Ulster Grocer Summer 2022 by Helen Wright

GROCER ULSTER

50 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

SUMMER 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

GROCER ULSTER

SUMMER 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

HENDERSON GROUP’S 60TH CELEBRATION FOR SPAR NI SCOOPS TOP CAMPAIGN

0 years serving NI, the Henderson Group’s anniversary campaign for SPAR, has lifted the top accolade of Best Marketing Campaign at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2022, held in the Culloden Estate and Spa on May 27. Henderson Group also picked up Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion for its EUROSPAR Over 1000 Prices Matched to TESCO campaign, and highly commended in Best CSR Initiative/Charity Partnership for its partnership with Marie Curie. A successful night for Musgrave NI included wins for Leader in Marketing (Valerie Thompson of SuperValu), Best Brand (Frank and Honest), Best CSR Initiative/Charity Partnership (Action Cancer partnership) and Best Digital Campaign (Centra own brand), alongside a highly commended in Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion (Centra and SuperValu Cracker Deals). Boost Drinks bagged two wins, with Lorraine Hall Young Marketeer of the Year going to Lucy Manby and Best New Product/Product Relaunch to Energy Mango. Winning Best Sustainability Initiative was Finnebrogue, with highly commended going to Lidl, while Best Export Marketing was picked up by Foyle

8-11

BALMORAL SHOW REVIEW: HELD OVER MAY 11-14, THE 153RD SHOW MARKED A WELCOME RETURN TO PREPANDEMIC POPULARITY, ATTRACTING 100,000 VISITORS OVER THE FOUR DAYS

GROCER ULSTER

MARKETING AWARDS 2022

Food Group and highly commended by Mackle Petfoods. Highly commended awards were also handed out to Mackle’s Gail Cook (Leader in Marketing), Kerry Gardner of MXB (Lorraine Hall Young Marketeer), Moy Park and MXB Yay for Summer (Best Digital Campaign) and Linwoods Health Foods Functional Range (Best New Product Launch/Relaunch). And S&W Wholesale’s new Nearby symbol brand picked up highly commended awards in two categories, Best Marketing Campaign and Best Brand, only a year after its launch. Sponsors of the 10 categories were Aqua Twist, Derry Group Ireland, Green Field Marketing Solutions, Henderson Food Machinery, Hunky Dorys, Invest NI, Kestrel Foods, Mash Direct, MXB and Power NI. Judging the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards, held during the GroceryAid

23-48

TOP 75 NI FOOD & DRINK COMPANIES: MOY PARK AGAIN TOPS OUR MUST-READ ANNUAL TURNOVERBASED RANKING OF GROCERY FIRMS FILING THEIR ACCOUNTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Grocers’ Ball, were Professor Barry Quinn (panel chair), Riki Neill and John D’Arcy OBE. “Congratulations to our winners, all of whom excel in their field,” said Alyson Magee, editor, Ulster Grocer, “and our gratitude to the 10 category sponsors. “It has been a challenging few years for the Northern Ireland grocery chain from the pandemic to the Protocol yet, throughout, the sector has proved its resilience, adaptability and commitment to innovation. “Ulster Grocer is proud to recognise the sector with its 34th annual awards, while 2022 also represents a major milestone as the 50th birthday of the magazine.” Full coverage of the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2022 will feature in our special souvenir edition marking the 50th birthday of Ulster Grocer, published on July 4th.

50-51

TAKING TAYTO TO THE WORLD: STEPPING DOWN AS GROUP PROMOTIONS & PR MANAGER, ROBERT BROWN TELLS UG ABOUT HIS 33 YEARS WITH THE ICONIC LOCAL CRISP BRAND

IN THE HOT SEAT: COOKING HAS BEEN AN ENDURING LOVE FOR SLOW FOOD NORTHERN IRELAND DIRECTOR PAULA MCINTYRE, MOST RECENTLY SEEN IN HER BBC NI TV SERIES HAMELY KITCHEN

email: info@ulstergrocer.com Volume 57 Number 6 SUMMER 2022 Editor: Alyson Magee E: a.magee@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Tel: 028 9026 4175 Contributors: Michele Shirlow, Sam Butler 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

CELEBRATING THE SECTOR AT THE 34TH ANNUAL ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

t time of writing, the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2022 are but a day away. The UG team is very excited to mark its first return to a more largescale event since 2019, with the Awards to be held during the popular GroceryAid Grocers’ Ball at the Culloden. And we are very proud to have continued to celebrate the Awards in one form or another without a missed year throughout the pandemic. In 2020, we managed to squeeze in a socially distanced photoshoot at the Culloden only hours before another lockdown came into force. And in 2021, we hosted a scaled-down lunchtime Awards ceremony at the Culloden. Our sincere gratitude to both competitors and sponsors for sticking with us over the last few years as the Awards adapted to the various lockdown restrictions imposed at different times. Being able to continue celebrating the grocery sector, when it was facing great pressures and challenges, was a point of real pride for us at Ulster Grocer and Mediahuis. By the time you receive this magazine, the Grocers’ Ball will be a week in the past and we hope you all had a memorable evening. Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all attending and supporting the fantastic sector charity GroceryAid. Welcome to our bumper Summer edition of the magazine, featuring our annual Top 75 NI Food & Drink Companies listing, ranked by turnover. It always makes for interesting reading, and this year is no exception. Grocery businesses fared better than many throughout the pandemic and, indeed, eight of the top 10 posted growth. However, 32 of the 75 reported a year-on-year reduction in sales and 10 posted profit losses in their latest financial report, highlighting challenging trade for some food and drink businesses in the

pandemic and in particular foodservice operators. I’ll leave the expert analysis to Jonathan Cushley (ps26-27), while Invest NI’s John Hood has supplied our Top 75 foreword offering an overview of the sector and the agency’s work to support its growth behind the scenes. Next month will mark the first time we have published a July magazine, certainly during my tenure with the magazine. It will be a special souvenir edition celebrating the 50th birthday of Ulster Grocer, which was launched in 1972, and packed full of our favourite memories from over the years as well as full coverage of the 34th annual Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards. Enjoy,

DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES OF ULSTER GROCER TO SHARE? An open invite is issued to our readers and advertisers, and indeed anyone across the Northern Ireland grocery chain, with memories of Ulster Grocer over the years to share. Ulster Grocer was launched in 1972 and, in July 2022, we will publish a special souvenir edition of the magazine to mark its 50th birthday. Please share your stories and pictures from 1972-2022, whether serious, sad or silly, by email to a.magee@ independentmagazinesni.co.uk

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NEWS

SUPPORT EXTENDED AS NI CONSUMERS HARDEST HIT IN UK

ulnerable Northern Ireland households are to receive support from the UK government, after a recent report revealed the region to be the hardest hit in the UK amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. On May 26, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced vulnerable households here are to receive support of up to £1,000, including a one-off £650 cost of living payment, this year. “I know that people in Northern Ireland are feeling the anxiety of rising bills,” he said. “We are introducing a package of measures directly from the UK government to help with the cost of living. “To help pay for this, we are going to introduce a temporary, targeted levy on the windfall profits the oil and gas sector is seeing due to exceptionally high oil and gas prices while still encouraging the investment that creates jobs.” In Asda’s latest Income Tracker report published last month, NI consumers are identified as the hardest hit in the UK with discretionary income falling by 13%. Discretionary spending power of the average NI family dropped to £127 per week in the first quarter of 2022, almost £20 per week (13.3%) less than the same period a year ago and £108 below the UK average of £235. Cebr, which compiles the report for Asda,

said NI has a larger share of public sector workers suffering from lagging wage growth in recent months, and a higher level of claimants facing withdrawal of the Universal Credit uplift. “Though spending power is down almost across the board, those in Northern Ireland have been particularly impacted, with inflation spiralling and wage growth overall falling behind,” said Sam Miley, senior economist at Cebr. “These trends are set to continue over the coming months, meaning households could find themselves in an even more precarious position.” Ulster Farmers’ Union has, meanwhile, called for government support for farmers and growers amid skyrocketing input costs exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Farmers are seriously struggling to manage unprecedented inflationary costs,” said David Brown, president, UFU. “Over the past year input prices for diesel, electricity, steel and concrete have doubled. Fertilisers, along with agri chemicals, have tripled in price over the same time period. “If government as well as retailers don’t step in to ease the pressure, our food security is going to take a massive hit impacting the availability of locally produced, affordable food for consumers.”

BALMORAL SHOW WELCOMES 100,000 VISITORS

he 153rd Balmoral Show has hosted 100,000 visitors at Balmoral Park, Lisburn over May 11-14, a welcome return to form after the pandemic prompted its cancellation in 2020 and a scaled back event in September 2021. “We have had a fantastic four days for this year’s Balmoral Show,” said Rhonda Geary, operations director at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society. “The crowds continued every day and there was something for everyone to enjoy, from fantastic food to family entertainment and exceptional livestock. “We look forward to welcoming visitors back to Balmoral next year as the Show will return 10th-13th May 2023.’ Henderson Group held a Fresh Supplier Breakfast during the Balmoral Show,

Neal Kelly, fresh foods director, Henderson Group.

with Fresh Foods Director Neal Kelly commending suppliers’ service levels throughout the pandemic. Post-lockdown, “we have to press reset and bring change and risk back into our business to advance it again,” he said. “We have to move into a more adventurous space.” Kelly identified key growth categories as Making a Meal, Butchery, Produce and introducing provenance in retailers’ foodto-go offer. See ps8-11 for more on this year’s Balmoral Show.

EFFORTS CONTINUE TO MAKE PROTOCOL WORKABLE C

ontention around the Northern Ireland Protocol continues, with the DUP maintaining a position of opposition as a pro-Protocol US delegation met with the five main political parties while visiting the province last month. At time of print, a new speaker and first and deputy first ministers were yet to be appointed following the May 5 NI Assembly election in which Sinn Féin became the biggest local party. The DUP has blocked formation of the new Assembly on the basis of opposition to the Protocol as it stands. However, Sinn Féin had successfully launched a petition to recall Assembly members back to Stormont on May 30, with the Alliance and SDLP supporting the move. After meeting with the US delegation, led by Congressman Richard Neal, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis reaffirmed the US and UK’s commitment to the Good Friday Agreement. And after earlier press reports suggested she was preparing to ‘tear up’ the Protocol, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated a preference for an outcome negotiated in partnership with the EU. “The bottom line is that we need an agreed co-designed solution to the challenges around the Protocol involving both the UK government and EU,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive, Retail NI. “The local business community needs certainty and stability and not ongoing disputes on the Protocol.”

NEWS

PRIORITIES FOR INCOMING NI EXECUTIVE PROPOSED AT WESTMINSTER EVENT

Trade NI is led by Stephen Kelly (Manufacturing NI), Colin Neill (Hospitality Ulster) and Glyn Roberts (Retail NI).

rade NI has outlined its priorities for the incoming Northern Ireland Executive at an event in Westminster last month showcasing local business to 200-plus guests including representatives from 50 international embassies. The Westminster event was held on May 18, with an Executive yet to be formed following the May 5 Assembly election in Northern Ireland due to ongoing contention over the NI Protocol. Among priorities proposed for the NI Executive by Trade NI are increasing the productivity of the local workforce, reducing the regulatory burden on businesses, increasing the skills base and delivering a clear economic strategy for Northern Ireland. The event, aimed at positioning

Northern Ireland as an ideal location to live, invest and do business in, was hosted by Northern Ireland Minister for State Conor Burns and addressed by ministers, senior shadow Cabinet members and business leaders. Trade NI represents an alliance of Retail NI, Manufacturing NI and Hospitality Ulster, with the Westminster event sponsored by Heathrow Airport, DWF Law and Queen’s University Belfast. In a joint statement, Colin Neill (Hospitality Ulster), Stephen Kelly (Manufacturing NI) and Glyn Roberts (Retail NI) said: ‘The past two years have been monumental for the business community as we have battled the pandemic, changes due to the Protocol and the collapse of the Executive once again. ‘The reception is a showcase on why this region is primed for new opportunities to grow and prosper. We have some of the best talent, best environment and best products available on the global stage, and now is the time for this to be recognised and properly activated on an international scale.’ Retail NI has also published a New Ambition policy plan, identifying key areas requiring urgent action as including better government, tackling the cost of business crisis, modern infrastructure, better planning, addressing the climate crisis and establishing a Rural Town and

GM MARKETING MOVES INTO ALCOHOL WITH GLOBAL BRANDS DEAL

Gerard McAdorey, managing director, GM Marketing, and Ross Jones, international manager, Global Brands.

elfast-based distributor GM Marketing has secured a new distribution agreement with Global Brands, marking its first step into

licensed trade. GM Marketing has 22 years of experience in building FMCG brands in the UK and Ireland, with its portfolio including Fox’s Biscuits, Tilda Rice, Nando’s, Filippo Berio and latest addition YAZOO. The new deal, which covers the Northern Ireland off-trade, will see the business handle the full Global Brands portfolio including its award-winning range of RTD beverages VK, Hooch and Shake Baby Shake canned cocktails. Heading up GM’s new alcohol division is Jonny Callan, who boasts a 20-year track record of commercial expertise and experience within Ireland’s drinks industry

Village Infrastructure investment fund. “Retail NI members are facing a perfect storm of challenges from energy hikes, labour shortages, National Insurance increases and Covid-19 recovery,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive, Retail NI. “We are not just dealing with a cost-ofliving crisis, we are also facing a cost of business crisis too. “Our New Ambition report outlines the need for urgent action from the next Economy Minister to establish and chair a Cost of Doing Business Taskforce to ensure a comprehensive package of measures is produced by late June. “We also want to see the current business rates holiday extended until January 2023 to alleviate some of the pressure on business.”

Peter McBride (right), president of Retail NI, launches the New Ambition report in Omagh with Colm Broderick, Omagh Chamber president, and Glyn Roberts, CEO, Retail NI.

including major brands across the wine and RTD categories. “For over 20 years, we’ve operated in every other aisle of the grocery store, so it made sense for us to move into the final BWS aisle, and we’re absolutely delighted to do it in partnership with Global Brands,” said Gerard McAdorey, managing director, GM Marketing. Ross Jones, international manager, Global Brands, said: “Northern Ireland has always been a priority market for Global Brands Ltd, and we’re delighted to now accelerate our off-trade footprint in partnership with GM Marketing, which will see continued investment in the market and new product launches.” Listings are confirmed in Wineflair, Supervalu & Centra, with ambitious growth plans and activations scheduled for the second half of the year.

NEWS

NEW RETAIL CHIEF SETS OUT STALL BY JOHN MULGREW

ackling the challenges of the Protocol, spiralling costs and getting retail back to where it was before the pandemic will be among key issues for the newly appointed head of one major industry group. And Kerry Curran says she has “big shoes to fill” in taking up the role as director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium. Curran was previously acting director of strategy and policy with cross-border trade organisation InterTradeIreland. She is taking over the reins from Aodhán Michael Connolly, who was a popular sight across local and international media over the last few years, arguing the position of local business groups seeking changes to the Brexit protocol, which included a wider role as chairman of the NI Business Brexit Working Group. “I have been following the work of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium for a long time,” said Curran. “The work they are doing, looking at the impact of the changing trading relationships. It’s very much intertwined. It’s really big shoes to fill in terms of Aodhán, who really brought light to the retail sector and how it impacted people on the street.” Connolly has now taken up a new post as director of the Brussels office of the Stormont Executive. Curran has a long history working

in policy, with a focus on cross-border trading relationships, given her role in allisland business body InterTradeIreland. She also boasts a master’s degree in business administration, one in economics and a post-graduate diploma. “I want to bring that really sound economic science to the role,” she says. “Using that knowledge with really good research to positively impact policy, partly in relation to tax in the sector, moving forward. “My job will be to look at the actions and policy areas. When we get (local government) up and going as quick as possible, it gives us that structure to make changes in order

to recover more strongly.” She says the NI Protocol and Brexit will “absolutely” be part of her focus when she takes up her new post. “It absolutely will be. I have done a lot of research for InterTradeIreland on supply chain issues, the Protocol and how we trade in and out of it. “…it isn’t the only show in town and there are a lot of things impacting (business). The rising costs of overheads, general inflationary pressure and access to skills – these are the challenges businesses are dealing with today.”

Kerry Curran

UK GOVERNMENT DELAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF HFSS RESTRICTIONS

elebrity chef and healthy food campaigner Jamie Oliver led a protest outside Downing Street last month after the UK government delayed plans to introduce new restrictions around foods high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) by 12 months to October 2023. Prime Minister Boris Johnson attributed postponement of the regulations, which include restrictions around specific promotional offers, to a need for flexibility amid the cost-of-living crisis. The planned restrictions apply to

multibuy deals including BOGOF offers and free refills for soft drinks, with further regulations banning paid-for online ads and pre-watershed TV ads for HFSS products set to come into force in January 2024. Restrictions around the placement of HFSS products in-store will still come into force this October in England, with any implementation in Northern Ireland pending approval by devolved government. Protesting the delay in the anti-obesity

regulations, Oliver’s What an Eton Mess march called on the UK government to prioritise child health. He praised Tesco and Sainsbury’s for committing to the HFSS changes in line with the original October 2022 timeline. Kellogg’s recently launched legal action over the new regulations, claiming the nutritional value of milk should have been factored into cereal’s categorisation as a high sugar-content product set to face restrictions around its placement in stores. 7

BALMORAL SHOW REVIEW

OUTSTANDING FOOD PAVILION AT BALMORAL SHOWCASED BENEFITS OF COLLABORATION BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

he Food NI Food Pavilion at Balmoral Show proved to be another outstanding success after the pandemic disruptions of the past two years. And what a memorable four days focused on the best of local food and drink available here it proved to be. It was tremendous to meet so many visitors to the stands and to see their enthusiasm for the quality products now readily available across Northern Ireland. The pavilion showcased the industry’s massive contribution to the local economy and the overall importance of farming here against a worrying background of global uncertainty and spiralling prices in energy and in the costs of key ingredients such as fertiliser, fuel, grain and sunflower oil. Our team worked immensely hard over very many months to ensure a comprehensive showcase of excellence with upwards of 100 local food and drink producers, chefs and experiences. They’ll be starting work again shortly on next year’s Food Pavilion. Included this year were many innovative businesses that have started during the pandemic and are prospering. This year there was a strong focus on sustainability, health and food tourism. It’s a focus we are continuing to encourage and especially in our work with the Regional Food Programme, Tourism NI, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Enterprise, Invest NI and a growing number of local councils. We continue to appreciate greatly the support for the Food Pavilion and other initiatives from our food and drink processors and Taste of Ulster members, representing an industry which continues to grow in significance in its contribution to the local economy especially in rural communities where farming and food processing are the main industry. I know that companies in the Food Pavilion this year enjoyed considerable success. We saw a number of original food ideas launched including the ‘Big Balmoral Burger’, an imaginative - and delicious - collaboration between our members Hellbent, Kennedy Bacon, Ke 8

Nako, Burren Balsamic, Milgro crispy onions and Ballylisk of Armagh cheese. We also saw the launch of Brown Lemonade by Betty’s Ice Cream from Pomeroy, a unique flavour stretching back to the Harland and Wolff shipyard era. We are keen to encourage and facilitate such collaboration especially on original food and drink in both short and long terms. The future growth of this important industry hinges on the scale of innovation here. We were also delighted that many larger businesses, including Moy Park, Avondale, Sea Source, Glens of Antrim, Finnebrogue Artisan and Thompsons Family Tea were back again in the pavilion. Demonstration kitchens, sponsored by Tesco and Tourism NI, were extremely popular with visitors to the pavilion. They’ve always been a popular feature over the years. On the Tesco kitchen, in addition to chef demonstrations, we linked with the Trussell Trust, which operates food banks across the province, to raise awareness of that important work, plus holding the ever popular Tesco Steak Farmers’ Competition. On the Tourism NI kitchen, the focus was on food tourism experiences such as distilling and ‘learn to’ trips. The investment by many distillers

on tours is an immensely significant development within the local tourism industry here. This is especially true of whiskey distilleries which are positioned to share in the growing global popularity of the Irish spirit. We hosted distillers such as Hinch, Giant’s Rock Basalt and Killowen. One of the growing areas of the pavilion has been the engagement of councils with local food and drink. Five regions were represented by their councils, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (Food Heartland), Mid and East Antrim Food Network, Savour Visit Mourne and Taste Ards and North Down. The councils play a vital role in promoting local food and drink from their areas and their presence at the Balmoral Food Pavilion was a great way to help small businesses exhibit for the first time. It’s really encouraging to see councils’ interest in food and drink continue to grow and to link with the local food and drink sectors, especially to promote food tourism experiences. Tourism, of course, is growing steadily again after the pandemic. It’s important, therefore, that they should gear up for an expected growth in exterior visitors in the years ahead. Food NI has extended its collaboration on behalf of the sector during the past year. These collaborative connections have continued to involve Invest NI in trade shows outside Northern Ireland. Our role within the industry continues to deepen and widen as we work, within our existing limited resources, to assist the growth and success of our members. We’ve worked too with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on a number of projects, specifically the Our Food Power of Good campaign; Tourism NI on an initiative to promote sustainable food and drink experiences; and Ulster University on the first-ever Gastronomy Summit, a fascinating dialogue about the future of food involving a panel of international speakers.

ADVERTORIAL

THOMPSON’S TEA

serves complimentary cuppas COMPANY : THOMPSON’S TEA

ourth generation family business, Thompson’s Tea, treated attendees to complimentary cups of Northern Ireland’s best-selling tea at this year’s Balmoral Show. Nestled inside the ever-popular NI Food Pavilion, the Thompson Tea team talked all things tea, explaining the difference between their Irish Breakfast, Signature, Decaf and Punjana teas, and how they make an award-winning cuppa. As has been the way for the last 126 years, it is only ever a member of the Thompson family who is entrusted with tasting and approving each and every blend. This is their personal assurance that the tea inside will be the same award-winning Punjana taste and flavour that Northern Ireland tea lovers have been enjoying since 1896.

“AN INDEPENDENT, FAMILY BUSINESS OF FOUR GENERATIONS, BORN AND BLENDED IN BELFAST SINCE 1896.” A member of the Thompson family was also at hand to talk with renowned local chef Paula McIntyre on the Food NI stage about why Punjana is Northern Ireland’s favourite cuppa... “It really boils down to having an unshakeable commitment to quality. That means sourcing, tasting and buying the very best tea leaves, even when the weather falters and the price of tea rises. It’s about that commitment to blending the very best no matter what happens.” – Jamie Thompson.

This commitment to quality has been consistently recognised by the Guild of Fine Foods at the annual Great Taste awards. Three gold stars, awarded to less than 2% of all products, is the highest achievement a product can win and is normally reserved for exclusive and specialised products rather than an affordable everyday product. Thompson’s Tea received this coveted award for their Irish Breakfast, Punjana and Signature blends. The fourth generation, Camille and Jamie Thompson, continue this passion and dedication to creating a better cup of tea and take great pleasure in selecting leaves from only the very finest gardens in Assam, Kenya and beyond. 9

BALMORAL SHOW REVIEW

Advantages of going green

HIGHLIGHTED TO AGRI-FOOD SECTOR REVIEW : BALMORAL SHOW

Nick Whelan, Group chief executive, Dale Farm; Justin Coleman, live production services director, Moy Park; Christine Adams, RUAS president; and Mark Crimmins, Ulster Bank head of Northern Ireland.

armers and food producers here can thrive by going green if more is done to help these businesses make climate transition a strategic priority, said the chief executive of Northern Ireland’s leading dairy co-op at the Ulster Bank lunch held on May 12 at the Balmoral Show. Nick Whelan, Group chief executive of Dale Farm and chair of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association, called for a new era of collaboration between industry and government to help agrifood firms fulfil their green ambitions and reduce carbon emissions. Whelan was speaking at the Ulster Bank lunch in the show’s President’s Lounge, as part of a panel which also included Moy Park Agri Business and Live Production Services Director Justin Coleman and Ulster Bank Senior

Agriculture Manager Cormac McKervey. Whelan said: “The biggest challenge we must face as an industry in the years ahead is the need to continue to feed a growing world population in the most sustainable way. “Dale Farm takes this challenge seriously and sustainability is at the heart of everything we do as a dairy cooperative – from environmental sustainability through to the economic sustainability of our members’ farms. “For agri-food as a whole, innovation, investment and data gathering will be key to ensuring the industry plays its part in achieving UK net zero. “It will also require a new era of collaboration between industry and government, and we look forward to engaging with the new Assembly on these issues.”

LMC CELEBRATES CHAMPION LIVESTOCK AT BALMORAL SHOW 10

Coleman said: “We have always been led by evolving consumer trends and what is very clear is that today’s consumer wants to see businesses make stronger commitments in this area. “At Moy Park we have the advantage of an integrated supply chain, which assists us in being able to work more closely and more effectively with our growers and customers. “This in turn is helping us press on with our pledge to net zero by 2040, a commitment which has been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.” Mark Crimmins, Ulster Bank head of Northern Ireland, said: “The Ulster Bank lunch at Balmoral Show has become a key event in the calendar for senior figures from within the agri-food industry. “What the contributions of Nick and Justin have really highlighted is the importance of partnership within the agri-food sector and it is imperative that farmers feel supported as they make the transition to a new, greener economy. “Ulster Bank is strongly committed to providing this support so that all businesses, regardless of size or scale, have access to the tools and funding they need to make the most of the opportunities which switching to greener business practices can present.” The Ulster Bank lunch at Balmoral Show is now in its 12th year and has welcomed speakers including Keelings Retail Chief David Keeling, ABP Managing Director George Mullan, and Professor Grainne Allen, head of product development at Marks and Spencer.

number of livestock classes were sponsored by the Livestock and Meat Commission at this year’s Balmoral Show, including the beef group of five championship, beef interbreed champion of champions, the sheep young handlers and sheep interbreed pairs championship. “LMC was delighted to provide

BALMORAL SHOW REVIEW

M&S CHAMPIONS ITS FARMER SUPPLIERS AT THE BALMORAL SHOW

utstanding farmers from across Ireland have been recognised by M&S at its Select Farm Awards ceremony, hosted on the first day of this year’s Balmoral show. THE WINNERS WERE: • Animal Welfare Award - Ian Loughrin • Low Carbon Farming Pioneer - Patrick Black • Farming with Nature Award Maurice and William Kells • Farming Innovation Award - Richard Murphy “Every day, our Select Farmers and suppliers go to extraordinary lengths to deliver great quality M&S food, whilst demonstrating best-in-class innovation, animal welfare, sustainability and biodiversity,” said Steve McLean, head of agriculture and fisheries at M&S. “These awards celebrate just some of our farmers who are leading in these fields.” ANIMAL WELFARE AWARD Ian Loughrin, a beef farmer from Cookstown, won the Animal Welfare Award for his commitment to building a system which puts animal welfare and husbandry at the forefront. He has set up two state-of-the art calf rearing units for rearing young calves sourced from Linden Foods Procurement. McLean said: “M&S Select Farmers are well known as leaders in promoting the highest standards of animal welfare. Ian expertly demonstrates this through both careful investment in purpose-built housing and a commitment to always delivering best practice when it comes to calf rearing.” LOW CARBON FARMING PIONEER Patrick Black, a poultry farmer from Ballycastle, was awarded the Low Carbon Farming Pioneer Award for his commitment to reducing his

sponsorship,” said Ian Stevenson, chief executive, LMC. “We wish to take this opportunity to thank the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society for facilitating, and all exhibitors; events like this would not be possible without their unwavering passion and commitment to showcase the very best of our local livestock.”

Maurice and William Kells.

Patrick Black.

Nicola and Richard Murphy.

carbon footprint using renewables and participating in higher-level environmental farming schemes. Alongside his wife and son, Patrick runs an 11,000-bird rearing unit, as well as keeping cattle, sheep and pig on their extensive hill farm. Over the past 10 years, the farm has invested in a hydro powered generator, solar panels, and an air source heat pump. Black supplies Skea Eggs, with Dale Shaw from Skea Eggs commenting: “Patrick has been a Rearing Farmer with Skea Eggs for several years now and over this time he has made significant steps to reduce the farm’s carbon footprint. The multiple renewable energy systems on farm and large areas of land dedicated to environmental work demonstrate Patrick’s success in this endeavour.” FARMING WITH NATURE AWARD William and Maurice Kells, beef and sheep

farmers from Portadown, have been awarded the Farming with Nature Award for their commitment to improving biodiversity on their farm. The father and son team have been rearing high-quality beef and lamb for Linden Foods for the last 40 years and are now an M&S Indicator farm, trialing new environmental work and sharing their learnings. Over the last six years, Maurice and William have planted a range of broadleaf native hedges to provide wildlife habitats and shelter for the cattle and also carefully manage an ancient species-rich site on the farm. FARMING INNOVATION AWARD Richard Murphy, a poultry farmer from Whitecross, scooped the Farming Innovation Award for his commitment to investing in an innovative system centred on animal welfare. Just eight months ago Richard Murphy and his wife Nicola set up a state-of-the-art 24,000 bird free range laying unit, after extensive research and planning. Murphy supplies Skea Eggs, with Dale Shaw from Skea Eggs commenting: “When setting up his new unit, Richard went above and beyond to select a system which allows him to manage bird welfare and production in the most effective way. In short time-frame Richard has already achieved a substantial amount and has already shown real stockmanship when caring for his hens.” LINDEN FOODS AND GREENMOUNT COLLEGE SUPPLY CHAIN PROJECT As well as the M&S Select Farm Awards, M&S was also pleased to announce the winners of a supply chain project run by Linden Foods and M&S for Greenmount College students where teams of four are asked to design and present a suitable food related product to sit in M&S Food. This year’s winning team were Emma Ross, Ryan Pickering, Amber Rogers and Michelle Rea, who will now visit M&S HQ in London as part of their prize.

The Simmental heifer exhibited by Pat Kelly was named reserve champion in the beef interbreed championship at Balmoral Show. Also pictured are Michael Durno, judge and Ian Stevenson, chief executive, LMC.

Joe Stewart, board member, LMC, is pictured with Bethany Megarrell, sheep young handler reserve champion in the 8-11 age group, and Michael Graham, judge. 11

RETAIL NEWS – INDEPENDENTS

CUNNINGHAM FOOD HALL IN KILKEEL NAMED BEST IN NI AT NATIONAL AWARDS

James Cunningham Jnr, managing director of Cunningham’s Butchers, Food Hall, Bistro and Steak House in Kilkeel named Best in Northern Ireland in the UK Farm Shop and Deli Awards, is pictured with some of his team.

BY SAM BUTLER

unningham Butchers, Food Hall, Bistro and Steak House in Kilkeel has been named the best in Northern Ireland at the prestigious annual Farm Shop and Deli Awards 2022. The retailer, which also has a shop in Newry, was successful in the competition which featured specialist retailers across 12 categories in nine UK regions.

For 2022, the awards recognised specialist retailers doing their part to create a better world through sustainable initiatives, while supporting their customers, communities and suppliers. Cunningham’s, a fourth-generation butchers in Kilkeel, is celebrating over 100 years in business. It has grown from a family butcher to a food hall with local artisan foods and a modern bistro and steak house.

INDIE FÜDE BAGS BLAS NA HEIREANN PRODUCERS’ CHAMPION AWARD

ndie Füde, operator of two successful delis in Belfast and Comber, has won a Producers’ Champion Award for 2022 from Blas na hEireann, organiser of the Irish National Food Awards in Dingle, Co Kerry. Laura Bradley and Johnny Blas na hEireann Chairman McDowell of Indie Füde delis in Artie Clifford said the award Belfast and Comber. recognises the dedication to local artisan food by business partners Johnny McDowell and Laura Bradley. The Producers’ Champion is selected annually by Blas na hEireann producers, based on a survey that goes out to the entire Blas network, a network that covers every county in Ireland. Indie Füde started out as an online business in 2014 created by Johnny McDowell, a chartered accountant with a passion for sourcing and selling the finest Irish food and ingredients. He was subsequently joined by food blogger Laura Bradley in a small deli in Comber. They then moved to larger premises in 2018 and opened another on Belfast’s Ormeau Road specialising in artisan cheese. Johnny has since teamed up with Italian cheese maker Davide Thani to create Velocheese x Indie Füde artisan cheeses.

The family-run butchery in Co Down has expanded its business with the creation of a shop at The Quays shopping centre, Newry, and the addition of a fully licensed cocktail bar at its restaurant in Kilkeel. Over the past five years, the business has increased its workforce from five to 50 employees, contributing significantly to local employment. Cunningham’s produces over 1,000 different product lines including glutenfree items and is one of only a few Northern Irish butchers with a Himalayan Salt Chamber for dry-ageing its beef. James Cunningham Jnr, managing director of Cunningham’s, believes it’s a focus on innovation and farming heritage that has stood the business in good stead. “Innovation is at the heart of our operations, and that was the reason behind our new cocktail bar which expands our offering to customers who can enjoy food and drinks in a beautiful setting,” he said.

BALLYHOLME’S BUMBLE AND GOOSE RECOGNISED IN UK ENTERPRISE AWARDS 2022

allyholme-based Bumble and Goose has been named Best Family Run Luxury Bakery in the UK Enterprise Awards 2022. The bakery, founded and run by Lynsey Bleakley, is a specialist in luxury cakes and other products including brownies, Lynsey Bleakley of Bumble and biscuits and traybakes for Goose in Ballyholme. corporate and private customers. This Awards are open to any business trading in the UK, identifying as a small to medium-sized enterprise, and are free to enter. Former nurse Lynsey Bleakley established the small bakery almost three years ago and has already been recognised as baker of the Best Luxury Brownies in Northern Ireland by Luxlife magazine. The bakery also produces rocky roads, macarons, fudge, personalised biscuits and cakes. “We bake and gift box our treats for doorstep delivery across UK and Ireland as well as local delivery for cakes,” said Bleakley. Her personalised biscuits proved to be extremely popular as gifts during the pandemic. “Customers have used our boxes to send goodwill messages to family and friends throughout the UK and other parts of Europe,” she said.

RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOLS

McCANN’S GENERAL STORE CELEBRATES SPAR MILESTONE M cCann’s General Store in Killinchy is celebrating its 20th anniversary of joining the SPAR family in Northern Ireland. Barry and Leanna McBride, who run Leanna’s family business, were presented with a commemorative plaque by John Agnew, former chairman of the Henderson Group – owner of the SPAR brand in Northern Ireland. While the SPAR partnership extends 20 years, the two families’ trading history dates back to Hubert McCann and John Henderson in the early 1900s. The McCanns developed the general store throughout the early 1900s, with Leanna’s uncle Hubert McCann regularly visiting St George’s Market in Belfast to do business with John Henderson, grandfather of John Agnew, whose sons Martin and Geoffrey are today joint managing directors and chairmen of the Henderson Group. Back at the store in Balloo, the Post Office opened in 1910, followed by Hubert’s reign behind the tills from

John Agnew, former chairman of the Henderson Group, presented Leanna and Barry McBride and staff with a commemorative plaque to mark 20 years in the local community.

1929 until 1991. While the store was briefly outside of the family for a few years, Leanna and Barry bought it back in 2002, beginning business with the Henderson Group once again. McCann’s adopted the SPAR brand in 2007, initially trading as a VG from 2002 with just eight employees. Several developments and expansions over the last 20 years have boosted staff numbers to 30.

HENDERSON BROTHERS ALMOST DOUBLE BALLYMONEY STORE

Richard Henderson with Beth, Jennifer and James Henderson.

ndependent retailers Crawford and Richard Henderson, who operate a portfolio of SPAR stores in Northern Ireland and Scotland, have reopened their SPAR Milltown Road store in Ballymoney after a £1.5m investment. Almost doubling in size, the 5,500-square-foot store offers an extended range of fresh, locally sourced products, an expanded grocery range, a new deli serving a range of

salads, wraps and sandwiches, and a hot food counter with options for breakfast and lunch. “We have been trading with SPAR for the past 30 years, but neighbourhood retailing has never been more important than in the past few years,” said Richard Henderson. “Our shoppers are looking for value, local products, trusted faces on the shop floor and a wide variety of everyday essentials so they don’t have to go out of town.” The shop’s forecourt has also undergone a makeover with six new Solo branded pumps, all with a ‘pay at the pump’ facility, and a new state-ofthe-art drive through car wash arriving soon. It has more than 100 car parking spaces on-site and a Post Office. The site’s well-known V2 Discount store, adjoined to the SPAR, has also been expanded into a larger store offering a wider range of value products.

RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOLS

Kells, Holywood & Kildress shops

SCOOP MUSGRAVE AWARDS

MUSGRAVE NI HELD ITS STORE OF THE YEAR AWARDS, RECOGNISING THE ACHIEVEMENTS, HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF ITS SUPERVALU, CENTRA AND MACE RETAIL PARTNERS, IN THE SLIEVE DONARD ON APRIL 29 THE AWARDS, BACK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2019, WERE HOSTED BY RADIO PRESENTER PETE SNODDEN, WITH FINALISTS SELECTED FOLLOWING SEVERAL RIGOROUS ROUNDS OF PERFORMANCE AND STANDARDS AUDITS. SuperValu Store of the Year, sponsored by Diageo: SuperValu McCool’s, Kells. Pictured are Peter McCool, Debbie McGaul and Robyn Burrage of SuperValu Kells, Paddy Murney and Trevor Magill of Musgrave NI, James Davies of sponsor Diageo and host Pete Snodden.

Centra Store of the Year, sponsored by CocaCola: Centra, Martin & Boal’s Holywood. Centra, Martin & Boal’s Holywood also won Centra Foodmarket Store of the Year (finalists: Centra Lilley’s, Dublin Road, Enniskillen; Centra Lusty’s, Larne). Pictured are Jonathan Boal, Phillip Martin, David Martin and the store team from Centra Martin & Boal’s in Holywood, Paddy Murney andTrevor Magill of Musgrave NI, Niall Rush of sponsor Coca-Cola and host Pete Snodden.

MACE Store of the Year, sponsored by Britvic: MACE, Dolan’s Kildress. MACE, Dolan’s Kildress also won MACE Store of the Year over 1,800 sqft (finalists: MACE Boyd’s Toome, Main Street; MACE McMaster’s Ballymena). Pictured are Edel O’Connor, Ciara McNamee and Keith Dolan of MACE Kildress, host Pete Snodden, Trevor Magill and Paddy Murney of Musgrave NI, and Kevin McAviney of sponsor Britvic.

MACE Store of the Year (under 1,800 sqft), sponsored by Britvic: MACE McFarland’s, Newmills (finalists: MACE McCann’s, Greenisland; MACE McDonld’s, Lurgan). Pictured are Kevin McAviney of sponsor Britvic, Arlene McFarland of MACE Newmills with team, Paddy Murney of Musgrave NI and host Pete Snodden.

Centra High-Convenience Store of the Year, sponsored by Coca-Cola: Centra Kavanagh’s Waterloo Place, Derry~Londonderry (finalists: Centra Ryan’s, A1 Banbridge; Centra McGoveran’s, Cathedral Quarter, Belfast). Pictured are Sarah Doherty and Lisa Doherty of Centra Waterloo Place, Paddy Murney of Musgrave NI, Niall Rush of sponsor Coca-Cola and host Pete Snodden.

Newcomer of the Year winner, sponsored by Linden Foods: SuperValu Wilson’s, Portadown (finalists: Centra Cathcart’s, Toome; Centra Conway’s Dunman, Cookstown; Centra Lusty’s, Larne Port; Centra Maguiresbridge). Pictured are Peter Wilson of SuperValu Wilson’s Portadown, Paddy Murney of Musgrave NI and host Pete Snodden.

SuperValu Company Owned Store of the Year, sponsored by Kerry Foods: SuperValu, Portstewart (finalists: SuperValu, Downpatrick; SuperValu, Lisburn). Pictured are Cathie Carton from SuperValu Portstewart, Caroline Rowan of Musgrave NI and Colleen Donnelly of sponsor Kerry Foods.

RETAIL NEWS – MULTIPLES

SHOPPERS RETURN TO ONLINE ORDERS & CONVENIENT PREPARED FOODS

onvenience is driving the latest trends in the Northern Ireland grocery market, with basket sizes dropping, online orders up, and a boost in the sale of frozen and chilled prepared products. Growth has slowed for Lidl in the latest Kantar data for the 52 weeks to April 17, 2022 to +0.6%, but the discount retailer nonetheless remains the only grocery brand in growth with its market share +19.4% over a twoyear period.

“Northern Irish grocery sales are down by 6.3% year on year,” said Emer Healy, senior retail analyst at Kantar. “Shoppers are getting out and about again and making more frequent trips to store, with visits increasing by 2%, while basket sizes have dropped by 8.8%. “As routines get busier, convenience seems to be top of mind for shoppers. The number of online orders made over the past three months has jumped by 7.6% versus last year. Sales of frozen

prepared foods are up £763,000 while chilled prepared products have also grown £500,000 as people opt for quicker and easier meals. “Covid-19’s influence on our shopping habits is dwindling, however inflation will become a much more dominant factor driving behavioural changes in the months ahead. Annual grocery price inflation in Northern Ireland is now running at 2.8% and we’re expecting this figure will continue to climb as the cost of living rises.”

M&S OPENS NEW STORE IN AROUND NOON SECURES BANBRIDGE’S BRIDGEWATER TESCO LISTING FOR SCRIBBLES RETAIL PARK SANDWICHES & WRAPS

arks and Spencer officially opened a new Foodhall in Banbridge on May 10, with the neon-lit shop featuring new features aimed at enhancing the shopping experience for local residents. M&S Banbridge will recruit 60 new colleagues to join its new team, which includes offering new roles to existing M&S colleagues as well as creating jobs for the local community. Located at Bridgewater Retail Park, Banbridge, the store will offer thousands of new product lines plus new hightech ways to shop. Alongside a fresh market feel, ‘Pick your own’ eggs and the arrival of Scan and Shop, shoppers will be able to enjoy new lower prices on its ‘Remarksable’ ranges – including bread, milk and beef mince. The store will have a wine shop offering beers, wines and spirits as well as a wine tasting station, and an in-store bakery with a selection of fresh breads and pastries baked throughout the day. “We’re delighted to offer outstanding service for our customers,” said said Evan Mackay, M&S Banbridge store manager, who has worked at M&S for eight years in various roles including store manager in Enniskillen and Carrickfergus. “Along with our bespoke Food offer, busy customers will be able to easily collect and return online clothing orders with pick up available seven days a week.”

Philip Morgan, sales director, Around Noon, and Michael Crealy, Tesco buying manager for Northern Ireland.

ood-to-go manufacturer Around Noon has secured a new contract to supply its Scribbles range of sandwiches and wraps to 60 Tesco stores across Northern Ireland. The deal will see the Newry-based firm, which produces a range of sandwiches, salads, wraps and fruit pots, supply the Scribbles range across Tesco’s supermarkets, Tesco Extra and Tesco Express stores including its petrol forecourt sites. Around Noon has been in business for over 30 years, employs more than 300 people and supplies forecourt and convenience retailers and cafes throughout the UK and Ireland. “At Around Noon we work hard to help our customers move with and stay ahead of changing trends and our Scribbles range is an enticing and engaging proposition for the on-the-go consumer,” said Philip Morgan, sales director, Around Noon. “We currently occupy a strong foothold in the convenience retail and foodservice markets. Our new supply deal with Tesco Northern Ireland further expands our market presence as we grow our product offering with the large multiples.” Michael Crealey, Tesco buying manager for Northern Ireland, said: “The Scribbles range, with its unique personality unlike anything else in the local market, is the perfect addition to complement our existing food-to-go offering and has been an instant hit with consumers.” 15

ADVERTORIAL

MAXOL - GROWING A SUCCESSFUL

independent dealer network

COMPANY : MAXOL Pictured: Norman Graham – Maxol regional manager; David Martin – head of business development for Maxol; and Greg Swail, Maxol Fuel Card Sales.

axol, Northern Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer has more than 100 years’ experience in the forecourt and convenience industry. Maxol is one of the most recognised fuel brands in Ireland, with a network of branded service stations across the island of Ireland, including company-owned stations and independent dealer-owned stations. Maxol is also one of the largest suppliers of fuel card services to government organisations and businesses across the island of Ireland. Maxol prides itself on being more than a fuel supplier to their independent dealers. They provide their partners with knowledge and expertise in the areas of convenience retailing, food franchising as well as forecourt design and development. Maxol understands the challenges and opportunities faced by their independent dealers, and their dedicated fuel delivery distribution service is designed to support partners as they grow their business. INDEPENDENT DEALER SPOTLIGHT Oran McCloskey runs a family forecourt and convenience store in Dungiven, Londonderry/Derry. Following a period of closure, Oran decided to partner with Maxol in 2021 with the aim of redeveloping and modernising the store and forecourt. 16

Speaking about the partnership Oran explained: “I was looking for a fuel supplier with a strong presence and a brand that both myself and my customers could trust. I needed someone who understands the complex planning process of forecourt and convenience retailing – all of which Maxol could provide.” Since joining the Maxol family, Oran’s store and forecourt has been transformed. The forecourt was refurbished with the well-known and respected Maxol brand that has attracted customers to use the newly renovated site. Through the Maxol Fuels You Can Trust programme, Oran is assured Maxol will always deliver quality fuel. Oran partnered with Musgrave Retail

Partners NI under the Mace brand for the convenience store brand on the site. The store was re-developed and refurbished with a new shop layout to provide space for a deli and coffee offering. The modernised store’s spacious design makes shopping easier, faster and more enjoyable for customers managing busy lifestyles. In a short space of time, Oran has already seen the benefits of working with Maxol. The partnership has created a new experience for customers and resulted in repeat customer visits that can be seen in an uplift in sales. “We have just completed our first full year of trading and both shop sales and forecourt volumes are exceeding all expectations. The move to sign with Maxol has been a very positive experience overall,” explains Oran. In the last year, 15 independent dealers have renewed their partnership with Maxol and like Oran they enjoy a range of benefits including: Efficient and on time fuel deliveries Dedicated regional manager and support team Forecourt design and expertise Maxol Lubricants Range Marketing support Fuel Card network partner Customer standards and excellence programme

ADVERTORIAL

Introducing White’s Quick & Oaty READY IN 180 SECONDS!

COMPANY : WHITE’S OATS

o-Armagh based White’s Oats has announced a relaunch of its popular instant oat sachets, as it continues to put health, convenience and sustainability at the heart of its products. The instant oat category has returned to strong double-digit growth1 as consumers begin to spend more time on the go and demand for convenience is once again at the forefront of consumers’ minds. White’s Quick & Oaty Instant Oats sees a renovation of its instant porridge to deliver even more taste and convenience in under 180 seconds: perfect for those busy, on-the-go mornings. The new range is available in four flavour varieties including original, Golden Syrup, Apple & Cinnamon and Mixed Berry that come in handy, microwaveable, single serve sachets. The use of strong colour blocking aligned with the product variant has been incorporated to help consumers navigate and shop the category more easily. Commenting on the relaunch Danielle McBride, marketing manager from White’s, said: “The new range retains the same 100% locally sourced Irish oats delivering White’s trademark creamy 18

taste and texture, with new flavours made from all natural ingredients and real fruit pieces. Packed with nutritional goodness, we are committed to delivering the highest quality product for our customers that contain on average 17% less saturated fat than other leading brands and is 18% higher in fibre.”2 The new design features on-pack messaging which reinforces White’s sustainability commitment to absolute net zero emissions by 2040. Information on its recently awarded A+ eco score by Foundation Earth, a not-for-profit organisation to understand the environmental impacts of products, has been developed via a QR code which takes the consumer to a dedicated page on White’s website to learn more about the partnership. Clear labelling to highlight the recyclability credentials of the product has also been incorporated to help consumers make informed choices.

“We remain committed to inspiring healthy lifestyles, developing and bringing to market oat products that appeal to a broad range of consumers,” continues Danielle McBride. “Our newly relaunched instant oat sachets make prepping breakfast more effortless than ever with each sachet portion controlled with a clearly marked measuring serve; simply requiring you to add milk or your favourite dairy free alternative.” The launch is being supported in Northern Ireland with a TV and digital campaign. Whites Quick & Oaty instant oat sachets are available now in supermarkets across Northern Ireland in a 300g pack (10 sachets x 30g) and 240g pack (8 sachets x 30g). Source: 1 Nielsen Category Data Instant Oat Cereals Top 20 skus 52 weeks ending April 2022 2 average nutritional values benchmarked against category leader

PROFILE

INVESTING IN A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE PROFILE : SD BELL’S

IRELAND’S OLDEST INDEPENDENT TEA BLENDER & COFFEE ROASTER IS CONTINUING TO ‘GREENIFY’ ITS RANGE WITH A NEW LINE OF PLASTIC-FREE TEA BAGS, SD BELL & CO MANAGING DIRECTOR ROBERT BELL TELLS ALYSON MAGEE TELL US ABOUT SD BELL’S NEW LINE OF PLASTIC-FREE TEA BAGS A lot of tea bag packing machinery has been around for a long time and uses basic heated rollers to seal the teabag. With such machinery, it has only been possible to get an effective seal by infusing polypropylene in the bag paper. As part of our drive to take all the plastic out of our packaging, our packing line has been upgraded so the seal is heated with much greater precision. This means bags can now be made from ‘PuriSeal’ paper, a sustainable wood pulp paper infused with a vegetable starch ‘bioplastic’ polylactide (PLA). These bags come wrapped in a foil pouch which is also produced from PLA, and so these too can go into the brown bin alongside the tea bags. The retail carton is entirely printed with waterbased inks and will also biodegrade. The box can go into the blue or brown bins. And as a classy, upmarket product, these foil pouches also fit beautifully in a presentation tin. WHAT PROMPTED THE MOVE TO THE NEW ECO PACKS? Once things got settled in lockdown and we knew we weren’t going to go bust, it gave me time to sit back and strategically decide what we were going to do next. These teabags had been playing on my mind for some time, so now was the time. The new eco packs are all part of a journey taking us towards an environmentally friendly product range. Now all our loose leaf teas use plastic free packaging, and our Belfast string-and-tag tea bags are fully biodegradable, so across all our teas, including the loose-leaf teas, we’re at about 90-95% plastic free. We’ve also done a lot with coffee, but there’s still more to do. DID THE PANDEMIC INSPIRE ANY OTHER CHANGES FOR SD BELL? We undertook a full review of all our 20

production processes while the business was quieter. We’ve been using a very old roaster for generations. It’s a superb machine, very reliable, but not very fuel efficient; it loses a lot of its heat in the roasting process. We’re moving to a ‘closed loop’ roaster which retains almost all its heat to roast more, rather than losing heat to the atmosphere. The new roaster is another impact of being able to sit back and think about what the cost profile of the business is going to be in the future, including what we spend on gas. DID YOU BUILD ON ECOMMERCE SALES DURING THE PANDEMIC? Fortunately, we had already invested in increasing the ‘horsepower’ of our internet servers and software pre-lockdown, so the timing was perfect for the massive increase in online sales. Our internet sales dipped a little as people came back to shops but are still probably five times what they were before lockdown. We’ve invested quite a lot in our website, recognising that

people’s shopping habits have changed. We’re getting smarter at what we spend on online advertising, and how we communicate with our customer base through regular emails and activity on Instagram and Facebook to benefit from those new shopping habits. We run Facebook competitions and have developed other new marketing and promotional products, such as a little plastic-free postal package featuring our biodegradable coffee bags. HOW IS SD BELL COPING WITH RISING INFLATION? The shop sales and wholesale side of the business are back to where they would have been pre-pandemic, and St George’s Market is flying along now it’s been revamped. But the trading environment is hard. Our new eco packs, while they are definitely the right thing to do, are more expensive to produce, and tea is up in price too. The Indian and Kenyan farm gate prices are 30% up on two years ago, and container shipping costs have trebled. Of course, all our utility, labour and other input costs are up as well. The new eco pack, as a high-quality product, still represents great value at an RRP of £3, but we are still able to offer the independent grocery sector excellent margins. I am sure the big discounters and multiples will be fighting the bit out in a race to the bottom, but we will not be allowing price erosion when our product range commands such a premium. WILL HERITAGE REMAIN A USP OF SD BELL? One of the hardest things running a company with such heritage is to keep relevant and doing new things without losing sight of our core values. Our products must reflect our DNA and have a heritage look and feel, while telling the story in a fresh way that will resonate with people. We still have my great grandfather on the pack and use an original 1887 graphic, but we’ve given it a fresher look and feel. We are, and always will be, Ireland’s oldest independent tea blenders and coffee roasters. That needs to feature on the pack, every time.

TOP 75

PANDEMIC YEARS SEE GROCERY RETAILERS GROW THEIR PRESENCE

eat and poultry firms have retained their dominance as the leading category in the Ulster Grocer Top 75 NI Food & Drink Companies. While the latest edition of the annual listing compiled by D&B remains broadly similar in terms of share among grocery categories, the effect of the pandemic on the market is apparent. With the listing based on financial years 2020 and 2021, the height of the pandemic, more grocery retailers have entered the list in line with the reported buoyancy of the sector during the lockdowns.

NUMBER OF COMPANIES IN EACH CATEGORY

20 18 16 14 12 10

And, as would be expected, a number of grocery wholesalers have dropped off this year’s list, with those more invested in supplying foodservice markets likely to have suffered from the shutdowns of the hospitality sector. Other categories with strong representation in the listing remain stable including fresh produce, dairy, bakery, eggs and, to a lesser extent, seafood and soft drinks.

And alcohol remains a strong category, third in terms of number of companies in the Top 75, reflecting its strong performance in retail sales throughout the pandemic (although drinks firms will also have suffered from the loss of higher value hospitality trade). See ps26-27 for expert analysis of this year’s Top 75 NI Food & Drink Companies by Jonathan Cushley.

CONTENTS p25

FOREWORD BY INVEST NI

ps26-27

ANALYSIS BY JONATHAN CUSHLEY

ps28-29

MOY PARK (1)

ps30-31

HENDERSON GROUP (2)

ps32-33

SHS GROUP (3)

p34

FOYLE FOOD GROUP (5)

p35

MONSTER (COCA COLA – 10)

ps36-37

TOP 75 LISTING BY D&B

ps38-39

MUSGRAVE (15)

ps40-41

S&W WHOLESALE (17)

ps42-43

MACKLE PETFOODS (38)

ps44-45

O’REILLY’S WHOLESALE (39)

ps46-47

GREEN FIELD MARKETING SOLUTIONS

8 6 4 2 0

TOP75 COMPANIES BY GROCERY CATEGORY *OTHER INCLUDES CRISPS & SNACKS, CONFECTIONERY, FOOD INGREDIENTS & PROCESSING & PETFOOD. 24

TOP 75

SUPPORTING NORTHERN IRELAND BUSINESS SUCCESS FROM FARM TO FORK, RIGHT ACROSS THE GLOBE JOHN HOOD, INVEST NORTHERN IRELAND’S DIRECTOR OF FOOD & DRINK, SHARES HOW INVEST NI’S SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES IN NORTHERN IRELAND’S FOOD & DRINK SECTOR IS HELPING THEM TO GROW, INNOVATE AND COMPETE GLOBALLY

n the last year, food and drink companies across Northern Ireland have been working hard to achieve success in the face of ever-changing circumstances, including EU Exit, emergence from the pandemic, and the conflict in Ukraine. This hard work has not gone unrewarded, with companies generating over £5.4bn for the local economy, and Northern Ireland food and drink on sale in over 70 global markets. Invest NI is playing its part to support and bolster this success, working with hundreds of ambitious companies across the sector, including many in Ulster Grocer’s Top 75. We offer businesses advice and guidance, along with support to increase exports, innovate, and grow their teams, both in size and skills. Just some of the projects we supported in the past year include the £4.3m investment by Warrenpoint food-to-go manufacturer Deli Lites that will see the creation of 45 jobs, and the £4m investment by Stone Bakery, which will create 20 jobs in the Newry, Mourne and Down District council area. We also welcomed South African food company Moorcroft Foods to Northern Ireland, establishing a manufacturing facility in Newtownards; and Scotts Irish Whiskey opened its new Irish Whisky distillery in Fermanagh with our support. Innovation is a key part of business growth, so that companies can remain competitive. The Department for the Economy’s 10X Economic Vision identifies the innovative technologies in the food and drink sector as essential to driving economic growth. Using our grant for R&D, Pure Roast Coffee invested in product development to create Northern Ireland’s first string & tag coffee bag, leading to its first contract with a GB major retailer worth £1m. It is through successes like these that Northern Ireland has secured multiple

“JUST SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE SUPPORTED IN THE PAST YEAR INCLUDE THE £4.3M INVESTMENT BY WARRENPOINT FOODTO-GO MANUFACTURER DELI LITES THAT WILL SEE THE CREATION OF 45 JOBS.” wins at prestigious food and drink awards. Morelli’s took the Regional Golden Fork Award for Northern Ireland at the Great Taste awards; Clandeboye Estate won Product of the Year at the 2022 UK Quality Food Awards; and there were wins for McColgan’s, Big Pot Co,

Wilson’s Country and Hellbent at the Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards. Our Business Development Team helps local suppliers achieve these successes by creating a strong network of buyer contacts with retailers like Aldi and Asda. Northern Ireland suppliers accounted for 50% of companies in Aldi Ireland’s popular Grow campaign, securing over £200,000 of new business. Our supplier support has also enabled Bravo Tango Coffee to grow sales at Lidl stores across Ireland, while our in-market team is helping NearyNogs to explore US markets following export wins with Avoca and Brown Thomas in RoI. There has also been a welcome return to live events. Invest NI clients have participated at major GB tradeshows including London Speciality Food Show, Lunch and IFE. Most recently, 30 GB and RoI buyers joined us at the Balmoral Show, meeting over 80 Northern Ireland suppliers such as White’s Oats, Kestrel Foods and Nuttin’ But. We also maintained our popular Online Showcase format, hosting presentations by 50 suppliers to an audience of around 200 buyers and media from GB and RoI. Our Consumer Insights Team has enabled businesses to access market intelligence to drive business growth. Some companies have used our trends platform to identify opportunities for new flavour variants or novel ingredients, while others have used our market research to identify commercial opportunities for business planning, as the retail/grocery buying landscape continues to evolve. This data driven growth is likely to become even more important in the future. The team at Invest NI remain focused and committed to working with existing, and new customers; helping them to thrive by supporting their innovation, exporting opportunities, and people. 25

TOP 75

TOP NORTHERN IRELAND GROCERY COMPANIES INCREASE SALES BY 1.5% BY JONATHAN CUSHLEY, INDEPENDENT ANALYST

he latest edition of the Ulster Grocer Top 75 companies highlights the challenges experienced within the business sector most utilised by individuals in Northern Ireland. The Top 75 listing, now in its third year, shows a sector growing sales, maintaining its profit margin, and contributing just shy of 36,000 employees to the province’s workforce. As with its sister listing the Ulster Business Top 100, the Ulster Grocer listing is compiled from audited accounts filed at Companies House and reflects financial year ends of the companies in either 2020 or 2021. Whilst the turnover growth is minimal, it is still growth, and the current filing period will in many cases show the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic. TURNOVER Since the inception of the listing, turnover (sales) has been used as the key identifier and performance benchmark. This year’s Ulster Grocer Top 75 listing saw turnover increase to £8,834.8m from £8,707.2m for the comparative companies’ prior year - an increase of 1.46%. Moy Park continues to lead the listing, posting sales of £1,458.4m, a slight decrease from £1,580.4m prior year. John 26

the 2021 list, Moran’s Retail, which had posted £19.2m.

Henderson (Holdings) Ltd, second on the listing, and SHS Group, third, both showed strong growth – in fact eight of the top 10 companies posted sales growth with only Moy Park and Coca Cola HBC (Northern Ireland) showing a decrease. A slight cause for concern is that 32 of the 75 companies showed a yearon-year reduction in sales, a strong indicator of the challenges faced. The Mount Charles Group Ltd sit at number 75 in the listing with a turnover of £19.6m, a slight increase of 2% on the previous incumbent in

PROFITABILITY The success of a business cannot simply be measured by turnover. Many argue that profitability is more important; the generation of profit is key to a business’ stability and potential for future growth. This year’s Top 75 have produced a combined pre-tax profit of £310m against sales of £8,834.8m; this represents a pre-tax profit margin of 3.5% (a minimal decrease of 0.1% on the prior year’s listing).

TOP 10 MOST PROFITABLE COMPANIES Company

Pre-tax profit £m

Pre-tax profit margin %

Moy Park Ltd

82.7

5.7

John Henderson (Holdings) Ltd

28.5

3.0

Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland Ltd

27.2

13.3

SHS Group Ltd

23.1

3.5

Hilton Foods Ltd

17.4

57.2

Voyager Fishing Company Ltd

10.6

52.5

Foyle Food Group Ltd

9.2

2.4

Lidl Northern Ireland Ltd

8.6

2.5

Ready Egg Products Ltd

8.4

14.6

Cranswick Country Foods (Ballymena)

7.6

6.5

TOP 75

“THE SUCCESS OF A BUSINESS CANNOT SIMPLY BE MEASURED BY TURNOVER. MANY ARGUE THAT PROFITABILITY IS MORE IMPORTANT; THE GENERATION OF PROFIT IS KEY TO A BUSINESS’ STABILITY AND POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE GROWTH.” Ten companies within the Top 75 posted losses for their last recorded financial year. TANGIBLE NET WORTH (SHAREHOLDER VALUE) The third measure of overall business success can be identified by a business’ value to its shareholders. Tangible Net Worth can be measured by a business’ shareholder funds (issued capital) + Retained Profits (Losses) – Intangibles. A consistent increase in Tangible Net Worth indicates a company’s good financial health. The value of the Ulster Grocer Top 75 Companies sits at £2,006.7m Only four of the Top 75 companies show a Negative Tangible Net Worth. The value of the Ulster Grocer Top 75 Companies to their shareholders is £2,006.7m and this represents a sale to equity of 4.4. A high Sales to Equity Ratio indicates a business’ ability to create sales without a high level of investment from stakeholders – more significantly the shareholders return, which looks at profitability/tangible Net Worth, is 15.4%. EMPLOYEES A total number of 35,953 people are employed by the Ulster Grocer Top 75 Companies. The figure is slightly reduced from the 37,378 employed by the companies within the 2021 listing. Each employee accounted for £245,732 sales (sales/employee) - up £14,460 on prior years listing, and accounted for £8,622 profit (profit/employee). AVERAGE Based upon the Ulster Grocer Top 75, the average Northern Ireland grocery-related company would generate a turnover of £117.8m, create profits of £4.13m, have a Tangible Net Worth of £26.8m and employ 479 people.

TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE COMPANIES Company

Tangible Net Worth £m

Sales to Equity Ratio

Moy Park Ltd

372.5

3.9

John Henderson (Holdings) Ltd

259.3

2.7

The Old Bushmills Distillery Company Ltd

231.5

0.14

Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland Ltd

99.8

2.1

Hilton Foods Ltd

83.8

0.36

Lynn’s Country Foods Ltd

67.6

1.8

Dale Farm Ltd

65.4

7.0

Tayto Group Ltd

56.7

3.3

James E McCabe Ltd

56.4

1.7

Lidl Northern Ireland Ltd

42.7

TOP 10 HIGHEST EMPLOYING COMPANIES Company

Number of employees

Sales/employee (£)

Moy Park Ltd

9,943

146,809

John Henderson (Holdings) Ltd

4,171

229,345

The Mount Charles Group Ltd

1,373

14,275

Foyle Food Group Ltd

1,342

284,575

Tayto Group Ltd

1,335

139,925

SHS Group Ltd

1,210

541,818

Linden Foods

1,116

187,276

Lidl Northern Ireland Ltd

1,068

323,408

Dunnes Stores (Bangor)

1,034

98,453

Musgrave Retail Partners NI Ltd

889

346,566

NOTES The listing utilises the results held at Companies House for Northern Ireland registered or headquarter domiciled companies. A cut off for filings to be included in the 2022 Ulster Grocer Top 75 was 28/04/2022. Lakeland Dairies (NI) Ltd (#8) file their financial accounts in €. For the purposes of allowing comparison within the listing, their values have been converted to sterling at the relevant currency rate at financial year end. Evron Foods Ltd (#28) financial accounts relate to a 16-month period. Stockman’s Management Ltd (#35) financial accounts relate to an 18-month period.

D&W Carlisle Ltd (#50) financial accounts relate to a 6-month period. Musgrave Retail Partners NI Ltd (#7) and Musgrave Distribution Ltd (#15) are both subsidiaries of Musgrave Investments Ltd, an intermediate holding company registered in Northern Ireland. Musgrave Investments Ltd does not file consolidated accounts. James E McCabe Ltd (#21), Philip Russell Ltd (#22) and Winemark the Winemerchants Ltd (#58) are all subsidiaries (directly or indirectly) of Golf Holdings Ltd, a holding company registered in Northern Ireland. Golf Holdings Ltd does not file consolidated accounts.

ADVERTORIAL

At the cutting edge of INNOVATION, QUALITY & SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

COMPANY : MOY PARK

BY CHRIS KIRKE, PRESIDENT OF MOY PARK

t Moy Park, we are always focused on delivering high quality, great value food products to our customers and consumers. Demand for our products remains strong, with consumer habits and confidence returning. Moy Park is consistently at the cutting edge of innovation within the industry, and we have a strategic investment plan in place to bolster our growth and build the necessary infrastructure for the future. Staying at the forefront of our industry means having the best people, infrastructure and processes to develop and build upon our credentials on animal welfare, sustainability, safety, and product integrity. With sustainable development at the forefront of our strategic investment plans, we are committed to meeting the 28

nutritional needs for a growing world population in the most sustainable way and protecting the planet for future generations. We have committed to achieving the ambitious and challenging goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 – the most progressive commitment

“MOY PARK IS A LEADING EUROPEAN FOOD COMPANY, EMPLOYING OVER 10,000 PEOPLE, WHILE AT HEART REMAINING A FAMILY FARMING AND PEOPLE-CENTRED BUSINESS.”

of its kind in the poultry sector. We are proud to have set science-based targets, recently validated by the SBTi, positioning Moy Park as industry leaders on emissions reduction. This will be achieved through continued investment in our facilities to reduce emissions, investing in R&D to strengthen and scale regenerative farming practices, having 100% renewable electricity across our facilities by 2025 and reducing our water use intensity by 15% by 2030. People make the difference at Moy Park. As well as investing in our facilities, we invest in our people, providing learning, training and other career development opportunities for the entire team. Throughout the past year we have launched several Academy programmes for various teams across the business, from finance to culinary to human resources, and Pathway programmes that give everyone at Moy Park the opportunity to further develop their skills. Through these training and progression programmes, along with our reward and recognition schemes, we are investing in a culture where colleagues feel valued, and assured they are part of a leading food company with excellent opportunities to further their careers. Moy Park is a leading European food company, employing over 10,000 people, while at heart remaining a family farming and people-centred business. Our sites and the teams working within them are embedded in their local communities. We are really proud that, through our £1m community support fund, we have been able to support important charities and community organisations local to our operations across Europe. This is an exciting time to be part of Moy Park, a top 15 UK food company at the cutting edge of innovation, quality and sustainable growth. I am proud to work with a great team, and with our growers and partners, who continually go above and beyond to make Moy Park the thriving business it is today.

ADVERTORIAL

Henderson Group’s fresh & local agenda PROPELS SALES THROUGH £1BN

COMPANY : HENDERSON GROUP

Alastair Bell from Irish Black Butter with Bronagh Henderson, Chef Carl Johannesson and Jonny Agnew from Henderson Kitchen launch the new The CHEF Roast Chicken and Ham Bake with Irish Black Butter.

enderson Group, the grocer and retailer which owns the SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVO franchises in Northern Ireland, started 2022 with a pledge to bring at least 26 significant store projects to communities across Northern Ireland. The Group posted sales of £1.065bn for the year 2021, experiencing an 11.4% rise on the previous year, which places them at number two in Ulster Grocer’s Top 75 NI Food & Drink Companies. Operating retail, property, foodservice and wholesale companies, the Group supplies fresh, frozen and ambient products to over 500 SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials stores across Northern Ireland, from its extensive headquarters and warehousing facilities in Mallusk. Over £28.5m has been invested in expanding the operation over the past decade, with the most recently upgraded facility, the new fresh foods and foodservice warehouse, allowing for an even greater volume of goods to be distributed from local suppliers to retailers, schools, and hospitality venues across NI. Henderson Wholesale continues to set the bar for sourcing locally from suppliers and producers, while expanding its own-brand products throughout the SPAR Enjoy Local, The Greengrocer’s, The 30

CHEF and The Kitchen ranges, all made in partnership with local suppliers. Speaking at Balmoral Show recently, Neal Kelly, fresh foods director at Henderson Group, announced a series of own-label expansions for 2022: “We will continue to develop our locally produced own-brand food offering, evolving throughout the year with new cakes and added value meat products for Enjoy Local, gourmet pizzas under The Kitchen brand, plus new pies and bakes for The CHEF, including an exclusive collaboration with Irish Black Butter and our new Roast Chicken and Ham Bake.” To date, over 70 recipes for The CHEF range have been developed and launched from Henderson Kitchen – the bespoke built facilities to enable even greater local supplier collaboration – since 2019. Its existence and growth proves Henderson’s commitment and passion for local ingredients, working with suppliers from across the island of Ireland to provide top quality products at value prices for local shoppers. With the rising cost of living, value remains a key focus for Henderson’s. SPAR’s new Joy of Living Locally strategy with its key brand pillars of Value on your Doorstep, Nurture Our Neighbourhoods and Passionate About Local enables the team to deliver on value, investing in local sourcing and in shopper campaigns to

drive the cost of essentials down even further. Value on your Doorstep and Mega Deals are campaigns that are new for 2022, and alongside EUROSPAR’s Smart Shopper and Tesco Price Match, plus SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVO’s seasonal 12 Deals of Christmas campaign, gives Henderson-branded stores a huge advantage over the multiples when it comes to value and locality all year round. And it’s within those stores that the fresh agenda continues to thrive. Henderson Retail now operates over 100 SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA stores in Northern Ireland, building and renovating to meet the localised demands of the communities they operate in. The company invested £19.4m in community retailing last year, opening its 101st store, EUROSPAR Kircubbin, in December 2021, which followed the

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR LOCALLY PRODUCED OWN-BRAND FOOD OFFERING, EVOLVING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH NEW CAKES AND ADDED VALUE MEAT PRODUCTS.” company’s strategy of building stores informed by local data to directly meet the needs of the local shoppers’ missions. EUROSPAR is proving a mighty challenger for the multiples, with the Group able to open highly accessible supermarkets within the heart of local communities, which are providing a long roster of locally sourced products, with continued deal-driven campaigns by the week. As 2022 and its various challenges continue, Hendersons remain steadfast in working to drive solutions that provide value for shoppers and set their retailers apart in a competitive market.

ADVERTORIAL

SHS GROUP HAS BEEN RANKED NUMBER THREE in the top 75 companies COMPANY: SHS GROUP

ULSTER GROCER SPEAKS TO ELAINE BIRCHALL, SHS GROUP CEO

stablished in 1975, SHS Group operates in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. From its Belfast headquarters, the Group provides a strong financial base and central resources for its diverse operating companies across brand ownership, manufacturing, and sales & marketing. With an enviable range of owned and agency brands, alongside a substantial private label offering, SHS Group employs over 1,200 people and has a turnover of over £640m. The Group’s Commercial Divisions are supported by Belfast-based Centres of Excellence including Information Systems, HR, Finance, Finance Shared Service, Logistics, Customer Services and Corporate Affairs. It owns brands such as WKD, Shloer, bottlegreen, Merrydown Cider, Meridian nut butters, Rocks squash drinks, Crucials Sauces, Sunny Jim & Zip firelighters and Maguire & Paterson matches and distributes a portfolio of well-known brands including Jordans, Ryvita, Pot Noodle, Finish, Dettol, Mars Drinks and Colgate. In addition to its extensive brand portfolio, SHS Group is a market leader in the supply of own label herbs and spices in Great Britain, manufacturing a range of branded and private label condiments and sauces. The Group attributes its success to innovation, product and channel 32

development, brand investment and acquisitions. Recent new product development highlights include the introduction of WKD Berry Blast, WKD X, bottlegreen’s lime and mint cordial, Shloer’s single serve packs and Meridian’s Signature Roast peanut butter. The momentum achieved within the Condiments & Sauces Division through more consumers cooking at home in 2020 continued throughout 2021. The Group also successfully attracted new brand owners to its UK and Ireland agency Divisions and delivered organic growth in its branded and private label Divisions through innovation and channel management. In 2021, SHS’s Drinks Division created one of the most talked about partnerships when WKD was named as the Official Alcohol Partner of ITV2’s Love Island for

2021. The relationship blossomed, and positive viewer engagement has resulted in another summer liaison scheduled for 2022. Similarly, premium soft drink brand bottlegreen’s Dash of the Extraordinary campaign has been conquering new territory for the brand, growing distribution, and expanding market reach. The tagline focuses on bottlegreen’s ability to elevate consumer serve experiences by incorporating vibrant and delicious high-quality flavours. Over the course of the last 12 months, SHS Group has navigated numerous business challenges including Brexit, rising energy costs, persistent supply chain disruption and transport shortages. The Group recently launched its fiveyear strategic plan centred on growing great brands, delivering excellence, securing our futures, and winning with teams which will steer the business toward a strong, secure and sustainable future.

ADVERTORIAL

Purpose beyond profit for FOYLE FOOD GROUP

COMPANY : FOYLE FOOD GROUP

oyle Food Group is a family-owned business with over 40 years of expertise within the beef industry, and five dedicated sites across Northern Ireland, the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

At the heart of our business is promoting the practices that protect and regenerate the land around us which in turn helps us to produce the highest quality and tasting products. As one of the largest single dedicated beef processors in the UK and Ireland, we are supported by experienced farmers who we in turn support through our Producer’s club. We work closely with our producers to ensure the highest animal welfare guidelines are adhered to and through the latest technology we ensure ultimate safety and traceability from farm to fork. We are working harder than ever to ensure that we are part of the sustainability solution as we are conscious of our responsibility to operate as a sustainable business. That means having a purpose beyond

“WE ARE WORKING HARDER THAN EVER TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PART OF THE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTION.” profit – one that ensures we give equal priority to reducing our negative impacts on the environment and increasing the positive difference we can make in society. This ethos applies across every area of our operations and underpins our support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We have set ourselves ambitious 2025 targets to ensure the beef we produce is also playing its part to reduce our carbon footprint.

ADVERTORIAL

MONSTER ENERGY ULTRA GOLD set to continue to accelerate the energy category COMPANY : MONSTER ENERGY

NEW INNOVATIONS DROVE 31% GROWTH IN THE MONSTER ENERGY PORTFOLIO IN 2021

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

*Nielsen NI L13W, Nov 2021

INTRODUCING MONSTER ENERGY ULTRA GOLD According to ancient Greek legend, the nectar of ambrosia gave immortality to all who drank it. Unfortunately, this ‘fruit of the gods’ is just a myth, but we were inspired to create Ultra Gold as close as we could get for mere mortals. With zero sugar, easy-drinking Ultra Gold has the heavenly fresh flavor of biting into a perfectly ripened golden pineapple. While we can’t promise immortality, our Monster Energy blend will help you stay focused and alert and ready for whatever life throws at you.

GO FOR THE GOLD! UNLEASH THE ULTRA BEAST! 35

TOP 75 NI FOOD & DRINK COMPANIES

No.

BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT TURNOVER PREVIOUS PROFIT/ TANGIBLE EMPLOYEES END DATE (£M) TURNOVER LOSS (PRE- NET WORTH (£M) TAX) (£M) (£M)

Moy Park Ltd

31/12/2020

1,458.4

1,580.4

82.7

372.5

9,934

John Henderson (Holdings) Ltd

31/12/2020

956.6

918.1

28.5

259.3

4,171

SHS Group Ltd

01/01/2021

655.6

570.0

23.1

20.2

1,210

Dale Farm Ltd

31/03/2021

459.0

446.0

4.9

65.4

881

Foyle Food Group Ltd

01/01/2021

381.9

370.7

9.2

34.8

1,342

Lidl Northern Ireland Ltd

28/02/2021

345.4

278.2

8.6

42.7

1,068

Musgrave Retail Partners NI Ltd

02/01/2021

308.0

277.1

3.4

19.3

889

Lakeland Dairies (NI) Ltd

26/12/2020

298.5

233.8

0.2

(7.0)

Linden Foods

26/09/2020

209.0

200.7

2.3

21.7

1,116

Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland Ltd

31/12/2020

204.7

232.1

27.2

99.8

450

Lacpatrick Dairies (Ni) Ltd

26/12/2020

200.0

219.1

(2.1)

6.5

248

Greenfields Ireland Ltd

31/12/2020

193.6

201.7

0.6

6.9

Lamex Foods Europe (NI) Ltd

31/03/2021

192.1

178.2

2.3

7.7

Tayto Group Ltd

26/06/2021

186.8

207.2

(1.3)

56.7

1,335

Musgrave Distribution Ltd

02/01/2021

140.6

100.7

0.1

(0.1)

214

Diageo Northern Ireland Ltd

30/06/2021

126.6

134.0

2.9

13.5

120

Savage & Whitten Wholesale Ltd

31/12/2020

126.0

103.4

5.0

9.1

242

Lynn’s Country Foods Ltd

27/02/2021

120.1

142.0

6.1

67.6

619

Cranswick Country Foods (Ballymena)

27/03/2021

116.9

115.5

7.6

21.1

410

Dunnes Stores (Bangor)

26/12/2020

101.8

113.6

(8.1)

37.2

1,034

James E McCabe Ltd

31/12/2020

97.3

96.7

3.9

56.4

556

Philip Russell Ltd

31/12/2020

85.1

81.9

2.4

22.0

230

Strathroy Dairy Ltd

31/07/2020

81.0

83.6

0.6

7.8

145

Northway Mushrooms Ltd

31/12/2020

74.5

66.5

1.1

1.0

Diageo Global Supply Ibc Ltd

30/06/2021

71.8

73.2

5.0

27.8

118

Avondale Foods (Craigavon) Ltd

31/03/2021

68.1

63.1

6.7

30.1

484

Skea Egg Farms Ltd

31/12/2020

67.4

72.0

2.9

20.1

129

58.7

33.1

1.0

6.9

353

Evron Foods Ltd

31/12/2020

Ready Egg Products Ltd

31/12/2020

57.4

64.0

8.4

34.3

154

JMW Farms Ltd

30/09/2020

53.6

43.1

6.4

38.6

102

Crust & Crumb Bakery Ltd

30/06/2021

50.6

39.8

3.8

8.1

296

K. Hughes & Co Ltd

31/12/2020

49.5

40.8

2.9

12.2

214

C & J Meats Ltd

30/11/2020

49.3

33.7

0.5

1.5

United Wine Merchants Ltd

31/12/2020

44.5

48.0

2.3

1.5

Stockman’s Management Ltd (Drinks Inc)

30/09/2020

42.7

55.3

10.9

Wineflair (Belfast) Ltd

30/09/2020

41.7

33.4

3.1

7.5

395

M Keys Ltd

30/09/2020

37.5

29.1

4.6

14.9

124

John Mackle (Moy) Ltd

31/12/2020

36.9

34.8

1.1

8.3

221

GROWING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH DATA 36

TOP 75 NI FOOD & DRINK COMPANIES

No.

BUSINESS NAME

STATEMENT TURNOVER PREVIOUS PROFIT/ TANGIBLE EMPLOYEES END DATE (£M) TURNOVER LOSS (PRE- NET WORTH (£M) TAX) (£M) (£M)

O’Reilly’s Wholesale Ltd

30/09/2021

35.7

32.4

0.6

(0.1)

PRM Group Ltd

31/12/2020

34.7

36.5

1.0

7.8

Doherty & Gray Ltd

31/03/2021

34.4

34.0

(0.1)

3.3

Frylite Ltd

04/04/2021

33.8

39.9

0.4

13.3

211

Dillon Bass Ltd

30/06/2021

33.3

34.7

0.5

3.2

Tennent’s NI Ltd

28/02/2021

33.2

58.7

(1.8)

7.8

33.0

31.1

3.9

18.6

Ballygarvey Eggs Ltd

30/09/2020

Bawnbua Foods NI Ltd

31/01/2021

32.9

31.2

1.7

7.2

152

The Old Bushmills Distillery Company Ltd

31/12/2020

31.8

43.7

7.3

231.5

101

Hilton Foods Ltd

03/01/2021

30.4

29.2

17.4

83.8

WD Irwin & Sons (Portadown) Ltd

29/03/2020

30.2

30.6

(0.7)

0.6

323

D & W Carlisle Ltd

31/01/2021

30.1

76.1

0.3

5.2

127

DSP Supermarkets Ltd

31/03/2021

30.0

26.8

1.6

2.7

361

Lynch’s Foodstores (Holdings) Ltd

30/04/2021

28.3

21.0

2.0

0.9

291

Total Produce Belfast Ltd

31/12/2020

27.6

27.3

0.6

11.7

Willowbrook Foods Ltd

31/01/2021

26.4

33.1

1.1

2.0

149

R Thompson & Son (Armagh) Ltd

31/12/2020

26.2

25.4

0.5

6.7

Kilkeel Seafoods Ltd

31/12/2020

25.6

31.8

0.2

5.6

213

Western Brand Poultry Products (NI) Ltd

31/12/2020

25.5

21.7

2.4

6.4

201

Winemark the Winemerchants Ltd

31/12/2020

24.7

21.6

1.7

22.2

222

24.6

23.7

0.3

1.2

324

Newell Group Ltd

31/01/2021

E & O Investments Ltd (McAtamney)

31/01/2021

24.6

23.7

1.3

5.3

115

Johnson Brothers (Belfast) Ltd

31/12/2020

23.9

25.4

0.8

12.7

Long’s Supermarkets Ltd

31/01/2021

23.8

20.3

0.5

8.4

255

Fiveways Shop & Service Station Ltd

30/04/2021

23.6

25.0

1.9

18.7

187

Woods Supermarkets Ltd

31/07/2021

23.4

21.7

1.6

1.0

182

Creighton Group Ltd

31/01/2021

22.6

22.4

1.5

2.8

180

McColgans Quality Foods Ltd

31/03/2021

22.5

23.4

0.8

10.7

347

Mash Direct Ltd

28/02/2021

22.3

22.1

1.4

4.8

214

North Down (Belfast) Ltd

31/12/2020

22.1

24.8

(0.1)

2.8

Scotts Bakery Ltd

31/03/2021

21.8

24.7

0.3

7.1

196

Moran’s Retail Ltd

30/09/2021

21.0

19.2

0.8

119

Applegreen Service Areas NI Ltd

31/12/2020

21.0

31.7

0.6

34.6

Norbev Ltd

31/12/2020

20.9

20.3

(0.7)

1.9

Voyager Fishing Company Ltd

31/03/2021

20.2

25.0

10.6

8.8

Sysco Foods NI Ltd (Brakes)

29/06/2020

19.9

23.4

(11.2)

(25.5)

180

The Mount Charles Group Ltd

30/09/2021

19.6

29.0

0.1

6.2

1,373

GROWING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH DATA 37

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Because LOCAL MATTERS COMPANY : MUSGRAVE

to establishing a strong and traceable supply chain which has served us well during these past few challenging years.”

usgrave NI’s convenience retail brands SuperValu, Centra and MACE are very much at the heart of communities around Northern Ireland, serving customers with a high-quality convenience offering and unrivalled customer service. Its commitment to supporting local producers and suppliers by spending £160m annually on local food and drink, working with 3,000 local farmers and stocking over 3,000 local products in its stores, as well as giving back to its communities, is something of which Musgrave is very proud. LOCAL SUPPLIERS And the business’s commitment to local has significant benefits. In 2020, Musgrave NI partnered with McAtamney’s, a family business in Garvagh, Co Antrim, to create an exclusive range of evening meals and sides made from local ingredients, branded SimpliDish. SimpliDish has been a huge success for McAtamney’s, enabling them to invest £200,000 in equipment and their facility, and double their employment numbers at the production facility. The SimpliDish brand, available in most SuperValu stores, is now worth over £1.5m in retail sales and will be expanded further across Centra and MACE stores this year. Trading director for Musgrave NI, Julie Cherry, explains: “As a homegrown, family-owned company, Musgrave has always been focused on supporting our local suppliers, stocking local produce and investing in the Northern Ireland economy. It is this focus that has led us 38

GIVING BACK Playing an active role in the communities in which they operate, SuperValu, Centra and MACE are proud to give back. Last year, SuperValu and Centra raised £190,000 for Action Cancer bringing the total raised to £3.5m. These funds support health checks and breast screenings on board the Big Bus. Last year 875 men and women aged 16+ benefited from a health check, while 1,950 women aged between 40 and 49, and over 70 years (outside of NHS screening age) received free breast screening. For every 1,000 women screened, six cancers are detected, making this a truly life-saving service. In addition, thanks to the fundraising, Action Cancer was able to deliver its Health Action Programme to 631 pupils in 30 schools, promoting a healthy lifestyle and bringing the total number of pupils who have benefited to over 500,000 since the programme began. MACE’s partnership with Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke, which began in 2016, last year raised £40,000 for the charity, bringing the total raised to £274,000, including support from Musgrave MarketPlace. This means the charity can support over 3,000 chest heart and stroke survivors across Northern Ireland each year. Not only are the brands committed

to the charity partnerships, but they also help local groups in their communities. Last year over 260 groups were supported through sponsorships, monetary donations, vouchers, and product donations totalling over £205,000. Director of marketing at Musgrave NI, Desi Derby, adds: “Our independent retailers not only work in the communities they serve – they also live there. They really understand that community retailing isn’t just about excellent service standards and a quality range, but it’s also about giving back. The support they and our shoppers give our charity partners, as well as the number of local groups and initiatives that receive support, really is incredible.” To further cement its local credentials, Centra has launched a region-wide Community Fund, to coincide with its Choices campaign. Community groups are encouraged to apply with five individual pots of £1,000 available. Desi continues: “The choices we make define us and at Centra, we choose community, so we are pleased to give back to the neighbourhoods in which we operate and show support for community at a grass roots level. We encourage community groups, charities and not for profits from across Northern Ireland to apply on behalf of the projects they’re currently undertaking and could use some help with.” Applications can be made on the Centra website and are open until 12th August. www.centra.co.uk/CommunityFund

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Celebrating 50 YEARS OF FAMILY COMPANY : MACKLE PETFOODS

his year Mackle Petfoods marks its 50th year of business, celebrating five decades of being one of the nation’s favourite and most trusted pet food manufacturers, bringing the very best quality food and treats to our four legged friends. Still family owned and managed, Mackle Petfoods was founded by John Mackle Sr in Co Armagh in 1972. Since our humble beginnings on the family farm there has been significant growth, innovation and development, with a belief in the importance of sustainability from the outset and a company strategy focusing on People, Pets and the Planet. In 2012 we opened our purposebuilt facility in Moy. Two years later we opened our second site at Moygashel and continue to develop and expand our facilities at both sites. Today we produce a family of Mackle 42

Petfoods brands aimed at all levels of consumer, as well as providing private label products for many major retailers in Ireland and the UK. Annual production is currently at well over 100 million units and exporting into 19 global markets beyond Ireland and the UK. Our journey so far has been fruitful and we’re looking toward a bright future of further growth. Currently available in cans and trays, our family of brands already

“ALL OUR PET FOODS ARE MADE WITH THE FINEST QUALITY INGREDIENTS, SOURCED AS LOCALLY AS POSSIBLE AND FULLY TRACEABLE FROM FARM TO BOWL.”

have a loyal consumer base, but this year we have launched our new production line for Cat Club pouches. This new packaging option will expand our cat food offer and enable us to reach a new market of cat owners (and cats) who prefer the convenience and portion control of pouches. Cat Club is only the beginning, however; Brandy and Naturo pouches are also set to arrive in the near future, helping us to offer our customers the same high-quality products in an alternative format. In these times of climate change and a global push for a greener world, it is the responsibility of every business to strive for sustainability in its operations. At Mackle Petfoods we’ve been on this road for a long time – sustainability is one of the foundations upon which our business was built.

ADVERTORIAL John and Holly.

The company was originally founded to utilise the excess meat that was produced on the Mackle family farm and to make use of the existing canning capability from fruit production. We’ve come a long way since then but ensuring our business is efficient and sustainable remains a primary focus. We employ state-of-the-art robots alongside our 230 staff to maximise efficiency at every stage of production, source local ingredients wherever possible to minimise travel miles and our carbon footprint, and strive to use recyclable materials throughout our business, from production to packaging. We even recycle the waste heat and water from our steam cooking process, utilising a heat exchange system to heat our offices. There is, of course, much more we can do as a business, but we are invested in our sustainability journey with the ambition of building on our existing progress to become one of the leading sustainable pet food companies in the world. As our push for sustainability has prompted innovation in our facilities, so has our care for our customer’s furry friends. For so many of us, a cat or dog isn’t simply a pet but rather a four-legged family member, and we want them to have food that is not only good for them but tasty as well. At Mackle Petfoods we wholeheartedly agree, and invest time, money and effort ensuring that all our products not only

provide the nutrition cats and dogs need, but are also extra tasty and satisfying to eat. With our Naturo premium brand, this attention to detail really stands out. Available in wet and dry varieties and catering to both cats and dogs, the whole range demonstrates our focus on the science of natural nutrition. Each recipe is developed in our own laboratories by leading nutritionists and contains a perfect blend of high quality, all natural ingredients which are visible in the bowl, and which our furry customers all agree taste fantastic. We are proud to have grown and changed for the better over our 50 years in business. We began with Brandy Dog Food back in 1972, which has remained a firm family favourite since the beginning and is made from 100% Irish meat and top-quality ingredients. As our business grew we added to the Mackle Petfoods brand family, introducing our cat food range, Cat Club, in 1998 and launching Naturo, our premium natural pet food range for dogs and cats, in 2012. All our pet foods are made with the finest quality ingredients, sourced as locally as possible and fully traceable from farm to bowl. From initial sales locally within Ireland and the UK, we have expanded into the global market and

now export to 19 countries around the world including Canada, Dubai and South Korea. As our sales and market reach has grown, so has our workforce and facilities. The late John Mackle started the company with a small team of employees in 1972, and now in 2022, his son John Mackle leads a workforce of 230 employees working across two sites, which house production and packaging facilities as well as research and development labs and company offices. Throughout half a century of growth and development, however, we have remained at our core a family business with family values, and our people have always been our most important asset. We’re proud of our reputation as a fair and caring employer and as we continue to innovate and grow, we do all we can to ensure the health and wellbeing of our people, through regular employee engagement and various benefit schemes and programmes. From ensuring there is healthy food in the staff canteen to organising impromptu visits from an ice cream on a summer afternoon, we take care of our Mackle Petfoods family, whilst our products help you take care of your pets. We’ve come a long way and have an exciting road ahead, and it’s thanks to our fantastic team of people. After 50 years of caring for Pets, People and the Planet, Mackle Petfoods stands proud as a family company with global reach and a future-facing outlook. Here’s to the next 50! Web: www.macklepetfoods.com

ADVERTORIAL

JUST MIST BARS JOIN O’REILLY’S

wide-ranging portfolio

COMPANY : O’REILLYS

’Reilly’s Wholesale are running at the front once again, having introduced Just Mist Vape Bars into their ever-expanding portfolio of over 6,000 product lines. Now that food prices and cost of living increases are knocking on the consumers’ door, O’Reilly’s are always on the lookout for new products that will provide a point of difference for their customers. They were the first wholesaler on the island of Ireland to sell Just Mist Vapes and, for a number of months now, have seen the product rise in popularity. O’Reilly’s Wholesale stepped up and brought the brand to increasing levels of visibility. Now, everyone wants to stock it! O’Reilly’s are providing their customers

“FOR MANY REASONS, WE ARE SEEING A DECLINE IN CIGARETTE SALES BUT THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO FILL THAT GAP. AT A RETAIL PRICE CURRENTLY OF £4.50 AND WITH A POR IN REGION OF 39%, IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY JUST MIST IN PARTICULAR AND E-CIGS IN GENERAL ARE GAINING STRENGTH.”

region of 39%, it is easy to see why Just Mist in particular and E-cigs in general are gaining strength.” The Just Mist Bars have a unique selling point with 28 different flavours with Blue Razz, Strawberry & Watermelon, Grape with such high margins from the Just Mist Ice, Strawberry Ice and Grape Ice being range, the customers are prepared to stock the most popular. Derek advised that all the full portfolio of flavours and, as they the product flavours are on the MRHA are such a lucrative option, these vapes are approved list and also on the European gaining popularity at an exponential rate. portal so have been approved to sell. Derek O’Reilly sees the product and They have a battery life of 450 mah and the product range continuing to grow for are always strong enough to deliver the many reasons. 2mls of liquid, giving 600 puffs. Each unit Chatting to Ulster Grocer, he talked contains 2mgs of nicotine. about how E-cig use has grown: “For Derek talked about the apparent many reasons, we are seeing a decline convenience of the product, highlighting in cigarette sales but there’s always its unique point of reference. “The reason something to fill that gap. At a retail price this product has grown so fast is basically currently of £4.50 and with a POR in down to the fact it is keenly priced and is 44

MIST VAPE BARS • 28 flavours • Battery life 450 mah • 2 mls liquid • 600 puffs • 2mgs nicotine • MRHA approved • European portal approved • Disposable disposable. Consumers are not concerned about going out for a night and losing their E-cig container and liquid refill which can be pricey. This way, once they have had their 600 puffs and their unit is finished, they just dispose of it responsibly.”

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Insights that help GROW YOUR BRANDS COMPANY : GREEN FIELD MARKETING SOLUTIONS

reen Field Marketing are a Belfast based field marketing company, specialising in the FMCG industry. Previously trading as Contract People, and then PRL In-Market Solutions (NI), before being acquired by Russell Johnston (managing director), Martin Rice (operations director) and Lisa Curran (finance director) through a management buy-out, Green Field Marketing have a wealth of experience in field marketing, and are currently working with some of the UK’s biggest brands, delivering ongoing success and continuous improvement. While Green Field Marketing have worked extensively in the drinks trade as well as the multiples, their main strength lies within convenience and impulse. Green Field Marketing currently run fully outsourced sales and merchandising teams for blue chip brands such as KP Snacks, Dale Farm, Royal Canin and Boost Drinks. These teams are tasked with driving core range distribution, visual presence and NPD into retail stores across the Hendersons, Musgraves, Dunnes and Nisa estates. SPECIALISTS IN RETAIL DATA Green Field Marketing are widely considered the foremost experts in FMCG retail data, collecting and analysing metrics including core range and competitor distribution, number of facings and subsequent share of space, price points, average lines per store and trend analysis by region and fascia. Ricky

Watts, NI business account manager for KP Snacks, said: “The level of reporting we receive from Green Field Marketing allows us to make strategic commercial decisions at head office level, while having the peace of mind that our team of field development representatives have all the training and support needed to achieve continuous success. I couldn’t recommend the team highly enough, and truly believe that Green Field Marketing are industry leaders when it comes to the Northern Ireland FMCG market.” Over the past 12 months, Green Field Marketing have completed over 20,000 calls, and in that time have audited a total of 2,868,096 lines. These audits have taken place over a wide variety of categories in every section of a retail store. The data is collected on a bespoke E-Form, where relevant questions are pre-loaded to provide the most valuable insights. This data is then inputted into PowerBI to analyse in full. As standard,

Green Field Marketing provide learnings and recommendations on the back of each activity, but the PowerBI reports required also give the client the ability to deep-dive into their own performance to look for trends and highlight key opportunities. LET GREEN FIELD MARKETING PROVE THEIR VALUE TO YOUR BRAND Green Field Marketing are so confident that brands will see value in their specialist retail audits, that they are prepared to put their money where their mouths are. Over the next quarter, they are giving brands the ability to have an audit completed over a small sub-section of stores free of charge to highlight the quality of back-end reporting and the impact it can make to brands. These audits will take place within the convenience and impulse estate. These audits can be flexed to highlight how the information pertinent to your business would be collated and presented.

If you are interested in seeing how Green Field Marketing could help Grow Your Brand through a trial retailer audit, get in touch today by emailing Martin Rice on martin. rice@greenfieldmarketing.co.uk. 46

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GROCER ULSTER

PROFILE

Taking TAYTO TO THE WORLD COMPANY : TAYTO

STEPPING DOWN AS GROUP PROMOTIONS & PR MANAGER AT TAYTO, ROBERT BROWN TELLS ALYSON MAGEE ABOUT HIS 33 YEARS WITH THE ICONIC CRISP BRAND Bob Brown with Mr Tayto.

“O

ne person I’m going to miss is Mr Tayto,” says Robert Brown, who stepped down as Group promotions & PR manager at the end of May after 33 years with Tayto. “I’ve been his protector, he has been the cornerstone of my time here and is a great ambassador for the Tayto brand. He’s family orientated, he’s a character and he’s a bit like Northern Ireland’s Mickey Mouse or Snoopy.” Leaving Mr Tayto in safe hands, Bob’s legacy with the iconic crisp brand is extensive from long-term sponsorship partnerships to establishing the popular Tayto Castle tours and helping build export trade to 44 countries around the world. “I’ve seen the change of us going from a small family business with one factory, 200-odd employees and a turnover of £12m to the Tayto Group which has five factories, an employee base of over 1,500 and turnover of 50

c.£200m,” he says. Bob’s working life started out with manmade fibre-manufacturer Enkalon, where he progressed from the shop floor to technical officer before the business shut its Antrim site. A stint with the Milk Marketing Board followed, working in PR, promotions and events. “That was my grounding,” he says. “That’s where I learnt my trade and it was a nice place to work. My head of department was the late Desmond Losty and he was fantastic, very caring about his workers. “I enjoyed it but, after 10 years, it was kind of mundane because we were local to Northern Ireland, and you did the same events year after year after year and just moved the dates on your calendar.” One of those regular calendar dates was the Balmoral Show, at which the Milk Marketing Board stand was often situated beside Tayto.

“A bit of bartering went on between the stands, and we got to know each other over the years,” says Bob. “Anne Hutchinson, one of the directors asked me if I would come and work for Tayto. For five years I said, no thanks I’m happy where I am, but then things had changed a bit and Desmond had left.” Meeting with Tayto, Bob was asked to name his price on a sheet of paper. “They looked at the paper and said, when will you start?” Bob joined Tayto as PR manager on May 29, 1989. “Everybody knew everybody,” he says. “It was strange to come from an industry which was run like the civil service to a company where everyone was personal.” Tayto was by far the biggest crisp and snacks brand in Northern Ireland when Bob joined the business founded by Thomas Hutchinson in 1956, so he hit the ground running by establishing a huge PR and events programme. “I basically put into place what I would have had at the Milk Marketing Board,” he says. “We put a promotional unit on the road, did all the agricultural shows and got involved with sponsorship.” With members of the public occasionally venturing through the gates of Tayto Castle for a look, Bob spotted an opportunity, formally started tours in 1990, “and it just blossomed from there”. “We did the Balmoral Show, we did the Ideal Home exhibition for a number of years, and I then started to travel to various exhibitions throughout the UK and Europe,” says Bob, “Set ups and running of exhibitions became my ‘thing’.” Travelling the globe for exhibitions has been hard work, he says, highlighting the long days put in at events such as Gulfood in Dubai, where the army has to be drafted in to control the mass exit of 10,000 exhibitors and up to 100,000 visitors every day. Favourite destinations

PROFILE

have included Hong Kong and Singapore. “The thing about a family business is you tend to inherit things as you go along, and I then ended up taking on the exporting as well. “All of a sudden, the position became quite different with a lot of travelling, weekend work and evening work. The one thing I have always maintained throughout my working career is I don’t work 9-5, I work from start to finish if it means starting at 4am and finishing at 12 at night. “PR work is not for the faint hearted; it you’re a clock watcher, forget it, it’s not the role for you.” EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY One major change Bob has seen over the years has been the evolution of technology, and how much easier it has made his role. “When I first came here, we didn’t have mobile phones,” he says. “It was all desk phones, and everything was done by fax and memo. I remember my first computer was a Siemens Nixdorf and it was black and white and had 64MB, which was really good in those days. “My first mobile phone was a brick and lasted for about an hour, and then we moved onto one that looked like a walkie talkie you would use in the army.” Bob was in the US on business when American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in New York in November 2001, and his employers were unable to reach him on his dual-band mobile. Upon his return, boss Stephen Hutchinson immediately set him up with an expensive new tri-band phone. “But he did say, just don’t be making too many calls on it,” says Bob. Another advantageous development has been smart phones and tablets, replacing the clunky computer and printer Bob had to lug around international exhibitions in the early days. In 2006, Tayto created its first website

and started online sales, another rapidgrowth area falling under Bob’s remit. While the pandemic has temporarily halted tours to protect the workforce, it has also boosted online sales. “It keeps us very busy, non-stop,” he says. “Online sales quadrupled during the peak of the pandemic and are now steadily double what they were in 2019. We get orders from NI expats all over the World and at Christmas time you can’t move at the Castle for the amount of boxes to be sent out.” MAKING MEMORIES His many years at Tayto have never been dull. “One of the enjoyable sides of it was you never knew from one day to the next what you were going to be doing or where you were going to be,” says Bob. “You could set out your plan A and, as soon as the telephone goes at 9am, it’s gone. “You’ve got to be able to think on your feet and be flexible. Over the years, I have always come in and started at 7am, mainly because it gives me two hours to plan what my staff need to be doing before my own plans go out the window.”

His role has also afforded Bob the privilege of meeting many important people from Royal family members to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose visit to Tayto Castle brought more security than staff on site. He has also hosted many local celebrities at the castle including Eammon and Ruth, and facilitated several TV and radio crews to broadcast the production. Enjoyment has also come from Tayto’s many sponsorship partnerships such as the World Police and Fire Games 2013, Northern Ireland Open golf tournament, The Milk Cup, Belfast Giants, Tandragee 100 and the Belfast Marathon. “Those sponsorships would be very dear to my heart,” says Bob, particularly the Tandragee 100, which was a passion of the late Thomas Hutchinson as a keen motorcycle fan. The golf partnership has reignited Bob’s interest in the sport, which he returned to six years ago and now enjoys with his wife Heather at a golf course close to his home in Lisburn. Post-Tayto, he says golf will be his main pastime alongside their four dogs and his cars. Citing the many long-term staff members at Tayto, Bob says the Hutchinson family have been a joy to work with and he considers them family. “I’ve enjoyed my time at Tayto,” he says. “Like any family, you have your moments of tears, and also moments of joy and satisfaction.” On behalf of the full Tayto team, Anne, Raymond and Stephen Hutchinson wish Bob a fond farewell and thanks for everything he has achieved: “Bob has been a fantastic advocate for the Tayto brand over the last 33 years, as iconic as Mr Tayto himself and will be a much-missed part of the family.”

CSR NEWS

BARISTA BAR STAFF SUPPORT LOCAL COUNCIL’S FIRST EVER BIG SPRING CLEAN

arista Bar has partnered with Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council to support volunteers participating in its first Big Spring Clean Weekend over May 6-8. Several Barista Bar staff also took part in a special litter pick between SPAR Greystone and SPAR Parkhall in Antrim, cleaning up the area stretching between both stores for the local community. The partnership is part of Barista Bar’s continued commitment to be a sustainable brand and make a difference to local outdoor spaces. As part of this effort, the team has partnered with a number of trusted organisations working on environmentally friendly campaigns such as Leave No Trace and the Right Side of Outside, to help educate, promote and support Keep NI Beautiful. Following on from Barista Bar’s partnership with Walk NI,

established last year, the Big Spring Clean is the most recent initiative from Keep NI Beautiful. The largest community clean up in Northern Ireland, it takes place every year from March to May. Since its beginning, more than 800 tonnes of waste have cleaned up by over 553,000 volunteers, making a huge impact across the country[1]. “As a brand we are dedicated to helping keep local communities free of litter, so we are delighted to be involved in this Borough’s first year of the Big Spring Clean,” said Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale, Barista Bar brand manager. “We believe through these partnerships we can help encourage people to think responsibly by promoting the use of the Barista Bar reusable cup or if using a single use cup, to dispose of this correctly and not throw them on the ground. “We hope to continue supporting this initiative and sustain the growth of the program with the Barista Bar brand.” Around 100 volunteers took part in the initiative across the constituency over the weekend, each receiving a Barista Bar reusable cup with younger volunteers getting a reusable water bottle made from recycled materials. Barista Bar has also contributed 250 loaded loyalty cards for the 100 volunteers from the weekend, and for future volunteers who wish to be actively involved in Keep NI Beautiful. [1] https://www.liveherelovehere.org/

MAXOL SUPPORTS LOCAL TREE PLANTING PROJECT AT THE ULSTER FOLK MUSEUM L ocal forecourt and convenience retailer Maxol has partnered with The Conservation Volunteers to plant a new heritage seed orchard and folklore trail at the Ulster Folk Museum. The Orchard will become a feature of the museum, allowing The Conservation Volunteers to use it as a genetic seed bank for generations to come, as well as for environmental and cultural education programmes. Planting the new trail is part of Maxol’s carbon off-setting programme, the Carbon Neutral Programme, which supports a number of local and global green initiatives including the planting of 10,000 trees across the island of Ireland and a commitment to offset carbon emissions through established global carbon projects. The team of Maxol volunteers, led by Maxol CEO Brian Donaldson along with board and family member Noel McMullan planted trees and began 52

Pictured at the recent Maxol tree planting day in partnership with The Conservation Volunteers are Brian Donaldson, CEO, Maxol, front left, and family and Noel McMullan, Maxol Board member, front centre, with staff volunteers.

creating a system of willow tunnels and domes to mask the entrance into the new ‘Faerie’ Orchard. “Today has been a great opportunity to reconnect with our colleagues and to help build a wonderful new feature here at the Ulster Folk Museum,” said Brian Donaldson, CEO, Maxol. “Today’s activities go above and beyond the diverse, global portfolio

of certified projects we support as a business. “These include various projects from wind farms to reforestation and all form part of our broader carbon offsetting programme that we have established as we continue to make progress towards becoming a more environmentally sustainable company.” Diane Keys, operations leader, The Conservation Volunteers, said: “The Conservation Volunteers view tree planting as a connector to people, an environmental activity at the heart of our mission for healthier people and green spaces. “We were delighted to host Maxol to help with the first phase of planting a tree folklore trail at Cultra. By planting conservation species this new woodland will be protected to grow to maturity when it will be used as a seed orchard to ensure the survival of these endangered native tree species.”

CSR NEWS

MOY PARK PROMOTES HEALTHY LIFESTYLES WITH SPORTS DAY SPONSORSHIP

reland’s leading chicken brand, Moy Park, will support 25 schools across NI and GB this summer through its new Food for Good Sports Day initiative. The programme will see Moy Park sponsor school sports days within the communities it operates, through the provision of branded School Sports Day kit, containing bibs, cones, medals for each child in the school and branded t-shirts for teachers. “As a brand we recognise the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle - and encouraging this from a young age,” said Ellen Wright, brand marketing manager, Moy Park. “Sports days were such a memorable part of school life, and a great way for young people to come together, have fun and enjoy physical activity. “Through the Food for Good campaign, we want to show our support to local schools near our sites and really make a difference to those communities, by providing a sports day kit and a donation to the school fund. “The feedback we have had from the schools involved has been so positive and we are delighted this initiative has been so well received.

Whilst this year we are running the scheme as a pilot with a smaller group of schools, there is always potential this could be expanded going forward.” Judith McQuitty, teacher at Bocombra Primary School in Portadown, welcomed the initiative: “After two years of Covid restrictions, it is lovely to be able to celebrate Sports Day as we always did. It is also great to work alongside local company Moy Park, who are supplying us with terrific essentials to help make our day even more exciting and fun for all the children.”

Ellen Wright, brand marketing manager, Moy Park, and Judith McQuitty, teacher at Bocombra Primary School in Portadown.

HINCH DISTILLERY OWNER SUPPORTS ROYAL VICTORIA CHILDREN’S EYE UNIT

ver 2,000 children referred annually to Paediatric Ophthalmology in Belfast will be able to avail of the most advanced sight-saving screening available, following the introduction of a new retinal camera in the Children’s Eye Unit. Entrepreneur Dr Terry Cross OBE has delivered specialist, sight saving equipment Dr Terry Cross OBE, patron of the David Cross to the Children’s Eye Unit at the Belfast Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation; Trust Royal Victoria Hospital. Linda Hamilton, assistant service manager in Paediatric Ophthalmology; Eibhlin The equipment will have a life-altering McLoone, Belfast Trust consultant paediatric role for children of all ages, including ophthalmologist; and James Nesbitt, actor. premature babies and their families, and is supported by ForSight – Northern Ireland’s newest chain of charity shops dedicated to raising funds for children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. Cross has supported local charities throughout his life. He has been President of the Red Cross NI since 2008 and has recently established his own charitable trust – The David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation named in memory of his son who tragically died at the age of 33 from malignant melanoma.

MILLIONS REACHED THROUGH GROCERYAID DAY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

roceryAid Day returned for a fourth year on April 26, with more than 225 companies taking part – including 117 for the first time - to raise awareness of the charity across the industry. Over five million people were reached through awareness activities centred around a theme of #LetsTalkGroceryAid. Over 2,500 downloads of the new communications toolkit inspired supporters to undertake a variety of activities, including wellbeing sessions, quizzes, virtual triathlons, baking competitions with GroceryAid posters, flyers, wallet cards, stickers and bunting in thousands of depots, factories, stores, and head offices. “Thank you to everyone who supported GroceryAid Day this year to raise awareness of the charity,” said Steve Barnes, chief executive, GroceryAid. “The demand for GroceryAid welfare services is growing at an unprecedented level. “Last year, GroceryAid experienced a 139% increase in applications for financial support grants and we are proud to be supporting so many colleagues. We want everyone in our trade to know we are there for them when they need support.” Any colleague working in the grocery industry can access GroceryAid’s emotional and practical support, plus financial advice, from the first day of their employment. After six months of continuous employment, colleagues may be eligible for a non-repayable financial grant. To access these services, colleagues can call the FREE and confidential Helpline on 08088 021 122. It is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can provide immediate in the moment support. More than 200 languages are also supported through the Helpline, on request. To find out more about the GroceryAid services visit: www.groceryaid.org.uk/get-help/ GroceryAid Helpline: 08088 021 122. 53

ADVERTORIAL

Offering award-winning service, value for money & A UNIQUE PRODUCT RANGE COMPANY : BOBBY’S the PMP offers clarity for the consumer. Whilst Bobby’s continue to increase their range of PMPs, they also offer a comprehensive range of non-PMPs to give retailers a choice. Bobby’s range is carefully made up of a tasty assortment of confectionery, cakes, snacks, nuts and freeze. Stocking over 80 products in the back of each van and over 20 additional products available via Bobby’s ‘BOX’ service, retailers are spoilt for choice with a range that is exclusive in the convenience market. In 2021. Bobby’s won Product Launch of the Year in the Grocery category, for their Mini Ring Doughnuts Bobby’s Box is an added extra. Up until the addition of Box, Bobby’s were limited with van space; however, now have expanded their service to deliver extra products straight to store via their reliable delivery service. You will still get your direct-to-store delivery from your trusted Bobby’s sales rep, but now with

n 1972, Michael Hancock and Bob Isaac started selling cakes and sweets at local markets in Worcestershire. Very quickly there were 12 vans selling Bobby’s branded products all over the Midlands. Fast forward 50 years, Bobby’s now have 12 depots, with their newest being added in Co Antrim, the first in Northern Ireland. Today, Bobby’s Foods are a nationwide 137-strong sales team who serve over 22,000 retailers across the UK via a directto-store service model. Bobby’s pride themselves on their full sale or return promise, alongside an award-winning service, unique product range and various POS solutions, straight to your store. Retailers can expect a Bobby’s rep every fortnight. Reps come armed with new product development and special promotions. Bobby’s have recognised that PMPs have become dominant performers in confectionery and snacks and are now more important than ever in the convenience sector. Bobby’s range offers outstanding value for money, and 54

“HAVING WON SALES TEAM OF THE YEAR IN 2020, BOBBY’S HAVE CONTINUED TO IMPROVE THEIR SERVICE AND, IN 2021, LAUNCHED APEX. APEX IS BOBBY’S NATIONAL MERCHANDISING SERVICE.” Bobby’s Box, you can have even more. Your Bobby’s rep will take your Box order when they visit you, and you can expect your order to arrive within a few days. Alongside an exclusive product range, Bobby’s also bring their award-winning service to over 22,000 retailers across the UK. Having won Sales Team of the year in 2020, Bobby’s have continued to improve their service and, in 2021, launched Apex. Apex is Bobby’s national merchandising service. Apex is a simple approach to doing things differently. The team travels nationwide helping Bobby’s new and existing customers get the best

out of their in-store displays. Bobby’s Apex is a nationwide service model, built upon industry leading merchandising techniques. Using a wide range of POS, the Apex team can supply, install, merchandise and maintain designated space within stores. In 2022, Bobby’s are celebrating their 50th year in business. Bobby’s products have been enjoyed for generations, and there is a demand to bring back some nostalgic products. Most recently of which has been Bobby’s Cheese and Onion Spirals, released earlier in May of this year. Creating a fantastic addition to Bobby’s existing Spirals range of Salt and Vinegar and Prawn Cocktail. Bobby’s guarantees that there is no risk involved with stocking their products. Not only do Bobby’s offer free delivery, but their whole range is sale or return. So why not get in contact today.

To find out more or to open an account, contact Peter Aikman on 07546 740696 or peter.aikman@ bobbysfoods.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

Gilfresh Produce growing from strength to strength with NEW RANGE LAUNCH COMPANY : GILFRESH PRODUCE

CO ARMAGH-BASED GILFRESH PRODUCE, WHICH WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED BY THE GILPIN FAMILY IN 1965, IS DELIGHTED TO LAUNCH ITS NEW AND IMPROVED RANGE OF OWN-BRAND PREPARED VEGETABLES WHICH ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO BUY IN LEADING RETAILERS ACROSS THE ISLAND OF IRELAND

ilfresh Produce started off from small beginnings, which saw founder Thomas Gilpin start his career growing vegetables in a four-acre field at his family home supplying a small customer base. Thomas’s first taste of supplying retailers came in the late 1980s when Gilfresh Produce started to supply Stewarts Supermarkets. Since then, Gilfresh Produce have continued to grow and expand their customer base, meeting demand for fresh, quality, locally-grown vegetables. Gilfresh have firmly established themselves as one of the country’s leading vegetable providers, dedicated to the growing and sourcing of the highest quality produce to retail and food manufacturing customers throughout the whole of Ireland and the launch of their new and improved range of Gilfresh prepared vegetables further strengthens this position. Thomas’s son, William Gilpin, is the current managing director of the business and leads a team of approximately

140 staff based from the company’s Loughgall headquarters. The current site boasts two state-of-the-art pack houses, cold storage and moisture facilities as well as a vegetable preparation facility which was first installed in 2013. There is also an anaerobic digester plant and a wind turbine on site enables the company to generate green energy to power their factory. After seeing an increased demand for locally sourced, fresh food, Gilfresh Produce recently invested in their production facilities at their Loughgall site which allowed the company to grow their capacity to develop and strengthen their range of prepared own brand products to meet this consumer need. The new and improved Gilfresh range includes a mix of core vegetable mixes such as Carrot & Turnip, Carrot Batons, Carrot, Cauliflower & Broccoli, Sliced Carrots, Sliced Leeks, Soup Vegetables and Shredded Cabbage, as well as brand new additions to the range with the Vegetable Stir-Fry, Oriental Stir-Fry, Vegetable Spice Bag and Vegetable Fajita Mix. The mix of innovation and tradition in the products means the range is perfectly pitched to cater for a wide variety of consumers who are seeking convenient and healthy meal solutions. In addition, the new Gilfresh Produce range of Prepared Veg also gives consumers the opportunity to purchase a locally produced product, something

which is so important to today’s consumer. In fact, many of the vegetables which are supplied in the new range are grown locally on the company’s own farm, Gilpin Farms. Gilpin Farms, which operates under the watchful eye of Richard Gilpin, head of farm operations and a cousin of William’s, grows around 500 acres of vegetables including carrots, parsnips, swede, leeks, savoy cabbage, Brussel sprouts, sweetheart cabbage, spring onions, kale, broccoli, celery and even pumpkins. Speaking about the launch of the new range of Gilfresh Prepared vegetables, William Gilpin, managing director of Gilfresh Produce, said: “We are delighted that our new range of Gilfresh prepared veg has come to market. We work very hard here at Gilfresh Produce to ensure sustainability is at the centre of everything that we do from sourcing locally where we can to utilising waste from the factory to produce our own green energy on site and so we are proud to be able to bring this fantastic new range to the market to allow consumers to enjoy a sustainable, convenient purchase.” Caroline Dalzell, head of sales & marketing, said: “We are really excited that after months of market research and product development our new range is now in production and on supermarket shelves. We do hope that customers will enjoy the new range and we look forward to expanding it further in the coming months.” Gilfresh Prepared Veg is available now from leading local retailers including Asda, Aldi, EUROSPAR, SPAR, ViVO Essentials, ViVO Extra, Mace, Centra and SuperValu and will be coming to other retailers soon.

Pictured are some of the products featured in the new Gilfresh Produce Prepared Veg range. 56

My Life in the Grocery Trade NAME: ROSS LAZAROO-HOOD ROLE: OWNER/CO-CHAIR COMPANY: CLEARER WATER WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I live in Greater London with my wife and three sons. I have great pride in my Northern Irish roots; I lived in a local council estate for much of my early life in my hometown of Larne and it will always be a special place for me. I moved to England to complete my honours degree in Management and Financial Services as a young adult. Though it appeared like an obstacle at the time, my early diagnosis of dyslexia never held me back in my career; in fact I credit it for helping me generate ideas and concepts differently. A career that started as a junior claims broker led to me establishing the global Landmark Holding Group in 2017. My shared family charity, the RUSA Foundation, which I set up with my business partner Sitki Gelmen’s family, provides a better future to those competing in grass roots sports and socially disadvantaged families. In 2022, in partnership with Sitki, I established the Soileir Group in Northern Ireland. Bringing investment back to my hometown for the betterment of its people has always been a priority. In only a few short months we secured

the exclusive distribution of WOW Hydrate across the island of Ireland and acquired the award-winning Clearer Water. Clearer Water is situated on the picturesque shores of Larne Lough and is known for its premium, ethical, naturally filtered, alkaline, spring water taken from a deep aquifer. Clearer Water began life as a social enterprise company and was a proven leader amongst both social and corporate enterprises for championing a mixed ability workforce. PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? I was very proud to sign the long-term principal sponsorship, by Landmark, for my hometown’s football club, Larne FC. My friend Kenny Bruce has invested so much to create a community hub, a thriving sports team and meaningful investment in local youth. I am also very proud to have been granted Freedom of the City of London in 2021. Overall though I am very grateful to be able to give back to others through our charitable RUSA Foundation. I’m proud to be part of the social impact mission at Clearer Water.

My motto is ‘Be Brave Be Free’ and take that leap... believe in yourself. BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL SECTOR? To be part of the ‘buy local’ campaign and to drive local production and Northern Irish products is really satisfying. Clearer Water is found in some of Northern Ireland’s most prestigious restaurants, hotels and tourist destinations and a number of reputable delicatessens in London. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? Unwinding wouldn’t be something I find easy. But in all honesty, my most privileged role is that of husband and father. Spending time with my family and creating memories either here in London or back home in Larne. The family immerses itself in my wife Janice’s culture during our trips to Malaysia which I think is particularly important for our boys. TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW I suppose only a few people know that I have a thirst for reading and have lately taken up a couple of musical instruments. Currently, badly, learning my homeland’s bodhrán drum and the banjo. The banjo was inspired from my love of listening to Billy Connelly on my earphones whilst travelling on the London Underground.

AGRI-FOOD NEWS

APOLOGY & £1.25M PAYOUT FOR FORMER DAERA EMPLOYEE

former employee within the Veterinary Service Animal Health Group (for the Department of Agriculture) has received a £1.25m settlement and an apology from the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (DAERA). In September 2021, Dr Tamara Bronckaers won a landmark action against DAERA relating to serious breaches of animal welfare, failures regarding zoonoses control measures (ie transfer of disease from animals to humans) and traceability within the meat supply chain, and which ultimately resulted in her constructive dismissal. A statement issued by DAERA says it ‘unreservedly apologies’ to Dr Bronckaers. “This is the largest settlement of its type in Northern Ireland and the outcome for Dr Bronckaers is wholly justified bearing in mind the detriments she has suffered that have not only affected her career, but her family and her financial situation,” said John McShane, solicitor with McCartan Turkington Breen. “Hopefully, the outcome of this landmark case provides reassurance

John McShane, solicitor with McCartan Turkington Breen and Dr Tamara Bronckaers.

that at the very least, those individuals who choose to whistle blow do have protection under the law.” Dr Tamara Bronckaers said: “The past few years have been extremely harrowing for me and my family. This outcome has been a long time coming and I can move on in the knowledge that I did what was right, and I now have a long-waited and justified apology from the Department.” During the case, Dr Bronckaers made two arguments in relation to legislative failures including that some Livestock Market Operators were not adhering to their statutory duties and responsibilities, and that Department officials were aware of this and failed to adhere to their responsibilities to enforce the relevant legislation.

support package worth up to £2M PIG SUPPORT Anew £2m for Northern Ireland’s pig farmers, initially announced in March and confirmed at the Balmoral Show by Agriculture SCHEME OPEN Minister Edwin Poots, opened last month. DAERA said the scheme will make FOR NI FARMERS payments to pig producers suffering price penalties on overweight pigs outside contract specifications from September 2021-February 2022 due to the backlog situation on farms. “This funding is badly needed and will be greatly appreciated by our producers, said Glenn Cuddy, pork and bacon chair, UFU. “However, it’s important to stress that it’s a short-term scheme for local pig farmers that will provide reimbursement for some of the losses sustained over the winter months. “Our members continue to endure serious losses due to market volatility and increasing production costs that have been aggravated further with the war in Ukraine. This scheme, although greatly valued, is not going to be enough to save the pig sector overnight.”

UFU APPOINTS NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM AT AGM

lster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has elected a new leadership team at its recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus, Cookstown with some David Brown, president, UFU. council members participating online. Co Fermanagh livestock farmer David Brown was voted in as president for two years and William Irvine was re-elected as John McLenaghan, deputy president for deputy president, UFU. a second term. He will be joined by newly elected deputy president John McLenaghan from Co Derry. The new president thanked the UFU membership William Irvine, deputy for their ongoing president, UFU. support and dedication to producing high-quality food for consumers during the most difficult of times. Addressing council members at the AGM, Brown reinstated the importance of ‘the land first’ when it comes to food production. He said: “Throughout Europe an area one quarter of the size of Northern Ireland is taken for roads, buildings and infrastructure every year. That is without giving any consideration to the ‘land use land change’ measures contained within the climate committee proposals. “If all of these are implemented to combat climate change it will put inevitable pressure on our farmland and food production capacity.” Brown also highlighted the necessity of policy development for Women in Agriculture following the AERA Committee’s survey Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Barriers for Women in the Agriculture Sector and recognised the important work of his chosen charity Marie Curie. 59

MARKETING NEWS

NI BEEF WEEK BRANDED A SUCCESS BY INITIATIVE PARTNERS

orthern Ireland Beef Week has been hailed as a success by industry bodies the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and ABP Food Group. Throughout the course of NI Beef Week, which took place from April 23-30, the three organisations joined forces to promote the health and environmental benefits of Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured (NIFQA) beef. Action kicked off on James Henderson’s Kilkeel farm, where he shared insight into what FQA means to him. LMC was also joined on farm by UFU Beef and Lamb Chair Pat McKay, who encouraged consumers to choose

NIFQA beef and support the local agrifood industry. “We are pleased to have worked alongside UFU and ABP throughout NI Beef Week,” said Lauren Patterson, marketing and communications manager, LMC. “This year the initiative has again proven to be highly successful. “Over the seven-day period, LMC shared key messages about the world leading standards NIFQA farmers uphold on a daily basis. “We are delighted that via our social media platforms this activity organically reached 25,000 people. We hope that these impartial scientific facts about beef production in Northern Ireland will have helped our audiences

EAT THEM TO DEFEAT THEM CAMPAIGN BOOSTS UK VEG SALES BY £92M

at Them to Defeat Them, an awardwinning campaign to encourage children to eat vegetables, has resulted in £92m of vegetable sales equivalent to nearly one billion portions, according to Veg Power and ITV. The newly released figures, based on econometric analysis of retail sales data* from the campaign’s launch in February 2019 through to December 2021, supports the 2021 campaign evaluation which found nearly 60% of children who participated in the schools’ programme claimed they ate more veg as a result.

MALTESERS LAUNCHES NEW MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

o mark Maternal Mental Health Month in May, Maltesers launched #TheMaternityReturn, a new social media-first campaign highlighting the ups, downs, and challenges mums face on returning to work after maternity leave. The launch saw the Mars Wrigleyowned brand team up with both Channel 4 and BuzzFeed, Inc as part of the wider activity, to help provide a 60

Running for its fourth consecutive year, the £3m 2022 campaign supported by ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, has recently finished with adverts appearing in mainstream TV in February and March, reaching 61% of households with children aged 4-9. The schools’ programme reached one million children taking part across 3,845 schools. The schools’ programme launched after February half term with a different family-favourite veg featured each week. Participating schools enjoyed veg tasting sessions, teaching aids and games. Kids also received a vegetable reward chart and

develop a better understanding of the provenance, nutrition, traceability and sustainability credentials of NIFQA beef.” Pat McKay, beef and lamb chair, UFU, said: “While Beef Week has now passed, going forward, we will continue to promote our beef industry to the public, shining a light on the passion and dedication of our farmers across NI who take great pride in their work feeding the nation and delivering for the environment every day.”

sticker pack to encourage their veg eating habits at home. Funding was provided by major supermarket and food brands Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Dole, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. “This econometric analysis substantiates the feedback we get from surveys,” said Dan Parker, chief executive, Veg Power. “Eat Them to Defeat Them is making an improvement in children’s diet both during and well beyond the weeks of the campaign. This is great news for children’s health as well our veg growers and for the environment too.” *Analysis compiled by Pearl Metrics, an independent analytics consultancy, using retail sales donated by IRI Worldwide.

is the third instalment in a series of campaigns from Maltesers as part of its multi-year partnership with charity partner Comic Relief. “As ever for Maltesers, we look to always highlight the light and the dark through humour, whilst addressing the tricky and taboo subjects that are often overlooked,” said Leah Dyckes, brand director, Maltesers. platform for mums returning to work to “Through engaging content as part of share their stories and break down taboos Channel 4’s Late Night Feed series and around the challenges, emotions, and authentic, thought-provoking content experiences they face when returning to produced by Buzzfeed, we hope to have the workplace after maternity leave. demonstrated that the return to work As a continuation of the can often be overwhelming and a real campaigns created last year by AMV struggle for many mums but that there is BBDO #TheMassiveOvershare and always help and support available.” #LoveBeatsLikes, #TheMaternityReturn

EXPORT NEWS

McCONNELL’S IRISH WHISKEY EXPANDS ITS PRESENCE IN GLOBAL MARKETS

cConnell’s Irish Whiskey has announced significant global distribution deals covering the UK, Europe and Canada. The Belfast Distillery has secured deals with Paragon Brands in the UK, Ligne de Vin in France, Konitsiotis in Greece and Compagnia Dei Caraibi in Italy. The business has also expanded its reach in North America, where Noble Estates Wines & Spirits will manage supply to the Ontario market and McCarthy Wines & Spirits will supply Nova Scotia. Another deal with Stile Brands covers the Alberta region. The whiskey is produced by the Belfast Distillery, which has plans for a multi-million-pound whiskey distillery in a wing of the former Crumlin Road

The new McConnell’s Single Malt is aged in oloroso casks and finished in first fill bourbon barrels.

Gaol. The company has also launched a new whiskey aged in oloroso casks over five years and finished in first fill

NORTHERN IRELAND FOOD ARTISANS GAIN LISTINGS WITH ALDI IRELAND

ive Northern Ireland food and drink producers are being given an opportunity to win long-term business with Aldi Ireland. The Northern Ireland companies are Causeway Coffee from Coleraine for coffee beans; Crawford’s Rock of Kilkeel for seaweed seasoning; Karri Kitchen of Portadown for mango curry; La Dolce Vita NI of Saintfield for chilli Graham Watt of Causeway sauce; and Noisy Snacks of Belfast for Coffee in Coleraine. snackable nut mixes. After receiving applications from nearly 200 suppliers across food, drinks and non-food products, Aldi has selected an impressive group of entrepreneurs as this year’s Grow with Aldi finalists. The six Northern Ireland companies are among a total of 24 home-grown suppliers, from across the island of Ireland, which will see their products go on sale in 150 Aldi stores across the Republic for a two-week period starting on May 19, enabling customers to sample the finest of Irish artisan produce and show their support for Irish businesses. Undertaken in partnership with Irish food promotion body Bord Bia, Grow with Aldi is now in its fifth year and puts adventure into Irish ventures through mentorship and retail support to nurture small to medium-sized Irish businesses and set them up for success. First launched in 2018, the scheme has seen Aldi invest more than €5.5m in supporting over 200 producers and gives Irish producers unrivalled access to Irish consumers, ensuring they can grow and thrive in the Irish market. 62

bourbon barrels. “Since reviving the McConnell’s Irish Whisky brand in 2020, it has been an incredible journey, and one that we see as having a strong link to the streets of Belfast in 1776, when the brand was born,” said John Kelly, chief executive. “The growth we have seen in new markets right across the globe shows the esteem that premium Irish whiskey is held in among consumers, and that our McConnell’s 5-Year-Old Blend can compete with the very best established brands.” McConnell’s has also landed a gold medal award at the San Francisco Worlds Spirits Competition 2022 and a master medal award in the Irish Blended Whiskey Category at the recent DBSB Spring Tasting 2022.

PEPPUP SECURES BUSINESS WITH THE BUTLER’S PANTRY IN DUBLIN

eppup Sauces in Newtownards, producer of a broad range of authentic Italian sauces, has won its first business with The Butler’s Pantry in the Republic of Ireland. Butler’s Pantry, among the best-known gourmet food retailers and corporate caterers in the Dublin area, is taking a range of Peppup sauces developed by Dr Luca Montorio. The deal represents “an important breakthrough in a market that we’ve been targeting for several years and gives us a significant platform for further growth particularly in the Dublin area,” said Montorio. “The Republic is becoming our most important market.” The new business comes as Peppup launches several innovative products including a garlic Bolognese. All the sauces, many of which have won UK Great Taste awards, are gluten-free. Dr Montorio and wife Liz set up Peppul in 2013 to develop and market an initial roasted tomato and pepper ketchup which proved successful and gained several prestigious awards. An extensive range of sauces and pickles was subsequently developed by the business.

BUSINESS NEWS

RISING ENERGY & RAW MATERIAL COSTS FAIL TO QUELL NI MANUFACTURING GROWTH

ore than half of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing businesses are experiencing growth so far this year, according to a survey conducted by Perceptive Insight for Manufacturing NI and Tughans. Compared to April 2021, the growth reported by 52% of the businesses surveyed marks a 4% increase, alongside a decrease in the number of companies (11%) describing their business as reducing or contracting against the same period last year (17%). While GB suppliers’ unpreparedness and unwillingness to adopt the new Brexit regulations remain a significant barrier to trading, the top four most prevalent concerns include rising energy costs, cost of doing business, availability of raw materials and the

Stephen Kelly, Manufacturing NI; Maureen Treacy, Perceptive Insight; and James Donnelly, Tughans.

recruitment of skilled workers. Nearly all (98%) manufacturing firms have experienced an increase in energy costs in the last 12 months while 2% say theirs have remained the same. As a result, 49% are planning investment in green technology and energy efficiency measures.

RESEA PROJECT SEEKS NI FOOD & DRINK PARTNERS TO TACKLE PLASTIC POLLUTION

company on a mission to push the agenda for a plastic-free ocean is actively seeking NI food and drink brand partners to join forces to help tackle consumers’ number one environmental concern – plastic pollution. ReSea Project is calling on NI brands to upscale their environmental credentials as it confirms the organisation has already taken 1.4 million kilos of plastic out of oceans and rivers in the last year. ReSea Project is a Danish company which removes plastic from oceans and rivers. Operating out of South-East Asia, it helps brands and service providers embed sustainability and ocean health at the heart of their operations with measurable and documented impact. 64

Globally, ReSea Project is successfully working with several brands which are able to promote their sustainability credentials to consumers via their websites, on-product and beyond, including The Hidden Sea Wine and Stoli vodka. ”We welcome people from across the food and drink industry in Northern Ireland to join us – large and small,” said Christine Tangdal of ReSea Project. ”We all have a role to play in pushing the agenda for a plastic-free ocean. We firmly believe that only by working together can real change happen.” Companies interested in supporting Resea Project and removing plastic waste from the world’s oceans can email: info@reseaproject.com.

The cost of doing business and particularly expenditure on transportation has affected more than 80% of businesses, of which 25% mentioned the increased cost of doing business as the main obstacle for the recovery of their firm. Ninety-eight per cent of manufacturers have faced growing costs of raw materials and 36% of them believe their GB suppliers remain unprepared for the new requirements. Disrupted supply chains are the biggest obstacle to the recovery of 14% of the firms surveyed and 66% say they require supply-chain support to mitigate the impacts of Brexit and Covid-19 as the economy reopens. As a result of the recruitment crisis, 58% of firms are exploring automation and investment in technology to mitigate the effects of labour shortages.

NIFDA PARTNERSHIP SECURES SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING FOR FOOD & DRINK SMES Members of the AHFES group.

unding has been secured to support sustainability initiatives by Northern Ireland food and drink sector SMEs, through the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA). Totalling more than €235,000, the funding is focused on providing training and support services for SMEs to analyse their manufacturing processes and ultimately incorporate better sustainability practices. Represented locally by NIFDA, the funding is coming from the EU AHFES food and drink programme for SMEs, which has to date provided extensive training and mentoring to food and drink SMEs across the Atlantic Area regions of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, France, Spain, and Portugal. “We hope that this additional funding will encourage other SMEs to consider implications and possible opportunities from sustainability for their companies,” said Michael Bell, executive director, NIFDA. “The project adopts a practical approach and highlights both the benefits and challenges that need to be considered. We hope that it will be the first point of reference for SMEs who are looking at building their business to reflect the new eco-friendly and sustainable approach.” Further information on the project can be found at https:// www.ahfesproject.com/

APPOINTMENTS

PATRICK WOODS APPOINTED MD OF LINWOODS

inwoods, one of Ireland’s leading health food brands, has announced the appointment of Patrick Woods as managing director. He takes over the role from his father John Woods, who has led the company for the past 60 years and will continue to have a key strategic role in the company. Patrick Woods has worked in the business since he was a teenager, and has a background in food and nutrition, having qualified with a degree in Food Nutrition and Health from CAFRE. He has two younger siblings, Joseph and Ellen, Patrick Woods both of whom are also involved in the business. Woods is particularly keen to improve on the sustainability side of the Linwoods business with a focus on manufacturing and packaging operations. Started over 50 years ago with a small local shop owned by the Woods family in Co Armagh, Linwoods is today one of Ireland’s leading health food brands, having experienced an increase in turnover of 17% in 2020-2021. Woods is married to Laura, has a three-year-old daughter Aoife, and is immersed in GAA and his local club Madden Raparees, where he is currently chair. He also enjoys outdoor exercise such as cycling and walking. Woods intends to continue to grow the business with Innovation and Sustainability as key pillars going forward.

BOOST EXPANDS MANAGEMENT ROLES FOLLOWING BRAND GROWTH

trong brand growth has resulted in a number of management promotions at Boost Drinks. Chelsea Bate has been appointed e-commerce manager, responsible for increasing Boost Drinks’ brand visibility online through social media, search optimisation, and other digital/online opportunities. Bate joined Boost Drinks in January 2021 as assistant trade marketing manager. Boost Drinks has appointed Amy Ankrah as customer marketing manager. Within her new role, Ankrah will continue to acquire wholesale insight, develop trade marketing campaigns and execute brand plans with key customers as well as managing all customer facing events, exhibitions

Chelsea Bate

and trade press. She joined Boost Drinks in 2014 as trade marketing manager. Jack Taylor has been appointed as retail development manager, leading the charge in building upon the company’s successful retail distribution and retail marketing strategies across GB and NI, as well as developing toolkits to engage retailers, building brand impact and loyalty. Furthermore, it will be Taylor’s responsibility to become the face of the retail landscape for the Boost brand, building relationships with key retailers and customers throughout the province. He was previously promoted to trade marketing manager in 2021, having joined the company in 2017 as trade marketing assistant.

Amy Ankrah

DWF APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE PARTNER IN BELFAST

WF, a global provider of integrated legal and business services, has Julie Galbraith appointed Julie Galbraith as executive partner in Belfast. Galbraith joined C & H Jefferson in 1998 as a trainee solicitor, and was a partner when the business merged with DWF in 2016. She is DWF’s Northern Ireland head of real estate, managing a team of legal professionals delivering advice on all aspects of real estate law and with specific expertise in acting for retailers, commercial occupiers, developers and investors. Galbraith took up the role to lead the 100-strong Belfast team at DWF in May, following the retirement of long-standing executive partner Ken Rutherford.

TALYSIS APPOINTS NEW COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

alysis has appointed Luke Harris to the newly-created role of commercial director, as the company seeks to continue its ambitious growth Luke Harris trajectory. Harris joins after six years at SalesOut, most recently as its director of wholesale. With a background in the convenience/wholesale sector, he has a wealth of experience from both commercial and operational roles, having worked for Central England Co-op and My Local prior to SalesOut. Talysis specialises in the analysis, interpretation and application of retail sales data within FMCG categories. Working with some of the biggest names in retail and manufacturing across the UK and Ireland, it helps brand owners, retailers and wholesalers capitalise on their data and maximise sales.

Jack Taylor 65

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

CELEBRATE CRISPY, COATED GOODNESS WITH MOY PARK NEW MOY PARK COATED RANGE TAKES INSPIRATION FROM STREET FOOD TRENDS

reland’s number one chicken brand Moy Park has developed a new range of coated products. The branded range features four lines - classic, whole breast Chicken Kievs with creamy garlic butter, light and crispy Tempura Chicken Mini Fillets, Buttermilk Burgers coated in a pepper breadcrumb and extra crispy Chicken Breast Strips served with sweet chilli sauce. Perfect for the whole family, the coated products use 100% British and Irish Chicken and deliver great flavours without compromising on quality. “As a market leading brand with over 75 years of expertise, we recognise the need to develop new products in line with consumer trends,” said Ellen Wright, brand marketing manager at Moy Park. “This range of products brings consumers restaurant style coated chicken to the comfort of their own homes. We’ve taken inspiration from recent trends in street food and combined them with traditional family favourites, such as mini fillets, kievs and chicken strips. “We have also seen a growing appetite among consumers for nostalgic childhood meals that bring the family together, with the kitchen the real hub of the household. This range offers something for everyone, taking the hassle out of

cooking and is ideal for a midweek meal as well as something special for the whole family. “We will support the launch of the range to market through a multi-channel advertising campaign featuring social media activity, TV adverts, display ads, community initiatives and influencer engagement.” For further information on products and distribution, please contact Moy Park Commercial Manager Colin Freeman +44 (0) 28 3835 2233.

ICED COFFEE RANGE BOOSTED WITH NEW MOCHA FLAVOUR Jack Taylor, retail development manager of Boost Drinks, and Gareth Hardy, managing director of Hardy Distribution, Boost’s NI distribution partner.

oost Drinks, the owner of Northern Ireland’s second best-selling iced coffee brand within convenience*, has expanded its popular range of ready-to-drink coffee products with a new Mocha flavour. Developed with a delicious blend of indulgent chocolate, South American coffee beans and superior milk content recipe, the Mocha flavour uses exclusive production techniques to create a silky taste and a quality product.

The new flavour offers extended shelf life for retailers compared to other brands, with the £1 PMP format providing strong cash margins for retailers. Boost Iced Coffee Mocha will complement the popular Caffe Latte, Double Espresso and Caramel Latte SKUs offered by Boost, which makes up for 75% of category sales within the independent iced coffee market*.

The new flavour comes as the Boost coffee range continues to perform ahead of the category, with Boost Iced Coffee now the number one fastest growing RTD iced coffee brand in unit sales. Research shows that 75% of the sales value within the RTD iced coffee market is made up of four flavours - Latte, Caramel, Espresso and Mocha**. The iced drinks market is already worth £200m* and growing at +34% volume and +36% value YOY* – making it the current fastest growing category within soft drinks. The new Mocha will be available in wholesale in 12 x 250ml cases. * IRI Marketplace Symbols & Independents and NI Convenience 52 weeks unit sales to 20th February 2022 ** IRI Marketplace Data Symbols & Independents 52 weeks unit sales to 31st October 2021

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

CONTACT JUDITH MARTIN ON 07765 183176 OR EMAIL:

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CLASSIFIEDS

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

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: PAULA McINTYRE ROLE: DIRECTOR COMPANY: SLOW FOOD NORTHERN IRELAND

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/ AMBITIONS? I’m happy with the way things are going and my ambition would be to continue going as long as I can.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I’m 55 and live in Portstewart. I’m a self-employed chef, food writer and broadcaster. Director of Slow Food Northern Ireland.

new recipes and techniques. Because my work is so diverse, I love the variety of it all. I really enjoy working with likeminded people. Cooking has been an enduring love for me, and I still get a buzz from it.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? There’s no such thing as a typical day in my life – every day is totally different. Recently I’ve been filming a new TV series so that’s been a big part of this year. Other days I might be doing a dinner, a demo, writing – no two are the same which suits me well.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TASK? Keeping up with accounts and book work. Numbers are not a forte of mine...

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? Last year BBCNI commissioned a TV series Paula McIntyre’s Hamely Kitchen and that has been a real unexpected joy. Getting an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2018 in recognition for contribution to food and drink in Northern Ireland was a major highlight.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST GRIPE? Greenwashing of products – the deceitful marketing of some big conglomerates to exaggerate their green credentials to gain favour with consumers. A major gripe is when menus namecheck local products but it’s obvious they’re not. And when chefs put salad leaves on a plate and don’t dress them...

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I started my first job in a restaurant when I was 14 and I still love food, discovering

WHAT TALENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE? I’d like to be able to sing like Barbra Streisand.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? Always be yourself and never forget the bowl you were baked in.

WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? There are so many people in my field that I admire. Sheila Dillon who presents The Food Programme on Radio 4 is a real advocate and food educator, does it with style and has a great sense of fun. Angela Hartnett because she’s a great role model and supporter of women, and a brilliant chef. And the chef Jose Andres who does so much good work globally with his World Central Kitchen providing meals in the wake of natural disasters and wars. WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? Portstewart – I consider myself blessed to call this place home. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD PRODUCT? Butter – it’s so versatile – for spreading on toast, baking with, for basting, as part of delicious butter sauces... everything tastes better with it. HOW DO YOU RELAX? I like barbecuing and have a Green Egg that I’m obsessed with. It gets lit most days and sometimes just for a flatbread and some veg or others for a full blown slow smoked lamb shoulder. I enjoy good wine and discovering new varieties. So, a relaxed day would be friends round, good wine, BBQ and a great soundtrack. I like to sea swim all year round – nothing gets the pulse racing like a dip in the Atlantic Ocean in December.