Ulster Grocer March 2017

GROCER ULSTER

MARCH 2017

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

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Over 45 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

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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

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MARCH 2017

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Over 45 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

‘Lettuce celebrate’ - Willowbrook supply from Spain back to full strength I

t was one of the worst John McCann MBE vegetable crisis to hit the UK and the biggest setback ever experienced at Willowbrook Foods but at the time of print UG discovered that one of the UK’s most successful salad companies was back to operating at 100 per cent supply.

Unusual weather conditions in Spain and other southern continental locations late last year and at the beginning of 2017 saw supply of lettuce, aubergines, courgettes and broccoli drop severely with some UK multiples rationing sales of the latter produce.

Willowbrook, which had a sales turnover of £22 million last year, had its crops hit badly when 80 per cent of the salad crops produced in Murcia were deemed unusable. And the worst snow in decades hit the company’s other suppliers in Italy but in welcome news for the retail and food service sectors, Ireland’s largest bagged salad processor, Willowbrook Foods, has stated that its supply to customers is back to 100 per cent, with Spanish grower issues having come to an end.

Willowbrook Foods Managing Director John McCann MBE confirmed that the situation has vastly improved and supply to Willowbrook Foods’ customer

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base is back to full strength.

The founder of Willowbrook, who currently employs around 250 people across a food innovation centre as well as two processing plants in Killinchy and Some mutliples rationed vegetable sales in response to shortages Newtownards, took a proactive approach to the situation, spending time in the Murcia region of Spain to work hand in hand with growers in search of a solution.

“We are delighted to report that our supply levels are back to normal,” said John.

“The devastation of the floods in Spain was like nothing we have ever witnessed before. Climate problems began with severe drought and shortage of irrigation water in the Autumn, which caused plants to die. Heavy, continual rain following this, led to floods.

“It was important for me to be on the ground in Spain regularly, alongside our Head of Procurement, so we could work with grower partners and, importantly, keep our customers up to date on the ever-evolving situation.

“Thankfully, we are now back to 100% supply, with temperatures having increased and the climate having stabilised. We don’t foresee any further issues at the current time and are thrilled to be able to reassure our customers of this,” John said.

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BIG INTERVIEW

STORE FOCUS

UG MARKETING AWARDS

MINDFUL EATING

Shane McGuigan

Swift’s, Fermanagh

Have you entered?

Do you mind the gap?

BRC PACKAGING CERTIFICATED

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FORWARD Volume 52, Number 3 March 2017 Editor: Emma Deighan E: e.deighan@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Contributors: Michele Shirlow, Donald McFetridge, Jason Winstanley, Chloe Ormiston Sales Manager: Mark Beckett E: m.beckett@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Senior Accounts Manager: Michelle Kearney E: m.kearney@independentmagazinesni.co.uk

t was with a bit of a spring in our step that we put this edition of UG together. The dawn of a new season allows for every sector to reinvent itself and integrate new trends into their business models. In this issue we discuss what’s happening throughout the trade as well as the thriving mindful eating category, Easter and seasonal foods and new waste legislation affecting your business.

We also look at reinventing ourselves with a little bit of help from boxing coach, Shane McGuigan, whose partnership with Centra is shaping up shoppers across NI. Enjoy the read.

Emma Deighan

Art Editor: Helen Wright Production Manager: Irene Fitzsimmons Ulster Grocer c/o Independent News & Media Ltd, Belfast Telegraph House 33 Clarendon Road Clarendon Dock Belfast BT1 3BG Tel: 028 9026 4267

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Huge support for Targeted Business Rates Relief T

wenty-eight Business Organisations representing Retail, Hospitality, Manufacturing, Food and Pharmacy have all supported the targeted approach to Business Rate Web: www.ulstergrocer.com Relief for the independent retail and hospitality @ulstergrocer sectors as outlined by the Northern Ireland www.facebook.com/ulstergrocer Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA), Subscriptions: £27.50 per month Hospitality Ulster and the Department for

£37.50 outside UK Finance.

Designed & Produced by: In addition Chambers of Commerce from right Independent News & Media Ltd across Northern Ireland have also pledged their Tel: 028 9026 4000 support for the scheme. The coalition of business Printed by: organisations will be writing directly to the leaders W&G Baird, Antrim of the local parties seeking their support for the Tel: 028 9446 3911 hospitality businesses, it will potentially assist new Rates Plan in their Programme for Government Independent News & Media Ltd ©2017. All rights reserved. No part of start businesses in our sectors with a substantial discussions after the Assembly Election. this publication may be reproduced, rate reduction, helping reduce their start-up costs.

In a joint statement, the Business Organisations stored in a retrieval system, or stransmitted in any form, or by Businesses will have the confidence to reinvest and Chambers of Commerce said: “We fully any means, electronic, mechanical, the money that they will save on hiring new staff, support the proposals for a new targeted Rate photocopying, recording, or otherwise further skills training and planning for the future.”

Relief scheme for Retail and Hospitality for £25k without the prior permission of Independent News & Media Ltd. ‘In 2014 the Northern Ireland Centre for NAV (Net Annual Value) and below for qualifying Economic Policy (now UUEPC) made a key businesses” recommendation that the Small Business Rate “This new scheme of over £22million of rate Relief Scheme should be a more targeted scheme, relief is the highest amount ever, and is around focused on encouraging economic growth. The two and a half times the previous relief available.

Rates Plan does just that with the emphasis on This is significant and we urge cross party backing promoting investment and growth in two key for this business-critical plan. sectors, Retail and Hospitality, which make a vital “These proposals are not just supporting the contribution to the Northern Ireland economy’. growth in retail and hospitality, but also given Commentating on wide support from the the independent220mm retail bleed and hospitality sectors’ area Business Organisations, the Chief Executives of commitment to sourcing 210mm trimlocal area produce, they are Hospitality Ulster and NIIRTA, Colin Neill and a real boost for the local supply chain and for the 178mm copy area Glyn Roberts said: agri-food sector among others.

“WeAREA are delighted with the wide support for “We believe this plan is good for town and city EDITORIAL, LOGOS & IMAGES MUST BE KEPT WITHIN THIS our Rates Plan from right across the business centre regeneration, revitalising our villages and community. It is absolutely vital that the parties rural infrastructure and for growing our tourism 3mm commit to implementing this plan in their potential.

Programme for Government discussions after the “Not only will this rate relief scheme be Assembly election.” beneficial for many existing independent retail and

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#LIVETODAYNI

TODAY I’M FEELING SAUCY

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NEWS

380 jobs at risk as PepsiCo plans to close Walkers Snacks factory in Peterlee

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epsiCo has said it is proposing the closure of its Walkers Snacks factory in Peterlee, putting 380 jobs at risk.

The US food giant, which owns the Walkers brand, says the proposal was part of an efficiency drive that would see it move production to other sites across the country.

Around 355 manufacturing site jobs and 25 transport worker positions are under threat as a result.

“In order to improve the efficiency of our UK snacks manufacturing operations, we are proposing the closure of our factory at Peterlee.

“Crisps currently produced at the site would be manufactured at our other facilities in the UK,” PepsiCo said in a statement.

“Peterlee has been an important site for our business but the changes we are proposing present significant productivity and efficiency savings crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainable

Food costs grow but competitiveness protects consumer

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ood prices are edging upwards, but competition between supermarkets is shielding shoppers from cost increases for the time being, figures show.

Overall, shop prices were 1% lower than last February, continuing a trend that has lasted almost four years, the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index shows.

However, the figure is a sharp deceleration from the 1.7% fall in January, while food showed inflation of 0.4% in February - the first inflationary rise since April last year.

Non-food deflation decelerated to 1.8% in February, an easing from the 2.3% decline in January.

British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “It is clear that the significant underlying cost pressures which have been building over the last year are beginning to filter through into shop prices.

“Global food prices were on average 16% higher at the beginning of this year compared to last, whilst over the same period the value of the pound fell around 15%.”

growth of our business in the UK.” Michael Hunt, the regional organiser for the GMB union, said he planned to challenge the move which would see the factory closed by December 31.

“It wasn’t long ago that the Government said they wanted to reinvigorate the region and inject

business into the North East but the opposite appears to be true. For want of a better phrase, this isn’t the Northern Powerhouse, it’s the Northern Poorhouse.”

“This is terrible news for our members - the employees - and their families, and for the town of Peterlee.”

Tracey Foster, the manufacturing director at PepsiCo UK, said: “We appreciate this is upsetting news for everyone at the Peterlee site.

It is a difficult proposal for us to put forward and we want to make clear that it in no way reflects the performance of our colleagues at Peterlee, who we are grateful to for their hard work and commitment.

“No decisions will be made without first consulting employees and their representatives. We would also like to reassure colleagues that we will be providing on-going support and assistance from this point onwards.”

Aldi overtakes Co-op to become UK’s fifth largest grocer A

ldi, the German retailers has increased its market share to 6.2% in the 12 weeks to 29 January compared with 6% for the previous three months, after sales rose 12.4%, well ahead of the market allowing it to overtake the Co-op.

Fraser McKevitt, the head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, said: “Just a decade ago Aldi was the UK’s 10th largest food retailer, accounting for less than 2% of the grocery market. Since then the grocer has grown rapidly, climbing the rankings by an impressive five places.”

He said that Aldi had attracted 826,000 more shoppers than the same period last year after it opened 70 new stores.

Matthew Barnes, the chief executive of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “Aldi customers get products of comparable quality to the leading brands at prices that are significantly cheaper than any of our competitors.

This unique offering is resonating with British shoppers and we are opening 70 new stores this year to help keep up with customer demand.”

While their pace of growth has slowed in the past two or three years, Aldi and Lidl now control nearly 11% of the UK grocery market after the major players Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda all lost share.

The rise of the discounters, which stock a much smaller range of goods than in most rival stores, has led to price cuts across the sector as the traditional supermarkets try to win back shoppers.

Despite being overtaken by Aldi, Co-op sales rose by 2% – also well ahead of its bigger rivals, continuing a run of growth stretching back to July 2015, helping it maintain a 6% market share.

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FOOD & DRINK NEWS

Kerry Foods strikes snack deal with Asda K

erry Foods has secured a deal with Asda to supply its range of fresh food-on-thego products, Coleraine snack packs, to all of the retailer’s stores in Northern Ireland.

The two new chilled lines are the first adult food-on-the-go snack packs, to be produced in Northern Ireland, pairing Coleraine mature cheddar with crackers and a ‘Chunky Country Relish’ or ‘Sticky Chilli Chutney’.

“Snacking is one of the fastest growing consumer trends in the market today - with one in three consumers seeking a more nutritious food-on-the-go option,” explained David Neill, National Account Manager at Kerry Foods.

“Our new product development team recognised this gap in the market and took the opportunity to use one of our core products – Coleraine cheddar – to develop a new healthier snacking product - targeted towards adults. Using Northern Ireland’s favourite cheese, our new snack packs offer consumers an option, which is high in protein and calcium.”

Brian Conway, Asda Buying Manager Northern Ireland, added,“Asda is committed to providing its customers with a wide variety of products which meet their needs. We have seen that options for healthy snacking are increasingly more important to our shoppers - and not just for children, which is why we’re delighted to continue our relationship with Kerry Foods and bring its new innovation to Asda.”

Tayto buys Portlebay Popcorn and Tavern Snacks

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ayto, has bought London-based company Tavern Snacks and partly acquired Devon-based company, Portlebay Popcorn.

Tayto Group, owned by Northern Ireland family, the Hutchinsons, since 1956, already has a portfolio of wellknown names in the snack world, such as Tayto, Golden Wonder, Mr Porky, REAL Crisps and Jonathan Crisp.

This is the company’s first purchase of a popcorn manufacturer and Tayto has acquired just over 75 per cent of Portlebay, bringing the Group’s plant ownership to six. The sale, which was completed last week, comes shortly after the purchase of Tavern Snacks.

Award-winning Portlebay has a range of gourmet-flavoured snackes and currently supplies stores such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Co-Op and a number of independent retailers, mainly in the south of England.

Tayto CEO, Paul Allen, said: “We are really impressed with the innovation and enthusiasm of the Portlebay team and they make a first-class, premium product.

While they will continue to run the business independently from Tayto, we shall of course provide access to all the wider Group capabilities and we are looking forward to seeing significant growth.”

Tavern Snacks was founded in the 1970s and sells crisps and nuts, mainly to the licensed trade in the Greater London area. The company also supplies a huge range of other products, including everything from bar supplies such as straws and cocktail sticks, through to confectionery, pickled eggs, mussels and cockles!

Paul continued: “The purchase of Tavern has allowed us to diversify both by adding another brand and also by introducing their range of nuts to our portfolio.

We are now producing crisps in Tandragee which are being sold under the Tavern name all around London.”

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Moy Park launches social media game show M

oy Park, Ireland’s number one poultry brand has launched its latest consumer marketing campaign, ‘Rule the Roost’ – a new Saturday night gameshow.

‘Rule the Roost’ will target families in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and will be presented by Radio and TV presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin and RTE’s Mairead Ronan. The gameshow, which will be screened through Moy Park’s official Facebook page on Saturday evenings this Spring, will see Mairead and Hector visit four families to challenge them to a series of games to find out who ‘Rules the Roost’ in each home.

Aisling Graham, Interim Brand Marketing Manager, Moy Park said, “As Ireland’s number one poultry brand, we are delighted to engage with our customers through our latest marketing campaign. People love the format of a traditional Saturday night gameshow, and we thought why not bring it to life on social media. The activity is the perfect fit for the Moy Park brand - in keeping with our overarching brand strategy of ‘Share the Goodness’, which focuses on fun, family and happiness.”

She continued: “The Rule the Roost campaign will be supported with a fully integrated marketing activity including, PR, a media partnership with Today FM and retailer marketing support.”

Organic foods experience strongest growth in over a decade at Tesco

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esco has revealed that its organic sales have risen by 15 per cent over the last 12 months.

While its fruit and vegetable organic lines continue to be the most popular choice for shoppers, the multiple has witnessed growth in the sales of organic fish, dairy and general grocery items.

Fruit and vegetables including apples, bananas, carrots, salads and root vegetables were up by nearly 17 per cent while general grocery items were up by nearly 16 per cent, fresh meat was up by 13 per cent and chilled goods such as milk and humous increased by nearly 13 per cent also.

Tesco organic food spokesperson Tina Moore said:“Due to our longterm partnerships with suppliers and producers across the UK, we’ve been able to improve the quality, range, availability and price of our organic products for customers.

“We are seeing that shoppers are increasingly looking to buy organic food but it needs to be affordable and consistently high quality all year round for it to be considered a viable option.

“The popularity of organic food began with fruit and vegetables but we are now seeing customers exploring areas such as grocery, fish and dairy, so you can now use organic produce for the whole meal.”

Adrian Blackshaw, chair of the Organic Trade Board said: “Traditionally the two main challenges for customers buying organic, is the price and the availability.

“Over the last decade we have seen this improve across the industry and now the organic market is in a clear growth phase in the UK.”

BIG INTERVIEW

Health and retail – the right hook The success of celebrity collaborations in the world of retail has been well documented.

Personalities offer a brand endorsement and credibility and are considered, by many consumers, as the arbiters of taste. Here we chat to Shane McGuigan about his high profile partnership with Centra NI and why good health starts in the convenience store…

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nown best for coaching NI boxing legend Carl Frampton and being the son of the celebrated Barry McGuigan, Shane McGuigan is about to shine on his own stage as a fitness ambassador for Centra.

Shane, 28, is one of four health and fitness professionals fronting the retailer’s £1 million yearlong ‘Live Well’ drive – an initiative that sets out to challenge the lifestyles of the general public through food and fitness advice.

It’s the perfect partnership if you consider the young trainer’s credentials; he’s the youngest coach in history to train a world champion and his gym in Battersea is the training stable for not just Carl Frampton but David Haye, George Groves, and five further up and coming pro fighters including Commonwealth gold medallist Josh Taylor.

Working with different body shapes, weight classes and personalities, ‘Shane designs tailored programmes to bring out the best both mentally and physically to prepare the boxers in the highly pressurised lead into a fight’ reads his biog. What’s more, his link to NI, despite having grown up in England, is as strong as ever given Carl’s popularity.

His new ‘stable’ so to speak, will be the customers of Centra NI – the everyday convenience shopper with a will to boost their fitness levels.

Shane will be tasked with the job to provide consumers with ‘the tools and tips they need to get healthier via exclusive videos, podcasts and training plans’ in a 10-week challenge, says the retailer.

He will work alongside nutritionist Jane McClenaghan, mindfulness expert Bridgeen Rea and Olympian and Commonwealth Games competitor, Johnny Davis to provide a holistic programme.

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BIG INTERVIEW His job is to challenge the public to ‘make gradual changes to get active’ - a task he believes fits well with the convenience retailer.

“A lot of people make bad health decisions and that starts in the grocery store,” began the boxing coach.

“What’s great about this health programme is it does so much more than others. Many retailers put labels on food products but people don’t always understand what they mean. This gives it a greater push because there are ambassadors on board explaining how to and if followed the benefits will be great.

“Health and fitness has to start somewhere and I think retail is a good place to start,” he said.

Bringing fitness into the livingroom via Centra and its social media channels is Shane’s big priority. He aims to challenge those who have never embarked on a fitness drive before by making workouts accessible.

“For many people it can be daunting to start a gym or just work out and this is a push in the right direction. My ten-week programme will appeal to all ages and levels and it can be done at home. We’ll have website links, visuals, demos – everything that makes getting into a workout easy and it will appeal to all levels.

“I feel very privileged to share this knowledge. I’ve boxed myself and been training all my life and it’s something I take for granted. I have a love for it and sometimes it’s easy to forget that not everyone lives that way,” he continued.

To complement Shane’s 10-week exercise plan, nutritionist Jane McClenaghan will take consumers through simple ideas to help transform eating habits while Bridgeen Rea will offer tips on how to elevate the stress and anxiety associated with the constant demands and pressures of modern life. Johnny Davis will set out to help new and experienced runners to stay on track with techniques and motivation to ‘run farther, faster and stronger’.

And while Shane is by no means promising to produce any new boxing talent from his latest role, he does add that his input will ‘help if you aspire to be an athlete’.

“It’s an incentive if you want to take your abilities further,” he added.

Raised in England Shane does express a strong affiliation with Northern Ireland. He’s the youngest of four siblings, who grew up here, and he relishes the opportunity to come back to their roots.

“I love the people here, the warmth and the reception. We built Carl in Northern Ireland and now he’s reached an incredible level,” he said, giving thanks to the people of NI for their support.

“I think it’s only fair that we bring the next fight home,” he continued. “A lot of Carl’s fans have spent a lot of money supporting him and have travelled to El Paso, New York and Vegas so it will be great to come back.”

And while he couldn’t confirm a Frampton-Santa Cruz trilogy he did add: “We have a few things in the pipeline. I’m not sure if Santa Cruz wants to come here but there will be a fight in the summer, in Belfast and we are looking at Windsor Park as the location.”

“What’s great about this health programme is it does so much more than others. Many retailers put labels on food products but people don’t always understand what they mean. This gives it a greater push because there are ambassadors on board explaining how to and if followed the benefits will be great.”

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HOVIS LIVE GOOD Enjoy More, Worry Less.

With the launch of the low calorie, high flavour, Hovis Live Good range.

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s a nation, we love bread, but many consumers have started to cut down and seek healthier alternatives.

Now we can have our bread and eat it with the Live Good range of Granary, Wholemeal and White Bread loaves, the latest innovation from Hovis.

Hovis are hoping to continue the success of last year which seen their New Softer Loaf become the fastest selling White Bread loaf in the UK bread market, as well as Bakery Product of the Year 2017.

Hovis Ireland Commercial Director Trevor McCrum said, “We are proud to say that the ‘Live Good’ range has been developed by our Innovation Team in Belfast. It’s actually the most significant Hovis launch out of Belfast in many years, which is testament to the quality of the product.

We’ve really got the best of two worlds here - all the texture, flavour and goodness of Hovis bread, but from only 59 calories* a slice. It’s low in calories, low in saturated fat and high in Vitamin D.” In fact, this new range is brightening Northern Ireland, one loaf at a time. The Belfast bakery created a delicious and nutritious recipe that is high in vitamin D - a vitamin that’s famously difficult to absorb here thanks to our grey, miserable weather. In spite of the NHS recommending that people supplement their diets, most of us don’t get anywhere near enough Vitamin D - something that the new Live Good range aims to help with.

So, Live Good is more than bread, it’s a lifestyle choice.

Hovis want to encourage their customers to look on the bright side of life so they can enjoy more and Live Good. The launch campaign ‘Enjoy More, Live Good’ is all about living life to the max without cutting out the things you love.

“We are proud to say that the ‘Live Good’ range has been developed by our Innovation Team in Belfast. It’s actually the most significant Hovis launch out of Belfast in many years, which is testament to the quality of the product” Hovis Ireland Commercial Director Trevor McCrum

leading a healthy lifestyle without having to sacrifice things that make you happy - ultimately it’s about enjoying more.”

To mark this significant launch from their Belfast bakery and to encourage families to Enjoy More, Hovis are taking part in active fun events across Northern Ireland. The first of which is the sponsorship of this year’s Castleward Challenge with Born2Run. It’s easy to worry less and Enjoy More with Live Good from Hovis.

McCrum continued, “The Live Good range for us is about everyone getting out and enjoying themselves. It’s about

*Calorie count for one slice of Live Good Wholemeal bread

HENDERSON STORE PROFILE

Swift’s family-owned Eurospar proves a staple ‘bread and butter’ offering

BY BRIAN MCCALDEN

Philip Swift

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hilip Swift’s first ever role in the retail food sector was as a door-to-door bread man around picturesque South Fermanagh.

Today, not far off 50 years later, the family’s next generation, son Stephen and daughter Sandra are still serving bread to the people Fermanagh – except they have long since expanded their range to many hundreds – if not thousands of other products and services in their family-owned Swifts Eurospar, Lisnaskea and Spar Roslea.

Stephen explained how the transformation first began: “My dad was running a van-based bread service when he saw an opportunity to diversify.

“Away back in the worst of The Troubles – in

1972 - he saw his chance and bought a petrol filling station in our home town of Newtownbutler.”

Retailing back then was a simpler business but nevertheless Philip and his wife Mary-Agnes started to invest time and money into a business that became a real passion and indeed a family affair.

In 1996 the family purchased their second 12

store close by, in Lisnaskea. Stephen explained: “Formally known as Gannon’s Garage we operated it as an independent initially, it was only a little convenience shop around 1,000 sq. ft., but we knew it was a great site so after two years trade we jumped in the deep end and built a brand new 6,000 sq. ft. supermarket which traded very successfully as SuperValu for almost 20 years.”

Having sold on the Newtownbutler store in 2000 the Swifts purchased their Roslea site in 2007 and have since installed both an off sales and Post Office into this busy border village store.

“In the summer of 2015 we changed wholesale partners and joined Hendersons. We’ve been busy ever since!” he said.

After undergoing a second massive redevelopment in 2016 the store now trades under the Eurospar umbrella and Spar in Roslea.

“The supermarket in Lisnaskea -‘Skea’ as it is known locally – has since moved on to develop what has become a state of the art community supermarket on a huge site of well over two acres,” he added.

FORECOURT Swifts Lisnaskea has now grown into a 12,000 sq. ft. supermarket with eight lanes for petrol and diesel pumps and a generous, adjacent car parking facility for almost 100 cars on site and fantastic scope for further retail units in the future.

Between the two locations the family employs an impressive total of 130 full time and part time staff – making them a considerable local positive

influence in what has often been difficult times in terms of both job creation and job retention across the rural county.

“Becoming a Eurospar in 2015 was a huge transformation,” Stephen said.

“An investment of £1.7million - just completed late last year - meant 40 temporary construction jobs and saw the previous numbers on the two shops’ payroll rising too - and there’s much more to come,” he promised.

“The recent work – five years in the planning – was only completed last November so with the significant improvements offered for both shoppers and staff we are now pleased to be providing what amounts to a community hub.”

Most recently, at the end of February, a Customer Appreciation Day took place with no less than 54 small firms that supply the store locally providing free samples of their products.

“It was our way of saying thanks to the local community for sticking with us during the development which was a massive undertaking especially on a live retail site , builders & customers just don’t mix the easily!” Stephen said.

HENDERSON STORE PROFILE DEDICATED STAFF Manager Ian Elliot and the Deputy Manager, Lucas Zajac explained how the staff all came on board for the event, by dressing up in costume.

Resplendent in a tradesman’s outfit, complete with check shirt, reflective safety vest and a hard hat and even a ‘loaded’ tool belt, Ian said: “We have everything from Disney characters to staff in lederhosen pants so it was obvious everyone in the team took the special day seriously as we thanked our loyal staff for their support – and our suppliers too.

“All the participating suppliers are already winners individually of Great Taste Awards so it was fitting for them to be given an opportunity to further enhance their presence and their sales – and for us all to have a bit of fun too,” Lucas added.

But the proprietor Stephen Swift believes this is what makes the offering different. There is relatively new Lidl just up the road and while it is obviously opposition Stephen knows his customers personally – as was obvious from the level of two-way greetings

by Stephen with customers (on a first-name basis) and Swifts are constantly innovating.

“We open from 6am everyday (Sunday 7am) and have a great trade in the mornings for hot food and the twin Barista Coffee machines are never idle.

“By putting on our Customer Appreciation Day – complete with costumed staff, face-painters for the kids and even whisky tasting for mums and dads - we not only gave something back, but also showed our acute awareness that for the customer a value-for-money, quality offering remains vital.

“We couldn’t do it without that loyal customer base, who we hope will continue to enjoy the service our stores provide for many years to come,” Stephen concluded.

INVESTMENT “The recent investment means we now have a really extensive Deli, hot food to go, fresh meat counter from Irvine’s family butchers and we have also incorporated Quinn’s Gelato alongside a extended off sales – were value and a huge range are major selling points,” he said.

“We have expanded our offering with lots of craft beers, premium spirits and quality wines with the introduction of a wine club in the coming months.

“In March, we are adding another offering, our new coffee shop, Café 33 so we will be well prepared for the coming tourist season when the county opens up for the summer holidays.

“Like every new store, ours is no different in the sense that every week you see something different or an opportunity to try a new product or range in store so in lots of respects the real work starts now and over the next few months there will be lots of little tweaks here and there until we are happy with every little detail but the store certainly has the space to evolve.

“Both myself and my sister Sandra put in long hours each week. We like being on hand to see to the smooth running of the operation but don’t mind that, as we clearly have the same ‘retailing bug’ that our parents displayed back in the day.

“We put a lot back in too. We raise funds for regularly for local charities sponsor events for the local GAA and soccer clubs and of course provide business for our numerous local suppliers.

“Food to go is very popular already, so the addition of the coffee shop and a ‘sit-in’ option will be a further service for the people of ‘Skea and district.

“We are also in discussion with an international fast food franchise which if all goes to plan would really finish off the onsite offering so watch this space.

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Musgrave Matters

MARCH 2017

www.musgravegroup.com

MUSGRAVE RAISES £2.5 MILLION FOR ACTION CANCER

Nigel Maxwell, Centra Sales Director and Gareth Kirk, Action Cancer CEO

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usgrave NI, has reached a massive fundraising milestone, raising more than £2.5 million for local charity partner Action Cancer.

The donation, believed to be one of the largest amounts ever raised by a company for an individual charity in Northern Ireland, was raised

by SuperValu and Centra retailers, along with Musgrave head office staff over the past 15 years.

The funds have gone towards the Action Cancer Big Bus screening and health promotion unit and the charity’s health promotion programme for schools.

Since the launch of the hi-tech Big Bus mobile

in 2006, which SuperValu helped to pay for, Action Cancer has provided over 55,000 breast screenings and 20,000 health checks on board, free of charge.

SuperValu stores have now raised £1.5 million for the Big Bus, and continue to keep it on the road by helping to cover the annual running costs.

Centra retailers have raised £1 million for Action Cancer’s Health Action programme for schools, and 500,000 young people have already benefitted from health education sessions. The project aims to reduce future cancer incidence by making a positive impact on the attitudes of young people towards healthier lifestyles.

Musgrave NI Managing Director, Michael McCormack, said: “One of our key company values at Musgrave is to create and maintain long-term, stable relationships. There is no better example of this than the 15 year partnership that Musgrave and our independent retailers across the SuperValu and Centra brands have with Action Cancer.

“A big thank you to our SuperValu and Centra retailers, their staff and customers, who have

raised a phenomenal £2.5 million to help fund both the Big Bus visits and health promotion schools programme. This ensures Action Cancer can continue to deliver life-saving work across communities in Northern Ireland,” he added.

Action Cancer CEO, Gareth Kirk, said, “Through a partnership spanning 15 years, Musgrave NI’s support is an integral part of Action Cancer’s mobile resource centre, the Big Bus, and our Health Action Schools Programme.

Through this invaluable support, Action Cancer can continue to provide digital breast screening for women aged 40 - 49 and 70+ (outside the NHS screening range), M.O.T. health checks for men and women, and health and lifestyle advice on the Big Bus. Every year the Big Bus, sponsored by SuperValu and its independent retailers, travels to over 235 locations throughout Northern Ireland.

“Action Cancer’s Health Schools Programme, supported by Centra NI, aims to empower and educate individuals and their communities to make informed, positive healthy decisions. At Action Cancer our two key health promotion messages are prevention and early detection.

With thanks to an abundance of fundraising activities and the generosity of both staff and customers Musgrave NI have broken through a huge total to date of £2.5M!” he added.

LOCAL AWARDS ENCOURAGE NI SCHOOLCHILDREN TO GET HEALTHY AND ACTIVE

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housands of schoolchildren are being encouraged to enter the 2017 Health Action Awards, as part of Centra’s ‘Live Well’ initiative, as the leading convenience retailer teams up with Action Cancer for the 15th year of the Health Action Schools’ Programme.

Schools, nurseries and colleges are being encouraged to enter the awards, which will take place on June 6th. Judges are looking for those schools who are involved in health promotion; through providing healthy meal options in their cafeteria, promoting extra fruit and water in school, taking part in extra-curricular exercise programmes, or running cancer awareness initiatives.

There are Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards for nursery, primary, secondary schools or colleges, with over 60 schools expected to be recognised.

A prize of £200 for purchasing school equipment is also up for grabs, and will be awarded to the highest scoring pre-school or nursery, as well as each of the top scoring primary schools, secondary schools or colleges in each of the five Education

and Library Boards.

Action Cancer Health Promotion Officer, Amy Thompson said: “This has been a very successful year for Action Cancer in terms of delivering important health education in schools. We are hoping that local schools will be inspired to enter the 2017 Health Action Awards, allowing us to celebrate the great work they have carried out promoting good health and well-being to pupils.”

Nikki McDowell, Centra’s Brand Manager added: “The programme provides life-saving work by engaging young people with smart ways to improve their health and fitness levels.”

The unique Health Action

Lucia McBride from St Columba’s Nursery Unit, Kilrea launches the 2017 Health Action Awards, as part of Centra’s ‘Live Well’ initiative with charity partner Action Cancer.

Schools’ Programme has delivered healthy lifestyle messages to more than 500,000 young people since its launch 14 years ago.

More than 1,000 nurseries, schools and colleges in Northern Ireland have benefitted from the cancer prevention sessions which include information about keeping fit and active, eating well, being safe in the sun and avoiding the dangers of smoking and alcohol.

Schools, nurseries and colleges can obtain entry forms by contacting Action Cancer on 028 9080 3343 or by emailing Rebecca Dalzell at rdalzell@ actioncancer.org.

INDEPENDENTS

SPAR and RADAR take on childhood obesity St Teresa’s Primary School enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of SPAR Ladas Drive recently as part of the Business in the Community programme. The school, who have been long term partners with SPAR took the opportunity to spend the morning at the Ladas Drive store and learn more about their environment initiatives. 16 children, along with School Principal Terry Rodgers, learnt about how Store Manager Daniel Brown helps to keep the store green friendly before taking part in a quiz on the morning. Pictured on the day: The pupils from St Teresa’s along with Ciara Mulgrew, Business in the Community, Michael Surginor, The Henderson Group, Terry Rodgers, Principal of St Teresa’s,Daniel Brown, Store Manager and Aidan McIvor from The Henderson Group.

Costcutter opens second new pilot store R

isk Avoidance Danger Awareness Resource (RADAR) and SPAR join forces to tackle childhood obesity levels in Northern Ireland Aimed at encouraging healthy eating among young people across Northern Ireland, in a climate where one in three children leaves primary school overweight or obese[1], RADAR (Risk Avoidance Danger Awareness Resource) has announced its new sponsorship deal with SPAR – a strategic collaboration which will see the retailer support the centre over the next three years.

The interactive safety and life skills facility based in Belfast unveiled a specially commissioned SPAR shopfront on its life-sized street scene to mark the beginning of the partnership. Focussed on educating Key Stage 2 pupils on the life-threatening risks of a poor diet, the shop forms the foundation upon which RADAR’s specially-trained staff will deliver healthy eating lessons to visiting schools and groups in a fun, engaging -environment.

Centre Manager at RADAR, Sandra Leo, explains why targeting 9-11 year olds with nutritional advice is of such importance:“Our focus at RADAR is on equipping the young people that visit us with the skills they need to make informed decisions as they embark on their journey through adolescence to adulthood. Poor diet is the biggest contributor to early death around the world – we want to target this in Northern Ireland by giving young people control over their dietary choices.

Bronagh Luke of Henderson Group added: “At SPAR, we recognise that a healthy diet is about balance. We want to make nutritional choices in-store accessible for our shoppers, which will promote good health for themselves and their families. From running event sponsorships to our relationships with local food suppliers and the healthy recipes we produce for shoppers, it’s a message which we are passionate about.

“The partnership with RADAR offers a unique opportunity to speak directly to young people about the importance of healthy eating. It aligns with our CSR objectives, and will form an important aspect of our strategy to improve the health of our shoppers, of all ages, across Northern Ireland.”

C

ostcutter Supermarkets Group has launched its second Costcutter pilot store as part of the rollout of its ‘sector defining’ Shopper First programme.

Shopper First, the company’s brand transformation initiative to drive retailer sales growth, followed an in-depth study of shoppers and brings together new brand and store design, store-level shopper insights and sales driving range initiatives.

The new store, in Leeds, is owned and operated by Costcutter Supermarket Group and will provide the business with direct insights into shopper reaction to the new brand and range initiatives.

Costcutter Supermarkets Group Director of Company Owned Stores, Simon Shaw, said: “Shopper First is the most important development in our 30-year history and it is important that we include company owned stores within the pilot programme to provide insights and analysis that we can share with our retailers.

“This new store follows the same blueprint as the first store in Darfield, South Yorkshire, however we have used the shopper profile information for this area to adapt the offer to meet local needs. This store gives us another opportunity to test the Shopper First programme in a slightly different environment.”

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MULTIPLES - NEWS

Tesco Express takes new home in former Belfast Pub

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new £1million state-of-the-art Tesco Express has opened on University Road Belfast – on the site of an iconic Belfast pub, The Elms, later known as The Globe.

Once part of the Botanic Inns empire of pubs, the landmark building officially closed its doors in 2013 and has remained vacant ever since. Years of speculation were put to rest as Tesco NI officially opened its new store on the 14th of February.

Tesco NI has invested more than £1million in the new store, which will feature one of the biggest sandwich and on-the-go range of any Tesco Express store. The store is also the first to feature card-only self-service checkouts, with a view to offering its customers a more convenient and unparalleled city centre shopping experience.

The new opening will create 14 new jobs and is testament to Tesco NI’s growing presence in Northern Ireland and builds on the findings of a 2016 independent economic impact report, which estimated a 5.7billion contribution by Tesco NI to the local economy in its 20 years here.

Continuing its long-standing support of local producers, the new store will be abundant with Northern Irish produce including locally sourced meat and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Similarly, the new store will feature a beer, wine and spirits section which will offer an array of choice for customers, including locally sourced craft beers, ciders and spirits.

Tesco Express University Road is Tesco

Tesco’s finest voted best Easter Egg T he retail giant’s Belgian Milk Chocolate Hidden Egg has beaten of luxury artisan rivals to win the Good Housekeeping Easter Egg of the Year for the second year.

The Good Housekeeping Institute assessed 127 Easter eggs on their appearance, aroma and texture to find the best eggs for kids, teenagers, adults, sharing and free-from.

With a score of 80/100, it came joint top in a blind taste test with the Bettys Trio Spring Flower Eggs.

In addition, Tesco also scooped second place in the Good Housekeeping Hot Cross Bun tasting with its finest* Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns. The buns were found to have ‘plenty of fruit’ and to be ‘delicately spiced’ – a winning combination for the testers.

16

Northern Ireland’s 19th Express store – offering the choice of a larger Tesco store, but with the convenience of being city centre based. The new store is uniquely positioned to avail of the high numbers of students, professionals and commuters that pass-by on a daily basis.

Commenting on the store opening, store manager, Alexis McIlveen, who has worked with Tesco NI since 2010 said: “We hope to see high numbers of customers due to its central and iconic location. The store is designed with customers in mind and will particularly cater to the on-the-go shopper, to give them a convenient and pleasant shopping experience. We look forward to welcoming new customers to the store in the coming weeks”.

MULTIPLES - NEWS

M&S announces Newry store relocation

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arks & Spencer has revealed plans for a new store which is set to open in The Quays Shopping Centre in Newry later this year.

Currently located in Buttercrane Shopping Centre, the M&S Newry store will relocate to newly built premises opposite the existing Quays Shopping Centre. The move is expected to create new job opportunities in addition to the 110 current employees who will all relocate to the new store.

The new 30,000 sq. ft. store will offer M&S’ clothing and homeware line as well as a Foodhall with over 5,000 food and drink products.

The relocation means that customers will benefit from accessible car parking and extended opening hours.

The store will continue to offer the popular Collect in Store and Food to Order services.

Siobhan Ruck, M&S Newry Store Manager said: “We’re always thinking about how we can deliver

ASDA submits plans for Antrim petrol station

A

sda has submitted plans for a new petrol station at its Antrim store, near to Junction One Retail Park.

The application will seek permission to build a six-pump petrol filling station on land adjacent to the existing Asda store. If approved by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the petrol station will bring greater choice and lower fuel prices to customers in the Antrim area.

Alan Jones, Asda’s Senior Communications Manager, explained: “Antrim is one of our flagship locations, and we look forward, subject to the approval of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, to being able to offer even more choice and convenience to our customers.

“Our application for a new petrol station is ideally timed as Junction One, the neighbouring retail park, will soon seek approval for a major redevelopment. Our plans perfectly complement this exciting ‘masterplan’ for the retail park.

“Asda is committed to doing everything we can to offer the lowest possible fuel prices at all of our filling stations across Northern Ireland. Our fuel prices are completely transparent, and are available daily online - customers will be able to see how low they are before they fill up.”

Asda’s existing customers already benefit from Click and Collect and Home Delivery. The addition of a petrol filling station at the Antrim store will bring added convenience to customers.

great service for our customers. In Newry this means relocating to The Quays which will provide our customers with more convenient, accessible car parking and extended opening hours.

“All colleagues from our existing Newry store will transfer to the new store and we know they’ll continue to bring their passion, experience and dedication to serving local customers.

“As a local girl, I am committed to working with residents and customers to make a difference locally and am keen to continue to work in partnership with local businesses to deliver a vibrant shopping experience at our new store.”

Commenting on the announcement, Parker Green’s Managing Director, Dr Gerard O’Hare said: “We are delighted to welcome Marks & Spencer to the Quays Shopping Complex which is already home to some of the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious retail brands.

“This latest 20 million pound investment will create many new jobs both during construction and when operational, provide our loyal customers with the highest quality of choice and reinforce that both the Quays Complex and Newry City Centre remains as the premier location for retail.”

Sainsbury’s commits to removal of cotton bud plastics I t’s become the first retailer to publicly commit to the removal of 100% of plastics in its cotton buds, a move that means the adhesive, which holds the cotton bud to the stem, will be replaced by a fully biodegradable substance that – unlike common strong adhesives – will be 100% free from plastic.

The multiple will share details of its new biodegradable adhesive with others to encourage further uptake it said.

This is not the first time Sainsbury’s has shown dedication to green initiatives. All of its ownbrand products are currently microbead free.

Each year, Sainsbury’s sells over 300 million own-brand cotton buds, with the revised products expected to remove over 50 tonnes of plastic from production.

While cotton buds are not designed to be flushed away, despite on-pack warnings, many end up in the sea as consumers flush them down the toilet rather than disposing of them in household waste. The Marine Conservation Society’s 2016 Big Beach Clean Report found that the number of cotton bud sticks found on UK beaches had doubled since 2012, from an average of 11 to 24 for every 100 metres. This move means neither plastic stems nor the plastic based adhesive will end up in the sea.

In addition to these changes, Sainsbury’s also plans to increase the prominence of the ‘do not flush’ warnings on the front of cotton bud packs, introducing a new industry-standard marking to help advise customers.

Speaking of the switch Judith Batchelar, Director of Sainsbury’s Brand, said: “We’re always looking for ways to make our products more sustainable and switching to a biodegradable adhesive to our own brand cotton buds is a great example, furthering our promise to remove the plastic stems. Openness and sharing within the industry is going to be key in driving the uptake of sustainable choices, which is why we are committed to share the new biodegradable glue once it’s developed. This is more than making a competitive product, it’s doing what’s fundamentally right for the environment.”

17

My Life in the Grocery Trade Colleen Moss, Account Manager, Contract People delivering cost effective tactical solutions, Reporting and Insights in order to form commercial decisions from the field data we collect, Asset Management and Business Development.

WHEN DID YOU TAKE UP THIS POST? I have just recently taken up the post of Account Manager this year; previously I was Account Executive and Senior Account Executive.

BRIEFLY OUTLINE YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY TO DATE. Prior to and during university I had a range of roles as bartender, Administrative Assistant, Retail Assistant, Brand ambassador and even an Assistant Teacher in a special needs school.

After University, I worked in a law firm as a Company Secretary for nearly two years followed by a year in San Francisco as an Event Manager.

In 2014, I started as an Account Executive in Contract People and I haven’t looked back. The fast paced environment and variety Contract People offer has enabled me to flourish and develop the skills I have gathered from my previous roles.

WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? Where do I start? Like most roles, people skills are an important part of the job and are essential for building and developing client relationships and training and motivating staff. There is also Financial Planning and Control in relation to

WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? I have been in the fortunate position whereby our company just keeps growing and are consistently taking on new challenges. As such the rewarding nature of the role has to be the best part for me.

Being part of a dynamic, growing work environment means we are constantly delivering good results, exceeding client expectations and developing people in the process. After becoming part of the PRL Group, I am sure there is even more opportunity for our business to grow- exciting times!

The worst part of the job is perhaps the unpredictable nature. A lot can potentially go wrong in a last minute tactical project which can create a stressful environment but then again that’s what keeps me on my toes.

BRIEFLY OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY. There is no such thing as a ‘typical day’ in our office however every day does start the same- with a nice (strong) cup of coffee. I then check my to-do list as well as my emails to incorporate any new priorities. If I have a tactical project starting I will meet with the staff to ensure they are fully briefed, walk them through the warehouse to show them the POS involved with the project and then send them on their way. I constantly keep in touch with all members in the field and immediately report any issues to the client to ensure there are dealt with

efficiently.

Our real time reporting system also allows us to easily keep on top of the data collected from the field so that we can draw insights in a timely manner and feed back to the client promptly. There are usually a few projects running simultaneously so while I am managing the activities in the field, I would also be preparing for upcoming activities by preparing quotes and journey plans.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? We often don’t take time to stop and appreciate our achievements; so when we do it’s hard not to be proud. I think my proudest moment recently was at an end of year review for a client when I realised how much we had actually achieved throughout the year. We exceeded presell and secondary display targets by 68% while also maintaining over 90% distribution on 25 core products- not a bad year!

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL RETAIL INDUSTRY? The retail industry is fast moving and ever changing so the best thing is having access to an established network of successful business people, being able to share best practice and continually learn from their experience.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? I enjoy the gym and equally I love a glass of wine and an Indian Takeaway.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW. I was on School Around the Corner with Frank Mitchell when I was younger- I feel like it is safe to admit as there is no record of it online.

FOOD NEWS

Inspirational industry in the spotlight

BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

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ollaboration, one of the biggest achievements of last year’s Year of Food and Drink, was demonstrated strongly at a recent gala ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of the initiative that is widely seen as an outstanding success. It proved to be a hugely impressive occasion that was enjoyed by all in attendance.

The first ever Year of Food and Drink Awards, organised by the Belfast Telegraph in association with Tourism NI, Food NI and Invest NI, saw 90 entries, representing a host of inspirational initiatives by local councils, other community bodies, retailers, foodservice organisations and individual companies.

The range and variety of the initiatives on-theground helped to increase awareness of the range, quality and rich flavours of food and drink now being produced here by large and small companies.

This heightened awareness is encouraging consumers to look closely at what our producers have to offer. And the many retailers who have backed Year of Food and Drink are making it easier for shoppers to buy local first.

The enthusiasm being shown by retailers for local produce was evidenced by retailers such as Spar NI and Tesco NI featuring in the recent awards and associated shortlists. Spar’s The Kitchen and Enjoy Local Meat, along with Tesco’s 12 month Taste Northern Ireland campaign, proved to be hugely successful.

I hope that 2017 will see a continuation of these and the introduction of other retailer-led activities.

Food NI will continue to support these in any way we can. They provide an excellent business platform for local food and drink companies. Good progress was made in 2016 in promoting local food and drink. But a sustained campaign will be required, to persuade people here, to seek out new innovative producers and make local food and drink their preference.

Coming out on top were council-led schemes to harness the potential of our exceptional food and drink in promoting tourism. Derry-Londonderry and the North West emerged as the most successful destination because of the success of events such as the LegenDerry Food Festival and Flavours of the Foyle.

There were awards too for Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council for its extremely successful Food Heartland programmes and for Ards and North Down Council’s Comber Farmers’ Market, among the most popular of the new markets that have emerged in many parts of Northern Ireland.

There were commendations for Causeway Coast and Glens and Belfast councils, the latter for the iconic St George’s Market.

The work of the Lough Neagh Partnership’s EatEel campaign and the Lough Neagh Fishermen’s

“We have a very strong foundation of industry collaboration.”

Co-Operative Society, recognised in the awards, has also resulted in retailers stocking and leading chef cooking one of our three EU Protected status foods. Another PGI product to figure in the awards was the Comber Earlies Potato Festival in the county Down town, a festival organised by the local council.

Producers winning awards and commendations included Mash Direct, overall winner of the Food Innovation Award, with Cavanagh Free Range Eggs.

And it was good to see a private sector initiative, Sperrin Far and Wild, recognised in Food Tours

and Trails. It’s among 17 tours now operating in Northern Ireland which offer tourists attractive options and also introduce participants to local food and drink producers and thereby helping to increase awareness of local produce.

The challenge ahead – being addressed by Food NI in conjunction with Tourism NI – is to develop the relationships from 2016 for the benefit of the food and drink industries. We have a very strong foundation of industry collaboration on which to create even greater success and to build our reputation as a great, innovative food region.

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JASON WINSTANLEY COLUMN

Consumer Insight and Market Update 2017: Where Now for Food Service?

BY JASON WINSTANLEY, MOY PARK SENIOR INSIGHT AND RESEARCH MANAGER

O

ver the past eighteen months the UK grocery market has struggled for growth, subdued by a combination of low inflation and heavy price discounting. Meanwhile, the food service market has delivered very good growth1.

However, with inflation continuing to climb (January’s level of 1.8% was the highest for two and a half years2) and pressures mounting in the form of increased labour and material costs, what can we expect for the sector in 2017?

The high-water mark for eating out in the UK may well turn out to have been 2015, a year which delivered rising disposable income throughout the year, and in which consumer confidence, untrammelled by Brexit concerns, continued to grow. That was a year which delivered 2.5% growth in the sector and 2016, despite the instability which the Brexit vote brought, followed up with a respectable performance of 2.0% growth. With increasing inflation now starting to squeeze disposable income for consumers, one could be forgiven for thinking that, for food service, the party may be drawing to a close. Yet this appears not to be the case. In their latest forecasts for the sector, industry specialists MCA Insight predict overall growth of 1.7% in the year ahead. This would represent a solid performance in an unstable climate, and against the backdrop of what is expected to be the lowest rate of openings of new outlets for the last five years. A shortage of premium, affordable locations, caution on the part of many operators and increased labour costs driven by the imposition of the Living Wage are 20

all factors which mean that the expected 0.3% growth in new outlets will be less than half that recorded in the zenith year of 20153. However, one compensation could be that the decreased value of the pound means that it is likely that more Brits will holiday at home, and there will be more visitors to the UK, both of which could drive more traffic for food service.

In terms of channel performance, MCA expect that the fastest growing will be Branded Contemporary Fast Food – the likes of Leon and Itsu, for instance. This channel is expected to grow at 16%, but more Traditional Fast Food – McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC – is expected to deliver a far-from-sluggish 4.1% growth. Both channels also have the benefit that they offer a little bit of indulgence or variety for consumers at a very affordable price – a fact that should not be under-estimated if the squeeze on income turns out to be deeper than expected. If this does prove to be the case, both Contemporary and Traditional Fast Food are well placed to benefit from the so-called ‘Lipstick Effect’ which

sees increased spend on little luxuries during times of financial hardship. At the other end of the spectrum, though, Pubs and Independent Restaurants are expected to fare less well, and higher-cost Independents, especially, will be more vulnerable if the economy does hit a rocky patch3.

Still, all in all, food service is a sector in robust health, and one which is well positioned for the challenges of the year ahead, not least because consumer spend continues unabated in many non-essential areas, with the likes of cinemas and hotels seeing very strong spend growth4. This suggests that, if consumers do find that they need to make cutbacks during 2017, there are plenty of avenues for them to do so, with the result that any impact of reduced spend is likely to be shouldered by several different sectors.

Sources: 1 – Based on Kantar Worldpanel (grocery) and MCA Insight (food service); 2ONS, January 2017 figure; 3 – MCA Insight, January 2017; 4 – Based on publicly available credit card spend data, January 2017

ENERGY & POWER

ENVIRONMENT AND YOU I

t is widely reported that in the UK 15 million tonnes of food is lost or wasted each year, with 4.2 million tonnes of edible food thrown away annually.

From April 1 2017, any workplace binning more than 5kgs of food waste will need to dispose of it in a different bin and have it collected separately from a general waste collection.

The new duty, administered by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, is set to affect more businesses than ever before, unlike previous legislation where mainly cafes, restaurants and hotels were affected.

Waste collection services have upped the ante to ease the burden for retailers including

RiverRidge which can service up to 95 per cent of Northern Ireland business locations.

Also, in response to tighter legislation, TAPP, in collaboration with the UK’s largest retailer, and its partners FoodCloud and FareShare, has developed and deployed a Food Donation Service application which enables retailers to donate surplus food to charities.

The application is a plug-and-play solution that integrates with FoodCloud’s logistics channels which match retailers’ stores to charities.

The Food Donation Service solution integrates with a retailer’s stock, price and waste services to digitally track and trace what is being donated. The solution has been

designed in consultation with retailers to ensure it is simple and easy to use.

Retail colleagues check stock levels and notify charities of the types of products which will be available using the FoodCloud app, and if accepted, charities/logistics partners come to collect the chosen products. On collection, the products with short shelf lives are barcode scanned using TAAP’s Food Donation Service application, which then creates a “shopping basket” for charities to accept. The Food Donation Service is currently live in over 1,300 stores [correct at time of going to press] across the UK and ROI and has already managed to save the equivalent of 5.1M meals going to waste. >>

21

ENERGY POWER

RiverRidge Makes Sense of Approaching Food Waste Legislation F

ood waste is certainly taking centre stage at the moment, with reports outlining an astonishing 4.2m tonnes of the food thrown away in 2015 was deemed as edible at some point before it was put in the bin. The foods most commonly found in bins are bread, vegetables, fruit and milk products.

Now in an attempt to regulate the amount of food waste sent to landfill by businesses every week, The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is set to introduce further food waste legislation on 1st April 2017. The latest duty will outline that any workplace producing more than 5kgs of food waste per week will need to manage this waste separately

to its general waste volumes.

Previously such legislation mainly affected food producers, but now as the threshold stands at 5kgs, more businesses than ever before stand to be caught up in this new legislation.

In accordance with the latest legislation, one company firmly focused on assisting affected businesses meet the new obligation in order to avoid penalties, is Northern Ireland’s largest and most experienced waste management operator, RiverRidge.

Pamela Jordan, Business Development Manager of RiverRidge said; “As regulations continue to intensify, it is important for affected businesses to have a waste management partner that is compliant with new legislation. We have an experienced team who has worked with a diverse range of businesses and is able to develop waste management solutions for every business regardless of the business size or sector.”

Now based across four sites, Coleraine, Belfast, Derry-Londonderry and Portadown, RiverRidge has evolved into Northern Ireland’s leading and

most experienced specialist of waste management solutions. With over 3,000 customers, ranging from corner retail units to large multinationals, RiverRidge has ensured the organisations it deals with receive a bespoke service which is always resource efficient and cost effective.

Pamela adds, “For many businesses, food waste is inevitable, however food waste does not need to go to landfill. At RiverRidge, our goal is primarily to deliver an efficient and effective service that will help businesses extract savings from new efficiencies in recycling. We offer a food waste management service that starts with advice on how to effectively separate food and finishes with the collection and disposal of this food waste.

“RiverRidge operates within the industry’s most stringent procedures and we are in a position to offer peace of mind during a time of great change.

Embracing the new regulations is an excellent way to help your business become more resource efficient and the new duty will lead to a reduction in costs for businesses as well as a cleaner, greener environment for everyone.”

Introducing a new food take-away service.

As Northern Ireland’s largest waste management company, we’re perfectly placed to help your business comply with new food waste disposal legislation that comes into force on April 1st for businesses producing more than 5kg of food waste per week.

Call us today to arrange a free audit and to discover how much our take-away service could save you.

Belfast

Derry-Londonderry

Portadown

Coleraine

T: 028 9060 1384 T: 028 9074 7341

T: 028 7134 7788

T: 028 3835 3555

T: 028 7086 8844

riverridgerecycling.com

22

EASTER FOODS CONFECTIONERY

EASTER CONFECTIONERY AND FOOD A

ccording to Mintel seven in ten UK shoppers spend money on Easter with more than half (53%) splashing out on chocolate gifts.

Women are the biggest consumers of chocolate Easter gifts (62%) while one quarter of shoppers say they are prompted to buy chocolate when they see seasonal products such as bunny shapes.

The Easter egg and confectionery market is estimated to be around £250 million, the in-home food and drink segment of Easter spend is priced at £120 million while gifts sit at £112 million.

Such is success of the Easter confectionery market, and its savoury food counterparts, category developments and innovations have been frequent.

Europe is driving the innovation, according to Mintel, with new product launches growing 18 per cent between 2013 and 2014.

Seasonally themed ranges and merchandising are key to targeting this market as too is a wide selection of products; from child-friendly to gourmet and Fair Trade eggs as well as Sunday lunch food components; including roast joints, and vegetables.

Adequate stock of Easter eggs, chocolate gifts and the seasonal food products is also instrumental in captivating this market.

In 2015 UK it was reported that supermarkets ran out of Easter egg stocks ahead of the holidays, a misjudgement that cost £5.2 million in sales revealed IRI. The convenience market researcher also said high end products like Lindt outperformed the market in 2015 with sales worth £17 million in the multiples alone.

Convenience stores are ideally placed to profit from last-minute purchases with the right event management.

23

Your Community

Saturday 25th March from 10am

Moat Street

Ashbury

Ardoyne

O’Kane’s Carrickfergus

Creighton

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Maghera

Ballymoney

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Hatfield

Creightons of Ba

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Dundonald

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All s proceedcer go to Cafnor Fund n Childre

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NI Charity Commission Number NIC100532

Mileston

Hillcrest

Banbridge

In Partnership with

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ADVERTORIAL

Smoky BBQ Stand ‘N’ Stuff™ Soft Beef Tacos Ingredients • 1 Old El Paso™ Smoky BBQ Stand ‘N’ Stuff Soft Tacos Kit • 500 gminced beef • 1 lettuce, shredded • 2 tomatoes, diced • 125 ggrated cheese Instructions Sizzle your Filling • In a hot pan, add a splash of oil and start browning your 500 g of minced beef. Then drain off any excess liquid and sprinkle in the Smoky BBQ Seasoning Mix, before adding 50 ml of cold water to the pan. When it is boiling, it’s time to stir it up. Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Warm It Up • Take the tortillas out of their packaging – it is important not to oven heat or microwave the soft tortilla shells in the plastic packaging. To heat in the microwave, put them on a microwaveable plate, on full power, for 30 seconds. To oven heat, pre-heat the over to 165⁰C (same for fan assisted ovens) / gas mark 3 and wrap the tortilla shells in foil before placing on a baking tray in the oven for 7-9 minutes.

Stand, Fill & Top • Fill your Stand ‘N’ Stuff™ Soft Flour Tortillas with your freshly cooked meaty filling and top with freshly diced tomatoes, chopped lettuce, the provided Taco Salsa and grated cheese – then get stuck in!

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Explore Our Products Y

ou’ve got your friends together, the music’s playing and you’re in the mood for an authentic Mexican feast. Whatever you get stuck into, our soft and toasty, oven baked tortillas, chunky salsa, and twice cooked, crunchy nachips will add the spirit and flavour of Old El Paso. Mix ‘em up.

Share ‘em out. And let the fiesta begin.

STAND ‘N’ STUFF™ BBQ SOFT TACO KIT

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tand ’N’ Stuff™ Soft Tortillas are extra soft and the uniquely “boat-shaped” tortillas will hold all your mouth-watering fillings in at every bite. Easy to fill and eat! The handy way to enjoy all the vibrant flavours of Mexico.

Don’t know what to fill them with? Don’t worry! Our Stand ’N’ Stuff Soft Taco Kits come ready with everything you need, you just need to buy the fresh ingredients.

ADVERTORIAL STAND ‘N’ STUFF™ CRISPY CHICKEN SOFT TACO KIT hought tacos were always crunchy? Think again! Our new Stand ‘N’ Stuff Soft Taco Kits contain 8 Stand ‘N’ Stuff Soft Flour Tortillas, which are uniquely shaped to make them easy to fill and eat with delicious taco fillings so that everyone can get involved in the fun! Inside you’ll also find a mouth-watering Crispy Chicken Seasoning Mix and a delicious Thick ‘n’ Chunky Salsa, all the key ingredients you’ll need to make a Mex-tra special taco meal everyone will love!

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Stand ‘N’ Stuff™ Crispy Chicken Soft Taco Kit These tacos come together in a flash and will disappear from your table quickly.

To accompany!!

Add a little extra!

Squeezy Chunky Salsa Our rich and tangy salsa adds something to any Mexican dish.

Whatever you’re making for the family, cheesy nachos, crispy chicken fajitas or hot beef tacos, lashings of our squeezey salsa will add a real Mexican kick.

Squeezy Cool Soured Cream Topping Our cool soured cream topping will take the heat out of your burrito, fajita or taco. Throw a dollop on the side of some nachos for a rich and creamy dip.

Ingredients • 500 g chicken breast fillets, cut into small pieces • 1 pack Old El Paso™ Crispy Chicken Seasoning Mix • 1pack Old El Paso™ Stand ‘N’ Stuff™ Soft Flour Tortillas • 2 tbsp mayonnaise • 1tbsp Old El Paso™ Garlic & Paprika Seasoning Mix for Tacos • 100 g grated cabbage • 85 g grated cheese • Barbecue sauce Instructions 1. Heat up the oven to 225°C, (205°C for fan assisted ovens), gas mark 7. Throw the chicken, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and the Crispy Chicken Seasoning Mix into a plastic freezer bag, close and shake until the chicken strips are coated in the rich spices.

2. Lay the chicken strips out on a baking tray and throw them in the oven for 18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, golden brown and crispy.

3. In a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise with taco seasoning mix and stir in cabbage.

4. Heat tortillas as directed on package.

5. Fill each warmed tortilla with cabbage mixture, chicken and cheese. Drizzle with barbecue sauce. Enjoy!

Squeezy Chunky Guacamole Dip Smother it over crunchy nachos or pile it into in a juicy beef burrito, our squeezey guacamole is made with ripe avocados infused with fresh aromatic herbs and a bit of lime for some zing. A delicious addition to any Mexican dish.

Tel: 028 9267 3316 27

AGRI-NEWS

‘Uncertainty on the horizon for local farmers’ - Danske Bank Pictured at Danske Bank Agri Outlook 2017 breakfast event are Danske Bank’s Head of Agribusiness Robert McCullough (left) and Economist Conor Lambe (right), with Chairman of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists Sam Butler (centre).

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orthern Ireland’s farmers and food producers must embrace change and focus on the potential opportunities that could exist in a postBrexit economy, while at the same time putting in place clear strategies to deal with short term uncertainty, Danske Bank said at its recent ‘Agri Economic Outlook Breakfast’.

The event, held at James Street South, Belfast, discussed Brexit concerns including unanswered questions over support and access to markets.

Danske Bank’s Head of Agribusiness, Robert McCullough, said that if farmers and food businesses accept Brexit is going to happen, then they must look at how they can capitalise in the years ahead.

He said: “We are operating in one of the most lucrative markets in the world and this presents us with huge opportunities. The domestic UK market is only 76 percent self-sufficient and globally populations and incomes are rising, so we need to find ways to maximise how we sell into those markets.

“Northern Ireland producers meet high expectations for provenance, traceability and welfare, and with the ability to shape our own farming policies and a competitive advantage created by the weakness of Sterling, there are opportunities for the sector to further increase the contribution it makes to the local economy.”

However, Mr McCullough also said the bank is well aware of the numerous challenges facing the sector and continues to advise farmers to be realistic.

“We know there are challenges and not just from Brexit. The exchange rate benefits may be short lived and there is a lack of clarity on political support for the agriculture sector, which has traditionally been weak at Westminster, so it is important we have a local Minister in place sooner rather than later. In terms of the financial support that will replace payments that many farms currently rely on from Europe, there is also a high chance they will be asked to do more with less,” he said.

“We continue to urge farmers to deleverage while times are good rather than taking on more debt, to review the viability of their business to see how they might cope with less support, and to be disciplined when it comes to cashflow. Local farmers and producers are extremely resilient and Danske Bank is committed to supporting sustainable businesses as they strive to succeed in 2017.”

Delegates attending the event also heard from Danske Bank Economist Conor Lambe, who agreed that the global picture is mixed for the agrifood industry.

He said: “Economic growth is expected to slow in both the UK and Northern Ireland in 2017.

Inflation is increasing and is expected to rise further this year, squeezing households’ purchasing power and leading to lower consumer spending growth.

Uncertainty relating to Brexit is also likely to act as a drag on business investment. Real GDP should rise again this year, but the rate of growth will likely be lower than last year.

“We expect the local agriculture, forestry and fishing sector to grow, but at a low rate, both this year and in 2018. We are projecting real GVA growth 0f 0.3 percent in 2017 and 0.2 percent in 2018. We also expect employment in the sector to grow by around 0.3 percent in 2017 but to slow to 0.1 percent next year.

“The weaker sterling should provide a short-term boost to agri-food businesses that sell overseas. This is particularly pertinent for dairy firms within the food and drink processing sector, where exports make up around 45 percent of total sales.

“However, looking towards the longer-term, there is considerable uncertainty on the horizon for local farmers. Questions remain around what access Northern Irish businesses will have to the EU market, including the Republic of Ireland, once the UK leaves the European Union. While funding to farmers has been guaranteed until 2020, it is not yet clear what will happen in the years to follow.”

BSE negligible risk status sends out positive image

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he Ulster Farmers’ Union says that the recommendation from the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Scientific Commission, that Northern Ireland be recognised as an area having negligible risk for BSE is encouraging news and emphasises how close Northern Ireland is to receiving official BSE negligible risk (BSE NR) status.

Commenting on the recent announcement, UFU Deputy President, Victor Chestnutt said, “The UFU have been pressing DARD, now DAERA, since December 2015 to prioritise this application, seeing it as a way to dismantle costly BSE controls that are no longer proportionate to the risk.” He added that while the current ‘controlled risk’ status opened many markets, the NR status would send ‘a more positive image’ of our animal health status to countries the local beef industry wants to access.

“Our industry has worked hard to get into a position where we can supply a product that meets worldleading standards. However we have been held back by the stigma associated with BSE as we try to access new markets,” said Mr Chestnutt. He added that Northern Ireland has the right credentials for ‘BSE negligible risk status’ and it is hoped the outcome will be positive at the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) annual congress in Paris, May 2017.

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AGRI-NEWS

Milk Price Indicator to be reinstated

UFU concerned by rural crime figures

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he Ulster Farmers’ Union says the latest statistics for rural crime highlights that despite efforts to curb this, the countryside and farmers remain soft targets for criminals. It says it will continue to press the PSNI to focus more resources to tackle this, while recognising that individual police officers do their best to engage with farmers, within the limits of the budgetary restraints forced on them.

The UFU says those drawing up budgets must recognise that rural areas are exposed, and deserve as much protection as towns and cities in Northern Ireland.

The latest statistics highlight a nine per cent increase in agricultural crime, with livestock theft an almost daily problem in some areas. Figures from the NFU Mutual, the biggest farm insurer, also suggest the value of thefts is rising, as thieves target expensive machinery and livestock.

“The figures highlight our frustration,” said the UFU’s deputy president, Ivor Ferguson. “We can see from them where the problem is worst – Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon and Newry. In these areas we need the PSNI to respond to these statistics,” he said.

The UFU says a major cause for concern is the split between theft in rural and urban areas. “Despite much smaller populations and housing density, in many areas rural theft and burglary now account for a third and up to half the crime of this nature. That is simply unacceptable,” said Mr Ferguson.

He added that a further frustration for farmers was that when those charged with rural crimes appear before the courts sentences fail to reflect the impact of their crimes. “The judiciary needs to realise that these are not victimless crimes – but crimes that often leave people feeling vulnerable and isolated in rural areas,” said the UFU deputy president.

New report highlights farmers’ contribution to wider economy

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he Ulster Farmers’ Union president Barclay Bell has praised a report from Development Economics, commissioned by the NFU, that shows farmers spend in Northern Ireland is providing a £486 million boost to the economy.

The report, says the UFU, clearly demonstrates the vital role of farm businesses. “This is the first time the total contribution of agriculture overall to the UK and regional economies and society has been calculated.

Clearly, the contribution of farmers to the economy should not be over looked and this report backs our calls that agriculture needs to be a priority as preparations get underway for leaving the EU,” said Mr Bell.

Calculations for the UK as a whole show that the monetary value of primary food production, environmental services and tourism, in 2015, is estimated to be £46,496 billion meaning that for every £1 invested in farm support in the UK, farming delivers £7.40 back to the economy. The report also recognised that agriculture makes significantly above-average contributions to the economy in Northern Ireland.

“These figures prove that money invested in farming by the government delivers significant return for the Northern Ireland economy and the wider UK economy. Farmers and their families are at the heart of the rural community and are clearly economic drivers spending £486 million on goods and services in 2015.

These businesses, such as vets, animal feed merchants, machinery mechanics, contractors, need productive and profitable farms to do business with and without them they will ultimately face an uncertain future.

“The report shows that investing in farming in Northern Ireland and the UK makes sense and that there are clear economic, environmental, social, and cultural benefits for society as a whole. Ultimately it means affordable, traceable, high quality food for consumers and ensures that we have security when it comes to feeding the people in the UK. As the UK’s food self-sufficiency continues to decline, increasing our reliance on food imports is an extremely dangerous game and we would warn UK government against using agriculture as a bargaining chip when it comes to future trade negotiations post brexit,” said the UFU president.

“Northern Ireland faces the added hurdle of the upcoming election and we believe it is crucial that a government is formed as quickly as possible. As it will be up to the governments in Westminster and the devolved regions to ensure that formal brexit negotiations deliver the best possible trade deals, continued access to labour, and a farm support system that takes into account the unique situations of the four UK regions and it is essential that Northern Ireland’s voice is clearly heard as these discussions take place,” said Mr Bell.

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he Ulster Farmers’ Union’s dairy committee has decided to reinstate its Milk Price Indicator (MPI). This was originally launched in 2013, because of an absence of milk pricing data specific to Northern Ireland.

Published fortnightly, with supporting market analysis, it gave dairy farmers an indication of returns from key commodity markets. Publication was suspended in late 2014 after claims it talked down milk prices.

These were proved wrong when continued calculation of the MPI accurately reflected market returns and the milk price in Northern Ireland.

The reinstated MPI will remain unchanged in how it is calculated.It is based on existing industry recognised market calculations. These are AMPE (Actual Milk Price Equivalent) and MCVE (Milk for Cheese Value Equivalent), which are then adapted to analyse prices in local, European and global dairy commodity markets. The MPI does not include processor margins or transport costs.

UFU dairy chairman, William Irvine said; “This will be a useful tool for both dairy farmers and processors. It will give a broad indication about what the market can return, but it cannot provide an exact milk price figure. In an era of volatility the reinstated MPI will however give farmers vital information about the direction of prices. It should be seen as ‘the canary in the coal mine’, alerting farmers to market trends and allowing them to plan their response,” said the UFU dairy chairman.

The UFU MPI will be published fortnightly on a Friday, with supporting analysis, on the UFU website; in the UFU members’ bulletin and in UFU Watch in that Saturday’s Farming Life.

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HAVE YOU ENTERED?

G rocer Market ingAwards ULSTER

TM

Now in their 29th

2017

year, the prestigious Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are open for entry

The 2017 Awards feature eight categories designed to showcase the very best the local food and grocery retail industry has to offer: Best Marketing Campaign 2016 Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion Best New Product Launch/Relaunch Best CSR Initiative Charity Partnership Best Brand Best Artisan Foods Campaign Green Retailer of the Year Best Food Export Marketing Award

Winners will be revealed: Friday 19th May Gala Ball, supporting GroceryAid, Culloden Hotel, Belfast Contact Mark Beckett to enter: Tel: 028 9026 4267 Email: m.beckett@independentmagazinesni.co.uk

Closing date for entries: Friday 31st March ULSTER GROCERS’

Gala Ball

Supporting GroceryAid

Friday 19th May 2017 Table sales - Contact: Jim McAlea (Kerry Foods) • Tel: 07714 850 550 • Email: jim.mcalea@kerry.ie

AWARDS LAUNCH

Call for entries as

Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2017 launches

Previous winners and sponsors of the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards with Ulster Grocer Manager Mark Beckett (front left), Editor Emma Deighan (second left) and Sales Manager Michelle Kearney (second right) Below UG’s Mark Beckett (right) with Secretary of GroceryAid Northern Ireland, Des McCullough

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revious winners, judges and sponsors of the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards came together to launch the 29th annual Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards recently.

Celebrating the best marketing campaigns in the grocery trade here the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2017 will take place on Friday, May 19 at the Culloden Estate and Spa. There will be eight categories in total at the gala-style affair which will recognise the efforts put in by the grocery trade to promote their products and services.

Best Marketing Campaign, Best In-store Consumer Sales Promotion, Best New Product Launch/Relaunch, Best CSR Initiative Charity Partnership, Best Brand, Best Artisan Foods Campaign, Green Retailer of the Year and Best

Food Export Marketing Award will be awarded at the black tie event which will support GroceryAid, the national charity for those who have worked or are currently active in the grocery industry here.

Calling on businesses to get their entries in before the closing date of Friday, March 31, Ulster Grocer Manager, Mark Beckett anticipates fierce competition this year: “This is the 29th year of this prestigious event and every year competition becomes more driven. Both the quality and quantity of entries has improved year after year. The level of professionalism we are seeing means we are rewarding the very best in the field here.

“This year we are expecting tough competition and would urge those who want to be in with a chance get their entries in quickly.”

Judge Michael Maguire explained that being part of the event is positive endorsement for any brand: “Whether you are a category winner or highly commended, the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards is fundamentally about achievement, recognition and endorsement. To a successful company it is a celebration of outstanding achievement that tells the world ‘you are the best in your field’. To those involved in marketing goods and services, and in promoting brands, it is the ultimate recognition of peer achievement. To suppliers, customers and consumers it is about business endorsement and the promotion of brand loyalty.”

Russell Johnston, Director of Client Services at Contract People, one of eight sponsors this year, added: “As a Company we pride ourselves on being associated with the very best in the FMCG Market. The Ulster Grocer Awards, as well as being a fantastic event, recognises outstanding achievement in the Northern Irish Market and we are proud to help acknowledge the exceptional work that is completed each year.”

Entry forms and details are available from Ulster Grocer Magazine. Email m.beckett@independentmagazinesni.co.uk. Tickets for the event are available from jim.mcalea@kerry.ie

Sponsored By

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GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

Call-out for artisan food producers to shine Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2017 sponsor, Karen Carmichael of MXB Shopper Marketing Agency, showcases some of the many local artisan brands being produced throughout NI. The event, which takes place on May 19 at Culloden Estate and Spa, is seeking smallbatch food and drink producers to enter its Best Artisan Foods Campaign in a bid to shine on a regional stage.

“We have a wealth of food and drink producers here who work tirelessly to create quality brands that are upping the ante in kitchens around NI, and even beyond.”

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he annual Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards, which will take place this year on May 19 at Culloden Estate and Spa, is seeking talented artisan food producers to celebrate their achievements through its Best Artisan Foods Campaign category.

This year the competition’s judges are on the hunt for those food producers in all four corners of NI who have yet to shine on a regional stage.

The Best Artisan Foods Campaign category is open to food and drink producers who are operating on a modest scale; from the small batch bread maker to the chocolate connoisseur – those food brands who have quieter production lines but produce to shout about.

Speaking about the category, Ulster Grocer Magazine Manager Mark Beckett said: “We have a wealth of food and drink producers here who 32

work tirelessly to create quality brands that are upping the ante in kitchens around NI, and even beyond. This event is an occasion for those brands to not only showcase just how hard they’ve been working but it also allows them to network with decision makers in this sector and it presents further promotional avenues. ” Jenna Stevenson, Founder and Managing Director of bitetosavour.com, the Northern Irish artisan food showcasing business set up in 2014,

believes the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards unveils all that’s great about the artisan sector here: “Hidden away in Northern Ireland’s towns, villages and cities are our artisan food and drink producers who, often unnoticed, work hard to pass on our food heritage to the next generation by innovating to the current tastes and trends. This is a great opportunity to shine the spotlight onto our artisan producers, which is why awards like this are so important.”

MINDFUL EATING

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ealthy eating trends are becoming increasingly sophisticated putting nutrition at the forefront of the consumer’s mind. ‘Gut-health, clean snacking, protein-rich, free-from, slow-release energy and nutritionally-functional’ are just a handful of key phrases rolling off the more discerning customer’s tongue.

In response, players at the forefront of the grocery retail world are reviewing their product range to reflect new nutritional requests.

Research on this sector is abundant and its longevity is apparent.

According to one IGD survey on shopper attitudes, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of health and wellness, and food-to-go operators are expanding the variety of flavours and products available to meet this demand.

Foods that support active lifestyles and tick the box for dietary needs are performing well, while wearable technology and apps are helping shoppers to better understand the nutritional and calorific value of what they consume it said.

“UK food-to-go shoppers are especially interested in products that suit particular diets, with 34 per cent looking for a larger range of vegetarian products, 25 per cent more dairy-free products and 23 per cent seeking more vegan or gluten-free options,” added the report.

The global functional foods market is expected to reach USD 255.10 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It attributes this growth to a growing geriatric population, consumers ‘consciousness towards their well-being, and changing lifestyle’. It also merits the disease-combative credentials of many

new or emerging food products for growth in the market.

Already we are seeing convenience retailers play ball with functional foods, especially with regards to protein-rich foods - a line that is going to continuing having an impact according to Mintel’s Global Food and Drink Trends paper.

Meanwhile chemical transparency (including free-from preservatives, no trans-fats etc) will be at the forefront of eight in 10 adult’s minds according to the Institute of Food Technologists, and organic foods are the perfect category to capture this market. Tesco announced recently that its organic meat sales have increased 15 per cent year-on-year - testament to organic interest.

In this special feature we call on the food brands tapping into the desires of your shoppers...>>

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ADVERTORIAL

Kerry Foods brings FRESH perspective to Snacking Kerry Foods is set to explode adult cheese snacking through the launch of its new adult ranges.

Coleraine Snackpacks – delicious combinations of Mature Coleraine Cheddar, Crackers and Relishes and GoGos – tasty cheese bites, alongside a range of delicious and nutritionally packed ingredient combinations

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nacking is firmly a part of people’s lives and is currently worth £28bn[1], with 71% of consumers snacking once a day or more[2].

However, with cheese penetration flat at 94%[3] there is a real opportunity to deliver growth by opening up adult snacking within the cheese

category and creating more opportunities for shoppers to love cheese. Launching from February and located in the dairy and snacking aisles, Coleraine Snackpacks and GoGo’s will help retailers capitalise on this opportunity and drive incremental sales.

THE NEW RANGE INCLUDES: COLERAINE SNACKS PACKS • Sticky Chilli Chutney – Mature Coleraine Cheddar, Crunchy Crackers and Sticky Chilli Chutney - 72g/£1.50 • Chunky Country Relish – Mature Coleraine Cheddar, Crunchy Crackers and Chunky Country Relish - 72g/£1.50

GOGOS • Full of Beans – Roasted edamame beans & chilli and lime peas, reduced fat cheese bites and dark chocolate covered coffee beans and pretzel sticks – 55g/£1.50 • Oat–Tastic – Spicy roasted corn & roasted edamame beans, reduced fat cheese bites and fruity and seeded flapjacks - 55g/£1.50 • Protein Power – Soy broad beans & roasted edamame beans, reduced fat cheese bites and Chorizo bites - 70g/£2.00

GoGos

Bronagh Clarke, Marketing & Innovation Manager at Kerry Foods, comments: “With research showing that consumers are snacking more and more, but struggle to find fresh, tasty healthy snacks we wanted to ensure our products deliver on all these needs, and so far we have had fantastic response to the innovation. We believe these new fresh snacks will disrupt snacking and revolutionise the dairy aisle with a range of products that allow shoppers the chance to experience interesting flavour combinations. We are excited about launching these products and have listings secured across the grocery and convenience channels.”

The launches will be supported through disruptive shopper marketing, sampling and geo-targeted digital campaigns.

SOURCES 1.

Kantar 2016 2.

Mintel 2016 3.

Nielsen 2016

Coleraine Snackpacks

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ADVERTORIAL

Quorn to accelerate demand with major brand relaunch Q

uorn, the UK’s best-selling meat free brand, is unveiling a £10 million brand relaunch which is set to drive brand sales to an all-time high.

The wide-ranging campaign will be led by major NPD, vibrant new packaging which rolls out this month and new national TV advertising showcasing the versatility of the range and the huge variety of great-tasting meals that can be made with Quorn.

A new website will focus on inspiring consumers with great tasting recipes, together with strong investment in digital videos to drive reach to new consumers and POS to drive shopper engagement.

“The relaunch is really good news for retailers looking to unlock the potential of the meat free category, as we’re going to drive shoppers to purchase Quorn from the chilled and frozen meat free fixture in record numbers,” says Julian Cooke, Head of UK Category Management.

“Consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable protein sources such as Quorn

is growing rapidly. The relaunch will recruit newcomers to the brand who are looking to enjoy great-tasting meat free snacks and meals, as well as inspiring current consumers to cook more often with Quorn.”Sustained TV advertising will be at the heart of the £10 million media support programme which will result in Quorn being advertised for 49 weeks of the year. The TV advertising will be complemented by social content and Quorn’s biggest ever investment in trade-facing communication, including a raft of point-ofsale material.“We’re also introducing a range of frozen price-marked packs enabling retailers to offer Quorn as a flagship brand in the fastgrowing food for later occasion,” adds Cooke.

The relaunch comes as research confirms that 73% of meat-free category shoppers are meat reducers and the meat free shopper basket spend is four times higher than the average shopper basket, highlighting the role that brands such as Quorn can play in boosting sales across other categories.

“Consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable protein sources such as Quorn is growing rapidly.”

Conscious coconut product meets mindful demands

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“Coconut oil is already a highly popular product across the UK and Ireland, and this brand offers consumers a way to consciously purchase a product that directly benefits its creators by preserving their native way of life”

illsborough native Tim McKee has teamed up with England-based partners Callum Drummond and Ellis Williams to launch a unique charity initiative which is benefiting the residents of one of the world’s most picturesque and remote islands, Fiji’s Batiki island, while contributing to one of the most popular food trends to hit the UK in recent years. Bula Batiki Coconut Oil, a raw and cold-pressed high-quality coconut oil, is made by hand by Batiki residents from native coconuts grown on their island. The oil, which is then shipped to market in the UK and Ireland, is now available for sale in select independent retailers across Northern Ireland with all proceeds benefiting the product’s creators.

“Coconut oil is already a highly popular product across the UK and Ireland, and this brand offers consumers a way to consciously purchase a product that directly benefits its creators by preserving their native way of life, providing improved education and sport programmes for Batiki’s young people, and helping to form a safety net for Batiki to help ease the pressure of everyday life for its people,” said Callum.

For more information on Bula Batiki visit www.bulabatiki.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

Kelkin makes the healthy choice easy

“A

t Kelkin, it’s our mission to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

We believe that, for all of us, our health and wellbeing are the most important things we have, but we understand that looking after and maintaining them is not always easy!

We are committed to producing healthier food options to enable families to lead fuller lives. We believe the key to a balanced diet is to enjoy good food in moderation. We don’t suggest that shoppers cut treats out of their diets, rather we recommend keeping them to a minimum and in order to lead a truly balanced lifestyle.

For almost 40 years we have been providing families with a range of wholesome and delicious foods. Our range includes delicious mueslis and granolas, treats like popcorn and rice and corn cakes, juices, and a large range of free from products.

Kelkin has recognised how people’s mindsets are changing with an overall drive to lead healthier, more active lifestyles, and to make positive choices to improve their family’s wellbeing. As a result of our knowledge and expertise in health foods and wellbeing, we are proven category partners with major supermarkets in this area.

We pioneered the health food sections in supermarkets over ten years ago and today work tirelessly with retailers to make shopping this section of the supermarket an easier, more pleasurable and informative experience for consumers.”

New White’s oats target the mindful consumer

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hite’s has identified a gap in the market with its ActivOat High in Protein and ActivOat High in Fibre products, which meet the needs of consumers who pursue healthy, and active lifestyles and are looking for clean-labelled, highly nutritious breakfast solutions from a brand they can trust.

As well as being high in protein and high in fibre respectively, both White’s ActivOat varieties contain no added sugar and are lower in saturated fat than most cereal brands.

ActivOat High Protein porridge is made from wholegrain oats with added soy protein. With 10.6g of protein in every 40g serving and high in fibre to keep you fuller for longer, it’s perfect fuel for busy days, pre workout boost or post work out recovery.

High fibre is a key nutrient for a healthy digestive system. White’s ActivOat High Fibre is made from natural wholegrain porridge oats with added oat fibre, and provides 100% of your daily soluble fibre beta glucan intake, to help lower cholesterol. Packed in individual 40g sachets containing 5g of fibre in every serving, it provides you with over 30% of your RDA of fibre.

Danielle McBride, White’s brand manager, said: “We’re focused on developing and bringing to market nutritionally balanced, 100% natural porridge oats and oat cereals which deliver on taste and allow consumers to pursue healthy lifestyles. Our ActivOat range meet that need perfectly, striking the balance between health and convenience and also giving consumers trust so they can make well-informed nutrition choices.”

The range is supported by below-the-line marketing, plus partnerships with Belfast Marathon, Ulster Rugby Union and local community grass roots ‘healthy and active’ initiatives.

Celebrating over 175 years in business, White’s has been milling porridge oats and oat cereals at its site in Tandragee, Co. Armagh since 1841.

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BOOS5020 TradeAd17 ULSTER GROCER 270x90 AW4 HIGH RES.pdf

ADVERTORIAL

Giving protein sales a Boost

H

aving introduced Protein Boost to the market in Northern Ireland in August 2016, Boost Drinks is following up the launch with a range of point of sale tools designed to support retailers.

The new marketing materials include A2 and A4 posters, shelf talkers and wobblers - all created in line with the distinctively different Protein Boost branding. Retailers can also book in consumer tasting days.

The launch of Protein Boost last year signified the champion of the independent brand’s diversification into an exciting new category that is growing at 26% year on year.

Protein Boost comes in 310ml individual plastic bottles with two great tasting flavours - chocolate and strawberry. Each bottle contains 20g of protein, no fat, no added sugar and less than 150 calories. Price-marked at £1.29, the new SKUs offer excellent value to the consumer, a great margin to the independent trade and come in a convenient eight-bottle case.

Boost strategy director Kirsty Birks commented: “Protein Boost was a very exciting piece of new product development for us. While the health and wellbeing agenda has continued to gain consumer momentum, we saw a real gap in the convenience sector for protein drinks. Protein Boost offers a simple, convenient and tasty way to take in protein in a format that is not available in the multiples, while offering a great price point and strong profit margins. It is also delicious!

“We hope that by making this new range of marketing materials available to retailers we will see the sales of Protein Boost continue to grow, and increase the coverage of the product across the UK.” For further information, visit proteinboostdrinks.com For more information on Boost visit www.boostdrinkstrade.com Follow Boost Drinks on Twitter @BoostDrinksNews

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01/03/2017

12:20

ADVERTORIAL

Skinny and popping product targets prime time TV viewers

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“We feel the new ads aptly communicate Metcalfe’s skinny popcorn’s light hearted humour which will resonate with the whole family and help drive continued growth for the brand” 38

etcalfe’s skinny® popcorn has announced the launch of a new television advertising campaign. The ‘pop it like it’s Metcalfe’s’ ad is part of a fully integrated, £2m marketing programme which also incorporates digital and consumer PR activity.

Metcalfe’s skinny®, the UK’s number 1 premium popcorn, is growing at an impressive rate of 11.1% year on year, ahead of the total popcorn category1 which is being led by premium, ready to eat brands such as Metcalfe’s. The consumer support will run throughout the spring and will continue to build awareness, engagement and trial, and help drive further growth for Metcalfe’s.

The advertising support will launch during a popular, prime time family viewing show this month. The ads invite consumers into various popping rooms in the Metcalfe’s factory to watch the ingenious ways they pop their popcorn. In each room, kernels are popped in different, fun, and always unexpected ways!

In addition, Video on Demand, social media, PR and sampling will be used to amplify the TV advertising. The creative researched extremely well with consumers, communicating lightness and delicious taste, whilst at the same time providing strong standout to build emotional engagement with the audience.

The consumer campaign follows the launch of Metcalfe’s new packaging design and helps bring the brand’s playful and lighter personality to life.

Marketing Director, Andrew Slamin said: “We feel the new ads aptly communicate Metcalfe’s skinny popcorn’s light hearted humour which will resonate with the whole family and help drive continued growth for the brand”.

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HENDERSON FOOD MACHINERY

Quality and Service key to the success of Henderson Food Machinery

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enderson Food Machinery, Irelands largest supplier of new and used food processing and packaging machinery, are flying the flag for many of their suppliers by offering quality machinery at superb prices.

Our range of equipment is extensive, from primary and secondary processing, through to packaging and end of line equipment.

In May, Henderson Food Machinery will be

sponsoring the Best Brand Award at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards at the Culloden Hotel.

We have worked with the Ulster Grocer during the last two years on our sales and marketing and advertising and have found this has helped grow the Henderson Food Machinery brand and portfolio of suppliers.

At present, we represent over 25 suppliers from all aspects of the processing and packaging

Telephone: 028 9099 4202

industry and over the last few weeks we have: • Supplied a complete Deighton batter, breading and frying line to a government contract which we are very proud of.

• Sold two Apple Depositors to a major supplier to retail supermarkets.

• Finally, we have sold five MPE Inline Tray Sealers to various customers around Northern and Southern Ireland.

When we chose the suppliers to work with we looked at quality and service which would help Henderson Food Machinery going forward for years to come and would be a one stop shop for customers’ food processing and packaging machinery requirements.

In the coming months Henderson Food Machinery will be sponsoring the NI Food Manufacturing Awards 2017 on the 28th of April in the Stormont Hotel and also exhibiting at the Balmoral Show in May. We have an extensive range of used equipment for sale at our factory in Crossgar which does change on a daily basis and would welcome all future and present customers to visit and view our range of machinery in our showrooms.

You can view our all our stock at hendersonfoodmachinery.com, or call our sales team on 028 9099 4202.

HENDERSON FOOD MACHINERY

“In May, Henderson Food Machinery will be sponsoring the Best Brand Award at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards at the Culloden Hotel. We have worked with the Ulster Grocer during the last two years on our sales and marketing and advertising and have found this has helped grow the Henderson Food Machinery brand and portfolio of suppliers.�

At Henderson Food Machinery we work in partnership with many manufacturers supplying new processing and packaging machinery, we supply: Deighton Equipment Havanatec MPE Tray Sealing Gernal Food Equipment Garruthers Shredders ITEC Farleygreene Sieving TechnoBOX Tray Erecting Equipment FPE Grinders Apple Food Processing & Depositing Equipment Jeros Cleaning

Norpak Labellers ENE UV Tunnel ENE Volumetric Pocket Filler Z Matik Bakery Equipment CRM Slicing Equipment Lakidis Mixer Flakers Siat Taping Systems Fischbein Saxon bag Seler Henkleman Vacuum Packers T Freemantle Heraeus

David Henderson Food Machinery Limited Units 5/6/7 Madines Site, 79 Downpatrick Road, Crossgar, County Down. BT30 9EH Web: hendersonfoodmachinery.com.

Company Registration: NI629398. Vat No: GB215518621

email: sales@hendersonfoodmachinery.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Irn Bru to reduce sugar in 90% of its drinks by this autumn

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he group, which is also behind Rubicon and Tizer, said over 90 per cent of its brands will contain less than 5g of total sugar per 100ml by the autumn of this year.

AG Barr is grappling with a shift in consumer tastes towards low-sugar drinks and is preparing for the implementation of a sugar tax in 2018.

The proposed levy, due to be introduced in April 2018, is aimed at tackling soaring obesity rates.

The industry tax relates to the sugar content of drinks, with a higher amount charged for the most sugary beverages.

Chief executive Roger White said: “Evidence shows that consumers want to reduce their sugar intake while still enjoying great tasting drinks.

“We’ve responded by significantly reducing sugar across our portfolio in recent years, through reformulation and innovation.”

“We are now expanding our successful sugar reduction plans to include our iconic Irn-Bru brand.”

Mr White said the drink will retain its ‘unique

UK families spend third less on alcohol and tobacco than a decade ago

great taste’, just with less sugar.

In February, the Cumbernauld-based firm said it is on track to meet full-year profit guidance, but flagged another challenging year ahead.

Last year, AG Barr announced it was cutting 90

jobs as part of a company-wide revamp expected to cost around £4 million.

Short-supply Wasabi now grown locally

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he Family Spending Survey showed that households spent an average of £11.40 a week on the substances in 2015/2016 - down 42% from £19.50 in 2001/2002.

The Office for National Statistics said the falling numbers of smokers was likely to have caused the decrease.

The survey found that in 2015/16, the average family spent £4 a week on wine, compared to £2.80 on cigarettes.

The ONS released statistics were based on a survey where thousands of households were asked to record their spending habits on everything from rent, to clothes, to train tickets.

Overall, the average family spent £528.90 a week in 2015/2016 - the same as the previous year.

However, these spending figures depended on income.

The richest 10% of families spent £107.10 a week on restaurants and hotels - more than double the £44.50 the poorest 10% of families spent on housing, fuel and power.

42

W

asabi, described as one of the world’s most expensive crops and prized by Japan’s sushi chefs, is now being grown commercially in Northern Ireland.

Behind the production is Wasabi Crop, a small business set up by Dr Sean Kitson, a respected scientific researcher, who started growing the herb, which is in short supply worldwide, on rich agricultural land near Portadown in county Armagh.

Dr Kitson began growing the plant, in a huge polytunnel and using hydroponic techniques, for its recognised medicinal features.

He’s already attracted the attention of a top Northern Ireland chef and hopes to export the wasabi leaves and paste to Japan.

Extensive scientific research led him to pinpoint the health benefits of the Japanese wasabi plant which include anti-inflammatory properties for joints and muscles. “It’s a potent plant that has also been shown

to help increase protection against bacterial infections in the body and mouth. Wasabi, furthermore, is rich in antioxidants that help to boost the immune system and can aid in removing harmful toxins from the body,” Dr Kitson says.

Demand for wasabi, particularly in Asia, is surging at a time when traditional suppliers in Japan are scaling back in production because of high labour costs involved in its cultivation and processing. It grows best when its roots are in clean, nutrient-rich, running water, as they are in the mountain streams of its native habitat in the Japanese Shizuoka Prefecture.

“The soil in county Armagh is rich and fertile, capable of growing a wider variety of plants than is currently the case,” he adds. Dr Kitson imported wasabi plants last year and has recently succeeded in germinating them in Northern Ireland.

The first full-scale harvest of Northern Ireland wasabi, from last year’s planting, is due next year.

APPOINTMENTS

New Chair of the Board Danske appoints new for Trustees at GroceryAid Corporate Training Team

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roceryAid has confirmed the appointment of Ruston Smith as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees. Ruston, Group Pensions and Insurable Risk Director at Tesco, is taking over from Chris Etherington, Deputy Executive Chairman at Palmer & Harvey. Ruston has worked in the industry for over 25 years and has a long association with the charity. He joined the Board of Trustees in 2008, and became Vice Chairman in 2016. He has also been a member of the Welfare Strategy Group since 2008, and Chairman of this group from 2010.

Three new personnel at Moy Park M

oy Park has appointed Paul Longstaff as its Planning and Logisitics Director. Paul was previously Head of Supply Chain Optimisation at the company but will now lead its full planning and logistics function. Ian Bowers will take up the position of Director of Procurement, moving on from his role as Head of Procurement. He will be responsible for the strategic procurement of all Moy Park purchases. Andy Ruding will take up the new position of Head of Customer Service at Moy Park leading a customer-facing team and developing joint strategic supply chain initiatives. Previously he held the post of Head of Planning.

Member

P

aul Currid has been appointed to the Corporate Trading Team at Danske Bank. He joins from Keenan CF with 15 years’ experience, advising companies on a range of Corporate Finance projects including mergers and acquisitions, finance raising, project finance and corporate restructuring. In his new role, Paul will manage a portfolio of key corporate customers and develop new banking relationships.

New Research Analyst for Lambert Smith Hampton

C

laire Cole has been appointed Research Analyst for Ireland at Lambert Smith Hampton. Claire has 13 years of research experience gained in academia and the private sector. She specialises in quantitative research projects and recently completed a secondary analysis quantitative PhD. In this role she will provide strategic commercial property research and analysis for LSH and its clients. This will include annual market reviews, quarterly monitoring reports and specialised themed research.

Three new post placements at TS Foods Ltd Paul Longstaff

M

alcolm Seaney has been appointed Operations Manager at TS Foods Ltd. Malcolm brings with him over 23 years experience at various companies within the food industry, including Moy Park and Wilson’s Country. Eimear McKibbon has been appointed HR Administrator at TS Foods following ten years’ experience in the for industry. Patrick Curry has joined TS Foods as Management Accountant. Patrick holds a degree in Economics and Accounting from QUB.

Ian Bowers

Andy Ruding

Malcolm Seaney

Eimear McKibbon

Patrick Curry

43

IT NEWS

Local telecoms firm wins coveted Vodafone status

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onnect Telecom has been announced as the only Northern Ireland company to be awarded Total Communications Partner status by mobile phone giant Vodafone.

The elite Total Communications Partner status, introduced by Vodafone as part of its new UK Partner Programme, is now the highest Vodafone accreditation and is achieved by distribution partners that have demonstrated outstanding levels of customer excellence and the highest expertise in both Vodafone Fixed and Mobile solutions.

With an office in Scotland, Connect Telecom is also the only Total Communications partner based in Scotland, with no other companies in the region achieving this status.

This new tiering – ‘Approved’, ‘Specialist’, ‘Advance’ and ‘Total Communications’ – replaces the previous ‘Silver’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Platinum’ accreditation and has been driven by customer demand as businesses look to providers for trusted expertise to digitally transform their operations.

As a Total Communications Partner, Connect Telecom now has access to a wide range of Vodafone training opportunities and technological expertise to help bolster its reputation as one of the region’s leading communications firms.

Scott Ritchie, Director at Belfast-based Connect Telecom, which this year celebrates its tenth year at the helm of business telecoms in Northern Ireland, said: “Vodafone’s new Partner Programme has been designed to meet the changing communication requirements of business customers which no longer stop at fixed lines and mobiles, and therefore

rewards partners which have demonstrated the ability to sell across multiple product and service segments.

“As a Vodafone Total Communications Partner, we have direct access to the very best levels of service from Vodafone support teams which will allow us to deliver solutions to our customers more efficiently and faster than other Vodafone partners.

“The status provides us with a strong voice for which to provide feedback from our customers directly to Vodafone and ensure they continue to receive the most reliable communications solutions in the market.”

Nick Birtwistle, Head of Partners and Alliances at Vodafone UK, said: “With a focus on deeper customer engagement and the development of new skills, our Partner Programme provides a new platform for our partners to enhance their value propositions around key technology growth areas.

“We look forward to working closely with Connect Telecom as we help customers benefit from new ways of working.”

Online retailers concerned over age identification A

new survey by LexisNexis Risk Solutions has revealed that 78 per cent of e-commerce businesses including retailers said that they are worried about selling age-restricted goods or services online to minors. It said that over half (61 per cent) of e-commerce businesses use self-certification to check their customers’ age online, which can be easily faked and result in dangerous products being delivered to under-age consumers.

Meanwhile 83 per cent of retailers said that they feel that they need to conduct more comprehensive identity verifications to mitigate identity fraud.

The latter concerns span small to large UK retailers that sell cigarettes, alcohol, knives and fireworks.

The data released suggests that retailers with a strong e-commerce element need to strengthen existing protection policies.

More than half (61%) of respondents said that they currently use self-certification (tick box/date of birth entry) to check their customers’ age online.

This figure was higher among the respondents from larger e-commerce businesses, 79 per cent said that they still use this method, which is susceptible to dishonest input. Despite the risks with self-certify age verification methods, only 30 per cent of e-commerce businesses use Know Your Customer (KYC) checks via specialist credit check or identity check software.

Worryingly, 83% of e-commerce businesses said that they feel that they need to conduct more comprehensive identity verification to mitigate identity fraud, which is a growing threat for 44

consumers online.

Recent statistics from the not-for-profit organisation for financial crime, Cifas, found that victims of identity fraud rose by 57 per cent last year, with 86 per cent of the identity fraud cases committed online.

Steve Arnison, Director, LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, said: “Retailers have contended with the challenges associated with selling agerestricted goods online for some time. Striking a balance between strong age verification checks that ensure they meet their legal obligations and protect their customers, whilst at the same time limiting friction to the shopping experience, is a priority for them.

“Our survey has highlighted opportunities for e-commerce businesses to strengthen procedures for determining the age of their customers. Many are still using an out-dated self-certification tick box approach, which on the one hand is quick and simple for the consumer, but is wide-open to misuse resulting in dangerous products being delivered to

underage consumers.

“There is a widespread misconception that integrating robust identity verification technology will complicate the checkout process and make it more time-consuming for the consumer, however this is not the case. Today’s age verification software seamlessly integrates into a retailer’s e-commerce system so that checks are automated in realtime, with no need for the customer to input extensive personal information.

“As well as adding the protection for young people that society and government increasingly demand, improved identity verification brings businesses other benefits, not least of which is a better defence against fraud.

Card-not-present fraud is a growing issue, so much so that it cost businesses £398.2m in 2015.

With the right technology in place, online retailers will be able to gain a clearer view of who they are conducting business with, allowing them to pro-actively reduce the risk of identity fraud and underage sales.”

EPOS & TECH

EPOS & TECH A

ccording to Deloitte’s Retail Trends 2017, the retail sector is in the midst of a digital revolution, one that has yet to hit its peak and one that demands a quick response from the trade in terms of increasing the efficiency of their operations both in store and digitally.

In the report the auditing and advisory firm suggested that e-commerce, ‘re-imagined’ stores and even robotic technology will make an appearance this year implying that investment in EPOS systems and other IT elements is imperative to stay relevant and competitive.

E-commerce will be driven further this year, continued the report, paving the way for a reimagined retail store geared towards the digital consumer. “A new balance needs to be struck between transaction and fulfilment. We believe the store experience will increasingly focus on one of two things; inspiration or convenience,” it read.

Convenience solutions including no fuss payment methods sky rocketed last year as the UKCA announced that overall contactless payments accounted for £25 billion of spending

in 2016, up from £7.75 billion in 2015.

Barclaycard research also revealed consumers are showing increased enthusiasm for contactless payments, particularly in the retail sector, as all major supermarkets now accept the technology following the roll-out by Sainsbury’s late last year.

According to Barclaycard contactless spending increased 166 per cent in 2016, ‘touch and go’ payments have jumped in a number of retail categories including supermarkets (136 per cent), service stations (218 per cent), department stores (147 per cent), discount stores (120 per cent) and convenience stores (87 per cent) The launch of Waitrose’s first cashless grocery store last year adds further weight to strength of demand for streamlined in-store services while a report from the Co-operative predicts that 65 per cent of all transactions will be made through mobile phones by 2025.

It’s the latter tweaks in technology that are keeping the retail sector up to speed with a fast consuming shopper and staying focused on these trends is essential to staying in the game.

ED >>

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ADVERTORIAL

PAYPOINT ONE - the forward-thinking platform A

good EPOS system allows you to serve customers more quickly, increase efficiency in your store and help improve your business by analysing your sales data.

PayPoint’s recently launched retail platform, PayPoint One, provides EPOS, card payments and traditional bill payment services all in one platform.

PayPoint One uses cloud-based technology so you can access sales data and make changes anywhere from any internet-connected device.

This also means that your data is fully backed up in the cloud for total peace of mind. The integrated card payments and PayPoint services mean you can serve customers more efficiently on one device, rather than re-keying between devices and risking mistakes.

The platform is flexible and expandable so you can keep up to date with the latest technology and future developments, such as supplier integrations for stock ordering and promotions, apps to help you manage other elements of your business and advanced reporting available at your fingertips either on the device or remotely.

PayPoint One is one of the most cost effective EPOS solutions available in the market today, specifically designed for convenience retailers. The platform will continue to develop over time, offering you more opportunities for efficiency and add-ons to customise the platform to suit your needs.

There are no up-front costs, just a simple weekly fee with add-ons and upgrade options available in the future so you can customise the platform to meet your needs.

PayPoint One includes fully integrated card payments and PayPoint services as well as a secure web-based back office so you can access your information anytime from any internetconnected device. The platform provides product scanning, the ability to set up and run promotions, advanced reporting capabilities and flexibility to customise your till setup.

Individual user logins mean you can manage user permissions and track activities of each member of staff.

On installation day a PayPoint representative will come to your store to install the device and complete full training. The webbased platform also provides extensive training and support materials at your finger-tips, including videos and troubleshooting guides. If you have an issue you can’t resolve, PayPoint’s contact centre provides support 365 days a year, with a four hour swap commitment if your device fails and the peace of mind that all your data is restored automatically through the cloud back office.

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Run your whole store with one device

PayPoint services, EPOS and card payments all in one device

Visit paypoint.one or talk to your local Territory Development Manager

Ulster Grocer Ad_210x297mm - theme 1.indd 1

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SHELFLIFE

PAGE TITLE

To see your product featured in Shelf Life, contact Mark at m.beckett@independentmagazinesni.co.uk or Tel: 028 9026 4267

New look for Boost C

hallenger brand Boost Drinks is looking to increase its share of the energy drinks market with striking new packaging that will be introduced across all 40 plus SKUs over the next few months.

Already number one in the category in Northern Ireland*, this evolution of Boost’s brand identity will provide improved differentiation and stand-out. The logo has been updated with a more contemporary feel, featuring a new font that reflects energy and movement.

Boost’s new branding and packaging will create greater on shelf impact both with the logo and also the various flavours and their respective colourways.

Changes to price marking has involved the removal of ‘special offer’ from the core range, highlighting that the great value of Boost is not just a short term gimmick.

Boost sees the investment in its new look as a key part of its Champion Of The Independents commitment, providing great tasting, competitively priced products that are not available in multiples and with profit margins of up to 50 per cent.

Founder and managing director Simon Gray said: “This is an evolution, not a revolution! Having celebrated our 15th Anniversary in 2016, we felt the time was right to review our packaging, bringing it right up to date and injecting more personality into the design.

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

The new branding will also feature across the new Boost Drinks website, which will be launching in the spring. Designed not only to reflect the creative changes to the brand, the website will also provide a better user journey for consumers and retailers alike, endorsing Boost’s Champion Of The Independents commitment.

For more information on Boost visit www.boostdrinkstrade.com Follow Boost Drinks on Twitter @BoostDrinksNews

New - Brandy Grain Free The Capsule Collection Chunks in Gravy 6 Pack O M ackle Petfoods has announced the launch of new Brandy Grain Free, available in a Chunks in Gravy Variety 6-Pack with Chicken, Beef and Lamb with vegetables.

Grain Free dog food has numerous health benefits for dogs, particularly those with an allergy to grain and sensitive digestion.

Brandy Grain Free dog food has been developed especially for digestive and cerealsensitive dogs to help promote easier digestion, improve skin and coat and reduce itching.

Brandy Grain Free gives current Brandy customers an additional option within the range along with attracting new customers with an interest in canned grain free pet food.

Mackle Petfoods is confident it will add value to the category and bring new consumers into the canned dog food segment, in particular those looking for a high quality Grain Free offering at a value price, which Brandy Grain Free offers.

Made from 100% Irish meat and fully traceable from farm to can shoppers know they’re feeding their dog only the best. This pack is available to order now.

48

ver the last few years, more coffee-loving homes in Northern Ireland have moved towards capsule machines, the customer demand for easily accessible, affordable and great tasting coffee pods has been met!

Compatible with all Nespresso® home machines*, Robert Roberts’ coffee capsules are available in three different intensities – 7, 9 and 10.

Classico - Intensity 7 coffee capsules make the perfect morning coffee.

100% Arabica, the coffee is smooth, sweet and soft with a well-balanced acidity.

Mezzo - Intensity 9 capsules deliver a medium bodied coffee with a smooth profile and finish. This nutty coffee with unsweetened chocolate notes is a great choice for an afternoon boost.

Intenso - Intensity 10 capsules intense dark roasted in the southern Italian style, it makes a great espresso and also works well with milk; it is perfect for lovers of strong coffee.

Robert Roberts has worked hard to ensure quality and consistency in each and every coffee pod. Importantly, the range of capsules will offer choice to customers with compatible machines and they’re available across Northern Ireland, making ‘at home’ quality, fresh coffee drinking more accessible.

We are one of Ireland’s leading Specialist Field Marketing agencies providing a face and voice for our clients brands at the point of purchase.

Sales Outsourcing, Merchandising, Auditing, Technical Services Unit 2, 1 Edgewater Road, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, BT3 9JQ info@contractpeople.com www.contractpeople.com Tel: +44 28 9077 0999

IN THE HOT SEAT

In the Hot Seat Jenna Stevenson founder of bitetosavour.com, a Northern Irish artisan food showcasing business set up in 2014, talks food provenance, work-life balance and a typical day...

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF Kilkeel born and bred. Sports Science degree in Lancashire. Travelled the world. Came back. Married.

Set up BITETOSAVOUR. Mum. Multi-task champion.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? Being a start-up business I have no typical day! Doing social media, updating the website, packing boxes, sending them out, pitching to new corporate clients, cheques in, online payments, meeting new producers, product development … whilst being mum to a lively toddler and tackling the washing of my builder husband’s work clothes. Standard start-up life!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? Seeing my first website go live.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? The variety. Not one day is the same.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TASK? Getting the balance right between my business and my home life.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? Don’t wait for things to happen. Make them happen!

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST GRIPE? Lack of ambition in people.

WHAT TALENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE? I attempt to draw and paint with my three-year-old, but I’ll admit to being no Van Gogh!

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/ AMBITIONS? To launch the world’s first global artisan food and drink brand. After that I can relax and learn to paint with my daughter!

WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? My husband Stuart who works long hours and really hard as a builder but never complains. He always helps me out when I need him and he puts up with me!

WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? On my round-the-world-trip I loved Fiji. We stayed with some families on a remote island with only 30 minutes of electricity per day. No hustle, no bustle.

Just simple life as it should be.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD PRODUCT? Last night I had some incredible langoustines fresh out of the sea off Kilkeel. Beautiful. I love sea food – Northern Irish ‘Crab Toes’ are hard to beat.

HOW DO YOU RELAX? Crab toes, fish platter, great cheese, grab a corkscrew and a glass, and go from there.

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ISN’T IT TIME

YOU MADE A

delicious difference to your sales?

With the UK’s No.1 meat free brand* • Sales growth +10.7%* • 73% of meat free shoppers are not vegetarian** • £10m media support in 2017 • Long shelf life *Source; IRI 52we 28th Jan 17 - TOTAL UK VALUE SALES **Kantar 2016

STOCK UP ON

TODAY

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HIGH IN VITAMIN D , HIGH IN FIBRE AND LOW IN SATURATED FAT. LIVE GOOD LETS YOU ENJOY MORE.

SPONSORING BORN2RUN CASTLEWARD CHALLENGE 8TH APRIL

*Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, and reducing consumption of saturated fat contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, when eaten regularly as part of a healthy lifestyle and a varied balanced diet.