Retail News December 2018

Retail News DECEMBER 2018

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

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Contents News

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The Christmas Spirit AT the time of writing, the run-up to the festive season is in full swing, as consumers around the country are feverishly preparing for the Christmas holidays, and retailers are in the midst of the pre-Yuletide madness.

Some of the retail representative organisations managed to take time out from the season to talk to Retail News’ Chief News Reporter, Pavel Barter, about what we can expect once the season is over and we head into 2019 (Page 2), and we try to prepare for Brexit: the biggest existential challenge the industry has faced in years.

Elsewhere, awards season is in full swing and we report on the winners of the BIM National Seafood Awards (Page 22) and the Londis Retailing Awards (Page 26), as well as the ECR Ireland Shopper Award for the best brand campaign of the year (Page 39). We also provide our annual guide to some of the country’s retail groups (Page 43-65), focusing on the big achievements during the last 12 months and looking forward to the year ahead.

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers and advertisers a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and profitable 2019.

Finally, I’d like to express our condolences to the families and friends of Liam Linden, former Gala Chairman and co-founder of 4 Aces Wholesale, and of Matthew Lynch, one of the founders of Stafford Lynch, two stalwarts of the grocery trade who passed away recently.

Kathleen Belton, Editorial & Marketing Director.

BIM Seafood Awards 22

Retail News talks to retailer representatives about some of the challenges facing in the industry in 2019.

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New collaboration to make plastic packaging more sustainable.

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Irish shoppers cross the border to spend €64.5m; Strike action at Tesco stores.

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Average households to spend over €2,690 this Christmas; Obituary: Liam Linden.

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Irish foodservice market to grow by 6.1% to reach €8.2 billion; Obituary: Matthew Lynch.

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Aldi shoppers to donate 20,000 meals this Christmas; Fujitsu tech study revealed.

Food Trends 14

Dr Deirdre Moriarty, food trends expert at Musgrave MarketPlace, reveals the hottest food trends for the coming year.

Retail leaders gazed into their crystal balls at the ECR Ireland Leaders Congress to predict the shape of Irish grocery in 2023.

Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund 20

John Moane reflects back on his 12 months as IGBF President of Appeals and explains why the IGBF remains as important as it ever has been.

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Published by: Tara Publishing Ltd,

Kathleen Belton

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Production: Ciara Conway Printed by: W&G Baird

Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen

Graphics: Catherine Doyle

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Jean Smullen looks back over a fine year for the wine trade in Ireland.

Londis Retailing Awards 26

Knight’s Londis, Clara, Co. Offaly was the overall winner at the 2018 Londis Retailing Awards, which honoured Londis retailers from right across the country who embody what Londis is all about.

Energy Management 34

Get Solutions Limited is an energy solutions company, averaging 20-30% cost reduction for their clients.

IGBF Christmas Lunch 36

The Irish grocery industry generously supported the annual IGBF Christmas Lunch.

ECR Awards 39

The ECR Shopper Award saw five stunning brand campaigns battling it out to be named the overall winner, with Heineken 0.0% emerging victorious.

Retail Groups Review 43

Retail News Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

The annual RETAIL GROUPS REVIEW Retail News review of the biggest retail brands in the country, as the groups reflect on the last 12 months and predict what 2019 might bring for Irish grocery retailing.

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Regulars & Reports

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Chief News Reporter: Pavel Barter

On the Vine

ECR Ireland Leaders Congress 16

The finest seafood retailers and processors were rewarded at the BIM Seafood Awards, which also celebrated the role of women in the Irish seafood sector.

Email: ciara@tarapublications.ie Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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Industry News

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Soup

66

Focus on HR

68

Forecourt Focus: News

2|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

News

A Brexit Shaped Hole in the Retail News talks to retailer representatives about some of the challenges facing in the industry in 2019.

THIS year ends on a positive note for Irish grocers. Consumer sentiment is high, sales are growing year-on-year, and business is picking up in urban areas. However, rocky waters await in 2019, particularly in the form of Brexit. Whether Britain's departure from the UK turns out to be a shower or a hurricane, the potential for disruption in Ireland is huge.

Thomas Burke, Director of Retail Ireland, describes Brexit as the biggest existential challenge the industry has faced in years. “A no-deal is the worst-case scenario,” he said. “We don't have the infrastructure at Irish ports, and other points of entry to the country, to assess imports [from the UK]. Whatever the scenario, some form of disruption is coming.”

Consumer sentiment may shift gears as a result. “There is a worry that negativity arising from Brexit, next March, will be manifested in the tills of Irish retailers,” Burke opined.

Rural retailers are most at risk, said Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA), who called on the powers that be to ease the burden on the retail sector: “The Government needs to rethink rateable valuations, and there should be more engagement between local authorities and stakeholders.”

According to a recent report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, small towns are still suffering from high vacancy rates, poor broadband connections, and the dissolution of town councils. RGDATA believes its Collaborative Town Centre Health Check programme, which encourages town centre regeneration, is beginning to see results. Tralee, one of the first towns to take the programme, won Enterprise Town of the Year in 2017.

Letterkenny, another participant, won the same award in 2018.

“The health check Thomas Burke, Director of brings local authorities, Retail Ireland. businesses and citizens together and helps them re-imagine their towns. We'll keep a close eye on the policy directives introduced in 2018, and rolled out over the year ahead, to ensure town centres are revitalised,” said Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General.

Rising costs of business remain a headache. Margins are under pressure and insurance premiums are increasing.

“We would like to see a reduction in insurance costs in 2019,” continued the RGDATA Director General. “The government must reduce premiums or they're going to put people out of business.

There are many reports, but little practical action.”

As we move close to full employment in the Irish economy, Retail Ireland members are reporting challenges in recruitment and retention of labour. Burke has “heard conversations of

attracting labour from Eastern Europe, as we did during the Celtic Tiger years. Unfortunately, that isn't available. Living and working in Ireland is an expensive business. Economies in Eastern Europe are performing quite well. Where are the workers going to come from to fill the positions within the retail industry in 2019 and beyond?”

In 2019, retailers will need to prepare for the introduction of structural separation of alcohol, a hangover from the Public Health Alcohol Bill, which becomes mandatory in November 2020. Draft legislation is going through the Dáil that proposes the abolition of cigarette vending machines, and the introduction of licensing requirements for retailers who sell vaping products. It makes no sense to the CSNA. “Whether or not you consider vaping products a smoking cessation device, anything that restricts the availability of something manifestly healthier than tobacco is not a positive social move,” said Jennings.

Irish retail faces EU legislation in the directive on Unfair Trading Practices in the Food Supply Chain, which comes on top of Ireland's near-identical Grocery Goods Regulations.

“Something like that adds a huge burden of red tape and compliance costs onto small shops that are not engaged in unfair trading practices,” said Buckley. “We have to keep a constant eye on the regulatory burden of small businesses and small local shops in Ireland.”

We are likely to see continuing change in consumer habits over Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director the year ahead. Healthy General. food sales are on the rise, according to Jennings: “It will be interesting to see the outcome from the first year of the Sugar Tax and whether that has increased the state coffers.”

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|3

News

Universe…

The National Lottery will continue to be a profitable business for retailers, added the CSNA chief: “They set out their stall as a billion euro industry and they're working towards that. We're part of that growth.”

Meanwhile, the demise of newspaper sales has been greatly exaggerated. “It is declining, but not to the point where it's terminal,” Jennings insisted. “There's still people buying newspapers on a daily and weekly basis. Provincial newspapers are still incredibly important. The average dwell time on a printed newspaper is far more than online, so advertisers favour print over digital.”

Convenience, connectivity, and the shopping experience should be priorities as we proceed into 2019. Consumers are more educated than ever before, said Burke. “The Irish consumer is increasingly savvy in terms of what they want, their knowledge of products, and where they are sourced from,” he said. “That's a trend in the fresh category. Consumers are voting with their feet. It's a challenge for retailers to keep pace and adapt.”

Environmental issues are also at the forefront of consumers’ minds. Retailers should be conscious of their business habits, and the suitability of products on shelves. For example, some shops and customers are now turning their back on avocados. “Transporting ingredients in fuel-guzzling planes from Central and South America, Africa and beyond just to satisfy our whim for the latest food trend, when we have a plentiful supply of delicious, nutritious food on our doorstep, is

just plain wrong,” one café owner wrote online recently.

“Consumers expect retailers to behave in an ethical way and source sustainable products,” said Burke. “Concerns around plastics, ethical sourcing, and transport, poses a challenge for retailers because of the inherent cost involved.

I think we'll start to see pressure around regulation in this space Vincent Jennings, CEO of in 2019 and beyond. the Convenience Stores and We are concerned that the blunt instrument of Newsagents Association. regulation will force our hand in a certain direction.”

Buckley added: “There's a role for all of us to play in reducing, reusing, and managing recycling so we have less of an impact on the environment and we try to manage our waste in a more sustainable way. We all have a part to play in this.”

Despite the bad weather coming downstream, retailers are confident they can make their communities, and perhaps even the world, a better place in 2019.

New Collaboration to Make Plastic Packaging More Sustainable NINE of Ireland’s leading agricultural processing and food businesses have come together to make the plastic packaging in their respective supply chains more sustainable.

Plastics Action Alliance is the new collaboration that includes market leaders from Ireland’s beef, poultry, pork, lamb, fruit, vegetables and packed salad sectors. Aidan Cotter, former CEO of Bord Bia, will be Chair of Plastics Action Alliance.

Members of Plastics Action Alliance, which represents significant but different elements of the agri-food sector are: ABP (beef); Manor Farm (poultry); Irish Country Meats (lamb); Rosderra (pork); Keelings (fruit), Monaghan Mushrooms (mushrooms), Country Crest (vegetables and prepared meals), Nature’s Best (salads) and C&D Foods (pet food).

The project will be driven by a steering committee, which is made up of senior executives from each of the participating companies. All participants will use their collective food production experience and expertise to significantly reduce problematic single use packaging from the supply chain, whilst also introducing innovative and more sustainable alternatives. The group will also work with leading researchers in the area of plastics and packaging and leverage their extensive international networks to ensure successful outcomes.

“The coming together of nine of the leading key players in Irish food production to look to arrive at solutions for the issue of plastics packaging is a significant development,” explained Aidan Cotter, Chair of Plastics Action Alliance.

Pictured at the launch of Plastics Action Alliance are Paddy Callaghan, founder of Nature’s Best; John Walsh, Irish Country Meats; David Keeling, Managing Director, Keelings Retail; Aidan Cotter, Chair of the project and former CEO of Bord Bia; Michael Hoey, Managing Director at Country Crest; Vincent Carton, Managing Director, Manor Farm; Martin Kane, Managing Director, ABP’s operations in Ireland.

“These companies are leaders in their respective sectors and their combined experience will create a dynamic force that will likely punch well above its weight in seeking tangible solutions for the significant reduction of the use of plastic packaging on Ireland’s supermarket shelves.”

4|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

News Irish Shoppers Cross the Border to Spend €64.5m AS Brexit continues to dominate the headlines, debate rages on about the implications of a hard border in Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend Ireland. The latest grocery market share figures from Kantar Worldpanel 12 Weeks to 04 Nov 2018 change** 12 Weeks to 05 Nov 2017 %* %* % show the value of cross-border trade is at its highest level for five years. Over Total Grocers 100.0% 100.0% 2.8 the 12 months to November 4, 2018, Total Multiples 88.9% 88.6% 2.4 shoppers from the Republic of Ireland SuperValu 21.9% 21.4% 0.6 spent €64.5m on groceries in Northern Tesco 21.8% 21.3% 0.4 Ireland.

Dunnes 22.3% 22.4% 3.6 “Over the past year, just over one Lidl 11.5% 11.7% 4.3 Aldi 11.4% 11.7% 5.5 in eight households from the Republic Other Outlets** 11.1% 11.4% 5.4 of Ireland made at least one trip north of the border to do a grocery shop,” *= Percentage Share of Total Grocers noted Douglas Faughnan, Consumer **= Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers And Cross Border shops Insight Director at Kantar Worldpanel.

“That equates to more than 207,000 shoppers.

In the four weeks of trading that preceded Halloween, the “While these excursions account for a relatively small holiday generated an uplift of almost €30m for supermarkets, percentage of each family’s supermarket visits – on average, as consumers stocked up on supplies for parties and trick or eight out of 270 annual trips – they spend substantially more treating. Confectionery sales were up 4% compared with the when they cross the border. Shoppers from the Republic same period last year, while 17% of Irish households bought a spent €38.50 on an average shop in Northern Ireland, while pumpkin this Halloween, spending a collective €1.5m on the the average spend back home is €23.70. This is likely to be seasonal vegetable. because they want to make the extra effort worthwhile.”

Once Halloween is out of the way, Irish shoppers start to Alcohol is the biggest attraction for shoppers looking for a prepare for Christmas, with Faughnan revealing that more cross-border bargain, Faughnan explains, accounting for just than 50,000 people had already bought a Christmas pudding by over €16m (just under 25%). “No other food or drink category November 4. comes close, with dairy products accounting for the next Aldi and Lidl have both enjoyed a strong start to the run-up largest share of cross-border spend, at 5.9%.” to Christmas, increasing sales by 5.5% and 4.3% respectively The strength of the euro against sterling over the past two during the 12 weeks ending November 4, 2018. This is the years has made cross-border shopping even more appealing, second consecutive period when Aldi has been the best but there have been benefits for those spending in the Republic performing retailer, a feat it last achieved in August 2017. The as well. Faughnan explains: “The cost of importing products grocer captured 11.7% of the overall market, with Lidl also to Ireland from Britain has fallen, while goods made in accounting for 11.7% of sales.

Ireland with British ingredients have typically been cheaper to Dunnes improved on its 3.4% growth last period, with produce. This has allowed retailers to pass savings on to their overall sales up 3.6%, ensuring the retailer remains in pole customers, vital in such a competitive market, and as a result, position as the battle for number one spot at Christmas grocery prices in Ireland have for the most part been falling intensifies. Meanwhile, SuperValu and Tesco accounted for since March 2017.

21.4% and 21.3% of total sales respectively.

“However, for only the second time in 21 months, grocery Grocery market inflation stands at +0.21% for the 12-week prices have increased, suggesting the prolonged period of period ending 4 November 2018. grocery price deflation may be coming to an end,” he said.

For further information, see www.kantarworldpanel.com.

Strike at Tesco Stores TESCO workers in two stores, Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon, have voted in favour of industrial action recently, with Sligo workers striking on December 6 and 14, and Carrick-onShannon workers voting for strike action on December 22.

The Sligo store voted in favour of industrial action by a margin of 97%, with an 85% turnout in the ballot. Carrick-onShannon also had an 85% turnout, with 81% voting in favour of strike.

At the time of going to press, Mandate trade union believe that there is a possibility more dates will be added and other stores may join their colleagues in the coming weeks and months should the company not abide by agreements and allow their workers’ their right to collective representation.

“It’s extremely disappointing it has come to this,” said Mandate Trade Union General Secretary John Douglas. “Our members do not want to be on strike, particularly in the run up to Christmas, but unfortunately Tesco management have

John Douglas, Mandate Trade Union General Secretary. left them with no alternative.”

Douglas said that Tesco workers throughout Ireland are “at a cross roads. They are being told by their employer that they will no longer be entitled to trade union representation, and unfortunately now the only way they can avail of that right is to strike.”

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News Average Households to Spend Over €2,690 this Christmas THE Irish household will spend an average of €2,690 in shops this December, approximately €866 more than any other month of this year and roughly 3% more than Christmas 2017, according to Retail Ireland’s Christmas Retail Monitor 2018.

The monitor predicts an increase in total sales of over €150m, with sales over the Christmas season expected to top €4.65 billion, up from €4.5 billion in 2017. However, with a greater number of Irish shoppers now choosing to shop on foreign websites, the challenge for Irish retailers will be to ensure that this buoyancy is felt locally and that Irish based retailers benefit from this anticipated additional spending.

“After what has been a tumultuous year of highs and lows for Irish retailers, we have now reached a crucial juncture in terms of determining the end of year position for the sector,” noted Retail Ireland Director, Thomas Burke. “Rising disposable incomes, record numbers at work, and falling prices have all combined to give consumers greater spending power than ever before and will raise consumer spirts and enable greater spending power over the busy Christmas period.”

While acknowledging that consumer sentiment has dipped somewhat in November, most likely owing to consumer fears around the impact of events such as Brexit, Burke argued that retailers could expect a seasonal surge for Christmas: “There is no doubt the spending power is there; the challenge now for retailers is to best position themselves over this key trading period to convince consumers to part with that hard-earned cash in their stores and through their various other sales channels.”

Key indicators point to retail prices remaining low, thanks in part to intense competition between retailers and positive currency movements. Other insights from the monitor include: • • • •

Consumer goods prices have fallen by 0.8% in the first 10 months of 2018 and by 10% since 2013; Retail sales in the first 10 months of this year are up 2.8% in value terms on the same period in 2017; Gross disposable income was up 4.4% in the first half of 2018, following on from growth of 5.7% in 2017; Overall employment grew by 66,700 in the year to the end of September 2018. The total number employed is now in excess of 2.27m: there are now more people at work than at any time in the history of the State.

Burke revealed that the supermarket and c-store sector expects to show year on year growth in both volume and value.

“Early indications are that heavy discounting is taking place further out from Christmas than previous years, particularly on alcohol, seasonal confectionery and biscuit lines,” he said.

“Competition is already cutthroat and while short term, the shopper will be the winner, in the long term, endemic loss leading will negatively impact the health of the sector. Takehome alcohol will show volume growth this year, with the balance between on and off trade moving towards drinking at home. There is some evidence that new drink driving laws are impacting the on trade, particularly in rural areas. Discounting of fresh produce in the week before Christmas is not expected to be as deep as in previous years.”

Meanwhile, new figures from Musgrave MarketPlace predict that this year sales of crisps, chocolate and biscuits will increase by 6% at the popular wholesale supplier. Musgrave MarketPlace predicts that between December 5 and Christmas, it will sell over 20,000 tins of Jacob’s biscuits, which amounts to over 1m individual biscuits! They will also sell 35,600 tubs and bags of Roses, 59,400 boxes of Milk Tray and a whopping 17,477 cases of Tayto Crisps, which equates to 820,256 bags of crisps! They will also be stocking up on mince pies, with sales at branches nationwide expected to be more than 120,000.

Obituary: Liam Linden THE Board of Gala Retail and the Gala team deeply regret the passing of their highly esteemed colleague and friend, Liam Linden.

Liam was a founding member of Gala, a former Chairman of the Group and Gala board member for 20 years. He co-founded 4 Aces Wholesale and Better Deal, which had significant wholesale operations in Portlaoise, Navan and Clonmel.

Liam played an instrumental role in the development of Gala and he was of huge support to many of our retailers over the years.

Liam’s contribution to the Irish convenience sector is unquestionable and it’s with great sadness that we’ve lost a friend, colleague and one of the greats in convenience retailing in Ireland.

On behalf of the wider Gala Retail Group, we extend our deepest sympathies to Dolores, Barry and Gráinne, and to Liam’s extended family, friends and colleagues at 4 Aces Wholesale and Better Deal.

Liam will be sorely missed by all at Gala Retail.

- Gary Desmond, CEO, Gala Retail

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8|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

News Irish Foodservice Market to Grow by 6.1% to Reach €8.2bn IRELAND’S foodservice market is set to grow by 6.1% this year to reach a value of €8.2 billion, according to Bord Bia’s 2018 Irish Foodservice Market Insights Report, released recently at its annual foodservice seminar. The report tracks trends in consumer behaviour when eating out of home and also highlights some of the challenges the industry faces in light of the significant growth in recent years.

Findings from the report show that consumer demand for convenience and sustainable practises are disrupting the foodservice industry and that with more operators using food as a tool to compete, new channels such as forecourt food experiences continue to emerge.

The report also highlights the fact Pictured are (l-r): Maureen Gahan, that city centres Foodservice Specialist, Bord Bia, and have now reached Michael Sheary, Bujo Burger. close to saturation point when it comes to quick serve restaurants and cafés, and that a tightening labour market has led to shortages in finding and keeping qualified staff.

“As the economy has grown, so too has the foodservice industry,” noted Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia. “Strong growth in income and employment, coupled with strong tourism figures, have been key contributors to the overall health of the sector. While we expect to see continued positive activity in the next three years, going forward, overall growth figures are likely to be lower than previous years. As globalisation continues and Ireland remains an attractive location for expansion of multi-national foodservice operators, Irish provenance and its sustainability credentials remains a strong differentiator and something that Irish consumers see as unique and important to their decision-making process, which is encouraging for Irish food and drink suppliers.”

Maureen Gahan, Foodservice Specialist in Bord Bia, added: “The Irish foodservice industry continues to exhibit strength but with some cautionary signs on the horizon, it is important that our businesses continue to monitor and plan for Brexit and have a strong focus on cost control. Our research identified a number of critical strategic issues that will continue to have long-term impacts on the Irish foodservice industry. These should be addressed within the strategic planning process to ensure that companies remain competitive and ahead of macrotrends shaping the industry in the years to come. We would also encourage companies to prioritise investing in socially responsible activity, particularly packaging and explore ways to differentiate their offering.”

Some of the trends highlighted in the report include the demand for convenience, the fact that three meals per day is no longer the norm, the growing on-demand foodservice culture, the changing palate of the Irish consumer and the fact that consumers are looking for experiences when eating out. It also identified the consumer demand that foodservice providers operate with a conscience, including reducing food waste and reducing packaging.

Obituary: Matthew Lynch, 1939-2018 WE are saddened to report that a great stalwart of the Irish grocery trade, Matthew Lynch, passed away after an illness on October 9, 2018.

Matt moved from Cavan to Dublin at the age of 16 and soon found a position with Findlaters. Because he worked so hard, he was kept on after the busy Christmas period. That was to be the hallmark of Matt’s career: he overcame his lack of formal education by working harder than anyone else.

He was recruited into Erin Foods in the early 1960s and was privileged to meet many high achieving colleagues who became good friends for life. Having worked his way up through the ranks in Erin Foods, he took the plunge in running his own business with Ray Stafford whom he had met in Erin Foods, and so Stafford Lynch was founded in 1974.

Matt and Ray built up a successful business and when Ray moved to Tosara Products full-time, Matt and his family continued to develop and grow the business into a multi-channel, all Ireland sales and marketing operation, representing premium brands. He remained focused and interested in his business throughout his life. He loved nothing more than a good store check on a weekend and was delighted when he got an iPhone so that he could photograph

Stafford Lynch products in-store and identify areas that needed improvement!

Matt was an active supporter of the IGBF and also helped many others in a quiet and understated way. He was very interested in people and sport. He played football with his home club Killinkere in Cavan well into his 40s and loved following GAA football and hurling.

For the first time in nearly 50 years, Matt Lynch was missing from the Grocers Lunch on December 7 but his drive and professionalism continue to be represented by his family and staff.

Ni beidh a leitheid arís.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|9

News Aldi Shoppers to Donate 20,000 Meals this Christmas ALDI has teamed up with FoodCloud to challenge its shoppers to donate the equivalent of 20,000 meals to its ‘Food For Good’ Christmas Appeal. From November 30 to December 9, Aldi shoppers were asked to donate an extra non-perishable food item to help fill the specially designed ‘Food For Good’ boxes that popped up at all Aldi’s 137 stores nationwide.

“Our stores have donated more than 1.9m meals of unsold food through FoodCloud in the last three years, and we’ve seen the difference it makes. This is a great chance to work with our customers and help communities at Christmas,” noted John Curtin, Group Buying Director at Aldi Ireland. “We will also donate all of our unsold fresh turkeys to FoodCloud and FoodCloud Hubs.”

Coming Home for

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Look forward to your ProWein 2019! With a consciously sustainable growth strategy, ProWein has grown over the Pictured at the launch of the ‘Food For Good’ Christmas Appeal are, star of Aldi’s Christmas ad campaign, Kevin the Carrot, co-founder of FoodCloud Iseult Ward, and Aldi Communications Director, Padraig Barry.

Tech to the Future 70% of Irish business leaders believe they must put customers first if their organisation is to succeed in the long-term, with 76% citing ‘trust’ as an important factor for maintaining strong customer relationships. This is according to a global study commissioned by Fujitsu, which found that 57% of business leaders in Ireland believe customers’ mistrust has increased significantly over the past three years. The good news is that the majority (74%) believe their organisation is well positioned to meet customer expectations over the next decade.

68% of Irish business leaders have found their customers expect them to be more innovative in their work with them, and 70% believe that digital technology is playing a vital role in improving the customer experience.

“Today, forward-thinking businesses across many industries are at the forefront of a revolution, using technology innovatively to differentiate their experiences from the competition,” said Tony O’Malley, CEO, Fujitsu Ireland, who went on to note how “Technology should be prioritised to take on the time-consuming and mundane tasks, making way for humans to spend more time on the work that matters, such as engaging and connecting directly with customers.”

To download the full report, please visit: www.fujitsu.com/ success.

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10|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News

Shining a Light on Energy Saving SUPERVALU and Centra stores, in association with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland communities scheme, have once again invested both time and money as part of their endeavours to build sustainable communities around Ireland. National charities Enable Ireland and the Simon Community, as well as eight local clubs and community groups, have been on the receiving end of substantial financial contributions amounting to €353,000 as a result of this scheme and the stores’ notable efforts. The SuperValu and Centre stores involved are leading by example as shining beacons for sustainability, showcasing energy efficient technologies in their own stores, as a result of heavy investment in energy upgrades to reduce their own carbon footprint. Pictured are (l-r): David Boyle, Programme Executive with SEAI; Sinéad O’Keeffe, Partnerships & Philanthropy Manager with Enable Ireland, Cork; and Daniel Murphy, Sustainability Manager with SuperValu and Centra.

Energia Powering Keelings Growth PICTURED are William Keeling, CEO, Food Central, and Alan Mulcahy, Sales Director, Energia, at the announcement that Energia will supply power to Keelings, Ireland’s leading fresh fruit producer. The supply agreement is expected to be worth approximately €370,000 per annum to Energia. “Keelings is very happy to mark this supplier contract with Energia into 2019,” noted William Keeling. Under the agreement, Energia expects to supply Keelings with 1.5 GW of electricity per annum across all of the fresh fruit producer’s sites. Energia has to date supplied insulation, cooling, lighting and burner solutions for Keelings.

“The supply deal, offering cheaper energy costs to Keeling’s, completes the circle as Keeling’s have installed energy efficient equipment to lower their consumption,” said Alan Mulcahy, Sales Director, Energia.

Aldi Unveils Graiguenamanagh Store ALDI opened its latest ‘Project Fresh’ store in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny. The new store, Aldi’s fourth in Co. Kilkenny, sees the creation of 20 new jobs. The store was officially opened by Cllr. Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere, Mayor of Kilkenny, and the store opening saw a welcome boost for Graiguenamanagh Abbey Hall, with Aldi donating €5,000 to help support this important local amenity for the benefit of the community at large. Abbey Hall Committee members joined in the opening day celebrations, where they were presented with their cheque for €5,000 in the new store.

Pictured are (l-r): Ward Kinsella; Peter Cleere, Mayor of Kilkenny; Paul O Brien; Frances Sheehan; David Rossitor, Aldi’s Graiguenamanagh Store Manager; Martin Heartly; Liz O’ Brien; and Bridget Lyng.

Gala Introduces Recyclable Takeaway Cups GALA Retail is replacing all non-recyclable single-use Gala branded takeaway cups with a new recyclable cup and lid at Gala stores throughout the country. Customers will be able to dispose of the new cups, which come in 12oz and 16oz sizes in four different designs, in domestic brown bins. “Gala is a responsible company and as consumers are calling for greater efforts by both government and big businesses in terms of sustainability, we felt that it was our duty to ensure our new coffee cups are recyclable,” said Tony Cluskey, Marketing and Trading Manager of Gala Retail. “We have been working very closely with our Irish supplier and Irish manufacturer to deliver these recyclable options.” Gala have also introduced recyclable packaging for the ‘street boxes’ and cutlery for their most recent concept, New Street Deli.

Iceland’s Festive Favourites

ICELAND has unveiled its festive range of frozen and fresh treats, offering Christmas shoppers everything from turkeys with all the trimmings to delicious desserts and perfect party platters. Now with 26 stores nationwide, Iceland not only specialises in frozen foods but also boasts an extensive grocery offering, which includes a luxury range and fresh food section. Iceland has also made Christmas easier on consumers’ pockets with deals like the Christmas Meal Deal, which includes a Boneless Turkey Breast Joint, Roast Potatoes, Potato Croquettes, Button Sprouts, Baby Carrots and Yorkshire Puddings for €15. The Great Iceland Turkey Giveaway sees customers receive a free 5kg turkey when they spend €100 or more.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|11

Industry News SuperValu Off Licence of the Year Awards Presented THE 26th annual Edward Dillon & Santa Rita Estates SuperValu Off Licence of the Year Awards took place recently in the Galway Bay Hotel. The gala event was hosted

by RTÉ’s Shay Byrne. The event was attended by finalist stores from across the country and the four winners are: Garvey’s SuperValu Dingle, Co. Kerry, who were named Overall Winner, SuperValu Off Licence of the Year; Ryan’s SuperValu in Glanmire, Co. Cork, won the award for Large Store SuperValu Off Licence of the Year; Quish’s SuperValu Tramore, Co. Waterford, won the Medium Store SuperValu Off Licence of the Year award; and the Small Store SuperValu Off Licence of the Year award went to Pettitt’s SuperValu The Quay, Wexford. The winners of the Edward Dillon & Santa Rita Estates Super Valu Off Licence of the Year Awards will enjoy an exclusive trip to Cape Town, South Africa. Tomas Garvey, Kevin O'Connor, Cliona Ekren and Jim Garvey of Garvey’s SuperValu Dingle, Kerry, Overall Winner SuperValu Off Licence of the Year, are pictured with

John Cooney (left), Off Licence Trading Manager of Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, Andy O’Hara, CEO of Edward Dillon; and Tom Gaskin of Santa Rita Estates.

Centra Rewards Outstanding Employees THE fifth annual Pride of Centra Awards ceremony took place in the Cliff at Lyons in Co. Kildare recently, where a selection of outstanding Centra employees were honoured for their passion and commitment shown in the workplace this year. There were 52 employees from across the country shortlisted across three categories with Nataliya Babyuk, store manager of Centra Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare, named as the overall Pride of Centra Award Winner 2018. The Pride of Centra Department Manager Award went to Noreen Hourigan, Centra Foynes, Co. Limerick, while the Pride of Centra Employee Award was won by Suzanne Malone, Centra Raheen, Co. Limerick. “These awards were established to recognise and celebrate the incredible individuals who consistently live by the Centra brand values, each and every

Red Spot Whiskey Launches IRISH Distillers has unveiled Red Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. Last seen in the mid1960s, this spicy new member of the Spot Whiskeys range offers whiskey drinkers further choice in the innovative super-premium Irish whiskey category.

Crafted from an old recipe handed down by the Mitchell & Son family of wine merchants, the creators of the original Spot Whiskeys range in the early 1900s, the reimagined Red Spot is a triple-distilled, single pot still Irish whiskey that has been matured for a minimum of 15 years in a combination of casks pre-seasoned with Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and Marsala fortified wine. Pictured at the launch of Red Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey are (l-r): Robert Mitchell, Mitchell & Son; Carol Quinn, Archivist at Irish Distillers; Kevin O’Gorman, Master of Maturation at Midleton Distillery; and Jonathan Mitchell, Managing Director at Mitchell & Son.

day,” noted Luke Hanlon, Human Resources Director of Centra. “Customers tell us time and time again that the number one driver of shoppers to Centra is our staff and we are proud and grateful for their dedication, commitment and passion for our brand.” Pictured are (l-r): Luke Hanlon, overall Pride of Centra Award Winner, Nataliya Babyuk, and Dan Curtin, Centra Sales Director.

News Ireland Scores at Journalism Awards NEWS Ireland, publisher of The Times - Ireland Edition, The Sunday Times and The Irish Sun, has won six awards at the Newsbrands Ireland Journalism Awards 2018.

Journalists from the three titles had been nominated in a wide range of categories, spanning news, business, political and crime reporting, as well as digital and investigative journalism. Highprofile winners on the day included: Stephen Breen, The Irish Sun, who was named Crime Journalist of the Year; Mark Tighe, The Sunday Times, was News Reporter of the Year; Aoife Finneran, The Irish Sun, who won the Features (Popular) Award; Richard Pine of The Sunday Times was named Critic of the Year. Ellen Coyne, The Times, Ireland Edition won the award for Political Story of the year; and Showbiz Story of the Year went to Jennifer O’Brien and Catherine Sanz of The Times, Ireland Edition. “Irish journalism is in particularly rude health at the moment, so we’re all the more delighted to have achieved such success,” said Richard Bogie, Managing Director of News Ireland.

12|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Guinness Sponsors Six Nations Championship GUINNESS is to become the new title sponsor of the Six Nations, with the Championship to be known as the Guinness Six Nations from 2019. The Six Nations is one of the world’s best attended sports events and regularly attracts record TV and online audiences in the UK, France, Ireland, Italy and all over the world.

The new partnership with Rugby’s Greatest Championship cements the Guinness brand’s position as one of the game’s biggest supporters. The new sponsorship is a six-year deal and considerably strengthens Guinness’ commitment to rugby, adding to an already extensive portfolio that includes the Guinness Pro14, and partnerships with the four Home Unions and leading European clubs, Leinster and Munster. “This announcement affirms our long-standing support for the game of rugby and cements our position as one of the world’s biggest rugby supporters,” noted Mark Sandys, Global Head of Beer, Baileys and Smirnoff at Diageo, who is pictured with Ben Morel, CEO of Six Nations.

Circle K Opens New Service Station Ireland’s Largest Craft Brews CIRCLE K has Festival announced the opening of the newest service station in its network, Circle K Kill North, situated between Junctions 7 and 8 northbound on the N7. The official opening celebration, attended by Circle K senior management, took place on December 6, with a host of special offers available in store on the day. Circle K has invested €3.7m in the new state-of-the-art facility at Kill North, with 23 new jobs being created at the location. The opening of Circle K Kill North on the N7 represents a significant strategic addition to the Circle K network and will be open for customers 24/7, where it will cater for an anticipated 47,000 motorists daily.

Niall Anderton, Managing Director of Circle K Ireland (pictured) described the opening on the busiest commuter belt in Ireland as “a momentous occasion for Circle K Ireland”.

THE Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fair returns to the Convention Centre Dublin from March 14-16, 2019. Attracting the finest purveyors of craft beers, ciders, whiskeys and gins, there will be tipples to suit all palates. For 2019, the fair coincides with St Patrick’s weekend, meaning that attendees can soak up the atmosphere with live music and entertainment, delicious food offerings, and the Six Nations Rugby, which will be shown live on three of the largest screens in Dublin, while sampling more than 300 craft brews. For more information see www.alltechbrews.ie.

Nestlé Creates Packaging Research Institute NESTLÉ announced the creation of the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences, dedicated to the discovery and development of functional, safe and environmentally friendly packaging solutions.

This is a step further to achieve the company’s commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. “We want to be a leader in developing the most sustainable packaging solutions for our food and beverage products,” said Nestlé CEO, Mark Schneider (pictured). “To achieve this, we are enhancing our research capabilities to develop new packaging materials and solutions. Through this, we hope to address the growing packaging waste problem, in particular plastics. We aim to minimise our impact on the natural environment, while safely delivering to our consumers healthier and tastier products.” The Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences will be located in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Billy Leighton Joins Whisky Hall of Fame BILLY Leighton, Master Blender at Midleton Distillery, has been inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame in a special ceremony at The Dean Hotel, Dublin. Billy was bestowed the great honour in recognition of his 42 years in the industry and contribution to the growth of the Irish whiskey category with Irish Distillers. “I’m deeply honoured to join the pantheon of whiskey greats in the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame, not least an old mentor of mine, Barry Crockett,” Billy noted. “It has been a pleasure to watch Irish whiskey regain its rightful place amongst the world’s leading spirits and I hope I’ve been able to make a contribution to this.”

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14|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Food Trends

What’s Hot for 2019 Dr Deirdre Moriarty, food trends expert at Musgrave MarketPlace, reveals the hottest food trends for the coming year.

TRENDS come and go, and the food industry is no exception. Superfoods, relatively unknown a few years ago, now feature in many shopping baskets, while veganism (a major trend in 2018) has gone mainstream, with vegan options popping up on restaurant menus across the country.

With that in mind, what can we expect to see in the Irish food industry in 2019? Food trends expert at Musgrave MarketPlace, Dr Deirdre Moriarty, has put together a list of the top trends and ingredients we can expect to see coming our way next year.

1. No more scrap, say yes to sustainability Food waste and sustainability was a hot topic in 2018 and it’s set to continue into next year as chefs look at ways to reduce waste. Zero waste or root-to-tip cooking was a major trend in 2018 but next year we can expect to see sustainability broaden its appeal. Expect to see more outlets offering recyclable coffee cups; plastic straws will be a no-no; and restaurants will start to get ‘hyper local’ with their ingredients in a bid to reduce food miles.

2. The value of vegan goes up Next year, veganism will get even more air time as the health trend from 2018 makes a bigger impact on the everyday consumer. No longer just for the uberhealth conscious or the hipster brigade, 2019 will see veganism go mainstream

with fast food options like vegan wings, vegan burgers and fries becoming more widely available.

3. Smoking hot flavours In 2019, we’ll be following in the footsteps of the Scandinavians, who have long led the way when it comes to smoked cooking, from mackerel to trout to sausages.

Delicious smoked butters and cheeses will be a key trend in restaurants and shops, but also keep an eye out for smoked desserts! Move over salted caramel; next year we’ll be indulging in smoked caramel.

4. The healing properties of food The self-care movement is set to hit the food market in a big way.

Self-care involves taking time out and learning to recharge your batteries while doing things you The use of reusable cups will continue to grow enjoy. Food fits into this trend, with consumers being encouraged in 2019, with more incentives encouraging consumers to ditch the paper cup. to allow themselves a treat every now and then but also using food especially big in Australian café culture, as a way of healing the body. will be used as a base to infuse lots of Nutrient rich foods that boost brain seasonal flavours. Nitro cold brew will power, improve the immune system or also hit menus. We’ll also see Chemex help consumers to sleep better will be being used much more in the brewing of making their way to menus across the coffee, and in line with the sustainability country. trend, the use of reusable cups will continue to grow in 2019. Expect to 5. Crazy for coffee see more incentives to encourage If you’re a caffeine-junkie, this trend consumers to ditch the paper cup. will spell good news. Cold brew coffee,

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16|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

ECR Ireland Leaders Congress

Future Proofing the Retail Sector Retail leaders gazed into their crystal balls at the ECR Ireland Leaders Congress to predict the shape of Irish grocery in 2023.

EXPERTS from across the spectrum of retail and IT recently came together at the 5th ECR Ireland Leaders Congress in Dublin, to discuss the future of retailing. Subjects discussed, including blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), algorithm patterns, and robotics, were barely on the agenda 12 months ago, but the pace of change has been rapid.

Colm Rooney, Country Manager for Shopper Intelligence, was among the speakers. This retail analytics company is in the process of interviewing 750,000 individual shoppers from 20 countries, and the Irish results bode well.

Globally, shopper satisfaction scores are declining, but 63% of Irish shoppers described themselves as satisfied.

Frozen vegetables is Ireland's number one category, in terms of shopper satisfaction, followed by fresh meat and bakery.

We should look to the UK to predict changes in shopping habits, suggested Rooney. “They're doing more preplanning,” he said of UK consumers.

“They're more organised and making a lot of decisions before going into the store. As a result of being highly planned, they're less engaged and more time-sensitive. They don't want to be slowed down.”

Certain categories fit this type of shopping behaviour. Shoppers tend to plan their craft beer purchases before going shopping, for example. Less thought is put into baby wipes, however, where there are more quality, lowpriced options than ever before. “Chilled vegetarian food is now one of the most planned and engaged categories in the store,” said Rooney.

Tech Me to the Future The road to 2023 will be paved with technology, the attendees at the ECR congress were told. In the UK and the US, 86% of retail marketing executives use AI machine-learning in their stores, pointed out Sarah Love, MD of marketing experts, Goosebump.

“Retail is moving into the bleeding edge of the technology disruption,” said

Declan Carolan, General Manager, ECR Ireland.

Steve McKenna, IT Director, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland. “Tech sectors and banking sectors have been through that wave. Now it's time for retailers.

There's going to be a lot of pain, tasks and challenges, in order to manage that transition.”

Unfortunately, while Irish retailers

Jason Doyle, MD, Bewleys, and Jim Cummins, National Account Director, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|17

ECR Ireland Leaders Congress 870m out of a population of 1.4 billion use WeChat for cashless payments. It will become the norm here too.”

Michael McMahon and Kati Arndt, from IBM, attended the event to talk about blockchain. This technology reduces the movement of a transaction in a network - for example between suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers - into a single shared ledger. According to McMahon, the process creates trust and confidentiality, and cuts down on time and expense.

Colm Rooney, Country Manager, Shopper Intelligence, and Declan Carolan, General Manager, ECR Ireland. invest in their brands, marketing and offers, IT is last on the list. It should be first, suggested McKenna: “According to Deloitte, 2% of a firm's cash is getting invested back into tech. That includes major players out there. Are we serious about this tech investment? Do we really want it to happen? Stop viewing IT as a cost centre.”

This should begin with hiring proficient IT staff, he insisted. Retailers often relocate people from finance positions to IT roles, but “you wouldn't ask the Marketing Director to become the Finance Director,” McKenna continued, so IT specialists should be recruited and nurtured. The IT team should then focus on the customer: “Every person in my IT organisation spent time in the stores, moving boxes, putting things on shelves, etc. They come back into the central office with hundreds of ideas to help improve store efficiencies, using technology to make it happen.”

Pre-planned shopping will require more in-store efficiency. Shaving time off transaction speeds will help. McKenna recently deployed 12 engineers into one store “to engineer two seconds off the card transaction time. We had to get six seconds down to four because it was a high capacity store working on tap and go. Customers were walking away because it was taking too long to go through the till. We now have a full 24/7 network operations centre, monitoring 800 stores, 24 hours a day, right down to every individual till.”

The Rise of the Smartphone Smartphone use is ubiquitous, so there will be more integration between online and offline shopping. “Social media is becoming more sophisticated, blending content consumption, entertainment and commerce,” said Sarah Love. “The ideal shopper journey is moving from a transaction into a relationship.”

Smartphones will be increasingly used for retail payments, Robert Flavin, Director of Strategic Planning, V360°, told the conference. “Cash still accounts for the majority of the payments here in Ireland,” he said. “In China, almost

Sarah Love, MD, Goosebump.

Tech Secure?

But before any of these new technologies are implemented, a business should safeguard its IT. In 2017, Musgrave suffered a massive cyber attack that could have brought the company to its knees.

“We went into lockdown,” said Steve McKenna. Fortunately, Musgrave had made a large investment in the latest AI security systems and detected the breach: “We secured our customers’ data and prevented the loss.”

Musgrave's experience was not unique. 74% of the Fortune 1000 companies were breached in 2017. In the UK last year, 47% of all companies were breached. Retailers are facing a massive threat, said McKenna. “We handle cash transactions that move through electronic means. It's a target. Not only do you need the security to try and stop a breach, you need the protocols to deal with it when it happens. This is not a case of if, it's a case of when.”

Are You Experienced?

As consumers migrate online for products, customer experience (CX) is becoming increasingly important within

18|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

ECR Ireland Leaders Congress

Devan Hughes, Buymie CEO, addresses the ECR Ireland Leaders Congress. retail, according to the ECR speakers.

Putting the needs of shoppers first may require expensive and organisational change, but it's worth it, according to Sarah Love.

Brands and retailers who put customer experience to the fore have higher revenue growth, according to a 2017 KPMG study. So how do we drive shopper satisfaction? “Reinvent the relationship,” suggested Love. “We are the ones who need to invent the relationship with the shopper, not the other way around. Historically, the onus was on the shopper to do all the work: the shopper has to collect tokens, scan codes, and download the app. Brands and retailers want to develop this relationship further.”

As part of a presentation on the key trends impacting the Irish coffee market in 2018/2019, Jason Doyle, MD of Bewleys, pointed out that the coffee market is largely oversaturated with products. Consumers are now focused on after sales, service, sustainable initiatives, and health and wellness.

Relationship marketing is becoming crucial for retailers.

“Get to know the customer,” said Love. “We have more data than ever before. But how do we use the data to learn about the needs and wants of our shoppers, and to give them a better customer experience? Big data, analytics, and algorithms are increasingly taking the guess-work out of the equation. A lot of this will be delivered by machines in the future. We need to input that seamlessly into the shopper experience.”

The Future is Yours Shopper Intelligence's survey of hundreds of thousands of shoppers,

across 20 different countries, has pinpointed 150 areas of shopper behaviour. Colm Rooney, Country Manager with the organisation, discussed three topics that are likely have an impact on supermarkets.

The environment and sustainability are top priorities for Irish shoppers, particularly in the area of speciality vegetables, exotic fruit, cleaning substances, porridge, and bacon.

Healthy options are also important.

56% of Irish consumers are satisfied with healthy retail options, citing frozen vegetables, fresh fruit, and breakfast cereals among the top ranked products.

“Product authenticity is hugely important,” continued Rooney. “The customer is saying, 'If you say you're a French cheese, or from a farm in Offaly, that better be the case’. That's important to Irish shoppers. But they think the industry is delivering well: there's a 61% trust rate, compared to 57% in the UK.”

Authenticity is particularly important to consumers in the following categories: deli cheese, exotic fruit, fresh fish, sausages, R2C prepared meat.

Technological changes to the retail market might intimidate some shopkeepers, but the experiential aspect of grocery food sales is likely to remain the same. Despite threats from Amazon, drones, robots and artificial intelligence, the bulk of consumers will probably still purchase fresh food products by hand in 2023.

Steve McKenna, IT Director, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, cited the example of his 22 year-old daughter who stops into a shop on the way home to buy food.

“It's going into her body, so she wants to make sure of what she is getting. There's a trust aspect to this, so the idea that e-commerce, online and digital, is going to transform the retail sector is not necessarily true,” he revealed. “I think we're heading towards an omni-channel blended world, where it's about the customer asking you to know them and make their lives easier.”

Just make sure you don’t do it in a creepy way. “It's great to have cameras in the store - but you better use them in the right way,” McKenna continued. “Look at what happened with Facebook. 140m dropped off the platform in the space of two weeks [due to privacy breaches].

So a blend of consumer contexts and behaviours is driving IT teams in a different way.”

Small supermarkets may not be able to compete with online goliaths, but they can innovate and they can be smart and nimble. “It's a technology-driven future,” said McKenna. “You've got to be fast. Now is the time to ask your IT organisation, ‘How customer centric are you?’”

Darragh Fanning, General Manager, Zambrero Ireland, and Caroline Burton, Head of Marketing, Maxol Group, pictured at the ECR Ireland Leaders Congress.

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20|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund

The President’s Address As he approaches the end of his tenure as IGBF President of Appeals, John Moane reflects back on his 12 months at the helm of the grocers’ charity and explains why the IGBF remains as important as it ever has been.

JOHN Moane is coming to the end of his tenure as President of Appeals of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund, having spent the last year as the public face of the grocers’ charity.

The friendly and approachable Managing Director of the BWG Wholesale Division found his experience of the 12-month role to be “very positive, very interesting and hugely energising”.

“When you get involved with something like this and you see the amount of people who give their time to the Fund, the commitment and the enthusiasm they have, it really gives you a lift. The IGBF is made up of so many different activities and so many different groups of people who do an extraordinary amount of work behind the scenes: all the committees and the fundraising events teams, when you see the energy and drive behind them, it really hits you that this is something special.”

IGBF President of Appeals, John Moane (right) and outgoing IGBF Chairman, Donal O’Shea.

Bringing New Energy to the Fund Before he became President of Appeals, John was a regular attendee at IGBF events but admits that he probably hadn’t realised quite how much hard work and effort goes into making each of them successful.

“It really gave me an insight into how things got done. I’ve seen people putting massive commitment into the Fund. It’s a relatively small group of people who do a large amount of the work and I would love to see more people getting involved. That’s probably one of the biggest challenges for the IGBF: how to get more people involved

and possibly bringing new ideas with them. It is happening, but it is absolutely critical that it continues happening.”

He cites the examples of some recent additions to the IGBF calendar which have proved hugely popular and valuable in terms of fund raising. “Of the 18 events that we have now during the year, three of them – the TWIG event, the Grocers Run and the Sports Lunch – didn’t exist three or four years ago and have become three of the highest profile events in the calendar and some of the largest events in terms of fundraising.

These are being brought through by

people with new ideas, new energy and commitment.

“In 2018, there was an event similar to TWIG which ran in Cork called Elevate, which will hopefully run again next year and become another new event in the calendar,” he continues. “It’s a matter of reaching out, getting more people involved with new blood, new energy and new ideas. It is happening but if it could accelerate a little, that would be great because there are enough people in this industry with enough knowledge and expertise to make a big contribution to the IGBF.”

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|21

Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund While the IGBF’s traditional events, including the nine annual golf outings, remain hugely popular, the departing President of Appeals feels that the newer events appeal to a much wider audience, “so any other new events that can grow the IGBF’s base and appeal are to be welcomed.”

A Brilliant Networking Vehicle When we spoke early in 2018, the BWG Wholesale MD challenged himself to attend as many of the 18 IGBF events as possible during his year at the helm.

“I’m not giving myself 100%, as I didn’t get to every event, but I am happy with the amount I got to. But one thing I didn’t get was an improved golf handicap,” he laughs.

The affable MD found it an enjoyable experience meeting other members of the trade without his BWG hat on, particularly when it came to spending time with those who are normally his fiercest competitors: “When you go to an event, people greet you as an IGBF person and not a BWG person, which is great. The President of Appeals is also a wonderful position to fill because people were very welcoming and very pleased when I was able to attend events. For people right across the trade – retailers, other wholesale groups, suppliers – the IGBF is a brilliant networking vehicle.”

For many years, the IGBF organisers have tried to encourage the discounters to get involved and there has been some progress made, with Lidl involved in the TWIG networking luncheon for the last two years, as well as the Grocers Run. This year, John also noticed “a greater involvement” from the services sector, including IT, telecoms, financial services, recruitment companies, logistics providers etc who are getting involved in the Fund for the first time: “this is a hugely positive development for the IGBF and very encouraging.”

Highlights of the Year The President’s Event, held in October in The Crypt of Christ Church Cathedral, was one of John’s highlights of the year: “We took the decision to change the format of that event from what was the traditional black tie President’s Ball and it was a super night. I think a lot of people appreciated that it wasn’t as formal as other years and it was just a great fun event.”

He also cites the Sports Lunch (where he won Kilkenny legend Henry Shefflin’s hurley) as a stand-out moment, along with the TWIG lunch, The Grocers Run and the Stonehouse Golf Event as particularly memorable.

John Moane, President of Appeals, IGBF with his wife, Nicola Carroll, pictured at the IGBF President’s Fundraising evening at The Crypt in Christchurch.

“To be honest, at every event I attended, I was delighted with the sense of people pulling together and wanting to participate in the Fund.”

The President’s role isn’t just about events, however, but also involves a personal fund-raising appeal. “The reaction that I got to that was fantastic,” John insists. “A number of people came to me with additional ideas to raise funds, which we subsequently did; not through holding high profile events but smaller things like raffles and other smaller events: we did a number of them, which added up to a significant amount of money.”

The outgoing President of Appeals would hugely recommend the experience to Tesco CEO, Kari Daniels, who takes over the reins for 2019. “I would advise them to get involved, be hands-on. I would tell the incoming President to make sure they go and meet people at the events to get an understanding of and an appreciation for the time and commitment people put into the IGBF.” John pays particular tribute to outgoing IGBF Chairman Donal O’Shea, whose work for the Fund is “unbelievable”: “He really is tireless in terms of the work he does: organising committee meetings, liaising with fundraising teams, liaising with regional committees.”

A Crucial Support He also stresses that all the effort of the various volunteers is worth it, as the fruits of their labour allow the Fund to support families in need across the country. “While the President of Appeals is not involved in the beneficiaries of the Fund or evaluating cases, you certainly get a sense, from the National Committee, of some of the cases who are helped by the Fund,” he reveals. “People have asked me a few times if there is a lesser need for the IGBF with the economy performing so well, but when you hear of some of the reasons why people need the Fund’s help, it brings it home that this is a crucial support for people in our trade.

There is a great sense of solidarity when you hear about real cases and real people who have worked in our trade and the trade ended up supporting them when they needed it.”

Presumably, John is off-the-hook for the next few years but if the IGBF came calling again, they would find a receptive ear. “In the spirit of getting more people involved, the role of President of Appeals should rotate, because it really is about reaching out to more people and spreading the word, but if, at some stage in the future it came back around, I wouldn’t say no.”

22|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

BIM Seafood Awards

BIM National Seafood Awards 2018 Winners Announced The finest seafood retailers and processors were rewarded at the BIM Seafood Awards, which also celebrated the role of women in the Irish seafood sector.

BORD Iascaigh Mhara’s National Seafood Awards saw some of the country’s finest seafood retailers, processors and innovators recognised for their contributions to Ireland’s burgeoning seafood sector.

The Awards, dedicated to recognising the achievements of individuals and businesses revolutionising the Irish seafood sector under the key themes of Sustainability, Innovation and Competitiveness, saw the finest fishing, aquaculture, seafood processing and seafood retailers rewarded at a special ceremony in Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral on November 27.

“The strong focus on sustainability, innovation and upskilling within Ireland’s seafood sector is helping businesses to connect with the vast and diverse market opportunities throughout the world,” noted Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD at the awards ceremony. “The demand for seafood and moreover for high quality seafood places Ireland in prime position.

The women and men being honoured here tonight are the driving force behind

the successes of the industry. Because of them, the ambitious targets set out in FoodWise 2025 look set to be achieved.”

A Global Leader in Sustainable Seafood The biennial awards are dedicated to recognising the achievements of individuals and businesses revolutionising the Irish seafood sector.

Speaking on the night, BIM CEO Jim O’Toole said: “BIM’s ambition is for Ireland to become a global leader in sustainable seafood. Over 14,500 people work in the sector. It contributes €1.15 billion to our economy and is vital to many of our coastal communities. Tonight’s winners demonstrate the commitment and consistently high standard that’s driving the reputation of Irish seafood in Ireland and internationally.”

The Dockside Deli by Galway Bay Seafoods was the winner in the Best Seafood Retailer (Independent category).

“Though tradition is strong within the business, Galway Bay Seafoods has always adapted and changed to keep ahead of the pace, and we are thrilled to see this recognised as we are named

Linda Galvin, Claudia Antkowiak and Liz Hogg of Dunnes Stores Swords are pictured accepting the Best Seafood Retailer of the Year, multiple sector, award from BIM CEO, Jim O’Toole, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed TD.

Best Independent Seafood Retailer of the Year,” enthused Noel Holland, owner of The Dockside Deli by Galway Bay Seafoods. “We are passionate about delivering only the highest quality seafood products and service to our customers and this award acknowledges our team’s hard work and dedication.”

Galway Bay Seafoods has been serving the people of Galway and beyond with quality seafood for more than 70 years through a family tradition of craft fishmongering. The Dockside Deli by Galway Bay Seafoods offers a whole new seafood experience for visitors, with ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook seafood and fish options, alongside a forwardthinking and creative menu of hot daily specials cooked by in-house professional chef Kevin Hynes, which revolves around whatever comes into them fresh on the day.

Kevin Hynes said, “We are delighted to win this award, which is recognition of our efforts to ensure locally and ethically

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BIM Seafood Awards

Galway Bay Seafoods were presented with the Best Independent Seafood Retailer Award at the National Seafood Awards 2018. Kevin Hynes, Head Chef, The Dockside Deli by Galway Bay Seafoods; and Andrew Keady, General Manager, The Dockside Deli by Galway Bay Seafoods; receive the award from Jim O’Toole, BIM CEO (left); and Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (right).

BIM Lifetime Achievement Award Veteran seafood professional Margaret Downey-Harrington, from Castletownbere, Co. Cork, was honoured with the BIM Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to the Irish seafood industry. Margaret’s career has spanned more than 60 years and she is a founding member of Mná na Mara, the first national network for women in fisheries.

“Early on, we [Mná na Mara] procured the availability of postal votes for fishermen,” remembered Margaret. “Postal votes had been there all of the time but were exclusively for the diplomatic corps. They weren’t open to the general public. We wanted to get them for our fishermen because inevitably a referendum or voting day would take place during the week and of course, the boats would be out fishing. The fishermen were losing out on having a say in political arguments. And we [Mná na Mara] got it and in getting it, it became open to everyone, which is a good thing.”

BIM Best Student Kate Dempsey completed a higher diploma in Aquabusiness in IT Carlow earlier this year. She is Director of Irish Mussel Seed Company and has recently established an aquaculture analytics company.

“My interest in aquaculture and seafood production really comes from a history of fishing,” Kate revealed. “I’m from a fishing family in Arklow. I went to college and studied law and then came back home and realised there was really very little left in terms of activity in the harbour that I was from. And so I decided I would create a new company and a new business to promote seafood development on the east coast. I want to see coastal communities thrive, particularly rural communities like the one that I’m from.”

Award Winners The Awards included four categories to reflect BIM’s strategic priorities; Innovation, Sustainability, Competitiveness and Skills.

Other winners on the night included the following:

Winner of the BIM Lifetime Achievement Award, Margaret Downey- Harrington, is pictured with Jim O’Toole, BIM CEO, and Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Innovation Best in Aquaculture Innovation: Moyasta Oysters Ltd, Kilrush, Co. Clare Best in Fishing Innovation: Galway Bay Inshore Fishermen’s Association, Bohermore, Co. Galway Best in Processing Innovation: Ocean Veg Ireland Ltd, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim Sustainability Best in Sustainable Aquaculture: Marine Harvest Ireland, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal Best in Sustainable Fishing: Alex Crowley, MFV Emma Lou T450, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry Best in Sustainable Processing: Connemara Seafoods, Westport, Co. Mayo

Winner of the BIM Best Student Award, Kate Dempsey, is pictured with Jim O’Toole, BIM CEO, and Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. caught fish and seafood is readily available, and help to get the public eating in a fresh, healthy and sustainable way. As a chef with an obsession and passion for seafood, The Dockside Deli has been a hugely exciting project and opportunity to be a part of and I couldn’t be prouder of this achievement.”

Dunnes Stores Swords took the Best Seafood Retailer Award in the Multiples category. The judges felt the Swords supermarket was a worthy winner for a variety of reasons, including their wide and varied selection of quality seafood and innovative value-added seafood products. The team at Swords were also commended for their high level of customer service and product knowledge.

Competitiveness Aquaculture Enterprise of the Year: Bells Isle Seafoods Ltd, Donegal Town, Co. Donegal Fishing Enterprise of the Year: McBride Fishing Company Ltd, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal Processing Enterprise of the Year: Keohane’s Seafoods, Bantry, Co. Cork Best Seafood Retailer (Multiple category): Dunnes Stores, Swords, Co. Dublin Best Seafood Retailer (Independent category): Galway Bay Seafoods Ltd, New Docks, Galway The trophies for this year’s awards carried the theme of sustainability and were made using the fish sculptures that featured in the BIM Sustainable Seafood Garden, which won the overall prize at Bloom earlier this year.

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On the Vine

The Vine Inspiration Jean Smullen looks back over a fine year for the wine trade in Ireland.

2018 has been a relatively good year for wine sales, thanks in part to the extreme weather conditions. Anecdotally, it would appear that the snowstorms in early March resulted in a significant increase in wine sales, especially in smaller local shops as the country came to a standstill for the best part of a week. The hottest summer since 1976 also provided a boost for alcohol sales nationally, particularly branded products.

Rosé was the other big wine story for 2018. Sales of rosé wines here increased to 5% of the total market of 9.1m cases in 2017, up from 3% in 2015.

As a result of the glorious weather this summer, rosé wines didn’t need any promotion as they sold out everywhere!

Provençal rosé especially was the most fashionable style this year. In 2007, the region of Provence exported 5m litres of their rosé globally; by 2017, those sales had increased to over 30m litres. The style is dry but one of the key features is the colour, which is very pale, almost blush pink.

One of the most fashionable wines on the market at the moment is a rosé from Provence called Whispering Angel.

Whispering Angel is in great demand and the success of the brand here is

reminiscent of the demand for New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay in the 1990s. The Whispering Angel importer, Pembroke Wines, has been working hard all year to keep its customers supplied.

With the consumer happy to pay a retail price of just under €30 per bottle, the power of this brand is very much in evidence. The wine is made by Sacha Lichine from the Bordeaux house of Alexis Lichine.

Provençal rosé has other big names also driving the category; the star power of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who own

Chateau Miraval in Provence, a property with a 30-hectare vineyard, definitely helped to globally raise the profile of the wine style. Miraval is actually made by the Perrin family (better known for the wines they produce in the Rhône).

Provence rosé is generally fresh, light, crisp and dry. It can sometimes be

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On the Vine austere, but the best have very attractive elegant strawberry fruits and some real complexity. At the upper end of the scale, a Bandol Rosé from Domaine Ott (Cassidy Wines) is also very much in demand.

While we’re looking back at 2018, here’s a few honourable mentions for other successful wine regions that made their mark on the Irish market this year.

Brilliant Beaujolais 2018 proved to be an exceptional year for Beaujolais wines in Ireland; exports were up by 76.3% in volume terms and 95.3% by value, representing the largest increase in terms of sales of any of the French wine regions. These figures were largely fuelled by the interest in the Beaujolais Crus, the excellent 2015 vintage, and the trend towards lighter styles of red wines. 2018 is looking to be one of the best vintages ever from Beaujolais, which will only drive its

target Ireland in 2018. Rioja’s traditional ageing classifications have played a significant role in the region’s success here. Globally, Ireland is the 11th most important market for Rioja wines.

Rioja is a region with a broad range of wine styles and has something for everyone, at every price point. 2018 saw the introduction of a fresh new identity for the region in the UK and Ireland, and across 10 other international markets.

The “Saber quién eres” or “Knowing who you are” strapline captures Rioja’s values, diversity and origin.

2018 was an exceptional year for wines from Beaujolais in Ireland. success even further.

The region invested in a targeted five-year marketing campaign, funded

by Inter-Beaujolais, which ran in Ireland from 2013-2018 and included trade tasting events and a stand at Taste of Dublin. This year, the Inter-Beaujolais promotion centred around a four-city tutored tasting presented by Dr Jamie Goode in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.

Rioja The Spanish region of Rioja, located in northern Spain, 80 miles to the south of Bilbao, was another region to specifically

Rioja is going through a period of reinvention. In 2019, the region will see the introduction of new regional legislation that will include new geographical indications: Viñedos Singulares (single vineyard wines); Vinos de Zona (regional specific wines) and Vinos de Municipio, which will allow the name of a specific village to be included on the label.

Sparkling wine will also be feature of production in Rioja (Espumosos de Calidad de Rioja).

The Irish consumer loves Rioja, with red wine making up 87% of its sales, white accounting for 7.7% and rosé 5.2%. Here on the Irish market,

the figures show that Rioja Reserva is the most popular aged style, with sales accounting for 32.4% of all Rioja wine sold here. This is followed by Crianza 20%, Vina Joven (young wine) 42.1% and Gran Reserva 5%.

The top three export markets for Rioja are the UK (33%), Germany (15.2%) and the USA (9.5%). Ireland, in 11th place, accounts for 2.54% of all Rioja wine sales globally.

Public Health (Alcohol Bill) Finally, 2018 saw the passing of the long awaited Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The new legislation gives the importing trade just under a year to implement some of its directives. From November 2019, alcohol advertising will be banned within 200m of schools, creches or public authority playgrounds. There will also be restrictions placed regarding advertising alcohol on public transport vehicles, train stations and at bus stops.

Minister Simon Harris signed the order in early November 2018 and the bill will see structural separation being implemented within a three-year period. However, the most controversial elements of the Bill, the cancer warning labels, have been sent for consideration by the European Commission, who must decide if these labels would act as a barrier to trade.

Wine Fairs in 2019 The 2019 trade tasting season will begin with a number of generic wine fairs: on Monday, January 14, the New Zealand Wine Fair- Flavours of New Zealand will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Golden Lane, Dublin 8. Two days later at the same venue, on Wednesday, January 16, the French Wines Discoveries Fair will see 35 French producers, all of whom are seeking representation on this market, heading for Dublin to do business. On Wednesday, January 30, the Australia Day Tasting, a showcase of premium Australian wines, will take place in the Round Room of the Mansion House on Dawson Street.

On Tuesday, February 5, Borsa Vini, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) showcase, will bring a delegation of 35 Italian wine producers from Southern Italy and the islands to Dublin. The 35 producers presenting their wines all come from the regions of Campania, Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia, Sicily, Abruzzo, Molise and Sardinia, and all are seeking representation. The event will take place in the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Details of these and many other events are in the wine diary on https://jeansmullen.com/.

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Londis Retailing Awards

Offaly Retailer Named Londis Store of the Year Knight’s Londis, Clara, Co. Offaly, was the overall winner at the 2018 Londis Retailing Awards, which honoured Londis retailers from right across the country who embody what Londis is all about.

KNIGHT’S Londis Clara, Co. Offaly was recently unveiled as the Overall Londis Store of the Year 2018. The announcement was made at the annual Londis Retailing Awards at the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone, Co. Westmeath, capping off a magnificent night for the retailers. As well as winning the overall accolade, Knight’s Londis was

also presented with the Foodmarket Store of the Year Award and a Retailing Excellence Award.

The Clara store is owned and operated by Aidan Flynn and, as highlighted by Londis Sales Director Conor Hayes when acknowledging the achievements of Aidan and the team at Knight’s Londis at this year’s Londis

Awards, local insight, excellent service and local community engagement are the key ingredients to this store’s success.

“Aidan is fully deserving of these accolades. Knight’s Londis, Clara, offer their customers uncompromisingly friendly customer service, quality produce and excellent value, as indeed do all Londis stores,” said Conor Hayes.

Pictured are (l-r): Declan Boyle, Londis Regional Development Manager; Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director; Elaine and Aidan Flynn from Knight's Londis Clara; and Willie O’Byrne, Managing Director, BWG Foods. Londis Clara were proud recipients of the Londis Overall Store of the Year Award 2018 and the Londis Foodmarket of the Year Award 2018.

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Londis Retailing Awards Londis Store of the Year Winners 2018 Overall Store of the Year Knight’s Londis, Clara, Co. Offaly Fresh Store of the Year Roche’s Londis Doneraile, Co. Cork Convenience Store of the Year Griffin’s Londis Ballast House, Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 Foodmarket Store of the Year Knight’s Londis Clara, Co. Offaly Supermarket Store of the Year Kelly’s Londis Milltown, Co. Kerry

Category Award Winners 2018 Deli and Hot Food Store of the Year Roche’s Londis Doneraile, Co. Cork Bakery Store of the Year Londis Station Road, Adare, Co. Limerick Fruit and Veg Store of the Year Gillan’s Londis Castleknock, Dublin 15

Willie O’Byrne, Managing Director, BWG Foods, is pictured with Seamus and Harry Kelly, Londis Milltown, and Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. Londis Milltown were proud recipients of the Londis Supermarket Store of the Year Award 2018.

Off Licence Store of the Year Casey’s Londis Ballina, Co. Mayo Butchery Store of the Year Jordan’s Londis Summerhill, Co. Meath Community Store of the Year The Griffin Retail Group Customer Service Store of the Year Casey’s Londis Dock Road, Limerick

Willie O’Byrne, Managing Director, BWG Foods, is pictured with Majella and John Roche, Londis Doneraile, and Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. Londis Doneraile were proud recipients of the Londis Fresh Store of the Year Award 2018.

David and Karen Curtin, Londis Adare, are pictured with Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. Londis Adare were proud recipients of the Londis Bakery Store of the Year Award 2018.

Pictured are Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director; Madhvee Gooljar, The Griffin Retail Group; Seamus Griffin, Chief Executive, The Griffin Retail Group; Fiona Sullivan and Akter Hossain, The Griffin Retail Group. Griffin’s Londis Ballast House were proud recipients of the Londis Convenience Store of the Year Award 2018.

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Londis Retailing Awards Retail Standard Awards Winners 2018 Corbett's Londis Mervue, Co. Galway Burke's Londis Kinvara, Co. Galway Kelly's Londis Boyle, Co. Roscommon Lowe’s Londis Grange, Co. Sligo McNamee’s Londis, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare Casey's Londis Roscommon Griffin's Londis Beacon Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18 Griffin's Londis Carmanhall Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18 Tuam Road Londis, Athenry, Co. Galway Corbett's Londis Newcastle Road, Galway O'Donovan's Londis Oola, Co. Limerick Timothy's Londis Abbeytown, Co. Roscommon O'Sullivan Londis Killorglin, Co. Kerry Casey's Londis Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Garret Jordan and Kathleen McDonnell, Londis Summerhill, pictured with Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. Londis Summerhill were proud recipients of the Londis Butchery Store of the Year Award 2018.

Patterson's Londis Foxrock, Co. Dublin Cunningham's Londis Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo McCarthy's Londis Rathmore, Co. Kerry Londis Callan, Co. Kilkenny Littleton's Londis Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 Griffin's Londis Parkwest, Dublin 12 Meehan's Londis Glenamaddy, Co. Galway Londis Cornelscourt, Dublin 18 Griffin's Londis Fonthill, Co. Dublin Doyle's Londis Gorey, Co. Wexford Londis MSU Maynooth, Co. Kildare Griffin's Londis, 36 Upper O'Connell St, Dublin 1 Excelling in All Areas of Store Performance The Londis Retailing Awards have been running for over 20 years and are one of the highlights of the year as they recognise the stores that excel across all areas of store performance. Winners at the annual awards ceremony embody what Londis stores are all about; uncompromisingly friendly customer service, quality produce and excellent value. Indeed, Londis stores have an extra special something that only local people can deliver.

In total, 65 Londis stores were recognised for their excellence on a night of great celebration across a multitude of categories; including Convenience Store of the Year, Supermarket Store of the Year, Bakery Store of the Year and Fresh Store of the Year.

Hard-Working Team Reflecting on their overall success, Aidan Flynn of Knight’s Londis, Clara, said, “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award, which is testament to the extremely hard-working team that we have in-store. This accolade is not only a mark of pride for our store and staff, but importantly, it shows our customers that we are passionate about delivering a top quality service. This is a very important point of differentiation in what is a very competitive marketplace and we’re honoured to have received this award.”

Congratulating retailers at the awards ceremony, Conor

Gerry and Kate Casey, Casey’s Londis Group, are pictured with Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. Casey’s Dock Road, Limerick, were proud recipients of the Londis Customer Service Store of the Year Award 2018 and Casey’s Ballina were proud recipients of the Londis Off Licence Store of the Year Award 2018.

Jonathan and Adrienne Gillan, Londis Castleknock, are pictured with Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. Londis Castleknock were proud recipients of the Londis Fruit & Veg Store of the Year Award 2018.

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Londis Retailing Awards Hayes, Londis Sales Director, said: “Londis retailers are at the heart of their communities around the country. It’s great to see the wealth of outstanding expertise demonstrated by Londis retailers and, in particular, the very worthy winners of the 2018 Awards.

“In the past year, the standards across the Londis retail estate have soared. The winners of this year’s awards are among the top retailers in the country. These awards are recognition of the commitment and ambition demonstrated by these retailers to keep providing the highest level of service to their customers. Their focus on continually exceeding customer expectations is a testament to the hard work of their staff, for which they should be very proud. I commend them all on their wonderful achievements,” he added.

Award recipients are selected after demonstrating outstanding industry excellence following a year of specialised audits conducted by retail specialists, SMA. The stores were independently examined across a range of criteria, including customer service, the quality of their fresh food offering, product range, and the stores’ commitment to upholding the highest standards of hygiene and food safety.

Retail Excellence Award Winners 2018 Knight's Londis Clara, Co. Offaly Roche's Londis Doneraile, Co. Cork Griffin's Londis Ballast House, Dublin 2 Gillan's Londis Castleknock, Dublin 15 Kelly's Londis Milltown, Co. Kerry Canavan's Londis Inch, Co. Wexford Griffin's Londis Grafton Street, Dublin 2 Dillon's Londis Fethard-on-Sea, Co. Wexford Bryne's Londis Aughrim, Co. Wicklow Gillen's Londis Dublin Road, Trim, Co. Meath Casey's Londis Renmore, Co. Galway O'Connor's Londis Newcastle West, Co. Limerick Hiney's Londis Crossmolina, Co. Mayo Casey's Londis Castlebar, Co. Mayo Station Road Londis Adare, Co. Limerick Watchorne's Londis Mountmellick, Co. Laois Sheehan's Londis Parkgate Street, Dublin 7 Londis Tomnalossett, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford McDermott's Londis Irishtown, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary Brodigan's Londis Quay Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth O'Doherty's Londis Our Lady's Island, Co. Wexford

Seamus Griffin, Chief Executive of The Griffin Retail Group and the team at The Griffin Retail Group with Terry O’Brien, Londis Regional Development Manager. The Griffin Retail Group were proud recipients of the Londis Community Store of the Year Award 2018.

Jordan's Londis Summerhill, Co. Meath Aherne's Londis Thurles, Co. Tipperary McCleary's Londis Monaghan Town, Co. Monaghan Griffin's Londis Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 Dillane's Londis Abbeydorney, Co. Kerry Doolan's Londis Clane, Co. Kildare Griffin's Londis 9 Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 Boggan's Londis Rosslare, Co. Wexford Nolan's Londis Tralee, Co. Kerry Griffin's Londis Lower College Green, Dublin 2 Hernon's Londis Bandon, Co. Cork Casey's Londis Dock Road, Limerick Griffin's Londis KCR, Dublin 6 Casey's Londis Ballina, Co. Mayo Browne's Londis Kilcock, Co. Kildare Griffin's Londis St James's Hospital, Dublin 8

John Roche and Majella Roche, Londis Doneraile, are pictured with Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. Londis Doneraile were proud recipients of the Londis Deli & Hot Food Store of the Year Award 2018.

Hanrahan's Londis Piercetown, Co. Wexford Hanrahan's Londis The Faythe, Co. Wexford Stack's Londis Lixnaw, Co. Kerry

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Soup

Soup-er Performance

As the winter increasingly takes a grip and temperatures plummet, Irish consumers are increasingly reaching for the comfort and convenience of soup.

WINTER is traditionally a peak selling period for soups, as consumers seek out warm, filling, nourishing comfort foods.

The explosion in new flavours in recent years has helped to revitalise the soups category, particularly when it comes to chilled soups, which now boast a range of flavours from all over the world, enticing consumers with innovative taste combinations.

Soup posted current value growth of 1% in 2017 to reach sales of â‚Ź85m, according to the latest report into the sector by market research experts, Euromonitor International. Growth was driven by improving consumer confidence and rising demand for health and wellness offerings. There continued to be a strong perception that soup, particularly chilled soup, is a healthy food choice.

Euromonitor expect the soup category to grow by 1% per year over

the coming years to reach sales of â‚Ź90m in 2022. Consumer confidence is expected to continue to rise in Ireland, with increasing employment driving consumer demand for convenience, the

key benefit offered by the soup category.

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32|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Soup

Cully & Sully’s recently launched Squash'ed Veggie soup, bursting with butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, parsnips and a hint of warming cumin.

Avonmore Soups Avonmore Soups have added two new flavours to their delicious range: ‘Tagine Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato and Chickpeas’ and ‘Red Curry Chicken Soup with Coconut and Lime’. Both soups are packed full of flavoursome spices and nutritious vegetables, while also being gluten free, high in protein, low in fat, and have no added artificial colours or preservatives. The new soups come in convenient portable tubs, perfect for ‘al desko’ dining or a quick nutritious meal at home.

Avonmore soups also offer more traditional flavours such as ‘Slow Cooked Chicken with Vegetables’, ‘Vine Tomato with aged Italian Parmesan’ and ‘Select Vegetable with Flat Leaf Parsley’, allowing consumers to choose between a range of flavours from the same brand that they know and trust.

Avonmore soups are in growth by +3.3% volume (AC Nielsen, TS, MAT,

convenient soups, pies & hot pots.

The new range includes a 12 Hour Beef & Vegetable Broth, a Japanese Style Miso Broth, a Cleansing Chicken & Vegetable Broth and a Nourishing Veggie Broth. All of the new broths are dairy free with no added sugar and the Miso, Chicken and Veggie Broth are all gluten free. The Beef and Chicken Broths use Irish premium stock made by slow cooking bones, and and the Miso & Veggie Broths are suitable for Vegans.

Cully & Sully Broths are made locally in Cork and they are working with some specialised ingredient suppliers, such as Wild Irish Seaweed for the Atlantic wakame seaweed and Fancy Fungi Irish mushrooms, which are both ingredients in the miso soup. The broths are low in fat and high in protein and, of course, very tasty!

The broths are the latest additions to the hugely popular Cully & Sully portfolio. Cullen Allen and Colum O’ Sullivan, two childhood friends, started Cully & Sully in 2004 with a range of pies as a response to the growing trend of convenience food. They recognised that due to time pressure, more and more people were turning to convenience options but at the time, the quality of the products needed to be improved.

Following on from the success of the pies, they launched a range of soups in 2008 which have gone from strength to strength, with Cully & Sully soups now the number one chilled soup in Ireland.

They frequently introduce new flavours to ensure consumer interest in the soup category remains high. For example, for autumn, they launched

August 12, 2018) and have the highest brand awareness of the fresh soup category at 90% (Bord Bia Brand Health 2018), a sure reason to stock up on Avonmore Soups this winter!

New from Avonmore Soups: Tagine Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato and Chickpeas.

Avonmore Soup’s new Red Curry Chicken Soup with Coconut and Lime, perfect for ‘al desko’ dining.

Squash'ed Veggie soup, bursting with butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, parsnips and a hint of warming cumin, with another special soup launching for winter.

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34|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Energy Management

Your Perfect Energy Solution Get Solutions Limited is an energy solutions company, specialising in energy reduction and cost saving management, averaging 2030% cost reduction for their clients.

GET Solutions work with retail outlets to slash their energy costs, through the installation of energy efficient equipment such as LED and Solar PV panels. “We offer a wide range of energy efficient products that are all new to the market to reduce energy usage,” explains Charlie Grendon, Managing Director.

“We are able to maintain these cost reductions through effective energy purchasing on behalf of our customers.”

So what makes Get Solutions different? “Our overall USP is that we provide a turnkey solution for our customers,” Grendon reveals. “We help them choose energy efficient equipment to suit their premises.” This can range from quality installation of LED lighting to providing solutions for all air conditions systems (HEVAC), heating, ventilation and refrigeration units. Get Solutions can also provide retrofitting equipment to existing chillers and air-conditioning units to reduce energy wastage, having recently partnered with Martin Curran of Ermen Systems Limited to deliver this service.

“All our solutions are supported by our cutting-edge technology software,” Grendon states. “We can view any commercial business premises via our dashboard to monitor consumption and provide suggestions on alterations and adjustments that will positively impact on costs.”

Indeed, Get Solutions are among the market leaders when it comes to providing independent energy analysis of their customers’ utility contracts. “We pride ourselves on selecting the best energy provider to suit each individual customer’s needs, guaranteeing savings on their energy procurement contracts,” the MD notes.

20-30% Reduction in Energy Costs Get Solutions can offer most companies a reduction of 20-30% in energy costs through their energy management solutions, Grendon boasts. The fact that Get Solutions are authorised contractors

for Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) means that they can access SEAI grant support through their partners, NCE Insulations. This means that customers may also be able to avail of a BEC grant of 27-45%, depending on the customer’s circumstances and approval by the SEAI. Get Solutions can even provide funding for your project, through their lease model partnership with United Rentals Limited, resulting in no capital outlay for the customer. “The lease costs are structured to provide customers with a net savings benefit from month one, thereby eliminating lengthy payback periods before the savings benefits are received by the customer,” Grendon says. “We also provide direct finance packages, through our partnership with Linked Finance, which enables the customer to fund projects without the hassle of outlaying any up-front capital.”

The MD estimates that no matter what the project is, the client will see a return on their investment within 18 months to three years.

Michael Doyle’s Spar store in

Portmarnock, Co. Dublin, has slashed its energy bills by 20%, having invested in a simple LED lighting equipment replacement programme. “I wanted to reduce my overheads and Get Solutions achieved this for me,” the store owner reveals. “They did a very professional job. The quality of the new lighting is just brilliant and it’s really been noticed by my customers.”

Free Audit In order to understand your energy needs, Get Solutions will carry out a free audit of your premises, following which they will provide a detailed energy report, thus enabling you to make an informed decision on how to maximise energy savings.

“When the customer agrees to proceed with the project, our back-office staff will prepare all the documentation and agree the best finance options with the customer,” Grendon explains. “Then it’s a case of watching your energy costs dramatically reduce.”

Get Solutions Ltd is an affinity partner of the CSNA and has provided energy services to CSNA members over the last three years. For more information, contact Charlie Grendon, Managing Director, or John Quirke, engineer, on (01) 6275466.

Michael Doyle’s Spar store in Portmarnock, Co. Dublin, saw a 20% reduction in energy bills, after investing in an LED lighting equipment replacement programme.

36|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

IGBF Christmas Lunch

Festive Cheer at IGBF Lunch The Irish grocery industry generously supported the annual IGBF Christmas Lunch.

OVER 1,200 people from Ireland’s grocery industry gathered for the 2018 Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund Christmas Lunch, held at the Clayton Burlington Hotel on Friday, December 7, to raise funds for the industry charity. In its 55th year, this annual event, the biggest in the IGBF social calendar, officially marks the countdown to Christmas for the trade and brings together a host of attendees from supplier, retailer and support companies.

Organised by Hotel Solutions, and hosted by Declan Ralph, Retail Development Director of BWG Foods, this year’s event saw entertainment by the Dublin Gospel Choir and Hit Machine Drummers, as well as comedian Deirdre O’Kane. The European Rugby Champions Cup also made a guest appearance on the day.

Kindly sponsored by the National Lottery and PRM, the annual event is the biggest single fundraiser for the IGBF, this year raising over €230,000, thanks to the generous support of the trade. Other sponsors included BWG Wines & Spirits, Galberts, Heineken Ireland, Primline Sales & Marketing, Britvic Ireland, Avonmore, East Coast Bakehouse, Solus,

The TWIG Committee (l-r): Anne O’Brien: Category Manager, Musgrave Wholesale Partners; Sharon Yourell Lawlor, MD, Think Plan Do Consulting; Frances Higgins: Vice Chair of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund and Group Head of Promotions; and Paula Conlon, Customer Marketing Controller, Heineken Ireland.

Pictured is the IGBF Committee and Members, following their meeting in advance of the Annual IGBF Christmas lunch.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|37

IGBF Christmas Lunch Custodian, and Dillion Productions.

“With the support of the trade and of our sponsors throughout the year, we continue to provide essential financial relief to members of the trade and their families, who find themselves in need of assistance,” noted Donal O’Shea, who announced his retirement as IGBF Chairperson, after four years, handing over to former IGBF President of Appeals Leonard Hegarty, as incoming Chairperson.

“It is brilliant to see the support from around the trade for this event, our biggest fundraiser for the IGBF charity, which is committed to improving the lives of our colleagues in need through funds raised,” noted Hegarty at the event.

2019 President of Appeals John Moane, the outgoing IGBF President of Appeals and Managing Director, Wholesale at BWG Foods, thanked attendees and sponsors for their generosity, and presented the IGBF's new President of Appeals for 2019, Kari Daniels, CEO of Tesco Ireland, with her President’s camel pin. During his address to the audience, Moane noted how “2018 has been another amazing year for the IGBF, using a strong mix of events, new and old, including TWIG’s networking lunch, the IGBF Sports Lunch, the Grocers Fun Run, the President’s Party in the Crypt and of course our annual Christmas lunch, to name but a few, to bring our grocery community together and raise funds for a very worthwhile cause.”

Speaking as the new President of Appeals, Tesco Ireland CEO Kari Daniels said, “It is a great honour and privilege to now serve as President of Appeals of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund. The Fund has been an integral part of the Irish retail landscape for over 30 years, providing enormous assistance to relieve hardship amongst unemployed and retired members of the retail sector and their spouses, who have fallen on difficult times because of ill health or bereavement.

I am delighted to have this opportunity to make a contribution to an institution which has served those in need so well down through the years and will continue to do so in the future.”

Leonard Hegarty expressed the committee’s delight at having someone with Kari’s commercial and

Pictured are (l-r): Leonard Hegarty, incoming Chairperson IGBF & General Manager of G&M Industrial Cleaning; Donal O’Shea, outgoing IGBF Chairperson; Kari Daniels, CEO, Tesco Ireland, and incoming President of Appeals, IGBF; and John Moane, MD, BWG Foods Wholesale Division, and outgoing IGBF President of Appeals.

Pictured are the Tesco Ireland team (l-r): Aoife Donohoe, Head of Corporate Affairs; Kari Daniels, CEO; Anne-Marie Shalloe, Head of Property; and Geraldine Casey, People & IT Director.

The team from BWG Foods at the IGBF Christmas Lunch.

The team from PRM, pictured at the IGBF Christmas Lunch.

Declan Ralph, Retail Development Director, BWG Foods, and event MC.

38|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

IGBF Christmas Lunch retail experience as President of Appeals: “A key element of the role is to impress upon people the wide-reaching benefits associated with donations to the Fund. The proceeds are distributed to those in need across communities on an all-Ireland basis. This greatly helps the many people across the country that are dependent on men and women that have worked in the retail sector but who have fallen on hard times. I have great confidence that Kari will now play a key role in the year ahead supporting our mission.”

Worthwhile Causes The IGBF currently assists nearly 250 families monthly and contributes over €560,000 annually to its worthwhile causes. The Fund is supported by leading companies in the retail, wholesale, food and drink and services industries. It focuses on building awareness of the key role the Fund plays and encourages retailers to get involved to help find solutions to the hardship facing many former and current industry colleagues.

For further information on the IGBF and its activities for 2019, please visit its newly renovated website, www.igbf.ie.

John Moane, MD, BWG Foods Wholesale Division, and outgoing IGBF President of Appeals, and Donal O’Shea, outgoing Chairperson of the IGBF, are pictured with the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Pictured are (l-r): Joe Wogan, Category Buyer, BWG Foods, and IGBF Committee member, Frances Higgins, BWG and Vice-Chairperson of the IGBF; and John Moane, BWG and outgoing President, IGBF.

Comedian Deirdre O’ Kane entertaining guests at the IGBF Christmas lunch.

The team at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard.

Pictured are Robert Crowley, Account Development Executive, and Nick Egan, National Field Sales Manager, Britvic Ireland.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|39

ECR Awards

Heineken Rewarded for Superb Campaign

The ECR Shopper Award saw five stunning brand campaigns battling it out to be named the overall winner, with Heineken Ireland emerging victorious.

‘THINK Digital – Act Real’ was the theme for the ECR Shopper Conference and Awards 2018. The Awards saw some of the best NPD and activations of the last year compete head-to-head, and also featured a fascinating array of speakers sharing their insights on developments in the FMCG sector.

The five finalists in the competition represented some of the biggest brands in Ireland. Heineken Ireland was represented by David Farragher, Brand Activation Manager, who shared the story of the Heineken 0.0% launch.

Diageo made the list of finalists for its Rockshore Irish Lager roll-out and Sinéad Conmy, Category Development Manager, explained how the project was successfully completed.

Aoife Bambrick, HB Brand Manager, Unilever, reminded the audience of our long summer days with the HB Snaps up the Summer campaign. Kerry Foods’ Dairygold Make a Minute for Micro Volunteering campaign was a fresh and unique idea that Ashley O’Sullivan, Assistant Brand Manager, brought to life on the day. PepsiCo rounded out the list of finalists when Kathryn Dodd, Shopper Marketing Manager, and Louise Priestman, Assistant Brand and Shopper Marketing Manager, explained how they leveraged the World Cup event during the summer to drive sales in their category.

The Overall Winner The winner of the ECR Shopper Awards is chosen by their peers on the day.

This makes success even sweeter and this year it was Heineken Ireland that came through with the most votes. David Farragher explained how Heineken

successful leveraged the healthy living trend to revitalise a moribund category.

Heineken’s own research showed it that 75% of people would like to live a healthy lifestyle, but only 25% of people felt it is easy to do so. They were also aware of the fact that alcohol free was

The Heineken Ireland team with the ECR Shopper Award 2018.

40|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

ECR Awards The success of Rockshore shows how important it is in NPD to understand the audience, the product and the best way to bring them together.

Aoife Bambrick, HB Brand Manager, Unilever. a leaderless category with little choice and even less excitement. Heineken 0.0% was developed to introduce life to the alcohol free category and tie it to the healthy living trend. Heineken Ireland invested significant time and energy securing buy-in from stakeholders in the supermarket and off-trade. The high level through-the-line advertising campaign was supported by a shakeup of the alcohol free offering in-store, all leading up to the same objective: to make an alcohol free choice a tempting choice.

The results from the launch were certainly worthy of winning the award on the day. Evaluation of the results showed that 60% of purchasers were entirely new to the category; category spend and value doubled as a result of the addition of Heineken 0.0%; and the category now clearly has a leader, with Heineken 0.0% claiming a 50% share. The launch of Heineken 0.0% achieved stunning results for the category and was a very worthy winner of the 2018 awards.

Rockshore Irish Lager Sinéad Conmy from Diageo revealed how insights, even in mature categories, can deliver significant value, as was the case with the launch of Rockshore Irish Lager, which is fresh, Irish and designed to capture the imagination of the busy Irish millennial. With over 10m units sold already, the product is clearly connecting with its customer and it has attracted new buyers, with one in four purchasers new to the category.

The Rockshore roll-out employed a multi-faceted approach to connect with its intended millennial customer by tying above-the-line advertising to digital marketing and in-store experience, while also employing a very strong focus on post purchase interactions.

Creative Volunteerism Kerry Foods’ Dairygold nomination was worthy both for its execution and the detail, Make a Minute for Micro Volunteering was an innovative and creative campaign that made a real difference to the lives of those involved and created a deeper connection with the customer. Micro-volunteering is crowd sourced volunteerism, combining small amounts of free time with creative use of technology to allow people to perform small acts of volunteerism.

Dairygold engaged their customers with the notion that they could make a difference in the time it takes to wait for the toast to cook. Over 66,000 Irish people visited the landing page and the campaign delivered over 22,000 acts of volunteerism, which is tremendous.

The campaign also delivered an almost 25% uplift in volume and almost 12% increase in revenue through SuperValu stores. Dairygold’s growth was 4% ahead of the category during the campaign, so not only was Kerry Foods helping people to make a difference but the brand was reaping a clear reward as well. A great finalist on the day and a wonderful example of just how creative campaigns

are becoming in the FMCG arena.

PepsiCo’s Perfect Match?

Pepsico and Walkers Perfect Match World Cup Activation demonstrated how real world and digital events are no longer distinct from one another. The World Cup was a huge global event and it was always going to give a lift to sales of products such as crisps and soft drinks, but Walkers wanted to rise ahead of the tide and its World Cup Activation tied real life to digital in an impactful manner to create disruption and theatre that tied in to the theatre on the pitch.

Tailored in-store activations and foyer take-overs brought above-the-line and digital advertising to life at the Point of Sale. The chance to meet players like Lionel Messi in real life sent the digital competition into a spin, as Walkers made its link with the World Cup ubiquitous in the minds of customers. Although Walkers did have the World Cup event to leverage, they were not the only brand looking to do so, and it was only by combining all aspects of the process into a meticulous process that they were able to so successfully cut through the noise in the market. This activation clearly demonstrates how digital and real are simply aspects of the same experience in modern marketing and made the campaign a strong finalist for the 2018 awards.

Michelle McGreal, Goosebump, and Sinead Conmy, Category Development Manager, Diageo.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|41

ECR Awards CEO of Glacier Consulting, Understanding Customer Expectations and the theme of his The point Hughes makes is that presentation, ‘Digital technology has changed us because Values: A New Reality’ it has changed our expectations. For was echoed by almost all a brand, meeting the expectations of the presenters on the day. consumers is critical; if you fail to meet Ken painted a fascinating their expectations, you will pay the picture of where we consequences. So for brands operating are and where we are in any part of the FMCG sector, it has going. The generation become vital to understand where the growing up at the moment expectations of your customers are now is set to become the and how you can meet or exceed them. highest consuming It is the same strategy that has generation in human always worked in marketing, but the history, consuming difference is everything moves at a much more products, more faster pace now. For brands looking to information, faster and go the extra mile, the data is now easier easier than ever. to access than ever.

That notion of more, For the finalists in the Awards this The keynote speaker was consumer and shopper faster, easier, could be year, getting to know and understand behaviouralist, Ken Hughes, CEO of Glacier set to radically disrupt their target market was a cornerstone Consulting. the way the FMCG in each of their campaigns. For any sector works.

As Ken explained, our brand looking to succeed in the highly Ice Cool Campaign from HB expectations as A better than average summer was consumers are always going to help a brand like HB, higher than they but the Snaps Up the Summer campaign have ever been, from Unilever made sure that sales driven largely during a fine summer were as strong by advances in as they possibly could be. Unilever technology. We conducted extensive research on their expect to get picked target audience before implementing up within minutes the campaign, which allowed them of using an app to quickly and effectively engage with to summon a taxi their audience. The activation created or other driver. a very digital campaign to connect with Some readers may its audience, including geo-targeted remember the days digital marketing, and ‘the connected when competition cabinet’, an in-store element allowing Colm Rooney, Shopper Intelligence, and Barry Carty, BWG entrants were instant wins for some lucky customers, Foods. expected to wait with prizes ranging from ice-creams to 90 days to receive competitive FMCG sector, it is time to festival tickets. prizes; some understand that relationship between The campaign included significant companies now offer delivery in less real and digital has changed forever, and online exposure and employed Snapchat than 90 minutes. forever changed us as a result. influencer James Kavanagh @jamesksnaps to connect with customers in app or online on websites such as joe.ie and her.ie. HB recorded an increase in volume of just over one third and an increase in value of 42%, demonstrating that the campaign connected quickly and easily with its intended audience and yet again showed how digital and real are increasingly the same thing.

The five finalists on the day all represented their brand and their organisations with distinction and the quality of the 2018 awards was extremely high. The event also featured an array of excellent speakers, providing insights around the day’s theme of ‘Think Digital - Act Real’.

Digital Values: A New Reality The keynote speaker was consumer and shopper behaviouralist, Ken Hughes,

Paul Corcoran, Range & Space Planning Manager, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, and Declan Carolan, General Manager, ECR Ireland.

Get Prepared to Secure Vaping Category Success Stay stocked up To avoid any missed opportunities, ensure your Logic merchandising unit is well stocked and in a prominent and visible location, ideally at eye level and within easy reach of your staff. Best practice would be to re-stock the unit daily and prior to peak traffic times.

THE new year is typically a time when there is increased demand for alternatives to tobacco among existing adult smokers. It is, therefore, important for retailers to plan ahead to ensure you are fully prepared to respond to any changes in demand from your customers and answer any questions they may have. Taking some simple steps will mean you are well placed to drive vaping category sales in your store and secure follow-on business.

Having introduced two new flavours this year, Blueberry and Citrus Mint, the Logic portfolio range continues to expand to meet changing tastes and preferences.

In order for you to provide the best assistance to your customers and ultimately drive footfall in your store, it is vital to stay abreast of developments in the vaping category. JTI recommend the following steps:

guidance at point of purchase about potential alternatives to smoking before deciding on a device or e-liquid flavour. Ensuring your staff are well informed about the category and up-to-date with the full Logic portfolio will equip them to respond to any questions received from customers.

Accommodate your customers Offering a full vaping range provides the convenience of a one-stop shop for both vapers and those looking for an alternative to smoking.

Educate your staff It is often the case that an existing adult smoker will seek some

Merchandise correctly Visibility is key: ensure vaping products are located prominently in your store to ensure existing adult smokers and vapers are aware of the choice and range on offer. It is important to keep a clear and tidy e-cigarette display.

JTI’s Salesforce is on hand to provide expert support and advice to help you maximise sales in the vaping category. Orders can be made through your local JTI trade marketer, cash and carry, online at www.jtiengage.com or you can place an order by calling (01) 4040200.

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44|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review

Super Success for SuperValu All Things Considered, 2018 marked another successful year for SuperValu.

2018 was another year of growth for SuperValu, with three new stores opened and 50 revamps across the network as part of a €40m investment programme.

This follows a record performance in 2017, when the grocery retailer recorded sales of €2.7 billion, a new sales milestone for the brand.

Indeed, SuperValu recorded a series of milestones during the course of the year. Building on its reputation for fresh food leadership, SuperValu was revealed as the top performing Irish supermarket at the 2018 Great Taste Awards with 79 accolades, including 45 products from the Signature Taste Range, making it the number one premium range in an Irish supermarket. This is in addition to receiving 109 Blas Na hEireann awards and 10 Best in Fresh Awards.

The foundations of SuperValu’s fresh food leadership have been built on its unrivalled support for Irish suppliers and the quality of its range.

Working with over 1,800 Irish suppliers, more than any other grocery retailer, SuperValu is uniquely placed to support more Irish food producers than any rival, as its stores are independentlyowned and operated. These deep ties were exemplified during 2018, when SuperValu put financial supports in place for a number of existing growers of vegetable crops, in light of the negative impact of the summer heatwave on the farming community.

Fifth Year of Food Academy As part of its support for Irish suppliers, SuperValu also celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Food Academy programme this year. Through the Food Academy programme, SuperValu retailers provide early-stage Irish food businesses with their all-important first supermarket listing and a route to market. This approach has helped suppliers like Jo Davey of Absolute Nutrition move from making nutritional snacks in her kitchen for her friends and

Pictured is Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, and Adam Harris, founder of AsIAm, alongside local retailers Eugene and Catriona Scally of Scally’s SuperValu, Clonakilty, to announce that Clonakilty has officially been designated with an Autism Friendly status by AsIAm. relatives to establishing a successful food business with a unique offering that employs local people.

Since the programme’s inception in 2013, Food Academy graduates have sold €78m worth of produce in SuperValu stores and the 329 suppliers involved have grown to provide approximately 1,500 jobs. The initiative is expected to generate €50m in sales annually for emerging Irish food producers within the next five years.

With a network of local food entrepreneurs in every county in Ireland, SuperValu is uniquely placed to understand the vital role they play in their community, hence their support for local suppliers as that money is reinvested back in Ireland. The ultimate aim is to ensure that every community is a vibrant one for generations to come, and this goes beyond support for the Irish agri-food industry. SuperValu has

a wide range of initiatives in areas as diverse as energy efficiency, plastics and waste, as well as GAA and Tidy Towns sponsorships, to build more sustainable communities.

Going Beyond the Till The drive to create sustainable communities is also the inspiration for SuperValu’s new ‘All Things Considered’ campaign, highlighting how the grocery retailer makes its shoppers’ lives better by offering great value and service that goes way beyond the till.

SuperValu became the first retailer in Ireland to introduce fully compostable and biodegradable produce bags for use by customers in initially 70 of its stores. It subsequently followed this up by becoming the first national grocery retailer to introduce 100% compostable coffee cups through all Frank and Honest stations in its stores.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|45

Retail Groups Review places to live, work and play in for future generations.

One of the most impressive TidyTowns sustainability initiatives is the Westport committee’s move to eliminate plastic straws in the town.

In May, Liam Campion, manager at SuperValu Westport and chairman of the committee, led an initiative to eradicate plastic straws, making Westport Ireland’s first plastic strawfree town. This initiative saw the TidyTowns committee working with retailers, restaurant and café owners, publicans and hoteliers to phase out plastic straws, to make the town a more attractive place to live in and visit.

Pictured at SuperValu’s Wellfood area at this year’s Wellfest are SuperValu ambassadors, Steve and Dave Flynn of The Happy Pear. SuperValu returned for the second year as official food partner for this year’s WellFest, which took place in Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham on May 12 and 13.

These form part of a broader strategy to reduce packaging and make 100% of SuperValu’s Own Brand and fresh produce packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

SuperValu has had a long heritage with regards to sustainability, highlighted by its long running association with the TidyTowns competition. As SuperValu retailers are independent, local entrepreneurs they are at the heart of communities, so they naturally share the TidyTowns competition’s goal of creating better

Autism Friendly Shopping In a similar grassroots fashion, SuperValu retailers have also been working to ensure that their stores are accessible to all members of the community. Three years ago, Scally’s SuperValu in Clonakilty became the first retailer in Ireland to ensure that members of the autism community could enjoy a better shopping experience.

Since then, more than 100 SuperValu retailers have taken the initiative to their own stores and communities by making autism friendly shopping times available, with additional supports such as desensitisation of store sounds and autism friendly trolleys which were developed by a SuperValu employee.

Eugene and Catriona Scally of Scally’s SuperValu have also taken things a step forward by launching an initiative to make Clonakilty Ireland’s first ever Autism Friendly town.

Designed as part of the on-going partnership between Adam Harris, founder of AsIAm, and SuperValu, the

Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, is pictured announcing that SuperValu is Ireland’s first grocery retailer to introduce compostable produce bags, part of a pledge to make 100% of SuperValu Own Brand and fresh produce packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

All Things Considered: SuperValu’s latest campaign highlights how value goes beyond the till. four-month journey will see businesses, organisations and community groups undergo training and organisational changes to ensure they secure full Autism Friendly Accreditation.

Health & Wellness Health & wellness is also a natural focus for SuperValu, and the grocery retailer strengthened its credentials in this space during 2018 through its partnership with WellFest, one of Ireland’s leading health and wellness festivals, as well as its long running association with the GAA All Ireland Senior Football Championships.

SuperValu embarked on an ambitious nationwide campaign to combat the lack of exercise amongst Ireland’s families through several initiatives, including SuperValu’s Take Ten, a campaign that encourages families to take 10-minute bursts of daily exercise and get behind the ball. SuperValu also continued its campaign to get children playing football by placing a GAA football into the hands of 55,000 children around the country, bringing the total number of footballs donated to children by SuperValu to 110,000 at the end of 2018.

The focus on health & wellness extended throughout the store with a more health conscious consumer on trend in 2018. This was evident throughout the store, with organic sales up 10% and the launch of new vegan zone being rolled out to stores. Through its continued differentiation from the competition, SuperValu has continued to position itself as a destination shop.

Mindful of the modern consumer in this respect, the grocery retailer continues to invest in innovation, with its online shopping service going from strength to strength, with sales increasing by approx. 30% per week YOY. SuperValu also continued to expand its Real Rewards loyalty programme, with membership growing to 1.1m people.

All things considered, 2018 was another successful year for SuperValu.

46|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review

Centra: Helping Consumers to Live Well 2018 was another healthy success for Centra.

CENTRA had another standout year in 2018 as the brand continued to reinvent the market. Building on its record sales of €1.58 billion in 2017, Centra started 2018 with momentum as the Pelco Group joined the Centra family, with the addition of six stores to its network as a result. This formed part of the opening of 30 new stores across the country as part of a €32m investment.

Since repositioning the Centra brand in 2016, the convenience retailer had adopted a healthier, more innovative product offering and reshaped the instore experience to encourage shoppers to opt for healthier choices.

The brand’s ambition to redefine convenience shopping has been demonstrated in recent years, with Centra Parnell Street winning IGD Innovative Store of the Year ahead of 700 stores across 50 countries in November 2017 and the new store look and feel winning Gold at the A.R.E (Association for Retail Environments) Design Awards in Las Vegas – with Centra clinching gold alongside other world-renowned brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Lego and Under Armour.

A notable first for the brand, highlighting its leadership of the convenience sector this year, was the introduction of 100% compostable coffee cups through its Frank & Honest range, making Centra the first convenience retailer to eliminate the use of nonrecyclable single-use cups. Another innovative milestone saw the roll-out of Centra’s Beat the Queue app to 50 stores in 2018; the app allows busy lunch-break shoppers to pre-order sandwiches and avoid waiting queues.

Rugby legend Donncha O’Callaghan was announced as the new ambassador for the Centra Live Well campaign in 2018.

Centra Live Well At the heart of Centra’s ongoing success is the healthy living initiative, Live Well, whereby the convenience brand encourages the public to live well, while still making the most of every day.

Rugby legend Donncha O’Callaghan

was announced as the new ambassador for the campaign in 2018, working with fitness expert Pat Divilly to devise a series of plans that can fit into any lifestyle.

With the continued shift by consumers to healthier options, Centra

has continued to reshape its range of healthy convenience items to help customers, whether they are looking for food on the go or to pick up fresh ingredients for a healthy meal in the evening. The online Live Well health hub has all the healthy inspiration customers

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|47

Retail Groups Review

NO. 1 AWARD WINNING CONVENIENCE RETAILER IN IRELAND

and Toasted Almond Salad, Tabbouleh Feta and Cherry Tomato Salad, and Quinoa, Sugar Snap Peas and Peanuts Salad.

Multiple Award Wins The quality of food on offer at Centra was highlighted when the convenience brand claimed 17 accolades at this year’s Blas na hÉireann awards. Centra’s award wins span a multitude of their range, but most notably eight wins for their brand new ‘Inspired by Centra’ range which arrived on shelves during the summer. Gold award winners within the range included Inspired By Centra Orange Juice, Inspired by Centra Fish Pie and the exclusive Inspired

By Centra Irish Angus Sirloin Centra scooped 17 Blas na hÉireann awards including Steak with Pink Peppercorn 8 wins from the new Inspired By Centra range.

Butter. Centra also claimed 35 accolades at this year’s Great Taste Awards, underlining its Centra claimed 17 accolades at this year’s Blas position as the number one na hÉireann awards, including eight wins for award winning convenience their brand new Inspired by Centra range, retailer in Ireland. which arrived on shelves during the summer.

While the award-winning need at their fingertips to make sure food is a core part of Centra’s Living Well is as easy as possible. success, the convenience As part of the ongoing evolution brand’s performance is ultimately of the convenience brand’s range, testament to the efforts of its Centra launched a brand new own independent retail partners, who live the brand product range called ‘Inspired brand every day and deliver a tailored

by Centra’, consisting of over 100 offer to the local community. With 462 new quality products that help make stores nationwide, Centra employs everyday moments special and including almost 11,000 people and serves over something for everyone, underlining the three million customers per week. fact that even if you are short on time, you don’t have to be short on taste or quality.

Irish Angus Sirloin Steak with Pink Peppercorn Butter

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

Creamy Fish Pie

Slow Braised Irish Beef in Red Wine Pie

Strawberry Conserve

Hazelnut Black Forest Granola

Overnight Oats, Yogurt & Mixed Berries

White Chocolate & Cranberry Bites

See centra.ie for more.

Some of the new range’s hero products include: • Inspired by Centra Cold Pressed Juice Shots – a little drink with big power. The juice shots are produced locally in Co. Carlow, made by blending juices with fresh ginger, turmeric and beetroot, all of which are well known for their health promoting properties. The shots are developed to pack a punch, giving consumers a pick-me-up any time of the day, perfect as a substitute to tea or coffee.

• Inspired by Centra range of six delicious salads – made fresh every day in Ireland using the finest ingredients and perfect for picnics, BBQ’s or as a side dish. The range includes Orecchiette Pasta Salad, Spiced Cauliflower Salad, Charlotte Potato Salad, Carrot Kale

Investing in Communities Centra sits at the heart of the communities that its stores are located in, investing more than €240m in local communities every year, which is the equivalent of €4.5m per week, through a combination of payments to local suppliers, acquisition of local business services, wages, charitable donations and local sponsorships.

Some examples of Centra’s long standing community commitments include its sponsorship of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship and ongoing support of the Irish Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Recognising the efforts of colleagues whose passion and commitment ensures that their store is the heartbeat of the local community, Centra held its fifth annual Pride of Centra Awards during the year, where a number of colleagues were celebrated for the remarkable and selfless work they do every day, with consistent feedback from customers that the number one driver of shoppers to Centra is their staff.

In summary, 2018 represented another year of success for Centra in an extremely competitive market. This can be attributed to the convenience brand’s early identification of consumer trends, which allowed it to get a step ahead of the market, and its ongoing investment in new initiatives such as the Frank & Honest coffee range, Green Kitchen, the roll-out of Moo’d ice cream to 130 stores and the Beat the Queue app, which highlight the fact that Centra has no intention of resting on its laurels.

Pictured at the Pride of Centra Awards are (l-r): Centra Human Resource Director, Luke Hanlon, award winners Noreen Hourigan, Nataliya Babyuk and Suzanne Malone, and Centra Sales Director, Dan Curtin.

48|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review

Stunning 2018 for Spar Spar’s offering is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of Irish consumers.

Fact File: Spar Name of Group: Spar Head Office: BWG Foods, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Type of distribution network: BWG National Distribution Centre (NDC) servicing fresh, ambient and alcohol to stores nationwide Number of Stores nationwide: Over 400 Colours: Red, white and green Tagline: “Under the tree at Spar” Average Store Size: 200 square metres

SPAR has been bringing consumers the most innovative, award winning instore offering and shopping experience for over 55 years in convenience, neighbourhood, forecourt and supermarket shopping under the Spar brand.

Spar has a number of exclusive

Pictured at the Spar FAI Primary School 5's National Finals in the Aviva Stadium on May 30 are Eric Cunningham of Scoil Íosagáin, Co. Cork, Genevieve Sherlock of Rathoe NS, Co. Carlow, former Irish international Keith Andrews and current international star, Megan Campbell, Ava Cunningham of Belcarra NS, Co. Mayo, and Conor McDaid of St Oran’s NS, Co. Donegal. offerings, including Spar Deli and coffee partnerships with Insomnia, Seattle's Best and Bewley's. Spar has added a number of new food concepts to its offering, including ‘6th Avenue Street Food’, ‘Shakers’, ‘I Scream’ and ‘The Pitta Project’.

Spar continues to focus on

supporting local Irish suppliers, providing them with the opportunity to reach thousands of customers every day.

Convenience While convenience is the foundation on which the Spar brand is built, the offering is constantly evolving to meet

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|49

Retail Groups Review the changing needs of consumers.

Today, Spar focuses on the new customer, offering great appropriate time-of-day fresh foods, healthy options, expansive range and price and value, all key factors in the Spar offer, and the offer is always evolving.

The focus on health and wellbeing

The Spar Streets of Dublin 5K took place in May. convenience, with new store designs and food solutions. This is most evident in the newly redesigned Spar Millennium Walkway in Dublin.

Colin Donnelly, Spar Sales Director. through the Spar Better Choices campaign is continuing to deliver sales in key categories by offering consumers more choice. It is Spar’s firm belief that they are not in the food business serving people but in the people business serving food, so superior customer service is the key to their brand and to the success of Spar overall.

Being part of Spar International, Spar retailers have unique access to some of the best practice in retail from around the world. In return, Spar Ireland is a leading light on a world stage, responsible for pioneering some of the latest and greatest thinking in

Busy Year of Marketing Spar has had a busy year on the marketing front, continuing to co-invest with its retailers in promoting the brand through a number of high profile sponsorships and activities.

2018 marked the fourth year of Spar’s sponsorship of the FAI Primary School 5’s Programme, which has continued to grow over the four years, with 31,728 children taking part, making up 3,965 teams and representing 1,528 schools. This is a growth of 63% in the four years that Spar has been sponsoring this grassroots sporting programme. Female participation was at an all-time high of 41% in 2018.

A Spar store continues to feature on the set of the nation’s favourite soap, Fair City, as part of the ongoing sponsorship. This year, Spar

The newly redesigned Spar Millennium Walkway in Dublin showcases Spar’s stunning new store design concept.

Spar Sales Director Colin Donnelly with race ambassadors Mick Clohisey and Sonia O'Sullivan, at the Spar Cork Airport Runway 5K. Carrigstown has gotten a makeover, and now showcases the new look and innovative Spar store design.

Spar continued its successful partnership with celebrity TV cook, Donal Skehan, as sponsor of Donal’s Meals in Minutes, including the special Donal’s Christmas Meals in Minutes.

Spar partnered with Athletics Ireland to host the Spar Streets of Dublin 5K in May and in November hosted the sell-out Spar Cork Airport Runway 5K, fronted

by National Marathon champion Mick Clohisey, Karl Henry and Cork native and former Olympian, Sonia O’Sullivan.

Strong Growth Spar is showing very strong overall sales performance for 2018. This is testament to the hard-working Spar retailers that have worked tirelessly over the past number of years.

“We have just launched Spar’s new three-year strategy,” reveals Colin Donnelly, Spar Sales Director. “We are very confident with our growth plans for the next three years, with 2019 underpinned by a strong pipeline of new business.”

50|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review

Eurospar: Famous For Fresh

Eurospar combines a world-class supermarket offering with local neighbourhood expertise.

THE first Eurospar supermarket opened 20 years ago and the network has expanded to 53 supermarkets nationwide today. Eurospar supermarkets and their retailers are at the heart of local communities around Ireland: family run businesses, committed to servicing the local neighbourhood.

The Eurospar brand is owned by BWG Foods, a leading wholesale and retail company. Working in partnership with independent retailers, BWG ensures a profitable business model and a worldclass supermarket offer, constantly innovating through product development, cutting edge store design and service.

Through its wide network of stores, BWG Foods supports local jobs, suppliers, producers and community groups.

Innovation Eurospar is at the forefront of retail innovation to support independent supermarket retailers in Ireland and has access, through Spar International, to the latest supermarket retailing trends across the globe. Eurospar focuses on six key elements: an extensive range; innovative fresh foods, competitive value, customer service, shopping ambience

and the Eurospar SuperEasy Rewards programme.

Famous for Fresh Adopting the tagline ‘Famous for Fresh’, Eurospar now boasts an innovative range across its fresh foods departments, with a host of new product offerings in bakery, butchery, deli and fruit and veg.

Advertising Aggressive national advertising campaigns throughout the year drive awareness and demand to enable Eurospar retailers to compete with other supermarkets in their area. In addition, tailored marketing programmes are developed to cater for the needs of individual Eurospar stores.

Eurospar retailers have access to exclusive product offers that can set them apart from their competitors, including everyday low pricing and strong weekly and three weekly cycle promotions.

Fact File: Eurospar Name of symbol group: Eurospar Head office: BWG Foods, BWG House, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Type of distribution network: BWG National Distribution Centre (NDC) servicing fresh, ambient and alcohol to stores nationwide Number of stores nationwide: 53 Colours: Red, white and green Tagline: ‘Famous for Fresh’

Malachy Hanberry, Managing Director, Eurospar.

Eurospar now boasts an innovative range across its fresh foods departments, with a host of new product offerings in bakery, butchery, deli and fruit and veg.

Community Services In 2018, Eurospar partnered with the Irish Heart Foundation to sponsor their mobile health clinic. Through this partnership, the Mobile Health Clinic has visited all 53 Eurospar stores throughout the country to provide free blood pressure tests to local communities.

As well as their ‘Defibrillator at every Eurospar’” programme, Eurospar strives to help local communities with their health and wellbeing.

Eurospar MD, Malachy Hanberry, and Tim Collins, Irish Heart Foundation CEO, pictured with IHF staff at the the IHF’s mobile health clinic, sponsored

by Eurospar.

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Retail Groups Review

Londis Celebrates Local Retailing

Part of BWG Foods since 2015, Londis has enjoyed three consecutive years of positive growth.

LONDIS joined BWG Foods in 2015. The brand’s sales performance in 2018 has been very encouraging, with Londis showing positive growth for the third consecutive year. Londis has a strong family orientated focus, prioritising retailers’ success, because when Londis retailers are succeeding, the brand is succeeding and everyone is happy.

Londis was originally founded by a group of like-minded retailers who wanted to secure better trading terms from suppliers and to enhance their businesses through collaboration and co-operation. This sense of community and co-operative ethos remains at the forefront of how Londis does business today.

Londis TV and Social Advertising Campaign 2018 The new Londis TV ad hit screens in January 2018 and there has been a great reaction to the campaign. The multiplatform campaign, a contemporary take on Londis’ marketing legacy of ‘Local like you’, was broadcast across television, video on demand, and in-store point of sale, and was accompanied by a digital and social media campaign. The new campaign leads with the tagline ‘We know what locals want because we’re local like you’.

Londis has always been at the forefront of neighbourhood-focused retail convenience, but this marketing investment signals a new era for

Conor Hayes and Catherine Fulvio at the launch of season three of Tastes Like Home. the Londis brand, where its inherent commitment to local people will be modernised for the communities and consumers of today.

What sets Londis apart is that each store is reflective of the community that it is based in. As Londis stores are owned and run by locals, the products stocked and sold in each store reflect the needs of the local community.

Tastes Like Home A powerful advocate of supporting local,

Londis is delighted to be involved with Catherine Fulvio’s TV show, Tastes Like Home, airing on RTÉ One for a third year running. Catherine is a perfect fit for the Londis brand; being a Wicklow girl herself, she values the importance of good quality food and has a great ‘Local like you’ attitude. The series is currently airing and receiving great reviews.

Retail Innovation There have been lots of developments at Londis since joining BWG, with a

52|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review Fact File: Londis Name of Group: Londis Head Office: BWG Foods, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Type of distribution network: BWG National Distribution Centre (NDC) servicing fresh, ambient and alcohol to stores nationwide Number of Stores nationwide: Over 130 Colours: White, green and orange Tagline: “Local like you” Average Store Size: 200 square metres Wholesale partner: BWG Foods

2018 has been another amazing year of fundraising for Londis’ charity partner, Pieta House, with Londis raising €129,176 for the charity in 2018. particular focus on retail innovation, product offering and store design and layout. Several new and exclusive food and beverage offerings have been launched. Chief amongst these is a focus on foodservice, as well as a new bakery concept and three new coffee offerings.

The brand’s private label offering has been expanded to focus on fresh and chilled, giving Londis retailers access to BWG’s exclusive sub-brands such as Glenmór meats, O’Dwyer, Kake & Co,

Fresh Choice produce and the extensive exclusive agency wine portfolio. Londis retailers also have access to a new category management system to improve the effectiveness of product layout and drive sales.

Charity Partnership 2018 has been another amazing year of fundraising for Londis’ charity partner, Pieta House. The group was proud to announce at the Londis Retailing Awards 2018 that Londis raised €129,176 for the charity in 2018. This is Londis’ third year officially supporting Pieta House and they are delighted to support such a worthy cause and they couldn’t have done this without the ongoing support from Londis retailers right across the country.

Sponsorship 2018 was another great year for Londis’ sponsorship of Hell & Back – Ireland’s toughest mental and physical endurance challenge. The sponsorship is perfect for Londis, who have secured their own Londis Zone at the event, which includes a Londis Water Jump and Water Slide.

The event attracts more than 21,000 participants throughout a series of adventure events, which take place in Kilruddery Estate, Bray, Co. Wicklow, in June and September. 114 Londis retailers, staff, family and friends took part in the 2018 event.

Londis Sales Director, Conor Hayes.

Londis 7's Sponsorship Londis was delighted to announce a new sponsorship for the brand in 2018, the Londis 7’s All Ireland Senior Football Tournament in Kilmacud Crokes, which

took place on the eve of the All-Ireland football final.

Londis retailers are very passionate about serving their local communities and the group is very proud to be associated with Kilmacud Crokes for this tournament. The Londis 7's at Kilmacud Crokes is a wonderful celebration of Gaelic football, and this tournament emphasises just how inclusive and family-orientated our national sport is, as teams from all over Ireland converge on this famous venue for a fun-packed day’s entertainment. The sponsorship is a positive association with Londis and specifically their involvement with the local community.

Co-investment Programme Significantly, BWG has put in place a programme of co-investment with Londis retailers to upgrade and modernise stores, giving retailers access to funds which may not have been readily available in recent years. This is supported by an ever-evolving new store concept and retail offer.

It is all these initiatives combined that ensures differentiation from competitors, along with driving growth across the Londis group. Importantly, these new changes will allow the retailers more time on the shop floor, enabling them to deliver on what matters most; giving the local Londis customer the best shopping experience possible.

With the support of BWG Foods behind the brand, in partnership with ambitious Londis retailers, Londis is well positioned to see healthy growth next year.

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Retail Groups Review

Mace: Going the Extra Smile

Mace has partnered with one of Ireland’s most respected and high profile sporting heroes, rugby star Johnny Sexton, as its brand ambassador.

JOHNNY Sexton, who was named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018, plays a central role in a new TV and digital campaign launched

by Mace. In a series of imaginative 30-second advertisements, we see Johnny Sexton performing his famous stare of concentration. The humorous advertisements link in to Mace’s previous campaigns, aiming to put a smile on the most serious of faces.

As brand ambassador, Sexton is also working with Mace and its retailers on a number of community initiatives aimed at encouraging children and families to lead healthy, active and kind lifestyles.

“Mace retailers are extremely proud of the positive contribution they make to communities they serve, and Johnny Sexton, whose commitment and dedication is lauded the world over, will provide an amazing role model for the young people of the communities in which we operate,” noted Daniel Daniel O’Connell, Mace O’Connell, Sales Director.

Mace Sales Director. “What’s most satisfying about this campaign is that it gives Mace and our local retailers a powerful platform to engage our communities on exciting and meaningful initiatives.”

The Mace Differentiator Friendly staff have always been a differentiator for Mace, as excellent customer service is key to their success.

Fact File: Mace Name of Group: Mace Head Office: BWG Foods, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Type of distribution network: BWG National Distribution Centre (NDC) servicing fresh, ambient and alcohol to stores nationwide Number of Stores nationwide: 160 Colours: Turquoise and orange Tagline: “Going the Extra Smile” Average Store Size: 135 square metres Wholesale partner: BWG Foods

“Mace prides itself on ‘going the extra smile’ and through the Mace standards programme, run in conjunction with EIQA, we ensure that our stores provide best practice retailing to shoppers,” explains O’Connell.

Mace has been a part of local communities throughout the country for almost 60 years, so understanding local customers is central to each and every business. Many of the Mace stores have been owned by generations of the same family and are well established in their local community, supporting local teams and community initiatives.

Store Formats & Design At Mace, the store design is bright and bold, all developed as part of the drive for excellence within the convenience retailing sector. Their food and beverage innovations result in quality fresh departments, which have been proven to drive significant profitable sales increases for Mace retailers.

As part of the Mace strategy, it

In 2018, Mace announced a high profile brand ambassador, Jonathan Sexton, and launched a new advertising and digital campaign featuring the World Rugby Player of the Year. operates three store formats: high street convenience, neighbourhood, and forecourt. Mace tailors its store layouts and food offerings to each store location and customer base. There is a strong focus on fresh departments, as well as three premium coffee suppliers to choose from.

With an in-store offer that includes a high quality Mace Deli, Irish sourced meat range Glenmór, O’Dwyer’s Bakery, Kake & Co’s bread and cakes range, Mace’s Own Brand range and its exclusive wines, beers and spirits portfolio, Mace shoppers are fully serviced across each store type as appropriate to their needs.

Charity Partnership Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI) is Mace’s charity partner, and together, Mace retailers and their shoppers raise funds and awareness for this very deserving charity, to provide additional DSI regional resource officers around the country. Donations are made to the charity through the sale of a selected range of Mace own brand products, from collection boxes in stores and through locally organised fundraising activities.

54|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review

Excellent Year for XL

XL offers retailers the opportunity to retain their independence and local identity, while benefitting from the many advantages of symbol group membership.

XL offers a flexible, market-leading package, which enables retailers to tailor their shop to consumer needs, and also to react quickly to changing market conditions in order to grow their business. XL’s affordable fit-out cost is one of its many attractions.

Value Centre: Superior Customer Service With access to competitively priced products and innovative offerings via the buying power of BWG Foods, one of the many benefits retailers avail of is a vast and diverse supply network through its Value Centre wholesale cash and carry network, and through the company’s chill distribution centre in Dublin.

Strategically positioned with 20 Value Centres located around Ireland,

Fact File: XL Name of Group: XL Head office: BWG Foods UC, BWG House, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Type of distribution network: 20 Value Centres nationwide and chill distribution Number of Stores nationwide: 250+ Tagline: A great deal more at your local store Typical Store Size:110 square metres Wholesale partner: Value Centre Website: www.xlstores.ie Social Media: www.facebook.com/ XLIreland/

every XL retailer is never far from one and has the full support of their branch.

Value Centres are well-known for providing superior customer service.

XL retailers want much more than a transactional type relationship with their wholesaler. They want services and advice and these local teams are a key part of helping maintain personalised customer relationships.

There has been continual investment in the Value Centre branch network over recent years and 2018 was a special year of importance as the brand celebrated its 50th anniversary. XL retailers benefitted from Value Centre’s 50th roadshows as they enjoyed additional special offers as part of the celebrations through the year.

Both the Value Centre sales team and XL dedicated business development managers are very focused on customer service. The development team help keep the XL business on track by continuously working with retailers to review store performance, ensure the shop layout is working and that sales opportunities are being maximised.

Social Media XL is keeping a very keen eye on the growth and potential of social media and making a focused effort to maximise its presence. The XL Facebook page is kept vibrant and the platform allows

XL’s presence on TG4’s flagship soap opera, Ros na Rún, was recognised at the 2018 Irish Sponsorship Awards.

XL stores to communicate offers and information on marketing and charity partnerships. For example, through the sponsorship of Ros na Rún and proudly supporting the Bliain na Gaeilge 2018 initiative, these combined have helped drive engagement on the page, with lots of interesting Irish focused content!

Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh joined with XL to announce the introduction of a full suite of point-of-sale marketing materials in the Irish language to all its stores, in support of Bliain na Gaeilge.

The XL brand is developing a proud tradition of supporting the Irish language and this is a result of the brand’s presence on TG4’s flagship soap opera, Ros na Rún, which was recognised at the 2018 Irish Sponsorship Awards.

Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh and Colm Fitzsimons, XL National Business Development Manager, are pictured at the launch of a full suite of pointof-sale marketing materials in the Irish language, in support of Bliain na Gaeilge.

As with the other symbol groups within BWG Foods, XL retailers are reaping the benefits of the company’s award-winning ecommerce website, Shoplink. Retailers can use Shoplink to place orders 24/7 or to review new products, choose from promotions, avail of deals and more.

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Retail Groups Review

Store of the Future Dawns at Daybreak New stores, a fresh look and new and exclusive brands: 2018 has been a successful year for Daybreak.

DAYBREAK has unveiled its new visual identity, store design and exclusive brands; Munch & Co, 9 Grams & Lickety split.

These sub-brands each have clear and distinct identities: Munch & Co for the deli, 9 Grams for premium coffee and Lickety Split for ice-cream. All the subbrands offer stand-out in the broader shop, introducing excitement and wider choice to the shopping experience for customers, while attracting more spend in-store.

Daybreak continues to offer an extensive value offering to retailers, with a strong core of promotions and exclusive product ranges in grocery, impulse and confectionery.

The new brand identity brings a radical transformation to the brand, with a fresh, new look and feel, while very much keeping to the brand’s core principles of fast, easy and local shopping.

Health Focus A key focus in 2018 was to provide healthier convenience options to consumers. For instance, the new Munch & Co deli offering features many healthier options such as signature

Daybreak now has over 220 stores nationwide, including a mix of forecourt, high street convenience and neighbourhood stores. salad bowls and wraps, egg pots, as well as toast and toppings.

“Our Store of the Future is a really exciting development for the brand,” explained Thomas Morrison, Head of Retail Sales. “Our ambition is to surprise and delight shoppers with a fresher, healthier and more innovative offering.

Through our new product offering, including exclusive sub-brands, we are giving consumers much greater choice of quality and healthy food to grab and go.”

Of course, consumers still want indulgence and Daybreak have responded to this with a new donut range that is proving a big hit with their 9 Grams Coffee. The Lickety Split ice cream brand also gives retailers a new offer to capitalise on the renewed popularity of ice-cream with Irish consumers.

Daybreak’s new Munch & Co deli offering features many healthier options, such as signature salad bowls and wraps, egg pots, as well as toast and toppings.

Success to Date The Daybreak brand continues to experience strong

growth. 38 stores moved to Daybreak’s new identity in 2018, with a further 50 stores projected to move to the new identity in 2019. This brings the total number of stores to over 220 and includes a mix of forecourt, high street convenience and neighbourhood stores.

Daybreak offers independent retailers a dynamic, cost effective retail offer, that delivers above average returns. The store also benefits from the buying power of the Musgrave Group, with enhanced sales and increased margins.

Irish Heart Foundation Daybreak launched several initiatives throughout the year to support the Irish Heart Foundation. February saw Daybreak getting behind the Irish Heart Foundation’s ‘Show Some Heart’ campaign, with stores across Ireland asking consumers to ‘Show Some Heart’ in the fight against cardiovascular disease by purchasing a temporary tattoo in-store.

“We have been working with the Irish Heart Foundation since 2016 and are committed to raising as much money as possible for this worthwhile charity,” Thomas Morrison noted. “All funds raised will make a strong impact on families affected by heart illnesses.”

56|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review

Milestone 20th Year for Gala Retail 2018 saw the Gala Group celebrating its 20th birthday with a host of marketing campaigns, promotions and giveaways across a landmark year.

AS the year ends, so concludes the Gala Group’s year of 20th birthday celebrations. It has been a huge year for Gala Retail, which has seen the group implement a host of marketing activities, promotions and celebrations. Thousands of customers have been rewarded for their custom and loyalty to Gala stores, and Gala intends to build on this marketing success in 2019.

In addition to its packed year of consumer incentives and promotions, the group launched new concepts, developed a new app, continued to support Special Olympics Ireland for the fourth consecutive year and new retailers joined the Gala Group.

Attracted to the ‘independent’ nature of Gala’s unique structure, new retailers have joined to become part of a symbol group that offers expertise and stability, yet the flexibility to develop unique, local offerings that are tailored to their community.

Retailers continue to receive excellent guidance and support from the group’s ‘retailer first’ strategy that sees the stores benefit from the 20 years of convenience retailing knowledge and expertise that the Gala Group can offer.

Retailers also avail of national marketing

Aoibhín Garrihy and Gary Desmond, CEO, Gala Retail, are pictured at the launch of the recent #GalaGifts in-store promotion, one of a number of activities launched to mark the Gala Group’s 20th year in business this year. campaigns and support on a local level from the Gala team and network of wholesalers, which are situated across Ireland.

The Gala Group is made up of a variety of store formats, including forecourt, ‘neighbourhood’ and ‘high street’ stores and has added a significant number of new retail outlets in 2018.

Stores in the Gala Group include Gala, Gala Express and Your Stop.

Commenting on the Gala Group’s

20th year in the convenience retailing sector, Gala Retail CEO, Gary Desmond, explains: “It has been a milestone year for Gala as we celebrated our 20th year in business with a string of #GalaGifts promotions and activities for our customers and the communities that Gala operates in throughout Ireland. It was our way of thanking them for their support and loyalty to the Gala brand, which has helped Gala to grow over the past 20 years.

Pictured are (l-r): CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, Matt English, with Tony Cluskey, Marketing & Ambient Trading Manager with Gala Retail.

Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie|57

Retail Groups Review group launch another element of its #GalaGifts activity with its biggest-ever instore consumer promotion! Gala gave its shoppers the chance to win one of three brandnew Toyota Aygo cars and a massive 150,000 Galato is Gala’s new Fresh Whipped Ice Cream and Dessert customers station, which offers a range of chilled dessert options instantly won including ice-cream, milkshakes and desserts, with a twist. prizes through the #GalaGifts “To look back at the group’s ‘Scratch to Win’ promotion. achievements and its continued growth With an online audience that’s grown in an extremely competitive sector to over 170,000 on Facebook alone, reinforces the success of the Gala Gala’s social media efforts continued Group’s vision for our stores to be at in 2018, with competitions, quizzes and the heart of community retailing across original content driving superb levels of Ireland. We look forward to building on engagement and tying in with its 20th this success moving forward.” year #GalaGifts activities.

The Gala Group continued its The Year of #GalaGifts partnership with Special Olympics Marking the Group’s 20th year in Ireland as the Ireland Games 2018 business, under the umbrella of took place in Dublin in June, with the #GalaGifts, the Group committed its group donating 66,000 bottles of water biggest ever investment to promotions to athlete and volunteers. Gala also and initiatives that reward Gala presented daily ‘Gala Fair Play Awards’ customers and the communities they to athletes and continued its successful live in for their valued custom over #GalaSpecialMoments campaign, which the years, with Gala staying true to its has run since it first partnered with tagline, ‘The National brand with local Special Olympics Ireland at the 2015 focus’.

Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Kicking off the celebrations, the group ran its biggest ever social media A ‘Gala’ Conference and Trade Fair giveaway in late 2017, giving away the Gala Retail held its 2018 conference at prize of a brand-new car. Following on the Killashee House Hotel in Naas, Co. from this, the symbol group awarded Kildare, in September. Hosted by actress three primary schools in Ireland with and TV personality, Aoibhín Garrihy, sums totalling €20,000 as part of the the focus of the conference centred ‘Gala Gifts for Schools’ initiative. Such around 20 years of the group’s continued was the success and interest in ‘Gala success in community retailing, the Gifts for Schools’ that the campaign will growth of the Gala brand and the future be back for 2019 with an increased prize vision for Gala. fund for schools to avail of.

Also taking place at the Gala Group’s As the halfway point in 2018 approached, Gala continued with its #GalaGifts theme, launching a huge in-store giveaway, giving customers the chance to win trips to Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Barcelona and Vienna.

Biggest In-Store Promotion As the Gala Group continued its 20th year celebrations, November saw the

New Street Deli is Gala’s new deli offering, featuring an innovative street food inspired menu.

annual conference was the annual Gala B.E.S.T store awards ceremony, which saw a record number of B.E.S.T. awards presented, with 53 stores from across the country being recognised for excellence in retailing and 11 Category Awards presented, including the Marketing Initiative and Supplier of the Year awards, among others. JTI were named as Gala Supplier of the Year.

New Concepts & Developments Innovation in retailing has been particularly important for Gala, especially in recent years, as shopper behaviour changes and the retail climate continues to evolve.

Most recently, Gala has been working on the development of its new mobile app, due to launch in the coming weeks. Phase one of the app is targeted at retailers and will streamline communications to retailers and enable retailers to be fully up-to-date on Gala news at the touch of a button. Gala will continue to develop its app further, with a shopper interface introduced in Q1 2019.

In-store shopping experiences have played a central role in Gala’s development over the last few years, with exclusive concepts such as Baker’s Corner and Coffee Junction being extremely well received by retailers and shoppers.

Two new concepts have been developed for 2019 and the focus will be on their roll-out across Gala stores. New Street Deli is Gala’s new deli offering, featuring an innovative street food inspired menu, served in a ‘Street Box’. It’s joined by Galato, Gala’s Fresh Whipped Ice Cream and Dessert station, which offers a range of chilled dessert options, including ice-cream, milkshakes and desserts, with a twist.

Additionally, Gala Retail has just announced that the group will replace all non-recyclable single-use Gala brand takeaway cups with a new recyclable cup and lid at Gala stores throughout the country.

2019 is already set to be a busy year, with a significant number of new store openings and store expansions scheduled for the first six months.

“In 2019, we will look to the future, building on the group’s 20 years in the industry and growing the Gala brand through innovation,” Gary Desmond concludes. “We’re committed to delivering new ideas and shopper experiences to our retailers, and we’ve also plans for a major new marketing initiative which will be unveiled early in 2019.” Keep in touch on www.Gala.ie.

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Retail Groups Review

Costcutter: Exceeding Expectations 2018 proved an exceptional year for Costcutter, who rolled out their new image nationwide.

FOR Costcutter, 2018 was a tremendous year for brand growth and development.

Following from the strong foundations paved in 2017, this year saw one of Ireland’s leading convenience brands launch and roll out their new image nationwide, in response to the ever-evolving requirements of Irish consumers.

The Costcutter brand image rollout has been a primary focus from the beginning of the year and has been well received by both retailers and customers alike. Deriving from market research, the store image, design, experience and product offering is designed to not just meet the modern consumers’ needs, but to exceed their expectations.

Costcutter product ranges have been part of the franchise’s transformational development plan this year, with the introduction of a new healthier deli and hot food offering, along with bakery, confectionery, alcohol and their new coffee offering, Urban Sips.

“Our focus on range management, combined with our macro space planning ensures that we offer the end consumer a relevant range to fulfil their needs,” explained Sean Hunt, Store Development Team Lead. “We have invested in our hero categories extensively this year, along with optimising our in-store flow to maximise retail sales.”

Building on the success of Urban Sips and Market St Deli, the iconic convenience chain added two new concepts, The Salad Patch and Freezi Licks. Both of these concepts have been welcomed by retailers as they have increased in-store footfall and have resulted in an uplift in sales.

Colgan’s Costcutter, Bridge Street, Cork, sports the brand new Costcutter image, which was rolled out nationwide in 2018.

Skelly’s Costcutter, Virginia, Co. Cavan was named Costcutter Store of the Year.

Pictured are (l-r): Edwina Lucey, Sales and Marketing Director, Barry Group; Tara Geoghegan, Peter Skelly, Philip Moynagh, and Leona Brady from Skelly’s Costcutter; Jim Barry, Managing Director, Barry Group, and Norman Lenihan, Head of Costcutter, Barry Group.

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Retail Groups Review focus on range management and build on the capabilities of our supply chain,” explained Edwina Lucey, Sales Director.

“Our retailers have been an imperative element of our business, and we intend to always work hard in order to ensure their development and success.”

Ella Burke, pictured with the new Freezi Licks ice cream concept, which has been welcomed by retailers.

A New Pillar for Costcutter This year saw the development of a new pillar for the brand, focusing on customer engagement and experience.

This was designed to develop the Barry Group family business ethos and align it with its Costcutter retail partners.

The success of this project was clearly demonstrated at the Barry Group Awards Ceremony in September, where the highest Store of the Year scores to date were recorded.

“This is a true testament to not only the incredible work by our retailers but our fantastic team in Barry Group,” noted Jim Barry, Managing Director, Barry Group. “For us, it is important to foster a strong relationship with our retailers and offer them the best service available in the Irish wholesale trade enabled by our size. We are a company of vast scale, large enough to offer great value, but yet in a unique position that we are also small enough to really know and care about our retailers.”

National Marketing Support Marketing plays a vital role for Costcutter and also acts as a unique selling point for the brand. “The support offered by our marketing department is something which we are extremely proud of. Through our highly skilled team, we assist our retailers in developing their local marketing channels, along with strategically developing national campaigns with mass exposure,” revealed Alan Cronin, Brand Manager. This year saw the development of a pioneering move by the

Costcutter Store of the Year Awards The highlight of the year for Jim Barry was the Costcutter Store of the Year Awards. This is an opportunity to highlight the improvement in standards over the previous year for Costcutter retailers. “This year’s finalists operated to the highest standards in one of the most mature retail markets in the world. We are extremely proud of the improvements in the last 12 months and expect to keep the bar rising for 2019.

The buy-in from our retail partners over the past 12 months has been so rewarding for our whole team,” said Barry.

Deservingly winning the overall Costcutter Store of the Year award, Skelly’s Costcutter Virginia, Co. Cavan, represent the very best in the Costcutter retail group and the award was a true testament to the hard work and vision of a passionate and dedicated team.

brand, introducing augmented reality (AR) activated leaflets. This opportunity arose from their responsive nature to marketing trends and has added to the many successes of the brand for 2018.

Further reiterating the success of Costcutter, 2018 was a year of multiple national award wins. In the inaugural Irish Independent Retail Awards, Concannon’s Costcutter, Galway, was awarded ‘Convenience Retailer of the Year’ showcasing the best in the Irish convenience trade.In addition to this, at the most recent industry awards, the following stores were also recognised: Wallace’s Costcutter, Wellington Bridge, Wexford; Durkin’s Costcutter, Galway; and Doherty’s Costcutter, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal.

Looking ahead to 2019, the brands primary focus will be to further enhance customer experience and offer Costcutter retailers a platform to further excel in their endeavours.

“This year saw the brand develop new and unique marketing messages, Barbara Cahill ensures the finest of fresh products create a new training for consumers at Costcutter’s new in-store concept, programme, enhance our The Salad Patch.

Account Manager role,

60|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Groups Review

Top Year for Tesco Ireland 2018 was a busy year for Tesco Ireland, with a number of initiatives helping the retailer to stand out from its competitors.

2018 was a busy year for Tesco Ireland, with continued focus on serving Ireland’s shoppers a little better every day, under the guidance of newly appointed Chief Executive, Kari Daniels.

Tesco Ireland continues to invest in its store portfolio and this year created 175 jobs at the brand new Tesco Extra store in Liffey Valley, bringing their total number of Irish stores to 151. The new Tesco Liffey Valley store offers customers the best shopping experience, with an extensive range of quality fresh Irish foods, an impressive F&F footprint, as well as a dedicated Tesco Mobile store and complementary services with Grafton Barber, Costa Coffee and Holland & Barrett.

Providing a totally new and enhanced type of shopping experience for customers in the area, the new Liffey Valley store is a highly carbon-efficient design, which includes in-built energysaving measures, advanced lighting, heating and cooling systems and waste recycling facilities. Tesco Ireland is also continuing to invest in the roll-out of its store refresh programme across the country.

Leading the Way in Grocery Home Shopping Tesco continues to offer the most extensive grocery home shopping service; with over 87% population coverage, they have seen double digit growth in orders year-on-year.

Tesco Ireland prides itself on the fact that it is always looking to make the shopping experience simpler and easier for customers. At Tesco, they believe that even the little things make all the difference so in October 2018, they launched a new initiative offering free deliveries for over-65s when they shop online. The new initiative was launched to coincide with International

To celebrate the launch of Cedric teddy bears on sale in Tesco stores for €5 in aid of Temple Street from December 1, a special team of Tesco elves made a surprise visit to Temple Street to make sure that every little Temple Street hero was given their very own Cedric teddy bear. Pictured is Anthony Iannucci (centre), aged 11, with Tesco colleagues Lar Mooney, Aileen Keogh, Clair O’Donnell, Liz Barlow and Sophie Ryan.

Day of Older Persons, which seeks to support full and effective participation of older persons in the community, and was supported by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Age Action Ireland.

This extension of its home delivery service helps older members of their community avail of free delivery of their weekly shopping. This will be highly beneficial, especially as we enter the

colder months, ensuring that older members of the community get the very best food in the manner most convenient to them. These deliveries will operate across Ireland six days a week from 3pm-7pm, Monday-Saturday, subject to a minimum spend of €50. Tesco’s dedicated customer service team will be available on Freephone 1800 248 123 to help process online orders over the telephone.

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Retail Groups Review

Pictured are (l-r): Antony Moore and Keith Moore of Moore Produce in North County Dublin at the announcement that Tesco Ireland diverted 10 tonnes of sweetheart cabbage from waste by temporarily changing the specification to accommodate the changes in the crop.

No Time for Waste: The Community Chill During 2018, Tesco Ireland continued to roll out The Community Chill campaign, to provide fridges and freezers for good causes so that they can receive more surplus food donations to help people in need. The Community Chill aims to overcome one of the obstacles to local good causes taking more surplus food, which is their lack of storage facilities.

To date, Tesco Ireland has donated 150 pieces of equipment to 122 local causes right across Ireland.

The initiative is part of Tesco’s ‘No Time for Waste’ strategy, which aims to minimise food waste and increase surplus food donations at Tesco stores nationwide. Since becoming the first retailer to launch a nationwide surplus food programme in 2014, Tesco has donated over 6m meals of surplus food to more than 350 community groups across Ireland in partnership with FoodCloud. Tesco donates on average the equivalent of over 40,000 meals per week. These donations have enabled the charitable sector to save over €8m off their food bills to date, as reported by FoodCloud, empowering them to invest in additional support services across the country.

As part of its ambition to reduce food waste, Tesco has supported suppliers throughout 2018 to minimise waste across the supply chain. Working with Total Produce and local supplier Moore Produce in North County Dublin, Tesco recently diverted 20,000 cabbage plants from food waste by temporarily changing the product specification to

accommodate the changes in the crop.

Grown in Naul, North Country Dublin, by the Moore family, this year’s cabbage crop has seen changes to traditional growth patterns as a result of the more extreme weather conditions over recent months. The drought experienced in summertime has had a knock-on impact on crop growth in the winter months. Working with Moore Produce, Tesco were able to accommodate a temporary specification to give the producers time to harvest their crops and avoid a situation where the crop would be ploughed back into the ground. This collaboration resulted in over 20,000 cabbage plants being diverted from waste, which is the equivalent of approximately 10,000kg of green cabbage and sweetheart cabbage.

€4m for Temple Street in Four Years Since 2014, with the support of its colleagues and customers, Tesco Ireland has raised €3.9m for Temple Street. This year, due to popular demand, Cedric the bear, the star of the Tesco television ad, has been made available for sale across the country, with proceeds in aid of Temple Street.

Inspired by a true story, the tale of Cedric being lost in a Tesco store and becoming a Service Superstar has captured the hearts and minds of the nation, with customers and colleagues seeking a Cedric of their own.

Cedric was brought to life with the help of five-year-old Temple Street patient, Lewis Evans from Co. Donegal, who participated in a Tesco colouring competition during a visit to the hospital and won the honour of naming this very special bear.

By selling Cedric, Tesco is aiming to reach over €4m raised in four years for the little heroes of Temple Street.

Proud to be a Good Neighbour Tesco Ireland has become a verified member of Origin Green, the national sustainability programme, an initiative of Bord Bia. As a leading food retailer, Tesco is one of the biggest supporters of the Irish agricultural and food business sectors in the country, sourcing from over 480 Irish food and drink suppliers and supporting 13,000 Irish farm families.

In becoming a member of Origin Green, Tesco has set out a sustainability plan that targets key operational, sourcing, health and nutrition and social responsibility targets. In committing to the Origin Green sustainability charter, the structure provides meaningful goals which are independently verified on an ongoing basis.

Tesco’s William McDonnell is pictured with Ringsend natives Florence Keating (aged 84) and Kathleen Delamare (aged 90) to celebrate the launch of Tesco’s initiative offering free deliveries for over-65s when they shop online. Tesco’s new initiative was endorsed by Minister Heather Humphries TD and Age Action Ireland and will provide free deliveries for over 65s across Ireland six days a week from 3pm-7pm, Monday-Saturday.

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Retail Groups Review

The Aldi Effect Aldi invested in its Irish producers and in sustainable business in 2018, winning a host of awards and being named Ireland’s most reputable supermarket in the RepTrak survey.

and achieve a market share of 11.7% (Source: Kantar Worldpanel, 12 weeks ending November 4, 2018).

Grow with Aldi In March, alongside Bord Bia, Aldi launched its new Grow with Aldi supplier development programme, specifically created to help Ireland rugby stars Garry Ringrose and Rob Kearney, with ALDI Ireland celebrated several major small to medium store assistant Danielle Keating, opening Aldi’s new Frascati successes in 2018, from the introduction Irish food and Shopping Centre store in November. of its ‘Grow with Aldi’ supplier drink businesses development programme and achieving secure a national listing with Aldi. best prices possible. Once again, many full membership of Bord Bia’s Origin Aldi invested €500,000 in the of Aldi’s Irish products tasted success Green, to multiple award wins for its programme, with participants receiving across award programmes both at home Irish products and being named Ireland’s both tailored mentoring and access to and abroad, winning 34 Great Taste most reputable supermarket for a Aldi and Bord Bia workshops, teaching Awards, 19 Blás na hEireann Awards and second year in a row by Irish consumers them how to develop and market their 40 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards. in the RepTrak survey. products.

It wasn’t just Aldi’s exceptional food The business also re-emerged Over 230 producers from across and drink selection that topped the as Ireland’s fastest growing retailer, the country applied to take part in awards podium - the unbeatable quality following the launch of Aldi’s Swap and the programme, entering hundreds and value offered by Aldi’s Mamia Baby Save campaign in May. The goal of this of Ireland’s most innovative artisan and Toddler range won over parents campaign is to remind shoppers about products. Following an extensive judging across the country, helping Aldi scoop the saving that can be generated by process, 38 suppliers won a place on four Maternity & Infant Awards and 13 swapping their weekly shop to Aldi. It Aldi’s Specialbuys Irish Food promotion National Parenting Product Awards, helped Aldi win many new customers in August, which saw over 70 including the award for Best Family of their products on sale in Friendly Supermarket in Ireland. all of Aldi’s Irish stores. Out Aldi’s innovative Project Fresh store of these products, five were design was also recognised by the retail further identified to become industry, winning a host of awards, while everyday core Aldi products. for a second year in a row, Aldi was Grow with Aldi builds named the most reputable supermarket on Aldi’s longstanding close in Ireland by 7,000 consumers in the business relationships with RepTrak survey.

Irish producers. 2018 saw Aldi commit to several new longSustainable Business term deals with key suppliers, Reducing its environmental footprint and including a two-year contract pursuing sustainable business practices worth €9m with Codd has always been to the forefront of Mushrooms and a €3m twoAldi’s agenda. This year, Aldi made year contract with Dublinseveral new commitments to ensure the based Freshways Food Co. sustainability of its operations for years to come.

Award Wins In April, Aldi became a full member Partnering with the very of Bord Bia’s Origin Green initiative, the best Irish suppliers enables world’s first national food sustainability Aldi achieved Bord Bia Origin Green accreditation Aldi to offer shoppers the programme. Aldi signed up to the this year. Pictured are Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord most innovative and highest Origin Green sustainability charter Bia, and Giles Hurley, CEO, Aldi UK and Ireland. quality local products at the and developed a comprehensive

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Retail Groups Review energy efficient equipment and investing over €2.5m in environmentally friendly refrigeration. Aldi also signed-up to Business in the Community Ireland’s (BITCI) Low Carbon Pledge, committing to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by the year 2030.

Competition, for many more years to come.

The whole Aldi team once again got behind the Irish Cancer Society, raising over €200,000 for the charity.

With the help of the stars of RTÉ’s Young Offenders, PJ Gallagher, Chris Walley and Alex Murphy, Aldi sponsored the ICS’s annual Colour Dashes, with over 700 Aldi staff members taking part in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway fun runs.

It wasn’t only large, national organisations that availed of Aldi’s corporate responsibility programme.

Hundreds of worthwhile local charities received funding through Aldi’s Community Grants initiative, which saw each Aldi store provide a bursary grant to a local charity, making a real difference in their community.

Store Network Expansion Aldi continued the successful roll-out of Project Fresh, its €60m store upgrade programme. Over 30 stores received the Project Fresh overhaul, providing customers with an even better shopping Aldi launched its new Grow with Aldi supplier development programme this year in partnership experience.

Aldi’s €100m three-year with Bord Bia, investing €500,000. new store building programme sustainability plan that sets out key also continued full sourcing, health and nutrition, social steam ahead, with responsibility, waste emissions and seven new stores energy targets. opening (Leixlip, Efforts to eradicate the use of Frascati Shopping non-recyclable plastics and limit Centre, Passage West, product packaging and waste gained Youghal, Ballinrobe, huge momentum this year. Aldi led Graiguenamanagh the supermarket sector, pledging that and Killaloe), ensuring 100% of its own-label packaging will be more shoppers can recyclable, reusable or compostable by easily avail of its 2022, and committing to a 50% reduction unbeatable prices in product packaging by 2025. and value. Aldi ended In August, Aldi announced that its 2018 with a total of 137 business would be carbon neutral, stores nationwide. starting in January 2019, having Aldi’s Christmas hero Kevin the Carrot teamed up with significantly reduced its carbon footprint FoodCloud to urge Irish consumers to donate 20,000 Supporting Local in recent years by buying 100% green meals to help people in need during Christmas. Kevin Communities energy, upgrading its store portfolio with the Carrot is pictured with Iseult Ward, co-founder of Aldi’s corporate FoodCloud, and Aldi Communications Director, Padraig responsibility Barry. and sponsorship Local community groups and programme placed charities were also the key beneficiary huge emphasis on supporting local of Aldi’s partnership with FoodCloud, communities this year, particularly with hundreds of charities receiving helping young people develop, get active daily donations of surplus food. Aldi and learn new skills. has donated over 1.9m meals of unsold The second year of Aldi Community food through FoodCloud in the last three Games was a massive success, with years. more than 160,000 children across 575 This Christmas, Aldi is further communities taking part in hundreds boosting its support for combating food of events and ultimately two ‘National poverty and waste through FoodCloud Festivals’ at the University of Limerick. by inviting its customers to donate extra The non-contact schools rugby initiative, ambient food at collection points in its Aldi Play Rugby, celebrated a record Aldi Play Rugby celebrated a record stores, with the aim of collecting 20,000 year, achieving the milestone of 100,000 year, achieving the milestone of meals worth of food. boys and girls signing up and getting 100,000 boys and girls signing up. active.

Pictured are: Aldi Group Buying Looking Ahead Aldi also extended its longDirector, John Curtin; Former Ireland As 2018 ends, Aldi will seek to further its term commitment to leading youth and Munster captain Paul O’Connell; success next year and beyond, opening organisation Foróige, agreeing a new National Team Head Coach, Joe more new stores, leading the sector three-year partnership that will see Schmidt; Philip Orr of the IRFU; and in sustainable business practices and it fund and support exciting activities, Aldi Group Buying Director, Finbar continuing to offer shoppers the highest including the Foróige Youth Citizen McCarthy. quality groceries at unbeatable prices.

Awards and the Foróige Junior Baking

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Retail Groups Review

Building a “Better Tomorrow” Lidl has become a leader in sustainability, building its commitments and taking meaningful and measurable steps that matter to communities across Ireland.

LIDL Ireland’s sustainability programme, ‘A Better Tomorrow’, is working towards a successful, sustainable future, not just for its business but for the communities it serves. Since entering the Irish grocery market in 2000, Lidl Ireland is steadily growing its market share, employing over 4,200 people across 159 stores, the latest of which opened in Dublin’s Castleknock on December 13, as well as three warehouses and a head office.

As part of the Schwarz Group, the world’s fourth largest retail group, Lidl has played a valuable role in helping to support and promote Irish suppliers to export to other Lidl countries abroad.

“In 2017 alone, we exported over €200m worth of Irish goods to Lidl countries around Europe,” explains Deirdre Ryan, Head of Communications and CSR, Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland. “Sustainability is at the core of the company’s daily operations, with a strong ethos of responsibility towards people, society and the environment embedded in the company mission.”

Lidl’s commitment to sustainability can be seen through its membership of Origin Green, a voluntary programme led

by Bord Bia, which brings together the Irish food industry under a common goal of sustainable food production.

Commitments on Plastic Not only is Lidl committed to sustainable food production, but it recently announced that it is working with suppliers and industry partners to reduce the overall use of plastic packaging on all its products. Lidl is also focused on increasing the recyclability of those materials, including finding alternatives to black plastic.

Lidl Ireland also announced the discontinued sale of single use plastic items in stores nationwide, including plastic drinking straws, disposable cups and glasses, plates and cutlery and

Lidl Ireland announced a three-year charity partnership with Jigsaw, pledging to fundraise €1m for Jigsaw and raising awareness of youth mental health nationwide, encouraging all customers and colleagues to be One Good Adult. plastic-stemmed cotton buds. Earlier this year, Lidl had already banned microbeads in cosmetic and household products. In addition, they also introduced a new range of unpackaged fruit and now stock more vegetables in all stores, bringing their overall loose lines to approximately 25% of the range.

Lidl Ireland’s sustainability strategy reaches further than just their products.

Earlier this year, they introduced electric vehicle charging points to all new Lidl stores and across all major store refurbishment projects. This announcement means that Lidl will provide the largest network of electric

vehicle chargers in the Irish supermarket sector, enabling customers to charge their electric vehicles free of charge whilst they shop.

To date, Lidl Ireland has achieved many of its targets or hit significant milestones. In relation to sourcing, for example, Lidl has certified many of its commodities to sustainability programmes, such as palm oil, tea, coffee and cocoa to the RSPO, Fairtrade, Organic or Rainforest Alliance standards.

As one of its targets, Lidl has been encouraging suppliers to get involved with Origin Green too.

Furthermore, all of its fresh lamb

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Retail Groups Review Health in Ireland, which provides free confidential, professional support to young people aged 12 to 25, in 13 centres across Ireland. Lidl has pledged to fundraise €1m for Jigsaw over the following three years, and also to raise awareness of youth mental health nationwide, encouraging all customers and colleagues to be One Good Adult - a campaign for adults to support a young person in their lives by being there to listen and support.

“Through our support of Jigsaw, Jigsaw supports us all, helping us to find the ways to really listen to young people about their mental health,” notes Ryan.

Lidl Ireland recently announced a €3m investment and an additional three-year sponsorship of The Ladies Gaelic Football Association. and beef produce has been 100% farmscertified and carbon foot-printed via the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme. It also launched ‘Kick Start’, a supplier development programme supported

by Bord Bia, to give small and medium Irish food and drink businesses an opportunity to showcase their products in stores across the country and access

to a series of comprehensive seminars, led by a team of experts from Lidl and Bord Bia. Jigsaw Charity Partnership During the first half of 2018, Lidl Ireland announced a three-year charity partnership with Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental

Earlier this year, Lidl Ireland introduced electric vehicle charging points to all new Lidl stores and across all major store refurbishment projects, making them the largest network of electric vehicle chargers in the Irish supermarket sector.

Autism Aware Quiet Evenings Additionally, Lidl has been rolling out Autism Aware Quiet Evenings throughout 2018 across all stores, in which Lidl premises adjust their lighting, reduce their sounds and offer priority queuing.

Lidl has been working with charities, such as Autism Ireland and the National Autistic Society, to ensure these evenings fit customers’ needs.

“Public spaces can be overwhelming for anyone with autism,” explains Ryan.

“We would like to support our customers who find it difficult to complete their weekly shop, by providing a calmer environment and the security of knowing that additional assistance is available if necessary.”

Positive Business Practices Initiatives of this nature, and many more, highlight Lidl’s commitment to positive business practices. This commitment is something that expresses itself throughout the whole company. “We seek to enhance the lives of our customers,” says Ryan. “Only through the efforts of our employees and by listening to our stakeholders can we achieve our ambition.”

In addition to this, following the phenomenal success of the partnership established in 2016 between Lidl Ireland and The Ladies Gaelic Football Association, Lidl recently announced a €3m investment and an additional threeyear sponsorship of the association. This will again position the brand as Official Retail Partner and title sponsors of the Lidl Ladies National Football Leagues.

This partnership represents one of the largest investments in female sports by a sponsor in Europe. The reinvestment in the partnership sees Lidl Ireland committing to further #SeriousSupport by introducing various new initiatives and programmes at grassroots level to ensure participants at every level of the game reap the benefits of the retailer’s support.

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Focus on HR

Supporting Transgender Employees As employers and employees, how should we support transgender inclusion in the workplace? The HR Suite advise on the right approach.

THE subject of transgender rights has come to the forefront and it is apparent that historic concepts of ‘male’ and ‘female’ are rapidly becoming outdated.

For employers, though, the question of gender identity throws up practical issues that must be addressed in the workplace. By way of a very simple example, if a female employee is in the process of transitioning to male, or vice versa, and wishes to dress and be addressed in a particular way, how should an employer facilitate this?

Legislation In 2016, Ireland became the sixth country in the world to allow trans people to selfdetermine their legal gender and the Gender Recognition Act was introduced.

In the past, a lack of awareness or understanding of gender identity and the issues that transgender individuals face at work has sometimes led to a less than supportive working environment for employees.

The Employment Equality Acts, 1998-2016, and the Equal Status Act 2000-2016 are the other relevant acts and prevent the discrimination of people in the provision of nine grounds: gender, marital status, family status, age, race, sexual orientation, disability, membership of the Traveller community and religion.

In December, new guidelines for employers and employees were launched by the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI). This guideline offers real information and advice for employers to collaboratively support their transgender employees, to ensure that they have the opportunity to bring their “whole selves” to work and to fulfil their potential in the workplace.

Here are some of the areas that are

discussed and advice on how to manage these situations.

Where Do I Start?

With all workplace and culture projects, it is our advice that it is far better to take a proactive approach in designing and building the culture that you want in your organisation, as opposed to having a reactive approach and only acting when an employee approaches you. Employers should be creating inclusive, supportive working environments for everyone, regardless of the current make-up of their population. This should include having processes in place to support and facilitate an employee’s transition in advance of them stating their intent to transition.

•

•

This involves examining your recruitment process. Are the advertisements, application forms, letters, job descriptions, interview notes and all related procedures gender neutral?

Examine your work policies and

•

procedures. These can be very useful in helping all employees and management deal with the change in a positive way. The Dignity at Work policy, together with the anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies can be very helpful.

Do you have employee supports in place such as an employee assistance programme? If not, then it is certainly something worth considering.

Accessible Transition Policy What should you do when an employee first discloses that they want to transition?

Trans individuals may be full of anxiety and fear at this first meeting, unsure of how their employer will react.

These concerns can be alleviated if your workplace has a public and easily accessible transition policy and a corporate culture that promotes diversity and inclusion.

Be supportive. Identity is deeply personal to all of us. Some may want

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Focus on HR

to simply discuss this with you and take no action; others may want to take a number of steps to transition outwardly in work. Taking an individual approach to managing an employee’s transition is key. A good approach is to develop a personalised action plan for before, during and after the transition period. Put into place review meetings, and revise and develop the plan as appropriate. Any plan should be flexible and not fixed.

Right to Privacy Some trans people are ‘out’ – open about their gender identity or expression – and others are not. Respect the employee’s choice. Do not share this information without explicit permission.

Everyone has the right to privacy.

The trans status of an employee is sensitive personal information.

Information held in personnel files e.g. employment records, insurance company records, medical information, etc., should be maintained with privacy and in confidence.

Respect for Gender Identity 1. Within the workplace, how do you engage in a way that is respectful of their gender identity?

2. Respect the person’s wishes around which name and pronoun (he/ she/they) they would like you to use. If you are unsure of which pronoun to use, ask the individual respectfully.

3. Allow employees to use facilities (restrooms, change rooms) which match their gender identity.

4. Ensure that organisational policies on equality, harassment or bullying explicitly include trans people.

5. Highlight the need for all staff to work in a safe place with dignity and respect. Take a leadership role and create a workplace where people feel free to be themselves.

Best Practice In September 2017, as part of its Equality, Diversity and NonDiscrimination Strategy, Dublin Bus undertook in conjunction with TENI to develop a Workplace Gender Transition Policy and Guidelines.

The company recognised just as there are gay, lesbian and bisexual employees in Dublin Bus, there are also employees who are transgender.

The company acknowledged that while the majority of its 3,500 workforce live and work comfortably in the gender corresponding to their sex assigned at birth, this is not the case for all current or prospective employees. The result was a 28-page booklet that provides detailed and accessible information on gender identity, privacy, confidentiality, terminology, restroom access, appearance standards, transphobia, health and wellbeing at work, addressing the concerns of co-workers and clients, and many other issues.

Dublin Bus’ work in this area has been put forward as a case study for best practice in relation to workplace diversity by the

About the Author

THIS advice is provided by the HR Suite, which offers specialist tailored and effective human resources and business solutions to clients throughout Ireland.

Caroline McEnery, Managing Director of The HR Suite, is a member on the Low Pay Commission and is an Adjudicator in the Workplace Relations Commission. She is also author of 'The Art of Asking the Right Questions', a manager’s toolkit to all HR related tips to proactively manage your team. For more information, please contact The HR Suite on (066) 7102887 or (01) 9014335 or email info@ thehrsuiteonline.com. Website: http://thehrsuiteonline.com.

European Commission.

Amazon has also announced that it is offering employees transgender resources, including guidance for transgender employees and a toolkit for their managers, co-workers and HR personnel for Amazon offices and fulfilment centres across the country.

They say “that’s because we have hundreds of millions of customers who benefit from diversity of thought and strongly believe a variety of backgrounds, ideas, and points of view is the best way to invent on behalf of our customers”.

Case Law What are the learnings from the Case Law on the topic?

In the UK, a transgender Primark employee told by her employer she had a “man's voice” and “smelled like a men's toilet” was subjected to gender reassignment discrimination, a tribunal has ruled. In a judgment from December 2017, published on February 7, 2018, the judge allowed the employee £47,433 for her claim for harassment, finding that Primark had conducted “very severe” injury to the employee’s feelings and that she was “bullied out of a job”.

Judge Lewis ruled that the employee had been constructively dismissed, and that her treatment violated her dignity and created an “intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive” environment in which she was subjected to gender reassignment discrimination.

For advice on this topic or other HR related issues for employers, contact the team at the HR Suite on 066 7102887 to discuss your requirements.

68|Retail News|December 2018|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: News Circle K Ireland awarded at Irish CX Impact Awards in Dublin CIRCLE K Ireland won big at the recent Irish CX Impact Awards, which took place in The Clayton Hotel, Dublin. Circle K Ireland was awarded the ‘CX Impact in Auto/Fuel’ award for its ‘talk2us’ initiative that launched in September 2017.

This initiative was designed to shine a light on customer experience and provide an opportunity for customers to have their say on in-store services. Celebrating its inaugural year, the Irish CX Impact Awards recognise achievements in Customer Experience excellence and innovative, forwardthinking companies that place customers at the centre of their business. Derek Nolan, Senior Director of Operations, Circle K Ireland, described the win as an honour: “Consumer expectations have never been as high and as a business, we must ensure that we continue to deliver a top-quality experience for our customers. To help us to achieve this, we launched ‘talk2us’, a way of working rather than just a customer survey, that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improving in-store service at forecourts across the nation. It’s exciting for all staff here to know that our efforts have been recognised, and that our customer service has been independently evaluated and awarded.”

The Circle K retail team, led by Senior Directors Derek Nolan and Joanne D’arcy, accept the CX Impact in Auto/Fuel award from Paul Allen, Head of CX Strategy at AIB.

Maxol to Raise Over €60k for Aware

Maxol Opens first Zambrero Restaurant MAXOL has announced the opening of its first Mexican restaurant, Zambrero, at Maxol Dublin Road, Dundalk. The refurbishment at Dundalk follows an investment of €260,000, with the creation of seven new jobs, bringing total employment levels at the Maxol service station to 25.

“We are delighted to be entering into a partnership with Maxol and look forward to working together on our first restaurant,” noted Darragh Fanning, former rugby union player and General Manager of Zambrero Ireland. “Our plan is to launch four new restaurants this year and we’re very pleased to have this opportunity with Maxol.”

“Zambrero is a great addition for our customers,” noted Colin Fee, Licensee of Maxol Dublin Road, Dundalk. “This new Mexican offer adds further choice to our own in-store award-winning Maxol deli.”

Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group (left), pictured with Drew Flood, Business Development Executive, Aware.

MAXOL is aiming to raise over €60,000 this Christmas for its charity partner Aware, which provides support, education, and information, for people impacted by depression, bipolar disorder and mood related conditions. Maxol is supporting the charity throughout the Christmas season with its new fresh quality coffee to go, Rosa. For every cup of coffee, tea and hot drink purchased at participating service stations nationwide, Maxol will donate 10c to Aware. “As a family owned business, we pride ourselves on being right at the heart of our communities and look forward to raising much needed money for Aware,” said Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group.

Pictured are (l-r): Brian Donaldson, CEO, Maxol Group, with Darragh Fanning, General Manager of Zambrero Ireland and former rugby union player, and Colin Fee, Licensee of Maxol Dublin Road, Dundalk.

It’s your Call‌ You

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

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

To Donate: ww.igbf.

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

Registered Charity No: 6577 Registered Friendly Society No: 1775

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*Kantar Worldpanel 16 w/e 24th April 18/Nielsen Total Scantrack ROI (excl Dunnes & Discounters)

**For full T&Cs see www.cadbury.ie

Retailers within the ROI, 16+. Display the White chocolate Cadbury Crème Egg POS for the chance of a winning egg to be placed within your store.

Prizes: Either Mondelez Stock Voucher or One for All vouchers, depending on store type. See www.cadbury.ie for full T&Cs. Promoter: Mondelez Europe Services GmbH – Ireland Branch whose address is at Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 5.