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Seen and heard
Lidl teams up with RollerCoaster.ie to launch Lupilu Baby Bundle
RollerCoaster.ie, Ireland’s leading online pregnancy and parenting destination website, has launched the Lupilu Baby Bundle in partnership with Lidl Ireland.
The Lupilu Baby Bundle is a box filled with award-winning Lupilu by Lidl new-born essentials that will be available completely free to those who subscribe to Rollercoaster.
Lupilu by Lidl is Lidl’s own-brand range of award-winning baby products, with accolades including a recent Gold win for Lupilu nappies at the Pregnancy & Baby Fair Awards. The expansive range features high-quality items at low prices including nappies, wipes and toiletries, paediatrician-approved baby lotion and organic food products made with 100% fruit.
The bundle has been carefully curated by an expert team to include award-winning products such as nappies, soothing creams and bathing products. There is also a Lidl Plus coupon for a packet of Lupilu biodegradable wipes redeemable in Lidl stores nationwide along with lots of other essentials.
Head of RollerCoaster.ie, Liz Doyle said she was delighted as “the leading and trusted pregnancy and parenting platform in Ireland” to be the chosen partner for Lupilu’s Baby Bundle campaign throughout 2022, a leading choice for Irish parents for “great quality and even better value”.
Visit RollerCoaster.ie to subscribe.
MiWadi is launching the ‘Trick or Treat for Sick Children’ campaign, the Children’s Health Foundation’s annual fundraising initiative, with the help of broadcaster Alison Curtis and Children’s Health Ireland patients Joy Harper (7), Luke Staunton (11), and Noah Daly (3).
Proudly supported by MiWadi, Trick or Treat for Sick Children raises vital funds to support patients and their families in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Connolly.
The initiative is calling on everyone from individuals to community groups to host your own Trick or Treat party and help raise funds, with free party packs available.
Celebrating the ten-year partnership that has helped to raise over €3.2 million to date, MiWadi has also created a podcast mini-series of fantastical Halloween-inspired short stories, fuelled by the imaginations of Joy, Luke and Noah.
Perfect for little ears, the series will be available from all podcast streaming platforms from 7 October right up until Halloween.
For top party tricks and tips, check out www.instagram.com/ miwadi_ireland/ and MiWadi’s TikTok.
Register for a ‘Trick or Treat for Sick Children’ party pack at www.childrenshealth.ie/trickortreat or call 01 709 1700. As part of Spar National Tree Day 2022, Spar and the Tree Council teamed up with award-winning Irish illustrator Fatti Burke to launch the Spar National Tree Day Colouring Competition.
Children can pick up a Fatti Burke illustrated colouring sheet in any Spar store nationwide and, by uploading a photo of their completed colouring sheet on Treeday.ie, can be in with a chance of winning a Linkilonk activity tube, Eco markers and a €15 Spar voucher.
“We’re delighted to be collaborating with Fatti,” said Spar sales director Colin Donnelly. “Her eye-catching illustrations for the colouring competition offer children another way to engage with the campaign, connect with nature and understand the value trees bring to our communities.”
The Tree Council of Ireland, supported by Spar, has encouraged primary school children across the country to take part in Spar National Tree Day and plant one of 2,000 free Native Irish Holly tree saplings on Thursday, 6 October 2022. To claim a free native Irish Holly tree, visit www.treeday.ie.
The Lupilu Baby Bundle will be available completely free to those who subscribe to Rollercoaster.ie
Eanna Ní Lamhna, president of the Tree Council of Ireland, Colin Donnelly, Spar sales director and Irish illustrator Fatti Burke alongside Lila Rice (6) from Swords and Robert Brady (7) from Clontarf
Mighty monster Joy Harper (7) from Rathfarnham is pictured with Caroline Hyde, marketing manager, MiWadi, broadcaster Alison Curtis and Terri Reynolds, campaign manager, Children’s Health Foundation
Monster talk! MiWadi launches ‘Trick or Treat for Sick Children’ 2022 Spar teams up with Fatti Burke for Spar National Tree Day Colouring Competition
Bananas still top choice for babies and toddlers
Bananas are still the top choice of parents when it comes to picking a baby and toddler snack food, according to the results of the National Parenting Product Awards competition.
For the eighth time in the competition’s nineyear history, Freddy Fyffes – the popular prepacked bananas from Irish banana producer Fyffes – were the chosen winner in the ‘Feeding and Weaning’ section based on research conducted amongst parents and industry experts.
Accepting the award at a prize-giving ceremony held at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin recently, Fyffes head of marketing, Emma Hunt-Duffy thanked competition organisers, adding: “It’s fantastic to see parents continue to choose Freddy Fyffes bananas; families tell us they love their versatility as an on-the-go snack or as part of their breakfast or healthier desserts. Bananas are soft, easy for little hands to manage and full of natural goodness.”
Gala Retail Services Limited appoints PCS as a nominated supplier of cash management solutions
Gala Retail Services Limited has appointed PCS (Premium Cash Solutions) as a nominated supplier for the supply and installation of cash management solutions to its network of stores throughout Ireland. Gala Retail is one of Ireland’s leading premium convenience retailers, with over 250 Gala and Your Stop stores affiliated to the Gala group.
PCS in partnership with Gunnebo Cash Management (a Sesami Company), the global leader in automated cash handling solutions, provide cash management solutions to the retail and hospitality sectors across Ireland. As a preferred supplier for many leading brands including Circle K, Maxol, BWG and Musgraves and as a nominee for the ‘Best Technology Award’ at this year’s upcoming ShelfLife C-Store awards, this new appointment with Gala Retail cements PCS’s position as the fastest growing leader of cash management solutions in the Irish market.
“We are delighted to be chosen as a nominated supplier to the Gala Retail brand,” said Thomas Desmond, head of Business Development, ROI & NI at PCS. “We have over 550 closed cash management solutions installed throughout Ireland and a proven track record with helping retailers to reduce the time spent on daily cash management by delivering solutions that automate their cash processes and simplify operations to provide greater efficiency and control.”
The PCS SafePay system combines intelligent algorithms and cuttingedge technology to offer a secure payment solution. With SafePay, cash is never handled manually, and correct change is always given; therefore unexplained cash differences and the task of dealing with them are a thing of the past. Cashiers no longer need to have responsibility for cash at the till or back-office administration, eliminating cash shrinkage, discrepancies and reconciliations from the daily cash process. Closed cash handling establishes a single, secure, controlled routine for the whole store and automates counting and checking, requiring minimal administration.
For more information, visit www.pcsgroup.ie and www.gala.ie.
Gala Retail CEO Gary Desmond and Thomas Desmond, head of Business Development, ROI & NI at PCS
SuperValu producers celebrate another year of success with 119 wins at Blas na hÉireann Awards
Producers for SuperValu, Ireland’s number one award-winning supermarket, enjoyed huge success at this year’s Blás na hÉireann awards, taking home an impressive 119 awards.
As Ireland’s largest grocery retailer, SuperValu is committed to sourcing the best of Irish and local food and has long-standing relationships with more than 1,800 Irish food and drinks producers. SuperValu’s own brand and its Irish brand producers won 46 awards, made up of 13 gold, 18 silver and 14 bronze awards. A special prize for Niamh Scally of Clonakilty Gluten Free Kitchen, won gold for its Gluten Free Multigrain Loaf, silver for its Gluten Free best new product was awarded to White Bread Rolls, and bronze Kepak for its SuperValu Irish Beef Dry for its Gluten Free White Loaf Aged Striploin.
Meanwhile, SuperValu’s Food Academy food and drink producers picked up a total of 73 awards, made up of 19 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze as well as five Chef’s Larder’s, five best in county and the Rogha na Gaeltachta award.
These wins included gold and best in county for Clare Jam’s new product Doolin Mustard while newcomer Zingibeer, run by father and daughter Kevin and Rachel Byrne, won gold for its all-natural Ginger Beer.
Impressively, new producers who started with Food Academy in May this year won 13 awards.
“We are delighted that the Blas na hÉireann awards are once again taking place in person after two years of virtual awards and that once again it was a winning year for SuperValu’s producers,” said Ian Allen, managing director, SuperValu. “At SuperValu we are committed to supporting more Irish food producers than any other retailer and in delivering both the best quality and value for our customers. Working with more than 1,800 Irish food producers, we are immensely proud of our award-winning brands and it’s wonderful to see the local suppliers and producers receive the recognition they richly deserve.”
Centra producers win 22 awards at Blas na hÉireann 2022
Convenience retailer Centra’s Irish producers have claimed 22 awards at this year’s Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards.
Celebrating and rewarding the very best tasting Irish food and drink products, the Blas na hÉireann awards are the biggest blind tasting of produce in the country.
Ireland’s number one convenience retailer, Centra’s producers took home six gold, nine silver and seven bronze awards. The big wins include five products from the premium Inspired by Centra range, expertly created to bring shoppers value without compromising on taste or quality.
Award-winners within the Inspired by Centra range include Inspired by Centra Angus Sirloin Steak with Peppercorn Butter (Kepak Ltd.), Inspired by Centra Salmon Sensation (Dunn’s of Dublin), Inspired by Centra Lamb Tagine (Ballymaguire Foods), Inspired by Centra Mexican Style Sweet Potato and Bean Salad (Wonderfoods) and Inspired by Centra Cold Pressed Ginger Shot (Sunshine Juice Ltd.).
Other key award winners from the Centra range include Centra Crème Fraiche (Clona Dairy Products), Centra Chicken with Garam Masala Soup 400g (Ballymaguire Foods) and Centra Gold Blend Tea Bags (Bewley’s).
“Blas na hÉireann are the largest food awards on the island and we’re very proud to have taken 22 accolades at the 2022 awards,” said Ian Allen, managing director, Centra.
“We work closely with our high-quality Irish suppliers, and we are delighted that so many of our local producers and their products have received the recognition they deserve at these esteemed awards,” he continued. “We’re delighted to see five winners from our Inspired by Centra range which uses the highest quality home grown ingredients to deliver the very best tasting products to our customers at stores nationwide.” ■
