Retail News November 2009

November 2009

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November09Contents

www.ism-cologne.com

■ inside view International Sweets and Biscuits Fair

Festive Fare 2009 will go down as something of an ‘annus horribilis’ for the Irish economy and the grocery retail trade hasn’t fared much better, although it has performed a lot better than some sectors, thanks primarily to the fact that consumers need groceries, regardless of the economic climate.

Thankfully, the Christmas season is upon us, bringing a much-needed surge in spending and a welcome respite for the nation’s retail trade. Indeed, according to a new survey from Deloitte, Irish shoppers are expected to be the second biggest spenders in Europe on food this festive season, averaging €265 per person, compared to the western European average of €190. This is extremely good news for retailers.

That said, value is more important than ever before to the Irish consumer, who is expected to shop around a number of grocery stores for their Christmas needs.

Communicating your value offers to consumers is absolutely vital, if you are going to entice people to buy their seasonal essentials and luxuries in your store, instead of your rival’s.

This runs across the board, from biscuit assortments to beer, selection boxes to spirits.

To help retailers with stocking for the festive season, RETAIL NEWS has a special feature on Christmas essentials (Page 24), as well as our annual Christmas Drinks special, focusing on must-stock brands across beers (Page 42), cider (Page 51), wine (Page 54), spirits (Page 62) and nonalcoholic drinks (Page 66). Hopefully, with the right mix of stock selection and value offers, this can be a profitable Christmas for all.

Cologne, 31st January – 3rd February 2010

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“Over 50 years

ts ProSwee : e n g Colo days r u fo Running ntly concurre with ISM

serving the Irish Kathleen Belton, Editorial & Marketing Director

grocery trade.”

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

johnwalshe@tarapublishingco.com

Chief News Reporter: Pavel Barter

Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen

Advertising Manager: Aaron Stewart

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November09Contents

Contents November 2009

News 4Retail Code of Practice

Seafood 18BIM’s Seafood Circle

Under Fire; New Buy Lo Store Opens in Meath.

initiative is helping to grow fresh seafood sales throughout Ireland by giving consumers confidence in the products on offer at the seafood counter.

5Illegal Tobacco Sales Hit the Headlines.

6EU Questions Tobacco Pricing; Dunnes Sign Up to Alcohol Code; Profits Up by 44% at Aldi.

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Karen Meenan’s News Rack 20Karen Meenan explains the seasonal nature of the Newsagency, and looks at some top sellers for the Christmas market.

Security 23Leading courier 7Retailers Call for VAT and Excise Changes; Newspaper Dispute at Dunnes Stores.

company Nightline are urging retailers to be vigilant when dealing with deliveries to avoid unscrupulous thieves making off with high value goods.

8Retail Decline Levels Off; Teamwork the Key to Food Safety.

Shop Profile 16Stephen O’Connell’s stunning forecourt store in Carrigkerry, Co. Limerick, was recently named Daybreak Store of the Year 2009.

SPAR Off Licence of the Year Awards 37The second Edward Dillon EUROSPAR / SPAR / SPAR Express Off-Licence of the Year Awards 2009 took place in Roganstown Golf and Country Club in Swords recently.

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Conference Report 78The question of ‘where to now for the retail trade’ was debated at the inaugural ‘Future of Retailing in Ireland’ conference.

Retail News Interview 38Barry & Fitzwilliam have grown over the past 27 years to become Ireland’s leading independent drinks importer. CEO Michael Barry explains how.

Shelf Life 80All the latest news and gossip from the trade.

Gala Conference 40‘Gala Goes Gael’ was the theme at convenience retail group Gala’s annual conference, which took place at the Carton House Hotel in Maynooth and was attended by over 200 Gala retailers.

On The Vine 70Jean Smullen reports on the NOffLA Gold Star Awards 2009.

SHOP 2009 72The recently held SHOP 2009 event, Ireland’s largest food and drink trade show, proved a tremendous success, with impressive visitor numbers recorded.

24 Regulars 10 Industry News 71 Drinks News Sectoral Reports 24 Christmas Stocking 42 Christmas Drinks – Beer 51 Christmas Drinks – Cider 54 Christmas Drinks – Wine 62 Christmas Drinks – Spirits 66 Christmas Drinks – Non-Alcoholic Beverages

74 Tobacco 3

November09News

Retail Code of Practice Under Fire TANAISTE Mary Coughlan TD’s proposed code of practice for the retail trade has come under fire from a research group. In their report, ‘How to Do a Lot of Harm by Trying to Do a Bit of Good’, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) claimed there is no rationale for the code and it should be withdrawn. “It seems to me before you introduce anything that might adversely affect the way the market works, you should make sure you have a rationale for it,” the report’s author, Paul Gorecki, told RETAIL NEWS. The Minister’s proposed code appears largely due to the devaluation of Sterling and the subsequent exodus of shoppers to Northern Ireland, with stores like Asda and Sainsburys claiming up to 3% of the Irish market.

In tandem, it is a reaction to a public debate about prices in Ireland which, over the last year, has led Tesco and other supermarkets to reduce the cost of goods. This, in turn, put pressure on Irish suppliers to reduce their prices.

The proposed code, then, is a result of demands to restore balance in the relationship between suppliers and grocery retailers. But the ESRI claim there is no evidence to support government intervention.

“There are loads of sectors of the economy that are currently experiencing difficulty because of the recession and the change in the value of Sterling,” said Gorecki. “In my paper, I argue that the Government does not set out a clear rationale for why the market is not working properly for consumers. They don’t suggest the supermarkets have a lot of power, or other reasons why the market is not working.

Paul Gorecki, Research Professor, ESRI.

The consultation paper is much more concerned with the implementation of a code, rather than explaining why we need it in the first place.”

The report also suggests the code is primarily for the benefit of suppliers.

“I think it’s protectionism to try and prevent primary producers and grocery suppliers from competition,” continued Gorecki. “It’s trying to rebalance the relationship between grocery suppliers and grocery retailers. The code specifies in some detail the contractual relations between grocery suppliers and grocery retailers. That is likely to chill competition and make retailers less aggressive in demanding better terms and conditions. It may

mean they become more cautious: worried that what they say or write may or may not break the law. They might ask for legal advice, which will slow things up a lot. They might be more cautious.”

One of the reasons why certain parties have been calling for the introduction of such a code is the question of ‘hello money’, rumoured to be paid by suppliers who want to place their products on supermarket shelves. The ESRI, however, question the prevalence of the activity, given a lack of research. Gorecki also claimed there are often good reasons why a supplier shares a risk on a new product.

“You, as a supermarket, are setting aside valuable retail space putting in a new product,” he explains. “One way of ensuring the firm’s confidence in the product is to share the risk in funding promotion.”

The ESRI have submitted their report as part of the Government’s consultation process, suggesting it should abandon the current paper, then create evidence-based research or policy analysis as to why there is a problem and how the market is not working. If the Government is concerned supermarkets have excessive power, suggests Gorecki, they should amend the Competition Act or liberalise retail planning guidelines.

“This consultation document assumes the code is the answer, then deals with the mechanics of implementing it,” he states. “It doesn’t ask the prior question: is there a problem? It assumes the problem and introduces what is potentially quite an onerous regulatory system.”

New Buy Lo Store Opens in Meath BUY Lo, the Irish-owned branded discount warehouse chain, continued its national expansion recently, with the opening of a 16,000 square feet outlet in Ashbourne Retail Park, Co. Meath, with the initial creation of 10 new jobs in the local area.

Local store manager, Sean Gaynor says that the arrival of Buy Lo will give a real boost to 4

local shoppers: “The discounts on fruit, veg and meat, as well as recognised brands of cleaning products, soft drinks, biscuits, sweets and pet foods, are to be seen to be believed. No matter if you’re shopping as a couple or for a family, you’ll find plenty to fill your trolley here at significantly cheaper prices.”

Commenting on the Ashbourne launch, Jim Barry, Managing Director of the Barry Group which promotes the Buy Lo franchise in Ireland, said “Ashbourne is a bustling town with a vibrant community who are looking for better choice and better value on their doorstep so Buy Lo is arriving at just the right time.”

November09News

Illegal Tobacco Sales Hit the Headlines ILLEGAL tobacco sales have come crashing into the spotlight with the seizure of 120m cigarettes, with a street value of €50m, in a container that arrived on a boat in Greenore, County Louth, from the Philippines, as well as the more recent seizure in Monaghan of enough tobacco leaf to manufacture 12m cigarettes. Retail groups, who have seen cigarette sales plummet as a result of the black market, are demanding the Government crack down on the illegal activity.

“Maybe when they see a seizure like this, they suddenly start to realise the cost implications in terms of people’s lives, as well as the cost to the exchequer,” Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General, told RETAIL NEWS, “particularly when they’re counterfeit cigarettes.

Who know what’s in them or what they are made out of?”

Benny Gilsenan, of Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS), said that it took a haul like this to open the government’s eyes. “A few weeks beforehand, there was a €70m seizure in Belfast. That didn’t change the Irish Government’s stance because, as far as they were concerned, those cigarettes were destined for the north. I maintain that the bulk of those cigarettes were destined for the south. Just as the [Louth seizure] was destined for the entire country of Ireland, north and south.”

Historically, black market cigarettes constituted between 5% and 8% of overall cigarette sales. Today, claim the RAS, it is closer to 25%. According to Gilsenan, such sales originated in public markets, although a crackdown on the sale of stolen goods has led to such venues being more closely regulated. In recent times, anecdotal evidence suggests that children in their early to mid-teens have been standing at the entrance of markets, while a dealer sits in a van parked a short distance away.

Other illegal traders have been known to approach smokers outside pubs.

This year alone, Non Irish Duty Paid (NIDP) cigarettes cost the country €526m, claim the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers’ Advisory Committee (ITMAC), suggesting the work of large criminal gangs.

Benny Gilsenan, Retailers Against Smuggling.

“The volume of cigarettes coming to Ireland is not being brought in by small time Del Boys,” Benny Gilsenan told RETAIL NEWS. “They are being brought in by big time criminals. I’m not relating only to the big haul in Greenore.”

Tara Buckley suggests the Government have underestimated the scale of the problem: “We have raised concerns about the issue of black market cigarettes over the last number of years. There is feeling amongst retailers that it has been left on the back-burner and other issues have superseded it, in terms of customs, Gardaí and other agencies. They have underestimated the impact it has had on legitimate trade, on illegal activities. We believe there should be zero tolerance in importing and selling illegal cigarettes.”

Retailers also contend the lack of Government effort to tackle criminality has been out-of-step with measures to regulate cigarette sales. A retailer caught selling tobacco to a customer under 18 can result in a loss of license for two months, a fine of up to €5,000, and the possibility of a three month prison sentence. The fine for selling cigarettes on the streets, on the other hand, is around €450.

“You can understand Government and especially the Department of Health having a role in looking after the health interests of the population,” ITMAC’s Chloe Campen told RETAIL

NEWS. “But before the display ban was introduced, [tobacco companies were concerned] that you would potentially see an increase in illicit trade. When our sales reps are on the ground, talking to retailers, they hear about how much illicit trade is damaging business.”

Benny Gilsenan added: “If they took draconian measures against the illegal importers and traders, they might see some impact. What they’ve done, in attacking legitimate traders and setting down strict standards for retail, has pushed more business into the illegal trade. The focus appears to have been on legitimate traders. We think if it was directed at this illegal and illicit trade, it would recoup money for the Government, in terms of VAT and excise.”

RAS, which is made up of 3,500 members and claims support of groups such as Londis, BWG, and Musgrave, have met with Fine Gael spokespeople such as Charles Flanagan about the issue. In recent months, the Government introduced a large mobile scanner to spot contraband in Irish ports, but the RAS say there should be increased vigilance at the point of sale.

“Something has to be done,” said Gilsenan, who owns a grocery store in Dublin. “The law has to be tightened up and the fines have to be far higher. In certain cases, custodial sentences should be introduced. I think Government has to take action now.”

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November09News

EU Questions Tobacco Pricing HAVING taken Ireland to court in 2008 over its minimum price regulation on tobacco products, the European commission has set its sights once again on the Irish retail market. Juliane Kokott, Advocate General of the European Court of Justice, has claimed the Irish

Government’s price restrictions pose a threat to free competition.

However, Tara Buckley, director general of RGDATA, told RETAIL NEWS that a removal of the minimum retail rate on cigarette sales would not necessarily be to the benefit of consumers. “A lot of retailers would be concerned if cigarettes became something that became a loss leader, or people were selling below cost to drive sales,” she said.

Surely smaller retailers would embrace the right to provide cutprice offers on certain brands? “It’s a very competitive marketplace,” she said. “People are always looking for an opportunity to have a point of difference in their shop. It certainly would leave the market open to that.”

Chloe Campen, Corporate Affairs Manager at PJ Carroll, said there already was a below cost sales of cigarettes: in the black market. “In effect, illicit trade has hit the 25% mark,” she said. “You can buy cigarettes in a market for €4 a pack, so 25% of the market isn’t following the rules of minimum price anyway.

When you look at the Government’s draconian measures - the display ban and the retailers’ register - the illicit trade’s market share is completely out of kilter with those regulations.”

Dunnes Sign Up to Alcohol Code DUNNES Stores have finally signed the retail code on alcohol, by which retailers must keep their alcohol products in a separate area of a store.

After the code’s launch in May, 2009, the supermarket refused to sign up to the code, despite efforts from the Responsible Retailing of Alcohol to stop the renewal of off-sale licenses in Dunnes properties.

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Dunnes have also been fighting another battle, taking a High Court challenge against a Central Statistics Office (CSO) demand for information about the supermarket chain. The CSO sought the information under the Statistics (Balance of Payments and Financial Accounts) Order 2003, but the retailer has questioned the CSO’s processes of timing and collecting statistical data.

Profits Up by 44% at Aldi ALDI has reported a phenomenal 44% increase in pre-tax profits to €124m for its Irish and British operation in 2008, up from €85.5m the year before, the second year in a row the discount retailer has posted such massive increases in profits. Aldi’s 2008 turnover for its Irish and British operation was €2 billion, up from €1.54 billion in 2007, while operating profits increased from €48.2m to €88.8m.

Planning Ahead AN 11,000 square meter shopping centre in Clonmel, Tipperary, is expected to create 500 new jobs in the next year.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD said the Showgrounds shopping centre would be a “major jobs boost” to Tipperary. “This is a state-of-the-art development, with a great mix of fashion, food and leisure retailers, and with more to follow,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Waterford, the City Council, Chamber, and City Centre Retailers’ Association have come together to attract more visitors into the city’s heart by offering motorists half-price car parking in the street, and in car parks, between 9am and 12 noon until Christmas Eve. Developers in Sligo are seeking permission to build a shopping centre, housing around 20 shop units, alongside a multistory car park, creating room for 1,000 cars alongside another proposed car park next to a Dunnes Store, while Aldi has been granted planning permission for a new 2,863 square metre store in Dublin’s East Wall and has applied for permission for another store in Portmarnock.

November09News

Retailers Call for VAT and Excise Changes RGDATA has called for no further increases in indirect taxes, including excise duties, one of seven requests in its budget submission to Government.

“The impact of an increase in the rate of VAT on goods will further depress consumer spending,” wrote Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General, in her letter to Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD. “For some goods, it will further drive consumers up to the North and make it extremely difficult for retailers to compete on what is an unequal playing field.”

The independent grocers’ organisation further called for a central government initiative to reduce regulatory charges, including water and waste charges, commercial rates, tobacco and wine licences, planning charges and levies.

“There is a necessity to reduce the cost of these compliance obligations on businesses and this needs to be driven from central government as part of a direct initiative to control costs, encourage businesses to survive, reduce the regulatory burden and enhance competitiveness,” wrote Buckley.

RGDATA also called for the Government to control public spending, to reduce the levels of the minimum wage and JLC rates, to modify the social welfare system to encourage people to work, to encourage the banks

to make credit available to SMEs, and to clamp down on illegal tobacco and alcohol sales.

Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General.

“RGDATA, the representative association for family owned grocery stores, is urging the Government to take specific measures in the Budget that will keep local businesses afloat and keep people in jobs which is the most critical issue for our economic wellbeing,” summarised Buckley.

Retail Ireland, the IBEC group that represents the Irish retail sector,

has also called for a major reduction in excise duty and VAT in advance of the busy Christmas shopping period.

Reacting to the latest consumer confidence figures contained in the KBC/ ESRI Ireland Consumer Sentiment Index, Retail Ireland Director Torlach Denihan said: “The figures show that confidence remains fragile. The key to both economic recovery and to securing employment in the retail sector is to restore consumer confidence. It is critical that Government does not increase taxes in the forthcoming budget and that the bulk of the adjustment to the public finances takes place on the spending side.

“Over the last year, 30,000 jobs have been lost in retailing. Consumers must be encouraged to spend. The public are now saving 12% of disposable income and they need to be encouraged to spend some of this to create employment and give the economy a boost.

This can be done by convincing them that they are not going to face increases in taxation and by proactive measures to encourage spending.”

RetaiI Ireland called for a reduction in VAT to 18% to stimulate retail sales and consumer spending and a 20% reduction in excise levels on alcohol, which they claim “is the single biggest motivation for cross-border shopping trips”.

Newspaper Dispute at Dunnes Stores A NUMBER of Irish daily and Sunday newspapers are currently unavailable in Dunnes Stores outlets nationwide, following a dispute between the multiple and various newspaper groups and distributors.

Dunnes Stores were no longer prepared to accept the standard terms and conditions relating to newspaper payment, which apply to all newsagents across the country. It is believed that the multiple is seeking to pay for newspapers by cheque in arrears, while also trying to implement a scanbased trading system, whereby they are charged for copies which have passed through their EPoS scanning system.

The Irish Times and Irish Examiner have been unavailable in Dunnes Stores for some months, and have recently been joined by the Irish Daily Mail, Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sun, and Sunday titles, Irish Mail on Sunday, Irish Sunday Mirror, News of the World, The Sunday Times, The Sunday People and The Sunday Business Post.

Indeed, the only daily newspapers available in Dunnes Stores outlets at the time of going to press were the Irish Independent, The Irish Daily Star and the Evening Herald.

Many independent retailers have seen this move as an opportunity to increase their own newspaper sales, along with ancillary purchases. A

spokesperson for the Irish Daily Mail reports that sales are up considerably in alternative outlets other than Dunnes Stores.

Indeed, many of the newspapers in question have highlighted the fact, via full page ads, that their product is not available in the multiple’s outlets but have, in some cases, listed outlets in close proximity to Dunnes Stores supermarkets where extra stock of the newspapers are available.

At the time of going to press, some magazines have also been withdrawn from sales in Dunnes Stores outlets, but RETAIL NEWS understands that discussions are ongoing between the newspaper distributors and Dunnes Stores.

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November09News

Retail Decline Levels Off SALES in Ireland’s retail industry declined by more than 16% in Q3, 2009, compared with the same period last year, but held steady against figures for quarter two, according to Retail Excellence Ireland’s (REI) ‘Irish Retail Industry Performance Review Q3 2009’.

Average retail sales per square foot were €153, up by 7% on last quarter and average wage and rent cost as a percentage of sales also eased slightly.

“The good news from these results is that the rate of decline appears to be levelling off for 2009, with July in particular holding up comparatively well,” noted REI Chief Executive Officer, David Fitzsimons, “Average wage and rent cost as a percentage of sales also eased slightly this quarter. The bad

David Fitzsimons, Retail Excellence Ireland CEO.

news is that the volume declines come on the back of already weak compara-

bles in quarter three 2008 when Ireland officially entered recession, somewhat masking the true extent of the decline.”

REI claims the timing of the budget, and likely negative impact on shopper spending over the valuable Christmas period, will have serious consequences for the retail industry.

“Many retailers have been simply trying to make it through to Christmas and in many cases, their survival is dependent on a strong festive trading period,” Fitzsimons stated. “It is imperative that the Government approach the budget in terms of what can be done to improve consumer confidence and stimulate spending, not just for the sake of the retail industry but in the best interests of the economy as a whole.”

Teamwork the Key to Food Safety NEW emerging issues in food safety including new pathogens, technologies and food production techniques will challenge food safety control systems. This will require increased vigilance, monitoring and sharing of scientific information to continue to ensure that consumer health is protected in relation to food in the future. This was the message delivered at a conference hosted to mark the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) 10th anniversary recently.

At the conference, details of a survey of senior personnel from the official agencies working under contract to the FSAI (including the HSE, local authorities, Department of Agriculture) were released which showed that some 85% viewed the FSAI as having improved enforcement of food legislation since its establishment. However, some 44% surveyed believed that the recession has impacted negatively on food safety controls in relation to their own agencies’ responsibilities, with almost 48% raising concerns that the recession has impacted negatively on food safety controls undertaken by the food sector.

“Now, more than ever, we need to protect our standing on the international food stage,” said Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI. “Ireland is currently entering uncharted economic 8

Pictured at the Food Safety Authority of Irelands 10th Anniversary Conference on ‘The Evolution of Food Safety: 1999 – 2009’ in Dublin Castle were (l-r): Professor Alan Reilly, CEO, FSAI; Mary Harney TD, Minister for Health and Children; and Dr Karen Hulebak, Chairperson, Codex Alimentarius Commission.

waters and the challenge for food safety in that environment is to build on the successes of the past decade, by demonstrating that our control systems offer value for money and are fit for purpose to bring benefits to consumers and Ireland’s reputation as a food producing island.”

Professor Reilly stated that Ireland must look to the decade ahead and ensure that the food safety regulatory process continues to be robust, so that issues can be identified and when required, provide demonstrable swift regulatory actions like those taken in the recent pork dioxin crisis.

“Working together creates critical mass to constantly raise the bar on enhanced standards and protecting consumer health,” he concluded.

“Everyone is part of the food safety delivery family and the FSAI ensures that all elements are armed with the most up-to-date information across developments in food science and legislation to ensure the food chain is adequately monitored and regulated.

The emphasis for the future has to be on continued teamwork and keeping ahead of new emerging food pathogens or bugs, as well as new technologies.”

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November09Industry

News

New Name and New Look for XL BWG Foods has revealed a complete make-over of its XL convenience store brand, shortening the name from XL Stop & Shop to XL and upgrading the store image, layout, offering and overall look and feel of the brand. Following a strategic review earlier this year, which involved comprehensive consumer and retailer research, BWG decided to refresh the brand and store image and put a greater emphasis on communication with shoppers in terms of value and special offers – the underpinning brand promise of XL. National Business Development Manger, Colm Fitzsimons (pictured outside new look XL store, Corrig’s in Dun Laoghaire), said: “In carrying out this re-branding exercise, our objective is to modernise the store look and feel without compromising the basic premise of our retail model – of being an affordable and attractive option for independent retailers.

The outcome is a fresh and vibrant brand and the feedback from retailers and consumers alike is extremely positive.”

An initial 10 stores across the country have already converted to the new image, with other stores set to change over in 2010.

Daybreak Retailer Conference THE Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway was the venue for the recent Daybreak Retailer Conference, with the theme ‘Winning in the Recession and Emerging Stronger’. The optimistic theme of the Daybreak conference reflects the fact that despite the difficult trading environment, 2009 has been a very successful year for the brand. Some of the key milestones included the launch of a vibrant new brand identity, new store format and new product offerings, and to allow retailers to fully experience these exciting brand developments, a fully functioning store was built in the conference room (pictured).

The group already has 26 stores trading in the new image and these stores are performing well ahead of the market. Despite the market being down approximately 8%, stores that have re-branded into the new image are on average achieving double digit growth on last year.

“Although 2010 will be another difficult year, we expect the group to continue to grow strongly,” noted Paul Kerrigan, Daybreak Sales Director. “Daybreak celebrated its fourth anniversary this year and we already have 150 stores in the group.

By 2011, we expect that to have grown to at least 200 stores.”

Achieving lowest costs without compromising quality was another key conference theme and a number of initiatives were announced that would help retailers to recapture lost margin. These include significant price reductions across the range, as well as business development support and group deals that will deliver savings on operating costs and capital cost.

Strong marketing and promotional plans to support Daybreak in 2010 were also unveiled at the conference. Offering superb value for money to the consumer will be a priority and a significant up-weighting of promotional activity and local advertising is planned.

Daybreak will also be introducing a new price fighter range into their stores called ‘Good Value’ that will deliver exceptional everyday low prices to consumers on grocery essentials.

The 2009 Daybreak Store of the Year was announced on the night, with the honours going to Stephen & Aisling O’Connell’s Daybreak in Carrigkerry, Co. Limerick, (see Shop Profile, Page 16).

Unilever Drives Prices Down UNILEVER Ireland is aiming to help drive retail sales volumes with a consumer communications campaign which highlights the affordability of its product range. With an average price reduction of 11% across 70% of its 900-strong product portfolio, Unilever Ireland is playing its part to stimulate business by providing value on premium brands. During November, consumers will see and hear adverts in the national media highlighting price reductions on Unilever products, including Flora, Flora pro.activ, Knorr stock cubes, Magnum, Cornetto, Viennetta, Hellmann’s, Dove, Sure, Vaseline, Surf Small & Mighty and Cif sprays. “We are doing all that we can to help our retail customers drive down prices and drive up sales volumes,” noted Conor Kilduff, Managing Director of Unilever Ireland. “This is the first time that Unilever Ireland has united brands in one campaign with one message. This represents a significant investment by Unilever Ireland as we support our retailers and consumers.”

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November09Industry

News

SuperValu Scoops Top Food Awards SUPERVALU Own Brand Manager, Maureen Clohessy is pictured with the award-winning SuperValu Supreme Truffle Fudge Ice Cream, which won the overall top award at the Blas na hÉireann National Irish Food and Drink Awards ceremony in Dingle, County Kerry, recently. SuperValu products scooped a total of 11 awards, including Gold Medals for their SuperValu Supreme Leek & Pepper Sausages and SuperValu Supreme Orange Blossom Honey. There was further recognition for eight more SuperValu Supreme products: SuperValu Supreme Devon Toffee Yoghurt; SuperValu Supreme Vine-Ripened Tomato & Mascarpone Soup; SuperValu Supreme Fire Roasted Pepper Relish; SuperValu Supreme Rashers Dry Cure; SuperValu Just Cook Chicken Tikka Masala; SuperValu Crab Claws; SuperValu Supreme Selection BBQ Pack and Supervalu Supreme Apple Juice.

Superquinn Expands Own Label Range SOPHIE Kirwan (6) is pictured with Superquinn Product Developer Cara McCusker; James Wilson, Superquinn Trading Director; and model Sarah McGovern, at the announcement that Superquinn is expanding its range of own brand products, with over 800 new lines to be added this year. As part of the expansion, Superquinn has already introduced hundreds of new own brand lines in the past six months, and expects to add many more, offering customers more variety and choice, as well as better value on food and grocery essentials. The latest additions to Superquinn’s private label range bring the current number of own brand lines to over 1,000, as well as over 160 lines under the premium Superquinn SQ ‘Superior Quality’ label. In keeping with the retailer’s policy of supporting Irish suppliers, over 80% of the new products in the range are produced in Ireland in partnership with over 100 Irish suppliers.

Bord Bia Brand Forum THE October meeting of Bord Bia’s Brand Forum took place recently at Fallon & Byrne, Dublin, focusing on the subject of brand essence and how you make your brand work for your business in challenging times. Speakers included Gavin O’Doherty, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Ireland, and Karen Hand, Global Brand Consultant, whose clients have included Diageo, Tesco, Cadbury, McCain Pizza, Phileas Fogg and KP Foods in the UK and Ireland, who are pictured with Una Fitzgibbon, Director, Marketing Services, Bord Bia (right).

easyFairs RETAIL 2010 EASYFAIRS RETAIL 2010 is the title of a brand new show focused specifically on shop-fittings, display systems, technology and visual merchandising. easyFairs RETAIL takes place on May 5 and 6, 2010, at London’s ExCeL and is designed to appeal to and attract leading retailers, shop-fitting controllers, visual merchandisers and designers seeking innovative solutions. The show is co-located with easyFairs INTERIOR FIT-OUT 2010. Managing Director of easyFairs UK, Matt Benyon (pictured), notes, “We all know there is going to be an upturn, indeed some can already feel the beginnings of it. When it comes, retailers will be looking to revamp and refresh their stores. Our show is a low-cost, no-risk way for all those involved in shop-fitting and display to grasp that sales opportunity.”

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November09Industry

News

Team SPAR’s Marathon Effort FIRST time marathon runners ‘Team SPAR’ stormed over the finish line of the Dublin City Marathon recently in aid of the SPAR and EUSOSPAR charities of the year, 3Ts (Turn the Tide of Suicide) and the CARI foundation. Dublin-based SPAR retailers Kevin Blake, Eddie Glennon, John O’ Neill, Thomas Ennis and Ronan McDermott decided to take up the challenge of completing their first ever marathon and commenced training several months ago with the help of trainer Eugene Coppinger, nutriontist Freda Molamphy and physiotherapist Sinead Moffatt.

SuperValu Raises €1.28m for Kids in Action

Deal Or No Deal Launches in Ireland

JUVENILE clubs and primary schools in Ireland benefited from €1.28m worth of brand new sports and active play equipment this year, donated by local SuperValu stores and their customers through the SuperValu Kids in Action programme. “SuperValu Kids in Action was created in an effort to encourage an active lifestyle and healthy eating amongst young children,” said Ray Kelly, Marketing Director, SuperValu. “This extra surge in resources for Irish primary schools demonstrates a real community effort for the benefit of children in clubs and schools across the country.

Despite the economic climate, the contribution grew this year by over €100,000 and all involved should be highly commended for their efforts.”

ENTERTAINER Keith Barry launched Deal Or No Deal, the new Irish version of the exciting TV game show, in association with the National Lottery.

The nail-biting game show, which will be hosted by Keith, sees players pit their wits against the infamous Banker for the opportunity to win up to €250,000. Players can gain entry to the TV show exclusively through the National Lottery’s Deal Or No Deal scratch card, available nationwide. They also have the chance to win instant cash prizes from €5 to €25,000 on the scratch card, with prizes totaling €2.55m available to be won. Keith Barry is pictured (centre) with Graham English, National Lottery (left) and Derek Dunne, General Manager, Fresh.

Appointment at Bonds Confectionery

Guinness On the Ball IRISH international rugby players Eoin Reddan, Donncha O’Callaghan and Jerry Flannery lined out with Barry Fitzpatrick, Guinness Brand Manager, to announce the start of the 2009 Guinness Series. As part of this year’s Guinness Series, Ireland welcomed Australia and world champions South Africa to Croke Park, while taking on Fiji in the RDS. 12

AS part of their overall expansion in Ireland, Bonds Confectionery have recently appointed Paul Mallon (pictured) as General Sales Manager, Ireland. Paul comes to Bonds with over 20 years experience within the FMCG Industry, across a range of retail categories.

He will manage the growth of existing business within Northern Ireland and be responsible for the development of new retail partnerships in the South. The Bonds range includes over 40 varieties of bag sweets and over 200 kids confectionery products, including their new ‘5 for €2’ small bag range, as well as traditional weigh-out jars. Since October 2009, Bonds are sourcing Irish-manufactured product for their bag ranges.

November09Industry

News

Bewley’s Launch Website BEWLEY’S have launched a major new website to share the company’s expertise and to help foodservice operators to maximise profits from hot beverages in their outlets. Bewleys.com is a new online resource from Ireland’s largest importer, roaster and supplier of fresh ground coffees and teas. The new site will provide expert advice and a range of online resources to the hot beverage trade all over Ireland, including specific business sections for convenience and forecourt retailers. Operators can also use the site to sign up for a free, confidential business healthcheck where an experienced Bewley’s consultancy team will visit a site, carry out an audit of the outlet’s hot beverage offer and make specific recommendations for improvements to boost sales and profitability. Pictured launching the site at Bewley’s Grafton Street Café are Bewley’s Baristas Aigi Lints and Martino Perlini.

Retailers Benefit from Seasonal Savings Scheme

SAVVY employees who signed up to the One4all Smart Planner Scheme will be able to access their savings in €8m of flexible One4all Gift Cards and Vouchers from November 30, when each Smart Planner account will be unlocked. One4all Gift Cards and Vouchers can be spent with over 4,500 retailers nationwide. Launched in April, the One4all Smart Planner is an online savings scheme whereby companies invite employees to put aside a specific amount each week or month in the run-up to Christmas.

Contributions are made via payroll and the scheme incurs no cost to employers, offering a new and unique form of personal finance for employees. Michael Dawson, Group CEO of The Gift Voucher Shop, is pictured with one of the unlocked Gift Cards.

Christmas Comes Early at MACE MACE is doing its bit to lift the gloom of the recession for shoppers in the run-up to Christmas by launching a major consumer promotion featuring thousands of giveaways, including a brand new Suzuki Splash 1.2GLS. As part of the nationwide competition, run in conjunction with Suzuki Ireland, customers will receive scratch cards with the store tagline, ‘Enjoy the easy life at MACE’ and enter into the prize draw simply by shopping at MACE. There are thousands of prizes to be won, including cinema tickets, in-store snacks of tea, coffee, bottled water and crisps, not to mention hotel stays and of course the Suzuki Splash.

Wexford Creamery Wins EIQA Award WEXFORD Creamery was a big winner at the prestigious 41st National Quality and Excellence Awards, organised by the Excellence Ireland Quality Association, recently. Wexford Creamery took home the Q Mark Awards for Hygiene & Food Safety in the category of Food Processors & Producers and was also shortlisted in the Food Manufacturers category. “We are delighted to be recognised on the national stage for the quality of our products,” commented John O’Connor, Liquid Milk Manager at Wexford Creamery, pictured (third from right) with Wexford Creamery’s Liquid Milk Team: Garry Breslin, Aidan O’Brien, Ian Tierney, Philip Murphy, Joe Costello and Michael Smith

Marks & Spencer to Introduce Other Brands On-Shelf MARKS and Spencer is to break with 125 years of tradition and introduce other brands into its stores. The move is intended to strengthen the company’s position as a leading food retailer by offering customers more choice. “This is a brave move, especially as it follows the long running campaign ‘This is not just food, this is M&S food’ but it is refreshing to see a company changing its brand strategy to strengthen its position in an exacting economy,” noted Gary Johnston, partner at intellectual property firm Mathys & Squire. “Only premium brands will be chosen and quickly embedded into a store that thrives off a perception of quality. Indeed, this must be seen as a good opportunity for the selected brands to be aligned with the values of and associated with such a reputable establishment as Marks & Spencer.”

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November09Industry

News

John Noonan of Flahavans Named Marketer of the Year JOHN Noonan, Sales and Marketing Director at Flahavans, has been named Marketer of the Year 2009 by Marketing.ie, sponsored by Alternatives. Noonan, who has been with Flahavans since 1997, oversaw the successful strategic repositioning of the brand in the Irish breakfast cereals market.

“I am greatly honoured to receive this prestigious award,” Noonan noted. “The last 10 years have been an exciting time for all at Flahavans. We have seen a dramatic transformation in the company, brand portfolio and our relationship with consumers.” Meanwhile, Flahavans have announced details of their €1.6m investment in their mill in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford. To date, €500,000 has been invested, with the installation of a dryer and associated grain handling equipment, while a further €1.1m investment is to be completed over the next month in new storage units at the mill, which can store up to 4,000 tonnes and are being installed specifically for organic oats.

Musgrave Triathlon Raises €250,000

New Ad Campaign for Bulmers Pear

THOUSANDS of sick children and adults with cancer will see further improvements in their care, thanks to the generosity and dedication of the SuperValu and Centra retailers and Musgrave staff and suppliers who participated in the annual Musgrave Triathlon, which this year raised €250,000 for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, and the Irish Cancer Society. “We are delighted to present this cheque for €250,000, which demonstrates the tremendous contribution everyone who participates or helps on the day, makes towards ensuring this annual event is such an overwhelming success,” noted Shea Fahy, HR Director, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland. Australian Rugby Captain Rocky Elsom is pictured with Aine Campion (12) from Co. Tipperary (left) and Laura Dolan (12) from Dublin (right) in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, where a cheque for €250,000 was presented from Musgraves.

BULMERS’ latest advertising campaign continues to tell the story of its orchard workers, previously wary of pears in their apple orchards in Clonmel, embracing the ‘new recipe’ Bulmers Pear. “This latest campaign explains how the newly refined recipe is now ‘pearfect’ and is gaining the acceptance of the orchard workers,” notes Marketing Director, Stephen Kent. “Our decision to reformulate the recipe was taken based on consumer insight, and we now have a product which is significantly preferred by Irish consumers.” The new Bulmers TV ad will be supported by an outdoor, radio and press campaign.

NDC Launches Nationwide Campaign THE National Dairy Council is launching a major threemonth national advertising campaign to build consumer understanding and recognition of the new NDC packaging mark and to promote support for milk and cream farmed in the Republic of Ireland. It coincides with National Dairy Week, which ran from November 16, celebrating the nutrient richness of dairy.

Helen Brophy, Chief Executive of the National Dairy Council, is pictured with Paul O’Connell who will be getting behind local dairy farmers and the NDC campaign to promote its packaging mark, ‘Farmed in the Republic of Ireland.’

14

Bewley’s Fresh Coffee Starter Pack MODEL Karen Fitzpatrick launches Bewley’s new Fresh Coffee Starter Pack for people who want to make the perfect cup of fresh coffee at home with no fuss. Available from leading supermarkets, Bewley’s Grafton St Cafe and www.bewleys.com, the Fresh Coffee Starter Pack has all the simple equipment and step-bystep advice required to enjoy the great tasting experience of fresh coffee at home. The Fresh Coffee Starter Pack comes with a bag of freshly ground Bewley’s Café Blend coffee and an easy-to-use cafetiere, with a measuring scoop, a reseal clip and an easy preparation guide.

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November09Shop

Profile

A Winning Partnership Stephen O’Connell’s stunning forecourt store in Carrigkerry, Co. Limerick, was recently named Daybreak Store of the Year 2009.

For

Stephen O’Connell’s newly revamped forecourt in Carrigkerry, Co. Limerick, winning the coveted Daybreak Store of the Year Award was the result of a tremendous collective effort by the store owner, his staff and his symbol group partners in Musgrave, who together have ensured that local shoppers get excellent service and superb value all year round.

Stephen has been running his own forecourt for five years. Two years ago, he acquired the site in Carrigkerry and traded for a year as a fully independent forecourt, during which time he developed a strong working relationship with Musgrave. So when Stephen decided to partner with a symbol group, it was to Musgrave, and Daybreak in particular, that he turned Store owner Stephen O’Connell and his staff celebrate winning to for support. the Daybreak Store of the Year 2009 Award.

“Daybreak offers a great all round package,” enthuses Stephen. “It offers support and advice on every single aspect of the shop. It Complete Transformation also has a great team of people to work with, who are every The store was able to keep trading during the revamp bit as committed to making the shop a success as myself process. “This enabled us to keep our existing trade, and my staff.” as well as creating a lot of interest among customers Daybreak had just finalised their new brand identity about how the work was progressing and what the and store format when Stephen joined the group and began new shop was going to be able to offer them,” Stephen to think about explains, noting how the work “completely transrevamping the formed” the existing shop. store. “The timWith the retail space being dramatically increased ing of my joining in his store, Stephen took the opportunity to greatly the group worked expand the range of products he offers his customers. out perfectly,” the One of the biggest changes was the introduction of a hot store owner recalls. and cold deli. This was a completely new element for the “I was very excited Carrigkerry store and sales in the deli have so far been to install the new very strong, with offerings like the healthy breakfast Daybreak store options, the exclusive Daybreak sandwich range and takeformat, which saw home dinners creating a draw throughout the day. the retail space Another addition to Carrigkerry was an eye-catching in the shop douhot beverages and treats unit. This is located close to bled and a large the entrance to maximise its visibility and the coffee is number of new eleproving very popular with passing motorists. Stephen ments integrated has also greatly increased his grocery range, as well as into our offering.” improving his wine offering.

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November09Shop

Value For Money These developments have had a very positive impact on his business. However, Stephen is keen to point out that offering value for money was another key driver of sales: “The old shop had a strong trade, but I knew there was potential to dramatically increase that trade if the right steps were taken. Sales have increased significantly, in part because of the larger selection we can now offer but also due to the strong focus on value offers that the Daybreak brand provides. The group gives retailers the chance to pick from a great selection of value offers and the ability to promote those offers strongly at the point of sale.”

This value is clear to be seen in Carrigkerry. Offers are available in all sections of the store, including grocery, con-

fectionery, soft drinks, wine and the deli, all of which are highlighted with strong POS. Stephen points out that staff are also key to highlighting value, especially on the ‘Double Deals’ that Daybreak feature every month. The net result is that a shop that was traditionally a convenience or top-up shop is now consistently selling basket shops, thanks to its price competitiveness.

Daybreak Store of the Year The shop had to hit the ground running as it was completed not long before the first round of this year’s Store of the Year audits. The competition covers all aspects of running a modern convenience store, including the quality and presentation of product, health and safety standards,

Profile

staff training, legislative requirements, and much more.

Indeed, it is such a rigorous assessment of store standards that Stephen was “surprised and delighted” to have made the final round.

When Daybreak Carrigkerry went on to win the competition outright, being named Daybreak Store of the Year 2009, it was a validation of all the hard work and effort that went into completely transforming the store.

“It was proof positive of just how much work was being put in by every member of staff,” Stephen notes. “Not only were we operating a shop twice the size of the old one, with a large number of completely new elements, but we were able to do it to the highest standards. A big part of why we were able to do that is thanks to the advice, the systems and support put in place by the Musgrave Group. Of course, the other part is the dedication and professionalism of my staff in carrying out the procedures suggested by Musgrave.”

Not only does O’Connell’s Daybreak look the part, with the new clean, fresh and vibrant Daybreak image, it operates to best practice procedures in every aspect of its day-to-day running. Dedication, drive and determination, along with a significant investment and the professionalism of a strong symbol group partner, have seen O’Connell’s Daybreak prosper during challenging economic times. It is the efforts of such local entrepreneurs with the vision of FACT FILE Stephen O’Connell Owner: Stephen O’Connell and the support Location: Carrigkerry, of organisations Co. Limerick of the calibre Size: 1,200 square feet of Musgrave Number of that will see the Staff: 14, full time & part time economy through Opening recession and on to hours: 07:00-22:00, Monday-Sunday recovery.

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November09Seafood

Seafood Circle Widens the Net for Quality Seafood BIM’s Seafood Circle initiative is helping to grow fresh seafood sales throughout Ireland by giving consumers confidence in the products on offer at the seafood counter.

Fresh

Irish seafood sales are soaring, but with current Irish consumption levels way behind those of our European neighbours, there is plenty of room for further growth.

One area of the grocery market with a bright outlook is that of fresh seafood, thanks primarily to the work of Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and its Seafood Circle in particular. The Seafood Circle was developed to support and encourage restaurateurs and retailers that consistently deliver the highest

standards of seafood and service to their customers. The programme also aims to enhance consumer confidence by communicating to consumers that they can expect quality seafood and service in BIM Seafood Circle member outlets.

“Our fish consumption is still a lot lower than countries like Spain or Portugal, but people are starting to see the benefits of fish, particularly through the work of BIM and their Seafood Circle, which helps to encourage people to get into fish,” explains Ken Ecock of Oceanpath/ Dunns Seafare, one of Ireland’s leading seafood wholesalers.

Growing Consumer Confidence One of the first SuperValu stores to be awarded Michael Walsh, Eugene Scally, John Hackett, BIM, and Milos Korinek, are pictured at Scally’s SuperValu, Clonakilty, Co. membership of the Seafood Circle Cork, with the BIM Seafood Circle accreditation.

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was Scally’s of Clonakilty, which has become a destination store for fresh seafood in West Cork.

“We see ourselves as a destination for fresh food, and seafood sales are very high on our agenda, and will continue to be very important going forward,” explains Eugene Scally, store owner. “We were one of the first SuperValu stores to achieve membership of the BIM Seafood Circle, and being a member helps to give consumers the confidence that what they are going to get on sale is a quality product.”

While citing freshness and price as important concerns, confidence in the quality of seafood is paramount to increasing sales, according to Eugene: “The most important thing the consumer is looking for is confidence. We have built up confidence amongst our consumer base over the last five years. Once you have confidence, there is a bond between the consumer and the store and the selling of fresh seafood becomes a lot easier after that.”

His comments are echoed by Ken Ecock: “It’s such a good thing for customers to know that they can go and

November09Seafood

to change until more people get on board on this crusade,” explains Eugene Scally. “But what we are trying to do, in conjunction with BIM, is to educate people on different seafood species. At the moment, we have 33 different species of fish for sale, ranging from clams to scallops, tuna to swordfish. Consumers are becoming madly adventurous with fish: they’re coming to us looking for different species.”

be guaranteed good fish. The Seafood Circle is an added stamp of assurance that consumers know the fish they are buying is good quality, that the people serving the fish know what they are doing and can advise on storing and cooking it.”

Educating the Consumer Indeed, one of the biggest obstacles faced by the Irish seafood sector is the fact that consumers erroneously regard seafood as difficult to prepare.

“One of the big problems with Irish people and fish is that we don’t know what to do with it,” notes Ken. “We tend to take it home and over-cook it, whether on the pan or in the oven: fish should only take 10-15 minutes in the oven.

Most people wouldn’t think of putting a salmon darne on a George Foreman grill but it works perfectly. Fish is one of the most simple proteins for a customer to take home and cook: it’s also extremely versatile – it goes with anything – and it is so good for you.”

To this end, Oceanpath/Dunns Seafare employ a full-time chef, Rory Morahan, whose role is to educate people on how simple and easy fish is to cook. Back at Scally’s, the store has two full-time seafood employees, who have extensive training in seafood, both in terms of preparing it for sale (boning, skinning etc.) and in the best ways to cook it: they would recommend a sauce to go with a particular fish and they also prepare fish to cook in a bag with herbs and butter.

Indeed, they regularly perform cookery demonstrations in-store to educate consumers on the ease of preparation.

“They can tell consumers exactly what to do and how best to cook whatever fish we sell,” explains Eugene. “A lot of consumers might know how to cook salmon or cod, but when it comes to brill, John Dory, sea bass, trout, mussels, tuna, they might not be exactly sure what way to cook it. But once they get some guidance from our personnel, they’re happy to purchase fish. The training of the personnel on the seafood counter is extremely important, as is how the knowledge they have gained is communicated to the customer.”

Ken Ecock believes that the best way to debunk the myth that fish is difficult to cook is at the point of sale:

Scope for Growth

Rory Morahan, development chef, Oceanpath/Dunns Seafare.

“The people working at the fish counter have the education and the knowhow to turn to consumers and advise them on how to cook the fish they’re buying, simple things to make sure how easy fish is to cook.”

Increased Range of Seafood Irish consumers are starting to get the message. Even a cursory look at the fresh fish counter proves that the range and quality of fresh fish on offer is improving all the time.

“If you look at any fish counter now, it carries a lot more species than it did 10 years ago,” says Ken. He cites the example of sea bass, sales of which are “through the roof: what was once considered an exotic fish is now mainstream. People are becoming a lot more open to different species and are more willing to try fish than they used to be.”

“There are certain items, like cod, plaice, salmon, black sole, monkfish, bream, haddock, hake, that form the bulk of your sales and that’s never going

There is room for further growth, however. The Food Safety Authority recommends that people eat two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oil-rich fish likle mackerel, trout and salmon. “At the moment, on average, Irish people eat one portion of fish a week,” notes Ken. “If we were eating our recommended intake of fish each week, we would automatically double sales of fish throughout the country.”

So what can retailers do to grow their seafood sales?

“If somebody is going to be working on a fish counter, make sure they know and understand the product,” advises Ken Ecock. “Somebody who doesn’t know their product isn’t going to be enthused about working on a fish counter, about interacting with customers and giving them information on the product, whereas if you are knowledgeable about it, you speak with confidence, and you will then drive sales. People will be willing to pay for good quality fish and the benefits that go with it.”

“If the retailer is not fully behind it, it’s probably not going to work,” agrees Eugene Scally. “We got so much behind this that we now have two people employed exclusively on seafood. That kind of support is crucial, because they gain knowledge as they go along and pass it onto consumers. This didn’t happen for us overnight. Five years ago, we didn’t sell fish to any great extent but we have grown our business massively and it’s because we believed in it, were willing to learn along the way and invested in it. It was tough going at the start, but if your heart and soul are in it, I’m convinced that no matter where you are on the island that it’ll work, because there are always people looking for good quality seafood.”

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November09Karen

Meenan’s News Rack

Season’s Greetings Karen Meenan explains the seasonal nature of the newsagency, and looks at some top sellers for the Christmas market.

Now

extra sales: welcome news in recessionary times.

So what magazines are your customers buying in this season? Crafts are very popular now: you might have noticed that you have been getting deliveries of knitting and stitching titles, which you probably have never ordered. There is a reason for this. Crafters are 99% female, usually middle aged, so if you have that profile of customer, then you can creGood Housekeeping is available for the Christmas issue in two sizes – handbag size and ate a new sub-sector on your A4 size – and has a Christmas Recipe book and stand which is wholly attracinterviews with celebrities like Jamie Oliver tive to them. and Nigella Lawson.

Interest in crafts and crafting is bigger than you think: Good Housekeeping is availthe knitting and stitching show in able for the Christmas issue in two the RDS has an sizes – handbag size and A4 size enormous follow– and has a Christmas Recipe book ing with loyal and interviews with celebrities like crafters often Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson. coming home Stock both titles with cookery titles with arms full such as Easy Food, BBC Good Food of magazines and Delicious for maximum sales which they Knitting, in particular, is the cannot buy in craft to watch. The media is buzztheir local shop. ing with knitting related stories Why? Because – there are knitting supplements in you won’t stock broadsheet newspapers. Knitting these titles for magazines have grown by 94% since them - you see last year – so stock up with knitting these titles as titles and watch them sell! “box-outs” and Machine Knitting Monthly is the return full parfriendly ‘club style’ magazine for cels of magazines all machine knitters. Readership is unopened, so mainly female from 20-60+ years, you never got aimed at the hobby side as well as a chance to the professional interest. It caters find out if any for all makes of machines and is of these titles published by machine knitters for would actually The growing interest in card-making has been reflected by the machine knitters. sell in your store. launch of many successful paper-crafting magazines.

that the Back to School and Halloween seasons are over, your shop probably has a festive Christmassy feel in every aisle, except perhaps on your magazine stand, which probably still has the same offering of the usual suspects (women’s weeklies, a few TV listings and a smattering of cars and sport). Does that sound like your shop?

Just as in every other department, the newsagency should define the changing seasons to encourage seasonal purchases. Even if the changes you make are small and barely noticeable, you will be giving a subliminal message to your customer that you are aware of the changing nature of their interests throughout the year. And in so doing, you are creating more opportunities for

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November09Karen

Can Craft, with a price point of over €10, offers a complete package to your customer across a variety of crafts and allows you 25% gross margin!

A seasonal title with a high value is music to any retailer’s ears.

Cake Craft Guide is a quarterly publication – each issue concentrates on the most popular themes, Christmas Cakes being the most Scrapbook Trends are back in fashion again with Irish consumers. obvious one for this season.

There is a comprehensive directory Needlecraft is the longest estabsection with details of suppliers and lished and the second biggest substockists. sector in the craft category. The Cake Craft and Decoration is the majority of titles are cross stitching only monthly magazine for all those – some of which have been around for interested in cake decoration and over 15 years. The number one title sugar-craft. Projects include wedis Cross Stitcher. ding and Christmas cakes, as well The largest sub-category is Craft as floral decorations, and with full – it has a 58% share of the market step-by-step photographs, this magaand the time to sell craft magazines zine is suitable for all levels of cake is now. In a recession, statistics prove decoration skills. that home-made presents increase, Hobbies Handbook has wide all under the ‘getting back to basics’ appeal and offers hundreds of ideas and ‘not wasting money’ model.

Over the next few weeks, you will see lots of newspaper articles and TV programmes about how special it would be this year if you made gifts instead of buying them this year.

Of course, the truth is that we have maxed out on our credit cards and are up to our ears in personal debt, but that is not the point: we are staying in anyway because we cannot afford to go out, so we may as well pass the time making gifts!

So watch for an increase through your letter box this year of homemade Christmas cards. The growing interest in card-making has been reflected by the launch of many successful paper-crafting magazines.

The market leader in this sector is Papercraft Inspirations. An interestThe Puzzle Annual Special is huge ing development in the crafting sector this year, with increased prize money and an extra bumper puzzle pack. is the growth of high-value titles. You

Meenan’s News Rack

for making a wide range of dolls’ houses, boats, toys and other novelties. The variety is aimed at all ages and all skill levels.

Scrapbook Trends are back in fashion again – after the last decade of bling, we are constantly hearing of going back to a more simple way of life when people had less and ‘makedo and mend’ was the order of the day. These magazines are niche but most importantly, have a high cover price, so as retailers, you are getting 25% full sale-or-return on very expensive titles not widely available, except in specialist shops.

Maximise the sales opportunity by locating these titles next to women’s lifestyle magazines (Essentials, Prima) and remember that crafters don’t cross purchase. These customers bake, knit, sew or make papercrafts – so make sure to stock the best sellers in each of these categories. The best time for sales is the run-up to Christmas, with another little lift in January when people are broke and stay in again – this time to prepare for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter. These peak issues are usually the ones with the best gifts displayed on the covers.

Covermounts are very important in this sub-category so please ensure that you merchandise these titles with a full facing to maximise the sales opportunity.

You can replace this sub-category with sports or gardening in the spring time, when the hour goes forward again and we change our hobbies and interests, when you as our local retailer are gearing up for another seasonal opportunity on the magazine stand.

Puzzle Books & Collecting Puzzle books are great sellers at holiday time when customers can grab a piece of quite time out and curl up with a Sudoko or Crossword puzzle.

The Puzzle Annual Special is huge this year, with increased prize money and an extra bumper puzzle pack.

This is the biggest puzzle book of the year – a perfect stocking filler.

There are seasons in the newsagency for children too. The peak time for collecting is during term-time 21

November09Karen

Meenan’s News Rack

Top tips for Christmas on the Magazine Stand s Increase your supply of seasonal titles. s Pay special attention to crafting. s Front face all magazines with covermounts. s Order Match Attax from EM by email, web or by phone. s Pay attention to Puzzle Books as stocking fillers.

The phenomenally popular Match Attax: highlighting the social aspect of collector cards.

when school-yard crazes drive children (particularly boys) into your stores asking for collector cards such as Match Attax. Remember last year when the biggest problem was actually getting your hands on stock?

promotional posters provided by Topps in each display box – use this poster in your window to highlight to the children in your neighbourhood that you are listening to them and you have what they want in stock in your shop.

You can place orders for Match Attax or any of these specialist titles by sending an email to EM, dublin.customer.enquiries@emnews-

distribution.ie or logging onto the website www.emnewsdistribution. com or phoning the main number – 01 8023200.

Publishers are continuing to offer covermounts (free gifts) to increase impulse purchase on the magazine stand. Customers love these and retailers hate them, but the fact is that these free gifts of shampoo, nail varnish, mascara, hand cream or lip gloss work, particularly in these times when every fashion follower is a dedicated recessionista! Glamour is offering a choice of 4 Nail Polish colours with every purchase this month – worth UK£10.50.

The Daily Profit This year, EM is the sole supplier of Match Attax. You cannot depend on stock being boxed-out to your store: you must place an order each time you want a new box of some starter packs or binders. You don’t even have to see many kids in your shop to sell Match Attax: research shows that 66% of purchases were made by parents. Adults see these collectables as low-cost rewards for good behaviour in the mode of ‘treats not sweets’.

During the last phase of Match Attax, much was made on the media here in Ireland of the social aspect of collector cards. Last year, kids put down their PSP and Nintendo DS games and actually played with each other, swapping cards and comparing albums. There are free 22

Helping You to Manage Your Newsagency

W h e re Re t a i l e rs Make More Profit

THE Daily Profit is a business that takes the pain and frustration out of managing the newsagency department. Founded originally with just one retailer who had two shops, the Daily Profit grew by word of mouth to over 100 shops and 14 people working in this business in just nine months. There are only two objectives at the core of its business model 1.

2.

Stop Losing Money Make Some More

The Daily Profit works very closely with retailers, wholesalers and publishers, troubleshooting and acting as a buffer between retailer and supplier. The Daily Profit becomes a third party that manages the standing order for the retailer, ensuring that the right supply and the right range of titles for that particular store is kept so that the retailer can build sales, reduce losses and reduce wage costs. The retailer has to take a leap from being a shop that sells magazines to a destination newsagent to achieve all those extra sales.

Contact: Karen Meenan, The Daily Profit, 3 Warrenhouse Road, Baldoyle, Dublin 13. Tel: 086 6027711. Email: kmeenan@eircom.net.

November09Security

Beware Bogus Deliveries Leading courier company Nightline are urging retailers to be vigilant when dealing with deliveries to avoid unscrupulous thieves making off with high value goods.

Dealing

with the potential for crime is a part of every retailer’s daily routine, but not all crime involves burglaries or even shoplifting. Leading courier company Nightline are warning retailers about a simple scam that has already cost some Irish retailers thousands of euro.

Thieves watch for courier deliveries to a retail store. Then, immediately after a courier has departed, they enter the store posing as Nightline employees, and employees of other delivery companies, stating that there has been a mistake with the delivery and they need to take the order back.

In many cases, staff unwittingly hand over high value goods to a complete stranger, with absolutely no recourse.

On occasion, the store receives a bogus phone call from somebody purporting to be from the courier’s head office, using the same excuse, that there has been an error with the delivery and that the goods need to be returned.

High Value Commodities “This type of theft tends to happen with high value commodities, anything from mobile phones to tobacco products,” explains John Tuohy, MD of Nightline, the largest private parcel carrier in Ireland. According to Tuohy, attempts of this type occur throughout the year but peak during November and December in the run-up to the busy festive season.

“It’s a problem that goes on all year round but really heats up in the run up to Christmas,” Tuohy explains.

“The criminals are taking advantage of the fact that shops are busier, staff are hassled and the environment is bustling, so before they have thought about what they are doing, staff have handed out the goods.”

Ask for ID John advises retailers to ask for identification and paper-work from anyone purporting to represent either a courier firm or a supplier.

“Usually, a supplier wouldn’t just send a courier to a shop to pick up returned goods without making an arrangement with the shop in the first place, but unfortunately, the customer often just hands the goods over without thinking about it, and the thief is gone before anybody realises what has happened.”

Tuohy estimates that this type of crime could be costing retailers up to €250,000 per year. One recent example saw a Dublin-based retailer losing €9,000 of tobacco products to a bogus delivery-man.

“For any shopkeeper to take a hit of €4-5,000 in high value products is a very painful financial experience, considering the tight margins they are working to,” Tuohy notes. “We want to make retailers aware of this type of crime, to try to ensure that they’re not taken in by it. Our drivers deliver to retail outlets across the country on a daily basis, from pharmacies to newsagents and convenience stores. We want to make retailers aware that this practice is becoming more prevalent and urge them to be on their guard.”

One of the big problems with this type of crime is that the customer doesn’t have any recourse if they are victims of it. “It’s a very emotional issue, but if you have been taken in by somebody and handed your goods over the counter without verifying who you are dealing with, that is your responsibility and I don’t think most retailers would have insurance to cover that eventuality – it is fraud or theft by deception.”

Be Vigilant The Nightline MD urges retailers to be vigilant, always check the delivery person’s ID and train your staff to do the same.

“If you’re suspicious, don’t hand over the goods – it’s as simple as that,” Tuohy states. “Phone the supplier or the courier company. If the customer is in any way suspicious, they shouldn’t hand anything out until they are absolutely certain that the delivery person is genuine.”

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November09Christmas

Stocking

Christmas Presence Stocking the right product mix for the festive season is crucial.

We provide a guide to some of the brands guaranteed to fly off your shelves this Christmas.

Christmas

represents one of the biggest occasions of the year for retailers, as consumers stock up on all the brands and products they love. Indeed, Nestlé Ireland estimate that the Christmas Stocking sector is worth in excess of €60.7m each year.

Consumers tend to trade up to premium products, both for gifting and at-home consumption, and many of the big names across confectionery, biscuits, crisps, snacks, cooking and baking products are gearing up to help retailers to maximise their sales with high visibility point of sale material designed for your store.

According to a new report from Deloitte, shoppers in western Europe are each set to spend, on average, €190 on food over the seasonal period, a fall of 3.5% on 2008 figures, with Irish shoppers predicted to be the second biggest spenders, consuming €265 a head on food.

“Price and value for money are far and away the prime concerns for consumers this Christmas,” Deloitte partner Gilles Goldenberg told a 24

The Cuisine de France Seasonal Treats range includes the top selling Mince Pies.

press conference in Paris. Further, the consumer is prepared to scout around for the best deal with “considered purchases set to replace impulsive buys”.

Cuisine de France Inspired by the season of sharing, Cuisine de France have launched their new range of Seasonal Treats, a Christmas selection of luxurious confectioneries for consumers to share or to enjoy by themselves.

The Cuisine de France Seasonal Treats range is crafted by their bakers to give consumers the perfect indulgence this Christmas. Building on the success of last year’s range of Seasonal Treats, the expanded Seasonal Treats range will offer new recipes such as the Apple and Mixed Berry Iced Stars, Handmade Mallow Pudding and Chocolate Flake Cake.

Also in the range are last year’s top selling treats, the handmade Chocolate Christmas Stars, Cranberry & Orange Muffins and Mince Pies.

The Seasonal Treats range is available from November right through the Christmas holidays and it’s priced to make each one the perfect affordable treat. Luxuriant point of sale and a dedicated Christmas campaign across media will ensure once more that the Cuisine de France

Seasonal Treats are a range of Christmas classics in the making.

Largo Foods For this Christmas, Mr Tayto has released his autobiography, ‘The Man Inside The Jacket’.

For this Christmas, Mr Tayto has released his autobiography, ‘The Man Inside The Jacket’.

November09Christmas

Stocking

The Tayto Christmas Boxes are a sell-out every year.

focused sharing strategy will feature strongly. Collectively, the sharing range, which includes Tayto Toobz, Tayto Bistro and Tayto Occasions, accounts for over 3% of the Irish market.

The Tayto Christmas Boxes will once again return to shelves. A sellout every year, the tasty Christmas boxes are available in traditional Tayto Cheese & Onion and Tayto Variety Pack (containing Cheese & Onion, Salt & Vinegar and Smokey Bacon flavours). The Tayto Christmas Boxes have been a firm Christmas favourite with Irish families since their launch back in the early 1980s.

As the years have passed, the Tayto Christmas Boxes have become more and more popular and are a musthave in all homes around the festive season.

King Crisps have made steady progress within the past year and have increased their market share to over 11% of the crisp market. King Crisps, ‘the crisp lover’s crisp’, will once again be launching their King Party Box, the little regal treasure chest, just in time for the merry-making. This is a season must-stock for all retailers, bringing a right royal delight to households (and retailers) across the land this Yuletide.

The Hunky Dorys brand celebrates 12 solid months of growth, with 14% market share, confirming its number three position in the market. Following its success last year, the Hunky Dorys Party Box will return this party season.

three in the hardback non-fiction bestseller list, outselling Bertie Ahern’s memoir and catching up with The Guinness Books of Records and Rachel Allen’s cookbook. Following two very successful signings in Eason, O’Connell St, and Hughes and Hughes, Swords, Mr Tayto is now embarking on a tour on his newly decorated bus. The tour will see him signing books in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Ennis over the next month.

‘The Man Inside The Jacket’ is available nationwide at €5.99. For The King Party Box is a regal treasure chest, launching every copy just in time for the merry-making. sold, a contribution will be made to AWARE, a don’t want some ghost writer making charity which helps defeat depresup codology about me or mashing up sion. the truth. So I’ve decided to tell my Tayto, side of the story. It’s a story of hope Ireland’s and courage, of setbacks and success, number one of triumph and despair, of cheese and crisp and onion. In my own words, this is the snack brand, story of The Man Inside The Jacket.” has made sigMr Tayto’s autobiography will be nificant gains supported by TV and outdoor adverthroughout tising, bus sides, in-store promotions, 2009, both store signings, the MrTayto.ie website within the and Twitter and Facebook updates. healthy and Additionally, the big book launch sharing categois supported by limited edition prories. motional impulse and multipacks For the in-store.

Christmas As we go to press, ‘The Man Following its success last year, the Hunky Dorys Party Box will return this party season. season, this Inside the Jacket’ sits at number “Every Irish fella thinks they’ve got a book in them, but when someone told me the biggest thing the Irish abroad miss about home is Tayto crisps, I thought it’s time to tell my side of the story,” noted Mr Tayto. “Everyone’s got an opinion on the Big Fella in the Red Jacket and I

26

November09Christmas

Stocking

2009 proved a good year for Hunky Dorys, due in part to its long-standing sponsorship deal with Super Bantamweight champion of the world, Bernard Dunne.

Hunky Dorys also introduced its most novel advertising format with the launch of its new American Style Bullnose truck fleet. The highly impactful branding, showcasing the ‘Buffalo Stampede’ can be seen on the nation’s roads on a daily basis.

a big sales opportunity,” explained James O Rourke, Walkers’ Category Manager. “Within that, Christmas represents the biggest sales opportunity of all. We advise retailers to stock up now and maximise visibility in-store to drive incremental sales this Christmas.”

To help retailers do just that, Walkers has developed a seasonal in-store display unit containing their favourite Sensations, Doritos and Walkers six-pack flavours, available from now until Christmas.

“We would encourage retailers to Explore Seasonal Opportunities and to inspire their shoppers,” O Rourke continues. “By merchandising key sellers for Christmas together, it will increase sales dramatically. At least half of all shoppers at Christmas time will be looking specifically for crisps and snacks, which makes Christmas the biggest sales opportunity of the year.”

Nestlé Ireland

Walkers is helping retailers to maximise the Christmas crisps and snacks sales opportunity with their festive offering of sharing bags, including the massively popular Thai Sweet Chilli flavour.

Walkers Walkers is helping retailers to maximise the Christmas crisps and snacks sales opportunity with their festive offering of Sharing Bags: Doritos 225g, Sensations 160g and Walkers six-pack.

Doritos and Sensations are among the best selling sharing bags in Ireland, and together, they have four of the top ten selling sharing lines (Source: ACNielsen, Scantrack, MAT/ Symbols/Value 04/10/09).

“The Big Bag sharing occasion is one we at Walkers are championing and social sharing represents 28

Valued at €60.7m, Christmas is an ideal opportunity for retailers to maximise sales and achieve growth within their business for 2009.

Nestlé Ireland were the number two manufacturer in the Christmas confectionery market for 2008, with a wide range of gifting and novelties which added an extra feature to your festive offering.

This year, when it comes to gifting, Nestlé have gone back to basics with Black Magic Classic Favourites, re-introducing the brand’s heritage, with six varieties of classic favourites from the original Black Magic

recipe. A variety of flavours, including Caramel Caress, Dreamy Fudge, Whole Hazelnut Praline and Orange Sensations, are back by popular demand. Available to order in 376g and 188g pack formats, collectively with Dairy Box’s contemporary range of milk chocolates, Nestlé now offer a complete dark and milk chocolate collection.

Firm consumer favourites Quality Street are a must-stock, with a new 400g carton format made from fully recyclable materials, while the number one after dinner mint, After Eight, has an added value pack this Christmas with 50% extra free, offering more value to consumers.

Novelties as a total market has grown significantly, with a 6% increase in 2008 alone, and Nestlé are set to capitalise on the novelties market with the largest range of Giant Tubes in the market. In addition, the Nestlé selection box range has a redesigned pack for Christmas 2009 with a new card fitment replacing the plastic insert and a new front opening feature, making the range more gift-worthy.

Nestlé continue to build on innovation with additions to the novelties range for 2009 with Smarties Penguin novelty figures, appealing to parents and fun for kids. It’s an ideal opportunity to drive incremental sales, with 50% of consumers saying they would buy the novelty figure in addition to other confectionery gifts.

In support of the wide range of gifting and novelties this Christmas, Nestlé also offer a broad range of

Nestlé have gone back to basics with Black Magic Classic Favourites, re-introducing the brand’s heritage, with six varieties of classic favourites from the original Black Magic recipe.

Third Edition 2009

The 12 Selling Tips for Christmas..something for your Christmas Stocking from Walkers If you want plenty of Christmas Cheer, make the most of this great selling opportunity..James O’ Rourke of Walkers tells you how..

1. Anticipate your Customers Know your shoppers. When it comes to Seasonal Lines apply this knowledge to what products you increase display of, such as Sharing Crisps & Snacks which will be considered for purchase by over half of all shoppers at Xmas time.

2. Offer Your Shoppers Xmas Value 2 out of 5 Shoppers will buy an unintended product when they feel it is Good Value for Money.

3. Dedicate Off Shelf Space to Seasonal Sellers Seasonal Sales spikes see higher rates of sale & more units sold than usual for products such as Sharing Crisps & Snacks at Xmas. These products will go off sale quicker at this time, so maximise the opportunity of this increase in sales by dual siting these lines throughout your shop in high traffic areas.

4. Maintain Space for Best Sellers 11% of Crisp & Snacks Products deliver more than 80% of the Volume in Symbols Channel. You must ensure that key Volume lines are safeguarded at Xmas & their availability not threatened by slower selling less important products.

5. Explore Seasonal Opportunities & Inspire Your Shoppers Merchandise complementary products together, such as Xmas party items and less popular items throughout the year such as large nuts, which increase sales by over 150% at Xmas time!!

6. Inspire your Shoppers 1 out of every 4 Shoppers will try something new because of how & where it is merchandised, so open up on your displays of sharing party items to help your shoppers with a one stop shop for their festive needs.

7. Ensure Availability of the Deal The most important factor that Shoppers state when it comes to Special Offers is that the Product on Deal is Available.

JAMES O’ROURKE James is the Category Manager for Walkers in Ireland. James has been with the company for the past 5 years and has worked in a variety of roles from Territory Manager to Grocery & Wholesale Account Manager.

8. Make your Shop Inviting & Easy to Navigate Use Major Brands to signpost the sections to help the shopper around your shop & minimise the risk of a shopper going home without having made some purchases.

9. Make the Best Sellers Easy to Find Once the shopper has found the section of your shop they want, they don’t want to spend time searching through the shelf for the best selling product that they want!

10. Appreciate which Products are working hardest for you & Delivering Key Margin Categories which deliver at other times of the year can be surpassed at seasonal times such as Xmas, so prioritise high margin & customer valued categories such as Sharing Crisps & Snacks or Multipack Crisps at christmas with floor stands.

11. Understand what Sub-Categories & Which Brands are driving growth and are popular with Shoppers When instore, 1 in every 2 Shoppers would consider buying Crisps & Snacks throughout the year, and this increases at Xmas time so open up space for these products at Xmas over other less in demand categories.

12. Work with Suppliers to ensure you have up to date Market Info, Trends & Opportunities Captured Suppliers want to grow your sales & help reach more customers with their category, so work with your suppliers representatives to make the most of Xmas.

November09Christmas

Stocking

able this year include Fox’s Fabulously Special assortment, with its familiar red tin, which is well known and much loved by consumers, who see it as Fox’s Box of Biscuits tub is a new assortment this year and synonymous comes full of Fox’s ‘best in class’ with Christmas. Fox’s everyday biscuits.

Wonders is a rich and indulgent assortment on NPD from the major battery in a stylish metallic manufacturers. Energizer is conpurple tin. Fox’s Box of tinually innovating to meet consumBiscuits tub is a new ers’ changing needs and now offers assortment this year an extensive range of batteries with and comes full of Fox’s Fox’s Fabulously Special assortment, with different properties and benefits. ‘best in class’ everyday its familiar red tin, is well known and much Alkaline sales continue to be driven biscuits.

Other products new to loved by consumers. by need for traditional key devices the Fox’s portfolio this year also such as toys and smoke alarms, include Fox’s Favourites and while AAA is benefiting from growth Luxury cartons.

Fox’s Biscuits as devices such as MP3 Players are Fox’s are set to add significant value getting smaller and therefore need to the seasonal biscuit category this Energizer smaller sized batteries. year with the launch of new and Consumer thirst for new technology Energizer’s Ultimate Lithium exciting seasonal assortments. is having a profound effect on provides amazing performance in Claiming the number two spot in the battery category. Devices are high drain devices like digital camthe seasonal biscuits sector, Fox’s are increasingly considered critical to our renowned as a premier manufacturer lifestyles, but they’re of top quality seasonal assortments. also immensely All Fox’s seasonal assortments power-hungry. This appeal perfectly to both traditional means consumers are and contemporary audiences. engaging with the Delicious assortments availbattery category like never before. They also recognise that some devices need more power than others, so battery life is a key concern. That’s why it’s important for retailers to stock a full range to meet various needs.

MP3 players, digital cameras and handheld games demand greater battery power and longev- Energizer’s Ultimate Lithium sales have been driven by Fox’s Wonders is a rich and indulgent ity. This demand is the recent increase in purchases of digital technology assortment in a stylish metallic driving greater focus and high drain devices. purple tin. merchandising solutions, including new additions to support NPD, with Smarties Penguin POP and Kids Medium Selection Box POP, designed to reach the optimum number of stores and consumers.

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Back By Popular Demand

Back for C hris tmas 2 009 This festive season sees the return of Classic recipes by Black Magic the nations best loved dark chocolate gifting brand!

6 traditional dark chocolates including Caramels, Whole nuts and Fruit Creams available in two pack formats 376g and 188g

For orders please contact your local Nestle representative

November09Christmas

Stocking

rechargeable batteries also offer a range for Value (AA 1300 mAh), Premium (AA 1700mAh) and Super Premium (AA 2500 mAh).

In the past, consumers were put off rechargeables by slow recharging times and poor memory effects, both of which made them perceive these batteries as poor value for money.

But technology has really moved on and the latest generation of Nickel Metal-Hydride chargers and batteries offer faster charging, no memory effect and are kinder to the environment.

Indeed, the rise of the ‘ethical consumer’ has created an increase in rechargeable sales, whereby it is now one of the fastest growing segments in the Irish battery market – up 40.8% year on year. This is because shoppers see rechargeable batteries as more environmentally friendly and better value for money.

Henkel Consumer Adhesives Energizer’s latest generation of Nickel Metal-Hydride chargers and batteries offer faster charging, no memory effect and are kinder to the environment.

eras and MP3 players. Disposable Lithium batteries last up to seven times longer than standard Alkaline batteries in digital cameras, which typically means up to 630 photos vs 90 from the standard alkaline battery. In MP3 players, it means up to 5.5 hours more playing time. It is arguably the best performing of all disposable batteries.

In Ireland, Energizer is the only manufacturer of Lithium batteries in AA and AAA cells. Launched in August 2005, Energizer’s Ultimate Lithium sales have been driven by the recent increase in purchases of digital technology and high drain devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players and portable DVD players.

Energizer’s vast range includes: Energizer Ultimate Lithium & Energizer Ultimate in the Super Premium segment; Energizer Ultra Plus in the Premium segment; Eveready Gold and Silver in the Value segment; Eveready Super in the Economy segment; Energizer 32

Sellotape remains Ireland’s favourite tape, trusted by generations of Irish families and enjoying unprecedented levels of consumer awareness.

dump bins, clip-strips and till packs Sellotape remains Ireland’s favourite to help you maximise profit. In additape, trusted by generations of tion, strong, proven promotion packs Irish families. The brand currently will make Sellotape more popular commands unprecedented levels of than ever this Christmas. consumer awareness, taking its place alongside Pritt and Loctite in the range of market-leading products Lakeshore Foods from Henkel Consumer Adhesives.

With Christmas around the corner, Although Christmas isn’t just Lakeshore are readying their about presents, 50% of all Sellotape exquisite seasonal range of products sales take place durto make ing the crucial festive consumers’ season. This makes Christmas Sellotape Original a meal a cracker must-stock item for this year. This every convenience store, range includes supermarket, hardware Goose Fat, Duck store and garage foreFat, Cranberry court – every consumer Sauce, Ham will need to wrap at Glaze, Brandy least one present in Butter, Brandy December.

Cream, Coulis The well-organised in a variety of present wrapper will flavours and plan their buying of Mincemeat. paper and Sellotape, A Lakeshore but there is also the less speciality, both organised buyer who goose and duck will pick up Sellotape fat have a rich, Lakeshore’s Brandy Butter is on impulse. With this in silky texture and made to a traditional recipe and mind, there is a range of are best known goes perfectly with Christmas merchandising options – for making the puddings or apple pies.

November09Christmas

ultimate in roast potatoes, making them crispy on the outside and soft inside.

Rich, fruity cranberry sauce is the perfect accompaniment to turkey, chicken or pork, while ham glaze with golden honey and mustard is exquisite with ham, chicken or pork.

Lakeshore’s Brandy Butter is made to a traditional recipe and goes perfectly with Christmas puddings or apple pies.

Stocking

A Lakeshore speciality, both Goose Fat and Duck Fat have a rich, silky texture and are best known for making the ultimate in roast potatoes.

Brandy Cream gives a truly delicious topping for all fruit puddings, mince pies, scones, waffles and pancakes.

Coulis in apricot, raspberry and mixed berry flavours, is ideal for adding a refined touch to winter puddings, cakes, sorbets and ice creams.

Finally, Lakeshore’s family recipe mincemeat is filled with luscious fruit and is liberally laced with brandy and stout.

Killeen-ing up at Christmas KILLEEN, as the number one player in the cleaning product and refuse sack market with a whopping 34% market share, is driving the category, with innovations to satisfy all your customers’ needs this Christmas.

Killeen continues to deliver a powerful combination of high product performance whilst remaining value for money for the consumer. The highly successful launch of Killeen’s laundry aid range in 2009 demonstrates Killeen’s commitment to meeting the needs of consumers.

This Christmas, Killeen has a cloth and scourer to tackle any cleaning

Killeen ‘Easi Clean’ shifts stubborn stains fast and is suitable for any household cleaning job, and is also ideal for scrubbing Christmas vegetables.

34

job around the home. The ever versatile ‘Kitchen Mate’ sponge scourer remains a firm favourite with consumers due to its flexibility and durability in the kitchen.

Killeen ‘Easi Clean’ shifts stubborn stains fast and is suitable for any household cleaning job, and is also ideal for scrubbing Christmas vegetables.

Christmas cleaning is For clean-up after all made easier by Killeen in-home products like those staff and home parties, Killeen Aware biodegradable the 4-Pack Micro Fibre Cloths. sacks save the earth without costing the earth.

In addition, Christmas cleaning is made easier

by Killeen in-home products, include 4-Pack Micro Fibre Cloths, 6-Pack Mop Ups, Bathroom Cleaner and Polishing Sponges.

Killeen Aware biodegradable sacks save the earth without costing the earth.

Have Biscuits Covered Enjoyed by Irish families for over 100 years, McVitie’s remains a popular household name with a portfolio of much-loved traditional brands including McVitie’s Digestives, Jaffa Cakes, Rich Tea, Hob Nobs, Penguin, Boasters, go ahead!, Carr’s and many more recent launches, such as McVitie’s Fig Rolls, Cream Crackers and Teacakes. 2009 was an exciting year for McVitie’s consumers, with numerous momentous brand developments and fun activities to be enjoyed by all the family.

2009 was a significant year for McVitie’s flagship brands - Digestives, Rich Tea and Hob Nobs - when, as a result of a multi-million euro investment and three years of research and development, the saturated fat content of these traditional biscuits has been reduced by 50%, while keeping the same great taste.

McVitie’s is the first biscuit manufacturer to make such significant changes to its key brands.

The iconic McVitie’s Hob Nobs brand enjoyed a packaging makeover in June 2009 in order to further build consumer engagement and to drive even stronger sales for retailers.

Dublin Zoo visitors were treated to an extra special weekend in August. McVitie’s hosted a fun-filled Penguin Weekend which included lots of of family activities. Visitors enjoyed the Penguin treasure hunt, face painting and other competitions. Over the weekend, families also enjoyed the new McVitie’s Penguin Wafer, a delicious milk chocolate covered wafer bar filled with chocolate cream, which only contains 93 calories, with no artificial colours or flavours: a perfect lighter, tasty treat! Sept 2009 kicked off with more fun and value from Ireland’s much loved biscuit brand. McVitie’s offered their loyal consumers a chance to win €5,000 daily through their fun and interactive 8-week family campaign entitled “Bonkers about Biscuits”

prove the effectiveness of Urban Access UTV Radio Solutions recently presented the first ever Radio Effectiveness Study undertaken in Ireland to the advertising community.

The study used the UTV Urban Access Package – a new way to buy National Radio – which offers advertisers a package of airtime on market leading stations in the countries 7 largest Urban Centres – Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Drogheda and Dundalk.

The campaign launched L’il Critters Gummy Vites, a brand with little or no marketing history but with wide distribution in pharmacies and the major multiples.

L’il Critters Gummy Vites is a children’s vitamin brand targeted at parents with children between 2 and 12 years.

Radios strength at driving store traffic is already well recognised, but with absolute conviction in our stations ability to deliver results, we wanted to explore the effectiveness of a radio campaign in growing market share,

brand recognition and most importantly, sales of a product.

We developed a creative and media plan and launched the campaign for the back to school market running 4 weeks activity from wc August 31st.

UTV Radio Solutions commissioned iReach to undertake some pre and post campaign analysis to determine the effects of the campaign and they showed some significant growth results with brand awareness doubling and purchase intent growing by 60%. The research also found that Gummy Vites had taken share from the four largest brands in the market sector and moved from 9th to 5th in recalled children’s vitamin brands.

The sales results provided an even stronger story with sales for September growing year on year by 356%. This growth continued into October with sales growth year on year of 275% showing that the campaign had changed buying habits and effected a change in the children’s vitamins market.

Something that can only be good news for the brands future health and sales.

Chiara Maher, Marketing Director of Pharmaher, the young Irish company behind L’il Critters Gummy Vites remarked “It can only be concluded that the increase in sales was due to the radio ad campaign. We received very positive feedback from pharmacists in urban areas who felt that customers came in on the strength of the ad campaign. The success of the campaign is made even sweeter by virtue of the economic downturn where consumer spend is down on many healthcare brands.”

November09SPAR

Off Licence of the Year Awards

SPAR Off Licences Rewarded The second Edward Dillon EUROSPAR / SPAR / SPAR Express Off-Licence of the Year Awards 2009 took place in Roganstown Golf and Country Club in Swords recently.

The

Edward Dillon EUROSPAR / SPAR / SPAR Express Off-Licence of the Year Awards presentation 2009 was a huge success, with 30 finalists short-listed from around the country in attendance. There were three main awards up for grabs on the night, including the EUROSPAR Off-Licence of the Year, SPAR/SPAR Express Off-Licence of the Year and the SPAR/SPAR Express Wine Store of the Year.

Fergus Giblin and Owen Corr from EUROSPAR Malahide, winner of the EUROSPAR Off-Licence of the Year, are pictured receiving their award from Liam Nolan, BWG (left), and Andy O’Hara, Sales Director, Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd (right).

Derek Clarke, SPAR, Castleforbes Street, Dublin 1, and Ger Canning, SPAR, Pearse Road, Sligo.

The SPAR Wine Store of the Year 2009 was awarded to Mary Glennon SPAR, Tonlegee Road, Coolock, Dublin 5, and Marie and Brendan Mullen’s SPAR, Bundoran Road, Sligo, was the runner up.

The winning stores received an amazing trip to Australia, where they will have the opportunity to visit the prestigious wineries of Wolf Blass, Rosemount and Penfolds.

“We were delighted to be associated with the EUROSPAR/SPAR/SPAR Express Off-Licence of the Year Awards again this year,” noted Andy O’Hara, Sales Director of Edward Dillon. “The standard was very high this year and well done to all of the entrants for taking part. I would like to congratulate all of the finalists, whose stores have excelled in this competition.”

David and Joanne Moore, SPAR Express Letterkenny, winner of the SPAR/SPAR Express Off Licence of the Year Award, are pictured with Liam Nolan, BWG (left) and Andy O’Hara, Sales Director, Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd.

Fergus Giblin, EUROSPAR, Mahalide, Co. Dublin was delighted to be awarded the winner of the EUROSPAR Off-Licence of the Year 2009, while two Donegal entrants scooped the runner up prizes: Des Kee, EUROSPAR Laghey and Pat Ryan, The Cope, EUROSPAR Dungloe.

Joanne and David Moore accepted the prize of winner of the SPAR/SPAR Express Off Licence of the Year 2009 on behalf SPAR Express in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, with the runners up in this category coming from Dublin and Sligo:

Mary Glennon and Marnus Botha from SPAR, Tonlagee Road, Coolock, accept the SPAR Wine Store of the Year Award, from Liam Nolan, BWG, and Andy O’Hara, Sales Director, Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd. 37

November09Retail

News Interview

Barry & Fitzwilliam have grown over the past 27 years to become Ireland’s leading independent drinks importer.

CEO Michael Barry explains how.

Independent’s Day Cork-based

independent drinks distributor Barry & Fitzwilliam (B&F) are about to celebrate their 27th year in business. Merely surviving against the massive multinationals since 1982 would be quite an achievement in itself but B&F have done much more.

Last year saw the company turn-over €83m, while pre-tax profit rose by 6% to €3.4m.

The company started life as Barry’s Wines & Spirits in 1982, before amalgamating with Dublinbased Fitzwilliam McCollough in 1989. At the time, Fitzwilliam McCollough was known primarily as an “agency house”, while Barry’s was essentially a Munster wholesalers, so joining the two companies made perfect sense.

“Becoming a national company was a very important step,” explains Michael Barry, CEO, B&F. “Chris Murphy was CEO of Fitzwilliam McCollough at the time and he’s still my partner today. We both had a vision to become Ireland’s leading 38

independent drinks importer and that’s what we have become.”

The Corona Success Story One of the main reasons why B&F have succeeded so thoroughly in the Irish market is because of a Mexican beer that has taken Ireland (and most of the rest of the world) by storm.

Indeed, Michael Barry describes Corona as “our first really big brand”.

Corona initially hit popularity in the early ‘90s “until all the other beer brands woke up to long-neck beers” and the multinationals moved in on its territory. However, the Corona story was far from finished and in 2003, B&F approached Corona’s owners, Modelo Brewery in Mexico, with a plan in place to rejuvenate the brand in Ireland.

“We saw Corona performing exceedingly well in the States, where it was the biggest selling imported bottled beer,” recalls Barry. “I always reckon that Ireland is the 53rd state of America, so we gave Modela projec-

tions that by 2006, we would have Corona selling 300,000 cases here in Ireland. We ended up selling almost 500,000 cases that year.” This year, B&F expect to shift 750,000 cases of the popular beer and Barry believes that the potential is there to hit the 1m mark over the coming years.

Corona enjoys strong marketing support, including its title sponsorship of the Cork Film Festival, but it was an innovative move in 2005 that saw Corona really come of age.

“We incentivised two Cork hurlers to wear their boots branded with Corona Extra in the All Ireland Hurling Semi Final,” Barry laughs.

“There was incredible controversy over it: front page headlines, interviews on RTE News. We knew we weren’t breaking any rules at the time: we may have bent them to the nth degree.

Besides good marketing and good distribution, that was the magic moment that brought the Corona brand from niche to mainstream.”

Since then, Corona hasn’t looked back, with sales rocketing to the point

November09Retail

where Ireland enjoys the highest per capita sales of Corona in Europe, with sales expected to grow by a further 10% this year in a market that’s declining by 15%.

Quality Portfolio The B&F portfolio includes far more than Corona, however, with a wealth of quality wine brands, including McGuigan’s, one of the top five wine brands in the country (Neil McGuigan has just been voted Best White Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge), popular French wine Michel Lynch and Chilean favourite, MontGras.

The company also boasts prestigious names like Pascal Jolivey, Domaine Faiveley and Marcel Guigal (Decanter Man of the Year 2006).

In the spirits sector, B&F’s hero brand is undoubtedly Jagermeister, “which has been a phenomenal success since we inherited it from Maxxium in 2004”, while their Scotch Whisky (Teacher’s, Famous Grouse) and Irish Whiskey portfolios (Tyrconnell, Connemara, Clontarf etc) are out-performing what is a declining brown spirits sector. “In a market that’s down by 20%, our whisky brands are down by 6-8%, which are phenomenal figures in the current environment,” Barry notes.

Maxxium Effect One of the biggest moves by B&F in its 27-year history was the deal signed with Maxxium Ireland in February 2004, which saw the company rebranded as Barry Fitzwilliam Maxxium, taking on a wealth of international brands like Absolut Vodka, Jim Beam and Remy Martin.

“In the five years of the deal, we doubled the sales of Maxxium’s business in Ireland; we quadrupled sales of Absolut Vodka and met every target we were asked to meet by the brand owners,” boasts Barry.

However, the restructuring of Maxxium International earlier this year saw massive changes in the way the company operated.

Absolut was sold to Pernod Ricard; Remy Cointreau became independent in terms of distribution; with Jim Beam and Edrington left as

the main stakeholders in Maxxium International.

While admitting to being disappointed to lose the prestigious Absolut brand (“but we’re very proud of the job we did with the brand”), Barry was happy to keep all the Jim Beam, Edrington and Remy Cointreau brands at the company, which reverted to the name, Barry & Fitzwilliam Ltd. Since August 1 of this year, B&F has also taken over the Allied Drinks portfolio (including Hardys, Robert Mondavi, Nobilo, Errazuriz and Villa Maria), which Barry estimates will add €10m to the company’s annual turnover.

Unique Operating Structure Barry attributes the independent company’s continued success in the midst of ever more competition from multinationals as its ability to make quick decisions: “We can make decisions in a matter of days that would take other companies months to make.”

Describing the company’s modus operandi as being “like a football team”, Barry envisions himself as the player manager, “at right full-back, barking orders up the field”. Indeed, B&F enjoys an unusual management structure, which sees the entire sales team reporting directly to the CEO. “It’s very unique, very effective and very masochistic,” he laughs. “But I do admit to being a bit of a control freak, so it’s probably my own fault.”

The Future In a market that’s changing as rapidly as the Irish drinks sector (Barry estimates that off trade accounts for 52% of B&F’s sales, compared to 40% just a few years ago), the CEO needs to be hands-on.

Barry is extremely cognisant of three biggest issues facing the trade today: the recession, the amount of Irish people shopping in Northern Ireland and the Tesco effect.

“The recession has meant that the on trade is suffering and people are heading more to the off trade,” he explains of the first issue. “When they are shopping in the off trade, they are trading down: we can see

News Interview

this in terms of our price points.

More wine is being sold for under €10, more beer and spirits are being sold on promotion.”

In terms of the haemorrhaging of Irish shoppers across the Border, Barry estimates that up to one in every seven households in the Republic of Ireland now do their main shop in Northern Ireland. “Asda and Sainsbury’s between them have a combined share of the Republic of Ireland’s grocery market of 2.8%, which is about a tenth of Tesco’s share, without having a shop here,” he notes. “That’s scary.”

B&F are constantly engaging with brand owners to ensure their pricing levels are on a par with those of the UK importers, “so that, excluding the duty and VAT element, at least we’re fighting fire with fire”.

And so to the third issue.

According to Barry, “Tesco Ireland now source 80-90% of their wine from the UK. Would you blame them?

Maybe not.”

So what can Irish importers like B&F do?

“We’ve always had a lean and mean operating structure. We’ve lost maybe four people over the course of the last year, whereas other companies have had to take drastic measures in terms of cutting staff,” he notes. “The Allied Drinks deal has brought €10m of turnover to Barry & Fitzwilliam that we didn’t have last year, but it will only bring us back to the same levels we were trading at in 2007/08.

We have been able to keep our organisation structure intact because of that deal.”

Indeed, Barry, a self-confessed “reformed optimist” is reasonably upbeat about the company’s future, with a five-year vision that encompasses a turnover in excess of €100m by 2014: “There will be consolidation this year and next, but after that, I hope the market will grow again. Ireland was the first European country into recession and we will be the last out, but the Irish are fighters. We have come through worse. I think you have to keep your eyes and ears open for whatever opportunities are out there and be positive: negativity is going to get us nowhere.”

39

November09Gala

Conference

Gael Force at Gala Conference ‘Gala Goes Gael’ was the theme at convenience retail group Gala’s annual conference, which took place at the Carton House Hotel in Maynooth and was attended by over 200 Gala retailers.

The

Gala Annual Conference took place recently, with the theme, Gala Goes Gael, prefacing the announcement that the Group will invest a significant sum into a cultural and marketing campaign for 2010, Gala Goes Gael, using the Irish language in much of its communication. The initiative will also encompass TV, local radio, in-store and a major sponsorship in 2010, plans for which will be announced in early 2010.

This new marketing initiative will complement the company’s existing sponsorship of the Gala All-

Pictured at the Gala Annual Conference are (l-r): Gary Desmond, Gala CEO; Ivan Yates, broadcaster and keynote speaker; and Liam Peters, Gala Executive Chairman.

Ireland Senior and Junior Camogie Championships.

“This campaign gives Gala a point of difference and a relevant and interesting way to communicate with our communities,” explained Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala. “Our decision to create the Gala Goes Gael initiative was driven by the fact that we are a 100 % Irishowned convenience group and large employer of Irish people. We are proud of our Irish heritage and culture.”

Desmond also took the opportunity to update retailers on Gala’s year to date. Despite the turbulent times, Gala

has seen a 5% increase in terms of store numbers, which is quite an achievement for the group in the current climate. The new stores joined Gala through a combination of movement from other symbols, transfers from independents and the development of greenfield sites.

An Irish Group, Supporting Irish Suppliers Following on from a morning speech

by Jim Power, Chairman of Love Irish Food and Chief Economist with Friends First, Desmond commented, “At Gala, we always source Irish where possible. This year alone, it’s predicted that the group will have sourced over €200m of Irish produce and where possible, once price and quality are in line with other offerings available, we will continue to choose Irish in the first instance.”

New Concepts

Declan O Connor, Business Excellence Quality International, is pictured presenting Eddie and Annette Tobin, Tobin’s Gala, Letterkenny, on their B.E.S.T. Store of the Year win with Liam Peters, Executive Chairman, Gala, and Gary Desmond, CEO, Gala.

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At the Gala trade fair, which took place at the conference and was well supported by suppliers, ‘Baker’s Corner’ was unveiled as a new Gala in-store option for retailers. It’s a new, dynamic bakery offering borne out of a Gala collaboration with O’Brien’s Ingredients.

November09Gala

The B.E.S.T. Retailing Broadcaster and former politician, Ivan Yates was the key-note speaker and launched the conference with a sensational, uplifting talk on challenges, adversity and how to overcome obstacles. His no-nonsense, straight talking and positive approach was met with much admiration from the retailers. Ivan’s belief in how businesses can perform to the B.E.S.T. of their ability was followed by Gary Desmond’s overview of the inaugural Gala B.E.S.T. awards.

In 2009, Gala introduced the B.E.S.T. Awards with QHS, who have an excellent reputation for auditing within the retail and food safety industry. Gala worked with QHS to develop the B.E.S.T. Store Assessment programme, which now forms the basis for Gala’s annual awards and will also enable Gala Retail Services to methodically track stores’ progress.

The B.E.S.T. of Gala The highlight of the conference, as always, was the annual awards ceremony. An exceptional, twiceprevious winner picked up the most coveted award of the evening when Tobin’s Gala in Letterkenny was named as Gala National B.E.S.T. Award Winner, following being named as B.E.S.T. Forecourt over 1,500 square feet.

The award-winning store, owned

by Annette and Eddie Tobin, beat-off stiff competition from over 200 Gala retailers across Ireland. Tobin’s Gala will be trading for 30 years in 2010, having being established in April 1980 by the late Pat Tobin. The store currently employs 36 people in the Letterkenny area.

“To be awarded Gala’s B.E.S.T. store is an amazing achievement for Tobin’s Gala, reflecting my team’s on-going efforts in delivering superior customer service and store excellence,” noted Eddie Tobin. “Securing the top position is only the beginning, as we’ll be striving to continually maintain these high standards in the years ahead.”

Gala CEO, Gary Desmond described Tobin’s Gala as “an exemplary store where standards are continually exceptional. Earlier this year, Tobin’s manager Laura Campbell

picked up symbol group manager at the industry awards and this is yet another accolade for the consistently award-winning store.

“The continued commitment and excellence of stores like Tobin’s Gala demonstrates what makes Gala one of Ireland’s fastest growing convenience retailers of the last decade. I would like to congratulate the whole team at Tobin’s Gala, Letterkenny, on being the B.E.S.T. Gala retailer in Ireland.”

Other major award winners were: s Orange’s Gala, Balbriggan: B.E.S.T. Food Market under 1,500 square feet; s Kiernan’s Gala, Enfield: B.E.S.T. Food Market over 1,500 square feet; s Larkin’s Gala, Ballina: B.E.S.T. Forecourt under 1,500 square feet; s McCaughey’s Gala, Clones: B.E.S.T. Fresh Food; s Holly’s Foodstore Gala, Listowel: B.E.S.T. Customer Care; s Durkan’s Gala, Louisburgh: B.E.S.T. Gala Community; s Mulrooney’s Gala Group: B.E.S.T. Corporate & Social Responsibility; s Callaghan’s Gala Express, Kells: B.E.S.T. Merit; s WFC Gala Group: B.E.S.T. Training and HR; s Gala King Oil, Athy: B.E.S.T. Newcomer; s Camier’s Gala, Ballydehob: B.E.S.T. Most Improved Store; s Ramsbottom’s Gala Portlaoise: B.E.S.T. Information Technology; s Byrne’s Gala Longwood: B.E.S.T. Express.

A Gala Evening After a packed day of seminar and trade fair activity, a Gala evening was organised to celebrate the Gala B.E.S.T. awards. Compered by Daithi O’Sé, the evening featured comedy performances and a charity auction for the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, with auctioneer Jonathan Irwin, founder of the Jack and Jill Foundation. The auction raised thousands for the charity and included items such as a city break in Europe, a signed Munster jersey and even a date with Rosanna Davison.

Conference

Gala is an Irish-owned convenience group, established in 1998. The Gala Group has over 300 Group stores in Ireland, of which 200 are Gala franchise stores, and is predicting a 2009 turnover of €550m. Through the company’s association with the Stonehouse buying group, it has access to buying power in excess of €2 billion.

David Orange, from Orange’s Gala, Balbriggan is pictured receiving the B.E.S.T. Food Market under 1,500 square feet award from Peter Flanagan, Gala National Sales Manager.

Siobhán Larkin, from Larkin’s Gala, Ballina, is pictured receiving the award for B.E.S.T. Gala Forecourt under 1,500 square feet from Peter Flanagan, Gala National Sales Manager.

Paul Kiernan from Kiernan’s Gala, Enfield, receives the B.E.S.T. Food Market over 1,500 square feet award from Peter Flanagan, Gala National Sales Manager.

Cathal Byrne, from Byrne’s Gala Express, Longwood, receives the B.E.S.T. Gala Express award from Peter Flanagan, Gala National Sales Manager.

41

November09Christmas

Drinks: Beer

From Beer to Eternity With Irish people consuming 98 litres of beer per head of population in 2008, the sector remains one of the most important in the entire drinks market.

Irish

people consumed 98 litres of beer per head of population in 2008, made up of lager (61%), stout (33%) and ale (6%), according to a new report by Ernst & Young into the European beer industry.

The off trade continues to grow in importance, with beer purchases in shops and off licences growing by 8% since 2007, while on trade sales declined by 4% over the same period. According to figures from Euromonitor, on trade volume fell by 4% in 2008, which slightly exceeded the previous year’s contraction of 3%.

As the price war in supermarkets begins to tone down, the off trade sector’s volume expanded by 7% over the year, lower than the 2007 increase of 9%.

According to the Irish Brewers Association, draught beer represents over 56% of total beer sales, cans over 21% and the remaining 23% is composed of bottles.

While the growth rate of imported lagers has significantly outperformed that of domestic lager, with a 19% increase in 2008, compared with a 2% decline, domestic lager still accounts for a much larger proportion of total lager volume, at 82%. In particular, lagers imported from Poland have grown considerably, as Polish immigrants (who are mainly aged 20-35) compose about 5% of the nation’s population.

Imported premium lager showed very strong growth of 43% in volume terms in 2008, with an on-trade volume increase of 54% and an off-trade rise of 38%.

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At €1,987 per hectolitre of pure alcohol, the Irish excise duty rate on beer remains one of the highest in Europe – nine times greater than the European average. Indeed, the total excise revenue arising from the brewing industry in Ireland amounts to €427m, while total Government revenues from the beer industry are €1,485m, including €416m from income-related taxes from beer production and VAT of €642m.

According to Dermot Quinn, Industrial, Commercial and Technology Partner with Ernst & Young, “Ireland’s beer sector remains a key component of our export economy and the Government needs to ensure that their future approach to taxation policy does not further negatively impact an industry already heavily burdened by taxation.

“In the current environment, it is important to protect any industry which is bringing in revenue and sustains jobs. Business conditions for the brewing industry must remain competitive if we are to sustain the current benefits this export market brings to Ireland.”

Quinn’s views have been echoed by Rosemary Garth, Director of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), who called on the Government to address the high alcohol taxes that exist in Ireland which are a significant contributory factor to the price differential North and South.

“The drinks industry estimates that as a result of the fall-off in offsales in the South, combined with the increase in similar trade in Northern Ireland, that 10% of the South’s off-

trade will have migrated North by the end of 2009,” she said, pointing to the consequences for jobs and revenue if this migration continues. “The Government must begin to address this. They are losing hundreds of millions of euro in VAT and excise revenues, with the British Exchequer directly benefitting. Irish consumers face the highest alcohol taxes in Europe, and the Government must now urgently review our excise regime with a view to lowering these rates to stem the tide of trade to Northern Ireland and help this vital industry.”

Guinness The new look, re-launched Guinness Draught in a can is now available in stores, just in time for Christmas. The contemporary new design proudly features a larger harp logo on its front and reinforces the premium quality of Guinness.

The new look, re-launched Guinness Draught in a can is now available in stores, just in time for Christmas.

To coincide with the new can design, a new visual identity has also been adopted across Guinness’ four and eight can packs. Packaging

November09Christmas

features a visual of a beautifully settling glass of Guinness, which together with the new iconic can design, will achieve great stand out on-shelf. The new look can and identity will be used in Christmas promotional packs for 2009.

The new can and multi-pack designs are currently being supported by a heavyweight advertising campaign which is now live and includes TV, radio, outdoor, press ads and in-store promotions.

2009 has been another hugely successful year for Coors Light.

Coors Light

The hugely popular Heineken brand, Ireland’s favourite lager.

Heineken Heineken, Ireland’s number one lager, has been enjoyed around the world since 1873. Continuously invigorating the category and leading innovation with products like Heineken draught keg, Heineken claims 38.9% volume share of the total lager market (Source: ACNielsen, September 2009).

With prolific sponsorships including the Heineken Cup, Champions League, Oxegen and the Heineken Green Spheres series, the brand continues to resonate with lager lovers and adds to all great music and sport experiences.

The Heineken can is a favourite with consumers and holds the number one position in the off trade, claiming the highest percentage volume share of canned lager in the off trade at 16.3% volume share of canned lager (Source: ACNielsen, MAT, August 2009). Heineken Expression, an initiative to celebrate the Heineken bottle, travelled the country, providing yet another opportunity for enjoying lager experiences.

Coors Light, from Heineken Ireland, has been brewed for refreshment since 1893. 2009 has been another hugely successful year for Coors Light, claiming 6.9% value market share of the Irish market . Coors Light draught is a clear consumer favourite achieving double-digit volume growth and now pouring in over 2,500 accounts nationwide. Coors Light claims number two in the on trade bottle market and has achieved the number one position in Dublin (Source: ACNielsen to end August 2009).

2009 saw consumer experience initiative, Coors Light Peak, excite existing and recruit new brand fans with music and visual events held in docks around Ireland.

Coors Light takes a refreshing slant on Christmas packs with their ‘Party Season Boxed Off’ tagline, available in 20-pack bottle, 10-pack bottle, 24-pack can and 8-pack can formats.

Murphy’s Part of the Heineken Ireland portfolio, Murphy’s Stout has been brewed in Cork at Lady’s Well Brewery since 1856. Winner of the Monde Selection award for taste year on year, Murphy’s has a long and proud tradition of success in renewing and strengthening its relationship with successive generations of stout drinkers.

Murphy’s new 6x500ml pack will be available for Christmas cheer and cosy little big nights in.

Drinks: Beer

Murphy’s has been treating Cork’s culture vultures to cinema, musical and food joys this year with Murphy’s Little Big Nights Out. Over the course of the year, Murphy’s Little Big Nights Out have been bringing the best of free music, cinema, sports and food to Corkonians and more. For more information, see www.littlebignightsout.ie.

With holiday season on the horizon, Murphy’s new 6x500ml will be available for Christmas cheer and cosy little big nights in. The packs of six will be supported with price and visibility activity for all of November and December.

Beamish has unveiled its Christmas cheer with the 8x500ml multipack for €12.99.

Beamish Beamish is one of the oldest and favourite stouts still brewed across Ireland. The winner of the Monde Selection international food quality award for Best in Stout in 2009, Beamish continues to be uncompromised in its taste, quality and price in Ireland. The Beamish brand has prolific sponsorships in the world of music and sport, including Beamish’s involvement in Cork Folk Festival, Munster Senior League and Cork City football team.

The Beamish brand is performing almost 11% ahead of the stout market this year. 2009 has also seen the brand move to its new home in Cork’s Lady’s Well Brewery as part of its integration into the Heineken Ireland portfolio. This amalgamation has helped see the continued expansion of Beamish to new accounts nationally, a program which will continue extensively in 2010.

Beamish has unveiled its Christmas cheer with the 8x500ml multipack for €12.99.

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November09Christmas

Drinks: Beer

The launch of Paulaner Non-Alcoholic is Heineken Ireland’s response to increased consumer and trade demand for non-alcoholic beverages.

Paulaner From Heineken Ireland, Paulaner is Germany’s number one Weissbier, recognisable by its unique refreshing taste and fruity aroma and known worldwide for its quality. Paulaner is a 5.5% authentic Bavarian-style wheat beer, naturally cloudy with deep golden tones. This year, the Paulaner brand has been brought to life through the ‘Paulaner History in the Making’ campaign, a series of three original illustrations created

to depict the history and heritage of Paulaner.

The Paulaner Oktoberfest also made its return this year to the Dublin Docklands from October 8-18.

Visited by over 100,000 people, the Paulaner Oktoberfest was one of the highlights of the autumn calendar.

With a 33% year on year increase in Paulaner sales, this Weissbier represents a significant opportunity for trade this coming festive season.

Paulaner Non-Alcoholic is a 0.05% ABV wheat beer, containing all the heritage, brewing history and taste of Paulaner, without the alcohol content. The launch of Paulaner Non-Alcoholic is Heineken Ireland’s response to increased consumer and trade demand for non-alcoholic beverages. Growing at 44% MAT (Source: ACNielsen, September 09), the nonalcoholic market is a huge growth opportunity due to recent changes in Irish legislation.

Paulaner Non-Alcoholic has indexed higher versus competitors in consumer taste tests and with calorific content over a quarter less than its closest competitors, it is a must stock brand for Christmas.

a balanced bitterness and dryness and decided malt character. At 5.6% ABV, Zywiec is a real beer with a distinctive label.

Heineken Ireland has recently strengthened the Zywiec brand with the launch of a new sleek four-pack of cans into the off trade sector. The new four-pack, which retails at €7.99, will now accompany the original 500ml bottle offering. The introduction of the new can offering is in response to the growing sector of Polish and Irish consumers who appreciate convenience and value.

Zywiec Zywiec is Poland’s number one premium beer and is much enjoyed

by Polish communities throughout the world. Its palate is full but with Heineken Ireland has recently introduced the Birra Moretti 4x330ml pack, which will be supported by promotions and visibility activity.

Birra Moretti

Paulaner is Germany’s number one Weissbier, recognisable by its unique refreshing taste and fruity aroma.

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Heineken Ireland has recently strengthened the Zywiec brand with the launch of a new sleek four-pack of cans into the off trade sector.

Birra Moretti was founded in the small village of Udine in the Friulli region of Italy over 100 years ago. At 4.6% ABV, the beer is pale in colour from its malted barley and maize base, but delivers a refreshing citrus (slightly lemon) aroma, associated with a hint of grain and fresh grass from the distinctive hops used.

Heineken Ireland has recently introduced the Birra Moretti 4x330ml pack. It will be supported by promotions and visibility activity in November and December. Birra Moretti is by far the best performing beer in Italy and is now set to be equally embraced by Irish consumers.

Molson Coors Brewing Company Set Up Operation in Ireland Molson Coors Brewing Company are delighted to announce the formation of an Irish operation which will be trading from 4th January 2010. Our Irish team will be operating from a sales office in Maynooth, Co. Kildare. This is a significant new investment and a sign of Molson Coors’ ambition to be a key player in the Irish market with plans to recruit up to 30 employees by end 2010.

As part of this move there will be some changes to the way Molson Coors brands are supplied, with distribution of the Carling brand being brought in house from January 1st 2010. Coors Light distribution is unaffected by the new set up and will continue to be provided by Heineken Ireland.

The new sales and marketing team will focus on Carling and Grolsch and the growing portfolio of “world beer” brands.

Molson Coors’ ambition is to reinvigorate the Carling brand in Ireland over the coming years by working closely with retail partners in both the on and off trade. They plan to significantly increase their marketing investment behind Carling in Ireland and will be announcing details of new activity over the coming months.

Molson Coors are very excited by these developments and are looking forward to working closely with you and developing their brands further in the Irish market in 2010.

Molson Coors Brewing Company has 350 combined years of brewing heritage. Offering some of the world’s most popular beers it has a respected product portfolio that includes almost 40 distinct beer brands globally.

For further information contact:

Team:

Molson Coors Ireland, Unit 6, Block H, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.

Tel: 003536294101 | Fax: 003536294108 Email: collette.murphy@molsoncoors.com

Niall Phelan, Country Manager Keith Fagan, Head of Sales Ger Corkery, Field Sales Manager Collette Murphy, Office Manager.

November09Christmas

Drinks: Beer

Little Valley Brewery

The Sol brand from Heineken Ireland has enjoyed rapid success in both on and off trade channels since its arrival onto the Irish market in 2006.

Miller Genuine Draft brand is now available in a 20-pack for Christmas.

Coors Light PEAKs in Dublin AFTER successful ports of call in Limerick, Galway and Cork, creative music experience Coors Light PEAK concluded its coastto-coast voyage in the capital’s docklands recently. The fifth stop in the series saw indieelectro rockers New Young Pony Club, Dublin electronica outfit Codes and one-man-wonder RSAG take to the custom-built venue in the heart of Dublin’s dockland area for the free event.

Miller Genuine Draft, one of Ireland’s favourite lager brands.

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LITTLE Valley Brewery, a wholly organic producer of fine premium quality English, Speciality and Continental Style real ales made its debut appearance on Irish soil at a ‘Taste’ event at the Conrad Hotel, Dublin, recently.

Little Valley, which is situated in the scenic surroundings of Pennine Yorkshire, is one a handful of wholly organic breweries in the UK. Its offerings are set to tickle the taste buds of the discerning Irish drinker in the very near future, from the first of its kind ‘Organic, Fairtrade Ginger Pale Ale’ (4.0% ABV) to the Chocolate Malt flavoured ‘Stoodley Stout’ (4.8% ABV) and the Organic Heather infused ‘Moor Ale’ (5.5%ABV).

Little Valley’s owners, master brewer Wim van der Spek and his partner Sue Cooper believe that the Irish market is perfect for their ales.

“It’s our first experience of Ireland and there certainly appears to be a building appreciation of the variety of flavours on offer from artisan producers,” Wim noted. “This will mean good business not just for breweries like our own but for the Irish breweries too who have traditionally found it difficult to penetrate the home market.”

www.bavaria.com

Make room for Ireland’s

3

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largest selling can.

Surprised?

After all, we’ve been brewing this great tasting beer since 1719 using the finest natural ingredients of malted barley, hops and the purest mineral water. And with this year’s forecast of selling 20 million cans, you’ll need to make more room to keep Bavaria Crown on the shelf.

For more information about our full range of high quality products, visit us online at www.bavaria.ie

Bavaria ® Premium Pils 300 YEARS OF EXPERTISE IN EVERY DROP Enjoy

Responsibly.

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November09Christmas

Drinks: Beer

campaign being launched soon and lots of below-the-line activity happening, there are lots of reasons to be positive.

To celebrate the launch of the new twist cap bottle, Miller Genuine Draft are running a photography-based competition where each week, 250 will be awarded for the most interesting twist caught on camera. The best overall photograph chosen will win a trip with a twist to New York. Entries can be viewed and submitted at www. giveitatwist.ie.

Pilsner Urquell

Tiger Also from Richmond Marketing, Tiger has continued to see some great growth in the off-trade over the last year, with strong consumer offers including a 20-pack and 8-for6, whilst the standard 500ml bottle continues to be very popular. A new four-pack has also been introduced to offer a more competitive price point in smaller stores. The onset of Christmas offers some great potential for the brand and a special 18-pack has been introduced for this key period when consumers will buy-up and treat themselves to a premium brand like Tiger.

Tiger Beer has continued to see some great growth in the off-trade over the last year.

Pilsner Urquell, from Richmond Marketing, has been brewed in Pilsen, Czech Republic since 1842, and was the first ‘golden beer’.

Pilsner Urquell’s unique flavour and unquestionable quality are appreciated and sought after by experts and beer lovers all over the world. With an ABV of 4.4% Pilsner Urquell, has a uniquely rewarding taste; intensely hoppy, with a balance of subtle sweetness and velvety bitterness, wrapped in a gloriously crisp body.

The upcoming Chinese New Year also heralds the Year of the Tiger, which will see lots of activity with trade and consumer promotions. This offers many opportunities to retailers at the normally quiet time of January and February. With a new advertising

Molson Coors form Irish Sales Team Molson Coors have announced the formation of an Irish sales team from November 1, 2009, and the opening of a new sales office in Kildare for the enlarged Molson Coors team in Ireland. This significant new investment is a sign of the group’s ambition to be a significant player in the Irish market.

As part of this move, there will be some changes to the way Molson Coors brands are supplied, the main one being that the distribution of the Carling brand, previously distributed by Heineken Ireland, will be brought in-house from January 1, 2010. Coors Light distribution is unaffected by the new set-up and will continue to be provided by Heineken Ireland.

The new sales and marketing team will focus on Carling, Grolsch, Caffreys and the growing portfolio of “world beer” brands.

Molson Coors’ ambition is to reinvigorate the Carling brand in Ireland over the coming years by working closely with retail partners in both the on and off trade. The Group plan to significantly increase their marketing investment behind Carling in Ireland and will be announcing details of new activity over the coming weeks.

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Interest in Pilsner Urquell is rising, as sales of the 300ml four-pack continue to grow at a steady rate.

This year, the emphasis for Pilsner Urquell has been on communicating the beer’s heritage and authenticity, with Ireland taking part in the International Pilsner Urquell Master Bartender competition for the first time. Pilsner Urquell are also currently running ‘pour your own’ sampling events in bars across Dublin, Cork and Galway, with a luxury trip for two to Prague to be won. Interest in the beer following in-bar promotions is continuing to spill over into the off trade, as sales of the 300ml four-pack and 500ml bottle continue to grow at a steady rate.

I NEW CONTEMPORARY DESIGN I NEW CAN I NEW 8 PACK I SHELF STAND OUT

Enjoy TEACHERS Sensibly Visit

November09Christmas

Drinks: Beer

Sales of Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Italy’s best selling premium beer, continue to grow in the off trade.

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Sales of Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Italy’s best selling premium beer, are continuing to grow in the off trade, as distribution also increases throughout Italian restaurants and bars across the country. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is distributed by Richmond Marketing.

For November and December, Peroni will be celebrating the iconic Italian social experience of Aperitivo in bars across Dublin and Belfast.

This authentic Italian tradition will combine complimentary delicious Italian food with Peroni Nastro Azzurro, all served in true Italian style. One lucky winner will also have the chance to enjoy this Italian experience in Rome while staying at a luxury 5-star hotel during a VIP city break.

Bavaria Bavaria now claims the number three position in canned lager in Ireland and is the largest selling canned lager in the symbol retail sector (Source: ACNielsen). With absolutely phenomenal success over the past number of years, Bavaria is set to have a very successful Christmas.

This Christmas, the Gleeson Group have introduced a new 12 x 500ml Party Pack, price flashed at €13.99.

Supported with a strong television campaign, Bavaria has been brewed in Holland since 1719 by the Swinkel family, using the finest natural mineral water from their own wells and 50

malt from their own maltery, and ranks as one of the most energy efficient breweries in all of Europe.

Bavaria is available in a number of pack formats and strengths to suit all consumer tastes.

Indeed in 2009, Bavaria With absolutely 330ml has phenomenal success over the past number of become one of the fastest years, Bavaria is set to have a very successful growing botChristmas. tled lagers in the off trade – available in a six-pack, 10-pack and a new 20 x 330ml party pack (price flashed at €18.99).

Corona Corona Extra has grown dramatically in both the on and the off trade over the last few years and the trend this year is for more of the same, according to Barry & Fitzwilliam.

Corona is currently backed by an intensive radio TV and national press campaign with the theme ‘A Refreshing Slice of Life’.

“Sales have risen threefold in the last three years and anecdotal evidence would suggest that Corona Extra is the biggest selling bottled beer in the on trade at the moment,” Corona Extra says Barry & is expected to Fitzwilliam grow its sales Managing Director, by 10% in 2009, Michael Barry. The a phenomenal achievement for 12 pack for the off trade has really the brand.

helped its visibility in this sector. “We anticipate a10% growth in our overall Corona sales for 2009 in a market that is suffering dramatically,” Barry noted.

Prazsky’s six-pack for €7.50 is sure to prove popular with Irish consumers this Christmas.

Prazsky Prazsky, from Coman’s, is right on the money with a competitive offer with its two new flashed packs. With its four-pack for €5 and its six-pack for €7.50, Prazsky is targeting all beer consumers, with a practical four-pack and the indisputable six-can pack format.

Prazsky is brewed to a Czech tradition and is made of the purest and finest ingredients, with no additives and no preservatives.

Impactful on the shelves, thanks to an elegant design, Prazsky will appeal to all beer drinkers looking for a great quality beer at an excellent price.

Prazsky is targeting all beer consumers with a practical four-pack available for €5 this festive season.

November09Christmas

Drinks: Cider

Year of the Pear A new entrant to Ireland’s cider market sparked sales and reignited the sector.

After

a decade of sustained growth, the early part of 2009 saw a decline in Ireland’s cider market, with many industry commentators predicting a bad year for cider sales.

However, as the year progressed, the market enjoyed significant uptake, primarily due to the impact of a new entrant to the market, Bulmers Pear, which rode in on the wave of a massive advertising campaign that really grabbed consumers and focused their attention not just on the new brand, but had a knock-on effect on the overall cider market.

Bulmers launch New Recipe Bulmers Pear this month, which has improved drinkability and taste, in line with consumer feedback.

Bulmers Ltd

Bulmers Ltd predicts a busy Christmas period this 2009, and claims the number three spot in the LAD market, with peaks at key selling periods such as Christmas.

Bulmers have introduced great value party packs for the festive season: the Bulmers Original 18x500ml can pack; the Bulmers Original ‘9 for the price of 8’ 500ml can pack and the Bulmers Original 6 x 1 Litre bottle pack. The Bulmers Light ‘6 for the price of 5’ 500ml can pack and the Bulmers Pear ‘6 for the price of 5’ 500ml can pack have also been added to the range this year.

The Bulmers Original 6x1L bottle pack is sure to prove Reflecting the popular with consumers this Christmas.

current economic climate, all packs offer consumers a discount versus standard retail prices.

A new Christmas ad campaign, featuring a new TV ad shot on location in Clonmel, will be rolledout at the start of the Christmas season in December across TV and outdoor formats.

During summer 2009, Bulmers Ltd responded to economic conditions by reducing the price of its pint bottles by 10% at wholesale. In June, Bulmers launched the price-cut ATL campaign with a TV advertisement featuring the strap-line, ‘Bulmers Original Pint Bottle – The only cut we’ve made is to the price’. The TV commercial illustrated that quality and craftsmanship remain unchanged, despite the reduction in price.

“Everyone in the country is feeling the effects of the economic downturn,” noted Stephen Kent, Marketing Director, Bulmers. “We feel it’s the right time to remind consumers that we are playing our part by passing on a price reduction whilst bringing a little humour to the campaign. Premium product quality 51

November09Christmas

Drinks: Cider

is integral to the Bulmers brand: this campaign reinforces our credentials and highlights that the only cut we have made is to the price.”

March 2009 saw an exciting new product launch to the Irish drinks sector with new Bulmers Pear, supported with an award winning advertising campaign with the tagline ‘Embrace the Pear’. The Bulmers Pear programme continued throughout the summer with a range of activity, including a nationwide sampling campaign, radio promotions, support of fashion retailer a|wear’s new space - the Attic, and the DIT Toyota Fashion Show, as well as the launch of Irish music site Glasswerk and Sony Ericsson’s Raw Sessions, while encouraging consumers to Embrace the Pear at events like the Trinity Ball, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Galway Races and various marathons.

Available in 568ml Pint Bottle, 330ml long neck, 500ml can and 6x330ml multi-pack, Bulmers Pear has quickly grown to become the number one pear cider brand in both ROI on and off trade, according to Bulmers Ltd. Bulmers have further ‘Pearfected’ their Pear Cider offering and will launch New Recipe Bulmers Pear this month, which has improved drinkability and taste in line with consumer feedback.

The Bulmers brand is supported with a heavyweight programme of activity throughout the year, including the Bulmers International Comedy Festival, which has become one of the top five comedy festivals in the world. This year’s event included comedy sensation of 2009, Michael McIntyre’s debut Irish performance, as well as Jimmy Carr, Janeane Garofalo, Al Madrigal, Rich Hall and Otis Lee Crenshaw.

The Magners League is now in its fourth season and has firmly established itself as a highly competitive and serious rugby tournament with clubs, media and fans alike. Once again, the overall Magners League average attendances improved yearon-year: growth for the 2008/09 season was up 20% on 2007/08. TV audiences also increased. Along with online audiences, more fans than 52

York, London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow ever before are enjoying Magners and now Dublin.

League rugby.

In September, Today FM and New also this year, the Magners Bulmers Light ran a competition League Predictor Game allows playto discover the country’s favourite ers to predict a win, lose or draw local pub. One pub from each provresult of each match to win fantastic ince was nominated and the Alison prizes of match tickets and merchanCurtis Show broadcast live from dise online at www.magnersleaguepeach Platinum Pub, with overall redictor.com. Magners League is honours going to Top of the Coom, offering the opportunity of a lifetime Kilgarvin Co. Kerry, Ireland’s highto one lucky job-seeker to become est pub. Those who voted for Top of the ‘Magners League Professional the Coom pub won a VIP night for Fan’ for this current season 2009themselves and their friends in Top 10. The many benefits include seats of the Coom, with a live broadcast at Magners League games, meeting from Alison and Ed. rugby stars, getting to know team 2009 also saw the welcome return managers and trainers, travel, (some) of the Bulmers Light balloon, which fame and the appreciation of newwas seen flying high at a number of found fans. See www.bulmers.ie/promajor events and festivals throughout fan for details. the year. Also a highlight for Bulmers The Bulmers All Ireland Cups and Light this year was their continued Shields competition is the brand’s association with The Limerick School longest running sponsorship, which of Art and Design Fashion Show. is now in its 18th consecutive year.

In June, Bulmers Light supported Organised by the Golfing Union of Dublin’s top modeling agency’s Assets Ireland, the tournament is one of the summer party and worked with fashmost coveted championship tournaion houses Farrell & ments in the inter-club calendar and Browne and House of is regarded as the biggest amateur Fraser. golfing competition in Europe.

Bulmers and Leopardstown Racecourse teamed up this sumKopparberg mer for a unique series of six Kopparberg Thursday events, which combined Original Pear live music with Leopardstown’s Cider, distributed traditional high quality racing.

by Richmond Bjorn Again, Aslan, Director, The Marketing, is Stunning, The Coronas and The the best selling Saw Doctors provided the soundpear cider in the track to a unique entertainment world. Due to experience. “The Bulmers Live the continued at Leopardstown series delivered success of high-quality live music and first Kopparberg’s class entertainment,” noted Orlaith flavours in the Fortune, Marketing Manager at Irish market, Bulmers. “The partnership with Kopparberg have Leopardstown is a perfect fit as it added a delicious is providing a unique experience new flavour to for great value.” the Kopparberg Bulmers Light also enjoys family, Apple strong support throughout the & Lime. The year. July saw Dublin hosting its response to first ever Secret Wars battle in Apple & Lime association with Bulmers Light. has been A team of three artists flew over phenomenal, from London to battle three of with 84% of Dublin’s finest in The Bernard festival goers Kopparberg have added a Shaw pub. This innovative art preferring it delicious new flavour to the event has been held all over Kopparberg family, Apple & to the leading the world in cities such as New apple cider in Lime.

November09Christmas

Drinks: Cider

a consumer study of 160 subjects at Life Festival.

The addition of lime makes Apple & Lime a less sweet option within the Kopparberg range.

Meanwhile, Kopparberg Mixed Fruit continues to grow from strength to strength, with sales now on par with Kopparberg’s Original Pear Cider: the 130 year old recipe remains a top favourite with Irish consumers.

Devils Bit Devils Bit is the second largest selling cider in Ireland (Source: ACNielsen). Produced from The Gleeson Group’s orchards in County Tipperary, Devils Bit is hugely popular across Ireland and has had a great 2009. With an ABV of The popular Devils Bit cider is available in a 2 litre bottle and a 500ml can.

6%, Devils Bit contains no artificial colours, handy 4 x 500ml can pack is priceno artificial sweeteners and no flashed at €6. added flavourings. Named after the Devils Bit mountain peak in County Tipperary, Devils Bit is available Barry & Fitzwilliam in a 2 litre bottle and a 500ml can.

Barry & Fitzwilliam’s extensive range This Christmas, the 2-litre will be of ciders includes Blackthorn, Old available in a great value twin-pack, Somerset and Olde English, as well as price-flashed at €10.99, while the the premium cider, Gaymers.

WKD Launches Cider Brand WKD, Ireland’s best-selling PPS brand, is branching out into the cider market! WKD Core is a new apple cider, launched by Britvic licensed wholesale in

Bulmers Pear Wins Award PICTURED at Bord Bia’s Food and Drink Industry Awards is Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia, with Anne Hogan, Brand Manager for Bulmer’s Pear Cider. The C&C drinks group picked up the Home Grown award for Bulmer’s Pear, which was launched in March 2009.

Bulmers Pear cider is C&C’s first departure from apple cider and its creative ‘Embrace the Pear’ campaign has so far generated over €11m worth of sales in a challenging domestic market.

July. The brand brings a new dimension to the highly successful WKD range, and aims to shake up the cider market.

Packaged in 500ml green bottles, WKD Core can now be found on-shelf and in chillers, next to ciders, in both the on and off trade.

With an eye-catching outdoor advertising campaign and promotional sampling in pubs around the country, the brand is heavily supported and growing fast.

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November09Christmas

Drinks: Wine

Wines of the Times Highlighting value offers in-store is the key to maximising wine sales this festive season.

We

reported in May that wine sales were proving, if not recession proof, than at least more resistant to the current economic climate than other sectors, and the facts from the Wine Board of Ireland seem to bear this out. Total wine sales in Ireland in 2008 amounted to 8.4m cases, down by 3.9% from a high of 8.7m cases in 2007 (Source: Wine Board of Ireland).

While this is the first time the market has dipped in decades, it is a far lower drop than in many other sectors, proving that Irish consumers’ love affair with wine is not a fleeting one.

Indeed, annual wine consumption here stands at 17.1 litres per person each year, a massive increase on figures from just a few years ago. That said, Irish wine excise duties remain the highest in the EU, leading to higher prices here than, for example, in Northern Ireland, with leading industry bodies calling for Government to address this issue to stem the flow of Irish consumers across the border.

54

While, Irish consumers have been drinking wine at similar levels to recent years, there has been a distinct trend towards trading down, with value very high on the agenda, and the market expected to shrink in value terms this year by as much as 10%. As such, retailers are advised to promote their wine value offers heavily in-store to increase purchases.

Barry & Fitzwilliam/ Allied Wines Barry& Fitzwilliam/Allied Wines have a very strong line up in wines.

In the fortified wine sector, the company represents Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry, Croft Original Sherry, Tio Pepe Sherry, Cockburns and Taylor’s Port. It is not overstating it when CEO, Michael Barry says that “they are very much the category captains of this sector”. The advertising campaign for Harveys will have its main emphasis on a new ‘Harveys Rocks’ campaign.

Michael Barry claims that B&F now have probably the most successful prestigious French wines on the market when you take account of the success of Michel Lynch, Michel Lynch Reserve and Guigals wine from the Cote du Rhone. Marcel Guigal was voted ‘Decanter Man of the Year 2006’ and Jean Michel Cazes of Michel Lynch was awarded ‘Decanter Man Michel Lynch Reserve: of the Year 2003’. performing extremely The Michel well on the Irish Lynch standard market.

range will be available in wooden gift boxes for Christmas.

Their French portfolio also numbers the Gabriel Meffre range, which includes La Chasse du Pape, as well as Faiveley Burgundy wines, Jolivet Loire wines and Preiss-Zimmer Alsace wines.

From Germany, Blue Nun is still an old favourite for this time of year and will be heavily promoted by Barry& Fitzwilliam/ Allied Wines, who will also be promoting Blue Nun Pinot Grigio.

Australia’s McGuigan wines continue to outperform the market.

The Black Label range comprises of a Cabernet/ Merlot, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Rosé as well as McGuigan Black Label Sparkling Chardonnay and Sparkling Rosé. The Australia’s McGuigan range will wines continue to have strong outperform the above the market. line marketing support, particularly in national press and radio, with a major emphasis on Neil McGuigan’s award at the IWC awards as the Best White Winemaker in the world.

The Tyrrell’s Moores Creek range is gathering momentum and the Old Winery range does extremely well in the premium category.

Commissioned by the first Chilean government to prepare a plan for the defence of the country, Juan McKenna was a key military leader during the Chilean War of Independence.

When Chile gained its independence in 1810, as a reward for his heroism Juan McKenna was appointed Commandant General of the Chilean Army.

Following his heart and his convictions he died in a duel after a life of adventure and heroism.

Many wear the name McKenna with pride. General McKenna is a symbol of patriotism and courage in Chile.

Undurraga commemorates this Irish hero with The McKenna Collection, Chilean Wine, Irish Heritage. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Battle of Chacabucoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; courtesy of Pedro Subercaseaux (1880 -1956), Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires

www.comans.ie

November09Christmas

Drinks: Wine

Brown Brothers wines have garnered a fantastic reputation from wine writers the world over and are very popular with the Irish consumer, particularly at Christmas.

Quality, flavour and character remain the cornerstones of the Hardys range of contemporary wines, while respect for Hardy family history ensures the wines benefit from the lessons of long tradition. The hugely popular Hardys range will be Quality, flavour and backed by a character remain new radio camthe cornerstones of paign and the the Hardys range of contemporary major emphasis wines. will be on the promotion of Hardy’s Stamp litres for the price of 75cl.

Paul Masson is one of the great success stories from California in the last number of years. Sales continue to boom here in Ireland, with 2009 looking to be a record year. Distinctive by its Carafe shaped bottle, the red, white and rosé litres retail at €11.99.

After 41 years, Robert Mondavi Winery still embodies its founder’s commitment to excellence, innovation and creative spirit, while continuing to produce wines that stand in the company of the world’s finest. The Woodbridge range will be promoted aggressively for Christmas.

The Glen Ellen Winery was founded in 1980 in Sonoma County, one of California’s premier grape growing regions. Glen Ellen has been credited with inspiring consumers to 56

will be available in wooden boxes. The embrace varietal wines throughout range will be heavily supported by the 1980s and 1990s by consistently radio and a national press campaign. crafting premium quality wines such The Soleus range of organic wine as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, produced by Mont Gras is going from Zinfandel and Merlot. Today, Glen strength to strength.

Ellen is distributed in most of the Spain’s Beronia Rioja wines from world’s largest wine importing counGonzalez Byass and Raimat from tries and the brand produces approxiPenedes are two exceptional ranges mately 3m cases annually. which have developed a cult following B&F also handle Concannon and here.

Bonny Doon, two of the most eclectic From Argentina comes the Santa from California, which have an entry Julia/Zuccardi range of excellent point around €13. wines at all ends of the spectrum, South Africa’s Kumala Range with a fantastic price-quality ratio. At has long been a favourite with Irish the top end, Zuccardi Zeta is an absoconsumers, while the company has lute wow, according to Michael Barry. also enjoyed great local press reviews The B&F portfolio also for the Hutton Ridge range of South includes two of Italy’s most African wine, particularly the iconic wine brands, Ruffino Hutton Ridge Merlot, due to its and Frescobaldi, and they price-quality ratio. anticipate great success B&F also carry the with the Danzante range Boschendal range, “one of from Frescobaldi.

South Africa’s iconic wineries, B&F also number established in 1685 which Charles Heidsieck makes it one of the oldest and Piper Heidsieck wineries in the world,” noted champagnes amongst Michael Barry. They recently their portfolio. launched the Boschendal Charles Heidsieck Pavillion range at under €10. is the premium A family owned New champagne from the Zealand winery. Villa Maria Heidsieck house. has been New Zealand’s leadThe company also ing wine award winner, both produces the fashionnationally and internationally, able and contemposince the early 1980s. This is rary Piper Heidsieck new to the B&F portfolio and Grande Marque will be the beneficiary of a Champagne. Charles price reduction, with an RRP Heidsieck won the of €12.99 immediately.

‘NOffLA Champagne Nobilo are a well-priced of the Year’ and the range of excellent quality ‘Decanter Magazine wines from both the North Champagne of the and South Islands. Included Year’ in 2006 and in the range is the entry level Piper Heidsieck White Cloud, which retails at Champagne won the €9.99 NOffLA Champagne Mont Gras, a former of the Year 2007.

‘Chilean Producer of the The Mont Gras Reservas A recent addiYear’, continues to grow range trades extremely tion to Barry & strongly. B&F will be offerwell, particularly during the Christmas Fitzwilliams sparkling ing fantastic value with the period. ranges is Codorniu, blends range, which have which has a range of an RRP of €6.99. At the top styles for every pocket. end, the Mont Gras Reservas trade extremely well, particularly during the Christmas period.

Findlater Wine & The Mont Gras Varietal range Spirits will be available in Gift Boxes for Distributed by Findlater Wine & Christmas and Mont Gras Reservas Spirits, Cono Sur is the fastest

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November09Christmas

Drinks: Wine

This year, Bodegas Torres also this Christmas in unique growing Chilean became the first winery to be tin gift packs. A new twobrand in the Irish placed on the ‘Green List’, which bottle cardboard gift box market and the first is published by prestigious will feature Cono Sur’s winery in the world trade publication, the Drinks Chardonnay and Cabernet to achieve carbon Business. Torres is firmly comSauvignon, both big sellneutral delivery mitted to the environment, ing varietals, to drive status. with an objective to reduce its sales during this key Founded in output of CO2 by 20%, and selling period.

1993, Cono Sur’s The Torres family vision is to prothis is epitomised in Miguel has been linked with duce premium, Torres’ statement: “There wine for more than expressive and is no such thing as a good three centuries, durinnovative wine that does not respect ing which time they wines combinnature.” have produced the ing the old There are great special finest of wines to the world style offers across the trade over highest of quality. with the new the Christmas period across Torres Wines, disworld expresthe Torres range, including tributed by Findlater sion. Today, it gift packs to suit all budgWines & Spirits, is the biggest ets and occasions. continue to be the producer of number one Old Pinot Noir in Edward Dillon World wine brand in the world. & Co. Ltd Ireland and the range Cono As the world’s is a great allSur’s name leading rounder for refers to its champagne Christmas, geographic house, Moët for both origin, & Chandon, dining on representdistributed Findlater Wine and Christmas ing wines

by Edward The hugely popular Spirits recently day and produced Dillon Sangre de Toro wines introduced Cono Sur’s gifting occain South & Co. Ltd, of Catalunya, part new sparkling wine to of the massively the Irish off trade. sions.

America’s brings successful Torres The southmagic and range.

Torres ern cone, where on the western celebration range is edge lies some of Chile’s most to the quite extensive and gifted wine valleys. Its logo, world and is the has an offering for a freehand drawing of South perfect way to every wine taste, America’s silhouette, demoncelebrate this from the hugely strates the fresh and innovaChristmas. popular Via Sol tive representation of the Since 1743, and Sangre de Toro country.

Moët & wines of Catalunya, Findlater Wine and Chandon has to the premium Spirits recently introduced produced and super-premium Cono Sur’s new sparkling moments of wines from Ribera wine to the Irish off trade. celebration del Duero, Priorat, The Sparkling Brut comes in times of Penedès and most from the Bio-Bio Valley, one prosperity and recently, Rioja. of the most southern origins crisis, and To date, 2009 of the world and an area the current has been a good year known for the production of financial for Torres wines, balanced and concentrated context is no with sales in Ireland wines. exception. A up 30%. May saw This perfect, sparkling, bottle of Moët Torres sponsor the combination for Christmas is is an affordable Moët & Chandon exclusive Garden available now in single units luxury in the Grand Vintage Party at the very and in gift boxes. In addicontext of the 2009 has been a good 2003 Rosé, with successful Bloom tion, Cono Sur’s Cabernet luxury sector and year for Torres wines, its dominant pink with sales in Ireland Festival in the Phoenix hue, is the ultimate Sauvignon and Sauvignon also makes the up 30%. champagne for special Park.

Blanc will both be available perfect gift. occasions.

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November09Christmas

vintages. It effortlessly balances richness and power, freshness and finesse and no recipe can define its intricate harmony. Every year the Krug family works from taste and memory to recreate this most complex champagne. Krug Grande CuvĂŠe boasts an extravagantly expansive bouquet and an almost creamy texture, combined with notes of dried and candied fruits.

Krug Grand CuvĂŠe has an RSP of â&#x201A;Ź145.29.

Cassidy Wines

Krug Grande CuvĂŠe is a bold, confident champagne, blended from as many as 50 wines from three grape varieties, 20 to 25 small vineyards, and six to ten different vintages.

MoĂŤt & Chandon Grand Vintage 2003 RosĂŠ, with its dominant pink hue, is the ultimate champagne for special occasions. With initial notes of deep red fruit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; strawberries, black cherries, blackberries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; followed closely by the warm spiciness of nutmeg and leather, then becoming fresher with notes of pink grapefruit, blood orange and rose, MoĂŤt & Chandon Grand Vintage 2003 RosĂŠ is the perfect way to celebrate this festive season.

MoĂŤt & Chandon Grand Vintage RosĂŠ is available from selected outlets nationwide and retails at â&#x201A;Ź59.99.

Krug Grande CuvĂŠe is the timelessly stylish signature of Krug. It is a bold, confident champagne, blended from as many as 50 wines from three grape varieties, 20 to 25 small vineyards, and six to ten different

Gallo is one of the best-known names in the wine world, and is also one of the top selling Californian brands on the Irish market. Since its inception more than 75 years ago, the Gallo family has been unwavering in its commitment to producing quality wines. By taking the utmost care in each and every step of the grape growing and winemaking process, Gallo Family Vineyards have consistently delivered outstanding wines for every occasion and price. Cassidy Wines has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for the Gallo portfolio.

Also from Cassidy Wines, the Turning Leaf range has been created by specialist winemakers to capture the true character of each grape variety and as a result, these wines are rich and distinctive.

Each of the Gallo: one of the topspecialist selling Californian winemakbrands on the Irish market. ers devotes

Drinks: Wine

their unique knowledge and passion to just one grape variety to create a complete range of varietal wines. The Turning Leaf winemakers believe that great wine comes from great vineyards and that time spent tending to the grapes in the field always shows in the bottle.

The Turning Leaf range has been created by specialist winemakers to capture the true character of each grape variety.

Wine Facts s 4HE )RISH WINE MARKET ACCOUNTED FOR M CASES IN

DOWN BY ON THE FIGURE OF M CASES

BUT STILL WAY HIGHER THAN THE M CASES SOLD IN s 4ABLE WINE ACCOUNTED FOR M CASES LAST YEAR DOWN FROM M CASES IN A DROP OF

s 4ABLE WINE MAKES UP OF THE MARKET WITH THE REST SPLIT BETWEEN SPARKLING WINE

LOW STRENGTH WINE AND HIGH STRENGTH WINE s 2ED WINE ACCOUNTS FOR OF WINE SOLD IN )RELAND WITH WHITE AT AND ROSĂ? UP TO

s 7INE CONSUMERS ARE PRIMARILY FEMALE WITH JUST OF WINE CONSUMED BY MEN (Source: Wine Board of Ireland) 59

LTD.

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Enjoy BARRY&FITZWILLIAM PRODUCTS Sensibly. Visit

LTD.

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November09Christmas

Drinks: Spirits

Spirits Association Calls for Lower Excise Duties The Irish Spirits Association has called on the Government to urgently address the very high excise regime applying to spirits in Ireland.

Following

years of sustained growth, the Irish spirits market has declined over the course of the last year, with industry experts reporting a massive loss of sales to retailers in Northern Ireland. Irish spirits manufacturers have called on the Government to lower excise duties and taxes on spirits to make the sector more competitive with Northern Ireland.

According to the Irish Spirits Association, revenues from spirit duties in Ireland are down by as much as 22% over previous years, which it attributes not only to falling consumption caused by the economic downturn, but to a significant increase in purchases made outside the Republic, particularly across the border in Northern Ireland where lower excise duties and taxes apply, compounded by the falling value of Sterling against the euro.

“Irish spirit brands contribute significantly to the Irish economy with annual export revenues of over €1.2 billion,” noted ISA Chairman, Jim Breen. “Irish excise revenue comes from sales of these spirits within the Republic of Ireland. The industry relies heavily on a strong domestic market as a mainstay in its efforts to build these brands internationally…The ISA is therefore calling on Government to review our high excise rates to help the domestic market and to re-patriate revenue lost from the exchequer.”

Smirnoff Smirnoff, the number one vodka brand in Ireland and the world (Source: IWSR Elite Brands List, September 2009), has just launched 62

the first phase of a new global 360° campaign in Ireland called ‘Be There’. The new campaign is a direct call to action to inspire people to subvert the ordinary and encourage others to create, seek out and participate in more extraordinary one-of-a-kind experiences.

The new ‘Be There’ campaign marks a shift in the marketing approach from linear ad campaigns to experiences and content amplified through the power of digital. A series of globally and locally produced Smirnoff ‘Be There’ events engage consumers throughout the year in line with the brand’s ethos to inspire consumers to overturn convention in the pursuit of one-of-a-kind experiences.

In Ireland, the Smirnoff ‘Be There’ campaign encompasses print, television, online, and out-of-home creative executions, offering compelling visual images encouraging consumers to ‘Be There’. Out-of-home creative executions include ‘Zorbing’, and ‘Hands in the Air’ which recently kicked off in Ireland. Print and online ads have also commenced.

There will also be a series of ‘Be There’ events on the island of Ireland.

Smirnoff’s new ‘Be There’ campaign is a direct call to action to inspire people to subvert the ordinary.

with a gorgeous, red Christmas bow.

The special Christmas Baileys bottle with its bespoke red bow allows for an instant, stylish gift, without the hassle of wrapping paper.

In addition, the Baileys Christmas range includes old favourites including the Baileys Gift Box and the Baileys Two Glass Pack.

So whether your customers are looking for a simple and stylish gift solution this Christmas or a present to have on hand for those last minute gift exchanges, Baileys Red Bow Bottle is the perfect choice.

Baileys Baileys has the perfect Christmas gift available for this festive season with its new Baileys Red Bow Bottle: it’s Baileys as we know and love it, stylishly dressed

The Baileys Red Bow Bottle allows for an instant, stylish gift, without the hassle of wrapping paper.

November09Christmas

Drinks: Spirits

Grey Goose Every aspect of Grey Goose vodka is designed to ensure it stands alone as the world’s best tasting vodka.

The unique taste of Grey Goose reflects its Cognac origins. Each bottle is produced using the finest gastronomic traditions in France under the watchful eye of the Grey Goose cellar master, Francois Thibault.

The crystal clear, polished taste is the result of a five-step distillation process that ensures the production of a smoother, softer and more refined vodka.

The end result is a unique taste that is smooth, buttery and rounded, melting in the mouth to give a long satisfying finish.

Grey Goose L’Original is available in a limited edition gift pack this Christmas.

In addition to Grey Goose L’Original, there are also three fabulous fruit flavours, Grey Goose L’Orange, La Poire and Le Citron.

These are ideal for creating mouth watering cocktails but are also perfect served on the rocks. At the heart of each flavour is the exceptional taste of Grey Goose vodka.

Grey Goose L’Orignal is available in a limited edition gift pack this Christmas and retails at €49.19.

Kilbeggan Cooley Distillery has released a limited bottling of the new Spirit distilled by the 19th century refurbished still in operation in the Old Kilbeggan Distillery in County Westmeath.

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The Old Kilbeggan Distillery is the oldest distillery in the world and to mark its 250th anniversary, a pot still from the 19th century was refurbished and distilling recommenced on March 19, 2007. This is the oldest pot still in

To satisfy consumer interest and whet the appetite for the launch of mature whiskey in mid-2010, Cooley has released this limited bottling of aged Spirit distilled in Kilbeggan.

use in the world and will revive a traditional age old style of distillation not seen in Ireland for many years.

To satisfy consumer interest and whet the appetite for the launch of mature whiskey in mid-2010, Cooley has released this limited bottling of aged Spirit distilled in Kilbeggan.

Cooley has bottled 3,000 small 60ml bottles of Spirit, each matured for one month, as well as another limited bottling of 1,000 packs of three 60ml bottles containing Spirit aged for one month, one year and two years, which will enable consumers to sample the maturing Spirit.

Barry & Fitzwilliam Barry & Fitzwilliam distribute a wide range of premium spirits, including Teachers Scotch, Courvoisier Cognac, Rémy Martin Cognac, The Famous Grouse, Jim Beam Bourbon, Vladivar Vodka and Boru Vodka.

Courvoisier have recently launched a series of very high end cognac, with one Courvoisier l’Esprit expected to retail for €5,000.

Two new additions to B&F’s spirits range this Christmas are Famous Grouse 10 Year Old and Pinky Vodka.

Cocktails, champagne and shooters will be top of the bill this Christmas and leading brand names within Barry& Fitzwilliam/Allied

Wines are ready to cater for all, such as Cointreau, Sourz, Jagermeister and Bols, whose flavours are vast, including Bols Blue, Grenadine, Advocaat, Crème de Cacao, Cherry Brandy and Amaretto. The Sourz shooter range is proving hugely popular and includes Sourz Cherry and Sourz Pineapple.

The popular After Shock shooter brand is available in five flavours: After Shock ‘Hot & Cool’ (red), Aftershock ‘Deep Cool’ (blue) and After Shock ‘Thermal Bite’ (green), as well as Aftershock Black and Aftershock Silver.

Jagermeister, the famous German schnapps, is a huge seller in the shooter market and is growing internationally. Sales are up over 50% from a large base.

Christmas is very much a time for brown spirits says Michael Barry, CEO of Barry & Fitzwilliam, and they will be giving a lot of support to their range, which includes Rémy Martin, Courvoisier, Teachers, Famous Grouse, Whyte & Mackay and Jim Beam.

Chase English Potato Vodka CHASE Single Estate English Potato Vodka from Herefordshire is the first pure English potato vodka.

Distilled three times through a copper pot still, twice through a 70-foot column with 42 bubble plates and then cold chill filtered, Chase English Potato Vodka is a smooth, velvety spirit with the taste of buttery mashed potatoes.

It is made with gluten-free full pedigree natural potatoes grown on Chase Distillery’s farm in Hereford.

They started mashing their first batch of potatoes on April Fool’s Day 2008 and haven’t looked back since.

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November09Christmas

Drinks: Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The Soft Option Retailers shouldn’t ignore the nonalcoholic drinks sector this festive season, as it’s a valuable part of the entire Christmas drinks portfolio.

Christmas

is not just a time when consumers turn to alcohol.

A combination of tough drink-driving legislation and a focus on healthy products means that this is also a bumper sales period for non-alcoholic drinks, including bottled water, carbonated soft drinks, juices and energy drinks.

Euromonitor International’s latest report values the soft drinks market at €976m in 2008, up from €947m the previous year.

Indeed, Euromonitor report that the growth in soft drinks remains relatively steady. There is parallel growth across all categories, particularly in flavoured water, smoothies, and energy drinks, whose growth is related to more established categories. Such figures infer that consumers are still placing health and convenience needs above the credit crunch.

The bottled water industry continues to thrive in Ireland, due in part to increased interest in health and convenience, although value for money has become a key factor in consumer choice. Functional drinks

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are also reaping the benefits of the health trend, growing by 13% in retail value terms in 2008.

Convenience stores are huge sellers of non-alcoholic drinks, with many beverage categories heavily weighted in distribution terms towards the convenience store segment.

The Tipp Active 500ml range includes the 8 x 500ml pack flashed at €4.99, which comes in easy-to-use display boxes.

Tipperary Natural Mineral Water Tipperary Natural Mineral Water, from the Gleeson Group, has once again proven to be gold standard water, winning two Gold Medals at this year’s prestigious British Bottlers Institute Awards in London, in the still and sparkling mineral water category.

Tipperary Kidz is the ideal lunchbox size, with a special promotion pack of 15 bottles for the price of 10.

At the beginning of 2009, seven-time Gold Medal winning Tipperary Natural Mineral Water launched the ‘My Bottle’ campaign, highlighting the huge range that offers bottle sizes and formats for all consumers and occasions.

Tipperary Natural Mineral Water has recently launched the new flip top cap for the 500ml Tipp Active range. The botTipperary Natural tle top is not Mineral Water has only innovarecently launched tive but more the new flip top cap environmenfor the 500ml Tipp tally friendly.

Active range.

The Tipp Active 500ml range includes the 8 x 500ml pack flashed at €4.99. The packs come in easy to use display boxes. In addition, Tipp Active has just launched the 50% Extra Free bottle, offering consumers a 750ml bottle of water for the price of 500ml.

Tipperary Natural Mineral Water has also recently expanded the hugely successful 1.5L pack offering. Originally available in a 4x1.5L pack flashed at €3, the complementary 6x1.5L pack flashed at €4.49 is proving to be a clear consumer favourite. The Tipperary 2L bottle is also now available in a price flashed bottle, offering consumers a single bottle for €1.

Tipperary Kidz is the ideal lunchbox size and with the 15-for-the-priceof-10 pack available, Tipperary Kidz will continue to be the water of choice for Ireland’s kids.

November09Christmas

Drinks: Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Deep RiverRock

This Christmas also see the launch of the new Finches 250ml resealable mixer, which comes in packs of 12.

This is perfect choice for the busy party season, with the resealable bottle containing approximately two standard size servings. Available in Tonic and Tonic Light, this will be a muststock item for the festive season.

The continued success of Finches 500ml highlights consumer desire for quality, Irish products. Available in Orange, Orange Light, Rock Shandy and Lemon, price flashed at 99c.

Deep RiverRock (‘purer than you’) claims 11.2% volume share of the Irish water market. The brand’s value share has risen from 13.9% to 14.4% over the past year (Source: ACNielsen MAT, W/E Septemer 6, 2009).

Deep RiverRock has recently introduced a new 6x1.5L Still Water Multipack livery. The 6x1.5L pack was designed to offer consumers a value offering in the take home water market. This 6x1.5L Still Water pack will help keep your customers hydrated throughout the Christmas period. At the top of the pack, clear panels provide purity cues and excellent product visibility. The dynamic splash and healthy active lifestyle imagery make the pack stand out on-shelf.

Country Spring

Finches is offering consumers and retailers even better value with the 2L twin-pack price flashed at €2.50.

Finches

Deep RiverRock has recently introduced a new 6x1.5L Still Water multi-pack giving consumers a value offering in the take home water market.

Deep RiverRock Sparkling Water is available in 2L and 2x2L take home packs which are a perfect offering at all Christmas party tables. In the convenience sector, Deep RiverRock Sparkling Water is available in a stylish 500ml impulse bottle which is the perfect companion to help keep all your shoppers full of Christmas cheer.

Deep RiverRock Sparkling Water is also available in a take home 2L bottle to keep consumers refreshed at home over the festive season.

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Finches has long been a family favourite and this Christmas, Finches is offering consumers and retailers even better value with the 2L twinpack price flashed at €2.50. This pack offers consumers the great tasting premium soft drink at a terrific price. The Finches 2L twinpack is always hugely popular and looks great on-shelf. Packs are available in Orange, Orange Light and Rock Shandy.

Finches 1.5L mixers offer fantastic value for consumers.

Finches is a half litre larger than other mixers available, but at a great price.

Finches mixers are available in Finches 1.5L mixers Tonic, Tonic offer fantastic value Light, Soda for consumers, Water, Ginger including the everAle and White popular Finches Lemonade.

Tonic Water.

Also from the Gleeson Group, Country Spring is Ireland’s leading 3L soft drink – offering fantastic value of 3 litres for the regular price of 2 litres.

Made with pure Irish Spring water in the heart of County Tipperary, Country Spring is available in seven thirst-quenching flavours: Orange, Cola, Lemon & Lime, Red Lemonade, White Lemonade, American Cream Soda and Apple.

Country Spring is Ireland’s leading 3-litre soft drink – offering fantastic value of 3 litres for the regular price of 2 litres.

Country Spring was rebranded in June 2009, with a series of specially commissioned artworks on each label, designed by young Irish artists. This Christmas, the brand offers amazing value of 3L price flashed at €1.49, and a special seasonal twin-pack price flashed at €2.50.

November09Christmas

Boost Energy Drinks Boost not only looks and tastes great, but now offers even better value. Since its launch in Ireland, Boost has been a proven success for retailers.

Now ranked within the top five sports and energy drinks, Boost is a muststock item for any store.

In addition Boost not only to the standard looks and tastes great, but now product, Boost offers even better is now available value, with price in price flashed flashed packaging, packaging. Boost including the continues to 500ml resealable offer an excelbottle at just €1.49.

Drinks: Non-Alcoholic Beverages

lent profit margin in an increasingly competitive sector. The 250ml can is now available price flashed at €0.99, the 500ml resealable bottle is price flashed at €1.49, while the 1L resealable bottle is price flashed at €1.99.

With added energy releasing B vitamins, caffeine and amino acids, such as taurine, Boost drinks work alongside the existing natural metabolites found in the human body to provide an extra boost of energy when needed most.

Monster Energy Since its launch in Ireland just a year ago, Monster Energy continues to drive the energy category. As the biggest selling energy drink in the USA, Monster Energy brings new consumers to energy drinks through innovation, exciting packaging and new flavours.

Distributed nationwide by the Gleeson Group, Monster Energy has a different approach to merchandising and sampling, as the green

Monster claw is instantly recognisable to its target audience and is becoming the signpost to the energy section in your fridge.

Monster has always been connected with winners and none more so than this year when two of their sports stars were crowned champions: both Jensen Button in Formula 1 and Valentino Rossi in The biggest selling MotoGP won energy drink in the USA, Monster Energy their drivers brings new consumers championto energy drinks ship, celebrat- through innovation, ing with a can exciting packaging of Monster. and new flavours.

This Christmas by changing the present you were going to buy to an Oxfam Ireland Unwrapped gift like a cow, chicks or even a cooking stove, you’ll help change the future of the people who receive it for the better.

Call in to your nearest Oxfam shop, buy online at www.oxfamireland.org or call 1850 30 40 55.

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November09On

the Vine

NOffLA Gold Star Awards 2009 The

National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) represents 350 independent off-licences throughout the country. One of their annual initiatives is to highlight a range of wines, exclusive to NOffLA members in the run-up to the busy Christmas trading period. 15 wines from all over the world, priced to appeal to all budgets, were selected for inclusion in the Gold Star 2009 Wine Collection. With over 500 wines typically available in any of the 350 independent off licences operating countrywide who are members of NOffLA, this initiative, which was first began by the independent sector in 2000, helps customers to identify some of the very best wines available in Ireland in a range of price brackets.

Gold Star Wines, which also include tasting notes, provide shoppers with the confidence to try these wines which are exclusive to NOffLA members and recommended by their expert tasting panel.

“There is sometimes a misconception that the higher the price, the better the quality of the wine,” noted NOffLA Chairman Jim McCabe. “But four of NOffLA’s Gold Star winners retail at under €8, so we are confident that consumers will be able to pick up some superb wines, whether they want to spend €7.99 or €49.99.”

McCabe also highlighted the Responsible Trading in the Community (RTC) training programme, which all members of the National Off-Licence Association must undertake as a requirement for membership. “We are doing our bit,” he said, “but we need parents to do their bit as well.”

Award Winners Mackenway Distributors Ltd won three out of 15 Gold Star Award categories, including the much coveted White Wine of the Year 2009 award and Overall Award Winner for their Michel Redde Pouilly Fume AC Petit Fume 2008 and the equally prestigious Red Wine of the Year 2009 for their Museum Real Reserva 2003.

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The Award are split into Old World and New World categories. Of the Old World section, France dominated in the white wine sector with three winners and also one in the Sparkling/ Champagne sector. For red wines, Spain dominated with three wines, two in the red wine sector and one in the sparkling wine sector. Italy scored one Pictured are (l-r): Bren Smith, Mackenway each in the rosé and red wine Distributors, Ruth Deveney, Deveney’s Dundrum, category. and Thierry Redde of Michel Redde, winner of For the New World Awards, the NOffLA Wine of the Year 2009 for Michel Redde Pouilly Fumé AC Petit Fume 2008.

Chile dominated, with all three wines from the red wine sector New World Red Under €8: and one Chilean wine in the white 2008 GatoNegro Cabernet Sauvignon wine sector, mirroring Chile’s growing (Cassidy Wines) reputation on the international stage.

Old World White Under €14: Australia also performed very well, 2007 Cave de St Dezery Viognier with two winning wines in the New (Fair Wind Wines) World white wine sector, reflecting Old World Red Under €14: the continued interest and success of 2005 Campo Viejo Reserva (Cassidy Australia as top-selling wine country Wines) on the Irish market, with over 27% of New World White Under €14: the total wine market share.

2008 Wakefield Estate Riesling (Findlater Wine & Spirit Company) The Award Winning Wines were: New World Red Under €14: Old World White Under €8: 2008 Secreto Carmenere (Mackenway 2007 B& G Fleur de Vigne (Ugni Distributors) Blanc/Colombard) (Gilbeys Wines) Old World White Under €20 and Old World Red Under €8: 2009 Wine of the Year: 2008 Canti Negroamaro/Zinfandel 2008 Michel Redde Pouilly Fume (Gleeson Group) (Mackenway Distributors) New World White Under €8: Old World Red Under €20 and 2009 Antares Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Red Wine of the Year: (Ampersand) 2003 Museum Real Reserva (Mackenway Distributors) New World White Under €20: 2008 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Autumn Riesling (Edward Dillon & Co.) New World Red Under €20: 2006 Montes Alpha Merlot (Findlater Wine & Spirit Company) Rosé Under €15: 2008 Marchesini Pinot Grigio Rosé (Gleeson Group) Best Sparkling Wine Under €25: Sally Anne Cooney, General Manager Pere Ventura Cava Rosat Semi Sec of Gleeson Wines, pictured with the (Gleeson Group) NOffLA Gold Star Award for Best Best Champagne Under €50: Rosé Under €15, which they won GH Mumm MV(Irish Distillers/ for their 2008 Marchesini Pernod Ricard).

Pinot Grigio Rosé.

November09Drinks

The Perfect Irish Coffee IRELAND’S top Irish Coffee Maker has been named as Ziad Abinakhoul (pictured), winner of the first Irish Coffee in Good Spirits event, organized by the Speciality Coffee Association Europe and sponsored by Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey. “As a flavoursome, full bodied whiskey, Powers Gold Label lends itself perfectly to Irish Coffee and we are delighted to sponsor the inaugural Coffee In Good Spirits Competition in Ireland,” noted Suzanne Lawlor, Senior Brand Manager for Powers Whiskey. “Powers is a superbly made whiskey with distinctive pot still character that makes a rich, round and full flavoured drinking experience. The Powers Irish Coffee is a great indulgence and one of the classic drinks of all time.”

McKenna Collection Launches PICTURED are HE Cecilia McKenna, Chilean Ambassador to Ireland, with Alastair McKenna of The Goose and Paul McKenna of Jus de Vine, at the launch of The McKenna Collection, ‘Chilean Wine, Irish Heritage’, at Fire Restaurant, Dawson Street, Dublin. The McKenna Collection from Coman’s Wines is a new wine range of premium wines which celebrates the strong link between Ireland and Chile.

Heineken Expresses Itself THE crème of national and international designers and illustrators came together as part of ‘Heineken Expression’, a three-part series of events that visited cities around the country during October and November to celebrate creativity and the Heineken bottle. Calling at Dublin, Cork and Galway, Heineken Expression pits creatives against each other in a live UV ‘art off’ whilst providing a winning soundtrack to dance the night away. Acts including The Field, InFlagranti and The Juan MacClean perform against a backdrop of developing art as illustrators etch their creations onto UV walls. Pictured at the first stop in Dublin’s Tripod recently are Kevin Morrissey and Carla Johnson.

News

Britvic Licensed Wholesale Announces New Structure BRITVIC licensed wholesale, the wholesale division of Britvic Ireland, is undergoing a significant change in management structure. The company, which has traditionally focused on both the soft drinks and alcohol sectors, will now be a dedicated alcohol department. The company has an impressive track record in the licensed sector in Ireland.

In addition to driving the Britvic portfolio of soft drinks, the company has also built PPS brand WKD into the biggest selling PPS in the licensed sector. The restructuring marks a significant development for Britvic licensed wholesale, allowing the company to focus on brand building, sourcing and bringing new and existing alcohol brands into its portfolio. Pictured are the new four person team who will drive Britvic licensed wholesale’s new structure (l-r) : Fergal Ryan, Divisional Manager; Debbie Vard, Marketing Director; Finbarr O’Doherty, Commercial Director; and Tom Dermody, Divisional Manager.

Captain Morgan Unveils 20cl Bottle ONE of Ireland’s fastest growing spirit brands, Captain Morgan, has launched a new 20cl Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold bottle in response to growing consumer demand. The new bottle is accompanied by vibrant counter-ready packaging to drive impulse purchases and is likely to appeal to value conscious customers.

Captain Morgan has grown by over 97% since June 2008 and is the fastest growing spirit in the Republic of Ireland since February 2009. Conor Neiland, Commercial Innovation Manager, Diageo Ireland, is pictured with Denis Smyth, Commercial Manager, O’Brien’s Group, and Captain Morgan’s new 20cl bottle.

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SHOP 2009 a Success The recently held SHOP 2009 event, Ireland’s largest food and drink trade show, proved a tremendous success, with impressive visitor numbers recorded.

This

year, thousands of retailers and buyers descended on SHOP, Ireland’s largest food and drink trade show, at the RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin. SHOP provided both exhibitors and visitors with a much needed boost and was a melting pot for ideas in the food, drink and retail solutions industries.

As always, features played a substantial role within SHOP, with the Association of Craft Butchers’ National Sausage and Puddings Final attracting hundreds of new visitors to the show.

Business features such as the Retail Clinic, Design Doctors @ Shop and the Energy Management Pavilion were busy throughout the show, as retailers looked for solutions on how to cut costs and avail of complementary advice from SHOP’s retail experts.

International Cheese Awards One of the highlights of the show was the International Cheese Awards, were 143 cheeses entered the competition. Highly regarded across Europe as one of the premier cheese competi72

Loretto Kiernan of The Blue Haven Food Company is pictured accepting the award for Overall Product of the Show from Garret Buckley, Joint Managing Director of Expo Events (organisers of the show), and Trevor Sargent TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

our existing customers and potential tions in the world, St Tola Organic customers that St Tola Cheese is Goats Cheese won the Goats Cheese a strong brand, committed to the Soft and Semi-soft Cheese category, highest quality cheese.” and also picked up the Supreme The 2009 International Cheese Award at the show. Multi-award winAwards followed on from last year’s ning St Tola Organic Goats Cheese is World Cheese Olympics, which handmade, artisan and organic, with has certainly bolstered interest in no added preservatives, and made in Ireland’s cheese industry.

Inagh, Co. Clare.

Speaking on their win, Siobhan Ni Ghairbhith of St Tola Cheese commented, “To win in our category was fantastic, but to be announced as the Supreme Winner of the SHOP International Cheese Awards is a huge honour, and recognition for our hard work and expertise. The SHOP International Cheese Pictured are Siobhan Ni Ghairbhith, St Tola Goats Awards is Ireland’s Cheese, winner of the Supreme Award at the SHOP International Cheese Awards; Garret Buckley, Joint most prestigious Managing Director of Expo Events (organisers of the competition for our show); Grainne Casey, St Tola Goats Cheese; and Grainne industry so this is a Whalley, judge of The SHOP International Cheese re-affirmation to all Awards.

Product of the Show Category Winners Best Bakery Product The Scullery Best Confectionery Product: The Chocolate Garden, Chocolate Caramels & Mint Cremes Best Beverage: Sunshine Juice, Walshe’s Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice Best Chilled Product: JM Foods, Chicken Fajitas Best Frozen Product: Burkes Farm Ice-cream, Strawberry Ice Cream

Best Grocery Product: Harty’s Hot Pepper Jelly Best Retail Technology: HACCP & Hygiene solutions, Matman Check Best Equipment: Environmental Products & Services Ltd, Greaseshield Defender Best Irish Food Product: McEvoy Family Foods, Potato and Black Pudding Salad Best Overall Product: The Blue Haven Company, Blue Haven Sea Food Chowder

County & City Enterprise Boards Food Village The County & City Enterprise Boards Food Village occupied the largest stand at SHOP. This year, the theme was ‘Farmer’s Market’ and showcased produce ranging from chocolate and ice-cream to cheese and delicacies.

Cupcakes by Katie were just one of the 38 Irish artisan food and drink producers who took part, giving visitors the opportunity to source home grown indigenous foods that are unique, traceable and high quality. SHOP was the vehicle for introductions and tastings, offering artisan producers those all important business contacts.

Product of the Show Awards The SHOP Product of the Show awards, sponsored by Marla.ie,

Margaret Andreucetti of Expo Events, is pictured with Kay Weldon of Cupcakes by Katie, one of the 38 Irish artisan food and drink producers who took part at the County & City Enterprise Boards Food Village at SHOP 2009.

Event organisers Expo Events were extremely pleased with visitor numbers to this year’s event. “With the current climate, the visitors that attended the show were there to do business, as time is precious,” said Garret Buckley, Joint Managing Director, Expo Events. “The food and drink professionals attended SHOP to source the latest, innovative products and retail solutions to give their businesses the competitive edge. The show provided hundreds of companies with an excellent platform to meet new and existing customers and the feedback from exhibitors has been excellent…most importantly, business was done at SHOP 2009.”

For more information, log onto www.shopexhibition.com

International Cheese Awards Category Gold Winners Mild Cheddar: Newmarket Co-Op Cheddar 6-12 Months Maturing: Newmarket Creamery Cheddar Minimum 12 Months: Knockamore Farmhouse Cheese Co. Speciality Farmhouse Hard Cheese with Additives: Kileen Farmhouse Cheese Speciality Farmhouse Hard Cheese without Additives: Grainne Whalley, judge of The SHOP International Cheese Awards, is pictured with Jeffa Gill, producer of Gold Award Winning Durrus cheese.

attracted a huge entry this year, with Best Overall Product going to the Blue Haven Company for its Blue Haven Seafood Chowder.

“To win the Overall Product of the Show Award with our Blue Haven Sea Food Chowder is an amazing endorsement from our industry,” enthused Ciaran Fitzgerald of The Blue Haven Company. “In the eyes of the adjudicators, it was an acknowledgement of the quality, innovation and high food standards of The Blue Haven Company.”

Sheila Gallogy from sponsors, Marla.ie, was “delighted at the quality of entrants. The Blue Haven Company’s Seafood Chowder was the well deserved overall winner and the brand has huge potential for the future.”

Coolea Farmhouse Cheese Speciality Creamery Hard Cheese: David Williams Cheese Speciality Farmhouse Soft and Semi-soft Cheese: Durrus Cheese Speciality Creamery Soft and Semi-soft Cheese: Arrigoni Blue Vein Cheese: J&L Grubb Best New Cheese on market for less than 12 months: Saddleworth Cheese Co. Cheese for Kids: Bradbury and Son Goats Cheese Soft and Semisoft Cheese: St Tola Cheese Company (Inagh Farmhouse Cheese) Smoked Cheese: Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese Company

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November09Tobacco

Products

Burning Issues 2009 sees a very different tobacco market in Ireland than ever before.

We examine the big issues.

Ireland’s

tobacco market has changed considerably over the course of 2009, most of the changes legislation-driven. The ban on display of tobacco products, introduced on July 1, has seen the face of tobacco retailing change irrevocably, with retail outlets obliged to introduce a closed container or dispenser for all tobacco products. In essence, tobacco products and advertising (including change mats on counters and backdrops) cannot be visible to the customer.

Since October 1, all retailers have been obliged to register with the Office of Tobacco Control for a licence to sell tobacco. Due to a backlog in processing applications by retailers to be placed on the OTC register, there is a delay in sending out completed signage from the OTC, but this should be dealt with over the coming weeks.

Any retailer that has registered, but has not received their signage is not committing an offence.

The impact of the new legislation on the industry has been great, with 74

tobacco retailers and manufacturers warning of an increase in illegal tobacco sales throughout the country.

Ireland has one of the highest tobacco prices in the EU, so is a major target for smugglers, who are directly targeting our tobacco industry, and illegal sales of cigarettes and tobacco products were estimated to make up a massive 25% of the market prior to the advent of the new legislation.

Consumers purchasing tobacco products on the black market is not a new problem. However, coupled with a weak economy and a high loss of jobs, more and more individuals are seeking out lower priced products, regardless of the source. Another contributing factor is that in Ireland, the price of tobacco is the second highest in the world, and the highest in the EU. Not surprisingly, the growth of illegal products being sold in Ireland has been the biggest hurdle for Irish retailers. Low penalties for persons caught with contraband products, coupled with the high margins criminals can make, have helped Ireland

become a profitable target. To date, three list brands have been successfully duplicated, along with the Irish tax stamp and Irish warning label. From January to August 2009, approximately 60m cigarettes were identified as counterfeit, while the latest estimates show that currently 28% of tobacco purchases (about €1.8 billion) in Ireland are illegal, with that number continuing to rise.

The effect? Compared to last year, the tobacco industry as a whole is down 12%. Retailers are losing millions of euros in sales and many adult smokers are more frequently buying unreliable and unregulated products.

The Irish Tobacco Manufacturers’ Advisory Committee (ITMAC) has repeatedly called on the Government to stamp out the smuggled trade by redeploying public sector workers to support customs officers.

“Non Irish Duty Paid cigarettes (NIDP) has cost this country €526m this year. €526m is an unacceptable loss of Government revenue during recessionary times. The expected loss

• Nielsen share - 1.2% of total market, after only 8 weeks • RRP €7.75 - 70c cheaper than premium cigarettes

• Value category accounts for 8% of the market and is growing @ 30% on last year • Premium Packaging

November09Tobacco

Products

to the Exchequer for 2010 is set to reach €616m – Ireland can’t afford to ignore NIDP any longer,” argued an ITMAC spokesperson.

Recent months have seen the launch of Retailers Against Smuggling, a representative group for Ireland’s tobacco retailers, who

What Can Retailers Do? THE growth of illegal selling is hurting tobacco sales throughout Ireland, and will continue to do so if left unchecked. However, consumption and the incidence of smoking in Ireland have remained stable. The average adult smoker consumes 17 sticks daily, and the incidence of smoking is still 29% and steady. And since the average adult smoker purchases an additional €5.50 in cross purchases every time they visit an outlet, retailers are actually losing nearly €15 in sales per lost visit.

With a recession looming and a dark market in effect, it is up to all of us to remain vigilant, keep an eye out for illegal products, and if something seems suspicious, contact Custom & Excise Enforcement at 1800 295 295 or report it to your local Garda station.

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contend that “the illegal black market here in Ireland is crippling the legitimate Irish retailer”.

“As a group, we are expected to lose almost €700m for 2009 in tobacco sales despite all the recent seizures,” stressed William Hanley, National Spokesperson for Retailers Against Smuggling. “This is down to high prices and the paltry fines and sentences handed out to these criminals.

The Irish Government needs to radically change the legislation that is in place at the minute. We are still being seen as the soft touch by international criminals and until the Government start to hand out appropriate sentences, then Ireland is going to continue to be a target for the illegal cigarette trade. Customs are doing a fantastic job but more needs to be done by Government.”

Indeed, cash & carry owners and logistics companies have been warned that they are at heightened risk of criminal attack in the coming weeks as criminal gangs seek to replace their supply of cigarettes for the Christmas black market, following recent high profile seizures of cigarettes and tobacco.

“Our intelligence suggests that criminals may be turning their attention to what they consider ‘easy targets’ such as Cash & Carry outlets and logistics companies,” warned David Walsh, Chief Executive of protection specialists Netwatch, who have prevented nine attempted break-ins on retail units in the past three weeks.

In their pre-budget submission, CSNA Chief Executive, Vincent Jennings called for “additional resources to be given to the Revenue (Customs Service) to enable them to bring to justice the rogue traders, delivery men and market sellers that are selling tobacco product illegally in the State”. The CSNA recently reported that the Revenue Commissioners plan to introduce an enhanced security (tax) stamp on tobacco products, which will be introduced on a phased basis.

The Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) argues, however, that there is no evidence to back up claims that the removal of point of sale advertising and display of tobacco products from

retail stores this summer has resulted in an increase in tobacco smuggling.

“We have to stick with the facts and the facts are that there is no basis for any link between recent tobacco control measures and smuggling,” argued Eamonn Rossi, OTC Chief Executive. “Smuggling of tobacco is in itself a serious problem and we congratulate the Revenue Commissioners and the Gardaí on their recent successes in tackling tobacco smuggling.”

Rossi admitted that the removal of point of sale advertising and display was not expected to impact on tobacco usage in the short term, but was introduced as a long term strategic measure to protect children, in particular, from tobacco advertising.

TNSmrbi research, launched recently by the OTC, showed that the vast majority of stores are now complaint with the new measures, with 97% of stores found to be storing cigarettes out of sight in compliance with the legislation and 98% of stores compliant regarding in-store cigarette advertising.

John Player & Sons Despite the major obstacles arising from the sale of illegal tobacco products, John Player and Sons (JP&S) have remained stable in this new trading environment,

The Drum Combi Pack offers adult smokers 12.5g of Drum and 50 Rizla Green papers in a box format at a very competitive price.

November09Tobacco

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JPS has had the most successful launch in the history of the Irish tobacco industry.

especially thanks to their new value brand, JPS. JPS has had the most successful launch in the history of the Irish tobacco industry, gaining an astonishing 1.2% market share just two months after its May launch (all market share data sourced from ACNielsen, August 9, 2009). JPS continues to stand strong after five

months, claiming nearly 15% of the total value sector, and gaining a spot within the Nielsen Top 30.

Additionally, Marlboro and Superkings have both increased market share as compared to last year, with Marlboro at10.8% and Superkings at 5.9%.

The cigar sector has decreased

Ritmeester Half Corona THE Christmas period sees sales of Ritmeester Half Corona increase year on year as consumers look for a quality gift offering or for a superior cigar to smoke while celebrating over the festive period.

Prepared from a blend of Java and Brazil wrapped in Java tobacco, Ritmeester Half Corona is a handy size for the smoker.

To coincide with the season, Ampersand are offering a once-off special retailer promotion. When you buy eight Outers (200 cigars) of Ritmeester Half Corona, you will receive six complementary bottles of wine. The offer is limited to two orders per customer.

The Ritmeester range offers Irish cigar smokers a wide assortment of fine Dutch cigars, which also include Pikeur, Tip, Miniatures and Moods.

Ampersand have been distributing the Ritmeester range since acquiring the agency in June The Christmas period sees sales of 2008.

Ritmeester Half Corona increase year on year.

slightly from last year, but Café Crème is up 0.5% from last year, and JP&S still claims 33% of the total cigar market.

The Roll Your Own (RYO) market continues growing, as consumers seek out greater value. Golden Virginia is up an astonishing 50.7% from last year. In August 2009, JP&S launched the Drum Combi Pack, offering adult smokers 12.5g of Drum and 50 Rizla Green papers in a box format at a very competitive price.

Rizla has gained 13% market share from last year, and controls 80% of the rolling paper market.

Rizla Red, Rizla Green and Rizla Blue – the top 3 skus - comprise 73% of the total market.

British American Tobacco The British American Tobacco (formerly PJ Carroll’s) portfolio includes some of the best-known global cigarette brands, including Lucky Strike, Dunhill, Pall Mall and Kent, as well as Irish brand Carroll’s Number 1. Indeed, British American Tobacco is the world’s second largest quoted tobacco group by global market share, with brands sold in more than 180 markets and over 300 brands in their portfolio.

This May saw the Lucky Strike Silver pack transformed into a new blue bulleseye pack, designed to help smokers differentiate between the two blends: red for Lucky Strike original full flavour and blue for Lucky Strike’s mellow taste.

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November09Conference

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The Future of Retailing The question of ‘where to now for the retail trade’ was debated at the inaugural ‘Future of Retailing in Ireland’ conference.

One

of the key messages to have come out of the inaugural Future of Retailing Conference, organised by CMG Events, was that consumers are actively tightening their belts when it comes to domestic and lifestyle activities, with some 72% switching to cheaper grocery brands.

Consumers are shopping in more stores than they used to, which points to a decline in store loyalty: Ireland is, in fact, in the top 10 most promotionally sensitive countries in Europe. Shoppers are actively searching for promotions and this is having more impact on brand (and store) switching. This was according to Alan Purcell, Head of Marketing at ACNielsen Ireland.

Customer Sentiment Survey Torlach Denihan, Director of Retail Ireland and chairman for the day, revealed a number of thoughtprovoking facts in the organisation’s latest customer sentiment survey.

He told delegates that two thirds of respondents (66%) rated their own

Torlach Denihan, Director, Retail Ireland and Conference Chairman.

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business currently as poor or very poor and that it was unchanged since earlier in the year. Some 69% of respondents rated the prospects for their business to the end of November as poor or very poor. Almost two thirds (62%) of retailers expect sales to decrease to the end of November, one fifth (19%) expect sales to stay the same and one fifth (19%) expect sales to increase. This is a slight improvement on earlier in the year, Torlach told the audience.

In terms of profitability, he noted that 61% of respondents expect further falls in profitability to the end of November but an increased number (38%) expect an improvement or a stabilisation in profitability during this period.

Expectations on the numbers of customers, he continued, have lowered slightly for the period to the end of November, with fewer respondents (39%) expecting more customers and more (42%) predicting static customer numbers by comparison with previous quarters. Plus, over half of respondents (54%) anticipate falls in prices to the end of November but a significant number (19%) are unsure as to future price movements.

He also spoke about the fact that over half of respondents (54%) expect employee numbers to decrease and only 4% anticipate an increase in employee numbers by the end of November, adding that close to one third (31%) of respondents expect to implement compulsory redundancies and 15% expect to implement voluntary redundancies by the end of November. As a consequence, over three quarters (77%) of respondents expect a recruitment freeze in their companies to the end of November.

In terms of working capital, the Retail Ireland Director said that

almost one third (31%) of respondents said the availability of working capital has decreased over the three months from May to August. This question was not applicable to a significant number (31%) of respondents.

Over one-quarter (27%) of respondents said the cost of working capital had increased over the three months from May to August. This question was not applicable to a significant number (19%) of respondents.

Helen King, Senior Business Analyst with Bord Bia.

Maintaining Your Brand Value Another key point made during the event was the importance of not devaluing your brand through fighting just on price and/or cutting quality. Helen King, Senior Business Analyst with Bord Bia, highlighted various consumer lifestyle trends as well as what the market might be like beyond the recession. The pursuit of value is likely to remain even after the recession and attributes like ‘natural’ and ‘pure’ will continue to represent a healthier choice, she maintained: therefore, maximising the positive qualities of natural ingredients would be an opportunity going forward.

November09Conference

The Irish Question Jim Power, economist and Chairman of the Love Irish Food organisation, told delegates that LIF research revealed that 84% of consumers described a need for a symbol to identify which brands are Irish, while 86% of consumers recognise that buying products manufactured in Ireland can assist economic recovery.

Key Financial Challenges Global Retail Food Analyst Maria Castroviejo of Rabobank indentified a number of key challenges facing food retailers. She spoke about competition in the shape of discounters; consumers making price-driven choices; lower loyalty; diversified shopping patterns; acceptance of private label; and eating in. She also pointed to public sector influences such as payment terms, anti-trust scrutiny, pressure to support local sources

Report

availability was another issue highlighted, as was supplier vulnerability, particularly for private label.

The conference also featured presentations on how to achieve efficiencies across the supply chain; how to manage business in a downturn, as well as competition and consumer rights issues.

The day ended with extremely stimulating panel discussion, with stirring words from Senator Feargal Quinn, Colin Gordon, Chief Executive of Glanbia Consumer Foods, and Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA. Being innovative in the way the industry manages customer service, striving for brand innovation, working closer Senator Feargal Quinn, part of the stirring together across the whole food suppanel discussion at ‘The Future Of Retailing’ Conference. ply chain while keeping a tight rein on costs were just some of the issues raised during the panel discussion. and protectionism. Currency risks For more information about future posed another challenge derived retail conference, you can visit from their international expansion www.cmgevents.ie and international sourcing. Credit

Irish Chicken just got Saucier Moy Park has taken sauciness to a new level with the announcement that its improved range of Chicken Kievs is now 20% saucier.

Moy Park has retained the much-loved, original recipe but its crispy, breaded Kievs are now bursting with more sauce, adding a unique succulence and appeal to the brand’s range which includes Creamy Garlic, Creamy Pepper and Thai Sweet Chilli variants.

Matt Godbold, Marketing Manager for Moy Park explained, ‘Improving our range and adding 20% more sauce, without compromising on quality or taste, has been an exciting development for the brand. We are bringing greater value to consumers by packing our Kievs with more sauce, which is indicative of our commitment to the market and our awareness of and positive response to emerging and challenging trends in the food sector.

As a result, we anticipate a surge in demand for the new saucier Kiev range from existing, loyal customers and indeed, new customers who will be tempted by the new improved offering from Moy Park.”

Moy Park’s extensive range of fresh chicken includes: breaded and roast and primary products.

For more information on Moy Park Irish Chicken Products, visit www.moypark.ie or www.iloveirishchicken.com

Ambrosia launches new ‘Feel Good’ Puds Ambrosia Crumble Puds and Jelly Puds hit the shelves Premier Foods Ireland, the market leader in ambient desserts, is reinvigorating the ambient dessert sector with the launch of Ambrosia Puds, a range of everyday, complete desserts, which capture childhood memories of comfort food.

Crumble Puds and Jelly Puds are ideal for busy, working mums and provide the whole family with a modern and convenient way to enjoy the best of Ambrosia creamy Devon Custard. The launch addresses the ‘complete my meal’ occasion, which makes up 39% of all dessert occasions in Ireland.

Crumble Puds contain Ambrosia creamy Devon Custard, fruit compote and crumble on the side, while the Jelly Puds combine fruit jelly with Ambrosia creamy Devon Custard. With less than 5% fat, Crumble Puds and Jelly Puds are extremely versatile and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

“Our new twin-pot means that you can blend and pour one side to enjoy cold or snap off the custard compartment and heat in the microwave to enjoy hot. As with all Ambrosia products, Crumble Puds and Jelly Puds contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives,” said Cathy Kelly, Ambrosia Brand Manager, Premier Foods Ireland.

Crumble Puds are available in three delicious fruit flavours: apple, rhubarb and peach and the Jelly Puds are available in mouth-watering strawberry and raspberry jelly flavours.

Both ranges are being supported with consumer press advertising and in-store activity.

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November09Shelf

Life

Shelf Life PICTURED at a Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) meat traceability seminar, in association with GS1 Ireland, where speakers from Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Denmark reviewed ways to improve current meat traceability systems, are (l-r): Jimmy O’Connor, Rosderra Meats; Professor Alan Reilly,CEO, FSAI; and Justin Carton, Carton Food Group. Traceability systems for beef, chicken and pork are already compliant with the legislation: however, the objective now, according to Prof. Reilly of the FSAI, is to further enhance these systems, so that if a food incident like that of the pork dioxin crisis is faced again, a more targeted recall of product could take place, if required. Over 100 delegates from the food processing, distribution and retail industry attended the event.

CELEBRITY and masterchef Kevin Dundon has launched the first Flahavan’s All-Ireland Porridge-Making Challenge. Competitors are invited to enter two categories; one to create the perfect porridge dish and two, to develop the most innovative recipe using Flahavan’s Irish porridge oat range. The overall winner in each category will receive a top prize of €1,500, with the runners up winning €500 each. Recipe entries, along with preparation methods and photographs, can be submitted via www.flahavans.com or can be sent by post to E. Flahavan & Sons Ltd Porridge-Making Challenge, Kilnagrange Mills, Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford.

DIAGEO Ireland, the producers of the world famous cream liqueur Baileys, have become the first food and drinks company globally to be awarded EN16001, the new European Energy Management standard. This new standard EN16001 represents the latest best practice in energy management and ensures a systematic approach for improving energy performance continuously. As well as improving energy efficiency, this system can cut costs, drive innovation; reduce GHG emissions and greenhouse gas emissions. “The level of commitment to improving energy efficiency demonstrated by Diageo Baileys will not only result in lower carbon output but will contribute to our national targets for carbon reduction,” Dr John Ryan, Commercial Director of Certification Europe stated. “They have set an example that we need to see more companies follow.”

IRISH Hereford Prime Rib-eye steak was judged the world’s best beef in German food magazine, BEEF!, ahead of the anticipated favourite, New Zealand Wagyu beef, which sells for up to €150/kg at retail. Other competitors included Argentinean Angus steak, Angus fillet from USA, Florentine steak from Italy, Charolais fillet from France, Bison from USA and locally-produced German Simmental beef. The prize-winning Rib-eye of Irish Hereford Prime was supplied by AIBP’s plant in Nenagh, through their customer, Otto Gourmet, a leading import company in Germany selling to high-end restaurants and consumers. Irish Hereford Prime brand beef is available to Irish consumers through Superquinn supermarkets, and at restaurants serving Hereford Prime supplied by Pallas Foods.

LIDL have launched their very own dedicated Christmas range ‘Luxury for All’. The Luxury for All range offers everything imaginable for the festive season, from Atlantic lobster for just €4.99 (325g) to ostrich steaks (€6.99, 400g), stuffed turkey joint (€6.99, 1kg), whole frozen turkeys (€10.99 4.2-4.44kg), Barbary duck fillet (€6.99, 400g), duckling (€7.99, 2.4kg), goose (€23.99) or goose breast (€14.99). Also included in the Luxury for All range are items such as pheasant (€10.99, 900g), quail (€9.99, 600g), venison steaks (€10.99, 400g) and prawn rings (€3.49,230g), as well as desserts and cheeses.

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MAPLE Leaf Bakery UK Ltd is investing in its leading New York Bakery Co. bagels with the launch of the brand’s biggest ever on-pack promotion.

The high profile New York Weekend Break give-away appears on packs of New York Bakery Co.’s Plain and Cinnamon & Raisin bagel varieties and runs from the beginning of November for eight weeks. There will be 250 prizes, consisting of a three night weekend break for two people in New York City, staying in a luxury four star hotel, including airport transfers. Special onshelf promotional packs have been designed to catch the attention of consumers, as well as detailing the prizes and rules. Each pack will also feature a unique code which consumers enter onto the promotion’s dedicated microsite where they will be notified immediately of a win!

TWO lucky RETAIL NEWS readers are set for a warm and cosy winter. Congratulations to the winners of the two Superser heaters from Flogas: Mary Rose Zamora from Swords, Co. Dublin, in September, and Darren Keating from Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, in October.

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