Retail News March 2020

Retail News MARCH 2020

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Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

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Contents News

Covid-19 fear takes hold AT the time of writing, Ireland has just confirmed its first coronavirus-related death, as the deadly virus sweeps across the globe. What will be the effect of the virus in Ireland? What will it mean for the grocery sector? A special news report (Page 2) reveals that retailers are working with government agencies to ensure a continuity plan for safety measures in the workplace, and for streamlined food and drink supplies, with retail a crucial cog in the battle against Covid-19.

Elsewhere, we report on the changing face of Irish food (Page 40-44), including the results of a Bord Bia survey that reveal the differences between what consumers say they eat and what they actually consume for their main meal. We also report on a new programme designed to enhance the innovation capabilities within the Irish food, drink and horticultural sector and report from a Dublin Food Chain event that saw some of the country’s food and drink innovators showcase their range.

We also examine Ireland’s burgeoning forecourt sector, which saw outlet numbers grow in 2019 for the first time in years (Page 22), while in two in-depth interviews, LR Suntory’s Mark Aherne explains why his company leads the way in sustainability (Page 18) and IGBF President of Appeals, Musgrave’s Sharon Buckley reveals her plans for the year ahead (Page 34).

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

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Keeping coronavirus from the shop door; Daybreak Castlerea named Store of the Year.

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New MD at Musgrave Wholesale Partners

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Irish grocery market maintains growth; CSNA announces second keynote speaker for conference.

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Irish consumer spending remains flat; New campaign from Coca-Cola to tackle “empathy gap”; Vaping organisation calls for recognition of e-cigarettes as viable smoking alternative.

Tesco Ireland named as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland; Have a Gander at NI food waste app.

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70% of people concerned about environmental impact when buying coffee; Irish Food Writers‘ Guild Food Awards presented.

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Mark Aherne, General Manager, Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ireland, discusses why the company’s brands are so loved

by Irish consumers and how and why the company is leading the way when it comes to sustainability commitments.

18

Arthur Renshaw, Experian Catalist, examines why forecourt numbers in Ireland grew in 2019 for the first time in years and explains why the future vehicle market may not be just about battery-powered electric vehicles.

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Editorial & Marketing Director:

Published by: Tara Publishing Ltd,

Kathleen Belton

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14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

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Sales: Brian Clark

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Graphics: Catherine Doyle

Printed by: W&G Baird

Sponsorship 38

Sponsorship in Ireland is expected to increase to €242m in 2020.

The Changing Face of Irish Food 40

New research from Bord Bia has unveiled the truth about the nation’s evening meal habits; a Dublin Food Chain event saw 40 entrepreneurial producers showcase their innovative ranges; new Bord Bia/DCU programme will cater for those who want to shape the future of the industry.

IGBF Midwest Ball 46

More than 220 attendees helped to make the 2020 Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund Midwest Region Gala Ball a tremendous success.

46

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 48

The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2020 are now open for entries.

Regulars & Reports

Managing Director: Patrick Aylward

Production: Ciara Conway

Musgrave Director Sharon Buckley is 2020 President of Appeals of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund.

She discusses her plans for 2020 and explains why the Fund is just as vital now as it has ever been.

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Forecourt Focus 22

2020 will see Juul Labs continue its rapid Irish growth.

IGBF Interview

Retail News Interview

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen

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34

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Retail News Chief News Reporter: Pavel Barter

E-Cigarettes

Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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53 54 59 60

Industry News Homecare & Hygiene Retail Ireland: Monthly Update Drinks News On the Vine What’s New Shelf Life

4|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News

Keeping coronavirus from the shop IN-STORE hygiene and continuity of the supply chain have made Irish retail a crucial cog in the fight against Covid-19 Retailers are working with government agencies to ensure a continuity plan for safety measures in the workplace, and for streamlined food and drink supplies, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Amidst concerns over a growing number of Irish citizens infected with Covid-19, Dr Rita Doyle, President of the Medical Council, has called on businesses to prioritise signage that reminds employees and customers “to wash their hands and to provide hand sanitiser or sufficient hand washing facilities.”

Retailers should follow the advice from government departments, and not make decisions on their own, Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA, told Retail News. “If we take unilateral action, that may create problems, panic, and concerns. During the containment phase we are advising our members to follow, to the letter, what the HSE is asking,” said Buckley.

This month, retailers from across the sector met at the Department of Enterprise for a consultation, chaired by Heather Humphreys TD, acting Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation, about how to ensure continuity of supply within the food chain - and how to prepare if the outbreak escalates.

“We have had similar meetings around extreme weather conditions and Brexit,” explained Buckley. “A lot of the same issues have been raised before around the food supply chain.”

According to Vincent RGDATA Director General, Jennings, CEO of the Tara Buckley.

Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA), attendees included BWG Foods, Musgrave, Green Isle Foods, Brennans Bread, Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, and Ibec. “In Ireland, at this point in time, there are plenty of products in the supply chain as is the norm,” said Jennings. “We have a well-recognised short time for product to come into the country, be warehoused for a few short days, and

move on again.”

Concerns over streamlined food supplies follows stockpiling and panic buying in other countries affected by the virus. Arthur Dillon, Retail Ireland Director, said that while there has been “elevated demand for certain non-perishable grocery products over recent days, supply chains are wellplaced to respond. Retailers are working with their suppliers and monitoring consumer behaviour to anticipate and meet any changes.”

Demand for hand gels and wipes has increased significantly, however. “Retailers are actively working with suppliers to address any shortfalls that arise,” added Dillon.

Alongside personal hygiene products, the supply of staples - rice, pasta, tinned food - may come under pressure. “The food supply chain, for the vast majority of RGDATA members, is managed by wholesalers, so we will take their advice,” said Buckley. “The responsibility of my members covers deliveries from the truck into the shops, not the supplier into the chain.”

Musgrave has contacted its suppliers to find out if there will be any “immediate, medium-term or long-term predicted effect on supply as a result of the coronavirus”, particularly as it pertains to own-brand products in SuperValu and Centra stores.

Daybreak Castlerea named Store of the Year DAYBREAK Castlerea was crowned Best Overall Store of the Year at the annual Daybreak Store of the Year Awards, which took place on March 4 in Lyrath Estate Hotel, Co. Kilkenny. The awards recognise retail excellence across 13 categories for Daybreak stores nationwide.

15 retailers were shortlisted for the overall Daybreak Store of the Year Award, which focuses on four key areas – products & services, store environment, communications, and people. During the competition, stores were assessed against rigorous criteria, including a series of mystery shopper surveys and audits on store standards. See next month’s Retail News for the full story.

Pictured at the Daybreak Store of the Year Awards are (l-r): Thomas Morrison, Head of Retail, Musgrave MarketPlace; event MC Mario Rosenstock; Padraig Keegan, Daybreak Castlerea; Monica Lovetinska, Coca-Cola; Eoin Crosbie, Daybreak Castlerea; and Paul Kerrigan, Musgrave MarketPlace Director.

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News

door In a statement, Musgrave told Retail News: “As part of our existing business continuity plans, we have worked with suppliers to build up stock levels and increased our own stockholding. As a result, we are advising consumers that there is no need to change their shopping habits, as there is sufficient stock within the supply Vincent Jennings, CEO, CSNA. chain.”

Paul Kelly, Director of Food Drink Ireland, illustrated three points to ensure uninterrupted supplies. These involve: information and guidance from the Department of Health and HSE to the grocery supply chain; continuation of business contingency planning by individual food, retail and logistics businesses; and the continuation of dialogue between government departments and the grocery supply chain to ensure the implementation of business contingency plans.

Nevertheless, retailers are concerned about possible eventualities. Jennings said: “What would happen if the drivers of a particular freight firm are struck down? What happens if entire warehouses are under threat of closure?”

Ibec's advice for retailers involves familiarising staff with the Crisis Management Plan, Business Disruption Planning, and attendance and absence management. Most importantly, shopkeepers should prioritise in-store hygiene.

Following a business briefing with Tony Holohan, the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, RGDATA advised its members to follow HSE advice around hand-washing. Shops with delis should proceed under normal HACCP and food safety regulations.

“We are always trying to ensure we are to the letter of the law, and complying with regulations in regard to the safe handling of food,” said Buckley. “Staff working in a deli would be very aware of cleanliness and managing hand washing.

Other back office staff might not be as aware. We're advising our members to put up posters in areas where staff and customers congregate.”

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland told us “it is unlikely the virus is passed on through food and there is no evidence yet of this happening with Covid-19 (coronavirus) to date.”

However, “it is possible that infected food workers could introduce virus to the food.”

Under WHO guidelines, illustrated on the FSAI website, people working in food preparation should ensure proper hand hygiene before starting work, before handling cooked or readyto-eat food, after blowing their noses, sneezing or coughing, and also after handling money.

For anyone working at a till, hand hygiene when handling money might be a trickier affair.

The advice here appears more vague, although the Chief Medical Officer has advised against employees wearing gloves. “The advice around regular hand washing [should cover the handling of cash],” said Buckley. “There may be good cause for hand sanitiser where people don't have easy access to wash their hands.”

Arnold Dillon, Director, What if a staff member is Retail Ireland. displaying signs of illness? “We're not health professionals,” pointed out Jennings. “Make immediate contact with the HSE and they will direct you for the best route forward. If a person tells us they are not feeling well, and if they are displaying certain symptoms, our obligation is to ensure they contact the HSE and carry out whatever directions the HSE give them.”

The Government has introduced emergency legislation to amend the rules on sick pay to deal with Covid-19, which sees Illness Benefit rise from €203 per week to €305. This will be available from the first day of illness, rather than after six days as at present, and will also be available for selfemployed workers. There will be no minimum number of PRSI contributions, but medical certification will be required.

Buckley warned that this was not a time for profiteering or for retailers to raise prices on certain in-demand products. “It's a hugely competitive market,” she said. “I don't think there's anybody who would even consider that. At the moment there is no problem with the supply chain. It is working as usual. A few tweaks would be required if things escalate, but it should be possible.

New MD at Musgrave Wholesale Partners

MUSGRAVE has announced the appointment of Michael McCormack as the Managing Director of Musgrave Wholesale Partners. Michael was Managing Director of Musgrave in Northern Ireland and took up his new role on March 2, succeeding Noel Keeley, who became CEO of Musgrave Group at the start of this year.

Michael first joined Musgrave in 2007 and has held senior positions in the Wholesale Foodservice business prior to joining the business in Northern Ireland in 2015.

“We are very pleased to appoint Michael McCormack as Managing Director of Musgrave Wholesale Partners,” noted Musgrave CEO Noel Keeley. “He has led significant growth in our business in Northern Ireland as part of our Growing Good Business strategy. With Michael’s leadership, Musgrave is ideally placed to respond to exciting opportunities in the wholesale and foodservice sectors. This includes meeting the demand for changing food tastes and leveraging our digital technology to deliver worldclass customer experiences.”

Prior to joining Musgrave, Michael held a number of domestic and international roles with Statoil, including Vice President Customer Offer, where he was responsible for Statoil Europe’s shop and forecourt brand portfolio. He holds an MBA from the Michael Michael McCormack, MD, Smurfit Business School and he is a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants.

Musgrave Wholesale Partners.

6|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News Irish grocery market maintains growth THE Irish grocery market maintained steady MARKET SHARE - TOTAL GROCERY growth of 1.3% during the 12 weeks to Includes expenditure across Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Household and Health & Beauty categories February 23, 2020, according to the latest Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend figures from Kantar. All the major grocers were 12 Weeks to 23/02/20 change** 12 Weeks to 24/02/19 on an upward trajectory in the latest period, %* %* % ahead of widespread disruption caused by Total Grocers 100.0% 100.0% 1.3% Storm Jorge and headlines around Covid-19.

Total Multiples 88.2% 89.5% 2.9% News reports around coronavirus in SuperValu 21.3% 21.4% 1.9% February saw consumers take steps to ward Tesco 21.6% 21.5% 0.7% off colds and flu, though the impact in Ireland Dunnes 23.0% 23.5% 3.5% was less pronounced than it was in Britain.

Lidl 11.0% 11.5% 5.6% Aldi 11.2% 11.6% 5.3% Hand-wash products, including sanitisers, Other Outlets** 11.8% 10.5% -10.4% grew by 15% in the 12 weeks to February 23, *= Percentage Share of Total Grocers representing strong, but not dramatic, growth. **= Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers And Cross Border shops “We’d expect to see more of an impact Source: Worldpanel FMCG towards the end of February and into March, as increase its market share to 21.4%. It benefited from a wider increased awareness of the virus will likely lead market uplift in organic food sales of 12%, as the number of to an uplift in sales of healthcare products,” reveals Charlotte baskets across all retailers containing organic goods rose by Scott, Consumer Insight Director at Kantar. “This, coupled with 9% year on year. the impact of Storm Jorge in late February, may well lead to Charlotte Scott comments: “SuperValu has performed growing sales of goods typically associated with stockpiling like particularly well in the organic foods category, and now holds pasta and tinned or frozen food.”

25% of the total organic market. Fruit sales have grown by Meanwhile, retailers capitalised on the most romantic day an additional €3.1m in SuperValu over the 12 weeks, a key of the year, which provided a welcome boost for grocers. “Sales everyday category which has likely helped to drive the retailer’s of chocolates and gifts were up by 13% over the four weeks to success in securing bigger baskets. The grocer also saw a February 23, while other traditional Valentine’s day categories, bounce in dairy sales, with butter, cream and eggs all achieving like wine and chilled ready meals, grew by 6%. Sweethearts double digit growth of 12%, 16% and 15% respectively.” were savvy with their money and sales of products on deal Tesco accelerated its growth rate to 0.7% this period doubled compared to the same period last year,” said Charlotte and held its position as the second largest retailer in Ireland.

Scott.

Shoppers visited the store more frequently, with trips rising Dunnes, Tesco and SuperValu all contributed to the boost by 2.5%, and filled baskets in particular with convenience in promotional activity, increasing sales of boxed chocolates on goods. Prepared fruit and vegetables, as well as ready meals, offer by 23%, 22% and 18% respectively. were standout categories for the business, up by 19% and 3% Lidl remained the fastest growing retailer this period, respectively. increasing its market share by 0.5 percentage points to 11.5%.

Meanwhile, Dunnes was the only other retailer to The grocer benefited from shoppers maintaining healthy habits, accelerate its growth rate, along with Tesco. The grocer gained with fruit sales rising by an additional €2.3m.

0.5 percentage share points, taking it to a 23.5% market share.

Aldi was hot on Lidl’s heels, enjoying marginally slower Performance was led by success in key staple categories, with growth than last period at 5.3%. The retailer continued to gain sales of fresh produce up 3% and an uptick of 12% in bread share as shoppers chose to put more in baskets, with one in sales. every two customers adding an additional item compared to the Grocery market inflation stands at 1% for the 12-week same 12 weeks last year. period ending February 23, 2020.

Supervalu weathered a slowdown in growth, managing to

CSNA announces second keynote speaker for Conference THE CSNA has announced that Sinead Ryan, journalist, broadcaster and media trainer, has been confirmed as the second keynote speaker for the much anticipated 2020 CSNA Conference, which will take place in Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney, Dublin, on May 28, joining Brian Donaldson, Chairperson of Retail Ireland and CEO of Maxol Group.

Sinead has worked as a print and broadcast journalist for over 16 years, writing on consumer, property and personal finance matters, contributing columns to the Irish Independent and Herald newspapers, as well as presenting The Home Show on Newstalk.

Along with the speakers, the CSNA Conference will also include a superb panel discussion, valuable networking opportunities and a series of interactive workshops, each delivered by renowned retailers who will share their expert knowledge of food, news and magazines, human resources and digital innovations with all workshop Sinead Ryan, keynote speaker at participants. For more information, see www.csna.ie. the CSNA Conference.

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|7

News Irish consumer spending remains flat VISA’S Irish Consumer Spending Index, produced by IHS Markit, which measures expenditure across all payment types (cash, cheques and electronic payments), signalled a subdued start to 2020 for Irish household spending.

Consumer spending was broadly flat in January, following a marginal expansion at the end of 2019. Overall, household expenditure fell by just -0.1%, after rising +0.9% in the previous month.

When split by channel, data for the opening month of the year signalled only fractional reductions in both face-to-face spending and online purchases. ECommerce expenditure was little changed, following a strong rise during December, which largely stemmed from the boost Cyber Monday

provided to annual growth. The year-on-year decrease in face-to-face spending, at -0.2%, was the slowest in the current sequence of decline that began in September 2019.

“Levels of consumer spending were muted at the start of the year, reflecting a trend we have seen in recent months where growth in expenditure has plateaued,” noted Philip Konopik, Ireland Country Manager, Visa. “The fractional reductions in both face-to-face spending and online purchases in January reflect the fact that the majority of retailers begin their sales in December now. Despite this, it should be noted that the majority of sectors saw small rises in spending, with Hotels, Restaurants & Bars the standout performer after recording the highest level of growth.”

Philip Konopik, Ireland Country Manager, Visa.

New campaign from Coca-Cola to tackle “empathy gap” NEW Coca-Cola Research across Europe, conducted by Delineate on behalf of Coca-Cola, shows that a lack of willingness to listen and talk to each other and see things from someone else’s point of view is causing an ‘empathy gap’, particularly among young adults (16-24 year olds).

Almost two-thirds of young adults in Europe feel that we can find greater happiness as a society if we behave more empathetically towards each other. And 63% of all Europeans surveyed said that listening to and understanding others can lead to a happier society.

The need for us to show more empathy is brought to life by Coca-Cola in a new campaign for 2020, including a television commercial, which runs in selected countries across Europe, as well as digital and out of home assets, all bringing to life the theme of empathy (more listening, asking and understanding) in order to unite and uplift.

This point of view will also be seen throughout the year across many of its marketing programmes including Coke and Meals, Uefa Euro 2020 and Christmas. The brand is also announcing a €1m commitment to invest in community initiatives across many of its Western Europe markets in 2020. These local initiatives will look to bring divided communities together from different backgrounds, lifestyles and cultures by encouraging people to listen more, be more

open to talking, and to try to see things from other points of view.

Here in Ireland, Coca-Cola partnered with three Irish personalities, Fashion & Lifestyle influencer Niamh Cullen, Radio & TV host Stephen Byrne and Travel Blogger Francesca McKee, to track their online engagements for one week.

Every like, comment and story reaction was captured to identify how much they interact with people online versus in their real lives. The trio were set a challenge: to be as kind and complimentary as they are online when they interact with others offline, and give the same number of compliments and affirmations to others daily, with some hilarious results.

A still from the new Coca-Cola TV ad.

Vaping organisation calls for recognition of e-cigarettes as viable smoking alternative IRELAND’S largest vaping trade association, Vape Business Ireland (VBI) used National no Smoking Day on Ash Wednesday, February 26, to call for e-cigarettes to be recognised by the HSE as a viable alternative to smoking.

According to the 2019 Healthy Ireland Survey, released by the Department of Health in November 2019, there are now over 240,000 vapers in Ireland, with 13% of ex-smokers using e-cigarettes. It is the view of VBI that vaping has a significant role to play in achieving the State’s objective of a Tobacco Free Ireland by 2025.

“HSE research shows that seven out of 10 people who currently smoke would like to quit, and we believe it is time that the HSE recognises the benefits vaping plays as a less harmful alternative to smoking, as there is no evidence to support the assertion that vaping is normalising smoking or that it is a gateway to smoking,” said Director of VBI, Vincent Jennings.

8|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News Tesco Ireland named as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland TESCO Ireland has been officially recognised as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland at the 18th annual Great Place to Work Best Workplaces in Ireland awards in the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road, Dublin, recently. This is Tesco’s third year to be named as a top Irish workplace, which is assessed through Great Place to Work’s robust ‘Trust Index’ employee survey and a thorough ‘Culture Audit’ assessment of their policies and practices.

Tesco Ireland was recognised as the 17th Best Large Workplace in Ireland 2020, as well as retaining its position as one of 20 Best Workplaces for Women 2020.

“We’re very proud to have retained the Great Place to Work standard for the third year running,” noted Kari Daniels, CEO, Tesco Ireland. “As one of only 23 Certified companies in the country, it’s a great honour. We achieved accreditation for 2020 and will continue to build on learnings year on year evolving our business to better the wellbeing of our 13,000 colleagues.

“Our best investment as a business is without doubt in our people. We believe in treating each other with respect, giving everyone an equal opportunity to get on. we’re a proud champion of women in the workplace and thrilled to retain the recognition of Best Workplace for Women this year. As a business, we continue to strive to serve our shoppers a little better every day.”

Team Tesco receiving the Great Place to Work Certification at the annual Best Workplaces in Ireland awards.

Have a Gander at NI food waste app GANDER, a world-first award-winning app created to reduce food waste, has transformed the spending habits of Northern Ireland shoppers with a significant soar in downloads and increased sales of yellow stickered foods since its launch last August.

Earmarking Northern Ireland as the initial launch pad for the app, over 41,000 downloads have taken place in the last four months, placing it in the top 12% of apps nationally.

In addition, up to 45% more reduced-price food has sold, which means 45% more has been kept from going to waste.

These improvements mean that stores on average are selling between 85-100% of their reduced product shown on Gander, with yellow-stickered items selling 40% quicker since the introduction of Gander, and often at higher prices as shoppers are interested in getting the reduction as soon as it appears.

Gander integrates directly with a retailer’s POS, which enables retailers to automatically display to shoppers in real-time all reduced-to-clear food on the shelves within their local store. Furthermore, Gander does this automatically, meaning nothing changes in-store at all and no additional staff training. The app allows the customer ultimate control over what reduced priced goodies they search for, whether it is by location, favourite stores, reduction, food type or even dietary requirements.

Speaking on the success, one of Gander’s founders, Ashley Osborne says: “The traction and growth of Gander has been amazing. We had expected a decent level of interest, but never envisaged the degree of downloads especially when only trialled in Northern Ireland initially.

The level of positive buy-in demonstrated by customers and retailers alike has been phenomenal and testament that Gander’s proposition is a great fit for consumers out there.

“Customer feedback has been incredibly supportive and the interest in high quality reduced food is impressive,

Blogger Denise Curran grabbing savings thanks to Gander and shopping yellow-labels. now that they can actually see what is available, whereas previously you would have to go to the store and hope to find something reduced. Plus, shoppers are feeling empowered thanks to Gander, aiding them to be more sustainable in their shopping choices. This supports the app’s endeavour to decrease and prevent food waste and create a more sustainable environment has also proved highly effective.

All in all, this has led to not only a substantial reduction in surplus and waste, but an increase in overall sales of reduced items, with up to an 800% return on investment for a retailer using Gander.”

Gander launched initially by integrating with Henderson Technologies award-winning EDGEPos system to display all of the yellow stickered produce from their stores in real time.

Gander went live in 310 participating Spar, EuroSpar, ViVo and ViVoxtra stores.

The successful launch of Gander has attracted a lot of interest from additional retailers in the Republic of Ireland and the UK, many of whom are expected to roll out with Gander in the next few months.

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INTRODUCING IRELAND’S BIGGEST VALUE PACK YET!**

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*RRP – Recommended Retail Price **Correct at the time of printing Outer must be removed before retail sale. Packs in this outer are Plain Packaging compliant.

This advertisement is for tobacco retailers only and should not be made available to the public nor should it be displayed in any area where it is visible to the public.

Toradh caithimh tobac – bás.

Smoking kills.

10|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News 70% of people concerned about environmental impact when buying coffee A NEW survey has revealed that the nation is waking up to the impact of take-out coffees in single use cups, with 70% of respondents saying that they now consider the environmental impact when purchasing a coffee to go.

Maxol’s Rosa Coffee Survey of more than 2,600 people in Ireland also found that one in five (20%) of us would rather not buy a coffee at all than use a single use cup.

Notwithstanding these findings, it appears that there is still a long way to go and more education needed on this growing topical issue, as the majority of people (85%) surveyed said that they would make more changes if they knew more about the impact of single use cups on the environment.

A third of consumers drink three cups of coffee a day, according to the survey, while two in 10 coffee lovers drink four cups of the good stuff daily.

When it comes to take-out coffees, 38% of Irish consumers buy up to four cups each week, with a further 28% purchasing up to seven coffees a week, which equates to a spend of more than €1,000 per year.

According to the research, more than half of consumers (54%) prefer to get their coffee on the go; 24% like to make

their own coffee at home or in work and one in five (21%) prefer to drink their coffee in a coffee shop.

Ireland’s favourite coffee by quite some margin is an Americano, with 42% of those surveyed saying it was their drink of choice followed by a cappuccino (22%), latte (17%) and a flat white (11%). The majority of people (56%) would opt for Fair Trade coffee if they were given the choice.

Irish Food Writers‘ Guild Food Awards presented THE 2020 Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards have been presented, with eight companies recognised for the outstanding quality of their food. The awards, now in their 26th year, celebrate excellence and recognise indigenous food producers and organisations that help to create and maintain Ireland’s outstanding reputation in food and drink.

The winners of the 2020 Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards are: 1. Food Award: Frank Hederman for Hederman Hot Smoked Irish Salmon, Co. Cork 2. Food Award: Shine’s Seafood for Shine’s Wild Irish Tuna, Co. Donegal 3. Food Award: Inch House Traditional Black Pudding, Co. Tipperary 4. Irish Drink Award: Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Co. Dublin 5. Outstanding Contribution to Irish Food Award: Joyce Timmins, Co. Dublin 6. Environmental Award: Exploding Tree (Chocolate), Co. Cork 7. Community Food Award: Falling Fruit Ireland (fruit harvesting), Co. Dublin 8. Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeffa Gill (cheesemaker), Co. Cork “These awards highlight the incredible work of small, independent Irish food producers and organisations at a time when supporting local, home-grown industries has never been more relevant or important,” said Kristin Jensen, chairperson of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild.

Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, winner of the Irish Food Writers‘ Guild Irish Drink Award.

ABP Food Group announces changes to its Board ABP Food Group has announced the appointment of three new non-executive directors to its Board.

John Moloney joins the Board as director and Chairman designate. John has had significant experience over a 33-year career in the food and agribusiness sector, including his role as Group MD of Glanbia plc from 20012013.

Tom Kirwan joins the Board having stepped down from his position as ABP UK Managing Director last October.

Chartered accountant, Fergal O’Dwyer, Chief Financial Officer of DCC plc, also joins the Board.

ABP Food Group also announced the appointment of two further directors to its Board, Finbarr McDonnell and Mark Goodman, both executives in the group.

The new appointments will join existing and continuing Board members, Larry Goodman, who remains in his role as Executive Chairman, and Frank Stephenson, Group Chief Executive.

12|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Mace celebrates national digital media award success MACE’S passion for digital media, including content creation, advertising and marketing across all platforms, was recognised on a national stage when winning Gold in Best Integrated Media Strategy at the prestigious EPA Digital Media Awards recently. Now in their 17th year, EPA Digital Media Awards celebrate and recognise creativity and innovation across multiple areas of an ever-evolving sector. Mace won Gold in Best Integrated Media Strategy category for the Mace Going the Extra Smile with Johnny Sexton campaign and also took home Silver in Best in Retail & Consumer Goods for the Mace Right Options Campaign 2019 with Johnny Sexton. Pictured are event MC Tom Dunne with Eoin Hederman, BWG; Caitriona Cousins, Mace Marketing Manager & Head of Shopper Insights, BWG; and John Hanly, BWG.

Client Solutions powers Tesco Mobile Ireland into the cloud AS part of a recent three-year digital transformation deal, technology company Client Solutions will migrate key Tesco Mobile customer-facing systems to the cloud on Microsoft Azure, to enable the telecoms network to reach its ambitious potential. The project, which is already underway, is estimated to be worth around €2.5m and scheduled for completion by July 2022. For Tesco Mobile Ireland, the suite of solutions will allow their teams to better understand the user experience and ultimately improve the service to their growing customer base. Pictured are Leo Murphy, Sales Director, Client Solutions, and Geoff Byrne, Chairman, Tesco Mobile Ireland.

Aldi opens new Swords store ALDI’S nationwide expansion continued recently with the opening of a new flagship Project Fresh store in River Valley, Swords, Co. Dublin, creating 24 new jobs. The new store is Aldi’s 22nd in Co. Dublin. Aldi now operates 142 stores across the country. Featuring Aldi’s exciting award-winning Project Fresh layout and design, the new store boasts a large shop floor spanning 1,316 square metres, 139 free car parking spaces, 20 bicycle spaces, wide aisles and hi-spec fixtures and fittings. The new store is part of Aldi’s €160m investment in its Irish store network, including €100m in 20 new stores and €60m in revamping the layout and design of all its stores nationwide.

Store manager Kevin O’Leary is pictured with staff at the new Aldi store.

Tipperary granny’s Winning Streak continues A GRANDMOTHER from Co. Tipperary became the first person to go on Winning Streak more than once in the same series of the National Lottery TV game show. Ann Skeffington from Cashel, Co. Tipperary appeared on the RTÉ One show on February 22, winning €58,000, just four months after she won €40,000 during her first outing on the show! Pictured at the presentation of the winners’ cheques are (l-r): Marty Whelan, Winning Streak co-host; winner Ann Skeffington; Jim O’Connor, The National Lottery; and Sinead Kennedy, Winning Streak co-host. The winning ticket was bought from Texaco/ Mace, Dublin Road, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

Club calls on fans to create new can design CLUB has launched an ‘unreal’ campaign calling on digital natives and creatives to design the next Club can through Instagram, with the winning design going on to be produced and sold in stores throughout Ireland. The ‘Club Unreal Flavours’ campaign is challenging consumers to demonstrate how they would turn an ordinary can into an unreal one. Club fans wanting to get in on the action can show off their design skills by simply snapping a blank can, create a winning design and sharing it with Club via Instagram for a chance to win. The competition is open until March 31 and Club will share a selection of the best designs online before announcing the overall winner on April 14, 2020. The can design will then go live on 150,000 Club orange cans by the end of summer.

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|13

Industry News Tesco Ireland raises €5m in five years for Temple Street TESCO Ireland has reached a monumental fundraising milestone, having raised €5m over the course of its five-year partnership with CHI at Temple Street. Throughout the course of this partnership, the funds raised have helped the hospital to buy over 270 pieces of vital medical equipment for patients, including ultrasound scanners, patient monitors and respiratory equipment. Tesco also announced a further extension to its partnership for one year for 2020, continuing with its ambition of purchasing much-needed equipment to aid the treatment of sick children with the aim of raising an additional €1m. Pictured are Kari Daniels, CEO of Tesco Ireland, and Denise Fitzgerald, CEO of Temple Street.

Ireland’s €2m Coffee Morning PICTURED are Jason Doyle, Managing Director at Bewley’s, and Fintan Fagan, CEO of St Francis Hospice Dublin, celebrating the announcement of a fundraising milestone. €2m was raised for Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice Together with Bewley’s 2019.

This brings the total funds raised over the course of the 27-year partnership to €39m. Every euro raised locally stays locally, with funds raised supporting local hospice and specialist palliative care services nationwide. “It’s been a privilege for Bewley’s to lend its support as sole sponsor for Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice for the past 27 years,” said Jason Doyle. “To be part of this incredible fundraising milestone is something we are very proud of.”

Carving out a market

LIDL Ireland has announced a two-year supply deal with Kildare-based cooked meats producer, O’Brien Fine Foods (OBFF) worth €40m. Lidl has also made a further €50,000 investment in O’Brien Fine Foods, which will see their Irish beef produce exported to more than 3,000 Lidl stores in Germany as part of their 2020 Christmas offering. The deal will see O’Brien Fine Foods supply Lidl’s 201 stores across the Island of Ireland, as well as Lidl’s 797 stores across Great Britain. It comes as Lidl and O’Brien Fine Foods mark 10 successful years of supply partnership in Ireland. “In terms of quality and flavour, the O’Brien Fine Foods range of cooked meat products are second to none and we are delighted that our customers in Ireland will continue to enjoy them, and that our international customers will have the opportunity to sample the best of Irish produce,” said Henry Howard, Senior Buyer for Lidl Ireland, pictured (right), with Brendan Conway, Buying Executive for Lidl Ireland; and John O’Brien, Managing Director of O’Brien Fine Foods.

€500,000 EuroMillions Plus ticket sold in Tipperary STAFF at Ely’s Centra Store in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, are pictured celebrating after they sold a winning ticket for the EuroMillions Plus top prize of €500,000, which was won on February 26. Speaking on selling the lucky Quick Pick ticket, Ronan Ely, one of the owners of the family business said: “It’s tremendous news to get and there’s a massive buzz about Thurles town since early morning.”

The Ely family business currently employs over 100 staff at their three Centra stores in Thurles and Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny, which they have operated for the last 30 years.

Java Republic travels back to its roots LUIS Alvarez (pictured), Java Republic Coffee Quality Consultant was recently in Costa Rica on a Coffee Origin Trip, with global green coffee merchant, DR Wakefield. During this trip, both teams were given the opportunity to cultivate on-the-ground relationships with Costa Rican farmers and more importantly understand the day-to-day challenges that these farmers face as producers of the highest quality coffee beans in the world. A law was passed in 1989 prohibiting the planting of low-quality beans, encouraging Costa Rican farmers to pursue true excellence, ensuring that bad coffee is literally against the law!

14|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Aldi Ireland wins Green Retailer Award ALDI Ireland has received the Green Retailer Award at this year’s Green Awards.

Aldi was recognised for its company-wide commitment to a series of sustainability initiatives, including packaging and waste reduction, carbon reduction, biodiversity and staff training and awareness. Over the past 12 months, Aldi has introduced three new eco-friendly bags, including reusable, compostable and paper bags. In addition, the retailer has removed all single use plastic bags for loose fruit and vegetable produce and replaced them with 100% compostable bags. Aldi also continues to invest heavily in new eco-friendly refrigeration and lighting systems and made a commitment to plant over 100,000 trees across Ireland by 2024. “We consider it a great honour to receive this Green Retailer Award,” noted John Curtin, Aldi Group Buying Director. “To be recognised at the Green Awards is something that all companies in the sustainability space aspire towards, and to be recognised as a stand-out amongst our retail competitors is something we can be very proud of.”

Dealz unveils new co-leadership for island of Ireland DEALZ and Poundland have appointed two Irish women to take leading roles as part of a new structure for the business across Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The discount retailer has created two new positions to oversee the business across the island but will continue to trade as Dealz in the Republic of Ireland and as Poundland in Northern Ireland. Sharon Sheridan (left) has been appointed Country Manager – Trading, responsible for trading decisions, including buying, merchandising and supply chain.

Sharon has led trading in the Republic of Ireland for the past seven years. Olivia McLoughlin (right), who joined last October from Dixons Carphone, has been appointed Country Manager – Retail, with responsibility for supervision of 99 stores.

Olivia was previously responsible for ROI, NI & Scotland with Claire’s Accessories & all of Ireland with Carraig Donn.

Fyffes pineapple farm receives Rainforest Alliance Certification

JANUARY 29 saw Fyffes pineapple farm in Costa Rica, Anexco, granted the Sustainable Agriculture Standard Certification by Rainforest Alliance for the farm’s sustainable practices. Approximately 1,100 workers, 8m boxes of pineapples, 3,239 hectares of farmland and protected forest areas are now RFA-certified. “Fyffes is extremely delighted about what our team at the Anexco farm in Costa Rica has achieved,” noted Wolter Van Der Kooij, Fyffes General Manager for Pineapples. “The Rainforest Alliance certification reconfirms our high level of social compliance and environmental commitment. As we look towards the future, our ambition is to continue to improve the farm for its workers, its community and local natural habitat.”

Lidl raises over €300k for Jigsaw OVER €300,000 has been raised for youth mental health charity Jigsaw through initiatives and fundraisers lead by Lidl Ireland in 2019. The news comes as Lidl launched its 2019 Impact Report, detailing the positive economic and social impact that the company has made within the communities it serves throughout Ireland. Another highlight of the report reveals that Lidl’s community partnership with FoodCloud not only provides local charities with donated meals and in-kind donations but also works to reduce food waste. In 2019 the national partnership diverted 230,699 kgs of food from being sent to landfill, saving 738,237 units of CO2. “I’m delighted and incredibly proud of the significant and positive contribution Lidl has made to our customers, the communities that we serve and our environment in 2019,” said JP Scally, Managing Director of Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland.

An Post and Core Sponsorship win at European Awards CORE Sponsorship, part of Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications company, was awarded four awards at the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) Awards, including winner of the overall Sponsorship of the Year Award for the An Post Irish Book Awards. In 2018, Ringers Creative developed the #ReadersWanted platform for the An Post Irish Book Awards and have collaborated with Core Sponsorship, Core Creative and Starcom over the past two years. The campaign picked up three awards at the ceremony held in London: Best Newcomer, Arts and Culture and the Grand Prix European Sponsorship of the Year. Core Sponsorship also scooped a fourth award for the Strong Roots Media Sponsorship of Virgin Media Television’s coverage of the Guinness Six Nations.

CIGARETTE CHARACTERISING FLAVOUR BAN W HAT I S CHA N GIN G A N D W HE N ?

20 T H

MAY

2020

All cigarettes with characterising flavours and cigarettes with flavour capsules will be banned from this date. In effect, this means a ban on menthol cigarettes.

W HA T’S HA P P E N IN G N OW ?

It is business as usual until the ban comes into effect.

Continuing to sell through until the last day will ensure that you do not lose any potential sales.

“JTI Ireland will support you at every step to manage these changes in your business”

DEREK MOONEY JTI IRELAND SALES DIRECTOR

This communication is for tobacco retailers only and should not be made available to the public nor should it be displayed in any area where it is visible to the public.

W HEN DO T HESE RULES COME IN T O EFFECT ?

The new rules come into effect from 20th May 2020, in line with TPD2 requirements.

CAN I CONTINUE TO SELL CIGARETTES WITH CHARACTERISING FLAVOURS IN THE COMING MONTHS? Yes. It is business as usual until the ban comes into effect on 20th May 2020.

Continuing to sell through until the last day will ensure that you do not lose any potential sales.

HOW CAN I AVOID HAVING NON COMPLIANT STOCK AFTER THE 20 TH MAY 2020 ?

Stock rotation is key. It is very important to merchandise to ensure that older/flavoured products are sold through first. This will help to avoid having non compliant stock left after the ban comes into force.

DOES THIS BAN AFFECT VAPING PRODUCTS? No. Only flavoured cigarettes and cigarettes with flavour capsules are affected by this ban.

Speak to your JTI contact, call 01 404 0240 or email customerservices.ireland@jti.com for further information

W HA T I S B E I NG B A NNE D ?

Cigarettes with characterising flavours and cigarettes with flavour capules will be banned from this date.

W HY A R E THE S E P R OD U C T S B E I NG B A NNE D ?

This is the next phase of EU tobacco rules introduced in 2016 (TPD2). These rules prohibit the use of “characterising flavours” in cigarettes.

W HE N S HOU L D I S TOP OR D E R I NG C I GA R E TTE S W I TH C HA R A C TE R I S I NG FL A V OU R S A ND C I GA R E TTE S W I TH FL A V OU R C A P U L E S ?

It is business as usual at the moment, so you should continue to order as normal. JTI Ireland’s sales teams will provide expert advice in the coming months to ensure you do not have non compliant stock when the ban comes into effect.

W HA T I S J TI DOI NG TO E NS U R E I DO NOT HA V E NON C OMP L I A NT S TOC K A FTE R THE DE A DL I NE ?

An order management process that includes careful stock rotation and JTI deadline for dispatch of cigarettes with characterising flavours will avoid having non compliant stock after 20th May 2020.

18|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview

The energy of change!

Mark Aherne, General Manager, Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ireland, discusses why the company’s brands are so loved by Irish consumers, what the Beam Suntory distribution announcement means for Ireland and how and why the company is leading the way when it comes to sustainability commitments.

THE Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport and Ribena brands have been loved by generations of Irish consumers, with memorable advertising campaigns for each forming part of our collective childhoods, so much so that it would be easy for them to slip into the realm of heritage brands.

But the company who owns those much-loved drinks, Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ireland, the local arm of the global Suntory Group, is not about to let that happen. These brands have remained relevant to new generations thanks to a combination of innovative

marketing and NPD. The company is also at the forefront of a new generation of multinational corporations who take their environmental responsibilities seriously, unveiling an ambitious sustainability roadmap in September 2019.

The latest news for the company saw Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ireland named as distributor for the Beam Suntory range of premium spirits in Ireland. General Manager Mark Aherhe talks us through these issues and more.

Your soft drinks brands (Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport, Ribena) are amongst the most loved in Ireland.

What does that mean to the company?

Lucozade Sport, Lucozade Energy and Ribena are at the heart of our business

and are loved by consumers throughout Ireland and the world over. Our brands have evolved through more than 90 years of knowledge, insight and expertise, and we’re proud that this insight-based approach to innovation is something that continues to be embraced by shoppers in Ireland.

Lucozade and Ribena’s stories both start with innovators. Scientists with the Yatte Minahare spirit ('dream big, take challenges and never give up'), who had a clear purpose and the nation’s health in their hearts. Each of our founders shared a common spirit. They all wanted to do something totally different, were passionate about sharing their success with society, and each left a lasting legacy.

Our founders’ spirit can be seen

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|19

Retail News Interview in our people and our culture today at Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ireland (LRSI).

As a business, we are lucky to have great people: people who inspire, who go the extra mile, who continually strive to be the best that they can be and who deliver big and small revolutions daily.

It is this mentality that steers us to produce some of the nation’s best-loved drinks. Lucozade Energy and Lucozade Sport continue to drive sales success and have added €7.6m to the market over the past year (Source: Nielsen ROI Total Scantrack, Soft Drinks Impulse Brand Value Sales, MAT w/e Jan 26, 2020). Lucozade Energy, with growth of 17.5%, and Lucozade Sport, with growth of 11.5%, are both ahead of the total soft drinks market (Source: Nielsen ROI Total Scantrack, Soft Drinks Impulse Brand Value % Change, MAT w/e Jan 26, 2020).

Ribena is driving category growth by growing 4.7% MAT versus the category at 1.2% (Source: Nielsen ROI Total Scantrack, RTD Ribena Single Value Share & Value % Change, MAT w/e Jan 26, 2020).

How do you ensure that your brands, which have a long heritage here, remain (a) relevant and (b) popular with new generations of Irish consumers?

We have a track record of innovation with our well-loved brands that has continued to keep them front of mind. We work closely with our audiences to not only understand what shoppers want, but how to drive sales for our retail partners.

Shoppers want excitement when looking for a soft drink. NPD contributed 20% to the growth of Carbs Sports & Energy Category over the past year (Source: Nielsen ROI Total Scantrack, Carbs Sports & Energy Impulse Value Sales, MAT w/e Jan 26, 2020). We invest heavily in innovation and making sure our drinks cater for key trends. This includes delivering high-impact, award-winning marketing campaigns, including strong in-store support packages that drive sales for our retail partners – something we will continue to do to ensure our brands grow in 2020 and beyond.

An example of market-leading innovation within the last 12 months is new Lucozade Energy Watermelon & Strawberry Cooler, which has driven success for Irish retailers since its launch.

Marketing support for new products is crucial for driving shopper interest and increasing footfall for stores. We have continued to talk to consumers across the channels that are most important to them, including social media campaigns across Instagram and

Lucozade Revive is a new lightly sparkling, naturally flavoured fruit-based drink, available in two flavours – Lemon & Lime and Orange & Passionfruit – in 380ml recyclable bottles and a 4 x 380ml multipack.

Snapchat, which proved to be incredibly successful in support of Lucozade Zero’s sponsorship of First Dates on RTE in 2019.

Both Lucozade Energy and Lucozade Sport have created successful grassroots events across the country, allowing consumers to meet and engage with influencers, including up-and-coming young entrepreneurs.

This continued focus on shopper marketing, including innovation at the point of purchase, will continue as we strive to support our retail partners at every step of the purchase journey.

What plans have you in place for the coming year for your soft drinks brands?

We will be following our hugely successful programme of innovation and

promotion across the LRSI portfolio in 2019 with another targeted programme of insight-driven product launches and innovative marketing campaigns.

This month will see the launch of a new sub-brand designed to bring a different set of shoppers to the energy category. Lucozade Revive is a delicately sparkling, lightly flavoured, naturally inspired fruit-based drink, available in two flavours: Lemon & Lime and Orange & Passionfruit.

The Lucozade sub-brand, sitting alongside Lucozade Energy & Zero, is aimed at shoppers that don’t buy into the energy category but are looking for a naturally inspired uplift during their day.

The launch of Lucozade Revive will be supported by an extensive marketing campaign, including in-store PoS materials such as FSDUs and shelf-

20|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview

Mark Aherne: “We are looking at how we can work closely with our industry partners and government to develop the infrastructure necessary to drive wide-scale behavioural and societal change.” edge materials, as well as sampling and targeted out-of-home advertising.

Lucozade Sport will continue to remain the official hydration partner of the IRFU. This long-running partnership will be supported by the continuation of Lucozade Sport’s ‘Made To Move’ campaign across the country.

We are currently distributing iconic brands such as Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Courvoisier, Kilbeggan, Teacher’s, Roku Japanese Gin and Sipsmith, and hope to elevate the public’s awareness and familiarity of these brands through activations and marketing campaigns in the coming months.

It was recently announced that you are taking over distribution of Beam Suntory International’s alcohol brands in Ireland. What will this mean for the market here and for the brands themselves?

We are delighted to have become the official distributor for Beam Suntory, a world leader in premium spirits, in the Republic of Ireland.

The distribution agreement is the first of its kind between LRSI and Beam Suntory, both subsidiaries of The Suntory Group, one of the world's leading consumer products companies.

The strategic partnership will further strengthen and expand the position of Beam Suntory’s premium spirits portfolio in the Irish market.

Ireland is key for both LRSI and Beam Suntory, and we believe it is the perfect environment to roll out this exciting new distribution model.

What is in the pipeline for the premium alcohol brands?

We have some very exciting developments in the pipeline and look forward to revealing all to our retail partners in the coming months. As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory is dedicated to providing consumers with quality craftmanship.

Our new drinks in the portfolio will do just that.

Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ireland, through its parent company Suntory Beverage and Food Europe, has been very vocal in its commitment to sustainability. Why is sustainability so important to the company?

As part of the Suntory Group, we work towards the group’s global vision of ‘Growing for Good’: doing the right thing by people and the planet as we produce, market and sell our drinks.

The sustainability work that we do is anchored by four key pillars: our drinks, our resources, our society and ourselves, that all reinforce the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

We are looking at how we can work closely with our industry partners and government to develop the infrastructure necessary to drive wide-scale behavioural and societal change. For us, this includes making changes to our use of plastic and the technology and natural resources we use.

What steps are you taking on this sustainability journey?

The changes and innovations we are making are massive and are set to reduce both our plastic consumption and our carbon emissions.

We are tackling the issue of plastic waste by focusing on using less and better packaging and generating less waste. We are taking action in three areas: making our drinks containers 100% recyclable in order to facilitate bottle-to-bottle recycling; moving towards only using sustainable plastic to make our bottles; and using the power of our brands to reinforce the importance

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|21

Retail News Interview of recycling in our marketing communications.

In 2019, we set out our vision and made a clear commitment to a sustainable future. Suntory aims to become the first global drinks company to use 100% sustainable plastic bottles, using fully recycled or plant-based materials across its entire portfolio by 2030. By 2025, LRSI will use 50% recycled plastic in all our bottles. The source of the plastic will mainly come from plastic that has been ‘mechanically’ recycled.

By 2030, we aim for the remaining 50% of plastic to be a combination of additional recycled plastic (mechanical), plant-based plastic (biosourced) made from sustainable wood sources, and ‘good as new’ plastic Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ireland Ltd is the official distributor for Beam Suntory that comes from chemical International in Ireland.

“

In 2019, we set out our vision and made a clear commitment to a sustainable future. Suntory aims to become the first global drinks company to use 100% sustainable plastic bottles, using fully recycled or plantbased materials across its entire portfolio by 2030.

”

and enzymatic recycling sources.

Both the bio-sourced plastic and the enzymatic recycled plastic use emerging technologies and therefore, will take longer to source.

We are ready and willing to invest the time, resources and money that will be needed to make this vision a reality.

Our sustainability commitments also include our ingredients.

We employ a full-time agronomist and partner with the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group so that each of our growers has a resilient biodiversity plan tailored to the individual habitats found in and around each farm. The comprehensive plans, in place since

2004, have helped us restore 200 miles of rough field margins, build more than 2,000 nest boxes, sow pollen and nectarrich plants, create wetlands, restore ponds, plant woodlands and build bee hotels.

Our environmental focus has extended to a €15.4m (Stg £13m) investment in our factory on our most energy-efficient production line ever. The amount of water and energy required to produce a bottle on the new line will be reduced by 40%. This represents a 4.4% reduction in energy and water consumption for our site.

Is it true you are redesigning your core bottle range to make it more recyclable?

We led the industry in creating the soft drinks industry’s first bottle to be made with 100% recycled plastic with Ribena more than 12 years ago, and now we’re undergoing an ambitious redesign to ensure our drinks are suitable for bottleto-bottle recycling.

We’re reducing the size of the fully printed sleeves on our bottles and increasing their transparency to enable automated sorting machines in recycling centres to better identify clear plastic packaging. This ensures that each bottle has an even stronger chance of being recycled back into a new plastic bottle, of course, with the supporting infrastructure needing to be in place.

We’re on track for the new Ribena bottles to hit shelves in 2020, with

Lucozade Sport and Lucozade Energy following that.

Is enough being done generally in the field of sustainable plastic, such as bio-sourced and recycled plastics, to make sustainable plastics a realistic and affordable option for business without passing on huge price hikes to consumers?

The world around us is constantly evolving and we want to be at the forefront of change, working collaboratively and innovatively to help protect the world in which we live. It is a long and expensive journey, but we are ready and willing to invest the time, resources and money that will be needed to make our vision a reality.

LRSI, through Suntory, is part of a consortium with Carbios, a company pioneering new, bio-industrial solutions to reinvent the lifecycle of plastic.

Carbios has developed a unique and sustainable technology that can recycle much broader PET plastic and raw materials than other recycling technologies. This innovative process creates recycled PET, equivalent to virgin PET, that can be used as food-grade plastic – such as our bottles.

Under the terms of the four-year agreement, the Consortium partners’ ambition is to bring Carbios’ PETenhanced recycling technology to the market and increase the availability of high-quality recycled plastics to fulfil our sustainability commitments.

22|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

Forecourt numbers grow in Ireland

2019 saw forecourt numbers in Ireland grow for the first time in years, as the main operators continue to invest significant sums in new service stations. Arthur Renshaw, Experian Catalist, examines the figures, and explains why the future vehicle market may not be just about battery-powered electric vehicles.

LAST year was the first in some time that saw an increase in forecourt sites in Ireland, from 1,789 sites in 2018 to 1,807 at the end of 2019 (Source: Experian Ltd, 2020), with no fewer than 18 new forecourts opening across the country.

“Most of the new sites are big investments, a lot of them at motorway junctions,” explains Arthur Renshaw, Major Account Manager, UK/Ireland, Experian Catalist, the London-based experts who provide a leading global source of information and analysis on petrol and retail forecourts. “Ireland has more motorways and major roads than it ever had before, and there is a high level of competition between the forecourt brands, like Circle K, Maxol

and Applegreen. If you are going to build a new site nowadays, you build a big one and a good-looking site.”

The continued evolution of Ireland’s forecourts has meant that they do not rely as much on fuel sales for their turnover. A decade ago, the grocery element of a forecourt was an important factor. Today, the foodservice side of the business is stronger than ever, with many of the newer sites carrying a range of food-to-go or sit-down options for motorists.

“Essentially, these new sites that are coming on stream make more money from the shop (including the foodservice element) than they do on fuel, and what is sold in the shop is not carbonising

“

It is starting to become more likely that a forecourt will not be the place for charging electric vehicles, except for the big Motorwaystyle sites on highly transient road junctions.

”

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|23

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

there for: fuel is a have seen the growth of electric vehicle footfall driver, it’s what charge points on forecourts, but that is brings people to the no guarantee that the forecourt of the site.” future will be all about charging electric The forecourt store vehicles, Renshaw points out. has two big advantages, “It is starting to become more likely Renshaw believes: (a) that a forecourt will not be the place for consumers can drive charging electric vehicles, except for there and (b) they can the big Motorway-style sites on highly park there for free. “You transient road junctions,” he reveals. can pull in, park easily Renshaw believes that there are and get some food. a number of factors working against In fact, the amount of today’s forecourts becoming the vehicle people who use these charge points of the future. “The average forecourt sites and forecourt doesn’t have enough space: don’t buy fuel can be you need to have separation between quite staggering,” he fuel and electric charge points, which says. must be located outside a hazard Ireland continues zone due to fuel fumes. It can also be to lead the way in terms unbelievably expensive to bring the right of the non-fuel offering level of power to your site for the next on the forecourt: generation of electric vehicle chargers.”

“Ireland was the first to He concedes that Motorway Service offer a wealth of food Areas will possibly become charging offerings in one place. hubs, as they have the space for 10-20 We only see these charging points, the power to supply things developing in the and the facilities to keep travellers Market Development

by Brand them UK after someone has occupied for the 10-15 minutes it could seen what’s on offer in take to charge their vehicle: “These Ireland.” willand be mid-journey, so they want The table below compares the number users of open under development sites by bra to stop for aItshort usingthe highchange in site release of data and the same period last year. alsotime, shows Electric powered chargers and of be on theirbrands way.

Arthur Renshaw, Major Account Manager, brand during the last vehicles 12 months to give a clearer picture which are exp The last few years That is not the normal forecourt.

Electric UK/Ireland, Experian Catalist. brands are reducing their site numbers. the economy, as most of it is food. The difference between Ireland, both north and south, and the UK, is that in Ireland, consumers have always stopped off at their local petrol station at lunchtime to buy food. It is now starting to happen in the UK but for years, you were ahead of us, in that your consumer was more than happy to buy food at a petrol station because the quality of the food and of the shops that sold it was excellent. I remember a few years ago in Dublin, seeing a queue out the door to buy food from a forecourt shop: that wouldn’t happen over here [in the UK].”

The rise of foodservice Most of the new forecourt sites have taken the non-fuel element even further, with a wealth of eating options available for hungry commuters. “There can be up to five or six different food offers, from new healthy options like Freshly Chopped to the more traditional McDonald’s, Subway, and everything in between, from Thai to Mexican, Italian to Chinese,” Renshaw muses. “Is it ironic that forecourt operators are investing in these big sites when we are looking at banning cars? Not really, as the building that provides the services, shops and food offerings is what the sites are really

Brand AMBER

No. open sites V4 2018

No. open sites V4 2019

Difference

40

38

-2

174

190

16

CAMPUS

41

39

-2

CIRCLE K

376

362

-14

EMO

41

50

9

GREAT GAS

44

33

-11

INVER

47

62

15

MAXOL

137

138

1

MINOR BRAND

38

54

16

MORRIS OILS

16

17

1

TARA

23

18

-5

TESCO

21

22

1

TEXACO

148

148

0

TOP OIL

212

225

13

UNBRANDED

431

411

-20

1,789

1,807

18

APPLEGREEN

TOTAL

Forecourt sites in Ireland (Source: Experian Ltd).

24|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market the road to zero carbon; that could be fuel cell technology, it could be synthetic fuels, as well as electric vehicles.”

Circle K recently unveiled its newest motorway service area in its nationwide network, Circle K M9 Kilcullen, located between J2 and J3, on the M9 motorway in Kilcullen Co. Kildare.

The acquisitions The last year or so has seen some movement in the Irish forecourt market.

Canadian-owned Irving Oil, which owns the oil refinery in Whitegate, Co. Cork, purchased Top Oil in January 2019, while January of this year saw the announcement that Tesco had sold its 22 Irish fuel sites to DCC, which already operates the Great Gas and Emo forecourt brands in Ireland, subject to approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

“They [Tesco] had been talking for a long time about it not fitting in with the rest of the Tesco operation, and along came an operator with money to take them off their hands,” he says.

It will make DCC a reasonably sized player, rising from 83 to 105 sites in Ireland. “It will be interesting to see what branding they bring to the Tesco sites,” Renshaw muses. “There is always the possibility that they will

vehicles will probably be charged at supermarkets, particularly bigger supermarkets, and possibly at places of work, car parks etc. Petrol stations are starting to fall down the list.”

Changing technology The technology is changing all the time, with the new generation of 350kw electric vehicle chargers up to seven times more powerful than those from just a few years ago. He believes that at the moment, there are “too many barriers” to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, primarily the fact that they “remain significantly more expensive than a petrol car”, along with doubts over range and battery life.

Renshaw points out, however, that there is no guarantee that the future will mean battery powered electric cars, citing the example of fuel cell technology, whereby the vehicle uses a fuel cell instead of a battery, or in combination with a battery or supercapacitor, to power its on-board electric motor. Fuel cells in vehicles generate electricity to power the motor, generally using oxygen from the air and compressed hydrogen.

While governments seem to be focused solely on electric vehicles, the car industry is also examining other technologies: “What you want is to allow anything which helps on

Applegreen’s new Santry service area just outside Dublin Airport on the Swords Road.

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|25

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

Pictured at the recently re-opened Maxol Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin, are Ronan McDermott of Maxol Dolphin’s Barn and Brian Donaldson, CEO, the Maxol Group. keep the Tesco brand, as they are adjacent to Tesco stores. Potentially, they could continue to operate as they are now. Anything could happen. We have never seen anything quite like this before, so it’s all new.”

The future of forecourts When pushed to predict what other changes he believes may happen over the coming year, Renshaw feels that some of the biggest players in the Irish market may start to peer across to Northern Ireland and the UK with a view to expanding into those markets. There is now hardly any crossover between Ireland and the UK in terms of forecourt brands, with Texaco and Applegreen the only two operating in each market, but Renshaw believes that may change. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Circle K suddenly started to invest in the UK,” he speculates.

Here in Ireland, he believes that the market is healthy and that the closure rate of forecourt sites will continue to slow down. “I don’t see any significant sites here closing down in the foreseeable future because they offer a service to the community outside the big cities. In the cities and on the main lines of connection, the motorways, I think you will see Maxol, Circle K and Applegreen investing big sums in their network and they will all continue to develop their food offer. If you do food right, which Irish operators appear to be able to do, it can be a great source of income.”

The new generation of 350kw electric vehicle chargers are up to seven times more powerful than those from just a few years ago.

26|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: News Applegreen joins the 30% Club Ireland APPLEGREEN has announced a new membership with 30% Club Ireland, an organisation that is committed to helping businesses grow through diversity and achieve better gender balance at all levels of the organisation.

Founded in 2010 in the UK, and established during 2015 in Ireland, it now has 262 member organisations and represents more than 600,000 employees in Ireland.

Applegreen recently developed a group-wide inclusion and diversity strategy, with initiatives under way in each area. The company is making progress in the gender pillar; the number of female senior executives has doubled in the past 18 months and the company has a range of other gender initiatives in place, including improved policies, female mentoring and development programmes and Pictured are (l-r): Applegreen Group Human Resources Director, Yvonne celebration of International Women’s Browne; Applegreen CEO, Bob Etchingham; 30% Club Ireland Chair, Rachel Day with staff internally.

Hussey; and Applegreen COO, Joe Barrett.

“We are delighted to join the 30% Club and see this partnership as a real enabler to continuing to progress our inclusion and diversity at Arthur Cox, added: “We’re delighted to welcome agenda,” said Bob Etchingham, Applegreen CEO. “We look Applegreen to 30% Club and commend the commitment forward to working with the members to share ideas and made by the Board and senior team to the area of inclusion participate in some of the great programmes and initiatives the and diversity. The progress made to the gender balance at 30% Club gives us access to. The theme of the recent 30% Club Applegreen over the last 18 months demonstrates to me annual conference was very insightful and we intend to make the cultural shift to a specific focus, which in turn yields more progress on how we embed change culturally as we look results. We look forward to developing our partnership and forward.” to support Applegreen with their ambitions and inclusion Rachel Hussey, Chair of 30% Club Ireland and Partner plans.”

Circle K announces Play or Park winner for January CIRCLE K has announced Yvonne Malone as the January 2020 winner of Play or Park. Yvonne, from Tullamore, chose to play her points at her local Circle K in Arden Road, Tullamore, and has won an all-expenses paid holiday for two to Queenstown, New Zealand. The prize includes return flights to Queenstown, a seven-night stay at the 5* St. Moritz hotel, a private helicopter ride and picnic at Middle Earth waterfalls, a cruise on Lake Te Anau to visit the underground glow-worm caves with a guide, plus €2,000 spending money.

Circle K also announced that Play or Park returns in 2020 with over €150,000 worth of prizes to be won. Among the amazing prizes up for grabs to Circle K customers who play their points this year include a road trip break to California, a desert escape to Morocco and the opportunity of a lifetime to support Team Ireland at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Richard Pollock, Loyalty and Insights Manager at Circle K, commented: “I am delighted to announce Yvonne Malone as January’s Play or Park winner. It is a fantastic prize and I hope Yvonne enjoys every moment of her trip to Richard Pollock, Loyalty and Insights Manager at Circle K, pictured Queenstown.” with Play or Park winner Yvonne Malone and her husband, John.

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28|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: Insurance

Arachas: for your forecourt insurance needs Nationwide insurance broker Arachas specialises in insurance for forecourt retailers, working with world leading insurance partners.

ARACHAS is Ireland’s largest, fastestgrowing nationwide insurance brokerage. They specialise in protecting Irish entrepreneurial spirit, the backbone of the Irish economy.

“We do this by combining our knowledge of insurance issues facing Irish people in business and in their day to day life, while also using our access to solid and reliable insurance providers,” explains Gearoid Fitzgerald, National Sales Manager at Arachas.

privately held risk management, commercial insurance and employee benefit brokerage group.

“As a petrol retailer, you need to know that if anything unexpected happens, help is on hand to minimise disruption to trade and stock supply so that you don’t let down or lose your customers,” Gearoid notes. “That’s why Arachas are here to help you. We provide market-leading insurance for all your risks, backed by support from expert teams who understand your business.”

The benefits Arachas offer you:

Arachas provides forecourt owners with market-leading insurance for all your risks, backed by support from expert teams who understand your business.

Track record of success Arachas’ track record of success and their good reputation opens the door for them to work with world leading insurance partners with high quality insurance products and this means that you get the peace of mind that comes from a personalised insurance service.

Arachas is the only Irish broker selected as a partner of the Assurex Global Network, the world’s largest

• Confidence and peace of mind: Comprehensive market-leading insurance - covering your property (including canopy and pumps), stock (including fuel), business interruption and money, while also providing protection for your public and employer’s liability.

• Keeping the sector covered: Their Petrol Forecourt Insurance packages are designed to cover filling stations and petrol retail operations of any size.

• Quick and easy quotes: They will give you clear and concise advice to help you choose your cover, and will keep you updated on your quote throughout the process.

• There when you need them: If you do need to claim, Arachas will work with you and your insurer to ensure that your claim is settled as smoothly and quickly as possible to minimise

stress and uncertainty.

• The right cover at the right price: Arachas work hard to make sure that you have the reassurance of great-quality, great-value cover from financially secure insurers.

• Flexible payment: Option to pay premium by monthly instalments.

“Trust Arachas to look after your insurance, so you can concentrate on looking after your customers,” concludes Gearoid.

Arachas: Ireland's fastest growing nationwide insurance brokerage.

For more information, call Gearoid Fitzgerald on (086) 8969234, Daithi Fitzgerald on (087) 7372463 or you can call the Arachas office on (01) 2135000. Alternatively, you can email newbusinessenquiries@arachas.ie.

Arachas Corporate Brokers Limited trading as Arachas, Capital Insurance Markets, CapitalIM, Covercentre is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Petrol Retail Insurance Market leading insurance at a competitive price * Policy features include: • The Policy is underwritten by an A Rated Insurer • Material Damage All Risks Cover including business interruption • Employers Public & Products Liability Cover • We allow for seasonal increases in stock • Wrongful arrest cover included as standard • Generous money limits with a wide scope of cover • Flexible premium payment plans *Full details on policy cover, benefits, ultimate insurer and restrictions are available at quotation stage

Talk to Ireland’s largest and fastest growing insurance broker today about your Insurance requirements.

Gearoid Fitzgerald Daithi Fitzgerald

086 896 9234 087 737 2463

01 213 5000 www.arachas.ie insure@arachas.ie

Arachas Corporate Brokers Limited t/a Arachas, Capital Insurance Markets, Capital IM, Covercentre is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

30|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: Renewable Gas Cylinders

Renewable gas cylinders cut NI carbon footprint CALOR BioLPG outdoor cylinders are already proving a hit with customers and they are making a major impact on Ireland’s carbon emissions too.

Since they were launched in summer 2019, Calor BioLPG cylinders have reduced carbon emissions by 1788 tonnes, based on the actual BioLPG International Sustainable Carbon Certification (ISCC) carbon values, in accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive.

It is nearly a year since Calor launched the first renewable gas cylinders on the market across the island of Ireland. The new renewable gas cylinders were initially targeted at the outdoor leisure market, for

patio heaters and barbeques. The cylinders are available through all Calor retailers.

Renewable gas Calor first launched BioLPG in 2018.

The certified renewable gas is made from a traceable blend of renewable vegetable oils, wastes and residues.

Initially, the product was only available to Calor’s bulk domestic and business customers, but in April 2019 the first renewable gas cylinders came to market.

This small change being made Since they were launched in summer

by Ireland’s retailers and their 2019, Calor BioLPG cylinders have reduced customers is already making a carbon emissions significantly. difference.

Calor BioLPG

renewable gas turns BBQ days greener

See calorgas.ie for more details

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|31

E-Cigarettes

Juul Labs’ growth continues 2020 will see Juul Labs continue its rapid Irish growth as it more than trebles the number of outlets in which Juul products will be available.

JUUL Labs launched in Ireland in May 2019, offering an alternative for adult smokers to transition from cigarettes and its growth here looks set to continue.

“We aim to be available in as many outlets that sell cigarettes as possible in order to offer adult smokers an alternative to transition away from combustible cigarettes,” explains Gareth Smyth, Juul Labs Ireland’s General Manager.

Juul Labs now has partnerships across the forecourt, convenience and retail sectors in Ireland, as well as the vape channel, with Juul products available in Applegreen, Barry Group, BWG Foods, Circle K, Hale Vape and Tesco stores across the country.

The 2019 Healthy Ireland survey revealed that 17% of Irish adults smoke, down from 20% the year before (Source: Healthy Ireland Survey 2019), while cigarettes remain a large category in Ireland, worth approximately €1 billion a year (Source: Nielsen data, December 2019), which is traditionally dominated by the retail sector. However, sales of traditional cigarettes continue to decline in volume terms, down by 6.1% year on year (Source: Nielsen data, December

2019). The e-cigarette category, by contrast, has grown in both volume (40%) and value (35%) terms (Source: Nielsen data, January 2020).

The ENDS user According to the Department of Health’s 2019 Healthy Ireland survey, 5% of the Irish population now use ENDS (“Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems”) with one in every three smokers who transition away from traditional tobacco moving into the ENDS category.

The ENDS category in Ireland is currently divided into two broad types of product: ‘open’ systems – a device containing a ‘tank’ which they can manually fill with e-liquid – and ‘closed’ systems – which use prefilled ‘cartridges’ which are not designed to be refillable by users. Juul is a simple, intuitive closed system, requiring no buttons, leads or wires, with a functional design and limited range of flavours, designed for adult palettes.

Within the overall category, there is a growing consumer movement towards the convenience of closed systems.

Closed pod systems take much of the complexity away for the adult smoker looking to move into the smoking alternatives category and also for the retailer, as they are simpler to use, more convenient and require minimal product training and upkeep. However, knowledge of nicotine strengths and basic knowledge of open systems is essential so that retailers can advise adult smokers on a range of alternative options, as each adult smoker’s journey is different.

Stringent code of practice Juul Labs’ Irish operations are underpinned by its code of practice, going above and beyond to ensure responsible advertising, marketing and age-gated product access. All retail partners must comply with Juul Labs’ ‘Challenge 25’ policy, whereby any customer who looks under the age of 25 must produce ID to prove they are over 18, and retailers are regularly monitored through a mystery shopping auditing programme to ensure adherence.

Gareth Smyth, Juul Labs Ireland’s General Manager.

“Juul Labs' partnership retailer package is designed to support and enable our retail partners to deliver incremental category growth responsibly,” Smyth reveals. “A full range of Juul products is available, including a starter kit, device kits in slate and silver (new for 2020), a charger case (also new this year) and Juulpod flavours, designed to help adult smokers looking to transition away from traditional cigarettes.

“Juul Labs also offers support to retailers with impactful POS to ensure standout shelf visibility and ensure responsible marketing and communications,” Smyth notes, while reiterating the need for new legislation concerning the sale of e-cigarettes.

“Juul Labs fully supports the introduction of proposed legislation to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, which we have campaigned for since launching in Ireland. Juul products are only for adult smokers looking for an alternative to cigarettes and no non-nicotine users, most especially youth, should ever try Juul,” he stressed. “We at Juul Labs Ireland look forward to working with more retail partners and outlets in 2020 as we continue to work towards transitioning Ireland’s adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes, eliminate their use, and combat underage usage of our products.”

5 Reasons to Choose An Post Retailer Services as your Card Payment provider Part of the An Post Group Because An Post Retailer Services is part of An Post, you can trust that your payments will be processed safely, securely, and effectively.

An Post has been named the most reputable organisation in Ireland, according to the annual Ireland RepTrak® 2017 study.

Quick and easy set up If you decide to choose An Post Retailer Services as your Card Payment provider a qualified An Post Engineer will visit your site to install your terminal. Additional pin pad and terminal stand available upon request.

Reduce your card payment fees In switching to An Post Retailer Services, some of our retailers have saved up to 30% on their Card Payment charges.

Contactless payments available Customers can touch their payment card on your An Post Retailer Services terminal and quickly pay for items that cost €30 or less.

Shorter term contracts available An Post Retailer Services offer a range of different card payment bundles and contract lengths. While some providers may tie you in to contracts lasting up to 3 years, we offer 6 and 12 month contracts.

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Your local Post Office You can choose to lodge your cash in most of the 950 Post Offices nationwide. Most of our customers choose their local Post Office.

Longer opening hours An Post Post Offices offer longer opening hours than most banks.

Saturday lodgements Many of our current customer’s avail of Saturday lodgements in their local Post Office.

Next day settlement Importantly for SME’s, all cash lodged before close of business in your chosen Post Office will be available in your account the next working day.

Fast track lodgements The process for lodging cash is quick and straightforward. Many of our clients avail of our additional Fast Track lodgement service which speeds up the process even further.

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PostPoint stores can offer a range of postal products and services, including National and International Stamps, and Christmas Stamp Booklets.

National and International stamps are in high demand all year round, with the average PostPoint retailer selling almost 9,000 stamps per year.

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By joining PostPoint, your customers will be able to pay all major household bills in your store.

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34|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

IGBF Interview

An Appealing Proposition

As President of Appeals of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund, Musgrave Director Sharon Buckley is very aware of the need for the Fund and the valuable work it does for those less fortunate within the grocery trade. She discusses her plans for 2020 and her hopes for the year ahead.

SHARON Buckley is the latest in a line of Musgrave employees to take on the role of President of Appeals for the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund. The Musgrave Group Commercial Director is cognisant of the luminaries that have gone before her, names like Hugh Mackeown, Seamus Scally and current Musgrave CEO, Noel Keeley.

“I was delighted to be asked and to take on the role,” Sharon admits.

“I’m conscious that I’m following in the footsteps of many Musgrave colleagues who have been in the role over the years, most recently our new CEO, Noel Keeley.

The IGBF is an organisation that we

really support as a business; we value the work of the Fund and support the events.

“Way back before I joined Musgrave 23 years ago, I used to attend the Cork Ball, so I’ve been very aware of the Fund over the years. I’ve always been very conscious that the Fund is badly needed and that it does very good work. Now, as President of Appeals, I see more closely the support it provides to families and individuals and I’m even more impressed with the work that it does.”

Striking the right balance One of the complaints levelled at the

IGBF over the years is that while event attendees enjoyed a great night out, they didn’t always equate the event with the work of the Fund. This was due to the fact that the charity has always been very private about the work it does, respecting the anonymity of beneficiaries.

“It’s a fine balance between giving more detail on the actual support provided without identifying individuals,” Sharon muses. “I think it’s appropriate that the Fund operates in an understated way, but at the same time, I think we do need more awareness of the nature of the support the Fund provides and

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|35

IGBF Interview the kind of beneficiaries we support, whether it is a young family where a parent has passed away or someone with a life-changing illness.”

She cites the example of Billy Reilly, who sadly passed away from Motor Neurone’s Disease (MND) last year. Billy was one of the recipients of IGBF support who had bravely talked in 2018 about what it meant to live with a terminal illness and what the support of the IGBF had meant to him and his family at a difficult time in their lives.

“Billy was highly grateful for the support the Fund provided to him. His bravery and his example were highly impactful when we used his words at IGBF events to bring the work of the organisation to life. I think we need to dial that up further and I’d like to do that during my year as President of Appeals, without compromising the confidentiality of the people supported by the Fund,” Sharon notes.

The President of Appeals stresses that a lot of the support offered by the Fund might not seem huge financially, but it does make a massive difference to the individuals and families affected: “When you hear from some of the beneficiaries, it’s very clear that beyond the money itself, the fact that somebody cares makes a huge difference to these people. They may be people who can no longer work or widows or family members of people who used to work in the trade, so that sense that the industry itself cares for them is just as important as the financial contribution.”

Sharon sees her role primarily as driving fundraising and she is hopeful that the Fund will enjoy an even stronger 2020 than previous years.

“I really see my role as supporting the hardworking committees around the country who organise the golf events, the Balls, the TWIG event, the Fun Run, the Sports Lunch,” she notes.

“I want to provide as much support as possible from Musgrave in terms of our participation in those events, but also in terms of my network, people who are generally very supportive of the Fund.

It is a very full calendar of events and I intend to participate in as many of them as possible. Already, I’ve been struck by the dedication and work-rate of the committees who organise these events.”

The role of CSR The whole idea of Corporate Social Responsibility has become far more important in recent years, not just to businesses but to consumers, who want to see their values reflected by

the companies they support. In an age when a lot of corporate entities have established charity partners, how difficult is it to convince businesses to donate to the IGBF? “At Musgrave, we recognise that charities do a lot of valuable work in all kinds of areas. We are very active in giving back to the communities in which we operate, whether that is through AsIAm, Action Breast Cancer or TidyTowns, or through the the huge support our retail partners give to communities throughout the length and breadth of Ireland. Within Musgrave, we support a broad base of charities and it is appropriate that we do so,” Sharon notes. “But I do think that within the grocery industry, people recognise how unique the IGBF is in terms of supporting our own, and that even in times of full employment, there is still a massive need for the work of the Fund.

This is a charity for our own trade: grocery is a big industry and people within that industry recognise the work of the IGBF and support it, but it is competing with other charities. I think every business is now conscious of their role in giving back to Irish society and that augurs well for ongoing support for this charity.”

Action-packed calendar of events One of the reasons why the IGBF continues to resonate is not just the good work it does but the fact that its events are generally amongst the social highlights of the year. The 2020 IGBF calendar is pretty full, including the Grocers Fun Run on April 26, the Sporting Legends Lunch on August 28, the Grocers Christmas Lunch on December 4, and a host of golf events throughout the summer. Sharon is also looking forward to unveiling details of her President’s Event in the coming months.

“These events are excellent fund-raisers but they are also great opportunities for people to socialise as well. It’s important that these are events that people enjoy and want to attend,” the President reveals. “The IGBF is probably the only organisation that brings the whole spectrum of retailers, suppliers and wholesalers together, so the social and fun dimension is really important. It’s about getting the balance right, that people have a great time, while also recognising the importance of the Fund.”

The last five years has seen the IGBF expand its remit considerably in terms of events, with relatively recent

“

A lot of the same organisations tend to support the events, while the Fund supports people from all sides of the industry and it is completely indiscriminate in who it helps. I would like to see more businesses take part in the events and I will actively go out and seek support from parts of the industry that haven’t supported the IGBF before, including emerging suppliers and other business sectors.

”

additions like the Sporting Legends Lunch and the TWIG (Today’s Women in Grocery) Networking Lunch firmly established as key highlights of the calendar.

“The new events have attracted a lot of people who might not traditionally have attended IGBF events,” Sharon notes. “There is now a really actionpacked calendar of events, which is a mixture of more traditional events like the Balls or the golf events and newer events like the TWIG Networking Lunch, the Grocers Fun Run, the Sporting Legends Lunch: it means that there is an opportunity for everybody to be involved.”

The newer events, like the Sports Lunch in particular, are “an opportunity for people to use it as a social event or a reward for their own teams”.

The TWIG phenomenon She describes the TWIG (Today’s Women in Grocery) lunch as “a brilliant initiative”. “It’s the perfect mix of raising much-needed funds and being a really great event in its own right,” she explains.

Sharon is speaking at this year’s TWIG Lunch on May 1 in the InterContinental Hotel, Dublin, as

36|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

IGBF Interview supported the Fund. “A lot of the same organisations tend to support the events, while the Fund supports people from all sides of the industry and it is completely indiscriminate in who it helps. I would like to see more businesses take part in the events and I will actively go out and seek support from parts of the industry that haven’t supported the IGBF before, including emerging suppliers and other business sectors.”

Sharon Buckley, IGBF President of Appeals, with IGBF Chairperson, Leonard Hegarty, at the IGBF Southern Region Ball.

President of Appeals. She is no stranger to the TWIG stage, however, having addressed the very first TWIG event in

September 2016.

“At that time, there were about 180 attendees and nobody realised that TWIG would become as successful as it has. But there was IGBF Calendar of Events a real gap in the market for an event April 26 Grocers Fun Run for women and it has grown remarkably May 1 TWIG Lunch since,” she says. “The various women who May 28 Dublin Annual Golf Day have spoken at it over the years have been June 8 North West Region Golf Day incredibly generous, in terms of telling their June 18 South East Region Golf Day personal stories, being open and honest about July 3 IGBF Stocked Festival 2020 their journey. Even though they are big July 16 Musgrave Golf Outing events, they are quite intimate and there is August 26 North East Region Golf Day something magical about that.”

August 28 Sporting Legends Lunch During her 12-month tenure as September 8 Stonehouse Golf Outing President of Appeals, the Musgrave Director September 23 Western Region Golf Outing is keen to reach out to those companies December 4 Grocers’ Christmas Lunch and sectors who have not traditionally

The next generation The IGBF President of Appeals doesn’t just want to attract new blood in terms of fundraisers but would also like to get some new people involved in organising committees across the country.

“A lot of events have been run by the same people for years, because these people are passionate about the events they run,” she admits. “But there are quite a few young people involved as well.”

The Musgrave Golf Outing at Mount Juliet is a case in point. Organised for years with considerable aplomb by John Cooney, the event is now being run by James Bruen since John’s retirement.

“There is a nice mix of people who have been running certain events for quite a while and younger people as well. Even within businesses, the next generation picks up the baton,” Sharon notes. “The advent of newer events has automatically meant new committees and new people coming on board. But I think there is more to do. In Musgrave, we have always supported events, both from our own team and our retail partners, but we’d like to further extend the involvement of our colleagues and our retail partners over the course of this year.”

At the end of her tenure, what else would Sharon she like to have achieved?

“First of all, I’d like to have played a role in driving growth in fundraising in 2020. I would like to have supported the events and people who run them as much as I possibly can, both through my own attendance and through working with colleagues to ensure they are as well supported as they can be. I would like to play a role at these events, in terms of getting the message of the IGBF across, what it does and how important it is, so participants recognise the work of the Fund and where their money is going. I would also like to have extended the reach of the IGBF to more organisations who would be in a position to support events and the organisation into the future. That would have been a very successful year.”

Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie|37

Nivea Men

Get your game face on with Nivea Men NIVEA Men, Ireland’s number one male facecare brand (Source: Nielsen ROI Extended Scantrack 52-week data to June 17, 2018) and the official men’s grooming supplier to Liverpool FC, is helping men embrace their facial hair.

With 65% of men claiming to have sensitive skin (Source: TNS Sensitive Usage & Attitude report 2015, Russia & Germany), the Nivea Men Sensitive Range protects against the five signs of irritation: burning, redness, dryness, tightness, and itchiness. The formula, which contains 0% alcohol and is enriched with Chamomile and Almond Oil, moisturises and calms the skin, as well as softening stubble as it grows.

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38|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Sponsorship

Sports still key to sponsorship market

Sponsorship in Ireland is expected to increase to €242m in 2020, despite a slowdown in growth, according to the latest Onside Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey. Sports remain the most valued sponsorship opportunities, but the areas of sustainability and the environment are growing fast.

WITH a decline in the number of sponsors in Ireland planning to increase their spend on sponsorship compared to last year, the Irish sponsorship market growth is set to slow to 8% in 2020 to reach €242m, according to the latest annual Onside Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey.

One in two sponsors in Ireland increased their investment in sponsorship during the last year, contributing to an overall 80% increase in spend on sponsorship in Ireland over the past decade, as the Irish sponsorship market grew by 10% to an estimated €224m in 2019.

Dramatic upheaval “As we enter a new decade, it is clear the sponsorship marketplace is in a state of flux, due mostly to social, technological and economic changes impacting all forms of business and marketing and, in particular, causing dramatic upheaval in the sports sector, which accounts for more than two-thirds of all sponsorship euros,” revealed John Trainor, Founder and CEO of Onside.

“Sponsors and rights holders in Ireland are showing a more cautious set of plans for 2020, with, for example, 53% open to buying a new sponsorship asset in the year ahead, compared with 79% just two years ago,” he continues. “46% of Irish sponsors will hold the line on spend this year, while 38% of sponsors are considering increasing spend and 16% will be decreasing spend this year, showing levels of fluctuation last seen in 2015.”

Hot sectors of growth to watch in

Pictured are (l-r): Galway hurler Joe Canning, Onside Strategic Advisor; Ellen Keane, Paralympic Swimmer; and John Trainor, CEO & founder, Onside.

2020 according to the Onside research are IT / Technology, healthcare and energy, with banking and telcos also expected to continue to be key drivers of increasing spend this year.

The motivations of sponsors are also expected to be reset this year in terms of higher expectations on sponsorship to deliver increased brand loyalty for two in three sponsors, but also increasingly to help businesses stimulate sales and usage of the sponsors solutions, with a record high one in four setting this as a goal for 2020.

A sporting chance As in previous years, seven in 10 sponsors looking for a new sponsorship in 2020 will be looking for a sports play, but for Trainor, one of the stand-out findings from this year’s industry survey is “the rise of brands seeing properties

in the area of sustainability and the environment as providing top growth opportunities for sponsors.”

GAA has retained its lead position in terms of offering strongest potential in terms of ‘value for money’. Beyond Sustainability/Environment, GAA and community focused sponsorship, e-sports rose most significantly through the ranks again in terms of being seen to offer strongest areas of opportunity this year.

Reflecting on the standard of activity produced by the collective Irish sponsorship industry last year, 38% of industry practitioners surveyed felt that sponsorship campaigns in Ireland in 2019 were ‘more effective’ than previous years, a drop of 19% year on year. According to Trainor, “The drop in rights fees to activation spend ratios again in 2019 is likely to be a major

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Sponsorship Sponsorship Facts

Katie Taylor, pictured with pupils from Scoil Iosef Naofa Corville, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, is the most marketable Irish personality for 2020. factor creating this fall in perceived performance”.

Vodafone’s partnership with the IRFU was again voted by the industry as the best sponsorship of the past year, followed by two retailer sponsorships in Aldi’s sponsorship of Irish Rugby and Lidl / Ladies Gaelic Football.

Katie tops the sponsorship wish-list According to the sponsorship industry professionals surveyed, Katie Taylor stands clear at the top of the most marketable personality list for 2020, joined on the podium by golfer Shane Lowry and Olympic hopefuls the O’Donovan Brothers. Trainor noted that “other 2020 stars in the eyes of sponsors surveyed in the latest research that will be to the fore in consideration for brand ambassadorial campaigns include other Olympic and Paralympic prospects Rhys McClenaghan, Rory McIlroy and Ellen Keane, and rugby stars including James Ryan, Rory Best and Johnny Sexton”.

Relatedly, one in three sponsors see the 2020 Olympic Games and three in 10 see the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo as opportunities for their businesses to engage with consumers in Ireland.

In comparison, 43% see the UEFA Euro 2020 Championships, which will include games at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, as an opportunity for their businesses to engage with consumers in Ireland this summer, versus 80% that saw the same tournament in France in 2016 as an opportunity for their business.

While the competitive and often cluttered environment that sponsors operate in continues to be the top challenge facing the industry, the Onside research also uncovered a significant rise in concerns, within the sector regarding increasing government legislation and restrictions in this area.

Up 14% over the past 12 months, seven in 10 Irish sponsorship practitioners are now concerned by the impact of ethical issues in sport and a lack of trust in sports governing bodies.

Content marketing and PR activation will continue to rise in importance in sponsorship activation plans this year, while live streaming is set to grow fastest as the area of innovative marketing that Irish rights holders believe will provide the best opportunity to activate sponsorships in 2020.

Aldi’s sponsorship deal with the IRFU was judged one of the most effective in 2019. Aldi Ireland recently extended this partnership in a new four-year deal. Pictured at the announcement are John Curtin, Group Buying Director for Aldi Ireland, and Nicholas Comyn, President of the IRFU.

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2019 saw 10% growth across the market overall, which Onside now estimates is valued at €224m.

53% of sponsors increased their spend last year, compared to 50% who expected to do so. Growth for 2020 is anticipated to be 8%, leading to a total sponsorship market value of €242m.

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38% of the industry felt the sponsorship campaigns of 2019 were more effective than 2018.

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38% of sponsors will increase their spend on sponsorship in 2020, while 16% will decrease spend, reflecting a similar market dynamic at play in the Irish market in 2014/2015.

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Seven in 10 sponsors looking for a new sponsorship in 2020 will be looking for a sports play, the area of sustainability / the environment is on the rise.

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Katie Taylor is the most marketable personality for 2020, closely followed by Shane Lowry.

The O'Donovan brothers are in third place and other 2020 stars in the eyes of sponsors that will be to the fore in consideration for brand ambassadorial campaigns are Rhys McClenaghan, James Ryan, Rory McIlroy, Rory Best, Ellen Keane and Johnny Sexton.

(Source: Onside Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey) A milestone year for sponsorship “2020 will be a milestone year for sponsorship globally, with all eyes on the Olympics and Paralympics this year, and how the Olympic movement modernises their model while empowered athletes across the world push for enhanced rights and more commercial freedom,” Trainor concludes. “Looking past the 2020 horizon, this year will set the foundations for a future where sports & entertainment consumption is increasingly on mobile, gamers will take the journey into franchised competition in their tens of millions, private equity funds will get a greater taste for sport and entertainment investments, and solutions to good governance and intellectual property theft as a result of sports content piracy will reset the industry for a new generation.”

40|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

The Changing Face of Irish Food

Bord Bia examines Irish eating habits New research from Bord Bia has unveiled the truth about the nation’s evening meal habits, including their desire to eat more healthily and their changing attitudes to buying Irish.

WHAT do Irish people eat for their evening meal? Have eating habits changed considerably? Are Irish people actually eating what they say they eat?

To find out the answers to these questions, Bord Bia recently released the results of an in-depth national study into the evening meal consumption habits of today. Carried out in partnership with Red C Research, this unique study was designed to better understand the changing dynamics of people’s evening mealtime habits, including the gap between what we say and what we do, and ultimately identify opportunities for the Irish food, drink and horticulture sectors.

The study involved a nationally representative online survey of over 1,000 Irish consumers who charted their evening eating habits, resulting in a sample of 5,925 adult and 1,841 child

evening meals, collected over seven consecutive days. The research captures consumer intentions to live more healthily and sustainably versus their daily choices when it comes to evening meals.

Key findings Key findings of the study include: •

Classic ‘meat and two veg’ is the number one evening meal type eaten by adults in 2019, accounting for 11% of all adult evening meals across the seven days. Chicken dishes and pasta with sauce meals, such as spaghetti Bolognese, were in second and third spot at 10%.

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Pasta with sauce meals, such as spaghetti Bolognese, was the number one meal type eaten by children, accounting for 14% of all evening meals.

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Red meat is the most popular meat consumed in Irish households, with 29% of all adult meals including red meat, although chicken follows closely behind at 21%.

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Incidence of fish within all meals is at 7%. However, this increases to

11% on Fridays, demonstrating it is still a popular evening meal choice.

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Dairy is a key part of evening meals among Irish consumers, with 17% of all meals containing cheese.

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Over three quarters of grocery shoppers use Irish produce wherever possible, with the perception that it is worth paying more significantly higher (up 10%) than 2011.

Good intentions prevail Health and wellness considerations are driving consumer behaviour, with over 80% of people placing a high level of importance on eating a balanced diet.

Four in 10 adults cite awareness of the food they eat and the impact it can have on physical and mental wellness as having a great deal of influence on evening meal choice. Ethical considerations are also influencing consumer behaviour, as almost three in 10 people feel making choices that are more positive for the environment has a great deal of influence on evening meals.

While just over two in 10 (23%) people claim to have prepared more vegan meals at home in the last 12 months, the reality is that just 1% of

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The Changing Face of Irish Food Top 10 adult meal types:

1. Meat & two vegetables 2. Chicken dish (for example: roast chicken) 3. Pasta with sauce (for example: spaghetti Bolognese) 4. Italian foods (for example: pizza & lasagne) 5. Diner-style favourites (for example: burger or steak & chips) 6. Fish dish (for example: fish bake or fish & chips) 7. Light meal (for example: toasted sandwich or beans on toast) 8. Chinese / Asian meal 9. Stew or casserole 10. Indian dish (for example: chicken tikka massala, korma, dhansak)

evening meals prepared over the last seven days were vegan dishes.

Commenting on the growing influence of health and wellness trends on dietary choices, Bord Bia Consumer Insight Specialist, Grace Binchy said; “When it comes to evening meals, this comprehensive study captures a clear intent to make healthy and socially responsible food choices and people believe they are regularly doing so.

However, as a growing ‘time poor’ nation, life gets in the way. There is a tendency for people to remember the choices they make as being better than they were and their original intention is not always reflected in their actions.”

Busyness is the new norm Busier lives and seeking convenience solutions are influencing Irish evening mealtime habits. Smaller meals and snacks are changing evening meal dynamics, with 17% of all evening meals no longer the main meal of the day.

There has been a 12% decline in regular scratch cooking among Irish adults, from just over four in 10 adults in 2011 to three in 10 in 2019.

The study found that there is no longer a ‘one size fits all’ approach to evening meals, with a significant rise in the number of households preparing different meals for different people since 2011. In keeping with the fracturing of the traditional evening meal occasion, one in 10 evening meals are now eaten in different rooms and more than seven in 10 meals involve a device being active (e.g. a TV, smartphone, or tablet).

Takeaways and home deliveries account for almost one in 10 (9%) of all evening meals eaten over the course of a week, rising to 15% on a Friday or Saturday. A

further 11% of evening meals are eaten out of the home.

“As our lives grow increasingly busier, the study captures a move away from the traditional evening meal as we know it,” notes Grace Binchy. “With nearly half of adults claiming to enjoy cooking, but only when there is enough time available to do so, convenience emerged as an extremely important consideration when choosing what to eat in the evening.”

Grace Binchy, Bord Bia’s Consumer Insights Specialist.

Opportunities for growth Opportunities around marketing messages exist in addressing the converging importance of convenience, nutrition and climate for Irish consumers. “Over the past decade, Ireland has experienced huge social, economic and technological changes, which have significantly impacted consumer attitudes,” Binchy notes.

“This research will help the food and drink industry to look forward and make well informed business decisions that serve customers’ needs better.

Manufacturers should consider how they can deliver healthy products while creating convenience in people’s lives and addressing their changing demands around sustainability.”

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consumption increasing significantly for over-45s.

One in 10 evening meals contain eggs, with consumption particularly high amongst under-35s, highlighting their desire for protein and preference for lighter meals.

Almost three in 10 (28%) of all evening meals include bread.

There has been an 8% decline in dessert incidence with evening meals for adults since 2011, to 16% in 2019. Over two in 10 (21%) of children’s evening meals include a dessert, but this has fallen 10% since 2011.

Tap water is the most common drink accompaniment for both adult (36%) and children’s (29%) evening meals.

Additional facts uncovered by the study include: • Potatoes are at the heart of many evening meals in Ireland (28%), with

Top 10 children’s meal types:

1. Pasta with sauce (for example: spaghetti Bolognaise) 2. Chicken dish (for example: roast chicken) 3. Meat & two vegetables 4. Italian foods (for example: pizza & lasagne) 5. Diner-style favourites (for example: burger or steak & chips) 6. Stew or casserole 7. Fish dish (for example: a fish bake or fish & chips) 8. Chinese / Asian meal 9. Indian dish (for example: chicken tikka massala, korma, bhuna) 10. Light meal (for example: toasted sandwich or beans on toast)

Incidence of fish within all meals is at 7%, growing to 11% on Fridays.

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For adults, both milk and wine are consumed less than they were in 2011, while for children, milk consumption with evening meals has fallen by 11% since 2011.

Chinese food is the most popular takeaway choice in Ireland, while pizza is the most popular home delivery choice. Almost seven in 10 (67%) of all takeaway and delivery food orders take place online.

42|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

The Changing Face of Irish Food

Dublin Food Chain event highlights food innovation Dublin Food Chain recently gave the opportunity to 40 producers to showcase their products, as these innovative entrepreneurs and their portfolios highlighted some of the country’s emerging food trends. Raphaela Pauwels reports.

FEBRUARY saw 40 food and drink producers showcasing some of the most innovative and on-trend products in their portfolios at the Dublin Food Producer Showcase 2020.

An initiative of the Dublin Local Enterprise Offices, supported by Bord Bia, the event gave these passionate local producers a platform to show what they do and how they do it. Each has their own innovative ways to showcase healthier and eco-friendlier products.

Consumers are clearly changing their eating habits and acknowledge, more than ever, that their food choices have an impact on their health, wellbeing and the environment.

The rise of flexitarianism Growing numbers of people are deciding that a plant-based diet is important for health and ethical reasons. There are also increasing numbers of consumers choosing a flexitarian diet, where they eat more plant-based meals with less meat-based options. A flexitarian diet can be a good choice for those who don’t want to cut out meat completely but want to eat more plant-based foods on environmental or health grounds. Many consumers are choosing to reduce their meat intake, especially red or processed meat, in order to reduce saturated fat: here in Ireland, the HSE recommends eating no more than 500g or 1lb of red meat per week.

Going flexitarian can also help the environment: a healthy vegetarian diet is estimated to reduce water consumption by up to 55%.

Every year sees an increase in people choosing dairy-free or gluten-free diets, while growing numbers are choosing what product to purchase based on environmental concerns, from the environmental impact (organic, provenance etc) of a product to a company’s production processes (zero waste, The Chia Collective have already won an Irish circular business plans Quality Food Award for their chia muesli. etc). and more sustainable packaging.

Gluten free, dairy The clear message from the free, vegan, flexitarians, showcase was that these topics are not organic, superfoods, avoidance of just passing trends but signposts of the artificial ingredients, provenance, way to go. sustainability: these are now important Around the exhibitors to consumers and the companies who Some of the companies exhibiting deliver on these trends are the ones who included: will succeed in the coming months and years.

The Chia Collective, winner of an Irish Retail News spoke to many of the Quality Food Award in 2019 for their chia producers at the Dublin Food Producers muesli, is a 100% organic and plantShowcase and one over-riding trend was based small business, emphasising the a clear demand for plastic alternatives

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The Changing Face of Irish Food

Rohan’s Sauces uses natural, plant-based ingredients to create low calorie, healthy sauces for consumers on-the-go.

that exclusively uses natural, plantbased ingredients, with a goal to make people’s life easier by creating low calorie, healthy sauces for consumers on-the-go. Furthermore, their packaging is 100% recyclable.

Safco is the first commercial falafel company in the Republic of Ireland.

Owner Mohammed Rashid wanted to create a line of product that’s low in sugar and fat, with no added colourings or preservatives and with local, freshly produced ingredients. Their falafels are high in protein and fibre, vegan friendly and gluten-free and are made with 17 ingredients, as opposed to the traditional Palestinian recipe with four ingredients

by switching their film plastic to PLA, which would make them the first frozen pizza with biodegradable and sustainable packaging on the market.

Cathy’s Kombucha provides handcrafted organic drinks produced in small batches. The products are made with local ingredients, are vegan friendly, gluten and soy free and full of probiotics.

fact that their products rely on simplicity, high quality ingredients, chemical free ingredients and sustainability.

Provenance is hugely important to the company.

Mudita is a vegan friendly, glutenfree, refined sugar-free and even soya-free company where each product is made with at least one superfood in it. After having to change her diet overnight because of serious health problem, the owner, Andrea McNamara, found herself being deprived of desserts and so set out to create her own. Also, all her packaging is either reusable or recyclable.

Rohan’s Sauces is an Irish brand

Mudita is a Dublin-based business specialising in vegan-friendly, gluten-free raw desserts and snacks.

Sales of One Water’s bottled waters have helped to fund clean water programmes that have given fresh drinking water to over 3.6m people in some of the world’s poorest communities.

The company employs a ‘zero waste’ approach by having a circular business plan and all packaging is either reusable or recyclable.

Katerina’s Pantry’s portfolio of products are vegan and gluten free.

Winner of a 2019 Nourish Award for its plain flaxseed crackers, all the company’s products are locally produced and the crackers are made with alternative flour, such as brown rice flour or sorghum flour. This whole adventure started when Katerina Kanzantza, the founder of the company, started to experiment with a healthier gluten free diet for herself and wasn’t happy about what she could find in supermarkets.

Buttercream Dream is an innovative 100% vegan bakery that doesn’t exclusively rely on seeds or fruits, specialising in delivering the feeling of comfort food that sometimes can be missing in vegan products. The dairy and egg free range is made in small batches using only local non-GM ingredients, with no artificial colouring or preservatives, and comes in recyclable packaging.

Katie’s Kombucha is a fermented tea drink alive with a microbial community living inside, made with love in small batches in Dalkey. or the Turkish and Lebanese ones with seven.

One Water understand how important it is to limit their environmental impact and as the market is moving away from plastic, they launched a canned water and a Tetra Pack offering. 70% of the materials in their Tetra Pak packaging is paperboard and they are increasingly using renewable plant-based materials to replace the usual fossil-based plastics used in beverage cartons. Also, some of their profits go towards good causes such as clean water projects in the poorest parts of the world.

The Sweet Potato Pizza Co. provides nutritious frozen pizzas, rich in fibres, protein, vitamins and minerals. They are also hoping to launch vegan products this year and become more sustainable

44|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

The Changing Face of Irish Food

New programme to attract food innovators Bord Bia and DCU Business School have launched a new innovation programme for those innovators who want to shape the future of the Irish food and drink industry.

BORD Bia and DCU Business School have announced a new programme designed to enhance the innovation capabilities within the Irish food, drink and horticultural sector. As part of the Bord Bia Talent Academy, the MSc Innovation & Insights programme will promote consumer-focused innovation and new product development within Ireland’s largest indigenous industry.

Developing world class talent “Notwithstanding record-breaking exports of €13 billion in 2019, the continued growth of the sector hinges on our ability to effectively identify and deploy insight-led strategies in the promotion of Irish food, drink and horticulture,” noted Bord Bia’s Organisation & Industry Talent Director, Michael Murphy. “The Talent Academy’s partnership with DCU Business School will allow us to attract and develop world-class talent in the area of innovation and design thinking, which are essential to maintain our competitive edge. The MSc in Insights & Innovation complements our existing suite of programmes which focus on marketing, sustainability and international business and will enable us to expand the industry’s strategic capabilities as we work towards our growth targets.”

The 18-month fully funded scholarship programme will combine academic learning with an industry placement, allowing participants to undertake hands-on innovation projects with leading Irish and international food and drink organisations. The academic component of the programme will focus on innovation strategy, design thinking,

consumer insights, global brand strategy and consumer research.

Participants will directly apply learnings from these modules throughout their placements within the food and drink sector.

Executive Dean of DCU Business School, Professor Anne Sinnott, Pictured are Bord Bia’s Organisation & Industry Talent said, “We are Director, Michal Murphy, and Executive Dean of DCU delighted to Business School Professor, Anne Sinnott. have been selected Call for applications

by Bord Bia to lead this world-class The programme is currently seeking innovation programme specifically applications from individuals with a aimed at enhancing the innovation passion for innovation and an ambition capability within the food, beverage to develop a career within the Irish and horticulture sector. There are few food, drink and horticulture industry. companies where innovation is not right Supported by Bord Bia and industry, at the top of the corporate agenda and successful participants will receive a full this is even more evident in the food and scholarship and a tax-free bursary of beverage industries, where the threat €20,000 per annum. of Brexit and intense competition make Individuals interested in applying innovation the number one priority. We can find out more information at are delighted to partner with Bord Bia to business.dcu.ie/bordbia. The closing cultivate the next generation of talent, date for applications is May 15, 2020, bringing specific skills in insight-driven and programmes will start in September innovation to a sector of such national 2020. importance and impact.”

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CBE

CBE annouces key appointments Claremorris-based retail software company CBE has announced a number of key appointments.

CBE has announced a number of new key appointments at the retail software company.

“CBE is currently developing rapidly in the global market and the company is very fortunate in having a talented and very experienced team to manage this growth,” noted Sean Kenna, CEO. Mover and shakers Keith McAndrew has been promoted to the role of Research & Development Manager, having worked in various roles within the company since 2002, including Systems Engineer, Senior Team Lead and most recently as Retail Applications Manager, a role which he held for the past 10 years.

Paul Kenna from CBE’s hometown of Claremorris joins the Senior Management team as Hotel Product Manager. Paul joined CBE in 2012 and has worked in various roles within the

Paul Kenna, Hotel Product Manager, CBE.

CBE’s new Marketing Manager, Niall Dooney.

Cameron Joined CBE in 2014 and has been a key member of the CBE team in the UK. Tom Ryan has been promoted to the role of Cloud Product Manager. Tom joined CBE in 2003 and has held various roles within the company, including R&D Software Developer. Tom recently completed his MSc in Cloud Computing at CIT and was awarded Best Masters Student.

One of Europe’s largest EPoS providers Headquartered in Claremorris, CBE was

founded by Gerard Concannon and his wife Catherine in 1980 and has grown to become one of Europe’s largest EPoS (electronic point of sale) providers. The company now employs 158 people.

CBE design and develop software applications for the supermarket, convenience, forecourt, hospitality, fashion and general merchandise sectors. The appointments come at an exciting time for the company as it increases its market share in Ireland and expands internationally.

For further details, see www.cbe.ie.

Tom Ryan, Cloud Product Manager, CBE.

Cameron Bates, CBE’s new Team Manager in the UK.

Keith McAndrew has been promoted to the role of Research & Development Manager, CBE. company in that time, most recently as a Hospitality Systems Executive.

Niall Dooney has been promoted to the position of Marketing Manager.

Niall joined CBE in 2015, working in various areas of the business over the years including Systems Engineer and Marketing Executive.

Cameron Bates has been promoted to the role of Team Manager UK.

46|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

IGBF Midwest Ball

IGBF Midwest Ball a great success More than 220 attendees helped to make the 2020 Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund Midwest Region Gala Ball a tremendous success.

THE IGBF Midwest Region Gala Ball was held on February 15 in the Castletroy Park Hotel, where more than 220 representatives from the trade donned their glad-rags and helped to ensure this annual event remains one of the social occasions of the year.

Approximately €20,000 was raised for the Fund, which helps members of the grocery trade and their families who have fallen on hard times. The grand prize draw on the night raised

an impressive €6,000, with the top prizes of trips for two to Vienna, Paris, Barcelona, London and Manchester, kindly supported by Declan Power and Shannon Airport.

Strong sponsorship support “The Ball was a wonderful event, which raised a lot of money for the IGBF,” explained James Johnson, Dunnes Stores, Chairman of the Midwest Region of the IGBF. “We could not have done this without the support of

our sponsors on the night who were Shannon Airport, Diageo, Molson Coors, JTI, Britvic, Primeline Logistics, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, Dunnes Stores, Ishka Water, and Comans. Each year we continue to grow this event and over the years, we have supported over 200 families in need.”

IGBF President of Appeals Sharon Buckley spoke at the event, stressing the need to keep support ongoing for the less fortunate within the Irish grocery industry.

Pictured at the Castletroy Park Hotel for the IGBF Midwest Region Gala Ball are (l-r): Leonard Hegarty, IGBF Chairperson; Sharon Buckley, IGBF President Of Appeals 2020, and Director of Musgrave Group; and James Johnson, Chairman, Midwest IGBF, and Dunnes Stores.

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IGBF Midwest Ball

Mike And Theresa Quinn, Barry's Tea, pictured at the Castletroy Park Hotel for the IGBF Midwest Region Gala Ball 2020.

Sharon Brosnan from Tesco Ireland, is pictured receiving the top prize of a trip for two to Vienna from James Johnson, Chairman of the IGBF Midwest Region Committee (left), and Niall O’Brien, IGBF Midwest Committee member.

Morgan and Emma Lee, John Player Imperial Tobacco, enjoying the Ball.

James Johnson, Dunnes Stores, Chairman of the Midwest Region of the IGBF, and his wife Audrey Johnson, pictured at the Ball.

Paddy and Michelle Conway, Tuffy Wholesale, pictured enjoying the IGBF Midwest Region Gala Ball.

Kevin and Kathleen Ronan, Midwest IGBF Committee, pictured at the Ball.

Liam and Theresa Shanahan, Dunnes Stores, pictured at the Ball.

48|Retail News|March 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards open for entries

The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2020 are now open for entries.

ENTRY into the prestigious Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards is now open.

Since their launch eight years ago, the Awards have been responsible for launching hundreds of innovative new products onto the market and boosting the sales of many more. Retailers, wholesalers, foodservice, own label and branded producers are invited to enter food and drink products into a broad range of categories, each being specifically tailored to represent the key drivers in today’s ever-changing marketplace.

“We are delighted that the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are once again open for entries,” says Beth Treleaven, Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards Business Development Manager.

“Every year, the quality and innovation of the products we see stand as testament to the creativity and passion of the Irish food and drink industry. We can’t wait to see what this year has in store.”

This year sees the introduction of a number of champion awards which will be presented alongside the existing Retailer of the Year and Christmas Retailer of the Year accolades. Retailers will automatically qualify for these awards based on best performance across selected product categories; these can be found on the awards website. The winner will be decided on by a scoring matrix made up of the number of wins, highly commended and commended products.

Comprehensive feedback report An integral part of the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards is that each entry receives a comprehensive judges’ feedback report, even if the product does

The team from Dunnes Stores celebrate being named Retailer of the Year and Christmas Retailer of the Year at the 2019 Awards.

The 2020 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards will return to the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin on October 29, 2020.

Cotter Brothers were the proud winners of the Rising Star Award in 2019.

Pictured are (l-r): Brendan Conway, Lidl Ireland; Nick and Jack Cotter, Cotter Organic Lamb; and event host Hector Ó hEochagáin.

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Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards

Each entry is judged by a panel of food and drink industry experts, and subsequently receives constructive, meaningful feedback, even if the entered product does not end up winning.

The 2019 Small Producer of the Year Award was awarded to O’Neills Dry Cure Bacon Company. Pictured are: Diarmuid Murphy, Dunnes Stores; Mary and Pat O'Neill, O'Neills Dry Cure Bacon; and event MC, Hector Ó hEochagáin.

Judges for the 2019 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards. Standing: Vivek Tohani, Belfast Food Man; Trevis Gleason, Sapphire Solutions Consulting; James Burke, James Burke Associates; Beckie Dart, Irish Quality Food Awards; Drew McIvor, Invest NI; Jane Milton, Jane Milton Ltd; and Brigitta Curtin, Burren Smokehouse. (Sitting): Lisa McMahon, Irish Quality Food Awards; Liz Creegan, Irish Quality Food Awards; Elke O'Mahoney, Bia Sásta.

2018 Small Producer winner, Wildberrry Bakery, were the winners of the Christmas Gold Q Award in 2019. Pictured are: Beth Treleaven, Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards; Susan and 2017 Small Producer winner, Meere’s Pork Products Tom Robbins Fehily, Wildberry Bakery; and event host, Hector Ó pictured during the drinks reception at the 2019 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards hEochagáin. not reach the finalist stage. This provides all entrants with vital product insight from independent leading experts, which can be used as a valuable product development tool. Winners will be given free use of the winners’ logo, which will be provided alongside a winners' press kit. This guide will offer useful tips to winners on making the most of their win and maximising ROI. Meere’s Pork Products in Co. Clare summarise their experience of the Irish Quality Food Awards, since the family run company started entering in 2015: “Our business has really been transformed by the success we have had in the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards. If your product wins or not, the feedback from the judges helps you improve your products and make

changes for the better. Our awardwinning black and white pudding (which won the Best Small Producer Award in 2017) and gourmet sausage rolls (which took the overall Q Gold Award in 2018) have become the flagship products of our business. The Awards have helped our own brand grow by around 30%, with more wholesalers wanting to carry our products.”

A positive impact Small producers with fewer than 10 staff and annual sales under €1m are eligible to enter the Small Producer Award. This award offers artisan producers a host of benefits, including a reduced entry fee.

The winner will be given the opportunity to work with Dunnes Stores to create a Simply Better product.

Wildberry Bakery was awarded the Small Producer Award in 2018; just one year later, their Simply Better product was launched in Dunnes Stores. Susan Robbins Fehily, Wildberry Bakery owner, explained what winning small producer meant for the company: “The Irish Quality Food Awards gives you credibility.

They’re very highly thought of, so it’s a great introduction to a new company just to be in the Awards. Winning the Simply Better Small Producer of the Year has been a fantastic experience. The Simply Better team have been generous with their time and expertise. It has had a hugely positive impact on our business.”

For further information about the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards and how to enter the 2020 Awards, please visit irishqualityfoodawards.ie.

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Homecare & Hygiene

A clean sweep

Consumers’ environmental concerns are driving new product development in the homecare, laundry and hygiene categories.

ADVANCES in technology and the growing consumer demand for products with reduced chemical content continued to restrict volume consumption in home care in 2019, according to the latest report into the sector by Euromonitor International. This remains a big challenge to manufacturers, which are expected to produce products that are environmentally friendly, but highly effective at the same time, while maintaining profitability margins.

Manufacturers are increasingly listening to customers to ensure their home care products alleviate consumers’ environmental and health concerns, as environmental and health factors direct new product development, Euromonitor maintain, with consumer awareness of such issues heightened by media attention and government- and environmentalist-led campaigns.

Euromonitor expect retail current value sales to grow at a faster rate in the coming years compared with 2019, with value growth projected to outpace volume growth significantly.

When it comes to laundry care, the gram per wash ratio is set to continue to

decline over the forecast period, as manufacturers are tasked with using fewer chemicals in their products by increasingly environmentally conscious consumers. Laundry care is dominated by multinationals but smaller and niche players have begun to make inroads by introducing on-trend products with an environmentally-friendly message, Euromonitor maintain.

Consumers are increasingly demanding products that match their environmental expectations, while sensory and sustainability products cater to key consumer demand trends.

VivaGreen has launched new range of VivaGreen eco-friendly house cleaners for conscious Irish company VivaGreen is consumers. launching a new range of refillable, eco-friendly laundry Purpose Cleaner (500ml and 1.5L), and household cleaning products Washing-Up Liquid (500ml and 1.5L), for conscious consumers.

Non-Bio Laundry Detergent (1.5L) and The VivaGreen Tru Eco range, Fabric Conditioner (1.5L). Tru Eco bottles which is made from plant-based and are made from 100% recycled plastic, biodegradable ingredients, and is free and they are reusable, recyclable and from harsh chemicals, includes All

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Homecare & Hygiene refillable.

Reducing its carbon footprint as low as possible, Tru Eco offers a refill solution, which creates a circular economy product and closes the loop on plastic waste. By refilling, consumers can reduce their environmental footprint and minimise plastic waste, as well as lowering carbon emissions.

VivaGreen plans to roll out refill bottle stations nationwide in the coming months. Dublin based eco-shop, Reuzi, will be the first Tru Eco refill bottle station, where people can bring their empty 500ml and 1.5L bottles to refill.

The refill bottle station holds 10L drums of all four Tru Eco range products.

VivaGreen collects, cleans, refills and returns the drums to the shop to start the loop again.

“More and more consumers are switching to green cleaning to reduce chemicals in their homes,” notes Russell Walsh, Managing Director, VivaGreen. “Our new Tru Eco range is for people who are mindful about the environmental and health impacts of cleaning products, and who are seeking a safer and kinder way to clean their homes.”

VivaGreen has developed the Tru Eco range with an Irish-based, independent environmental consultant to ensure sustainable practices using naturally derived and biodegradable ingredients that don’t negatively impact the environment or health. Tru Eco products are guaranteed Irish, vegan friendly, cruelty free and septic tank safe.

Walsh adds, “Our priority has been to develop an eco-friendly cleaning range at an affordable price without compromising on quality.”

The Tru Eco range will be available from early March and will be supported by a national media campaign. For more information, visit www.vivagreen.ie.

Calgon Anti-Bacterial Gel A large percentage of Ireland is affected by hard or very hard water. When water has high levels of Calcium and Magnesium in it, it becomes hard and leads to the formation of limescale. If you live in a hard water area, limescale is likely to build up inside washing machines.

Limescale attacks and clogs up the machine's vital parts, which may eventually lead to a breakdown.

Limescale also reduces efficiency of the machine and daily washing results.

The Calgon range (Calgon 3-in-1 Tablets 15s, Calgon 3-in-1 Tablets 45s and Calgon 3-in-1 Gel 750ml) from Reckitt Benckiser Ireland softens

The Calgon range from Reckitt Benckiser Ireland softens hard water, preventing limescale from forming in the first place. hard water, preventing limescale from forming in the first place.

Discover the first Calgon Limescale prevention gel 750ml, which combines outstanding protection from limescale, residue and odours with anti-bacterial ingredients to eliminate 99.9% bacteria in washing machine (in an empty wash).

Calgon keeps washing machine heating elements free of limescale, which minimises energy consumption by the washing machine.

Consumers should use Calgon in every wash for outstanding limescale protection. Its neutralising action protects all vital parts against limescale, residue and odours for a hygienically clean machine. A cleaner washing machine means cleaner laundry in every wash and ensures it’s safe for use on all types of fabric.

Airmedica hand sanitiser Leading Irish manufacturer Cosmetic Creations has launched a new hand sanitiser, named Airmedica, in direct response to demand created by the coronavirus. The Cork and Mayo-based company is mobilising to deliver up to 2.5m units, at up to 80,000 units per week, effective immediately.

Orders have already been confirmed for 40% of the potential units. Cosmetic Creations is the only manufacturing company in Ireland, which due to its state-of-the-art equipment and output

capacity, can deliver to this scale and timeframe.

Aiden Corcoran, Owner and CEO of Cosmetic Creations, said: “We have been contacted by both the public and private sectors, to deliver a high volume of hand sanitisers with a short turnaround time.

Following recent investment in our Cork campus, we have expanded our capacity, and are working to meet this immediate need.

“We are fortunate to have an agile team, who have been hard at work, formulating and testing this product and ensuring we have the resources to manufacture and distribute, nationally and internationally.”

Cosmetic Creations has been a leading contract manufacturer of skincare and cosmetics products, but has been expanding into the growing national pharmaceutical market.

In recent months, the company has invested in advanced formulation and manufacturing technologies, significantly expanding its output capacity.

In November 2019, Cosmetic Creations announced 90 jobs were to be created between its operations in Cork and Mayo, following an investment of €7.5m into the company. Shipping to more than 15 countries globally, clients include private label national brand names and Irish, UK and European retail multiples.

Airmedica has been launched by Cosmetic Creations in direct response to demand created by the coronavirus.

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Retail Ireland: Monthly Update DUST SETTLES ON TRANSFORMATIVE GENERAL ELECTION IT is safe to say that the recent General Election was one that not many people could have predicted. There has been much commentary after polling day on this great realignment of Irish politics and what it will mean for the country. There was a perception before the General Election that it would be a straight swap of power between the two traditional parties of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. The result that was delivered quickly toppled that notion as Sinn Féin had the best election result in that party’s history, winning 37 seats to Fianna Fáil’s 38 and Fine Gael’s 35. Prior to the election, Retail Ireland set out our position.

We in Retail Ireland developed priorities for this election that we believe are achievable for any party wishing to be in government. Some of these include the rethinking of how Local Authority Rates are implemented, relieving the insurance burden on business and adequately funding An Garda Síochána to tackle retail crime. Some of these have been high priority issues for the sector for a number of years and it is now long overdue that these are tacked effectively by any new government to help lower the burden on a sector that is in some cases one of the only employers in many towns in the country.

Most of the parties have committed in their election

manifestos to address some of the issues that we have raised, in particular the constant issue of insurance premiums and insurance fraud. This issue has been one that has blighted the sector in recent years, not only with consistently rising premiums but also a creeping compensation culture that is crippling business.

One of our key policy asks is that the Judicial Council be given actual powers and that it will bring some much needed reform into this space.

The political future will remain uncertain for quite some time as political parties grapple with this new reality. A concern for retail and business in general is the lingering instability that having no elected government will bring. We would urge all parties to come to a resolution to put Ireland first and form a government that works, particularly now as unwelcome noises begin to emanate around the future trading relationship between the United Kingdom and the EU.

Political uncertainty clouds horizon RETAIL Ireland has published its latest quarterly Retail Monitor for the fourth quarter of 2019, which found that sales values grew by 1.3% over the period, while sales volumes grew by 3.9%, demonstrating steady but unequal growth with sales volume far outpacing their value in this quarter.

These factors further underline the deep discounting that has become a mainstay of the sector, highlighted in this quarter by landmark discounting periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which have delayed the Christmas spending period significantly.

The macro economic outlook is relatively benign. The threat of an imminent global slowdown appears to have receded and Ibec economic forecasts have recently been revised upwards. However, positive momentum should not be taken for granted. Intense competition makes cost recovery difficult and technology remains an ever-present disruptor.

Key highlights for 2020: Brexit risks remain: We have a Withdrawal Agreement, but the future relationship between the EU and UK is unknown and the deadline is tight.

There is the very real prospect of significant trade barriers between Britain and Ireland from January 2021 and retail supply chains are particularly exposed. An ambitious EU-UK trade deal is the aim, but we must plan for all eventualities.

Cost pressures rising: While the economy is performing well, cost pressures are

increasing. The next government must tackle specific factors driving up retail costs, including rising commercial rates and insurance premiums. Labour costs must also be sustainable.

Retail Ireland is working with Ibec to ensure these issues are at the forefront of the next Government’s agenda.

Steady growth as DIY gains momentum: Q4 2019 was quite unusual for the DIY category with the Brexit factor dominating in October and negatively affecting sentiment and spend, albeit not to an alarming degree but below trend. November saw a healthy return to trend growth as the threat of Brexit receded and set the stage for a positive Christmas trading period. While this materialised, it came very late in the month of December once the Black Friday effect in late November and early in the month tapered off. There was no standout growth in any particular area of DIY, with only fuel sales poor, driven by mild conditions.

Robust Christmas for food: Supermarkets and convenience stores recorded a strong year in 2019. Sales for the year as a whole were up 3.5% by value and 4.1% by volume. December was up 2.5% by value and 2.7% by volume. Convenience stores and discounters grew faster, with pure supermarkets squeezed, although within the supermarket sector one multiple bucked the trend. Outside of convenience, Christmas was the most competitive ever, with discounters no longer prepared to accept the migration of their customers to full service supermarkets for their Christmas shop.

Tel: 01-6051558 www.retailireland.ie Need more?

For more information about what we do and how your retail business can benefit from our unique services and supports, please visit us at www.retailireland.ie.

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Drinks News C&C to distribute Budweiser in Ireland FROM July 1, the sale and distribution of Budweiser Brewing Group’s beers will move to C&C Group. A statement from Diageo Ireland and Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, part of AB InBev, states that both companies have “enjoyed a fruitful and effective relationship in Ireland for many years, during which time Diageo Ireland has brewed, marketed and distributed some of Budweiser Brewing Group’s beers, including Budweiser and Bud Light, on the island of Ireland. Together the two companies have grown Budweiser into one of Ireland’s leading beer brands and have built the foundations for future success.” Over time, the statement continues, the respective business priorities of Diageo Ireland and Budweiser Brewing Group have evolved and “together we have made a mutual decision to end the relationship in Ireland when the current contract concludes on June 30, 2020”. Until then, it is business as usual with Diageo Ireland continuing to brew, market and sell Budweiser and Bud Light in Ireland. “We are proud of all that we have achieved together with Diageo and are looking forward to an exciting next chapter with C&C,” said Paula Lindenberg, President, Budweiser Brewing Group (pictured). “As we look to the future, we’ll be working closely to ensure a smooth transition to our customers, and we are hugely grateful to Diageo for a positive working relationship over the years.”

Glendalough wins at World Whiskies Awards THE newly launched Pot Still Irish Whiskey from Glendalough Distillery has already been deemed a triumph by leading international drinks experts after scooping gold at the 2020 World Whiskies Awards. “The team has worked incredibly hard over the last four years bringing this liquid to fruition and we are so proud that it has already made such an impact at an international level among the world’s most esteemed whiskey experts,” said Kevin Keenan, Glendalough Distillery’s cofounder and Creative Director. “Notably, the only other brand awarded in the category was the iconic pot still, Redbreast, so we're delighted to be in such esteemed company.”

Muff Liquor to feature at Camden Market Paddy’s Day DONEGAL based premium crafts drinks company, The Muff Liquor Company, was one of a host of drinks labels paying homage to the Emerald Isle in London as part of the UK capital’s St Patrick’s Day weekend of celebrations.

The Muff Liquor Company showcased its award-winning products at a Pop-Up Gin Bar at the world famous Camden Market on March 13 and 14, where Londoners got to sample The Muff Liquor Company’s unique craft potato Muff Gin and Vodka and Irish themed cocktails at the Irish celebratory event. Inishowen based co-owner Laura Bonner is pictured with some of Muff Liquor Company’s product range.

Jameson launches 1.5m digitally connected bottles JAMESON Connects is a new immersive digital platform that allows fans to get more from their bottle and get closer to the brand. Using innovative Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the bottle cap, the Jameson Connects community is now open, giving access to unique events, incredible experiences, exclusive content and more. “Jameson has been connecting people for years and Jameson Connects is the next step in the evolution of our community,” said Fiona Curtin, Global Communications and Planning Director for Jameson. “We want to bring Jameson drinkers together, while supporting some of the phenomenal talents and creatives emerging in Ireland today and we believe this is the perfect platform to do this. This process is really simple; join by tapping your NFC enabled smartphone on the Jameson bottle cap, then register and enjoy what comes your way.” To mark the launch of the first ‘Tap the Cap’ digital platform in Ireland, Jameson is providing all users who register in March with a complimentary ticket to their flagship tour in either Jameson Distillery Bow St, Dublin, or Jameson Distillery Midleton, Cork. Additionally, on April 9, Jameson will host The Scratch, Mango X MathMan, and Loah (pictured) in Jameson Distillery Bow St, and Jameson Connects users will have exclusive access to the gig, with the opportunity to win tickets to the event through the platform.

Peroni Libera launches Cinema THIS spring, Italian beer brand Peroni Nastro Azzurro, launched Cinema di Peroni, celebrating Italy in the movies, and the latest addition to its portfolio, Peroni Libera 0.0%. Cinema di Peroni took place in Dublin and Galway this March, screening the classic film, The Talented Mr Ripley, which showcases the beauty of Italy and Italian style at its finest. Peroni Libera, meaning ‘free’ in Italian, gives consumers the freedom and choice to opt for a 0% beer with a touch of Italian style.

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On the Vine: Villa Maria

New film reveals the drama of wine making Raphaela Pauwels reports from the Irish premiere of Vintage, the new feature-length documentary about the hectic harvest period in the vineyards of Villa Maria.

THE world-renowned New Zealand winery, Villa Maria, has created a feature length documentary called Vintage, in collaboration with the American filmmaker Colin West. Vintage premiered in Ireland at the Stella Cinema at the Devlin Hotel in Ranelagh, Dublin, recently, when an invited Irish audience got to experience the film first-

A real Kiwi story Featuring a real Kiwi story, according to director and producer Colin West, a film crew followed the team for 40 days at the most hectic time of the year, giving an honest and unique insight on all the ups and downs that go into wine making.

“For the first time ever in New

You see them smiling, laughing, and sometimes exhausted, but regardless about how they might be feeling in the moment, they are always willing and conscientious.

Pictured at the Stella Cinema for the Vintage Premiere are Natalie Walsh and Michael Barry, MD, Barry & Fitzwilliam. hand, prior to it being available on the Virgin Media Player.

The documentary takes place in the beautiful region of Marlborough, showing breathtaking landscapes and vineyards, but also the tireless days of Stuart Dudley, Marlborough Regional Viticulturist; Nick Picone, Chief Winemaker; Ollie Powrie, Company Viticulturist; and viticulture cadet Jessica Marston, who was undertaking her first vintage.

Zealand, a winery is capturing the vintage process, peeking behind the curtain of the all-consuming harvest period known as vintage. You’ll see the passion and hard work that goes into every bottle,” explained Nick Picone.

The documentary shows all the hard work and sleepless nights that go into wine making. There is a real sense of community in the vineyards, with people coming from all around the world to learn from and work for Villa Maria.

Pictured are Stuart Dudley, Villa Maria, and Tomás Clancy, Sunday Business Post, at the screening of Vintage by Villa Maria.

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On the Vine: Villa Maria

Stuart Dudley, Marlborough Regional Viticulturist, with Kate Barry, Brand Manager, Barry & Fitzwilliam.

Facing the challenges Every day brings a new series of challenges, whether it’s bacteria that can decimate a whole vineyard, animals that can eat up to five tonnes of grapes every year or even frost. But there are challenges that the wine industry is facing today that are much harder to deal with, brought on by global warming. Villa Maria is not exempt from this, and the increase in storms and extreme weather events can have a disastrous impact on production. The winery is also on a sustainability journey in a bid to reduce its environmental impact, and has even started growing organic grapes.

Before picking the grapes, the team scrupulously inspect them to make sure they have the highest quality possible.

It’s very clear from the film that the grapes were chosen because of their quality and not the quantity they might produce. You can also see the willingness of the team to do whatever it takes, when they have to pick grapes in the middle of

Pictured at the Irish premiere of Vintage are Stuart Dudley, Marlborough Regional Viticulturist; Paul Raper, Natalie Walsh, and Brad Burgess, NZ High Commissioner to Ireland.

the night when the temperatures are at the lowest so there is no oxidation and taste loss.

Once the grapes are picked, there is no stopping. They all do 12-hour shifts and it is an intense 24/7 process. Like the bustle of an anthill, you see everyone checking, making extensive tests and tasting the wine to make sure everything is going according to plan.

The creative process It’s clear from the documentary that despite all the science that goes into it, at its heart, wine production is a creative process, just like food. Every year is different, bringing its own unique challenges and surprises.

At the end of the film, the people involved may be exhausted but the overriding feeling is one of happiness and the sense of satisfaction on everyone’s faces when tasting the final product is a fitting testament to all the hard work and passion that went into the process.

The invited audience at the Irish premiere of Vintage in the Stella Cinema, Ranelagh.

Retail News’ Raphaela Pauwels, with Kate Barry, Brand Manager, Barry & Fitzwilliam.

Kiwi rugby legend Brent Pope was at the Villa Maria Vintage screening.

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On The Vine

Springing into focus Jean Smullen examines the ‘must stock’ wines for spring, including some brand new products for the Irish market and the continued rise of Argentine Malbec.

WITH another Easter in April this year, wine sales in April and May should be progressing well. With two bank holidays, the consumer by now should be in buying mode in advance of the holiday breaks.

For my first wine column of this new decade, it is worth taking a quick look at a couple of major themes from 2019. Volume sales in the off trade continue to erode; Nielsen Scantrack figures to December 2019 saw a decrease in volume sales of 2.5% versus the previous year. However, on a more positive note, there was a slight improvement in average pricing.

The highest volume sales are being driven by wines from New Zealand and Argentina at the “expense” of France and South Africa. Whilst the growth is encouraging, it is worth noting that the combined share of Argentina and New Zealand is, at this point, the same as the total volume for Spain at c.12% of the market.

In terms of New Zealand, figures just released by New Zealand Winegrowers show an 8% increase in their wine exports in 2019. The total export value globally for New Zealand wine is now a record $1.86 billion.

The USA continues to be New Zealand

wine’s largest market for wine, accounting for nearly $600m in exports.

The non-stop increase in international demand is testament to the premium reputation of New Zealand wine, especially in key markets such as the USA, the UK, and Canada, where New Zealand remains either the highest or second highest priced wine category. New Zealand wine is exported to more than 100 countries and Ireland is also one of the key markets for their wine.

All the other countries of origin are relatively stable, though the ‘Private Label’ category dropped by more than 100,000 cases versus the previous year.

The consumer appears to be buying more branded wine and the drop in sales for private label wines partly explains the small increase in the average price per bottle.

The Top 20 wine brands grew in retail value by nearly €4.5m. The total growth for those top 20 wine brands represented a value share increase of 3%. The brands driving sales include Santa Rita, Concha y Toro and Finca Las Moras (Dada) from Chile & Argentina.

Other key brands selling well include Oyster Bay from New Zealand and Yellow Tail from Australia (Source: Scantrack, December 29, 2019).

The ever-popular Barefoot brand, part of the Gallo portfolio.

World Malbec Day Argentina is certainly to the fore this spring. World Malbec Day (WMD), an initiative created by Wines of Argentina, seeks to position Argentine Malbec globally, and this year it will be celebrated on Monday, April 20, 2020.

The 10th edition of WMD in Dublin will have a different format. The Argentine Masterclass and Open Pour Tasting will take place in the Hilton Hotel,

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On The Vine Charlemont Place, Dublin 2 on Monday, April 20, 2020. The Masterclass will be presented by Phil Crozier, Brand Ambassador for Wines of Argentina, previously Director of Wine for London’s Gaucho restaurant group. More details in the wine diary https://jeansmullen.com/

resurrecting Malbec and in discovering extreme high-altitude terroirs in the Andean foothills of Mendoza. Cassidy Wines are launching a new range from Catena Zapata in March 2020 called Catena Appellations.

This April, Cassidy will have a number of wines from the Catena range on offer just in time for Easter to go with lamb and also to celebrate World Malbec Day. Look out for Vista Flores Malbec, Paraje Altamira Malbec and Lunlunta Malbec, all with an RRP of €21.99 but on promotion at €17.99.

Comans Beverages will highlight Dada in its off-trade focus brand promotion in April/ May. Canti Prosecco, a recent addition to the Comans Beverages’ off-trade range, is also very competitively priced in their off-trade focus brand promotion

Barry & Fitzwilliam are adding a new Argentine wine to their portfolio: the Bodega Estancia Mendoza wines are among the top five selling wine brands in Argentina and command a 10% share of the domestic market there.

Barry & Fitzwilliam are adding a new Argentine wine to their portfolio.

Launched in March 2020, Bodega Estancia Mendoza, is owned by the Fecovita Wine Group, the largest wine producer in Argentina and the 10th largest wine company globally. Sourced from the prestigious Uco Valley region of Mendoza, the Bodega Estancia Mendoza wines are among the top five selling wine brands in Argentina and command a 10% share of the domestic market there.

The wines include 2019 Estancia Mendoza Reserve (Blue Label) RRP €12.99, 2019 Estancia Mendoza Uco Valley Estate (Black Label) RRP €15.99, and 2019 Estancia Mendoza Single Vineyard RRP €19.99. With sales of wines from Argentina performing so strongly on this market, make sure you stock Argentina’s best-selling wine.

Cassidy Wines are also flying the Argentine flag this month, with the launch of a new range from Bodega Catena Zapata. Founded in 1902, Argentina’s Bodega Catena Zapata is known for its pioneering role in

at RRP €1113. Canti has a premium look in terms of its packaging and the brand has an excellent online presence, both on social media channels and via its website.

The Canti range from Italy has always had a high profile on this market, so it is good to see their Prosecco getting some traction.

April/ May will also see Comans Beverages feature a promotional offer for their New Zealand wine range, Two

Comans Beverages will highlight Dada in its off-trade focus brand promotion in April/May.

The excellent Canti Prosecco is a recent addition to the Comans Beverages’ off-trade range.

Tracks, their Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, which is the second label of Wither Hills.

Wines from California are also receiving a lot of media attention at the moment. Since the appointment of Justine McGovern from Dun Laoghaire in 2017 as Director of the California Wine Institute for the UK & Ireland, the visibility of Californian wines has never been more to the fore. Justine has certainly been working hard organising an in-depth variety of California trade promotions on both markets, which have gone a long way towards raising the visibility of Californian wines and the regionality and quality of many of their premium wines.

Comans Beverages will be running a promotional offer for their New Zealand wine range, Two Tracks, which is the second label of Wither Hills.

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On The Vine

The king of Cabernet Comans Beverage, who are the distributors for the Gallo Group are targeting some of their premium wines for promotion this spring. The wines from Louis M. Martini, known worldwide as the ‘King of Cabernet’, use grapes harvested from some of Napa and Sonoma’s most coveted sites, including the world-famous Monte Rosso vineyard to create some of the world’s finest artisan Cabernet Sauvignon.

In 1933, Italian-born Louis M. Martini started the historic winery in the Napa Valley, where for more than 80 years the Martini family made wine.

Comans Beverages, who took over the distribution of the brand last year (Louis Martini is now owned by the Gallo group), will have this premium Californian wine on offer in the off-trade in April and May through BWG at an RRP of €20. Don’t miss the 2016 Louis M. Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, made from grapes grown in the Dry Creek Valley in Napa. This is a stunner and a great recommendation for a food match with spring lamb as well as a range of vegetarian options.

Best in Glass tasting report Gilbeys with Bibendum hosted a range of Best in Glass portfolio tastings in Kilkenny, Limerick, Dublin and Belfast in February. Their annual tastings had an interesting layout. The tables were broken down into categories and the focus showed great initiative, how about ‘Mindful Wines’ or ‘The Classics’ and of course ‘Meet the Producer’. The new wines to their portfolio certainly ticked all the boxes in terms of trends in the market; the 2017 Valdoneje Finca Valao Mencia from Bierzo was a find, this really fits into the lighter style of red,

The wines from Louis M. Martini, known worldwide as the ‘King of Cabernet’, use grapes harvested from some of Napa and Sonoma’s most coveted sites, to create some of the world’s finest artisan Cabernet Sauvignon. so popular with the consumer at the moment.

The Mindful section included a range of organic and biodynamic wines; the 2017 Josef Chromy Chardonnay from Tasmania was a fine example of a fresh vibrant new style Australian Chardonnay.

Look out too for Chenin Blanc from New Zealand, the 2017 Millton Vineyards Te

Arai Chenin Blanc, with oodles of fresh acidity, was a real find. I also loved the 2016 Little Yering Chardonnay from Yarra Valley, made from a blend of 60% barrel fermented and 40% stainless steel fermented Chardonnay. Their Shiraz and Pinot Noir were also outstanding.

The 2015 Little Yering Shiraz had a bit of Viognier added to round it out and was quite old world in style. The 2017 Yerling Station Village Pinot Noir had lot of juicy red fruit.

From Alentejo in Portugal, their 2018 Duquesa Maria white wine was quite new world in style, as is typical of wines from the region. Made from a blend of Portuguese and French white grapes, Antao Vaz, Viognier, Alvarinho and Arinto, it was a lovely fresh style of white wine with floral notes and a lovely crisp acidity.

Finally, one of the stand-out wines at the Gilbeys with Bibendum tasting and certainly on the mark in terms of what’s new to the market was Chateau Changyu Moser XV from China, a joint venture between the long-established Chinese Government funded winery, Changyu, and one of Austria’s leading winemakers, Lenz Moser, which opened in 2013 at a cost of $70m. A superb white wine with a lovely fresh acidity, this has not only become a success in China, but its export sales are pretty healthy too, with 10% of the winery’s production exported to 35 countries.

The 2017 Chateau Changyu Moser XV White Cabernet has lovely floral notes on the nose, with hints of exotic fruits on the palate, backed by a fresh acidity.

The 2015 Changyu Moser XV Cabernet Sauvignon is a very fruit forward juicy style of red Cabernet Sauvignon, lighter in style and very much reflecting the terroir of the Ningxia region.

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What's New MÜLLER SPONSORS DANCING WITH THE STARS

MAGNUM LAUNCHES RUBY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

MÜLLER has returned as a sponsor on RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars, the country’s most popular celebrity dance-off show. Available now in store, the multipack includes Müller’s best ever new Müller Corner recipe, which contains more protein and has a thicker and creamier texture. It includes Strawberry, Vanilla Chocolate Balls and Milk Chocolate Digestives.

“We’re so excited to partner with Dancing with the Stars again in 2020,” said Michael Inpong, Strategy and Marketing Director at Müller Yogurt & Desserts.

“Not only does it give us the opportunity to engage with the Irish market and raise awareness of Müller, but the series is perfectly aligned with our brand purpose, which is to inspire happy, healthy lifestyles.”

MAGNUM has launched Europe’s first ever Ruby chocolate covered ice cream in Ireland. Magnum Ruby is made with Ruby cocoa beans, the fourth variant of chocolate, and gives pleasure seekers the opportunity to indulge in a completely new ice cream taste experience. The new Magnum ice cream, which arrived exclusively in Spar stores across Ireland, has a stunning natural pink hue. A superior ice cream experience, Magnum Ruby combines an indulgent velvety ice cream, enriched with a luscious raspberry sauce swirl and coated in Magnum’s signature cracking Ruby couverture chocolate.

OREO STICK SANDWICH ICE CREAM

TAYTO is launching two new limited-edition flavours and this time inspiration for these flavoursome taste-combinations stems from original Irish dinner favourites: Tayto Bacon & Cabbage Flavour and Tayto Beef Stew Flavour. If consumers want to get their hands on these mouthwatering flavours, or pick up a packet and give someone a taste of home, they are in shops for a limited time only.

FRONERI has combined Oreo with much-loved Cadbury to create the Oreo Stick Sandwich, which features vanilla cookie ice cream between two tasty Oreo cookies, which are then coated in delicious Cadbury chocolate and placed on a handy stick.

Brunhilde VanAntwerp, Head of Marketing at Froneri, comments, “With the Oreo ice cream sandwich being such a hit, we wanted to see what else we could do to excite Oreo fans. The new Oreo Stick Sandwich is a sector-changing launch which appeals to a wide target audience, given the combination of brand recognition, indulgent taste combinations and ease of enjoyment.”

CADBURY CREME EGG ICE CREAM CONE FRONERI has expanded its unique ice cream offering with the Creme Egg Cone, featuring creme egg flavoured ice cream, a gooey centre and Cadbury chocolate pieces. “We’re really excited to have launched the Creme Egg Cone ahead of the Easter season to give egg lovers a deliciously gooey new treat to enjoy with friends and family,” noted Brunhilde van Antwerp, Head of Marketing at Froneri. “The new cone joins an already hugely popular range of Creme Egg goodies, including the ice cream tub and stick, so there’s an option for everyone to get their Creme Egg fix this Easter.” The launch of the Creme Egg Cone is being supported through social and digital channels with the product now available nationwide in multipacks of four.

TAYTO LAUNCH LIMITED EDITION FLAVOURS

SKINMADE LAUNCHES IN IRELAND GERMAN personalised skincare brand Skinmade is the world’s first skincare brand that uses advanced technology and artificial intelligence to listen to, measure and understand your skin’s individual needs. Specific ingredients are then selected to offer products that are optimally designed for your skin only.

Renowned Irish Skin Therapist, Eavanna Breen is introducing Skinmade to Ireland: “Never have I been so impressed with a new product launch than when I first was introduced to the brand Skinmade. The brand has the highest quality standards, strictly says no to parabens and mineral oil and only says yes to natural and body-distinct substances. I am particularly excited about the fact that this takes the guess work out of choosing a moisturiser for people. You now have the perfect moisturiser made by your own skin’s exact needs.”

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Shelf Life IT’S almost time for the Euros again and Panini is gearing up for the much-anticipated tournament with its brand new Official Adrenalyn XL Trading Card Collection – the only official trading card collection of UEFA Euro 2020! The stars of all 20 directly qualified teams and the UK and Republic of Ireland play-off contenders feature in this must-have collection, containing 468 high quality trading cards. Collectors can kick-start their collection with a starter pack, which includes 24 trading cards, two limited edition cards, a collector’s album, game board and game guide, including a checklist. There are also free online game codes on every card for collectors to redeem!

THE Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI), the independent self-regulatory body committed to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications in Ireland, has appointed Kyla O’Kelly to their Board. Kyla is currently a Board Director at Javelin Group, one of Ireland’s leading independent advertising agencies. She will now work with the ASAI Board in conjunction with her existing role.

Welcoming Kyla’s appointment to the ASAI’s Board, Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the ASAI, said, “We’re delighted to welcome Kyla to the board of The ASAI. She brings a wealth of experience and industry insights from her career to date and illustrates the high calibre of talent contributing to the ASAI’s Board.”

GOOD things come in small packages at Subway, which has introduced a new range of Toasted Bites to its iconic menu: a collection of four bite-sized sandwiches, available for just €1.49 each. Ideal as a snack on the go or a light lunch, guests can now enjoy all the classic flavour of Subway in a bite size roll - for a bargain price. Each Toasted Bite comes in a three-inch, square ciabatta bread roll, filled with one of four delicious options: Ham & Cheese Toasted Bite; Tuna Melt Toasted Bite; Steak & Cheese Toasted Bite; and Cheese Toasted Bite.

THE Creative Retail Awards are one of the most distinguished accolades within the design and display industry and recognise projects and products that have demonstrated the very highest level of innovation and excellence. The 2020 Awards have introduced new categories including Omni-Channel Experience, Bar and Restaurant Design and Best Shopfitting/Fit-Out. There is also a new category specifically to vote for your favourite suppliers - the Supplier of the Year Award.

Entries for this coveted Award are completely free, so don’t forget to remind your clients to nominate you. Visit www.creativeretailawards.com now to find out more and enter.

IN celebration of International Women's Day on March 8, Tesco Ireland once again partnered with the Women's Museum of Ireland, to curate a new exhibition celebrating noted Irish female trailblazers.

In partnership with the Women’s Museum of Ireland, a virtual museum that promotes the formal recognition of the role of women in Irish history, the stories and unique achievements of five women were brought to life across Tesco stores throughout the country: Dublin firefighter Celina Barrett, professional motor racing driver Rosemary Smith, Myrtle Allen (pictured), who is the mother of Irish cookery, Averil Deverell, the first Irish woman to be called to the bar, and award-winning surgeon, Dr Emily Winifred Dickson.

UNIVERSITY College Dublin (UCD) were crowned winners of the 5th Annual Great Agri-Food debate, organised by Dawn Meats and McDonald’s Ireland, in Queen’s University, Belfast. Six third level colleges took part in the all-island event, hosted in Northern Ireland for the first time this year. The debates were moderated and judged by a range of representatives from the agri-food industry and beyond, including Nina Prichard from McDonald’s; HE Deike Potzel, German Ambassador to Ireland; Pamela Byrne, CEO, Food Safety Authority of Ireland; Niall Browne, CEO, Dawn Meats and Dunbia; and Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia. Pictured are the winning team from UCD with Niall Browne, CEO, Dawn Meats, and Nina Prichard, Head of Sustainable and Ethical Sourcing, McDonald’s UK & Ireland.

WEEE Ireland, Ireland’s largest electrical and battery recycling scheme, is proud to mark over 10 years of the Battery Directive and nine years of its charity partnership with LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice. Since the introduction of the Battery Directive in late 2008, WEEE Ireland has collected and recycled the equivalent of 320m AA batteries – that’s five times around the coast of Ireland when laid end to end.

In 2019, 47% of all portable batteries placed on the market were recovered and recycled, the equivalent of 11 AA batteries for every person in Ireland!

There’s more of this fantastic work to be done, though, with 12 more batteries per person “hiding” in homes across the country. Accepting a €50,000 donation on behalf of LauraLynn, CEO Orla O’Brien said: “Congratulations to our partner WEEE Ireland on the amazing success of their battery recycling campaign and the outcome achieved in 2019. This is a very special campaign that we are honoured to have been involved in over the last nine years.” Tadg O’Reilly, aged six, from Ratoath, Co. Meath, is pictured showing Bosco WEEE Ireland’s distinctive blue battery recycling boxes.

A LUCKY Dublin woman has won the Full House prize on the Telly Bingo National Lottery game show, worth €10,000, exactly one week after winning the exact same prize! The awestruck woman, who was clutching a cheque for €10,000 in the National Lottery Winner’s Room for the second time in a week, could still hardly believe the good news: “It’s unbelievable! I’m still lost for words. The first win was just crazy and there was great excitement in the family, but to do it again a week later really has hit me for six! I don’t think the cheque has cleared in my bank account yet from last week’s win and here I am with another one. It’s amazing.” She won both Full House prizes on February 27 and March 5, having bought her tickets for both draws at SuperValu in Fortunestown, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Pictured are Telly Bingo hosts Declan Buckley and Nuala Carey.

It’s your Call‌ You

At the IGBF we assist the families of over 300 of your colleagues every month. These families are more unfortunate than ourselves and without your support such assistance would not be possible...

But we still need your help to continue making the difference.

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For Assistance: ww.igbf.ie/help/our_help.html For Queries: info@igbf.ie

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