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February 2021 • Vol. 14 • No. 01
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (see page 22)
The History In the 1930's Taichiro Morinaga was trying to create a new kind of sweet, inspired by chewing gum, for the market in Japan. However, in Japan it is considered impolite to take food out of your mouth, so with great ingenuity he created a sweet that you can swallow but with the texture of a chewing gum. ...And so “Chewlets” were born in 1931. The first flavour was caramel. It was different to other sweets in many ways, but what really made it unique was its texture. The creamy, chewy texture was like nothing else in Japan. This new sweet was a hit so more flavours were soon added with a natural strawberry the next addition. In 1975, after many years of hard work perfecting his recipe, Mr. Morinaga re-launched Chewlets to Japan as the wonderful sweet that we know today as HI-CHEW. True to being different and with amazing real fruit flavours HI-CHEW has gone from strength to strength so that we have become the most popular chewy sweet in Japan!
The Product HI-CHEW unique double layer structure is designed to recreate real fruit taste. When you eat real fruit, you feel strong freshness at the first bite. Then, you'll sense spreading sweetness or sourness of the fruit's flesh in your mouth. This is the taste experience that only HI-CHEW can offer thanks to its double layer. The sugar crystal control technology which they have been researching for many years, combined with their cultivated manufacturing know-how and the high level of flavouring create the soft texture and pleasant chewing property, which are the biggest features of HI-CHEW and the juicy feeling that overflows as you chew.
The NZ Story Hi-Chew have actually been around longer than you may think. Tokyo Food Co Ltd, New Zealand’s leading importer of Japanese Foodstuffs, has been importing and distributing Hi-Chew candy for over 20 years. Originally, it was a Japanese packet with Japanese writing and very foreign looking - often seen in the Asian Supermarkets, but not yet gracing the shelves of mainstream Supermarkets. Over time, the confectionery has grown to become a global FMCG player and Morinaga redesigned the package into the Kiwi-friendly product that you now see in your local mainstream supermarkets, petrol stations and dairies. According to Tokyo Food Retail Sales Manager Mark Whiteman, “the favourite flavours have traditionally been Grape, Strawberry and Green Apple, but we now have a couple of new mixed bags for you - Soda Pop mix (with Cola and Lemonade) and Yoghurt mix (with Blueberry, Strawberry and Plain yoghurt). They arrived at the end of last year and are already proving to be popular with Hi-Chew fans!”.
The Buzz Until recent years Hi-Chew had a bit of a cult-like following - recognised and liked mainly by Japanophiles and “kids in the know” - but this has changed in recent times. Kids and sweet-lovers around the country are asking for them, and they’re now readily available across a wide range of retail channels. When asked about this, Mark at Tokyo Food mentioned that there has been a significant investment in social media which started in the second half of last year. The media campaigns (which are still in full swing) are focussed on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube and involve unique and funny animated cartoons to appeal to the younger audience. The campaign has involved regular interaction with fans and giveaways to stimulate interest in the product and a strong growth in sales. We truly hope you enjoy the real fruit flavour and chewy texture that makes HI-CHEW like nothing you have ever tasted before!
Distributed by: Website
www.morinaga-ap.com
Tokyo Food Co., Ltd.
Unit A, 37-41 Carbine Rd., Mt. Wellington, Auckland 1060
www.tokyofood.co.nz
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ATTENTION GROCERY SUPPLIERS The Food and Grocery Council is an industry association for grocery suppliers providing members networking, events, industry information and strong advocacy. Contact us for information on the benefits of membership: katherine.rich@fgc.org.nz • Networking • Industry Updates • Conference and Events • Education and Training • Advocacy and Law Reform
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www.fgc.org.nz
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This magazine is published monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to Review Publishing Co Ltd. This magazine is a platform for the industry and may include content that expresses views and opinions by contributing writers. Content is attributed to the author, and these opinions and the view/s are those of the author/s. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. The opinions and material published in this edition are not necessarily those of the publishers unless expressly stated. All material appearing in the magazine, website and social media platforms is copyright and may only be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2021
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food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND
The NEW ZEALAND BEVERAGE COUNCIL is an industry association whose members cover all aspects of the non-alcoholic beverage market both in New Zealand and the export markets. The Council members are spread throughout New Zealand and come together annually for a conference that covers industry issues and is addressed by international speakers. The organisation monitors product quality, sets standards for the industry and runs national competitions and awards.
THE NEW ZEALAND BEVERAGE COUNCIL (NZBC) P.O. Box 47, AUCKLAND 1140, New Zealand. Email: info@nzbc.nz Phone: +64 9 309 6100 DDI: +64 9 302 9932
HAND CRAFTED PREMIUM HERBAL SODAS Local Lower Sugar Added value
New Zealand owned and independent. Free to focus on the needs of real New Zealanders. Finding lower sugars is the biggest consumer need right now. 20% - 62% less than regular soft drinks. CH’I brand proven ability to add value and margin in categories.
For more information contact your Niell Cropper & Co Representative.
news CH’I DRINKS ADD HERBAL SPIN TO MAINSTREAM CATEGORIES The CH’I Drinks Workshop are a long standing independent drinks company now adding options to meet the needs of shoppers who push their trolleys past the major international drinks brands. The CH’I Drinks Workshop is the home of the CH’I Herbal drinks first sold in 1987. They’ve applied their skills at hand crafting herbal ingredients to develop sparkling drinks that will appeal to the adult consumers who reject the internationally owned brands. “We know there is a large proportion of adults – mainly women - who push their trolleys past the mainstream internationally owned brands – they’re put off by excess sugars, ingredients and the lack of real local provenance,” said CH’I Drinks Ray Nicholls. “This is not us taking a crack at
the mainstream brands. They have their very loyal consumers whose purchases contribute a great deal to Retailers drinks categories.” Ch’i is aiming to add new premium sales and value to the parts of the shopping journey where adult consumers will be choosing drinks for themselves. Ch’i says they are all about adults choosing drinks for the moments they put themselves first. “Our herbal ingredients are the trusted key to them choosing for their own moments” said Nicholls. Herbally Dandy Cola has handcrafted kola nuts and roasted NZ organically grown dandelion root behind its unique flavours. “We started out with the challenge to ourselves How low can we go with sugar without losing enjoyment and without resorting to low calorie
CARTOLOGY TO FOCUS ON DATA AND CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS
Cartology New Zealand, Countdown’s new stand-alone retail media business, has launched today with a commitment to help local brands and suppliers be more relevant and engaging for some of the country’s most active retail customers. Led by General Manager Samantha Osborne, formerly Managing Director of Mindshare, Cartology aims to help Countdown’s new and existing suppliers access some of New Zealand’s most valuable and unique media assets, and put brands in a position to connect with customers at the moments that matter. “We’ve been closely watching
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how other businesses overseas are engaging with their customers, with many leveraging new digital and data technologies to really connect and be more relevant amidst an ever-changing media landscape,” said Samantha Osborne. “At the same time we know suppliers to our business here in New Zealand are also looking for simpler ways to engage with customers, and to make sure they are making the most of every dollar of marketing spend with data-led decisions and measurement. “At Countdown we have more than three million customers shopping with us every week, and Onecard is one of the largest and most popular loyalty programmes in the country. It can be hard to navigate the opportunities that currently exist in our business to talk to consumers, let alone think about how consumers might be reached in the future. Customers today expect personal and relevant advertising - there is no one size fits all - and with a data-led approach to our insights and learnings, we think we can make a big impact for suppliers, but importantly, for our customers as well,” said Osborne. The name Cartology refers to the science of retail media, combining the cart, as used by customers in store and online, with the in-depth delivery of measurement of media effectiveness. n
intense sweeteners like stevia or worse aspartame?” The result is a cola with less half the sugar of a regular soft drink, no added caramel colour and a unique flavour adults love. Herbally Spiced Ginger is a unique spin on ginger with handcrafted ginger and cardamom. Herbally Twisted Lemon has real NZ NFC lemon juice, juniper berry and lemon balm and much less than half the sugars of a regular soft drink. Premiumisation is one of the current trends most valuable to retailers. It makes sense to increase returns from limited shelf space and costly store operations. IRI reports Carbonated beverages volumes fell
4.4% in Key Accounts in the key four weeks up to 27th December 2020, but value per volume lifted over 10%. Clear evidence consumers are looking for better quality and are willing to pay extra in price and retail margin for the experience. Nicholls who has been head of Grocery Merchandise for Progressive Enterprises said, “smart retailers will be looking for higher margin lines in their drinks categories that do not drive store operating costs with low value volume.” The CH’I Drinks workshop is an independent New Zealand owned business and is represented in the New Zealand grocery trade by Niell Cropper & Co Ltd. n
COCA-COLA AMATIL NEW ZEALAND TO REPAY WAGE SUBSIDY
Coca-Cola Amatil has provided a market update to the ASX indicating a strong 2020 performance in New Zealand despite suffering a more than 30% drop in revenue over a four-week period due to the first COVID-19 lockdown. As a result, Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand (Amatil NZ) has confirmed it will pay back the $7.2M wage subsidy in full. “2020 was an extremely difficult year especially at the beginning of Q2. The wage subsidy came at a critical time and gave us the security to keep our people employed and paid in full,” said
Chris Litchfield, Managing Director of Amatil NZ. The once in a generation pandemic created unique challenges to Amatil’s staff and customers, with many customers closing during one or both lockdowns. “We want to thank our customers for their partnership in 2020 and also to our wonderful staff who rolled with the challenges and kept us going. “Their resilience has been inspirational. They are the reason we’re in a position to pay back the wage subsidy and keep our other commitments in 2020. n
The perfect low carb snack
Simply delicious, healthier choice snacking! JUST NATURAL PORK RIND – IN A READY TO EAT FAMILY PACK, OR READY FOR THE MICROWAVE, TO SAVOUR HOT! • Less than 1g of carb per serve • Over 70% protein • Gluten free • No preservatives • No artificial colours • No added MSG • Ideal for Keto and Atkins diets • Shelf ready tray of 8 units
Mr Hamphrey’s microwave oice! Pork Crackle – the healthier ch
For more information or to order contact your local Alliance Marketing representative or phone 09 263 9466, email pkenny@alliancemarketing.co.nz
Seltzer Gets Dirty
Garage Project have recently launched its new Dirty Water alcoholic seltzer. Brewed not blended with gluten free grain, real fruit and natural flavours. The new addition to its crafty line-up delivers a sparkling clean, alcoholic seltzer with only 90 calories and less than one gram of sugar per can. “I think seltzers are a coming together of lots of different strands that’s been going on in the craft brewing world for a while,” said cofounder Pete Gillespie. “People have been making clearer,
lighter beers, very dry beers with little or no residual sugar, and there’s the idea of being playful with fruit and additives and using different grains – seltzers are a meeting point of all those things going on periphery of beer.”
The ‘Zing’ Returns Next Level Snacking Mr Hamphrey’s Pork Crackle range takes simply delicious snacking to the next level! Here’s a snack that really packs a nutritional punch! Available in two convenient forms, microwave and ready to eat, it’s the perfect snack for so many occasions, home and away. Serve hot, fresh and crispy from the microwave, or from family sized pack if that’s easier. Mr Hamphrey’s Pork Crackle is made
using natural pork rind from pigs, just as you would create Pork Crackle on your Sunday roast – except now you don’t have to wait for Sunday! This tasty snack has over 70% protein, is gluten free, has no preservatives or artificial colours, zero sugar and no added MSG. Talk about ticking all the boxes and keeping it natural! Ideal for anyone on Keto or Atkin’s diets. Mr Hamphrey’s microwave Pork Crackle – the healthier choice!
L&P is kick starting 2021 with the return of its popular L&P Sour to Kiwi fridges this summer. L&P Sour is the Kiwi lemony classic with a twist, that offers a ‘zing’ to the tastebuds. The sour-yet-sweet limited edition flavour brings the classic taste of L&P, but with a mouth-watering sharpness. Originally released to claims of ‘sensational’ and ‘absolutely fantastic’ in 2013, and again in 2017, the team behind L&P thought summer 2021 is the perfect time to bring Sour back. As L&P’s most requested flavour, it is back by popular demand. “L&P is such a distinctive flavour, and with Sour, it’s about bringing that extra hit of sharp L&P lemon,” said Laura Knight, L&P senior brand manager. “No Kiwi summer is complete without a cold L&P, and this year we’ll be keeping many of our fans happy with the return of this popular flavour.”
Leap To It
Stay Cool This Summer Kiwi coffee-lovers are invited to cool down with ease this summer, courtesy of Nespresso’s new Barista Creations For Ice range. Inspired by the world’s finest baristas, Nespresso has spent the past five years tasting iconic iced recipes from around the world and learning what makes the ultimate iced coffee. Cold temperatures can completely transform the taste and aromas of coffee, so Nespresso has developed Barista Creations For Ice specifically for coffee to meet its match and reach its full potential when poured over ice, creating the perfect
summer beverage. “From cooler temperatures to specific coffee blends, our coffee experts have taken learnings from their travels to craft the ultimate iced coffee range, Barista Creations For Ice,” said Stefan Vermeulen, Nespresso New Zealand Country Manager. “The result is a coffee range that’s perfectly suited to making iced coffee creations at home during the summer months.” Whether you’re sipping it at
Almost Zero
the beach or impressing your friends with your newly found iced coffee skills before a BBQ, Barista Creations For Ice makes it easy to enjoy refreshing iced coffees at home. The Barista Creations For Ice range consists of two distinctive blends to choose from, each with a simple three-step recipe, meaning you can chill with your iced coffee in the summer sun in no time.
With less than 0.4% alcohol by volume*, the Almost Zero range of de-alcoholised wines offers wine consumers something they have been looking for – for the occasions when they want to be part of the party, but without consuming alcohol. The Almost Zero range of wines (Wonderful White, Ravishing Rose, and Radiant Red) looks like wine and tastes like wine but has less than 0.4% alcohol. The alcohol in one glass of standard wine is equivalent to 38 glasses of Almost Zero. Every glass has 75% less calories than normal wine, allowing you to be social to your heart’s content. This means that one entire bottle of Almost Zero has the same calories as just one glass of regular wine. Plus, there’s only 2.2g/100g of sugar and 4.2g/100g of carbohydrates in each bottle. And all the range is vegan! It’s the perfect, guilt-free wine! *compared with standard wines around 12% alcohol PAUL KENNY, Managing Director, Mob: +64 21 986 121 Ph: + 649 263 9466 Alliance Marketing 2014 Ltd. Unit 1, 4 Civil Place, Rosedale, Albany, Auckland NZ www.alliancemarketing.co.nz
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Introducing Blue Frog’s new Nut Lovers Range - these products are batch crafted to truly maximise the flavour of each ingredient. The brand’s intention here was to create a range with very broad flavour appeal while delivering on its brand uniqueness. Its recipe design has led to products that are truly snackable, and not just for breakfast. If that’s not enough, multiple blind tasting focus groups across the country unanimously rated both these products the best tasting in the current Premium Cereal Category. Containing 87% nuts and seeds, being gluten and grain free and also keto friendly and show casing the new packaging design, what is not to love! Contact sales@bluefrogbreakfast for more information.
Your Wish Has Been Granted
Tim Tam lovers can rejoice, for the wait is finally over, as Arnott’s launches four new flavours of the Tim Tam Crafted Collection, onto Kiwi shelves. The new season release of the much-loved Tim Tam Crafted Collection includes four NEW flavours sourced with premium ingredients carefully crafted to deliver a deliciously indulgent treat. In a nod to the Tim Tam’s original Aussie roots, the new range features ingredients sourced from some of the most iconic growing regions across the ditch, including: • Moreton Bay Raspberry & Dark Choc • Kensington Pride Mango & Cream • Murray River Salted Double Choc • Dimbulah Mountain Estate Coffee & Choc “After seeing how excited consumers have been for this new Tim Tam collection across the ditch, we are thrilled to be launching four new Crafted Collection flavours into New Zealand stores next week,” said Michelle Kitchen, Arnott’s Brand Manager.
Record Sales For Hi-Chew
Hi-Chew has introduced two new peg bags to its product line. One is a 90g Soda Pop mix, featuring Cola and Lemonade flavours. The second is a 90g Yoghurt Mix, with Plain, Strawberry, and Blueberry flavours. Hi-Chew has also updated the flavours in its 100g peg bag of Tropical Mix, which now features Mango, Pineapple, and Orange. “We had record sales in December,” said Terry Kawabe, Managing Director of Morinaga Asia Pacific Co., which distributes the famous Japanese chewy candy. “In New Zealand, where we’ve
been selling for years, sales have roughly tripled since 2017.” Hi-Chew is supporting retailers with an expanded marketing campaign on streaming TV channels as well as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The other Hi-Chew products in ANZ are sticks in Grape, Strawberry, Green Apple, and Mango, plus peg bags of Original Mix (100g Grape, Strawberry, Green Apple), and Sweet & Sour (90g Lemon, Grapefruit, Watermelon). “Hi-Chew has a proven inventory of nearly 200 flavours, and these new products have sold very well in other markets,” said Anthony King, Managing Director of Australian distributor Grocery Corporation. “Young buyers like to try new things, and creative products like these are exactly what they’re searching for.” For product samples or further info, contact, Tokyo Food Co., Ltd, Mark Whiteman, phone +64 9 570 5792, or email order_retail@ tokyofood.co.nz.
Rhino Run Range Shot Rhino Run organic wines are set to make a difference – to the health of wine drinkers, to the health of our planet, and also to endangered rhinos. In an increasingly healthconscious world, consumers are seeking cleaner, healthier wines, organic wines, noticing the difference in how they feel after drinking organic wines, with lower sulphites, and without harmful chemicals and pesticides. Rhino Run organic wines answer this call, delivering beautiful organically produced wines. The Rhino Run organic range
includes Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, each delivering a full-flavoured organic drinking experience. Rhino Run wines also contribute to Rhino conservation, through the Player Ntombela Foundation, working to reduce rhino poaching - with a donation made from each bottle sold. Rhino Run wines - making a difference – to the health of wine drinkers, our planet and the rhinos. For more information or to order contact your local Alliance Marketing representative.
Inspired By Ice Cream Enjoy a midsummer cooldown with new delicious KitKat bars. The team at KitKat has announced two cool new flavours that have joined the iconic chocolate range here in New Zealand – ice cream inspired Mint Choc Chip and Caramel Crisp. Chocolate lovers can treat themselves to a creamy and indulgent experience thanks to the most recent new additions. Available in the iconic KitKat block and 4-finger KitKat bar, the new range
is inspired by Kiwi’s favourite ice cream flavours. “If there are two things we know New Zealand loves, it’s the classic kiwi sun and the ice cream that comes with it. “It’s a match made in heaven. The fan favourite Mint Choc Chip and Caramel ice cream flavours with the classic KitKat bars will be the perfect creamy break to enjoy with friends and family,” said Nestlé Head of Marketing Confectionery Fraser Shrimpton.
Mission To Make First Foods Better
The much-loved baby food brand Little Bellies have launched their new Organic Baby Bowls in New Zealand, offering Kiwi babies a range of purees purposefully-designed to help little ones develop important spoon-feeding mechanics, aid developmental oral and motor skills as well as encourage mindful eating practices and behaviours. Bucking the trend of many other baby ‘wet food’ products (which are primarily in pouches), the new Bellies Baby Bowls range – are served up in a bowl format to support interactive spoon-feeding and make baby’s development priority number one. The new Organic Baby Bowls range features six variants, including pure-veg fruitfree options for parents who are seeking genuine veg-only for tiny tastebuds, as well as different combinations of fruit, veg and grains blends. Natural, certified organic and with no added sugar or salt, the six flavours help babies learn about new flavours, tastes and textures, making every mealtime a learning adventure. Baby Bellies Organic Baby Bowls are available now from Countdown and selected New World Stores across New Zealand, with an RRP of $2.50. For more information, please visit https://bellies.com.au. Or contact amelia@everybite.com.au. February 2021
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lunchbox The team at Nice & Natural like simple. That's why they call the bars they make, what they actually are. Nice & Natural. Their products are the perfect addition to any school or work lunchbox. Inspired by nature, the range has no added artificial colours or flavours.
e believe that when you’re on the go, you need convenient and great tasting snacks to give you the right fuel to get the most out of your day,” said Alice Green, Nice & Natural brand manager. “We’re seeing strong growth in Baked Bars*. These are a quick and tasty snack for on-the-go.” Recently the brand launched its
“We recognised the need to develop a product that has less packaging waste** as there is a growing awareness about the impact of packaging on the environment. None of the packaging for this product needs to go to landfill. Less waste in landfill is better for the planet.” 10
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new Nice & Natural Baked Oat Bars which have a home compostable film and recyclable cardboard tray, and no individual wrappers for a litter-free lunchbox! “We recognised the need to develop a product that has less packaging waste** as there is a growing awareness about the impact of packaging on the environment. None of the packaging for this product needs to go to landfill. Less waste in landfill is better for the planet.” The team are also excited to launch this product into the popular baked bar category, which is a new segment for Nice & Natural. These delicious bars contain real ingredients like wholegrain oats, dark choc chips, fruit and butter, which are batch-mixed and baked to perfection. Nice & Natural products have no artificial colours or flavours, and ingredients that are inspired by nature. In many of its bars, real chocolate is used which makes them taste delicious. “You will also find wholegrain oats in many of our oat-based bars, which are a great source of fibre. In 2018 we reduced the amount of sugar in our Nice & Natural Roasted Nut Bar range and now most bars have less than six grams of sugar per serve.” With many schools, daycares, and kindergartens now asking for kids
to have no litter in their lunchboxes as part of reducing waste, Nice & Natural have identified the need to cater to consumers looking for products that have lest packaging waste, and alternative packaging solutions. With its new Nice & Natural Baked Oat Bars having no individual wrappers, it makes it easier to have a litter-free lunchbox. “At Nice & Natural we have taken the first step towards more sustainable packaging solutions, however, we recognise that there is still much more work to do. We’re excited about the journey we’re on to make our packaging recyclable, reusable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025 or earlier. Our team are working hard to provide more sustainable solutions that suit our busy on the go lifestyles. As we find improvements these are being rolled out to our consumers. We are serious about doing our bit and we look forward to sharing more soon. Watch this space!” For more information contact 0800 426 423 or visit www.niceandnatural. co.nz. *IRI NZ Grocery MAT to 03/01/21. **60 percent less packaging when compared to Nice & Natural Roasted Nut Bar 192g. n
lunchbox All natural, freeze-dried snacks with probiotics, no added cane sugar and a plant-based option are some of the highlights of Kiwigarden’s new range. A small family business based in sunny Hawke’s Bay, Kiwigarden is best known for its yoghurt drops and freeze-dried fruit and vegetables.
aunching in supermarkets this month is its new range including a plant-based Vanilla Coconut Yoghurt Drops made with the delectable Raglan Coconut Yoghurt. A great addition to the lunchbox repertoire and a good pantry staple for a guilt-free, anytime kind of snack. The launch of this plant-based snack is one of five new snacks including the
incredibly popular Strawberry Yoghurt Drops and Mixed Berry Yoghurt Drops, which are now available in single serve pack sizes, featuring a new ‘No Added Sugar’ recipe and 15 million probiotic cultures per serve. New to the lunchbox is also the brand’s Carrot Cheesy Bites, a savoury take on yoghurt drops, using 100 percent NZ dairy, real vegetable and probiotics. The fast-melting yoghurt drops and cheesy bites are great for babies from eight months old. They are the perfect shape to encourage fine motor skills like the pincer grip. Parents too often confess to munching on these too, and why not? They are utterly delicious! Kiwigarden’s Crunchy Apple Slices were voted Best in Lunchbox by Healthy Food Guide Awards and a NZ Food Award finalist. The slices are now available in single packs. Kiwigarden uses a gentle process that locks in virtually all the goodness in
the ingredients they use, which results in a crunchy, delicious and fun snack without any nasties like artificial preservatives and additives. Founder and mum of three, Joanne Edwards said health continues to be a key consideration in developing new snacks. “We believe good health often starts with a healthy gut, and that’s why probiotics are a key ingredient in our snacks,” said Edwards. “We continue to innovate to adjust to changing consumer trends like the demand for plant-based diets.” Following a tumultuous year brought about by the global pandemic, Edwards said she couldn’t be more proud to be a Kiwi food producer. “The support we received from customers who backed New Zealand made was overwhelming. In turn, we continue to support other Kiwi growers and producers by sourcing most of our ingredients locally.” Get the best NZ made snacks
on your supermarket shelf today. Contact your local Plum Agencies representative or Dee on 021 116 8018, or email admin@plumagencies. co.nz. n
BETTER NZ MADE SNACKS
FOR KIWI KIDS
Probiotics for happy tummies No added cane sugar 100% natural ingredients Freeze-dried
www.kiwigarden.co.nz
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Globally, the opportunity to reduce sugar in children’s snack bars has been identified and aligns with consumers’ overall sugar reduction goals in snack foods.
inding snacking options for kids, particularly in the form of a fruit bar, with less than 5g-6g of sugar per bar, has been limited…until
now. Introducing improved Mother Earth Fruit Sticks with a slightly twisted recipe – with less than a teaspoon of sugar per bar*, without compromising on deliciousness. The brand’s yummy Fruit Sticks have been a lunchbox favourite for
years, so ensured that they still taste as delicious as always. The range consists of nine delicious flavours to enjoy, including two unique vege flavours – all in a fresh new packaging design. Mother Earth Baked Oaty Slices are a NZ-made family favourite and number one muesli bar brand in New Zealand. More than one million Baked Oaty Slices are baked each week in eleven different flavours. As well as giving consumers the
goodness of wholegrain oats and fibre, they also taste great. Baked Oaty Slices are made with minimal processing and contain no artificial colour or flavours – for the whole family to enjoy! For more information contact your Prolife Foods Account Manager on 0800 80 80 88 or visit www. motherearth.co.nz. *1 teaspoon = 4.2g (www.WHO.int). n
The little bite that’s become a big favourite Lovingly made in New Zealand with all the delicious goodness of oats, Baked Oaty Slices are more than a family favourite. They’re a Kiwi favourite.
MOTHEREARTH.CO.NZ Source: IRI MarketEdge TKA Grocery #1 ranked brand in Muesli bars category – Value $14,578,795 MAT ending 17/01/21.
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lunchbox Established in 1912, Sun-Maid is the world’s largest dried fruit plant. The brand has recently introduced a new range of Sour Raisin Snacks. Imagine the sweetness of golden raisins with the juiciness of other natural fruits, then add a little zing of sour. If it’s called a fruit snack it should be fruit, right? At least that’s what the team at Sun-Maid believe. Simply sweet and wonderfully sour, Sun-Maid Sour Raisin Snacks are whole golden raisins flavoured with other natural flavours.
aisins have many health benefits. They are a low-fat food and contribute to the daily intake of fibre, vitamins, and essential minerals. Antioxidant powerhouses, raisins provide only natural sugars. As nutritious as they are delicious,
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raisins make for a great healthy snack for kids by helping them reach the recommended five to nine daily servings of fruit. Raisins are simply dried grapes, with most raisins coming from the Thompson Seedless Grapes variety. Due to the dehydration that takes place in dried fruits, raisins have more concentrated nutrition levels than grapes, making them a natural, nutritious, easy and better for you snack for kids and adults alike. Sun-Maid Sours are unique with a sweet and sour taste made of actual fruit with no added sugar, no artificial flavours and no artificial colours. They’re fruit snacks the way nature intended. Available in four flavours including Strawberry, Watermelon,
Mixed Berry and Grape. Besides being a tasty and better for you snack all on their own, raisins are a welcome addition to many recipes. Due to their natural sugars, raisins are a useful component in delicious breakfast ideas, like sprinkling over granola or adding to fruit salads. Raisins are also a popular item in healthy snack and dessert recipes. No matter if you’re eating them on the go, as a better for you snack at work or school, raisins truly are an incredibly versatile dried fruit. SunMaid is committed to producing more healthy lunchbox products, so watch this space for more innovative launches. For more information contact your local William-Aitken representative. n
lunchbox Farmland Foods started in a family butcher shop in 1964, a proud New Zealand family-owned business by the Davis family and now three generations later, is one of New Zealand’s leading smallgoods producers. Still passionately family run in Bulls in the Rangitikei district, Farmland Foods employs over 120 local staff and has invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing and equipment to produce quality meats. From humble beginnings to today and beyond, Farmland Foods has always been committed to quality and innovation and are proud of their heritage and the way they do things with the utmost love, care and attention. ts premium Just Cut range has six flavour variants of prime sliced deli meats, Hot Pork, Glazed Ham, Roast Beef, Pastrami, Hot Beef and Corned Silverside. The range isn’t just for sandwiches either, it lends itself to pizzas, pasta and entertaining platters which is perfect for the Summer months. Last year, hot on the heels of an increased demands for pre-packaged meats, particularly over lockdowns, Farmland Foods launched its new LUNCH CLUB range of sliced ham. Developed to provide a wider range of flavours in the pre-packed ham category, currently worth $52.77 million and growing at 26.4% (IRI Total NZ Grocery MAT data to 03/01/21), Brand Manager Steven Young said the last year has been a busy time for the brand introducing new and exciting flavours and seeing record sales. “During the first lockdown we saw a huge demand spike for this type of product and with extra shifts and willing staff, we were able to maintain our supply in all stores stocking our pre-packaged lines. With many retailers being ‘customer-led’, we as producers have to be able to provide options for them to meet those needs”. With Farmland’s LUNCH CLUB 2.0 Range being all ham based, it brings new flavours to the largest pre-packed category and adds excitement to these summer and back-to-school months with its typical seasonal demand. From the ever-popular Champagne Ham to more exotic flavours including Maple Ham and both Bell Pepper and Cracked Pepper Ham, the range will be sure to please your taste buds, with real flavour dispersed throughout the meat, not just around the slice. “Flavours were developed to bring real taste and a point of difference to the category”, points out Young. “Whilst making sure they are appealing to a wide range of taste buds including kids.” To ensure alignment with Farmland’s ongoing commitment to sustainability this range comes in trays produced using 100% NZ recycled #1 RPET plastic sourced from NZ manufacturers. Customers will notice clear recycling Instructions added to the pack. This builds on the changes
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made to Country Pride Ham & Chicken Luncheon, and Shaved Ham 200g along with the Just Cut 100g range last year. The recyclable trays will be diverting well over a million packets per year from landfill, making a true step towards a circular economy in our country where resources can be used again and again, “we’re proud to be the first smallgoods company in New Zealand to use NZ sourced recycled #1 RPET plastic, putting our stamp on creating a sustainable future for NZ,” said Young. Farmland Foods Country Pride 200g range will bring back fond
memories for many who loved a Luncheon sandwich as a kid, created from a closely guarded family recipe, using real ham and chicken, blended to deliver a superior taste and texture and sliced for convenience…just like it used to be. Along with the sliced Luncheon there is also Shaved Leg Ham 200g, both giving customers an affordable option for filling the kids’ lunchboxes. For the last few years Farmland Foods have been proud supporters of Eat My Lunch, and now also supply sliced & shaved meats for the government initiative for lunches in schools which helps provide 220,000
lunches to NZ children in need to enable them to learn more effectively every day. In addition to this Farmland Foods have always donated locally through the likes of Just Zilch and the Whanganui City Mission, now they have partnered with NZ Food Network to help provide kiwi families in need across communities all around the country. To secure allocations for these product ranges please contact your local Farmland representative or email sales@flf.nz. n
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HOW BUSINESSES WITH FIELD TEAMS CAN SUCCEED POST COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated the need to make the transition to digital platforms and focus on specific areas of business.
O
rganisations with field teams can implement a nimble solution to ensure business continuity. It’s fair to say that the pandemic turned the consumer market on its head. The impact of COVID-19 has seen the rate of switching to online shopping increase more than ever before. There has been a significant rise in the implementation of B2B eCommerce platforms. What this has meant for organisations with field teams, is a need to transition their business processes with a focus on
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having a digitized order entry platform and accurate activity-based reporting. Recent research shows that 50% of businesses in NZ and Australia are facing declines in revenue. And while nearly half of the businesses made changes to meet the effect of COVID-19 , the changes made were said to be insufficient for the future. Any move to a digital platform must deliver improvements in the speed, efficiency, and effectiveness of client service. In making a move to a digital platform one should look for benefits such as increases in productivity, faster reporting, more accurate and timely data collection, ease of use and a simple onboarding process. Overall a digital solution must enable field reps to focus more on client relationships whilst giving home base real-time reporting and data collection that improves decision making. This ultimately increases sales revenues. It is a trap to believe that some of the strong increases in retail spending we have seen recently represent an ongoing change that negates the need
to change current operational methods and habits. This so-called ‘Revenge Shopping’, seen during New Zealand’s holiday period is not sustainable. The expansion of changing demands has only increased the need for businesses to evaluate the benefits of transitioning to a platform that provides real time data. A specialist solution such as Opmetrix CRM provides all functionality needed to optimize a distribution business’ field team through CRM, including the benefits of automated administration processes and integration with their accounting system. Because Opmetrix CRM is specifically designed to support field teams within the wholesale distribution and manufacturing channels, you can be certain that this platform is the perfect solution to meet the needs within these changing markets. Opmetrix also provides features for B2B eCommerce and multi-brand reporting. In making an investment in a Customer Relationship Management solution, a business will increase its level of professionalism and exceed the rising expectations of key executives. Opmetrix CRM will also enable the field team to deliver a best-in-class service to customers thus raising the bar in terms of representation standards. It is easy to arrange a presentation and witness for yourself how simple it is to make an inevitable change that’s driven by consumer behaviour. Making the right decision to transform your business with a digital platform will pay big dividends to ensure future success. n
The Food & Grocery Council has designated 2021 as the Year of the Merchandiser, when we will be celebrating the frontline workers who were so key to the success of keeping New Zealanders fed and sustained during the challenging COVID-19 lockdowns and beyond.
Katherine Rich
Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council
erchandisers have been described by some as “The Silent Sales People” of retail – important team members who get up in the wee small hours to help supermarkets and suppliers make sure products are on the shelves at the right time to satisfy shoppers’ requirements and, of course, sell more product. To others they are “shelf stackers,” but those in the know are aware their role and potential impact is so much more than that. I believe the all-round skills needed better suit the sales description. Last year, merchandisers showed their strength as the grocery front line. We should all remember that in the early stages of the outbreak there was good reason for real and genuine fear, and despite this merchandisers continued to serve their companies, their stores and their fellow citizens. This year we will celebrate merchandisers who, day after day, rain or shine, pandemic or not, do a great job. In doing this it will be a year-long thank-you. For this reason we are asking all parts of the grocery sector to help us do this. How? It’s easy-peasy:
by taking a quick photo of the merchandiser extraordinaire, tapping out a few quick sentences about why she or he is doing a fantastic job, and sending it to me at Katherine.rich@ fgc.org.nz We will then share these short tributes through our social media pages, newsletters, and this column in Supermarket News. We want to use this year to say thank-you. In 2021 Year of the Merchandiser, we also want to improve the treatment of merchandisers in all stores. As you know from previous articles I’ve written about the treatment of our frontline stars, there is a wide range of working environments and cultures within stores throughout New Zealand, on the scale from professional and positive to negative, unpleasant and, in some cases, even unsafe. Over the years, members have recounted incidents about the poor treatment of some merchandisers that make me shake my head. At times, when FGC has heard about poor treatment that has not been solved at store level by the company, we have
raised it directly to seek a solution, though with mixed success. Of course, problems of bullying and other sorts of poor behaviour in the workplace are best solved through raising issues at the time or with the merchandiser’s company to get swift action. However, we all know many merchandisers don’t feel they’re in a position always to do this, and in many cases they let some behaviours pass, having been given the impression that rude and disrespectful behaviour is par for the course in the grocery sector. Well, it isn’t. And being 2021, not any more. Merchandising resource in a store is an offered benefit to supermarkets and not a right or expectation. It seems to me some have forgotten this and treat merchandisers as their own staff. Merchandisers are professionals and they help stores with maintaining excellent offerings to shoppers. Without them last year who knows how things would have gone. As one of FGC’s merchandising agency members put it, the last 50 metres is the hardest part of the supply chain, and has been shown to be the most expensive for retailers. For that reason, the job merchandisers do as a service to retailers should be applauded and valued. So, if you’re reading this, how about thanking someone you know who is a key part of our industry, by letting FGC know about their great contribution. n
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LOCAL CHILLED PACKAGING SOLUTIONS
The economic and environmental cost of Polystyrene/EPS is enormous. Producers, wholesalers, retailers, households, and customers are demanding a better solution for the packaging and transport of perishable products.
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hilltainers are the future, reducing polystyrene pollution and cool chain costs. Chilltainers were developed in New Zealand to replace polystyrene/ EPS for transporting perishable products and are made from specialised corrugated cardboard laminated with an impermeable reflective metallised polyester.
A LOCAL SOLUTION Chilltainers allow you to enjoy the convenience of kerbside recycling and the thermal performance of Polystyrene/EPS without the environmental cost, truly making them the coolest thermal packaging around. So cool that beloved and trendy Kiwi brands like Lewis Road Creamery have chosen Chilltainers for their packaging needs. Chilltainers’ challenge was to supply Lewis Road with a cool packaging solution for small product deliveries around New Zealand – and not just cool in temperature. It had to meet the Lewis Road standards of presentation and quality as well as keep the product at an optimum 9-10 degrees. Having made the change to 100% recycled milk bottles, Lewis Road had been investigating more sustainable
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practices right across the supply chain. “We were looking for an environmentally friendly option that would keep the product chilled but look great at the same time. It made no sense to be using 100% recyclable bottles but to be sending them out in poly bins,” explained Emily Syme, New Product Development and Marketing Assistant at Lewis Road. Every week Lewis Road sends product to individual customers; as thank you gifts, product samples and new launch promotions. With product being sent nation-wide, Chilltainers had to ensure it would arrive in perfect condition regardless of destination. Lewis Road has exacting standards when it comes to presentation of product so retaining a premium look and feel to their packaging was nonnegotiable. “The purpose, look and feel of the packaging in our customer’s hands must reflect our core values of care, quality and sustainability. Chilltainers tick those boxes,” commented Syme. “When you receive our products in a beautifully packaged Chilltainer, we’re saying that we care about you and the world we live in.” Being a local packaging solution also fitted with Lewis Road’s core values, the company looks to support fellow Kiwi businesses where possible.
“Chilltainers are right here, know our local challenges and working conditions, and they’re so easy to deal with.”
GOING THE DISTANCE New Zealand faces huge distances to market for its famously clean and green products. The 100% pure reputation is crucial to Kiwi exporters and the very best performance in thermal efficiency is critical. These businesses demand solutions that perform at the highest level and most importantly, don’t cost the earth. Airline approved, non-leak Chilltainers mean direct shipping from producer to retailer which means no repacking, saving time and money. Chilltainers slimline profile also means you can fit more product in each box and more boxes in each transport container. Chilltainers have helped Kiwi businesses with international growth by ensuring their products arrive at their destination in perfect condition. They were part of the buzz around the premium Ōra King brand which helped the value of salmon exports to the USA double in just one year, growth that the New Zealand King Salmon team attribute largely to the
success of their Ōra King strategy which included branded Chilltainers packaging.
CUSTOMISED FOR YOUR INDUSTRY From seafood to dairy food, home delivered meals to pharmaceuticals, if it’s perishable and needs chilled transport, Chilltainers is the smart choice. Customising Chilltainers is as easy as customising a cardboard box, the possibilities are endless. Whether they are 1-piece, 2-piece, self-locking or glued, Chilltainers provide a durable, thermally efficient and attractive option for chilled packaging. Whatever your thermal packaging needs, Chilltainers has the coolest solution for your business that is sustainable, recyclable, cost-effective and eliminates toxic waste and disposal costs. If you would like to see what Chilltainers can do to solve your chilled packaging problems, talk to them today, visit www.cilltainers.com/nz n
Cool Packaging Saving the Earth
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Small changes and big sustainability gains for Kiwi companies
NZ distribution centres dispatch thousands of pallets each day with a huge range of products wrapped in plastic to prevent costly damage during transport. This plastic is not always applied correctly however, and the unnecessary waste can be considerable. One company is using innovative film and expert analytics to deliver the goods for the sustainability targets of their clients.
MATT GODDIN
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he increasing focus on plastic consumption and preventable waste means sustainability targets are no longer easy to ignore – and nor should they be. Many New Zealand companies are now recognising that these targets are helpful not just for reducing waste but also for lowering costs and increasing performance. Universal Packaging is helping these businesses achieve their sustainability goals with every pallet wrapped and sent.
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The company, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, believes much of the success in recent years comes down to judicious scoping and testing, and their high-quality wrap products. Their wrap delivers the greatest load containment at the best price per pallet, for the lowest environmental impact. NanoWrap is one of these products. While thinner than other stretch film, load stability is higher and it provides incredible performance standards in load containment and puncture resistance while reducing waste and minimising potential landfill. “These centres will save around 50 grams on every pallet… in a year they’ll save the equivalent of 217,000 plastic shopping bags.” When one metre of NanoWrap is stretched to four metres of wrap, up to 35% less product per pallet is required. It’s a strength that’s helping a growing number of Kiwi companies make big sustainability gains. “An average HDPE plastic bag, what used to be the standard supermarket plastic bag, weighs about
6 grams,” said Matt Goddin from Universal Packaging. “Now take into account that a distribution centre may wrap 100 pallets each working day. If they move from the old-fashioned blown type of stretch film to NanoWrap these
centres will save around 50 grams on every pallet. In a year they’ll save the equivalent of 217,000 shopping bags.” Often the first step in improving sustainability is to look at the equipment being used. “Many facilities apply too much film at incorrect stretch settings, creating a load that is over-wrapped and with poor load containment,” said Goddin. “With correctly scoped equipment we can quickly improve film application consistency, speed up the wrapping process and actually reduce plastic use.” Such incremental changes made a big difference at Foodstuffs, allowing their DC network to win some effective sustainability gains. “We looked for a product that would minimise waste while reducing overall cost,” said Peter van der Steen, Foodstuffs supply chain engineering manager. “NanoWrap is much stronger and more cost-effective.” “We then made a basic modification to the film carriages on our wrapping machines to utilise NanoWrap at a higher pre-stretch. As a result, we have seen a total reduction of 105 tonnes of plastic wrap annually across all of our distribution centres nationwide.” n
No more ‘more or less’ estimating. Far more ‘more with less’ packaging.
Only with the right testing, analysis and reporting can you confidently wrap pallets for shipping with minimal plastic, minimal cost and maximum product protection. We take pride in our expert ability to assess and recommend the exact right equipment, products and processes for freight protection.
It’s how we help Kiwi companies of all shapes and sizes ship a huge range of goods, be it with dependable hand-wrapping, efficient semi-automation or cutting-edge fully automated systems. It’s why we rigorously test within the pallet and look beyond the pack to ensure everything is wrapped tight and sent secure.
It’s what you need to do more with less. Less plastic waste, less health and safety risk, less cost per pallet and far less shipping damage and expensive product returns. More pallets shipped with more consistency, more efficiency and more for the bottom line. For a free on-site consultation or remote wrap audit call 0800 700 000 or email sales@universalpackaging.co.nz.
0800 700 000 | www.universalpackaging.co.nz
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PREMIUM PACKAGING FOR PREMIUM QUALITY
Having started out as a family butcher shop in 1964, Farmland Foods has continued to be a proudly New Zealand family-owned business. Three generations later, the business is now one of New Zealand’s leading smallgoods producers and still passionately run by the Davis family in Bulls in the Rangitikei district.
F
armland Foods employs over 120 local staff and has invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing and equipment to produce quality meats. From humble beginnings to today and beyond, the company has always been committed to quality and innovation and always proud of its heritage and the way they do things with the utmost love, care and attention. With consumer demand growing for environmentally sustainable products and packaging, and plastic being a hot topic, creating a circular economy is high on the list of priorities for the brand to help save our planet. “Consumer demand for environmentally sustainable products and packaging is growing rapidly,” said Steven Young, brand manager at Farmland Foods. “Farmland Foods
recently introduced new recyclable trays made from NZ recycled number one plastic, diverting over a million packets per year from landfill, making a true step towards a circular economy in our country, where resources can be used again and again. Farmland Foods plans to expand the use of NZ number one rPET to its other pre-packaged meats range in the coming future. Supporting New Zealand’s economic and environmental performance has always been at the forefront for the brand and the decision to work with Flight Plastics came about after the team saw most of NZ’s number one PET available on the market being imported material. Some of them virgin material, some of them recycled in other countries, but most of them are an addition to New Zealand’s
imported plastic volumes. “We knew we had to do our part in saving the need for more imports, more carbon and more freight. It’s great to know that Kiwis will now know that their recycling efforts have a local use and most importantly supporting New Zealand’s economic and environmental performance.” According to Young, the decision to partner with Flight Plastics was a no-brainer. Flight Plastics is the only company in New Zealand to have a built-in integrated rPET processing plant where they actively capture NZ waste stream plastic from kerbside collection, reprocessing it through its wash plant and transforming it into food grade material. As soft plastic recycling is not currently widespread throughout
New Zealand, this limits the ability to recycle the packaging in its entirety. Improvements in recycling infrastructure will significantly improve this and ensure recycled material is food grade is of utmost importance. Packaging design is also a key priority for the business. It is the only brand of bacon in New Zealand that is packaged in a box. “We focus on premium looking packaging which represents the premium quality of our products. All of our product packaging is designed by our very own in-house industrial designer and marketing team where factors such as portability, appeal, portion sizing and convenience for the customer are major factors in our design process.” For the last few years Farmland Foods have been proud supporters of Eat My Lunch, and now also supply sliced & shaved meats for the government initiative for lunches in schools which helps provide 220,000 lunches to NZ children in need to enable them to learn more effectively every day. In addition to this Farmland Foods have always donated locally through the likes of Just Zilch and the Whanganui City Mission, now they have partnered with NZ Food Network to help provide kiwi families in need across communities all around the country. Visit www.nzfoodnetwork.org.nz/s/ about-us?language=en_US For more information contact 0800 806 328 or visit www.farmlandfoods.nz. n
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NEW from
ECP
OneNest OneNest trays are widely used for the storage and distribution of a large range of food products.
FEATURES
Reusable OneNest trays provide an economical
Recessed areas for barcode or labels
and environmental alternative to disposable packaging. Trays are manufactured in
Insert area for print or moulded logos Standard and optional colours for both body and stacking bars
Stock ticket holders
tough, food-grade material to comply with
Textured on all four sides for easy removal of adhesive labels
industry standards and provide many years of
Operational temperature range from -30°C to +85°C
continuous service. They are 100% recyclable at the end of their long lives.
Maximum load on bottom container of 165kg (80kg for half tray) Two half trays stack side-by-side on 600x400mm models The flat tray has two stacked heights (the lower height is ideal for delicate produce which would be crushed if filled to the maximum loaded height).
OneNest compliments our existing range of compostable bin, crate and tray liners. THE RANGE
HALF TRAY
FLAT TRAY
SHALLOW TRAY
STANDARD TRAY
DEEP TRAY
two stack side-by-side on 600 x 400mm trays
with two stacked heights
shallow tray for smaller loads
the industry standard produce tray
deep tray for larger loads
OneNest model
Half
Flat
Shallow
Standard
Deep
Reference
ON-43180
ON-64106
ON-64166
ON-64190
ON-64250
External dimensions (mm)
400x300x180
600x300x106
600x400x166
600x400x197
600x400x252
Internal dimensions at base (mm)
360x260x139
554x350x80
559x350x143
547x348x171
549x349x226
Volume when stacked
14.5 litres
16 & 10 litres
28 litres
34.9 litres
46.2 litres
Weight
1 kg
1.1 kg
1.5 kg
1.62 kg
2 kg
Max load on bottom tray
80 kg
162 kg
162 kg (tbc)
162 kg
162 kg
Volume saved when nested
70%
62%
76% (tbc)
77%
75%
visit ecpcompostables.co.nz | 09 480 4632 | john@ecpltd.co.nz
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INVEST IN THE BEST There is no doubt that sustainability and waste-reduction is top of mind for most businesses, particularly for the grocery industry. But dealing with waste and recycling can be quite a headache and Kiwi businesses are looking to be smarter about the way in which they manage and dispose of waste.
T
his, combined with wanting to become more environmentally conscious, means it comes as no surprise that companies are looking to invest in the best waste management products available to help them achieve their sustainability goals. Known for having some of the best commercial waste management products in the market, with solutions that are suitable across all sectors, Pioneer Group should be top of your list. Pioneer Group (since 1965) is a New Zealand family owned and operated, waste and recycling equipment business, located in Whangarei. The team have been supplying top quality New Zealand made and imported machinery for recycling and waste handling for the past 20 years. It is Pioneer’s mission to help preserve our clean environment by helping businesses in New Zealand recycle and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. In addition to its range of balers and compacting machinery, Pioneer Group also sells bins, recycling stations, shredders, glass crushers, magnetic separators, conveyors and sort lines, and other speciality machinery. High quality steel bins for the waste industry are also fabricated on-site in Whangarei. Pioneer’s business model is based around helping businesses both large and small to reduce, reuse, and recycle. While the vertical balers are
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always popular, particularly the High Density HSM Cardboard Balers, it’s the industrial sized horizontal balers and Auger compactors that are seeing an increase in demand to meet the needs of larger businesses that generate excessive volumes of cardboard. It isn’t all about the machinery though, Pioneer provides businesses professional advice and consultation to help them achieve their waste and recycling goals. Prior to joining the team at Pioneer Group, Key Account Manager Dave Morello worked in the Waste Services industry for over six years helping some of NZ’s largest businesses manage their waste related needs, with a focus on sustainability. Morello’s passion is driving innovative, sustainable waste reduction initiatives. Helping businesses minimise their waste footprint and reduce costs is all part of the service he provides. “When it comes to sustainability, the team at Pioneer are incredibly active and knowledgeable in providing New Zealand businesses with the opportunity to repurpose their existing cardboard waste,” said Arne Strachan, Owner and Managing Director for Pioneer Group. “Our HSM Profipack Voidfill cardboard shredders are definitely a winner. Customers can now repurpose their existing cardboard waste into 100 percent sustainable cardboard voidfill,” said Strachan. “We truly take the stress
DAVE MORELLO, KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER
out of waste management for you by providing the most effective solutions available. Whatever your needs are, we guarantee that you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for at Pioneer Group — don’t hesitate to invest in our wide range of waste management products online today, to make your waste management processes environmentally safe and efficient!” Pioneer Group have recently opened an Auckland office and are planning to extend that offering into an additional warehouse and demonstration facility. Looking forward, Pioneer hopes to expand its commercial waste and recycling consultation services and upscale its
bin steel fabrication capabilities. Should you require any more information about Pioneer’s extensive range of products, don’t hesitate to give Dave Morello a call on 021310821 or email dave@pioneergroup.co.nz Alternatively, call 0508 474 663 or email sales@pioneergroup.co.nz. A member of the Pioneer team will get back to you in no time. n
Give us a call on 0508 474 663
Innovation Engineered for a Circular Economy
SUPPLIERS OF WASTE & RECYCLING EQUIPMENT High Density Cardboard and Plastic Balers
FREEPHONE
0508 474 663
sales@pioneergroup.co.nz | www.pioneergroup.co.nz
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HELPING NEW ZEALANDERS REDUCE REUSE AND RECYCLE THEIR SOFT PLASTIC PACKAGING The Packaging Forum’s Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme is now in its 6th year and is a great example of industry taking ownership of its packaging from design through to disposal.
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oft plastic recycling started in Auckland with seed funding from the Waste Minimisation Fund and the initial support of Cottonsoft, Goodman Fielder, Simplot, James Crisp, Kimberly-Clark, Countdown, Foodstuffs and The Warehouse. Today the scheme is 100% funded by over 100 companies which is a 60% rise in membership over the past 12 months. Approximately 75% of the post-consumer soft plastic packaging market is covered by the scheme. Members’ levies fund collections from stores, quality checks, baling, transport to end markets, and pay an agreed rate per tonne to cover the processing costs. This is different from the traditional model where the processor pays the collector/recycler for the materials.
REDUCING PLASTIC CONSUMPTION
In July 2019, single use plastic
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carrier bags were banned in New Zealand which removed around 6500 Tonnes of soft plastic materials from circulation. Supermarkets and Brands now offer “unwrapped” fruit and vegetables to reduce plastic bag consumption with customers encouraged to bring reusable bags instead. Paper packaging is also being used as a replacement for plastic for example, EarthSmart toilet paper is now in a recyclable paper pack. The average weight per soft plastic bag / wrapper has also reduced by 5% since 2019. (Source Waste Not Consulting Branded Soft Plastic audit March 2020)
RECYCLING SOFT PLASTICS Every New Zealander consumes around 1kg of soft plastic packaging per annum. From this month a soft plastic collection service is available to almost 70% of the population. Consumers drop off their soft plastic (https://www.recycling.kiwi.nz/ store-locator) to be turned into fence posts, garden boxes, cable covers and garden edging at two New Zealand processors Future Post and Second Life Plastics.
168 tonnes of post-consumer soft plastic was processed in 2020. To put that in perspective its around 28 million individual plastic bags or enough to fill two Olympic sized swimming pools. To increase awareness, many scheme members are putting the “recycle at store” label on their packaging. In December 2020, The Packaging Forum signed an agreement with the Australian Packaging Covenant (APCO) which integrates the New Zealand Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme within the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL). The Scheme was accredited in 2018 for seven years by the Government as a Voluntary Product Stewardship Scheme and reports annually to the Ministry for the Environment on its performance. With plastic packaging now a Priority Product, if your organisation is not already a member, now is a good time to join! n
soft plastic recycling scheme
100%
not a member? NOW’S THE TIME TO JOIN A WINNING TEAM!
FUNDED BY INDUSTRY
OVER
100 MEMBERS
67%
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NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE ACCESS TO SOFT PLASTIC RECYCLING
170
TONNES DROPPED OFF FOR RECYCLING IN 2020
MILLION BAGS RECYCLED IN 2020
75%
BRANDS USING SOFT PLASTIC ARE ALREADY MEMBERS
Be part of the team! visit recycling.kiwi.nz/soft-plastics
100% RECYCLED IN
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BATTLING FOOD WASTE ONE SLICE AT A TIME What Do You Get When a Chef, a Brewer, a Baker, and an Innovator Collaborate to Combat Food Waste?
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itizen is a new kind of food and drink producer. Set up by a group of passionate foodies, the heart of Citizen Collective is in rescuing surplus food and re-working it into delicious, lowimpact food and drink. Ben Bayly from Ahi and The Grounds restaurants, Mike Sutherland from Sawmill Brewery, Andrew Fearnside from Wild Wheat, along with food innovator Donald Shepherd, were keen to do things a little differently and bring a positive change to the food industry. “We established Citizen to reduce the amount of surplus food going to waste,” explained Bayly. A third of all food produced around the world is wasted every year. In New Zealand, Kiwis throw away almost 160,000 tonnes of food a year, that is the equivalent to 271 jumbo jets, food that must go somewhere to rot instead of being eaten, and all that food is worth about $1.17 billion each year.
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“At Citizen we give food a second life in a sustainable way. We’re as serious about tackling food and resource waste as we are about good food and drink.” So, Citizen applied this thinking to New Zealand’s most wasted food item – bread. The Citizen collective rescues fresh bread, close to its best before date, and uses it as a key ingredient in its craft beers. Citizen Co-Founder Donald Shepherd explained that every can of Citizen beer uses the fermentable starches from surplus bread, bread that would otherwise have gone to waste or to low-value stock feed. Slice by slice, it quickly adds up. In fact, for every brew Citizen puts down, it rescues 280 loaves. They even upcycle the plastic bread bags and tags into fence posts thanks to Future Post. “It’s not every day you get to create a tasty craft beer and fight food waste in the process,” noted Sutherland. “Brewing with bread was a challenge. It’s taken us a few months to create Citizen’s distinct and unique flavour. We use one-quarter less virgin malted barley, which in turn saves energy, water and carbon emissions.” But Citizen’s sustainability efforts don’t stop there. The beer brewing process produces a by-product, or mash, and Citizen has developed a specialised re-graining process, turning it into a high-quality, nutritious spent-grain flour, and in turn using this to bake bread again, completing Citizen’s ‘bread into beer into bread’ circular solution to food going to waste. There is much
happening at Citizen to keep them busy, aside from helping rebuild a broken food system from the ground up. The collective is committed to running a low impact business, focusing on hitting net zero emissions by next year and Citizen’s brew partners, Sawmill Brewery, are New Zealand’s only Certified B Corp brewers, which means they achieve the highest environmental and social standards. “We’re committed to running our business as sustainably as possible, we’re measuring our impact and continuously looking for new ways to improve. And behind the scenes working on more awesome food and drinks. We like to think it’s the world’s tastiest food revolution,” said Shepherd. Discover more on Instagram @ heycitizens, or visit www.citizen.co.nz To order, simply email Piccadilly on sales@piccadilly.co.nz, or call on 09 972 0018. n
reducereuserecycle DRAMATICALLY REDUCE WASTE
MIL-TEK NZ is part of a global network of partners providing a unique range of compacting solutions for various waste streams throughout all industries. Manufactured in Denmark, Mil-tek’s unique range of air-powered compactors allow the user to compact waste at source within any work environment. Reducing handling, space, volume and cost. Customers choose Mil-tek balers for many reasons; to cut waste handling costs, to improve internal logistics, to save space, to improve the environment – or even when it comes to kitchen waste, to improve the hygienic environment. Many supermarkets currently bale cardboard and plastic, although not many compact general waste. General waste disposal costs will continue to rise however, Mil-tek’s varied compacting solutions
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dramatically reduces the number of skip and bins empties immediately. The quality of both its product range and after-sales service is the main point of differentiation in New Zealand. This is the main reason why Mil-tek serves more customers across a varying number of industries than anyone else when it comes to balers and waste compactors taking pride in matching the right waste solution, its financial impact and operational serviceability for each customer. Mil-tek’s NEW Infinity range of colour-coded continuous bags also offers further benefits in containment and separation of recyclables to help lean the waste handling and management process, especially when combined with Mil-tek balers and compactors. Start reducing your environmental impact contact, 0508 MILTEK (645835) or orders@miltek.co.nz.
“HEY FRUJU – WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE?”
IN 2010 NICE BLOCKS set out to make New Zealand’s first ethical ice block, which included a search for eco-friendly packaging. “In the early days we jumped right in and used the most eco-friendly solution we could find, which was basically cellophane. Little did we know it was so biodegradable it would break down in the freezer, which was not ideal,” said operations manager Christian Holden. Over the next decade Nice Blocks learned a lot about how to wrap an ethical ice block and tried everything they could get their hands on. “We tried different laminates of paper, plastic, cellophane but all were compromised in some way which meant they could not be recycled and would always end up in landfill,” said Holden. After a lot of research and fruitless digging, it looked like Nice Blocks
would be stuck without a truly eco-option – until now. Thanks to a long-time packaging supplier Accolade Packaging, the discovery of a manufacturer willing to supply Nice Blocks a plant based home and industrial compost certified PBS film, means Aotearoa’s favourite ethical ice blocks are now fully sustainable. “We chose the compostable route for our Nice Blocks because these icy treats are consumed widely throughout our motu and often there’s no easy access to suitable recycling waste streams – but you can build a good compost almost anywhere. Compostable materials are a very small part of the massive challenge in front of us though, when it comes to how we create and deal with waste on this planet.” And Nice Blocks would love other producers to meet this challenge too, in particular Aotearoa’s largest – and now internationally-owned ice block maker. “Our home and industrial rated compostable wrap works out slightly cheaper than our old BOPP soft plastic – and we can still use our existing equipment. Hey Fruju what’s your excuse?” To show off their innovative new packaging Nice Blocks have updated their whole range and have even added a few new flavours like refreshing Green Apple with a touch of Elderflower, and fun and fruity Tropical. Nice Blocks’ new kid friendly Naked Blocks take it a step further, offering ice blocks packed and separated in a special box that remove the need for a wrapper at all.
MORRISON RECOGNISED IN NEW YEAR’S HONOURS
ALL GOOD and Karma Drinks co-founder Chris Morrison was recognised in the NZ New Year’s Honours List for services to Sustainable Business and Fairtrade. Morrison’s first taste of eco-entrepreneurship came when he went to work in a health food store in Canada in the early 1980s and started making his own organic dog food. “I didn’t have a business background and I didn’t go to university,” he explained. “But I realised you didn’t have to work for somebody else. All you needed was an idea that was good enough to be passionate about and work hard for.”
Buying a ginger beer bug 30 years ago, Chris started out brewing ginger beer at home and from small beginnings grew one of the Southern Hemispheres most successful organic drinks brands, Phoenix Organics. Since selling Phoenix in 2005, Chris has maintained his footing clearly in the sustainability space. He has invested in a number of ethical business start-ups and was the founding Chair of the Sustainable Business Network as well as the Chairman of organic certifier, BioGro. He is now Chairman of Organics Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2010 Chris considered his next challenge. Along with Matt Morrison and Simon Coley, they hit upon the idea of combining their talents and enthusiasms in a new company — All Good. They set out to disrupt another of the largest and most ethically challenged product sectors on the planet — the banana market. They pioneered the Fairtrade Banana category in New Zealand 11 years ago and went on to form Karma Drinks. Karma Drinks was established to support the cola nut growers in Sierra Leone. Money from every one of the great tasting dogooding Karma Drinks range sold goes back to these villages in Sierra Leone, through the Karma Cola Foundation, which has provided scholarships for 135 girls to go to school, funded 6 teachers, provided training in leadership and business, supported ecotourism projects, established a social health fund, plus built rice processors, bridges, community guest houses and meeting places.
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