Ulster Grocer February 2022 by Helen Wright

FEBRUARY 2022

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

50 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

GROCER ULSTER

FEBRUARY 2022

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

50 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

LIDL NI ANNOUNCES 180 NEW JOBS AND £1.5M PAY BUMP

idl Northern Ireland is creating 180 new local jobs this year and awarding pay increases worth £1.5m to all employees in recognition of their efforts throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The new jobs, spanning operational and office-based roles across its network of 41 store locations and regional distribution centre in Nutt’s Corner, will support Lidl Northern Ireland’s growing footprint. The retailer plans to increase its store count to 50 by the end of the decade and expand its workforce to over 1,300 employees, with the 180 new jobs additional to a recruitment drive for more than 300 roles last year. The £1.5m pay increases will take effect from March 1. Lidl Northern Ireland has already paid more than £300,000 in Covid-19 bonuses to all employees throughout the pandemic in recognition of their efforts, commitment and dedication during a challenging period. In November 2021, the company committed again to paying the new recommended Living Wage, exceeding the advisory rate by a further 20p to £10.10 for more than 450 employees and building on its commitment to fair pay for all employees. “Lidl Northern Ireland’s announcement to hire an additional 180 employees this

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Maeve McCleane, director of human resources at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland; Economy Minister Gordon Lyons; and Matthew Blair, duty manager, and Faye Harvey, customer assistant, Lidl Dundonald.

year is testament to its success here as a leading retailer and employer and will provide a huge boost for the wider retail sector and local economy,” said Economy Minister Gordon Lyons. Maeve McCleane, director of human resources at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland, said: “Our most important asset has always been our people who are the bedrock of our business, which is why we have prioritised building an exceptional place to work. “Recognising hard work, rewarding success, and celebrating achievements have always been at the core of Lidl Northern Ireland’s people strategy and we’re pleased to be in a position to further recognise the efforts that our frontline and support teams make every day, particularly as an essential business throughout the pandemic.”

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SUPERVALU LAUNCHES VALUE STRATEGY AS SHOPPERS FEEL THE SQUEEZE

onvenience retailer SuperValu has launched its 2022 Winning Value Strategy, focused on special offers, local offers, own brand and a Tesco price match. Every week shoppers will benefit from over 200 special offers, including many Northern Ireland favourites, along with over 400 ownbrand products up to 33% cheaper than the well-known brands, while a Tesco price match will ensure price competitiveness on hundreds of everyday essentials. The strategy follows reports the cost of living is rising faster than wages, with consumers feeling the squeeze on their household income more than at any time in the last 10 years. “January is traditionally a time when shoppers tighten their purse strings, aiming to save money post-Christmas,” said Desi Derby, marketing director, SuperValu. “With families across Northern Ireland feeling pressure on their household budgets, consumers are increasingly sensitive to price increases and our latest campaign aims to communicate that SuperValu has a wide choice of quality products at an affordable price.”

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GROCER ULSTER

MARKETING AWARDS 2022

STORE FOCUS: SLEMISH MARKET GARDEN’S TRANSFORMATION INTO THE UK’S BEST GREENGROCER AT THE SLOW FOOD AWARDS MUST RATE AMONG THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PANDEMIC PIVOTS

IDEAS, INNOVATION & INDUSTRY SKILLS: IFEX, NI’S LEADING FOODSERVICE, HOSPITALITY & RETAIL EVENT, RETURNS TO THE TITANIC EXHIBITION CENTRE, BELFAST OVER MARCH 29-31, 2022

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS: ENTRIES CLOSE ON MARCH 25 WITH THE AWARDS RETURNING TO THE GROCERYAID GROCERS’ BALL AT THE CULLODEN HOTEL & SPA ON MAY 27, 2022

SECTOR APPRENTICESHIPS: FOOD & DRINK EMPLOYERS ARE WORKING WITH CAFRE TO ATTRACT NEW ENTRANTS & DEVELOP SEASONED EMPLOYEES TO ADVANCE UP THE CAREER LADDER

email: info@ulstergrocer.com Volume 57 Number 2 FEBRUARY 2022 Editor: Alyson Magee E: a.magee@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Tel: 028 9026 4175 Contributors: Michele Shirlow, Sam Butler, Aodhán Connolly, John Mulgrew, Margaret Canning Sales Executive: Judith Martin E: j.martin@mediahuis.co.uk Tel: 028 9055 4260 Art Editor: Helen Wright Ulster Grocer c/o Mediahuis UK Limited Belfast Telegraph House 33 Clarendon Road Clarendon Dock Belfast BT1 3BG www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/ ulstergrocer/ @ulstergrocer www.facebook.com/ulstergrocer

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EDITORIAL COMMENT

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RISING INFLATION JOINS LABOUR & PROTOCOL WOES

elcome to the February edition of Ulster Grocer. It has certainly not been a slow start to the year in terms of news. The perfect storm referred to by more than a few sector representatives in our January Yearbook edition is here. Spiralling energy costs and a critical lack of labour are hitting the grocery sector hard. As Manufacturing NI’s latest survey indicates, labour is a bigger concern for manufacturers than the Northern Ireland Protocol (p17). And in our p7 news story on Moy Park’s move to temporarily suspend live bird processing at its Ballymena site, Manufacturing NI’s Stephen Kelly calls for local or national government action to address the energy crisis as well as the creation of a migration policy for Northern Ireland. He cautions failure to do so could force firms to ultimately move their sites elsewhere. Meanwhile, as many ministers are trotted out on TV news to deflect from partygate by listing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s alleged successes such as Getting Brexit Done, in Northern Ireland Brexit continues to be anything but done. At time of writing, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss - having taken over the Brexit portfolio from Lord Frost in December - has been over here visiting business representatives including local shopkeepers. Messages of optimism that deals can be done and challenges overcome are emerging from the meetings, but - as Northern Ireland Retail Consortium’s Aodhán Connolly highlights opposite in his latest Protocol update there is yet to be any actual movement. One year on, other than postponing deadlines, there has not been any tangible progress. And here comes my second

meanwhile, which is becoming a significant issue for producers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike - inflation. Rising food and energy costs have pushed inflation up to 5.4% in the year to December 2021, the highest rate since 7.1% in March 1992, with every indication it will continue to climb in the months to come. Food writer and activist Jack Monroe recently welcomed recognition by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) of the disproportionate impact of inflation on less affluent households. The ONS has pledged to delve more deeply into the impact of price rises on different demographics in its future collection of data. Monroe, a food poverty campaigner, is launching her own Vimes Boots Index of basic food prices, named after Terry Pratchett character Sam Vimes’ ‘Boots’ theory of socioeconomic unfairness with the approval of the Pratchett family. Cash-strapped households are also facing a National Insurance hike from April. It’s not a great situation, and SuperValu’s latest value strategy (p3) is certainly well timed and on point. Elsewhere in this month’s magazine, the latest Kantar data reflects Lidl’s ongoing growth in the local grocery market and the discount retailer is not resting on its laurels, continuing to increase its store portfolio and announcing 180 new jobs here. Kantar’s data indicates growth among symbol groups and independent retailers has slowed year on year but remains well ahead of two-year figures. Both sectors are working hard to retain the gains made as consumers shopped local more during the pandemic. Enjoy.

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NEWS

COMMENTARY

LAST HIGH NEW YEAR BUT SAME OLD NEGOTIATING STYLES? STREET BY AODHÁN CONNOLLY, DIRECTOR, VOUCHERS NORTHERN IRELAND RETAIL CONSORTIUM ‘WON’T HAVE TO BE SPENT A LOCAL’ BY MARGARET CANNING

round 6,000 people who are to receive £100 into their bank accounts under the High Street voucher scheme will not be prevented from spending the sums online. While the pre-paid cards themselves could not be used for online shopping, the Department for the Economy has no way of restricting the use of the cash when it lands in people’s accounts. But it said people will be encouraged to spend the money in shops in their area. Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said, while the vast majority of applicants had received their cards, “a small proportion did not” and others had problems using theirs. “I believe it is important that we address this issue and that is the reason we have devised these remedy measures,” he said. The department will spend up to £1.5m on making payments to people who didn’t get their cards, or weren’t able to use them properly, through the BACS system of money transfer. The key aim of the Shop Local scheme was to support bricks and mortar retailers which had lost out during lockdowns in the pandemic. Lyons said the scheme had been a huge success, with 1.4m cards dispatched, and spending using the cards had boosted the economy by £136.5m. He said it had resulted in a jump in retail sales here during November, the first in four months, while footfall had been up 5.6 percentage points on the previous month.

t the time of writing, the new negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol have started again and it is very much a mixed bag. The business community in Northern Ireland had hoped that Liz Truss would pick up where Lord David Frost left off, banking the progress that had been made and taking new strides to get towards that goal that both sides agreed to in the preamble of the Protocol: That they are DETERMINED that the application of this Protocol should impact as little as possible on the everyday life of communities in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. There has been good mood music coming from the meetings that and Liz Truss had at Chevening, with one source telling me that the getting to know you meeting was a great success and there was even after a few hours the beginning of a better relationship. Added to that good start was the friendly official call between Liz Truss and Simon Coveney, the Irish Foreign Minister, which was to be expected as they have a prior relationship; both having been through the wars together as agriculture ministers for their respective countries at the same time. Added to that, I have personally had meetings with Foreign Secretary Truss and the new Minister for State Chris Heaton Harris. They are both committed to delivering the principles espoused in the UKG command paper, that of removing friction GB-NI. They are both also committed to listening to NI business. I was particularly impressed by how Minister Heaton Harris had done his homework (a credit to both him and the FCDO and NIO staff who briefed him). So, with all of this positivity why is it a mixed bag? Well for a start we have had two strong sabre-rattling opinion pieces recently by Secretary of State Truss which have not been particularly soft on language, and which have not gone down particularly well in Brussels. Added to that was a video

tweet from the Foreign Office official account which at best was not particularly attuned for diplomacy, and at worst subtle as a sledgehammer. Definitely not a lesson on how to win friends and influence people. But just as important, we have not yet seen any movement, and there needs to be some sooner rather than later. The temperature has already begun to rise here with the Assembly elections looming large in the near future. Business really does not want this to simply be a plebiscite on the Protocol. There are many other bread and butter issues that need dealt with too. We still need to see the legal text that the UK has put forward to the EU to see how that helps business. The medicine solution has been ready for sign off since before Christmas and there are small but significant wins that can be made on customs if the political will is there. And that is the key. It doesn’t matter what the area, customs, SPS, or any other, business can see the solutions that work for NI PLC as well as for our households. We just need to see the political will on both sides to deliver them. 5

NEWS

‘MAY CONTAIN’ ALLERGEN CONSULTATION CLOSES ON MARCH 14

takeholders from the local retail, manufacturing and catering sectors are urged to respond to a Food Standards Agency (FSA) consultation on the provision of precautionary allergen labelling such as ‘may contain’ on many types of food. Closing on March 14, the consultation applies to food sold in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Current labelling legislation requires that food products should indicate the presence of any of the 14 main allergens used as an ingredient or processing aid. Further, in cases where there is a risk of unintentional allergen crosscontamination (for example where multiple foods are prepared in the same kitchen), and the food business has established the risk cannot be sufficiently controlled, it is best practice for a precautionary allergen label statement to be used to communicate this risk. The aim of FSA’s consultation is to consider potential approaches for precautionary allergen labelling for both prepacked and non-prepacked foods

Nuala Meehan, food standards lead in Safety & Regulatory Compliance at FSA NI.

which communicate the information more clearly and consistently in an understandable and meaningful way to consumers. FSA is also seeking to establish proportionate and standardised processes for assessing, managing, and communicating the risk of allergen crosscontamination by food businesses, which is workable for food businesses and keeps consumers safe without unnecessarily limiting their food choice. “We understand that the majority of food businesses who use precautionary

allergen labels are doing it to protect people with a food allergy, intolerance, or coeliac disease,” said Nuala Meehan, food standards lead in Safety & Regulatory Compliance at FSA NI. “But we also know that businesses are confused about when they should use precautionary allergen labelling and want clarity on the controls needed to remove or minimise the risk of allergen crosscontamination. “We need to hear more from businesses who use precautionary allergen labelling so that they can tell us about the issues they face. “We specifically want to hear from businesses in the retail, catering and manufacturing sectors. But the consultation is also open to local authority food teams, healthcare professionals, allergy charities, consumers and any other interested parties.” The consultation is in questionnaire format and can be found at: www. food.gov.uk/news-alerts/consultations/ precautionary-allergen-labelling-pal-themay-contain-consultation

LOCALITY AT CENTRE OF NEW UK-WIDE SPAR BRAND POSITION

onvenience symbol group SPAR has unveiled a new UK-wide brand position celebrating the unique characteristics of SPAR convenience stores. The Joy of Living Locally launched in SPAR NI stores and across its digital communication channels last month, as part of Henderson Group’s £5.3m marketing investment for 2022. “Since 2020, we have looked at our brand to understand what it really means to our shoppers,” said Brenda Mulligan, head of brand marketing, Henderson Group. “At the same time, we have been in the middle of a pandemic, where our stores have been valued for meeting the needs of customers for local convenience, availability of products and friendly services, when it was needed most. “A unique characteristic of SPAR is that no two stores are the same, but all are supported by a core commonality

– local SPAR own-label products, marketing, communications, promotions and store formats. “This allows our independent retailers to build on a core framework and proposition. It ensures they can exercise their individual entrepreneurial skill and meet the needs of local shoppers in their stores. “We saw that we needed to showcase what makes SPAR unique and the meaning behind our strapline There for you and as a result The Joy of Living Locally brand positioning was born.” SPAR is using three new and distinct pillars to bring the positioning to life instore, motivate shoppers and differentiate SPAR from other convenience retail brands. 1. Value on your doorstep 2. Nurture our neighbourhoods 3. Passionate about local

The pillars will communicate to shoppers how SPAR adds value through promotional activity or everyday pricing, nurtures neighbourhoods by employing people from local communities, supports local causes and charities, celebrates neighbourliness, and showcases local food and producers through its passionate about local pillar.

NEWS

GOVERNMENT ACTION NEEDED TO ADDRESS AGRI-FOOD CHALLENGES

oy Park’s move to pause live bird processing at its Ballymena site highlights a need for urgent government intervention addressing critical challenges such as rocketing energy costs and labour availability, according to Manufacturing NI. “Moy Park, like all employers, are battling with the dual challenges of eye-watering rises in energy prices and getting the people they need to run their business,” said Stephen Kelly, CEO of Manufacturing NI. “Both of these challenges have very real consequences as we’re witnessing. “On energy, little is being done by government locally nor nationally, with the UK in particular seemingly intent on letting this run without intervention. “On people, this is a direct consequence of Brexit where we have lost Freedom of Movement which was so critical to the food industry in particular. We have lost one third of the EU migrants since the Referendum in 2016 and with no sensible means of replacing them. “Firms like Moy Park have done all they can to automate but still require a large labour force to prepare the food for our shelves. Unless NI gets its own migration policy, we are likely to see more firms struggle and perhaps move away.” The temporary pause of live bird processing at Moy Park’s Ballymena site until September will not result in any job losses, the poultry processor has assured its workforce. A spokesperson for Moy Park said: “As we respond to customer growth and labour market challenges, we are proposing to move team members from the live bird processing line to our further processing lines, enabling us to increase production at Ballymena. “No jobs will be impacted by these changes; however we are planning to temporarily pause live bird processing at Ballymena as we focus on seasonal and retail products.

Stephen Kelly.

“The live processing line will restart again in September. We will be working closely with our farming partners throughout the process to manage this temporary reduction in poultry requirement.” William Irvine, deputy president, Ulster Farmers’ Union, said: “Our members are extremely disappointed and worried about Moy Park pulling back on production here. It is the second time this has happened in less than three years and will create ongoing income pressures. “Poultry producers have been hit hard in recent times and they’ve been exhausting every avenue to sustain their family farm businesses. “Moy Park has said that they aim to get the slaughtering of live birds in the Ballymena site going again in September when a major contract with Sainsbury’s will begin but, in the meantime, we will be liaising closely with Moy Park to ensure this is managed with minimal impact. “It’s important that consumers understand that the increasing input costs to produce food is going to affect the cost of food for them. Neither farmers or processors can produce food, meeting extra production costs, without receiving a fair return from the marketplace. Therefore, it’s going to have a rippling affect down the food chain.”

NI CONSUMERS RETURNED TO SUPERMARKETS OVER 2021 A fter a very strong performance in 2020 - as lockdown consumers gravitated towards local, independent shops - convenience retailers and other nonsupermarket outlets have seen value sales growth diminish in 2021. While multiple retailers posted year-onyear growth of 8.1% in the Northern Ireland grocery market, according to Kantar data for the year to December 26, value sales fell by 14.5% for symbols and 6.6% for other outlets such as butchers and greengrocers. However, the two non-supermarkets sectors are still posting strong growth in comparison to the pre-Covid period with two-year data indicating value sales increases of 6% for symbols and 11.5% for other outlets. Other notable trends in the latest Kantar data include Lidl retaining its position as the only retailer to keep posting growth, and a significant drop in fresh turkey sales over Christmas 2021. “The Northern Irish grocery market declined by 4.1% in the 52 weeks to 26 December 2021,” said Emer Healy, senior retail analyst at Kantar. “Last year people visited stores less frequently and bought fewer items on each trip than in 2020, though sales are still 8.2% higher in comparison to 2019. “The latest 12 weeks shows an 8% decline in grocery market sales, as shoppers bought 6.9% fewer items and the number of trips to stores decreased by 5.2%. This reflects a more open Christmas this year, with people spending money in restaurants, bars and pubs rather than buying all their food and drink at supermarkets. “Christmas was much closer to normal this year than last and, with larger family gatherings allowed, shoppers were keen to put on a spread for guests. “Sales of seasonal biscuits were up by 6.9%, while special biscuits like Jaffa Cakes and chocolate wafers grew by 5.9%. A significant trend this year was a decline in sales of fresh turkeys by 33%, as shoppers opted for different cuts and crowns, as well as other meats altogether. The market for roast beef had a strong year overall, increasing value by 2.7%.”

STORE FOCUS

Slemish Market Garden, BALLYMENA STORE : SLEMISH MARKET GARDEN

AMONG THE MANY BUSINESSES PIVOTING TO SURVIVE AND EVEN THRIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC, ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPRESSIVE HAS BEEN SLEMISH MARKET GARDEN’S TRANSFORMATION INTO THE UK’S BEST GREENGROCER AT THE PRESTIGIOUS SLOW FOOD AWARDS. CO-OWNER FRANK McCOOKE TALKS TO ALYSON MAGEE

“W

e were going along lovely here with a tiny little shop, and it was quite adequate, and then overnight we just didn’t know what had hit us,” says Frank McCooke. “We went from just cruising along about 30 miles an hour to 150 miles an hour and stayed there.” Frank is talking about the rapid transformation of Slemish Market Garden, the business he co-owns with his wife Linda and son Matthew, into an award-winning greengrocer as a direct result of the pandemic. “Looking back, nobody knew what was happening,” says Frank. “We were as frightened as anybody else, but we just got the family together and said we have to go for it and give the community what it needs. “We gave up growing the 40% of a market garden that would be stuff like trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, hanging baskets and vegetable transplants, as it was quite obvious that was not what was required. “We never actually set out to be greengrocers, yet it turns out we’re very good at it. We found our niche, but I can tell you we’re still growers first and foremost. We grow everything we can.” The McCooke family are well known traders in the Ballymena area, with their business interests extending from

headstones to coal. A love of local produce was already there, with Frank’s father Stephen McCooke claiming his success as a celebrated Irish athlete running the 10,000 metres at the 1948 London Olympics was fuelled by homegrown beetroot. However, it was Linda who brought a real passion for growing into the family. “We met when we were 15, and all she ever talked about was wanting to have a smallholding and grow vegetables and sell to the public,” says Frank. He halfjokingly bought Linda her first polytunnel as a wedding gift, and the seeds of Slemish Market Garden were sown. The business has been trading since 2001. It took two years to clear up what was then a derelict site close to the Ecos Centre, get it into shape for growing and construct the first shop. “It was a labour of love, we really got into it and built everything ourselves,” says Frank. Matthew is a graduate of Greenmount and, while completing his Craftsman Gardener’s certificate at the National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Gardens, met his wife Lori, now a senior lecturer in horticulture at Greenmount. Staff numbers are solely the three co-owners, with other family members stepping in to help when necessary. “We’ve often said here we’re like a milking stool with three legs, take one leg away the whole thing falls apart,” says Frank. “We stop at 5 o’clock and people want us to stay open late, but they don’t understand that nothing marches out of that field on its own. We take one break between 5 and 6 o’clock, and then we go on until whatever has to be done is done. “I can only see a bright future for this, but I just wish we were 30 years younger. We’re not adverse to falling asleep in the barn.” Pre-pandemic, the business had already diversified with the Slemish Market

Linda, Matthew and Frank McCooke.

Supper Club. “Supper Club is a lovely thing,” says Frank. “Chef Rob Curley lives on the other side of the hedge, and he came over one day and said, ‘I’ve got this idea about a dinner in the garden’. “We made a table that would seat 20 people and had dinner out here one lovely summer evening and it was just beautiful. We decided after that we would do it once a month and it became a bit of a monster. It was so popular, it was always oversubscribed and really brought up the profile of the business.” PANDEMIC PIVOT The McCookes grow around 80% of the produce they retail, both on the acreage around the shop and at their own properties. Whereas prior to the pandemic the family was producing more than they sold, now they are struggling to keep up with demand. “We’d just got it the way we wanted it, and everything was lovely and all falling into place and then Covid hit,” says Frank. “There are times this place is running out of control and we’re thinking, what have we done, but really there’s no other option but to get the sleeves rolled up and get stuck in.” With social distancing and the increased volume of shoppers proving too much for the original site, a new shop was quickly built, and the carpark extended. “We got into it in November 2020 and that December we sold more vegetables than we had the entire year,” says Frank. “Everything had just changed and now, after this Christmas just gone past, we’re thinking we’ll need twice the size for next year but there’s only so much we can handle.”

STORE FOCUS

Dealing with a much greater volume of customers has been a pleasant experience overall, marred only by a few bad apples, says Frank. “People management, that was a thing we never thought we’d have to deal with,” he says. “We’re very lucky because I would say 90% of our customers are the salt of the earth. We’re an old-fashioned type, we like people and we like talking to people. “But there is a small percentage of people who really wind you up, because they will not play the game, they will not queue, and they won’t wear face masks. They won’t understand there are people coming into our shop who are extremely ill, and you try to reason with them but they’re unreasonable.” One visitor even came in and stole toilet paper from the property. “You have to laugh,” says Frank. “Luckily we’re all blessed here with a wicked sense of humour.” On the other hand, when recent storms wreaked havoc on the site, ripping out a 20-year-old polytunnel, the McCooke family was greatly humbled and touched when a number of customers turned up the next day to help with the clear up and rebuild. LOCAL PRODUCE “In Northern Ireland, everything has to be done under polytunnels,” says Frank. “It’s the ferocity of the weather when it changes, you could just lose whole crops.” Another benefit of growing under cover is the potential to push the boundaries of seasonality. “We just keep on sowing and if it grows, it grows and it doesn’t, it goes to the geese,” says Frank. “It’s not wasted.” Farming is kept as low tech as possible with, for example, a hawk kite used to prevent blackbirds from pulling up the garlic. Customers come from across Northern

Ireland for the quality of the produce, which extends from the mainstays of potatoes and root and soup vegetables to chilis and exotic mushrooms. While homegrown fruit and veg is the undeniable star of the show in the shop, it sits alongside a wide range of produce from local artisans such as Nua Kombucha, Natural Umber Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Burren Balsamics, Broighter Gold, Long Meadow Farm, Baladi Foods, Erin Grove and Irish Black Butter, to name a few. Slemish Market Garden also supplies its own eggs and honey, produces juices, chutneys and jams, smokes garlic, cheese and meats, and serves as a collection point for meat orders from Rathkennybased Rowandale Farm and fish from Portavogie-based Mega Katch. “Folk tell us there’s nothing like our eggs,” says Frank. “We really care about the hens, we look after them but they’re not getting anything different than anywhere else, it’s just there’s a lot of green waste.” Having always grown biodynamically, Frank says a lot of customers who are on chemotherapy, for example, or just aiming to reduce chemicals in their diet, frequent the shop. Customers seek out Linda’s guidance from health remedies such as ‘honeygar’, warm water with a teaspoon each of raw honey and apple cider vinegar with mother, to general cooking advice and recipes. The admiration with which Frank speaks of Linda is heart-warming. It tends to be the older generation who are more set in their ways and require coaxing to try new things, says Frank. “Strawberries are big for us, but our biggest crop is squash,” he says. “We have acres and acres of squash and whenever it’s ready, we bring it up and place it all around the shop and yard. “To try and tell people this isn’t a photo opportunity, this is one of the best foods

there is, has been an uphill struggle, but now people are coming back and saying how great the squash was.” While only a small amount of the shop’s stock is imported, such as the top-selling Bee Mercy line of raw honey from Spain, post-Brexit seed imports are a concern for the business. “We have enough seed to do us for the next year, and really hope our trusty MPs can work something out and stop fighting,” says Frank. “Things have to be simplified or growers like us are going to go to the wall.” The family was bowled over by the Slow Food accolade. “If you consider how many small vegetable outlets there are over the UK, for us to get called out is phenomenal,” he says. “Whenever Paula McIntyre rang me, at the start I thought she was taking the micky. “It’s definitely a niche market, we’ll never be able to supply the masses, but people have really got behind the whole buy local thing. Before, market gardens and farm shops and even just small high street greengrocers were more or less a relic of the past, but now this is the way forward and people are looking for that quality you get from pulling stuff straight out of the ground.” Building on the success of the business with another shop in Mid Ulster is under consideration. “But the thing is, I don’t want to expand too quickly either,” says Frank. “It’s taken us a lifetime to get here.” SLOW FOOD NORTHERN IRELAND Slow Food is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world linking the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. It was founded in 1989 in Italy. Slow Food Northern Ireland is headed by Paula McIntyre. Contact: membership@slowfood.org.uk 9

RETAIL NEWS – INDEPENDENTS

LOCAL CHEF-OWNED DELI TO OPEN TWO NEW SITES IN 2022

successful deli and food hall in Enniskillen, run by two experienced chefs, is set for major expansion creating eight new jobs in addition to the 14 people already on the payroll. Between the Bridges, the food enterprise launched last year by chefs Declan O’Donoghue and Paul Curry, is soon to open a second outlet and is planning a third later in the year. The second deli and food hall is scheduled to open in Lisnaskea, a small town 12 miles from Enniskillen, providing

LOCAL BUSINESS GROUPS HIGHLIGHT SUPPLY ISSUES

Glyn Roberts.

etail NI has welcomed the opportunity to highlight supply issues experienced by its members since Brexit after meeting with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who took over the Brexit brief from Lord Frost in December. Also attending the virtual meeting on January 11 were Minister of State for Europe Chris Heaton-Harris and representatives from local business groups including Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts. “It was a very useful first meeting with the Foreign Secretary and Minister of State,” said Roberts. “We outlined a number of difficulties many of our members are experiencing when trading with GB-based suppliers and

the eight employment opportunities in the area. With a site already identified in Fermanagh for the third outlet, the company expects to be employing a total of 30 people before the end of 2022. Both founding chefs also run successful small food businesses; O’Donoghue owns Erne Larder, a producer of sauces, relishes and jams, while Curry owns Northern Smokehouse, a developer of smoked products. Both chefs have won Great Taste awards for their artisan foods, while they also produce a range of sauces under the Flayver brand. “Our success in Enniskillen with Between the Bridges is based on our commitment to excellent homemade products from our seven-strong kitchen team lead led by experienced chef Geri Beres, excellent value for money and great customer service,” said O’Donoghue. “These will also underpin the new stores. We now have an extensive menu of freshly prepared heat-to-eat meals wholesalers. “This issue needs to be resolved as a matter of priority to ensure that consumers are given the full product range in Northern Ireland. We need a long-term sustainable deal which ensures stability, certainty and affordability for the broader business community in Northern Ireland. “Business needs to be a partner in finding a broader agreement which keeps the benefits of the NI Protocol but fixes the problem of GB-NI trade.” Retail NI also, meanwhile, welcomed the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions by the Northern Ireland Executive on January 20, repeating calls for the Executive to establish a clear plan for returning public and private sector staff to their workplaces. “This will be a significant challenge and will require extensive planning but will be important to boost footfall for our high streets, reopening our economy and return our society to near as normal,” said Roberts.

which are proving extremely popular. These can be ordered for home delivery through our website. “Christmas and the New Year were exceptionally busy. We sold almost 150 prepared Christmas dinners and sold hundreds of food hampers with our own products and those from other local artisans.” The Enniskillen deli currently sells 3,000 heat-to-eat meals, 800 deli sandwiches and 500 fresh salads prepared by its kitchen team every week. It also offers a range of calorie counted meals for healthconscious consumers. In addition to its sales in Fermanagh, the deli has linked up with the Cass and Co retail operation in Dungarvan, Co Waterford in the Republic of Ireland to supply hundreds of heat-to-eat meals every week. The food hall in Enniskillen features an extensive range of food and drink from artisan producers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland including cheese and condiments.

CRAFT STALLS & HOME BAKERS POST PANDEMIC GROWTH C

raft stalls, online retailers and home bakers are among small business types expected to grow fastest in 2022, as a new wave of entrepreneurs emerge from a turbulent two years dominated by the pandemic, according to Simply Business. A UK provider of small business insurance, Simply Business analysed new business insurance policies taken out in 2020 and 2021 to find the fastest-growing small business sectors. It found craft stalls were the fastest growing trade in 2021, with a 237% increase from 2020. Home baking featured in the top 10 fastest growing sectors, rising 24% as a new wave of banana bread-fuelled bakers looked to set up small firms. While there was a 62% increase in the number of online retailers, the number of market stall traders across the country also spiked, up 113% versus 2020, and the number of selfemployed caterers rose by 39%.

RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOLS

SUPERVALU & CENTRA PLEDGE TO PLANT 50,000 TREES

uperValu and Centra, part of the Musgrave Group, have launched their sustainability campaigns with the announcement the retail brands will plant 50,000 trees in Northern Ireland by 2032. The initiative will see the convenience retailers partner with Trees on the Land, a charity and not-for-profit project from the Green Economy Foundation, to sponsor the planting of 5,000 native trees in 13 locations across Northern Ireland this year, and a further 5,000 in 2023. To further support the initiative, colleagues from SuperValu and Centra stores will be pulling on their wellies and volunteering to help plant the trees (Covid-19 permitting). “This is a very exciting community initiative for us, and we are thrilled to partner with Trees on the Land,” said Desi Derby, director of marketing for SuperValu and Centra in Northern Ireland. “We know from talking to our customers that environmental issues are important to

WALL GROUP OPENS FOURTH SPAR NI STORE WITH £3M INVESTMENT

The 5,000 square-foot Landscape Filling Station boasts a 22-space car park and 8-pump GO Fuel forecourt.

avan and Helen Wall, owners of four SPAR stores in the North Belfast area operating under The Wall Group, have opened their latest store, Landscape Filling Station on the Crumlin Road in Belfast. Landscape represents a £3m investment by The Wall Group and provides employment for an additional 30 local team members, taking the total number of staff to 50 at the new store. The new build store, which stands at 5,000 square feet, over five times the

Carol Marshall, SuperValu and Centra brand communications manager, visits landowner Rosanna Ballentine and son Ian, whose farm in Carryduff will benefit from 500 native trees sponsored by the community retailers.

them and at SuperValu and Centra, we believe in and care about sustainability, and have already made significant changes to become a more sustainable business. “We are committed to making a positive impact in the communities in which we operate and being able to facilitate the planting of this number of native trees will have many positive long-term effects, including absorbing carbon dioxide, improving air quality, improving soils and enhancing biodiversity.” Imogen Rabone, project co-ordinator and founder of Trees on the Land, said: “We are delighted to partner with SuperValu and Centra for our tree planting scheme. Thanks to their support we can enable community groups, schools, smallholders, and farmers to plant 10,000 native trees across Northern Ireland over the next two years.” size of the previous site adjacent to the original store, also boasts an 8-pump GO Fuel forecourt, 22 car parking spaces and will open 24 hours/day, seven days/week. With The Wall Group’s bespoke ‘foodvenience’ offering, shoppers can pick up the likes of the SPAR Enjoy Local own-brand fresh food range alongside various food-to-go counters, including the Nugelato brand, an exciting new addition to The Wall Group for 2022. “Our niche ‘foodvenience’ offering is why our stores are so popular, we are delivering unique experiences that are completely different to our competitors,” said Helen Wall. “We strongly believe in nurturing talent, and with the difficult times the world has seen in the past couple of years, it is great to be able to focus on enhanced local services, which we know our teams provide throughout all our stores and brands, whether in SPAR, Subway, Post Office, dailyDeli or Nugelato.” Paddy Doody, sales and marketing director, Henderson Group, said: “Once again, The Wall Group has taken the SPAR concept and made it their own to work entirely for their target demographic in the wider North Belfast area.” 11

RETAIL NEWS - MULTIPLES

TESCO ACTIVATES FIRST ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS FOR CUSTOMERS IN NI

he first electric vehicle charging points for customers in Tesco stores in Northern Ireland are now live at the Craigavon Extra store, Co Armagh. Four free to use 7kW electric vehicle (EV) charging connectors were installed in December 2021, giving EV drivers a place to top the charge in their cars with 100% renewable energy while they shop. Over the four weeks to January 13, these new chargers have already provided more than 4,810 free green miles and in excess of 1.2 MWh of green energy. Tesco now has charging points in stores in all four UK nations as it aims to install 2,400 charging points across 600 UK stores by the end of 2022. In partnership with Volkswagen and Pod Point, 2,014 have been installed so far, providing over 50 million green miles and 12,476 MWh of zero-emission energy since 2018. The popularity of electric vehicles in Northern Ireland is growing, with vehicle registrations increasing 190%

between 2019 and 2020*. To support the increasing number of customers switching to electric vehicles, Tesco aims to install charging points in up to 10 stores throughout Northern Ireland this year. “More of our customers are switching to electric vehicles so I’m delighted that they will be able to top up the charge in their cars at our stores,” said Stephen Cochrane, Tesco store director, Northern Ireland. “We want to help our customers live more sustainable lives and giving them the opportunity to top up their electric

LIDL NORTHERN IRELAND PLANS NEW £6M STORE AT BOUCHER ROAD

Artist’s impression of the proposed Boucher Road store.

idl Northern Ireland, the region’s fastest-growing supermarket, has submitted plans to Belfast City Council for a new £6m state-of-the-art store which would extend its reach to south Belfast. Located in the heart of the Boucher Road retail area beside the M1, positioned in front of the National Football Stadium and Olympia Leisure Centre, the proposed new store would have a sales area of 1,425 square metres. 12

The development, which sits on a site of 9,792 square metres, also includes a drive thru café. With an anticipated opening date in 2022, the new development would create up to 100 permanent retail jobs and support a further 200 jobs during the construction phase. Planning permission was lodged last month with Belfast City Council for the new store, which would be the retailer’s 42nd store in Northern Ireland and its

vehicles for free while they shop is a little help to make this easier. I look forward to many more using these charging points as we roll them out across Northern Ireland.” Erik Fairbairn, founder and CEO, Pod Point, said: “The partnership has made a massive contribution to charging infrastructure in the UK and we’re thrilled to have entered Northern Ireland with the first of many charging points in Tesco stores in the region.” Sarah Cox, head of marketing, Volkswagen UK, said: “These chargers – which provide free green energy – are open to all electric vehicles, not just Volkswagens. Further electrifying Northern Ireland’s Tesco stores for EV drivers is just one more way that Volkswagen is proud to help the United Kingdom on its journey to an electricdriven future.” *According to figures from the Department for Transport and publicised by the Electric Vehicle Association Northern Ireland (Evani) - https://evani.uk/ev-figures-for-nibefore-import/

ninth in the Belfast city area. Construction plans reflect designs to build the new store to Lidl Northern Ireland’s ‘concept’ design, prioritising sustainability and energy efficiency. A modern fit-out provides a highquality shopping experience, with wide aisles, longer till points, enhanced restrooms and employee facilities. The site would also include a 148-space car park, including electric vehicle charging points. The proposed investment is part of a long-term plan to grow Lidl’s store network to 50 stores across the region, and forms part of its announcement last year to commit £32m to develop five new stores in the Greater Belfast region at Castlereagh Road, Crumlin Road, Boucher Road, Holywood Exchange and Shore Road. With 41 stores across the region at present, Lidl Northern Ireland is also advancing plans to progress its £26m investment into the North West region, with new stores planned at Strabane Shopping Centre in Co Tyrone and two stores in Derry-Londonderry at Buncrana Road and Crescent Link shopping centre.

ADVERTORIAL

IFEX set to serve up ideas,

innovation & industry skills COMPANY : IFEX

FEX, Northern Ireland’s leading foodservice, hospitality, and retail event, returns to the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast from Tuesday 29th–Thursday 31st March 2022 and, celebrating its 25th anniversary, the show’s return has been welcomed across the industry. As one of Northern Ireland’s longeststanding trade exhibitions where foodservice and hospitality’s biggest players all come under one roof, IFEX with support from associations including Hospitality Ulster, the Federation of Small Business, Retail NI, Northern Ireland Takeaway Association and The Guild of Fine Food - is already laying foundations to ensure this year’s show is a success. “As one of the sectors most impacted

by the pandemic, IFEX, marks a new dawn for foodservice, hospitality and retail as industry rebuilds following an unprecedented period of closures and restrictions,” said Toby Wand, managing director of 365 Events. “IFEX is firmly-rooted in NI’s hospitality industry and celebrating its 25th anniversary, the show is set to shine a light on the importance of IFEX to Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector and will provide a vital meeting place for those within the industry to reconnect, uncover new learnings, secure new business and discover relevant technologies to improve their businesses and customer focus. “With just under two months to go, we’re delighted that so many key industry

players as well as new brands have already joined the growing exhibitor list, so we’ve high hopes for the 2022 event.” Demonstrating an appetite for the show, many of Northern Ireland’s biggest names in foodservice have already confirmed, including Stephens Catering Equipment, Henderson Foodservice, Sysco, Golden Glen and Lynas amongst others. From showcasing the latest food and drink trends to industry-leading technology, equipment and services, IFEX will feature a range of visitor attractions designed to inspire and engage. A ‘one stop shop’ for discovering some of the best products NI has to offer – including a NEW Hospitality Skills Hub, NEW IFEX Innovation Awards and the return of the Great Taste Market, it brings together the best of Northern Ireland and Ireland’s speciality food and drink products. IFEX, taking place from the 29th – 31st March 2022 at the TEC, Belfast is organised by 365 Events. The forthcoming exhibition will be operating in line with all public health guidelines. For further information on IFEX, see www.ifexexhibition.co.uk

IFEX COOKS UP NEW SKILLS COMPETITION FOR TEC BELFAST

alon Culinaire has launched a new Chefskills competitions schedule for IFEX 2022. Playing its role in helping the industry’s rising stars and talented professionals battle it out in the kitchen, Salon Culinaire has always been central to IFEX and plays a key role in creating its electric atmosphere. As Northern Ireland’s largest and most prestigious chef competition programme, attracting chefs from all sectors of the industry and with all levels of experience, Salon Culinaire raises the bar in terms of culinary excellence in Northern Ireland, with the programme featuring over 30 categories during the three days of the show.

At its heart is the ChefSkills Live Theatre, hotly anticipated as the place where the ‘best of’ culinarians in Northern Ireland are formally acknowledged, with previous winners including Michael Deane, Chris Bell and Roisin Gavin. ChefSkills sees an exciting series of back-to-back, live competitions, including the hotly contended Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairssupported IFEX Northern Ireland Chef of the Year and Northern Ireland Junior Chef of the Year accolades. Returning in 2022 is IFEX Street Food International: Set to sizzle, Street Food International will see teams of invited competitors from Northern Ireland’s

catering colleges produce and serve a range of exciting modern street food style dishes. Supported by Department for the Economy, each team will cook up innovative, high quality ‘al fresco’ street food dishes that will be served to preticketed diners during lunch service at IFEX. Further supporters of Salon Culinaire 2022 include Stephens Catering Equipment, Flogas, Budget Energy, Andrew Ingredients, Keenan Seafood and Frylite. For those who hope to compete, ChefSkills and Edible Art are now open for entry. For more information, visit: www.ifexexhibition.co.uk/salonculinaire

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

RISING ENERGY COSTS THREATEN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

hile 2022 began with some encouraging good news about growth from smaller food companies in particular, problems which faced the entire food, retailing and hospitality industries from last year continue to increase. Among the most serious problems facing our industry are spiralling costs from energy hikes, supply chain delays and staff shortages due to the latest and most infectious Covid-19 variant and pressures from climate change. Rises in the cost of living, in addition, are also impacting adversely disposable incomes and influencing families to seek out cheaper prices and greater value for money. With the cost of living rising all the time, many people here are now worrying how they will continue to put food on the table. I fear that the many lessons being learnt during the pandemic about health and food are now being forgotten because of price inflation. I know from talking to our many members in manufacturing and hospitality just how serious the prices of electricity and gas have become… and worryingly look likely to continue to rise in the months ahead. I’ve been appalled by the rises in electricity costs in particular

that many smaller companies have told me they are now facing. Every sector of the agri-food industry is now facing prices that are rising steeply. Energy costs rarely come down by as much as they’ve increased over a given period. The situation in hospitality is just as disturbing. Many hotels, restaurants and cafes are having to deal with rising costs at a time when they’ve still not recovered from the Covid-19 lockdowns and are now dealing with some continuing restrictions in how they operate. Yet we need buoyant food processing and hospitality sectors to help drive the economy forward in the months and years ahead. And we are also looking at these sectors to invest in ‘green’ initiatives as we seek to help in the vitally important campaign to counter climate change. Ensuring the growth, perhaps even survival, of local companies in food and drink production is vitally important if we are to address the challenges of climate change by reducing Northern Ireland’s carbon footprint. Buying local produce, a core theme of Our Food: Power of Good promotional campaign, funded by the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme which we launched last year and continues to run to the end of March, focuses on how our food and drink is good for the environment. Anything that makes it more difficult to source local produce from our producers and farmers is bad for the environment and the wider economy. We have listened to the feedback from our members and are actively working on our approach to key sustainability issues and in particular how these are viewed by consumers. Our goal is to have a sustainability pledge that the industry can sign up to that makes sense to them and to customers. It’s about a journey, not a quick fix, and consumers’ perceptions of sustainability will evolve over time, but the industry has to start somewhere, and quickly. Our companies need greater guidance on measures that can be implemented to address sustainability and especially on spiralling energy costs. Food NI is very well positioned to contribute to initiatives on sustainability. Our existing work with smaller companies in particular is well respected, and we are frequently approached by members and other businesses in our sectors for expert advice and signposting towards specialist support. Our experienced staff are ready to do whatever they can to ensure the successful development of food and drink and hospitality enterprises. Food NI has vast experience of advising and mentoring smaller food and hospitality businesses in key areas such as marketing and promotion. Our events, especially the Food Pavilion at Balmoral Show, enable smaller processors to grow sales and come up with innovative products. We also support Invest NI Food and Drink Division in helping companies win business at shows such as Speciality Food in London. And we are ready to do more, much more - within our very limited funding resources as essentially a membership organisation – to ensure the continuing development of such a vital industry. 16

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

STAFF SHORTAGES NOW TRUMP NI PROTOCOL CONCERNS FOR MANUFACTURERS July ‘21

April ‘21

PROTOCOL IS HERE, MAKE IT WORK BETTER

NI EXECUTIVE SHOULD SECURE NEW OPPORTUNITIES

19%

19.6%

18.9%

21.8%

31.3%

35.6%

29.8%

32.5%

40.5%

46%

47%

54%

55%

65.0%

ewer than 15% of Northern Ireland manufacturers see the NI Protocol as their biggest business challenge while many are now facing a staffing crisis, a fresh survey has shown. Almost 60% of manufacturers reported that access to labour is their biggest issue, swamping issues with the Protocol, according to Manufacturing NI, which is headed by Stephen Kelly. The number of firms being impacted negatively by the NI Protocol has fallen, but remains at around 58%. Around 17% of firms said they experienced a positive benefit in 2021. The report points strongly to issues on the GB side impacting Northern Ireland business. It says: ‘despite a huge effort from NI importers and the Trader Support Service engaging and educating their supply chains through 2021, the awareness, preparedness and willingness of GB suppliers continues to cause strain, as it has done throughout 2021’. Some 40% of firms say GB suppliers continue to be unprepared. Meanwhile, two thirds of firms say it is largely business as usual with their EU suppliers, which is up from 45% in April and just over half in July. ‘However, many firms report that EU origin goods distributed to NI via GB are not freely circulating as promised,’ it says. ‘The EU must find a way for these goods to maintain their economic origin en route to NI.’ Among exporters, around 60% of businesses reported ‘a settled position’, which is up from less than half in July. ‘There is a significant rise from 6.4% to 20.4% of businesses reporting they’ve had an increase in business with GB as a result of the Protocol,’ it says. More than half of firms exporting to the EU said business was ‘as to be expected’, while the number of companies which reported a significant drop in trade rose from 2.8% to 9.3%. However, there was a sizeable jump in the number of firms which saw a marginal or sizeable increase in trade, rising to almost 29% – up from 11% when asked in July.

Jan ‘22

49.6%

BY JOHN MULGREW

Manufacturing NI’s survey, Traders Experience of the NI Protocol 1 year on, is based on a survey undertaken from January 6-12, 2022, achieving 163 responses from NI-based manufacturers, compared with surveys conducted after Quarter 1 and 2 of 2021.

GET GB BUSINESSES EDUCATE EU FIRMS PROTOCOL SHOULD READY ABOUT TRADE WITH BE REPLACED NI

Around two thirds of businesses ‘accept that the Protocol is with us and wish it to work better through mitigation and simplification’, while almost 20% believe it should be replaced. And on the impact of Covid-19, the report says problems such as delays, stock availability and spiralling costs in their supply chains were ‘underestimated and ongoing’. ‘Undoubtedly 2021 was a very difficult year for manufacturers and indeed all traders in Northern Ireland as the UK’s exit from the EU was confirmed alongside the introduction of new checks between GB and NI,’ the report said. ‘A lack of time, detail, knowledge and experience exacerbated what was always going to be a hugely difficult task for businesses to adjust. ‘This resulted in costs and supply chain disruption being endured by all businesses which harmed their performance throughout 2021. ‘However, manufacturers are natural problem solvers and the survey respondents have provided evidence that they are overcoming issues and those who can are increasingly grasping opportunities presented by NI’s unique status by picking up more business in GB and in the EU. ‘While they are ‘Protocol Pragmatists’ the results confirm that there are still problems within the new arrangements which need resolved.’

DROPPING ‘USE-BY’ DATES COULD SAVE MILLIONS OF LITRES OF MILK

ood waste recycler ReFood is urging other retailers to follow the lead of GB chain Morrisons, which last month announced plans to drop the ‘use-by’ dates from 90% of its own brand milk range to reduce group-wide food waste. “According to sustainability charity WRAP, around 490 million pints of milk are wasted every year in the UK, making it the third most wasted fresh goods product after potatoes and bread,” said Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood. “It has an extremely large carbon footprint, due to its resource intensive production process, and disposing of it incorrectly (pouring it down the drain) can result in damaging environmental consequences. “Bearing all these facts in mind, the decision by Morrisons to consider scrapping ‘use-by’ dates on ownbrand milk products could prove game changing. By simply switching to ‘best before’ dates and empowering consumers to use their own judgement when it comes to product freshness, thousands of tonnes of perfectly consumable milk will be saved.”

CAKE, BISCUITS & CONFECTIONERY

McERLAIN’S BAKERY LAUNCHES TASTY NEW RANGE OF TREATS John, Paul, Seamus and Peter McErlain of McErlain’s Bakery in Magherafelt.

BY SAM BUTLER

raft producer McErlain’s Bakery in Toomebridge has launched a new selection of its luxury traybake and cupcake treats. The new products have been developed by the family bakery in response to customer and supplier demand identified in the company’s ongoing market research. High quality flavours and years of baking expertise have gone into the mix to provide an exciting new offering, joining its well-known anchor products of family favourites. Feedback on both products, which reflect the latest baking trends and the views of younger consumers in particular, has been extremely positive. The traybake flavours include Belgian

chocolate tiffin, cookie dough salted millionaire and biscoff rocky road, while a twist on old classics such as caramel slices, raspberry ruffle and fifteens create an assortment to suit all tastes. Cupcake Treats offer chocolate, vanilla and strawberry sponge with whipped frosting topped with eye catching decorations and coming in handy four packs. “By marrying the same traditional handcrafted techniques for which we are well-known with new and exciting recipes and collaborations we hope to expand our customer base,” said John McErlain, who heads up innovation and product development. “With an increase in production capacity and added investment this is an exciting new chapter for McErlain’s Bakery.” In May 2021, McErlain’s Bakery moved to a new purpose-built premises at Creagh Business Park in Toomebridge, near Magherafelt following a £1.5m investment. The new 12,000-square-foot facility is ideally located for the well-known, multi-generational brand to stay close

GRANNY SHAW’S FUDGE INTRODUCES NEW AUTHENTIC VICTORIAN CONFECTIONERY G ranny Shaw’s Fudge, an awardwinning manufacturer of original and flavoured fudges, has expanded its product portfolio to include authentic Victorian confectionery. The family business, which is owned and managed by husband-and-wife team Glen and Rhonda Houston, is developing the new confectionery product capability using recipes from the 19th century and has recently completed a £50,000 investment in essential machinery from a manufacturer based in Chicago. The small business also includes Granny Shaw’s Trading Post, a retail outlet in Ballymena selling the company’s extensive fudge range alongside food and drink from local artisans. Both the business name and the recipe behind its fudge come from

Rhonda’s grandmother. “We had been considering how best to expand our existing and successful fudge business when I came across a batch of Victorian confectionery recipes in line with our existing focus on premium products,” said Glen Houston. “We subsequently experimented with the recipes and produced a small

to its Mid-Ulster origins, while improved logistics enable quick and efficient daily wholesale deliveries to an increasing range of supermarkets across Northern Ireland. The expansion marks an exciting new chapter for the baking brothers whose name has been synonymous with high quality home baked bread, cakes and pastries for three generations. Building upon the legacy established in 1968 by their parents, the three McErlain brothers, Master Bakers John and Seamus and Sales Manager Paul, alongside John’s son Peter, have kept it in the family and are future proofing McErlain’s Bakery through innovation. Positive feedback from customers and increased demand from shop owners has led to an expanded supply of baked goods to over 200 supermarkets. In step with increased productivity in the last 12 months, McErlain’s Bakery has recruited 15 new staff members with further plans to hire an additional 10 employees by May 2022. batch sample for family and friends to sample. Positive reactions to the samples encouraged me to explore how we could produce them for both local and export markets.” Creator of the first genuine fudge factory in Northern Ireland, Houston researched flexible systems to manufacture premium quality confectionery. “The new equipment enables us to produce a wide range of premium confectionery quickly and costeffectively in attractive packaging. “Our first batch of new sweets are likely to include tablet fudge from an old-style recipe that dates back to the 1860s. There’s also scope to manufacture dipping sauces and hard sweets. “The new confectionery, like our fudge, will be handmade using the freshest ingredients. In addition to growing sales here, the company also receives orders for fudge regularly from international customers.” Mid and East Antrim Council encouraged the venture by helping it find a suitable factory in Broughshane.

My Life in the Grocery Trade NAME: NIGEL MAXWELL, ROLE: REGIONAL RETAIL MANAGER COMPANY: NISA RETAIL BRIEFLY OUTLINE YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY TO DATE I have worked in grocery retailing for 36 years since I was a part-time student at 16. I’ve worked for Dunnes Stores (NI), Sainsbury’s (England), Iceland Frozen Foods (NI & RoI), Russell’s/Shop4You (NI), Musgrave (NI) and now Nisa Retail. WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? It’s a head-of-sales role really but actually it is all about the retailers, Nisa’s partners, who we work with. They’re what make us tick and drive us on to be successful. Their desire to succeed inspires us to deliver an excellent proposition that is a win-win for us and them. So, it’s important I bring them solutions to problems and work with them to generate ideas to grow the business. An example being, we gather a lot of intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour and adjust our range as appropriate; so, I’ll check if it’s being implemented instore and encourage the sharing of best-practice. WHEN DID YOU TAKE UP THIS POST? I am very new to this role, starting officially on January 4, 2022.

WHAT ARE THE BEST/ WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? It is very early days but what I will be doing, and am really looking forward to, is getting out and engaging with our partners to have a good indepth discussion about what is working well and what the opportunities are for further success. So, on an ongoing basis, the best part of my role will be interacting with the partners. I’m not so keen on admin, albeit necessary sometimes. BRIEFLY OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY I intend to spend three or four days a week out in stores, meeting with retailers and their teams and that could involve a couple of hours travel there and back so getting away early in the morning suits me. When visiting a store, I’ll take time to walk the floor and get a good feel for the offer and to check that Nisa product is well represented and displayed. Then I’ll spend some quality time with the owner to discuss how we can work together for our joint benefit. Some visits could last an hour, some three-four hours. That’ll get me home at some point in the evening ready to recharge for the next day. WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL RETAIL INDUSTRY? There’s little doubt that independent

retailing in NI is of the highest standard. We have some of the best stores in the UK, many of whom we are partnered with within Nisa. A truly independent, entrepreneurial retailer will deliver a better shopping experience than a large out-of-town multi-national retailer every time. Being a fairly small region, it’s easy to build up strong relationships with retailers and suppliers and that makes doing business easier when you have that personal touch. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? Apart from sitting in front of the log fire sipping wine, I am a keen runner and like to get out in all weathers. I run three or four times per week and track my runs to make sure I’m not getting any slower as I get older. TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW I have a real fear of flying; so much so that my wife enrolled me on an EasyJet course for like-minded people. It was a full day of discussing various techniques about how to fix your phobia, but it was so dull I convinced myself I was cured and left early. Obviously, there’s not been much flying anywhere this last couple of years but now that I might be attending meetings in England where Nisa’s main office is located, we’ll see how I get on.

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

COUNTDOWN TO THE 34TH ANNUAL ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

GROCER ULSTER

MARKETING AWARDS 2022

★ ENTRY CLOSES ON MARCH 25, WITH WINNERS SET TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE GROCERS’ BALL ON MAY 27 ★ As Northern Ireland continues to reopen from lockdown restrictions, the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are returning to the GroceryAid Grocers’ Ball, set to be held at the Culloden Hotel & Spa on May 27. The Grocers’ Ball, organised by the GroceryAid NI Committee and the most popular event in the local grocery sector’s social calendar, was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, with its return in 2022 eagerly awaited. The Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards haven’t missed a year, even during the pandemic, with a socially distanced photocall held in 2020 and a seated afternoon reception in 2021. Pandemic-permitting, however, 2022 will see the 34th annual Awards return to their rightful home, the Grocers’ Ball. Once again, the Awards will recognise outstanding work in Northern Ireland grocery, after the intense and unrelenting pressure the sector continues to face. The 34th annual Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards will feature 10 categories, with entry via an online-only mechanism by March 25, 2022. The 10 awards are: Leader in Marketing, Best Digital Marketing Campaign, Best Sustainability Initiative, Lorraine Hall Young Marketeer, Best Marketing Campaign, Best Brand, Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion, Best New Product Launch/Relaunch, Best CSR Initiative/ Charity Partnership and Best Export Marketing. The Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are an opportunity for companies

★

sponsored by:

operating in the Northern Ireland grocery sector to shine a light on their successes and achievements. Awards entry is open to all grocery stakeholders from producers, suppliers, wholesalers and independent retailers to retail groups. And the diverse range of award categories allows both well established and up-and-coming companies to enjoy valuable media exposure and branding at the Grocers’ Ball, and across the print copies, websites and social media of Ulster Grocer magazine and its sister titles at Mediahuis. Widely regarded as the highest marketing accolade Northern Ireland grocery stakeholders can achieve, the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are recognised as a mark of professionalism, raising awareness for companies shortlisted, highly commended and winning each category.

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o r C 27 a ulloden be held the Groc W★ s the at th ers’ B Hote e m l all y &S ain ea To bo ok tic r for the fundrais pa on Groc kets, ing e or M e ark.G email de ryAid ch vent of t he si. a owd y@w derby@mrity. hites u s g oats. r com ave.ie . May

CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRY:

FRIDAY MARCH 25th, 2022

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

ENTRY IS ONLINE ONLY

★ANNOUNCING THE 10 CATEGORIES OF THE ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS 2022 LEADER IN MARKETING Now in its third year, this accolade complements the prestigious Lorraine Hall Young Marketeer Award by recognising individuals at a more advanced stage, or the end, of their career; having made a notable contribution to the field of sales and marketing within the wider grocery sector. Entries should identify an outstanding contribution to marketing in the grocery sector, from companies, brands, roles and campaigns on which the nominated individual has worked to any additional contribution of note such as mentoring or CSR work.

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BEST SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE This category is open to all grocery industry stakeholders from food and drinks producers and other service providers to retailers. Entries should quantify green gains they have made, such as reductions in water, energy or their overall carbon footprint, highlighting the eco measures behind those gains from local sourcing to LED lighting, solar panels and any other energy and waste reduction systems. In particular, companies should demonstrate how they have communicated their green programmes and gains to clients and consumers.

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BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN Our headline award, Best Marketing Campaign, could potentially involve a corporate, brand or project campaign with food and drinks suppliers, grocery wholesalers and retailers 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, OOH, in-store POS/merchandising, PR, website, leaflet, digital and SMS activity.

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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 manufacturers/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 exclusive singlestore promotions and activity running across a group of stores.

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BEST CSR INITIATIVE/CHARITY PARTNERSHIP Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative 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 producers and independent retailers through to large suppliers and multiple retailers, this category will also be judged on tangible results from the partnerships.

★

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ ulstergrocer/awards

BEST DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN While digital is well established as part of the media mix considered by judges across the awards categories, this award exclusively focuses on online marketing activity, looking at campaigns which have successfully utilised tools such as social media, email, influencer engagement, content marketing and apps. Open to all grocery sector stakeholders (and both inhouse and agency marketing teams), judges will consider results achieved in relation to the size of the business with the onus on applicants to demonstrate a clear link between their digital campaign and any subsequent boost in sales.

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LORRAINE HALL YOUNG MARKETEER AWARD The Lorraine Hall Young Marketeer Award will seek to recognise passion and drive among the up-and-coming marketing stars of the future; those who show they have already, in their short careers, made significant contributions to their respective company and industry. The judges will look for evidence of a candidate’s success across a variety of marketing challenges, their on-going desire to learn and innovate, and their understanding of the ever-growing array of marketing tools and channels at their disposal.

★

BEST BRAND Among the most prestigious and hard-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 marketing campaigns, brand equity, visibility and customer loyalty, and take into account the results achieved in relation to the size of the business.

★

BEST NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH/RELAUNCH For Best New Product Launch/Relaunch, 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 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 or grown their export sales/market share, secured new customers in existing markets or boosted existing export contracts is eligible for entry.

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CSR NEWS

GORDONS CHEMISTS RAISES VITAL FUNDS FOR ACTION CANCER

taff and customers of Gordons Chemists branches across Northern Ireland have come together to raise £18,500 for Action Cancer, as part of a partnership now in its 15th year. Staff have engaged in innovative ways to raise funds over the years including raffles, fancy dress and bake sales, particularly during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although the fundraising plans took place in slightly different circumstances due to Covid-19 restrictions, the stores encouraged their staff and customers to safely raise funds for Action Cancer’s vital services. “We want to say a huge thank you to staff and customers of Gordons Chemists for their tremendous support, both in terms of raising funds and raising awareness, especially throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” said Mark Jones, corporate fundraising executive, Action Cancer. “We understand the difficulties in raising money in the current climate and we are grateful to everyone at Gordons for their continued support for our free breast screening service. The service is

Mark Jones, corporate fundraising executive, Action Cancer; Melanie Talbot, marketing manager, Gordons Chemists; Robert Gordon, managing director, Gordons Chemists; and Lucy McCusker, corporate fundraising manager, Action Cancer.

free to women, yet each screening costs Action Cancer £120. This year’s total of £18,500 will enable Action Cancer to provide 154 breast screenings to ladies right here in Northern Ireland.” Melanie Talbot, marketing manager at Gordons Chemists, said: “Our staff work tirelessly throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month to collect donations and they are passionate about making sure that our customers know of the potentially life-saving services which Action Cancer can offer them. “Our customers have played a massive part by donating so generously. We know that the money we raise for Action

LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS GET A FUNDING BOOST

Pictured receiving their cheque for £1,500 are Pauline Bothwell and Luke Montgomery, Support Workers at Crossfire Trust, Armagh.

oost Drinks has announced Crossfire Trust (Armagh), Cruse Bereavement Support (Belfast) and The Now Project (Belfast) are the third set of community groups to receive a share of its Choose Now, Change Lives, £10k fund. Boost Drinks created the Choose Now, Change Lives initiative to help drive change in communities in Northern 24

Ireland and positively impact lives, with this being the third and final of three rounds of awards since 2021. Groundwork NI, a specialist charity working locally and nationally to transform lives in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities, is supporting Boost by administering grants to successful applicants. Crossfire Trust, Cruse Bereavement Support and The Now Project are the third and final groups to benefit from the Choose Now, Change Lives fund which has awarded a total of £10k since 2021. “Cruse Bereavement Support are part of the UK’s largest bereavement charity, which provide free care and bereavement counselling to those suffering from grief,” said Adrian Hipkiss, marketing and international business director, Boost. “The Now Project is a sector leader in supporting people with learning disabilities, difficulties and autism and

Cancer goes directly towards saving lives. We’ve seen a significant number of our customers have a cancer detected because of a screening made available to them by Action Cancer, and because a member of our staff encouraged them to make an appointment.” Action Cancer is the only charity which provides free breast screening to ladies aged 40-49 and over 70, those who fall outside the NHS screening age range (50–70). For more information on Action Cancer’s services, call 028 9080 3344 or visit www.actioncancer.org

Crossfire Trust, which was the main grant recipient, is a registered charity caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people, primarily in south Armagh. “We are delighted to announce the final three groups to receive a boost from the Choose Now, Change Lives fund, which nine fantastic groups over the course of the year have benefitted from. “As firm believers in supporting activity at a local level, we are looking forward to seeing the meaningful changes this cash boost can make in community groups that are the life and soul of the areas we all live in. “The cash we have donated will help ensure the vital services and projects these groups provide to their communities continue and we hope that the people who use them will flourish in their lives.” The third and final round of the grant awards will allow three more community groups in Northern Ireland to receive a donation from the Boost Drinks Choose Now, Change Lives fund.

CSR NEWS

HENDERSON GROUP PRIORITISES MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

his year sees the start of a new charity partnership between the Henderson Group, one of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers, and Action Mental Health (AMH). The partnership will aim to raise funds Bronagh Luke, Henderson Wholesale, and Keira Campbell, Henderson Foodservice, for Action Mental launch Henderson Group’s recent charity Health to continue partnership with Action Mental Health its impactful work alongside Jonathan Smyth from the charity. equipping local individuals with employability training and other services, and work in tandem with Hendersons to ensure its staff have access to more wellbeing resources. January will see staff and store team members take on the Miles for Mental Health challenge, by walking, running or cycling each day to improve their own physical and mental wellbeing, and raise funds. The coming weeks will also see the launch of a number of initiatives for staff and managers across the Group, which will aim to improve mental wellbeing across the entire workforce and build upon the Group’s long-term WellAware Health and Wellbeing strategy. “Keeping our teams motivated and focused has always been at the backbone of the Group’s success, and by working with Action Mental Health, we will be further prioritising the wellbeing of our staff with even more incentives to enable them to connect and thrive as we continue to navigate the challenges of the past two years,” said Bronagh Luke, head of corporate marketing. “It’s hard to believe we’re entering the third year of many of our office-based employees working from home, and we have had many processes in place to keep our teams as engaged as possible.” Founded in Northern Ireland, Action Mental Health is a multi-faceted organisation with AMH New Horizons services at its core. With AMH New Horizons, clients can benefit from a variety of personal development, vocational skills and employability training options, including accredited qualifications and work placements. The charity also offers a range of services and programmes aimed at improving mental health and developing resilience in children and young people as well as counselling for people of all ages. Henderson Group will participate in virtual and active challenges throughout 2022 and beyond, such as the Great Purple Picnic, Belfast City and London marathons, and will mark World Mental Health Day with the charity in October.

BELFAST TESCO SHOPPERS URGED TO SUPPORT LIFESAVING FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

elfast shoppers are being encouraged to help support an in-store fundraising campaign for three of the UK’s leading health charities. Last year Tesco’s Helping you to live healthier campaign raised more than £1m after customers rounded up their shop to the nearest £1 at self-service tills. Money raised will help Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK to continue their vital work to improve and save lives. As the charities fight back from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Belfast shoppers are once again being urged to round up their shopping to the nearest £1 at selfservice tills from January 31 to February 13. In addition to the funds being raised, the campaign aims to increase awareness in Northern Ireland about the importance of making sustainable lifestyle changes that can help people to lower their risk of cancer, heart and circulatory diseases, and type 2 diabetes. Trusted health information and advice will be shared with Tesco customers to empower them to take small steps to help improve their health. “The funds raised will continue to support the health of UK communities at such a critical time,” said Oonagh Turnbull, head of health campaigns, Tesco. “Our health charity partners rely on donations to continue their awareness, prevention and research work.” Fearghal McKinney, head of British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland, said: “Heart and circulatory diseases cause heartache on every street in Northern Ireland and around 11 deaths each day. “With your help, we are determined to do all we can to save and improve lives. Your donations will power the science to help find the breakthroughs, treatments and cures of the future.” The campaign is part of the Health Charity Partnership between Tesco, Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. It is an ongoing initiative aimed at inspiring and supporting Tesco colleagues, customers and their families to make healthier food choices and live healthier lives. For further information, go to https://www.tescoplc.com/ sustainability/taking-action/community/charity-partnerships/

ADVERTORIAL

MONSTER ENERGY ULTRA WATERMELON AND KHAOTIC SET TO JUICE UP THE ENERGY CATEGORY NEW INNOVATIONS DRIVE 31% GROWTH IN MONSTER ENERGY PORTFOLIO IN 2021 COMPANY : MONSTER

Introducing Monster Energy ULTRA WATERMELON:

venings are short, and temperatures are low; but summer is just around the corner. Close your eyes and picture the scene; chilled out beach vibes, a warm coastal breeze, a firework lit night sky, great music and even better company. This is the perfect backdrop for Monster Energy’s newest, and possibly most exciting addition to the Ultra product range. INTRODUCING MONSTER ENERGY ULTRA WATERMELON. An awesome new flavour that is sophisticated and effortless like surfer Maud Le Car catching a crystal-clear wave, but slick and focused like motocross racer Courtney Duncan locking in her third world title. In short, it’s an amazing new blend of flavour and energy inspired by those endless summer days you hope never end. Better still as an addition to the Monster Energy Ultra range - which features eight other delicious and highly successful flavours - the refreshing taste

“AN AWESOME NEW FLAVOUR THAT IS SOPHISTICATED AND EFFORTLESS LIKE SURFER MAUD LE CAR CATCHING A CRYSTALCLEAR WAVE, BUT SLICK AND FOCUSED LIKE MOTOCROSS RACER COURTNEY DUNCAN LOCKING IN HER THIRD WORLD TITLE.” 26

AVAILABLE NOW and explosive energy delivery from the new Ultra Watermelon comes in a zero sugar package. This means you can enjoy the lighter side of energy, benefiting from the same fresh good time, without the calorie-counting guilt. Of course, it’s better to discover Ultra Watermelon for yourself; the team at Monster Energy have spent countless hours crafting a flavour that remains light and refreshing but doesn’t taste like any other energy drink you’ve experienced before. It’s no coincidence that Ultra Watermelon is the latest flavour to headline the Monster Energy Ultra product line-up. Rated as a top-10 flavour trend, Watermelon is more than just a taste to keep you dialled into summer. Characterising hydration and refreshment, watermelon is the go-to flavour and look when the temperature rises. Not to mention the fact that watermelon embodies its own style entirely: from bold fashion prints to youth culture trends - check out the Watermelon dress challenge online - to featuring in music videos. The Monster Energy Ultra range continues to drive growth within the product category - maintaining its position as the No.1 zero sugar flavoured energy drink. Added to that Monster Energy remains the No.1 performance energy brand in the Republic of Ireland - it is no surprise that the iconic claw continues to grab ever more market share across EMEA and beyond. It’s time to Unleash the Ultra Beast: open up an ice cold can of Ultra Watermelon and hold on to summer for one more day at a time.

ADVERTORIAL With the energy category continuing to experience rapid expansion, Monster, the meanest energy drink on the planet, is primed to continue to capture this growth for retailers. Monster was once again the fastest growing energy brand in Northern Ireland in 2021, experiencing a 31% increase in sales values across all flavours. Contributing to this success were three innovations which led the energy category for 2021: Monster Monarch, Monster Nitro Super Dry and Monster Ultra Fiesta Mango. In particular, Monster Ultra Fiesta Mango capitalised on the continued growth of the ‘zero sugar’ energy segment in Northern Ireland in 2021. That innovation will continue in 2022, with two exciting new flavours launching across Northern Ireland in February and March, following their unprecedented success in other markets. *Nielsen NI L13W, Nov 2021

Introducing Monster Energy KHAOTIC:

ay back in the day - 2005 to be specific - Monster Energy shook up the energy drink game by combining the refreshing and great taste of real juice, with an industry-leading energy blend to launch what was then known as Monster Khaos. It proved to be an instant classic with fans and athletes alike, who loved the awesome combination of fruit juices and performance. In fact, it started a trend which left rivals scrambling in Monster Energy’s wake; leading to a further four more Energy + Juice flavours being released after Khaos blazed the trail. Fast forward a decade, and Monster Energy has decided it was time for a makeover for the classic blend that kickstarted a revolution. Enter Monster Energy Khaotic. While at its core the Monster Energy DNA hasn’t changed, there have been a few epic tweaks which bring Khaotic right up to date for 2022. A lightened flavour with a specially mixed orange juice blend, brings a crisp and refreshing citrus taste. Of course, it is better experienced than just described; but needless to say, it’s the perfect follow-up to the smash hit that revolutionised the market ten years ago. What’s more, this exciting and delicious new blend of Energy + Juice wouldn’t be complete without a fresh paint job on the can. It’s the first thing you’ll see, as Khaotic stands out from the crowd on the shelves. To ensure the eye-popping on-can designs match the awesome fresh taste, Monster Energy called on long-time friend, brand ambassador, and acclaimed Los Angeles artist Kelly “RISK” Graval. The multi-talented artist, sculptor and

COMING IN MARCH “A LIGHTENED FLAVOUR WITH A SPECIALLY MIXED ORANGE JUICE BLEND, BRINGS A CRISP AND REFRESHING CITRUS TASTE.” graffiti pioneer has been synonymous with street art on the West Coast of the USA for decades. His work has been shown in top galleries in LA, San Francisco, Toronto, New York, Miami, and London. RISK has worked with some of the biggest names in music including commissions for Aerosmith, Slash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ice Cube, Bad Religion, House of Pain, Halsey, and many more. Finished with a distinctive turquoise Monster claw on a graffiti inspired yellow and orange background, Khaotic’s slick new street art inspired look pays homage to the original Khaos design, while ensuring you won’t miss it in the fridge, or on the shelf. The timing couldn’t be better; off the back of sales stats that put Monster Energy as the No.1 performance energy brand in the Republic of Ireland - and standing tall in an already ultracompetitive consumer category space - Monster Energy continues to grab ever more market share across Europe and beyond and beyond. With a growing portfolio of products, which includes over 30 core flavours, the iconic Claw continues to lead the way. So, get set for Khaotic: inspired by a classic, designed by a legend, with an epic taste to last for another decade. 27

ADVERTORIAL

Mackle Petfoods celebrates 50 years

of flagship brand Brandy

COMPANY : MACKLE PETFOODS

ounded in 1972, the multi-award winning Mackle Petfoods is celebrating 50 years of being one of the nation’s favourite and trusted pet food manufacturers, bringing the very best to our fourlegged friends. For half a century, this family-owned business has evolved into an expansive network of hardworking employees who are dedicated to meet and exceed pet owners’ needs for highly nutritional and palatable food. Tried and tested on Irish soil, Mackle Petfoods is also honouring their trusted family favourite, Brandy Dog Food range which has been a consistent top performing product since humble beginnings in Co Armagh half a century ago. Developed with the help of vets and 28

specialist animal nutritionists, Brandy Dog Food products are made using 100% Irish meat sourced from local suppliers and use top quality ingredients to provide complete nutrition for dogs. Mackle Petfoods have spent years developing products with an appealing smell, taste and texture to ensure that they are enjoyed by pets from the first bite to the last. The products contain no artificial colours or flavours, are free from soya

and are made with a nutritious blend of protein, natural oils and all the added vitamins and minerals required to help keep pets happy and healthy. To celebrate this milestone birthday, a year of activity is planned to reward consumers for their loyalty and introduce the much-loved Brandy brand to a new generation of consumers. In March 2021, the Pet Food Manufactures’ Association said a total of 3.2 million households in the UK had bought a new pet since the start of the pandemic. Get in touch today to find out how you can benefit from this rapidly growing market. www.macklepetfoods.com Mackle Petfood products are available to buy throughout the UK and Ireland.

AGRI-FOOD NEWS

AG POLICY CONSULTATION REPRESENTS MILESTONE FOR INDUSTRY Victor Chestnutt, president, UFU; Robert Workman, a farmer in Larne; and DAERA Minister Edwin Poots.

consultation on the Future Agricultural Policy Proposals for Northern Ireland, launched just before Christmas, has been branded as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine local policy by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU). The consultation was launched on December 21 by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Edwin Poots. “The launch of the Future Agricultural Policy Proposals for NI consultation is a major milestone for the industry,” said Victor Chestnutt, president, UFU.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine agriculture policies and support, to ensure the sustainability of our unique family farm structure as we move forward, delivering for the environment, local communities and consumers. “It’s extremely positive that the focus of the new future ag policy is on active farmers and growers. Working to meet the growing demand for food both at home and abroad whilst also protecting the environment and meeting the demands of climate change, it’s vital that our members are equipped with the right tools to become more efficient resulting in maximum returns. “With the consultation being open to responses until 15 February 2022, DAERA will be engaging with stakeholders and the UFU will be considering this consultation within our extensive policy committee structure.

FARMING WITH NATURE SCHEME OUTLINES ON-FARM ECO GOALS

lster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has launched proposals for a new agri environment scheme, Farming with Nature, presented to Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots on the home farm of UFU Environment Committee Chairman Bill Harpur. The development of proposals for the scheme was driven by farmers’ desire to do more environmental works on-farm, creating huge gains for nature as well as their businesses, and have been fed into DAERA as they bring forward plans for future agricultural support. “After a mass amount of work being put into developing our ideas for a Farming with Nature scheme which we believe could replace the Environmental Farming Scheme in the post-Brexit policy period, we’re pleased to finally get it in the public domain,” said Victor Chestnutt, president, UFU. “It was developed by our UFU environment committee with input from our policy committees and executive committee. Throughout the process it remained obvious that our members, who are custodians of the countryside, wanted a scheme that would complement nature and food

production, allowing both to coincide and thrive here in Northern Ireland. “The scheme aims to deliver improvements on water quality, reduction in greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions, improve carbon sequestration and improve biodiversity.” Harpur said: “Farming with Nature has the ability to deliver for all farmers across NI because it is designed for farmers by farmers. There is a level of understanding within the scheme that was missing before. We took the issues of former environmental schemes on board, building one that we think is flexible and encouraging with choices to suit all commodities and areas.” The Farming with Nature proposal and example measures can be found at https://www.ufuni.org/resources.

Bill Harpur, environment committee chairman, UFU; DAERA Minister Edwin Poots; and Victor Chestnutt, president, UFU.

“We encourage all our members to read and respond, making their opinions known. “The future ag policy consultation will be a key discussion point at our presidents’ roadshows in January. It’s vital that farmers are at the core of this conversation as we look forward to working with the Department to support the development of a productive, profitable and progressive farming industry for the future.” The consultation can be viewed on the DAERA website, Consultation on Future Agricultural Policy Proposals for Northern Ireland | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk). Responses are via the nidirect consultation hub Citizen Space at https://consultations2.nidirect.gov. uk/daera/daera-app.

UFU WELCOMES LIFTING OF AI SURVEILLANCE ZONES

ews all William remaining Irvine. Avian Influenza (AI) surveillance zones will be lifted across Northern Ireland on January 22, announced by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots, has been welcomed. “Having the surveillance zones lifted will make a huge difference, simplifying the daily movement of poultry goods throughout NI,” said William Irvine, deputy president, UFU. “It is important however, that poultry keepers remain vigilant as AI has not disappeared completely and a risk is still very present until the end of spring. “Tight biosecurity must remain in place, all flocks including backyard flocks must be housed, and should producers suspect any disease among their flock, they should contact their vet or local divisional veterinary office immediately.” 29

ADVERTORIAL

Award-winning ‘field to fork’

brand Mash Direct launches Skinny Fries COMPANY : MASH DIRECT

ash Direct (www.mashdirect. com), the award-winning ‘field to fork’ vegetable accompaniments brand, is launching its latest potato-based product to add to its innovative range in the form of a Skinny Fries SKU. The Skinny Fries product offers Mash Direct’s famous home-grown potatoes thinly cut, coated in a light crispy batter and fried for a perfect texture. Oven-cooked in just 15 minutes from chilled, the product is gluten-free and also boasts three green traffic lights for being low in saturated fat, salt and sugar, and is full of natural veggie goodness. The well-known and well-loved version of chips is a great addition to any mid-week meal or perfect as part of a ‘Fakeaway’ meal at home at the weekend, be it with sausages, fish or simply on their own: lightly sprinkled with salt and dipped in ketchup. “Our Skinny Fries product has been a long time in the planning, and we are delighted to be kicking off 2022 with a brand-new SKU,” said Lance Hamilton, chief commercial officer, Mash Direct. “Potatoes are at the heart of what we do at Mash Direct, and it’s always exciting to launch a new iteration of our fabulous 30

home-grown potatoes, especially when it’s a classic such as Skinny Fries. “We are always innovating to meet consumer demand and offering our consumers quick and convenient solutions to satisfy the family at mealtimes.” Mash Direct’s Skinny Fries are prepared immediately after harvesting, which ensures an unrivalled freshness of flavour and retains the natural texture and nutritional benefits of the produce. The Skinny Fries are also low in saturated fat, 100% gluten-free and free from artificial flavourings and colourings. Mash Direct was founded and is led by the award-winning Hamilton family team: husband and wife Martin and Tracy and their sons, Lance and Jack. The farm is located in the lush green countryside of Co Down, close to the shores of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, and the family is proud to select older heritage varieties of vegetables for their products, chosen specifically for their flavour. The Mash Direct Skinny Fries (250g) are available to retailers from Monday 24th January, RRP £2.00. THE MASH DIRECT FAMILY STORY: Mash Direct is an independent company

started by Martin and Tracy Hamilton at their family-run farm in Comber, in 2004. The Hamiltons began farming the fields around Strangford Lough back in the 1800s and the land has been passed down through six generations, bringing with it a wealth of understanding and knowledge of the area and growing conditions. After successfully growing and selling vegetables for 17 years, Martin, who is a fifth-generation son of the soil, and Tracy decided to embark on a new direction for their farm, with the aim of combining the tastes of yesterday with modern convenience and innovation. Today, Mash Direct is a family affair with Martin, Tracy and both of their sons, Lance and Jack all helping Mash Direct on its journey to become a national, household name. From the initial dream of making traditional ‘Ulster’ Champ for convenience in 2004, the Hamilton family has grown Mash Direct into a national household brand, employing 245 people. The Hamilton family developed a small factory on their farm to capture a traditional cooking style, specially designing and building several pieces of equipment including a unique masher and steam cooker. The bespoke equipment ensures that the vegetables can be steamed gently to retain optimum nutrients and capture the fresh harvested flavour and texture. ABOUT THE VEGETABLE ACCOMPANIMENTS RANGE: Mash Direct has a range of over 50 farm fresh products, 25 of which have won Great Taste awards. From innovative creations, like Beer Battered Onion Rings and Cheese & Onion Croquettes to culinary classics,like Broccoli with a Cheese Sauce, and seasonal editions including Neeps & Tatties, there are Mash Direct products for every occasion. All products are cooked to perfection and are the ideal accompaniment to individual home cooked meals, Sunday lunches or family celebrations.

ADVERTORIAL

Discover Food and Drink Apprenticeships at CAFRE COMPANY : CAFRE

lthough the last two years have been challenging for everyone involved in food and drink, it has proven just how resilient the industry is in Northern Ireland. Businesses have been agile and innovative to ensure the best of our local produce and products have continued to be available to customers both locally and further afield. There is no doubt that the processing and manufacturing sector continues to grow and, with unprecedented job opportunities, there has never been a better time to work in our dynamic local food industry. In order to sustain this period of growth, many food and drink employers are working with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) to attract new entrants into their business and develop seasoned employees to advance up the career ladder. FOOD AND DRINK APPRENTICESHIPS CAFRE’s Food and Drink Apprenticeship programmes combine invaluable onthe-job training with focused learning provided by CAFRE’s industry-experienced team to really make the most of ‘earn while you learn’. APPRENTICESHIP BENEFITS Food and Drink Apprenticeships result in highly skilled employees, offering many benefits to both Apprentices and their employers. For the Apprentice, they benefit from earning as they learn, achieving a recognised qualification with no fees, gaining a wealth of real-life industry experience, and engaging in relevant training and skills development throughout the Apprenticeship programme. For employers, the many benefits include training new and existing employees to fill high level skills gaps relevant to their company, developing 32

CAFRE Food Apprenticeship contacts Nicola Kerr and Alison Glover encourage you to discover how apprenticeship training could benefit your business.

high calibre future leaders, improving productivity, increasing staff morale and improving employee retention. HOW APPRENTICESHIPS WORK Combining work, on the job learning and part-time study, Apprentices are employed within the NI agri-food industry for the duration of their programme, attending classes throughout the year. Depending on the programme, these are delivered either in the workplace or at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus in Cookstown. Food and Drink Apprenticeship programmes are fully funded by the Department for the Economy NI offering the learner a study route with no fees. Apprentices are paid by their employer for the duration of their study programme for both working on site and for the time they spend attending classes with the College. HIGHER LEVEL PROGRAMMES CAFRE offers Food and Drink Apprenticeships across a wide range

of levels to suit those in operative and supervisory roles right through to those in technical and managerial roles. Through the Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) and Degree Apprenticeship route, Apprentices can achieve a Degree in Food and Drink Manufacture without incurring any fees – this is a particularly attractive option for young people who have the ambition to succeed but don’t want full-time study at College or University. The HLA and Degree Apprenticeships in Food and Drink Manufacture are validated by Ulster University and have been developed in partnership with industry employers and professionals to ensure that the curriculum is modern, relevant and meets industry needs. Subjects studied include sustainability, supply chain management, robotics and automation, environmental management, food fraud, food safety and leadership to name just a few. These programmes ensure that graduates are equipped with the strong practical skills and the

ADVERTORIAL academic knowledge the industry requires. LEVEL 2 & LEVEL 3 APPRENTICESHIPS CAFRE’s Food and Drink Apprenticeships provide an exciting learning experience. Apprenticeships at Level 2 and Level 3 are offered across all food sectors including bakery, dairy, fresh produce, and meat and poultry. The curriculum for these programmes is developed in partnership with employers to ensure it meets current employer needs and adds value to the Apprentices completing it. APPRENTICESHIP ACHIEVEMENTS Recognising success is important for CAFRE’s Apprenticeship programmes. Recent successes include Lakeland Dairies reaching the finals in the Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards 2022 for the SME Award. The company are delivering a Level 2 Food and Drink Apprenticeship in partnership with CAFRE. In addition, Lewis Connelly from Linden Foods, who is currently studying for a HLA in Food and Drink Manufacture, has reached the finals in the Northern Ireland Apprenticeship

Graduate Jordan Donaldson from Finlay’s Food celebrates his recent success when he completed his Higher Level Apprenticeship in Food & Drink Manufacture through Loughry Campus.

Awards 2022 for the HLA Award. These significant achievements pay testament to the success that both apprentices and employers can achieve through Food and Drink Apprenticeship programmes. DEVELOP YOUR STAFF THROUGH APPRENTICESHIPS CAFRE’s Food and Drink Apprenticeship programmes are essential for providing the Northern Ireland Food and Drink industry with suitably qualified employees to support their sustainable growth in a fast-paced and constantly evolving industry.

Resulting in highly motivated, engaged, productive, knowledgeable and skilled employees, graduates have an impressive CV, a recognised qualification, no debt, and are ready to take on the challenge of being future leaders. These programmes have a positive impact for the learners, for their employers and for CAFRE, with the potential to unearth exciting new talent within the agri-food industry. LOUGHRY CAMPUS CAFRE’s food courses are suitable for school leavers and those interested in developing a career in the food industry. For those with GCSE or equivalent qualifications, study for a Level 3 National Diploma in Food. Honours Degrees in Food Technology, Food Business Management and Food Innovation and Nutrition are available for those who have attained A-Levels or equivalent qualifications.

For more information on Food programmes at Loughry Campus visit www.cafre.ac.uk or email: enquiries@cafre.ac.uk. Discover where a qualification in food could take your career.

MARKETING PAGE TITLE NEWS

LMC BRINGS BACK ITS TRUTH ABOUT BEEF CAMPAIGN

third burst of its high-profile advertising campaign, Good Honest Food - The Truth About Beef, has been launched by the Livestock and Meat Commission

(LMC). Consumers are invited to learn all about the health and environmental benefits of Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured (NIFQA) beef from the comfort of their own sofas. The campaign is strategically timed as January is typically a time when the focus shifts to meat alternatives. The Truth About Beef campaign follows local chef James Devine on a journey to find out what makes NIFQA beef so special. Along the way he speaks to local experts to find out how NIFQA beef is produced and its role in maintaining a sustainable environment, as well as the importance of red meat as part of a healthy balanced diet. The campaign will be shown on Channel 4, UTV, Sky Adsmart. It will be broadcast on Cool FM, Downtown, Downtown Country, U105, Q radio. Outdoor activity will be placed across the province and in the areas of local retailers.

Local Chef James Devine cooks some tasty dishes as part of The Truth About Beef campaign.

“We know from independent research that those who saw the campaign in previous bursts were significantly more likely to purchase NIFQA beef and lamb,” said Lauren Patterson, marketing and communications manager, LMC. “It is hugely important that we are proactive in leading the conversation with impartial facts and consumers are correctly informed about beef and lamb production in Northern Ireland.” For more information about LMC’s Good Honest Food campaign, search Love NI Beef.

MOY PARK RETURNS GLENGORMLEY SHOPPER AS SPONSOR OF BAGS TOP 12 DEALS OF FARMING PROGRAMME CHRISTMAS PRIZE

reland’s leading poultry brand, Moy Park, has announced it is sponsoring the UTV hit series Rare Breed – A Farming Year for the third year in a row. The sponsorship will see Moy Park’s core branded range, which includes primary, breaded and readyto-eat products, feature on primetime television for three months. The popular show has returned for its 10th season, with 14 families from across Northern Ireland giving an inside view of the ups and downs of their year in 2021. Rare Breed takes viewers into the heart of the farming world, giving a unique insight into one of Northern Ireland’s largest and oldest industries. “We are proud to be part of a programme that heroizes Northern Irish farmers and provides viewers with the perfect opportunity to learn more about our outstanding agri-food industry and farming families behind it,” said Moira Mills, senior brand marketing manager, Moy Park. “Each ad break during episodes features stings showcasing mouth-watering serving suggestions of Moy Park products, from a traditional whole chicken for the Sunday roast, to our breaded mini fillets – delicious in a wrap at lunch time or for a mid-week dinner.” Tony Curry, programmes editor at UTV, said: “Rare Breed – A Farming Year is a firm favourite amongst UTV viewers. The 12 episodes take us through the year, and we see how the families continue to carry on despite the continuing challenges of the pandemic.” 34

ne lucky shopper has become £6,500 richer after scooping SPAR’s top cash prize in its popular 12 Deals of Christmas promotion. Patricia McAlea from Glengormley bagged the grand Patricia McAlea from Glengormley, pictured with Olivia finale prize, which Nash, won the 12 Deals of Christmas £6,500 cash prize. wrapped up the 12week campaign at SPAR and EUROSPAR stores and supermarkets across Northern Ireland, winning from thousands of entries by shoppers. “I shop at my local Glenwell EUROSPAR store on the Antrim Road, and I’d been picking up the deals over the weeks with the 12 Deals of Christmas campaign, and entering the prize draw each week too,” said McAlea. “What a great way to ring in 2022.” Patricia was met at SPAR Carnmoney Road by SPAR star Olivia Nash, the Give My Head Peace actor who had been helping SPAR celebrate 60 years in Northern Ireland in 2021, alongside representatives from SPAR NI. Sara Murphy, marketing manager, Henderson Group, said: “We had thousands of entries for our £12,000 giveaway at the end of last year and we have given away £4,500 worth of SPAR NI store vouchers, with Patricia now winning the £6,500 cash prize. “The 12 Deals of Christmas campaign was another great success for our retailers last year, boosting sales during the crucial run up to Christmas, as well as ensuring our shoppers got top value on their festive and everyday essentials.”

EXPORT NEWS

FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH INDIA WOULD OFFER Given the potential, NI Chamber and AGRI-FOOD OPPORTUNITIES our members, including both importers boost exports there by an annual £71m, according to the Department for International Trade. Currently, India charges huge import taxes on important UK exports; for example, 150% on whiskey. An FTA removing costly barriers to trade would help distilleries across Northern Ireland reach customers in India’s huge and growing middle class. he launch of negotiations to “A Free Trade Agreement with India secure a Free Trade Agreement presents significant opportunities for (FTA) between the UK and India businesses in Northern Ireland,” said has been welcomed by the Northern Ann McGregor, chief executive, Northern Ireland business community as offering significant opportunities for many sectors Ireland Chamber of Commerce. “Our members see potential to grow including agri food. export sales within a wide range of The negotiations were launched sectors including key areas such as agriin New Delhi on January 13, with International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie food, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing Trevelyan meeting with her counterpart, textiles and engineering. Further, the benefits of accessing sustainable supply Indian Minister of Commerce and chains and digital expertise are important Industry Piyush Goyal, to formally facilitators for business growth. commence talks on securing a deal. “We would welcome the removal of In 2019, 125 businesses in Northern Ireland exported more than £25m worth market access barriers around issues such as origin on finished goods imports, of goods to India. tariffs and the alignment of standards. Securing an FTA could potentially Ann McGregor, chief executive, NI Chamber.

IRISH WHISKEY ASSOCIATION REPORTS SIGNIFICANT GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENTS

he Irish Whiskey Association has expanded international trade opportunities and protections for the Irish whiskey industry in 2021, according to its end-of-year snapshot. Positive global developments for Irish whiskey in 2021 included: • Inclusion of new rules-of-origin in UK-Australia FTA to protect cross-border Irish whiskey supply chains on the island of Ireland. • Ending of tariffs on Irish whiskey in US and Nigeria, and reduction in levies in Canada. • Over 90% of Irish whiskey global sales are now subject to legal protection. • Investigations of over 55 infringements of the Irish Whiskey Geographical Indication. • The ending of US tariffs on Northern Irish single malts. • Substantial reductions to provincial levies in Ontario and Quebec, Canada’s two largest provinces. • Elimination of 25% Import Adjustment

Tax in Nigeria which was Irish whiskey fastest-growing market in 2021. • Over 90% of Irish whiskey global sales are now subject to legal protection. • Following a 4% dip in global sales in 2020 (as a result primarily of the collapse on sales in travel retail), there has been a strong double-digit percentage rebound in 2021, setting a new all-time high for global Irish whiskey sales. • Latest figures from the CSO show that the value of Irish whiskey exports to India for the first 10 months of 2021 are up 106% compared to the full 12 months of 2020. In 2021, the Association conducted investigations in relation to over 55 infringements of the Irish whiskey geographic indication around the world. “Our vision is to secure the position of Irish whiskey as one of the world’s leading spirit categories, built on a vibrant and sustainable industry,” said William Lavelle, head of the Irish Whiskey Association.

and exporters, welcome the launch of the UK-India trade talks and look forward to opportunities the agreement will provide for the growth of the NI economy.”

LAMB EXPORTS TO RESUME TO USA

ews of the lifting of regulations imposed many William decades ago, Irvine. preventing UK lamb exports from entering the US due to TSE/BSE controls, have been welcomed by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU). “It’s great news that America’s ban on UK lamb exports will come to an end very early on in the New Year,” said William Irvine, deputy president, UFU. “Our Northern Ireland farmers produce quality sheep meat products farmed sustainably on our iconic landscapes, to some of the highest environmental and animal welfare standards in the world. “We’ve been waiting a long time for the ban to be lifted, allowing us to showcase our fantastic product in the American market. It’s a great opportunity and has the potential to provide positive returns to the NI sheep industry. “We are now looking forward to getting our NI Farm Quality Assured lamb, reared from pasture-based farms and packed with healthy nutrients, shipped to the USA for their residents to enjoy. We urge our UK government and meat processors to work closely so that the process can proceed without delay.” Meanwhile, UFU was less welcoming of the new trade deal secured between the UK and Australia in December. UFU President Victor Chestnutt said Australia appeared to have got what they wanted at the expense of local food production.

BUSINESS NEWS

HENDERSON RETAIL RECEIVES GOLD INVESTORS IN PEOPLE ACCREDITATION

enderson Retail, operator of 101 SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA stores and supermarkets in Northern Ireland, has been awarded Gold accreditation against the Investors in People Standard. Gold accreditation means Henderson Retail, part of the Henderson Group, has been recognised by Investors in People to have significant policies in place with the entire workforce taking ownership for making them come to life. Henderson Retail employs over 3,500 people from its headquarters in Mallusk. The past two years have seen the majority of its staff become frontline workers, ensuring people in their communities were stocked with

essentials throughout the different restrictions and lockdowns. “We are extremely proud to have achieved Gold accreditation for Henderson Retail for the second time,” said Sam Davidson, Group human resources director. “This is a significant achievement in what has been a very challenging period.” “We are one of the biggest employers in Northern Ireland and ensure every opportunity to develop fantastic careers is afforded to our employees, as is the very culture of the Group to put our people first.” Investors in People is the international standard for people management, defining what it takes to lead, support and manage people effectively to

Mark McCammond, retail director, and Sam Davidson, Group human resources director, Henderson Group, are pictured with the gold accreditation plaque from Investors In People awarded to Henderson Retail.

achieve sustainable results. Underpinning the Standard is the Investors in People framework, reflecting the latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required to outperform in any industry. Investors in People enables organisations to benchmark against the best in the business on an international scale.

STENA LINE BOOSTS ITS FREIGHT JOLLYES PLANS EXPANSION CAPACITY INTO BELFAST AFTER STRONG SALES GROWTH tena Line has boosted

its freight capacity into Belfast to better reflect market demand created by Brexitrelated trade distortions. The ferry company has redeployed its larger Stena Foreteller ship to the BelfastBirkenhead (Liverpool) route,

adding 13% to freight capacity. Freight routes between Britain and ROI have witnessed a decline of up to 25%, while trade routes into Northern Ireland from Britain have seen month-on-month increases following Brexit. “We are seeing a prolonged distortion of the market in terms of the preferred freight routes between Britain and the island of Ireland,” said Paul Grant, Stena Line trade director (Irish Sea). “This presents an ongoing challenge for the entire logistics industry to keep pace with shifting demand and preferences. “As the largest ferry network operator on the Irish Sea, providing 10 ships and five routes between Britain and the island of Ireland, Stena Line is uniquely placed to respond quickly to changing customer demands which is why we have redeployed the Stena Foreteller to operate on the BelfastLiverpool service. We now have seven ships dedicated to our Belfast hub.” Stena Line is the largest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, with the biggest fleet offering the widest choice of routes including combined passenger and freight services from Belfast to Cairnryan and Liverpool, Dublin to Holyhead, and Rosslare to Fishguard routes, as well as a freight-only route from Belfast to Heysham, totalling up to 238 weekly sailing options between Britain and Ireland. Stena Line also offers a direct service from Rosslare to Cherbourg with 12 crossings per week. 36

ationwide pet retailer Jollyes is pushing ahead with ambitious growth plans after seeing sales surge to a record high, including its busiest Christmas Eve to date when dog owners rushed out to buy presents. In the half year to November Colin Ferguson, sales & business 30, revenue increased to £42m, development management, a 12.5% rise in like-for-like sales Mackle Petfoods - one of Jollyes’ suppliers, with Lily the against a year earlier and 30% dog. boost on the same period in 2019. December sales broke all company records, including a surge in demand for dog toys, reflecting a broader trend of ‘humanisation’ as dogs, cats and other animals are treated like companions amid growing awareness of the mental health benefits of keeping pets. Jollyes is building on its success with plans to open 20 new stores in the next 12 months and looking for more acquisitions following the successful purchase of two businesses in 2021, which took the total number of stores to over 70 for the first time. It is also investing in its existing store portfolio, new product ranges, marketing and recruitment and training to reinforce its position as The Pet People. Among highlights for Jollyes in 2021 were relocating its Newtonabbey store to Glengormley, continued investment in its online offer and launching a recruitment drive. In February, Jollyes will open a new store in Cookstown. It has cemented its relationships with existing suppliers, to develop new and extended ranges, such as its Lifestage dog food supplied by Mackle Petfoods of Co Armagh, widening the availability of frozen yoghurt made by Belfast-based Frozzys and introducing dog beds from Dublin-based Beddies.

APPOINTMENTS

MICHAEL FLETCHER APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NISA

has overseen the successful ichael Fletcher has been deployment of the Retail appointed as the Business Transformation new chief executive programme, which delivered of Nisa, following the a significant step change departure of Ken Towle in The Co-op’s proposition who is joining Asda’s capabilities in 2021. executive leadership team He led the team that as retail director. acquired Nisa, helping create Previously chief commercial the new operating model for Nisa, officer for The Co-op, which Michale acquired Nisa Retail in 2018, Fletcher Fletcher. enabling Nisa to leverage synergies between The Co-op and Nisa and drive will be supported by Nigel Maxwell greater value for partners. (see p20), newly appointed as regional Prior to The Co-op, he spent 22 retail manager for Northern Ireland. years at Tesco, having joined the Tesco Fletcher joined The Co-op’s food graduation programme in 1991. business in 2013, leading the ‘new Fletcher held numerous commercial business’ agenda including the Co-op’s roles across fresh and ambient, including sustainability strategy. delivery of value through price. His first He has extensive operational Tesco director role was in 2001, and he experience, developing and leading went on to be commercial director in commercial strategy, opening new Tesco Malaysia and Ireland. Fletcher led markets and leading integration synergy the Tesco group procurement function initiatives. and the savings programme in Asia Over the past two years, while facing central Europe and UK. the challenges Covid-19 brings, Fletcher

MICHAEL BRANNIFF JOINS BAKER TILLY MOONEY MOORE AS BUSINESS SERVICES PARTNER

ccountancy and advisory firm Baker Tilly Mooney Moore has appointed Michael Branniff as business services partner. Branniff brings over 20 years’ experience in the sector, having joined the firm’s Graduate Training Programme in 2001. Previously business services director, he consults across a wide range of sectors including Construction and Engineering, Hospitality and Entertainment and Waste Management. The senior appointment comes amid a period of sustained growth and development for Baker Tilly Mooney Moore, which specialises in Audit & Assurance, Taxation, Restructuring & Insolvency and Consulting. Branniff joins Stephen McConnell at the helm of the Business Services department

and has ambitions to continue expanding the consultancy service throughout 2022. “I am thrilled to become partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Michale Moore,” he said. “This is a Branniff. significant time for the firm as we continue to grow and expand, and I am pleased to begin 2022 as Partner. “Dealing with the outworking of the pandemic, Brexit, and the constantly evolving business landscape in Northern Ireland places significant pressure on entrepreneurs across a range of sectors who require sound and reliable support. “After beginning my career within the highly-regarded Business Services team at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore, I am delighted to be working with Stephen to expand and grow our consultancy service to enable us to provide advice and support to more companies in the coming months and years.”

ASDA ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO ITS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM Ken Towle.

en Towle will join Asda’s executive leadership team later in the year as retail director, with responsibility for all Asda’s stores. Derek Lawlor, who has led Asda’s commercial team since 2019, has decided to leave the business after six years. Kris Comerford will join the business in late summer 2022 as chief commercial officer, food. Simon Gregg, who currently leads Asda’s online operation, is joining the executive leadership team. Liz Evans has also joined the executive leadership team as MD of George, leading Asda’s fashion and GM business. “We are confirming changes to the leadership of our business as we set ourselves up for the future,” said Mohsin and Zuber Issa, who own Asda with TDR Capital. “The appointment of Ken Towle, Kris Comerford and Simon Gregg to our leadership team will bring a great combination of experience and new thinking to our table.” Ken Towle joins Asda from Nisa, part of the Co-op Group, where has held responsibility for supplying over 4,000 stores across Great Britain and Ireland as CEO since 2018. Prior to leading Nisa, he spent 30 years with Tesco, where he worked in a variety of roles, including stores director, operations director for Home Office, CEO for China and finally MD for Central Europe, Ireland and Turkey as part of the Tesco Exec team. Kris Comerford will join Asda from Tesco, where he has most recently held the role of UK commercial director, Packaged Foods, Fuel and Tobacco. 37

SHELFLIFE

To see your product featured in Shelf Life, contact Judith Martin at j.martin@mediahuis.co.uk or Tel: 07765 183176

EVIAN MAINTAINS PURITY MESSAGE WITH NEW SPARKLING WATER LAUNCH

irst bottled in 1826, evian has introduced its first-ever Sparkling water, an innovation it hopes will awaken the senses through a unique and refreshing sparkling sensation. Crafted by its 15-year natural filtration journey through the glacial rocks in the heart of the French Alps, evian Sparkling continues to encourage healthy hydration**. “evian Sparkling represents new possibilities for the brand, as we reimagine our uniquely sourced water into an exciting new product,” said Shweta Harit, VP of Marketing at evian. “evian Sparkling stands out for its true purity* and freshness – elevating your experiences and keeping you hydrated**. “This new product contains the perfect level of sparkles with its fine bubbles creating a subtle taste and gentle intensity. Available for the first time in recyclable aluminium cans, this latest

innovation demonstrates our longstanding pioneering spirit that runs through everything we do at evian.” The release of evian Sparkling follows the launch of its Drink True global campaign, which celebrates authenticity and honesty, reflecting the purity* of evian mineral water. Now available to purchase at Tesco stores throughout the UK, evian Sparkling is sold in elegant 33cl aluminium cans and will also become available in 1L 100% recycled PET bottles***. Source: *evian is pure, as are all natural mineral waters;**European scientific experts have validated that 2 litres per day of water (from all sources) contributes to maintain normal physical and cognitive functions; ***excluding cap and label

PLADIS LAUNCHES NEW McVITIE’S SHARING TREAT G lobal snacking company pladis is ramping up its offering in the special treats sub-category of biscuits with a first-to-market innovation in the form of McVitie’s Blissfuls. Comprised of a McVitie’s biscuit encasing a Belgian milk chocolate cream centre flavoured with either hazelnut or caramel and then topped with a crunchy and golden baked biscuit lid, McVitie’s Blissfuls are laying claim to a decadent new snacking experience. The latest trailblazing treat from Britain’s biggest biscuit brand* will be available in a 228g sharing pouch. Recognising the important role biscuits play in social connection, this format will also enhance relevance for sweet biscuits during the evening snacking occasion. “McVitie’s has a long-established history of baking the nation’s favourite sweet biscuits, and our everyday biscuits 38

like McVitie’s Digestives, and everyday treats like McVitie’s Chocolate Hobnobs, are firm favourites for morning and afternoon snacking,” said David Titman, McVitie’s marketing director at pladis UK&I. “However, there remains an untapped opportunity for sweet biscuits during the evening, where they currently under-index compared with other sweet snacking categories. This means NPD specifically developed for this consumption moment could help drive huge incremental sales for the category – and that’s where McVitie’s Blissfuls come in.” McVitie’s Blissfuls were first available in Sainsbury’s from the first week of January, followed by roll out across most major retailers in January and February. Source: *The Grocer: Britain’s Biggest Brands 2021

KP SNACKS LAUNCHES £1 PMP McCOY’S SIZZLING KING PRAWN

P Snacks has launched McCoy’s Sizzling King Prawn in £1 PMP format. Rolled out from January, the new product marks the 25th SKU in KP Snacks’ marketleading £1 PMP range. Promising full-on flavour in a popular and versatile format, the new McCoy’s Sizzling King Prawn £1 PMP aims to capitalise on the growth of PMPs and boost retailers’ sales as shoppers continue to search for great value products. McCoy’s is the UK’s number one ridged crisp brand and its £1 PMP range is thriving and outperforming market growth at +33.8% compared to the market at +8.3%*. With prawn the fastest growing flavour within the category, growing at +10% vs the category at +2.7%**, the new PMP is positioned to engage consumers and drive sales. “McCoy’s is a leader in CSN, synonymous with tasty snacks and exciting NPD,” said Matt Collins, trading director at KP Snacks. “As we continue to expand our extensive £1 PMP portfolio, which is already outperforming market growth, we are focused on identifying the perfect flavours and brands to boost sales for retailers.” The KP Snacks £1 PMP range is currently outperforming overall category growth at +10.1%*. Worth £145.9m RSV and growing +11.2%*, the McCoy’s brand is responsible for the number two and three best-selling meal deal choices***.

Source: *Nielsen Scantrack 04.12.21; **Nielsen 12 w/e & 52 w/e 17.07.21; ***Nielsen Scantrack 09.10.21

CLASSIFIEDS WANT YOUR COMPANY TO GET NOTICED? ADVERTISE HERE...

CONTACT JUDITH MARTIN ON 07765 183176 OR EMAIL:

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CLASSIFIEDS

WANT YOUR COMPANY TO GET NOTICED? ADVERTISE HERE... CONTACT JUDITH MARTIN ON 07765 183176 OR EMAIL:

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GROCER ULSTER

50 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

CLASSIFIEDS

Q&A

IN THE

Hot Seat NAME: BETHANY BOYD ROLE: FOUNDER COMPANY: BETTY’S ICE CREAM

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF My nickname is Betty; hence where the name Betty’s Ice Cream came from. I will be 22 in February. I am currently studying at Loughry College for a BSc Hons in Food Business Management, as well as completing a placement year which included working in the industry for six months and, as we speak, I am in Michigan, USA studying at Michigan State University for four months. WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? A typical day could look like getting up early to clean our pasteuriser and batch freezer, collect milk from our local supplier, measure out our wet and dry ingredients to place in the pasteuriser for two hours. During these two hours, we are labelling tubs and lids, stock checking, making a plan of what flavours need to be made or else making specific orders from our new website. We also have to fill out paperwork every day of production for all the ingredients used that day. We have 30 litres of ice cream to make so this means it could take the whole day from the collection of milk to the cleaning of the machines at the end of the day. Saturday can start around 5.30am to get ready for the Tyrone Farmers’ Market in Dungannon. It is usually me and my dad who attend this market and we have to bring our own freezer for the event. After this, my mum is manning the farm which opens from 12-3pm and then we check on our new goat and baby kid, as well as our sheep and take a final stock count for the week. WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? 42

It has been a crazy six months, we are currently stocking Vivo Granville, Mullygarry Farm which has been so useful in getting more feedback from customers, as well as expanding our range to various parts of Northern Ireland. We launched a new website and the orders have been flying in from all over and varying from ice cream cakes to numerous 1 litre tubs. We have been involved in birthday parties and hen parties and this year we already have numerous weddings in our diary. From people having their first spoonful and asking various questions, to actually purchasing the product, is a great delight. It shows that the ice cream speaks for itself. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I like talking to new people who come to the farm, at the market or at an event about Betty’s Ice Cream or just making new connections. I am always interested to hear customers’ ideas of what they have imagined they want for their event and then creating it for them to see their reaction. Ice cream is flexible and since we are a small business, we have the time to play around with flavours and colours to suit our clients’ expectations. WHAT IS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TASK? The hardest task is deciding on how much ice cream to make for certain flavours, due to demand for flavours varying every week. Another difficult task is creating enough social media content to keep our platforms up to date and exciting to new and regular customers.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? ‘You won’t please everybody.’ In both everyday life and business life, we are constantly trying to please people and make sure they are happy. I have had customers love all my ideas I had and thought I had an event to put in the diary, until I said the price. As a business owner I use high-end products to produce the best product, which means it will be more expensive than others. WHAT TALENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE? I would like to be able to be artistic like my mother. She can make something out of nothing simply. WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? The Queen, she has been a rock for our nation for over 69 years. She has lived through family issues as well as country problems but kept herself in great control through any trial that came her way. WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? My favourite place in Northern Ireland is Enniskillen/Fermanagh, I like the quietness and tranquillity of the area. Outside of Northern Ireland, it would have to be New Zealand. The views are just amazing, and it isn’t too warm for travelling. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD PRODUCT? Well ice cream of course, but really I like any food that is placed in front of me. Chinese, Indian, Sushi, Italian etc. I just do not like cauliflower or turnip. HOW DO YOU RELAX? I like to go for a drive with friends, get ice cream, watch Netflix or get food.