ShelfLife - November Issue, 2022

JusthowChristmassyis too Christmassy? A perennialquestionfortheteamhere at ShelfLife asweembarkonourNovemberissue each year.Likemostthingsin lifethough,we concluded thatifit’sworthdoing,it'sworthdoingright.Andwith that,wepromptly decided tothrowour(Santa)hatintotheringandgoalloutto celebrate the‘mostwonderfultimeoftheyear’!

However,forthoseonthehuntformeatiernewsfare,fearnot!Wealsohaveyou covered withanalysisfromDanWhiteonMarks & Spencer’s movetodevelop“a fit-for-the-futurestoreestate”,i.e., a resoundinglyfood-forward approach; a deepdiveintothe cash versus contactless debate; a candidconversation withBarry & Fitzwilliam’sfounderandmanaging directorMichael Barry; a comprehensivechecklist of advice fromtheCSNA tohelpyouloweryourenergybillsthiswinteras much ashumanlypossible,and much more. Speakingoffestive celebrations, the ShelfLife C-StoreAwardsarerapidly approaching on23November,and I look forwardto catching upwithyouallthenand celebrating allyourhardworkduringthepastyear!

GillianHamill,editor, ShelfLife magazine

ThetopnewsstoriesinFMCGandretailfromacrossIreland

SilveyFleettomarket

ValeroEnergyFuelCards

Car, van,truckand heavy haulage fleetmanagers stand to benefit fromthe announcement by Valero Energy (Ireland)Limited,the company that markets fuelinIrelandunderthe Texaco brand,that it has reachedanagreementwithleadingUKfuel card resellers,Silvey Fleet to marketits Texaco Fastfuelfuelcardinthe RepublicofIreland.

Silvey Fleetsays itcannow offer fleet managersandbusiness owners,here andin theUK,access to“competitivelypricedfuel” at more than400sitesthroughoutthe Republic.

NiallO’Connor, Aldigroup managing director,Suzanne Connolly, BarnardosCEO andIRFU’sPaul O’Connell,Aldi andBarnardos ambassador

Aldipledgesanadditional €1mforBarnardos

AldiandBarnardoshaveextendedtheir partnership for anothertwo years. Thiswill seethe retailer committing to raise a further €1m for Barnardosthrough a two-year programmeof staff, store, customer, and communityfundraisinginitiativessupported by the company, on top ofthe €1m already raised to supportvulnerable youngchildren inIreland over thepast two years.

Retailer’stweeton€21k

energybillgoesviral

A shockingenergybill for almost €21,000 received by a local retailerin Co Clare hitthe nationalheadlinesthismonth.

TheGalaSupermarket & Bakeryin Sixmilebridgein Co Clare isrun by Flora Crowe, whotweetedhershockwhenshe openedherlatest two-monthenergybill fromBordGais to findthey owed €20,803.41. The family-runbusiness had modernisedwithnew energy-savingLED lightsandfridges towards theendof2021.

ConorBrowneWreaths securesnewdealwithLidl

LidlIrelandhassigned a brand-new dealwith localproduceroffresh Christmaswreaths

ConorBrowne Wreaths & Mountain View Christmas Tree Farm, basedin Co Wicklow, to supplyits217 stores throughoutIreland.

Withthenew investment by Lidl,the Wicklow business willcreate more than 20new jobs.

Discount retailer, Dealzisonce again supporting Team Hopeas a retail partner for itsannual ChristmasShoebox Appeal. Together, TeamHopeandDealz are callingon everyone to donate gift-filled shoeboxes to childrenaffected by poverty across EasternEuropeand Africa.

The partnershipisnow inits fifth yearand in2020, Dealz colleaguesandcustomers helped raise €11,464 for thecause

BWG Foods’acquisitionofMcCarrick Brothers Wholesale Longford Limitedhas beencleared by the Competitionand ConsumerProtection Commission (CCPC), subject to a numberoflegallybinding commitments.

To address potential competition concerns, BWG proposed to make binding commitments to the CCPCwhichare intended to prevent BWG fromacquiring McCarrick’s shareholdingsin Stonehouseand Gala RetailServicesLimited (GRSL)and to preventthe exchangeof competitively sensitive informationbetween BWG, Stonehouseand/orGRSL,which would constitutea breachofsection4(1)ofthe Competition Act 2002. The CCPC subsequentlydeterminedthat theproposed acquisitionwillnotsubstantiallylessen competition.

Aldi‘frustrated’inhuntfor Dublinoutletsites

With “an interest in”some25separate sites across Dublin,Aldihas commentedonthe difficultiesof findingsuitablelocationsinthe capital.

Inaninterview with The Irish Times, Niall O’Connor, groupmanagingdirectorofAldi Ireland, concededthat Dublinhadbecome “a bitof a problem for us”onthegroundsthat ittakestwice aslong to open a site compared to otherlocations.

Dealzconfirms St.Stephen’sDayand NewYear’sDayclosure

Dealzparent company, Poundland,says it plans to take onaround1,200seasonal colleagues to workin storesacross theUK andIrelandintherun-up to Christmas.

Inaddition to ChristmasDay, Poundland also confirmedithad told colleaguesbackin Septemberthat for thethird yearin a row, all its storeswillbeclosedon St Stephen’s Day andNew Year ’s Day to give colleagues a well-deservedbreak.

CupPrinturgedMinister

“Themarketwillbedriven towards cheap andlow-qualityitemsmadeentirelyof plastics,withlimited reusepotential,” argued Terry Fox,generalmanagerof CupPrint. ■

Formoredetailsonalltheaboveandthelatestgrocery-relatednewsasithappens,visitwww.shelflife.ie.

CCPCclearsBWG’s acquisitionofMcCarrick’s, subjecttobinding commitments

ConorBrowne

Musgrave announcesacquisition of Italicatessen

Musgrave plans to acquire Italicatessen for anundisclosedsum,subject to approval by the Competitionand ConsumerProtection Commission.

Italicatessenis a leadingimporteranddistributorofpremiumquality, authenticItalian foodandwinesdirectlyfromItaly Basedin Wicklow, Italicatessen,employing 75 people, was foundedin2002 as a small family runbusiness andhassince grown to service over 900customers.

Overthepast 20 yearsItalicatessenhasestablished relationshipswith thebest producersinItaly The business alsodistributesintheUK,where it employs 12people, basedinBrentford.

Musgrave foodservice, wholesaleand retailcustomerswillhave direct access to a wide rangeof excellentartisanItalian foodandwineproducts frompasta,preserves,cheese, olive oil to finewines. The acquisitionispart ofMusgrave’s wider strategy to grow a world-class foodandbeverage business withparticular focuson foodservice andwholesale

Describingthedealas “an excellent strategic fit”, Musgrave CEONoel Kellysaid:“Italicatessenbringsthat authenticity to customerslooking for locallysourced Italianproducts.

“Thisdeal representsanotherimportantdevelopmentaspartofour strategic commitment to GrowingGoodBusiness by creating a sustainable, profitablebusiness that benefitsourshareholders,ourpeople, partnersandlocal communitieswhile expandingourpositionasIreland’s

“We look forward to workingwiththe Italicatessen teamandcustomerswho willbenefit fromthesupportofMusgrave in termsofsupplychaininfrastructure andaccess to anincreasedproduct range,” says Musgrave CEONoel Kelly

leading food retail,wholesaleand foodservice company.”

Christian Reolon,MDItalicatessen,describedthedealas “a positive milestoneandgreat opportunity for our company”.

Italicatessenwill continue to operate as a standalonebusiness withthe existingmanagement teamand staff workingwithinthebroaderMusgrave wholesalebusiness.

Trim, Co. MeathannouncedasIreland’s Tidiest Town for 2022

Minister for Ruraland Community Development,HeatherHumphreys,has named Trim, Co MeathasIreland’s Tidiest Town for 2022.

Over 750 TidyTowns volunteers were present at the SuperValu TidyTowns awards ceremony at theRDS inDublinon28 October withthousandsmore watching online This year ’s competition receivedan impressive 882entries,thethird highest numberofentriesinitsalmost 65-year history

Rosscarbery, Co Cork was namedas Ireland’s Tidiest Village, whileCahir, Co Tipperary was namedasthe overallwinnerof the Young Personsin TidyTowns Award and alsothe overallwinneroftheSuperValu AsIAmInclusive Communities Award.

Someoftheotherbigwinnersontheday included:

• Clonakilty, Co Cork awardedIreland’s Tidiest Small Town.

• Trim, Co Meath awardedIreland’s Tidiest Large Town.

• Ennis, Co Clare awardedIreland’s Tidiest LargeUrban Centre.

SuperValuhassponsoredthe competition for

over 30 years. Following a competitive process to securea fundingpartner, negotiationshave also commencedwith SuperValuasthepreferredbidder to partner withtheDepartment to administer the competitionout to 2027

IanAllen,managingdirector, SuperValu, praised Trim’s win,noting:It’s a wonderful achievementand a testament to thehard workand commitmentofthe committeeand teamof volunteersinvolved.It’s also important to acknowledgethe extraordinary achievementandeffortsofthecategory winners.

“Congratulations to alltheincredible committeemembers,who, in collaboration withournetworkofindependent retailers, share ourdesire to buildthriving,sustainable communities.”

Fulldetailsofallthis year ’s winnersare available at www.tidytowns.ie and at www.supervalu.ie

inspiringand we at SuperValuare thrilled to be a partoftheir storiesofgrowthandsuccess,” said CarmelBiggane, Food Academy manager, SuperValu.

Five smallIrish foodproducers were selected for nationaldistributionin over 150 SuperValu stores between13October –2 November aspartofthe retailer ’s innovative Taste of Local initiative. Taste of Localisjust onepartofSuperValu’s long-standing commitments to Irish foodand

drinkproducers. Stockedin-store 52 weeksof the year, the rangeismadeupof Food Academy participantsand hyperlocalproducts.

Thefive companieschosenasGuest Stars for nationwidedistributionthis year were:

• ThanksPlants, Co Dublin

• LePaysan, Co Wicklow

• RollIt Pastry Co Meath

• IrishHedgerow, Co Tipperary

• MyApricotKitchen, Co Dublin

Eachbringingsomethingunique to the industry, theGuest Stars were chosen for nationwidedistributionbasedontheirsuccess in the Food Academy programme

“Thegrowththey have demonstratedduring the Food Academy programmehasbeen

Food Academy is a unique foodbusiness developmentprogrammebetweenSuperValu, Bord Biaandthe LocalEnterpriseOffices.It supports1,500jobsinlocal communities nationwidewith a survey of Food Academy members findingthat 98%ofparticipants feelit hasbeen“verybeneficial” to developingtheir business.

With over 300 Food Academy producers currentlyinSuperValu storesnationwide, SuperValu’s independent retailmodelmeans retailerscanprovide Food Academy members a gateway to oneor a smallgroupof stores, allowingthem to managedemandasoperations grow

For more information,visit https://SuperValu. ie/real-people/food-academy-programme

SuperValu celebratestalentedup-and-coming foodproducerswith Taste of Localcampaign

Thierry Peurois, founderof LePaysan

Anthony ConlonandchairpersonBrian Heffernan(holdingtrophy)withMinister for Ruraland CommunityDevelopment,Heather Humphreys (at left);andIanAllen,managing directorofSuperValuand Centra (rightof centre); alongwith committeemembers

Centra staffandcustomers raise €50,000 for IrishCancerSociety

Staffandcustomersfrom Centra have raised€50,000insupportofthe IrishCancerSociety’s 2022Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. For the 13th year, Centra haspartneredwiththeIrishCancerSociety to help supportbreast cancerpatientsandtheir familiesin communitiesacross Ireland. Continuingthesuccess oflast year ’s ‘Care For Your Pair ’ campaign, this year ’s contributions were raisedas a resultof combinedefforts by communitiesand Centra storesnationwide

This year, 149 Centra storesacross Irelandparticipated in a varietyof fundraisingactivitiessuchasanin-store tap to donate initiative, cake sales, community walksas wellashighlightingtheimportance ofearlydetection ofbreast cancerin storesandacross socialmedia.

Alldonations raisedwillgo towards helping to fundcancer researchand supportservices,suchastheIrishCancerSociety’s SupportLine, Night NursingService, VolunteerDriverService andfree counselling.

The IrishCancerSociety’s SupportLineis availableon1800200 700 where expertcancernursesare available to chat aboutany issuebigor smallwhenit comes to breast healthandbreast cancer

Have a Cuppa Nearby!

S&W Wholesale’s exclusive coffeebrand Cuppa is starting to causequitea stirinthe coffee-to-gomarketwithinthe convenience sector Withitsrichblendof Central American,Indonesianand Africanorigin beans,the coffeeoffers a nutty, smoothtaste finishedoffwith a sweetprofileonthepalate The coffeeishighgrown andhas a fine balance of wet,dryandhoney processes to reallybringoutthetaste There are now over 40Cuppasitesopenedaroundthe country Situated withinS&W’s convenience store brandNearby, there hasbeen a numberof new installsofthe coffeemachine recentlyin Nearby Tallaght, Kevin St, Clonee, Inchicore and Portobellowith over 20more earmarked for openingbefore yearend.

The Cuppabrandisalsogoingthroughan evolutionphasewithinvestmentfromS&W Wholesaleinbringing to life itsloyalty scheme, socialmediaandhow Cuppacan feature at local events.Brandmarketinglead, Daniel Comiskey said:“We are movingCuppa Coffee to a wholenew level. The growthof thebrandalongsideourNearby storeshas beenphenomenalwith retailer feedbackand customertaste samplingbeing verypositive. We want to evolve thebrand and reachnew customerswho wanttheperfect Cuppawhenon thegoor meetingupwith friends.”

confectionery range

NestléIreland hasannounced a Christmas2022 rangefullof festive favouritesand excitingnew launchesfromitsiconicbrands. SynonymouswithChristmas,Quality Street hassome excitingnew productlaunches. The Quality Streetpouchbagwillbejoined by two new Quality Street Favouritesbags: The PurpleOne thenation’s favourite Quality Street sweet and StrawberryDelight.Shopperswillalsogetthechance to trytheir favourite sweets reimaginedwithtwo new Quality Streetblocksinspired by The Purple OneandOrangeCrunch.

Inaddition,Quality StreetMatchmakersisbackwith a new MatchmakersHoneycomb variety The honeycombchocolate sticksare fullofcrunchy piecesin a blendofmilkand darkchocolate The new flavourjoinsmintandorange tocomplete theMatchmakers Christmas range

Earlierthis year, Nestléannouncedanindustry-leadingpackaginginnovation for Quality Street.In a categoryfirst,Quality Streetwillmove to recyclablepaperpackaging for its twist-wrapped sweets. By replacingthedoublelayer of foiland cellulosewith a paper wrap, Quality Streetwill remove more thantwo billionpiecesofpackagingmaterialfrom thebrand’s supplychain.

The transition to paper, whichisnow underway, willtake several months tocomplete. Thismeansthat for Christmas2022, consumerswillfind a mixofboththeoldandnew wrappersintheirQuality Streetcartons,pouches,tubs,andtins. The deliciousmixof sweetsinsideisunchanged.

This year, After Eight celebratesits60thbirthday, whichitwillhonourwithan eyecatchingspecialeditiondesign for its300gbox. There issomething for everyoneinthe Giant Tubes rangeincluding family favouritesSmarties, Rowntree’s,Milkybar, Roloand more, plusthis yearthere willbetwo brandnew launches;thenew Aero Peppermint BubblesgianttubeandtheSmarties White gianttube

Finally, two brand-new selectionboxes willlaunchthisChristmas. A special Aero SelectionincludesthepopularMilkChocolate, Peppermint,OrangeandSnowyWhite chocolate blocksallwrappedupin a festive, gift-worthy design. Whilst thenew Smarties andMilkybarSelection comesfilledwith family favouritesfromthebrandsand

a fun familygameonthebackofthepack.

How to save your business fromsoaring electricity costs

The harsh reality facingIrishbusinesses today isthat most willbedoing very well to keeptheirdoorsopen over thenext12months,assky rocketingelectricity costs andenergybillssapthecashflow, savingsand future profitsfrombusinessesacross the country

At the core of everybusiness whichtradesin foodanddrink,is a range of refrigeratedproductswithspecificuses. A lotofbusiness owners probablyinheritedtheequipmentthey useinthepremisesthey now own orleaseandtheolderthepiece ofequipment,theless efficientitwillbein termsofelectricity consumption. For exampletheannualelectrical consumptionofan F rated 12ftfridgeisapproximately31,738kwH. That costs about €15,869+VAT basedonthemost recent commercialbill. Not replacingoldandinefficientequipmentis costingbusinessesdearly To replacea fridge could cost approximately €13,000+VAT but by upgradingequipmentthrough Caterboss, you inturn couldsave €12,000+VAT inelectricity costs per year Andthoseenergysavingswill continue yearon year for the rest oftheoperatinglife ofthefridge You cancallCaterboss on 01-9011681and a memberofthe teamwillbe delighted to assist andadvise you onhow andwhere we canhelp you to save a hugeamountofmoney onelectricity outgoings. We can evenarrange a freesite visit to assess yourcurrent consumption andhelpidentifywhere you canmake the most savings.

ContactCaterboss on 01-9011681orvisit www.caterboss.ie

(Calculationsare basedon a commercial rate ofelectricityof€0.50per kwh)

Updating a MultideckFridgeto a more energyefficientratedmodel,couldresult insignificantsavings

Pringlespartnerswith Movember for mental health awareness

Pringles hasannounceditissupportingleadingmen’s health charity, Movember for thesecond yearinIrelandandwilldonate a minimumof€50,000

The brandisencouragingshoppers to startopenandhonest conversations overa canofPringlesthroughan exclusive partnershipwith Tesco. Itkickedoffon 1 Novemberwithimpactful POS displays taking over selected Tesco storesnationwideandis alsoappearingon Tesco.ie The brandingwhichincludesaislefins, floor stickers,headboards,shelftalkersand website bannersinclude questionspeoplecanuse to start conversationsonmentalhealth suchas,‘Shall I come round fora chat?’.

According to Movember, threeoutof foursuicidesare menand onemandiesfromsuicide everyminute globally Men, regardless of agegroup, oftendon’t recognisewhenthey’re experiencing a mentalhealthissueandmay notbe comfortableasking for help The uncomfortabletruthisthat some stereotypical formsof masculinityare killingmen. WiththePringlesbrandethos centringaroundsocialising, sharing,and coming together andMovember ’swork to drive more open conversations aroundmentalhealth,the brandandcharityhave partnered over thesharedgoal ofgettingpeopletalking. ■

Pa ssingof

Joe To rris

Itwaswithgreatregretthat welearnedtheverysadnews ofthedeathofJoseph(Joe) Torris, a pastpresidentofthe associationin2004-05, following a motorcycle accidentnearhishomein Dunleer,Co.LouthonSunday, 3 October.

TohiswifeAnne,andto Joe’sdaughterandsons,his mother,brothers,andsisters aswellashisextendedfamily, theassociationoffersour heartfeltsympathyattheloss of a trulywonderfuland caringman.

Lastmonth,the Drogheda Independent reported a prosecution byHSEEnvironmentalHealth Officersof a publichouseinLouth thatwasaccusedof a breachof TobaccoControlLegislationby allowing a 15-year-oldminoraccess to a self-servicevendingunit.The minorwaspartof a testpurchase operation.

TheHSEsubsequentlydropped a chargeagainstthebarpersonbut managedtosecure a guiltyplea fromthelicensee. A donationinlieu of afineof€1,000wasagreed.

Interestingly,thelegalcounselfor theHSEhadsoughtanorderfor costsassociatedwithbringingthe prosecutionof€3,550butthe DistrictCourtjudgesaidthatshe wouldnotordercosts“inthe circumstances”.

TheCSNAhascontinually recordedtheverysignificant financialpain(andpossible negativepublicity)thatcourt appearancescanattract very frequentlythecosts,whenawarded,

arethreetimestheactual fine. Onceagain,wewillremindyouto ensurethat all ofyourstaff membersunderstandyouragerestrictedpolicies.

Has yo ur re tail premisesbeen served with a personal injury claim by a cus to mer?

If a customertripsorfallsin yourshop,theyareentitled torequest a copyofthe CCTVoftheincident.Think beforeyouprovidecopiesof CCTVfootageto a customer.

Astheshopowner,itis yourresponsibilitytoremove thepersonaldataofevery otherpersonwhoappearsin thefootagebyblurringor redactingtheiridentity.There arespecialistcompanieswho canassistyouinthismatter. UnderGDPR,youonlyhave 30daystocomply.

Theassociationhasbeenmade awarefrom a numberofdifferent sources,aswellascommunications fromtheDepartmentofHealththat advisecitizensthatwecanexpect a significant“uptick”inpeoplefalling foultoCovid-19and/orthe2022 influenzastrain,whichappearsto beparticularlyvirulent.

Wehavebeengivento understandthat a numberof wholesalestockistsand pharmaceuticaldistributorsare unabletomaintain“ordinary”levels ofmedicinalproductsthatare ordinarilysoldinourstoressuchas Lemsipetc.

Atthisjuncture,wearestillable toavailofCovidantigentests throughSmartBitswhichareCE andFDA-approved.ContactDean Kearnson0852848953andlethim knowyouare a CSNAmember.

Wehavesoughtfurther informationfromtheDepartmentof

Many firmsofsolicitorsare happytoaddbreachesof GDPRtotheirletters outliningthe“hurt,pain, humiliationandsuffering” theirclientincurredwhilstin yourstore.Donotrushinto forwardingcopieswithout protectingyourselffrom additionalclaims.Wehave securedfavorabletermswith Datascanforthisandseveral otherdatasecurityproducts.

Itisquitepossiblethatyou mayreceive a requestfrom eitheranexistingorpast employee,or a customer seekingaccesstowritten dataregardinginteractions thatyouhavehadwiththem. Sensitivedatathatdoesnot belongtothe“requestor” shouldberemovedfromany documentationbeforeyou complywithanaccess request.

Ifyouneedvideofootage enhancementforcriminal investigations,Datascancan andwillgiveassistance. Furtherdetailsareavailable from info@datascan.ie and 018068531;askforOrla Caffertyandrememberto tellthemthatyouare a CSNAmember.

JOHNPAULLONERGAN

Iconic titles fi rs t outofthetraps to grab Pa scal’sgift

Twentylocalnewspapersaresetto increasetheircoverpricein advanceoftheremovalofVAT.

ThebiggestplayerinIrishlocal newspapersisMalcolmDenmark, withanaddressat 1 Gunpowder Square,London.Heowns22 newspapersincludingsuchiconic titlesasthe LimerickLeader and KilkennyPeople Infact,his companyiscalledIconicanditalso runs23localnewswebsites, includingthelikesof TipperaryLive and KildareNow

Thatnewspapers,magazines, journals,andperiodicalsareunder pressureisanunderstatementbut Iconicisnotgoingtolosean

opportunitytoimproveitslot,even ifit’sattheexpenseoftheequally hard-pressedreaderandtaxpayer.

Ofthe17titlesprimarily circulatingintheRepublic,threeof themwillsee a 30-centincreaseat theendofNovember,with13going upby20centandonegoingupby 50cent!

Ordinarilytheseincreaseswould have9%setasideforVAT,but sincetheMinisterbelievesthat Malcolm’sorgansarevitalinthe spreadofdemocracy,the enthusiasticownerofracehorseswill managetokeepthatportionalso.

A €3titlewithVATof9%has almost25centofVAT.

CSNA launches innova tive partnership

TheCSNAandDubcoIrelandare delightedtoannouncetheir innovativeandexciting partnershipthismonth.The CSNA,representingretailersbig andsmallnationwide,focusesits effortstobenefit allmembers. Fittingly,thisnewpartnership givesCSNAmembersandtheir familiestheopportunitytoaccess a rangeof financialservicessuch astheIncomeTaxPlusLow-Rate Loansandother financialservices suchasCurrentAccountsand BudgetBillPay.

Thelaunchsawthousandsof packsarriveintheposttoCSNA membersthismonthannouncing thelaunchoftheexciting partnershipbetweenthe associationandoneofIreland’s mostdynamicCreditUnions.The packswhichdetailtheexclusive benefitswerenotonlyofinterest totheowners,buttheyarealso specificallydesignedtoprovide accesstolow-costloansforall staffandtheirfamilies(subjectto normallendingcriteria).

GusO’Hara,vicepresidentof CSNAandco-ordinatorofCSNA Dealsisenthusiasticinhissupport forthisuniqueoffering,noting “thisis a verypracticalwayof providingchoicetoourmembers, theirstaffandfamilies”.

MichaelAhern,CEOofDubco Irelandsaid:“Wearedelightedto

beassociatedwiththeCSNAand wearelookingforwardto providingourexcellentrangeof financialproductsandservicesto CSNAmembers,staffand families.”

Sincethelaunch,CSNAis excitedtoannouncethatMichael Doyle,ownerof a SparinStrand Road,Portmarnock,whohasbeen

Itishighly,highlyunlikelythat theprintedcoverpricewillbe reducedon 1 January,culminating

inwhattheCSNAbelieveswill prove a nicelittleearnerfor Malcolm.

workingwithSparfor12years andinretailfor35yearsin Ireland,wasthe firstCSNA membertojoinDubcoIreland.

“Iwasdelightedwiththegood valueoftheDubcoIrelandloan comparedtomybankasitwas halftheAPRratewithgood savings,”saidMichaelDoyle.“The processtoapplywiththeapp

withjustfourstepsmadeiteasy toapply,theappwasthe business,and fillingoutthedetails wasquickandeasy.”

CSNAmembersandyourstaff arenowinvitedtobecome membersofDubcoIrelandandto availoftheirpotentiallymarket leadingloaninterestratesand otherproducts.DubcoIreland whichwasfoundedin1977 amalgamatedwiththeCredit UnionsofMondelezand Superquinninrecentyearsandis a greatchoiceforyouandyour family.Employing36staff,ithas assetsof€150mand a national membershipof16,000+across localauthoritiesandtheretail, food,dental,education,andother sectors.TojoinDubcoIreland, simplyvisitthewebsiteand fillin theonlineform.

MembersoftheirlocalCredit Unionsareentitledtobe membersofmorethanoneCredit Union;DubcoIrelandissimplyan extrachoiceforyou,yourstaff, andyourextendedfamilies.

DubcoIrelandis the Credit UnionforCSNAmembers.

To findoutmoreaboutDubco Irelandanditsservices,visit www.dubcoireland.ie ■

CSNACEOVincentJenningsandvicepresidentGusO’HarawithDubco Irelanddirectors

withDubco Ireland

A €3titlewithVATof9%hasalmost25centofVAT

Dan’sDigest With DanWhite

M&Smorphsinto food retailer

Marks&Spencer’sannouncement thatitisspeedingupitsclosures, whichwillsee110storeseventually shuttheirdoors,isthelateststepinthe gradualmorphingoftheiconicUKretailer fromthenation’sdefaultoutfitterintoposh supermarket.

M&Shadalreadyannouncedin2019thatit wouldcloseupto110ofitsUKstores.Last monthchiefexecutiveStuartMachinspeeded upthepaceoftheclosures,revealingthat67 ofthestoreswouldhaveshutby2028.The storesmarkedforthechoparewhatM&S describes as“fullline”, basically large,old-style storessellingmainly clothing andhomeware.

Devotingspacetofood

TheclosureswillreducethenumberofM&S fulllinestoresto180whilefulllinefloorspace willbecutfrom9.9millionsquarefeettojust 8.2millionsquarefeetby2028.Perhapseven moresignificantly,thenumberofall-food storeswilljumpbyalmostathirdfrom316to 420whiletheircombinedsquarefootagewill growfromthepresent6millionto6.8million squarefeet.

Inotherwords,theproportionofM&S floorspacedevotedtofoodwillrisefrom38% nowto45%by2028.Andthatisn’tallthat Marksisdoingtoincreaseitsfoodsales.In

Cashfightsback

Withcontactlesspaymentshavingsweptall beforethemduringlockdown,isitallover forcashoristhefoldingstuffabouttostage acomeback?

In2019,thelastfullyearbeforethe pandemic,therewerealmost508million contactlesspayments,accordingtofigures compiledbyBankingPaymentsFederation Ireland(BPFI).In2020,thefirstyearofthe

2019itcompleteda£750mdealtotakeahalf sharein a jointventurewithonlineretailer Ocado. Underthetermsofthedeal, Ocado tookovertheonlinedistributionofM&Sfood.

Whilethepricewasundoubtedlyatop-end one,thejointventuredoesseemtobeyielding results.M&Stotalfoodsalesof£6.6bninthe yeartotheendofFebruaryaccountedfor 60%ofitstotalsalesof£10.9bnfortheyear. Ofthesefoodsales,£615mor9%,were throughOcado.Thiswasalmostdoublethe £319mofM&SfoodsoldthroughOcadothe previousyear.

Itdoesn’ttakeafortunetellertoworkout wherethismightbeheading.Announcingthe

pandemic,thenumberofcontactlesspayments jumpedby20%to611million,whilethevalue ofthosepaymentssoaredby51%to €9.2bn.

Contactlessgrowth

Thedashtocontactlesshascontinuedinto 2021and2022.Therewere834million contactlesspaymentswithacombinedvalueof €13.6bnin2021whiletherewere497million transactionswithatotalvalue €8.2bninthe

speeded-upstoreclosuretimetable,Machin said:“Wearecreatingafit-for-the-futurestore estate,withshopsingreatlocations,thathelp ourcustomersshopthewaytheywantto.”

Whichtranslatedfromcorporate-speakinto plainEnglish,meansthatM&Swillbetaking theaxetoevenmoreofitsgiantlegacystores inthenot-too-distantfuture. Withastore estatechock-fullofarchitecturallyvaluablebut commerciallyuselesscitycentreoutlets,many datingfromthe1920sand1930s,further, deepersurgerywillalmost certainly be required.

oxfordstreetcontroversy

Unfortunately,thiscouldgetmessyifthe currentcontroversysurroundingM&S’splans todemolishandrebuilditsflagshipOxford Streetstoreisanyguide.Markshasthreatened toshuttheOxfordStreetoutletifitisrefused planningpermission.

Regardlessoftheeventualoutcomeofthe OxfordStreetcontroversy,M&S’splaceinthe Britishnationalpsyche,secureformorethana century,isunderthreatasneverbefore. Somehow,Idon’tthinkthatreadymeals,no matterhowmanycaneventuallybesold throughOcado,willevertaketheplaceof suits,dressesandunderwearinthepopular consciousness.

firstsixmonths.Thevolumeofcontactless transactions grewby114%betweenthe first halfof2019andthe firsthalfof2019while thevalueof contactlesstransactions has increased by192%overthesameperiod.

Facedwithsuchadramaticswitchto contactlesspayments,itseemsreasonableto wonderifIrelandwasabouttogodownthe samepathasSwedenwhichisscheduledto gocompletelycashlessinMarch2023,>>

VieWsonthelatesteConomiC & politiCalneWs

By2028,Marks & Spencer’snumberof all-foodstoreswilljumpbyalmost a thirdfrom316to420

FollowingMarks

>>justfourmonthsfromnow. Andyet,Ican’thelpwonderingif predictionsofthedemiseofcashinIreland havebeenoverblown.Duetoour membershipoftheeuro,withtheECB compilingfiguresonthevolumeofcashin circulationonapan-eurozonebasis,itis verydifficulttogetanaccuratefixonthe proportionofcashtransactions.

atmwithdrawals

Instead,wehavetouseindirect measurementssuchasBPFI’scontactless paymentsdataand,morerecently,the CentralBank’screditanddebitcard statistics.WhichiswheretheCentralBank datacomesinveryhandyasitincludes figuresfor ATMwithdrawalsmadeusing debitcards.Intheabsenceofanything better,thisgivesusatleastaproxy measurementfortheproportionofcash transactions.

Unfortunately,theCentralBankfigures areonlyavailablesinceJanuary2022with thelatestnumbersbeingforSeptember. Evenafterapplyingalltheusualhealth warnings,whatifanythingcanweconclude fromjustninemonths’worthofdata? InJanuarydebitcardswereusedto

withdraw €937mofcashfrom ATMmachines.

Thatwas15.5%ofthe €6.04bnspentusing debitcardsthatmonth.Thisgraduallyroseto 16.9%byAprilbeforeflatteningout16.4%16.6%overthefollowingthreemonths.It thenfellto15.7%inAugustbeforebouncing backto16%inSeptember.

anecdotalevidence

Whatthesefigurestellusisthatthe proportionofcashtransactionshasalmost certainlybottomedout,andmayevenhave

risenslightly,duringthefirstninemonths ofthisyear.Thisisconsistentwith anecdotalevidencefromretailersandother traderswhoreportanupsurgeintheuseof cashinrecentmonths.

So,iscashstormingbackoristhismerely alasthurrahfromtheoldmoneybeforeit isfinallyextinguishedbydigitalcurrency? Onlytimewillprovideuswithadefinitive answerbutifIwasabettingman,I’dbe puttingafewbobonthefoldingstuffbeing aroundforawhileyet. ■

Important Information for Retailers of Organic Produce

Ingeneral,anyoperatorengagedintheproduction,preparation,storageorimport (fromthird countries) of organicproducts, or whoplacessuchproductsonthemarket, mustbe registeredandlicencedasanorganicoperator. Therules governingthisare laiddown by EUlegislation(Regulation(EU)2018/48 of the European Parliamentand of the Council)

However, Member Statesmay exempt retailersfromtheorganiclicence requirementswherethey restrictthemselvessolely to thesale of pre-packedorganicproducts. Thisisprovidedthatthe retailers have notbeeninvolvedinpreparing,importingor storingtheseproducts otherthanin connectionwiththeirpoint of sale,orhave not contractedthisouttoanotheroperator to dosoontheirbehalf. In this respectpleasenote thatpre-packedorganicproductsoldasOwn Brandor‘Speciallypacked for…’ doesNOTqualify for exemptionand requiresthe retailer to belicensedinhis ownright.

Ifyou are engagedinthesale of organic produce,therefore, you must eitherhold anorganiclicence in your own right orqualify for an exemption.

Ifyoubelieveyouqualify foran exemption, youshouldapplyimmediately to the Organic Unit of the Department of Agriculture, Foodandthe Marineusingthestandardapplication form,whichis availableonthe Department’s website. www.gov.ie/en/publication/c0688-register-of-retailers-exempt-from-holding-an-organic-licence/

Department inspectorshave begunvisitingall retailers of organicproduceand retailersmustbeabletoproduceeithera valid licenceor exemptionifasked to doso.

Forallfurtherinformation,please contact

The Organic Unit, Department of Agriculture, Foodandthe Marine, JohnstownCastle, Co Wexford. organic@agriculture.gov.ie

Despitethe numberof contactless payments jumpingby 20%to611 millionin 2020,Dan Whitereckons therumoured demiseof cashhasbeen overblown

CONTACTTHEHRSUITE:

TheHRSuitecanconductafull auditofyourHRpracticesto ensurethatyouarecompliant withtherelevantlegislationas inspectedbytheWRC.Ifyou requirefurtherinformationor adviceonhowtoproactively prepareforinspection,pleasedo nothesitatetocontactThe HRSuite’sconsultantson (01)9014335or(066)7102887or at info@thehrsuiteonline.com

Workplace inspections: Whatyou need toknow

The WorkplaceRelationsCommission(WRC)isan independent,statutorybodywhichwasestablished on1October2015underthe WorkplaceRelations Act2015(No.16of2015).

TheWRC’scoreservicesincludetheinspectionof employmentrightscompliance,theprovisionof information,theprocessingofemploymentagencyand protectionofyoungpersons(employment)licensesandthe provisionofmediation,conciliation,facilitationand advisoryservices.WRCinspectorsareappointedbythe directorgeneral,withthe consentoftheMinister, andtheyexercisesuch powersasareconferred uponthembythe WorkplaceRelationsAct 2015.

Righttoinspection Inspectorshavetherightto visitaplaceofemployment toensurecompliancewith equalityandemploymentrelatedlegislation.Another inspectorfromtheWRC, theDepartmentofSocial Protection,theRevenueCommissionersoramemberofAn GardaSíochánamayaccompanytheinspectoronoccasion.

Reasonforinspection

Generally,theWRCdoesnotoutlineareasonastowhyan inspectionisduetotakeplace.Theinspectionmaytake placeasaresultofacomplaintreceivedofallegedbreachof relevantemploymentlaworitmaybearoutineinspection. Inlimitedcircumstances,aWRCinspectormayinforman employerthatacomplainthasbeenlodgedwherethereisa repeatinspectionwithinsixmonthsofthefirstinspection duetoanadditionalcomplaintreceivedbytheWRC,oran inspectionduetoarequesttoenforceadecisionor determinationofanemploymentrightsbody.

noticeofinspection

Generally,anemployerwillreceiveadvancenoticeofan inspection,however,onoccasion,theinspectormayalso visitwithoutpriornoticeandtheinspectionwilltakeplace attheplaceofemployment.

thepowersoftheinspector

Theinspectorisobligedtoidentifythemselvesbefore commencinganinspectionofanemployer.Theymust producea WarrantofAppointmentandexplainthenature

andthepurposeofthevisitandoutlinetherelevant employmentlegislation.

preparationforinspection

Inpreparationfortheinspection,theemployershould ensurethatallrelevantemploymentrecordsareuptodate andareavailableforaperiodofthreeyears.Theemployer isobligedtocooperatewiththeprocessofinspectionandto provideinformationanddocumentationasrequestedbythe inspector.Iftheemployerhaspriornoticeofaninspection, aformwithvariousquestionswillbecirculatedwiththe notificationletteroftheinspection.Itisbeneficialto completethisforminadvanceoftheinspectionandhave documentationavailableasoutlinedontheform.The maintenanceofstatutoryrecordsiskeytoensure compliance.

inspectionprocess

Theinspectorwillannouncetheirarrivalandwillmeetwith theemployerinitially.Heorshewillrequestandreview relevantdocumentationandrecordsonthedayandseek additionalsupportingdocumentationifrequired.Theirrole istoensurethattheemployeriscompliantwithrelevant employmentlaw.Theinspectorisentitledtotakecopiesof employmentrecordsandmaytakecopiesofdocumentation whichwasexamined.Heorshewillinterviewaselect numberofemployeesonthedayanddoesnotrequirethe permissionoftheemployertodoso.However,ingeneral theWRCinspectorwillrequesttheemployer’sconsent.

inspectionoutcome

Theinspectorwillmeetwiththeemployerafterthe documentationhasbeenreviewedandemployeeshavebeen interviewed.Theywilloutlinetotheemployerthe preliminaryfindingswhichhe/shehasidentified.Ifthe employeriscompliant,theinspectorwilladvisethe employerthataletterwillbeissuedwhichwillconcludethe processoftheinspection.However,iftheinspectorhas identifiedcontraventionsduringtheprocess,further questionsmaybeaskedtotheemployer.Theinspectormay outlinetotheemployerthathis/herresponsesmaybeused asevidence.Thisprotectstherightsofthepersonwhois beingcautioned.

Theinspectormayidentifyminorcontraventionsandwill requesttheemployertorectifythem.Oncetheemployer canprovideevidenceofrectifyingaminorissue,thefilecan beclosed.TheremaybeasituationwheretheWRC invokeslegalsanctionsagainstanon-complianceissuewith anemployer.ThismayinvolvetheissueofCompliance Notices,FixedPaymentNotices,and/orprosecution.

CAROLINE

REIDY managingdirector, TheHRSuite

Strongerevery day

KaushalKathuria,owner offourNearbystores, caughtupwith Julia O’Reilly todiscusshis plansforgrowth

ThingsarelookinggoodforNearby Inchicore.ThebustlingDublincity storehasbeeninthecapablehandsof KaushalKathuriasinceMayofthisyearwhen S&WWholesaleaskedhimtotakethereins. TheownerofthreeothersuccessfulNearby storesacrossIreland,Kathuriahasestablished astellarreputationintheindustry.Itwasthat reputationthatfirstledS&WWholesaleto taskhimwithrunningtwostoresthanksto theirconfidenceinhisabilities.

OriginallyfromIndia,Kathuriacameto Irelandin2007asastudentstudyingstrategic businessandsoonsecuredemploymentwith AIMGroup,owneroftheHomeSaversbrand ofretailstores.Duringhistimethere, Kathuriaworkedacrossseveraldifferent departmentsbeforemovingtoretailin2009.

“ThereIwasinvolvedinsales,operations andbuying.Ifelttheysawpotentialinmeand nurturedme.Dayin,dayout,weopened stores,closedstores,launchedpop-upstores andChristmasstores.Iwasgivenahuge amountofexposuretotheindustry.”Kathuria creditsNaeemManiar,MDoftheAIMGroup asbeinghugelysupportiveinthebeginnings ofhiscareer.

Eventually,thetimecameforKathuriato setoutonhisown,and,in2013,heopened

hisfirststoreinBallymoreEustace,Co. Kildare.Whilethiswasahugepersonal achievementforKathuria,itdidn’tcomeeasy. “ForthefirstfewmonthsIwasworking16, sometimes18hoursaday.Ihadtosendmy familybackhometoIndiasoIcouldworkas hardasIcouldtoturnthingsaround.”

Untilthen,Kathuria’sretailexperiencehad mainlybeen office-based. “Ittookthreemonths formetoreallyunderstandtheshopfloor,”he recalls. “Itwastoughbutmystaffandthe local customers weresosupportive,and I soonfound myfeet.Itmayhavetakensixtoeightmonths tostartturning a profit,butwhenwedid, I felt theriskwasfinallystartingtopayoff.”

Notonetorestonhislaurels,come2016 Kathuriawasreadyforanotherchallengeand wentaboutfurtherexpandinghisportfolio. HissecondNearbystore,previouslyByrne’s, in Tullow,Co.Carlow,hadbeenclosedwhen itcameintoKathuria’shands.Theprevious landlordshadbeenoperatinginthesitefor42 yearsandwereawell-establishedpartofthe community.Whenthetimecameforthemto retire,Kathuriametwiththemandthey offeredhimamplesupport:“Theywerethere foruswhenweweresettingupandthey’re stillsupportivetothisday.”

Oncemore,Kathuriaenduredatoughfirst year,butultimatelyfeltgreatsatisfactionwhen hishardworkandperseverancepaidoff:“At firstsaleswerelowbutwekeptgoing,and todayit’stradingreallywell.TheNearby Irelandteamhavereallyhelpedmeonthis journeyandturnedthestorearound.”

Further expansion

Itwasn’tlongbeforeKathuriawasreadyto takeonanotherchallenge,and,whenS&W Wholesaleapproachedhimtoopenhisthird storein2019,heleaptatit.“Everything happenedveryquickly,”hesays,oftakingover histhirdshopinDonore,Co.Louthfromthe previousretailer.“Ihadtotakeoverwithin twoweeks,butevenwiththattight turnaroundIfelthugelysupportedbyS&W.”

Thathandovercamejustbeforethe pandemicstruck,creatingahostofnew challengesforKathuria.“Itwasadifficult time,butwemorethansurvivedit,andnow I’mhappytosaythisismysecond-best performingstore.”

Bynow,Kathuriahasestablishedsomething ofapatternforaddinganewstoretohis portfolioeverythreeyearsand2022wasno exception.SinceMay,hehasbeenatthehelm

ofNearbyInchicore.Basedon Tyrconnell Road,thisisKathuria’sfirstDublin-basedsite. “It’satypicalDublincitystore,whichisreal changeformesoI’malwayslearningnew things.Forexample,Ioriginallythoughtthis wasn’tacommunity-basedstorebecauseithas somuchwalk-intrade,butIwaswrong.”

Settlingin

Indeed,thisstoreismoreliketheothersthan Kathuriainitiallythought.“Somanyofour customersthatcomethroughourdoorsevery day,feelcomfortableapproachingmeandthe teamandstartingaconversation.Therehas beenalotofbuzzintheshoplatelywith Halloweenandthelaunchof‘BringHome The Value’withdecorationsandnewPOSup. Itcreatesarealnicewelcomingatmosphere forourcustomers.”

Therewasasignificantturnoverofstaff whentheInchicorestorechangedhands.Of thetencurrentteammembers,Kathuriahas hiredeight.“Ihaveadifferentwayofworking tothepreviousowner,soitworksformethat staffarebeingtrainedinawaythatworksfor ourstore.Itrytoleadbyexample,allourstaff knowtogreetcustomerswithasmiletomake themfeelwelcome.Creatingapositive atmospherein-storemakesahugedifference.”

Localinitiatives

Havingonlybeenatthe2,000sqftInchicore storeforafewmonths,Kathuriaiskeento continuebuildingagoodrelationshipwith customers.“Atthemoment,I’mworkingona Christmasrafflethat’llbeopentoanyonewho spendsover €10inthestore. We’reoffering

fivedifferentprizesand a fewsmallerprizesand we’lldothedrawjustbeforeChristmas.I’m lookingforwardtogivingsomething back tothe peoplethatsupportus.”

What’smore,Kathuriaplanstodevelopa wineclubforlocals.“We’rehopingtohosta tastingin-storeandinvitelocalcustomersto stopby.Hearingtheirfeedbackwouldbe incrediblyvaluableinhelpingusprovidethem withexactlywhattheywant.S&Wsuggested theideaandIthoughtitwasgreat!It’llbea goodwaytoshowcaseourvastdrinksrange; weselleverythingfromlocalcraftbeersto uniquewines.Infact,alotofpeoplecometo ourstorejustforthewineselection.”

Attractingcustomers

Hopingtomakethemostofthisvastrange, KathuriahasbeenincontactwithGoogleto startlistinghisinventoryonlinethrough Pointy.Thetoolhelpsattractlocalcustomers tobrickandmortarstoresbyshowcasingtheir productsonGoogle.Kathuriahopesthiswill helpincreasehisstore’svisibility:“Ifsomeone inthelocalareaislookingforaparticular wine,forexample,ourstorewillautomatically comeup.Thestoremightlookrelatively small,butwehaveahugerangeofday-to-day products.Ifithelpspeopleknowthatwe’re here,it’llbeapositive.”

S&W Wholesale

Kathuriainitiallytradedwithacompetitor,but soonturnedtoS&WWholesalefortheir valueandservice.“ThesupportI’vereceived fromS&WWholesalehasbeenincredible. Theydon’tjustsendabusinessdevelopment

managertomyshoptosellmesomething. Theytellmehowcertainproductsperformin otherstores,oradvisemeonwhatshelfI shouldputsomethingon.Ifthere’saproblem, theyalwaystakeaproactiveapproachin findingsolutions.IfI’mshortonstaff,they’ll helpwithordersorthestoreaudit.Theygo aboveandbeyond.”

What’smore,hebelievesS&WWholesale alignscloselywithhisvalues:“I’veneverfelt likenumbersonapagewiththem.Ifeelas thoughwe’reworkingasateamtohelpeach othergrow.”

Competitive pricing

“Rightnow,weget95%ofourproducts directlyfromS&W.They’vealwaysbeenvery flexiblewithus.IfIseeanothersupplieris offeringabetterprice,thefirstthingIdois getintouchwithmybusinessdevelopment manager.I’malwayshonestwiththem,andin returntheytrytomatchthepriceorbetterthe priceiftheycan.”

Thesedaysitcanbehardtokeeppriceslow, butit’simportanttoKathuriathatcustomers seegreatvalueproductswhentheywalkinthe door,especiallywhenitcomestothecore categories.“Wealwaystrytohaveourown specialoffersaswellastheweeklypromotions thatS&WWholesalesupports.S&Whas recentlylaunched‘BringHomeThe Value’–a valueconceptthathassomegreatsavingsfor customersacrosskeyhouseholdlines.Thisis somethingwereallysupportin-store.”

Immensepride

“Overall,Iamimmenselyproudofhowthings haveturnedout,”saysKathuria.“WhenI cametoIreland,IneverthoughtI’dstartmy ownbusiness,butIcomefromafamilyof entrepreneurs,soIsupposeit’sinmyblood! It’sbeenagreatjourneyandI’mexcitedtosee whereittakesmenext.

“Alotofveryimportantpeoplehavebeen onthisjourneywithme,themostimportant, ofcourse,beingmyfamily.Mywife,Shivani, hasbeenincrediblysupportivesincethevery beginningandI’msogratefulforallthatshe hasdone.

“There’sstillalongwaytogo,butIhavea greatteamworkingwithmeandtogetherwith S&Wwe’regrowingstrongereveryday.”

NearbyInchicoreshowcases a vastdrinks range,featuringeverythingfromlocalcraft beerstouniquewines

Friendlystafffocusongivingcustomers a warmwelcomeatallfourofhisNearbystores,where retailerKaushalKathuriasays“creating a positiveatmospherein-storemakes a hugedifference”

RetailerKaushalKathuriawithhisNearby IrelandRetailteam,whohesayshave

Thestore’senticingfreshbakeryofferingis a realhitwithcustomers

ForthelastfourdecadesMichaelBarry hasbeenatthehelmofBarry& Fitzwilliamandinthattime,hehas builtthebusinessintoIreland’slargest independentdrinksdistributor.Itnowcarries morethan120ofthetopwine,spiritsand beerbrandsincludingMcGuigan, VillaMaria, Michel Lynch,RemyMartin,BrewDogand WhiteClaw.Justthismonth,Barry& Fitzwilliamwasalsoappointedasthe distributorforlegendarymasterdistillerBrian Nation’snewIrishAmericanwhiskeyrange, Keeper’sHeart.Overall,thereare60 employeesbetweenitswarehousingand administrationfacilitiesinBallycurreen,Co. CorkanditssalesofficeinSandyford,Co. Dublin.

AccordingtoBarry,thecompanyhasalways triedtostayaheadofthemarketbywatching trendsclosely.“Wehavemanagedtosurvive andprosperoverthepast40yearsbykeeping acloseeyeoninternationaltrendsand embracingthem.”

Startingout

BarryjoinedMurphy’sBreweryinCorkin 1978asawinesandspiritsadministration managerdespitehavingjusttrainedasan accountant,yethisaccountancybackground hasdefinitelypaiddividendsthroughouthis career.HecreditsBobKennefick,thesales directorofMurphy’sBreweryatthetime,for takinghimunderhiswingandinstillingin himapassionanddrivetoprosperinthe drinksindustry.However,thebrewerywent intoreceivershipinJuly1982.Unabletoseea futureforthewineandspiritsdivision,Barry decidedtotaketheboldstepofsettinguphis ownbusiness. Withinthreemonthsofleaving Murphy’s,helaunchedBarry’s Wines&Spirits ina2,500squarefootwarehouseinAlfred StreetinCork.Threeotheremployeesfrom Murphy’sjoinedhimandtwoofthemonly retiredlastyear.

Inhighspirits

“WhenthebrewerywentintoreceivershipI presumedthatHeinekenwouldbuythe breweryeventuallyandthattheywouldn’t haveanyinterestinwinesandspiritsandthat wasthelogicbehindthat.Itwasverymuch aboutservingtheMusterareainitially,”he recalls.

Sohowdidhehavethemeanstolauncha companyatsuchayoungage?“Ifoundavery friendlybankmanagerandIwouldn’tfindhim today!”hejokes. Youhadalotofconfidence, ShelfLife suggests.“Blindenthusiasmandlots ofpassion,thatwasthefoundationstoneof thecompany,”heexplains.“IfI’dknownhow harditwasgoingtobeatthebeginningI mightneverhavestartedit. We areallmore cautiousaswegetolderandwesee roadblocks.Whenyouareyoung,youtake chances.Andsometimestheypayoff.”

Barry’spartnerisChrisMurphy,formerlyof Fitzwilliam Wines&Spirits,namedso becausethebusinesswasstartedinFitzwilliam SquareinDublinwhereMurphyheldthethen fashionablePernodagency.Theymergedthe twocompaniesin1989becomingBarry& Fitzwilliam.Althoughtheycalledthemselvesa wineandspiritsdistributor,winewasonlya smallfractionofthebusinessatthebeginning,

Barryexplains.

“Wellthejokeofthewholethingisthatwe calledourselvesawineandspiritscompanyin 1982,exceptthat90%ofoursaleswere spirits,”helaughs.“Now50%wouldbewine, 30%spiritsand20%wouldbebeersand RTDssuchasWhiteClaw. Winehasonly becomepopularinthelast25yearsinIreland. Thefirsttenyearswhenwewereontheroad selling,itwasmainlyPedrotti,Black Tower, BlueNunandmaybeBlossomHillquarter bottles.NoonehadheardofNewZealandor AustralianwinesandnowMcGuigan’sfrom Australiaand VillaMariafromNewZealand arethenumberonewinessothat’show dramaticallythingshavechangedoverthe years.”

Arrival of Corona

Thecompanyreallymadeitsmarkin1990 whenittookontheagencyfortheCorona ExtrabrandinIrelandandpromoteditheavily turningitintooneofIreland’sleadingbottled beerbrandsandthecompanysubsequently wentontolaunchCoronaLightin2012.“It wasthefirstlongneckbeertobelaunchedin Irelandandwehaditfor25yearsuntil January2015,”heexplains.

In2015theylostCoronatoC&CGleeson

Barry

duetoCorona’snewparentcompanyAB InBevhavingacontractualagreementtouse C&CforIrishdistribution.

Itwasablowtothecompanyafterallthey haddoneforthebrandbutBarryispragmatic abouttheloss.“Look,lifeisaseriesofupsand downsandwhenyouhavemoreupsthan downs,youareawinner.”

A familyaffair

FromMidletonoriginally,Barrynowlivesin DouglaswithhiswifeKathleenwhoisthe operationaldirectorofthecompany.Their threechildrenallworkinthebusinessalso. “OurdaughterKateisthebrandmanager. OursonMikewhohappenstohaveDown Syndrome,isanadministrator.Hescans deliverydocketsintothecomputer–heloves routine. We alsocallhimthecompany therapistasyoucan’tbeinbadformaround thatguy.AndthentheyoungestisRoryand hecombinestworoles–salesexecutivebuthe isalsoinchargeofourpurchasing.It’s wonderfulhavingyourwholefamilytogether. Notmanyfamiliescoulddoitbutitworksfor us,”hestates.

Throughout40yearshehasexperienceda lotofupsanddownsinthetradebuthe remembersthecurrencycrisisintheearly90s asbeingaparticularlytoughtimeinbusiness. “In1992/93thebankswerecharging21% interest,soifyouwereaborroweryouwere payingalmost20%onyourmortgage. Trying togetpaidwasverydifficultatthetime,”he

recalls.However,hedismissesthathiccupas justfinancialwoes.Anawfultragedybefellthe companyin2003whichputeverythingelse intoperspective.

“ThetoughestthingIeverexperiencedwas backin2003whenhalfofoursalesteamwere downintheSouthofSpainvisitingthe BodegaGonzálezByasswineryandwewere involvedinaverytragicaccidentwhenour minibuswentdownaravine.Fourpeoplewere killedandsixpeoplehadbrokenbacks,legs, handsetc. Twoofoursalesteamdied,David RaffertyandDavidBerrie.Andagoodfriend ofthecompanyandabitofalegendinthe tradeFrankO’ConnorfromBoru Vodkaalso losthislife.”

Barrygoesontoexplainthatthebusdriver wasalsokilledandthathehimselfbrokethree vertebraeinhisback.Itwasadarktimefor themallbuthewastouchedbythesupport andkindnessofthetradeduringthattime.

“Ourcustomersandsupplierswereagreat supportforusandevenourcompetitorswere passingonorderstokeepusgoing,”he reveals.

Sohowdidtheycontinueaftersuchan ordeal?“Youcandotwothings–youcango intoaholeoryoucangetonwiththingsand

insomewayworkwasmytherapy. Youhaveto putonefootinfrontoftheother.”

Changeis constant

Ironicallyattheendofthatannushorribilis, thecompanysignedahugedealwhenthey tookoverMaxxiumtomarketallitsbrandsin IrelandgainingbigbrandslikeAbsolut Vodka, TheFamousGrouse,RemyCointreauand JimBeam.

“WewereBarryFitzwilliamMaxxiumfora fewyears. We doubledMaxxium’sbusinessin Irelandanditgaveusagreatreputation internationallyandgotusmorebrandsover thoseyears.”Thecompanyrevertedbackto Barry&Fitzwilliamin2008becausethe companieswhoownedMaxxiumdecidedtogo theirseparateways.

Barrysaysthatinthedrinksindustryyou havetobereadyforthenextbigthingand adaptquicklyandovertheyearsthecompany didnotshyawayfromtakingapuntonanew product.Inrecentyearsthey’veenjoyedmuch successwithcelebrityendorsedwines includingGrahamNorton,Kylie,Sarah JessicaParker,GaryBarlowandGordon Ramseyranges.Barrysaysthattheyarehugely popularandthecelebritiesaremoreinvolved

MichaelBarrywithhisdaughterKateatthe launchofGrahamNortonFrizzantewithSuperValu

MichaelBarrypicturedattending a VillaMarialunch,alongsideChrisMurphyandNathalieWalsh

Michaeland Kathleen Barryatthe Marketing Instituteof Ireland

MichaelandKathleenBarryat a TiaMariaevent

MichaelBarryataneventfor LouisXIIICognac

intheprocessthanyoumightthink.“Theyall havebeeninvolvedintheblendingprocessfor thewinesotheyarenotjustputtingtheir nametoit.”

Thenon-alcoholicmarketisonetheyhave alsohadtoembraceandtheyholdoneofthe mostpopularnon-alcoholicbrands,BrewDog PunkZero.Theyalsohaveanon-alcoholic wineofferingwithMcGuiganZerowhich Barrysayshastakenoff.“Alotofthe hospitalityaccountsarewakinguptothefact thattheydorequireanon-alcoholicoffering soweseethatgrowing.Ithinkwehavethe mostfashionableproductonthemarketatthe momentwithWhiteClawandwearealways onthelookoutfornewthings,”hesays.

Sowhatdoesthemanwhoknowsmore aboutdrinksthanmost,chooseashisfavourite tipple?“Betweenwine,beerandspirits,it wouldhavetobewine,”hesays.“Itcanbered orwhitedependingonwhatIameating. SometimesI’minthemoodforasauvignon andsometimesIfeellikechardonnay.People associateNewZealandwithgreatsauvignon blancbutI’mjustbackfromNewZealandand formostofthetime I wasthere, I wasdrinking chardonnay Mypointisdon’t underestimate thequalityofNewZealand chardonnay.” Well you’vehearditfromthehorse’s mouth. Chardonnayistheoneto watch.

Covid

Thecompanynotonlytradeswithallofthe multiplesandindependentoff-licencesbut alsoalargenumberofaccountsinthe hospitalitysector.In2019,40%ofthe businesswashospitalityandthatwasgone overnightwhenCovidhit.Despitethis,the companymanagedtomaintainthesame turnoverin2020asthepreviousyeardueto theincreaseofoff-tradesalesintheretail sector.

“Alotofthe cocktail brandsgrew dramatically during2020andwe’vemaintained mostofthat.Thelikesof Tia Maria,Cointrea, BolsLiquersandtheone product thatwent ballisticaltogetherwasPassoa which is a

passionfruitliqueurandthemainingredient for a PornstarMartini.”

Hesaysthathospitalityis back toabout80% ofwhatitwasin2019butturnoverhasrisenby 20% since thensoitevensout.He’s inclined to thinkthatthereis a bitofpainto come for hospitalityinthe coming yearsthough.

“Ithinkcashandcarriesaregoingtosuffer becauseofthecostoffuel,gettingstaffand theUkrainianwarwhichisallgoingtohavea negativeeffectonbusiness.Idon’tthinkthat tourisminIrelandwill bounceback for4/5 yearsso I thinkretailwillbefinebuthospitality willfindittoughfor a while,”hesays.

SpeakingofUkraine,oneofthemosthigh profilemovesoflateistheintroductionof Ukraine’snationalbeerbrandObalontotheir portfolio.IrishmanDaveMcCarthyisadrinks consultantforObalonandheintroducedthe brandtoBarry&Fitzwilliam.“DaveMcCarty approachedmeandweareallforitbut logisticallyithasbeenastruggletogetthe stockinbutitwillbeontheshelvesbefore Christmas.Thebreweryisstillworkingin Kievandit’soneofthelargestbreweriesinthe wholeofEurope. We willbedonatingmoney

fromevery case weselltotheIrishRedCross.”

Future

Sowiththe40thcelebrationswellunderway, hesayshestillhastopinchhimselfwhenhe thinksaboutthemilestone.“Itputsshiversup myspine.WhenIopenedBarry’s Wines& Spiritsin1982Ihadtheambitiontobe Ireland’sleadingindependentdrinkscompany andthatiswhatwehavebecome. We were supposedtohavehadcelebrationsinOctober atoursalesconferencebutIgotCovid,”he explains.Instead,thecompanyheldits40th anniversarycelebrationsearlierthismonthand ShelfLife hasbeenassuredthatafabuloustime wasenjoyedbyoneandall.

Barrybelievesthatthecompanyisingood shapeandthatthefutureisverybrightfor Barry&Fitzwilliam.“Wehaveagreat portfolioandagreatteam,brandowners,and greatrelationshipswiththem.Somysole ambitionnowistocelebrate50yearsin businessin2032!”

CongratulationstotheteamatBarry& Fitzwilliamontheir40thbirthdayfromallat ShelfLife ■

MichaelBarrywithJeanCharlesCazesofMichelLynchWines

MichaelBarrywithhiswifeKathleenatChateauLynchBagesinBordeaux

MichaelBarrywithNeilMcGuiganofMcGuiganWines

5 waystocutbackthis winter

AsretailerFloraCrowe,ownerofaGalaSupermarket&Bakery inSixmilebridgeinCo.Clare,aptlydemonstratedwhenshe tweetedherlatesttwo-monthenergybillfromBordGais amountingto€20,803.41,soaringenergycostsarehugely impactinglocalindependentretailers.Here,the Convenience StoresandNewsagentsAssociation(CSNA),whichhasalso vociferouslyandrepeatedlyadvocatedforgovernmental support,hascompiledsomeguidanceonhowbusinessescan reduceenergycostsasmuchasyoupossiblycan

The CSNAhaspreparedfive steps you cantake rightnow to reduce yourheating,lighting,electricity, andmanufacturing costs thiswinter.

Heating

1. Reduce temperature setpoints sothe heatingturnsoffwhen temperature reaches 19degrees.Set yourair conditioning to comeon at 24 degreesorhigher

2. In corridors, storeroomsandother areasof higherphysicalactivity, yourheating temperature setpointcanbebelow 19 degrees. You shouldalsoturnoffheatingin vacantspaces

3. Make sure timers are set to the correctdate andtime Variationsin workinghourson weekendsandBankHolidays shouldbe consideredwhensetting controls.

4. Ensure yourboileris serviced regularly to ensure it’s operatingefficiently Ask your service technician toconfirmthat your condensingboileris condensing.

5. Identifyandsealany draughtsandimprove insulationwhere possible Ensure that externaldoorsshutautomatically

Lighting

1. Ensure lightsare switchedoff whennot neededand considerinstallingmotion sensorsininfrequentlyusedareassuchas storerooms, toilets,and corridors to prevent lightsbeingleftonunnecessarily

2. Maximisetheuseof daylight and consider installingdaylightsensorsinareasthat use bothnaturalandartificiallight. Thesecan automate lights to turnoffordim to account for changinglevelsofdaylightin the room.

3. Reduce lightinglevelswhere possible Minimiselightinginnon-workingareassuch as corridors. Thiscanbedone by removing tubesfrommulti-tubefittings,butdon’tgo too far– make sure you maintainsafe lightinglevels.

4. Reconsider externaland feature lighting needs.Securityandoutdoorlightingcanbe high-powered andenergyintensive. Make surea timeranddaylightsensor controls are setaccurately

5. Replace failedorinefficientlightbulbswith LEDs. Thesecannow have paybacksofonly a few months.

Electricity

1. Ensure you are onthebest electricity tariff available Look at how muchelectricity you useon averageand compare thetariffs availablefromsuppliers.

2. Switchoff equipmentwhennotinuse (printers,laptops,monitors,orlarger equipment).

3. Shiftasmuchof yourenergyuseas possible to be outsidethepeakhoursof 5-7pm If yourelectricitytariffhas a cheaper night rate, thinkaboutwhat operationscan availofthis rate ratherthantheday rate

4. InstallSolar PV to generate renewable electricity

5. If you are runningequipmentwithpoor power factors,suchasflorescentlampsor air conditioningunits, yoursupplierwillbill you for having to supply extra current to yourpremises. You willseethison your electricitybillas LPFS(low power factor surcharge) or reactive power charge Reduce the cost ofthis by installingpower factor correctionequipment.

Manufacturing

1. Check for andactivate eco-mode on equipmentsothat anythingthat’s idleafter 10minutesgoesinto standby modeanduse a blankscreensaver on computersand laptops.

2. Ensure any motor inuseistherightsize for thejobthey are to perform.Largemotors operatingsmallloadsare inefficient. When a motorissizedappropriatelyandoperating at ornearitspower ratingitwillbemore energyefficient. Consideralso retrofitting yourmotorswith variablespeeddrives.

3. Undertakea comprehensive survey for leaks orhotspots inany air, steam,orhot water systems.Fixany damageorgapsinpipe insulation.

4. Ensure that heavy energyusingequipment has routinemaintenance carriedoutinline withthemanufacturer ’s guidelines.

5. Employ energymonitoringandanenergy management system to ensure you understandandoptimiseenergyuse

Long termplan

Businessesshouldalso start to plan for longer termenergyefficiency and renewableenergy projects to reduce demandandemissionsas partofIreland’s overallenergytransition.

SEAI’s advice is to transition to a low carbon business over five steps.

1. Understand yourenergyuse 2. Create anenergyactionplan 3. Complete anenergyaudit 4. Invest inenergyefficiency upgradesand renewables 5. Monitor, trackand report.

Fora quick overview ofthegrantsand supports availablefromtheSustainable Energy AuthorityofIreland(SEAI) to support you oneachofthese steps,the individualbusiness grants availableare outlinedbelow:

Understand yourenergyandcreate an actionplan:

SEAIEnergy Academy

SEAIEnergyManagement Training

Climate Toolkit 4 Business

SMEGuide to EnergyEfficiency

Complete anenergyaudit:

SEAISupportScheme for Energy Audits

SEAIEnergy Audit Compliance Scheme

Invest inenergyefficiency and renewables:

NonDomesticMicrogenScheme

CommunityEnergyGrants

SupportScheme for RenewableHeat

SEAIEXEEDGrant

SEAIEVGrants for Business

PádraicDelaney, ownerandoperator oftheMacestorein Castlebar,Co.Mayo speaksto Fionnuala Carolan aboutthe importanceofa revamptogrowsales, andnavigatingthe newnormalweare abouttoembarkon

The west’s awakewithMace

Standingstillisnotanoption.Thisis themottoofPádraicDelaneyofMace Castlebarwhocompletedathird revamponthisstoreinthelasttenyears.And Delaneyknowswhatheistalkingaboutashe andhiswifeKarenaandtheirmanagement teamrun a hostof successful retailbusinesses aroundthenorthwestandheisduetoopen anotherbusinessin Tuamnextmonth.

Speakingaboutthelatestandvery significantrevamponMaceCastlebarwhich issituatedofftheBreaffyRoadinthe MoneenIndustrialEstate,hesaysthatthey decidedtoleavenostoneunturnedandeven didacompleteoverhaulofthecarpark.

Competitionintheareamotivatesthemto keepthestorefresh,headds.“Whatwefind isthatwehaveanumberofstrong competitorsinCastlebarandit’snearlylikea gameofleapfrog.Theyarereallygoodat whattheydoandtheyhavedonerevampsin themeantimetoo. We saidweneedtokeep withitandmodernisethestore.”

Duringtherevamptheyre-didfloors,

ceilings,fridges,lighting,shelving,deli counters,seating,kitchenequipmentand coffeemachines.“Wethoughtweneededto futureproofourselvesalittlebit. Youmightas welldoitallatonce. We increasedthesquare footagebyabout600squarefoot.Thestore wasn’tsmallbeforebutwewantedafreshnew look.Itwastenyears since wedid a fullrevamp.”

Theyalsospentaconsiderableamounton theoutsideextendingthecarparkand resurfacingallofthetarmac.“Weinvested €100,000outsideand €350,000insideonthe refit.”Whilethisisobviouslyasignificant sum,Delaneyfeelsit’simportanttoinvestto stayaheadinbusiness.“Ifeelthatinretailif you’renotmovingon,you’relosing,”hesays. “Youneedtobegrowingby7/8%ayearat least. We lastdidabigrevampin2013andwe gotamassiveliftfromitanditbroughtusinto adifferentleague,”heexplains.

Foodbusiness

Thenewlyrenovatedextensivedelimeansthat thefoodofferingissecondtononewithover

sevendifferentmealsolutionseachday, featuringthelikesofturkeyandhamand chickencurrywithaplateserviceifcustomers wanttositdownandhavetheirdinner.They alsoaddedaself-servehotandcoldfood junctionislandwithanimpressivearrayof choices.Delaneyexplains;“Peoplecantakeas muchorlittleastheylikeandtheypayby weight. We havealotoffemalecustomersand theywantabitofthisandabitofthat. You candosmallerportionsforkidsalso.

“Wealsodoafishoptioneachday-salmon, codorprawns.Thereisagoodbitofworkin itandthemarginsaretightbutwearetrying tomixitupandthinkabitdifferentlysowe haveplentyofhealthyoptions.”

Setinanindustrialpartofthetown,Mace Castlebarhasanumberoflargeemployers nearbyincludingBaxter,ElverysSportshead office,governmentbuildingsincluding Revenue,CoillteandPulse’sheadoffice.

Hesaysthattheyarereallycompetingwith cafesandrestaurantsintheareawithalotof professionalscominginatlunchtime.“Our

TheteamatMaceCastlebararefullyfocusedonprovidingfriendlycustomerservice

foodisjustasgoodasarestaurantbutpeople aregettingitat20%to25%cheaperthana restaurant,”hestates.

Off-licence

Theoff-licenceisnowahugepartofthe conveniencetrade,onethatwasboosted duringCovidbuthasremainedsteadyas peoplegotusedtodrinkingathome.“Our off-licenceswentthroughtheroofwithCovid. TheMUP(minimumunitpricing)has probablyhelpedourindustryaswell–since thatcameinweareallworkingonalevel playingfield. Withthechangeinpeople’s lifestylesandsocialhabits,it’sreallythe perfectstormtogrowtheoff-licencehere. We haveopenedanumberofoff-licencesandthey arealwaysslowtotakeoff.Theoneinthis storereachedafairlysolidlevelfairlyquickly andisstillgrowing,”heexplains.

West isbest

FromCorofininCo.Galwaybutlivingin Ballinrobeforthepast22years,Delaneyhasa strongbackgroundinretail.Hestartedoffhis trainingwithSuperValuin Tuambutveered awayfromretailforatimeandtrainedasan electrician.“IalwayslikedretailsoIwentback intoitandthemanagerinSuperValuaskedme

ifI’dliketodoamanagers’trainingcourse.I saidyeslet’sgoforitandIworkedmywayup toassistantmanagerinthatstorein Tuam.” In1999andreadyforachange,hesecureda jobinBWGFoodsasaSparretailoperations advisor.“IwascoveringtheGalway,Mayoand Roscommonarea.It’stheperfectpathto havingyourownstoreasyouareadvising retailersandifthereisaquestionyoudon’t knowyouhavetogoandfindouttheanswer soyoulearnveryquickly,”heexplains. However,Delaneywantedtobehisownboss andeventuallygottheopportunitytoopenhis ownstoreandhasn’tlookedbacksince.

Staff

Henowhasfiveshopsintotal;aMaxolin WestportandfourMacestoresinHeadford, Lisbawn,Charlestownandtheoneherein Castlebar.Heemploys115staffbetweenthe fivestoresbutlikemostotherretailers,finding staffhasbecomeadifficulttask.“Theyarejust notoutthere,”hesays.“It’stheworstithas beensinceI’vebeeninbusiness. We have extendedourofferingtoourstaffoverthepast yeartokeepthemhappy–thelikesofmeal allowances,extrawagereviewsetcjustto encouragepeopletostayasthereishuge competitionouttheresoweneedtolookafter themandbeflexible.”

Asidefromstaffshortages,theotherbig worryiselectricityalthoughDelaneyhastried toputsystemsinplacetosaveenergy wherevertheycan.

“Wehaveanintelligentrefrigerationsystem. We canshutdowncoolersatnightandthey rampbackupinthemornings.Itprioritises whichfridgeneedsthecoolantfirstand releasesitslowlysoyouarenotrampingup yourcompressors.Itsaysitis25%more efficientthanthepreviousone. We wouldalso havebeenguiltyofhavingtheovenonforone ortwotrays.Sowearetryingtoplanhowwe useourovensmoreeconomicallynow.

“Nobodyhasacrystalballbutthisenergy crisiswon’tlastforeverandtherewillbea stabilisation,”hebelieves.Alsocomingdown thelineisthenewhourlyrateforstaffbut

Delaneythinksthatthingswillevenout eventually.“Ourturnoveritalsorisingand ourmarginpercentageisremainingconstant whichmeansourcashmarginisalsorising. Therewilljustbeanewrealityanditwillbe 10/15%higherforeverything forwagesand energy Nobodywillbebetterorworseoff.”

Partners

DelaneycreditsMacewithbeingagreat partnerthroughallhisendeavours.“Like everyprojectwehavedonesofar,Igoto Maceandtellthemwhatwearethinkingof doing.Theyarealwayswillingtoputtheir shouldertothewheelwithyouandgiveyou support.BWGandMacearenotjust wholesalers,theyarebusinesspartnerstoo. We worktogetherverywell,”hesays. Despitethemassiveinvestmenttheyhave justmadeinthisstore,Delaneyispractical abouthowlongitwilllast.“Itwillprobably dousfor5-7years.Itneedstopayforitself now. We needtogettheinvestmentbackbut it’salreadyreachingitstargetssohopefully wewon’t belongpaying back ourinvestment. We’rereallypleasedwithhowitturnedout.” OnwardsandupwardsfortheDelaneysand theirMaceempireinthewest! ■

COLIN GORDON marketingexpert

Sponsorship:Doit butwith eyes - and wallets

-

wide open!

A keytoolwithinthemarketingtoolbox,sponsorshipsmustbe fullythoughtoutinordertoavoidthepotentialpitfalls,writes ColinGordon

Oneofthelesstalkedabout activities in themarketingtoolboxissponsorship; lesstalkedaboutandprobablyless understood.So,whatisit? According to Wikipedia:“Sponsoringsomething(or someone)isthe act ofsupportingan event, activity, person,ororganisation financially orthroughtheprovisionof products or services.” Butthisdefinition isbuiltnarrowlyon‘supporting’.

Sponsorshipismorethanjust a handout.It’s morethanjustbeingthe ‘chairman’s choice’ and certainly the budgetsforsponsorshiparemorethan the balancing itemintheoverall marketingplan.Thistoolis much too important,toobiginitsownrightand potentially treacherous, ifnothandled correctly norfullyunderstoodand properlypositionedwithinmarketingas a business function.

Formalisedsector

Thesectorisverymuchmoreformal andformalisedthanmightfirstappear. InIrelandandinternationallyithasits

ownawardsplatformwithmany significantbusinessorganisationskeen tobegivenpeerrecognition,and accordingtoOnside,sponsorship spendinIrelandin2022isalmostback toitspre-pandemichigh(at €195m) andaccountsforapproximately20% ofoverallcommunications investments.So,evenifit’snotmuch talkedabout,it’scertainlysubstantial anddeservestobebetterunderstood.

Sponsorshipisauniqueinteraction betweenbusiness,sport,culture, celebrity,diversityandinclusion,and environment.Itinvolvesobjectives includingpurealtruism,brand recognitionandbrandimagery.And don’tforgetpureandsimplecustomer hospitalityandentertainment.Maybe it’sthebreadthofpossibleareasof

coveragethatsomehowdilutesits relevance?Andthisbreadthcanalso giverisetohighsandlows.It’salso worthnotingthatthisverybreadth parallelsthebreadthofareasand complexitythatIbelieveisatthecore ofmarketingitself.Neitherarenarrow orsiloed;neitherareself-sufficientor self-serving.

Lookingagainatthe(albeitnarrow) Wikipediadefinitionandthelistof what’sincluded-events,activities, people-it’shardnottobeconscious ofthenewsandvariousheadlinesof recenttimes.Guinness’long-time sponsorshipoftheCorkJazzFestival; Ballygowanbecomingtheofficial waterforallstagesofrepresentative rugbyinIreland;FáilteIreland sponsoringtheweathersloton RTÉ

“Sponsorshipeffectivelytakessomeofthe

TV;SkysponsoringIrishwomen’sfootball; KeyCapitalanditssponsorshipofopera; TikTokissupportingthewomen’s6 Nations; Wayflyer(and Teneo)havesigned dealstosponsororcontinuesponsoring ShaneLowry.Thesearejustafew examplesofhowbroadthetoolcanbesports,culture,broadcastingetc.Onthe broaderscale,women’ssportsandwomen’s activitiesingeneralareseenasattractive targetsasare,literature,educational facilitiesandIrishsportsingeneral (especiallyastheyaredoingwell!).

Andtherearelayerstosponsorship; mainsupporters,secondary,official suppliers(àlaBallygowanexampleabove).

Bewarethepitfalls!

Sponsorshipneedstobeunderstoodnot onlyasalargeandimportantpartofthe corporateorbrandpersonalityordesired image.Practitionersneedtobefullyaware ofthepotentialpitfallsorunderestimation. Intermsofpitfalls,thinkofAdidasand otherbrandswhohadtodealwith antisemiticremarksandstancesby Ye (aka Kayne West,orisitKayne Westaka Ye?), NiallHorandidaTV‘tourofMullingar’ withhismateLuisCapaldisponsoredby Guinnessandgotabacklash,theLIVgolf ‘league’(!?)isfraughtwithdramaand

jeopardy.HertzweresupportersofOJ Simpson,LanceArmstronghad(eventually self-declared)issueswithdopingmaking hissponsorsrecoil.

Sponsorshipeffectivelytakessomeofthe controlofyourbrandorcorporatepersona andgivesittosomeoneorsomethingelse, notallofwhichyoucanmanage,nomatter howtightyourcontractis.Apartfromthis passingoverissue,sponsorshipoftenfails orunder-deliversbecausetheassetbeing supported(e.g.thecelebrity)isovervalued andthebudgetownerwillneverrecover theirmoney(there’sawell-knownexample of$126mbeingusedbytheUSNational GuardtosponsorNASCARracingbut onlygettingahandfulofnewrecruits);and theamountofresourcesneededtofully deliverthesponsorshipprogrammeisoften completelyunderestimated.Eventor celebritysupportwillneeddedicated promotionalmaterials,timeandoften resources.Overvaluingassetsandunderresourcingsupportwillcollidetoresultin asupercrash.Addtothatthepossible downsideiftheassetbehavesina‘bad’way andthewholeideaofsponsoringanything needstobefullythoughtoutandproperly managed.

Not sponsoringisnottheissue;doingit witheyes(andwallets)wideopenwill makeitmuchmoreeffective. ■

‘Marketingisintrouble:Howwegothereand 10stepstogetusout’ byColinGordonisnow availableto purchase, publishedbyOrpenPress. To getyourhandson a copy, visitthefollowing: www.orpenpress.com UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M9XY6HF

US: www.amazon.com/dp/B08M9XY6HF Ireland: MarketingisintroubleeBookbyColin Gordon-9781786051127. RakutenKoboIreland- www.kobo.com/ie/en/ ebook/marketing-is-in-trouble

10.Ifyouhadtoliveinanothercountry, wherewouldyouchoose? Spain–Ilovethelanguageandthe weather!

11.Greatestachievementtodate? Bitofacliché,butI’dhavetosaymytwo sons.IcompetedinHellandBackin2019 andwasquiteproudofmyselffordoing thattoo!SomethingIneverthoughtI woulddo!

12.Bestwebsite? Nike:It’saveryeasysitetonavigate throughandtheyhavesomeexcellent bargains.Toogoodsometimesinthathow manypairsofrunnerscanoneperson wearattheonetime! www.caldesene.ie isaveryclosesecond!

13.Mostannoyingpublicfigure? Nocomment!

change.

14.Bestpieceofadviceyouever received?

“Treatpeopleasyouwouldliketobe treated”–itcostsnothingtobenice.

15.Biggestfear? Wouldn’tbetookeenonspiders.

16.Cityorbeachbreak? Relaxingonthebeach.

17.Toprestaurantrecommendation? AsafamilywereallyenjoyTheMerry PloughboyinRathfarnham.

18.Poporrock? Popalltheway!

19.Favouritetimeoftheday? AfterdinnerTVdowntime.

20.What’sthelastcomplimentyou received?

Someonecomplimentedmeonmy children’smannersrecentlywhichis alwaysnicetohear.

Growingasone

The GalaGroup welcomedin excess of 350 guests to itsannual Gala Retail Conference& Excellence Awards2022, which tookplace at theGreat SouthernHotel inKillarney at theendofSeptember Itisthe first timethe Gala conference, trade fairand RetailExcellence Awardshave takenplace since 2019andthe atmosphere was oneof celebration,with retailers,wholesalersand suppliers coming together for thetwo-day event.

The themeofthis year ’s conference was ‘Grow asOne’andsaw the GalaGroup reportingsalesincreasesof28%since March 2020including a 10%salesincrease for the year to date whileacknowledgingthe challengesofcity centre storesas footfall hasn’t returned to pre-pandemiclevels. However, thegroup continues to grow withthe additionof43new stores to the Galaportfolio, including13new forecourt storessince 2020

TradeShow

Earlierintheday, guests at the conference attendedtheannual conference tradeshow in theINEC,Killarney, where they viewed new productsandservicesfromsuppliers, discussedsolutionsthat canbeincorporated in-store andsampledthedeliciousproduct rangefrom Gala’s in-house concepts Baker ’s Corner, New StreetDeli, CoffeeJunction, Galato andDistill.

The tradeshow isanintegralpartofthe annual Gala conference, commentingonthis, GalaGroupCEO GaryDesmondsaid:“Our

GaryDesmond,CEOofGalaRetailpicturedwiththeGalaRetailCouncilandMCattheGala conference,LucyKennedy.Fromlefttoright:GaryDesmond,JohnMcDermott,Majella Hennessy,LucyKennedy,HilaryDuffy,IreneMurphy,PaulHarkinandKevinBracken

suppliersare anintrinsicpartofthe Galamix, supporting Gala storesinthedeliveryofgreat value, qualityproduce and excellentservice to ourcustomers. The tradeshow provides a fantasticopportunity forGala retailersand suppliers to meet face-to-face, availof exceptionaloffersandseefirst-handthelatest innovations.”

Marketing

Community continues to be at the core of Gala Retail’s values,andthisis reflectedinthe brandmarketingactivitiesthegroup undertakesthroughoutthe yearasoutlined by GaryDesmondduringhisaddress.

This year Galain-store promotions focused on rewardingcustomersthroughthe‘Summer Days’ and‘Getaways’ in-store promotions, activationsthat drive footfall to Gala stores andgenerate goodwillwithinlocal communities. Touchingonthegroup’s sponsorshipofnationalchildren’s summer camps, Starcampwith Gala Retail,the Gala RetailInspiration Awards,andthegroup’s continuedsupportofSpecialOlympics Ireland,hehighlighted Gala Retail’s commitment to supportingIrishorganisations and celebratingtheinspirationalindividuals that canbe foundin communitiesacross Ireland.

GaryDesmondalsospoke aboutthe group’s awareness oftheimportance of buildingonline communitiesandits continued commitment to furthergrowingitsonline presence. Anearlyadopterofsocialmedia, the Gala Retailbrand continues to gofrom strength to strengthonline

Excellence in Retailing Awards

At the Gala awards event,it was time forGala retailers tocelebrate excellence in retailing withthe Gala RetailExcellence Awards,MC’d by TVand radiopresenter, Lucy Kennedy

Presented to storesthat are deemed ‘outstanding’ following a comprehensive and independentassessmentprocess,theannual awards recognisequality retailingthroughout the GalaGroup

49 Gala storesfromacross the country pickedupan award in recognitionoftheir excellence in retailing,withanadditional12 Category Awardspresentedonthenight, includingtheSocialMediaChampion, CustomerService andBrandChampion awards,amongothers.

Mondel˜ez Ireland was namedas Gala Supplierofthe Yearandmanagingdirectorof Mondel˜ez Ireland, Eoin Kellet commentedthat the company was thrilled to be receivingthe award He was presentedwiththe award by CEOof Gala Retail, GaryDesmond.

Speaking at the Awards Ceremony, Gary Desmond,said:“We are honoured to have so many excellentandpassionate retailers,and teams,withinthe GalaGroup

“Our retailersgoabove andbeyondandthis hasnever beenmore evidentthanin recent years.Itisourpleasure to recognisethe retailerswhoembodytheethosand valuesof Gala Retailintheirservice to their communities withthese awards.Itistheirsuccessesboth tonightandthewinsin-store everyday that make the GalaGroupbetter, strongerandable to Grow AsOne.”

EoinKellet,MDofMondel˜ez Irelandreceives theSupplieroftheYearAwardfromCEOof GalaRetail,GaryDesmondalongsideMC, LucyKennedy

RetailExcellence Award Winners

• O’Shea’s Blennerville, Co Kerry

• Gala,Mounthawk, Co Kerry

• Kane’s,Carlow

• Gala Gaelic Stores, Co Wexford

• McDermott’s, Patrickswell, Co Limerick

• Gala,Oak Park, Co Kerry

• Mulrooney’s,Nenagh, Co Tipperary

• Mulrooney’s, Roscrea, Co Tipperary

• Browne’s,Manorcunningham, Co Donegal

• Hennessy’s, Kilmeaden, Co Waterford

• Gala,Raheen, Co Wexford

• Mulrooney’s,Birr, Co Offaly

• Harkin’s,Ballybofey, Co Donegal

• Gala Louisburgh, Co Mayo

• Cullen’s, Adamstown, Co Wexford

• Hegarty’s,Carlow

• Dempsey’s, Portarlington. Co Laois

• Murphy’s,Kilanerin, Co Wexford

• Gala,Clonroche, Co Wexford

• Moynihan’s, Adare,Co Limerick

• Munnelly’s,Carlow

• McGloin’s, Foxford, Co Mayo

• Walsh’s,Kiltimagh, Co Mayo

• Mulrooney’s, Templemore,Co Tipperary

• Gala, Kells, Co Meath

• Camier ’s, Ballydehob, Co Cork

• Mulrooney’s, Portumna, Co Tipperary

• King’s, Wicklow

• Larkin’s,Ballina, Co Tipperary

• Egan’s,Dunmore,Co.Galway

• Gala,Ballina, Co Mayo

• Gala,Bosheen, Co Wexford

• Bracken’s, Portlaoise, Co Laois

• King’s,Maganey, Co Kildare

• Gala The Brink,Rathdrinagh, Co Meath

• Duffy’s, Terenure, Dublin

• Harkin’s, St Johnston, Co Donegal

• Lynch’s,Killydoon, Co Cavan

• Daly’s, Waterville, Co Kerry

• Mulhern’s,Crossmolina, Co Mayo

• King’s,Gorey, Co Wexford

• Darcy’s, Daingan, Co Offaly

• Gala, Courtown, Co Wexford

• Hanlon’s, Longford

• King’s,Ballylinan, Co Laois

• Holly’s,Moyvane, Co Kerry

• Dowling’s,Killenard, Co Laois

• Coyle’s,Belmullet, Co Mayo

• Nolan’s,Ardnore,Co Kilkenny

Category Winners

• 2022CustomerService Award: O’Shea’s,Blennerville, Co Kerry

• 2022OffLicence ofthe Year Award: Hegarty’s,Carlow

• 20222022Fresh Food Award: Murphy’s, Kanturk, Co Cork

• 2022Baker Corner Award: Kane’s,Carlow

• 2022MarketingInitiative Award: GalatheBrink, Rathdinagh, Co Meath

• 2022 CommunityInitiative Award: Harkin’s,Ballybofey, Co Donegal

• 2022Managerofthe Year: MarcusO’Rourke, Kieran’s, CarrickonShannon, Co Leitrim

• 2022BrandChampion Award: McDermott’s, Patrickswell, Co Limerick

• 2022Chilled Retailer Award: Duffy’s, Terenure, Dublin

• 2022Hero Award: Lynch’s,Killydoon, Co Cavan

• 2022SocialMediaChampion: Mulrooney Group

• 2022Supplierof The Year: Mondel˜ez Ireland ■

Pictured L–R isEricNolan,AryztaFoods;withAudreyKelly, fresh,frozentrading & logisticsmanager,GalaRetailandPaudie andMagsMcKenna,Lynch’sGalareceivingtheHeroAwardsfrom conferenceMC,LucyKennedy

Marketing & ambienttradingmanagerwithGalaRetail,TonyCluskey; picturedwithJohnMcDermottofMcDermott’sGalawhichreceivedthe BrandChampionAward;TonyCostigan,Mondel˜ez IrelandandMCat theGalaConference,LucyKennedy

DavidMelinn,PJCarrollswithGerardCrawfordofHarkin’sGala receivingtheCommunityInitiativeAwardfromconferenceMC,Lucy Kennedy,andTonyCluskey,marketing & ambienttradingmanager, GalaRetail

NewresearchfromTalonIreland*indicatesthattheIrishpublicisgearedupforalargerChristmas thisyear,with33%planningmorefamilygatherings.Moreguestsmeansmorefoodand53%plan ontradinguptoamorepremiumretailer,withonlyoneinfive(20%)ofshoppersstayingloyaland stickingwiththeirusualstore.Withthatinmind,it’smoreimportantthanevertostockanenticing

It’s themost wonderfultimeofthe year for sales!Irishgrocerysales were worth a staggering€3.1 billionduringthe12 weeks to 26December2021,according to Kantar research.

As consumersenjoyeda return to normal Christmas celebrationslast year, themarket sawa slightdeclineof2020’sfigure, but a 10.9%increase comparedwiththesame periodin2019 An extra €3.1 million was spent onChristmasdinner, withwholeturkey sales up by €1.9millionasthepublicsplashedout on a showstopping centrepiece.

Salesofother festive foods,including Christmasbiscuits,cheese, and confectionery were €10.5 milliongreater this yearthanin December2020 Meanwhile, consumers’taste for luxurypushedpremium own labelsales to a record-breaking€58million over December, €604,000more thanin2020 Withsomuch salespotential to behadinthe coming weeks, ensure you don’tmiss outonpotential purchases by failing to stocktheheavy hitters highlightedhere.

*(Source: Research by TalonIrelandandSparkMarket Researchof250 respondentsaged16+ conductedbetween 1-3rd August2022)

Footfallboost

PostPoint agentsacross itsnetworkof retail and convenience storesenjoya risein footfall, thanks to the rangeof convenientand essential footfalldrivingservicesthey canoffer PostPointis a wholly ownedsubsidiaryof An Post andoffers retailerstheopportunity to provide a comprehensive rangeofpostal productsas wellasbillpay, Lotto and top-ups.

Fromearly2023, Leapserviceswillbe exclusively availablethroughtheAn Post PostPointnetwork.All PostPointagentswill automaticallybeable to selland top up Leap cardswhenthisservice is switchedonearly next year

PostPointoffers a wide rangeofpopular Christmasproductssuchas stamps,giftboxes andbagsandOne4allgiftcards. This year, the company isadding a handy comboChristmas card and stamppack to its range

Convenience storeswhichopt for Parcel services experiencea hugesurgeintraffic in therun-up to andafterChristmas.Customers canpickupandsendtheirparcelsfromthese storesas wellas returnunwanteditems.All earningadditional commissionand footfall for you.

The additionofin-store PostPointServices providesessentialand convenientservices withinthe community, transforming storesinto destinationhubs.

If you wouldlike to know more about becoming a PostPointagent, contact1800 300150oremail aprs.sales@anpost.ie

BringouttheBessiein you!

AuntBessie’s wants to help everyonemake memoriesaroundthedinnertablethis Christmas. The brand’s much-loved rangeof productswillbesure to pleasethecrowd with minimalpreparation.Allthetaste minusthe hassleso familiesandfriendshave more time to enjoy the festivitieswiththeirloved ones!

The humble roast potato canmake orbreak any mealletalonethemuch-anticipated Christmasdinner AuntBessie’s ensures

shoppersdon’thave to take any chancesthis Christmas;they cansimplyserve up Aunt Bessie’s homelyandsatisfying oven roasted potatoes.

There are few thingsinlife more satisfying than a golden,crispy-on-the-outside-soft-onthe-insidepotato croquette. To getthemdone theright way, thebrand reckonsit’s got to be AuntBessie’s Croquettes!

Yourshopperscanalsosummonsmiles to faces thisChristmaswith AuntBessie’s 18 classic Yorkshire Puddings.Bakedfreshand

HomeBaking SoftDrinks ChristmasDrinks ChristmasEssentials

quicklyfrozen for yourshoppers’freezers, thesetraditionallymade Yorkshireswillbethe showstopper Plus,there willbeplentyleft for thenextday (or seconds!).

Nothing topsthis at Christmas!

Don’t forgetthecreamthisChristmas! Avonmore’s festive cream range already whippedand ready to serve- istheperfect accompaniment for all yourcustomers’tasty Christmastreats.

Avonmore’s limited-edition flavourswillbe available to storesfromearlyDecember, including Avonmore Freshly WhippedCream, Avonmore Caramel WhippedCream,Baileys WhippedCreamand Avonmore Brandy WhippedCream.Alreadywhippedand ready to serve fromthefridge, nothing tops Avonmore Cream at Christmas!

Fora fabulously festive array ofChristmas dishes,just checkout www.avonmore.ie which features a wideselectionoftraditional starters,mainsanddessertsas wellastreats, snacksand festive drinks. Avonmore Creamis thenumberonebrandedcreamintheIrish market,with 39% categoryshare*

*(Source: AC NielsenScantrack, 52 w/e14th August2022, value)

companiesandspecialist outlets.

ItsChristmas rangeiswiderthan ever before, providing a comprehensive selection ofproducts for giftwrappingandmaking hamperbasketsandgiftsets. The range includesbaskets,boxes ofmany sizes,trays, wrappingpaper bows andgiftbags.

Make anappointment to visittheshowroom or requesta Christmascatalogue by emailing Floraville-Seasons today at custservices@ reach-delpac.ie orcall 01 824 1888.

A sleigh-fulof festive favourites

Once again, Mondel¯ez International willbring thenationtheir festive favouritesthis year with a raftof confectioneryandbiscuittreats for everyone to enjoy, fromiconicbrandssuch asCadbury, Oreo, MaynardsBassettsand Green & Black’s.

outon-shelf, drivingincrementalsalesand encouragingshoppers to ‘trade-up’.

*(Source:NielsenIQ, TotalScantrack (excl.Dunnes& Discounters),ChristmasChoc, Valuesales,17 w/e26Dec2021)

**(Source:Scantrack excludingDunnesandDiscounters to MAT to 2January2022)

Luxury festive delights

Christmasallwrappedup!

Floraville-Seasons endeavours to offerquality products, at competitive prices,with a friendly andefficientservice.

Establishedin1956,Floravilleisoneof Ireland’s leadingsuppliersofChristmas,home, andgardenproducts.Floravilleisdelighted to have recentlybecomepartof ReachGroup allowingit to extenditspackaging range even further

Supplying exclusively to thetrade, Floraville’s clientsincludegiftshops;garden centres;homeandinterior stores;hamper

Leadingthemarket,Mondel¯ez International is central to Christmas confectionery andis numberonein five sub-categories advent calendars,selectionboxes andpouches,just to name a few*.It’s clearthat shopperstrust Mondel¯ezto bringthemtheproductsthey love comeChristmastime, with totalseasonal salesgrowing over 11.8%last year*.Inseasonal biscuits,Mondel¯ez alsohas a strongpresence, growing at 6%**last yearwith top-performing productsfromCadburyBiscuitsandOreo seasonalbiscuits.

seasonal biscuits.

Mondel¯ez International providestwo tempting hollowSanta offerings in50g and100g versions

This year, Mondel¯ez has rolledout a broad redesignacross itsseasonal range, whichsees many productswithnew, eye-catching,and elevated packaging. Thisnew lookwillhelp to drive further value for retailersandshoppers astheir festive favouriteswillhave a new touchofChristmasmagic,andthey’re sure to create excitementin-store

To focusonjusta coupleofproductsacross the company’s impressive Christmasportfolio, Chocolate Santasarea fundamentalpartof any retailer ’s Christmas confectioneryoffering. Mondelez Internationalhastwo hollow Santa offeringsin50gand100g versions.

Meanwhile, the CadburyDairyMilk Winter MintCrisp and OrangeCrisp willbe available in a 360gblock format thisChristmas,making ittheperfectsmallgift for Cadburylovers. What’s more, it’llbe rolledoutwith a new and impactfulgiftingdesignthat issure to stand

Christmasis a time for indulgence and Cuisine deFrance hastheperfectluxury festive range Its exclusive rangeofproductsare perfect for theseasonalshopperlooking to indulgein a tasty festive treat.CuisinedeFrance’s convenienttreatscanbeeaten on-the-goor takenhome to enjoy with familyandfriends. Fromtwo new muffins to sumptuous festive pastries,the rangeissure to have something to suitalltastes.

The new Christmas rangeincludesseven delightfulproductswhichare sure to become festive favouritesamongst consumers, including:

• Cranberry & Pumpkin Loaf

ThisloafismadewithCuisinedeFrance’s original33-year-oldsourdough starter, sweeteneddriedcranberrypiecesandcrisp pumpkinseeds.

• Classic SweetMince Pie

A deliciousrichfruitmixincludingjuicy sultanasin a sumptuousshortcrust pastry OneofCuisinedeFrance’s best sellers for Christmas.

• Orange & Chocolate Muffin

A lightandairyorange flavouredmuffin with milkchocolate chunksthroughout.Filledwith a velvetymilkchocolate sauce and topped with a chocolate rosette andChristmastree plaque

Storeswillhave a strongopportunity to boost salesthisChristmaswiththeCuisinede France Festive Treats range Retailersshould speak to theirlocalbusiness developer to inquire aboutintroducingthe rangeor contact afsordering@aryzta.com

isanidealsmallgiftforCadburylovers

Give thegiftofbliss

There reallyissomethingspecialabout Lindt chocolate at Christmas. Whetherit’s a momentofbliss before orafterpreparingthe Christmasdinner,a KrisKindlepresent,or somethingspecialundertheChristmastree, themaster chocolatiers at Lindthave been hard at workcreating a selectionof sumptuousgifts for theChristmasseason.

Afirm family favourite each festive season, theadorableLindt Teddyislovinglycreated by theLindtmaster chocolatiers,whoare offeringlotsof excitingcreations.New this yearistheLindt Teddy White Chocolate (100g)andtheuniqueLindt TeddyCrispy Bites(120g).Back for Christmasonce again are theLindt TeddyMilkChocolate (100g), Lindt Reindeer(100g),and a specialLindt Teddyin a festive Christmasjumper(200g).

ThisChristmas,Lindtwillbebringingback itssocialmedia competition,where you willbe asked to guess thelocationofLindt Teddyin well-knownlocationsacross Irelandandthe world,withthechance to winLindtchocolate hampers!Informationwillbe availablesoonon theLindtIrelandInstagramand Facebook pages.

Lindor, Ireland’s numberone* boxed chocolate has a delicious rangeofmouthwateringchocolateto match everytaste Expertlycrafted by theLindtmaster chocolatierswiththe finest tastingchocolate, theLindorChristmas rangehassomething for allthe family

FromtheLindorMilk Truffle in varyingsizes includingthe familiar200g cornet, to the ChristmaslimitededitionLindorMilk & White withsmoothmeltingwhite chocolate enrobed inthe finest milkchocolate Another favourite at ChristmasistheLindorGiftBox 287g, a beautifullycraftedgift-wrappedbox embellishedwith red bow– trulyperfect for everyone’s loved onesthisChristmas!

Also returningthis yearare theindulgent Lindorselectionboxes- availableinMilkand Assortedand filledwithanirresistible assortmentofLindor favoritesincluding temptingtrufflesandbars.It wouldn’tbethe festive seasonwithoutanadventcalendarand there is a milkchocolate truffle behind every dooroftheLindorMilkChocolate Truffles AdventCalendar300g.

Ideal for sharingthebliss,theLindor Assorted Tin offerssixblissful varieties.From classicMilk,and White chocolateto the irresistibleSaltedCaramel,there’saflavour for everyone

Lindtalsohas a permanentshopinKildare Villagewhere shopperscanpopin for alltheir festive needs!

*(Source:Nielsen Totalscantrack exclDiscountersMATdata to 14/08/22)

Merry Treatmas!

For thoselooking to impress this festive season, Baileys Chocolates will certainlyhit thespot. Returning to theBaileys range for Christmas2022are thegorgeous festive patternedChristmas TreeandChristmas Star tins, filledwiththe ever-popularBaileys Chocolate Original Truffles. Perfect for sharing with familyandfriendsafterChristmasdinner; theemptytinsalsomake idealChristmastree decorations.

Also returningintime for the festive season isthedeliciouslyindulgent, Baileys Chocolate Bombe All yourcustomershave to doispop thechocolate bombeintoa mugandmelt away the velvety, Baileys-flavouredmilk chocolate by pouring over theirchoice ofhot milk. Thensimply watch astheyummy, white marshmallows bubbleoutinto theirmug.Each pack containsthreeindividualChocolate Bombes ready for dunkingandmakingthe hottest drinkaround.

The Baileys Chocolate Collection(227g)is perfectlypresentedin a stunning,blackand gold,circularbox and contains a rangeof Baileys milk,darkandwhite trufflesalongwith otherclassicssuchas coffee, carameland

almond,guaranteed to delight everyonewith a sweet tooth

The Baileys Gift WrapBox (260g)isanother fantasticoption for giftingduringthe festive season. This rangeincludes a selectionof favourites,includingmilk,darkandwhite truffles,browniesandcaramelsallwiththe signature Baileys flavour

BaileysChocolateTrufflesareperfectfor sharingwithfamilyandfriends

The Baileys chocolate rangeis available at selectedSuperValu, Tesco andDunnes stores nationwideoronline at www.lirchocolates. com/baileys-collection

Christmas food to order

Withjust over 10 weeks to gountilChristmas, Marks & Spencer haslauncheditsChristmas Food to Orderservice.

Christmas Food to OrderisM&S’s online Christmas food-orderingservice, allowing customers to choosefrom50Christmas Foodhallclassics for collectionin storesacross Irelandon23rd or 24thDecember

The lines availablethroughtheservice range fromclassicIrishpoultry to veganmainsand fromsumptuoussides to dazzlingdesserts, coveringalltheChristmasdinner staples,as wellassnackingdishes for throughoutthe day. And for theshowstopper, M&S isproud to presenttheFree-Range StuffedIrish Turkey Crown fromMonaghan’s Grove Farm.

M&S hasalsolaunchedanearlybird offer, givingmembersoftheSparksloyalty programme a €10 voucher to spendinthe M&S Foodhallwhenthey place anorderof €50ormore.

The M&S Christmas Food to Order service isnow available at www.christmasfood.marksandspencer.ie

By yoursidethisChristmas

MashDirect(www.mashdirect.com), the award-winning‘field to fork’ vegetable accompanimentsbrandbringing a rangeof convenient vegetablesidedishes to festive

MashDirect DuckBites, withpotato, green cabbageand fivespice, arecoated in a crispy, golden, gluten-free crumb

LindtLindoris Ireland’snumber oneboxed chocolate

TheLindtTeddyMilkChocolate(100g)is a Christmasclassicand a perfectstocking filler

carefullyselectedhomegrownredcabbage andbeetroot,steamcookedandblended togethertocreate a deliciouscombinationof textureandflavour

chillersthisChristmas.

Rangingfrom Red CabbageandBeetroot, BrusselsSproutswithBacon, Potato Croquettes,CheeseandOnionCroquettes to Honey Glazed Parsnips,HamandCheese BitesandDuckBites,there isguaranteed to besomething for everyone to enjoy this festive period. ThisChristmas rangeoffers the convenience oflittlepreparationand quick cookingtimeswithgreat taste and Christmasflavours;set to be a hit for all festive occasions.

MashDirect’srangeismadefreshonthe farm‘field to fork’usingestablished-heritage varietiesof vegetables,grown to bringbig flavours to theChristmastable The vegetablesare gently steam cooked

MashDirectoffersfreshsteamcooked brusselssprouts,withsucculentbaconand a richbutterglaze,readytoheatandenjoy

immediatelyafterharvesting,guaranteeing anunrivalledfreshness offlavourwithno compromiseoneitherthenutritional benefitsornatural texture ofeach vegetable Eachdishislow insaturated fat, gluten-freeandfreefromartificial flavouringsand colourings.

MashDirecthas a wide rangeofseasonal products to cater for all yourshoppers’ festive needsandtake the stress outof Christmas,allowing yourcustomers to spendmore timewith family Eachproduct takes30minutesorunder to prepare, allowingMashDirect to meet consumer demand for convenience throughout Christmasandbeyond.MashDirect’s diverse Christmas rangeissure to bringplentyof variety to the festive table, whilst still focusingontraditionaltastes.

MashDirect’sHam & CheeseBitescombine farmfreshpotatoes,hamandmaturecheese coatedin a deliciousgoldencrumb

MashDirectmakesfestivediningstress-free thisChristmaswithtastyaccompaniments suchasHoneyGlazedParsnips

MashDirect’sRedCabbage & Beetrootuses

GuaranteedIrishmultistore giftcard

A secure andtrusted giftingsolution; a Me2You giftcard isanidealgiftthis Christmas.Betheya lover of fashion,gaming, beauty, toys, or evensplurgingonsometasty festive goodies,Me2Youhas everyone covered. With over 7,000 storesaccepting Me2Youcardsnationwide includingSmyths

Toys Superstore, Arnotts, Penneys, Brown Thomas, H&M, Tesco, M&S,TKMaxx, Applegreen,Currys PC World,Harvey Norman, RiverIsland,Boots,andsomany more.

Me2Youisalsoacceptedin over 1,000 stores online, meaning everyone’s loved onescan redeemtheirgiftcard fromthe comfortof their own home

A Me2Yougiftcard isalso a perfectsolution for corporate giftingneeds employerscannow reward theiremployeesup to €1,000tax-free

Irish-ownedandoperated,Me2YouGift CardssupportIrish retailandshoppinglocally whichismore importantthan ever, particularlyduringtheseuncertaintimes.

Me2YouGiftCardsare available to purchase in valuesfrom €15- €150, throughthe Payzonenetwork, at any Applegreen nationwide, andonline at www.me2you.ie ‘Me2YouGiftCard– The GiftofChoice!’ For more information,email sales@me2you.ie, or callthe team at01 5542000

CrammedwithChristmas flavours

Followingonfromitssell-outsuccess last year inIreland,Irishmeatless meat brand Thanks Plants haslaunchedits Festive Roast for 2022 whichiscrammedwithChristmasflavours.

With over 30%ofpeoplechoosingeither a flexitarian, vegetarianor vegandiet,there is a requirement to offermore thanthetraditional turkey andham at Christmasinorder to satisfythetastes ofalldiners at thetable The ThanksPlants Festive Roast isideal for this;an artisanproductmadefrompremium wholesomeingredients,it’s burstingwith deliciousflavoursandistheperfectalternative to a stuffedturkey crown.

Dublin veganAislingCullenisthe founderof ThanksPlantsandcreated the Festive Roast in response to a lackofmeat substitute products inIrishsupermarkets.Heraim was to makea productthat was meatyin texture butmade fromwholefoodingredients –a tasty

alternative to traditionalChristmasmeats.

The Festive Roast features a delicious gourmet stuffingmadewithmushrooms, chestnutsandcranberries. The meatless meat partis a mixofseitanflour, pearlbarley, cannellinibeans, vegetables,herbsandspices.

“Thisisourthird yearwiththe Festive Roast andit continues to out-performour expectations,” saidAislingCullen.“Customers are looking fora high-qualitydinner centrepiece that vegansand vegetarianscan enjoy, andit’s a great mealsolutionif you are unsure what to servea veggieguest.More and more peopleare choosing to reduce their consumptionofmeat sothisisanideal product to serve alongsidethetraditional turkey andham.Italso worksgreat as leftovers just likea turkey orhamsandwich.” For more information,visit www.thanksplants.co

FeaturingLilyO’Brien’ssignaturechocolate recipe,LilyO’Brien’sTrufflesare individuallywrappedandavailablein single flavour200gboxes

Make sure to delight yourshoppersthis Christmas, by stockingupwith LilyO’Brien’s rangeofmouthwateringlydelicious chocolates.AllmadeinIrelandandcrafted usingsignature LilyO’Brien’s chocolate, this delicious rangeofferstheperfectselection to meetall yourshoppers’giftingneedsthis Christmas.

LilyO’Brien’s sophisticated Chocolate Collectioncontains a generous selectionof 26chocolates andissureto suitalltastes withnine different recipes

Brand-new this year, LilyO’Brien’s has launched a decadentlydelicious rangeof chocolate Truffles Availableinthree luxuriouslyindulgent recipes,MilkChocolate Truffles,SaltedCaramel Trufflesand Vanilla Truffles,thesedivinetrufflesare created with passionusingLilyO’Brien’s signature chocolate recipe, are individuallywrappedand availableinsingle flavour200gboxes.

This excitingnew launchfromLilyO‘Brien’s issupportedwithanabove-the-line(ATL) digitalandprintcampaignandimpactfulPOS displays for Quarter 4 to drive awareness and trialwith consumers.

LilyO’Brien’s Chocolate Collection isthe perfectgift for shoppers to reallyimpress with this festive season. This strikingly stylishand sophisticated largebox contains a generous selectionof26chocolates andwithnine different recipesissure to suitalltastes. Recipesincludedare SaltedCaramel,Simple Chocolate, Zesty Lemon Truffle, Truffle Decadence,CoffeeandAlmondBiscotti, Raspberry Roulade, Sticky Toffee, Roasted AlmondSquare andGianduja.

Firm family favouriteswithIrishshoppers and rankedinthe topfive premiumchocolate collectionsandgrowing wellaheadofthe market(Source: NielsenMat Dec2021),the iconicDesserts CollectionandtheUltimate Chocolate Collectionare must-stockitems for

LilyO’Brien’s Desserts Collection includes much-loved recipessuch asRaspberry Infusion, Banoffee Pieand Hazelnut Torte

Christmas2022.

Meanwhile, thebest-sellingandmuch-loved Desserts Collection includessomeofthe world’s most loved dessert recipes,including Hazelnut Torte, RaspberryInfusionand BanoffeePie It’s theperfectaccompaniment to any dinnertableorget-togetherwith family andfriendsandissure to put a smileon everyone’s face The Desserts Collectionis availableintwo box sizes; a 16chocolates and a larger30chocolates box.

The Ultimate Chocolate Collection reallyis theultimate indulgence for chocolate lovers. Containingeightmouthwateringmilk,white anddarkchocolate recipes,theUltimate Chocolate Collectionis availablein a beautifullygift-wrappedballotinbox with a smartbluebow andisalso availablein a stylishsinglelayer box.Bothare perfect for undertheChristmastreeandlast-minute

giftingon-the-go at Christmas.

Fora successfulChristmasseasonand tocontinue to grow yoursalesthis year, thebrandadvisesmakingsure to stock LilyO’Brien’s thisChristmasseason. Available to orderthrough Tennant & Ruttle, contact yoursales representative for more information at www.lilyobriens.ie

LilyO’Brien’s Ultimate Chocolate Collection containseight mouthwatering milk,whiteand darkchocolate recipes

Wide Eye Outdoordeliveringdata-ledadvertising

Wide Eye Outdoor ’s Adtower Network is Ireland’s largest in-store digitaladvertising authorityandprovides revenuegeneration opportunities for retailers.

Workinginpartnershipwith stores nationwide, thegroupleveragesthe value of yourcustomersthroughadvertising revenueandwith real-timeshopperinsight.

Each Wide Eye Outdoor Adtower unitis equippedwith a sensor collecting anonymouslive datawhile remainingfully GDPR compliant.Customeranalyticscanbe made available for any orallcampaignsand includeaudience impressions,demographics, attentiondurationanddwelltime Its existing retailmedianetworkscanbe seeninhighimpactlocationslike SuperValu, Centra,Eurospar, Spar, Mace, Londisas wellas forecourt retailersMaxol, Circle K andindependent symbolgroups.

For brands keen to furthertapinto people’s journeys beyond retail, Wide Eye Outdoordigitalengagementpointscanbe purchasedinpubs,cinemas,gymsand at Certapetrolpumps.AsIreland’s largest digitalout-of-homenetwork, Wide Eye Outdoorhasmore than1,000digital screensnationwideand reachesan audience of200millioneach year

“Strategicallyplacedfrompath, to point ofpurchase, Wide Eye Outdooroffers brandstheopportunity to influence at all stagesofthesalesfunnel,from awareness through to thesaleitself,” explains commercialdirector EoinO’Connor “We canoptimiseclient’s creative contentwith ourlargerpremiumscreens,andright through to last-minute decision-making nudges.”

By selectinglocationsthroughout Wide Eye Outdoornetworks,brandsare able to intercepttheaudience they wish to target at multiple touchpointsacross people’s dailyjourneys Furthermore, theability to leveragedynamicpre-designed content according to triggerslike daypart, weather orspecific eventsenables Wide Eye Outdoor to workwithclientsindeveloping evenmore memorable content.

“Contextual,engagement-ledadvertising withlocationspecific data,presents a game-changer for onsite communication withshoppers at scale,” addsO’Connor “And for Wide Eye Outdoor ourinsights, locationled,audience led,anddataled toolsallow us to move fromsimplyselling screens to providingimpactfuland memorableengagementopportunities for ourclients.” ■

AnO’ooh-so-luxurious delight!

Cheers toChristmas!

HomeBaking SoftDrinks ChristmasDrinks

ChristmasEssentials

The festive periodprovidesample opportunities for suppliers to promote theiralcoholbrandsheavilywith a view to enjoyingmore returnsthan at any other timeofthe year Shopperdata revealsthat whenbuyingalcoholicdrinks for Christmas, promotionsare extremelyeffective triggers: 40%ofitemsare onlypurchasedbecausethey were onpromotion.Shoppersalsobrowse more duringthisperiod,whichgivesbrands more opportunities to get attention.

Bar-qualityserves at home

Offeringpremium ready-to-shake cocktails builton20 yearsof experience, the Cocktail Keg Company (CKC) hasunrivalled flavour,

CKC provides bar-quality servesat home

Unafraid to challengecategorynorms,CKC was foundedin2017 by two award-winning bar owners;whosecreativeflair, passion for theirindustryandsheerdoggedness to beled by innovationwith a planet-first mantra,has createda paradigmshiftin cocktail consumption allowinganyone to pouran award-winning,hand-crafted cocktailintheir glass within30seconds.Originallydesigned for theon-trade, thebrandquicklypivoted whenthedoors to hospitalityclosedin2020, andCKC now offersits rangeofhigh-quality servesthrough retail, to recreate those on-trade experiences, at home CKC isnow available to buythrough Noreast

Q: What wastheinspirationand ethosbehind startingthe Cocktail Keg Company?

A: Fromthebeginning,the foundershave been committed to creatinginnovativeservesthat notonlytaste great,butarealsoassustainable

astheycanmakethem.Andon topofthat, theyhave a strictfield to cup,ultra-premium freshproducepolicy, andusenoartificial colours,flavoursorpreservatives. Perfectingtheartofmixologytakes years. The history,theskillset,thetheatre. They’vedone allthehard work for youandputitinabottle. Nowall youhave to dois,shake, garnishand serve. Simple.

Q:Howdoes yourportfolio standoutfrom otherproductscurrently available forthese consumers?

A: Themainingredientin every cocktailsold globallyiscitrus-importedlemonsandlimes thathave ahugecarbon footprint.Unimpressed withthatbeingtheonlysolution available,in 2017,the foundersdevelopedtheir owncitrus programme, ‘ANAM’.

Indigenous to Ireland,ANAM’sunique recipe, whichisunderpatent review, allows thebrand tocold-fill,unpasteurized,makingCKCtheonly completelyfreshbatched cocktailinthemarket today.

Withunrivalledflavour,premiumingredients and consistencydeliveredon everyserve, CKC sourcesonlythehighestqualityspirits, forbarqualityserves.

Q:Howmany retailerscurrently stock your rangeandwhatare yourtargets to grow this numberfurtherduring2022?

A: Followingahugelysuccessfullaunch inNorthernIreland,deliveredthrougha distributionagreementwithMusgraveGroup, CKCiscurrentlysellingthroughSuperValu, Centra,Mace, MusgraveMarketPlaceas wellas DrinksInc. >>

premiumingredientsand consistency delivered on everyserve. The groupsources onlythe highest qualityspirits for bar-qualityserves.

AnthonyFarrellandPaulBurns, founders,CocktailKegCompany(CKC)

Thebrandalso recentlyannounceditslaunch into the RepublicofIreland,inpartnership withleadingdrinksdistributor,Noreast.CKC co-founder PaulBurnssays ofthebrand’s expansionplans:“Wehave ambitious numbersintheplan forthis year,andwith therightdistributionpartners to helpusdrive growth, we’re excited to seethebrandappear onmoreshelves overthenext sixmonths, deliveringmoreCKCmoments for consumers acrossIreland.”

Q:Howimportantissustainability for youas agroupandhoware you working to deliver resultswithinthisarea?

A: Ourplanetisthe core ofourDNA,”says CKC co-founderAnthony Farrell. “That’swhy we championlocalprovenance, andthat’swhy we’repassionate inourjourney to become carbonneutral. For everybottle youbuyonline, we plantatree. Fromthebeginning, we’ve constantlychallengedourselves to dobetter, andthat won’t stopasthebrandgrows–if anything,itbecomes evenmoreimportant.”

whichis a complex andfull-bodiedblendof MalbecandCabernetSauvignon. A single varietalDoña PaulaEstate SauvignonBlanc completestheline-up

Beautifullybuttery

Barefoot,thenumberoneUSA winebrandin Ireland,hasbeen rollingoutits Barefoot ButteryChardonnay intheIrishmarketsince 26October

Creamy andsmooth,BarefootButtery Chardonnay isburstingwithpineapplearomas andlayersof toastyoakthat perfectly complementthesmoothanddelicious vanilla finish.Itis a perfectaccompaniment to an indulgentchickenincreamsauce, a cheeseboard orfreshcrab, servedwithplenty ofbutter

Q:How stronglyhaveyouinvestedin marketingthebrandin2022andwhatwill yourmarketingplans forthe remainderof this yearentail?

A: “We’vejust completedasubstantial rebrandwhich rolledoutlate last year,and includedapackaginganddesign overhaul, alongwithnew website,”says Farrell.“Next up, we’llbesupportingourROIlaunchwith asignificantdigitalandsocialcampaign, alongsidehighimpact retailvisibilityand consumersampling,”

Since itslaunchin2021,BarefootButtery Chardonnay continues to rapidlygrow inthe UK;up220% over thelast 52 weeks*, emulatingtheperformance oftheButtery Chardonnay category Stateside, whichhas seen a 12%growth**.

BarefootButteryChardonnay 750mlhasan ABV of13.5%andisnow availablefrom Tesco andwholesalersnationwide(RRP: €10, with a specialintroductoryprice of€9 at Tesco)

*(Source:IRI Total U.K.Off-Trade, 07.08.22MAT, Total Still Wine)

**(Source:IRI TOTALUSMULO, 06.02.22MAT, Total Still Wine)

The beerfrom ‘ah here’

“Thebeerfrom ‘ah here’” That’s how the hilariousnew campaign for 5 Lamps describes theDublinborn-and-brewed beer

Outstanding quality

Outstandingquality and value

FeelingthepinchthisChristmas? Ireland’s favourite winebrand, SantaRita120 delivers excellent value for money andoutstanding quality Try thecrispand zesty 120Sauvignon Blancwith a smokedsalmon starter, orthe120 PinotGrigioisalways a crowd pleaser Or for those watchingthecaloriesoralcoholunits, there’s the120DealcoholisedorDe-Light rangewhichincludesbothwhite and red winesincludingthelightly floralMoscato and fruityCabernetSauvignon.

Meanwhile, theSantaRitaMedalla Real Reserva is a great mid-rangeoption,ideal to accompany turkey Competitivelypriced aroundthe €12-€15mark,grape varietiesin the rangeinclude a refreshingCasablanca Sauvignon,elegantLimariChardonnay and Syrah and a plummy MaipoCabernet Sauvignon.

Fora funandfunky labelonChristmas tablesthisChristmas, yourshopperscantry the Frida Kahlo by Carmen range Pricedin the €10-€15 range, thisqualityChileanwine includes a perfect for sippingSauvignon Blanc, a vibrant Roséand a soft,seductive Merlot.

Meanwhile, for thoseseekingthepleasure of a warmingglass of red,the Doña Paula Estate MalbecfromArgentinais a must. Thiselegant, refined yet veryapproachableMalbecismade by renownedwinemakerandviticulturalist of the yearMartin Kaiserusinggrapesgrown at 1,350metresinthe foothillsoftheAndes. The rangealsoincludesDoña PaulaEstate Blue Velvet,analluringblendofMalbec,PinotNoir andBonardaandtheEstate Black Edition

“Barefootisallaboutcreatingwinesthat are fun,approachableand flavourful,andBarefoot ButteryChardonnay ticksallthoseboxes,says Philip Lynch, countrymanager for Ireland at E&J Gallo Winery “Butteryisanapproachable andeasy to understand termthat nicely expressesthecreamy notesofthewineand BarefootButteryChardonnay’s success to date suggeststhat thisissomethingthat resonates with consumersonbothsidesofthe Atlantic. We can’t wait to introduce thisnew styleofChardonnay to more consumers over the comingmonths.”

Relaunching 5 Lamps, a BulmersIreland ownedbrand,thecampaignchampionsthe characterofDublin,its colourfulpeople, their languageandthecity’s great publichouses, where thegreat andthegoodallmix,sharing their stories,theirbanterandof course a few pints.

BarefootButteryChardonnaycontinuesto rapidlygrowintheUK;up220%over thelast52weeks

5 Lampsis a locallybrewed beer, with roots planted firmlyin a modern, contemporary, but authenticplace– Dublin.

Just like thebeeritself, thenew campaignis made to bedistinctive, soas to standoutin a verycrowdedcategory

That senseoflocalis veryimportant to an audience that increasinglyseeksoutlocal brandsandsupportslocalsuccessstories. The last numberof yearshave emphasised to many that it’s good to feelthata brand ‘gets’ them,andunderstandswhere they’re at, and what’s important to them.Andthegreat thing is,inDublin, everyonecan feellikea local,no matterwhere they’re from. The ‘here’of ‘ah here’isanimportantpartofthecampaign.

The campaignisrunningonvideo-ondemand,social, radio, out-of-home, and in-store, as wellashaving a strongon-trade presence.

Dublinborn-and-brewedbeer 5 Lamps celebratesthecapital’suniquecharacter

HomeBaking SoftDrinks ChristmasDrinks

ChristmasEssentials

Cocktails for Christmas

Funkin Cocktails ison a mission to show that pre-mixed cocktailsaren’tallcheapartificial liquidsandthat thesamegreat taste, standard and texture of cocktailscrafted at thebarcan beachieved at home The popularityof RTDs and cocktailsintheoff-tradeislargely reflective of a trend for consumers to have more premium foodanddrink experiences at homeandit’s important to ensure these experiencesare accessible at a rangeofprice points.

Consumers continue to look for high-quality drinks to enjoy withoutleavingthehouse, Funkin Cocktailshas continued to grow its portfolioof RTDswith a rangeofoptionsthat are madefromqualityingredientsand guarantee a premiumserve for minimum cost andeffort. The Funkin Cocktails range, including PassionFruitMartini, Strawberry DaquiriandPina Colada,has experienced rapidsuccess Newlylaunchedthissummeris Funkin Cocktail 700ml. The format isideal for thoselooking to pickupdelicious cocktails to share withothers.It’s currently availablein

Mulledciderperfection

two popular flavours; PassionfruitMartini & StrawberryDaiquiri.Funkin Cocktailscaters for alltaste profilesandisnotjust for the summer This year, yourshopperscanenjoya festive Christmaswithtastyandeasy-to-drink cocktails.

Handmadewithlove

For theperfectholiday gift, yourcustomers cannever gowrongwithcraft vodka. Tito’s Handmade Vodka isAmerica’s originalcraft vodka,andoneofthe fastest growingspirits brandsinIreland.

In1995,sixth-generation Texan Bert“Tito” Beveridgeobtainedthe first legalpermit to distillin Texas andcreated Tito’s Handmade Vodka on a plotoflandinrural Austinwhere hebuilt a smallshack,rigged a pot stillwith spare partsandbatch distilledhis corn-based, naturallygluten-free vodka.

Today, Tito’s Handmade Vodka isnow availablein over 140marketsincludingthe Americas,Europe, Asia, Australia,andthe MiddleEast,andisdistilledandbottled by FifthGenerationInc.in Austin,onthe very samelandwhere thewholething started. Tito’s isalsohighly committed tocommunity causes,charitableorganisations,anddisaster reliefeffortsacross the world,throughthe brand’s “Love, Tito’s” initiatives,including especiallypet welfare efforts.

InIreland, Tito’s is represented by Comans Beverages Ltd

Ireland’s favourite Asianbeer

AsahiSuperDry wasfirst launchedin1987 in Japanasthe first drybeerwith a crispand refreshingtaste Having revolutionisedthe beerindustryinJapan,itisnow thenumber onebeerinJapanandthenumberoneAsian beerintheIrishmarket*.

AsahiSuperDryisbrewed withprecision to thehighest quality standards,underthe supervisionofJapanesemaster brewers. The advancedbrewing techniquesdeliver a dry, crisptaste andquick,clean finish.Assuch, AsahiSuperDryintroducedanentirelynew genre ofbeer to Japanand to the world.

The brandhasannounceditspartnership with WorldRugby astheOfficialbeer for the Rugby WorldCup2023,whichwillkickoffin Septembernext yearinFrance. Japan’s leadingbeerwillbeserved at all venues for the tournamentandwillbeshowcased to a globalaudience ofmore than800million rugby fans. The partnershipwilldrive mass awareness andtrialofthebrandglobally.A sharedpassion for excellence andcreating unforgettablemomentsunite bothpartiesas doesthedesire to breakfrom conventionsand create a taste for theunexpected.

*(Source:NielsenOff-TradeLagerData11.09.2022)

Christmasisthetime to spend togetherwith familyandfriends;‘Tisthe Season When TimeBearsFruit’. Bulmers, Ireland’s numberonecideris synonymouswithdrinkingoccasions celebratedinsummer, over ice. To capitaliseonthisbrand strengthandpositive position,Bulmerswilldrive consumptionmomentsand relevance inthewinterperiodwith a Bulmers MulledCiderChristmascampaign.

The campaignwillkickoffinDecemberwithfullthrough-the-line support.Bulmers’heart-warmingChristmasTVadwillbebackonair ensuringthebrandis top ofmindandthiswillbeamplified by a heavy weightsocialmediaandout-of-home (OOH)plan.

The Bulmersbrand team recognisethat consumerswillbeplanning for hosting at home, seekinginspirationandeasy ways to create special, seasonal experiences. Withthat inmind,Bulmerswillbegivingshoppers thechance to have the experience ofhotBulmersMulledCider at home Inselectedoutlets,shopperswill receive thegiftof a BulmersMulled Ciderkit,freewith everypurchaseofselectedBulmerspacks. The limited-editiongiftwithpurchasewillbe availablewhile stockslast and willbesignposted in stores by disruptive pointofsale

TRYTHEORIGINAL

REFRESHMENT

RefreshingItaliantaste

Shoppersare tradingupthisChristmas,with ‘superpremiumlager ’ growingaheadofthe category at +16%. The superpremiumlager space isnow comfortablybiggerthan standard lager, holding18%of valueshare.

PeroniNastro Azzurro hasbenefited from theongoingtrend towards premiumisation andhas resonated withtheIrish consumer with total Peroni volumeup65% year-to-date (YTD) versus2019and versus ‘totallager ’ at +3%.

PeroniNastro Azzurro hasbeenbrewing withItalianpassionand flairsince 1963 and this yearlaunched PeroniNastro Azzurro 0.0% to cater for thoselooking fora non-alcoholic option.Masteringhighqualitytaste with zero percentalcohol, Peroni’s brewing teamhave usedinnovative technologyandthesame premiumingredientsasitsalcoholbeer to create PeroniNastro Azzurro 0.0%. The range alsoincludes PeroniGlutenFree, for those whoare looking for gluten-freealternatives.

More recently, PeroniNastro Azzurro launched330mlslimcan formats, availablein a six-packand10-pack. The format has resonated withIrish consumerswiththe PeroniNastro Azzurro cansix-packgrowing at +252%YTD vs 2021.

PeroniNastro Azzurro isknownas a major player withinthesuperpremiumlager category, with94%ofIrish consumers aware ofthebrand. The brandissupported by its ‘Live EveryMoment’ campaigninspired by its Italian styleandheritagewhichhas come to life onTV OOHandonlineplatforms. The campaignencourages consumers to elevate and experience everymomentwithtrue passionand style

(Sources:NielsenOff TradeLagerData11.09.2022/ RedC Brand TrackingROIQ222)

Nolimitsonenjoyment

andonlyafterthecharacteristicaromaand taste profileof PeroniNastro Azzurro isfully developed,isthealcoholgently removed to deliverthecrispand refreshingItaliantaste The trendofdrinkingbeerischanging. Thanks to itseffervescent, refreshingtaste and 0.0% alcohol, consumerscanlive every momentfully ThisChristmas,whether meetingfriends at a bar, or relishingtime at home, there are nolimits to whenandwhere consumerscanenjoy PeroniNastro Azzurro 0.0%.

*(Source: ConceptProduct Research-MMR)

The perfectlocalgift

Giftingdilemmasabound at thistimeof year: Whether yourcustomersare sickofgetting siblingsthesamething every year want to impress theirpartner ’s parentsor avoidthe overthinkingthat goesinto gettingtheirboss ‘a token’ every year, hunting for theperfect giftscanalladdup to a stressfulendeavour

Butfretnot! Foxes Bow Whiskey has you covered. A brand-new Irishwhiskey, inspired by modern, contemporaryIrelandandthe creativityalive and wellhere.

Foxes Bow istripledistilledandtriplebarrel finished,agedinbourbonbarrels,and finished inOlorososherryandrye casks,anunusual mixofbarrel finisheswhichmakes fora layered, yet deliciouslybalanced,quality whiskey That allsounds fancy, butthebottom lineisthat thisis a giftthat issure to put everyoneinthegoodbookswithany whiskey lover intheirlife.

Eachbottle featureslimitededitionartwork by Irishartist JohnSlade, addingan extra special touch to make for theperfectgift. Released by two proud, youngLimerick co-founders, Foxes Bow Whiskey looks a millionmilesfromthewhiskey you mightbe used to seeingonoff-licence shelves.Butit aims to bringsomethingunique to thetable that’s already receiving rave reviews from whiskey lovers.

At €39, itmakes fora qualitygift,without breakingthebank. Availablenow inSuperValu, O’BriensandCarryOut storesnationwideor online at irishmalts.com

For more information,visit www.foxesbowwhiskey.com and Instagram:@foxesbowwhiskey

PeroniNastro

CraftedwithsuperiorItalianingredients

PeroniNastro Azzurro hasbeenbrewed withItalianpassionand flairsince 1963. This new technologyallows thesamesignature recipeas PeroniNastro Azzurro to beused,

Gold for Gunpowder

PJ andDeniseRigney (foundersand ownersof The ShedDistilleryand DrumshanboGunpowderIrishGin) recently celebratedGunpowderGinwinningthe InternationalSpiritBrandofthe Year at the prestigious2022 WineEnthusiast Star Awardswith staff at The ShedDistillery

The Leitrimbrand was theonlyIrishbrand andoneofjust two Europeandistilleries to make theshortlist. The ShedDistillery was also theonlyfully family-owned company inthe running, competingagainst Dwaynethe Rock Johnson’s Teremana Tequila,Brown Foreman’s Woodford Reserve andSazeracBuffalo Trace representingtheUSA andMoëtHennessy‘s Ardbeg representingScotland. The win was announcedlive onscreenfromtheUSon Thursday, 3 November to over 80 staffand localsupportersgathered at The Shed DistilleryinDrumshanbo, Co Leitrim.

Citrussensation

DrumshanboGunpowderIrishGin with CaliforniaOrangeCitrusalsodidn’t fail to surpriseanddelight at itslaunchinNolita, Dublinon 27 September Guests were thrilled to meetthe world-famousmixology starsand Tik Tok sensations,Johnny Drinks,who flew in especiallyfromNew York for theoccasion.

A masterfulblend

Roe& Co is a premiumblendedIrishwhiskey, namedinhonourofGeorge Roe, a true pioneerofIrishwhiskey Refined,elegant,and with remarkabledepth,thisis a masterful blendofrichmaltwhiskey andthesmoothest ofgrainwhiskey agedinbourboncasks.

George Roe& Co helpedbuildthegolden era ofIrishwhiskey inthe19th century The distillery at Thomas Street,Dublin extended over 17acresandthey were Ireland’s largest exporterofwhiskey Asneighbours for hundredsof years,George Roe& Co and Guinness were thetwo biggest names at the heartofDublin’s historicbrewinganddistilling quarter Today, there is a resurgence of significance, andthe Thomas Streetareais once againbecoming a vibranthubofbrewing anddistilling.

Roe& Co hasthesignature smoothness of Irishwhiskey withaddedlayersof flavours. ThisChristmas, yourshopperscanenjoya Roe & Co-sy hotwhiskey infusedwithwinter spicesor a traditional Roe& Co Irish coffee theperfectserve to enjoy over the festive period.

With over 30 yearsof experience,Roe& Co’s master blender, CarolineMartinhas createda luxuriouslysmoothblendthat is agedin a highproportionof first-fillBourbon barrels,givingthisIrishwhiskey itsdepthof

flavourandisbottled at 45%ABV with smooth,non-chill filtration. Thisprocess enhancesany serve, while retainingand releasingitsfull flavour

Roe& Co from Diageo is available to purchasefrom www.roeandcowhiskey.com andacross allgrocery storesandoff-licenses nationwide

Achievingtruequality

Ketel One Vodka isproducedinSchiedam, Holland by theNolet Family whohave been distilling finespirits for 11generations. At the Nolet FamilyDistillery, where Ketel Oneis produced,qualityis worthgoingabove and beyond for. It’s why bartendersacross the world recommend Ketel Oneastheir vodka of choice. The Noletsmight workinunexpected ways, butthey don’tdoitjust to bedifferent.

Thisnew optionisthe resultofthe CuriousMind’s Journey throughCalifornia and features exoticlayersoffreshcitrus, orientalbotanicalsandgunpowder tea with addedsubtlehintsofCaliforniaOrange citrus.

They dotheunexpectedbecauseit’s how true qualityisachieved.Usingtheir extensive experience indistilling excellence, a Nolet familymemberapproves everybatch before it isallowed to leave thedistillery to thisday. FeaturingcarefullyselectedEuropeanwheat and a combinationofmodernandtraditional distilling techniques, Ketel Oneproducesan exceptionalproduct,bothcrispandcitrus to taste andsoftandsophisticated on finish. Craftedfromsmallbatches, Ketel One Vodka is a crispandsophisticated vodka that isbest

sippedpure ‘on the rocks’orin festive favourite cocktailssuchas a Ketel One EspressoMartini, a BloodyMaryor a FigFlip cocktail featuringfresh figsandIrishcream.

Ketel Onefrom Diageo is stockedacross all leadinggrocery retailersandoff-licenses nationwide

Oneofthe world’s most awardedgins

Tanqueray LondonDryGin isoneofthemost awardedginsinthe worldandis stillmade today to thesameclassic recipeaswhenit was first created by Charles Tanqueray in1830

Tanqueray LondonDryGinisdistilled four timesand features a perfectbalance of refreshingjuniper, peppery coriander, aromatic angelicaand sweetliquorice. Yourcustomers canenjoy theunmistakableuniqueandclassic taste of Tanqueray LondonDryGinmixedwith a premium tonic water, plentyofice and garnishedwith a wedgeoffreshlimeoras a great base fora

HomeBaking SoftDrinks ChristmasDrinks ChristmasEssentials

Tanqueray’s iconicbottleshapeisinspired by a three-part cocktailshakermade famous duringProhibition’s classic cocktailmovement inthe‘Roaring1920s’. The pineapplefruit, which was once consideredso exoticthat it becametheultimatesymbolofhospitalityin 1830sEngland, featuredinthe Tanqueray familycrest anditadorns everybottlefrom the Tanqueray Distilling Company.

Thiswinter, yourcustomerscanmakea Tanqueray SpicedNegronitheirgo-to festive serve oropt fora signature Tanqueray & Tonic infusedwithorangepeel. Availablefrom Diageo it’s stockednationallyacross all key grocery retailersandoff-licensesnationwide

The power of female collaboration

Since itslaunchinApril, Istil38SuperiorIrish Vodka hasbeen exceptionally well received by Ireland’s hospitalitysectoranddrinksindustry Barsaroundthe countryhave beenmixingup allthreeofthebrand’sflavoursinto classic cocktailsandnew deliciouscreations.And withtwo fulltimebrandambassadors,tastings inoff-licenseshave beenhappening everywhere. Boththe feedbackandsaleshave been extremelypositive.

Istil38’s creative directorand co-owner PippaO’ConnorOrmond,hasbeenparticularly blown away by thelevel ofsupportfromother

AlloftheIstil38 Collaboratorsare high achievingIrish femalebusiness ownersand have workedwithIstil38creatingunique partnershipsthat promote boththeir company andIstil38.

They are LorraineHeskinofGourmet Food ParlourandGourmetGiftsandAlison Kealyof Kealy’s Pub andchairwomanoftheLicensed VintnersAssociation.

Alisonisthethird generationofher family to runthe renowned Swordspub Her grandfatherJoe Kealyestablishedthe business in1964andAlison continues to maintainits stellar reputationamongthe community InMay ofthis year, Alison tookon anadditional roleaschairwomanofthe Licensed VintnersAssociationwhichhasseen her worktirelessly representingIreland’s hospitalitysector For herIstil38 Collaborators promotionshewillbesellingtheIstil38 EspressoMartini for €10 in Kealy’s for the rest ofthe year

Hailingfrom a smallvillagein Co.Galway, LorraineHeskin studied at theUniversityof Limerickbefore headingoff to New York for three years, workingin a diverse rangeof food businesses.On returning to Dublin,she openedthe first Gourmet Food Parlour restaurantinDunLaoghaire in2006.Since then,Gourmet Food Parlourhasgrown intoa verysuccessfulbusiness employing over 200 peopleacross itsnumerouslocations.

litre copperpot still,Istil38is owned by SugarloafBeverages,a company comprised ofdrinksindustry veteransandlifestyle businesswomanPippaO’ConnorOrmond.

WithanABV of38%andRRPof€38,5c fromeachbottlesoldinIrelandwillgo towards Hometree for plantingnative Irishtrees.

Availablenationwide to theon-tradefrom distributorssuchasClassicDrinks, Comans, Gleeson, JJ Mahon’s, J&C Kenny, Barry & Fitzwilliam,GH Lett’s andSlattery’s,Istil38is stocked by independentoff-licences, O’Brien’s andDunnes stores.Itisalso availableonlinewithhomedeliveryfrom www.istil38.com/shop/

Exquisite artisanchoice

StonewellCider, the exquisite craftcider conceivedinthescenic Cork coastalvillageof Nohoval hasbeendelightingloversofartisanal beverages for more than a decadenow. Its flavours,aromasandlightcarbonated textures have beengainingquitea following nationwideandabroad.

Stonewell’s uniqueness intheIrishmarketis said to betheproductofthetraditionsofthe finest Frenchwinemaking techniques,whichit draws upon,anditsimpressive record of sourcingonlythebest Irishciderapples to juice initsmainCarrigalineproductionplant and committing to never using concentrate or artificialingredients.Asthe teamsay themselves,“ittakes courage to make cider fromfreshjuice”.DanielEmerson, a trained wineandcidermakerandhisFrenchwife Geraldinefrom a wineproducing familyinthe Loire Valley hatchedtheplanupontheir return to Daniel’s native villagearound2010

StonewellCiderhassince gonefrom strength to strength,surmountingallthe challengeswhichone couldimagineupon carvingout a new niche However, fortunately for the teamand for theciderloving populationofthisisle, they have succeeded.

Succeedednotjust inbusiness butin managinganamazing consistency inquality andproductionthat just keepsloyal customers comingback,withcustomernumbers increasing year-on-year They themselvesdon’t claim to know theprecise reason for the upsurgealthoughone wouldsuspectthat the growingpopularityofglutenfreeandnatural productsmakesit a perfectlypoised concept whosetimehassimplyarrived.

femaleentrepreneurs.From restaurantand shop owners to eventproducers, womenownedbusinesseshave beenespecially helpfulingrowingIstil38’s craftIrish vodka rangesoquickly

To thankthem for theirbacking,Pippa wants to establish“Istil38 Collaborators”. A collective ofIrish femaleentrepreneurswho Istil38can work togetherwithinorder to amplifyalloftheirbusinesses.AsPippa herself explains:“Through my workwithIstil 38and my otherbusinesses,I’ve been honoured to meetsomany inspirational femaleentrepreneurswhohave been instrumentalinhelpingusgrow our independentbrands. I wanted to reachout to themandsetup a projectthat willallow us tocollaborate andsupporteachother The Istil38 Collaboratorsacknowledgesthe femaleIrishentrepreneurswhohave assisted meonourjourney andwhom we want to continually keep workingwith.”

GourmetGiftslaunchedin2020 to meetthe growingneedof corporate customerswho wantedthe expertiseof Lorraineandher team. Lorrainelaunchedthebusiness to great success, far exceeding revenuetargetsinthe first two yearsofbusiness. The new Gourmet Giftsplatform expandsonthegrowth to date andofferssomethingmore evolved to loyal andnew customersalike.

Lorraineis workingwithIstil38 for hertwo businesses.InalltheGourmet Food Parlours, customerswillbeable to enjoya unique cocktail,Istil PassionberryMartini for €10. And on www.GourmetGifts.ie, they willbe featuring,“Istil PerfectPresent,”a hamper consistingof 1x bottleofIstil38 Pot Still Vanilla Vodka, 1x bottleofIstil38 Pot stillPink Berries Vodka, 1x RoseGold CocktailShaker andJigger,2x Copper TumblerMugsandan experience card with 2 cocktail recipes all for €120

ProducedinMeathwithgrainspiritin a 500

StonewellCiderhasbenefittedfrom oneofIreland’sbestappleharvestson recordthisyear

LorraineHeskin,PippaO’ConnorOrmondandAlisonKealy

The growingdemand for StonewellCider hasbeenalmost universalthroughoutthe country, resultinginmore andmore stockists springingup ClassicDrinksvia Sysco performsmost oftheheavy liftinginthis regard,butwholesalerssuchasthe BWG Value Centresare now increasingly stocking thethreemainlinesasare Barry’s ofMallow, Clifford’s of Traleeandmany more. Andwhat thismeans for the consumer, isthat practically everyonandoff-tradeestablishmentcannow stockthisincomparableandunrivalledbeauty The generousthree-yearshelflife will rarelyif everbe reached.

The appleharvest inIrelandthis year was oneofthebest on record, whichagainplays to the strengthsof StonewellCider You see StonewellCider commits to never dilutingits productswith water orotheringredients,it just usesfreshjuice.

Unlockingthesecret

Lambay Irish Whiskey has releasedits first age statement20-year-oldsinglemalt, The CastlePrestige

Edition

A luxurioustripledistilled20-year-old Lambay singlemaltIrishwhiskey, thissuperior ageddistillate hasbeendelicatelysourced from a leadingIrishdistilleryandcarefully agedinbourbonbarrels for 18 years.Itisthen finishedinFrenchoakCamus Cognaccasksin Lambay for the finaltwo yearsunderthe watchful eye ofLambay’s master blender, YonaelBernard.

Limited to 8,000bottles,eachnumbered

0001-8000,a dedicated QR codeonthe bottleis a digital key that unlocksthesecret ofthisliquid, a master tastingandvirtual tour ofLambay Island.

Discover more at https://unlocktheuntold.lambaywhiskey.com/

Ultimate fruit refreshment

Kopparberg Alcohol-Free isan extensionof thepremiumfruitcider ’s currentoffering. The rangemeetsthe evolving attitudesof consumers towards health,whichhasled to increasingdemand for low alcoholandnonalcoholicdrinks. Kopparberg hastakenits most popular flavours, Strawberry & Limeand MixedFruitandmadethemalcohol-free The variantsmay befreefromalcoholbutthere’s no compromise to thetaste

Kopparberg isthenumberonealcoholfreeciderbrand representing64.6%in volume terms,anincreaseof+1.6PPYTD

Kopparberg Alcohol-Free Strawberry & Lime, like itsoriginalequivalent,delivers a splashoffresh strawberriesand a squeeze oftangylime minustheABV. Kopparberg Alcohol-FreeMixedFruitcapturesthesame uniquetaste ofburstingblackcurrantsand raspberries.

The rangeoffers a refreshingalternative for peoplelooking for analcohol-free alternative without compromisingon experience andtaste Itgivestheultimate fruit refreshmentwith0%alcohol.

*(Source: CollatedROIEPOSData (c.60%of TotalROI Scantrack) to week362022)

TheCastlePrestigeEditionfromLambayIrish Whiskeyislimitedto8,000bottles

KopparbergAlcohol-Freeofferstheultimate fruitrefreshmentwith0%alcohol

Comingofagein style

Wayward IrishSpirits isproud to releasethe Lakeview SingleEstate Irish Whiskey This first singlepot stillwhiskey fromtheLakeview Estate barley showcasesthespecial maturation conditionsontheestate The Comingof Age releaseislimited to just 300 numberedbottles.

Madefrombarley harvested fromthe estate’s HillyFieldin2018,this was smallbatch maltedinNaasanddistilledinMarch 2019 by Great NorthernDistilleryinto pot still spirit(to its50%maltedand50%unmalted barley mashbillandspecification).Itthen returned to theestate’s 300-year-old stone bonded storehouse, ‘TheHouseof Contentment’.

Maturedinitiallyin ex-Bourboncasks for threemonths,this was followed by a further 40monthsin ex-PremierCruBordeauxNEOC barrelswith10% finishedin ex-peated casks for threemonths. The Lakeview SingleEstate Whiskey was gentlycut(borrowingfrom Cognactraditions) over sixmonths to ensure integrationandsmoothness,withno colour addedandminimally filtered(nochill filter).

Expectcherriesonthenose,a richhoneyed taste with a hintofsmoke and a long finish.

Blendedandbottledontheestate at 46% ABV, the Comingof Age releaseis stocked by Celtic Whiskey Dublin,James Fox Dublin, CarryOutKillarney andIrishMalts. The RRPis €195 with a 40mlminiature bottleincluded.

Beautyoftheblend

The festive seasonis fast approachingand a bottleoftheoriginaltripleblendIrishwhiskey Tullamore D.E.W., wouldmake theperfect choice to have thecraicandshare storieswith friendsand familythisChristmasperiod.

Craftedinthesmall townof Tullamore since 1829, theoriginal Tullamore D.E.W. provides for a deliciousdrinkwithlayersof flavour Although everyIrishwhiskey offerssomething uniqueandinteresting,noothersofferthe rare combinationofblendingthreewhiskeys that have eachbeentripledistilled,andleft to mature, inthreedifferentbarreltypes. Thisis knownasthe‘beautyofblend’. Thiseffort gives Tullamore D.E.W. Original a complex

flavourwithanincrediblysmooth finish.

For thoselooking to trysomethingslightly differentthisChristmas, Tullamore D.E.W. XO RumCaskFinishhasbeautifully sweettropical flavoursandisdeliciousonits own orperhaps added to a festive cocktail.Alternatively, Tullamore D.E.W. 12-year-oldand Tullamore D.E.W. 18-year-oldare beautifullymaturedand wouldbeanidealgift.

Tullamore D.E.W. isdistributed by Richmond MarketingLimited inIreland.

For furtherinformation,visit www.tullamoredew.com

Inspired by merriment

across the variouscategorieswith a totalof seven Gold Stars Awards,nineSilversand threeBronze Star Awards.

Rioja VegaCrianza was noted by thejudges ashaving “a wonderfulnose, sweet red berry fruit,cigarbox spice, woodand tonsoffruit” and was awardedtheGold Star for theBest Old-World Red Under €15 for thesecondtime as wellastheOverall Wineofthe Yeartitle 2022 2023.

Rioja VegaCrianza continues to be afirm favourite withIrishwinelovers. Retailing at €14.95,this award-winningwinedelivers superbqualityand value for money. Alsofrom theRioja Vega range, Rioja VegaSemi-Crianza won thetitleofBest Red Under €12 inthe Old-WorldCategory It was also awardedthe Gold StarandtitleofBest Old-World Red Under €10 at the2020-2021Irish WineShow Awards. The originsoftheRioja Vegawine cellardate back to before theDenominación deOrigenguaranteeofquality was created andthishasallowed Rioja Vega to preserve the word Riojainitstrademarkname

White Wineofthe Year, LoLo Albariño hails fromthe top producerofAlbariñointhe designated areasofRiasBaixasinSpain, Paco and Lola. The Irish WineShow judgespraised itasbeing “a reallyelegantwhite with a complex palate ofapricot,nectarineand apple Beautifulbalance, harmony andlength. Superb value!” LoLo Albariñohasquickly becomeoneofthebest and top selling AlbariñosinIrelandwithsalesand availability growingeach week, evenprior to winningthe awards ofBest Old World White WineUnder €20andOverall White Wineofthe Year2022 2023. Thissuperb award-winningwinehas strikingbluememorablepackagingandis a stealwith a RSPfrom €14.95.

The long-awaited festive seasonisuponus! A joyoustimeof yearwithanabundance of triumphantdrinking extravaganzas, magnificent feasts,absurd gifts, stupendous parties,andthelong-forgottencarriageride home

To celebrate theseason,why not‘Put a LittleHendrick’s in YourHolidays’ and revel in allthe festivitieswith a bottleofthecurious, wonderous Hendrick’s Gin

Distilled by master distiller, Lesley Gracie, Hendrick’s Ginisinfusedwith a curious combinationof rose, cucumberand11ofthe finest botanicalsfromthe four cornersofthe world(ifthe worldhad corners).

Hendrick’s CabinetofCuriosities;Lunarand newly releasedNeptuniawilltransportthe drinker to a different worldand wouldalso make fora delightfullyunusualgift fora loved onethisChristmasseason.

Hendrick’s Ginisdistributed by Richmond MarketingLimited inIreland.

For furtherinformation,visit www.hendricksgin.com

Starshow-stoppers

Ampersand Wines isallset for theChristmas sell-inwithits rangeof award-winningwines. Triumphant at thelatest Irish WineShow Awards,Ampersandonce again sweptthe board by winning a record-breaking21 awards onthenight.

Ampersandalso won thetwo most prestigious awards ofthe event,winningthe titlesofIrish Wineofthe Yearwith Rioja Vega Crianza and White Wineofthe Yearwith LoLo Albariño The company also won 19 awards

Ampersand’s otherGold Star Award Winners at theIrish WineShow were as follows:

• GiovinelloPinotGrigio Best Old World Under White Under €12

• Coral ReefChardonnay/ Semillon Best New Word White Under €12

• Coral ReefShiraz / Cabernet Best New World Red Under €12

• FaberSauvignonBlanc Best Non-Alcoholic Under €15

If you wouldlike more informationor would like to stockany ofAmpersand’s 19 award winningwines, contact yourAmpersand representative orcallthesaleslineon 01 4151050oremail info@ampersandsales.ie

Punkedup flavour

PunkIPA isthebeerthat kick-startedthe BrewDog revolution.

Thisscene-stealing flagshipisanIndiapale alethat hasbecome a byword for craftbeer rebellion; synonymouswiththeinsurgency against mass-produced,lowest common denominator beer PunkIPA chargesthe barricades to fly its coloursfromthe ramparts full-on,full-flavour; at full-throttle

Layered withnew worldhops to create an explosionoftropicalfruitandanall-outriotof grapefruit,pineappleandlycheebeforea

spiky bitter finish,thisistheperfectdrink to quench yourthirst.

This5.6%trans-atlanticfusionIPA islight goldenin colourwithtropicalfruitsandlight caramelonthenose The palate soon becomesassertive and resinouswiththeNew Zealandhopsbalanced by thebiscuitmalt. Thefinishisaggressive anddrywiththehops emerging over the warmingalcohol.

Thisfresh,full flavournaturalbeeris BrewDog’s tribute to theclassicIPAsof yesteryear The postmoderntwist istheadditionof amazingfruityhopsgivingan explosionof tropicalfruit flavoursand a sharpbitter finish.

Distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam, the brandsays salesare at anall-timehighandit doesn’tseethe rebellious PunkIPA slowing downanytimesoon.

World’s favourite Italian liqueur

Disaronno enjoys cult statusasanItalian style icon:smoothtaste, unmistakablearoma,unique anddistinctive designofthebottle, original square capandthegoldenlabelthat adds a senseof contemporaryelegance and style Disaronnoistheproudambassadorofthe Endless Dolcevita, telling a storythroughthe iconicpostcardsoftheItalianbeauty, thanks to a new worldof reference.

LaDolce Vita,theendless pursuitof pleasure, isan attitude,a lifestyleascribed to theItalians. The “contemporarydolce vita” lifestyleisfullof worldlyimmersive pleasures.

Nowadays it’s suspendedbetweenthenew andtheancient,traditionand contemporary

Amaretto, whichmeans “a littlebitter ” in Italian,isanalmond-flavouredliqueurand Disaronnoisan exemplarychoice.

DisaronnoAmaretto capturesthesenses withitsamber colour, richaromaand incomparabletaste whichhasmadeitthe world’s favourite Italianliqueur

It’s perfect for making a DisaronnoSour, one ofthe favourites at themoment. For more cocktailideasfromDisaronnocheckout Disaronno.com Distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam

Head-turningsuccess

ArguablyIreland’s favourite WestCork native, GrahamNorton’s winebrandhas reachedIreland’s top 20winebrandsthis year The GrahamNortonwine rangeis producedin collaborationwithNew Zealand’s Invivo andGrahamNorton controls everyaspectoftheblending process for hiswines, combiningsouthern hemisphere grapeswith‘Norton Hemisphere’brilliance to create a super rangeofsixwines.Invivo was founded by two Kiwiwineentrepreneurs Tim Lightbourneand Rob Cameronin2008, andin2023,GrahamandInvivo will celebrate ten yearsofmaking award winningwine together

Graham’s rangeincludeshisbest-selling (and awarded)SauvignonBlancfromNew Zealandjoined by a wildlypopularNew Zealand Rosé, GrahamNorton’s Shirazfrom Australiaandthemost recentaddition to the rangeisanArgentinianMalbecnamed He-DevilafterGraham’s memoirs,‘TheLives and Loves of a He-Devil’.

“MyHe-Devil was created to turnheads, breakheartsandleaveyou wantingmore… andit’s deliveredonall counts,” says GrahamNorton,chiefwinemaker

In relation to bubbles,GNFrizzante Bianco andtheGNFrizzante Roséare wildlypopularinIreland.

Movingonto spirits,GrahamNorton’s OwnIrishGins celebratesGraham’s West CorkHeritage thebeautyand flavoursof hisidyllicnative countyandhis award winning flair for blendingperfection.

PartneringwithanIrishdistillery was very important to Grahamandthat iswhy hedecided to workwithhis WestCork neighbours WestCorkDistillers.

amazingproducersandwinemakers Kylie Minogue Wineshave beenlucky enough to workalongside.”

KylieMinogue

GrahamNortonhasthreeginsinthe portfolio:GrahamNorton’s OwnIrishGin, IrishPinkGinandIrishMarmaladeGin. The latest spiritadditionisGrahamNorton’s OwnIrish Vodka– madefrompotatoes,it isridiculouslysmoothonthepalate GrahamNorton’s wineandspiritsare proudlydistributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam McGuigan wines continue to outperformthe marketandaccording to a recent report, McGuiganisnow thenumberone Australian winebrandintheoff-trade Chiefwinemaker NeilMcGuiganhas won theInternational Wine & Spirits Competition(IWSC) award as ‘the Best Winemakerinthe world’ fourtimes. McGuigan Winesistheonlywineryinthe competition’s history to winthetitle four times.

The BlackLabel range comprisesof a Cabernet,Shiraz,Merlot,Chardonnay, SauvignonBlanc,PinotGrigio, Roseand Malbec.McGuiganshows itsinnovationhaving introducedMcGuiganFrizzante to themarket; thisis a light styleofsparklingfulloflively yet delicate bubblesthat givea crispand refreshingsparkle

Exquisite elegance

KylieMinogue Wines isan exquisite, elegant portfolioofbespoke wines,craftedwith passionandintegrity Launchedin2020on Kylie’s birthday, on28May, the roséquickly becameoneofthemost successfullaunches initscategory ever

KylieMinoguehas four Rosésinherwine portfolio SparklingProsecco Spumante, SparklingProsecco Frizzante,Cotes des Provence, andSignature Rosé

ThisSignature range comprisesofthree winesfromFrance includingthedelicate paledry rosémadefromCabernetandCarignan grapes, a lightand zesty SauvignonBlanc from Gascony and a smoothandjuicy Merlot fromthe Pays d’Oc.

The latest additionisthedelicious Prosecco Frizzante producedintheheartof Veneto on thepicturesquehillsof Gambellara. Thiswine isfreshandfragrantwith a markedaromatic characterrichin floralscentsofacaciaand wisteria flowers.

“Iamunbelievablyhumbledandthrilled by theglobal response to KylieMinogue Wines,” KylieMinoguesaidofthe range’s success “To sell overa millionbottlesinless than a year hasbeenincredible, and testimony to the

KylieMinogue’sProseccoFrizzanteis producedintheheartofVenetoonthe picturesquehillsofGambellara

The latest addition to theMcGuigan portfoliois McGuigan Zero Unrivalledtaste, zero alcohol;McGuigan Zero is a trailblazerin itscategory The rangeoffersanunparalleled alcohol-free experience bothonthenoseand palate LaunchingwithShiraz,Chardonnay, Rosé, SauvignonBlancandSparkling.

McGuigan Zero iscreated using state-of-theartspinning cone technology By drawingthe wineinto super finelayers for efficient vaporisation, alcoholmay be removed at lower temperaturesthan everbefore, thus resulting in a trulybeautifultastingproduct.McGuigan winesare distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam

A truetreasure

Tia Maria dates back to themid-17th Century when a beautiful youngSpanisharistocrat fled theturmoilthat colonial war brought to the islandofJamaica.Hermaidsaved one family treasure, a smalljewellerybox withblackpearl earringsandanancientmanuscriptwiththe recipe fora mysteriousliqueur The recipe was namedafterthe courageous woman. Tia Maria was born. The recipelay dormant for many yearsbefore being rediscovered inthe1940s by Dr Kenneth Leigh Evanswhobegan to produce andmarketit.Fromthisday forward, Tia Mariahasbeen a favourite for coffee cocktailloversthe world over andit was even usedinthe very first EspressoMartini recipe over 40 yearsago

InvivofoundersTimLightbourneandRobCameronwithGrahamNorton

Tia Mariais a sweetliqueurwith a strong coffeecharacterand a complex aromatic structure. MadewithMadagascar vanilla, Jamaicanrum,and100%Arabica coffee Tia Mariahas a classic roasted,full-bodied,and richtaste An exclusive coldbrew extraction process givesititsdistinctive intense coffee aroma,whichis followed by notesof chocolate andpipe tobacco, caramelisedcane sugarand vanilla.

Checkout TiaMaria.com for lotsof cocktail inspiration.Distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam

60 yearsofquality

VillaMaria Wines celebrates60 yearsin business this year VillaMaria’s 60-yearjourney at the forefrontofNew Zealand’s wine industryhasshapedthe company asit stands today. Its extensive portfolioisonethemost geographicallyand stylisticallydiverseand

highly awarded rangeofpremiumwines by any New Zealandproducer, fuelling consumer adorationandsuccess across theglobe

InIreland,thePrivate Bin rangeis available, most famouslyknown for theMarlborough SauvignonBlanc, yet other varietals available suchasChardonnay, PinotGrigio Rieslingand PinotNoir VillaMariawineshave a freshnew look for thePrivate Bin range, withthesame outstandingquality, just in a new contemporary pack. The hightier CellarSelectionPinotNoir andthe Reserve WairauSauvignonBlancare also availableintheIrishmarket.

The most recentlaunchfrom VillaMaria isthebeautifulSauvignonBlush, SauvignonBlancwith a hintofMerlot. Deliveringthetaste experience ofNew Zealand’s favourite white winewith a playfulfun-factorthat opensup a whole new occasion for SauvignonBlanc.It’s SauvignonBlanc;90%SauvignonBlancin fact,caressedwith10%Merlot fora beautiful‘Provence-like’blush. Lookslike Rosé, tastes like SauvignonBlanc.

VillaMaria Winesare proudly distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam

Wave ofpure refreshment

The White Claw Varietyeight-packdeliverssomeofIreland’s favouriteflavours;Black Cherry, Mango, NaturalLimeandRaspberryinone convenienteight-pack;drivingtrial amongst consumersandincreasingbasketsize.

White Claw boaststhe finest naturalingredients; a blendofsparkling water, gluten-free tripledistilledspirit,and a hintofnaturalfruit flavourwithonly 95 caloriespercan. Withno artificial sweetenersandanABV of4.5%, White Claw Hard Seltzerdelivers a wave ofpure refreshment.

Last summer, the White Claw Variety Packoutsoldallotherhard seltzerSKUs by more than2.5timesinboth valueandunitROS,makingitthenumberone for valuedeliveryin Ireland.* White Claw hard seltzerisalreadythenumbertwo RTD canbrand for volumein Ireland.** What’s more,White Claw hasbecome a culturalphenomenonwith fans generating over4 billionimpressionsand46timesmore socialmediamentionsthan competingbrandsintheUSA.

“Last year, we hadanincredible response to our Varietyeight-pack,so we’re delighted to have theopportunity to reintroduce theproduct to ourIrishcustomers,” saidFlor Prendergast,marketdirectorUK & Ireland. “A White Claw Varietyeight-packis a great way to promote trialofourbrandamong consumersas wellasoffertheir favouriteflavoursin one convenientpack.”

The White Claw Varietyeight-packis availablein key retailerswithtwo Mango, two NaturalLime, two BlackCherryandtwo Raspberry flavours.

Distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam *(Source:NielsenIreland TotalScantrack exclDunnes&Discounters12wksdata to 15 August2021) **(Source:NielsenIreland TotalScantrack exclDunnes&Discounters 52wksdata to 22May2022)

WhiteClawHardSeltzerboaststhe finestnaturalingredients, withonly95caloriespercan

Power, grace andelegance

A contemporaryhomage to theoriginal Seignette cognac,established200 yearsago Seignette VS’s freshaestheticanddepthof flavourisset to engage a new generationof spirit-lovers.

The Seignette familycanbetracedback to the17th century WesternFrench coast,known asprominenttradersinsaltand cognacinthe La Rochelle region. Their coat ofarmsis recognised by a swan,whichhistorically populated thebanksoftheCharente Riverin Cognac,as wellasbeing a symbolofpower, grace andelegance.

The swan featuresontheSeignette VS label intribute to the family’s legacy. Today, the groupisproud to revive andbuildonthe brand’s longheritage, sothata new generationcanenjoy itsfinequality.A modern-day cognac,itdeliversnotesofdried apricot, vanillaandhintsofhoneysuckleon thenose, followed by oaky vanillanotes, a

touchofcitrusand a long,creamy finishon thepalate; distributed by Hi-SpiritsIreland

Sharinggoodtimes together

Paddy’s Share istripledistilledin County Cork andblendedwithmaltinsherrybarrels for its uniquetaste Boasting a 47% ABV, Paddy’s Share has a bold, robust flavourand a distinctly nutty, maltyandcharred woodcharacter

In1913, PaddyFlaherty, thebusiness’s most gregariouswhiskey salesman, stood for two things;goodtimesandgreat whiskey Ashe travelledacross Irelandwithhis wares, Paddy madehismarkwithhisgenerosity, conversation,andjoy. Now 100 yearslater, inspired by theAngel’s Share, thebrandis honouring Paddy’s legacy withitshighABV whiskey, Paddy’s Share. Tripledistilledin County Cork,thewhiskey isblendedwithmalt insherrybarrels for itsuniquetaste For more information visit Hi-Spirits.ie

Lightandpure

Madefrom a uniqueblendofpot still,malt andgrainwhiskeys, PaddyIrish Whiskey owes itsname to thelegendarydistillerysalesman, PaddyFlaherty Famedthroughouthisnative county cork for buying roundsofhis favourite tipple hebecameso synonymouswiththe whiskey hesold,that in1913thedistillery ownerspaidhimtheultimate tribute by renamingthewhiskey ‘Paddy’inhishonour Paddyisdistilledthreetimes,usingthefinestqualitybarley and water fromIreland’s east Cork countryside Thisensures a whiskey whichisparticularlylight, wellbalancedand pure.

PaddyIrish Whiskey is a perfectchoice this holiday season for classicwinter warmerssuch as a hotwhiskey oranIrish coffee Distributed by Hi-SpiritsIreland ■

finishinghall, filledwiththe finest agedmaltasthe finishingbegan.

WhenFinisher ’s Touchannouncedits readiness, we bottleditourselves asan exclusive releaseof3,500, numberedandsigned by familyscion EunanRyan.

The Generation Trilogyisalso availableas a packofthree x 50mlbottles.

The Ryans

JackRyan’s father, Thomas,ofdistilleryandbarley-farming stock,came to Dublinfrom Toomevara Tipperary at thecloseofthe19th century, andin 1913setuphis own whiskey finishing,onthehistoric Haddington Road.

RyanMaltbecame a Dubliners’ favourite. Jackhimself, vintnerandwhiskey manpar excellence, honedthe family’s whiskey Finisher ’s Touch Hisson Eunanhas revisedthe familytraditionwiththeJackRyan Whiskey Co Contact; SMcathal@circulateonline.com,JRW eunan@cult-drinks.com.

SeignetteVSis freshwithdepth andflavour

BARRY WHELAN managingdirectorof Excel Recruitment www.excelrecruitment.com

Whatareyour employee benefitsreally worth?

We arehearing a lotoftalkabout packages thesedays,i.e.whatisthe package onoffer?Potentialtalent wantsmorethanjustremuneration; theywant a blendofsalarywith flexibilityaroundWFHandagile workingalongwithgreatbenefits. However, oftenemployeeswon’t weigh upthevalueoftheirbenefitswhen lookingatthe package onofferor indeed,employersdon’t highlightthe valueofbenefitswhenoffering a job. Some companies literallyvalue benefits.Iffor instance, youworkfor Oracle, you can ‘buy’additional holidays, a better healthcare plan, a higher contribution toyourpensionor even a fancier handsetthroughtheir flexiblebenefitoptions.Asan employee,youaregiven a monetary valueonyourbenefitsanditisupto youhowyouspendit, which of course dependsonwhatisimportanttoyou. Insteadoftherun-of-the-millpension scheme oradditionalholidayswith lengthof service, perhaps companies shouldfollow Oracle’s leadandlet theirstaff decide whattheywant.

monetaryvalueofbenefits

So,whatisthemonetaryvalueofyour benefits package? Whatwouldtheybe worthifyou could monetisethem? Whenyoulookatyouroverall package, salaryplusbenefits,whatisitworth?

Herearesomeofthemost common benefits,alongwith typical employer contribution amounts.

privatehealthinsurance: €800-€2,000

Employer-providedhealth insurance plansrangefromfairlybasictofairly extravagant. You cancertainly askyour employerhow much it costs; the lowest package isaround €800butthis canincrease substantiallywith increasedcoverage,including wellbeing packages orfertility treatments.Ifyouareover40andhave neverhadprivatehealth insurance before,youremployer(andyou throughBIK contribution) willhaveto pay a largerpremium. pensionscheme:3%to 25% ofsalary

A pension scheme isthe second most sought-afterbenefitbyemployeesafter health insurance, butalsotheonethat mostemployeesdragtheirfeetjoining. Employeesputoff contributing tothis tax-freeinvestmentintheirfuture because thatfuture(55-years-old) seemssofaraway Thiswillall change whenthegovernment introduces mandatorypensionsoverthenext couple ofyears.

Thevalueofyourpensiondepends mainlyonthesizeofyoursalary Therearetwotypesofpensions. Defined contribution andtheillusive definedbenefit. A basicdefined contributionscheme seesanemployer contributing 3%ofyoursalary(not deducted fromyoursalarybutin additionto)intoyourpension scheme. A good scheme is5%, a great scheme 10%,andan exceptionalscheme is 15-20% contribution. Thenthereis a definedbenefit. A simpledefinitionis thatuponretirementyou receive a defined(orguaranteed)benefitevery monthuntilyou(oryourspouseifit passestothem)die.Beforethelast recession,companies hadto contribute around25-30%of a person’s salaryto

beabletomakethatpayoutandthelast recession pretty much wipedtheseoff thebenefitstable.Companiessimply cannot affordthem.

holidays:1.66%-16.6%of salary

Asanemployeeworkingfull-time,you areentitledto20daysofpaidholidays inIreland.Thisis accrued by multiplying1.66bythetimeyouhave worked.So,whatifyouget25days’ holidaysperyear?Orindeed30?The valueoftheseis calculated withthe sameformula.

everythingelse:zeroto thousands

Whatabouteverythingelse? A company mobilewith all-you-can-eat data? €360-1200.Homewi-fiforagile working? €720-1,200.Paid sick leave? Yoursalarybydays sick. Life assurance: €200-€2000,‘deathin service’ benefit: €200-600,long-term careinsurance: €200-1000,free counselling: €70per session,free companydoctor: €60per visit,subsidisedorpaid-forfurther education? How much doesevery trainingprogrammeor coursecost that youremployersendsyouon?Ifthey arepayingforyourmasters,this can movefrom €1,000to a fewthousand!

Andforourretailreaders,whatabout yourstaff discount? Mostfoodretailers givetheirstaff a reallygood discount. If youarefeeding a familyeveryweek, howmanythousandsofeurosdoesthis adduptoannually?

Rememberthatyouremployer providesbenefitsto attract, retainand rewardworkers.Ifyou’renotsurewhat allyourbenefitsare,orwhatthey’re worth,yourhuman resources departmentorlinemanagershouldbe abletoletyouknow

Knowthevalueofyourbenefits; thesemakeupthevalueofyour package andshouldbe considered and appreciated,particularly if a newoffer comes yourway ■

Instead ofadditionalholidaysor a run-of-the-millpensionscheme, perhaps companiesshouldletstaffdecidewhatbenefitstheywant most, writesBarryWhelan

Asshoppersstockuponsoftdrinksin spadesaheadofthebusyChristmas season,it’scrucialthatretailersensure theirshelvesarepackedwith a broad rangeofoptionstosatisfyeveryfamily member’stastepreference.Withthat inmind,let’stake a closerlookatsome ofthehottestproductsinthecategory, writes Julia O’Reilly

Alcoholicbeveragesmay take centre stageduringthe festive season,but Irish consumers certainly couldn’tgo withouttheirsoftdrinks at thistimeof year Having a supplyofsoftdrinksisvital,both for impromptuguests,and to keepthe family goingthroughoutthelong relaxingperiod betweenChristmasDay andNew Year ’s Eve. Plus,demand for premiummixershasalso grown amongthosewhoare keen to enjoya sophisticated beveragewithoutthe accompanyinghangover.

Researchfrom KantarpublishedinJanuary 2022 foundthat the standoutcategory performerin termsof valuegrowthlast Christmas was confectionery, whichincludessoft drinksand represented 47% ofincrementalsales.

Heightenedhealthand wellness consciousness hassignificantlyimpacted

Share magicmoments

Whenbusy schedulesmake ithard toconnect, mealtimesare theperfectopportunity to bring families together Coca-Cola isinviting consumers to share more magicalmoments overa mealwiththeonesthey love themost.

consumptionofsoftdrinksinIreland. According to Bord Bia’s GlobalBeverages Study,71% ofglobal respondentsclaimthat whenchoosing a non-alcoholicbeverage, they go for thehealthieroption. That’s why many brands today are making realefforts to reduce sugar contentintheirbeverages.

Energydrinks,meanwhile, continued to grow inpopularityin2021. Researchfrom Euromonitor foundthat it was through innovationthat brands experiencedincreasing demand,asnew consumersenteredthe categorysearching fora boost throughoutthe day to sustain cognitive orphysicalactivity

Asisthecaseacross theentire grocery industry, sustainabilityisnowa major focus among consumers.Indeed,Bord Bia research foundthat sixin10 consumersacross Ireland andtheUSare concerned by theimpactof

For Christmas2022, Coca-Colawill continue its‘RealMagic’ communicationplatform to helpbringpeople together Coca-Colais offering consumersthechance to winprizes to bring realmagic to mealtimes. Throughan excitingon-packpin codepromotion, consumerswillhave multiplechances to win

theirbeveragechoice ontheenvironment.

Manufacturersare therefore striving to meet consumers’ concerns by makingtheir packagingmore environmentallyfriendly, as demonstrated by thebrandshighlightedin thismonth’s feature, andthere iswidespread acknowledgmentthat theindustryhasbeen doing a goodjobinimprovingthe sustainabilityofthebeveragesthey produce, with 71% of consumersbelievingthat to bethe case What’s more, Ireland recycles 70% ofits plasticbottles,datafrom Repakpublishedin 2020 found,makingusoneofthebest performersinEurope

Withshoppers stockinguponsoftdrinksin thebuild-up to thebusy Christmasseason,it’s crucial to ensure you have optionsin-store that willsatisfy every familymember ’s unique tastes.

€200 to spendontheirChristmas preparations,plusthousandsofgreat prizes fromJust Eat,DeliverooandSpotify

Thisfullysupportedcampaignwillbelive in thetradefrom 7 Novemberthrough to the endofDecember2022and come to life throughmultiple touchpointswhichinclude TV, videoondemand,cinema, radio, outof home, experiential,PR,instore theatre, and POS support.

The brandadvises stockinguponthe festive promotionalpacks to offer yourcustomers a chance to win.

Thirsty work

Ballygowan hasbeenannouncedasthe Official Water PartnerofIrishRugby in a new four-yeardeal. The partnershipsees Ballygowan becomeoneoftheofficial partnersoftheIRFU, whichincludes:theIrish Senior Team;IrishSenior Women’s Team; SeniorMen’s SevensandSenior Women’s Sevensas wellasbecominganofficialsponsor oftheIRFUNational Referee panel.

IrishSeniorMen’s playersMackHansen, Gavin Coombes,andJack Conan took a break fromtraining to helplaunchthenew partnershipinDunboyneCastleaheadofthe BankofIrelandNationsSerieskickingoffin November Theywere alsojoined by Senior Women’s Squadmembers Aoife Doyle, Enya Breen,andDorothy Wall. KevinDonnelly, managingdirector, BritvicIrelandandJessica Long,headof commercial,IRFU were alsoin attendance.

Underthenew agreement,Ballygowan, whichispartofBritvicIreland,willprovidethe IRFUwith40,000litresof water each year to ensure playershave theoptimal water intake to maintain a normal water balance during trainingandmatches. The averagerugby player coversapproximately7kmduring a match,anditisnotunusual fora particularly active player to loseup to a kiloin weight throughdehydration.

Ballygowan willsupportthenew partnership withanintegratedthroughthelinecampaign, entitled‘Bottled Wild for IrishRugby’,which willinclude a dedicated TVC,OOH,digitaland socialmediasupport,PR,as wellasin-store POS rolledoutacross key retailoutlets nationwide

Ballygowan NaturalIrishMineral Water is suitable for everyone, nomatterwhat their activitylevel is;fromleadingprofessional

Full-blown flavour

EnteringtheIrishmarketjust over 10 yearsago, Monster, Ireland’s numberone stimulantenergybrand, consistently contributes to theenergycategoryinboth valueand volume growth,deliveringmore than18% year-to-date (YTD),according to Septemberdata*.

The brand’s success continues to bedriven by strong volume salesofthe flagshiporiginalMonster withsignificantadditional commercialperformance gainedfromnew productinnovation, inparticularits zero sugar‘Ultra’ rangeanditsfull flavour ‘Juiced’ range: responding to new consumerneeds.

Withinthegrowing ‘zero sugar ’ segment,Monster Ultra has maintaineditsnumberonepositionthis year*. The expanding Ultra rangenow includesUltra White,Paradise, Red,Blue, Violet, FiestaMango, andthenew Ultra WatermelonandGoldwhich launchedearlierthis year

Withinthe‘full flavour ’ segment,Monster Juicedhasseen furtheraccelerated results. The Juiced rangealso continues to expand,now includingMango Loco, Pipeline Punch, Pacific Punch,Mixxd Punch,Monarchandthis year ’s new fan favourite, Monster Khaotic,itsenergyblendwith a tropicalorange flavour Monster also continues to expandits ‘take-home’offeringwith theintroductionofeight-packs to theIrishmarket.

The brand’s success isset tocontinuenext yearwiththree newflavours ready to launch to theIrishmarketinearly2023; with a reformulated Monster ‘LewisHamilton’,Monster Juiced ‘Aussie Lemonade’andMonster ‘Ultra Rosa’.

*(Source:NielsenROIYTDSeptember2022: StimulantEnergy=Energydrinkswith 15gormorecaffeineperlitre)

rugby players to a groupoffriendsplayingtag rugby or to refreshafter a brisk walkorrun.

Last year, Ballygowan relaunchedthebrand withthenew ‘Bottled Wild’campaign. The campaign wasa major step forward inthe brand’s ambition to bethemost sustainable water brandinIreland,withallbottlesnow madefrom100% recycledplastic,andare 100% recyclablebut containthesame refreshing water, bottledwildfromsource at Newcastle West inLimerick,which remains unchanged.

By introducingthenew bottles,Ballygowan ishelping to remove 51millionvirginPET bottleswhichis1,288 tonnesofnon-recycled plastic. When recycled correctly, Ballygowan

rPETbottlescanbe reused over and over again,becoming a contributor to thecircular economy, and resultingin a positive impacton theplanet.

“IrishRugby isdelighted to welcome Ballygowan astheOfficial Water Partnerof theIRFU,” saidJessica Long,headof commercial,IRFU “Keepingplayers’ fluidsin balance isanintegralpartofachievingpeak performance and we are delighted to be workingwith a home-grown Irishbrandwith a proven track-record intheIrishmarket. We are looking forward to furtherdevelopingour relationshipwithBritvicand I have nodoubt our athletesand fanswill welcomethesupport thispartnershipprovides.”

Getupandgo!

LucozadeEnergy Ireland’s numberone energybrand*,isbackonTVacross Novemberintheleadup to Christmasandis alsoplanning a significantout-of-home (OOH) andsocialcampaign to be executedin December

LucozadeEnergyisknown to helpget

All-naturalsugar-freetreat

Earlierthis year, leading Australiansoft drinksbrand, Nexba, appointedSHSSales andMarketingIreland to lookafterthe salesanddistributionofits Kombucha portfolioinIreland.

SHSIrelandlaunched Australia’s number oneall-naturalsugar-freedrinksbrand, Nexba,providinghealthy alternatives to sugarysoftdrinks.

Kombuchais a fermented tea beverage which containshealthy componentssuch as B vitamins,organicacids,live cultures andantioxidants.Nexba’s new rangeof Kombuchaproves that guthealthand great taste cangohandinhandandaligns withthe company’s ongoinghealth agenda.

Availableinthree flavours Strawberry & Peach,MangoandMixedBerry thesoft drinkisfulloflive culture probioticsandis madeusingthegloballypatented‘Nexba Natural SweetenerBlend’,whichallows eachdrink to be completelysugar-freeand containsnothingartificial, yet retainsits bold,andfruity flavours.

Nexba’s Kombucha range contains zero alcoholandiswithoutthe strongvinegar tastecommonly foundinother Kombucha productsonthemarket,settingthis to be a consumer favourite. The rangeispartof the company’s ongoingagenda to tackle diabetesandobesityandimprove gut healthinIreland.So far Nexbahastaken over5 billiongramsofsugaroutofglobal diets.

Matthew Connole, salesleadEU, Nexba Beverage Co saidtheappointment would provide a strategicplatform to launchthe new range

consumersenergisedand re-vitalisedasthey make their way throughthe festive period. Researchshows that LucozadeEnergyis Ireland’s numberthreeFMCG brand***. This is a testament to its continuedInvestmentin highimpactandhigh reachmass mediaand consistentin-store activation.

*(Source:NielsenIQ, TotalScantrackROI,LucozadeDrinkNow Energy, ValueSales,YTD to 11/10/22)

**(Source:NielsenIQ, TotalScantrackROI,EnergyOneShot by Brand, ValueSales& Value%Share, L4WK to 11/10/22)

***(Source:Nielsen Top100Brands2022)

Sunshinein everydrop

Irishbrand MiWadi hasgrown from strength to strengthinthemarketplace. Fromhumble beginningsin1927 MiWadihasbeen a fruity and flavoursomepartofchildhoodinIreland for 94 yearsandhasalways remained relevant to Irish familieswith a wide rangeof flavours inits Regular, No AddedSugar, 0%Sugarand Drops ranges. To thisday, MiWadiisproduced inDublinandis a proudmemberof Love Irish Food.

MiWadi continues to grow yearon year maintainingitsnumberonepositioninthe squashcategory*.

Thissummer, MiWadiannouncedthat its single concentrate anddouble concentrate rangesare now fortifiedwith Vitamin D which supports families’immune systems**. Vitamin D contributes to thenormalfunctioningofthe immune systemandmaintenance ofnormal

bonesand teeth.

Vitamin D is veryimportantinourdiet to helpsupport families’generalhealth,growth, anddevelopmentbutitcanbedifficult to achieve the recommendeddailyintake of 5 µg.Ithasbeen reportedthat Vitamin D deficiency is veryprevalentinIreland***.

MiWadimakesthe water that everyone needs to drinkeachday extra deliciousand refreshing. To enjoy MiWadi at itsbest,just add water.

*(Source:Nielsen ValueShareMAT TotalSquashCategory Sept2022.

**(Source:ExcludesMiWadi RegularBlackcurrant1L)

***(Source:DepartmentofHealthArticle Reportingon Vitamin DDeficiencyinIreland,April2020)

“Thelaunchmarksan excitingand importantmilestoneasthe company grows its internationalbrandpresence,” Connolesaid. “We willbe workingcloselywithSHSSales andMarketing to maximisecurrent opportunitiesandidentifyareas for growth, boostingIreland’s naturallysugar-freesoft drinkscategoryas we seek to realisethefull potentialofthe Kombuchaportfolio

“The releaseof a rangeof revolutionary Kombuchadrinks to theUKandIreland cementsthebrand’s positionasthought leadersandinnovatorsinthenaturallysugarfreesoftdrinksindustry.”

AlanNeill, commercialdirector, SHSSales andMarketingadded:“ThenaturallysugarfreesoftdrinkscategoryisoneofIreland’s most dynamicFMCG markets. The desire to

stay healthy duringthepandemichas acceleratedthedemand for suchproducts, ashealthand wellbeingbecome a priority for consumers.

“Thisproductisunique Itpresents a verydifferentofferingfromotherproducts currently availablewithinthecategoryand we are delighted to be workingwithNexba Beverage Co to ensurea successfulbrand launchinIreland. The focuswillbeon buildingbrand awareness whichinturnwill generate categorygrowth.”

Nexbais stockedinSuperValu, Centra, Sparandindependentsin330mlcansand 1L Pet bottle formats.

For furtherinformation contactSHS SalesandMarketing, by telephoneon 01 401 6200oremail info@shs-sales.ie

LucozadeEnergyisknowntohelpget consumersenergisedandre-vitalisedasthey maketheirwaythroughthefestiveperiod

NexbaisAustralia’snumberoneall-naturalsugar-freedrinksbrand

grab christmas by the VITAMINB3HELPSREDUCETIREDNESS

Energyboost

Promising to vitalisebodyandmind, Red Bull EnergyDrink, alongsideits expanding range ofeditionswillmake for theultimate Christmas2022party companion.

Red BullSugarFreeand Red Bull Zero serve thenosugarcategorytrend,whilethe colourfuleditionsincluding Tropical, Red (Watermelon),Green (CactusFruit)and Apricotprovidesomething for everytaste Red BullEnergyDrinkisnow also availablein thesuper convenient fourpack,perfect for Christmasget togethers.

Availablein over 170 countries worldwide, withmore than 7.8 billioncansof Red Bull consumedlast year, its expanding rangeof editionsandbeyondtheordinarymarketing strategysee Red Bull continue to wingits way into Irish consumers’hearts,minds,and shoppingbasketsthisChristmas.

Foundedin1987, Red Bullestablishedthe energydrinksproductcategory, promising to vitalisebodyandmind.Itisappreciated

worldwide by top athletes, studentsandin highlydemandingprofessions,as wellas duringlongdrives.

Red Bullistheofficialenergydrinkspartner to ConnachtRugby andtheIrish Women’s Hockey Team,alsosupportingIrish athletes, hockey goalkeeper AyeishaMcFerran,surfer ConorMaguire, downhillmountainbike athlete GregCallaghananddrifter ConorShanahan.

Visit www.redbull.ie for more inspiring contentand follow @RedBullIre onInstagram and Twitter to stay up to date withthelatest actionand events.

At nature’s pace

Ishka IrishSpring Water, theLimerick-based bottledspring water company, is constantly looking for new ways to innovate and stay one stepaheadof a rapidlychanging retail environment.

Ishka is committed to protectingthe environmentaroundit,thehomeofitsnaturalsource water, andensuringthat everythingit doesis to help to build a sustainablefuture.

Ishka Spring Waterfiltersnaturallythroughthe Ballyneetylandscape at a pace that only nature canset.

As wellasits water, thebrandalsoputsjust asmuchcare and considerationinto its packagingandthe ways inwhich consumers canpurchaseandenjoy it.Allplasticbottles are 100% recyclableandits EcoBottlesis madefrom100% recycledplastic.Ishka also hasbeen a pioneerinintroducingtamperproof tetheredcaps,three yearsaheadofan EUdeadline, becomingthe first bottled water company inIreland to implementsuch a measure. Itisoneofseveral ways inwhichit arguesthata strongbusiness modelcan co-exist withenvironmental responsibility

Nowa strong, recognisablebrandonthe retaillandscape, family-runIshka continues to increaseitsmarketshare, largelybecauseit canlay claim to beingIreland’s freshest spring water– bottledfrom five, 200m-deep certified wells,untouched by human contactandnot storedprior to bottling.Last yearitsaw growthof32% yearon year Andit’s gearing up for more growth.Itis working towards commissioning a new glass bottlelineinthe

fourthquartersoitcanmove into the foodservice andon-trademarketfromnext year The company isalso exploring flavoured water productnext year, as wellas a new water energydrink.

Tradeenquiries welcome to info@irishspringwater.com or by calling 061 450 705.

Boldnew look

Changes continue to evolve for thebetter at thenumberoneIrishmixerbrand, Club, asthe brandunveilsitsnew boldandvibrantdesign.

The new designseesthebrandmove closer to theClubmaster brand,withtheenergy fromtheClubbrandmarkechoedandbuilton by illustrationsfromitspast that radiate outin a fun,playfuland ownable style

Availableas 6x 330mlcan-packand850ml PET formats for thegrocerychannel, Club Mixers ensures relevance across many drinking opportunities.Itsportfoliooffers a wide range of flavours,best enjoyed chilled over ice with a garnishofchoice. ClubMixersare theperfect accompaniment to spirits, expertlydesigned to blenddeliciouslywithgins, vodkasand whiskeys.

“We are very excitedaboutournew Club Mixers’design,asitis veryimportant for us to keepsuchaniconicIrishbrand contemporary and relevant to themodern consumer,” said BrianGreer marketingmanager Britvic Ireland.

“Notonlyhasour focus over the yearsbeen ondelivering a uniqueandsuperiortaste experience, we want everyone to know we sharea purposeofsavouring everymoment andlivinglife to thefullalongwithClub,” continuedGreer “We know Irish consumers are eager to buylocalbrandsespeciallyones that mattermore to them.Ournew modern Irishdesign,builton by illustrationsofourrich andiconichistory, isintended to appeal to a broader, youngeraudience,focusingonthe attributesofheritage, quality, and reliability

“We have biggrowthambitions over the next fiveyearsandthisnext evolvementofthe brandhasbeendesigned to transformhow we engagewith consumers,whileemphasising ourIrish valuesthroughouruniquehistory.”

Nettles…Don’tdie wonderin’

WildAbout, theBlasNahÉireannSupreme Champion2021,isaninnovative Irishartisan company creatingan award-winning rangeof natural foodanddrinkfromnative, seasonal andwildingredients.

“Nettlesare oneofourgreatest native superfoods, a naturalsource ofessential vitamins,mineralsandiron,” says Fiona Falconer, who co-foundedthebusiness alongsideherhusbandMalcolm.

“Packedwithpolyphenols,antioxidents, and a naturaldetoxifier, nettlesare engrained inthememoryof everyIrishbare-legged kid,” she continues. “At Wildabout we use simple, sustainableplant-basedingredients withnaturallyoccurringplant compounds, vitaminsandminerals to promote healthand wellbeing. We startedmaking a Nettle Syrup a decadeago, to dilute withsparkling water. Ithas consistentlybeenourproductleader, year-on-year

“We looked at where we couldtake it,did some R&D, reformulated the recipe to make it low insugarand stable(ambient), carbonated,pasteurisedin a 330mlglass bottle…ready to go, SparklingNettleDrink was born!Unfortunately so was Covid, despite thesocial restrictions,withno markets, eventsandpromotions, we still managed to produce andsell over 20kunits inthedomesticmarket.Driven by this we developed a secondproduct, a Sparkling Fenneldrink,withsimilarnatural,healthand

wellness benefits.”

Globallythere is a move to more functional beverages, a stronginfluence ofsustainability andnaturalness.Here inIreland,inthequest for authenticgoodness andnatural functionalitythere isgrowinginterest inwild ingredients,according to Bord Bia’s ‘Future of AdultBeverages’ report.

“There isnodoubttheclearIrishtrendsare mirroredglobally, towards more natural, beneficial,localandsustainableproducts,” continues Falconer, who reflects:“Ido tend to sitinthoseBord Bia ConsumerInsights seminarsgoingtick,tick,tickin termsofthe attributes we deliver, butthisisthe first product range we canactuallyscale.”

Despitea rather flat growthintheglobal beveragesmarket,functional foodsand beveragesare projected to growby 8.5%. Nettleis red hotinGermany, the world’s fourthbiggest beveragemarket worth US$53,662mso WildAboutis certainly very excited to seewhere this storygoes.

WildAboutappealsacross allage ranges, fromparentswho want to give theirkids a naturaldrink, to grandparentswhoare also seekingout a differentoption.

“If a drinkjust needs to taste goodand refresh,it’s water,” says Falconer “Ifitneeds to

be more; more interesting,more salivating, more innovative… more natural,more beneficial,more sustainable, more Irish…you’d have to takea punton a sparklingNettle Drink!”

As a small,rural-basedagri-business,the Falconers concedethey don’thave the budgetsofthelarge companies:“We need retailers to supportusandin return we offer what thebigboys don’t,” says Fiona. “A unique, natural,sustainable, healthy, deliciously refreshingIrishNettleDrink.”

Curious?

Contact: Fiona Falconer M: 08681229525.E: fiona@wildabout.ie Web: www.wildabout.ie Instagram: wild.about. Facebook: Wildabout.ie

Forcreatingthattrulycosyand comfortingChristmassyfeeling athome,nothingbeats

Theholiday seasonhas a funny way of unleashingtheinnerbakerinallofus.

From family favouriteslike mince pies, fruitcake, andgingerbreadmen, tosweetand savourypiesandtarts, consumersare guaranteed to startwhippingupsome delicioustreatsinthe weeksahead. While many peopledefinitelyenjoyed gettingback to basicsduringlockdownandbakingbreads

Memoriesthat lasta lifetime

At Christmas, Siúcra recognisestheimportance ofcreatingmemoriesthat lasta lifetime Whetherit’s spendingtimeinthekitchenwith thekidsor at thetablewith family, Siúcra has yourcustomers covered for alltheirsentimental bakingneedsthis festive season.

Whetherthat’s gifting family, friends, grandparentsor teachers a sweetedible goodie, delivering a twist on a traditional presentorjust spendingsometime together inthekitchenmakingmemories. There isno bettertime to wow familyandfriendswith a homemade festive creationor a festive centrepiece dessertusinganiconicIrish householdbrand,like Siúcra.

This year, Siúcra hascreateda suite of

festive recipesthat are notonlydeliciousbut are guaranteed to inspire andhelp everyone make beautifully sweettreatsandtraditions at home, usingsomeofSiúcra’s key seasonal products.

Siúcra RollOutIcingSugar, 454g, is a timesavingbakingessentialandtheperfect ingredient to ensurea satinsmoothand elegant finish to a show stoppingChristmas dessertornovelty sweettreats.

Siúcra IcingSugar, 500g completesany festive baker ’s cupboard. Perfect for adding a finallovingfrost-like touch to Christmas desserts,asitwilllooklike sprinkling a dashof snow!

Siúcra Royal IcingSugar, 350g isideal for piping,frostinganddecorating sweettreats withChristmasornaments.Quickandeasy to prepare, simplyadd water to create a white icingthat driessmooth,with a hard,matte finish.

Other key festive kitchencupboard essentialsinclude Siúcra RichDarkBrown Sugar, LightGolden-Brown Sugar and Demerara Brown Sugar The distinct colour and flavoursofbrown sugarare great for inclusioninChristmascakesand cocktailsas wellassavouryitemssuchastheChristmas main feast, sticky marinadesandrichgravies, to name a few.

Nordzucker(Ireland) Ltd isoneofthe leadingsugardistributorsinIrelandproviding retailersand consumersacross the country withan extensive rangeofsugarproducts undertheSiúcra brand.

For more informationonSiúcra products and recipeinspirations,visit www.nordzuckerireland.ie

Joy ofgetting stuckin!

Odlums isproud to have beenmillingand packing flourinIreland for over 175 years. Originallyestablishedin Portlaoise by the Odlum familyin1845,Odlumshasbeenan integralpartofIrishbakingand cooking for generations.

The team at Odlumsdon’tthinkbakingis aboutperfection.Instead,it’s aboutthejoy of getting stuckinandgivingit a go It’s about thepridethat comesinsharingcreationswith loved ones.Odlumswillbeencouraging bakersofalllevels to bake somethingspecial for theirloved onesthisChristmas.Fromthe traditionalChristmascake andpudding to cranberryandbrieminitartsand festive Christmas cookies, Odlums.ie has a recipe for everyone

For thoseentertaining over the festive period,why notimpress guests by servingup

somedelicioushomemadepizza? Odlums’ new OOFlour is a finelymilledflourthat’s perfect for makingpizzaandpasta.Oron Christmasmorning, yourshopperscantake somefreshlybakedsourdoughbreadoutof the oven usingthenew OdlumsCraft SourdoughBreadMix,a quickand convenient way to make homemadesourdoughbread. Bothproductsare availablenationwidenow. Visit Odlums.ie orfindthebrandon Facebook andInstagramor for more recipeinspiration.

Numberonebutter

Ireland’s numberonebutterbrand, Kerrygold, isthesecretingredient for everykitchen

moment. The fulllineupof Kerrygold productsincludes KerrygoldIrishCreamery Butter (227gand454g), KerrygoldIrish SofterButter (454g)andthe recently launched KerrygoldSpreadable (454g)and KerrygoldUnsaltedIrishButter (227g).

Whether yourshoppersare buddingchefs, a dabhand at baking,orsimplyseekingthat extra edge to uptheirkitchengame, Kerrygoldoffers foodloversanabundance of choice to match everyoccasion.

To access thefull range, contact Kerrygold directly at hellokerrygold@ornua.com andthe teamwill connect you with yournearest supplier

DeliciousChristmasgifts

At Dr. Oetker, the teamknows that Christmas isfullofmeaningfulmoments,fromspending timewith familyandfriends to opening presentsunderthetree

What better way to spreadthe festive cheer thanbakingloved onessomedelicious, homemadetreats to show you care? Notonly willbakers ofallskilllevels have funmaking them,butthey canshare andenjoy them together andit’s oftenmore meaningfulthan a shop-boughtpresent.

Whether a regularbakeror a kitchen newbie, allittakesis a few littletips to turn yummy Christmasbakesinto gift-worthy showstoppers.Dr Oetkerhascreated the ultimate Christmasgiftguide to help everyone dojust that!

Sprinklesarea key segmentwith a biguplift

at Christmastime, withthreetimesthe value generated at Christmastime vs outofseason*.

To create a festive feel for any bake, your shopperscantryDr Oetker ’srangeofsparkly sprinkles from ReindeerCheer & Christmas Party to Glamour & Sparkle DrOetker ’s ChristmasGlittery ColouredIcing isthe perfectproduct to addfinishing touches to any bakedgift,which comesinseasonal red, green,goldandblack.

For more informationonhow to make baked gifts extra-specialwithDr Oetker’s Christmassy decorations,clever hacksandhandy ingredients,checkout www.oetker.ie ■ *(Source:NielsenScantrackDataDecember2021)

“

TastywinsforBlaschampions!

ThebestofthebestinIrishfoodwascelebratedatBlasnahÉireann,TheIrish FoodAwardslastmonth.Nowinits 15th year,theawardshonourthegreatest Irishfoodanddrinkfromeverycorneroftheisland.Blasaccreditationhas thehighestrecognitionamongIrishconsumersandusingtheawardlogoon packaginghasbeenproventoencourageshopperstobuy a product.Here, BlasnahÉireannchairman ArtieClifford introducestheawardsandweshine a spotlightonthedeservingwinnersfromtheBlasnahÉireannWinnersShowcase

We were delighted to welcomeproducers, buyers, finalistsand foodloversback to Dingle this year for BlasnahÉireann,theIrish food Awardsand to launchthenew Blas Village

This year ’s finalistsandwinnersgot to experience theBlas Village for the first time Located intheheartofDingle thispop-up village was built for producersandbuyers across the country tocome togetherand celebrate the verybest ofIrish foodanddrink for our first in-person eventinthree years.As wellasthe awards beingheldhere, our finalistsandwinnershadtheopportunity to showcasetheirproducts,engagewith customersandmeet key industry figures.

We were thrilled to seesomany buyers

SuperValuproducersscoop 119wins

Producers for SuperValu, Ireland’s numberone award-winningsupermarket,enjoyed huge success at this year ’s BlásnahÉireann awards, takinghomeanimpressive 119 awards.

AsIreland’s largest grocery retailer, SuperValuis committed to sourcingthebest ofIrishandlocal foodandhaslong-standing relationshipswithmore than1,800Irish food anddrinksproducers.

SuperValu’s own brandanditsIrishbrand producers won 46 awards,madeupof13gold, 18silverand14bronze awards. A specialprize for best new product was awarded to Kepak

return to Dinglewithsuchenthusiasm for the finalist products,withmany new relationships formedwhichwilllead to excitingnew listingsinthe coming year

Aftera three-yearhiatusfromanin-person event,having a three-day celebrationwith theadditionoftheBlas VillageandEat Irelandin a Day was worththe wait.Along withthe excitementofthe awards,it wasa fantastic few days of focusednetworking, catch-upsandcreatingnew connectionsand I amdelightedthat wewere able to showcasethis exceptionalproduce to both regularvisitorsandindustry expertsinsuch anapproachableandenjoyable way

We are now inour15th yearandsawa

hugeincreaseinentrieswithalmost 3,000 productsandmany new producersentering the awards for the first time

The competition rampsup yearon year, meaningthoseproducerswhoare shortlisted as finalists reallyare thecrèmedela crèmeofIrish foodanddrink. This yearit was notjust the excellent foodanddrink that we celebratedbutthepeople themselves,ourpassionate and resilient producers.Ithasbeenquitea homecoming for ourBlas familyand we are looking forward already to doingitall over again next year

”

for itsSuperValuIrishBeefDry Aged Striploin. Meanwhile, SuperValu’s Food Academy food anddrinkproducerspickedup a totalof 73 awards,madeupof19gold,19silverand 24 bronze as wellas five Chef ’s Larder ’s,five best in countyandthe Roghana Gaeltachta award

Thesewinsincludedgoldandbest in county for Clare Jam’s new productDoolinMustard whilenewcomerZingibeer run by fatherand daughter KevinandRachel Byrne, won gold for itsall-naturalgingerbeer

Impressively, new producerswho started with Food Academy inMay this year won 13 awards.

“We are delightedthat theBlasnahÉireann awards are once againtakingplace inperson

ArtieClifford,BlasnahÉireannchairman

ArtieClifford,chairperson, BlasnahÉireann

aftertwo yearsofvirtual awards andthat once againit wasa winning year for SuperValu’s producers,” saidIanAllen,managingdirector, SuperValu.

“At SuperValu we are committed to supportingmore Irish foodproducersthanany other retailerandindeliveringboththebest qualityand value for ourcustomers. Working withmore than1,800Irish foodproducers, we are immenselyproudofour award-winning brandsandit’swonderful to seethelocal suppliersandproducers receive the recognitionthey richlydeserve.”

Foodmadewithlove andcare

At Avoca, the teamare passionate about food. Avoca’s ethosis centredaroundfresh,quality ingredients,Irishprovenance andseasonality, andthe company says itis “endlesslyproudof its teamoftalentedchefsandbakers”.

This year Avoca was delighted to pickup five awards at theBlasnahEireannIrish Food Awards. The biggest competition for quality Irishproduce inthe country, Avoca was honoured to take homebronze for its delicioussmokedsalmonpâté andits famous chocolate andpralinecake withhidden smarties. Avoca was also awardedsilver for its ImmunityChickenBroth,andgold for its SuperberryGranolaandGreek StyleCheese Dipwith Roasted Tomatoes.

Furthermore, Avoca was alsothrilled for so many ofitsamazingIrishsupplierswhoalso tookhomeprestigiousBlasnahÉireann awards.Over30Irishsupplierswhose productsare stockedin Avoca’s foodmarkets were givengold,silverandbronze awards, including The Chocolate GardenofIreland, Mic’s Chilli,Blanco Nino, Scup, Wicklow Way WinesandBiaSol to namejusta few.

Another exciting stepin Avoca’s food journey this year was the releaseofitsbrandnew cookbook, Avoca at Home Over a decadeafterthe releaseofitslast Avoca cookbook, Avoca at Home contains over 100 delicious recipes for everyday andspecial days, perfect for cooking at homewith family orfriends.

Aldi isproud to workwith a networkof over 330Irishproducersall year roundso whenitcame to theBlasnahÉireann Awards2022itcameasnosurprisethat Aldi hadsomany productsheldinhigh regard.

Aldianditsnetworkof remarkableIrish foodproducersonce againtriumphed at the awards winning a totalof 41awards across several categories. The impressive haulincludes11goldmedals,15silver medals,and15bronze medals.

Aldi’s goldmedal-winningproducts were produced by ABPMeats,Alltech BeverageDivisionIreland Ltd,Armagh Cider, DawnMeats,DonegalRapeseedOil, IGWT Poultry, Kestrel Foods,Lir Chocolates Ltd, Loughnane’s of Galway, SilverHillDuckand VanillaBean Patisserie

Top accolades went to several ofAldi’s Bord BiaQualityAssured100%Irishmeats namely, ABPCahir ’s Butcher ’s Selection IrishBeefQuarterpounderwithSmokey BaconSeasoning,DawnMeat’s Specially Selected West ofIrelandLambGuard of Honour, SilverHillDuck’s Duckbreast fillets,IGWT Poultry’s SpeciallySelected Exquisite HandPluckedOrganicBronze

Avocaisjustifiablyproudofitspassionate teamofchefsandbakerswhoprepare allthe company’s meals,cakesand sweettreatswith love andcare, andofsomany ofitsIrish supplierswhoproduce the wonderful products Avocaissoproud to stockinits stores.

3 brothers…1 brewery…0 shortcuts!

‘3brothers…1 brewery…0 shortcuts!’ That’s the motto ofthethree Wicklow brotherswho form O BrotherBrewing Barry, Brianand PaddyO’Neill andit certainlyseems to be standing to them. Togetherwithheadbrewer, RichBarrett, O BrotherBrewinghas establisheditselfasoneofIreland’s highestrated independentbreweries,earningthe adorationofbeerloversandbeerjudgesalike.

Adding to thebrewery’s tallyof17 international awards,itsNightcrawlerMilk Stoutachieveda Finalist place inthis year ’s BlasnahÉireann awards,whichBarrysayswas a massive achievement for the team.

Whole Turkey and Loughnane’s of Galway’s SpeciallySelected White Pudding.

OtherAldiproductswhich receivedthe prestigioushonourof a goldmedal includedMamia Strawberry Stringsinthe Baby Foodcategory, Roisin’s Salted CaramelCrunch Egg produced by Lir Chocolates Ltd, VanillaBean Patisserie’s LimeFruitCurd,SpeciallySelected Cold PressedIrishRapeseedOilproduced by DonegalRapeseedOil,Brown BearDouble IPA produced by AlltechBeverageDivision and a wonderfuldryciderproduced by ArmaghCider

“At Aldi, we considerqualityand provenance to bethe cornerstonesofour success,” saidJohnCurtin,groupbuying director at AldiIreland.

“We prideourselveson workingclosely withlocalsuppliers to offerourcustomers onlythe finest ofIrishproduce at affordableprices. That’s why we are so thrilled to have enjoyed anothersuccessful year at theBlasnahÉireannIrish Food Awards,whichsetthe standard for quality Irish foodanddrink. We wish to congratulate ourproducersandthebuying teams for this well-deserved recognition.”

For furtherinformation, contactBarry O’Neill at barry@obrotherbrewing.com DistributedinIrelandvia Fourcorners

O BrotherBrewing’sNightcrawlerMilkStout achieved a Finalistplaceinthisyear’sBlasna hÉireannawards

Avocawon fiveawardsthisyear,including a bronzeawardforitsfamouschocolateand pralinecakewithhiddensmarties

Aldi’s Irishproducersscoop 41 accolades

Bakingup a storm!

FollowinganIrish sweepstake win, O’Harasof Foxford was foundedin1951 by Michaeland MaureenO’Hara andisnow inthethird generationofthe familybusiness. The modern facilityissituated ontheoutskirtsof Foxford, Co Mayo where the company currently employs close to 200peoplewiththemajority fromthesurroundinglocality

Renownedasoneofthemost successful traditionalbreadproducersinthe country, O’Haras was originallyknown for bread productsbuthassince gainedanequally impressive reputation for cake production since itdiversifiedinto thecake sectorinthe early1980s.

Since 2018,O’Harasof Foxford has won 15 separate BlasnahÉireann Awards. This year alonesaw the company winthebest overall producerinMayo and Connacht.Speaking at the awards ceremony, JulieO’Hara said:“We wouldlike to thankArtie, Fallonandallthe teaminBlásnahÉireann for acknowledging IrishproducersandshowcasingIrishproducts, highlightingthe fine foodanddrinkthat Irelandhas to offer.”

The bakery’sflagshipproductisthe Premium White Sliced,whichhas a unique bakingprocess of a longerbake. This resultsin thecrust theMayo bakeryhasbecome famous for. Beingoneofthebiggest producersof Christmascakesinthe country, thebakeryis veryproudofitsnumerousBlasnahÉireann awards intheChristmascake category

Producing over 140breadandcake productsanddistributingnationwide to allthe major retailersandindependent stores, O’Harashas come a long way since that 1951 sweepstakeswin.

Shakinguptheshack!

What startedoutas a quest to produce analternative hotsauce to thetwo leading brandsusedinnearly every restaurantaroundthe country, which was healthy, vegan,freefromallergens andsuitable for gluten intolerance andabove all, tasted amazing,hassince grown to nationalacclaim.

As a result,theamazingly flavoursome GrillShack Peri PeriSauce was conceived. Thisinnovative sauce, made withlove in The GrillShack restaurantin Co Kildare by itsMichelintrainedchefand ownerAidanhasproved highlypopularwith customersandwithinthe foodindustryand retail.

Impressively, itachieveda bronze titleinthe prestigiousBlasnahÉireann awards in September The GrillShack Peri PeriSauce is a hottangyspicy sauce oozing flavoursof lemonandgarlicwithhintsoforeganoand basil. Thisspicy versatilesauce burstingwith layeredflavourcanbeused to add flavour to everything,before cookingas a marinadeor after cookingitcanenhance any meat or vegetables.Fromsalads to wings, stir-fries, pasta,ribs,dips,addingbang to yourburger or evenampingupthedryChristmasturkey leftovers. The list isendless.

Fromnovice chefs to barbecueheroes to busy mumsanddadsorgymenthusiasts,this sauce issure to please everyoneandisjust one in a rangeofgreat tastingsauces available, The Grillshack Peri Periispartofitshotsauce range, whichincludesOriginalHotSauce, The GrillShack Triple X and The GrillShackSmoked Whisky all available at Thegrillshack.ie

According to thegroup, thejourney from modest beginnings to national-level recognition,hasonlybeenpossiblewiththe

helpandsupportofitsamazing staffand customers.Also, thelocalandnational retailerswhobelieved initssaucesandthe many, many loyal consumerswhoboughtits rangeofhotsaucesonline “We envisagethe Peri PeriGrillShackSauce to benationwide by 2023soan exciting yearliesahead,” say the team.

Follow The GrillShackor contactthe team on Facebook,Instagramor Tiktok, Thegrillshackdonadeaand Thegrillshack.ie

Big result for Little Red’s

Little Red’s HotSauce hasbeencrowned Ireland’s best hotsauce at this year ’s prestigiousBlasnahÉireannIrish Food Awards.

The Dublin-based company claimedgoldin thesavourysaucescategory for itssignature Everyday HotSauce whichutilisesan innovative cookingprocess usingnaturally fermentedchilliesandgarlic,slowlymatured to achieve a unique flavour synonymouswith Little Red’s sauces.

Originallyestablishedin2020and recently a successfulmemberofSuperValu’s Food Academy programme, Little Red’s is committed to usinglocallysourced,natural ingredientswithnoaddedsugarandfreefrom chemicaladditives. The company employs a rangeoftraditionalandmodern fermentation

techniqueswhich combine to create a sustainable, eco-friendlyproductionprocess. The resultis a uniqueblendofsaucesthat explodewith flavourandleave consumers wantingmore.

“We’re extremelyproudofourgold award win at this year ’s BlasnahÉireann,” saidShane Doherty, owner, Little Red’s Sauces.“It’s a great achievement to be recognised at the most prestigiousIrish food awards and we are honoured to benamed‘Best SavouryHot Sauce’inIreland.AsanIrish company these industrywins reallyhelpdemonstrate the qualityofourproduct. Winningthis award is a testament to ourhard workanddedicationin delivering a trulyunique, Irishhotsauce which we look forward to offeringcustomersaround the country.”

Little Red’s Everyday HotSauce isnow available to purchasein storesandonline at https://www.littleredssauces.com/ LittleRed’sEverydayHotSauceismadewith

ShaneDoherty,ownerofLittleRed’sSauces, wasextremelyproudtoreceive a goldatthis year’sBlasnahÉireannAwards

Centra producerswin 22 awards at Blasna hÉireann2022

Convenience retailer Centra’s Irish producershave claimed22 awards at this year ’s BlasnahÉireannIrish Food Awards.

Celebratingand rewardingthe verybest tastingIrish foodanddrinkproducts,the BlasnahÉireann awards are thebiggest blindtastingofproduce inthe country

Ireland’s numberone convenience retailer, Centra’s producers tookhomesix gold,ninesilverandseven bronze awards. The bigwinsinclude five productsfromthe premiumInspired by Centra range, expertly created to bringshoppers valuewithout compromisingontaste orquality Award-winnerswithintheInspired by Centra rangeincludeInspired by Centra AngusSirloin Steakwith PeppercornButter (Kepak Ltd.),Inspired by Centra Salmon Sensation(Dunn’s ofDublin),Inspired by Centra Lamb Tagine(Ballymaguire Foods), Inspired by Centra Mexican Style Sweet Potato andBeanSalad(Wonderfoods) and Inspired by Centra ColdPressedGinger Shot(SunshineJuice Ltd.).

Other key award winnersfromthe Centra rangeinclude Centra CrèmeFraiche (Clona DairyProducts), Centra Chickenwith

“BlasnahÉireannare thelargest food awards ontheislandand we’re veryproud to have taken22accolades at the2022 awards,” saidIanAllen,managingdirector, Centra.

“We workcloselywithourhigh-qualityIrish suppliers,and we are delightedthat somany

ofourlocalproducersandtheirproducts have receivedthe recognitionthey deserve at theseesteemed awards,” he continued.

“We’re delighted to see five winnersfrom ourInspired by Centra rangewhichuses thehighest qualityhomegrown ingredients to deliverthe verybest tasting products to ourcustomers at stores nationwide.”

PicturedwithCentraproductsare:Backrow(l-r)MajellaMoynihan,AndrewO’Donnell, SarahDonnelly,DermotSkehan,EdwardSpelman,JackRogers,GerrySheridan,Abigail Collins,NiamhBarber,LouiseWelland.Frontrow(l-r)LizSkehan,CiaraO’Gorman,Gillian McGowanandLisaClarke

Garam MasalaSoup400g(Ballymaguire Foods) and Centra GoldBlend Tea Bags (Bewley’s)

Festive winter warmers

Christmasget-togetherswillbeinfull swing soonandwhether you are looking to curate theperfectChristmas cocktail,skipthebooze orserve updrinks for thewhole family, Naturally Cordial has a selectionofdelicious flavoursthat allow everyone to joininthe festive cheer

Producedin Wexford,these award-winning cordialsare madefromorganiccitrusand localIrishsoftfruitsandusejust fournatural ingredients; water, fruit,sugarand a small quantityofcitricacid.

Its cordials comein500mlbottlesandthe favourite festiveflavoursare Cranberry & Orangeand Wexford Blackcurrant.Bothcan beenjoyed in a signature cocktaillikea Sidecar or a Madras,they also workbrilliantlywhen used to makea fruitymocktailusingsoda water andfreshfruitorwhy notenjoy them warm? They makea deliciousalternative to

mulledwinewhenheated withspicesandfruit. Checkoutits website to discover the world ofNaturally Cordialandeasy recipes to create deliciousdrinks at www.naturallycordial.ie Naturally Cordialis stockedinselected SuperValu storesnationwide, independent retailersandartisan stores.

Pizzaperfection!

BlasnahÉireannnamed PizzadaPiero the goldwinnerofthe continentalbreads

couplewith a passion for great foodhadthe idea to setuptheirbakery

PizzadaPiero creates authenticItalianpizza baseslike noother Veganormeat lover, these pizzabasesare perfectas a quickandeasy dinner, whether yourcustomersare entertaining at home, whippingup a protein packedlunchafter a gym workout,orlooking fora healthy afterschoolmeal for thekids. A crisp, lightbasewith a unique flavour, it’s easy to seewhy PizzadaPiero becamethe ‘fakeaway’ ofchoice for Irishhomes.

The realdeal!

All RealNutrition is a mission-lednutrition company basedin County Kerry Usingnatural ingredients,All RealNutritionoffershigh proteinproducts to itscustomerbaseof everyday athletes,adventurers,orthose aiming to make betterchoiceswhenit comes to theirhealthorthe worldaroundthem.

Taste above allelse

category at The Irish Food Awards. Thisisthe second yearPizzadaPiero has won gold, havingalsobeen awardedgoldin2020

“We are sothankful for thesupport we have gotfromhouseholdsaroundthe country whobuyourpizzabases every week,and to BlasnahÉireann for recognisingourhard work,graziemille.” says Piero, co-founderand director at PizzadaPiero.

In2007, Piero was makingfreshpizzabases for hisIrishwife Clionaandtheirfriends.Back thenthere was nogoodquality, Italianpizza available to buyinIrelandandthat’s whenthis

All RealNutritionisbest known for its naturalproteinbars.However, earlierthis year, All RealNutrition expandeditsproduct range by addingthreedelicious flavoursofprotein nutbutter to its website andin-store offering. The nutbutter rangeoffers10gofproteinper servingandless caloriesthanotherpeanut butterproducts.Eachjarofnutbuttersold preventstheequivalentof five plasticbottles fromenteringtheocean,throughAll Real’s collaborationwithPlasticBank. The three flavoursincludeoriginalpeanutbutter, choc fudgeandthemost popular flavour salted caramel.

All RealSaltedCaramelNutButter is enrichedwithgrass-fedIrishmilkprotein.Not onlydoesthisincreasetheprotein contentbut alsodelivers a smoothand extra creamy taste

ThisisbalancedwithIrish AtlanticSeaSalt and a naturalcaramel flavouring to provide a healthy andnutritiousnutbutterthat feelslike a treat.

Since launchinginMay, All RealSalted CaramelNutButterhasbeen a

The expertshave spoken,andO’Donnells isthrilled to announce that itisnow the most awardedcrispinIreland. Throughout 2022,O’Donnells was awarded20 prestigiousquality awards,highlightingthe

exemplaryqualityofIreland’s numberone hand-cookedcrispbrand.

O’Donnells was delighted to winSilver for O’DonnellsMature Cheese & Red Onion at the recentBlasnahEireann awards.ItsO’Donnells Mature Cheese & Red Onioncrispsboast the creamyflavourofmature Irishcheddar blendedwiththe sweet,mellow hitof red onion to create therichtaste ofIreland’s numberonehand-cookedcrisps.

As2022draws to a close, O’Donnellsis supportedwiththe Taste Above AllElse campaign. The campaigniscurrentlylive on

radio videoondemand(VOD),social, digitalandin-store, driving awareness and mental availability for O’Donnells.

*(Source: NielsenMAT ValueSalesOctober 9, 2022,Crisps)

inmany recipes pancakes,smoothies, yogurt bowls,brownies,cheesecakes,andinmany cases,hasbeenenjoyed straightfromthejar This flavouris a staff favourite, once you try you’llknow why!

Roastingspeciality coffee: Aninsidepeek

Roastingspeciality coffeeispartartandpart science. Ittakespractice, patience, and focus. Adam,thehead roaster at Velo Coffee Roasters, hastakenthe coffee to new levels, developing award-winning coffees yearafter year Velosources speciality coffeefromits partnersaroundtheglobe RatnagiriEstate andFincalasMercedesare the farmsthat have grown Velo’s BlasnahÉireannGold winning coffees, exemplifyinghow speciality coffeeallbegins at the farm.Itisthetimeand dedicationputin at the start,ensuringthat thesoilishealthy, the coffeeberriesare harvested by hand at peakripeness and sustainablegrowthpracticesare usedthat startstheprocess of roastingdelicious coffee

each coffee to its own profile to draw outall thebestflavoursandaromas. Then,patience is key here, the coffeeisset to rest Ifthe coffeeisnot restedlongenough, you risk losingallitsrichness and complexity The whole VeloSquadgets to joininandtaste the coffeein a process calledcupping. They make

Awardsandmost proudlytakinghomegold inthe competitive category‘fermented alcoholicbeverages’ at BlasnahÉireann. Uniquelypositionedastheonlygingerbeer ondraught,Zingibeerisset to take itsplace asthecleanlabelalternative to thedraught cidersandbeersthat have dominated for so long.

Zingibeerisglutenfree, veganfriendly, sulphite freeand containsonlynatural ingredients.Also availablein500mlbottles, Zingibeeris stockedinoff-licences nationwide See zingibeer.ie for stockists. Distributed by GrandCruBeers; phone: 01 830 7821.

For salesenquiries, contact info@zingibeer.ie or+353 87 9040111.

Spice up yoursauce selection!

Mic’s Chilli isproud to winsilver for its Chilli BBQSauce andBest Producerin Co Wicklow, at theBlasnahEireann,Irish Food Awards2022. VeloCoffeeRoasterswonGoldforitsEl SalvadorKeniaHoney,aswellasBronzefor itsAldiTandemSpeciallySelected,withthree

sure the coffeesfromthe core rangeare consistentanddeliciousandtryoutallthe new blends.Qualityand consistency are the key pillarsincreatingspeciality coffeefrom the farm to roasting.

That isthejourney that brings your coffee to yourcupeachmorning.

There wasa realhumabout townthis year aboutthenewcomer Zingibeer Who are they andwhat itis? Fatheranddaughterduo Kevin andRachel Byrnehave setout to establish ZingibeerasIreland’sfirst andpremierginger beerbrand.Zingibeeris a delicioustraditional gingerbeermadeusing fermentedginger, lemon zest andbotanicals.

At 4%ABV, Zingibeeristhe refreshingthirst quencher you didn’tknow you were waiting for; a gingerbeernotonly for “thegingerbeer drinker”. The newcomers to theIrishdrink scenescoopeduptwo awards this year, winningbronze for Irelandinthe WorldBeer

The brand’s ChilliBBQSauce caughtthe judges’ attentionwithitssmokin’ flavour with a commandingchillikick. They loved thisBBQbeautywithitschirpy chipotles andheavenlyhabanero chillies. Thisperky, aztec wondermakes a deliciousmarinadeor easy dippingsauce.

Michael“Mic” Wejchert, founderofMic’s Chilli, was alsoproud to accepttheBest in Wicklow 2022 Award.“It’s fantastic to receive suchgreat recognition for thehard work everyone at Mic’s Chillihasputinto creatingour rangeofnaturaland flavour packedsauces,” hesaid.

Mic’s Chillisaucesare lovinglyhandmade in Wicklow, Irelandfromthe finest chillies the worldhas to offer, and containno artificial flavourings, colourings, preservatives,orothernasties.Allthe saucesare wholesomeanddelicious,and yourgranny wouldapprove ‘causeshe’s got a bottleherself!

Mic’s Chillinow has12beautifullybranded delicioussaucesthat rangefrommild-hit-ofheat to blow-your-socks-off-burn,whichare availableacross Ireland,andtheglobe

For more information,visit www.micschilli.com ■

Oncea

of coffeearrives,thefun beginsinthe roastery Adam roastson a Probat roaster fromGermany, whichis designedusing

Zing-ingupthegingerbeer scene

2022-2023 Irish WineShow Star Award winnersannounced

The NationalOff-Licence Association(NOffLA) awardedits annualIrish WineShow Star Awards to 48winesonMonday, 10October2022. The annual event,now inits22nd year, was hosted in-person for the first time intwo years at theMorrison HotelinDublin. The winning wineswillbe available to consumersfromNOffLAoutlets across Ireland.

At the event,NOffLAalso expressedthedisappointmentof itsmembersthat analcohol excise reduction was not consideredaspartofBudget 2023andthat Ireland continues to levy thehighest exciseonwine across theEUandUK.

NOffLA,alongwiththeDrinks IndustryGroupofIreland(DIGI) called fora 7.5% reductionin alcohol exciselevelsinBudget 2023,supported by a further 7.5% reductionnext year to bring Ireland’s alcohol excise regimein linewithEuropeanlevelsand to alsohelpprotectthe commercial

viabilityofbusinesseswithinthe Irishdrinkssectorinan increasinglychallengingtrading environment.

Speaking at the awards, Gary O’Donovan,chairmanofNOffLA said:“We are delighted to celebrate the exceptionalwines

dangerouslylow prices,Ireland’s punitivelyhigh exciselevelsare nolongerjustifiedfrom a public healthperspective.”

In excess of600wines were submitted to the Star Award adjudicationpanelofNOffLA judgesandindependentwine journalists. Points were awarded onthebasisofappearance, smell, taste and value for money criteria,andthewinning16 were selectedasthebest winesfrom key suppliersacrossa numberof price categories.

Eachofthewinningwineswill besoldinNOffLAmember outletsacross the countryand willbe recognisable by distinctive award symbolsoneachbottle In thepre-ChristmasperiodNOffLA memberswillpromote theIrish WineShow Star Awards20222023 Collectionasideal Christmasgifts,in a varietyof specialgiftpacks.

“Unfortunately, Irishdrinks sectorbusinessesare burdened withthehighest levelsofalcohol exciseintheEUandUK,and exciseincreasesfrom a decade ago remaininplace and continue to impactthesesmall,independent businesses.Itisdisappointingthat an excise reduction was not includedinBudget2023given theincreasinglyuncertain economic conditionsthese businessesnow face

76 NOFFLANEWS ShelfLife November2022 | www.shelflife.ie www.noffla.ie

Allthewinners at annualIrish WineShow Star Awards2022 2023 celebratingthe resultsonMonday, 10October2022

Crianza n ne of ar 2022-2023, presented llie Dardis and Sinead Smith of Ampersand with Luis Marculeta of Rioja Vega, alongside NOffLA chairman ry O’Dono The Irish WineShow Star Awards celebrate outstanding wines across price categories, including New World Red/White andOld World Red/ White–under €12, €15 and€20, Roséunder €15 and Champagne & Sparkling under€25 and€60

team from Ampersand

Eachofthewinningwinesacross theBronze, SilverandGold

Politicalupdate delivered by NOffLA chairman GaryO’Donovan

OnbehalfoftheNationalOffLicence Association,chairman GaryO’Donovan extendedhis sincere thanks to NOffLA members for theirefforts over thepast coupleof yearsduring the Covid-19crisisandsharedhis delight at beingable to catch up inpersonthis year “Many had to overcomesignificantchallenges and wewouldlike to acknowledgeallof you in representingoursectorso well duringthosedifficult years,” he said.O’Donovan alsopaidthanks to suppliers for their continued supportandallegiance throughoutthepandemic.

Heproceeded to givea brief overview ofthepoliticalupdates fromthepast yearandNOffLA’s engagementsinthisarea.

PublicHealth(Alcohol) Act:MUP

The most significantdevelopment was theintroductionofMinimum UnitPricing(MUP),O’Donovan said,which finally commencedin

Januarythis year, andwhich NOffLA welcomed.

Meanwhile, theNorthern IrelandDepartmentofHealth held a public consultationearlier this yearonintroducingMUP to NorthernIreland.Giventhe politicalsituation at present,the introductionofMUPinNorthern Irelandislikely still years away NOffLA continues to supportan all-islandmodelofMUP, to create anall-islandpricingmodeland publichealthframeworkacross bothjurisdictions.

PublicHealth(Alcohol) Act:Labelling

AsidefromMinimumUnitPricing cominginto effectinJanuarythis year, othermeasureswithinthe PublicHealth(Alcohol) Act which have progressedincludelabelling regulations.

The regulationswillintroducea requirement for alcoholproducts to carry a health warninglabel andwillalso require retailersof alcohol,includingoff-licencesand

pubs, to displaya notice outlining similarhealth warnings.

The DepartmentofHealthhas recentlysubmitteditsdraft regulations to theEuropean Commission for anassessment onwhetherthey alignwithSingle Marketprinciples. The CommissionandMember States are alloweda three-month window to assess the regulations. Once theseare commenced by theMinister for Health, a threeyearlead-intimewillbeallowed for producersand retailers to prepare.

PublicHealth(Alcohol) Act: Advertising & marketing

As we know, O’Donovan continued,theAlcoholBillalso includes regulationswhich restrictadvertisingandimposes a watershedonbroadcasting.

Additional restrictionson event advertisingand event sponsorship suchassporting eventsor eventsaimed at

NOffLA vice chairman CathalMcHugh outlinestradingupdate

At the awards ceremony, NOffLA vice chairmanCathalMcHugh alsoprovidedguestswith a brief tradingupdate in relation to Budget2023.

Budget2023

Labelled a ‘Cost ofLiving’Budget by theMinister for Finance, Budget2023includednumerous spendingandtaxmeasures for householdsandbusinesses as rising costs are being felt by us all. The Budget consisted alsoof a rangeoftargeted, ‘once-off ’ measuresthat willbe rolledout fromthis yearand to provide support for themonthsahead.

The Governmenthave indicated thoughthat they won’truleout furthersupportsor extending suchmeasuresifneeded.

Excise rates

WhileNOffLA welcomedthat there was noincrease to alcohol excise rates– particularlygiven thepressure theMinister was under to raisetax revenues whereverpossible the association feelsit was an opportunitymissed to not consideran excise reduction.

Aswithallsmallbusinesses now, NOffLAmembersare facing increasinglydifficulttrading

conditionsandgreater economic uncertaintyintheshortand medium termswithrising business costs.

Alongwithitsdrinkssector colleagues,NOffLAcalled fora 7.5% reductioninalcohol excisein theBudget,supported by a further 7.5% reductioninnext year ’s Budget to protect commercialviabilityofdrinks sectorbusinesses. The drinks sectoris explicitlydisadvantaged fromthelevel ofalcohol exciseit isburdenedwith compared to European colleagues.In fact, Irelandhasthesecondhighest

children as wellas restrictions onalcoholadvertisingin publications,cameinto effectin Novemberlast year

Alcohollicensing reform

Finally, NOffLAhasbeen engagingthis yearwiththe DepartmentofJustice around alcohollicensing reforms,and thegovernment’s forthcoming ‘SaleofAlcoholBill’whichwill seek to “moderniseIreland’s alcohollicensinglaws.”

We understandthat thebill willbepublished by the Minister for Justice shortly althoughwillnotbeenacted before theendofthis year, as hadoriginallybeenindicated, O’Donovan said.

NOffLAwill review thebill once itispublishedand continueitsengagementwith theDepartmentinthisarea.

GaryO’Donovan concluded by remindinggueststhat ifthey have questionsontheAlcohol Act regulations,licensing reform orany generalquestionsaround legislationorpoliticalmatters, theHumeBrophy teamare alwaysavailable to assist,so please reachoutdirectlyorvia NOffLA.

composite level ofalcohol exciseintheEUandUK,andas we know, thehighest exciseon wine

Minimumunitpricing

In response, NOffLAmetwith theDepartmentofFinance, and outlinedthat an excise reductionisnotjust paramount for thesectorbutalso appropriate giventhe introductionofMinimumUnit Pricingthis year whichnow prohibitsthe retailingofalcohol at dangerouslylow prices.

AsMUPis a targeted,public healthpolicy, Ireland’s punitively high excise rates cannolonger bejustifiedfrom a publichealth perspective. McHugh concluded. that NOffLAwillbe continuing itspoliticalengagementonthis inthe comingmonths.

After Eightlaunchestwo new chocolate tree-ts to‘celebr-eight’ 60thanniversary

After Eight, Ireland’s originalafterdinnermint,isintroducingsome festive giftingproductsthisChristmasin celebrationofits60thbirthday. The seasonalproductsinclude a first-ever Mint CollectionBox and a ‘Celebr-Eight’ DarkMintChocolate Box

The beautifullypackaged199g After EightMint CollectionBox comprisesfive deliciousflavours,Dark Peppermint & OrangeFlavour Fondant;DarkChocolate & Peppermint;Dark PeppermintCrisp;Dark Peppermint FondantandMilk Peppermint Truffle Meanwhileits‘Celebr-Eight’ DarkMintChocolate Box makesthe perfect keepsake for After Eight fans.

After Eight’s uniquelycraftedchocolates are madewith100% sustainable cocoa,supporting women,children,andeducationin farming communitiesthanks to theNestlé Cocoa Plan.

Nestlé Lindt

Meltthe day away with new LindtHot Chocolate

Smooth,creamy, andindulgent,thenew LindtHotChocolate, crafted withpassion by theLindtmaster chocolatiers,istheperfect way for your customers to warmupwinter evenings.

Sometimes everyoneneeds a momentofcalmandtranquillityall to themselvesandnothingbeats cominginfrom a cold,chillyday to a mug of steaminghotchocolate Adda littlebliss to thiswinterritual by pairingitwithLindt’s smoothmeltingLindorChocolate Truffles. Everyonecandelightinthesumptuouslysmooth,rich,andindulgent taste ofthis exquisite vegan-friendlychocolate drinkas a cosy winter warmer to keepthechill at bay.

To preparea LindtHotChocolate, add15g(3 teaspoons) to 200mlof yourchoice ofmilkand stir welluntilsmoothandcreamy.

The first-ever LindtHotChocolate, it’s madewith realLindtChocolate, withbettersolubilitythan competitors.* What’s more, thisdeliciousnew beveragecanalsobeenjoyed as a colddrink,andisgluten-freeand suitable for vegans**, containing veganfriendlyingredients.

LindtHotChocolate isnow availablenationwide, RRP€7

Flahavan’s

Power up yourday with Flahavan’s

Flahavan’s haslaunchedits new rangeoffunctional porridgeproducts, responding to growing consumerdemand for convenientbreakfast solutions withaddedhealthbenefits. Availablein convenientpot andsachetpack formats,the rangeincludesthree varieties High Protein(potonly),ImmunityBoost and HighFibre

Flahavan’s HighProtein Porridgepot combinesallthedelicious creaminess ofFlahavan’s locallysourced oatswith a delicately sweet vanillaflavour Eachpot contains8.5gofproteinandprovides a good source offibre.

Flahavan’s ImmunityBoost Porridge comesinbothsachetsandpots andhas a delicious raspberryflavour It contains raspberrypiecesas well asaddedvitaminssuchasiron,zinc,andvitamin D to providean extra boost ofgoodness eachmorning,as wellasproviding a goodsource of fibre.

Flahavan’s HighFibre Porridgepotsandsachets contain a varietyof seedsandoat bran fora naturalboost offibre, as wellasproviding a goodsource ofprotein.It’s a deliciouscreamy porridgewithpumpkin seeds,sunflower seeds,andgoldenlinseeds for texture.

The new rangeisnow availableinallmajorsupermarketsincluding Dunnes,SuperValuand Tesco at a RRPof€3.69 pereightsachetpack (ImmunityandHighFibre variants) and at a RRPof €1.39 per45gpot (ImmunityBoost,HighFibre andHighProtein variants)

Ottimo

*(Source:RDSiii November2020)

**(Thisproductis made to a vegan recipebutasitis manufacturedina facilitythatuses milk,itisnot suitable forpeople withamilkallergy)

**(Thisproduct containslessthan 20mg/kggluten andisgluten-free according to UK andEU regulations)

Pasta lovers rejoice!

IntroducingOttimo:theultimate inpastaperfection!

Pasta lovers rejoice!New product Ottimo istheultimate inpasta perfection,takingfreshpastaandfreezingit,andit’s maderighthere in Ireland. Withthree varieties to choosefrom,it’s readyin fourminutes.

Fantastico FourCheeseRavioliare filledwith a mouth-watering creamy mixof fourcheeses.Meanwhile, for thoselooking fora hintof veg withsomethingindulgent,Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloniticksallthe boxes.And for mushroom fans,theNonQuadrato MushroomRavioliare scrumptious,simplyseasonedwithsaltandpepper Researchhasshownthat many peoplepurchasefreshpastaandlater freeze what they donotuse ThisItalianinspiredfrozenfilledpastaisthe perfectanswer for busy peoplewho want a tasty, convenientmeal withouttheeffort. The freshfrozenproductionprocess allows Ottimo to maintainthefreshpasta texture and keepsallthenutrientslockedin.It cooks straightfromfrozenin fourminutesanddoesn’tleave any waste–shopperscansimplyusewhat they needandputthe remainderbackin thefreezer.

Ottimois stockedinselectedsupermarketsnationwidepriced at €3.50 fora 300gpack;brought to you by GreenIsle

For more information,visit www,optimopastas.com, Instagram.com/ ottimopastas/ and Facebook.com/optimopastaperfection. ■