Retail News JulyAug by Retail News

July/August 2008

THE CLEAR

CHOICE

July/August08Contents

■ inside view

The Great Booze Debate! The forthcoming Intoxicating Liquor Bill is causing huge controversy throughout the country, in both the on- and off-trade. While pubs and clubs are bemoaning the proposed closing time of 2:30am countrywide, Ireland’s off-trade alcohol retailers have a potentially bigger issue. Under the new legislation, retailers may be forced to change the layout of their stores. Section 8 of the new Bill gives the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern TD, the ability to introduce “structural separation” for alcohol, effectively requiring that alcoholic products be placed in a ‘shop within a shop’. At the moment, however, this is merely a possility. The Minister has given assurances that if the retail trade can act in a responsible manner, to his satisfaction, that this will not be necessary. See our full report on Page 4 for more details. Another big change facing the trade is the ban on the advertising and display of tobacco products in-store, which comes into play on July 1, 2009. For further details and guidelines on the new laws, see our report on Page 5. Elsewhere in this issue, Rosemary Garth, Director of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland, discusses how new codes of practice place considerable restrictions on alcohol advertising in the state and how the drinks industry must rise to the occasion (Page 8 and 9). Meanwhile, Jean Smullen looks at Ireland’s Top 20 Wine Brands (Page 20), we examine the various retail training courses available throughout the country (Page 44) and report on the recent visit by a group of Irish food entrepreneurs to New York (Page 48).

“Celebrating 50 Kathleen Belton, Editorial & Marketing Director.

years serving the Irish grocery trade.”

Managing Director: Fergus Farrell Editorial & Marketing Director: Kathleen Belton, email: kathleenbelton@tarapublishingco.com Editor: John Walshe

johnwalshe@tarapublishingco.com

Chief News Reporter: Pavel Barter

Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen

Financial Correspondent: Carmel Linnane

Advertising Manager: Aaron Stewart

Advertising Executive: Rory O’Connor, David Kelly

T A R A Published by: Tara Publishing Co. Ltd., Poolbeg House, 1/2 Poolbeg Street, Dublin 2. Tel: (01) 2413095. Fax: (01) 2413010. ISDN: 01 2413050 Web: www.retailnews.ie Email: retailnews@tarapublishingco.com Subscription to Retail News: €110 plus VAT Email: tracy@tarapublishingco.com Origination by: Rooney Media Graphics

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July/August08Contents

Contents July/August 2008

News 4 Will retailers be forced to

change their store layout to comply with the Intoxicating Liquor Bill?

the way.

6 Consumer grocery shop-

7 Irish shoppers crossing the Border in huge numbers; Planning: massive development for Coca-Cola.

The Retail News Interview 8 Rosemary Garth, Director of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland, believes that the new advertising codes of practice for alcohol advertising, placement and sponsorship provide an opportunity for the drinks industry to prove itself.

Top 20 Wine Brands 20 Jean Smullen counts down Ireland’s best selling wine brands.

Retail News Special Report 48 A visit by a group of

5 Ban on tobacco display on

ping habits changing; NSAI to increase retail inspections.

lowdown on how Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland ensure they’re at the cutting edge of staff training.

Cash & Carry Profile 24 The new Value Centre Cash and Carry in Cavan Town showcases the group’s dynamic new image and is at the vanguard of its aggressive national strategy for the wholesale sector.

Newsagency Focus 26 Karen Meenan looks at must-stocks in the realm of Real Life, TV Listings and Soap magazines, all massive sellers in your newsrack.

Irish food entrepreneurs to New York illustrated the changes and similarities between the two markets, and highlighted some of the major trends facing the retail industry today.

Waste Management 62 Ireland enjoyed a 6.6% increase in recycling rates for 2007, according to the latest figures from Repak, announced at its Annual Conference.

Stock-Taking 66 If stock cannot be measured, it cannot be controlled, writes Patrick McDermott, Managing Director, Stocktaking.ie.

Training & Education 44 RETAIL NEWS talks to

Money Matters 68 Carmel Linnane inves-

DIT’s head of Retail Management Studies, Don O’Riordan, and gets the

tigates ways in which to improve your profit margins.

Forecourt Focus 72 The lure of the retail trade proved far too strong for Seán and Martina Carrig, who have just opened a brand new Costcutter Express forecourt store outside Ennis, Co. Clare.

Shelf Life 76 All the latest news and gossip from the trade.

Sectoral Reports 30 Back to School - Lunchbox 40 Back to School – Stationery 50 Value Added Services 56 Functional Foods Regulars 10 Industry News. 16 Drinks News 75 What’s New

July/August08News

Will Retailers Be Forced to Change Store Layout? RETAILERS who sell alcoholic drinks in their premises across the country could be forced into altering their store layout under the new Intoxicating Liquor Bill. In-store alcohol sales are set for a shake-up as the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008 has passed through the Dáil and Senate. The Bill was formed from the recommendations of the Government Alcohol Advisory Group, established in January of this year, which examines the sale and consumption of alcohol, with a view to tackling problems around binge drinking and underage drinking. As part of the Bill, which restricts off-sales of alcohol to between 10.30am and 10pm, and bans promotional ‘special offers’ of cheap drink, retailers may have to change the layout of their stores.

Structural Separation for Alcohol As part of Section 8 of the Bill, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern TD, has the ability to introduce structural separation for alcohol. This would necessitate building a solid walled structure in a premises: effectively, a shop within a shop. The Minister, however, said that if the trade can act in a responsible manner in the way in which it sells and displays alcohol, structural separation can be avoided. “The Minister has put it up to retailers to see that they will sell alcohol responsibly and that they will address some of these issues that are of concern,” Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA, told RETAIL NEWS. According to Buckley, RGDATA has met with Justice Department Officials to discuss a new Code of Practice for the Responsible Sale of Alcohol. This form of self-regulation was devised with the grocer’s group, in liaison with Retail Ireland and the CSNA. “A draft has been launched and we are now awaiting feedback from the Department. Once the Code has been agreed, we will be hoping 4

Wine Exemption

RGDATA Director General, Tara Buckley.

that retailers will sign up,” Buckley said. “The Minister has now said that although [structural separation] is part of the legislation, there is a time scale in regard to signing a commencement order,” she continued. “If he is happy that an effective code of practice is put in place, he would not see a need to introduce structural separation. The ball has been put into the retailers’ court now and it is up to the various associations, representing the different types of retailer, to come up with an acceptable code of practice concerning the accessibility and availability of alcohol in shops.” What issues will the Code address? “The placement of alcohol in the shop, retail display and advertising of alcohol, training, etc, “Buckley noted. “For example, the Code suggests that no alcohol will be displayed in the windows. The Minister and his officials have made it very clear that alcohol must be in one distinct area of the shop, not at the front. They don’t want alcohol mixed with other normal groceries.”

The retail industry is not the only sector hoping that Section 8 will not be commenced. As part of an amendment to the section, although retailers are required to separate beer, cider, and liquor “by a wall or similar barrier” or, where this is not possible, from behind the counter, wine is exempted. The Irish Brewers Association (IBA), a constituent part of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland, based in IBEC, have called this amendment “discriminatory”, stating that its industry supports 2,000 jobs and raises over €900m per annum in tax revenue. “The amendment to the Bill that the Minister proposed, and the Oireachtas passed, states that where structural separation cannot occur – and where all alcohol goes behind the counter – wine can remain in front of the counter, available to be browsed. The Irish Brewers Association thought that was

Stephen Lynam, Senior Executive, Irish Brewers Association.

July/August08News

manifestly unfair and believe that there is a legal issue at hand,” Stephen Lynam, Senior Executive with the IBA told RETAIL NEWS. As a result, the IBA are “are fully in support” of a suitable voluntary code of practice, devised by retail, thereby avoiding structural separation. “Nevertheless, the principle has now been put into law, so we are consulting internally to decide the best course of action to take,” said Lynam. Retail, however, had fought for the segregation of wine. “RGDATA made representations to the Minister and his officials about wine,” said Tara Buckley. “We felt that it was impractical to put wine behind the counter. For members who have a wine-only license, the issue of structural separation was not practical. The alternative was that wine would have to go behind the counter. People like to browse wine – they like to read the labels, and so on – and it wasn’t practical to put it behind the counter.” RGDATA also argued, to Government, that wine was not an issue in terms of the goals of the bill – to address binge and underage drinking. “It was clear that the types of drinks [of concern] were alcopops, beers, ciders, spirits. We felt it was quite draconian to put all wine behind the counter. It would impact on your responsible citizen who is going home on a Friday and wants to have a bottle of wine with their meal. We welcome the fact that the Minister has taken on board those representations and he understands that all wine should not be behind the counter.” Stephen Lynam, however, said that the IBA “believe in an evidencebased approach to these things. If the Minister has any evidence [that wine is not part of alcohol abuse problems], let him present it.” Does he believe that his industry would suffer as a result of segregating wine from other alcoholic beverages? “It is the principle of a discrimination between two alcohol categories enshrined into law that we object to. Alcohol is alcohol.”

Ban on Tobacco Display on the Way

R G D ATA C o n c e r n s According to Tara Buckley, the grocery industry had input in the drafting of the Bill. RGDATA members made their concerns known to locals TDs and the Minister, while Buckley attended a meeting the Minister hosted in Jurys, Croke Park, in June 2008. It was here, she said, that the Minister “took on board concerns that were raised in regard to structural separation”. Whether or not the Government decide to give the new code of practice a shot remains to be seen. However, some sectors of the beverage industry are unhappy with elements of the new Intoxicating Liquor Act. For example, NOffLA’s appeals for a mandatory ID card appear to have gone unanswered. Meanwhile, Fine Gael have criticised the Minster’s decision to close all nightclubs at the same time: 2:30am. “Minister Ahern's current plans will result in large crowds of young people, many of them intoxicated, spilling on to the streets at 2.30am,” said Fine Gael Justice Spokesman Charlie Flanagan TD. “It’s farcical and foolish to force huge crowds of people out onto the streets at the same time. Such a move can only add to the drink-fuelled violence which the Bill is supposed to be tackling, and threaten public safety.”

FROM 1 July 2009, no advertising or display of tobacco products will be permitted in retail outlets. This includes gantries, change mats, mouse pads, till covers, decals etc. All tobacco products must be out of view and stored within a closed container or dispenser, which is only accessible by the retailer. The container is not required to be under the counter, however: it is the tobacco product rather than the container itself that has to be out of sight. On request, retailers may show the member of the public one packet only of each tobacco product sold, or a menu board with one image (no greater than the size of the packet concerned) of each tobacco product sold, with the mandatory health warnings on each image. Separate menu boards for roll-your-own tobacco, cigars and vending machine stock are permitted. This menu board may be provided to the customer if required, but it cannot be on display The law as it refers to the advertisement of tobacco products in-store includes every form of recommendation of the product to the public and in particular a statement of: • the name of a manufacturer, importer or brand of tobacco product; • any trade description, designation, display or other publication of a trademark, emblem, marketing image or logo, (this includes the use of colour); • the properties of the product on a label, container, wrapper or package used for the product or in a leaflet, circular, pamphlet or brochure issued to the public or given to a purchaser of the product. The Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) will be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a Retail Register. Anyone who wishes to sell tobacco products must register with the OTC, and each applicant must pay a registration fee of €50. New retailers must register before they can sell tobacco products, and existing retailers must register within three months of commencement (i.e. by October 1, 2009). 5

July/August08News

Consumer Grocery Shopping Habits Changing A NEW survey has revealed that almost a quarter of Irish consumers have changed their grocery shopping habits since the start of 2008. According to the report, commissioned by the National Consumer Agency (NCA) and carried out by Amárach Research, three out of four adults are cognisant of reports on grocery price comparisons and acting accordingly. With talk of recession, are people becoming increasingly careful with their weekly spend? “Absolutely,” John Shine, Director of Commercial Practices at the NCA told RETAIL NEWS. “No questions about it. As belts begin to tighten and as food prices continue to increase, due to oil factors, people are coming under increasing pressure. There is no question that consumers are going to become much more price aware. It is certainly a sign that consumers are becoming more price conscious.” The survey also revealed that 32% of shoppers are buying own brand products and 26% buying cheaper versions of products. Meanwhile, 26% are spreading their spend over different supermarkets. In this respect, consumers appear to be

John Shine, Director of Commercial Practices at the NCA.

shopping around for bargains, even if it is at the expense of their time. “We are very keen on encouraging shoppers to break up their shopping basket,” said Shine. “Our last large groceries survey, conducted earlier this year, found this to be the case. There is value to be found across a range of outlets.” German discounters Aldi and Lidl have been profiting from these changing market conditions: of those shoppers who have recently changed their shopping habits, 61% have begun shopping

at Lidl while 54% have begun shopping in Aldi. Should this send a message to indigenous retailers? “Well, from a price perspective, there is certainly keener competition now, but it is still not as much as we would like to see,” said Shine. “We believe that there is further scope. In the area of branded goods, we are seeing price matching, where outlets will draw attention to the fact they offer exactly the same price as their competitor. We want people to go that bit further, beat the competitor and generate healthy competition.” The NCA’s report also found that the average grocery spend is €151 per week, and that the primary motivations of choosing one store over another are convenience (61%), price (31%) and quality (21%). “We would certainly like to see people following the value, wherever that may be – the multiples, independents, discounters. Consumers should be price aware and prepared to break their habits - to take their business elsewhere if they are not getting good value,” concluded Shine.

NSAI to Increase Retail Inspections THE NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) have announced a new initiative that will allow NSAI Legal Metrology (LMS) inspectors to increase their focus on the inspection of instruments for measurement used by retail traders, such as taxi-meters, petrol pumps and supermarket weighing scales, and to ensure they are accurate and comply with legal requirements. Speaking at the official launch of their new headquarters in Swift Square, Santry, recently, Maurice Buckley, CEO, NSAI, indicated that this is just one of a series of initiatives detailed in NSAI’s forthcoming strategy that primarily focuses on enabling enterprise and protecting the consumer. LMS ensures instruments used for trade throughout Ireland are correct and accurate at all times. This initiative, which commenced with a public tender process, involves contracting specific activities to third parties and thereby 6

releasing LMS inspectors to focus on crucial inspection activities. “LMS check taxi meters so you aren’t overcharged; they make sure that petrol pumps are checked so you get one litre of petrol when you pay for one litre; they verify the weighing scales in your local supermarket, so you get a kilo of potatoes when you pay for a kilo of potatoes,” noted Buckley. Last year, the LMS verified more than 57,000 trade instruments, inspected more than 3,500 traders’ Pictured at the launch of the new NSAI brand and headquarters in Santry, are premises and 14,000 instruments, CEO of NSAI, Maurice Buckley; Minister and verified more than 12,300 for Trade & Commerce, John McGuinness instruments at the point of use. TD; and Chairman of NSAI, “We are a legal enforcing body in Ann Riordan. this area and we have the authority to damage. The positive news is, complienter premises at any stage and demand ance is good in Ireland. Our job has been access to the instrumentation,” noted made less taxing because of the high rate Buckley. “We can prosecute and there are of compliance amongst Irish retailers fines available but the real penalty, and and our role is to ensure our competitive the reason so many traders are anxious consumer society stays that way.” to comply, is the threat of reputational

July/August08News

Irish Shoppers Crossing the Border in Huge Numbers THE issue of price competition for grocery products north and south of the Irish border has been bought into focus once again. A recent survey from the National Consumer Agency (NCA) revealed that Tesco and Dunnes Stores are charging around 30% more in the Republic than in the north for the same items. As part of the survey, a basket of 42 goods was compared in Dunnes Stores and Tesco, north and south. The result? A 31% difference between cross-border prices for Dunnes; 28% for Tesco. Shoppers, it appears are voting with their feet. “A large contingent of our shoppers are from the south,” Sheila Rooney, Stock Control in Sainsbury’s supermarket, Newry, County Down, told RETAIL NEWS. “Take a walk through the car park and the ratio of car registrations will tell you the story. Buses have come up from Dublin and a lot of southerners arrive with vans to stock up and get their money’s worth.” According to Rooney, this practice has been going on for years, especially at Christmas, when southern shoppers tend to purchase alcohol. However, “within the past three weeks, it has been like Christmas every day. We’ve been flat out”. For the NCA, who normally encourage healthy competition between retailers, cross border competition is a double-edged sword. “We are certainly not encouraging people to travel north,” John Shine, the NCA’s Director

Supermarkets like Sainsbury’s in Northern Ireland are reporting large numbers of shoppers from the Republic crossing the border for their grocery shopping.

of Commercial Practices told RETAIL NEWS. “The reality is, as we have seen from our recent survey work, there are some very large price differentials between products in the Republic and products in Northern Ireland, not all of which are explained by the higher cost of doing business down here.” Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD, recently asked Forfás (Ireland´s national policy and advisory board for enterprise and trade) to conduct a survey into the cost of doing business in Ireland. The NCA is “eagerly awaiting the results” of this. But Shine is “convinced that different business costs do not fully explain

the differentials that we see between northern and southern retailers. We hope that Irish retailers can reduce prices as much as possible and keep business on this side of the border.” Meanwhile, the exodus of shoppers to border towns like Newry looks set to continue. According to Sainsbury’s Sheila Rooney, a lot of bulk products are currently being sold: “cereals, baby products, alcohol, toilet rolls, frozen foods, cakes, freeze-able bread. I think people are coming up to get the keenest prices on certain items but we don’t sell ourselves as being in direct competition with supermarkets south of the border.”

Planning: Massive Development for Coca-Cola COCA-COLA is reported to be investing in a new facility in County Wexford, valued at €190m and creating 100 jobs. Should planning be granted, the 41-acre site in Wexford Business Park will host manufacturing, laboratory and pilot plant facilities. The multinational drinks giant has been seeking a concentrate plant for the firm since 1998, when it first pitched for land in Ballina, County Mayo. Meanwhile, Marks & Spencer are set to be the anchor tenants in the new Showgrounds Shopping Centre in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, the group’s first store to open in the south-east. The 2,100 square metre store will include

a food hall, M&S café, as well as clothing, and is due to open in May 2009. The Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, is due to more than double in size, with a 16,715 square metre mixed use retail and leisure extension, incorporating an additional 14 retail units. Centra are to open a new store at the Church Gate Plaza complex in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, while Aldi are teaming up with Kilkenny developer Menesiah on an almost 10,000 square metre mixed-use scheme at the Hebron Industrial Estate, Kilkenny, including a 1,558 square metre discount store. 7

July/August08Retail

News Interview

Practice Makes Perfect New codes of practice place considerable restrictions on alcohol advertising in the state. ABFI Director Rosemary Garth tells RETAIL NEWS the drinks industry must rise to the occasion.

There

is an old adage in business: “every challenge is an opportunity”. This certainly seems to be the perspective of the drinks industry, on foot of some of the most restrictive codes ever introduced for alcohol marketing in Ireland. The Codes on Alcohol Advertising, Placement and Sponsorship are designed to reduce the exposure of young people to alcohol advertising, barring drinks ads from certain media and public environments. Rosemary Garth, Director of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), who helped draft the Codes, believes that this is an opportunity for the drinks industry to prove itself. “Ultimately, we are seek8

ing a level playing pitch,” she says. “We want to ensure that our products are marketed in a responsible way, but we also want people to understand that we are a valuable industry and we play an important role in the Irish economy.” The drinks industry has not created an easy path for itself. As part of the new codes of practice, alcohol advertising is restricted to 25% of the advertising space in any media. There is to be no sponsorship by alcohol companies where participants in a sports event are under 18, or where less than 75% of the audience is over 18. Further regulations include: a ban on advertising during breakfast time TV (6am-10am), a ban on spon-

“The onus is on the retail sector to make sure they are sensible and responsible about how they place alcohol in a store. We expect everybody who carries responsibility to take this issue seriously.” sorship of sports programmes, and a reduction to 25% (from 40%) of total advertising minute-age per viewing in cinema. In public spaces, the ban on advertising alcohol within 100 metres of schools has been extended to “youth clubs, scouting and girl guide groups”. Advertisements on sides or rears of buses have been banned. Also, the Internet and other digital media have been brought into the mix. The codes also have a provision whereby RTE can designate a list of programmes that are of particular interest to children: regardless of the audience profile, alcohol advertising will not be allowed to accompany these shows. Rosemary Garth contends that the codes pose numerous challenges, largely because of the breadth of media covered: broadcast, cinema, outdoor, and (for the first time) print and digital. In essence, 75% of any audience needs to be above 18 years of age before an advertisement can be shown: this in itself is a giant hurdle. “The complexity of the codes will make them difficult to apply,” says Garth. “They are very restrictive and will have an impact on the volume of alcohol advertising permitted to the Irish market.” Will it lead to diminished income on part of the drinks companies? “It will make alcohol advertising more expensive, certainly, because there is less space. The same number of companies will be competing for less space, so that will inflate the price

July/August08Retail

The ABFI “THE Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland was established in October 2007. It builds on from Drinks Manufacturers of Ireland, but what is different is that it now covers all sectors of the industry, so it is an umbrella organisation for the supply and manufacturing side of the industry. We also encompass the Irish Brewers Association, the Irish Spirits Association, Irish Cider Association, and the Irish Wine Association. “We represent the industry and advocate on their behalf on various issues. Clearly, when there are sector or category specific issues, then the brewers, or spirits, etc., will activate. We bring everyone’s common concerns together under one voice.”

of advertising. It is not, and nor should it be, without pain for the industry. These are serious codes of practice: despite what detractors might say, they will have a real impact. I think that if you ask anybody who works in media or advertising, they will certainly see these codes as challenging. They are probably some of the most stringent codes that apply anywhere in the world, to any industry.”

Organisation of the Codes From an organisational perspective, the codes necessitate a lot of work. In June, the ABFI ran a workshop for practitioners, discussing the practical implications of the codes. The Federation is also developing a training course, which will teach compliancy. Ultimately, it will be up to drinks companies to ensure that their marketing departments and advertising agencies are up to speed, a process that the ABFI are trying to facilitate. The codes are self-imposed, so penalties will not be dealt out under the mantle of law, but Garth says that non-compliancy would threaten the entire industry. “If the industry does not comply, then the Government will legislate. There is no greater threat or penalty, from an industry perspective.”

Certainly, the Government is keeping a close eye on the effectiveness of the codes. Speaking at their launch, Mary Wallace TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, said, “Adherence to and implementation of the revised codes on Alcohol Marketing and Sponsorship will be one of the important factors for Government to consider in deciding what further measures might be necessary.”

Ireland’s Particular Challenges The drinks industry launched its previous set of codes in 2005, but these updates make them amongst the most restrictive across Europe. Ireland necessitates such restrictions because the country has “particular challenges” in regard to alcohol misuse, according to Garth, specifically in regard to binge drinking and underage drinking. Legislative measures are clearly not in the industry’s best interests, but neither would they solve the problem, insists the ABFI Director. “We’re trying to be much more proactive and forward looking in our approach to these areas,” she says. “I’m not suggesting that other countries should or shouldn’t look at similar approaches. What we’re saying in Ireland is: from an industry perspective, legislation won’t work because of the volume of media that comes into Ireland from out of state, particularly in terms of television, and out in the ether in terms of digital media. This is the best way.” Regulating the advertising of Irish drinks brands perhaps poses the biggest challenge of all, but the industry claims that, by including digital media in the codes, they hope to future-proof the sector. “We’re trying not to look at to what happened in the past, but also what will happen in the future,” says Garth.

The Retail Challenge But will the new codes be negated by retail? While alcohol advertising might be further restricted in the public forum, many retailers still display alcohol, floor to ceiling, in shop windows. The ABFI believe that the “high standards” upheld by manufac-

News Interview

turers and suppliers should also pertain to alcohol retail, as should the fear of imposed legislation. “The Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008 is currently going through the Dáil,” says Garth. “We advised the Minister, before he drafted it, that he should work with the industry and retail sector. I’m pleased that there will be new codes of practice in regard to responsible promotional placement of alcohol in stores. My understanding is that it will go a long way toward addressing concerns. The onus is on the retail sector to make sure they are sensible and responsible about how they place alcohol in a store. We expect everybody who carries responsibility to take this issue seriously. The Minister proposed legislation about structural separation: there is obviously a lot of concerns about public order and promotion and placement of alcohol in-store. But if the retail sector can come up with a more practical and effective way of dealing with the Minister’s concerns, we would support that.” On top of the issues concerning cost competitiveness, alcohol misuse and environmental impact, the Codes on Alcohol Advertising, Placement and Sponsorship present yet another challenge to the already beleaguered drinks industry in 2008. Rosemary Garth, however, is confident in the sector’s future sustainability and competitiveness, approaching these issues with her glass half full. “I think we’d all go home if we took the view that things were going to get worse,” she says. “Clearly, there are challenges, but I think the industry is more prepared and able to engage on issues in a meaningful way than it ever was before. The Government decided to go with our codes of practice rather than legislate: that is an incredible vote of confidence. “Increasingly, Government and other stakeholders are recognising that the industry is ready to tackle the industry in a meaningful way. Often, when you work with the industry, you get a far more effective solution to a problem. I’m pleased with this decision in particular, but the broader move toward engagement and working in partnership is very positive.” 9

July/August08Industry News

Glanbia Distribute ‘Innocent’Smoothies THIS summer sees a new addition to the Glanbia Consumer Foods’ family of Fresh Healthy Beverages, with the company announcing a new partnership with Innocent drinks, the leading fruit smoothie and flavoured spring water brand, ‘This Water’. Glanbia Consumer Foods are selling and distributing the Innocent drinks range into both Dunnes Stores and the convenience channel (SPAR, MACE, Londis, Gala, and Costcutter) since Monday, July 14. This partnership is an exciting new development for the Glanbia Consumer Foods business, strengthening further the company’s proposition and efforts to drive and develop the fresh healthy beverages portfolio. Pictured are Brian Hickey, Innocent Marketing Director, and Simon Brown, Glanbia Consumer Foods Marketing Director.

SIAL 2008 in Paris SIAL 2008, which takes place in the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, from October 19-23, is set to be one of the year’s key events for the entire food sector in 2008, with more than 5,500 exhibitors already signed up. SIAL gives food professionals the opportunity to discover a vast spectrum of the most innovative products, meet manufacturers and suppliers from all over the globe and identify practical, innovative solutions for the challenges they face. Over the 5 days, more than 140,400 professionals come to SIAL from all over the world to seek the products that will deliver their future success including retailers, caterers, wholesalers, importers and manufacturers. Part of SIAL 2008, Retail World is a new high-profile event designed to highlight all the latest developments in the retail sector worldwide.

Terra Madre Festival TERRA Madre Ireland 2008, a four-day gastronomic festival incorporating a major food policy conference in Waterford Institute of Technology, will be held for the first time ever in this country from September 4-7 this year. Pictured at the Terra Madre launch event in Kilkenny Castle are (l-r): Peter Ward, chairperson of the Bord Bia Taste Council; Gary Breen, Fáilte Ireland South East; Darina Allen, Slow Food Ireland; and Michael Moroney, South East Regional Authority. Hosted by Slow Food Ireland in association with Bord Bia, the event incorporates a food policy conference taking place in WIT as well as culinary demonstrations, tours to artisan food manufacturers in the southeast, visits to specialty producers and best practice farms in Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford and South Tipperary, as well as tastings, picnics and competitions. For more information see www.terramadreireland.com

Kleerex Win National Lottery Contract AFTER 20 years in Ireland, the National Lottery is rebranding. As part of this project, newly branded display kits will be installed into the stores of National Lottery accredited agents around the country. The Kleerex Group were successful in the European wide tender for the design, manufacture and installation of new terminal surrounds and playstands for use in over 2,800 outlets nationwide. The installations begin in July and finish in September, with 10 teams working continuously during this period. As part of this conversion, all current displays will be removed and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Kleerex hold the maintenance and installation contract until the end of 2010. 10

Costcutter Opens in Rosslevan TOM Liddy officially opened the doors of his brand new Costcutter Supermarket in Rosslevan, Co. Clare, recently with TV personality Hector O hEochagáin. This is Tom Liddy’s fourth store with the Barry Group, who operate the Costcutter symbol franchise. The 9,500 square feet Costcutter store is of a standard to compete with any supermarket in the region and caters for both convenience shoppers as well as those doing their weekly grocery shop, with a focus on fresh foods and value for money. Hector is pictured cutting the ribbon, watched by John Mc Allen and Jim Barry of Costcutter and Tom Liddy, store owner.

July/August08Industry News

Costcutter Express Opens in North Cork BRUHENNY Holdings celebrated the Official Opening of their brand new Costcutter Express store in Churchtown, North Cork, recently. Pictured at the opening are John McAllen, Commercial Director; Jim Barry, MD; and Oliver Savage, Development Manager, all from Barry Group, with store owner Gerry Murphy. More than €1m was invested into the purposely built 2,800 square feet Costcutter Express, a welcome addition to the local community, which has grown in population by 25% in the past four years. The store offers the very best in convenience shopping, offering fresh fruit and veg, a fine selection of wines and a coffee dock, as well as local produce, including Ballyhoura Pure Apple Juice, which is produced in Churchtown.

Musgrave Triathlon To Raise Funds to Fight Childhood Cancer THE Seventh Annual Musgrave Triathlon was launched in aid of the Irish Cancer Society and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. The triathlon will take place at Farran Woods in Cork on September 6. It attracts over 500 participants every year and it is hoped that this year’s triathlon will raise another record amount. Pictured are (l-r): Dr Giddy Goat, Katie Brennan, age 7, Shea Fahy, HR Director, Musgrave Group, and Dr Bees Knees. This year, Musgrave has added a new dimension to the fundraising drive by selling Funny Face lollies in all SuperValu and Centra stores prior to the event. The lollies cost €2 each and all proceeds will go directly to the Musgrave Triathlon fund.

Dundrum Lifts Top Awards DUNDRUM Town Centre Director, Don Nugent was Named Shopping Centre Manager of the Year for the second year running at the SCEPTRE Awards, which seek to recognise the best practice and the best people in the retail environment, both in Ireland and in the UK. Don is pictured celebrating with model Karen Sutton. Dundrum Town Centre had another reason to celebrate, however, as the Centre was ranked ahead of the majority of Irish cities and towns in an analysis of Ireland’s best retail centres. The South Dublin shopping centre was also revealed as Ireland’s most successful shopping mall, with Irish consumers spending almost €700m in its stores each year. The findings were revealed as part of Ireland’s first ranking of retail centres, the Irish Retail Centre Ranking by Experian, the leading global provider of retail property information on high streets and shopping centres.

BWG Foods’ Wholesale Facility To Open Ahead of Schedule THE development of BWG Foods’ brand new state-of-the-art wholesale facility, which will accommodate both the Value Centre and BWG Foodservices businesses, is running ahead of schedule and is due to open in September this year. The 52,000 square feet complex, located at the North City Business Park, off the North Road in Dublin 11, represents a €15m investment by BWG and will see two key BWG wholesale brands operating under the one roof for the first time. According to BWG Foods Wholesale Division Managing Director, John Moane: “There are obvious synergies in operating two related businesses from one central building, with the North Road site providing an enhanced Value Centre cash and carry offering and an east coast logistics solution for BWG Foodservice.” Pictured are (l-r): Michael Newman, General Manager, and John Moane, Managing Director, BWG Wholesale, at the North City Business Park construction site. 12

New range of sausages with a hint of flavour. Heavy weight marketing campaign including TV, radio, outdoor and in-store sampling.

July/August08Shop

2008

SHOP… The Artisan Way SHOP 2008 will see the largest number of artisan producers to date exhibiting their Irish produced wares.

The

largest number of artisan producers ever have joined the strong turn-out for SHOP 2008, which takes place at the RDS Simmonscourt, from September 29 to October 1, according to event organisers, Expo Events. This year will see an increase of 25% in the number of Irish produce companies exhibiting under the County & City Enterprise Boards (CEB) stand. This substantial increase of artisan exhibitors is an endorsement of the importance of SHOP as a showcase for producers as they meet, face-to-face with key decision makers and buyers. Last year, the CEB section of SHOP attracted great attention and this year, visitors will have an even greater array of CEB companies stands to view, with 23 Enterprise Boards bringing a mix of 55 businesses alone. “Last year, our client companies saw tangible results from taking part at SHOP,” notes CEO of Wicklow County Enterprise Board, Sheelagh Daly. “It provides the ideal medium to support artisan food producers, who gain vital access to trade contacts with key distributors and increase business opportunities. “With the much publicised downturn in the economy, consumers are spending less discretionary income when it comes to eating out. With the upsurge in excellent quality local food 14

This year sees 23 County & City Enterprise Boards bringing a mix of 55 businesses to SHOP 2008.

producers, Irish consumers have a diverse and, most importantly, traceable selection of products to choose from for home cooking.”

Green Products The demand for products and services that are ‘green’ is increasing. Retailers are constantly looking for new quality Irish produced products to maintain customer loyalty. At SHOP, there will be the largest display of these products available, providing retailers with the ultimate choice of Irish produce for their selection. Joint Managing Director of EXPO Events, Garret Buckley, says, “The success of SHOP to date has already indicated its popularity with both exhibitors and visitors alike, yet we are truly delighted with the added boost in CEB companies to this year’s show. This section is an integral part of our event and the increase in local business attending strongly reflects the economic situation and the shift in consumer demand for wholesome, quality, home-made produce.”

Other Exhibitors In addition to the attendance of County & City Enterprise Boards, a number of other industry powerhouses have secured their spaces at SHOP, a testament to the value of the event to their business, including Horgan’s Delicatessen, Berryhill, PRM, Invest NI and Traditional Cheese Company. A further endorsement of the calibre of SHOP and a confirmation of its reputation as the primary event on the food & drink calendar, The Guild of Fine Food is again organising the Great Taste Gourmet Food Hall at SHOP this year, while the World Cheese Awards will also be taking place at the event again this year. Organisers are also highlighting the further endorsement of its visitors and exhibitors at last year’s event, by way of the results of the independent exit poll. Over 88% of visitors in 2007 said they would certainly mark the date in their diaries this year, with 78% of them holding direct purchasing power within their businesses. Exhibitors themselves shared a similar endorsement, with 65% deeming the event to be a valuable tool in their business success. Further information can be viewed on www.shopexhibition.com

MAKE TEA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

As someone who sells our tea you’ll know Lyons makes a difference to your proﬁts. Now, through our journey to sustainability with the Rainforest Alliance, it’s also making a difference to the lives of the people who grow and pick our tea, their families and the environment. Follow our journey on www.lyonstea.ie Supported by a massive marketing campaign from August 2008.

July/August08Drinks

News

Bulmers International Comedy Festival FOLLOWING its phenomenal success in 2007, the Bulmers International Comedy Festival returns to Dublin, bigger and better than ever before. Now in its fifth year, the Bulmers International Comedy Festival has become one of the top five comedy festivals in the world, playing host to the cream of international and Irish talent. This year’s festival will take place in various venues across Dublin for three weeks from September 1, and includes the debut Irish performance of Chris Rock, as well as Jimmy Carr, Ricky Tomlinson and BBC TV’s The Mighty Boosh. Pictured at the launch are: (l-r): Sara Kavanagh; 'Bob' the Bulmers Comedy Apple; Michael Winslow and Marcus Goodwin, Bulmers.

Nicolas Feuillatte RSVP Woman of the Year Awards

The Face of Willow Water TV personality Laura Woods is the new Irish Ambassador for Lakeland Willow Water. Lakeland Willow Water is a natural, soft tasting spring water from the Lake District Area in England, which is fast gaining popularity with Irish water drinkers. Willow Water are delighted that Laura Woods, radio, television presenter and host of RTE’s new National Lottery game show ‘The Big Money Game’, is their Irish Ambassador. Lakeland Willow Water is distributed in Ireland by Batchelors.

DR Loretta Brennan Glucksman, winner of the Co. Cork Women of the Year Award and overall winner of the RSVP Nicolas Feuillatte Women of the Year Awards 2008, is presented with her award by Tom Desmond, GWL Group, awards sponsors. The inaugural year of the highly successful Nicolas Feuillatte RSVP Woman of the Year Awards saw over 500 of Ireland’s celebrity and business leaders celebrate women’s successes in all fields. Tom Desmond, Managing Director, GWL Group, said of the evening, “The GWL Group, as the sole distributor of Nicholas Feuillatte in Ireland, is delighted at the success of the event, which really embodied the brand values of Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne – elegance, class and celebration.”

Cooley Lifts Nine Gold Medals COOLEY Distillery has won a record nine Gold Medals at the 2008 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC). This was the first time that an Irish whiskey distiller managed to collect nine IWSC Gold Medals, including eight ‘Best in Class’ winners. IWSC medals are the most prestigious honours awarded to the drinks industry as they recognise the elite in the world of wine and spirits. Cooley’s golden run continues from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, where the Louth based distiller won six double gold medals earlier this year.

New Chairman and Chief Executive at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard IRISH Distillers Pernod Ricard has announced the appointment of Alexandre Ricard (right) as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Paul Duffy (left), who held these roles previously, has been appointed Chairman and Chief Executive of Pernod Ricard USA. Both appointments took effect from July 1, 2008.

For Further Information Contact In strict confidence:

John Blake Managing Director 087-8081832 E: jblake@finewines.ie

Maureen Daly Business Development Manager 086-8350004 E: mdaly@finewines.ie

Fine Wines off licence group is the fastest growing owner operated chain in Ireland, with over 20 locations Nationwide. We are leading the way with modern surroundings, excellent product mix and highly trained Management and Staff. Our commitment to quality, price and friendly environs has enabled us to continue with our expansion plans throughout 2008/09. As part of this plan we are now actively seeking more retail opportunities.

July/August08Drinks

News

Carlsberg Comedy Carnival ‘Art’ Collection PICTURED at the unveiling of the Carlsberg Comedy Carnival ‘Art’ Collection at No. 15 St Stephen’s Green are Bren Berry, Aiken Promotions; Stephen O’Kelly, Carlsberg; and comedian Adam Hills. The Carlsberg Comedy Carnival Collection includes 35 unique illustrations of many of the Irish and international comedians performing at this year’s

Carry Out Sign Deal with Energia CARRY Out, the Irish off licence franchise, has awarded the electricity supply rights for its 60 stores nationwide to competitive electricity provider Energia, in a one year deal worth €250,000. The deal with Energia will offer Carry Out a reduction of up to 10% on its electricity bills. Making the announcement were (l-r): Tom Desmond, Group Managing Director, GWL Group, who own the Carry Out franchise, and Aidan Brennan, Key Account Manager, Energia.

comedy extravaganza. The Carlsberg Comedy Carnival takes place at the Iveagh Gardens, off Harcourt Street, Dublin 4, from July 24-27.

Pommery Summertime Champagne FINDLATERGRANTS have just introduced Pommery Summertime to the Irish market. Pommery Summertime is a delightful, fruity tasting Blanc de Blancs Champagne, which has been created to evoke all the magic of summer. “The popularity of Champagne in Ireland continues to rise and it is no longer the exclusive preserve of special occasions but a drink to be enjoyed in a wide range of settings,” said Noel Tymlin of FindlaterGrants. “So whether you are enjoying an aperitif or a light summer lunch, Pommery Summertime fits the bill every time.” Benedicte Le Fevre of Pommery is pictured in Dublin, launching Pommery Summertime.

Tullamore Dew Wins International Marketing Award TULLAMORE Dew Whiskey has been awarded an International Marketing Award in recognition of the effectiveness of its global campaigns. Tullamore Dew was selected for its success in identifying key growth markets and the development of focused marketing plans to address and target the nuances of individual countries. The marketing campaign, including the acclaimed ‘Rough Country, Smooth Whiskey’ campaign, has made it the number one selling Irish whiskey brand in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the Czech Republic, and the leading overall whiskey brand in Bulgaria and Latvia, outselling Scotch by a significant margin. Tullamore Dew has grown to become the number two selling Irish whiskey globally, which helped to secure the much coveted marketing accolade.

Bulmers Summer Sundays at Limerick Race Course FOLLOWING from the success of last year, Bulmers Original Cider has announced a consecutive sponsorship of ‘Bulmers Summer Sundays’ race meeting at Limerick Race Course. The Bulmers Summer Sunday, which took place on July 6 at the Grade 1 race course, was one of the biggest race days in the 2008 summer racing calendar at Limerick Race Course. Pictured at the launch of the sponsorship are (l-r): Tom Doyle, the jockey riding ‘Meet the Parents’; Angus Houston, Limerick Race Course; and Anne Hogan, Bulmers.

July/August08Top

20 Wine Brands

Wines of the Times Jean Smullen counts down Ireland’s best selling wine brands, looking at this year’s big winners.

The

Irish consumer is very brand loyal when it comes to wine. Quality and good value in terms of price are key features, which influence a buying decision. Familiarity also helps: the Irish consumer, though knowledgeable, tends to return time and again to a wine, once they have become comfortable with its style. If you take a look at the top 20 wine brands from a ‘Country of Origin’ perspective, it is interesting to note that five of the 20 wines are Australian, five are from California and three are from Chile. Spain now has three brands in the top 20, reflecting the increased interest in Spanish wines; the Champagne region enters for the first time and Germany is back with one brand. This broadly reflects the selling trends in Ireland today, where we see that 70.8% of all wines come from the New World and 29.2% from Europe.

Country of Origin Sales The country of origin sales and market share figures of the table wine market for 2007, which have just been published by the Wine Board, confirm that the Irish love affair with Australian

wine continues apace. Figures to December 2007 show that Australian wine accounted for a whopping 26.4%, followed closely by Chile, whose market share stands at 21.1%. France follows in third position with 13.5% and USA is fourth overall, with 11.3% share of the market. Looking at the changes from 2006 to 2007, Australia remains at number one. The figures for Wolf Blass and Eagle Hawk (the second label of Wolf Blass) have now been combined, meaning that the combined Wolf Blass range overall now outsells Jacob's Creek in volume terms, making it the most popular wine brand on the Irish market for 2007. Blossom Hill from California remains in third place but Chilean brand Santa Rita has moved up two places from 6th to 4th place, which is testament to the remarkable work of the Gilbeys’ marketing team, whose company distributes both brands. Australian wine Hardy's has moved from 7th to 5th place on the Irish market. The Hardy's range is distributed in Ireland by Allied Drinks and their other key global brand, Robert Mondavi, retains its place in the

Paul Masson (Allied Drinks) PAUL Masson emigrated to California in the 1870s, bringing with him years of winemaking tradition and heritage. From his native France, he also brought cuttings and techniques that produced some of the finest wines in California. From simple beginnings, the brand has grown to boast recognition in 70 countries around the world. It has created a tradition of offering quality wines at a reasonable price. Today, Paul Masson continues to honour that tradition: from its striking label to its unique carafe shape, the bottle is sure to draw attention. Contact: Allied Drinks on 01 642 9500.

global ranking as the 4th most powerful wine brand in the world. Concha Y Toro has moved from 8th to 6th position overall. The brand moved distributors in January 2008 from Findlater/Grants to Irish Distillers/Pernod Ricard. Another Chilean brand, Carmen, which is distributed by Edward Dillon & Co., also moved from 10th to 8th overall, an indication of the strengthening sales of Chilean wines on the Irish market and the work of the Edward Dillon marketing campaign, led by Carmen brand manager, Oonagh Gildea.

Champagne In 2007, a Champagne house finally made it into the top 20 wine brands in 14th place, testament to the stalwart work carried out by Moët brand manager Caroline Sleiman of Edward Dillon. Full marks to Findlater/Grants for taking the German wine Bend in the River into the Top 20 for the first time. The German revival is on-going and the team of Rosemary Lyster and Anne Marie Finuncane at Findlater/Grants deserve a lot of credit for their work with this brand.

West Coast Cooler (Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard) West Coast Cooler’s unique taste, along with its dramatic image and contemporary look has certainly caused a stir, its feminine slender bottle shape creating a confident and sophisticated style. As a long cool drink containing only 135 calories, or two Weight Watchers points, this blend of white wine and exotic fruits is a real alternative to wine, other flavoured alcohol drinks and low cal beers. Contact: Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard on 1850 77 47 48.

July/August08Top

The Bend in the River (Findlater Grants) THE Bend in the River takes its name from the majestic River Rhine, at the point where it meanders its way past the small town of Bingen, the home of The Bend in The River. The outstanding design and very unusual bottle shape are matched by a wine that is singular and expressive. Passion, modern winemaking and top quality grapes combine to create success in a bottle. Contact: FindlaterGrants Customer Care 1850 200 569.

Sutter Home (Findlater Grants)

A FAMILY run winery in the Napa Valley, California, Sutter Home develops premium wines that celebrate life’s everyday occasions. Founded in the late 1880s and the second largest independent family-run winery in the US, Sutter Home winery has always produced quality wines at reasonable prices and is recognised as the pioneer of Zinfandel. Contact: FindlaterGrants Customer Care 1850 200 569.

Moët & Chandon (Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd) FOUNDED in 1743 by Claude Moët and based in Epernay, Moët is the largest vineyard owner in Champagne, with over 500 hectares. Moët & Chandon introduced the first vintage Champagne in 1840 and the mini-bottle in the 1930s. They also created the image of Champagne around the world, making Moët the global symbol of celebration. Today, Moët & Chandon is intricately linked to the world of fashion and luxury and it is by far Ireland’s most popular Champagne. Contact: Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd on 01 819 3300.

20 Wine Brands

Marqués de Riscal (Findlater Grants) THROUGHOUT its history, Marqués de Riscal has always been a pioneering and innovative winery. With its world-class wines sold in over 70 countries, it has earned the highest international awards and distinctions. This year, the legendary Rioja winery is celebrating its 150th Anniversary with the creation of a very special wine, Marqués de Riscal 150 Aniversario, a wine made to comply with the standards of a Gran Reserva. Contact: FindlaterGrants Customer Care 1850 200 569.

Faustino (Gilbeys Wines) THIS family-owned bodega continues to be the preferred Rioja brand by consumers in Ireland. The range stretches from Faustino VII at around €10, right up to the iconic Faustino 1 Gran Reserva at around €20. This autumn will see a renewed emphasis on the Faustino brand from Gilbeys, with its first ever advertising campaign in Ireland. Contact: Gilbeys Wines on 1890 200 001.

Nederburg (Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd) NEDERBURG is one of Ireland’s leading South African premium wine brands. The winery dates back to 1791, making it one of the oldest wineries South Africa’s Paarl region. With a large range of wines, including blends and single varietals, the ‘must haves’ include Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, two varieties which typify the excellent winemaking skills of the Nederburg team and showcase the grapes at their best. Contact: Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd on 01 819 3300.

July/August08Top

20 Wine Brands

Lindemans (Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd) FOUNDED by Dr Henry J Lindeman in 1843 in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Lindemans’ philosophy from the outset was to craft wines for everyday enjoyment. This meant cellaring wines and not releasing them for sale until they had properly matured so that consumers could enjoy the wines immediately, a philosophy that hasn’t changed over the intervening 165 years, and which has seen the company grow to become one of the number one Australian wine brands in the world. Contact: Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd on 01 819 3300.

Long Mountain (Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard) ESTABLISHED after South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994, it is the Long Mountain Wine Company's philosophy to produce high quality, easy drinking wines, which can be consumed on their own or as a complement to any meal. The company's flagship is the Long Mountain range, which is now available in more than 30 countries around the world, and has grown to be the number one selling South African wine in Ireland the Western Cape region of South Africa. Contact: Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard on 1850 77 47 48.

Concha y Toro (Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard) IN 1883, Don Melchor Concha y Toro and his wife, Dona Emiliana, brought noble French grapes to Chile from Bordeaux and established one of Chile's most important and revered wineries, Vina Concha y Toro. Today the wines of Concha y Toro are exported to over 100 countries and have a range of award-winning wines. Outstanding wines such as Casillero del Diablo, Marques de Casa Concha and Don Melchor have helped to put this iconic Chilean winery firmly in the mind of the Irish consumer. Contact: Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard Ltd on 1850 77 47 48.

Torres (Woodford Bourne) THE Torres family name has been linked with wine for more than three centuries, and now boasts vineyards in Catalonia, Spain, as well as the Central Valley of Chile and Russian River / Green Valley, in Sonoma County, California. The Torres family, generation after generation, has transmitted the secrets of winemaking and love of the land. This tradition, allied with a vision of the future, have turned Torres into a great exporting company currently trading in more than 120 countries. Contact: Woodford Bourne on 01 4047 300.

Carmen (Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd) VINA Carmen was founded in 1850 by Christian Lanz, who named the winery in honour of his beloved wife, Carmen. More than a century later, in 1987, the Claro Group acquired the brand to take it into a new direction. Viña Carmen today is one of the most important Chilean wineries in the premium wine segment. It exports to more than 50 countries, which represents 94% of total production. Contact: Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd on 01 819 3300.

Rosemount (Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd) ROSEMOUNT Estate was founded over 30 years ago by Bob Oatley and has established itself as one of Australia's top premium wineries. The winery is based in the Upper Hunter Valley, north of Sydney. Rosemount Estate offers an impressive collection of single vineyard, premium regional and classic varietal wines, because they have established vineyards in seven distinct viticultural regions across Australia and a reputation for quality wine-making at a competitive price. Contact: Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd on 01 819 3300.

July/August08Top

Gallo Family Vineyard (Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd) GALLO is another Californian Wine, this time from Sonoma Valley. Gina and Matt Gallo are the third generation of their family to make wines in the US. Family-owned and operated, the winery has been in business for over 70 years. The Gallo range is very comprehensive and has wines to suit all tastes from entry level to Estate wines. Contact: Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd on 01 819 3300.

Santa Rita (Gilbeys Wines) THE growing strength of Chile on the Irish market brings the most popular Chilean wine in Ireland to No. 4 overall. Santa Rita was founded in Alto Jahul in 1880 by Domingo Fernandeaz Concha. From the late 1800s until mid-1970s, the vineyards were developed by his family. In 1980, the Claro group took control of the vineyard and have built a prestigious winery which now exports to over 60 countries in five continents. The commitment to quality and constant innovation has been the key factor in the success of this Chilean winery since it was first founded 120 years ago. Contact: Gilbeys Wines on 1890 200 001.

Jacob's Creek (Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard) THE best selling wine brand in Ireland for many years, Jacob's Creek has been the most popular brand in Australia and Australia's leading export brand for more than a decade and is widely recognised as spearheading the country's export growth. For price/quality this brand is unsurpassable, quality is consistent and there is huge brand recognition from the Irish consumer. A “must have” on every shelf. Contact: Irish Distillers / Pernod Ricard on 1850 77 47 48.

20 Wine Brands

Hardy's (Allied Drinks) ONE of Australia’s icons, Hardy's has a rich heritage spanning more than 150 years and six generations of continuous tradition, experience and innovation. Hardy’s has amassed in excess of 2,700 awards across its regional wine portfolio and is enjoyed in more than 70 countries around the world. It has just been named the world's most powerful Australian wine brand. Contact: Allied Drinks on 01 642 9500.

Blossom Hill (Gilbeys Wines) THE Blossom Hill range are wines from California which are known for being fruit forward New World style wines. The range consists of red, white and rosé wines, which are very much aimed at the novice wine consumer. The winery is based near San Jose and the wines are all made by Carol Thorup, who has been making wines for Blossom Hill since 1992. Contact: Gilbeys Wines on 1890 200 001.

Wolf Blass/Eagle Hawk (Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd) THE best selling wine brand in Ireland for 2007 is Australia’s Wolf Blass, which also includes the Eagle Hawk brand. Quality and consistency are what makes this brand famous: it also helps that the range spans from entry level to the President's Select range, which is a good choice for the consumer who wants to buy something a bit more up-market for a special occasion. Contact: Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd on 01 819 3300.

July/August08Cash

& Carry Profile

New Value Centre Opens in Cavan The new Value Centre Cash and Carry in Cavan town showcases the group’s dynamic new image and is at the vanguard of its aggressive national strategy for the wholesale sector.

The

brand new Value Centre in Cavan showcases the latest developments introduced by BWG Foods’ Wholesale Division to their cash and carry offering, which have been designed to improve footfall and encourage retailers to purchase product in person, rather than through delivery. “The development of the Cavan facility is just one of a number of Value Centre sites being improved or developed around the country, including developments in Dublin, Clonmel and Kilkenny,” Richard Hayes, Manager of the Cavan branch, tells RETAIL NEWS. “It is part of an overall strategy by Value Centre to aggressively compete for trade in the wholesale sector. We have expanded our range and

Richard Hayes, Manager, Value Centre Cavan, pictured outside the new 20,000 square feet facility.

improved the layout and specifications of the interior to encourage retailers to actually come in to the branch.” The development in Cavan involved the sale of the old site, which is located less than a mile away. Having served the group faithfully for over 30 years, the old structure was in need of too much work to make renovation worthwhile. The site was subsequently sold and work began on the new site at the edge of Cavan on the Dublin Road in October of last year.

New Branding As the group progressed their strategy to build new branches and redevelop existing premises, it became apparent that stronger, more contemporary branding was required. With this in mind, a new logo was commissioned and launched in the new Cavan branch when it commenced trading in April of this year. It is the combination of this new branding and the spaciousness and brightness of the building that strikes you as you enter this 20,000 square feet facility. In advance of opening the new branch, a complete range and layout review was undertaken by the Value Centre team when considering product stocking and product loca24

July/August08Cash

tion. And as you walk the floor, you can see how emerging categories are given priority, whilst traditional categories are still prominent. Catering sales, for example, have been identified as an area for growth and the stock selection within the cash and carry has been greatly expanded accordingly. “There is a lot of demand in the area for it and it is an area that has not been exploited in the past,” notes Richard. “With a purposebuilt facility here, we will be able to develop that catering trade over the coming months and years. Everyone knows the market is a very competitive one, and even traditionally strong areas such as alcohol sales have become more challenging to turn a profit. You have to be able to spot the growth areas and target them, particularly now the economy is moving into more difficult times and we see catering, for example, as an opportunity to deliver strong margin and sales for the branch.”

& Carry Profile

The new Value Centre strategy will see the wholesale group compete for the trade of every retailer in their region, but it also ties in with a significant push in the development of XL Stop & Shop, the group’s retail symbol group. The new improved warehouse facilities have upgraded the logistics supporting retailers working within the group and they are also benefiting from an extended product range and promotions. “We have also placed a stronger focus on staff training and customer service,” adds Richard. “We want to make the facility more user friendly, in every aspect of the retailers’ visit. All staff have branded uniforms, so they are easy to spot and we have begun a training programme that will see them emulate the highest levels of customer service. This is all designed to transform the experience of retailers who come into Value Centre facilities.”

Connecting with the Community The Cross Border Issue Cavan Value Centre faces a particular challenge due to its location, close to the border. Its proximity to Northern Ireland, in conjunction with the sustained weakness of Sterling against the euro in recent times, means the region is being targeted by opportunistic wholesalers. “The cross border issue is a very serious one,” Richard admits. “We have to be as competitive as possible and work even closer with our trading team and suppliers to counter the discounted product entering the region. We place particular emphasis on promotions throughout the branch, which you can see merchandised prominently on our many end displays. We also compete on the basis of being local, on the strength of our business relationships with our customers and that connection we have with the area. Every cent that goes over the border disappears out of our economy and it’s a problem in all the border areas.”

The Cavan Value Centre also engages in advertising on local radio to encourage local retailers to shop local, rather than take the trip up North, and the branch sponsors local activities to reinforce that local connection. At every turn, they are strengthening the connection with the community and local businesses. “We have already managed to generate an increase in footfall” enthuses Richard. “Already, we have noticed that everyone who comes through the door wants a price-list straight away. Value for money is high on the minds of all of our customers and it is critical that we provide good value offers on KVI products to keep customers coming back. In challenging times, we are going to have to distinguish ourselves as a great place to source stock in terms of value and service. That is why Value Centre has chosen to invest so heavily in its facilities and staff to make the group as competitive as we can be.” The Cavan project is only one element of an aggressive national strategy being impleFA C T F I L E mented by Value Owner: Richard Hayes Centre. The sigLocation: Dublin Rd, Cavan, Co Cavan nificant effort Size: 20,000 square feet and investNumber of ment shows Staff: 11 full time & 4 part time great confiOpening 09:00-18:00, Monday-Friday dence in the hours: (20:00 Tues); 09:00-17:00, future of the group, challenging Saturday. times or not. 25

July/August08Newsagency

Focus

Real Life, Soaps and TV Listings Uncovered Karen Meenan looks at muststocks in the realm of Real Life, TV Listings and Soap magazines, all massive sellers on your newsrack.

For

many years, as far as retailers were concerned, magazines came in two varieties: weeklies and monthlies. The magazine market has become more sophisticated, particularly in the last decade and so there are many new categories and sub-categories within those two broad groups. Women’s titles account for almost half (45%) of all magazines and this is the biggest sector within the magazine department. The next biggest sector is TV Listings (13%): this includes all TV listings and the three soap titles, Inside Soap, Soaplife and All About Soap. Magazines can also be broadly divided into impulse and planned purchases. TV Listings, Soaps and, to a lesser extent, ‘Real Life’ weeklies are planned purchases, so it makes sense to locate all three sub-groups together and check the rate of sale so that you don’t sell out of any of these popular weekly planned purchases. Cross purchase amongst these subdepartments is huge, so there is a massive opportunity for retailers to

really maximise sales in the newsagency by concentrating on best selling titles within each of these subcategories and by paying attention to the location of these magazines on the stand. The biggest sector by far in the women’s weeklies is the celebrity subdepartment, which features well known titles such as OK!, Heat, Closer, Hello! and Now as the top five titles in this group.

Real Life The next biggest sector is a fairly new group called ‘Real Life’. Around the time of the millennium, there seemed to be an overload of celebrities, and quite simply, the average female magazine customer got a bit sick of reading about the stars and their seemingly perfect lives: there was clearly an appetite for something a bit more down to earth. Enter the ‘Real Life’ sub-category. Some titles like Chat, Take a Break and That’s Life had been around for years but largely ignored by retailer and publisher alike: most of the focus

Real People, completely based on true life experiences, is extremely popular with Irish consumers.

The RTÉ Guide is the best selling weekly title in Irish newsagents and has been for over four decades.

had been on the more glamorous celebrity titles. But the readership of these titles remained loyal and more importantly in the fickle world of magazines, the sales remained constant and so more research and development was commissioned into these stalwart titles. Marketforce, who were distributors of best selling titles such as Now, Woman and Woman’s Own, also had consistently good performer, Chat, in their portfolio. They saw an opportunity to introduce a sister title and invested heavily in focus groups for the target market – females aged 25-45 with children – and produced a tailor made new ‘Real Life’ title and called it Pick Me Up. Again and again, when women were given copies of the fledgling magazine to read, they were asked how they felt having read the stories and completed the puzzles. The most common response was that these women felt uplifted with the real life stories of women just like them who had encountered extraordinary events and endeavours and had a good story to tell. For a small investment of a couple

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July/August08Newsagency

Pick Me Up has proved a massive success in the ‘Real Life’ sector.

of euro, plus a well earned cuppa, they responded that the magazine was like a little Pick Me Up in the middle of an otherwise hectic day – hence the name! Some of these titles are completely based on true life experiences, such as That’s Life and Real People, while others have a mixture of celebrity, high street fashion and some classic women’s weekly editorial – but all seem to have a commonality – they are weekly planned purchases by very loyal customers. If you run out of these titles, your customers will go elsewhere to get their weekly fix.

Focus

considerable investment made by many Irish families in ‘Home Entertainment Systems’ (are they even called TVs these days?) or maybe it was the combination of the smoking ban and the clampdown on drink driving that drove people back home to watch the television with their feet up, a cigarette or a beer in one hand and the remote in the other, which led to an increased demand for TV Listings. The RTÉ Guide is the best selling weekly title in Irish newsagents and has been for over four decades. It has been revamped, upgraded and more than holds its own against all the UK titles on the magazine stand. TV Now is the other Irish TV title. An interesting TV title which was launched just over a year ago is What’s On TV. This is a low cost option for your customer, priced at just over a euro, which makes it one of the best value magazines on your stand, welcome news for consumers in recessionary times. This title features a mix of soap news, gossip, puzzles and easy-to-use listings, most importantly including all the satellite channels. This new title has just been refreshed to include a soap diary, which is a day-by-day guide to what’s happening in all the major soaps, and a Real Life TV section, which gives a round up of the week’s true-life programmes… I wasn’t kidding about the cross purchase potential…

time last year. If you do not have all three Soap titles (All About Soap, Inside Soap and Soaplife), your customer will go to the nearest competitor who does! This customer knows exactly what day these titles come out and they usually buy all three! Soaps and TV Listings are the biggest traffic drivers in your store, so it makes sense to block merchandise these right in the centre of your stand with double facings on the first day of sale to maximise sales. The best selling soap title is Soaplife, written by soap lovers for soap lovers. It is a unique mix of soap news and gossip, soap in pictures, storyline information, interviews and updates, insight into the stars' lives on and offscreen, together with complete highlights of the next two weeks' TV, including day-by-day soap previews and storylines for all the soaps. Good news for retailers, it has the highest cover price too: 25% of higher priced magazines bought by committed consumers is welcome news. And if you thought FHM had stolen the march on all other magazines by introducing high street honeys: Soaplife have introduced a free mini-mag packed with the top 100 Sexiest Soap Men Ever! Now where is the remote…

TV Titles TV titles have come a long way over the last few years. Perhaps it was the introduction of free TV listings with many newspapers or perhaps it was a greater appetite for TV with the

Soaps Soaps are planned purchases with a fanatical fan base: this is the fastest growing category in all the women’s interests, sales are up 17% versus this

About the Author RETAIL consultant Karen Meenan runs her own consultancy business, Results Training & Marketing, focusing on net profit and how to maximise profit for the retailer. For more information, contact Karen on 086 6027711 or by email kmeenan@eircom.net.

Results Training & Marketing When Results Really Matter

Soaplife is a unique mix of soap news and gossip, soap in pictures, storyline information, interviews and updates, insight into the stars' lives on and off-screen, together with complete highlights of the next two weeks' TV.

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to School/Lunch Box

Lunch Leaders The Back to School period brings a wealth of profit opportunities, as manufacturers target products at the lunch/snack sector.

While

kids all over the country are dreading the Back to School period, FMCG manufacturers are rubbing their hands with glee. The Back to School period represents a massive profit opportunity for manufacturers and retailers alike, with a wealth of products targeted specifically at this growing market: recent estimates suggest that the Back to School/lunch box sector is growing by more than 6% per annum (including children and adults). Current trends are pointing towards healthy products, fortified with vitamins or calcium, as concern over childhood obesity levels continues to grow. The big challenge for suppliers is to provide products that appeal to kids, while meeting the dietary requirements of their parents. That said, there are also a host of products aimed at adult lunches, with industry figures estimating that adults account for almost half of all lunch-box meals consumed. However, the majority of products in this sector are targeted primarily at kids.

Both Heinz Baked Beanz and Spaghetti Hoops are available in the truly innovative Snap Pot format.

Heinz Snap Pots Heinz Snap Pots are ideal for consumers who seek an even quicker way to enjoy Heinz iconic Baked Beanz and Spaghetti Hoops. Both Heinz Baked Beanz and Spaghetti Hoops are available in the truly innovative Snap Pot format. Each Snap Pot pack offers four individual 200g portions that are ready from the microwave in just one minute, making them ideal for busy families and lunch and snack occasions, both at home and at work.

Batchelors

and 225g sizes. Heartwise boasts the same great taste consumers expect from Batchelors Beans but contain 20% lower salt and sugar and have added Omega 3 and vitamins A&E. Batchelors Peas claim to dominate the category and continue to grow strongly. This growth will continue throughout the year with the introduction of two tasty products. Heartwise Peas boast 20% lower salt and sugar than standard peas and contain added vitamins and Omega 3 for heart health. Batchelors Herb Butter Peas offer a delicious new twist to an old favourite and are the perfect accompaniment to Sunday roast dinners.

Batchelors Beans cater for all families with a wide range of varieties and sizes.

Batchelors Beans are a quick, easy and nutritious snack for the children when they return from school. Batchelors Beans contain no artificial colours or flavours, contain no preservatives and are fat free. The brand caters for all families with a wide range of varieties and sizes. Batchelors, Ireland’s favourite baked beans, claim to lead the market with a 66% share (Source: ACNielsen April ‘08). Batchelors continue to meet the needs of the modern consumer with the introduction of Heartwise Beans available in 420g

Dairylea Kraft’s Dairylea, a long-time kids’ favourite, offers a range of cheese snacks to meet the entire family’s snacking needs. All Dairylea cheese snacks provide calcium and dairy goodness for growing children of every age. They appeal to both children and parents: kids love the great taste and parents love Dairylea because they knows it's good for them. Dairylea offers a wide variety of unique cheese snacks perfect for

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Dairylea Strip Cheese is a unique snack for families big and small. Available in 4, 8 and now 12 packs, the strips are easy to peel so that they are suitable for younger kids to eat. Each pack is a great source of calcium, and is a low sugar food with no artificial flavours. Kraft Foods have re-launched Dairylea Lunchables with improved product ingredients and a new recipe that delivers strong nutritional benefits that will reassure parents, while still delivering a fun and great tasting lunch box option for kids. Redesigned packaging also accompanies the relaunch and has been designed to maximise freshness and deliver strong onshelf standout.

Dairylea Dunkers are driving strong growth due to their unique dunkable fun.

lunch boxes or after school snacking for kids of all ages. New Dairylea Bites are available this August and are fun and delicious bites of Dairylea. Dairylea Bites are made from mild cheddar cheese: they are wrapped in wax, so the great taste is sealed in and they’re fun to peel open. And because they are made with the dairy goodness of cheddar cheese, there’s enough calcium to give your child one of their recommended ‘three dairy a day’. Dairylea Dunkers are driving strong growth due to their unique dunkable fun. There is a range of five flavours, including the new delicious Dunkers Nacho.

Giggles from The Laughing Cow, has a fresh, creamy, mild taste specially developed for younger palates.

Giggles

Dairylea Strip Cheese is a unique snack for families big and small: the strips are easy to peel so that they are suitable for younger kids to eat.

Giggles from The Laughing Cow, the number one Irish processed cheese portions brand, has a fresh, creamy, mild taste specially developed for younger palates, making it unique in the cheese snacking category. And it’s not just the taste of Giggles that kids will find appealing: it’s packaged in handy ‘pods’ that make it an easy-to-use, mess-free, hand-held snack for little hands, and independent minds! As well as containing no preservatives, artificial colours or flavours, Giggles is made with fresh whole milk, making it a good source of calcium. Plus, being tooth-friendly, Giggles is a great alternative to sugary snacks.

Cheestrings

Dairylea Lunchables are available in 6 delicious variants and have an RRP of €2.39. 32

All of the bread and Cheestrings, from Kerry Foods, are crackers in Dairylea ideal for the school lunchbox. They're Lunchables are made 100% real cheese with whole grain and and a naturally have Vitamin D to aid good absorption of calcium. They also provide more than a third of a child’s daily-recommended intake of calcium. Dairylea Lunchables are available in 6 delicious variants and have an RRP Cheestrings, from Kerry Foods, are ideal for the of €2.39. school lunchbox.

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source of calcium, containing 27% of the guideline daily amount for 5-10 year olds. Kids love them and with a whole glass of fresh milk in every one, they really are the healthier snack kids can smile about!

Ribena Ribena’s thirst-quenching fruit drinks, from GlaxoSmithKline, are the perfect choice for consumers looking for healthy, yet convenient refreshments. Available in a range of formats, Ribena continues to raise performance levels in both the RTD and concentrates market. Ribena’s 288ml tetra cartons are easy to hold and come in a range of fruity flavours, including Blackcurrant, ToothKind Blackcurrant, Strawberry, Apple and Orange. The deliciously healthy RTD juices give consumers a refreshing choice, no matter where they are, without any hassle. Ribena’s 330ml Sportscap range provides the added convenience of an up-to-the-minute valve cap, which ensures less spills and less mess.

Available in a range of formats, Ribena continues to raise performance levels in both the RTD and concentrates market.

The Ribena 500ml range continuously provides consumers with a tasty drink, coupled with a generous serving size, to satisfy the strongest thirst. The range of flavours includes Blackcurrant, Cranberry & Blackcurrant and Really Light Blackcurrant. The RTD range also comes in handy tetra multi-packs: the three-pack features four variants (Blackcurrant, Toothkind Blackcurrant, Orange and Apple),

to School/Lunch Box

stalls and loads of games and competiwhile the eight-pack is available in tions for everyone to join in. There will three variants (Blackcurrant, also be sampling of 100%, and deliToothkind Blackcurrant and Variety). cious fresh country pies made from the Hectic lifestyles and increasing same delicious fruits as Ribena 100% expenses mean that consumers have Juice. less time to focus on their diet, so Ribena’s constantly evolving products give consumers one less thing to worry Sqeez about. To highlight this, Ribena will be Sqeez, the number one Irish made giving consumers an enticing offer on juice brand, continues to deliver all three-pack RTDs, making them a exactly what parents want during the clever choice for the shopping list. ‘back to school’ season. Alongside all Ribena’s 70 years of heritage is the familiar Sqeez favourites, from evident in the concentrates range, Batchelors, is the Sqeez “100%” range, which is ever-popular with Irish concontaining 100% juice and available sumers. Uniquely supported by a in 250ml PET four-pack bottles. ‘kind to teeth’ promise, Ribena No Added Sugar is a particularly popular, healthy choice. By catering to the needs of contemporary consumer demands, Ribena Really Light No Added Sugar ensures a mouth-watering drink, with lower calories. For consumers looking for a healthy and reasonably priced option, there will be major promotions on 1-litre The Sqeez “100%” range contains 100% juice and is available in 250ml PET four-pack bottles. concentrates at key times. To reinforce the Ribena range as This range was developed specifian evolving brand, Ribena 100% Pure cally following requests from parents Juices have just been launched and looking for a 100% pure fruit juice in are a welcome addition to the Ribena a resealable wide mouth bottle. Sqeez family. Ribena 100% Pure Juices 100% consists of two flavours – come in two mouth-watering Orange and Apple. Sqeez 100% bottles flavours and are available contain no additives, no preservatives in a handy 250ml PET botand no added sugar. tle, or a 1-litre tetra pack. The unique added benefit Mi Wadi of this truly fruity refreshMi Wadi’s ready-to-drink Mi Juice ment is that is one of the Boost, from Britvic Ireland, is going to ‘five-a-day’ requirements, making it the perfect healthy choice. To highlight Ribena’s position as a consumer favourite, an exciting new roadshow, ‘Harvestival’, will be running across the country during the harvest season. Ribena’s finest blackcurrant growers will be on hand to talk about Ribena 100% Juice and to explain why only the best blackcurrants are used in Mi Wadi’s ready-to-drink Mi Juice Boost is a delicious blend of zingy, natural fruit juices, packed Ribena products. There with vitamins B, C and D. will be farmer’s market 33

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be the must have addition to lunch boxes across Ireland this September. Its delicious blend of zingy, natural fruit juices make it a hit with kids, while keeping parents happy with the knowledge that each Mi Juice Boost is packed with vitamins B, C and D. Mi Juice Boost comes packaged in funky, brightly coloured packaging and is topped off with a sports re-sealable cap. It’s an ideal refreshment for kids, whether at lunchtime or during school breaks. Mi Juice Boost is available nationwide and comes in an array of fruity flavours, from zesty lemon and lime to refreshing orange and mouth watering blackcurrant.

H2OH! H2OH!, part of the PepsiCo. portfolio, has graduated into second year, after making the smooth transition onto the shop shelves in summer 2007. Scoring a strong number three position on the dynamic water market

from the crowd, making sure that “Water’s gonna be jealous”.

7UP/7UP Free First prize goes again to 7UP, as the brand continues to take the crown as Ireland’s number one lemon and lime drink, increasing its share to over 82% of the lemon and lime market, according to PepsiCo. With 100% natural lemon and lime flavours, the brand’s popularity on the dining table and its reputation for being Ireland’s healthiest soft drink continues to show, as both 7UP and 7UP Free are bought by more households than any other carbonated drink. Complementing the brand’s ‘Nature is Closer than You Think’ platform, 7UP Free has just launched www.7upfreeforum.com, an interactive website and information resource packed full of fun-filled “free” things to do at home and ‘in nature’, wherever you live in Ireland. The website is primarily aimed at parents, providing them with a whole range of fun and free entertaining activities, encouraging families to get out and about and have some fun inspired by 7UP Free.

being inspired by football icons Cesc Fabregas, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry. In a twist to this high profile football campaign, Pepsi handed full creative control to consumers, asking them one simple question: ‘if you were given the tools and the players, what would you do?’ The resulting advertisements were compiled from a winning selec- Pepsi continues to gain share in tion of imaginative a growing cola football scenarios market. from tens of thousands of responses. 2008 has also seen Pepsi go digital, providing exciting and interactive experiences on its new consumer website www.pepsiyouniverse.com, perfect for having some fun at home and off the pitch!

Pepsi/Pepsi MAX

The perfect choice for lunchtime or after sports, H2OH! is a popular convenience, on-the-go refreshment.

only six months after its launch, H2OH! has now taken position as the number two flavoured water bought on impulse, according to the company. The perfect choice for lunchtime or after sports, H2OH! is a popular convenience, on-the-go refreshment, ideal for consumers at any time of the day. Showing off its sugar-free and no calorie qualifications, this lightly sparkling water also gets full marks for taste. Excellently presented in a modern, colourful and ergonomically designed bottle, H2OH! certainly stands out 34

Pepsi remains strong this year as it continues to gain share in a growing cola market. Providing con7UP, Ireland’s sumers with a healthy number one lemon and lime choice, the no sugar feadrink, is tures of Pepsi Max continincreasing in ue to be a favourite among popularity all the sporting crowd. 2008 the time. saw Pepsi Max advertising

Munch Bunch The solid number three manufacturer in the kids dairy sector, Nestlé is strengthening its Munch Bunch range for Back to School 2008. With its deliciously fruity range of Fromage Frais, Whole Milk Yogurts, Drinks and fun Squashums, Munch Bunch is the expert in meeting the needs of growing kids: all products contain calcium for strong bones, real fruit puree and no added preservatives nor artificial colours. In addition to this, Drinky + is the perfect afternoon snack and contains

With its deliciously fruity range of Fromage Frais, Munch Bunch is meeting the needs of growing kids.

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berry and banana flavoured custard. Also in the range are the Ambrosia Layers: custard or rice pudding over a hidden layer of delicious fruit compote, chocolate or caramel. The convenient individual portions are a complete dessert and all pots contain less than 3% fat per serving. The old fruit favourites of custard with a layer of rhubarb or peach compote, and the rice dessert with a layer of strawberry or raspberry & blackberry compote, have recently been relaunched with a richer, dessert-style custard.

Drinky + is the perfect afternoon snack and contains Omega 3 and Lactobacillus Fortis for healthy tummies.

Omega 3 and Lactobacillus Fortis for healthy tummies. Munch Bunch is continuing to propose fun options to kids with its Squashums range. Packed in a unique fruit shape and sold in a fruit-like net, Squashums is a healthy yogurt, perfect for the lunch box! Munch Bunch is also improving its packaging with a new character on its Fromage Frais and Yogurt products, and with packaging now easier to read across the range, guaranteeing on-shelf impact. The brand will be supported by a brand new massive through the line campaign of approximately €400,000, with a new TV advertisement on air from September.

an ideal substitute for chocolate or crisps in kids’ lunchboxes and make a great alternative break-time snack or a fun, tasty after-dinner treat. With less than 10 calories per pot and containing no artificial flavours and natural colours, Hartley’s Low Sugar Jelly Pots come in a family value four-pack, featuring two Orange Jelly Pots and two Strawberry Jelly Pots. The variety helps when trying to please even the choosiest child! Premier Foods will be supporting the brand with a heavyweight marketing campaign in 2008. Look out for the launch of lots of new and exciting desserts from Hartley’s later in the year!

Hartley’s Hartley's offer a range of jellies in quick to prepare and ready-to-eat formats. The Low Sugar Jelly Pots are

Ambrosia

Ambrosia’s range of rice pudding and custard pots are the perfect snack for kids’ lunchboxes and an old favourite with adults too. Offering creamy goodness in handy pots, Ambrosia products are low in fat, contain no artificial colours or preservatives and are a good source of calcium, providing between16-26% of our RDA for calcium. A great lunchbox snack and calcium top-up, Ambrosia products can be eaten hot or cold and are available in several different Hartley's offer a range of jellies in quick to varieties, from great original rice prepare and ready-to-eat formats, including pudding and custard in singles delicious Low Sugar Jelly Pots. and four-packs to vanilla, straw-

Ambrosia’s range of rice pudding and custard pots are the perfect snack for kids’ lunchboxes, can be eaten hot or cold and are available in several different varieties.

Premier Foods will support thebrand in 2008 with a fully integrated marketing campaign, including radio, outdoor, press and sampling activity, as well as many great value offers instore.

Club Jacob Fruitfield are brightening up Back to School time with the launch of two exciting new Club variants, Club Milk Wafer and Club Dark. Smothered in thick chocolate, the latest flavours to “join our Club” are a tasty lunch box or after-school treat and available in both handy six-pack and 33% extra free added value formats. Club Milk Wafer delivers a crisp wafer experience for consumers seeking a lighter bite for their chocolate fix, while responding to the growing demand for wafer-based treats. Club 35

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of €1.79. The triple chocolate treat contains only 96kcals, making it the lowest calorie wafer bar on the market and an ideal treat for kids, according to McVitie’s. Penguin Stix will have two fingers of light, crunchy biscuit covered with milk chocolate. Each carton will contain six 25g bars and will have an RRP of €2.49. Penguin Bakes will be a fun combination of delicious baked biscuit bites and a smooth chocolate flavoured filling and will also have an RRP of €2.49. Each carton will contain six 30g bars. With a large proportion of parents now desiring ‘free from’ New Club Milk Wafer and Club Dark are the and ‘added calcium’ products, latest flavours to join the Club range from these new Penguin treats are ideJacob Fruitfield. al: all are free from artificial colours and flavours, made without Dark is perfectly on trend with the hydrogenated vegetable oil and consurging popularity of dark chocolate, tain added calcium. which has received both celebrity Each snack will be individually endorsement and wide press coverage wrapped for freshness and convenof its inherent health benefits. All ience and the packaging retains the products in the Club range are indidesign style of the easily recognised vidually wrapped for freshness and and trusted portion control, making them ideal for on-the-go snacking. With strong on-shelf presence and impactful packaging, the new variants are easily distinguished from firm family favourite, Club Milk, and attractive display units are available to highlight the range in-store. The Club brand, which has enjoyed an impressive 13% value growth over the past year (Source: AC Nielsen Scantrack, MAT, April 20, 08), will be supported by a strong above the The massively popular Penguin brand from line campaign this autumn. McVitie’s will be adding to its range this year.

Penguin Retailers can pick up on profit opportunities this new school year as popular family snack brand Penguin, from McVitie’s, launches three exciting new products, all with the benefit of added calcium. Currently worth €1.4m and Ireland’s 6th biggest chocolate biscuit brand, Penguin is developing its range this summer by adding calcium to its already successful Penguin Wafer brand and by introducing new Penguin Stix and Penguin Bakes. Penguin Wafers with calcium will remain in packs of nine with an RRP 36

Penguin brand. Supported by in-store promotions in August and October, these new treats offer retailers an exceptional opportunity to boost sales in this Back to School period.

Pom-Bear Pom-Bear, teddy shaped potato snacks, are targeted at kids aged between 4 and 8 years old. PomBear snacks are designed to keep kids happy but also offer parents the reassurance that their kids are enjoying a healthy potato snack

Pom-Bear, teddy shaped potato snacks, are gluten free, with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and only lightly seasoned and contain 25% less salt.

alternative. They are gluten free, with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and only lightly seasoned and contain 25% less salt. The range now includes 25g single packs and multipacks (in Original and Cheese & Onion flavour.) To meet consumers growing demand for the brand, Pom-Bear have added Prawn Cocktail flavour to the existing range for the convenience trade. BR Marketing will be supporting Pom-Bear with added value promotions to ensure retailers capitalise on the growing demand for the brand this autumn.

Chio & Truller BR Marketing also distributes Chio and Truller snacks. With new product introductions and strong promotional plans, the brand will continue to go from strength to strength in the Irish marketplace. The range includes Chio Party Mix, Maxi Mix, Stickletti, Stickletti & Brezli and newly introduced Chio premium crisps (available in Low Fat Sour Cream and Onion and Ready Salted). The Truller range, which includes the extremely successful Bacon Pep, will be extended this year to capitalise on consumer demand for the brand.

A-Range Your Store Part 3 Last time out we visited John O Sullivan & Joe Smart’s Spar on Edward Street in Newbridge. We found a bright and spacious new fit-out and a store of 2,500 sq. ft. approx. We found a busy store on the main street in Newbridge with a morning peak from 6.30am – 8am and a lunch/afternoon peak from 12.30pm – 4pm. The store has a broad mix of regular shoppers from Office Workers and Construction Workers to School and Residential customers.

JAMES O’ROURKE James is the Category Manager for Walkers in Ireland. James has been with the company for the past 4 years and has worked in a variety of roles from Territory Manager to Grocery & Wholesale Account Manager.

Right product, right place, right price The first step of category management that we discussed was centred on having the right product, at the right price and in the right place for your shopper. Spar Edward St. had the crisps and snacks sited under the counter at the till points in the front of store area. This kiosk area was quite cluttered with no clear brand or product type blocking. It was difficult to navigate and it was acting as an impulse purchase barrier; because if the shopper can’t quickly scan the fixture & select the product they desire, then the impulse sale will be lost to the store. We blocked this section clearly, opened up on best sellers and reduced the number of secondary lines. This resulted in an 11% increase in standard bag sales over the test period.

Additional siting On our first visit we found that there was no additional crisp & snack siting elsewhere in the store, despite the prominence of the Deli/Hot counter in the store. There was also a busy Off-Licence section beside the hot counter which proves a draw for many customers into the shop throughout the slower evening period. We had initially sited a crisps & snacks stand beside the hot counter and a stand by the off-licence, but given the floorspace available we felt that it would be best to have only one stand, but to stock both standard bags

for the deli/hot counter and sharing bags for the off-licence given their proximity.

Immediate sales increase This was making the best use of the available floorspace (our second step!) and indeed it proved successful as we saw a 45% increase in Sharing Bag Sales and an 11% increase in weekly Standard Bag Sales. We found that the availability of Key Lines close to associated purchases (Lunch Deli Counter & Alcohol Off Licence) meant it was easier for the shopper to navigate & saw many incremental sales which would have been forgone had the stand not been in place.

Working together delivers sales and profit Throughout this test one clear benefit has been apparent, and that is the store working closely with the supplier to develop the category in their store. Store Manager Claire Dempsey believes that “it is great to have the information on the best selling lines”. She feels that it is difficult to manage a store and all the categories effectively all the time, especially in a fast changing category such as crisps & snacks. This is where the 3rd step comes into play, knowing the facts about the category. By knowing and putting the facts of the crisps & snacks category to work in this store, we have seen a 25% increase in sales, as well as increased on-shelf availability and ultimately customer choice and satisfaction.

Largo Foods have Back To School in the Bag! Crisps & Snacks: The total Irish Crisps and Snacks market, valued at an estimated s204 million per annum*, grew by +5.8%* MAT April 2008. It remains one of the key value categories for retailers to focus on within their stores. Within this figure, ‘Snacks’ represent 36% and are showing positive value growth of +2.7% YOY. The majority of the Tayto snacks are baked and not fried with some of them carrying as low as 81 calories per pack!

Largo Foods: Largo Foods, the number one Irish Snackfood company represent some of the oldest and most iconic crisp and snack brands. Within the crisps portfolio are Tayto, King and Hunky Dorys. Within the snacks portfolio are the much loved Perri, Sam Spudz, Tayto and Hunky Dorys snack ranges.

Snacks Portfolio: Tayto Snax, the number one selling snack product in the Largo Foods snacks portfolio*, is a firm favourite for all ages. Tayto Snax by itself represents almost 7%* of the total snacks market. This great tasting product carries a mere 86 calories per pack. Tayto Snax are available both in 17g impulse packs and in convenient 6 packs and 12 packs.

standard crisps. Tayto Velvet Crunch, with only 81 calories per 20g serving, has captured 2.4%* of the snacks market in the past year. Tayto Velvet Crunch is available in 20g impulse packs, a 90g sharing pack and a handy 6 pack offering. Tayto Treble Crunch pride themselves on 33% less fat than standard potato crisps with no taste compromise. These deliciously light and crunchy snacks contain only 99 calories per pack. This solid market performer is a must-stock for the back to school period.

Tayto Chipsticks is the No.2 selling Tayto snack within the snacks portfolio, commanding a market share of 4.9%*. Tayto Chipsticks is another great baked snacking alternative, with only 136 calories per 28g pack. This Salt & Vinegar flavour crunchy potato & corn snack is a must stock for all retailers.

Tayto Mighty Munch, the chunky hot & spicy baked corn snack is available in a great impulse 26g pack and also in a multipack for all the family. The Tayto snacks portfolio also consists of a host of other delicious options including Tayto Waffles, Tayto Jonnie Onion Rings, Chickatees and Wheelies. Another strong contender in the Largo Foods snacks portfolio, are the Perri range of baked snack products. Perri snacks include Perri Banshee Bones, Perri Cheese Puffs, Perri Hot Lips and Perri Mummies. The Perri range also includes the ever-popular Salted Popcorn range. The Perri snacks portfolio will be supported by strong promotional activity throughout 2008.

For those occasions when only a tasty Tayto crisp will do, Tayto Lights come in 2 delicious flavours, Cheese & Onion and Salt & Vinegar. With 30% less fat than standard Tayto, Lights are the mouth-watering lower fat crisp option. For those King Crisp lovers, King Lites come in a convenient impulse and multi-pack offering. King Lites have shown strong sales since their launch as that King taste stays true on this lower fat crisp.

News Update: In 2007, Largo Foods became the distributor for the Tangerine range of confectionery products in Ireland. The Tangerine portfolio contains some of our favourite and most loved confectionery brands, including Barratt, Jameson’s and Sharps. These key confectionery brands span across the entire confectionery market offering consumers a confectionery brand for all occasions.

Better for you crisps and snacks: Tayto offers a wide and innovative range of healthier snacking options, such as Tayto Velvet Crunch, boasting 70% lower fat than

* Nielsen, Markettrack, Value, MAT, month ending April 20th 2008

July/August08Back

to School - Stationery

Stationery Moving Fast The Back to School season is the peak selling period for stationery products.

Back

to School isn’t just about food products and lunch boxes. It also means a massive surge in stationery supplies, as kids and their parents stock up on pens, pencils, copies, rulers, erasers and all the other essentials for the Back to School period. Indeed, the total stationery market in the EU is estimated to be worth €14.5 billion, and while it is considered a mature market, it is nonetheless expected to grow by 1-1.5% per year. Most of the main suppliers in the sector have a range of products targeted at the Back to School sector.

Premier Stationery Established in 1978, Premier Stationery prides itself as Ireland’s leading stationery company, with the highest quality products for all ages, homes and work-places. This familyrun business has developed and supplied long-standing favourite stationery products such as Crafty Kids, Premier Activity, Ormond, Scoil, MailMaster & Calcul8tor, to name but a few. Other superior brands include Icon and Icon Apprentice, Premier’s elite artists collection, which includes an extensive range of surfaces, mediums, brushes and accessories for both professional and recreational artists. World of Colour is aimed at a younger audience, incorporating drawing and painting mediums, colouring & drawing books and an extensive range of craft items. Premier Depot is a favourite in all offices and homes alike for all stationery requirements, from staplers to pens, bubble wrap to index dividers, and display books to scissors. 40

Newer brands to have come on the market include HobSession, for hobby enthusiasts, Student Solutions, targeted to academic audiences, ProForm, with its extensive range of labelling and printing solutions, and Stikie, with a range of adhesive tapes, flag notes, ‘stikie tack’ and glues. Premier Stationery is now the exclusive distributors for Zebra Pen Products.

Zebra Pens

Premier Stationery, one of Ireland’s leading stationery companies, with the highest quality products for all ages, homes and work-places.

Zebra Pens are continuing their push to increase market share within writing instruments in Ireland. Having Ireland, Zebra Pen UK have a strong teamed up again with RETAIL NEWS to presence within the multiple and indegive every reader a free Sarasa Gel pendent retail channel. As well as its sample (RRP:€2.20), Zebra are recordcore range of gel, liquid ink, ball pen, ing strong growth year-on-year both in markers, correction and mechanical Ireland and the UK. pencils, the new Expandz metallic comDistributors Premier Stationery pact pen was a runaway success in the (formerly Banaghans) have shown lead-up to Christmas. All core products their commitment to the Zebra brand are available through Premier by offering a full range of products and Stationery distribution. some fantastic special offers for the Irish market. As retailers continue to struggle with Henkel Consumer increased costs, reduced profit margins Adhesives and a more demanding consumer, Zebra Sellotape Original is Ireland’s best selland Premier are driving sales through ing clear tape. It is one of the world’s the middle & 'value for money' end most trusted craft and staof the market. For example, retailtionery brands, and remains ers can now offer their customers a Ireland’s favourite tape, six-pack of branded retractable trusted by generations of ball pens for as little as €3.55, a Irish families. The brand much needed saving in today’s ecocurrently commands nomic climate. unprecedented levels of conA Japanese manufacturer sumer awareness, taking its of writing instruments for place alongside Pritt and 110 years, Zebra Pens have Loctite in the range of marbeen trading in Europe ket-leading products from since 1991. J Roller Henkel Consumer helped launch the comAdhesives. pany into the European Pritt, in Ireland, means writing instrument marglue stick. Solvent-free, ket, followed by Jimnie non-toxic and child friendly, Gel in 1992. 1999 & 2000 Pritt Stick is ideal for paper saw the launch of the and card, as well as for light phenomenally successful craft applications. The range Supermarble 3 colour gel Zebra Pens are continuing has now been expanded their push to increase Ink and Sniff Itz scented to include new Power market share within writing Pritt, which is aimed at gel pens. An established suppli- instruments in Ireland, and the growing adult craft are now distributed by er in the UK, Europe and market. Premier Stationery.

July/August08Back

to School - Stationery

The ever popular Pritt Stick is ideal for paper and card, as well as for light craft applications.

Loctite is another market leader from Henkel. Loctite is made in Ireland, and is the country’s number one instant adhesive. Available in a range of merchandising options to maximise sales, Loctite sells well in any format of store.

BIC BIC is set for a record Back to School season with its exciting combination of innovative new products and an interactive web campaign. With under 16 year olds spending more than 20 hours a week on the

internet, BIC has launched “Very BIC Choice Surf & Win”, a fun, interactive web based campaign at www.verybicchoice.com – with educational quizzes and prizes to be won. Very BIC Choice will form part of an integrated campaign that involves radio competitions, online and print advertising, sampling activity at family attractions and special pre-loaded floor displays available for in-store communication. The campaign will support retailers throughout the summer months and into September. With prizes including leading electronic gadgets from Samsung and Apple and loads of BIC stationery products, winners will benefit during the run up to Back to School. Emma Lawley, Marketing Manager at BIC says: “Research has shown us that 38% of consumers surveyed buy at the start of the school year, with the early September weeks being the busiest (Source: Mintel Back to School Summary Report, 2007). We have ensured that the Very BIC Choice campaign supports retailers during this key time, as well as

BIC has launched “Very BIC Choice Surf & Win”, a fun, interactive web based campaign at www.verybicchoice.com, with educational quizzes and prizes to be won.

encouraging sales throughout the Back to School period, through the impactful promotion. “There is a lot of benefit to the retailer in merchandising stationery ranges to stimulate incremental purchases. Only 23% considered that there was a wide selection on offer, so providing a broader range may persuade consumers to spend more than they anticipated.” BIC’s must-have recommendations for the new term include BIC Easy Clic Roller, Cristal Gel, Cristal Decorated and Tipp-Ex Correction Tapes.

Leading stationery manufacturer, BIC® has teamed up with Gift Focuss to give one lucky retailer a fully stocked free standing display unit (FSDU), containing a selection of BIC Back to School stationery. Filled with writing, correction, marking & colouring products, along with a range of accessories, the display unit is perfect for any retailer in the run up to the new school term. Each display unit has an RRP of over £900 and will ensure you have the right offering to capitalize on the Back to School sales period. BIC’s must-have recommendations for the new school year include BIC Easy Clic Roller, Cristal Gel, Cristal Decorated and Tipp-Ex Correction Tapes. The trend this year is geared toward functionality, with parents and kids looking for writing instruments with added value. To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic stationery display, simply answer the following question:

WHAT IS THE BIC FSDU THEMED AROUND? a) Christmas

b) Back to School

c) Mothers Day

Please send your answer, along with your name, shop address and a contact telephone number by email to retailnews@tarapublishingco.com or on a postcard to: BIC FSDU COMPETITION, Poolbeg House, 1-2 Poolbeg Street, Dublin 2. Closing date 15th August For more information about BIC stationery, or any other BIC products, please call 01 810 2800 or log onto www.bicworld.com Judges decision is final. Usual rules apply. 42

'ZEBRA pens bring out the animal in you.............'

SARASA 25 PCS STANDARD

"Zebra Pens are continuing their push to increase market share within writing instruments in Ireland. Having teamed up again with Retail News to give every reader a free Sarasa Gel sample (rrp = €2.20) Zebra are recording strong growth YOY both in Ireland & the U.K. Distributors Premier Stationery (Formerly Banaghans) have shown their commitment to the Zebra brand by offering a full range of products & some fantastic special offers for the Irish market. As Retailers continue to struggle with increased costs, reduced profit margins & a more demanding consumer, Zebra & Premier are driving sales through the middle & 'value for money' end of the market. For example, retailers can now offer their customers a 6 pack of branded retractable ball pens for as little as €3.55 a much needed saving in today’s economic climate. To find out more about what's on offer from Zebra Pens and Premier for BTS and beyond, contact Premier Stationery below and back that winning horse, or should that be Zebra? "

MINI FDSU

PREMIER STATIONERY LTD. STREAME CENTRE, NENAGH, CO. TIPPERARY Tel: 067-63850 Fax: 067-63851 e-mail: sales@premier-stationery.com

July/August08Training

& Education

Learning By Example DIT is a leading light in the arena of Irish retail training. RETAIL NEWS talks to the college’s head of Retail Management Studies, Don O’Riordan.

For

most people involved in the retail sector, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) is the first port of call when it comes to management education. Retail, of course, encompasses many different facets of business, but according to Don O’Riordan, Head of Department of Retail Management Studies at the Institute, “much of what we study concerns food and drink”. “A degree in retailing isn’t specifically aimed at one part of retailing,” he continues, “but because of the nature of our clients and guest speakers, it tends to focus on food and drink. Overall, though, we want to give our students a broad understanding of the retail sector.” This broad understanding is encompassed in a number of courses at the Institute. At post Leaving Cert level, there is a B.Sc. in Retail & Services Management, which entails modules on everything from category management to international retailing, retail location and store design. Other branches of this course cover

corporate finance, economics, marketing and management. During the third year of the B.Sc., students take work placement in the retail sector. Meanwhile, a Higher Certificate in Retail Management & Marketing leads prospective retailers into the degree programme.

MBS in Retail Management For those already equipped with a business or economics degree, and who envisage a career in retail at senior level, DIT’s MBS in Retail Management offers an opportunity to gain accelerated knowledge of advanced retailing issues. “We consider the MBS as delivering the science of retailing,” says O’Riordan. Indeed, its mix of lectures, presentations and seminars, ensure that every facet of the industry is covered, and a one-year full time and a two-year part time option ensure that every type of student is catered for. The part-time course, for example, which is held one afternoon a week, is especially popular amongst people (such as middle managers) already working in the industry.

Themed Seminar Week Both MBS courses feature a special Themed Seminar Week each January, featuring guest speakers from leading companies and universities around the world. “One year, the theme was about exporting retail brands and formats, and how different markets can absorb international brands,” says O’Riordan. “Another year, we discussed the spatial strategy of companies: how they locate and create an ambience in-store.” Each May, DIT holds an International Retail Study Tour Week in which students visit companies, universities, and leading retail sites overseas. As part of this excursion, they study emerging trends and see local solutions to universal problems. Countries include Germany,

Don O’Riordan, Head of Department of Retail Management Studies at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

FSAI THE Food Safety Authority of Ireland offers two training programmes. ‘Food Safety and You’ promotes “active learning and the application of training in the work environment”. Targeted at employees at induction level (including those with language/literacy difficulties), the workshop is certified by the FETAC and costs €300 per applicant. Companies who wish to deliver the three-hour ‘Food Safety and You’ training programme must apply to the FSAI to attend a two-day Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) certified Food Safety Training Skills workshop. The FSAI also offers a course on ‘Food Safety Training for Management in the Chinese Food Sector’, which can be delivered in both Chinese and English languages. For more information, email: training@fsai.ie or phone 01-8171348

July/August08Training

& Education

CSNA “WE currently have two courses on offer,” says Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association. “One concerns maximising profits in the sale of newspapers and magazines, the other relates to IT training in small businesses, which includes modules in regard to the Easons/Menzies and Newspread websites. These are offered throughout the country and on a full day basis: 9:30 through to 4:00pm. We are also associated with FETAC 4 and FETAC 6 levels of diplomas and degrees in retail sales.” For more information, email: info@csna.ie or phone 045 535050. Spain and England, explains O’Riordan. “Last year, for example, we visited two huge scale logistics centres in mainland Europe,” he noted, “handling huge areas of land and space.”

Broad Knowledge Range Overall, the MBS covers a broad range of knowledge. “We look at retail location strategies,” continues O’Riordan. “Marketing the retail brands: how retailers export and modify those brands. Tesco, for example, have different layers of brands for different market segments. We also hold a module on retail performance management, aimed at maximising the return on investment in retail companies.” Furthermore, the Masters course focuses on the industry’s cutting-edge technology for category management, electronic data interchange and store location decisions. That’s not all. DIT also offer bespoke courses for two of the big symbol groups. Described as “continued professional development”, these courses upskill the likes of assistant and trainee managers. Covering areas such as retail management, marketing, financial analysis and management, store design and ambience, and human resource management, the courses have proven priceless for the symbol groups. For DIT, this ensures that their knowledge base is in line with the needs of the industry. For the graduates that emerge from all the courses offered at the college, it means

Vincent Jennings, CEO of CSNA.

that Ireland’s retail sector will remain sufficiently manned and

expertly equipped across the years to come.

Results Training & Marketing KAREN Meenan, Retail Consultant and former retailer, is a recognised FÁS Trainer, who offers the course ‘How to Maximise Profit in the Newsagency’ to retailers. This one day course is divided into two sections: 1) How to read and interpret invoices so that all unsold or returned items receive full credit in the future – with focus on net profitability of the business. 2) After guiding the retailer through a practical checking system, the focus turns to how to maximise sales through clever merchandising, layout and use of planogram to encourage cross purchase in this category. “I feel more positive about the whole newsagency section now.” “I found the course very interesting and it was exactly what I needed.” “The course was excellent, well structured with plenty of opportunity for open discussion. Thank you!” “I’ve learned a lot more about margins, sales value and the importance of net profit in retail.” “Excellent, I’ve learned a lot and am feeling far more confident now.” “I’m going home to make more money!” These are just some of the comments received from retailers after attending the one-day training course on ‘How to Maximise Profit in the Newsagency’. For more information, contact Karen Meenan, Results Training & Marketing: Mobile (086) 6027711. Email: kmeenan@eircom.net.

Results Training & Marketing When Results Really Matter 45

July/August08Training

& EducationTraining & Education

“No matter who is being trained or what type of training is being delivered, our brand values and personalities are key to getting the skills right. Of course, some of the programmes are highly standardised from a food safety and technical skill point of view, but their application to our brands and, in

Partnership Through People Centra and SuperValu flourish through rigorously informative training programmes. RETAIL NEWS talks to Grainne Murphy, Retail Training and HR Manager for Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland.

Super-Valu

and Centra have a lot to smile about. According to Musgrave Group results for 2007, Centra retailers achieved combined sales of €1.383 billion during the year, a hike of 15% on the year before. SuperValu, meanwhile, experienced another record year of growth with sales amounting to €2.2 billion (up 10% on 2006). Nine new SuperValu stores and 47 new Centra stores opened during the year. These statistics are proof, if needed, that the model for Musgrave’s retail partners is successful, profitable, and efficient. But, with all the 46

investment and marketing in the world, maintaining a vibrant retail brand would be impossible were it not for effective training and people development. According to Grainne Murphy, Retail Training and HR Manager for Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, Centra and Supervalu are uniquely positioned in Irish life, thereby requiring carefully designed training programmes. “All of our training programmes are tailored to our brands,” she says. “Our brands are absolutely at the heart of everything that we do. No matter who is being trained or what type of training is being delivered,

particular, the means of dealing with customers on a day-to-day basis are quite specific.” our brand values and personalities are key to getting the skills right. Of course, some of the programmes are highly standardised from a food safety and technical skill point of view, but their application to our brands and, in particular, the means of dealing with customers on a day-to-day basis are quite specific.”

Four Areas of Retail Training As well as providing a HR advisory service, Murphy’s department provides retail training in four specific areas. Firstly, Food Safety: from basic level training through to instructor skills training. Musgrave Real Partners Ireland provide a suite of programmes in health and safety training, covering the legal and mandatory requirements and driving best practice. Retailers can also avail of specific training programmes in all aspects of Fresh Food preparation and distribution. Finally, perhaps the most prominent area of training: management. These courses cater for everyone from trainee managers to store managers to HR personnel, up to and including a specifically tailored two-year diploma programme and a four-year

July/August08Training

Honours Degree programme, delivered in conjunction with the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT).

Devising College Courses So, how do they devise their college courses? “We work with DIT on content, researching what is already available, then tailoring it for our brands,” says Murphy. “It is a collaborative approach. While DIT provide the lecturing, the expertise, the research, we provide specific input related to our model, including Musgrave guest speakers, so the courses are practical and applied to our brands. Obviously, our retail partners then provide the learners for the programme, who have an appetite for all aspects of retail and a keen interest in progressing their retail careers.” Beyond DIT, SuperValu and Centra retailers can avail of training in over 20 training venues nationwide. On other occasions, training is delivered in-store.

Significant Knowledge Base Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland have a significant knowledge base across all aspects of the company, including maintaining a working relationship with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and co-ordinating with Environmental Health Officers in local areas. From an employment law point of view, “our HR team provide advisory support for stores,” explains Murphy, “so we keep up with legislation and communicate to our retail partners whenever there is a change that affects them. We run employment legislative programmes and multi-day HR programmes. Refresher courses and retailer forums are available, so retailers have access to all the most up to date legislative information.” In 2008, a large percentage of retail staff consists of foreign nationals. Has training changed in order to accommodate this employee base? “Foreign nationals have the same access to training as everybody else,” explains Murphy. “In general, people who work in our stores have a certain level of English, but we provide additional support. For example, we have

& Education

a communication skills programme, a college during the month and immedimodular programme that allows staff ately transfers those skills to the to get to grips with retail English.” workplace. It is learner-centred, But, on the whole, training is diclinked to the store, and the benefit is tated by the needs of shop owners seen immediately.” themselves. Murphy and her team spend the bulk of their time with Training Priorities retailers, at forums or in outlets. SuperValu and Centra prioritise store “Our retail partners are very strong training in three ways. “Initially, on feedback – they point out gaps and there are legal and mandatory future needs so we can provide them requirements,” continues Murphy. with the best possible service,” she “You have to meet your legal requiresays. ments to be in business. Secondly, If a SuperValu or Centra retailer “Every year, we add to our suite of identifies an area in which they need programmes and everything we add knowledge, can Musgrave Retail is invariably based on retailer Partners Ireland devise suitable training? “Absolutely,” says feedback. We find a training Murphy. “That is part of our support service. Every expert who is skilled in the area year, we add to our suite of programmes and everything of concern, pilot a programme we add is invariably based on retailer feedback. We find a with our retail partners, then training expert who is skilled in the area of concern, pilot a proroll it out for the stores.” gramme with our retail partners, then roll it out for the stores.”

Career Development One of the main focuses of Musgrave’s training programme is career development. In attracting and retaining the right people, the SuperValu and Centra brands, which have been around for over 30 years, can invest in the future. Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland works very closely with FÁS, which partners SuperValu and Centra stores through the FÁS Competency Development Programme. This support enables independent retailers to develop their people in-store. In addition, the diploma and degree programmes at DIT help Musgrave stay ahead of the competition. In this respect, people development is crucially important. “Our retail partners in SuperValu and Centra are very committed to providing on-the-job learning and experience for their employees,” notes Murphy. “In the degree programme, which is based on a work-study model, the person does a couple of days in

business critical training. How can you drive your business and make it successful? What will add to the store and provide a return on investment? Finally, personal development training. How do you move retail employees onto a career path and identify opportunities for them? In this respect, you ensure that you have sufficient talent for the future.” Centra and SuperValu are renowned for their community-based retailing. The stores employ local people, source from local suppliers, and take part in the economic and social well being of their localities. In this respect, they make a significant contribution to local economies and nationwide sustainability. From a business perspective, this model makes perfect sense, keeping the wheels in motion for future brand success. For Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, training is not simply about legislative requirements, it is a shared investment in the future of the SuperValu and Centra brands. 47

July/August08Retail

News Special Report

Irish Food Entrepreneurs Visit New York A visit by a group of Irish food entrepreneurs to New York illustrated the changes and similarities between the two markets, and highlighted some of the major trends facing the retail industry today.

Karen Coyle, President of Bord Bia USA, and Michael Carey, Chairman of Jacob Fruitfield Food Group, pictured in New York during the recent Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Food Forum.

and store and exhibition visits, all of these objectives were achieved. The various arrangements were supported by the New York offices of Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, Ernst and Young, and also Yankalovish Research and Ogilvy & Mather Advertising. The schedule was a busy one, and a lot was packed into the few days. All of the participants found the visit to be hugely beneficial to building their own businesses. Ray Coyle, Managing Director of Tayto Largo Foods, was impressed with the presence of snack food innovation. “There are some substantial

market differences and some trends seem to be quite different,” he noted. “Snacking seems to be a larger sector of the overall food market, with many new offerings of snacks in some innovative formats. This type of trip can give us some great ideas on new products and display solutions.”

Trend Setters

It used to be the case that the US led the rest of the world in trends related to diet, retailing, customer service, convenience and that appears to be a group of former food industry finalcontinuing trend, though not in all ists in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur areas. Jenni Timony, founder and of the Year Awards travelled to New Managing Director of Doolittles, York recently to coincide with the the Donegal based premium US Fancy Food Fair at the Jacob sandwich firm, who was a finalJavits Conference Centre. ists in the Ernst & Young The purpose of the visit was to Entrepreneur of the Year Awards gain an understanding of the key in 2007, was impressed with dynamics of the US food market, some of the product innovations while also providing an opportunithat responded to some of these ty for the food industry entrepretrends. neurs and invited participants to “Obesity is a major problem share their experiences of the in the US, and the options to buy changing economic environment, low fat/ low salt/ low sugar verand to debate how indigenous food Paddy Callaghan, Founder Director of Nature’s Best, sions of mainstream brands is firms can best respond to those Sinead Barry, Ernst & Young, and Jenni Timony, considerably greater than in new challenges. founder and Managing Director of Doolittles, Europe,” Jenni stated. “These soThrough a number of formal pictured at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the called 'lesser evil' healthier foods sessions of debate, presentations Year Food Forum in New York.

July/August08Retail

News Special Report

cereal bars, which made the somewhat excessive claim to be ‘fortified with optimism’! Irish advertising legislation might, however, make that approach unworkable here.

New Insights

Colum O’Sullivan, Cully & Sully, and Ray Ray Coyle, Managing Director of Tayto Largo Foods, pictured at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Food Forum in New York.

appear to be well established. However, a surprising feature of the consumer research data that we saw was the very low level of interest in or behaviour to address environmental or green issues. On that topic, it appeared that the US is behind Europe by five years.”

Customer Service In general, customer service remains so much better in the US than the European experience, with outstanding product displays and fast retail service. Paddy Callaghan, Founding Director of Nature’s Best, was particularly impressed with the fresh product displays in stores such as The Food Emporium. “The fresh vegetables carefully displayed in crushed ice, water sprinkling systems to keep the product moist, and an enormous number of well informed floor assistants made shopping in these stores a great experience,” he said. “Prices, however, reflected that level of service and these stores were not as busy as the more mainstream outlets such as Trader Joe’s.” Karen Coyle, President of Bord Bia USA, was instrumental in arranging the schedule for this group. She has been based in New York for just the past three months, but has become very knowledgeable about how that market operates and what Irish firms need to do to make their presence felt in the US. “The specialist food stores in NY are exceptional, with stunning displays of fresh products and premium brands,” Karen explained. “Many of these products came from small businesses (at the

Fancy Food Show, 70% of the exhibitors have sales of less than $5m) that have focused on niche premium ranges. Some of the entrepreneurs who were here last week are doing good business here, others can learn a huge amount and apply those learnings back in Ireland. If Bord Bia can be of any assistance to Irish food businesses who want to get a foothold here, please call us at our Dublin office.”

Food Advertising One of the sessions on the trip focused on the latest trends in food advertising, presented by Kathleen Pascual, Group Planning Director of Ogilvy Worldwide in New York. She discussed how advertising is reflecting key consumer trends, such as the demand for ‘Ultra-Quality’ brands like Fage Yogurt, with its advertising line; ‘Ridiculously Rich and Thick Yogurt’, or demands for brands that improve your mood. One unusual piece of advertising shown was for ‘Soyjoy’

Michael Carey, Chairman of Jacob Fruitfield Food Group, and winner of the Industry Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in 2005, was very impressed with the overall experience of the visit. “Seeing these retail outlets with the briefing from Bord Bia was very educational,” Michael enthused. “The meetings at the Fancy Food Fair will lead to some substantial business development opportunities; the presentations on the consumer trends and new advertising gave us all some new insights, and the interaction between the Irish food business owners will hopefully be the start of some new and long lasting business relationships. “One of the objectives of the trip was to provide a framework for the former Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalists from the food industry to build a closer relationship,” he continued. “With the increasing pressures on food manufacturers and suppliers, business leaders in all sectors (suppliers and retailers) need to find ways to work together. The Irish economy needs more business leaders to take more investment risks and generate new opportunities, and these leading Irish food entrepreneurs are well positioned to make such an impact. If these opportunities are identified at formal meetings at an international Food Fair, or when taking a helicopter view of the major US food consumer trends, or simply as two or three food company owners chat together as they travel to a meeting in a New York yellow cab, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that the ideas are identified and resources are applied to pursue those opportunities.” Other events are planned later in the year to continue to build the links between these and the other former food and drink firms that have been finalists in these awards. Food and drinks companies have been well represented in the lists of finalists each year and with this added benefit of greater industry interaction, others are likely to apply in future years. 49

July/August08Value

Added Services

Generating Extra Footfall In-Store Increasing the range of services you offer to consumers could see a dramatic rise in the amount of customers visiting your store.

seems you can’t open a newspaper or turn on a TV these days without hearing about a recession. With the ‘r’ word on everyone’s lips, it’s more important than ever for retailers to think about new, innovative ways to increase footfall in their stores. Getting more consumers into the shop means generating more revenue. After all, if a customer comes in to rent a DVD, aren’t they likely to purchase additional items, such as ice cream, popcorn etc, while they’re there? Your deli counter or your newsrack are big drivers of footfall in-store, as are tobacco sales, soft drinks etc. But the modern, progressive retailer has to come up with new, novel ways of getting more potential customers through their doors, whether it be DVD rental, book sales, digital photo printing, bill-pay services, lottery tickets, dry cleaning or soft-scoop ice cream sales. One of the latest generators of both footfall and revenue is the barrier-free tolling system for the M50 and many of the country’s other toll roads, which has the potential to 50

drive lots more customers into your stores. With rising overheads and tightening margins, increasing the amount of Value Added Services on offer in your store could mean the difference between potential customers choosing your shop above a rival’s. Don’t get left behind.

Payzone Irish firm Payzone, Europe’s leading consumer payments and cash distribution network, has won an exclusive contract from the operator of the barrierfree tolling system on the M50, to provide retail and online toll payment services for users of the M50 motorway. The new tolling system, called Road users will be able to pay the M50 toll charges at eFlow, will come into Payzone’s branded network of convenience shops, which already offer Payzone’s mobile phone top-up operation in August 2008. and other services. Both registered eFlow users and non-registered M50 motorway in Ireland. road users will be able to pay the M50 This new service from Payzone toll charges at Payzone’s network of leverages advanced payment technolconvenience shops, which already ogy, justifying significant R&D investoffer mobile phone top-up and other ment in developing innovative payservices. Non-registered road users ment solutions for the retail sector. will also have the option of paying the Payzone will continue to respond to M50 toll charges via the internet or the emerging needs of the retail sector by telephone using Payzone solutions. in Ireland, delivering services to The M50 carries in excess of increase footfall into retail stores. 100,000 vehicles per day, the majority Christian Copin, a spokesperson of whom are unregistered users. The for eFlow, said “Payzone was selected only way customers who want to pay for its expertise in the area of electheir toll charge by cash, if they don’t tronic payments and its understandsign up for a tag, is through a ing of the needs of the road transport Payzone outlet. sector. The company has an extensive Payzone is delighted to be working network of branded retail shops for with eFlow to provide an alternative consumer convenience and is a trustand convenient way for members of ed supplier of secure and efficient the public to pay for road usage on the

Barrier-Free Tolling on the M50 comes into effect this August.

Are you ready to accept M50 payments from your customers? M50 eFlow cash & bill payments available exclusively to consumers at Payzone Agents nationwide

To become a Payzone Agent

Call 1800 746 4484

Payzone Ireland, 4 Heather Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18 T: 01 2076000 E: info@payzone.ie W: www.payzone.ie

July/August08Value

Added Services

payment solutions. We look forward to working with Payzone on the new M50 barrier free tolling scheme when it comes into operation.” Continuing with the transport theme, Payzone has teamed up with the Road Safety Authority to offer Driver Theory Test eVoucher services to retailers. The Driver Theory Test eVoucher is used by drivers to pay for their Driver Theory Test, which is taken by all applicants seeking a driving licence in Ireland. By using Payzone, applicants for the Driver Theory Test can now go to a retail outlet and pay by cash for the test. Payzone is continually at the forefront of launching new services and technology and will continue to invest in bringing additional footfall streams into its retail outlets.

PostPoint’s New Tolltag.ie This coming August, the NRA will implement barrier-free tolling on the M50 which will remove the notorious toll station. PostPoint, Ireland’s leading e-transactions provider with a network of 3,000 retailers nationwide, has joined forces with ParkMagic to provide a comprehensive tolling and parking package to offer to Irish motorists (www.tolltag.ie). The tolltag.ie system that ParkMagic is offering is the only off

The tolltag.ie system that ParkMagic is offering is the only off the rack ‘pay as you toll’ tag in the marketplace which means that it’s the only tag that PostPoint retailers will be able to sell. 52

Sony Professional Solutions SONY Professional Solutions recently unveiled a new digital photo finishing system at a showcase event in Dublin. The Sony SnapLab captures, enhances, and prints superb digital images at the push of a button. Sony's highspeed roll dye sublimation technology creates vibrant colours and natural, continuous tones. The Sony SnapLab takes all form of memory card, has Bluetooth capability, and comes with one year’s prime support. With easyto-use editing tools and a compact body, customers can print highquality, long-lasting digital The Sony SnapLab captures, images on Sony's UV-archival enhances, and prints superb digital quality paper. images at the push of a button, and is This unique, entry-level system small, light and portable. is small, light and portable. It prints in just 11 seconds and is a cost efficient solution for retailers. The package includes the SnapLab, point of sale material, media, the stand and the remote control. A Sony representative will set up the machine, merchandise it and train staff on use of the SnapLab. The Sony SnapLab is a quick, easy-to-use, portable solution for customising and printing high-quality digital images. A very flexible system, the SnapLab accepts today's most popular media to load and transfer image data to the printer. Once media is inserted into the printer, customers cam simply view, edit and enhance digital images with the user-friendly interface integrated on the touch-sensitive color LCD panel. The SnapLab can print passport photos, design postcards, invitations, announcements, IDs, photo novelties and more with its integrated editing tools. Paul Hennessy, Director of Media and Professional UK and Ireland, said: “The Sony SnapLab is an ideal system for retail outlets and pharmacies wishing to offer their customers a convenient, high-quality and easy-to-use digital photo printing service. This entry level machine is a cost effective way for retailers to get that first step on the run to offering a complete digital print service on quality Sony paper.” The Sony SnapLab is available at €1,999 + VAT. Should you wish to get a free demonstration on the Sony SnapLab in your premises please contact Adrienne Morley from United Drug on 087-0508839 or e-mail Adrienne.morley@united-drug.ie. the rack ‘pay as you toll’ tag in the marketplace which means that it’s the only tag that PostPoint retailers will be able to sell, as all the others are only available online or by phone. With tolltag.ie, considerably higher margins are available to the retailer. There are two revenue opportunities for the retailer, one is with the sale of the actual tolltag.ie tag and the other is the sale of top-up. Motorists will be able to purchase tags at a competitive retail price of €30, including €4 in complimentary

toll credit at specified PostPoint outlets. Tags can be topped up in the same way as a pay-as-you-go phone, with a minimum top-up of €10. There will be no surcharge at point of sale and unlike other tag providers, who charge a monthly fee whether you use the tag or not, tolltag.ie only apply a 20c management fee when you drive through the M50 toll. Effectively, if you don’t use the tag, you don’t pay, thereby providing customers with better value than alternative tolling solutions.

July/August08Value

ward and enjoyable customer experience. Shoppers simply pour in their loose change and the Coinstar Centre counts it at a rate of 600 coins per minute, before issuing the redeemable voucher. The machines are able to distinguish coins from ‘waste’ material, such as paper clips and buttons: foreign coins are also excluded. There are currently more FUJIFILM Ireland than 15,000 Coinstar The Digital Print Station Centres across the US, (DPS) from FUJIFILM Canada, the UK and now Ireland, the self-service Ireland. The machines have digital kiosk, enables your been installed in 31 Tesco customers to edit and perstores across Dublin. fect their digital camera Alex Camara, General images, burn to CD and Manager of Worldwide Coin download images from for Coinstar Inc. said, “The mobile phones. Images are launch into Ireland is a key printed within eight secmilestone for Coinstar and onds with excellent phowe are delighted to be to quality. The Fujifilm The Digital Print working with Tesco to DPS has a very small footStation (DPS) from FUJIFILM Ireland, the bring the service to superprint and requires miniself-service digital kiosk, market shoppers. As we’ve mal staff training and enables your customers seen in our other markets, maintenance. The DPS is to edit and perfect their a very affordable solution digital camera images, we expect the service will be well received by conto guaranteeing extra revburn to CD and download images from sumers and will help our enue for your store plus mobile phones. retail customers drive foot repeat business. traffic and revenue.” To celebrate the launch “As a customer focused company, of their latest model (which is available since July 1) FUJIFILM Ireland are offering €1,000 off normal trade price for orders placed before August 29, 2008. If you would like further information, please contact Gary Ryan, FUJIFILM Ireland Limited @ 087-1251459. Other benefits mean that it is the only tag that does not require registration of personal details, which also means less work for the retailer. Tolltag.ie can be used on the M50 and all other toll plazas nationwide and includes automatic subscription to Limerick city parking and main airport parking.

Coinstar Coins to Cash Service In an Irish retail industry first, Coinstar Ireland Ltd, has rolled out its highly successful Coins to Cash service in Tesco stores across Dublin. This makes Ireland the first Euro-zone country to benefit from the service. Coinstar’s pioneering service has already achieved success in the US, UK and Canada, enabling supermarket shoppers to convert their accumulation of unsorted coins to a voucher, redeemable at the store checkout for cash or shopping. The service provides a straightfor-

Coinstar Ireland Ltd, has rolled out its highly successful Coins to Cash service in Tesco stores across Dublin.

Added Services

we are always looking for new and innovative ways to enhance the shopper experience,” noted Andrew Tully, Business Development Manager, Tesco Ireland. “With this service, we are confident we have an offering that will be of real benefit to our customers.” In Ireland, consumers can find the location of their nearest Coinstar Centre visiting www.coinstar.ie. There is a nominal service charge of 9.4 cents in the euro for using the Coinstar service.

Cinematic DVD Solutions Cinematic DVD Solutions have an allin-one package that can supply display stands and a comprehensive catalogue of DVD releases to choose from. They have a vast range of retail DVDs at unbeatable prices, including all the latest releases and a massive back catalogue of classic movies. Previously viewed movies are also available at great prices. Their rental packages also offer some of the best deals available in the market. According to Cinematic, they offer you more for your money, as the DVDs you lease only have to be returned once every quarter and even then, you can choose to return from any of the titles in store, thus keeping the new releases for longer. The package can be tailor-made to suit any store, whether you want one new release or The Spinner 50 new releases Stand from per week. Stock is Cinematic DVD Solutions. delivered on-site and they have a 53

July/August08Value

Added Services

Cinematic DVD Solutions have an allin-one package that can supply display stands, including this steel wall stand, and a comprehensive catalogue of DVD releases to choose from.

range of stands to suit all needs. So whether it is a retail facility you require, or offering your customers a range of DVDs to rent at competitive prices, contact Malachy Murphy at Cinematic DVD Solutions on 087 6892470 or malachycinematic@gmail.com for more information.

HB Swirl IT Express The total soft ice-cream market grew by almost 55% from €31m in 2001 to €48m in 2007. HB recently launched an exciting new franchise concept called HB Swirl IT Express. HB Swirl IT Express is a young, dynamic shopin-shop fresh fruit and soft ice cream concept that addresses retailer issues such as maintaining good margins, while addressing the ever increasing need to provide the consumer with strong innovation at store level. The HB Swirl IT Express concept incorporates three basic elements: fresh, choice and theatre. The Swirl product contains fresh natural ingredients, using ice-cream, fresh fruit and natural toppings, which are then Swirled by an artic blender into a delicious fresh fruit and ice-cream treat. The consumer can also choose from a wide variety of ingredients and 54

toppings for his/her personalised Swirl. The HB Swirl IT Express operator makes the Swirl product in front of the customer, enabling the consumer to enjoy the theatre of his/her personalised choice. The new HB Swirl IT Express franchise concept has a number of advantages over that of other soft icecream concepts on the market, according to HB. Swirl IT Express is the only ice-cream concept using a full front counter, enabling the consumer to have a personalised experience, while visualising the his/her Swirl being produced. The footprint of the HB Swirl IT Express unit in-store is also extremely compact. The franchise structure of the concept has a number of advantages: it allows HB Swirl IT Express to have a centralised support structure and to provide consistent innovation at both product ingredient and promotional support levels. HB Swirl IT Express is a proven national and international success. Professional guidance is provided to the retailer on a regular basis, to keep retailers on track at both an operational and profitability level. This fully integrated

HB Swirl IT Express is a young, dynamic shop-in-shop fresh fruit and soft ice cream concept that is expected to cause quite a stir across the country.

branded franchise concept will help catapult soft ice-cream sales for a long time to come.

Argosy Independent Book Wholesalers ARGOSY is Ireland’s leading independent book wholesaler, supplying the trade for over 70 years. Stocking all Irish and UK published titles, Argosy offers a vast range of both adult and children’s bestsellers on a sale or return basis. Argosy supplies a spinner stand free of charge to display bestselling paperbacks. Argosy also distribute a large selection of maps and guides, both national and international. To find out more about Argosy please contact : Argosy, Unit 12, North Park, North Rd, Finglas, D.11. Tel: 01 8239500. email:sales@argosybooks.ie. Website: www.argosybooks.ie

Argosy supplies a spinner stand free of charge to display bestselling paperbacks.

Over 50 years in the business, working hand in hand with our retailers. ADM Londis plc is the only symbol group to offer retailers ownership and profit sharing through shareholding in the group. So the more we grow, the more your profits grow. Working together with Londis, you will gain a partner that listens to your needs and understands todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitive marketplace. You can benefit from our tailored range of services including logistics, unique store design, marketing, retail information systems and quality retail management support systems in addition to extremely competitive terms. If you would like to learn more about our unique approach to retailing, please contact Billy Massey, Head of Business Development on 1890 333 373 or email billy.massey@londis.ie for further details.

Close to you, because it belongs to you.

July/August08Functional

Foods

Growth Continues in Functional Foods The continued growth of the functional foods sector shows no signs of abating, as more consumers seek out products with health benefits.

The

consumer move towards healthy products is one of the biggest drivers of change in the overall food and drink market, where even basic foods have to address issues such as additives, calories, salt and sugar levels, pesticides, organics etc. As part of this drive, the functional foods category has, and continues to, grow and develop at a phenomenal rate. A functional food can be defined as one that has a beneficial added ingredient which gives the food additional health or nutritional benefits over and above its usual nutritional value. Examples include milk fortified with extra calcium or dairy products and margarines with added plant stanols or sterols to help reduce cholesterol. Dairy products are perhaps the most recognised functional products, and this sector contains some of the most recognisable brand names in the entire food spectrum. The functional dairy products category in Ireland is worth €274m latest MAT, and is growing by 9% in value. The general health drinks sector is the largest sec56

With its probiotic culture L. Casei Iminitass, unique to Danone, Danone Actimel is scientifically demonstrated to help strengthen the body’s natural defences.

tor in functional dairy products, and is worth €46.5m latest MAT. However, functional foods have expanded to encompass a huge variety of food types, even stretching to confectionery. Growth is expected to continue in the functional foods market, and in probiotics in particular, which are now being used in a wide range of products, including meat products and juices. Convenience is a key reason why consumers choose functional foods: it is much easier to persuade a consumer to replace something they already eat regularly, such as margarine, with a healthier alternative, than to ask them to break a habit altogether or form a new one.

the ‘Danone Institutes’ and the company continuously engages in dialogue with independent scientists and promotes shared knowledge with the scientific community, health professionals and the public. The unique probiotic cultures in Danone Actimel and Danone Activia make them an automatic choice for consumers who want to take care of specific aspects of their health.

Danone At the very heart of Groupe Danone’s business is its research centre, The Daniel Carasso Centre in Paris, which pioneers research in probiotics and nutrition. Danone funds independent, non-profit, scientific research units through

Danone Activia is a great tasting probiotic yogurt containing the unique culture Bifidus Acti Regularis.

Good sales

Great sales? difference

Fruice is a registered T/M of John Daly & company Ltd

Discover the

The healthy way to grow your bottom line

July/August08Functional

Foods

With over 100m bottles consumed last year and one-third of households buying Danone Actimel regularly, this is Ireland’s number one fresh dairy product. With its probiotic culture L. Casei Iminitass, unique to Danone, Danone Actimel is scientifically demonstrated to help strengthen the body’s natural defences. As a result, more and more Irish people are including Danone Actimel in their daily routine. Danone Activia is a great tasting probiotic yogurt containing the unique culture Bifidus Acti Regularis. Danone Activia is scientifically proven to help improve slower digestive transit, and not only is Danone Activia good for transit, it also tastes great and comes in a range of amazing flavours.

Yoplait Everykid is available in fruity Strawberry and Raspberry flavours. The Yoplait Everybody range comes in convenient four and eightpacks and comprises of delicious tasting Raspberry & Passion Fruit; Strawberry & Elderberry; Strawberry and Fruit of the Forest.

Yakult Consumers are becoming increasingly aware that the key to strengthening our bodies against attack lies within our immune system – a network of cells, tissues and organs that protect us against germs and harmful microorganisms. The majority of this system

defences. Consumed daily by 25m people in 31 countries, Yakult is virtually fat free, completely gluten free and just 48 kcals (27.3 kcals in Yakult Light).

Fruice The Fruice Vitals Range from CocaCola Bottlers Ireland, was introduced in 2006 to fulfil the consumer demand for reduced-calorie and functional juices to fit into their healthier

Yoplait Currently, Glanbia Consumer Foods holds a number two position in General Health Drinks with an 8% volume share (6.3 % Yoplait Everybody and 1.7% for Yoplait Everykid). Yoplait Everybody conYakult and Yakult Light, the fermented, probiotic tains LGG, the world’s most drinks, keep harmful micro-organisms in check clinically researched probiotand encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria, which aid the body’s natural defences. ic, which is proven to strengthen immunity. Yoplait lies within our gut, so looking after Everybody contains an added 15 vitayour digestive system with diet, exermins and minerals, and each tasty cise and a healthy lifestyle is vital for shot of Yoplait Everybody contains less stronger natural defences. A well functhan 1g of fat. tioning digestive system is absolutely Also included in the Yoplait essential to overall health. A daily proEverybody range is Yoplait Everykid, biotic such as Yakult will provide an the only probiotic yogurt drink for kids. effective way to keep the gut healthy. Developed over 70 years ago by Japanese scientist, Dr Shirota, today Yakult is the global leader in probiotics. Available in two variants – Yakult and Yakult Light – the fermented, probiotic drink keeps harmful microorganisms in check and encourages the Yoplait Everybody contains LGG, the world’s most clinically growth of beneficial researched probiotic, which is proven to strengthen bacteria, which aid immunity, as well as an added 15 vitamins and minerals. the body’s natural 58

Fruice Vital Light Juices contain less than 30 calories per 100ml serving.

lifestyles. The Fruice Vital fruit juice range has two sub categories: ‘Light Juices’, with less than 30 calories per 100ml serving; and ‘Functional Juices’, with added benefits. The range maintains a High Juice Content with no preservatives added, as well as contributing towards one of consumers’ recommended five fruit and vegetable portions per day. The Vital range includes: Fruice Vital with Fruice Vital Light Prebiotic is a Orange, the blend of five Reduced Calorie delicious fruits and a good Orange containing source of fibre. ‘juicy bits’; Fruice

WIN a Country Retreat Weekend Away for Two

You could be the lucky winner of this super competition for a Country Retreat at the renowned Dundrum House Hotel, Golf & Leisure Resort. The hotel is located in the Golden Vale of Co Tipperary, on one of the most picturesque settings you can imagine. This elegant hotel affords a very distinguished country retreat, with old world charm, atmosphere and warm hospitality. The Resort offers both hotel and new contemporary 4* self-catering accommodation, two restaurants and bars plus a variety of lounge areas. During your stay relax in the white flag awarded Health & Wellness Centre with 21m Pool, Jacuzzi, Sauna, Steam Room and Gymnasium. On site Beauty & Wellness Suite offer a selection of beauty and wellness treatments at an additional cost. You won’t be disappointed with Cashel and the surrounding area as there is plenty to see and do: Explore the Rock of Cashel; Browse the streets, shops & cafes; Stroll around Marlbog Forest Trail or for the more enthusiastic hill walkers the Glen of Aherlow is on your doorstep. Other activities include horse riding, a fun day at the Races and plenty more. The Competition is for 2 night’s hotel accommodation with full Irish country breakfast each morning, a Table d’Hote dinner on 1 evening of your choice in the Rossmore Restaurant plus 1 round of Golf at the resorts popular Co. Tipperary Golf & Country Club 18 hole Championship course designed by 1995 Ryder Cup hero Philip Walton. For details on Dundrum House Hotel Spring/Summer Special Offers call (062) 71116 or log on to their website www.dundrumhousehotel.com .

To be in with a chance to Win this Prize just answer the following question:

Q. What famous heritage site is located close to the hotel? Send your answer, along with with your contact details to retailnews@tarapublishingco.com or on a postcard to DHH Giveaway, Tara Publishing, Poolbeg House, 1-2 Poolbeg Street, Dublin 2. Entries to be received by 25th August 2008.

Dundrum House Hotel • Golf & Leisure Resort • Dundrum • Cashel, Co. Tipperary. Tel: (062) 71116 W: www.dundrumhousehotel.com In the heart of Co. Tipperary – We’re even closer than you think!

July/August08Functional

Foods

Vital Light Apple, the Reduced Calorie Apple containing pressed apple; Fruice Vital Orange with added Omega 3, which helps to maintain a healthy heart and brain; Fruice Vital with Prebiotic, a blend of five delicious fruits and a good source of fibre.

Flahavan’s There is no excuse for missing out on an energy packed healthy breakfast and Flahavan’s products are the perfect way to add a nutritious boost to busy lifestyles. Flahavan’s Quick Oats range is so quick to use that consumers will always have time for a bowl. Available in a drum, sachet and portable porridge pots in original or strawberry flavours, the range provides healthy simple solutions to consumers by removing complexity and providing greater convenience anyFruice Vital Orange with added Omega 3 helps to maintain a healthy heart and brain.

time or anywhere in just two minutes. Consumers can now add a delicious fruity twist to a healthy breakfast with Flahavan’s two new real fruit varieties. Flahavan’s Real Fruit Porridge Sunrise Fruits combines Flahavans Porridge Oats with juicy sultanas, Californian raisins, pineapple, cranberries and papaya, while Flahavan’s Real Fruit Porridge Apple & Raisin contains red apple pieces, succulent raisins and a hint of cinnamon. Both Real Fruit Porridge varieties are rich in fibre, low in saturated fat and salt and are a valuable source of energy. Flahavan’s Real Fruit Porridge is simply natural and contains nothing but Flahavan’s Oats and deliConsumers can now add a delicious fruity twist to cious fruit pieces. a healthy breakfast with Flahavan’s two new real fruit varieties: Flahavan’s Real Fruit Porridge As the hot oats cereal Sunrise Fruits and Flahavan’s Real Fruit category leader with over Porridge Apple & Raisin. 60% market share, Flahavan’s have been delivwholegrain rolled oats. Free from ering more growth to the oats categoartificial colours and additives and ry in line with consumers’ increasing an excellent source of dietary fibre, interest in porridge as a healthy consumers are guaranteed the best breakfast cereal choice. Their focus healthy start to the day and one on quality and innovation delivers packed full of flavour. the texture and taste of the finest

Calls for Improved Digestive Health in Ireland THE World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) and Danone have joined forces to call for improved education in digestive health in Ireland. President of the WGO, Prof. Eamonn Quigley, President of the WGO and Consultant Gastroenterologist at Cork University Hospital (CUH), said, “Digestive disorders affect a significant percent of the population and can lead to serious conditions such as colon cancer. We believe that nutrition is integral to digestive health and overall health and within nutrition, daily probiotics can play a major role in improving digestive health.” Results also show that while four out of five Irish women believe that they have a healthy digestive system, a startling 66% still experience bloated feelings. However, taking proactive steps, such as including a proven probiotic, like Activia, in your diet, has been shown in studies to improve slower digestive transit. The survey findings also suggest that poor digestive

health also has a serious negative impact on quality of life. Almost a half of Irish women who experience digestive discomfort believe it makes them feel uncomfortable in their clothes or skin and a third said it affects what they eat. Not surprisingly, the survey’s findings also showed that those women who report the worst digestive discomfort also consume too many foods that could aggravate digestive health; fried or fatty foods being consumed at least two to three times a week by almost one in five Irish women. Interestingly, those who used probiotic yogurt, were older, had a more balanced diet and also saw themselves as having better digestive health. Probiotic yogurt consumption was also found to be highest in Irish women aged over 55. Whilst 88% of those surveyed believed that probiotic yogurts were good for the digestive system, only 28% of these consumed these as part of their daily diet.

Any business with a turnover of €1million that places 10 tonnes, or more, of packaging on the market, must comply with the newly amended packaging regulations – or face prosecution. Compliance is as easy as joining Repak, from as little as €1 per day. 47 companies have already been prosecuted and, with over 3,000 inspections a year, your business could be next. Why risk heavy fines and even prison? Find out more about your company’s obligations under the amended packaging regulations - and how Repak membership can help – by visiting repak.ie

MEMBERS FUNDING PACKAGING RECYCLING

July/August08Waste

Management

Recycling Rates Up again Ireland enjoyed a 6.6% increase in recycling rates for 2007, according to the latest figures from Repak, announced at its Annual Conference.

Attendees

at the recent Repak Annual Members Conference were informed of a 6.6% increase in recycling rates for 2007, equating to an increase of 40,000 tonnes. The 643,000 tonnes of used packaging recycled in 2007 is equivalent to 150 kilos recycled per person in Ireland in 2007. This brings the total amount of used packaging diverted from landfill to in excess of €3.6m tonnes since 1998. Over the same period, Repak has invested over €145m in supporting packaging recycling, with €27m raised in packaging levies from Repak members in 2007 alone.

Producer Responsibility “Despite increasing the amount raised from industry by over 14% in 2007, costs will increase as we dig deeper into the household recycling bin to meet higher packaging recycling targets,” warned Dr Andrew Hetherington, CEO of Repak. “Not only will existing members need to pay more, but with only 630,000 tonnes of used packaging or 60% of all packaging, in the scheme, we need the Ministers and the department’s support to help drive compliance with 62

Pictured at the Repak Annual Members Conference are (l-r): Minister of State at the Dept of the Environment, Heritage & Local Govt, Tony Killeen TD, Andrew Hetherington CEO of Repak, and Siobhan Connelly, Symantec.

producer responsibility and thereby increase Repak’s coverage of the overall market.” According to Hetherington, recent years have seen an increase in packaging usage, based on increased consumption, but consumers still continue to recycle more and more, thereby growing our overall recycling rates. “However, the key to reaching the 2011 targets set by the EU will be growing compliance with producer responsibility and driving packaging prevention and minimisation,” Hetherington warned. Indeed, this was the main focus of the Repak Members Conference.

gains and challenges facing companies who are attempting to reduce packaging. The computer software manufacturer, Symantec revealed a €400,000 financial saving over 12 months from their various packaging prevention and minimisation initiatives. This was announced as they presented their exemplary case study at the conference. In total, Symantec prevented 354 tonnes of packaging being produced. This was through two main initiatives: by encouraging customers

Packaging Optimisation: Decision or Dilemma Against this backdrop, the conference also saw the introduction of a new booklet, entitled ‘Packaging Optimisation: Decision or Dilemma’, which was compiled after an intensive study of the packaging supply chain in Ireland, commissioned by Repak and the EPA and carried out by UK consultants, Perchards. The case studies in the booklet show the benefits,

The total amount of used packaging diverted from landfill is in excess of €3.6m tonnes since 1998.

July/August08Waste

Management

Best Practice Waste Steps 1. Management Commitment Re-engineering your current waste practices to improve recycling rates and potentially save costs will require the commitment of the management. To support change and resource the implementation, the main objective is to reduce your waste management costs. 2. Designate Waste Co-ordinator This will be the person who will own the project and be responsible for: • Conducting a waste audit • Designing a collection system • Educating employees • Selecting a contractor • Monitoring progress 3. Complete a Waste Audit Information that should be gathered should include contractor(s), annual or monthly costs, disposal methodologies, and a quantification of waste arising on premises (eg. paper, food, glass, cardboard etc). 4. Prioritise Waste Streams From the audit, you should now have a handle on the main types of waste arising in your business and the approximate quantities of each type. Therefore, you can start to download their product online instead of buying a hard copy; and secondly, significant overhauls of their packaging design resulted in the reduction of 108 tonnes of packaging. “The reduction and prevention of packaging will be a main focus and challenge for Repak in the future,” Hetherington noted at the Conference. “We commissioned this report on the packaging supply chain to give us a better understanding of how and where we can have an impact on the packaging produced, and we plan to use the findings of the study to further progress our work in this area. “Reducing packaging can have many multifaceted benefits for a 64

to prioritise/rank these in order of quantities; waste minimisation opportunities; tonnages arising; contamination level of material; recycling potential. 5. A Phased Approach to Recycling Don’t try to change everything at once. It’s important that you take progressive steps when trying to change staff behaviour. Educate them on reasons why you are implementing change. It is better to start small, achieve success and expand, rather than starting with grand plans and failing in implementation. 6. Internal Collection Medium Internal collection/segregation of material is best as this prevents materials being mixed and often then contaminated, thus preventing recycling. 7. What Investment is Required To facilitate appropriate segregation and presentation of your waste, it may be necessary to make some capital investment in balers and additional bins etc. 8. Staffing: Who is Responsible? Appoint a site/waste champion, who is responsible for waste mancompany, beyond meeting legislative requirements. It can reduce the cost of procurement, fuel consumption and vehicle movements, with resultant savings. The overall benefit is a message we are trying to push out to the industry as a whole and we hope this study will help industry to identify how they could benefit from focusing on packaging reduction.”

Tesco Reducing Carbon Footprint Also speaking at the conference was Dermot Breen, CEO of Tesco, who have been very progressive in their approach to reducing their overall carbon footprint. Indeed, Tesco were the

agement and policing segregation procedures. It is always useful to choose someone who has an interest in the environment. Raise awareness and educate staff about changes, reasons why, what will be done, who will be responsible and when it will commence. 9. What Contractor Consult the Repak list of audited recyclers: this ensures you are using a correctly licensed and permitted contractor for recycling and that material collected for recycling is actually recycled. However, remember responsibility for your waste lies with you so you should always ask for copies of a contractor’s licence or permits. Remember, if your waste ends up being illegally dumped, you will be held responsible. 10. Implement and Monitor Once you have completed the steps above, you are ready to prioritise your waste streams and implement a phased recycling system. 11. Review Success and Failure If you continually monitor and report on your now segregated waste stream, you should be able to identify slippage and problems as they arise. winners of the Repak Best Practice Award last year. Breen discussed the initiatives Tesco have being taking to reduce their overall carbon footprint by looking at their energy consumption, transportation usage and bio fuels, as well as pursuing packaging reduction strategies. Colm Munelley, the recently appointed Packaging Prevention Officer for Repak also addressed the Conference, discussing various initiatives that Repak are undertaking to assist industry, the most recent being the Packaging Prevention Course designed by Repak in conjunction with the EPA and RPS, which is run by FÁS and was launched in the past month.

July/August08Waste

Management

Ceco Balers – Bale Strapping CECO Balers is a leading manufacturer and supplier of recycling and reduction equipment. With several baler models to choose from, including double chamber machines, bales range in size from 30-650 kgs. Also available is their BinPress for compacting waste into 660 or 1100 litre wheelie bins. Using a BinPress, volume reductions of up to 4:1 can be achieved, thus greatly reducing the

Ceco stock a large selection of strapping suitable for all makes of balers at very competitive prices, with next day delivery nationwide.

number of wheelie bins and the number of uplifts required. They are ideal for applications such as waste from deli counters, restaurants, hotels etc. Business sectors supplied to date include retail, wholesale, distribution, manufacturing, hotel and restaurant, motor trade, government agencies, schools, hospitals etc. As part of their ongoing customer support, Ceco have developed a large trade in the supply of Bale Strapping / Banding. They stock a large selection of strapping suitable for all makes of balers at very competitive prices, with next day delivery nationwide. Included in this edition of RETAIL NEWS is a sticker with details for reordering banding. This can be placed Ceco the door of your existing baler and Ceco would be glad to quote you the next time you require banding.

Using a BinPress, volume reductions of up to 4:1 can be achieved, thus greatly reducing the number of wheelie bins and the number of uplifts required.

Contact: Ceco Equipment Ltd Mayo: (094) 938 2988 Dublin: (01) 807 4060 Cork: (021) 431 2310 Mobile: (086) 8077701 Website:www.cecobalers.com

The Plastic Recycling Specialists

• Permitted •Nationwide • Complete plastic recycling facility •

All types of plastic considered,

Compounding, Granulation, Shredding Etc

•

Contract recycling undertaken

Kells Road, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan Tel: 042-966 8703 Fax: 042-966 8704 Email: retechinfo@eircom.net Web: www.retechprocessing.com

Repak Audits / Statistics Waste Audits Packaging Audits Energy Audits Carbon Footprinting WEEE Compliance Software / Training Outsourcing

July/August08Stocktaking

The Benefits of Accurate Stock-Taking If stock cannot be measured, it cannot be controlled, writes Patrick McDermott, Managing Director, Stocktaking.ie.

Retail

businesses are enduring losses of up to 10% due to poor inventory control. Many retail businesses often donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t undertake regular inventories, with the result that losses due to theft, spoilage or under-deliveries can often go unnoticed until the year end. For stores with turnover in the tens of thousands or multi-million euros, this can mean losses in thousands or hundreds of thousands of euros and often is the difference between profit and loss at the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s end. In light of the current economic climate, it is essential that profit margins are protected in order to ensure the sustainability of jobs and ultimately the future of the business. The retail sector in Ireland employs more than 220,000 people and accounts for more than 11% of state employment, so is a hugely important sector in the Irish economy and each business must protect its assets and workers with prudent management control.

In the past, lack of suitable technology or available providers of a dedicated retail inventory service prevented the undertaking of regular high quality stocktaking. In fact, some retail businesses have been flying in teams of stocktakers from the UK at a considerable and unnecessary cost to provide this service.

Quarterly Inventory Reports Retail businesses should be reviewing overall inventory reports quarterly at a minimum and making informed decisions about their business at each stage. There have been many retail businesses go under due to lack of management control and so we have always recommended regularly analysing your inventory losses in order to prevent the business getting to this stage of unprofitability. When speaking with retailers, it is all too common to say that they know what is in stock as their point of sale tells them at any chosen time. What the point of sale tells them is what should be in stock. The only way of actually knowing what is in stock is to manually count it, through conducting stock-takes at regular intervals.

Controlling Shrinkage Stock losses, also known as shrinkage, occur on a regular basis in the retail industry. This is a fact which we must accept. This happens for a number of reasons, such as not receiving/placing the correct orders, poor storage conditions, poor stock rotation, internal and external theft, lack of in-house procedures. The difference with successful retailers is that the successful retailers know what their losses are and what department the losses are occurring in. Once they know what their losses are, then they can monitor that specific area and inform all staff of what procedures are going to be implemented to reduce their overall loss/shrinkage figure. Without measuring, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t manage.

About the Author Stocktaking.ie conduct stock-takes for all retail business across Ireland using the most advanced barcode scanning equipment and proprietary software to deliver a same-day inventory result for retail businesses, from corner shops to large symbol supermarkets.

Protect early for future sales W E N

* Image adjusted to illustrate clinical situation

n o i t c e t o r p y l n Dai o i s o r e d i c a t s n i a g a . n e r d l i for ch

July/August08Money

Matters

Monitoring Your Margins Carmel Linnane investigates ways in which to improve your profit margins.

“Tastes change rapidly, so you must be careful you do not end up with a stockroom full of yesterday’s news. Reading trends is a difficult task and it would be wise to allow some leeway for getting it wrong now and again.”

Maintaining healthy margins is vital for any business. At its simplest, the margin is the difference between the cost of the unit and the retail price achieved for it. Naturally, the larger the margin, the better the chance for bottom line profit. In the retail trade, which very often involves selling tangible products off the shelf, it seems easy to ascertain unit costs and margins achieved. But is it that simple?

Margins To get an accurate picture of how well your stock is performing, you need to go further than subtracting the ‘buy’ price from the ‘sell’ price of each unit. Calculating your true margins means looking at the overall picture. So to get a reading of how strong your margins really are, you must include a share of expenses and overheads to each unit. After all, you must provide the wherewithall to house the product, even if it is only a warehouse. If you are selling over the internet, you still have to host and maintain the website, pay staff and engage in marketing, source products and pay for transport costs etc. For bricks and mortar outlets, you can add a plethora of additional overhead costs.

Your unit cost includes its share of the marketing budget, stock room space, shelf space, staff wages and all the other bills that come with having an outlet to sell this product. There are many packages out there which help you deal with the financial side of a business. Once you have calculated your total costs accurately, you must then allocate a percentage to each item. Having set up a realistic model to calculate your margins, you must now look for ways to improve them.

Mark-Up To compete in the marketplace, you must always be on the lookout for better value products. However, when looking at the potential of a product, the question should not only be ‘how cheap can I get this item?’ You must also ask ‘what price will a customer be willing to pay for it?’ ‘What is the achievable retail price?’ This is why it is necessary to evaluate each and every item and analyse how much of a mark-up or margin you can realistically put on each product. To know this, you must know your customers and their buying habits. Generally, stock is made up of bread-and-butter items and luxury goods. The bread-and-butter items are

Ireland’s Iconic Soft Drink Brand Launches €1.5 Million Through-The-Line Campaign It has been one of Ireland’s most popular soft drinks since it was first introduced back in the 1940’s, when the Kildare Street Gentleman's Club commissioned C&C’s Oliver Grace to create an orange drink bearing the club's name – thereby putting the ‘Club’ in Club Orange. This iconic soft drink brand is now set to launch a new €1.5 million marketing campaign, the first in four years, which capitalises on its uniquely Irish heritage with a homegrown humour and personality that no other soft drink can boast. Developed by McConnells Advertising the Club Orange ‘Some Bits are Crucial’ campaign was born out of a simple product truth – the real orange bits in Club Orange are what make Club Orange. Directed by Irish director Damien O’Donnell (of East is East fame), the TV execution features a local Irish dare-devil who learns the hard way just what can happen when the ‘crucial bits’ are missing. According to Chris Upton, McConnells Director, who managed the campaign’s development for Britvic: “The challenge in the new communications brief was to show that the ‘Bits’ in Club Orange are not just functional, they are an essential part of the whole brand experience. We wanted to demonstrate this in a way that highlighted Club Orange’s unique Irishness and that also engaged with our audience and brought them closer to the brand. We knew that humour would play key role in achieving this”. The 40 second ad will run on RTE, TV3, TG4, E4, Sky, Paramount Comedy, Living, MTV, Setanta and Channel 6 from Monday 16th May, as well as in cinema and outdoor. With a core target group of 19 year old males, both online - focusing on entertainment, gaming and social networking sites - and guerrilla activity also plays a vital part in this new marketing campaign. The online activity will be spearheaded by a tongue-in-cheek internet short film where a unique take on a classic romantic clinch is ultimately frustrated because of a missing crucial ‘bit’. “The secret to Club Oranges success is its great taste and quality – with Club Orange, it’s all in the bits! That’s the key tenet in our communications,” says Lynne Malone, Marketing Manager for Club, “and because we have a very dynamic target audience, it is important we keep the mood light and entertaining and keep our messaging fun and enjoyable. Our TV execution certainly achieves this but also our online and guerrilla activity allows us to take this a step further.”

July/August08Money

Matters

those that sell every day and they are the core of the business. Your customers expect you to have these items and you can be assured of making a reasonable margin on them, each and every time. On the other hand, your luxury items may achieve higher margins but there is no guarantee they will sell on a regular basis. Tastes change rapidly, so you must be careful you do not end up with a stockroom full of yesterday’s news. Reading trends is a difficult task and it would be wise to allow some leeway for getting it wrong now and again.

Cushion Those who have been in the trade for a long time know the value of having a cushion to fall back on in leaner times. If you are going to survive, you need to work out what your comfort margin is, what mark-up is needed to keep you and your business surviving from day to day and weathering the occasional crisis. The retail sector can be volatile and unless you leave a little extra to stay afloat in bad times, you will not be in the business long. With this in mind, you should be forever vigilant, looking for opportunities to increase your margins so that you can have a healthier bottom line. However, be careful not to undermine the value and quality of the product in an attempt to increase your margins.

Cutbacks As each unit takes a share of running costs and overheads, reducing any of these costs means an improvement in your margins. For example, insurance costs are a major drain on the business. It will pay to take time to find better deals.You may find specialist brokers who can reduce your overall insurance costs. Each year, it would be time well spent shopping around, in case you can improve your policy terms. Similarly, if you have a mortgage or business loan, take the time to check out new deals. Financiers are always vying to take business from each other, so why not take advantage of any new incentives to reduce your loan costs? When shopping for better

deals, it is best to do so from a position of strength rather then wait for a crisis and go begging from a position of weakness.

Suppliers Negotiating better deals with suppliers is not easy but if you are a loyal customer, then there is no harm in trying. It may be possible to secure discounts, if you purchase some items on a large scale. Try reducing the number of suppliers, as you will have better negotiating power as your order size will be larger. Or it may be possible to purchase direct from distributors or manufacturers. There are many new options now with the internet and products can be purchased from non-traditional sources, especially if these are commodity type products which do not require brand names or a regular back-up service from a local agent. However, if customers prefer certain brands, stick with those brands and look for cheaper sources to supply them. Sometimes, it may not just be worth it if you have a good relation-

“If you are going to survive, you need to work out what your comfort margin is, what markup is needed to keep you and your business surviving from day to day and weathering the occasional crisis.”

ship with a local supplier who provides an outstanding level of service: indeed, sometimes it is even worth paying extra for good service. It is pointless having a cheaper source if they cannot keep you supplied.

Value You might also find ways to add value to your service, thereby attracting more customers. Many small supermarkets or petrol stations have introduced hot food counters to add an edge to their business. Good marketing design is important and higher margin popular sellers should be highlighted to stand-out, enticing the customer’s interest. Remember not to reduce the quality or desirability of the product, as an increased margin is counter-productive if the customers do not like the products you offer.

Inventory Keeping tight control on your inventory is vital. Many businesses have implemented computerised systems to manage, control, and track products. Keep a tight rein on stock and do not accept deliveries you cannot use or arrive too late for the season. Computerise your business to streamline everyday tasks and business procedures and develop a tracking system for those products that are your best sellers. Buy as close as possible to the selling season to minimise the risk of making a bad buy. Attend trade shows and join buying groups to find better values. Consider adding private label products to establish better margins. Create an initial pricing strategy for special value and off-price products. Eliminate excessive stock in slowmoving and unprofitable categories. By managing your business more effectively, you will be able to provide better value, attract more customers, improve your average sales transaction and improve the allocation of costs to each unit you sell. By doing this, you improve your margins. There is no magic formula to success. It takes vigilent tracking and monitoring of stock, sales and overheads to achieve greater margins and a healthier bottom line.

-Tasty new flavour campaign set to drive sales – Retailers should “do themselves a flavour” and stock up on Walkers to make a packet. Walkers have just launched a massive consumer promotion which capitalises on their innovation in flavour and the fact that new flavours are bringing more people into the category and driving growth.* The “Do Yourself a Flavour and Make a Packet” promotion offers consumers the chance to win s64,000** and 1 % of net sales of their flavour in Ireland, UK, Isle of Man and Channel Isles. All they have to do is create the best new flavour of Walkers! Entering is simple with details on www.walkers-crisps.ie. Consumers create a new flavour and send in a picture of what inspired them. Then a panel of judges, including Chef Heston Blumenthal, will shortlist 6 flavours to go into production. The public will vote for their favourite flavour and that’s how the cash is won! The five remaining finalists will win a cash prize of s12,500***

MACE Safe to School Art Competition Winners Revealed Visits Made to Every County in Ireland Throughout the month of June, primary schools in 25 counties throughout Ireland were visited by the MACE Safe to School Team to unveil the county winners of the Cycle Safely to School Art Competition. The overall national award went to nine-year-old Morgan McLoughlin from S.N na nGael in Bay Estate, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Morgan and his class attended a special ceremony in Croke Park, where Minister Dermot Ahern TD presented him with the award. Morgan received a Raleigh bicycle, helmet and c1,000 for his school to spend on educational equipment. His class will also receive a ‘Cycling Safety and Skills School’ fun workshop in September. Morgan’s winning poster was selected from more than 8,000 entries received from 389 primary schools across the country. The MACE Safe to School campaign is now in its second year and was launched by RSA chairman Gay Byrne in February. This year, it focused on the theme of cycling to school safely. The competition called on all primary schools to draw a poster on the theme of cycling safely to school, and is part of the overall MACE Safe to School campaign, which is supported by the Road Safety Authority.

s1million is being invested in marketing in Ireland alone for what is Walkers’ biggest ever consumer promotion. The Irish marketing campaign includes a heavyweight TV, Print and radio advertising campaign, online, sampling and PR. To add to the Walkers flavour frenzy in Ireland, a Today FM Campaign, asking consumers to “Do a Flavour for your County and win a packet” is running with a s5,000 cash prize for the winner who chooses the best flavour for their county. Mayo man and Today FM presenter, Ray Foley, kick started the campaign with his very own limited edition pack from Walkers “Toasted Cheese and Mayo.” Walkers’ Marketing Manager, Nicola Wells, tells us:

“Ray’s Toasted Cheese and Mayo is a fun example to get the public thinking about their county and about new flavours in general. They can then send all their great ideas to Walkers for the big promotion. This massive campaign with such an aspirational prize and the kudos of creating a new Walkers flavour, will really appeal to consumers and we are expecting it to be a huge success.“ To maximise on the expected flavour frenzy, Walkers is introducing three new limited edition flavours - Tomato Ketchup, Pickled Onion & Worcester Sauce. Bespoke point of sale is available for retailers and further information on how to get involved can be obtained by contacting Donna Byrne on donna.byrne@boynevalley.com More information on the consumer promotion is on www.walkers-crisps.ie and on pack. * Source Nielsen Scantrack 52 we 18 May 08

Pictured are (left to right) Michael Rowland from the RSA, Colin Fee of Mace, Brian O’Toole of Mace, Minister Dermot Ahern and Class teacher Martina Rafferty with the 4th class students

** Or equivalent at that day’s exchange rate on £50,000 *** Or equivalent at that days exchange rate on £10,000

July/August08Forecourt

Focus

Express Service at Ennis The lure of the retail trade proved far too strong for Seán and Martina Carrig, who have just opened a brand new Costcutter Express forecourt store outside Ennis, Co. Clare.

Seán

and Martina Carrig have spent most of their 34 combined years of retail experience trading as fully independent shop owners. Their recent partnership with Costcutter on a brand new forecourt, situated just outside Ennis, Co. Clare, has worked out extremely well for the pair and especially for their shop. The Carrigs’ first shop, outside Ennis, was typical of a traditional country shop. They developed the business over the years, extending the shop on three different occasions. They remained trading as a fully independent shop until 2006, when the couple thought they would like some time out and so began the process of selling the shop, with half an eye on retirement. However, Seán found that taking time out was not as easy as you might imagine. A greenfield site at the edge of Ennis fired up his imagination. With the old shop sold, Seán had time on his hands and spent a few days sizing up the site, keeping a close eye on the level of passing traffic. He also explored the vicinity to see just how far away the next convenience shop was.

High Expectations Construction work on the greenfield development began and Seán spoke to the fuel and wholesale suppliers he had

Pictured outside the store are (l-r): Seán and Martina Carrig, store owners, with Noel Brady, National Field Sales Manager, Barry Group.

worked with for years at the old site about his idea to start retailing again from the new location. They were enthusiastic about the idea and assured him they would be able to continue the existing business arrangements if he were to open a new shop. Seán also spoke to other retailers about working with symbol group partners. “We wanted to work with a symbol group in this shop,” Martina tells RETAIL NEWS, “because having run a shop on our own for so long, we know how much work there is involved. The standards in retail in Ireland are very high and it’s a very competitive market. The expectations of Irish customers are also very high. An important part of a successful shop is having the right look. It has to be spotless and you have to invest a lot in the finish of the interior: customers are more likely to return to a well finished shop with friendly well trained staff.” Seán adds, “Barry’s and the Costcutter Express package is absolutely ideal for our shop. The Group not only offers an extremely attractive look for the interior and exterior of

July/August08Forecourt

the shop, as well as great value buying options on stock, but is also great at providing staff training and assistance on areas like IT. We have to offer our customers a complete package, from forecourt to shop, so we wanted a complete package of support from our symbol group partner and that’s what Costcutter provides us.” After joining with Costcutter, the Group’s Store Development Team moved in and within two weeks, the forecourt and shop were ready for business. According to Seán, “It was a very smooth transformation to the Costcutter Express image. Everyone from the group was extremely helpful and enthusiastic and we have been provided with support for absolutely every area of our business.”

Customer Care Getting the look of the shop right is only part of the battle, however, as Seán concedes: “The bottom line is that the customer who walks through the door is my boss. They are the ones who decide whether or not I do a good

Focus

job. And I am the one who decides whether our symbol group partner does a good job,” he smiles. “I must say, I’m very happy with the performance. We are already trading ahead of our best predictions. Customers love the finish of the shop and the value for money we can offer. We’ve already firmly established ourselves as a good stop-off spot for commuters and for those looking for food and drink to go.” While high end convenience is performing extremely well at Carrig’s Coscutter Express, grocery retail is also seeing strong sales, as Seán explains, “The category management advice from Costcutter is fantastic. For the size of the shop, we offer quite a broad range of grocery and we have been able to do that because we have been absolutely ruthless with stock selection. We look at volume on every item on the shelf. “The wine sales are a perfect example,” he continues. “A concise selection of the most popular wines makes sure we are always kept busy stocking shelves. That’s the focus of all of our grocery, offering a selection of products our customers need and want with decent value for money.”

Smooth Integration Speaking on behalf of Costcutter, Noel Brady, National Field Sales Manager, Barry Group, says, “We are delighted with the success of this project. The Costcutter Express package was smoothly integrated into the shop and Martina and Seán have been fantastic at embracing the ethos of the group. They are constantly examining all the details of their business, from shop floor to backroom, and always looking for possible improvements. It’s great working with people like that because they are always challenging you to match their standards. At the end of the day, the quality of this shop directly reflects the quality of the group at large and we all have to work hard to ensure we maintain those standards.” The attention to detail and hard work of both the retailers and the Barry Group means that FA C T F I L E Carrig’s Costcutter Retailer: Seán and Martina Carrig Express genuinely Location: Kiladysert Rd, Ennis, Co Clare offers commuters and Size: 1,800 square feet shoppers Number 6 full time & 4 part time everything that of Staff: 07:00-22:00, Monday – Friday; the group’s eyeOpening 07:00-21:00, Saturday; 08:00catching image hours: 21:00, Sunday. promises.

We see it all around us, a constantly evolving consumer, an increasingly dynamic retail environment and increased prosperity. How can you be a part of it? Mace are happy to announce the shop of the future. A totally new shop designed to respond to consumer needs and guaranteed to be a winner with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demanding shopper. From changeable window graphics to clutter-free counters for greater access, from a new deli to a customer services centre, Mace have thought of everything. Early in the morning is a good time to make a great decision, so pour the coffee, wake up to the smell of success and get one of Ireland's finest retail packages working for you now. And into the future.

July/August08What’s

Aquafresh Continues to Impact Forcefully on the Irish Market THE Aquafresh range continues to surprise and excite consumers, with innovative new products designed purely to advance oral health standards in the Irish market. Aquafresh Iso-Active foaming gel is a revolutionary concept which ‘removes 25% more bacteria than an ordinary toothpaste’. The foaming gel cascades around the entire mouth, leaving consumers’ teeth sparkling clean. The long-lasting pressurised 100ml can makes it easy to use, and Iso-Active foaming gel comes in two flavours, Fresh Mint and Citrus Mint. Aquafresh has also launched 3-Way BUZZ, its first manual vibrating toothbrush.

Grey Goose La Poire GREY Goose is delighted to announce the newest addition to its collection of flavoured vodkas, Grey Goose La Poire. In the fine epicurean tradition of France, Anjou pears are artistically blended with the world's finest vodka to create Grey Goose La Poire. Like Grey Goose L’Orange and Le Citron, La Poire is made from the finest specially selected fruit. The result is a perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, and an elegant vodka that can be mixed or enjoyed on its own. This light, smooth vodka, which is abundant with the aroma of fresh pears, ensures Grey Goose stands alone as the world’s best tasting vodka.

New

Lucozade Sport Consumer Offer THIS July, consumers will have the added opportunity to test their fitness levels with the fantastic new offer of a pedometer and stopwatch when they buy two bottles of Lucozade Sport’s 500ml range. This exciting offer not only enhances the brand’s reputation as a refreshing sports drink, it also gives consumers the chance to work on their fitness levels and keep track of their times and distance travelled. Building on the brand’s commitment to sports fans, Lucozade Sport’s ‘Head2Head’ roadshow is currently visiting sports clubs throughout the summer.

Good Mood Food from Birds Eye

Carefree Cotton

BIRDS Eye is investing in excess of €1.5m in a new integrated brand campaign entitled ‘Good Mood Food’. The campaign consists of an intensive programme of above- and below-theline activity, comprising of TV (starring Madness frontman Suggs), outdoor, radio and press advertising, as well as a Public Relations campaign. Previous campaigns have focused on dispelling the myths about frozen food and communicating its nutritional benefits: the ‘Good Mood Food’, campaign brings the truth story to the next stage, nutritional food, which can be served in many different ways, resulting in a positive family meal occasion.

JOHNSON & Johnson’s Carefree remains the brand leader in pantyliners with 49% market share (Source: ACNielsen, May 18, 2008, MAT basis, Multiples). An exciting upgrade of their breathable range, new Carefree Cotton is a breathable pantyliner with natural cotton extracts in the liner. 100% innovative and new to the category, Carefree Cotton is natural, soft, comfortable and ideal for everyday use, with 65% of women saying they would purchase the new product (Source: Bases reStager, Germany, August 2007). This launch will be supported with a 360 degree marketing plan, including a heavyweight TV campaign, print support, PR activity and sampling.

Cow & Gate Baby Balance BECAUSE babies are growing so rapidly, they need more calcium than adults in relation to their size. With less sugar than any other leading brands, a quarter of daily calcium and real fruit purée, Cow & Gate Baby Balance Dairy Desserts are a healthy treat. In a range of great flavours, and packed in handy plastic cups of four individual servings, they can make a nutritious dessert at home, or a completely convenient snack when out and about. The eyecatching packaging ensures that the familiar Cow & Gate Baby Balance branding is highly visible, whilst also communicating the key benefits of the new Dairy Desserts.

July/August08Shelf

Life

Shelf Life EATING habits across the world are changing, due to the worst food crisis in a decade. According to National Geographic Magazine, the high cost of food has caused Italians to eat less pizza, due to the rising cost of wheat flour and mozzarella, instead choosing pasta. According to a survey from GPF Research Institute, the number of Italians favouring pasta has dropped from 14.1% to 8.7%.

MARIE Cooney, Tipperary Water, is pictured (centre) alongside Claire Coughlan-Ryan and Rebecca Coakley, after playing in the Pro Am at this year’s AIB Ladies Irish Open in Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links. Tipperary Water was the Official Mineral Water sponsor to the 2008 Ladies Irish Open. Marie Cooney, Director, Tipperary Water, said, “At Tipperary Water, we are committed to excellence and in strategically aligning ourselves with sporting events of national distinction, so it is with great delight that we have come on board as official mineral water sponsor with the revitalised AIB Ladies Irish Open.”

BESPOKE Communications have been awarded the PR account for the Centra brand by Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland after a competitive pitch. As Centra’s PR agency, Bespoke will be responsible for developing PR campaigns to support the development of the Centra brand in Ireland in the coming years. For more information visit www.bespokecommunications.ie. NEWS International Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd are investing up to €1m on a brand advertising campaign to support the new look Sunday Times. The Sunday Times, which reaches 363,000 readers in Ireland every week, has undergone a complete redesign, which includes new modern typefaces, more colour and a variety of new features. The changes have been implemented to enhance reading pleasure and give the title a fresher and more vibrant look. TV forms the core of the new advertising campaign, with a 60-second ad featuring legendary actor Peter O’Toole, which focuses on the new tagline for the publication, ‘For All You Are’. The entire marketing campaign will also tie in with the fact that a dedicated monthly Irish edition of the very popular Style magazine will be published from September of this year. THE National Consumer Agency recently published the details of the traders who have failed to comply with consumer legislation. The Agency published its Consumer Protection List, which gives details of actions it has taken against traders. “Publishing details recorded in the Consumer Protection List will send a message to traders that if they fail to comply with consumer legislation, enforcement actions will be taken by the Agency,” warned Ann Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency. “To avoid intervention by the Agency, businesses should make sure that they are complying with all consumer laws. We propose to publish the list twice yearly.” A total of seven traders were prosecuted and fined with respect to price display offences, while the Agency obtained four undertakings from traders to refrain from engaging in misleading commercial practices, as provided for in the Consumer Protection Act 2007. The Agency also issued eight Compliance Notices to retailers who breached the Consumer Protection Act, by charging more for grocery products than the price displayed. The notices were issued to retailers in Cavan, Clare, Cork, Dublin, Galway, and Monaghan. 76

THE European Parliament has approved, updated and simplified rules for authorising enzymes, food additives and flavourings. Until now, food additives have been regulated by under 10 different EU laws, but according to Avril Doyle MEP, the rules streamline the legislation into a single entity. “The package is in line with the Commission's call for 'food safety from farm to fork' and 'Better Regulation' as it aims to update and complete existing legislation with regard to additives and flavourings, and to introduce legislation for the use of food enzymes,” said Doyle. IRWIN’S Bakery and Northern Ireland’s number one selling batch bread, Nutty Krust, secured ‘a hole in one’ for hospitality recently by inviting customers to tee off in the inaugural ‘Nutty Krust Golf Classic’ in Ardglass, coinciding with the launch of Nutty Krust into the Irish market for the first time. Pictured enjoying a slice of success at Irwin’s Nutty Krust inaugural Golf Classic is Tony Gracie, MACE; John Weatherup, Brunch Box; Stefan Szymura, Irwin’s Bakery; and Paul Bennett, MACE.

Congratulations to Declan Quinn from Tuam, Co. Galway, who won four All-Ireland Hurling Semi-Final tickets courtesy of Walkers and RETAIL NEWS.

Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it time you had things stacked in your favour? Daybreak is a new concept in convenience shopping, designed to give independent retailers all the benefits of the Musgrave buying power and retail expertise. Offering you marketing and promotional support, central billing, staff training, IT support, professional retail advice and increased profitability. So the odds are stacked in your favour. To find out how Daybreak can get everything stacked in your favour, contact Paul Ryan, National Development Manager on 086 6001840 or email paulry@musgrave.ie.

Prepare for a ‘Big Jump’ in sales. Our exciting new marketing campaign is ready to launch Ireland’s most popular orange drink into new heights. So stock up now and get ready for a boom!