SupermarketNews // June 2017

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June 2017 • Vol. 10 No. 6

20 MINUTES WITH . . . Deva Dhar - General Manager NZ - Blackmores (See page 9)

editorialcomment RETAILERS CAN’T BE FREE FROM FREE-FROM Sarah Mitchell Editorial Director

Just a few years ago the ‘free-from’ emergence looked like just another trend and retailers, industry and health experts and even food manufacturers questioned its staying power labelling it a fad with the bubble waiting to be burst. Today, we see a very different approach taken to the world of ‘free-from’ – a category that has grown to be a significant segment of the supermarket. Estimated sales of gluten-free products alone in the USA are expected to exceed two billion by 2019. Alongside the higher margins, retailers are enjoying brand and product loyalty by consumers when it comes to ‘free-from’ products. Retailers may face difficulties as to ensuring that both consumer segments of the ‘free from’ world are catered to. Customers that have eliminated gluten and other ingredients as a lifestyle choice can’t be placed in the

same category as those with a medical intolerance. This is a balancing act that requires both clever merchandising and consumer outreach to meet varying needs for essentially the same product. Grocery buyers in the USA have reported that in just a single week of reviewing 18 lines of crackers, 15 were gluten-free.

Scepticism of the longevity of the trend has pointed to industry sales that are derived from people without gluten intolerance. According to an overseas study, 35 percent of consumers who buy gluten-free said they had no particular reason for doing so, while eight percent said they had a medical reason.

The ‘free-from’ industry picture today isn’t the same as it was when it first began. At the very least, it has prompted manufacturers to refine and improve the taste of its products incorporating more natural ingredients and finding innovative ways of shaping ranges to fit into the ‘free-from’ category. Millennials in particular are incredibly receptive to innovation and natural products, as well as those who want to make a healthier choice. An estimated 65,000 Kiwis have coeliac disease, with 80 percent of

them unaware they have the condition.

Another study has shown that the number of consumers that don’t have coeliac disease who are avoiding gluten has tripled in the last five years. You could say that one or all of these factors is driving demand for ‘free from’ and allergy friendly products.

Dedicated ‘free-from’ aisles can be seen in supermarkets around the country, however, some retailers have seen higher returns from integrating ‘free-from’ products throughout the store. In this case, shelf ticketing is used to make it identifiable to the customer.

This may beg the question – should products that are truly gluten-free, those that incorporate the globally recognised Crossed Grain logo, or are certified, be separated yet again? One thing is for sure, consumers no longer associate ‘freefrom’ with specialty stores. Supporting these shoppers is the next step with some stores even incorporating store dietitians that lead special gluten-free store tours, cooking classes and designated weekly newsletters. This month, Supermarket News starts the conversation with our ‘free-from’ feature, and we welcome comments and insights to keep the conversation going.

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 an industry conference that covers industry issues and is addressed by international speakers. The organisation monitors product quality and 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

diarynotes SEPTEMBER 2 2017: Grocery Charity Ball, Auckland

NOVEMBER 22-25 2017: SIAL Interfood, Jakarta, Indonesia

APRIL 24-27 2018: FHA2018, Singapore

SEPTEMBER 11-15 2017: PRO FachHANDEL & drinktec, Munich, Germany

DECEMBER 11-13 2017: SIAL Middle East, Abu Dhabi

JUNE 13-15 2018: SIAL ASEAN, Manila, Philippines

OCTOBER 7-11 2017: ANUGA, Cologne, Germany

MARCH 20-23 2018: Anuga FoodTec, Cologne, Germany

OCTOBER 21-25 2018: SIAL Paris, France

MAY 2-4 2018: SIAL Canada, Montréal

contents

04 News 08 Rising Star 14 What’s New 16 StoreCheck 18 FreeFrom Feature

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13 25 SupermarketNews is published under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to SupermarketNews. The opinions and material published in this edition of SupermarketNews are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated. All material in this publication is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher.

Copyright 2017

PUBLISHER Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Caitlan Mitchell, caitlan@reviewmags.com Mark Fullerton, mark@reviewmags.com Courtney Macris, courtney@reviewmags.com

GENERAL MANAGER Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com

ADVERTISING SALES Felicity-Anne Flack, felicity@reviewmags.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com

SENIOR DESIGNER Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com

CHAIRMAN Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com

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

ISSN NO. 1173-3365 Suite 9, Level 3, 20 Augustus Tce Parnell, Auckland PO Box 37140 Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 3040142 Fax (09) 3772794

www.fgc.org.nz

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FGC HALFYEARLY REPORT

RIOT FOODS ACQUIRES POPPY & OLIVE

Clean Paleo’s holding company Riot Foods has acquired popular nut butter brand Poppy & Olive. After four years of roasting, crushing and smooshing nuts, founder Sophie Williamson has teamed up with CleanPaleo, bringing together their knowledge of nutrition and wholefoods manufacturing to make the butters even healthier and more affordable.

“Rather than accept the status quo we’ve made a stand and established a new generation food business with an unshakable commitment to producing wholefoods that are made with recipes that avoid harmful ingredients like processed sugars, gluten, additives and fillers,” said Williamson. “Our products explode with vibrant flavours, cracking textures and natural goodness and are the king of convenience. People have told us that having a team as green as ours is a weakness. We disagree. We move fast and learn faster.”

In four short years, the team at Poppy & Olive have beaten the odds and grown a team of bright young things who are old enough to know better, but young enough not to care.

“Together we have built a portfolio of brands and successfully launched dozens of products, across several categories around the world.” n

CONSUMERS BUY PREMIUM A recent study by Nielsen saw one in three consumers spending more on premium products and would consider spending more on a premium offering in key grocery categories. The data highlights that consumers are trading up everyday products in their shopping.

Meat and seafood proved to be the top choices when considering a higher price tag.

Tea and coffee came in second, with one in four Pacific consumers treating themselves to a premium beverage. Three in five consumers demonstrated a willingness to pay more for products that deliver on social responsibility claims. In many consumers’ minds, ‘green’ attributes justify a higher price tag.

“Premium products should be activated in a way that amplifies the product’s unique proposition,” said Julianne Westaway, director of Nielsen. “Several considerations should be kept in mind when optimising how these brands are marketed including how consumers see the products on the shelf, pricing promotions and emotional resonance of brands in managing perceptions.” n

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A record 300-plus delegates packed into Villa Maria Estate in South Auckland in May for the NZ Food and Grocery Council’s AGM and Half-Yearly Meeting.

Guest speakers included Finance Minister Steven Joyce, Sir Rod Eddington, the non-executive Chairman (Australia & New Zealand) of J.P. Morgan, and Chairman of Lion, and Pier Smulders, the Business Development Director of Alibaba for New Zealand. The theme of the day was strongly on Asia and the export opportunities there for food and grocery companies.

A week out from his first Budget, Steven Joyce gave delegates a rundown on where the economy is at, and talked about the Government’s Business Growth Agenda. A strong focus was on exports and how government agencies were focused on opening trade doors into Asia and keeping them open. To back this up, companies had to continue to innovate to take advantage of the huge opportunities. Export success enables the Government to pay off debt and to build infrastructure.

Pier Smulders gave delegates a taster on how the China’s giant online sales portal Alibaba, with its 100,000 brands, can help New Zealand exporters.

He said if they were to take advantage of Alibaba’s reach into the China market, companies had to have compelling messages to go with their good-quality

products, and to constantly innovate to keep at the top of the market. Sir Rod Eddington also talked about the many opportunities being offered by China, Japan and other economies of north Asia. He said the key was producing world-class products which can be sold at a premium, and New Zealand was extremely well placed to take advantage of these markets.

The conference farewelled the outgoing Chair, Nestle Country Manager Veronique Cremades, and confirmed Goodman Fielder Manager Director Tim Deane as her successor. n

INGHAM SUMMER CAMPAIGN VERY SUCCESSFUL

New Zealand chicken shoppers all over the nation entered Ingham’s Butterfly Chicken promotion in the hope of taking out the top prize.

The promotion, being run for the fifth time,

HEALTHERIES MOST TRUSTED SUPPLEMENT Healtheries has been named one of New Zealand’s most trusted brands – for the eleventh time. The company has been voted the most trusted vitamins and supplements brand in the 2017 Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands survey.

Topping this category for the eleventh time is an honour according to Healtheries supplement marketing manager Rachel McKendry. “We are grateful to New Zealanders for holding Healtheries in such high regard,” said McKendry. “We are committed to producing high-quality products for Kiwis at every age and stage in life.”

Healtheries was also voted one of New Zealand’s trusted brands in the Fruit and Herbal category receiving a Highly Commended award. n

concluded in April with 11 lucky winners walking away with cash or a brand-new Weber Q2000 barbeque. Erin Edmonds from Silverdale, Auckland was the lucky grand prize winner of $10,000.

She was ecstatic to be presented her prize by Ingham’s Shane Young and her local Silverdale Pak’nSave team – butcher manager Rhys Brown and owner/operator Vinod Bhaga – where she purchased the product.

Ingham’s enterprises general manager of marketing and sales, Jerem Wylie said the promotion has been a very successful summer campaign with entries and sales volume well up on the previous year.

Wylie thanked all the participating entrants and extended congratulations to the winners on behalf of Ingham. “It is always rewarding to see the amount of engagement we get from shoppers during this summer promotion,” said Wylie. n

FORMER CHAIR APPOINTED NEW ROLE Former Chair of NZ Food and Grocery Council, Veronique Cremades-Mathis has been appointed to a new role as Head of Global Strategic Development at Nestlé. The new role follows on from her successful tenure as CEO of Nestlé New Zealand and is based in Switzerland.

“This is a fantastic and well-deserved elevation after 27-years of service with the company, and yet

another example of high-performing New Zealand-based executives being rewarded with global roles, and we wish her all the very best,” said Katherine Rich, chief executive of NZFGC. n

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For more information about Ingham’s range call our sales department on 0508 800 785.

June 2017

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news

FOOD ACT REGISTRATIONS DEADLINE

KIWIS LOVE WHITTAKER’S

The results of the Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands survey have shown for the sixth consecutive year, Whittaker’s has been voted Most Trusted Brand of all brands surveyed. The family business, which has been making high-quality chocolate for more than 120 years, was also voted Most Iconic Brand, and won the confectionery category accolade too.

Other top-listing brands for 2017 are, in order; Cannon, Tip Top, Edmonds, Resene, Air NZ, Mitre 10, Toyota and Sleepyhead. n

COUNTDOWN JOIN FORCES

EXPANSIVE FRESH PRODUCE DEPARTMENT Ashburton has welcomed its newest supermarket Countdown and there is a lot to love in the new store with wider aisles, an expansive fresh produce department, a dedicated health food section and an in-store pharmacy. Store manager Kyle Webber said he and his team have been working tirelessly for months and are very excited to finally open their doors. “There’s been a big build up to today’s opening and the amount of effort that has gone into getting the store ready has been phenomenal,” said Webber. “Countdown Ashburton South brings with it 69 new jobs, and we’re excited and proud to welcome these new team members to Countdown.” n

SUSTAINABLE BRANDS DELIVER GROWTH

Unilever has announced it is on track to meet most of the 50 plus targets of its ambitious Sustainable Living Plan, with its ‘Sustainable Living Brands’ driving sales and adding value for the business. The company has revealed 18 sustainable living brands, including Dove, Lynx, Surf, Domestos, Continental and Ben & Jerry’s, delivered over 60 percent of the company’s total growth, up from 46 percent last year, and grew more than 50 percent faster than the rest of the business in 2016.

“We have made great progress. Our results show that sustainability is good for business, with increasing evidence that our ‘Sustainable Living Brands’ do better,” said Unilever New Zealand managing director Nick Bangs. “There is no doubt that the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan is making us more competitive, helping us to grow our brands and become more innovative. At the same time, we are strengthening our supply chain to reduce our risks, lower our costs, and build trust in our business. It is helping Unilever to serve society and our many consumers, and in doing so, create value for our shareholders.” n

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Companies that make non-shelf stable items and food importers, and which haven’t registered under the new Food Act, have just a few weeks to do so before possibly facing fines for non-compliance, according to the NZFGC. Companies that import food must be a registered food importer under the Food Act or have identified a registered food importer to do it for them.

The deadline is the end of June. Companies seeking further information can contact their local council or go to the Food Safety section of the Ministry for Primary Industries’ web page, which contains registration details as well as links to the food safety information needed to follow the new rules. FGC chief executive Katherine Rich said companies not registered before that date could face fines of up to $450. “It can take a while to process applications, especially if there are a lot of people in the queue, so we’re urging companies who have not registered to do so as soon as possible,” said Rich. n

June and July is expected to see Kiwis eat more than 380,000 lamingtons to raise money for Alzheimer’s New Zealand. Twenty cents from each six pack of lamingtons purchased from Countdown will be donated to the charity. Countdown and Elite Food Group, a Blenheim-based bakery with a personal connection to Alzheimer’s, have joined forces to keep the shelves stocked with lamingtons. Traditionally available in raspberry and chocolate, lamingtons on this occasion will see a modern twist return – zingy lemon. Last year, lamington lovers helped raise $16,000 for the cause. n

ACCELERATING F&B ENTREPRENEURS

New Zealand’s largest alcohol manufacturer, Lion has launched Lion Unleashed. A trans-Tasman innovation imitative, the programme will see Lion partner with start-ups and entrepreneurs in the food

and beverage space in Australia, New Zealand and beyond. In New Zealand, entrepreneurs are invited to register to attend an information session on July 3 at the IceHouse in Auckland, at unleashed. lionco.com. “Lion Unleashed is an opportunity for start-ups and scale-ups to work with Lion to bring new ideas in the food and beverage sector to life,” said Lion NZ managing director Rory Glass.

“Innovation is critical for our long term, sustainable growth. But no one has a monopoly on disruptive, transformational ideas. “It might be an existing small business looking to take the next step, or just someone with a big dream and a business plan.

Unleashed is an opportunity for us to collaborate with the best and brightest, who in turn can benefit from Lion’s unique understanding of consumers and manufacturing.” n

BLACKWELL RECOGNISED IN AWARDS Paul Blackwell has been awarded the 2017 Blake Leader Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution. According to many, Blackwell can not only be counted on for sound business advice, he’s the kind of boss who takes his greatest pleasure in his team’s success – over and above that of his own.

Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin, who nominated Paul, can’t think of a more deserving recipient for someone who has determination, a will to succeed and a belief in achieving extraordinary things in business, sport and community. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way, and this is exactly how Paul Blackwell inspires the people around him,” said Quin. “My colleagues constantly tell me that Paul never seeks acknowledgement, his reward is about making a real and meaningful difference.

Paul and his wife Liz have a stellar list of accomplishments which includes owning one of the most successful Pak’nSave stores in the country, coaching hundreds of employees to grow, publishing inspirational works, supporting his church and the

community and steering the New Zealand Breakers to a series of heart-stopping wins in the Australian National Basketball League. When I asked for Paul’s peers to give us a hand to complete his nomination there was no shortage of contributions. People were knocking down my door to offer their support.”

Blackwell is universally admired by everyone who knows him and Quin could not think of anyone more deserving of a Blake Leader Award. n

Are you ready for this year’s unmissable media format?

Large format in-store billboards at point of purchase

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Hypermedia are pleased to announce our new behind the counter posters in dairy convenience, fuel retailers and liquor stores.

SITES AND GROWING DAILY

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AT LEAST

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FROM ONLY PER STORE, PER MONTH *Source: Nielsen Growing Convenience Oil and Convenience Market Overview July 2016.

To get your product or business noticed, get in touch with Jodie Tran on: phone 09 302 5736 or email jodie.tran@hypermedia.co.nz June 2017

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BRIER O’SHEA

COUNTDOWN Business Leadership Graduate

Coming out of high school, Brier O’Shea didn’t know what to do – so she went back to school. “I lived in London for a year working at a private boarding school,” she explained. It was an ideal situation, with the school providing her with accommodation and food along with a monthly pay check. By the time she returned to New Zealand she had visited thirty countries, made lifelong friends and had unforgettable experiences.

Upon her return she decided to complete a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in marketing and management, at Lincoln University.

“It gives you a good foundation of knowledge in various areas, which has helped me get to where I am today,” she said. O’Shea applied for the Countdown graduate program in her final year of study and began in February last year.

She worked her way through the merchandise, logistics and operations divisions, developing her skill sets, but eventually landed on the produce department. “I knew this was where I wanted to pursue my career,” she

explained. “The produce team’s key focus and passion is to deliver fresh, quality produce to our consumers, and it is an area full of opportunity and growth.”

With a father in the fresh food industry and a childhood spent in Balclutha and rural North Canterbury, O’Shea had held a passion for fresh food for many years. “I was fortunate enough to have a lot of exposure to the industry, and had my fair share of factory work,” she said. “While I didn’t see the immediate benefits of these experiences, it helped shape me into the person that I am today.”

Further than hands on production experience, O’Shea believes her success comes from her abilities as a communicator. She makes sure she does regular store visits and makes use of avenues such as Facebook – meaning Workplace by Facebook, Countdown’s award-winning internal communications tool. Also important is the creation of a personal brand.

“That was the best piece of advice that I received from senior leaders,” she said. “Your personal brand is what you want to be known for and how people will remember you, so it’s important to leave a lasting impression.”

For O’Shea, the most rewarding part of her job is seeing the work that her team does behind the scenes being executed at a store level. “It is a collective effort from all departments and at the end of the day we know we have done our job when we receive positive feedback from our consumers.

What motivates me is seeing the offering that we present to our customers.”

O’Shea has no plans to move on from Countdown any time soon, with ambitions to become a Category Manager. As for long-term goals, they are forever changing, but one thing is for sure: “I am certain that I want to grow my knowledge and career in the produce industry.”

Away from Countdown, O’Shea enjoys anything to do with the outdoors, whether it’s going out on the jet ski, fishing, or a bush walk – “I am very much a country girl at heart.” n

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Deva Dhar GENERAL MANAGER NEW ZEALAND, BLACKMORES

As a child with a father in the Indian Air Force, Deva Dhar was always on the move. Such a varied childhood has left its impression on Deva – he now speaks five languages, and knows the value of always taking advantage of opportunities. He studied Biological Sciences at the University of North Bengal and did his MBA at the Xavier Institute of Management in Bhubaneswar.

Deva started his FMCG career in New Zealand with Roxdale Foods, before being headhunted by Nestlé.

It was at Nestlé that he played an integral part in launching the hugely popular Kit Kat Chunky, to number one selling single bar in the country.

He then moved on to Mainland in a strategic account management role, before picking up the role of national sales manager at Kellogg’s. It was here that Deva took up one of the biggest challenges of his working career, overseeing a major restructuring of the sales and merchandising team, moving from independent contractors to an integrated Kellogg’s team. The restructure was a project that stuck with him.

“It was either very foolish or very brave,” Deva admitted, “but in New Zealand you can’t do business if you’re just doing the norm. It takes a bit of passion and self-belief, something slightly out of the box. I’m so glad I did it,” he added. After Kellogg’s he spent a number of years with Abbott Nutrition before being shoulder-tapped

by Blackmores to be New Zealand

Country Manager, a role he has held for three years and currently as General Manager-NZ. Speaking of brave, at the last Blackmores annual conference in Queenstown, Deva came face-to-face with one of his biggest fears – heights.

His colleagues ‘dared’ him to jump off a cliff and then tandem hang-glide down.

“You can just imagine my state of body, mind and soul when the dare came about. After a little persuasion and a “goodbye if I don’t see you again” phone call to my wife, I jumped off the cliff – and lived to tell the tale. After all, the theme of our conference was ‘Breaking Boundaries and Beyond’ – thank goodness it was boundaries not bones!”

It was the Blackmores values that convinced Deva to take the role. The Blackmores PIRLS philosophy – passion, integrity, respect, leadership and social responsibility, that are woven into every fibre of the organisation, aligned with Deva’s own principles. “What I like about Blackmores is being able to walk the talk,” he explained. “If you’re able to walk the talk it’s more genuine at a customer level.” In a world with an ageing population and rising demand for health supplements, Deva believes that Blackmores stands apart because they believe in evidence-based research, as well as making an effort in customer service. “It’s the small things that are noticed by people, whether it’s a little extra in customer service or something that you do for your team, that adds up.” Blackmores success is closely linked to the way it focuses on customers

and consumers, thinking innovatively, acting responsibly towards others, the environment and local community while striving to demonstrate its values.

Deva’s tenure at Blackmores has seen the New Zealand team go from strength to strength, most recently winning a New Zealand Self Medication Industry marketing award. Dhar himself also recently took out the internal Blackmores CEO award, the prize being a week-long leadership course at Harvard Business School, although he is quick to acknowledge his team as the reason behind any accolades. “‘If there’s one word that defines me it’s passion, and if there’s one thing that defines Blackmores it’s the passion of the team,” he said. “Seeing the success of the team working together is most rewarding.”

His work has seen him spend time in the USA, Australia and other parts of New Zealand, which means he has to make an effort to make time to be with his wife (who has an “equally hectic” role in FMCG) and three daughters.

Just as he spent his childhood on the move, Deva also spends his adulthood on the move – albeit movement of a different kind. A “misspent youth spent breakdancing” has instilled a lifelong love of dancing, often to the extreme embarrassment of his daughters. “It’s good to be able to let off a bit of steam, and sometimes I do break into a few moves!” And while he doesn’t yet own a sequined shirt, he does admit to putting on his dancing shoes from time to time. n

NEW CHUPA CHUPS SURPRISE DESPICABLE ME AVAILABLE NOW Contact your DKSH New Zealand Limited representative for more information.

June 2017

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OPPORTUNITIES AT COUNTDOWN Dave Chambers

Managing Director Countdown

​At Countdown we are open to

working with any suppliers, no matter their size. The feedback we sometimes get from industry is that we will only look at products if you can service all 185 of our Countdown stores. This is a myth we’re working to dispel. If you are a small artisan supplier or a start-up producer, our merchandise team want to hear about your new and innovative products.

We can’t promise to range all of your products, but we can promise to find out more about your offering and discuss what opportunities there could be with Countdown.

In the last two years, we have been reviewing all of our products throughout our entire network of stores, to determine that we have the right range in the right store for that

particular community. This is an ongoing process.

Countdown Ponsonby, celebrating its first birthday this month, is a great example of where we have introduced new and exciting products sourced with local customers in mind. When we opened, we introduced 2200 new products to this store, which also meant new relationships with hundreds of new artisan and small suppliers. We also changed the way we traditionally worked with our smaller suppliers, easing up on some of our paperwork as well as improving some of our systems.

Part of this is ensuring our practices are based on data and transparent; our Supplier Charter has a specific section for smaller suppliers. Our Merchandise Centre of Excellence is available to help on board new suppliers, particularly those who need to learn more about how to work this us.

We see part of our role as a company to support the growth of New Zealand food producers, and encourage future talent. We are now a major sponsor of the upcoming HORT NZ event in Hawkes Bay, a main sponsor of the New Zealand Cheese Awards, and are again the lead supermarket sponsor of the NZ Food Awards.

In the last couple of weeks, Nikhil Sawant, our Merchandise Manager for Perishables and Deli, has been travelling around the country with the NZ Food Awards talking to vendors.

Are you the best of the best?

Enter now

We have shared global and local trends, how these might impact their products in the future, and have also offered advice on how to tailor products to what customers want both now and in the future. The NZ Food Awards are an exciting platform for new products, and some of our success stories from last year include House Of Dumplings.

Their delicious dumplings are now stocked in 23 of our stores.

We have also built new supplier relationships in the last year with

innovative suppliers whose products are on trend and cater for our growing customer needs. Some of these include: Raglan Coconut Yoghurt, Dr Feelgood Ice Creams, and Little Island Dairy Free Coconut Milk and Yoghurt.

We are keen to work with small suppliers and continue to build relationships as we move into our new financial year in July. If you would like information about any of these events or just a chat, please email Nikhil on nikhil.sawant@countdown.co.nz. n

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CONSUMERS ARE NOT IN THE DARK

Walk into any major supermarket and the first thing you see are bins filled with fresh fruit and vegetables. And they all have stickers or cards on them denoting their country of origin – grapes from California, pineapples from Queensland, Kiwifruit from Te Puke, bananas from the Philippines . . . you name it.

Katherine Rich

Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council

I suspect most of us agree that shoppers are keen to know where their fresh produce comes from, especially when they know they’re out of season in New Zealand. Labels providing information that makes the origin clear in an instant is both reassuring and efficient for shoppers, and supermarkets have gone to a great deal of effort over the years with this.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe they get the credit they deserve from some critics for this work. In fact, some groups campaigning for legislated country of origin labelling will often create the impression that consumers are left in the dark which is misleading and certainly not the case.

But while the country of origin information works perfectly well in the produce section, I’m afraid we can’t say the same for some of the other products inadvertently captured by the Greens’

latest private member bill, by MP Stefan Browning.

The Consumers’ Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Bill, which is currently being studied by Parliament, was originally designed to provide information about where fresh fruit and vegetables came from, and most people were happy with that.

Until it was changed.

It has now been expanded to cover every single-component food sold in New Zealand stores. And that has made it either impossible or costprohibitive to implement for a number of processed foods.

The bill proposes major problems for popular and basic parts of the family food budget, such as coffee (instant and capsules), tea, sugar, flour, custard powder, pepper, cooking oils, oats, spices, among others. It could also affect many breakfast cereals.

Many of the products that will now be affected are those we don’t produce in New Zealand at all, such as rice and coffee beans. Coffee is an important example because it’s a big part of our lives (along with tea).

Under the bill, coffee is a single-

component product. Beans are sourced on a global market, depending on weather, price and availability, and blended to create the expected taste.

Though the product is consistent, the beans could come from a range of regularly changing sources. Coffee is the second most-traded food commodity and the beans could come from any of 70 countries. New Zealand coffee companies tend to source from the 10 major producers, including countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil and Ethiopia. Events such as weather, disease, war, and political turmoil can affect availability or price of beans.

Because of the way coffee is processed, a packet of Nescafé Classic, Moccona or Gregg’s could contain beans from many countries blended to deliver the consistent taste consumers expect.

Keeping up with an ever-changing global supply and labelling

for every batch of coffee would be a huge, if not impossible, challenge for suppliers. Maintaining segregation on a massive scale, or regularly re-labelling the origin of blends, would be a task where the costs would outweigh what shoppers want.

If the bill makes it into law and still includes the categories I’ve mentioned, there would be major additional supply chain costs. And that’s only if companies wished to re-label for New Zealand, a market so small that the value of doing so would be marginal.

Though it seems most voters are in favour of country of origin labelling for fresh fruit and vegetables, they may not be so keen if it raises the cost of tea, coffee, pepper, flour, and breakfast cereals.

As such, the NZ Food and Grocery Council will not be supporting the bill in its present form. Without major carve-outs for some of the categories and other clarifications, we believe it should not become law. n

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June 2017

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INNOVATIVE THINKING NEEDED FOR NZ’S RETAIL PROPERTY MARKET I joined Foodstuffs North Island as General Manager of Property Development in 2016. I’m from Melbourne originally, and my experience includes working in property development for Woolworths and ALDI supermarkets.

While I had plenty of experience in building new supermarkets, I was looking for a new and interesting challenge. Foodstuffs North Island gives me that, because it operates a little differently.

The owner-operator model adds another layer of complexity to what I do. It means that every property on our development programme will be slightly different. And each one has a passionate owner-operator who cares deeply about that store and the needs of their community.

So at Foodstuffs, one size definitely does not fit all. A supermarket layout that works perfectly in central Wellington doesn’t fit in a smaller town. Coming up with solutions that work for each situation is what makes the job really interesting.

My team has an endless to-do list so we’re always busy. Foodstuffs North Island has 349 Four Square, New

Lindsay Rowles

General Manager, Property Development, Foodstuffs North Island

World, PAK’nSAVE, Gilmours, Write Price and Shoprite stores, all of which need refurbishing or replacing at some point.

So, in a sense, our work is never done, but we’re always looking for new ways of doing things. Each store we build is a little more innovative than the last, and that’s exciting.

The New Zealand retail property market still has plenty of room for growth, so there are lots of opportunities to do interesting things here. The work that Foodstuffs is doing in the small format retail space, for example, is really exciting. We recently brought the former Nosh store in Constellation Drive on Auckland’s North Shore into the Foodstuffs co-operative.

It is trading under the New World banner and we have more changes in store for this site over the coming months, as we keep refining and adding to this offer.

As Auckland grows, there’s less and less land available for building large supermarkets, so we have to get creative about how we make new projects happen.

An example is in Clendon in South Auckland, where we had a New World supermarket that needed replacing, but we knew that the PAK’nSAVE brand was a better fit for the community.

The challenge that we set for ourselves was to demolish the 30-yearold New World and build a brand new PAK’nSAVE in its place, whilst continuing to serve our customers throughout.

Our approach was to build a miniature PAK’nSAVE next door, then close and demolish the New World. Our next step is to extend the PAK’nSAVE into the spot where the New World used to be, so that we have a full-sized PAK’nSAVE by the end of the year. n

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To trace your egg go to woodlandeggs.co.nz

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CONVENIENCE MATTERS The incidents of aggravated robberies in dairies and service stations in the last 18 months continues to escalate at an alarming rate.

Safety has always been a cornerstone of the fuel industry and now security is equally concerning.

NZACS was invited to join a joint crime prevention meeting convened by the NZ Police in Wellington this month.

A few of the key points are highlighted below • Dairies are being hit at rate of around 2:1 versus fuel locations.

• 38 percent apprehension / Prosecution rate with about 40 percent being put through the youth justice system.

• Penalties and potential prosecution do little to deter many youth offenders.

• Dairies are beginning to fight back against all recommendations.

Three main areas of focus are • Safe and secure – internal areas for staff and protection measures • Frustrate entry – external protection measures • Minimise the prize – availability of cash and tobacco

GOVERNMENT REACTION

Government has announced a $1.8M fund for high risk retailers to access in order to subsidise preventative measures to increase security.

On the surface this looks like a positive move, however the government collects $1.6B -$1.8B each year in tobacco excise. This is increasing each year and will exceed $2B by 2020.

So $1.8M equals 0.1percent of tobacco excise which is rising at a rate of 10 percent per year. If you divided this evenly amongst in excess of 5000 outlets selling tobacco this equates to a bit over $300 each.

More realistically if you identified 500 higher risk outlets this equates to $3,600 each. This is starting to sound generous other than the fact that the small business owner is still required to contribute their part of the investment and that a complete security makeover can cost as much as $70,000.

On a more positive note Police are engaging more with the industry around this matter and we have recently seen a case of a multiple offender who received a six year

www.anuga.com

TASTE THE FUTURE ANUGA MEAT ANUGA BREAD & BAKERY ANUGA FINE FOOD ANUGA HOT BEVERAGES ANUGA DAIRY ANUGA ORGANIC ANUGA CHILLED & FRESH FOOD ANUGA FROZEN FOOD ANUGA DRINKS ANUGA CULINARY CONCEPTS

“

Safety has always been a cornerstone of the fuel industry and now security is equally concerning.

”

sentenced appealed by the Crown and increase to over seven years. According to a Newshub article by Lucy Warhust, published on May 21st this year, the ACT Party is calling for the Government to use tobacco tax to pay for better security for dairy owners.

Party leader David Seymour says installing single cigarette pack dispensers would help tackle the “epidemic of violent robberies”.

Mr Seymour says tax increases on tobacco have made cigarettes a target for thieves, and dairy owners are paying the price.

He wants the Government to give back tobacco tax to dairies so they can pay for single pack dispensers which stop robbers grabbing them in bulk.

“If we’re going to make them collect an extra $20,000 worth of extra tax and put them in further harm next year, I think we should give them a year off, let them keep that tax and invest in technology to keep themselves safe,” he said.

There have been around 40 attacks on dairies in the past month.

The New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores will continue to work with retailers, manufacturers, police and government in order to better protect and provide advice to retailers. However it is a far more complex issue than to “just stop selling tobacco”.

Interested in learning more about or joining NZACS go to www.nzacs.com. n

Dave Hooker

Executive Director NZACS

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02.06.17 09:22

Farrah’s Is Spicing It Up With New Range In addition to the exciting Mexican Range that was launched in 2016, Farrah’s is introducing a NEW Fajita Spice Mix. This is a combination of Mexican spice with a hickory smoke flavour. It’s gluten free, contains no artificial colours or flavours and is mild in heat. It’s the perfect familyfriendly spice mix for consumers who love Mexican flavour without the extra heat, making it suitable for everyone’s next Mexican meal. For more information contact Casey Mason on 04 934 3829.

Capitalising On Minion Franchise

Chupa Chups continues to introduce new product development to drive category interest and sales with the launch of Chupa Chups Minions Surprise. This launch coincides with the Despicable Me 3 movie release at the end of June and capitalises on the already one billion plus Minion franchise. Chupa Chups Minions Surprise has 12 Minions figurines to collect. For more information visit www.dksh.co.nz or call 06 350 3960.

Viberi Is On A Roll

A new range of ViBERi Chocolate Rolled Organic Blackcurrants will be hitting the supermarket shelves soon.

The new range includes three new addition to the existing Dark Chocolate Rolled. These are; ‘Ruby’ with white chocolate rolled crispy berries dusted in ViBERi powder, ‘Noir’ with soft blackcurrants rolled in 58 percent dark chocolate and ‘Pearl’ with white chocolate rolled crispy blackcurrants. All ViBERi’s products are certified organic, and they use premium Belgium chocolate.

Another new offering from the brand is its Certified Organic Blackcurrant Powder. The powder is available in both sachets and loose powder. Offering the powder in sachets allows maximum freshness and ease of use to the consumer. NZ Blackcurrants have remarkably high levels of Vitamin C and antioxidants. The company is committed to offering its customers high-quality NZ-made products. Visit www.viberi.co.nz for more information.

The Full Eighty Traceable Organic Milk

In-line with the worldwide consumer trend for food traceability Kapiti Organic Milk is becoming Kapiti Single Farm Organic Milk.

According to Kapiti marketing manager Margaret O’Sullivan, this next evolution of Kapiti Organic fresh white milk offers a point of difference satisfying customers’ increasing desire to know much more about where their food comes from.

“Kapiti’s new single source organic milk, available nationwide, comes from a farming family who are passionate about the virtues of organic farming, the Flipp Organic Farm located in the Manawatu meaning it is direct from farm to fridge,” said O’Sullivan.

Whittaker’s are getting behind the All Blacks as they take on the touring Lions team with the release of a new limited-edition product, ‘The Full Eighty’. Packed full of delicious ingredients, it’s a tribute to the staying power of our national team. The new product combines Whittaker’s Five Roll Refined Creamy Milk Chocolate with banana, cranberry, peanuts and protein puffs. It comes in a range of sizes for fans to treat themselves or to share, with 250g blocks, Mini Slabs and 50g Slabs. The brand-new flavour is packaged in distinctive black, white and silver to match the national sporting colours.

New Cross-Breed Potato

The humble potato has received a makeover by T&G who have now launched Lotatoes. Grown in Pukekohe and Ohakune, Lotatoes’ goal is to put spuds back in the spotlight. “Recent trends have put potatoes out of favour with many, often replaced with lower carbohydrate or lower calorie alternatives,” said top nutritionist Abbie O’Rourke.

“Lotatoes puts them back at the top of the shopping list. They’re nutritious, delicious and a great source

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Adding Zing To Salads

Oriental Merchant has launched Mae Ploy Thai Pineapple Salad Dressing featuring exotic sweet pineapple notes that is not only ideal to dress fresh green salads but is great to add zing to crunchy slaws and noodles salads.

Available in 285g bottles from Oriental Merchant – your Asian food specialists. For more information call 09 259 0550, email nzenquiries@oriental. com.au or visit www. oriental.com.au.

of Vitamin B6, potassium and dietary fibre.” The new low-carbohydrate potato is the result of crossbreeding different varieties of potato together. With a 25 percent shorter growing cycle, Lotatoes has less water requirements than other varieties. Lotatoes has 40 percent less carbs and calories than popular potato varieties. “Lotatoes are a long-awaited innovation for us, they’ve been more than five years in the making,” explained T&G’s Michelle Singh.

Coca-Cola No Sugar

Food That Is Full Of Flavour

TopShelf Foods are delighted to announce its latest range of sauces to extend their successful offering – Tartare, Hollandaise and Béarnaise. The small team at TopShelf Foods are passionate about full-flavoured food with a punch.

All of its products are made with the best ingredients, and no corners are cut. This means they chase quality using fresh, natural, tasty, free-range and gluten-free ingredients. The range is rid of nasty preservatives and fillers too.

TopShelf food is real, delicious and guilt-free. For more information phone 09 444 4777 or email info@topshelffoods.co.nz.

Nature’s Ultimate Medicine At Franjo’s Kitchen, Fran & Jo are passionate about creating yummy, nutritious and most importantly delicious snacks for the whole family. They believe that good food should taste great and be full of beautiful natural ingredients that work with your body, not against it.

They see food as nature’s ultimate medicine. What you put into your body is so important, especially when pregnant and breastfeeding. So, they have formulated their products with consumer’s health and well-being in mind. Franjo’s products are created by a naturopath specifically for pregnant and breastfeeding mums, but of course, anyone can eat them. Each ingredient has been specifically chosen for their functional benefits.

The tanker toppers lactation range contain ingredients called galactagogues that have been used for years to help boost milk supply. The key ones Franjo’s use are oats, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed, fennel and fenugreek. Literally, every ingredient is there deliberately. For example, Franjo’s use brewer’s yeast which is high in the bioflavonoid rutin which may help repair connective tissue. The company also use chia seeds for their omega 3s and coconut oil which is a great fat source. For more information contact rebecca@cookandnelson.com.

Splitting The Muffin

New Zealanders can now enjoy premium muffin splits following the launch of MacKenzie Oat and Quinoa, and MacKenzie Sprouted Grains and Chia muffin splits.

The Oat & Quinoa muffin splits are packed with the rolled oats, white quinoa, and purple wheat. While purple wheat and rye are also key ingredients in the Sprouted Grains & Chia muffins splits. Both are a source of fibre and protein and are made with 30 percent whole grains. “Our new muffin split range is baked in the same spirit of high country New Zealand, and we’re proud to introduce a premium tier to the muffin split category,” said Andrew Fenwick, MacKenzie’s marketing manager.

Coca-Cola has launched the new Coke No Sugar in New Zealand after years of research to create the best tasting sugar-free Coke ever. Created after more than five years of research, recipe mixing and flavour trials, Coke No Sugar has been designed to taste as similar to the original Coca-Cola Classic as possible by a team of taste experts at the company’s US headquarters. New Zealand is one of the first countries in the world to launch Coke No Sugar. “We wanted the experience of drinking Coke No Sugar to be as close as possible to the ‘real thing’,” said Sandhya Pillay, country manager of Coca-Cola Oceania. The global rollout of Coke No Sugar will be the biggest launch of a new Coca-Cola since Coke Zero was introduced in 2006. Pillay said the company is committed to offering more sugar-free options.

“This is about our business making the leap from simply offering people more choice to actively encouraging people to drink a ‘no sugar’ option.”

Favourites Lumped Together

Pascall has launched a legendary new product – Jaffa Lumps. In a world first, Pascall Jaffa Lumps combine two lollies very close to the hearts of New Zealanders, Pascall Pineapple Lumps and Cadbury Jaffas. Two legends lumped together, fusing the awesome deliciousness of Jaffa with the chewy goodness of Pineapple Lumps. Rohin Rosman from Pascall said that since its inception in 1932, Pascall had been focused on offering new products that satisfy the ever-changing tastes of Kiwi consumers and putting unique twists on flavours they already love. “We’re so excited to have taken the leap and combined these two amazing products which we think work well together,” said Rosman. “People will find that Jaffa Lumps have the best of both worlds with the choc-orange flavour of the beloved Jaffa at its heart. It’s a familiar yet different and delicious new taste experience.” Pineapple Lumps is the top selling lolly bag in New Zealand and is a part of Kiwi pop culture. Pascall wanted to pay tribute to one of the most-loved New Zealand products and have it join forces with another iconic lolly – the Jaffa.

From The Wellness Innovators

From the makers of the successful 1Above travel recovery flight drink, a new lifestyle recovery drink has landed to equip the modern consumer to meet life’s hustle head on. 1Above’s new lifestyle recovery drink has been made for everyday with balanced functional ingredients including eight vitamins, six electrolytes and a super antioxidant, with just onethird of the sugar content found in leading beverage brands. This super antioxidant has clinically proven benefits for recovery, circulatory and heart functions, vision, cognitive function, joint support and respiratory health. 1Above chief executive Stephen Smith said to introduce a consumable advanced and functional product in an incredibly saturated beverage market required innovation. “Consumers are demanding healthy, functional alternatives with lower sugar content,” said Smith.

Naturale. Italiano. Eccellente.

A newcomer to the NZ Cheese world, Viavio Ltd produces Italian-style high-quality cheese in Nelson, pairing cheese-master know-how from Italy with the most natural ingredients from NZ. Viavio’s very own cheese master, with more than 35 years’ experience in Italy, makes each single cheese following the best Italian tradition with great passion and care. Viavio’s cheese assortment includes products with true recipes from several Italian regions including Mozzarella, Bocconcini and Caciocavallo from Campania, Burrata and Stracciatella from Apulia, Stracchino and Gorgonzola from Lombardy, Fontal from Val d’Aosta and Ricotta. All products are preservative-free and are made using an exceptionally naturally rich milk from

A2-tested cows from Oaklands Farm in Nelson.

You’ll never taste fresher, more delicious cheese than that of Viavio. For more information visit www.viavio.co.nz or call 021 261 3077.

June 2017

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storecheck

Palmerston North

Provincial Palmerston North consumers are well served by small and large grocery stores and supermarkets.

Choice reigns, with consumers having the convenience of neighbourhood convenience with Four Squares, through to the bigger Pak’nSave. New World banners provide an excellent customer experience, while the Countdown stores were well run and uniform to the banner’s standards. While out of stocks and merchandising are also a problem in the provinces, overall the stores checked this month are a good example of well-run grocery outlets.

STORE EXTERIOR (Max 30 pts) INCLUDING: Outside of the building and grounds tidy, well signed, adequate trolley bays; Windows and exterior clean, tidy; Signage well presented and up to date; Car Parking number of spaces well marked; Trolley condition.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

STORE INTERIOR (Max 30 pts) INCLUDING: First impressions; Flooring, type, upkeep, clean? Lighting/heating, is store heated/cooled?

Lighting adequate and/or task specific? Instore signage; Promo/seasonal products; End of aisle promotions; Condition of fridges, freezers and chilled shelving, condition and layout.

NB: In-store pharmacies are not included in Storecheck.

NEW WORLD, PIONEER: A+

Good carpark, well signed with a clean store exterior. Trolleys and bays, good supply and convienently located. The entrance to the store has a coffee shop which was obviously popular with customers. The fresh produce section was excellent and the lighting made for a very good first impression of the store. The floor was to a good standard and clean and tidy with no mess or strange placement of display bins. All aisles were well merchandised and the meat section was particularly well laid out with good stock levels and no gaps. There was a good selection of fish and it was well displayed, with obvious care taken in this section. Deli essentials were well merchandised. The bakery while not inspirational covered the basics and was displayed to encourage purchase. Chilled/Frozen excellent display, well stocked in good units. Equipment across the store, shelving and cabinets all very good. General merchandise was well maintained and merchandised with no damaged items. Though only a small international range it was there and the size probably reflects the customer profile.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

29 30 29 28 28 28 28 20

STORE LAYOUT (Max 20 pts) INCLUDING: Layout of store, Aisle width; Shelf edge labels/ticketing; State of store, shelving, clean, no damage, neat & tidy; Sufficient number of trolleys/baskets available given shopper numbers.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

20 20 20 20 20 17 20 15

PRODUCT RANGING, AVAILABILITY, CONDITION, FOR SIZE OF STORE (Max 25 pts) INCLUDING: Range, stock levels, condition of packaging, use by expiry.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

24 22 23 23 23 21 23 20

GENERAL MERCHANDISE (Max 15 pts)

NEW WORLD, BROADWAY: A+

Good carpark, trolleys in good supply.

Cafe, flowers and lotto at front of store provides a welcoming entrance. Lighting was excellent, often the importance of lighting is overlooked but it supports the first impression of the store. This is a tidy store with excellent POS. Fresh produce is well displayed and aisle end promotions well stocked and presented. Freezers and chillers in good condition and clean. Deli and fish good selection with the range of food to go options offered. Some merchandising needed but otherwise this is an excellent example of the best of the banner.

29 30 29 29 28 28 28 25

INCLUDING: Range, stock levels, condition of general merchandise, including newspapers, magazines and cards.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

15 12 12 13 13 12 12 13

STAFF & CHECKOUTS (Max 30 pts) INCLUDING: Staff uniforms and name badges, attitude to customer including acknowledgement, thanks; Adequate checkouts open considering the time of day and number of customers; Speed and efficiency; Checkout area, tidy, merchandised; All counters staffed to levels compatible with customer numbers.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

29 30 29 28 28 28 25 25

FOUR SQAURE, CLOVERLEA: A

This store was an excellent example of a Four Square. It was well merchandised throughout and the layout had an easy flow. The produce was excellent and the selection of beer and wine was very good. This clean and tidy store also had a small range of food to go and this was displayed well. The cabinets, chillers and freezers were in good condition. Overall, this was good shopping experience and the store was presented very well.

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FRESH (Max 30 pts) INCLUDING: Variety and appeal, stock levels/merchandising of fresh products, including produce, meat, fish, deli, bakery.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

30 30 29 30 29 28 25 28

PAK’nSAVE, FERGUSON ST: A

The exterior of this store was very clean and tidy with no rubbish. The trolley bays were well placed with ample clean new trolleys and the music playing outside was a good idea. SHOP’nGO was huge at this store, an in-store innovation allowing customers to scan their groceries as they shop, which was clearly favoured by locals. Apart from two rogue trolleys, the entrance was clean and had a clear internal entrance.

Produce section was impeccable with no merchandising needed. In fact 99.9 percent of the store didn’t need merchandising and along with friendly helpful staff and some local and artisan products, this was an excellent shopping experience.

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE (Max 5 pts) INCLUDING: Range, stock levels/merchandising.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

4 4 2 2 3 3 2 2

ARTISAN/GOURMET/INDULGENCE (Max 5 pts) INCLUDING: Gourmet, Indulgence, Local or Artisan products range and stock levels.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2

SHOPPER EXPERIENCE (Max 10 pts)

COUNTDOWN, RANGITIKEI: A

Good exterior and good carparking facility. Trolleys were clean and there were plenty of them. Bakery smell on entry was a good introduction to the store. Produce was well displayed with clean and clear floors. Walk in chiller for beer/wine was favoured by customers, and though bakery had some gaps the cabinets were in good condition and the stock was well presented. Deli was bright and items were well laid out, though basic the selection was well presented. Fish display was excellent, congratulations to the person handling this section.

Meat however was poorly merchandised. Staff were efficient but not friendly. This is a well maintained store, good operation, clean and tidy with good lighting.

NEW WORLD, AOKAUTERE: B

Good carpark and store exterior, well signed with clean trolleys in sufficient supply to cover customer demand. Small entrance to store, but opening to well lit aisles. Overall this is a smaller store but the basics are all covered, the flooring is clean and tidy with clear aisles. Small range in deli and bakery, some odd positioning of general merchandise in random aisles as a filler. Wine and beer category good and though freezers were older style they were clean, tidy and well stocked.

COUNTDOWN, BROADWAY: B

Well signed good carpark. New trolleys and sufficient for customer levels. Fresh produce was well laid out. The basics were covered in bakery along with deli but did need restocking. Cabinets, chillers and freezers all good and stocked.

This was a basic store, well run with all the options covered. Staff were helpful and checkout efficient. Lighting could be improved.

INCLUDING: From carpark to entry to exit - overall shopper experience.

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

10

10

10

9

9

8

7

7

HOW THEY SCORE (Max 200 pts)

NW NW FS P’nS CD NW CD CD

Pioneer Broadway Cloverlea Ferguson St Rangitikei St Aokautere Broadway The Plaza

SCORE

193: A+ 191: A+ 185: A 184: A

183: A

175: B

172: B 157: B+

TOP SCORE

A+ Exceeded shopper expectations to provide the gold class of shopper experience A

Meets all shopper expectations across areas rated

B

Meets most of shopper expectations across areas rated

C

Basics covered with some extras but not all shopper expectations met, improvements required

D Attention needed to areas rated, poor overall shopper experience E

Poor level of achievement in shopper expectations across areas rated

COUNTDOWN, THE PLAZA: B+

The carpark is gated so a ticket is required, though when validated inside store customers receive 60minutes free parking. There were plenty of car spaces and the trolleys were plentiful.

On entering the store the fresh produce layout was very good, and though deli and fish were basic ranges they were well displayed. Wide aisles but the use of display bins in the aisles could be annoying if another customer was coming towards you. Basic international range. Overall the store was not well merchandised with lots of gaps on the shelves. Some thought to providing a customer experience rather than just providing a place to shop, along with better merchandising would bring this store’s score up. Well run store that covered all the bases.

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freefrom Alongside the larger manufacturers, it is important for retailers to pay attention to the smaller players who are easily overshadowed by mainstream brands. Smaller, artisinal companies are often the ones driving innovation and loyalty

in the category. Give them some shelf-space and see what they can do. Retailers need to take full advantage of the growing consumer demand for free-from and look beyond the planogram. Free-from needs a shout out from the shelf.

SWEETEST BUN ON EARTH

The new Venerdi Paleo buns are in a class of its own and have truly pushed the boundaries of gluten-free baking. Like the rest of the brand’s Paleo range, the Paleo buns were developed with the goal of staying as close as possible to true Paleo guidelines.

As well as being made in Venerdi’s 100-percent gluten-free factory in Auckland, customers will be amazed that these buns are also free from dairy, soy, preservatives and grains and have no added sugar. The use of pumpkin, ground almonds and New Zealand honey creates a sweet and soft bun.

In 2017, Venerdi celebrates 15 years of uncompromising innovation. Since the launch of Venerdi Paleo, it has fast become the number one selling brand and is still growing at 34 percent. Due to the significant growth of its Paleo

GUARANTEED TO IMPRESS

Handcrafted by Loaf has made a number of advances in the ‘free from’ category over the past year, following the successful launch of their Bliss Bites in June 2016.

Loaf ’s Bliss Bites continue to sell well in hundreds of retailers across NZ as well as being exported to America. They’ve proven to be popular due to being individually wrapped multi-packs, with a soft texture and unique flavours that include renowned superfoods such as goji berries, chia seeds, dates, almonds and blueberries. Loaf ’s

Super Seeded and Almond & Linseed breads, developing the ultimate Paleo Bun seemed to be a natural progression for the brand to take.

“We stayed true to our values with health and nutrition being at the epicentre of everything we do, each product that we develop is designed to deliver on taste, texture and most importantly, make consumers feel great too – our Paleo Buns are no exception,” said Tim Grainger, CEO at Venerdi.

They have proven to be a winner with consumers due to the clean, wholesome and nourishing ingredients. “Since launching, we have received amazing feedback across our social media platforms and at the recent Healthy Food Guide LIVE trade show, especially from those with restricted diets.”

Burger night is back on the menu. For more information contact Aaron McKenzie, sales manager for Venerdi on 021 988 883 or email aaron@venerdi.co.nz. n

Bliss Bites are made from all raw ingredients, and they’re free from gluten, wheat and dairy.

Loaf ’s range has since been extended into Bliss Bars and Nutty Seed Bars, both being ranged in BP Connect stores across the country and selected supermarkets. BP was keen to take on the range to provide its customers with a nutritious option that didn’t include processed sugar, wheat, dairy or gluten.

Elsewhere in the market, Loaf ’s mini bite range, including its top selling gluten-free Rocky Road, is delivering the highest category growth in fresh cakes for Progressive at 117 percent MAT to 30/4/17. July sees Orchard Road added to the mini bite range and it is guaranteed to impress.

A simple yet delicious blend of apricots, blueberries and marshmallows smothered in chocolate. It tastes fantastic and is gluten and nut free. Loaf is expecting big things from the latest addition.

For more information contact Kirsty Heron, 09 527 4354 ext.

811 or visit www.loaf.co.nz. n

REDUCING WASTE WITH PLANT-BASED

A forward-thinking Kiwi business has come up with a solution to end environmentally unfriendly plantbased milks with Stir – an innovative new range of dairy-free, gluten-free

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and plant-based milk powders that reduce waste, contain all natural ingredients and strive to make life easier for Kiwis.

Smart products are exactly what

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Natural Sugars and its Stir range is bringing to the market. By creating milk in powder form, they have created a product that is a far cry from 90 percent water and saved valuable packaging, resources and water in the process.

As an added bonus, some of the range contains the highest concentration of the main ingredient, such as coconut, oat and soy.

Presenting a plant-based milk in an innovative and clever new powder form also allows consumers the freedom to make as little or as much as they need, exactly when they need it.

The passionate team at Natural Sugars always go the extra mile

for their customers encouraging everyone to think outside the box and use their entrepreneurial flair to come up with new and creative ideas.

The company came about in 2009 after three smart cookies saw a gap in the market for premium quality commodities with an affordable price point and top-notch customer service.

Since then, it has curated a pretty impressive portfolio of products including sugars, oils, baking needs, and plant-based milk powders.

Natural Sugars is 100 percent Kiwi owned and operated and are made for Kiwis, by Kiwis.

For more information visit www.byharvest.co.nz. n

GLUTEN FREE GOODNESS NFLEAVWOUR Delicious new NUTS ABOUT bar with peanuts, almonds and the goodness of seeds.

In line with the growing consumer trend to eat more plant-based foods Source of protein, source of fibre and no artificial colours or flavours Packaging refresh for entire range: great new look and shorter pack for better fit on-shelf

For more information please contact your Prolife Foods Sales Representative or call Customer Services on 0800 80 80 88. www.motherearth.co.nz June 2017

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freefrom SMUGGLERS IN THE FREEZER Consumers are shifting towards healthier and locally sourced food options for themselves and their families. Get Real Food ‘Smugglers’ range is filling the gap between healthy food available and children’s convenience foods.

The company’s aim is to create tasty, nutritious and convenient food for little kiwis. The perfect guilt-free option for busy families. Today, the company has a small but high-quality range of products that are now available throughout the North Island.

Get Real Food is all about taking New Zealand favourites and turning them into healthier options that even the fussiest little mouths will love.

Smugglers frozen nuggets – free range chicken or NZ beef

are jam packed with hidden veggies as well as being egg and dairy free. Their refined sugar and preservative-free tomato and BBQ sauces also contain smuggled pumpkin and are proving to be a hit with customers looking for a healthy alternative. “We take great care in selecting as many real and healthy ingredients as possible from local and free-range suppliers,” said director Anna Keown.

“No cheap, nasty fillers or preservatives only good quality flavoursome food, made for our family and yours.” Look out for exciting new packaging and the launch of their Gluten Free Chicken Smugglers in-store July/ August. For more information email info@getrealfood.co.nz. n

NEW INNOVATIONS FROM KEA

NUTRIENT RICH WHOLE FOOD INGREDIENTS Nourish Healthy Foods is an exciting and innovative Wellington company that has created healthy snack bars using gluten-free, nutrient-rich whole food ingredients.

Stockists will be pleased with excellent margin potential, low capital outlay and the quick stock turns due to the small outer/ shipper MOQ. Extensive interactions with the target market shaped the development of the Nourish bars to meet the growing market for a convenient, healthy snack for between meals or pre/post any exercise.

It became clear to the brand that customers were looking for snacks that are full of natural nutrients and free from chemicals, which mirrors today’s modern nutritional thinking.

Therefore, Nourish Healthy Foods bars are made crammed with 12g protein plus 7g fibre and good fats from premium nuts.

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Its new range consists of the following classic pairings of Honey & Almond, Cacao & Hazelnut, and Vanilla & Walnut which are destined to fly off the shelves. The bars feature innovative, fun, bright and eye-catching packaging that will create interest in the customer’s eye.

John Matsis is the founder of Nourish Healthy Foods, and with his 20 years of experience in the food industry and a Bachelor of Food Technology, he decided to dive into this exciting new venture. Nutrition and exercise have always been his passion along with his expertise in food product development and processing he has the perfect insight into bringing these bars to life.

For more information or enquiries contact John on 021 18 27 603, info@nourishnz.com or visit www.nourishnz.com. n

Since 1988, Kea Cookies has been supplying ‘free-from’ cookies to NZ consumers that are not only great tasting but gluten, wheat, dairy and egg free. Based in St Johns, the company provides delicious alternatives for consumers with allergies or intolerances.

Its current range of nine flavours of gluten, wheat, dairy and egg free cookies includes Choc Chip, Double Choc Chip, Macadamia, Hokey Pokey, Gingernut, Vanilla, Almond, Peanut Brownies and Coconut. Two new offerings to the range include a Lemon Coconut and an Organic Choc Cookie.

“We have had overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers for not just our great tasting products, but also the innovations that are being launched,” said Kea Cookies.

The premium cookie brand has been working on bringing the brand to life with new packaging featuring a story for each flavour. For more information contact info@keacookies. co.nz or visit www.keacookies.co.nz. n

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freefrom SNACKS WITH PLANT-POWER Mother Earth is based in the Waikato and produces delicious snacking products that are wholesome, use quality ingredients and deliver on taste.

This is no exception for its Gluten-Free Nuts About range. The ‘Nuts About’ nut bars are specially formulated to be gluten-free, taste delicious, packed full of nuts and are affordable for consumers.

The Nuts About range has just had a packaging refresh. The new look emphasises the range’s gluten-free and source of protein claims.

There’s a reduction in the height of the pack for a better shelf fit with no change to

the bar size, and the Healthy Star Rating has been added to the front of the pack.

In addition, Mother Earth has launched a brand-new flavour – Mother Earth Nuts About Superseeds. This delicious bar combines peanuts and almonds with the goodness of linseed, sunflower, pumpkin, chia and sesame seeds.

This product has a lot of plant power, which is a growing trend in the market and, like all Mother Earth bars, there are no artificial colours or flavours. For more information contact your Prolife Foods Sales Representative on 0800 80 80 88 or visit www.motherearth.co.nz. n

SPECIAL K GLUTEN FREE RANGE EXPANDS Having launched its first gluten-free cereal in 2016, with delicious crispy flakes made from the goodness of wholegrain brown rice, Special K has followed on from its strong success with a new variant with flaked almonds and sweetened cranberries.

Gluten-free and natural cereals continue to command strong growth from health-conscious consumers and shoppers, with the segment tracking at 17.4 percent dollar growth YTD (Source – IRI Total New Zealand Supermarket YTD 28 May 2017).

Flavoured variants are helping fuel this further growth in the gluten-free category as taste concerns are one of the biggest barriers to consumers when considering gluten-free options.

Special K seeks to address this with alternatives that taste just as good as the originals so that all consumers can experience something special at breakfast.

New Special K Gluten Free Almond and Cranberry 300g is available from June 26. n

The snack with active probiotics

. . . and gluten free.

• • • • •

No artificial flavours No artificial colours No preservatives No added msg One billion live and active probiotic bacteria in every 50g pack

For more information, images and samples please call Frank Geaney on (09) 412 7146 • Ph: (09) 412 7146 • Fax: 0800 FAX FREE • Email: sales@gdlbrands.co.nz • Online orders: www.gdlbrands.co.nz

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freefrom FANTASTIC SNACKS Fantastic is well-known for its gluten-free snack products.

Fantastic Rice Crackers and Fantastic Delites are ‘fantastic’ go-to snacks to satisfy a variety of snacking needs from entertaining platters, hungry kids or a TV snack. Fantastic Delites are an oven baked crinkle cut rice snack that comes in a range of delicious flavours that will get consumers taste buds dancing with ‘delite’.

The rice base offers a light texture making Fantastic Delites a great alternative to traditional crinkle cut snacks. Fantastic Delites are available in a range of flavours and stocked in supermarkets throughout NZ. Although they are free from gluten, they are full of flavour. Too often gluten-free snacking has been considered not as tasty as the ‘gluten included’ equivalent products but as gluten-free transcends from coeliac disease to a gluten-free lifestyle choice, manufacturer is reassessing flavours and developing full-flavoured snacks such as Fantastic Delites to cater for gluten-free snacking. Fantastic Delites have been on the market for over ten years and is one of the few gluten-free products that focus on flavour.

“We believed that just because you could not have gluten in your diet, this should not mean that you compromise flavour – especially when it comes to snacks,” said Erik de Roos, Chief Marketing Officer at Fantastic Snacks.

“The Fantastic brand mantra is ‘taste fantastic’. We want consumers to taste our fantastic range of products and ensure that every product does, in fact, deliver on that promise.” Fantastic is just launching a brand-new glutenfree snack called Fantastic Rice Minis into NZ stores. These bite-sized rice clusters come in three flavours – Honey Soy, Chicken and Chilli Salt & Pepper. Packed full of flavour, these crunchy clusters are another perfect gluten-free snacking option. The cluster texture gives these rice snacks a terrific crunch, perfect for munching

LUXURY WITHOUT COMPROMISE

and crunching at any occasion, or simply straight from the pack.

Fantastic has also re-launched their Facebook and Instagram pages as ‘Share the Fantastic’ which enables the company to share all things Fantastic with Kiwi fans, including competitions, new products and product ideas. As a brand that focusses on snacking, it believes snacking is a treat that is best shared with friends and family or as an indulgence.

The revamped strategy will reflect this philosophy with a mix of shareable content and brand messages that will be shared amongst all fans encouraging them to engage and interact with the page to keep the content fresh and exciting. #sharethefantastic.

For more information contact the NZ sales office on 09 980 1548 or visit www.fantasticsnacks.co.nz. n

Softness has never felt so good with Paseo UltraSoft Flushable Wipes and 3ply Facial Tissues. The products are ultra-soft, thick, luxurious and hypoallergenic for gentle luxury, even on sensitive skin. Paseo 3ply toilet tissue is also hypoallergenic, plus ink, dye, and fragrance-free. In recent dermatological tests (Dermatest GMBH: January 2017) Paseo Toilet Tissue, including Long Roll 8s were certified ‘excellent’, from testing on panellists with sensitive skin. For more information visit www.paseo.co.nz. n

Burgers�are�officially�back�on�the�Menu�with�our�NEW�Paleo�Buns.

Zero�guilt�ioo���of�the�time.

Packed with clean, wholesome and nourishing ingredients, these super-healthy morsels of goodness are made with Pumpkin, New Zealand Honey and Apple Cider Vinegar.

Every ingredient has a role to play in nourishing your body.

The ultimate functional food. You will be amazed this bun is gluten free.

AVAILABLE NOW Free Phone: 0800 131 811 orders@venerdi.co.nz For more information about our products visit venerdi.co.nz #venerdipaleo #venerdivitality June 2017

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HIVE OF DEVELOPMENT AT FIX & FOGG

Things are buzzing at Fix & Fogg. The Wellington-based peanut butter makers have just released two new SKU’s; a Honey peanut butter and Double Trouble – a larger 750g jar of Super Crunchy. This comes on the back of the success at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards where they won the ‘Outstanding People’s Choice Producer’, and its Dark Chocolate peanut butter won the ‘Outstanding Producer – Earth Crafted’ award. After opening a larger production facility last year, they are now expanding their floor area once again, bringing in new machinery and new staff members to help with the ever-increasing demand. That doesn’t mean they’re taking any shortcuts, however.

The company’s Super Crunchy, Smooth, Smoke & Fire and Honey varieties all contain no preservatives, no additives, no emulsifiers, no foreign oils or refined sugar, and are GMO-free, ensuring their peanut butter is natural,

healthy and delicious. Fix & Fogg are committed to reducing its environmental impact and giving back to the community that supports them. They regularly donate peanut butter to Women’s Refuge, Ronald McDonald House and City Missions throughout the country.

Fix & Fogg enjoy partnering with other producers who share their values of sustainability and integrity. Their awardwinning Smoke & Fire uses Kaitaia Fire organic chilli, and their Honey peanut butter uses J.Friend and Co’s raw native Beechwood honey – J.Friend & Co are also certified organic and part of the Carbonsouth Certification Program.

Developing new and innovative peanut butter is what helps Fix & Fogg retain their premium placement in the spreads category and is something they’re committed to continuing.

For more information contact Thom Brooks on 021 190 5695 or info@fixandfogg.co.nz. n

LOOKING FOR HIGH VALUE, TARGETED ENGAGEMENT WITH LIFESTYLE, ?

IS KIW ED SS CU FO NT ME VE HIE AC SAMPLING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE NOW

9 Annual Events 8,500 Loyal Fans 384,550 Kilometres Run 64,092 Hours on the Trails

14.74 Million Calories Used and the tribe is growing!

THE EVENT COLLECTIVE

ORGANISERS OF NZ’S PREMIER OFF ROAD ADVENTURE RUNNING EVENTS. E: jasoncameron@xtra.co.nz M: Jason 021 465 274

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PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR RETAILERS For the past 20 years, GDL Brands has been supplying New Zealand retailers with quality consumer products.

GDL Brands was purchased almost two years ago by Kamal Jhaveri, with previous owners Frank and Lesley Geaney staying on to offer help and expertise. Jhaveri brought years of experience in industries such as supermarkets, health lifestyle stores and import/export to help develop GDL Brands with new and innovative thinking.

The company always seeks to provide profitable products for retailers – although not only in the financial realm. The business is based on the belief that ensuring a product is tasty and meets consumer demands will drive long-term repurchasing from customers. GDL is constantly on the lookout for new products that will fill gaps for retailers, increase spending from existing customers and cater towards bringing in new

customers.

One such product is Piranha Snaps. The potato based snacks are free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives as well as being gluten free and vegan. Furthermore, Piranha Snaps contain active probiotics, essential in maintaining good gut health. GDL is currently in development of three new products with local manufacturers for its snack food range. The confectionery lines will soon grow to include more sugar-free, vegetarian, vegan and organic products, to meet customer demands and food trends. GDL is in the process of opening offices in Wellington and is aiming to open offices in Christchurch before the end of 2018.

For more information contact Nikhil Khushal on 09 412 7146. n

Gluten Free Baking Mixes No artificial flavours or colours Easy to bake and versatile

Lemon Pikelet/Waffle Orange Cinnamon Pikelet/Waffle Chocolate Chocolate Chip Orange Muffin Pistachio Orange Cinnamon Cookie Traditional Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie Mexican Chocolate Almond Cookie

Order Online No Freight Fee within NZ www.sway.net.nz 09 527 2775

S way

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CREATING EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS

BIG NATURAL GRIN

The Event Collective is a collaboration between New Zealand’s best off road adventure event directors Jason Cameron Nick Reader, Tim Day and Paul Charteris all based in the central North Island in Rotorua and Taupo. The team are a bunch of likeminded, passionate event professionals who have recently, among many things, launched the new Ring of Fire Ruapehu Volcanic Ultra, 50k and Relay taking place for the first time in April. Aside from organising this epic off-the-beaten-track adventure, the team at Event Collective is on a mission to create extraordinary events in extraordinary places that change people’s lives for the better.

“Our events are always adventurous,” said Jason Cameron. “We are also experts at creating bespoke events from the seed of an idea to development and delivery. Our events are revered as bucket list must do events for Kiwis with a strong sense of kinship and camaraderie amongst the participants from the herd of the Goat Adventure Run to the tribe of the Tarawera Ultra Marathon. We also place a lot of emphasis on the event experience from the time the customer perceives the brand right through to the

moment they step over that finish line and achieve their goal.”

The Event Collective are market leaders in their category with events regularly selling out. “We have strong EDM databases 20,000 and growing and social media presence 20,000 plus fans and growing. Much of our marketing is concentrated in these areas.

Story telling is a huge part of what we are and what we do – all of our events have unique identities and stories that we share.”

The company is growing and looking at new opportunities nationally to develop new offerings, and for the first time, sampling and sponsorship opportunities are available.

A variety of options is available to meet all budgets which allow suppliers to connect with this targeted audience of runners, adventurers, and other active enthusiasts. “The greatest challenge is taking time out for ourselves as we are all driven, self-motivated and want to make a difference. The opportunities are that if we continue to strive and excel we will create a legacy of amazing events for the future.” For more information contact Jason Cameron on 07 347 1272 or visit www.rof.co.nz, www. thegoat.co.nz, www.tussocktraverse.co.nz. n

Following the success of Grin Natural Cool Mint toothpaste, Grin has launched a 100 percent natural whitening toothpaste.

New Grin Whitening toothpaste is specially formulated to restore the natural whiteness of teeth while still providing fresh breath and protection against bacteria. It combines the power of three active ingredients to whiten and clean teeth.

Baking soda works to whiten teeth while organic sea salt, a mild abrasive, gently lifts stains and Propolis extract, a natural antiseptic, inhibits bacteria growth. Made from 100 percent natural ingredients, Grin whitening toothpaste has no Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS), bleach or harsh abrasives and it is free from added sugar, artificial flavours and colours.

The company are more about what is left out of its products than what it puts in. Increasing disposable incomes, changing lifestyles and increasing awareness of the benefits of natural products are all contributing to the strong growth of natural products globally.

Since launching in 2015, Grin Natural Products has seen continued growth for its premium natural

oral care products. New Zealanders are proving to be more and more discerning when purchasing products and they are getting behind natural brands like Grin. At the recent Go Green Expo in Auckland over 1000 units of Grin toothpaste went out the door in just two days. “Grin Whitening Toothpaste responds to consumers growing interest in whitening products. Consumers tell us that they want a natural toothpaste but one that also has the benefit of whitening,” said marketing manager Tara Tan. “As far as we are aware this is the first 100 percent natural New Zealand-made whitening toothpaste that has three active ingredients. Not only are we seeing strong growth here in NZ for 100 percent natural toothpaste but also in international markets, our first container of toothpaste left New Zealand for China in March this year.” It is available in a 100g tube in mint flavour. For more information contact sales@grinnatural.co.nz. n

gluten free - wheat free - dairy free

Available in retail and food service offerings.

For samples and pricing contact keith@loaf.co.nz or call 09 527 4354. www.loaf.co.nz June 2017

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GOOD MEATY COLLABORATIONS

CATEGORY READY FOR PREMIUMISATION Blue Frog’s latest release is its Probiotic Porridge – Vanilla Bean and Chia Seeds – Och Aye! Crammed with two billion superheat stable probiotics per serve, no refined sugars and only natural and organic ingredients, each box of eight/40g serves are super convenient, and delicious.

Blue Frog see the porridge category being ready for premiumisation via true innovation and sales are already exceeding forecast. “Our porridge is rolling into stores nationwide with strong promotional support and intense in-store sampling,” said founder Scott Baragwanath. For more information and orders contact Scotty, scotty@bluefrogbreakfast.co.nz. n

Green Meadows Beef has teamed up with New Zealand’s much loved and renowned chef Michael Van de Elzen to create a range of products in-line with Van de Elzen’s Good From Scratch philosophy.

Van de Elzen has created recipes specifically for Green Meadows Beef, a Taranaki-based family business, to build a range of healthy and delicious small-goods products. The Angus Beef and Beetroot Burgers were the first in the range to hit the shelves, quickly followed by Angus Beef and Beetroot Meatballs.

As the name suggests, the Beef and Beetroot products contain one third fresh vegetables – perfect for anyone wanting to make better choices but not give up old favourites, or looking for inventive ways to sneak more veggies into their children’s meals. As well as a focus on fresh vegetables, Green Meadows Beef are committed to ensuring that these products suit all shoppers, with the entire range being gluten, dairy, soy and preservative free.

Van de Elzen has also created recipes for both products, so customers know exactly what to do with them. Whether it’s a take on the classic burger, lettuce cups with a twist or meatballs on yoghurt flatbread,

the products are versatile, quick to prepare and, most importantly, tasty.

Soon to hit shelves alongside the Beef and Beetroot range are a more traditional pattie and meatball, but one that still packs its fair share of vegetables into the recipe. Van de Elzen is hugely passionate about reducing childhood obesity and is determined to show families that good food made from scratch can be easy, healthy and, most importantly, delicious.

Green Meadows Beef and Van de Elzen have their sights set on creating other Good From Scratch products in the beef chiller and have a steady stream of innovative products up their sleeves for release over the coming months. For more information contact Nick Carey at nick@greenmeadowsbeef.co.nz or call 0800 632 333. n

GLUTEN

FREE

DELICIOUSNESS

For more information contact ANDREW HARDIE

0800 532 266 www.keacookies.co.nz

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freefrom APPEALING FLAVOUR PROFILES Sway manufactures high-end, gluten free baking mixes for pikelets, waffles, cookies and muffins. “I’ve always enjoyed baking and love experimenting with different flours and flavours,” owner Faine Alexander explained.

“As a toddler, one of my sons experienced an intolerance to gluten, so I began playing around with alternative ingredients to replace standard wheat flour.”

The idea of creating a mix that would be quick and easy appealed to Alexander – dairy free baking options were not so challenging and opened the door for both vegans and people

with dairy intolerance.

While Sway recipes often call for the addition of egg and milk or butter, egg substitutes work just as well, as do almond or soy milk and oil.

Sway currently produces six mixes: Orange and Cinnamon Pikelet/ Waffle, Lemon Almond Pikelet Waffle, Chocolate Chip Orange Muffin, Traditional Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie, Pistachio Orange Cardamom Cookie and Mexican Chocolate Chilli Almond Cookie.

Alexander has also been experimenting with new flavour combinations, such as hibiscus and grapefruit, and hopes to add to the range within the year. “Our primary objective is to create unique flavour profiles that appeal to foodies.”

For more information email info@sway.net.nz or call 09 527 2775.n

INDULGENCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE

Consumers shouldn’t have to give up the indulgences when leading a healthy lifestyle. IsoCream has made sure that this isn’t the case having developed a premium protein frozen dessert that is packed full of the New Zealand dairy industry’s high-quality whey protein, and it is sugar-free.

Created by and for people that care about their health and wellbeing, IsoCream is just like ordinary ice cream. It tastes decadent and delicious with a high quality, rich, tasty texture but, unlike ordinary ice cream, the protein repairs and enhanced damaged and ageing muscles. IsoCream is made with

all natural ingredients to give back to those who just aren’t prepared to compromise the hard work they have done at the gym. It is available in five flavours – chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coconut (with desiccated coconut pieces) and cookies & cream (with protein cookie chunks). The brand’s range also includes its IsoShake a protein powder version of IsoCream. It has a very similar formula to IsoCream, replacing the xylitol with erythritol, keeping it all natural. IsoShake is available in two flavours, chocolate and vanilla.

For more information contact Dene Flude on 021 066 9173. n

BETTER THAN ICE CREAM NZ’S FIRST AND ONLY HIGH PROTEIN FROZEN DESSERT

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• HELPS THE SKIN - ANTI AGING • XYLITOL IS GREAT FOR YOUR TEETH AND MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF DECAY

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HIGH PROTEIN | 99% SUGAR FREE | ALL NATURAL | GLUTEN FREE WWW.ISOCREAM.NZ

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freefrom LOGO A SIGN OF CERTAINTY Globally recognised, the Crossed Grain logo is the trusted symbol consumers reach for when buying gluten-free products. With everincreasing demand for gluten-free goods, and many new products entering the market, turning to those with verified certification is high on the list for coeliac sufferers and new Zealanders choosing a gluten-free lifestyle. The logo’s simple illustration – a sheath of wheat with a line through it – is a quick reference point,

guaranteeing genuine gluten-free status for peace-of-mind.

To meet New Zealand’s strict labelling laws, products that display the Crossed Grain logo must demonstrate they meet gluten-free food standard regulations, are subject to independent laboratory testing every 12 months, and are formally verified and endorsed by Coeliac New Zealand. When consumers see a product with the logo and the wording Gluten-Free alongside, it means that particular item also meets the FSANZ standard of ‘No detectable gluten’.

With growing awareness of coeliac disease and an increasing availability of gluten-free food options, sufferers are no longer as restricted in their choices. However, as more and more New Zealanders seek the health benefits of a gluten-free diet, there is increasing pressure on retailers and supermarkets to ensure products leaving their stores are of the utmost quality and assurance. No one likes a puzzle when it comes to product labelling or where health statements are concerned, which is why goods stamped with the CNZ endorsed Crossed Grain logo ensures product certainty and purchasing confidence all-round. Good for manufacturers, good for retailers and great for consumers. For more information visit www.coeliac.org.nz. n

FOCUS ON HEALTHY SNACKING

DJ&A is an Australian-based multinational importer, exporter, distributor and manufacturer of quality food and beverages, with a focus on new, healthy snacking and a view to exploring radically different concepts. “Exceptional service and exceptional quality,” said co-founder Jeremy Isaac. “We want to convert as many people to healthy eating as possible!”

DJ&A Veggie Crisps are not only gluten free, but also have 30 percent less fat than regular fried potato chips. The crisps are lightly vacuum cooked to lock in flavour and include yellow sweet potato, purple sweet potato, carrot, green radish, green beans and shiitake mushrooms. The all natural product has no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives,

no trans-fat or cholesterol while also having no added GMO’s or MSG. There are a number of vege crisps on the market, but DJ&A is set apart through the use of whole vegetable products in their original form.

DJ&A doesn’t pulp or reconstitute the vegetables.

“It’s harder to cheat customers that way,” said Jeremy, noting that DJ&A don’t actually want to cheat their customers at all, but rather give them the best possible snacking options. “It’s a great way to get your daily fruit and veg,” he explained.

“There are a lot of happy customers out there.” DJ&A display all their products in store in clear packaging, and don’t rely on television advertising to convince consumers to choose healthier snacks. Ultimately, Jeremy believes that the public knows what is best for them. “Give them a range of options,” he said, “and let them decide”. For more information contact Plum Agencies on 021 116 8018. n

!

E L B A L I A V A NEW W O N

0211905695 INFO@FIXANDFOGG.CO.NZ WWW.FIXANDFOGG.CO.NZ

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freefrom NUTRITIOUS SNACKS FOR THE LITTLIES

Category winner of the 2016 NZ Food Awards, Kiwigarden Coconut Raspberry Yoghurt Drops are a delicious and nutritious snack for the littlies. The product is 100 percent natural with no nasties, and fast-dissolving, they are perfect for children from around 10 months old, who are learning to self-feed. These yoghurt drops are NZ-made and contain live probiotics.

Make sure you are in stock of the popular Taveners range for the BRITISH LIONS TOUR that runs throughtout NZ during the months of June and July.

They are also gluten-free and contain no refined sugar. Available in three other delicious flavours (in 20g re-sealable pouches): Natural GreekStyle, Passionfruit and Gold Kiwi.

RRP $3.99.

Kiwigarden also has a lunchbox range, which come in retail boxes each containing five individual sachets (9g each). It includes Crunchy Apple Slices, Sweet Corn Kernels and three yoghurt drops (Banana & Honey, Mixed Berry and Strawberry).

For more information, contact your Alliance Marketing representative or email info@kiwigarden.co.nz​. n

IRRESISTIBLE BRITISH CLASSICS Take a trip down memory lane with all the old favourites from Taveners in one irresistible range. Made with natural colours and flavours this collection combines the tradition of yesteryear with the goodness of today. Taveners products are made using all natural colours and flavours, with no added salt, Great British Sweets are made in the traditional way with classic favourites like Strawberry Bon Bons and Mint Him Bugs, consumers won’t be disappointed.

The origins of the company date back to 1885 when William Henry Tavener, having completed his apprenticeship as a grocer, set up business in Liverpool where he first manufactured pickles and sauces which he sold to local shopkeepers.

By 1889 he was also producing boiled sweets packed in green glass bottles with ground glass stoppers and sold four ounces for a penny. The Taveners brand has been used across the decades for caramels, toffees and fruit based

high boil sugar products. The name ‘Taveners’ is synonymous in the confectionery industry for quality products and is still loved by millions of consumers worldwide today.

TC Marketing have been selling the Taveners bags into the market since mid 2016 and the response so far has been fantastic. Consumers are loving that they are made with natural flavours and colours – which of course makes them not only a great tasting product but good for kids and adults to enjoy.

Give your customers the pleasure of enjoying this age-old heritage brand with great tasting good quality sweets at great prices. Watch out for the exciting new addition of the ‘British Mix’ which will be available to the market in July.

This is sure to be a winner.

For retail enquiries, please contact your local Alliance rep on 09 263 9466 or info@alliance.co.nz.

For wholesale enquiries contact Chris on 021 678 854 or email chris@tcmarketing.co.nz. n

For supermarket enquires please contact your local Alliance Rep on Ph 09 2639466 or info@alliance.co.nz and for any wholesale enquiries please contact CHRIS on 021678854 or email chris@tcmarketing.co.nz June 2017

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freefrom UNIQUE RANGE OF QUALITY MEATS Established in 1992 by Pat Kennedy as a family-run business, Blackball Salami was named after the South Island town of Blackball where it is based. The company has a range of over 40 different products, all unique and of high quality, including fresh sausages, bacon, speciality goods, salami and venison patties with a new product in the pipeline. The majority of its products are MSG and glutenfree. This is not new to the company, as Blackball Salami has always produced MSG-free and glutenfree products, with the sole exception of

its black and white puddings because they contain barley.

The brand is committed to providing the very best ingredients and recipes, and its salami is prepared the old-fashioned way, naturally cured and made from a variety of quality NZ beef, pork and venison.

To obtain a unique quality, Blackball uses only Manuka wood smoke during the smoking process, adding all the finest herbs and spices. The salami is then hung and cured in the company’s humidity/ temperature controlled room.

Once it has reached its maturity, it is packed to production requirements.

Blackballs’ products are available in supermarkets, delis or through online ordering.

For more information visit www.blackballsalami.co.nz. n

YES, YOU CAN!

YesYouCan gluten-free baking mixes are made with premium ingredients including real fruit, and are as delicious as regular wheat-based products, with light texture and full taste – consumers won’t believe it’s gluten-free. The range includes Red Velvet Cupcakes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Banana Bread and much more in its premium baking mixes.

Easy to prepare with only a couple of extra ingredients, it is perfect for busy consumers.

YesYouCan baking mixes are great value with complete accessories in the packs, including frosting, sprinkles or chocolate chips to finish it off.

Not only are the mixes tasty, and simple to make, they also suit many dietary requirements with several products in the range being glutenfree, dairy-free and nut-free – a safe choice for the whole family.

For more information contact Brooke Fine Foods on 09 477 0610.n

DAIRY-FREE MILK? M A K E A S YO U G O

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The true character and flavour of herbs, spices and meats is gently nurtured to create our range of quality gourmet New Zealand meat products.

Available at selected supermarkets throughout NZ or Order online - the modern way:

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ProbiotiC Vegan Low Salt No Refined Sugars Less than 4gm’s sugar per serve

Blue Frog’s instant Probiotic Porridge is super easy to prep and loaded with Oats, Heilala Vanilla Bean, Organic Chia Seeds and Probiotics.

Organic. Cultured. Raw. FOR THE CHILLER

Our Probiotic ingredient, Ganeden BC30, is heat stable and with more than 2 billion live cells per serve, it creates a mighty breakfast!

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Using only natural and organic ingredients, and at $1 per serve – it’s Cerealsy Good!

Available Nationwide Food Service: 1kg or 7kg packs Retail: 320g (8x40g Porridge Pockets) Contact: Scotty 022 167 8752 hello@bluefrogbreakfast.co.nz

www.benourished.co.nz

Crispy Seaweed Range Where Spice Meets Sea

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Ride the wave of flavour sensation with Tao Kae Noi’s Crispy Seaweed Range. Tantalize your taste buds with hot and spicy or enjoy flavorsome original. Tao Kae Noi, the healthy way to snack.

For more information or a sample of Tao Kae Noi please contact:

ORIENTAL MERCHANT (NZ) LTD Tel 0800 10 33 05 Email: nzenquiries@oriental.com.au Website: www.oriental.com.au

Contact Regional Health Ltd. info@regional.co.nz | 0508 734 466 | 021 770 155

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PRODUCT ENQUIRES:

Q-LIQUID LTD 232A Neilson Street Onehunga, Auckland Tel: 09 636 77 30 Email: info@qll.co.nz www.qll.co.nz

bluenunworld.com

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