Retail News March 2022

Retail News MARCH 2022

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Ireland’s favourite

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STOCK UP NOW! Lindt Master Chocolatier since 1845 *Source Ac Nielsen 52 weeks to 30th January 2022

Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie|1

Contents News 2 3 War in Ukraine supersedes everything NORMALLY, at this time of year, we shouId be looking forward to events like Mother’s Day and Easter but even thinking about celebrating feels wrong when we look at the heart-breaking images being beamed into our living rooms from Ukraine.

Irish people are rarely found lacking when it comes to charitable donations and the humanitarian crisis brought about by Russia’s invasion has seen our nation step up again, donating millions of euro to help those affected by the violence. Our own FMCG sector has not been slow to respond, and hats off to Musgrave Group, who donated €250,000 to the Irish Red Cross and Unicef, and also set up a system whereby shoppers in their stores and cash and carries on both sides of the border can donate via a simple ‘Tap to Donate’ mechanism in-store at the till (Page 6).

The Irish grocery industry has always been generous, and is unique in having its own charity, the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund, which supports those in our trade who have fallen on hard times. We speak to 2022 President of Appeals, Kevin Keating from Tennant & Ruttle, about his ambitious plans for the year ahead, including a brand new event with a famous guest star (Page 12).

Also inside we report on the health of the Irish forecourt market (Page 18), the launch of the Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards (Page 25) and reveal the NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year for 2022 (Page 34).

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

The pressing issue of carriage service charges.

Aldi unveil their 150th Irish store in Kerry.

4

Shoppers move to own label as prices rise.

5

Ireland’s first checkout-free store opens; FSAI advice line received 3,414 food complaints in 2021.

6

Musgrave to donate €250,000 to Irish Red Cross and Unicef Ukraine Crisis Appeal; Retail sustainability survey launched; Obituary: Jim O’Connor.

7

TWIG to host in-person networking lunch; Bord Bia launches webinar series for Origin Green members; Lidl Ireland report a 6.2% mean and 0% median gender pay gap.

IGBF President of Appeals, Kevin Keating from Tennant & Ruttle, reveals his plans for the year ahead, including a brand new cycling event which will feature a very famous face.

12

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market 18

Ireland’s forecourt sector is in good shape, according to the latest data from international experts Experian Catalist.

McDonnells Curry Sauce 22

McDonnells have launched a tabletop, ready-to-eat, squeezy version of Ireland’s favourite curry sauce.

Retail News Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

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Managing Director: Patrick Aylward

@RetailNews1

Editorial & Marketing Director: Kathleen Belton

kathleenbelton@retailnews.ie

Editor: John Walshe

johnwalshe@tarapublications.ie

Published by: Tara Publishing Ltd,

Sales: Brian Clark

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Pavel Barter

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

Production: Ciara Conway

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Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen Graphics: Catherine McDonagh

Printed by: W&G Baird

Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

25

The 2022 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are now open for entries.

Dairyglen Ice Cream 33

When it comes to soft serve ice cream, smart retailers choose Dairyglen, according to Alexandra Smith, Brand Manager.

NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards 34

Galvin’s Carry Out, Carrigaline, Co. Cork, was named National Off-Licence of the Year.

34

On the Vine 36

Retail News Interview 12

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards

Jean Smullen examines some of the latest additions to and best value offers on the Irish wine market for Easter.

Irish Gin Strategy 42

Ireland’s gin producers and brand owners have unveiled a new strategy to grow sales over the coming years.

Retail Management 43

A new approach to management could provide retailers with a significant competitive advantage, writes Dominic Ashley-Timms, CEO of Notion.

Sustainability 46

Nestlé have revealed details of a new programme to tackle child labour risks in cocoa production.

Employment Law 48

The new Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 and what it could mean for Irish employers, including those in the FMCG sector.

Regulars & Reports 8 Industry News 24 Retail Ireland: Monthly Update 26 Vaping 40 Drinks News 51 What’s New 52 Shelf Life

2|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

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The pressing issue of ca

RETAILERS are calling for a single distributor for newspapers and magazines in Ireland, following the decision of EM News to increase its carriage service charge (CSC) from April.

EM News and Newspread separately distribute publications across Ireland, which amounts to two separate charges for newsagents. The UK, on the other hand, has a single supplier for the majority of its territories.

In a letter, dated February 21 and signed by Joe Doyle, Regional Manager for EM News in Ireland, the distributor outlined how the new maximum CSC is set at €67.27.

According to calculations by the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association (CSNA), this amounts to a 1.9% increase on the current charges: ranging from a €0.84 cent increase in Band 1, to a €1.25 increase for retailers in Band 9.

EM News, owned by Menzies Distribution, cited surging costs “directly associated with the delivery and collection of newspapers and magazines”, and disruption caused by the pandemic and Brexit, among its reasons for the price hike. A “widely publicised and unprecedented driver shortage”, which led to problems “recruiting and retaining employees”, was another factor.

EM News reviews its CSC on an annual basis and did not increase the price in 2021.

EM News claimed it was “continuously improving and investing”

in its network and was making an environmental commitment to net-zero emissions.

Retail News spoke to a number of retailers who were incensed by the new rate. Tom McDermott, owner of a Londis store in Clonmel, said the price of stocking newspapers is constantly going up while sales are diminishing. “[EM News] want us to pay them to sell the newspapers. It’s a diminishing trade. The margin has totally gone – it’s gobbled up by charges. We have no way in clawing it back,” he said.

Vincent Jennings, CEO of the CSNA, described the banded model behind CSC, whereby retailers are charged according to the size of their stock, as disproportionate due to the starting fee of €44.85. Under this minimum charge for a seven-day delivery, a retailer on a higher band pays a lower price per copy than someone buying the minimal amount of newspapers, according to the CSNA. In some instances, this could result in a net loss as any ‘profit’ on sales could be wiped out by the €44.85 fee.

“It’s the same product – and you’re doing the same social service of spreading democracy – but one band will give you a much better return than the other,” Jennings concluded.

Most retailers believe the duopoly method of distribution in Ireland requires reform.

“I have to pay a carriage service charge twice with Newspread and EM News,” said Valerie Boggan, who runs

Boggan’s Londis on Rosslare Strand.

“Why do I have to pay two charges when only one van comes to my door? I am raging about it.”

“Irish publishers need to understand that the companies they engage to distribute their titles are choking the route to market,” added Jennings.

“There has to be a situation where all newspapers and magazines are distributed by one company only.”

Martin Mulligan, President of the National Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN), ROI district, called for CSC increases to be transferred to the cover price on publications.

Retailers have seen a dramatic increase in costs over recent months: from energy bills to insurance, to the minimum wage increase in January.

In an open letter to Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Martin Mulligan accused the Government of leaving independent retailers “high and dry” in the wake of cost increases.

“In December, I got my monthly electricity bill and it was more than double my average of €3,000,” he wrote.

Siobhan Armstrong, who works with the NFRN president at Mulligan’s Londis in Athlone, said their utility bill has doubled. Mulligan added: “The new

Vincent Jennings, CEO, CSNA. forecourt license is going to be expensive as well. The cost of doing business is very challenging at the moment.”

Retailers are being hit by a myriad of global conditions. Food prices went up over the last two years on account of pandemic-related shipping disruptions.

Now the Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent supply markets into turmoil. War

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News

rriage service charges in Eastern Europe is having a knockon impact on food, security and energy prices, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned.

Mulligan’s Londis, and other forecourts around Ireland, have seen substantial increases in prices at the pump. “I’ve been here nearly 20 years and I’ve never seen it jump as much,” said Siobhan Armstrong.

“Groceries have sky rocketed too,” said Valerie Boggan. “We get a price bulletin every Wednesday and Thursday.

Sugar, bread, beans – it’s all increasing. I can’t remember the last time I put up the price of a bag of sugar – it’s the first time I’ve done so in 20 years.”

Mulligan called for the introduction of an ombudsperson in Government to oversee the cost of doing business for independent traders. Jennings called on newspaper and magazine distributors to organise a “consistency in approach” and reform “outdated” carriage service charges. “We don’t sell any other fast moving consumer goods that have a

Martin Mulligan, President of the National Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN), ROI district, pictured outside his Athlone Londis store.

specific delivery charge,” Jennings said.

“If we buy Coca-Cola, Lottery products or dairy, the wholesale price incorporates the cost of delivery. Why are newspapers so radically different?”

Valerie Boggan told Retail News that she recently visited a local shop in Waterford to purchase a newspaper. The shop advertised itself as a newsagent, but the proprietor told Boggan they no longer sold newspapers.

The latest CSC increase could push more independent retailers into dropping their news category, in favour of products that offer enhanced margins and demand less time, suggested the NFRN. This, retailers believe, would be a tragedy. Newspapers are a cornerstone of democracy. The role of national and local press in Ireland should be to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. But without reform to the island’s distribution system, the purported decline of print media may happen much faster than expected.

Aldi unveil their 150th Irish store in Kerry ALDI recently announced the opening of their new store in Caherciveen, Co. Kerry, the group’s 150th store in Ireland since entering the Irish market in 1999. The store represents an investment of over €5m in the local area and is creating up to 20 permanent jobs with market leading pay.

Located at Abbey Place, Aldi’s westernmost store in Europe was officially opened by Group Managing Director Niall O’Connor, Store Manager Colm Foley and local social media influencers Tadhg Fleming and his father Derry. Much loved public figure, Kevin the Carrot even took some time off his busy schedule to attend the store opening and lend his support to staff!

Featuring Aldi’s exciting award-winning Project Fresh layout and design, the new store, Aldi’s eighth in Co. Kerry, boasts a large shop floor spanning 1,198 square metres. There are also 72 car park spaces available for customers, in addition to eight Aldi Group Managing Director, Niall O’Connor, and Store Manager, bike parking stands. With sustainability Colm Foley, are pictured with staff at the opening of Aldi’s 150th Irish in mind, Aldi have invested in ventilation store in Abbey Place, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry. Also in photo are Colin heat recovery which will be used to power Breslin, Managing Director, Aldi Ireland, and Kerry duo Tadhg and Derry underfloor heating, in addition to installing Fleming.

90 square metres of solar panels on the roof.

The new environmentally friendly store will be powered by 100% green electricity. our doors in Cork and Parnell St, Dublin, in 1999. We’re “We’re truly delighted to open Aldi’s 150th store in Ireland excited to continue our growth strategy, with plans to invest today in Caherciveen, South Kerry,” said Niall O’Connor, Aldi €320m over the next three years in the opening of 30 new Group Managing Director. “It’s a significant milestone for our stores, bringing unbeatable prices, value and employment to Irish business to reach a store count of 150 after first opening more towns across Ireland.”

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Shoppers move to own label as prices rise IRISH take-home grocery sales fell by -4.5% over the 12 weeks to February 20, 2022, according to the latest figures from Kantar. However, spending still remains 11.1% higher than before the pandemic.

This drop in spending comes as grocery price inflation over the past 12 weeks hit 2.4%, marking the seventh consecutive month of accelerating inflation. The number of products sold on promotion fell by 10.9% year-on-year as retailers sought to manage mounting supply costs.

“Prices are rising across the board and that’s really being felt at the grocery tills,” revealed Emer Healy, Senior Retail Analyst at Kantar. “We’re now starting to see this reflected in shopper behaviour, with people increasingly opting for private label lines over branded products in an attempt to drive down the cost of their weekly shop.”

Lidl, which has recently rolled out a new advertising campaign pushing their ‘inflation buster’ prices, now holds a 12.2% share of the grocery market. The retailer was boosted by new shoppers who contributed an additional €4.1m to overall sales figures this period. Aldi also gained market share over the past 12 weeks and now accounts for 11.7% of total sales. “Supermarkets have been quick to respond to growing concerns over the cost of living through targeted ad campaigns and voucher schemes,” Emer explained. “These kinds of tactics will only become more important as grocers battle for the biggest slice of consumer spend in a challenging environment.”

Further loosening of Covid-19 restrictions during February contributed to the overall fall in supermarket sales this period as people returned to offices and city centres. “People are finding their feet in their new routines, with many juggling commuting and socialising again after months at home,” Emer said. “Shoppers spent an additional €4.3m on chilled convenience items like pizzas and ready meals over the latest

month, as families turned to quick and easy meal options to feed the kids while schools were out over mid-term week. With convenient options on the rise, home baking is clearly lower on shoppers’ agendas. Sales of flour, eggs and chocolate spreads were all down 27.6%, 20.6% and 35% respectively in the last four weeks.”

The adjustments to Covid-19 restrictions across the country again impacted how and where shoppers bought groceries, with online’s share of the market falling to 5.7% from 6.2% in February 2021. “Shoppers are returning to stores and getting less delivered, and we’ve seen a 15% drop in online grocery sales to the tune of €9.4m in the last four weeks as a result,” Emer noted. “Retailers have really invested in bolstering their online capabilities over the past couple of years and the proportion of groceries bought online has grown significantly since 2018. However, the growth of online grocery which we saw during the pandemic is now beginning to stabilise and has reached a natural ceiling as we ease back into life out of lockdown.”

The bad weather throughout February also helped to level out online sales over the past few weeks, according to Emer: “This is especially true for people in Munster, who were among the first to receive red weather warnings during Storm Eunice.

Online sales in the area were only down by 7%, a much softer decline than the rest of the country, as people prepared for strong winds and possible flooding.”

All of the major retailers saw take-home grocery sales fall in the 12 weeks to February 20, 2022, compared with last year, though they remained in growth compared with pre-pandemic.

Dunnes have retained their position as Ireland’s largest grocer this month, holding 23% of the market. SuperValu claimed a market share of 22%, while Tesco followed closely behind with 21.9%.

MARKET SHARE - TOTAL GROCERY

Includes expenditure across Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Household and Health & Beauty categories Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend % Change (year on year)

% Change (vs 2 years ago)*

12 Weeks to 21/02/2021

12 Weeks to 20/02/2022

%

%

%

%

100.0%

100.0%

-4.5%

11.1%

Total Multiples

89.6%

90.8%

-3.2%

12.6%

Dunnes

22.1%

23.0%

-0.9%

8.7%

Tesco

21.8%

21.9%

-4.0%

13.3%

SuperValu

22.3%

22.0%

-5.5%

14.2%

Aldi

11.4%

11.7%

-1.8%

11.4%

Lidl

12.0%

12.2%

-3.2%

17.9%.

Other Outlets**

10.4%

9.2%

-15.1%

-1.9%

Total Outlets

* This is provided to give further context to the year-on-year growth figures, which are now comparing against the accelerated take-home sales recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. ** = Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers and Cross Border shops Source: Worldpanel FMCG

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Ireland’s first checkout-free store opens IRELAND’S first ever completely frictionless store, Market x Flutter, officially opened in Clonskeagh, Dublin 4, on February 15, at Flutter Entertainment’s newly renovated global headquarters.

The store, developed for Flutter

by Compass Group Ireland, uses AIpowered computer vision technology from AiFi, allowing shoppers to purchase items in-store without having to wait in line or stop to scan or pay. The store stocks fresh meals, including a selection of hot and chilled dishes to-go, as well as drinks and confectionery.

A truly friction-free shopping experience, customers ‘check in’ when entering and then freely wander through the store, selecting from the food offering at their leisure; no scanning and no queuing. They leave with their purchases and a receipt is delivered to their phone moments later.

The store was described as “an exciting innovation in retail and customer service” by Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, who spoke at the launch.

“It is a new, user-friendly experience for customers and is a reflection of the creativity and dynamism of the foodservice industry in Ireland.”

The new store uses frictionless technology from leading global AI experts, AiFi. Facial recognition is not needed with this technology, so there

Former Irish International rugby player, Greg O’Shea, and Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, celebrate Ireland’s first ever completely frictionless store, Market x Flutter, at Flutter Entertainment’s newly renovated global headquarters in Clonskeagh in Dublin 4. is complete anonymity. Once inside, computer vision cameras anonymously track the shopper, adding selected items to the virtual shopping cart. No facial recognition or biometrics are used, ensuring privacy.

Deirdre O’Neill, Managing Director at the innovative catering company Compass Group Ireland, said that trials of the new foodservices solution at the Flutter workplace have been very

successful: “We’re incredibly excited by this new frictionless store technology, and are proud that our Irish operation is leading the way. We constantly look at how to offer the most convenient service to customers and tailor food solutions to their needs. Now, customers just pop into the store and pick up what they need, whenever they need it – it’s a great flexible solution for busy workers.”

FSAI advice line received 3,414 food complaints in 2021 OVER 3,414 consumer complaints were received by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Advice Line in 2021, with 36% of complaints relating to unfit food and 24% to poor hygiene standards.

Overall, the 2021 complaints saw a 23% increase compared with 2020. That year saw a considerable decrease on the previous year due to Covid-19, and the 2021 numbers are more in line with the pre-Covid figures of 3,460 in 2019.

All complaints received by the FSAI in 2021 were followed up and investigated by food inspectors throughout Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief the country, and the FSAI Executive, FSAI. continues to develop new information on a range of food safety concerns. Food businesses should refer to the FSAI

website for the most up-to-date advice on issues such as how to develop a food safety management system; how to maintain the highest hygiene standards; and how to declare the presence of food allergens.

The FSAI’s Advice Line also offers advice and information and during 2021, there were 4,718 queries from people working in the foodservice sector; manufacturers; retailers; researchers; distributors; consultants; and consumers.

Queries about how to start up a new food business remained one of the most popular again in 2021 and other popular topics included food labelling legislation; food safety training; food supplements legislation; and requests for FSAI publications.

“We welcome consumers and food businesses contacting us via our Advice Line,” noted Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI. “Consumers have a right to safe food.

Having people spotting and reporting inappropriate and unsafe food and practices greatly aids our work with the food inspectors and provides us with information that we can act upon. Consumers are becoming more aware and having a greater understanding of what they should expect from food businesses in Ireland. There has been a considerable increase in complaints regarding unfit food and poor hygiene standards and we thank the public for their increased vigilance.”

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Musgrave to donate €250,000 to Irish Red Cross and Unicef Ukraine Crisis Appeal MUSGRAVE Group have announced the launch of a major fundraising campaign across the island of Ireland to support people impacted by the crisis in Ukraine. As part of the campaign, Musgrave will immediately donate €250,000 to the Irish Red Cross and Unicef.

Shoppers in SuperValu, Centra and Donnybrook Fair can donate €2 in the Republic of Ireland or £2 in Northern Ireland via a simple ‘Tap to Donate’ mechanism in-store at the till, as well as shoppers in Musgrave MarketPlace, Mace NI and Daybreak.

100% of the funds donated will go directly to help fund the immediate humanitarian response. In the Republic of Ireland, the money raised will go to the Irish Red Cross, while in Northern Ireland the funds raised will go to Unicef.

“Over the last number of days, we in Musgrave, along with our customers, colleagues and retailers, have all been moved by the appalling crisis unfolding in Ukraine,” revealed Noel Keeley, CEO, Musgrave Group. “We wanted to show our solidarity and to help in some practical way those impacted by these shocking and tragic events. Both charities we are working with have advised that donating funds is the fastest and most effective way to help people at this time. For this reason, Musgrave is immediately contributing €250,000 to the Irish Red Cross and Unicef. We are also encouraging our customers to donate across our retail and wholesale brands. Working closely with the charities, we will ensure that 100% of the donations go as quickly as possible to those who need it. Our thoughts are with those in Ukraine and with our many colleagues and friends from Ukraine.”

Commenting on the appeal, Liam O’Dwyer, Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross said: “We would like to thank the people across the island of Ireland and Musgrave for their generosity and quick response to this crisis. Cash donations allow us to respond as quickly as possible on the ground to ensure the donations can make an impact to those who need it most.”

Noel Keeley, CEO, Musgrave Group.

Retail sustainability survey launched WE all know sustainability is a hot topic at the moment. Climate change effects all our lives as well as the planet, and sustainable business practices are becoming increasingly important. What does this mean for the Irish retail industry? If you are an Irish retailer, Retail Excellence needs your help to find out. How? By responding to the quick survey, linked below. Partnering on this initiative with Sharon Yourell Lawlor of Think Plan Do Consulting and Claire Cogan, of BehaviourWise, this questionnaire will look to assess where we are today as an Irish retail industry, and the part that we can play in making our businesses more sustainable. So, if you are a business owner, director or senior manager of an Irish retail business, please add your voice here. The anonymous survey will take 10-12 minutes to complete and each respondent will be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a Me2You giftcard worth €250. You can simply visit the link below to complete the survey and your input would be very much appreciated. https://behaviourwise.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ dp8Ty7zckJVrknI

Obituary: James (Jim) O’Connor IT is with deep regret and sadness that we learn of the passing of our esteemed friend, colleague and former Executive Secretary of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund, Jim O’Connor.

Jim O’Connor worked with the IGBF for over 20 years and was an integral part of the Charity. During this time, Jim worked tirelessly with the many recipients of the Benevolent Fund throughout the country. Jim was hugely dedicated and ensured that those in need of assistance received the care, attention, empathy and courtesy required. Jim was well respected by all his colleagues at the IGBF and the recipients, who have many fond memories of him.

Jim will be sadly missed by all his friends. We offer our sincere condolences to Marie and all the family. May Jim rest in peace.

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TWIG to host in-person networking lunch TODAY’S Women in Grocery (TWIG), a sub-committee of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund (IGBF), has revealed an inspiring speaker line-up for its first in-person networking luncheon since 2019, which will be held in the InterContinental Hotel in Dublin on Friday, May 6, 2022.

In a fitting reflection of the difficult two years faced with the pandemic, the ‘Embracing Change’ theme for 2022 sets the scene for what will be an afternoon of inspiring contributions from a panel of business leaders from the FMCG sector and beyond. The event will be chaired by Sonya Lennon, and includes the following panel of speakers: • Fiona Matthews, Managing Director - ROI, Applegreen; • Oonagh O’Hagan, Owner and Managing Director, Meaghers Pharmacy Group; • Evelyn Moynihan, CEO, Kilkenny Group; • Aimee Connolly, CEO & Founder at Sculpted By Aimee.

Michelle Darlington, Chairperson of Today’s Women in Grocery, feels that the ‘Embracing Change’ theme reflects a post pandemic world where change is the norm and gives rise to many different opportunities in people’s personal and professional lives. “The last two years have been challenging for people, teams and organisations and this event will give attendees the opportunity to hear from our amazing panel of speakers about how they are setting themselves and their teams up for success in this new hybrid working reality,” Michelle noted. “They will share their insights into what they

Bord Bia launches webinar series for Origin Green members MORE than 250 food and drink companies have signed up for a series of five webinars from Bord Bia, designed to prepare Origin Green companies for the upcoming requirement that all member companies with a turnover of over €50m must establish carbon emissions targets before the end of 2022.

“Our €13 billion food and drink export industry has established a hard earned, global reputation as a leading producer of high- quality sustainable food and drink,” noted Deirdre Ryan, Director of Origin Green at Bord Bia.

believe is now important from a personal and from their teams’ perspective, what kind of culture they want to foster, what values are important for people, from empowerment to a renewed sense of belonging, and where the boundaries are set between our personal and professional lives.”

Frances Higgins, Chair of the IGBF and TWIG committee member, noted, “I am delighted that this year’s event will be in-person and that we will have the opportunity to be inspired by such a formidable panel of speakers, can network with colleagues and peers again, and most importantly, raise vital funds for the IGBF charity.”

The IGBF Chair thanked the event sponsors – Musgrave, Diageo, CPM and Suntory Beverage and Food Ireland, for their “continued invaluable contribution to TWIG and the IGBF. With their sponsorship and your continued support, we can continue to meaningfully contribute to the IGBF charity as we emerge from two years of the pandemic into a brighter future.”

Due to phenomenal support, there are now only a limited amount of tickets available. To book, please contact Michelle Thornton at Hotel Solutions on (01) 6309211 or email: michelle@hotel-solutions.ie.

Deirdre Ryan, Director of Origin Green at Bord Bia.

“Maintaining Ireland’s international reputation for sustainable production and improving the environmental impact of our food production methods must continue to be evidence-based.

Science-based targets are critical for Irish food, drink, and horticulture companies to demonstrate credibility to their customers, investors, employees, and regulators.”

Lidl Ireland report a 6.2% mean and 0% median gender pay gap LIDL Ireland have announced a 6.2% mean gender pay gap for 2021, declining 30% from 8.8% in 2020 and substantially lower than the 11.3% average pay gap in Ireland. The organisation also announced a zero (0%) median pay gap.

Gender pay gap is the difference between the average hourly pay rate of male and female full pay relevant employees.

“We strongly believe in the positive impact that a zero gender pay gap can have, not only on our own colleagues, but Ireland’s society and economy, by tapping into wider talent pools across genders, ensuring a multiplicity of

opinions and approaches, developing enhanced teamwork, ensuring that we retain both our female and male colleagues and that genders across our workforce are reflective of our broad and diverse customer base,” noted Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer & Board Executive at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland. “We have been laying the foundation to lower our mean gender pay gap and have launched several colleague initiatives to reduce obstacles and provide stepping stones to career progression for females across their life cycles.”

Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer & Board Executive at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland.

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Industry News Nestlé Ireland renew partnership with Dublin Simon Community NESTLÉ Ireland are renewing their partnership with Dublin Simon Community, which offers services and supports to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan. The partnership will involve the donation of Nestlé food and beverage products to support the work of Dublin Simon Community in delivering emergency accommodation and long-term housing for individuals and families. Over the last number of years, Nestlé Ireland have provided over 4m cups of Nescafé coffee and 200,000 KitKat bars to support Dublin Simon across a range of service delivery to people in need of emergency and long-term accommodation, medical treatment, counselling services, as well as education and employability courses for those looking to upskill and re-enter the workforce. Pictured are Kieran Conroy, Nestlé Ireland Country Manager (right), with Sam McGuinness, CEO, Dublin Simon.

Gala store sells €30.9m winning EuroMillions ticket

Aldi launch first reverse vending machine

THE winning ticket for the February 11 EuroMillions draw, which saw one lucky winner scooping a whopping €30,928,078 prize jackpot, was sold by Larkin’s Gala in Ballina, Killaloe, Co. Clare. “When our visitors from the National Lottery arrived here on Sunday evening, I was totally overwhelmed and in quite a state of shock. I couldn’t believe that it was our store that sold the winning ticket worth €30.9m,” noted Siobhan Larkin, store owner of Larkin’s Gala in Ballina. “We are coming up to 21 years in business here this March so what a way this is to mark the occasion. The vast majority of our customers are locals so we hope that the winner might be a local too and wish them all the very best with their huge win.” Siobhan (front centre in navy) and Michael Larkin (back row centre) are pictured with members of the instore team celebrating the win.

ALDI recently introduced their first ever reverse vending machine trial in Ireland at their Mitchelstown store in Co. Cork, with plans to expand the trial to the Mallow and Naas stores in the coming months. Customers are being encouraged to return PET plastic bottles up to three litres and aluminium drinks cans to the reverse vending machine in Aldi’s Mitchelstown store, with €1,000 per month donated to Barnardos for the duration of the trial. This is the first time in Ireland for a reverse vending machine scheme to establish a direct fundraising link to an Irish charity. Pictured are (l-r): Halina McNabb, Fundraising Executive at Barnardos Ireland, with Emelia Beckett, Seb McCarthy, and Colin Breslin, Regional Managing Director at Aldi Ireland.

Smurfit Kappa recognised as top sustainability performer SMURFIT Kappa have been recognised as a top ESG performer by leading research and analytics company Sustainalytics. Following analysis of more than 4,000 European-based companies, Smurfit Kappa were named a Regional Top Rated company and are ranked in the top five of the Paper Packaging category globally. “The top performer award from Sustainalytics builds on our well-established sustainability credentials and is another extremely positive development for Smurfit Kappa and all of our stakeholders,” noted Garrett Quinn, Chief Sustainability Officer at Smurfit Kappa. “We have the most sustainable packaging solutions made in an increasingly sustainable way - which is key to our customers’ sustainability agenda.

We have incorporated key ESG objectives into the core of our strategy and throughout our operations. Sustainability is at the heart of all we do and how we think across our business, and it is great to see that our work in this space has been recognised by such a credible third party.”

Mia ethical chocolate launches in Donnybrook Fair ETHICAL chocolate company Mia, short for Made In Africa, have a range of nine vegan bars available now in-store at Donnybrook Fair stores in Greystones and Malahide, and online from ethical supply chain partner, proudlymadeinafrica.org. Mia’s entire range of chocolates is made from bean-to-bar in Madagascar as part of the company’s commitment to create more added-value and skilled jobs on the African continent, which grows 70% of the world’s cocoa. According to Mia, the company now creates five times more value in Madagascar than the export of raw cocoa.

Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie|9

Industry News Lidl extend Jigsaw charity partnership LIDL Ireland are extending their charity partnership with Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health in Ireland, for a further two years. As part of the new partnership, Lidl have pledged to raise €2.5m for Jigsaw, who provide free confidential professional support to young people aged 12-25, in 14 centres across Ireland. To date, Lidl Ireland have raised over €1.8m for the charity and have committed to raise an additional €700,000 by the end of the partnership in 2024. Pictured are Orlaith White, Jigsaw Youth Advocate (left), with JP Scally, CEO at Lidl Ireland, Dr Joseph Duffy, CEO of Jigsaw, and Karolina Sulgaite, Jigsaw Hero, Lidl Store Glenageary.

Gala support for Special Olympics Ireland PLATINUM sponsor of Special Olympics Ireland, Gala Retail, have just launched a limited edition of reusable shoppers. Profits from sales of the bag, designed by Dublinbased artist and muralist, Claire Prouvost, will support Special Olympics Ireland in the continued delivery of services and events for more than 8,000 Special Olympics athletes across Ireland. “By creating this exclusive range of reusable shopping bags that celebrate the spirit of Special Olympics Ireland, we aim to raise additional funds to support the great initiatives Special Olympics provides throughout Ireland and get athletes back to the sports and competitions they love,” noted Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail. Pictured at the launch are Claire Prouvost (centre) with Special Olympics athletes, Ayoub Deboub (left) and Una Coates (right), along with CEO of Gala Retail, Gary Desmond (back left) and CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, Matt English (back right).

The bags are available for purchase now at www.gala.ie, retailing at €15 incl. P&P.

Lissarda Lotto win at Spar store A WEST Cork Lotto player became 11th National Lottery millionaire of 2022.

The Rebel County player won the top prize of €1m in the Lotto Plus 1 draw on February 23, after purchasing their winning Quick Pick ticket at O’Leary’s Spar store at the Circle K service station located on the N22 in Lissarda, Co. Cork. Pictured celebrating are Martin Manley, National Lottery, with Mary Kenneally, Carol Hegarty, Darragh O’Leary (store owner), Eileen O’Riordan, and John Ridley, at O’Leary’s Spar in Lissarda, Co. Cork.

Aldi plan their 400,000th native Irish tree ALDI recently celebrated planting their 400,000th native Irish woodland tree with Irish rugby player James Ryan in Kill, Co. Kildare. It marks a major milestone for Aldi, as part of their commitment to plant a million native trees around Ireland by 2025, together with Green Belt forestry consultancy. The tree planting took place ahead of International Day of Forests on March 21, the international celebration which aims to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. James Ryan is pictured with Laura Harper, Aldi Buying Director.

Bewley’s committed to climate action BEWLEY’S were the first company to bring Fairtrade produce to market in Ireland in 1997 and were delighted to be a part of Fairtrade Fortnight 2022, which took place recently with the theme, Choose the World You Want. Bewley’s once again teamed up with Fairtrade to highlight the growing challenges that climate change brings to farmers and workers in vulnerable communities across the globe. Bewley’s have made a global impact on Fairtrade coffee, contributing to 0.5% of global Fairtrade coffee Premium and approximately a half of Fairtrade coffee Premium in Ireland. Over the past five years, Bewley’s have paid an estimated €2m in Fairtrade Premium, which provides workers and farmers with a sum of money that accumulates in a communal fund to be used for their respective needs. Pictured are members of Columbian cooperative, Cafecultores de Anserma, which is managed by Luis Miguel Garcia.

10|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Appointments at Moy Park MOY Park have made two new appointments to their commercial brand team, which will support the growth and development of the Moy Park brand across Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland. Kat Reid has been appointed as Commercial Manager Ireland and will be responsible for managing Moy Park’s key customer relationships, driving growth, and pursuing new business opportunities for the Moy Park brand across its customer base in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Chloe Burgess joins the team as Customer Marketing Executive and will be responsible for the analysis of the poultry market across Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland. Chloe will focus on identifying business growth opportunities and innovation in new product development, as well as studying consumer data and shopper trends in the current market landscape.

Aldi earn top marks in Bord Bia Retail Audit

THE Bord Bia Quality Assurance quarterly survey of fresh meat in Irish supermarkets has revealed that Aldi sells the highest proportion of fresh Irish meat labelled with the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Mark. Bord Bia’s Retail Audit found that 90% of Aldi’s fresh meat ranges displayed its Quality Assurance Mark, meaning Aldi had the highest ranking of the nine supermarkets and convenience store chains surveyed across Ireland. “We only source our fresh meat from farms in the Republic of Ireland that are certified under the Bord Bia Quality Assurance schemes,” noted Aldi’s Group Buying Director, John Curtin.

Tánaiste visits Dublin’s Roe & Co distillery

Milton reaches out to LauraLynn MILTON, the worldleading sterilising product range, recently reached out to Irish children’s charity LauraLynn, with a practical donation of nearly €4000 worth of antibacterial surface wipes and sanitisers. “LauraLynn are hugely grateful to Milton for their generous donation of antibacterial wipes and sprays,” said Claire Shiels, Fundraising Executive with LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

“Infection control is extremely important in LauraLynn and never more so than over the last two years during the global pandemic. Having these extra supplies allowed us to keep all those in our care and all our staff safe and protected.

Companies such as Milton that donate products we can use, are an incredibly important part of the corporate support that we rely on at LauraLynn, helping to free up resources for us to use in our services.”

AN Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, toured Roe & Co Distillery in Dublin 8 recently, as drinksrelated visitor centres across Ireland prepare for a stronger summer ahead and begin to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The visit was hosted by Diageo, which owns Roe & Co Distillery, and Drinks Ireland, which represents drinks manufacturers and suppliers.

Pictured are (l-r): Jennifer English, Global Brand Director for Roe & Co; An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and Pat Rigney, Chair of Drinks Ireland and Managing Director and Founder of The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney, Co. Leitrim.

Westport forecourt sells €1m Daily Million ticket KEVIN Heffernan (right), Corrib Oil Store Manager, is pictured with Conor Donoghue of the National Lottery at the Corrib Oil Spar store on the Castlebar Road in Westport, Co. Mayo, celebrating selling the €1m winning ticket for the 2pm Daily Million on March 1. Kevin was delighted to hear that one of his customers became a millionaire: “This is the biggest prize that we have ever sold so we’re sure that our regulars will be delighted to see that. Being located on the busy Castlebar Road here, we have quite a lot of customers who are passing through the area as well as locals from nearby. We heard that the lucky winner has come forward, which is great to hear – we wish them all the very best with their big win.”

12|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview

An appealing proposition IGBF President of Appeals, Kevin Keating from Tennant & Ruttle, reveals his plans for the year ahead, including a brand new cycling event which will feature a very famous face.

KEVIN Keating, Joint Managing Director of Tennant & Ruttle, is the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund’s President of Appeals for 2022. A stalwart of the Irish FMCG sector for more than three decades, Kevin was well aware of the work of the IGBF and had no hesitation when he was asked to take on the role.

“I was very honoured to be asked to take on this role,” Kevin admits. “So when Leonard Hegarty [then IGBF Chair] asked me to step forward and represent the IGBF as President, there was no hesitation on my side. Having worked in the industry for 33 years and having attended IGBF events from a very young age and knowing the great work done by the IGBF in raising much needed funds for worthy recipients, I was more than happy to give my support for the year ahead.”

A proud Tipperary man, Kevin laughs that he is “pleased to take on the baton from a fellow Munster person, Musgrave’s Sharon Buckley, who had this role for past two years in very challenging Covid times” and jokes that he will be “flying the flag for Munster in 2022”.

Retail News wondered when Kevin began attending IGBF events, how aware he was of the work of the Fund, or if it was more of a social occasion?

“I was very much aware,” he insists.

“I spoke recently at the Mid-West Ball and talked about how I went to my first Cork ball 30 years ago when I was a young pup of a sales guy down in Cork.

That’s right, teenagers were allowed to attend back then,” he grins. “There were probably people in Limerick in February for whom the 2022 Ball was their first IGBF event. Over the years, I have met people at the events who knew that they were supporting the charity but may not have known exactly what the Fund does.

So when I spoke at the Mid-West Ball I

Tennant & Ruttle Kevin Keating gave a few examples in layman’s terms of what the IGBF does, highlighting that it is all about helping people in our industry who have fallen on hard times. I gave an example of how we recently helped a family with funeral costs for someone who had worked in our industry, and I think that brought it home to people that we are a charity that does those kind of things for people in our industry.”

Kevin is cognisant of the fact, however, that the events themselves have to be enjoyable: “Even as a young man, it was about hiring a tux, spending the night with colleagues from the industry in a social setting. The people within the grocery industry get to have a social gettogether, while at the same time raising much-needed funds for charity.

“If it wasn’t for the IGBF, we would probably never get together, or certainly not as often as it allows us to do,” Kevin continues. “While individual companies

organise their own events, it is the IGBF which allows us the opportunity to get together socially as an industry.”

A unique organisation The IGBF is unique, in that it is wholly organised by and for its own industry, with all funding coming from the generosity of the Irish grocery trade.

Indeed, Kevin pays tribute to those farsighted “legends of the industry”, the late Tim Nolan and Gerry Duffy, who established the IGBF more than 30 years ago to provide financial relief for those in the grocery retail, wholesale and supply sector who have fallen on hard times, as well as Jim Bradley and Jim O’Connor, who sadly passed away over the last two years, who devoted so many years to the IGBF. Kevin views his key role as President of Appeals as “representing the IGBF and supporting the various organising

Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie|13

Retail News Interview because without their continued support, it would not be viable and we would end up letting many families down who rely on the IGBF and it’s so assuring for them to know someone has their back.”

Kevin insists that the IGBF “is actually even more important than it ever was, given all the challenges people can face in their lives”, citing the impact of Covid-19 over the last two years as a prime example. “It is vital that the IGBF can go from strength to strength to not only be able to support the current people who require some help but also to be in a position to help new recipients in the future,” he stresses. “While we would all prefer nobody should get in to difficulty, the reality is it will happen and none of us know when; it could be any one of us and we can never take anything for granted. It is unique to have our own industry charity to raise funds for those in need and everyone working in the industry, in my view, should be proud that we do try, and their support, both now and in the future, would be so welcome, no matter how big or small that support might be.”

IGBF President of Appeals, Kevin Keating is pictured at the IGBF Mid-West Ball in February 2022 with Frances Higgins, IGBF Chair & BWG Foods’ Group Head of Promotions. committees in the various events they run. Let’s be honest,” he stresses, “these are the people who are doing the real work and they are so committed to the charity; it is very refreshing.”

Kevin hopes to “build on the work done by previous Presidents of Appeals and encourage everyone working in the industry to see if they can get involved,

even if it’s just raising small funds at very local level with a walk / run / cycle etc”.

The President of Appeals is also quick to praise those who have continually supported the Fund through thick and thin: “I want to reassure all the people that so generously support the IGBF every year that their support is not taken for granted and is so much appreciated,

Tour de Grocers While acknowledging that the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a “critical aspect of any business in order to connect with customers and employees in a positive way”, Kevin is realistic in recognising that like all charities, the IGBF “faces the challenge of securing continuous support year-onyear and needs to be creative ongoing to do so.”

With this in mind, Kevin has added a brand new event to the IGBF calendar this year, a Tour de Grocers cycle event from June 15-18, and he hopes 19 other cyclists from within the grocery trade will join him for various stages of this event or maybe even the full Tour of 600km in four days, with all funds raised going to the charity. The last day of the four-day cycle, from Nenagh to Dublin, will be an open day, where Kevin is looking for as many cyclists as possible to join him on the road. One very special guest has been confirmed for that final stage, Nenagh to Dublin, with Irish cycling legend Seán Kelly joining Kevin. One of Ireland’s most famous chocolate bars, Catch, will be the sponsor for this part of the event. Kevin is delighted to have this support from Catch and notes how all cyclists “can try to ‘Catch’ Sean Kelly on the day and enjoy some stories from his illustrious career”.

For more details on the cycle, contact Hotel Solutions www.hotel-solutions.ie; Email: info@hotel-solutions.ie; Tel: (01) 6309211.

14|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview

Kevin Keating addresses attendees at the IGBF Mid-West Ball in the Castletroy Hotel, Limerick.

Kevin has enjoyed a “great reaction” as news of the cycling event spread amongst the industry. “I was trying to come up with something a little different, something that hadn’t been done before,” he explains. “I do hope that many colleagues from the industry will join me for all or part of this Tour. I am no Sean Kelly and while I do some cycling for leisure, this will be a big challenge for me but I wanted to run a new and different event for my year as POA. All details will be shared in due course for the event but for anyone thinking of taking part, maybe dust down the bike now and try get some training in because I for sure need to. The most I’ve ever done in one day was the Ring of Kerry, which is 180km, but that was one day, not four days in a row.”

Kevin has secured a main event sponsor for the Tour de Grocers: “I am very proud to reveal it is Barilla, which is one of Tennant & Ruttle’s big grocery brands in Ireland, which has gained a lot of momentum in Ireland over the past few years and is becoming very much a preferred choice for Irish consumers when creating their Italian meal at home.”

Indeed, Kevin is hoping that the company’s mobile Barilla kitchen will be on hand to reward cyclists with a nice

Barilla Lunch at the end of the event in Dublin.

Fresh faces with new ideas The President of Appeals feels that perhaps the biggest challenge facing the IGBF in the months and years ahead is “to get more people working in the industry to get involved more in some shape or form if possible, as this would all help make a difference to the funds raised each year.”

Getting new blood with fresh ideas is “a challenge faced in charity organisations but also in many sports clubs and committees,” Kevin admits, but he believes the benefits are manifold.

“The buzz of feeling like you stepped outside your comfort zone and got involved is great and can actually also serve as a good distraction from maybe work or life worries in general,” he notes.

The IGBF has a long history of “hugely committed people who do great work”, according to Kevin, who highlights the impact of BWG Foods’ Frances Higgins, the Fund’s new Chair, and the first woman to take up the role in its history, for her “tireless work over a long time on behalf of the IGBF”. Kevin also makes special mention of the four new members appointed to the National Executive

Committee: Sharon Yourell Lawlor of Think Plan Do Consulting, Lorraine Butler from CPM International, Diageo’s Ray Sheehan and Tesco Ireland’s John Brennan.

“Like all good organisations, we need new people on the team with fresh ideas and a new approach,” Kevin says, “and along with the excellent current serving members of the Executive committee, this can only mean a good future for the IGBF.” While insisting that we all want to “move on from Covid-19 discussions”, Kevin acknowledges the impact the pandemic had on the charity sector and is delighted that (at the time of going to press), we can return to in-person events.

“I’d like to extend a massive thanks on behalf of the IGBF to the many companies to offered to pay their donation even though many events over the past two years had to be cancelled or held virtually,” he notes. “This just shows the kindness and support that the IGBF gets from the industry.”

A return to in-person events When he spoke to Retail News, Kevin had recently attended the Mid-West Ball, which was a great success.

“The Mid-West Ball was a lot of

Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie|15

Retail News Interview

Pictured at the Valentine’s IGBF Mid-West Gala Ball are (l-r): Kevin Keating, IGBF President of Appeals; Janice Keating; Desmond Farrell, Frances Higgins, IGBF Chair & BWG Foods’ Group Head of Promotions; Audrey Johnson; James Johnson, Chair, Midwest IGBF Region & Dunnes Stores; Rosemary O’Reilly; and Gus O’ Reilly, Executive Secretary, IGBF.

“

While we would all prefer nobody should get in to

difficulty, the reality is it will

happen and none of us know

when; it could be any one of us and we can never take anything for granted. It is unique to have our own industry charity to raise funds for those in need and everyone working in the industry, in my view, should be proud that we do try, and their support, both now and in the future, would be so welcome,

”

no matter how big or small that support might be.

people’s first live event in two years and it was so good to see everyone together again. All things being equal, we will be able to run the rest of our events during the year.

I am hopeful that this can continue as holding events is critical to the IGBF. A lot of work goes in to the planning of these events so I really hope they all get to go ahead for all involved.”

Kevin calls out the 2022 TWIG event in particular: “Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates, who are celebrating 30 years in business this year, working in partnership with T&R for all 30 years, have come on board and are arranging something very special for all attending this event, I would like to thank all the team at Lily O’Brien’s for supporting this year’s TWIG event.”

A juggling act?

We couldn’t let Kevin go without asking him how difficult it is proving to juggle the role of President of Appeals with his busy day-job as Joint MD of Tennant & Ruttle?

“I don’t know yet as its only February,” he laughs.” No,

honestly, of course I will have to juggle the role with my busy day-to-day job but I am more than committed to do work for the IGBF outside of my daily routine and in terms of events, with my company, we would normally attend most of them during the year anyway. I also have very strong support from my fellow Directors and colleagues in T&R and I think they already know in advance I will be leaning on them during the year for support at times. I also feel I am representing the great company and team we have at T&R in this role.”

At the end of his tenure, Kevin modestly hopes that “I will have at least shown that I was a worthy choice as President of Appeals, but more importantly, that I raised increased awareness for the IGBF and encouraged more people working in the grocery industry to maybe try to get involved in raising funds locally in some shape or form.

“As I have been involved in sales all my life and grown up with targets, I do hope that I can help the IGBF to increase the muchneeded funds raised in 2022 versus previous years.”

ROCKSHORE LIGHT, A REFRESHING-TASTING LAGER Lager continues to hold the largest share of the beer segment with 61.8% share1. Research shows that nearly 56% of consumers are more calorie conscious than 2 years ago and 60% agree it’s important to monitor calorie intake.2 The brewers at St. James’s Gate set out to create a beer that would pack the same refreshing taste as Rockshore Lager but with 1/3rd less calories*, offering people a great tasting alternative.

Brewed at St, James’s Gate in Dublin, Rockshore Light launched in 2020 and is part of the wider portfolio alongside Rockshore Lager, Rockshore Apple Cider and Rockshore Hard Seltzer.

Inspired by the bracing refreshment of the Irish coast, Rockshore Light has 1/3rd less calories* than other beers on the market packing all the refreshing-taste you would expect from Rockshore Lager with 73 calories per 330ml bottle and 110 calories per 500ml can. *When compared to top 15 beer brands in IOI (Aug21, Nielsen, CGA)

Rockshore Light is available in 330ml bottle across IOI and 500ml can in ROI.

73

CALORIES PER BOTTLE

110

51% of consumers are drinking more light beers than 2 years ago.3

CALORIES PER CAN

78%

of 18- to 35-year-olds are conscious of the calories in their alcoholic drinks.4

SOURCES: 1. Nielsen THT L4W – 31.02.2022 2. ROI, RED C, July 2019 3. ROI, RED C, July 2019 4. Mintel, 2018

18|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

Forecourt market remains robust

Ireland’s forecourt sector is in good shape, according to the latest data from international experts Experian Catalist.

The impact of Covid The first Catalist forecourt database for Ireland was created about 25 years ago and its original principles are still applicable today. The basis of the data is from visiting

25/9/03

14:08

Page 22

all the sites across Ireland on a regular basis.

A team of Experian Catalist surveyors visit c.

1000 forecourts a year and they are tasked with establishing the annual running rate for both motor fuel volume (petrol & under canopy diesel) and forecourt shop sales for every forecourt. They collect annualised running rates rather than actual historical volumes as this allows direct comparisons over time, allows for new sites coming on stream, and is not complicated by periods out of the market due to redevelopment or temporary closures etc.

Under normal circumstances (i.e. preCovid) the volume/sales figures would be directly comparable with the previous year.

However, due to Coronavirus, Experian Catalist’s surveyors have not been able to physically visit sites for most of 2020 and whilst they have been updating their data via telephone surveying, they have been careful not to skew the motor fuel & shop volumes with the temporary reduced fuel volumes seen over the past year or so. Indeed, Experien are are hopeful that the volume estimates in the database will effectively reflect the market’s “back to normal” trading conditions, James explains. “Our surveyors are now out visiting sites and the Experian Catalist published figures for the annualised fuel and shop volumes should come back into line over the next year or so,” he reveals.

Individual PR

THE Irish forecourt sector is in good health, according to the latest data from Experian Catalist, the London-based experts who provide a leading global source of information and analysis on petrol and retail forecourts.

The number of forecourts in the country has risen by 34 to 1,905, according to the latest figures from Experian Catalist’s 2021 Market Summary Report, although James Haigh, Business Consultant with Experian Catalist, believes this is a sign of an industry that is relatively stable rather than growing.

“A large part of this increase is a reflection of the fact that our surveyor in Ireland was unable to physically survey due to having to isolate, so he carried out a lot of desk based research which saw him pick up a number of new sites,” James explains.

“For the most part these were ‘one pump wonders’ in more isolated locations. We have seen a few NTI (New to Industry) sites developed, which balances with the site closures one always expects – I certainly don’t think the market is expanding but is reasonably stable.”

James Haigh, Business Consultant with Experian Catalist.

Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie|19

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market Graph 1: Market Development by Brand The table compares the number of open and under development sites by brand, for the current release of data and the same period last year. It also shows the change in site numbers for each brand during the last 12 months to give a clearer picture of which brands are expanding and which brands are reducing their site numbers.

Brands are listed in order of market share for motor fuel volume sales (see below for a definition).

No. of open sites**

Average MF volume per site (kl p.a.) ***

No. of open sites V4 2020

No. of open sites V4 2021

Difference

AMBER

38

37

-1

APPLEGREEN

193

196

3

CAMPUS

40

39

-1

CERTAS ENERGY

0

1

1

CIRCLE K

371

365

-6

DCC

114

114

0

INVER

61

66

5

JET

0

1

1

MAXOL

142

144

2

MINOR BRANDS

27

28

1

MORRIS OILS

17

17

0

SWIFT

26

26

0

TARA

19

19

0

TEXACO

153

155

2

TOP OIL

247

250

3

UNBRANDED

423

447

24

TOTAL

1,871

1,905

34

(Source: Experian Catalist)

Graph 2: Market Share by Brand

Brand*

Brand

% Market share MF volume

% Outlet share

Effectiveness ****

CIRCLE K †

365

2,518

30.6

19.2

1.60

APPLEGREEN

196

2,113

13.8

10.3

1.34

TEXACO

155

2,222

11.5

8.1

1.41

TOP OIL

250

1,342

11.2

13.1

0.85

MAXOL

144

2,100

10.1

7.6

1.33

UNBRANDED

447

493

7.3

23.5

0.31

DCC ††

114

1,822

6.9

6.0

1.16

INVER

66

1,213

2.7

3.5

0.77 0.87

AMBER

37

1,368

1.7

1.9

CAMPUS

39

1,158

1.5

2.0

0.73

MINOR BRAND

28

1,357

1.3

1.5

0.86

2021 was the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, which had such a profound effect on fuel sales in 2020, as strict lockdowns meant that far fewer vehicles were on the road. James explains the effects of the pandemic on the forecourt sector in Ireland in 2021, compared to 2020.

“I think we saw a similar situation to the one witnessed in the UK – the various lock-downs suppressed volumes due to the reduced levels of travel but this was balanced by the need/desire of people to shop more locally, which gave a welcome boost to the forecourt shop/food-to-go offers, for some sites anyway,” he reveals. “In the UK we saw an uplift in the use of the delivery companies, like Deliveroo, Uber Eats etc, while some forecourt sites actually offered this service themselves to support the local community, which I’m sure was similar in Ireland.”

SWIFT

26

777

0.7

1.4

0.49

TARA

19

800

0.5

1.0

0.51

Trends for 2022

MORRIS OILS

17

396

0.2

0.9

0.25

JET

1

900

0.0

0.1

0.57

0.0

0.1

0.51

As we move through 2022, James believes that “fuel volumes will finish recovering to pre-pandemic levels, if they haven’t already)” and that we will see continued investment in the shop offer and food offer.

When it comes to the in-store offering, coffee and food-to-go will continue to be “a crucial element in the forecourt market”, James explains, while he also sees the trend towards health and wellness, allied to sustainability, having an impact on consumer choices in-store: “Healthy and Fairtrade food offers will continue to grow but the premium price may slow or limit this development.”

CERTAS ENERGY †††

1

800

TOTAL

1,905

1,575

† Circle K – includes Circle K and Topaz branded sites †† DCC figures include 74 Emo sites, six Great Gas sites, and 34 Certa sites, which is the new brand introduced by DCC, which includes all ex-Tesco branded forecourts. ††† Certas Energy – Gulf branded sites * Brands include sub-brands or subsidiaries as appropriate (identified as Share Brand in the database). ** Open sites include all currently operating petrol stations & sites that are under development at time of publishing. *** MF Volume refers to all grades of fuel bought on the forecourt by cars, vans and light commercial vehicles (Petrol, diesel, LPG etc.) and is based on Catalist estimates. This excludes fuel sold to the Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) commercial sector usually through separate facilities away from the normal forecourt. **** Effectiveness is Volume Market Share divided by Outlet Market Share.

20|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market The impact of alternative fuels

Graph 3: Market Share by Ownership

On the forecourt itself, he believes that the move to new fuel types will continue to have a bigger impact in the months and years ahead.

“Electric Vehicles will certainly need to be a consideration as all companies are going to have to look at the long term future of their forecourts,” James opines.

“Space consideration is a major issue –

The table below shows how the Republic of Ireland market is divided according to ownership.

Ownership

No. of open sites**

Average MF volume per site (kl p.a.)

Market share

Outlet share

Market Effectiveness

COMPANY

488

2,737

44.5

25.6

1.74

DEALER

1,417

1,175

55.5

74.4

0.75

TOTAL

1,905

1,575

Definitions: Company: Owned by the supplying Oil Company whose name appears on the brand sign.

Dealer: An independently owned site usually supplied under an agreement with an Oil Company whose name usually appears on the brand sign. Also includes unbranded sites with no Oil Company identification.

Hypermarket: No Hypermarket branded sites remain in Ireland following the sale of the Tesco sites to DCC – all are now Company Owned

Graph 4: Percentage of Sites with a Shop and Car Wash by Brand The table below shows the percentage of sites with a shop and car wash by brand.

Brand

Number of Open Sites

% Sites with Shop

% Sites with Car Wash

AMBER

37

89

41

APPLEGREEN

196

98

52

CAMPUS

39

82

31

CIRCLE K

365

96

61

DCC

114

54

36

INVER

66

97

30

JET

1

0

0

MAXOL

144

94

64

MINOR BRAND

28

54

18

MORRIS OILS

17

71

0

SWIFT

26

54

19

TARA

19

68

21

TEXACO

155

93

57

TOP OIL

250

80

35

UNBRANDED

447

50

10

TOTAL

1,905

Graph 5: Comparison of Shop Sales in Relation to Shop Size Brand

Average Shop Sales (€’000 p.a.) Sales

Average Shop Size (sq m)

Average Shop Sales/Sq Metre Shop Space

Average shop sales in €/’000 litres fuel sold

AMBER

590

55

10,698

409

APPLEGREEN

733

72

10,220

344

CAMPUS

505

51

9,884

400

CERTAS ENERGY

200

15

13,333

250

CIRCLE K

692

69

10,100

268

DCC

388

48

8,003

331

INVER

501

54

9,315

407

MAXOL

698

67

10,406

325

MINOR BRAND

340

66

5,152

181

MORRIS OILS

263

33

8,000

731

SWIFT

354

37

9,612

369

TARA

291

40

7,210

325

TEXACO

701

74

9,434

303

TOP OIL

505

56

8,998

337

UNBRANDED

313

41

7,718

512

fast charging bays and fuel vapour are not a good mix, plus access to a suitable power feed can have a major cost implication. In the UK, we are seeing some city centre sites converted to being EV charging hubs (i.e. no liquid fuel) with a shop/food offer – we may see something like this in the Irish urban areas.”

James is quick to acknowledge that other alternative fuels could also have a bearing on the market in the medium to long-term. “Some in the industry, certainly in the UK, are not convinced that EV is the final solution and think that liquid fuel alternatives such as hydrogen may well have a significant role to play,” he notes. He cites the sample of Essar and Progressive Energy, who recently joined forces to set up a venture to produce low carbon hydrogen at Essar’s Stanlow Refinery in Cheshire: “Initially, this is mostly aimed at the industrial/domestic market but their hope is that transport opportunities will develop; fuel needs to be available to enable a market to develop.”

when and where KEVIN KEATING “ PRESIDENT OF APPEALS “

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22|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

McDonnells Curry Sauce

Giz a Squeeze…. of McDonnells new Squeezy Sauce McDonnells have launched a tabletop, ready-to-eat, squeezy version of Ireland’s favourite curry sauce.

McDONNELLS, Ireland’s favourite curry sauce (Source: Kantar, 2021), have recently launched a tabletop, ready-to-eat, squeezy curry sauce. The new top-down sauce means consumers can enjoy their favourite curry sauce anytime, anywhere. Now they’re always just one squeeze away from curry perfection.

The new McDonnells Squeezy Original Curry Sauce bottle contains 350g of pure curry heaven (RRP €2.99). Consumers can simply squeeze the ready-to-rock sauce over chips, jazz up a chicken fillet roll, turn wedges into something special or give

The new McDonnells Squeezy Original Curry Sauce bottle contains 350g of pure curry heaven.

a sausage sambo exactly what it’s been missing and better again, the new squeezy sauce is vegetarian friendly. Once every last drop has been squeezed out, both bottle and lid can be cleaned and recycled before rushing to the store to buy again!

An iconic Irish brand McDonnells is Ireland’s favourite curry sauce and has been making food taste great for over 30 years.

The secret recipe for McDonnells Original Curry Sauce was developed specially for the Irish palate, using an eclectic range of spices sourced from around the world.

McDonnells is an iconic Irish brand and has introduced millions of Irish people to the joys of curry. Its delicious range has expanded over the years to include a number of tub flavours, including Original, Mild, Hot, Slimmers, Chinese, Katsu and Gluten Free variants. Now everyone can enjoy the great taste of McDonnells Curry Sauce!!

The McDonnells range also includes the Spice Bag Fakeaway sachet range, which comes in Classic and Chinese Curry flavours.

Curry innovations For those looking for a ‘curry in a hurry’, Microwavable Original Curry Dip Pots offer the perfect solution, making McDonnells Curry Sauce ready to enjoy in just one minute!

McDonnells have also launched a delicious range of takeaway inspired noodles, perfect for a mid-afternoon snack or quick dinner. The McDonnells Take-Away Noodles come in three delicious flavours – The Original Curry Sauce, Japanese Style Katsu Curry and Salt & Pepper Chicken. Just ‘Pot, kettle, snack!’

Be sure to follow McDonnells Curry Sauce on social media for lots of exciting content, recipe ideas and for a bit of craic.

The full McDonnells range is available to order today from The Boyne Valley Group. Please contact your Boyne Valley sales representative or contact them by email on orders@boynevalley.com or by phone on (041) 9870300 for more details.

MAKES FOOD TASTE GREAT

24|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

INFLATIONARY PRESSURES LOOK TO FRAME THE ECONOMIC BACKDROP OF 2022 AFTER years of low or no price rises across the economy, Ibec currently projects that in 2022 we will see an average inflation rate of 3.3%. Based on recent trends, this forecast is likely to be revised upwards soon.

In 2021, average inflation across the year was 2.4%, which compares to a fall of 0.3% for 2020 and an increase of only 0.9% in 2019. However, it spiked toward the end of the year, with an annual price rise of 5.5% recorded in December versus December 2020.

From a retail perspective, clothing remains the only category still seeing falling prices over the last year, largely due to reduced demand during the pandemic. We are clearly entering a new postpandemic economic phase, that will be very different to the recent past.

Recent price rises have been largely driven by increases in the cost of electricity, gas, and other fuels, which in turn has increased transport costs. However, it doesn’t take long for these rises to feed into rising cost for raw material and other input costs.

Specific to the retail sector, notable annual price increases were seen in Cigarettes (+7.6%), Hygiene Products (+8.1%), Major

Household Appliances (+9.8%) and Furniture and Furnishings (+6.6%). Additionally, Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+1.3%) rose due to higher prices across a range of products such as bread and cereals, mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit and vegetable juices and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery.

GOVERNMENT SETS OUT NEW APPROACH TO REVIVE TOWN CENTRES THE Department of Rural and Community Development has just published a new Town Centre First Policy, which aims to reduce the number of vacant properties, combat dereliction and rejuvenate our town centres nationwide. The proposals aim to help towns become more viable and attractive places to live, work, visit and to run a business.

Due to the negative effects of Covid-19, it is vital that there is a focus on rejuvenating our towns and communities nationwide. For this to happen, it is important that towns have the right mix of amenities, public spaces, housing and of course, retail spaces.

Specific commitments contained in the Government’s proposals include: •

•

•

A network of Town Regeneration Officers: This network aims to bring a coordinated approach to Town Centre First delivery across the country and support local Town Teams.

Town Centre First Plans: Additional support for towns in producing their own Town Centre First Plans, produced by a local Town Team drawn from local community and business representatives. These will identify challenges, actions and integrated responses across a number of themes (business/commercial, community/cultural, housing, built environment, heritage).

Investment: The implementation of Town Centre First Plans will be supported by an investment programme drawn from a range of sources, including the Rural

•

Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and dedicated funding streams to tackle vacancy and dereliction in particular.

Town centre housing: The aim is to make town centres more ‘liveable’ and thus more vibrant and attractive for business and investment. The new policy looks to deliver on the objectives of ‘Housing for All’ and ‘Our Rural Future’, with major investments to develop a mixed supply of private, affordable, and social housing in our towns.

It will also target vacancy and dereliction in converting empty buildings into housing and undertake an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting the least energy efficient social homes.

The range of measure set out in the plan have the potential to ensure a more coherent and targeted response to town centre renewal. It is fundamental that local retailers have an input into its realisation, as an integral part of the social and commercial life of our communities. Engaging with local businesses was a key element in the success of the rejuvenation of Westport and Skibbereen, for example.

In the short-term, it is vital we restore the activity we lost during the pandemic to our urban centres. This requires the recovery of the wider experience economy and relaunching our towns and cities as vibrant hubs of economic, social and cultural life.

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.

Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie|25

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards launched The 2022 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are now open for entries.

THE Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are back and once again open for entries with their full awards programme. Since their launch nine years ago, they have become one of the most prestigious and coveted awards in the industry, being responsible for launching hundreds of innovative new products onto the Irish market and boosting the sales of many more. Winning an Irish Quality Food and Drink Award is a well-recognised badge of excellence amongst retail customers and the Irish food and drink community.

Retailers, wholesalers, foodservice, own label, and branded producers are all welcome to enter food and drink products into a broad range of categories, with each being specifically tailored to represent the key drivers in today’s ever-changing marketplace.

Once again, products will be judged in their categories and awarded on their merits by an independent judging panel of 100+ respected industry experts during an extremely rigorous process. The Product of the Year accolade will be awarded to the product the judges agree is the best they have seen; in previous years, this has been awarded to Finnebrogue Artisan Naked Smoked Streaky Bacon, North Cork Creamery, and Meere’s Pork Products, among others. The Retailer of the Year Award will be presented to the best performing retailer across all the

categories. The Christmas categories recognise products designed specifically for sale during the festive season.

Comprehensive judges’ feedback An integral part of the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards is that every entry receives a comprehensive judges’ feedback on how the product meets and satisfies the criteria, even if the product does not reach the finalist stage. This provides all entrants with vital product insight from independent leading experts, which can be

Finnebrogue Artisan Naked Smoked Streaky Bacon: the 2021 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards Product of the Year.

Drummond House Irish Garlic Scape Sauce and Dip: winner of the Small Producer Award in 2021.

used as a valuable product development tool. Those awarded a Gold, Silver or Bronze will be given free use of the logos, which will be provided alongside a winner’s press kit. This guide will offer useful tips to winners on making the most of their win and maximising ROI. The Small Producer Award is open to companies with fewer than 10 staff and annual sales under €1m. This award offers artisan producers a suite of benefits, including a reduced entry fee, whilst still having the opportunity to be judged alongside larger companies.

Previous winners include Drummond House Irish Garlic Scape Sauce and Dip, Sage Restaurant Buttermilk Ranch and O’Neill’s Dry Cure Bacon Co.

Shining a light on excellence “Following on from yet another challenging year for the food and drink industry, the IQFDA are delighted to be returning to shine a light on those retailers, producers and suppliers who have excelled in their field,” noted Beckie Dart, Event Director.

“We look forward to discovering wonderful products and once again recognising those fantastic producers and retailers who have continued to provide for the people of Ireland. We are also very excited to see you all in person again this year for the Awards Ceremony that will take place in September in Dublin.”

For more information about how to enter the 2022 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, please visit: https://irish.qualityfoodawards.com/.

26|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping

Vaping body decries “failing approach” to Tobacco Free Ireland Ireland’s public health bodies’ continued dismissal of proven harm reduction options like vaping is having a detrimental effect on plans for a tobacco-free Ireland, according to Vape Business Ireland.

THE organisation representing vaping companies in Ireland believes that the Irish authorities’ refusal to recognise vaping as a valuable tool in smoking cessation is evidence of the State’s “failing approach” to a Tobacco Free Ireland by 2025.

Vape Business Ireland (VBI) made the claim after the publication of the Healthy Ireland Survey 2021 results published by the Department of Health, which revealed that smoking rates have risen from 17% to 18% over the last two years.

Commenting on the data, VBI National Spokesperson, Eoin O’Boyle, said that the results “represent a significant blow to the Government’s ambition of a tobacco free society by 2025”. He argued that our public health bodies’ continued dismissal of “proven harm reduction options like vaping” is at least partly responsible for the data. “This,” he stressed, “is in direct contrast to the UK, where smoking rates have been in long run decline, a trend supported by a pragmatic approach of adopting and promoting vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoked tobacco.”

O’Boyle continued: “While it’s encouraging to see 44% of smokers attempt to quit last year, only one in four quit attempts were successful. This must call into question the effectiveness of supports and the information, or lack of, on all options available to those trying to move away from smoking. If more extensive public information on all proven harm reduction options, including vaping, was provided by our health bodies, it would go long way to help increase the number successful quit attempts achieved.”

With respect to the use of vaping products, the 2021 Healthy Ireland Survey revealed that: • 4% of the population currently use vaping products, down 1% on the 2019 figure; • 6% of current smokers and 3% of nonsmokers in the population vape; • Among the non-smokers, vaping products are used by 10% of exsmokers and less than 1% of those who have never smoked; • 18% who tried to quit smoking in the last 12 months used vaping during this quit attempt.

“We are concerned that the ongoing misrepresentation and the one-sided nature of commentary on vaping could be having a damaging impact on those who intend to quit or switch to a less harmful alternative to smoking,” noted O’Boyle. “This is evidenced by a reduction in those who used vaping in an attempt to quit smoking over the last year. We know how challenging the

quit journey can be for most and creating unnecessary anxiety around proven harm reduction options like vaping is unhelpful at this critical starting point.”

E-vapour products are a significant market in Ireland, according to the latest report into the smokeless tobacco, e-vapour products and heated tobacco in Ireland from Euromonitor International. Open vaping systems continue to make up the largest product area and registered strong current value growth over the most recent reporting period.

Whilst e-vapour products will continue to see current value growth in the coming years, Euromonitor expect growth to slow in comparison to the last few years, in part due to the growing maturity of this category, as the number of adult vapers moves closer to saturation point.

However, new innovations will continue to ignite the category in the coming months, as many industry giants boost their nextgeneration product portfolios.

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE — CONTAINS NICOTINE NICOTINE IS AN ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE

YOUR PERFECT

ON-THE-GO COMPANION

EASILY SWITCH FLAVOUR LOW MAINTENANCE REDUCED LEAKAGE CONVENIENT

LogicVapesIE

logicvapes_ie

28|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping Logic Compact Since JTI launched Logic Compact three years ago, they have consistently innovated, adding new flavours, and grown their product range to meet adult consumers’ and customers’ needs.

Last year has been no different; JTI launched the Compact Intense Starter Kit in March. Designed especially for your customers, it includes four intense flavours to discover: American Tobacco, Peppermint, Berry Mint and new Banoffee.

Their e-liquids containing nicotine salts are designed to create a richer vapour which some adult consumers find more enjoyable and satisfying versus vaping e-liquids without nicotine salts. In July, JTI extended their flavour range with three new Logic Compact flavours: American Tobacco, Apple and Banoffee, available in 12mg/ml nicotine.

flavourings that their flavourists carefully measure in line with toxicological guidance to generate the perfect flavour.

The Vuse team conducts detailed analysis to test all the elements in the formula, and their flavourists then refine and re-engineer the vapour to improve the quality and ensure the purity of the vapour.

They also complete toxicological risk assessments on every ingredient in their e-liquids and all of their flavours.

At Vuse, they place huge emphasis on transparency, as building trust with

JTI’s Compact Intense Starter Kit includes a range of flavours for customers to discover.

JTI’s Salesforce and their customer services team are on hand to provide expert support and advice about the Logic range and help you maximise vaping category sales. You can order Logic products through their web ordering portal JTI Engage, your local JTI trade marketer, by calling JTI customer services on (01) 4045400, or through cash and carry.

Logic Compact from JTI Ireland: consistently innovating to meet adult consumers’ needs.

The vaping category has continued to grow and evolve, but one aspect that remains constant is JTI’s commitment to providing high quality products that meet strict standards.

You will see continued innovation and product enhancement for Logic Compact as JTI maintain their focus and resources on the growing Pod segment. “We don’t stand still at Logic so watch this space for more exciting news this year,” notes a company spokesperson.

Vuse At Vuse, from PJ Carroll, they put so much care and research into each and every e-liquid and product they make, to ensure they are using high-quality ingredients and offering consistent vapour quality.

“We take the matter of our ingredients very seriously, which is why our vapour consists only of highquality pharmaceutical and foodgrade ingredients,” noted a company spokesperson. “Our team of 50 scientists scrutinise every detail, from what goes into the e-liquids, to the vapour that comes out.”

Vuse e-liquids can contain up to five ingredients, two of which are Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG).

PG is a clear, almost odourless ingredient that carries the flavouring in the product and Vuse only use pharmaceutical-grade propylene glycol. VG is the second key ingredient which is slightly sweet in flavour and produces thicker vapour when heated.

To generate the flavour in their e-liquid formulas, Vuse only use food-grade

The hugely popular Vuse brand from PJ Carroll, where they place huge emphasis on building trust with customers on every ingredient used. your customers is critical. Being able to understand the ingredients that are in the product your consumers are purchasing is a great first step to building that trust.

Help your customers make the right purchase, by visiting the ‘Vape Quality Matters’ section at www.vuse.com/ie/en/ vape-quality-matters.

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30|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping Elf Bar Soaring demand for e-cigarettes and e-liquids is set to power the global vaping market ahead to $43 billion in the next few years. This represents growth of around 20.8% up to 2023. Elf Bar is the brand of choice in the disposable vaping category.

Elf Bar offers a strong opportunity to drive footfall, with all of the associated benefits of incremental sales across other categories.

Elf Bar as a perfect option for smokers looking to switch to vaping, and vapers looking for a secondary device. They are available now in Centra, SuperValu, BWG and Applegreen stores throughout Ireland.

“We are seeing a big interest in the product from the retail sector,” said Charlie McKenna, Sales Director, Creative Distribution. “Elf Bar is a very exciting product and demand is very strong.”

“The 10-pack CDU is proving a very popular option in the convenience sector, providing a straightforward solution for the retailer,” added Shane Horrigan, Managing Director, Tyco Distribution.

Elf Bar offers a convenient way to enjoy your favourite flavour of e-liquid without having to deal with any messy refills or coils that need replacing. It’s ideal for those on-the-go and the perfect solution for retailers.

Demand for Elf Bar is proving very strong in the retail sector.

Elf Bar is a leading disposable vape which is sweeping across the retail sector, fully TPD compliant with 20mg Nicotine and 2ml tank.

Elf Bar is distributed exclusively in Ireland by Tyco Distribution and Creative Distribution, the teams that brought the Hale Vaping brand to retail, one of Ireland’s leading distributors of vaping products, covering grocery, convenience and the vape specialist sectors.

Ordering Elf Bar products couldn’t be simpler; just call Tyco Distribution on (01) 5540172 or Creative Distribution on (01) 4504642.

Elf Bar is a leading disposable vape which is sweeping across the retail sector, fully TPD compliant with 20mg Nicotine and 2ml tank, and is ready to go with no buttons to press. Exclusively distributed in the Republic of Ireland by Tyco Distribution and Creative Distribution, the Elf Bar range offers the opportunity for increasing revenue across the vaping category.

The Elf Bar range of disposable eCigarettes has seen an explosion in popularity in the last number of months.

They are pre-filled devices with up to 600 puffs, and are available in a range of 12 exciting flavours, with a pre-charged battery so users can get started straight away. These premium devices contain 20mg (2%) Nicotine Salt, which delivers a smooth yet satisfying hit.

The ease of use of these devices, coupled with the powerful, mouthwatering flavours, have quickly established

Elf Bar is distributed exclusively in Ireland by Tyco Distribution and Creative Distribution, the teams that brought the Hale Vaping brand to retail.

The Elf Bar range of disposable eCigarettes has seen an explosion in popularity in the last number of months.

KEVIN’S MART We ran a small grocery shop on Kevin Street for over 30 years, specialising in selling short-dated or out-of-date alcohol, chocolate, biscuits and minerals.

I sold the shop to one of the staff members three years ago, but continue to trade many different items.

If you have stock taking up space such as machinery, trucks, fork lifts, pallets and plastic crates, don’t hesitate to call me.

• I usually get Easter eggs at keen prices.

• A few thousand Garth Brooks cowboy hats are available.

• If you know someone in the vending or ice cream business, please give them my number.

• We always have toilet rolls, refuse sacks and bottled water at low prices.

If someone is interested in buying stock for a fun day or charity event, we can do a deal on a sale or return basis.

For more information, call me PHONE-ALT, John Cryan, on 087 2233806.

Retail News Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

in your pocket or on your desktop Subscribe FREE to our online magazine and newsletter at: www.retailnews.ie info@retailnews.ie @RetailNews1

You’ll be in good company at MACE Line up with MACE brand ambassador Johnny Sexton and the rest of our winning team.

At

MACE, we’re looking for retailers who bring a smile to work every day to join our amazing team.

Take the first step and get in touch with Andrew or Liam who can give you a full introduction to what the MACE brand and MACE team can do for your business.

Our new stores are designed to be both bright and welcoming, to place you at the heart of the community in which you serve.

To find out more, contact:

Speaking of service, our quality fresh foods and innovations meet the ever-changing needs of people and have been proven to drive profitable sales increases for MACE Retailers.

You will have the support of our experienced team around Ireland, along with award winning marketing to grow your business.

Andrew McCann (Regional Manager North) amccann@bwg.ie / 086 041 4334 Liam Attridge (Regional Manager South) lattridge@bwg.ie / 086 852 1362

www.mace.ie facebook.com/MACEIreland

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twitter.com/@MACEIreland

Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie|33

Dairyglen Ice Cream

The dairy best When it comes to soft serve ice cream, smart retailers choose Dairyglen, according to Alexandra Smith, Brand Manager.

“THERE are lots of elements to consider before you begin trading with ice cream,” smiles Alexandra Smith, Brand Manager,

Dairyglen. “We’ve helped everyone from small coffee shops to large fast-food chains, so if you’re looking for answers, you’re in the right place.”

Understanding ‘overrun’ Ice cream comes in many different forms, Alexandra explains, and if you want to offer the best quality to your customers, you’ll need to start with a good quality ice cream mix and an understanding of the term ‘overrun’.

“Overrun refers to the amount of air in your ice cream mix and Dairyglen can help their retail partners to source is directly responsible the right equipment and create a winning ice for your profit margins cream concept. and the quality of your soft serve,” she reveals.

The more air in your mix, the lighter and • Menu creation; fluffier the ice cream; and conversely, the • Continued care: Dairyglen have a less air you put into the mix, the heavier team of qualified service engineers and more dense it will be. “The higher to maintain, service and clean the overrun, the more product you get your machine all year round. to make, which means higher profits,” “We implement a 4D Bluetooth Alexandra reveals, but warns that too technology in our machines that much air, however, can be perceived as a allows us to control/resolve any sign of low-quality product. issues you may have from a remote Ingredients will influence overrun, but location,” Alexandra explains. the type of the machine you use will also have a considerable impact, so you need Why Dairyglen? to prioritise both a premium ice cream You’re only as good as the menu you mix and a suitable ice cream machine serve, the equipment you have and the that will optimise your overrun. support you receive. “With our knowledge of the industry, we guarantee no one If you’re not sure where to start, knows more than we do. We’ll think of Dairyglen can help you with: everything. We understand the market, stay on top of trends, and keep up-to-date • Sourcing the right equipment; on recommend practices,” Alexandra • Creating your concept: Do you want a concludes. “Believe it or not - most recognised ice cream brand? Contact successful ice cream businesses you Dairyglen to find out more about know started with Dairyglen.” their Smooch brand or they can For more information, contact create your own concept for you; Dairyglen on (01) 2865000 or email • Setup and fitout; info@dairyglen.ie.

34|Retail News|March 2022|www.retailnews.ie

NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards

Carrigaline store named Off-Licence of the Year Galvin’s Carry Out, Carrigaline, Co. Cork, was named National Off-Licence of the Year at the 26th NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards.

THE National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) have announced the winners of their annual Off-Licence of the Year Awards 2022, which are now in their 26th year. The Awards, which are usually held at the Honourable Society of King’s Inns, were hosted online again this year, with plans to return to the in-person ceremony for next year’s event.

NOffLA, which was established in 1991, represents independent specialist off-licences across Ireland, with the sector representing 5,900 jobs in 26 counties. The Awards recognise and showcase the excellence of independent offlicences and highlight those retailers that offer exceptional service to customers and demonstrate excellence in retail standards.

High level of expertise and innovation “Tonight is a celebration of all that is great about the independent off-licence sector and community retailing,” noted NOffLA Chairman, Gary O’Donovan. “We are delighted to showcase the high level of expertise and innovation demonstrated by our members and the exceptional standard of service offered to their customers throughout the year. While we are all looking forward to a brighter year ahead, we hope the ethos of ‘shopping local’ and ‘supporting community businesses’ remains.”

Gary acknowledged that “The impact of the pandemic and closure of the hospitality sector for the best part of two years has had a devastating impact on the wider drinks sector. Their lack of trade has also had significant knock-on implications for our suppliers, as the overall industry has declined significantly.”

In this context, he argued, Government must now “seriously consider policy measures to assist the sector to get back on its feet and this must start with Irish excise rates, which remain the highest in Europe”.

“We now have Minimum Unit Pricing in place, a targeted alcohol pricing policy that prevents alcohol being retailed at dangerously low prices and so Ireland’s punitively high excise regime can no longer be justified in the name of public health,” stressed the NOffLA Chair. “It is so important that Government grants an excise reduction to help support these struggling businesses as they try to re-establish themselves.”

The Awards, which included 36 finalists, saw Galvin’s Carry Out, Carrigaline, awarded National Off-Licence of the Year 2022, O’Donovan’s Off-Licence Group awarded Responsible Retailer of the Year 2022, and 64 Wine, Glasthule, awarded Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year 2022.

An unbelievable feeling Barry Galvin, owner of Galvin’s Carry Out, was absolutely

Dave Kinsella and Victoria Alexander, store managers from Galvin’s Carry Out, Carrigaline, Co. Cork, pictured accepting the National Off-Licence of the Year Award from Gary O’Donovan, NOffLA Chairman. thrilled when his store in Carrigaline, Co. Cork, was named the overall winner. “It was an unbelievable feeling,” he tells Retail News. “My father won the title in 1996 for his shop in Douglas, so it felt like a lifetime achievement for me to bring the title back to Cork.”

Barry grew up in the off-trade, learning from his father, who has now retired, before eventually opening his first store in Carrigaline as a fresh-faced 24-year-old in 2004. He was “shaking” when his store was named as the winner: “I’ve been going to the NOffLA awards for probably 25 years, so to win was unexpected, to say the least. I was beyond shocked. I couldn’t believe it.”

Within 24 hours of the winners being announced, the award was proudly on display in the store. Barry attributes their success to the hard work and dedication of his staff over many years. “There is no bluffing this award – you can’t just look pretty on the day,” he stresses. “There is a hell of a lot more to it, which involves the whole staff. The effort my staff put in during Covid was unbelievable, because it was a very tough time from all sides, from the supply side to the customers, in terms of how busy it was. To maintain such a high standard during Covid was mentally and physically draining, so winning this award is a tribute to the staff.”

An ever-changing business The off-licence business is constantly changing, with recent years bringing a huge rise in the popularity of craft beers, the

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NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards gin revolution and the continued rise of Irish whiskey, to name but three trends driving change in the sector. While cognisant of these and other changes, Barry stresses that the Carrigaline store was ahead of the curve in terms of carrying a massive range of brands. The store’s significant size Barry Galvin, owner, Galvin’s Carry allows it to stock a Out, Carrigaline: National Offhuge range across Licence of the Year 2022. beers, wines and spirits.

“If you don’t have it, you can’t sell it,” he laughs. He cites the example of the massive growth in at-home cocktail culture over the last two years: “We have had brands like Passoa and Aperol in stock for more than 15 years; years ago, we might have sold a bottle a month and now we buy it by the pallet.”

Barry points out that the fact that he buys internationally ensures his prices are competitive, and he can stock superpremium products, across all categories, with a strong range of premium wines, while also emphasising that some of his whiskeys sell for thousands of euro per bottle.

He has noticed customers’ increasing willingness to trade up to more premium products, particularly when it comes to wine. “People are willing to spend €50 or €60 on a bottle The off-licence business of wine and they know they is constantly changing, will see the benefit in terms of product quality. They are getting reflected in the product something unbelievable for their range stocked at Galvin’s Carry Out, Carrigaline. money,” Barry says.

So what does the independent off-licence offer that the multiple or discounter doesn’t?

While he points to the range stocked as a key differentiator, trained and knowledgeable staff make the biggest difference, according to Barry: “These are staff that care, staff that will listen, staff that know the customer. If you go into Carrigaline, Dave [Kinsella] will probably know what beer you had last Friday night; if you liked it, he’ll advise you to try another one next, and if not, he’ll find a different style of beer for you. We change our craft beer range every month, so it’s always interesting. I have a few hundred whiskeys, at least a hundred gins, the same with vodka, so the range is there and the staff have massive knowledge about the range.”

Barry owns three Carry Out stores, as well as a wholesale business, and so was able to stock up on certain hard-tofind brands during the pandemic, as he had the space to do so, storing them in his wholesale space. This factor no doubt contributed to the fact that his three Carry Outs were amongst the busiest in the country in recent years.

In closing, Barry attributes the Carrigaline store’s award win to the staff in the shop, led by Victoria Alexander and Dave

Galvin’s Carry Out, Carrigaline, Co. Cork: National OffLicence of the Year 2022.

Kinsella, while also paying tribute to Evelyn Jones, Government Affairs Director, and the team in NOffLA, for flying the flag for independent off-licences.

Award winners All 36 finalists were awarded Certificates of Excellence and a Customer Service Award based on their performance. The full list of winners included: 1.

The Champagne Ayala Best First Time Entrant 2022 – Carry Out Ballinasloe 2. The Peroni Nastro Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year 2022 – 64 Wine, Glasthule 3. The El Coto Customer Service Award of the Year 2022 – Molloy’s Clondalkin 4. The Redbreast Spirit Specialist of the Year 2022 – Higgin’s Off-Licence, Clonskeagh 5. The Guinness Beer Specialist of the Year 2022 – James Redmond & Sons, Ranelagh 6. The Dona Paula Wine Specialist of the Year 2022 – Jus De Vine, Portmarnock 7. The Hennessy Munster Off-Licence of the Year 2022 – Carry Out The Reeks, Killarney 8. The Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Connacht/Ulster Off-Licence of the Year 2022 – Dicey’s Off-Licence, Ballyshannon 9. The Alpha Zeta Leinster Off-Licence of the Year 2022 – The Wine Centre, Kilkenny 10. The Bombay Sapphire Dublin Off-Licence of the Year 2022 – McHugh’s Off-Licence, Malahide Road 11. The NOffLA RTC Online Trainee of the Year 2022 – Robert O’Brien, McHugh’s Off-Licence, Malahide Road 12. The NOffLA Responsible Retailer of the Year 2022 – O’Donovan’s Off-Licence Group 13. The NOffLA National Off-Licence of the Year 2022 – Galvin’s Carry Out Carrigaline Judging for the Awards involves an examination of over 100 aspects of each entrant’s business and the process was altered this year to align with Government Covid-19 guidelines.

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On the Vine

Wines for Easter Jean Smullen examines some of the latest additions to and best value offers on the Irish wine market for Easter.

FAMILY get-togethers are likely to be very much on the agenda this Easter as Covid restrictions fade into the distance. Despite rising prices, expect to see a surge in spending on food and drink over the Easter holiday weekend as this year, families gather to celebrate together. As winter turns to spring, we can also expect to see a greater demand for lighter wine styles and for low- and no-alcohol products, as consumer interest in more moderate drinking continues to increase. Consumption of no- and lowalcohol is projected to increase 31% by 2024, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis’ No- and Low Alcohol Strategic Study 2021.

Research shows that approximately two out of five wine drinkers globally are reducing their alcohol intake. Those who are actively reducing their alcohol intake are more likely to do so by not drinking alcohol at some occasions. This trend for moderate alcohol consumption is being driven by younger consumers, those under 35 years old.

The popularity of rosé wine continues, Rosé accounts for 7% share of the Irish wine market, which currently stands at 10m cases (2020 figure). To put this into context, in 2016, rosé had a market share of 3% and

its growth since then has steadily continued.

According to the 2020 Drinks Ireland Wine report, white wine is the most popular category, with 48% of sales, while red wine sales account for 45% of the market. The other noticeable trend is the growth in organic and sustainably produced wines and the consumer’s interest in buying these products.

From the perspective of wine brands, figures to December 2021 show that last year despite the logistics issues, Santa Rita retained its position during 2021 as the number one wine brand on the Irish market, just ahead of Concha y Toro in second place.

E&J Gallo, McGuigan, Dada, Wolf Blass and Torres all managed to hold their positions at the top of the wine brand leaderboard in terms of both volume and value sales during 2021.

Easter this year takes place on Sunday, April 17, and we can expect to see lots of promotional activity in-store in the run-up to the holiday weekend. Bearing the market trends in mind, we now take look at some of the great offers and new wines that the importing companies have to offer their customers for spring 2022.

Santa Rita retained its position during 2021 as the number one wine brand on the Irish market.

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On the Vine Ampersand Ampersand have just launched the eco-conscious Melea range of wine. The rosé from the range won a Silver Star Award at the 2021/22 Irish Wine Show Awards, organised by NOffLA. Melea is a brand new range of organic and vegan wines from Spain.

Named after the Anthophora Melea, a rare species of bee, the wines are produced from grapes grown in the Cuenca region of La Mancha, where they are dry farmed. The vineyard is organic and the wines are produced using wild yeasts. The owners are William and Barbara Long, who stitched the bee motif used on the label using recycled threads. The Melea range was voted best wine launch in 2019 by Drinks Business. As well as the rosé, the Melea range includes a white wine, made from a blend of Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc, and a red made from 100% Tempranillo, with an RRP of €11.99.

Barry & Fitzwilliam This spring, a number of the key brands imported by Barry & Fitzwilliam will be on offer in the run-up to Easter. New Zealand, still a very strong category despite the supply difficulties, is always in demand, especially for special events. The 2021 vintage, although smaller than usual, was very good in terms of quality. The mid-priced Villa Maria Private Bin Range will be on offer at €12-13 in Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Centra, Carry Out and independent off-licences.

Still punching high in the brand stakes is Australia’s McGuigan range, and McGuigan Black Label will be on offer during April for RRP €9 in Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Centra, Carry Out and other independent off-licences.

Supply issues in New Zealand this year mean that the

McGuigan Black Label will be on offer during April for RRP €9.

popular Graham Norton GN wine will be sourcing its juice from South Africa. The 2021 Graham Norton South African Sauvignon Blanc (RRP €15) will be on offer at €12 in Dunnes Stores this Easter.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s 2021 Invivo X (SJP) Sauvignon Blanc (RRP €18), produced in association with the New Zealand winery Invivo, has been awarded 92-points by Wine Spectator. This is the third consecutive year the wine has been awarded 90+ points since it was first launched in 2019. The latest 2021 release of Invivo X, SJP Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, was also given a 90-point rating by the American wine critic James Suckling. Sales of this wine between 2019 and 2021 have increased substantially on the Irish market, with a volume increase in sales of +169%. The Irish wine consumer loves the quality of this wine, which will be on offer at €16 this Easter in SuperValu and Centra stores.

With lamb the main choice for Easter Sunday in many households, why not recommend a Bordeaux wine with an Irish heritage? The Michel Lynch range will be on offer at €12.49 this Easter in Dunnes Stores, SuperValu and Centra, as well as in Carry Out and other independent off-licences. Finally, don’t miss the offers for Sherry this Easter, with Harveys Bristol Cream and Tio Pepe from Gonzalez Byass on offer at €14 in Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Centra, Carry Out and other independents.

Bibendum Ireland Bibendum Ireland have a new Spanish wine produced in North West Spain in the DO Valdeorras, which is in the innermost zone of Galicia on the border with Castilla y Leon. The region takes its name from the Roman gold mines, a big industry in the region two thousand years ago. It was awarded a DO in 1977 but didn’t really start exporting its wines until relatively recently. With the rise in terms of fame of the nearby DO Rias Baixas, famous for their white grape Albariño, the producers in Valdeorras have benefitted Bibendum Ireland have from the interest in wines introduced the 2021 from Galicia and are now Maruxa Godello: a fresh, gaining recognition for their crisp and fruity style of wines, made from their local white wine. indigenous grapes.

Their two best known native grapes are Godello (white) and Mencía (red). Most of the vineyards are situated in the valley of the River Sil, which has some limestone but mostly alluvial fertile soil. The region is influenced by the Atlantic weather fronts, though not as much as Rias Baixas, which is right on the coast. Valdeorras is the most inland Galician wine region and the climate here is more

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On the Vine and white. The white is made from Jacquère, a grape native to the region, produced in Les Marches, St Baldoph and Apremont. This is a very aromatic floral wine with fresh citrus fruit. The red is made from the native Mondeuse grape, produced Francin, Chignin and Jongieux. Mondeuse offers plenty of firm tannin and makes a robust wine with black fruit and a pepper finish, ideal with lamb.

Viña Santa Rita, whose wine portfolio is distributed in Ireland

by Bibendum Ireland, is one of the strongest players in the Irish on and off-trade market. This year, Viña Santa Rita will continue its investment with the roll-out of a new marketing initiative centred around driving their premium wines. Best known for Ireland’s most loved wine brand, Santa Rita 120, this year the Chilean wine brand are focusing their attention on the Medalla Real Reserva and Gran Reserva tier, with a nationwide campaign in support of current listings and to increase brand awareness of the Santa Rita wine offering in the premium sector.

The ‘Medalla Real – You Deserve It’ advertising campaign features the product at the heart of the creative, celebrating the experience and pleasure of Medalla Real wines through a series of ‘You deserve it’ moments. This international campaign, based around culture and the arts, has been adapted specifically for the Irish market and is the first campaign in a series of planned promotional activities dedicated to the Medalla Real brand. The campaign will include TV advertising via RTE, VMS, TG4 and Sky Media, programmatic advertising and a social media push through Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, along with a bottle drop to targeted influencers.

They will also be launching their new ‘de-alcoholised’ wine within the Santa Rita 120 range. There are two wines, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon, which are being launched into the Irish market in March 2022. The wine is made using traditional methods, with dealcoholisation taking place after alcoholic fermentation is completed. The method used to dealcoholise the wine is the spinning cone column distillation process, with the resulting wine containing 0.4% alcohol and residual sugar of 30 g/L. The RRP will be €7.50, but look out for the promotional price of €6.

Bibendum also distribute the Dona Paula Estate wines from Argentina, with the benchmark Dona Paula Estate Malbec retailing in SuperValu at €15.99.

Bibendum Ireland have introduced wines from the little known French wine region Savoie, produced by the Perrier family, including the 2020 Jean Perrier Mondeuse in both red and white. continental than maritime.

Bibendum Ireland have the 2021 Maruxa Godello (case price €75). The Virgen del Galir winery is located in Éntoma, a small village in Ourense. It has been part of the CVNE family since 2018.

Godello, an aromatic white grape on the verge of extinction, was revived in the 1970s and more recently has started to gain a cult following among wine enthusiasts.

The region is best known for producing joven wines (wines with no ageing, young wine) and Godello is ideally suited to this as it makes a fresh, crisp and fruity style of white wine. They also offer the 2020 Maruxa Mencía (case price €75). This wine is unoaked with a pure and lush palate of red fruits. A slate-like minerality balances the fresh fruit and translates the terroir driven winemaking; this wine is an exquisite and true expression of Mencía made with care and talent.

Bibendum Ireland are also offering wines from the little know French wine region Savoie, produced by the Perrier family. The 2020 Jean Perrier Mondeuse (case price €75) comes in both red

Comans Beverages Mionetto Prosecco, Italy’s favourite brand of Prosecco, is now available in Ireland. On international markets, Mionetto Prosecco achieves the highest volume sales, where it outperforms many other leading Prosecco brands. With its distinctive premium labelling from the Prestige Selection, there are three wines in the range: Mionetto DOC Treviso Spumante Brut (RRP €20), Mionetto DOC Rosé Prosecco (RRP €20), and Mionetto DOC Treviso Frizzante (RRP €11-12). All punch well above their weight in terms of their price/quality ratio.

As predicted, the new drink trend is Rosé Prosecco, where wines made from a blend of Glera (85%) and Pinot Noir (15%) developed a significant following. This brand new wine style was formally authorised in November 2020 and since then has grown substantially on the global market. With overall sales of rosé wines growing fast on the Irish market, this augurs extremely well for sales of Mionetto DOC Rosé Prosecco in the run-up to this Easter.

Comans are also highlighting other wines in their portfolio, including the 2021 Two Tracks Sauvignon Blanc­( RRP €14).

Wither Hills was founded by Brent Maris and is located just under the Wither Hills, the mountain range that acts as a border to the Marlborough region. Two Tracks is their second label and is a fresh style of Sauvignon Blanc. This wine style is still very much in demand and this is a benchmark version and a ‘must stock’ this Easter.

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On the Vine From a very historic family estate in DO Navarra in Spain comes the 2017 Ochoa Tempranillo Crianza (RRP €16) and the 2013 Ochoa Reserva (RRP €22), produced by the sixth generation of the Ochoa family, one of the best known producers from the region. Navarra was awarded its own DO in 1958. Navarra is one province but within it there are two DO’s. The DO Navarra and the DOCa Rioja, the latter in six districts to the south in the Baja region. Navarra has been working very hard to drag itself out of the shadow of its famous neighbour. The key to their success lies in the fact that many of the producers are now organic farmers and 40% of wines exported from the DO Navarra region are organic.

Comans Beverages also have the Maschio Prosecco Frizzante and Maschio Prosecco Pinot Rosa Frizzante (both with an RRP of €13). The Prosecco Pinot Rosa is made from a blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Nero (Noir) with a low ABV of 11% and lots of fresh berry fruit flavours, and is a ‘must stock’. The Prosecco Frizzante is also worth a look at this price.

Findlater & Co This Easter, Findlater & Co have a range of Zero Alcohol wines and spirits. They are offering a non-alcoholic range of spirits called Clean Co, which picked up three medals for taste at the IWSR The Natureo range industry awards: Golds for Clean G and Clean G Rhubarb, and a bronze of zero alcohol wines from Findlater & Co has for Clean R. The Clean Co range of a new fresh image and non-alcoholic spirits includes Gin, the packaging enjoys Rum, Rhubarb Gin, Tequila and a modern, distinctive Vodka. design.

Alcohol free wine these days is very drinkable and there are many new styles with lots of fruit flavours. Findlater & Co have the original and one of the best, the Natureo range from the Spanish winery giant Torres, who were one of the first to introduce a drinkable alcohol-free wine. Using the very aromatic Moscatel grape, this wine is made using a complex process that leaves no alcohol. It has lovely freshness with green apple fruit flavours and is very good with food, especially fish or chicken.

The Natureo range now has a new fresh image and the packaging has a modern, and distinctive design, with the same bottle (Rhine) for the whole range, in order to have a consistent look. Each variety is linked to a flower that embodies the wine inside. The new packaging makes the range much more visible on shelves. The Natureo still wine range includes a red, white and rosé, while there is also a Natureo Sparkling wine.

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard This Easter, look out look for two of the key brands distributed on the Irish market by Irish Distillers Pernod Richard. First up from New Zealand is the new look 2021 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc. The new label is blue and gold and has an upside down Kiwiana sheep, so you can’t miss it! The 2021 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc has tomato leaf aromas, citrus acidity and a

sweet lemon/lime fruit flavour.

Their Campo Viejo range from Rioja, which was in 12th position last year in the Top 20 Wine Brands, is another very popular wine in the Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard portfolio. The Spanish use an ageing system broken into three categories, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva The idea is to present consumers with an instantly drinkable wine.

Make sure you stock the Campo Viejo Reserva made from 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. It has been aged for 18 months in American and French-oak casks (50%). This wine has a lovely composition of fruit flavours that includes cherries, black plum and ripe blackberries. The ageing gives hints of clove, pepper and vanilla. As we come into spring and Easter, this is the perfect wine to recommend for your customers to serve with roast lamb with rosemary and all the trimmings.

Faustino I Gran Reserva, a perennial favourite amongst Irish wine consumers.

Campo Viejo, one of the most popular Rioja wines in Ireland.

Richmond Marketing Bodegas Faustino, located in Oyón, Rioja Alavesa, enjoys international renown earned over more than 150 years of experience in the production and ageing of premium wines. Rioja is located in northern Spain, around 80 miles to the south and southeast of Bilbao. The top three export markets for Rioja are the UK (33%), Germany (15.2%) and the US (9.5%), with Ireland (2.54%) in 11th position globally. Rioja sales are strong on this market and Faustino is the second most popular Rioja brand on the Irish market and currently in 15th place in the Top 20 Wine Brand table.

The range includes Faustino I Gran Reserva (Red), Faustino V Reserva (Red), Faustino V (White), Faustino VII (Red) and Faustino VII (White), as well as the Faustino Art collection, which has a white (Chardonnay), a rosé and a red (Crianza). Caroly Keegan of Richmond Marketing told Retail News that this year Faustino VII will launch two new varietal wines into their range, the Faustino VII Sauvignon Blanc and Faustino VII Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Drinks News Tánaiste opens Bulmers Sustainability Project LEO Varadkar TD, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, officially opened C&C Group’s new Sustainability Project at the Bulmers Cider manufacturing facility in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, recently. The Bulmers Sustainability Project includes the installation of what is now the largest rooftop solar panel farm in Ireland, which will reduce the Clonmel site’s carbon emissions by 4%, saving 286,746kg of CO2 per year and almost 10m kgs over the next 20 years.

Additionally, the company committed significant investment into ‘dry end’ packaging machinery to reduce the environmental impact and ecological footprint of consumer packaging. As of January 2022, plastic is no longer used in the packaging of C&C Group’s canned products in Clonmel, which will result in 100m mid-cone rings per annum being removed from the environment.

Pictured are (l-r): Senator Garret Ahearne; Pat Halley, General Manager, Bulmers; Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD; David Forde, CEO, C&C Group; Deirdre Clune MEP; Cllr Michael Murphy; Cllr John Fitzgerald; Cllr Marie Murphy; Anthony Dignam, Project Manager, Bulmers; and Derek Nolan, Packaging Manager, Bulmers.

Connacht Distillery Southern Comfort brings Mardi Gras to unveils new Head Lost Lane SOUTHERN Comfort recently teamed up with Hot Distiller Press magazine to host a Mardi Gras themed night in Lost Lane, Dublin, with entertainers, jugglers, stilt walkers and surprises around every corner. Live acts on the night included rising star Bobbi Arlo, as well as one of the country’s most lauded live acts, Booka Brass. “The return to live events has been a long time coming and we are delighted to finally be able to put on a show for Southern Comfort lovers,” revealed Laura Scott, Brand Manager of Southern Comfort with Hi-Spirits Ireland. Pictured are Lost Lane bartender Toni Mrsic and Mardi Gras Dancers from MaSamba, Laila Bertolino and Samantha Lima.

THE Connacht Distillery have announced the appointment of Ryan Friesen as their new Head Distiller.

Collaborating closely with Master Distiller Robert Cassell, Ryan will be responsible for the production process from brewing to distillation, maintaining the award-winning quality of distillates. He will also lead future innovation across spirits categories, with a focus on whiskey, at the Ballina-based distillery, which has developed an exciting portfolio of brands including Conncullin Irish Gin, Straw Boys Irish Vodka and Connacht Single Malt Batch 1 Irish Whiskey - the first whiskey to be distilled in Co. Mayo in over 150 years.

Irish Distillers donate historical letters to the National Gallery IRISH Distillers have marked the donation of a historical file of correspondence between Andrew Jameson and Augustus John, the foremost portrait painter of his day, to the National Gallery of Ireland. The correspondence relates to a portrait of Andrew Jameson, the greatgrandson of John Jameson, which was commissioned but never completed. The portrait was intended to equal those of Bow Street founder John Jameson and Margaret Haig painted by Sir Henry Raeburn, which are now on display in the National Gallery of Ireland. Although the portrait of Andrew was never completed, the correspondence between the two men, which dated from October 1938 to June 1940, was preserved in the Irish Distillers archives and donated to the National Gallery in 2020. “The Jameson family has been a consistent supporter of the Arts for generations and although the portrait of Andrew was never completed, these letters offer an insight into the family’s rich connections with the art world,” noted Carol Quinn, Head of Archives at Irish Distillers, pictured with Leah Benson, Archivist for the National Gallery of Ireland, in the Grand Gallery under portraits of John Jameson and his wife Margaret Haig by Sir Henry Raeburn.

Clonakilty Distillery win at World Vodka and Whiskies Awards

CLONAKILTY Distillery have added another two awards to their growing collection of accolades, after their Minke Vodka was named Best Irish Varietal Vodka at the recent World Vodka Awards and their Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish Special won in the Single Malt Small Batch category at the World Whiskies Awards 2022. “It’s a credit to the team here to be able to win awards in two different categories of spirits,” noted Paul Corbett, Head Distiller at Clonakilty Distillery.

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Drinks News Guinness begin Regenerative Agriculture Pilot project

GUINNESS are undertaking one of the most ambitious regenerative agriculture pilots to take place on the island of Ireland. This extensive, three-year farm-based programme intends to highlight opportunities for reducing the carbon emissions of barley production. The key outcomes are expected to include: improvements in soil health and its carbon sequestration potential; enhanced biodiversity; reduction in synthetic fertiliser use; enhanced water quality; and improved farmer livelihoods.

The ambition is for the barley grown to be used to brew Guinness. In the first phase in 2022, the programme will begin with at least 40 farms across spring and winter barley sowing. As the pilot develops, many more farmers will be engaged to take part. Pictured are Grainne Wafer, Guinness Global Brand Director, Diageo Ireland, alongside Walter Furlong, Cooney Furlong Grain, Co. Wexford.

Irish Distillers reveal half-year results IRISH Distillers have announced results for the first half of their financial year (ending December 31, 2021). Jameson sold 5.8m cases (+22%) in the first six months of the financial year to December 2021, the highest ever H1 volume for Jameson. Within the broader Jameson family, Jameson Black Barrel recorded growth of 35% globally versus the same period last year, successfully capitalising on the growing consumer trend towards more premium brands, while Redbreast saw record volume growth (+19%), and the Spot range recorded volume growth of 7%, its highest ever half year volume growth. In Ireland, both Jameson and Irish Distillers’ prestige portfolio of whiskeys enjoyed a strong performance, with Jameson recording +13% volume growth compared to the same period last year. “Jameson is in growth in all key regions around the world, demonstrating the ever-increasing affinity for the brand on a global level,” noted Conor McQuaid (pictured), Chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers. “New generations of consumers and changing lifestyles are boosting this growth and we will continue to ignite, or in many cases re-ignite, a passion for Irish whiskey in markets around the world.”

Award winning Clean Co

This Easter, make Findlater & Co your one stop shop for Zero Alcohol wines and spirits. They are offering a non-alcoholic range of spirits called Clean Co. Clean Co picked up 3 medals for taste at the IWSR industry awards: Golds for Clean G & Clean G Rhubarb, and a bronze for Clean R. The Clean Co range of non-alcoholic spirits includes Gin, Rum, Rhubarb Gin, Tequila and Vodka.

Powerscourt Distillery celebrates Imbolc THE ancient Irish feast of Imbolc (spring) was celebrated in style at The Powerscourt Distillery on February 18. The first day of Imbolc coincides with Brigid’s Day, and the celebration at the Powerscourt Distillery used the occasion to celebrate the connections between Brigid and her associations with brewing, farming, nature and hospitality. Guests were welcomed with a cocktail called Brigid’s Cloak, made using Fercullen Irish Whiskey and Irish ingredients made by female producers, with vermouth from Valentia Island Vermouth and bitters from Beara Bitters. Following a drinks reception, Caroline Gardiner, Head of Marketing at Powerscourt Distillery, introduced the two panel discussions, chaired by broadcaster Suzanne Campbell and curated by the Food and Beverage Specialist at the Distillery, Santina Kennedy.

New creative campaign from Bulmers Light

BULMERS Light are encouraging consumers to look to the lighter side of life with their new Floaty Little Devils campaign, which is running for six weeks across TV, out of home, digital, PR, radio, social and in-trade activity. The campaign aims to highlight the brand’s low calorie and taste credentials whilst bringing Bulmers Light’s unique sense of humour to life. The campaign kicked off with a new TV commercial, which sees the Bulmers Light team harvesting the special floating apples, and personifies the brand’s unique tone of voice, connecting with Irish consumers who are looking for a lower calorie option without compromising on taste or personality. “Floaty Little Devils delivers all the key elements of the Bulmers brand story but does it with a light twist,” noted Karl Donnelly, Marketing Director, Bulmers Ireland.

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Irish Gin Strategy

New growth strategy for gin Ireland’s gin producers and brand owners have unveiled a new strategy to grow sales over the coming years.

IRISH gin producers and brand owners have revealed a new strategy to maintain market share and grow sales by 2026. The plan sets out a range of goals and actions to drive exports in key markets, develop a vibrant domestic market, support the viability of Irish gin distilleries and ensure the quality and standards of Irish gin are protected.

There are now at least 37 distilleries on the island of Ireland producing Irish gin, with over 70 brands. The Irish Gin Strategy 2022-2026 from Drinks Ireland - Spirits, the all-island trade body, details how gin has experienced a number of years of very fast growth, where sales soared. Between 2014 and 2020 the category grew by 184%.

While the ‘boom’ has been slowing in recent years, 2020 was the first year where Irish gin and overall gin sales declined, as a direct result of the pandemic. As the on-trade reopens, and Global Travel Retail recovers, it’s anticipated that the category will return to pre-pandemic levels over time, and the new strategy details plans to drive strong and sustainable growth in the years ahead.

The strategy outlines how the sector plans to further grow the category domestically, by highlighting the local nature of Irish gin products and the important role they play in the economic viability of the hinterlands that their producers and brand owners are based in.

Currently, Ireland is the dominant market for Irish gin, but the strategy puts a heavy focus on driving export growth, earmarking the UK, USA, The Irish Gin Strategy 2022-2026 from Germany, Canada Drinks Ireland - Spirits, outlines how the and Global Travel sector plans to further grow the category Retail as the key domestically and internationally. targets in the coming years.

Asia, and China specifically, has also been identified as a target market, due to its size, growing stature and the value it

places on heritage, which Irish distilling has, and innovation which drives much of the Irish gin category.

A world leader Irish gin is a premium plus product which has been established as a world leader in terms of quality and authenticity. This has and will continue to be key to positioning the category internationally, according to Drinks Ireland - Spirits.

Overall, The Irish Gin Strategy 2022-2026 sets out four goals for the category, with a number of corresponding actions: 1.

2.

3.

4.

To promote world-leading standards for quality and authenticity; To sustain a vibrant home market for Irish gin; To promote Irish gin worldwide, starting in the key target markets; To support the viability of Irish gin distilleries.

Protecting the Irish gin category “The Irish gin sector has grown extremely quickly in recent years, driven by innovative and ambitious producers and brand owners, dedicated to creating quality and authentic products,” noted David Boyd-Armstrong, Chairman of the Drinks Ireland - Spirits’ Irish gin working group, and joint founder and Head Distiller of Rademon Estate Distillery, which creates Shortcross Gin. “Our strategy will enable the industry to take advantage of the opportunities in the domestic and international market and face the various challenges ahead.

“A key part of our strategy centres on protecting the Irish gin category, and we will be working to seek the introduction of rules covering the marketing and labelling of Irish gin in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to ensure consumers know what they are buying.”

Vincent McGovern, Director of Drinks Ireland – Spirits, said, “Irish gin has been a true national success story in recent years.

Our members employ dozens of people across both urban and rural Ireland, producing this much-loved spirit and exporting to markets across the globe. Following a number of years of very fast growth, and in the context of the ever-changing national and international conditions, there was the need for a fresh strategy for the sector, to ensure it can recover from Covid-19, and continue to grow in the years ahead.”

For more information or to download a copy of the Irish Gin Strategy, visit: www.ibec.ie/drinksireland.

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Retail Management

How retailers can do more with less

A new approach to management could provide retailers with a significant competitive advantage, writes Dominic Ashley-Timms, CEO of Notion.

IN a new survey, 94% of retail leaders say they are concerned about talent shortages in 2022. Meanwhile, employee engagement levels continue to decline. It’s now imperative that retailers find ways to cultivate highly engaging workplaces (that people don’t want to leave) and equip their managers to do more with less to ensure both their short and long-term survival.

To investigate whether a new approach to management could give organisations the advantage they need, a large business-led trial was undertaken. Could ‘Operational Coaching’ be the answer to driving higher levels of productivity from the retail workforce?

So, what changes can retailers make immediately?

1. Stop killing productivity: The traditional command and control approach to leadership and management stifles performance and kills productivity.

When industry was hit by the pandemic, the organisations that were able to pivot quickly and fare better were the ones operating in environments where ideas

Dominic Ashley-Timms, CEO of Notion.

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Retail Management could flow easily and change could be implemented at speed, with the trust and confidence of the workforce.

Self-sufficiency, innovation, flexibility, adaptability – these are the skills that are needed now but traditional management practices get in the way. When trying to do more with less, it’s easy for organisations to tighten the screws and demand more from overwhelmed workforces. Ultimately, organisations that take this approach will face a reckoning, with the damage they do to employee engagement and the catastrophic impact this has on productivity, performance and profitability.

Retailers with positive work cultures will build greater levels of employee engagement and unlock the discretionary effort that organisations rely on to do more, even with less resources.

2. Unlock huge levels of unused potential: A survey by Gallup reports that 50% of outgoing employees cite ‘getting away from their manager’ as a reason for leaving their job. To compete effectively for talent and thrive post-pandemic, organisations must now look seriously at how their managers are engaging with their people day-to-day. Employee engagement isn’t just a nice-to-have: employee engagement levels have a critical impact on customer satisfaction and profitability, yet many leaders and managers still haven’t made the literal connection between engaging employees and their resultant employee engagement levels. Hierarchy still gets in the way, and a focus on standards (during store visits, for example) propagates the focus on process and misses out the people.

By changing the manager-employee relationship, retailers can tap into the potential of employees who aren’t engaged and counteract the negative impact.

3. Work smarter not harder: Asking the retail workforce to “do more” seems counterintuitive given the pressures the sector is already facing.

But doing more with less doesn’t mean working harder.

The association between ‘busyness’ and being productive is misguided and has a damaging effect on productivity.

Busy people spend most of their time in ‘doing’ mode. They might find it difficult to delegate and over-value their ability to multi-task, hampering productivity.

The most productive people operate in ‘learning’ mode. They have clarity about what they want and how they’ll achieve it; they are focused on their priorities and utilise the resources around them.

The reflective process helps to increase

Leaders and managers should spend less time ‘doing’ and more time ‘coaching’ staff. self-awareness, regulate emotions, and improve judgement.

This ability to move between ‘doing’ and ‘learning’ is a key differentiator between busy people and productive people.

For retailers, the more they can cultivate environments in which people are able to reflect, learn from their actions and step up, the more resilient and productive they can be in the face of diverse conditions. This requires a shift in mindset and new management behaviours.

4. Fixate on strengths and create the conditions to leverage them: Doing more with less requires a laser focus on strengths rather than fixing weaknesses. Organisations can do this by fostering a management style that invites people to bring their strengths to work.

Unfortunately there are factors that get in the way of this: • Not everyone knows their strengths; • Their strengths don’t match their role; • They don’t value their strengths or see how they can add value; • Their strengths may not be seen or valued by others; • They may feel undermined, stifled or railroaded by others; • Their organisation’s culture is preventing their strengths from shining through.

If retail leaders and managers work with their teams in ways that help people overcome these hurdles, they’ll benefit

from higher engagement, performance and productivity.

5. Stop ‘doing’, start coaching: When leaders and managers spend too much time in ‘doing’ mode, they lose valuable time that could be invested in more important work. On average, managers are interrupted between 16 and 20 times a day or more by team members needing their help. During these interactions, managers either tell team members what to do or even do it for them. These are missed opportunities to increase engagement, performance and productivity.

Telling disengages the team member from what they’re doing, preventing them from learning and growing in their role. But for busy retailers, coaching in its traditional sense is unlikely to suffice. The problem with coaching is that it’s perceived to consist of one-off conversations behind closed doors that take up time and have limited impact on day-to-day operations.

As global experts in management performance, Notion offer an alternative solution; a new style of management known as ‘Operational Coaching’ that focuses on changing managers’ behaviours and incorporating an Enquiry-Led Approach (ELA) into their everyday leadership style. In fact, we have proven that it’s the constant application of coaching behaviours (not one-off meetings) that will unlock potential. This democratisation of coaching could be essential for retailers in transforming the

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Retail Management About Notion

Retailers should consider upskilling the capability of their managers and leaders to change their day-to-day management style to one that naturally drives higher engagement and better outcomes. performance and productivity of people in their organisations.

6. Equip managers with the right skills the ‘How’, not just the ‘What’: No amount of frontline training will compensate if those ‘running the show’ are unable to cultivate an inclusive, engaging and collaborative environment where people are excited to contribute at a higher level. Instead of focusing exclusively on workforce training, retailers should consider paying more attention to upskilling the capability of their managers and leaders to change their day-to-day management style to one that naturally drives higher engagement and better outcomes.

But how can retailers quickly and easily make these changes?

The benefits of ‘Operational Coaching’ A Government commissioned cross-sector study independently evaluated by the London School of Economics monitored whether ‘Operational Coaching’ as a new management discipline drove productivity across 62 organisations in 14 sectors – 50% of which were fast-paced operational businesses.

This was a blind study, with one group of organisations giving their managers access to the fully blended 100% virtual Star Manager training programme in

order to develop an ‘Operational Coaching’ approach, and a control group which did not have access to the training.

The six-month study, already underway when the pandemic hit, proved that the group which had access to Star Manager spent more time coaching and leading (+70%) and less time ‘doing’, as their teams stepped up and were empowered to contribute more.

The organisations with access to the training improved their retention by a factor of six, employed more people (but needed less managers) and had faster growth (measured by gross asset value).

The participants also increased their management capability in all nine areas measured and delivered an average learner ROI of 74 times the programme investment (including all built-up costs).

Perhaps the most compelling result of the study was the speed at which the return on investment was achieved. From the very beginning of the programme, learners completed workplace ‘missions’ that mobilised their learning, allowing them to make incremental changes to their behaviours straight away rather than at the end of a long, drawn-out programme.

This ensured that learner ROI was fast and tangible, working further to embed the skills in their behaviour: In fact, the study showed that the time to value for the programme was estimated to be

NOTION is a Management Performance Improvement Consultancy with global expertise in ‘Operational Coaching’. They are the creators of the multi-awardwinning, fully-blended, management development programme Star Manager, which is the powerhouse behind their mission to transform a million Star Managers by 2025, and in doing so create collaborative, inclusive and high performing work cultures across the globe.

Selected as L&D Supplier of the year by Personnel Today Magazine for their work, Notion have mentored and coached over 5,200 business owners and senior executives on a one-to-one basis and worked with over 112,000 individuals, from media personalities to board members from FTSE 100 companies. Their roster of clients includes Sainsbury’s, Avon, Iceland, Jewson, Starbucks, Twinings, Barclays and BT. For more information, visit: starmanager.global.

achieved just 25% of the way through the programme, as learnings and new skills were implemented immediately and successes were captured early.

What’s next for retailers?

The pandemic has emphasised the importance of having self-sufficient, solutions-focused, and adaptable workforces who can operate more efficiently with fewer resources.

Given all of the findings from the above research showing how critical management behaviour is in achieving this, isn’t it time for retailers to be asking: what are we going to do differently and what steps are we going to take to equip our managers with the skills they need to engage with others more effectively and unlock the potential and productivity within the retail workforce?

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Sustainability

New Nestlé programme takes aim at child labour Nestlé have revealed details of a new programme to tackle child labour risks in cocoa production.

IN January of this year, Nestlé announced a new plan to tackle child labour risks in cocoa production, as well as changing the ways cocoa production is undertaken. At the centre of the plan is an innovative income accelerator programme, which aims to directly improve the livelihoods of cocoa-farming families through an array of initiatives.

“Our goal is to have a tangible, positive impact on a growing number of cocoa-farming families, especially in areas where poverty is widespread and resources are scarce, and to help close the living income gap they face over time,” explained Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO. “Building on our longstanding efforts to source cocoa sustainably, we will continue to help children go to school, empower women, improve farming methods and facilitate financial resources. We believe that, together with governments, NGOs and others in the cocoa industry, we can help improve the lives of cocoa-farming families and give children the chance to learn and grow in the safe and healthy environment they deserve.”

The Nestlé programme includes financial incentives for families to enrol their children in school.

Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO. One of the core pillars of the plan is a cash incentive that will be paid directly to cocoa-farming households for certain activities such as enrolment of children in school. Another pillar is to promote gender equality and as a result of this, payments associated with the plan will be made directly to both men and women, empowering the women involved in running often very small scale cocoa farms and looking after their families.

The plan also looks to advance regenerative farming techniques in cocoa production and to improve sustainability and traceability in global cocoa production, with Nestlé planning to invest a total of 1.3 billion Swiss Francs (€1.25 billion) to support development in cocoa production by 2030.

Cash incentives to grow income substantially The programme will reward practices that increase crop productivity and help secure additional sources of income, which aim to close the gap to living income and help protect children. By engaging in these practices, families can additionally earn up to CHF 500 (€481) annually for the first two years of the programme. The higher incentive at the start will help accelerate the implementation of good agricultural practices to build future impact. This incentive will then be levelled at CHF 250 (€240) thereafter as the programme starts delivering tangible results. It is not paid based on the volume of cocoa sold and is inclusive, to provide smaller farmers with

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Sustainability meaningful support, leaving no one behind. In a departure from normal practice, the programme also offers financial incentives for the farmer’s spouse, who is typically responsible for household expenses and childcare. By dividing the payments between the farmer and the spouse, the programme helps empower women and improve gender equality. Examples of practices that Nestlé are incentivising include: • • • •

School enrolment for all children in the household ages 6-16; Implementing good agricultural practices, such as pruning, which increase crop productivity; Performing agroforestry activities to increase climate resilience, like planting shade trees; Generating diversified incomes, for example through growing other crops, raising livestock such as chickens, beekeeping or processing other products like cassava.

How it works Payments will be delivered via a secure mobile service transfer that will ensure traceability directly from Nestlé suppliers to the intended recipient. Because cash-flow throughout the year is often a challenge, cash incentives will be distributed when they are needed most. Based on feedback from farmers, this includes the back-to-school period and before the rainy season. Third parties, including International Cocoa Initiative and Rainforest Alliance, will work with Nestlé to monitor participation.

Building on the positive results of an initial pilot in 2020 with 1,000 farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, in 2022 Nestlé will expand the programme to include 10,000 families in the country, before extending it to Ghana in 2024. Nestlé will then assess the results of that test phase and adapt where necessary, before moving to reach all cocoa-farming families in their global cocoa supply chain by 2030.

Improving standards and practices Also speaking at the launch event was Patrick Achi, Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, who told attendees that his government are extremely grateful for this investment from Nestlé: “Cocoa prices have fallen considerably in recent years and the lives of many people in my country have been affected by this. Côte d’Ivoire and our neighbour Ghana produce most of the world’s cocoa beans and we have been working closely together to try to improve standards and practices in cocoa production.”

He explained how the scale of cocoa production in both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana ranges from very large to very small. “The reality is that many people involved in cocoa production have very small farms and operate on incredibly small margins,” he noted. “In many cases, they have to make hard choices about whether they send their children to school or get them to work on the farm in order to allow it to survive. This can often make the difference between making a living and losing money, which makes for very difficult choices. We all want the best for our children but some people are not in a position to realise their hopes and dreams for their children. I would like to commend Nestlé for its efforts with this latest initiative. It has been developed based on their experience of working with producers over the last 20 years.”

One of the most important facets of Nestlé’s plan, he stressed, is the fact that the supports offered are not linked to scale of production, which means that “the producers who most need the support will be able to access it”. He also highlighted how the fact that payments are made to both the mothers and fathers operating these small farms “will help to empower women involved in cocoa production. The plan has been very

Patrick Achi, Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire. carefully formulated and it will help us to change the lives of people involved in cocoa production.”

The Prime Minister called on Nestlé and other brands operating in the sector to “do even more to help the lives of people involved in cocoa production. The investment Nestlé is making here will do a great deal to change the lives of people working in the sector and in particular to improve access to education for children, but the fact remains that even more remains to be done before the problems within the sector can be fully resolved.”

Transforming the supply chain As part of the programme, Nestlé are looking to transform the global sourcing of cocoa, to achieve full traceability and segregation of their cocoa products from origin to factory in an effort transform the supply chain. Nestlé will introduce a range of products with cocoa sourced from this innovative programme, offering consumers the opportunity to support the improvement of the families’ livelihoods and the protection of children. This will start with a selection of KitKat products in 2023.

“Our actions can help catalyse change on an important topic that is so close to our hearts,” said Magdi Batato, Executive Vice President and Head of Operations, Nestlé. “They will drive accountability and transparency across the industry, at a time when customers, employees and communities increasingly expect companies to deliver on their shared values. By increasing traceability at scale, we will help build consumer trust in our products and respond to the growing demand for responsibly and sustainably sourced cocoa.”

Given the scale of problems facing global cocoa production, this initiative will not solve every issue, but it is a big step in the right direction and gels extremely well with consumers’ interests in brands that are more sustainable and who deal fairly with their suppliers. Sustainability in cocoa production is an issue that has been brought into sharp focus in recent months through disruptive product launches by other, ethically focused brands, and is high on consumers’ agenda. For people involved in the production of cocoa beans around the world, such initiatives may help pave the road forward.

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Employment Law

Whistle-blowing, workplace grievances and what’s to come

Barry Reynolds and Chris Ryan of DAC Beachcroft report on the new Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 and what it could mean for Irish employers, including those in the FMCG sector.

WHISTLE-blowing in Ireland is never far from the employment agenda and this is set to remain the case, if not increase, for all employers, including retailers. You may ask ‘why is this relevant for us?’ There is little risk of a public scandal, financial crime or environmental disaster in the retail environment. However, whistle-blowing can arise in any business, can be made by ever broader classes of discloser and can relate to an ever increasing list of kinds of wrongdoing. Most significantly, on February 9, 2022, the Government published the long-awaited Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 (the Bill), with the purpose of giving effect to Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (the Directive) and further enhancing the protections afforded to individuals since 2014.

In summary, the already leading protections which Ireland has for whistleblowers under the current Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (the 2014 Act) will be further enhanced and there will be entirely new obligations on all employers in Ireland. These include very specific steps which employers must take in the

event that a person makes a potential relevant disclosure. Informal resolutions, which are generally to be encouraged, and use of existing HR machinery within the business may no longer be suitable to the processing of several kinds of employee complaint.

Currently, Ireland is among the leading EU countries in terms of providing robust, often referred to as ‘world class’, protections for individuals who are styled as whistle-blowers, in other words those who make protected disclosures. The imminent changes aim to change the landscape in this context by harmonising whistle-blowing legislation across the EU and setting minimum standards of protections for whistle-blowers.

In this month’s article, we take a look at what is a protected disclosure and what is not, in line with Ireland’s current whistle-blowing regime and the leading cases, while we also examine what’s going to change under the new regime.

What is a protected disclosure?

A protected disclosure is defined in the 2014 Act as a disclosure made by a

worker of relevant information, which in the reasonable belief of the worker, tends to show one or more relevant wrongdoings and came to the attention of the worker in connection with their employment. This typically relates to something dangerous or illegal that an individual has either witnessed or become aware of. The term wrongdoing, for these purposes, is broadly defined and for now includes the commission of criminal offences, failure to comply with legal obligations, endangerment of health and safety of individuals, environmental damage, the misuse of public funds, concealment or destruction of information about a wrongdoing and gross negligence or mismanagement by a public body.

To qualify as a protected disclosure under current Irish law, information must be provided by a worker relating to the relevant wrongdoing. The 2014 Act defines workers as: • Employees or former employees • Trainees • People working under a contract for services

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Employment Law • • •

Independent contractors Agency workers People on work experience and the Gardaí

A key part of the test is that the worker must have information to share with the employer. A mere allegation is not enough. They must also relate to one of the kinds of wrongdoing listed above.

If a person raises a concern but does not fall into the definition above or the concern does not relate to one of the listed wrongdoings, then simply put, the disclosure is not a protected disclosure and the worker does not benefit from any protection against penalisation or retaliation under the 2014 Act. They may have other protections though. The protections under the 2014 Act have on occasion come to the fore for those who have not accrued the requisite one year’s service for unfair dismissal protection.

The main import of the current 2014 Act is that employers cannot penalise workers who have made disclosures.

However, it is not always obvious whether or not a concern falls neatly into the required definitions, particularly when it comes to the classification of a relevant wrongdoing. One question that has arisen time and time again is whether or not a workplace grievance can amount to a protected disclosure.

If such a complaint does fall within the 2014 Act, then every employer will become very familiar indeed with this area, as many workplace issues would benefit from this very specific protection for staff. This has not been straightforward over the past seven or so years. On one hand, the 2014 Act makes no distinction between a workplace grievance and a protected disclosure, which would imply that a grievance could be a protected disclosure. However, on the other hand, the Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice on Protected Disclosures Act 2014) (Declaration) Order 2015 (the 2015 Code) stated that complaints relating to a worker’s duties, terms and conditions of employment, working procedures or working conditions are personal and therefore do not constitute a protected disclosure.

We return to this later but first look at the protections available for whistleblowers generally.

How are whistle-blowers protected?

The 2014 Act protects workers who raise concerns about relevant wrongdoings from retaliation and penalisation or threatened penalisation in the form of suspension, lay-off, dismissal, demotion or unfair treatment. A worker who is

Ireland is among the leading EU countries in terms of providing robust, world class protections for individuals who are styled as whistle-blowers, in other words those who make protected disclosures. dismissed in retaliation for making a protected disclosure does not need the usual 12 months’ continuous service to bring a claim for unfair dismissal.

Awards can in theory rise to five years’ remuneration.

Workplace grievance or protected disclosure?

The lines between workplace grievances and protected disclosures are often blurred. Typically, a grievance or a complaint of bullying would be dealt with under a Grievance Procedure or Prevention of Bullying and Harassment Policy. The Supreme Court in Baranya v Rosderra Irish Meats confirmed that, contrary to the wording of the 2015 Code, a workplace grievance could in fact amount to a protected disclosure.

The Court stated that the 2015 Code does not accurately reflect the 2014 Act. The Code draws a distinction between a workplace grievance and a protected disclosure, but the 2014 Act did not do that. The Court highlighted that a complaint which is purely personal in nature can still amount to a protected disclosure, so long as there is a failure to comply with a legal obligation and (in that case) specific reference was made to breaches of health and safety. Almost all employers of a certain size will have received such complaints over the years.

Whilst it was thought by many that there was a necessity for some public element for there to be a protected disclosure,

Baranya has made it very clear that this is in fact not the case at all and that the protections of the 2014 Act are not confined to those who raise a complaint in the public interest.

This decision arguably came at good time in that the legislature is even better placed to consider precisely the scope of these robust protections.

What is set to change under new legislation?

Some of the key changes anticipated under the Bill are as follows: •

•

•

Definition of ‘worker’: the category of protected persons will be expanded to include shareholders, board members, job applicants and volunteers, among others.

Definition of ‘penalisation’: will be broadened to include conduct such as the withholding of training, negative performance ratings, negative references, refusals to grant permanent contracts to temporary workers, reputational harm, cancellation of a contract for goods and services or of licences or permits, psychiatric or medical referral and other types of treatment.

Definition of ‘relevant wrongdoing’: there will be a number of new types of relevant wrongdoing e.g. product safety and compliance, transport safety, environmental protection, data protection and consumer

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Employment Law determination of an Unfair Dismissal claim. What does this mean? It would entitle an employee to ask the Court to intervene in the employment relationship and order that penalisation cease. This could be a game changer for the management of employment disputes arising from disclosures.

• Penalties: the Bill sets out a number of new offences including preventing someone from making a protected disclosure and failing to establish internal reporting channels. Under the Bill, anyone who commits an offence can be liable for fines not exceeding €250,000 or to imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

Key takeaway for employers Employers should now be updating their policies and procedures in this area or, indeed, introducing one. These will have to include formal reporting channels and action lists.

What should these procedures The long-awaited Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022 will further provide? Which types of grievance may enhance the protections given to whistle-blowers since 2014. remain within the protection of the 2014 Act? Which ones should be called out protection, and breaches affecting the financial interests of as not coming within the new reporting channels? These are the European Union and the single market, as well as a few questions which will give rise to disputes before the tribunals others. and courts. If a grievance relates to interpersonal conflicts • Establishment of formal reporting channels: private between several workers, as opposed to just one, could that companies with 50 or more employees will be required to come within the protections? If a grievance relates to treatment establish internal reporting channels to make protected of a group of employees by the employer, as opposed to just disclosures. This obligation can be outsourced to third one person, could that benefit from the protections? These parties. Such a requirement will not come into effect questions will impact on the processes to be adopted and the until December 17, 2023. Until then, employers with 250 levels of risk. employees or more will have to put in place such channels.

• New obligations and time-lines in managing disclosures: If you have any queries or require any assistance in relation when they receive a protected disclosure, businesses to any of the above, please contact Barry Reynolds or Chris will have to acknowledge receipt of the disclosure to Ryan. the reporting person within seven days of receipt and to diligently ‘follow up’ on any allegations that person has made. They will have to give ‘feedback’ to the reporting person within three months, which includes steps taken (or not) and why.

• Grievances: currently, many personal grievances are within the remit of the legislation save for, broadly speaking, complaints under the contract of employment (see above).

The Bill addresses this issue. It excludes “grievances about interpersonal conflicts between the reporting person and another worker” and also a “complaint by a reporting person… which concerns the worker exclusively”. Those matters can be dealt with through the grievance procedures and other procedures. This is of key importance. However, these provisions, if enacted, will be open to interpretation.

BARRY Reynolds (breynolds@dacbeachcroft.com) and See further below.

Chris Ryan (chryan@dacbeachcroft.com) of DAC Beachcroft • Burden of proof: under the 2014 Act, the person who is (https://www.dacbeachcroft.com/en/gb/locations/ alleging that they have suffered penalisation must prove dublin/) are specialists in employment law. This article that that is the case. This position will soon be reversed. is for general information purposes only and does not Employers will be required to prove that an alleged act of comprise legal or professional advice. You should not penalisation did not occur by reason of an individual having rely on any of the material in this article without seeking made a protected disclosure. appropriate legal advice.

• Interim relief: the Bill provides that interim relief can Twitter: @dacbeachcroft be obtained before the Circuit Court in all cases where LinkedIn: DAC Beachcroft Dublin a worker alleges penalisation. Currently, the 2014 Act allows this but it is limited to applications pending the

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What’s New CADBURY UNVEIL PORTION CONTROL PACKAGING

LINDT LAUNCH LINDOR DOUBLE CHOCOLATE

THE nation’s favourite chocolate (Source: NielsenIQ, Total Scantrack excl. Dunnes & Disc, Total Confectionery, Value Sales, MAT 02/01/22) is rolling out a unique category-first packaging initiative on their popular Cadbury Duos range.

Cadbury Duos Twist Wrap unlocks an innovative portion control mechanism, enabling consumers to twist to seal and save half for later for better portion control and more mindful snacking, for the first time on any chocolate brand in Ireland.

The new packaging is made using a memory technology solution, meaning the wrapper stays twisted by a single twist, preserving fresh flavour, texture and shape. The packaging is being rolled out across five key members of the Cadbury Duos portfolio: Cadbury Wispa, Cadbury Wispa Gold, Cadbury Boost, Cadbury Double Decker and Cadbury Dairy Milk.

LINDT have launched an indulgent addition to the Lindor range: Double Chocolate. The Lindt Master Chocolatiers have combined expertise and the finest ingredients to create the perfectly round milk chocolate truffles with an irresistibly smooth melting filling with dark chocolate: double chocolate, double bliss. Lindt Lindor has strengthened its position as the number one boxed chocolate brand in the Irish market, where €1 in every €6 spent on a box of chocolates in Ireland is spent on a Lindor box (Source: Nielsen, Total Scantrack ROI Data to 02/01/22). Supported by a strong national campaign, Lindor TV advertising will return to your screens this spring with increased support and activity both in and out of store.

KELLOGG’S EXPAND RICE KRISPIES MULTIGRAIN SHAPES RANGE

TONY’S CHOCOLONELY LAUNCH THEIR EGGS-CELLENT EASTER PRODUCTS TONY’S Chocolonely are making it easy for consumers to enjoy an ethical Easter this April with their new range of egg-citing Easter goodies. The impact company is introducing the Egg-stra Special Chocolate Egg Mixed Flavour Pouch, Egg-stra Special Chocolate Egg Sea Salt Caramel Pouch, and Egg-stra Special Milk Chocolate Egg Pouch, which add to the Milk Chocolate Lemon Meringue Bar and Chocolate Egg Box that are back by popular demand. The Easter range is available from Tesco, SuperValu, Fallon & Byrne and online at EarthMother.ie.

SHINES SEAFOOD LAUNCH IRISH SARDINES RANGE KILLYBEGS-based Shines Seafood have launched Shines Irish Sardines, representing the first time Irish sardines have ever been sold in retail outlets in Ireland. Previously sourced from Sardinia, Shines Seafood now use Irish sardines caught by small inshore Irish boats in the clean waters around the Irish coast, supporting local fishing communities. Known as a highly nutritious and oilrich fish, sardines are packed with natural Omega 3, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Calcium and are a great source of protein. Shines Irish Sardines are available in a range of flavours, including Tomato Sauce, Olive Oil & Sunflower Oil.

Kellogg’s are expanding their Rice Krispies Multigrain Shapes range by bringing its two WK Kellogg by Kids cereals under the Rice Krispies brand umbrella. As part of their decade long plan to improve their foods so that they are better for people, the community and the planet, the two children’s cereals Blueberry & Apple and Strawberry & Apple – will be joining Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Multigrain Shapes Original. The latest additions to the Rice Krispies family contain no added sugar, are high in fibre and vegan friendly, making them a great cereal to kick-start families’ mornings. The Rice Krispies brand is the number one Kids Cereal brand in the Republic of Ireland and purchased by 500,000 shoppers each year, with Rice Krispies Multigrain Shapes sales growing by 14% since 2019 (Source: Kantar 52 w/e December 26, 2021).

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Shelf Life BULMERS Light recently gave customers the chance to win tickets to an exclusive gig featuring some of Ireland’s top comedic talent, including award-winning, standup comedian Shane Dan Byrne. The Bulmers Light Comedians in Conversation gig took place in The Parlour Room at Whelan’s on Wexford St, Dublin 2, on March 3. Shane Dan Byrne, who shot to fame with his hilarious online skits, was joined on stage by selfproclaimed chancer and rising comedy star, Emma Doran.

TOSCA, a global leader in reusable packaging solutions and pooling, have been awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal for their sustainability initiatives in the EU. This award places Tosca in the top 5% of businesses rated by EcoVadis. Tosca reached an overall score of 72 out of 100 in this assessment, placing the company in the 97th percentile of all applicants. Not only does this milestone show Tosca’s unwavering commitment to protecting the environment, but the award takes into account Tosca’s ethical and social responsibility performance. The ranking is based on four key areas: Environment, Ethics, Human and Labour Rights, and Sustainable Procurement. In order to gain the distinction of EcoVadis Gold, Tosca scored over 70/100 on all four of the key areas. “Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at Tosca,” noted Karin Witton, Global Sustainability Director at Tosca. “Not only do we promote inherently sustainable services and products, but we have built a sustainability-minded culture that impacts the daily decisions of the Tosca team as a whole.”

ALDI recently unveiled their newly revamped and extended Wexford Trinity Street store following a €2.8m overhaul. The store has been redesigned to be as environmentally friendly as possible by being powered by 100% green electricity. Over the past few months, the store has undergone a complete refurbishment, including the building of a new €2.8m extension, increasing the shop floor space by 37%. Featuring Aldi’s exciting award-winning Project Fresh layout and design, the floor size has been extended from 850 to 1,162 square metres, and features wide aisles and hi-spec fixtures and fittings. There are also 86 car park spaces available to Aldi shoppers, along with a bicycle rack stand. The revamped store is the first Aldi store in Ireland to trial Electronic Shelf Labels in place of traditional paper price labels in stores. These electronic labels will mean that price or stock changes can easily and quickly be communicated to customers.

KRISPY Kreme have announced the roll-out of their state-of-the art digital cabinets to a further 15 stores nationally over the last few weeks.

This follows a year of expansion by the iconic doughnut brand across the Irish market. Now Krispy Kreme fans who live outside of Dublin can get their hands on the brand’s fresh doughnuts from additional Tesco and Circle K stores including Tesco Drogheda, Athlone, Tullamore, Dundalk and Circle K’s state-of-the-art store located on the M6 Dublin/Galway Road. In Dublin, the brand has also added to its retail portfolio with Krispy Kreme cabinets introduced to Tesco White Pines (Rathfarnham) and nearby Rathfarnham Shopping Centre, along with Circle K Citywest Avenue.

MUSGRAVE have agreed a significant new supply partnership with Choithrams, a leading retailer with over 40 stores across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The partnership will see Musgrave supply Choithrams with more than 500 products from their SuperValu own brand range, alongside other Irish brands and products from SuperValu’s Food Academy programme, which operates in partnership with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) network. Pictured are (l-r): Liam Hyland, Director of Export and International Trade at Musgrave; Kirti Meghnani, Procurement Manager, Choitrams; Rajiv Warrier, CEO, Choitrams; Brendan Gleeson, Secretary General at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Noel Keeley, CEO of Musgrave; and Ashutosh Arun Chakradeo, Head of Retail, Choitrams.

IRISH Olympian and Lidl ambassador, Ciara Mageean, and broadcaster Kathryn Thomas are pictured joining forces as Lidl Ireland became the Official Fresh Food Partner of parkrun, the world’s largest running event, which is a free-of-charge, family friendly, community event held in parks and open spaces around the world every weekend. The new threeyear partnership will see Lidl support parkrun as they continue to encourage the public to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle by offering all of their customers fresh, nutritious produce at affordable prices. Whether you run, walk, jog or want to volunteer at the events, register to take part in your local parkrun at www.parkrun.ie.

DISCOUNT giant Poundland, known as Dealz in the Republic of Ireland, have completed the purchase of online retail business, Poundshop.com that will also see the roll out of a Dealz online offering.

The acquisition for an undisclosed sum, is another step in the transformation of the retailer and will provide the infrastructure to power a national roll-out of its own pilot e-commerce operation.

STORE owner Jason O’Keeffe is pictured celebrating with staff members Mary Chester and Ann McEvatt and Simon Reenan of the National Lottery at Jay’s Newsagents on Rosemount Avenue in Artane, Dublin 5, after it was announced that their shop sold the €1m winning ticket for the 9pm Daily Million draw on February 17. “Our shop is situated in the centre of quite a local community here in Artane so we’re absolutely thrilled with the good news,” noted Jason.

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