9 minute read
Seen and heard
Müller Corner waltzes back onto our screens as the sponsor of RTE’s Dancing with the Stars 2023
Müller Corner has returned as the sponsor of RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars, the country’s most popular dance-off show, and is supporting it with a significant promotional campaign to help drive consumer demand in-store of Müller Corner Irish Favourites.
Special promotional packs are on shelves now and include a ‘Text to Win’ Competition to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to attend a live Dancing with the Stars show and overnight hotel stay.
The multipack includes Müller’s best-ever Müller Corner recipe, which contains more protein and has a thicker and creamier texture and consumers can enjoy Ireland’s favourite flavours: Strawberry, Vanilla Chocolate Balls, and Milk Chocolate Digestives.
“Dancing with the Stars is always such a joyful show to watch, and we are very excited to be proud partners again this year,” said Sean Cleary, head of Müller Ireland. “With such a great cast, audience and dances each week that keep us on our toes, the show perfectly aligns with our brand purpose, which is to inspire happy and healthy lifestyles.”
Special promotional packs of Müller Corner include a ‘Text to Win’ competition
At Kavanagh’s SuperValu Westport are Liam Campion, store manager and Noel Kavanagh Junior, store owner
The show, which begins in January and runs until March 2023, features a new hosting duo of Jennifer Zamparelli and Doireann Garrihy, along with famous faces such as Suzanne Jackson, Carl Mullen, Panti Bliss and Shane Byrne taking to the dancefloor this year.
Guidance from MyWaste takes uncertainty out of waste segregation SuperValu invests €7.9 million in sustainability initiatives in six months
Guidance designed to take the uncertainty out of waste segregation for businesses is now available from MyWaste, Ireland’s official guide to waste. This government-funded initiative provides a free and extensive suite of signage and training materials to help workforces make accurate recycling decisions.
This will assist Irish businesses achieve greater Circular Economy performance through increased recycling and composting rates. A waste characterisation study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that almost 70% of materials being placed in the general commercial waste bins is waste that should be placed in the recycling or food waste bins. Targeted materials (those suitable for recycling) accounted for only 60% of the materials in the mixed dry recycling bins, with food waste among the contaminants.
The study found that by improving waste segregation practices, businesses could divert significant amounts of waste from the general waste stream annually.
Speaking on behalf of the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, Kevin Swift, Connacht Ulster Region Waste Office said: “This initiative will empower small and medium sized businesses, particularly those in the retail, hospitality, manufacturing and corporate sectors, to further improve how their waste is managed.
“With clear language and visuals, the materials will make it easy for staff to quickly understand what waste goes in what bin,” he added. “This should help significantly increase the amount of recyclables and food waste diverted from the general bin and correctly placed in the recycling and food waste bins.”
The toolkit is free to download or order from www.mywaste.ie/business/. SuperValu has invested €7.9 million in sustainability initiatives across its stores over the past six months. Of this €7.9 million, some €4.1 million was drawn down from a major sustainability fund announced by Musgrave in June 2022 while an additional €3.8 million spend has been matched by independent SuperValu retailers.
The Musgrave Sustainability Fund launched in June 2022 and runs up until the end of 2023. It provides a share of €25 million investment in SuperValu stores across the island of Ireland. So far, 77 SuperValu stores in the Republic of Ireland have availed of the fund. These retailers have achieved a reduction of 2,094 tonnes of carbon through the Musgrave Sustainability Fund already, which is equivalent to planting 78,615 trees.
This fund is part of the company’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon by 2040. Through the fund, stores can avail of funding for LED lighting, refrigeration and freezer upgrades, electronic shelf edge labels (eSELs), solar panels, and electric delivery vans.
Over the past six months alone, SuperValu retailers have installed 5,322 solar panels, saving enough energy to power 435 homes annually. In addition, SuperValu retailers have now saved 182,000 sheets of paper with the installation of eSELs in 2022.
As part of its net zero journey, in 2022, SuperValu also removed over 35 tonnes of plastic packaging while 376 tonnes of non-recyclable black plastic trays across fresh meat and fish changed over to recyclable clear plastic.
One store to avail of the fund was SuperValu Westport in Co. Mayo, which introduced a retrofit of LED lighting, refrigeration and freezer upgrades, and the installation of electronic shelf edge labels (eSELs). The initiatives implemented so far have seen a 43% reduction in carbon emissions at the Mayo-based store, with more plans for further sustainability initiatives in 2023.
Liam Campion, store manager, SuperValu Westport, described this result as “a significant milestone for the business and one that will have tangible benefits for the local community. And we won’t stop there. As a community hub, we are committed to reaching ‘net zero’ by 2040 and we will continue to enhance sustainability measures across the store.” n
Your Business Waste - Easily Sorted!
Go to mywaste.ie/business to download a FREE toolkit designed to help you better manage your business waste. This toolkit includes posters, bin labels and a step-by-step guide to better business waste management.
Kilkenny school wins €3,000 through Avonmore Super Milk science competition
A fun experiment inspired by Avonmore Super Milk led to the students at Scoil Mhuire Presentation Primary School in Kilkenny winning a cheque for €3,000 for their school.
The competition to win this great prize formed part of a campaign which also taught children about the importance of bone health and how to make and decorate their own bone mould using Avonmore Super Milk and some additional ingredients.
Now in its fourth year, the Avonmore Super Milk Super Science Experiment is an exciting initiative encouraging primary schools nationwide to engage in a STEM-based lesson, while learning about the importance of bone health.
2023 presents many challenges for retailers big and small, from the single shop to the multiples,
Roctel’s Rocsolid
Retail explores the top five pain points for retailer technology: 1. Lack of automation: Automating customer data, inventory, ordering, and customer service is essential for efficient retail operations. However, many retailers still lack the necessary technology and lack the resources to invest in this. 2. insufficient data analysis: Many retailers are not taking advantage of the data they have, to perform deep analysis of customer behaviour, purchasing patterns, and other important data points. 3. Poor security: With the rise of data breaches, it is essential for retailers to have adequate security measures in place. This includes encryption, identity and access management, and malware detection. 4. Outdated technology: Retailers need to stay up-to-date with the latest technology to keep up with the competition and meet customer expectations. 5. Poor user experience: Retailers need to provide customers with a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience. This includes a well-designed website, mobile app, and in-store systems.
Rocsolid Retail powered by Meraki provides retailers with a comprehensive solution to these technology challenges. It includes dual access to offer high availability hardware, software, and services to help retailers build a secure, reliable, and scalable technology infrastructure. The platform provides secure Wi-Fi, integrated analytics, and centralized management of devices, applications, and networks. It also offers advanced features such as location-based services and embedded analytics to support retail operations. Additionally, retailers can use the platform to optimize their customer experiences and gain insights into customer behaviour.
Rocsolid Retail is a nationwide service that is underpinned by best-in-class tier one carrier services with Cisco Meraki technologies at its core. It is easy to find out how the company can help you: just call 0818 365 247 or email sales@roctel.net for a free consultation, or find out more on www.roctel.net/retail. In January 2023, S&W Wholesale will become one of the largest known businesses in Northern Ireland to move to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) model of ownership. This structure will see control of the business move from its current private ownership to a trust, which will manage and control the shares indirectly on behalf of employees. This will provide an innovative, forward-thinking succession plan for the current owners.
The 106-year-old business, headquartered in Newry, has always prided itself on its commitment to its people. The new structure will see no visible change in the business. Day-to-day control will remain in the capable hands of the current leadership team.
The EOT legal structure, lauded by government and widely used in other parts of the UK, has been relatively unexplored in Northern Ireland.
“We have been working on a succession plan for some time to secure the future of the business, while allowing for growth,” said Norman Savage, S&W director. “We didn’t want to become another name swallowed up by the bigger players or potentially bought and closed by an investor. We have a loyalty to our people, customers, and supply partners. We also have ambitious growth plans, with a new purpose-built site currently in the planning system.”
“Our shareholding will effectively be bought over time by the trust, with the majority of the business shares held in the trust collectively on behalf of the employees,” added CEO Michael Skelton. “This means that when the company does well, the employees, as beneficiaries, will do well. The nature of the structure allows for incentives such as tax-free bonuses and other inducements as the business model continues to mature.
“This is a very bold and exciting move for us as pioneers of EOT at this scale in Northern Ireland,” Skelton said.
“Our suppliers are safe in the knowledge that S&W will be their partners for the long term with its ambitious growth plans and investment back into the business through the trust. Our customers know that we will continue to deliver exceptional service, as every member of our team is now a beneficial stakeholder in the business. We will remain on the board but as exiting shareholders we know that the 100-year-old legacy of the S&W journey will live on for many years to come.” n
The campaign teaches children about how the nutrients in Avonmore Super Milk – in particular Vitamin D and Calcium – contribute to long-term bone health.
The optimal time for children to build their ‘bone bank’ is during childhood. Adequate Vitamin D and Calcium intake in children and teenagers supports bone development and healthy teeth. Avonmore Super Milk should be enjoyed as part of a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Pictured at Scoil Mhuire Presentation Primary in Co. Kilkenny are Eithne O’Hara, marketing controller, Tirlán; Eimear Daly, 1st class teacher and students at Scoil Mhuire Presentation Primary School, Kilkenny
Solving the top five challenges for retail technology S&W announces innovative new business structure
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