Retail News Magazine July/August 2022 by Retail News

JULY / AUGUST 2022

NEW SPEARMINT

SCANDI CHILLER

AVAILABLE IN

REGULAR

STRONG

For more information go to:

WWW.NORDICSPIRIT.IE Nordic Spirit pirit contains conttains nicotine. ddictive dictive substance. substance Nicotine iss an addictive

nordicspirit_ie nordicspirit p _ie

nordicspiritie p

JOIN THE FAMILY Get in touch with us today! Phone: 01 286 5000 • Email: info@dairyglen.ie

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|1

Contents

Stepping up on sustainability SUSTAINABILITY is so much more than just a buzz-word; it’s a real movement, driven by consumers, who want the brands they support to display their green credentials and not just pay lip service to the environment. Retailers are certainly not being left behind, and Retail Excellence and Champion Green recently launched a new sustainability initiative, Sustainable Irish Retail Action (SIRA), to support Irish retail businesses to take practical steps in becoming more sustainable. We report on the launch (Page 12), as well as revealing the results of a sustainability survey amongst Irish retailers, and highlighting SIRA’s 10 key pillars of retail sustainability. The ECR Heroes Awards 2022 took place recently, rewarding the worthy winners from the FMCG sector who have gone above and beyond over the past year (Page 20). Elsewhere, Jean Smullen reveals Ireland’s top 20 wine brands (Page 27), and we unveil the shortlist for this year’s Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards (Page 44), ahead of the gala awards ceremony in September. Laura Ensor and Linda Hynes of Lewis Silkin Ireland report on the General Scheme of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022, explaining key proposals relevant to employers in the retail sector (Page 40), while our Forecourt Focus section showcases the latest forecourts to join the Circle K family (Page 54). Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

News

ECR Heroes Awards

20 The ECR Heroes Awards 2022

Energy costs the main concern ahead of Budget 2023.

Shoppers switching to own brand as inﬂation bites.

Spar reveal latest retailing solutions; Government fuel policy is hitting those with the least ability to pay.

Bord Bia launch retail partnership to organic growth; Ireland surpasses all EU recycling and recovery targets in 2021. New Co-Chair of ECR Ireland; Musgrave MarketPlace launch recruitment drive for suppliers to join online platform; Lidl launch Prevented Ocean Plastic packaging.

Back to School: Pritt tt

24 Pritt, the nation’s favourite glue stick, is more sustainable than ever.

IGBF 26 Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund President Of Appeals, Kevin Keating, organised and completed a 600km ‘Tour De Grocer’ to raise much-needed funds for this most worthy of causes.

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines 27 Jean Smullen looks at the best-

Bord Bia announces Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme; Diageo to build €200m Kildare brewery; Drinks Ireland partner with Teagasc Signpost programme.

selling wines on the Irish market.

Nivea 38 Nivea Sun have a host of products available to help keep shoppers safe this summer.

Sustainable Irish Retail Action

Employment Law

12 Sustainable Irish Retail Action is a

40 What will the Work Life Balance and

new initiative from Retail Excellence and Champion Green, to support rt Irish retailers in taking practical steps to become more sustainable.

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update 16 Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022; Retailers voice concerns on cost of labour market reforms.

Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 mean for employers in the retail sector. Laura Ensor and Linda Hynes of Lewis Silkin Ireland report.

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 44 The Irish Quality Foodd and Drink Awards shortlist st has been announced, ahead of the Awards Ceremony in September.

National Lottery

Banking & Finance

17 Premier Lotteries Ireland, DAC, the

50 Bank of Ireland’s Owen Clifford

operators of the National Lottery, have welcomed Seanad support for the proposed ban on lotto betting.

explains why they’re committed to supporting the Irish SME community through whatever challenges they face.

Retail News

Regulars & Reports

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Managing Director: Patrick Aylward

took place recently, rewarding those whoo continue to go above and beyond the call of duty in the Irish FMCG sector.

facebook.com/RetailNews1

@RetailNews1

Editorial & Marketing Director: Kathleen Belton

kathleenbelton@retailnews.ie

Editor: John Walshe

johnwalshe@tarapublications.ie

Published by: Tara Publishing Ltd,

Sales: Brian Clark

brian@retailnews.ie

14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

Sales: Aaron Stewart

aaron.stewart@retailnews.ie

Tel: 00353 1 6785165 Fax: 00353 1 6477127

Chief News Reporter:

Pavel Barter

Web: www.retailnews.ie Email: info@retailnews.ie

Production: Ciara Conway

ciara@tarapublications.ie

Subscription to Retail News: €95 plus VAT

Wine Correspondent:

Jean Smullen

Email: ciara@tarapublications.ie

Graphics: Rooney Media

Printed by: W&G Baird

Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

8 37 53 54 56

Industry News Drinks News What’s New Forecourt Focus: News Shelf Life

2|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

News

Energy costs the main concern

RETAIL representative groups have been submitting their pre-budget submissions to the Department of Finance - and rising energy costs are high on the agenda. RGDATA has called on Government to implement a rebate scheme for businesses, in Budget 2023, to offset rising energy costs. The rebate, suggested the association, should be bookmarked for businesses that can “demonstrate their energy costs have doubled over the last 12 months” and might be offset against other business tax payments. According to RGDATA, retailers “have a significant 24/7 reliance on electricity for lighting, refrigeration and air conditioning and heat. Individual supermarkets have seen energy costs double from €200k per annum to €400k per annum. This is completely unsustainable.” In their Summer Economic Statement, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD and Michael McGrath TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, set out a budget strategy that would focus on the cost of living crisis in Irish households. While a VAT cut on household gas and electricity bills (from 13.5% to 9%), due to end in October, is expected to be extended, no such benefits were mooted for retail businesses. According to William Hanley, who owns a SuperValu store in south-west Dublin, business costs for gas and electricity are at an all time high: “Households have been sheltered. That isn’t any benefit to retailers. We don’t benefit from that cut in VAT.” A Musgrave Group spokesperson agreed: “We are doing everything we can for shoppers during these inflationary times, but our independent retail partners need support. SuperValu, Centra and Daybreak retailers are facing rapidly rising costs as energy prices are doubling and trebling. We are grateful to Government for their support during the Covid-19 pandemic. But independent retailers

are now facing a new crisis and without Government support, the future of community retailing is in doubt in many areas across the country.” Energy costs are part of a backdrop of increasing business costs, which retailers hope the Government will address in Budget 2023. After the minimum wage increased 3% earlier this year, from €10.20 to €10.50, the government is now conducting a public consultation on the phasing-in of a Living Wage, which currently stands €12.17, over the next four years. Hanley said he was not opposed to the notion of a living wage, but feared that an increase would push up higher salary brackets. “We’re going to have sick pay benefit, kicking in this year, which will be an immediate cost to us. We’ll have mandatory pension contributions coming at us at the start of 2023. If we do nothing, all our costs are going to increase 50% over the next three and a half years, which is completely unsustainable,” he warned. “Our customers are not going to be willing to pay for that. So we’ll have to find ways of mitigating against that through technology or [a reduction in] service.” Musgrave Group would like to see Budget 2023 include: a temporary suspension of commercial rates; the inclusion of food retailers in existing and future energy support schemes, and rebate for food retailers when energy costs as a percentage of turnover increase over predefined thresholds. Alongside rates of pay, sick leave and pensions, there are additional compliance costs associated with the introduction of new environmental schemes such as the ‘Latte levy’, Deposit & Return Scheme, and plastics recovery, RGDATA noted in its submission. Retailers are also dealing with labour shortages, driven in part by the housing crisis. “One of the very real difficulties that many employers in our sector are experiencing is the problems our potential staff have in finding accommodation,” wrote CSNA in its pre-Budget submission. CSNA are seeking the introduction of incentives to let long or short-term properties to staff; incentives that could include a cut in rental taxes. “We need an influx of labour,” said Hanley, a CSNA representative. “People would come to Ireland if there was affordable accommodation.” ISME, in their submission for Budget 2023, noted that Ireland is “experiencing exceptional economic volatility as a result of significant consumer inflation” and laid out a package of tax reform.

CSNA called for a reduction in employers’ PRSI “so businesses can partially offset increased salary costs” and an increase of the existing Small Benefit Exemption for employees from €500 to €1,000 per annum. Musgrave would also welcome a reduction in employers’ PRSI. The group also called for a retail cost audit to get an overall picture of the increased costs faced by retailers (Statutory Sick Pay, Pension Auto Enrolment, Living Wage, Levy on Single-use Coffee Cups, Deposit Return Scheme) combined with input costs (Energy, Commodity inflation and Insurance). Retailers want the Government to review the commercial rates regime to level the playing field between bricksand-mortar stores and online retailing, which is booming without equitable costs. RGDATA requested relief from Commercial Rates and Development Levies for retail businesses until the end of 2023, as well as the introduction of a Vacant Property Tax; and Capital Allowances for retailers who invest in their businesses. Insurance continues to maintain a stranglehold over the sector. Hanley blamed the lack of competition in the Irish marketplace. “I still can’t get insurance in the Irish market,” he said. “I have to go elsewhere; otherwise I wouldn’t be insurable. Providers aren’t interested in operating in Ireland. They don’t perceive it as being a good business model.” RGDATA called for the introduction of “appropriate funding” for departments and agencies involved in the implementation of insurance reform, and the introduction of a levy on the profits of insurance “incumbents” who do not reduce their premia “by a reasonable percentage given the positive impact of insurance reforms”. Retailers are requesting an extension of the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality and newspaper and magazine sector, and additional funding for sustainability initiatives. CSNA, for example, believe “there should be new measures to incentivise private individuals and the private business sector to invest in green properties”. RGDATA requested that food retailers should be included in Green Transition grant schemes for SME’s and the Government’s energy grant scheme. They called for assurance that the new Deposit and Return Scheme will be “cost neutral” for nonproducer retailers, and wanted a review of the financial impact of the proposed ‘Latte Levy’ on community-based shops. In Budget 2022, the drinks industry had reason for optimism after the introduction

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|3

News

ahead of Budget 2023 of an excise relief programme of up to 50% for independent small producers of cider and other fermented beverages. But, like other retailers, off-licences are plagued by rising business costs. Evelyn Jones, Government Affairs Director, for NOffLA, called for a 7.5% reduction in alcohol excise duty in Budget 2023, in light of Minimum Unit Pricing, which she said “prohibits alcohol being sold at dangerously low prices. Therefore, we are challenging the rationale of Ireland’s punitively high excise rates – which remain among the highest in Europe – from the perspective of a public health policy.”

Tobacco retailers have no such optimism. Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS) are putting together a submission but “like every other year, it will more than likely fall on deaf ears,” Benny Gilsenan, RAS spokesperson, told Retail News: “Last year it went up 50c. It’s gone up 50c every year since 1999. You can almost predict what’s going to happen. There’s no politician that I’ve spoken to or met that indicated they will change the tactic.” Budget 2023 is expected to be published earlier this year, in late September, in order to help Irish households. Retailers want to ensure that Government won’t forget they

have been impacted by the energy crisis too. “They’ve done something for the general public, but very little for business on that front,” concluded Hanley. “They need to come up with a winter plan around this. Ultimately, if nothing is done, it’s going to lead to further inflation.”

William Hanley, store owner, SuperValu Rowlagh & Centra Bonnington.

Shoppers switching to own brand as inflation bites THE latest figures from Kantar show that take-home grocery sales for Ireland fell by 4.9% in the 12 weeks to June 12, 2022. While decline is softer than last month, grocery price inflation continues to climb and hit 6.5% this period, the highest level in Ireland since February 2013. “Food and drink prices are on a steady upwards trajectory and many people will be feeling understandably worried about the rising cost of living,” said Emer Healy, Senior Retail Analyst at Kantar. “Price increases are now set to add an additional €453 to our average annual grocery bill, which is over €100 higher than the figure we quoted back in early May. We’ve seen some of the sharpest increases in essentials like butter, eggs, bread, and flour, which are a non-negotiable feature on the shopping list for many of us.” Shoppers are taking additional steps to manage their spending at supermarket tills, and making three fewer trips to the store on average per month than they were this time last year. “Unsurprisingly, 53% of the consumers we spoke to said that they will be actively seeking out any deals and discounts in store because of inflation,” said Emer. “This is clear in the shifting balance between brands and private label, where 66% said that they would swap the branded product in their trolley if a private-label item was cheaper. We expect this trend to continue over the next 12 months, and those retailers offering good value, own-label products and promotions will be the most successful in attracting and retaining customers.” Dunnes and Tesco, the retailers with the strongest performance this period, have seen €8.2m more spent between them on their private label lines. Dunnes’

consistently strong performance has now pushed into the seventh consecutive period this year. The retailer is now tied for first place with Tesco – both holding a 22.1% share of the market. Despite rising prices, everyone was keen to make the most of the summer, as Emer explains: “Unlike the Covid-19 restrictions of last summer, we’re all busy preparing for our holidays abroad (or even being extra optimistic about the Irish sunshine) and sun cream sales have shot up by 36% compared with May as a result. The combination of a bank holiday weekend and the start of barbecue season meant shoppers spent an additional €575,000 more on burgers and grilling food this month than they did in May, and ice cream has also seen an extra €2.4m heading through the tills. Sales of savoury snacks and carbonated soft drinks, popular at any social occasion, are performing well with sales up by €1.2m

and €930,000 respectively compared to the same four week period in June 2021.” The online grocery market grew by 9.3% in June. “Online channels are continuing to grow even over two years on from the first lockdown, which points to its staying power as we adjust to new routines and lifestyle changes,” Emer noted. “A lot of this growth is coming from families with younger children who are getting organised as the school summer holidays fast approach. They’ve spent an additional €2.3m on online grocery shopping over June, perhaps hoping to save on extra trips out in the car and avoid the petrol pumps.” Tesco’s share grew 0.6 percentage points this period. The retailer’s strong performance was helped by a 10% boost in online sales during the month of June, with shoppers spending an additional €2.9m. SuperValu now holds 21.7% of the market. Lidl and Aldi follow behind, each accounting for 13.2% and 12.3%.

4|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

News

Spar reveal latest retailing solutions SPAR Ireland recently hosted a Spar Innovation Event, when hundreds of retailers from across Ireland gathered at the business forum, showcasing the latest thinking in retailing trends, along with revealing a number of technologies and other solutions to support retailers’ businesses due to roll-out over the next 12 months. Among the new solutions showcased on the day was BWG Foods’ new predictive AI stock management system, ShopLink Pro, which leverages hundreds of complex data points to predict consumer demand for in-store products, allowing for smarter forecasting of stock requirements, while also considering business promotions and category management to deliver 21day, 14-day and seven-day sales forecasts. The BWG team also revealed an innovative new HR Support service to support retailers with managing this very important part of their business. Spar also showcased a number of their latest food and beverage concepts, including Háo Chi Bar, The Local Tea Company, Popsicle, Pazza @ Home and I-Scream, the exclusive ice cream offering. Discussions on the day included presentations from Spar and BWG Foods management focused on the continued development and expansion of the Spar retail network across Ireland, and plans in

place to launch new offerings, including an expanded Spar Own Brand Range. “Our network of Spar retailers is very much a tightknit community of likeminded businesspeople, so it was fantastic to gather socially and to share conversations regarding the future of our business, our offerings and our iconic brand,” noted Colin Donnelly, Spar Sales Director. “SPAR have always been at the very forefront of retail innovation in Ireland and across the world, Colin Donnelly, Spar Sales Director. and this meeting was Olympic Gold Medallist and Spar Brand the perfect platform Ambassador, Kellie Harrington, TV and to share ideas and to present our exciting Radio’s Baz Ashmawy, Social Media plans.” strategist Greg Fry and Managing Director The event, which took place at the of the Meagher’s Pharmacy group, Oonagh Mount Wolseley Hotel in Carlow and O’Hagan. included guest contributions from

Government fuel policy is hitting those with the least ability to pay INCREASES in fuel prices are having a limited impact on consumer behaviour, while disproportionately hitting rural dwellers and those on low incomes, according to a new study by Grant Thornton. Significant increases in fuel excise and carbon taxes in recent years have led to a situation where taxes and subsidies now account for around 62% of petrol prices and 58% of diesel prices, according to the report. Even after the recent temporary reduction in excise duty, sharp global increases in fuel prices have seen Government tax revenue soar. “This study Kevin McPartlan, Chief confirms what Executive of Fuels for many of us Ireland. have suspected

in showing that consumers generally remain ‘inelastic’ to fuel price rises,” said Kevin McPartlan, Chief Executive of Fuels for Ireland, the industry body which commissioned the report. “Given that the vast majority of vehicles use liquid fuel, and because of the disproportionately rural nature of Ireland and the lack of alternative transport options, this policy of continuously increasing taxes does not actually reduce fuel consumption. What it does do is inflict real hardship on people, and Grant Thornton’s review clearly showed that rural dwellers on lower incomes are the most inelastic to fuel price hikes. Hitting people with the least ability to pay, and no alternatives available, is completely contrary to the principles of a just transition.” The Grant Thornton analysis showed that Ireland has one of the highest levels of taxes and duties on diesel, with France, Belgium and Italy being the only EU countries where diesel was taxed more heavily. “Whether through reduction in VAT or excise duty, or adopting a dynamic approach

to carbon tax rates, the Government must act urgently to reduce the burden on Irish motorists,” McPartlan argued. In the longer-term, however, he said that there needs to be a more far-reaching reappraisal of the State’s energy and climate policies, one which was focused on reducing pressure on hard-pressed consumers while accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality. “Private road transport is going to continue to be essential for many years to come, and it is time for the Government to consider the full range of options which exist for decarbonising transport - including biofuels, hydrogen and other low-carbon alternatives - and how to incentivise their uptake,” McPartlan said. “An energy transition is vital, but it needs to be a just transition. Let’s promote a move to fuels which greatly reduce our emissions and let’s give people the tools they need to decarbonise. As a first step, the Government should abandon the erroneous notion that taxing people reduces their consumption of fuels, when the evidence clearly shows it does not.”

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|5

News

Bord Bia launch retail partnership to organic growth

THIS summer, Bord Bia are collaborating with major Irish retailers to raise awareness of the range and availability of organic produce from Ireland among consumers. Bord Bia have developed digital and in-store promotional materials for the Organics from Ireland campaign, which can be used by retailers to highlight their organic Irish beef, lamb, dairy, seafood,

eggs, fresh produce, and prepared consumer foods. The campaign will appear in-store across Tesco, SuperValu and on Aldi and Lidl social media channels from July to September. “We have some wonderful organic producers in Ireland and we’re pleased to be able to support their growth through this retail partnership,” said Fiona Twomey, Bord Bia Retail Specialist. “Organically

produced food is highly trusted by Irish consumers. However, Bord Bia research conducted last year found that when faced with a choice between organic and local, over 66% of Irish shoppers have a preference for local. Based upon this insight, Bord Bia initiated this pilot project to raise awareness among consumers of the availability of organic food from Ireland so that they can choose both organic and local.” Ireland’s organically farmed area is currently 1.6% of our total agricultural area. Under the government’s Food Vision 2030 strategy, the aim is to increase this area to 7.5% by 2030. Research commissioned by Bord Bia in 2021 found that the greatest opportunity for growth in the organic market is through the retail channel, where sales of organic produce have grown 19% since 2019. This growth is expected to continue over the next five years. According to Kantar, retail sales of organic food products were valued at €221m over a 52week period, ending October 2021, up 2.7% from 2020.

Ireland surpasses all EU recycling and recovery targets in 2021 DESPITE continued challenging conditions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Repak surpassed all EU recycling and recovery targets in 2021 and successfully progressed the implementation of key legislative requirements across the Circular Economy Package, Single Use Plastics Directives, and the Programme for Government. The news that Repak have surpassed all EU recycling and recovery targets for the 24th consecutive year was revealed in their annual report, ‘Environmental Responsibility in a Circular Economy’. The report confirmed Repak delivered on all key compliance, waste management, educational and financial objectives. In 2021, Repak achieved an overall recycling rate of 66% and recovery rate of 96%, surpassing EU targets set at 65% for recycling and 75% for recovery. In 2021, Repak funded the recycling and recovery of 1,020,580 tonnes of packaging material, surpassing the one million mark for the third time. Overall, recycling rates increased by 15,639 tonnes (2.2%) to 718,683 tonnes. The increased rate of recycling was primarily driven by households (4% increase). Repak funded the recovery of 302,000 tonnes of packaging, a decrease of 33,000 tonnes (10%) on 2020, which was due to the diverting of more material to recycling.

Plastic recycled and funded by Repak amounted to 96,412 tonnes, an 8% increase on 2020. The overall plastic recycling rate in the year increased from 29% to 31%. In 2021, Repak funded an additional €3.8m funding for the certified recycling of plastic packaging. This was targeted funding – applicable only to tonnes recycled above 2020 activity levels. The industry responded very positively to this support, recycling an additional 7,291 tonnes of plastic packaging in 2021. All key materials surpassed current EU recycling targets: Glass 86% (EU target 60%), Metal 71% (EU target 50%), Paper 84% (EU target 60%), Plastic 31% (EU target: 22.5%), Wood 69% (EU target 15%). Paper was also up on 2020, with an additional 5,757 tonnes being recycled in 2021. Glass (6,361 tonnes) and steel (1,827 tonnes) showed a small drop-off on 2020, with prolonged closures caused by Covid-19 for businesses during the year being the main reason and in line with expectations due to the pandemic. “2021 was another year of major challenges for our members, recovery operators and the staff of Repak in managing the pandemic,” noted Séamus Clancy, Repak CEO. “However, once again I am pleased to announce that despite the continuation of difficult operational conditions, the Waste Packaging Recycling

Sector operated efficiently and in unison to ensure continuity of service, resulting in positive results across key materials in 2021.” Ireland has been a leading nation in waste management for the last 23 years, surpassing all targets to date, according to Clancy, who warned that we are now reaching a critical juncture: “Policy created to achieve future recycling targets is now being implemented Séamus Clancy, CEO, Repak. and this demands an evolution of how we manage our packaging waste. To date, excellent progress has been made in implementing key legislative requirements and this is with thanks to the significant work done by Repak to progress policy in a financially prudent and innovative manner.” To read Repak’s annual report in full, visit www.repak.ie.

6|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

News New Co-Chair of ECR Ireland ECR Ireland have announced that Helen Kenny, Commercial Director, Green Isle Foods, has been appointed as their new supplier Co-Chair. Joining John Brennan, Fresh Food Category Director, Tesco Ireland, as Co-Chair, Helen assumes the role following Anne Scullion, Diageo. “On behalf of the team at Green Isle Foods, I am delighted to have this opportunity of working with ECR Ireland, in an industry leadership role to advance how we can work better together,” Helen noted. “Encouraging better collaboration between trading partners is at the core of ECR and this is especially relevant right now as there are so many ways we can deal with the effects of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and inflation by collectively working better as an industry.” Declan Carolan, General Manager, ECR Ireland and Co-Chair, ECR Community, said: “I am delighted that Helen and Green Isle Foods will play a leading role in ECR Ireland for the next three years. Green Isle Foods have been a pivotal member of ECR Ireland for many years and are an Irish Frozen Food Company with wellloved Irish brands, Donegal Catch and Green Isle Foods. They are passionate about inspiring healthy, convenient meals solution for families that can also reduce food waste and save consumers money. “I wish to offer thanks to Anne Scullion for her dynamic role in ECR Ireland as CoChair during 2021 and in particular the launch of ECR Heroes during her tenure.” For more Pictured are ECR Ireland Co-Chairs, John information, visit Brennan, Tesco Ireland, and Helen Kenny, www.ecrireland.ie. Green Isle Foods, with Declan Carolan, General Manager, ECR Ireland.

Lidl launch Prevented Ocean Plastic packaging LIDL have become the first retailer in Ireland to announce the launch of Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) fresh food packaging using “ocean bound plastic”, plastic that would have otherwise ended up Pictured at the launch of Lidl’s new in the ocean and that prevented ocean plastic packaging is now recycled and collaboration with Keohane Seafoods reintroduced into our are: Cáit Lynch, Responsible Sourcing packaging. Working Manager, Lidl Ireland; Colman Keohane, in collaboration with MD, Keohane Seafoods; and Anna their Irish supplier, Ferguson, Senior Buyer, Lidl Ireland. Keohane Seafoods, Lidl have moved five fresh fish products into this innovative new packaging, with products including: Salmon Darnes (twopack and four-pack), Skinless Salmon Darnes, King Prawns and Cod Fillets. This innovative packaging initiative forms part of Lidl’s overall commitment to ensure 50% of packaging is made from recycled materials by 2025. “As a responsible retailer, we want to assure our customers that by shopping with us they are selecting responsibly sourced products, while also helping to protect our oceans,” noted Cáit Lynch, Responsible Sourcing Manager, Lidl Ireland. “From removing plastic pollution to protecting fish stocks, we’re committed to making a difference. We’re proud to be the first retailer in Ireland to introduce ocean bound plastic into the retail market, taking the lead in offering consumers more sustainable choices and helping to tackle the problem directly as part of our commitment to ensure 50% of packaging is made from recycled materials by 2025.”

Musgrave MarketPlace launch recruitment drive for suppliers to join online platform MUSGRAVE MarketPlace have announced a recruitment campaign which provides Irish suppliers with a unique opportunity to sell their products to a sizeable B2B audience. With over 50,000 B2B customers, Musgrave MarketPlace launched a new e-commerce platform earlier in the year, and are now launching their Extended Range, supported by leading enterprise SaaS platform, Mirakl. Alongside a core range of over 14,000 products, Extended Range is a specially curated range of products which trusted suppliers can sell on the Musgrave MarketPlace e-commerce platform –

everything from artisan Irish food and beverage products to restaurant furniture, packaging and equipment. With an ambition to have over 12,000 Extended Range products by 2024 alongside the core range, Musgrave MarketPlace customers will be able to get everything they need to run their business in one place, a true one-stopbusiness-shop. As the proposition develops, Extended Range will allow Musgrave MarketPlace to offer tens of thousands of products to their customers, and support small Irish producers to market, as well as providing innovative new food and non-food products, without having to add to their physical footprint. Customers can order Extended Range via their Musgrave MarketPlace account and products will be delivered on behalf of Musgrave MarketPlace directly from the supplier. “As part of our digital transformation, we wanted to offer our customers everything

they could possibly need for their business through one website, bringing our range from 14,000 core products to over 26,000 core & Extended Range products in under two years,” noted Michael McCormack, Managing Director, Musgrave MarketPlace. “Through our Extended Range platform, powered by Mirakl’s industry-leading technology, we plan to become a true one-stop-shop and are proud to be the first company in Ireland to create this type of platform for B2B customers.” The MD explained that Extended Range will provide a route to market for local suppliers, and he encourage those interested to sign up and take advantage of the opportunity to become an Extended Range trusted supplier. Suppliers interested in selling via Musgrave MarketPlace Extended Range can e-mail extendedrange@musgrave.ie or visit www.musgravemarketplace.ie/page/ extendedrange.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|7

News Bord Bia announces Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme

Pictured are (l-r): Bord Bia Chairman Dan MacSweeney; Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Deirdre Ryan, Director of Sustainability and Quality Assurance, Bord Bia; and Michael Murphy, Interim CEO, Bord Bia.

BORD Bia have launched a new Executive Programme in partnership with Smurfit Business School, UCD, to accelerate sustainability capability at Board and C-Suite level in Irish food, drink and horticulture businesses. The Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme was unveiled at an event marking 10 years of progress under Origin Green.

Designed and delivered in partnership with the UCD Michael Smurfit Business School, the new programme will focus on senior members of organisations’ leadership teams and will develop skills at board level and amongst senior management to build capability around sustainability and climate literacy, while also helping them to establish sustainability as a key value proposition driver for their business. “Ireland has long been a leader in sustainable food production, from our dedicated farmers and producers to our innovative manufacturers, our €15.5 billion total food and drink export industry has forged a hard earned, global reputation as a leading producer of high-quality sustainable food, drink and horticulture,” said Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. “As the world’s only national food and drink sustainability programme, Origin Green has been instrumental in monitoring and driving improvements in sustainability and demonstrating this to trade customers and consumers. I am delighted that this

Diageo to build €200m Kildare brewery DIAGEO have announced plans to invest €200m in Ireland’s first purpose-built carbon neutral brewery on a greenfield site in Littleconnell, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Pictured in the barley field of local The new facility will brew supplier Henry Yates are (l-r): Colin lagers and ales, including O’Brien, Category Head – Global Rockshore, Harp, Hop House Beer Supply, Diageo; Mark Christal, 13, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny Divisional Manager, Food and and Carlsberg. When fully Sustainability, Enterprise Ireland; operational with a capacity Henry Yates, barley grower; Aidan of 2m hectolitres, it will be Crowe, Beer Operations Director, the second largest brewing Diageo; Ellen McGrane, Brewing and operation in Ireland after St Fermentation Day Manager, Diageo; James’ Gate and support Sonya Kavanagh, Kildare County the future growth of Diageo Council. Ireland’s beer brands. The state-of-the-art brewery will be powered with 100% renewable energy and will harness the latest process technology to minimise overall energy and water consumption. This will enable the brewery to avoid up to 15,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. “This €200m investment by Diageo is really great news for the future development of Ireland’s thriving food and drink industry, and also for the wider national economy,” said Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar TD. “We must leave the planet in a better way than we found it. Industry has a role to play and I’m really pleased to see Diageo taking the lead and investing in this carbon neutral brewery, which I’m sure will be a leading example for others.”

new Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme will support companies to accelerate their progress in fostering a thriving agri-food sector that is responsive to the future needs of people and our planet.” Michael Murphy, Interim CEO, Bord Bia, said: “The Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme in partnership with UCD is an important next step in the evolution of Origin Green, as Bord Bia advance and embed the sustainability agenda across businesses by developing expertise and growing skills at Board and C-Suite level. Sustainability has become a key issue for our client companies’ entire executive teams and their Boards.” At the event, Deirdre Ryan, Director of Sustainability and Quality Assurance, Bord Bia, also unveiled Origin Green’s new threeyear strategy, Powered By Partnership, which is a commitment to strengthen and empower the Origin Green programme over the period 2022-2025 by developing and building on new and existing relationships with other State Agencies, leading academic institutions, and international stakeholders, platforms and customers.

Drinks Ireland partner with Teagasc Signpost programme THE Teagasc Signpost programme has announced a partnership with Drinks Ireland, to further reduce the environmental footprint of grain production, which is key to underpinning the future sustainability needs of Ireland’s drinks industry. Working with Drinks Ireland and four of its leading member companies (Diageo, Heineken Ireland, Irish Distillers and William Grant & Sons), the partnership will lead and support the transition towards climate smart cropping systems that advance reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, while maximising carbon sequestration. Speaking on behalf of Drinks Ireland, William Lavelle, stated: “Drinks Ireland, along with four of our leading members, have decided to partner with Teagasc on this new Signpost Farm programme as a sign of our strong support for Ireland’s tillage farmers as Pictured are (l-r): Stan Lawlor, Director of they strive to Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc; William Lavelle, reduce carbon Director of the Irish Whiskey Association; Claire emissions, MacCarrick, Corporate Communications and while ensuring Public Affairs Manager at Irish Distillers; Martin a sustainable Heydon TD, Minister of State at the Department future supply of Agriculture; Shane Kelly, Corporate Relation of Irish grain Director, Diageo Ireland; Avril Collins, Director for Ireland’s of Corporate Affairs, Heineken Ireland; Tom iconic drinks Tierney, tillage farmer; and Tom O’Dywer, Head industry.” of Signpost Programme, Teagasc.

8|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Ishka race ahead with marathon partnership COUNTY Limerick-based bottled water company Ishka Irish Spring Water have been named the official hydration partner to the Irish Life Dublin Marathon and Race Series. This will ensure that over 50,000 runners in the marathon on Sunday, October 30, and race series events across Dublin throughout the summer, will be hydrated and refreshed by Ishka Irish Spring Water. Ishka claims to be Ireland’s freshest spring water, bottled straight from five certified wells, untouched by human contact and not stored before bottling. Ishka was also the official hydration partner to the Dublin Marathon for its last preCovid run in 2019. Mike and Denis Sutton (pictured), Directors of Ishka, Irish Spring Water, are delighted that the brand has again been named the official hydration partner to the Irish Life Dublin City Marathon and Race Series.

Around Noon to supply sandwiches to M&S AROUND Noon, the award-winning food-to-go manufacturer, have secured a new contract to supply sandwiches from their Twelve Handmade in County Down range to Marks & Spencer stores across the island of Ireland. This represents an agreement worth around €4m in retail sales. “We are extremely impressed by the quality and provenance of the ingredients that Around Noon source and by the quality of service they provide. Working with Around Noon is helping us strengthen our supply chain and provide really highquality products for our customers across the island,” noted Eddie Murphy, Trading Director, Marks & Spencer, Island of Ireland (right), pictured with Philip Morgan, Sales Director, Around Noon, and Archie Norman, Chairman of Marks & Spencer.

Castletroy SuperValu sells €1m Lotto Plus 1 ticket

LGBT Ireland announces SSE Airtricity as new helpline partner THE national LGBT+ Helpline will remain free to call as LGBT Ireland have announced a new funding partnership with SSE Airtricity. SSE Airtricity’s Sponsorship of the National LGBT+ Helpline is the first time this vital community support has been fully funded and will enable LGBT Ireland to keep the Helpline free of charge for those who need support or to speak in confidence and without judgement. “SSE values inclusion and diversity and understands the importance of people being their true, whole self and we hope our new partnership with LGBT Ireland will help people to achieve this through availing of supports from this wonderful volunteer organisation,” noted Mia Fahey McCarthy, Head of Sustainability, SSE Ireland, pictured with Paula Fagan, CEO of LGBT Ireland.

A BUSY Limerick City supermarket has been revealed as the selling location of the winning Lotto Plus 1 ticket for June 18, worth a lifechanging €1m. The SuperValu in the Castletroy Shopping Centre in Limerick City sold the winning Quick Pick ticket on the day of the draw. “This is the biggest prize that we have ever sold so there is certain to be great excitement around as soon as the news gets out,” revealed thrilled Store Manager Chris O’Driscoll. Chris is pictured (second from left) with Jim O’Connor from the National Lottery (fourth from left), and SuperValu store members Courtney Shinnors, Anthony O’Donovan, Jamie Collins, Rebecca Molone, Michelle Collins, and Gemma Murphy.

Aldi reopen Clonmel store after €3.8m revamp ALDI have unveiled their newly revamped and extended Clonmel store, following a €3.8m overhaul. The store has been redesigned to be as environmentally friendly as possible and is powered by 100% green electricity. Over the past two months, the store has undergone a complete refurbishment, including the building of a new extension, increasing the shop floor space by 25%. Featuring Aldi’s exciting award-winning Project Fresh layout and design, the floor size has been extended from 1,119 to 1,405 square metres, and features wide aisles and hi-spec fixtures and fittings. Store manager Richard Blake is pictured with store staff at the official reopening.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|9

Industry News Huge media campaign behind Coke Studio MEDIACOM Ireland, the leading media planning and buying agency, have partnered with Coca-Cola and Talon Ireland to launch a high impact media campaign to promote Coca-Cola’s Coke Studio music platform and summer promotion. The summer of 2022 will be one of Coca-Cola’s biggest, with an all-encompassing media plan running from June 1 to August 28, including AV and OOH advertising platforms, amplified through ticket giveaways on Media Central’s Youth Network. The campaign centres around Coca-Cola’s Coke Studio platform, which connects emerging musical talent with audiences around the world and an on-pack prize promotion offering consumers the chance to win once-in-a-lifetime music experiences. “Coke Studio is a direct extension of CocaCola’s Real Magic philosophy,” noted Gavin Gillespie, Brand Manager at Coca-Cola. “It celebrates the unique ability of music to unite and uplift and provides a connection point for fans in Ireland and around the world to come together and enjoy a new experience.”

New Gala opens in Killenard

A NEW Gala store has opened in Killenard, Co. Laois. Colm and Lynda Dowling’s 1,800 square feet store provides an extensive grocery and confectionery section, with fresh fruit and vegetables. In addition, the new store will sell a wide range of newspapers and magazines, health & beauty, household and petcare products, while it also includes New Street Deli, Bakers Corner and Distil Off Licence from Gala Retail Services, as well as National Lottery and an ATM on-site. The store opening has created three full-time and 10 part-time jobs for the local community. Colm and Lynda both come from an FMCG background and the couple and their four daughters were thrilled with the reception the store and coffee shop, Coffee N’Cake, received since their official opening on July 1 (pictured), with a full weekend of celebrations and give-aways. Colm and Lynda want to personally thank both Gala Retail and Tuffys Wholesale team of business advisors and senior management for all their advice and fantastic support since opening. The Dowling family: Colm and Lynda with their children, Faye, Lily, Olivia, and Grace.

Lidl Ireland launch new EV and HVO vehicles LIDL Ireland have announced the rollout of the first Electrical truck and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) into the retailer’s logistics fleet. The pilot scheme will see the sustainably powered vehicles join Lidl’s logistic fleet at the retailer’s Newbridge Regional Distribution Centre (RDC), commencing the retailer’s transition from fossil fuel commercial vehicles to more environmentally friendly vehicles. This move is a first in the Irish food retail industry in conjunction with refrigerated delivery suppliers, Zellwood Ltd. “We are delighted to be the first retailer in Ireland to incorporate positive change by use of these environmentally friendly haulage trucks into our logistics fleet. Not only does it accelerate our journey to cleaner roads, but in turn with the soaring cost of fossil fuels like diesel, it will keep prices down for our customers,” noted Robert Ryan, Chief Operating Officer, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland (pictured).

Donal Skehan challenges ‘most imaginative’ meal-makers CELEBRITY cook and television presenter, Donal Skehan has once again joined with banana importers Fyffes, this time in search of Ireland’s most imaginative meal-makers, their quest being to find the most delicious dish, savoury or sweet, in which a banana is the key ingredient. Having discovered the talents of Cobh native Gillian Carney (best banana bread baker 2020) and Drumcondra student Roisin Gallagher (best banana dessert maker 2021), Skehan has broadened his search to include any dish on the menu from first to final course. “With a host of new categories added this year, we’re really looking forward to receiving some exceptional and original entries,” noted Fyffes Head of Marketing Emma Hunt-Duffy (left), pictured with budding young cooks Lucy (8) and Kate (7) Carroll, Donal and Áine McElroy, Fyffes Marketing Executive.

Enniscorthy store sells winning €5.6m Lotto ticket STORE owners Frank Jordan and Kieran Walsh were pictured celebrating with staff members Paige Dunbar, Tricia Carberry, John Morrissey and Cora Redmond after it was revealed that their Day Today store in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, sold the winning Lotto jackpot ticket worth over €5.6m for the Lotto draw on June 29. “One of our customers has had a truly life-changing win and honestly, we couldn’t be any more thrilled for them,” said Frank Jordan.

10|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Tour de Mace to raise €100k for Down Syndrome Ireland MACE retailers across Ireland are inviting customers and staff to donate between 15 minutes and one hour of their time to cycle on static bikes and raise much needed funds for Down Syndrome Ireland, Mace’s official charity partner. Together, Mace and Down Syndrome Ireland have a fundraising target of €100,000 for the summer period and will be hosting a number of Tour de Mace static cycling events across the country to support the fundraising drive. “The Tour de Mace events are great for the charity, the store and the local communities they serve. These events are a fabulous initiative and a fun and healthy way to raise funds for a very worthy cause,” said Mace Sales Director Peter Dwan, pictured with Down Syndrome Ireland CEO, Barry Sheridan, at Mace Ballinalack, Co. Westmeath, where they took part in the store’s Tour de Mace static cycling event.

Aldi plants almost 82,000 trees in Cork to mark Clonakilty store TO celebrate the upcoming opening of the new Aldi Clonakilty store, the Aldi Cork store staff teamed up with Green Belt and local landowners Stephen Kiely and Colleen Moore to plant almost 82,000 trees across Dromnagopple, Coolroe East and Gubeen, Co. Cork. Aldi are the first retailer in Ireland to commit to planting 1m native Irish woodland trees by 2025 in partnership with Green Belt. The native trees will create a wildlife corridor for native species and enhance biodiversity, while also removing more than 160,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over their 100-year life span. Pictured at the site of the tree planting in Dromnagopple are: Peter Mullins, Aldi Clonakilty Store Manager; Alan Farrelly, Green Belt Forester; and local landowner Stephen Kiely, alongside his dog Scout.

Tesco Portlaoise sells €1m Daily Million ticket STAFF at Tesco Portlaoise in Co. Laois were overjoyed to hear that their shop sold the top prize €1m winning ticket for the 2pm Daily Million draw on July 10: Maggie Fogarty, Thomas McRedmond, Graham Doyle, and Rachael Dollard celebrate with John Williams (second from right) from the National Lottery. James Scully, Store Manager of Tesco Portlaoise, was thrilled to hear the news: “Everybody in the store here in Portlaoise is delighted to have sold the winning ticket, knowing that it could be one of our loyal customers.”

Kerrygold sponsor Paul Flynn’s Food Truck Favourites on RTE KERRYGOLD are proudly sponsoring the brand new six-part RTÉ TV series, Paul Flynn’s Food Truck Favourites. The series sees renowned chef Paul Flynn exploring Ireland’s thriving street food scene, which has enjoyed a boom over the past two years as the nation embraced outdoor dining amid pandemic lockdowns. In the spirit of the series, Kerrygold have also embarked on their own food-truck tour, taking the newly-launched Kerrygold Spreadable on the road to foodlovers nationwide this summer. Pictured are Kate Saul, Vice President of Marketing, Ornua, and chef Paul Flynn.

New Ribena campaign launches RIBENA are set to make a splash this summer by launching a new brand positioning - introducing the tagline ‘Chin Up’ with two entertaining films and OOH that will be highly relatable for anyone who’s struggled to parallel park a car, had an awkward handshake moment, or been harshly judged by a cat. Representing a major shift in direction for Ribena, ‘Chin Up’ is rooted in those awkward, banana skin moments (like calling your boss ‘mum’), which might make you cringe in the moment, but once shared with friends, gives everyone a good laugh. The ‘Chin Up’ campaign is devised by the brand’s newly appointed agency BBH to be a long-term brand platform that can be activated day-to-day in entertaining ways and aims to help people laugh through life’s little stumbles.

WITH

A LC O

Excellent Taste

pure freshness, zero worries!

WWW.120SANTARITA.COM

120SANTARITACL

12|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Sustainable Irish Retail Action

Retailers take action on sustainability Sustainable Irish Retail Action is a new initiative launched to support Irish retailers in taking practical steps to become more sustainable. IRISH retailers have launched a new sustainability initiative, Sustainable Irish Retail Action (SIRA) to support Irish retail businesses to take practical steps in becoming more sustainable. SIRA, launched in conjunction with Retail Excellence and Champion Green, is sponsored by AIB, SuperValu, Vodafone and Tap Creative. An accompanying survey conducted by SIRA between February 11 and March 3, 2022, among 232 retailers around Ireland has suggested that:

• • • • Sharon Yourell Lawlor, Managing Director of Think Plan Do Consulting and co-author of the SIRA guide, speaking at the SIRA launch.

•

Three-quarters (74%) of retailers are concerned about the effects of climate change on their business; 80% believe it’s important for their business to be seen as sustainable; 77% believe they will need to offer more sustainable products and services in the future; Six out of 10 (59%) believe that trying to be as sustainable as possible will cost their business money; Over half (57%) believe it’s primarily the Government’s responsibility to tackle climate change and promote sustainability.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|13

Sustainable Irish Retail Action

The panel of speakers at the SIRA launch event, with Duncan Graham, Managing Director of Retail Excellence.

Climate change a “giant risk” At the launch, Retail Excellence warned that the worsening effects of climate change pose a “giant risk” to businesses. Duncan Graham, Managing Director of Retail Excellence, said that the findings of the survey reflected the views of Retail Excellence members across Ireland: “Climate change is no longer a passing concern – it is a clear and present danger for every single person on the planet. Retailers in Ireland are understandably concerned about worsening climate change and the giant risk it poses to their business.” Having come through the Covid-19 pandemic, Ireland’s business owners, and SME’s in particular, now “have to

Claire Cogan, Founder of BehaviourWise and co-author of the SIRA guide.

contend with rapidly rising inflation, supply chain problems and a nationwide staffing crisis. On top of all that, consumers are increasingly demanding the sustainable option, but that costs money, which retailers simply cannot afford.” Duncan argued that investing in sustainability initiatives was an “easy win” for the Government, which could rely on the retail industry to uphold the highest

standards. “It goes without saying that climate change is a huge risk, but retailers, suppliers and consumers alike want to do something meaningful about it,” he stressed. “The Government is making strides on sustainability, but we need to see targeted sectoral support if we are to have the kind of impact that is badly needed.” Commitment to sustainability Sharon Yourell Lawlor, Managing Director of Think Plan Do Consulting and co-author of the SIRA guide, said: “It is clear from our research that business owners understand how critically important it is for them to operate in a sustainable fashion. The launch of SIRA shows just how committed the industry is to sustainability, and we are looking forward to building on this strong start with meaningful action.” Claire Cogan, Founder of BehaviourWise and co-author of the SIRA guide, explained that the SIRA guide contains a number of handy tips for SME owners looking to make a difference. These include: - Source locally wherever possible. This automatically reduces your carbon footprint, and supports the local economy; - Upgrade to more energy efficient equipment and be sure to ask your equipment suppliers to provide tips around ongoing energy efficiency practices; - Integrate energy efficient technologies such as QR codes into your communication touchpoints and switch out of paper as much as possible; - Follow the ‘3 R’ Rule to minimise waste: reduce, reuse, recycle. Pillars of retail sustainability To help retailers take practical steps on their sustainability journey, the SIRA guide has identified 10 key pillars of retail sustainability. Each pillar represents an important aspect of sustainability for a retail business, and the guide presents a wealth of facts, case studies and practical tips on how to make these aspects of your business more sustainable. 1. Design, Build & Retrofit • Implement energy management within your business. Review, identify and understand how energy is currently

•

being consumed within your business, to establish a baseline. Set and track management targets and when ready, invest in energy efficient upgrades and switch to a renewable energy provider. Whether embarking on a new build for your store or planning renovations and retrofits for an existing retail building, plan for the long term, to avoid rebuilds and the risk of materials becoming obsolete in the future.

2. Heating & Cooling • Evaluate your heating and cooling systems and look for ways to make them more energy efficient, regularly monitoring your efforts. • If required, look at upgrading your heating and controls. Consider installing time, temperature, boiler and zonal controls, to reduce your heating costs. • Assign responsibility for the HVAC system controls within your store to a key person and ensure they understand how to use the systems and schedule in checks and repairs regularly. 3. Lighting • Carry out a lighting audit within your store and, where possible, switch to more energy efficient LED lighting and look at installing smart lighting systems and controls. • Ensure that staff are trained and equipped to use your lighting system and ensure simple practices such as turning off lights are adhered to. • Set targets for lighting efficiency and regularly measure and verify performance, to ensure you are getting the anticipated energy savings. 4. Appliances & Systems • Make a list of appliances and systems within your retail store and create a checklist of their usage/cleaning/ maintenance requirements. • Look to upgrade to more energy efficient equipment and be sure to ask your equipment suppliers to provide tips around ongoing energy efficiency practices. • Train staff to turn off equipment when not in use/required and to use optimum temperature settings for appliances. 5. Products & Services • Review your range of products/services through a sustainability lens and work with suppliers that can help you provide sustainable options for your customers. • Source from local suppliers, wherever possible. Not only does this reduce

14|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Sustainable Irish Retail Action

•

carbon footprint, but it also saves on transport costs, mitigates reliance on international supply chains, and benefits the local economy. Make the sustainable choice the easy one for your customers. If you’re displaying sustainable options as part of a range, either physically or online, highlight them so they are visible and stand out from less sustainable options.

6. Signage & Comms • Map out ways to communicate your sustainable products/services to customers, e.g. highlighting when products are sourced from local suppliers, displaying relevant certification, and assisting shoppers with tips around how to use ‘sustainable’ options, such as refills. • Look for ways to make the communication assets themselves more sustainable by considering your material choice and using more environmentally friendly modular, reusable and flexible materials/assets. • Integrate energy efficient technologies into your communication touchpoints and switch out for paperless communications, where possible e.g. QR Codes.

The launch of the SIRA guide attracted an interested audience from the FMCG industry.

7. Supply Chain • Work with credible suppliers and partners that will support you to make your retail offering more sustainable and ask probing questions of suppliers, to help guide you in listing and ranging decisions. • Look for ways to reduce/offset your carbon footprint along your supply chain.

•

Set targets for your business, be accountable for them, and communicate progress both internally and externally, as appropriate.

8. Waste & Recycling • Understand better how to manage your business waste. Start by visiting www.mywaste.ie for tips on how to reduce waste and dispose of different categories of waste properly and familiarise yourself with other supports available. • Make a list of ways to reduce and reuse waste within your store. Target yourself to use less packaging in your business and encourage suppliers to do likewise. Wherever possible, use reusable or returnable packaging and try to avoid single-use containers, particularly plastics. • Drive good waste and recycling practices within your store, encouraging staff to come up with ideas for reusing and repurposing used products, and making sure that they know how to recycle and dispose of waste correctly. 9. Supporting Irish, Local & Community • Set a target to increase the number of local producers and suppliers you work with and showcase these producers and suppliers to customers. Invite local suppliers to support your ‘retail experience’, adding value for your customers through demonstrations/ tastings, pop-ups and information sessions, which can be held within your store or online through ‘Instagram Live’ sessions. • Communicate initiatives to your customers at key touch points, such as doorway entry, a community board, your website and social media platforms. • Join with other retailers to amplify initiatives through a community based approach and ensure your ‘approach to supporting community’ is a diverse and inclusive one.

10. Staff & Practices Mobilise your business by setting up a ‘team of sustainability champions’, appropriate to the size of your business. If large, ensure there is representation from different functions or divisions. Encourage team members to share ideas about how to make the business more sustainable. • Create a plan by reviewing your current business operation, deciding on key focus areas, setting clear goals and timeframes for each focus area, and deciding how progress will be measured.

•

The SIRA guide is available free of charge from retailexcellence.ie.

•

Review progress on a regular basis and communicate it internally and externally, as appropriate. Involve your community and let people know about how your initiatives will benefit the wider community. Celebrate achievements to keep your team motivated. The SIRA guide, in conjunction with Retail Excellence, is freely available on retailexcellence.ie.

o ;uml;m| o= u;Ѵ-m7 bmbঞ -ঞ ; 0uo ]_| |o o 0 |_; ;r-u|l;m| o= ]ub1 Ѵ| u;ķ oo7 -m7 |_; -ubm;

ou lou; bm=oul-ঞ omķ bm1Ѵ 7bm] ] b7-m1; om |_; v|;rv to take to ensure compliance, visit www.utp.gov.ie $_; &m=-bu $u-7bm] u-1ঞ 1;v m=ou1;l;m| |_oub|

16|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022 IN March, the Government set out new legislation to set up a new Office for Fairness and Transparency in the Agri-Food Supply Chain. The Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022, which is due to be formally adopted later in the year, will have significant implications for how the relationship between primary producers, processors, suppliers and retailers is governed. In recent years, grocery retailers have been subject to new EU-wide rules around Unfair Trading Practices. These rules outlaw a range of 16 trading practices and put in place an enforcement process to ensure compliance. The outlawed practices include, for example, payment later than 30 days for perishable agricultural and food products, payment later than 60 days for other agri-food products and unilateral contract changes by the buyer. The new Bill will establish a new ‘Office for Fairness and Transparency in the Agri Food Supply chain’, which will act as the UTP enforcement agency, with powers to penalise those found in breach of UTP rules. It will also have a range of other powers and roles.

The new Office will have responsibility for gathering, analysing, and reporting price and market data on the agri-food supply chain “to enhance market fairness and transparency”. This could lead to significant new reporting obligations for grocery retailers. At the same time, the Office is tasked with actively promoting fair trading practices. Retailers have done extensive work to prepare for the introduction of this legislation and ensure compliance with the UTP regime. However, there are a number of concerns with aspects of the new legislation. The Bill, for example, affords the Minister for Agriculture powers to extend, amend and add to the existing UTPs. Given that these rules have only just been introduced, it is important that the current UTP regime is given adequate time to bed in, so a true appraisal can be made of how it is working. Separately, it is crucial that that Board of the new Office for Fairness and Transparency is balanced in its composition. It is crucial that the interests of both retailers and consumers are represented, not just those of primary producers. Throughout the debate on the planned legislation, Retail Ireland will be stressing the need for fair but also robust competition throughout the food supply chain, particularly given the context of rising inflation and increases to the cost of living. Working with partners across the supply chain, the retail sector has demonstrated its ability to do this over the last decade. It is crucial that nothing is done to undermine its ability to do the same over the course of the next 10 years.

Retailers voice concerns on cost of labour market reforms THE cost of doing business in Ireland continues to rise, particularly in labour intensive sectors such as retail. At the same time, the sector is increasingly competing with businesses based outside the jurisdiction, many of which have significantly lower cost bases. In our upcoming Budget submission, Retail Ireland will set out a range of proposals to ensure the Irish retail cost base allows businesses here to compete effectively and grow into the future. Of particular concern to retail businesses is the cost associated with a raft of new labour market regulation that is coming down the line. Retail Ireland estimates suggest that the roll-out of pension auto-enrolment, the living wage, statutory sick pay, and other leave proposals already announced will add 2% to total labour costs in Ireland over the next few years, and 9% over the coming decade. Whilst many of these additions to the so-called ‘social wage’ have merit on their own terms, the detail and timing of some of these changes need to be informed by the wider economic context. For example, the roadmap for the introduction of pension autoenrolment should be revised so that the scheme is timed to kick

in when unemployment is low and stable, there is medium-term economic certainty and forward guidance on labour market policy. Increases in the minimum wage should be proportionate and strive to keep Irish labour costs in line with similar EU economies. It is vital that recommendations by the Low Pay Commission take on board and reflect the intense pressure that Covid and Brexit have placed on many Irish enterprises, particularly small retailers. The Government must intensify work through the Labour Employer Economic Forum to ensure better co-ordination of tax, social welfare and other social wage policies in a way that seeks to reduce inflationary pressures.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|17

National Lottery

National Lottery calls for ban on lotto betting Premier Lotteries Ireland, DAC, the operators of the National Lottery, have welcomed Seanad support for the proposed ban on lotto betting. PREMIER Lotteries Ireland, DAC, the National Lottery’s operator and steward, have welcomed the July 12 vote by Seanad Éireann in support of the National Lottery Amendment Bill (2021), which seeks to ban the practice of betting on National Lottery draws. In a media statement, Premier Lotteries described the Seanad’s decision as “a positive step towards protecting the National Lottery’s ability to generate funds for Good Causes and towards protecting young and at-risk people from unregulated gambling and gaming products”. Premier Lotteries Ireland called for the swift enactment of the bill and the implementation of a lotto betting ban as soon as possible. “The Oireachtas established the National Lottery as a State Asset to generate money for Good Causes through a heavily regulated framework,” said the statement. “This objective is being directly impacted by the growth in the practice of Lottery Betting.” Red C research, conducted on behalf of Premier Lotteries Ireland, indicates that Lottery Betting could be generating as much as €570m per annum for bookies. If this practice were banned, the research estimates it would generate €63m in Good Causes funding, while also yielding an estimated €13.7m for the National Lottery’s 5,400 retailer partners across Irish communities. Ireland: an outlier on lottery betting bans Most other European countries ban lottery betting, according to the Premier Lotteries statement, which describes Ireland as “an outlier in not doing so”. The statement argues that a ban on lottery betting: 1. Prevents confusion between the National Lottery, which is regulated and State-owned, and materially different gambling entities and their products that are currently unregulated;

2. Prevents ‘lead-in’ where, for example, those at risk are exposed to unregulated gambling products online while attempting to partake in National Lottery games; 3. Protects the financial sustainability of the State’s asset, the National Lottery. The Premier Lotteries statement argued that at least 17 EU member states have legal restrictions on lottery betting and these regulations are consistent with EU membership. It further explained that the UK recently banned betting on EuroMillions, having never allowed betting on its own lottery. “The National Lottery is heavily regulated and intensively controlled, with strong levels of player protection,” the statement continued. “Many of these restrictions do not apply to commercial lotto betting. Lotto betting generates substantial revenue and contributes to problem gambling off the back of the State’s National Lottery.” Expropriating Ireland’s National Lottery If enacted, the National Lottery (Amendment Bill) will “preclude bookies offering bets specifically on National Lottery draws and prevent them from expropriating Ireland’s National Lottery,” the statement went on, noting how the Bill “will not preclude them from offering bets on multiple other products, including virtual lotteries, to their customers”. Premier Lotteries Ireland asked bookmakers, both online and on the high street, “to stop using the National Lottery to sell gambling products and attract new customers,” the statement said. “Lotto betting reduces the money available for prizes, retailers and Good Causes, while exposing young and ‘at risk’ people to less regulated gambling products.”

18|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Panini

Panini launch World Cup trading card game The Mega Starter Pack for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Adrenalyn XL trading card game.

Panini have officially launched the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Adrenalyn XL official trading card game. EVERY four years, we get ready to cheer on our favourite teams, meet our mates to watch the matches on TV, relive the best moments from our favourite players over and over again, and dream that our team will be the one to lift the FIFA World Cup. While we wait, Panini is ready to kick off with FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Adrenalyn XL, the official card collection that gets bigger and better with every edition! Featuring all-new cards and categories such as Titans, Rookies, Top Keepers and Goal Machines, this spectacular collection includes the national teams which took part in the play-offs, as well as those competing in this year’s tournament. Top-selling football trading card brand “We are excited to kick off the fan excitement for this year’s FIFA World Cup with this incredible new Adrenalyn XL trading card collection,” noted Chris Clover, Managing Director, Panini UK. “Adrenalyn XL is firmly established as the top-selling football trading card brand in the UK & Ireland and collectors are going to really enjoy the variety of designs and special subsets.” Collectors can collect and play at home with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Adrenalyn XL, while they can also play online at www.paniniadrenalyn.com and download the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Adrenalyn XL app! For more information, visit www.panini.co.uk. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Adrenalyn XL: the official card collection gets bigger and better with every edition!

2023 OFFICIAL TRADING CARD GAME

NEW SEASON,

NEW

ON SALE TH 4 AUGUST! WHO’S IN YOUR SQUAD?

ro du ct

BALLERS!

paniniadrenalynpl.com

l O ﬃcia

20|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

ECR Heroes Awards

Rewarding the everyday heroes of grocery The ECR Heroes Awards 2022 took place recently, rewarding those who continue to go above and beyond the call of duty in the Irish FMCG sector. THE ECR Heroes Awards 2022 took place on June 30 at the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge. In their second year, this was the first live version of the event, with last year’s inaugural event taking place virtually due to the pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic gave people a greater awareness of just how important everyone who works in the grocery supply chain sector is when it comes to allowing normal life to function. The first ECR Heroes Awards gave people a chance to celebrate those in the sector who had gone above and beyond the call of duty. “This is an afternoon of celebration,” explained Declan Carolan, General Manager of ECR Ireland, speaking at the live ceremony. “Everyone nominated here today has made a big difference to the world around them. Each nominee has been chosen by their peers and they are all winners.” Helen Kenny, Co-Chair of ECR Ireland and Commercial and Supply Chain Director, Green Isle Foods, added, “In ECR, we encourage collaboration between partners and we are here to celebrate the people who work in the industry and keep the sector thriving.” Siobhan Grimes, Head of Retail, The Maxol Group, told attendees, “I love the Heroes concept and I have done so since the first time I heard about it. I have worked in retail for over 20 years and these awards celebrate the efforts of frontline workers who are the people who make things happen and keep businesses running. The last two years have been extremely difficult, and we have come through with the efforts, often behind the scenes, of people such as those nominated here today. In these awards, we celebrate

the best of these people. Regardless of whether nominees win their category or even the overall award, everyone who has been nominated is already a winner.” The Awards were broken into five categories: Heroes for Community, Heroes for Workplace, Heroes for Planet (a new category this year), Heroes for Service and Heroes for Shoppers The nominees in Heroes for Community were: Colin Fee, Maxol Dundalk; Niall and Matt Daniels, Musgrave; and Caroline Quinn, Nielsen IQ. Caroline was an inspiration to her colleagues for her work supporting the team in the Ukraine, following the Russian invasion, as she raised money and got supplies delivered to the border to be handed over to Ukrainian charities, as well as rehoming a colleague from Ukraine and supporting the centre for refugees in Ireland. Niall and Matt also got involved in raising money for Ukraine; the duo undertook a perilous journey in order to deliver aid directly to Ukraine, as Niall explained: “It was an incredible experience; everyone we met was so grateful for the help and they could communicate that whether or not they could speak English to us.” The category winner was Colin Fee of Maxol Dundalk who was chosen for a body of community work that has been going on for years, including the shop’s Charity of the Month initiative, support for Breast Cancer Ireland, defibrillator installations, local sponsorships, community causes and the list goes on, making Colin and all the staff of Maxol Dundalk the embodiment of Heroes for their local community.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|21

ECR Heroes Awards

Rebecca Lyons, Category & Consumer Insights Manager, Mars, presents the Heroes in the Workplace Award to Stephen Lee, Pluto.

Mark Walsh, The Maxol Group, and Paddy O’Hanlon, Maxol Dublin Road & Seaview, Dundalk, with their ECR Heroes Awards.

Sarah Love, Goosebump and Siobhán Grimes, The Maxol Group, presenting the Heroes for the Planet Award to Carla McSorley & Shaunagh Newman, FoodCloud.

Karen Mooney, Nielsen, and Stephen Elliott, Regional Logistics Manager, Musgrave, presenting the Heroes for Shoppers Award to Aleksandra Kuzmenko, Maxol Riverside.

The Heroes for Workplace nominees were: Susan Sheehy, Maxol Turvey; Caroline O’Keefe, Maxol Ballinrae; Stephen Lee, Pluto; and Ellen Mitchell, Maxol Riverside. This category celebrated colleagues who go above and beyond on a day-to-day basis and whose commitment to the team and to the brand make all the difference. The overall winner, chosen for his blend of talent, commitment, positivity and creativity, was Stephen Lee of Pluto, who was a very worthy category winner on the day. The Heroes for Planet category was new this year and aims to celebrate people and organisations that demonstrate an overriding commitment to the environment, which given the impact of climate change, has become ever more important. In this category, Dairygold were nominated for their commitment to using recycled packaging, as well as the creation of their new dairy free range that offers consumers increased choice. The winner of the category was the other nominee, the team at FoodCloud. FoodCloud reduce food waste in the supply chain by helping to distribute food which would otherwise go to waste to those that can make use of it, helping not only people but the environment as well.

Pictured are Declan Carolan, ECR Ireland General Manager; Sarah Love, Goosebump; Karen Mooney, Nielsen; and Debbie Mullaney, Heineken Ireland.

22|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

ECR Heroes Awards In closing, Sarah Love, MD of Goosebump, presented the award to the overall winner, chosen from the individual category winners. “It was difficult to choose an overall winner today as all the nominees are so deserving,” she said, “and every nominee here today is a real winner. We made our choice based on how we felt the winner fitted their category and for that reason we chose Colin Fee as the overall winner. His ongoing commitment to the local community, which he has undertaken year in and year out, really makes him a true hero for his community and locality. Colin is a fantastic example of what a retailer can mean to their community.”

Sarah Love, Goosebump, and Declan Carolan, ECR Ireland, are pictured presenting the Overall Winner Award for ECR Heroes 2022 to Paddy O’Hanlon on behalf of Colin Fee, Maxol Dublin Road & Seaview, Dundalk.

The Heroes for Service nominees were: John Hadnet, Maxol; the Full Demand Gum Team; Tony Nunan, Green Isle Foods; and Paul Hopkins, Maxol Carrigaline. All the nominees in this category were chosen by their peers because of their commitment to providing the best possible service to the people and organisations they supply. The winner of this category was Tony Nunan, affectionately known by some of his retail clients as ‘Tony Green Isle’. With over 35 years of experience at Green Isle Foods, Tony is the type of supplier who knows the needs of his retailers before they do; he does not just supply customers, he looks after them and this made him an extremely worthy winner of his category. The final category was Heroes for Shoppers and the nominees were Aleksandra Kuzmenko, Maxol Riverside, and the Team at Maxol Ballincollig. Both Aleksandra and the team in Ballincollig go above and beyond to make sure their customers have the best possible shopping experience every day. Their hard work and dedication to going the extra mile means their customers are as well looked after as they could be. On the day, Aleksandra won the category award for her work in Maxol Riverside.

Green Isle Foods’ Helen Kenny, Tony Nunan and Christine Farrell.

Karen Mooney, Nielsen, and Debbie Mullaney, Channel Manager Modern Retail and E-Commerce Off Trade, Heineken Ireland, are pictured presenting the Heroes for Service Award to Tony Nunan, Green Isle Foods.

From Musgrave Group: Stephen Elliott, Matt and Niall Daniels, pictured at the ECR Heroes Awards 2022.

24|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Back to School: Pritt

Pritt sticks with sustainability Pritt, the nation’s favourite glue stick, is more sustainable than ever. LAST year, consumer goods company Henkel relaunched their famous Pritt stick, bringing some good news for climate-conscious children, teachers and crafters. The updated generation of Pritt sticks is even more sustainable and environmentally friendly than before; the glue is made from 97% natural ingredients (including water and potato starch) and the stick container consists of up to 65% post-industrial recycled plastics (depending on stick size). The sticks are fully recyclable. “The updated formula comes with the same excellent performance,” revealed Daniela Alves, Pritt Brand Manager at Henkel UK. “Pritt is every bit as safe, durable and flexible as ever. Replacing a significant amount of plastics with post-industrial recycled plastic and ensuring the tubes are recyclable is good news for children, parents and teachers who care deeply about plastic waste.” 97% natural ingredients Pritt has been unique in the market for many years thanks to its safe and strong formula based on potato starch and sugar, reaching 90% natural ingredients. Now the Henkel product development team has managed to reach 97% natural ingredients, while keeping

its well-known strength and high gluing power. Pritt glue continues to offer a strong initial tack, remains repositionable and provides a long-lasting adhesion to materials with low wrinkling of paper. Recycled and recyclable materials The relaunch is in line with Henkel’s packaging targets for 2025. The new glue stick container is fully produced using recycled plastics (up to 65%, depending on the stick size). Only the cap and spinning mechanism are still made of virgin plastic to ensure functionality and performance. In addition, all materials are fully recyclable when the stick is empty. Pritt stick is available in four different sizes – 11 grams, 22 grams, 43 grams and 90 grams – and in different colours. The product is solvent-free and can be washed off, even at 20° C degrees. Find out more about Pritt at prittworld.co.uk.

How to recycle a Pritt stick Recycling a Pritt stick is easy: 1. Empty it. 2. Rinse it. 3. Put the cap on. 4. Recycle it with your other plastics.

26|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

IGBF

A wheely good cause

The inaugural Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund 600km ‘Tour De Grocer’ raised muchneeded funds for this most worthy of causes.

Acknowledging the support of the industry The success of this first ‘Tour De Grocer’ fundraising event means that it will now be a permanent fixture in the IGBF fundraising calendar well into the future. The IGBF would also like to acknowledge the many donations which were given to this event in the usual discreet fashion, as many companies continue to support the very important work of the IGBF.

Kevin Keating, IGBF President of Appeals, second from right, crosses the finish line of the inaugural 600km ‘Tour De Grocer’ cycle event.

THE Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund would like to extend the warmest of congratulations to their President of Appeals Kevin Keating on the completion of the 600km inaugural ‘Tour De Grocer’ cycle which he undertook with industry colleagues and friends from June 13-17, 2022. Kevin raised over €50,000 for the IGBF charity, thus bringing in much-needed funds to enable them to continue offering assistance to some of our industry colleagues who have been adversely affected by both Covid and other factors in recent years. The IGBF would also like to thank Barilla, the event’s main sponsor, and Catch bar, who very kindly sponsored the participation of Sean Kelly for the last leg of the cycle to Dublin from Nenagh, which gave the final leg an added element of fun and camaraderie.

The ‘Tour De Grocer’ raised over €50,000 for the IGBF, and featured a guest appearance from cycling legend Seán Kelly for the last leg of the 600km cycle.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|27

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

Ireland’s best cellars Jean Smullen looks at the top 20 wines on the Irish market.

THE Top 20 Wine Brands is the RETAIL NEWS annual wine feature based on the Nielsen Scantrack sales figures. Every year, we compare the overall volume sales of each wine brand in the off-trade on a MAT basis against the previous year’s sales figures. The summary comes from Nielsen Scantrack, which compares March 2021 with March 2022. As expected, the opening of the ontrade affected volume sales of wine in the off trade. A few of the brands have also been affected by the introduction of MUP, as they have been forced to increase their prices. Another factor driving the reduction in sales is the fact that 92% of Irish consumers say they are now watching what they spend more than they did one year ago. According to Nielsen Scantrack, sales of wine in March 2022 decreased by -20% for that month. The top five wine brand positions have changed slightly this year, with [yellow tail] dropping out and Wolf Blass returning. There is no change to the top three wine brands, however, as Santa Rita, Concha y Toro and McGuigan remain in the same position as they have since 2018.

Last year, saw a new entrant into the market, with the I Heart Wine range making its debut. This year, two new entrants joined the ranks, with Graham Norton in at number 15 and 19 Crimes in at number 19. The brands showing the largest increase in volume sales were I Heart Wine up +14.4%, Campo Viejo ahead by +10.5%, Santa Rita growing by +3.7% and Fincas las Moras (Dada) up by +3.2%. Tracking the consumption figures by grape variety reflects what the Irish consumer is currently drinking. Wine Intelligence reports that Sauvignon Blanc is still by far the most popular grape variety on the Irish market. From 2014-2019, consumption of Sauvignon Blanc increased by over +65% among regular wine drinkers. This was closely followed by Pinot Grigio in second place, showing +53% growth for the same period. Albariño is another grape showing a marked increase in popularity among Irish consumers, with +13% growth during the same five-year period. The Wine Intelligence report also reveals that the wine buying choice by Irish consumers is influenced by the grape variety rather than

the specific brand or country of origin. Interesting to note that the growth in sales for organic wine is strong; however, as of February 2022, it still only accounts for 0.9% of the total still wine market. It would appear that the opportunity for organic wine sales lies with the younger demographic, who have the highest conversion rate. The report also reveals that 10% of regular wine drinkers are now aware of carbon-neutral wines, with 17% of these drinkers coming from the Gen Z (18-24) generation, 19% Millennials (25-39), 12% Gen X (40-54) and 6% Baby Boomers (55+) – all figures sourced from Wine Intelligence, February 2022. The other significant wine market trend is the growth in Low/No alcohol products. 23% of consumers are purchasing more Low/No alcohol and this category continues to show strong growth. Research has shown that regular wine drinkers have been decreasing their alcohol intake as they become more conscious of the negative effects of excessive alcohol. Younger consumers are also more likely to opt for low alcohol alternatives.

28|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines Santa Rita 120 ‘De-Alcoholised’ will have two wines in the range; a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is made using traditional methods with removal of alcohol taking place after alcoholic fermentation has been completed. The method used is the spinning cone column distillation process and the final product contains 0.4% alcohol with residual sugar of 30 g/L; RRP for each varietal is €7.50 2. Casillero del Diablo - Chile (Viña Concha y Toro) CASILLERO del Diablo is Concha y Toro’s flagship brand and remains Ireland’s second most popular wine brand. Concha y Toro manage their brand directl directly on this market. Eoghan O’Donoghue, Conc Concha y Toro’s Brand Ma Manager, told me that in recent r years, Casillero del positioned Diablo has posi partner brand itself as a partn for a number oof Irish programmes. This TV programme summer Casill Casillero del received a Diablo has rece lot of attention for Santa Rita have launched both a low alcohol its sponsorship of Santa Rita 120 ‘De-Light’ and a 0% alcohol ‘Conversations ‘Conversatio Santa Rita ‘De-alcoholised’ range. with Frien Friends’ on RTÉ. Eo Eoghan 1. Viña Santa Rita - Chile (Bibendum m O’Donoghue told O’Dono Ireland) RETAILL NEWS that Established in 1880, Viña Santa Ritaa they will w be is one of Chile’s oldest and most focusing on the focus respected wineries. Santa Rita’s 120 20 whites and rosé white brand has remained the top-selling g wines in the wine brand in the off-trade in Ireland nd for range. Look out rang the last eight years. Terry Pennington, ton, for the th brandRegional Export Director (Worldwide) de) new label for the Santa Group told RETAIL NEWSS the 2021 on th that anticipating the growth in Low/ w/ Casillero del Casi No alcohol consumption and the Diablo Rosé Diab move towards healthier lifestyles and this summer. more moderate alcohol consumption on Another strong Anot alternatives, Santa Rita have launched hed promotion prom both a low alcohol Santa Rita 120 will iinvolve a ‘De-Light’ and a 0% alcohol Santa Rita colla collaboration ‘De-Alcoholised’ range. with Evoke. Following on from the launch off the ie to highlight 0% de-alcoholised wines earlier thiss their summer year, Santa Rita are set to introducee wine range, three new low alcohol wines. The wines which will will be sold under the 120 Reserva include pairing includ Especial brand tier as ‘De-Light’ and d sugge suggestions include a De-Light Pinot Grigio at 9% % with a selection alcohol and 80 calories per serving, g, of sum summer a De-Light Moscato at 8% alcohol, and barbeque barbeq a De-Light Cabernet Sauvignon at 9% and picn picnic alcohol and 80 calories per serving; g; RRP Casillero del Diablo, food recipes. is €12.50. The Moscato and Pinot Grigio the flagship brand from This summer, are harvested early to achieve low alcohol, Concha y Toro; a real Concha y Toro while all the other wines in the range use favourite with Irish wine will also run a the spinning cone process. drinkers.

Summer Giveawayy al promotion on social llero media, for the Casillero del Diablo brand; more information on @ _ire. casillerodeldiablo_ire. 3. McGuigan Australia (Barry & Fitzwilliam) McGUIGAN remainss the number one Australian wine brand in the off trade. The McGuigan Black Label varietal range includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Rosé, Malbec and McGuigan Frizzante. McGuigan also sell a range of de-alcoholised wine called Delightt with a 0.5% ABV; the range also has a Rosé and The hugely popular a white made from McGuigan Black the Moscato grape. Label range, Barry & Fitzwilliam, distributed by Barry who distribute the & Fitzwilliam. McGuigan range in Ireland, have regular offers in all the major supermarket groups on-going throughout the year for the brand. 4. Dada (Fincas las Moras) - Argentina (Comans Beverages) THE growth of the Dada brand continues apace and with volume sales increasing by +3.2% in the last year, it retains its fourth position in our brand chart. The range is made up of Dada 1, made from a blend of Malbec and Bonarda, Dada 2 – Merlot, and Dada 3 - Cabernet/Shiraz. Comans have just launched the brand-new Dada White Malbec in time for the summer market. So expect to see more of it on our shelves as the summer progresses. Dada White Malbec is made from red grapes that are crushed without skin contact. The wine is quite floral on the nose and the red fruit character gleaned from the Malbec grape shows through on the palate. The wine style is relatively new, having first been launched in Argentina in 2019. The idea is to get the flavour character of the red grapes, but vinify as a white. The appeal of this

30|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines up with Secret Escapes to offer the chance to win a five-night staycation with €500 spending money. There will also be three lucky runner-up prizes of a three-night staycation with €250 to spend. The promotion will run on both the Wolf Blass Yellow Label Chardonnay and Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon, which will be on offer this summer at €12. To enter, consumers must purchase a bottle find the bottle’s QR code and scan it. By using the last four digits of the bottle’s barcode, they can then enter the competition, which involves creating an award-winning hashtag for the Wolf Blass/Secret Escapes partnership. The prize will be awarded to the most creative entry. The Wolf Blass promotion will run nationwide during July and August 2022.

The Dada range continues to show strong growth in the Irish market.

relatively new wine style is that it has a fresh acidity and red fruit flavours. The newest addition to the range, Dada White Malbec is bound to be in great demand this summer. 5. Wolf Blass - Australia (Findlater & Co) WOLF Blass is a premium Australian brand that has enormous recognition from the Irish consumer. Last year, it briefly dropped into seventh position in the wine brand chart, but sales have recovered and with volume growth of +2.3% in the last year, the brand returns to it previous position as fifth overall top brand. Findlater & Co will be running a major nationwide summer promotion to highlight the brand’s Yellow Label. The consumer will be invited to buy Wolf Blass, the a bottle of Wolf Blass premium Australian Yellow Label to enter brand, is hugely a competition to win a popular with Irish gorgeous staycation. wine drinkers. Wolf Blass have teamed

6. Barefoot (E&J Gallo) - California USA (Comans Beverages) BAREFOOT is the top-selling Californian brand on this market. This year they have moved up a position into sixth place in the brand chart. In June, Barefoot celebrated Pride Month with the launch of an eye-catching new label, inspired by the Progress flag. The striking new label is for the brand’s award-winning Pinot Grigio and the aim is to highlight Barefoot’s long-standing advocacy of the LGBTQ+ community. Barefoot has been a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community since 1988 and is committed to accepting everyone exactly as they are, spreading inclusivity and positivity to wine lovers across the globe. Today, the brand continues to support LGBTQ+ communities by taking part in Pride parades and supporting LGBTQ+ charities all over the world. The Barefoot Pride bottles aree available in in Ireland (RRP €12). You can learn more about how Barefoot work with the LGBTQ+ community w.barefootwine.ie/lgbtq by visiting www.barefootwine.ie/lgbtq tiative from Another initiative Barefoot is theirr ‘Local Love’ scheme,

[yellow tail] has been named ‘World’s most powerful wine brand of the year’ for the fifth consecutive year by Wine Intelligence.

Barefoot, the top-selling Californian brand in Ireland.

which offers support to local charities. In Ireland they work with Liquid Therapy at Sea Sessions, who are the organisers of the Barefoot Beach Olympics. All proceeds from Barefoot Beach Sports go to charity partners and event hosts Liquid Therapy, a multi award winning charity based in South Donegal. They provide a supported environment to enable young people to experience the physical and therapeutic benefits of the surf and ocean. Barefoot Wine have supported Liquid Therapy since its inception a decade ago. 7. [yellow tail] - Australia (Bibendum Ireland) JOHN Casella created [yellow tail] exclusively for the US market in 2001, and the brand, named after Australia’s YellowFooted Rock Wallaby, has created a huge niche for itself since. In 2005 [yellow tail] became the first varietal wine to sell one million cases in a single year. [yellow tail] was first launched on the Irish market in 2007 and the top [yellow tail] SKU on this market is the [yellow tail] Sauvignon Blanc. Other wines in the range include the [yellow tail] Pinot Grigio, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Merlot, as well as the [yellow tail]

# California Wine Brand in Ireland* Sell Barefoot today, contact Phillip.Lynch@ejgallo.com barefootwine.ie

/BarefootWineUK

32|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines 9. Torres - Spain (Findlater & Co) THE Torres family have been at the heart of sustainability and climate action for over 30 years, long before it was either topical or Miguel Torres Senior has led fashionable. Mi the way in this field. The family are pioneers regenerative agriculture and the of regen replanting of ancestral and native replant varieties, as well as spearheading varietie their oown energy generation and carbon capturing initiatives. Tor Torres have set a target become carbon neutral to beco 8. Cono Sur - Chile (Findlater & Co) (#racetozero) by 2050 and are well (#race CONO Sur’s green credentials help too on their the way to achieving it. By make this brand very much sought the en end of 2019, they had already after; despite being a young company ny achie achieved their 2020 target of rld (founded in 1993), Cono Sur are world reducing their carbon footprint redu leaders in environmental commitment ent by 30%, and they have set a and accountability. This project began an ne new target of 50% total carbon in 1998 when Cono Sur switched rreduction by 2030. Cofrom conventional agriculture to an ffounders of the International integrated vineyard management Wineries for Climate Action system, which avoids artificial (IWCA), Familia Torres are herbicides and pesticides. Cono leading the way for the Sur’s goal is to generate a wine industry to make triple positive impact: for their itself accountable on employees, climate change and are communities and not only experts but also the eenvironment. educators on sustainability Con Cono Sur and climate action. spec specialise in Familia Torres are based sing single-vineyard in Penedès in Catalonia expr expressions of and also own vineyards vari varietal wines in California and Chile. and winemaker All of their estates are Mat Mathías Ríos is sustainably managed and kno known for his organically farmed, with lig lightness of Torres’ popular regenerative agriculture to touch and the Sangre de Toro brand practices. p purity of his will be getting a new This summer, Torres wines. label this summer. will be launching a new Michelle label for one of their bestO’Sullivan, known brands, Sangre de Toro. Michelle Trade Director of O’Sullivan, Trade Director at Findlater & Findlater & Co, told Co, also highlighted their Red Cork to Qatar RETAIL NEWS that initiative. This is a consumer competition the second part running in Tesco through July. The person of the summer sampling campaign who finds a red cork bearing the words ‘Winner of the trip to Qatar’ will win one trip for Cono Sur for two people to the World Cup in Qatar Organic wine will later this year. Other prizes will include continue in August merchandise such as football team jerseys, at Liffey Valley and a selection of branded footballs and Shopping Centre gym-bags. and Dundrum Town Centre. 10. Oyster Bay - New Zealand (Delegat’s There will also Wine Estate) be a ‘Follow your Cono Sur are DELEGAT’S, the New Zealand owned wine road to Chile with world leaders in business, are the proud owners of the Cono Sur’ consumer environmental global phenomenon Oyster Bay, one of the competition to commitment and world’s most successful super-premium coincide with this accountability, wine brands. Oyster Bay continues its marketing initiative, a fact which success story in Ireland and having enjoyed with one lucky resonates with Irish another year of strong growth, has now consumer winning a consumers. moved up into 10th place overall and trip to Chile. Jammy Red Roo a red wine blend made from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Annita Forte of Bibendum Ireland told RETAIL NEWS that [yellow tail] have just been ne awarded ‘World’s most powerful wine brand of the year’ for the fifth consecutive cutive year by Wine Intelligence. Their recent ent TV ad campaign [Find your yellow tail] aired on ITV & Channel 4 from May 9 to June une 5, and gave the brand good visibility in n the run-up to the summer trading period. d.

is the number-one selling New Zealand wine brand on the Irish market. Grace Milner, Business Manager for Oyster Bay in Ireland, told RETAIL NEWS that Oyster Bay Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir remained the top selling wines in their respective varietal categories above €9.40. She was also happy to report that Oyster Bay wines were awarded very high points in the 2022 International Wine Challenge as follows: Oyster Bay Chardonnay 2020 (93 points), Oyster Bay Merlot 2020 (91 points), Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée Brut NV (90 points), and Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (90 points). 11. Campo Viejo - Spain (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard) SPAIN has a number of key brands such as Campo Viejo, who perform extremely well on this market and because a number of them feature in the top brand list, sales of Spanish wine continue to perform well both in value and volume terms. Campo Viejo moves up a position to 11th overall, thanks to very strong volume sales during 2021/22. Overall volume sales of their range increased by +10.5%, the second highest for any brand this year. 12. Villa Maria - New Zealand (Barry & Campo Viejo has Fitzwilliam) enjoyed strong VILLA Maria Estate volume growth on the was founded Irish market during by Sir George 2021 and 2022. Fistonich in 1961; in 2021, he sold it to Indevin New Zealand and the purchase included Villa Maria’s Marlborough, Hawkes Bay and Auckland wineries and vineyards, as well as the flagship brand, Villa Maria. A leader in sustainability, innovation and quality, Villa Maria is recognised as an icon in the NZ wine industry. Villa Maria has created approachable food friendly wines of premium quality from many of New Zealand’s key winegrowing regions. This year, they belatedly celebrated their 60th anniversary and Dave Roper, Villa

34|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines Maria’s Head Winemaker, Walsh, Villa joined Natalie N Maria’s Market Manager for the UK and Ireland, and the team from Barry & Fitzwilliam, for a lunch in Fitzwill Dublin to celebrate. Dave, who was wa on his first ever visit to Ireland, told us that he started his winemaking makin career 20 years ago working for Villa w Maria Mar as a cellar hand, and an today, he is the head winemaker. Dave h introduced a selection i of o the Villa Maria icon wines, which have limited availability on this market, but highlight the quality that Villa Maria is capable of producing. The range included the 2021 Seaspray Sauvignon Blanc, a single vineyard SB from the Awatere in Marlborough, the t 2019 Attorney Organic Pinot Noir O from the Wairau A leader in Valley, where clay sustainability, soils give the fruit a innovation and lot more structure, quality, Villa Maria is recognised as an icon and the 2018 Villa Maria Ngakirikiri in the New Zealand Hawkes Bay Cabernet wine industry. Sauvignon, a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and 5% Merlot. This was still only a baby but the power and structure were very much in evidence and this is going to last a very long time. The Villa Maria varietal range continues to perform strongly on this market, where it enjoys very strong consumer awareness. 13. i heart Wine (Freixenet/Copestick) THE i heart brand was created by Frexinet in 2010 and launched on the Irish market in 2016. The range includes i heart Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Last year, the brand entered the Top 20 Wine Brands for the first time in 13th position. Shane McNally, Country Manager for Frexinet Copestick, told RETAIL NEWS: “The i heart vision is simple; make wine accessible and enjoyable for everyone and this has been key to opening wine to younger demographics and breaking down the barriers the category often finds. We’ve approached wine in our own way. i heart is free spirited, fun, approachable and passionate. The strength of the brands lies in the simplicity of communication, focus

range, a Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, available on the Irish market from early July. 15. Graham Norton (Barry & Fitzwilliam) BRAND new to the Irish wine brand chart, at No. 15 in 2022, is the Graham Norton range of wines. Founded by two Kiwi school friends, Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron in 2008, Invivo are behind the awardwinning collaboration with Graham Norton. Graham Norton’s range now features 10 wines, as well as a range of spirits. Graham is a shareholder in Invivo and is hands-on i heart is now the fastest growing wine brand in Ireland. with tasting and blending each new wine or spirit, which are made to his taste. on varietals and the flexibility to be at the On the recent New Zealand harvest, forefront of new trends.” Rob says, “The 2022 harve harvest was initially This approach has seen the brand looking to be quite a become the seventh largest brand in thee challeng challenging one due to UK in little over a decade (IRI 52 week too an unsea unseasonably wet 07/04/22) and Ireland is following that February and March. trajectory, showing exceptional growth in n The rain fforced our a challenging market. i heart is now the hand H in Hawkes Bay and fastest growing brand in Ireland and theyy some ear early Marlborough plan to boost this with additional SKUs blocks bu but our Awatere such as the newly launched Pinot Grigio Vineyard Vineyards withstood the Blush and i heart Zero. Two categories wet extr extremely well and showing steep growth curves (pale Roséé & pushed through towards Low/No). This summer they will launch a the en end of the season ted specific summer campaign with a dedicated to fina finally experience ha website for Irish consumers to be in with some settled, dry pa chance to win everything from wine to spa wea weather. The breaks for two. res resulting wines are loo looking fantastic, 14. Faustino DOCa Rioja - Spain (Richmond ond w with lots of intense Marketing) fl flavour and A FOURTH generation family business aaroma.” and an undisputed leader in the Rioja DO O Invivo has Gran Reserva category, Bodegas Faustino no in increased its has earned international recognition lland occupancy after more than 156 years’ experience in Marlborough, in the making and aging of top-of-theeexpanding range wines, becoming a timeless icon. v volumes of Faustino I Gran Reserva has been one off g grape tonnage the most admired wines world-wide and it by 153% for its is market leader in export markets in thee 22022 harvest, Gran Reserva category. In fact, 30 of every ry w while they have 100 bottles of the category Gran Reservaa ffurther invested Rioja sold worldwide are for Faustino in increasing I. Other wines in the Faustino portfolio p production on-site include the Faustino V, Faustino Cava and d the Faustino VII range. Caroly Keegan of Richmond Marketing told RETAIL NEWS they are pleased to announce the launch of two new varietals as part of the Faustino VII

Popular television host, author and comedian, Graham Norton’s range of wines have broken into the top 20 for the first time this year.

36|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines at the Invivo winery this year. The winery now has capacity to produce more than 2.5m litres.

The Gallo Family Vineyards brand: perennially ally popular with Irish wine drinkers.

16. E&J Gallo - California (Comans Beverages) GALLO Family Vineyards is the owner of Apothic, the number one premium winee brand in the USA. Philip Lynch, the E&J J Gallo Country Manager in Ireland, told RETAIL NEWS that the key E&J Gallo brands nds performed well this year. Sales of Gallo’s lo’s key mid-priced brand, Apothic, were strong during 2021, helped in part by the launch of Apothic Red. Apothic Red is made from a blend of Zinfandel,, Merlot and Syrah, and they have also recently added Cabernet Sauvignon, which has added to the wine’s appeal. The other wine in the range, Apothic’s Dark Horse, also enjoyed a strong sales es performance this year. Dark Horse is a premium range of commercial varietall wines that include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Dark Horse is the second biggest selling premium brand on the USA market and is the brand the US Embassy supports at Embassy events.. 17. Blossom Hill - California (Findlater & Co) THE Blossom Hill range includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,

White Grenache and of course the muchloved White Zinfandel, as well as the newest addition, the Sparkling Zinfandel. Blossom Hill have 17 wines in their portfolio. The brand enjoys strong brand awareness, especially with younger shoppers, thanks to its positioning as an easy-drinking, fruit-forward wine to share with friends and its new packaging reflects this. Michelle O’Sullivan, Trade Director at Findlater & Co, told RETAIL NEWS that Blossom Hill is celebrating its 30th birthday this summer, with exclusive invites to brunch in Brother Hubbard. 18. Brancott Estate - New Zealand (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard) NEW Zealand grape growers and wineries are breathing a sigh of relief following an improved vintage in 2022 that will help the industry rebuild stocks and sales; good news for the industry and customers. Producers will be able to rebuild seriously depleted stocks and sales, while customers should get to see retail shelves restocked once more. However, rising costs and supply chain disruption remain significant concerns to winemakers as they look to replenish markets. Brancott Estate (previously known as Montana) planted the first Sauvig Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborou Marlborough, New Zealand, and opene opened the first winery in a place that t ended up becomi becoming a globally renowned w wine region. Laura Kerr Kerr, Assistant Brand Manager, L Lifestyle Portfolio, at Irish Dis Distillers Pernod Ricard, h highlighted the new B Brancott Bottle ima image and the newlook visuals currently bei being used to pro promote the range. Bra Brancott Estate mo moved up one place fro from 19th place in the wine brands ch chart to 18th position thi this year.

Blossom Bl Hill’s much-loved m W White Zinfandel enjoys en strong brand br awareness th throughout the country co and the brand br is celebrating its 30th birthday this th summer.

19. 19 Crimes - Australia (Findlater & Co) THE second new entrant ntrant to the Top 20 ear Wine Brand this year is the Australian wine brand, 19 Crimes. This wine has a unique selling point, download thee app and point it at the label and you will hear the victs stories of the convicts who were transported rted to Australia in the 19th century. The 19 Crimes imes wines are inspired by people sentenced to a life of hard labour. For those who survived d the journey, a new world awaited and this wine brand honours the history they wrote and the culture they built. This summer, 19 Crimes have launched their Revolutionary Rosé, a dry style Rosé with fruit sourced in Spain made from the Grenache grape. Revolutionary Rosé will be on sale this summer with an 19 Crimes is a new RRP of €11. Look entrant to the top 20, out too for the with a USP inspired by 19 Crimes Red the convicts who were Blend; a blend of transported to Australia Shiraz, Cabernet in the 19th century. Sauvignon and Grenache, this oak aged red has lots of ripe fruit and is another great summer wine with consumer appeal, especially during barbeque season. 20. Viña Carmen - Chile (United Wines) THE distribution in both the north and south of Ireland of the premium Chilean brand Viña Carmen moved to United Wines in 2019. The flagship premium wine from the Santa Rita stable has very loyal following on this market, especially with the customer who enjoys mid-priced quality wines from Chile. One of their strongest selling wines is the Viña Carmen Frida Kahlo, a range of single variety wines inspired by the legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo; these wines pay homage to her iconic identity and extraordinary artwork. The Carmen Frida Kahlo range includes a Sauvignon Blanc, a Merlot and a pale Rosé made from 100% Syrah; RRP is €15 but will be on offer this summer at €10 in Tesco.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|37

Drinks News Midleton Distillery to become carbon neutral by 2026 IRISH Distillers are set to invest €50m in Midleton Distillery over the next four years to deliver a carbon neutral operation by the end of 2026. This is the largest investment made by an Irish distillery to date in pursuit of this ambition, putting Midleton Distillery on track to become Ireland’s first and largest carbon neutral distillery. As part of the initial phases of the roadmap, Irish Distillers have invested in highly efficient boilers which will require less fuel to operate. To deliver subsequent phases of the roadmap, Irish Distillers are working with global experts and partners on innovative Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) technology which will see a closed looped system capture, compress and recycle waste heat in the distilling process. This the first time this technology has been used across multiple batch processes in distilling.

Guinness win prestigious design award GUINNESS were awarded the prestigious Red Dot Award for Product Design for Guinness Nitrosurge and Guinness Microdraught. The Red Dot Design Award is one of the biggest design competitions in the world and Guinness was the first brand ever to win a Red Dot award for beer dispense. Guinness Microdraught enables pubs, bars and other outlets around the world to serve beautiful, fresh Guinness Draught on tap, no matter their size or setup. Guinness Nitrosurge puts the iconic two-part pour in the hands of consumers, with a pocketsized, rechargeable device that uses ultrasonic technology to give drinkers a beautifully smooth two-part pour, bringing the magic of the experience of Guinness in a pub, to the home.

Global spirits companies gather in Dublin REPRESENTATIVES of the spirits industry from around the world gathered in Dublin in June for the spiritsEurope Congress 2022, as the sector plans for growth amidst the openingup of hospitality around the world following the Covid-19 pandemic. Company CEOs and leaders of representative bodies were hosted by Drinks Ireland. The event saw global sector leaders meeting to discuss relevant issues impacting the sector and plan how to address them, including how spirits companies can help in the recovery of the tourism sector in Europe. Pictured are (l-r): Pat Rigney, Managing Director and Founder at The Shed Distillery and Chair of Drinks Ireland; Martin Heydon TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Chris R. Swonger, President and CEO of Distilled Spirits Council of the United States; Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec; and Ulrich Adam, Director General of spiritsEurope.

Rebel City launch Ireland’s only Absinthe REBEL City Distillery, makers of the multi-awardwinning Maharani Gin, have officially opened to the public as they launched the Rebel City Distillery Tour in their historic dockland’s location, in the repurposed Ford Car Factory. The company also launched new Rebel City Distillery Absinthe, the first of its kind in Ireland. The Absinthe, which is distilled on site in small batches and has handwritten, authentic labels, was created using a base recipe that Rebel City discovered in a French book dated 1871 and given a unique Rebel City twist. Founders Robert and Bhagya Barrett are pictured with Cork’s Deputy Lord Mayor, Damian Boylan, at the launch.

Irish gin producers win big at Gin Masters Awards IRISH gin producers who are members of Drinks Ireland have taken home 13 awards at the Gin Masters Awards. Rademon Estate Distillery won two Masters across Ultra-Premium and Contemporary, while Lough Ree won one for its Cask-Aged Gin. The full list of award winners included Mil Gin from Pearse Lyons Distillery in the Super Premium category; Shortcross Gin from Rademon Estate and Blood Monkey from Outcast Brands in Ultra Premium; Dingle Gin from Dingle Distillery, Xin Gin from Ahascragh Distillers and Kinsale Gin from Kinsale Spirits in the London Dry category; Shortcross Citrus Drizzle Gin from Rademon Estate, Blood Monkey Spice Story from Outcast Brands, and Ha’penny Dry Gin from Pearse Lyons in the Contemporary category; Method & Madness from Irish Distillers in the Microdistillery category; Grand Crew Cask-Aged Irish Gin in Cask-Aged; Shortcross Rosie’s Garden Gin from Rademon Estate in the Pink Gin category; and Ha’penny Rhubarb Gin in the Flavoured Gin category.

38|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Nivea

Stay safe in the sun with Nivea Nivea Sun, Ireland’s number one sun care brand, have a host of products available to help keep shoppers safe this summer. SUN safety is just as essential in Ireland as when you are abroad. The sun emits damaging UV rays year-round, even on cloudy days. As up to 80% of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate the skin, it’s important that your skin is always protected from the sun’s UVA/UVB rays. Dermatologists recommend using sunscreen every day, even in cloudy Irish weather, yet 17% of school children (Source: www.irishtimes.com/news/ health/some-17-of-schoolchildren-neveruse-sunscreen-1.4280722) and 28% of adults (Source: www.thejournal.ie/pollsunscreen-ireland-5108700-May2020) do not use sun cream in Ireland. Nivea Sun, Ireland’s number one sun care brand (Source: Nielsen, 52 w/e Dec 27, 2020) can look after consumers at home with these top picks for essential sun protection for the whole family: Nivea Sun Kids Protect & Care Coloured Roll-on SPF 50+ (RRP: €9.99) This roll-on provides children with highly effective UVA/UVB protection wherever they go. With its child-friendly colourful Nivea Sun Kids Protect & Care Coloured Roll-on SPF 50+ provides children with highly effective UVA/UVB protection wherever they go.

handy roll-on format for easy and playful application, it is simple and quick to apply on the skin. Nivea’s innovative formula works immediately and ensures reliable, highly effective UVA and UVB protection. A fast-absorbing, non-sticky formula also makes applying sunscreen fun for kids and the extra water-resistant feature ensures it will stay on. Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF 30 / SPF 50+ (RRP: €16.99) Make Nivea Sun lotion your ultimate summer essential. It contains highly effective UVA/ UVB filters for immediate protection and is suitable for all skin types. Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion is suitable for all skin types.

Nivea Sun Kids Trigger Spray SPF 30 / SPF 50+ (RRP: €21.59) Make sun cream application easy and fun for kids with the Nivea Sun Kids Trigger Spray. The fun spray application is a simple and quick way to apply lotion to a child’s skin. They will be wellprotected from the sun’s harmful rays as the gentle, yet effective formula provides immediate high UVA/ UVB protection and is extra water resistant.

Kids Protect & Care Trigger Spray: a simple and quick way to apply lotion to a child’s skin.

Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Pocket Size Sun Lotion SPF 30 (RRP: €6.99) This Sun Lotion provides highly effective UVA/UVB protection and protects immediately against sun exposure and long-term UV-induced skin damage. It’s important to reapply every two hours when spending time outside, so consumers can carry this pocket-sized product in their handbag or pocket for easy on-the-go top ups! Nivea Sun products are available in pharmacies and grocery stores nationwide. For more information, please visit www.nivea.ie.

TRUST OUR

5in1

SKIN PROTECTION Long lasting 5 star UVA protection Immediate UVB protection

IRELAND’S

No1

48h moisture

SUNCARE BRAND*

Water resistant Ocean respect

ISO CERTIFICATION ISO 14001 / ISO 45001 / ISO 50001 ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH & SAFETY

ENERGY

CYBER ESSENTIALS ±59 DISCOUNT CODE: RN2022 *USE CODE ON OUR WEBSITE

ISO TRAINING

CONFIDENCE | ASSURANCE | CERTAINTY

+353 (0) 1 642 9300 FHUWL´FDWLRQHXURSH FRP LQIR#FHUWL´FDWLRQHXURSH FRP Retail News Cyber Essentials Print Ad 2022.indd 1

19/04/2022 15:46:32

40|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Employment Law

A right to request flexible working is coming Laura Ensor and Linda Hynes of Lewis Silkin Ireland report on the General Scheme of a Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 and the key proposals relevant to employers in the retail sector. THE General Scheme of a Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 (the General Scheme) was published by Minister Roderic O’Gorman on April 21, 2022. The Minister expressed hope that it will be implemented by the end of July 2022, although this seems unlikely at this point. The General Scheme proposes to implement the EU Work-Life Balance Directive (the Directive) into Irish law and the deadline for this to take place is August 2, 2022. The General Scheme puts forward a number of legislative changes which are designed to allow for a better work/life balance for employees who are parents and carers, to encourage more equal sharing of parental leave between men and women and ultimately to try and improve the representation of women in the labour market. Key proposals So what are the key proposals under the General Scheme that are relevant to employers in the retail sector? Right to request flexible working: The General Scheme proposes the introduction of a right for employees with children up to the age of 12 (or 16 if the child has a disability or long-term illness), and employees with caring

responsibilities, to request ﬂexible working arrangements for a set period of time for caring purposes. By way of example of such a request in the retail industry, an employee could potentially request shifts that take place during hours when their children are at school or may request later start and earlier finish times that allow for school drop-offs and collections. It was expected that this right might have been extended to all employees, not just those with children and caring responsibilities, but the current draft does not provide for this. In response to the General Scheme, there have been calls from Government to extend the right to all employees and so this is still a possibility. The General Scheme does go slightly further than the Directive and will apply to children up to 12 years old (or 16 as outlined above), whereas the Directive provides this right for parents with children up to eight years old. Under the current draft, the employee requesting flexible working arrangements needs to have six months’ service with the employer before the flexible arrangement can start and must make the request at least six weeks before the arrangement is intended to start. Employers must consider the request and will have four weeks to respond. This is quite a tight deadline for employers, particularly in the fast-paced retail sector. The employer can either grant, postpone or refuse the flexible working arrangement and

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|41

Employment Law will be required to provide reasons for any refusal or postponement. In certain cases, the time period to respond can be extended by a further eight weeks. Requests can be postponed for six months where an employer is satisfied that the commencement of the arrangement would have a substantial adverse effect on the operation of the business because of: 1. Seasonal variations in the volume of work; 2. The unavailability of someone to carry out the employee’s duties; 3. The nature of their duties; 4. The number of other employees availing of flexible working arrangements; 5. Any other relevant matter. This would appear, under 1 above, to provide employers in the retail sector with the ability to postpone a request for a flexible working arrangement during busy periods such as, for example, in the run-up to Christmas or during a summer

The General Scheme proposes the introduction of a right for employees with children up to the age of 12 (or 16 if the child has a disability or long-term illness), and employees with caring responsibilities, to request flexible working arrangements for a set period of time for caring purposes.

sale, as long as the employer can show that it is satisfied that granting the arrangement during that period would

have a substantial adverse effect on the operation of the business. Flexible working arrangements will need to be documented in an agreement. At the end of the flexible working arrangement, the employee is entitled to return to their original working arrangements, hours, or work patterns (employees are also entitled to request an early return to their original working arrangements). Leave for medical care purposes: The General Scheme proposes the introduction of five days’ unpaid leave, per year, per employee, where, for serious medical reasons, the employee is required to provide personal care or support to family members or loved ones such as a child, spouse, cohabitant, parent or sibling. This leave cannot be taken in periods of less than one day and the employer may request evidence of the employee’s relationship with the person needing medical care, the nature of the medical care required and medical certification of the serious medical issue. This right is in addition to existing entitlements under the Carer’s Leave Act 2001 and force majeure leave. Extension of the period during which time can be taken out from work to breastfeed: The General Scheme proposes an extension of the period from 26 weeks to 104 weeks following the birth of a child during which employees have an entitlement to paid time off from work or a reduction of working hours for breastfeeding purposes.

The General Scheme of a Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 puts forward a number of legislative changes which are designed to allow for a better work/ life balance for employees who are parents and carers, to encourage more equal sharing of parental leave between men and women and ultimately to try and improve the representation of women in the labour market.

Extension of maternity leave entitlements to transgender men: The General Scheme proposes to provide for the right of a transgender male who has, in accordance with the Gender

42|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Employment Law Recognition Act 2015, obtained a gender recognition certificate and subsequently becomes pregnant, to fall within the scope of the Maternity Protection Act 1994. What happens next? The Directive requires that national legislation implementing it takes place by August 2, 2022. The General Scheme has undergone pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Joint Committee has issued a report with a number of recommendations to be considered before the final text of the bill can be finalised. Although the legislation will need to transpose elements of the Directive, it remains to be seen if the Government will take the opportunity to go further than is required in respect of the proposed entitlements set out above. Once implemented, employers will need to review and amend their family and caring leave policies to ensure they are compliant with the new legislation. We expect the Government will issue guidance to employers on how to handle requests for flexible working arrangements and that employers will be required or recommended to have flexible working policies in place. Practical considerations for retail employers Right to request flexible working: Retail employers should consider how their businesses currently deal with requests for flexible working and how they can provide more flexible working arrangements for employees, together with the degree of flexibility they can afford to employees. Consideration should be given to how this will impact both store-based employees and head office employees and whether there are differing requirements for the different cohorts of employees. Allowing flexible working arrangements may be more complex for store-based employees, and in particular, store managers, where there are already staff shortages and employee absences due to Covid-19, but it is something that employers will need to consider, given the proposed changes the legislation will bring about. In addition, store-based employees, like all employees, are seeking greater flexibility in their working arrangements and where this flexibility is not provided by their employer, they may resign and join an employer who offers the flexibility they need, leading to further staff shortages. Common requests from store-based employees might be a request not to have to work weekends or evenings. Although the draft legislation currently limits the right to request flexible working

to employees with children and caring responsibilities, employers may wish to extend the right to request flexible working arrangements to other employees. Consideration should be given to who will deal with flexible working requests and whether these decisions will be made at store level, by HR or by head office. Where requests are dealt with at store level, it should be ensured that a written procedure for dealing with such requests (drafted in line with the legislation and any Government guidance) is followed and that any decisions are properly documented in accordance with that procedure. A written procedure is also important to ensure that requests are dealt with consistently throughout the various stores. Store managers should be provided with training for dealing with such requests. Employers should also consider whether there are any existing informal flexible working practices in place, whereby employees swap shifts between themselves or cover for each other and how these informal practices will fit within the formal flexible working arrangements that can be requested by employees. It would be helpful for employers to consult with employees (and unions where appropriate), for example by way of focus groups, about future flexible working arrangements they are seeking in order to prepare for dealing with such requests and to manage employee expectations on what is possible. Extension of the period during which time can be taken out from work to breastfeed: The extension of the period during which time can be taken out from work to breastfeed from 26 weeks to 104 weeks following the birth of a child will likely mean that employers (including retail employers) will have more employees returning to work after maternity leave seeking to avail of this entitlement and will need to consider how they will accommodate these employees. Previously the period was equal to the ordinary maternity leave period and so where employees took their full maternity leave entitlement, this right would not apply upon their return to work. Such employees are entitled, at the employer’s choice, to: 1. Breastfeed in the workplace or express breast milk (without loss of pay), where facilities are provided in the workplace by the employer. Breastfeeding breaks may be taken as one 60-minute break, two 30-minute breaks or three 20-minute breaks or as otherwise agreed with the employer. 2. Have their working hours reduced (without loss of pay) to facilitate

breastfeeding where facilities are not made available. The employee is entitled to have their working hours reduced by one period of 60 minutes, two periods of 30 minutes or three periods of 20 minutes or as otherwise agreed with the employer. Retail employers should consider whether they can provide facilities in the workplace (be it the store or head office) to facilitate breastfeeding. There is no obligation on an employer to provide such facilities where this would give rise to more than a nominal cost but it could lead to less disruption of shift schedules where such facilities cannot be provided and employees have to leave the workplace.

About the authors FOR further information on this topic please contact:

Linda Hynes (Linda.Hynes@lewissilkin.com), Partner.

Laura Ensor (laura.ensor@lewissiklin.com), Senior Associate, on the Employment, Immigration and Reward team at Lewis Silkin Ireland,. This article is for general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice should be sought in any given set of circumstances.

Although most plastic packaging is no longer landﬁlled we currently only recycle 31%. We need your help to meet future EU plastic recycling targets of 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030. As an Irish business you are obligated to segregate the waste you generate at your premises for recycling. Waste contractors must provide you with the necessary bin collection systems to maximise the segregation and recycling of your waste. Repak will provide you with the support and advice to help ensure you are recycling correctly and help to reduce your waste management costs. Please contact our Membership Team and help Ireland remain one of Europe’s top recycling countries.

44|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards

Shortlist announced for the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards

The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards shortlist has been announced, ahead of the Awards Ceremony in September. The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, some of Ireland’s most prestigious accolades in the food and drink industry, have announced the shortlist for 2022. The 2022 judging panel was made up of some of the most respected food and drink experts from across the island of Ireland, all with the enviable tasks of tasting nearly 1,000 delicious products over two weeks. During an extremely rigorous process, the judges covered innovation, taste, flavour, texture, aroma, ingredients, provenance, packaging, presentation and price point, while putting each entry through its paces to produce this impressive list of finalists. The full list of fantastic products that were voted as finalists is revealed below. These include some of the greatest products from Irish retailers and independent producers, representing all

corners of the Irish food and drink market, from all year-round retail to Christmas, foodservice and alcohol. “Once again, the judges’ palates were wowed by the quality of the food and drink we saw this year,” revealed Beth Treleaven, IQFDA Director. “Despite a tough couple of years, it’s clear the food and drink industry in Ireland has not been short of innovation or commitment to providing great products to the Irish market. We are so excited to see everyone in person this year and celebrating with another great awards night.” On behalf of the Irish Quality Food and Drinks Awards team, a huge congratulations to all the finalists! The winners will be announced during the Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at the Round Room, Mansion House, in Dublin, returning as an in-person event

after two years of virtual announcements. To join in with celebrating the industry’s greatest products and network with colleagues across the Irish food and drink scene, be sure to secure your tickets at irish.qualityfoodawards.com. The organisers wish to thank their sponsors, including: Dairymaid (Sponsors of the Retailer of the Year Award), Dunnes Stores Simply Better (Sponsors of the Small Producer of the Year Award), Invest Northern Ireland and O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey, and partners, including RETAIL NEWS, Alpha Omega Consultants, IFEX, Irish Food Magazine, and Urban Brand Creative For further information, please contact Beth Treleaven, Event Director: beth. treleaven@irishqualityfoodawards.com and Oana Nenciulescu, Marketing Manager: oana.nenciulescu@emap.com.

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards Shortlist 2022 Retail Categories Ambient Breakfast Products • Aldi Kavanagh’s Granola - Double Oat • Aldi Kavanagh’s Organic Porridge • Dunnes Stores Fruit & Fibre • Dunnes Stores Notoriously Nutty Granola • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Fruit & Nut Muesli • Lidl Organic Wafer Oats Bacon • Aldi Specially Selected Maple Dry Cured Beechwood Smoked Irish Back Rashers • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Dry Cured Unsmoked Irish Rashers • Lidl Deluxe Dry Cure Unsmoked Streaky Rashers • Lidl Glensallagh American Style Thin Cut Smoked Irish Streaky Rashers • Lidl Glensallagh Premium Thick Cut

• •

Hickory Smoked Bacon Rashers Oakpark American Style Bacon SuperValu Signature Tastes Cherrywood Smoked Dry Cured Rashers

Baked Breakfast Products • Brambles Artisan Irish Handmade Sausage roll • Dunnes Stores Portuguese Tart • Dunnes Stores Simply Better French Made All Butter Cinnamon Swirls • Golden Bake Bake at Home Mini All Butter Pastries Beef • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus 3 Rib Roast, ABP Cahir • Dawn Meats Irish Angus 3 Rib Roast On The Bone 40 Days • Dunnes Stores Simply Better 28 Day Matured Irish Angus Picanha Roast • Lidl Irish 30 Day Matured

• • •

Chateaubriand Lidl Irish Round Roasting Joint 28 Days Matured SuperValu/Centra Serve Over the Counter Rib Roast Tesco Finest Certified Carvery Angus Rib Roast, ABP Cahir

Beef Steaks - Fillet • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus Fillet Steak • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus Fillet Steaks, ABP Cahir • Dawn Meats Angus Fillet Steaks • Dunnes Stores Simply Better 14 Day Matured Irish Angus Fillet Steaks • Lidl 2 Irish Angus Fillet Steaks aged 32 Days Matured • M&S Irish Angus Fillet Steak, ABP Cahir Beef Steaks - Other Cuts • Aldi Butchers Selection Quick Fry Steak with Oak Smoked Salt and Fiery Chilli

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|45

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards • • •

Glaze, ABP Cahir Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Angus Minute Steaks Tesco Fire Pit Club Steak, ABP Cahir Tesco Fire Pit Mohawk Steak, ABP Cahir

Beef Steaks – Rib Eye • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus Rib Eye Steak, ABP Cahir • Aldi Specially Selected Tipperary Dry Aged Black Angus Rib Eye Steak, ABP Cahir • Dunnes Stores Organic Rib Eye Steak, ABP Cahir • Lidl Irish Angus Dry Aged Rib Eye Steak 36 Days Matured • SuperValu Signature Tastes Hereford Rib Eye Steaks Beef Steaks - Sirloin • Aldi Butchers Selection Sirloin Steak with a Peppered Crust, ABP Cahir • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus Sirloin Steak, ABP Cahir • Dunnes Stores Organic Sirloin Steak, ABP Cahir • Dunnes Stores Simply Better 28 Day Matured Irish Angus Sirloin Steaks • Lidl 2 Irish Angus Sirloin Steaks 30 Days Matured • Lidl 2 Irish Sirloin Steaks 30 Days Matured Beef Steaks - Striploin • Aldi Butchers Selection Striploin Steak, ABP Cahir • Aldi Specially Selected Dry Aged Tipperary Black Angus Striploin Steak • Dunnes Stores Organic Striploin Steak, ABP Cahir • Dunnes Stores Simply Better 28 Day Matured Irish Angus Striploin Steaks • Inspired by Centra Angus Striploin Steaks • Lidl Irish Angus Dry Aged Striploin Steak 36 Days Matured • M&S Irish Angus Striploin Steaks, ABP Cahir

Plant It Meat Free Burger, shortlisted in the Vegetarian/Vegan - Main Meal Centre category.

Biscuits • Aldi Specially Selected All Butter Fruit and Oat Cookies • Aldi Specially Selected Half Coated

• • • • • • •

Quadruple Chocolate Cookies Dunnes Stores Milk Chocolate Oaties Biscuits Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Oat and Cranberry Cookies Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Oat and Ginger Cookies Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Sea Salt & Olive Oil Organic Bruschetta Dunnes Stores Simply Better Rosemary Grissini Dunnes Stores Tomato & Herb Mini Breadsticks Golden Bake Bake at Home Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Burgers and Meatballs • Aldi Butcher’s Selection Irish Lamb Kebabs with Coriander, Chilli & Lime Seasoning • Aldi Butcher’s Selection Lamb Dinner Burger with Salt & Pepper and Citrus & Herb Crust • Aldi Specially Selected Dry Aged Tipperary Black Angus Beef Burger, ABP Cahir • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Angus Quarter Pounder • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus 6oz Beef Burger with Dry Cured Streaky Bacon and a Creamy Cheese Melt, ABP Cahir • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus Burgers, ABP Cahir • Dunnes Stores 4 Irish Beef Rib Steak Burgers • Dunnes Stores Irish Lamb Tandoori Style Kebabs • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Angus Ultimate Steak Meatballs • Lidl 2 Dry Aged Angus Rib Steak Burgers • Lidl 2 Ultimate Angus Burgers Wrapped in Bacon With Cheese Topper Butter • Dunnes Stores My Family Favourites Irish Creamery Butter • North Cork Creameries Ór Real Irish Butter Chocolate and Confectionery • Aldi Róisín’s Filled Bars - Salted Caramel • Aldi Róisín’s Filled Bars - Valencia Orange • Aldi Róisín’s Handmade Bars - Orange Crisp • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Handmade Coconut, Raspberry & Orange Nougat • Lidl Deluxe Irish Dark Chocolate • Lidl Deluxe Irish Milk Chocolate • Lidl Deluxe Irish Milk Chocolate with Mint • Lidl Deluxe White Chocolate Krispies Popcorn Tub • Lidl Fairtrade Salted Caramel Bar Condiments • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Hot BBQ Sauce • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Hot Wing Sauce • Fused Japanese Style Hot Sauce

• • • •

Fused Katsu Curry Ketchup La Tia Juana’s Guasacaca Sauce Lidl Cranberry & Orange Sauce Lidl Cranberry & Port Sauce

Cooking Sauces • Dunnes Stores Italian Basil Pesto • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Red Pepper & Ricotta Pasta Sauce • Lidl Basil Pesto • Lidl Irish Tomato & Basil Sauce • Pestle + Mortar Sundried Tomato Pesto, Glamere Fresh Foods • Tasty Kitchen Thai Paste Pot

Silver Hill Duck Fat, shortlisted in the Store Cupboard category.

Creams and Custards • Judges’ Choice Crisps • Dunnes Stores Organic Salt & Apple Cider Vinegar Crisps • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Cooked Clogherhead Sea Salt & White Wine Vinegar Crisps • Keogh’s Atlantic Sea Salt and Sweet Irish Vinegar Crisps • O’Donnells Ballymaloe Relish & Cheddar Cheese Flavour Crisps • O’Donnells Furrows Irish Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt Flavour Crisps • O’Donnells Furrows Mature Cheese & Red Onion Flavour Crisps • O’Donnells Irish Cider Vinegar Sea Salt Crisps • O’Donnells Irish Sea Salt Crisps • O’Donnells Sour Cream & Onion Flavour Crisps • O’Donnells Sweet Chilli Flavour Crisps Dairy Spreads • Aldi Kilkeely Spreadable Butter • Lidl Spreadable Butter Desserts and Puddings • Aldi Cookie Dó • Dunnes Stores Luxury Ice Cream Cake • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Mango & Passion Fruit Mousse • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Sticky Toffee Pudding • Lidl Sticky Toffee Pudding • Sweet Stuff Meringues Dips • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Original Houmous • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Roasted Pepper Houmous

46|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards • • • • • • • • • • Jinny’s Bakery Irish Stout Bread Mix, shortlisted in the Store Cupboard category.

Eggs • Judges’ Choice Fish Fillets • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Fresh Garlic & Herb Irish Salmon Darnes • Lidl Salmon Loin with Garlic Butter & Rosemary Food To Go • Aldi Chipotle Chicken Artisan Wrap • Aldi Fresh Sushi • Applegreen Hoi Sin Chicken and Spiced Noodle Wrap, Deli Lites • Around Noon Cajun Chicken Baguette • Brambles Artisan Ham and Cheese Jambon • Dunnes Stores Pickled Vegetable, Edamame Beans, Black Rice & Buckwheat Salad Bowl • Golden Brown Hang n Cheese • Lidl Chicken Caesar Salad Bowl • Lidl Rice & Quinoa Salad with Chilli Coriander Dressing • Milgro Flame Grilled Steak Flavour Crispy Onions Snack Pack Free From Gluten • Aldi Butchers Selection 3% Low Fat Beef Burgers • Aldi Specially Selected Gluten Free Oat & Raisin Cookies • Aldi Specially Selected Gluten Free Quadruple Chocolate Chip Cookies • Dunnes Stores Gluten Free Irish Breaded Mini Chicken Fillets • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Bramley Apple Crumble • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Double Chocolate Brownie • Lidl Gluten Free Luxury Cookies • Tesco Finest Certified Angus Classic Burger with Dry Cured Streaky Bacon and Smoked Cheddar Melt Fresh Produce - Fruit • Aldi Four Seasons - Lemon & Lime Slices • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Expertly Grown Irish Triple Berries • Keeling’s Irish Raspberries • Keeling’s Kol’or Pineapple • Keeling’s Sweet Irish Strawberries Fresh Produce - Salad • Aldi Specially Selected Matured Cheddar Cheese Coleslaw

•

Dunnes Stores Burger Slaw Dunnes Stores Orzo Pasta Salad Dunnes Stores Simply Better Ruby Slaw Dunnes Stores Simply Better Yogurt & Sumac Courgette & Radish Slaw Dunnes Stores Supergreen Salad Lidl Beetroot Deli Style Coleslaw McCormack Farms Energise SuperMix McCormack Farms Family Pack SuperValu Roasted Chickpea and Barley Salad SuperValu Signature Tastes Irish Grown Mixed Piccolo Tomatoes SuperValu Signature Tastes Mixed Leaf Salad with Pickled Slaw, Mixed Seeds and an Oriental Style Miso Dressing

Fresh Produce - Vegetables • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Cut Butternut Squash & Aged Feta • Gilfresh Produce Vegetable Fajita Kit • Meade Farm Rooster Potatoes Game • Aldi Specially Selected Silver Hill Whole Duck • Lidl Confit Duck Legs • Lidl Duck Breast with Garlic & Pepper • Lidl Irish Crispy Roast Half Duckling With Pancakes & Hoisin Sauce • Lidl Plain Duck Breasts Hard Cheese • Aldi Specially Selected Cashel Blue • Aldi Specially Selected Extra Mature Gouda • Aldi Specially Selected Manchego • Bó Rua Farm Original Irish Farm Cheddar • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Hegarty’s Cloth Bound Cheddar • Dunnes Stores Simply Better West Cork Co-Op Vintage Drinagh Cheddar • Lidl Vintage Cheddar • SuperValu Signature Tastes Gubbeen Cheese Hot Beverages • Aldi Mc Graths Tea Bags • Bró 38 Go Bró Coffee • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Relax Organic Herbal Tea Infusion • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Single Estate Colombian Ground Coffee • Ethos Balance Hemp Tea • Lidl Fairtrade Columbian Ground Coffee • Lidl Ground Columbian Coffee • SuperValu Reserve Blend Fairtrade Tea Ice Cream and Lollies • Dunnes Stores French Vanilla Ice Cream • Dunnes Stores Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Made Alphonso Mango & Passion Fruit Sorbet • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Made Hazelnut Gelato • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Made Pistachio Gelato • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian

•

Made Raspberry Sorbet Lidl Deluxe Salted Caramel Billionaire Shortbread

Lamb • Lidl Fresh Irish Boned and Rolled Lamb Leg • SuperValu Signature Tastes Atlantic Hill Lamb Leg Large Cakes • Aldi Specially Selected Caramel & Toffee Split Cake • Dunnes Stores Celebration Vanilla & Chocolate Loaded Drip Cake • Dunnes Stores Hot Tea Loaf • Lidl Split Cake Toffee Caramel Loaves, Rolls, and Flatbreads • Aldi Crusty Pan • Dunnes Stores House Organic Seeded Sourdough • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Waterford Blaa • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Piadina Romagnola IGP Alla Riminese • SuperValu Centra Sean’s Brown Bread • The Breadski Brothers Sourdough Cob • Treatvale Traditional Romanian Bread Meal Accompaniments • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Creamy Potato Gratin with Irish Garlic & Drinagh Vintage Cheddar • Lidl Cornbread Sage & Onion Stuffing Meat Antipasti & Sliced Meats • Brady Family Master Butcher Dry Aged Baked Ham • Brady Family Pre-Wrapped Deli Shaved Ham • Brady Family Pre-Wrapped Deli Turf Smoked Ham • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Spanish Jamón de Bellota Ibérico 48 Month Matured • Green Farm Added Benefits Enriched Chicken Breast Slices • Green Farm Added Benefits Enriched Turkey Breast Slices • Green Farm Chilli & Garlic Chicken Breast Fillet • Homebird Irish Roast Chicken Slices • Homebird Irish Roast Turkey Slices • Lidl Deluxe American Style Beef Pastrami with Black Pepper and Oakwood Smoked • Lidl Deluxe Cured & Cooked Carvery Ham Honey & Clove glazed

Golden Bake Bake at Home Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies, shortlisted in the Biscuits category.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|47

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards •

SuperValu Signature Tastes Riojan Chorizo Cular

Meat Based Items and Platters • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Irish Duck Rillette Pâté • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Charcuterie Selection • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Spanish Ibérico Charcuterie Selection Meat Puddings • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Irish Black Pudding • Lidl Deluxe Irish White Pudding Traditional Style Milk • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Organic Irish Jersey Whole Milk • Lidl Lactose Free Light Milk Oils, Vinegars and Dressings • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Rapeseed Oil • Lidl Irish Rapeseed Oil • SuperValu Rapeseed Oil

•

Maple & Spice Glaze SuperValu Irish Hampshire Smoked Roasting Bacon Joint with Spiced Brown Sugar Glaze

Poultry • Aldi Butchers Selection Chicken Fillet with Tomato and Rocket Cheese Melt and Basil Pesto and Rocket Crumb Topping • Aldi Butchers Selection Chicken Katsu Curry • Aldi Specially Selected Cook in Bag Whole Chicken: Caramelised Onion & Smoked Bacon Stuffing • Dunnes Stores Cook at Home Piri Piri Spatchcock Chicken • Dunnes Stores Irish Chicken Sweet & Spicy Wings • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Corn Fed Chicken Breast Fillets wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma with Asparagus Spears & Irish Butter

Pasta, Rice & Grains • Judges’ Choice Pizzas • Aldi Carlos 4 Pack Mini Pizza Base • Aldi Carlos Takeaway Pizza - The Big Cheese • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Piccante Pizza • Dunnes Stores Stonebaked Goats Cheese & Caramelised Onion Pizza • Lidl Sourdough Pizza Half & Half Goat’s Cheese, Onion & Spinach / ‘Nduja, Picante Salami, Red Peppers • Lidl Rostello Ham, Garlic Mushroom & Mascarpone Sourdough Pizza • Lidl Spicy Italian Schiacciata Salami Sourdough Pizza • SuperValu Signature Taste / Inspired By Centra Italian Prosciutto & Spicy Salami Stonebaked Sourdough Pizza Pork • Aldi Specially Selected Dry Cured Applewood Smoked Irish Half Horseshoe Ham • Dunnes Stores Cook at Home Butter & Herb Stuffed Irish Pork Fillet wrapped with Maple Glazed Streaky Rashers • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Free Range Ibérico Pork Presa Steaks • Lidl Cook in Bag Irish Pork Fillet with Garlic and Herb Marinade • Lidl Deluxe Dressed Half Ham Leg Bone In with Honey, Mustard and Clove Glaze • Lidl Deluxe Dry Cure Half Horseshoe Ham Cherrywood Smoked Joint • Lidl Deluxe Irish Stuffed Pork Fillet with Apple and Rosemary Stuffing • Lidl Deluxe Outdoor Reared Dry Cured Ham Fillet • Lidl Dry Cured Irish Bacon Roasting Joint with a Sweet Honey and Wholegrain Mustard Glaze • Lidl Topside Sweet Cure Bitter Orange,

Quiches, Pies and Savoury Pastries Aldi Specially Selected Beef Brisket Pie Brambles Artisan Ham and Cheese Jambon • Brambles Artisan Irish Handmade Sausage Roll • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Irish Goat’s Cheese & Caramelised Red Onion Quiche • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade West Cork Gubbeen Chorizo & Irish Potato Quiche • Golden Bake Chicken Curry Jambons

• •

Ready Meals • Aldi Inspired Cuisine Chicken Korma • Aldi Inspired Cuisine Pad Thai • Aldi Tastyfit Thai Green Veg Curry • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Irish Angus Beef Lasagne • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Seafood Pie • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Slow Cooked Irish Chicken Red Curry • Lidl Beef Ragu • Pipin Pear Organic Mango And Chicken • Roots and Shoots Chana Palak • Roots and Shoots Chickpea and Butternut Tagine • Roots and Shoots Lentil Dahl Reduced Fat Meat • Judges’ Choice Reduced/Low • Judges’ Choice

Hellbent Chakalaka Sausages, shortlisted in the Sausages category.

Prepared Fish • Donegal Catch Salt & Vinegar Haddock Bites • Dunnes Stores Breaded Monkfish Goujons with Tartar Sauce • Dunnes Stores Breaded Scampi • Lidl Salmon Sensation • Lidl Salmon with Sweet Chilli Fish Cakes Preserves and Sweet Spreads • Aldi Vanilla Bean Passionfruit Curd • All Real Nutrition Salted Caramel Peanut Butter • Blackwater Honey Blossom Honey • Blackwater Honey Heather Honey • Blackwater Honey Soft Set Honey • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Mixed Berry Preserve • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Seville Orange Marmalade • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Limited Edition Eucalyptus Honey • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Organic Grade A Canadian Maple Syrup • Dunnes Stores Wholefoods Crunchy Peanut Butter • Signature Tastes Raspberry Conserve Jam

Relishes and Chutneys • Aldi Specially Selected Sweet Tomato Irish Relish • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Spiced Mango Chutney • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Made Gherkin Relish with Mustard • Irish Black Butter • Lidl Apple & Fig Relish • SuperValu Signature Taste Fire Roasted Pepper Relish Sausages • Barry John Sausages Sage & Onion Pork Sausages • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Pork Spring Onion & Black Pepper Sausages • Hellbent Chakalaka Sausages • Lidl Deluxe Caramelised Onion Pork Sausages Infused with Caramelised Onion Marmalade • Lidl Deluxe Honey & Mustard Sausages Infused with Honey & Wholegrain Mustard • Lidl Deluxe Premium Irish Jumbo Pork Sausages • Lidl Deluxe Three Chilli Pork Sausages Infused with 3 Exotic Chillies • Lidl Outdoor Reared Irish Jumbo Pork Sausages Shellfish and Seafood • Dunnes Stores Wild Atlantic Prawns with Garlic & Herb Butter • Lidl Fresh Scallops & Prawns • Lidl King Prawn Cocktail

48|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards • • • • • •

Lidl King Prawns with Lemongrass and Chilli Lidl King Scallops Lidl Marinated Cooked and Peeled Garlic & Seaweed King Prawns Lidl Mussels in Tomato & Garlic Sauce Lidl Mussels in White Wine Sauce Lidl Scallops with Deluxe Black Pudding

Small Cakes • Dunnes Stores Millionaire Squares • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Irish Raspberry Bakewell Slices • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Salted Caramel Slices • Lidl Rachel H’s Coffee Slice Smoked Fish • Carrick Foods Cured Salmon with Lemon & Dill • Dunnes Store Simply Better Oak & Hickory Smoked Organic Irish Salmon with Kilkenny Apple Crystal Gin & Organic Juniper Berries • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Oak & Hickory Smoked Organic Irish Salmon with Organic Seaweed & Spices Snacks • Aldi Specially Selected Extra Buttery Toffee Popcorn • Blanco Niño Ancient Grain Blue Corn Tortilla Chips • Blanco Niño Chilli & Lime White Corn Tortilla Chips • Dunnes Stores Sweet Chilli Nut Mix • Keogh’s Butter and Sea Salt Popcorn • Noisy Snacks Chip Shop Curry Flavoured Coated Chickpeas • Pipin Pear Freggie-Bites Apple and Spinach

Blackwater Honey Blossom Honey is shortlisted in the Preserves and Sweet Spreads category.

Soft Cheese • Dunnes Stores Creamy Italian Mascarpone • Dunnes Stores Simply Better French Epoisses PDO • Dunnes Stores Simply Better French Reblochon De Savoie • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Durrus Óg • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Wicklow Bán • Lidl Cooleeney Camembert • Lidl Tipperary Brie

•

Tullahay Farm Soft Cheese with Tomato, Basil and Garlic

Soft Drinks • Aldi Prokulture Organic Ginger & Lemongrass Kombucha • Around Noon Apple & Ginger Cold Pressed Shot • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Pink Grapefruit & Coriander Cordial • Keeling F. Juices Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice • Lidl Juice Shots • Lidl Mango, Banana, Apple, Avocado & Spinach Juice • Lidl Mango, Banana, Apple, Avocado & Spinach Smoothie • Lidl Mango, Passionfruit & Orange Smoothie • Lidl Orange, Apple, and Strawberry Juice • Lidl Pineapple, Melon, Mango & Passionfruit Juice • Lidl Strawberry, Banana and Apple Smoothie • SuperValu Pressed Irish Apple Juice • SuperValu Signature Tastes Raspberry Lemonade Soups • Aldi Specially Selected Seafood Chowder • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Sweet Potato & Irish Chicken Soup • Lidl Chickpea & Coconut Soup • Lidl Hearty Chicken & Vegetable Soup • Lidl Sweet Potato & Chicken Soup • Lidl Wild Mushroom Soup • SuperValu Creamy Mushroom Soup Speciality Cheese • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Buffalo Mozzarella • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Cáis Óir Halloumi • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Ardsallagh with Cranberries • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Truffle Pecorino • Dunnes Stores Tangy and Crumby Greek Feta Store Cupboard • Aldi Specially Selected Passata with Basil and Oregano • Aldi Specially Selected Passata with Garlic • Blackwater Honey Bee Pollen • Dunany Flour Organic Wholemeal Extra Coarse Flour • Dunnes Stores Baking at Home Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix • Dunnes Stores Mexican BBQ Fajita Kit • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade White Chocolate and Bourbon Vanilla Cookie Dough • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Italian Chopped Tomatoes • Jinny’s Bakery Irish Soda Bread Mix • Jinny’s Bakery Irish Stout Bread Mix • Jinny’s Bakery Porridge Oat Bread Mix • Jinny’s Bakery Sophie’s Scone Mix

• • •

Lidl Honey and Mustard Ham Glaze Meade Farm Potato Starch Silver Hill Duck Fat

Blanco Niño Chilli & Lime White Corn Tortilla Chips, shortlisted in the Snacks category.

Vegetable Antipasti • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Cauliflower Pickle • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Cucumber Pickle Vegetarian/Vegan - Main Meal Centre • Aldi Spicy Mexican Bean Enchiladas • Dunnes Stores Beetroot Burgers • Lidl Flavoured Tofu • Plant-It Chicken-Free Southern Fried Bites • Plant-It Chicken-Free Spice Bag • Plant-It Fish-Free Goujons • Plant-It Meat Free Burger Vegetarian/Vegan - Other Items • Aldi Specially Selected Pastry Parcels • Aldi Tasty Healthy Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup • Deli Lites Beets and Spirulina Crunch Pot • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Peanut and Chilli Rayu • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Slow Cooked Vegetable and Lentil Dahl • Dunnes Stores Vegan Mayonnaise • SuperValu No Pork Sausage Rolls Yogurt • Aldi Duneen Dairy Authentically Strained Greek Style Craft Yogurt Madagascan Vanilla • Aldi Specially Selected Handmade Farmhouse Layered Lemon Curd Yogurt • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Wexford Made Rich & Creamy Yogurt with Lemon Curd • Lidl Premium Irish Champagne Rhubarb Yogurt • SuperValu Mango Kefir

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|49

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards Christmas Shortlist Christmas - Gammon and Ham Aldi Ireland Unsmoked Silverside with a Maple & Festive Spice Glaze • Aldi Specially Selected Easy Carve Ham with a Blackberry & Stout Glaze • Aldi Specially Selected Ireland Easy Carve Ham with Fig and Christmas Spice • Lidl Deluxe Roasted Topside Irish Carvery Ham with a Mulled Wine Flavour Glaze • SuperValu Signature Tastes Irish Hampshire Easy Carve Ham Fillet

Christmas - Beef • Aldi Exquisite Specially Selected Fillet Barrel with Red Wine Jus, ABP Cahir • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Black Angus 3 Rib Roast, ABP Cahir • Dunnes Stores Simply Better 28 Day Matured Irish Angus Rib Roast on the Bone • Tesco Finest Certified Angus Carvery Rib Roast, ABP Cahir

•

Christmas - Cheese • Aldi Specially Selected Irish Cheese Hamper Limited Edition • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Baking Wicklow Bán • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Cheese Board In Collaboration with Neven Maguire • SuperValu Signature Taste Cheese & Chutney Selection Box

Christmas - Lamb • Aldi Specially Selected Premium West of Ireland Lamb Guard of Honour with Rosemary and Garlic Salt Rub, Dawn Meats • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Connemara Hill Lamb Fresh Irish Leg of Lamb • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Connemara Hill Lamb Fresh Irish Rack of Lamb

Christmas - Chocolate and Confectionery • Judges’ Choice Christmas - Crisps, Nuts and Snacks • Aldi Specially Selected Cracker Selection • Dunnes Stores Make Christmas Salted Caramel & Chocolate Nut Mix • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Made Multi Seed Rye Crackers

Christmas - Pork • Barry John Sausages Apple & Cranberry Pork Sausages • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Sweet Cured Irish Rack of Bacon

Christmas - Desserts and Puddings • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Chocolate, Raspberry & Caramel Yule Log • SuperValu Signature Tastes/Inspired By Centra Yule Log Christmas - Fish • Aldi Specially Selected Hand Prepared Salmon side with a Cranberry, Chilli and Herb Topping • Aldi Specially Selected Seaweed Smoked Salmon • Dunnes Stores Organic Irish Smoked Salmon • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Poached Organic Irish Side of Salmon Christmas - Free From • Aldi Gluten Free Mince Pies • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Vegetable Nut Roast

Christmas - Party Food • Aldi Specially Selected Black Pudding & Jalapeno Sausage Rolls • Lidl Goats Cheese & Redcurrant Chutney Bruschetta

Christmas - Poultry (excluding Turkey) • Aldi Specially Selected Festive Stuffed and Dressed Whole Chicken • Aldi Specially Selected Free Range Whole Irish Goose • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Corn Fed Chicken Crown With Wild Sage & Red Onion Stuffing, Whiskey Smoked Irish Streaky Rashers And Irish Butter Christmas - Side Dishes • Aldi Specially Selected Black Pudding and Apple Stuffing • Aldi Specially Selected Cranberry Apricot & Orange Stuffing • Aldi Specially Selected Smoked Bacon & Butter Leek Stuffing

• •

Dunnes Stores Simply Better Creamy Potato Gratin with Irish Garlic & Drinagh Vintage Cheddar Lidl Buttery Roast Potatoes

Christmas - Store Cupboard Items • Aldi Specially Selected Honey & Spiced Apple Ham Glaze • Aldi Specially Selected Plum & Apple Chutney • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Brandy Butter • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Orange & Honey Ham Glaze • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Rum Butterscotch Sauce Christmas - Traditional Christmas Cakes and Slices • Aldi Vintage Christmas Cake • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Decorated Jewelled Christmas Cake • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Made All Butter Iced Christmas Cake Slices Christmas - Traditional Christmas Puddings • Aldi Specially Selected Laura’s Irish Vintage Christmas Pudding • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Limited Edition Hennessy Cognac Christmas Pudding • SuperValu Signature Tastes Kevin Dundon Pudding Christmas - Turkey • Aldi Specially Selected Large Irish Bronze Turkey Crown Stuffed & Dressed with Streaky Bacon • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Heritage Bronze Butter Basted Fresh Irish Turkey Breast Joint with Chestnut, Port, Cranberry & Orange Stuffing • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Heritage Bronze Fresh Irish Reared Turkey Breast with Cranberry, Apricot & Clementine Stuffing • Lidl Organic Bronze Irish Turkey In Giftbox Christmas - Vegan/Vegetarian • Aldi No Turkey Crown with Vegan Bacon • Deli Lites Vegan Festive Aromatic D’uk and Glazed Beetroot Wrap

Foodservice Shortlist Foodservice Bread and Morning Goods • BWG Foodservice Half Baguette with Quinoa, Chickpeas & Tomato • Roundstone Bakehouse Feasting Sourdough, Odaios Foods • Roundstone Bakehouse Seaweed Sourdough, Odaios Foods • Roundstone Bakehouse Stout Soda Bread, Odaios Foods • Roundstone Bakehouse Toasting Sourdough, Odaios Foods • Roundstone Bakehouse White Sourdough, Odaios Foods Foodservice Cakes & Desserts • Judges’ Choice

Foodservice Condiments, Dressings & Sauces • BWG Foodservice Chef’s Kitchen Mango Pineapple and Chilli Chutney • BWG Foodservice Chef’s Kitchen Blackberry & Apple Compote Foodservice Food to Go • Judges’ Choice Foodservice Meat • BWG Foodservice 28 Day Dry Aged Sharing Bone In Striploin 900g • BWG Foodservice Gourmet Smash Burger 4oz • Sysco 10oz Dry Aged Hereford Fillet Steak, ABP Cahir

• • • • • • • •

Sysco 12oz Irish Hereford Rib Eye Steak, ABP Cahir Sysco Dry Aged 10oz Irish Hereford Rib Eye Steak, ABP Cahir Sysco Dry Aged Irish Hereford Tomahawk Steak, ABP Cahir TDA Cote De Boeuf, ABP Cahir TDA Fillet Steak, ABP Cahir TDA Rib Eye Joint, ABP Cahir TDA Rib Eye Steak, ABP Cahir TDA Striploin Joint, ABP Cahir

Foodservice Vegan Products • BWG Foodservice Plant Based Caramel Apple Bake • Plant-It Super Greens Burger

50|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Banking & Finance

Bank of Ireland supporting retail sector Bank of Ireland are committed to supporting the Irish SME community through whatever challenges they face, from the effects of macro-economic events to the fact that two major banks are leaving the country, writes Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland.

WHILE the pandemic, Brexit and the continuing inflationary cycle have brought significant challenges and uncertainties for businesses across Ireland, they have responded and adapted at pace and in a proactive manner. Recent macro-economic events are likely to be the catalyst for enduring changes in business trade and investment activity, such as the prioritisation of digital capabilities, changes to work practices and working locations, and an increased focus on responsible and sustainable business. Bank of Ireland remains firmly focused on supporting customers, both existing and new, through these challenging times by continuing to provide operational funding supports and new lending facilities for investment and growth. The Bank is committed to serving our customers brilliantly and transforming progressively to meet their needs. We continue to proactively engage with our retail sector customers and their advisors nationwide and indeed have supported the investment plans of Irish SME’s across a range of sectors to date in 2022. Our dedicated teams will continue to support Irish SME’s over the coming months as they adapt to changing customer preferences, navigate an inflationary environment and innovate in response to new business opportunities. Re-emerging successfully from the pandemic/inflationary cycle may mean significant longer-term adjustments to operating models, supply chains, digital

processes and workforce structures. SME’s need to be planning not just for shortterm requirements, but also for a longer term reshaping and rebuilding of their businesses strategy and vision. In switching to Bank of Ireland, retailers will benefit from 200 years of experience, a comprehensive range of business accounts and services, multi-channel banking – including a network of over 1,000 locations where you can do your everyday banking, relationship support model and advice from our team of sector specialists. We are committed to supporting Irish businesses to thrive. Our relationship structure Throughout Bank of Ireland Business Banking, there are dedicated teams of Relationship Managers and Business Advisers who can visit businesses and advise on the types of products to help get businesses up and running and sustain their operations - e.g. working capital, term lending, invoice discounting, asset finance and leasing. We also offer advice regarding safe and secure foreign currency services to support businesses trading abroad, as well as longer term financial planning for your retirement. Our small and micro businesses and medium-sized business customers are supported through our digital end-to-end channels and our branch network. Our medium-sized business customers are also supported by Business Banking Client Services, who are a dedicated services and loan fulfilment team. All of our business

Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland.

customers also have access to our Sectors team – recognised specialists recruited directly from their respective industries/ sectors. Our Asset and Commercial Finance segment primarily includes financing for asset purchase and debtor financing. The Bank provides asset finance to our SME clients for the purchase of vehicles, tractors, buses, trucks, farm machinery, business equipment etc. on a Hire Purchase basis. A dedicated mobile team is in place to support these customers on a local basis. There are also telephone-based specialists available for these customers. As Ireland’s leading business bank

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|51

Banking & Finance our customers, their advisors and industry stakeholders on a monthly basis. As the Head of the Retail Sector, I am meeting and engaging with Irish retailers on a daily basis. I am a strong advocate for the Irish retail sector and it remains a privilege to support family-owned retailers nationwide with their growth ambitions and banking requirements. In Bank of Ireland, we recognise that we have a unique opportunity to support our customers and to enable Irish businesses and the communities we jointly serve to thrive. We understand the investment cycle,

Bank of Ireland Business Banking have dedicated teams of Relationship Managers and Business Advisers to advise on the types of products to help get businesses up and running and sustain their operations (Image from rawpixel.com).

and through ongoing engagement with customers, intermediaries and industry bodies, we are strongly positioned to give well-rounded advice, along with being able to offer appropriate debt or credit solutions to our business customers. Switching to Bank of Ireland As two prominent banks exit the Irish market, we have commenced a proactive consumer awareness campaign to support both personal and business account holders moving banks. The campaign directs account movers to a range of useful supports, including step-by-step guides, a dedicated phone line and an online hub to help them with the move. Our new dedicated online hub, The Big Move, includes a step-by-step guide for customers on how to close their existing current account, open a new account, make changes to regular payments, and apply for credit products such as overdrafts. Templates for letters to SEPA Direct Debit originators, payroll change instruction letters to employers, and credit payment redirection forms have also been developed to help consumers navigate the process. All of this information can be accessed online at: https://personalbanking.bankofireland. com/thebigmove/ (Big Move - Current Account - Bank of Ireland) or at https:// businessbanking.bankofireland.com/app/ uploads/the-big-move-guide-businessbank-of-ireland.pdf.

Dedicated retail sector support Our sectors team continue to proactively engage with our customers and their advisors nationwide. As our customers reposition their business to reflect the current trading environment, our sector specialists are keeping them informed on relevant trends and developments within their respective sectors. A comprehensive publication, ‘Sectors Developments and Insights’, is issued by our sectors team to

The business banking team at Bank of Ireland understand the investment cycle in the retail sector, including the need for regular expenditure to maintain growth and profitability.

including the need for regular expenditure to maintain growth and profitability in this dynamic sector, and we have a strong appetite to support progressive, innovative retailers in the further development of their businesses in 2022 and beyond. For further information on switching accounts, funding requirements or to receive our monthly update please e-mail me directly at: owen.clifford@boi.com.

Bank of Ireland remains focused on supporting customers, both existing and new, through these challenging times.

Take charge of your energy use and reduce your energy consumption

Get the insights your business needs with Connect360 - our data-driven energy and environmental monitoring solution. Our detailed insights will help you monitor, measure and manage a range of operational processes in real time. Connect360 will help you maximise your energy efficiency and there are no upfront costs.

energia.ie/business

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|53

What’s New FRANK AND HONEST LAUNCH DECAF COFFEE CAPSULES FRANK and Honest have announced the launch of their new Decaf Coffee Capsules, adding to their already extensive At Home Coffee range. Available in medium roasted 100% arabica blend, the new Decaf Coffee Capsules have tasting notes of yellow plums, hints of citrus and grapefruit, with woody notes. The new decaf Coffee Capsules are Nespresso compatible and are made of aluminium; they are available in select SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide at an RRP of €3.50.

TAYTO LAUNCH NEW LIMITED EDITION FLAVOUR TAYTO have created the flavour you didn’t know you needed: Tayto Fizzy Cola. Rumour has it that this might be Mr Tayto’s craziest invention yet! Combining the iconic taste of Tayto with the iconic taste of Fizzy Cola Bottle, this crisp-tastic invention tastes just like a fizzy cola bottle. If consumers want to get their hands on this new mind blowing flavour, they will be in shops for a limited time only. Tayto Fizzy Cola is guaranteed to tickle your senses and will definitely cause a Tayto Fizzy Face reaction! Triallists of the new flavour can upload their #TaytoFizzyFace to social media for a chance to win prizes.

CELEBRATE SHARING OCCASIONS WITH ShAERO THIS summer, much-loved chocolate brand Aero is celebrating sharing occasions with a new campaign featuring eye-catching limited-edition ShAero pack designs. Available now, these packs are designed to capture shoppers’ attention by featuring a selection of different messages across the brand’s sharing blocks and bags formats. The ‘Who will you ShAero with’ phrase highlights great ways to share your Aero, such as over a cuppa, on date night, with a movie or on a road trip. In addition to the ShAero activity, the brand also recently announced the launch of a brand-new innovation Aero Melts, delicious discs of light and bubbly chocolate that melt effortlessly in the mouth for a moment of chocolatey indulgence.

TWIRL CARAMEL LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE CADBURY have revealed that their latest flavour innovation from the much-loved Twirl bar collection, Twirl Caramel, is now available in Irish stores nationwide. The new limitededition is a tasty new take on the iconic Twirl, with delicious caramel flavours wrapped into the velvety layers of chocolate the bar is famed for. “Twirl Caramel is a limited-edition release, so you need to be quick to get your hands on it before it disappears,” noted Úna Morrison, Senior Brand Manager with Cadbury. “We can’t wait to hear what the nation thinks of our latest flavour innovation from Cadbury and we hope people can help us #ControlTwirlHype!”

DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW WITH NORDIC SPIRIT NORDIC Spirit are extending their mint flavour range with the addition of new Spearmint flavour, a flavour that delivers a fresh, cool sensation with a lasting impression. Nordic Spirit is available now in Spearmint, Smooth Mint and Berry Citrus, in both ‘Regular’ and ‘Strong’ nicotine strengths, and can be used anytime, anywhere. Stock up now to discover your true Nordic Spirit!

54|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: News

Ice ice baby: Circle K celebrates summer food

Circle K open new franchise in Garryspillane CIRCLE K have officially opened the latest addition to their franchise network, Circle K Hinchy’s, a newly redeveloped location, in Garryspillane, Co. Limerick. Hinchy’s Garage was founded in 1979 as a vehicle repair business and added a petrol forecourt in 1986. This redevelopment adds a new shop and forecourt facilities to the premises, including superfast electric vehicle chargers, carwash facilities and customer toilets. Circle K Hinchy’s will create 15 new jobs across full and part-time positions in the local community. “We are absolutely delighted to be launching another Circle K franchise location in Ireland and would like to welcome the entire team at Hinchy’s to the Circle K family,” noted Derek Nolan, Senior Director of Retail Operations for Dealer and Franchise, Circle K Ireland. “We are privileged to partner with outstanding independent retail partners across the country and we are really looking forward to working closely with Jim Hinchy and his team, as well as supporting them in serving the local community in Garryspillane.” Jim Hinchy said: “The Circle K franchise is a perfect fit with our longterm strategy for future expansion and development.” Staff members Xhulio Myftart, Kathy Staunton, Yvonne Duffy (manager), Chloe Duffy and Shauna Fadian are pictured celebrating after it was announced that the Maxol Service Station on the Newport Road in Westport, Co. Mayo, sold a winning EuroMillions Plus ticket worth €500,000.

Westport forecourt sells €500k EuroMillions Plus ticket THE Maxol Service Station on the Newport Road, in Westport, Co. Mayo, sold the winning EuroMillions Plus ticket worth €500,000 for the draw on Tuesday, June 21. The winning quick-pick ticket was sold on the day of the draw and the winner, who wishes to keep their win private, spoke of their shock when they realised they’d won the half million-euro prize: “I’m completely gobsmacked - it’s only really starting to sink in now!”

WITH summer in full swing and temperatures on the rise, new research from Circle K reveals Ireland’s plans for the summer months, from holidays and festivals to food choices. The research (which saw 1,000 Irish adults surveyed by 3Gem on behalf of Circle K, May 2022) was conducted to celebrate Circle K’s summer food offering, which includes three new limited-edition burgers, refreshing K-Freeze iced drinks to quench the summer thirst and Circle K’s premium ice cream selection, which is now available at even more locations nationwide. While 16% of the nation will staycation this summer, over a tenth (11%) will do the double and holiday both at home and abroad. Dublin tops the polls as the favourite place to visit in Ireland during the summer (24%), followed by Galway (13%) and Carlow (6%). For those taking to the Irish roads, over half (51%) say they will stop at a forecourt to satisfy their food and beverage needs along their journey. Hungry road users looking for delectable dishes will rejoice at the news that Circle K have launched three exciting new burgers to their in-store deli range. The mouth-watering limitededition burgers joining the existing deli range are a Beef Burger with Beer Battered Onion Rings, Streaky Bacon and Cheese, a Korean BBQ Chicken Fillet Burger, and a Beef Burger with Streaky Bacon and Cheese. An ice-cold soft drink (31%) is the nation’s beverage of choice in the summer, followed by water (24%), iced coffee (11%) and a frozen beverage (9%) like Circle K’s K-Freeze, which comes in delicious flavours such as Coca-Cola, Sour Apple, Fanta Blue Raspberry and Fanta Strawberry. The research shows that we are a nation of ice cream lovers, as a whopping 74% admit to enjoying the ice-cold sweet treat at least once a week during summer. The classic 99 cone tops the poll as the nation’s favourite (32%), followed by a Magnum (15%), an ice cream sundae (9%) and a Cornetto (8%). This summer, Circle K have extended their premium ice cream range to even more locations nationwide, excluding Circle K Express. Customers will find a huge amount of choice available including soft serve ice cream, sundaes, 99s and scoop ice cream.

Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie|55

Forecourt Focus: News

Tralee school wins €10,000 biodiversity garden from Applegreen SPA National School in Tralee, Co. Kerry, have been named the overall winner of Applegreen’s BioDive sticker collection competition, in association with the education organisation Biodiversity in Schools. Spa National School were the lucky winners of a biodiversity garden worth €10,000 by completing a classroom poster with stickers of native Irish animals, insects and plant life. “It’s been a lot of fun and incredibly rewarding for everyone who’s been involved,” said Clare Killeen, Applegreen’s head of ESG. “More than 1,000 schools registered to take part, which is incredible, and really shows the level of interest in Irish biodiversity.” Applegreen’s BioDive campaign is designed to build awareness among primary school children, their families and local communities about the importance of biodiversity in Ireland. The initiative featured 120 collectible stickers to help students recognise distinct native flora and fauna. “Our entire school community worked together to collect all 120 BioDive stickers from our local Applegreen stores,” said Peter Linehan, school principal. “We are thrilled to have won and can’t wait to get started on our biodiversity garden. The pupils have some great design ideas for the garden and we are all very excited to welcome some new species to our school grounds as we continue our biodiversity support and education.”

Pictured are Clare Killen, Applegreen Head of ESG; Peter Linehan, Principal, Spa National School, Tralee; Éanna Ní Lamhna, BioDive Ambassador; and Alex Biriuc, Applegreen Store Manager, Tralee; with pupils Garreth Lovett (2nd class), Jessica Rian (4th class) and Chloe Stephenson (3rd class).

Circle K opens service station in Grange, Co. Sligo

Pictured are (l-r): Jamie Topham, Assistant Store Manager, Grange; Mihaela Andaluzia Bejenariu, Sales Market Manager; Marie Gallagher, Store Manager; Viesturs Astics, Regional Director of Retail Operations.

CIRCLE K have opened the newest service station in their nationwide company owned network, Circle K Grange, Co. Sligo. The station officially opened on July 8, with a wide range of special offers available in store on the day and throughout July. The filling station opened initially in 2000, and with the redevelopment will now offer a wide range of superb products and services, including Circle K’s deli menu, Circle K Coffee, the K-Freeze iced drink range, a wide selection of freshly baked goods as well as delicious soft serve ice cream. The new store will have a new deli and food on-the-go offerings for those on the move. The new store will use the SafePay end to end closed cash system to enhance levels of security and create a safer environment for customers and the 22 employees at Circle K Grange. With SafePay meaning cash never needs to be handled manually, it also benefits staff by significantly reducing the level of administrative activity associated with traditional cash handling. Circle K’s next generation miles fuel will be also available to customers at the new Grange location, as well as an EV charging station and a carwash opening at the end of July. “We are proud to officially add Circle K Grange to our company owned network today, as we continue to cater for the needs of customers in rural areas across Ireland,” noted Paul Dixon, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations, Circle K Ireland. “We are excited to offer our premium range of products to the people of Grange, Co. Sligo, and road users travelling the area; from our superior quality next generation miles fuel to our Circle K Coffee, specially brewed for the Irish market. I wish all the best to our colleagues and store manager Marie Gallagher, as they continue to offer high quality service to the community of Grange.”

56|Retail News|July - August 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Shelf Life PREMIUM drinks brand Sanpellegrino have created a new visual identity for their tastefully light sparkling fruit range. With the very best selection of Italian ingredients, including real fruit juice, the Sanpellegrino Tastefully Light sparkling fruit range has long been a favourite with consumers looking for a truly thirst quenching and delicious citrus drink. The entire range, which encompasses six vibrant flavours, has switched up its look to a new premium 330ml sleek can. All flavours are also now available in multipacks of four and six.

AIB Merchant Services have become the latest corporate supporter of the Champion Green movement, demonstrating the bank’s backing for SMEs and the drive to support local. “With huge growth in the use of card and payment apps, and the massive shift of Irish SMEs online during the pandemic, we know that our customers need extra support to maximise both ecommerce and in-person trade,” noted Jonathan Mahon, Director of SME Sales & Customer Success at AIB Merchant Services, pictured (right) with Evelyn Moynihan, CEO, Kilkenny Design; John Hoolahan, Marketing Director at AIB Merchant Services; Marian O’Gorman, Founder, Champion Green and Chairperson of Kilkenny Design; and Orla Bowers: Senior Product Manager at AIB Merchant Services.

ABP Food Group have announced the appointment of Sharon Whitehead to the Board of the company as a NonExecutive Director. Sharon is the Group Vice President of HR at Smurfit Kappa plc. Prior to joining Smurfit Kappa plc, she worked with Kerry Group plc in various international HR leadership roles, including Global Vice President of HR. According to John Moloney, Chairman of ABP Food Group, Sharon “brings a wealth of international leadership experience to the role, particularly in the areas of HR, talent development, food science and food processing. Her appointment further strengthens the Board as the business continues to grow and evolve across each of our divisions.”

SSE Airtricity have provided the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) with a donation of €1m that aims to support households in need of financial assistance during the current cost of living crisis. The €1m donation is part of SSE Airtricity’s ongoing customer affordability programme, which includes a range of measures designed to support customers, households and individuals who are experiencing significant challenges in dealing with the rising cost of living. Pictured at the announcement are: Nichola Mullen, Head of Fundraising, SVP, and Klair Neenan, Managing Director of SSE Airtricity.

AFTER a two-year Covid-enforced absence, American College Football returns to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, August 27, with the Northwestern Wildcats playing notional host to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in what will be the opening game of the season for a sport whose popularity Stateside is second only to its professional counterpart. Budweiser, as the official beer of the Classic, will transform the Presidential Suite in the Aviva Stadium into an American Football experience, giving American football fans the chance to capture the ‘Best Seats in the House’ for the hotly anticipated clash. Fans are asked to buy a pint of Budweiser in pubs or a pack of Bud Light at participating off-trade accounts, upload a pic to their Instagram story, tag Bud Ireland and a friend they’d bring with them to be in with a chance to win.

MINISTER for Social Protection and Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, joined Coca-Cola HBC at An Cosán’s community education centre in Dublin to celebrate the launch of the 2022 #YouthEmpowered programme. This year’s programme will be delivered in partnership with An Cosán and YouthAction NI to create a pathway to learning and leadership for over 2,000 young people across the island of Ireland. #YouthEmpowered seeks to bridge the gap in supports for women and disadvantaged youths aged 16-30 who are transitioning back to learning or onwards into the workplace. Pictured are (l-r): Minister of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development, Heather Humphreys TD; Sarah Jane Deegan, ‘Return to Learning’ participant; Ashling Collins, An Cosán ‘Return to Learning’ participant; and Miles Karemacher, General Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland & Northern Ireland.

LIDL Ireland have announced a new deal worth €6m with Hassetts Bakery, based in Cork. The two-year deal will see the family-run business supply Lidl’s network of 175 stores across Ireland with a brand-new chilled cake and dessert range. The delicious Rachel H’s range created by Hassetts is exclusively available in Lidl stores nationwide. Pictured are Michael Hassett, owner, Hassetts Bakery; Noreen Foley, Business Manager, Hassetts Bakery; Stephanie Walsh, Senior Buyer, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland; Brendan Conway, Buying Director - Food, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland.

KRISPY Kreme encouraged doughnutlovers to celebrate their 85th birthday with friends, family, colleagues and loved ones recently by dropping the price of any of their dozens to just €8.50 on July 15. The dough-lightful deal, which was enjoyed in every Krispy Kreme retail shop, included the Original Glazed Dozen, Hot Original Glazed Dozen and the Sharer Dozen and all consumers had to do was wish Krispy Kreme staff a “Happy 85th Birthday”.

OVER

€

BILLION Has been raised for Good Causes all over Ireland since 1987. Thanks to all our National Lottery Retail Agents for your support.

YOU MAKE THIS POSSIBLE

Retail News Magazine July/August 2022

Articles inside

Shelf Life

What’s New

Industry News

Forecourt Focus: News