INDUSTRY NEWS
NZ hospo on road to recovery, says CGA NEW RESEARCH from global on-premise data and insights consultancy CGA shows that consumers in New Zealand are feeling positive and ready to support the hospitality sector in 2022. The research comes as CGA launches in New Zealand and it is taken from its first monthly On Premise Consumer Pulse1, which surveyed around 500 New Zealand on-premise visitors to understand their recent behaviour, how they feel about the channel (including any COVID-related restrictions) and their intention for visits in the month ahead. Key findings:
• 89% of New Zealand consumers surveyed have visited on-premise already in 2022. While there are lingering concerns around COVID-19, the vast majority of these consumers are eager to get back to bars and restaurants – with 78% planning to visit the same or more often than they did in 2021. • 51% of New Zealand consumers would feel more comfortable visiting on-premise if social distancing was maintained, while mandatory masks (49%) and table service (32%) also ranked highly. • 21% intend to visit on-premise more over the months ahead than last year. CGA’s managing director, Americas and Asia Pacific, Scott Elliott said: “There is little doubt that the hospitality industry in New Zealand has been hit hard by the pandemic but this latest research suggests that consumers do want to come back and the tide is beginning to turn. Right now, the key to success for suppliers will be to take learning from other markets
a little further down this path. In other developed on-premise markets, the suppliers who have been able to best help their customers navigate a new guest path to purchase – especially in the areas of maximising visit spend via digital and server advocacy/upselling – have gained space, share and loyalty. “Now is the time though, not in 12 months. Based on our experience around the world, there is no doubt that once the hospitality sector has returned to
a more traditional trading pattern, the suppliers who were most proactive in their investment at this resurgent stage have seen the greatest benefits. These gains are proving hard to displace by the late-returners.” cgastrategy.com 1 New Zealand On Premise Consumer Pulse – CGA. Consumer research: Survey conducted over 9-14 February, 2022 of 503 respondents across New Zealand, who have visited On Premise venues since the start of 2022. The collection was a nationally representative sample of consumers across age, gender and region.
West Auckland Trusts pulls Russian stock over Ukraine THE WEST Auckland Trusts has stripped thousands of bottles of Russian vodka and beer from shelves in response to Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine. The Trusts, which is one of New Zealand’s largest alcohol retail chains, with 26 retail stores as well as hospitality venues throughout the region, stopped selling Russian-made products just days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 10 DRINKSBIZ APRIL / MAY 2022
Allan Pollard, Trusts CEO, says the move is a response to Russia raising its nuclear alert level along with a growing groundswell of consumer sentiment. The ban includes those brands with Russia as their country of origin and includes: Ivanov, Russian Standard, Russkaya, Kristov Red vodkas, Gorkovskaya Vodka, JJ Whitley Rhubarb Vodka, Royal Bison Vodka, Russkaya Vodka,
Baltika Beer and Three Hills Pale Ale beer. The product has not been replaced with other brands and the empty shelf space instead displays a Ukrainian flag. Pollard says the immediate removal of Russian vodka and beer from sale is in line with similar actions taken by businesses in a number of other countries around the world including Canada, US and Australia.
“Vodka is Russia’s most high profile export product and our actions today are designed to show our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty. “While New Zealand is a comparatively small market individually, joining our counterparts in other countries around the world in boycotting the sale of these products is a statement of solidarity for the Ukrainian people,” said Pollard.
