17 minute read
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
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
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.”
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
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 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
Centra had 35 winners at the Great Taste Awards, including 17 from the Inspired By Centra range.
achievement and proves that Aldi’s unbeatable prices don’t
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,
Duck comes with pancakes and a rich important Christmas period.
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 Lidl Ireland’s meat and poultry range performed extremely well at the 2020 Great Taste Awards. judging rounds, reducing plastic waste by almost 100%. The Guild of Fine Food also donates surplus computer impressing the judges with two wins c The panel of judges included; cook, comments, to community-based for the retailer’s Deluxe Crispy Roast writer and champion of sustainable projects. Half Duck and Deluxe Duck Breasts. food, Melissa Hemsley, cook, writer, For more information, visit A seasonal hit, the Crispy Roast Half stylist and voice of modern vegetarian www.greattasteawards.co.uk. and fruity Hoisin sauce, the perfect starter for an Asian-inspired feast. Other winners included Lidl’s Deluxe Stuffed Irish start-up wins big Turkey Crown, Unsmoked Half Horse IRISH company Rívesci launched just one year ago and since then, it has pivoted Show Ham Joint, and Premium Smoked from food truck to condiments as a result of the pandemic, so it is quite an Thick Cut Back Bacon. achievement that its Cashew Chilli Crush was rewarded with a 3-star award at the “We are delighted our meat and Great Taste Awards. 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.” 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 Judging process This year’s winners were found through award-winning Cashew Chilli Crush is on shelves in two SuperValu stores a combination of remote judging and and we’re on sale in socially distanced judging sessions, different shops locally in after the lockdown began just one week Tipperary and nationally into the schedule. This necessitated a as well. The win at the swift and comprehensive reinvention Great Taste Awards was a of the Great Taste process to ensure real endorsement of the that robust judging standards were brand and great boost, maintained and the quality of feedback given this is not where we Rívesci co-founders Shannon Forrest and was not compromised, all in time to saw the business going Michelin Star trained chef, Declan Malone, provide a much-needed boost for food when we launched this whose Cashew Chilli Crush won a coveted and drink producers during the all- time last year.” 3-star Great Taste Award. equipment, used to record the judges’
Loyalty Solutions
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
Helping you to reward your customers
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.
We’veworkedreallycloselywithBCorpoverthepast2yearstoachievethis certification,whichlooksatallaspectsofourbusinessfromanenvironmental, community,employeeandgovernanceperspective.Sincewelaunchedourbusinessin 2004,we’vealwaysprioritisedcommunityandenvironmentalprojects–myselfandCully arebothwaterfanaticssoourlatestpartnershipwithCleanCoastsissomethingwe’re especiallyproudofandascommittedasevertodomoretocleanupIreland’sbeautiful coastline.
Fundamentally,ouremployeeshavealwaysbeenthemostimportantpartofour organisation.Thiscertificationisabrillianttributetoallwehaveachievedtogetherso farbutwe’rereallyconsideringthisasjustthestartofourjourneyforimprovement.B Corpnowprovidesuswithaframeworkwhichnotonlymeasuresoursocialand environmentalimpact,butmoreimportantly,helpsusunderstandwhatwecandoto keepgettingbetter,whichwillkeepusmotivated,accountableanddriven.Wereally hopethatmanymorefoodcompanieswillsoonjointheBCorpfamily.”
