Retail News September 2021

Retail News SEPTEMBER 2021

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Contents News

Budgeting for the future WITH the 2022 Budget due in a few weeks’ time, the thoughts of business owners are turning to what Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe TD will announce on October 12. We talk to the country’s main retail organisations about what they would like to see in Budget 2022 (Page 2), from town and urban rejuvenation to some respite from spiralling business costs. If our post-pandemic recovery is to be jobsled, the Government have to incentivise employers to take on more staff instead of introducing legislation which is going to eat into already tight margins and make job creation difficult or even impossible for the country’s grocery sector.

The high costs of doing business in Ireland are also under discussion in the Retail News Interview, where Barry Group Managing Director, Jim Barry, talks to Editor, John Walshe, about the changing face of the FMCG market, the impact of Covid-19 on the wholesale and retail sectors in Ireland, and why the company’s ethos will always be that of a family business (Page 14).

Also inside, as restrictions ease, Barry Reynolds and Jenny Wakely, specialists in employment law with DAC Beachcroft, advise employers on whether they can ask employees to reveal their vaccination status (Page 28), we look at the issue of cybersecurity in the retail sector and advise on how Irish companies can protect themselves from attack (Page 57) and report on a new initiative to take the uncertainty out of waste segregation (Page 60).

2

Budget 2022: retailers reveal their wish-list.

3

Circle K moves to the high street.

4

Grocery decline softens as some normality returns; Aldi reopen Wexford store.

5

Musgrave Marketplace opens Waterford Food Emporium; Dealz announce €20m investment fund for Ireland; Annual General Meeting of the IGBF.

6

Lidl open €12m Bray store; Anuga set to be a trailblazing success; Obituary: Jim Bradley.

7

Optimism rebounds for Irish food SMEs; New Director at FSAI; Fyffes launch first sustainability report.

Retail News Interview 14

2021 marks 21 years since Barry Group took over the Costcutter franchise for Ireland. MD Jim Barry talks us through the Group’s birthday celebrations, discusses the continuing impact of Covid and Brexit on the market and why the company’s family ethos gives it a unique advantage.

14

Moy Park 24

Panini 26

Des Kee invested in a complete rebuild of his Spar forecourt store in Laghey, Co. Donegal, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the results have already exceeded the experienced store owner’s expectations.

22

The Premier League Adrenalyn XL trading card game from Panini has got off to a record-breaking start.

Employment Law

28

As the Government announces a general lifting of Covid-related restrictions, Barry Reynolds and Jenny Wakely, specialists in employment law with DAC Beachcroft, advise employers on whether they can ask workers to divulge their vaccination status.

28

Charleville 32

Charleville have unveiled a brand new packaging design, which celebrates the brand’s heritage and the craftsmanship behind one of Ireland’s iconic brands.

Nivea 44

The Nivea cleansing range delivers the most complete cleansing experience.

Digital Security 57

Shop Profile 22

Ellen Wright, Brand Marketing Manager, Moy Park, explains the company’s continued focus on NPD and its plans for the coming months.

With ransomware attacks and data leaks constantly in the news cycle, Morgan Stokes explains the organisational and employee training solutions that FMCG businesses can use to safeguard their systems, from the CEO’s office to the shop-floor.

Waste Management 60

MyWaste have launched a new initiative to take the uncertainty out of waste segregation, with an extensive suite of signage and training materials available free of charge.

Ferrero 64

The Ferrero Group recently published their 12th Sustainability Report, updating their progress towards achieving their sustainability goals.

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

Regulars & Reports

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8 34 40 42 45 53 62 65 66 68

Industry News Vaping Retail Ireland: Monthly Update Drinks News Confectionery Sauces Mushroom Market What’s New Forecourt Focus: News Shelf Life

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News

Budget 2022: retailers EARLIER this month, a woman entered a small independent grocery store on the northside of Dublin and asked a member of staff for a packet of cigarettes. “The assistant gave her the price: €13.50,” said Benny Gilsenan.

“No,” the woman replied. “I want the €5 ones.”

“We don’t sell those,” said the assistant.

“Well,” said the woman, “I came in here today because the person who I normally get cigarettes from told me they’ve gone up from €5 to €8.50.”

The woman wouldn’t tell the assistant who normally sold her cigarettes, but it was evident that she was buying them from the black market. Gilsenan, a spokesperson for Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS), was not surprised by this interaction.

“During lockdown - from January this year until the end of June - cigarette sales went up by almost 100% in my premises,” he told Retail News. This was a result, he believes, of a drop-off in smuggled tobacco during the pandemic. That changed when restrictions eased: “Since the end of July, we have seen that trend change dramatically. Now sales have gone back down to where they were before Covid.”

The day after Gilsenan spoke to Retail News, smuggled cigarettes with an estimated retail value of €613,000 were seized at Dublin Port: the same week that seven million cigarettes were seized from a lorry trailer in County Antrim. Since July, there have been seizures on the island on an almost weekly basis.

“If I said this was phenomenally serious, it would be an understatement,” said Gilsenan. “There are more seizures than ever before and we’re still led to believe they are only getting 10% of smuggled tobacco. That means there is 90% still getting through.”

Due to routine hikes in Ireland’s annual Budget, the retail price of cigarettes in

Benny Gilsenan, shop owner and spokesperson for Retailers Against Smuggling.

rent disputes - “a long-standing issue that emerged during the course of the pandemic”. Furthermore, they would like to see the EU’s Brexit Adjustment Fund, which allows retailers to navigate disruption to established supply chains and business models, to be “channelled in a way that ensures it gets to the businesses that need them”.

Tax reform is a top-line issue for the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME). Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive, wants to shine a torch on what he describes as the “Jobs Kill Zone”: the narrowing gap between state benefits and wages.

Arnold Dillon, Director, Retail Ireland.

Ireland is 121% above the EU average. Yet the revenue and health benefits of price increases are becoming questionable.

“Retailers are very conscious of the level of illegal tobacco coming into the country,” said Arnold Dillon, Retail Ireland Director.

“Government should consider that price or tax considerations, in the context of the Budget, might have the effect of driving people to the black market. It doesn’t tackle the health issues. Nor does it bring long term benefits to the Exchequer if the money is going into the hands of criminals.”

As Budget 2022 approaches, retailers across the country are drawing up their wish-lists; illegal tobacco is just one hot-ticket item. As we emerge from the pandemic, and mitigate the impact of Brexit, the costs of business have come sharply into focus.

Increased employment costs - through the impending introduction of mandatory sick leave, pension auto enrolment, and changes to the minimum wage - are looming. “If Government want a jobs-led recovery, they need to be careful about taking measures and initiatives that increase the cost of employment,” said Tara Buckley, Director General, RGDATA. “The commission for taxation should look at any types of proposals to ensure they do not add to these costs.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, state support and relief schemes have been vital in assisting SMEs to retain staff, maintain operations and continue to serve their local communities, according to Dillon: “It is important that any supports are ended gradually and take account of the level of recovery that is required for businesses operating in the service sector.”

Retail Ireland are calling for new measures to incentivise arbitration in

Tara Buckley, Director General, RGDATA.

“If you don’t live in a city and you’re a single person, you lose your entitlement to social and important housing when your income level exceeds €25,000. Students working in shops and on PUP are saying they want to be paid in cash. We have set up a mini cottage industry in tax avoidance and social protection. There was a state of denial, especially amongst parties on the left, but it’s not deniable any more.

Everybody knows there is a massive recruitment and retention problem. They have to start looking at tax reform,” said McDonnell.

Despite the Judicial Council’s reduction in injury awards, the cost of insurance remains a headache. With premiums increasing by as much as 70% in recent years, a single digit reduction has not cut the mustard.

“There has been no substantive or material change,” stated McDonnell.

“We were looking for an 80% reduction in damages.”

Buckley added: “The Government

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News

reveal their wish-list for humanity”, focus on sustainability and the circular economy will be a priority in Budget 2022.

Retailers are ready to step up.

“Retailers are making enormous changes in how they operate: energy consumption, packaging, recycling, products, plastics,” said Dillon. “Retail wants to be a leader in delivering on targets and there will be an economic and consumer benefit of that.

But the right incentives need to be in place for Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive, ISME. businesses to make those investments.” should fund the other reforms we have been As we emerge from the pandemic, promised. That includes the rebalancing of retailers are calling on the Minister for the Duty of Care.”

Finance to renew a focus on town and Following the UN’s Intergovernmental urban rejuvenation. Retail Ireland called Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for support programmes in the Budget that described by the UN chief as “a code red tackle everything from planning issues to

the repurposing of derelict buildings.

Buckley called for an investment in a national co-ordinating body to implement the Town Centre First Policy, which is part of the Programme for Government but has seemingly been left to wither on the vine. “We believe the existing structures, whether local authority or Government, are inadequate,” she said. RGDATA wants a non-profit, non-government body, along the lines of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, to coordinate policy efforts.

Retailers also want Government to stop alcohol excise hikes, due to the impending introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in the new year. “MUP will significantly drive up the price disparity between here and Northern Ireland,” remarked Dillon. “The long term consequences will potentially drive trade north of the border. That won’t address the public health objectives of what the Government are trying to do, but it will deprive Irish retailers of business.”

But, like the annual hike on tobacco prices in the face of a prosperous black market, will Government listen? “I won’t hold my breath,” said Benny Gilsenan.

Circle K move to the high street CIRCLE K are moving off the forecourt and onto the high street, with the news that the group have reached an agreement to acquire a total of 10 Griffin Group convenience stores, all situated in Dublin, with the vast majority in high profile city centre locations. The acquisition is subject to approval from the CCPC.

The locations of the stores are Upper O’Connell Street, Lower O’Connell Street, Westmoreland Street, College Green, Nassau Street, Grafton Street, Fonthill, Parkwest and Sandyford, with the outlets in Sandyford consisting of one convenience store and a coffee shop.

A total of 200 staff are currently employed at the locations in question, all of whom will now become employees of Circle K and will continue working at the 10 stores. This brings Circle K’s total number of employees in Ireland to just under 2,400, while their overall store footprint has increased to 430 nationwide. The group are also actively recruiting for 150 full- and part-time positions to meet increased demand at their forecourt locations.

The acquisition marks Circle K’s first move onto the high street in Ireland and also represents its first multi-site acquisition of standalone stores in Europe.

“We are delighted to make this

announcement today and I would like to formally welcome our new colleagues from the Griffin Group as well as our new partners Subway and Chopped to the Circle K family,” noted Gordon Lawlor, Managing Director, Circle K Ireland.

“The Griffin Group have an established reputation in convenience retailing in high profile locations with strong expertise in food and excellent partners, all of which greatly complements our network of forecourt locations and will be a tremendous addition to our business. We are particularly excited at the opportunities this presents for our food business across our network in terms of innovation, shared learnings and new offerings for our customers, and are looking forward to collaborating with our new colleagues and partners.”

The MD explained how the company sees “great potential for our offering on the high street and huge benefits for our customers and are really excited to introduce the Circle K brand to these locations. We will continue looking at opportunities to expand our footprint in Ireland within our forecourt network, as well as any further opportunities we see in high footfall areas.”

Seamus Griffin, CEO of the Griffin Group, added, “Each of these stores has been developed to the highest standards thanks to the hard work and dedication of

Gordon Lawlor, Managing Director of Circle K Ireland, pictured on Grafton Street in Dublin, announcing that Circle K have reached an agreement to acquire a total of 10 Griffin Group convenience stores in the capital. our loyal staff, management and partners.

Our focus has always been to innovate, while providing the highest standards in fresh foods and customer service. We wish our departing colleagues well as they continue their retail journey with Circle K and thank them for their commitment to the Griffin Group over the past three decades. As a group, we will look to further develop our remaining five stores and towards other opportunities within the convenience sector.”

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Grocery decline softens as some normality returns THE latest figures from Kantar show the grocery market declined by 3.9% during the 12 weeks to August 8, 2021, as life continued to edge back to normal in Ireland and indoor dining in restaurants, pubs and cafés returned for people who are double vaccinated.

“Grocery market growth dipped slightly this month, but it’s important to put that in perspective and remember that we are comparing sales against the peak of Covid-19 restrictions last year,” explained Emer Healy, retail analyst at Kantar. “Irish shoppers still spent a massive €333.2m more on take-home groceries than during this same period in 2019. That represents double-digit growth of 13.4% in two years.”

In the most recent four weeks, take-home grocery sales decreased by 0.9% year on year. “People are enjoying getting out and about again, meeting up with friends and returning to their favourite restaurants, and that means they don’t need to buy as much food to eat at home,” Emer noted. “Some of the best-selling categories during the Covid-19 lockdowns are now seeing the biggest sales drops. Sales of tea and coffee both fell by 8% as people have gradually got back to offices and can enjoy taking a break in coffee shops once again.

“However, the impact of the reopening of hospitality has been balanced slightly by a boom in staycations this summer. Instead of jetting overseas, many families have been packing up the car and heading to holiday rentals closer to home.

While the overall market is in decline, shoppers spent €7.7m more on soft

MARKET SHARE - TOTAL GROCERY

Includes expenditure across Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Household and Health & Beauty categories Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend 12 Weeks to 09/08/2020

12 Weeks to 08/08/2021

% Change (year on year)

% Change (vs 2 years ago)*

%

%

%

%

100.0%

100.0%

-3.9%

13.4%

Total Multiples

89.3%

90.5%

-2.7%

15.0%

Dunnes

20.5%

20.9%

-1.8%

9.7%

Tesco

21.1%

21.3%

-2.9%

12.1%

SuperValu

22.3%

22.6%

-2.9

20.0%

Aldi

12.6%

12.6%

-4.2%

13.5%

Lidl

12.8%

13.0%

-1.8

22.8%.

Other Outlets**

10.7%

9.5%

-14.5

-0.2%

Total Outlets

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

drinks, €664,000 more on savoury snacks, and €579,000 extra on chilled burgers and grilling meats as they made the most of the summer holidays and the August Bank Holiday.”

Online grocery sales dropped by 0.7% during the past 12 weeks. Emer describes online shopping as “one of the most effective barometers of consumer confidence throughout the pandemic,” noting how “when online orders decline, it shows that people are growing more comfortable to venture to physical shops and eat out again. Shoppers spent €917,000 less online, while their basket sizes went down by 4.4% this period. People are buying less but it’s worth noting that the number of people making an online order has actually held steady at 14% compared with last year. It looks like customers who were converted to digital in lockdown have enjoyed the convenience and service

they’ve received and are sticking with it longer term.”

SuperValu once again captured the largest share of the grocery market this period at 22.6%. Customers visiting 5.8% more often contributed an additional €37m to the grocer’s sales.

SuperValu shoppers made 21.1 trips on average in the latest 12 weeks, the highest frequency amongst all retailers.

Elsewhere, Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi and Lidl all welcomed new shoppers this period.

“During lockdown, shoppers returned to making big weekly shops and became increasingly loyal to one supermarket to feed their families,” Emer concluded. “Now that everything is opening up again, they are happier to mix it up and pop into different shops, and Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi and Lidl all saw new faces in-store this period as a result.”

Aldi reopen Wexford store ALDI have unveiled their newly revamped and extended Newtown Road Wexford Town store, following a €2.5m overhaul. The store has been redesigned to be as environmentally friendly as possible, featuring free-to-use electric car charging points and powered by 100% green electricity. The store underwent a complete refurbishment, including the building of a new €2.5m extension, increasing the shop floor space by 30%. Featuring Aldi’s exciting award-winning Project Fresh layout and design, the floor size has been extended from 1,008m² to 1,315m², and features wide aisles and hi-spec fixtures and fittings. There are also 86 car park spaces available to Aldi shoppers, along with a bicycle rack stand.

The store overhaul and extension has created four new permanent jobs in the local area in addition to the current team of 26 staff.

Meanwhile, Aldi have announced plans for two new stores, one on Main Street in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, and another in Athenry, County Galway.

Pictured are the Aldi staff, Adisa Rago, Declan Downes, Barry Doyle, Store Manager, Jess Dempsey and Joanna Tokarzwith at Aldi’s newly revamped and extended Wexford Town store.

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Musgrave Marketplace opens Waterford Food Emporium MUSGRAVE MarketPlace officially unveiled a new Food Emporium at Musgrave MarketPlace Waterford, Kilbarry Road Junction, on August 24, following a €1m upgrade.

The upgrade of the Waterford Food Emporium features a range of new and innovative updates to assist foodservice and retail customers to access the information and products they need.

These include a designated meat cutting service alongside expanded areas for fruit and vegetables, chilled and frozen foods, and a state-of-the-art food demo area to showcase the Musgrave MarketPlace offerings for customers.

“The opening of our newly revamped Waterford Food Emporium is hugely exciting for the local community in Waterford and beyond,” noted Michael McCormack, Managing Director, Musgrave Wholesale Partners. “We have invested €13.6m to date in our branches to create Food Emporiums within Musgrave MarketPlace which not only offer a first-class customer experience but also redefine the traditional cashand-carry business.”

The Waterford branch unveiling follows branch upgrades in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Dublin’s Ballymun and Robinhood, Duncrue in Belfast and Derry. As well as adding hundreds of new products to their current range of

Pictured at the unveiling of a new Food Emporium at Musgrave MarketPlace Waterford are Martin Slattery, Head of MarketPlace Operations; Patricia Hattersley, Branch General Manager, Musgrave MarketPlace; Mary Walsh, a long-standing customer of Musgrave MarketPlace; and Michael McCormack, MD, Musgrave MarketPlace. over 9,000 products, the branch now has expanded chilled, frozen and fresh produce aisles.

In line with Musgrave MarketPlace’s sustainability strategy, the new Food Emporium is designed

to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. With the introduction of low power eco refrigeration and LED lighting, the Waterford branch is supplied with 100% renewable electricity.

Dealz announce €20m investment fund for Ireland IRISH discount retailer, Dealz have an Irish investment fund of €20m earmarked for store expansion in the Republic of Ireland over the next three years. The group are actively exploring opportunities across Ireland, particularly within smaller, regional areas including Galway, Donegal, Mayo, Tipperary, Wicklow, Leitrim, Meath, Kildare, Kerry, Clare, Louth, Sligo, Limerick and Waterford, as well as in the suburbs of Dublin.

Barry Williams, Managing Director at Poundland & Dealz, said: “We know Irish customers love their local Dealz stores and that’s why we’re excited to bring our best offer to more communities across Ireland. And we think the value we bring customers has never been more important.

Our investment fund will support that growth with new stores in key locations and the creation of good jobs where colleagues can build careers.”

Annual General Meeting of the IGBF

THE Annual General Meeting of the IGBF will take place on Thursday, October 28, 2021. Due to circumstances brought about by Covid-19 regulations/guidelines, further details regarding location/time will be confirmed to members nearer the date.

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Lidl open €12m Bray store LIDL Ireland have opened a brand new €12m store on Boghall Road in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The new state-of-the-art store creates up to 30 permanent jobs with the retailer, as well as having supported a further 100 construction jobs throughout the development phase.

Lidl Bray is an excellent example of Lidl’s leadership in the sustainable building field with the store using only renewable electricity as part of its 50001 ISO certified energy management system, providing free EV charging points to customers and including roof-mounted solar panels.

“We are thrilled to have opened our brand new store on Boghall Road,” said store manager, Ewelina Sliwka, “expanding our presence in Bray to the south of the town and making our fantastic range of top-quality produce even more accessible to the Bray community. Our new state-of-the-art store will offer our local customers an even better shopping experience, with its spacious design and sustainability features throughout.”

Meanwhile, Lidl Ireland were granted final planning permission to knock and rebuild their store on Waterford Road, Co. Kilkenny, which will see a substantial €9m investment in the local area. Alongside an environmentally friendly Lidl store, the development includes the construction of 13 two-storey homes adjoining the new store.

Ewelina Sliwka, Store Manager, and Wicklow LGFA captain, Sarah Jane Winders, are pictured at the official opening of the new Lidl Bray store.

Anuga set to be a trailblazing success ANUGA 2021 takes place in Cologne from October 9-13, and the event is ready to play a key role in the successful re-start of the market. At the same time, the leading global trade fair for food and beverages is also setting new conceptrelated benchmarks, combining the great strengths of a physical event with trailblazing digital features in the form of Anuga @home. The hybrid approach enables professionals from the food industry to discover attractive trade fair presences and products and connect with relevant contact partners via innovative channels.

Around 4,000 companies from 91 countries have already registered and further registrations are expected, particularly in the form of joint country participations. Under the key theme ‘Transform’, the leading global trade fair for food and beverages is picking up on trailblazing future themes this year and is presenting, among others, innovations from the cell-based proteins, meat substitute products, clean label, free-from, health and functional foods sections.

For more information, visit www.anuga.com.

Obituary: Jim Bradley THE friends and colleagues of the Irish Grocers Benevolent fund were deeply saddened by the passing of esteemed IGBF member, Jim Bradley.

Jim was a wellknown and popular figure within the grocery trade for many years and was a huge contributor to the IGBF Executive Committee during this time. Recent years, saw him taking on the task of Trustee.

“Without people as caring as Jim, the IGBF would not exist,” said Gus O Reilly, Executive Secretary. “We thank Jim for his years of voluntary service and offer our condolences to Angela and all the family. Jim will be a great loss to all in the IGBF. He was a loyal colleague and special friend.”

May he rest in peace.

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Optimism rebounds for Irish food SMEs OPTIMISM levels among Irish Food & AgriBusinesses have seen a significant rebound, up from 55% in 2020 to a four-year high of 77% in 2021, according to the new Food and AgriBusiness Report 2021 from ifac, Ireland’s farming, food and agribusiness specialist professional services firm.

Reassuringly, with the agri-food industry facing significant challenges related to climate change, 37% of SMEs are putting Environmental, Social and Governance factors high on their agendas. 87% are taking positive climate change actions and all food and agribusiness SMEs are continuing to invest in climate change initiatives; sustainable packaging continues to be the top trend impacting Irish food businesses, as well as managing waste and by-products.

“Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is as commercially relevant today for Irish food and agribusiness SMEs as it is for large corporations and this is a very pertinent report for this entire sector that has played a key role throughout the global pandemic,” said Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, at the online launch of ifac’s Report. “Covid-19 has renewed our appreciation for our natural environment and accelerated the need to tackle climate change. It’s great to see that 87% of SMEs are taking positive climate change actions mirrored in the Government’s Climate Action Plan, with commitments to achieve 7% emissions reductions from 2021 to 2030 and netzero emissions by 2050.

Pictured at the launch of ifac’s Food and AgriBusiness Report 2021 were David Leydon, Head of Food and AgriBusiness at ifac, Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, and John Donoghue, Chief Executive at ifac. ”Our post-Covid economy will be a more sustainable, green, low-carbon economy, with sustainable investments a key part of the Ireland for Finance strategy. This is why it’s vitally important for SMEs to engage with ESG, to not only differentiate their businesses but also to ensure their long-term sustainability.

This report is an invaluable read for Irish food and agribusiness and a great starting point on their ESG journey.”

For more information, visit www.ifac.ie.

New Director at FSAI THE Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) have announced the appointment of Gail Carroll as Director, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Building. Gail will lead, develop and manage the multi-disciplinary regulatory affairs and compliance building team in the FSAI. Along with the team, Gail will focus on ensuring consumer health protection through the development of regulatory affairs, training and compliance resources for frontline food inspectors, as well as the food industry, and provide leadership and support to staff in regulating the food industry in Ireland.

Gail has worked with the FSAI for over 19 years in different roles, working in partnership with the State agencies and at EU level on the enforcement of food legislation. Prior to this position, Gail was Official Controls and Brexit Strategy Manager with the FSAI, which saw her lead all aspects of the FSAI’s work on Brexit across senior levels at Government, State agencies, UK regulators and the food industry.

Fyffes launch first sustainability report FYFFES have published their first-ever sustainability report, including 13 ambitious targets to fulfil the Fyffes sustainability strategy, aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Included in these targets is the intention to set themselves apart in the tropical fresh produce sector by achieving the Science-Based Target of 1.5˚ Celsius scenario by 2025, representing a 25% reduction in CO2 eq./kg of fruit for Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions respectively and a portion of Fyffes Scope 3 GHG emissions.

Fyffes sustainability strategy has four focus areas: Stewardship for the Planet; Healthy Food for Healthy Lives; Enriching People’s Lives; and Responsible Business Principles.

“I am proud to present our first sustainability report, which highlights the progress and efforts made since we announced our Global Sustainability Strategy in 2018,” noted Julie Cournoyer, Global Director of Sustainability. “I would like to emphasise the tremendous efforts of the Global Sustainability Steering Committee and countless others across the company, who have collaborated to deliver our sustainability strategy. Recent global events have brought into clear focus the increasing need for companies to contribute to a sustainable future and I am confident Fyffes is set up to meet those challenges thanks to the commitment to our sustainability goals.”

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Industry News Ornua unveil New Parents Programme ORNUA, Ireland’s largest dairy exporter and the proud owner of Kerrygold, have announced the introduction of a New Parents Programme to support new parents and line managers in the workplace, in partnership with Platform 55. The programme builds on existing leave entitlements and incorporates best-in-class healthcare coaching for Ornua employees at all levels of the business. Platform 55 research shows that 62% of managers do not feel equipped to have conversations around modern family challenges, and this new programme ensures they are supported, consequently better supporting working parents. The New Parents Programme is made up of three workshops; Maternity Matters – Return to Work, Paternity Matters – Balancing Family and Work, and Managers Matters – Leading Modern Families. Heloiza Cardeal Fitzmaurice and her daughter, Lorena Mai, are pictured, along with Lisa Melody, Head of Talent Development with Ornua, and Michelle O’Keefe, co-founder of Platform 55.

Nestlé engage with consumers on sustainable palm oil TO raise awareness among consumers about the complex sustainability issues within the palm oil supply chain, Nestlé have launched a new interactive video platform called Beneath the Surface (www.nestle.com/ beneath-the-surface). The complexity of the palm oil supply chain is displayed through a series of decisions that viewers are asked to make in order to ensure a transparent and sustainable palm oil supply chain on the global scale. “The Beneath the Surface platform enables users to take a peek at some of the dilemmas Nestlé and many other organisations face with palm oil every day,” revealed Dr Emma Keller, Head of Sustainability, Nestlé UK & Ireland.

“We hope that by having more open conversations about the complexity of sourcing ingredients such as palm oil, people can understand the issues and make better informed decisions when choosing products.”

Food Minister visits Flahavan’s

ARRIVING at the Flahavan’s Mill, Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, recently, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD meets John Flahavan, MD, as they welcome the first delivery of the 2021 harvest, organic oats from Co. Roscommon.

Flahavan’s forecast that they will produce 8,500 tonnes of organic oat-based products in the coming 12 months, the vast majority of which (>70%) will be sourced from organic farms across Ireland. More than two thirds of the organic products produced by the seventh-generation family food business will be exported to international markets including the UK. Flahavan’s are actively involved in promoting organic tillage farming, alongside Teagasc, the Organic Trust and the Irish Organic Association (IOA), in order to help increase the supply of organic oats within the Irish market.

GM Marketing expand workforce

GM Marketing recently welcomed their full team back to the office for the first time since March 2020. Following a period of significant growth for the Belfast-based business, the employees who left the office last year will now be welcomed back alongside 18 new team members to support the rapidly growing business, which recently doubled in size. “We’re delighted to be in a position to invest in new job opportunities and to support the local economy in what has been a really challenging time for everyone,” noted Managing Director, Gerard McAdorey (pictured).

“But more than that, it’s great to welcome everyone back to the office in a safe environment, finally have the opportunity to celebrate our wins as a team, and importantly focus on the next phase of growth.” For more information, visit www.gmmarketing.co.uk.

Aldi open Dunshaughlin store ALDI’S nationwide expansion continued with the recent opening of their new store in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, creating 25 permanent jobs in the local area. Located on Lagore Road close to the town centre, the store was officially opened by Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD. Welcoming Aldi’s arrival in Dunshaughlin, Minister English said, “The last 18 months have been very challenging for our retail sector so it’s great to see Aldi show the confidence to continue to invest in Ireland and open new stores. Aldi’s new Dunshaughlin store is a fantastic addition to the town and I’ve no doubt will play a central role in the retail fabric of the town for years to come.” Pictured are Daniel Groome, Dunshaughlin Store Manager, with local staff from Dunshaughlin and Minister Damien English.

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10|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Jump Juice expands into retail CORK-based Jump Juice Bars are now listed in speciality grocer Donnybrook Fair, with their range of 100% pure fruit and vegetable cold-pressed juices and smoothies. Founded in 2003 by husband-and-wife team Claire and Charlie Scanlan (pictured), Jump Juice Bars operate 24 locations nationwide, employing over 150 staff. In November 2020, the brand launched its cold pressed bottled range, originally retailed exclusively online through its own online delivery service, Jump Juice Direct. The listing with Donnybrook Fair represents the brand’s first foray into the grocery and convenience space.

Luxury Irish hamper range launched

GUARANTEED Irish have collaborated with The Green Grocer’s Daughter to unveil a new luxury Irish hamper range bursting with unique artisan products made with passion and pride by talented producers and suppliers nationwide. Consisting of an array of products offered by a variety of Guaranteed Irish members, as well as products from the Green Grocer’s Daughter, the Guaranteed Irish Luxury Hamper range will be made available to Irish and international gift markets.

The entire range can be found at greengrocersdaughter.com/hampers/ guaranteed-irish/. Pictured at the launch at Guaranteed Irish’s new HQ in Molesworth St are Sharon Fitzpatrick, Founder and CEO of The Green Grocer’s Daughter and Fitzers catering, and Bríd O’ Connell, CEO of Guaranteed Irish.

Dettol give away 65,000 units of hand sanitiser products DETTOL, Ireland’s leading disinfectant brand (Source: ACNielsen, May 30, 2021), pledged their support to help staff and customers in pubs across the country as hospitality reopened, with 65,000 units of Dettol antibacterial hand sanitiser samples given away. The Dettol hand sanitiser products were distributed to pubs around the country with the aim of keeping hands clean for staff and customers as they welcomed guests back into pubs across Ireland. Reckitt are delighted to support local pubs by helping provide additional reassurance for staff and their guests.

Tesco store in Waterford sells €1m winning EuroMillions ticket A TESCO store on the outskirts of Waterford City was revealed as the location where a EuroMillions ticket worth more than €1m was sold from a draw on August 20. The National Lottery announced that the ‘Ireland Only Raffle’ winner bought their ticket at the Tesco store in Ardkeen Village, with the other million euro prize was won by an online player in Dublin. Lavern Walsh and Taylor Madigan, staff at the Tesco store in Ardkeen Village in Waterford, are pictured celebrating after it was announced that they sold one of the two winning ‘Ireland Only Raffle’ tickets worth €1,005,000.

One4all’s Shop4Crumlin charity campaign returns ONE4ALL’S charity campaign, Shop4Crumlin, returned recently for its seventh year.

From September 11-19, One4all are donating 50c for every transaction made using a One4All gift card to the Giggle Fund at Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin, dedicated to bringing joy to the young patients in CHI at Crumlin. The Shop4Crumlin campaign has raised over €185,000 for Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin to date. “Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin as well the patients at the hospital need our support more than ever, and we are delighted to extend our help once again to such an important cause,” noted Aoife Davey, Senior Marketing Director at One4all.

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12|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Five Food Academy producers to be showcased in SuperValu stores nationwide FIVE local Irish food producers have been chosen from 290 Food Academy suppliers and are being showcased in SuperValu stores nationwide over a three-week period from September 23. The producers are part of SuperValu’s Food Academy programme, run in conjunction with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise office. The five companies chosen for nationwide distribution include Blakes Always Organic from Co. Leitrim; Little Thai Kitchen from Co. Waterford; Feighery’s Farm from Co. Tipperary; Hassetts Bakery, Co. Cork; and The Sweet Potato Pizza Company from Dublin. “This distribution deal will give these producers access to stores around the country and provide an opportunity to promote their products to new customers nationwide,” noted Ciara McClafferty, Trading Director, SuperValu.

XL supporting Irish Music Month in October XL Retail Group, Hot Press and 25 IBI Radio Stations have joined forces for a major initiative to promote Irish artists and bands, which will see significantly increased radio play across 25 independent radio stations during October, and €100,000 being paid directly to Irish artists.

The initiative is supported by XL Retail Group and is part-funded by the BAI under its Sound & Vision scheme.

“When we heard about Irish Music Month, we immediately saw the fit,” noted Paul Bealin, Sales Director of XL. “XL and our independent retailers are all about serving and supporting local communities, which is what is so attractive about Irish Music Month. It is brilliant to have 25 local radio stations showing their support for Irish music and Irish musicians, who are so important to local communities all over Ireland. Building on our pledge to offer ‘a great deal more at your local store’, we hope that the support of XL will help Irish Music Month to achieve its goal of lifting the spirits of Irish musicians, and of audiences all over the country, as we all recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic.”

Love Irish Food and Tesco mark first retail partnership with store-based activity TESCO Ireland and Love Irish Food (LIF) have launched their debut retail activation, which sees the retailer highlight new support for Love Irish Food brands in-store during September. Eye-catching point of sale is on display in all large stores, calling out Love Irish Food brands and products, making it easier for customers to choose Irish goods on their shopping trip. Pictured celebrating the launch of the first retail partnership for Love Irish Food at Tesco Extra, Naas, are Joe Manning, Commercial Director, Tesco Ireland (left), and Kieran Rumley, Executive Director, Love Irish Food.

Flogas powering Galway International Arts Festival

DROGHEDA company Flogas Ireland and the Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF) have again partnered up for the second part of Irish artist John Gerrard’s award-winning Mirror Pavilion project. The mesmerising Mirror Pavilion, Leaf Work, (Derrigimlagh) 2020 can be seen in the spectacular 4,000-year-old Derrigimlagh Bog in Connemara throughout the Festival’s run from August 28 to September 18, 2021. Once again this year, the Mirror Pavilion project is powered by renewable energy sources supplied by Flogas Ireland as the Festival’s energy partner. John Rooney, Managing Director, Flogas Ireland, is pictured at the Mirror Pavilion, Leaf Work, (Derrigimlagh) 2020 in Connemara.

Carrickmacross store celebrates local Lotto millionaire A LOCAL family-run store located in the heart of Carrickmacross has been revealed as the selling location for the Lotto Plus 1 top prize of €1,000,000 which was won on Saturday, September 4. The winning Quick Pick ticket was sold on the day of the draw at Birdys Newsagents on the Main Street in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan. Colm Birdy, owner of Birdy’s Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan celebrates with shop assistant Trish O’Donoghue.

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14|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview

A family concern

2021 marks 21 years since Barry Group took over the Costcutter franchise for Ireland. MD Jim Barry talks us through the Group’s birthday celebrations, discusses the continuing impact of Covid and Brexit on the market and why the company’s family ethos gives it a unique advantage.

THIS year sees Mallow-headquartered Barry Group celebrating 21 years of operating the Costcutter franchise in Ireland - prior to 2000 it was operated by Vantage Wholesale - and MD Jim Barry is delighted that the company got to mark the milestone.

“We intended on celebrating 20 years of Costcutter in 2020 but then during Covid that wasn’t possible or appropriate,” he admits. “But I think one of the skills we learned in 2020 was the art of improvisation, so we felt it was an important milestone and one that should be celebrated.”

2020 saw Barry Group purchasing the Costcutter franchise outright for the Republic of Ireland, as Jim explains: “We now have total control over the brand here and we don’t have to consult with brand owners about the direction we want to take. Strategically and tactically, we believe it is better to have full ownership. The Irish and UK markets are different and I feel that the Irish market is advanced, so to bring the brand to the next level is now fully in our power.”

Costcutter’s 21 years with Barry Group was marked with a number of events, including heavyweight promotions, in-store theatre and more local events and promotions. “We had to be mindful that we are still in Covid times, but I think we got the balance right,” Jim reveals.

For Costcutter retailers, life doesn’t change, as they still deal with the same people in Barry Group as they have done for the last 21 years, along with the Group’s other two retail franchises: Quik Pick, which they launched in 1996, and primarily attracts smaller convenience stores, and the Carry Out off licence group.

“We are strong believers in franchise business and our focus on the next couple of years is to build those brands and those offerings,” Jim notes.

Through their wholesale business, Barry Group also service a number of independent retailers around the country, with 12 full-time sales reps on the road.

“We come from a trading background where value is always important to us and that has served us well,” Jim stresses.

“Our independent business is going from strength to strength.”

A family ethos Barry Group have always celebrated the fact that theirs is a family business, with the third generation of the Barry family now involved in the running of the company in the shape of two of Jim’s daughters: Holly (Brand Strategist)

Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie|15

Retail News Interview doing the books, and also doing a lot of the buying,” Jim recalls. “When the family appeared and our numbers rose – there were seven of us – she focused on the family but she had an incredible brain for business; she was a very astute lady and someone you could always go to for advice.

“My Dad was 92 when he died, but we were able to bring him to work every day up until Covid hit; he would come in for an hour or two, and he loved meeting people.

He probably wasn’t at his best in recent years but he still enjoyed coming to work.

A lot of the values he started the business with are still part of Barry Group today. A lot of his personality still shines through the business and a lot of my standards and values come from him.”

Costcutter celebrated its 21st birthday with giveaways, promotions and amazing offers in-store. and Amy (Organisational Development Specialist). Jim believes that this family ethos gives them a distinct advantage when it comes to understanding the operations and needs of the retailers they supply, most of whom are family concerns too.

“I think it gives us a major advantage,” he stresses. “Large companies think differently; they have to. They are wired differently because of their sheer scale and size and because of that size they tend to be rigid. Being a medium-sized business means we are very flexible and the fact that we are a family business means that we really understand the dynamics of what goes in in a family business. Stuff is discussed at the kitchen table at home, and we understand all that.”

He believes that the company’s size is a key selling point, as customers can discuss their plans with Jim and the rest of the senior management team: “We can meet customers on a personal level, get a proper understanding of their business, and share our vision.”

The MD insists that while they have ambitious growth plans, Barry Group are very conscious of what their strengths are and don’t want to lose them by growing

too fast, too quickly: “We are conscious that we are a medium-sized business and we want to keep to the scale where we remain a medium-sized business; that might sound funny but I wouldn’t want to get beyond a €500m turnover because we might lose part of our magic if we did. We would still be optimistic about opportunity for the coming years but we are very clear that we don’t want to lose the family touch.

“I have two daughters now working in the business, taking greater roles within the business, and we have a number of long-term managers within the business who we see as family as well, because they are with us so long. I believe it is unique to have a have a decent-sized company within the Irish market with that authentic, honest family approach.”

Dealing with personal loss On a personal level, 2021 has been marked with sadness for Jim and the Barry family, as he lost both his parents within the space of a few months, the founder of Barry Group, James A. Barry and his wife Pauline, both instrumental in Barry Group’s success.

“My mother played a major role in the early days of the business; she was

The third generation of the Barry family are now involved in running the company: Jim is pictured with his daughters, Amy Barry, Organisational Development Specialist (left), and Holly Barry, Brand Strategist (right).

16|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview

Barry Group will continue to roll-out the new Costcutter spec over the coming months.

His father’s legacy lives on in the company he founded, particularly the desire never to rest on his laurels and always seek out better ways of doing things: “We are always trying to challenge ourselves to do things better, to evolve as a company,” Jim stresses. “We know how difficult things have been over the last year and a half but because of how tight we are as a management team, a

family business and as a company, we feel that we managed the last 18 months better than anyone else by a long shot.”

The impact of Covid There is no sector in the country, no business and no individual that hasn’t been affected by Covid. Firstly, the MD stresses that Barry Group feel lucky that as an essential service, the food and drink sector remained open, but staying open was not without enormous stress and pressure: “At the start, in particular, there was panic buying, there were volume requirements that couldn’t be met by suppliers. Because of restrictions in work practices and availability of staff there were limitations in the capacity that you could operate to. Effectively, it became impossible to operate to normal standards.”

Barry Group have always prided themselves on the quality and efficiency of their supply chain. “Our trucks arrive where they are meant to Jim Barry, pictured outside the company be when they are meant headquarters in Mallow, Co. Cork. to be,” Jim says. “That

was taken for granted pre-Covid and we probably spoiled our customers with our consistency, but it hasn’t been possible over the last 18 months to meet the standards that we set ourselves before.”

He believes that Barry Group were “far less impacted than our competitors” and maintained 90% efficiency in their service levels. “While that fell below our high standards, we were still very good relative to the rest of the market,” he stresses. “But we had customers whose stores were being cleared out and they wanted delivery a day early rather than a few hours late, so that created a really high pressure environment.

“As a management team, we had to absorb most of that pressure and protect our team from it,” he continues. “We had team members working way beyond normal standards to get orders out. We normally have a very busy week before Christmas; in 2020, we had about 15 of those weeks in a row.”

In the worst days of the pandemic, the company took the decision to break the warehouse team into two shifts, one from 5am to lunchtime, and one from 2pm to 10pm: “That was the right decision from a safety perspective but the downside to it was that we couldn’t offer overtime, so it effectively limited our capacity. Normally, when we get busy, overtime kicks in and we can handle a 20-25% increase in

Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie|17

Retail News Interview orders, but that wasn’t possible so our people worked harder to get the orders picked.”

Jim himself regularly worked a “double shift” to make sure the staff saw him involved in the day-to-day operations: “I think leaders sometimes need to dig in and be there, to keep morale up, to show the rest of the team that they are doing a good job.” Indeed, the fact that the MD was so hands-on during the worst days of the pandemic gave him an insight into the company’s operations that he might not normally have had, and some of their processes have been improved as a result.

“I’m very proud of our team, how they stood up and got through it,” he says. “You learn an awful lot about people and while we were always a good team, we have come out the other side a tighter team with a better understanding of ourselves and our colleagues. But it was a very high pressure environment and one I wouldn’t like to put my team or myself through again.”

Like every other symbol group, the impact of Covid on store performance

Jim Barry (left), MD, and John O’Connell, Head of Logistics, pictured in the Barry Group warehouse.

Barry Group’s Urban Sips coffee stations have proved hugely popular, and Jim Barry believes theirs is “the best tasting coffee on the market”.

18|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview depended very much on location.

Forecourt stores and those in city centre locations were heavily impacted by lack of footfall, while more traditional food-stores did very well, with so many consumers working from home, while the off licence sector also enjoyed a busy year. From a wholesale point of view, bulk orders, which normally represent 25% of their business, stopped completely.

The continuing fallout from Brexit The MD, however, described the impact of Brexit on their business as “a bigger worry than Covid long-term”. A number of their suppliers operate from UK warehouses and are being impacted as the flow of stock slows down, while the MD believes that service levels have disimproved due to Brexit.

“

As the economy continues to open and restrictions are lifted, Barry Group expect their deli and sit-down areas to perform extremely well.

We had team members working way beyond normal standards to get orders out. We normally have a very busy week before Christmas; in 2020, we had about 15 of those weeks in a row.

hub for Ireland, and are then liable for increased costs and tariffs. He also believes that there isn’t a level playing field between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland when it comes to certain products and regulations.

“There are goods that we would normally import through Dublin that we can’t bring in, but wholesalers can bring in through the North because the ground rules are not being imposed in Northern Ireland the same way they are here,” he states. “That won’t last forever and we think it will work in favour of the Republic’s wholesalers going forward when there is a level playing pitch.”

Barry Group had invested a lot of time and money in streamlining their

processes, trying to make their business more efficient, but “Brexit has worked against all of those instincts, adding costs that will eventually be borne by the consumer. Companies like ourselves and retailers are working to very tight margins and I don’t think it will be possible for us to absorb these price increases brought about by Brexit and the harsh reality is that they will have to be passed on to consumers.”

Labour concerns The retail and wholesale trade has had to absorb a number of price hikes in recent years, with the high cost of doing business in Ireland a real concern. For service industries like wholesale and

”

“When you add in scarcity of commodities and subsequent price increase, it is almost a perfect storm,” Jim states. “There is a supply chain problem in the trade in terms of availability of stock and the ability to deliver in an efficient manner to retailers.”

The Barry Group MD argues that some retailers and suppliers are being hit with tariffs due to a “second movement of stock”, whereby goods produced in an EU country are imported into the UK, which has traditionally been a distribution

The Barry Group MD is concerned about the long-term impact of Brexit.

Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie|19

Retail News Interview Planning for the future So what’s coming down the tracks for Barry Group? While they continued to roll-out their new Costcutter spec during the pandemic, a number of planned revamps had to be put on the back-burner due to lockdowns over the last year, so the next few months will be very busy on that front.

“We have a number of revamps planned, while we have also had a number of enquiries about joining the group and we expect a number of new Costcutter signings in the next few months,” Jim reveals. “I think Covid put people under pressure and knocked their confidence, particularly in terms of their deli and sit-down Barry Group expect a lot of store revamps over the coming months as retailers’ areas, which were closed during confidence returns, particularly in terms of deli and sit-down areas. the pandemic, but I can see retailers’ confidence returning citing in particular the example of the retail, which are labour-intensive, the and I think the rest of this year and hospitality sector, where there are a huge the whole of 2022 are going to be very cost and availability of labour is a real number of vacancies. issue: “For retailers, attracting staff is exciting.”

As part of their new spec, Costcutter “If a sector isn’t opening up, they are difficult, especially when it comes to have introduced a number of in-store fully deserving of help. But unless there deli and other specialist staff. There is franchises, such as Freezi Licks Ice is a sector that is not back to work, I feel upward pressure on pay, which is a huge Cream brands and Urban Sips coffee it doesn’t make sense to paying supports challenge.” stations (“we believe we have the best to people where there is a job but they are Labour supply in general is a big tasting coffee on the market”), which choosing not to take it,” he argues. concern for the trade, Jim notes: “In a have proved hugely popular, with more to weird way, we are lucky we are be unveiled in the near future. located in Mallow because we “We have a really good fresh food are able to get a complement team and a brilliant store development team, so we feel we have the skills, of staff for our warehouse expertise and the right offering for the and we are able to get truck next retail cycle. We are finalising our drivers, whereas we know that three-year strategy, which should be is a much bigger challenge in complete by early October, and coming Dublin. Our understanding is out of that will be exciting plans for our that a number of our larger three symbol offerings and our service to competitors are struggling to independent retailers.” get enough warehouse staff Value has always been at the heart and enough truck drivers. We of Barry Group, and continues to be a priority going forward: “I think during the believe supply chain is going height of Covid, it was all about getting to be a serious competitive stock and price became secondary but advantage for ourselves going we now need to be very aware that value forward; we are growing our is important and that is a priority for us, capacity and are able to do enabling our retailers to compete and so, while our competitors are to thrive. That’s our purpose in business struggling to maintain things to as a wholesaler, to provide our retailers a normal standard.” with the help, support and value they Jim believes that while need to compete against larger stores.

It’s not just about price, but it’s also Government supports were about support and advice. We know a hugely welcome to keep lot of our customers a long time and it’s businesses and families about more than shifting product; we Jim Barry: “We know a lot of our afloat during the height of want to see our customers succeed and customers a long time and it’s about the pandemic, it is time to sometimes that’s just a case of helping more than shifting product; we want to refine the system to ensure them to see their strengths, and that’s see our customers succeed.” that people are back in work, something I think we’re good at.”

22|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Shop Profile

Spar shines in Donegal forecourt

Des Kee invested in a complete rebuild of his Spar forecourt store in Laghey, Co. Donegal, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The results have exceeded even the experienced store owner’s expectations.

DES Kee is the fourth generation of the family to run the retail site at Laghey, Co. Donegal. As with many of the children of retailers, Des was introduced to retail at a young age. The site where the new Spar forecourt sits is also home to Kee’s Eurospar and the two elements of the business allow Des and his team to service the local community, as well as passing trade.

Last year, Des took the decision to move ahead and replace his old service station with a modern forecourt that would incorporate the latest Spar elements and allow the forecourt to significantly enhance its fresh food and food-to-go capabilities.

“The old forecourt was much smaller than the one we have now and it had limited ability to offer food-to-go and no

Covid-19 pandemic, the Government ordered work on building sites to halt, meaning that the temporary shop become a little more permanent than expected. “The temporary shop was an extremely good idea,” Des smiles.

“Because of the way events played out last year, we ended up using it until well into 2021. The fact that it allowed us to continue to serve customers during a very difficult time was incredibly important.”

space for any indoor or outdoor dining,” Des explains. “We had the idea to develop the site for some time but with all the developments over the last few years, things were difficult to complete.

However, despite all the challenges, we managed to get things done.”

Delivering a new forecourt store In October 2020, they built a small temporary shop on the site and demolished the old forecourt building.

In the preceding years, the site had been improved by replacing old underground fuel tanks and improving parking and pump capacity, so this project focused on delivering a new forecourt shop to help increase trade.

Before the new forecourt was finished, however, in the midst of the

Des Kee, pictured outside his Spar forecourt in Laghey, Co. Donegal.

Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie|23

Shop Profile The store owner admits that 2020 was “an extremely difficult year” for the entire country, including the community in Laghey: “We became a vital service to the people of the local community. We were able to meet the needs of the people in the area and keep them supplied during extremely challenging times. As a rural retailer, we have more room to keep stock and that ability stood to us greatly during last year.”

Even at the height of the pandemic, when supply chains right across the country were challenged, Des and his team “never once ran entirely out of any stock, including toilet roll, flour and the like”.

“The team in Spar and the team in the shop acted above and beyond the call of duty last year,” the store owner highlights. “They were all absolutely fantastic. Even in the early days when people knew very little about Covid-19, Spar were there, providing advice and suggestions on safety procedures. It was an extraordinary time and people did extraordinary things.”

Incredible advice and support The past 12 months were a particularly difficult time to complete any construction project, but the team managed to produce an extremely impressive new forecourt shop by July 2021. “The design team were fantastic,” Des stresses. “Declan Ralph, Barry Carty and Tom Duffy were tremendous help.

They offered a huge amount of advice and support and it was a hugely collaborative project. They were always willing to listen to my input as I had some very specific

FACT FILE: Owners: Des Kee Location: N15, Laghey, Co. Donegal Size: 2,500 square feet retail space & seating No. of staff: 35, full time & part time Opening Hours: 06:30-23:00, Monday-Saturday; 08:00-23:00, Sunday.

ideas about what I wanted this project to achieve.”

Food-to-go and fresh deli was an area where the store owner wanted to focus: “The old forecourt had a small deli and a small tea and coffee offering, which meant it underperformed in fresh food and food-to-go. That was something I really wanted to address in this project.

Given the size of our site I also wanted to introduce indoor and outdoor seating areas, to allow passing motorists to rest and consume their food and drink. I really wanted to create a destination shop with ample facilities.”

The finished store has achieved all Des’ ambitions and more. “The final result has surpassed my expectations,” he notes. “Already, trade is way ahead of where we expected it to be. The growth in fresh food and food-to-go has been huge.

The pizza concept has proven extremely popular, especially for families. The increased sandwich and dessert offerings have started off brilliantly and it is wonderful to have so much more space for foodservice. The Seattle’s Best Coffee offering is performing even better than expected; we have four plant-based

The new forecourt incorporates the latest Spar elements.

milk selections, six types of teas and an extensive array of coffees. For obvious reasons, the indoor dining has not seen much activity yet, but the outdoor areas have indicated how popular things will get. Even though we are still in this pandemic, the results of the investment so far have been way ahead of my expectations and it is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved.”

The newly developed forecourt store has been hugely successful, with the sales uplift exceeding expectations.

Superb, committed staff Des is particularly keen to stress how thankful he is to his loyal, hardworking staff for their incredible efforts throughout the pandemic and the redevelopment of the site: “They were absolutely fantastic last year and this, and played a really important role in the heart of the community the entire time, keeping the people of Laghey and surrounding area safe and supplied.

“Staff are extremely important to any business and the team here has proven just how committed they are to delivering the best possible service under the worst possible circumstances,” he concludes.

“Not only that, it is my staff who will play a huge role in determining how successful this investment turns out to be in the long run. No matter how high the quality of the shop, if the staff are not well trained and helpful, customers will not come back.”

24|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Moy Park

NPD fuels growth for Moy Park Ellen Wright, Brand Marketing Manager, Moy Park, explains the company’s continued focus on NPD and its plans for the coming months.

ELLEN Wright, Moy Park’s Brand Marketing Manager, explains the reasoning behind the brand’s recent product launches, its contract successes and unveils its plans for the coming months.

What NPD has Moy Park launched this summer?

“For summer 2021, we developed a range of new Moy Park branded products across three categories - Ready to Cook, Added Value and BBQ - all of which have been carefully crafted to bring consumers something different when it comes to chicken.

“With more Moy Park products on shelves, we have seen an increase in our brand awareness across the island of Ireland.

Moy Park is now present at more family meal times, from Sunday roasts to quick and easy mid-week dinners; there really is something for everyone!”

The business has also enjoyed success with a number of new contracts?

“It’s been great year for the brand. Back in April, we secured listings for 12 of our branded products in Asda for the first time.

With products listed across three categories - barbecue, ready to cook and added value - and including Mango Lime & Coconut Chicken Mini Fillets, Sweet Chilli Drums and Thighs, and an Extra Tasty Roast in the Bag whole chicken, we’re bringing consumers tried and tested family flavours, combined with world cuisine influences.

“We also secured a supply contract for six of our branded products in 33 Tesco stores across Northern Ireland, which is another fantastic endorsement for the brand. We pride ourselves on being market leaders in innovation and staying ahead of consumer trends, and we are thrilled to be bringing these ranges to Tesco shoppers. This further enhances our presence in Northern Ireland and follows listings with Co-Op and Sainsbury’s earlier this year, where we launched a number of our breaded, ready to eat and primary lines.

“Hot on the heels of the Tesco news and another first for the company, we secured a contract with Iceland Ireland to supply 12 branded products to 27 of their stores across the Republic of Ireland. The new lines incorporate BBQ and coated chicken products, including our signature Garlic and Herb Kievs,

Pictured are Ellen Wright, Brand Marketing Manager, and Hannah Clarke, Food Technologist, Moy Park. southern fried mini fillets and Cajun chicken sizzlers, as well as ready to eat roast chicken breast fillets. We have also launched in Marks and Spencer Ireland stores, with Fajita Chicken Chunks and Tomato and Basil Steaks just some of our mouthwatering products on offer!”

What other activity has the brand been involved in over the summer?

“Last summer, our community Chicken Run initiative rolled out successfully in Northern Ireland and the East Midlands. We recognise our role in contributing to the wellbeing of those in the local areas in which we operate, and through our Chicken Run initiative, it was our hope that each food box would help a household and remind us all how kind and neighbourly we are in local communities.

“Given the success of the initiative last year, we knew we had to bring it back for summer 2021! We felt it was important to reflect on the past 12 months and appreciate what our consumers have been through and how their lifestyles have changed. Now that we can meet outdoors with family and friends again, we wanted to show how our brand is an integral part of getting people together, be it at a picnic or a barbecue, and we would love to see Moy Park products playing a role in creating new memorable and meaningful moments. After driving north, south, east and west across Ireland, we crossed the water to the East Midlands in August for the ‘last leg’ of Chicken Run as summer comes to a close.”

What are Moy Park’s plans for the rest of the year?

“With summer coming to an end, and with back to school, university and the office on the horizon for some, our lives are getting busier. At Moy Park, we want to bring people of all ages together with good food and meals in minutes, and to satisfy all tastes and at times to suit, for every occasion, including Halloween and Christmas!

“Products are at the epicentre of this campaign, seamlessly fitting in with our consumers’ busy lives, featuring our signature Garlic and Herb Kievs, our roast in the bag whole chicken, along with many other family favourites. This campaign will represent all the Moy Park audiences, including Gen Z couples working from home, and our extended and blended families. The campaign will be live across social media, YouTube, video on demand and Google display network.

We will also be running a number of competitions to treat and delight our customers!”

Yay For Back to School Season

From winning weekday meals to succulent Sunday roasts, we’ve got the flavours to make dinner a success.

With the new academic year upon us, we’re bringing your customers the deliciously fuss-free feasters to solve every kind of dinner dilemma and become a home chef hero every time. Add a little more every day yay to their evenings with our delectably dippable chicken nuggets, hearty aromatic kievs and tasty mini fillets.

Stock your shelves today!

Contact our commercial team to stock up now:

048 3835 2233

#EveryDayYay moyparkchicken.com

26|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Panini

Panini’s Premier League trading card game breaks records The Premier League Adrenalyn XL trading card game from Panini has got off to a flying start.

PANINI have been taken aback by the demand for the brand-new Premier League Adrenalyn XL Collection this season. Sales of the new collection are even out-performing the hugely successful 2020 collection, and are continuing to grow week on week.

Building on the success of both the

Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2020/21 trading cards and the Premier League 2021 stickers, this latest collection is firmly established as the market leader.

There has been an overwhelmingly positive response to design innovations such as the new signature and 3D Lenticular cards, with unprecedented demand across the country.

Keeping up with demand “We are delighted to see how UK and Irish collectors have responded to our new Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2021/22 Trading Card Game,” revealed Chris Clover, Panini’s Head of Sport Marketing. “Sales have flown out of the blocks and we are now doing our best to keep up with demand! There is a huge sales opportunity here for this season, and all retailers interested in selling collectables should ensure they are stocking the only official Premier League

Panini are absolutely delighted with how UK and Irish collectors have responded to their new Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2021/22 Trading Card Game.

Starter Packs are priced at approximately €6.99 (Stg £5.99) and include a two-player gameboard and poster, a highquality collector’s binder, 18 trading cards, plus a guaranteed Limited Edition and 3D Lenticular card. trading card collection and displaying the products prominently. Premier League Adrenalyn XL is by a distance the top-selling trading card brand in the UK and Ireland, and football fans both young and old are not accepting any substitutes.”

Starter Packs are priced at approximately €6.99 and include a twoplayer gameboard and poster, a highquality collector’s binder, 18 trading cards, plus a guaranteed Limited Edition and 3D Lenticular card. Trading card packets include six trading cards and a QR leaflet, and are €1 each.

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

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28|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Employment Law

Can employers ask staff about their vaccination status?

As the Government announces a general lifting of Covid-related restrictions, Barry Reynolds and Jenny Wakely, specialists in employment law with DAC Beachcroft, advise employers on whether they can ask workers to divulge their vaccination status.

THE rapid progress made in the Government’s vaccination programme over recent months means that all employees will now either have been vaccinated or will have had the option of being vaccinated. As of August 31, 2021, over 88% of the adult population have been fully vaccinated. Employers seeking to safely manage their workplaces may understandably wish to know if their staff have been vaccinated and more importantly who in their employment is among the increasingly small percentage of workers who have not been vaccinated.

At the same time, Ireland (at the time of writing) is moving away from the regulation of workplace interaction in the Covid-19 context towards a general lifting of restrictions. Retailers, as of late October 2021, are set to be one of the few categories of workplaces where maskwearing will remain mandatory. Almost all other restrictions, such as social distancing requirements, will no longer be in place. However, one can expect evolving health guidance to continue to

encourage caution.

Against this background, it is likely that the current guidance on the collection and use of staff vaccination data will remain in place. That guidance

could be said to discourage such processing of vaccination data. There may possibly be a number of changes to the rationale for the position adopted as public health guidance changes, as well

Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie|29

Employment Law as updates to work safety protocols which are eagerly awaited.

The guidance in Ireland is that General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 27, 2016, prevents, in most employment contexts, lawfully eliciting and using workforce vaccination status. The Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) quite recently made it clear that their approach is that such processing is permissible under the GDPR in only “a limited set of circumstances”. This is a complex and novel area which is ever evolving. Approaches vary slightly from country to country, as we briefly explore below. The purpose of this article is primarily to outline how matters stand at the present time. A word of caution for any employer is that the position must be reviewed in detail and regularly, and certainly prior to a business adopting any change in its approach.

Why could it be helpful for employers to have data relating to their employees’ vaccination status?

There are a number of ways in which information relating to vaccination status could be seen as assisting employers in the safe and effective operation of the workplace. For example, vaccinated employees who are identified as “close contacts” are not currently required in Ireland to restrict their movements, provided that they do not have symptoms of Covid-19. There are also implications relating to travel, with more relaxed rules applying to those with proof of vaccination.

Special category data Why then is it considered that employers cannot lawfully process this information? Vaccination status is personal data relating to employees and by its nature it enjoys enhanced protections as special category (health) data. As such, it can be processed only where there is firstly a legal basis for doing so, and secondly, where it benefits from a specific exemption.

Is processing vaccination status potentially lawful?

In short the answer is yes, in theory; for example, relying on such concepts as the processing being necessary in order for the mutual obligations of the employment relationship to function or that it has a legitimate interest in processing the data, provided that this interest is not overridden by the employee’s rights or interests. It seems at least arguable that processing data on vaccination status is necessary for the employer to comply with the obligations imposed by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and/or to ensure compliance with public health guidance. However, a key basis for the

As of August 31, 2021, over 88% of the Irish adult population have been fully vaccinated.

DPC’s stance to date has been that published guidance on safety at work has not included vaccination status as a key safeguard and in the absence of any such requirement or guidance, the DPC’s position is that employers cannot process this kind of employee information. Employers are unlikely to be able to rely on necessity or legitimate interests or on health and safety guidance. The processing of data relating to the vaccination status of employees “is likely to represent unnecessary and excessive data collection for which no clear legal basis exists.”

The DPC also refers to the absence of public health guidance regarding what employers would be expected to do with information on vaccination status. For example, would businesses be required to send non-vaccinated workers home or segregate vaccinated and non-vaccinated workers in workplaces? These kinds of actions by employers could lead to employment related claims - in addition to complaints arising from breaches of the GDPR - in light of the risk that the collection of the data could result in unfair and unjustified treatment of employees.

But what next following the announcement of August 31 regarding the gradual lifting of restrictions? As of October 22, 2021, most workplace restrictions will no longer be in place. This may impact on data protection guidance applicable to retail. It may be a significant development that indoor retail will be one of the few places where continued mask-

Guidance in Ireland is that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) prevents, in most employment contexts, lawfully eliciting and using workforce vaccination status.

30|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Employment Law wearing will be required. This looks set to be the case only in “healthcare settings, indoor retail and on public transport”. Restrictions such as physical distancing and mask-wearing will no longer be in place and the requirement for “certification of vaccination” will also be lifted to attend events. The

“

The current official guidelines in Ireland signal that there would be a legal risk for the majority of employers should they require staff to provide information on their vaccination status.

”

position should be monitored but at the time of writing we do not expect there to be a radical change to the cautious approach adopted by the DPC. This is partly due to the voluntary nature of Ireland’s vaccination programme, which seems to some extent incompatible with vaccination being viewed as a necessary workplace safety measure.

It is notable that the Irish position to date differs from that of the UK. Its Information Commissioner’s guidelines arguably lean more in favour of processing vaccination status in employment. They indicate that it is

It is expected that vaccination will be increasingly recognised over time as demonstrably beneficial for maintaining workplace safety for both staff and customers and particularly as other safeguarding measures fall away. likely to be permissible for employers to record data relating to their employees’ vaccination status, provided that the reason for recording the data is clear and necessary and the objective cannot be achieved in another way. Their guidelines lay out various factors for employers to consider in seeking to determine whether or not they have legitimate reasons to record their employees’ vaccination status. Employers will be more likely to be in a position to justify processing such data if staff: • •

are more likely to encounter in the workplace persons infected with Covid-19; or they could pose a risk to clinically vulnerable individuals.

Employers would, of course, have to ensure that they clearly set out the reasons for vaccination status being sought and also how that information will be used, among other safeguarding

About the authors: BARRY Reynolds (breynolds@dacbeachcroft. com) and Jenny Wakely (jwakely@ dacbeachcroft.com) of DAC Beachcroft (https:// www.dacbeachcroft.com/en/gb/locations/ dublin/) are specialists in employment law. This article is for general information purposes only and does not comprise legal or professional advice. You should not rely on any of the material in this article without seeking appropriate legal advice.

Twitter: @dacbeachcroft LinkedIn: DAC Beachcroft Dublin

measures and restrictions on the use of the data.

Takeaway for employers It is anticipated that the DPC will keep its guidelines under review as public health advice and workplace safety guidance change over the coming months. However, the current official guidelines in Ireland signal that there would be a legal risk for the majority of employers should they require staff to provide information on their vaccination status. One would expect vaccination to be increasingly recognised over time as demonstrably beneficial for maintaining workplace safety for both staff and customers and particularly as other safeguarding measures fall away.

Employers must keep a close eye for updates to the relevant guidelines. If and when the position is clarified, employers should ensure that they also update their risk assessments, privacy notices and data protection impact assessments. If the guidance changes, employers seeking to then process vaccination related information would have to ensure that appropriate safeguards are put in place to protect employee rights, such as ensuring that access to the data is limited, as well as adherence to strict time limits in relation to erasure and conducting relevant staff training.

If you have any queries or require any assistance in relation to any of the above, please contact Barry Reynolds or Jenny Wakely.

32|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Charleville

New packaging design for Charleville cheese Charleville have unveiled a brand new packaging design, which celebrates the brand’s heritage and the craftsmanship behind one of Ireland’s iconic brands.

CHARLEVILLE, Ireland’s number one cheese brand (Source: ACNielsen, ROI cheese market brands, 52 weeks to December 27, 2020), have announced their next innovative initiative, which sees the nationally acclaimed brand unveil fresh new packaging that will be sure to grab the attention of Irish consumers in stores nationwide.

Appearing on shelves from September 17, the new design features a bold new Charleville logo that incorporates a Charleville town illustration and the timeless ‘Est. 1912’ seal, which has become a stamp of quality for the brand. The logo also pays homage to Charleville’s rich dairy heritage, a brand built by generations of know-how, skill and care for over 100 years and counting.

When it comes to design, the new packaging boasts a distinctive grey slate background overlaid with delicious images of Charleville cheese, which will be sure to drive taste appeal amongst Irish cheese consumers. A boldly coloured descriptor box is also featured, which aids navigation and ensures

consumers can easily find their preferred variant at their local store.

TTL launch campaign A pre-campaign launch teasing the new look and feel of the packs has been live in market in the lead-up to the redesign. The new look packs will also be supported by a TTL campaign, including digital and social media, influencer partnerships, out of home and in-store activity.

“We are delighted to be launching the new look packs for Charleville packaging in September,” noted Michelle Daly Lennon, Marketing Manager. “Charleville has a rich heritage dating back to 1912; it’s a brand that has been built by generations of know-how, skill and care from master craftspeople and we wanted our new packaging to celebrate our Irish heritage and communicate our quality ingredients and premium product offering to consumers.”

A phenomenal year for Charleville This latest move follows a phenomenal year for the Charleville brand, which

saw the launch of the Charleville Lighter range and a value market share growth of +8% (Source: ACNielsen, ROI cheese market brands, 52 weeks to December 27, 2020).

The fresh, new design will begin to appear on-shelf nationwide from September and will be rolled out across multiples and independents.

Charleville is the number one brand in natural cheese and the number one brand across everyday block, slices and grated segments (Source: ACNielsen, ROI cheese market brands, 52 weeks to December 27, 2020). Charleville caters for multiple cheese consumers’ needs with a diverse range of cheese products for all cheese moments. Consumers can spread it, sprinkle it, dollop it, or simply slice it; Charleville cheese makes any meal or snack occasion more joyful, and has been doing so for 100 years and counting.

Charleville uses the highest quality ingredients available, hand-selected by skilled craftspeople to create cheese with real depth of flavour.

Charleville’s new packaging is sure to grab the attention of Irish consumers in stores nationwide.

OUT WITH THE OLD ...

IN WITH OUR FRESH NEW LOOK

Same Great Taste

34|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping

Smoke signals

Demand for vaping products continues to grow nationwide, with more and more users every year.

THE vaping market in Ireland is growing at pace, with more and more users every year. E-vapour products registered strong, positive growth for another consecutive year, according to the latest report into the category by Euromonitor International. Open vaping systems continue to be the largest product area and registered strong current value growth in 2020, notes the Euromonitor report.

That said, Euromonitor predict that the phenomenal growth rates seen in recent years will slow in the future “in part due to the growing maturity of this category, as the number of adult vapers moves closer to saturation point”.

The menthol tobacco ban in Ireland was officially enforced in 2020, driving many industry giants to boost their nextgeneration product portfolios, according to Euromonitor.

Most Irish vapers are those either stopping or trying to stop smoking.

The 2019-2020 Irish National Drug and

Alcohol Survey revealed that almost 60% of Irish people who use vaping products cited their primary reason for doing so was ‘to help them quit smoking’.

Over 200,000 Irish consumers to date have made the choice to switch to vaping in order to help reduce smoking, according to Vape Business Ireland (VBI), the country’s largest vaping trade association.

VBI spokesperson, Eoin O’Boyle, described the findings as “a strong indicator that Irish smokers are continuing to embrace vaping as a less harmful alternative, helping them move away from smoking. This supports what we know from previous Healthy Ireland research that vaping is the most used tool in switching away from smoking after willpower alone.

“It is very positive to see that the main reason vapers surveyed started vaping was to help them quit smoking. This ties in with other evidence from Healthy Ireland and it is now time the Government

took heed of vaping and the role it can play in tobacco harm reduction. Without embracing vaping, we will not reach the Tobacco Free Ireland 2025 goal of 5% smoking prevalence.”

The European Commission’s special Eurobarometer on the attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes from early in 2021, revealed that 21% of Irish smokers and ex-smokers used vaping products to stop or to try to stop smoking, almost twice the European average of 11%.

VBI continue to push the Government to bring forward legislation to close the loophole and ban sales to under 18s.

“Irish smokers are continuing to choose to make the switch from smoking to vaping, while our NGOs and health bodies continue to ignore the building body of scientific evidence supporting vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking,” O’Boyle argued. “This includes ongoing research by the Cochrane Library, Cancer Research UK, Public Health England and

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Vaping others.

“In the context of the forthcoming Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill, we are continuing to encourage Irish vapers to reach out directly to their locally elected representatives by email or across social media to highlight how vaping has helped them move away from smoking. It is fundamental that our politicians listen to the real-life stories of Irish vapers like those surveyed as part of this HRB research and that they objectively look at the evidence and the successful and pragmatic approach taken to vaping in other jurisdictions like the UK and New Zealand.”

Logic Compact With the vaping category constantly growing and evolving, one aspect that remains is JTI’s commitment to providing high quality products that meet strict standards in a wide range of flavours to meet your customers’ needs.

JTI are proud to announce the launch of three new flavours to their Logic Compact range. Designed specially for your customers, their three flavours to discover are: American Tobacco, Apple, Banoffee, available in 12mg/ml nicotine.

portal, JTI Engage, your local JTI trade marketer, by calling JTI customer services on (01) 4045400, or through your local cash and carry.

Vuse PJ Carroll’s Vype brand had one purpose, to inspire consumers with high quality vaping products. As Vuse, they have raised the bar, becoming one global brand that is connected and aligned with the ever-evolving needs of those consumers.

Through a revamped brand look and feel, and more flavours for your customers, Vuse perfectly demonstrates what the power of creativity and innovation can bring to your store and customers alike.

The change from Vype to Vuse brings an updated look and feel, with a focus on sustainability in packaging design, but Vuse also brings many more options for consumers to choose from.

As Simon Carroll, Country Manager, PJ Carroll, explained to Retail News back in March 2021, however, “Fundamentally, though, Vuse will offer the same trusted quality, flavours and taste satisfaction as Vype.”

To make the transition seamless,

Vuse is a global brand that is connected and aligned with the everevolving needs of vaping consumers.

“This is more than a name change for us – Vuse is a promise of more innovation and ideas to come,” Simon explained, “including an upgraded ePen device with faster charging and a metallic finish, plus more flavours for your customers to try.”

[For adult smokers and vapers only,

JTI have announced the launch of three new flavours to their Logic Compact range, American Tobacco, Apple, Banoffee, available in 12mg/ml nicotine.

Get ready to explore the full spectrum of Logic flavours and remember, there is always more to discover!

JTI’s sales force and their customer services team are on hand to provide expert support and advice about the Logic range and help you maximise vaping category sales. You can order Logic products through JTI’s web ordering

ePod & ePen 3 under Vype and Vuse are 100% compatible, meaning a Vype ePen cartridge will work in a Vuse ePen device and a Vuse ePen cartridge will work in a Vype ePen device. The same will also be true for ePod. Flavour names also remain the same as on Vype to limit the disruption and ensure a smooth migration.

The change from Vype to Vuse brings an updated look and feel to the range.

VYPE IS NOW VUSE As Vype, we had one purpose – inspire consumers with high quality vaping products.

As Vuse, we’ve raised the bar – becoming one global brand that is connected and aligned with the ever-evolving needs of those consumers.

Through a revamped brand look and feel, and more flavours for your customers, Vuse perfectly demonstrates what the power of creativity and innovation can bring to your store and customers alike.

FIND OUT MORE AT B2B.PJCARROLL.IE For adult smokers and vapers only. Vype\Vuse e-cigarettes contain nicotine which is addictive.

18+ Only. Read leaflet in pack.

38|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping

Peppermint Tobacco, one of the popular flavours in the Vuse range.

Vype\Vuse e-cigarettes contain nicotine which is addictive. 18+ Only. Read leaflet in pack.]

Find out more at b2b.pjcarroll.ie.

facility in Carlow producing all of our fully TPD-compliant Hale e-liquid,” explained Shane Horgan, Managing Director, Tyco Distribution. “Our expert team have helped tens of thousands of people make the change and continue to do so year on year.”

Hale liquid is the only e-liquid to carry the Guaranteed Irish mark. All of their E-Liquids are manufactured here in Ireland using only four core ingredients, all of which carry full CoA (certification of analysis) and QA certification. These core ingredients are sourced only from certified and approved ISO European suppliers. “We only use pharmaceutical grade nicotine, as opposed to industrial grade, which ensures a smooth vaping experience for the customer,” Shane revealed.

Despite the challenges that were presented throughout 2020, the Hale brand has seen growth in all channels.

“It is clear this year more than ever that, given the opportunity, consumers will choose to support local,” according to the MD. Soaring demand for e-cigarettes and e-liquids is set to power the global vaping market ahead to $43 billion in the next few years. This represents growth of around 20.8% up to 2023. The Hale brand offers a friendly, accessible environment for those considering quitting. Hale offers a strong opportunity to drive footfall, with all of the associated benefits of incremental sales across other categories, Shane stressed.

“We are proud to be Ireland’s premier distributor of vaping products covering grocery, convenience and the vape

Vuse has a a revamped brand look and feel.

Hale Vaping Tyco Distribution is a fully Irish-owned and operated company, distributing one of Ireland’s leading vape brands, Hale, the only vape eLiquid to carry the Guaranteed Irish symbol of quality. “Hale stands above the rest thanks to our network of 75+ dedicated stores, a Retail Excellence award-winning website, availability in 2000+ convenience locations, and an ISO:9001 (2015) accredited manufacturing

Tyco Distribution’s nationwide team of representatives are available to provide support, information, point of sale material, and to organise stock replenishment for the popular Hale Vaping range.

specialist sectors,” he noted, pointing to the company’s core strengths: “Hale Vaping is the partner of choice for the biggest brands. Noone knows the Vape retail market better than Hale, via our dedicated sales, account management, business Hale liquid is the development only e-liquid to carry and the Guaranteed commercial Irish mark; all of teams. We their E-Liquids are also offer an manufactured in unrivalled Ireland using only range of four core ingredients, specialist all of which carry full retail services CoA (certification that include; of analysis) and QA category certification. management and marketing services.

In short, we add real value for our customers.”

Tyco Distribution’s nationwide team of representatives are available to provide support, information, point of sale material, and to organise stock replenishment, as the MD explains: “We pride ourselves on taking the hassle and confusion out of e-cigarettes and allowing you to focus on the important things, like what to do with the extra, on average, €7,200 coming through your tills per annum thanks to Hale.”

Shane describes Hale as “by far the dominant brand in open system liquids.

We support our excellence of product with excellence of execution, both instore with our new merchandising units, and in the back office, with our dedicated customer service team, who can help you resolve any query you may have, from deliveries and invoicing to your online experience. At all times, we strive to be accessible, flexible and aware of the needs of our customers, and to constantly improve and enhance the services we provide.”

For more information or to order Hale products, call Tyco Distribution on (01) 5540172.

For more info: info@tycodistribution.com +353 (1) 554 0172 halevaping.com/stock

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40|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

RETAIL SECTOR RECOVERING BUT PRICE INCREASES CAUSE CONCERN RETAIL Ireland’s latest monitor points to a strong retail recovery now that Covid restrictions have been lifted, with sales across the sector higher than they were pre-pandemic in 2019. At the same time, however, costs are rising across the economy. In July, annual inflation reached 2.2%, according to the figures from the CSO, making it the highest level reported in nearly nine years. This is largely attributed to increases in the cost of petrol and diesel, along with other energy costs. Having said this, Central Banks have reiterated that they believe the current inflationary trend to be temporary and associated with the reopening of the economy after months of pandemic restrictions.

There is concern amongst import and export businesses as higher transport costs along the supply chain are feeding through into higher

consumer prices, yet service quality and reliability have decreased. While there are significant concerns that worry retailers, customers remain positive.

Consumer sentiment decreased modestly but remains strong, a good indication that people will continue to unlock the significant savings that have built up over the last year.

Even with retail restrictions lifted, footfall is still dramatically reduced in key retail districts. The lack of office workers, tourists and the ongoing rules limiting hospitality, cultural and entertainment activities have taken a heavy toll on footfall. Many retail businesses have closed permanently, and others are on life support. A concerted efforted will be needed to relaunch and reinvigorate our town and city centres. This will require steps to attract people back and longer term strategies to foster vibrant, accessible, attractive, safe, and liveable towns and cities.

Retail Ireland have highlighted the need for certainty in the Government’s new reopening road map to enable businesses to plan for a phased and safe return to office over the coming weeks and months.

RETAIL IRELAND BUDGET SUBMISSION CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES IN RECOVERY COVID has changed how we live and work, and it presents big questions as to how we revive and sustain our economy into the future. But it has also brought into clear focus the vital role that the retail sector, and those who work in it, play in our communities and the central role it must play into the future.

The retail sector has taken a major and disproportionate hit due to strict Covid restrictions since the onset of the pandemic. Retail Ireland has stressed the need for the upcoming Budget to re-calibrate the appropriate pace and timing of the withdrawal of supports, particularly to ensure the recovery of the most vulnerable businesses.

Alongside vital Government supports, there is a need for increased investment in the workforce through skills and training, as well as commitment to the rejuvenation of our towns and cities nationwide. Retail Ireland’s budget asks will strongly focus on measures which aim to ensure the successful recovery of the retail sector. Our key asks in Budget 2022 include: 1. Continued support for vulnerable businesses in the Covid recovery period;

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Refocus on business and labour cost competitiveness; Rejuvenating our post-pandemic towns and cities; Support retail digitalisation and online investment; Invest in skills and training; Brexit supports for businesses.

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.

Nice One! From Deep RiverRock Deep RiverRock have been making waves with their new look 100% Recycled NiceOne 2021launched A4L.pdf 1 their 30/08/2021 Bottle. TheDRRbrand first full recycled 100% RPET across the total portfolio back in 2019.

The brand continues to grow market share as the second largest impulse water brand on the island of Ireland.

Thanks to continued modernisation and premiumisation, Deep RiverRock now proudly launches a new strategic direction and brand platform: Nice One!

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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The new brand campaign will show how choosing Deep RiverRock 09:24 100% recycled bottle is a Nice One! Deep RiverRock will use a new brand character, Tony Cantwell, to remind us all of the positives in everyday life situations.

To deliver the Deep RiverRock brand message, the new Nice One! campaign went live on September 6, led by a heavyweight TV campaign on RTE, Channel 4, Virgin Media & Sky, together

with a number of video on demand platforms. The campaign is further supported with new packaging, digital, out of home, experiential, social, PR and shopper activity.

Along with the new brand platform coming, Deep RiverRock 500ml Flavoured Water range has had a fantastic summer, with the launch of three new Immunity Defence SKUs, Deep RiverRock Flavours have seen both ROS and share growth across the island.

42|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Drinks News Off-trade accounted for 95% of wine sales in 2020 IT’S estimated that one in four bottles of wine sold in Ireland is from Chile, according to the Drinks Ireland - Wine 2020 Market Report. The report shows that wine comfortably remains the nation’s second favourite alcohol beverage after beer. 2020 saw a five-point increase in wine’s market share to 32.2%, mostly at the expense of beer’s market share, which fell from 44.9% in 2019 to 38.9% in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic saw changing purchasing trends and overall alcohol sales fall by 6.6% in 2020. Beer and cider sales were significantly hit, as those products are typically consumed in the hospitality sector.

However, generally about 80% of wine purchased in Ireland is in the retail sector. Due to the rolling lockdowns of the hospitality sector, an estimated 95% of wine sales were from the retail sector in 2020. Overall, wine sales in 2020 rose by 12% to over 10m cases, with white wine accounting for 48%, red for 45% and rosé growing its share to 7%.

Hennessy Very Special limited edition launches

MAISON Hennessy have unveiled the Very Special 2021 dual limited edition in collaboration with Laurent and Larry Bourgeois, the urban movement creators known as ‘Les Twins’. Far more than a classic collaboration, this Hennessy Very Special partnership marks a brand-new horizon and a groundbreaking meeting of minds. Hennessy Very Special and Les Twins created a multi-media collaboration around the tagline ‘Move Out Loud’ to celebrate French heritage and the pioneering spirit. This movement creates an exceptional, inclusive platform for artistic expression through live dance and video, music and fashion. For the first time ever, a single limited edition of Hennessy Very Special is represented by two complementary graphic designs: each bottle features a likeness of either Laurent or Larry, rendered as captured digitally, with all their signature energy and a QR code that opens up the many facets of this movement experience to all.

Irish Distillers launch Virtual Irish Whiskey Academy IRISH Distillers are inviting whiskey enthusiasts to travel to Midleton Distillery, virtually, to discover the wonderful craft of Irish whiskey production. The Virtual Irish Whiskey Academy provides attendees with an interactive education on the secrets and craft of Irish whiskey production, hosted live from Midleton Distillery

by International Whiskey Ambassador and Academy Tutor, Tommy Byrne (pictured). Over the course of three hours, Tommy will lead participants through an in-depth live, interactive session on the Irish whiskey production process, including behind the scenes footage of Midleton Distillery, Ireland’s largest whiskey production operation. Participants will receive a Virtual Irish Whiskey Academy Kit with everything they need to fully immerse themselves in the magic of Midleton Distillery, but from the comfort of their own homes. For more information, visit www.irishwhiskeyacademy.com.

Powerscourt Distillery reveal The Mill House POWERSCOURT Distillery have introduced the Mill House Limited Edition Single Grain Amarone finish Fercullen. The first release in their Estate Series, it’s named to give a nod of respect to their brand home, the near300-year-old mill house built from Wicklow granite and the distillery buildings’ historical anchor. The Fercullen Mill House Single Grain Amarone finish is a marriage of single grain whiskeys produced in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by Powerscourt’s Master Distiller and Master Blender, Noel Sweeney. This Single Grain Irish whiskey was initially matured in first fill ex-bourbon barrels, before finishing in premium Italian Amarone casks for 18 months. This allows the whiskey to reach an optimum mellow combination of grain, bourbon, oak and Amarone.

Santa Rita celebrate five years of Arsenal sponsorship IT has been five years since Santa Rita 120 became the official wine partner of Arsenal Football Club. To mark this occasion, both organisations are launching a global campaign aiming to reach football fans and wine lovers around the world, raising a glass for the shared values of history, class and tradition. Francisca Muñiz, Santa Rita CMO, commented, “The partnership between 120 and Arsenal has represented a significant support for extending the reach of Santa Rita and positioning Chilean wine in strategic markets where Arsenal also has a presence.

Amplifying 120’s message of enjoying the simple things in life and sharing together has become even more relevant in the current global situation, and we are delighted to celebrate these five years together.”

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Drinks News Heineken launch new Irish stout, Island’s Edge HEINEKEN Ireland are rolling out Island’s Edge, a brand new Irish stout, to off-licences and retailers across the country, after a successful soft launch in 300 Dublin bars. New research shows eight in 10 adults feel there is room for more tastes and flavours in Irish stout, with 75% of people interested in trying a new, more modern stout on the market, while over 70% would be more inclined to opt for stout if there was a lighter tasting, more refreshing stout option (research from Bounce Insights, August 2021). “Two years in the making, this is the most exciting innovation that has come to the market in recent years,” noted Ruth Hankin, Category & Shopper Marketing Controller at Heineken Ireland. “In a move that will rejuvenate the stout market and offer consumers increased choice, Island’s Edge will offer something completely different to consumers as it arrives in shops and off licenses. In September, Island’s Edge will be available nationwide with a full 360 campaign launch and trial mechanic to support. Island’s Edge Stout will launch in a four and eight-pack can SKU offering for shoppers, breaking the wall of black with edgy progressive packaging.” Consumers purchasing Island’s Edge stout in stores will be offered an exclusive gift with purchase, the new iconic stout glass, while Heineken Ireland have armed their field sales team with sample cans to share with off-licenses and stores.

Rye River launch brewery-led brand RYE River Brewing Company, the Celbridge-based, multi awardwinning brewery, are introducing a brewery-led brand as part of a strategy to streamline their brand and channel strategy. “We have developed a successful story in craft brewing without having any of our brands carry the Rye River name, so we decided to bring a brand to life that recognises who we are. Apart from the Rye River Seasonal range, which is small batch, this will be the first of our everyday beers to carry the Rye River name,” explained Tom Cronin, Founder and Managing Director of Rye River Brewing Company. The Rye River Brewing Company brand will replace McGargles on draught in pubs and will be available in a 4 x 330ml pack format in retail. A range of McGargles favourites will remain available in retail in 500ml format.

Boann Distillery scoop two gold medals at Irish Whiskey Masters

Irish Distillers annual results announced

IRISH Distillers have announced results for the 2020/2021 financial year to June 30, 2021.

The results show that despite a challenging environment, the business experienced a strong financial year driven by the growth of Jameson in existing, new and emerging markets around the world, as the brand sold 8.6m cases in 2020/2021, up from 7.5m in the previous year. In doing so, it cemented its position as one of the top five best-selling international whiskey brands in the world. Irish Distillers’ prestige portfolio experienced +33% volume growth, with all brands in double or triple-digit growth led by Redbreast (+31%), the Spot range (+38%), Midleton Very Rare (+19%) and Method and Madness (126%). “Despite the difficult circumstances arising from the global pandemic our portfolio, led by Jameson, has demonstrated incredible resilience,” noted Conor McQuaid, Irish Distillers Chairman and CEO (pictured).

BOANN Distillery have added to their haul of awards this year by scooping two golds at the 2021 Irish Whiskey Masters. The family-owned distillery in Co. Meath were awarded a gold medal in the Single Grain Super Premium round for The Whistler Mosaic, while The Whistler Irish Honey won gold in the Flavoured Irish Whiskey category.

“We are so proud to see our Whistler range recognised and rewarded once again by industry, with these golds bringing the Whistler brand award tally to over 40,” said founder and MD, Patrick Cooney.

Budweiser helping to power Irish pubs BUDWEISER, distributed by Bulmers Ireland, have launched ‘Renew 100 Pubs’, a new sustainability initiative to help support Irish pubs in making the switch to renewable electricity. Over the next year, solar panels will be installed in 100 pubs, providing them with a 100% renewable electricity source. Former Kerry football star and clothing designer Paul Galvin is pictured at the launch, where a striking mural was unveiled at Dublin pub, Opium, the very first pub to have solar panels installed as part of the campaign. Created by renowned graffiti artist Shane Ha, it embodies the energy, connection, and social solidarity of Ireland’s unique pub culture.

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Nivea

Complete cleansing care with Nivea – no compromise Organic Aloe Vera, ensuring they are suitable for even sensitive skin.

CREATED to offer effortless skin cleansing and care, and easy make-up removal, the Nivea cleansing range delivers the most complete cleansing experience. The innovative collection of products from Nivea, Ireland’s number one face brand, helps to thoroughly cleanse the skin, while gently caring and protecting its delicate moisture balance.

The Nivea cleansing line comprises various formats to suit all cleansing preferences, with dermatologically and ophthalmologically approved products.

Daily Essentials Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water This award-winning product has an innovative formula which cleanses and removes make-up while moisturising the skin in one simple step. It respects the skin’s natural balance, requires no rinsing and is free of perfumes, colourants and parabens, making it ideal for sensitive skin.

Biodegradable Cleansing Wipes Gently but effectively cleansing the skin

The Nivea cleansing line comprises various formats to suit all cleansing preferences with dermatologically and ophthalmologically approved products. while maintaining its natural balance, these wipes thoroughly remove face and eye make-up, while providing the skin with refreshing moisture. These soft and gentle wipes are made with 100% renewable plant fibres, are biodegradable, and are enriched with specially selected Organic Argan Oil and

Daily Essentials Double Effect Eye MakeUp Remover This wonder product benefits from a gentle bi-phase formula which effectively dissolves eye make-up, while caring for eyelashes and the delicate skin around eyes. The ‘oil phase’ is designed to remove waterproof mascara and eye make-up without irritation. The ‘aqueous phase’ is formulated to protect and care for lashes without leaving any oily residue.

Refreshing Facial Wash Gel This refreshing wash gel deeply cleanses and hydrates for a perfectly clean, refreshed skin look and feel. The formula combines effective cleansing with the mild and moisturising benefits of Vitamin E for skin to help strengthen the protective barrier, reinforce sensitive skin and effectively moisturise, to support skin in maintaining its natural moisture balance.

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Confectionery

Irish consumers treated themselves to their favourite confectionery brands during the pandemic, while a host of NPD is set to ignite the category in the months ahead.

THE Covid-19 pandemic impacted on every part of our lives, and every category in-store, including confectionery. While we tended to treat ourselves to our favourite sweet treats over the last 18 months of the pandemic, some categories fared better than others.

During lockdowns, Irish consumers treated chocolate confectionery as an indulgence category, according to the latest report into the sector from Euromonitor International, with premium chocolate a big beneficiary.

Although the willingness of Irish consumers to pay more for higher quality products started prior to the pandemic, times of home seclusion further accelerated this trend, with confectionery being one of the few things consumers could treats themselves with.

Consumers staying at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic caused major shifts in customer channel preferences when buying chocolate confectionery in recent months, according to Euromonitor.

Sweet surrender Supermarkets, discounters and e-commerce saw increased popularity during lockdowns in 2020.

Health-consciousness will remain a central element of chocolate confectionery over the coming years, Euromonitor believe. As concerns around health accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is likely the innovation will see an increased emphasis on natural ingredients, the incorporation of super berries and the use of high cocoa chocolate, as to keep in line with the growing awareness of health in Ireland.

Ethical consumerism is also expected to have a growing influence on all chocolate confectionery categories in the years ahead, according to Euromonitor.

A growing number of consumers are focusing on the origin of ingredients and find fair trade and organic products increasingly appealing.

Sugar confectionery recorded minimal growth in 2021, according to Euromonitor, with consumers moving towards healthier products with lower sugar content, while sales were also impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which consumers’ snack purchasing habits changed immensely.

Full-sugar variants of sugar confectionery are expected to see little sales growth in the future, according to Euromonitor. However, reduced sugar or sugar-free sugar confectionery

are expected to become increasingly appealing to Irish consumers. It is such products that will drive value sales growth of sugar confectionery.

Sugar confectionery is traditionally an impulse category, with a large proportion of sales of products such as mints or pastilles, gums, jellies and chews coming from unplanned purchases. This continued even as the Covid-19 pandemic hit, including confectionery products.

Mondelēz International Mondelēz International, the number one festive confectionery supplier at Christmas (Source: Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack (excl. Dunnes & Discounters) Christmas Confectionery 17 w/e December 27, 2021), is once more gearing up to help retailers with their seasonal sales this year. New treats and returning favourites will be in store for the 2021 Christmas season from muchloved brands Cadbury, Green and Black’s and Maynards Bassetts. This will help retailers make it a year to remember for their shoppers, by building cherished memories and lifelong rituals.

From the beloved range of Cadbury advent calendars to the launch of new Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Orange, there is something for everyone in this year’s range of special treats.

Excitingly, this year also sees return of retro bestseller Cadbury Puds, with a

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Confectionery luxurious truffle centre, covered in the nation’s favourite chocolate (Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack (excl.

Dunnes & Discounters) MAT June 20, 2021).

Aimed at driving sales in the self-eat category, Cadbury Puds will be incremental to a retailer’s range this festive season.

Chocolate is a key category at Christmas, Cadbury Puds are returning to so it’s essential that retail shelves this year. retailers prepare their range early to maximise their shoppers’ seasonal spend. The opportunity for retailers begins in September and lasts until the end of December, with four phases to enable them to stock the right range at the right time.

The season begins in September, when stores can kick off with sharing confectionery for ‘Big Night In’ as the nights draw in, with tubs and pouches being critical to success. In October, the ‘Self-Treat’ section takes prominence as the core Christmas season really begins and shoppers start to treat themselves

Maynards Bassetts’ iconic seasonal sharing bags will have a new, eye-catching design. retailer’s festive range. The new launch comes with an impactful winter-themed design for strong stand-out on shelf and is a great size for a stocking filler.

These new additions join the rest of the amazing self-treat and novelties range. Recent launches Little Robins (Hazelnut Creme and Chocolate Noisette) and Jingly Bells (classic and Daim variants) will also delight shoppers once more this season.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Snowman novelties are returning with a new impactful design. Finally, within tablets, Cadbury Dairy Milk Gingerbread and Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland will hit

New limited-edition Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Orange contains orange nugget inclusions and comes in an impactful winter-themed design. and loved ones to self-treat and novelties confectionery such as Cadbury Jingly Bells. In November, retailers should begin the ‘Countdown to Christmas’ in store with advent calendars and tree decs. Finally, as we enter December and the big day approaches, retailers can deliver ‘Christmas Magic’’, when shoppers are increasingly looking to trade up, by stocking up on gifting and selection packs to drive maximum sales from festive shoppers.

Here is an overview of the new products hitting shelves this festive season alongside the wider range of Cadbury Christmas favourites: Returning to retailers’ shelves for the first time in nearly 20 years, iconic festive favourite Cadbury Puds were last on sale in 2003. With their truffle centre, hazelnut and rice crisp pieces covered in the nation’s favourite chocolate, Cadbury Puds are sure to be a hit once again with those looking for a touch of nostalgia. The launch aims to bring new shoppers into the individually-wrapped self-eat category as a great treat. This is a key launch for the season, with impactful packaging to stand out on shelf and capture shoppers’ attention.

The all-new limited-edition Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Orange contains orange nugget inclusions, making it a great treat for chocolate orange lovers and a key addition to a

New for 2021, the launch of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate House will bring great excitement to confectionery this festive season.

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Confectionery shelves once again this season.

Maynards Bassetts’ iconic seasonal sharing bags will be making a return this season, with a new, eye-catching design.

The products are designed to drive the seasonal sharing novelties segment for retailers, with strong stand-out on shelf.

Cadbury will also have an extensive range of advent calendars for all types of shoppers, while retailers can add some festive excitement in store with Cadbury Tree Decorations, with reduced packaging.

Cadbury are tapping into the Christmas baking ritual with the launch of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate House. The NPD is a great activity to be shared with family and friends over the festive season and is made up of Cadbury White Buttons, Cadbury Dairy Milk Gingerbread, Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland, Cadbury Dairy Milk tablets and Cadbury Flake, with something for every tastebud.

products to suit all shoppers, including the relaunched Fry’s selection box, while Cadbury’s Hollow Santas, Cadbury Crackers and Freddo Plush Toy Gifts will return as well to give retailers a full portfolio of Christmas treats to stock in-store.

Cadbury Roses and Cath Kidston have joined forces to encourage retailers and shoppers alike to say a heartfelt thank you this Christmas with a limited-edition tin. The tin offers a fresh Cath Kidston take on the iconic Cadbury Roses design, making them a thoughtful gift for a loved one with strong standout in-store.

Shopper favourite Cadbury Heroes have a new look this year to ensure a bold and eye-catching position on-shelf, as consumers look for treats to share with loved ones this season.

The updated design profiles the Cadbury favourites inside to engage shoppers and inspire purchase.

Nestlé Confectionery New products are a key growth driver for singles confectionery.

Not only do they generate excitement in the category, but they also attract younger shoppers. New product news, especially from established brands, is critical to this.

Nestlé have a long tradition of delighting KitKat Chunky fans with innovative new flavours from the brand. The latest addition to the line-up, KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Popcorn is unlike anything else on the market and offers a deliciously sweet and salty break in a single bar format. Featuring the brand’s classic wafer alongside an indulgent layer of salted caramel popcorn filling, covered in smooth milk chocolate, it is a fun proposition that delivers on both taste and texture.

Earlier this year, the brand also launched KitKat Zebra, a new take on the classic four-finger bar, which combined marbled dark and creamy white chocolate in an eye-catching pack design. Like the rest of the KitKat range, these variants use Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa that has been responsibly sourced as part of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, and contains no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives.

Limited edition products are also great for generating interest and excitement in the category. There has been a resurgence in the popularity of orange-flavoured chocolate in

This year there is a Cath Kidston take on the Cadbury Roses tin, while Cadbury Heroes have a new, eyecatching look.

Cadbury will also have a multipack of Freddo Christmas crackers, each filled with two delicious Cadbury classic chocolates and a surprise toy, while the Cadbury Dairy Milk Collection of Festive Favourites will include two Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland bars, a Cadbury Dairy Milk Gingerbread bar and brand-new Cadbury Dairy Milk Orange Winter edition bar.

There will also be a range of selection boxes, with sizes and

KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Popcorn offers a deliciously sweet and salty break in a single bar format.

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Confectionery

Aero, Rolo and Milkybar Combos are a brand-new way to enjoy some of Ireland’s best-loved confectionery brands. recent years and Yorkie has added to its brand offering with a limited edition 46g Yorkie Orange format and a new 72g Duo bar, which joins Nestlé’s recently extended Duo range.

Retailers should maximise sales of new launches by making sure they are given unmissable visibility in-store and Nestlé have developed a suite of impactful POS material to help support this.

Within sharing, there is now a brand-new way to enjoy some best-loved confectionery brands with the launch of Aero, Rolo and Milkybar Combos. Nestlé have taken three of their most popular confectionery brands and elevated them to the next level. Designed for sharing, each variety offers a unique and delicious combination of tastes and textures to give consumers a deliciously different sweet snacking experience.

The three varieties are: Aero Combos - smooth Aero bubbles, chewy toffee popcorn and decadent dark chocolate malt balls; Rolo Combos - delicious Little Rolos, chewy toffee popcorn and melt-in-the-mouth fudge bites; Milkybar Combos creamy Milkybar pieces, chewy toffee popcorn and crunchy milk chocolate digestive balls.

A firm favourite amongst chocolate fans, Munchies have been produced in a variety of flavours over the years. This month sees the launch of a new sharing bag variety featuring a salted caramel fudge flavour filling and biscuit centre, covered in delicious milk chocolate. Munchies Salted Caramel Fudge

joins the existing sharing bag range, which is comprised of classic Munchies, Munchies Cookie Dough and Munchies White.

Within sugar sharing bags, the Rowntree’s range extended to include new Dessert Pastilles, bringing together four delicious flavours: mango sorbet, blueberry pie, cherry bakewell and apple crumble.

Like the rest of the range, Dessert Pastilles Quality Street Intrigue Orange Truffle are veganarrives in time for the festive season. friendly.

Earlier this year, Nestlé also introduced an exciting new addition to the Aero range, Aero Dark & Milk. Available in a 90g sharing bar and made with 51% cocoa solids and 9% milk solids, Aero Dark & Milk is a deliciously rich way to enjoy the brand’s famous chocolatey bubbles. Given the higher percentage of cocoa solids, it is ideal for those who are looking for a more intense, grown-up flavour. At the same time, it retains the creamy taste elements you would find in milk chocolate, which means there is no bitterness.

The Smarties Block sharing range has been extended and is now available in milk chocolate and white chocolate featuring mini Smarties; and in orange flavoured chocolate featuring

After Eight Mojito & Mint is a limited-edition variant inspired by the classic Cuban cocktail.

Aero Dark & Milk is a deliciously rich way to enjoy the brand’s famous chocolatey bubbles.

orange mini Smarties. Like the rest of the Smarties range, these are all wrapped in recycled paper packaging.

Just in time for Christmas, a new introduction to the gifting range is Quality Street Intrigue’s latest flavour offering: Quality Street Intrigue Orange Truffle. Meanwhile, After Eight Mojito & Mint is a limited-edition variant inspired by the classic Cuban cocktail. This deliciously zesty treat features Mojito and mintflavoured fondant enrobed in rich dark chocolate to offer a grown-up and sophisticated take on the classic after dinner mint.

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Confectionery Lindt Now worth over €2.4m in RSV, the smooth melting Lindor Treat Bar is Ireland’s number one premium chocolate countline and is a proven must stock range for retailers this year (Source: Nielsen Scantrack MAT, Snacking Countline Market, to July 18, 2021). Available in a slim stick format, it is the perfect on-thego treat and is available in four delectable flavours: the classic Lindor milk recipe, the irresistibly smooth melting mint filling, and a zesty orange flavoured milk chocolate for those looking for something with a little twist. Finally, the latest edition to the Treat Bar range is Salted Caramel, smooth melting milk chocolate with salt crystals, an irresistible combination. Each flavour promises to be a “blissful” experience on consumers’ taste buds.

Ferrero

The latest edition to Lindor’s Treat Bar range is Salted Caramel, which is sure to prove hugely popular.

Duplo is a new hazelnut chocolate biscuit bar from Ferrero, which is set to shake up the category.

Following on from the success of the Lindor Treat Bar range, also available are the Lindor Milk and Orange Multipacks, featuring the same slim stick packaging but in a convenient multipack format, perfect for filling lunch boxes or as a little picnic treat while you are out and about.

Ferrero are reinvigorating the chocolate biscuit category with the launch of a new hazelnut chocolate biscuit bar, Duplo, available now. Capitalising on the success of Ferrero’s previous biscuit brands, Nutella B-Ready and Kinder Cards, Duplo contains 100 calories and is available in a variety of pack formats, making it the perfect treat for shoppers to enjoy at home or on-the-go.

Ferrero Duplo is set to disrupt the category with a more premium option when compared to current products available, thanks to Ferrero’s heritage and expertise in creating highquality chocolate. This is evidenced by the chocolate bar being a best seller in Germany since its launch in 1964 (Source: www.duplo.de/sortiment/classic/), with early consumer testing in the UK and Ireland showing a wide appeal across age groups, particularly amongst adults aged 24-45, due to its distinctive nutty taste and flavour, and its creamy texture (Source: CPT Research).

Lindor Milk Multipacks are perfect for filling lunch boxes or as a little picnic treat while you are out and about.

The Lindor Multipack is available in all leading retailers and retails at €2.69. The Lindor Treat Bar 38g range retails at €1.29 and is available nationwide.

Lindt Lindor is the epitome of indulgence as it creates a moment of escape and relaxation in your busy day, a smooth melting ‘me moment’. The tempting Lindor Treat Bars are a product of the care and passion that Lindt’s Swiss Master Chocolatiers put into creating each and every recipe.

Lindor Treat Bar: “A moment of bliss wherever you go”.

Duplo contains 100 calories and is available in a variety of pack formats, making it the perfect treat for shoppers to enjoy at home or on-the-go.

*Source AC Nielsen 52 Weeks to 18th July 2021

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Confectionery “The varied product formats and pack sizes give Duplo appeal across a number of different shopper missions, both enabling retailers to offer something new as on-the-go

two of their core brands. Fox’s Glacier and Poppets are both unveiling fresh new looks, as well as an innovative programme of NPD. Fox’s Glacier will spotlight the iconic Peppy the polar bear on-pack, while Poppets will benefit from an impactful, modern and fun new design.

“2021 is a year of significant investment and innovation at Valeo Confectionery,” explained Russell Tanner, Marketing Director at Valeo Snack Foods. “As two of our hero brands, Fox’s Glacier and Poppets have many years of heritage combined, but both have stood the test of time and remain relevant to the modern consumer. We hope this investment and redesign will contribute to the continued success of both brands for years to come.”

The newly reimagined Poppets packaging has a modern feel with a bold, impactful logo, and new flavours are sure to excite consumers.

Consumers are really loving Duplo for its distinctive nutty taste and flavour, and its creamy texture. purchases return, as well as larger multipacks that allow people to manage their treating ahead of time and around the working week,” noted Levi Boorer, Customer Development Director at Ferrero. Duplo is available now in single and multipacks – 1, 2, 5 and 10-packs.

Valeo Snack Foods Valeo Snack Foods have announced an exciting relaunch for

The new Fox’s Glaciers packaging draws on the brand’s rich history, re-introducing design elements from its past, but with a fresh, new look.

The new Fox’s Glaciers packaging draws on the brand’s rich history, re-introducing design elements from its past such as its bright blue hue and the ‘accept no imitations’ strapline, to remind consumers to look for the very best.

The design also gives the nation’s favourite polar bear a fresh new look, and has also subtly referenced his counterpoint, Fox, from the original cartoons and TV adverts.

New to packs is the addition of ‘100 Years of Taking it Slow’, a nod to the brand’s heritage and expertise in creating premium, long lasting sweets.

The newly re-imagined Poppets packaging has a modern feel with a bold, impactful logo. Available in a unique singleserve cardboard carton or a sharing pouch format, the packaging will utilise primary colours to ensure shelf standout and show off Poppets’ many different centres.

The Poppets range is also set to expand, giving consumers new and exciting ways to get that little chocolate hit. A new Salted Caramel flavour has widespread appeal as a growing flavour profile, and Poppets Mix Ups feature a selection of flavours in one pack. It offers a range of family favourites (Toffee, Salted Caramel, Crunchy Maltballs and Chocolate Balls) for an element of surprise, but none of the polarising flavours you might find in other, similar offerings on the market.

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Sauces

Flavours of the month

Consumer stockpiling and the growth of home cooking combined to deliver growth for the sauces category in 2020.

THE Irish sauces market grew in 2020, as the initial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic saw consumer stockpiling sauces, thanks to their long expiry dates, while the subsequent boom in home cooking was also good news for sauces, according to the latest report into the sector from Euromonitor International.

As scratch cooking became more popular in 2020, various sauces, dressings and condiments were purchased to augment new recipes, according to Euromonitor, who report a particularly positive impact on retail sales of chilli sauces and soy sauces.

Euromonitor believe that in the coming years, consumer desire to experiment with new tastes will help to drive market growth, while more mature sauce categories will continue to react to this change in consumer behaviour by creating new flavours and mixtures of sauces.

Pomì Pomì, the premium Italian tomato brand that is a household name in Italy, has launched in Ireland with a range of Passata and Chopped Tomato products.

Synonymous with premium quality, freshness and 100% Italian authenticity, Pomì are highly regarded as a leader in sustainability and transparency. Produced with 100% Italian tomatoes which are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, as the saying goes, perfection is simple. Picked at peak ripeness and packed within 24 hours of harvest, Pomì are committed to delivering superior quality and full, fresh flavour.

Led by a 370 strong farmer co-operative, committed to nurturing and harvesting simply the best Italian tomatoes, each and every Pomì tomato can be traced from the on-pack batch code to the field of origin, via the PomìTaste app. From the seeds cultivated by the farmers, to the innovative growing and processing techniques that reduce carbon footprint, to the quality of Italian tomatoes, Pomì are committed to delivering on quality and flavour, sustainably.

According to Gordon Kennedy, CEO of BR Marketing, “Pomì is a brand with impeccable credentials; the synergy between Pomì’s co-

Pomì, the premium Italian tomato brand, is now available in Ireland from BR Marketing.

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Sauces taste.”

The range is now available at SuperValu and at select specialty stores nationwide.

For more information, contact BR Marketing on (01) 8850800 or email lohara@brmark.ie.

Kraft Heinz Classic sauces have had a strong year, with the ketchup category in dynamic growth up 3.9% year on year to €20.6m.

The growth of the category has been driven by Heinz Tomato Ketchup, which has seen a 4.6% increase in value in the past year, reaching €11.9m. In addition, the Heinz Healthy Ketchup platform has contributed to the strong performance of

Pomì tomatoes are grown from proprietary seeds cultivated by Consorzio Casalasco del Pomodoro on over 7,000 hectares in the tomato growing heartland of Northern Italy, by a co-operative of 370 farmers. operative led approach, how integral the farmers are to the brand, and Ireland’s affinity for the farming industry, made this brand a natural choice for BR Marketing.

We are proud to represent the brand in the Irish market and are confident that the Irish consumer will embrace it.”

Casalasco company, The Pomì brand is a owner of the household name in Pomì brand, Italy, synonymous are equally with premium enthusiastic. quality, freshness Barbara and 100% Italian Mantelli, authenticity.

Pomì Export Manager, comments: “ I’m very excited Pomì is availble in Ireland with our 100% Italian Tomatoes. I’m sure consumers will appreciate and enjoy the real Italian

Kraft Heinz are investing in a multimillion euro campaign for Heinz Tomato Ketchup called ‘Ketchup.

But First, Tomato.’ to celebrate the brand’s unmistakable tomato taste. followed by global markets. Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Heinz BBQ Sauce will be the first of the company’s convenient and popular squeezy bottles, which sold one billion units globally in 2020 (Source: Internal Sales Data, 2020), to feature the new cap.

Heinz Tomato Ketchup has enjoyed strong growth over the last year, driving the ketchup category. ketchup, seeing a 12.6% increase in value in the past year (Source: Kantar WWP, MAT, August 2021).

Kraft Heinz have just released their newest multi-media campaign for Heinz Tomato Ketchup called ‘Ketchup.

But First, Tomato.’ to celebrate its unmistakable tomato taste. This campaign reinforces that the tomato is at the heart of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

The campaign spans across TV, BVOD and OOH, as well as digital outlets including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, with an expected reach of 2.28m, 73% of Irish adults.

With innovation a top priority for Kraft Heinz, the company is rolling out an ecofriendly cap in 2022 starting in Europe,

Kraft Heinz are rolling out an ecofriendly cap in 2022 starting in Europe, followed by global markets.

The innovative cap has been designed to provide the same perfect squeeze of sauce using a material that can be easily and conveniently recycled alongside other household kerbside recycling.

56|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Sauces Mezeast from Nestlé Nestlé are introducing Mezeast, a new food brand born from the passion for Middle Eastern cuisine, inspired by its aromatic and full of flavour dishes and a generous and sharing food culture.

From the world-famous falafels, shawarma, tahini and kofta to the hidden gems like pomegranate sauce, toum, muhammara and harissa, Mezeast has been designed to bring together the best tastes and flavours of the Middle East.

The range has been created by Middle Eastern chefs and made with selected ingredients (including pomegranate, tahini, oregano, cumin, caraway, coriander and onions) sourced directly

The new Mezeast range from Nestlé has been created

by Middle Eastern chefs and made with selected ingredients sourced directly from the Middle East to ensure authentic aromatic flavours for a delicious meal at home inspired by the Levantine region.

from the Middle East to ensure authentic aromatic flavours for a delicious meal at home inspired by the Levantine region.

“Life is better when shared and we are really excited to introduce Mezeast, inspired by the Middle Eastern cuisine, which is all about sharing and generosity,” noted Honza Dusanek, Managing Director for Food and Dairy at Nestlé UK and Ireland. “This unique cuisine is rooted in the belief that a meal is much more than just food; it is a special moment of togetherness and meaningful connections. We know that this food culture is loved by so many people and we want to make it available to families everywhere.

Mezeast offers the opportunity to cook delicious, authentic and simple meals that bring family and friends together.

“The development of Mezeast

has been a true journey – a path of discovery and learning about all the unique ingredients and flavours and we can’t wait to share this passion.”

The Mezeast range includes eleven products, consisting of meal kits, seasoning mix sachets, squeezy sauces, spreads and pastes, which are a convenient and easy way to cook aromatic Middle Eastern food from the comfort of your home.

The Happy Pear The Happy Pear have launched a range of six new sauces, available exclusively in SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide.

The recently launched range boasts six new sauces, three inspired by the flavours of Italy (Lovely Lentil Bolognese Sauce, Ragu Sauce and Spicy Cherry Tomato), and three more influenced by lands further afield (Korma Sauce, Tasty Tikka Sauce and Thai Tastic Sauce). The whole range is vegan, free from artificial ingredients, have no added sugar and offers up to three portions of veg in every jar.

The Happy Pear Lovely Lentil Bolognese Sauce is a rich tomato sauce made with Italian tomatoes, green puy lentils, mushrooms & herbs. The Happy Pear Spicy Cherry Tomato Sauce is a tomato sauce with tomatoes, whole cherry tomatoes, red chilli puree and chilli flakes for a bit of a fiery kick and a dash of basil herb. The Happy Pear Ragu Sauce is a delicious tomato sauce made with grilled aubergine, Italian tomatoes, red onion and chargrilled red peppers. All three Italian sauces have three of consumers’ five a day recommended fruit & veg per jar.

The Happy Pear That’s Korma Sauce is a mild curry sauce made with coconut, spices and coriander. Sweetened naturally with carrots and sultanas, it contains two of consumers’ five a day recommended fruit & veg per jar. The Happy Pear Tasty Tikka Sauce is a traditional tomato-based curry sauce with curry spices, coconut, red chilli puree, coriander herb and a dash of soy sauce for a twist. It has three of consumers’ five a day recommended fruit & veg per jar. Finally, The Happy Pear Thai Tastic Sauce is a Thai style curry sauce made with green chilli puree, coconut, coriander, peppers and lemongrass with a gentle hint of lime leaves and has one of consumers’ five a day recommended fruit & veg per jar.

The Happy Pear’s new sauce range is available exclusively in SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide.

Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie|57

Digital Security

Cybersecurity in retail: staying safe from C-suite to store shelves With ransomware attacks and data leaks constantly in the news cycle, many business owners are increasingly concerned with keeping their information and systems safe.

While almost everyone knows not to click links in strange emails, there are other gaps in security that may be less obvious. Morgan Stokes explains the organisational and employee training solutions that FMCG businesses can use to safeguard their systems, from the CEO’s office to the shop-floor.

IN 2021, it’s almost impossible to ignore the threat of cybersecurity breaches. May’s high-profile HSE ransomware attack is still in the news, as the organisation scrambles to catch up in the wake of the event. Closer to home for the FMCG industry, high-profile American food producers, including meat producing giant JBS, have reported breaches of their own.

It can be hard to see past the hysteria and the jargon in the news cycle. But SMEs in particular have cause for concern – they have more money than ordinary people, and generally less security than larger corporations. And according to Richard Werren, Regional Director of Food & Retail Supply Chain at the British Standard Institute, poor cybersecurity could hit suppliers’ pockets without even a hint of a breach.

“Major retailers are now focusing on cybersecurity as a dealbreaker,” he said, speaking at the first of a series of BSI seminars on cybersecurity in the food industry in August.

Kristin Demoranville, BSI’s Head of Cybersecurity for the Americas and keynote speaker at the event,

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Digital Security pointed out that these companies have learned from experience. “Most hacks don’t happen through a major corporation,” she explains. “They happen through third parties.”

So how can the sector improve?

DeMoranville believes that business needs to focus on both technical knowledge and better understanding of how employees operate. “I think a lot of times we tend to blast off before we have a look at the [work] environment,” she says. “The people you want to talk to are the ones closest to the product.”

The human element – cybercrime and emotional manipulation While it’s true that cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s believed that most breaches still occur as a result of simple human error.

Perhaps the best known example is the ‘phishing’ email. It’s tempting to believe that everybody is security-savvy enough not to open strange links in emails from unknown senders, but this might not necessarily be the case. ‘Phishing’ emails can look extremely convincing, often with only a slight change in address from a legitimate company email; easy for even a generally cautious employee to miss if they’re busy or overworked. They may also contain data about the organisation or employee, such as references to roles, projects or colleagues, which is often easily obtained from company websites or social media.

Cybercriminals are adept at playing on the emotions of users. Most of us will be familiar with stories of scam calls telling bank customers that they are locked out of their accounts, taking advantage of panic to trick victims into giving up sensitive information.

In late May, an article on thejournal.ie confirmed that the HSE

While it’s true that cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s believed that most breaches still occur as a result of simple human error. ransomware attack began on a single computer, when an employee struggling to access a file clicked on a link they believed would lead them to an IT messaging service. The hacker was counting on the employee being frustrated enough to forget or bypass IT security protocols.

There are also simple, less intuitive errors made by employees. Some thirdparty websites that store client data, such as mass email client Mailchimp, use security questions when somebody tries to access the site from an unknown computer. If an employee uses personal answers, such as a mother’s maiden name or the first street they grew up on, a hacker may be able to get this information from social media; you may have seen viral memes on social media, asking users to comment with these

A CCTV system that relies on a camera sending data over the internet to a computer monitor may be cheaper to operate than traditional systems, but may also be insecure.

details to get their ‘stripper name’, for example.

The importance of password management The importance of using strong passwords might seem obvious, but the reality is that most people just can’t remember dozens of separate, long passwords. Some companies remain extremely lax - DeMoranville recalls making site visits to find admin passwords taped to monitors.

One simple, company-wide and well-known password might seem like a terrible idea, but asking employees to choose their own passwords has pitfalls.

Many people re-use their passwords or use one password for all their online accounts – if an employee uses their work password to access personal accounts, company data might be at risk if those websites are hacked.

Security on the shop floor – investigating the Internet of Things IT security is generally associated with offices, but in 2021, the internet has made its way into the store itself. Any device that has an internet connection is at risk of being compromised, and for the independent grocer, that might include security cameras, stock taking or scanning devices, and even some card readers.

‘The Internet of Things’ (IoT) is the term used for everyday objects that connect to the internet, which span everything from medical sensors that send data from pacemakers to doctors to WiFi-controlled kettles, which boil when

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Digital Security sensitive information is stored. Always change the password; get assistance to do so if you need it. You may also want to ask an IT person to manually check for security updates every couple of months.

If you are an independent supplier or manufacturer heavily reliant on sensors, this can be more difficult; hard questions need to be asked about how the device’s security has been tested. In 2018, ISO developed the ISO/IEC 30141 for IoT devices; this should be the bare minimum claim your supplier makes about security.

Some companies are moving away from passwords altogether and using methods such as codes sent to their employees phone’s instead. you press a button on your phone.

An independent store owner may set up a CCTV system that relies on a camera sending data over the internet to a computer monitor – often cheaper and easier to operate than traditional systems. However, these devices are notoriously insecure. They usually come with a default password that isn’t easy for a user to change, since there’s no screen or interface, so many don’t. In 2016, using default passwords taken from manufacturers, hackers accessed thousands of these devices to create the ‘Morai Botnet’, and used their internet addresses to send enough traffic to websites to overwhelm and disable them.

And while security has moved on since 2016, older or cheaper devices may be vulnerable to attack.

Having your shop’s CCTV used to co-ordinate a massive cyberterrorist attack on the web itself isn’t exactly a pleasant thought, but if these devices are compromised, there can be more immediate consequences. They can be an entry port into your entire WiFi network, an easy way to introduce viruses that spread from cameras to computers.

This is particularly relevant to manufacturers, suppliers and logistics companies, who often rely on IoT connected sensors and equipment. It can also work the other way around; if someone gains access to your WiFi network, they may be able to shut off your devices. Richard Warren tells a cautionary tale about a teenager who gained access to the WiFi network of a neighbouring food processing plant. Armed with just the WiFi password, “this 15-year-old youth shut down the entire production line”.

DeMoranville advises avoiding using these devices unless necessary. Acknowledging that they can be essential, useful, or timesaving, however, she advises: “Ask yourself, does it really need to be connected to the internet?”

Think hard about how and who you train: Any breach that happens in entry-level admin. or at a factory technician level can spread easily to the top of the organisation.

Thought needs to be given to the actual working conditions of employees on the ground; DeMoranville cites the example of a company who decided to introduce fingerprint scanners on the factory floor, completely forgetting that employees were forbidden to remove their gloves.

Training should be easy to understand; in the May 2021 issue of Retail News, we wrote about how the overall digital skills level of Ireland’s workforce is lower than some might suppose, with 42% of the Irish population describing their digital skills as below average. Too much jargon might cause an employee to switch off, but too little detail could make it hard for them to care.

Be careful who you work with: You might be entirely satisfied with how your organisation handles security, but you still need to make sure that your partners aren’t playing fast and loose with your data. Warren points out that the weakest link is often heavily IoT-reliant logistics and distribution companies. If you outsource your IT, you’ll need to thoroughly research the company’s background to make sure they are reliable.

Protect your passwords: Change passwords frequently and if employees are setting their own, ask them to use a unique one. Some companies are moving away from passwords altogether and using methods such as codes sent to their employees phone’s instead.

Hire a professional: There’s no substitute for expert advice, and there are many companies who provide training, site testing and software solutions.

How can you keep your business safe?

All that may sound alarming, but there are steps you can take to keep your networks secure.

Lock down your IoT: Most routers have an option to set up a separate network; if you can get someone to connect any IoT devices you are using to this network, you can keep them away from where

The issue of cybersecurity has become impossible to ignore in recent months.

60|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Waste Management

Your business waste – easily sorted!

MyWaste have launched a new initiative to take the uncertainty out of waste segregation, with an extensive suite of signage and training materials available free of charge.

WE’VE all experienced that moment, standing in front of the recycling, food and general waste bins at work and wondering what waste goes where. It’s a common dilemma in workplaces across Ireland, whether it’s retail, hospitality, manufacturing or corporate.

People want to do the right thing and recycle, but confusion around waste segregation means we don’t always get it right.

A new initiative designed to take the uncertainty out of waste segregation has now been launched by MyWaste (www.mywaste.ie/business/), Ireland’s official guide to waste. This initiative provides an extensive suite of signage and training materials developed to help workforces make accurate recycling decisions. All of the materials and support advice are available to Irish businesses free of charge.

This Government-funded initiative aims to assist Irish businesses achieve greater Circular Economy performance through increased recycling and composting rates, as statistics show that high levels of recyclables and materials suitable for composting are currently lost through the general waste stream.

Diverting waste to the right bin The Environmental Protection Agency’s 2018 Waste Characterisation Survey (report available on www.epa.ie) found that businesses in the hospitality, retail,

wholesale and office sectors could divert as much as 350,000 tonnes of waste from the general waste stream annually by simply improving waste segregation practices by using the correct bin.

The study also found that almost 70% of materials being placed in the general commercial waste bins is waste that should be placed in the recycling or food waste bins. In addition, targeted materials (those suitable for recycling) accounted for only 60% of the materials in the mixed dry recycling bins, with food waste among the contaminants.

How to manage your business waste Your step-by-step guide

Improving waste management Speaking on behalf of the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, Kevin Swift, Connacht Ulster Region Waste Office, said, “This initiative A new initiative designed to take the will empower small and medium size businesses, particularly those in uncertainty out of waste segregation has the retail, hospitality, manufacturing now been launched by MyWaste (www.mywaste.ie/business/), Ireland’s and corporate sectors, to further official guide to waste. improve how their waste is managed.

With clear language and visuals, the materials will make it easy for staff to quickly understand what waste goes in staff and encourage the right behaviour. what bin. This should help to significantly In the coming decade, businesses increase the amount of recyclables and and their workforce can positively impact food waste diverted from the general bin Ireland’s recycling and composting and correctly placed in the recycling and performance. This in turn will encourage food waste bins.” small businesses to take steps towards The initiative toolkit is free to becoming more circular, while also download or order from helping them boost competitiveness as www.mywaste.ie/business/ and includes part of a green recovery. posters, bin labels, a guidance booklet on To download the free campaign toolkit workplace waste management, and four and use it in your business, visit short animations – all aiming to educate www.mywaste.ie/business/.

Your Business Waste - Easily Sorted!

Go to mywaste.ie/business to download a FREE toolkit designed to help you better manage your business waste.

This toolkit includes posters, bin labels and a step-by-step guide to better business waste management.

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62|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Mushroom Market

Mushrooms: more than just fun guys

A new report from the UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers predicts that the humble mushroom will play a huge role in boosting our immunity in the coming years.

AS human consumption of mushrooms hits record growth 24% year-on-year (Source: Kantar, FMCG panel, Grocery, 4we February 21, 2021), the UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers have unveiled a new report, Mushrooming the future of Mushrooms for Immunity: People and Planet. The report reveals what we know as mushrooms today is just a small part of these incredible organisms, working behind the scenes, performing invaluable tasks for humans and our planet.

The new report sets out the ancient history of the mushroom to recent discoveries during the Covid-19 pandemic of the amazing benefits of this powerful force of nature and how mushrooms have a role to play in delivering immunity for people and the planet. This includes five predictions for how vitamin D-rich mushrooms will be used for the immunity of humans, to help save the planet, and how human mushroom consumption could look in as little as five years.

“Although mushrooms can be traced back 500m years, now more than ever, they have a key role to play in helping people live healthier lives and to protect our immunity,” said Noel Hegarty, a spokesperson from The UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers. “Mycelium is earth’s natural regenerator. We believe a deeper understanding of this natural material has the potential to profoundly impact the future of our health and our planet’s.”

Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus or fungus-like bacterial colony, consisting of a mass of branching thread-

like hyphae.

The pandemic has focused attention on the intrinsic link between the natural world and human health, a link as old as humanity itself, according to the report, which explains that nature has been our pharmacist for thousands of years, during which time mushrooms and fungi have been used as medicines and treatments.

The report reveals how some people believe we owe our existence on earth to fungi, with US scientist, mycologist and mushroom entrepreneur, Paul Stamets suggesting that humans are derived from mycelium: “We divided from fungi 650m years ago. One branch led to fungi and the other branch led to animals… We are more closely related to fungi than we are to any other kingdom. What this means is that we’re descendants of mycelium.

Mycelium is the mother of us all.”

The report identifies five ways in which mushrooms will contribute to our immunity in the coming years.

1. Human immunity: By 2026 we will see the emergence of food enriched with mushrooms for immunity.

Mushrooms are the superfood at the heart of a recent nutritional awakening, due to their ability to help with everything from weight management and oral health to reducing our risk of developing cancer, managing our cholesterol levels, and ensuring our immune systems are in the best possible shape.

Mushrooms are known to convert sunshine or ultraviolet light into vitamin D, an essential factor in our immune

health, and this year we have seen the rise of functional mushrooms, such as those exclusive to M&S, grown in Somerset, high in vitamin D with an added boost of vitamin B6, to help support the immune system, reduce tiredness and fatigue.

Mushrooms are also rich in selenium, required by the body for the normal functioning of the immune system and healthy thyroid function. Selenium also works as a powerful antioxidant, helping to protect against the damage caused by excess free radicals, which can damage cells and increase the risk of disease.

Evidence now suggests mushrooms can support healthy immune and inflammatory responses by interacting with the microbes in our gut, both enhancing our adaptive immunity and strengthening the function of our immune cells.

2. Food for immunity: from burgers to beer, we will continue to ingest mushroom nutrients in new ways.

Driven by a combination of environmental concerns and health awareness, many people are reducing their meat intake and switching from animal proteins to meatfree substitutes such as mushrooms. As our understanding of the huge potential of mushrooms increases, a plethora of new companies are emerging to satisfy (and stimulate) growing demand for edible alternatives that can support health, while reducing the environmental impacts of our food. The Mighty Mushroom Co. was created to bring a range of mushrooms supercharged

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Mushroom Market

Mushrooms are the superfood at the heart of a recent nutritional awakening, due to their ability to help with everything from weight management and oral health to reducing our risk of developing cancer, managing our cholesterol levels, and ensuring our immune systems are in the best possible shape. with vitamins and minerals that boost immunity and is shaking up the meat-free market.

For those on a low salt diet, mushrooms can offer a helping hand.

“As mushrooms have a distinctive umami flavour profile, products which have a high mushroom content needs less additives such as salt,” revealed Noel Hegarty.

Meanwhile, a raft of new functional drinks, boosting our immunity and gut health, are in the process of taking the drinks market by storm as we strive to keep illness at bay.

3. Vitamin D: We will develop a deeper understanding of the anti-inflammatory and immune modulating functions of mushroom components.

We get most of our supplies of vitamin D from sunlight, which is why our intake fluctuates throughout the year. The UK Department of Health and Social Care

recommends that we take a supplement of 10mcg per day during the winter in order to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D. It is almost impossible to get all the vitamin D you need from your diet, because it is only found in a select few foods such as mushrooms, sources of this critical vitamin. However, new technology that exposes commercially grown mushrooms to additional UV light means we can now find mushrooms supercharged with vitamin D in local stores.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin and Jude Wilson PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Research and Development at mBio, are collaborating to develop a deeper understanding of the antiinflammatory and immune modulating functions of mushroom components.

4. Planetary immunity: We will use the power of fungi to protect and restore soils and natural habitats.

Industrial farming methods can disrupt rich ecology with pesticides and fertilisers. However, Mycorrhizal fungi, coined ‘ecosystem engineers’, have been found to aid in the decomposition of organic matter, facilitating nutrient cycles and the storage of carbon.

Researchers have even discovered bug-eating fungi, natural insecticides - protecting soil health and boosting biodiversity, while also removing the pests, or the few ‘bad’ microbes, from agriculture (Source: Shields, FungusBased Pesticides Might Be The Green Solution Of The Future).

The power of fungi to protect and restore soils isn’t exclusive to agricultural land either. World-changing organisations, such as CoRenewal, are working to harness the power of mushrooms as nature’s mop; mycelial networks to restore biodiversity and natural habitats that have been damaged

Irish brand, The Mighty Mushroom Co. recently launched a range of meatfree mince, burgers and Cumberland style sausages.

The Living building, built from bricks grown from corn stalks and mushrooms, at MoMA in New York in 2014.

by environmental disasters such as forest fires or oil spills.

“Disrupt the ecology of microbes that live in your gut, and your health will suffer; a growing number of human diseases are known to arise because of efforts to rid ourselves of ‘germs’. Disrupt the rich ecology of microbes that live in the soil, the guts of the planet, and the health of plants too will suffer,” according Merlin Sheldrake, author of Entangled Life.

Meanwhile, a growing number of species have been found to ‘eat’ plastic waste, breaking it down into organic matter within weeks rather than decades.

Not only can these incredible organisms munch on plastic; they can replace it, too.

5. Fungi Furniture: In the future, mushrooms will be used to make everyday office furniture and coffins.

Mushrooms continue to be a huge source of inspiration for many modern solutions.

Mycelium bricks which fuse together could be the future of construction, while mycelium is being turned into fashion and furniture, including stools and lampshades. For example, organisations such as MycoWorks have developed a ‘mushroom leather’ by engineering and compressing mycelium in order to create a ‘biomaterial’ replica; Ecovative has developed compostable mycelial packaging that can replace polystyrene; and Loop of Life have created mycelium coffins, that speed up the natural decomposition process, embracing the circle of life.

The full report ‘Mushrooming’ the future of Mushrooms for Immunity: People and Planet by the UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers at mushroomsaremagic.co.uk.

64|Retail News|September 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Ferrero

Ferrero publish sustainability report The Ferrero Group recently published their 12th Sustainability Report, updating their progress towards achieving their sustainability goals.

DESPITE the challenges presented by the global pandemic, Ferrero adapted successfully, putting the health and safety of their employees and consumers at the forefront of their efforts, according to their 12th Sustainability Report. A critical focus has been to protect workers and farmers in their agricultural supply chains, especially in less developed markets. Amongst many other initiatives, Ferrero have extensively distributed information on preventative measures to stop the virus from spreading and provided access to protective and hygiene equipment.

“The impacts of Covid-19 have changed our business and our industry, and they continue to be felt globally,” said Giovanni Ferrero, Executive Chairman of the Ferrero Group. “Despite these challenges, the Ferrero Group successfully adapted, and prioritised consumer and employee health and safety. I would like to thank all the Ferrero employees and partners who have pulled together over the last year to continue to deliver for our customers, while supporting the communities we are proud to be part of.”

Highlights from the 2020 sustainability report Ferrero have continued to work towards their 2020 group sustainability goals, aligned to their four key pillars: protect the environment, source ingredients sustainably, promote responsible consumption and empower people.

They have also begun to define new commitments and targets that will drive further progress across the period leading up to 2030.

One of their new ambitious targets is to continue to significantly reduce

the group’s carbon footprint by 2030.

These are science-based carbon targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in December 2020, with the following commitments: • •

Ferrero will reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% globally by 2030, using 2018 as the base year.

Ferrero will also reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions intensity by 43% per tonne of product produced at a global level, using 2018 as the base year.

The following are a selection of highlights from across Ferrero’s four key pillars: •

•

•

Ferrero reached and closed out a number of their 2020 targets, having made substantial progress. For instance, they have achieved their goal of sourcing 100% sustainable cocoa beans through independently managed schemes and 100% certified cane sugar through Bonsucro and Altromercato.

Renewable energy is critical to Ferrero’s efforts to achieving their carbon reduction goals and they purchased 100% green electricity for their manufacturing plants in Europe in fiscal year 2019/2020, and 71.5% of the electricity purchased globally was from renewable sources.

In 2019, Ferrero announced a commitment to make 100% of their packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, as part of their support for the circular economy.

As of 2020, they have achieved

•

82.9% and continue their strong commitment to fulfilling this journey.

Ferrero have continued to build on their efforts over the past decade to enhance their human rights approach. This has been delivered through collaboration with leading experts to identify human rights risks and build out their due diligence approach, as well as entering partnerships to scale positive impact, such as with Save the Children.

Invaluable partnerships and collaborations “Beyond manufacturing, protecting workers and farmers in agricultural supply chains was a key priority, especially in less developed markets,” noted Lapo Civiletti, Chief Executive Officer of the Ferrero Group. “Our partnerships and collaborations have proved invaluable to reaching those in need of support. As we close out our 2020 goals, we are proud to have met our target to source 100% sustainable cocoa through independently managed standards. We have now extended the target to include outsourced chocolate to provide full transparency of our cocoa supply chain. We continued to source 100% RSPO certified segregated palm oil and we are developing a transition roadmap for the newly acquired companies toward our responsible sourcing standards.”

For further information, visit www.ferrero.com and www.ferrerosustainability.com.

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What's New BEN’S ORIGINAL BRAND GOES LIVE MARS Ireland have announced that Ben’s Original products are now available in new packaging at retailers throughout Ireland.

The new packaging is the brand’s next step in its ambition to create a more inclusive future, while maintaining its commitment to producing the world’s best rice. This development follows the announcement in September 2020 of Mars’ intent to rename the Uncle Ben’s brand in favour of a more inclusive and equitable name that aligned with a new brand purpose, to create opportunities that offer everyone a seat at the table. “Ben’s Original is not just a name and packaging change – we believe everyone deserves to feel welcome, heard and have access to nutritious food,” stated Brendan McLoughlin, Ireland Market Director. For more information, visit www.bensoriginal.ie.

DR. OETKER LAUNCH RISTORANTE VEGAN PIZZA IN IRELAND DR. Oetker have expanded their popular Ristorante pizza range to include their first-ever vegan pizza.

The Ristorante Vegan Margherita Pomodori features a thin & crispy base, topped with Ristorante’s signature sauce, grated Vegan Cheese pizza topping, juicy sun-dried and cherry tomatoes, along with a basil “pesto-style” garnish. Vegans and any meat reducers can now enjoy the mouth-watering flavour of an Italian-style Margherita pizza, with no compromise on taste. The new Ristorante Vegan pizza is a classic flavour that can be enjoyed by everyone. The launch follows a survey by Dr. Oetker’s Ristorante, which found that 17% of vegans in Ireland claim pizza as a food they miss the most since switching diets, with 43% citing Margherita as the flavour they’d like to see the most.

MIWADI LIVENS UP SQUASH BRAND WITH VITAMIN D

O’DONNELLS LAUNCH PREMIUM CRINKLE CRISPS RANGE O’DONNELLS are bringing a new range of premium crinkle cut crisps to market. The deep grooves of the furrows ploughed on the family farm in the heart of Tipperary’s Golden Vale were the inspiration for this new product. After perfecting the classic pairings of Mature Cheese & Red Onion and Irish Cider Vinegar and Sea Salt, siblings Ed and Kate O’Donnell sought to pack even more flavour punch into each and every bite: “When looking to create a brand new crisp, we went back to our roots, taking it all the way back to our family farm in Tipperary where the magic begins. The ploughed furrows on the family farm provided the perfect inspiration for our new crinkle cut crisps, O’Donnells Furrows. Each groove in the crisp captures the maximum amount of O’Donnells flavour.” Available in 50g single serve and 125g share bags, they are the perfect snack to savour by oneself or to enjoy with friends.

MIWADI have launched an extensive €1m marketing campaign to support a new look for their entire portfolio, as well as the reformulation of the popular MiWadi 0% Sugar range, which is now fortified with Vitamins B and D. The creative platform for the MiWadi campaign invites consumers to ‘Liven Up Your Water and Let There Be Fruit’ and is executed with a brand new TV commercial, in-store, PR, social and a national broadcast media partnership with Today FM.

NEW FREGGIE-BITES FROM PIPIN PEAR FINDING a nutritious snack that children might actually enjoy is now easy, as Pipin Pear have created a tasty and healthy snack combination of fruit and vegetables that has no added salt, sugar, additives, or guilt. Freggie-Bites are naturally sweet treats which will appeal to kids of all ages from 12 months. Freggie-Bites come in multi-packs of five and in three delicious flavours: Apple & Spinach; Carrot & Peach; and Apple, Blackcurrant & Pumpkin. Freggie-Bites are also dairy and gluten free and contain absolutely no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

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Forecourt Focus: News Applegreen celebrate ‘24/7’ birthday APPLEGREEN celebrated their 24/7 birthday on July 24 (24/7) by offering huge customer savings with discounted confectionery favourites for just 24 cent or €2.47, helping families and loyal customers re-fuel.

The Irish-owned forecourt retailer also donated 2-cent for every customer transaction on July 24 at no extra cost to the customer, with proceeds going directly into the Applegreen Charitable Fund that partners with Irish Youth Foundation, Enable Ireland, Pieta House and Food Cloud.

PCS announce partnership with Circle K PREMIUM Cash Solutions (PCS), who supply, install, maintain and advise on a wide range of cash handling solutions to the retail, hospitality, leisure, forecourt and convenience store sectors, have announced the completion of a new partnership worth a total of €2.5m with Circle K, for the installation of PCS SafePay end-to-end closed cash systems across 74 Circle K forecourts nationwide.

The newly installed SafePay systems will enhance levels of security at Circle K locations, creating a safer environment for Circle K employees, while also negating the potential threat of theft.

The PCS SafePay system combines intelligent algorithms and cutting-edge technology to offer a secure payment solution.

With SafePay, cash is never handled manually, and correct change is always given; therefore, unexplained cash differences and the task of dealing with them are a thing of the past.

Cashiers no longer need to have responsibility for cash at the till or back-office administration, eliminating cash shrinkage, discrepancies and reconciliations from the daily cash process.

Closed cash handling establishes a single, secure, controlled routine for the whole store and automates counting and checking, requiring minimal administration.

“At Circle K, innovation is central to what we do, and we are constantly looking at ways in which to improve our operations for the benefit of our colleagues and customers,” revealed Paul Dixon, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations, Circle K Ireland. “We are delighted to partner with SafePay and introduce their technology across 74 of our locations. The safety of our colleagues is a key priority for us at Circle K and the SafePay system enables us to enhance our level of security and deliver a safer environment for colleagues working at our locations and indeed customers visiting our stores.

“While improving levels of security at our locations is the main objective behind the introduction of this new system, there is also the added and real benefit of a significant reduction in the level of administrative activity associated with traditional cash handling. This will be hugely beneficial for our colleagues, enabling them to focus even more on the instore offering and level of customer experience, something which is really important to us at Circle K.” Alan Condron, Director at Premium Cash Solutions,

Pictured are (l-r): Paul Dixon, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations, Circle K Ireland, and Alan Condron (right), Director at Premium Cash Solutions. added: “We have worked with Circle K for some time, and we are delighted to have completed the roll-out of our innovative SafePay solution to 74 of their forecourts nationwide. For many businesses, accepting and handling cash is virtually unavoidable and is a labour-intensive process. This translates into excessive labour costs and losses due to counterfeit fraud, administrative errors and even robbery. With cash still in circulation, manual tills are reaching the end of an era and are being replaced by automated systems that can better manage the journey of cash from the moment it leaves the customer’s hand until it reaches a business’ bank.

“This level of investment from a global player in the forecourt industry simply proves that cash is still a key method of payment for retailers and it’s here to stay. We worked with the team at Circle K to adapt our products to their cash cycle and improve the cash management experience for everyone involved in the process, whilst driving immense efficiencies relating to operational benefits, greater staff security, efficiency and control.”

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Forecourt Focus: News Circle K unveil new service stations CIRCLE K have recently added to their network with the unveiling of a newly renovated service station located at Brennanstown, Bray, Co. Wicklow, on August 4, following hot on the heels of a newly re-developed service station on Battery Road, Lough Forbes, Co. Longford.

Circle K Brennanstown will employ a total of 12 staff across full and part time positions, with two new jobs being created.

Situated in close proximity to the N11/ M11 Dublin/Wexford Road, Circle K Brennanstown will play a key role in serving customers travelling this route, as well as the local community in Wicklow. The location will be open on a 24/7 basis. As part of the redevelopment, a range of additional facilities were added and enhanced, including additional customer seating, significantly increased car parking capacity, an off-licence, and new customer toilets.

“We are thrilled to be reopening Circle K Brennanstown and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our loyal customers for their continued support and patience while we were redeveloping our store,” noted Paul Dixon, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations, Circle K Ireland. “We are really happy with the new, expanded layout, offering improved services and facilities to our customers, as well as the larger space to

Pictured at Circle K, Brennanstown, Co. Wicklow, are (l-r): Joanne O’Riordan, Area Manager; Laura Culliton, store manager; and Paul Dixon, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations at Circle K Ireland.

Pictured at Circle K, Lough Forbes, are (l-r): Paul Dixon, Senior Director of Retail Sales and Operations; Mirjana Hurtic, Store Manager; and Norman Dolan, Sales Market Manager at Circle K Ireland. showcase our product offering. We look forward to welcoming customers to our newly refurbished store and serving the needs of the local community for years to come.”

The new forecourt at Lough Forbes is the first ever Circle K company owned, company operated location in Co. Longford and further expands Circle K’s network of service stations across the island of Ireland. A total of 22 staff will be employed across both full and part time positions at the location, with five new jobs being created. Situated in close proximity to the N4 Dublin/Sligo Road, the newly re-developed location is an important addition to the Circle K network and will play a key role in serving customers travelling this route, as well as the local community in Longford.

“Supporting communities across Ireland is really important to us at Circle K and we are hugely excited to showcase our offering to the people of Longford, as well as motorists travelling on nearby routes, providing them with the products and services they need,” said Paul Dixon.

Maxol sponsor photography competition CARLOW man Brian Flynn was recently announced as a runner-up in Ireland AM’s Camera Club contest, sponsored by Maxol, which called for viewers nationwide to capture black and white photos of people, places or occasions that have been part of their lives over the years.

Brian’s heart-warming image of his late father, a smiling Mick Flynn, struck a chord with Camera Club judge Jenny McCarthy, and secured his place as finalist, for which he received a €500 fuel voucher.

“Our service stations have been located in the heart of many communities around Ireland for the last 100 years, and in recognition of this, we wanted to do something to celebrate Ireland’s historic towns, villages and communities,” noted Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group. “We’d like to extend our warm congratulations to Brian and to all our finalists; we were blown away by the quality and variety of photos submitted. As a privately owned Irish business, we really value the people and places that make our communities special to us.”

Brian Flynn is pictured with Maxol independent dealer, Rory Hannon, and Dermot Cogan, Maxol Retail Manager, outside Maxol O’Brien Road, Carlow, where Brian’s photo of his late father is now on display.

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Shelf Life FOOD Works, the collaborative tri-agency initiative run by Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc, are looking for 10 high potential, innovative and export driven food and drink start-ups to join their next accelerator programme. Fiid, The Lismore Food Company and Nobó, some of Ireland’s rising stars, are among over 100 companies that have already completed the programme since it began in 2012. Participating start-ups will be supported to get investor ready with a comprehensive business plan, focused on them scaling internationally. Participants will also be eligible to apply for feasibility grant funding of up to €35,000 through Enterprise Ireland. The closing date for applications for the 2022 programme is December 3, 2021. Full details and an application form are available at FoodWorksIreland.ie. Pictured are Owen Madden, Beth-Ann Smith, and Ken Madden, from The Lismore Food Company.

TO mark World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, and as part of an ongoing commitment to Pieta, PepsiCo Ireland are donating €25,000 to the Irish suicide prevention charity. The donation is on the back of their 25 million Steps for Pieta PepsiCo Challenge, which was undertaken by employees who tracked their steps this summer. Their target of 25m was exceeded, with 30m steps recorded through walking, swimming, running, or any outdoor activity, resulting in a donation by the company of €25k to their charity partner.

GLOBAL Fresh Exotics Ltd, the Meathbased importer, grower and distributor of premium fresh produce, have appointed Richard Moore (pictured) as Managing Director. Moore brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the international and domestic fresh produce industry to the role, including working for the last 10 years as Commercial Director at the Global Fruit Company, home of the Del Monte brand in Ireland.

TO celebrate the opening of Aldi Dunshaughlin recently, the Dunshaughlin store staff teamed up with Green Belt and local landowner Joseph Corry to plant 37,700 trees in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Aldi are committed to planting 1m native Irish woodland trees by 2025 in partnership with Green Belt, creating a wildlife corridor for native species and enhancing biodiversity, while also removing more than 160,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over their 100-year life span. Pictured are Gerard Dunne, Green Belt, and Daniel Groome, Store Manager.

NIALL Murphy, founder of The Galway Roast (pictured), has secured a ‘Fa’brew’lous’ deal with Lidl worth €500,000. The new deal will see the Galway Roast supply Lidl’s network of 210 stores across the island of Ireland.

The 12-month contract sees the family-run company’s delicious hand roasted blend of Guatemalan, Brazilian and Honduras coffee stocked exclusively on Lidl shelves, bringing barista quality coffee to Irish homes across the country.

ORNUA, owner of Kerrygold, Ireland’s only billion-euro food brand, have launched their search for the organisation’s next generation of leaders through their 2022 Graduate Programme. The programme is looking for 15 exceptional applicants for roles across business functions, from Sales and Marketing to New Product Development (NPD), Finance, Commercial, ICT, and Insights, across eight countries and four continents. Nine positions will be based internationally in Dubai, Germany, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, the UK, and the US (Chicago). Pictured at the announcement are Majella Darcy, Chief People Officer, and John Jordan, Chief Executive of Ornua.

PRESENTER and food writer Donal Skehan and rising Food star Nico Reynolds are starring in a new film, which launched on RTE Player on September 1. ‘Donal and Nico’s Cheesy Road Trip’ sees the two guys in a vintage camper van travelling the beautiful and picturesque trails of West Cork in search of the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. The film is fun, vibrant, engaging and informative, showcasing the best artisan cheeses Cork and Ireland has to offer. Nico and Donal are ambassadors for the EU funded Cheese your Way campaign managed by the National Dairy Council. For more information, visit www.cheeseyourway.ie.

IN support of the Irish language, customers in Joyce’s Supermarkets will be greeted with a ‘Dia Dhuit’ each Friday by staff. The company has introduced ‘Dia Dhuit Friday to its 10 stores across County Galway in a continued initiative to offer services through Irish. Staff in Joyce’s Supermarket in Headford are pictured on the first Dia Dhuit Friday (l-r): Caoimhe Walsh, Iva Filipas, Margaret Keady and Diarmuid Conway.

AN Irish bottled water company is on course to dramatically reduce plastic pollution through the use of tethered caps. Limerick-based Ishka Irish Spring Water are trialling the caps across their spring water range - three years before EU rules make it compulsory for plastic bottle tops to remain connected to bottles. Pictured are Mark Taylor, Head of Operations, and Denis Sutton, Director, Ishka Irish Spring Water.

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