Retail News January/February 2019 by Retail News

Retail News JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019

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Contents News

Deal Or No Deal? AT the time of writing, we are no nearer to any deal on Brexit as the March deadline looms ever larger, and the main emotions swirling around Ireland’s business community are fear and uncertainty. One hopes that common sense will prevail before the deadline, but given the time pressures involved, a deal is looking increasingly unlikely. A number of business representative groups, including the Irish Exporters Association, in association with Ibec, Isme, Chambers Ireland and the Irish Tax Institute, have written to the Taoiseach, calling on the Government to put in place a three-month deferred accounting of import VAT scheme to help companies avoid cash-flow pressures. “The nightmare scenario has always been Britain crashing out of Europe at the end of March,” warns Thomas Burke, Director, Retail Ireland, in an extensive interview, covering the major challenges facing Irish retail in 2019 (Page 12), from insurance reform to over-regulation, the lack of a national policy on commercial rates and the difficulty in attracting and retaining staff in today’s retail market. Elsewhere, we look at the need to revise Government rural renewal policy if we are to revive our towns and villages (Page 2), we reveal which supermarket is the most convenient to Irish shoppers (Page 22), and delve into new research which shows that Irish consumers prefer to buy from companies that stand for a purpose that reflects their values and beliefs (Page 28). Kathleen Belton, Editorial & Marketing Director.

birthday with 150 limited-edition jars of Heinz Ketchup Caviar.

Government to revise plans for rural renewal.

Convenience Survey 22

Grocery market fends off January blues.

Conor Whelan appointed MD of Stafford Lynch; FSAI launches new strategy; Diageo expresses sympathy on death of former Gilbeys Chairman.

Lidl partners with Buymie for online delivery; Consumers prioritise value over quality; New Chair of the Prepared Consumer Foods Council.

National Lottery responds to regulator research; Largo Foods changes name.

Musgrave honours 2018 Heroes; Sponsorship spend to grow in 2019. Thomas Burke, Retail Ireland Director, assesses the challenges and opportunities facing the Irish retail sector in 2019, from Brexit to insurance reform and the legislative changes that will impact on retailing in Ireland.

Centra 16

Centra delivers record sales of €1.63 billion in 2018, with plans to open 25 new stores and add 375 new jobs this year.

Lorraine Rabbitte and Paddy O’Neill explain how a fire that could have devastated their Spar store in Dublin’s Santry instead created an opportunity to bring their business to an entirely new level.

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Brothers Ray and Brendan Lee explain how the introduction of the Applegreen brand to their forecourt in Charleville, Co. Cork, and the revamp of their forecourt store have transformed their business.

IGBF Southern Region Gala Ball 46

The IGBF Southern Region Gala Ball took place recently in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island, Cork, with a record turn-out enjoying a wonderful night.

NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards 54

Blackrock Cellar was named National Off-Licence of the Year 2019 at the NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards, where NOffLA called for the immediate introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing.

Focus on HR 58

What you can do to accommodate current or potential employees with a disability and a guide to what supports are available.

Regulars & Reports

Editorial & Marketing Director:

Graphics: Catherine Doyle

Heinz is celebrating its 150th

Managing Director: Patrick Aylward

Production: Ciara Conway

Irish consumers prefer to buy from companies that stand for a purpose that reflects their values and beliefs, including ethical product sourcing, safe working conditions and sustainability.

Forecourt Focus

150 Years of Heinz

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen

Shop Profile

Retail News Chief News Reporter: Pavel Barter

Consumer Research

The Retail News Interview 12

New research reveals which supermarket is the most convenient in Ireland in terms of being located closest to consumers.

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

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Industry News Retail Ireland: Monthly Update Healthy Options Vaping/E-cigarettes Easter Treats Forecourt Focus: News Paper Products Drinks News What’s New Shelf Life

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News

Government to Revise Plans for Rural Renewal RETAIL groups are questioning the success of a government initiative to rejuvenate and revitalise towns and villages around Ireland. The Framework for Town Centre Renewal, launched in April 2017, set out the key characteristics of a successful town centre, and provided a blueprint for recovery. The document included advice, examples of best practice, and an action plan for small towns. “The positive impact of strong economic growth is not being felt in all towns and villages across Ireland,” Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, then Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, wrote in the report. “The Irish Government has identified sustainable economic development and employment growth in regional and rural Ireland as a top priority.” Two years later, however, little has changed. According to a report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, produced last November, commercial vacancy rates continue to grow outside Dublin and increasing costs of business are creating the “perfect storm” for retailers. The national broadband plan, according to ISME chief Neil McDonnell, has run into the sand, leaving some small business in rural areas without adequate Internet. “A lot of towns and villages around the country sense they are a thing of the past, never going to come back to life,” Tom Burke, Retail Ireland Director, told Retail News. “Businesses see a high street declining, consumers no longer want to visit, then businesses no longer want to set up there. It's a vicious circle.” Last month, Heather Humphreys TD, the current Minister for Thomas Burke, Enterprise, called for a refresh of Director, Retail Ireland. the Framework “to ensure it is up to date and in line with current policy initiatives”. According to a department spokesperson, the revised document will be undertaken under the auspices of the Retail Consultation Forum. But what can be done? And why was the initial document so ineffective? Retail representatives told us that while the framework was well-intentioned, its ideas and proposals were not acted upon. “It's only half the job,” remarked Burke. “It needs support, guidance, finance. There needs to be collaboration between civil society, commercial interests, and Government. That is where we fell down over the last two years. The space between theory and action is missing. Nobody seems to be taking ownership of this issue.” RGDATA Director General, Tara Buckley concurred: “Town centre renewal requires practical intervention. There are no

practical supports to ensure these plans are implemented.” A lack of leadership appears to have contributed towards the project's malfunction. The original document calls for stakeholder engagement and town centre management partnerships. However, it appointed no one in a centralised position to unite these interests. RGDATA is “pushing for a national co-ordinator to help towns. We believe they need assistance in creating a team and coming up with a plan.” “We need a leader,” agreed Burke. “Volunteerism works for a while, but it eventually falls down. We need local authorities to use the Framework, roll it out, pick a few towns, then seek government funding. There is a role for central government to guide local government, telling them: 'Here's a plan. Here's how it should be rolled out. Here's the funding required. Now go and do it'. We haven't seen that direction from central government yet.” In a time when urban centres around Ireland are facing unprecedented housing and infrastructural pressures, rural towns might lighten the load. However, retailers believe there has not been enough investment to make this happen. A department spokesperson told us: “The Framework for Town Centre Renewal does not have a specific funding stream linked to it. However, it provides information on existing supports for towns and villages in Ireland and possible funding streams for towns and villages to tap into.” The National Planning Framework, under Project Ireland 2040, has earmarked funding schemes, including the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, which has invested €1bn in specific projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and the Department of Rural and Community Development’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme, which is giving over €21m to 224 rural towns and villages. “The work required in towns and villages around the country will require a significant investment and it's nowhere near the level it should be,” said Burke. “Is Government serious

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News about this? Or is this a tokenistic approach.” RGDATA want to discourage the prioritising of investment into one-off projects. “It needs to be part of a plan. If you haven't fixed the basics, you put all that money into a one-off project and everyone gets disappointed because it doesn't change the future of the town,” Buckley argued. In the absence of property tax reform, small towns will continue to suffer, argued ISME's McDonnell: “When I talk to small businesses in town centres, the first thing they talk about is rates. We have to stop punishing small businesses for locating in town centres. The commercial rates system encourages donut development outside towns, as opposed to rewarding people who remain in town centres. “Some local authorities reduce local property taxes at the same time as local businesses receive massive increases in commercial rates,” he continued. “Well-developed, pleasant ambiences in town centres have to be paid for. If it's going to be paid for by business, there has to be a return.” No case study approach was adopted in the original Framework. RGDATA believe schemes such as the National Collaborative Town Centre Health Check Training Programme is the solution. Tralee, involved in the initiative, won the National Enterprising Town Awards in 2017. Letterkenny, another participant, won the same award in 2018. “This can be the catalyst to bring local authorities,

citizens and business-people, together,” said Buckley. “They work out opportunities and challenges to make their town vital and vibrant.” The Health Check mixes large projects (renovations of empty buildings, festivals or other events) with smaller schemes (pavements, parking access, pedestrian flow, etc.). Retail groups are currently consulting on the Framework's redraft. “It's a solid product and something that can be utilised in a practical way,” said Burke. “It has simple steps that towns Tara Buckley, RGDATA and villages can follow to make Director General. their areas better.” But while the Framework is beneficial in theory, it is challenging in practice. “The fear is that this becomes a useful tool that sits on a shelf and gathers dust,” he continued. “This requires serious investment from Government. This is about the social fabric of the country. This is about the future of these towns and villages.”

Grocery Market Fends Off January Blues THE Irish grocery market followed up a record-breaking festive period by posting year-on-year sales growth of 3.4% during Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend the 12 weeks to January 27. Despite shoppers tightening the purse strings, 12 Weeks to 28 Jan 2018 12 Weeks to 27Jan 2019 change** %* %* % the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel show a strong start to 2019 as New Year’s Total Grocers 100.0% 100.0% 3.4 resolutions shaped shopping baskets. Total Multiples 88.2% 88.3% 3.5 “While families were willing to splurge SuperValu 22.0% 21.6% 1.3 in the run-up to Christmas, January has Tesco 22.5% 22.1% 1.5 seen them cut back: the average household Dunnes 23.0% 23.1% 4.0 spent €120 less on groceries during the four Lidl 10.4% 10.6% 5.2 weeks to 27 January than in December,” Aldi 10.3% 10.9% 10.0 explained Douglas Faughnan, Consumer Other Outlets** 11.8% 11.7% 2.8 Insight Director at Kantar Worldpanel. *= Percentage Share of Total Grocers “Shoppers were less likely to reach for more **= Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers And Cross Border shops expensive branded and premium products, with sales falling 28% and 31% compared Christmas and that strong performance has continued into with December 2018.” the new year – Aldi increased sales by 10% and Lidl by 5.2%,” After an indulgent festive period, many Irish shoppers Faughnan noted. started the year with good intentions and January sales of Dunnes was the only other retailer to gain market share fruit and vegetables were up €7m year on year. Vegetable side this period, attracting enough new shoppers to boost its dishes and vegetarian sausages and burgers collectively rose sales by 4%. “Dunnes continues to engender loyalty among by 35% and, amid the rising popularity of Veganuary, sales of its existing shoppers with its strong premium own label and plant-based milks were 40% higher than in January 2018. branded ranges. Crucially, the retailer has won over new “Dry January may have dominated headlines and social shoppers as well, welcoming an extra 20,000 households media feeds but not everyone abstained – more than a third of through its doors compared with last year,” said Faughnan. Irish households bought either beer, cider or wine in January. Despite the number of Tesco and SuperValu customers Wine proved to be the most popular – 25% of shoppers both remaining flat, the retailers increased sales by 1.5% and took home at least one bottle during the past four weeks,” 1.3% respectively. This growth was derived from different Faughnan revealed. sources – just under 70% of Tesco’s rise in sales came from Aldi and Lidl continue to gain market share, with more its own label ranges, while SuperValu was supported by its than 70% of Irish households shopping at both during the past branded sales. 12 weeks. “Aldi and Lidl have demonstrated their popularity at Grocery market inflation stands at +1.7 % for the 12 week two distinctly different times of year – December and January period ending 27 January 2019. – by providing shoppers with opportunities to both indulge For further information, see www.kantarworldpanel.com. and save. Both retailers achieved record market share over

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News Conor Whelan Appointed MD of Stafford Lynch CONOR Whelan has been announced as the new Managing Director of Stafford Lynch Group. Whelan most recently held the position of Managing Director of Eason Holdings Plc, where he led and successfully developed strategies to stabilise and transform the business and the store estate. A former Chairman of Retail Ireland, Whelan also has extensive knowledge of the Irish retail grocery sector, having previously served as Managing Conor Whelan, new Director of BWG Foods from 1999Managing Director of 2006, while he was also MD of Fresh Stafford Lynch Group. Opportunities Ltd, operators of Fresh the Good Food Market stores, and held a number of senior

financial positions in the UK operations of Fyffe’s Plc. Whelan will lead the Stafford Lynch management team in developing and implementing a new strategy to further grow and develop the successful sales, marketing and distribution business and position it to capitalise on potential growth opportunities across Ireland. “We’re delighted to welcome a Managing Director of Conor’s calibre to Stafford Lynch,” stressed Eimear Lynch, Chairman of Stafford Lynch. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the business and the Board, management team and employees look forward to working with him on developing and realising our ambitious plans for the future.” Established in 1974, Stafford Lynch is a family owned business specialising in sales, marketing and distribution of leading FMCG, foodservice and pharmacy brands, which currently include Schwartz, Sudocrem, S. Pellegrino, Energizer, Dr. Oetker, Kettle Chips, Wilkinson Sword and Perrier.

Diageo Expresses Sympathy on Death of Former Gilbeys Chairman DIAGEO Ireland has expressed sympathy on the death of Tom Keaveney, former Chairman of Gilbeys Ireland and one of the core team involved in the launch of Baileys Irish Cream in the early 1970s. Tom was Chairman of Gilbeys Ireland, which was one of the companies that was a forerunner to Diageo, which was founded in 1997 with the merger of the Guinness and Grand Met companies. “Tom was an iconic figure in the Irish Drinks industry,” Grainne Wafer, Global Brand Director with Baileys, said.

“As Gilbeys Sales Director in Ireland, he was crucial to getting Baileys, then a completely unknown product, listed in Irish bars and restaurants when it launched. He also pioneered Baileys’ presence in Irish airports, which was absolutely critical to establishing Baileys as an export brand. We extend our sympathy to his wife Mary, children and grandchildren. Tom will be both sadly missed and fondly remembered by his former colleagues and associates throughout the hospitality sector, at home and abroad.”

FSAI Launches New Strategy THE Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) recently launched its vision and new strategy for the next five years, whilst also marking its 20th anniversary by revealing new research that provides an insight into consumer attitudes to food safety. The FSAI’s new Strategy 2019-2023 sets out a clear roadmap with benchmarks for achievement to further protect consumers of Irish food here and abroad. It incorporates increasing compliance with the law amongst Irish food businesses through enhanced collaboration and by leveraging the best science and evidence to further national policy for the benefit of consumer safety in relation to food. The FSAI also revealed findings from its national attitudinal research with consumers on food safety and hygiene, shopping habits and eating out, and concerns about food and the food industry. Overall, there is confidence in the safety of Irish food, with nine out of 10 people (89%) saying food is as safe or safer than it was five years ago. However, consumers themselves admitted that they demonstrate risky behaviours in relation to food handling at home. Nearly half of the Irish population (45%) do not pay full attention to ‘use-by’ dates, with seven out of 10 people (72%) claiming that they have used food past its ‘use-by’ date. A growing reliance on convenience food is also apparent, with eight out of 10 people (84%) stating that they buy ready-toeat or pre-prepared food from the supermarket, with over one third (36%) buying at least weekly or more frequently. “Our new strategy set outs the FSAI’s direction over the next five years to continue to be an effective state agency

putting consumer health protection at the centre of all our activities,” noted Dr Pamela Byrne, CEO, FSAI. “It incorporates a modern Pictured are Martin Higgins, Chairman, approach using FSAI, and Dr Pamela Byrne, CEO, FSAI, at collaboration the launch of the new strategy. with our partners, along with the best available science and evidence to deliver robust, proportionate and fair enforcement of the regulations. How and where we get our food is constantly changing, with many factors impacting on food safety. Our strategy outlines our ambition, clear priorities and actions so that we are ready to adapt, always evolving and regulating swiftly within a rapidly changing food environment. It’s an exciting new roadmap for one of Europe’s first food safety regulatory agencies as we celebrate our 20th year. It will enable us to continue to build our reputation worldwide as a leading food safety regulator, where swift adaption and response to changes in the external environment has shaped a progressive regulator.”

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News Lidl Partners with Buymie for Online Delivery LIDL Ireland has announced a partnership with Buymie, an Irish start-up which provides the fastest and most personalised online grocery delivery service Dublin-wide, delivering in as little as an hour. Other delivery options include within two and three-hour windows, along with the capability to order up to a week in advance. The Lidl/Buymie partnership provides a first of its kind personal shopper experience, where the Buymie personal shoppers have been given guidance and support by Lidl on how to best select the produce available in-store, while the app also allows customers to include notes or specific preferences on their orders. After a successful pilot launch in selected Dublin postcodes last year, Lidl and Buymie have now expanded the service citywide. Lidl customers using the Buymie app can choose from Lidl’s full range of products available in-store, except nonfood weekly specials and promotional food themes which are available for a limited period in stores. Alan Stewart, Head of eCommerce at Lidl Ireland, described the partnership with Buymie as “a real differentiator in the online grocery delivery market by ensuring the fastest delivery option in the Dublin area, with a premium personal shopper service through our delivery partner. It’s anticipated that the combination of the speed of delivery, personalised level of service, and quality and freshness of produce will provide a market-leading service which Dublin-based customers can choose from.” Devan Hughes, CEO & Co-Founder of Buymie, believes that it “has truly raised the bar for the entire industry when it comes to speed and personalisation in grocery online. With the success and speed of adoption seen during our pilot, we are tremendously excited to see this partnership expand across the entire city of Dublin. With discount and online set to be the two fastest growing sectors in coming years, I feel this offering has opened an entirely new channel in and of itself.”

Alan Stewart, Head of E-Commerce at Lidl, alongside Devan Hughes, CEO & Co-founder of Buymie.

Retailers feel the Pinch as Irish Consumers Prioritise Value Over Quality IRISH consumers are increasingly prioritising value over quality, according to a global survey commissioned by the global legal business DWF and conducted by Retail Week. A total of 10,000 consumers were surveyed worldwide, including 1,000 living in the Republic of Ireland. When asked what influences their food purchasing decisions, 66% of Irish consumers identified low prices, compared with 63% who opted for product quality. Discounted products were the next most popular option for canny Irish shoppers (55%). These far outweighed other factors such as loyalty schemes (26%), great customer service (22%) or ethical practices and sustainability (10%). The survey also found Irish consumers are among the most cash-strapped compared to their peers in the US, Europe and China, with 58% having less than €280 in disposable income each month.

New Chair of the Prepared Consumer Foods Council MATTHIEU Seguin, General Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland & Northern Ireland, has been named as the new Chair of the Prepared Consumer Foods Council, by Food Drink Ireland (FDI), the Ibec group that represents the food and drink sector. “Matthieu is a recognised industry leader with a wealth of business experience in Ireland and internationally,” said Linda Matthieu Seguin, General Stuart-Trainor, Director of Prepared Consumer Foods in Manager, Coca-Cola FDI. “He is well placed to lead HBC Ireland & Northern a sector that employs over Ireland, is the new Chair of the Prepared Consumer 20,000 people across more than 500 manufacturing facilities Foods Council. in all regions of Ireland. It is particularly important that the sector has a strong collective voice, with issues such as Brexit posing major challenges to companies.” The Prepared Consumer Foods Council expressed gratitude to the outgoing chair, Maurice Hickey, former CEO of Largo Foods, and wished him well in the future.

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News National Lottery Responds to Regulator Research Lottery, who maintain that in the time since the survey was carried out (in July/August 2018), they have taken a number of additional steps to ensure that players’ ages are verified. These include: • The appointment of a Retail Compliance Manager to ensure all retail agents are fulfilling their obligations under the National Lottery Act 2013, the Licence and the Codes of Practice; • Branding National Lottery point-of-sale equipment in all stores with age control messaging; • Including in the bi-monthly Star Game News newsletter, which is issued to all retailers, reminders to verify a player’s age; • Premier Lotteries’ own audit verifications indicate that now over 98% of their core retail network has 18+ messaging in store;

THE Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery (ORNL) recently revealed that 38% of underage mystery shoppers were not refused National Lottery scratch cards in retail outlets across the country. The National Lottery Act 2013 prohibits the sale of National Lottery products to minors and codes of practice are in place to ensure this stipulation is observed. Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery Ireland said that “the current level of compliance with those codes in the retail sector is not good enough”. Other findings by the Regulator included: •

The mandatory ‘Over 18’ sign was found to be on display in 73% of retail premises. • Underage test purchasers were challenged (i.e. asked their age and/or for ID) by the staff member in 63% of purchase attempt, while 37% were not challenged by either means. When test purchasers were challenged, 95% of sales were refused. • Refusal rates were found to be significantly higher in stores where the ‘Over 18’ sign was on display (67%) compared to stores where the sign was not on display (51%). The National Lottery has acknowledged the findings of the Regulator’s survey and is committed to undertaking further work, along with its retail partners, to prevent the sale of National Lottery products to under 18s. “We welcome the fact we now have an independent baseline from which to improve our controls,” said a statement from Premier Lotteries Ireland, operators of the National

“All of our retailers are contractually obliged not to sell National Lottery games to under 18s and must commit to our Sales Code of Practice to ask for age verification if in any doubt,” the statement stressed. “In addition, the National Lottery provides guidance and training to all retailers on the promotion of National Lottery products in accordance with our Responsible Play Policy. Every retailer is given over 18s notices to display at points of purchase and is reminded of the age restrictions when their contract is renewed every year. Every retailer has access to the Retailer Portal, which has training aids and tools on responsible play.” Since being informed of the outcome of the Regulator’s report, the following actions have been taken: •

• • • •

Reminder messages regarding age controls are being displayed on retail terminals and all retail agent head offices have been emailed, reminding them of their compliance obligations; The next edition of Star Game News will contain an over18s notice; Age control messaging has gone out on the 2,000 plus digital screens in stores around the country; Messaging has also been uploaded on the Retail Portal Home Page and sent to all retail associations; Retail sales representatives, the contact centre and telephone sales teams have been given age control messaging to incorporate in their discussions with retailers.

The National Lottery have also pledged to meet with the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery and their Retail Council to look at further opportunities to enhance the programme of controls.

Largo Foods Changes Name LARGO Foods, Ireland’s leading snack food manufacturer, has announced its name change to Tayto Snacks, in homage to the strength, longevity, and recognition of its flagship brand. “The decision to rename the company Tayto Snacks came naturally from conversations we were having about business transformation,” revealed Jeff Swan, Managing Director. “Although our brands have considerable heritage, we are progressive and passionate about what we do, and we want to constantly improve how we create great savoury snacks for our customers. Our new name, Tayto Snacks, better associates ourselves with the category we love, and our most loved, respected, and recognised brand.”

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News Musgrave Honours 2018 Heroes at Gala Dinner THE third annual Musgrave Heroes awards were celebrated at a gala dinner recently at the Powerscourt Hotel, Co. Wicklow, with the retail group honouring its Overall Hero and inspirational heroes across eight various categories. The theme for this year’s awards is ‘Inspirational Musgrave Heroes’. Launched as part of Musgrave’s 140-year anniversary celebrations in 2016, the awards give employees across the Musgrave network an opportunity to nominate someone who they feel brings the Musgrave brand values and culture to life every day. This year, John Cooney, Trading Manager, Musgrave Cork was named as Overall Hero for The third annual Musgrave Heroes awards saw the retail group honouring 2018. John also received the Customer’s Hero its Overall Hero and inspirational heroes across eight various categories. title, while two of his colleagues in Musgrave Cork were also named as inspirational heroes. The Musgrave Heroes Category Winners are: Hundreds of peer nominations were received from throughout the company, with candidates selected by how they 1. Best Personal Achievement - Paula Flanagan, Trading inspire their colleagues through their everyday actions and Services Manager, Musgrave NI Belfast how their contribution has a positive contribution on making 2. Best Stretch Achievement - Simon Ling, Foodservice Sales Musgrave a great place to work. Manager, Musgrave NI Belfast This year, 40 finalists were selected across eight 3. Leading in the Community - Amy Martin, Receptionist, categories, with five finalists in each category which reflected Musgrave Marketplace, Galway their individual strengths. The competition culminated in eight 4. Magical Thinking Brought to Life - Robbie Corrigan, Senior category winners and one overall winner announced for the Engineer, IT, Musgrave Cork first time at the gala event. 5. Most Heroic Action - Pawel Wajdzik, Depot Operative and “As Ireland’s largest private-sector employer, our Trainer, Musgrave Kilcock colleagues are incredibly important to us and the future 6. Most Inspiring Personality - Heidi Fitzgerald, HR Manager, success of our business,” revealed Chris Martin, Musgrave Musgrave Lucan CEO. “These awards were established in 2016 as we celebrated 7. The Customer’s Hero – John Cooney, Trading Manager, our 140 years in business, and each year we continue to Musgrave Cork recognise colleagues who are the beating heart of our 8. Best Brand Ambassador – Clodagh Thompson, business. I am delighted to acknowledge the efforts of this Communications, Musgrave Cork year’s inspirational recipients.”

Sponsorship Spend to Grow in 2019 ONE in every two sponsors in Ireland are planning to increase their spend on sponsorship in 2019, fuelling an Irish Sponsorship market that is set to grow by John Trainor, Founder and CEO of Onside. 11% to €226m in 2019, according to the annual Onside Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey. Contributing to an overall 70% increase in spend on sponsorship in Ireland over the past decade, 2018 saw the sponsorship market grow by 14% to an estimated €204m, as two in three sponsors in Ireland increased their investment in sponsorship during last year. This was underpinned by a marked surge in the numbers of sponsoring companies investing close to 25% of their overall marketing and communications spend on sponsorship. “Off the back of very strong growth evidenced in 2018,

sponsors and rights holders in Ireland are cautiously confident that demand will continue into 2019, despite concerns generally among three in four sponsors around macro forces such as Brexit, tightening marketing budgets and the clutter that comes with the increase in the number of brands using sponsorship,” said John Trainor, Founder and CEO of Onside. Trainor adds that “with 67% of sponsors seeking new sponsorship opportunities, and only 40% of existing assets potentially becoming available through exits by current sponsors, 2019 will again see a competitive marketplace as sponsors jostle for a limited supply of good assets”. Seven in 10 sponsors looking for a new sponsorship in 2019 will be looking for a sports play, with properties in rugby seen as providing top growth opportunities for sponsors, and GAA offering strongest potential in terms of ‘value for money’. After Rugby and GAA, sponsorship of concerts / music festivals and e-sports rose most significantly through the ranks in terms of being seen to provide strongest areas of opportunity. 57% of industry practitioners surveyed felt that sponsorship campaigns in Ireland in 2018 were ‘more effective’ than previous years. Vodafone’s partnership with the IRFU was again voted by the industry as the best sponsorship of the past year, followed by two female centric sponsorships by Lidl / Ladies Gaelic Football and Softco / The Women’s Hockey Team.

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Industry News

Jack & Jill’s €10k #GalaGift CONCLUDING its milestone 20th year in business, Gala Retail generously donated its final #GalaGift of 2018 to the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation. Gala Retail donated €10,000 to the charity, which provides direct funding to provide home nursing care to families of children up to the age of five who suffer severe intellectual and physical developmental delay, and also end of life care to all children up to the age of five. Gala’s €10,000 donation will give Jack and Jill families the ‘gift of time’, funding an incredible additional 625 hours of Jack & Jill home care in 2019. “Gala Retail and our stores have supported local and national charities for the past 20 years and we felt that it would be fitting to conclude our 20th year anniversary celebrations by donating €10,000 to the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation – a charity that delivers an incredible service to families across Ireland,” said Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, pictured with Carmel Doyle, Interim CEO, Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, and Caroline O’Connor, Customer & Operations Support Manager, Gala Retail.

Ballymaloe Foods Wins Love Irish Food Bursary BALLYMALOE Foods has been named the winner of The Love Irish Food Brand Development Award for 2018 and awarded a fully funded €85,000 advertising campaign. The award win will provide Ballymaloe Foods with €75,000 in advertising space, scheduled across Exterion Media’s retail portfolio and retail digital network. The extensive out-of-home campaign will appear nationally for two weeks and includes print production and digital animation. Additionally, Owens DDB Advertising Agency will provide the winner with up to €10,000 creative bursary to create and develop the outdoor advertising campaign. “The award win will give us the opportunity to reach a broader audience and help highlight our Irish heritage and local ingredients to drive brand awareness and sales,” said Maxine Hyde, Marketing Manager and granddaughter of Ballymaloe Foods recipe creator, Myrtle Allen. Maxine is pictured (centre) with Kieran Rumley, Executive Director, Love Irish Food; and Emma Brennan, Marketing Executive, Exterion Media.

BWG To Supply Center Parcs Supermarket BWG Foods, has been awarded an exclusive contract to supply the ParcMarket at Center Parcs Longford Forest. Currently under construction, the €233m Center Parcs forest resort is expected to open in summer 2019. The ParcMarket is Center Parcs’ own supermarket and offers guests the convenience of having access to everything they may need to enjoy their short break.The three-year contract awarded to BWG Foods is valued at approximately €2m per annum and includes an option to extend to five years. BWG Foods will supply fresh food, ambient grocery, frozen and chilled products and alcohol. Center Parcs will also benefit from BWG Foods’ award winning distribution network, category management resources, store operations support and fresh-food advisory. Separately, BWG Foodservice has also won a contract to supply poultry and other meats to the various restaurants throughout Center Parcs Longford Forest. BWG Foodservice will source these products through their partnership with Irish company, Heaney Meats. This three-year contract with BWG Foodservice and Heaney Meats is valued at approximately €500,000 per annum.

Fyffes Family Fan Day at Dundalk FC BANANA importer and club sponsor Fyffes teamed up with Dundalk Football Club to host a Family Fan Day at Oriel Park recently. An open doors, free-to-all event, the occasion took the form of an open training session, with attendees given a ‘behindthe-scenes’ peek at the team in action, as players and coaches prepare to defend their league and cup titles. Players mingled with the public so fans could meet and greet their heroes and capture their autographs. Adding fun to the occasion was the presence of the popular Fyffes mascot, Freddy Fyffes, who had plenty of goodies to hand out. Marking the first joint initiative between Dundalk FC and Fyffes since their renewed sponsorship was announced, the event is described by their Marketing Manager, Emma Hunt-Duffy, as: “the first step in giving back to the community”, bringing the ‘feel-good factor’ ahead of what will be a challenging new season.

Tesco’s Christmas Appeal Raises €150k

TESCO stores across the country raised €150,000 worth of donations to support families in need in their local communities during the annual Tesco Ireland Christmas Appeal. From December 7-9, shoppers were asked to donate a product in-store to their local charitable organisation. Food, toiletries, nappies, small clothing items and toys were donated as part of the three-day appeal. Volunteers from 130 good causes, already supported by the Tesco’s surplus food donations programme, were on-hand across the country to collect these goods for local distribution. Some of the organisations benefiting from the appeal included Peter McVerry, St. Vincent de Paul, and Cork Foyer.

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Industry News €5,000 Prize for Secondary Schools GIY and Cully & Sully are on the search for Ireland’s next best young food entrepreneur and are encouraging secondary school students across the country to register for the ‘GROW2CEO' competition. GROW2CEO will give students and teenagers across Irish secondary schools everything they need to start growing some food, get a better understanding of what goes into the food they eat, and how they can make healthier choices in their own lives. The campaign involves four exciting challenges, which will take students on a fascinating journey where they will create their own food business and soup recipe, while learning all about where food comes from. Free growing kits will be delivered to all of the teachers who register for the 2019 competition, containing everything the students need to grow spinach, including the seeds, pots, soil and plenty of expert growing recipe development tips from GIY and Cully & Sully. Pictured is Cully of Cully & Sully and Karen O’Donohoe GIY.

Lidl Makes Sustainability Commitment on Fish LIDL Ireland has committed to providing 100% sustainably sourced fish through its growing network of 159 stores across Ireland by the end of 2019. 33% of global fisheries have been fished beyond sustainable limits due to overfishing and illegal fishing. While the world’s population continues to grow, it is expected that the demand for fish will continue to put further pressure on global fish stocks. Already, 80% of wild caught chilled and frozen fish available at Lidl Ireland is certified to the Marine Stewardship Council standard and 65% of Lidl’s farmed fish is sourced from independently certified sustainable fisheries: this will increase to 100% by the end of 2019. “Safeguarding fish stocks for the future is an issue we are passionate about at Lidl and we are proud to be leading the way in the Irish retail market with our commitments,” said Liam Casey, Commercial Director at Lidl Ireland.

Solus Achieve Certification to World Class Business Standards SOLUS Light Bulbs was one of 21 organisations, which included Dublin Airport Authority, Dublin Bus and Roadstone from the private, public and SME sectors, who gathered at NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) offices for a special ceremony marking their achievement in becoming certified to world class business standards. All of the businesses and bodies that achieved certification were independently audited by NSAI inspectors in order to ensure they complied with the global standards. Solus were honoured to take their place among those certified Pictured are James Kennedy, NSAI leading companies Chairperson, and Geraldine Larkin, in Ireland. CEO of NSAI, presenting the NSAI Speaking at certification to Mark Corrigan, the ceremony, Managing Director of Solus Light Managing Bulbs and Irish Soft Drinks Ltd. Director of Solus Lightbulbs, Mark Corrigan said, “Solus are proud to have achieved the NSAI ISO9001:2015 standard. This standard encompasses a quality audit on every aspect of our business and ensures that Solus meets the highest standard in the industry. Quality is at the centre of everything we do. We are proud to send out a positive message to our customers and end users that quality is a top priority of our business. “Our big focus at the moment is on our award winning XCross LED Filament technology and pioneering new Retail

Experience display solutions,” he continued. “We will also lead the way for consumers with a smooth transition from Halogen to LED and we have plenty of stock in our Irish warehouses to facilitate this.” Solus will lead the way for Solus join an elite consumers with a smooth group of over 3,000 transition from Halogen to LED and organisations who have plenty of stock in their Irish are currently NSAIwarehouses to facilitate this. certified in a variety of areas such as Quality Management Systems, Environmental Management Systems, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems and Energy Management. Speaking at the ceremony, NSAI Chief Executive, Geraldine Larkin, said, “Achieving certification to world class business standards will give these organisations an advantage over their competitors – both at home and abroad.” Solus is an Irish owned company that has been established for over 80 years, now supports 63 jobs in Ireland and sells one light bulb every six seconds. Each light bulb is individually tested before packing to ensure the highest quality standards. Solus were also proud recipients of the overall Supreme Award for Innovation and Best Home Product for their LED range at the HAI awards, finalists for two years in a row at the Sustainable Ireland Awards and a proud sponsor of the National Q Mark Awards for quality and excellence this year.

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Industry News Aldi and Paul O’Connell Launch €50k Competition ALDI and the IRFU have announced the launch of an exciting new competition for every primary school in the country to be in with a chance of winning one of two €50,000 school sports facility makeovers in 2019. The initiative is the latest from the free Aldi Play Rugby programme and builds on the successful partnership to date. The partnership has seen the programme double the number of schools signed up and increased the number of children taking part in the programme to over 100,000 in 2018. Pictured launching the competition is former Ireland and Munster rugby captain Paul O’Connell, who is the Aldi Play Rugby Ambassador, alongside pupils from 3rd and 4th Class at Howth Road National School in Dublin.

Coca-Cola and EI Help Companies to Thrive COCA-COLA and Enterprise Ireland recently celebrated the graduation of the third cohort of the Thrive Project. The eight ambitious Irish companies were honoured for completing the six-month leadership programme, an initiative developed by Cola-Cola and Enterprise Ireland, in academic partnership with Dublin City University (DCU) to inspire and nurture the next generation of innovative food companies to build scale. The companies graduating from this year’s programme are Brogan’s Bakery, Cahill’s Farm Cheese, The White Hag, Couverture, Pow-Cow, Strong Roots, Revive Active, and Walsh’s Bakehouse. The Thrive Project gave the entrepreneurial founders a unique opportunity to access the insights, expertise and innovative ideas of some of Coca-Cola’s global experts as they plan the future expansion of their individual companies, while Enterprise Ireland supported the participating companies in the development of a robust strategic financial plan and access to one-on-one coaching sessions. Pictured are (l-r): Thrive Project graduates Sam Dennigan, Strong Roots; Celine Hayes, Couverture, and Niall Moloney PowCow.

Spar FAI Primary Schools 5s Launches

THE Spar FAI Primary School 5s Programme was officially launched by former Republic of Ireland International, Keith Andrews, and current Republic of Ireland Women’s International, Megan Campbell. The fun five-a-side football programme has gone from strength to strength and now stands as the largest primary schools programme of its kind in Ireland. Over 35,000 boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th class are expected to take part in this fun and inclusive nationwide programme. “The Spar 5s is a programme we are very proud of, that, as its essence, encourages children to get involved in sport and develop a love for football and physical activity and perfectly complements our Spar Better Choices message,” said Colin Donnelly, Spar Sales Director, pictured (second from left), with Republic of Ireland women’s international, Megan Campbell; FAI Schools Honorary Treasurer, Alex Harkin; and former Republic of Ireland international, Keith Andrews.

Guinness Launches Responsible Drinking Campaign GUINNESS has launched its new global responsible drinking campaign to encourage moderation amongst the millions of adult fans that will be watching and enjoying the 2019 Guinness Six Nations. The Guinness team has launched a new tongue-in-cheek product, Guinness Clear, which is 100% H20 and available from all good taps nationwide. Guinness is rebranding water as Guinness Clear to make ordering water an active and positive choice.

News Ireland Titles Support Pro 14 Final Countdown PRO 14 Rugby and The Sunday Times and The Times, Ireland Edition (part of News Ireland) have renewed their partnership ahead of the first ever Guinness Pro 14 Final at Glasgow’s Celtic Park Stadium on May 25, 2019. The Sunday Times and The Times, Ireland Edition will act as the official media partners for all six games in the Guinness Pro 14 Final Series for 2019, with exclusive offers, bespoke events and premium content. Pictured are Laurie Kelly, Group Marketing Manager, News Ireland; Richard Bogie, Managing Director of News Ireland; and Dermot Rigley, Commercial Director, Pro 14 Rugby.

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The Retail News Interview

Burke’s Law Thomas Burke, Retail Ireland Director, assesses the challenges and opportunities facing the Irish retail sector in 2019, from Brexit to insurance reform and the legislative changes that will impact on retailing in Ireland.

THOMAS Burke is “cautiously optimistic” about the Irish retail industry’s prospects for 2019. “If we were having this conversation six months ago, I would have been a lot more bullish in terms of where the industry is headed over the next 12 months,” the Retail Ireland Director admits. However, a softening of consumer sentiment in recent months, allied to slower than expected growth in 2018, means that Retail Ireland is a little less gung ho about its members’ prospects this year than it might have been. “We still expect the market to grow this year, but growth will be a little more modest than we would have predicted a few months ago,” he admits. Ireland is in something of an “economic sweet spot” at the minute, Burke ventures, including record numbers in employment, economic growth of 7% and rising disposable incomes (which saw a 4% increase over the last two years), yet retail growth stands at 2-3% per annum. The Brexit Effect on Consumer Confidence Brexit is undoubtedly a factor, particularly when it comes to consumer confidence. “Over the last 12 months, every time there was a major Brexitrelated event, there was a bit of a dip in

consumer sentiment. Consumers are very scarred by the last 10 years and what happened in the recession, so they are very reluctant to overspend.” One cannot blame consumers for their reticence, particularly in the event of a no-deal Brexit, which as we go to press is looking increasingly likely. “The nightmare scenario has always been Britain crashing out of Europe at the end of March and that remains the case, but unfortunately it is looking a more likely outcome as time passes. I think everyone expected sense to prevail somewhere along the line; it hasn’t happened yet and as an industry we are still hoping that it happens, but it is hard to see how, given the timescales involved.” Burke describes the level of uncertainty Brexit has created in the retail sector as phenomenal: “The level of entanglement with the UK, both from a brand perspective and a supply chain/ logistics perspective, is huge. Does a hard Brexit bring not only headaches in terms of supply chain, with a slowdown of product movement, but also in terms of bringing tariffs? You are looking at potentially significant price increases for consumers. Our members are obviously working hard to try to avoid that and will have to look at different products, alternative sourcing strategies, etc, but the biggest challenge for industry thus

far has been uncertainty because nobody knows how it’s going to play out. We are shadow-boxing, to an extent, because some of our members are trying to prepare for three or four potential scenarios and are then trying to build three or four contingency plans against those scenarios, which is completely inefficient and is hoovering up time and resources that could be spent more productively elsewhere.” The reality, according to the Retail Ireland Director, is that in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, most retail sectors will still be operating similar supply chains to those that operate now. “We can look at diversification, including sourcing from continental Europe, but that could take up to two years to bed in, so in the interim, you are left with supply chains pretty much as they are and you are trying to make sure you manage your inventory and supply chain to allow for any extra time that may be needed in terms of customs checks etc.” Retail Ireland have had a number of meetings with Government departments to formulate a strategy to “insulate the Irish economy from the worst impacts of Brexit”. Another implication of a hard Brexit could be a swift downturn in our own economy and a further lapse in consumer sentiment: “if that happens, we will see the impact first at the tills”.

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Indeed, it’s sometimes difficult to understand how world events can affect local sales, but Burke insists that there is a trickle-down effect, whereby the macro-events directly impact on store tills: “You might wonder what someone buying a loaf of bread in their local convenience store has to do with what’s happening with currency markets in China, but it all creates a narrative, an environment, and a sense of how secure people are. Consumer behaviour is a funny animal. People will read the newspapers and listen to the radio and then judge their personal circumstances based on that: it might not necessarily be the case that they have less money, but they feel a little more reluctant to spend.”

“

The Retail News Interview

Brand loyalty has effectively disappeared, and consumers are hopping around between the various players in the market looking for the best price and the best value.

”

the Judicial Council Bill, of a group of judges to oversee the claims process and benchmark awards, which Burke feels would be a “game changer”. This legislation has been stuck in the Oireachtas since late 2017: “the insurance interest is only one small part of what is a huge piece of legislation, so we are asking Government, in the absence of progress, to look at alternatives.”

potential €200m each year remaining uncollected. Retail Ireland are calling for a centralised collection agency to collect rates rather than the current system whereby each local authority collects rates individually, while they also believe the revaluation process is taking far too long, is inconsistent and hard to understand for retailers, who are having to engage independent consultants to help appeal their rates bills. John Paul Phelan TD, Minister of State for Local Government and Electoral Reform, has promised that there will be a reforming piece of legislation coming before the Dáil shortly, Burke explains. “The system has to be streamlined and easier to understand. Minister Phelan has been promising action on this for some time, so we’re looking for movement on that.” He admits that rent pressures remain a concern, and that traditional retailers are being squeezed out of prime retail locations due to rising rents.

Insurance Reform Business costs remain a huge issue for the retail trade, with insurance being one of the main concerns. Burke is “hopeful” that we will see some progress on insurance reform this year, describing the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Amendment Bill 2018, currently The Labour Challenge making its way through the Oireachtas, The cost of labour is a growing as “a good opportunity to address the Rates & Rents concern. As the country enjoys record insurance challenge”. The other big costs affecting retailers employment rates, with effectively full “Evidence from the recent Personal are rates, rents and labour costs. employment, finding and retaining retail Injuries Commission report suggests Burke points out that at present, staff is a real problem. During the years that awards are four times higher in the only about 80% of commercial rates of the Celtic Tiger, Ireland attracted a Republic of Ireland are being collected nationally, with a huge influx of immigrants from Eastern than in the UK, which is a very comparable market. Our awards are disproportionate, and we need to get a handle on that,” Burke stresses. There are two elements to the problem, he maintains: the exaggeration of claims and the high legal costs of taking a claim, which can run to as much as 40% of the award. Retail Ireland have received assurances from Michael D'Arcy TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, that he will have 28 of the 30 recommendations of the Insurance Working Group in place early this year. They have also been Many Irish consumers are obsessed by value and are willing to move for relatively small amounts advocating for the of money. establishment, via

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The Retail News Interview Europe, many of whom worked in the retail sector, but the rising cost of living here, including exorbitant rents, means that Ireland is no longer particularly attractive for potential retail employees, who simply couldn’t afford to live and work here. “The reality is that if you’re trying to survive in the major urban centres of Dublin, Cork and Limerick, the way the rental market has gone is making it very difficult to make ends meet. From an industry perspective, there is a great deal of sympathy for colleagues in terms of their individual financial pressures, but the reality is, in a low margin business where we require significant numbers of people, the wage cost base has increased significantly over time,” Burke admits. He feels that increases in National Minimum Wage are completely out of line with inflation: “We’ve seen an increase of 13% since 2015 when we have an inflation rate of less than 1% per year,” he stresses. “Businesses, and retailers in particular, shouldn’t be picking up the cost for what has been a failure of public policy in terms of getting the housing market right. Something needs to be done, as it is becoming more difficult for companies to attract and retain staff, which is going to be one of the biggest challenges for retailers in 2019.” Retail Ireland have been very active in trying to promote retail as a career, through the provision of various education and training courses and the establishment of a retail apprenticeship, in a bid to offer potential employees a recognised career path that allows employees to progress to senior management positions. The Retail Supervisor Apprenticeship would effectively be an employee’s first people management role within the retail sector: “The intention is that people will use this as the first managerial step in their career and would then skip the first year of our Retail Management Degree programme and so within five years, they could have an apprenticeship in retail supervision and a degree in retail management, setting themselves up for a really good career in retail.” EU Legislation The forthcoming EU Legislation on Unfair Trading Practices has been making headlines in recent months, mostly for the wrong reasons. An amendment to the legislation proposes a ban on retail/wholesale alliances, which is the bedrock on which much of Ireland’s (and other countries in

The Retail Ireland Director foresees big growth in the area of online grocery shopping in 2019. continental Europe’s) grocery sector is built. Retail Ireland met with a number of MEPs to discuss the proposed legislation and remains confident that common sense will prevail. It is believed that the EU will engage in a study into

retail buying alliances around Europe to better understand how the market works currently across Member States. “We cannot countenance a vista where buying alliances would be outlawed as it would destroy the

Deep discounting has been a consistent feature of the Irish grocery market over the last 10 years.

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The Retail News Interview livelihood of thousands of independent retailers who rely on these groups to increase their buying power against multinational global corporations,” Burke stresses. Retail Ireland are not opposed to the Unfair Trading Practices legislation in principle, but believe, as do most commentators, that it doubles up on Ireland’s own Grocery Goods Regulations (GGRs), which were introduced in 2016 with the aim of producing trading transparency between retailers, wholesalers and suppliers in Ireland. Burke believes that we need to give the GGRs a period of five years to bed in, before we examine how effective they are and that the UTP legislation is another layer of unnecessary red tape: “We always believe that the best place to deal with issues facing the Irish retail sector is in national legislation in the first instance, because that way you can nuance it to reflect the Irish retail environment and not try to implement a one size fits all approach in order to try to fix the problems of the European retail industry.” The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), who are currently responsible for policing the Grocery Goods Regulations, have called for the establishment of an independent grocery regulator, which the Retail Ireland chief has concerns with: “I don’t believe that the case has been made sufficiently for the establishment of a standalone grocery regulator in a country of five million people. I don’t see why CCPC can’t continue to do the job they have been doing up to now. I also have a concern that they would expect industry to pick up the tab for the establishment of that body, when we are already paying significant taxes and overheads.” Indeed, Retail Ireland have a real worry about the growing burden of compliance on retailers, particularly in the grocery space: “We’ve seen the Public Health (Alcohol) Act and what retailers will have to do with store formats; there are all sorts of food safety regulations; post-Brexit, are we looking at an additional layer of red tape for grocery retailers? I am concerned, given the overall environment and the cost base challenge, that the burden of regulation doesn’t grow any further because it is pretty significant already.” Town Regeneration Retail Ireland were part of the retail consultation forum which developed a framework on town centre renewal, a roadmap to how towns can work with their local authority to access funding

to improve the streetscape, to make town centres a more attractive place for consumers, for businesses and for people to live. “I think Government understand the challenge and have started to address it. But I don’t think enough has been done yet,” Burke maintains. The main problem is finance, he believes: “While the Government have allocated a dedicated fund for this, it’s nowhere near the level that is required, so we believe they need to start putting serious financial weight behind this, because there are town centres around the country that are struggling. Also, local authorities need

“

I think we will see huge pick-up in the rate of consumer acceptance of grocery shopping online… because consumers are more time poor than ever.

”

to look at how they enable and support the community with drive and oversight: it has to be a strategic approach.” Grocery: The Ultimate Competitors When it comes to Irish grocery, Burke describes the level of competition as “intensely competitive”, citing the deep discounting across a host of big categories across the Christmas period. “Discounting has been a consistent feature of the Irish grocery market over

the last 10 years, with retail prices now back to 1999 levels. This brings its own challenges, because sales value growth is now being outstripped by growth in input costs, and all the time margins are being squeezed. We have a consumer that has been dramatically changed in recent years: they are obsessed by value and are willing to move for relatively small amounts of money. Brand loyalty has effectively disappeared, and consumers are hopping around between the various players in the market looking for the best price and the best value.” The conundrum for retailers is that while consumers want value, they also seek ethically and sustainably produced goods. So how does the retail trade cater to the needs of the consumer in 2019? “It’s very difficult because consumers want it all but they’re not always willing to pay for it. In some instances, they are speaking out of two sides of their mouth,” he smiles ruefully. Remaining competitive price-wise while giving consumers what they want and differentiating yourself from the competition is a real balancing act, Burke admits. One area where he foresees big growth in 2019 is in the area of online grocery shopping. “I think we will see huge pick-up in the rate of consumer acceptance of grocery shopping online. Most of the big players have a compelling offer in place: they’ve been refining it for years, but they’ve got it right now, so I think this year it will really take off, because consumers are more time poor than ever,” he notes. Some stores have trialled clickand-collect of grocery products, which will grow in popularity. Indeed, some stores even introduced a service whereby commuters could collect their groceries at busy urban rail stations, but Burke feels we are still a couple of years away from this being a mass market trend. However, he believes that the growth in online shopping will be mirrored by a corresponding growth in convenience shopping. “I think convenience stores will have a bigger role to play,” he states. “Regardless of what happens with the weekly shop, we will see an expansion into new formats in convenience over the coming year.” So, 2019 will be a challenging year, but also one with opportunities for retailers smart enough to lead the way…

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Centra

Record Sales for Centra Centra delivered record sales of €1.63 billion in 2018, with plans to open 25 new stores and add 375 new jobs this year. CENTRA registered a new record in 2018 after hitting sales of €1.63 billion, an increase of 3.6% year-on-year, further cementing the brand’s position as number one in the convenience market. The convenience retailer plans to build on this momentum by opening 25 new stores across the country this year, as well as refreshing 80 stores, as part of a €35m investment, which will see 375 jobs added to the Centra network. The revamp programme will see Centra rolling out the latest thinking in the convenience market that will meet new trends and provide shoppers with a seamless shopping experience. Catering to Evolved Tastes The launch of the retailer’s new premium Inspired by Centra range last July, which includes products like Cold Pressed Turmeric Shots and Paleo Superbowls, reflects the evolving taste of the Irish consumer, who is more health conscious and looks for premium products. Since its launch last July, the range has already recorded €6.3m in sales and it continues to grow rapidly. The Frank and Honest gourmet coffee offering available in Centra has been a real success, quickly establishing itself as the number one coffee brand in Ireland and recording a 40% growth in coffee volume in 2018. Frank and Honest’s popularity has been further built upon with the launch of capsule and whole bean ranges for the at-home market, a range of coffee accessories and the roll-out of in-store cafés. Building on its successful introduction of new brands, this year Centra is rolling out a new ice cream brand, Moo’d, to over 200 stores, adding a further seven products to the range and launching new take-home packs in three flavours. Combining the best Irish dairy and Italian ingredients, a unique delicious ice-cream range has been created to offer a contemporary take on an Irish favourite.

Pictured are (l-r): Dan Curtin, Centra Sales Director; Martin Kelleher, Centra Managing Director; and Donal Hickson, Chair, Centra Council. Shaping the Future of Convenience “Our record sales performance is testament to the dedication of over 463 Centra store owners across the country, who provide market leading stores in convenient locations, and our ongoing investment in shaping the future of the convenience market,” noted Martin Kelleher, Centra Managing Director, speaking at the Centra conference at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney recently. “Responding to consumers, retailers and market trends, Centra has developed a healthier offering and innovative range unrivalled by competitors. We plan to continue our expansion through new initiatives like our Inspired by Centra luxury range, Moo’d ice cream and Frank and Honest Coffee, along with driving innovation across all areas of the store. “In the past, convenience stores

would have been synonymous with the breakfast roll but walking into a Centra today illustrates how the concept has been revolutionised with products like Cold Pressed Tumeric Shots and Paleo Salads,” he continued. “We aim to stay one step ahead of the competition in this respect by ensuring we stay close to the modern Irish consumer who is looking for healthy alternatives, innovative ranges and great quality food for those short on time.” With over 463 stores, Centra employs almost 11,000 people and serves over 3m customers per week. Centra invests more than €240m in local communities per annum, 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.

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18|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Shop Profile

Turning Adversity Into Opportunity Lorraine Rabbitte and Paddy O'Neill explain how a fire that could have devastated their Spar store in Dublin’s Santry instead created an opportunity to bring their business to an entirely new level. AFTER graduating from the Smurfit Business School in 1999, Lorraine Rabbitte entered the Quinn Retail Programme and began working in the industry. In 2005, she became aware of the opportunity to take out a long-term lease on a site in Santry and fulfil her ambition of opening her own store. Lorraine and her husband Paddy, who also worked in the industry at the time, examined the various packages on offer from potential symbol group partners. One stood out from the crowd. “The convenience grocery sector is extremely competitive here, and all the groups that we looked at had strong offerings, but we felt that Spar and BWG was going to be the best fit for what we wanted to do with our store,” Lorraine tells Retail News. The store traded successfully for over a decade, serving the needs of the local community. In 2017, Paddy joined the business full time and the husband and wife team began planning a large revamp, receiving planning permission for the development in 2018. When Disaster Struck However, in July of 2018, a devastating fire forced Lorraine and Paddy to accelerate their plans to redesign the store. “The fire in the store completely destroyed the business,” Lorraine recalls. “It was a terrible experience to lose your business like that. Our staff had nowhere to work; our community had nowhere to shop. Had it not been for the support of the Spar team, the support of our insurance company, the support of our staff and the local community, it could have meant the end of the business.” Paddy adds, “If there was one silver lining to this terrible incident, it was that

we already had planning permission in place and we had been prepared to make an investment in our business. Spar was truly amazing during the entire process. There was a very simple, matter-of-fact approach from Micheal Dollard, our Retail Operations Advisor, and everyone else at Spar: ‘let’s get you open again’ was their motto from the start. Spar went above and beyond when it came to helping us to get back on our feet, and an event that could have ruined our business turned into an opportunity to realise our ideas to bring the store to a new level.” The project not only involved increasing the retail space by over 400 square feet, it also entailed a complete transformation of the look and feel of the store, as well as a change in focus to a more foodservice strategy, while still retaining a healthy ambient grocery offering for local young families.

Attention To Detail The attention to detail in the resulting store is stunning. The latest signage makes the store extremely easy to navigate, as well as adding a dash of retro cool to the interior. Wood details placed expertly in key locations echo Spar’s famous tree emblem and add to the luxurious feel of the interior, augmented by precisely positioned and subtly controlled lighting effects. The Insomnia coffee dock, I-Scream ice cream offering, Shakers donut brand and fresh in-store Spar Deli food-to-go offerings more than meet the needs of the DCU students living locally, as well as the nearby industrial estate and Garda station. Food-to-go is also important for the large number of families living around the store, who are also catered for by a substantial offering of ambient grocery and frozen food, far larger than many convenience stores tend to carry these days. This has

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Shop Profile

Store owners Lorraine Rabbitte and Paddy O'Neill, in their new look Spar Shanowen store. been achieved alongside a significant reduction in the size of the stock area in the store. “As a local store owner, my duty is to my customer,” Lorraine explains. “An inch of space in a stock room is an inch of space I cannot offer my customer. We need our goods on our shelves where our customers can get them. Spar and BWG have an exceptional distribution system. The National Distribution Centre is a fantastic resource that BWG created and the systems the group uses for stock ordering and delivery saves me time and money as a retailer.” Superior Customer Service Lorraine and Paddy considered function as well as form during the development project and the addition of a ramp at the front entrance and the capacity of the aisles provide universal access to anyone with buggies or mobility needs.

Every possible FACT FILE: thought has Owners: been given to meet the Location: needs of every Size: potential No. of Staff: customer. “The store Opening Hours: looks, feels and functions brilliantly,” Paddy explains. “We have customers who still come in and remark on how great the new store looks, even though they have been here many times since we reopened. We can offer our customers a truly superior shopping experience and, thanks to the buying power of Spar and BWG, we can offer a strong value for money offering. It’s not about going head-to-head with discount supermarkets, but with the Wow offers and promotional cycles, we can offer our customers key value items that keep them coming back.”

Lorraine Rabbitte and Paddy O'Neill Shanowen Rd, Santry, Dublin 9 2,400 square feet 16 full time & part time 07:00-23:00, Monday-Friday; 08:00-23:00, Saturday-Sunday. Passion & Commitment The new look store is one of the first of its kind in the country; the architecture and fit-out were both informed by a brand strategy project headed up by Spar Sales Director, Colin Donnelly. "Retailers like Lorraine and Paddy are at the heart and soul of the Spar group", commented Colin. "We, as their partner, need to equal their passion and commitment to their business. Lorraine and Paddy chose to use a terrible event to reinvent their business and reinforce their commitment to their customers. It’s an

absolute privilege to work with entrepreneurs of their calibre and everyone in the group is absolutely delighted that we got their wonderful store back open.” Lorraine and Paddy received amazing support from other retailers, from the Spar group, their insurance company, their local community and their staff when the fire struck their business. Their passion to reopen never waned and their desire to improve was supported by everyone around them. They turned a challenge into an opportunity, and together with their symbol group partner, they re-opened their business with a far superior offering, meeting the needs of all their customers, in style.

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Retail Ireland: Monthly Update GOVERNMENT MUST PRIORITISE INSURANCE LEGISLATION THE rising cost of insurance is one of the single biggest issues that the retail sector is facing in 2019. There have been numerous high-profile cases in recent months illustrating some of the challenges that are being faced by the sector, be it spurious claims or the over-inflation of compensation awards. There has been an ongoing debate among the major stakeholders and Government on how these matters may be addressed, and with the introduction in the Oireachtas of two pieces of legislation, there may be a light at the end of the litigation tunnel. With the publishing of the Personal Injury Assessment (Amendment) Bill 2018, it is hoped that there can be a solution found that does not necessitate recourse through the Courts for most Public Liability and Employer Liability claims. It is vital that government makes the swift passage of these bills one of its major priorities this legislative term. The purpose of the PIAB Bill is to strengthen the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) in order to ensure greater compliance with the PIAB process and encourage more claims to be settled through the PIAB model. The Cost of Insurance Working Group Report (CIWG) on the Cost of Motor Insurance published in January 2017 suggests that the delivery costs for cases settled outside PIAB continue to be over 40% of compensation costs. On January 19, the Personal Injury Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2018 passed all stages in the Dáil without amendment and has now been forwarded to Seanad Éireann for their consideration. It is hoped that the legislation passes as quickly through the Upper House, as it did through the Dáil. This Bill, once passed, has the potential to greatly reduce costs and waiting times for claims to be finalised. Another bill that has been published in May 2017 and is currently stalled before the Seanad is the Judicial Council Bill 2017. This Bill’s main aim is to set up on a statutory basis a Judicial Council that will allow oversight of Judges and sentencing procedures. Retail Ireland welcomes this bill and the oversight it will allow, but the fact that there has been no further progress since November 2017 is concerning. We at Retail Ireland will continue our active engagement with Government and officials in the Department of Justice to stress that this legislation is of great importance to our members and the retail sector as a whole. On average, retailers estimate that for every €1 allocated

to an insurance claim, the business must make €100 in sales to recoup this outlay. To alleviate rising insurance costs, retailers are actively investing in risk mitigation strategies to improve health and safety standards, reduce incidents and limit the cost of claims. Despite tireless work and substantial investment, retailers’ efforts have been undermined by our inefficient personal injuries regime. Rising business costs and increasing insurance premiums have now become a survival and competitiveness issue for many traditional Irish retailers. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. Issues such as Brexit are going to have a disproportionate effect on the retail sector, from disruption of supply chains to rising prices and higher risk factors. A good deal of these factors are outside of retailers’ and indeed Government’s control; mitigation and preparation are the main orders of the day to try and offset the negative effects of Brexit; but in cases such as insurance, where the rising costs and the reasons behind them are in Government’s control, it is imperative that action is taken as quickly as possible to ease an increasingly cumbersome burden.

Prices and Sales Show Modest Growth in Q4 2018 THE CSO’s Consumer Price Index for December 2018 reveals that prices increased overall by 0.7% in the month, compared with December 2017. However, alcoholic drinks saw their combined average price fall by 0.4%. Indeed, almost all retail specific categories continued to return a drop in price, the largest falls being; personal and home computers (-27.5%), home entertainment systems (-13.7%), equipment for outdoors, sports and camping (-12.8%), toiletries (-8.7%), cameras (-8.3%), and, games, toys and hobbies (-8.2%). Meanwhile the following categories recorded an increase

in average consumer price: diesel (7.7%), cigarettes and other tobacco products (6.2%), books (3.9%) and petrol (3.9%). The most recent figures for sales, for November 2018, showed a modest increase in sales and volume. On an annual basis, the total value of Irish retail sales (excluding sales of cars and sales in bars) increased by 0.4% compared with November 2017, with a 2% increase in volume. While these figures do not capture the main Christmas sales figures, it does show that there was some significant pre-Christmas purchasing, mainly driven by Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

Tel: 01-6051558 www.retailireland.ie Need more? For more information about what we do and how your retail business can benefit from our unique services and supports, please visit us at www.retailireland.ie.

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150 Years of Heinz

Heinz Celebrates 150th Birthday With Ketchup Caviar

Heinz is celebrating its 150th birthday with 150 limited-edition jars of Heinz Ketchup Caviar. HEINZ Tomato Ketchup is a staple in every household, something we’ve all grown up with. This year sees Heinz celebrating its 150th birthday, channelling 150 years of passion and know-how into an innovation specially designed for ketchup lovers - Heinz Ketchup Caviar. This limited-edition innovation is the ketchup we all know and love in delicious caviar style pearls that burst in your mouth, elevating a simple pleasure into a delicious fine dining experience. 150 Jars to Win Heinz Ketchup Caviar has been created to celebrate Heinz's 150th birthday, with only 150 jars available in the entire country. Heinz Ketchup Caviar will not be on sale; the 150 jars can only be won. For a chance to win one of these exclusive jars, Heinz is looking for 150 Heinz Tomato Ketchup super fans. To HeinzIrelandOfficial] by February 14, 2019. 150 super fans are subsequently being chosen to win one of the limited run jars of Heinz Ketchup Caviar. The Jewel in the Heinz Crown “In 1869 Henry J. Heinz started the business we all know and love,” noted David Adams, Head of Ireland at The Kraft Heinz Ketchup Caviar has been created to celebrate Heinz Company. “One Heinz's 150th birthday, with only 150 jars available in the of the first products entire country. he sold, Heinz Tomato win, consumers simply had to explain Ketchup, was in transparent bottles to why they are a Heinz Tomato Ketchup showcase its purity and quality. For over super fan on the Heinz Ireland Facebook a century, it’s been the jewel in Heinz’s [@HeinzIreland] and Instagram pages [@ crown, enjoyed by billions, thanks to the

deliciously rich, thick sauce, making each meal a little tastier. We’re delighted to be celebrating Heinz’s 150th Birthday with this product innovation designed to bring joy to Heinz Tomato Ketchup lovers.”

Heinz Ketchup Caviar will not be on sale; the jars can only be won.

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Convenience Survey

Ireland’s Most Convenient Supermarket Revealed New research reveals which supermarket is the most convenient in Ireland in terms of being located closest to consumers. SUPERVALU is the most convenient supermarket in Ireland, with a SuperValu outlet the closest supermarket to almost a third of the Irish population (32%), according to new research by Gamma, the location intelligence services provider. Lidl is the second most convenient supermarket in the country, being the closest for 17% of the entire population, followed by Aldi (10%), Dunnes Stores (10%) and Tesco (10%). Convenience varies between counties and while SuperValu is the most convenient for most counties, Lidl takes the top spot for Kildare and Louth. Meanwhile, Dunnes Stores is the most convenient supermarket in Offaly. Overall, supermarket coverage

within Ireland is generally good, with 71% of the population within five minutes of their nearest supermarket. Unsurprisingly, Dublin is the best covered, with 98% of people within a five-minute drive, while Leitrim is the worst serviced, with less than a third of people within a five-minute drive of a supermarket. Finding Your Optimum Location The findings were revealed in Gamma’s supermarket proximity model, which serves as part of the organisation’s consulting services. The company, the first in Ireland to develop location intelligence solutions, provides insights to clients based on a variety of key factors such as travel time, competitor location and target market behaviour. Gamma utilises its specialist software and location data to identify the desired optimum location for a wide range of retail clients, including four of the top 10 retailers. This process also takes into consideration the changing nature of the sector, as well as evolving eCommerce models and consumer needs. “Along with value for money, store location in grocery shopping is the most important factor in determining the success of a grocery store,” notes Feargal O’Neill, CEO, Gamma. “For supermarkets, the shopper will travel further but will most likely go to one of

SuperValu is the closest supermarket to 32% of the Irish population, according to the Gamma research.

Feargal O’Neill, CEO, Gamma. their four or five closest supermarkets, with choice being determined by the trade-off between the pain of travel and the rewards of store attractiveness, such as value, quality, environment and parking.” Serving the Time-Poor Consumer Convenience is of utmost importance for retailers because customers are timepoor, O’Neill avows: “They want easy access, fast transactions and simple delivery options. As well as meeting these demands, supermarkets in Ireland need to stay ahead of the competition. This means choosing the right location to engage the target market, based on factors like travel time, parking facilities, collection points and delivery zones. Retailers need to use such insights to identify their sweet spot; that’s where Gamma comes in.” Gamma helps retailers to plan their location strategy by analysing high-quality data, giving them the best chance of success. “It’s no longer solely about products and customer service,” O’Neill says. “Te nature of retail is more multi-dimensional, with convenience and flexibility coming to the fore. Our insights not only allow retailers to pinpoint the best location but help to maximise promotional activities too. Location is the single most important factor for all retailers. They need to choose wisely when it comes to where they establish themselves.”

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Healthy Options

Health Management Offering consumers healthy foods is no longer an option: it’s a requirement, as healthy eating goes mainstream. IRELAND’S move to healthier foods has been well documented over the last few years, as more and more consumers are aware of the health credentials of the food they buy and are actively choosing food and drink products that are better for their family’s health. The healthy eating revolution was needed, however, as one in four Irish children are officially overweight or obese, which is a worrying statistic and one we need to address. The EU is doing its bit to encourage healthy eating by reaching out directly to schools through the EU School Milk and Fruit and Vegetables Schemes. Statistics from the Health at a Glance: Europe 2016 report show that Irish children are amongst the top EU nations when it comes to eating fruit and vegetables. The Irish Government too has moved to address the issue through legislation, most recently with the Sugar Sweetened Drinks Tax. The Department of Health frequently engages in programmes to encourage healthier eating, as do agencies like Bord Bia and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). Supporting the Food Pyramid Indeed, the FSAI have recently published the updated Healthy Eating, Food Safety and Food Legislation – a Guide Supporting the Healthy Ireland Food Pyramid. The Guide describes in colourful detail how to make the best food choices for health and provides practical advice to protect people in Ireland from five years of age onwards against diet-related ill health. It will be of interest to health professionals, catering services and food businesses to support their work and enable them to provide safe and trustworthy information to consumers about food and is available from the FSAI website, www.fsai.ie. “We live in an age where there are so many confusing messages and information about food and nutrition and this Guide provides independent and unbiased science-based advice

that people can trust,” noted Dr Pamela Byrne, CEO, FSAI. “It covers how to make the best food choices from every angle – nutritional quality, food safety and food law. It is a comprehensive Guide that health professionals can use to help consumers make more informed

food choices and that the food industry can use to provide the best food choices for consumer benefit. It is a combination of international best practice with up-todate Irish research to ensure the advice meets the specific dietary needs of the Irish population.”

Pictured at the launch of the updated Healthy Eating, Food Safety and Food Legislation – a Guide Supporting the Healthy Ireland Food Pyramid are (l-r): Dr Pamela Byrne, CEO, FSAI; and Catherine Byrne TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Health Promotion.

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Healthy Options Heineken 0.0%: Sales Ahead of Expectations

New to Tesco Ireland, Oumph! is a 100% plant-based product made from soya beans and organic herb and spice mixes that can be used in a variety of shapes and sizes. Developed, in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive, the guide covers portion sizes and servings; tips for choosing the healthiest types of foods, as well as reducing risks during cooking. It also covers: • • •

Nutritional composition - how various foods best meet different people’s needs; Food safety – microbiology, harmful bacteria, viruses and how these can be minimised; Food law - to ensure businesses are aware of legal requirements to provide consumers with accurate information on nutritional labelling and allergen declarations.

An extended section in the book on meat, poultry, and fish sets out information for vegetarian diet options using eggs, beans, lentils and nuts. The Guide advises on how best to introduce gradual change for those who wish to try a vegetarian-friendly diet, for example, through bulking up meat dishes such as stews and mince with beans, lentils and vegetables. This includes preparation and cooking methods for these foods. The Rise of the Flexitarian The move to vegetarianism and even veganism is one that can’t be ignored. Bord Bia estimates that 8% of the Irish population are now vegetarian, while 2% are vegan, and increasing numbers are cutting down on the amount of meat or dairy products in

their diet, and are increasingly known as ‘flexitarians’. Retail groups are doing their bit. Most of the big groups have introduced high profile healthier ranges over the last couple of years, and these are no longer specialist ranges confined to the darkest corners, but are front-and-centre in stores, with most canny retailers keen to get involved in Ireland’s health revolution. M&S believe that one in five customer households are now cooking for a flexitarian/vegetarian and 60% of customers are limiting their red meat intake. The retailer aims to cater for this growing segment with the introduction of a new plant-based vegan-friendly range, Plant Kitchen, with more than 60 meat and dairy-free plant based fresh meals, salads, snacks and ingredients, using plant proteins. The range includes everything from ‘dirty vegan’ comfort food such as Cauliflower Popcorn with Buffalo dip and Cashew Mac, to healthy meals like Mushroom Stroganoff, and vegan coleslaw and potato salad. “This is the year we’ll truly see plant-based food go mainstream” says April Preston, Director of Product Development at M&S. Tesco Ireland has also acted, launching a number of new vegan, vegan friendly, vegetarian and plant-based products in early 2019, including the expansion of its Wicked Kitchen plant-based food range to include vegan desserts, salads, dips and additional ready meal solutions.

IN April 2018, Heineken Ireland launched its first ever non-alcoholic lager, Heineken 0.0% into the Irish market. Currently, the number one reason Irish consumers choose not to go alcohol-free on a night out is for fear of being seen as unsociable or not good fun, and abstaining from alcohol completely is their primary moderating behaviour. Heineken 0.0% allows Irish beer lovers to enjoy a world-class tasting alternative on any occasion without the fear of being seen as unsociable. Heineken 0.0% has a perfectly balanced taste, with refreshing fruity notes and soft malty body. It is made from all-natural ingredients and has only 69 calories per bottle. The launch of Heineken 0.0% has proven to be a great success, exceeding all expectations across equity, volume and brand penetration and reawakening what was a dormant category for many years. In less than a year, the brand has doubled the total category value in the off trade and achieved 57% market share in the latest Nielsen share read. “From a volume perspective, we finished the year at +480% ahead of our original target, making us now the number one non-alcohol brand in both the on and off trade, surpassing all other long established non-alcoholic brands in the market,” explained Paula Conlon, Customer Marketing Controller at Heineken Ireland. “The success of Heineken 0.0% has helped establish no and low alcohol as a strategic priority for our business, with this launch acting as a beacon for others to follow.”

#NOWYOUCAN GREAT TASTE. ZERO ALCOHOL.

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Healthy Options Wicklow Rapeseed Oil Sees Sales Surge

innocent’s Dairy Free Range

WICKLOW Rapeseed Oil has reported a 50% increase in sales of their high quality Irish Rapeseed Cooking Oil in 2018. Established in 2013, Wicklow Rapeseed Oil’s range of products has undergone a facelift for 2019 to celebrate its move into over 100 stores nationwide. Unveiling a modern look, the message remains the same ‘Taste the Difference’, highlighting the premium brand with a sleek new design and a unique taste. Wicklow Rapeseed Oil is available in supermarkets as 500ml, 250ml bottles, 200ml 2Cal Spray and also has varieties with Lemon, Chilli and Garlic infused to add an extra dimension to cooking.

INNOCENT have a new dairy free range in four tasty recipes, with no more than five ingredients used in all four. The range includes: innocent Dairy Free Oat, made with oats, spring water and sea salt; innocent Dairy Free Almond, made with almonds, spring water and sea salt; innocent Dairy Free Hazelnut, whose ingredients are rice, hazelnuts, spring water and sea salt; innocent Dairy Free Coconut, made with coconuts, rice, spring water, sea salt and plant fibre. To celebrate the launch, the brand is partnering with best-selling cookery author Roz Purcell (pictured) to create a series of delectable dairy free recipes. Using the range, Roz has created four simple and delicious recipes from scratch: Baked Almond and Blueberry Oatmeal; Chickpea, Sweet Potato and Spinach Coconut Curry; Easy Spotted Pancakes; and No Bake Chocolate Hazelnut Squares.

Say YES! to New Snacks Brand YES! is a new and distinctive snacks brand with a range of gluten free fruit and vegetable and nut bars specially crafted to be both delicious and wholesome. The new bars deliver a tasty snack by focusing on diverse ingredients that consumers might not expect to find in any ordinary fruit or nut bar, including creative combinations of ingredients as diverse as apple & beetroot; lemon, quinoa & chilli and coffee, cherry & dark chocolate. While looking and tasting amazing, each Yes! nut bar is a source of protein and contains 5g of sugar, while the fruit and vegetable bars have no added sugar and contribute one of your five a day. The full range is also gluten free and suitable for vegetarians, while both fruit and vegetable bars are also suitable for vegans. The coffee, cherry & dark chocolate and sea salt, dark choc & almond bars contain 189 calories per bar, whilst the cranberry and dark choc bar contains 183 calories. The fruit and vegetable bars have 118 (Lemon, Quinoa & Chilli) and 123 (Beetroot & Apple) calories. The range contains no artificial sweeteners, flavours, colours or preservatives. The five Yes! bars are available as singles and in multipacks of three and boast five intriguing and tempting ingredient combos: Delicious Beetroot & Apple; Lively Lemon, Quinoa & Chilli; Tempting Sea Salt, Dark Choc & Almond; Sumptuous Cranberry & Dark Choc; and Delightful Coffee, Dark Choc & Cherry. “Yes! sets out with the bold ambition to prove to consumers that wholesome products within this snacking category can be utterly delicious too,” stresses Maria McKenna, Ireland Marketing Manager for Yes! “The bars have been lovingly invented by a dedicated in-house team of experts, who have perfectly balanced taste and nutrition to make compromise a thing of the past and adventurous snacking a part of the future.” The launch of Yes! is being supported by extensive sampling, as well as advertising across OOH, digital and social media.

Tesco Ireland also launched Oumph!, a 100% plant-based product made from soya beans and organic herb and spice mixes that can be used in a variety of shapes and sizes, as well Beyond Burger, a plant-based burger pattie. Irish suppliers are getting on-board too, with Moodley Manor vegan foods from Dublin, Veggie Earth pestos and olive tapenades from Smithfield, Dublin, Eden veggie burgers from Co. Offaly, and the popular Dee’s Wholefoods range from Cork. Iceland Ireland have an exclusive Slimming World range, which has grown to 48 lines, with the introduction of Slimming World Chunky Chips and Slimming World Peppercorn Sauce.

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Healthy Options “We are delighted to add the Chunky Chips to our exclusive Slimming World range, which now carries 48 lines,” said Sarah Buckley, Marketing Manager of Iceland Ireland. Changing Trends in Drinks Market Consumer beverage tastes are changing too, and not just because of last year’s Sugar Sweetened Drinks Tax. New research into future beverage trends, commissioned by Kerry Foodservice, reveals the trends which are expected to influence the beverage Musgrave MarketPlace launched a dedicated low and non-alcoholic section last November, which market in the coming has proven extremely popular. with added health benefits. Botanical beverages can help provide a healthier alternative to sugar-laden iced-teas whilst delivering the nutrients and functional benefits of plant-based ingredients. “Consumers also expect added benefits from their drinks; they want beverages that deliver benefits beyond hydration, and caffeine or alcohol-free alternatives,” revealed Karl Buiks, VP of Marketing, Foodservice & Strategic Planning, Slimming World Chunky Chips, the latest addition to Iceland Kerry Europe & Ireland’s exclusive Slimming World range. Russia. Musgrave year. They include the rise of caffeineMarketplace recently revealed a surge free drinks, as many consumers look in sales for low and non-alcoholic drinks to cut back their caffeine consumption. over the last three months. Sales in this With 25% of consumers interested category have soared by a staggering in caffeine-free alternatives, a trend 1,200% since November, fuelled by has emerged of coffee alternatives initiatives such as ‘Dry January’ and such as beetroot latte, matcha latte, the growing emphasis on health and and turmeric latte, tapping into the wellness among consumers. growing trend for natural ingredients

Getting Creative with Low and No Alcohol In response to this growing demand, Musgrave MarketPlace launched a dedicated low and non-alcoholic section last November. It was the first wholesale group in Europe to do so and has piloted it in three of its branches with a view to rolling it out to the remainder of its branches in 2019. Zero alcohol is a key trend for this year as bars and restaurants get more creative with their low and non-alcoholic offerings. “We have seen an increase in demand for Low Abv and non-alcoholic drinks over the past few months, but it has really taken off with the ‘dry January’ campaign,” revealed Stephen Duffy from the Press Up Group. “The taste profile of non-alcoholic beers has improved so much in the past 12 months with options like Heineken 0.0%, that customers feel that they’re getting the benefits of beer without the hangover. We haven’t seen a reduction in our alcohol sales because of this trend but instead we’ve seen an increased number of occasions that people can drink nonalcoholic beer.” Sheena Forde, Trading Director Musgrave MarketPlace said: “At present we have dedicated sections in three of our branches and we will continue to expand this over the next year. This isn’t a trend that is going away. We predict double-digit growth in this category over the next 12 months as a result of new product launches and innovations.”

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Consumer Research

Consumers Buy From Companies That Care

New research shows that Irish consumers prefer to buy from companies that stand for a purpose which reflects their values and beliefs, including ethical product sourcing, safe working conditions and sustainability. IRISH consumers prefer to buy goods and services from companies that stand for a shared purpose which reflects their personal values and beliefs and are ditching those that don’t. That’s according to new research from Accenture, which shows that 59% of Irish consumers want companies to take a stand on social, cultural, environmental and political issues and 64% believe protest actions like boycotting can make companies behave differently. The 14th annual Accenture Strategy Global Consumer Pulse Research surveyed nearly 30,000 consumers from around the world, including 420 Irish consumers, to gauge their expectations of brands and companies today. The study found that companies that stand for something bigger than what they sell, communicate their purpose and demonstrate commitment to areas like the environment, are more likely to attract consumers and influence purchasing decisions, which improves competitiveness. While more than half (58%) of all Irish consumers surveyed expressed preference for brands that represent their personal values and beliefs, there was an apparent demographic divide among respondents. While 63% of the generation Z and millennial cohort felt this way, only 53% of baby boomers did. Authenticity and Trust Drive Growth Today, 59% of Irish consumers say their purchasing consideration is driven by a company’s ethical values and authenticity, with notably more generation Z and millennials (67%) feeling this way than baby boomers (50%). Furthermore, two-thirds of all

consumers crave greater transparency in how companies source their products, safe working conditions, as well as their stance on important issues such as animal testing. “In this era of transparency, consumers are voicing their opinions, values and beliefs, scrutinising the actions of organisations, and holding them accountable. They believe that their individual and collective efforts can influence how a company behaves,” said Vicky Godolphin, Managing Director, Accenture Digital. “Transparency and trust really matter today as consumers’ voices can change the financial trajectory of companies. They are more

than buyers; they are active stakeholders who are investing their time and attention and want to feel a sense of shared purpose. The winners in this era will be the organisations that take a stand on the important issues that Irish consumers truly care about.” Purpose Influences Purchasing 56% of all Irish consumers say their purchasing decisions are influenced by the words, values and actions of a company’s leaders. Once again, age came into play, with a sizeable 72% of generation Z and millennial consumers feeling this way, while only 40% of baby boomers did. All respondents

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Consumer Research

are attracted to organisations that are committed to using good quality ingredients (77%), treat employees well (62%), and believe in improving the environment (66%). “Purpose is more than companies simply responding to issues of the day. It’s about having a genuine and meaningful commitment to important principles that Irish consumers care about, such as health and wellbeing, natural ingredients, environmental sustainability and family connections, which inform every business decision,” said Karen O’Regan, Managing Director, Accenture Strategy. “Many companies have neglected to convey purpose due to complacency, lethargy or the fear of polarising people, which has allowed smaller players to rise.” Consumers Change Company Behaviour 64% of Irish consumers believe their individual protest actions, such as boycotting a company or speaking out on social media, can make a difference in how companies behave. 29% have been disappointed by how a company acted, which betrayed consumers’ belief in what the company stands for. Twice as many generation Z and millennial respondents (40%) felt this way, compared to baby boomers (21%). 42% of all consumers stopped doing business with the company as a result, with more generation Z and millennial consumers taking this step (53%) than baby boomers (29%). Organisations that want to build stronger consumer relationships and sustain their competitiveness by becoming purpose-led can do so by:

1. Defining what their business stands for: Companies need to determine the larger role they want to play in their customers’ lives and put a stake in the ground. Leaders can do that by understanding what their customers feel passionately about, why their employees choose to work for them and why other businesses partner with them. They’ll find what makes the company special and can use it to make a difference. 2. Being clear and authentic: Consumers can see through inauthenticity. If a company is truly committed to its purpose, its principles guide every business decision. This purpose will bind consumers, employees and shareholders alike. It requires bold leadership, where actions speak louder than words. 3. Engaging consumers on a deeper level: With consumers actively aligning themselves to specific companies and having a stake in their success, businesses can capitalise on this energy by getting customers involved in cocreating new products and services, designing initiatives or partnerships, and investing in the company’s growth in exchange for personalised rewards. Including customers in their innovation ecosystem will help companies maintain their relevance, identify new growth opportunities and markets, and keep them on track with delivering on their promises. To find out more about the report, visit www.accenture.com/ BrandPurpose.

Responsible Trading Pays… 58% of Irish consumers prefer to buy goods and services from companies that stand for a shared purpose that reflects their personal values and beliefs. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 63% • Baby boomers (55-74): 53% 59% of consumers want companies to take a stand on the social, cultural, environmental and political issues close to their hearts. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 68% • Baby boomers (55-74): 54% 42% of consumers have stopped doing business with companies that don’t take a stand. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 53% • Baby boomers (55-74): 29% 66% of consumers are attracted to companies that believe in improving the environment. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 63% • Baby boomers (55-74): 68% 59% of consumers say their purchasing consideration is driven by a company’s ethical values and authenticity. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 67% • Baby boomers (55-74): 50% 56% of consumers say their purchasing decisions are influenced by the words, values and actions of a company’s leaders. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 72% • Baby boomers (55-74): 40% 51% of consumers want business leaders to speak up on issues they care about. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 49% • Baby boomers (55-74): 55% 29% of consumers have been disappointed by how a company acted, which betrayed their belief in what they say they stand for. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 40% • Baby boomers (55-74): 21% 64% of consumers believe their individual protest actions, such as boycotting a company or speaking out on social media, can make a difference to how companies behave. • Gen Z and Millennials (18-29): 75% • Baby boomers (55-74): 54%

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32|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping/E-Cigarettes

Smoke Signals

More and more Irish people are using vaping and e-cigarettes, with Vape Business Ireland calling on the Government to embrace vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking. CONSUMER demand is driving rapid innovation in the growing e-cigarette category, with Ireland’s vapers increasingly looking for the ultimate vaping product. According to figures from the Healthy Ireland Survey 2018, 4% of Irish people currently use e-cigarettes and a further 12% of the population have tried them at some point. The UK Government is much more accepting of vaping products/ecigarettes’ use as a smoking cessation tool than Irish authorities. The House of Commons’ Science and Technology Committee report into vaping products from August 2018 stated that “E-cigarettes present an opportunity to significantly accelerate already declining smoking rates, and thereby tackle

one of the largest causes of death in the UK today. They are substantially less harmful—by around 95%—than conventional cigarettes. They lack the tar and carbon monoxide of conventional cigarettes—the most dangerous components.” On the back of the report, the UK Government plans to reconsider elements of e-cigarette regulation, including a block on advertising e-cigarettes’ relative harm-reduction potential and the notification scheme for e-cigarette ingredients. Here in Ireland, Vape Business Ireland, the largest representative body for the industry, called on the Government and HSE to embrace vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking

and offer smokers clear, factual information on its Quit.ie website. Revised TPD2 regulations came into effect in Ireland in 2017, which imposed greater restrictions on the category than were previously in place. The increased operating costs and tighter regulatory environment led to rationalisation and consolidation in the category. The smaller operators were unable to absorb increased costs and were forced to close, according to the latest report into the category by Euromonitor International. The Healthy Ireland Survey 2018 revealed that almost half (49%) of all current smokers have tried e-cigarettes at some point, compared with 19% of ex-smokers. 9% of current smokers use e-cigarettes, with 10% of ex-smokers

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34|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping/E-Cigarettes using them. 17% of those who have tried to quit smoking in the past year, and 30% of those who have successfully quit smoking, are current users of e-cigarettes. “The results of the survey reaffirm what VBI have been stating for over two years – smokers are increasingly using vaping as an alternative to smoking despite a total lack of information or advice from our tax payer funded stop smoking service, Quit.ie,” said Vape Business Ireland (VBI) Director, Michael Kenneally. “Great strides are being made in the UK with public health bodies now using vaping products in their stop smoking services and as a contributory result see a decrease in smoking rates. The Government and the HSE need to review their stance on vaping products. The role vaping can play cannot be ignored any more by our policy makers anymore.” A new study from Queen Mary University of London, which involved more 900 smokers, found that e-cigarettes are more effective than nicotine patches in helping smokers quit the habit. In the study, 18% of e-cigarette users were smoke-free after a year, compared to 9.9% of participants who were using other nicotine replacement therapies. “E-cigarettes were almost twice as effective as the ‘gold standard’ combination of nicotine replacement products,” revealed lead researcher, Professor Peter Hajek from Queen Mary University of London. PJ Caroll Vype PJ Carroll Vype is launching the Vype ePen 3, winner of the e-cigarette category in the Product Of the Year Awards in the UK & Ireland (survey of 10,399 people in UK & ROI by Kantar TNS). Vype ePen 3 is at the cutting edge of closed-system vaping technology, providing a genuine alternative to adult smokers and vapers looking for a smoother and more satisfying experience. The device’s powerful 650mAh/6W battery provides richer vapour and a more intense taste makes the Vype ePen 3 PJ Carroll’s ultimate closed-system device, delivering superior performance in internal tests versus other leading Pod Mods. This incredibly simple to use, high-performance system guarantees satisfaction with a reliable all-day use battery (based on average vaping habits), making it the ultimate choice for adult smokers and vapers. Designed with the user in mind, the smooth and compact device fits comfortably in hand and discreetly into pockets.

The Vype ePen 3 starter kit from PJ Carroll has an RRP of €25 with a 40% margin. With click in-and-out cartridges, Vype ePen 3 is designed to be a convenient and simple to use device, while a range of flavours and nicotine strengths provide a choice for every adult vaper. Vype ePen 3 is a closed system device; therefore the Vype ePen 3 eLiquid cartridges are sealed. In addition, Vype ePen 3 eLiquid cartridges have been designed specifically for the Vype ePen 3 device. The specially formulated flavours within the Vype ePen 3 cartridges range have been crafted and rigorously tested for quality; Nicotine Salts are available for ePen 3 with the introduction of the vPro range. The vPro range is also made bespoke to ePen 3 and all of the ePen 3 flavours are also available in Nic Salt form. The vPro range delivers enhanced vaping satisfaction through a more intense nicotine hit and flavour delivery and come with two nicotine levels (12mg/ ml, 18mg/ml). Vype eLiquids are made from different mixtures of the same

five ingredients: vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine (for nicotinecontaining liquids), water and most importantly the flavourings. Flavours include: • • •

Blended Tobacco: A blend of roasted tobacco with a nutty finish; Crisp Mint: A combination of mint and vanilla notes; Wild Berries: A mix of wild berries with a hint of vanilla.

“ePen 3 has been five years in the making. Internal tests show ePen 3 provides a superior vaping experience versus other Pod Mods, recognised by the positive reviews we have received from adult smokers and vapers alike,” noted Simon Carroll, Country Manager at PJ Carroll (Bat Ireland). “The rich vapour and intense flavour delivery sets this device apart and provides a truly satisfying experience that offers a real alternative to smoking, while being a great lifestyle fit for adult vapers seeking

Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie|35

Vaping/E-Cigarettes a slick and easy-to-use device. The choice of flavours and nicotine strengths mean there is something for every adult vaper or smoker.” Included in the starter kit is one Vype ePen 3, two Vype ePen 3 cartridges (Blended Tobacco & Crisp Mint - 18mg/ ml), one Micro USB Charging Cable and a user guide. Starter Kits have an RRP of €25 with a 40% margin; pods come in a pack of two and have an RRP of €8, also with a 40% margin. For more information contact your PJ Carroll Representative or go to govype.com. JTI Ireland’s Logic With the Logic brand, JTI Ireland offers vapers a wide range of options, including Curv, Pro and LQD. The response in stores has been highly impressive: the company launched its first e-cigarette in Ireland in mid-2015 and quickly went on to become one of the country’s leading brands. Already one of the leading brands on the market, Logic has now added to its extensive portfolio with the much-anticipated launch of Logic Compact. The launch of Logic Compact sees their portfolio expand further with the arrival of this premium vape option for modern consumers. “The moment vaping ‘just clicks’ has arrived,” reveals JTI Ireland Sales Director, Derek Mooney, referring to Logic Compact’s magnetic e-liquid pods, which effortlessly click into place. “The launch of Logic Compact is really exciting and we’re confident that adult consumers will respond very positively too. For vapers who are looking for a product with superb performance, high quality e-liquids, cutting edge technology and sleek, modern design, it really is the whole package.” Logic Compact was launched by JTI in the highly competitive UK market in autumn 2018 to excellent feedback from vapers, good news for Irish retailers looking to drive footfall in their stores. In addition to the Logic Compact

Logic has now added to its extensive portfolio with the much-anticipated launch of Logic Compact, using magnetic e-liquid pods, which effortlessly click into place. device itself, which is matte metal, pocket-sized and quick-charging, the range includes four rich e-liquid flavours: Tobacco, Berry Mint, Menthol and Red Cherry, all of which are available in both 12mg/ml and 18mg/ ml nicotine strengths. Each pre-filled e-liquid pod delivers approximately 320 puffs, depending on individual vaping behaviour. Retailers can rely on JTI’s support to maximise the potential of Logic Compact and the vaping category, according to Mooney. “As well as a comprehensive

The Logic Compact device is matte metal, pocket-sized and quick-charging.

advertising campaign, our Logic specialists are committed to working closely with retailers across the country, providing support with this launch and guidance on all category matters. As the value and importance of vaping grows in retail, JTI’s nationwide sales teams are always on hand to offer expert advice.” User-friendly, modern and high quality, Logic Compact is certain to make a big impact in Ireland. And with the category projected to grow in value to €48m this year, it’s set to be a key addition to retailers’ in-store offerings.

36|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Easter Treats

Egg-citing Easter Ahead

With Easter Sunday falling on April 21 in 2019, there’s plenty of time to capitalise on chocolate egg and confectionery sales this year. EASTER is traditionally one of the year’s peak selling periods for confectionery, as consumers across the country get egg-cited about the season, stocking up on chocolate eggs and confectionery as gifts for family and friends. With Easter Sunday falling relatively late in 2019, on April 21, it effectively means an extra three weeks to ensure you make the most of the season, when the entire country gets into a chocolate buying frenzy. Lindt The Lindt Easter Egg range continues to be a key sales driver for retailers at Spring time. Lindt Easter Eggs have been growing six times faster than the category since 2016 and are once again proving a must stock item for retailers as consumers look to trade up and give a premium Easter gift (Source: Nielsen Scantrack to April 22, 2018, MAT - Easter Period = 14 weeks - versus 16 Weeks to April 16, 2017). This year Lindt is bringing more exciting new news to the category. From the new smooth melting and blissfully rich Mint Lindor 285g Egg to the magical and endearing Gold Bunny Flower Egg

- Lindt continues to delight shoppers with an exquisite array of Easter Egg creations to choose from. The Lindt Gold Bunny is hopping back into stores nationwide this spring.

The Lindt Gold Bunny is hopping back into stores nationwide this spring, with heavyweight support behind the brand.

Delivering almost €800k in sales, the Lindt Gold Bunny is the clear market leader in Easter hollow figures in Ireland (Source: Nielsen Scantrack to April 22, 2018, MAT). Made by the Lindt Master Chocolatiers from the finest Lindt chocolate, wrapped in exquisite gold foil packaging and finished with the iconic red ribbon and ringing bell, the Lindt Gold Bunny is guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of your shoppers and their loved ones. This Easter, retailers can expect to see a heavyweight support plan behind the Gold Bunny brand. With engaging national events, in and out of store activity and premium POS, the Lindt Gold Bunny brand is set to go from strength to strength. Bring the magic of Easter to your customers this Spring with the Lindt Gold Bunny. The Lindt Gold Bunny is available in a variety of sizes and formats and is available in all good retailers nationwide. Lindt Lindor has strengthened its position as the number one boxed chocolate brand in the Irish market. €1 in every €8 spent on a box of chocolates

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38|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Easter Treats Cadbury Cadbury has unveiled its Easter offering for 2019 with plenty of returning favourites, as well as some new products that will be sure to get shoppers eggcited for the Easter Bunny to arrive this year. Cadbury is synonymous with Easter thanks to its vast range of seasonal

pieces of Crunchie hidden in the egg shell: this one is sure to fly off shelves. Nestlé Confectionery Nestlé Confectionery’s Easter will focus on offering consumers its big brands in best-selling formats, and features innovation in mini eggs, large eggs and giant eggs, as well as an exciting new range of Incredible eggs. Brand new large egg launches from Smarties, Rolo, Toffee Crisp and Yorkie ensure there is something for everyone, whilst the specialness of the new KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Fudge, Yorkie Raisin and Biscuit and Smarties mini eggs Incredible Eggs is certain to excite consumers. All of the

With a wide range of exciting and delectable flavours as well as formats, Lindt Lindor is the perfect chocolate gift for any occasion. in Ireland is spent on a Lindor box (Source: Nielsen, Total Scantrack ROI + Discounters Data to December 30, 2018), proving that Lindt Lindor continues to be a must stock for retailers in 2019. With a wide range of exciting and delectable flavours as well as formats, Lindt Lindor is the perfect chocolate gift for any occasion. From the classic Lindor Milk recipe to the new Mint Edition, the Lindor Cornet range is sure to excite and engage your customers. Also returning this February is the limited edition Lindor Heart Box 160g – the same smooth melting Lindor in a seasonal Heart Box. Supported by a strong national campaign, Lindt Lindor TV advertising will return to your screens this spring with increased support and activity both in and out of store.

New Cadbury Picnic Large Egg, perfect for enjoying with family and friends.

The KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Fudge Incredible egg contains a caramel flavour chocolate egg with soft salted caramel fudge pieces in the shell, as well as three full-size bars of KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Fudge.

Cadbury Crunchie Ultimate Easter Egg, with pieces of Crunchie hidden in the egg shell, is sure to fly off shelves.

The recently launched Lindor Mint Easter Egg is sure to excite and engage your customers.

favourites that are perfect for enjoying with family and friends. This year, Cadbury is introducing a new Cadbury Picnic Large Egg (RRP €10), joining the line-up of returning favourites such as Creme Egg, Wispa, Twirl and Oreo Large Easter Eggs. 2018 saw the introduction of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Ultimate Easter Egg range. These unique Easter Eggs, which will return to shelves this year, contain hidden pieces of Daim and Fruit & Nut within the chocolate shell and come with a sharing bar in each. New to the range this year will be Cadbury Crunchie Ultimate Easter Egg (RRP €19.50), with

Easter range from Nestlé Confectionery contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. In 2019, the Easter season will be three weeks longer than in 2018, and therefore there is huge potential for retailers to capitalise on mini eggs sales, which are popular throughout the full season and attract repeat purchases. 2019 will see family favourites Smarties mini eggs and Milkybar mini eggs once again at the heart of the range, and new for 2019 are two ‘more to share’ bags. These Smarties mini eggs bag and the Milkybar mini eggs bag are both 300g. Big, well-known brands are key when it comes to stocking large eggs, as shoppers are looking for the recipient’s favourite. This year Nestlé Confectionery is launching four new large eggs, adding much loved brands Smarties, Rolo, Toffee Crisp and Yorkie to the range, which already includes KitKat Chumky, Orange Smarties, Lion and Munchies. In addition, all the large eggs will come

Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie|39

Easter Treats complete with two full-size impulse packs. This extended range for 2019 gives shoppers a greater choice of trusted, quality brands in a popular size format, ideal for sharing with friends and family and at an accessible price point. Brand new for 2019 are three exciting new Incredible eggs, each containing a chocolate egg with something special included in the shell. From flagship brand KitKat is the KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Fudge Incredible egg, which contains a caramel flavour chocolate egg with soft salted caramel fudge pieces in the shell, as well as three full-size bars of KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Fudge. The Yorkie Raisin and Biscuit Incredible egg is a milk chocolate egg with crunchy biscuit and juicy raisin pieces in the shell, plus three full-size bars of Yorkie Raisin and Biscuit. Whilst the Smarties Mini Eggs Incredible egg is a milk chocolate egg with crunchy mini Smarties in the shell plus a Smarties mini eggs sharing bag. New for 2019 are two giant eggs from trusted big brands Smarties and Quality Street.

The Smarties Mini Eggs Incredible egg is a milk chocolate egg with crunchy mini Smarties in the shell plus a Smarties mini eggs sharing bag. In the impulse category, the Smarties and Milkybar Farmyard Friends return for 2019. As per last Easter, shoppers will have the choice of four different foil-wrapped hollow chocolate animals from each brand. The four Smarties animals include a little chocolate pig, sheep, goat and chick, each containing mini Smarties inside. Whilst the Milkybar animals feature a cow, hen, duck and bunny, all made from everyone’s favourite white chocolate. The Kids Added Value packs have three key roles within Easter: Top Up Gift, Main Gift or Egg Hunt. Fun eggs make ideal main gifts as they are more

gift-worthy than other shell eggs such as Egg with Milk Chocolate Truffles and the medium eggs and deliver value through Lir White Chocolate Egg with Praline packaging, added gifts or novelty. This Truffles, all of which have an RRP of €9. year, the popular Smarties Hen House The adventurous new range and Milkybar Milkybarn packs are back. also includes the Belgian Chocolate Two of the best-selling fun eggs in the Egg with a selection of Discovery market, they contain a chocolate egg Chocolates, available in both milk and as well as a chocolate Smarties hen or dark chocolate varieties (RRP €13). Milkybar cow inside each box, which is also designed to be used as a puppet show for added family fun. Egg hunt packs continue to be a growing trend, with the Smarties Egg Hunt pack (containing Lir has created a stunning new range of Easter Eggs, which are eight small sure to excite shoppers this Easter. chocolate Lir’s Master Chocolatier has used eggs filled with mini Smarties) and ingredients sourced from around the Milkybar Egg Hunt pack (containing eight world to create exciting new flavours small white chocolate eggs). within the Easter Egg range, such as The Seasonal novelties make ideal Cranberry and Pistachio Egg with Chewy top-up gifts and are key to driving value Pecan Chocolates and the Belgian Milk and bringing new shoppers into this with Coconut and Almond Egg which segment. The Milkybar Chick in Egg is comes with a selection of truffles. At back for 2019. This eye-catching pack approximately 360g, these two are the features a white chocolate egg complete largest eggs in the range and have an with a cute white chocolate chick inside. RRP of €16. It joins the milk chocolate Smarties Lir’s Discovery collection offers Chick in Egg. luxurious, exciting flavours, such as The Milkybar brand offers shoppers Persian Lime Truffle, Raspberry and the heritage and trust those buying for Pistachio Duo, Dark Chocolate Torte kids look for in a gift. As the only white and Chewy Pecan Caramel, alongside chocolate offering in small eggs, the classic, much-loved favourites like Milkybar small egg is a must stock for Praline and Coffee. In addition to the retailers. The much-loved mug eggs ‘Discovery’ collection, Lir also offers a from KitKat Chunky, Yorkie and Toffee delightful Dessert Collection and three Crisp are also back and make the perfect irresistible flavours of cocoa-dusted collectable gift. Truffles: Salted Caramel, Marc de Last but not least are Premium eggs. Champagne and Milk Chocolate. The Brand new for 2019 is the KitKat Senses, Discovery Collection has an RRP of premium egg which comes complete €13(180g) and €24 (360g). The Dessert with a mixed box of the indulgent KitKat Collection’s RRP is €9 (145g) while the Senses chocolates to share. This will Truffles (168g) are priced at €9.50. join the After Eight premium egg, which Lir is inspired by another Irish features a large mint flavoured dark legend, the Children of Lir, an epic tale chocolate egg, complete with a 300g of love, beauty, magic, passion and box of everyone’s favourite after dinner transformation. Over 30 years ago, Lir mints. started out in humble fashion on the kitchen table of co-founder, Connie Lir Chocolates Doody, with a simple vision of creating Legendary Irish chocolatier Lir has joy and happiness for lovers of fine, created a stunning new range of Easter chocolate confections. This latest range Eggs, which are sure to excite shoppers of hand-finished Easter Eggs remains this Easter. The new range includes Lir true to that ethos and also demonstrates Crispy Caramel Egg with Salted Caramel the excitement and innovation that Lir Truffles; Lir Cola and Popping Candy

40|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Easter Treats in retailers nationwide and online at www.lilyobriens.ie. Ferrero “Mother’s Day and Easter fall later in 2019, extending the trading period and giving a greater window for seasonal sales,” notes Levi Boorer, Customer Development Director at Ferrero. “Ferrero has a wide range of seasonal and limited edition products joining the core line up to appeal to each occasion individually, and we are supporting retailers at Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter.” Lir’s new Belgian Milk with Coconut and For Kinder, two new 220g Almond Egg, which comes with a selection of Surprise eggs are being launched truffles. to follow on from the success of brings to the category. The Lir Easter the 100g in 2018. The Kinder Surprise Egg range is available from selected eggs will drive further growth in the Tesco, Dunnes, SuperValu, Spar, category, with bigger toys and relevant Eurospar, Londis and Mace stores. For licences (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles more visit www.lirchocolates.com. and Powerpuff Girls) having a wide appeal. Lily O’Brien’s When it comes to self-treat and Consumers can go hopping mad this novelties, the Kinder range is being Easter with Lily O’Brien’s delicious range refreshed with a host of new products of luxurious chocolate treats. Chocolate and line extensions. The five-strong lovers can choose from a selection of range of Kinder Surprise 36g hollow scrumptiously handcrafted Easter eggs, figures will sport seasonally relevant using the brand’s famous signature characters and designs, likely to support recipes. This year, Lily O’Brien’s have early season sales for self-treating. launched a new egg to their range; created using the finest ingredients, 40% Mega Milk Chocolate Egg contains 40% cocoa and delivers a fabulously intense chocolate hit, packed with high quality chocolate. This is no ordinary milk chocolate! The deliciously decadent egg is accompanied by a variety of seven handcrafted discs, with flavours ranging from Sea Salted Caramel to 70% Dark Belgian chocolate. The 40% Mega Milk Chocolate Egg is the perfect choice for any chocolate connoisseurs this Easter. The New 40% Mega Milk Egg is available Kinder Surprise eggs will drive further growth, with bigger toys and relevant licences, including Powerpuff Girls, having a wide appeal.

Lily O’Brien’s new 40% Mega Milk Chocolate Egg contains 40% cocoa and delivers a fabulously intense chocolate hit.

“Confectionery is one of the few categories where shoppers are willing to spend money on products and brands they love, especially at key seasonal trading spikes such as those throughout spring,” adds Boorer. “We always strive to offer retailers and shoppers the right balance of seasonal specials, which drive awareness and interest to the category, with our established core range, which helps to drive sales all year round. We’re committed to help retailers capitalise on the peaks in consumer demand by carrying the right mix of products.”

Crème Egg Hunting Season is Back CREME Egg Hunting Season is back, marking the return of everyone’s favourite gooey chocolate egg. The fun continues as the White Cadbury Creme Egg returns for a second year with a special egg hunt in-stores nationwide.

The White Cadbury Creme Egg returns for a second year with a special egg hunt in-stores nationwide. Along with the iconic milk chocolate Cadbury Creme Egg, these elusive white chocolate goodies will be up for grabs every single day camouflaged as a classic Cadbury Creme Egg. Seasoned Cadbury Creme Egg hunters will be able to track down the limited edition white chocolate version in participating The new Cadbury retailers Oreo Egg joins the across Ireland with Crème Egg family this year. a chance of winning up to €10,000. The promotion runs right up to Easter Sunday on April 21. There are 111 winning eggs to be found in stores, so those looking to hunt down the iconic egg should get out there before they’re goo-ne! For more information, visit www. facebook.com/cadburyireland. This year, joining the Creme Egg family, is also the new Oreo Egg, available in limited stores now. It has the same delicious thick chocolate shell as the original Creme Egg, and it’s filled with Oreo’s signature creamy filling and crunchy biscuit chunks.

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42|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus

Applegreen Makes Its Mark

Brothers Ray and Brendan Lee explain how the introduction of the Applegreen brand to their forecourt in Charleville, Co. Cork, and the revamp of their forecourt store have transformed their business. OVER the course of 2004 and 2005, Ray and Brendan Lee took over both the Centra shop on the main street in Charleville, Co. Cork, and the then Statoil forecourt on the N20. Since then, the brothers have traded through boom and bust, and while the nature of their business has changed dramatically over the years, the philosophy behind their success is as old as retail itself: a happy customer is a satisfied customer. In autumn 2018, the brothers made a significant investment in their forecourt that utterly transformed the forecourt shop and saw the Applegreen identity brought into the heart of the community in Charleville. The project began in September of 2018 and was completed in November. During that time, the forecourt layout

was radically changed, moving the pumps further back from the front of the shop to make the forecourt easier to navigate, while also introducing extra pumps to the site. Inside the Centra shop, a porch area was removed and the entrance area was opened up with large glass sections to extra allow natural light into the interior. Advice and Support While the Lee brothers have worked with Centra for many years, enjoying what Ray terms a “fantastic relationship”, the partnership with Applegreen is a brand new one for the brothers. “Applegreen as a brand is a much newer identity here, but it has built up a very strong reputation in the fuel sector here very quickly,” Ray notes.

“It has rapidly established itself as a brand of quality and one with a very strong price proposition. Applegreen itself has its own expert understanding of the forecourt and fuel sector and what the forecourt customer wants in 2019. Between Applegreen and Centra, we have direct access to the advice and support that we need as retailers.” The move to Applegreen was one the brothers didn’t take lightly, but in the end they were won over by a combination of quality fuels at reasonable prices, an attractive, eye-catching forecourt and Applegreen’s proven growth in sales volumes. The Centra forecourt store also underwent a huge revamp and now represents the very latest in design trends. The overwhelming majority

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Forecourt Focus

Pictured outside their newly branded Applegreen forecourt in Charleville, Co. Cork, are brothers Brendan and Ray Lee. of the retail space is dedicated to a sumptuous feast of fresh food-to-go offerings. From ‘The Wooden Spoon at Lee’s’ in-store bakery to the fresh 808 Donuts and the Frank and Honest coffee offering, the emphasis is very much on quality, with each element helping to create a superior shopping experience. Huge Retail Experience Brendan and Ray have a vast amount of retail experience between them, and they have seen the foodservice side of the business growing exponentially in recent years. In 2017, the brothers got ahead of this trend by making a significant investment in the bakery in their Main Street shop. That bakery now employs three full-time staff and scratch bakes the mouth-watering array of baked goods that are offered every day in both of their shops. That bakery now also enjoys a very strong trade in occasion cakes for people from all around the area. Not only that, the brothers created their own donut brand, 808 Donuts. Initially unique to their shops, that brand has taken on legs of its own and they now also cater corporate events. Between them, Brendan and Ray employ over 70 people in full and part time roles; their initiative, entrepreneurial spirit, hard work and dedication directly benefits the community that supports the shop.

Staff training, Owner: engagement Location: and retention Size: is a key part of the success No. of Staff: of both the brothers’ shops. Opening Hours: With multiple departments across both shops, they can offer career progression to staff members. The majority of key positions are occupied by staff promoted from within and the staff are highly motivated and engaged. Indeed, they even played a role in the planning of the forecourt redevelopment project as their suggestions were taken on board with those of Ray, Brendan and the Centra store development team. That collaboration has produced a shop that really enjoys the ‘wow’ factor. A Real Partnership The partnership between Applegreen, Centra and the Lees is a fantastic example of how the independent retailer and a large branded partner can work together to create a shop that is at once familiar to passers-by, and one which still retains a truly unique identity, created by the passion and vision of the owners. “We have made very significant investments in both of our shops,” Brendan reveals. “As retailers, we want to see every investment we make

Ray and Brendan Lee N20 Charleville, Co Cork 3,000 square feet 32 full time and part time (74 between both shops) 06:30 - 22:00, Monday-Saturday; 07:00-22:00, Sunday

deliver a return to our business and working with Centra and Applegreen, we have been able to do just that. Since the moment we completed this project, we have seen an immediate return; year-on-year, our sales are up and most importantly, we have been able to create a destination shop, with a genuinely unique offering to satisfy all of our customers’ needs. We have a generous seating area for customers to take a break from their drive on the N20 and enjoy their purchases.” Ray pays tribute to “all the great people in Centra and Applegreen whose hard work and dedication has helped us create our shop”. He also highlights the staff: “their hard work and dedication is absolutely integral to our success”. But the brothers reserve their biggest thanks for the community they serve: “Most of all, we would like to thank all our customers and the community in Charleville. They are the real secret to our success and we look forward to keeping them happy for years to come.”

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Forecourt Focus: News Maxol Hot Drinks Promotion Raises €62,000 for Aware TREMENDOUS support and generosity from Maxol’s customers in the run-up to Christmas resulted in a whopping €62,000 raised for the charity Aware, bringing the total funds raised by Maxol to €120,000 for 2018. A 10-cent donation was made for every purchase of Maxol’s exclusive Rosa coffee, as well as tea and other hot drinks, in November and December 2018. “We’re very proud to partner with Aware, which does such important and admirable work across the country,” noted Brian Donaldson, CEO of the Maxol Group. “It is really encouraging to see such a great result in terms of funds raised through sales of our newly-launched coffee brand, Rosa. We look forward to rolling out similar initiatives in 2019 to raise even more funds to support the wonderful work Aware does across communities in Ireland. I would like to thank all of our valued customers, retailers and staff who have supported this good cause.” Drew Flood, Business Development Executive at Aware, said: “This is an incredible amount to raise in such a short period of time and we are very grateful for the opportunity to work with Maxol, and its independent retailers that are at the heart of so many communities right across the country.”

Valero Goes ‘On Air’ to Promote Texaco Art Competition

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

Donegal Clubs Win Big from Circle K THREE clubs from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, have been named amongst the winners of Circle K’s 2018 Cash for Clubs programme, with a total of €6,000 being awarded across the clubs. After signing up to Cash for Clubs, members collected tokens by simply fuelling up with Circle K. This year, St Eunan’s GAA Club was randomly drawn out as the lucky winner of a €5,000 cash prize. Letterkenny Athletic Club and Letterkenny Rugby Club were drawn as winners of €500 cash prizes. In 2018, over 3,000 clubs registered for Cash for Clubs. Since its launch in 2015, the initiative has invested over €400,000 in clubs nationwide. “Circle K Cash for Clubs was set up four years ago to recognise and reward the contribution made by clubs to their local communities,” said Jonathan Diver, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations at Circle K Ireland. “We would like to congratulate our 2018 winners, including St. Eunan’s GAA Club, Letterkenny Rugby Club and Letterkenny Athletic Club, all of which are hugely deserving recipients of the cash prizes.”

A colourful artwork entitled ‘Gráinne’ by Westport student Hetty Lawlor, the overall winner of the Texaco Children’s Art Competition 2018. A FOUR-WEEK long television campaign on RTE, Virgin Media, UTV, Channel 4, Sky, and TG4 is being undertaken by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited to promote this year’s Texaco Children’s Art Competition, now in its 65th year. Intended to alert parents, students and teachers to the closing date for entries, on February 28, the campaign is described by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited’s Director of Operations, James Twohig, as “one that gives appropriate national recognition to the talent of young artists in this country, in a way that will hopefully attract countless others to enter this year”.

Pictured at the presentation of the Cash for Clubs cheque are Cathal Greene from St Eunan’s GAA Club, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, with Enda Reilly, Area Manager, Circle K, Jonathan Diver, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations at Circle K Ireland, and Eddie Tobin, Tobin’s Circle K, Letterkenny.

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Forecourt Focus: News Top Oil Officially Opens Two New Sites in the West TOP Oil has officially opened its latest forecourt station in Charlestown, Co. Mayo, and a new Top Oil Network Fuel Card site in Cornamona, Co. Galway. The new site openings will provide a boost to local employment and the local economies in both areas, bringing a wide range of amenities to the two locations in Charlestown and Cornamona. Top Oil is delighted to be working with long time retail partner to the Top brand, Padraic Delaney, on his latest venture on the opening of the Top Mace forecourt in Charlestown. This is the third venture that Top Oil and Padraic Delaney have worked together on, as Padraic currently operates two other Top Oil flagship stores in the West of Ireland: Delaney’s Top Oil in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, and Delaney’s Top Oil in Headford, Co. Galway. In Cornamona, the new Top Oil Network Fuel Card site is located in the Gaeltacht region and will be run by local distributor Máirtín Seoighe, who has entered a long-term partnership with Top Oil and will now provide the local community with a 24-hour fuel facility in the heart of Cornamona. Máirtín has run a successful solid fuel and Calor gas distribution business from Cornamona since 1990 and has now branched into motor fuel by purchasing the former TDS Teo premises in

Circle K Play Or Park Winner IAN Curtin from Mallow, Co. Cork, has been named as the December 2018 winner of Circle K Play or Park. Ian, who chose to play his points at his local Circle K on the New Mallow Road, is the lucky winner of an all-expenses paid holiday for two to New York. The prize includes return flights, a 7-night stay at the 5* Knickerbocker hotel, drinks for two at the St. Cloud Rooftop bar, an Empire State Building Experience for two, an ultimate Manhattan helicopter sightseeing tour, plus €2,000 spending money. Commenting on his Play or Park win, Ian said: “I could not think of a more amazing way to kickstart 2019 than winning this incredible prize. My partner and I are so excited to head off to New York; we think we’ll go in December to experience the festive magic that the Big Apple has to offer. It is going to be the experience of a lifetime. A huge thanks to Circle K for this unbelievable opportunity!” Richard Pollock, Loyalty and Insights Manager at Circle K, explained how “2018 was an incredible year for Circle K Play or Park. Each monthly winner walked away with an incredible prize – from Seat cars to once-in-a-lifetime holidays to the Maldives – and thousands enjoyed instant rewards for playing their points.”

Ian Curtin, Play or Park Winner, with Richard Pollock, Loyalty and Insights Manager, Circle K.

The new Top Oil forecourt site in Charlestown, Co. Mayo. Cornamona, which has become the new Top Oil site. The site has two 24-hour high speed HGV pumps and a 24hour retail diesel and gas oil pump.

Maxol Invests €1.5m in Three Cork Service Stations THE Maxol Group has invested over €1.5m in three Cork locations, leading to the creation of 14 new jobs. The investment sees substantial upgrades to Maxol Ballincollig, Maxol Skehard Road and Maxol Carrigaline. Maxol Ballincollig has unveiled a brand new Maxol Deli, a new rotisserie and an Insomnia café. It can now seat 23 people and offers the newly-launched, freshly brewed Rosa coffee, Maxol’s high-quality exclusive brew. Maxol Skehard Road has welcomed the award-winning food franchise Freshly Chopped, a new Maxol Deli, rotisserie, Rosa Coffee and seating for 15.

Pictured are Donal Spillane, Maxol Ballinrea, Ballincollig & Skehard Road Licensee; Shane Cantillon, Maxol Carrigaline & Clonakilty Licensee; John Hadnett, Maxol Regional Manager; and Alan Spillane Maxol Ballinrea, Ballincollig & Skehard Road Licensee. The investment in Maxol Carrigaline sees the introduction of Abrakebabra, as well as a brand new Maxol Deli, along with the new Rosa coffee brand, which is proving hugely popular right across the country. “Our aim is to make life a little simpler for our customers and we are constantly looking at ways to improve our facilities and our food offering,” noted Siobhan Grimes, Head of Retail, The Maxol Group. “Whether they are passing through in the morning or late at night for a coffee, a sandwich or some daily grocery essentials, the quality needs to be consistent. As we continue our nationwide investment strategy, we look forward to enhancing the overall offer and experience for our growing number of customers.”

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IGBF Southern Region Gala Ball

The Great Southern! The IGBF Southern Region Gala Ball took place recently in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island, Cork, with a record turn-out enjoying a wonderful night. THE Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund (IGBF) recently hosted its 42nd Annual Southern Region Gala Ball in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island, Cork, raising much needed funds for its benefactors and their families. The Ball enjoyed its highest turn-out to date, as members of the grocery trade came together to celebrate and fund-raise for the charity, with notable guests including Joe Manning, Commercial Director, Tesco Ireland, deputising for Kari Daniels, President of Appeals, and Councillor Fergal Dennehy, Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork. Kevin Flynn, Chairman of the IGBF Southern Region, expressed his gratitude to all who attended and supported the ball, while clearly depicting the importance of all funds raised and the impact their they make on families supported by the charity. In total, over €30,000 was raised from the event. As always, the Annual Gala Ball would not have been possible without its generous sponsors. Following the event, the IGBF would like to offer a special thank you to Danone Baby Nutrition, Barry Group, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, Largo Foods and Valeo Foods, along with all the night’s sponsors. Every contribution added to the success of this event. The IGBF provides financial relief to members in the retail, wholesale and supplier trade sectors who are in difficulty because of ill health or bereavement.

The IGBF Southern Ball Committee: Yvonne Shaughnessy, Eoin O’Sullivan, Liz Griffin, Kevin Flynn, Deirdre Behan, John Ryan, Holly Barry and Maxine Hyde.

The Nestlé Ireland team at the IGBF Southern Region Annual Ball.

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IGBF Southern Region Gala Ball

Julie Hayes, Eoin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan and Cathy Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan from M&P O'Sullivan, pictured enjoying the IGBF Southern Region Gala Ball.

John and Jane Ryan from Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, at the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund Southern Region Gala Ball in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island.

Michael and Kathleen Barry from Barry & Fitzwilliam at the 42nd Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund Ball in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island.

The team from Valeo Foods are pictured enjoying the Ball in the Radisson Blu Little Island.

Pictured are the team from Barry Group: Deirdre Behan, Emma Quaid, Pat Burke, John Murphy, Jim Barry, Natalie Buckley, Edwina Lucey, Holly Barry and Norman Lenihan.

Rosemary Browne and Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra, at the IGBF Southern Region Annual Ball.

48|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Paper Products

Paper Mates Innovation and premium products are driving growth in the paper products market.

THE Irish paper products market is a strong one, despite being a relatively mature category. High profile news stories around the environment in recent years have led to more consumers embracing paper products over other hygiene products like wipes, which have received bad press from an environmental perspective. In the paper category, Irish consumers have traditionally favoured brands that are manufactured within Ireland, early brand leaders and indigenous brands, according to the latest report into the sector by Euromonitor International. This consumer trait is a legacy of Irish governments with the high profile Buy Irish campaigns of the post-war period, which ran up to the mid-1990s. Euromonitor predict a bright outlook for the category in the coming years. Innovations in tissues, with the addition of aloe vera, vitamin e etc, and premium toilet roll products, including the growth of three- and four-ply, have helped to maintain consumer interest in the category, adding value to what was a staid sector. Away from home paper products, in particular, has enjoyed strong growth, particularly in the foodservice and tourism sector, and is expected to continue to show strong growth in over the next few years, as the foodservice sector is predicted to continue its upward trajectory.

Homestead The Homestead paper range continues to be one of the strongest categories within the Homestead portfolio. 2018 was an extremely competitive year in this category and the sales of Homestead tissue continue year on year to be extremely positive. The paper range, which includes a variety of toilet rolls, kitchen towels and man-size tissues, is produced to the highest quality using 100% virgin pulp paper sourced from well managed Homestead replaced their Soft 2-ply forests. The selection rivals any market toilet tissue with new Luxury Soft leader, while remaining well priced in 3-ply quilted toilet tissue to introduce order to compete successfully in the a more luxurious product to the range private label market. at the same great price. 2018 saw the continuation of Homesteadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s man-size tissue and Comfort toilet tissue 4-roll and 16-roll price mark packs, which gives day to day value for the consumer. They replaced their Soft 2-ply toilet tissue with new Luxury Soft 3-ply quilted toilet tissue to introduce a more luxurious product to the range at the same great price. The launch of Homestead Absorb Jumbo 2 Roll Kitchen Towel introduced a more absorbent kitchen towel to the Homestead portfolio, which has successfully replaced their Splash Kitchen Towel. Homestead Luxury Soft 3-ply quilted toilet â&#x20AC;&#x153;Increasing cost in tissue is available in a 9-roll pack.

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Paper Products Jobs at Aldar Tissues Set to Double Following Acquisition

The launch of Homestead Absorb Jumbo 2 Roll Kitchen Towel introduced a more absorbent kitchen towel to the Homestead portfolio pulp paper will see changes to paper products across the market,” explained Homestead Brand Manager Janice Gibney. “Homestead will continue to strive to remain competitive and continue to ‘Bring Value Home’ in what will continue to be a very competitive market in 2019.” Kleenex Balsam with BalmCare Kleenex, the UK and Ireland’s number one tissue brand, has developed a brand new formula for its Balsam tissues, providing superior support to even the toughest of colds. New Kleenex Balsam Tissues now contain Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and Calendula. Infused with this protective balm, they offer the perfect balance of care and strength, perfect for winter colds.

New Kleenex Balsam Tissues now contain Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and Calendula, offering the perfect balance of care and strength, perfect for winter colds. Aloe Vera is a natural addition to the tissue, designed to help heal skin through tough winter months. The BalmCare formula also features Vitamin E and Calendula: the calming and

ZEUS, the Irish-owned global packaging solutions company, recently announced its acquisition of Aldar Tissues, the Irish sustainable tissue manufacturer and distributor. The acquisition will double employment at Aldar’s 38,000 square feet state-of-the-art facility over the next 18 months, with the creation of 20 new roles in addition to the company’s existing 20 full-time jobs. Zeus’ investment will uniquely position Aldar as the leading provider of sustainable Irish-made paper products for large retailers throughout the country. According to Zeus, 100% of all retail kitchen towels and toilet paper Brian O’Sullivan, Managing sold by supermarket multiples in Ireland are currently imported from the UK and Europe. As Director of Zeus. part of the Zeus Group, Aldar will launch a new range of eco-friendly products in 2019, made in Ireland from recycled tissue and packaged with Ireland’s first fully biodegradable and compostable film. “At Zeus, innovation and problem-solving drive us. We launched Ireland’s only completely paper-free compostable cup earlier this year, and know how important eco-friendly options are for our customers,” explained Brian O’Sullivan, Managing Director of Zeus. “Our acquisition of Aldar means that this Irish-owned business can double its workforce, ensuring jobs are kept in Ireland, and deliver its products to larger retailers across the country. This will provide an option to multiples, for the first time, to sell Irish-made kitchen towels and tissue products.” The acquisition is part of Zeus’ commitment to delivering and expanding its range of sustainable products. Aldar will also launch two new eco-friendly products in 2019, made from sustainable fibres left over from sugar-cane extraction and bamboo. “Since 2013, we have been committed to supplying high-quality sustainable products for the Irish, UK and European markets from our first-class converting facility in Dublin,” noted Darren Farrell, Managing Director of Aldar Tissues. “In the past year, we have invested in innovative machinery, including a €3m investment in new converting machines; developed the latest in eco-friendly products; and Since 2013, Aldar Tissues have been expanded our logistical committed to supplying high-quality resources seven-fold. sustainable products for the Irish, UK and Working with Zeus is the next European markets from their first-class step in our business growth.” converting facility in Dublin.

soothing ingredients for skin that have always been locked in Kleenex Balsam tissues since 1996. This formula leaves behind a micro-fine layer of protective balm, helping skin to repair and heal effectively. Dermatologically tested and fragrance free, Kleenex Balsam tissues can care for even the most sensitive skin. When consumers are feeling under

the weather, they want a tissue they can trust. Following this customer feedback, Kleenex Balsam has also been made thicker, creating a more substantial tissue, so it’s more reliable than ever. Products are available from leading supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide. For more information, visit: www.kleenex.co.uk.

Retail News|January/February 2019|www.retailnews.ie|51

Field Marketing Technology

Make Data Relevant Again IN a world dominated by technology, it is easy to forget there once existed a time when we recorded information on pieces of paper. Nowadays, our handheld devices capture vital field data, ranging from stock availability to promotion compliance and allow representatives on the ground to report issues in an instant. But when it comes to measuring success, is all data equal? With the sheer volume of information being fed back from the field, it is easy to lose sight of the primary purpose of reporting, i.e. to

give an overview of the state of sales activities within an organisation. Having a clear idea of the metrics required to quantify success will ensure managers are equipped with the most relevant data, when making decisions for the business.

At the Forefront of Technology Crossell, one of Ireland’s leading field marketing agencies, have been at the forefront of technology since starting in business in 1997. Through their in-house IT system, they are able to produce a vast array of different reports for clients. However, according to Managing Director George Leahy, “When it comes to reporting, one size does not fit all. It’s important to understand the specific needs of clients and ensure the data presented is as concise and relevant as possible.” There are undoubtedly more advances in technology to come, with ever more ways to capture information in stores. Crossell’s proprietary field management software ensures they can rapidly adapt to clients’ requirements and keep them on the road to continued growth and success.

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52|Retail News|January / February 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Nivea

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MicellAIR Professional Micellar Water, 400ml, the latest Micellar Water from Nivea, has a unique

light-weight formula dissolves eye make-up, while caring for eyelashes and the delicate skin around eyes. The highly effective yet caring formula is infused with Green Tea, which is known to reduce puffiness and soothe the skin. Eyes are left feeling fresh, with 0% greasy residue. and innovative light-weight formula that effectively removes longwear face and eye make-up, while deeply cleansing the skin, in one easy step. Activated by Dry Oil and Black Tea extract, Nivea MicellAIR Professional Micellar Water expertly removes makeup without irritation. •

MicellAIR Professional Eye Make-up Remover, 125ml, allows users to effortlessly sweep away waterproof mascara and stubborn eyeliner. The

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MicellAIR Professional Make-up Remover Wipes, soaked in Nivea’s MicellAIR water, cleanse and gently remove make-up, without causing irritation or drying out the skin. The superior technology allows dirt, oil and even waterproof makeup to be easily absorbed without harming the skin’s natural barrier and simultaneously protecting the eyes lashes and skin. Conveniently comprised in a pack of 20, the wipes are the perfect handbag to gym bag companion.

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Drinks News Dynamic Drinks Industry Grows Exports

IRELAND’S drinks industry is one of the nation’s most dynamic and innovative sectors, with growing demand in export markets, according to Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), which has released an overview of the industry for 2018. In 2018, gin continued to make a splash, with over 20 gin producers and more than 50 gin brands in Ireland, while markets were up 213% to €4.2m in the first nine months of 2018. Irish consumers purchased over half a million bottles of pink gin during 2018, making pink gin the breakthrough success story of the year in the domestic market. Irish cream liqueur also enjoyed a strong 2018, after recovering from a ‘lost decade’, while the Irish whiskey industry continued to grow, maintaining its position as the fastest growing premium spirits category in the world. In the beer market, 2018 saw the emergence of lighter lager options, hovering around 4% ABV, while craft ciders continue to grow that market. There are a number of risks that the industry faces in 2019, namely Ireland’s disproportionately high excise rates, as well as the Public Health (Alcohol) Act. “This year will be a challenging one for the sector with a number of homegrown and international risks ahead. We remain committed to supporting Ireland’s economy and will take on these various challenges and uncertainties head on,” noted Patricia Callan, Director of ABFI (pictured).

Guinness Six Nations Launches THE 2019 Guinness Six Nations and 2019 Women’s Six Nations tournaments were officially launched in London recently, with all 12 captains and coaches in attendance to kick off two months of thrilling rugby. One of the world’s best attended sports events, the Six Nations regularly attracts record TV and online audiences in the UK, France, Ireland, Italy and all over the world. Mark Sandys, Global Head of Beer at Diageo, noted: “This is a hugely proud moment for our business, which has always been synonymous with a passion for rugby. Working closely with the Six Nations, we have six years to demonstrate our love of this beautiful game, including helping to drive and expand on rugby’s loyal fanbase, heighten the extraordinary experience of spectators in and outside the stadiums and to champion the women’s game, bringing it to a wider public.” Ireland captain Rory Best and head coach Joe Schmidt are pictured at the launch with the Six Nations trophy.

Mayo Distillery First to Market Under Breweries and Diageo Ireland’s Oliver Act Loomes Elected Chair of ABFI Distilleries LOUGH Mask Distillery in Co. Mayo has become the first

OLIVER Loomes, Country Director of Diageo Ireland, has been re-elected as Chair of Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) for a two-year term. “The drinks industry is an important Irish industry, with innovation at its core. From the Irish whiskey renaissance, to the increasing number of beer options available for consumers, it’s an exciting and dynamic industry, with strong prospects,” Loomes noted. “There are also a number of challenges facing the industry, including Brexit, threats of international trade wars, our high rate of excise tax, and the impact of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act. I look forward to working with the ABFI team and membership to navigate these challenges and opportunities over the next two years.”

distillery in Ireland to be granted a licence to sell its gin, vodka and whiskey to members of the public on its premises under the Intoxicating Liquor (Breweries and Distilleries) Act 2018. The Act, which was passed in July 2018, means that craft brewers and distillers can sell their products on site to visitors, without the need to acquire a full licence.

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NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards

Blackrock Cellar Named Off-Licence of the Year Blackrock Cellar was named National Off-Licence of the Year 2019 at the NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards, where NOffLA called for the immediate introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing. BLACKROCK Cellar was named National Off-Licence of the Year 2019 at the annual Off Licence of the Year Awards 2019, which took place recently at the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. Now in its twenty-third year, the awards recognise and showcase excellence in the independent off-licence sector, which represents 315 specialist businesses throughout the country. The awards highlight those retailers that offer exceptional service to customers and demonstrate excellence in retail standards. Speaking at the awards, NOffLA Chairman, Gary O’Donovan said, “The annual NOffLA awards highlight the expertise of the independent off-licence sector, showcasing the benchmark of

personal service in our industry, as well as the top-quality products offered by our highly trained, specialist members.” Other award winners included Baggot Street Wines, who won Responsible Retailer of the Year 2019, and Eoin Stokes of Molloy’s Liquor Store, Tallaght, who was named RTC Online Trainee of the Year 2019. All 36 finalists were awarded certificates of either ‘Merit’ or ‘Excellence’ and a Customer Service Award based on their performance. Other awards on the night included: • •

The NOffLA Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year 2019: Donnybrook Fair, Dublin 4 The El Coto Customer Service

All of the Winners at the National Off Licence of the Year Awards.

• • • • •

•

Award of the Year 2019: The Vintry, Rathgar Road, Dublin 6 The Redbreast Spirit Specialist of the Year 2019: James Redmond & Sons Ltd, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 The Hop House 13 Beer Specialist of the Year 2019: Martin’s Off Licence, Fairview, Dublin 3 The Dona Paula Wine Specialist of the Year 2019: Mitchell & Son CHQ, Dublin 1 The Hennessy Munster Off-Licence of the Year 2019: Galvin’s Carry Out, Carrigaline, Co. Cork The Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Connaught/Ulster Off-Licence of the Year 2019: Daly’s Drinks, Boyle, Co. Roscommon The Montes Leinster Off-Licence

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NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards ridiculous prices, sometimes at a loss,” Joel argues. “Currently, this remains a problem. But we find that some customers will go to a supermarket to buy cheap wine and then they come to us for their quality wine.” NOffLA members in general have expressed concerns regarding the scale of deep discounting by supermarkets during the Christmas festive period, prompted by the forthcoming Minimum Unit Pricing regime. “NOffLA is concerned by the failure to commence Minimum Unit Pricing, and the failure by Government to commit to a definite timeline for commencement,” said NOffLA Chairman Gary O’Donovan, speaking at the Awards ceremony.

Joel Durand (left), owner and manager of Blackrock Cellar, with the rest of the team from Blackrock Cellar, National Off Licence of the Year Winner 2019.

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of the Year 2019: The Wine Centre, Kilkenny The Bombay Sapphire Dublin OffLicence of the Year 2019: Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin

A Massive Boost Judging for the awards began in June 2018 with the ongoing judging process culminating in a blind wine tasting, which involved participants answering questions about the unidentified wines. Final awards were allocated following this process. Joel Durand, owner and manager of Blackrock Cellar, was delighted to lift the national award again, having been named overall winner in 2017. Describing the win as a huge surprise, Joel believes it will be “a massive boost” for the store and comes “at a perfect time for us”. The last year proved something of a difficult trading period for Blackrock Cellar as, with construction on two shopping centre developments underway in Blackrock, parking was severely curtailed, which meant less footfall. “One month we were up, the next we were down,” he admits. The affable and passionate store owner admits with a laugh that he “would like to be more democratic, to serve everybody”. Where Independent Stores Excel Independent off-licences can compete with the multiples, Joel insists, but not just on price. Range, quality and knowledge are the three areas where independent off-licences excel. “We can have a conversation with the customer,” Joel agrees. “They can

ask us questions if they’re not sure what to buy. All my staff are WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) trained, and we do a specialist beer course as well. We work with our customers, with a lot of in-store tastings; we have a wine club and a beer club which have proved very successful. We are constantly looking at ways to attract more people into the shop. It is more work, but you gain the confidence of the customer.” The store owner is looking forward to 2019, once “Brexit doesn’t mess up too much”. More locally, the shopping centres in Blackrock are re-opening and the number of parking spaces are back to normal, so Joel is expecting a busy year. “When I first came here 12 years ago, Blackrock was busy; during the recession, it died a little, but it is being reborn now so it’s a good place to be at the moment.” Minimum Unit Pricing One of the issues with the wine market in recent years has been encouraging the consumer to trade up. During the recession, Irish consumers became so concerned with value that the average price of a bottle of wine decreased significantly. That’s not the case at Blackrock Cellar, however, Joel reveals, as “The value of the average bottle we sell has drastically grown, because we sell less cheaper varieties. We do stock a range of cheaper wines but we don’t want to compete in a race to the bottom: we want people to drink less, but drink better.” “When they bring in Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol, it will certainly affect those supermarkets who sell wine at

NOffLA Chairman, Gary O’Donovan. Clampdown on Irresponsible Retailing O’Donovan called on the Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, to “either develop specific regulations clamping down on the irresponsible marketing and retail of alcohol, namely the sale of alcohol at below invoice cost, or immediately commence Minimum Unit Pricing.” He claimed that the repealing of the Groceries Order in 2006 has resulted in “the promotion of irresponsibly discounted branded alcoholic products, driving footfall in multiples where the losses are recouped through the sale of other goods, as well as reclaimed by retailers through VAT, costing the Exchequer €24m per annum. “While tonight we celebrate the best that the industry has to offer,” he concluded, “Ireland remains without a responsible alcohol pricing policy. Indeed, the Government has come under sustained pressure from multinational food retailers and supermarkets, seeking a prioritisation of sectoral revenues over public health.”

Table for one. IT’S YOUR FOOD. IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. IT’S THE LAW. Failure to provide accurate food allergen information in writing for your customers can have serious or even fatal consequences. Visit fsai.ie/allergens to learn how to comply.

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What's New GLENISK LAUNCH OFFICIAL IRISH RUGBY TRADING CARDS

NEW DOCTOR WHO ADVENTURES MAGAZINE

GLENISK is delighted to bring the only Official Irish Rugby Trading Cards Collectors’ Albums to market. The Collectors’ Albums, created exclusively by Glenisk, are available from retailers and newsagents nationwide, with a portion of proceeds being donated to Irish Rugby. The Collectors’ Albums are the perfect way to collect and store the Glenisk Official Irish Rugby Trading Cards, exclusively launched by Glenisk and available to collect only inside special packets of Glenisk Go-Yos Yogurt Tubes, with 82 trading cards in total to collect.

PANINI are helping fans to celebrate the arrival of the thirteenth Doctor with this awesome Doctor Who Adventures Special! With over 100 bold and bright stickers and four Limited Edition postcards, it’s time for a new adventure! Falling to earth after a journey across space and time, this fresh-look issue is fizzing with hope, colour and a positively empowering Time Lord! Aimed at 7-11-year-old Doctor Who fans and those new to the cult series, this 36-page cosmic magazine is packed with did-you-knows, quizzes, puzzles, posters and a galactic pullout calendar wall-chart. Readers can explore the new Tardis, meet the Doctor’s three new friends, Yaz, Ryan and Graham, and check out a few of the villains they’ve bumped into on their journey this series.

DREAM GETAWAYS UP FOR GRABS FROM KITKAT NESTLÉ’S iconic KitKat is starting 2019 with a new on-pack promotion giving lucky consumers in Ireland and the UK the chance to win to win an amazing holiday break to one of 10 warm, exotic destinations such as Barbados, Cuba, Miami and Thailand. Each holiday prize, worth up to €8,900, is available to be won instantly by purchasing a promotional pack of KitKat and finding a Lucky Winning Bar and winning ticket inside. The special winning chocolate bar will feature the name of the dream holiday destination written on it in white chocolate, providing a fun and exciting way for consumers to discover their prize. What’s more, there are 100 getaway goodies to be won every day during the promotional period, with prizes including KitKat branded passport covers, sun visors, beach towels, luggage tags and more.

NEW COMBO FROM TRULY YOURS A NEW grab and go granola/yogurt snack pack has been launched onto the European market by Irish company Truly Yours and is available in four flavour combinations (50g granola with 100ml yogurt) to suit all tastes: Fruity granola with strawberry yogurt; Natural granola with peach and passionfruit yogurt; Nutty granola with cherry yogurt; Seed granola with raspberry yogurt. Truly Yours’ Joe O Connor describes the easy to eat product as “a perfect solution to a simple healthy breakfast and convenient all day snack.” The innovative design features recyclable packaging which doubles up as the dish from which to eat the contents and incorporates a non-plastic spoon.

NESTLÉ INTRODUCES ‘80 AWESOME THINGS TO DO’ NESTLÉ Ireland and UK is introducing ’80 Awesome things to do’, a new on-pack promotion on some of its leading confectionery brands, which gives families fun and engaging activity ideas to do together. Small packs with less than 100 calories of Nestlé’s Milkybar, Smarties, Animal Bar and Rowntree’s Randoms will carry a Quick Response (QR) code that takes parents to a digital platform where they can find a wide range of family-friendly activity ideas. ’80 Awesome things to do’ will also be available on Milkybar multipack and Minis packs, as well as Smarties Minis.

KILLOWEN FARM INTRODUCES NEW IRISH BLACKBERRY FLAVOUR KILLOWEN Farm is delighted to introduce a new flavour to its award-winning range of glass yogurt pots. Irish Blackberry combines delicious, creamy live Greek-style yogurt with sweet Irish blackberry compote which was awarded One Star at the Great Taste Awards in 2018. This new flavour is now available in 500g share size sustainable glass jars, which are perfect for breakfast or as a healthy treat.

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Focus on HR

Accommodating Employees with Disabilities What you can do to accommodate current or potential employees with a disability and a guide to what supports are available. THE subject of disability is one that we are asked about time and time again, and one that employers have limited information on. A diverse workplace can have many benefits for employees and the company, so it is important that organisations are educating themselves on the area of accommodation for employees with a disability. What is and is not classed as a disability? The Employment Equality Acts 19982011 set out a list of criteria to be considered when defining disability. Similarly, the Disability Act 2005 sets out a similar definition as “a substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment”. However, it is important to note that the National Disability Authority advises that there is no definitive list of conditions that constitute a disability. Any such list could leave out people with significant but rare conditions. There can also be a wide range of difference between how individuals with a particular condition are affected, ranging from mild to severe difficulties. Legislation The Employment Equality Acts 19982011 prohibits an employer from treating an employee less favourably than another because of a disability. This includes treatment pre-employment, such as during recruitment and selection; it includes treatment in

relation to pay, access to training, promotion and any other condition of employment. Policies Does your organisation have an equal opportunities policy? We see numerous recruitment adverts with the tagline “We are an Equal Opportunities Employer”, but if this is the case, then the organisation should have a written policy

that all staff and all managers involved in recruitment must be familiar with. All employers are required by law to have a written policy on harassment at work. Harassment is any form of unwanted conduct related to any of the discriminatory grounds, including disability. This policy should outline the complaints procedure available to employees and should be communicated to all.

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Focus on HR 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. Reasonable Accommodation Employers are obliged to provide reasonable accommodation for employees with a disability. This is particularly relevant to employers who may have an employee returning from an absence due to an illness or injury, who may not be able to return to their full duties following this absence. In order to ascertain what accommodation may or may not be necessary, there are some simple steps that can be taken to get the process underway. Look at all the options and get the employee or candidate’s input. Regardless of your perceived feasibility, gather all of the relevant information and look at what changes may be made to the role, or to the workplace or environment. Once you have done this, look at which options may be viable. When gathering information and looking at potential alternatives, it is important to get expert advice where required. This includes medical advice, occupational or ergonomic assessments. While a company is required to provide reasonable accommodation, the key word is “reasonable” and there is no obligation if the cost is excessive or disproportionate. However, when ascertaining if the cost is realistic or not, all funding sources must be considered. What Supports are Available? The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection have a number of programmes aimed to support the accommodation of people with disabilities in the workplace.

EmployAbility Service: The nationwide EmployAbility Service provides an employment support service for people with a disability

and a recruitment advice service for businesses. This service will provide organisations with employment assistance and access to a pool of potential employees with varying levels of skills, abilities and training. They provide ongoing support for both the employer and employee throughout employment and provide a professional job matching service to help ensure successful recruitment.

Employee Retention Grant: The purpose of the Employee Retention Grant Scheme is to assist employers to retain employees who acquire a disability which impacts on their ability to carry out their role. It helps to explore an employee's continuing capacity to operate as a productive member of the workforce. This scheme assists in maintaining the employability of an employee when a disability is acquired. Funding is available to help identify

what can be accommodated to allow the employee to remain in their current role. If their current role is not feasible, there is also funding available to re-train employees to allow them to take up another position within the company. The programme has two stages, comprising of the development and implementation of a retention strategy. Stage 1 facilitates employers by enabling them to buy in external specialist skills and knowledge needed to develop an individualised ‘written retention strategy’ for an employee who acquires a disability. Stage 2 provides funding to the employer towards the implementation of the written retention strategy, including re-training, job coaching and/or hiring of an external co-ordinator to oversee and manage its implementation.

Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant: If a current or potential employee requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipment, your organisation may be able to get a grant towards the costs of adapting the premises or equipment. These grants can be given to assist with minor building modifications such as ramps or modified toilets, alarm systems with flashing lights and equipment adaptation such as voice synthesizers for computers or amplifiers for telephones. Full details of the eligibility criteria and the amount of funding available can be found on the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection website. 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.

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Shelf Life ENERGIA has launched a new ‘Power Behind Your Power’ communications campaign across national TV, radio, print and digital marketing. The company is investing €3m in the marketing campaign which, as it enters its twentieth year, will illustrate to the public the important role Energia plays in Irish life. Today, Energia provides the power for all of Ireland’s streetlights as well as supplying maternity hospitals, Dublin Bus, An Garda Siochana, thousands of classrooms and businesses of all sizes. Geoff Codd, Head of Marketing and Retail Development, Energia, pictured at Energia’s Huntstown Power Plant as part of the launch of the national communications campaign. DAIRY cooperative Dale Farm has partnered with Wheyhey, creators of naturally sugar free, high protein ice cream, as well as other treats, to act as its exclusive ice cream distributor in Ireland. Dale Farm will use its extensive ice cream distribution network across convenience and supermarket stores in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, to bring Wheyhey to more consumers in the marketplace. Pictured at the announcement are Damien Kennedy, co-founder of Wheyhey, and Nigel Cairns, Dale Farm Ice Cream Commercial Director.

KEELINGS was among over 3,000 exhibitors to display at the global Fruit Logistica exhibit in Berlin, from February 6-8. According to the latest research by Fruit Logistica in their 2018 Trend Report, consumer spending on fruit and vegetables is expected to reach €5 trillion worldwide by 2030 [2015 turnover was € 2.1 trillion]. In excess of 75,000 trade visitors attended over three days to view fresh produce companies from across the globe. Steven Fagg, Managing Director, Keelings International, described it as “a valuable event, allowing us to meet with our current suppliers. Crucially, it also affords us the chance to meet new growers and strengthen our international business relationships. We also use it as an opportunity to discover the new advances that are constantly being unveiled in horticulture and fresh produce.” For more information on Fruit Logistica, see www.fruitlogistica.de. CHRISTMAS came early for Alana Lewis, aged 16, from Greystones, Co. Wicklow, courtesy of One4all. Alana was woken early one morning, to find a limo outside her front door, which whisked her and her mum to Arnotts in Dublin, where she was gifted a €1,000 One4all Gift Card to spend as she pleased, along with a personal shopping experience to help her find the perfect clothes, shoes and accessories that she has always longed for. Not only that, but Alana was pampered to perfection with a full makeover, including make-up application and a blow-dry at Zeba hair salon to complete her look.

KINETIC Ireland, the Out of Home (OOH) media agency, has announced the appointment of Ria Bradley as Account Director. Ria will work on a number of high-profile accounts, where she will plan and deliver effective Out of Home advertising solutions. This includes using innovative technology to deliver dynamic DOOH campaigns, using Kinetic’s in-house digital content management system, D:FOUR. PAUL Roper, an IT Sligo Creative Design student, has been shortlisted for the Institute of Designers of Ireland 2018 annual IDI Irish Design Awards. A native of Cliffoney, Co. Sligo, Paul has completely redesigned the simple clothes peg. Paul’s ‘Magpin’ is much bigger than a peg, is designed to always be on your line and is “T” shaped. This unique design means clothes are hung from the side as opposed to being clamped on top as you would with a traditional peg. HEALTHY fast-food chain Freshly Chopped has opened its flagship Northern Ireland outlet in Belfast’s Donegall Square West, with franchise owner and foodservice giant Mount Charles pledging to donate surplus food to homeless people in the city. Mount Charles will partner with The Welcome Organisation, a Belfast-based charity that provides a range of potentially life-saving services to people affected by homelessness, to distribute unused food from Freshly Chopped every night. Cutting the ribbon at the official launch of the store are Trevor Annon, Chairman and founder of Mount Charles; Sandra Moore MBE, CEO of The Welcome Organisation; and Gavin Annon, Head of Sales & Marketing, Mount Charles. GUARANTEED Irish has appointed Grant Thornton’s Jason Crawford to its Appraisals Board. The Guaranteed Irish Appraisals Board reviews all applications made by businesses for the Guaranteed Irish licence, and the use of the Guaranteed Irish symbol. Applications are reviewed monthly and assessed to provide evidence of delivering quality Irish jobs, supporting local communities and a commitment to Irish provenance. Jason is a Partner at Grant Thornton, and has over 22 years’ experience in providing audit and assurance, as well as technical accounting advisory services to both domestic private corporates and international multi-jurisdiction organisations. THE Subway Savers menu has returned, with a new menu of tasty and affordable Sub and snacks, which are now available in stores all-day every day. Leading the line-up are three epic Saver Subs, offering everyday value with prices starting from €3. Customers can choose from Nacho Chicken Salsa, Meat Feast or Cheese & Onion. The Subway Savers menu features best-selling favourites, Hash Browns and Nachos. The new Subway Savers menu is being promoted via an ATL and social media campaign featuring a host of 8-bit emojis and nostalgic retro gaming cues, created to ‘give fans that winning feeling’.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your Callâ&#x20AC;Ś 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

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