Chorizo and Cherry Tomato is the first new crisp flavour to be brought to market by Keogh’s Farm in two years.

“Creating a new flavour is a hard thing to do,

especially when you’re as careful and considered as we are with our crisps,” said Tom Keogh, managing director at Keogh’s Farm. “From listening to our customers, we knew that they were ready for us to bring out a new, sophisticated flavour and we believe that Chorizo and Cherry Tomato meets the criteria. We’ve done lots of taste tests and the flavour is a massive hit with all of our family so we hope the Northern Irish public love it as much as we do.”

Keogh’s Chorizo and Cherry Tomato crisps are hand-cooked on the family farm in North County Dublin - an area famous for producing Ireland’s finest potatoes, and distributed in Northern Ireland

by GDK Drinks.

Ensure your customers have their essential beyond Christmas!

OCEAN SPRAY WHOLE CRANBERRY SAUCE Enjoy the tangy, yet sweet, taste of cranberry sauce, with whole berries for the full on experience. But don’t hold it back just for the turkey in December.

There are lots of great ways to add interest to all sorts of dishes with this wonderfully versatile ingredient.

OCEAN SPRAY SMOOTH CRANBERRY SAUCE A great alternative to our Wholeberry sauce, we’ve removed the whole berries to create a sauce with a smoother feel. Our cranberry sauce adds a unique zing in sandwiches or as a taste bud tickler with chicken, ham and pork, whether they are hot or cold.

Available from Valeo Foods Northern Ireland. Contact Joanne Beattie, brand manager, for further information on 028 9267 3316.

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Farmageddon launches new collaborative release L

ocal brewing co-operative Farmageddon has linked up with two other local businesses to create a highly innovative brew.

Baltic Porter has been brewed by Farmageddon, based on a small farm near Comber, in association with Echlinville Distillery at Kircubbin and Belfast-based Bailies Coffee.

Baltic Porter (ABV 10.8%) was created by the artisan brewery to mark the third anniversary of its foundation in November 2013 by Eoin Wilson and a group of six friends on his small farm. The porter is produced in 500ml bottles.

“We brewed a beefed up version of our porter and ‘dry hopped’ it on Sumatran coffee beans, sourced and roasted by Bailies,” said Wilson. “After lagering the beer, we transported it to Echlinville in Kircubbin, emptied seven single malt barrels and immediately refilled them with our Baltic Porter.

“The beer was left to age and infuse for four months. What we have produced has flavours of chocolate, espresso, vanilla, oak and a gentle warmth.”

Farmageddon has an existing portfolio of four unpasteurised and bottleconditioned beers – IPA and porter – and recently invested £100,000 as part of a two-year expansion plan.

Agent & Company Index I 68-83 ■ Retailers Guide I 84-87 ■ Brand Index I 88-96 ■

GROCER ULSTER

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

38 ESPRESSO 253 Abbey Road Millisle Co Down BT22 2JG T: 028 9186 1437 W: www.38espresso.com PERSONNEL: Business Development Manager: Ryan Bell M: 07766503410 E: ryan@38espresso.com TYPE OF BUSINESS: 38 Espresso are a coffee roaster, equipment supplier and service company.

We specialise in providing high quality coffees or bespoke blends tailored to our customers requirements and desired profiles, all roasted locally in Co Down.

The coffee is backed up with full training and servicing from our in-house team.

38 Espresso are also the agent for Jacobs Douwe Egberts range of products in Northern Ireland.

ACTIVE PACKAGING LTD Unit A3 Omagh Business Complex Gortrush Industrial Estate Great Northern Road Omagh, Co. Tyrone, BT78 5LU T: 028 8224 1616 F: 028 8224 9393 W: www.active-pkg.com E: sales@active-pkg.com PERSONNEL: Sales Manager: Stephen Maguire E: stephenm@active-pkg.com New Product Development/Account Manager: Edelle McIvor E: edelle@active-pkg.com Account Manager: Roisin Kerrigan E: roisin@active-pkg.com TYPE OF BUSINESS: Active Packaging are an innovative flexible packaging company providing solutions for all your requirements. We supply a full range of high quality printed and plain films throughout Ireland which you will find on the shelves of all the major retailers. We’re the first Packaging Agents from NI to secure the prestigious BRC accreditation for Agents & Brokers.

We now also offer Digital Print Solutions for mockups and short-runs of printed film, which will give our customers instant results, reassurance and speed to get to market. The benefits of digital print runs are obvious and are now being embraced by NPD teams and brand managers across all sectors.

MAIN BRANDS: • Up to 10 colours Flexographic & Rotogravure print • Microwave Film & Pouches • Ovenable Printed films • Top Web film • High Barrier Tray Lidding Film • Flow Wrap Film for breads, biscuits and cheese • Top and Base Thermoforming Film • Stand Up Pouch with Steam release Valve, easy opening, rounded corners • Extended Shelf Life Film for produce • Printed Laminated Film for coffee with gas release valve • Peel & Reseal Top Web Film for meat & cheese slices • Plus many other products…

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ALLEGRO DISTRIBUTION Unit 3 Balmoral Business Park Boucher Crescent Belfast BT12 6HU T: 028 9068 3040 F: 028 9068 2644 W: www.allegro.ie PERSONNEL: General Sales Manager: Chris McGrath T: 028 9068 8788 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Sales, Marketing and Distribution MAIN BRANDS: Superglo Firelighters Firelog Firepak Eco logs 4head Astral Blistex Dentyl Bazuka Treatment Gel Dentinox Ibuleve Speed Relief Otex Express Fenjal Del Monte Just Juice Kiwi Glade Mr Muscle Oust Pledge Toilet Duck Brillo Goddards Shout Autan Raid Spontex Nivea Nivea for Men Elastoplast Atrixo Valley Gold Diabetic jams

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

ALLIED BAKERIES 2-12 Orby Link Belfast BT5 5HW T: 08432 080 401 W: www.alliedbakeries.co.uk PERSONNEL: General Manager: Peter Henry General Sales Manager: Colin Stevenson Operations Manager: Alan Browne Logistics Manager: Clive Kerrigan Senior Brand Manager: Elva O’Connor TYPE OF BUSINESS: Bakery Goods Production, Sales & Distribution MAIN BRANDS: Allinson Burgen Kingsmill Sunblest Really Good

ANDREW INGREDIENTS 27 Ferguson Drive Knockmore Hill Industrial Park Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 2EX T: 028 9267 2525 E: sales@andrewingredients.co.uk W: andrewingredients.co.uk TYPE OF BUSINESS: Leading food and bakery ingredients supplier.

PRODUCTS: Bakery ingredients, flour, bread, cake and confectionery mixes, gluten free mixes, icings, dried fruit, savoury and sweet sauces, colours and flavours, baking powders, raising agents, sugar, fats & oils, decorations, equipment etc.

MAIN BRANDS: Macphie IREKS Carr’s Flour Braun Sonneveld BFP AB Mauri Cardowan Creameries Olenex Flemings Ingram Renshaw Tom Chandley Culpitt Odense Kudos Dobla Meneba

ARYZTA FOOD SOLUTIONS Blaris Industrial Estate Unit 2 5 Altona Road Lisburn BT27 5QB Co. Antrim E: info@aryztafoodsolutions.ie W: www.aryztafoodsolutions.ie Telesales NI: 08000 973 282 Grange Castle Business Park Clondalkin Dublin 22 E: info@aryztafoodsolutions.ie W: www.aryztafoodsolutions.ie Telesales ROI: 1850 777 000 PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Peter Jackson Head of Aryzta Food Solutions Ireland: Nigel Scully Regional Sales Manager: Philip Campbell TYPE OF BUSINESS: ARYZTA Food Solutions (formerly Cuisine de France) provides a quality bakery, food-to-go and beverage offering to the retail market.

Bringing you the very best in retail solutions from our well-known and loved brands: Cuisine de France Seattle’s Best Coffee Otis Spunkmeyer

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

BOYNE VALLEY GROUP Drogheda Co. Meath Ireland T: +353 41 9870300 F: +353 41 9870339 W: www.boynevalley.com

BRADY FAMILY HAM O’BRIEN FINE FOODS Timahoe, Donadea Naas, Co.Kildare E: info@obrienfinefoods.ie W: www.bradyfamily.ie T: +353 (0)45 – 863650

PERSONNEL: Business Manager NI: Claire Meehan M: 07825 141881

PERSONNEL: Managing Director: John O’Brien

Sales Representative: Linda Marks M: 07825 141882

Commercial Account Manager: Elaine Donohue E: elaine.donohue@obrienfinefoods.ie T: +353 (0) 876507934

Group Managing Director: John Harkin Commercial Director: Paul Kinch Head of Marketing: John Tolan TYPE OF BUSINESS: Manufacturer and distributor of food and non-food products.

MAIN BRANDS: Boyne Valley Honey McDonnells Chivers Jelly and Jams Lifeforce Erin Homecook Panda Spreads Don Carlos Giovanni Di Firenze Bonne Maman Koka Lakeshore Harvest Fare Yazoo Irish Breeze Killeen

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Business Development Representative (Northern Ireland): Paul McFadden E: paul.mcfadden@obrienfinefoods.ie T: +44 (0)7468607011 Business Development Representative (Northern Ireland): Chris Culton E: chris.culton@obrienfinefoods.ie T: +44(0)7584088208 TYPE OF BUSINESS: O’Brien Fine Foods, owners of the Brady Family brand, specialise in the production of both deli and pre-pack sliced cooked meats. The family owned company produces award winning own label and branded ranges.

Brady Family continues to prosper within the cooked meats category and is currently the number 1 brand within the premium segment in ROI. This is reflected in the leap the brand made to number 46 in the Top 100 brands 2015 compiled by Kantar (up from 75 the previous year).

Brady Family Ham is made from 100% Irish pork, using only one single pork joint and contains no added water.

COOKSTOWN KARRO FOOD GROUP 70 Molesworth Road Cookstown Co. Tyrone BT80 8PJ T: 028 8676 3321 F: 028 8676 8524 E: colin.glennon@karro.co.uk W: www.karro.co.uk W: www.cookstownbrand.com PERSONNEL: Sales: Kingsley Burrows Marketing: Sinead McLaughlin TYPE OF BUSINESS: Pork manufacturer of Cookstown branded products, Private Own Label, Food service & Commodity products.

DISTRIBUTOR/AGENT: O’Kane Foodservice MAIN BRANDS: Cookstown McGee’s Butcher

COSTCUTTER, SUPERSHOP, KWIKSAVE COSTCUTTER SUPERMARKETS GROUP LTD (NORTHERN IRELAND) Unit 1B McKinney Industrial Estate Mallusk Road Newtownabbey BT36 4PX T: 028 9034 2660 W: www.costcuttersupermarketsgroup.com PERSONNEL: Chief Executive: Darcy Willson-Rymer Trading Director: Huw Edwards Marketing Director: Jenny Wilson Retail Director: Daniel Quest Sales Director: Duncan Jelfs Head of Business Development: Adrian O’Brien T: 07747 752580 Business Development Managers: Damien O’Donnell T: 07920 825505

DALE FARM LTD 15 Dargan Road Belfast BT3 9LS T: 028 9037 2200 F: 028 9037 2211 E: info@dalefarm.co.uk W: www.dalefarm.co.uk Personnel: Group Commercial Director: Stephen Cameron Commercial Director - Branded Products: Jason Hempton Commercial Director Convenience and Foodservice: Nigel Cairns Type of Business: Dairy manufacturer Main brands: Dale Farm Dromona Spelga Loseley Rowan Glen Fivemiletown Mullins Ice Cream

ELEVATOR 2 Pilot’s View 18 Heron Road Belfast BT3 9LE T: 028 9073 0899 E: info@elevatorpromotions.com W: www.elevatorpromotions.com Follow us on Twitter @ElevatorPM TYPE OF BUSINESS: Specialist promotional marketing agency which aims to deliver results-orientated creative promotional marketing campaigns for our clients.

We create, implement and project manage a wide range of promotional mechanics across a wide range of different media, including onpack campaigns, instore promotions, sampling, roadshows, coupons, joint promotions, press promotions, on-line campaigns, and trade and salesforce incentives. Our campaigns regularly deliver significant sales increases, providing tangible and measurable returns on investment for our clients, including Tennent’s NI, Tayto, Coca-Cola HBC, Mackle Petfoods, Irwin’s, Dale Farm and White’s Oats.

Jim Cummings T: 07798 846093 Gordon Leonard T: 07507 604330 Brian McKenna T: 07747 752546 Simon Scott: T: 07747 752725 Michael Lavery T: 07918 651104 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Supermarket Group MAIN BRANDS: Costcutter, Supershop, Kwiksave

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

GENESIS CRAFTY 31 Aughrim Road Magherafelt BT45 6BB T: 028 7963 2465 F: 028 7963 4207 E: hello@genesisbreads.com W: www.genesiscrafty.com

GM MARKETING IRELAND LTD 5th Floor Lesley House 25 Wellington Place Belfast BT1 6GD T: 028 9026 7080 F: 028 9043 4466 E: info@gmmarketing.co.uk W: www.gmmarketing.co.uk

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/genesiscrafty

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gmmarketing

PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Brian McErlain

PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Gerard McAdorey T: 028 9026 7080

General Manager: David Walmsley Technical & HR Director: Damian McErlain Product Development Director: John McErlain Commercial Manager: JP Lyttle National Account Manager: Catherine Hunter Marketing Co-ordinator: Gemma Kennedy Financial: Sarah Meneely Business Development: Paul McErlain Business Development: Bernard Monaghan TYPE OF BUSINESS: Genesis Crafty produce and distribute hand crafted morning goods, bread and cake throughout NI, UK and ROI via both retail and foodservice. We are six brothers who are also six bakers. We take pride in baking everything the truly artisanal way creating the best taste and texture for you!

CORE PRODUCTS: Genesis Crafty Sliced Oven & Toaster Wheaten Genesis Crafty Original, Round and Wee Sodas Genesis Crafty Butter Sultana, Cherry, Wheaten, Plain & Cheese Scones Genesis Crafty Original, Big, Blueberry & Chocolate Chip Pancakes Genesis Crafty Raspberry Jam Bakes, Lemon Bakes, Snowballs, Almond Bakewells, Raspberry Macaroons, Pineapple Cups & Iced Tops 72

Commercial Director: John Kelly T: 028 9026 7080 National Account Controller: Gary Martin T: 028 9026 7080 Buying Controller: Martin McCauley T: 028 9026 7080 Sales & Marketing Co-ordinator: Steve McDonagh T: 028 9026 7080 Financial Controller: Neill Blair T: 028 9026 7080 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Sales & Distribution Company WHY GM? We are a unique Sales and Distribution Company who are the chosen route to market for a number of leading FMCG brands within grocery and foodservice. We are an innovative company with unrivalled industry experience, who are always taking products places.

HENDERSON FOOD MACHINERY LIMITED Unit 5 Madines Site 79 Downpatrick Road Crossgar Co. Down BT30 9EH T: 028 9099 4202 E: sales@hendersonfoodmachinery.com W: www.hendersonfoodmachinery.com Dedicated auction website for used food processing and packaging machinery W: www.foodmachineryauctions.com TYPE OF BUSINESS: Global supplier of New and Used Processing and Packaging equipment Catering for all sectors including: • Contract Packers • Bakeries • Ready Meals • Seafood • Desserts • Meat Cutting Plants • Vegetables • Fruit and many more...

MAIN BRANDS: Farley Greene Gernal FPE Grinders Tecnobox MPE Tray Sealers CRM Slicers Carruthers Shredders Apple Depositors Havantec Machinery Norpak Labellers Deighton Formers, Sandwich Equipment and Batter, Breading, Frying Machinery Line Equipment Weighing and Bagging Equipment Henkelman Vacuum Packing Equipment Also supplying quality used processing and packaging equipment.

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

HENDERSON GROUP Hightown Avenue Mallusk Newtownabbey Co. Antrim BT36 4RT T: 028 9034 2733 F: 028 9034 2484 E: info@henderson-group.com W: www.henderson-group.com PERSONNEL: Chairman, Henderson Group: John Agnew Joint Managing Director: Martin Agnew Joint Managing Director: Geoffrey Agnew Chief Finance Director: Darren Stewart Group Operations Director: Patrick McGarry Trading Director: Alan Fitzsimmins Fresh Foods Director: Neal Kelly Group Property Director: Mark Adrain Human Resources Director: Sam Davidson Sales & Marketing Director: Paddy Doody Head of Corporate Marketing: Bronagh Luke Head of Brand Marketing: Brenda Mulligan PR & Communications Manager: Sarah Fox Channel Sales Managers: Stephen Gibson, Sarah Halliday Regional Sales Manager (Supermarkets): Paul Deans Regional Sales Managers: David Bennett, Jonathan Finlay, Donal Bryce, Justin Hayes Trading Controller: Glen Howe Trading Managers: Edward Burns, Brendan Dumigan, Eugene McCabe, Michelle Dineen, David Quigg Fresh Foods Trading Controller: Nigel Dugan Fresh Foods Manager (HRL): David Hamilton Fresh Foods Development Manager (HRL): Healey Martin Fresh Food Trading Managers: Steven Kennedy, Iain Dickson, Alistair Kelly, Noel McGregor New Product Project Manager: Jane Pyper Fresh Food Buying Manager: Eddie Blair Henderson Print Manager: Alan Ritchie

HOLYWOOD PARTNERSHIP Unit B 17 Heron Road Belfast BT3 9LE T: 028 9073 8582 M: 07824 635 499 E: holywoodpartnership@hotmail.co.uk Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/holywoodpartnership PERSONNEL: Operations Director: Mr Neil Lawden Sales Director: Mr Bryan Sterling Company Accountant: Mr Alistair Campbell Sales and Distribution Manager: Mr Clarke Sterling Key Account Executive: Mr Malcolm Qua TYPE OF BUSINESS: Sales, Merchandising and Distribution Company.

Holywood Partnership is a sales and merchandising company focusing on FMCG business, with leading brands of hosiery, pharmaceuticals, confectionery and fruit pot range. The Northern Ireland grocery trade is covered by our efficient sales and merchandising service. The company welcomes new customers and looks forward to meeting more in 2016.

MAIN BRANDS: Pretty Legs Hosiery Leg Wear International Boxer Fun Mints Galpharm Pharmaceuticals Holywood seasonal confectionery County multi cards

HOVIS BAKERIES IRELAND Apollo Road Belfast BT12 6LP T: 08707 288 888 (office hours) F: 028 9038 8558 W: www.hovis.co.uk W: www.ormobakery.co.uk PERSONNEL: General Manager: Mark Higgins Commercial Director: Trevor McCrum Business Unit Controller: Ben Daggett Business Unit Manager: Billy Thompson Ireland Brand Manager: Jackie Kirk Category Insights Manager: Barry Spence TYPE OF BUSINESS: Based at Apollo Road, Belfast, Hovis Bakeries Ireland bakes and distributes quality bakery brands such as Hovis, Nimble, Ormo and Mothers Pride.

The company also bakes retailer branded and foodservice breads and morning goods for customers in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

MAIN BRANDS: Hovis Ormo Mothers Pride Nimble Distributor: New York Bakery Co. Bagels

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Symbol Group Wholesaler for SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXtra and ViVO Essentials in NI. NUMBER OF STORES: HENDERSON WHOLESALE LTD SERVICE OVER 400 STORES ACROSS THE FIVE BRANDS.

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

INTERACTIVE (IRLAND) LTD Units 6/7 Grange Park Trench Road Mallusk Newtownabbey BT36 4LA T: 028 9083 1730 F: 028 9083 1731 E: mark.stuart@inter-active.org PERSONNEL: General Manager: John Flanagan M: 07919 122947 Commercial Manager: Mark Stuart M: 07919 122946 Sales Manager Laundry & Homecare: Ian Cochrane M: 07867 306343 Sales Manager Baby, Health & Beauty Care: Allyson White M: 07765 897305 Business Development Executive: Enda McDaid M: 07920 148780 Business Development Executive: Colin Espie M: 07900 584163 Business Development Executive: Paul Ritchie M: 07920 148580 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Sales, Marketing and Distribution to the Grocery trade.

MAIN BRANDS: House & Home: Duracell; Fairy; Febreze; Ambi Pur; Flash; Viakal; Vortex; Ace; Ariel; Bold; Bounce; Daz; Dreft; Lenor.

Personal Care & Beauty: Tampax; Always; Alldays; Aussie; Head & Shoulders; Herbal Essence; Pantene; Shockwaves; Silvikrin; Wash & Go; Wella; Max Factor; Lasting Color; Loving Care; Nice n` Easy; Nice n` Easy Root Touch Up; Perfect 10; Olay; Old Spice; Braun; Gillette.

Health & Wellbeing: Pepto-Bismol; Vicks; Crest; Fixodent; Clear Blue; Oral-B. Baby & Family: Pampers; Pampers Kandoo; Infacare Snacks: Pringles.

Electrical Personal Appliances: Trevor Sorbie; Remington; Nicky Clarke Electrical; Carmen Haircare; Carmen Girls; Glamouriser; Dreamland Electric Blankets; Warmnite Electric Blankets MISSION STATEMENT: Our mission is to fulfil customer satisfaction within our distribution channels and to represent our principals according to their world leading standards of innovation, service and quality.

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JAMES E. MCCABE 4 Annagh Drive Portadown Craigavon BT63 5WF T: 028 3833 3102 F: 028 3833 5916 PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Robert Davis Sales Manager: Michael Millar Marketing Manager: Leonie Bond MAIN BRANDS: Scotch Whiskey: The Famous Grouse; Whyte & Mackay; Teacher’s; The Claymore Malt Whiskey: Highland Park 12 Y-O; Laphroaig 10 Y-O; Isle of Jura 10 Y-O Irish Whiskey: Kilbeggan; Connemara Single Malt; Tyroconnell Single Malt Canadian Whiskey: Canadian Club Bourbon: Jim Beam Family; Jim Beam Devil’s Cut; Jim Beam Signature Craft; Maker’s Mark Rum: Brugal Cognac: Courvoisier Brandy: E & J Gallo; De Lange Napoleon Vodka: Stolichnaya; New Amsterdam; Vladivar; Boru; Skyy Gin: Adnams Copperhouse; London No. 3; Bulldog Liqueurs & Speciality Drinks: Jägermeister; Aftershock; Sourz; Droli Sambuca; Luxardo Sambuca; Sauza Tequila; 901 Tequila; Drambuie; Bols Liqueurs; Glayva; Galliano; Luxardo Amaretto; Irish Mist Honey; Campari; Midori; Ouzo 12 Port, Sherry & Vermouth: Dow’s; Warre’s; Harvey’s; Cinzano Fortified Wine: Buckfast Tonic Wine Beer/Craft Beer: Finn Irish Craft Pilsner; Foxes Rock Irish Pale Ale; Adnams; Kentucky Ales; Metal Man Cider: Älska Swedish Cider; Armagh Cider Premium Mixers: Bottle Green New Zealand: Villa Maria Estate; Esk Valley; Nobilo; Mud House; Leftfield Australia: Hardys; Banrock Station; McWilliams; Hanwood Estate; Evans & Tate California: Barefoot; Gallo Family Vineyards; Turning Leaf; Dark Horse; Apothic; Geyser Peak; Ravenswood; Mondavi Woodbridge Chile: Errazuriz; Caliterra; Gato Negro; 35 South; Acon Cagua; Montes; La Palma; Frestia Argentina: Nicholas Catena; Argento; La Celia South Africa: Boschendal; Tall Horse; Douglas Green France: Cordier; Mestrezat Chateau; La Chablisienne; Jean Durup Chablis; Cellier Des Samson; Bougrier; Guy Saget; Louis Bernard; Louis Jadot Germany: Three Princes Italy: Orsola Prosecco; Cinzano Prosecco; Bolla Prosecco; Canti Wines; Villa Lanata; Antinori; Settesoli; Gruppo Italiano Vini Spain: Faustino; Senorio De Labarta; Pleyadas; Freixent Cava Champagne: Laurent Perrier; Alfred Gratien; Piper Heidsieck

JOHNSON BROTHERS (BELFAST) LIMITED incorporating Johnson Brothers (Distributing) Limited 137 Hillsborough Old Road Lisburn BT27 5QR T: 028 9267 9121 F: 028 9266 8800 PERSONNEL AND POSITIONS: Chairman: Michael Y Johnson Joint Managing Directors: Dermot W.M. Johnson M Andrew Johnson Financial Director: Richard J Johnson Group Sales Director: Philip Mills Johnson Brothers (Belfast) Limited: Sales Manager: Neil Patton Johnson Brothers (Distributing) Limited: General Manager: Ivan Thompson Sales Manager: David Lewis TYPE OF BUSINESS: Selling & Distributing Agents Pure Coffee Manufacturer DISTRIBUTOR/AGENT: Selling & Distributing Agents

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

JTI Members Hill Brooklands Road Weybridge Surrey KT13 0QU United Kingdom Customer Careline: 0800 163 503 W: www.jti.com/uk Trade website: www.jtiadvance.co.uk E: ukcustomercareline@jti.com KEY PERSONNEL: Managing Director UK: Daniel Sciamma Head of Corporate Affairs: Charlie Cunningham-Reid Head of Communications: Jeremy Blackburn Head of Sales UK: Andy Stevens Head of Marketing: Dilek Akin Lokmanoglu Head of Key Multiple Grocers: Steve Dyas Head of Wholesale, Symbols & Independents: Richard Kellaway Head of Convenience: Jan Louw TYPE OF BUSINESS: Tobacco and e-cigarette manufacturer.

MAIN BRANDS: Mayfair, Amber Leaf, Benson & Hedges, Camel, Sovereign, Sterling, Silk Cut, Hamlet, Holborn Yellow, Logic and E-Lites

KP SNACKS LTD c/o Northern Snack Foods Lissue Industrial Estate East Lissue Road Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 2RB E: snackpartners@kpsnacks.com W: www.kpsnacks.com PERSONNEL: Northern Ireland Business Account Manager: Ricky Watts E: wattsr@kpsnacks.com TYPE OF BUSINESS: Manufacturer and Distributor of Savoury Snacks & Nuts MAIN BRANDS: McCoys McCoys Chips McCoys Thick Cut Hula Hoops Hula Hoops Puft Hula Hoops Golden KP Nuts Space Raiders Skips Discos Frisps Brannigans Roysters Mini Chips Choc Dips Pom Bear

LACPATRICK DAIRIES (ROI) LIMITED Head Office Monaghan Creamery Coolshannagh Monaghan Co. Monaghan Ireland T: +353 (0)47 81400 F: +353 (0)47 82940 E: office@lacpatrick.com LacPatrick Ballyrashane Creamery 18 Creamery Road Coleraine Co. Londonderry Northern Ireland BT52 2NE T: +44 (0)28 7034 3265 F: 44 (0)28 7135 1653 E: receptionb@lacpatrick.com LacPatrick Artigarvan Creamery 47 Berryhill Road Artigarvan Strabane Co. Tyrone Northern Ireland BT82 0HN T: +44 (0)28 7138 2275 F: +44 (0)28 7138 2059 E: receptiona@lacpatrick.com LacPatrick prides itself on its exceptionally high quality dairy products. The company supplies leading retailers, food service and industry customers across the globe with fresh dairy products from our manufacturing sites. Our portfolio extends to a large range of quality milk, cream, butter, buttermilk, yoghurts and desserts that are produced for leading retailers’ own brands as well as for our own Ballyrashane and Champion brands, and in a number of bulk sizes for our industry customers.

A significant part of the business is exportled with powdered milk, cheese and butter being distributed worldwide. LacPatrick’s LP brand powdered milk brand has an excellent reputation for quality in World Powder Markets, and is a brand leader in West Africa.

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

LIGHT FOOTPRINT Northern Ireland Office Premier Business Centre 20 Adelaide Street Belfast BT2 8GD T: 028 9051 7057 E: info@lightfootprint.com PERSONNEL: Retail Sector Contact Lyndsay Glenn M: 07886 643447 E: lyndsay@lightfootprint.com WHY LIGHT FOOTPRINT FOR RETAIL LED LIGHTING PROJECTS: • 6+ years experience in LED Lighting conversion projects.

• Over 100 retail sites already converted in Northern Ireland.

• 500+ Projects to date across all industries.

• Average savings in the region of 65-70%.

• Average paybacks around the 2 year mark.

• 5 years warranty on all Light Footprint LED Luminaries.

• Potential for increased lighting levels along with high savings in running costs.

• Our LED fittings are fully compatible with sensors / controls for extra savings.

• Carbon Trust Accredited Supplier.

• Wealth of past project case-studies.

• IN THE WORDS OF OUR CLIENTS A ‘NO-BRAINER!’

LINDEN FOODS Granville Industrial Estate Dungannon Co. Tyrone N. Ireland BT70 1NJ T: +44 28 8772 4777 F: +44 28 8772 4714 E: sales@lindenfoods.com W: www.lindenfoods.com PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Gerry Maguire Retail Director: Elaine Willis Marketing Executive: Pauline Gordon TYPE OF BUSINESS: Award-winning red meat primal processing and retail manufacturer.

Part of the Fane Valley Group of Companies.

KETTYLE IRISH FOODS Manderwood Business Park Lisnaskea Co. Fermanagh Northern Ireland BT92 OFS T: 028 6772 3777 F: 028 67723888 E: info@kettyleirishfoods.com W: www.kettyleirishfoods.com PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Maurice Kettyle Senior Sales Manager: Gemma Jennings TYPE OF BUSINESS: Award-Winning Artisan Dry-Aged Beef.

Part of the Fane Valley Group of Companies.

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LINDT & SPRUNGLI LTD Unit 310 Q House Furze Road Sandyford Dublin 18 Ireland T: +353 1293 6909 F: +353 1293 6913 E: lbrick@lindt.com Account Manager: Ronan Martin T: +353 1293 6909 M: +353 8641 07437 E: rmartin@lindt.com TYPE OF BUSINESS: Confectionery MAIN BRANDS: Lindt Lindor Lindt Excellence Lindt Gold Bunny Lindt Bear Lindt Swiss Luxury Selection

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

LYNAS FOODSERVICE LIMITED Louganhill Industrial Estate Coleraine Co. Londonderry BT52 2NR T: 028 7035 0600 F: 028 7035 7340 E: admin@lynasfoodservice.co.uk W: www.lynasfoodservice.co.uk PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Andrew Lynas Deputy Managing Director: Ian Crowe Finance Director: Alistair Magee Head of Sales: Melvyn Bacon Food Outlet General Manager: Nigel McCullough FOOD OUTLET COLERAINE Louganhill Industrial Estate Gateshead Road Coleraine BT52 2NR T: 028 7035 3765 FOOD OUTLET BELFAST 46 Montgomery Road Belfast BT6 9HQ T: 028 9070 4795 FOOD OUTLET LONDONDERRY Buncrana Road Derry/Londonderry BT48 OLY T: 028 7126 1080

MACKLE PETFOODS 40 Corrigan Hill Road Moy Dungannon Co.Tyrone BT71 6SL T: 028 8778 4641 F: 028 8778 4955 W: www.macklepetfoods.com brandydogfood catclubcatfood PERSONNEL: Managing Director: John A. Mackle Sales and Marketing Manager: Gwendoline Rafferty TYPE OF BUSINESS: Pet food manufacturer MAIN BRANDS: Brandy Brandy Complete Cat Club Jessie Champion Professional Naturo

MAXOL OIL LIMITED 48 Trench Road Mallusk Newtownabbey Co. Antrim BT36 4TY T: 028 9050 6000 F: 028 9050 6025 E: post@maxol.ie W: www.maxol.com The Maxol Group 3 Custom House Plaza IFSC Dublin 1 T: +353-1-6076800 F: +353-1-6076850 E: post@maxol.ie W: www.maxol.com TYPE OF BUSINESS: Forecourt & Convenience Retailer MAIN BRANDS: Maxol Maxol Auto 24 Maxol Lubricants Maxwash Moreish

FOOD OUTLET NEWRY Unit 5 Plaza Retail Park 50 Belfast Road Newry BT34 1QA T. 02830 833094 TYPE OF BUSINESS “Broad-line Suppling over 6000 Fresh, Frozen and Ambient products to the foodservice industry.”

NUMBER OF STORES3 Regional Depots Coleraine, Dublin and Galway 1 Craft Butchery “Causeway Prime” Coleraine.

4 Food Outlets – Belfast, Coleraine, Derry, Newry.

Causeway Prime Manager: John Neely TYPE OF BUSINESS: Craft Butchery

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

MCCOLGAN’S QUALITY FOODS LTD Dublin Road Industrial Estate Strabane BT82 9EA T: 028 7138 2797 E: sales@mccolgans.ie W: www.mccolgans.ie PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Grainne Hampton Commercial Director: Roy Wilkinson TYPE OF BUSINESS: Manufacturer of convenience food including pies, slices, pasties, sausage rolls, jambons, quiche. Foodservice and retail, chilled and frozen. Own label specialists.

Brands include McColgans, Bakers Best, Strathmourne Foods, McColgans Choice Cuisine.

DISTRIBUTION: Multi temperature deliveries across NI, ROI and GB daily.

McCORMACK POTATO LTD 25 Aghinlig Road Moy Dungannon BT71 6SR T: 028 8778 4429 F: 028 8778 4234 E: sales@mccormackpotato.co.uk W: www.mccormackpotato.co.uk PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Brian McCormack Sales Director: Barry McCormack Sales Director: Aiden McCormack TYPE OF BUSINESS: One of NI’s most trusted and reliable potato suppliers. Over 40 years’ industry experience, providing superior quality, value and personal service to top clients and brands across the UK & Ireland. Extensive range of finest seasonal potato varieties - unwashed/ brushed, fully washed, peeled or chipped. Nature’s Harvest own brand, including baby potatoes and Chippers. Specialist in traditional floury table potatoes, Kerr’s Pinks, Maris Piper, Queens, Rooster and chipping varieties. Expertly sourced from the best local growers in NI & ROI, with capacity to import from top UK & European growers to meet clients’ all year round requirements. Fast and reliable distribution infrastructure. State-of-the-art cold storage facilities for guaranteed freshness and availability. Competitive pricing, consistent quality guaranteed with full traceability from field to fork.

Expect attention to detail - only potatoes that meet stringent handling, eating-quality and flavour assessments make the grade.

DISTRIBUTION (UK & IRELAND): Wholesale, Retail, Pre-packers, Processors, Restaurant & Food Services, Catering & Hospitality, Fast Food & Takeaway, Chip Shop Specialist.

MAIN BRANDS: Nature’s Harvest – (8 varieties, 3 sizes) CHIPPERS – PERFECT POTATOES FOR CHIPS (5KG)

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MOY PARK LTD The Food Park 39 Seagoe Ind. Estate Portadown Craigavon Co. Armagh BT63 5QE T: 028 3835 2233 W: www.moypark.com PERSONNEL: Senior Commercial Manager Ireland: Colin Freeman Brand Marketing Manager: Briege Finnegan Account Manager: Ronan Magee TYPE OF BUSINESS: Moy Park is one of the UK’s top 15 Food companies, Northern Ireland’s largest private sector business and one of Europe’s leading poultry producers.

Moy Park supplies branded and own label chicken products to leading retailers and foodservice providers throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe and is the industry leading manufacturer of organic, free-range and higher welfare chicken and turkey.

DISTRIBUTOR/AGENT: Neil McMullan Ltd 28 Halfpenny Gate Road Moira Craigavon Co.Armagh Northern Ireland BT67 OHW T: 07831 566827 MAIN BRANDS: Moy Park O’Kane Castle Lea

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

MULLINS ICE CREAM Craiglea Gardens Kilrea BT51 5QZ T: 028 2954 0003 E: info@mullins-icecream.com W: www.mullins-icecream.com CONTACT: Peter Lynn T: 028 2954 0003 E: p.lynn@mullins-icecream.com TYPE OF BUSINESS: Manufacturer of Ice Cream and Sorbet for Retail and Foodservice.

MUSGRAVE NI 1 – 19 Dargan Drive, Belfast, BT3 9JG T: 028 9078 7100 F: 028 9078 7101 E: succeed@musgrave.ie W: www.musgravegroup.com PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Michael McCormack Trading Director: Ciara McClafferty SuperValu Centra Sales Director: Nigel Maxwell Wholesale Director: Trevor Magill Marketing Director: Michelle Fennell Finance Director: Alan Cunningham HR Director: Catherine Lambe SuperValu Centra Senior Business Development Manager: Barry Holland Mace Lead Business Development Manager: Caroline Rowan Wholesale Sales Manager: Tom Kinnier

NISA RETAIL LIMITED Waldo Way Normanby Enterprise Park Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire DN15 9GE Main Office: 01724 282028 E: helpdesk@nisaretail.com W: www.nisaretail.com PERSONNEL: CEO: Nick Read Retail Director: Nigel Gray Head of Retail (Ireland): Pat Leneghan Business Manager – Local Supply: Jonathan Verner IT Manager: Bryan Lurring Retail Development Manager: Cormac Rice

SuperValu Customer Manager: Geoff Johnston Centra Customer Manager: Norman Bennett Communications Manager: Kate Ferguson MarketPlace Belfast Manager: Garry Williams MarketPlace Derry Manager: Emir Sheppard MarketPlace Lurgan Manager: Colin O’Hare TYPE OF BUSINESS: Musgrave Northern Ireland (MNI) comprises the retail and wholesale segments of Musgrave Group in Northern Ireland and supports 360 independent retailers through the SuperValu, Centra, Mace and DayToday brands and 2,800 wholesale customers through the Musgrave MarketPlace brand across the province.

MAIN BRANDS: SuperValu, Centra , Mace, Musgrave MarketPlace, DayToday

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

NORTHERN SNACK FOODS LTD Lissue Industrial Estate East Lisburn BT 28 2RB T: 028 9262 2820 W: www.northernsnackfoods.com PERSONNEL: Martin McClinton M: 07850 410917 Contact North West: Nigel Morton M: 07720 967492 Contact Belfast/Greater Belfast: Jonathan Lamont M: 07545 927064 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Distributor of Snack foods MAIN BRANDS: Hunky Dorys Crisps O’Donnells Velvet Crunch King KP Meanies Rancheros

80

PLADIS GLOBAL PO Box 3 Hillsborough BT26 6JU T: 028 9268 2644 F: 028 9268 3804 W: www.pladisglobal.com PERSONNEL: Field Sales & NI Director: Richard Williams NI Business Account Manager: Tim McAuley NI Business Development Manager: Ozlem Ucuz TYPE OF BUSINESS: Pladis is a global leader in Biscuits & Confectionery with internationally recognised brands - Godiva Chocolate(Worldwide), McVitie’s & Jacobs (UK), Ulker (Turkey & Middle East) In the UK, it manufactures and supplies popular household brand names including McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Go Ahead!, Chocolate Digestives, Digestives, HobNobs, Jaffa Cakes, Rich Tea, Penguin, Club, Nibbles, Jacobs Cream Crackers, Crispbreads, Ciabatta, Mini Cheddars & Carr’s.

BISCUITS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY: Pladis Global Aghnatrisk Road Culcavey Hillsborough Co Down Northern Ireland BT26 6JU T: 028 9268 2644 F: 028 9268 3804

SALES PLACEMENT Unit 2 1 Edgewater Road Belfast Harbour Estate Belfast BT3 9JQ T: 028 9077 0999 W: www.salesplacement.com PERSONNEL: Recruitment Director: June Wilson TYPE OF BUSINESS: FMCG, Licensed Trade, Food Service, Retail Marketing, Tech Sales, Digital, Advertising/Media, Pharma, IT, Telecoms.

CONTRACT PEOPLE Unit 2 1 Edgewater Road Belfast Harbour Estate Belfast BT3 9JQ T: 028 9077 0999 W: www.contractpeople.com PERSONNEL: Director: Allan Rutherford Client Service Director: Russell Johnston TYPE OF BUSINESS: We are one of Ireland’s leading Specialist Field Marketing agencies providing a face and voice for our clients brands at the point of purchase. Sales Outsourcing, Merchandising, Auditing, Technical Services.

SHS SALES & MARKETING 199 Airport Road West Belfast, BT3 9ED T: 028 9045 4647 E: Info@shs-sales.ie W: www.shs-sales.ie PERSONNEL: Sales Director: Des McCullough General Sales Manager for Northern Ireland: Michael Whitely TYPE OF BUSINESS: FMCG Distributor MAIN BRANDS: Airwick Askeys Batchelors Condensed Canned Soups Batchelors Canned Vegetables Bloo Bonjela Bottlegreen Branston Beans Brasso Chewits Cillit Bang Colgate Cookeen Crisp & Dry oils Crosse & Blackwell Canned Soups Crosse & Blackwell Canned Vegetables Dettol Disprin Douwe Egberts Coffee Durex E45 Farmlea Finish Flora Oils Gaviscon Harpic Jeyes Jordans Jucee Kleenoff Lemsip Maguire & Paterson Matches Marigold Mars Milk Drinks Mr Sheen Napolina Nurofen Organix Baby Food Palmolive Parozone Parsons Primula Princes Food & Drink Ryvita Sanex Shloer Senekot Silvo Steradent Strepsils Tunnocks Vanish Vileda Windolene Woodwards Gripe Water

STRATHROY DAIRY LTD Shergrim Omagh Co.Tyrone BT79 7JD T: 028 8224 0948 F: 028 8224 6280 E: info@strathroydairy.com W: www.strathroy.co.uk PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Patrick Cunningham Operations Director: Aidan McCarron Director ROI: Ruairi Cunningham Commercial Director NI: Eamon Lynch E: eamon@strathroydairy.com Commercial Director ROI: Phelim McCarron E: phelim@strathroydairy.ie Financial Controller: Jim McCann IT Manager: Damien Harkin Quality Control Manager: Tracy Doyle TYPE OF BUSINESS: Dairy Processing: Milk & Cream MAIN BRANDS: Strathroy Bainne Ur Erganagh Various Private Label Brands

TENNANT & RUTTLE DISTRIBUTION LTD 2010 Orchard Avenue Citywest Dublin 24 T: 00353 1466 6600 F: 00353 1466 6699 E: sales@tandr.ie PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Geoff Beggs Sales & Marketing Director: Neil Keogh Sales Director Ireland: Kevin Keating Financial Director: Ray Woodroofe Northern Ireland Sales Manager: Tony McGloin M: 0035387 6603535 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Distribution, Sales & Marketing Company MAIN BRANDS: Ferrero Kinder Tic Tac Nutella Barr Soft Drinks Irn Bru Rockstar Energy Drinks Perfetti Van Melle Mentos Fruittella Chupa Chups Storck Werther’s Original Kinnerton Character Confectionery Hershey Resses Nature Valley Lily O’Brien’s Ragu Chicken Tonight Mugshots Aunt Bessie’s Standard Brands, Sunny Jim Sofidel, Nicky, Regina Kittensoft and Thirst Pockets Paper Products

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

TENNENT’S NI LTD 15 Dargan Road Belfast BT3 9LS Customer Services: 0800 66 55 22 Head Office (Switchboard): 028 9595 2100 PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Tom McCusker

TODAY’S SAVAGE & WHITTEN WHOLESALE LTD Unit 1a Carnbane Business Park Newry BT35 6QH T: 028 3026 3521 F: 028 3026 3143 E: info@sandwni.com W: www.savageandwhitten.com

PERSONNEL: Off Trade Sales Director: Todays Team: Duncan Millar Sales Director: Michael Skelton Marketing Director: NI Business Development Director: Brian Beattie Brian Ross Today’s Facilitation Manager: Customer Services Manager: Maurice Little Gary Clarke Business Development Managers: Mark Forsythe, Mark Nesbitt & TYPE OF BUSINESS: Paul McMullen Manufacturer and Distributor of Premium Customer Relationship Manager: Beers, Ciders, Wines and Soft Drinks.

Rachel Holmes Tennent’s NI offers a global portfolio of marketBusiness Development Managers ROI: leading Beer, Cider and Soft Drink brands to Arron Potts the Grocery Channel throughout Northern Stephen Farrell Ireland.

S&W Team: OFF TRADE BRANDS: Managing Director: Mark Windebank Soft Drink Brands: Operations Director: Norman Savage Finches, Tipperary Natural Mineral Water, IT Director: Richard Whitten JWV+, Cacaolat, POW Sales Director: John Whitten Trading Director: Alan Dorman Beer Brands: Finance Director: Robert McKeavney Tennents, Corona, Clonmel 1650, Menabrea, Marketing Director: Julie Burden Budweiser, Stella Artois, Becks, Bass, Leffe, Warehouse Manager: Joe McCrory Hoegaarden, Spaten, Franziskaner, Brahma, Transport Manager: Sean McNeill Heverlee, Lowenbrau, Roundstone IT Manager: Conor Duffy HR Manager: Jill Cowan Cider Brands: Magners, Blackthorn, Olde English, TYPE OF BUSINESS: Addlestones, K Savage & Whitten are the Symbol Group Wholesaler for Today’s Extra, Today’s Local & Today’s Express.

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UNITED BISCUITS UK LTD PO Box 3 Hillsborough BT26 6JU T: 028 9268 2644 F: 028 9268 3804 W: www.unitedbiscuits.com PERSONNEL: National Sales Manager: Dave Cutler NI Business Account Manager: Tim McAuley NI Business Development Manager: Helen Coalter TYPE OF BUSINESS: United Biscuits is a leading European Biscuits, Baked Bagged Snacks and Cake Company. It manufactures and supplies popular household brand names including McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Go Ahead!, Chocolate Digestives, Digestives, Hob Nobs, Jaffa Cakes, Penguin, Club, Mc Vities Snackbars, McVitie’s Breakfast, Jacobs Cream Crackers, Crispbreads, Mini Cheddars & Carr’s.

Biscuits Distribution Company: United Biscuits UK Ltd Aghnatrisk Road Culcavey Hillsborough Co Down Northern Ireland BT26 6JU T: 028 9268 2644 F: 028 9268 3804

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

AGENT & COMPANY INDEX

ULSTER EXHIBITIONS LIMITED 18 Maryland Industrial Estate Ballygowan Road Belfast BT23 6BL T: 028 9044 9340 W: www.u-ex.co.uk CONTACT: Peter Corbett E: peter@u-ex.co.uk TYPE OF BUSINESS: Supplier of event and display services and products MAIN BRANDS: Revostage Portable Staging Mark Bric Easystands Plex Display

VALEO FOODS 10 Flush Park Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 2DX T: 028 9267 3316 F: 028 9263 1131 PERSONNEL: Managing Director: Gareth Bradley Commercial Manager: Maria Losty Marketing Manager: Joanne Beattie TYPE OF BUSINESS: RMCG Valeo Foods is a leading producer and innovator of high quality, category-defining, branded food products, with a proud history that dates back to 1845.

We are passionate about food and out portfolio of iconic food brands, which are tried and trusted by consumers for their quality, wholesomeness, nutrition and fun.

We operate a diverse FMGC business across many categories with both company owned brands and those of blue chip partners. This combines food production, brand development and innovation, distribution and sales.

WHITE’S SPEEDICOOK LTD Scarva Road Tandragee Co. Armagh BT62 2BZ T: 028 3884 0592 F: 028 3884 1895 E: whites@whitesoats.com W: www.whitesoats.com PERSONNEL: General Manager: James Mathers SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER: Mark Gowdy BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Stuart Best BRAND MANAGER: Danielle McBride TRADE MARKETING EXECUTIVE: Esther Jackson TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oat Manufacturer, Breakfast Cereals MAIN BRANDS: White’s

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

RETAILERS GUIDE

CO-OPERATIVE RETAILERS THE NORTHERN IRELAND CO-OPERATIVE PART OF THE CO-OPERATIVE GROUP REGIONAL OFFICE Shore Commercial Park 75 Belfast Road Carrickfergus BT38 8PH T: 028 9335 8604 W: www.co-operative.coop Regional Operations Manager: Nic MacLennan

MULTIPLE RETAILERS ASDA NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE Junction One Retail Park Antrim BT41 4LL T: 028 9448 5700 W: www.asda.com Senior Director: George Rankin DUNNES STORES HEAD OFFICE 46-50 South Great George’s Street Dublin 2 T: 00 353 1475 1111 F: 00 353 1475 4405 W: www.dunnesstores.com

ICELAND HEAD OFFICE Second Avenue Deeside Industrial Park Deeside Flintshire CH5 2NW T: 0800 328 0800 F: 012 4481 4531 W: www.iceland.co.uk

LIDL NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE Dundrod Road Nutts Corner Crumlin Co. Antrim BT29 4SR T: 028 9082 5090 F: 028 9082 4339 W: www.lidl-ni.co.uk 84

MARKS & SPENCER HEAD OFFICE Waterside House 35 North Wharf Road London W2 1NW T: 020 7935 4422 W: www.marksandspencer.com

TESCO NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE Abbey Retail Park Church Road Newtownabbey BT36 7GU T: 028 9570 4627 W: www.tesco.com

Chief Executive: Marc Bolland

Store Director for NI: Brendan Guidera

Group Finance Director: Helen Weir

Commercial Manager for NI: Sean Largey

Executive Director of Marketing: Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne

SYMBOL GROUPS

Director of Human Resources: Tanith Dodge Director of Property: Hugo Adams Director of M&S Direct: Laura Wade-Gery Director of Foods: Steve Rowe Director of Retail: Sacha Berendji Director of Communications: Dominic Fry Area Manager for Northern Ireland: Ryan Lemon

SAINSBURY’S SUPERMARKETS LTD NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE Forestside Shopping Centre Upper Galwally Road Belfast BT8 4FX W: www.sainsburys.co.uk Regional Operations Manager: Nigel Macaulay Category Trading Manager: Rich Squire T: 020 7695 0031 Regional Supply Chain Manager: Paul McAlinden T: 028 9064 7386 NI Commercial Buyer: Claire McAlinney T: 028 9064 6913

COSTCUTTER SUPERMARKETS GROUP LTD (NORTHERN IRELAND) Unit 1B McKinney Industrial Estate Mallusk Road Newtonabbey BT36 4PX T: 028 9034 2660 W: www.costcuttersupermarketsgroup.com Chief Executive Officer: Darcy Willson-Rymer Trading Director: Huw Edwards Marketing Director: Jenny Wilson Retail Director: Daniel Quest Sales Director: Duncan Jelfs Head of Business Development: Adrian O’Brien T: 07747 752580 Business Development Managers: Damien O’Donnell T: 07920 825505 Jim Cummings T: 07798 846093 Gordon Leonard T: 07507 604330 Brian McKenna T: 07747 752546 Simon Scott: T: 07747 752725 Michael Lavery T: 07918 651104

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

RETAILERS GUIDE HENDERSON GROUP Hightown Avenue Mallusk Newtownabbey Co. Antrim BT36 4RT T: 028 9034 2733 F: 028 9034 2484 E: info@henderson-group.com W: www.henderson-group.com Chairman, Henderson Group: John Agnew

Trading Managers: Edward Burns, Brendan Dumigan, Eugene McCabe, Michelle Dineen, David Quigg Fresh Foods Trading Controller: Nigel Dugan Fresh Foods Manager (HRL): David Hamilton Fresh Foods Development Manager (HRL): Healey Martin

Joint Managing Director: Martin Agnew

Fresh Food Trading Managers: Steven Kennedy, Iain Dickson, Alistair Kelly Noel McGregor

Joint Managing Director: Geoffrey Agnew

New Product Project Manager: Jane Pyper

Chief Finance Director: Ron Whitten

Fresh Food Buying Manager: Eddie Blair

Group Operations Director: Patrick McGarry Trading Director: Alan Fitzsimmins Fresh Foods Director: Neal Kelly Group Property Director: Mark Adrain Human Resources Director: Sam Davidson Sales & Marketing Director: Paddy Doody Head of Corporate Marketing: Bronagh Luke Head of Brand Marketing: Brenda Mulligan PR & Communications Manager: Sarah Fox Channel Sales Managers: Stephen Gibson, Sarah Halliday Regional Sales Manager (Supermarkets): Paul Deans

Henderson Print Manager: Alan Ritchie TYPE OF BUSINESS: Symbol Group Wholesaler for SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXtra and ViVO Essentials in NI. NUMBER OF STORES: Henderson Wholesale Ltd service over 400 stores across the five brands.

MUSGRAVE NI Musgrave Retail Partners NI 1 - 19 Dargan Drive Belfast BT3 9JG T: 028 9078 7100 F: 028 9078 7101 E: succeed@musgrave.ie W: www.musgravegroup.com DAY TODAY 1 - 15 Dargan Crescent Duncrue Road Belfast BT3 9HJ T: 028 9078 4800 DayToday/Online Support: 028 9078 4810 Managing Director: Michael McCormack

Regional Sales Managers: David Bennett, Jonathan Finlay, Donal Bryce, William Bill

Trading Director: Ciara McClafferty

Fresh Foods Development Manager (HWL): Laura Johnson

Finance Director: Alan Cunningham

Trading Controller: Glen Howe

SuperValu Centra Sales Director: Nigel Maxwell

Wholesale Director: Trevor Magill Marketing Director: Michelle Fennell HR Director: Catherine Lambe SuperValu Customer Manager: Geoff Johnston Centra Customer Manager: Norman Bennett Wholesale Sales Manager: Tom Kinnier Communications Manager: Kate Ferguson NISA Nisa Retail Limited Member Support Centre Waldo Way Normanby Enterprise Park Scunthorpe DN15 9GE T: 017 2428 2028 E: firstname.surname@nisaretail.com W: www.nisaretail.com FASCIAS: Nisa Extra, Nisa Local, Loco, Independent fascia Chief Executive Officer: Nick Read Chief Financal Officer: Robin Brown Marketing Director: Ian Bishop Operations Director: Jonathan Stowe Business Unit Director (Symbol): Nigel Gray Business Unit Director (Indies & Specialists): Steve Leach Trading Director: Stewart Smith Business Manager Local Sourcing: Jonathan Verner Head of Retail Ireland: Pat Leneghan T: 079 5035 5991 85

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

RETAILERS GUIDE Sales Manager Ireland: Steven O’Doherty T: 00 353 87 291 3016 Store Development Manager: Paul Cherry T: 078 5502 8099 IT Manager: Bryan Lurring TODAY’S Savage & Whitten Wholesale Ltd Unit 1a Carnbane Business Park Newry BT35 6QH T: 028 3026 3521 F: 028 3026 3143 E: info@sandwni.com W: www.savageandwhitten.com Today’s Team: Sales Director: Michael Skelton NI Business Development Director: Brian Ross Today’s Store Development: Maurice Little, Gerry Nelson Business Development Managers: Mark Forsythe, Mark Nesbitt, Paul McMullan Liaison Officer: Rachel Holmes Business Development Manager ROI: Arron Potts S&W TEAM: Managing Director: Mark Windebank Operations Director: Norman Savage IT Director: Richard Whitten Sales Director: John Whitten Trading Director: Alan Dorman Finance Director: Barry Duffy Marketing Director: Julie Burden Warehouse Manager: Philip Hughes 86

Transport Manager: Sean McNeill IT Manager: Conor Duffy HR Manager: Jill Cowan Type of Business: Savage & Whitten are the Symbol Group Wholesaler for Today’s Extra, Today’s Local & Today’s Express.

FOOD FORCE IRELAND LTD 7 West Bank Road Belfast BT3 9 JL Trading Controller: Debra Johnston T: 028 9092 3130 E: foodforceireland@btconnect.com

TRADE ORGANISATIONS DAIRY COUNCIL NORTHERN IRELAND Shaftesbury House Edgewater Business Park Belfast BT3 9JQ T: 028 9077 0113 F: 028 9078 1224 E: info@dairycouncil.co.uk W: www.dairycouncil.co.uk FOOD NI LIMITED BELFAST MILLS 71-75 Percy Street Belfast BT13 2HW T: 028 9024 9449 E: info@nigoodfood.com W: www.nigoodfood.com Facebook.com/foodni Twitter: @Food_NI Chief Executive: Michele Shirlow

FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY Northern Ireland 10A - 10C Clarendon Road Belfast BT1 3BG T: 028 9041 7700 F: 028 9041 7726 E: infofsani@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk W: www.food.gov.uk/northern-ireland Facebook.com/FSAinNI Twitter: @FSAinNI Director: Maria Jennings Twitter: @MariaJenningsNI THE LIVESTOCK AND MEAT COMMISSION (NI) Lissue House 31 Ballinderry Road Lisburn BT28 2SL T: 028 9263 3000 F: 02892 63 3001 E: info@lmcni.com W: www.lmcni.com Chief Executive: Ian Stevenson NATIONAL FEDERATION OF RETAIL NEWSAGENTS Yeoman House Sekforde Street London EC1R 0HF Head Office: 020 7253 4225 Helpline: 0800 121 6376 W: www.nfrnonline.com Membership Services Manager: Nicky McGrath E: nicky.mcgrath@nfrnonline.com Vice-President: Gwen Patterson NATIONAL PHARMACY ASSOCIATION 38-42 Peter’s Street St. Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3NP T: 017 2785 8687 E: npa@npa.co.uk W: www.npa.co.uk Representation Manager NI: Anne McAlister T: 028 9266 1730

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

RETAILERS GUIDE NORTHERN IRELAND FOOD CHAIN CERTIFICATION Operations Centre Lissue House 31 Ballinderry Road Lisburn BT28 2SL T: 028 9263 3017 F: 028 9263 3003 E: info@nifcc.co.uk W: www.nifcc.co.uk Operations Manager: Noel Lavery Company Secretary: Valerie McCann NORTHERN IRELAND FOOD & DRINK ASSOCIATION Belfast Mills 71-75 Percy Street Belfast BT13 2HW T: 028 9024 1010 F: 028 9024 0500 E: info@nifda.co.uk W: www.nifda.co.uk Executive Director: Michael Bell E: mbell@nifda.co.uk PA to the Director: Joan Sherman E: joan@nifda.co.uk NORTHERN IRELAND INDEPENDENT RETAIL TRADE ASSOCIATION (NIIRTA) 245 Upper Newtownards Road Ballyhackamore Belfast BT4 3JF T: 028 9022 0004 F: 028 9022 0005 E: info@niirta.com W: www.niirta.com Facebook.com/niirta Twitter: @niirta Chief Executive: Glyn Roberts Office Manager: Lisa McMaster

NORTHERN IRELAND PORK & BACON FORUM 475 Antrim Road Belfast BT15 3DA T: 028 9037 0222 F: 028 9037 1231

ULSTER FARMERS’ UNION 475 Antrim Road Belfast BT15 3DA T: 028 9037 0222 F: 028 9037 1231 W: www.ufuni.org

Chairman: Seamus Carr

Chief Executive: Wesley Aston E: wesley@ufuhq.com

Executive Director: Deirdre McIvor E: deirdre.mcivor@ufuhq.com PETROL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION/ RETAIL MOTOR INDUSTRY FEDERATION 201 Great Portland Street London WIW 5AB T: 020 7580 9122 F: 020 7307 3406 W: www.rmif.co.uk Membership Manager for PRA: Steve Coombe T: 078 3137 3205 E: steve.coombe@rmif.co.uk SAFEFOOD 7 Eastgate Avenue Eastgate Little Island Co. Cork Ireland T45 RX01 T: 00 353 21 230 4100 Helpline (NI): 0800 085 1683 E: info@safefood.eu Twitter: @safefoodnetwork Chief Executive: Ray Dolan ULSTER CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION 2nd Floor Strand House 102 Holywood Road BELFAST BT4 1NU T: 028 9065 6576 E: info@uca.org.uk W: www.uca.org.uk Secretary: Adrienne Clugston

President: Rowan Black Chairman: Nigel Maxwell

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TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX 35 South McCabes

Argento McCabes

Becks Tennent’s NI

4head Allegro

Ariel Interactive

Bellagio Johnson Brothers

901 Tequila McCabes

Armagh Cider McCabes

Benson & Hedges JTI

Askeys SHS Sales & Marketing

BFP Andrew Ingredients

Astral Allegro

Blackthorn Tennent’s NI

A

AB Mauri Andrew Ingredients Ace Interactive Acon Cagua McCabes Addlestones Tennent’s NI Adnams McCabes Adnams Copperhouse McCabes Aftershock McCabes Airwick SHS Sales & Marketing Alfred Gratien McCabes Alldays Interactive Allinson Allied Bakeries Älska Swedish Cider McCabes Always Interactive Amber Leaf JTI

Attrixo Allegro Aunt Bessie’s Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Aussie Interactive Autan Allegro

B

BAADER Henderson Food Machinery Company Bainne Ur Strathroy Dairy Bakers Best McColgan’s Quality Foods Banrock Station McCabes Barefoot McCabes Barr Soft Drinks Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Bass Tennent’s NI Batchelors Canned Vegetables SHS Sales & Marketing

Blistex Allegro Bloo SHS Sales & Marketing Bold Interactive Bolla Prosecco McCabes Bols Liqueurs McCabes Bonjela SHS Sales & Marketing Bonne Maman Boyne Valley Boru McCabes Boschendal McCabes Bottle Green McCabes Bottlegreen SHS Sales & Marketing Bougrier McCabes Bounce Interactive Boxer Fun Mints Holywood Partnership Boyne Valley Honey Boyne Valley

Ambi Pur Interactive

Batchelors Condensed Canned Soups SHS Sales & Marketing

Antinori McCabes

Bazuka Treatment Gel Allegro

Brady Family Ham O’Brien Fine Foods

Apothic McCabes

BCH Henderson Food Machinery Company

Brahma Tennent’s NI

88

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX Brandy Mackle Petfoods

Carmen Girls Interactive

Clonmel 1650 Tennent’s NI

Brandy Complete Mackle Petfoods

Carmen Haircare Interactive

Club United Biscuits UK UB Foods Division

Brannigans KP Snacks Branston Beans SHS Sales & Marketing Brasso SHS Sales & Marketing Braun Interactive Braun Andrew Ingredients Brillo Allegro Brugal McCabes Buckfast Tonic Wine McCabes Budweiser Tennent’s NI Bulldog McCabes Burgen Allied Bakeries

C

Cacaolat Tennent’s NI Caliterra McCabes Camel JTI

Carr’s United Biscuits UK Carr’s Flour Andrew Ingredients Castle Lea Moy Park Ltd Cat Club Mackle Petfoods Causeway Prime Lynas Foodservice Cellier Des Samson McCabes Centra Musgrave NI Champion Professional Mackle Petfoods Chef Sauces & Pickles Valeo Foods Ireland Chewits SHS Sales & Marketing Chicken Tonight Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Chippers McCormack Potato Chivers Jelly and Jams Boyne Valley Choc Dips KP Snacks Chocolate Digestives United Biscuits UK Chupa Chups Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Ciabatta Pladis Global

Campari McCabes

Cillit Bang SHS Sales & Marketing

Canadian Club McCabes

Cinzano McCabes

Canti Wines McCabes

Cinzano Prosecco McCabes

Cardowan Creameries Andrew Ingredients

Clear Blue Interactive

Colgate SHS Sales & Marketing Connemara Single Malt McCabes Contract People Sales Placement Cookeen SHS Sales & Marketing Cookstown Karro Food Group Cordier McCabes Corona Tennent’s NI Costcutter Costcutter County multi cards Holywood Partnership Courvoisier McCabes Crest Interactive Crisp & Dry oils SHS Sales & Marketing Crispbreads United Biscuits UK Crosse & Blackwell Canned Soups SHS Sales & Marketing Crosse & Blackwell Canned Vegetables SHS Sales & Marketing Cuisine de France Aryzta Food Solutions Culpitt Andrew Ingredients

D Dale Farm Dale Farm

Dark Horse McCabes 89

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX DayToday Musgrave NI Daz Interactive DC NORRIS Henderson Food Machinery Company De Lange Napoleon McCabes

Durex SHS Sales & Marketing

E

E & J Gallo McCabes

Ferrero Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Finches Tennent’s NI Finish SHS Sales & Marketing Finn Irish Craft Pilsner McCabes

Del Monte Allegro

E45 SHS Sales & Marketing

Dentinox Allegro

Easystands Ulster Exhibitions Limited

Firepak Allegro

Dentyl Allegro

Eco logs Allegro

Fivemiletown Dale Farm

Dettol SHS Sales & Marketing

Elastoplast Allegro

Fixodent Interactive UB Foods Division

Digestives United Biscuits UK Discos KP Snacks Disprin SHS Sales & Marketing Dobla Andrew Ingredients Don Carlos Boyne Valley Douglas Green McCabes Douwe Egberts Coffee SHS Sales & Marketing Dow’s McCabes Drambuie McCabes Dreamland Electric Blankets Interactive

E-Lites JTI Erganagh Strathroy Dairy Erin Boyne Valley Errazuriz McCabes Esk Valley McCabes EUROSPAR Henderson Group Evans & Tate McCabes

F

Fairy Interactive

Firelog Allegro

Flash Interactive Flemings Andrew Ingredients Flora Oils SHS Sales & Marketing FORMAX Henderson Food Machinery Company Foxes Rock Irish Pale Ale McCabes Franziskaner Tennent’s NI Freixent Cava McCabes Frestia McCabes Frisps KP Snacks Fruittella Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Dreft Interactive

Farmlea SHS Sales & Marketing

Droli Sambuca McCabes

Faustino McCabes

Dromona Dale Farm

Febreze Interactive

G

Duracell Interactive

Fenjal Allegro

Galliano McCabes

90

Galpharm Pharmaceuticals Holywood Partnership

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX Gallo Family Vineyards McCabes

Golden Hoops KP Snacks

Holywood seasonal confectionery Holywood Partnership

Gato Negro McCabes

Gruppo Italiano Vini McCabes

Homecook Boyne Valley

Gaviscon SHS Sales & Marketing

Guy Saget McCabes

GEA CFS KOPPENS Henderson Food Machinery Company Genesis Crafty Butter Sultana, Cherry, Wheaten, Plain & Cheese Scones Genesis Crafty Genesis Crafty Original, Big, Blueberry & Chocolate Chip Pancakes Genesis Crafty Genesis Crafty Original, Round and Wee Sodas Genesis Crafty Genesis Crafty Raspberry Jam Bakes, Lemon Bakes, Snowballs, Almond Bakewells, Raspberry Macaroons, Pineapple Cups & Iced Tops Genesis Crafty

H

Hovis Hovis Bakeries Ireland Hula Hoops Golden KP Snacks Hula Hoop Puft KP Snacks

Hamlet JTI

Hula Hoops KP Snacks

HANDTMANN Henderson Food Machinery Company

Hunky Dorys Crisps Northern Snack Foods

Hanwood Estate McCabes Hardys McCabes Harpic SHS Sales & Marketing

I

Ibuleve Speed Relief Allegro Infacare Interactive

Harvest Fare Boyne Valley

Ingram Andrew Ingredients

Genesis Crafty Sliced Oven & Toaster Wheaten Genesis Crafty

Harvey’s McCabes

IREKS Andrew Ingredients

Geyser Peak McCabes

Head and Shoulders Interactive

Gillette Interactive

Herbal Essence Interactive

Giovanni Di Firenze Boyne Valley

Hershey Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Glade Allegro Glamouriser Interactive Glayva McCabes

Heverlee Tennent’s NI Highland Park 12 Y-O McCabes Hob Nobs United Biscuits UK

Irish Breeze Boyne Valley Irish Mist Honey McCabes Irn Bru Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd ISHIDA Henderson Food Machinery Company Isle of Jura 10 Y-O McCabes J

J

Go Ahead!

United Biscuits UK

HOBART Henderson Food Machinery Company

Goddards Allegro

Hoegaarden Tennent’s NI

Jacob’s United Biscuits UK UB Foods Division

Godiva Chocolate(Worldwide) Pladis Global

Holborn Yellow JTI

Jacob’s Its Just Coffee W & R Jacob & Co (NI) Ltd 91

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX Jacobs Cream Crackers United Biscuits UK

King Northern Snack Foods

Jaffa Cakes United Biscuits UK

Kingsmill Allied Bakeries

Jägermeister McCabes JBT FRIGOSCANDIA Henderson Food Machinery Company Jean Durup Chablis McCabes Jessie Mackle Petfoods Jeyes SHS Sales & Marketing Jim Beam Devil’s Cut McCabes Jim Beam Famliy McCabes Jim beam Signature Craft McCabes Johnsons Coffee Johnson Brothers Jordans SHS Sales & Marketing Jucee SHS Sales & Marketing Just Juice Allegro JWV+ Tennent’s NI

K

Kentucky Ales McCabes Kettyle Irish Foods Fane Valley Kilbeggan McCabes

Kinnerton Character Confectionery Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Kittensoft Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Kiwi Allegro

Leffe Tennent’s NI Leftfield McCabes Lemsip SHS Sales & Marketing Lenor Interactive Lifeforce Boyne Valley Lily O’Brien’s Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Kleenoff SHS Sales & Marketing

LINCO Henderson Food Machinery Company

Koka Boyne Valley

Linden Foods Fane Valley

KP Meanies Northern Snack Foods

Lindt Bear Lindt & Sprungli

KP Nuts KP Snacks

Lindt Excellence Lindt & Sprungli

KRONEN Henderson Food Machinery Company

Lindt Gold Bunny Lindt & Sprungli

Kudos Andrew Ingredients

Lindt Lindor Lindt & Sprungli

Kwiksave Costcutter

L La Celia McCabes

La Chablisienne McCabes La Palma McCabes Lakeshore Boyne Valley Laphroaig 10 Y-O McCabes Lasting Colour Interactive

Lindt Swiss Luxury selection Lindt & Sprungli Logic JTI London No. 3 McCabes Loseley Dale Farm Louis Bernard McCabes Louis Jadot McCabes Loving Care Interactive Lowenbrau Tennent’s NI Luxardo Amaretto McCabes

Killeen Boyne Valley

Laurent Perrier McCabes

Luzardo Sambuca McCabes

Kinder Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Leg Wear International Holywood Partnership

Lynas Food Outlet Lynas Foodservice

92

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX

M Mace Musgrave NI

Macphie Andrew Ingredients Magners Tennent’s NI

McCoys Thick Cut KP Snacks

Mullins Ice Cream Dale Farm

McDonnells Boyne Valley

MULTIVAC Henderson Food Machinery Company

McGee’s Butcher Karro Food Group

Musgrave Musgrave NI

McVitie’s United Biscuits UK

Musgrave MarketPlace Musgrave NI

McWilliams McCabes

N

Maguire & Paterson Matches & Firelighters SHS Sales & Marketing

Menabrea Tennent’s NI

Maker’s Mark McCabes

Meneba Andrew Ingredients

Marigold SHS Sales & Marketing

Mentos Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Mark Bric Ulster Exhibitions Limited

Mestrezat Chateau McCabes

MarketPlace Musgrave NI

Metal Man McCabes

Naturo Mackle Petfoods

Mars Milk Drinks SHS Sales & Marketing

Midori McCabes

New Amsterdam McCabes

Max Factor Interactive

Mini Cheddars United Biscuits UK

New York Bakery Co. Bagels Hovis Bakeries Ireland

Maxol Maxol Oil

Mini Chips KP Snacks

Nice n’ Easy Interactive

Maxol Auto 24 Maxol Oil

Mondavi Woodbridge McCabes

Nice n’ Easy Root Touch Up Interactive

Maxol Lubricants Maxol Oil

Montes McCabes

Maxwash Maxol Oil

Moreish Maxol Oil

Mayfair JTI

Mothers Pride Hovis Bakeries Ireland

McVities Breakfast United Biscuits UK

Moy Park Moy Park Ltd

McVities Snackbars United Biscuits UK

Mr Muscle Allegro

McColgans Choice Cuisine McColgan’s Quality Foods

Mr Sheen SHS Sales & Marketing

McCoys KP Snacks

Mud House McCabes

Nivea for Men Allegro

McCoys Chips KP Snacks

Mugshots Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Nobilo McCabes

Napolina SHS Sales & Marketing Nature Valley Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Nature’s Harvest McCormack Potato

Nicholas Catena McCabes Nicky Clarke Electrical Interactive Nicky Paper Products Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Nimble Hovis Bakeries Ireland Nivea Allegro

93

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX Nurofen SHS Sales & Marketing Nutella Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

O

O’Donnells Northern Snack Foods

P

Palmolive SHS Sales & Marketing Pampers Interactive Pampers Kandoo Interactive Panda Spreads Boyne Valley

O’Kane Moy Park Ltd

Pantene Interactive

Odense Andrew Ingredients

Parozone SHS Sales & Marketing

Olay Interactive

Parsons SHS Sales & Marketing

Old Spice Interactive

Penguin United Biscuits UK

Old Time Irish Marmalades Valeo Foods Ireland Olde English Tennent’s NI Olenex Andrew Ingredients Oral-B Interactive Organix Baby Food SHS Sales & Marketing Ormo Hovis Bakeries Ireland Orsola Prosecco McCabes Otex Express Allegro Otis Spunkmeyer Aryzta Food Solutions

Pepto-Bismol Interactive Perfect 10 Interactive Perfetti Van Melle Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Phileas Fogg KP Snacks Piper Heidsieck McCabes Pledge Allegro Plex Display Ulster Exhibitions Limited Pleyadas McCabes POW Tennent’s NI Pom Bear KP Snacks

Princes Food & Drink SHS Sales & Marketing Pringles Interactive

R

Ragu Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Raid Allegro Rancheros Northern Snack Foods Ravenswood McCabes Really Good Allied Bakeries Regina Paper Products Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd REISER Henderson Food Machinery Company Remington Interactive Renshaw Andrew Ingredients Resses Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Revostage Portable Staging Ulster Exhibitions Limited Rich Tea Pladis Global Rockstar Energy Drinks Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Roundstone Tennent’s NI Rowan Glen Dale Farm

Oust Allegro

Pretty Legs Hosiery Holywood Partnership

Roysters KP Snacks

Ouzo 12 McCabes

Primula SHS Sales & Marketing

Ryvita SHS Sales & Marketing

94

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX

S

Sanex SHS Sales & Marketing

Spaten Tennent’s NI Spelga Dale Farm Spontex Allegro

Sauza Tequila McCabes

Standard Brands Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Seattle’s Best Coffee Aryzta Food Solutions

Stella Artois Tennent’s NI

Senekot SHS Sales & Marketing

STEPHEN Henderson Food Machinery Company

Senorio De Labarta McCabes Settesoli McCabes

Steradent SHS Sales & Marketing

SEYDELMANN Henderson Food Machinery Company Shloer SHS Sales & Marketing Shockwaves Interactive Shout Allegro Silk Cut JTI Silvikrin Interactive

Sterling JTI Stolichnaya McCabes Storck Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Strathmourne Foods McColgan’s Quality Foods Strathroy Strathroy Dairy Strepsils SHS Sales & Marketing

Silvo SHS Sales & Marketing

Sunblest Allied Bakeries

Skips KP Snacks

Sunny Jim Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Skyy McCabes Sofidel Paper Products Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Sonneveld Andrew Ingredients Sourz McCabes Sovereign JTI Space Raiders KP Snacks SPAR Henderson Group

Superglo Firelighters Allegro

Tangerine Confectionery Tangerine Confectionery Ltd UB Foods Division Teacher’s McCabes Tennents Tennent’s NI The Claymore McCabes The Famous Grouse McCabes Thirst Pockets Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Three Princes McCabes Tic Tac Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd Tipperary Natural Mineral Water Tennent’s NI Today’s Express Savage & Whitten Wholesale Today’s Extra Savage & Whitten Wholesale Today’s Local Savage & Whitten Wholesale Toilet Duck Allegro Tom Chandley Andrew Ingredients TREIF Henderson Food Machinery Company Trevor Sorbie Interactive

Supershop Costcutter

Tunnocks SHS Sales & Marketing

SuperValu Musgrave NI

Turning Leaf McCabes

T Tall Horse McCabes Tampax Interactive

Tyroconnell Single Malt McCabes

U Ulker Pladis Global

95

V

Valley Gold Diabetic Jams Allegro Vanish SHS Sales & Marketing Velvet Crunch Northern Snack Foods

Wella Interactive

ViVOXtra Henderson Group

Werther’s Original Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd

Vladivar McCabes

White’s White’s Speedicook

Vortex Interactive

Whyte & Mackay McCabes

W

Viakal Interactive Vicks Interactive Vileda SHS Sales & Marketing Villa Lanata McCabes

ViVO ESSENTIALS Henderson Group

Warmnite Electric Blankets Interactive Warre’s McCabes

Villa Maria Estate McCabes

Wash & Go Interactive

ViVO Henderson Group

WEILER Henderson Food Machinery Company

Windolene SHS Sales & Marketing Woodwards Gripe Water SHS Sales & Marketing

Y

YAMATO Henderson Food Machinery Company Yazoo Boyne Valley

Thank-you...

I would like to express a genuine thank you to our sponsors, advertisers, contributors, and of course our readers for continued support throughout 2016.

Now in new premises at Clarendon Dock and with new owners at the helm, the team here at Ulster Grocer are still fully committed to deliver a worthy magazine for the Northern Ireland food, drink and grocery sector in the coming year.

It is business as usual for 2017, publishing latest news, developments and trends each month. We at Ulster Grocer will strive to remain the number one magazine for the local grocery sector, and hope to remain the go to monthly magazine for producers, suppliers, retailers and service providers.

Mark...

N O. 1 M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E LO C A L G R O C E R Y S E C TO R

GROCER ULSTER

TM

DECEMBER 2016

TRADE DIRECTORY 2017

BRAND INDEX

Over 40 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

GROCER ULSTER

96

PAGE TITLE

We are one of Ireland’s leading Specialist Field Marketing agencies providing a face and voice for our clients brands at the point of purchase.

Sales Outsourcing, Merchandising, Auditing, Technical Services Unit 2, 1 Edgewater Road, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, BT3 9JQ info@contractpeople.com www.contractpeople.com Tel: +44 28 9077 0999

GROCERYAID

GroceryAid: Looking back at 2016

GroceryAid announces its Director General Gillian Barker is to retire later in 2016, after 14 years with the charity.

Trevor Magill, wholesale director of Musgrave NI, is elected chairman of the GroceryAid Northern Ireland Committee following the retirement of Cliff Kells from Tesco.

Trevor Magill, chairman of the Northern Ireland Committee of GroceryAid, presents former Ulster Grocer publisher James Greer (left) with a Bronze Achievement Award in the eighth annual GroceryAid Achievement Awards programme, recognising contribution to the work of the grocery sector charity.

At the Grocers’ Ball, £46,680 is raised for GroceryAid. Gillian Barker of GroceryAid and Peter Henry, general manager of Allied Bakeries Ireland, present Asda’s Joe McDonald with the star raffle prize of a trip for two on the Orient Express.

Steve Barnes, commercial and membership director at the Food & Drink Federation, is appointed as the new director general of GroceryAid, taking over from Gillian Barker.

Candy Ball Committee members Finn Maguire, David McWilliams, Thomas Whyte and Lloyd Graham are pictured with a cake to mark the 80th anniversary of the annual event, held at the Culloden Estate & Spa.

98

Aaryn Smyth (Best Retailer and overall winner) is pictured at the GroceryAid golf tournament at Bevoir Park Golf Club in August with Adrian Moore and David McWilliams, GroceryAid golf day organisers from Courtney & Nelson.

Joan Barnett, second left, attended the John Barrett GroceryAid Lunch at Deanes of Queens, held annually in memory of her husband, teaming up with Gillian Barker to present special awards to James Greer and David McWilliams in recognition of their long-term contribution to GroceryAid.

Tannaghmore and other upcoming opportunities Maxol is inviting applications from qualified individuals and organisations to operate it’s latest retail development. This is scheduled to open in April 2017. Maxol also has other exciting opportunities coming down the line.

If you feel you can meet the challenge of this high quality retail and food service opportunity, have the necessary experience and are able to fund the required working capital, please complete the application form on our website at: www.maxol.ie/opportunity

Visit

Maxol.ie/ opportunity to view current opportunities.

More information about this and other opportunities are available on our website.

Maxol Oil Limited 48 Trench Road, Mallusk, Newtownabbery, Co. Antrim, BT36 4TY T: 048 90506000 E: retailopportunity@maxol.ie

www.maxol.ie

Donated £165,000 to Tearfund to provide one million meals

£200K investment

by Henderson Wholesale into The Kitchen

EUROSPAR opened its 50th store in Northern Ireland

Hendersons went back to their market roots as part of the Year of Food & Drink Henderson Fresh received 1-star status for two products developed within their enjoy local range in conjunction with local suppliers

Henderson Wholesale won the ‘Waste Management Project’ Category at the UTV Business Eye awards SPAR announced a three year sponsorship deal with the SSE Arena

Raised nearly £70,000 for EUROSPAR’s charity partner Cancer Fund for Children Raised over £33,000 for SPAR’s charity partner NSPCC

Contact us: 028 9034 2733 www.henderson-group.com