Ulster Grocer March 2022 by Helen Wright

MARCH 2022

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

50 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

GROCER ULSTER

MARCH 2022

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

50 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

PLASTIC PACKAGING ON FRUIT & VEG INCREASES WASTE

etailers should ditch plastic packaging and best before labelling on fresh uncut fruit and vegetables, after research suggested the practices significantly increase food waste, according to UK-based sustainability charity WRAP. The NGO embarked on an 18-month research project, with input from industry, concluding the loose selling of fresh produce and removal of date labels could prevent 14 million shopping baskets worth of food from going to waste simply by allowing people to buy what they need. Further, it would remove 1,100 rubbish trucks of plastic from circulation. WRAP is also calling for removal of more unnecessary single-use plastic items under The UK Plastics Pact, including wrapping on multi-packs of tinned food and sauce sachets in restaurants. The charity has made three recommendations to UK retailers: • Sell loose: where possible, unless it is shown that plastic packaging reduces overall food waste • Remove date labels: unless it can be shown that a Best Before reduces overall food waste

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• Refrigerate below 5°C at home: Help customers understand the benefits of storing appropriate fresh produce in the fridge, set at the right temperature “This important research Marcus Glover could be a game-changer in the fight against food waste and plastic pollution,” said Marcus Gover, CEO, WRAP. “While packaging is important and often carries out a critical role to protect food, we have proven that plastic packaging doesn’t necessarily prolong the life of uncut fresh produce. It can in fact increase food waste in this case. We have shown the massive potential to save good food from being thrown away by removing date labels. “We are all living with the reality of the climate emergency and the rising cost of living. This new clarity could not be more timely. “We need retailers to step up and follow our recommendations so we can achieve real progress in tackling food waste and plastic pollution. This helps save the planet and us money at the same time – a real win-win.” WRAP’s research tested five commonly wasted items (apples, bananas, broccoli, cucumber and potatoes) stored in the

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original packaging and loose, and at different temperatures. The charity found that selling the five loose, and removing best before dates, could result in a combined saving of around 100,000 tonnes of household food waste, more than 10,300 tonnes of plastic and 130,000 tonnes of CO2e. The saving comes from both enabling people to buy the right amount for their needs (potatoes, bananas and apples) and to use their judgement to decide when items are still good to eat. The research also confirmed that uncut fresh produce can be good to eat long after the best before date and most lasts longer in the fridge. Since introduction of The UK Plastics Pact in 2018, members have reported 46% progress in reducing specific problematic plastic items and a 10% reduction in plastic packaging overall. WRAP has also published an updated list of key plastic items for Pact members to aim to remove by the end of 2022 including plastic wrapping for multi-sales of tins, bottles, and cartons; PVC cling film; non-compostable fruit and veg stickers and tea and coffee bags; and single use/single serving plastic sachets/ jiggers in restaurant settings. WRAP plans to consult with the Food Standards Agency, Defra and industry over the recommendations, update best practice guidance, and develop a pathway for more fresh uncut produce to be sold loose.

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GROCER ULSTER

MARKETING AWARDS 2022

IFEX 2022: REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR NI’S LARGEST FOOD, DRINK, RETAIL & HOSPITALITY EVENT, RETURNING TO THE TITANIC EXHIBITION CENTRE, BELFAST OVER MARCH 29-31

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS 2022: STORM EUNICE FAILED TO DETER SPONSORS & 2021 WINNERS FROM GATHERING FOR THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THIS YEAR’S AWARDS

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: OUR LOOK AT SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES INCLUDES INTERNATIONAL SYNERGIES’ WORK HELPING NI FIRMS CUT COSTS & WASTE THROUGH INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY: THE LATEST SOLUTIONS & INNOVATIONS FROM HENDERSON TECHNOLOGY, SNAPPY SHOPPER & ENVISAGE ARE BOOSTING EFFICIENCY & RETURNS

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

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EDITORIAL COMMENT

GLOBAL TURMOIL ESCALATES COMMODITY CRISIS

elcome to the March edition of Ulster Grocer. At time of writing, it is snow rather than spring in the air and all eyes are focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While inconsequential in comparison to the situation faced by the people of Ukraine, the crisis will of course have repercussions for the West; not least its impact on an existing energy crisis. Dr Esmond Birnie, a senior economist at Ulster University, recently spoke to the Belfast Telegraph, describing further oil and gas price rises as “unavoidable” due to the conflict. The agricultural sector will also likely be hit with rising raw material and animal feed costs, he said. Unfortunately, the cost-of-living crisis shows no sign of waning any time soon. Nor does contention around the Northern Ireland Protocol, surely peaking in the last month with Agricultural Minister Edwin Poots’ attempts to suspend agri-food border checks followed by First Minister Paul Givan’s resignation, prompting the collapse of Stormont. As widely publicised, the latest fall of our local government is already resulting in far reaching consequences, with ministers unable to address the hospital crisis or progress NI’s draft budget. Invest NI has confirmed it is currently unable to assist companies financially until its budget for the coming year is established and has already lost inward investment as a result. It’s hard not to feel frustration over the local politicians who are so hellbent on doing anything to remove the Protocol that their behaviour is having far more catastrophic consequences than any impact from the Protocol itself. Frustration that - while ambulances queue outside hospitals, and both food companies and consumers struggle to pay their raw material/grocery and utility

bills - local representatives who effectively removed any ability to address these crises are focusing their efforts on anti-Protocol rallies. As Aodhán Connolly of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium highlights in his latest update opposite, nobody wanted the Protocol, but it’s the hand we have been dealt with Brexit. Energy is surely better spent making it workable than trying to get rid of it while failing to offer any credible alternative. Aodhán also mentions the Brexit fatigue suffered by the business community, which has put considerable time and effort into providing technical solutions to the issues around the Protocol. With the latest round of talks between the EU and UK offering “neither a breakthrough nor a breakdown” in the words of EC Vice-President Maroš Šefcovic, Aodhán says politics got us into this and needs to get us out of this interminable stalemate. With our readership also no doubt feeling Brexit fatigue, our March edition also thankfully features much more positive news including a preview of the forthcoming IFEX exhibition and a colourful gallery from the official launch of our Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2022. Many thanks to our sponsors and last year’s winners attending the event, and it was great to see you all in person. Features this month include the very topical Energy & Environment, Focus on Technology and Cleaning Products, while our Store Focus is the striking new Landscape Filling Station on the Crumlin Road in Belfast, the latest investment by the innovative Wall Group. Enjoy,

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NEWS

orthern Ireland Protocol negotiations have continued between the EU and UK despite mounting contention, culminating in the collapse of Stormont in early February and a series of antiProtocol rallies hosted by political agitators throughout the month. The ninth meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee was held on February 21 in Brussels, with a joint statement by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and EC Vice-President Maroš Šefcovic highlighting their commitment to protect the Good Friday Agreement, if lacking in substance or progress. First Minister Paul Givan resigned last month in protest over the Protocol, only days after Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots had attempted to suspend agri-food border checks at the ports of Belfast and Larne. In-bound freight continued to flow as normal despite Poots’ order following warnings from the EU, and Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, that any failure to conduct the checks would breach international law. Sector bodies, including the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium and Manufacturing NI, advised their members to continue complying with the Protocol checks. The Joint Committee statement reads: ‘Vice-President Šefcovic and Foreign Secretary Truss took stock of the intensified and constructive talks that have taken place between them over the last months. They underlined the ongoing determination of both parties to ensure that the outstanding issues in the context of the Protocol are addressed, and durable solutions found for the benefit of citizens, businesses and stability in Northern Ireland. ‘In addition, Vice-President Šefcovic and Foreign Secretary Truss reiterated the importance of further engagement, including with the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, and wider Northern Ireland civic society and business. ‘Vice-President Šefcovic and Foreign Secretary Truss noted that the joint bodies established by the Withdrawal Agreement should meet regularly and agreed to discuss any point raised by the EU or the UK that is of relevance to the Withdrawal Agreement in general.’

COMMENTARY

NEGOTIATIONS PLOW ON WITHOUT PROGRESS AMID COLLAPSE OF STORMONT

PROTOCOL TALKS TAKING THEIR TOLL BY AODHÁN CONNOLLY, DIRECTOR, NORTHERN IRELAND RETAIL CONSORTIUM

hose of us who are steeped in the Protocol and its workings have been on an emotional rollercoaster for this past two years. I have often pointed out that I said (and was in fact quoted here as saying) that by signing the Protocol, the Prime Minister had not listened to Northern Ireland business, nor had he listened to Northern Ireland communities. When it was going through Parliament in December 2019, the business community came together to form the NI Business Brexit Working Group to try to get Amendments to the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in place during its passage through the Lords and Commons. We knew that these would not pass since the Government had an 80-seat majority, but we achieved two significant outcomes. Firstly, we broke the narrative that Northern Ireland was sorted under the Protocol and secondly, and as wildly implausible as it may seem now, we managed to get all five of the major parties to support our amendments. But the Protocol became and is the law and we in the business community are making our best endeavours to make this work. Since then, there have been highs and lows, progress and near misses, expectations and disappointments. Which brings us to the ninth meeting of the Joint Committee chaired by the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss and the EU Vice President, recently. The fact that it was a joint statement after the talks is always good news compared to the fractious, disparate and sometimes tension raising individual statements that had been common in Lord Frost’s time at the helm of the UK side of the negotiations. Plus it was welcome that the statement “underlined the ongoing determination of both parties to ensure that the outstanding issues in the context of the Protocol are addressed, and durable solutions

found for the benefit of citizens, businesses and stability in Northern Ireland.” But that was it. There was no announcement on human medicines that we understand has been agreed and there was nothing concrete for us to bank as progress. As long as the talks continue, then the NI Business Brexit Working Group will continue to engage with both sides as critical friends and as champions of our business community and the wider community. But we need to see progress. The grace periods continuing is welcome but, without longer term workable solutions, we cannot build long-term business plans or investments. The business community are exhausted. They have Brexit fatigue and talks fatigue, and they have to deal with the day job, Covid and rising commodity and energy prices. But they will keep fighting the good fight to get both sides to move. The rising feeling though is that we have come close to exhausting what is possible technically. So, it seems that politics got us into this, and politics may be the only way of getting latitude to allow the negotiators to change their read lines and deliver the deal that Northern Ireland so desperately needs. 5

NEWS

CONSULTATION ON MINIMUM UNIT PRICING OF ALCOHOL OPENS IN NI

ealth Minister Robin Swann has launched a public consultation on the potential introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of Alcohol in Northern Ireland. MUP, which targets binge drinking by making cheap high-strength drinks more expensive, came into force in the Republic of Ireland in January. It has already been implemented in Scotland and Wales, where a Newcastle University study published last year in the Lancet found sales fell by 7.7% and 8.6% respectively following its introduction. “For many years now, alcohol has been our drug of choice in Northern Ireland, and this is reflected in our high rates of alcohol-specific deaths,” said Swann, launching the consultation last month. “I

believe that the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing will have a direct impact and help to reduce the number of these deaths over time. “I have been greatly encouraged by the positive evidence coming out about the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing within Scotland and firmly believe that its introduction here has the potential to be a key population-level health measure to address the harms related to alcohol consumption and help to prevent individuals coming to harm in the first place. “Research has shown that the full social cost to the Northern Ireland economy of alcohol-related harm could be as high as £900m per year, with up to £250m directly borne by the health sector alone

HOME BARGAINS TO CREATE 120 JOBS WITH NEW KENNEDY CENTRE SITE BY RALPH HEWITT

iscount store Home Bargains will open a new 33,000-square-foot store in west Belfast’s Kennedy Centre in April, hiring 120 staff. Home Bargains said it was “really pleased” to service the local community and that its investment in the store will allow the discount chain to bring “even more bargains” to west Belfast. It comes after the shopping centre reported its best Christmas ever for 2021, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. John Jones, manager, Kennedy Centre.

The Kennedy Centre had a 24% increase in footfall on its previous best day, welcoming close to 30,000 customers through the doors over the festive period. “We are entering the Centre’s 31st year in business on a high,” said John Jones, manager, Kennedy Centre. “We are delighted with the latest figures, which are testament to the fantastic offerings at the Centre, and we are grateful to our loyal customers who have supported us over the years. “Many of our retailers also reported record sales. During a turbulent time through the pandemic, the end of last year and into the start of 2022 is proving to be a really positive and encouraging time.”

and a further £383m borne by the justice sector. However, this financial burden can never fully describe the incalculable impact that alcohol-related harm has on our society. “The evidence is quite clear that price is a key factor in driving alcohol-related harm. Alcohol is 74% more affordable now than it was 30 years ago, and the availability of alcohol at very low prices is encouraging excessive and, most importantly, harmful consumption. “Now I want to hear the views of the public and I would urge everyone to have their say and respond to this consultation.” The consultation is open until May 17, 2022 and be completed by post or online at: www.health-ni.gov.uk/mupconsultation

CONSUMERS CUT BACK ON GROCERY SPEND & SHOP VISITS

ome cooking and retail sales of alcohol have continued to decline, according to the latest data from Kantar, as consumers revert to pre-pandemic shopping habits. However, while data for the year to January 23 indicates a 5.5% year-onyear decline in the total Northern Ireland grocery market, sales remain 7.7% up on 2019 figures. “Looking at the latest 12 weeks, takehome grocery sales have fallen by 6.4% as people have made the most of more relaxed restrictions and started eating at pubs, bars and restaurants again,” said Emer Healy, senior retail analyst, Kantar. “There has been a 12.9% drop off in the amount of home cooking done by Northern Irish shoppers in the past year. We can really see the impact of this shift reflected in how much people are buying and how often they are going to the shops. Basket sizes have dropped by 7.6% while supermarket visits are down 3.2%. “Alcohol sales fell by 12.8% over the past 12 months, as shoppers showed a strong commitment to Dry January during the first month of the year.”

NEWS

CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS ISSUE OF UNREGISTERED PANDEMIC FOOD BUSINESSES

new campaign is urging all new food businesses to register with their district council after the pandemic resulted in a burgeoning sector of small enterprises run out of home kitchens. As many as 32% of new ventures registered in Northern Ireland since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 are run from domestic kitchens at private addresses, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Register a Food Business digital service (RAFB). According to FSA, which launched the campaign last month, many home-based sellers have not registered with their local councils as they do not consider themselves to be a food business; potentially putting consumers at risk because they haven’t demonstrated good food safety knowledge. “District councils need to know the businesses trading in their area so they can give them the help and support to ensure businesses get their hygiene and standards right to protect consumers from the moment they open,” said

Michael Jackson, deputy director - head of regulatory compliance, FSA. “If you cook, store, prepare, sell or distribute a food product, then you are a food business and you need to get registered straightaway. “Our advice is clear, if you’re planning to start a new food business, or taking over an existing food business – you must register with your district council. Registering is free and easy to do.” All food businesses have a legal obligation to register with their district council 28 days before opening and it is an offence not to do so. Businesses must register whether they sell food via social media (Facebook Marketplace or Instagram store), via e-commerce sites such as Amazon or eBay, trade from a physical customerfacing premises or simply run a food business from a home kitchen. Businesses

must also register with the district council if they are taking over an existing food business. Registering a food business means that district councils will be aware of the operation and will carry out a food hygiene inspection. Without registration, a local authority cannot assess the nature of the business and give a Food Hygiene Rating. RAFB was introduced in September 2018 to make it easier for food business operators to register and receive useful guidance at the point of registration. Currently all district councils in Northern Ireland and 70% of local authorities across England and Wales are using the service, reaching a milestone of 100,000 digital registrations since the service was launched. For more information, www.food.gov.uk/register-afood-business

STORE FOCUS

Landscape Filling Station, BELFAST COMPANY : THE WALL GROUP

AN AMBITIOUS REDEVELOPMENT OF THE WALL GROUP’S SMALL CRUMLIN ROAD FORECOURT SHOP INTO A 5,000-SQUARE-FOOT STATEMENT STORE HAS BEEN SMOOTH SAILING THANKS TO PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE HENDERSON GROUP & PROJECT CONTRACTORS, OWNER HELEN WALL TELLS ALYSON MAGEE

Martin Agnew, joint managing director, Henderson Group; Helen and Gavan Wall; and Paddy Doody, sales and marketing director, Henderson Group.

even years of patience have paid off for Gavan and Helen Wall, the husband-and-wife team behind the successful Wall Group which operates four SPAR stores and four Subways. The wait was for planning permission to redevelop their Crumlin Road filling station, previously a 453-square-foot “glorified sweet shop” and now an architecturally striking 5,000-square-foot store with an eight-pump GO forecourt. Focused on the North Belfast area, the Walls’ convenience store portfolio includes another SPAR forecourt operation, Rathcoole Filling Station, as well as SPAR Ardoyne and SPAR Whitewell. Before getting into the retail trade, Gavan was a barrister and Helen an accountant, working as a financial 8

controller for another retail group and later in banking, financing investment in shops. “I remember as a retail accountant saying, gee, if somebody handed me one of these stores on a platter, I would hand it back to them,” says Helen. “Twenty years later, I’ve gone full circle.” Helen only entered the family business full time a few years ago, allowing Gavan to take a step back from retail operations. A SMOOTH PROJECT Landscape Filling Station reopened on January 13 following a £3m investment to redevelop the site, and Helen has only praise for project partners the Henderson Group, Cleary Contracting, Ashley Lamont and Conor McCavitt of Whittaker & Watt Architects, Harry Dunlop Refrigeration, Dougan Contracts, Martin

Food Equipement and Little Electrical Engineers. “We really found Henderson’s and Whittaker & Watt to be great when we were building this store,” she says. “They kept us right with all the things you have to look out for, and it was one of the smoothest projects we’ve ever done. “Honestly, I thought it was going to be a nightmare, but we had the best builders and architects. Gavan had been in planning for seven years to try and get it built, and then we got planning permission in the middle of Covid. We were very lucky as we got the builders pinned down and a fixed price contract agreed just before everything seemed to spiral out of control pricewise.” Having the architects project manage was a great asset, with their guidance even extending to getting telephone lines and internet up and running for the store opening. “All the stuff that can cause real problems if it’s not done correctly,” says Helen. Whereas the original site was essentially a petrol station offering fizzy drinks, cigarettes and sweets, the new shop “encompasses everything we have in our other stores, all in one store”, she says. Extensive ambient, fresh, convenience and bakery ranges span spacious aisles, 13 fridges and a full deli including a dailyDeli sandwich, wrap and salad bar, chicken bar and selection of hot meals. Alongside Henderson Group staples Barista Bar coffee and treats to-go, own brands Enjoy Local, The CHEF and The Greengrocer’s fresh fruit & veg and a f’real milkshake bar, the Walls have

STORE FOCUS

installed Coca Cola and Fanta Frozen and a Nugelato Ice Cream concession. While the redeveloped shop is only in its first few weeks of trading, the strong performance of a new fish line has surprised Helen while dailyDeli meal deals and Go Pig or Go Home Ready Meals are also among ranges selling well to date. “It’s probably too early to tell what’s going to be best for us as we’re doing everything at the moment,” says Helen. “We’re finding our feet.” Getting the new shop up and running has been the focus, with Landscape Filling Station yet to embark on a marketing push.“We’re going to partner with Henderson’s and do a big leaflet drop to 4,000 houses near us, and we need to go down to the hospital and let them know

we have this great new deli,” says Helen. The impressive new site is serving as its own marketing tool and is well located on an arterial route into Belfast City Centre, close to the Mater Hospital and the Beldoc out-of-hours GP clinic. It’s already pulling in 17,000 shoppers per week. Landscape Filling Station will partner with Marie Curie as the official charity partner of SPAR across the UK, while also supporting local schools, groups and organisations including the Lower Oldpark Community Association. “We are in the heart of the community here and believe in supporting those who support us,” says Helen. “Providing funding and essentials for schools and

community groups in the area is how we give back, and we look forward to connecting even more with the communities of Crumlin Road, Lower Oldpark, and wider North Belfast.” LATEST TECHNOLOGY Special software had to be written to integrate the Nugelato till with the GLORY cash management system which can be incorporated into Henderson Technology’s EDGEPoS software. Used across all Landscape Filling Station’s tills, GLORY removes any need for staff to handle or count cash as well as improving a shop’s cashflow with faster, secure banking. Further innovation in the store includes electronic price labelling, while eco measures such as closed fridges are proving their worth right now by reducing bills during a time of rocketing utility prices. “We don’t use 5p bags across any of our stores to try and cut down on plastic,” says Helen. “Subways only use wooden knives and forks and we’re planning on implementing these in our

says Helen. “GO partners with so many different fuel cards, so we’ll hopefully get all the lorry drivers in.” Landscape Filling Station is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, “so we don’t even shut the doors,” says Helen. “That comes with its own issues around staffing as well.” An additional 30 workers were recruited for the reopening, with the new shop now employing a total of 50 staff members managed by Emma. “You think when you get the shop open, you’re finished, but the hard work is really only beginning now with trying to get staffing right and trying to get the offering right,” says Helen. “We recruited heavily coming up to the opening and tried to put new staff in our other stores for training.” Paddy Doody, sales and marketing director at the Henderson Group – owner of the SPAR brand in NI - has congratulated The Wall Group on their latest venture. “Once again, The Wall Group has taken the SPAR concept and made it their own to work entirely for their target demographic in the wider North Belfast area. The striking Landscape Filling Station is a fantastic addition to Crumlin Road, providing vital employment and growth opportunities, driven by a dedicated team. We wish Gavan and Helen the best of luck as they continue to grow their SPAR portfolio in Northern Ireland.”

delis too, to get rid of single-use plastics.” Offering standard amenities such as PayPoint and Lotto, space has also been set aside in the shop for a Post Office concession, pending final approval. GO branding has been newly installed on the redeveloped forecourt, which features 22 carpark spaces. “We are really competitive with our petrol prices,” 9

RETAIL NEWS – INDEPENDENTS

LOCAL RETAILERS WELCOME EXTENSION OF BUSINESS RATES HOLIDAY

Joe Archibald, Coleraine store owner and NFRN NI president.

ndependent retailers in Northern Ireland have cautiously welcomed the announcement non-domestic rates are to be frozen for the next financial year and businesses will receive a three-month extension of the rates holiday. “I do intend to proceed to freeze both domestic and non-domestic regional rates next year, which will help with the rising costs faced by families and businesses,” said Finance Minister Conor Murphy, addressing MLAs at the Assembly. “Unfortunately, I cannot extend this to the three years as previously intended. “I will also progress with the £50m

rate relief package to support a rates holiday for businesses. This will provide a three-months rates holiday for retail, tourism, hospitality, leisure, childcare, newspapers and airports which are the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic.” Joe Archibald, Coleraine store owner and NFRN NI president, said: “The holiday and freeze on rates is much needed because there is still a lot of recovery to be done following the pandemic. “There really needs to be a full review of business rates because they are scandalous in some cases, but any help we can get at the moment is to be welcomed.”

RETAIL CRIME WILL BE FOCUS OF NFRN ANNUAL CONFERENCE

in which retail crime can be olice chief Patrick Holdaway tackled. He has spoken has been confirmed as passionately at meetings of the first guest speaker the All-Party Parliamentary at the NFRN’s Annual Group on Retail Crime, Conference this summer. while The NFRN acts as the The City of London secretariat for this crossPolice superintendent, Patrick Holdaway party group. who also leads the National “Retail crime, whether Business Crime Centre, will be theft, abuse or attacks, is the taking part in a panel discussion biggest challenge facing independent on retail crime during the two-day retailers,” said Narinder Randhawa, conference. national president, NFRN. “Over the This year’s event is taking place on past year and following pressure from June 20 and 21 at new venue, The Vox the NFRN, great inroads have been Conference Centre in Resorts World, made in tackling this massive problem. Birmingham. It is only right that this is an issue Holdaway has previously attended the organisation’s centenary conference that comes under the spotlight at our Annual Conference.” in Brighton in 2019 to discuss ways

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts also welcomed the threemonth extension, while lamenting delays to the Draft Budget after the collapse of Stormont. Roberts said: “This continuing political instability is bad for business and for our economy as a whole. Our local business community deserve so much better than this. “It is regrettable that the draft NI Budget is not able to be delivered because of the Executive being unable to meet. We need a three-year budget to be agreed to enable ministers to plan ahead in relation to key areas such as skills, infrastructure and further measures to support business. “Retail NI does welcome the further extension of the business rates holiday by three months for our members from April. This will give smaller traders greater support, particularly given the huge increases in energy costs they are having to deal with.”

CALL FOR RETURNTO-WORKPLACE MESSAGE AS COVID RESTRICTIONS EASE

orthern Ireland needs to get its workers back into offices to boost high street footfall, and the wider economy, says Retail NI. “The lifting of the Covid 19 restrictions is fantastic news for our members and the wider business community,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive, Retail NI. “We can now reopen our economy and accelerate the recovery of our High Streets.” “However, we are disappointed that the statement does not include a clear commitment to return to the workplace. Safely reopening offices and workplaces is not only vital to boost footfall for our high streets, but also for our economy and returning our society to normal. “Northern Ireland needs to catch up with other parts of the UK with its returnto-workplace message. “Retail NI want to see the Executive establish a working group to produce a clear and co-ordinated plan for the safe and timely return of public and private sector staff to their offices and workplaces.”

RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOLS

HENDERSON GROUP LAUNCHES ‘MEGA’ VALUE IMPACT FOR NI SHOPPERS

resh from its announcement of a multi-million-pound strategy supporting value and community retailing in 2022, Henderson Group has launched the latest in a series of value-driving initiatives for shoppers and retailers across Northern Ireland. Weekly Mega Deals launched last month and will see one high-demand item drop in price each week in a bid to cushion consumers from the on-going effects of increased living costs on their shopping receipts. “Our investment in value is not a new concept for Henderson Group, however it is a key strategy for us as we help consumers negotiate the aftereffects of a pandemic and as everyday household expenses rise,” said Sara Murphy, marketing manager, Henderson Group. “We want to ensure value on big brand items is not just seasonal, but all year round, we have an exceptional local fresh foods sourcing strategy which keeps deals consistent in our stores throughout the year. Mega Deals is our opportunity to extend that to wider national brands and household essentials.” Henderson Group research has found that 82% of shoppers state value is the

MAXOL INVESTS £250,000 IN ANTRIM ROAD SERVICE STATION

Brian Donaldson, CEO, Maxol, is pictured at the refurbished forecourt.

orecourt and convenience retailer Maxol has completed an £250,000 investment to refurbish its Antrim Road, Belfast store and forecourt and deliver an enhanced offering for customers. The shop layout has changed to create space for new and expanded lines, including a SPAR Daily Deli providing hot and cold food throughout the day including 12

Sara Murphy, marketing manager at Henderson Group, launches the Weekly Mega Deals initiative to drive even more value throughout SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials stores throughout Northern Ireland.

most important factor when considering which store to visit*, and therefore 43% will travel to the store that has the cheapest products – even if that is not their nearest store**. Henderson Group will launch Mega Deals across all 480 SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials stores in Northern Ireland with a marketing strategy spanning national TV and radio, print and digital media, as well as outdoor and in-store opportunities to capture an increased audience. *SPAR Shopper Tracker, Q3 2021 **CARD Shopper Tracker, Q4 2021

vegan and vegetarian options. The Barista Bar, which provides customers with fast, delicious quality coffee on the go, has been moved to a more prominent position for ease and speed of access. Also included in the upgrade are new refrigeration and additional dairy and ‘chill for now’ space. Further, Maxol has made changes in the forecourt area, reducing pump islands from three to two and creating additional parking spaces to meet demand at the busiest times of the day. Finishing touches such as new signage, lighting, electrics, flooring and ceilings are aimed at enhancing the shopping experience. “We work hard to continuously develop and improve our service stations for the benefit of our customers,” said Brian Donaldson, CEO, The Maxol Group. “With demand for grocery and general shop sales growing significantly at this site during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have invested to create a store that is vibrant, modern, and inviting and ensures we can offer a significantly enhanced range in a greatly improved premises.”

RETAIL NEWS – MULTIPLES

LIDL NI SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMME TACKLES MENTAL HEALTH

idl Northern Ireland has selected 25 secondary schools across the region to each benefit from a dedicated Mental Health Athlete Mentorship programme and receive £1,000 of new sports equipment as part of the retailer’s established Sport for Good initiative. With 45% of young people in Northern Ireland saying their mental health has worsened since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic*, the Lidl Northern Ireland Sport for Good Schools Programme is focused on teaching students about the long-term physical and mental health benefits of sports participation. Delivered in partnership with Youth Sport Trust, the UK’s leading sports charity supporting young people’s education and development through sport, the Sport for Good Schools Programme is set to reach

Sport for Good Ambassador and Paralympic champion Bethany Firth OBE, Sport for Good Ambassador and Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and Gordon Cruikshanks, head of sales Operations for Lidl Northern Ireland.

thousands of secondary school pupils right across the region over the coming years. Specially trained athlete mentors will run workshops and take sessions with

ASDA BALLYCLARE COLLEAGUE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF SERVICE

sda Ballyclare’s ‘Popular Porter’ James Prentice has marked 30 years of service at the store. The Ballyclare team helped James celebrate the milestone with a presentation of flowers and chocolates. Prentice, who joined Asda Ballyclare in January 1992, watched the store evolve over the years and even turned 40 the same week the most recent store opened in March 2008.

James Prentice is pictured with Carolyn Massey, Asda people development partner in Northern Ireland.

“I enjoy being part of such a wonderful team, I have met lifelong friends and I look forward to my future here in

the students that will help increase their confidence and resilience while also providing them with tools to help manage their own mental health into adulthood. A stellar line up of eight leading local athletes will deliver the schools programme, including four-time Paralympic athletics champion Michael McKillop and Olympian steeplechase gold medallist Kerry O’Flaherty, Olympian hockey heroes Shirley McCay and Eugene Magee, Northern Ireland netball international and Armagh ladies’ Gaelic footballer Caroline O’Hanlon, female rugby union champion and Olympian Ashleigh Baxter, Ulster Rugby midfielder and Jiu Jitsu champion Stacey Sloan and Commonwealth Shooting Champion Kirsty Hegarty. For more information, please visit lidlni.co.uk/lidl-community-works *Source: 2021 Prince’s Trust Tesco Youth Index

Asda Ballyclare,” he said. “I do not intend on retiring at the age the government suggests as I want to work here for as long as I can. I admire the whole team, the management, and the floor colleagues – we all work really well together.” Carolyn Massey, Asda people development partner in Northern Ireland, said: “He is a great colleague and is really well known amongst our customers in Ballyclare. He has always got a joke or a story for everyone he meets and just loves his job, frequently telling me he works with the best team ever. Well done James on your 30 years.’’

FINNEBROGUE’S LOVE SAUSAGE RETURNS TO M&S FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

he M&S Love Sausage, created by long-term M&S supplier Downpatrickbased Finnebrogue Artisan, returned to shelves once again for Valentine’s Day last month. The original heart-shaped Love Sausage, an outdoor-bred pork sausage with a hint of truffle and wrapped in smoked bacon, became a viral hit when it was first unveiled in 2019 with its annual return met with fanfare ever since. “Over the past year, M&S has been sourcing more Northern Irish products than ever before. We are passionate

about high-quality, locally sourced and affordable products,” said Nicola Finlay, regional manager for M&S in Northern Ireland. “The M&S Love Sausage is a real success story for Downpatrick’s Finnebrogue Artisan. It has truly captured hearts on both sides of the Irish Sea. Finnebrogue has been supplying to M&S for almost 20 years.” Councillor Patrick Brown of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said: “As a representative of the District, I am extremely proud to be from Downpatrick,

the home of the M&S Love Sausage. Finnebrogue Artisan is renowned for producing innovative, high quality, local produce and the Love Sausage is prime example of just that.” 13

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

SHARPER FOCUS ON HEALTHY ‘GREENS’ IS KEY TO BALANCED DIET AND SUSTAINABILITY BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

e were delighted in Food NI to work with local Vegetable Advocates to promote greater consumption of healthy ‘greens’ last month. Our support for this worthy initiative is a reflection of our focus on supporting all sectors in the local food industry and also for activities showcasing the importance of sustainability to address the growing and worrying challenges of climate change. This support also reflects our vision for a balanced local food and drink industry, as seen in the Our Food: Power of Good promotional campaign which appears on television, radio and social media. We are dedicated to encouraging and assisting all sectors of food and drink here to prosper. We’d certainly like to see a greater focus on measures to promote greater production and wider availability of vegetable crops. We’ve been very impressed by the initiative of VegNI and their Parful Produce campaign and the imaginative Source Grow system of matching growers and restaurants. While there are a number of very successful growers of vegetables, we believe, nevertheless, that there is significant scope for more vegetables to be grown here and that retailers could certainly help towards this worthy objective, the achievement of which could contribute to improving the health of everyone in the community and also support sustainability, especially following last year’s COP26 environmental summit. Vegetable Advocate volunteers focused on an imaginative Love Veg NI in a sevenday meal challenge, inviting local people to ‘have a go’ and pledge to include more veggies in their diet over the seven days and well beyond. Local shoppers were challenged to seek out and support the daily purchase of vegetables grown locally and in season in Northern Ireland. And there’s a wide variety of traditional vegetables already being grown here. There are also some very unusual crops such as pak choi – being grown in Ballymena – and Japanese wasabi in Tandragee. The overall aim is to Increase veg 14

consumption substantially over the period. The campaign focused on the high quality and availability of local vegetables, their value for money, health benefits and the variety of meals that can be enjoyed using veggies. Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Kate Nicholl, was on the button at the launch of the novel campaign when she said: “We have such wonderful produce right here on our doorsteps in Northern Ireland and supporting local producers and traders not only helps to boost the local economy, but also contributes more widely to helping the environment. Eating locally-grown vegetables, she added, also benefits the environment by reducing the carbon footprint of products imported from other parts of the world. We all need to commit and do more to look after our endangered planet and adding more locally grown seasonal vegetables will certainly support this. The challenge will also benefit local farmers due to the focus on including

a variety of veg ONLY grown here, in at least one meal each day for seven days. Culinary Arts Management Students at the University of Ulster pledged enthusiastic support for the challenge and supported workshops. Diners at the recently opened Academy Restaurant in Belfast enjoyed a variety of fresh, local vegetables. It would be good too to see more public bodies here ordering local veggies from their supplies. Indeed, Food NI has been encouraging the public sector here to specify local supplies of all foods required. Buying more local food and drink would be good for the producers and, of course, the wider economy. We appreciate greatly the far-reaching engagement of the university in the campaign and look forward to continuing the further development of our relationship with the university. It’s all about eating more veg for health and supporting local enterprise. Vegetable Advocates is part of a UK wide Peas Please project launched in 2017 by the Food Foundation. It’s an initiative which Food NI has also backed since then. Vegetable Advocates is being supported by us to engage with local communities, farmers, retailers and manufactures to achieve a common goal of increasing vegetable consumption. As the environmental summit emphasised, the expanding impact of the climate crisis demands collective action, a transformation of society and individual behaviours. We all can - and must – take part in the efforts to address the challenges of climate change. We are, furthermore, working closely with Executive departments particularly Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and Tourism NI on ‘green’ initiatives and continue to provide our specialist expertise and mentoring to our 500 member companies in food and drink production and hospitality. It’s vitally important that the industry be assisted effectively to enable it to respond to the essential requirements to address climate change by reducing our overall carbon footprint on the environment. There is simply no realistic alternative.

ADVERTORIAL

IFEX 2022 opens for business COMPANY : IFEX

THE INDUSTRY EVENT THAT WILL BE SERVING UP IDEAS, INSPIRATION AND INNOVATION Sean Owens, director of Salon Culinaire at IFEX 2018 with Jean Christophe Novelli and Edible Art judge David Close.

egistration is now open for IFEX, Northern Ireland’s largest food, drink, retail and hospitality event, which is returning to the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast from Tuesday 29th-Thursday 31st March 2022. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, IFEX has firmly cemented its reputation as the ultimate destination for the hospitality and foodservice industry. Free to attend, registration for IFEX is now open. Don’t miss out: www.IFEXexhibition.co.uk Attracting visitors from across Ireland, IFEX is a three-day extravaganza of foodservice and hospitality excellence bringing together national skills finals, live demonstrations, new product launches and unique networking opportunities. The show will offer visitors new ideas, innovative products, technology insights and the business advice they need to grow their business in the years ahead. As one of the first trade exhibitions to open its doors in 2022, the return of 16

IFEX, supported by Stephens Catering Equipment, Flogas and Budget Energy, has been welcomed from across industry and comes at a time when businesses within the hospitality and foodservice industries are focused on rebuilding. Commenting on the importance of the shows return, Toby Wand, managing director of 365 Events Ltd, comments: “IFEX is one of NI’s longest running trade shows and has been the cornerstone expo for the foodservice, catering, retail and hospitality industries for many years. Needed more than ever before, IFEX is crucial for galvanising the industry and driving new business for exhibitors. “This year’s show promises to serve up three days packed full of ideas and innovation for both visitors and exhibitors alike. From inspiring competitions to expert masterclasses, and an abundance of ideas, IFEX is simply the number one event for industry professionals in the foodservice, hospitality and retail sectors.”

Almost 40% of exhibitors at this year’s IFEX will be exhibiting for the first time, painting an encouraging picture of growing market confidence as companies rebuild off what has been a challenging few years. They will sit alongside big-name players, including Lynas Foodservice, Henderson Foodservice, Stephens Catering Equipment, Sysco, Hugh Jordan and Golden Glen, all pledging their support for this year’s show.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT IFEX 2022… ALL INDUSTRY SUPPORT Championing best practice within the industry, IFEX returns with industry support from all leading associations including Hospitality Ulster, the Federation of Small Business, Retail NI, Restaurants Association of Ireland, NI Hotels Federation, Food NI, NI Takeaway

ADVERTORIAL At the launch of IFEX 2022 are Sean Owens, director of Salon Culinaire and 2018 NI Chef of the year winner, Paul Cunningham with students from Belfast MET.

Association, Chef Network, Fare Share and The Guild of Fine Food. NEW: WORLD SKILLS NI HOSPITALITY SKILLS HUB Together with the NI Hospitality Education Skills Hub, IFEX will be celebrating, nurturing and rediscovering skills at the 2022 show. Helping to address an industry wide problem, the Skills Hub is a hands-on demo area showcasing the very many services and opportunities available across the sector, including hotel reception and housekeeping, barista and tea making, mixology and bartending, larder and butchery skills, bakery and patisserie and restaurant service. World Skills Northern Ireland is the anchor skills organisation in the Skills Hub with all six Northern Ireland colleges represented and is supported by Department of Economy.

NEW: IFEX Bar As well as the array of exciting food and speciality products on offer, IFEX has partnered with Hospitality Ulster to launch a new IFEX Bar. Showcasing the newest drinks and freshest innovations all aimed at revolutionising your offering, the IFEX Bar will feature exciting drinks producers helping visitors uncover the next big thing from new distillers and brewers. GREAT TASTE MARKET IFEX have once again partnered with The Guild of Fine Food to bring a unique opportunity for visitors to see and taste Ireland’s award-winning products all in one place at the Great Taste Market. This year, the Great Taste Market at IFEX includes a collection of fine food and drink stalls, ranging from bakery products, tea and coffee to gins and so much more. Colin Neill, Hospitality Ulster, Andrew Davis, Retail NI, and Brendan Kearney, FSB NI with Sean Owens, IFEX Salon Culinaire director.

SERVING UP TALENT Central to IFEX is Salon Culinaire, the national centre for excellence in the industry, nurturing the talent of the future through world-class competitions and expert demonstrations. Housing almost 250 industry and student chefs, skills is high on the agenda and Salon Culinaire, which raises the bar in terms of culinary skills in Northern Ireland, includes The ChefSkills Theatre, Street Food International and Edible Art, which are supported by Department for the Economy. Running over the three days, the ChefSkills Theatre sees an exciting series of back-to-back, live competitions, including the hotly contended Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs-supported IFEX Northern Ireland Chef of the Year and Northern Ireland Junior Chef of the Year accolades. Street Food International, supported by Department for the Economy, will feature teams from NI culinary colleges, going head–to-head to serve covers daily in a ‘real time’ restaurant. For this team competition, preparation, service, timing and teamwork are every bit as important as the quality of cooking. The winning team will offer the ‘whole package’ of hospitality skills. Long-standing Salon Culinaire Director, Sean Owens comments: “This year I’m confident that we’re going to discover some extraordinarily talented young chefs, and to have uncovered and encouraged new talent to flourish at IFEX is what THE event for the food, drink, retail and hospitality industries is all about.” Salon Culinaire is a major part of IFEX due to its long-standing commitment to nurture talent within the industry and the cooking competitions will sit alongside a number of other exciting features at the event. These include over 200 exhibitors showcasing the very latest in new products and services, a NEW IFEX Insights stage, where there will be daily panel discussions focusing on key themes and trends and the prestigious IFEX Innovation Awards. IFEX 2022 is taking place from Tuesday 29th March to Thursday 31st March at the TEC, Belfast. The show opens daily at 10am and runs until 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and to 4pm on Thursday. Registration is now open, and you can register for FREE at www.IFEXexhibition.co.uk. 17

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

GLENS OF ANTRIM BAGS A CRISP DEAL WITH TESCO NI

Mary McKillop, director, Glens of Antrim Crisps; Michael Crealey, Tesco buying manager for NI; and Amy Stewart, sales manager, Glens of Antrim Crisps.

LOCAL HERBS & SPICES SUPPLIER, FAVOURIT RELAUNCH FOODSERVICE RANGE FAVOURIT has a rich heritage dating back to 1915, making it Northern Ireland’s oldest supplier of herbs and spices. Proudly produced in Belfast for over 100 years, FAVOURIT have the expertise and knowledge to offer a reliable source of the finest seasonings, all year round. In February 2021, Belfast based brand-building distributor, GM Marketing acquired the business, bringing over 22 years’ experience of building brands across the UK and Ireland to FAVOURIT. With a history steeped in Belfast and credibility built in Foodservice, GM Marketing embarked on a redesign project for the heritage brand. FAVOURIT are delighted to relaunch their Foodservice range at IFEX in the Titanic Exhibition Centre this month. They’ll be unveiling the new brand identity, while showcasing their range of Herbs, Spices, Seasonings and Baking products in a variety of pack formats.

Visit us at Stand F52 we look forward to meeting you!

lens of Antrim Crisps has secured a new contract to supply its full range of Hand Cooked Potato Crisps to Tesco’s 35 stores across Northern Ireland. The deal represents the first time the Cushendall-based company’s branded range will be available on the shelves of a major supermarket in Northern Ireland. Glens of Antrim already supplies its branded crisps to the independent retail and hospitality sectors in NI. It also produces ownlabel crisps for Tesco in the Republic of Ireland under the supermarket’s Finest range. In addition, Glens’ branded crisps are exported to key markets including Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea. The Glens of Antrim Crisp division is part of the Glens of Antrim Potato business, established in 1972 by the McKillops, a third-generation Co Antrim farming family. Over the last 10 years, the entrepreneurial family has explored a range of new product and market developments, culminating in an investment of £900,000 in its own potato crisp processing and packaging plant in 2015. A further spend of £500,000 is planned over the next four months. “The Northern Ireland market is highly discerning when it comes to potato crisp consumption, with product quality and taste being the two factors which differentiate one brand from another,” said Mary McKillop, director, Glens of Antrim Crisps “To address this, we have invested heavily in NPD, consumer research and market trends to ensure our range not only stands out on shelf but delivers on the palate.

“TODAY MARKS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP FOR GLENS OF ANTRIM CRISPS AND TESCO AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DEVELOPING OUR PARTNERSHIP IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.” “Added to this we are a NI-based business, with strong links to our farming community and are committed to sourcing locally. Today marks an important first step for Glens of Antrim Crisps and Tesco and we look forward to developing our partnership in the months ahead.” Michael Crealey, Tesco buying manager for NI, said: “We’re proud to support local companies such as Glens of Antrim which is so well stablished within NI’s agri-food sector. The range now available in our Northern Ireland stores is a welcome addition to our crisp and snack offering, giving our customers even greater choice, quality and value.”

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

SPAR BOOSTS ITS OWN-LABEL CRISPS, SNACKS & NUTS RANGE

PAR has added new lines to its own-label range of crisps, snacks and nuts, targeting customer demand for innovation, value, healthier options, and limited edition and premium lines. Launching in SPAR NI stores from February 28, the 11 new products bring an exciting refresh to the SPAR brand crisps, snacks and nuts portfolio. Following a full review of the category, two new flavours joining the SPAR Handcooked Crisps range include Hoisin Duck and Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar.

Within the sharing and impulse ranges, ontrend Hot & Spicy Bites and Ready Salted Sticks will also be joining the portfolio. Brazil Nuts and Apricots, meanwhile, represent two new additions to the healthy snacking nuts range. The SPAR own-label nuts collection has been refreshed with a new look and feel to boost impact and presence on shelf. “The market value of crisps, popcorn, nuts and savoury snacks has risen over the last two years, and this is reflected in sales in our SPAR stores,” said Glen Howe, head of ambient trading, Henderson Group. “Innovation in this category is key with many shoppers looking to try new flavours. We have added these new and improved SKUs in response to customers looking for innovation, value, healthier options, limited edition and premium lines in the category.”

ADVERTORIAL

HFM is helping manufacturers operate more efficiently amid sector challenges COMPANY : HENDERSON FOOD MACHINERY

enderson Food Machinery is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of food processing and packaging machinery. We presently represent over 20 manufacturers and our range of machines is extensive; to name a few, Apple Depositors, N&N Nadratowski Mixers and Mixer Grinders, Rotech Sleeving Machinery, OK Bag Sealing Equipment, Ramon Butchery Equipment, T&S Cooking Equipment, Deighton Forming Frying Equipment, Teknomek Hygienic Equipment, Various Conveyors, MPE Tray Sealers, Hajek Thermoformers and many more applications from many manufacturers. We are also very good at sourcing the right machinery for the right process. We have, over the last few months, been involved in several projects for 20

supplying complete lines and this is a growing part of our business, guiding customers on how to set these lines up, especially with labour shortages and commodity price increases. HFM can supply into many sectors including meat, fish, poultry, food factories plants and manufacturers, catering butchers, bakers, hotels, restaurants, ready meal manufacturers, vegetable and salad producers, contract

packers, fish processors, fast food outlets, dairies, sauce and soup factories, drinks and liquid manufacturers, petfood companies, confectionary, fruit processors and the brewing industry. HFM is also proud to again be sponsoring the Best Brand award at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards, as well as being involved with the Blas Na hEireann Irish Food & Drinks Awards. We have found being involved with these awards has helped to bring our HFM brand to the forefront of our industry. Why not give us a call to discuss your food processing or packaging machinery requirements on 02890 994 202 or email sales@henderonfoodmachinery.com

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

LAUNCH EVENT MARKS COUNTDOWN TO THE ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS 2022

GROCER ULSTER

MARKETING AWARDS 2022

torm Eunice failed to deter sponsors, and winners from the 2021 Awards, from gathering at the Culloden Estate and Spa on February 18 for the official launch of the Ulster ★TIC GROCE RS’ B Grocer Marketing Awards 2022. Ticke KETS A A t sale V The 34th annual awards will see winners awarded across AILALL 2022 s are n BLE 10 categories during the Grocers’ Ball, a fundraiser for the 2022 ow open NOW May Cullo , to be h for the GroceryAid charity, at the Culloden on May 27. ★ 27 a Groc den eld a s ers’ B H t t he Online-only entry closes on March 25 for the Awards, which ot th all To bo year fo main fu el & Spa e offer an opportunity for companies operating in the Northern ndra r the on ok ti isi ck G or M ets, ema roceryA ng event Ireland grocery sector to shine a light on their successes and id ch ark.G il des of th a i owd e achievements. y@w .derby@mrity. h iteso usgr The 10 awards are: Leader in Marketing, Best Digital a ats.c ENT om. ve.ie Marketing Campaign, Best Sustainability Initiative, Lorraine Hall RY IS w ww. Young Marketeer, Best Marketing Campaign, Best Brand, Best belf ONLIN In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion, Best ulste astteleg E ONLY New Product Launch/Relaunch, Best CSR r rgro cer/a aph.co.u Initiative/Charity Partnership and Best k/ war Export Marketing. ds Sponsors include Aqua Twist, Derry Group Ireland, Green Field Marketing, Henderson Food Machinery, Hunky Dorys, Invest NI, Kestrel Foods, Mash Direct, MXB and Power NI. Awards entry is open to all grocery stakeholders from producers, suppliers, wholesalers and independent retailers to retail groups. And the diverse range of award categories allows both well established and up-and-coming companies to enjoy valuable media exposure and branding at the Grocers’ Ball, and across the print copies, websites and social media of Ulster Grocer magazine and its sister titles at Mediahuis. Widely regarded as the highest marketing accolade Northern Ireland grocery stakeholders can achieve, the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are recognised as a mark of professionalism, raising awareness for companies Mash Direct is sponsoring the category of Best Marketing Campaign. Pictured are Lance Hamilton shortlisted, highly commended and (Mash Direct), Candida Corscadden (2021 category winner Hovis Ireland) and Alyson Magee winning each category. (Ulster Grocer).

sponsored by:

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

Power NI is sponsoring the category of Best Sustainability Initiative. Pictured are Naomi Herron (2021 category winner Foyle Food Group), Judith Martin (Ulster Grocer) and Amy Bennington (Power NI).

MXB is sponsoring the category of Leader in Marketing. Pictured are Chris Sloan (MXB) and Judith Martin (Ulster Grocer). Winner of the 2021 Award was Elly Hunter, Tayto. sponsored by:

Derry Group Ireland is sponsoring the category of Best New Product/ Product Relaunch. Pictured are Katie Forker (Derry Group Ireland) and Alyson Magee (Ulster Grocer). Winner of the 2021 Award was Kerry Foods.

Green Field Marketing is sponsoring the category of Best Digital Campaign. Pictured are Patricia McIlroy (2021 category winner Supervalu), Martin Rice (Green Field Marketing) and Judith Martin (Ulster Grocer).

ADVERTORIAL

Delivering growth in 2022 COMPANY : MACKLE PETFOODS

and mortar shopping habits. This presents growth opportunities for convenience retailers and multiples. Consumers continue to seek out their favourite brands and trust the familiar comfort they bring, with Brandy dog food continuing to be a trusted and loved brand for consumers. The wet dog food category is predicted to grow 4.5% CAGR over the next five years.

randy dog food is a local brand for a local market. Loved by pets and pet owners for over 50 years, this successful brand prides itself on offering great quality food using 100% Irish meats. Instantly recognisable on shelf with its strong branding, it’s a familiar sight on shop shelves across Ireland. Brandy, and its parent company, Mackle Petfoods, has an unrivalled reputation and understanding of the pet food category needs across the province. Research indicates that UK pet ownership shows little signs of slowing down as hybrid working and working from home becomes ever more popular, with many householders favouring 26

locations that offer more space. Pet ownership is increasingly now a part of family life with owners wanting the very best for their dogs. With these consumer changes, the need for conveniently available and affordable pet food has never been more important, and presents and opportunity for retailers around the province to meet consumer demand. In March 2021, the Pet Food Manufactures’ Association said a total of 3.2 million households in the UK had bought a new pet since the start of the pandemic, with the dog category alone worth £1.5bn. While online sales grew significantly during the pandemic, we are seeing a return to more traditional bricks

WHY BRANDY DOG FOOD Brandy dog food was founded in 1972 and is celebrating 50 years of being one of the nation’s favourite pet food brands. The business was incorporated by John Mackle Senior in 1971, with the first cans of Brandy rolling off the production line in 1972. Produced on the family farm in Co Armagh from the very beginning, the company started with a handful of employees and now has a workforce of over 230 people. Quality and local provenance are key to brandy’s ongoing success. Mackle Petfoods sources ingredients locally to ensure the highest quality and to minimise travel miles. We found that consumers instantly recognise the Bernese Mountain Dog that has been used on our packaging for over 30 years and is synonymous with the Brandy brand. They also associated Brandy with the colour red which makes for a very strong on shelf. Brandy continues to position itself as the ‘affordable everyday’ dog food brand but that does not mean a compromise on taste or quality. Developed with the help of vets and specialist animal nutritionists, Brandy Dog Food products are made using 100% Irish meat sourced from local suppliers and use top quality ingredients to provide complete nutrition for dogs. The products contain no artificial colours or flavours, are free from soya and are made with a nutritious blend of protein, natural oils and all the added vitamins and minerals required to help keep pets happy and healthy. Consumers can be assured they are feeding a great

ADVERTORIAL

Skippy

product for their dogs’ needs. Brandy dog food is available in a range of competitively priced pack formats that offer the shopper affordable quality for their pet. The current range hosts a single can and variety packs in quantities of 3, 6 and 12. With concerns rising over the environmental impact of convenience packaging, Brandy cans remain 100% recyclable and we continue to strive to improve the sustainability aspects of all areas of the business. Brandy is not immune to the increased business pressures from rising energy costs, raw material price increases, and supply chain challenges that are facing global businesses. The team remain committed to working to minimise the effects of these increases. WHY STOCK BRANDY Recent Nielsen data for Northern Ireland showed that between December 2020 and December 2021, Brandy

Skippy, possibly Ireland’s oldest dog, thought to be nearly 27 years old this year, loves his daily portions of Brandy with his favourite being the 3 pack of Chicken & Turkey, Duck & Turkey and Chicken in Jelly. Made in County Armagh supporting employment and growth Locally sourced meat and ingredients to minimise air miles

growth outperformed the market. This demonstrates the strength of the brand’s heritage within the retail arena and the commitment from shoppers to support local brands and business. We expect this to continue to grow over the coming months and years as Brandy has always been a well performing and consistently demanded product within the market. A MILESTONE BIRTHDAY To celebrate our 50th birthday, a year of activity is planned to reward consumers for their loyalty and introduce the muchloved Brandy brand to a new generation of consumers. The campaign is centred around personalisation, with consumers having the opportunity to win personalised cans of Brandy. A dedicated micro-site will give consumers the chance to win personalised merchandise, a dog friendly break for the family and hundreds of collectable baby Brandy dogs. Our Brandy Facebook page will be the packed with all the information about our competitions and events during this time. Teaming up with media partners across Ireland, this national campaign will drive sales and awareness of this leading brand. Look out for our birthday campaign in stores from April.

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT Our knowledgeable and experienced sales team are available to advise on a variety of opportunities that will work for a range of store formats. Offering a flexible approach, they are happy to work with individual customers to develop the right plans to drive sales of Brandy within your account all year round. Our friendly customer service team is always on hand for any queries you might have as well. If you do not stock Brandy and would like to be part of our celebrations, you can contact the customer services team on 028 8778 4641. Brandy - by your side for over 50 years!

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

ONE FIFTH OF NI RETAILERS DITCH SUPPLIERS FAILING ETHICAL & SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS

uppliers failing to meet stringent ethical and sustainability standards have had their contracts cancelled by 21% of retailers in Northern Ireland over the last 12 months, new research¹ reveals. The report, published last month by Barclays Corporate Banking – Reshaping retail: how ethics and sustainability are changing retail’s ecosystem – shows the pandemic and an increasing focus on Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) are shifting business priorities. In a study of more than 300 retail decision makers, 50% in Northern Ireland say sustainability is more important now than it was two years ago and 50% say the same about ethical standards. Additionally, 79% of retailers in Northern Ireland think that a long-term strategy to improve their ethical and sustainable credentials is more important than overcoming short-term supply chain disruption. On average, retail businesses with more than 10 staff are investing £504,000 per year to improve their own footprints. However, the imperative to be more sustainable and ethical is now being felt financially across the supply chain. Nationally, the average is six contracts cancelled per retailer, with an average value of £306,000 per contract. Cumulatively, £7.1bn² worth of contracts have been cancelled across the industry over the last 12 months. The most common reasons for cancelling contracts with suppliers were: 1. Use of unsustainable materials (39%) 2. Unfair working hours (37%) 3. Lack of membership to trade body that monitors ethical and sustainable standards (32%) 28

The importance of monitoring standards throughout the supply chain is reflected in the £179m³ retailers invested last year in joining trade bodies that monitor supplier performance in ethics and sustainability. Over a quarter (28%) of retailers signed up to new bodies last year, spending an average of £34,500 each in doing so. “We are seeing a marked acceleration and shift among retailers in Northern Ireland towards prioritising sustainable and ethical standards in every part of their business operations,” said Karen Johnson, head of retail and wholesale, Barclays Corporate Banking. “That is now starting to take its toll on retail suppliers with billions of pounds worth of contracts being cancelled every year. “It’s being driven by increasing consumer demand and will rise even further as Gen Z enter the workplace and begin to earn their own money. Retailers must continue to monitor and improve their ethical and sustainability standards if they are to appeal strongly to younger demographics.” The consumer demand for improved credentials is highlighted in Barclays’ research among 2,000 members of the public. While quality of product (83%) and price (82%) are shown to be the purchasing factors of most importance to consumers in Northern Ireland, ethical and sustainable credentials (60% and 58% respectively) are not far behind. Younger consumers are leading the demand. In fact, two thirds of 16-24-year-olds would stop shopping with their favourite retailer due to ethical concerns and 68% of 25-34-year-olds would cut ties and shop elsewhere if their favourite retailer was found not to meet sustainability standards.

There is, however, an upside for retailers, in that consumers are prepared to pay a premium for these higher standards. On average, Northern Ireland shoppers will pay 3.38% more for an ethically-sound product and 3.49% more for sustainably-sourced goods. Consumers do also feel there is room for further improvement with 72% wanting to see retailers make more ethical and sustainable upgrades in future. ¹Report based on bespoke market research conducted by Censuswide among senior executives of 302 UK-based retail businesses and 2,002 UK consumers. The retailer sample covered businesses with 10 or more employees operating in a range of sub-sectors. The research was conducted between 30 November and 8 December 2021. ²May 2021 parliamentary briefing paper states there are 310,000 retail businesses in the UK. 6% have more than 10 employees. 6% of 310,000 is 18,600 retailers. 21% of those have cancelled contracts due to ethical/sustainability concerns in the past 12 months, which is 3,906 retailers. This means 23,436 contracts have been cancelled. The average value of each contract is £306, 452, which leads us to: £7,181,376,300 total value of contracts cancelled in last 12 months because of concerns around ethics and sustainability. ³28% of retail manages signed up to industry bodies that monitor supply chain standards last year. Each business spends an average of £34,500 on membership. 34,500 * 18,600 (number of retail businesses with more than 10 employees) * 0.28 = £179,676,000 spent on new membership.

My Life in the Grocery Trade NAME: PAUL WILKINSON ROLE: BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST COMPANY: WRAP BRIEFLY OUTLINE YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY TO DATE I have spent the majority of my career working in the grocery sector, initially for leading manufacturers in pet food, alcoholic drinks and home & personal care brands followed by almost 10 years with a management consultancy focused on fast moving consumer goods businesses. However, prior to joining WRAP 15 months ago, I had been working in leadership development across UK plc for a number of years, so my current role feels like I have come home. WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? I work with a portfolio of clients including Tesco, ABF Grocery Group, Asda and Musgrave who are signatories to WRAP’s Voluntary Agreements focused on making the food and drink sector sustainable (The Courtauld Commitment 2030) and creating a circular economy for plastic packaging (The UK Plastics Pact). My clients are all committed to taking action to deliver on their environmental, societal & governance objectives and our voluntary agreements support and guide them in doing so. This is

achieved, in part, by WRAP convening collaborative action across the sector on reducing greenhouse gas emissions (becoming net zero businesses), reducing food waste (from farm to fork) improving water sustainability and reducing, recycling and reusing the plastic in packaging. My role is to ensure WRAP are supporting our clients to make the changes necessary to address the environmental impacts of how our food and drink is made and consumed. I also get the opportunity to talk to businesses who are not yet signed up to our Voluntary Agreements and are thinking of doing so. This can involve exploring how engaging in our voluntary agreements can help futureproof a business by helping to manage risks associated with policy and legislation changes or provide a commercial return by avoiding the costs of inaction in the areas WRAP are focused on. WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? The best parts of my role come from the wide variety of issues that our clients are working to address so no two days are the same and you never know what might come into your inbox. The most positive thing is knowing that, together,

we are making a difference to some of the biggest challenges facing the sector and that there is a strong alignment behind doing what is necessary to benefit people and the planet. This compensates for the frustration that comes from knowing that achieving systemic change is difficult and takes time. BRIEFLY OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY A typical day will be a combination of Teams meetings with client contacts and internal colleagues interspersed amongst emails (too many) and reports to be read and acted on. The breadth of the issues covered by WRAP’s voluntary agreements means there is a great deal of information to process and insight to be followed up which can be quite technical. Switching from a discussion on scope 3 emissions to front of store collection of plastics followed by approaches to support consumers to waste less of the food they buy makes for very interesting and challenging days. WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? One of the messages going into COP26 last year was that this decade is the critical one if we are to meet the climate challenge and that ‘ambition, action and accountability’ will be key to help do that. For me to play a part in helping WRAP to be a catalyst for action within the grocery sector makes me very proud indeed.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Turning trash into treasure COMPANY : INTERNATIONAL SYNERGIES NI

INTERNATIONAL SYNERGIES NI IS CUTTING WASTE, COSTS & CARBON FOOTPRINT FOR LOCAL COMPANIES, SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR JACQUELINE GIBSON TELLS ULSTER GROCER

TELL US ABOUT THE CONCEPT & BACKGROUND BEHIND INTERNATIONAL SYNERGIES? International Synergies are a global organisation, working in over 40 countries to date, with offices in Belfast, Birmingham and Brussels. I am part of the NI team of six, supporting as many as 3,000 businesses on our database toward sustainable business practices. We aim to be the ‘go to’ for organisations to make the transition to a low carbon/green economy. We actually run the longest-running industrial symbiosis programme in the world, known locally as our Resource Matching Workshops, supported through Invest NI. Industrial symbiosis is basically resource matching; we take one company’s waste and give it to another company (as a raw material) for remanufacture into products. In essence, we are creating and enabling a circular economy for NI. Internationally, we’ve worked with the G7, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank Group and the EU Waste Framework Directive. Some exciting projects we are currently working on include a plastics pollution reduction programme with the Bangladesh government, master planning sustainable cities and ports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a circular energy business park in Uzbekistan, and in South Africa taking trash off the street as cash for the most vulnerable, to make plastic household and agricultural products. Locally we have contributed £42m to the local economy, diverted over 400,000 tonnes of waste from landfill and ultimately saved 37,000 tonnes of CO2. Our materials handling industry exports 95% of manufactured goods, so the market opportunities for NI to meet global trends around more environmentally friendly 30

materials is huge. We are really seeing an update in our world renowned food and drinks sector, where consumers are demanding information on trackability, animal conditions, sustainability and provenance of their market choices. Where 30% of food is still wasted across the UK, we are working to close the gap, eliminate food waste and stimulate new markets and products. One exciting project is using waste onion juice to make soap (who knew it was a valuable ingredient in craft soaps), and another is scoping out the use of waste mushrooms as eco friendly packaging. It is estimated that almost a quarter of greenhouse gases come from the production of virgin materials such as steel, timber, plastics and stone – the very products we are matching and keeping in circulation for industry. We therefore want to reach out to more businesses, from SMEs to the global brands, to reduce their waste, find sustainable local supply chain products, goods and services, and ultimately reduce the country’s overall impact on our planet. WHAT IS THE SCALE OF THE WASTE ISSUE IN NORTHERN IRELAND? Our landfill spaces in Northern Ireland are already at full capacity, so most waste is being shipped out or incinerated. This is not a responsible, nor profitable way to deal with our waste. If we can segregate properly, there is scope for our waste to be used locally or sold to countries for onward remanufacture. We’re generating more than 4,000 tonnes of waste a week from households alone and we still are unsure what the business community is generating. Instead of focusing on the problems and unregulated bad practices that are happening within our region, we provide solutions to our waste ending up in oceans or being shipped off to Eastern Europe and Asia as rubbish heaps. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL SYNERGIES IN NI? We celebrate and enable the successful

delivery of the circular economy, rather than a linear economy which relies on extracting finite virgin resources, that are depleting and carry a huge carbon or ecological footprint. We’re here to inform, inspire and help organisations make the transformation to take up more sustainable practices. Many organisations want to do the right thing, but just don’t know where to start. A lack of understanding, people resources, jargon and new legislation, for example, make it difficult for people to know what to do and where to go for such needed support. If any organisation has issues or concerns over the need for a waste carrier’s licence for example from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, we’ll take them through the process and in some cases a protocol, handling all the background legal bureaucracy. We have access to technical advisors in Invest NI’s energy efficiency team to help organisations adopt low or zero carbon technologies such as LED lighting, solar or renewable heat sources, to meet their energy demands. We also work closely with DAERA, the Carbon Trust, Business In the Community, the Circular Economy Coalition, Chamber of Commerce, QUB and UUJ among others, to collectively drive the change needed to ensure a sustainable future for all. We recently ran workshops for two councils in NI, and hope to extend this across all 11 councils in NI. This allowed organisations in a region to network, find new market opportunities, lean on each other for support as they embrace their own green journey, but ultimately find local solutions to their waste and enable them to source materials locally. We had seven organisations around the room with surplus cardboard for example. This is offered to others in the workshop, or we can match this with an organisation on our online database. We’re doing a really cool project with Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, and potentially some more of the councils in Northern Ireland, holding a series of workshops and then going in and auditing companies across their business culture including sustainable food procurement.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT We’re also the delivery body for Business in the Community’s Carbon Literacy Training, with the big players like Bombardier, Graham Construction and Belfast Harbour picking seven or eight SMEs to bring them up to speed on measuring their carbon footprint and making a baseline. WHY SHOULD GROCERY SECTOR BUSINESSES GO GREEN? Many organisations think it’s all about profit and the end product is their profit, whereas we look at the bottom line of operational costs such as energy, water usage and waste. A lot of raw materials are going in and a lot of money is paid to get rid of those, when actually there might be someone down the road who wants your waste. The circular economy as a sustainable model guarantees supply of raw materials. Especially now, with the hold ups and border checks of Brexit and Covid, if you can source your raw material from a business within Northern Ireland, it’s so much better. And we’re also finding that people’s by-products are becoming markets, and they’re able to make money back whether it’s rebates or another company paying.

ARE YOU WORKING WITH MANY LOCAL GROCERY SECTOR BUSINESSES? We work with a lot of growers and food and drink processors, including artisan makers, brewers and organic farms. One client is setting up a juicing company in Belfast, and has leftover fruit waste, so we’re looking at community projects and gardens which might be able to use it in the planting process. Restaurants and hotels who attended recent workshops are now able to source more ecologically friendly plastic wrapping for cheeses as well as boxes to grow their own salads and herbs. We are working with a large global drinks company on a carbon neutral spirit so that means helping them recycle glass and aluminium, and working out the embodied carbon footprint from production to consumption and then to recycling of the empty containers. Recouping food waste oil from a number of eateries across the region has led to the creation and processing of a green biodiesel, that is powering a fleet of lorries and saving companies hundreds of thousands of pounds annually. An exciting project we have been engaging with INI on is the collection, drying and compaction of used coffee grains into briquette, reducing our reliance

on fossil fuels for heat demand. So although we are all about recycling, reusing and remanufacturing for the NI economy, there are additional carbon reduction benefits of adopting a circularity approach to your business. WHAT IS YOUR FOCUS AT THIS YEAR’S IFEX EXHIBITION? We’ve been to IFEX before and always found it helpful to engage with business to explain our FREE support and what a site visit entails. We hope to meet new and upcoming customers this year, and are also embarking on a trial to help the IFEX event become that little bit greener – we are acting as a facilitator to help green up the event by talking to companies before the show, to match any wastes they may have. Please come and visit us, particularly on the last day, and we will aim to find potential outlets for food and other waste. This will be great for the event, help us all become a bit more aware of the waste we are generating, and will reduce costs associated with sending all this waste to landfill. Overall, we are hoping to leave our mark and get businesses thinking more about the clean, green future we want our children to thrive in. International Synergies NI will be exhibiting at stand B27 at IFEX 2022.

There has never been a better time to begin your company’s Net Zero journey Our team of sustainability advisors are ready to help you: • Reap cost-saving and find sustainable solutions for waste resources • Introduce you to new sustainable supply chain markets locally • Identify potential funding and further support from Invest Northern Ireland • Map out a carbon reduction plan in line with the latest legislation • Join Northern Ireland’s growing green circular economy Delivering Resource Matching on behalf of Invest NI, we have:

Added value to

2450+ businesses

400k tonnes

Landfill Diversion

374k

tonnes

CO2 Emissions Reduction

To find out more about our sustainable and cost-saving solutions to your needs, contact: info@international-synergiesni.com / 02838 333438

Generated additional Sales

£16.7 million

Delivered cost savings

£26.5 million

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

HELPING OUR PRODUCERS REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT

oyle Food Group only supplies local, natural quality produced beef. Our producers have been supplying us with the best cattle which are meticulously cared for and reared here in Northern Ireland. We are proud to supply Northern Irish beef across the UK, Ireland and around the world. Nowhere in the world can match the rich and tender natural flavours of Northern Irish beef and our farmers have some of the highest animal welfare and sustainability standards on the planet. We work closely with them through our Producer’s club to

promote the latest innovative farming practices, to help them improve their own carbon footprint. We are passionate about being part of the solution as we know the pressure facing our industry and our farmers to be more sustainable. We ourselves practice what we preach, through our own Foyle Farms of Excellence. Anything we share with our producers we have tried and tested it ourselves to ensure it is both practical and beneficial for the farmer as well as making strides to help our producers reduce their own carbon footprint.

MÜLLER TARGETS 30% CARBON REDUCTION FROM FARMER SUPPLIERS

üller is targeting a 30% reduction in emissions from supplying farms by 2030. In collaboration with industry experts and its supplying farmers, Müller has identified three key changes that will help farmers reduce their environmental footprint: encouraging the replacement or reduction of soya feed in cattle diets, using more natural fertiliser, and increased use of genetics management. The new target for over 500 Müller Direct farmers is part of the dairy company’s Müller Advantage programme from 2022, which helps farmers operate successful and progressive enterprises whilst also proactively addressing a range of important issues for consumers and customers. 99.5% of Müller Direct dairy farmers signed up to Müller Advantage in 2021, which provides farmers with tools and support to help further improve areas like supply chain collaboration, herd health and reductions in environmental impact. Müller UK & Ireland recently hit its 2025 target to reduce its carbon footprint by 40% (on a 2015 baseline), having implemented a number of changes throughout the business to make it more efficient.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

ICELAND JOINS FORCES WITH RANGEME TO SOURCE INNOVATIVE SUPPLIERS

celand and The Food Warehouse have joined forces with global product discovery platform, RangeMe, to advance the way they uncover and source new product. RangeMe offers a single place for buyers to efficiently discover opportunity from suppliers around the world. By tapping into the platform, Iceland and The Food Warehouse have unlocked access to more than 800,000 products from over 200,000 suppliers, which will enable their team of buyers across frozen, chilled and grocery to source the most innovative emerging products. In a competitive retail space, Iceland aims to maximise the potential of RangeMe to source trend-led and innovative products at scale, and speed. The supermarket’s team of buyers will maximise RangeMe’s software

to discover brands and products faster, connect with suppliers, request samples, and discuss next steps. “Joining forces with RangeMe has already transformed our sourcing and buying process,” said Andrew Staniland, trading director at Iceland. “Our customers have increasingly diverse tastes and preferences and RangeMe’s technology presents us with opportunity from the global product market on one screen. “Huge opportunity exists in collaborating. Embracing new technology, as we have with RangeMe, is key to getting ahead in the retail industry. This partnership has streamlined our approach to buying and sourcing and we will continue to maximise the software to supercharge our efforts to get the best-of-the-best onto the shelves in our stores as quickly

as possible.” RangeMe first launched in 2014 and is now used by more than 15,000 retail buyers in the UK, Benelux region, North America, and Asia Pacific. Founder and CEO Nicky Jackson aimed to bring suppliers and retailers together easily and efficiently, to ensure the most extraordinary products would not only make it to store shelves, but also into the hands of eager consumers. Jackson said: “We welcome Iceland and The Food Warehouse, the UK’s leaders in frozen food, into our global community of retailers to transform their product sourcing experience. RangeMe offers Iceland the opportunity to seek out emerging suppliers and increase the number of new and innovative products it stocks online and instore.”

IT SECURITY IN 2022 - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BY JACK ROSIER OF QMS INTERNATIONAL

e’re living in the age of computers, with technology playing a more important role in our lives with each passing year. With the pandemic acting as a catalyst for increasing digitalisation, 2022 is likely to see more technology usage than ever before - so businesses need to make sure they’re prepared. Embracing technology has been great for us as a global community in many ways. For example, it has enabled people and businesses to almost seamlessly shift to remote or hybrid working models, with a plethora of collaborative software to utilise. However, this can be a doubleedged sword. The more technology organisations interact with, the more opportunities for cyber criminals to launch cyber-attacks. At the beginning of 2021, QMS International carried out a cyber security survey among businesses and 75.7% of the respondents reported that they now felt more open to attack. Another 10% 34

reported that they had no confidence in fending one off. This stresses the importance of understanding what good IT security looks like and how you can protect your business, employees, clients and stakeholders from dangerous and costly cyber-attacks. If organisations and individuals are aware of best practises

and show due diligence in cyber security protocol, there is minimal reason to worry. From larger businesses to SMEs and start-ups, creating a culture of security is one of the most effective ways to protect your business against all types of cyberattack in 2022 - and you can do this through ISO 27001 and ISO 27002.

ADVERTORIAL

Offer grocery delivery to your customers with Snappy Shopper. COMPANY : SNAPPY SHOPPER

onvenience stores and off licences throughout Northern Ireland can take their business to the next level with Snappy Shopper. Join thousands of retailers throughout the UK and Ireland who are already using the platform to offer convenient, 30–60 minute grocery delivery in their local community, driving sales and engaging new customers.

HOW DOES THE PLATFORM WORK? Open up new routes to market when you join Snappy Shopper, offering fast home delivery to serve your local community. Host thousands of products on the platform, retailing at in-store prices, with full flexibility to update your product list and any special offers. Receive and accept orders via our userfriendly terminal and watch your revenue grow, with average delivered sales of over £2,000 per week* and a 160% increase in average basket spend on the platform versus in store**. What’s more, our platform integrates with most EPOS systems. WHAT SUPPORT WILL I RECEIVE? The Snappy Shopper team will be onhand every step of the way to support you and your team, ensuring that you’re comfortable with our technology,

providing you with branded marketing materials and running special promotions during your launch period. You can expect: 1-2-1 onboarding support from the moment you sign up Dedicated Account Manager to ensure you’re getting the very best out of the platform A Snappy Shopper point of sale kit including pavement signs, shelf talkers, window posters, flyers, shelf roundels and car magnets A paid social media marketing campaign to coincide with your launch on the platform, managed by our experienced team Snappy-funded promotions each month to drive acquisition eg ‘£5 off this March’ Regular email campaigns targeting lapsed or inactive customers Support in developing local community partnerships with sports teams, charities, etc

DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT Neil Weir, from Ollie’s Day Today, Ballyclare, joined Snappy Shopper in July 2021 and has seen significant growth and success so far on the platform: “Our sales were a lot higher than expected – 50+ orders per week. When we launched, we got great sales straight away, but we’re hoping to grow them a lot more with leafleting in the local area. The technology is easy – if you can work an iphone, you can work the terminal. The staff picked it up in no time. “The big banner out at the front of the store is great for generating business – it definitely helped prompt sales from people driving by. We had quite a few customers asking what the service was all about. “We get a lot of positive feedback, with people saying the app is easy to use and that we’re providing a great service to the community, especially when you have people having to isolate who can’t get out to the store.” HOW DO I SIGN UP? If you want to find out more about Snappy Shopper and how you can grow sales on the platform, get in touch with Peter and Noel, our dedicated team in Northern Ireland. Call: 07852911416 / 07399560062 Email: contact@snappyshopper.co.uk Website: retailers.snappyshopper.co.uk *Average delivered sales on platform from October 20 to 21. **£26 average basket spend vs in-store average. 35

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EASY FOOD LABELLING FROM ANY DEVICE Thomas McKnight

n 2015 Envisage was started by Thomas McKnight, having been approached by a company that he had previously dealt with in Australia to create a solution for automatic number plate recognition that would integrate with the State of Victoria’s government vehicle records and the customers’ point of sale system. The number plate software known as PLUM has been in use in Australia now for four years. The rollout started within the state of Victoria but now the system can provide details for vehicles in all six states. Due to his involvement in labelling, Thomas had always wanted Envisage to develop a software package that was easy to use and would comply with all the current and upcoming legislation. There was some internal resistance to move into this market. However the resistance eventually faded and the development team came on board. Encouraged by the management team of DSP Supermarkets Ltd, who saw the need for a solution across their group of stores, FoodNutrix was developed as a modern food labelling solution that is as easily used on a tablet at a deli counter as a production terminal in a kitchen. The scalability of the solution means that a customer can have a tablet with a standalone database or a server system that controls all product information centrally or a multi-site production business that synchronises all product and order information to head office. Abbey has been the main reseller with Envisage for the past three years and their customers have had a

Visit our website: wwwabbeylabelsystems.com

significant input to the functionality of FoodNutrix. FoodNutrix started as a simple labelling solution that automatically found the 14 proscribed allergens and highlighted them in BOLD. Thomas McKnight said: “Once we could print individual labels we added the ability to create batches of labels that could match customer orders, moving swiftly on to receiving the orders by email processing them to print the entire label batch and generate delivery dockets. “Orders can now be submitted by Handset, app on a desktop pc or via the Telesales module. By expanding the functionality to include van deliveries and sales we now offer Android terminals with built in printers to facilitate signature capture for proof of delivery and then automated uploading of deliveries to head office. This data is used for production management and batch label printing.

Calc nutritional analysis into FoodNutrix. With this integration your recipes can be updated in Ala Calc and the nutritional information downloads into FoodNutrix to enable you to ensure that your labels comply with all packaging regulations,” he added. Case Study: McErlain’s Bakery The McErlain family are third generation bakers. Last year they decided to implement a new delivery and production solution. The requirement was to implement a modern system that would require the minimum bespoke development to meet their needs before they moved into their new purpose-built baking facility. Having previously chosen to use FoodNutrix for their labelling, adding on the additional modules was an easy choice. Over seen by Peter McErlain, the delivery and production modules were trialled and found to be a resounding success. Peter McErlain said: “The simplicity of operation made the choice to move forward with FoodNutrix an easy one.” Visit our website: wwwabbeylabelsystems.com

“All delivery data can be exported into various formats to allow EDI transmission for centrally billing to major wholesale groups and import of data into Sage 50 and Sage 200 to generate detailed sales invoices or credit notes. ”Since its creation FoodNutrix has been developed based on customer and commercial requirements. “The passing of ‘Natasha’s Law,’ which came into force in October 2021, gave businesses a transition period to prepare for the new rules related to direct packaging. “We are ready now to assist with compliance. We have integrated Ala

ADVERTORIAL

EDGEPoS from Henderson Technology COMPANY : HENDERSON TECHNOLOGY

with EDGEPoS a seamless experience, allowing stores to fully realise the time efficiency savings. When combined with EDGEPoS Self Checkouts, stores can offer a fully secure and convenience experience for shoppers for all payment methods.

enderson Technology is the largest EPOS supplier in Northern Ireland with over 740 sites installed globally. EDGEPoS is an award-winning EPOS system, designed by retailers, specifically for the convenience and fuel forecourt market. “We are first and foremost an awardwinning EPOS company with a feature rich and innovative system,” says Darren Nickels, retail technology operations director at Henderson Technology. “But we are also very proud of our additional offerings that are fully integrated with the EDGEPoS system, including self-checkout, head office, electronic shelf edge labelling (ESEL), and our suite of mobile app integrations with Gander, Ubamarket, Blu Dot Technologies and BPme. SAVE TIME, REDUCE STRESS WITH EDGEPOS AND GLORY EDGEPoS is a feature rich EPOS system, designed by retailers, for retailers. It integrates all aspects of the convenience and fuel business, ensuring full control and security. EDGEPoS covers the three main areas of running a retail business; operational efficiency, security and business development. For retailers, there are many benefits 38

to keep their technology up to date and EDGEPoS is a key part of this. It allows a store to provide a more efficient customer service experience, provides the company with more security within the site and much more visibility and control of a store. EDGEPoS as the EPOS system for any store has all the security features that retailers need to look for and Henderson Technology is on a mission to continue to bring efficiencies to all their EDGEPoS store partners. Henderson Technology has selected Glory as its preferred supplier for instore cash recycling technology. Glory’s CASHINFINITYTM solution transforms the efficiency, security, and speed of the retail cash chain through automation at key points along the path from point of sale to bank. Glory is now fully integrated with EDGEPoS. Following the successful integration of Henderson Technology’s EDGEPoS software with Glory’s CI-10 point-of-sale, a CI-100 back-office system deployment completes the closed loop cash handling solution. Providing enhanced efficiency across all in-store cash processes including cash handling, cash management and CIT/banking processes. The combined solution offers retailers

CASE STUDY Darren Nickels commented: “Glory’s range of retail cash handling solutions provide centralised control of cash inventory and optimisation of all cash processes. CASHINFINITY offers a retail cash management solution with the flexibility to fit any size store. We have worked with Glory to build a future proof cash management system that will deliver tangible value across their store network.” Glory’s CASHINFINITY cash management is a huge success at the Henderson Retail ViVOXTRA store in Banbridge where it automates the store’s entire cash handing activities from Pointof-Sale to the Back Office. Glory’s CI-10 compact cash recyclers were placed in three locations throughout the store, at the checkout area, selfcheckout and Daily Deli counter. At the checkout, customers place their notes and coins straight into the CI-10 recycler which counts, validates and processes the cash and presents the correct change. Manual cash handling is eliminated, replaced with accurate, fast and reliable transactions. At the Daily Deli counter, staff no longer need to change their gloves to handle cash when customers pay for their food. Instead, staff keep on serving and change gloves when only needed to for good hygiene reasons, saving on time and the cost of additional gloves. The Banbridge store is the first Henderson Retail site to have the CI-10 recyclers as part of the standalone selfcheckout area. An average of 33% of customers now use the self-checkouts with 30% using cash for their purchases. A CI-100 cash recycling system was installed in the store’s back office to complete the closed loop cash handling solution. The cassettes holding the notes in the CI-10 recyclers are cleverly

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designed to be removed then placed straight into the CI-100 machine for processing without any staff member having to touch the notes at all. The notes move securely from the CI-10 point-of-sale in the store to the CI-100 in the back office and vice versa providing 100% confidence in cash inventory and management. John Fox, store manager at Henderson Retail’s ViVOXTRA store in Banbridge, said: “Tills only need to be taken off once per day and even after this there is no counting done. Management remove the cassettes each night and place into the back office Glory system which will count each cassette for you. All eight lanes of tills in my store can be completed within 8-10 minutes. “Having the new Glory cash system in my store I have seen man hour savings of 2-3 hours per day versus the previous store I was in. The Glory system means that staff don’t handle cash, it is more hygienic and the accuracy of cash handling between staff and our customers is 100%.”

Henderson Technology has now completed over 50 installs of EDGEPoS Electronic Shelf Edge Labels (ESELs). CASE STUDY Andrew Porter is general manager of the Creighton’s group of stores in Belfast and one of the people responsible for the well-known and successful convenience and forecourt retail group. Porter said: “We no longer wanted to use paper Shelf Edge Labels (SELs) as it was a time consuming, laborious and cumbersome process to print labels and apply them to shelves, especially when there are new products, price changes and promotion changeovers to manage. We were also keen to see the margin benefit and instant price switches ESELs would bring to the stores.

ESELS One of the other technology products that Henderson Technology has developed and deployed are Electronic Shelf Edge Labels (ESELs). There are many benefits to installing EDGEPoS ESELs on a site, including:

Update promotion changeover prices instantly Minimise staff time on the shop floor, focusing on key tasks, and helping social distancing Increase marketing and product messaging at the shelf Eradicate pricing errors

SAVINGS “We had looked at other providers in the past and the cost of ESELs was too prohibitive and just didn’t add up for us. The seven-year rental agreement with Henderson Technology changed all that and allowed us to implement EDGEPoS ESELs across all three stores last year.

“The results have been amazing so far and with immediate benefits. The ESELs look professional, are easy to read and add to the modern feel of our store. Our staff and customers love them as the pricing is 100% accurate at all times, giving them great confidence. “The ESELs have freed staff up as price changes and promotion switches are instant. We have also noticed an improvement in the replenishment and merchandising on the shop floor as the team have more time to concentrate on these tasks. Prior to having the ESELs onsite, we had to commence our promotion changeover a few days before the start date. We no longer have to do this now. All in all, I would say we have saved at least 15 personnel hours per week – which is an incredible saving. “One of the biggest changes for us is the fact that the team can action price changes remotely; they no longer have to be onsite to implement price changes and hand out reams of paper labels on the shop floor. “With 4,200 labels at this site alone, the ESEL implementation means we have been able to keep up on accurate pricing across the whole forecourt here at Balmoral. With everything taken into account, we have reaped the benefit of a 0.6% growth on average on our margin and, taken into account with employee hours saved, we believe that the ESELs are a great investment. INSTALLATION “The installation was very smooth with Henderson Technology and there were no interruptions to trade. The support they have given us during the installation and afterwards has been first class. “In all my years in retail, the EDGEPoS ESELs are easily the best technology product that we have installed instore. Shoppers love them too – they are always commenting on how clear and professional they look,” added Porter. 39

CLEANING PRODUCTS

HG ACQUIRES SUSTAINABLE HOUSEHOLD CLEANING BRAND ECOZONE

G, a leader in specialty household cleaning products in Europe, has acquired Ecozone, a family business based in London and specialising in household cleaning products for over 20 years. Ecozone uses a combination of plant-based and natural ingredients and sustainable packaging to create a broad range of eco-friendly cleaning, laundry and dishwashing products. “After the acquisition of Blue Wonder in early 2021, I am pleased to welcome Ecozone, a leading independent brand within the UK ecological home care segment, into the HG family,” said Jeroen

Mustert, CEO, HG International. “This in line with our strategic agenda to become the undisputed European leader in the specialty cleaning market both through organic growth and complementary acquisitions. “HG is currently implementing a new sustainability strategy with, at its core, a promise to reduce the environmental impact of our solutions. The addition and the expected strong growth of Ecozone within our portfolio will allow us to take our sustainability ambitions to the next level.” Simeon Van der Molen, owner and CEO, Ecozone, said: “Together with HG,

HYGIENE BRANDS C CLEAN UP IN KANTAR BRAND FOOTPRINT RANKINGS

Ecozone will continue to encourage people to make small lifestyle changes that make a huge difference to the planet. “HG understands that creating eco-friendly products that work effectively is only half the battle. They are uniquely positioned to scale up the brand by educating consumers on the importance of using sustainable products and making these products more widely distributed. “It was important to me to find a new owner with the ability to take the brand to the next level while understanding, appreciating and respecting the brand ethos of Ecozone. HG is the perfect partner who will realise the full ambition I always had for the Ecozone brand.”

oca-Cola remains the world’s most chosen brand, while Dettol, Vim and Lifebuoy were the fastest growing as shoppers protected themselves against the pandemic, according to Kantar’s global Brand Footprint 2021. Kantar’s detailed analysis of shopper behaviour finds more of the world’s top 50 brands grew in 2020 than in any previous edition of the study. Twenty-nine out of 50 of the world’s biggest FMCG brands grew the number of times they were chosen by either increasing the number of households buying them, increasing the frequency of purchase, or both, during the pandemic. Dettol was the fastest growing

DETTOL’S DISINFECTION WIPE PORTFOLIO NOW BIODEGRADABLE

ettol has started its journey to ensure that all its disinfecting wipes in the UK market will be biodegradable, marking the next important step from the brand towards providing more sustainable choices for consumers. Dettol will be updating the entire disinfection wipes portfolio including Surface Cleansing, Multi-Purpose, Floor, Big & Strong and Kitchen & Bathroom Wipes, meaning that

consumers can continue their new cleaning habits with the peace of mind that they are being less harmful to the environment. Consumers no longer have to make a choice between biodegradable options and the products that they know will work, with all Dettol wipes across the

brand of the year, with 39% growth, taking it to almost 1.4 billion times chosen and to #16 in the 2020 Brand Footprint ranking from #27 in 2019. The increase, more than double 2019’s growth and four times its average growth in the past decade, was driven by an increase in penetration, with one in four households choosing Dettol during the year compared to one in five in 2019, alongside a 10% increase in purchase frequency. Hygiene and ‘convenience’ food brands benefitted most from the pandemic. Alongside Dettol’s increase in household share, Lifebuoy, Vim and Palmolive all increased their penetration rates.

portfolio killing 99.9% of bacteria and Covid-19 virus. Non-biodegradable wipes can take over 100 years to biodegrade in comparison to the new Dettol wipes, which are made of biodegradable fibres and take up to six months to break down in industrial composting conditions.

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to the type and size of your floor and your requirements. Whether it’s a small business, pub or restaurant or a large supermarket or shopping centre, scrubber dryers are the most efficient cleaning solution for all floors. SO, WHICH SCRUBBER DRYER IS THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU? Our floor cleaning machines come in different sizes with various configurable options for a wide range of applications. Equipped with many years of knowledge and experience, our expert team is at hand to advise on the most suitable machine to help you achieve your specific cleaning tasks and goals. Visit our showroom to see the full range of products available or alternatively call us to arrange a consultation or demonstration at your premises. T: 028 9066 7333 W: www.karcher-center-craigmore. co.uk 1-2 Windsor Business Park, Boucher Place, Belfast, BT12 6HT

CONTRACT HIRE & MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS AVAILABLE Karcher Center Craigmore Belfast can offer you any cleaning service you require - with or without contract. Our Contract & Maintenance agreements provide the following benefits: Fixed monthly spend Free up working capital No initial outlay Monthly payments fully deductible from taxable income Easier to upgrade equipment Ensure the maximum availability of equipment

AGRI-FOOD NEWS

WARNING NET ZERO TARGET MAY EXPORT FOOD PRODUCTION OVERSEAS

orthern Ireland’s livestock population could be reduced by 50%, making 113,000 local agri-food jobs vulnerable, after MLAs last month voted in favour of a net zero target by 2050, according to the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU). MLAs voted by 50 to 38 to approve the target in the Climate Change Bill, with the Green Party, Sinn Fein, SDLP and Alliance all voting in favour. However, Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots - who introduced the Bill - is maintaining his support for a less stringent target of an 82% reduction in emissions by 2050. An earlier Private Member’s Bill introduced by Green Party MLA Clare Bailey had called for an even more ambitious target of net zero by 2045. “We are deeply disappointed by the outcome of the vote,” said Victor

Chestnutt, president, UFU. “This net zero target of 2050 goes against the advice of the experts on the Climate Change Committee. They originally highlighted that it was not achievable for NI and would result in at least a 50% reduction in livestock numbers here. “We need to stop global warming, but a net zero target will not do this. It is unrealistic and can only be met by cutting livestock numbers on local farms, and even by doing that, it would still not solve climate change. “Instead, it will export our food production overseas to meet consumer demand for meat and dairy products, where emissions are higher and standards are lower. “113,000 jobs in the agri food sector will become vulnerable overnight if this net zero target of 2050 becomes legislation.

ONLINE TICKET SALES FOR BALMORAL SHOW NOW OPEN

Mark Crimmins, head of Ulster Bank, NI; Rhonda Geary, operations director, RUAS; and Cormac McKervey, senior agriculture manager, Ulster Bank.

nline ticket sales are open for the Balmoral Show 2022, which is returning to its usual spring slot of May 11-14 after the shows were cancelled in 2020 and postponed in 2021 due to the pandemic. With the countdown underway until Northern Ireland’s biggest agricultural Show returns to Balmoral Park, Ulster Bank has confirmed it will remain at the helm of the event and continue as principal sponsor for 2022. 42

Visitors can expect the usual mix of machinery exhibits, local food, shopping outlets and family entertainment, along with some new additions to be announced in due course. Agricultural and livestock displays will take centre stage across the four-day Show with cattle parades, show jumping events and the ever-popular Sheep Shearing 6 Nations tournament all included on the bill. Show organisers have also confirmed

“We will continue to work effortlessly, engaging with all MLAs to find a solution that works for farming, securing a bright future. One where we can continue to produce food to world leading standards for the nation in a sustainable way. “We commend all our members who took time away from their farm business, to help us lobby local MLAs at Stormont. We are invigorated with the support we received from farmers across NI’s political divide, including those from businesses and the wider agri-food sector, and we may need that immense support again. “Now, we urge MLAs to think again when this Bill comes back to the Assembly for further consideration at the next stage and for the many that supported the net zero target but made a commitment to us that they would ensure nothing would be done that would harm agriculture or reduce livestock numbers, to deliver on their promise.” that many of the livestock classes will be streamed online again, having attracted an international audience in 2021. “Last year we took the decision to live stream many of our livestock classes purely for Covid-19 reasons and while we are hoping to return to a full scale, in-person Show, it’s clear there is a real appetite to continue offering this service,” said Rhonda Geary, operations director, RUAS. “We found that the live streams attracted an international following and we’re keen to boost the profile of the Balmoral Show to a wider audience and highlight the standard and competitiveness of Northern Ireland livestock. “We are very much looking forward to welcoming back all of our exhibitors, competitors and visitors and are working hard to deliver a world class event. With the help of our partners in Ulster Bank, we are focused on broadening the appeal of the Show to a mass audience and as always, appreciate all of the support and guidance this partnership offers.” Tickets for the Show will be dayspecific again this year and are available to purchase online at www.balmoralshow.co.uk.

MARKETING NEWS

JAMESON LAUNCHES WIDEN THE CIRCLE GLOBAL BRAND CAMPAIGN

ameson Irish Whiskey has launched a new international brand campaign, Widen the Circle, building on its belief life is better shared by reaching out and inviting others in for moments of authentic human connection. The new multi-media campaign will be spearheaded by a TV ad, That Spark, featuring Irish actor, writer and comedian Aisling Bea, the creator and star of BAFTA award-winning show This Way Up and star of Netflix’s Living with Yourself. Part of a multi-year, multi-channel investment behind Jameson, the campaign was devised in partnership with TBWA and comes ahead of a key period for Jameson, including the all-

important St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world on March 17. “Our campaign will challenge people to look for the shared values that unite them, making the world feel like a smaller, friendlier place by encouraging individuals and communities to make new connections,” said Brendan Buckley,

LMC TREATS SCHOOLS COMPETITION WINNERS TO COOKERY DEMOS

Reuben Callaghan, Bank of Ireland Virtual Farm Weekend schools competition winner, is pictured with Liz Brown, LMC cookery demonstrator, and Miss Proctor, Primary 3/4 teacher.

series of cookery demonstrations have been delivered to winners of the Bank of Ireland Virtual Farm Weekend schools’ competition coordinated by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU). Representatives from the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) have been visiting schools to highlight the farm to fork journey and the positive story of Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured Beef and Lamb. The 2021 competition winners are: Lisnadill Primary School, Co Armagh, St Joseph’s Primary School, Galbally,

Edwards Primary School, Co Tyrone, Ballynahinch Primary School, Co Down and Beechlawn Special School, Co Down. “LMC is delighted to be working in collaboration with the Ulster Farmers’ Union to deliver engaging demonstrations in schools across the province,” said Lauren Patterson, LMC marketing and communications manager. “It’s already evident that young children have a real grasp of what constitutes good nutrition and the role of beef and lamb in this regard. It was great to see first-hand their intrigue when it comes to learning about where their food comes from and how it helps them grow.” David Brown, deputy president, UFU, said: “It was extremely encouraging to see pupils engage and interact with the in-school cookery demonstrations, enhancing their knowledge on the ‘farm to fork’ story.” Following on from the success of the primary school demonstrations, LMC is planning to broaden the scope of the Commission’s education programme – which launched in post-primary schools almost 25 years ago - to incorporate this age group.

global marketing director at Jameson owner Irish Distillers. “It will not only demonstrate the accessibility of our whiskey, but also the larger idea it can bring of inclusiveness, kinship and belonging.” Coinciding with the launch, and to showcase the best of Irish culture and creativity, a series of St Patrick’s Day events are taking place around the world, culminating in a live streamed performance by Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC on March 17. Jameson will also be looking to extend outreach further through ongoing visibility across the on- and off-trade globally, as well as through influencer, PR and social media outreach. A second TVC is planned for summer 2022.

SPAR SUPPORTS DYNAMIC NEW ATHLETICS COMPETITION

PAR has supported European Athletics event Dynamic New Athletics (DNA) in the Emirates Stadium Glasgow last month, as part of its strategy of promoting healthier lifestyles through sponsorship of sports events. DNA is an innovative, mixed gender, team-based competition launched by European Athletics to complement the classic athletics competition format. The DNA programme targets specific disciplines, comprises national mixed teams and integrates modified rules, presentational possibilities and digital communications elements. The DNA event on February 5 consisted of six teams competing in a compact schedule of two hours featuring 11 events. Track and field teams from across Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, Spain and Turkey will earn points to determine their position going into the decider event The Hunt, emphasising team spirit and highlighting the role of the team’s captain throughout the event. This is the 26th year of SPAR sponsoring of European Athletics events, spanning indoor, outdoor and cross-country. 43

BUSINESS NEWS

HENDERSON GROUP OWNERS HONOUR LONGEST-SERVING HGV DRIVER

Martin Agnew, joint managing director of Henderson Group, with Alan Abraham and Charlene McGonagle from Henderson Wholesale, Gary Reid and his daughter Holly Reid, and Pat McGarry, logistics director.

he longest serving HGV driver in Henderson Group history has been honoured at a special retirement lunch with the owners and directors of the business. Gary Reid was thanked for his commitment to Henderson Wholesale over the past 52 years during a recent lunch with his family and colleagues, including Martin Agnew, joint managing director and Pat McGarry, logistics director at

GRANT SCHEME TO RETRAIN EXMILITARY IN FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

x-forces and career changers are being targeted in a new programme aimed at upskilling the fresh produce sector. Kickstarted by a £450,000 Government grant for flexiapprenticeships, food supply chain training provider MDS is using the funding to create a training programme for non-graduates and is aiming to triple the number of its secondments in the sector. MDS collaborates with over 60 food and fresh produce businesses across the UK to run its Leadership & Management training scheme for degree graduates and will be introducing an Operations & Development scheme tailored to non-graduates already in the workplace. The existing Leadership & Management training scheme will also be opened up to military service leavers with leadership experience. “This funding is an exciting and long-planned step for MDS to expand our popular leadership training and attract others on a different work ladder with diverse perspectives and skill sets into our sector,” said Sapphira Waterson, chief operating officer, MDS. “As team players with a bias for decision making and completing tasks, ex-service personnel are a perfect fit for our fast-paced sector, and in turn it is a route for them to continue to develop professionally and personally when they leave the military. “Equally it offers exciting new challenges for others in the workplace who don’t have a degree but have a drive and interest to develop their careers. They may have come from retail, healthcare or hospitality, or are returning to work after a break.” 44

Henderson Group. “Gary has been an integral part of the growth of our wholesale operation over the past 52 years and has been with the company throughout some of our most pivotal moments,” said McGarry. “As our longest serving driver, Gary has served communities across Northern Ireland for over 50 years with particular dedication in the past two challenging years to make sure local shops had everything they needed, all the while developing relationships with retailers to further strengthen the business.” Reid said: “Working with a business like the Henderson Group affords you so many opportunities and I have so many highlights from my 52-year career, including meeting Prince Charles on his visit to Henderson Group headquarters, and being invited to officially open SPAR Fortfield when it opened in 2018. “Having been with Henderson Wholesale for 52 years, I have witnessed so much growth and change, which has been a privilege to be a part of. Signing off with a celebratory lunch with my colleagues and leaders that I’ve shared these experiences with has been a great way to mark my retirement.”

ECONOMY MINISTER CONGRATULATES McCUE FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME

arrickfergusbased project management and bespoke joinery company McCue, which includes shop fitouts among its client base, has been commended for Economy Minister Gordon Lyons; Patrick Wallace, its investment principal lecturer at Northern Regional College; and Brice Young, operations director, and Gary Purdy, in skills in the workplace during managing director, McCue. Apprenticeship Week. Economy Minster Gordon Lyons recently visited McCue to see first-hand the skills and craftsmanship developed by McCue through its apprenticeship programme. The company, which delivers high quality projects throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe, has placed a keen focus on developing apprenticeships for over 20 years, in partnership with the Northern Regional College. It currently employs 18 apprentices – all of whom are studying NVQ Carpentry and Joinery at the college. As part of the apprenticeship programme, students undertake on-the-job training with the company’s highly skilled craftsmen, as well as studying part time, which culminates in a recognised qualification.

APPOINTMENTS

SPAR APPOINTS NEW NON-EXEC CHAIR TO ITS FOOD DISTRIBUTORS BOARD

over 25 years across public, family, PAR UK has announced the PE and JV businesses. appointment of Nick He spent 13 years with Kraft Bunker as non-executive Foods both in the UK and chair of the SPAR Food internationally. In 2010 he Distributors (SFD) Board. was appointed president of Bunker takes over the Kraft Foods & Cadbury (now position from Martin Agnew, Mondelez) and led integration joint MD of Henderson Group, Nick Bunker in the UK/Ireland. He was latterly who has held the role since CEO at KP Snacks for five years and 2011 and will continue as a director managing director of Pladis from 2017on the SFD Board. 2019. SPAR continues to deliver strong “The SPAR brand is what connects us growth, remaining well ahead of the symbol sector. Investment over the last 12 to our shoppers,” said Agnew. “It is how we distinguish ourselves as the leading months has gone into the brand, stores, symbol group in the UK. As convenience ranges, technology and infrastructure retail continues to change, our longto support the sales and profitability of term strategy means we need to keep independent convenience businesses. challenging ourselves. The SFD Board works collaboratively “Nick has an outstanding track record on behalf of SPAR UK. Its purpose of leadership, and he will add strategic is to facilitate efficient and effective insight and a fresh perspective to the partnership between the five businesses SPAR business.” and bring mutual commercial and SPAR UK, the central office of the SPAR customer benefit. retail organisation, is 100% owned by Bunker’s appointment marks the first SPAR Food Distributors. Its shareholders time SPAR has appointed the role of chair are five regional distribution companies: from outside the organisation, in a move Henderson Group (Northern Ireland), CJ aimed at maximising future opportunities Lang & Son Ltd (Scotland), James Hall & and growth for the business. Co (North of England), AF Blakemore & Bunker joins with a wealth of grocery industry expertise. He has extensive Board Son (Central and South East England and Wales) and Appleby Westward Group and stakeholder experience through a (South West England). number of chairman and director roles

MOY PARK STRENGTHENS ITS COMMERCIAL TEAM WITH NEW APPOINTMENTS

of working with multiple ungannon-based Moy retailers in customer supply Park has boosted chain management roles. its commercial Chloe Burgess, team with two new newly named customer appointments aimed marketing executive, at identifying and is responsible for the maximising areas of Chloe Burgess, analysis of the poultry business development. customer marketing market across Northern Kat Reid has been executive. Ireland and the Republic of appointed commercial manager Ireland, with a focus on identifying Ireland, responsible for managing opportunities for business growth Moy Park’s key customer relationships, and innovation in new product driving growth, and pursuing new development, as well as studying business opportunities for the Moy consumer data and shopper trends in Park brand across its customer base in the current market landscape. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Burgess has worked in a number of Ireland. local food companies including Dale Reid has worked in food Farm, PRM and Glastry Farm Ice Cream, manufacturing for the past 15 years, where she developed her passion for within the poultry and red meat Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry. sectors. She has extensive experience

LIGHTSPEED PRESIDENT JP CHAUVET APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ightspeed Commerce Board of Directors has appointed current President JP Chauvet to the role of chief executive officer as part of its long-term succession planning process. He will lead the continued growth, strategic development and execution of the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world, aiming to simplify, scale and create exceptional customer experiences. Founder and outgoing CEO Dax Dasilva will continue to serve Lightspeed as executive chair of Lightspeed’s Board of Directors. Chauvet joined Lightspeed in October 2012 as chief revenue officer and became a board member in September 2013. In April 2016, he was named president and throughout his tenure has been integral to advancing Lightspeed’s mission. Founded in Montréal, Canada in 2005, Lightspeed operates teams across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, serving retail, hospitality and golf businesses in over 100 countries.

JP Chauvet, CEO, and Dax Dasilva, executive chair of Lightspeed’s Board of Directors.

SHELFLIFE

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

PEPPUP ITALIAN SAUCE BRAND LAUNCHES NEW LINES

novel red pesto has been developed by PEPPUP, a Northern Ireland producer of authentic Italian sauce, ketchup and pickles. The pesto is among three innovative products created by Dr Luca Montorio, founder and managing director of PEPPUP at its base in Newtownards. The others are organic roasted peppers and a garlic Bolognese sauce, both of which are provided in 480g jars and are gluten free, fat free, low in salt and suitable for vegans. There are only four ingredients in the new pesto, roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese and mizithra cheese. Produced in 185g jars, the pesto is suitable for vegetarians, and low in fat, salt and sugar. It is said to make a quick, healthy and delicious dinner when stirred through hot pasta. The pesto and other additions to the small company’s 15-strong range are in

line with PEPPUP’s focus on healthy food for home cooks. “The red pesto is the outcome of our ongoing market research into new opportunities in the marketplace for our longstanding expertise in tomatoes and roasted peppers,” said Montorio, a qualified nutritionist from Turin. The three new products will soon be available at delis, family butchers and independent grocers in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.

CAROLYN STEWART ADDS JAMAICAN PATTIES TO SAUCE RANGE

novel range of fresh Jamaican patties has been developed and launched by Carolyn Stewart, a successful producer of award-winning Caribbean sauces, pickles and marinades under her Totally Hot NI artisan business. The new hot and tasty snacks are made from flaky pastry filled with hot spicy mince steak, chicken or vegetables to produce delicious hand-held food using spices from the Caribbean.

The new patties are based on Carolyn’s own unique recipes from her experience holidaying in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean over many years. Carolyn, a well-known radio broadcaster in Northern Ireland, developed the hot snacks in her mission to bring the rich and spicy flavours of the Caribbean islands to food lovers in Northern Ireland to add to their own meals. The new patties represent a significant diversification for the small and highly innovative business which is based near Holywood. She creates the recipes for all her original products in her home kitchen, for manufacturing by another local business. The creative entrepreneur’s artisan small business has won major UK and Irish food awards, including Great Taste and Blas na hEireann endorsements. Her products are available in delis, farm shops and independent grocers across Northern Ireland.

RECIPE UPDATED FOR GO AHEAD FRUIT & OAT BAKES

lobal snacking company pladis is rejuvenating its £30.1m* Go Ahead brand with the introduction of a new recipe for its Go Ahead Fruit & Oat Bakes. Comprising the same soft sponge and packed full of the brand’s signature fruity filling, the non-HFSS range reformulation will see the introduction of a more nutritious recipe to help retailers tap into demand for healthier biscuits. The product is now classed as ‘low in saturated fat’ and contains less sugar, with each portion-sized bake remaining a source of fibre and featuring 128 kcals. “Health and wellbeing continue to play an important role for Brits and, as more people return to offices and workplaces, the future for healthier biscuits – which so often cater to the ‘on-the-go’ need state – is looking rosy,” said Fran Hiebert, senior brand manager, Go Ahead at pladis UK&I. “In fact, we’re already witnessing a strong uptick for on-the-go consumption occasions, which is great news for our Go Ahead brand.” Go Ahead non-HFSS Fruit & Oat Bakes are available from the end of February across multiple retail, convenience and wholesale.

*NIELSEN GB Total Coverage 52 w/e 29.01.22

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CONTACT JUDITH MARTIN ON 07765 183176 OR EMAIL:

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CLASSIFIEDS

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

j.martin@mediahuis.co.uk

GROCER ULSTER

50 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

CLASSIFIEDS

Q&A

IN THE

Hot Seat

NAME: JACK FERGUSON ROLE: COMMERCIAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER COMPANY: POWER NI, PART OF ENERGIA GROUP TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I joined Power NI in 2019 to manage the Key Account Management team who look after large commercial electricity customers. Prior to that I worked at the Utility Regulator, Firmus Energy, as well as almost a decade in the drinks industry. I recently moved to Bangor with my wife Heather, our daughter, Matilda and a Cockapoo called Penny who all keep me busy when I’m not working.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? Getting deals across the line! I really enjoy getting to know my customers’ business and helping them navigate their way through the energy market. Building trust is really important in our business and in the current economic climate it is key that customers know the risks and benefits of all the products being offered, not just the numbers at the bottom of the page.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? With the current focus on energy prices, it’s busier than ever for my commercial sales team. We operate closely with other departments across our business, and I am usually trying to work with my colleagues to give us the best deals for our customers. Like most people working remotely, I have lots of Zoom and Teams meetings and a mobile that never stops, but I usually start with a strong coffee and a quick review of my plans for the day ahead. Throughout the day I provide support to our key account managers and customers, but to be honest I rarely get two days the same.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TASK? Energy retail is a complicated business, it can be difficult to explain the detail to customers without getting too technical. We are lucky to have a wealth of experience in Power NI, so we can always get to the bottom of a customer’s query.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? I’ve been really lucky throughout my career, meeting some amazing people, from Pudsey the Dog to Boris Johnson. Being a big rugby fan, my highlight has to be a trip to the Welsh Rugby Union’s training facilities - I got to meet the people behind the scenes and learn about the incredible detail that goes into prepping for a World Cup, plus meeting the legendary referee Nigel Owens was really memorable. 50

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? Ask questions. Too many people make

“BUILDING TRUST IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN OUR BUSINESS AND IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE IT IS KEY THAT CUSTOMERS KNOW THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS BEING OFFERED, NOT JUST THE NUMBERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.”

unnecessary assumptions – ask people ‘why?’ and you will understand so much more. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST GRIPE? Sameness. I think it’s really important to treat everyone fairly and sometimes that means difference… if you don’t do the work, you shouldn’t get the reward. WHAT TALENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE? I can’t swim, so that might be a good place to start. I’d also like to learn how to fly, but that’s not within the family budget for a few years yet. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/ AMBITIONS? There is a lot of change ahead in the energy business – sustainability is really important, and I hope I can make a big contribution towards decarbonisation. WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? The people who just get on with it. During Covid there was a lot of debate over clapping for people and sometimes it felt like a competition for which sector was the most deserving. We all need to respect everyone’s contributions and I hope that one of the positives to come from the pandemic is our acceptance that we all matter to someone. WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? I love Northern Ireland. I think we underestimate how much we have to offer (except for the weather) and nobody does craic like the Ulster folk. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD PRODUCT? I’ve a sweet tooth - Lazy Claire Patisserie’s custard flan is amazing, but I think it is a very close second to Peter Hannan’s saltaged steaks. HOW DO YOU RELAX? I love getting out to the rugby with friends and family – nobody does a better Ulster chant than my five-year-old. I also enjoy motorsport and can’t wait to get back to Goodwood again this year.