SupermarketNews Magazine | August 2018

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August 2018 • Vol. 11 No. 8

smafeature (see page 24)

editorialcomment INNOVATION STATION Sarah Mitchell Editorial Director

sarah@reviewmags.com

This month SupermarketNews conducted its annual Inspire+ NZ Artisan Awards. Over 400 products entered the awards this year and there isn’t any shortage of innovation. In particular, we received a surge in entries in the fresh category with some exciting new products to market. Judging is underway, with an early announcement of one of the categories, New World PITCHMe, in early September with other category finalists being announced at the end of the month. Winners will be announced in late September. The judges have been excited to see the return of some entrants from previous years where they have taken on board the feedback and repackaged or reworked recipes.

Innovation is not just happening in New Zealand and often we look to what is happening around the world for inspiration.

Germany is one such place. Nordic cuisine is quickly gaining consumer awareness and is influencing a lot of both foodservice and consumer products. The Nordic cuisine, pioneered and celebrated by Danish restaurant Noma, is receiving a lot of attention for its use of local, wild, and foraged ingredients that are prepared

in new ways. Seaweed in particular has been in the spotlight with food and beverage products. The versatility of edible algae has been incorporated into everyday foods like sauces and seasonings, in particular by start-up brands.

Health conscious consumers continue to search for better-for-you products and the nutritional benefits and unique flavour profiles make Nordic cuisine one likely to benefit from this growing trend.

This year food and beverage innovation has proven to be heavily influenced by flavour extremes, from spicy candies and pink soups, SupermarketNews seeks out these new and unique offerings from around the world and features them through our Global What’s New section both in the magazine and daily on the website.

Make sure you are subscribed to our FREE weekly e-newsletter to see highlights from around the world and in our own backyard, as well as insights, trends and news. A one-stop shop for all things grocery.

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

Enjoy the issue.

www.fgc.org.nz

diarynotes

September 1: Grocery Charity Ball September 6-9: Food and Drinks Asia, Philippines October 7-10: NACS Show 2018 Las Vegas, NV; Expo October 8-10

October 11-13 2018: Japan’s Food Export Fair, Makuhari Messe, Japan October 21-25 2018: SIAL Paris, France November 7-9: FGC Conference, Brisbane January 2019: ISM, Cologne

departments

02 News 16 Store of the Month 18 What’s New 24 SMA Feature 38 International Aisle

6 12 22 34 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 2018

CHAIRMAN Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com PUBLISHER Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com GENERAL MANAGER Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Mark Fullerton, mark@reviewmags.com Caitlan Mitchell, caitlan@reviewmags.com ADVERTISING SALES Felicity-Anne Flack, felicity@reviewmags.com ONLINE SALES Georgina McKimm, georgina@reviewmags.com

SENIOR DESIGNER Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ciaran Carroll, kez@reviewmags.com ISSN No.

1173-3365

Suite 9, Level 3, 20 Augustus Tce, Parnell, Auckland PO Box 37140 Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 3040142 Fax (09) 3772794

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

August 2018

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news THE PLASTIC BAG BAN

Single-use plastic shopping bags will be phased out over the next year.

“We’re phasing out single-use plastic bags so we can better look after our environment and safeguard New Zealand’s clean, green reputation,” said Rt Hon Jacinda Adern. “Public calls for action have encouraged a significant number of retailers, including supermarkets to move on single-use plastic bags. We want to support their efforts by ensuring the retail industry moves together in a fair and effective way.”

This ban has been welcomed by both supermarket chains in New Zealand as well as the Packaging Forum.

Foodstuffs has already announced that its retail and wholesale stores would be joining New World, PAK’nSAVE and

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Four Square in no longer offering singleuse plastic carrier bags at the checkout from 1 January 2019. The move is part of the 100 percent New Zealand owned Co-operative’s programme to do its bit to look after the country and they believe that the announcement from the Government means that everyone in retail will soon be on the same page.

“We consider it a huge privilege and responsibility to do our best to look after our patch for centuries to come,” said Steve Anderson, MD Foodstuffs NZ. “It’s important to acknowledge that some customers may take a bit more help to get there.

We’re going all out to ensure that we have very affordable reusable bag options available in our stores, and our commitment to reducing plastic waste is

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clear and goes beyond plastic bags.”

Countdown has also welcomed the single-use plastic bag ban. Countdown was the first supermarket in the country to commit to phasing out single-use plastic bags by the end of 2018 and has previously made submissions supporting a nationwide phase-out. This month will see a third of all Countdown supermarkets already making the change to reusable bags. Countdown’s general manager corporate affairs, Kiri Hannifin said phasing out these bags will have considerable flow-on benefits for the environment and future generations of New Zealanders.

“We are absolutely thrilled the Government has begun consultation on a mandatory phase-out of single-use plastic carrier bags in New Zealand,” said Hannifin. “When Countdown announced that it would phase out single-use plastic carrier bags, we did it without any Government intervention but in the knowledge we were doing the right thing for our customers who had been asking our business to make the move, and of course for our environment.

“A decision to phase out these bags can be a much harder call for smaller retailers who could be fearful about losing customers to their competitors.

The announcement will level the playing field for retailers both big and small,

and make reusing bags the norm for customers throughout the country.”

Packaging New Zealand said that it understands the Government’s reason for its ban on single-use plastic bags, but it would be alarmed if this was extended to plastic packaging.

“Plastic packaging is used because it is effective, efficient and economic,” said Sharon Humphreys, executive director of Packaging New Zealand.

“Any suggestion to extend plastic bans into the packaging space starts to impact areas such as food safety, sterile packaging, logistical efficiencies affecting carbon emissions, health and safety regulations, to name a few. This would be a step too far.”

According to Humphreys, advocates of banning plastic will always find examples of potential misuses, but those charged with policy development need to offer a balanced perspective, which is mindful of society’s requirements, not simply appeasement of the vocal minority. “Let us be clear, we too are horrified by the devastating effect on the natural environment of plastic pollution. Fewer bags in circulation will inevitably mean a reduction of bags in the natural environment. Although this is a good outcome it demonises the product but excuses the conduct of those who litter.” n

NEW

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DIVERSE TASTES

WHITTAKER’S OPEN FIRST STORE Whittaker’s has opened its very first permanent store which is located through customs in Auckland International Airport. The store will be accessible to anyone travelling internationally from Auckland.

“We are super excited to finally share the news of the opening of our first permanent shop-front,” said Jasmine Currie, Whittaker’s marketing manager.

“Our airport store will allow us to

engage directly with our customers, further enriching the fantastic interaction we have with them through our social channels.”

The Whittaker’s store will be operated by Lagardère Travel Retail, which already operates a number of stores for high-profile New Zealand brands, showcasing the best New Zealand has to offer. n

Oriental Merchant provides New Zealand with trusted products from all over Asia; Nissin Instant Noodles, Hakubaku Organic Japanese Style Noodles and Valcom Thai Curries, to name but a few.

These represent the best of what the Orient has to offer in the midst of a nationwide uptake in international foods. Consumers are becoming more aware and more accepting of international products and brands as the national population becomes increasingly diverse. Consumers are particularly looking for brands they can trust. Over the past six months, there has been a considerable uptake in Nissin’s Premium Range of Instant Ramen which is proving to be a hit. The range, including Hokkaido Miso, Kyushu and Tokyo Shoyu, comes in packs of five largeformat noodles and incorporates traditional Japanese flavours into a convenient meal.

The latest addition to the Oriental Merchant family is Hengshun Chinkiang Vinegar, China’s famous black vinegar, now in an easy-pour 180ml bottle. Although found in many traditional Chinese dishes, it is most well-known as the authentic dipping sauce for fried and steamed dumplings. With the growth in the Frozen Dumpling market, Chinkiang Vinegar is the perfect accompaniment and is the ideal cross-promotional product to display next to dumplings in the freezer section. As the warmer months and barbecue season approaches, it is hard to beat the versatility of ABC Kecap Manis. The world’s favourite Sweet Soy Sauce is right at home in every marinade or glaze recipe and adds an extra dimension to any stir-fry. Available in easy-squeeze PET bottles or a durable glass bottle, ABC is always close on hand. n

NEW ZEALAND’S LEADING TRADE SHOW FOR THE FOOD & BEVERAGE MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAIN INDUSTRY ADDING VALUE TO NEW ZEALAND’S FOOD CHAIN

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Making it great since 1948.

*Artists impression

BE IN TO WIN this amazing Container Kitchen worth over 125K! Spend over $1000 between 1st June 2018 to 31st January 2019 to go into the draw.

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Terms and conditions: Promotion period ends 31st January 2019. Five finalists will be drawn on 1st February 2019. Winner will be announced on 11th March 2019 at the Food First Gala Dinner. The draw will be made under legal supervision. All entries will be housed electronically and drawn via an electronic system. There will be no return cash value of the prize. The prize will be housed in Auckland and will be transported to one location for the official handover to the new owner. Burns & Ferrall will insure all contents of the prize until it is handed over to the new owner. Standard manufacturer warranties will be dated from the handover date. For full terms & conditions, please visit www.burnsferrall.co.nz

August 2018

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tradetalks

HOW SUPERMARKETS CAN REDUCE WASTE AND INCREASE PROFITS WITH AI

With Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, the rise of subscription meal kits like My Food Bag, and delivery services from supermarkets Countdown and Pak’nSave, it seems like everyone is trying to build a better supermarket. But what if the supermarket of the future is the one right around the corner?

Brett Egglestone VP of Retail, INFOR

When we think about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to transform the retail industry, it is easy to overlook how it could affect one of the most fundamental shopping experiences around: the supermarket.

Right now, the conversation and real-world applications of AI are limited to voice assistants and chatbots. But the potential goes much further than that.

Thanks to a wealth of customer data and product information, grocers positioned to apply machine learning and AI in other areas of the business, and reduce food waste along the way.

The fresh produce industry is one of the most wasteful industries.

With heavy reliance on transporting perishable goods, supermarkets tend to live and die on their ability to plan, promote and sell goods within a narrow amount of time.

Research from Rabo Direct showed New Zealanders waste almost $2 billion of food a year, with average household wasting $1,071 worth of food each year. While some of that waste happens in consumers’ homes, a good amount of food is in the supply chain - anywhere from the farm to the store shelf.

Because there are so many options for where, when and how to buy groceries, supermarkets compete on prices that are often at odds with profitability.

Supermarkets already have a good sense of who the customer is, what

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they want to buy, at what price point, and how to plan the right assortment.

There is no shortage of data about the business itself, but greater opportunity lies in the ability to tie all that data together.

That is where AI comes in.

Supplemented by machine learning and business analytics, and powered by the supercomputing power of the cloud, we will soon see more supermarkets employ this technology to connect the dots between customers and products, while also addressing some of the biggest challenges today.

Here’s how:

LEVERAGING A WEALTH OF CUSTOMER DATA The supermarket industry is one of the pioneers of collecting consumer purchasing data.

Thanks to in-store promotions and customer loyalty programs, supermarkets today have a sense of customers purchasing habits. While this information is already used to offer discounts or special promotions, new technology can advance the relationship even further.

One of AI’s great promises is a deeper understanding of context and intent - the what and why behind customer shopping and purchase decisions.

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AI and machine learning provides supermarkets the ability to take that consumer data even further, further automating the ability to offer individual customers targeted offers that further build upon hard-earned loyalty.

ASSORTMENT PLANNING AND REPLENISHMENT AI is a potential game changer when it comes to inventory. Paired with point-of-sale information and inventory visibility that extends beyond the store and into warehouses and goods in-transit, AI can help keep the shelves lined with the right mix of products and ensure the supply chain aligns to avoid costly stock outs and overstocks.

Machine learning can build on supermarkets’ rich customer information and combine it with contextual data like weather, holidays and events, customer sentiment, thus providing a more accurate forecast than traditional methods.

However, to reach this dream state of automation, supermarkets will first have to connect the disparate systems that comprise the greater software stack - or at least find software that can help bridge the gap between ERP and POS, warehouse management and logistics.

REDUCING WASTE Layered with better inventory visibility and advanced sensors, AI is a path to getting a better handle on produce and perishables. Advanced automation could help stores re-adjust orders based on demand or automate promotions of products that are not selling fast enough, reducing the amount of food that goes into landfills and helping stores to protect margins.

Research by AI Forum shows by 2035, AI has the potential to increase New Zealand GDP by up to $54 billion. Though it might seem a long way off, we have still only seen the beginning of AI’s potential impact on the enterprise. As these technologies advance, grocers should begin positioning their systems for a seamless transition into the highly automated future.

For some, that might mean leaving legacy systems behind, or at the very least adopting networked software that promotes connectivity and inventory visibility beyond the enterprise and into the extended supply chain.

Ultimately, AI must connect across systems, or even be baked into commerce platforms, to maximise its effectiveness throughout the business.

While AI will be a valuable tool for customer service, its greater impact will come through its ability to reward loyalty, understand consumer behaviour and ensure that less revenue is lost. n

best of whattostock YALUMBA WINESMITHS Since 1984 Yalumba casks have provided convenience, quality and great tasting wines for consumers to enjoy by the glass. Today, Yalumba continues to offer the widest selection of vintage-specific varietal wine in 2L casks, ensuring there is a Yalumba Winesmiths wine to suit every occasion. The Yalumba Winesmiths collection is regionally grown, single varietal, vintage specific and 100 percent vegan. Yalumba’s rebranding of their core 2L range under the Winesmiths label launches on the back of growth in the 2L cask wine category. Re-establishing and emphasising their commitment to quality-focused, single varietal and regionally sourced fruit, ‘Winesmiths’ provides a premium wine experience at a terrific value in a sector driven by convenience and utility. The relaunch

includes new, vibrant, and eye-catching designs while maintaining quality links to the brand’s reputation as one of Australasia’s finest and best-loved family-owned wine producers. Their 2L casks have 13 percent of the carbon footprint of bottled wine and are made from 75 percent recycled materials.

For more information contact Negociants on 0800 634 624 or email us at ordersnz@negociants.com.

PURE DELISH Pure Delish’s Creamy Chia Bircher & Porridge is far from your ordinary porridge – packed full of delicious dates, crunchy almonds and organic apricots with nature’s superfood, chia and a sprinkling of spice for flavour. This easy, one-step, no cooking required, option offers consumers a sustaining and nutritious breakfast that is fast and convenient. Being 4.5-star health rated means Creamy Chia Bircher & Porridge is a great choice for those customers wanting to choose a healthier option. Pure Delish has also teamed up with the Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ to assist with their

research fund-raising efforts. For every bag of Creamy Chia Bircher & Porridge sold, Pure Delish will donate 50c to this very deserving cause.

For more information, please contact Mike, National Sales Manager at mike@puredelish.co.nz, call the office on 09 574 5701 or visit www.puredelish.co.nz.

HELLERS Kiwi Bacon is looking fresh. They’re still the brand Kiwis know and trust but have freshened things up with a new-look logo, and an exciting new 100 percent natural product line they think consumers are going to love. It’s no secret; Kiwi’s have a real thing for Kiwi Bacon. Whether it’s the childhood memories of Dad cooking up bacon and eggs, or the familiarity of the iconic kiwi that lives on the front of every pack they sell, there’s no doubting that Kiwi Bacon has been a family favourite through many generations. Keep an eye out this August for brand new Kiwi in stores.

For more information visit kiwibacon.co.nz or contact welovekiwibacon@kiwibacon.co.nz

SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT To kick off the Spring season, the team at Something to Crow About have launched a new mouth-watering muesli flavour, Cashew Sour Cherry & Chia Gluten Free Muesli. Nutritious and delicious, with a 4-star health rating, it features roasted cashews and sour dried cherries. In response to consumer demand for free-from cereals, it’s gluten free, preservative free, dairy free and vegan friendly. The new flavour is available in a 400g resealable pack. Something to Crow About is New Zealand’s fastest growing cereal brand and is ranked #2 in the premium cereal category (Cereals RRP >$12).

This premium category is showing strong growth with sales up 24.6 percent.

For more information contact visit www.crowabout. co.nz/muesli, call Mike Millar on 021 555 852 or email Mike at mike@crowabout.co.nz.

YALUMBA Y SERIES TEMPRANILLO At Yalumba, they believe that one good wine leads to another. The Y Series was created with that belief in mind. The Y Series represents a collection of iconic classics and exciting new varietals, each authentically crafted from fruit grown in South Australia’s most celebrated wine regions. They hope that each bottle marks the beginning of a delicious journey and look forward to sharing the love of wine with consumers as they explore the Y Series.

The vegan-friendly, wild fermented, Yalumba Y

Series Tempranillo is a juicy, plush wine full of dark berries and mocha chocolate flavours with a rustic touch.

For more information contact Negociants on 0800 634 624 or email us at ordersnz@negociants.com.

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SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

People often do and say silly things where alcohol is involved. I’m not meaning just those who may consume too much of it, rather those who try to make it as difficult as possible for reasonable New Zealanders who want to supply or purchase beer and wine from a supermarket.

Katherine Rich

Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council

Early last century when there were bids to extend hotel closing hours past 6pm, those opposed claimed that to do so would result in widespread drunkenness and chaos in the streets. History shows that when the law was finally changed to 10pm in 1967 the sky didn’t fall, with various studies showing consumption per capita actually declined slightly. It has been argued we became more civilised in our drinking habits as a result.

In 1989 and again in 1999, there were all sorts of dire claims when, following a review of alcohol laws, supermarkets, dairies and convenience stores were firstly permitted to sell wine, and then beer. Probably the most extreme came from one Member of Parliament, who said during a debate that there would

be drunken housewives in the carpark as a result of the change! The drunken housewives have yet to eventuate.

In 2011 things got more extreme when, during a hearing for a wine and beer licence for a new supermarket in Christchurch, an anti-alcohol activist likened the store owner to a drug dealer.

He said: “… given that alcohol is a Class B equivalent drug, a new liquor licence would therefore elevate the new manager … to being the biggest drug dealer in Ilam”.

He was talking about a family man with four children who had worked his way up from stocking shelves in his father’s supermarket, to owning his own.

The activist went on to say that “although disguised as a large familyfriendly grocery store, supermarkets are in fact primarily mega-liquor stores which also sell grocery items” and “are probably the single biggest drug dealers in New Zealand”. More recently he said “the New Zealand population has been brainwashed and in the grips of a mass social delusion”. Heavy stuff.

BRITTANY BASTINGS

Brand Manager for Category & Local Area Marketing, COUNTDOWN

As a child, Brittany Bastings always wanted to become a journalist, but a marketing strategies paper at Victoria University inspired her to pursue a new career in the marketing industry.

Hailing from Christchurch, Bastings attended Rangi Ruru Girls’ School where she studied a wide range of subjects including the opportunity to complete an ATCL Communications paper. “I grew up in with my Mum, Dad and younger brother. I was in Christchurch for all of the earthquakes that occurred which was a surreal experience, but through that I built self-resilience.”

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That’s the sort of extreme thinking that law-abiding suppliers and retailers have to put up with for marketing and selling a legal product.

More recently there’s been the Police crackdown on licence renewals in Wellington bowling clubs, many of which offer a comfortable place for (mainly) older people to gather for a bit of recreation. It was admitted that none of the clubs had been breaking any laws, rather it was about their hours of operation. These are the sort of petty crusades we have to put up with when officialdom relies on technicalities and forgets simple common sense.

If all that wasn’t concerning, common sense was very definitely absent when MidCentral District Health Board decided to spend upwards of $90,000 appealing to the High Court over the placement of beer and wines shelves in the Dannevirke New World.

Their licence application for the wine and beer section showed shelving at right angles to the aisle where shoppers

walked past, but they were changed to be placed on an angle. The commission decided the angle of the shelves made “little or no difference” to the exposure of shoppers to alcohol and were not in breach of the Sale & Supply of Alcohol Act. The Police and the local council had no issues with it, and there were no complaints from the public.

But it was all too much for the Medical Officer of Health, who objected and then went on a crusade, appealing to the High Court, saying the angled shelves increased, “rather than minimised”, the exposure of alcohol products to shoppers passing by.

They even involved eight other DHBs to help fund the appeal on what they saw as a matter of “national significance’.

It beggars belief how the angle of shelves could ever become a health issue of such significance, and goes to show that despite living in so-called enlightened times, there are some attitudes that never seem to change. n

Although disguised as a large familyfriendly grocery store, supermarkets are in fact primarily mega-liquor stores which also sell grocery items and are probably the single biggest drug dealers in New Zealand.

This resilience paid off when she received an excellence scholarship to Victoria University in Wellington.

Venturing from the South to the North Island, Bastings studied a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and Commercial Law while minoring in International Business and working part-time for Mediaworks.

“While studying Marketing in Wellington, I had the opportunity to work on marketing strategies for real companies; this was when I decided that I would look at pursuing a career in Marketing as it was something I really enjoyed doing,” she said.

After Bastings’ three years at Victoria University were completed she moved back to her hometown of Christchurch, where she picked up a job working for RJP Panel and Paint as a website and marketing collateral coordinator.

Feeling the need to see the world, after a year of working for both RJP Panel and Paint, and Mediaworks, Bastings made the decision to take a break and headed to Europe to travel for six months.

Upon her arrival back into the country, Bastings got a job as a Marketing Coordinator for Countdown working in their Promotions, Planning and Production team. “I instantly loved the fast-paced nature of the role.”

Utilising her communication and relationship building skills, Bastings was promoted just a year later, to Assistant Brand Manager, and took a secondment in the Loyalty and

Financial Services team, before starting her new role as the Brand Manager for Category and Local Area Marketing.

Seeing the vast scale of the work Countdown does, and how the company aims to make Kiwi’s lives better is what Bastings finds most rewarding about her job. “Countdown has so much more than just great food to offer Kiwis, and it’s important that we are able to tell those stories to our customers in a way that they can engage and relate. We always put our customers first in everything we do.”

With Countdown’s vast opportunities for growth across its marketing teams and Bastings’ passion for food and people, the supermarket chain gives her the ability to grow, through large-scale campaigns and one-to-one marketing projects, as well as work closely with different people from across the business.

“I love bringing my passion for food, creativity and innovation into marketing. Countdown is able to bring this all together to create relevant marketing campaigns and captivating conversations with our customers.”

Always having to be two steps ahead of New Zealand’s ever-changing advertising landscape, Bastings loves the challenge of keeping up with the natural fast-paced world of the marketing and fmcg industries. “You always have to challenge your thinking to be steps ahead.” n

BUILDING SUPERMARKETS IN THE SOUTH

Roger Davidson

General Manager Property and Retail Development Foodstuffs South Island

Building stuff that works is fairly demanding. We’re tasked with creating fantastic places for people to shop and be inspired for an evening meal, and we’re in charge of rolling out the most efficient warehouse and distribution centres.

There are some commonalities like sustainability, economic energy use and creating a great place to work – but our adept forklift drivers want and need much wider aisles than a customer looking for Pams Finest Peking Duck for an affordable, but luxurious dinner for four. When it comes to store design there is a key mandate – we’re all about making sure that our supermarkets meet or even exceed our customers’ expectations and that they are relevant to the way they live their lives. It’s interesting to look at how we can incorporate changing trends in look and feel – which reflect our customers’ homes, their favourite restaurants or their holiday home.

Our new Three Parks New World will sit comfortably in Wanaka with schist features, Corten steel and blackened timbers – much like the cribs

which nestle on the side of the lake. Naturally lightfilled, this store will be energy-efficient, warm in winter and cool in summer, and draw customers in who are looking for food to grab and go, a new twist on roast leg of lamb or essentials to ward off an evening chill.

The same design wouldn’t work in other locations.

Sustainability is woven into every aspect of our developments. One of our key concerns is energy use.

Wherever we can, we capitalise on natural lighting, natural refrigeration and warmth from the sun. We ensure we can look after and recycle our waste and create great spaces for our staff to relax. More than 28 of our stores have deployed CO2 refrigeration systems – which are more economic to run and have minimal impact on the environment. We’re not called the ‘green’ grocer for nothing.

At Foodstuffs South Island we’d count ourselves one of New Zealand’s most well-prepared organisations in the event of an emergency. Albeit we successfully lived through and recovered well from 2011 and 2016 seismic events, we are never complacent about our responsibility to the community and our staff – we ensure that our buildings and systems are compliant over and above any legal requirements. In the event of an emergency we are fully aware of our obligation to keep communities fed, watered and nurtured.

Supermarkets are critical lifeline providers.

Looking ahead, technology and social change are driving some interesting developments. It is not inconceivable that our customers might order groceries online and have them delivered by drone.

That said, human connection is incredibly important in our busy, hectic lives – which is why we take the best of what tech has to offer now, like LED lighting, reverse osmosis watering to keep produce fresh in store, massive double-glazed windows, and mix this with our amazing team. Our people create places our customers want to visit again and again. n

FOODSTUFFS NORTH ISLAND PITCHme is the opportunity for suppliers to pitch their brand to a panel of buyers and influencers from Foodstuffs North Island. Initially suppliers submit an entry for consideration to the panel, the finalists chosen will then have the opportunity to present their product to the panel in person for feedback and of course the possibility of being stocked.

For your product to be considered for PITCHme Foodstuffs North Island please register your interest by emailing pitchme@reviewmags.com with your contact information.

An information pack will be sent to you explaining how to enter.

Brought to you by:

* Whilst every effort is made to maximise your exposure to the panel, the decision to stock or mentor is at the discretion of the panel. No correspondence will be entered into.

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tradetalks COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITIES

Hello and welcome to my first column. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on the food and grocery industry with you, as well as all the news and latest developments here at Countdown.

I’ve been in the role since the beginning of July and although I have worked with the New Zealand team as part of my previous role at Woolworths Australia, it’s been great being on the ground and getting to know our customers, team and suppliers. I have received a warm Kiwi welcome and I’m already beginning to feel at home.

First, I want to acknowledge the work of my predecessor, Dave Chambers, for his role in developing a passionate and innovative team and leaving the business in a sound position.

The past six weeks have been fantastic. I’ve been getting to know the team and visiting our stores and

Natalie Davis

Managing Director Countdown

distribution centres across the country.

I have enjoyed talking to our customers and hearing their thoughts and ideas for our business. My first few days were spent working in our Mt Eden store in Auckland. It was an incredible opportunity to see how the team work together to put our customers first and bring to life our purpose of making kiwis lives a little better every day.

I’m really impressed with the demonstrable commitment we have to both customers and communities across New Zealand. A recent example is Countdown last month dropping the price of our Homebrand and Select sanitary products to make them more affordable for women and girls in New Zealand. While all women will benefit from lower prices on these essential items, the move was driven by our desire to address period poverty - a very real issue for many women and girls in New Zealand.

There is no missing the fact that the proliferation of unnecessary plastic is a real concern for New Zealanders. I am delighted with the progress we are making to remove single use plastic bags from our checkouts and online service - with nearly a third of our network already there. It’s been great to hear positive customer feedback, helped no doubt by the extraordinary enthusiasm and commitment shown by our team,

“

While all women will benefit from lower prices on these essential items, the move was driven by our desire to address period poverty - a very real issue for many women and girls in New Zealand.

”

who are doing a great job to make the transition as easy as possible for our customers.

Finally, it’s been great to have met some of you already and I’m looking forward to getting to know more of you over the coming months. Our next Trade Show and supplier update is on 5 September in Auckland. Please make sure you come up and say hello. I’m really keen to hear your thoughts and ideas.

Thank you for the warm welcome.

It’s great to have started. n

techbytes MORE ROBOTS FOR WALMART

TOMATO TECH

TechAccel is the latest tech company to receive funding from the Catalyst Science Translation and Innovative Research Grant program.

The Kansas based tech company received the grant for their advanced genome editing technology. The grant will give the company the opportunity to begin trailing the technology that allows rapid and efficient gene editing of tomato plants.

TechAccel collaborated with Anne Britt from UC Davis Universities Plant Biology Department to develop the technology. The advances in the gene editing of food products makes crop growing more feasible for food producers.

The technology allows growers to improve nutritional value, taste and aromas as well as helps growers to avoid browning and improve disease resistance. n

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Walmart has jumped even further into the future. Just after it announced it had begun testing driverless cars, Walmart has revealed robotic technology that aims to bring grocery items to the store’s personal shoppers faster.

In a partnership with Alert Innovation, The Alphabot system was developed. The technology involves automated carts that fetch grocery products from storage facilities

and delivers them to the personal shopper who collates orders for delivery.

In a statement released

by Walmart, the company said that “With the aid of Alphabot, our associates will have more time to focus on service and selling, the two things they often tell us are the most enjoyable part of the job.”

The announcement comes as trends turn more towards online grocery shopping. n

PAPER BATTERIES A Swedish university and paper manufacturer are working together to create batteries made of paper.

BillerudKorsnäs, a Swedish paper manufacturer, collaborated with Uppsala University professor’s Maria Strömme and Albert Mihranyan to develop the paper batteries.

The technology involves placing energy storage inside of fibre structures using compounds that conduct organic polymers. The end goal is to hopefully be able to mass produce the paper batteries for smart packaging applications.

The potential applications could involve real-time temperature gauges or parcel tracking, allowing users the ability to track a specific parcel in real time or even help to find a package if it has been missed placed.

The batteries will be able to be fully recyclable as part of BilerudKorsnäs’ pledge to a more sustainable future. n

conveniencenews CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES

What is the near-term outlook for the market adoption of electric cars and trucks and how will these technologies impact on the national demand for petrol and diesel over the next 10 years?

With the rise of internet shopping and time poor customer behaviours, is there an opportunity for service stations to become the 21st century version of the corner store in a world dominated by time-poor customer behaviours?

How will fuel retailing be impacted by the consumer’s increasing desire to compare prices, particularly in the wake of the Government’s 2017 Fuel Pricing Inquiry?

These and other questions will be major points of discussion at the 2018 Asia Pacific Fuel Industry Forum which is being held at the Cordis in Auckland, between 4 and 6 September 2018.

Designed by the fuel industry, for the fuel industry, the APFIF provides an annual opportunity for industry participants and other stakeholders to discuss issues that are both internal and external to the fuel industry – as considered from the perspective of industry, consumers and policy makers.

The Agenda for the 2018 event, which is being held in New Zealand for the first time, is developed around the theme of “FUEL RETAILING AND THE CHANGING CONSUMER DYNAMIC”.

Forum participants will be involved in a range of discussions that are designed to help business owners navigate an increasingly complex marketplace.

PHIL RUTHVEN (the founder and Director of IBIS World), will provide a whirlwind assessment of some of the key economic, social and consumer factors that are radically reshaping consumer behaviours in the wider marketplace in general – and the retailing market in particular.

Ruthven’s extensive knowledge in demographic and psychographic trends is intended to provide delegates with an understanding of how consumer behaviours are likely to evolve in the next 10 years – and the likely nature of the opportunities that this change will create for petrol and convenience retailers.

CASEY HYUN (the Principal of Global Index), will discuss the likely timing for the adoption of more fuel-efficient vehicle technologies, providing delegates with a good understanding of how the introduction of these vehicles may (or may not) reduce the near-term demand for conventional transport fuels like petrol and diesel.

BRIAN WALKER (CEO of the Retail Doctor) will discuss some of the changing consumer behaviours that are occurring in the retail sector as retail consumers move to smaller and more frequent shops, instead

of the traditional large weekly/ fortnightly shop. The potential impact of government regulations on the industry will also be a key point of conference discussion.

PETER WILSON (Principal Economist, NZ Institute of Economic Research) will provide an overview of the scope and findings of the Government’s 2017 Fuel Pricing Inquiry, while ALAN CADD (Managing Director of Informed Sources) will discuss various approaches adopted by governments around the world to promote increased transparency of fuel prices in their national markets.

DEBBI BOFFA (CEO BP New Zealand), CRAIG POMARE (CEO MTANZ) and KETAN KALE (Coles Express) will share their thoughts on the current shape of the industry and the nature of the challenges ahead for fuel retailers. “The entire two-day conference dialogue is intended to provide delegates with an appreciation of some of the key trends impacting the petrol convenience industry now, with the aim of ensuring that every delegate walks away from the conference with a piece of information that will help them successfully navigate the year ahead”, said ACAPMA CEO MARK MCKENZIE In addition to the comprehensive conference program, a separate Trade Hall Exhibition provides the opportunities for fuel retailers to connect with major industry suppliers and service providers from Australia and New Zealand. But the 2018 APFIF is not just about hard work. The forum also incorporates two elements intended to provide delegates with an opportunity to relax and network with fellow industry participants.

The 2018 Event incorporates the inaugural ACAPMA Classic Golf Day. Supported by United Convenience Buyers and Coca Cola Amatil, this event will be held at the beautiful Maungakiekie Golf Course on Tuesday 4 September.

The annual industry favourite, however, is the APFI Forum Dinner, supported by New Sunrise Group.

This year, this important networking dinner will be held in the surrounds of the stunning aviation display hall of the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).

All delegate passes include a seat at the dinner and, for those that get in early, an opportunity to participate in the ACAPMA Classic Golf Day (given that places are limited to 144 participants).

Further details about the Forum Agenda and speakers, together with details on how to register, can be found at the event website (www. apfiforum.com).

For further information, please contact Sarah Haughey, Event & Marketing Manager on +61 415 266 586 or email sarahh@acapma.com.au. n

INNOVATION FUELLING GROWTH Fuel theft has long been a problem in New Zealand, and with the rise in fuel taxes nationwide it is only expected to get worse. Z Energy alone reports an annual loss of around $2 million per annum to fuel theft. However, new technology launched in Australia may provide a solution to the age-old problem. Len Sanzone owns seven BP stations in Western Australia which have been fitted with the Scancam system and said that the collection of lost money had increased significantly.

Fuel theft in Australia is estimated to cost around $60 million a year, although the number could be as high as $100 million as many thefts go unreported. “We are able to finally collect funds that we weren’t able to collect before Scancam came along,” Sanzone said. Repeat offenders have been virtually eliminated, and theft attempts are on the decline.

Rather than acting as a simple alert or detection system, Scancam is an end-to-end solution specially formatted for the fuel industry. License plates are scanned at the pump,

and the operator is immediately notified via an iPad if the motorist is a known offender and should prepay.

Scancam also deters the opportunist with customer-facing license plate displays. If a drive-off does occur, the system generates an incident report in a few simple steps, including video footage. Furthermore, Scancam takes care of the debt recovery process. It pursues offenders to collect the unpaid amount, which will be deposited into the petrol station owner’s account.

Scancam will roll out to a further 20 stations in Australia this month alone, with IOU capability to be available at hundreds more Caltex stations.

Scancam founder Eoin Byrne said that the latest roll-out is a fantastic opportunity for growth. “The new deal with Caltex increases our network and really solidifies us as the number one player in the industry,” he said. “We’re in negotiations with other fuel majors to get the technology in as many petrol stations as possible.” Similar systems already operating in New Zealand have reduced drive-offs up to 80 percent. n

REGISTER NOW 4-6 SEPTEMBER 2018 | AUCKLAND | NZ TWO DAY CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION FOR FUEL DISTRIBUTORS, RETAILERS & CONTRACTORS. Delivered by ACAPMA, this conference is designed to provide participants with information on the latest industry advances, emerging market trends and legislative developments.

This event also incorporates a technical stream addressing issues within the petroleum contracting industry and discussing best practices for the operation and maintenance

WWW.APFIFORUM.COM GOLD SPONSORS

new SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

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I 11

behindthebusiness LOW COST, HIGH PERFORMANCE Crown Equipment has boosted its pallet truck line-up with an economical yet strong performing new model. The WP 3010 Series features all the Crown WP Series quality hallmarks in a more compact and economically priced package and is soon to be available across New Zealand through Crown’s national sales and rentals branch network.

Designed and manufactured by Crown Europe in Roding, Germany, the WP 3010 features an AC drive motor combined with the e-GEN regenerative braking system for performance, reliability, long battery life and maintenance-free braking.

The WP 3010 Series’ short (500mm) head length, fork length of up to 1150mm, built-in charger and low weight (279kg without battery) make it nimble and convenient, perfect for back-of-truck work.

However, its load capacity of 1600kg, heavy-duty gearbox, robust helical gear set, optimised steel structure and high-tensile steel forks mean it is just as rugged.

The WP 3010 Series also features the same cast aluminium Crown X-10 handle with easy-to-use ergonomic controls used on the rest of the WP Series range. Crown equipment director, sales and marketing, Craig Kenchington said the WP 3010 Series’ competitive pricing will bring Crown quality to a whole new market segment.

“Crown has made a power pallet truck with compact dimensions, so it’s

ideal for moving and positioning loads quickly and safely in confined storage spaces,” said Kenchington.

“In doing so, it has also compacted the entry price of the Crown WP Series model line-up. It means that you no longer need to sacrifice quality, longevity and ergonomics to have an

affordable power pallet truck.”

This new model is perfectly at home doing kerbside deliveries, transport on truck beds as well as retail applications and even manufacturing environments.

To learn more about the Crown WP Series please visit www.crown.com. n

DATA MANAGEMENT ACROSS YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN Cardinal’s data management and logistics planning positions is enabling us to work with our clients to manage the complexities of their operations and needs. Cardinal specialises in the distribution of grocery and FMCG products directly to grocery and other outlet stores throughout New Zealand. Our clients play a huge role in the food supply chain in New Zealand and our Customer Service Promise is to get it right first time.

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Akld Distribution Centre - Nesdale 19 Nesdale Ave, Wiri, Auckland P +64-9-970-5560

Christchurch Distribution Centre 550 Waterloo Road, Islington, Christchurch P +64-3-977-0080

Akld Distribution Centre - Westney 71-77 Westney Road, Mangere, Auckland P +64-9-970-5560

Palmerston North Distribution Centre 37 Bennett Street, Palmerston North P +64-21-652-043

Instore Cash Recycling Pays The Reserve Bank of New Zealand reports show that in the last ten years, currency in the hands of the public rose by 81.6 percent. With the amount of physical cash in circulation in New Zealand continuing to grow, so does the cost of handling it. This remains a primary concern for retailers today.

Every day, thousands of businesses rely on Glory CI-100 cash recyclers for complete end-to-end cash management solutions. These cash recyclers reconcile daily sales and prepare change funds in the back office. The addition of the CISERVER (cash management software) connects and consolidates both front and back end devices.

Glory cash recyclers are going from strength to strength in New Zealand.

Globally, they are minimising the requirement for unnecessary staff intervention and provide businesses with a high level of convenience, reducing cash handling time, and

improving security.

To introduce this solution to businesses of all sizes, Glory have launched their latest generation of affordable mid-range instore bank note and coin recycling technology. The CASHINFINITY™ CI-50 and CI-10 are suitable for small to medium sized supermarkets, and retailers. This range centralises control of cash inventory and optimises all cash processes throughout stores.

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, Glory cash recyclers provide retailers with efficient and safe solutions enabling staff to focus on customer service. The CASHINFINITY™ range provides a complete solution for supermarkets and retailers who want a secure, intuitive and flexible cash management system.

Connect with Glory NZ today on 0800 172 342 or sales@nz.glory-global. com, or visit www.glory-global.com. n

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August 2018

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beveragenews BEST EMPLOYER

Coca-Cola Amatil NZ has received the prestigious Aon Hewitt Best Employer Accreditation for the third year in a row. Each year, an elite group of organisations across Australia and New Zealand achieve Aon Best Employer Accreditation status. To receive the accreditation, businesses are put through a stringent auditing process which involves an all-employee engagement survey, people practices inventory and interviews with senior management teams. Amatil NZ not only had an exceptional engagement score of 82 percent, but it’s continued efforts to listen and

act on feedback received from staff is highlighted as a key element in gaining the accreditation for the third year in a row. Coca-Cola Amatil NZ managing director, Chris Litchfield is extremely proud of his company’s achievements and is honoured to receive this accreditation once again.

“Scoring the elusive hat trick doesn’t come by accident. It’s through our dedication, staying true to our values and an uncompromising ability to do what’s right by our people, customers and community that has put us into an elite group of organisations,” said Litchfield. n

JAPAN GOES BANANAS

Clear or transparent beverages are currently on-trend, particularly in Japan, so Coca-Cola decided to follow suit with its own ‘clear cola. Its latest beverage may say it is ‘banana milk’ but unlike the label suggests, the drink is clear like water, but with a creamy and milky taste.

The new product is essentially flavoured water that has been infused with extracts of food or drink, however, this version promises to taste ‘solidly’ like the fruit. Banana Milk is currently on sale at retail and convenience stores across Japan. n

DEITCH APPOINTED

Mission Estate has appointed Avram Deitch as its new marketing manager. Hailing from the US, Deitch has years of experience managing restaurants, beverage programmes and retail wine shops.

Deitch’s marketing career began when he joined Constellation Wines US, after that he worked at Delicato in Napa, California managing marketing for everything outside the US. In 2015 he moved to NZ to serve as global marketing manager at Yealands Wine Group, and now he’s relocated to Hawke’s Bay to work for Mission Estate.

“We have taken our time searching the market to find the right fit for this position,” said Mission Estate chief executive, Peter Holley. “Avram brings an innovative and inspiring approach to his area of the business and

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represents the exciting position Mission Estate is in today.

We have a lot to achieve, and I am very pleased to have a talented team of people supporting our efforts as a 167-year-old NZ wine company.” n

OWNED

LEWIS ROAD CUTS PLASTIC Premium dairy brand Lewis Road Creamery has announced it will move to recycled (rPET) bottles for its milk range from the end of August as part of its commitment to the NZ Packaging Declaration, committing to 100 percent of its packaging being recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025 or earlier. Lewis Road is the first milk producer in the country to change to rPET bottles which are made entirely from recycled plastic. This means no new plastic is created to produce the bottles, which can then be continuously recycled. The switch will save

approximately 210 tonnes of plastic being produced and imported into New Zealand each year. Lewis Road said the change will account for 80 percent of the plastic it uses. “We know the dairy industry uses a lot of plastic and we want to take responsibility for our share of that,” said founder Peter Cullinane. “we want to move quickly and do something now, so changing to a recycled plastic that can be recycled again and again is our first step.” The bottles can be recycled as normal by consumers rinsing and placing them into their kerbside recycling bins. n

PACKAGING COMMITMENTS

Frucor Suntory has announced new packaging sustainability commitments that include the introduction of recycled plastic sourced from Australia and New Zealand for its water, juice and carbonated soft drink bottles.

The plan will significantly increase the beverage manufacturer’s use of post-consumer recycled material so that by the end of 2019, all water bottles will be made from at least 50 percent recycled PET (rPET) bottles – with at least 10 percent of the recycled material sourced locally.

By 2030, Frucor Suntory will use 100 percent rPET for all water and juice bottles and 50 percent rPET for carbonated soft drink bottles. At least 25 percent of the recycled plastic will be sourced from Australia and

New Zealand. The move represents a major step forward in maximising the lifecycle of PET plastic in Australasia and supporting the shift to a circular economy.

“Increasing our use of recycled plastic and finding inshore solutions to our waste issue is a major part of this,” said Frucor Suntory chief technical officer Vincent Meron. “We have a broader responsibility to the communities we serve and we believe that we can make a positive difference through our decisions and actions.”

Earlier this year Frucor Suntory committed to using 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025 as part of the NZ Plastic Packaging Declaration. n

A World Without Waste

There is a groundswell for change when it comes to the way we use packaging in New Zealand. While we all love convenience, we don’t want it at the expense of the environment. That’s why on World Environment Day, Coca-Cola was one of the 12 organisations who signed a joint declaration with the Ministry for the Environment to reduce plastic waste in New Zealand.

T

he NZ plastic packaging declaration was signed by 12 international and local businesses committing to use 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging in NZ by 2025 or earlier.

It’s been encouraging to see so many other businesses add their voices to the pledge. In New Zealand, all of our plastic bottles, aluminium cans and glass packaging are 100 percent recyclable. This means after use, our bottles can be re-used to make things like other bottles, t-shirts, carpets or furniture.

Our commitment to use recyclable products is just one of the initiatives we’ve taken in New Zealand. Earlier this year, we announced our bold, ambitious goal to help collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030. Through our World Without Waste vision, we’re investing in our planet and innovating with our packaging to help make this problem a thing of the past.

To achieve this, we’ll be working to bring people together to help us collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one we sell. In New Zealand we’ll partner with government, industry and other organisations, to support a healthy, debris-free environment and oceans.

For example, our partnership and support of the Public Place Recycling

Scheme has helped install over 2400 public place recycling bins across the country. Globally we’re already working with The Ocean Conservancy, Trash Free Seas Alliance, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Closed Loop Fund to speed up the pace of waste reduction.

We are also investing in our packaging and working to build better bottles. We’re reducing our footprint by using more recycled content and reducing the amount of plastic in each container. Through blowfill

manufacturing technology, we’ve been able to create light weight bottles which use less plastic such as our POWERADE Superior bottle.

Our Kiwi Blue Eco Twist and Pure Drop 600ml bottles are made with 100 percent recycled plastic. In addition, from 2018 all of our soft drink bottles use 25 percent recycled plastic. Food and beverage packaging is an important part of our modern lives, yet the world

has a packaging problem.

Like many companies that make products we all love, our packaging has contributed to this global challenge.

We have a responsibility to help solve this problem. By investing in our planet and our packaging, we can help make the world’s packaging problem a thing of the past. n

Sponsored by Coca-Cola.

CERES LEADS THE WAY

Ceres Organics is continuing to take steps to reduce single-use plastic by revamping its cereal range in innovative homecompostable packaging. Ceres Organics classic muesli range (Ceres Organics Original Bircher, Superfood Mix, Honey Toasted, Apricot Almond and Golden Crunch) and an additional two quinoa varieties (red and black) have now joined the home compostable crew. This follows the success of Ceres Organics certified EcoSocial white quinoa, the first product to launch in the new planet-friendly package in October last year. Designed to help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, the compostable package is made from renewable resources, such as cellulose, a renewable raw material from trees. The wood pulp contained in the cellulose originates from certified forests.

While many other commercial ‘compostable’ products on the market can only be composted in commercial facilities, this packaging is truly home compostable. It has been developed in

accordance with the international OK Compost Home standard.

The combination of heat, water, oxygen, soil and micro-organisms in a typical home compost bin or worm farm provide the ideal conditions for decomposition, and in just six weeks the packs begin to break down. In 16 weeks, only small fragments remain. n

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storeofthemonth COUNTDOWN MT EDEN Countdown Mt Eden is one of the oldest stores on the Countdown books, although it has undergone several facelifts since the 1970s.

It started life as a 3 Guys, before being rebranded to a Foodtown in 2000. It was changed to Countdown in 2008, but the changes don’t stop there – in 2016 it underwent an extensive overhaul. The store footprint increased by 1,350m2 and gained an extra 75 staff members, pushing the number up to almost 200.

Aisles were widened and almost 100 more carparks added, as well as new meat and seafood counters, artisan bread ranges, a pharmacy and a bigger entrance.

Countdown Mt Eden store manager Wiebe van der Veen took over the role in mid-2016 when the major renovations started. Van der Veen began his employment at Progressives when he was 15, working as a night filler at Kerikeri Price Chopper.

Van der Veen has worked at 22 (formerly) Progressive Enterprise stores (now Woolworths NZ) in his 20year grocery career, as far north as Kerikeri and as far south as South Auckland, with a short stint on Waiheke Island thrown in for good measure.

“Waiheke was an interesting store,” he admitted.

“The population is small and it services the whole island, so there’s definitely a lot of pressure from the customers to get things right. Then, of course, over summer, the population just explodes. At the time the store was only 950m2 retail and since then a new store has been built that is much larger.”

For any store that was built almost fifty years ago, it can be expected that the community around it will change. That’s what happened with Mt Eden – the 3 Guys discount supermarket brand was no longer the right fit for the increasingly affluent Auckland suburb, which was the reasoning behind the Foodtown rebranding in 2000. By the mid-2010s, with competition coming from Nosh and Farro for the high-end grocery market, it was time for a refurbished Countdown.

“The intent behind the renovation was to make the store more of a destination,” said van der Veen. “We changed the layout, made it larger, put a health foods section in. We’ve made destination sections in the store which are better suited to the customers we’ve

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got in the store, as well as adding a cafe.”

Every single category was looked at in the renovation process, seeing what was selling or not selling, and reviewing the range based on what the customers actually wanted. The result was an increased health foods section, a Countdown pharmacy and expansive meat and bakery sections.

Conversely, and seemingly counter-intuitive given the increased store footprint, the store has been rearranged so that customers can nip in, grab the essentials as quickly as possible, and head back out again. With two schools nearby, and sitting on the well-traversed route to Eden Park, much thought was given to the new store layout, particularly how to cater to those in a rush. There is a dedicated space at the front of the store for popular products such as milk, bread, and juices.

Van der Veen can name a number of highlights since the reopening, but one which stands out is how the team responded to the growth in store and increase in staff members.

“It sometimes takes a while to change ingrained

habits, but I’m really pleased with how our team took to the challenge,” he said. Countdown conducts surveys every six months about the engagement of the team with the store’s values, and Countdown Mt Eden scored a staggering 90 percent engagement rate – something of which van der Veen is incredibly proud.

“You can build a new store and bring in a new team and set those values instore straight away, but to come into such an old store going through such a significant change, and the way the team responded to that – you can’t fault them. The team here has been amazing.”

A focus on people has always been important for van der Veen. As someone who forged a career from an after-school job he gives a lot of weight to investment in the team, and already has his eye on a few staff members who he thinks have potential to make something more of their roles. Van der Veen believes the team makes up a big part of the feel of a store, but that the staffing side of the industry has been overlooked.

Footprint 4458 sqm

196 staff

Selling Area 3387 sqm

27,000 SKUs

240 carparks

Opening Date: 2008

Checkouts: 9 self, 4 express,

Manager:

10 regular

“In general the grocery industry had moved away from service,” he explained. “A good team was a team that operated behind the scenes.”

This all changed once the store had been renovated, with van der Veen leading the charge on a ‘people first’ approach to fmcg. The team is now an integral part of the customer experience, with a variety of new specialist roles introduced to accompany the expanded sections in store.

“We now have in-house butchers who can cut specific meat on request, a fish specialist who can fillet whole fish while you wait, and we’ve introduced two new food experts and a wine specialist to help customers with advice for choosing and preparing specialist food, along with offering expert matching suggestions.”

The wine cellar is a highlight of the new development, although van der Veen explained that it wasn’t actually any larger than the average liquor section.

“We’ve got four aisles, but only four bays per aisle, while some supermarkets will have an entire aisle for

wine and a walk-in beer fridge. Our section is actually pretty deceptive, it feels bigger than it actually is, and the fitout makes it look so much more inviting. It’s well laid out and well lit, which makes it much more appealing.”

The produce section is regularly sprayed with cold water to keep the fruit and vegetables fresh. “It’s something that should be done, but not everyone does it,” explained van der Veen. “It means a better-quality end result for the customer.”

The ‘Fresh’ section includes a new sushi-making counter, and the expanded health foods section holds over 1000 items. “Health is a trending segment at the moment,” said van der Veen. “We’ve gone from having six bays of health food to 40.”

Countdown Mt Eden is heavily involved in local charity initiatives, and van der Veen takes every opportunity to get his team involved in community events.

“We donate bread and sausages to sausage sizzles and we put on morning teas at local schools for Christmas and Easter,” said van der Veen. “We were

WIEBE VAN DER VEEN

involved in a fundraiser for one of our customers who had breast cancer – we matched every dollar that was raised by her friends and family. We try to do whatever we can. We also raised over $22,000 for Countdown Kids Appeal.”

Although the store’s staff and customers are still coming to terms with what was a massive overhaul, van der Veen is constantly looking to the future and for ways to improve the in-store experience.

“I always tell the staff ‘better never rests’,” said van der Veen. “Yes we’ve got a great store, but there is always some way to make it better.” n

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Fresh New Look

Match Made In Heaven

Combining two things people love, Dole has launched a range of fruit bowls containing delicious diced Dole Fruit & Coconut Water. Consumers are looking for healthier snacking options and, given the huge popularity of coconut water beverages, the new bowls are bound to fly off the shelves. Flavours available are Peach and Fruit Trio, which contains Peach, Pineapple and Mango, in 4x113g packs. Dole is the leading brand in fruit bowls and the new additions are line-priced with the current range, enabling strong promotional support and display opportunities. For information on Dole Packaged Foods, talk to your PAVÉ Ltd. sales rep or call 09 302 1190.

Naturally Wood Smoked

Baileys Inspired

For years now, people all over the world have been falling in love with the luxurious taste of Baileys Irish Cream Liquor. Famous for its unforgettable combination of rich Irish dairy cream, cocoa, Irish whiskey and heavenly vanilla. Now there are even more ways to experience the flavour. Unleash a truly indulgent taste experience with the combination of Baileys inspired Eclairs and Profiteroles filled with fresh cream and the smooth taste of the Irish cream liquor.

For ranging enquiries contact Shane Hart on 021 228 1008 or email shane@ice-land.co.nz.

Sunshine Pegs have always reliably fastened laundry to the line, and now the original Kiwi classic has a fresh new look.

“The original Sunshine Pegs packaging was overdue for a refresh,” said senior brand manager for Acton International Marketing, Joanne Hall. “We wanted more cohesive branding across the packs and to reflect the pegs’ 50-year history with beautiful, fresh design.” The bright new packs will also increase shelf standout in the category, something the previous packaging lacked. Available in pouch packs of 20 and 48, Sunshine Pegs are the only spring pegs still made in New Zealand and the new packaging proudly boasts the Made in New Zealand trademark. The versatile packaging can be hung or left freestanding in eyecatching, shelf-ready trays for premium on-shelf presence. For more information contact Acton International Marketing Ltd on 0800 699 090 or visit www. acton.co.nz.

Farmland Foods have launched a new Thin Sliced European Streaky Bacon to the New Zealand market. Farmlands Thin Slice European Bacon is different from the rest – being thin sliced it’s very convenient and quick to grill or fry to perfection. It’s also naturally wood smoked, gluten free and 100 percent sugar-free. Feedback from large marketing campaigns is proving it’s a hit with consumers. They love the taste, the ease of use and the multiple fresh packs within each carton. Available in easy to display 250g, 500g and 875g boxes each containing convenient indivudally sealed portion packs, there is always the perfect amount ready to go. Thin sliced, super tasty crispy bacon coming your way.

For more information call 0800 806 328 or email info@flf.nz.

A Toast To 150 Years

Monteith’s is launching a Phoenix Indian Pale Ale to honour a century and a half of quality brewing on the West Coast. Brewed for the right now, this IPA is made with a fusion of American Simco, Chinook and Citra hops. Head brewer Rob Marshall said the team wanted to continue to experiment with new flavours and combinations, allowing friends to explore new varieties in the range. “We’re really excited about Phoenix IPA hitting shelves,” said Marshall.

“It’s brewed with a clean crisp malt base and the hops shine through with a heady aroma of pine and citrus.” So, sit back and enjoy the new brew which nods to the original Phoenix Brewery, established by Stewart Monteith in Reefton on the South Island’s West Coast back in 1868.

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Dilmah Infusions

Packed full of goodness and flavour, an exciting set of new blends have been added to the Dilmah Infusions range.

Along with classics such as Peppermint and Camomile, these new additions include ingredients like Holy Basil, Black Pepper, Chilli and Liquorice root. There’s more of the hugely popular Turmeric and a welcome appearance of the next big

health trend, Moringa. Every cup is sure to lead you on an exotic journey to the home of Dilmah in Sri Lanka, famous not only for its tea but natural spices and ancient Ayurvedic medicine. As always, the Dilmah family brings to market more products with integrity and soul.

Contact Kraft Heinz on 0800 DILMAH (0800 345 624)

Attention To Detail

Founders now has a brand-new range of premium craft beers that are made with high-quality ingredients. For the creation of this new range, the Founders team decided to write up a few founding principles based around notions of hand-crafting, finding balance, attention to detail, and respect for the past with a view to the now and next. The team strived to make the best possible brews they could – a unique take on traditional styles that New Zealand craft drinkers know and love.

The range comes in 355ml cans and includes a Pale Ale, an IPA and a Pilsner.

Founders Aromatic Pale Ale This is an authentic aromatic pale ale that hits all the right notes. Malty and rich with a citrus twist, its complex mix of Pacific Jade, NZ Cascade, Motueka and Rakau hops makes for an aromatic drop that’s a sensory delight, (5.2 percent ABV).

Founders New World Pilsner A true Antipodean take on a classic Old

Shortcuts Not Cheating World pilsner, this beer is late hopped with aromatic NZ Cascade, Nelson Sauvin and Motueka hops. Pilsner and crystal malts give it a lightly malted flavour that does exactly the job it’s intended for – tasting good, (5.5 percent ABV) Founders well balanced India Pale Ale This genuine IPA finds the perfect balance between being a little bitter and a little hoppy, with the addition of malt flavours and passionfruit and pineapple aromas that play nicely with five varieties of hops, (5.8 percent ABV).

For more information contact Kris Hansen on krish@brb.co.nz or 0274 555 135.

McCain has introduced Stir-fry Supreme to its range. Snap-frozen, this stir-fry vegetable mix is a cost-effective, convenient and nutritious way for consumers to exceed their five-plus-a-day.

A shortcut isn’t cheating when it tastes this good, and especially when it contains vegetables as good as fresh.

Stir-fry Supreme vegetables are snap frozen to preserve nutrients, freshness and flavour. The colourful mix of seven flavourful vegetables includes beans, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, baby corn, capsicum and pineapple.

Heat Up Your Taste Buds Naturally Alkaline

E'Stel Water is an independent, family owned and operated New Zealand water bottling company. The naturally alkaline, artesian water comes from a source, 890 metres below the ground and is filtered through the Southern Alps, a process that takes 27,000 years to complete. The pristine water holds unique properties creating a great balance within the body, offers an exceptionally subtle clean taste with a gentle silky texture on the palate. The range is available in premium designed bottles of 300 ml, 500ml, 750 ml and 1L in premium cap and the same again with a sports sipper, plus a 10L bag in a box. For more information contact Andy Bunny on nzsales@estel. co.nz(mailto:nzsales@estel.co.nz) or 0800 ESTEL NZ.

A New Gold Standard

L’Or has introduced its newest aluminium capsule, a Decaf gold standard espresso for those that treasure some of the finest coffee but want to avoid the stimulating effects of caffeine. L’Or Espresso Ristretto Decaffeinato is intense and spice, with a full-bodied and rich flavour.

Robust, lively and free from caffeine so it won’t keep you up all night – it’s no coincidence that L’Or Espresso Decaffeinato pairs perfectly with an array of desserts. The L’Or capsules are designed to fit with Nespresso coffee machines.

Fresh Flavour

Food Snob, one of the fastest growing Deli Cheese Brands, has now expanded into the supermarket chiller with an exciting range of sauces to bring some fresh flavour to the category. New Mojo Verde, pronounced Moho Verde, is a category first will satisfy the nation’s craving for all things coriander. Fresh and fragrant this sauce is bursting with coriander, a touch of garlic, honey and cumin. Bring meat dishes to life or take soft shell tacos to a whole new level of flavour. New Food Snob Romesco is a vibrant and punchy sauce made from roasted red peppers, almonds and a hint of garlic. A fresh take on traditional pesto. Amazing with fish and shellfish, this sauce is also great roasted inside chicken breasts with a little Food Snob Halloumi, or bring poached eggs to life.

Food Snob’s Basil Pesto completes the new line up. Packed with NZ-grown basil, cashews, parmesan and garlic, this pesto will become a fridge staple.

Sweet, nutty and versatile, it can be lathered on toasted ciabatta and topped with Food Snob Feta.

Liven up your chilled pesto and sauces range with these new European flavours, made locally from Food Snob. For more information contact your Bluerock sales representative or call 09 304 0550.

What better way to warm up than with some fiery new Castello Double Cream Chilli. Castello has done it again and hand-crafted an innovative new flavour to add to its premium cheese range.

In response to the growing chilli trend, this white cheese is a delicious fusion of mild and buttery Castello Creamy White and spicy red jalapeno flakes. The new Castello Double Cream Chilli pairs beautifully with buttery white wines, tropical mango and offsets the crunch of hazelnuts. Discover the steady notes of sour cream and vanilla, interrupted by a flicker of heat that builds into a fire of flavour. Castello dates back to 1893 and its genuine craftsmanship lives on today with its unique flavours, shapes and textures.

For more information contact the customer services team at NZCustService@ hutchinsons.co.nz or phone 0800 555 258.

Premium Asian Lager

Kiwi shoppers will now be able to get their hands on the new premium Asian lager, Tiger Crystal, a crystal-cold filtered brew that has been a hit with beer drinkers around the world. Tiger Crystal is a beautifully balanced, easydrinking pale lager with 4.5 percent ABV. Beer lovers will find that Tiger Crystal has low bitterness and a slight sweetness with a refreshing finish. “Tiger Crystal is a classic sunshine style beer, created for the heat of Asia, and brewed with a pale lager malt and a unique combination of hops. It presents a fruity aroma and a delicate flavour that we know Kiwis are going to love. We’re really excited to be launching the vibrant and dynamic Tiger Crystal brand in New Zealand,” said Fiona Marston, international brands marketing manager for Tiger Beer.

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PB And Choc

Sugar-Free Crackers

Penati Nut & Seed Crackers burst onto the retail scene in April this year with a range of delicious, all natural crackers that don’t taste like cardboard.

Penati came to be when founder Don started following a low-carb healthy fat diet, couldn’t find a healthy sugar-free low-carb cracker anywhere and decided to make his own. Penati Crackers are high in protein, low in carbs, gluten-free, have no added sugar, and are packed with healthy fats.

They are also made in NZ. These crackers are a great snacking option anytime, anywhere and are available in three flavours; Parmesan, Nude, and Cumin. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response from consumers – including kids. For more information on Penati Nut & Seed Crackers contact your Centurion sales representative.

I Love Baking has launched a new cookie flavour to add to its range. Peanut Butter and Chocolate cookies are hitting the spot with consumers. “Here at I Love Food Co we are huge fans of peanut butter so we’ve been working out a way to use it in a new cookie flavour,” said Jessie Stanley, co-founder at I Love Food Co. “We have also witnessed a big surge in the popularity of peanut butter in the last couple of years, and seen it being used across several categories.”

Like the rest of I Love Baking range made by I Love Food Co, 20 percent of the sweetness in the cookies comes from the natural goodness of date puree. Their intrinsic health benefits are fibre, protein and a wide range of essential nutrients. This means dates are not just ‘empty calories’ like refined sugar is. The I Love Baking range was launched last year with four varieties. Along with strong sales, and phenomenal feedback from consumers, I Love Food Co has been working on developing the range to build on that success. All I Love Baking packaging can be recycled in the ‘Love NZ’ Soft Plastic Recycling bins located at supermarkets.

Nourish And Protect

Nourish and protect baby’s skin with new Aveeno Baby – Daily Care for delicate skin. Whether it is soothing relief, a calming pre-bed routine, or a solution for sensitive eczema prone skin, Aveeno Baby has skin cared for with its targeted ranges. The range includes a Baby Wash & Shampoo, Calming Wash, Calming Moisturiser, Soothing Relief Creamy Wash, Soothing Relief Moisture Cream and Baby Dermexa Moisturising Cream.

Great Tasting Dairy-Free

The plant-based food movement is one of the fastest growing trends in global food. Veesey is the perfect brand that gives your customers delicious and innovative plant-based offers. The brand began with a desire to provide great tasting dairy-free alternatives to traditional foods, but has rapidly expanded to seek a broader range of of exciting plantbased alternatives. The company’s driving purpose is to provide simple, easy and delicious plant-based alternatives to everyday foods that consumers love. The new launch sees Pesto and Mayonnaise added to the already popular portfolio of dairy-free cheeses in the chiller. Veesey Basil Pesto is sweet and nutty, made with locally grown herbs and is dairy-free. Its egg-free Mayo and Aioli are deliciously thick and creamy making them perfect on sandwiches or for dipping fries or chips in. Veesey products are gluten-free and have no artificial colours or flavours.

For more information contact your Bluerock sales representative or call 09 304 0550.

Nature Meets Luxury

From NZ’s number one dry shampoo brand comes Batiste Dry Shampoo Luxe. Where opulence meets sophistication and nature meets luxury, Batiste Luxe is overflowing with fresh and fruity notes. This bold fragrance instantly freshes hair, leaving it feeling and smelling irresistible.

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Protein That’s Tasti Tasti has launched its new Smooshed Protein Balls range. Containing 10g of plant-based protein per serve, Smooshed Protein Balls are a great snack for active consumers who want healthy energy levels throughout the day. They’re made with just a handful of raw, natural ingredients and come in three flavours: Roasted Peanut & Cacao, Salted Caramel & Almond and Dark Cacao Brownie.

These plant-based snacks contain no added sugar, are sweetened naturally with fruit instead.

Smooshed Protein Balls are available in a handy resealable on-the-go pack or bigger grazing share pack.

100% Recycled

Cottonsoft has launched a new toilet tissue range, EarthSmart, proudly manufactured in NZ from 100 percent recycled paper.

EarthSmart take unwanted office paper that would otherwise go to landfill and recycle it into toilet tissue – to be smart for consumers and smart for the planet. EarthSmart are committed to improving the local NZ environment for native birds, inspired by mascot ‘Mac the Morepork’, through sponsorship of the EarthSmart Wetland restoration project in partnership with Horizons council and Three Peaks Honey. The EarthSmart toilet tissue also has a recycled and recyclable cardboard core as well as its packaging being recyclable. It is soft and absorbent and not bleached with chlorine during the recycling process. It has no added dyes or fragrances and is both environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Puhoi Goes Greek

Puhoi Valley has released its first Authentic Greek Yoghurt. Fresh New Zealand milk and a culture originating from a Greek Island are combined and sweetened to create a thick, velvety and creamy yoghurt. It is then crafted with pockets of flavour for a truly decadent taste. The new range is available in five new flavours including Rhubarb & Strawberry Compote, Raspberry Crème Brulee, Raspberry & Boysenberry Compote, Natural, and Mango & Coconut. To mark the launch, Puhoi Valley partnered with three of NZ’s

most premium and iconic restaurants – Ostro, Boulcott Street Bistro and Chillingworth Road. Each restaurant has created a bespoke dessert using the decadent Puhoi Valley Authentic Greek yoghurt as a key ingredient, available for a limited time. “We want people to be pleasantly surprised that a yoghurt they can buy at their local supermarket is also being used by top New Zealand restaurants,” said Natalie Bourke, marketing manager, Puhoi Valley.

Plus Protein, Minus Sugar

Fonterra has developed new Anchor Protein+ flavoured milk, using an innovative formula that is high in protein with no added sugar. The new formula packs 20g of protein in a 375ml bottle and is the third in a string of beverages with a focus on sugar launched

by Fonterra Brands New Zealand over the last few months. Fonterra general manager RTD beverages Darren Moffat said the formula for Anchor Protein+ flavoured milk is the first of its kind in New Zealand’s dairy flavoured milk market.

The beverage responds to increasing consumer demand for high protein, better-for-you snack food. “People are seeking out nutritious on-the-go foods and beverages, with research showing 80 percent of snacking is planned,” said Moffat. “There’s also a growing awareness of the importance of protein, making snacking options with good levels of protein highly desirable.” The introduction of Anchor Protein+ flavoured milk follows the recent release of new Primo and Mammoth flavoured milks, which both have 40 percent less added sugar. All three variants, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Mixed Berry, are produced at the new Apollo plant in Whakatu, Hawke’s Bay.

Fragrant Combination

Sealord has introduced a new Salmon in Coconut Milk SKU to its canned fish range. The Salmon in Coconut Milk is flavoured with Coconut and Lemongrass and is a good source of both omega 3 and protein. Skinless and boneless, the salmon is wild caught and contributes to a healthy heart when consumed as part of a healthy eating plan. The Coconut and Lemongrass flavour variant joins the existing line-up of Salmon in Olive Oil in three flavours; Smoked, Cracked Pepper and Lemon flavour and Chilli.

First Deer Beer Full Flavour Release

Grow your premium tea sales with an exciting new range from Red Seal. New Red Seal Infusions, launching early September, features six exceptional blends with on trend ingredients including turmeric, matcha and coconut. Generously cut, quality ingredients are in pyramid teabags, which provide the perfect amount of space to infuse and release its full flavour. Plus, the innovative pyramid teabags are compostable. There are 18 pyramid teabags per pack, and each teabag is competitively priced.

To support this exciting launch, Red Seal Infusions will be on TV from October, plus digital, social, PR, mailers and in-store promotions. To maximise this great opportunity and drive your sales, make sure to support Red Seal Infusions in your store. For more information contact Endeavour Consumer Health Ltd on 09 415 3267.

New Zealand craft brewer Moa has revealed its latest innovation, believed to be the world’s first ‘deer beer’. Developed exclusively for export to China, a growing market for premium Kiwibrewed craft beer, Moa Red Stag Wheat is an extra-special drop that contains deer velvet sourced from the South Island of New Zealand. Geoff Ross, Moa’s CEO notes that in addition to driving the deer velvet export market, worth around NZ$40-million per year, China is a crucial growth prospect for Moa’s products. Right now, he puts the annual value of Kiwi beer and cider exports at around NZ$2 to $3 million, with substantial headroom for growth. “Export markets are highly attractive for the continued prosperity of craft brewers. We’ve already made great headway with our classic flavours; now, we’re particularly excited to take to market the first beer developed specifically for Chinese tastes, while driving our vision of being ‘New Zealand’s craft beer’ on the international stage,” said Ross.

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Sally Gallagher Food Innovation Specialist THE APPLE PRESS

A research paper released earlier this year found that fewer than 15 percent of consumers were willing to buy or eat apples that had external defects.

Another paper by the same authors found that half of all fruit and vegetables worldwide aren’t consumed because of visual imperfections.

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In February 2017, Countdown introduced The Odd Bunch range of packaged, imperfect produce, sold at a lower price. For Sally Gallagher, the answer was far more straightforward – juice them.

The Apple Press is the brainchild of food innovation specialist Gallagher and long-time apple grower and exporter Ross Beaton, born out of a meeting over a cup of coffee. “Ross was on a mission to identify ways to add value to the cosmetically challenged, or blemished fruit that didn’t meet fresh quality standards for export,” she said.

“New Zealand grows some of the best apples in the world, so he was asking why we were letting this fruit go to waste and not turning it into a valueadd food that can be shared with the globe. Adding value is often discussed but can be difficult to achieve – this soon became my aspiration too.”

This meeting was five years ago, and The Apple Press has been available on supermarket shelves in New Zealand for eight weeks. “It sounds simple, but to create an apple juice that actually tastes like the variety from which it came is difficult,” Gallagher explained.

“The difference comes from how we treat our apples from the time they are gently handpicked, selecting a specific variety of apple, through until they are bottled using ‘super clean’ filling technology. This technology enables us to achieve an extended chilled shelf life which means we can explore export opportunities.”

As The Apple Press’ dedicated food innovation specialist, Gallagher’s role involves translating ‘food ideas’ into commercial reality. She trained in food technology and nutrition and combined this knowledge with technical and business development roles across the dairy and nutritional industries in both New Zealand and the USA. “I moved to Hawke’s Bay for lifestyle and found a world that was all about apples,” she said. “Combining this new world with my previous experience has meant that The Apple Press was an easy and natural fit.”

The Apple Press range currently includes base juices from three varieties – Jazz, Braeburn and Royal Gala.

The juice from the specific varieties is blended with other fruit to create further variations including Royal Gala & Feijoa and Braeburn & Valencia Pulpy Orange. “Apple varieties all have different flavour profiles, so it becomes more about personal preference,” she said, although she admitted that her current favourite is the Braeburn &

OWNED

The difference comes from how we treat our apples from the time they are gently handpicked, selecting a specific variety of apple, through until they are bottled using ‘super clean’ filling technology.

This technology enables us to achieve an extended chilled shelf life which means we can explore export opportunities.

Hawke’s Bay pear. “We have created an option for all – from Royal Gala, with a sweeter taste, through to a Braeburn which has more tart and tang. By incorporating other fruits, this broadens the offering for the consumer.”

Provenance is key to the Apple Press brand story. “Origin and traceability back to the orchard is a key part of our whole proposition and being,” said Gallagher. “If we need to use fruits from regions other than Hawke’s Bay we are very careful that they also have a similar mantra around traceability and origin.” Sustainability is also important – The Apple Press manufactures its own bottles and has optimised the bottle weight to use the smallest amount of plastic possible, which is all 100 percent recyclable.

Gallagher has an NPD pipeline

packed with innovative ideas, such as low-sugar products, which she is looking forward to New Zealand consumers over the coming months.

“Working with an entrepreneurial personality like Ross means we are always looking forward to the next opportunity.”

The Apple Press has grown exponentially over the last 18 months, going from two employees to 31 in that time. “Incorporating new faces into an ever-growing team provides a very dynamic work environment. However, we have a great team, and everyone is up for everything!”

The Apple Press is currently available at New World and PAK’nSAVE stores across New Zealand, as well as other specialty stores and outlets. The Apple Press customer is one who is looking for premium products of known origin, true to type and which delivers on the taste experience.

“We’re on a mission to make beverages that actually taste like the fruit from which they came,” she said.

“For me, my personal mission is to ensure that the product is just like drinking a fresh apple.” n

theproducers

THE SOUTHERNMOST SAFFRON GROWERS Kiwi Saffron is a family business owned

by Steve and Jo Daley. Both had backgrounds in horticulture and were looking for a new challenge. The original was to grow saffron for their own use but once smitten by the magical plant, they expanded their plantings to a commercial size so they could offer the very best saffron both in New Zealand and further afield. “We love living in Fiordland and our saffron thrives in our extreme climate under New Zealand’s intense sun to deliver the highest crocin (colour) and potency measurements in the world,” said Jo. “To our knowledge, we’re southernmost saffron growers in the world.” The high concentration of UV light concentrates all aspects

of the saffron, particularly colour, flavour and aroma.

Consequently, only one-third of the standard quantity is required when using.

Variants sold are 0.1g outer packs of 20; this pack size is a serve for six and is a popular supermarket line.

The saffron is available in 0.5g, 1g, 2g and 5g varieties in threads and powdered form and is supplied in recyclable food-grade tins for retail and wholesale supply. “Our 5g tin is a new product available in certified organic and inorganic forms for the true saffron addicts. Kiwi Saffron is gluten-free and vegan-friendly, tested annually in Europe to ISO standard, and is free from synthetics and dyes.”

For more information contact Steve or Jo at info@kiwsaffron.com, phone them on 027 856 2867 or head to their website www.kiwisaffron.com.

BREAKING TRADITIONS Not being able to find a wine they could relate to, the team at Master of Ceremonies decided to create their own. Teaming up with worldrenowned Hawke’s Bay winemakers, creators Mat Croad, Nick Marshall, and Jay and Anna Reeve embarked on a journey to create a wine that broke New Zealand winemaking traditions. “We realised there was a large portion of wine buyers who could not find a brand within the New Zealand market that they related to,” said Marshall. “We fell into this category ourselves and decided to work on a product range that focussed on having synergy between brand name, bottle aesthetics, brand alignments and trending varieties.”

Following market trends, Master of Ceremonies launched with two SKUs, a still rosé which retails for $19.99 and a sparkling rosé which retails for $29.99, both of which are made in Hawke’s Bay by Rod McDonald’s team. The range has since expanded range to include a 2016 Central Otago Pinot Noir and will be launching a 2018 Pinot Gris and 2018 Sparkling Rosé (a collaboration with Stolen Girlfriend’s Club) later this year. “The MC team have ambitious expansion plans for the future and will continue to push boundaries not only on a brand and aesthetic level but also a product level too. We’re on track to grow by over 400 percent this year, so the future is looking bright.” For more information contact nick@drink-mc.co.nz. or visit www.drink-mc.co.nz.

DELICIOUS SALADS

RICH FLAVOURS When Obada and Duaa immigrated to New Zealand from Syria back in 2016, they brought with them their passion and love for Arabian cuisine and its rich ingredients and flavours.

Today their company Levantine is well-known for its stuffed Medjool date products, Baklavas and Mamools and the duo hope to bring Kiwis closer to traditional Arabian treats and pastries.

“The idea initially started when we wanted to give our kids healthy snacks that have less or no processed sugar and are rich in fibre and nutrition,” said Obada. “Dates are rich with healthy ingredients and are common in the Middle East. Our love for healthy date-based snacks inspired us to start a food business specialising in date-based treats that are healthy, nutritious and are true to our rich culture.”

Levantine’s flagship stuffed Medjool date products are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. New products are frequently added to the range,

all handmade fresh to order using the freshest, healthiest ingredients possible. “We also hand-make the very popular Baklavas using New Zealand honey instead of sugar syrup. Our product range includes Mamools which are specially spiced pastries filled with either date paste or walnuts and pistachios.”

For more information visit www.levantine.co.nz, email hello@levantine.co.nz or call 021 029 86689.

Founded in the early 1980s, GSF Fresh New Zealand started out delivering cut lettuce and onions around the country. After a series of upgrades and fruitful partnerships, their delicious salads are a staple of Kiwi grocery shopping and the business is one of the biggest in the Australasian world of produce.

The company started producing lettuce and onions out of East Tamaki, and delivered to food service companies around New Zealand. In 2008 the company partnered with Golden State Foods and Taylor Fresh Foods. These changes helped them usher in a series of serious upgrades, and after acquiring the processing and marketing assets of Snap Fresh Foods LP (Vida Farms), GSF Fresh is now one of the largest suppliers of fresh

salads and cut fruit in the Asia-Pacific region. Taylor Farms offers a various range of salads and vegetables. The two main categories are the chopped salads and stir-fry kits, both of which are perfect pre-prepared meals; they’re ready to eat in five minutes. The chopped salads come in five different variants: Asian, Southwest, Kale, Greek, and Mediterranean; and the stir fry kits come in four flavours: Teriyaki, Ginger and Garlic, Chilli and Sesame, and Orange. GSF Fresh kits are the only kind in the New Zealand market to combine fresh vegetables, herbs, and delicious dressing and sauces alongside exciting add-ons such as feta, crispy noodles, or grilled almonds.

For more information call Marie on 021 569 961, go to taylorfarms.co.nz, or follow Taylor Farms on Facebook.

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smafeature DO YOU NEED AN SMA?

When you’re focused on the day-to-day running of your business, it can be overwhelming when it comes to sales, marketing and merchandising, to drive growth expansion instore.

An SMA agency can help you outline a strategy, identify the right tactics to achieve results and put those plans into action. While having good positioning in the supermarket can lead to more sales, stock levels and maintenance of your products can factor in as just as important and will influence the growth and expansion of your brand.

Keeping shelves and displays merchandised, regularly rotating stock and consistently monitoring with the end goal of boosting sales - its what you want but how do you find it?

This month we talk to a range of SMA’s, finding those that can ably reflect your brand, taking into consideration all factors and still make your brand stand out, that’s what a good SMA can do for you. By taking control of quality, stock accountability and brand strategy to drive, attract and engage consumers to buy.

Deliver the Difference

National Sales, Merchandising, Key Account Management and Trade Marketing Services • Full national coverage on a call cycle frequency that is amongst the highest in the industry • A dedicated team of specialists for both Foodstuffs and Countdown ensuring the workplans are appropriate for the respective banners • A passionate team who will love your brands as much as you do!

• Trade Marketing and Key Account expertise • A state of the art CRM system with full integration with ACN scan data • We will sell to and sell through • We will deliver the difference for your brands

Call Alliance Marketing on 09 263 9466 to discuss your sales, merchandising & brand development needs & let us show you how we can

Deliver the Difference for you & your brands

Paul Kenny – 021 986 121 or Rob Kitson - 027 622 2554

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CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE With the continual release of new products in the aptly-named fast moving consumer goods industry, the team at Storelink pride themselves on their ability to cut through the noise and deliver results for their sales and merchandising clients.

With over 70 merchandising clients and 420 people in the field, including almost 400 contract merchandisers and 21 merchandising field managers, Storelink has New Zealand covered from the top of the North to the bottom of the South. Its large team and scalable model ensures speed to market for their valued merchandising clients.

Tailored solutions customised by the client, are what they offer sales partners.

Ten territory managers drive results in Foodstuffs for its 15 sales clients.

Storelink’s primary aim in everything they do is to provide sales and merchandising solutions that drive results, and this means getting their clients’ products into more consumers’ hands. As one of New Zealand’s largest sales and merchandising agencies, the teamwork across multiple channels and retailers, tailoring services to their varied client base with one goal, delivering results and strong ROI. Over the 26 years that Storelink has operated in New Zealand, they’ve learnt that collaborative partnerships result in the best outcomes. Recently,

Storelink has partnered with Nielsen and can offer their clients market and retailer insights that drive smart strategies and decision-making.

With a joint planning approach and execution of data-driven strategies, the team continue to deliver outstanding results for Storelink’s clients.

Recent examples of this include Atkins’ results – now arguably the most consumed Diet and Sports Nutrition brand in NZ Grocery, with Unit sales of 1.12mil (Nielsen MAT to 17/06/2018), higher than any other brand in the category.

Storelink represents many leading fmcg brands, and are always keen to explore the ways that they can drive excellent results for new partners.

Contact Angie Samuel if would like to understand how Storelink can partner with you angie.samuel@storelink.co.nz or 027 467 2080. n

TIME FOR A CHANGE New Zealand’s largest integrated merchandising and POS management company has operated under two umbrella brands for over 14 years - the Hub Retail Solutions (the Hub) and Instore Sales Services (Instore).

Instore Sales Services offers merchandising solutions and in-store activation of promotional campaigns for a range of retailers, including fmcg, while The Hub is an in-house fulfilment operations specialist, managing the storage and distribution of POS materials, with supply either direct to store or to their merchandising team.

“Instore is the arms and legs of our retail operations,” said Gavin Nixon co-owner of the Hub and Instore. “A lot of our clients were requesting POS management services on top of our merchandising expertise. The Hub grew organically into a POS fulfilment operation to cater to this.” In today’s ever-changing retail landscape, the retailers favour a brand activation model according to Nixon. More and more brands are seeking brand activation services, a combination of POS and merchandising services in-store.

“Over time, the services we delivered under two separate brands have merged into a unique business model. We receive our customers’ POS product, handle it, package it, and allocate it to

stores and merchandisers. From here we activate the brand owner’s promotional campaigns, analyse the results and report back to the client.

We bring it all together as a closed loop, integrated service.” Nixon, together with co-owner Chris Hood, decided it was time for a change and have announced that both brands are combining under one brand name of HOOP. “The name HOOP references our unique service offering, that is, the full circle in brand activation,” said Nixon. “It also highlights the link between the company and the brands it represents.”

The 350-strong field team will be called ‘brand activators’, instead of merchandisers, to reflect the company’s focus on activation. HOOP’s owners maintain that the company’s high level of professionalism, specialist services and dedication to its customers remain the same. “HOOP’s goal remains unchanged - to connect brands to retailers with the highest possible level of service and quality.” The change will be effective 1st September 2018, to coincide with HOOPs move to new, larger premises in Hobsonville to accommodate the growing integrated POS and activation service.

For more information contact Gavin Nixon on 021 277 0269. n

Growing businesses in new and existing markets DKSH is the leading market expansion services provider with a focus on Asia Pacific, helping other companies and brands to grow their business in new or existing markets.

Publicly listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 2012, DKSH is a global company that is headquartered in Zurich. In New Zealand alone it employs over 300 staff and has its head office and distribution centre located in Palmerston North.

The company’s best-selling products are very much household names, some of which DKSH have represented for over 20 years, including Peckish, Lindt, Mentos, Chupa Chups, Jack Link’s, Maille, Werther’s, Quorn, 3M, SC Johnson, Ryvita and Pfizer.

industry leaders. The sales growth and length of client relationships speak to that. We welcome the opportunity to introduce DKSH and our high performing team to you,

and explore ways to grow your business,” said Harris.

For more information contact Paul Harris at paul.harris@dksh.com or phone 021 902 588.

“DKSH is the largest company in an industry we call market expansion service providers, known as sales and merchandising agencies (SMAs) in New Zealand,” said Paul Harris, General Manager Sales and Marketing. “Our expertise and broad local knowledge, together with our infrastructure, enable us to better understand our clients’ needs and to deliver customised solutions to grow their business.”

DKSH has entered a period of strong growth over the last five years and can now boast a sales team of seven key account managers, 23 grocery territory managers, plus a direct route sales team of 14 territory managers.

DKSH has significant scale and delivers quality execution in both grocery and route channels.

Our vision is to be the number one sales and marketing agency in New Zealand with presence in every aisle of the supermarket.

DKSH offer a comprehensive portfolio of market expansion services tailored to their clients’ business needs.

The most important aspect of a partnership is the people, and DKSH’s sales teams are

DKSH New Zealand Limited 279 Railway Road, Milson, Palmerston North 4470 Private Bag 11047, Palmerston North 4442 Phone +64 6 356 5323, Fax +64 6 356 4726 customerservice.nz@dksh.com, www.dksh.co.nz August 2018

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smafeature DELIVERING THE DIFFERENCE Since its inception in September 2014, Alliance Marketing 2014 Ltd have been delivering the difference for some outstanding New Zealand and international brands. “We have worked extremely hard to create a high performing team both at management level and field level,” said Paul Kenny from Alliance Marketing. “We have a track record of delivering ongoing and sustainable growth for both brands and categories in which we perform.”

Alliance’s field team consists of 17 territory managers and over 50 merchandisers, enabling them to provide full national coverage to all retailers.

Frequency rates are amongst the highest

in the industry as evidenced by their rating in the annual Coalface survey.

“Our team are trained and supported not only to activate sell-in of products but to ensure that they sell through. Our firm belief is that a sale is not made until it is in the shoppers’ basket!”

The breadth of experience in store enables Alliance to offer you experience, expertise and valuable relationships across all departmental heads including food/ non-food ambient grocery, chilled and frozen, butchery, bakery and deli.

“We view our business as an extension of our partners’ business. We offer a stateof-the-art CRM system which is fully integrated with AC Nielsen scan data.”

This ensures their partners have 100 percent accurate and reliable visibility of

PROBLEM-SOLVING In December 2012 when Amy and Daniel Shields took the reins of Cool & Fresh, Christchurch was still getting regular earthquakes. The business they bought was operating from a single refrigerated container and had five trucks full of stock.

But it was a business with a history of providing excellent service to suppliers and stores. Within five months Cool & Fresh moved into a chilled warehouse. By 18 months, services had expanded South Island wide. In 2016, logistics services into the North Island were established for South Island companies. By early 2017, a sales and merchandising team were recruited for the North Island and Cool & Fresh was servicing its first North Island clients.

The simple goal of solving problems has driven new client acquisition. This has boiled down to simplifying logistics and grocery servicing for food businesses who want to grow. The attitude has distribution across the Foodstuffs banners on a weekly basis, as well as photo audit and task notes for specific projects and NPD. “Our head office relationships combined with trade marketing and key account expertise, enable us to develop sound strategies for our partners’ brands

always been about finding ways to say yes! Now Cool & Fresh has a modular business model that spans administration, logistics, sales and merchandising. This gives clients the flexibility to choose the service mix that best meets their needs. Direct to store servicing is a speciality.

Cool & Fresh has grown with its clients, continuing to invest in capability and staff. “We want to share the efficiencies of working with a portfolio of clients, but every client needs individual attention,” said Daniel Shields. For more information contact Daniel Shields on 021 329 917. n

and ensure the Field Team are equipped with the best possible resources to win.”

Alliance Marketing is very proud to be delivering the difference to all their business and retail partners. For more information contact Paul Kenny on 09 263 9466. n

As one of New Zealand’s largest Sales and Merchandising agencies, we’ve got you covered in multiple channels and retailers- from the top of the North to the bottom of the South Islands.

Our tailored solutions are personalized to individual needs, ensuring your products find their way into consumers’ hands. Whether you’re after Sales or Merchandising services, we can customise a solution to meet your needs and will deliver exceptional results.

Our services include: • Compliance reporting • Demonstrations and tastings • Customised, real-time reporting • Product recalls • Key account management • ISP expertise

• Tailored field sales and merchandising services • Merchandising retail implementation • Relays • Display builds

Need a tailored solution?

Contact our team

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To further explore the ways in which we can tailor a solution to maximise your sales visit www.storelink.co.nz.

Alternatively you can contact Angie Samuel on 027 467 2080 or angie.samuel@storelink.co.nz

Permanent Displays Temporary Displays Counter Units Digital Screens Posters Floor Graphics Window Graphics Standees Packaging

If you can imagine it, APC.Innovate can make it happen. We take your vision or idea from concept, to completion and market distribution.

APC.Innovate are market leaders at providing innovative solutions for merchandising displays and in-store promotional communications. We cover a wide range of categories including health care, wine, food and beverage, confectionery, cosmetics, technology and fast moving consumer goods.

Graphic Design Installation

5 Beale Place East Tamaki Auckland 09 273 1070 sales@apcinnovate.co.nz www.apcinnovate.co.nz

pure innovation August 2018

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YOU MAKE THE RULES 40% Increase in sales

4-WEEK

smafeature OPMETRIX GROWTH Opmetrix, the leading supplier of CRM based field management solutions, has continued steady growth delivering its platform to many new fmcg customers in New Zealand and Australia.

Oliver Huggins, managing director, Opmetrix attributes the growth of the company in fmcg to understanding what customers want and delivering real benefits. Recent projects include Liaise Marketing, FIT Merchandising, Selling Solutions, Henergy Eggs, Pacific Optics Australia and Bidfood.

The Opmetrix app is used by thousands of field teams from hundreds of companies that service the wholesale, grocery, liquor and pharmacy sectors, with new features and releases, regularly rolled out, ensuring customers stay highly competitive.

“Our development team is inhouse, and we have the flexibility to continuously add features while ensuring all major mobile app platforms including Apple, Android and Windows are supported,” said Huggins.

Year-on-year client surveys provide the Opmetrix team with insights into what field teams need to succeed, and what sales managers need to improve productivity and performance.

“The change Henergy has had since moving to Opmetrix has been fantastic.

We have far greater visibility of field execution results and have delivered some great efficiencies in information flow.

The team have picked this up and are fully on board,” said Graeme Locke, national sales manager, Henergy Cage Free Limited. Robert Sinclair, SVP sales

and marketing, Constellation Brands Australia and New Zealand commented on the results of a recent staff culture survey. “Opmetrix achieved a 97 percent favourability rating. The team understands and use Opmetrix well, to improve their territory performance,” said Sinclair.

Huggins believes that to receive this feedback from a long-standing client of Constellation’s stature, is a real vote of confidence that Opmetrix continues to provide features that match fmcg requirements for NZ and Australia.

Huggins is passionate about driving continuous innovation. “Our data feeds into BI dashboards and analytics are making a real difference, enabling management to make more informed decisions. We see opportunities to automate further that process combining data from various fmcg sources to deliver even better insight, faster!”

Opmetrix’ seamless, user-friendly interface backed by strong client support is key to its success. For more information contact Oliver Huggins on 021 439 108. n

Return on Investment*

PACKAGING SPOTLIGHT

100% Customisable

*Data from instore trials

Q

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Bans on plastic bags, supply-chain investigations, ethical investing and other sustainability stories constantly feature in the media. Increasingly, such concerns are becoming the differentiators between brands, giving a product its ‘edge’.

In packaging, the issue is particularly acute. Many are dismayed by the amount of plastic entering the environment, yet it’s still a material that is common in many pack designs.

When an audience is, by definition, a ‘concerned consumer’, brand owners and their agencies need to look for suitable alternatives.

It’s a challenge familiar to Jenny McMillan, business development director at Brother Design (brother. co.nz), exemplified by their recent work for Trade Aid chocolate. “It’s harder than some people think,” said McMillan. “However strong their concerns, a sackcloth and ashes approach won’t work with today’s

consumers. They want and appreciate great design, a feeling of quality and packaging that delivers the product in top shape.”

For Trade Aid, a brand founded on ethical relationships, part of the solution came via a unique 100 percent compostable outer film. “Today, great design is not just about shape or graphics. Expertise in sustainable packaging materials is essential.”

Trade Aid’s marketing head, Katie Sheehan, was more than happy with the outcome. “The rebrand was one of our biggest projects ever,” said Sheehan.

“Our story is complex, unique and different, and the team at Brother Design not only shared our passion, they truly understood us, supporting us throughout the process.”

Finding sustainable solutions isn’t easy, cautions McMillan. “Genuine knowledge is key. There’s no faking it.”

For more information contact Jenny McMillan on 021 193 2141. n

The best people working to grow the best brands.

Grow your brand with New Zealand’s most experienced retail services agency.

Merchandising, product activation, sales and innovative digital marketing. The team at Engagement Group have vast experience across multiple categories.

Contact us today to work with a company who are as passionate about your brand as you are.

Activation, Merchandising, Digital Enquiries: Contact Managing Director, Rod Smith: Phone: +64 21 938 806 Email: rod@engagementgroup.co.nz

Brokerage/Sales Enquiries: Contact General Manager, Greg Boyce-Bacon: Phone: +64 27 241 8503 Email: greg@engagementgroup.co.nz

ENGAGEMENT GROUP. e n ga g em entgroup.c o.n z

Ac tiva tion Activation is the art of driving shopper or consumer action through compelling interactions and experiences.

Me rc h a n dising Merchandising allows you to build your market presence, move more stock and ultimately grow your brand.

B roke r a ge Our brokerage team will develop clever planning and distribution plans for your brand, and sell directly into market.

D igita l Ask about our exclusive digital platform. We engage your customers and monetise your database like never before.

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smafeature PROUD OF CUSTOMERS’ GROWTH Geoff Cassin and Sheree CassinThompson launched Selling Solutions in 2011 as a brokering service for premium fmcg brands. Before this establishment, both had built successful careers, progressing to executive level within the NZ’s supermarket industry.

The Selling Solutions’ team is made up of 48 sales staff who make 1800 calls to supermarkets and Bunnings each month, and their head office team can count on its excellent relationships, skills and a combined 70 years of industry experience in their head office team.

All clients’ key contact is either Geoff or Sheree who, as business owners, have a greater commitment to the success of the clients’ brands than an employee. They are well supported by Tania Goodall who also has extensive experience in the fmcg industry as a category manager and key account manager.

“This provides consistency and understanding of the client’s objectives and challenges,” they said. “We also provide business support, analysis, track the financial performance of brands, and we assist clients with company and brand growth strategies utilising our extensive experience from corporate backgrounds.” Selling Solutions has recently implemented the Opmetrix Sales Force Automation system which has once again improved the visibility

EFFECTIVELY ENGAGING Neill Arnold is the country lead for Big River Solutions, a niche global management consultancy specialising in category management, shopper marketing and commercial solutions. After 15 years of providing in-house category and shopper marketing services for some of NZ largest companies, Arnold has been providing out-sourced category and shopper market consultancy for the last 15 months. He outlined that the local market has seen significant changes and developments in recent years and being able to develop a shopper marketing strategy or build engaging category growth strategies to engage with retailer’s head offices effectively has never been more

of store objective achievements and feedback to clients “We are proud of the growth achieved by our customers over the last seven years, and that we have longstanding relationships with the brands we represent. These successful relationship management skills are also reflected in our internal team with high staff retention, which has driven

linked to success. Leading the local presence for Big River Solutions ensures NZ based clients can access global thinking which is tailored for the local markets dynamic and Arnold looks forward to offering more of the BRS global services in the coming months.

For more information email na@ bigriversolutions.com or phone 027 488 3968. n

growth for our brands and successful relationships at a store level.”

Nationally, Selling Solutions proudly represent Pure Delish, Triton Sourcing, Tomorrows Meals, Seriously Healthy, Heilala Vanilla, Natural Things, K9 Natural, Grove Avocado Oil and in the South Island Lewis Road Creamery. For more information contact Geoff Cassin on 021 0652 787. n

STAFF INCENTIVES? THINK GIFT CARDS! Staff incentives? Competition prizes? Staff Christmas presents? epay has you covered...

What B2B Staff Incentives can epay offer? epay can take all of the admin out of running a staff incentive program and leave you with more time to focus on what’s important. Choosing epay gives your staff access to New Zealand’s largest range and most popular gift cards. Simply select your gift of choice with the desired amount and epay will have them delivered direct to your office. Personalised messages and gift card envelopes can also be provided. So give your staff the gift they really want, the gift of choice!

What are the benefits?

Coming to epay directly for your Staff incentives and Competition prizes will save you time and money, not to

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mention the extensive range of cards to choose from. epay provides you with a safe and easy process to load cards either online or via our helpful card order team. To reduce the risk of theft or loss epay can send cards out un-activated so they are only activated once received.

How do we pay?

We can customise the process to suit you. We accept credit card and direct debit payments.

What gift cards are available?

You can check out the full range of gift cards available at www.giftstation.co.nz For more information please contact Erick on EManumpil@epayworldwide.co.nz

19/07/18 10:33 am

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smafeature FOCUS IS KEY For 30 years, College Hill Agency has provided superior representation to NZ brand owners who have enjoyed growth and profitability 250 percent greater than their category counterparts.

In 2017 it launched College HillEdge with a dedicated sales team specifically targeting chilled and frozen which adopted its strategy of; a limited principal portfolio, a dedicated team of chilled and frozen territory managers, experienced KAM team, and merchandising support.

The growth of brands entering, and NPD, in the chilled and frozen area of the supermarket has been tremendous with many local manufacturers entering this market. This area provides excellent opportunities but different dynamics such as limited space and shelf life along with a different store buyer and margin expectations.

Many agencies believe that one size fits all, whether it be an agency with a broad base of chilled and frozen clients looking to move into grocery or visa-versa.

College Hill-Edge’s experience is that focus is the key so they have developed a new model to provide clients with an independent team that

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will focus only on the “outside edge” of the store. This will allow for flexibility, more action, better results. Of course, its dry grocery team will also ensure your products are on-shelf and available giving your brand exceptional coverage.

Results from Edge over last 12 months speak for themselves. With a tightly focused chilled and frozen portfolio our brands have achieved growth between 33 percent and 900 percent with an average of 350 percent. With sales and account strategies developed around our brand owners, bespoke presentations and great execution the team consistently drive above category growth.

It is always a goal to work in partnership with the brands they represent. “We want to believe in the brand and the strategy, so we look

OWNED

DEMONSTRATION OPPORTUNITIES Since its inception in 2016, the Alliance Marketing Demonstration Division has grown from strength to strength.

Ably headed up by Liz Brash and supported by a team of over 60 professional and passionate demonstrators, their demonstration division can offer a full menu of demonstration opportunities for its partners’ brands.

Alliance Marketing manage the entire process from start to completion and follow up with comprehensive reporting and photos. The team are fully trained and are comprehensively briefed on both our partners’ brands and expectations from the demonstration.

Whether partners require a mobile demonstration, a static demonstration, cooking, sampling

to work on helping to develop these aspects of the relationship,” they said.

“Communication is two ways. Our team is your team.” The new ‘Edge’ concept allows for a separate team of representatives to operate but also to gain from the considerable leverage,

or simply education for the consumer, the Alliance team are equipped with the necessary tools, uniform and knowledge to deliver an effective, successful and professional campaign for our partners’ brands.

For more information contact Paul Kenny on 09 263 9466. n

systems and experience they have developed.

If your brand could benefit from a fresh approach, more attention and exceptional support then give them a call. For more information contact Brian Phillimore on 0274 419 050. n

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smafeature

HEAVY INVESTMENT PROGRAMME APC has long been recognised as New Zealand’s premier designer and manufacturer of point of purchase solutions including displays (permanent and temporary), highquality digital printing, a complete graphics service, packaging and logistics, all manufactured and

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supplied using in-house equipment and resources from their modern 7000 square metre facility in East Tamaki.

Following last year’s successful acquisition of The Display Group, APC Innovate has continued to invest in the latest cutting-edge technology to support its full-service offering

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of Point of Purchase Display and packaging solutions.

The last three months have seen the installation of New Zealand’s only flatbed digital printer capable of printing thermoform inks onto a full range of acrylics, PET, PET-G and other thermos-formable substrates.

This combined with the latest large format thermoforming machine capable of thermoforming sheets up to 1600mm x 1000mm in size, means that APC has the perfect solution for 3D light boxes, formed trays and specialty 3D point of sale items.

To support the above purchases, APC has also invested in a full-colour 3D printer for prototyping and manufacturing moulds required for high-end thermo-forming. Another significant investment has been in a high speed automated corrugated box making machine with online printing and die-cutting.

“Our objective is to work with our clients to help improve their profitability and increase brand awareness of their products in-store, and we achieve this by continuous investment in human resources, stateof-the-art digital technologies and best practice processes,” said Tim Houlden, Chief Executive of APC Innovate/ Display Group.

For more information contact Tim Houlden on 021 534 114. n

smafeature

THINKING DIFFERENTLY

“Give our customers something to get excited about...” OnFire Design hears this feedback from supermarkets via their clients on a regular basis, whether they are an existing brand or are new to the market.

With own-label reshaping the shopping environment there is a growing realisation that price is not always a sign of quality.

Innovation and, to borrow Apple’s classic advertising mantra, ‘thinking differently’ is now winning hearts.

Enter Flavour Fiend finishing butter. Identifying a gap in the market and exploiting it with innovation that would grab the attention of the modern, savvy consumer, ex-chef Owen Sinclair developed a product that stuck its neck out.

A flavoured butter range with full-on, bold, punchy flavours aimed

at home cooks to add some serious flavour to their dishes. The chilled dairy aisle where these can be found is full of brands leveraging heritage values and similar products having subtle flavour profiles. Onfire created the Flavour Fiend name and brand.

“The brand is the antithesis of the norm,” said Matt Grantham, creative director at Onfire. “It is a brand with attitude, hands-on chef ‘know-how’ confidence and invites the consumer to embrace their inner flavour fiend.”

The black pottle sleeve communicates the real flavours and showcases the vibrant butter colours.

This is no dairy-based wallflower.

In a supermarket aisle where whites, beige and subtleness is standard, Flavour Fiend offers consumers a different experience and challenges consumers to rethink their perception of butter as merely ‘a staple spread’.

With a little bit of product innovation and creative thinking, who thought butter could be exciting!?

Onfire is a full-service brand and packaging studio based in Takapuna, Auckland, working with a wide range of FMCG and boutique retail brands. Helping them find their voice and create cut through impact on supermarket shelves.

For more information contact visit www.weareonfire.co.nz or contact Sam Allan on 021 608 204. n

ONLINE SUCCESS Today’s consumers need direction.

When making purchase decisions, close to 80 percent of shoppers are turning to social networks for guidance. This not only highlights the need for your brand to have a robust social presence, but it also proves this presence should be a leading driver of your marketing strategy. Content&Co believe social media is all about balance. Knowing this, the team strive to create content that is fresh, socially ‘sticky’ and an accurate representation of your product or brand. They craft valuable bite-sized content that generates meaningful engagement in a fast-paced social world.

Well-constructed social media can have a profound effect on your brand: enabling engagement with futurecustomers; increasing awareness and creating a positive brand sentiment - all of which ultimately lead to increased foot-traffic and in-store sales.

Still not sure if this applies to you?

Here are a few questions to get you thinking; ARE YOU USING SOCIAL TO: • Promote awareness for your brand with a targeted media-plan?

• Extend your reach through the use

of influencers?

• Drive purchase decisions through effective, engaging content?

• Create positive brand sentiments amongst new audiences, aiding consumer purchase-decisions?

• Spark product reviews, comments, feedback and digital word-ofmouth for your brand and new products?

If you think your social has room to grow, Content&Co here to help.

Content&Co is a full-service social media agency, running social brand campaigns, social strategy, content creation and execution against allocated media spend.

Check them out and get in touch with Maya - email maya@contentco. co.nz, phone 021 755 771 or visit www.contentco.co.nz. n

doing good tastes great

As a brand founded on ethical principles, care for the environment matters deeply

For design that will grab attention, steal hearts,

to Trade Aid. That’s why, when we undertook the rebrand and repackaging of their

win sales and be environmentally responsible,

chocolate range, sustainability was at the front of our minds. The end result was something unique, with packaging that incorporates a 100% compostable outer film.

It means Trade Aid’s packs care for the environment as much as they care for their

contact Jenny McMillan at Brother Design.

021 193 2141 or 09 970 9892 jenny@brotherdesign.co.nz www.brotherdesign.co.nz

growers. Which is something to savour as much as the delicious taste of real, organic chocolate.

August 2018

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smafeature DESIGN OF IN-STORE DISPLAYS

By Daragh Wall, Smurfit Kappa and Joris De Bruyne, EyeSee

Although they’re a POS classic, displays are still a hot topic in instore advertising. While their primary function is to stock and promote products, they can make a real difference in attracting attention and increasing conversion.

When utilised well, instore displays can boost product visibility by more than 20 percent; on the other hand, suboptimal displays can squander 25 percent of their potential.

Smurfit Kappa has developed design guidelines for effective displays based on the research with 50,000 shoppers, with 50 specialised designers from all over Europe, while EyeSee has tested more than 400 POS materials with over 60,000 shoppers in 15+ countries worldwide.

Their main takeaway is that there is no one-size-fits-all recipe but that the look of the display should reflect the purpose it’s made for.

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE DISPLAYS: PRICE PROMOTION (A) AND PRODUCT LAUNCH (B)

How To Know Your Display Is Effective Below you can see two distinctive displays, both effective regarding their role. The image A represents a display intended for a 2-for-1 promotion – it communicates the urgency to buy now and can hold large volumes of product.

The display on the image B is created for introducing a new product, so it conveys product benefits and encourages trial, without having to hold a lot of SKUs.

THE LINK BETWEEN THE DESIGN OF THE DISPLAY AND THE STAGES OF THE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE

The role of a display can be linked to a particular phase in the product lifecycle: NEW PRODUCT: to attract the shopper and create awareness about the new product; IMPULSE: to boost sales to shoppers who had no purchase intent; PROMOTION: to sell extra products in a short time frame; BRAND EQUITY: to improve brand loyalty and reinforce the brand in shoppers’ minds.

Deliver the Difference

At Selling Solutions you are guaranteed personal service from the business owners.

We work direct with clients, providing business support, analysis, tracking and growth strategies.

• We offer a top quality professional demonstration service for your brands.

• A team of passionate and professional demonstrators who are fully trained to educate and sell your product.

• Coverage in most towns and cities across NZ • We will manage the demonstration process for you from start to completion followed with full comprehensive reporting and photos • One off or a series of scheduled demonstrations

PROUDLY REPRESENTING: • K9 Natural • Premium Beverages • Avocado Oil Grove • • Pure Delish • Chef Series • Loaf Products • • Tomorrow’s Meals •

Call Alliance Marketing today on 09 263 9466 to discuss all your demonstration needs and let us show you how we can

Selling Solutions

for you and your brand

19 Como Street, Level 2 BDO Tower, Takapuna, Auckland email: sheree@sellingsolutions.co.nz or geoff.cassin@sellingsolutions.co.nz Ph: 09 486 4597 www.sellingsolutions.co.nz

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Deliver the Difference

Liz Brash - 021 726 860

smafeature

EXAMPLES OF OPTIMISED DISPLAYS – SIZE, GRAPHICS AND STRUCTURE.

To understand the shoppers’ decisionmaking process in each of these phases, EyeSee analyses the three steps of the path to purchase – attraction, engagement and conversion. These translate to seeing the display, liking it and buying the product, which was measured using a combination of conscious and subconscious methods.

Online eye tracking tells us where the consumers are looking at, what the general gaze pattern is, and which elements are seen first.

The survey gives an insight into their opinions and preferences, while virtual shopping puts customers in a real-life shopping environment and provides insights into sales, category growth and market share. Facial coding can offer a glimpse into consumers’ emotions, while reaction time measurement determines the connection between a brand and a particular attribute.

This research approach sheds light on: STOPPING POWER: the number of shoppers who noticed the display; A SHARE OF QUANTITY: the number of shoppers who buy the product; LIKABILITY: evaluation of likeability on a 5-point scale; BRAND PERCEPTION: evaluation of brand perception on a 5-point scale.

marketing tool. Having that in mind, achieving the highest visibility is not the critical issue, because the very nature of displays is to be more visible than regular aisles. Making the most of that visibility is what matters. Even for retailers adhering to the “clean store

policy”, companies should still use the opportunity to optimise the variables open to them.

All parameters – size, structure and graphics – can be tested separately to determine their impact. For the most objective results, it is recommended to exclude branding, as some consumers will opt for their favourite brand regardless of the display.

Essentially, the path to purchase is always the same, so the executions should be fine-tuned to the phase of the product cycle. Here is a short overview of the design guidelines for each stage: Interested in learning more? Have a look at our webinar on-demand on the Path to Purchase Institute website via www.eyesee-research.com/solutions/ n display-pos-insights/

Understanding The Impact Of Design Companies often make the mistake of overlooking the structure of the display and only focus on the graphics. In fact, these features should synergistically contribute to the effectiveness of this

SECURE YOUR SUPERMARKET RANGING

* HOWEVER, KEEP IN MIND THAT LINE EXTENSIONS SHOULD BE LINKED TO THE PARENT BRAND. ** DIGITAL ASSETS LIKE SCREENS COULD INCREASE ATTRACTION AND MAYBE EVEN ENGAGEMENT IF THEY CAN BE USED TO EXPLORE PRODUCTS.

LOGISTICS

ADMINISTRATION

INVOICING

Food Marketing can help you develop a strong, successful business. We use promotional strategies that integrate brand development, packaging, PR, social media and advertising to increase sales and distribution, secure supermarket ranging and lift company value.

SALES

MERCHANDISING

Logistics and Customer Service are not mutually exclusive!

Our modular business means we can configure our services to your needs – right from the factory door to the supermarket shelf.

With a single administrative hub and three warehouses our logistics and field sales teams work together to get your products from you to the consumer in one relationship.

We work with artisan start-ups, through to SME food producers and off-shore brands with local distributors.

Call now for a FREE marketing consultation We are the Food Marketing experts Food Marketing Ltd 26 Kalmia St, Ellerslie, Auckland. Ph 09 579 1862 www.foodmarketing.co.nz A D V E R T I S I N G - P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S - G RO W T H S T R AT EG I E S

Free up your time to grow your business with us Daniel Shields Daniel@coolandfresh.co.nz 03 339 0090

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internationalaisle MOCCONA GETS ROASTED Moccona coffee is being roasted online by Australian drinkers with some residents claiming the coffee is “undrinkable”. The Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE) owned instant coffee brand has been prominent on supermarket shelves and hugely popular with consumers ever since it was first launched back in 1980.

However, a recipe change that occurred seemingly overnight has caused a stir among the Australian public with a flurry of bad reviews turning up online. Moccona’s Classic Premium Medium Roast (NO.5) had been altered by JDE to offer a richer aroma while still delivering a great quality taste.

Disappointed customers were quick to criticise the new flavour with some stating that is was “bitter and revolting”,

HEATING UP

Britain’s unprecedented heatwave isn’t only affecting the country’s residents but also its produce. Britain’s notorious chilli pepper, the Carolina Reaper is set to increase in temperature and be 20 per cent more potent this year, thanks to the country’s unusually high amount of sunshine.

One of the world’s hottest commercially grown chilli’s, the Carolina Reaper measures 2.2 million Scoville units on the temperature scale, compared to Tabasco

“cheap” and had a “foul aftertaste”.

One consumer wrote “I started drinking Moccona 30 years ago and it has always been my go-to instant coffee. I’ve never strayed from it, but a month or so ago I noticed that the taste and smell was really foul.”

Moccona has always worked hard to deliver the best instant coffee to consumers. “At Moccona, we work hard to deliver the absolute best coffee experience. Coffee drinkers have told us they want their coffee to taste more like the coffee they have in a café. That is why we have offered them what we believe is our best coffee yet, by bringing out more of the flavour of our coffee beans, giving a richer taste,” said marketing director, Donna Mulholland. “We understand this may not be to everyone’s taste, so for people who prefer a milder flavour, our Moccona French Style may prove to be a great alternative.” Over 380 customers, out of 415, rated Moccona’s Classic Medium Roast as terrible. n

sauce which only measures at most 5,000 Scovilles. The pepper which will be released in Tesco stores in the coming weeks has caused the retailer to issue a statement warning consumers about the increase in potency.

“This year’s batch of Carolina Reapers are absolute dynamite and the good news for customers is that they’re likely to need less when cooking because they are so strong.” Not only has Britain’s increase in sunshine made the chilli hotter but it was also improved this year’s crop, with more peppers than usual expected. n

FUNDING SUSTAINABLE START-UPS

Sustainable startups that tackle the world’s most pressing sustainability issues have a new chance at receiving funding with the launch of an accelerator programme. The world’s largest brewing company, AB InBev has launched the program called ‘100+ Accelerator’ which will give start-ups the chance to receive a $100,000 investment to further the businesses progress. The first round of investing, which begins in October, will see AB InBev select

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ten companies whom they believe are answering global sustainability issues. The company will focus on industries such as greener logistics, packaging, smart agriculture, efficient technology, renewable energy and responsible sourcing practices. The startups selected will receive not only a $100,000 investment but also mentoring, access to new networks and the opportunity to pitch for a second round of funding and potential new investors. n

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BEER FOR CANCER

A Czech organisation has created a non-alcoholic beer specifically targeted at those undergoing cancer treatment. The Prague based breast cancer group, Mamma Help wanted to create a beverage that would give patients the nutrients their bodies lacked due to the side effects of undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

The beer is fortified with extra vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin B and Potassium. The Mamma beer also addresses a condition called dysgeusia, a condition that alters the taste palate as a result of chemotherapy treatments. The beer which is already available in Prague’s oncology wards and pharmacies will also be available to buy in the countries supermarkets. n

BACKING OUT OF PLASTIC PROMISE Australian supermarket chain Coles has been causing a stir in Australia, backflipping on promises to go plastic bag free in its supermarkets.

The chain initially made pledges to remove single-use plastic bags from its stores in early July.

Following extensive backlash from the public, the supermarket chain answered consumers complaints by opting to give its thicker reusable Better Bags, which usually retail for 15c AUD, away for free until August 1, to allow customers to transition to bringing reusable bags along with them. Still facing

ONE BANANA AT A TIME

a backlash from customers, the retail giant then extended the free giveaway indefinitely until threats of boycotting from ecowarriors forced the supermarket to announce that a charge would be added to the Better Bags on August 29. It is also rumoured that the thicker plastic bags were made free of charge to help get customers through checkouts faster while Coles held their Little Shop toy promotion. Both Coles and Woolworths announced plans to reduce plastic use in early June of this year. n

Choosing the perfect bunch of bananas can be tricky. Too green and you spend days waiting to eat one, and too ripe you keep planning to make a banana cake with the overripe bananas but they just end up in the bin eventually.

Similar to avocados, the optimum ripeness time can be a matter of minutes.

However, E-Mart in Korea is now selling the ‘One a Day Banana’ pack, containing several bananas of different ripeness so that you can eat them over several days. The pack includes a range of very green to very ripe bananas, meaning customers will end up with a perfectly ripe banana every day. n

BREAKFAST ON THE GO

SPICING THINGS UP

ROSE SPARKLING WATER

Food giant Nestle Cereals has launched a new on-the-go breakfast range in the UK. The Breakfast To Go range features an individually wrapped carton of milk, a spoon and a pot of cereal conveniently brought together in bright, eye-catching packaging. With a choice of two flavours, Shreddies or Shredded Wheat Honey & Nut, Nestle aims to provide busy consumers with an easy, convenient breakfast option.

Research performed by the company stated that 15 per cent of UK residents were eating breakfast on the go or at work.

Unilever owned, Hellmann’s and Best Foods are mayonnaise institutions. Sold throughout the world, the condiment giants have been producing mayonnaise since 1913. Unilever has recently spiced things up with the addition of a Tabasco branded mayonnaise. Targeting the UK’s growing hot sauce market, Hellmann’s Chilli Mayonnaise is packaged in a convenient 250ml squeezy bottle with the famous Tabasco brand clearly labelled on the front. The mayonnaise is described as having a rich, spicy flavour.

Truly Spiked and Sparkling has released a spiked rosé wine sparkling water. The rosy-hued drink is just the latest canned alcoholic wine beverage to hit the grocery market in the US. Made using Californian Chardonnay grapes the drink is said to be simple and sweet. Targeted towards healthconscious consumers who find beer too bloating and cocktails too complicated, Truly spiked and sparkling’s range of alcoholic infused sparkling waters are a healthy option with just 1g of sugar and 100 calories per can. Packaged in a stylish slim can, the new rosé infused beverage is available for purchase in a convenient 12 pack.

MILKING VIETNAM

A SIMPLE SIDE OF FRUIT

TANGY MALT CHOCOLATE

Arriving in the country in early June of this year, Vinamilk imported nearly 200 cows from New Zealand to launch its new A2 milk products into Vietnam. Primarily sold in Australia, New Zealand, China and the US A2 milk is said to be superior with its improved digestive properties.

Forbes Vietnam recently named Vinamilk as the country’s most valuable brand for the third year in a row. Holding more than 50 per cent of the country’s dairy market share it is estimated that Vinamilk is worth over $2.28 billion. The A2 milk products will be available for consumption in both UHT milk and pasteurised milk formats.

Based on the traditional Scandinavian yoghurt known as skyr, Siggi’s uses family farmed milk with no artificial sweeteners or hormones to create its signature yoghurt. On sale in the US, the brand owned by the Lactalis Group has revealed their latest range, Simple Sides. The line includes a variety of four flavours with a conveniently packaged side of dried fruit. Providing an answer to consumers’ breakfast woes, the brand has combined vanilla yoghurt with dried coconut and cacao nibs, plain yoghurt with muesli and currants, honey yoghurt with dried figs and vanilla yoghurt with almonds and dried cherries. Siggi’s brand philosophy is to provide customers with yoghurts that are made using simple ingredients with lower sugar that still tastes great.

Confectionary giant Mars has released raspberry flavoured Maltesers onto Australian supermarket shelves. The crispy creations are said to have a vibrant fresh raspberry smell with the tangy raspberry flavour mixed through the chocolate.

The UK Maltesers brand was founded in 1937 and originally marketed as “energy balls to slim women”.

Since then Maltesers has established itself has a global leader in the confectionary industry with an array of different products.

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CRAVEABLE AND CONVENIENT

PINEAPPLE PARADISE

PREBIOTIC GUT HEALTH

Initially launched in Wholefoods in 2016, Koia plant powered nutritional drinks were founded on the belief that drinks that taste good should be good for health. The creators behind Koia wanted to make a healthy drink that was craveable and convenient.

Sold in 12 oz bottles, the plant-based protein drink is low in sugar; vegan, soy and dairy free, high in fibre and non-GMO. Made using a combination of almonds, hemp, brown rice and peas, the drinks are available to buy in five flavours – Vanilla bean, Coconut Almond, Cacao Bean, Cold brew coffee and Cinnamon Horchata.

Coconut covered in layers of chocolate was a sensation when Mars first launched the Bounty bar back in 1951. A bounty of flavoured candy bars has since followed, with flavours from cherry to mango and the latest chocolate bar being a Pina Colada flavour. The limited-edition cocktail inspired chocolate bar is currently available exclusively in Russia but has also been spotted on eBay in a pack of three for a pricey £3.80 ($7.30 NZD) plus £6.09 postage.

When a trip to Russia ended with the discovery of Kombucha, Wonder Drink was created. Inspired by a love of tea, Wonder Drink kombucha has released a new range of prebiotic organic kombucha that creates a smoother taste while helping the gut. Created using organic acids, tea and plant-based XOS prebiotic fibre the new prebiotic range is sold in three delicious flavours – Apple Mint, Ginger Peach and Tropical Mango. The wonderful drink is currently available on Amazon.com and will soon be distributed in convenience store and supermarkets throughout the US.

MILLENIAL BREAKFAST BOWLS

WINNING WINE COLLABORATION

Targeting the current millennial trend of exotic looking smoothie bowls, cereal connoisseurs Kellogg’s have introduced Joyböl into the UK market. Trialled and tested for 18 months, Kellogg’s sought to answer increased consumer demand for convenient on-the-go breakfast options. The UK’s first packaged smoothie bowl is available in four flavours; super berries and acai, mango and coconut, strawberry almond quinoa and chocolate hazelnut with granola clusters. Targeting busy consumers, Kellogg’s will initially roll out the range into convenience stores and then slowly into supermarkets later in the year.

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Two award-winning American wine labels have come together to create a new brand of wines under the new name Mercer Family Vineyards.

The collaboration is between two well-known wine producers, Delicato Family Vineyards and Mercer Wine Estates. One of the fastest growing wine companies in the US, Delicato Family Vineyard has been producing innovative quality wines since 1924. A fourth-generation vineyard, Mercer Wine Estates controls the quality of their prized wines from root-to-bottle. The release of the new label’s first vintages will include a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, a Malbec, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and a Reserve red blend. The wines are set to be rolled out in supermarkets nationally.

EPIC EGG WHITES Hunter gatherer inspired brand, Epic Provisions brings the robust and healthy diets of people’s ancestors to life using high-quality natural ingredients to create modern day snacks and sauces. The General Mills owned company has recently created a line of protein bars made using egg whites, nuts and dried fruits.

The Epic Performance Bar range features four flavours – peanut butter, butter chocolate, almond butter chocolate, and lemon. The brand which was originally created by competitive athletes Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest was acquired by General Mills back in 2016. The bars are currently available for purchase in the US, retailing at $2.99 each.

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