Ulster Grocer by Karen Donnelly

GROCER N o . 1 m a g a z i ne f o r t h e l o c a l g r o c er y se c t o r

â&#x201E;˘

40 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

MARCH 2015

ULSTER

ST Ck BEEF & lamb

with conďŹ dence

With 88% consumer awareness for Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured Lamb and 82% for NIFQA Beef, you can be sure that customers are on the look out for our logo because they know it means high quality and locally sourced Beef and Lamb. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because we at the Livestock and Meat Commission NI are promoting NIFQA Beef and Lamb on TV, Outdoor, Press, Radio and Online all through 2015. So when you stock Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured Beef and Lamb, you can be confident it will race off the shelves.

For consumer recipes & much more visit beefandlambni.com

CONTENTS

email: info@ulstergrocer.com Volume 50, Number 3 March 2015 Editor: Alyson Magee E: alysonmagee@greerpublications.com Sales Manager: Mark Beckett E: markbeckett@greerpublications.com Contributor: Brian McCalden Senior Accounts Manager: Michelle Kearney E: michellekearney@greerpublications.com

www.ulstergrocer.com

35-37

15-26 10-11

Art Editor: Karen Donnelly Production Manager: Stuart Gray Accounts: Gerardine Carson

@ulstergrocer www.facebook.com/ulstergrocer

9 MY LIFE IN THE GROCERY TRADE: Food to Go is the specialist area for Chanelle Conway who is developing new ranges and innovative concepts for Musgrave’s retail partners when not in the gym or, hopefully, improving her driving skills. 10-11 STORE FOCUS: The Chalet, a new convenience store in Co Armagh, is a ‘jewel in the crown’ for the Costcutter Supermarkets Group, marking its first new build’ store opening in Northern Ireland.

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Contents

Ulster Grocer is published by Greer Publications 5B Edgewater Business Park, Belfast Harbour Estate, BELFAST BT3 9JQ Tel: 028 9078 3200 Fax: 028 9078 3210 Web: www.ulstergrocer.com

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15-26 DAIRY DEVELOPMENTS: Dairy farmers may be having a difficult time in relation to pricing and sustainability but producers and processors alike are investing in the future with new lines, particularly in the buoyant ice-cream category.

28-29 DEADLINE LOOMING: It’s time to get moving as entries for the prestigious Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards close on March 31. Find out further information, and see pictures of the recent launch event for the 2015 Awards at the Culloden Hotel.

Greer Publications © 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Greer Publications.

35-37 LOCAL LOGISTICS: Find out the latest developments in the transport and logistics sector, including new rapid delivery services from DSV, which also offers customers flexible storage options ideal for handling goods on promotion.

42 IN THE HOT SEAT: Lorna Robinson, managing director of Cloughbane Farm Shop, takes the seat this month to discuss her multi-tasking, family farm background and the how the successful brand started out from making use of leftover meat cuts.

8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

ULSTER GROCER

Publishers: James and Gladys Greer

NEWS

EDITOR’S COMMENT: SHOUTING ABOUT LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK

eeping it short this week, the announcement a new agri-food marketing body is great news for the industry and – while largely aimed at supporting the lucrative export market – should also potentially benefit the home market for locally-produced goods. A heightened identity and marketing support should also boost consumer awareness and, crucially, willingness to pay more to support local farmers and manufacturers and – as the Dale Farm

profile over ps 22-23 highlights – when global markets become volatile, home markets can become a safer bet. Industry is looking forward with anticipation to an effective new organisation with sufficient funding, which will be able to shout that bit louder about Northern Ireland food and drink.

Alyson Magee

New local agri-food marketing body announced A

new industry-led agri-food marketing body for Northern Ireland is to be developed by the Agri-Food Strategy Board (AFSB) in collaboration with government and industry stakeholders. “The food and drink sector is hugely important to the Northern Ireland economy,” said Trade Minister Arlene Foster, making the announcement earlier this month. “It has a proven track record for growth, with turnover increasing by 6.7% last year to £4.5bn. The sector accounts for around a quarter of manufacturing industry sales and external sales. In terms of employment, agri-food supports almost 100,000 jobs when we include farming, fishing, retail and distribution. “If we are to continue to grow the sector, we must ensure that our excellent agri-food offering is marketed to best effect, both at home and in markets outside Northern Ireland. This body will play a pivotal role in providing strategic leadership and direction for the marketing activities of both Government and private sector organisations.” Tony O’Neill, chair of AFSB, said: “AFSB has been working closely with DETI, Invest NI, DARD and industry stakeholders to identify the best way to put this recommendation into practice. Crucially, the clear message from stakeholders, in Government and industry, is that any new Agri-Food Marketing Body must be industry-led and commercially focused. “We have considered best practice in agri-food marketing and have identified Scotland Food and Drink as a tried, tested and successful industry-led model which could be replicated here to great effect. The Scottish model offers the flexibility and ability to react which is essential in responding to the dynamic nature of agri-food. “The establishment of a new industry-led Agri-Food Marketing Body will represent a major step forward in respect of how we work collectively to market Northern Ireland agri-food. Not only will the new industry body provide clear strategic leadership and direction

Trade Minister Arlene Foster is pictured with Tony O’Neill, chairman of the Agri-Food Strategy Board.

for the marketing activities of both Government and private sector organisations, it will also have an important role to play in issues such as how we should best brand and differentiate our agri-food product.” Welcoming the announcement, Dale Farm Group Chief Executive David Dobbin said Northern Ireland had fallen behind its counterparts in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland in terms of agri-food marketing support. “We’re very keen that we have some fire power in that area,” he said. “With the Year of Food in 2016, it would be the perfect launch platform for this new body to get it up and running in 2015 and then do a series of major external events in 2016.”

Northern Ireland to hold Year of Food in 2016 T

rade Minister Arlene Foster has called on the local food sector to get involved in making 2016 a Year of Food for Northern Ireland. “We have some of the best food and the best restaurants in the world, and the potential this has when it comes to tourism cannot be underestimated,” she said. “Food tourism already generates over £350m per year to the local economy, but I believe there is significant room for further growth. That’s why I have asked Tourism Northern Ireland to begin preparatory work to develop the Year of Food initiative and have secured funding to allow them to do so.” In the lead up to and during 2016, there will be a series of packaged events aimed at tempting the taste buds of potential visitors. Actor James Nesbitt (right) and Tourism NI’s Howard Hastings help Trade Minister Arlene Foster announce a Year of Food in 2016.

NEWS

Gas to the West to boost agri-food sector T

he Utility Regulator has awarded gas conveyance licences to Mutual Energy and SGN for the Gas to the West project, which should offer a significant boost to agri-food businesses in the region currently lacking sufficient energy resources to increase production. “The Northern Ireland Executive is investing up to £32.5m to bring gas to homes and businesses in the west of Northern Ireland, and the award of licences by the Utility Regulator to Mutual Energy and SGN is another key milestone in the process,” said Trade Minister Arlene Foster. “This hugely important project will extend the natural gas network to Strabane, Omagh, Enniskillen, Derrylin, Dungannon, Coalisland, Cookstown and Magherafelt. It will bring greater energy choice for consumers and increase the potential for businesses and the public sector to use a cleaner, more efficient fuel. Initial construction work will commence mid 2015. Further work will commence in 2016, with the first gas connections occurring in that year. The main networks will be completed by the end of 2017.” The news was welcomed by Dale Farm, which has plans to increase production of high end nutritional products such as infant formula at its Dunmanbridge, Cookstown site, but has been hampered by insufficient electricity supply to power the expansion. Dale Farm hopes to use the new gas supply for a combined heat and power plant, and is

currently seeking approval for a high pressure gas supply to power the high pressure steam needed for its whey processing plant. “We have planning permission, we’ve got an offer of support from Invest NI and we’re well advanced on the environmental approvals we would need from the NIEA,” said David Dobbin, Group chief executive of Dale Farm. “Our competitors in southern Ireland all have high pressure gas but for some policy reason, the regulator here won’t allow it so we’re in a lobby campaign with politicians.

“It won’t just be Dale Farm, it will be a number of other companies in the Province. We have the highest electricity prices in Europe, roughly 25% above Scotland, Wales, England and southern Ireland. That’s a major barrier to every major food processing company. “In our Dunmanbridge operation, energy is a higher cost than for the wages of the people we employ because it’s such an energy intensive process so, if we don’t get the energy bit right, we’ll never be competitive.”

Pictured at the launch are, from left, Jenny Pyper, chief executive of the Utility Regulator; John Lobban, MD SGN; Paddy Larkin, chief executive, Mutual Energy; and Trade Minister Arlene Foster.

Plain packaging legislation approved as display ban comes into force

obacco manufacturer JTI has reacted with dismay after the House of Commons passed legislation proposing plain packaging for cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco from 2017, just as UK retailers prepare to implement a full display ban next month. The legislation outlines a cut off date of May 20, 2016 for manufacture of branded packaging to cease with full introduction of plain packs in all UK retail outlets by May 21, 2017. Valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance has said plain packing will wipe out millions in brand value for the world’s top tobacco brands, while JTI claims it infringes important principles of UK and EU law and other fundamental rights. “This divisive legislation has been rushed through Parliament, with little regard for proper scrutiny and debate,” said Daniel Torras, managing director at JTI UK. “Regulators have disregarded the results of public consultations, evidence reviews and impact assessments, not to mention the overlap with other legislation such as the ban on displaying tobacco in shops and the wide-ranging EU Tobacco Products Directive. “The Government is using the General Election as the finishing line and has hurried this policy along, stifling debate among MPs and giving little opportunity for opposing views to be aired. This is a cut-and-paste copycat policy from Australia, where plain packaging has not worked. We have repeatedly warned policy-makers that plain packaging is a smugglers’ charter.”

A retail display ban on tobacco products comes into force for all UK retailers in April and JTI claims it has yet to be implemented in around 80% of tobacco retailers. A survey of independent and convenience retailers has revealed one in three are concerned about a negative impact on their tobacco sales, according to JTI. A revised EU Tobacco Products Directive, if implemented, would include a ban on the smaller pack sizes favoured by consumers trying to manage their consumption, said JTI. “For the last 40 years tobacco has faced a relentless wave of regulation. The UK government has introduced tax escalators, advertising bans, a public smoking ban, a vending machine ban, a display ban, and now it wants to introduce plain packaging,” said Torres. “This regulatory layering makes it almost impossible to analyse effectively the impact of existing tobacco regulation.” Anti-tobacco group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has collaborated with Cancer Research UK, meanwhile, to commission a legal opinion which suggests plain packaging of cigarettes and other tobacco products is compatible with European law. “The Legal Opinion we are publishing blows out of the water the ludicrous and unjustified claims by the tobacco industry that it would be due billions of pounds in compensation if the UK proceeds with standardised packaging,” said Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH. “It clearly demonstrates that the UK government has a robust case for the regulations under European law.” 5

NEWS

Karro announces major investment plans for Cookstown

Di Walker, executive chair at Karro Food Group

ork supplier Karro Food Group has announced a £6.5m investment into new chilling and processing technology at its Cookstown site. The move forms part of a £10m capital investment programme, financed from cash generated by the business, which will be carried out over the next 12 months at a number of Karro’s UK manufacturing facilities.

The programme of upgrades comes as the company continues to deliver on its turnaround programme following its establishment as an independent company by UK-based private equity house, Endless, in January 2013. In addition to the Cookstown development, Karro will be investing £1.5m in an upgrade to the gammon processing line at its Malton site and to expand the company’s fresh pork and gammon production and slicing capability; £1m investment in a new kill line in Malton to facilitate export and domestic supply, as well as a new Malton Innovation Centre; and £1m in new packing lines at Karro’s Haverhill site. All the projects are due to be completed in 2015, and follow Karro’s announcement that it delivered an EBITDA improvement of £10m in its first year as an independent business; an important milestone in the company’s

Moy Park swoops on Product Developer of the Year Award

oy Park has been named Product Developer of the Year at the Meat & Poultry Processing Awards 2015, following the launch of its Moy Park branded ‘Good Kitchen’ and ‘Good to Go’ ranges. Developed to target a growing market for added value fresh chicken products, the innovative ‘Good Kitchen’ range includes Pictured are, from left, Mark Haworth, managing director of Bizerba; Stephane Durand, head of three ‘ready to cook’ flavour Innovation, Moy Park; and Ed Bedington, Group infused chicken breast products Editor, MTJ. and three straight to pan ‘ready to heat’ chicken breast products. The ‘Good to Go’ range is Moy Park’s latest product range aimed at the ‘Food to Go’ category and offers consumers deli-inspired chicken dishes, meeting the demand for innovative products in this category. The Meat & Poultry Processing Awards recognise and reward expertise, skill, innovation and entrepreneurship in the processing sector. The Product Developer of the Year accolade is awarded to the company that demonstrates the highest standards of creativity and innovation. “Moy Park is committed to the highest standards of product innovation, from developing initial concepts, right through to launch in the market place,” said Joanna Colvin, director of Food Development at Moy Park. “We’re particularly proud of the Moy Park ‘Good Kitchen’ and ‘Good to Go’ ranges, which are both made using locally sourced chicken. “The ‘Good Kitchen’ products were developed in response to consumer demand for tasty, flavoursome meals made from fresh chicken that are quick and easy to cook – with the ‘Good to Go created to fulfil the need for lunchtime products that are ready to eat.”

turnaround strategy. “This significant investment demonstrates Karro’s commitment to use the latest technologies to enhance our already excellent product quality and provide the best service possible to our valued customers,” said Di Walker, executive chair at Karro Food Group. “It is further evidence that we are wellahead of our five-year turnaround plan, and gives us added capability to develop our strategic retail and trade partnerships and enter new markets. “The underlying performance of the business continues to gain momentum and we are extremely positive about the outlook for Karro Food Group. Furthermore, we will be in a position to report another year of significant financial improvement when we release our 2014 accounts in the coming months.”

Beansprouts grow business at Willowbrook Foods C

o Down-based Willowbrook Foods, has invested £40,000 in state-of-the-art heating and control equipment at its bespoke beansprout production factory in Newtownards. The investment - which has expanded operations and enhanced growing techniques at the factory - follows increased demand for the company’s beansprout range from its foodservice, retail and restaurant customers across Ireland and GB. As the only company in Northern Ireland to produce beansprouts using this method of production, Willowbrook’s unique computer-controlled hydroponic growing system offers a safe, hygienic and highly efficient production facility. Currently producing 10 tonnes of beansprouts per week, Willowbrook now has the capacity to introduce new sprout varieties to meet changing customer requirements while also delivering additional product for use in its own-branded vegetable stir-fry ranges. “Over 20 years ago, we recognised that consumer eating habits were changing and in particular there was a significant increase in demand for oriental foods,” said John McCann, managing director of Willowbrook Foods. “From sourcing the finest seed varieties from across the world, to continually improving our production techniques, we are regarded as being ‘leading edge’ and we are fully committed to maintaining this reputation.”

retail NEWS - independents

Tackling crime in local shops C

rime-fighting Charity Crimestoppers has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling shop crime following the release of the Association of Convenience Store’s (ACS) crime report. The annual report outlines key statistics relating to crime affecting convenience stores across the UK, revealing that 74% of shops suffered some form of crime in 2014, with the cost to the industry being around £35m. However, Crimestoppers and ACS have been working together since 2010, and in that time, offences against shops and the costs incurred have dropped. The percentage of shops incurring some form of crime in 2012 was 91%, while the cost to the industry was around £44m.

NIIRTA expresses concerns for independent traders in East Belfast C

oncern has been expressed over the Connswater Shopping Centre’s longterm viability, and potential impact to independent retailers in that part of East Belfast, after last month’s announcement Dunnes will follow Tesco in closing its outlet there. “Unless these two stores can be replaced, Connswater faces likely closure,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive of NIIRTA. “There will be major retail job losses if Connswater closes, impacting on the many surrounding independent retailers in that part of East Belfast. “The Lower Newtownards and Albertbridge Roads are already areas which are struggling with the loss of retailers and the potential loss of Connswater would be a huge blow to the economy of that whole area.”

8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

The partnership has primarily focused on trying to support law enforcement with appeals for information on incidents that have occurred against convenience store staff. “Partnerships such as this with ACS are crucial in tackling business crime and I am pleased that we are able to extend this relationship for a fifth year,” said Rodger Holden, director of development at Crimestoppers. “During this partnership crimes against convenience stores have slowly decreased, and our hope is that this trend will continue in response to the work we carry out, and with the support of the public.” Association of Convenience Stores Chief

Contestants sought for GroceryAid quiz night G

roceryAid, the charity supporting people who have worked in the grocery industry but are in need of support, is looking for contestants to participate in its upcoming Quiz Night. The fun-packed evening, featuring quiz master ‘The Gorgeous’ George, will be held at the Beechill Inn in Newtownbreda on Wednesday, March 25 at 7.30pm. The Quiz Night is among the more fun events in the GroceryAid Northern Ireland calendar of events, and kickstarts the charity’s year of activities. The quiz is a chance to pit your wits against colleagues from other businesses in the food and drink industry. Contact Davy now to secure a table (david.neill@kerry.ie); price per table of six = £60. Other GroceryAid events scheduled for the year include the Ulster Grocers’ Ball at the Culloden Hotel on May 22; Summer BBQ on June 19; Golf Day at Belvoir Golf Club on July 2; Candy Ball at the Culloden Hotel on October 2; and John Barrett Lunch at Deanes at Queen’s on November 15.

Executive James Lowman said: “Despite the success of investment in crime prevention measures, our sector still has to deal with £35m worth of goods being taken from shelves. “We know from our survey that a significant proportion of criminals are stealing products from stores to fund other criminal activity. Shop theft is a gateway offence that can lead to much more serious crime, so it’s essential that these people are taken seriously by the justice system.” Anyone with any information on incidents of crime can contact the Charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through an anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

O’Doherty’s Fine Meats launches premium snack meals

nnovative Enniskillenbased butchery business O’Doherty’s Fine Meats is to launch premium snack Pat O’Doherty meals using its award-winning Fermanagh Black Bacon. Managing Director Pat O’Doherty, who created the secret curing technique for Fermanagh Black Bacon, is to launch pre-packaged bacon rolls which will be available with an initial choice of four sauces. “What we are planning is a premium snack that will make Fermanagh Black Bacon more readily available and not primarily a breakfast product,” he said. “The innovation will build on the existing success of Fermanagh Black Bacon and make it available to a wider range of consumers.” The family-owned and managed company has won a string of national awards for its products including UK Burger of the Year and Butcher’s Shop of the Year. In addition to awards for its Fermanagh Black Corned Beef, the company has gained a string of accolades for its red meat products and pies.

RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOLS

Toomebridge, Dungiven and Trench Road stores lift top honours

hree local stores from the SuperValu, Centra and Mace retail groups have claimed the prestigious title of ‘Store of the Year’ in Musgrave Retail Partners’ annual awards event earlier this month at the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle. TV personality Claire McCollum hosted the event and presented O’Kane’s Dungiven with the SuperValu ‘Store of the Year’ award, Kelly’s Trench Road with the Centra ‘Store of the Year’ award and Boyd’s Toomebridge with the Mace ‘Store of the Year’ award. Cox & Millen’s Centra, Carrickfergus, Prince Andrew Way picked up the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award, sponsored by Kerry Foods and SuperValu Limavady won Fundraising Store of the Year. Musgrave Retail Partners organises the Gala Ball event each year for its 250 independent retailers in Northern Ireland across the SuperValu, Centra and Mace brands, and finalists were selected using an independent audit of all stores, with each facing a rigorous process of checks and evaluations. “Congratulations to all of the winners in our 2014 Store of the Year awards – these Awards recognise retailers who are ‘leading the way’ in their groups, and the winners have demonstrated the highest levels of

Pictured with MRPNI’s Acting Managing Director Damian McCarney (far right) are the three winning retailers, from left, Michael Boyd of Mace Toomebridge, Ciaran O’Kane of SuperValu Dungiven and David Kelly of Centra, Trench Road.

commitment to customer service and retail excellence,” said Damian McCarney, acting managing director of Musgrave Retail Partners. The winners were: Mace – Mace Store of the Year: Boyd’s Mace, Toomebridge; Mace Under 1800 sq ft Gold: Boyd’s Mace, Toomebridge; Mace Under 1800 sq ft Silver: Courtney’s Mace, Lisnaskea; Mace Under 1800 sq ft Bronze: Dolan’s Mace, Gortin Road, Omagh; Mace Over 1800 sq ft Gold: Gracey’s Mace, Belfast Newton Park; Mace Over 1800 sq ft Silver: Wilson’s Mace, Coleraine; and Mace Over 1800 sq ft Bronze: Johnston’s Mace, Cadogan. Centra – Centra Store of the Year: Kelly’s Centra, Trench Road; Centra

High Convenience Gold: McGoveran’s Centra, Belfast Malone Road; Centra High Convenience Silver: Cathcart’s Centra, Magherafelt; Centra High Convenience Bronze: McGoveran’s, Centra, Stanmillis; Centra Foodmarket Gold: Kelly’s Centra, Trench Road; Centra Foodmarket Silver: McCool’s, Centra, Ballymena; and Centra Foodmarket Bronze: McElhinney’s Centra, Omagh, Brookmount. SuperValu – SuperValu Store of the Year: O’Kane’s SuperValu, Dungiven; SuperValu Highly Commended: McCool’s SuperValu, Ballymoney; Newcomer of the Year: Cox & Millen’s Centra, Carrickfergus, Prince Andrew Way; and Fundraising Store of the Year: SuperValu Limavady.

EUROSPAR raises £25,000 Final call for children to get creative with farming for local children’s charity

EUROSPAR staff members are pictured with Sorcha Chipperfield, far left, from Cancer Fund for Children’s at Daisy Lodge.

usgrave Retail Partners (MRPNI) and Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) are collaborating to run an art competition with a farming theme for children throughout Northern Ireland. MRPNI and its independent retailers – SuperValu, Centra and Mace – have teamed up with the UFU to invite nursery, primary and special school pupils to create pieces of visual art as a class. The theme for the Nursery, P1-2 and P3-4 categories is ‘Seasons of Farming’ and for P5-7 ‘Farm Safety’; special school pupils have a choice of either theme. The winning class in each category will receive £200 and the runners-up will receive £100 each. The winners will also have the opportunity to receive a visit from Mash Direct in June. Pupils can design individually or in their class, a picture or poster, a collage, or a sculpture and can get creative by using agricultural material such as sheep’s wool and straw, before the March 20 deadline.

ocal EUROSPAR staff members have raised £25,000 for Cancer Fund for Children, a charity supporting local families affected by cancer. Representatives from Henderson Retail-owned EUROSPARs held their latest monthly meeting at the charity’s Daisy Lodge short break facility in Newcastle. The team celebrated raising £25,191 for the charity since 2011 through events such as abseils, marathons and taking part in the All Wrapped Up Christmas Jumper appeal. The representatives also got the chance to tour Daisy Lodge and enjoy a delicious lunch at the facility. Henderson Retail and independent EUROSPAR and VIVOXTRA stores have been supporting the charity since 2011, and have raised £387,000 to date. 8

Pictured are Barclay Bell, deputy president of UFU and Damian McCarney, acting manager director of MRPNI, with Lucy and Lauren Cheatley and Joe Wilson.

My Life in the Grocery Trade Chanelle Conway, Food to Go specialist for Musgrave Retail Partners NI (MRPNI) WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? My role is to develop and improve the execution of the Food to Go category in SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores, through the development of new ranges and innovative concepts that grow sales for our independent retail partners. BRIEFLY OUTLINE YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY TO DATE I joined MRPNI following 10 years with Henderson Food Service, where I successfully developed their Food to Go business. Prior to this, I held positions in sales development with Cuisine de France and Pierre’s. WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? The main thing I enjoy about the role is the variety; no two days are the same. I honestly can’t think of a worst bit, which isn’t a bad issue to have with your job. BRIEFLY OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY My morning starts with a peppermint tea to go. From there, it depends whether I am in the office or on the road with customers. Food to Go is a significant growth area for MRPNI so I am involved in a lot of development and project meetings and I balance this with time on the road between supporting new store openings and visiting our existing customer base. WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? Last year, we held our first dedicated Food to Go show; this was our opportunity to showcase the new suppliers brought into the business over 2014. Our customers were able to see and sample the products from over 30 suppliers and it was a well-attended event with over 120 of our stores in attendance. WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL RETAIL INDUSTRY? The ability to collaborate with local suppliers. Supporting local is a key pillar of the business in MRPNI and our work in this area has grown sales with a range of local suppliers.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? For me it’s all about the gym. Anyone that knows me will know I always travel with a full kit in the car should an opportunity arise for an impromptu visit. TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW. I failed my first driving test as, while driving at two miles per hour, I knocked against a poor man and his shopping went all over the place. Thankfully, he was unharmed; I eventually passed after the third attempt!

STORE FOCUS

Craig Truesdale, store manager at The Chalet.

Costcutter Portadown A brand-new convenience store in Co Armagh is a ‘jewel in the crown’ for the Costcutter Supermarkets Group. Brian McCalden reports from Portadown.

n investment of over £1m by the owners, the well-known and highly respected McKeown family, means the mainland-based wholesaler was able to enjoy its first ever ‘new build’ store opening in Northern Ireland at ‘The Chalet’ last July. Now despite a standing start with no existing customer base at all, the Armagh Road store is going from strength to strength – even with a well-established Spar–branded forecourt less than 50 yards away. Craig Truesdale is the store manager at The Chalet, and with a personal track record of work in the trade – specifically as assistant manager at another Costcutter – he is well qualified to oversee the business’s rapid growth. He explained that the site had been formerly a public house owned by the family for many years, but that, given the recession and other factors, the McKeown family, made the decision to diversify. “Although recession was a problem for all sectors, the family thought it was the right time to leave the licensed trade behind and 10

invest in the future of grocery retailing – the convenience trade in particular,” says Craig. His previous experience as a deputy manager at the Lurgan Costcutter meant he was in the perfect position to manage the newly-completed store that was built on the site after the original pub was demolished. “It is fair to say the new store is ‘stateof-the-art’ and is indeed a showcase for the Costcutter brand, but getting a customer base from nowhere was never going to be easy,” he says. “Despite some negative comments on starting with no historic customer base to call on, I was sure from day one that we could hit our targets and this has proved to be the case. “Offering not just a modern and comfortable environment, we put the focus on range, quality and value-for-money right away and that has paid off.” Looking ahead, the successful deli and the hot food operation is soon to be expanded into outside catering and to wholesale their product too; a move that will be especially welcome among local suppliers. Craig said that almost all their fresh

produce is coming from local businesses: “Knox’s Butchers in Portadown itself is one such supplier, while we also use Harvest in Lurgan and Edenmore Potatoes, also Lurgan.” Craig added that he wants to ensure ‘The Chalet Cuisine’ brand has the best ingredients inside every product that they produce and that’s why they source all their meat and vegetables from local businesses. Craig said that he feels very strongly about supporting local businesses. He said Costcutter allows him to “go back to basics” and actually talk to customers rather than scan and bag. His team prides themselves on going that extra mile for the customer. He feels that other symbol groups have lost their way when it comes to serving customers. “That’s one of the good things about working with Costcutter, in that we take our main orders from them – with several deliveries a week across each category – but are free to buy from whoever we choose otherwise. Once the catering is undertaken, there will be more business for these suppliers.” That’s securing local jobs too with the actual shop itself boasting a staff of 16, half of whom are full time: “That may rise as demand increases when the new outside catering takes off too,” he says. “There is already a big trade at lunchtimes and also

STORE FOCUS

at weekends and we even do a buy-one-getone-free offer, for the hot food daily special offering a full dinner for under £4 – with the same again for free.” LONG HOURS The 3,000-square-foot store itself is open 7am to 10pm Monday to Thursday and Fridays and Saturday to 11pm and on Sundays from 8am to 10pm, with the hot food available from 7am until 3pm. But it was the rate at which trade picked up from nothing that has most impressed the busy manager. Craig explained that they now average 7,500 customers every week and they buy 22,000 products a week; he expects it to double by their first anniversary in July. “That’s despite there being a Spar on our doorstep, a Eurospar not far away and there being a major Asda supermarket across town as well as a nearby Lidl and other Costcutter stores.” The store itself is a really modern facility. All the lighting is low wattage LED and all the 18 hi-tech chillers work on a heat

recycling system that in turn powers the air conditioning, so it is all very ‘green’. There are three scanning tills; all connected to the management system for ease of ordering and behind the scenes there is a large walk-in freezer and chill facility as well as the soon-to-be-expanded kitchens. Thanks to the fact that everything is almost brand new, and built from scratch, Costcutter was able to help the family-owned proprietors considerably with guidance on design when they were first looking at making this £1m investment. “The location works very well,” says Craig. “It has excellent access for both cars and pedestrians, with over 30 dedicated parking spaces, yet is near the town and close to local housing. “The store facilities include an ATM, Lotto, hot drinks to go with the deli and hot food service, newspapers and magazines, flowers and plants, tobacco products, ambient goods and a full range of discounted/ special offer butchery products that are widely advertised.

“The off-sales is extremely competitive too and, while we are one of the largest independent retailers of Buckfast wines, there is a wide range of other wines and spirits for sale. “Top brands like Smirnoff vodka are often cheaper than in the supermarkets and we offer a range of special deals on quality wines, such as a Chardonnay at £4.49 which is actually less than half price as well as offers on beers such as four tins of Carling for £3.49.” Quality, and price are a given across all products, proving once again that convenience shopping isn’t always going to be more expensive. “From teabags to loose potatoes, with toilet tissue and even half price eggs, we can give just about a whole shopping experience in one handy location,” he says. With less than a year under his belt, Craig remains confident that The Chalet is a lot more than a ‘cottage’ industry and has so far shown its worth as a highly competitive business that is rapidly making its mark in a very price-conscious sector. “It’s not just price. Quality is vital too and our staff are always in smart uniforms and wearing name badges and more to the point are a friendly, local face behind the till, rather than the ‘mass production’ in the major supermarkets. “That’s where we win,” he says. “As for range, we did look closely at all the offerings across the wholesalers and are very glad we decided to go with Costcutter. It is the way forward for The Chalet.” Commenting on behalf of Costcutter Supermarkets Group, John Clarke, regional manager, said: “Craig and the team have worked exceptionally hard to deliver the best possible store for their local community. We have worked closely with them to help them achieve their goals and the growth they are seeing from a standing start is excellent. “We work with hundreds of independent retailers across the country, helping them to develop their business and create the right offer for their customers. The Costcutter brand is very strong and customers continue to recognise the value it offers.” 11

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

Satisfying consumer need Northern Ireland trio for a healthy mid-morning short-listed in FreeFrom snack Awards

ereal Bars continue to play a key role in healthier snacking but great taste is absolutely critical, according to Robert Roberts, supplier of the Weight Watchers cereal bar range. Each bar has only three Pro Points and approximately 130kcal, and the range includes Juicy Fruit & Yogurty Apricot variants. The bars are available in CDU format 24x35g, PMP 55p, and both Slimmers and non-slimmers are said to love them.

8 â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘Ulster 3612 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

hree Northern Ireland food companies have been shortlisted in the 2015 FreeFrom Food Awards, which celebrate the best in gluten-free, dairyfree, nut-free and all free-from foods. The short-listed companies are Comber-based Mash Direct (Innovation category - Vegetable Burgers and Spring Cabbage); Antrim-based Rule of Crumb (Breads - PartBaked Baguette, Meaty and Fishy Ready Meals - Chicken Goujons, and Foods for Children - Chocolate Balls); and Warrenpoint-based Squeeze Wheat Juice (Innovation and Raw Foods and Superfoods Ready to Drink Wheatgrass Shots). All products are gluten, wheat or dairy free and many are free of all three plus eggs, nuts and other allergens, and are among 270 products short-listed in 15 categories. Winners will be announced and presented with their certificates by Antony Worrall Thompson at an invitation-only party in central London on April 22.

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

Boost sales with functional products R

etailers can meet the demands of consumers by stocking functional products in convenient formats, according to Grace Foods UK, manufacturer of Nurishment, the UK’s best-selling nutritionally enriched milk drink*. Nurishment Extra, in a 310ml PET format, is ideal for drinking on the move. Nurishment supplies consumers with much of the day-to-day goodness they need, including vitamins, minerals, calcium and as much as 12g of protein per bottle. “Products which taste great, can be consumed on the go and have functional benefits present the ideal offering for consumers with busy lifestyles,” says Nyree Chambers, head of Marketing for Grace Foods UK. “Nurishment fits the bill perfectly; through its exclusive mix of vitamins and minerals it helps to replenish some of the consumers’ lost energy, especially when they don’t have time to stop. It’s ideal for drinking on the move as a delicious, nutritious snack which fits into young adults’ lifestyles and won’t interrupt their routine.” For further information please contact Joanne Beattie, brand manager at Robert Roberts NI Ltd on 028 9267 3316.

*Source: IRI UK Nutritionally Enriched Milk Drink Category – Unit Sales, Period: MAT 52 w/e 31st January 2015.

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

O’Brien Ingredients hosts Roadshow on SS Nomadic

ver 200 customers from bakeries across Ireland attended the Nomadic Belfast Bakery Roadshow hosted by O’Brien Ingredients onboard the SS Nomadic in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter last month. A unique one day bakery pop-up extravaganza, O’Brien Ingredients customers were invited to meet the O’Brien team, and view and taste their extended product range. Bakery trade brands exhibiting at the event included AAK, ADM Milling, Dawn Foods, Dossche Mills, Flemings, Ireks, Lakeland Dairies, Rock Brand, Satin Ice roll-out icing and Schokinag chocolate. Attendees were treated to Victorian -tyle High Tea, before visiting different bakery themes laid out over the two floors of the ship. The upper deck took customers to Cherbourg, to view and taste a range of continental breads, high class chocolate work and fine patisserie. In the belly of the ship, commodity conversations took hold and deals were brokered on flour, yeast, fats, margarine, greasing agents, dairy, egg, sugar, icings, jams, fruit and nuts. Further themes included a Novelty,

Rachel Smith of Schokinag chocolate was among trade exhibitors at the Roadshow.

Packaging & Accessories room, Irish-themed display of traditional cakes, breads and Irish recipes with a modern twist and an Americanthemed display featuring donuts, cookies, roulades, cupcakes, American scones, French

fancies, cream pies, ring cakes, vortex cakes, bundt cakes, gateaux, tarts and brownies. O’Brien Ingredients is the largest supplier of bakery ingredients on the island of Ireland, and is celebrating 50 years in business.

Irwin’s Bakery ‘Loves Muffins’

Irwin’s Bakery competition winner Audrey Spratt (right) and her mum Patricia Denvir get ready to jet off to Venice.

rwin’s Bakery devoted the month of February to spreading the love for its range of Muffins with an integrated marketing campaign, ‘Love Muffins’, which included a partnership with U105 to win a trip to Venice. “We supported the on-air competition with outdoor and in store advertising, as well as a social media and sampling campaign, which gave us a great opportunity to engage with new shoppers and raise awareness of the Irwin’s brand,” said Richard McQuillan, head of marketing at Irwin’s Bakery.

DAIRY

Report addresses dairy sector sustainability

Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK, is pictured with George Eustice MP and Neil Parish MP.

report highlighting the current achievements, priorities and issues in the dairy industry, alongside measures to make the British dairy industry more sustainable and competitive, was published by the Dairy All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) earlier this month. The report, entitled The Sustainable Competitiveness of the British Dairy Industry, follows a thorough enquiry drawing on the views of a range of industry experts and outlines a number of key steps for the Government to take in order to support the future of the industry. “The dairy industry has been facing difficult times for a few months

and therefore it was appropriate for the APPG to conduct a thorough enquiry on how to ensure that the British dairy industry remains sustainable and competitive in the future,” said Neil Parish MP, chairman of the Dairy APPG. “Volatility has been an inherent feature of the dairy market for a number of years and it is one of the greatest challenges facing the dairy industry. Therefore, it is vital that the whole supply chain works together to try and mitigate volatility as efficiently as possible. The extreme volatility seen over the last few months is affecting the whole supply chain but the industry is confident of an upturn during the course of the year. “We must not forget that the long-term prospects for the British dairy industry are positive. The global demand for dairy is on the rise and the UK has an important role to play when it comes to meeting this demand. In the meantime, we must not be complacent and we must consider every tool in the box to alleviate the current pressure on the industry and foster profitability and growth in a sustainable way. “We held six productive sessions, gathering evidence from a number of experts in the field, and I would like to thank everyone who shared their views and expertise.” The Dairy APPG was revived in 2014 with the intention of encouraging informed debate on the British dairy industry in Parliament, in addition to supporting the development of a sustainable and profitable dairy industry in the UK. It is hoped that the findings outlined in this report will help Parliament and Government support the sustainable competitiveness of the dairy industry in the UK.

Milk and butter guidance revised

esearch challenging advice to cut consumption of full-fat milk and butter, issued in the 1970s and 1980s by the US and UK governments, has been published by scientific journal Open Heart. The government advice, which had a major impact on dairy sales, was aimed at reducing coronary heart disease (CHD) by reducing fat intake but the new research concludes there is no evidence base behind the advice. “Butter and full-fat milk are nutrient-rich products that have been consumed as part of diets for many hundreds of years,” said Dr Anne Mullen, director of nutrition at The Dairy Council, following publication of the research. “Public guidelines should be clear, recognisable and achievable. It is more important to look at the science-based evidence over many years, rather than individual studies, and there is a very strong body of evidence to demonstrate the nutritional qualities of dairy products. They have stood the test of time well. “An excess in consumption of saturated fat contained in any foods would not be a good, balanced diet but the reality is that anyone putting butter on their toast in the morning or drinking full-fat milk - unless they have a particular medical condition - can do so in the knowledge that these are nutritionally-sound products. The overarching issue in terms of saturated fat is the amount rather than the existence of it in a particular product.”

Milk merger talks under between co-ops

allyrashane Co-op and Town of Monaghan Co-op are currently in merger talks which, if approved, could potentially create the second largest milk processor in Northern Ireland after Dale Farm. Coleraine-based Ballyrashane buys in around 100m litres of milk annually from 100 local farmers, and is a supplier to – among others – M&S and the Henderson Group. Town of Monaghan, meanwhile, represents around 950 farmers supplying an annual 460m litres of milk and operates a processing facility in Artigarvan, Co Tyrone.

Northern Irish dairy business boosts turnover N

orthern Ireland’s Strathroy Dairy aims to expand business, particularly in the Republic of Ireland, on the back of an increase in turnover to more than £50m last year. Based in Omagh with an operation in Dublin, the company reported turnover of £56.6m for the year ended July 31, 2014 up from £48.5m the previous year. Gross profit rose from £6.1m to £6.6m in the same period. In addition,

8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Strathroy increased employment during the year from 131 to 152 staff. Director Patrick Cunningham said the company had been able to “achieve growth and increase its market share” despite a “highly competitive” dairy industry in both Northern Ireland and the Republic. The company’s success is dependent on the ongoing management of business risks and uncertainties it faces.

“The directors continue to work closely with suppliers, customers, staff, and financial institutions to carefully manage the company’s operations.” The family-owned company has been producing and marketing fresh dairy goods, particularly milk and cream in Northern Ireland and the Republic from Omagh since 1850. The Strathroy name was first used on premium products in 1923.

DAIRY

Cheestrings and Yollies demonstrate their adventurous sides K

erry Foods, an expert in chilled, is adding adventure to the kids’ dairy snacking category with the launch of an exciting new on-pack promotion across its Cheestrings and Yollies brands, backed by a multi-million pound marketing campaign across TV, cinema, sampling and online. The promotion launched on February 20 and will offer consumers the opportunity to win a weekend of adventure in an activity centre across the UK and Ireland, as part of an exciting extension to Cheestrings’ and Yollies popular Brave Bones Club property, which encourages children to get active and play more adventurously. There are 60 weekends up for grabs, offering consumers the chance to win one every day for 60 days. Adventures include a whole host of exciting activities including kayaking, archery, climbing and many more, while collectable ‘Bonkers’ sticker badges, each with an exclusive adventure challenge, will also feature in special packs. “Last year’s ‘Bonkersly Brave’ on-pack promotion proved extremely successful, increasing website visits by +212%, and driving extra sales as frequency of purchase rose by +22% during the period,” said Bronagh Clarke, Kids Dairy Snacks marketing manager at Kerry Foods. “We are confident that by giving our consumers a chance to win a family adventure weekend every day we will see a similar uplift. “Our successful TV campaign, which has already captured the imagination of our target audience, will feature a new tag to support the on-pack promotion for seven weeks across TV and VOD from February 21. “We will also continue to convey the message that Cheestrings and Yollies are a source of calcium, helping kids to develop strong bones at a young age and a great choice for either lunchboxes or an on-the-go snack.”

Factbox • Kerry Foods offers new excitement and adventure to Yollies and Cheestrings consumers. • ‘Win a family adventure experience’ promotion is aimed at driving frequency and engagement. • New on-pack promotion to win family weekends away is the latest exciting addition to the Multi Million Brave Bones Club marketing campaign.

“By championing adventurous play, the brand has helped to drive the popularity of Cheestrings and drive awareness of Yollies with mums, as well as generating extra excitement among kids.”

KF 4194 YOLLIES ULSTER GROCER AD REPRO.pdf

CMY

12/03/2015

15:17

DAIRY

Major NPD, marketing activity planned for Unilever Ice Cream A

strong past year for Unilever Ice Cream has included big launches across all segments of the ice cream category. “Within handheld, we launched Marc de Champagne Magnum which drove incremental sales in the category,” says Nigel Thomson, marketing manager for ice cream at Unilever. “Cornetto performed strongly with King Cone and Choc N Ball bringing teenagers into the category. Within desserts, we launched Ben & Jerry’s Greek to capitalise on the Frozen Yogurt trend and drive frequency within the luxury desserts category. In 2015, we have even stronger NPD and will be increasing our marketing investment to drive sales in the ice cream category.” Activity planned for 2015 includes: Impulse Ice Cream – 2015 will be a strong year for the Impulse Ice Cream market, with exciting NPD launches that will drive interest in the category and the continuation of Unilever’s award-winning Walls Goodbye Serious marketing campaign. A Cornetto £1 price mark pack will be launched to appeal to teenagers and people looking for a great value snack. Research and results from other markets has shown that by offering a Cornetto at £1, significant growth can be driven in the category. “Cornetto Taco will be launched in late March and is a great option for teenagers looking for a filling snack,” says Madeline Boulton, assistant brand manager of impulse ice cream at Unilever. “This product brings the great taste of Cornetto to a novel format in the shape of a taco. It is a great tasting and easy eating handheld product for people on the go. “In 2015, we will be supporting Cornetto with a marketing spend of over £2m in Northern Ireland the UK. This will encompass digital, social, a music partnership and experiential activity with the aim of cementing Cornetto as the ultimate snack for teenagers.” Music Tornado, meanwhile, is Unilever’s kid-focused product for 2015, with four different sticks that play different notes to 18

keep kids entertained, while Freaky Foot will be brought back this month in Northern Ireland, with a strong social media and PR support plan. “Freaky Foot, being a Northern Irish classic, is expected to perform a lot stronger in bringing people back to the category,” says Boulton. Handheld Ice Cream – Marc de Champagne was extremely well received by the Northern Irish consumer with strong sales in 2014. For 2015, Unilever will be launching Magnum Pink and Black, which is expected to do even better. Magnum Pink is a vanilla ice cream with a rich raspberry swirl, double-dipped with delicious Magnum chocolate and finished with pink chocolate. Magnum Black is a vanilla ice cream with a decadent espresso swirl and double dipped in Magnum dark chocolate. “Magnum Pink and Black is Unilever’s biggest launch in 2015, with consumer research showing these two products are our strongest in years,” says Boulton. “Over 70% of those who have tried the products viewed them as excellent and we are expecting strong repeat rates and for Pink and Black to be the strongest NPD of the year.” Pink and Black will be supported by a 360 marketing campaign, with TV, VOD, outdoor, digital and social and PR activity. Desserts – Unilever has strong plans across its three main brands with NPD, and upweighted marketing plans.

Ben & Jerry’s – Unilever will be launching Cookie Cores, which are an indulgent sub range taking one flavour and delivering it in three ways. “There will be three products in the range: What a Lotta Chocolate; Peanut Butter Cookie; and Speculoos? SpecuLove,” says David Suter, desserts brand manager at Ben & Jerry’s. “We will be increasing our marketing support to drive incremental sales in the luxury pint segment across TV, VOD, social and digital, outdoor, and experiential, and will be doing a Core Tour to sample our product.” What A lotta Chocolate is Chocolate Ice cream with chocolate cookie chunks and a chocolate cookie core; Peanut Butter Cookie, Peanut Butter ice cream with peanut butter cookie chunks and a peanut butter core; and Speculoos? Specu-Love, Caramel ice cream with Speculoos cinnamon biscuit cookie chunks and a Speculoos cinnamon biscuit cookie core. Unilever will also be launching B&J Vanilla 100ml; a key flavour within the segment and a flavour gap for the Ben & Jerry’s range. Within our Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops, this is the top selling flavour and is sure to drive Ben & Jerry’s Impulse Ice Cream sales in 2015. Ben & Jerry’s will be continuing its Join Our Core campaign helping innovative businesses, and championing the Climate Change cause in 2015. Hazelbrook Farm – will see an extension to the Pint Brick range with the addition of a Strawberry Flavour. Strawberry is the number three flavour within the desserts segment and is sure to drive incremental sales. Carte d’Or – will see continuation of the support behind marketing at Easter and Christmas. Unilever will be increasing its marketing support by 20% and align more closely with the evening dessert occasion. Support will include TV, VOD, print and sponsorship of ITV’s Good Morning Show.

DAIRY

Scoop sales with a taste of tradition

elicious, locally-made Mullins Ice Cream has become a much-loved brand since it was first made by the Mullin family in Kilrea over 60 years ago. Created with the finest ingredients and purest dairy cream, Mullins Ice Cream comes in a range of 18 sumptuous flavours and is enjoyed by families across Northern Ireland all year round. Whether it’s a summer’s day scoop of decadent Double Caramel in a cone, or a take-home tub of moreish Dairy Cream & Honeycomb for the family to enjoy, the appeal of Mullins Ice Cream is endless.

In addition to the range of existing 18 lines, which range from classic Raspberry Ripple to quirky Jaffa Cake flavour, Mullins regularly produce seasonal limited-edition flavours to capture the imagination of the consumer and maximise tactical sales opportunities, such as the recent Candyfloss. Mullins Ice Cream is all about quality – a rich, creamy ice cream made using delicious local dairy. A modern brand, it also celebrates tradition. Its pastel packaging captures the traditional, family appeal of Mullins – and makes an impactful addition to any store. As

the consumer trend for locally made, quality produce continues to rise, Mullins Ice Cream’s popularity continues to grow. “Selling Mullins Ice Cream can create a competitive advantage for your business and generate impressive profits,” said Peter Lynn of Mullins Ice Cream. “With low set up costs, a high profit margin and all year round appeal, stocking Mullins Ice Cream is sure to scoop sales for retailers in 2015.” To become a Mullins Ice Cream stockist or to find out more about our generous Load-in Deals, contact Peter Lynn on 07711 760780.

Dale Farm Ice Cream is gearing up for the upcoming season with an exciting range of new products, to add to an already extensive portfolio of impulse and take home favourites. With our award-winning products and iconic market leading brands, Dale Farm Ice Cream offers something delicious for all the family.

For more information contact Dale Farm Ice Cream on 02890 372 250 or www.dalefarm-icecream.co.uk

DAIRY David Dobbin

Leading global dairy market growth Northern Ireland saw the greatest dairy market growth of any region in the world last year, led by Dale Farm, Group Chief Executive David Dobbin tells Alyson Magee.

global oversupply of milk and unfavourable exchange rates have done little to curb the rapid growth of Dale Farm, which grew volume sales by 20% and value by around 10% in 2014. With export markets volatile, the trading subsidiary of co-operative United Dairy Farmers Group has refocused its attention on the buoyant domestic convenience cheese and butter categories and innovation from sugarfree yoghurt lines to new protein products. While export sales are still relatively strong, a buoyant 2013 gave way to a more challenging global trading environment last year due to a dairy surplus and, latterly, fluctuating exchange rates. “Because of the weakening of the euro, it’s become much more difficult for Northern Ireland and UK-based food processors to compete in international markets,” says Dobbin. “Even those companies that don’t export are going to feel the pressure from 22

rivals who are in the euro-land in their home market.” Favourable weather conditions were a major factor in the global dairy surplus. “Normally, you’ve got adverse weather somewhere in the world, a drought or a flood but, in 2014, we had an early spring and a late autumn which meant that the processing year for milk was extended with perfect weather for crops and grass,” says Dobbin. “We had bumper grain harvests and bumper milk production right around the world.”

As a result, global milk production rose by 5% in 2014, creating a surplus above the 2% uplift in demand. Further, the Ukraine-related Russian embargo on EU produce implemented in 2014 shut out around 300,000 tonnes of cheese and butter which “has been reverberating around the market,” he says, while demand from China slowed down in the second half of last year. One positive factor in the wider dairy market has been falling grain and energy costs, which are partially offsetting price pressure from the market surplus and currency exchange rates. CHEESE AND BUTTER DRIVING GROWTH Following a £20m investment in its cheddar cheese and whey production site at Dunmanbridge, Cookstown over the last few years, Dale Farm ramped up its cheese production by 75% while increasing consumer sales of cheese by 120% in 2014. “That’s because we were selling less than half of our cheese output into consumer products for retail shelves or foodservice products, and that 120% growth has been in that area,” says Dobbin. Sales of butter, meanwhile, rose by 20% in 2014. “That’s driven by two things,” he says. “We’ve grown strongly in the British market but also, there’s been a swing back to butter with margarine now actually seen as less healthy. That has helped drive growth in the butter market and then we’ve increased our market share by winning new business in the British market, and increased it further in Northern Ireland and southern Ireland.” Sales also continue to grow for Dale Farm’s dessert range and, while the liquid milk market is flat and total yoghurt market has declined, its new Greek and Fat Free Greek lines are performing well. “We’re now seeing strong growth in the Greek category and also in the low-fat, no-sugar category,” says Dobbin. “Having developed fat free yoghurts, we’ve been working hard to produce no sugar versions and will be launching a number of products in 2015.”

DAIRY Dale Farm is hoping to bolster the categories further with over £1m spend on TV and media campaigns for Dromona and Spelga, also including outdoor and social media activity, which will go live in April and peak in the autumn. “We’re local market leader now in butter and joint market leader in cheese, so we’re obviously trying to drive our cheese brand to be the clear market leader,” says Dobbin. Sponsorship activity includes golf with the 2015 Open and the 2017 Irish Open in Northern Ireland and football with the Milk Cup, which has a strong international presence allowing Dale Farm to promote its brand in target export markets. The Dale Farm Athletes’ Academy, in partnership with the Mary Peters Trust, provides further support for young hopefuls across a range of sporting disciplines. STRONG INNOVATION PIPELINE “Our NPD pipeline will be pretty strong for 2015 because of our focus on constantly rejuvenating our offering and making sure that Dale Farm products are benchmarked as either the best or matching the best in the categories we operate in,” says Dobbin. “We’re also looking at improving nutrition, and there’s on-going work to reduce packaging and make our products more environmentally friendly.” Dale Farm has plans to enter a new category this year, with a range of protein products aimed at the sports market and older consumers seeking to maintain bone and muscle health. “If you make cheese as we do, one of the by-products of its manufacture is whey and we’ve spent a considerable amount of money developing a state-of-the-art whey protein facility at Cookstown,” says Dobbin. “We’ve seen 270% growth in our whey protein sales on the back of that plant, which allows us to go into the sports and health markets.” Dale Farm also sponsors Ulster Rugby and Glasgow Warriors, and has been working with both teams and their nutritionists – as well as experts at Queen’s University – to develop protein drinks. ACQUISITIONS PAY OFF Recent acquisitions by the co-operative are, meanwhile, paying off with Mullins – one of three businesses acquired by Dale Farm over recent years alongside Ash Manor in Wales and speciality cheese producer Fivemiletown – seeing a 40% increase in production over the last two years. “We’ve been able to build on our sales and distribution strengths, particularly across the island of Ireland, and really get Mullins ice cream to a wider consumer base,” says Dobbin. The purchase of Ash Manor, previously a customer of Dale Farm’s, has facilitated expansion into the fast-growing convenience

cheese sector with increased grated and slicing capacity totalling an annual 20,000 tonnes. “It’s given us a big expansion in our ability to offer grated and sliced and diced cheese products for both the foodservice and the retail market,” says Dobbin. Two new high-speed packing lines at Dunmanbridge, meanwhile, are allowing Dale Farm to produce an additional 12,000 tonnes of cheese in packs with re-sealable zips. “The trend in consumer cheese has been towards the recloseable zip,” says Dobbin, “so our range of products has all moved, or is moving, to zip. If you take the impact of Ash Manor plus that investment in Cookstown, we’ve had the ability to significantly grow those packed products and we won a number of large national contracts and one panEuropean contract for Lidl, where we’re supplying Lidl with cheddar cheese right across Europe. Having the zip format has allowed us to go after major own-label contracts as well as enhancing our own branded range.” The Fivemiletown acquisition added speciality cheeses to its portfolio. “We have been able to take it from a loss-making situation back to break even and we’ve started to grow its sales and have seen good retailer response to what we’ve been doing,” he says. While niche in comparison to Dale Farm’s cheddar cheese production, Fivemiletown achieved strong sales at Christmas through gift packs and its new owner is hoping to build on its growing distribution strength in GB, where the Boilie goats’ cheese range and Ballybrie, Ballyoak and Ballyblue cheeses are already generating interest. DAIRY MARKET PROSPECTS Signs of stabilisation are emerging in the

global dairy market, says Dobbin, as production stalls due to the lower prices, drought in New Zealand and the impact of the ‘super-levy’ applied to European markets exceeding their milk quota. The Republic of Ireland is said to be potentially facing a super-levy bill exceeding €90m, with its farmers desperately cutting back on production in early 2015 to reduce the scope for penalty before the quota comes to an end in April. After the quotas end, “the fear is that potential surge of milk in the spring could then push us back into oversupply just as we’re starting to come out of it,” he says. With Northern Ireland in no danger of exceeding its milk quota, Dale Farm timed its expansion ahead of Europe’s expected post quota growth and was helped in this by Northern Ireland’s bumper production in 2014, when it delivered the greatest dairy market growth of any region in the world last year. Northern Ireland increased its milk production by 200 million litres to 2.2 billion litres in 2014. “Most of that extra production was processed by Dale Farm as part of our expansion so we have seen our surge,” says Dobbin. “We grew last year by around 20% and the previous year 30%. The southern Irish plan for Harvest 2020 is to grow their output by 50% so we’ve already done that, and our plan was to get that growth and get it into the market ahead of the wave of Irish and other European countries. “We’ve been working hard to get a foothold, to expand ahead of our competitors and that get that expansion into the market first and therefore we think we’re relatively well positioned compared to other dairy companies going into the post quota era.” 23

DAIRY

Quinns sets its sights on all-ireland ice cream market

he Quinn family has been involved in convenience retailing in Cookstown since 1967, starting off as an independent in their small Church Street shop. Soon John and Brigid joined the Spar symbol group where they remained for a long and happy 21 years. In 1990, the Quinn family moved from Spar to Costcutter, again enjoying a successful

period of 17 years. Most recently, in 2011, the family, now being managed by daughters Mary, Eilish and Martina, returned to the Spar brand and opened their second store in Westland Road South, Cookstown. The family now operate two large, modern convenience stores, employing a total of 78 full and part-time staff.

From the very start, whipped ice cream was at the centre of the business, with customers coming into the town from miles around to taste ‘Quinn’s Ice Cream’. Soon scooped ice cream was introduced, complementing the whipped offering. In 2011, the family began to make its own Italian-style Gelato. Quinn’s Artisan Gelato was first introduced into the new Westland Road shop and became an instant success, not only with customers from Cookstown, but from far and wide around mid-Ulster. Soon Gelato was being sold in the family’s Church Street store. You can now get Quinn’s Gelato in over 40 fantastic flavours. Never resting on one’s laurels, the Quinn family has continuously improved on its home-made recipe, while adding several more creamy flavours and sorbettos. Responding to the interest shown by many other retailers, the family has embarked on the ‘next phase’, which is to wholesale their Italian-Style Gelato to other towns and villages throughout Ireland, while working hard to ensure that their creamy gelato maintains its hand-made quality and taste.

Current Outlets Westland Road Spar Cookstown Church Street Spar Cookstown Patrick Street Spar Newry McGirr’s Spar Omagh McAleer’s Spar Irvingstown Litter’s Spar Portadown Ranfurly Eurospar Dungannon Eurospar Dromara Glenavy Village Spar Dundonald Eurospar Belfast Ladas Drive Eurospar Belfast Milestone Nisa Rathfriland White Swan Restaurant Saintfield Coming in 2015 15-20 new sites throughout Northern Ireland

A16 Kilcronagh Business Park Cookstown Co Tyrone BT80 9HJ t: (028) 8676 7717 t: (028) 8676 2963 m: 07900 268604 e: frank.kilpatrick@quinnsgelato.com

DAIRY

Get a scoop on Dale Farm Ice Cream in 2015 T

his year, Dale Farm Ice Cream will continue to offer a top quality portfolio of products to the Northern Ireland retail trade, combined with an unrivalled, partnership-led service. Alongside existing ‘cool classics’ such as Pear Picking Porky and a successful take home range including Dale Farm Vanilla and Honeycomb 1 litre tubs, the company is launching an exciting selection of new products for 2015, guaranteed to make mouths water and sales soar. “At Dale Farm Ice Cream, we constantly review and amend our suite of products to meet the needs of today’s consumer and stay ahead of emerging trends, whilst also continuing to celebrate our muchloved hero products,” said Nigel Cairns, commercial director – Ice Cream, at Dale Farm. “This year, our product development team has created a brand new selection of products as well as introducing fresh flavours to popular existing ranges.” 2015 marks Dale Farm Ice Cream’s first step into a new category, as it diversifies into take home frozen yogurt. “We have used our rich heritage and expertise in the dairy industry to develop a premium quality range of frozen yogurts. In line with the global food trend towards healthy indulgence, our Greek Style Frozen Yogurts contain 0% fat, without compromising on flavour,” said Cairns.

“With a rich, creamy taste, which consumers will recognise from our Spelga yogurt range, our Greek Style Frozen Yogurt lines are available in Lemon, Mango & Vanilla and Mixed Berry.” Other new additions include two new ice cream cone lines within the Rapture range. “The popularity of our indulgent Rapture ice cream inspired us to develop two delicious new flavours for 2015,” said Cairns. “These include the decadent Rapture White, a vanilla ice cream cone with raspberry sauce coated in luxurious Belgian white chocolate; and the moreish Rapture Caramel – a caramel ice cream cone with a toffee sauce centre, topped with hazelnut. “Alongside iconic ice-cream products like Dale Farm’s Mr Frostie and Polly Pineapple, our Giant Bar has been a much-loved product by families across Northern Ireland for decades. “Always keen to develop innovative new flavours and product concepts, we’re launching a Bubblegum Giant Bar, which, if our taste testers are anything to go by, is set to prove a hit with kids of all ages.”

With a product for every occasion, from cool new flavours to familiar favourites, healthy options to indulgent treats, Dale Farm Ice Cream has something for all the family to enjoy in 2015. For more information, please contact Dale Farm Ice Cream on 028 9037 2250.

HENDERSON GROUP AWARDS

UK-wide awards success for SPAR and EUROSPAR stores

EUROSPAR Cullybackey has been short-listed for Best Large Store, Community Retailer of the Year and Best Customer Service.

hree SPAR and EUROSPAR stores have been nominated for a national retail awards ceremony to be held in London on March 19. SPAR McBride’s in Enniskillen, EUROSPAR Moneymore in Co Derry~Londonderry and EUROSPAR Cullybackey, Co Antrim have been short-listed for awards at the Convenience Retail Awards 2015. The event showcases the hard work and achievements made by the very best in the convenience sector across the UK, providing well-deserved recognition for outstanding stores, staff and standards. The stores and supermarkets have been recognised in the following categories:

Kelly’s EUROSPAR Moneymore has been short-listed for Best Large Store.

• EUROSPAR Cullybackey: Best Large Store, Community Retailer of the Year, Best Customer Service • Kelly’s EUROSPAR Moneymore: Best Large Store • McBride’s SPAR, Scaffog, Enniskillen: Best Multiple Convenience Store, Best Chilled Food Retailer, Best Customer Service “We are delighted for the retailers who have been recognised by these awards and we wish everybody the best of luck at the gala event in London next month,” said Paddy Doody, Sales & Marketing director at Henderson Wholesale. “The national nod shows what a thriving convenience sector

we are leading here in Northern Ireland, and we’re excited about the future of our convenient store and supermarket concepts expanding in 2015.” Mallusk-based Henderson Retail, part of the Henderson Group, owns and operates 77 SPAR and EUROSPAR stores across Northern Ireland, including the EUROSPAR Cullybackey shortlisted in three categories at the Convenience Retail Awards. The EUROSPAR brand continues to grow throughout Northern Ireland, with three new EUROSPAR supermarkets having opened in 2014, bringing the overall number to 42 supermarkets in Northern Ireland. Further openings are planned for 2015.

McBride’s SPAR, Scaffog, Enniskillen has been short-listed for Best Multiple Convenience Store, Best Chilled Food Retailer and Best Customer Service.

ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS

ULSTER

a ma nnua l rk aw etin ar g ds

40 years At the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

If you’re not in, you can’t win

Market ingAwards

Sponsors of this year’s Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards, together with winners from last year’s Awards, recently came together to officially launch the 2015 round

steemed sponsors of the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2015, together with winners from the 2014 event, recently assembled in the Culloden Hotel to officially launch this year’s event. Entry is open until March 31 and winners of the 27th annual UG Marketing Awards will be announced during the GroceryAid Ulster Grocers’ Ball at the Culloden Hotel on May 22. Entries are already flooding in for the eight categories which, this year, include the new accolade of Best Artisan Food Product Campaign. The other categories are: Best Marketing Campaign 2014, Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion, Best New Product Launch/ Relaunch, Best CSR Initiative/Charity Partnership, Best Brand, Green Retailer of the Year and Best Food Export Marketing Award.

ULSTER

“Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry has come into its own over the last few years, and we are looking forward to a high standard of entries showcasing the breadth and quality of our grocery sector in 2015,” said James Greer, publisher of Ulster Grocer magazine. “We urge as many local food companies and grocery retailers as possible to enter the Awards, and potentially reap the rewards and heightened profile associated with success.” Entry is open to any company involved in retail grocery trading, from products to suppliers and wholesalers, as well as individual retail outlets. The Awards are always hard fought with each category well represented and, as a result, are widely regarded as the highest marketing accolade businesses can achieve in the sector. The Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are recognised as a mark of professionalism, and raise the profile of companies not only

Sponsored by:

Market ingAwards

40 years At the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

2015

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Agri-food news

Agri-food advice: Inheritance Tax planning Seamus McCaffrey, managing director of Omagh-based Matrix Business Services, is an expert columnist for Ulster Grocer covering tax and business issues.

nheritance Tax (IHT) is the tax on wealth held at death plus the value of gifts made in the seven years prior to death. The rate of tax payable on death is 40% and, on lifetime transfers within seven years of death, 20% to 40%. Finance Act 2012 made provision for the encouragement of charitable donations on death by offering a reduced 36% tax rate, instead of 40%, in exchange for a 10% charitable legacy, which applies to deaths occurring on or after April 6, 2012. For IHT purposes, an estate is divided into three components and the 10% benchmark is compared to each component and not the estate as a whole. The rules allow the executors and beneficiaries to elect to merge two components of the estate and compare the charitable gift with the total; if this exceeds 10% of the merged figures, the 36% rate will apply to both components. Each spouse has a lifetime exemption of £325,000. In addition, there is the annual gifts allowance of £3,000 per year per spouse and the marriage gifts allowance of £5,000 per parent or £2,500 by a party to the marriage. In addition to the above allowances, there is Business Property Relief (BPR) at a rate of 100% against the value of business assets used in the business. However, BPR does not apply to the value of assets which are used in the ‘making or holding investments’. This

distinction is causing much uncertainty in dealing with BPR and there are many tax tribunal cases. In one case, the tribunal set out five criteria which are to be applied when determining whether the value of an asset is entitled to BPR: time spent on activities; capital employed in the business; business income; profits generated; and the overall context of the business. The tribunal also stated that it is the nature of what is being provided that matters and this was looked at over a five-year period. It is unlikely that there will be further clarification from Revenue and therefore more tribunal cases are likely. The onus is on the executors or personal representatives to prove to Revenue & Customs that the asset is used for business purposes and not the holding of investments. In addition to the allowances and reliefs already mentioned, there are many inheritance tax planning opportunities open to the taxpayer. For example, where there is a significant amount of surplus cash investments in the estate, the using of some or all of this cash to purchase shares on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) will result in BPR at 100% provided a number of conditions are met. The shares must be in trading companies, held for two years and must not be listed on any other Stock Exchange in mainland Europe. The formation of a Discretionary

Trust can significantly minimise inheritance tax and, at the same time, allow the owner some degree of control. The new flexibility in relation to pension funds creates significant inheritance tax planning opportunities. If the business trades as a limited company and a director’s loan exists in favour of the director, this is an asset liable to inheritance tax. However, if the director’s loan is transferred into redeemable preference shares, then, after two years, BPR applies. Inheritance tax planning is a key ingredient in succession planning and in ensuring the sustainability of the business. In order to avail of the many allowances and reliefs available to reduce inheritance tax, regular contact with the solicitor and accountant is necessary to ensure that appropriate evidence is maintained to support a claim for reliefs.

UFU raises land availability issues with EU U

lster Farmers’ Union (UFU) Deputy President Ivor Ferguson has led a delegation to Brussels to discuss the land availability issues currently facing many of Northern Ireland’s farmers, and potato and vegetable growers in particular. The delegation included UFU Potato Policy Committee Chair Adrian Jamison and UFU Vegetable Policy Committee Chair Roy Lyttle, and met with Pierre Bascou, director of the EU Commission’s Directorate of Direct Support. The meeting was organised by MEPs Jim Nicholson and Diane Dodds following an urgent meeting called by the UFU in late February. “It was a very constructive meeting and it was very useful to be able to meet with senior EU Commission officials to highlight the serious land availability difficulties UFU representatives recently met with European Commission currently facing potato and vegetable growers here in Northern Ireland,” said officials from the Directorate of Direct Support to discuss Ferguson. “We discussed various options that might help ease the situation here and the land availability issues, currently impacting on NI’s potato and vegetable growers. The meeting was organised by MEPs Commission has said it is prepared to participate in further discussions with the UFU and Jim Nicholson and Diane Dodds. DARD in an effort to find a satisfactory resolution to the problem. “For some time now, we have been aware of the difficulties many farmers are having in securing land for 2015, in particular vegetable and potato growers, and we have been working to see something put in place to help those farmers affected. The requirements around active farmers under the new CAP and the establishment of new entitlements in 2015 are largely the reason behind the land availability issues and potato and vegetable farmers are particularly vulnerable to land shortages as they need fresh ground annually, relying mostly on neighbours and landowners for ‘clean’ parcels of land in order to grow crops. “On a practical level, there is an urgency to see this issue resolved quickly as growers will want to get crops planted in the next few weeks but also the deadline for direct support applications is fast approaching and this is at the forefront of people’s minds as well. Hopefully with the assistance of the EU Commission, a solution can be found that will help our potato and vegetable growers’ access the much needed ‘clean’ land for 2015.”

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Agri-food news

NI to host International agriculture conference T

he Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is to host the 37th biennial North American and European Union Agricultural Conference over October 22-23, marking the first time the prestigious congress has been held on the island of Ireland. The conference brings together policy makers, influencers, and farmers from across the EU and North America to exchange experiences and discuss agri-related issues such as sustainability, collaboration, supply chain, the benefits of a common trade policy, and in particular trade policy within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its future direction. The conference will be hosted in partnership with COPA-COGECA, the representative body for the European agricultural sector, of which UFU is a member. “Agriculture is becoming an increasingly global discipline, as Northern Ireland’s farmers are all too aware, and often policy decisions made in other parts of the world are having a very real impact on our farm businesses here at home,” said Ian Marshall, president of UFU.

Pictured at the official launch of the 2015 North American – European Union Agriculture Policy Congress are, front row from left, William Sherrard, Zoetis; David Carins, NFU Mutual; Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill; Paddy McLaughlin, Devenish Nutrition; UFU President Ian Marshall; and Alan Harron, John Deere. Back row from left are DARD Permanent Secretary Noel Lavery; COPA Vice President Harry Sinclair; David Wright, Irish Farmers’ Journal; Oonagh Chesney, Fane Valley; and Shelia Geary, Visit Belfast.

“It is fantastic achievement for the Ulster Farmers’ Union and Northern Ireland to secure this internationally recognised and high profile event as it gives us an opportunity to showcase our agriculture industry on a global stage. The conference is also particularly timely as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the EU and USA continue to rumble

UFU highlights pig sector difficulties R epresentatives from the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) have met with the NI Executive’s Agriculture Committee, as well as processor Karro, to discuss difficulties currently faced by pig farmers. UFU Deputy President Ivor Ferguson, Pigs Policy Committee Chairman Jonny Cuddy and Policy Officer Roger Allen attended the meeting, which also covered a range of other issues including the wider current market situation, recommendations from the Agri-Food Strategy Board, export opportunities, potential pig diseases, and biosecurity. “We discussed a wide range of issues but the main area of concern continues to be the unjust and widening price differential,” said Ferguson. “Many Northern Ireland pig farmers are still facing an unsustainable and unfair price differential in comparison with their GB counterparts, and more needs to be done to see this crucial issue addressed.” The UFU Pigs Policy Committee has also met with senior representatives from the processing company Karro, including its chief executive, to discuss a range of issues currently affecting the local pig industry. “Overall it was a constructive meeting and it was useful for us to have had an open and frank discussion with the representatives from Karro about the current situation facing pig producers,” said Cuddy. “We also discussed that the UFU would form a pig sub group to discuss the various issues with Karro, Cookstown on a more regular basis.” Meanwhile, Trade Minister Arlene Foster expressed hope last month that Northern Ireland producers will soon be able to export pork products to China. Speaking after a meeting with Wang Shuying, Chinese Consul General to NI, Foster said: “China is an important and growing export market for Northern Ireland companies and I look forward to this relationship continuing. I particularly welcome the planned inspection visit by the Chinese National Certification Authority to our pork plants, with a view to enabling the export of pork products to China to commence.”

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on and the outcome could have a significant impact on regions heavily invested in livestock, such as Northern Ireland. “And although Northern Ireland will be one of the smallest regions participating in the congress, the profile and exposure as a food producing region and as a tourist destination that will come with hosting this conference will be immense.”

UFU rejects Red Tractor Lifetime Assurance proposals

ollowing a comprehensive internal consultation process, the UFU’s Executive Committee has rejected proposals made by Red Tractor for the implementation of Red Tractor Lifetime Assurance for beef. “Northern Ireland was one of the first countries in the world to adopt a farm assurance scheme for red meat, which has successfully assisted us in the market since its inception,” said Ian Marshall, president of UFU. “Our farm assurance scheme demonstrates to consumers that the finished product we produce is fully traceable, healthy and produced on farms that care for animal welfare and the wider rural environment. “It is therefore somewhat surprising that Red Tractor has published a consultation that seeks to radically change their beef assurance scheme by implementing lifetime assurance without any supporting evidence to demonstrate if there is a clear market demand. And if we were to go back a step, farmers would seriously question why they were not consulted with first on whether lifetime assurance is even practical or beneficial for the industry to deliver.” Earlier this year, Red Tractor announced a raft of initiatives developed over the past 18 months to improve the effectiveness of its assurance scheme. Changes include improvements to the assessment and inspection systems, increased scrutiny throughout the supply chain and the introduction of a team of ‘superauditors’. “These developments will further improve the quality of delivery of Red Tractor assurance standards,” said David Clarke, chief executive of Assured Food Standards, which operates the Red Tractor scheme. “While Red Tractor is acknowledged as the UK’s leading farm assurance scheme, we’re not content to rest on our laurels as we know that standards mean little if consumers can’t be confident that they are being properly followed.”

MARKETING NEWS

Moy Park joins Paul and Nick on American Food Trip M oy Park has secured a sponsorship deal to support the return of a popular culinary series on UTV featuring Paul Rankin and Nick

Nairn. The third series, Paul and Nick’s Big American Food Trip will be screened every Friday at 8pm from February 27 on UTV and will see the duo embark on a gastronomic food trip along the east coast of America, to investigate the influence of Ulster Scots food on the present day cuisine of North America. “As a leading food company Moy Park is delighted to sponsor Paul and Nick’s Big American Food Trip,” said Briege Finnegan, brand marketing manager for Moy Park. “Established in Northern Ireland in 1943, we are incredibly proud of our heritage and are passionate about producing high quality, locally sourced chicken and turkey. Paul and Nick share this ethos for good food and are real champions of local produce, which made sponsorship of the latest series a perfect fit.”

Pictured at the launch of Paul and Nick’s Big American Food Trip at James Street South are, from left, Paul Rankin; Briege Finnegan, brand marketing manager, Moy Park; Michael Stewart, Ireland commercial manager, Moy Park; and Nick Nairn.

Deep RiverRock and McCannBlue launch Hydration Test M

McCoy’s ‘in a different league’ with new deal

cCannBlue has worked with Irish water brand Deep RiverRock over the last few years, coining the nowfamiliar tagline If you can’t think straight. Hydrate. Just a 2% drop in hydration level will slow your body and mind, and take your eye off the ball. So with that in mind, the brand is challenging consumers to take the hydration test online – at their desk or on the go on their tablet or smartphone – with a series of fun games to test mental sharpness, and encourage ‘thirsty brains’ to top up on their hydration levels with Deep RiverRock. Besides designing and developing the online games, McCannBlue has created a whole social, online and responsive strategy for Deep RiverRock, incorporating Twitter and Facebook, and homepage takeovers of popular sites like Joe.ie. “The Deep RiverRock Brand team is delighted to have entered the digital arena with our new Facebook and Twitter pages,” said Ailbhe O’Briain, marketing manager for Deep RiverRock. “These, coupled with our new highly challenging hydration game, provide us with fantastic new communications platforms to interact with our target market in the environment in which they are actively engaged.”

cCoy’s has signed up as the Official Crisp Partner of the Football League, which was founded in 1888 with just 12 member teams including Everton, Aston Villa and Stoke City. Now McCoy’s is calling on Northern Ireland’s supporters of the League’s 72 clubs to get behind its latest campaign which, in association with Sky Sports, will offer local football fans the chance to win some amazing ‘money can't buy' football prizes on packs over the next few months. As well as thousands of ‘2 for 1’ football league tickets, footie fans can win executive tickets to the Championship Play-Off Final including a tour of Wembley stadium, VIP ‘meet and greet’ experiences with clubs and managers, and tours of Sky Studios with an opportunity to be in the audience for Soccer AM or Saturday Night Football including travel and accommodation. McCoy’s lovers can also win a brand new 42” TV with free Sky Sports for a year and a year’s supply of McCoy’s crisps. A Sky Sports TV campaign featuring popular Saturday morning football show Soccer AM’s presenter Max Rushden will also celebrate the ‘Real McCoy’s’ of the game. “Northern Ireland has always been a key market for McCoy’s so hopefully all those Football League fans out there will be happy to see a major campaign that isn’t just focused on the Premier League,” said Ricky Watts, business account manager (NI) for McCoy’s manufacturer KP Snacks. McCoy’s is the number one ridged crisp in Northern Ireland with 100% distribution across in 350 symbol stores locally for its top three flavours Flame Grilled Steak, Salt and Malt Vinegar and Cheddar and Onion.

Pictured launching the Hydration Test are, from left, Jessica Mitton, Ailbhe O’Briain and Andrew Murray.

From left, Rickie Watts and John Baxter of KP Snacks (NI) launch McCoy’s Crisps’ tasty new deal with the oldest league in world football.

MARKETING perspective NEWS

SCA’s all-female crew make waves in world’s toughest ocean race F ive grittily determined women from the UK are now a third of the way through the challenge of their lives; taking part in the toughest ocean race in the world – the Volvo Ocean Race. Annie Lush, Sam Davies, Dee Caffari, Libby Greenhalgh and Abby Ehler are five of the 11-woman international Team SCA crew, which has been taking part in the mammoth 38,739 -mile circumnavigation of the globe, starting in Spain in October 2014 and finishing in Sweden in three months’ time. So far, their Volvo Ocean 65 – the world’s most technologically advanced offshore racing boat – has sailed non-stop for 24 hours for nearly three weeks at a time, calling at just three ports in four months. The race features the world’s best professional sailors. Between the shore and sailing team, Team SCA has the combined experience of over 45 Volvo Ocean Races, 11 Olympic Games, 15 America’s Cup campaigns and five other around the world races.

Their valiant effort is being supported by SCA – the leading global hygiene and forest products company and parent company to household brands TENA, Bodyform, Velvet, Cushelle and Plenty. “SCA is supporting an all-female team because globally about 80% of the retail products SCA makes are purchased by women,” said Sally Barker, UK and Ireland managing director of SCA. “This gives SCA a natural interest in the role that women play in the field of hygiene of millions of families around the world. “Furthermore, SCA supports women’s empowerment and their freedom to participate fully in society – socially, educationally and professionally – across the world by giving them access to and education about hygiene products and solutions. “SCA is also participating in the Volvo Ocean Race because it is a unique global platform for building greater awareness of SCA and our leading personal hygiene brands. SCA’s vision is to make

Plenty unveils new breakfast TV sponsorship

he UK’s leading household towel brand, Plenty, is coming back to TV in 2015 with an exciting new 12-month sponsorship deal with ITV’s Lorraine. Launched in January, the highly popular breakfast show, hosted by well-known TV personality Lorraine Kelly, airs from Monday to Friday at 8.30am. Lorraine is one of the UK’s leading lifestyle and entertainment shows and, with an audience strongly aligned to Plenty’s own consumer profile, offers a

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great sponsorship fit for the SCA-owned brand. With Plenty featuring in six advertisements a day, five times a week, this exciting new sponsorship deal will see the brand reach more consumers than ever before. This activity forms part of Plenty’s £8m marketing investment for 2015, aimed at driving brand awareness and drawing consumers to the household area of a store. Coupled with traditional TV spots and a strategic video on demand plan, Plenty is set to reach more than 46 million consumers over the course of the year, keeping the brand, and the category, top of mind throughout. “This sponsorship gives us the opportunity to build brand awareness of the full Plenty range via a well-established TV show that is trusted, relevant and popular,” said Ailish Walsh, marketing manager for SCA Ireland. “Teaming this with traditional TV activity means that 2015 is set to be another strong year for the UK’s number 1.”

a difference by providing the essentials for everyday life and Team SCA will be at sea for nine months, which means these 11 women will encounter unique hygiene challenges over the course of the race.” From winning crucial InPort races to injured crew members, Team SCA has already experienced some of the highs and lows associated with extreme ocean racing. Not only this; two of the UK crew also have children, and missing them and other family members, has been just one of the many challenges of the race so far. For more information please visit, www.teamsca.com.

Balmoral Show names its platinum sponsors

Pictured at the platinum sponsors announcement are, back row from left, Bronagh Luke, Spar and Ryan Lemon, M&S and, front row from left, Cliff Kells, Tesco, Colin McDonald, RUAS, Roger Sheahan, ABP and Glen Cinnamon, Lidl.

breakfast event was recently held to celebrate platinum sponsors of the 147th Balmoral Show, which is to be held over May 13–15 at Balmoral Park. The Balmoral Show, in partnership with Ulster Bank, recognised SPAR, M&S, ABP, Tesco and LIDL as platinum sponsors of the 2015 event. “A traditional agricultural show consists of many discrete elements which come together to create the event,” said Colin McDonald, chief executive of RUAS. “Sponsorship is essential to ensure an overall success but it is also important that these individual elements are represented through the individual sponsors; especially since they are the same elements as found in the agrifood industry that the Balmoral Show aims to promote.”

export news

UKTI trebles number of medium-sized businesses receiving support

ver 3,000 medium-sized businesses (MSBs) are now receiving Government support to break into new markets overseas, UK Trade Minister Lord Livingston announced earlier this month. UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), the government department that helps UK companies succeed globally, has increased the number of MSBs assisted from 1,000 to 3,000 in the past year. Encouraging more MSBs to export is a vital part of the Government’s long-term economic plan to create jobs and reduce the deficit. “Medium-sized businesses can be the driving force of the UK economy,” said Lord Livingston. “By trebling the number receiving support from UKTI to over 3,000, we are helping to create jobs and growth across the UK. Exporting is not just for large firms and UKTI’s tailored programmes can help British MSBs to compete with the best the rest of the world has to offer.” MSBs play a vital role in the economy despite making up just 0.5% of all firms, they currently account for around a fifth of employment and 25% of turnover in the UK. This contribution is set to grow and according to Confederation of British Industry estimates, could be worth up to £50bn to the UK economy by 2020. Helping MSBs export will also benefit small UK companies: 70% of MSB suppliers come from our domestic economy. UKTI helps MSBs with guidance on export strategies, routes to market, international business culture, sources of additional expertise, and access to the unrivalled UKTI global contact network. In April 2014, Lord Livingston wrote to all of the UK’s medium-sized businesses to ask them if they would like trade support from UKTI. A target to recruit 3,000 MSBs by April has already been achieved. Companies interested in learning more about exporting opportunities should contact UKTI by visiting gov.uk/ukti. Medium-sized businesses are characterised as those with a turnover of between £25m and £250m.

First deal in Middle East for Free’ist G

M Marketing in Belfast has won significant business for its Free’ist sugar and gluten-free products from Spinney’s, the leading supermarket chain in the United Arab Emirates. GM is supplying its Free’ist range of sugarfree cookies, chocolate bars and wafers to Spinney’s by means of a distribution agreement with Pan Euro Foods in Dublin. GM saw a significant business opportunity arising from the growing concern in the region over obesity and diabetes, and has moved quickly to offer consumers a range of sugar-free biscuit and confectionery products. “Spinney’s is now an immensely important customer for us and was also our first real export business,” said Gerard McAdorey, managing director and founder of GM Marketing. “We’ve been working closely with the supermarket’s management to ensure our products are successful and also on the development of new ideas for the expanding ‘free-from’ category, which is growing in importance because of health concerns in the region. “We are now implementing plans to expand business there and also to win our first sales in Saudi Arabia, another market in which health issues are growing in importance.” The ‘Free’ist’ range, a 13-strong brand of sugar-free cookies, wafers, chocolate and jams meeting growing demand for tasty treats, especially for consumers with conditions such as diabetes was launched in August 2013. Several products in the range are also gluten-free.

Pictured (left) is Karyn Booth, Yum Yum Club, with Olive Hill, Invest NI. Photo: Michael Cooper.

Yum Yum Club targets export markets

oira’s Yum Yum Club is being assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to develop innovative products to harness the business potential of growing interest in home baking from the success of the ‘Great British Bake-Off’ and other television bakery shows. The company, formed by food entrepreneur Karyn Booth, is using an Invest NI Innovation Voucher to develop a range of home bake cookie products for Northern Ireland and external markets such as Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Booth is a qualified pastry chef with experience working in top hotels, including The Ritz, and high-end restaurants in London. She has also worked on TV drama Game of Thrones and other local films as a food designer over the past four years. “Invest NI’s encouragement and support for the development of the bakery products has been invaluable,” said Booth. “Assistance to team up with the experts at Loughry is enabling us to take steps required to make the products suitable for sale in external markets.” Yum Yum Club was formed in 2013 and launched its first cookie product successfully last year.

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

Titanic Belfast hosts FTA Transport Manager conference O

ver 100 delegates attended the Freight Transport Association (FTA) Transport Manager Conference – held at Titanic, Belfast on March 3 – to hear about the latest legislation, developments and challenges in the rapidly changing transport scene. The event also covered key issues facing transport managers in the year ahead, providing invaluable advice relevant to everyday operations. Keynote speakers included Donna Knowles, head of Transport Regulation Unit in Northern Ireland, who provided an insight into the future enforcement of regulations. The event was sponsored by Brigade Electronics and Volvo Trucks.

1. Seamus Leheny, Policy & Membership Relations Manager – Northern Ireland for FTA and chairman of the conference.

2. Keith Morrison, chief executive of HSENI, addressing the conference on workplace safety in transport environment. 3. Donna Knowles, head of the DOE Transport Regulation Unit, addressing the conference on the theme of enforcement and good practice.

FTA Supports joint enforcement on border fuel laundering sites

TA has called for law enforcement authorities to make every effort in their attempts to shut down illegal fuel laundering operations following a report by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) that the number of border area fuel laundering plants and filling stations selling illicit fuel is ‘alarming’. “Every effort must be made to prosecute the owners of these fuel laundering sites who supply a minority of commercial goods vehicle operators in Northern Ireland, enabling them to use this saving to undercut the overwhelmingly compliant and legitimate operators across Northern Ireland,” said Seamus Leheny, FTA’s Policy & Membership Relations manager for Northern Ireland. Fuel represents approximately 40% of operating costs for a haulage company; therefore the illegal fuel trade makes it harder for

compliant operators purchasing their fuel from legitimate sources, to make a sustainable profit, costing the Northern Ireland economy jobs and limiting investment and growth in the local logistics industry. FTA supports any joint enforcement by the authorities on either side of the border and suggests that additional means of prosecution should also be considered against fuel launderers or the owners of sites where this activity occurs such as environmental legislation enforced by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The authorities must also pursue the consumers of laundered fuel, thus reducing demand for it and depriving the fuel launderers of their target market. Only strong disciplinary action by the courts will act as a serious deterrent to those involved in the fuel laundering trade.

FTA leads the way as Investor in People Champion F TA has been awarded Investor in People (IIP) Champion status, which represents the top 1% of businesses in the Investors in People community; organisations considered as pioneers in people management practices that help inspire others to achieve more. “In any endeavour striving to be the best of the best should be the objective,” said Theo de Pencier, chief executive of FTA. “When FTA was reaccredited to the Gold Standard, we asked ourselves what more we could achieve.

Champion status gave us the answer. Others can assess whether our success can be replicated in their business and in so doing everyone in FTA gets a buzz from spreading the word that good people policies generate good returns.” IIP consider Champions as leaders in people management excellence that share their experiences and business insights through mentoring so that others can learn from the very best in business. “This outstanding achievement makes FTA

one of the best Investors in People in the country,” said Paul Devoy, head of Investors in People UK. “Being invited to become a Champion is an honour only bestowed upon organisations at the top of their game, and proves that FTA really has the advice and techniques to offer other companies trying to reach their potential.” According to IIP, organisations engaging with their staff are more profitable, sustainable and optimistic about the future.

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

Value-added logistics from DSV Solutions offer suppliers and retailers room to breathe, and grow

hifting trends back towards top-up shopping and bargain hunting are working in favour of DSV Solutions, as retailers are regularly buying in bulk ambient goods for promotions and need somewhere to store it. “We are giving our customers flexibility, the key word in today’s sector,” says Dermot Connolly, Director of Business Development at DSV Solutions. Many of DSV’s grocery trade clients began using its storage options during seasonal spikes but, appreciating the extra space and efficiency it afforded, extended to a yearround solution. “For any warehouse, optimum efficiency is 85%,” says Connolly. “Anything above 90% will cause congestion and lead to inefficiencies. When our customers see how we operate and the breathing space we provide, they stick with us.” Connolly takes a sceptical approach to online grocery retailing. “The debate is: is it as big as people think?” he says, with the economics of employing out-of-hours drivers challenging. “Then it becomes about volume and scale to make it worthwhile. People like to see what deals there are and are going to three or four stores. In the boom time, people were less concerned about cost but are now wanting to get the best deal and may feel they are not getting this online.” DSV Solutions, ‘a global company with a local touch’, offers cost-effective options for businesses struggling to store, handle and distribute their own stock which do not want to take on the investment required to secure their own warehousing and transportation. It offers value-added logistics to marketleading clients such as Rank Hovis, Bushmills, Lily O Briens, Aldi, Lidl and the Musgrave Group. DSV is now offering a new global courier 8 • •Ulster 3636 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

service, DSV Xpress, launched at the beginning of the year and offering a selection of express services defined by delivery time and covering pick-up through delivery from letters up to full containers. DSV operates an asset light model, leaving training, accreditation and vehicle management responsibilities with its haulier partners. It is also a member of the Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) community, created in the 1990s to boost collaborative management along the supply chain. “It brings together all the different elements in the FMCG supply chain to work on specific projects to identify cost improvements and greater efficiencies at all stages in the supply chain,” says Connolly. “Our motto is let the brands compete on the shelf, not on the ship.” DSV globally is conscious of environmental impact. With this in mind, it has recently launched a train service across Europe and Asia, using the old silk route, to move goods for some clients. “It’s quicker than by sea and better for the environment as well,” says Connolly. The business is also keeping a keen eye on other green developments such as electric trucks and the potential for city deliveries in the future. “It’s something we’re looking at and monitoring,” he says. One issue of concern on the horizon, says Connolly, is the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) brought into force following the increased number of fatalities occurring due to the lowering of standards prevailing among some of the new EU region’s drivers and vehicles. Gaining the CPC requires a lengthy period of training and can be costly, while drivers need to do 35 hours of periodic training

DSV: operating in the top five globally

DSV

is a Danish-owned group, ranking in the top five global operators of transport and logistics, with a presence in 70 countries and 22,000 employees. FMCG and Retail are among the key sectors in which it operates, alongside High Tech, Automative, Industrial and Healthcare & Life Sciences sectors. DSV Solutions is one of three divisions; the others being DSV Road and DSV Air & Sea. In the island of Ireland, DSV has 400 employees at seven locations including two warehouse sites in Northern Ireland at Belfast and Londonderry~Derry. Services offered by DSV Solutions include: • Distribution • Warehousing • Supply chain management • Cross docking • Order pick and pack • Inventory management and replenishment • Outsourcing Contact Dermot Connolly on +353 45 444777 or dermot.connolly@ie.dsv.com. every five years to keep it. “The average age of drivers is early 50s, and they may not have the appetite for a two-year course,” says Connolly, while the younger generation is in mass exodus. “This may lead to a big gap and shortage of drivers in coming years,” he says. “We’re trying to engage with ministers to get logistics recognised as a career path.”

Let us take control of your logistics costs...

DSV is a leading global supplier of transport and logistics services. With a network of fully integrated warehouses strategically located throughout Ireland, Uk and Europe, DSV are ideally placed to manage your supply chain from the management of raw materials to delivery of the finished product to your customer. In the current economic climate it makes sense to analyse your fixed costs to identify where savings can be made. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why at DSV Solutions we offer: â&#x20AC;˘ A shared-user storage facility that allows you to change your fixed costs into variable costs during both low and peak periods. DSV operate ambient warehousing in Lishally Derry and Belfast Harbour. The warehouses are of food grade standard and are ISO 9001.2000 certified. They are managed by our dedicated warehousing staff with over 30 years experience in logistics solutions. By using state-of-the-art Logistics Warehousing Systems and Radio Frequency Technology we manage your stock efficiently. If you require innovative logistics solutions or would like to avail of the various Logistics Services that we offer, then please do not hestitate to contact DSV Solutions using the details below:

DSV Solutions Limited Lisnahall, Co. Derry, BT47 6XT Tel: (0) 2871 86 5086 Dermot Connolly, Director Business Development Sales & Marketing Direct Tel: (0) 2871 86 5084 E-mail: dermot.connolly@ie.dsv.com Web: www.ie.dsv.com

Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, BT3 9JU Tel: (0) 28 90373 800 Dermot Connolly, Director Business Development Sales & Marketing Direct Tel: (0) 2871 86 5084 E-mail: dermot.connolly@ie.dsv.com Web: www.ie.dsv.com

BUSINESS NEWS

InterTradeIreland launches new ‘funding for growth’ service

Pictured at the launch are, from left, Charlie Kerlin, head of Corporate Finance for Grant Thornton in Northern Ireland, who will deliver the service; Grainne Lennon, InterTradeIreland’s Funding for Growth Advisory Service manager; and Martin Cronin, chairman of InterTradeIreland.

ocal SMEs can now benefit from a new ‘Funding for Growth Advisory Service’ from business support body, InterTradeIreland. The service, which will be delivered by experienced consultancy firm Grant Thornton, is aimed at established small businesses from all industries in Northern Ireland looking to grow and prosper by educating and informing them on new and alternative sources of finance. A series of 12 free regional workshops and 20 free advisory clinics was announced for SMEs to attend in 2015 across various locations in Belfast, Derry ~ Londonderry and Newry.

The first Northern Ireland workshops will take place in Belfast on March 24, in Derry~Londonderry on April 28 and in Newry on May 26. Participants will learn about funding options for their business and will have the opportunity to network with funding providers. Following this, one-to-one advisory sessions with a corporate finance expert will be set up with those who are in a position to secure funding and who meet the relevant criteria. The recent launch in Belfast was attended by more than 200 delegates who had the opportunity to hear real life stories from TBF Thompson and Vita Liberata about their funding journey and also directly from their funding providers. InterTradeIreland’s ‘Access to Finance for Growth’ report in 2013 estimated that bank funding to SMEs in Northern Ireland accounted for over 90% of credit taken up by SMEs, much of which is shortterm financing in the form of overdrafts. At the event, InterTradeIreland also launched its new ‘Firm Growth, Credit Constraints and Financial Distress’ cross-border study. Using detailed data from over 2,500 businesses, the report covers a broad spectrum of issues related to the funding of the SME sector, beginning by looking at the types of finance most commonly used, the demand for finance, examining the extent to which firms are subject to credit constraints, if this is affecting their overall performance and how widespread instances of financial distress are amongst firms. Further information on the new Funding for Growth advisory service including information and dates for the workshops and clinics can be found at www.intertradeireland.com/funding-for-growth

Retail software supplier to create 50 jobs I

ntelligent Environments Europe, a supplier of mobile and online software to providers of financial services, such as retail banks, card providers and car finance companies, is setting up a software engineering operation in Belfast, creating 50 highly skilled jobs. “Digital access is a necessity for financial services organisations and we believe we have the opportunity over the next few years to significantly grow our business globally,” said David Webber, managing director of Intelligent Environments. “We were first alerted to the benefits of locating in Northern Ireland by Invest NI’s London team and after comparing it to a number of other sites in the UK, Ireland, India and Europe, we concluded that Belfast offers the best location for our new product development centre.” Intelligent Environments Europe’s Interact product provides a ‘front end’ to information systems, enabling financial institutions to engage with their customers via any digital device such as PCs, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. The key role of the new Belfast operation will be product development to deliver new software features for Interact. The Belfast team will be working as an integral part of the UK team. Invest NI has offered the company a £500,000 employment grant as well as training support of over £76,000 through its Skills Growth Programme. Seven of the new jobs are already in place. Intelligent Environments is based in Kingston-upon-Thames and currently employs 115 people. Its customers include leading retail banks and supermarkets. “Once again Northern Ireland has been chosen as the optimum

8 • •Ulster 3638 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Trade Minister Arlene Foster and Alastair Hamilton, chief executive of Invest NI are pictured with David Webber (centre), managing director of Intelligent Environments Europe.

location by an internationally successful IT company looking to expand,” said Trade Minister Arlene Foster. “This is due to our cost-competitive, business-friendly environment, our pool of skilled IT graduates and professionals, and the support offered by Invest Northern Ireland.”

email: email. markbeckett@greerpublications.com lauragirvan@greerpublications.com

SHELFLIFE

shelf life

www.ulstergrocer.com www.ulstergrocer.com

To see your product featured in Shelf-life, contact Mark at markbeckett@greerpublications.com or Tel: 028 9078 3235

Almond Unsweetened from Alpro is free from added sugar W ho needs artificial flavours when you have the natural, nutty taste of almonds? Lightly roasted Mediterranean almonds and water are all Alpro uses to make its delicious almond drink – with no added sugar or sweeteners. Alpro Almond Unsweetened is said to be ideal on cereal, in tea, coffee, shakes and smoothies or just on its own. A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are recommended for good health. • Enjoy the refreshing roasted taste of Almond Unsweetened • 100% plant-based • Naturally low in fat • 13 kcal per 100ml • Source of vitamin E which is an antioxidant. It contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress • No added sugars

Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashells use traditional recipe G

uylian Belgian Chocolate Seashells, with their unique Hazelnut Praline filling, remain Guylian’s flagship product. Even after more than 45 years, Guylian Seashells are still made with the same dedication to the original recipe of the company’s founder father. The unique taste is achieved through the use of premium Belgian chocolate made with 100% cocoa butter and the Guylian hazelnut praline filling. Guylian Seashells are recognised by their marbled look and blend of finest Belgian milk, dark and white chocolate. The Guylian brand is supported by satellite TV advertising and programme sponsorship, and there is a range of pack formats which make this an ideal gift brand.

TENA Lady increase consumer confidence with night-time range T

ENA Lady, the UK’s leading bladder weakness brand, has added a pant product – TENA Lady Pants Night, specifically designed for night-time use – to its existing offering which also includes TENA Lady Maxi Night. With one in six women reporting that bladder weakness regularly disturbs their sleep, it is becoming increasingly important that retailers stock a range of purpose-made protective products to cater for night-time use. Access to this range is particularly important for the older demographic, who may lack the mobility to travel to larger multiples that stock a range of bladder weakness solutions, thus relying on their local independent retailer to cater to their needs. The unique wider shape of TENA Lady Maxi Night provides extra coverage, absorbency and security when lying down, providing extra peace of mind during the night. Coupled with a silky-soft, form-fitting surface, TENA Lady Maxi Night is as comfortable as it is discreet. 00

APPOINTMENTS

People on the move...

in association with

Irwin’s Bakery appoints new chief executive I

rwin’s Bakery has announced the appointment of Michael Murphy as chief executive. The Portadown-based business is Northern Ireland’s only indigenous plant bakery and, employs over 380 members of staff. The firm supplies its traditional range of bread, biscuits and cakes to major retailers across the UK and Ireland, as well as exporting to customers in international markets including Dubai and China. Murphy will be responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of the Bakery Division within WD Irwin & Sons. In his previous role as commercial director, he was responsible for business development, driving key branded business and innovation in Great Britain and Ireland. Murphy has had a long and successful

career with Irwin’s Bakery, spanning 15 years. He joined the business in 1999 as national account manager, assuming the role of commercial controller in 2005, and was appointed to the Board in 2010 as commercial director. “Together with the support of the fantastic team that has made Irwin’s the successful business it is today, I am confident we will continue to grow and innovate as a company, delivering high quality products for our customers and consumers,” he said. Murphy has over 20 years’ experience in the FMCG sector, working for Ranks Hovis McDougall (RHM) and Kerry Foods in England before joining Irwin’s. He held senior sales positions with RHM, developing customer facing strategies to support both the Mr Kipling and Cadbury cake brands.

Jason Tarry is named GroceryAid fundraising president

Michael Murphy

During his time at Kerry Foods, Michael was responsible for the growth of GB’s largest sausage brands, Richmond Irish and Walls.

Toni McEwen appointed MD of Dow AgroSciences

roceryAid, the charity for the UK grocery and FMCG marketplace, has named Jason Tarry of Tesco plc as the new president of the GroceryAid Fundraising Committee. “I am delighted to be taking on this role on behalf of Tesco,” said Tarry. “GroceryAid does brilliant work on behalf of the industry and we are proud to continue our long standing relationship.” Tarry joined Tesco in October Jason Tarry 1990 through a graduate recruitment programme, and has held a number of positions in both food and non food commercial divisions before being promoted to commercial director for UK General Merchandise in 2005. In January 2015, he was appointed to the Exec Board as chief commercial officer. Gillian Barker, director general of GroceryAid, said: “We are delighted that Jason has joined GroceryAid as our President of Fundraising.”

Toni McEwen

oni McEwan has been appointed managing director of Dow AgroSciences, a supplier of herbicides widely used on local farms and horticultural units in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. McEwan joined Dow AgroSciences in Indianapolis, USA during 2009, and came to the UK two years ago to manage the company’s leading cereal herbicides including

Broadway Star, Spitfire and Galaxy. Dow AgroSciences is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of crop protection products. McEwan replaces Scott Boothey, who has moved to Munich to take control of the Dow AgroSciences businesses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. She is taking over the British Isles management of Dow at a time of growth across the company’s key portfolios of cereals, grassland and oilseeds.

Q&A time to sit down, one-to-one and get a good understanding of what is happening with people. It is enriching when someone is able to share a problem that you can help with. I have been described as a tough but fair boss, and I feel that is a good assessment. I expect high standards, but have an open door policy if staff have problems then I am here to help if possible. WHAT IS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TASK? I really don’t enjoy dismissing someone. I have not often had to do so, as usually if someone is not performing then we can mentor and give extra training. But sometimes despite our best efforts a person is just not suited to work with us. I am always aware that they may have a mortgage etc, and this would be a last resort.

In the Hot Seat Lorna Robinson, managing director of Cloughbane Farm Shop TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I am a farmer’s daughter who married a farmer. I worked side-by-side with my husband Sam on the farm until our three children were born. I still think it is wonderful to be able to tie your work life up with rearing your children. About 12 years ago, I was a founder member of the Tyrone Farmers Market which led to us opening Cloughbane Farm Shop. Initially I simply put little stories in our local paper, encouraging people to come to our lovely tree lined farm, where they could buy our 28 days matured beef which we had reared on our farm. The successes of this lead us to sell so many steaks and roasts that we had a surplus of the cuts more suitable for pies and stews. This saw the birth of our ready meals business, with me making pies in our farm kitchen. WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? I would have to say there is no such thing. Running a small family business means you crisscross and multitask; my son Richard works alongside me and, as the business has developed, our roles have got a bit more 42

defined. One we share is sales and today was spent visiting customers. I also look after human resources; we have 40 employees and this has both its rewards and challenges. We are currently developing new recipes, so on our return today, we had a tasting of new products. WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? As my passion is for my farming roots, and good local produce, winning two awards connected to farming have been the biggest highlights. First came the Northern Ireland Agri-Food Business of the Year in 2011 and then, in 2013, we won the UK Food & Farming Retailer of the Year. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I enjoy the buzz of getting new business, and the many emails, phone calls and letters we get telling us about how much our meals are enjoyed. Working with our staff is also something I enjoy. I am about to do year-end appraisals and I am really looking forward to taking

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? If you cannot measure it, then you cannot manage it. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/ AMBITIONS? We are fortunate that our business continues to enjoy rapid growth, and so my ambition is to continue to grow sales with both existing and new customers and to continue to develop and grow our team. On the personal side, I want to be able to have more time over the coming years to spend with my family. WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? I didn’t know it at the time, but now looking back it is my mum. My dad, who farmed with my mum, died aged 48, leaving my mother with six children aged 10-19. She was able to make sure we all got a good education, and grow the farm at the same time. Her management skills must have been second to none, as everything seemed so effortless; but obviously being mum, dad, farmer, and to have made sure we were all provided for now fills me with admiration. I just wish I could tell her how proud of her I am. WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? We have a little apartment at Portstewart, right down by the waters edge. I just love it, especially in winter when it is stormy and windy. I am lucky I can bring work with me, and sit at the kitchen table, marvelling at the waves as I work on my laptop. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD PRODUCT? From our Farm Shop it is a Rib Eye Steak. I can see why we won three gold stars for it at the Great Taste Awards. On the ready meals, it is our Cottage Pie. HOW DO YOU RELAX? We have now two young grandchildren, whom I cannot get enough of, so playing with them is heavenly. I also like to read and swim.

31 los st ing M Dat ar e: ch â&#x153;Ś

Final chance to enter the prestigious awards!

Grocer Market ingAwards 2015 ULSTER

40 Years At the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

The 2015 Awards feature eight categories designed to showcase the very best that the local food and grocery retail industry has to offer: Best Marketing Campaign 2014 Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion Best New Product Launch/Relaunch Best CSR Initiative Charity Partnership Best Brand Best Artisan Foods Campaign Green Retailer of the Year Best Food Export Marketing Award

Winners will be revealed: When: Friday 22nd May Where: Gala Ball, Supporting Grocery Aid, Culloden Hotel, Belfast How to enter: Online: www.ulstergrocer.com Download an entry form from our website: www.ulstergrocer.com By Tel: 028 90783235 By Email: markbeckett@greerpublications.com

Closing Date for Entries: Friday 31st March

Why Enter?

This is a prime opportunity to generate positive PR, to raise your company profile within the grocery sector, to boost staff morale, to target potential customers and to network with key clients who will be in attendance at the Gala Ball. All entries will also benefit from editorial coverage in Ulster Grocer magazine and online at www.ulstergrocer.com

ULSTER GROCERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Gala Ball

Supporting GroceryAid

Friday 22nd May

2015

Friday 22nd May 2015 For all the latest news! Follow us on Twitter@ulstergrocer#ugmarketingawards

136934 SCA Hygiene Press Ad A4.pdf

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