Retail News October 2020

Retail News OCTOBER 2020

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

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Contents News

Just what is the new normal?

THIS will be a Halloween like no other, in keeping with the general theme of the year so far, as society seems in a state of constant readjustment, as restrictions and guidelines change continually.

Straight afterwards, November 12 is the official date for the implementation of Section 22 of the Public Health Alcohol Act on structural separation in-store.

However, at the time of going to press, there is huge concern amongst retailers that complying with the structural separation requirements may contravene fire safety regulations. Our Chief News Reporter, Pavel Barter, reports on the issue (Page 2), hearing from a host of retail representatives about their concerns over the new legislation, including one view that “There was zero consideration by the Department of Health when they wrote this Bill”.

Elsewhere, we talk to Gala Retail CEO, Gary Desmond, about the effects of Covid-19 on the convenience sector and the phenomenal response of retailers to the pandemic (Page 14); we report on Filippo Berio’s heavyweight Irish campaign, which looks set to shake up the olive oil category (Page 18); we look at some of the most experienced merchandising companies in the market here (Page 28-34); and we talk to Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia CEO, about the food board’s response to Covid-19 (Page 48).

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

Structural separation: could it contravene fire safety regulations?

3

BWG Foods’ Joanne Mellon honoured as a true industry hero.

4

CPM Ireland launches virtual sales rep; Aldi Ireland wins at Private Label Awards; Lidl welcomes planning permission for Knocknacarra store.

5

Dunnes to deliver with Buymie; Glanbia announces new Chairman; Tesco Ireland suppliers join global effort to tackle food waste.

6

Retail sector welcomes new Landlord-Tenant Code of Conduct; Over 50% of food SMEs expect sales decline.

‘Trick or Treat for Temple Street’ campaign launched; Iceland Ireland launches new loyalty programme; Business community urged to help fight homelessness.

Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, reflects on the impact of Covid-19 on the convenience market, the “exceptional” response to the crisis by Gala retailers and the challenges ahead as we continue to live with Covid.

18

38

Ireland and Northern Ireland performed extremely well at the 2020 Great Taste Awards, winning 19 hugely coveted 3-star Awards.

Visa has partnered with LoyalBe to deliver loyalty solutions to small Irish businesses, writes Philip Konopik, Ireland Country Manager, Visa.

Bord Bia 48

14

Filippo Berio, the leading olive oil brand in the UK, is investing €500k in an integrated marketing campaign in Ireland, which is set to shake up the category here, explain Walter Zanre, MD of Filippo Berio UK, and Gerard McAdorey, from distributors GM Marketing.

NOffLA has revealed the winners of the 2020-21 Irish Wine Show Star Awards.

Pinergy’s transparent approach to energy supply gives you control of your energy consumption, writes Esme Murphy, Energy Advisor - Retail & Leisure, Pinergy.

Bord Bia has been working hard on helping the agri-food industry to negotiate a path through the Covid-19 pandemic, arming companies with data to help them to survive and thrive in a postCovid future, as CEO Tara McCarthy explains.

48

National Parenting Product Awards 52

Ireland’s favourite family-friendly products were announced recently at the National Parenting Product Awards.

Retail Efficiency 54

Energy 25

Combining innovation and quality, Vype is shaping the future of vaping.

Loyalty Solutions

42

Wine 22

Hopkins Merchandising has been delivering top quality sales and merchandising solutions to some of Ireland’s biggest grocery brands for three decades. MD Declan Hopkins explains the secrets of its success, while we also examine how merchandising fits into the overall marketing mix and hear how FMI’s team stands ready to scale-up in the locations you require.

Great Taste Awards

Olive Oil & Pesto

Simon Hedaux, founder and CEO of Rethink Productivity, advises on five ways to speed up transaction times in your store.

Waste Management 56

Ireland’s packaging recycling tonnes have increased by 9.1% in the last two years.

Regulars & Reports

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Editorial & Marketing Director:

Published by: Tara Publishing Ltd,

Kathleen Belton

kathleenbelton@retailnews.ie

14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

Editor: John Walshe

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Tel: 00353 1 6785165 Fax: 00353 1 6477127

Sales: Brian Clark

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

Sales: Aaron Stewart

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Subscription to Retail News: e95 plus VAT Email: morgan.stokes@tarapublications.ie

Graphics: John Sheridan Printed by: W&G Baird

28

The Retail News Interview

Managing Director: Patrick Aylward

Production: Morgan Stokes

Merchandising

35

8

14

FBD Insurance offers a range of covers designed to help retailers protect their business.

Vaping

Local lockdowns make their mark on Irish grocery.

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen

26

7

Retail News Chief News Reporter: Pavel Barter

Insurance

2

Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

10

Industry News

24

Drinks News

36

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

44

Soup

46

What’s New

58

Forecourt Focus

60

Shelf Life

2|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News

Structural separation: could it contravene fire safety regulations?

WHEN Peter Gaughan, owner of a Spar supermarket in Balla, Co. Mayo, began making plans for separating his alcohol products from the rest of his store, he contacted a local contractor, who also happens to be a customer. “His workshop is only about three miles away from me,” said the retailer. “I’m lucky. A lot of retailers aren’t.”

Gaughan’s store is square-shaped, so it naturally lent itself to structural separation.

“Our off-licence is in a corner and it has a natural partition on one side with shelving.

The way my shop is laid out, it will hopefully be a minor inconvenience, albeit at an additional cost.” Yet despite his best efforts, Gaughan is still uncertain as to whether or not he will be compliant.

From November 12, all mixed retail outlets will have to rearrange their stores to suit structural separation as part of the Public Health Alcohol Act.

Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA.

Under Section 22 of the act, alcohol products and advertising must be confined to an area “separated by a 1.2 metre high barrier” or concealed behind 1.5 metre units.

“Adhering to the RRAI COP over the past 11 years has meant that, in many cases, the stores are well prepared for Section 22,” reveals Malachy Hanberry, Managing Director of EuroSpar. “‘Going dark’ on served alcohol, and the introduction of a 1.2m barrier at the self-service alcohol area are the two main changes to be introduced, although some retailers have also taken the opportunity to review the location and extent of their alcohol offering”.

However, retailers claim that the legislation has an inherent flaw.

“A shop could do everything that has been asked by the Department of Health and it might not fall foul of the Department of Health,” explains Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA, “but it could fall foul of the local fire officer.”

Department of Health guidelines detail how structural separation should be implemented, but the legislation is not clear on entry/exit access into this offlicence area.

“An architect, putting up a new wall or barrier in a store, must consider different compliance rules, including fire regulations: clear, unblocked, access to fire doors,” said Buckley. “Our members are concerned that Section 22 is not in compliance with other regulations.”

The regulations may also contravene rules around disability access. Vincent Jennings, CEO of The Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA), told Retail News that Section 22 should not be at the expense of “other legislative and statutory matters, particularly fire safety.

We’re trying to run a business that is safe for all staff, visitors, suppliers and owners.”

Retailers believe the root of the problem is that structural separation takes a ‘one size fits all’ approach, whereas it should be implemented on a case-by-case basis. “Every shop is a different beast. What will work in one place may not work in another,” said Jennings “This is a point we made at the start of this process,” continued Buckley.

“When the Department of Health gave the guidance, they didn’t take into account any of this.”

The Department is not budging on the matter. A Government spokesperson told Retail News that public hearings on the Bill were held in 2015, when retailer representative bodies were in attendance: “The Minister for Health consulted with other Government departments [on the Act] following its drafting by the Office of the Attorney General,” said the spokesperson.

But retailers insist they pointed out the flaws behind Section 22 from the outset.

“We told the Department that this was not a simple case of going to Ikea and buying a few wardrobe doors and banging them up,” said Buckley. “They had to understand that when we make significant changes to stores, we have to comply with a whole raft of legislation.”

“There was zero consideration by the Department of Health when they wrote this bill,” added Jennings. “That’s a big failing.”

Changes within grocery stores in the era of Covid-19 has been another fly in the ointment.

“It has been extremely challenging to prepare for Section 22, due to the pandemic,” admits EuroSpar MD, Malachy Hanberry. “The process was necessarily stalled for many months, due to restrictions and the requirement for retailers to restrict visitors/contractors to their stores. Work recommenced as soon as was practicable, while continuing to ensure all health and safety precautions and regulations were

Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie|3

News observed.”

In June, Lidl and Musgrave Group called on Heather Humphreys TD, then Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, to delay the introduction of structural separation, since shops were struggling to find contractors to do the job. CSNA also made their case.

“We approached Heather Humphreys on two grounds,” said Jennings. “Despite the fact there was a two-year commencement placement [for Section 22], the department didn’t commence engagement until this

Malachy Hanberry, Managing Director, EuroSpar.

year and they broke that off because they had other fish to fry. They didn’t complete the discussions as were promised by the then Health Minister Simon Harris TD. We wrote to Harris and Humphreys and asked them to consider a deferment.”

That deferment was not forthcoming.

Retailers now face a host of Covid-related safety concerns when introducing barriers.

“There’s still a vagueness as to whether or not we will need a gate [for the alcohol area],” said Gaughan. “At the moment, customers can come into my shop and they don’t have to touch anything. Now we’re creating another entry-access point. Do we need sanitiser at that section? Do you want a situation where people are going in and out of a single gate? Will we have to sanitise the gate? Will it be fire compliant?”

According to Gaughan, opinion on whether gates will be needed or not is a matter of debate with a “complete lack of clarity from Government”.

November 12 is approaching, yet many retailers are not prepared. “Very few will meet the deadline”, says Jennings, who believes that Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) will show leeway. “The same EHO’s look at our stores for a variety of different things. We have a relationship with them.

They know the mettle of the people with whom they are dealing.”

RGDATA, meanwhile, has appealed to Damien English TD, retail minister, to “allow forbearance if some people don’t make the date”.

The Department of Health, however, are not budging on the deadline: “Section 22 of the Act was commenced by Order of the Minister for Health on November 1, 2018, to apply from November 12, 2018. Section 22 provides that retailers must comply with the obligations under section 22 within two years of its commencement.”

Retailers believe that the lack of clarity around Section 22 has left them in an impossible situation. “A lot of retailers want to be compliant but they probably won’t be because we haven’t got the clarity of message from the Department that has been requested on numerous occasions,” said Gaughan.

“If they told us exactly what we need - the types of gates that will be acceptable following consultation - that would be great. Instead, we’re left in the dark.”

Vincent Jennings, CEO, CSNA.

BWG Foods’ Joanne Mellon honoured as a true industry hero JOANNE Mellon, BWG Foods’ Logistics Director, has been singled out as one of Ireland’s #StrengthInUnity Transport Heroes at the annual Fleet Transport Awards 2021 for her personal efforts in ensuring BWG Foods’ National Distribution Centre (NDC) supply chain operated seamlessly during the extraordinary crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, it was imperative that BWG Foods’ retailers stayed open and provided a safe shopping environment close to home for the one million customers served every day across its nationwide network of over 1,000 stores. Knowing that a local store is open for business with ready access to essential goods and services has been an enormous comfort to the nation. While BWG Foods worked very closely with over 650 suppliers to ensure it maintained healthy stock levels in line with increased consumer demand, Joanne’s leadership ensured that BWG’s sophisticated supply chain continues to operate to the highest industry standard.

It is Joanne’s responsibility to ensure that one of Ireland’s largest and most complex supply chains successfully navigates the challenges presented by the pandemic so that BWG’s NDC 120-truck fleet can remain on the road, continuing to cover more than 42,000km and more than 600 deliveries on a daily basis.

“The service that BWG’s family of over 1,000 independent

retailers provides to their communities cannot be overstated and this is particularly relevant when these communities are forced to endure the incredible challenges presented by Covid-19,” noted Leo Crawford, Group Chief Executive, BWG Group. “A company like BWG is only as strong as its people and I am immensely proud of the honour bestowed on our very deserving Joanne and her team at the NDC.”

Joanne Mellon, Logistics Director, BWG Foods.

4|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News

CPM Ireland launches virtual sales rep acting on brand content. The majority of large brands have 40-60% field sales across the convenience and on-trade retailers in Ireland and really struggle to talk to the entire customer base about brands and offers.

*Shopt is already ‘alive and well’ in the UK and Northern Ireland *Shopt from CPM Ireland: Ireland’s first virtual sales rep. and is doing CPM Ireland has launched a hugely exceptionally well with all retailers in both innovative new product called *Shopt jurisdictions. which is an integration of physical and “The feedback to date in Northern digital selling, coming at a very opportune Ireland and the UK is really encouraging time, given both Covid-19 and the climate and are very confident that is going to agenda. be the case throughout the Republic of Essentially, *Shopt is Ireland’s first Ireland,” noted Lorraine Butler, Chief virtual sales rep, a digital app that allows Executive of CPM. “CPM’s focus is to work retailers ask their retail and on-trade with our clients to understand how we customers to carry out work (which is can continuously do more sales with the normally carried out by a physical sales same or less budget. A sure way to achieve rep) and rewards them through cash in this is to use technology, such as *Shopt, their bank accounts for their support. as part of the sales process. It was clear Customers earn cash rewards by to us over the last few years that digital stocking the products, expanding their involvement in the sales process was brand range, answering surveys and needed and we have always prioritised

Aldi Ireland wins at Private Label Awards ALDI Ireland has won three awards for its private label product offering at the renowned World of Private Label Salute to Excellence Awards in Amsterdam. Aldi Ireland took home more wins than any other Irish retailer, with three international wins across three different categories.

Honouring Aldi’s Irish suppliers, wins on the night included Aldi’s Specially Selected Irish Four Cheese and Hickory Smoked Irish Bacon Pizza, produced by Freshways Food Co. in Dublin, Aldi’s Clonbawn Chocolate Flavoured Protein Milk, produced by Arrabawn Dairies in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, and Aldi’s Ridge Valley Light Indian Tonic Water, supplied by Glenpatrick Spring, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

“We are thrilled that three of Aldi’s private label products have won at the prestigious PLMA’S 2020 Salute to Excellence Awards,” said John Curtin, Group Buying Director at Aldi Ireland. “This is a fantastic achievement and is a reflection of the hard work of all our Irish suppliers. These awards cover products worldwide and with such a huge number of private label products on sale, winning three awards is a huge achievement for us and for our Irish food and drink suppliers.”

Lorraine Butler, Chief Executive of CPM. technology solutions to support sales processes.

“The speed at which customers are adopting technology solutions to support the sales process really expedited the need for evolution of digital selling in field sales. *Shopt will be a huge part of that now, as we continue to build our business significantly across the Republic of Ireland in a very responsible way.”

The figures speak for themselves, according to CPM; if a sales rep makes 10 calls a day, the average cost of these calls is €30-50 but with *Shopt it works out at about €0.60.

Lidl welcomes planning permission for Knocknacarra store

LIDL Ireland has welcomed the decision from Galway City Council to grant planning for its development in Knocknacarra. This is the second time in recent months that Lidl has successfully worked with Galway City Council to achieve a positive planning outcome.

Lidl’s development in Knocknacarra will see a significant local investment, as well as the creation of up to 30 permanent new jobs once the store opens. Lidl intends to put this project out to tender in December following a final decision from Galway County Council, with a view to commencing construction in January 2021, creating the equivalent of 50 full time construction jobs for a year.

The planned store will incorporate a range of sustainability features, including an ISO 50001 certified Energy Management System, electric vehicle charger spaces and a solar panel system.

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News

Dunnes to deliver with Buymie ONLINE grocery delivery provider Buymie has announced a new partnership with Dunnes Stores, which will see the launch of a personal grocery shopping service to over 680,000 households in Dublin and Cork.

The service, available in 24 Dunnes Stores across Dublin and Cork, will allow Dunnes Stores customers to select groceries and book a same-day delivery slot. The Buymie app calculates the available customer delivery slots as soon as the customer gets to the checkout. Slots are available on the same day, and often in as little as one hour. Customers can also choose their preferred delivery slot up to seven days in advance.

The partnership brings immediate scale to the Dunnes Stores grocery online offering, with the service now available to over 592,000 households in Dublin and large commuter towns such as Maynooth and Howth, as well as more than 88,000 households in Cork City.

The partnership gives Dunnes Stores customers access to their own personal shopper. Buymie shoppers will by default call the customer from the store and let them know if items are out of stock, and offer alternatives. Even if a customer can’t find something they’re looking for on the app, they can add a special request at checkout for their shopper, who will look for and add the items where possible.

“I am thrilled to be announcing this partnership with Dunnes Stores, and to be bringing such an iconic Irish brand online in grocery for the first time,” noted Devan Hughes, CEO and co-founder of Buymie, for whom the partnership has a personal connection: “Back in 1976 at the age of 16, my father James Hughes, got his very first job working for Ben Dunne Snr in North Earl Street. So for me, this is an exciting extension of that family history.

“Dunnes Stores is a tremendous innovator in Irish retail and we are delighted to be working with them to bring same-

Glanbia announces new Chairman GLANBIA has announced the appointment of Independent Non-Executive Director, Donard Gaynor, as Chairman in place of Martin Keane, with effect from October 8. Martin will remain on the Board of the Company until his normal retirement at the 2021 AGM. Donard Gaynor has been a director of Glanbia plc since March 2013 and is Chairperson of the Remuneration Committee and a member of both the Audit Committee and Nomination and Governance Committee, as well as Board Director with responsibility for workforce engagement.

“It is a privilege to be appointed Chairman of Glanbia plc. I look forward to working with the Glanbia team and my Board colleagues on the successful delivery of strategy and value creation for our stakeholders,” noted Gaynor, who also paid tribute to his predecessor for his stewardship of the Group, “in particular for his leadership Donard Gaynor, Chairman, through the current Glanbia plc.

Covid-19 pandemic”.

Devan Hughes, CEO and co-founder of Buymie, pictured with a Buymie picker, announcing the partnership with Dunnes Stores. day delivery to their customers across Dublin & Cork”, Hughes added.

Earlier this year, Buymie announced the creation of 200 additional personal shopping roles for Ireland in response to demand for same-day grocery delivery.

Meanwhile, The Irish Times reported that Dunnes Stores’ move into online retailing will result in the retailer putting up to 70 dedicated home delivery trucks on Irish roads this side of Christmas, with Dunnes utilising a ‘dark store’ with easy access to the M50 in Dublin, allowing it to reach several counties quickly.

Tesco Ireland suppliers join global effort to tackle food waste TESCO Ireland has announced that a further three of its major fresh food suppliers have signed up to tackle food waste in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, to help halve food waste, from farm to fork, by 2030.

Greenfield Foods (Monaghan), Nature’s Best (Louth), and Birds Eye Ireland (Naas) will now target, measure and act on food waste at their manufacturing sites and work Kari Daniels, CEO, collaboratively to adopt the UN Goal.

Tesco Ireland.

The three Tesco Ireland suppliers are the latest companies to join a cohort of fresh food suppliers, who are collaborating with Tesco to address food waste within their operations in Ireland. These suppliers to Tesco Ireland are among 71 of Tesco’s largest suppliers around the world, which are publishing their food waste data, having agreed to target, measure and act on food waste, aligned with Tesco’s participation in the global food waste initiative Champions 12.3.

“At Tesco, we believe that no good food should go to waste and we have been having encouraging conversations with our suppliers on how to tackle food waste along the entire supply chain,” said Kari Daniels, CEO of Tesco Ireland. “We are proud to bring together leading supplier partners and to collaborate on meaningful change as together we work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3.”

6|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News

Retail sector welcomes new LandlordTenant Code of Conduct RETAIL groups have broadly welcomed a new Code of Conduct between Landlords and Tenants for Commercial Rents. A voluntary Code which was developed by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation following consultation with key stakeholders representing both landlords and tenants, the new Code is intended to offer a framework for landlord and tenant negotiations concerning all commercial tenancies that have been seriously negatively impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, until July 31, 2021.

The Code establishes a structured approach for engagement between commercial landlords and tenants, based on the fact that it is in both their interests to ensure that viable businesses continue to operate and premises are not vacant.

Tenants who are in a position to pay in full should do so, the Code maintains, while tenants experiencing temporary significant financial hardship as a result of the impact of Covid-19 should request assistance from their landlords, who should be willing to consider a reasonable case for some temporary concession where possible.

The Code sets out a number of principles: • Landlords and tenants should act reasonably, swiftly, transparently and in good faith to identify and implement mutually beneficial

solutions to the difficulties arising from the pandemic.

• Landlords and tenants should endeavour to assist each other in their dealings with other stakeholders, including Government, utility companies and banks.

• Where either party (landlord or tenant) has received Government Covid-19 subsidies or reliefs, it should be recognised that such supports have been provided to help businesses meet their commitments.

Landlords should seek to share any benefit arising from deferral of loan payments with tenants in a proportionate manner.

• If they still cannot agree, they can use alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as per the existing commercial lease agreement or a third-party mediator to help facilitate negotiations.

Retail Ireland hopes the Code of Conduct will lead to more realistic and constructive engagement by landlords to resolve the challenges presented to retailers by Covid restrictions.

“The new Code will hopefully encourage more landlords to sit down and work out practical solutions with tenants, which reflect the massive financial strain Covid has placed on businesses,” noted Retail Ireland Director Arnold Dillon. “It is in

everyone’s interests that disputes are resolved quickly and fairly, in a way that safeguards jobs and the viability of businesses into the future.

“Currently many landlords are not engaging constructively. The risk is that these cases will flood the court system, leading to business closures and job losses. To safeguard vulnerable businesses, Government should further explore an incentive driven arbitration model for disputes. This should include a facility for some State burden-sharing and provide short-term protection from eviction.”

Arnold Dillon, Director of Retail Ireland.

Over 50% of food SMEs expect sales decline MORE than half of top Irish food and drink SMEs anticipate a decline in sales revenues this year due to ongoing Covid-19 impacts on their businesses, according to research conducted by Love Irish Food.

A third of its SME member brands expect sales to fall steeply (by more than 15%) in 2020, while 54% believe their sales value will be down overall.

Almost half (44%) of the association’s SME members said the decline in sales will result in their businesses employing less staff as the industry emerges from the pandemic, with just 10% expecting to increase employee numbers post Covid-19.

Separately, over half (51%) of Love Irish Food’s SME membership are experiencing greater short-term cash requirements than in 2019, an ongoing challenge for many who are struggling with narrow margins and cost competitiveness.

Despite the challenges curtailing growth prospects for many food and drink SMEs, 62% of Love Irish Food members believe 2021 will be a better year for their businesses than 2020. Meanwhile, a significant cohort (46%) of respondents said they have experienced enhanced retailer support throughout the pandemic.

“The global health pandemic brought about by the spread of Covid-19 has been an unprecedented challenge for our industry and the scale of the issues we face continues to evolve at a significant pace,” stated Kieran Rumley, Executive Director, Love Irish Food. “As a material contributor to our local and national economies, the Irish food industry faces significant uncertainty, not just as we emerge from the pandemic, but also in the face of Brexit. Irish branded food suppliers have worked hard to maintain continuity of supply to the retail trade and will continue to do so as it faces into the prospect of a hard and complex Brexit. Maintaining food Kieran Rumley, Executive Director, brands on-shelf during this period will be a key challenge for the industry.”

Love Irish Food.

Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie|7

News

Local lockdowns make their mark on Irish grocery TAKE-HOME grocery sales growth in Ireland slowed to 13.7% market this period, with growth driven by an increase in volume year-on-year during the 12 weeks to September 6, 2020, per trip and higher average prices.

The popularity of online grocery shopping continues, and according to the latest figures from Kantar, suggesting online sales grew by 121.7% over the latest four weeks. “This that shoppers are starting to return to more normal habits, represents another month of record-breaking growth for the following the unprecedented spending seen during the height online channel and digital sales added €72.9m to the total of the pandemic. However, there are tentative signs that market in the latest 12 weeks. New shoppers accounted for the market may accelerate again in the short term, as local almost a quarter of the €133.6m spent on online groceries lockdowns take effect around the country. during that time,” revealed Healy.

“Grocery sales over the past 12 weeks remain significantly Boosted by comprehensive online offers, SuperValu higher than pre-pandemic levels, but compared with April and continues to grow ahead of the market and holds the biggest May, shopping routines are much closer to what we would share of spend at 22.1%, while Tesco registered a 21% market usually expect,” explained Emer Healy, Retail Analyst at share. Higher average prices and larger trip size drove growth Kantar. “For example, people are visiting grocery stores more for Tesco this period. frequently than they have since June, at an average of 19 times All the retailers benefited from the reopening of schools over the course of the past four weeks, indicating an increased this September, which was a significant step toward normality sense of security among shoppers since face coverings were after an extraordinary summer. “Parents preparing for their introduced at the start of August. children’s return to the classroom stocked up on easy breakfast “However, it’s a slightly more nuanced picture when we and packed-lunch options, with sales of baked morning goods look at what the latest four weeks of sales might mean for the up 11% and lunch box staples like yogurt drinks and juices market going forward. An additional €19m spent on groceries growing by 17%,” Healy stated. “One marked difference this during the past month coincides with the start of a number year is that facial tissues and wipes have become a must-have of local lockdowns. This suggests that local restrictions are for children’s backpacks, growing by 2% and 15% respectively. already making their mark, with people in certain parts of With many returning to the school run and the office the country spending more to stock up on food and drink to commute, easy and convenient dinners are firmly back on the consume at home.” menu, according to Healy, who revealed that shoppers spent an Looking ahead, ongoing local restrictions are expected additional €6.8m on chilled convenience products, €2.7m on to continue to disrupt shopping patterns across Ireland. “In ready meals, €9.7m on frozen prepared foods. the latest 12 weeks, Dublin has seen the strongest growth Dunnes, in particular, cashed in on the back to school trend of all the regions, with shoppers in the capital spending an as households with children increased their spend in the store additional €141m on groceries compared with last year. It will by 9% and the grocer performed the best of all the retailers be interesting to see what effect the local lockdown could have in sales of many typical packed lunch items, which helped to on grocery sales as shoppers navigate new restrictions,” noted ensure that Dunnes holds the second highest market share of Healy. all the grocers.

Despite some economic uncertainty, brands have once Grocery market inflation stands at 2.2% for the 12-week again proved to be standout performers, growing ahead of the period ending September 6, 2020. market by 18% and outpacing MARKET SHARE - TOTAL GROCERY private label sales Includes expenditure across Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Household and Health & Beauty categories year-on-year, as shoppers spent Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend an additional €205m on branded 12 Weeks to 08/09/19 12 Weeks to 06/09/20 % Change in value sales groceries. Among %* %* % the retailers, Lidl and Aldi both saw Total Outlets 100.0% 100.0% 13.7% strong growth in branded sales, Total Multiples 89.5% 89.7% 13.9% which grew by Dunnes 22.2% 21.3% 9.0% 48% and 36% respectively. Lidl Tesco 21.4% 21.0% 11.7% was also top of SuperValu 21.4% 22.1% 17.2% the table in terms of overall growth Aldi 12.6% 12.6% 13.8% rate in the latest Lidl 11.9% 12.7% 21.2% 12 weeks, growing by 21.2% year-onOther Outlets** 10.5% 10.3% 11.9% year to boost its sales by €63.3m. * = Percentage Share of Total Grocers Aldi holds a 12.6% ** = Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers and Cross Border shops Source: Worldpanel FMCG share of the

8|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

News

‘Trick or Treat for Temple Street’ campaign launched CHILDREN’S Health Foundation Temple Street and MiWadi are calling on families, friends and communities to eat, drink and be scary, by hosting their very own magical Halloween activity or virtual event at home, in schools and creches, in the workplace, and also virtually to raise much-needed funds and help buy vital, life-saving equipment for sick children in CHI at Temple Street.

The hugely successful fundraising campaign is celebrating its 20th year this year and all funds raised go to Children’s Health Foundation Temple Street to fund essential equipment for the treatment of sick children, such as patient monitors, incubators, and ventilators, which will change little lives for the better.

While Halloween may be somewhat different this year, Children’s Health Foundation Temple Street and MiWadi are urging everyone across Ireland to get behind the fundraiser and have some socially-distanced and safe fun while making a contribution to support the magic that happens every day in Temple Street children’s hospital.

Children’s Health Foundation Temple Street is the new name for the Temple Street Foundation. The Foundation name has changed to reflect the coming together of CMRF Crumlin and Temple Street Foundation in January 2019 to become Children’s Health Foundation, one foundation supporting sick children in CHI. “We are delighted that this is the 8th year of MiWadi proudly supporting the Trick or Treat campaign for Temple Street,” noted Caroline Hyde, MiWadi Marketing Manager with Britvic Ireland.

“This is always a highlight of our year, and it’s been an honour to see the difference it has made to children and families across Ireland. This year in particular, we are extremely proud to support

Iceland Ireland launches new loyalty programme ICELAND Ireland has launched a new loyalty programme for customers who want to get money back each time they shop. Available now, Bonus Card 2.0, allows shoppers who spend €1 to get 1 point nationwide, working up to a €10 Reward which can then be spent in-store. Existing bonus card customers as well as new customers who choose to register for the programme online will also be awarded with 500 free bonus points, meaning they will already be halfway to their first €10 reward.

Iceland Ireland’s Bonus Card 2.0 also makes it easier for customers to save, giving €1 free for every €30 customers save to their card. As Bonus Card 2.0 owners, customers will also be the first to find out about Iceland Ireland news, product launches and sales, including the double points weekends they will be able to avail of with their new card.

the invaluable work that happens in CHI at Temple Street every day.

While Halloween might look a little different for children this year, it’s important for MiWadi to continue to try to bring fun and flavour to families’ lives.”

Broadcaster, TV personality and mum Anna Daly and her three magical wizards James (9), Euan (7) and Rhys (3) helped launch the Children’s Health Foundation Temple Street’s annual ‘Trick or Treat for Temple Street’ 2020 fundraising campaign from the comfort and safety of their back garden, along with Caroline Hyde, MiWadi Marketing Manager, and Denise Fitzgerald, Chief Executive, Children’s Health Foundation.

Business community urged to help fight homelessness FOCUS Ireland and Bord Gáis Energy called on business leaders and companies across the country to participate in Shine a Light Night 2020 on October 16, giving one night to help raise much needed funds for vital homelessness services. Due to Covid-19 Pictured are (l-r): Pat Dennigan, restrictions, Ireland’s CEO of Focus Ireland, and Dave business community had Kirwan, Managing Director of Bord Gáis Energy, calling on the option to host virtual business leaders and companies sleep-outs in their own across the country to support homes, gardens and safe Shine a Light Night 2020. private spaces.

Corporate support for Shine a Light Night is more important this year than ever due to an increase in demand for Focus Ireland’s services in recent months since the Covid-19 outbreak.

This demand is expected to continue growing as the economic impact of the virus hits the country and impacts on the 8,728 people currently homeless in Ireland, including 2,651 children and 1,142 families in emergency accommodation. In 2020, Focus Ireland’s Shine a Light campaign, which is proudly supported

by Bord Gáis Energy, is aiming to raise €1.3m on Shine a Light Night, with Ireland’s business community helping to raise the vast majority of this. For more information, visit www.focusireland.ie/ shinealight.

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Industry News Gala searching for the nation’s heroes GALA Retail has teamed up with Virgin Media to search for Ireland’s inspirational heroes; those individuals who have made Ireland a better place with their selfless acts and inspirational deeds during the Covid-19 crisis.

Searching for 26 inspirational county heroes, the Inspiration Awards are open to people of all ages and will celebrate those who have supported and gone above and beyond for others in their local community. Gala Retail has gifted €20,000 of prizes to the winners, with 26 county winners being awarded with luxury stays in some of Ireland’s most beautiful Blue Book properties. “At Gala Retail, we want to shine a light on the amazing people who have become true heroes during life under lockdown. Our stores are at the heart of communities and hear inspirational stories every day from their shoppers, those everyday achievements of friends, neighbours or others,” commented Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, pictured with Virgin Media presenters Glenda Gilson and Laura Woods at the launch of the Inspiration Awards 2020.

Coca-Cola launches campaign for young people affected by pandemic COCA-COLA HBC has launched a special edition of its #YouthEmpowered programme to support young people who have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19. This free digital resource will be available to 18-30 years olds seeking insights and training; helping to build confidence and resilience as they navigate new career and learning opportunities.

Already three times more likely to be unemployed than adults before the pandemic, young people who visit ie.coca-colahellenic.com will have unlimited free access to this valuable resource which covers a series of engaging topics. Pictured are (l-r): award-winning Irish author and actress Stefanie Preissner; Miles Karemacher, General Manager, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company; and Cathy Kearney, HR Manager, Retail Services, BWG .

Chris Martin joins ABP board ABP Food Group has announced the appointment of Chris Martin as a non-executive director to its Board. Martin has over 35 years’ experience of working in retail and consumer-facing businesses in Britain and Ireland. In 2019, after 15 years, he stepped down as CEO of Musgrave. Prior to this he was CEO of Mothercare plc, Group Finance Director of Storehouse plc and had various roles at PizzaHut and Asda.

Commenting on the announcement, Larry Goodman said: “I am delighted to welcome Chris Martin to the Board of ABP Food Group. His experiences from a long career at the leading end of retail, and most particularly food retail, will be of considerable value with the ongoing strategic development of the business. We look forward to working with Chris in the years ahead.”

HB Ice Cream Sunday supports Down Syndrome Ireland HB Ice Cream Sunday took place on Sunday, September 20, with HB and Down Syndrome Ireland encouraging consumers to join in the sweet, treat fun with family, friends or housemates and support the DSI See & Learn programme. 10 cent from every HB multipack purchased is going to DSI’s See and Learn programme, raising vital much needed funds. Actor Mark Smith, who has Down Syndrome, is pictured showing his support in order to help children with Down syndrome receive the educational resources they need.

Morgan’s Fine Fish launch seafood meals PICTURED at the launch of Morgan’s Seafood Kitchen, an exciting new range of delicious low fat ‘ready to cook’ seafood meals are Gillian Morgan, R&D Product Developer, Morgan’s Fine Fish, with entrepreneur and qualified weight management expert Karen Daly of The Academy Masterplan. The innovative new range meets the ever growing demand for quick, easy to cook nutritious meals for people on-the-go. The ‘meals for one’ range is available now in select Dunnes Stores and includes Katsu Fish Curry, Spicy Lemongrass and Lime Seafood and Caribbean Prawns.

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Industry News Lidl distribution centre achieves BREEAM certification LIDL Ireland’s newly opened Newbridge Regional Distribution Centre has achieved BREEAM Excellent, the first distribution centre in Ireland to be awarded with BREEAM certification, the world’s leading sustainability assessment for buildings. As part of the certification process, Lidl Ireland partnered with BirdWatch Ireland to install 45 bird boxes, to help maintain the natural wildlife habitat and enhance biodiversity. Lidl Ireland has already adopted a number of measures to enhance the sustainability of the building and its surrounds, including having the largest rooftop solar array in the country, a ‘biodiversity corridor’, planting of nearly 6,000 native trees and a pollinator zone abutting the building, which facilitates wildflower meadows, conserving native flower species and encouraging new growth. Pictured are (l-r): Niall Thatch, Head of Development and Communications at BirdWatch Ireland, with Sean Costello and Brian Smyth, Construction Project Managers at Lidl Ireland.

Fyffes launches new campaign Winning Streak ‘ONLY a superfood gives you superpower’; that’s the theme season concludes chosen by Irish fruit importers Fyffes to front a new multidiscipline campaign, the aim of which is to draw consumer with over €400k prize attention to the many health benefits a banana provides. pot The campaign will have a strong presence on radio, outdoor,

social media, digital and trade advertising. Visually, the message is illustrated by a hand pictured holding a banana as it punches its way through a backdrop in a way that joins the ‘superfood’ and ‘superpower’ message. “Our focus is to highlight the nutritional qualities of bananas,” explains Emma Hunt-Duffy, Fyffes Marketing Manager.

“Rich in potassium and vitamins, the health benefits found in bananas also come from their slow release energy, giving an extra boost to those with busy and active lifestyles.”

THE 2019/20 season of the Winning Streak game show concluded at RTÉ studios in Dublin on Wednesday, September 16, as 10 players took part in two separate game shows, which paid out a total of €401,000 in cash prizes. Attendance at the two Winning Streak game shows was in strict adherence with Government guidelines and attendees only included players and the requisite National Lottery and KPMG personnel, and the event will not be broadcast on television.

Among the big winners of the two shows were Joan Beatty from Clogher, Co. Tyrone, and Margaret Cafferkey, who was playing on behalf of her brother, Denny Hawe from Mallow in Co. Cork. Both players got to spin the iconic Winning Streak wheel in their corresponding shows to bag €56,000 and €61,000 respectively. Joan Beatty and her daughter Audrey Rainey are pictured with Winning Streak presenter, Marty Whelan.

Tesco Ireland invests in network of storebased defibrillators TESCO Ireland is investing in a network of potentially life-saving defibrillators in over 100 stores across Ireland. Investing in the Automated External Defibrillators (AED) with stores nationwide will provide additional supports for communities across the country should an emergency take place. The AED units are easy to use and are designed to support first responders and members of the community to assist in caring for someone suffering from a cardiac incident. The units provide real-time visual and verbal feedback to the user on the force and rate of CPR compression during resuscitation. Pictured are Geoff Byrne, Chief Operating Officer, Tesco Ireland, and Tony Panu, Store Manager, Tesco Swords Holywell, marking the installation of the AED machine in-store.

Aldi unveils revamped Arklow store ALDI’S Arklow, North Quay store has reopened its doors to customers, following an extensive renovation project, which has seen the store completely refurbished. The newly refurbished store has received a full makeover in line with Aldi’s award-winning Project Fresh design. Featuring the new layout, Aldi’s Arklow, North Quay store offers a wide selection of fresh food at the front of the store, high-spec fixtures and fittings and new signage that provides a more efficient and hassle-free shopping experience, while the store is powered by 100% green electricity. “The Project Fresh revamp of our store is great news for our customers,” noted store manager Mark Brady. “Its new spacious design makes for a very easy and enjoyable shop.”

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Industry News Meath club scoops top Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps prize

SKYRNE GFC in Meath has been boosted with the fantastic news that it has claimed first prize in the 2020 Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps on-pack promotion, winning a game-changing €25,000 for the club.

Wicklow’s Rathnew GAA club took €10,000 in second place, with Newmarket on Fergus GAA club, Co. Clare, winning third place with €5,000. Kellogg, now in its ninth year sponsoring the Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps, held the nationwide on-pack promotion for all GAA clubs during the summer. The winning clubs were chosen by draw to complete the summer-long promotion in conjunction with the Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps. Pictured is David Byrne from Kellogg’s, with former Meath football and Skryne GFC coach Trevor Giles (right) and his 10-year-old son Oisin.

Flogas partners with Irish Men’s Sheds Association FLOGAS brand ambassador, former Olympic athlete and wellness speaker, David Gillick visited the Drogheda and Rostrevor Men’s Sheds to help launch a three-year, all-island energy partnership between Flogas and the Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA). As the new energy partner for the IMSA, Flogas will be offering special discounts on electricity, natural gas and LPG to its affiliated Sheds in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Flogas will also be supporting the organisation’s work through many exciting initiatives over the coming years. Pictured are (l-r)): Frank Dillon, IMSA Head of Fundraising and Partnerships; John Rooney, Managing Director, Flogas Ireland; David Gillick; and Barry Sheridan, Chief Executive of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association.

Kilkenny store celebrates €5.4m Lotto jackpot win A FAMILY run service station on the outskirts of Kilkenny city recently sold a winning Lotto ticket worth €5,395,798. De Loughry’s Gala store in Talbot’s Inch, Co. Kilkenny, was the store which sold the ticket to Ireland’s newest millionaire.

Store owner John de Loughry took over the running of the family business from his parents, Jack and Anne, in 2012 and they were spending time together when John received the call from the National Lottery to give them the incredible news: “We’re absolutely gobsmacked. When you hear about a big Lotto win such as this, you never think that it could be you who sells the lucky ticket to change somebody’s life. The shop has been open since 1983 but we only started selling lottery tickets as recently as 2016. That’s a massive vindication now, seeing as how we have sold a jackpot winning ticket just four years later.” John is pictured (third from right), celebrating the win with (l-r): John Williams, National Lottery; store workers Nuala Brennan and Anita Seroczynska, and John’s parents, Jack and Anne de Loughry.

Lidl plans to open Athenry store LIDL Ireland has lodged a planning application for a new state-ofthe-art store as part of a wider development in Athenry, Co. Galway. If approved, the new store will expand the retailer’s Galway portfolio to 11 stores, with the opening of Lidl Wellpark on November 12 and two more Galway sites in planning. The planned store will incorporate a range of sustainability features, including an ISO 50001 certified Energy Management System, electric vehicle charger spaces and a solar panel system. It will also offer Lidl’s growing customer base a spacious interior layout, high ceilings and wide aisles, creating a comfortable shopping experience for customers.

SuperValu launches new recyclable and compostable potato packaging SUPERVALU has announced that packaging is now 100% recyclable and compostable across six lines of own brand potatoes. Customers will find delicious Irish New Season Roosters and Kerr Pinks in-store in paper potato bags that can be disposed of in either the green or brown bins found in most homes and businesses. Plastic netting has been removed from bags and replaced with cotton netting to ensure 100% of packaging can be recycled or composted. This move will remove a massive 380kg of plastic from circulation every year. Over 13,500 tonnes of potatoes are sold in SuperValu every year and this is another significant move in SuperValu’s commitment to making 100% of its own-brand, fresh produce and instore packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Thomas Kennedy of K&K Produce is pictured with SuperValu’s new 100% recyclable and compostable packaging on new season potatoes.

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The Retail News Interview

Group chief salutes Gala performance JUST two short years ago, Gala Retail celebrated 20 years in business, having established a thriving convenience retail group that spans the entire country.

With 170 Gala convenience stores and 35 Your Stop stores, Gala’s dual approach model, in which retailers are supported by both Gala Retail’s head office team and Gala wholesalers nationwide, has enabled the group to grow. The events of recent months have made this dual support structure more important than ever before as convenience retail, and indeed all business, faced its greatest ever challenge with the arrival of a global pandemic.

R etail N ews speaks to Gala’s CEO, Gary Desmond, on how the Group has performed and the challenges that lie ahead.

Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, reflects on the impact of Covid-19 on the convenience market, the “exceptional” response to the crisis by Gala retailers and the challenges ahead as we continue to live with Covid.

Covid-19 has been one of the greatestever challenges for business. How have Gala stores performed?

“Our stores have been exceptional. They quickly pivoted, adapting their offering, prioritising the elderly, vulnerable and key workers, all whilst ensuring that their doors remained open for their communities, and that they provided a safe environment for their teams.

“We are enormously proud of our retailers, and this is something that will stay with us all. The innovation that they demonstrated, their flexibility and their willingness to go above and beyond for their customers has been incredible.

“‘Senior Sundays’, enhanced home delivery, order and collect services, and even donating meals to the elderly and vulnerable; these are just some of the measures that Gala retailers introduced in March and April.

“Across the board, our stores have been trading well, with the exception of a number of city centre stores where footfall is still down and a downturn in fuel sales for forecourt stores during the first four months of lockdown.

“Following the initial lockdown shock in mid-March, when essential items were in huge demand, consumer behaviour has continued to evolve as shoppers look for quality, enjoyable experiences that they can enjoy at home.

Many of our stores responded to this and

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introduced special offers and ‘at home’ experiences. Demand has returned to store offerings including deli bars, as people start to adjust to their lives in the ‘living with Covid’ phase.”

How did the team at Gala HQ support retailers through the pandemic?

“At Gala HQ, the team supported our retailers throughout this period, developing a dedicated Covid-19 section within our internal GROW retailer website. We issued almost 100 pieces of specific Covid-19 communications over the past six months, keeping retailers updated with regards to guidelines from the Government and HSE, as well as communicating important information on operations, hygiene and social distancing, designed to protect both staff members and customers.

“Our field sales team remained on the ground, calling and supporting retailers throughout the pandemic. They were selfless in their approach and dedication. There is no doubt that in the early stages particularly, that presence on the ground provided reassurance and much-needed support to retailers at a time when they needed it most.

“In addition to regular communications, we developed the ‘SAFER’ shopping concept, which was launched across the Gala estate and centred around five steps that Gala stores asked their shoppers to comply with: S – Shop solo; A – Awareness; F – Follow; E – Essential shopping and R – Responsible shopping.

“We worked hard to develop a Shopify platform that was based around a ‘click and collect’ model which

“

The Retail News Interview

We have never before witnessed such a seismic challenge, when all of our lives changed and with such haste. Our Gala retailers and all of grocery retailers were on the front line, and the speed of their response was nothing short of incredible.

retailers could choose to adopt, and we helped our stores to implement this within their business.

“And it goes without saying that throughout this process, we worked with our member wholesalers and suppliers to ensure the supply chain was secure and to minimise any interruptions for our retailers, who were working around the clock to serve their communities.

“Our wholesalers were an important cog in ensuring that our retailers continued to receive that vital ongoing support. Their relationships with local Gala retailers gave our wholesalers a unique understanding of what level of support was needed at local level, and they delivered for each and every one of our stores.”

How have your marketing plans been affected?

“Like everything this year, through

Summer 2020 saw Gala Retail hosting Ireland’s first-ever virtual golf week, raising over €10,000 for Special Olympics Ireland.

”

being flexible, adapting our approach and accepting that change is the only thing guaranteed, we’ve essentially restructured our marketing efforts to make them relevant for now.

“Just this month, our annual trade fair and conference moved online. A virtual trade fair, including supplier videos and PowerPoint presentations, introducing new products, deals and offerings from suppliers, was developed to ensure that our retailers received those same value offerings as in previous years. We hosted this content on our internal GROW retailer website, meaning that retailers can view the content and engage with it at any time.

“Our Gala Retail Inspiration Awards have moved from a black-tie formal awards event to a cross-station promotion across Virgin Media, featuring on shows including Ireland AM, The Six O’Clock Show and The Elaine Show.

We felt that it was extremely important to continue with these awards, as now more than ever before, we’ve all witnessed so many inspirational acts from people in our communities.

“We have donated a prize pot of over €20,000 to the awards, gifting 26 county heroes for their inspirational acts with blue book vouchers for luxury staycations.

“Our CSR commitment to Special Olympics Ireland remains as resolute as ever, especially in a time when all charities are facing enormous shortfalls in their fundraising efforts. In early 2020, we announced a further four-year extension of our platinum sponsorship of Special Olympics Ireland as we recognise and admire the incredible work that the organisation delivers for 10,000 plus athletes and their families in every town and county in Ireland.

“In June, we were determined to work within the restrictions to create a new fundraising concept that could be

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The Retail News Interview delivered for Special Olympics. During the summer, we hosted Ireland’s firstever virtual golf week, raising much needed funds for Special Olympics Ireland.

“We will now be supporting Special Olympics’ annual collection day, which has morphed into a virtual collection month in October and we will be introducing another fundraising initiative before the end of the year.

“Investing in the Gala brand and continuing to deliver activities that reflect our brand values is incredibly important to Gala. We believe social media and technology will play a greater role in everyone’s life moving forward, and we will focus in those areas.

“2021 plans are currently underway; however, like all plans, they will be subject to change, dependent on the wider climate.”

HQ to support our stores during this time has been tremendous.

“We have also had several new Gala stores open, which is always a highlight, but in the current climate, is to be celebrated. King’s Gala has just opened an incredible, state-of-the-art forecourt and store in Wicklow town, and in Adare, Moynihan’s Gala has just opened its doors.

“Gala is all about shopping local and our communities, and the feedback that we have received on our social media platforms from customers regarding their experience in stores is uplifting and to be acknowledged. We now have a following of 250,000 followers across all our social platforms, and that enables us to stay in touch and relevant to changing consumer needs and audiences. We’re incredibly proud of our retailers and of their response to this crisis.”

There have been many challenges over the past six months but have there been any highlights?

“Although the past six months have been incredibly challenging, there have been some standout moments, which as a Group, we will remember with huge pride.

“The camaraderie of the entire Gala family, the tireless work of our stores to ensure the vulnerable and elderly had all the essentials that they needed and the flexibility and team effort of all at Gala

What lies ahead for Gala?

“Regardless of the macro issues surrounding Covid-19 and the economy, and the very real possibility of further interruption to our lives, we need to press on as an innovative convenience retail group. We’re determined to focus on what we can control, supporting our retailers as we navigate the everchanging climate.

“Maintaining a safe shopping experience for our customers and teams is the number one priority, and always

Gala Retail announced a further four-year extension of its platinum sponsorship of Special Olympics Ireland in early 2020. Pictured are (l-r): Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail; Special Olympics ambassador Michéal Ó Mhuircheartaigh; Special Olympics athlete Emma Johnstone; Keith Wood, Special Olympics Ambassador; and Matt English, CEO, Special Olympics Ireland.

will be. However, we are working on innovative new ‘own brand’ concepts that will help our retailers to offer even more choice to customers, including enhanced ‘take away’ at home experiences.

“In-store concepts such as ‘Coffee Junction’ ‘New Street Deli’, ‘Baker’s Corner’ and ‘Galato’ have been incredibly successful, increasing sales and driving footfall. Shoppers now expect quality food-to-go offerings – convenience is not enough – and that’s why our in-store offerings have been so successful with shoppers.

“Coming soon is an in-store pizza counter where customers can enjoy premium quality pizza, fresh from the oven and available to buy by the slice or as a whole pizza, and we’re hoping to introduce more of these offerings in the coming months.

“All businesses face a challenging future, but we operate in food and essentials, and we’re grateful to be in a strong position, offering value and quality to customers and our communities moving forward.

“However, we are also calling for increased support from the Government for our retailers and other SMEs as we continue operating in these challenging times.

“Part of that challenge is the way we have had to interact and communicate.

Our daily engagement with suppliers, for example, has changed, with more meetings and calls via Zoom and Teams meetings. It can be challenging at times, but it’s the new normal. Hopefully, normality will resume sooner rather than later but if not, we are prepared.”

How will you look back on 2020?

“The year when everything changed.

We have never before witnessed such a seismic challenge, when all of our lives changed and with such haste. Our Gala retailers and all grocery retailers were on the front line, and the speed of their response was nothing short of incredible.

“We all pulled together, from our wholesalers, to our suppliers and the team at Gala HQ, in a bid to support our stores and strengthen the supply chain.

This collective effort is our greatest strength and enabled our retailers to do what they do best, serve their communities at a time when the need was never greater.

“Our new behaviours will be in place for some time, and they may well have far-reaching implications into the future.

For many, 2020 will be the year that none of us would have imagined or will forget.”

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Olive Oil & Pesto

Filippo Berio targets Ireland with heavyweight campaign Filippo Berio, the leading olive oil brand in the UK, is investing €500k in an integrated marketing campaign in Ireland, which is set to shake up the category here, explain Walter Zanre, MD of Filippo Berio UK, and Gerard McAdorey, from distributors GM Marketing.

FILIPPO Berio, the leading olive oil brand in the UK, is investing in a heavyweight €500k advertising and marketing campaign to increase the brand’s presence in Ireland. This fully integrated campaign includes TV, print advertising and PR and Walter Zanre, MD of Filippo Berio UK, describes it as “our first ever serious advertising campaign in Ireland”.

“We have the credentials to become a serious number two brand in the market,” Walter explains. “Together with our distributor, GM Marketing, we are ready and willing to grow the Filippo Berio brand and indeed the entire olive oil category in Ireland It’s not just about olive oil, but also includes Filippo Berio’s “truly excellent” pesto range, as well as its vinegar range (Balsamic Vinegar, Wine Vinegar etc).

“There isn’t a dominant brand currently in those markets, so we believe we can take a leadership position in those categories,” Walter notes.

Substantial sales growth Filippo Berio has been present in the Irish market for over two decades, but it wasn’t until distribution moved to Belfast-based GM Marketing in April 2018 that the brand really started to make an impact here, with sales numbers growing significantly in the intervening two and a half years.

“We found the team at GM Marketing had the same passion and desire to do business that we had, and we have seen the business show significant growth,” Walter enthuses. “We have gained distribution and added listings, which has given us the confidence to put a significant investment behind the brand in Ireland, which is is the first step in constructing something much bigger in the Irish market.”

Gerard McAdorey, MD, GM Marketing, is delighted with the performance of the brand: “From when we took over distributing the Filippo Berio brand, volumes are now two and

Pictured are (l-r): Gerard McAdorey, MD of GM Marketing, and Walter Zanre, MD, Filippo Berio UK. a half times what they were in early 2018. We can’t ask any of our partners to spend money until we have our distribution in place; once you’ve got distribution, it’s then easy to have a conversation with Walter and his team to explain the potential in the market. They have very kindly supported us and the market, which then allows us to have the conversations with the likes of Dunnes and Musgrave, to point to the size and scale of the campaign.”

Investing in an underdeveloped category Walter believes that the olive oil category in Ireland is underdeveloped: “It is dominated by own label, with one major branded player. There has been very little investment from a marketing point of view. It has become a traded commodity.” Filippo Berio is about to change all that.

The €500k marketing plan will see Filippo Berio advertised on Irish

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Olive Oil & Pesto the most iconic music you are likely to hear in an ad this or any other year, a real ear-worm that is as smile-inducing as it is memorable. “Music, when used effectively, really stays with you,” Walter insists. “Think of the ‘Just One Cornetto’ ad; more than 20 years later, it is still associated with the brand. I think our music really stands out and this year, we’ve used it in radio advertising in the UK for the first time.”

Their print campaign includes advertisements in consumer interest and food titles, communicating the brand credentials and the versatility of the pesto range, and will reach 1.7m adults (44.5% of all adults in Ireland). The highlight of the press campaign is the insertion of a One-Pot Recipe Booklet into the Irish edition of The Sunday Times on November 1.

Versatile product range Alongside the advertising, there will be a national PR campaign, showcasing the versatility of the products, both olive oil and pesto, targeting mainstream media with a diary of consumer brand stories and competitions, including recipe ideas and a health study from Glasgow University which focuses on the health benefits of olive oil. Crucially for retailers, the brand will also be available at a special promotional price point during the overall campaign.

The campaign will benefit not just Filippo Berio, but the overall olive oil and

pesto categories, according to Walter: “Per capita, Irish consumers use more olive oil than they do in the UK, but we believe that is because you have a small group of very heavy olive oil users, while there are still a lot of people who are not currently using olive oil, so we want to increase household penetration for the category as a whole.”

Gerard agrees: “Meal-time is very important to the Irish consumer, and if we can educate that consumer about the benefits and versatility of olive oil and Filippo Berio, that will benefit everybody.”

Olive oil has suffered a little because of its reputation, Walter insists. “There has been a belief amongst some consumers that olive oil is fancy, it’s premium, it’s only for continental cooking, and that’s not true at all. I try to explain that if you pour extra virgin olive oil onto a jacket potato, there is nothing better.

We need to bring olive oil into everyday cooking.

“We are trying to demystify olive oil,” Walter insists. “If you go into any Italian house, when they start to fry, the first thing they put in the pan is olive oil.

One of the biggest urban myths around olive oil is that you can’t fry with it; it is completely the opposite, as it is an oil that remains very stable at high temperatures.

In fact, olive oil can be used in baking, as it works really well in cakes, pastries etc.

We want to bring more understanding to the market, which will then allow us to expand.”

Filippo Berio has been present in the Irish market for over two decades, but has really shown its potential since GM Marketing took over distribution of the brand in April 2018. television channels for the first time, across RTE 1, RTE 2 and Virgin Media Ireland. In advertising terms, the Irish campaign will have 880 TVRs (television ratings), according to Walter, which is approximately twice as many as an average Filippo Berio campaign in the UK. The television ads will be seen by more than 75% of adults (2.7m), who will view the advertisement an average of 12 times between October and December.

There are two versions of the ad, one for the olive oil brand, which traces Filippo Berio Olive Oil from the bottle back to the tree using an engaging “rewind” style, while the second ad focuses on their pesto range, demonstrating the versatility of pesto ‘beyond pasta’.

The TV campaign features some of

Filippo Berio’s €500k marketing plan will see the brand advertised on Irish television channels for the first time.

20|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Olive Oil & Pesto

The Irish market represents a significant growth opportunity for Filippo Berio, which has been around for 150 years.

A rich history While admitting that other oils, and rapeseed oil in particular, have grown in popularity in recent years, Walter believes that olive oil has a number of advantages over its competitors: “Firstly, it has a superior flavour profile; and secondly, cold pressed rapeseed oil costs more than extra virgin olive oil.

Thirdly, in order to become a serious competitor to extra virgin olive oil, the land mass you need is colossal. I don’t think that rapeseed oil will go away but we have seen a number of oils come and go, like the fad for avocado oil and coconut oil. Fads come and go but heritage, expertise and quality remain with Filippo Berio and they will give us longevity.”

The Filippo Berio brand certainly has a rich history, as the MD and indeed the forthcoming campaign, reminds us: “This campaign is about reassurance in the brand, the heritage and the care that goes into the oil. Filippo Berio was a real person, which is quite unusual; he created the brand and in many ways, we are still carrying on the standards he instilled in the business 150 years ago, and that is communicated through the TV and press advertising campaign.

“In the UK, we have been the brand leader for such a long time and everybody knows us,” he continues, “but in Ireland, some people don’t know who we are; so we are trying to communicate our brand values in this campaign, which will provide us with a foundation to build upon.”

Brexit and Filippo Berio The spectre of Brexit still hangs over us like the sword of Damocles. Walter has been a keen and outspoken critic of the entire process of Brexit, as even a quick glance through his Twitter feed confirms.

“The most frustrating thing is the lack of clarity,” he sighs. “We know

Based in Lucca, Tuscany, Filippo Berio has created fine olive oils since 1867.

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Olive Oil & Pesto of olive oil, but to really support these products. Bearing in mind that a bottle of olive oil can sell for up to €5 or €6, it is really helping to grow the basket spend in the Irish convenience sector.”

The Irish market represents a significant growth opportunity for Filippo Berio, and with the support of the parent company and the hard work and dedication of GM Marketing, the future looks bright for this historic brand.

This isn’t just a three-month campaign, concludes Walter, but the beginning of something big. “The brand has been around for 150 years and hopefully it will be around for another 150,” he explains. “We are brand leader in the UK, with substantial growth ambitions for Ireland. We now hope to dramatically increase our awareness in this dynamic category and introduce these fantastic products to a completely new Irish audience. We know things don’t happen overnight, so this is a 3-5-year plan to invest and build up the business in Ireland.”

Filippo Berio plays a leading role in championing sustainable and environmentally sensitive production, supporting and inspiring the wider olive oil industry. for certain we are going to have problems at the borders because there isn’t the physical infrastructure to manage all the extra paperwork. A month ago, I would have said there is no possibility that we would have duty tariffs but as every day goes by, it is looking more and more likely; on olive oil, the tariff would be over €1.24 per litre, which is crazy. That would add about €15m of annual cost to our business. But there is no olive oil production in the UK, so the product still has to come in.”

The Irish market is luckier, in that GM Marketing can ship product directly to Ireland from the home of Filippo Berio in Lucca, Italy, thus avoiding the duty.

“The challenge for us is to manage lead times and be a bit more rigid and accurate with forecasting,” Gerard McAdorey reveals, admitting that the company will be looking at lead times of 4-5 weeks as opposed to one week, which is generally the case with goods coming from Britain.

“We are trading businesses so we will find solutions,” Gerard says, “whether that means holding an extra three months’ stock on the island to get us over the hump of January or other logistical and supply chain options that are practical ways to mitigate disruption.”

Covid brings convenience growth In 2020, nothing has disrupted the market as much as Covid-19.

A lot has been written about changing consumer patterns and new trends emerging during the pandemic, and one which GM Marketing has noted is the switch by many consumers to shopping more in convenience stores, which has had a big impact on sales of Filippo Berio.

“Convenience stores, whether it’s a Spar in the west of Ireland or a Centra in the west of Dublin, are seeing a serious uplift in what would have been core multiple grocery products,” Gerard reveals. “So we are seeing a lot of olive oils and pestos selling through the local convenience store, as people don’t go to the multiple outlets as much. So my advice to convenience store owners is to not just pay lip service to a couple of bottles

Filippo Berio’s Irish print campaign will reach 1.7m adults (44.5% of all adults in Ireland).

A little history

BASED in Lucca, Tuscany, Filippo Berio has created fine olive oils since 1867. Filippo Berio Pesto Sauces are made in the traditional home of Pesto, the Italian region of Liguria.

“The company’s success over so many years is testament to the passion and dedication of our founder, Filippo Berio, a man with the vision and expertise to create delicious olive oils, not only for his Italian family and friends, but for food lovers around the world,” explains Walter Zanre.

Filippo Berio and Sagra are part of the Salov SpA family.

Salov is Italy’s leading olive oil company and plays a leading role in championing sustainable and environmentally sensitive production, supporting and inspiring the wider olive oil industry.

22|Retail News|September 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Wine

Irish Wine Show Star Award winners announced NOffLA has revealed the winners of the 2020-21 Irish Wine Show Star Awards, with the winning wines highly visible in NOffLA outlets in the coming months.

THE National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) has awarded its 2020-2021 Irish Wine Show Star Awards to 45 wines at its annual event on Monday, October 5. Now in its twentieth year, the Irish Wine Show Star Awards are firmly established on the Irish market, and the winning wines will be available to consumers all over the country from NOffLA outlets.

Speaking at the Awards, Gary O’Donovan, Chairman of NOffLA, congratulated the winners, noting how “this annual event allows us to celebrate some of the finest products sold by our highly-trained members around the country. NOffLA members are committed to excellence, both in terms of personal service and the high-quality wines that we offer.

However, this offering is under serious threat,” O’Donovan warned.

At the virtual ceremony, NOffLA again called on the Government to reduce excise duty in Budget 2021. With wine consumption falling by 1.4% in 2019 and Ireland’s excise rates

Gary O’Donovan, Chairman of NOffLA. among the highest in Europe, NOffLA has called for a reduction of 15%, in line with the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), to support the wider drinks sector.

De Loach Heritage Collection Chardonnay 2018 was the winner of the Wine of the Year Award. Joe Coyle, Head of Sales, Liberty Wines, is pictured with the award.

Excise levels impeding drinks sector Irish excise levels continue to impede the drinks sector in Ireland, particularly now when facing the economic challenges posed by both Covid-19 and Brexit in the near future, the NOffLA Chairman warned: “The sector has taken an unprecedented hit in recent months, with pubs, restaurants and suppliers severely disrupted by the pandemic. And with increasing uncertainty as to when business will return to normal, a reduction in excise is now paramount to keep the sector afloat. “ He argued that the austerity-related excise increases from 2012 “continue to hamper our sector. Along with DIGI, we have called on the Minister for Finance to reduce excise duty by 15%

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Wine in NOffLA member outlets, of which there are more than 315 nationwide. The chosen wines will be recognisable by distinctive Award symbols on each bottle. In the pre-Christmas period, NOffLA members will promote the Irish Wine Show Star Awards 2020-2021 Collection as ideal Christmas gifts, in a variety of special gift packs.

Richard Moriarty, Wine & Spirit Director, Findlater & Co., is pictured celebrating Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza 2017 being named Red Wine of the Year. in Budget 2021, to provide a much-needed lifeline for our drinks sector colleagues.”

NOffLA members are at the heart of their communities throughout the country, O’Donovan argued: “We serve as responsible and highly-knowledgeable local retailers that contribute through direct investment and local employment. We are calling on the Government to protect our local businesses that underpin communities all CATEGORY across Ireland.”

More than 600 entries In excess of 600 wines were submitted to the Star Award adjudication panel of NOffLA judges and independent wine journalists. Points were awarded on the basis of appearance, smell, taste and value for money criteria, and the winning 15 were selected as the best wines from key suppliers across a number of price categories.

Each of the winning wines will be sold

Liz Coogan from Febvre Wines celebrates Conde Valdemar Reserva 2012 being named Best Old World Red Wine Under €20.

Christine Smith, Mackenway Distributors Ltd, celebrates El Coto ‘Finca Carbonera’ 875m Chardonnay 2019 being named Best Old World White Wine Under €20.

2020 Gold Star Award Winners WINE

COMPANY

Old World White Under €10

Labouré-Roi Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Niche Vines by Counterpoint

Old World White Under €15

Aveleda Alvarinho 2019

Mackenway Distributors Limited

Old World White Under €20

El Coto 'Finca Carbonera' 875m Chardonnay 2019

Mackenway Distributors Limited

New World White Under €10

Meerestein Chenin/Pinot Grigio 2019

Ampersand Wines

New World White Under €15

Secret de Viu Manent Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Mackenway Distributors Limited

New World White Under €20

De Loach Heritage Collection Chardonnay 2018

Liberty Wines

Old World Red Under €10

Rioja Vega Semi Crianza 2019

Ampersand Wines

Old World Red Under €15

Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza 2017

Findlater & Co.

Old World Red Under €20

Conde Valdemar Reserva 2012

Febvre Wines

New World Red Under €10

The Landings Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Ampersand Wines

New World Red Under €15

Callia M Malbec 2019

Mackenway Distributors Limited

New World Red Under €20

Willunga 100 McLaren Vale Shiraz/Viognier 2018

Liberty Wines

Rosé Under €15

Care Solidarity Rosé 2019

Febvre Wines

Sparkling Wine Under €25

Capçanes Cava Brut Reserva NV

Mackenway Distributors Limited

Champagne Under €60

Piper-Heidsieck, Cuvée Brut NV

Liberty Wines

Red Wine of the Year 2020-21

Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza 2017

Findlater & Co.

Wine of the Year 2020-21

De Loach Heritage Collection Chardonnay 2018

Liberty Wines

24|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Drinks News Coors Light to rebrand in March 2021 HEINEKEN Ireland has revealed an exciting rebrand for Coors Light. From March 2021, Coors Light will be known as Coors in a leadership move designed to drive ongoing growth in the dynamic American-style light tasting beer category. Coors is renowned for its ‘Peak of Refreshment’ and this brand promise will be brought to life through a refreshing new look that will aim to take the lager to new heights in Ireland. Consumer research shows that with its new design, Coors has increased stand-out, distinctiveness and overall brand appeal. The transition will underline the brand’s mountain cold, refreshing taste and see an extensive programme of investment to support continued growth, with new packaging and point-of-sale material to help drive sales. “The rebrand will bring clarity to consumers as to what Coors stands for and comes as part of an ambitious plan, which sees us amplify the brand’s “Keep It Fresh” positioning, which is a clear point of difference for consumers,” said Wojciech Bogusz, Marketing Director of Heineken Ireland.

Jameson Cold Brew launches in Ireland

A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND tipple that infuses the world’s favourite Irish whiskey with natural cold brew coffee, Jameson Cold Brew launched in Ireland to coincide with International Coffee Day on October 1. Produced in Ireland, Jameson Cold Brew marries triple distilled Jameson Irish Whiskey with natural cold brew coffee derived from 100% Arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia. The result is a smooth and distinctive beverage with intense coffee aromatics, complemented by the vanilla nuttiness of Jameson, with notes of toasted oak and dark chocolate. A refreshingly versatile brew, this unique whiskey can be enjoyed over ice, with tonic or cola, or in a Jameson Cold Brew-tini for a sophisticated take on the well-known Espresso Martini. Bottled at 30% ABV, Jameson Cold Brew is now available from €30.50 in retail outlets across Ireland.

Hope Beer joins Guaranteed Irish DUBLIN brewery Hope Beer has gained Guaranteed Irish membership.

Founded in 2015, Hope Beer brews a range of premium craft beers at Howth Junction in North Dublin and became a Guaranteed Irish member following approval by the organisation’s appraisal committee. “We’re really proud to be the latest member of Guaranteed Irish.

Being part of such an established and well-respected organisation that champions Irish businesses and jobs is important to us,” said Wim De Jongh, co-founder and Managing Director of Hope, pictured with co-founder Des McSwiggan.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Invivo win global wine accolade ACTRESS Sarah Jessica Parker’s wine collaboration with Kiwi winery Invivo & Co, Invivo X, SJP, has been awarded ‘Best Launch of the Year’ by the 2020 Drinks Business Awards, which recognise outstanding companies in the alcoholic drinks industry. To celebrate the coveted award, Sarah Jessica and Invivo co-founders, Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron, filmed an awards ceremony-style acceptance speech in their homes.

“Our judges were impressed by this slick and super professional campaign that is perfectly pitched at its target audience and ‘hits the nail on the head,’” says Lucy Shaw, Editor, The Drinks Business.

Covid-19 continues to impact on Irish spirits sector IRELAND’S spirits producers have said that the Covid-19 crisis has significantly impacted the sector, hitting production, exports and sales. Drinks Ireland|Spirits, the Ibec trade association that represents the spirits sector, published its Irish Spirits Markets Report 2019, indicating that in the context of current challenges, 2019 will be seen as a “benchmark” year for the industry as it seeks to recover from the Covid-19 crisis in the years to come. “The Irish Government can support the indigenous spirits sector in a number of ways as it seeks to recover from Covid-19,” noted Vincent McGovern, Head of Drinks Ireland|Spirits. “Ireland’s excise taxes are the second highest in Europe and will act as a barrier to recovery. As part of a broad package of measures, the Government should look to deliver a 15% reduction in excise tax on drinks products, which would help the industry and minimise the risk of job losses. In addition, in the immediate term, Government could also look to facilitate a safe and sustainable reopening of the hospitality sector.”

Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie|25

Energy

Pinergy: providing energy clarity for retailers Pinergy’s transparent approach to energy supply gives you control of your energy consumption, writes Esme Murphy, Energy Advisor – Retail & Leisure, Pinergy.

PINERGY provides energy supply and management solutions tailored to the needs of retail for both single and multistores across Ireland. We provide energy supply and management solutions tailored to the needs of hotels, stores, cafés, gyms, sports clubs, restaurants and bars across Ireland. Pinergy’s 100% renewable business electricity provides detailed data on your energy use and allows for an individual optimisation strategy tailored to your unique needs.

Specifically for multi-site retail, our smart metering technology allows for individual site usage data and the ability to compare daily usage across a number of sites to deliver better energy use and savings, while also going green. We provide easy remote administration, with simplified bills that show exactly how energy was used, so you can separate costs between location and within sites. This allows for retail businesses to identify inefficiencies like outdated equipment, identify peaks in consumption, night charges and more.

With Pinergy, you get clear, comprehensive data on your energy use and costs, helpful monthly statements and ongoing support.

Practical insight While most retail entrepreneurs likely know their costs down to the minute details, the traditional way of paying for energy allows for no more insight than

waste and treat energy as a resource, not a commodity. We provide: • 100% renewable business electricity: • Detailed data on your energy use; • Optimisation strategy tailored to your unique needs.

a previous month’s bill. Our daily and monthly usage reports can help retail business owners see if they are losing money through equipment running in stores overnight or perhaps at weekends when they might have different opening hours.

This transparent approach, giving you control of your energy consumption, is at the heart of how we want to work with our retail customers. The ability to monitor usage and identify areas of energy waste in different parts of the business allows for a reduction in overall spend and smarter business decisions.

Through driving meaningful change in how we all think about and use energy, it’s possible for businesses in retail and elsewhere to reduce costs and energy usage, while switching to 100% renewable energy and reducing their carbon footprint.

Optimising energy use Our goal is to translate our deep understanding of the global energy sector into practical, tailored advice for our customers, helping them to optimise their energy use, reduce

If you would like to discuss your retail energy needs, please contact Esme Murphy at Esme.Murphy@pinergy.ie or (087) 7033796, or for more information, visit: https://pinergy.ie/business-electricity/ retail-electricity/.

Esme Murphy, Energy Advisor – Retail & Leisure, Pinergy.

26|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Insurance

FBD: protecting Irish business for over 50 years FBD Insurance offers a range of covers designed to help retailers protect their business.

FBD Insurance is one of the leading insurers for retail across Ireland. FBD’s network of 34 local sales offices has business insurance experts ready to help you get great value protection and cover that suits your needs. FBD’s business insurance experts will work with you to provide a tailor-made policy to suit the needs of your retail shop.

FBD understands that your business is your priority, which is why they make you theirs. FBD is dedicated to supporting local businesses and is rooted in local communities. FBD works directly with you and your business to give you peace of mind that you are protected by a wholly Irish-owned insurance company with no middleman.”

Why work with FBD? FBD’s professional approach and personal touch has been at the core of how it has done business for over 50 years. It’s something the company is strongly committed to, and prides itself on: • Dedicated FBD Business insurance expert in your local area with local knowledge and a wealth of experience in business insurance; • Advice on risk management; • 34 local sales offices nationwide, ensuring they are never too far away when you need them; • Tailor made policy to suit you and your business needs; • Committed to providing the best service and protection to the local businesses in your community;

• Swift and efficient claims handling; • In business for over 50 years.

Full range of cover FBD offer a range of cover to suit your needs, including*: Public and Products Liability: These are both very important insurance covers for any business involved in the retail sector. Public Liability provides protection should you become legally liable to pay compensation to members of the public for accidental injuries or damage to their property in the course of your business.

Products Liability provides protection should you find yourself legally liable for injuries, or property damage, to members of the public in connection with goods you have sold or supplied.

result of violence or threat of violence against you or an employee.

Talk to FBD to arrange a free assessment of your insurance needs from a local insurance company you can trust.

For more information, call: (01) 7617617, visit fbd.ie to find your local sales office or request a call-back.

* Terms and Conditions and normal underwriting criteria apply. Please speak to an FBD representative for a full quotation specific to your business.

FBD quotation packs contain full details of terms and conditions particular to your business and your quotation. FBD Insurance Group Ltd trading as FBD Insurance is regulated by the Central bank of Ireland. Business Insurance is underwritten by FBD Insurance plc.

Employers Liability: FBD provides protection should you be required by law to pay compensation for bodily injuries to an employee in the course of their employment.

Property damage: Provides protection for your buildings, trade contents and stock against damage caused by a wide range of perils, including fire, escape of water, storm and flood.

Theft: Theft cover provides protection for loss or damage to your trade contents or stock as a result of theft following forcible or violent entry to your premises or as a

FBD’s professional approach and personal touch has been at the core of how it has done business for over 50 years.

YOUR BUSINESS IS YOUR PRIORITY. WHICH IS WHY WE MAKE YOU OUR PRIORITY. Whether you are selling apples and oranges or eggs and flour, your store is an essential service.

Having the right insurance cover is just as essential to ensure you can keep the doors open for your local customers.

Choose a local insurer who understands your community and your business. Choose FBD for your insurance needs.

Retail Insurance Call 01 7 617 617 or find your local office at fbd.ie

FBD Insurance Group Ltd trading as FBD Insurance is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Business insurance is underwritten by FBD Insurance plc.

28|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Merchandising

Hopkins Merchandising celebrates 30 years Hopkins Merchandising has been delivering top quality sales and merchandising solutions to some of Ireland’s biggest grocery brands for three decades. MD Declan Hopkins explains the secrets of its success.

HOPKINS Merchandising is celebrating 30 years in the Irish market in 2020. The company completes 20,000 promotional builds every year, running 1,200 tactical campaigns for a host of clients across many retail sectors, including L’Oréal, Danone, Philip Morris, GlaxoSmithKline and Nivea.

The company is the brainchild of Declan Hopkins, who began Hopkins Merchandising in 1990, after 14 years working with some of the biggest retail brands in Ireland. Declan left school at the young age of 14 to work for Superquinn, which to this day he still regards as one of his luckiest breaks, as it allowed him to work with the late, great Feargal Quinn, who instilled in him the mission to deliver excellent customer service, which still remains with him to this day.

After leaving Superquinn in 1983, Declan joined Chivers & Sons, part of the Cadbury Schweppes group, and spent

Hopkins Merchandising is now based in a two-acre, 35,000 square feet office, warehousing and training centre in Ballycoolin, Dublin 11.

the next seven years honing his skills and getting to further understand the complex business of retail and in particular, the FMCG sector. In March 1990, Declan took the bold move to leave a very good career with a large company to follow his passion and his entrepreneurial spirit, and Hopkins Merchandising was born on March 26, 1990.

Exceptional customer care At the time, Hopkins Merchandising was the only official sales merchandising agency in Ireland. The company’s vision was to offer suppliers, manufacturers and distributors into the FMCG sector, primarily into the supermarkets, a top-class sales and merchandising solution that could be deployed and utilised as the needs arises at seasonal times, holiday times, sickness etc. Today Declan has an office and warehousing team of 18 people and a 180-strong field sales team, including full-time employees and contractors.

Over the last 30 years, the company has been through many challenging times but has managed to stay on top by continuously and effectively reinventing itself and the services it offers. Now based in a two-acre, 35,000 square feet office, warehousing and training centre, the services and facilities may have changed but the customer care, excellent service and can-do positive attitude still remains very much to the fore.

Declan believes that his greatest skills and talents are “merchandising, selecting good people and bringing the best out in them”.

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Merchandising

Hopkins Merchandising currently boasts four stand-alone divisions.

Four stand-alone divisions Hopkins Merchandising currently boasts four stand-alone divisions, The Sales Merchandising Department mainly serves the main multiples with a display, general merchandising and sales solution, as Declan explains: “We currently work with some of the biggest supermarket brands in the country, offering them a varied range of services, including promotional display builds, seasonal displays, general merchandising, box counting and sales relief, which are all controlled and

vetted to ensure the highest standards through our web-based reporting portal, which has been developed over the last 15 years and has been a phenomenal success and a huge favourite with our clients.”

Hopkins’ Cosmetics Division offers a full one-stop solution, including stand installation, uplift, refit, merchandising and sales service, to some of the biggest brands in the cosmetics field. “Once again, this is operated through our make-up specialists, who with their relationship in-store, give our clients

invaluable feedback and help them to drive their business,” Declan states.

The Tactical and Blitz Department is the biggest division and also “the most varied within the company,” Declan explains. “Within this department, we cover all trade sectors, including hardware, FMCG, pharmaceutical, entertainment and events.” Hopkins can cover everything from installing planograms, store refits, contract staff, telesales support, POS placements and drives, product sell-ins, distribution audits and field event executions. ”No

Since its formation in 1990, Hopkins Merchandising has evolved from a one-man show, operating out of a converted garage in Malahide, through to a multi-million euro concern.

30|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Merchandising

Declan Hopkins, MD, Hopkins Merchandising (centre), pictured with Kelly Hopkins, Cosmetics Manager, and Liam Ruane, Operations Manager. two weeks are ever the same,” according to the MD, “as our clients’ needs change, so do our support and service.”

Hopkins’ Warehousing Division is its biggest and most exciting challenge, with over 1,500 pallet spaces – the company is now a key supplier to Penneys, dealing with a number of that company’s cosmetics suppliers, and Declan is keen to point out that Hopkins is actively working with existing and potential clients to meet their warehousing needs: “We have been inundated with queries from our clients in relation to Brexit, and we are working tirelessly to provide

them with a workable solution for their forthcoming needs. We are in touch with our clients on a daily basis and still have ample space in our warehouse to accommodate new customers.”

Exceptional management team Passionate and ambitious, Declan believes that the success of Hopkins is down to hard work, both his own and that of the team he has built up in Hopkins. He prides himself on being always accessible to staff, without ever micro-managing their efforts, “allowing them the freedom to deliver the quality and service the

company has become renowned for”.

The business has evolved from a oneman show, operating out of a converted garage in Malahide, through to a multimillion euro concern. Although the journey has at times been challenging, Declan exudes positivity and is currently tutoring and developing his exceptional management team, who he is confident will bring the business to the next level. When asked about the future, this rigorous planner explains the need to “continually stick with what you are good at, show faith and support in your people, never be afraid to have a punt and, most importantly, always listen to your customers.”

Declan is delighted that his company recently celebrated three decades of phenomenal service, but he’s certainly not resting on his laurels and is looking forward to the future. “We have become a force within the retail sector thanks to our can-do attitude and the fantastic range of services we provide, from warehousing, pick pack through to exceptional in-trade execution. Our fantastic team have made Hopkins Merchandising what it is today and we will continue to offer an unrivalled range of services, facilities and exceptional compliance to our clients, right across the country, in the years ahead.”

What their clients say: We have been dealing with Hopkins for two decades, which speaks volumes. During this time, we have always received the highest level of service from Declan and his team. They are very flexible and our deadlines are continuously met.

- Paddy Carmody, Head of Marketing, Nivea.

Danone Early Life Nutrition has worked with Hopkins Merchandising for 14 years and has always found the team willing to go above and beyond to deliver the best results for our business. They support us in many areas, including order capturing, POS/kit placement, merchandising, planogram implementation and many ad-hoc requests. They have also supported the implementation of category projects across all retailers in Ireland, the largest project involving the team working three overnights, and resulted in a winning ECR Ireland project.

- Sarah Dennehy, Category and Channel Development Manager, Danone.

L’Oréal Ireland have been working with Hopkins Merchandising for over 20 years… Thanks to the support of the Hopkins team, we can explore exciting new business opportunities, discuss new ideas, while all the time working collaboratively. This is especially important in these extraordinary and unprecedented times, when we must work together to overcome adversity.”

- Katie Grennan, Commercial Director – CPD Ireland, L’Oréal UK & Ireland.

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Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie|33

Marketing & Merchandising

The ‘m’ words

Marketing and merchandising are interconnected but they are not the same thing. When they work together, the result is a win-win for the retailer and brand owner.

MARKETING and merchandising are often clumped together as if they are two sides of the same coin. While the two are interconnected, they are not interchangeable.

According to dictionary.com, marketing can be defined as the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.

Merchandising is “the activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially by their presentation in retail outlets”. Effectively, merchandising sells products after the marketing team has (hopefully) driven the consumer to those products.

Merchandising usually forms part of the overall marketing plan, and together, the right marketing and merchandising package can help to grow your brand, whether it’s a store or a particular product within that store. Working in harmony, marketing and merchandising can ensure a brand is top of mind with the consumer, which in turn translates into higher sales and increased profits. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But if it were that simple, every brand would succeed and brandowners could sit back and watch the profits roll in; indeed, getting the right marketing and merchandising mix is a difficult job that sometimes seems like a combination of science, knowhow and black magic.

The ‘four p’s’ It is commonly taught that a marketing plan should contain the ‘four p’s’: product, placement, price, and promotions.

Marketing is about driving brand awareness and establishing the brand, developing customer loyalty and increasing traffic to the category. Merchandising tends to handle product strategy, such as category and brand planning, pricing and promotional activities.

While both marketing and merchandising share the same aim, to sell more products, the very nature of marketing tends to be longer-term, building a brand over time and developing a relationship with the end consumer. Merchandising tends

to be more immediate, with shorter-term sales increases the primary goal, although obviously, a successful merchandising effort will have knock-on benefits for the overall marketing plan and the brand strategy going forward.

Inefficient communication between marketing and merchandising leads to misaligned product and advertising strategies, which can often result in under-performance. For example, if the marketing team invests a large budget on advertising a brand at a low price point, the merchandising team may not be prepared for the subsequent surge in demand, which can lead to out-of-stocks and lost sales.

Merchandising sells products after the marketing team has driven the consumer to those products.

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Marketing & Merchandising However, if the marketing and merchandising teams and campaigns are effectively integrated, they can drive higher revenue and margins, raise conversion rates, improve inventory management, and drive customer loyalty.

Working together on promotions It is crucial for the merchandising and marketing team to work together throughout a product’s life cycle. This is particularly true when it comes to promotions, where miscommunication can have a negative impact on brand performance. Optimising the timing and type of special offers and promotions is vital to get inventory moving without damaging profits.

It’s obvious that promotions lead to reduced margins, but there are methods to maximise the return on investment.

If implemented properly, a promotion can increase brand awareness and customer traffic, while also leading to happier, more satisfied customers, with a corresponding increase in the chance of their returning to your brand post-promotion.

Marketing and merchandising can and do work together, and using displays, signage and other promotional materials such as shelf talkers can help to achieve a successful synergy.

Displays can create an atmosphere in-store, helping to establish an identity that customers will relate to, perhaps building trust.

Shelf talkers can act as silent salespeople, directing shoppers to certain products, while also helping to grow interest in your store.

When they work together, product merchandising and marketing efforts will develop the brand involved, while also creating a positive atmosphere in-store.

Using effective POS material can provide potential buyers with additional information that will help convince them to make a purchase. It can even suggest additional similar or complementary products or help to connect with customers by appealing to a common value or evoking a feeling, although this is admittedly more difficult in grocery than, say, a bookshop.

Sharing data Sharing data between marketing and merchandising teams leads to an integrated overall strategy, allowing retailers to stay on top of the latest trends and better serve their customers with the

Marketing is about driving brand awareness, developing customer loyalty and increasing traffic to the category, and a good marketing plan usually incorporates merchandising. products they want, while also driving more effective marketing spend by focusing on the right products.

Remember, today’s consumer is smarter than ever before, with a wealth of information available at their fingertips.

Retailers should acknowledge the influence mobile has over the consumer, but it’s not about eCommerce versus traditional bricks and mortar retailers. Instead, the two should work together, creating a multi-channel experience for the shopper.

Online doesn’t necessarily mean eCommerce, but if you want to have an influence over customers’ purchasing behaviour, you need to meet them where they are, which is often on their smartphone. This can, however, be done in a more personal, local and relevant way, with more targeted campaigns.

As a retailer, you need to not only understand the motivating factors behind shoppers’ behaviour, but also how it will impact your merchandising strategies. Understanding shopper wants, needs and motivations and designing your marketing and merchandising around these could be the difference between success and failure.

Merchandising support where and when you need it!

AS we head towards the busiest period of the retail year and with the unknown challenges the winter months may pose, brands must ensure that their products stay in stock and on shelves, capturing customers’ attention. No brand can afford poor merchandising standards, particularly during this period.

Whether you require additional volume shelf filling, tactical merchandising campaigns, POS placements or seasonal sales support, FMI’s nationwide field teams stand ready to scale up in the locations you require.

FMI’s retail expert teams are fully trained in Covid Health & Safety, as well as manual handling, and are experienced at quickly adapting to market and channel needs and the various challenges contained within.

FMI manages all elements of field sales and merchandising execution, ensuring that their clients’ products get the best shelf coverage: placing them front and centre to excite consumers and to drive purchase. FMI is focused on ensuring you maximise the Christmas period.

The company’s head office team deliver best-in-class field

management, with a suite of reporting solutions to allow you to track ROI be it daily, weekly or monthly reporting.

For over 25 years, FMI has been responsible for delivering first class merchandising services throughout Ireland. The company enjoys great relationships with all major retailers and has delivered merchandising services for essential brands, such as Avonmore, Coca-Cola, Jameson, Cadbury, Barry’s Tea and Keelings, as well as other household name FMCG brands.

“If you want reliable and efficient merchandising support during the lead-up FMI’s retail expert teams are to Christmas, get in touch with FMI today,” fully trained in Covid Health & Safety, as well as manual notes Nicola de Beer, handling, and are experienced Managing Director.

“We support you with a at quickly adapting to market and channel needs. smarter way to sell.”

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Vaping

Vype: committed to quality

Combining innovation and quality, Vype is shaping the future of vaping.

IF you are a retailer selling vaping products, it is likely that your customers want to know which product is right for them, their lifestyle and tastes. With several options on the market, one important question is how customers can be assured that their choice of product is up to the highest standards they expect.

At Vype, consumer satisfaction is at the heart of everything they do, from product design through to the innovative technologies they use to ensure the best vaping experience possible. Understanding this innovation and expertise can go a long way in assuring your customers they are getting a quality product.

v

Vype has invested in a range of new technologies that enable them to create high quality products.

ggggThe vaping industry is continuing to grow and Vype’s mission is to ensure that quality and innovation is a part of every phase of the production process. They have a network of more than 50 scientists, including toxicologists and bio-scientists, aiming to build the most reliable products possible.

Innovative technologies Innovation is at the heart of what they do at Vype and they have invested in a range of new technologies that enable them to create high quality products. They use things like Vaping Topography Machines to better understand vaping patterns, as well as Vaping Simulators and stateof-the-art Chromatography Machines to analyse vapour. These machines control the consistency of taste and flavour in each puff, to deliver a satisfying experience.

As Vype products go through the testing and quality assurance process, they spend time scrutinising every detail, from what goes into the E-liquids to the vapour that comes out, to make sure their formulations are exactly right.

There are multiple choices on the market now for vapers and that is why at Vype, understanding the concerns of vapers is a key part of the product development process. The company prides itself on quality assurance and control throughout the product creation process, taking a meticulous approach to development and ensuring that its devices are equipped with the best safety features.

Ensuring customer confidence There are a few things that they do at Vype to make sure that customers can have confidence in their devices. For one, they only ever use high-quality ingredients in

The hugely popular Starter Pack from Vype. their E-liquids, testing each and every batch to ensure that it is traceable and tamper-proof. Furthermore, they work with top scientific experts and technicians to design all their products with safety features that protect against battery overvoltage and over-heating.

This is all to ensure that Vype devices are held to high standards in quality control, giving customers peace of mind that their product has been developed under strict scrutiny and with them in mind.

The Vype team knows that for those choosing to vape, confidence in their chosen brand is important; that is why they are so passionate about the standards and innovations they have put in place to ensure all customers get the highest quality product possible. Being able to assure customers about the quality of their device is essential, and at Vype, they want to equip you with all the knowledge you need to do so.

For more information about Vype, please go to b2b.pjcarroll.ie, contact your PJ Carroll Sales Representative, or contact the company’s Telemarketing Department on 1800 604500.

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Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

UNCERTAIN END TO THE YEAR LIES AHEAD FOR RETAIL

TO say that the next months to the end of the year are vital to the sustainable recovery of the retail sector would be an understatement. After the summer that has been, we have seen some evidence of a rebound in certain sections of the sector. In September, Retail Ireland published our newly redesigned retail monitor and some of the findings have made for stark reading. We have seen from our research that inflation rates have seen their sharpest drop since 2010, where prices were 1% lower in August 2020 than they were in 2019. While this is good news for the consumer, retailers will struggle to make up revenue that has been lost during the first spring lockdown period.

While prices are remaining low, this has not been translated directly into retail sales. We have seen a marked decrease across many categories in the sector, including more high-end categories such as department stores, which rely in large part on the tourist and office worker trade in urban centres. While there has been some good news in certain categories, such as grocery and food, which has seen growth in value terms of 9.3% in comparison to last year and an increase of 10% by volume, it has been reported by our members that this growth is by and large confined to out of town suburban areas.

Rolling area lockdowns One of the ongoing challenges that retailers will face in the coming months is the uncertainty around rolling area lockdowns. It is clear from the data that when the initial lockdown in spring was lifted, there was an uplift in consumer confidence from a low of the mid 40s in April to 62.6 in July.

We are now seeing a dip in the index again as the media becomes saturated with talks around a second wave of the virus and Level 3 lockdown conditions were reimposed on Dublin and Donegal, followed by the entire country on October 5. The consumer sentiment index stood at 59.9 in August and we expect this to dip further, pointing to challenging trading conditions ahead.

Retail Ireland and our members have continued to keep channels of communications open with Government throughout this period and have stressed at every opportunity the need for clear and concise communications around any proposed lockdowns. What we have seen recently in Dublin, where the city and county was placed into a Level 3 situation with very little prior notice to business, is something we do not want to see replicated. While this caused particular distress to the hospitality and restaurant sector, retail faces some restrictions under Level 4 and above. We have stressed to Government that sufficient notice needs to be given to retailers to prepare in any situation where lockdown restrictions are being imposed on them.

Meeting with Ministers In our recent outreach with Government, we met with Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohue TD and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD, to discuss or priorities in advance of Budget 2021. One of the main thrusts of our position was that the National Economic Plan must extend liquidity and employment supports beyond the current timeframe. We stated that the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) should be extended and made more flexible.

Many businesses trading between 70-90% of normal business are not viable at that level, but do not qualify for supports. We also raised the point that there is major issue with time lags when the EWSS is paid and in some cases, this can be up six days, leading to major cash flow issues in businesses.

We were happy that the Ministers were keen to give our positions a fair hearing and were open to further discussions on how to support the retail sector in this difficult time ahead.

Retail Ireland’s new economic monitor will be published on a monthly basis and will contain many unique insights into current economic trends. It can be viewed at https://www. ibec.ie/connect-and-learn/industries/retail-and-tourism/ retail-ireland or contact us for further details.

Tel: 01-6051558 www.retailireland.ie Need more?

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

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Great Taste Awards

Irish products shine at Great Taste Awards

Judging for the 2020 Great Taste Awards respected social distancing guidelines.

Ireland and Northern Ireland performed extremely well at the 2020 Great Taste Awards, winning 19 hugely coveted 3-star Awards.

THERE were 14 Irish-made products amongst the coveted 3-star awards at this year’s Great Taste Awards, with another five from Northern Ireland. In general, Ireland performed extremely well at this year’s Awards, with 396 products winning awards, and a further 172 based in Northern Ireland.

In total, this year’s awards, dubbed the Food Oscars, attracted 12,777 products from 106 different countries, with 42% awarded a highly prized Great Taste accolade. There were 205 3-star awards, 1,294 2-star awards and 3,818 products were awarded 1-star. Products were judged by over 14 weeks by 144 of the most discerning palates, belonging to food critics,

chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, buyers, retailers and producers, as well as food writers and journalists.

Among the Great Taste 3-star winners from Ireland are a number of traditional products that make the most of what the land and sea provides, including; the “plump, glossy, soft and remarkably sweet” Carlingford Oysters from Carlingford Oyster Co., “a real taste of the sea” that led one judge to say, “it is hard to imagine better tasting, better looking oysters”; a “simple but really well made” Gooseberry Spread from Crossogue Preserves in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, praised for having “notes from the flesh, skins and pips all present” and ending in style with a “lovely hedgerow finish”; and Traditional Ham on the Bone from James Whelan Butchers in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, a “whopper of a ham with a light piggy aroma” and “oozing pig flavour”, with the judges agreeing that this “was obviously a happy pig”.

The Northern Ireland winners delivered big, bold flavours, including; Black Garlic & Porcini Sea Salt from Craic Foods in Craigavon, Co. Armagh, described as “an umami flavour bomb” by the judges, who loved its “bold mushroom flavour, sweetness from the black garlic and a slight acidic lift toward the end”; the “smooth and silky” Abernethy Lemon Curd

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Great Taste Awards from The Little Bakehouse in Dromore, Co. Down, delivering “plenty of lovely rich butteryness and a massive burst of fresh, bright, fruity lemon”; and the Japanese-inspired Koji Pork Ribs from Hannan Meats in Moira, Co. Armagh, which bowled the judges over with its “intense umami from the koji, which really enhances the flavour of the pork”, leading one judge to say “this is the most delicious piece of pork I can remember trying.”

SuperValu SuperValu took home a massive 74 award wins, making them, once again, the top performing Irish supermarket. SuperValu’s wins include 46 products from the Signature Tastes Range.

This year, the always popular SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Smoked Rack of Bacon was awarded three stars once again, making it one of the highest ranked products from an Irish retailer. The high-quality pork is sourced from Irish Hampshire pigs reared by Luke Bogue in Cavan and the bacon is expertly hand trimmed by butchers at Oliver Carty, and gently smoked over beech and applewood.

The Signature Tastes Breakfast essentials all performed well at the blind taste testing, with Signature Tastes Sean’s Brown Bread Mix and Signature Tastes Pink Grapefruit Juice both winning 2-star awards each, while Signature Tastes Fresh Orange Juice and Signature Tastes Irish Hampshire Dry Cure Rashers receiving 1-star awards.

Irish Yogurts Clonakilty always prove popular at the awards and this year was no different. The family run business, based SuperValu Signature Tastes Sean’s Brown Bread Mix was a 2-star winner at the Great Taste Awards. in the heart of West Cork, won stars across the board for their yogurts. The award-winning range includes; Signature Tastes Sicilian Lemon Yogurt, a thick and creamy Sicilian Zesty lemon yogurt with a fruity tang, and Signature Tastes Valencia Orange Yogurt, made with Valencia Orange which combines the very best of flavours.

Other winners at the event included Signature Tastes Maple Syrup, SuperValu Crème Fraiche, SuperValu Lamb Rack, Signature Tastes Kevin Dundon Pudding, Superquinn Sausages, Signature Tastes Dingle gin infused smoked salmon, SuperValu Creamery Butter, Signature Tastes Buffalo Mozzarella, Signature Tastes Raspberry Conserve and SuperValu Plain Scone.

“We are delighted to see SuperValu come out as the top performing Irish supermarket at the Great Taste Awards this year, with an impressive 74 awards,” said Ray Kelly, Interim Managing Director, SuperValu. “SuperValu works with over 1,800 Irish suppliers and we are proud that so many of our products and local producers have received the recognition they deserve at these prestigious awards, which are the world’s largest blind-tasted food awards. These 74 awards are a real endorsement of the quality and value of our range, as the Great Taste Awards are the acknowledged benchmark for fine food and drink.”

SuperValu Signature Tastes Raspberry Conserve, one of 46 winning products from SuperValu’s Signature Tastes range.

Centra SuperValu’s sister brand, Centra also performed extremely well, claiming 35 accolades at the Awards, including 17 products from the Inspired By Centra range. They included Inspired By Centra Maple Syrup and Inspired By Centra Greek Feta, both of which won 2-star awards. The following products took home 1-star awards: Inspired By Centra 48 hour marinated Rotisserie Chicken, Inspired By Centra Raspberry Jam, Inspired By Centra Butter Chicken Masala, Inspired

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Great Taste Awards us since the beginning and have helped us become one of the leading suppliers of geese in the country.”

Cathal Fleming, Retail Sales Manager at Dawn Meats, said that the company is “honoured” to receive 3-stars for Aldi’s Specially Selected West of Ireland Lamb Guard of Honour with Rosemary and Garlic Salt Rub: “Our West of Ireland lamb is sourced directly from family farms, where they are traditionally reared and free to roam. The extensive and varied landscape provides a grazing ground abundant in natural grasses, herbs, wild flowers and heather, which gives our West of Ireland lamb its unique and delicate flavour. Our West of Ireland lamb guarantees melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, succulence and an unrivalled taste each and every time.”

John Curtin, Aldi’s Group Buying Director, said: “Winning 52 titles and in particular retaining the number one position within Irish retail for the three 3-star awards is a great achievement and proves that Aldi’s unbeatable prices don’t

Centra had 35 winners at the Great Taste Awards, including 17 from the Inspired By Centra range.

By Centra Buffalo Mozzarella, Inspired By Centra Freshly Squeezed OJ and Inspired By Centra Mini Mince Pies.

Other winning products included Centra Gourmet Sausage Roll with Black Pudding, Centra Crème Fraiche and Centra Ham and Brie Quiche.

“We are absolutely delighted to have taken home 35 accolades at this year’s Great Taste Awards. This is an incredible achievement and makes us the number one award winning convenience retailer in Ireland,” noted Ray Kelly, Interim Managing Director, Centra. “As they are the world’s largest blind-tasted food awards, we are particularly proud of the wins for our Inspired By Centra range. Since its launch in 2018, the Inspired By range, which uses the highest quality home grown ingredients from trusted suppliers, has proved very popular with customers, so we are thrilled to see the recognition of this through these awards.”

Aldi Aldi Ireland took home 52 titles at the Awards: three 3-stars, eight 2-stars and 41 1-star awards. The three 3-star award winners were Specially Selected West of Ireland Lamb Guard of Honour with Rosemary and Garlic Salt Rub, Specially Selected Free Range Irish Whole Goose, and Specially Selected Giant Sicilian Nocellara Olives.

This is the second year in a row that the Skeaghanore, West Cork produced Irish Goose has won three gold stars at the Great Taste Awards. Dan Hickey, Manager at Skeaghanore, said: “In 2019, we were not only honoured to receive 3-stars for our Aldi Specially Selected Free Range Goose but we had the privilege of travelling over to London and experience the Golden Fork awards. This 2020 award is a complete surprise, and to hear again that it has been nominated for a Golden Fork assures us that the team here in Skeaghanore are doing a great job. Our geese are reared by the Hickey family in the most traditional way possible, with access to grazing fields that overlook some of the most picturesque views of Roaring Water Bay. We believe that the salt air adds a unique flavour to our geese that you won’t find anywhere else. Aldi have supported

Aldi’s Specially Selected Free Range Irish Whole Goose was rewarded with a 3-star Award for the second year in a row. mean a compromise on quality. These awards showcase the highest quality of produce and I would like to congratulate all of our Irish suppliers, especially Dawn Meats and Skeaghanore Duck on their outstanding 3-star achievements.”

Lidl Ireland Lidl Ireland secured 20 awards, half of which went to the retailer’s premium meat and poultry range. Lidl’s Inisvale Irish Striploin Steaks and Sirloin Steaks, both matured for 30 days, were highly commended, both securing a 1-star rating. Another judging panel favourite was Lidl’s luxury Deluxe duck range,

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Great Taste Awards

Lidl Ireland’s meat and poultry range performed extremely well at the 2020 Great Taste Awards. impressing the judges with two wins for the retailer’s Deluxe Crispy Roast Half Duck and Deluxe Duck Breasts.

A seasonal hit, the Crispy Roast Half Duck comes with pancakes and a rich and fruity Hoisin sauce, the perfect starter for an Asian-inspired feast. Other winners included Lidl’s Deluxe Stuffed Turkey Crown, Unsmoked Half Horse Show Ham Joint, and Premium Smoked Thick Cut Back Bacon.

“We are delighted our meat and poultry range has been so successful at this year’s Great Taste Awards,” enthused Julian Beer, Commercial Director at Lidl Ireland. “As a huge trust category for our customers, we’re pleased to see the quality of our premium cuts going toe-to-toe with speciality suppliers and securing prestigious awards, and of course, always winning on the best prices for our customers. It’s testament to the strength of our Irish buying team and local supplier base, who enable us to offer customers the highest quality products at the best value.”

Judging process This year’s winners were found through a combination of remote judging and socially distanced judging sessions, after the lockdown began just one week into the schedule. This necessitated a swift and comprehensive reinvention of the Great Taste process to ensure that robust judging standards were maintained and the quality of feedback was not compromised, all in time to provide a much-needed boost for food and drink producers during the allimportant Christmas period.

c The panel of judges included; cook, writer and champion of sustainable food, Melissa Hemsley, cook, writer, stylist and voice of modern vegetarian

cooking, Anna Jones, celebrated Spanish chef, José Pizarro, Kavi Thakrar from Dishoom, food writer and cook, Xanthe Clay, and baker and author, Martha Collison, as well as food buyers from Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason and Waitrose. These esteemed palates have together tasted and re-judged the 3-star winners to finally agree on the Golden Fork Trophy winners and the Great Taste 2020 Supreme Champion, the results of which will be revealed at the virtual Great Taste Golden Fork awards event this month.

As the judges searched for the stars of 2020, waste was kept to a minimum, with unused products being donated to local food banks and hampers made up of excess products for local businesses to raffle in aid of charities. No plastic plates or cutlery were used during the judging rounds, reducing plastic waste by almost 100%. The Guild of Fine Food also donates surplus computer equipment, used to record the judges’ comments, to community-based projects.

For more information, visit www.greattasteawards.co.uk.

Irish start-up wins big IRISH company Rívesci launched just one year ago and since then, it has pivoted from food truck to condiments as a result of the pandemic, so it is quite an achievement that its Cashew Chilli Crush was rewarded with a 3-star award at the Great Taste Awards.

Co-founders Shannon Forrest and Michelin Star trained Chef, Declan Malone opened Rívesci as a food truck in September 2019 but when Covid-19 hit Ireland in March, the pair decided, in order for their business to survive, they needed to pivot and they moved from a food truck to the condiment business. The range of condiments had already been developed but they weren’t a priority for them, and sales were low. Once the doors shut on the food truck, growing the condiment business became their priority.

Just before the initial restrictions were introduced, Shannon had completed her SuperValu Food Academy training and the Rívesci business was ready to expand, as she explains: “We had done the brand development work and knew there was a potential retail opportunity there. Now the range, including the award-winning Cashew Chilli Crush is on shelves in two SuperValu stores and we’re on sale in different shops locally in Tipperary and nationally as well. The win at the Great Taste Awards was a real endorsement of the brand and great boost, given this is not where we Rívesci co-founders Shannon Forrest and Michelin Star trained chef, Declan Malone, saw the business going whose Cashew Chilli Crush won a coveted when we launched this 3-star Great Taste Award. time last year.”

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Loyalty Solutions

Helping you to reward your customers Visa has partnered with LoyalBe to deliver loyalty solutions to small Irish businesses, writes Philip Konopik, Ireland Country Manager, Visa.

SMALL businesses undoubtedly play a significant role in communities across Ireland but they have also been some of the hardest hit by the negative impact of Covid-19. Insights from the “Visa Back to Business” study have revealed that almost one in five Irish small to medium enterprises (SMEs) believe that their future viability is at risk due to the commercial impact of Covid-19. Despite these concerns, the study also revealed that consumers across Ireland do really value independent businesses in their community, with 63% of consumers admitting to wanting to support small businesses.

Supporting small businesses has become even easier with the rise of digital payments, with more companies offering their customers contactless payment options. In fact, today over half of all Visa face-to-face transactions in Ireland are made using contactless (Source: VisaNet, June 2020). As small businesses become more comfortable accepting contactless and mobile payments, it’s also becoming increasingly important for business owners to examine other ways to grow their business by building customer loyalty.

One way businesses can do this is by introducing an incentive or loyalty programme which encourages consumers to show support. Many businesses who do this tend to see the benefit, with increased sales and better engagement with their clients and customers.

The benefits of loyalty programmes Loyalty programmes are a helpful addition to any company’s toolbox, but traditional paper programmes can sometimes offer little to no data about how your customers are actually engaging, making it difficult for business owners to adapt their business-to-consumer behaviour. Thankfully, companies like LoyalBe are offering smart digital solutions to small businesses, meaning customers will no longer need to fumble around in their wallet in order to get a card stamped. Instead, they can simply use a smartphone app or tap their card.

And it’s not just the customer who benefits. Businesses can get a much richer level of data that can be used to segment

their customers, making it easier to reward loyal shoppers, re-engage with previous customers or attract new buyers with personalised offers that appeal to them.

Partnering with LoyalBe The challenge for small businesses has often been the cost associated with setting up loyalty schemes or sophisticated apps, which is why Visa is partnering with LoyalBe to bring their digital loyalty solution to more businesses in Ireland, giving them access to a loyalty tool that will help them keep customers coming back.

Visa’s partnership with LoyalBe builds on its strategic focus to support small businesses in the recovery process and comes after its commitment to digitally enable eight million small businesses impacted by the economic shutdown. Initially being piloted in Castleknock, we hope that the launch of our partnership with LoyalBe in the run-up to Christmas will help more small businesses recover and thrive.

More details about LoyalBe and how you can build a loyalty programme can be found at loyalbe.io.

Philip Konopik, Ireland Country Manager, Visa.

We are hugely EXCITED to reach BCorp certification and to become Ireland’s third BCorp. “ We’ve worked really closely with BCorp over the past 2 years to achieve this

certification, which looks at all aspects of our business from an environmental, community, employee and governance perspective. Since we launched our business in 2004, we’ve always prioritised community and environmental projects – myself and Cully are both water fanatics so our latest partnership with Clean Coasts is something we’re especially proud of and as committed as ever to do more to clean up Ireland’s beautiful coastline.

Fundamentally, our employees have always been the most important part of our organisation. This certification is a brilliant tribute to all we have achieved together so far but we’re really considering this as just the start of our journey for improvement. B Corp now provides us with a framework which not only measures our social and environmental impact, but more importantly, helps us understand what we can do to keep getting better, which will keep us motivated, accountable and driven. We really hope that many more food companies will soon join the BCorp family.”

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Soup

Soup-er market

As we approach peak soup season, chilled soup is showing the strongest growth in the category, with new flavours fuelling consumer demand.

AS temperatures drop and evenings grow darker, more and more consumers around the country are reaching for soup as a tasty and easy snack or meal option. Chilled and fresh soups remain the biggest growth areas, satisfying consumers’ need for convenience, health & wellness and premium products, according to the latest report into the sector by Euromonitor International.

Soup remains an important part of Irish cuisine and is seen as a simple, healthy, convenient and nutritious food option.

The highest growth and the greatest amount of new product development continues to be seen in chilled soup, the biggest category in value terms, according to Euromonitor.

Dehydrated soup continues its decline in Ireland as consumers perceive chilled soup to be healthier and also tastier, reveals the Euromonitor report. Soup is consumed because of its health credentials and, as a result, dehydrated soup, with its long list of preservatives, is increasingly unpopular as consumers take more account of health and wellness properties in their purchase decisions.

2019 saw Cully & Sully become the number one soup brand in Ireland for the first time ever, taking over from Unilever’s Knorr brand, which had enjoyed a long-standing leadership position. According to Euromonitor, this is possibly because of Unilever’s absence from chilled soup, the best performing category, which is led by Cully & Sully due to the brand fitting perfectly into the health trend by using fresh ingredients and seasonal produce.

New flavours are also driving the market, with consumers

demanding more exotic soup flavours, according to Euromonitor. Recent developments have included soups inspired by Asian flavours, as well as soups inspired by the flavours of North Africa, Mexico and India, joining more traditional soup flavours in-store.

Cully & Sully As the colder & crisper days set in, it’s time to turn to a warming bowl of fresh Irish soup. Cully & Sully, Ireland’s

Cully & Sully is the number one soup brand in Ireland, and the range includes special seasonal soups, like Squash’ed Veggie.

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Soup

Our range is suitable for vegans PACKED WITH GOODNESS AVONMORE SOUP TALKERS.indd 2

24/06/2019 09:16

The Avonmore Feel Good Soup range does not contain any dairy or animal produce, making them suitable for the growing vegan market, while each 400g carton also contains less than 100 calories and is packaged in fully recyclable packaging. does not contain any dairy or animal produce, making them suitable for the growing vegan market. Each 400g carton also contains less than 100 calories and is packaged in fully recyclable packaging.

The Feel Good range will be supported in-store with POS this winter, as well as extensive digital advertising. Avonmore soups are showing the highest growth of the category, at +18.1% volume MAT year-on-year (Source: Nielsen, TS, MAT, September 6, 2020), a sure reason to stock up on Avonmore Soups this winter!

Erin Soup Erin has been at the heart of mealtimes

across Ireland since 1963. A muchloved Irish brand, Erin soup recipes capture the rich delicious taste of quality ingredients, every time. Perfected over almost 60 years, the range includes Simmer Soups, HotCups and Condensed soups and is available in a wide variety of flavours, from traditional Irish favourites like Oxtail to Mediterranean classics like Minestrone. Whether it’s a hot pick-me-up on a cold winter’s day, or an ingredient that’s used to create family favourites like hearty casseroles or creamy pasta bakes, Erin soups are bursting with savoury flavour and aromas and are loved by generations.

number one soup brand, is available in all good retail outlets. Keep an eye out for some exiting new Cully & Sully products this winter!!

All Cully & Sully soups are packed full of fresh vegetables, herbs and they are all naturally gluten-free as they don’t use any thickeners. All their soups can be heated in and eaten from the microwave.

Cully & Sully’s portfolio contains a range of smooth soups (including Creamy Tomato & Basil, Pea & Minty, Chicken & Vegetable, Mushroom, Vegetable and Honey, Carrot & Coriander), chunky soups (including Lentil & Smoked Bacon, Thai Chicken, and Smoked Haddock and Salmon Chowder) and a range of seasonal soups throughout the year, such as Squash’ed Veggie, Beetroot & Goats Cheese, Herb-elicious Potato & Leek, and White Winter Vegetable Avonmore Soup The Avonmore Feel Good Soup range is available in a range of three flavours; Feel Good Tomato & Basil, Feel Good Mediterranean Vegetable and Feel Good Garden Vegetable. The Feel Good range

Erin soups are bursting with savoury flavour and aromas and are loved by generations of Irish consumers.

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What's New KEOGH’S FARM SPONSORS RTE’S ‘IT’S A PARK’S LIFE’

GREINER PACKAGING’S THERMOFORMED LIGHT-WEIGHT R-PET K3

KEOGH’S Farm is to sponsor RTE’s ‘It’s a Park’s Life’, which kicked off for a second series on RTE1 on September 17. The six-part 30-minute series returned to one of Europe’s largest city parks to share the magic of the Phoenix Park and its largerthan-life characters, for whom the park is part and parcel of daily life. According to Tom Keogh of Keogh’s Crisps and Popcorn, “Consumer habits have changed over the past six months and parks have become central as a social occasion. We’ve seen a shift in purchasing habits where people are catering for picnic moments and valuable time with close friends and family, where our crisp and popcorn brand fit perfectly.”

MILKYBAR LAUNCHES COOKIES & CREAM SHARING BLOCK MILKYBAR, the number one white chocolate brand, has launched a new addition to its range, Milkybar Cookies & Cream. The 90g sharing bar features creamy-tasting, smooth white chocolate studded with delicious, crunchy cookie pieces.

“Milk and cookies is a classic combination for a reason, and we believe our deliciously creamy-tasting white chocolate makes it unbeatable!” noted Maria McKenna, Marketing Manager for Nestlé Ireland Confectionery. “We are always looking for new ways to innovate and delight fans, and we hope they love this new sharing block as much as we do!”

FORTNITE OFFICIAL BLACK FRAME SERIES STICKER COLLECTION THE brand-new official Fortnite Black Frame series sticker collection from Panini is packed with exciting content and special materials, a must-have for all Fortnite fans. Fortnite is a game from Epic Games that drops you on an island full of battles and experiences. Battle solo or as a team to outlast everyone else or create your own worlds with your own rules. Find out more at Fortnite.com. Panini brings together all the thrills and action of the online video game in this unmissable collection. In this official Fortnite sticker collection, there are a total of 368 stickers, including 240 special stickers to collect and swap! Fortnite fans can begin their collection with a starter pack, which includes an album and 26 stickers.

CARDBOARD-plastic combinations as a sustainable packaging choice are helping to reduce plastic consumption, while at the same time ensuring high-quality appearance and stability. In addition, they offer extended marketing opportunities as the inside of the cardboard wrap can also be printed. Dungannonbased Greiner Packaging’s K3 tub saves up to 33% plastic when compared to other pots of the same size, and is made with a minimum of 30% recycled PET (r-PET). The K3 cardboard wrap can be produced with virgin or recycled board produced from sustainably managed forests, with full Forest Stewardship Council chain of custody accreditation. Greiner Packaging’s K3 enhances shelf-impact through offering unique shapes and diverse finishing options, with a wide range of cup and tub sizes, including the new fridge friendly rectangular pack. For more information, visit greiner-gpi.com.

LIDL EXPANDS OWN-BRAND VEGAN FRIENDLY BEAUTY RANGE LIDL Ireland has announced the addition of some exciting new vegan friendly products to its affordable Cien everyday beauty range. From face masks to face scrubs, Lidl’s new products start at just €0.99. Lidl’s new vegan friendly Cien beauty products include Cien Skin Foodies Hand Cream (€1.99), which comes in three different variations to suit different skin types, Cien Skin Foodies Micellar Face Wash (€2.99) with quince extract, Cien Skin Foodies Cleansing Face Scrub (€2.99) with coconut shell powder and Cien Skin Foodies Cleansing Face Mask (€0.99) with a choice of white clay and rosemary extract or papaya extract.

Why do you need flu vaccine?

Flu isn’t just a cold

Flu can cause pneumonia and bronchitis and can make chronic health conditions worse.

Flu is serious

Up to 500 people die from flu every year in Ireland.

Flu vaccine protects you

You should get the flu vaccine if you: • are 65 years and older or • have a chronic health problem such as heart or lung disease or • are pregnant

Flu vaccine protects others too

You should get the flu vaccine if you are a healthcare worker or a carer or if you live with someone with a chronic health condition.

Flu vaccine is free for people at risk

Talk to your GP (doctor) or pharmacist today about getting the flu vaccine.

hse.ie/flu Public Health Advice Order Code: HNI01089

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Bord Bia

Using data to navigate through the pandemic Bord Bia has been working hard on helping the agri-food industry to negotiate a path through the Covid-19 pandemic, arming companies with data to help them to survive and thrive in a post-Covid future, as CEO Tara McCarthy explains.

THE argument all grocery retailers had a field day during the last six months of dealing with Covid-19 is simply untrue, according to Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia. “There was a perception that anyone involved in food retail was flying, but that wasn’t the case because the way consumers shopped changed,” the Bord Bia chief reveals. “They preferred to go for long-life, for frozen, for ambient products, while other sectors suffered.”

Certain categories didn’t enjoy any upsurge and, in fact, struggled amid the pandemic. “Any unwrapped sectors, like loose bakery, were hit disproportionately, as were over-thecounter sectors in-store, so consumers may have been nervous going to the fish counter but would have bought pre-packed fish instead, for example,” McCarthy explains. “Products with short shelf-life also suffered, as consumers were suddenly going to the supermarket once every 7-10 days, and would only buy one product during that time, rather than every couple of days.”

It is fair to say that the Irish economy, including the agrifood sector, while not unrecognisable from nine months ago, is in a very different place, thanks to the global pandemic, which has left no aspect of Irish society untouched. Recently released CSO data shows a 2% decline in Irish food and drink exports for the year to date (January to May).

Domestically, while food and drink production and distribution was viewed as an essential service and thus allowed to trade through the lockdown, the overnight disappearance of the foodservice industry has been a huge blow – Bord Bia’s White Paper on foodservice predicted that the industry would drop in value from €8.5 billion in 2019 to between €3.5 and €4.7 billion this year.

The Bord Bia CEO commends the Irish food and drinks

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Bord Bia industry for the “huge effort” it made to ensure continuity of production, which meant massive changes to systems to incorporate social distancing measures into operations, while many marketing and service functions had to work remotely, bringing extra complexity.

Bord Bia itself had to amend auditing procedures for the Bord Bia Quality Assurance programme, so audits could take place remotely, with information updated digitally. But the changes wrought by Covid were far greater than merely amending production or auditing systems.

“Looking at it globally, the route to market was significantly and severely disrupted overnight. You had millions of consumers locked in their homes, supply chains that were required to change because there was a very different flow to demand,” McCarthy notes. “People still needed to eat so there was a huge boost in retail, but the foodservice sector closed down completely – there were winners and losers, depending on the categories.

“From a sectoral perspective, the closure of restaurants had a huge impact on high value premium products like shellfish, fillet of beef etc, which were hit disproportionately,” she continues. “Consumers were buying lots of mince for familiar favourites like Cottage Pie or Spaghetti Bolognese but weren’t sitting down to steaks, which had a big impact on the

carcass balance of the beef industry, as the high value parts of the animal decreased, which impacted the overall value of the animal, and the farmer suffered.”

The alcohol industry too was impacted, with the closure of the pub trade. The sector has also experienced the most significant year-to-date export decreases, with exports down 21% to €463m from January to May. “When it comes to alcohol, people drink very differently in the pub compared to at home, so for some alcohol suppliers, their route to market was severely impacted,” Tara explains. “Many distillers pivoted to start supplying alcohol disinfectant and hand sanitisers in the short-term emergency stage, but other sectors, like artisan beer, were affected disproportionately, as their main market is in bars and restaurants rather than supermarkets.”

Seafood exports are second only to alcohol in terms of export decline for the year to date (down 17% to €205.5m; however, the May versus May trend indicates a return of demand. This can be seen particularly in our core European markets, which are up 14.6% to €35.4m for the month of May.

Navigating Change One of the big challenges for Bord Bia, when the pandemic hit, was pivoting its programme of events etc: “Overnight, trade

The way consumers shop for groceries has been vastly changed by the pandemic.

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Bord Bia

Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia: “Covid was like a fog that came down on top of the entire globe, and all of the icebergs that we were navigating around pre-Covid were still there.” shows were cancelled, buyer visits weren’t possible, seminars and events like Bloom in the Park were not happening, so we had to change our work programme, bring those big budgetary decisions to our board, which we have done every month since lockdown to ensure our programmes remain relevant – what we believed was a great idea last January is not possible to implement now - so we are constantly re-evaluating how best to proceed.”

One important element of Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s work are trade missions to priority markets. With international travel restrictions in place, Bord Bia and the Department (DAFM), are planning the first ever virtual trade mission. Taking place in autumn, the trade mission will target 150 trade buyers across Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Additional virtual trade engagements are planned by Bord Bia, in partnership with DAFM, to target key customers across China, Japan, North America, the Middle East, Asia and Europe throughout September, October and November.

Bord Bia launched its ‘Navigating Change’ programme in the early days of the pandemic, “when everybody was knee-deep in the unknown and looking to understand what was happening”.

The initiative has three stages.

1. Understanding: “Everything was changing really fast as the virus took hold, and we wanted to be a hub of knowledge for

companies, so they could see from different perspectives and learn from different markets.”

2. Support: ““We translated all of that information from sectors, insights and markets into the supports we felt companies needed. Those supports have continuously evolved and include webinars and mentoring, covering topics like ‘how do I behave differently in this new market?’, ‘how do I get a new listing in the current environment?’, ‘how do I move my business online?’.”

3. Beyond Covid: “Covid was like a fog that came down on top of the entire globe, and all of the icebergs that we were navigating around pre-Covid were still there; Brexit hadn’t gone away, sustainability as a challenge and opportunity hadn’t gone away, the requirement for insight and innovation hadn’t gone away. But nobody had time to think of these things because we were deep in the fog of Covid at the time.”

The Bord Bia website attracted increased traffic both from consumers and businesses, who were hungry for information and new skills. During the pandemic, Bord Bia organised 40+ webinars with more than 2,600 viewers, for example, including two UK-focused supply chain webinars and a global supply chain webinar, with 139 attendees. Meanwhile, their small

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Bord Bia business mentoring pilot project had 10 companies and the business continuity mentoring had 20 companies involved.

To understand the changes to the market, Bord Bia created a future proofing programme with their insights team, looking at all of the indicators of change. “This wasn’t about sentiment, which was volatile,” Tara notes. “We wanted to see what people were actually doing. We classified it under three headings: general behaviours, shopping behaviours and consumption behaviours.”

Bord Bia identified these behaviour indicators across the globe and subsequently undertook a series of eight future proofing toolkits for Ireland, UK, USA, Germany, France, Spain, Japan and China for the meat and dairy sectors. Indeed, 80 client companies attended the Future Proofing launch webinar.

“It takes 66 days to form a habit,” explains Tara. “We were locked down for more than that so we wanted to see what habits were being formed and how sticky were these habits, so that the habits that were sticking could be embedded into the marketing of the Irish food industry, in terms of innovation, security, quality assurance etc. That has been hugely valuable for our industry as we brief them on the new messaging they must give to their customers.”

Insights into consumer behaviour Some of the insights are fascinating, including the tendency of consumers towards ‘shielding’. Externally, that means wearing face-masks, hand-washing, sanitising, observing coughing and sneezing protocol, social distancing etc, but the Bord Bia chief explains that consumers are also doing everything to ‘shield’ on the inside by eating better, healthier foods. In the early stages of the pandemic, for example, orange juice commodity prices went through the roof as consumers sought out the drink in their millions.

“How do you, as an industry, reflect on that shielding dynamic and how sticky will that behaviour prove to be postpandemic?” Tara wonders. “We believe that there is a real opportunity for companies to highlight the functionality of the foods they are providing to consumers.”

The fact that everyone was eating at home and many were cooking meals from scratch also meant that families began to buy better quality foods. “In lockdown, people weren’t going to restaurants or food-to-go but they traded up to better quality meat and vegetables at home. That is a fantastic opportunity for the Irish food and drink industry to speak to its credentials of natural, grass-fed etc.”

The digital revolution was incredible to behold during the pandemic, from virtual meeting rooms to online shopping: “Grandparents who would never have touched their mobile phone are now able to make Zoom calls, for example, and we are all shopping online much more. How sticky will that be and how do we as an industry communicate to our customers and consumers online?”

“We have statistics to highlight all of these trends and we put them up very quickly on our website, by country, by sector etc, trying to give companies as much fresh data continuously, to equip them to go to their buyers with really relevant messaging.”

The second phase of coping with Covid The Bord Bia CEO explains that phase one of their Covid response was based around understanding the challenge, providing supports and looking at future-proofing the market.

Phase two is about reassurance, recovery and growth: “Our companies and customers are going to need reassurance, which is why the latest data is important; they’re going to need the support to recover and find new opportunities, particularly in foodservice, and we see ourselves as partners to help them

rebuild and identify where growth will come from. That is now where we are working, looking at reinventing and creating opportunities to inspire and delight customers and convert that into sales post-Covid.”

The organisation is putting in place concrete programmes targeting key markets and sectors, such as the recent development of a pan-European steak promotion with three clients and 22 key customers across the continent. Bord Bia recently prepared 150 companies for the new reality of virtual business pitching as part of its ‘Perfecting the Virtual Pitch’ workshop and is currently working with a number of Irish drink exporters in preparation for the organisation’s first ever online trade show, scheduled to take place in Berlin this autumn.

The shadow of Brexit Is there a danger amid all the worry over Covid that Brexit will not get the focus it deserves? Not according to the Bord Bia CEO. “As an agency, we never took our foot off the pedal when it came to our programmes on Brexit, despite Covid,” she stresses. “We continued to run our customs readiness programmes, our supply chain programmes etc, but we just moved them online.”

Reassuringly, results from Bord Bia’s recent Readiness Radar reveal that more than 91% of companies have made progress on Brexit preparedness, and Bord Bia recently noted an upsurge in attendees at their online Brexit seminars as the negotiations gain traction once again in the media; so far, 152 companies have completed the Custom Readiness programme in 2020. 128 companies took part in the Readiness Radar; 447 people viewed the virtual event from 10 different countries and 30 people were in attendance.

While 91% of respondents highlighted Covid-19 as the highest priority risk facing the sector, the CEO is reassured that the second priority for businesses was market diversification. “That shows you where the absolute agenda for our food industry lies. In so many ways, the best way to protect your business against Brexit and all these other challenges is to have that focus on market diversification, and not just geographically but sectorally too, perhaps by changing the balance of your portfolio between retail and foodservice; diversification via route to market must now be part of companies’ agenda as well as geographical diversification.”

Welcome government approach A new government sometimes means a change of approach, but the recently launched Programme for Government resonates with Bord Bia’s own goals to help the Irish food and drink industry navigate its way to a bright future. “There is a huge commitment to market diversification and growth in the market, which we very much welcome, while recognising that the only way we can win in these markets is with a data-driven approach, a fact which is recognised and appreciated by the Ministers,” Tara states. “The commitment to real action on the sustainability agenda and the biodiversity agenda is fantastic because it speaks to Ireland’s reputation.”

Indeed, the CEO is enthused by the Government’s commitment: “We are delighted with this ‘one government’ approach, and the commitments to the environment, to sustainability and to talent: Bord Bia believes that the food industry needs the best people to work there. We want young people to be excited by this industry, and that is what we have been investing in over the last five-plus years. It is great to see a clearly co-operative agenda by Government.”

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National Parenting Product Awards

Family favourites

Ireland’s favourite family-friendly products were announced recently at the National Parenting Product Awards.

THE winners of the 2020 National Parenting Product Awards have been revealed at a virtual ceremony hosted by Ireland’s specialist parenting publisher and full-service content agency, Zahra.

Now in its seventh year, the National Parenting Product Awards (NPPA) is Ireland’s only independently tested consumer awards of products and services for young families. This year, 176 products and services across 49 categories were reviewed by 3,267 parents across the nation to identify the best products currently available in the Irish marketplace.

Research findings A new study commissioned by Zahra in partnership with Kantar was launched at the event, revealing that 67% of parents today place online availability as a key factor when it comes to purchasing a product for their children, an increase

of 7% when compared to 2019’s prepandemic environment.

According to the new research, Irish parents purchase with future plans in mind, with 86% influenced by whether products can be re-used for their future children. Parents also find peace of mind in the tried and and Managing Director of Zahra, tested approach, with 63% stating Gina Miltiadou said, “We are proud to that a National Parenting Product announce the winners of this year’s Award would positively influence their BEST National Parenting Product Awards.

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH 2020 decision to buy, compared to just 21% Choosing the best parenting products who say their spending choices are can be a minefield for mums and BabyBoo ZippyBoo Suit impacted by a social media influencer’s GOLD: dads – especially if you’re a first-time recommendation. When it comes to parent in today’s challenging Covid-19 SILVER: Maxi-Cosi Coral product advice, the most-valued opinions environment. are close to home, with 66% of mums BRONZE: “With 49 categories, ranging from Dunnes Stores Extra Soft Cotton and dads seeking guidance from other nursery items to car products, organic parents, while over half (56%) turn to food producers and travel systems, the their doctors and nurses. awards aim to acknowledge and ease the overwhelming decisions new parents OUT AND ABOUT Challenging Covid-19 environment have to make.”

Commenting on the awards, co-founder She said that this year’s event is also

BEST TRAVEL PRODUCT GOLD: Calpol SixPlus Fastmelts (12s)

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National Parenting Product Awards testament to local businesses who are “continuing to adapt with courage to create the products and services that parents need most – and they should be celebrated and rewarded for their efforts in winning Irish consumers’ seal of approval”.

The awards also aim to offer guidance to parents who might be without typical support in 2020 due to the pandemic, including being able to easily visit baby retail stores to learn more about the best products available for their children.

taking home a number of awards, including winning Gold, Silver and Bronze in the Best Bath Time Toiletry Product category, with Mamia Naturals Baby Hair & Body Wash taking the top award. Mamia nappies took home a number of awards, including Best Baby Newborn Essential, while the Mamia Organic Baby Food Range took gold in Best Organic Baby Food.

To see the full list of this year’s winners, visit: www.nppa.ie.

Big winners SuperValu was named Best Family Friendly Supermarket at the Awards, with Aldi Ireland in Silver and Lidl Ireland in Bronze Position. Other notable winners included Freddy Fyffes Bananas, who took Gold in the Best Baby/Toddler Snack category.

WaterWipes with SoapBerry was the big winner in the Best Product for Weaning.

Calpol SixPlus Fastmelts (12s) took Gold in the Best Travel Product category, with Calpol Sugar Free Infant Oral Suspension (Syringe) 60ml taking Gold in the Preferred Baby Pain Relief for Teething category. The Best Baby Nappy Treatment category was won by Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream, with Silver going to Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment, while La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 400ml took Bronze.

Aldi Ireland won big at the Awards, with its Mamia brand

Bananas still top choice baby snack

IT’S official. For the sixth year in a row, bananas are top of the list for Irish parents when it comes to choosing a snack food for their baby or toddler, according to the results of the National Parenting Product Awards.

Based in large part on a survey conducted by Millward Brown amongst parents and experts in Dublin, Cork and Limerick, Irish banana importer Fyffes’ popular ‘Freddy Fyffes’ pre-packed bananas emerged as the Gold Award

winner in the Food and Feeding section of the competition.

Accepting the award at a virtual prize-giving ceremony, which was hosted live online, Fyffes Marketing Manager, Emma Hunt-Duffy thanked competition organisers, noting: “It’s great to see that the natural and nourishing qualities of bananas continue to be recognised and appreciated, especially at a time when parents are so conscious of the food their children are eating.”

Fyffes’ popular ‘Freddy Fyffes’ pre-packed bananas emerged as the Gold Award winner in the Best Baby/Toddler Snack category of the Food and Feeding section of the National Parenting Product Awards.

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In-Store Efficiency

Speeding up transaction times!

Simon Hedaux, founder and CEO of Rethink Productivity, advises on five ways to speed up transaction times in your store.

THE experience of paying is a moment of truth in the customer journey that often influences how likely customers are to visit the retailer again. The tricky thing is that customers want different things on different days. One day, they may be in a hurry and want to get their essentials as fast as they can. Another day, they might enjoy a chat. It’s important to keep the operational parts of the payment process as slick as possible, so it frees up time for either a fast exit or a chat.

Transaction times matter for retailers too. The two biggest chunks of work in a shop are handling stock

and serving customers. So, it makes sense for retailers to pay attention to transaction times.

Looking for speed needs to be done in a smarter way than just focusing on colleague ring rate, as some grocery operators have done previously. Ring rate measures how fast a staff member scans items and driving ring rate up means customers are showered with their items as the staff member whizzes them over the scanner as fast as they can. We’re going to consider how to speed up transaction times, so it works for both customers and retailers.

1. Go contactless From time and motion studies with many retailers, we know that the payment part of a transaction takes half the time with contactless compared to chip and pin payment. And contactless is quicker than cash too. Covid and the higher €50 transaction limit is helping drive contactless uptake for the benefit of both customers, colleagues, and retailers.

2. Parcel collection Whether it’s your own Click and Collect offer or a third-party service, such as Collect Plus, online sales and associated parcel volumes are growing. Parcel pickup and drop-off can help drive footfall to your store and provide a useful service for local customers; however, it can also take up time if you’re not efficient.

Common issues we see while advising retailers on productivity include: • Parcels being kept a long walk from the counter, so it takes ages for a colleague to walk backwards and forwards to grab the parcel; • Disorganised storage, so colleagues rummage through a mound of parcels to find the right one; • Lack of training, so some colleagues don’t know how to use the associated systems.

Our timings show that the average time for retrieval and hand-out of a click and collect parcel is about 90 seconds.

That’s quite a bit longer than a typical transaction and our benchmark best for parcel retrieval is under 30 seconds. Get slick by having well organised storage as close to the tills as you can and train all your team on the process. You might have to move things around or build a new space to accommodate parcels near the till, but volumes are set to grow and customers picking up parcels often buy other things while they are in the shop too.

3. Review your till-space For peak efficiency, it’s good to think about your till-space as a workstation and review how well it is set up and whether everything needed is to hand.

For something you do as often as serving a customer, shaving seconds off the time can add up to a big savings. So small things matter. How often have you had to rummage for the right size bag in a pile of slippery plastic? Or do you need to go in search of a pen? Do your colleagues have to share devices to remove security tags or interrupt another colleague to get something they need? The adage, a place for everything and everything in its place, applies to counters and it’s worth spending time making sure everything

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In-Store Efficiency your colleagues need is always there and easy to get to.

When we worked with a grab-andgo coffee operator, we helped improve the layout of their workstations by doing small things like tilting the paper cups towards the barista and organising different size lids so they were easy to grab. The small changes added up to them being able to serve customers so much quicker that they increased their production capacity by 25%.

4. Streamline till systems Till systems can have a direct impact on transaction time. The biggest mistake is having cluttered screens that make it harder for colleagues to find the button they are looking for.

The quickest systems show a relatively clean screen of relevant options that change interactively as the colleague works through the menu options. For example, rather than having to type in the value of cash tendered, offer options of the right amount plus the other most likely tender amounts. Switching from typing in three numbers to pressing one button is measurably quicker. Having a flip-top till drawer is quicker than one that opens towards you and forces you to step back every time. And check out your printers and receipts too. Waiting for a slow printer to get started wastes time and overlong receipts take more time to print and create additional waste paper too.

The payment part of a transaction takes half the time with contactless compared to chip and pin payment.

5. Technology helps Do you want to make a big step-change in the time colleagues spend taking money? There are lots of technology options to help. We are all getting more used to self-service and provided you have enough traffic to make the investment worthwhile, self-checkout tills can transform your operation.

Amazon Go stores are opening without tills and use smart RFID tech that knows

what a customer has taken from the store and automatically charges them for it. It could be a while before all stores become till-free, but the use of selfscanning and check-out apps is bringing a quiet and more easily accessed revolution to grocery shopping for many.

Payment is a high stakes moment of truth for your operation. To speed up transactions, you need to think small to optimise your efficiency, and think big to take advantage of the technological advances and consumer uptake of apps to transform payment.

About the author:

The use of self-scanning and check-out apps is bringing a quiet and more easily accessed revolution to grocery shopping for many.

Simon Hedaux is founder and CEO of Rethink Productivity, a world leading productivity partner which helps businesses to drive efficiency, boost productivity and optimise budgets. For more information, see rethinkproductivity.co.uk.

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Waste Management

Good news for packaging recycling in Ireland

Pictured are the leaders of Repak’s Team Green initiative (l-r) Anna Geary, Bobby Kerr, Gary and Paul O’Donovan, Paul McGrath, and Roz Purcell, as they gathered in Croke Park, Dublin, before new guidelines on Covid-19 restrictions were implemented by the Government.

Ireland’s packaging recycling tonnes have increased by 9.1% in the last two years.

IRELAND’S recycling tonnes have increased by 9.1% in the last two years, according to new data released by Repak. The timeframe involved coincides with the life of Team Green, an initiative powered by Repak to support Ireland in achieving future packaging recycling targets set by the European Union.

Indeed, since Repak founded its Team Green initiative in 2018, the volume of tonnes recycled has amounted to 1,314,160, enough to completely fill the Aviva Stadium over 20 times.

In the last few months, the people of Ireland have demonstrated the power of working together to achieve a common goal more than ever. While the Irish public’s teamwork has been evident since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, what many may not realise is how effective the nation has been in coming together to protect Ireland’s environment and improving their recycling behaviours. Repak has seen that recycling rates are up and contamination in the recycling bins are down.

Over 13,000 individuals have joined Repak’s Team Green to date. These individuals have played a significant role in driving an increase in Ireland’s packaging recycling, leading to the recycling of 57,000 tonnes (9.1%) of waste packaging in just two years.

Irish football legend Paul McGrath is one of Repak’s Team Green leaders.

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Waste Management

Roz Purcell, one of Repak’s Team Green leaders.

Improving recycling habits The public have continually improved their recycling habits in the past two decades, making Ireland one of the most successful European countries for packaging recycling. Since 1997, the people of Ireland have diverted 13.3m tonnes of recyclable materials from landfill. This has led to the reduction of the country’s landfill facilities from 126 in 1997 to just three in 2020.

To reach Ireland’s future packaging recycling targets under the EU’s Circular Economy Package, the public will need to continue their improved recycling behaviours. With many people now spending more time in their household, becoming better recyclers at home is crucial in ensuring Ireland continues to be a packaging recycling leader in Europe.

Leading by a Team Green example Repak has launched a search to find Ireland’s recycling role models, with households being called upon to nominate themselves or individuals they know to become one of Repak’s Team Green leaders, by joining Repak’s Team Green, sharing an

Instagram or Facebook post of the leader, and tagging @repakrecycling, as well as five other environmental champions on Instagram or Facebook. In doing so, not only will they join fellow Repak Team Green leaders, Anna Geary, Paul and Gary O’Donovan, Paul McGrath, Roz Purcell and Bobby Kerr, in leading the charge to drive an increase in Ireland’s packaging recycling rates, but they will also be in with a chance to win a €250 voucher for a Repak member of their choice.

Commenting on the importance of taking individual responsibility for supporting the protection of the environment, CEO of Repak, Séamus Clancy said: “Being part of a team has taken on new meaning since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The people of Ireland have shown how we can all make a big difference by coming together. What might be surprising to some is that we’ve been making just as big a difference to the environment for some time now, by improving our packaging recycling habits in the last few years.

“Since we introduced our Team Green initiative two years ago, nearly 13,000 individuals have pledged to recycle correctly.

They’ve taken time to learn what materials should be disposed of in a recycling bin and that all recyclables should be placed into a recycling bin clean, dry and loose. Recycling tonnes have increased by 9.1% in the last two years, which symbolises a critical step in our journey to reaching our future packaging recycling targets. To those 13,000 people who have joined Repak’s Team Green, I thank you for making a commitment to protect our planet.”

Clancy went on to note that social restrictions, regrettably, will remain part of our lives for the foreseeable future and we will continue to spend more time at home. “The environment has benefited from the reported transport reduction in the volume of CO2 emissions, but we must not forget the importance of reduction and recycling more and correctly of all resources at home also,” he said, encouraging Irish recycling leaders to sign up to Repak’s Team Green: “Change starts with each of us individually, so I urge you to play your part to look after the world around us.”

For more information, visit repak.ie/team-green.

Electrical recycling hits new heights A NATIONWIDE post-lockdown buying spree for electrical goods has seen the country’s largest recycling scheme record the biggest month in its 15-year history.

WEEE Ireland recovered 3,763 tonnes of electrical waste in July, the equivalent of 12,800 fridges or 1.7m small appliances, resulting in a new national monthly e-waste record.

58% (2,200 tonnes) of large and small items came back through free collection points at retailers, which saw an 18% annual increase on last year, attributed mainly to a rapid rise in sales of electrical goods.

“Both retailers and manufacturers are reporting a marked increase in sales of electrical goods in recent months, prompting a record rise in waste items being recycled at over 500 store locations throughout Ireland,” said WEEE Ireland CEO, Leo Donovan. “There was also an increase in waste recovered from local authority recycling centres, due to household clear-outs, but the real driver in this record month has come through the We’ll Take It Back retail programme.”

The take back of e-waste through retailers is higher in Ireland than in any other country in Europe, Donovan noted: “As well as Ireland having a limited amount of local authority recycling centres compared to other European member

Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland, celebrates a new national monthly electrical recycling record, fuelled by a nationwide post-lockdown buying spree for electrical goods. states, there is a mandatory take back requirement in place by retailers under Irish WEEE regulations.”

For more information, visit weeeireland.ie.

58|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: News

Circle K research reveals customers attitude to on-the-go food choices

The new Circle K ‘Grab and Go’ range includes options like a gourmet hot dot and a veggie omelette bagel.

COVID may have changed our lives considerably since the start of 2020, but when it comes to sustenance on-the-go, the one thing that has, and will remain a constant through all of this is convenience retail and the provision of breakfast, lunch and all-day hot snacking options for people on the move. 58% of Irish people continued eating on-the-go since Covid-19 interrupted our lives, and over a quarter (26%) buy readymade meals from a convenience retailer at least once a week, according to new research by Circle K, (from a sample of 1,000 Irish adults, conducted by iReach Insights on behalf of Circle K in August 2020).

Forecourts are a key aspect of Ireland’s convenience retail sector but almost half (48%) of Irish people think that there is a lack of food options to choose from at the forecourt. Overall, 60% felt they were compromising their food preferences when choosing to eat on-the-go. When asked to rank what was most important to them when choosing food on-the-go, the majority (28%) of people said taste, 25% said quality, 14% said value, 10% said convenience and 7% said choice.

Circle K set out to challenge these perceptions and deliver upon the public demand for quality, choice, taste, value and convenience, and in response has just launched its new ‘Grab and Go’ range that significantly ups the game in the forecourt food market.

Circle K’s new offering represents the tastiest and highest quality food range it has ever produced. With a huge choice of new convenient ready-made sandwich and baguette options, including a Southern Fried Chicken and Cheese Baguette, Cajun Chicken Baguette and tasty salad products, lunch and all-day hot snacking for people on the move has reached great new heights.

In addition to the ready-made options, Circle K has also added new items to its hugely popular breakfast range.

Joining the breakfast range line-up are several delicious

meals such as sausage or egg and bacon on a brioche bun, a breakfast muffin complete with Ballymaloe Relish, a veggie omelette bagel and a tasty breakfast baguette, garnished with a sauce of your choice and served on sourdough bread.

A firm favourite, Circle K’s selection of Irish, Gourmet Chilli, BLT and French hot dogs, all made from the same high-quality ingredients and toppings, are also available in sites nationwide as part of the new ‘Grab and Go’ offer.

“At Circle K, we strive to make our customers’ lives easier every day and have been listening to what consumers want from food options while on-the-go: taste, high quality, great value, excellent choice and convenient access,” noted Judy Glover, Senior Market Director, Circle K Ireland. “We have developed a new ‘Grab and Go’ range that delivers on these needs, is consistent at all sites and will assure consumers that they do not need to compromise on their food preferences when they opt for a lunch or hot snack on-thego.

“One of the busiest times in-store is at the start of the day, when our customers stop by our sites to look for morning fuel, both for their vehicle and for themselves.

“Research shows that while people are buying food while ‘on-the-go’ in convenience retailers regularly, when it comes to forecourt food, there is a perception amongst many that there is a lack of quality and taste in what’s available. Our new breakfast range has products to satisfy the morning cravings of any food connoisseur and make sure that no one feels they must miss out on the most important meal of the day.”

For more information on the new food ranges, visit www.circlek.ie, Circle K Ireland on Facebook or @circlekireland on Twitter and Instagram.

Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie|59

Forecourt Focus: News Texaco initiative to reward sports clubs across the country VALERO Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand, has announced the setting up of Texaco Support for Sport, an initiative for which a fund of €130,000 has been set aside for distribution to sports clubs on a county-bycounty basis, with successful applicants receiving €5,000 each.

Open to clubs across the 26 counties, irrespective of their sporting discipline, size, membership, age, cultural appeal or gender, the initiative recognises the important contribution that clubs make to communities and throughout Irish society as a whole, and comes at a time when many may be experiencing financial strain.

It is open for entries until the end of December, with winners announced early next year. Details can be viewed at www.TexacoSupportforSport.com.

Pictured launching the Texaco Support for Sport initiative at the new Texaco Portlaoise Plaza outlet is renowned former Irish rugby international, Donncha O’Callaghan (centre), ambassador to the programme and lead adjudicator, with Tom Naughton, National Sales Manager, and Bronagh Carron, Marketing Manager, Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited.

Applegreen offers Irish customers CarbonNeutral driving APPLEGREEN is pioneering a new climate initiative that gives motorists the opportunity to drive CarbonNeutral as part of the company’s ‘Drive Change’ sustainability strategy.

“As a fuel retailer, we feel a responsibility to think and act more sustainably and we are taking steps to address our most material issues, among which are carbon reduction and climate change,” said Joe Barrett, Chief Operating Officer of Applegreen.

Since September 16, Applegreen is offsetting all carbon emissions from fuel used by customers who fill their tank with PowerPlus the company’s premium fuel. In addition, Applegreen is committed to planting more than 300,000 native trees in Ireland.

“For every litre of PowerPlus that is purchased at our pumps, we will offset those fuel emissions and give our customers the opportunity to drive CarbonNeutral,” said

Pictured at the launch of Applegreen’s ‘Put Carbon Into Neutral’ initiative are Rebecca Duffy, Marketing Manager, Applegreen; Bob Etchingham, CEO; Fiona Matthews, Commercial Director; and Joe Barrett, COO.

Barrett. “This programme accelerates our sustainability journey in line with our transition to cleaner energy, including electricity – a key element of the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals.”

To achieve CarbonNeutral certification, Applegreen is supporting a clean water initiative in East Africa that will offset more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon each year.

The company is working with the global climate finance and carbon neutral specialist Natural Capital Partners to purchase carbon offset credits from Irish NGO, Vita, whose project involves restoring community water points to provide easy access to clean water for families in East Africa. This reduces the need to burn fuel wood, resulting in deforestation, in order to boil water.

In addition, Applegreen has announced that it will be planting 300,000 native trees, including Pedunculate Oak, Birch, Scots Pine, Rowan, Holly and Hazel, around Ireland over the next three years, beginning in selected locations in Limerick and Mayo later this year. This includes planting one tree for every tonne of carbon generated by the use of PowerPlus fuel, with a minimum of 100,000 trees per year and no upper limit on the number of trees to be planted.

Applegreen has committed to investing a minimum of €1.5m in carbon reduction initiatives over the next three years. “In launching our CarbonNeutral programme, we have selected climate initiatives that will deliver tangible benefits,” said Applegreen’s Joe Barrett. “If all customers purchase PowerPlus fuel where it is available, our corresponding carbon reduction initiatives would be equivalent to reducing emissions from 180,000 cars, which amounts to almost 10% of the entire national car population.

“Through this programme, we are offering customers a simple solution to drive change,” said Barrett. “By putting carbon into neutral, we can all reduce our environmental impact today and help to leave a lasting, positive legacy for future generations.”

60|Retail News|October 2020|www.retailnews.ie

Shelf Life EMER Lawn has been appointed Managing Director of Starcom, part of Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications company. Emer joined Starcom in August of last year as Deputy Managing Director to work closely with the existing Board, including MD Geoff McGrath, Anna Doyle and Aisling O’Sullivan. Prior to joining Starcom, Emer was a director of Mediaworks, also part of Core. In her time there, Emer established and expanded the agency’s digital communication solutions. She also led the team that won the Grand Prix at the 2018 Media Awards.

Before this, she was responsible for establishing Core’s social media offering, which went on to win Social Media Agency of the Year three years in a row.

IRISH crisps, popcorn and potato manufacturer Keogh’s has appointed Data Revolution as its data integration, reporting and insight partner. Data Revolution will be providing Keogh’s with regular automated data reports, which will provide them with a quicker, more detailed understanding of retail sales performance than ever before. One of the key areas of insight Data Revolution will focus on for Keogh’s is store-level reporting, which could include, for example, identifying distribution opportunities, identifying and fixing any store-level issues, prioritising retail outlets and ensuring sales reps have the most efficient call file.

“By working with Data Revolution, we can ensure we are receiving reliable, consistent, accurate and detailed sales data that we can trust, which enables us to clearly understand how our products are performing within the Irish market. It has taken all the data preparation work out of our business, saving us time and energy, and driving operational efficiencies” said Richard Marles, Marketing Manager, Keogh’s.

PRIMELINE Sales and Marketing has developed a new beverages strategy, supporting high-potential brand launches in the health & wellness and sustainability sectors of the FMCG market. The company has recently agreed distribution and marketing deals with two Irish-owned emerging brands in the functional beverages sector, as well as securing distribution for the Swedish owned Nocco range, from the health and exerciseoriented No Carbs Company. Among the new healthier options now marketed by Primeline is SynerChi, a flavoured kombucha drink which focuses on gut health and wellness, produced in Gweedore, Co. Donegal. Primeline is also logistics and marketing partner to Defiant, a new seven-times filtered still water offering, aiming to create a Millennial lifestyle brand that disrupts the bottled water category.

AUSTRALIAN brand Pimp My Salad has launched in SuperValu, following strong sales Down Under and successful UK launches in Holland & Barrett, Ocado, Planet Organic and Selfridges. Pimp My Salad offers a range of exciting meal toppers, including Coconut Bacon, Cashew Parmesan and Activated Super Seeds. Having been carefully created by brand founders Alex Komarov and Olga Plotnikova, the toppers use only the best ingredients, sourced from ethical suppliers, and are vegan, gluten free and keto/paleo friendly.

GOOD Food Ireland, the food provenance brand, has announced the appointment of Paul Carey as Director of Quality Assurance.

Paul brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked in the food and tourism hospitality industry for over 30 years, both in Ireland and internationally. He is a qualified Chef, HACCP Manager and Graduate of Shannon College of Hotel Management. “This is my dream job and I very much look forward to working with the team to continue raising standards and giving recognition to businesses for what they do so very well,” said Carey.

THE Private Label Manufacturers Association is taking its World of Private Label International Trade Show online for four days, from December 1-4, with each day emphasising a specific group of food and non-food categories. The theme of the event, ‘Life is Good in Private Label’, was never more appropriate than it is now, according to the show’s organisers. Private label market share in Europe is nearly 40% or more in eight countries and with major shifts in purchasing, and supply chains under enormous stress, competition is fierce everywhere. But the opportunities for new products and expanding own-brand business remain extraordinary, because consumers will continue to turn to retailers first for value, while maintaining their quality of life in these unprecedented times. You can request a registration link at www.plma.nl/visitonline.

ROWNTREE’S Fruit Pastilles is becoming vegan friendly.

The new vegan friendly recipe will be used across the full range of Fruit Pastilles sweets, starting with sharing bags from October. Fruit Pastilles join Nestlé’s expanding range of vegan products, which include Jelly Tots, Carnation vegan condensed milk and Nescafé Gold dairy alternative lattes.

Nestlé technicians trialled over 30 recipes before arriving at the new formulation. Their mission was to remove the gelatin, while ensuring the sweets retained the fruity flavour and iconic chew they are famous for. “In developing the new formulation, we were very conscious of our responsibility as custodians of this much-loved brand and its long history,” revealed Maria McKenna, Marketing Manager for Nestlé Ireland Confectionery.

“Through this recipe change, we’ve made the sweets slightly softer, which we know has been a market trend for a number of years. However, our priority was to preserve the fabulously fruity chew that has made Fruit Pastilles a classic for almost a century and a half.”

TAYTO Snacks has officially been certified as a Great Place to Work. To achieve the certification, the company, which is based in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, engaged in a process that examined employee feedback and the workplace culture at Tayto Snacks. A specific highlight was the development of a bespoke colleague recognition programme, Tag’ed, which gives recognition for living the company values to colleagues, by colleagues. “We are delighted to have officially been recognised as a Great Place to Work’ said Annamarie O’Connor, People & Culture Director at Tayto Snacks (pictured). “This wouldn’t have been possible without the feedback and engagement from our colleagues.”

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