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40 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

FEBRUARY 2015

ULSTER

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CONTENTS

email: info@ulstergrocer.com Volume 50, Number 2 February 2015 Editor: Alyson Magee E: alysonmagee@greerpublications.com Sales Manager: Mark Beckett E: markbeckett@greerpublications.com Contributors: Seamus McCaffrey, Brian McCalden & Jason Winstanley Senior Accounts Manager: Michelle Kearney E: michellekearney@greerpublications.com Art Editor: Karen Donnelly Production Manager: Stuart Gray Accounts: Gerardine Carson

www.ulstergrocer.com

42

8-14

27-30

20-21

23

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8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

8-14 – THE BIG BREAKFAST: Farmhouse Breakfast Week, recently celebrated with a series of events and awards across the Province, is a great opportunity for local suppliers to showcase their produce, as is UG’s annual The Big Breakfast feature.

16 – GROCERYAID: The charitable body representing the grocery sector is celebrating a record fundraising year in 2014, planning a revamped calendar of events this year and is seeking to raise its profile among potential aid recipients.

20-21 – TODAY’S THE DAY: Today’s Conlig is this month’s Store Focus, with first-time grocery retailer John Harrison citing support from Savage & Whitten during a refit of the store and a fully-integrated EPOS system linked to the wholesaler as invaluable.

23 – TREMENDOUS TAYTO: Tayto Castle at Tandragee is producing one million packs a day, with one in every five packets of crisps eaten locally being Tayto ‘Cheese & Onion’ flavour, while also investing in NPD and seeking a girlfriend for Mr Tayto...

27-30 – THE SOFT SELL: Find out what is happening in the soft drinks market including the latest trends, performance and developments in bottled water, carbonates and squashes.

42 – COCA-COLA & CRICKET: Simon Fitzpatrick, island of Ireland customer director at Coca-Cola Hellenic, finds himself In the Hot Seat this month and when not busy boosting the fortunes of world-renowned drinks brands can be found at home avoiding the ironing or at his local cricket ground, The Lawn in Waringstown.

ULSTER GROCER

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

Contents

Publishers: James and Gladys Greer

3

NEWS

Editor’s Comment: Misadventures in integrity

C

oinciding with news the Groceries Code Adjudicator is likely to get strengthened powers to impose financial penalties on supermarkets involved in unscrupulous dealings with their suppliers (see right), the food director of a major multiple recently spoke publicly in Belfast about its Adventures in Integrity.

Marks & Spencer’s Steve Rowe was delivering the Institute of Global Food Security’s Annual Lecture at Queen’s University Belfast (see p6), and referred to integrity in terms of food safety, security and quality but also the major food retailers’ relationships with their suppliers.

M&S was baffled, he said, when the horsegate scandal broke as it was already DNA testing to the point where it knew the lineage of beef; never mind the species. Consistent quality and innovation are hallmarks of its food offer, and Rowe said M&S prides itself on maintaining long-term partnerships with its suppliers, citing the likes of Ormo and Linden Foods with whom it has established ongoing partnerships.

While there are bound to be at least a few suppliers less than enamoured with their trading relationship, on the whole M&S (and, in GB, John Lewis-owned Waitrose) are broadly regarded in more favourable terms than many of the other major multiples operating in the UK market. And it’s interesting to note that these two retailers are also currently performing better (alongside discounters at the other end of the grocery market) against their competitors.

Tesco, meanwhile, appears to be falling foul of the Adjudicator following its profits scandal last year.

With the grocery sector falling under increasing scrutiny by regulators - and judgement by shoppers operators failing to embrace greater integrity are likely to see their fortunes falling.

Alyson Magee 8 364• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Regulation of supermarkets to be strengthened M

easures granting the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) power to fine UK supermarkets breaching the Groceries Code have been tabled in Parliament and, if adopted, could be introduced as early as April.

The measures are subject to successful completion of parliamentary process, including passage through the Joint Committee of Statutory Instruments and debate in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

If successful, the Adjudicator would be able to impose penalties on the large supermarkets of up to 1% of their annual UK turnover, dependant on the seriousness of the breach. GCA has published guidance on the principles which will be used to calculate the level of any fine.

News of the development, which followed recommendations from the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, was welcomed by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU).

“The UFU’s position has always been that The Groceries Code Adjudicator should have enforcement on retailers for any unfair practices,” said Ian Marshall, president of UFU. “However, while this is encouraging news for those with a direct relationship with retailers, conversations must now begin on how the Grocery Code can be extended further up the supply chain to cover primary producers. The UFU has always believed that the GCA’s remit should be extended to cover primary producers and that the GCA should have the power to launch investigations rather than just responding to complaints made.”

The new measures would sit alongside existing powers to issue supermarkets with recommendations as to their future conduct, and to ‘name and shame’ those breaching the Code.

The Code imposes an over-arching principle of fair dealing between supermarkets and their direct suppliers and includes specific provisions governing terms of supply, timing of payments,

marketing and promotional costs, and payments as a condition of being a supplier; issues related to pricing are not covered.

“This important final step will give the Groceries Code Adjudicator the power it needs to address the most serious disputes between the large supermarkets and their direct suppliers,” said Business Secretary Vince Cable.

“I created the Groceries Code Adjudicator to ensure a fair deal for those who supply goods to supermarkets such as farmers and small businesses. I am pleased to be giving the Adjudicator the final element in a set of powers that will give this new body all the tools it needs to succeed in this challenging and important role.”

The Groceries Code Adjudicator was created in 2013, to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice established in 2009 to govern commercial relationships between the UK’s 10 largest supermarkets and their direct suppliers of food, drinks, and a range of household products.

In December, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) published research highlighting what it described as ‘alarming levels of widespread unfair dealing’, with one in five of 2,500 small businesses surveyed said to have reported supply chain bullying.

FSB compiled a list of the five most resented practices, which include ‘pay to stay’ flat fees, excessively long payment terms or exceeding payment agreements, discounts for prompt payment – ‘one for you, one for us’, and retrospective discounting – ‘balance sheet bonuses’.

“Small businesses are fast approaching breaking point and they are no longer prepared to put up with these sharp practices,” said John Friel, FSB Northern Ireland regional chair.

“Brands that think they can continue to squeeze their suppliers with impunity may get a nasty shock when what they are doing comes to the attention of their consumers.”

Groceries Code Adjudicator launches investigation into Tesco plc E

arlier this month, the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) announced it will investigate some of the practices associated with the profit over-statement announced by Tesco plc in September 2014.

GCA said it holds a reasonable suspicion that the Code has been breached by Tesco by some of its practices associated with the profit over-statement announced by the company in September 2014.

The investigation will focus on the conduct of Tesco in relation to a number of provisions of the Code including ‘no delay in payments’ and ‘no payments for better positioning of goods unless in relation to promotions’.

GCA said that, if during the course of the investigation evidence is presented to the GCA indicating the same practices have been carried out by other designated retailers, consideration will be given to extending the scope of the investigation.

NEWS

Kestrel Foods invests £750,000 to boost export sales P ortadown-based dried fruit and nut business Kestrel Foods is investing over £750,000 in new processing and packaging technology, to drive export sales.

The owner of the Forest Feast and Acti-Snack brands is receiving assistance of £60,000 from Invest NI towards supporting its export growth strategy, which also extends to the creation of 11 new jobs.

“Our objective in making this investment is to strengthen our presence in new and existing international markets,” said Michael Hall, managing director of Kestrel Foods. “By enhancing our production facilities, we will be able to increase production capacity, introduce new packaging formats and develop bespoke products to meet the needs of our target customers at retail, wholesale and foodservice level. We will be creating 11 new positions including a new Foodservice Manager to help deliver this strategy with maximum impact.

“2014 has been a significant year for our business. We have experienced both domestic and international sales growth for our Forest Feast brand and had an excellent response to our new sports nutrition range, Acti-Snack,

across the UK, Ireland and international markets. In fact, our brands are now available in over 36 countries.

“This investment represents our ongoing commitment to innovation - ensuring we stay ahead of the curve - and the competition - in an increasingly fast paced industry.”

Kestel Foods currently employs around 70 people in its plant at Carn, Craigavon.

Brian Dolaghan, director of Business and Sector Development at Invest Pictured are, from left, Brian Dolaghan of Invest NI and Michael Hall of Kestrel Foods NI, said: “This is a very important strategic expansion by a company and Asia Pacific. which has invested steadily in its products and “Kestrel is an impressive export-led company, sales outside Northern Ireland. Kestrel Foods’ a tremendous role model of what a smaller expansion includes the introduction of new business can achieve from ongoing investment technology and staff to enable it to achieve in innovative products and processes focused on a significant uplift in sales outside Northern sales abroad. As a result, the business now has Ireland, particularly in emerging markets it has very solid platforms in Europe and Hong Kong pinpointed such as Brazil, Uruguay, Spain, Italy on which to build further international sales.”

Viscount Awards invite entries E

ntry to the 2015 Viscount Awards, which recognise the most dynamic and innovative companies in the country and are sponsored by UG’s sister publication Ulster Business and Aer Lingus, are open for entry until 5pm on Thursday, March 12.

Judged by a panel of esteemed business figures, the awards have grown to become one of the premier events on the professional calendar. Viscount Award winners come from a variety of sectors, but they have one thing in common; they are all truly excellent at what they do.

Entries are invited in seven categories: Most Innovative Company;

Exporter of the Year; Best Small Business; Best Medium Business; Best Large Business; Business Person of the Year; and Overall Excellence.

The 2015 Aer Lingus Viscount Awards luncheon will take place on Tuesday, April 21 in the House of Commons, Westminster.

Visit http://viscountawards. ulsterbusiness.com/ for more information.

Andrea Hunter of Aer Lingus and Ulster Business’s David Elliott

Willowbrook adding 55 new jobs with £2.3m investment W illowbrook Fine Foods is adding 55 new jobs at its production site in Killinchy, as part of a £2.3m investment.

Referring to the creation of Willowbrook Fine Foods in 2014 as a premium, convenience foods brand, John McCann, founder and director, said: “The new company will focus on a very dynamic sector of food particularly in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. This is the creation of innovative and premium ready meals and accompaniments.

“Willowbrook Fine Foods will exploit this market opportunity by providing different taste experiences using the best local ingredients which combine provenance, safety and value for money.

“We’ve already launched meal accompaniments such as Creamy Colcannon, Parmentier Potatoes and Honey and Mustard Parsnip created by the talented and experienced team in our innovation

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

centre which works closely with customers on the development of meals with outstanding taste.

“The new company will process and market these and another 25 products in the pipeline which are all aimed at the mid to high-end market sectors in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The initiative is proving extremely popular and has already gained listings from key retailers.”

Trade Minister Arlene Foster is pictured with WFFL Manager Steven McCann and Trade Minister Arlene Joint Managing Director John McCann.

Foster said: “This is extensively under the Willowbrook Fine important investment by Willowbrook Foods brand it is a welcome addition to Fine Foods in the development of a Northern Ireland’s developing range of portfolio of premium ready meals and branded foods.” meal accompaniments aimed principally at Invest NI contributed £192,500. markets outside Northern Ireland. Marketed 5

NEWS

Integrity is part of delivering value to consumers by alyson magee

A

dventures in Integrity was the theme of the Annual Institute for Global Food Security Lecture, held on February 5 in Riddel Hall at Queen’s University Belfast, with guest speaker Steve Rowe of Marks & Spencer highlighting the retailer’s commitment to the principle.

Standing in contrast to many other major multiple retailers, M&S has seen 21 consecutive quarters of food sales growth, with revenue from the category exceeding £5bn in 2014, said the executive director of food for the retailer.

Integrity was identified as one of M&S’ core values, encompassing food safety, security and consumer trust as well as trading relationships with suppliers.

“The food industry is in the midst of seismic change and has been for the last few years,” said Rowe, highlighting the intense levels of scrutiny applied by both regulators and consumers.

Rowe outlined M&S’ history in Northern Ireland, with the retailer among the first UK multiples to enter the Province 47 years ago and maintain a stable presence throughout the troubles. M&S now has 20 stores and 2,500 staff members in Northern Ireland with Sprucefield its leading food hall UK-wide and Newtownbreda in the top 10.

The retailer prides itself on long-term partnerships with suppliers which, in Northern Ireland, include the likes of Ormo, Moy Park, Skea Eggs, Linden Foods and Finnebrogue; supplying domestic, GB and even international stores in some cases.

M&S is seeing success with its Simply Food store format, with new stores continuing to roll out across the UK. “Convenience is king and Simply Food is in good, convenient locations,” said Rowe.

He expects the march of the discounters to continue unabated; the category currently represents around 9% of the UK grocery market but is likely to expand towards the 18% market share it has on the Continent, he said.

M&S shares 60% of its customers with discount grocers, said Rowe, with customers looking for good prices for some goods but then using the savings gained to shop for quality produce too. “It’s too simplistic to put market changes down to price alone,” he said, with value about more than low prices. “Only a responsible retailer that acts with integrity can deliver the value that customers want.”

Pictured at the Annual Institute for Global Food Security Lecture earlier this month are, from left, Professor Chris Elliott, director of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s; Professor Patrick Johnson, vice-chancellor of Queen’s; Steve Rowe, executive director of food at M&S; and Owen Brennan, representing Devenish Nutrition and the Agri-Food Strategy Board.

“From day one, our food has been about quality,” said Rowe. Unlike some of its competitors, M&S is not going to drop the price of milk as a loss leader, said Rowe. The retailer has 38 milk suppliers, including one in Northern Ireland spanning 15 years, and aims to maintain a sustainable relationship with them. While it may not be able to compete on price in the category, M&S offers milk which has less saturated fat and is fresher than its competitors, he said.

M&S pays more for its beef through the Select Farm programme, with Rowe expressing the retailer’s bafflement when the horsemeat scandal broke as it was already using DNA technology to check the lineage of cattle; never mind the species. M&S was the only major retailer not recalling any products in the wake of the scandal.

“You can always make something cheaper but it’s usually because you’ve removed something,” he said, drawing a direct correlation between provenance, integrity and quality.

Acting with integrity is about protecting the brand and consumer trust, which has been shaken by horsegate, he said. Following collaborative work between M&S, its supply

Rowe outlined M&S’ history in Northern Ireland, with the retailer among the first UK multiples to enter the Province 47 years ago and maintain a stable presence throughout the troubles.”

8 366• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

partners and the Institute, the retailer is introducing enhanced audits from April which will include unannounced integrity inspections.

“We’ve worked collaboratively with our suppliers to build this over the last 12 months,” said Rowe. “We’re making the business more resilient to fraud.”

Rowe – whose father previously held the same role marking the only father and son to ever hold the same position and sit on the executive board of M&S – also outlined the vital role played by innovation in M&S’ food offer; 20% of its range is new every year while the retailer over-performs in healthy recipe dishes with a 42% share of the convenience sub-category.

M&S has invested in horizon scanning expertise, allowing identification of forward trends in food but also emerging issues such as the recent contamination of ground cumin (M&S was unaffected).

Also speaking at the event was Professor Patrick Johnston, vice chancellor of Queen’s, who highlighted Queen’s ranking by the Sunday Times as the leader among UK universities in the field of agriculture, veterinary and food science research.

He attributed its success to the leadership of Professor Chris Elliott, director of the Institute for Global Food Security, who then outlined his ambition to make the Institute a global leader in research.

The Institute, which works with local businesses and multi-national corporations alike, has quadrupled its staff numbers since 2011 and will be moving to a new £35m, 11,000-square-metre site in 2017.

Prof Elliott said a long-term aspiration would be partnership with M&S, due to their shared values of quality and integrity.

GOOD

DAYS

Crafted by

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THE BIG BREAKFAST

Industry celebrates HGCA Farmhouse Breakfast Week

L

ocal producers were recently celebrated at a Northern Ireland Industry Breakfast hosted by Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill, with support from HGCA, UFU, DARD and Food NI, as part of HGCA’s Shake up your wake up-themed Farmhouse Breakfast Week.

As part of the Week, which was held over January 25-31, UFU encouraged farmers, their families and the wider public to celebrate the most important meal of the day while at the same time supporting local producers.

“The importance of starting your day off right with a filling, healthy breakfast should not be underestimated and breakfast is also an excellent, easy and affordable way to support local farmers,” said Ivor Ferguson, deputy president of UFU. “Here in Northern Ireland we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the local foods we can put on our breakfast plates – from cereal to bacon and everything inbetween. Our farmers work hard to provide healthy, delicious and reasonably priced options for consumers.

“The HGCA Farmhouse industry Breakfast is also an opportunity for us to recognise the efforts of our farmers and the top quality food produced right here in Northern Ireland.

A special thank you must also go to our partners for their support and contributions to the breakfast event.

“The UFU’s Seeds and Cereals committee is also pleased to be able to welcome Dr Martin Grantley-Smith from HGCA to the industry Pictured at the industry breakfast are, from left, Dr Martin Grantley-Smith, breakfast and they are HGCA; UFU Seeds and Cereals Vice Chairman Graham Furey; Agriculture delighted to once again have Minister Michelle O’Neill; Food NI Chairman John Best; and UFU Deputy President Ivor Ferguson. the support of HGCA for Farmhouse Breakfast Week, hundreds of Northern Ireland’s Farmhouse Breakfast week breakfast events take place around the country, activities.” from school breakfast clubs through to Farmhouse Breakfast Week is organised events at community centres and village halls,

by HGCA, which is the cereals and oilseeds restaurants, cafes and farms. http://www. division of the Agriculture and Horticulture shakeupyourwakeup.com/ Development Board (AHDB). During

Breakfast event starts countdown to Balmoral Show 2015

T

he countdown to Balmoral Show 2015 got underway earlier this month, with the launch of Ulster Bank’s seventh year as principal sponsor of the flagship agri-food event.

Show organiser the RUAS and Ulster Bank officially confirmed that the bank will be the main sponsor of this year’s show, which takes place over May 13-15.

The announcement came at a special breakfast event in the Robinson & Cleaver restaurant in Belfast City Centre, which opened two years ago and is a client of Ulster Bank. A wide range of influencers from the local food and drink sector attended the event, where the breakfast was prepared by well-known local chef Paula McIntyre.

“Ulster Bank has close relationships throughout the food chain in Northern Ireland, including primary producers, small and medium-sized food firms, many of the main processors, retailers and the hospitality sector,” said Ellvena Graham, Ulster Bank’s head of Northern Ireland. “The Balmoral Show allows us to highlight and build on those relationships, as well as to help celebrate the importance of the local agri-food industry, and we are delighted to partner with the RUAS again this year.”

Further information about the 2015 Balmoral Show is available at: www.balmoralshow.co.uk.

On the menu was the produce of Ulster Bank-supported small and medium-sized food firms, including: Armstrong Meats – Bacon: A family run business, Armstrong Meats is a wholesale 8 368• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

supplier of beef, pork, lamb, poultry and game to the retail and catering trade all over Ireland from its purpose build factory in Castlereagh.

Members of the public can get a taste for Armstrong Meats produce through its two retail shops, Coffeys Butchers based on the Lisburn Road and Finaghy.

C&L Mushrooms – Mushrooms: C&L Mushrooms is a mushroom-growing company producing 2,100 tonnes of the highest quality white mushrooms with over 95% exported to UK multiples annually. The company is managed on a daily basis by husband and wife team Gerard and Mary Fegan who have been growing mushrooms for nearly 30 years.

Crawfords of Maghera – Tomatoes: Their offering includes Supermarket, Fresh Fruit and Veg, Bakery, Butchery, Fresh Fish, Post Office, Off Licence, Toys and Gifts, Photography and Coffee Lounge. Crawfords’ mission is to achieve customers’ lifetime loyalty by continually exceeding their expectations in terms of service, quality, range and value.

The Heatherlea - Soda bread: The Heatherlea Home Bakery was first established in the heart of an Irish seaside town in 1937.

Paul and Patricia Getty have carefully grown their business since taking over in 1990, and have firmly established the Heatherlea as a premier home bakery in Ireland, winning the coveted Bakery of the Year Award in 2013 and 2014. In 1992, due to popular demand, the Heatherlea started supplying cakes and pastry to other independent retailers.

Jackson’s of Ballynure - Potato Bread: Established in 1850, Jackson’s of Ballynure

is now in its seventh generation of Jackson ownership. As well as an award-winning butcher, Jackson’s also offers an on-site bakery which produces bread, scones and pies with home produced ingredients of the highest standard.

Marlfield Farm – Eggs: For over 40 years, the Elliott family has been rearing free-range poultry at Marlfield Farm outside Portaferry on the shores of Strangford Lough, rearing traditional breeds of turkeys, geese and chickens, which are slow growing, allowed to roam over acres of grassland, and dry plucked to maintain flavour and integrity. The birds which include a flock of egg-laying hens who have supplied part of the breakfast - feed mostly on grass, as well as wheat grown on the farm.

K&G McAtamney Meats – Sausage: K&G McAtamney Wholesale Meats Limited, supplying the finest quality beef, lamb, pork and poultry to Northern Ireland’s leading hotels, restaurants and retailers. They have a passion for great food and a dedication to excellence, helping them to grow and to become a serious contributor to the UK food industry.

McKees of Maghera – Veg roll: McKee’s are manufacturers of very high quality gourmet pies and family butchers. Started in 1898 by William Hill McKee and carried on by succeeding generations of the family, the butcher shop offers a range of Beef, Pork, Poultry, Gammon and Honey Glazed Hams along with award winning Pies, Sausage Rolls, Sausages and Beef Burgers all year round.

THE BIG BREAKFAST The White’s Oats range.

White’s Oats invests to drive sales in Britain and Ireland W

hite’s Oats has made significant investment in the repositioning and packaging re-design of its range of porridge oats and oat-based cereals, which will see the brand develop further business in its core markets - Great Britain and Ireland.

White’s, based in Tandragee, Co Armagh appointed Pearlfisher, a global design agency, based in London, to create a new contemporary brand identity that will help differentiate White’s products on the shelves of grocery retail outlets.

The brand repositioning will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign comprising TV, outdoor, print, online and instore across Northern Ireland to showcase the new brand identity.

“By exploring our history and heritage, we have developed a strong brand essence that will strengthen our market position in the Irish and GB markets, and offer substantial growth potential for our range of oat products,” said Danielle Mc Bride, brand manager at White’s Oats.

Research continues to show that oats and particularly porridge is a natural, healthy and nutritious breakfast choice. Our new brand proposition and design identity places the oat at the very heart of the design, allowing it 8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Danielle McBride, brand manager at White’s Oats, is pictured with the new branding.

to become the focal point of communication with customers. It builds on our heritage and provenance and brings a strong mark of trust to the White’s brand.”

“The new brand message, ‘White’s takes the time so you can make the most of yours’ recognises the active attitude of oat eaters and is brought to life through three distinctive portfolio pillars that bring meaning to White’s product range relative to both the master brand and consumer behaviour,’’ said Jenny Dean, senior strategist at Pearlfisher. “The new brand

positioning and portfolio architecture builds on White’s authenticity and quality credentials while leaving space to expand with on-going innovation.’’

A market leading brand within the Northern Ireland retail sector, White’s recently announced a £2m investment in its processing capabilities, marketing and people. It has an awardwinning track record in producing great tasting porridge oats and oat cereals and this has been acknowledged by the numerous Great Taste Awards received from the Guild of Fine Food.

9

THE BIG BREAKFAST

St. George’s Market Bar & Grill serves up NI’s best breakfast The award-winning breakfast.

T

he Best of The Market Breakfast at St George’s Market Bar and Grill in Belfast has been announced as the Northern Ireland winner in the Shake-Up-Your-Wake-Up Breakfast Awards and overall runner up restaurant for the whole of the UK. The campaign is run by a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, and aims to showcase the most important meal of the day to raise awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of breakfast. A host of restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, coffee shops and pubs entered the UK-wide awards to gain recognition as being the best.

There were thousands of votes cast online by regulars and the public, which placed St George’s Market Bar & Grill as the best in Northern Ireland.

The restaurant is owned by The Mount Charles Group, with its breakfast cherry picked from the fantastic artisan producers in the market itself. The traditional dry cured bacon, sausages and eggs are from local, free-range farms and St George’s stallholder Pheasants’ Hill Farm using sustainable farming methods.

The soda and potato bread is from Chrissie, a local baker and stallholder at St George’s Market who uses her grandmother’s oldfashioned recipes using real buttermilk, all handmade on her farm in Killinchy. The black and white puddings are courtesy of Conakilty and even the butter is a Great Taste award winner, hand churned in Dromara by the wonderful Abernethy Butter Company.

“We take breakfast seriously; with local heritage of the food being a top priority, our duty is to take these fantastic raw ingredients and apply our skill, attention and a little TLC,” said James Bell, head chef.

“That’s the way to do justice to the quality of the produce we source.

“St George’s Market Bar and Grill has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and the market itself lends a great buzz and atmosphere.

We serve well over 1,000 breakfasts every weekend and have just started serving brunch all day everyday including the award-winning breakfast, along with our other brunch classics like fresh waffles, eggs Benedict, posh porridge, pastries, handmade scones and wheaten bread.

Pictured with the award are Karen Levy, marketing executive of Breakfast Week with James Bell, head chef of St George’s Market Bar and Grill and Laura Stitt, manager of St George’s Market Bar and Grill.

Belfast coffee bar wins national breakfast award T

he range of Breakfast Scones from Oliver’s Coffee Bar, on the Belmont Road in Belfast, has been named the Best Cold Breakfast in the UK in the 2015 Best Breakfast Awards, following a public vote.

The awards take place as part of Breakfast Week which ran from January 25-31 this year, and aims to highlight eating the most important meal of the day.

“We have been serving our range of breakfast scones since we opened in April 2014,” said Ashley Gribben, manager of Oliver’s.

“Our customers really seem to love the scones and we’re also very proud of them, which is why we entered the award. It’s a real surprise to win. We’d like to thank our customers for voting for us.”

Ashley is one of four ‘Scone Ladies’ who take it in turn to bake the delicious scones each day. Susan, Claire, Paula and Ashley regularly convene to experiment with new flavour combinations, before testing them on their customers. The scones, which regularly sell out, are always available in Plain, Cherry, Pear & Almond, Raspberry & White Chocolate and Cinnamon. “If we do sell out, we try and bake some extra during the day so that no one is disappointed,” said Gribben.

Karen Levy, marketing executive at HGCA, organisers of the awards and Farmhouse Breakfast Week, said: “The Best Breakfast Awards aim to showcase the fantastic variety of breakfasts we have in the UK and allows the public to really get behind their local 8 • •Ulster 3610 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Pictured are, from left, Karen Levy, Ashley Gribben and Claire Hunt.

establishments. It’s great to see the community showing their support for Oliver’s delicious breakfast scones.”

Oliver’s was also runner up in the Best in Northern Ireland category, won by St George’s Market Bar & Grill, Belfast.

THE BIG BREAKFAST

Great bread makes an award-winning breakfast D

onnelly’s Bakery and Coffee Shop in Ballycastle has been awarded for its Ulster Fry in the Best Breakfast Awards for a second year in a row.

Donnelly’s won Runner up for Best Hot Breakfast in the ‘Coffee Shop, Cafe or Farm Shop’ category in the UK, and gained top place in the same category in NI, as well as being named Runner Up alongside Oliver’s in the Best in Northern Ireland category.

“We are delighted to have won the award for the second year as a recognition of our product quality and customer satisfaction,” said Eugene Donnelly, director of Donnelly’s Bakery and Coffee Shop. “Our traditional soda and potato breads are vital ingredients of the perfect Ulster Fry and being baked on the premises by experienced bakers every day no doubt sets our breakfast apart from the competition. Small businesses can go that extra mile to give customers what they want.”

Paul Cochrane, chair of the Ballycastle Chamber of Commerce, said: “Congratulations to Eugene and his staff for the high standard of service. Awards like this highlight the quality that small businesses can provide and how they compete at a national level and spread the word about our local

Eugene Donnelly is pictured with Paul Cochrane, chair of the Ballycastle Chamber of Commerce.

products in the UK. Both local customers and visiting tourists can be assured of taste and quality.”

Donnelly’s Bakery and Coffee Shop was established 36 years ago, and breakfasts are available in the coffee shop from 8am and in bakery takeaway from 7.30am to serve

Innovation in the pipeline for Doherty & Gray D

oherty & Gray is Northern Ireland’s second longest established red meat company and was founded in 1954 to meet the needs of local butchers. It is known for producing quality beef and lamb products, supplied to both the butchery and retail trades.

Doherty & Gray works with the majority of leading retailers, developing and evolving a successful ‘own label’ proposition with them. Proudly based in Ballymena, all products are manufactured in a modern processing factory with BRC Grade A accreditation.

Hull’s has been produced in Northern Ireland for the past 60 years and Northern Ireland families have grown up enjoying Hull’s products with ‘Hull’s Veg Roll ‘being a firm household local favourite.

The Hull’s of Ballymena range is readily available in all main retailers and continues to deliver strong sales growth within the NI market, which has been driven by a significant investment in re-launching the brand at the start of 2015.

With a striking new contemporary look and feel, it delivers strong on-shelf visibility and the simple, yet effective colour coding across the Hull’s range makes it much easier for customers to shop in-store.

This is only the start of the journey, with plenty of innovation still to come throughout the year.

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

customers on their way to work and school.

The winning Ulster Fry features homebaked soda bread and potato bread, local free range eggs, Northern Ireland sausage and bacon, tomato and beans. As a Taste of Ulster member, as many products as possible are sourced locally.

New look – Same great quality Sausages, Burgers & Veg Roll enjoyed by families since 1954.

Contact: Doherty & Gray on 028 2565 2988 mail@dohertygray.com 11

THE BIG BREAKFAST

Robert Roberts continues to innovate with its coffee range R

obert Roberts – one of Ireland’s oldest coffee and tea companies – is the first Irish company to launch its very own roastground coffee capsules. Compatible with all Nespresso home machines, Robert Roberts’ coffee capsules are available in three different intensities – 7, 9 and 10.

Robert Roberts’ Intensity 7 coffee capsules make the perfect morning coffee.

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

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

Finally, there’s the intense dark roasted coffee: Intensity 10. Roasted in the southern Italian style, it makes a great espresso and also works well with milk; it is perfect for lovers of strong coffee.

Robert Roberts also offers a selection of roast and ground coffee options: Morning Roast: Hand roasted fresh coffee blends of African and Brazilian delivering

8 • •Ulster 3612 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

excellent pick me up. Medium bodied, giving smooth feeling, ensuring the delicate tastes and aromas of the regions come through.

All Day: Blend of premium hand roasted coffee beans, all day style, Italian taste.

Distinctively silky and smooth. Highly roasted, full bodied and with low acidity – ‘un caffè di classe’.

After Dinner: Hand roasted 100% Arabica, finest beans from Sumatra and Central America islands. Bright Centrals complement smooth earthy Sumatran,

perfect drinking after any meal. Very real smoothness, with coco flavour notes.

Shipyard Strength: Robert Roberts has sourced some of the finest double picked 100% Arabica Sumatran beans for this coffee to give you that full coffee taste. Sumatran coffee is known for its earthly, full flavoured coffees that can really stand up to a dark roast to give you that finest toasted caramel and spiced aroma.

Morning Roast, All Day and After Dinner coffees are available from selected Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, Dunnes, Nisa and Spar outlets in Northern Ireland.

WIN with DENNY! Denny is back with an EXCLUSIVE campaign for Northern Ireland Retailers Following a fantastic 2014 for the Denny brand with the relaunch of Denny sausages and ham, Denny are back with a full through the line campaign exclusive to Northern Ireland in conjunction with all major retailers.

Rewarding loyal consumers and recruiting new category consumers is at the heart of the activation which will be underpinned by a fantastic local competition offering consumers the chance to win one of fifty family breaks to some of Northern Ireland’s best known and treasured attractions.

There are three breaks for prize winners to choose from; a trip to the Fermanagh Lakelands with hotel stay and guided boat cruise, a stay in Belfast including entry for the family to the Titanic Experience, or a stay at the Giant’s Causeway including family entry to the visitor centre.

WIN 1 OF 50 FUN FAMILY BREAKS with

Tim Gault, National Account Controller for Kerry Foods Northern Ireland commented “We are excited to be able to get behind a campaign of this size across Northern Ireland retailers and to showcase our commitment to driving growth and further momentum across the Denny brand in 2015” The competition runs until 14th April.

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT DENNYEST1820

THE BIG BREAKFAST

Halo Foods announces multi-million pound investment in Honey Monster brand H

alo Foods has announced a significant multi-million pound investment to boost its share in the cereal category, starting with the return of the much-loved Honey Monster character after several years away from the nation’s TV sets.

Halo is launching a reformulated, rebranded version of its iconic cereal, which will see the introduction of a new name, Honey Monster Puffs. The new product features a revised recipe with less sugar and more honey, as well as a reinvigorated packaging design with traffic light nutritionals on front of pack – making it one of the first branded cereals in the UK to proactively display this information to consumers.

“The Honey Monster was a staple of family breakfasts for decades,” said Andy Valentine, marketing director at Halo Foods.

“Our research has shown us that consumers still have a strong feeling of nostalgia, trust and loyalty towards him, so it’s fantastic that we’re able to bring him back.

“Despite a lack of investment for the last few years under previous owners, Honey Monster Puffs has maintained a position

8 • •Ulster 3614 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

as the number 18 brand in the UK cereal category. We feel that the product re-launch, coupled with our move to bring the product name in line with the iconic Honey Monster character, can only amplify this position and help grow our share of the cereals category.”

The new recipe for Honey Monster Puffs contains 20% more honey than the previous recipe and an overall sugar reduction of a third over the last decade.

“We take the trust that customers place in the Honey Monster brand extremely seriously and have worked hard to maintain the same great taste that consumers love, while also systematically reducing the sugar content of the product,” said Valentine.

“We have also taken the decision to place nutritional information on front of pack to make sure that we are helping our customers make informed decisions about what they buy for family breakfast times.”

New recipe packs featuring the Honey Monster character are already instore ahead of a £3m marketing campaign in 2015 to further drive sales of the new product.

My Life in the Grocery Trade David Wharton, sales manager with S&W Wholesale WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? I manage a team of five sales reps. My role involves meeting new customers, getting their accounts opened and distribution sorted. I also have to maintain the sales margins in my area. I liaise with our Trading Department and ensure they have the right products available for the market. I need to make sure my sales team are motivated and are encouraged to develop new areas.

BRIEFLY OUTLINE YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY TO DATE I’ve worked for J&E Whitten when I was 16, in 1998; I was a general worker in the warehouse. After I left school, I got a full-time job with S&W Wholesale in the warehouse, doing various roles, including helping with the lorries, picking, packing etc.

After three years, I then started to cover when the sales reps were on holiday, I got more involved and my role became full-time. I covered all of Northern Ireland.

In the last nine years, I have been concentrating on the Republic of Ireland market and progressed my role into area sales manager.

BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL RETAIL INDUSTRY? I get an insight into retailers’ needs and demands, and have a better understanding of the overall package required from a wholesaler.

WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? Best parts: Opening new accounts and

watching sales grow, achieving and exceeding targets. I get job satisfaction when my team members also hit their targets.

Worst parts: When shops close down or cannot trade due to financial constraints.

PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? Helping S&W Wholesale become a major player in the RoI market, and knowing that I have made a significant contribution towards these goals.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? I am blessed with a wife and three kids who take up most of my free time. I also like to play darts in my spare time. I am also a parttime farmer which takes me away from the stresses of the retail industry.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW. I am an avid Chelsea fan and my children know all the Chelsea songs!

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GROCERYAID NEWS

GroceryAid plans big for 2015 LEFT: GroceryAid’s Northern Ireland Committee includes, front row from left, Gerry Cassidy, Cliff Kells (chairman), Mairead Catterson and Mark Gowdy and, back row from left, Des McCullough, Paddy Murney, David Neill, David McWilliams, Trevor Magill, Gillian Ekin, Jonathan Verner and James Greer. Committee members not pictured include Bronagh Luke, Alison McCluskey, Candida Corscadden and Lloyd Graham.

What is GroceryAid? GroceryAid is a charity which helps anyone who is working, or has worked, in the grocery industry for at least 10 years. The grocery industry is defined as extending from the smallest shop to the largest factory across the grocery supply chain.

Aid could include a quarterly payment for those struggling to get by; an emergency one-off grant in a crisis; essential household appliances; mobility items; and personal visits for the socially isolated.

I

ndustry charity GroceryAid is hoping to build on a record fundraising year in 2014 with a revamped series of events, and greater awareness among potential recipients and their colleagues, this year.

The organisation now known as GroceryAid was originally conceived as the National Grocers’ Benevolent Fund in 1857, with its aims and constitution as a welfare fund for the grocery sector funded by the food and drink industry remaining the same over the years. The Benevolent Fund traded as Caravan for many years, and GroceryAid is the result of a merger between Caravan and Sweet Charity, a charity for the confectionery trade, in 2012.

With 2013 largely a year of merging committees and operations, 2014 was the first year GroceryAid was up and running and its local branch is keen to raise awareness of the new branding and its services among potential recipients.

“GroceryAid is getting support,” says Cliff Kells, chairman of the regional branch, “but

we want to raise awareness and reach more people in Northern Ireland.”

Key events such as the Ulster Grocers’ Ball, Candy Ball, Golf Day and John Barrett Memorial Lunch will continue this year, and the regional branch is also reviving a number of events which proved popular in previous years such as the Quiz Night and annual BBQ. GroceryAid also distributes Christmas hampers to some beneficiaries, particularly the elderly and isolated, and received many letters of gratitude for the gesture this past Christmas.

Strong local support is reflected in the breadth of industry represented on the Northern Ireland committee, and the number of companies listed in the GroceryAid Achievement Awards 2014 which recognise and thank companies supporting the charity.

Recipients included Ulster Grocer publisher Greer Publications, as well as Asda NI, Holywood Partnership, Mace NI, Coca-Cola, Sainsbury, Musgrave Group Plc, SHS Sales & Marketing Ltd, Kepak Group, White’s Oats,

How to get help?

Potential recipients may make contact themselves, or concerned friends or colleagues may do so on their behalf, by calling 01252 875925. Individual cases will then be audited and support extended accordingly.

The GroceryAid Helpline, 08088 021122, additionally offers guidance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round in areas such as financial guidance, personal and domestic issues, career support, people skills, health and mental health issues including help with depression and anxiety, legal issues and counselling for victims of accidents or incidents.

Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd, Savage & Whitten Wholesale Ltd, Tayto Group Ltd, United Biscuits (NI) Ltd, Henderson Group, Stafford Lynch Ltd, Courtney & Nelson Ltd, Cakemark Ltd, Richmond Marketing Ltd, Green Isle Foods Ltd and Kerry Foods NI.

GroceryAid’s Northern Ireland Committee thanks its supporters for helping raise a record £65,798 in 2014.

Events planned for 2015 include: Quiz Night – March 26th Ulster Grocers’ Ball – May 22nd Golf Day – August 6th Candy Ball – October 2nd John Barrett Memorial Lunch – November 15th 16

RETAIL NEWS – INDEPENDENTS

NIIRTA outlines changes to business rates T

he Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) outlined new priorities for future Business Rates policy at a Rates Seminar earlier this month.

“Business Rates is our number one priority in 2015, particularly in supporting our members who have lost out in the current Revaluation process,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive of NIIRTA. “While Corporation Tax directly supports larger businesses, which is to be welcomed, more

support is needed to support our indigenous local businesses with sensible reforms to our rating system.

“We face a perfect storm of challenges such as the revaluation, rates convergence of the 11 councils, the future of the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme and a wider review of rating policy. Therefore we would urge the Finance Minister to establish a Business Rates Advisory Forum, made up of businesses representatives to advise and act

New signage welcomes visitors to Fairtrade Belfast T

he first in a series of road signs proclaiming Belfast’s status as a Fairtrade City has been unveiled on one of the city’s main arterial routes.

The move marks the recent award of Fairtrade City status to Belfast for the ninth year in a row, and sees the strapline ‘A Fairtrade City’ being added to the existing Welcome to Belfast signage on main roads into the city, including the Ormeau Road, Crumlin Road and the Upper Pictured unveiling the new signs are Nichola Mallon, Lord Mayor of Belfast; Dr Newtownards Road.

Christopher Stange, Hon. Consul for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to Northern “Fairtrade is about Ireland and chair of Fairtrade Belfast; and Reginald Clark, treasurer, Fairtrade Belfast. guaranteeing better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world,” explained the Lord Mayor. “Since 2005, the number of city centre shops, cafes, and businesses offering Fairtrade certified products has grown to more than 100 – and continues to grow.

“Many of the major high street stores as well as the smaller independent retailers are now stocking many of the more than 3,000 high quality Fairtrade products available on the market.”

as a touchstone group on the impact of any changes.

“NIIRTA wants the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme to be extended from the current £15k NAV qualifying figure to £17k NAV by 2017 – bringing even more small businesses in to the discount scheme. The Empty Premises Relief Scheme, which has helped to create nearly 400 new businesses by giving them 50% rate relief in their vital first of trading, needs to continue.”

GREAT TASTE OPENS FOR ENTRY

G

reat Taste, the prestigious awards organised by the Guild of Fine Food in which Northern Ireland has excelled in recent years, is now open for entry.

Great Taste is judged by hundreds of food experts, including chefs, buyers, retailers, restaurateurs, food critics and writers, with one of the judging heats held in Belfast for the first time last year.

Products are blind-tasted and, if deemed worthy, are then awarded one, two or three gold stars which can be displayed on the products and their marketing material as a stamp of excellence recognised by retailers and consumers alike.

Members of the Guild of Fine Food have exclusive access to submit their entries at a discounted rate during ‘Members’ Fortnight’, which runs from January 19 to February 1, while entry opens to all other food producers supplying the independent retail sector on February 2; closing on February 27.

Product entries are capped at 10,00​0 and the rigorous judging process to find the stars of 2015 will commence in March, with the results being announced during the summer.

LMC promotion offers £200 voucher G

lenda Stewart from Larne has won a £200 voucher to spend on Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured (NIFQA) beef and lamb at Owen Donnelly Family butchers, after registering for recipe ideas and menu suggestions with the Livestock and Meat Commission’s (LMC) new website www.beefandlambni.com.

The website is packed with top tips and know-how demonstration videos by local chef Karyn Booth on how to cook and enjoy beef and lamb products at home.

“We have been delighted with the reaction to the new website,” said Colin Smith, industry development manager with LMC. “The website is full of delicious festive feasts and party nibbles for family and friends using NIFQA beef and lamb, and visitors to the website can also meet the butchers who produce meat to the high standards of the NIFQA scheme through the case studies on the site.”

Pictured are Colin Smith, industry development manager with LMC, Glenda Stewart from Larne and butcher Owen Donnelly.

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RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOLS

FSA surveys local grocers’ promotional activity N

orthern Ireland food retailers are taking part in a research project to establish whether their in-store promotions offer shoppers enough healthy options.

The Food Standards Agency in NI (FSA in NI) and the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (CCNI) have commissioned Ulster University Business School to carry out a study into the stores’ food promotions to see how balanced the offers are on both end-ofaisle and special promotional aisles.

Eight retailers are taking part: Asda; The Co-operative; Henderson Retail, owners of the SPAR & EUROSPAR franchises in Northern Ireland; Lidl Northern Ireland; Marks & Spencer; Musgrave Retail Partners NI; Nisa Retail Limited; and Tesco.

The research will address the consumer perception that special offers are usually on foods high in fat, sugar and salt – and that it is cheaper to eat less healthy foods than healthier ones.

The study, Three-stage investigation into the balance of healthy versus less healthy food promotions among Northern Ireland food retailers, will also consider how food retailers are expected by government to help create an environment where consumers can make healthier choices. This is particularly important against a background of cost of living pressures and rising levels of obesity.

Pictured are, from left, Ruth Balmer, senior scientific advisor in Dietary Health, FSA in NI; Dr Lynsey Hollywood, lead researcher, the Ulster University Business School; and Philippa McKeown, head of policy, the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.

“We are delighted to be working with the Consumer Council and Ulster University on this research which looks specifically at Northern Ireland food retailers,” said Ruth Balmer, senior scientific advisor in Dietary Health at the FSA in NI. “It fits within the DHSSPS’s A Fitter Future for All, which was introduced in 2012 as a 10-year framework for preventing and addressing overweight and obesity here. We want to encourage and enable food retailers to reduce the amount of foods high in fat, sugar and salt that are on offer and instead, to consider promoting healthier options. We feel developing meaningful relationships with local retailers

Shop & Win promotion returns to SPAR S

PAR Northern Ireland has been running the UKwide Shop and Win promotional scheme aimed at driving footfall and consumer awareness over the six weeks up to midFebruary.

Shop & Win is a major SPAR initiative designed to attract new customers to stores across Northern Ireland, as well as increase visit frequency of existing shoppers.

Last year’s event was deemed a success, with more than 165,000 entries, 108,000 vouchers issued and 18,260 redemptions.

The main prize on offer was £500 for shoppers to win every day for six weeks, as well as 145,000 mobile coupons, up 25,000 from last year.

Over £150,000 worth of vouchers were up for grabs, while new to the campaign were virtual scratch cards and an accelerator module allowing certain redeeming shoppers a choice of instant win prizes.

Aidan Rodgers, brand manager at SPAR.

18

will achieve successful outcomes in the long term.”

The data gathered from the food retailers will be representative of both large and small operators in Northern Ireland and will focus on in-store and online promotions across a variety of retailers and retail formats. All the information gathered over the course of the study will be anonymous.

As key stakeholders, the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium and the NI Independent Retail Trade Association will also be interviewed by Ulster’s researchers, to help inform the wider policy context around retail promotions.

Centra and Action Cancer launch 2015 Health Action Awards Getting ready for this year’s awards are Erin McGrath and Lewis Vance from Trinity Nursery School, Bangor.

C

entra has teamed up with Action Cancer to launch its 13th annual Health Action Awards, encouraging healthy schools across Northern Ireland to enter, for the chance to be recognised at the June 9 awards.

Schools, nurseries and colleges can enter, whether they provide healthy meal options in their cafeteria, promote extra fruit and water in school, are involved in extra-curricular exercise programmes, or run cancer awareness initiatives.

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

RETAIL NEWS – MULTIPLES

Asda highlights local sourcing commitment By brian mccalden

A

sda, one of the ‘Big Four’ UK supermarkets has identified its critical path for expansion in 2015, and it’s not developing physical stores. Online shopping is proving to be the key to increase the USowned business’ existing 17% market share.

Speaking to a group of agricultural journalists at the end of January, Joe McDonald, corporate affairs manager for Northern Ireland, said Asda has secured a 500,000-strong customer base already in Northern Ireland with its existing 17 stores, and a similar market share to the rest of the UK overall.

However, while plans for a new store at Monkstown in Co Antrim are proceeding, e-commerce is proving to be a major boost for Asda.

Just days after competitor Tesco announced it was closing three ‘unprofitable’ outlets, including the Connswater Shopping Centre ‘anchor’ store, the former Ulster Farmers’ Union official said that ‘online’ is already some 9% of overall sales.

“Antrim store alone delivers 140 orders every day and about 20 ‘Click and Collect’ orders that customers pick up themselves,” he said. “On average we are delivering over 1,000 a week across an area from Magherafelt to Glengormley and down as far as Moira, or £70,000.”

Taking up the theme, Michael McCallion, senior buyer for Northern Ireland and Scotland, said that has to be good news not only in securing the 5,000 ‘colleagues’ jobs across the local stores, but also for suppliers.

“We have around 100 suppliers across the island of Ireland, with £1 in every £5 spent at Asda being sourced locally,” he said.

“They supply 1,200 lines – some of which are seasonal – and we are always keen to back innovative suppliers with a point of difference ‘who can fit the model’.”

He said local firms deliver directly into

Pictured are Chris Brown, senior director for sustainable business at Asda (far left) and Joe McDonald, corporate affairs manager for Asda Northern Ireland (third from right) with Guild of Agricultural Journalists members. Photography: Cliff Donaldson.

the company’s Larne depot. It then services both the local market, and increasingly, niche sectors in Great Britain where innovative products can often find their place.

A dedicated Invest NI supplier development programme helps too by helping small firms work up suitable product lines for consideration.

Michael cited the success of the small Enniskillen bakery, Scotts, and said that it is supplying 500 stores across the UK with individual cup cakes, such as those designed for the Valentine’s Day market.

“Firm don’t have to be big, like Dale Farm or Irwin’s Bakery to do business with Asda,” he said. That said, scale matters too, evidenced by the presence of New Zealand lamb on local Asda shelves: “Local suppliers simply cannot produce the required volumes for Asda, so we also have to look further afield.”

Whether online or in-store, the company is looking ahead to this 50th anniversary year with some confidence and is also looking to

the future and ‘sustainability’.

Chris Brown, senior director for sustainable business, who travelled to Antrim from his office in England for the journalists’ meeting, said the ‘green agenda’ isn’t just about warehouse overstock being donated to charities like FairShare.

“We recycle as much as possible, but really would prefer to order the right quantities in the first place and underline our role as one of the ‘stewards of our natural resources’ by reducing waste at the source,” he said.

Of course, getting the supply chain just right is difficult as no one can be sure what lies ahead in an often volatile market.

But, dropping oil prices and cheaper fuel at the pumps has contributed to a rising discretionary spend for local shoppers – and although it is still less than in Great Britain; that’s good news for Asda and its suppliers as it powers ahead as Northern Ireland’s third largest employer in, this, its Golden anniversary year.

Tesco celebrates the Northern Irish breakfast T

Encouraging Tesco customers to ‘Enjoy a Northern Irish Breakfast’ are, from left, Stefan Szymura from Irwin’s Bakery in Portadown, Tesco’s Joe O’Hagan, Jill Crawford of Portaferry-based granola maker Just Live A Little and Harold Richmond from Dungannon company Skea Eggs.

esco has staged an ‘Enjoy a Northern Irish Breakfast’ initiative as part of its ongoing Tesco Taste Northern Ireland campaign, aimed at supporting Northern Ireland food and its producers.

The three-week, in-store celebration began in late January, with Tesco encouraging consumers to enjoy breakfasts made from locally-sourced products.

“Breakfast is an important part of everyday life in Northern Ireland and we view this as an opportunity to not only celebrate the Northern Ireland breakfast but also the many local suppliers whose breakfast products are available in our stores,” said Caoimhe Mannion, marketing manager for Tesco in Northern Ireland.

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STORE FOCUS John Harrison, owner/ operator of the store.

Today’s Conlig As a first time retailer, support from Savage & Whitten during a refit of Today’s Conlig and a fullyintegrated EPOS system linked to the wholesaler were invaluable, owner/ operator John Harrison tells Brian McCalden.

N

ew retailer John Harrison is putting in more hard graft than he ever expected since opening his Today’s store in Conlig, Co Down.

John has been averaging over 80 hours a week, working hard to put the store on a firm footing, initially disadvantaged by the premises having been closed for some months before he undertook a complete refurbishment of the 1,000-square-foot store.

Despite not coming from a retail background, he signed up with S&W Wholesale to re-open the former Vivo under the Today’s Local symbol brand.

John works along with the support of his wife, Karen, who uses her commercial expertise to keep the accounts in order and he also employs four staff to operate seven days a week.

“It has been hard work,” says the Woodvale man. “But I wouldn’t have it any 20

Today’s Conlig.

STORE FOCUS

other way, as I enjoy working long hours to develop the business and grow sales.”

The convenience-based store attracts most of its trade from the local community, with the ‘free to use’ ATM being a very popular addition.

“Newspapers, Lotto and scratch cards and general top-up shopping are dominant for the adults who clearly appreciate the convenience aspect of the new local store.”

John plans to develop new services and lines, especially as the summer holidays loom, and he also praised the support of Savage & Whitten which oversaw the extensive re-fit of the store itself.

He also benefits from a fully integrated EPOS system that is linked to the wholesaler and helps give him the management information required to run the business.

“There are many promotional lines with a focus on value for money and many £1 products while the Today’s own label range has proved very popular with our customers,” he says.

As part of his range, he is serviced by local suppliers including his chilled products, home baked products and fresh local fruit and vegetables; the focus being on keeping it local.

The local range of suppliers includes HB, Dale Farm, Pattons, Linwoods, Hovis, Dennys and Tayto; to name but a few.

The store offers hot food with a full range of savoury items such as sausage rolls, as well as hot drinks including an innovative hot chocolate choice.

However, it all comes back to convenience and, when he opened for just two hours on Christmas Day 2014, he saw a huge level of trade. “Local people appreciate having this facility on their doorstep,” says John.

He now supplies both gas, for home and caravan use, and central heating oil in drums.

In addition, John has a newly branded van on the road for both his own store use and to develop a delivery service locally.

“So far the business is performing very well and I am confident that, with all the support

There are many promotional lines with a focus on value for money and many £1 products.” that continues to be offered by Savage & Whitten and the advice from Invest NI, that I have made the right decision in going into business for myself,” says John. “The hours are long, but the support from my wife and staff work well in building up what I am sure is going to be a successful retailing business well into 2015 and beyond.”

Maurice Little, business development manager at Today’s, oversaw the re-fit and assisted John throughout the process. He also took the opportunity on behalf of Savage & Whitten to welcome John into the

Today’s symbol group.

Maurice was keen to highlight the benefits and support available to the Today’s customers locally, as well as the support of the Today’s group with a buying power in excess of £5.7bn.

Maurice explained that the Today’s retailers benefited from a partnership relationship with S&W which was non contractual, yet provided the retailer with all the services and support required to run their business without the fees normally associated with competitor symbol offerings.

“Our key difference is that we care about growing the retailer’s business in conjunction with our own and we never forget who owns their business,” he says. “We understand the need to provide support to secure a future in a very tough marketplace but the flexibility for retailers to make their own choices.

“We are able to do this with our Today’s Development Team, who are on the ground giving continual support in all areas of their business and also a dedicated customer service team in the office.”

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Q&A

Focus on Fresh - featuring Hamilton Carnduff of H&J Carnduff WHAT IS H&J CARNDUFF? We supply Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured Beef, dry hung for 28 days-plus for maximum taste and texture. We also cure our own bacon and hams, and produce our own cooked meats and have a range of our own artisan cooked food products. Our seasonal products such as our turkeys are sourced from local double gold award-winning producer J Buchanan.

All our products are available in our own store in Newtownards, and of course in the SPAR and EUROSPAR stores we have partnered up with.

We also cater to the foodservice industry by supplying award-winning restaurants such as Pier 36, Donaghadee and The Parlour, Newtownards.

With such a focus on the quality of the meat we sell, we are delighted with the numerous awards we have picked up over the years. These include the European Angus Awards, a highly regarded Steak Sausage Competition and a local Gourmet Sausage competition. Recently we were highly recommended for our Dry Aged Sirloin, Rib Eye and Fillet steak. This also compliments the range already available in SPAR and EUROSPAR. WHEN DID YOU BEGIN SUPPLYING TO THE HENDERSON GROUP? Our business relationship officially began in November 2013 at what is now EUROSPAR, Brackenvale. This came about after a decision

by Henderson Group to convert what was a SPAR store to their larger format store, EUROSPAR, with a desire to further expand their product range. Since then, we have opened in EUROSPAR, Rathgael Road, Bangor and we are excited to announce we have a further two more stores due to open this year.

However, the relationship was first sparked by our work with some of the Henderson Group’s independent SPAR retailers. We had already established H&J Carnduff in SPAR, Ballyhalbert and McCanns SPAR in Killinchy, Co Down.

These successful outlets, established in the past five years, have proved the viability of having a quality family butcher within a local retail outlet such as SPAR or EUROSPAR. WHICH PRODUCTS ARE PERFORMING BEST? We often like to give our customers variety and good value; as a result, we have found our three

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Company owners Jonathan Carnduff and Hamilton Carnduff are pictured with Newtownards store staff, Charlie Davison and Brian Rafferty.

products for £10 range, where you can mix and match cooked or fresh ranges and our artisan cooked products, to prove most popular.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DECIDING WHICH PRODUCTS TO SUPPLY? Generally products are tested in-house. Each shop has a different customer base and taste; therefore our qualified staff and management monitor all products sales and adapt to find the best range of products for each individual shop. We also work closely with Henderson Group trading team to collaborate in store promotional activity and meat sales.

HAS THE CONTRACT OPENED UP YOUR BUSINESS TO NEW MARKETS? Yes, it certainly has. The contract has opened up our business and provided us with the potential for growth, especially within the convenience sector.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO INTRODUCE MORE NEW LINES THIS YEAR? We introduce new lines all the time to keep abreast of customer demands. Over the years, we have learnt that our customers demand a

variety of choices and there are fashions in the food world and we have to be able to supply it.

Products have to move with the times or you will be left behind.

ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR BUSINESS? The main challenge would probably be the amount of fresh product we need every day.

To overcome this, we have managed it very carefully to ensure customer satisfaction of the highest level. We also like to ensure that we have a quality product on stock by forging good relationships with local producers, which is certainly an aspect that Henderson Group are particularly focused on.

HAS THE HENDERSON GROUP CONTRACT GIVEN YOU ANY SPECIFIC INSIGHT INTO THE WIDER RETAIL MARKET? The Henderson Group is a very professional and well-run organisation and, as a partnering company, it gives us a benchmark to duplicate in our ambition and our service. If we can sustain the relationship with Henderson Group, we can feel we have succeeded in business.

The Henderson Group is a very professional and well-run organisation and, as a partnering company, it gives us a benchmark to duplicate in our ambition and service.”

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

Tayto ‘springs’ forward with new flavours and fresh packaging T

ayto Northern Ireland produces one million packets of crisps every day at its Tayto Castle factory in Tandragee. The company, which employs 450 people at the Co Armagh facility, is the market leader in Northern Ireland with one in every five packets of crisps eaten locally being Tayto ‘Cheese & Onion’ flavour.

Tayto’s new limited edition ‘Springtime’ crisps, which are available from the end of February in multiple and convenience retailers, have the seasonal flavours and fresh scents of Lemon and Basil combining to give consumers an evocative springtime experience. Available in 100g sharing packs with a price point of £1, the new crisps form an additional aspect of the company’s ongoing charity commitment to Marie Curie, with ALL Tayto profits from each pack sold going to the charity.

“We have had an on-going relationship with Marie Curie for a number of years and have, so far, contributed more than £120,000 to the charity, which has paid for 6,000 hours of nursing care,” said Elly Hunter, marketing director for Tayto.

“Through the sale of the ‘Springtime’ crisps, we are hoping to be able to donate a further £50,000 to the organisation. To launch and gain traction for the crisps, created in honour of Marie Curie with packaging clearly adorned with Marie Curie’s official flower, daffodils, we undertook a creative off and online marketing and PR campaign.

“Entitled ‘Mr Tayto Wants a Girlfriend’, we launched the search for Mr Tayto’s perfect partner through pictures, a Lonely Hearts ad and videos. The public really got behind the campaign to find Mr Tayto’s special someone and we received many suggestions of the perfect girlfriend for Mr Tayto with some people even taking the time to design up characters.

“Mr Tayto, however, has always enjoyed spending time with Daffy, Marie Curie’s mascot, and although he didn’t know it, his perfect partner was right under his eyes all along! The two will be out and about around Northern Ireland together to promote the crisps and the ongoing charity partnership.”

In other areas of the business, Tayto’s premium range, Handcooked, has recently been revamped with the 90g and 150g colourful foil packs designed with contrasting but complementary Castle graphics. The packs are now in stores with the 90g pack retailing at £1 and the 150g pack with an RRP of £1.99.

With four distinct flavour options available as standard; Irish Roast Beef and Peppercorn, Mature Irish Cheddar and Sweet Onion, 8 364• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Mr Tayto is looking for love

Tayto Exy Ozys

Daffy and Mr Tayto

Sweet Chilli and Red Pepper along with Causeway Sea Salt and Black Pepper, the £1 Handcooked range also includes a limited edition seasonal flavour; currently the ‘Winter Warmer’, Sizzling Sausage and Tomato.

“We took the decision to relaunch our premium Handcooked range to give it a fresh modern presence within the market, reflective of its quality,” said Hunter. “The bold, aspirational flavour choices within the range are targeted to compete directly with others within the premium sector. Our Sizzling Sausage and Tomato flavour has proved popular with consumers across Northern Ireland since its introduction in autumn/ winter 2014 and availability remains across various retailers.”

Another key line within Tayto’s portfolio,

the beef flavoured corn snacks ‘Exy Oxys’, are now available in a multipack option, retailing at £1.

“This range, which is baked not fried, remains a popular choice with parents as an after-school snack or a lunchtime treat. We listened to consumer feedback which indicated an Exy Oxys multipack option would have a strong uptake in the marketplace.”

Tayto Group Ltd is the biggest Britishowned crisp and snack manufacturer, producing five million bags a day across its five sites. The company remains familyowned and has a portfolio of some of the UK’s most iconic snack brands, including Tayto, Golden Wonder, Real Crisps, Mr Porky and Ringos.

23

food & drink news Pictured are, from left, Kenton Hilman, head of Corporate & Institutional Banking NI at Ulster Bank and Michael Bell, executive director of NIFDA.

Ulster Grocer Consumer Insight and Market Update March 2015: Update on Consumer Sentiment

By Jason Winstanley, Moy Park Senior Insight and Research Manager An optimistic start to 2015 Before Christmas, we talked about the fact that consumer confidence, following a very strong first half of 2014, had been trending downwards since August. We speculated that this was evidence, not of a genuine lack of confidence, but of financial prudence on the part of consumers as the heaviest spend of the year approached, and that confidence should return post-Christmas. The latest data, for January, has demonstrated that this does, indeed, appear to have been the case, with a five point surge in confidence since December recorded in GfK’s Index¹.

There is also encouraging news from Asda’s latest Income Tracker, which shows that, in December, families had on average £180 of discretionary income each week.

This is an 8.9% increase on the same period in 2013, and represents an additional £15 per week of spending power for the average family².

The prospects for both confidence and increased discretionary income for consumers are positive as we move further forward into 2015, with the main driver being the continuing low inflationary environment. In December, the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation stood at just 0.5%, its lowest level since 2000, and it would be no surprise to see this continue to fall; the price of oil is currently very low by recent standards, leading to much smaller bills at the petrol pump for motorists.

Add to this the energy price cuts recently announced by the leading utilities companies and the continuing price cutting war in grocery retail, and it becomes clear that there is little upwards inflationary pressure on the horizon any time soon.

At the same time, wage growth is starting to pick up; in the August-to-October period, average earnings excluding bonuses were up 1.6% from a year earlier³. Historically, this is still a low level of growth, but the fact that the growth is considerably out-stripping inflation is helping to drive the gains in discretionary spend.

One beneficiary of this increase in consumer spending power appears to be the food service industry; in Q4 of 2014, (during the period we believe consumers were exercising financial caution), data from Allegra Strategies 4 showed that participation in out of home eating increased to 91.9%, up 3 percentage points vs. the same period in 2013. This growth was driven by lunch and, especially, breakfast, whilst participation in eating dinner outof-home remained flat. In a nutshell, food service saw 3% growth over the period, which was driven by more consumers eating out more often. Admittedly, their average spend when they did eat out was lower than in 2013, but the increases in participation and frequency were more than enough to compensate for this.

The increase in out of home consumption is a tangible piece of evidence that consumers are feeling more optimistic, and corroborates our other data. However, half a decade of recession has trained consumers to be far savvier than they used to be, especially when it comes to grocery shopping... and that isn’t a habit that will be easily broken, however optimistic they feel.

Sources: 1 - GfK Consumer Confidence Index, January 2015; 2 - Asda Income Tracker, January 2015 Report for December 2014; 3 - ONS, December 2014; 4 - Allegra Strategies Quarterly Briefing 2014

8 • •Ulster 3624 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Northern Ireland Food and Drink Awards 2015 open T he Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA) is calling on the great and good in food to enter the 13th NI Food and Drink Awards, sponsored by Ulster Bank.

The awards, held biannually, are one of the highlights of Northern Ireland’s food and drink calendar, attracting entries across 10 categories including Best New Product, Training Excellence and Best Local Food and Drink Event.

“It is a pivotal time for Northern Ireland food and drink”, said Michael Bell, executive director of NIFDA. “The challenge for us as Northern Ireland’s biggest industry is to continue to produce new products which offer freshness, taste, local provenance and integrity at a competitive cost.

“As an industry, we have successfully delivered on this brief for many years now – with over a decade of unbroken growth testament to this.

The Northern Ireland Food & Drink awards provide the perfect platform to recognise and celebrate the hard work, dedication and success of local companies, which has led to the continued expansion of the sector.

“Many thanks to our principal sponsor Ulster Bank which has been supporting the awards since 2007 and also plays an invaluable role on the

judging panel, selecting winners from an always exceptionally high calibre of entries.”

Kenton Hilman, head of Corporate & Institutional Banking NI at Ulster Bank, said: “Food and drink companies here in Northern Ireland make an important contribution to our local economy.

“We are fortunate to have such a range of successful food and drink companies, from major international exporters to innovative small firms, producing high quality produce and generating significant business returns.

“We recognise the opportunities for sustainable growth for food and drink companies in Northern Ireland.

We’ve worked to understand their specific needs and through our sector specific proposition we can offer them the people and products to help them grow. We see our continued support for the NIFDA and Balmoral Show as a further demonstration of our commitment to the sector.”

The closing date for entries to the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Awards is Wednesday, February 25.

The Awards ceremony will be held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Shawsbridge on March 20. For more information on categories, entry requirements (free to enter) and to download an entry form please visit www.nifda.co.uk.

NIFDA Food and Drink Awards 2015 – Award Categories: Service Sector Award - Sponsored by Invest Northern Ireland Ulster Bank Best New Product - Large company award (251 employees or more) Ulster Bank Best New Product - Medium company award (51 – 250 employees) Ulster Bank Best New Product - Small company award (0 - 50 employees) Agri-Food Supply Chain Excellence Award – Sponsored by the Agri-Food Strategy Board Ulster Bank Outstanding Contribution to NI Food and Drink Award Northern Ireland Good Food is In Our Nature Award – The People’s Choice Sponsored by Food Northern Ireland Best Event/Initiative for Promoting Quality Local Food and Drink - Sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Future Leaders Award - Sponsored by Department for Employment and Learning Training Excellence Award - Sponsored by Food and Drink Sector Skills

free from

Top gluten free brands coming to Fermanagh F

ebruary 21 will see some of the top brands in gluten free food production come to the Westville Hotel, Enniskillen for a special mini expo, organised by Gluten Free Ireland, Northern Ireland’s largest online community for sufferers of Coeliac disease and gluten intolerance.

New products from Rule of Crumb will be on display alongside well known brands such as Riso Gallo, Glutafin and Celia Lager.

Visitors can access the stands on display from 1pm to 4pm and chat with producers, suppliers and agencies involved in gluten-free food production and distribution.

The Westville Hotel in Enniskillen serves a range of gluten-free foods, so visitors can enjoy a meal or a weekend in the picturesque venue while attending the free event.

With Coeliac disease affecting one out of every hundred people in Ireland, the need for gluten free options in catering venues is paramount. Finding those venues and getting peace of mind can mean the difference between enjoying a day out and simply not leaving the house in fear of debilitating reactions to gluten intolerance.

While the after effects of eating food containing gluten varies from a painful rash to full blown sickness and joint pain, many

people not diagnosed with Coeliac disease choose to lead a gluten-free lifestyle to ease similar symptoms they experience.

A rise in both diagnosis and public awareness over the past five years has led to many eating establishments now offering gluten-free foods and Gluten Free Ireland has been at the forefront of promoting such places.

Gluten Free Ireland was started by husband and wife team, Derek and Christina Thompson from their home in Ballynahinch in 2010. Since then www.glutenfreeireland. com, built by their son Michael, has become one of the best known and most active communities for people with Coeliac disease in Northern Ireland and Ireland. By building on the success of their hospitality database, a comprehensive list created by hand, Derek and Christina published the first guide book for eating out gluten free in Ireland, now available on Amazon.

The event will be open from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday, February 21 in the Westville Hotel, Tempo Road, Enniskillen. Parking is available at the hotel. Entry is free. For more details go to www.glutenfreeireland.com/ fermanagh-gluten-free-day/.

Derek and Christina Thompson are the founders of Gluten Free Ireland.

Gallo goes gorgeously glutenfree R

isotto rice specialist Riso Gallo has turned its grain talents to produce a deliciously-different gluten-free pasta, available in selected SPAR and EUROSPAR stores.

Available in a variety of pack sizes for individuals and families, Riso Gallo’s 3 Cereali pasta meets both the nutritional needs of those following a gluten-free diet and the high-standards consistently displayed by the Gallo family brand.

Heralded as ‘Best Pasta’ in the ‘FreeFrom Food Awards 2013’, the spaghetti has been celebrated for its flavoursome al dente texture as well as supreme sauce adherence.

Marking the company’s first foray into the pasta market, Gallo’s gluten-free pasta is made from rice, corn and buckwheat and provides a lighter, more digestible alternative to wheat pasta.

Consistently delivering on taste and texture, Gallo’s 3 Cereali 100 per cent authentic Italian spaghetti, penne and fusilli are available in 250g and 500g packs, which are all certified ‘glutenfree’ by the Coeliac Association.

The pasta cooks in six to eight minutes (depending on your al dente preference) and costs just £2.49 for the 250g. www.facebook.com/RisoGalloUK or www.twitter.com/ RisoGalloUk

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

25

FREE FROM

Free’ist - free from and flavoursome

Gerard McAdorey of GM Marketing is pictured with Meagan Green accepting the award for Best New Product Launch/Relaunch for Free’ist at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards last year.

T

he free from category has experienced impressive growth over the last number of years, more than doubling in the last five years, and was estimated to be worth over £360m

in 2014 with this growth predicted to continue.

Celebrity endorsements, an increase in food-related conditions like diabetes and coeliac disease, and growing consumer awareness, have all added to the demand for free from products.

Retailers have responded to this growing demand by increasing the range and space in their stores. The free from trend has seen it move from a niche category towards a more mainstream offering.

Local brand Free’ist spotted the free from trend a number of years ago and launched its innovative range of sugar free/no added sugar products (some of which are also gluten free) in September 2013, after a number of years of research and development.

“We spent a lot of time speaking with consumers and retailers and it was clear that there was a gap in the market for great-tasting, sugar free-products,” said Steve McDonagh, marketing coordinator at Free’ist.

“Consumers wanted sugar free and gluten free products but they didn’t want to compromise on taste.

“Our range of 13 products includes cookies, wafers, chocolates and jams and has been well received by the retail trade, with listings secured in key retail groups throughout Northern and Southern Ireland.

As the range covers a number of different

product categories it offers retailers and consumers a perfect solution to their needs all from one brand.

“The range offers retailers good margins, is competitively priced and has strong promotional support. Due to the initial success we have had, we are currently working on some exciting NPD which we will be launching in the coming months, so watch this space.’’

For more information on Free’ist, visit www.freeist.co.uk

Tennent’s NI lists gluten-free chocolate milk drink C

acaolat’s secret formula has been refreshing consumers with its tasty, chocolate milk recipe for over 80 years. Cacaolat was the first milkshake to be produced on an industrial scale in 1933 in Barcelona, Spain. It is Spain’s number one chocolate milk and is now distributed in Northern Ireland by local company, Tennent’s NI. Cacaolat can be consumed as a chilled chocolate milk in the summer and warmed as a delicious hot chocolate in the winter time. Cacaolat is made from the highest quality cocoa beans from the best plantations in West Africa. It contains more cocoa than any other chocolate milk on the market, which equates to more pleasure and more flavour, says Tennent’s NI. As well as being gluten free, this healthy, tasty beverage has excellent nutritional properties and contains antioxidants, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C & E. Cacaolat comes in a handy 200ml tetra pack and can be stored ambiently, making it an easy, manageable product to store, distribute and display.

For more information, please contact TNI on 028 9595 2100.

8 • •Ulster 3626 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

SOFT DRINKS

Penetration remains high but sugar content a concern for carbonated sector In its latest category publication, Carbonated Soft Drinks – UK – June 2014, market research and analysis consultancy Mintel reports as follows: THE MARKET Carbonated soft drinks (CSD) enjoy high levels of usage, drunk by 84% of consumers, with usage declining with age.

Value and volume sales grew in 2013, to £7.5bn and 6.1 billion litres, respectively. This was in part because of the favourable weather, and against those comparisons, volumes are estimated to dip into decline in 2014, with value growth slowing accordingly.

FORECAST Volume growth in the market is expected to lose momentum going forward, in part because of the negative attention that standard CSDs are receiving due to their relatively high sugar content. The market also remains under competition from other segments such as flavoured water. Innovation in the market and the continued roll-out of lower-sugar options should support

future growth and the sector may see some benefit on the back of the nation’s declining consumption of alcoholic drinks.

Against this background, Mintel forecasts that volume sales will grow by 3% to 6.1 billion litres by 2019. Total market value is forecast to grow by 12% between 2014 and 2019, to £8.4bn, as inflation continues to have an impact.

MARKET FACTORS Ongoing negative media focus on sugar and sugary drinks is affecting consumers.

Despite efforts over many years to develop lower-sugar/lower-calorie variants in a bid to give consumers choice, the industry continues to suffer from negative press around full-sugar variants.

The wider use of stevia leaf extract offers scope to quell concerns around sugar and artificial sweeteners. The introduction of

stevia leaf extract to Sprite by Coca-Cola in 2013 and its intention to introduce CocaCola Life, containing stevia, to the UK in September 2014, sends a strong signal of its confidence in the use of the sweetener.

WHAT WE THINK Although the market is long-established, there remains marked scope to drive interest among users through NPD. Botanical extracts, less sweet flavours and less fizzy variants all resonate among a large group of users, while remaining little explored in the market.

27

SOFT DRINKS

Shloer sales surge as range expands “L

ast year we saw a good performance from the adult soft drinks (ASD) category which generated £2.4m-worth of sales a year for multiple grocery retailers in Northern Ireland1,*” says Amanda Grabham, marketing director – Soft Drinks at brand owner SHS Drinks, which has a brand portfolio including Shloer, Northern Ireland’s No. 1 adult soft drinks brand2.

“ASD volume sales were up by 3.1% and value increased by 2.3%, with brand leader Shloer accounting for 54% of the total ASD category’s incremental value growth.1 We saw particularly strong performances from the Shloer Berry Punch Limited Edition (sales value +84%) and from four key new additions to the range. Shloer Celebration Pink Fizz and White Bubbly value sales were up by 57% and 45%, respectively,1 and Shloer Light Red Grape and White Grape have already made their mark. Launched in October, the two Shloer Light variants were already ranking as the No.8 and No.9 top-selling ASD skus by the end of the year.1” Grabham says that although Shloer is by far the biggest-selling ASD brand in Northern Ireland, where it accounts for seven out of every 10 bottles of adult soft drinks sold and nine out of the Top 10 ASD lines1, SHS Drinks has identified opportunities to grow

the brand through product, flavour and packaging innovation which makes Shloer perfect for every type of informal and formal social occasion from picnics and Sunday lunches to celebratory events and weddings.

In the past 18 months, SHS Drinks has launched the Shloer Celebration duo which have higher carbonation levels than Shloer and feature ‘popping corks’ to add pizzazz to special occasions for those who aren’t drinking alcohol. Last summer saw the addition of new individual 275ml bottle ‘share’ four-packs for the two best-selling Shloer variants – Red Grape and White Grape. And the most recent arrival is Shloer Light, a lower calorie option for Shloer available in Red Grape and which uses the naturally sourced sweetener Stevia leaf extract

to deliver just 22 calories per 100ml – around half the calories of the ‘regular’ Shloer sparkling adult soft drink.

“Shloer is purchased by more shoppers than any other adult soft drinks brand,2 and introducing new flavours, Limited Editions, new pack sizes and formats and different styles for Shloer not only keeps the brand fresh and vibrant, these innovations are also proving to be effective in attracting new consumers to Shloer and the ASD category, whilst also increasing frequency of purchase by ensuring that there’s a Shloer for every type of social occasion,” said Grabham.

1: Nielsen Scantrack NI Multiples Defined Adult Soft Drinks Volume 000 litres & Units, Value £m 52 w/e 03.01.15; 2: Kantar Worldpanel July 2014

Elderflower flavour proves a winner “E

lderflower is undoubtedly the key iconic flavour of the adult soft drinks category, and it’s still very much the flavour of the moment,” said Simon Speers, managing director of Bottlegreen Drinks which produces the No.1 premium glass cordial1 and Britain’s best-selling elderflower drink.2” “The growth in the popularity of elderflower – the flavour which established the bottlegreen brand 26 years ago – shows no sign of slowing. In fact, it’s gathering momentum through being incorporated in ready-to-serve spirits flavoured with elderflower; the arrival of a wave of elderflowerflavoured tonic water mixers following in the wake of the bottlegreen Elderflower Tonic Water which we launched in summer 2013; and it’s also very much on trend as a food flavouring ingredient.”

While bottlegreen accounts for almost two-thirds of all branded elderflower flavoured cordial sales1, the brand’s elderflower cordial sales still continue to flourish with volume and value up by 8% last year – double the volume growth and more than three times the value growth of the premium glass cordial category.1 Speers attributes bottlegreen’s sustained success to: • The premium quality of bottlegreen cordials, which are free from all artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners; • The range of flavours which provides plenty of choice; • Offering excellent value – high concentration levels deliver a 1:10 serve compared with a 1:4 serve of standard squash, with each 500ml bottle making 5.5 litres or approximately 22 serves when diluted; • Their versatility – as well as being served diluted as refreshing adult soft drinks in a glass or served in a pitcher for sharing, some of the flavours such as ginger & lemongrass, which is a particular favourite in Northern Ireland, can be enjoyed as a caffeine-free hot drink; and they can also be used as a cooking ingredient or drizzled over ice cream or other desserts to add an indulgent touch.

1: Nielsen Scantrack, Defined Adult Cordial, Branded Value Sales, MAT WE 03.01.15; 2: Nielsen Scantrack GB Take Home Adult Soft Drinks Value WE 03.01.15 28

SOFT DRINKS

The Maine Man goes global M

aine Soft Drinks has many roots in the past, with fond memories evoked by The Maine Man, but is looking keenly to the future with a major presence in the grocery trade at home and abroad and 10,000 likes on Facebook.

The family business has been operating since 1949 with production based in Ballymoney, Co Antrim since 1959 with over half of its 100-strong workforce involved in production, distribution and sales on-site. Door-to-door sales representatives operate across the Province from depots in Lurgan, Belfast and Derry~Londonderry.

For many years, the business has focused on household deliveries with ‘The Maine Man’ and his delivery van being well known throughout Northern Ireland. Glass bottles of Sarsaparilla, Brown Lemonade and American Cream Soda are still being delivered to over 40,000 homes on a weekly or fortnightly basis. “This part of the business remains very important to the company,” says Derrick Harkness, sales director at Maine Soft Drinks.

Business has since expanded, however, to contract bottling, exporting to England, Scotland and Republic of Ireland and supplying to convenience stores and supermarkets. In

the last couple of years, the company has launched the Maine brand in a new PET litre bottle into Asda, Tesco, Spar, Centra and SuperValu stores, among others.

“Our aim is to maximise Maine’s coverage in all these areas through Northern Ireland and further afield,” says Mr Harkness, with Invest NI currently assisting the business with a potential export deal to Australia.

A Direct Shop Sales team, headed by Key Accounts Manager William McLaughlin, operates regular deliveries to convenience stores and takeaways throughout the country, while also handling merchandising and brand awareness-boosting tasting sessions in-store and at events such as Tesco Taste NI and Foodforce Ireland.

“The 1 Litre PET range has been very well received by the consumer, many of whom have good memories of The Maine Man delivering to their doorsteps,” says Mr Harkness. “We believe Maine being so well known through our home deliveries has in turn helped us with sales in stores.”

A new 500ml range has also been launched in four popular flavours – Pineapple, Cloudy Lime, Bubblegum and Attaboy! – with more to be added in the future. “Attaboy! is a

Maine is now distributing McDaid’s Football Special, an iconic cola-flavoured soft drink brand from Donegal with a strong following among families holidaying there.

mixed fruit flavour, best described as tasting like Kola Kubes,” says Mr Harkness. “We have discovered a gap in this sector of the market for these flavours, allowing the consumer to choose other exciting flavours as well as the traditional Cola, Orange or Lemon & Lime brands. Maine will soon be launching a new flavoured still water range (available in a six pack of 330ml) which will open up new avenues for us in the retail sector.”

To stock Maine, or for further details, please contact william@mainesoftdrinks.co.uk.

29

SOFT DRINKS

Ballygowan lays claim as Ireland’s clear favourite

B

allygowan Natural Mineral Water is Ireland’s original and most popular water brand*. A commitment to quality and an innovative approach to engaging consumers has kept the brand at the top of the market throughout the decades.

Known as St Davids Well, the source of Ballygowan was discovered by the Knights

COCOMOJO PICKS UP TWO AWARDS

L

isburn-based drink manufacturer CocoMojo has picked up two awards at the UK Packaging Awards and the Quality Food Awards; both held in London late last year.

The business, which supplies a range of coconut water drinks, won Best Repackaging of a Brand at the UK Packaging Awards organised by Packaging News for its unique card can packaging.

At the Quality Food Awards, meanwhile, Cocomojo scooped the top award in the Cold Beverages – Juices & Smoothies category.

“The CocoMojo brand is going from strength to strength and this recent success is testament to both the intense scientific development and consumer research which has created our portfolio of drinks which contain only natural ingredients and come in a cylindrical card can adding to the all natural feel,” said Laura Jackson, PR & marketing manager at CocoMojo.

All Cocomojo products are free from caffeine, gluten and dairy with no preservatives or refined sugars, and are available in a recyclable 250ml ‘card can’ with RRP from £1.69.

30

Templar in the 12th century. All Ballygowan is bottled on site in a dedicated bottling facility in Newcastlewest, drawing on an exclusive source deep underground which has been filtered by nature through mineral-rich limestone for 750 years. This remarkable journey gives Ballygowan its unique mineral composition and pure fresh taste.

M

Ballygowan Sparkling is gently carbonated before bottling and is naturally low in sodium with a special effervesce which give it a particularly refreshing lift. It is the perfect partner to food and drink, enhancing the dining experience.

Ballygowan is a proud founding member of Love Irish Food and strong supporter of Irish jobs, with 44 people employed in Newcastlwest and a further 400-plus employed by brand owner Britvic Ireland.

The Ballygowan brand boasts an extensive range of pack formats and sizes, in both Still and Sparkling variants so great-quality Irish water is always close to hand throughout the day.

Data Sources: * Canadean 2014

iWadi is a truly iconic Irish brand, which continues to go from strength to strength in the marketplace appealing to all age groups, according to its distributor Britvic Ireland.

From small beginnings in 1927, when it was filled by hand in Nassau Place (Dublin) and distributed by horse and cart, MiWadi has become one of Ireland’s best-loved brands and continues to be the largest squash brand in Ireland. It is still produced in Dublin to this day and around 16.5 million litres of MiWadi are consumed every year.

MiWadi is a key brand in the Love Irish Food Campaign.

MiWadi fruit squashes are all prepared from sun-ripened fruit and contain real fruit juice, and are sold in 1 litre and 2 litre bottles. MiWadi, has been a fruity and flavoursome part of childhood in Ireland for over 90 years and has always remained relevant to Irish families with a wide range of flavours in both regular and NAS formulations. No Added Sugar is the key driver of category growth in squash as consumers look to reduce the sugar intake for their children.

MiWadi made with real fruit juice

AGRI-FOOD NEWS

Agri-food advice: How to get a tax refund from a loss Seamus McCaffrey, managing director of Omagh-based Matrix Business Services, is an expert columnist for Ulster Grocer covering tax and business issues.

T

here are many situations in which a tax loss may arise. For example, in the initial set-up period of a new business, from normal trading experiencing a downturn or as a result of claiming Capital Allowances on eligible plant, machinery and equipment used in the course of the business.

With effect from April 6, 2013, there is a limit on the amount of income tax relief that an individual may claim for deduction from their total income in a tax year. The limit in each tax year is the greater of £50,000 or 25% of the individual’s adjusted total income.

However, the Business Premises Renovation Allowance (BPRA) represents an exciting opportunity where the above restriction does not apply. The BPRA is intended to give an incentive to bring derelict or unused businesses premises back into use. BPRA gives an allowance of 100% for qualifying expenditure on converting or renovating unused business premises located in an ‘Assisted Area’, where this allowance creates a loss, the loss may be transferred ‘sideways’ without restriction, against the individual’s other income, thereby generating a tax refund.

Qualifying expenditure is expenditure on converting, renovating or repairing a qualifying building to bring it into commercial use. Expenditure on purchasing or developing land is not eligible. The building must be located in an ‘Assisted Area’.

All of Northern Ireland is an ‘Assisted Area’. Qualifying business premises are premises used or available for letting for trading purposes or offices. Premises used as a dwelling are not eligible.

To be eligible, the building must have been vacant for a year immediately before the conversion or renovation begins. The last use must not have been as a dwelling.

The BPRA applies to April 5, 2017 and the property must be kept for five years in order to avoid claw back the BPRA. In the event of a sale of the premises, the base cost for Capital Gains Tax purposes is the actual cost incurred; the BPRA is ignored. If the 100% BRPA is not claimed, a writing-down allowance at an annual rate of 25% on the straight line basis is available until all the qualifying expenditure is allowed.

There are several options available to obtain tax relief for a loss and the possible permutations can be confusing. There are strict time limits and tax rules to be met. The BPRA is a particularly attractive ‘tax offering’, particularly for individuals who own vacant business premises in Northern Ireland.

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

Northern Ireland pig industry meets with BPEX

R

epresentatives from the Northern Ireland pig industry have met with the British Pig Executive (BPEX) to exchange views on the pig industry at a time when it is facing a potentially tough year.

“Northern Ireland Pictured are, from left, Ivor Ferguson (UFU), Mick Sloyan producers fear they (BPEX), Deirdre McIvor (NI Pork and Bacon Forum), Derek are on the verge of Hall (UFU), Jonathan Cuddy (UFU), Stewart Houston (BPEX), and Roger Allen (UFU). crisis as the pricing differential widens between Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” said Ivor Ferguson, deputy president of UFU. “While this is not an easy subject to address, recent debates between processor and producer at the Forum Board meeting have led to a willingness for both parties to discuss the matter further and get visibility on the limits of the market.

“There is a point below which farmers will find it difficult to survive and processors need to understand that. They in turn need to give greater visibility on the market so that together our industry can face the tough time ahead and have an industry left to develop for the future.”

Deirdre McIvor, CEO of the NI Pork and Bacon Forum, said: “BPEX informed us that the main retailers have committed to British pork (Red Tractor) for fresh product, which is significant. Horsegate is still in the memory of consumers which strengthens the value of our British Quality Assured Product with all its inherent traceability.”

Another key area discussed was export market access. BPEX and the NI Pork and Bacon Forum have been working hard to secure inspection visits to gain approval for the Chinese market and will continue to do so. The UFU also updated BPEX on how things are progressing with the NI Pigmeat DNA Certification Programme. In addition, EU proposals on medicated animal feed, and PEDv were discussed at length.

Slump in farm incomes highlights difficult year for farmers

F

igures from DARD provisionally estimating Total Income from Farming (TIFF) in Northern Ireland down by 16% in 2014 have been greeted with little surprise by UFU. “2014 was a tough year financially for farmers,” said Ian Marshall, president of UFU. “In particular, market volatility across all sectors meant farm gate prices were hit hard and this unpredictability has posed a serious challenge to managing business cash flows.

“Hardly any of our commodities have been spared, beef producers experienced an 8% decrease in their prices throughout the year, while dairy and pig prices suffered as well. Also, farmers in the arable sector bore their share of the effects of market volatility with the total output value of field crops falling 19% in 2014, largely due to the reduction in producer prices for barley and potatoes.

“A disappointing sterling to euro exchange rate only compounded the issue, with farmers losing a total of £20m from their 2014 Single Farm Payments.

“Processors and retailers who continue to rely on farmers receiving direct payments to pad out cheaper food prices for consumers are putting Northern Ireland’s entire agri-food industry at risk.”

The UFU will continue to keep a close eye on the situation and has already met with Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill, he said.

31

MARKETING NEWS

Dale Farm hosts Athletes’ Academy Masterclass F

ive of Northern Ireland’s most promising sporting talents were recently given access to a unique Masterclass event at Kingspan Stadium.

The Dale Farm Athletes’ Academy Masterclass, in partnership with the Mary Peters Trust, brought together athletes Casey Jo Bell (gymnastics), Annabel Wilson (golf), Peter Bothwell (tennis), Megan Marrs (athletics) and Ian Sloan (hockey) for a day of interactive training workshops with experts from across the world of sports.

As well as gaining insight and advice first-hand from paralympic skier and Gold medallist Kelly Gallagher and Ulster Rugby scrumhalf Paul Marshall, the five young athletes had one-on-one guidance sessions with sports nutritionist Dr Sharon Madigan,

Ireland’s leading sports psychologist Dr Mark Elliott and sports journalist Jim Gracey.

Following a competitive application process each year, the Dale Farm Athletes’ Academy selects five of the top local rising sports stars, who require assistance to develop their career internationally. As well as attending this unique Masterclass event, each athlete is presented with a financial bursary from Dale Farm towards furthering their career.

“Dale Farm created the Athletes’ Academy to help equip upcoming Northern Ireland sporting talent with the financial and practical support they need on their journey towards the top,” said Jason Hempton, commercial director – Branded Products, Dale Farm.

“The hope is they will come away

Skier and Paralympic Gold Medalist Kelly Gallagher is pictured with Jason Hempton, commercial director of Dale Farm and hockey player Ian Sloan (Stewartstown), one of the 2014/15 Dale Farm Athletes’ Academy athletes.

with practical advice that they can use in developing their career. Certainly their enthusiasm and passion is unquestionable and I have no doubt they will continue to excel.”

Northern Ireland is totally MUD for it

Pictured are, from left, James Finnigan, commercial director, Irish Open; Alan Gibson, UK and Ireland director, Moy Park; and Andrew Nethercott, director of Brand Marketing, Moy Park.

Moy Park tees off as an Official Sponsor of the Irish Open

M

oy Park has become an Official Sponsor of the 2015 Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation, which takes place at Royal County Down Golf Club from May 28–31.

This will be the fourth year that Moy Park has been an Official Sponsor of the tournament, having launched its successful partnership with the event at the 2012 Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

“This will be the first time in 76 years that the Irish Open has been played at the world famous links in Newcastle, Co Down, and only the second time in the last 60 years that Northern Ireland will host the event,” said Alan Gibson, UK and Ireland Director of Moy Park.

“The Moy Park brand is Ireland’s number one poultry brand and we are one of the largest companies in Northern Ireland, so we felt it was important to support such a prestigious event. The Irish Open will attract many visitors to Northern Ireland and will provide an opportunity for us to showcase not only our world-class hospitality but also our fantastic local produce.”

James Finnigan, commercial director of the Irish Open, said: “It is excellent news for the Irish Open that such a leading global food company wishes to be an integral part of our commercial programme.

With the number one golfer in the world headlining the 2015 player field on one of the world’s iconic golf courses, it is going to be a very special Irish Open Championship at Royal County Down”.

8 • •Ulster 3632 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Rugby legend Paddy Wallace gets ‘jaffa-caked’ in mud alongside the reigning McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Mud Madness champion Keith Clarke ahead of this year’s race.

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he seventh year of Northern Ireland’s muckiest and best off-road challenge, McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Mud Madness, is taking place on Sunday, April 19 at Foymore Lodge in Portadown.

Two races will be held on the day at 11am and 2pm, giving 1,000 wacky participants the chance to belly-flop their way across four and a half miles of bogs and ponds, under cargo nets and through water sprays and muddy trenches.

Rugby legend Paddy Wallace will kick off the event, while Marie Curie Cancer Care is again the official charity partner of the event with competitors having raised almost £112,000 to date; which equates to 5,500 hours of nursing care.

“McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Mud Madness is a fantastic event for people wanting to give themselves the ultimate challenge of getting the heart racing in the great outdoors with plenty of bogs, muddy trenches and water sprays to look forward to,” said Tim McAuley, NI account manager for McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes.

“We will be on hand with Jaffa Cakes to keep energy levels up throughout the mucky festivities and with only one gram of fat per biscuit they are the perfect partner for the event.”

Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third male and female individuals and the winning teams. There is also a prize for the best fancy dress costume and spot prizes.

export news

Ocado lists new Yogurt Berry bars from NI supplier A

rtisan granola specialist Just Live a Little has begun supplying top online retailer Ocado with innovative fruit snack bars.

Based at Portaferry in Co Down, Just Live a Little has won a listing from Ocado for its new 45g YoghurtBerry flapjack bars in two flavours – cranberry and sunflower seeds and sultana, date and apricots; both with a creamy yoghurt topping.

The company, founded and run by husband and wife team David and Jill Crawford, describes each of the new products as ‘a breakfast bowl in a bar’. The products are also available in multi pack format containing three bars.

“The yoghurt fruit berry bars are the latest from us and are based on our expertise in luxury handmade granolas which are now readily available in leading retailers in the UK and Ireland as well as in Asia and the United Arab Emirates,” said Jill Crawford.

“It made good business sense for us to use this knowledge and experience to create an innovative product for those seeking ‘breakfast on the go’ or a healthy snack to be enjoyed at any time.

“The response has been really encouraging since the recent launch on the Ocado site.

Reviews from those who have tried the bars have been very positive.”

Just Live a Little has also introduced 50g portion cereal pots in flavours cranberry and cashew, whole almond and strawberry which have been listed by Waitrose and Tesco.

Star treatment for Abernethy handcrafted butter A bernethy Butter has been named as a Food Star in a UK government food promotion initiative by Food minister Elizabeth Truss. Food Stars champion and celebrate the excellence of UK food and drink businesses.

As a Food Star, the artisan producer will be part of a select group of businesses which will be offered a package of events, learning and collaboration in the year ahead.

Food Stars from all over the UK will be showcasing products at a major event in London on February 26, described by the

Minister as “a day of inspiration, celebration, recognition and support.”

“We are honoured and delighted to have

achieved this important recognition and to be part of such an inspirational initiative,” said Allison Abernethy, who runs the business with her husband Will. “It is a very significant boost for our business.”

The company’s natural and smoked butter is hand churned at Dromara, Co Down and is now on sale in over 60 delis and farm shops across Northern Ireland. In addition, the butter is used by top chefs including Heston Blumenthal and Marcus Wareing, and the business is now seeking to build on its growing local popularity by developing business outside the Province.

Linden Foods strikes gold in England’s ‘Best Steak’ competition L

Pictured are, from left, Gerry Maguire, managing director of Linden Foods; David Bevan, new product development chef; and Jacqueline Fitzpatrick, sales account manager.

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

inden Foods has reached the final stage of ‘England’s Best Sirloin Steak’ competition with its ‘Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Mature Sirloin’ steak, which it supplies to a national chain of wholesalers based in England.

Based at Dungannon in Co Tyrone, Linden received a Gold Award for the steak in the first stage of the prestigious awards, and now goes through to the final stage in April.

Run by UK meat marketing body EBLEX, ‘England’s Best Sirloin Steak’ is one of three competitions to make up the newly launched Quality Standard Mark Excellence Awards 2015. Along with ‘England’s Best Innovative Steak and ‘England’s Best Steak Pie’, the awards recognise steak products that deliver excellent eating qualities and the highest levels of customer satisfaction both in and out of the home.

Linden Foods entered the ‘Multiple Retailer/Supplier’ category in England’s Best Sirloin Steak competition and its ‘Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Mature Sirloin’ was one of just six in the category to achieve a prestigious Gold Award.

“We are delighted to have won a Gold Award and to be voted into the final for our Chef’s Larder Premium Extra Mature Sirloin Steaks,” said Gerry Maguire, managing director of Linden Foods. “To be among the top three best sirloin steaks in England chosen by very experienced judges is a real testament to the quality of our supply chain and a huge endorsement of our product. Hopefully we can go one further and win it.”

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drinks news

The Quiet Man aims to make a big noise A

new Irish whiskey is being launched

by Niche Drinks, the Northern Irish specialist in Irish cream liqueurs and ready-todrink cocktails.

The new brand, ‘The Quiet Man’ is now available as a blended whiskey and as an eight-year single malt in a distinctive 700ml bottle, and has been developed by Niche Drinks as part of a business growth strategy that includes the construction of a new whiskey distillery in Derry, near where the company is currently located.

The Quiet Man has been developed by Niche Drinks, best known for its Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream Liqueur and Shannon microwaveable Irish coffee, to meet growing demand – particularly in the US – for Irish whiskey.

“What we are doing is establishing a new Irish whiskey brand on the market ahead of our plan to develop a state-of-the-art distillery in the Campsie industrial estate in Derry,” said Ciaran Mulgrew, managing director of Niche Drinks. “This represents a £10m investment for the company. We have already placed an order for three pot stills with a manufacturer in Scotland.”

The Quiet Man brand name was chosen by Mulgrew in honour of his father, who worked in bars around Belfast for 50 years and was known for his discretion and earned the nickname ‘The Quiet Man’.

Niche Drinks was formed in 2006 in a management buy-out of the established Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream Liqueur business. The Saint Brendan’s brand is now owned by Luxco

of St Louis, Missouri and produced by Niche Drinks under license.

The Quiet Man is the first new Irish whiskey to be produced in Northern Ireland in 2014. Belfast Distillery Company, which is building a boutique distillery in the old Crumlin Road Gaol, is planning to launch blended and single malts starting in mid 2015.

Four new beers from Northern Ireland craft brewer

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ocal craft brewer Hillstown Farm has launched four new beers to join its existing Wayne’s Wheat Beer that it introduced last year. The new products were developed by the brewery, located on a family farm near Ballymena in Co Antrim, as part of a diversification project.

The new products are now available in pubs and off sales throughout Northern Ireland, and have been named to reflect the farm heritage underpinning them. Hillstown Farm first began brewing beer to create Northern Ireland’s first Wagyu beef, a product which won a UK Great Taste Award last year.

The new line-up includes Goat’s Butt (ABV5.3%), a refreshing wheat-rye hybrid with fresh and fruity hints of apricot and banana, which is available in 330ml bottles; Massey Red Ale (ABV5%) with a roasted caramel and malt flavour named in honour of Massey Ferguson tractors and available in 500ml bottles; Horny Bull Stout (ABV7%), a full bodied stout from New World hops and roasted barley with chocolate and liquorice themes in 330ml bottles; and Dirty Ducker Ale (ABV4%), a lighter stout suitable for female drinkers with citrus themes and a dark, malty appearance.

The existing Wayne’s Wheat (ABV 3.5%) has proved popular with craft beer enthusiasts and is a pale beer that’s brewed from special yeast and rye blend.

The beers have all been created by brewers Jonathan Mitchell and Nigel Logan, owner of Hillstown Farm, over the past two years.

WKD teams up with TOWIE

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KD has extended its broadcast sponsorship deal with the awardwinning TV phenomenon The Only Way Is Essex, which moved to its new home on ITV’s new free to air ITV Be channel for series 13 in 2014.

Northern Ireland’s biggest-selling RTD brand1 first teamed up with TOWIE for a three-series sponsorship deal last year, and WKD is now embarking on a new agreement which spans sponsorship across broadcast, online and mobile platforms. TOWIE’s 14th series will launch with a 60-minute special, followed by 11 x 45 minute shows during the spring with TOWIE-themed WKD idents featured in each of the commercial breaks.

Lifting the lid on the lives of Essex’s most colourful characters, The Only Way Is Essex, which is produced by Lime Pictures, sees explosive fallouts, outrageous fashion attempts, complicated love lives and OMG moments galore. The 13th series, broadcast on ITV Be last year, achieved an average consolidated audience of 1.1 million viewers and a 5.4% share of the audience.

“We are delighted to continue our involvement with The Only Way is Essex,” said Debs Carter, marketing director – Alcohol at SHS Drinks.

34

“It’s a fantastic fit for WKD consumers and once again highlights WKD’s commitment to activities with strong consumer appeal.”

1: Nielsen Scantrack NI Take Home RTD category volume (L) & value (£) share MAT to 13.09.14 & Nielsen NI On Trade Audit RTD category volume (L) & value (£) share, MAT January 2014

TOBACCO NEWS

Plain packaging supported

by NI Health Minister N

orthern Ireland Health Minister Jim Wells is supporting a proposal by the UK government to introduce standardised plain packaging across tobacco products.

The Minister has given his consent for Northern Ireland to be included in the proposal, which is expected to go to a vote in Westminster before the General Election.

English, Welsh and Scottish ministers have given similar consent and, if passed successfully, the proposal could potentially come into force in 2016.

“Smoking remains the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in Northern Ireland,” said Wells. “Half of all smokers will be killed by their use of tobacco products.

“Branding on cigarette packets provides one of the last opportunities for tobacco companies to promote their products.

Evidence shows that young people are more receptive to this type of advertising than adults. I believe that standardised packaging has the potential to contribute to a further reduction in child and adult smoking prevalence and look forward to this measure being introduced in Northern Ireland.”

Under the proposal, all cigarettes and tobacco sold at retail would be presented in packaging of a standard, plain colour and

carry the same text in a standard typeface while branding would be completely absent.

A number of Conservative MPs have opposed the proposal, as have representatives from the tobacco industry.

A statement from JTI reads: ‘It is inexplicable that the Government is rushing to legislate on this important issue, which was opposed by nearly two thirds of the respondents to a public consultation and over 40% of other EU member states have raised concerns over the plain packaging proposals.

JTI and others have repeatedly said that plain packaging would infringe EU requirements on the free movement of goods, violate property and other fundamental rights – including trademark rights – and go against obligations under EU and WTO rules.

‘We have no doubt the major crime syndicates across the globe are scrutinising these proposed regulations as the UK government prepares to provide counterfeiters with a blueprint of exactly how to copy UK tobacco packs in the future. Brand owners of products in any controversial industries should prepare for similar anti-business measures as the Government has now made it clear that regulation will be passed despite the evidence showing that plain packaging doesn’t work.’

JTI partners with Crimestoppers to combat illegal tobacco trade J TI has joined forces with the UK’s only independent crime fighting charity, Crimestoppers, to work together to stamp out the illegal tobacco trade across the UK. The partnership, which began this month, will see the Crimestoppers anonymous helpline number publicised as the primary ‘call to action’ across all of JTI’s illegal tobacco campaigns throughout the UK. “Illegal tobacco products that are ‘peddled’ within communities pose a risk to the future existence of the hard-working retailer,” said Mark Yexley, media relations manager at JTI. “JTI’s partnership with Crimestoppers is designed to encourage local consumers and retailers to “take a stand” and report, in confidence, anyone involved in illegal tobacco crime”.

JTI confirms plans to close Gallahers

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TI confirmed last month it will continue the consultation based on its initial proposal to close Gallahers, its Lisnafillan-based manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland.

The announcement followed a meeting with Unite and other employee representatives.

“After conducting the first phase of our consultation and having carefully considered the joint Unite employee and management counter-proposal as well as different alternatives, the company has come to the conclusion that our initial proposal to close the Lisnafillan facility remains the most viable option for JTI in the long-term,” said Paul Williams, head of Corporate Affairs & Communications at JTI UK. “The challenging economic conditions and declining sales, coupled with greater regulatory and tax pressures, remain the catalyst for our proposal.”

More than 800 full-time employees could be affected by the closure of the Lisnafillan facility. This proposal is part of a wider review of JTI’s European manufacturing operations as a result of significant and sustained changes impacting its global business. The first effect on jobs should not be felt until May 2016, coinciding with the date on which the revised EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD2) will take effect. The plans for the closure are expected to be completed in early 2017, with production gradually moving from 2015 to other facilities in Poland and Romania.

“We take our responsibilities seriously and we will ensure that during the next phase of the consultation process, our employees will be supported and treated fairly. We recognise the effect that this announcement could have and we will work together with local leaders and politicians to address the needs of the community,” said Williams.

B&H Silver RYO rolls into the value segment J

TI is repositioning its B&H Silver Roll Your Own (RYO) brand into the value sector, with a new lower price point offering existing adult smokers better value from the same quality product.

Available across all channels from the beginning of November, the changes will affect all B&H Silver RYO SKUs, with 12.5g, 25g and 50g packs available, as well as 12.5g and 25g pouches in price marked pack formats.

“The Value RYO segment currently commands 18.6% volume

share of the RYO category and continues to expand as more adult smokers seek greater value for money,” said Jeremy Blackburn, head of Communications at JTI. “The repositioning of B&H Silver RYO into this segment will aim to accelerate growth of the house, whilst capitalising on the B&H brand’s standing as the most recognisable tobacco brand in the UK.” Worth £2bn and growing at 9.2% YOY in the UK, the RYO market is currently the biggest sector of the tobacco category by volume.

35

CONSUMER INSIGHT

Don’t get mad, get even What can food and drinks producers do to tackle the challenge of shop own-brands?

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he meteoric rise of shop own-brands is not news to the food and drink sector; ask any embattled brand manager of our many indigenous producers. However, new research by PML Group brings the opinions of the Northern Irish consumer under the microscope, revealing important insights into local shopping habits.

“Long gone are the days of ‘Yellow Pack’ stigma” The own-brands market has continued to achieve steady year-on-year growth and now accounts for 54% of all UK supermarket grocery sales, three times the global average, according to Neilsen research published last year.

The new research by PML Group concurs, with 51% of respondents in Greater Belfast stating that shop own-brand food and household items are better value than the well known, established brands.

“Long gone are the days of ‘Yellow Pack’ stigma,” commented Kathryn Lindsay, research and account executive for PML Group. “Our research showed that two out of every five shoppers actually prefer to buy own-brands.

“And it’s not just about price. Ownbrands have vastly improved quality, flavour and even packaging over the years through strong NPD investment. A staggering 57% of people we researched stated that shop own-brands are just as good as established brands in terms of quality and taste; somewhat explaining the healthy performance of premium ownbrands in recent years too.”

“Don’t get mad, get even” So what can food and drink producers do tackle this challenge?

The research by PML Group revealed that only half of shoppers make a list and actually stick to it when doing their main grocery shop, with a massive 88% of people making impulse purchases at least once a week (and not just for snacks, the stereo-

typical impulse purchase). This provides brands with a huge opportunity to capture consumers who normally reach for the shop own-brand product.

Kathryn from PML Group explained: “Advertising on trolley handles and

PML Group research revealed almost 50% of main shoppers stated that Point of Sale advertising causes them to consider buying that product.”

8 • •Ulster 3636 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

posters by the shop entrance, as well as on billboards, buses and bus stops en route to the store, all influence consumers’ choices.

Almost 50% of main shoppers we surveyed stated that point of sale advertising of this nature causes them to consider buying the product being advertised. This rose to as high as 85% among retired people.”

This is not news to the out of home media sector; ask any account manager at PML Group. As Ireland’s leading out of home media specialist both North and South, PML Group has seen many brands that have benefited from campaigns that effectively target consumers on the path to purchase. The fantastic story of Paddy

CONSUMER INSIGHT

There is a misconception that out of home media is ‘beyond my budget’. The reality is very different.”

O’s Granola is a glittering case in point.

The humble Irish cereal producer’s brand was propelled to awareness levels on a par with established rivals and secured listings with Tesco as a result of their first multi-format out of home media

campaign in Dublin in 2012.

Kathryn continued: “There is a misconception that out of home media is ‘beyond my budget’, simply because huge brands such as Unilever, Proctor & Gamble and Coca-Cola advertise in this way.

The reality is very different. We have had great feedback from many smaller, local brands and newcomers to out of home media that have benefited from well planned, affordable campaigns targeting consumers on the path to purchase and at the point of sale.” “‘Don’t get mad, get even,’“ she advises. “Food and drinks brands, especially our local producers, can level the playing field against shop own-brands by utilising the power of the out of home media to influence shoppers when and where it matters most – on the path to purchase.”

From left, Sylvie Brando of Ulster Business, sponsor of the Leadership in Corporate Responsibility award, is pictured with recipient Mike Mullan of Moy Park and compère Tim McGarry.

From left, Marie McGuiness of Jaguar, sponsor of the Young Director of the Year award, is pictured with recipient Alan McKeown of Dunbia and compère Tim McGarry.

Two local food sector directors win IoD awards M

Level the playing field against shop own-brands by utilising the power of the out of home media to influence shoppers when and where it matters most - on the path to purchase.”

36 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

ike Mullan of Moy Park and Alan McKeown of Dunbia were recognised and rewarded by their peers at the IoD First Trust Bank Director of the Year Awards held late last year in the Merchant Hotel, Belfast.

Awards were made across a variety of categories, recognising the winners’ proactive approach towards business growth, corporate governance and responsible directorship.

Leadership in Corporate Responsibility, sponsored by Ulster Business, went to Mullan while McKeown was named Young Director of the Year, sponsored by Jaguar.

“One of the main objectives of the IoD is to provide directors with opportunities that enable each to fulfil their potential and help them explore different avenues for organisational growth and stability,” said Paul Terrington, chairman of the Institute of Directors Northern Ireland. “I wish the winners every success for the future and the best of luck in the UK finals.”

Each of the winners of the Northern Ireland Director of the Year Awards will be selected to enter the UK Director of the Year finals in late 2015 and will be nominated for the IoD Lunn’s Award of Excellence, presented at IoD’s Annual Dinner in February.

Judges said Mullan had championed and facilitated the company’s achievements in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability to the benefit of its stakeholders, and supported a performance culture through the introduction of clearer goals, responsibilities and measurement of KPI. The business recently gained an impressive 3 Star rating in the Corporate Responsibility Index, assessed by Business in the Community, and also this year achieved the International Safety Award.

McKeown is the youngest member of his Board and, in the 10 years since he joined the company, his impact has been one of continuous development. He was appointed to the board at the age of just 34 and led the development of the company’s brand. The judging panel said he is enthusiastic and passionate about the company he works for.

8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

37

TRANSPORT NEWs

Key transport issues to be covered at Belfast event FTA Transport Manager Northern Ireland takes place on March 3 at Titanic, Belfast

M

inister for the Environment, Mark H Durkan, is to address the Freight Transport Association’s Transport Manager Northern Ireland Conference in March on commercial vehicle road safety, legislation and enforcement issues, the DOE’s findings over the previous 12 months and its future priorities.

The Minister will cover issues of current and future relevance such as the proposed new drink-driving limits for HGV drivers, and the HGV Road User Levy and how it affects operators in Northern Ireland.

Delegates will also hear from the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) and the Transport Regulation Unit (TRU) in a joint presentation on the enforcers’ view. Jeremy Logan, head of Compliance and Roadside Enforcement at the DVA, will cover the DVA’s enforcement priorities, in particular common problems detected at the roadside, and the Agency’s future enforcement plans.

Donna Knowles, head of the TRU, will cover the TRU’s role in dealing with operators found to be non-compliant and how the

disciplinary process works, including case study examples.

Other key sessions at Transport Manager Northern Ireland 2015 include: • Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland, Keith Morrison, on safety in transport and warehousing • Volvo on trucks of the future • Tackling the driver shortage • Transport Manager interactive quiz • Police Service of Northern Ireland on the latest enforcement priorities • Transport Manager Calendar 2015-16 The conference will give transport managers the information and advice they need to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing transport scene in Northern Ireland, covering key issues facing transport managers in the year ahead and providing invaluable advice that is relevant to everyday operations.

“Being my first FTA conference I found the information on offer through a diversity of presentations made for an enjoyable and

thought-provoking day,” said Adam Barfoot, logistics manager at Calor Gas, who attended the 2014 event.

“The knowledge, experience and professionalism of each presenter was evident, and the topics chosen fitted in well with concerns that the industry currently faces from day to day. The variety of companies attending allowed for good networking opportunities, and the whole day ran without a hitch. I’ll be there in 2015 and would recommend the FTA conference to anyone dealing with transport issues today.”

Prices for attending this event have been held at 2014 rates, the cost for FTA members being £265 plus VAT for the first delegate and £225 plus VAT for subsequent delegates; the cost for non-members is £330 plus VAT for the first delegate and £290 plus VAT for subsequent delegates.

To book a place, call the FTA Member Service Centre on 08717 11 22 22; complete the online booking form at http://www.fta. co.uk/events/transport_manager_northern_ ireland_2015.html or email events@fta.co.uk.

Barclays report highlights home delivery issues

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s the number of UK-wide home deliveries rapidly rise, absent consumers pose the biggest problem to businesses, according to new independent research commissioned by Barclays’ Transport & Logistics and Retail banking sector teams.

While UK-wide deliveries are expected to increase by over 40% between 2013 and 2018, The Last Mile Report 2014 identifies consumers not being in to receive their packages as the number one issue for

logistics firms, topping managing costs and managing peak times.

Further, improved tracking and notification alerts are the biggest areas for future development as logistics firms are looking to invest in driving growth, while a third of logistics providers state that Sunday deliveries is the next most important area for consideration.

While the growth of online shopping will boost logistics companies’ business,

half (52%) say that having to cope with this increased capacity could also pose a challenge.

“The evolving dynamic between retailers offering a range of delivery options and consumers demanding more flexible delivery methods is an interesting one,” said Adrian Doran, Barclays head of Corporate Banking in Northern Ireland, identifying opportunities for operators innovating and investing in the ‘Last Mile’.

Driver licence counterpart removal date gives breathing space

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he Government’s announcement in December that the abolition of the driving licence counterpart will be delayed until June 8 will give DVLA time to work with industry to develop an effective online solution for employers who have to check hundreds – or even thousands – of drivers’ licenses a year, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

FTA is laying claim to responsibility for convincing the Government to delay plans to abolish the paper counterpart to the driving licence until an online system suitable for businesses’ needs has been developed.

“FTA knew that the January 1 removal date had been delayed, but we were waiting for an indication of when the driving licence counterpart would actually be abolished,” said Karen Dee, director of policy at FTA. “We had voiced concerns that the new date would be rushed and would not allow any significant 8 • •Ulster 3638 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

re-development of the systems that businesses were expected to use to carry out critical safety checks on their drivers.

“FTA was given assurances by the DVLA that the removal would not happen until such a time that an alternative was in place that satisfied the requirements of FTA Business.

Ministers have listened to industry’s concerns, and we look forward to working with DVLA to develop a system which is fit for purpose.”

The Association had previously expressed its concern that DVLA’s proposed replacement relied upon individual drivers logging into the ‘View Driver Record’ system and printing off a copy of their counterpart details which they can give to their employer. The employer would then have had to verify the information being provided within 48 hours by also going online. Whilst this process may work for some businesses, FTA members who often employ many thousands of drivers and check licence’s

up to three times a year would find this process both time consuming and costly.

Businesses’ which operate commercial vehicles are required under the terms of their operator’s licence, to check regularly that all their drivers - including those they don’t employ directly such as agency drivers - hold the proper entitlements to drive the appropriate vehicle and have not been suspended or banned.

“This proposal came out of the Government’s ‘Red Tape Challenge’ intended to identify areas where administration and bureaucracy could be reduced,” said Dee. “But the solution DVLA came up with would actually increase the administrative process of checking an employee had a valid driving licence. FTA members are keen to have electronic solutions to administrative processes – but they have to be right, and they have to make the job easier, quicker and cheaper.”

shelf life

email: email. michellekearney@greerpublications.com lauragirvan@greerpublications.com

SHELFLIFE

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To see your product featured in Shelf-life, contact Michelle at michellekearney@greerpublications.com

Hull’s introduces Half Fat Pork Sausages L

eading local Ballymena firm Doherty & Gray continues to invest in its ‘Hull’s of Ballymena’ brand with the launch of further product innovation.

January 2015 saw the entire ‘Hull’s of Ballymena product’ portfolio get a complete re-brand with a contemporary new look and feel, which has been widely welcomed across the trade. The distinctive coloured packaging provides great standout in store, making the range much easier to shop for customers.

Recognising the continued importance amongst consumers for informed ‘heathier’ choices, the team has been working hard to develop a Hull’s HALF FAT Pork Sausage without a compromise on taste or quality. The ‘HALF FAT’ clear messaging on pack will allow customers to be able to make that simple choice versus our standard Pork Sausage.

This will complement the existing 400g range and will be available in all major retailers from April onwards.

Tayto relaunches handcooked premium range T

ayto has revamped its premium range, Handcooked, with the 90g and 150g colourful foil packs designed with contrasting but complementary iconic Castle graphics.

The packs are now in stores with the 90g pack retailing at £1 and the 150g pack with an RRP of £1.99.

With four distinct standard flavours - Irish Roast Beef and Peppercorn, Mature Irish Cheddar and Sweet Onion, Sweet Chilli and Red Pepper along with Causeway Sea Salt and Black Pepper - the £1 Handcooked range also includes a limited edition seasonal flavour, currently the ‘Winter Warmer’, Sizzling Sausage and Tomato.

“We relaunched this range to give it a fresh modern presence within the market, reflective of its quality,” said Elly Hunter, marketing director for Tayto. “Handcooked’s bold, aspirational flavours are targeted to compete directly with other premium brands and our ‘Winter Warmer’ edition, which is still available in stores, has proved popular with consumers across Northern Ireland.”

New Maine Refresh flavoured water launching soon M

aine, a well known local brand in Northern Ireland supplying the market for over 60 years, is planning to branch out with a new still flavoured water range, Maine Refresh.

This range will be produced in a 330ml format, packaged in six for the retail trade, with three flavours initially available Lemon & Lime, Strawberry & Kiwi and Forest Fruit.

All three contain natural flavourings, are sugar free and ideal for pack lunches, schools and consuming on the go.

The Maine Refresh range will be available in local convenience stores in the near future, and Maine is currently in talks with a leading supermarket about the range.

Maine is already well known for its doorstep delivery of soft drinks in traditional glass bottles by The Maine Man, and recently introduced some of its favourite flavours in PET bottles into the retail trade.

For further details, contact Key Accounts Manager william@mainesoftdrinks.co.uk.

00

39

APPOINTMENTS

People on the move...

Ewan Zhu

in association with

Willowbrook appoints new sales manager C

o Down-based food company, Willowbrook Foods, has strengthened its commercial offering with the appointment of a dedicated Beansprouts Sales Manager, Ewan Zhu. Zhu will be responsible for promoting Willowbrook Foods stir-fry range, as well as developing new customer relationships across the UK and Ireland. He has a strong proven record in agrifood sales, and will work closely with the NPD team at Willowbrook’s Innovation Centre to ensure consumer and customer needs are met through new flavour combinations and product development.

“I’m delighted to welcome Ewan to Willowbrook Foods,” said John McCann, managing director of Willowbrook Foods. “His in-depth knowledge of the beansprouts market, and genuine passion for cooking and food, makes him the perfect manager to grow our beansprout business. He will literally be driving sales, as he is keen to get out and about in a Willowbrook van to showcase our unique range across Ireland and the UK.”

Kestrel Foods adds two new members to team Damien McCrory has been appointed national accounts manager for foodservice with Portadown-based dried fruit and nut experts Kestrel Foods. As well as being responsible for the development of Kestrel’s business within the UK and Irish foodservice sector, McCrory will seek to grow its presence in the ingredients market following a major recent investment in its in-house processing capabilities. He has 12 years’ sales experience within the FMCG sector, working previously with Coca Cola and Kellogg’s Ireland.

Kestrel Foods has also appointed David Jones as graduate technical assistant through the UK-wide Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme. Jones will assist the business in the introduction of new quality, monitoring and product process control systems. He is a recent graduate with a BSc (Hons) in Biology. The KTP scheme operates throughout the UK and aims to help businesses gain strategic expertise from universities, colleges or research organisations and, in doing so, enhance the career prospects of graduates.

Damien McCrory

David Jones

Appointments to Board of Health & Safety Executive for NI T rade Minister Arlene Foster has announced three new appointments to the Board of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

New members, Harry Sinclair, Tom Wright and Dr Mark Wilkinson were appointed for three years.

Sinclair is a livestock farmer from Co Londonderry, was president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union from 2012 -2014 and presently holds the position of vice president of COPA, a collective of 57 farming unions across all the member states of the EU. “I would like to welcome the three new members to the HSENI Board,” said Foster.

“The breadth of knowledge and skills they bring with them will contribute greatly to taking forward the work of the Board over the next three years.”

The appointments have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, Northern Ireland.

Q&A

In the Hot Seat Simon Fitzpatrick, island of Ireland customer director, Coca-Cola Hellenic TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF I have worked for the business for 13 years, primarily in field sales and key account management roles. Married to Helen with one beautiful daughter, Sarah. I hail from the sleepy village of Waringstown. An outgoing and sociable being, the people who know me best would say I am friendly, hardworking, conscientious, truthful, organised and thorough.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? In my world a typical day does not exist!

Responsibilities can vary from one day to the next. My role is very much split between office-based working and time spent inmarket; this is what I enjoy and I believe it is what makes the role exciting. The one thing that is constant however is my approach to the working days. Every morning I ask myself two questions; what can I do or learn today that will inspire me and how can I inspire others.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? I have had many career highlights but my recent appointment to the role of national account director, from a personal perspective, was a special milestone. During my 13 years with Coca-Cola, I have been involved in launching a number of great brands including Deep River Rock, Sprite Zero, the recent launch of Coca-Cola LIFE and of course the introduction of Coca-Cola Zero, a brand that has seen huge success and one which continues to grow year on year. To be part of something so successful has been incredibly rewarding.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I have the privilege of working on brands which are globally renowned as well as leading local brands such as Fruice and Deep RiverRock. I truly enjoy what I do and never take it for granted. I thrive on the diversity of my role, working cross functionally with our with Supply Chain, Finance and Marketing functions. I am very much focused on delivering strategic initiatives which are helping to drive the business forward. I am passionate about everything I do, I relish a challenge and enjoy that sense of achievement.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TASK? At home: ironing. No further comment.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? “Always look for people smarter than you and surround yourself with people who can 8 • •Ulster 3642 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

challenge and inspire you.” This was one of the first pieces of advice I was given when I first became a people manager. Building a winning team is key to success!

go out and achieve what they have wanted since they were young, those who are trying to live life to the fullest. And who are having fun while doing it.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST GRIPE? Clutter and general untidiness. This is where my obsessiveness starts to play a role in my life… I think some blame must be apportioned to my mother for this.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? My local cricket ground, The Lawn in Waringstown. I love spending long summer Saturday afternoons relaxing and catching up with friends.

WHAT TALENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE? To be able to multi-task… don’t all men?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD PRODUCT? I have very simple tastes and the food product that has given me the most pleasure over the years is the humble Wagon Wheel, washed down with a refreshing ice cold glass of CocaCola of course.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/ AMBITIONS? Good question... to be the best I can be in everything I do, to grow professionally and lead successfully from the front and within that given time period to be able to say that “I have made a difference”. One of these days, I will start to play squash. I have talked about it for the last five years.

WHOM DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? My mother, don’t all sons? I admire people who follow their dreams. I admire those who

HOW DO YOU RELAX? I don’t! I have an 18-month-old daughter who has inherited my active personality. When I do have time to relax a leisurely walk on the North Coast with a cappuccino in hand helps me wind down. Playing for the local cricket team throughout the summer and football during the winter period provides me with a great opportunity to relax and re-invigorate.

Now in their 27th

year, the prestigious Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are Open for Entry

Grocer ULSTER

Market ingAwards

âœŚ

TM

40 Years At the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

2015

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:

By Tel: 028 90783235

By Email: markbeckett@greerpublications.com

Closing Date for Entries: Tuesday 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 GROCERS’

Gala Ball

Supporting GroceryAid

Friday 22nd May

2015

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

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