Ulster Grocer February 2014

GROCER ™

At the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

FEBRUARY 2014

ULSTER

CONTENTS

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30-31

8-11 – FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST WEEK: From its launch event at Greenmount to a breakfast event hosted by White’s Oats, the annual week offers a great opportunity for local producers to showcase their food and drink.

16-17 – HEART OF THE COMMUNITY: This month’s store focus is SPAR Ballygally. The Antrim Coast village regained its heart when the new convenience store and community hall opened.

20 – FRESH FOCUS: K&G McAtamney Butchery & Deli in Ballymena is the focus of UG’s new fresh foods Q&A, sponsored by the Henderson Group.

Contents

Editor: Alyson Magee E: alysonmagee@greerpublications.com Contributors: Samantha Livingstone, Laura Hyland and Brian McCalden Advertising Manager: Karen Graham E: karengraham@greerpublications.com Senior Accounts Manager: Michelle Kearney E: michellekearney@greerpublications.com Art Editor: Karen Donnelly Production Manager: Stuart Gray Accounts: Gerardine Carson Publishers: James and Gladys Greer

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8-11

21-25 – ENERGY & SPORTS DRINKS: Who is innovating in the buoyant, although sometimes controversial, drinks category? UG looks at category news from Boost’s market-leading 250ml cans to Belfast-based Little Big Shot, which is expanding its natural energy brand across global markets.

26 – CARNIVAL TIME: WKD is taking its fun, party vibe to the next level with its new Brazilian variant, adding a bit of excitement and colour to fixtures.

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30-31 – ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS: Don’t miss out on the chance to gain widespread recognition for your business through the prestigious Awards. Entries for this year’s Awards close on March 21.

34-37 – ON THE ROAD: Getting from A to B can be a complex operation. UG profiles a number of major operators in the transport sector from Northern Ireland’s leading Volvo dealer Dennison Commercials, to warehousing and logistics services offered locally by DSV Solutions.

8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

ULSTER GROCER

Volume 49, Number 2 February 2014

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3

NEWS EDITOR’S COMMENT

FFI promises to fight Nisa’s takeover plans

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A

mixed bag of news continues for the grocery sector. Just as UG was going to press this month, figures were published by the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium for the month of January.

Looking at the total retail sector, a 2% decrease in footfall last month, year-onyear, is regarded by the Consortium as an improvement on the 8.7% drop in December and 5.6% decline on average for November to January.

Northern Ireland had both the highest footfall decrease and the highest shop vacancy in January of all UK markets.

Coupled with analysis by the British Retail Consortium and KPMG (see p6) highlighting a retail market split between a struggling grocery trade and more buoyant market for non-food goods, the picture is disappointing.

As challenging trading conditions continue, and the grocery market remains price-driven, an ongoing issue of concern is the reliance of our farmers on subsidies.

The on-the-surface positive news that local farm incomes rose by over 30% last year (p27) also features the alarming revelation that 87% of income came from subsidies.

Grocers, and their customers, are probably bored of hearing the old farmer lament about the need to pay more for food. However, do consumers realise the cost of cheap food is probably reflected in a significant portion of their own tax bill, paid by the government to the EU before returning to our farmers as subsidies. But that’s a whole other story.

Ending on a positive note, DOE support for sustaining a vibrant retail scene in town centres, as part of its planning regulations overhaul (p6), is a welcome development for the grocery sector. It is certainly heartening to think someone in government is looking at the big picture.

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

ood Force Ireland (FFI) and Nisa have defended their positions, after a failed takeover bid by the symbol group.

Nisa is opening its own office in Northern Ireland after members of trading group FFI voted unanimously against Nisa’s bid to assume control.

FFI said it would continue to oppose Nisa’s plans, which it attributed to “Nisa’s need to urgently replace lost revenue”.

“It has come as no surprise to us that Nisa has sought to acquire FFI given our Henry Emerson, recent and historically successful business model,” said Henry Emerson, chairman chairman of FFI. of FFI. “Equally it is of no surprise that our members have overwhelmingly indicated their desire to remain with FFI, given the strong local relationships which we have forged over a long time, and the clear benefits of maintaining their profitable relationship with us.

“Clearly Nisa has felt itself compelled into an ill-thought out strategy for the Northern Ireland marketplace. However we would like to assure our members that FFI’s formula of keeping costs to a minimum, substantial annual discounts and opposition to central billing will remain, and grow ever stronger in the years to come. We will continue to work hard to promote that profitable relationship with our local suppliers in Northern Ireland.”

Amanda Jones, chief operating officer of Nisa, said: “Nisa has for some time been seeking to unify the sourcing of products, currently split between FFI and Scunthorpe, for the mutual benefit of its members. We believe that a unified offer will be easier for members and more compelling for potential recruits.

“Nisa is committed to operating locally in Ireland, significantly supporting local suppliers and providing an offer supported by Nisa that meets the needs of all our members. Discussions have been held with the board of FFI over the last four months, but regrettably no agreement has been reached.

“Nisa will therefore explore other opportunities in Ireland, both Northern and the Republic, and will convene a series of presentations to its members and suppliers at which Nisa executives will be able to outline our plans in full.

“Nisa’s proposal is designed with the best interests of all of its members in mind and will be focused on providing a wider range of local products, lower costs and greater benefits than are currently available, to the entire Northern Ireland and Republic based membership.”

Nisa has recently overhauled the structure of its retail and support teams, with the aim of becoming a more consumer- and retail-driven organisation.

Two new business units have been created with one for symbol operators headed by newlyappointed business unit director Nigel Gray, and one for independent and specialists headed by Steve Leach; each operating their own teams. Departments for format and development, and support & shared services, have also been created.

Costcutter has, meanwhile, embarked on a migration of its Northern Irish retail partners from Nisa to Palmer & Harvey (see p28).

Retailers urged to support Giro d’Italia

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etailers have been urged to make the most of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, with the Big Start of the prestigious event set to be held in Northern Ireland over May 9-11.

The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has called for local traders to get behind the event, while also requesting Environment Minister Mark Durkan ban election posters along its route.

“With an estimated 775 million people watching globally, in excess of 140,000 visitors to Northern Ireland and £2.5m of economic activity, our retail sector needs to give their full support,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive of NIIRTA. “With the route passing through Belfast and 21 other towns, it will give retailers an opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland on a world stage through new shop window displays, creative couture and the very best customer service.”

Newly-elected officers and members of the Northern Ireland committee of food industry charity GroceryAid include Chairman Cliff Kells, centre, and, from left, David McWilliams, Lloyd Graham, Gerry Cassidy, Trevor Magill, Jonathon Verner, Honorary Treasurer Mark Gowdy, James Greer and Des McCullough. Mairead Catterson (not present) was elected honorary secretary.

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30/01/2014 15:52

NEWS

DOE proposes ‘town centre first’ planning policy A

new strategic ‘town centre first’ policy, included in Department of Environment proposals for simpler planning policy in Northern Ireland, has been welcomed by the independent retail sector.

Environment Minister Mark Durkan launched a consultation earlier this month, outlining proposals to adopt shorter, simpler planning policy through a single Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) consolidating over 20 separate planning policy statements into one.

The proposal, covering planning policy relating to issues such as countryside, tourism, transport, telecommunications and housing, is currently subject to a 12-week public consultation.

A new strategic policy on Town Centres and Retailing has been proposed by DOE, with the aim of supporting and sustaining vibrant town centres across Northern Ireland by adopting a ‘town centre first’ approach for the location of future retail and other town centre uses.

“This is something we have been campaigning for, over a dozen years and is good news for local traders and town centres,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA).

“Northern Ireland has not only the highest shop vacancy rate in the UK, but twice the UK national average. This is again supported by the GL Hearn research showing towns such as Ballymoney having a staggering 28% vacancy rate.

“NIIRTA want to see major retailers

locate their stores in town centres to enhance them, rather than unsustainable out of town locations which destroy jobs and local businesses.”

Aodhán Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said: “We welcome the Minster’s statement on a shorter, simpler planning policy for Northern Ireland and support the objective of enabling a more streamlined planning process. We recognise the important role retail has in enabling a diverse and vibrant town centre as well as the contribution it makes to employment and the local economy and look forward to working closely with the Government on Planning policy in Northern Ireland.”

The Environment Minister has also vowed to speed up planning and make it simpler.

“SPPS sets out a new planning policy framework that delivers for business, with timely decisions that encourage investment and facilitate employment whilst protecting our environment, planet and people,” said Durkan.

“This is an exciting time for planning.

I encourage everyone with an interest to contribute their views to this important consultation through our digital on line interactive portal.”

The SPPS is expected to be published in final form by the end of 2014, ahead of the transfer of planning powers to councils on April 1, 2015.

NIIRTA, meanwhile, also welcomed DoE’s funding support of £600,000 towards addressing dereliction in town centres and urban areas, announced last month.

St George’s Market lifts Best Large Indoor Market in the UK

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t George’s Market in Belfast was named ‘Best Large Indoor Market’ at the 2014 annual National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) awards, recently held in Birmingham.

The Victorian facility, which is owned and operated

by Belfast City Council, operates Friday to Sunday, is home to more than 170 traders as well as six shop units and a restaurant, and Jimmy Murdoch, whose family have been trading for five generations, joins Pat sustains 385 jobs. It attracts Dyer, chairman of the Belfast branch of the National Market Traders’ Federation, approximately 600,000 to celebrate St George’s Market being voted ‘Best Large Indoor Market’. visitors a year, generating an estimated £15m per annum for the Belfast economy.

NABMA represents 700 local authority-operated markets across the UK, and its annual awards are regarded as the most prestigious in the business.

The ‘Best Large Indoor Market’ is one of the most coveted titles, with St George’s beating off competition from internationally-renowned markets such as Billingsgate, Borough and Spitalfields to lift this year’s crown.

6

NI bears the brunt of challenging grocery market R

etail indicators suggest the grocery market continues to experience tough trading conditions across the UK but particularly in Northern Ireland.

Figures supplied by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG suggest trade is more buoyant for non-food retailers with like-for-like sales up 3.9% in January year-on-year, while food sales were down 1.2%.

“Other than the grocers, retailers will feel heartened by these postChristmas figures,” said David McCorquodale, head of retail at KPMG. “The divide between food and non-food is stark, with the battle for market share in food remaining ferocious, customer loyalty fickle and cost deflation being passed to the consumer.”

Footfall figures supplied by the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC) indicate a year-on-year decline of 8.7% in December, against a 2.4% fall in reported footfall numbers for the UK as a whole.

NIRC director Aodhán Connolly said, although online or click-andcollect shopping may have partially influenced the figures, household budgets in Northern Ireland are under “the greatest pressure”.

Research by independent think tank the Resolution Foundation highlights Northern Ireland as having suffered a deeper recession than the rest of the UK largely as a consequence of its steep property crash. While the overall UK economy has almost reached pre-2008 levels, the local economy is still about 10% lower, it said.

Data for the retail market in the Republic of Ireland, provided by Savills Ireland, highlights signs of a stabilisation in retail conditions.

“We are now seeing increased demand from food and drink retailers for prime city centre space, with requirements currently outstripping the available stock,” said Bernadine Hogan, divisional director of retail at Savills Ireland.

FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST week

‘Shake-Up your Wake-Up’ at Farmhouse Breakfast Week ‘S

hake-Up your Wake-Up’ was the rallying call of this year’s Farmhouse Breakfast Week, with a series of events held across Northern Ireland over January 26–February 1 including an industry breakfast launch at CAFRE Greenmount Campus, a White’s Oats breakfast at The Merchant Hotel Belfast and the local heat of the Best Breakfast competition.

It’s the most important meal of the day, but too often a boring bowl of cereal or tea and toast. Farmhouse Breakfast Week, run by the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA), encourages consumers to do more with breakfast time and take advantage of the wealth of farmhouse produce on offer.

People across the UK voted for the Best Breakfast, while hundreds of breakfast events were also held around the country from school breakfast clubs to events at community centres and village halls, restaurants, cafes and farms.

Producers in Northern Ireland also rose to the challenge, with dozens of Food NI members providing ingredients for the industry breakfast launch at Greenmount including: Dale Farm, Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt Company, Armagh Cider Company, DJ’s Apple Juice, White’s Oats, Irwin’s Bakery, Hannan Meats, Gracehill Black Pudding, Annaghmore Mushrooms, Clements Eggs, Suki Tea, Punjana, SD Bells, Harnett’s Oils, Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Keen Nut Butter, McKee’s Country Store, Andrews Flour Mill, and Erin Grove Preserves.

Guests tucked into Banana and Blueberry Porridge, Breakfast Bruschettas, and Vanilla and Honey Smoothies.

According to statistics provided by HGCA, 47% of us don’t have breakfast before we leave the house but a good healthy breakfast doesn’t have to be time-consuming and your health will thank you for it.

Pictured at the industry breakfast launch held at CAFRE Greenmount Campus are, from left, John Fay (CAFRE), Robert Moore (RUAS), Harry Sinclair (UFU president), Martin Grantley-Smith (HGCA) and Noel Lavery (DARD permanent secretary).

Local breakfast foods championed at annual HGCA Farmhouse Breakfast R epresentatives from the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and other agri-food industry organisations were on hand to champion local breakfast foods at the annual HGCA Farmhouse Breakfast, held at Greenmount College.

The breakfast is a collaborative venture supported by HGCA, DARD, CAFRE, UFU and FoodNI, with ingredients provided by local suppliers. It is hosted in advance of HGCA’s Farmhouse Breakfast Week, which encourages people to make time for breakfast and take advantage of excellent home grown ingredients.

“Delicious, healthy, and affordable food is

8 368• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

being grown right on our doorstep so we are spoilt for choice when it comes to what to put on our breakfast plates,” said Harry Sinclair, president of UFU. “I would encourage everyone, especially those already in the habit of skipping breakfast, to take advantage of this and to enjoy the benefits of buying local and starting the day with a healthy breakfast. The HGCA Farmhouse Breakfast event gives us the chance to celebrate this important industry and to recognise the hard work of farmers, who pride themselves on producing top quality food. I would also like to take this opportunity to

Use local ingredients and you can’t go wrong

By Michele Shirlow of Food NI

F

armhouse Breakfast Week is a fantastic campaign to draw our attention to the quality breakfast products that are produced here on our own doorstep.

Food NI is delighted to support members to highlight this campaign, and there have been some real highlights. We were delighted to see Donnelly’s Bakery and Coffee Shop in Ballycastle declared as the Regional Winner in the Best Breakfast Competition, and also to hear that White’s Speedicook Porridge Oats have been voted the best in Northern Ireland. The recent Annual Industry Breakfast Event at Greenmount College was also a great success, with over 100 representatives across the supply chain enjoying a hearty, locally sourced menu, with key note speeches - a great way to start the day, and year.

With the incredible Great Taste Award success of local products, and the fact that we have three products with PGI status, there has never been a better time to support local companies. Our bread, meat, dairy and cereals are renowned for being of excellent quality so it’s time we all started to be proud of our products, and promote the dedicated people who produce it.

At Food NI, we have distributed our 2014 promotional calendar, and we are about to reprint the Taste of Ulster Guide, and NI Food Producers Guide due to demand. We hope to launch a new website in the spring too, so keep an eye out for more local food and drink success at www. nigoodfood.com.

We’d encourage you to visit www. shakeupyourwakeup.com for breakfast recipe ideas, and to find out more about Farmhouse Breakfast Week. But remember, use local ingredients and you can’t go wrong.

extend a special thanks to all the breakfast partners for their support and contributions.”

Martin Grantley-Smith, HGCA’s head of business development, said: “The HGCA is delighted to be a part of Northern Ireland’s Farmhouse Breakfast, which helps to kick off the national event. The strong support we receive from Northern Ireland’s farmers and producers is invaluable as we continue to work to raise awareness of the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast and the extensive choice of locally produced breakfast foods available.”

Farmhouse Breakfast Week is organised by HGCA, which is the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

For more information about HGCA Farmhouse Breakfast week and breakfast recipe ideas, go to www.shakeupyourwakeup.com.

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16/10/2013 09:35

FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST week

White’s is celebrating after its Speedicook Porridge Oats were named Northern Ireland’s favourite porridge following a recent blind taste test of four leading brands.

Pictured at the event are, from left, popular Ulster chef Paula McIntyre, White’s Oats General Manager James Mathers and local comedienne Nuala McKeever.

White’s Speedicook Porridge Oats are named local favourite L

ocal porridge and oat cereal producer White’s recently hosted a Farmhouse Breakfast Week event to celebrate its Speedicook Porridge Oats winning a recent blind taste test of four leading porridge oat cereals held in Northern Ireland.

Of those sampled, 60% rated the taste of White’s Speedicook porridge oats as either ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ compared to 29% for the second most popular sample.

The results were announced at a breakfast morning in Belfast as White’s celebrated the return of Farmhouse Breakfast Week, the annual celebration championing the importance of breakfast which is run by the Home Grown Cereals Authority.

“White’s has been locally manufacturing quality porridge oats since 1841 and over this time has continually invested and improved its product range,” said James Mathers, general manager of White’s Oats. “I’m delighted that White’s Speedicook Porridge has come out as a clear favourite among consumers in Northern Ireland. We have an enviable record in producing great tasting porridge oats which has been recognised by the numerous Great Taste Awards we’ve received from organisations such as the Guild of Fine Food.”

At the breakfast event, local celebrity chef Paula McIntyre demonstrated a number of delicious bespoke oat recipes developed specially for White’s.

“Porridge remains one of the easiest and most 8 • •Ulster 3610 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

delicious ways to start the day and you can enjoy great variety with it too,” she said. “There are so many different toppings to enjoy, like a drizzling of honey, or a dusting of cinnamon or a handful of blueberries to name just a few.

“The importance of eating a healthy breakfast cannot be overstated. Farmhouse Breakfast Week is a timely reminder at the start of the year as we all try to get into good habits that eating a wholesome and healthy breakfast benefits us all.”

The nutritional benefits of porridge oats such as their high fibre and high beta glucan properties, which have been proven to lower cholesterol*, has led to many endorsements from health professionals in recent years and a surge in their popularity .

Oats are one of a small group of superfoods** because of their high concentration of vitamins and minerals. Oats are a complex carbohydrate that release energy more slowly into the bloodstream and so make the body feel fuller for longer, reducing the urge to grab high fat high sugar snacks in midmorning.

Naturally low in fat, oats have no added salt or sugar and are low in calories, with an average bowl of porridge containing just 103 kcal; making it an ideal nutritious and healthy breakfast. *the inclusion of oats as part of a diet low in saturated fat and a healthy lifestyle can help reduce cholesterol. **Nuts, broccoli, blueberries and avocado are the other three superfoods.

Blind taste test of four leading porridge brands

T

he research was carried out using four unnamed top porridge brands with a poll of 50 people across Northern Ireland in a controlled environment.

60% rated the taste of White’s Speedicook as either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ compared to 29% for the second most popular sample.

In terms of texture 53.5% rated White’s Speedicook as either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ compared to 19% for the second most popular sample.

In terms of aroma 56% rated White’s Speedicook as either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ compared to 22% for the second most popular sample.

In terms of overall appearance 59% rated White’s Speedicook as either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ compared to 25% for the second most popular sample.

FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST week

Local producers showcase their

breakfast specialities

Staff at Donnelly’s Bakery and Coffee Shop celebrates the Ballycastle business winning the Northern Ireland heat of The Best Breakfast Awards.

Ballycastle business picks up best Ulster Fry award

D

onnelly’s Bakery and Coffee Shop, Ballycastle, was named as the Northern Ireland Regional Winner of The Best Breakfast Awards, receiving the most votes locally for its Ulster Fry. “We are so pleased to win this award,” said Eugene Donnelly, owner of the business. “We are a small bakery and coffee shop in Ballycastle, we are very grateful for our customers who have voted for our Ulster fry as the winner.

“We are a member of Taste of Ulster and use local products as much as we can across our menus, and we are delighted to see people coming back time and time again.”

The Best Breakfast Awards were run in association with Farmhouse Breakfast Week, to highlight the range and quality of breakfasts being served by UK eateries (open to food venues of all types). Eateries ranging from cafes and restaurants to hotels and B&Bs entered their breakfast dishes into the following categories: hot breakfast, cold breakfast and most innovative breakfast.

Northern Ireland had many high quality eateries nominated in each of the categories.

ANNAGHMORE MUSHROOMS A recent American study praised the health benefits of white and brown mushrooms, hailing them as the new superfood. Whether you’re eating them grilled for breakfast, tossing them into stir fries or adding them to pasta sauces, mushrooms are a versatile ingredient that can be easily added to many dishes to make a nutritious addition at mealtimes. Supplying high quality mushrooms to retail and food service across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, Annaghmore Mushrooms prides itself on growing 70% of its produce on the farm, with the remainder supplied by Northway Mushrooms, a locallybased producer organisation with 27 dedicated growers. County Armagh-based Annaghmore Mushrooms has grown significantly since it was founded in 2006. The company recently invested in purpose-built facilities and uses the latest technology to control all the elements of the mushroom growing process (including climate control) to ensure every one of its mushrooms is grown in perfect conditions. Annaghmore’s wide range includes standard white closed cup mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms, flat mushrooms, flat chestnut or Portobello mushrooms and, of course, the button mushroom, which remains a popular choice for professional and amateur cooks alike.

BROIGHTER GOLD RAPESEED OIL Our cold pressed rapeseed oil was used to prepare the breakfast at Greenmount. Rapeseed oil is a healthier alternative to olive oil, with half the saturated fat and ten times more Omega 3. We grow all our own crops, press and bottle on farm. Rapeseed oil cooks to a higher temperature of 220°C and therefore your fry won’t burn. We also have some delis making their own granola using our rapeseed oil rather than using butter. There are so many uses for rapeseed oil; I also bake with my oil rather than using butter. The breakfast was a fantastic showcase of arable farming from our rapeseed oil to porridge, cereals, sausages and bacon. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and, if you are eating local produce and using a healthier alternative, what could be bad about that? Our farm is situated in the North West, just below Binenvenagh Mountain. We are an arable farm, growing wheat, barley, oilseed and potatoes, and nothing is brought in.

Leona Kane, co-owner of Broighter Gold.

CLANDEBOYE YOGHURT “It is a little known fact that Clandeboye Yoghurt is now the only yoghurt made in Northern Ireland; all other socalled local brands are now made elsewhere and shipped in.” says Bryan Boggs. We are pleased to be able to support Farmhouse Breakfast Week and offer a bit of a healthier alternative to the good old Ulster fry. Some of our Greek Style yoghurt with some fresh fruit or granola is hard to beat; it even goes well on your porridge instead of cream.

SUKI TEA armhouse Breakfast Week is all about the promotion of tasty and healthy foods provided

by NI farmers and producers and the most important meal of the day, breakfast,” said Suki Tea Managing Director Oscar Wooley. “Breakfast is best consumed with a large cup of locally-blended loose leaf tea of course. I’ve been attending the annual HGCA Farmhouse Breakfast for the last three years, and always look forward to meeting the people behind the brands and products.”

“F

Suki Tea’s new launch, Dark Cocoa Tea

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

11

RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOL GROUPS

Centra continues sponsorship of Ulster Rugby kids’ summer camps U

lster Rugby has signed up local convenience store group Centra for a further year of sponsorship of its children’s Summer Camps.

Centra has supported the Summer Camps since 2008 and, since then, almost 7,500 kids have taken part in camps held in rugby clubs all over Northern Ireland.

The camps take place over a week between July and August for kids aged 7-12, where they learn vital skills from fully-qualified development coaches and receive a special training session from Ulster Rugby players.

“We really value the support that Centra has given us since 2008, in helping us develop and expand our outreach to young people who are interested in playing rugby,” said Phillip Polack, business development manager with Ulster Rugby.

“The figures speak for themselves; 7,450 kids taking part since 2008, with a bumper year last year of almost 1,800 kids up and down the country getting their taste of rugby.

“We are finalising the 2014 sessions at present, and we’ll announce dates and venues at Easter so keep an eye on local press and the website.”

Nikki McDowell, Centra brand manager, said: “This is the perfect partnership in terms of a ‘right fit’ for Centra, as we have more than 80 Centra stores located all over Northern Ireland which, along with the local rugby clubs, are both an integral part of people’s local communities.

“Many retailers attend the camps, lend their personal support and

Centra Brand Manager Nikki McDowell and Ulster Rugby Business Development Manager Philip Polack kick off another year of local convenience store group Centra’s sponsorship of the Ulster Rugby children’s Summer Camps.

give out prizes. We are delighted to be playing our part in encouraging so many young boys and girls year-on-year to hone their skills or try something new, in a friendly and fun environment.”

Centra is also sponsoring the ‘Half Time Rugby’ for the rest of the season, when mini rugby teams get a chance to play at Ravenhill during half-time at Ulster home games.

Centra highlights lack of exercise among teenagers educating young people about healthy lifestyles and cancer prevention.

“With Centra’s help we are bringing these crucial cancer prevention messages to tens of thousands of young people every year,” said Nikki McDowell, Centra brand manager. “We aim to instil the right attitudes in their formative years, as this will help them avoid the risk of cancer when they are adults.”

Centra has supported Action Cancer’s Health Action Programme since 2003, with the Programme delivering health sessions to date to almost half a million young people at over 1,000 nurseries, schools and colleges and raising over £900,000.

Students from Aquinus Grammar School and Methodist College are pictured with Lucy McCusker, health promotion officer with Action Cancer and Nikki McDowell, Centra brand manager at the launch of Centra’s ‘ditch the devices’ and get active campaign.

C

entra’s latest initiative as sponsor of Action Cancer’s Health Action Programme for young people is aimed at highlighting lack of exercise among local teenagers.

Teenagers in Northern Ireland claim they have no time to exercise, according to recent research by Action Cancer. A survey carried out amongst 450 young people in Northern Ireland, found that despite claiming to be time-poor, teenagers still spend several hours a day on phones, tablets and watching TV. Health Action is a health education initiative aimed at reducing the number of schoolchildren getting cancer when they are adults, by 12

Over the past year, staff at local Russell’s Shop 4 You stores has raised £25,000 for Children’s Hospice. Fundraising activities included Super Hero Friday, when staff dressed up as their favourite Super Hero and had a great fun day in-store for staff and customers.

RETAIL NEWS – INDEPENDENTS

O’Doherty builds exports with speciality range E

nniskillen-based O’Doherty’s Fine Meats has expanded its portfolio of speciality foods with the launch of a new handcrafted Venison and Wild Game Pie using only locally-sourced ingredients.

O’Doherty’s has evolved from a butchery focused on the Northern Ireland market to a successful export business with a growing customer base in the key sectors of retailing and upmarket catering for hotels and restaurants in London, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Popular with celebrity chefs such as Richard Corrigan, Rick Stein and Gary Rhodes, O’Doherty’s exports its unique Fermanagh Black Bacon and Old Fermanagh Corned Beef worldwide, and offers an extensive speciality meats range including Aberdeen Angus beef, wild venison, pheasant, wild duck, guinea fowl, rabbit and exotic meats.

The new 8oz pie is described by Pat O’Doherty, managing director of the award-winning butchery business, as a “winter warmer” and features venison and pheasant meat from the Colebrooke estate in Fermanagh, home of Lord Brookeborough.

The company is also developing other

Pat O’Doherty with his Old Fermanagh Corned Beef.

speciality pies from wild duck and jellied pigs’ tongues.

“We’ve identified a developing market opportunity for rustic pies with different flavours that are produced using artisan techniques and the best local ingredients with

traceability and provenance,” said O’Doherty.

“I know from my research into traditional Irish foods over the past six centuries that handmade pies were part of the staple diet in most households in Fermanagh and many other parts of Ireland. Delving back into the archives I discovered original recipes for curing bacon using local herbs and corned beef.

“As well as these products, we’ve developed a distinctively flavoured Black Bacon Pie that has proved immensely popular with leading chefs and gourmet food fans in many parts of Europe who’ve used our ebusiness site to purchase the product.”

In addition to the focus on traditional rustic meats and pies, O’Doherty launched Ireland’s first Black Pudding Festival in December, which attracted puddings from many parts of the world.

Formed in 1957, O’Doherty Fine Meats operates a retail butchery business and an EU approved processing plant in Enniskillen.

The company has won a string of awards including UK Meat Innovation of the Year Award 2011 for its original Old Fermanagh Corned Beef at the UK Butcher Shop of the Year 2012 awards.

Accolades roll in for Poole’s SuperValu in Moira Strabane Three Rivers proposal raises concerns C

Congratulating Eddie and Meena Poole of Poole’s SuperValu, Moira, at the Independent Achievers Academy awards in London, are (left) Nick Shanagher of Newtrade Publishing and (right) Laura Tenison of JoJo Maman Bebe, who spoke at the ceremony.

M

oira-based Poole’s SuperValu scooped four categories including UK and Ireland ‘Overall Best Shop’ at the Independent Achievers Academy (IAA) awards in London.

Run by Moira businessman Eddie Poole, the business also lifted awards for Merchandising, Environmental Sustainability and Staff Development and was named in the Top 100 stores across the UK and Ireland.

“This has been a tremendous year for us,” said Eddie Poole, with the latest awards following on from winning Musgrave Retail Partners ‘Store of the Year’ in 2013. “We are committed to offering customers a unique and enjoyable shopping experience and we have focused our efforts on creating a business worthy of this title.”

oncern has been expressed by a consortium of Northern Irish business and retail groups over ‘hypermarket elements’ of the proposed Three Rivers retail site in Strabane.

In a joint statement, Strabane Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) have jointly voiced their concerns.

‘On behalf of our three organisations, which represent the majority of small businesses and independent retailers in Strabane town centre, we have major concerns with the massive out of town hypermarket proposal in the Three Rivers application,’ reads the joint statement.

‘We are not opposing the other aspects of the application, and in fact very much welcome them and would like the development to proceed, but given the negative impact that the proposed hypermarket would have on Strabane town centre, we are urging DOE Minister Durkan to reject that aspect.

‘The proposed out-of-town hypermarket would displace more jobs than it would create and would take £18m away from Strabane town centre which already has a shop vacancy rate of nearly 1 in 5, among the highest in Northern Ireland.’

The consortium believes the Smyths Mill/Canal Basin site in Strabane town centre would be a better site for the project.

13

RETAIL NEWS – MULTIPLES

Sainbury’s Sprucefield undergoing a multi-million pound upgrade S

ainsbury’s has embarked on its largest ever store upgrade in Northern Ireland, with a multi-million pound investment in its Sprucefield Park site.

The store will be stripped right back to create a new look and shopping experience for customers, using the latest technology, efficiency measures and store concepts.

As part of the investment, Sainsbury’s is creating 50 new jobs; half of which will involve the retention of temporary Christmas staff.

The work will be carried out primarily by local firm Montgomery, employing up to 200 people on site during the main phase of the work with completion expected in early March.

“The changes start from the outside in with new signage, trollies, carpark markings and an ungraded façade,” said John Lockhart, store manager. “Inside we are extending our Tu clothing range, fresh food, general merchandise and creating new food counters including a milestone bakery utilising the latest technology and design. We will have a brand new café concept and be the first Sainsbury’s in Northern Ireland with a new style of freezers in the frozen food aisles and we will also have an upgraded till system.

“From an environmental perspective we are utilising the latest equipment with a new biomass boiler being installed and other

features including cold air retrieval units, a new lighting system, waterless urinals and percussion taps in the bathrooms as well as low energy refrigeration cabinets with weir screens and blinds. The work will also include an upgrade to the online services available

to the store which should allow for further growth in this area of the business in the future.”

The store will retain its existing sales space of almost 54,000 square feet, with the new layout allowing for extended ranges.

Sainsbury’s Sprucefield Manager John Lockhart is pictured with HR Business Partner Dara Irwin reviewing plans for the store refit.

Sainsbury’s and M&S lead sustainable seafood survey Sainsbury’s and M&S lead the way in sustainable seafood, according to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which has published the findings of its latest Supermarket Seafood Survey.

While Tesco has highest market share of seafood sales, it does not participate in the charity’s Supermarket Survey. Nor did Aldi, while Lidl, Spar and Budgen didn’t even respond, said MCS. The Co-operative came in a close second, and Waitrose third, while Morrisons showed promise in some survey categories.

Sharon McBratney from Asda Dundonald has been awarded the ‘Asda Special Recognition Award’, for her services to the local community, at the recent Asda Community Life Conference in Leeds. Bringing together over 600 colleagues from across the UK, the conference celebrated 2013’s achievements and looked forward to plans for Asda’s Community Life programme, launched to help make the areas around its stores better places to live and work. McBratney (pictured with Paul Kelly, Asda’s External Affairs Director) contributed to the successful ‘Save Dundonald High School’ campaign.

14

Justin King steps down as Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coupe, currently group commercial director of Sainsbury’s, is to replace Justin King (pictured) as CEO of the retail chain on July 9.

“This was not an easy decision for me to make, and in truth it will never feel like the right time to leave a company like Sainsbury’s,” said King, who has served as CEO for a decade. “I am confident that under Mike’s leadership the business will go from strength to strength.”

My Life in the Grocery Trade Chris McGaw, sales manager for Today’s WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE? My current role is sales manager for the Today’s symbol business.

WHAT IS YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY TO DATE? I started my career with J&J Hasletts as a chilled food buyer. After five years there, I moved to Musgrave Wholesale Partners, where I held a number of different roles from food service manager to warehouse manager, ending up as key accounts manager for the Northern Ireland delivered business.

After 12 years with Musgrave, I decided that it was time for a change. I had a brief spell in manufacturing in a bottling company, as logistics and sales manager. I then headed back to my roots in wholesale and retail environment with Savage and Whitten, where I have been now for three and a half years.

WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE INVOLVE? My role involves every aspect of the business from managing our new EPoS roll out, to engaging on a daily basis with our retailers; either existing or potential.

As a team, we would help and guide retailers in their business both with development of their stores and category management and margin advice; along with a support mechanism for almost everything they might face, helping them to control costs and maximise profits.

WHEN DID YOU TAKE UP THIS POST? I took up this post in October 2010.

WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? The best parts of the job would be working with customers and colleagues that I have known for many years, developing long-lasting relationships.

The worst aspect would be if I am unable to succeed in helping a customer, as customer

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

service is a priority of mine.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE FOR YOU? My day would vary quite a bit, it could range from being in the office in Newry to driving the roads meeting with either existing or potential retailers or spending time in one of our companyowned stores.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? It would have to be playing a part in the growth of the Today’s brand to what it is now. The whole business has worked tirelessly to ensure we have the right IT solutions, delivery options and impeccable customer service for our retailers, and we continue to evolve to meet their needs.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL GROCERY TRADE?

I think the best thing about the local grocery trade is the people in it - everybody knows everybody else, we all deal in the same circles and we have a mutual respect for everybody within the trade. It seems to be a trade that very few people go out of; it’s the same faces, just now and again in different roles or companies.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? I enjoy spending time with my family. I have two great boys, and they keep my wife and I busy with football training and the usual after-school clubs and organisations. I also enjoy playing golf during the summer months.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW. I had a serious car crash in June 2002. This has given me a different outlook on life - however bad you think that your day or week may be there is always somebody facing a tougher battle.

15

STORE FOCUS

SPAR Ballygally

SPAR Ballygally, pictured during its 1st birthday celebrations, is the life and soul of the Antrim Coast village.

The village of Ballygally was a seaside town lacking a heartbeat until an innovative scheme combined the construction of a new symbol group grocery store with that of a modern community facility, with enormous success, as Brian McCalden reports.

W

hen one of the world’s largest cycle races, the Giro d’Italia, begins in Belfast on May 9, thousands of visitors are expected and millions more will watch on television.

One excellent vantage point will be the unique village of Ballygally, as the race takes its course through the County Antrim countryside and then via the scenic Coast Road.

There, Grahame Todd, proprietor of the newly redeveloped seaside SPAR will be kept very busy, as hundreds of extra visitors pour into the area. While he and his staff will have little time to enjoy the sporting event, cycle enthusiasts will be provided with the opportunity to take a front row seat in an exclusive viewing area above the store.

“It’s just another benefit of many that has flowed from the construction of the new Ballygally Community Development Association Centre,” says Grahame.

“This project was completed in 2011 and comprises of our SPAR store and mini Post Office downstairs. The SPAR Store is 1960 square feet and houses a Streat coffee and hot snacks to go, pre-packed sandwiches, Lotto and an extensive range of grocery, chilled and fruit and veg.

“The large multi-purpose function room upstairs, with sea view terrace, comprises of a fully equipped catering facility, a large highspec boardroom, a lift and modern toilets.

It’s a fantastic facility that has brought so many benefits to the area; I truly believe it has become the heart of the community.”

The entrepreneur – a Larne man who was originally a menswear retailer – explained how this innovative facility was funded: “The Big Lottery Fund, Larne Borough Council and the Department for Regional Development all contributed to the replacement of an old store that closed in 2008. The whole building was demolished and construction began in 2010.

“Many such sites were being redeveloped 8 • •Ulster 3616 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

as highly exclusive seaside apartments, but in this case, the community took the lead and began the work on an alternative – a much needed community hub and a replacement local shop.”

Grahame said SPAR was chosen over other offers for the new grocery store: “Many, many visitors to Northern Ireland take the Antrim Coast Road north from Belfast to take in the beautiful scenery and its views across to Scotland.

“Few brands have the international recognition factor of SPAR, with the brand being seen right across the world. When the world famous cycle race hits Ballygally, for example, it is reassuring to know that the many international visitors who come with it will know and respect the branding,” he says.

But as well as seasonal tourism, the local community remains the major trade base – and one that is the year-round focus of the whole facility.

“Whilst the international recognition was a major plus, I also had to focus on what I felt the community needed and most importantly, as a businessman, what support I would require. The Henderson Group, owner of the SPAR franchise in Northern Ireland, offered a tailor-made support package including marketing, PR, retail services support and most importantly the promise of daily delivery of fresh local produce,” he says.

“It was important to me that the family-run company had a strong belief in supporting local suppliers and investing back into the communities we live in. In the end it was this that swung the decision to go with the SPAR brand when the new store opened.”

Graham’s belief in upholding and supporting his local community has remained a key focus for him and last year, when disaster struck in the village of Ballygally, Graham was at the ready to ensure his store would help where and how it could.

“Community spirit is alive and well and living in Ballygally. Last March’s massive snowfalls - weeks of freezing conditions and snowdrifts – cut off much of our rural community from the outside world. There were many hundreds of livestock deaths, power was cut and water supplies sometimes curtailed to households inland from the coast.”

Larne Borough Council and the Stormont government worked together to tackle the many weeks of the ‘big freeze’ but SPAR Ballygally and the community centre became the official staging post for assistance.

“Surprisingly, it wasn’t bottled water and bread that was in big demand, but firelighters, gas and coal that were required as the crisis intensified. SPAR Ballygally became an emergency collection point for the council and we worked hard to ensure that all essentials were distributed to those in need within the local community during this difficult time.”

In October 2013, the local community received a surprise visit from the Prince of Wales, who came to officially recognise the hardships faced by the local community and thank those who supported the relief mission.

At a special reception in Larne Town Hall, Grahame was commended by Prince Charles for his exceptional service to the local community and the kind donation of all supplies to the council.

“I was absolutely honoured to receive this recognition from Prince Charles. His visit was such a great morale boost for everyone in the Larne Community who endured the terrible weather conditions,” he says.

But it’s not just Royal visitors who are grateful for the SPAR Ballygally. Local resident and former mayor of Larne, Gerardine Mulvenna, is born and bred in the area and also has a strong community ethos.

Just one of many shop customers to be greeted personally by Grahame, she was

STORE FOCUS bubbling over with praise for both the shop and the community hub upstairs.

“I simply can’t explain just how important this facility is to the area,” she says. “It was much needed and continues to be very welcome.”

SPAR Ballygally is a modest local employer of 12 full and part-time staff – including not one, but two sets of twins - along with Grahame and his son Chris – who is rapidly developing as the store’s business manager.

The store receives daily deliveries of fresh, frozen and ambient products from Henderson Wholesale, located in the Mallusk depot.

Packed with local produce from all over the island of Ireland, Grahame also ensures his store supports the people on his doorstep. The shop stocks a varied range of produce from the Ballygally locality, with specialist bread from Ann’s Pantry and eggs from Blairmount.

The mini Post Office and SPAR store is open seven days from 7am to 8pm (9pm in the summer) with extensive car parking for passing trade.

The community remains at the heart of this local shop. As Grahame looks forward to what 2014 will bring, he continues to seek ways to get involved and support the local area. One of the many community initiatives will be sponsorship of the forthcoming Larne Half Marathon. The store will supply water and essentials for all competitors.

“Ballygally is a community apart,” he says.

“Now we have restored the life and heart of the area, I aim to ensure that whilst I’m running a business here we will continue to

support the upkeep of this unique facility. I set out to ensure that SPAR Ballygally continues to be the life and soul of this village.”

It was important to me that the family-run company had a strong belief in supporting local suppliers and investing back into the communities we live in.”

Grahame with his brother Sam Todd and the Spar-branded van for local deliveries.

SPAR Ballygally proprietor Grahame Todd was commended by Prince Charles for his service to the local community and donated supplies to Larne Borough Council during the snow crisis last spring.

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

17

food & drink news

Great Taste awards opening early for member entry

Charlie Turnbull, deli owner and Great Taste Awards judge.

G

reat Taste, the high profile food and drink awards in which Northern Irish producers have scored notable success in recent years, opens for entries in February.

Organised by The Guild of Fine Food, Great

Taste is judged by hundreds of food experts and has been running for over 20 years.

Chefs, buyers, fine food retailers, restaurateurs, food critics and writers blind-taste and provide valuable feedback to producers, while the gold and black Great Taste logo appearing on winning products is increasingly recognised by consumers as a sign of excellence.

From February 10, a new Members’ Fortnight has been created as a benefit to members of the Guild of Fine Food, who will be able to enter at the same price as last year and ahead of non-members. General entry will run from February 24-March 21.

“This year we have decided to cap the number of Great Taste entries at 10,000, and we wanted to give a clear benefit to our members who will be able to enter for 14 days at the same rate as last year before entry fully opens,” said John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food and organiser of Great Taste.

Being able to display the Great Taste logo encourages greater confidence in

smaller businesses and often leads to further development of a product and entire ranges, according to the Guild.

“Great Taste is not just about the big winners and the trophies – Great Taste benefits thousands of producers each year who greatly benefit from having a 1-star Great Taste logo on their products,” said Farrand. “We have also introduced more specific classes for wines and spirits to take into account the growing number of producers who have approached Great Taste in the last year.

“Great Taste classes range from truffles to chutney, porridge to single estate tea and we’re confident that our judges will find the most exceptional food and drink to carry the Great Taste stars.”

New Awards introduced last year included; Great Taste Shop of the Year, Nigel Barden Heritage Award, Small Artisan Producer Award and Deli Chef’s Signature Dish, with the latter won by local business Yellow Door Deli. The announcement of the Supreme Champion 2014, sponsored by Harrods, will be made on September 8.

Consumers Entry open for Steak go crazy for Tasting Competition L curly kale A

sda NI has reported sales of curly kale supplied by Gilfresh in Armagh rose 102% in January, as consumers cranked up their New Year health kick.

Other super greens also flew off the shelves, according to the multiple retailer, with sales of spinach up over 128% and green beans up 40% in comparison to last year.

Kale is regarded as one of the world’s top 10 healthy foods, with 33 calories per 100g. It is rich in dietary fibre, and a good source of calcium, with its virtues extolled by A-list stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow.

“Curly kale’s popularity is another example of how we work with local companies to respond to the needs of our customers,” said Susannah Lloyd, Asda regional buyer for NI and Scotland. “Our strong relationship with Gilfresh has been strengthened even further through its involvement in our Supplier Development Academy – enabling it to deliver the convenient, healthy ranges which our customers tell us they want.”

8 • •Ulster 3618 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

ocal producers of steaks, beef sausages and beef burgers are invited to compete in the European Angus Steak Tasting Competition sponsored by Devenish Nutrition.

The European Angus Cattle Society, organiser of the local competition, is hoping for record entries in its fourth year of the event and first with a major sponsor in the agritechnology company.

“We are absolutely delighted to have the support of Devenish Nutrition in organising this year’s event as the competition has grown significantly over the last three years,” said Harry McGaffin, European Angus secretary. “The format remains the same with the competition being held in two categories, Under 15 employees and Over 15 employees, with three beef classes - Fillet Steak, Sirloin Steak and Rib-eye Steak.

“Again we are also continuing with our beef sausage categories, both traditional and gourmet, and with our beefburger category.”

CAFRE Loughry Campus is the venue for the blind tastings and Michele Shirlow of Food NI appointed as this year’s guest judge responsible for the selection of the overall Supreme Champion Steak.

The heats and the main steak tasting will take place on February 24 at CAFRE, with the tasting of the sausages and beefburgers scheduled for March 3.

The winners will be Pictured at the launch of the 2014 European Angus Steak Tasting announced at a Special Competition sponsored by Devenish Nutrition are, front row (from Awards Evening and left), Harry McGaffin, secretary of the European Angus Cattle Society, Michele Shirlow, chief executive of Food NI and guest judge at this year’s Dinner at the Bannville competition and Ciaran Conway from sponsors, Devenish Nutrition.

House Hotel, near Back row, are Des Brady, CAFRE Loughry Campus (left) and Gary Scott, Banbridge on March 15. competition chef.

food & drink news

Marfrig explores further investment at Moy Park B

razilian food group Marfrig has visited its Moy Park subsidiary to explore further investment opportunities in Northern Ireland.

Marcus Molina, chief executive of Marfrig was also hosted by First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster. Molina was accompanied by Tony O’Neill, new business director at Moy Park.

The three ministers also met with Marfrig during a trade mission to Brazil last year.

“Marfrig is already a substantial investor in Northern Ireland and its support has enabled Moy Park to become one of our biggest private sector businesses, with annual sales in excess of £1bn,” said Robinson.

“The recent decision to move its European headquarters to Craigavon was a major endorsement of Northern Ireland as a world class manufacturing location for international companies in food and other sectors.

“The Northern Ireland Executive continues to encourage and assist this immensely impressive company to expand its processing operations and R&D investment here. Invest Northern Ireland is already working with the company across a range of projects designed to enhance its overall competitiveness, especially in markets outside Northern Ireland.”

McGuinness said: “Moy Park’s strategic focus on export market-led innovation is

fully in tune with the Executive’s Programme for Government which aims to transform our economy into a private-sector driven economy, through support for innovation targeted at international markets.

“Significantly Moy Park is now an integral part of Marfrig, one of the world’s most successful businesses. Marfrig’s achievements

in the global marketplace show how a business can prosper through a commitment to growth through continuous investment in its facilities, products and people.”

Moy Park has an annual turnover in excess of £1bn and employs over 5,000 staff at sites in Craigavon, Ballymena and Dungannon.

Local agri-food business, Glens of Antrim Potatoes, has donated £4,000 to the Northern Ireland’s Children to Lapland Trust, helping to send terminally ill and long-term ill children from across NI on a trip of a lifetime to visit Lapland. Michael McKillop from Glens of Antrim Potatoes is pictured with Fiona Williamson and Jack Rodgers, both from the Trust.

Dale Farm secures major Chinese export deal D

ale Farm has signed a multi-million pound deal to export whey protein to China, following an inward trade mission by Shanghai officials. China is regarded as a key market with growth potential, and the new contract will take the Northern Irish dairy producer’s annual exports there to £20m. The Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference visited Dale Farm’s Dunmanbridge cheese and whey plant in Cookstown in December.

Irwin’s lifts Sainsbury’s ‘Best Supply Chain Innovation’

N

P

ortadown based Irwin’s Bakery has sold almost 35,000 packs of its new product ‘Sandwich Skinnys’ since being listed in over 250 stores in Northern Ireland including Tesco, Asda and convenience stores. The soft bread pockets, available in white or brown versions, each contains less than 100 calories, and were introduced to meet demand from New Year dieters looking for a lighter option in their packed lunch. Pictured is Hannah Robinson, marketing manager at Irwin’s Bakery.

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

orthern Irish baker Irwin’s was awarded with ‘Best Supply Chain Innovation’ at the Sainsbury’s Regional Supplier Conference 2014.

The Portadown-based company competed against food manufacturers from across the UK to win the award, recognising its commitment to sustainable best practice and implementing change in its supply chain and packaging.

The award highlighted changes made to the company’s distribution model, which last year shaved over one million food miles from the supply chain and reduced the amount of paper used in its packaging.

“Everyone at the bakery is very proud to have been recognised by a major retailer such as Sainsbury’s in this hugely important field,” said Michael Murphy, commercial director for Irwin’s Bakery.

“We removed 138 tonnes of CO2 equivalent from our company’s ‘carbon footprint’ last year and this year we have pushed this even further. With the support of the Carbon Trust, we are now using LED lights with PIR sensors in the Bakery, which will see significant energy savings year on year.”

19

Q&A

Focus on Fresh – Gordon McAtamney of K&G McAtamney Butchery & Deli, Ballymena WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN? Having left school at a young age, I served my apprenticeship as a butcher under my father. I always knew that this was where my interests lay and, at the age of 25, I had the opportunity to open a butcher’s shop in partnership with my father on Greenvale Street in Ballymena.

After a number of years, I branched out into supplying some local hotels and restaurants from the back of the shop.

Fortunately, the catering business continued to grow and as a result I had to find new premises to accommodate this.

WHEN DID YOU BEGIN SUPPLYING TO THE HENDERSON GROUP, AND HOW DID THE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BEGIN? In 2009, we opened a small factory on Broughshane Street in Ballymena and expanded our customer base, supplying hotels, restaurants and butchers’ shops across Northern Ireland. Space limitations prevented us from developing further so, in 2012, I began the arduous task of searching for premises that would allow us to grow the business even further. Securing a grant from DARD, I was able to build an 18,000-squarefoot, purpose-built factory on the Woodside Road Industrial Estate, where we now employ 31 staff.

Not long after opening, we were fortunate to begin a business relationship with the Henderson Group. Through extensive customer research, we began sampling and developing various products, which culminated in an exclusive range of freshly prepared and pre-packed convenience meals.

WHAT DO YOU SUPPLY TO THE HENDERSON GROUP? By gathering insight into the public’s preferences, our aim is to create great produce from locally-sourced beef, pork, lamb and poultry. Continually liaising with the Fresh Food Department at the Henderson Group, we are developing innovative new products on a regular basis.

Currently we supply a range of ready to cook products, for example succulent chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed beef with pepper sauce. In 2014, we are continuing to

20

Kieran and Gordon McAtamney, proud winners of the UK Butcher’s Shop of the Year Award.

explore new ranges exclusively for Henderson Group brands, SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVO and VIVOXTRA. In fact, this month we are launching new red meat lines and roast weekend specials and in the coming months, we will be launching an exclusive range of ‘Cook in the Bag’ products.

With market trends constantly changing, we are proud of the ever-changing range of products we produce. We have a passion for great food and our dedication to excellence is helping us to grow and become a serious contributor to the UK food industry.

WHICH PRODUCTS ARE PERFORMING BEST? All our products, which have been designed exclusively for Henderson’s, are performing well. We constantly seek to improve and produce new ranges depending on consumer demand. As we head towards the summer months, we are developing a new healthy barbecue range which will include a variety of gluten-free sausages and burgers.

HAS THE HENDERSON GROUP CONTRACT GIVEN YOU ANY SPECIFIC INSIGHT INTO THE WIDER RETAIL MARKET, OR HELPED YOU IDENTIFY NEW OPPORTUNITIES? Definitely; their support and guidance has been invaluable. They have helped us to further develop and expand the business over

Gordon McAtamney displays products exclusively produced for the Henderson Group stores.

the last two years. We now employ over 60 staff between the factory and our stores and I hope this will continue to grow.

In 2011, we were excited to be awarded NI Deli of the Year. In 2012 this grew to NI Butchery of the Year and, in November 2013, we were presented with the most prestigious award of all, UK Butcher of the Year. The company really has gone from strength to strength, and I have all the staff at K&G McAtamney and all our customers to thank for their hard work, dedication and support.

ENERGY & SPORTS DRINKS

Rockstar storms the 500ml can category R

etailers should ensure they get the energy category right to maximise profits, says soft drinks manufacturer A G Barr.

Worth £491m, the energy category in impulse is growing at +7%[1], with Big Can energy formats driving the category, growing at an impressive +20% YOY [2].

“Energy drinks are the second fastest growing category in impulse soft drinks [1], and have been the key driver of growth in soft drinks for a number of years now,” says Adrian Troy, head of marketing for AG Barr. “Energy drinks are already evolving as the market matures and we are seeing a range of formats and flavours as consumers look for choice and manufacturers seek to enter this attractive market segment.”

A key trend is the development of flavours in the energy category. In the 500ml big can format, flavours are fuelling impulse market growth at +48% by value [2]. Rockstar is leading this growth and six of the fastest selling 10 500ml product lines are Rockstar flavours [3].

Retailers need to ensure they give energy drinks the space they merit as the biggest and second fastest-growing category within impulse soft drinks. Outlets should take account of which brands and sub-sectors of the category are growing to ensure the range reflects the current trends.

In particular, flavoured energy needs to be given more space to ensure retailers can offer consumers the choice they require.

Rockstar offers a range of six great-tasting flavours with vibrant packaging. Amongst the core 16-24 age market, Rockstar is sought out as a better tasting energy drink with consumers really connecting with the range of flavours [4].

Rockstar now dominates the flavours sector with its innovative NPD, representing an unmissable opportunity. Rockstar SuperSours have already delivered over £12m of sales since launching last year [5].

A G Barr has also launched a new flavoured zero sugar big can energy drink.

“Another big trend in the energy market is the growth of low calorie variants at +17% YOY [6],” says Adrian. “The low calorie energy

market is currently worth £43m [6] for retailers and is estimated to grow to £200m over the next five years [7].

“However, there is currently little consumer choice available in this growing sector and the launch of Rockstar Pure Zero will fulfil both the demand for a low calorie option and the demand for great-tasting flavoured energy. Rockstar Pure Zero is available in a 500ml big can format in our popular Fruit Punch flavour.

The new variant offers the full Rockstar energy hit with zero sugar.

“The launch of Rockstar Pure Zero will fill a genuine need in the market and retailers should stock up to keep their energy sales soaring in 2014.”

Nielsen Scantrack, Value Sales, MAT to 07.12.13, Total Impulse.

[2] Nielsen Scantrack, Value Sales, 473ml+ Single cans, Energy drinks, MAT to 07.12.13, Total Impulse.

[3] Nielsen Scantrack, AC Wtd UROS, 473ml+ Single cans, Energy Drinks, 12 wks to 07.12.13, Total Impulse.

[4] Out of the Box Shopper Insight, Feb 2012.

[5] Estimated Retail Sales Value based on AG Barr Sales Data.

[6] Nielsen Scantrack, Value Sales, Low Calorie Energy Drinks, MAT to 14.09.13, Total Impulse.

[7] AG Barr Sales Estimate based on current market data.

[1]

Lucozade targets World Cup fever with Brazilian variants L

ucozade is getting the carnival started early with the launch of new Lucozade Sport Brazilian Guava Flavour and Lucozade Energy ‘The Brazilian’ Mango & Mandarin Flavour.

With the major football tournament forming a vital part of consumers’ social calendars in 2014 and representing a significant commercial opportunity for retailers, the new variants aim to capture the attention of consumers and increase penetration of the sports and energy drinks category.

“Limited editions are great at attracting new users and delivering incremental sales to the sports and energy category,” says Dave Stratton, brand development director at Lucozade.

“With 63% of Britons expecting to increase their leisure spending as a consequence of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, we are confident our Brazilian-inspired variants will drive further category growth. During a World Cup year, we see huge growth in TV viewing figures and sporting participation as

a consequence, presenting an opportune time for retailers to capitalise on the latest Sports and Energy NPD from Lucozade.”

Flavour is at the top of the purchase decision hierarchy for soft drinks and the fastest growing flavour profile is ‘exotic’, experiencing +10% yearon-year value growth. This has, in part, contributed to the recent successful launches of Lucozade Energy Caribbean Crush and Lucozade Sport Caribbean Burst, with the latter now worth over £7m at RSV in just over a year. In addition, evidence shows that exotic flavours appeal to the younger shopper profile, which is currently driving soft drinks growth as a whole.

The two new Brazilian variants will feature in an upcoming £12m Lucozade marketing campaign including TV, sponsorship, experiential, digital and in-store support.

They are now available in 380ml price-marked packs (PMPs) and 500ml packs, with Lucozade Sport Brazilian Guava Flavour also available in 500ml standard and PMPs and a 500ml four-pack. All RSPs are in line with equivalent Lucozade packs.

21

ENERGY & SPORTS DRINKS

BOOSTing energy drink sales through independent retailers B

oost Drinks is enjoying fantastic growth in both sales and market share in Northern Ireland and with this trend set to continue, Gareth Hardy has launched a dedicated distribution service for wholesalers and symbol retailers, HSM NI. “Our plan is to take Boost Drinks to the next level,” says Gareth. “Boost’s success is due to the great taste and quality of the product, coupled with a great price point. It was the first value energy drink to come to Ulster and now it is a must stock brand.”

Recent research by him!* commissioned

by Boost, shows that energy drinks represent the second most important ‘key category’ for independent retailers in Northern Ireland.

Only cigarettes and tobacco score higher, and so it is not surprising that sales are so buoyant.

“There has been a really strong performance by the core energy range, and the 250ml can in particular, which is clearly seen as fantastic value by the consumer while yielding a strong margin for the retailer,” says Gareth. “This year, I am expecting to see increased demand for the 1 litre PET bottle which I feel has great potential to grow in off-licences, for example, as part of a take home offering.

“The him! research also says that the most important factors for retailers when choosing which brands to stock are profit margin, and then the price to the consumers, with strong pricing and good promotions topping the list for what is expected from suppliers. So we know we are doing a lot of things right, but we also need to make sure that we continually listen to our customers, and respond with new ways to support their businesses and maintain their trust.”

Last year saw the launch of Boost’s biggest trade campaign to date, Champion of the Independents, which is designed to 22

raise awareness that Boost is the only brand dedicated to the independent retail sector.

The Champion of the Independents campaign will continue in 2014 and includes direct communications via all wholesale trade customers with a range of useful branded items and retailer initiatives to reinforce the campaign message.

As well as being the only brand totally focused on the independent retail sector, Boost is also the only brand that covers all three sectors of sports and energy drinks – stimulation energy, glucose and sports/isotonic – including both plain and price-marked packs.

This year is set to be an exciting one for Boost with many more promotions, pointof-sale and product launches planned than ever before to ensure the brand maintains its position as the number two functional energy drinks brand within the impulse channel. This will include specific activity for both trade and consumer audiences around a number of key dates and events.

Gareth will be working at a local level with existing trade customers with his bespoke Northern Ireland strategy. This will include product innovations exclusively for Ulster.

“Boost is now considered a valued brand, not just a value brand, and we will continue to maintain this by offering great tasting products at great prices. This year we are looking to sell over a million cases having been just short of this number in 2013; such is the demand for Boost in Northern Ireland.” * the him! research was conducted amongst 200 independent retailers, 75 of whom are based in Northern Ireland in December 2013.

Boost’s 250ml can energy drink is Northern Ireland’s top seller and also delivers a great margin for retailers.

Gareth Hardy

WHY YOU NEED TO STOCK BOOST NOW • Boost is the number two energy brand within impulse.

• Consumers love and look for the Boost brand.

• Boost products offer a great price for consumers and great profit margins for you.

• We’re constantly investing in our marketing to give us real presence.

• Price-marked and plain packs available across our range to suit your needs.

• We’re committed to independent retail – we always have been and always will be.

BOOST’S TOP TIPS FOR MERCHANDISING ENERGY DRINKS • Keep energy drinks together to make it easier for your customers.

• Stock 250ml cans and 500ml cans and bottles in a chiller rather than the shelf so they’re more appealing to impulse customers. One-litre bottles should be stocked on ambient shelves.

• Keep your chiller full and regularly re-faced so customers find it more inviting.

• Give consumers a choice, but only stock best sellers – speak to your wholesaler for guidance.

• Create interest around the fridges using POS material, shelf talkers etc.

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24/01/2014 14:40

ENERGY & SPORTS DRINKS

The Little Big Shot energising the drinks industry

Bert Jukes, creator of Little Big Shot.

L

ittle Big Shot is the award-winning natural energy brand that is rapidly carving out significant market share and attracting industry attention as the world’s first healthy, caffeine-free energy drink.

With rising international concerns about the health risks associated with stimulantbased, highly-caffeinated energy drinks, Belfast-based Little Big Shot is blazing a trail as a healthy, natural alternative that offers sustainable energy and is safe for children and mothers-to-be.

Created by entrepreneur Bert Jukes, the product is packed with energy-boosting berries and b vitamins. And, thanks to an exclusive deal with a Taiwanese multinational, Little Big Shot is the only drink in the world to be able to offer deep ocean minerals, a highly sought-after natural source of carbon-free energy packed with ionic minerals and trace elements.

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

As Bert explains: “We’ve all seen the headlines about the health impact of high levels of caffeine, including the tragic deaths of several young people in the United States and high-caffeine products being mentioned as a contributory factor in deaths in the UK. “We could have taken the easy path, been a follower and released another stimulant-based drink, taken our slice of the £22bn energy drinks market and gone home. But that’s not what Little Big Shot is about. We’re leaders of a healthy energy revolution delivering a product that doesn’t just support your lifestyle; it enhances it.

“In Northern Ireland and Wales, they’re calling for tighter controls on the targeting of these drinks at kids,” says Bert. “We’ve seen Morrisons take the first steps to banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to kids under the age of 16. The writing’s on the wall for drinks like these. The healthy energy

revolution has begun, and Little BigShot is leading the way.”

It took 10 years of meticulous research and testing to develop Little Big Shot; refining the product to blend the health-giving properties of natural fruit juices, B-vitamins, ginseng, trace elements and deep ocean minerals into one irresistible drink.

This commitment to excellence is epitomised by Little Big Shot’s manufacturing facility, which employs state-of-the-art technology and unrivalled professional expertise to ensure unparalleled quality and the most stringent food safety standards.

The facility possesses full production capabilities across the entire flavour spectrum, and provides only premium beverages that are second to none; thanks in part due to its uninterrupted access to Europe’s premium spring water source. To complete this premium offering, Little Big Shot uses only

ENERGY & SPORTS DRINKS the highest quality, robust cans.

Underlining this commitment to delivering only the best is the facility’s HACCP 9000 registration; an internationally recognised assurance that the highest possible food safety program is in place and strictly adhered to.

With its unique position as an energy drink that is safe for children and mothers to be due to the absence of caffeine and taurine, and the inclusion of B vitamins, antioxidants and natural fructose, Little Big Shot is a truly unique product to support hectic, active lifestyles.

The unique benefits of Little Big Shot are now being recognised throughout the drinks industry. The product has already seen off global competition to scoop the prestigious ‘Best New Drink of the Year’ title at the Natural and Organic 2013 awards in London and has been named as one of the Top Five Most Interesting Products from more than 80,000 products on display at this year’s Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.

And, as consumer demand for Little Big Shot grows, so will the product range, offering healthy energy for every taste and lifestyle.

We’ve already added two new flavours apple, kiwi and lime and orange and mango - to the hugely popular original mixed berry flavour and, over the course of the year, we’ll be introducing a customised sports drink with added deep ocean minerals. With deep ocean minerals scientifically proven to support and improve athletic performance and general wellbeing, this product will rapidly become the must-have supplement for athletes and those with active lifestyles.

Also hitting the shelves over the course of the year will be: Little Big Fruit - designed specifically to support the healthy development of children, this great-tasting new product will give kids one of their five-a-day, along with the perfect balance of vitamins and minerals. Packed with real fruit and natural goodness, Little Big Fruit will be popular with kids and parents looking for a healthy addition to the lunch box.

Little Big Tots - Kids have an insatiable desire for sweets, and this is the guilt-free way for parents to satisfy that. Designed to be a healthy alternative to traditional snacks, and with an emphasis on vitamins and minerals, this product will revolutionise the confectionery market.

Little Big Pots - These natural, healthy yoghurts will deliver a powerful mixture of minerals to start the day the right way or give a pick-me-up to the post-lunch slump.

To date, Bert has secured several million dollars worth of funding for Little Big Shot, with further announcements imminent.

Little Big Shot has now rolled out to almost 1,000 Tesco stores across the UK, as well as retail leaders in Northern Ireland including Savage and Whitten Wholesale, Day Today Stores and Costcutters. The brand will also 8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

be available in more than 100 Asda outlets from April. And, taking in the lucrative lunch market, Little Big Shot is available in all O’Briens sandwich outlets and Deli Lites.

Further distribution deals, including the opening of the key southern Ireland market, are set to be announced throughout the year. Stepping onto the international stage, Little Big Shot will be available in Australia, Dubai, America, Canada and Europe throughout the year, establishing it as the emerging healthy energy global brand of 2014.

To attract new customers, Little Big Shot has a proactive, creative marketing and promotional strategy. With clean, striking graphics for large-scale poster sites and branded public transport, the brand is quickly gaining unprecedented customer recognition. This will be coupled with further broadcast and print advertising, following the hugely successful initial £250,000 TV advertising campaign, promotional giveaways and tie-ups with local and national media.

Teamed with tasting teams at key events and locations on the domestic and international stage - including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow- to offer customers a taste of natural, healthy energy

and an unparalleled public awareness drive to highlight the benefits of healthy nutrition through traditional and social media, LBS will become synonymous with a healthier, more balanced lifestyle, positioning it as the musthave health drink in the market and offering unparalleled profit opportunities.

For more information, contact alan@littlebigshot.com.

25

DRINKS PROFILE

Bringing carnival to the counter

Pictured at one of WKD’s Brazilian party nights are, from left, Rhodri Jones, drinks business development executive; Brendan Loughran, drinks sales controller (Ireland); Graeme Murphy, drinks key account manager; and Stacey Caldwell, drinks business development executive (all with SHS).

W

KD is bringing a fun vibe to shop shelves around Northern Ireland this year, with its new Brazilian variant aiming to evoke a carnival atmosphere.

“We’re not positioning this as our World Cup variant,” says Debs Carter, WKD marketing director at SHS Drinks. “It’s about tapping into a general awareness of Brazil as a fun place.”

Retail sales have become increasingly important for WKD. Looking at the total UK market, the on-/off-trade split has evolved from 70:30 in favour of the on-trade in the late 1990s to 50:50.

“There’s been a shift in the last 10-15 years, with people drinking more at home,” says Debs. “People ask why and there’s a multitude of reasons. The digital age has changed the market, with things like Xbox and Netflix.

“We feel it’s important that we speak to consumers in both settings. It’s about having a balanced plan and supporting our consumers, whether they’re at home or in the pub.”

Local stockists of the WKD range, including the new Brazilian variant, include Wine Flair, Russell’s Cellars, Winemark, Supervalu and Chill.

“Northern Ireland would be a real stronghold for us,” says Debs, with the region certainly not the biggest but punching above its weight. Since the brand was launched in the late 1990s, it’s been one of the highest performing packaged drinks in the market in Northern Ireland.”

WKD Brazilian is a limited edition variant of the popular RTD range, available from January to September this year. While not 8 • •Ulster 3626 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

planned as a permanent addition to the WKD portfolio, WKD Purple started life as a limited edition and was adopted after a Facebook campaign called for its reinstatement.

In addition to the new limited edition, WKD includes six permanent variants with the classic WKD Blue, Irn-Bru, Purple, Red, Green and Orange.

With WKD Brazilian: “we felt we wanted to bring some more excitement to the RTD category,” says Debs.

Aiming to introduce a new and innovative variant to the market, the team behind WKD considered the brand’s key assets such as its

fun, party vibe.

“Brazil just came up,” says Debs. “What it’s been able to do is bring a party to the RTD fixture as well; be it behind the bar in a pub or on shelf in an independent retailer.”

Tapping into WKD’s vibe as “quite a tongue-in-cheek brand with a strong sense of humour about it”, the marketing campaign for the new variant uses strap lines such as ‘Braziliant’ and ‘Pretend you’re on Copacabana Beach’.

The yellow and green bottle colours are, meanwhile, carried through to promotional material ensuring shelf standout. WKD is supplying magic eight retail promotion shelf edge strips, allowing retailers to add their own pricing.

Promotional activity behind the new variant will step up a gear around Easter, led by Brazilian party nights and price promotions.

“It’s a carnival in a bottle,” says Debs.

“We’ve had a fantastic reaction. It just feels the time is right.”

Attention to detail has also gone into the taste profile. “One of the things we always strive for with WKD is something that tastes a bit different,” says Debs, with some tasting a hint of mango, others pineapple in WKD Brazil. “You can’t quite put your finger on what it tastes like.”

While WKD’s target market is 18-25-yearolds, “we have a broader footprint than that,” says Debs. “It’s about having fun with your friends, getting ready to go out or when you’re out.”

“We have lots in the pipeline for 2014,” she adds, with further innovation in both products and marketing planned. “The message is, watch this space.”

AGRI-FOOD NEWS

EU subsidy-reliant farm incomes recover L

ocal farm incomes rose by over 31% to £298m last year, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), while agriculture’s gross output increased by 10% to £1.9bn.

Of the farm income total, EU subsidies under the Single Farm Payment represented 87% or £259m.

The dairy sector buoyed the growth, with tight supplies pushing farmgate milk prices up by 21% on average while volume remained stable year-on-year.

Farmgate prices for beef and sheep meat recovered to a lesser extent, while a good year for potatoes helped bolster the value of field crops by almost 8%.

Welcoming the rise in farm incomes, UFU President Harry Sinclair said: “Things did not get off to a good start last year; farm incomes had dropped by over 50% in 2012 and farmers were faced with one of

their biggest challenges as many were hit hard with possibly the worst snow storm that Northern Ireland has experienced in over 60 years.

However, the good summer and mild autumn/winter weather definitely helped to alleviate some of the damage caused and that combined with increased farm gate prices for our main commodities has helped the industry to recover from what was a very difficult and trying time for many.”

Sinclair also highlighted the importance of the Single Farm Payment for farm incomes. “It is vital that under the next CAP reform, CAP support is targeted at productive agriculture which is something the UFU has been pushing for under the new CAP arrangements,” he said.

“In addition, if we are to grow the industry by 60% to £7bn by 2020 and meet the ambitious targets set out within the Agri-food Strategy Board’s ‘Going for Growth’ report, additional support from the Northern Ireland Executive will also be crucial going forward.”

UFU agrees CAP implementation position T

he Ulster Farmers’ Union has officially agreed its position on how the reformed EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) should be implemented in Northern Ireland.

“The CAP plays a vital role in agriculture and in the wider Northern Ireland economy,” said Harry Sinclair, president of UFU. “It allows farmers to produce affordable food, look after the countryside, create jobs, and maintain rural communities, which is why it is important we get the implementation right.

“Progress has steadily been made since June when a political agreement at an EU level on the new CAP was reached and we need to continue to press on to ensure the necessary elements are in place to allow for smooth implementation come 2015. It has been an intense few weeks but the position of farmers is clear and it is my hope that Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill and her Department will take on board the UFU’s considered view and implement the new CAP accordingly.”

UFU has also welcomed the news there will be no transfer of funding from Pillar 1 (Direct Support) to Pillar 2 (Rural Development)

under the new CAP for Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK to have a zero rate of transfer with England announcing it will transfer a rate of 12% between Pillar 1 and Pillar 2, Scotland 9.5% and Wales 15%.

“Now that there will be no money transferred from Direct Support into the Rural Development pot, it is essential that the necessary funding is made available from within the future Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP) budget itself to fund important farmer targeted schemes,” said Sinclair.

UFU recognises top cereal growers N

orthern Ireland’s top growers were recognised last month at the Annual Cereal Competition awards, organised by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and held in the Rosspark Hotel, Kells.

Winners of the four categories (Spring Barley, Winter Barley, Winter Wheat and Oats) joined UFU Deputy President Barclay Bell and representatives from competition sponsors BASF, Bayer CropScience, Clarendon Agri-care, Joseph Morton Ltd, Origin NI and Syngenta.

Speaking after the awards ceremony, UFU Deputy President Barclay Bell said: “The UFU’s Cereal Competition is no doubt one of the highlights in the annual agricultural calendar. It gives the industry an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the first class growers we have right here in Northern Ireland. We are very pleased that the competition was such a great success and that the entries across all four categories were of such a high standard.

Winners of the UFU 2013 Cereals Competition included, from left, William Russell, UFU North Tyrone Group, winner of the Winter Wheat competition; Edgar Carson, UFU Donard Group, winner of the Spring Barley competition; (UFU Deputy President Barclay Bell); William Taylor, UFU NE Derry Group, winner of the Oats competition; and Richard Kane, UFU Mid Down Group, winner of the Winter Barley competition.

“This competition has demonstrated that our growers are committed and continually strive to get the best from their crops. It has

also shown that Northern Ireland’s cereal producers can produce crops as well, if not better, than any other grower in Europe.”

27

AGRI-FOOD NEWS

NI/GB beef price disparity highlighted N

o single factor has been identified as the cause of the differential in beef prices between Northern Ireland and GB, according to a study commissioned by the Livestock & Meat Commission (LMC).

However, a report on the study identifies key areas for action to help inform decision-making and put industry in a better position to change the situation.

LMC’s report into regional price disparities in deadweight cattle was commissioned in late 2012 and conducted over a year by Oxford Economics, with the support of an independent project steering group facilitated by LMC.

UFU Membership Director Derek Lough visits Greenmount Campus to launch free student membership to agri-students between the ages of 18-25.

It examined the nature and causes of the differential in deadweight cattle prices between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The report concluded that the differential in cattle prices varies across different classifications, with higher prices paid for prime cattle in GB compared to Northern Ireland, while Northern Ireland processors paid higher prices for cull cows.

The report has clearly identified the key factors affecting the price differential, and evaluated their relative importance.

UFU welcomed LMC’s report, saying that it has helped to shed some light on the unfair differential.

“The beef price differential between Northern Ireland and Great Britain has long been a source of frustration for farmers here,” said Harry Sinclair, president of UFU. “Our beef is labelled British and is produced to the exact same standards as across the water, so why are our beef farmers routinely being paid less.”

UFU was actively involved in the steering group, overseeing LMC’s report. “The report highlights that between 2009 and 2012, beef farmers in Northern Ireland were paid on average 14p/kg less for R3 steers and 21p/kg for R4 steers,” said Sinclair.

“However the differential went as far as to exceed 40p/kg in autumn 2012. And the fact that the differential is currently sitting at around 20p/kg for R3 steers just shows there is still a lot of work to be done.

“There is no ‘silver bullet’ to explain the price differential but the report has identified a number of factors which are contributing to it in varying degrees. It also outlines a number of areas for action and offers some recommendations for tackling the differential.”

WHOLESALE NEWS

Costcutter pioneers new buy-andsupply system in Northern Ireland C ostcutter Supermarkets Group is migrating all Northern Ireland retailers to its new buy and supply arrangements in March.

The region is the first to migrate, and the move comes ahead of original plans for all retailers to do so in July 2014. Northern Ireland is a self-contained region, and represents one of Costcutter Supermarkets Group’s largest trading areas.

With Palmer and Harvey’s new temperature-controlled Belfast depot, and all systems fully tested and ready, it is the ideal region to execute phase one of the rollout programme and start bringing the promised benefits to retailers in the region, said the retail group.

Northern Ireland retailers should start experiencing significant improvements in the key areas of range, price, promotions and delivery as a result.

Since March 2013, Costcutter Supermarkets Group has worked to create a consumer-centric range, which reflects the products customers want and expect to see when shopping locally. Produced through analysis of the existing range across all categories, including regional, local and 28

seasonal, the new range will be continuously reviewed to reflect members’ needs.

The new independent brand, which was developed with better own-brand margins for retailers in mind, went live in November and key lines will be available to Northern Ireland retailers at the time they migrate.

The new pricing structure aims to be simpler and more transparent, while other aspects aiming to add value to members’ businesses include removing surcharges, service charges and membership fees, while increasing rebates.

A new joint-venture with Palmer and Harvey – The BuyCo – and its negotiating power has already positively affected product prices, said the Group.

The new promotional programme also aims to add value for retailers, helping stores in Northern Ireland to offer the right promotions for their customers.

“2013 was a big year for Costcutter Supermarkets Group and in March we didn’t just simply announce a new strategic partnership and joint venture, we also made a number of promises to our retailers,” said Darcy Willson-Rymer, CEO of Costcutter Supermarkets Group.

“The news that we are migrating Northern

Peter Falconar is delivered wholesaler Palmer and Harvey’s longest-serving employee, having recently reached 40 years with the organisation. Falconar started out with Plymouth-based WC Griffiths and Sons, which was then acquired by Palmer and Harvey in 1984, and has witnessed the evolution from calculators to computers and hand-picked orders to machine-driven stock selection. He now works on stocks control monitoring for the entire operation, which has an annual turnover of more than £4bn and serves the convenience, forecourt and CTN retail sectors.

Ireland ahead of schedule, confirms that we are very much on track to deliver these promises, and the response from affected retailers has been incredibly positive.”

Costcutter Supermarkets Group is predominantly a franchise business, with over 2,500 convenience stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

MARKETING perspective NEWS

Crosse & Blackwell invests £2m in new marketing campaign

C

rosse & Blackwell is investing £2m in a new marketing campaign, which includes TV ads, national radio sponsorship and national press ads.

The TV spot showcases Crosse & Blackwell’s Best of British soup range, highlighting the brand’s commitment to British farming and quality ingredients.

The Best of British range of soups use classic, regional British ingredients such as Wiltshire-cured ham, Melton Mowbray Stilton, Dorset Ale and a variety of British-grown vegetables, and is part of Crosse & Blackwell’s total range of 21 soup varieties.

Since its re-launch in 2012, Crosse & Blackwell has added more than £5m in incremental sales to the ambient wet soup category.* The brand lays claim to the highest level of repeat purchase** of an ambient wet soup brand in the last five years. A selection of the Crosse and Blackwell range are also the first soups in the UK to be awarded Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) accreditation.

Judged by a panel of experts from the Institute and readers from across the UK, the soups were praised for their quality of ingredients, great taste and value for money. The GHI logo is now on-pack to communicate the accreditation to consumers at point of purchase.

“Crosse & Blackwell is a British brand with great heritage, and the quality of the products supplied by our British farmers is extremely high,” said Chris Wright, marketing director for Crosse & Blackwell. “We want to use our campaign to increase brand awareness, communicate product quality and drive trial of our range.

“Consumers are increasingly keen to buy British, and so this range poses a significant opportunity for independent retailers. We are committed to British sourcing and this will continue to be a major part of our marketing communications and advertising campaigns in 2014.”

The TV ads are being supported by a sponsorship campaign on Smooth Radio and extensive consumer sampling. *£5million incremental spend. Kantar. 52 weeks to 10th November 2013. ** Repeat purchase. Brand repeat purchase 37.3% from Kantar, 52 weeks to 10th November 2013.

Sally Gunnell becomes British brand ambassador for First Milk F

irst Milk has appointed Sally Gunnell OBE as its first brand ambassador to showcase, develop and promote new products under its sport nutrition brand CNP and dairy brand, Lake District Dairy Co. The two-year agreement with the World Record and Olympic Gold winning British sporting hero is aimed at highlighting the benefits of effective nutrition and protein within a sports arena, as well as for busy mums.

Gunnell will also be integral to the creation, development and sales of pioneering new areas of focus for the company.

“Sally brings with her a passion for healthy living, she’s someone that has real-world knowledge of what it takes to be successful – both as a sportsperson and as a mother,” said David Young, marketing director for First Milk. As such, she’s a great asset to First Milk and I’ve every confidence that we’ll continue to drive NPD with her at our side.”

Sally Gunnell said: “My years of experience, training to be one of the world’s leading athletes, have shown me the value of appropriate nutrition and its importance to a healthy lifestyle; be that striving for gold or raising a family that’s fit and well.

“Being raised on a farm myself, I’ve an affinity with what First Milk stands for and that’s why I’m so excited about being involved, right now, as both CNP and Lake District Dairy Co. break new ground.

First Milk is leading the way in helping to change how we think about our diet, our nutrition and what we want to have in our shopping baskets – and that’s one hurdle I’m definitely up for overcoming with them.”

During 2013, First Milk celebrated winning a number of industry awards for its new products, including ‘Best Functional Dairy Product’ for Lake District Dairy Co. Quark at the Global Dairy Innovation Awards. First Milk is now continuing to work with its customers to build on its national listings as well as develop further award winning, naturally nutritious products for the UK and international markets.

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

Jaffa Cake’s Mud Madness event returns H

undreds of competitors have already signed up for this year’s McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Mud Madness event to be held on Sunday April 13 at Foymore Lodge in Portadown.

Competitors will run, crawl and belly-flop their way across four and half miles of bogs and ponds, under cargo nets and through water sprays and muddy trenches.

Those taking part in the wacky race are being encouraged to raise funds for charity partner Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Last year saw a record 1,000 participants from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Online fitness enthusiast Peanut Butter England, Scotland, Germany and Girl aka Tiffany Brien spreads some even the US take part. mud ahead of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes “McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Mud Mud Madness race (April 13 at Foymore Lodge in Portadown).

Madness is the ultimate off-road challenge and is one of its kind in Northern Ireland with participants racing through the muckiest fields, bogs and ponds in the country,” said Johnny Davis, event organiser.

“Each year we try to improve the course and add new obstacles so I am really looking forward to welcoming this year’s runners. I can guarantee they will have a muddy good day out regardless if they’ve been taking part in the event for the last few years or if they are a first time competitor.”

Suzy McIlveen, Marie Curie Cancer Care’s partnership manager for Northern Ireland, said: “We have a fundraising target of £30,000 for this year’s event and I hope all the participants will help us reach this target.”

Entry to the McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Mud Madness costs £27 plus an online processing fee. Competitors must be aged 17 or over and can enter online at www.jaffacakesmudmadness.com.

29

MARKETING AWARDS

Stars of the local food and grocery industry set to shine

26th

An niv ers ary

P

revious winners and esteemed sponsors, as well as members of the local GroceryAid committee, joined forces with staff from Ulster Grocer magazine earlier this month at the Culloden Hotel to officially launch the 2014 Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards.

“We would like to take this opportunity to formally open the entry process and to encourage as many local food companies and grocery retailers as possible to take part in the prestigious Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards, now in their 26th Year,” said James Greer, publisher of Ulster Grocer magazine.

L to R; Emma Armer (Henderson Group), Gerry Cassidy (Allied Bakeries) and Alyson Magee (Ulster Grocer)

L to R; Jackie Kirk (Premier Bakeries Ireland), Alan Egner (Power NI), Emma Armer (Henderson Group) and Karen Graham (Ulster Grocer)

We were delighted to come away with a win in this category and are delighted to report that even more employees are getting involved with charitable initiatives.”

Bronagh Luke, Hendersons L to R; Sarah Corr (AV Browne), Jonathan Verner (NISA), Amy Bennington (Power NI), and James Greer (Ulster Grocer)

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the annual GroceryAid Ulster Grocers’ Gala Ball in the Culloden Hotel on Friday, May 9, when a whole evening of entertainment will be compered by television presenter Paul Clark.

Ulster Grocer will be presenting eight highprofile awards, including the hugely popular ‘Best Marketing Campaign’, and entry is open to any company involved in retail grocery trading, from products to suppliers and wholesalers, as well as individual retail outlets. They are always hard-fought and, as a result, widely regarded as the highest marketing accolades that a company can achieve in this sector.

The Marketing Awards are a prime opportunity to generate positive PR, raise your company profile within the grocery sector, boost staff morale and network with 450 industry professionals who will be in attendance at the Gala Ball.

Previous winners can attest to the value of these awards, including Bronagh Luke, corporate marketing controller at the Henderson Group – which was the overall winner of the Best CSR Initiative category last year.

“We were delighted to come away with a win in this category and are delighted to report that even more employees are getting 8 • •Ulster 3630 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

L to R; Trevor Mountstephen (Karro Group), Clare Forster (Mash Direct), Karen Graham (Ulster Grocer) and Cliff Kells (Chairman of the local GroceryAid committee)

Our Sponsors:

MARKETING AWARDS

L to R; James Greer (Ulster Grocer), Amy Bennington (Power NI), Alan Egner (Power NI) and Glyn Roberts (NIRTA)

involved with charitable initiatives and our CSR ethos has grown further throughout our retail network,” says Bronagh Luke.

“The Henderson Group communicates

We would like to take this opportunity to formally open the entry process and to encourage as many local food companies and grocery retailers as possible to take part in the prestigious Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards, now in their 26th Year.”

entrants the very best of luck for this year’s awards.”

Another winner from last year, Clare Forster, marketing manager from Mash Direct, was thrilled to pick up an award.

“We were delighted to Win Best Brand at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards. This is a fantastic endorsement of the hard work and commitment by everyone at Mash Direct,” she says. “We are delighted to be recognised as one of the leading brands,

L to R, James Greer (Ulster Grocer) Bronagh Luke and Paddy Doddy (Henderson Wholesale), Martin McClinton (Northern Snack Foods), Tiffany Brien

its core values through its CSR strategies and, over the years, we have built upon the structure to deliver to our people, places and planet. To be recognised at last year’s Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards was a great achievement for our company and stores.

“We have also been previous winners in the marketing category, which has been a further stepping stone for building upon our success. We would like to wish all 2014

L to R, Ryan Mc Farland (Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands), Tiffany Brien and Martin Hamilton (Mash Direct)

and pride ourselves on being a unique and innovative company. We are always trying to break convention with new ideas and strive to be the best in the market. We have

James Greer, Ulster Grocer Magazine

a dedicated and passionate team, which has worked on developing innovative marketing strategies to promote and develop the brand further.”

The prestigious Marketing Awards gives local food companies the opportunity to be recognised in industry for their outstanding commitment and contribution to driving the food industry in Northern Ireland.”

We are delighted to be recognised as one of the leading brands, and pride ourselves on being a unique and innovative company.”

Clare Forster, Mash Direct The beneficiary of the evening is the GroceryAid charity. If you are interested in attending the Ball, please book a table with GroceryAid committee members David Neill at david.neill@kerry.ie or Mark Gowdy at mark.gowdy@whiteoats.com. Top level prizes are on offer during the event, and each couple goes home with the famous Grocers’ Ball hamper stuffed with goodies.

L to R; Trevor Mountstephen (Karro Group), Cliff Kells (Tesco NI), Sarah Corr (AV Browne) and Alan Egner (Power NI)

31

EXPORT NEWS

German market welcomes NI producers F

our local food and drink companies recently travelled to Berlin after access to the German market was opened under the new EU-funded food export programme Access 6.

The trip marked the latest phase of the programme, with participants including Elliott’s Tradition, Portadown (sausages); Dragon Brand Foods, Strabane (curry sauces); Echlinville Distillery, Belfast; and Rainbow Foods, Cookstown (frozen foods).

The four form the German cluster of Access 6, and were joined by another five companies from the border regions of Ireland and Scotland; each selected on their suitability to the German food retail and food service sectors.

Access 6 aims to increase export sales by £19m across 90 regional food and drink manufacturers over the next three years. The innovative cross-border programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the INTERREG IVA programme, and plans to create an additional 90 new jobs within the participating businesses and up-skill a further 400 SMEs across the regions.

Launched in the British Embassy in Berlin, the new phase also marked the appointment of Green Seed Germany, the international food marketing consultancy, which will act as official mentor to the companies within the German cluster.

Over the next 18 months, Green Seed’s team of experts will work in close partnership with the individual companies to assess, advise and prepare them for the launch of their brands into Germany’s diverse retail and food service

The Access 6 Partners carried out food and drink ‘store recces’ across Berlin, marking the launch of the German Cluster. Pictured outside KDW - one of Berlin’s leading department stores - are, from left, Aoife Bohan (Irish Exporters Association); Will Shaw (Scotland Food & Drink); Amanda Brown (IEA); Harry Hamilton (NIFDA); Michael Bell (NIFDA); John Whelan (IEA); Lorna Duffy (IEA); and Julia Lockerbie (SF&D).

sector, which is worth approximately €236bn in sales.

Northern Ireland Food & Drink (NIFDA), the Irish Exporter’s Association and Scotland Food & Drink are all involved in the collaboration.

Speaking at the launch event, which coincided with a major food trade exhibition hosted by the British Embassy, Access 6 NI Project Manager Harry Hamilton said: “This marks the start of an exciting new phase for the companies involved in Access 6, and in particular the appointment of Green Seed as our official partner for the German cluster

group. The team’s expertise and know-how will ensure each of the companies is equipped with the knowledge, tools and confidence to capitalise on this diverse and expanding market. As Europe’s largest, with 82 million consumers and growth of 3% in 2012 alone, the opportunities for exporting some of NI’s great food and drink products are exceptional.”

Nicole Günther, senior consultant of Green Seed Germany, said: “The timing is good for this project as the German market, the largest in Europe, has in recent years opened to new, innovative and international companies and products. In parallel, the food retail trade has shown an increase in gourmet food and drink categories with a polarisation resulting in growth at the premium end of the market and at the value-line lower end. In total, about a third of food and drink consumed in Germany is imported.”

Immediately following the launch event, the four NI companies will embark on a range of audits, training modules and study tours, led

by Green Seed, with the aim of enhancing their competitive advantage. The next crucial stage will involve meeting with potential channel partners including retailers and food service providers, with the long-term goal of securing product listings.

Beyond Germany, additional clusters will also be established targeting export markets in France, Benelux, UK, Scandinavia and North America, offering further opportunities to other small and medium sized food and drink companies across Access 6’s focus regions.

Forest Feast exports rise by 58%

Kestrel Foods Sales & Marketing Director Lorraine Hall

P

ortadown-based Forest Feast, supplier of premium dried fruit and nut products, has reported a 58% increase in international sales in 2013 year-on-year.

The business secured new retail and

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

foodservice customers in the USA, the Baltics, Greece, Uruguay, Croatia, Switzerland, Finland, Angola and Norway last year, and strengthened its established presence in markets such as Russia and Brazil.

“We are extremely encouraged by the growth of our export business, and are proud that Forest Feast products are now available in 26 markets worldwide,” said Lorraine Hall, sales & marketing director of Kestrel Foods, owners of the Forest Feast brand.

“Significant wins this year included retail supply contracts with Globus Supermarkets in Switzerland, Stockmann Supermarkets in Finland and Meny Supermarkets in Norway, as well as a foodservice distribution contract which has made our products available on Estonian ferries and in top end delicatessens across Estonia and Latvia.”

2013 also marked Forest Feast’s first foray into the American market, having begun supplying its products to a luxury Manhattan hotel in December.

“We have always been committed to

sourcing the finest quality ingredients and combining them with flavour innovation and excellence in presentation and packaging,” said Hall. “Our export portfolio focuses on a core range of premium products, including our exotic Snack International range of globally inspired fruit and nut mixes, and our savoury snacks and dried fruit packs, such as our signature product, fair-trade Forest Feast Mango.”

Forest Feast exhibited at the Dutch Christmas Hamper Show and Anuga Fine Food Fair in Cologne in 2013.

“Alongside growing exports in 2014, we will invest in new product development, production innovation and further developing the foodservice side of our business, which is currently showing exceptional growth of 299% on last year,” said Hall.

Established in 1996 by directors Michael and Lorraine Hall, Forest Feast supplies dried fruit, nuts and seeds to retail, wholesale and foodservice sectors across the UK, Ireland and 26 international markets.

TOBACCO NEWS

NI sales team leads JTI Awards T

he JTI Northern Ireland and Isle of Man sales team has secured the Sales Team of The Year title at JTI’s UK National Sales Awards after growing JTI’s Northern Ireland market share by 2.3% to 53.8% in 2013[i].

The awards ceremony, now in its sixth year, took place at the Park Plaza Riverbank in London and recognises the hugely important dayto-day contribution the sales force makes on behalf of JTI. The team, led by Area Sales Manager Peter Jackson, is the first Northern Irish team to win the title, having narrowly missed out on the title last year. The honour is the second award for team member, Nicola Kempton, who in 2012 took home Sales Person of the Year (Northern).

Peter Jackson, Area Sales Manager Northern Ireland, comments: “The whole team feels that we’ve won, not just because of our 2013 efforts, but due to lots of hard work over the past four to five years,” said Jackson. “We are very proud of our company’s long association with Northern Ireland, in particular our factory in Lisnafillan, and we’d like to thank our network of fantastic retailers as we really have benefited from wonderful retail and wholesale support.”

Peter Jackson

[i] Nielsen Market Track FY 2013 Combined Cigarettes and RYO volume (excludes cigars) – (RYO/MYO converted to sticks at 0.4g per stick)

JTI’s Lisnafillan site

New limited editon B&H packs evoke vintage luggage J

TI has launched a series of ‘Timeless Travel’ limited edition packs for its Premium cigarette brand, Benson and Hedges Gold.

Available from this month, the three designs across packs of King Size 20s mimic fine vintage luggage to reinforce the timeless style and fine quality of the Benson and Hedges brand, said JTI. The packs were available to all channels for four weeks or until stocks lasted. Premium cigarettes provide retailers with the opportunity for generous profit margins and are an important source of income for retailers, according to JTI.

New value line added to Sovereign brand

J

TI is extending its Sovereign brand with the launch of a new value cigarette, Sovereign Smooth Flavour.

It aims to capitalise on the success of Sovereign Blue, the fastest growing cigarette brand, which has generated retail sales of over £135m since launching in March 2013.

Available nationally in all channels from February, Sovereign Smooth Flavour is launching in King Size 10s and 19s formats, with price marked packs at £3.39 and £6.28 respectively. Standard packs will also be available.

“Value cigarettes continue to grow and currently account for 44% volume share of the market, translating to more than 14 billion cigarette stick sales a year,” said Jeremy Blackburn, JTI head of communications.

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

New limited edition pack for Sterling Roll Your Own

J

TI has introduced its first limited edition pack design for Sterling Roll Your Own (RYO). Available nationally across all trade channels, throughout February and March while stocks last, the packs will feature an intricate leaf design and limited edition flash, and run across 12.5g, 25g and 50g standard price variants, as well as price marked packs.

Worth £1.9bn1 and growing at 15.2%2 YOY, the UK RYO market is currently the biggest sector of the tobacco category3 by volume4. With one in three existing adult smokers choosing to smoke RYO tobacco5, this growth is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future as existing adult smokers continue to seek out greater value for money.

Sterling RYO packs currently have a 12.4% share of the value segment.

1. JTI Estimates 2012 2. JTI Estimates 2012 3. Nielsen Market Track November YTD 2013 4. Nielsen Market Track November YTD 2013 – combined cigarettes & RYO volume (excludes cigars) – RYO converted to sticks at 0.4g per stick 5. TNS Omnibus 2013

33

TRANSPORT

The Henderson Group: striving for optimum logistics performance Pat McGarry, group operations director at the Henderson Group, outlines logistical challenges and developments in the grocery sector.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES FACING THE GROCERY SECTOR IN TERMS OF TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION? First of all legislation: logistics operators in our sector are facing the new Operator’s Licensing Regulations, which have not been easy to introduce. The governing body in charge of administering the Operator’s Licence moved across the water to Great Britain; this has led to great difficulties in solving any problems in relation to the introduction of the new rules. Whilst the introduction of Operator’s Licensing is seen as positive, as it provides a level playing field to transport operators, those of us already established are now faced with a vast array of new rules to comply with in a short period of time.

In addition, the introduction of new Agency Worker Regulations have been fraught with difficulties and it has taken too long for operators and agency supply companies to find an acceptable way of managing these new rules.

Another issue facing the grocery sector is the overall concern about providing skills for the logistics workers of the future. The new Certificate of Competence qualifications that drivers need to attain by September this year will inevitably cause driver shortages;

Barry McMullan, manager of Maxol Fuelcard Services, is pictured with the new look card.

particularly at peak trading times. These new rules may cause some drivers to fail to renew their licences due to the extra demands.

Whilst we at the Henderson Group have fully trained our driver team and there will be no doubt we will be ready for the September 2014 deadline, these changes have certainly made it a little more challenging. We have also set up our Warehouse-to-Wheels initiative, which will train drivers for the future from our warehouse team.

WHAT DEVELOPMENTS HAS THE HENDERSON GROUP MADE IN RECENT YEARS TO IMPROVE ITS TRANSPORT SERVICES? In recent years, we have focused on the evolution of technology. Most of our operators have now got Voice Pick and Advanced Warehouse Management systems as standard. This helps us to maintain a high level of efficiency, as well as the desired accuracy required.

We have also paid close attention to development of our vehicle technology including the use of systems such as Route

Planning and Telematics, which is where the vehicle engine uses GPS technology to provide information on fuel efficiency and overall driver performance. We can now receive information to assist in managing drivers’ hours and working time legislation using these systems.

WHAT PARTNERS DOES THE HENDERSON GROUP USE FOR ITS TRANSPORT VEHICLES AND SERVIVING? We have many partners within the industry.

Vehicle suppliers are most important and we use a wide range of manufactures in our fleet.

Our position in Mallusk not only provides an excellent location for delivery to our stores but also means we have a number of the best vehicle providers within a short distance from the depot.

Our equipment providers who supply racking, mechanical handling and refrigeration, as well as our technology providers, all play an extremely important part in us reaching our optimum performance level.

Maxol introduces new look fuel card range T

he Maxol Group has introduced a new design for its business fuel cards, marking another development in Maxol’s brand rollout.

At the beginning of 2013, Maxol unveiled a new forecourt brand identity and the new look fuel card range marks the company’s continued brand rejuvenation across the group as a whole.

The range of three Maxol fuel cards is designed to give business users greater control over fuel costs by offering flexible pricing packages, which are tailored to suit the needs of each business.

All cards can be restricted to a specific driver and vehicle if required, and require pin verification. Cards also prevent unauthorised product purchase by limiting purchases to fuel, oil and car wash facilities or a combination of each.

Cardholders also receive up to 45 days of interest free credit, freeing up working capital to improve cash flow.

8 • •Ulster 3634 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

TRANSPORT

Dennison Commercials offers ‘one-stop shop’ to grocery trade N

orthern Ireland’s Volvo truck and bus dealer, Dennison Commercials, was no different to any other during the recession, having been affected by a decline in some sectors. The progressive company reacted, not only by supporting its existing customers through the challenges industry faced, but also by refocusing its efforts on the sectors still in demand; the grocery trade included.

The Ballyclare-based company’s commitment has been recognised, through being the consistent market leader and, more importantly, in continuing to increase market share in a declining market. In the last five years, Dennisons has had at least one-third of the total market share in Northern Ireland, peaking at an impressive 42% in 2012; making it amongst the highest share of any Volvo market in Europe (based on truck registrations of 15 tonnes and above).

The company also consistently performs well against other Volvo dealers in the UK and Ireland. In Volvo’s independent customer satisfaction survey in 2013, 93% of Dennison customers surveyed were either ‘completely satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ overall, and Dennisons is the only dealer in the network to be named ‘Volvo Truck Dealer of the Year UK and Ireland’ for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012).

As well as supplying new and used Volvo vehicles, the company services and repairs trucks, trailers and buses; supplies parts for all makes of truck and trailer, including Genuine Volvo; and offers commercial vehicles for short or long-term lease.

“It’s a ‘one-stop shop’, all-encompassing solution,” says Rob Ireland, sales director at Dennison Commercials.

Dennisons has delivered 37 new vehicles to Tesco in the last two years and provides full repair and maintenance for the Tesco NI truck and trailer fleet. Other customers in the sector include Dale Farm, Cuisine de France, and the Henderson, Musgrave, SHS, and North Down groups.

The business suffered during the 2008 recession, mainly because the supply of vehicles to the construction sector plummeted from 40% to less than 3% of total sales.

One consequence was a refocus on industries not in freefall. “During that time, we had to look at what people still needed like food, drink and heat,” says Rob. “It was distribution of food and drink that really helped Dennison get through that time.”

Buoyancy is now returning, with business even coming in again from the construction sector. “It’s pleasing to see that 2013 is back to 8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

The new Volvo FL model is ideal for the distribution and grocery sectors with its low-entry cab and good turning circle.

the highest point in five years,” says Rob, with registration of 245 vehicles over 15 tonnes and turnover of almost £38m, up from £31.5m in 2012.

Geographic cover of the region Chairman Wilson Dennison took on the Volvo franchise in the late 1960s, originally at the old Paper Mill in Ballyclare and then moving to the current Hillhead Road site in 1985.

In addition to the Ballyclare depot and headquarters, Dennison Commercials operates depots in Coleraine, Dungannon and Newry, and also operates an accident repair facility at a separate location in Ballyclare.

“The idea is that there’s always a Volvo dealer within a 50-mile radius to respond rapidly to breakdowns,” says Rob. “We have approximately 130 staff across the four main depots.”

The location of the dealer points is also important to ensure vehicles have optimum uptime, through reliability and backup services. “We provide tailored service packages which keep operators right with legislation, and gives them the reassurance of a fixed price,” says Rob. Helping Dennison Commercials to retain its competitive edge is down to “the experience and longevity of our staff,” says Rob. “We present staff with a watch after 25 years of service, and that happens year-in, year-out.

We have long-term staff with a depth of experience.”

The business has been active in the local commercial transport sector since it got off the ground and is “still at the forefront of it now,”

he says. “As I’ve always said, people buy from people.”

“A familiar face always helps customers cope with change, and many clients feel comfortable enough to walk into the office and make themselves a cup of tea.”

Volvo product range Volvo has recently undergone its first complete model line-up change, mainly to comply with the new Euro 6 regulations brought into force this year, which put more restrictions on emissions from commercial vehicles. Each model has also been revamped with new technology, functionality, driver comfort and style.

“Volvo as a brand is easy to own and easy to drive,” says Rob. “The previous Volvo vehicle for urban distribution struggled to be competitive in terms of weight but we have a new 10-12 tonne vehicle out with a five litre engine and 210 brake horsepower, which is certainly going to open up new markets.”

The new FL model is ideal for the distribution and grocery sectors with its lowentry cab and good turning circle. “We’ll be able to go to companies with a better offering; it’s something customers in this industry will be keen to know about, especially taking the fuel efficiency of the new product into consideration as well.”

Dynafleet, Volvo Trucks’ online Transport Information System, allows businesses to see, in real time, the location of their vehicles, fuel consumption, driver hours and service intervals and allows messaging to drivers from the office.

35

TRANSPORT LOGISTICS

DSV Solutions: taking the stress out of stock control on and off the road F

rom day-to-day stock control to handling high-volume promotional activity and seasonal spikes, logistics can be a tricky proposition for the grocery trade at the best of times. Tight margins in recent years have only increased the pressure for greater efficiency.

DSV Solutions, ‘a global company with a local touch’, offers cost-effective options for businesses struggling to store, handle and distribute their own stock and balking at the investment required to secure their own warehousing and transportation.

“We’re the staging point between manufacturing and getting products to customers,” says Dermot Connolly, Director Business Development at DSV Solutions.

Its Belfast Harbour site includes 100,000-square-feet of 12-metre high warehouse space, featuring adjustable racking which can be tailored to different pallet sizes.

Clients can rack upwards rather than across the floor space, offering a more cost-effective solution, says Dermot. A further local site, in Lisahally, offers 50,000 square feet of warehousing.

All goods held within the warehouse are identifiable by bar code and exact location, offering instant inventory details if customers request an update on their stock.

However, DSV Solutions goes beyond storage to offer value-added logistics for market-leading clients such as Rank Hovis, Bushmills, Lily O Briens, Aldi, and the Musgrave Group.

This might involve, for example, making up presentation packs on its mezzanine level above the busy warehouse floor.

Grocery retailers struggling to handle the high volumes of stock associated with promotions or seasonal activity avail themselves of DSV Solutions’ services.

“With seasonal spikes, we can help in that period and give them some breathing space to cope with seasonal demand,” says Dermot.

“Companies need to focus on promoting and selling their products and we’re the ones with the expertise in storage and logistics, and can offer them flexibility. For retailers, we can take their stock, their overspill and then when they see the flexibility we can give them, we hope they’ll stay with us.”

Campaign management services might include, for example, preparing a retailer for a promotional offer by swapping out ambient stock not required in the short-term to make room for produce on promotion. A DRD or defined return date will be specified for the stock, such as kitchen roll or teabags – to be returned the following week when the

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

promotion has run its course.

“It affords the space to move campaign produce into shops,” says Dermot. “It’s just handling that bulkier element to free up the space.”

Out-sourcing enables retailers to achieve the logistics holy grail of ‘rubber walls’, he says, referring to an ability to shrink or expand the warehousing space allocated to a particular company as required.

DSV Solutions uses ABC, or activitybased costing, to bill its clients; as stock goes out, the space used diminishes as does the warehousing cost.

“If you’re looking for space in the Belfast area, it’s difficult to find quality space,” says Dermot. “One option for companies is to invest themselves but then you’re tied into a five to 10 year lease and if you’re only using the space for half the year, it’s dead money. If a company is doing it themselves, they have to employ people whether they’re required yearround or not. We factor labour into the cost.”

Customer engagement and questions are actively welcomed by the business. “That’s the way we want to work, and we can then come back to customers with suggestions that may enhance their current model if they want us to,” says Dermot. “We’re trying to adapt to their requirements instead of forcing customers into our system. We welcome customers ringing us with questions and ideas. We also like to look at their current model, and ways we can improve it.”

Clients are often buried in their day-to-day trading patterns, and stand to benefit from the impartial view DSV Solutions can offer alongside its expertise and assets.

In addition to its major all-Ireland presence, “we have a dotted line into Europe,” says Dermot. “There’s a wealth of knowledge and experience there we can tap into. We can ask questions and go and get answers, and see how the model is working in different countries.”

DSV Solutions is also constantly investing in new technology, aimed at improving performance for customers. For example, the replacement of radio frequency hand-held scanners with ‘pick by voice’ technology remotely directing staff around the warehouse floor has improved efficiency by 15% in one of DSV’s operations.

DSV: operating in the top five globally

D

SV is a Danish-owned group, ranking in the top five global operators of transport and logistics, with a presence in 70 countries and 22,000 employees. FMCG and Retail are among the key sectors in which it operates, alongside High Tech, Automative, Industrial and Healthcare & Life Sciences sectors.

DSV Solutions is one of three divisions; the others being DSV Road and DSV Air & Sea. In the island of Ireland, DSV has 400 employees at seven locations including two warehouse sites in Northern Ireland at Belfast and Londonderry~Derry.

Services offered by DSV Solutions include: • Distribution • Warehousing • Supply chain management • Cross docking • Order pick and pack • Inventory management and replenishment • Outsourcing Contact Dermot Connolly on +353 45 444777 or dermot.connolly@ie.dsv.com.

Let us take control of your logistics costs...

DSV is a leading global supplier of transport and logistics services. With a network of fully integrated warehouses strategically located throughout Ireland, Uk and Europe, DSV are ideally placed to manage your supply chain from the management of raw materials to delivery of the finished product to your customer.

In the current economic climate it makes sense to analyse your fixed costs to identify where savings can be made. That’s why at DSV Solutions we offer: • A shared-user storage facility that allows you to change your fixed costs into variable costs during both low and peak periods.

DSV operate ambient warehousing in Lishally Derry and Belfast Harbour. The warehouses are of food grade standard and are ISO 9001.2000 certified. They are managed by our dedicated warehousing staff with over 30 years experience in logistics solutions.

By using state-of-the-art Logistics Warehousing Systems and Radio Frequency Technology we manage your stock efficiently.

If you require innovative logistics solutions or would like to avail of the various Logistics Services that we offer, then please do not hestitate to contact DSV Solutions using the details below:

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

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

BUSINESS NEWS

‘Tender’ care available for small Belfast businesses B

elfast businesses are to be given support in tendering for contracts in the public sector, through the next round of the Belfast City Council’s Smarter Procurement Programme.

The initiative helps small businesses and social enterprises identify and take advantage of new sales opportunities. Participants discover how to identify procurement opportunities and develop the skills required to construct tender bids more effectively.

The programme will combine a number of elements – a tender audit; six halfday interactive workshops focusing on procurement; business mentoring; and working with a mentor to identify and schedule sales meetings with potential buyers in the public sector.

It will be open to small businesses or social

enterprises based in the city, with less than 20 employees and limited or no experience of public sector procurement.

Former programme participant Elaine McCready of Finchmere Office Equipment said: “I found this programme to be very worthwhile as it provided extensive knowledge on the application of quotations and tenders.

Throughout the duration of the programme, I won a total of 10 quotations.”

Councillor Deirdre Hargey, chair of the Council’s Development Committee, said: “As part of the council’s Investment Programme, we have pledged to increase local procurement opportunities for businesses.

“Targeting the public sector can be a daunting prospect for many small businesses and social enterprises, and require tendering

knowledge many are unfamiliar with.

“Through the Smarter Procurement Programme, our aim is to support local companies with no experience in tendering and procurement to help develop the skills and knowledge which will allow them to enter into this market.”

To apply for the new round of the Smarter Procurement Programme or for further information, visit http://www.belfastcity.gov. uk/business/businessprogrammes or call 028 9050 0518.

The Smarter Procurement Programme is funded by Belfast City Council, Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.

Chamber of Commerce calls for export action plan U

NI Chamber of Commerce President Mark Nodder and Chief Executive Ann McGregor are pictured with Enterprise Committee Chair Patsy McGlone.

rgent action is needed to boost Northern Ireland exports, according to the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, addressing the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee earlier this month.

The Chamber presented the Committee with a number of key issues requiring urgent attention if Northern Ireland is to grow its export base and meet targets set by the Programme for Government.

“The Economic Strategy currently states that it prioritises export-led growth and has a target to increase the value of exports by 20% by 2014/15,” said Mark Nodder, president of the Chamber.

“However one year into that target, exports have fallen by 1.2%. The number of businesses exporting goods has been falling and currently stands at just under 1,500 compared to 1,700 in 2010.

“Government must recognise the scale of the export challenge we face and commit to delivering an export action plan for Northern Ireland. More resources must be targeted towards support that assists businesses throughout the entire export lifecycle. The current support system is fragmented and fails to recognise that every business looking to export has different requirements.”

Greater co-operation with the private sector was critical, he said.

New Belfast design consultancy launched L

ocal marketing and branding expert Ian Bennington has launched a new design consultancy, based at Meter House in the former Ormeau Gasworks site in Belfast.

Bennington was managing director of Belfast-based Triplicate, which has recently been demerged, for 31 years.

The new team includes fellow Triplicate founder partner, Catherine Hume, as well as five other former colleagues from the de-merged agency, and has worked across the UK and Ireland with many local brands including Mauds Ice Cream, Spanwall, ShredBank, Water Within, Drip & Drop, Larsen, Petal, Deli-Lites, Free’ist, Metal Technology, Fraser Houses, Pakflatt, Jackson Reece, Heavenly Tasty Organics, Hughes Mushrooms, Dig-In, Jolly Pies and See Sense.

Bennington has a particular love for working with food and drink clients.

During his professional career, he has lectured on branding, design and marketing for a host of organisations including IDB, Ledu, Ortus, Invest NI and Inter-Trade Ireland, and acted as a mentor to start-ups and fledgling businesses for Business in the Community and The Prince’s Trust.

“I have a passion for elevating design within businesses and get huge personal satisfaction from seeing profitable growth created in client companies by the power of excellent design and intelligent

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

marketing,” said Bennington. “Part Two represents a fresh start for my trusted team which has a proven track record for brand creation, compelling design and the provision of strategic marketing advice which enables businesses to punch above their weight in existing and new markets”.

Ian Bennington of Part Two

COMPANY PROFILE

Power NI reveals its recipe for success Lashings of customer service, heaps of great value and a big dollop of local know-how.

W

ant an energy company that wants the best for your business? Enter Power NI. With over 80 years experience, they know a thing or two about local business. Perhaps that’s why they’re Northern Ireland’s number one energy company with over 35,000 business customers and hundreds more switching back.

Where customers come first The company prides itself in its customer service. With a dedicated Business Support team, friendly staff in Antrim, Belfast and Omagh contact centres are waiting to take your call. You won’t be left hanging on the line and you won’t be passed from pillar to post. You simply call, and usually within 20 seconds, they answer!

Meet Alan A big figure in the business team is Alan Egner, Power NI’s Commercial Sales & Marketing Manager, “2013 was a fantastic year for us with 12 months of continuous growth and over 1,000 new business customers on our books. With easing of regulation for larger users we can now offer personalised, tailored 8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

contracts. This led to us winning several major tenders to supply local government, manufacturing and retail premises. We hope to see this success continue in 2014.”

Open and honest Power NI is the only energy company to openly publish its small business tariffs online so you can clearly see how much you’re paying - fairly and squarely.

Double Discount Price is obviously important but instead of flamboyant introductory offers, Power NI prefers the long-standing value approach.

You’ll get 4% discount when you pay

by Direct Debit and even more discount when you sign up to Energy Online.

“We activated our Energy Online account because it’s a much more convenient way of managing our bills.

It was really easy to set up and we would definitely recommend it to other businesses.” Creightons of Finaghy.

Easy to manage, easy to pay Their handy online service, Energy Online, means it’s never been easier to track the amount of energy you use and help you

control and even reduce costs.

Switch and save Whether you’re new to Power NI or you’re switching back from another supplier, a Nightsaver, Weekender or Popular tariff will ensure you’re getting the best value.

So restaurateurs and entrepreneurs, butchers and bakers, manufacturers and retailers, whatever your business, Power NI promises to look after your company as if it was their own. Not bad, eh?

Love them or leave They’re so confident you’ll love the customer service, the competitive rates and transparent way they do business, they don’t feel the need to lock small businesses into a contract. You can take your business elsewhere at any time. But with 90% customer satisfaction rate (they’re working on the remainder) you probably won’t want to.

Whether you’re a small start-up business or an established larger user, call the Power NI business hotline today on 08457 455 455 or visit powerni.co.uk/business.

39

appointments

People on the move

in association with

Unit A4, 17 Heron Road, Sydenham Business Park, Belfast, BT3 9LE. Tel: 028 9045 5040 • Fax: 028 9073 9058

David Quigg David Quigg joins Henderson Wholesale David Quigg has been appointed trading manager for ambient groceries at Henderson Wholesale, part of the Henderson Group.

Quigg will be responsible for commercial performance, including range, pricing, promotions, sales performance and profitability of breakfast cereals, David Quigg hot beverages, biscuits, preserves and home baking supplies to all SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVO and VIVOXTRA stores in Northern Ireland.

He has over 20 years of wholesale trading experience, including roles with Musgrave Retail Partners and Asda, and previous trading manager roles with the Henderson Group.

Daniel Torras JTI names Daniel Torras as new UK MD JTI has appointed Daniel Torras as the new managing director of its UK Division. Torras replaces Jorge da Motta, who is leaving the UK to take up the role of regional president Central Europe, including the Adriatic Markets.

Since January 2011, Torras has been general manager Daniel Torras for the Iberia markets, and he brings a wealth of experience and leadership to take up the challenges of the UK market.

“I am delighted to be returning to the UK to lead one of the principal markets in the JTI global business,” said Torras. “During my time in the UK between 2009 and 2011, there were many challenges in the operating environment; some of these still remain and I am relishing the challenge.

“The UK has a talented and experienced team who have demonstrated their ability to move the business forward despite increasing restrictions.

I am looking forward to working with the UK team and developing the opportunities which lie ahead for our business.”

Steve O’Neill Steve O’Neill joins PayPoint in new marketing director position PayPoint, the UK’s leading payments and services provider, has appointed Steve O’Neill to the newly created position of marketing director for its retail networks in the UK and Ireland.

O’Neill has extensive experience as a marketing leader in the banking, telecoms and retail sectors.

Steve O’Neill Having joined HSBC in 2008, he was most recently head of retail marketing with responsibility for the development and delivery of marketing communications across both the retail and direct-to-consumer channels. Prior to HSBC, he held senior roles at Carphone Warehouse, Orange and John Lewis. O’Neill will be responsible for the development of PayPoint’s strategic marketing, consumer insight and brand development agendas across the retail network’s key stakeholders of retailers, clients and consumers.

Musgrave Retail Partners NI bolsters its team Kate Ferguson - Communications Manager Ferguson joins MRPNI with 11 years marketing and communications experience in London and Belfast including nine years’ experience with leading PR consultancies, directing high profile client accounts including United Biscuits, Brennans Bread, Stena Line and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

She manages and executes MRPNI’s internal and external communications and PR activity through the development of innovative communications plans and initiatives which raise the profile of MRPNI and the Supervalu, Centra and Mace brands.

Terry Bradley - Mace Business Development Manager Bradley joins MRPNI with over 20 years’ experience within the FMCG sector. He owned and ran his own stores for the past 12 years, and previously worked for the Henderson Group as Retail Operations Advisor and Merchandising Manager.

Bradley’s new role is to develop the Mace Brand in Northern Ireland, identify opportunities for new business and oversee the smooth integration of new retail partners into the company.

Chanelle Conway - Food to go Specialist Conway joins MRPNI following 10 years of employment with Henderson Foodservice, successfully developing their food-to-go business within the retail estate. Her previous roles were in sales development with Cuisine de France and Pierre’s. Conway’s new role within MRPNI is to develop and improve the execution within the food-to-go arena, through the development of ranges, innovative concepts and initiatives that will grow sales.

Michelle McDonnell - Mace Sales Advisor McDonnell joins MRPNI after 13 years’ sales experience within the FMCG market. Her previous role was with Cuisine De France, working in both America and Northern Ireland.

McDonnell’s new role within MRPNI will involve her working closely with retailers to develop the Mace Brand.

Mark Orchard - Head of IT Orchard joined Musgrave in 1997 as a part-time checkout operator in Musgrave Wholesale Partners while at university.

This progressed into the position of depot system assistant manager. He joined MRPNI in 2005 and has held several positions from an MIS role within Sales to a broader ranging analyst role before moving into the position of IT services and business intelligence manager role.

Orchard’s new role is to develop and manage the IT infrastructure for MRPNI.

RECRUITMENT, CONTRACTING & FIELD MARKETING CONSULTANTS 3O YEAR’S RECRUITING IRELAND’S TOP SALES & MARKETING PERSONNEL Unit A4, 17 Heron Road, Sydenham Business Park, Belfast, BT3 9LE. Tel: 028 9045 5040 • Fax: 028 9073 9058

47

Directory SERVICES

Highlighting the local products and services which are vital to the successful running of your retail business

N. Ireland Contacts Customer Development Manager: Richard McCluskey 07971 508682 Customer Development Executives: Ashley Douglas 07971 508669 Ryan Brown 07971 508739 Aaron Skinner 07971 508732

Grey Goose L’Orange • Grey Goose Le Citron Finlandia Classic • Finlandia Cranberry Finlandia Grapefruit Eristoff • Eristoff Black • Eristoff Gold GIN Bombay Sapphire • Oxley

MAIN BRANDS: RUM Bacardi Superior Rum • Bacardi Gold Rum Bacardi 8 Year Old Rum • Bacardi Razz Bacardi Oakheart VODKA Grey Goose Original • Grey Goose La Poire

TENNESSEE WHISKEY Jack Daniel’s • Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Gentleman Jack • Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey VERMOUTH Martini Extra Dry • Martini Rosso Martini Bianco • Martini Rosato Noilly Prat Dry

BOURBON Woodford Reserve SPECIALITY Southern Comfort • Southern Comfort Lime Southern Comfort Cherry • Tuaca Chambord • St Germain SPARKLING Martini Asti • Martini Rose • Martini Prosecco RTD Breezer Orange, Pineapple, Watermelon Breezer Spritzer: Peach, Mixed Berry Bacardi Mojito • Bacardi Cuba Libre Jack Daniel’s and Southern Comfort premix can range Bacardi & Cola premix cans

AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD WHOLESALERS

www.bacardi-martini.co.uk • www.bacardi.com • Tel: 01962 762100

Coming up in the March issue: • Focus on Export • Food on the Go • Dairy Produce • Confectionery

And: Speciality Foods To advertise, contact:

Karen Graham Tel: 028 9078 3235 karengraham@greerpublications.com

9078 3235 For more information call Karen: 028 s.com ation ublic eerp or Email: karengraham@gr

Copy dates: Editorial: 28/0214 Advertising: 7/03/14

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persONAL FOCUS

In the Hot Seat Paula Daly describes her role as digital marketing executive at the Henderson Group.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY INVOLVE? I never have a typical working day. The job involves dealing with anything related to online marketing for the business - online advertising, corporate and brand websites, social media, email and mobile marketing.

In the digital world, it’s important to remain topical and current and that’s why every day is different. There are so many developments in the online world that from one week to the next, something could be out of date.

You always have to stay on top of the latest trends and techniques and incorporate them into your typical working day.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE? When I joined the marketing team here at the Henderson Group! I now work on developing the digital strategy across all of the Henderson Group brands and it is this that has to be my highlight so far. I have now constructed and am currently implementing a new digital strategy for what is a large and fast moving organisation.

Within this, I was given the opportunity to assist in the design, build and launch of the new SPAR NI website – an exciting project in which I was able to add my own creative flair too.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? I really enjoy communicating and interacting with customers online. With digital marketing, you can build a community of customers and then engage with them to hear their feedback and understand their experiences. Never underestimate the power of two-way communication. It’s always really exciting and there’s never really a dull moment. I also love working on digital campaigns, like the recent SPAR Love Booth campaign for Valentine’s Day. WHAT IS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TASK? I wouldn’t say there is a most difficult part of the job but sometimes you find yourself becoming sort of addicted. I find myself scrolling through and accessing our social media channels almost 24/7 to check out for any recent updates, so it’s really not a 9 to 5 job; more like a 9 to 9 job… along with weekends.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? Put your head down and work hard. Never wait for things to happen; make them happen for yourself through hard graft and not giving up.

8 • •Ulster 3642 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST GRIPE? Loud eaters… with open mouths.

WHAT TALENt WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE? I love music so it would have to be singing or playing instruments… although I don’t have a note.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/ AMBITIONS? My ambition for the future is to continue to develop both professionally and personally.

Continuous learning is important to me and I am currently studying for a diploma in digital marketing. I am excited about my career ahead within the Henderson Group as the company presents so many opportunities in terms of building an online presence and engaging with online consumers.

WHO DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? There are many people in my life who inspire me; my mum and dad, who’ve taught me to work hard and never lose faith. There is also Steve Jobs; I think his creativity and innovation have helped to shape the future of business, especially digitally and online.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? My bed.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD? I love Indian food… but mainly takeaway. I’m not a good cook.

HOW DO YOU RELAX? Outside work, I really enjoy spending time with my family, friends and my other half. I also love hanging out with my little nephew and niece.

Celebrate your

Marketing Prowess! ng arketi Best M ign 2013 a Camp

SR Best C e/ iv t ia it In y Charit ip rsh Partne

Best B

rand

Best Fo od Export Marketi ng Award

Best Lau New Pr nch /Rel oduct aun ch

ffBest Orinks D s e Sal paign Cam

n Gree of the r e l i Reta Year

Best Consu In-Store m Promoer Sales tion

In a crowded marketplace it’s increasingly difficult to make your product or service stand out from your competitors. The Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards recognise and applaud the exceptional marketing of retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers from the Northern Ireland food and grocery sectors.

Enter now online via www.ulstergrocer.com or call Karen on 028 90783235 for more details.

Closing date for Entries: Friday 21st March. Only trendsetters and trailblazers need apply.

All Winners will be unveiled at the prestigious GroceryAid Grocer’s Gala ball on Friday the 9th May at the Culloden Hotel.

Our Sponsors:

Grocer ULSTER

Market ingAwards

✦ 40 Years At the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

2014