SupermarketNews Magazine | November 2019

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November 2019 • Vol. 12 No. 11

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EXCEPTIONAL SHOPPING AWAITS ONES TO WATCH

Rob McConnachie and Hannah Dobbie have been in the honey business for the past 15 years but their new brand 1839 has effectively been 180 years in the making.

The brand is inspired by Mary Bumby, a pioneering Victorian lady who first bought honeybees to New Zealand. The couple decided to acknowledge the untold history of Manuka honey by citing the date of Bumby’s arrival in the brand name.

“Mary Bumby’s story aligns with female empowerment and the company’s egalitarian approach. 1839 marks the history and origin of the New Zealand honey industry. The coming together of the European honey bees and the Mānuka bush has created the best honey in the world,” said Hannah Dobbie, 1839 general manager of creative direction.

The duo’s own honey journey started from humble beginnings, with their first two drums of honey driven on the back of Rob’s ute to their first factory, an old shed, next door to their local Matakana pub. Their current operation is quite a different affair, a purpose-built, state-of-the-art factory in Tauranga that houses and processes over 200 tonnes of honey.

The pair have already begun to deliver on their innovation goal by being the first New Zealand honey company to feature trust codes on its products, so consumers can track the origin and authenticity of each jar. They launched the honey pouch, another NZ first and a clever solution to the problem of getting that elusive last drop of honey. 1839 honey is also produced using a proprietary method developed by the company, its ‘triple-churned’ method, which gives the honey a unique silky-smooth texture. n

Takapuna residents can rejoice as exceptional food, service and shopping experiences await them as New World Metro Shore City opened its doors to the local community. The supermarket is conveniently located on Level One of the Shore City Mall, adjacent to the Food Dining Area and entrance to the car park. With more than 30 covered carparks exclusively available for New World shoppers and 700 shared carparks, the metro store is a handy spot for shoppers dropping in for a quick dinner top up or an on-the-go meal.

The 696m2 store will employee 65 staff, from in-store butchery, bakery, produce, delicatessen and seafood experts, to checkout operators and department managers. The specialist teams will be on hand to provide an exceptional shopping experience.

The new metro supermarket will offer a comprehensive and curated range of on-the-go meal options. Customers can expect a rotating menu of quick, healthy and fresh breakfast, lunch, dinner and

snack options. Another drawcard for New World Metro Shore City is its emphasis on fresh produce, reflected in the market-style fruit and vegetable department that will ‘greet’ customers upon entering the store. The store’s handpicked range of quality products can be credited to store owner-operator Doug Cochrane who is a Shore local.

Cochrane is no stranger to the retail industry, having started his journey with Foodstuffs over five years ago, as general manager retail, Foodstuffs North Island. He recently switched career paths and joined Foodstuffs North Island’s trainee operator programme to pursue his dream of store ownership. “Our goal is to create a supermarket that is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our customers. Part of this is ensuring we source and support local suppliers, offer an abundance of fresh, quality produce, deliver on-the-go meal options and minimise unnecessary packaging in the store wherever possible,” he said. n

REGIONAL RECYCLING The campaign to take more colour coded bins into the regions is a development by The Packaging Forum that promotes recycling under the Government’s Love NZ brand and The Auckland Litter Prevention Steering Group which manages the Be a Tidy Kiwi brand. The campaign is also supported by many councils around the country and the New Zealand Transport Agency and KiwiRail.

Project partners have been working hard to get the recycling and rubbish bins installed in time for summer with the accepted standard colour codes making it easier for people to recycle.

The bins are being installed in Auckland, Gisborne, Kaikoura, Kapiti Coast and Ruapehu and the scheme follows the successful implementation of the technology over the past 18 months around the country. More than 150 of the new concept bins will have been placed in 17 regions as part of the “Let’s Put Litter in its Place” project.

Richard Leckinger, programme manager for Be a

Tidy Kiwi said the design of bins or ‘binfrastructure’ influences how people use them.

The bins, manufactured in Wellington by AE Tilley, incorporate best practice features to make it easier for people to distinguish their recycling from their rubbish and include national consistency about the colour of the bins, the use of multiple languages and clear signage. n

editorialcomment WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS? Why are more and more retailers turning out the lights? Welcome to the supermarket world 3.0 that includes robots, artificial intelligence and the addition of dark stores.

Margins on grocery delivery are tight and are continuing to shrink closer to zero. The trouble is, convenience is on the rise, and grocery delivery plays a huge role in this.

Earlier this year Coles entered an agreement with Ocado that saw the business access Ocado’s Smart Platform technology – the world’s leading online grocery website, automated single pick fulfilment technology and home delivery solution. This looks to significantly enhance customer experience and sees two-state of the art automated customer fulfilment centres built.

This partnership provides a unique opportunity for Coles to deliver a best-in-class customer experience driven by greater range, improved product availability and freshness, a significantly enhanced online capability and more regular delivery windows. The introduction of the CFCs will also provide a safer working environment for Coles’ team members.

Sarah Mitchell Editorial Director

sarah@reviewmags.com

Within the next ten years, it is expected that the majority of online grocery delivery will come from dark stores. In the USA, Ocado and Amazon have dedicated dark stores and as a result, have a wider range, lower overheads, and fewer substitutions.

There is great scope for technology development and increased margins as well. Although there is a reasonably large investment required, dark stores offer retailers a way to address profitability issues that come with traditional online grocery delivery services.

GlobalData research shows that in the next two years, online sales will represent 9.8 percent of the UK grocery market and it is only a matter of time before the trend will be seen on local shores.

Retailers need to look at the fact that although the frequency of purchase is increasing, the average transaction value is declining, therefore the ROI on online orders is on a downward slope. The future of online grocery is dark, but this could be a good thing.

Enjoy the issue.

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

food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

www.fgc.org.nz

diarynotes

November 27-29:

Japan's Food Export Fair

January 19-21, 2020: Winter Fancy Food Show, San Francisco, USA February 5-6:

The Source Trade Show, UK

February 15-19:

Gelatissimo, Stuttgart, Germany

March 29-31:

Parizza, France

April 15-17:

Anufood, Shenzhen, China

April 15-17:

SIAL Canada

departments

04 News 14 Store of the Month 18 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 24 Functional Feature 30 ANUGA Report

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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 2019

CHAIRMAN PUBLISHER GENERAL MANAGER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITOR EDITORIAL STAFF ADVERTISING SALES SENIOR DESIGNER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ISSN No.

Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com Caitlan Mitchell, caitlan@reviewmags.com Ed Scott, ed@reviewmags.com Felicity-Anne Flack, felicity@reviewmags.com Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com Ciaran Carroll, kez@reviewmags.com

1173-3365

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

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food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

The NEW ZEALAND BEVERAGE COUNCIL is an industry association whose members cover all aspects of the non-alcoholic beverage market both in New Zealand and the export markets.

The Council members are spread throughout New Zealand and come together annually for a conference that covers industry issues and is addressed by international speakers. The organisation monitors product quality, sets standards for the industry and runs national competitions and awards.

THE NEW ZEALAND BEVERAGE COUNCIL (NZBC) P.O. Box 47, AUCKLAND 1140, New Zealand.

Email: info@nzbc.nz Phone: +64 9 309 6100 DDI: +64 9 302 9932

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WAT TIE’S BURGER S AU C E

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news SERVING UP LA ZUPPA DKSH has been selected to drive growth of the La Zuppa brand in New Zealand. It acquired the local distributor CTD in Australia earlier this year and with this move, strengthened its consumer goods business and expanded its market presence in Asia Pacific. CTD’s portfolio contains several food products, such as La Zuppa, an Australian all-natural soup brand.

As part of this collaboration, DKSH will provide marketing, sales, distribution and logistics services for La Zuppa into New Zealand supermarkets. The team of specialists in New Zealand has strong sales and marketing capabilities, unparalleled national coverage, professionalism and industry knowledge to successfully grow the market for the La Zuppa brand. n

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YEALANDS APPOINTS NEW CEO Leading New Zealand wine producer Yealands Wine Group has announced the appointment of Tiffani Graydon as chief executive officer.

Graydon brings with her a wealth of 25 years’ industry knowledge and senior executive experience in both New Zealand and offshore markets as well as a proven record in business and brand transformation. She has previously worked at Yealands in a General Manager Sales and Marketing capacity. “After rapid expansion over the last decade, Yealands Wine Group is now ready to enter the next phase of business growth. The future is very bright, and one I’m excited to lead the team through as we focus on building brand equity globally and here in New Zealand alongside cementing our position in sustainable wine making,” said Graydon. In the coming weeks Graydon and the senior leadership team, will refine the organisation’s business strategy, focusing resources on key growth areas for the business. n

FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT 2019

Breadcraft Wairarapa and its brands Rebel Bakehouse and Cottage Lane will only use 100 percent Kiwi flour by the end of 2019, the first NZ bakery of its size to do so. The family-owned business in Masterton has been making bread for 76 years, supplying both national and international companies.

Chris Petersen, Breadcraft spokesperson, said the bakery will initially use flour from Canterbury but will move to Wairarapa sourced wheat early next year, a significant shift for the bakery and the wider industry.

“Each week, we make tens of thousands of baked goods – and the main ingredient is flour. Using home-grown ingredients where possible has multiple benefits, supporting our focus on sustainability, future foods and local businesses,” said Petersen.

“As well as farming crickets, we will soon be using Wairarapa-grown hemp, so it makes sense to close the loop and use 100 percent Kiwi flour.” n

Foodservice and hospitality providers will be heading to the New Zealand Food Safety Summit on December 10 at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Auckland.

Influential players in the food industry will be in attendance from around New Zealand and overseas, with key government representatives, food industry, and food safety leaders participating. With the goal of ensuring New Zealand’s worldclass food safety system remains robust in responding to future challenges, the summit is designed to proactively support New Zealanders to feel confident making choices about food.

Keynote speakers include Minister for Food Safety Damien O’ Connor, directorgeneral of the Ministry for Primary Industries Ray Smith, and deputy directorgeneral of New Zealand Food Safety Bryan Wilson.

International speakers include Dr Tim Jackson of Driscoll’s, Dr Amy Kircher, the director of Food Protection and Defense Institute at the University of Minnesota, and Mike Lee, founder of The Future Market.

Kiwi speakers include food writers Nikki Bezzant and Ray McVinnie, editor and codirector of Cuisine magazine Kelli Brett, and chief executive of Consumer New Zealand Sue Chetwin. Dan Craig, founder of Eat Crawlers, will also be in attendance.

Earlybird tickets are $300 + GST until November 25, and $450 + GST from November 26. For more information visit the MPI website. n

EASTPACK RECOGNISED EastPack, New Zealand’s largest Kiwifruit post-harvest company had a very successful night at the Westpac Tauranga Business Awards 2019 picking up four awards including the ACC Workplace Health and Safety award, the Business Innovation award, the Manufacturing and Distribution award, and the supreme award of Tauranga Business of the Year 2019.

“Each of these awards would have been a great achievement in its own right but we were delighted and humbled to be recognised across so many categories and to get the big prize at the end of the night,” said EastPack Chief Executive Hamish Simson.

The recognition comes as EastPack moves closer to its goal of increasing fruit volumes to over 50 million trays in the next five years. It’s on track, having doubled throughput from 19 million trays in 2012 to 41 million trays in 2018.

EastPack has also celebrated a number of industry firsts in recent years including the opening of the industry’s first fullyautomated lights out coolstore in May. n

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DO YOU WANT TO BE THE NEXT KARMA COLA?

We hear “we want to be Karma Cola” a lot. We get it. Who wouldn’t want fiercely loyal customers in 23 countries and counting?

But here’s the thing. Just like there’s only one Karma Cola, there’s only one of your brand. And we’re every bit as passionate and ambitious about getting people to fall in love with your brand as we are about Karma Cola.

So if you’re ready to build a game-changing, status-quo-smashing, heart-winning brand, email heath@specialgroup.com

Brand Strategy— Identity Design— Packaging specialgroup.com/design 09 846 2402

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internationalaisle CELEBRITIES INVEST

NEW AGE OF CONVENIENCE Caltex Australia and Woolworths have launched the first Caltex Woolworths Metro store in North Ryde, New South Wales.

Designed and co-created by two iconic Australian brands, the new store sets a new benchmark of convenience for Australians looking to fill up and meet their convenience shopping needs when on the go. The new store format, to be owned and operated by Caltex, features a curated product range perfect for customers looking to grab something fresh to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner or to pick up high quality fresh food and groceries for later.

“We’re excited about redefining the convenience experience for our customers. We know Australians lead busy lives and are looking for great quality fresh food for a meal on the go or to make preparing a meal at home a little bit easier,” said Jo Taylor, Caltex’s executive general manager, convenience retail. “Our new store will set the new standard of service, product quality and range that customers will begin to expect when they shop in the petrol and convenience sector.”

“As customers’ needs change and demand for fresh food-for-now and food-for-later continues to grow, so too do the expectations for quality and convenience,” said Ian McDonald, Woolworths general manager, wholesale. “Caltex Woolworths Metro is an exciting next phase of our partnership with Australia’s leading fuel network. We’re delighted to help bring together some of the best elements of both businesses for the benefit of our mutual customers.” n

In 2006, Bread Tags for Wheelchairs was founded in South Africa with the purpose of collecting bread tags and selling it to a plastic company, Zibo. The proceeds are then used to provide wheelchairs to the needy; currently, 500kg of tags are collected monthly which funds around three wheelchairs.

Australia has also taken part in this initiative.

In August 2018 was set up an Aussie arm of Bread Tags for Wheelchairs and was able to promote the cause and increase the collection. In February 2019, Australian recycler, Transmutation – Reuse, Reduce, Recycle bought the first batch of tags that were collected. Some of the tags were recycled in Australia and others were sent to South Africa. “Our aim is to have all Aussie tags recycled here, with just the funds remitted to South Africa to buy wheelchairs.”

Everyone is encouraged to collect bread tags at home, school and work to donate for recycling. Not only is collecting bread tags saving the environment and stopping unnecessary rubbish from entering the landfill but it is also helping people get wheelchairs. n

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the heels of the company’s announcement of a potential partnership with a dairy farm in California, to help it transition into a plantbased facility. n

LANGUAGE BADGE

In an effort to make foreign customers feel welcome, UK-based retailers Waitrose and John Lewis have launched a language badge for staff. The badges are meant to serve as identifiers for foreign shoppers and give them the opportunity to engage with the staff using their native tongue. The initiative will start with 20 badges with more languages being added based on demand from customers.

It will be implemented in ten Waitrose & Partners stores and seven John Lewis & Partners stores. n

SAINSBURY’S ARRIVES IN AUSSIE

Sainsbury’s has entered into a wholesale partnership agreement with Australian supermarket Coles. The scheme will allow the British retailer to supply ownbrand products across Coles stores as well as online.

With Coles’ own-brand products accounting for 30 percent of the supermarket’s gross sales, the partnership is set to accelerate the introduction of innovative products in its own portfolio. “This deal will free up resources for our own product development team so that they can drive further innovation and help us fulfil our strategy to make Coles an own brand powerhouse,” said Greg Davis, chief executive of commercial and express at Coles. n

CARDBOARD TOPPERS

BREAD TAGS FOR WHEELCHAIRS

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Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi have invested an undisclosed amount in plant-based cheese company Miyoko’s Creamery. The investment was in a bid to fund the vegan cheese company’s efforts to release new products in the new year including new nut-free cheeses in meltable flavours. “Being kind to one another is not just about people, it extends to animals as well,” said DeGeneres. “Portia and I have been customers of Miyoko’s Creamery for several years now and its cheeses and vegan butter have become staples in our home. As we learned more about the mission behind the products and about Miyoko herself, we knew this was a special and exciting company that we wanted to support.”

The high-profile investment is fresh off

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Heineken UK has introduced sustainable cardboard toppers in supermarkets in replacement of the typical plastic rings. The move was made in efforts to accelerate the beverage giant’s broader goal of completely removing plastic rings and shrink wraps from its multi-pack cans by the end of 2021.

The Dutch company has invested a reported £22 million in new technology and production facilities in UK sites to go alongside the upcoming sustainability changes across its popular brands, including Heineken and Foster’s.

The toppers are made from recyclable cardboard and are reportedly strong enough to hold the weight of the cans. If achieved, the initiative will enable the company to remove 157 tonnes of plastic in its packaging.

“It’s what our customers want and expect, and we have been working on and testing this innovation for three years,” said Cindy Tervoort, head of Marketing at Heineken.

The UK is the first country in Heineken’s worldwide market to introduce the new packaging. n

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ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist, see your healthcare professional.

Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies. © 2019 GSK group of companies or its licensor. GSK Auckland, New Zealand, TAPS NA 11464. CHANZ/CHVOLT/0117/19a.

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NEW PRICE MECHANISM

I’d like to thank those of you who took the time to attend our supplier update and awards in October. We really appreciate you attending these events and we enjoy having regular engagement with all our suppliers.

Scott Davidson

General Manager Buying & Merchandise, Countdown

Special congratulations to all the winners and in particular our overall supreme winner Unilever who stood out for their innovation, successfully tapping into consumer trends, and their sustainability lens. New to the awards this year, we introduced a Sustainability Award, something that is close to our hearts here at Countdown. We’re

targeting a 60 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 versus 2015 levels, and we’re also undertaking significant work to reduce plastic and packaging across the business.

We’ve introduced the new award as we wanted to recognise and support you in your own efforts to improve your products and provide more sustainable choices for customers. Congratulations to T&G Global for winning this award for moving to paper containers and commissioning the country’s first large-scale, waste-to-energy plant, a purpose-built facility that will take food waste from the region and turn it

into renewable biogas energy, which in turn will power their glasshouses and the region. Please remember that our moratorium starts from 29th November 2019 through to 12 January 2020 and that means no master data changes or new products can be processed at this time The sun has finally come out and the countdown to Christmas has well and truly begun. As we head into the busiest times of the year we wanted to update you on a couple of new things new from us.

Hopefully, you’ve all seen our new price mechanism, Great Price.

Customers have really embraced this new programme and sales are going extremely well. For those suppliers already on the programme they’re already experiencing double digit growth. If you aren’t on the programme and want to be, please reach out to your category manager and let’s get your products onto Great Price now. We’ve now opened our new Auckland Indent Distribution Centre to help support our growing business. We’re receiving stock seven days a week and we’ve got new

systems in place to ensure we have a very successful couple of months.

Christmas and the summer months are some of the busiest of the year and by the sounds of all the weather experts, this summer is going to be long and very hot. That means lots of great sales for all of us. We encourage you to be super organised early. Having stock available is key to all our success. Please make sure you are talking to the replenishment team about your stock levels and ensure you and your teams are well planned for the next couple of months. If you do have any hiccups with stock deliveries, please let us know as soon as possible.

Finally, thanks for your wonderful support over the last two years. I am heading back to Australia to start a new role as the Managing Director of BWS, part of Woolworths’ Endeavour Drinks in the New Year. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and am really proud of what the team have managed in my time. I know that the next few weeks are the busiest of the year and if I don’t see you personally, I wish you a very happy and safe Christmas. n

a ann KoorreeCuisine Made using traditional Korean and Asian recipes from OTTOGI Korea which is one of Korea’s no.1 household food brands. Made locally in New Zealand. Our aim is to share Korean and Asian cuisine/marinades to non-asian customers so they are able to cook and authentic meal in the comfort of their own kitchen.

Find us in the cooking sauce aisle at Countdown.

For more information, contact 09 267 7476.

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JACQUI SMITH CountdownX Delivery Lead

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Raised in North Auckland among the beaches of Orewa, Jacqui Smith grew up in the world of grocery with her Mother working as 2IC of Countdown Orewa and her Father working as an owner/ operator of FourSquare Buffalo Beach.

INTEGRATION

mith was first introduced to the hustle and bustle of the grocery industry by her mother, who was a 2IC at Countdown Orewa. Growing up, she spent spent most of her time in store with the staff acting as her second family and being the go-to elf at Christmas time assisting Santa with handing out treats to the customers.

Going into her teens, Smith’s first job was working in Buffalo Beach FourSquare during her school breaks.

Smith completed a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Information Systems and e-Commerce at Victoria University of Wellington. “It was a natural progression to move into the supermarket industry to apply my understanding and on-site knowledge with what I had learnt at University,” said Smith.

In 2015, Smith was successfully admitted into the Woolworths Graduate Programme and moved to Sydney to begin her journey with the Woolworths Group.

HQ MANAGEMENT

In January 2017, Smith was able to land the permanent role of Enterprise Project Manager and Delivery Lead of the SAP Enhancements Program.

“It was an exciting challenge,” said Smith, “I was given the opportunity and autonomy to reinvent the process of a $15m continuous improvement project while also taking on various Woolworths Enterprise IT projects.”

By 2018, Smith was able to increase throughput and efficiency by 300% as well as reducing costs. “Year on year we were able to reduce the budget to where it currently stands at $4m while maintaining quality and throughput.”

When asked where Smith gets her work ethic and attitude, she says she is inspired by her mother. “She inspires me and motivates me that no obstacle is too hard and to be strong, especially in tough times. She is selfless and hard working, and always brings an abundance of joy to my life.

Even on my worst days, her uplifting and cheeky demeanor always makes a difference,” said Smith.

Creating a loyal customer base and positive customer experience is important for Smith as a Delivery Lead; she takes steps to ensure that

the customers are looked after, whether they are internal or external.

“Something I love about Countdown is that we talk to our customers before we even decide to do something. When the Countdown mobile app was just an idea, customers told us they wanted a shopping list on the app, not an online shopping platform. We’ve seen fantastic results as a result of the shift in direction.”

Smith has greatly enjoyed working with the Woolworths and Countdown teams throughout her journey. When asked how she motivates her team, Smith said “stay positive and bring a light hearted demeanor when needed in order to facilitate a great work environment!

I’m also passionate about selfmanaging teams and servant leadership as it can bring about greater motivation and show teams that they are in charge of their own destiny. Also creating a safe space where it’s ok to ‘fail’ - failure makes us dig deeper and find new ways to do things.” Smith hopes to continue to learn and grow so she can become a better leader for her team whilst keeping up to date with this fast paced industry. n

MOBILE APP

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IDENTIFYING KEY RISK AREAS

The food and grocery sector embarked recently on two initiatives that promise benefits far into the future.

Katherine Rich

Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council

Health & safety and sustainability have for many years been at the forefront of companies’ thinking. Most can point to work they’ve done and are continuing to do around projects that promote the wellbeing and safety of both staff and customers, and tackling waste along the supply chain.

The health & safety initiative is called ShopCare, and it aims to improve the safety, health, and wellbeing of all employees involved in the creation, supply, delivery, and sale of all goods on supermarket, dairy, and retail shelves.

It includes senior leaders from retailers, manufacturers, transporters, and suppliers who will share knowledge, problem-solve, and model leadership behaviours to help influence cultural change and save lives across the industry.

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ShopCare is led by Liz May, a former GM Logistics at Countdown, and was formed after the Food & Grocery Council won funding from ACC. In its first 12 months, ShopCare will gather health & safety data from the retail and supply chain sector to build a picture, alongside other data, of where the industry is at. This will be a first for health and safety reporting in New Zealand, and it’s something the sector should be really excited about.

Its job is to identify key risk areas in transport, mobile plant and equipment, manual handling, in-store, health & wellbeing, leadership, and manufacturing, address the issue of overlapping responsibilities between companies along the supply chain, and agree on a common language and terminology so everyone’s ‘talking the same language’. That’s something that’s not often recognised, but it’s crucial to achieving the right outcomes, especially in an area as important as this.

ShopCare will also work with organisations to identify best practice, provide opportunities for education and

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knowledge sharing, and align health and safety processes and systems.

I believe ShopCare will form a blueprint other industries will want to copy.

Sustainability has, in recent years, gained real momentum, with most companies devoting considerable time and money to finding new ways of reducing waste and processes that are friendlier on the planet, and the food and grocery sector is doing groundbreaking work in this regard.

We all know supermarkets are doing a lot, including eliminating single-use plastic bags, using recyclable meat trays, diverting waste from landfill, using energy-efficient refrigeration systems, and developing processes for recycling and recovering plastics.

So too are food and grocery suppliers, with many introducing recyclable and compostable packaging, and water recycling and energy-efficiency into their operations.

In an effort to capture and share some of these great ideas across the sector, FGC has established a

Sustainability Committee of member companies.

In just a short space of time, we’ve had incredible support, with 20 companies represented at senior level all eager to be a part of it.

The group has completed a robust review of the issues facing the industry and will first tackle the huge issue of consumer packaging and the circular economy. This work will take on packaging and the role it plays, singleuse plastics, and food waste. Most importantly, it will incorporate work towards a New Zealand standard for compostable packaging.

Four sub-committees have been established to cover plastic packaging, paper packaging, beverage containers/ container deposit systems, and compostable packaging.

They welcome any FGC members interested in being on one of the sub-committees. And why wouldn’t you want to be part of more groundbreaking work to come out of our industry to go along with the health & safety data collection? n

ENCOURAGING CHANGE AND MEETING DEMAND Christian Abboud COUNTRY MANAGER, NESTLÉ NEW ZEALAND

Nestlé recently launched a new range of Starbucks coffee capsules, the first branded coffee products developed using Nespresso proprietary coffee and system technology. The range includes six signature flavours that consumers can enjoy in the comfort of their own home.

T

he launch comes after the two companies joined forces to create a global coffee alliance in August last year. For the first time, Kiwi coffee lovers will be able to find premium and exciting coffee products on supermarket shelves.

“We are committed to continuous innovation to provide Kiwis with new and exciting ways to enjoy coffee at home,” said Martin Brown, Nestlé Oceania director of e-business, strategy and marketing. “We are proud to be working with Starbucks, a global coffee brand that shares our passion for quality coffee and craftsmanship, to offer coffee drinkers an at-home solution that meets their discerning quality expectations while being conveniently accessible at their local supermarket.”

Christian Abboud, country manager Nestlé New Zealand, agreed and added that it was a targeted launch, considering New Zealand’s sophisticated coffee market. “Kiwi consumers are very discerning, demanding superior quality but also new coffee experiences.

Out-of-home coffee continues to be strong, which influences what people are consuming in-home as they look to replicate those experiences,” said Abboud.

He also noted the upward trend of premium coffee offerings and that Kiwi consumers are looking for indulgent experiences, reflected in the growth of the coffee mixes segment.

“The coffee category is just one of our priorities, and we are determined to lead and shape the industry. We want Kiwis to enjoy the best quality of coffee in the world, not just out of their homes.”

The new range of Starbucks by Nespresso capsules combine Nestlé’s coffee and system know-how with Starbucks’ unique coffee flavours and house blends and includes six signature flavours, ranging from Starbucks blends and single-origin coffees, all made from 100 percent high-quality arabica coffee, ethically sourced from farmers in the world’s premier coffee-growing regions.

“For years, we have offered Starbucks’ favourite roasts through our in-store coffee house experience,” said CEO of Starbucks New Zealand Charles Belcher.

“Through our partnership with Nestlé, we are excited to be taking the first step to open this premium experience up to all Kiwis, allowing them to make their favourite Starbucks recipes at home using their Nespresso machine.”

Abboud believes that New Zealand FMCG market is a healthy and dynamic one that continues to grow year after year. Having worked around

the world in various roles with Nestlé, he now calls New Zealand home and is excited to see the opportunities that are presented to businesses and brands that are able to meet and pre-empt consumers’ expectations and market trends. This enthusiasm and advocacy comes, in part, through the dynamic and exciting nature of the FMCG industry.

“I have always been a very passionate advocate of this industry, especially when it comes to food and beverage.

The pace of change is just amazing, and the value that we, as industry leaders, can bring to the lives of our consumers by providing them with delicious and nutritious products is extremely fulfilling.”

Consumers are at the heart of everything Nestlé does and sustainability is something that is

becoming increasingly important for many industries, not just FMCG. Not only is it encouraging change, but it is also driving consumer demand.

“Providing consumers with healthy and sustainable products has been something we have been doing at Nestlé for many years, and we continue to do so today. Sustainability is not optional anymore. It’s something the business and team are fully committed to tackling, end-to-end, in order to ensure zero harm on our planet.”

Nestlé’s future isn’t grounded in coffee, but with consumers increasingly looking towards plant-based options. As such, the business looks to invest in a range of plant-based protein ingredients for its product portfolio to meet this rising consumer demand for plantbased food and beverages, as well to offer more vegetarian options. n

Kiwi consumers are very discerning, demanding superior quality but also new coffee experiences. Out-of-home coffee continues to be strong, which influences what people are consuming in-home as they look to replicate those experiences.

November 2019

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OPPORTUNITIES IN FMCG RECRUITMENT

In 2013, Kevin O’Shannessy, Hamish Marr and Johnny Bass founded the recruitment agency Synergy Consumer after working together for the past ten years and sharing the same passion for the FMCG industry.

Recruiting in the fast-moving consumer goods industry is ruthless, however this threeman band has found success.

“We saw an opportunity for an expert recruitment agency to deliver a higher level of service and experience to candidates and companies in the FMCG sector,” said O’Shannessy. “We work on every assignment personally which has been our strategy from the start.”

Kevin O’Shannessy initially worked for Mainland in sales and marketing and later became the manager for the private label business for Countdown.

He was interested in the FMCG industry because of the strong relationships that could be built. “I’m genuinely passionate about helping people with their careers and love the industry. It’s nice to be doing something that you love and know that you could happily do it for many years to come.”

The trio see many opportunities in the FMCG sector. “There have been some seismic shifts this year with Walter & Wild and Tip Top. They have given potential talent the opportunity to join something new and create a future for these businesses,” explained Marr. This year, Synergy Consumer were lucky enough to support Tip Top in forming their entire sales function, following their acquisition by Froneri.

“It saw us managing a project to recruit over 20 people. It was time pressuring, but we delivered some of the best talent in the industry,” added O’Shannessy.

“We also managed a large project for

Walter & Wild, putting together the sales function. But some of the most rewarding work is helping individuals who have moved to New Zealand because of challenging circumstances in their home country.”

The success of the recruitment industry, however, doesn’t come without its challenges. O’Shannessy explained that finding talent in most areas was difficult, but especially across true brand management roles in marketing. “There is still a real need for great end-to-end consumer brand marketers, but the pool of talent is getting smaller all the time.” As the career path is not as clear as it once was, it is getting harder to find potential talent.

Employers are looking for a range of skills when recruiting talent. “Soft skills, work ethic and a good attitude is where the real gold is,” said Bass.

“Commercial acumen across all functions is becoming more and more important as well.” Employees on the other hand, are looking for great management, career prospects and a positive work environment. These are a few of the consistencies Synergy Consumer has found.

The future of FMCG recruitment remains patient as the lack of talent and most roles being difficult to fill requires professional guidance. “There will be a need for professionals to help organisations to find talent for some time to come.” n

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26/8/19 4:56 PM

ALLIANCE MARKETING NATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS

Let’s show case the best of your brands.

•

A POINT OF DIFFERENCE – KIWI COMPANY AT THE FOREFRONT

Husband and wife duo Dan and Jacqui Cottrell started their business, Kiwi Quinoa, in February 2016 but officially launched into the market in September the following year after they saw the idea of growing quinoa as a diversification on the family sheep and beef farm near Taihape.

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Our professional highly motivated sales demonstrators are trained to communicate your brands values direct to consumers.

Our goal is to get your message to consumers and your product into consumers trolleys.

We guarantee comprehensive reporting ,with photos and sales results for all table and mobile demonstrations.

A

fter travelling through South America and consuming large quantities of quinoa on the Inca Trail, the idea of growing quinoa back in New Zealand was quickly becoming a posibility. “After years of trials and many lessons learned, we had our answer that quinoa can, indeed, thrive here in New Zealand,” said Dan Cottrell.

“With the growth in global demand for quinoa and for plant-based foods that double as a protein source, we decided to go in boots and all and start growing our own quinoa.” The couple expected to work in agriculture as their combined skills make for efficient farmers. Dan is an experienced farmer whilst Jacqui is an agronomist with a passion for health food.

As the only quinoa growers in New Zealand, the Cottrells faced several challenges and risks when starting the business. Being the pioneers of a new business took serious commitment and a lot of groundwork had to ensure its success on the market.

“A lot of people would not have had the perseverance and time required to see it through,” explained Jacqui.

“We put major effort into finding a variety that gave us a point of difference in New Zealand and did extensive research overseas, the outcome being our exclusive license for a saponin-free variety to help the commercialisation process.”

After several attempts at growing trials, they narrowed it down to the current harvest which works perfectly with New Zealand’s climate. Establishing a viable harvesting method that focused on growing spray-free quinoa which integrates well with other livestock is part of their regenerative approach to farming.

Kiwi Quinoa was rebranded after the team gained experienced in the marketplace. “Kiwi Quinoa needed to be more visually memorable and meaningful and our packaging design needed to work harder to stand out on the shelf.”

Although a lot of trial and error went into the process of creating the local quinoa, the outcome was worth it. “Our new

branding and packaging takes consumers on an adventure, encouraging them to explore and enjoy quinoa in ways they’ve never imagined,” said Dan. The new design has proven to have better impact with the black Kiwi Quinoa logo, orange text, and bright food image, as consumers can easily read it and are immediately captivated by the simple yet effective packaging.

The benefits of Kiwi Quinoa differentiate the product from any other on the current market. The quinoa is grown on rich volcanic soils using sustainable farming practices, it is spray-free with no herbicide, fungicide or pesticides. “Our unique quinoa does not contain bitter saponins which removes the requirement for processing or polishing, therefore qualifying our quinoa for wholegrain.” In late October, the Cottrells won the New Zealand Food Safety Primary Sector Products Award at the NZ Food Awards.

All this success, however, does come with its challenges. Initially the couple had difficulty with finding a seed that would grow successfully in New Zealand, one that is easy to process and would give a unique point of difference in the marketplace. “The solution involved overseas trips for research and negotiation which was challenging from a time and dollar perspective.” Eventually being able to source a seed variety from Holland, the next challenge of weed prevention arose. “We imported special equipment from Australia to address this. Despite the many challenges and setbacks, Dan and Jacqui’s hard work has paid off and they have proven to be successful in the creation of their product.

Hoping to see their quinoa grow across retail, food service and export sectors, the team at Kiwi Quinoa want to show consumers that there are fun, new ways to experiment with quinoa and it doesn’t have to be eaten in just salads but can be enjoyed in all meals. n

For a competitive cost effective quote please contact Alliance Marketing National Demonstrations and Merchandising Manager Liz Brash

021 726 860 or

email demo@alliancemarketing.co.nz November 2019

I 13

storeofthemonth

COUNTDOWN MEADOWBANK

DEEPEE SINGH

The team at Countdown Meadowbank have improved their store to provide customers with the best service and products. Owner operator Deepee Singh’s focus is to make shopping easier for all customers by implementing various innovations.

F

or the past two years Deepee Singh has been the owner operator of Countdown Meadowbank. “I’ve been with the company since 2002. Since this time I have moved through various roles,” Singh told SupermarketNews.

“These roles include bakery manager, service administration manager, assistant store manager and store manager. I’m lucky that this has been my third store that I’ve been able to run.”

Despite being in the store for a short amount of time, Singh has a lot of experience in most of the departments. He enjoys socialising with people and finds that supermarkets can be very social places which makes interacting with customers and team members easy for him. When asked about his proudest moment as owner operator, Singh commended his team. “They have worked incredibly hard over the past months to get the store to the way it currently is now. I am also proud of the consistent standards and exceptional customer service.”

Singh sees a lot of potential in future opportunities for the store. From online shopping to the growth and numbers rapidly expanding, Countdown manages to move with the times and not let change alter its growth.

“Our customers are busy people and the way that they shop has changed over the years, so we can’t see online shopping losing popularity anytime soon,” said Singh. “We’re consistently seeing year on year growth and numbers continue to rapidly expand, with our pickup businesses growing the most.” The business will continue to see growth in the future because of its well managed structure and continuously updated systems.

Singh acknowledged that the biggest opportunity for the grocery industry is in the health food section.

“While we have already reformulated our own brand products to remove sugar and salt, I find the biggest opportunity is in the health food section to ensure we’re providing customers with affordable and healthy options for all occasions.” The health food aisle proved to be a highlight for the store as customer demand continues to rise. “This includes chilled and frozen

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products, plant-based proteins, sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options,” explained Singh.

Countdown focuses on giving back to the community in more ways than just supplying quality produce. “We have supported many local community initiatives and supported the local rest home, church, school and kindergarten,” said Singh. One of Countdown’s policies is to donate safe, high-quality surplus food to The Salvation Army and other local food rescue charities and food banks. This initiative is part of Countdown’s future goal towards zero food waste as well as helping hungry New Zealanders directly. Customers are also encouraged to donate through specially marked food donations bins in-store or through The Foodbank Project online.

As owner operator, Singh noticed that customers want to see changes in the produce section regarding the use of plastic. “We’re working really hard to

provide customers with fresh, good quality produce.

As part of our recently completed renewal, we installed New Zealand’s first flat bread machine and brand-new serve over meat case.” Countdown believes that as a business they have the responsibility and opportunity to do the right thing by their customers and the environment. In June 2018, Countdown joined a New Zealand industry pledge to help achieve the goal of using 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025. Countdown was the first New Zealand-based supermarket to become single-use plastic bag free and are working towards eliminating the sale of singleuse plastic straws. They offer customers a sustainable reusable bag option for one dollar and will replace it in-store for free when it wears out.

Countdown Meadowbank has been making the appropriate changes to stay on trend with the

Footprint 4,000 m2

94 staff

Selling Area 2,900 m

24,000 SKUs

Checkouts: 8 regular

Carparks Mall-shared carpark

8 self-checkouts

Opening Date: 2000

2 Express

Owner/Operator: Deepee Singh

2

customer’s needs and wants. In early November, the store was renovated in order to provide a better shopping experience for the customers. Singh’s vision for the store is to provide customers with exceptional service and make their shopping trips as easy as possible, through various innovations, meaning shopping at Countdown has never been easier. “The updated store is designed to be more innovative with new accessible mobility scooters for our elderly customers, a speedy oven in the deli department, a transcritical refrigeration system and New Zealand’s first flat bread machine,” said Singh.

With the recently renovated store, Singh’s goal is to satisfy every customer who walks into the store by providing them with exceptional customer service and product availability. “My biggest achievement is to develop my team and be able to coach them and watch them grow with the business.” n November 2019

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Natural State

CH’I Source Water flows from an artesian well in the Ararimu Valley near Auckland. After a journey lasting decades and passing slowly through deep bedrock, the water rises over 200 metres with dissolved alkaline minerals, and boasts a unique pH of 9.7 as measured by an independent lab. Alkaline High pH water has become a growth phenomenon around the world in the last few years. The time is right to rebuild the value and margin in the New Zealand water category.

CH’I Source Water is now available in a 750ml bottle.

Increase your sales in the premium hydration category and make sure this is on your shelves.

For more information visit www.chidrinks.com.

Ham It Up It wouldn’t be a traditional Kiwi Christmas without a delicious ham taking pride-of-place on the Yuletide table.

This year customers can treat their loved ones to the best with a mouth-watering Leonard’s Whole Cooked Ham on the Bone.

Nothing says “Christmas” like a decorative, delicious glazed ham. A hint of Manuka smoke gives this ham its traditional taste and makes for tender, succulent eating. Enjoyed hot or cold.

Leonard’s Whole Cooked Ham On The Bone is gluten-free and MSG-free.

For more information visit www.leonards.co.nz.

Just In Time Award-winning new Kiwi food brand The Whole Mix has released a new Mexican Coleslaw with Corn Chips just in time for the summer season. Perfect for cooks who want to spend time enjoying the summer season and less time in the kitchen, the new Mexican Coleslaw with Corn Chips adds to the existing salad and stir-fry range and taps into the growing demand for quality, fresh and convenient food.

With no artificial flavours or colours, this new salad provides a delicious and creative complement to wraps, nachos, tacos or an easy weeknight meal. The new Mexican Coleslaw combines crisp, fresh, locally-grown red and green cabbage, capsicum, red onion and coriander and comes with crunchy corn chips and a delicious chipotle dressing. For more information contact 0800 366 3246 or email info@thewholemix.co.nz.

Get Ready

Get ready for summer with new Killinchy Gold flavours that are churned in limited-edition batches. Available in three new flavours including Creamy New Zealand Toffee Crunch, Rich Chocolate Orange with Pistachio, and Hawke’s Bay Peach and Honey with Roasted Almond. Luxuriously smooth and creamy, these on-trend contemporary flavours will attract consumers who seek out unique tastes. The range is now available in the 480ml size. For orders please contact your Alliance Marketing representative or jclaytongreene@alliancemarketing.co.nz.

Osteo Gel Voltaren Osteo Gel gives up to 12 hours of relief from mild osteoarthritis pain.

The packaging features an easy-open cap. With Voltaren Osteo Gel 12 Hourly, consumers can forget about managing mild osteoarthritis pain and get on with their day. That’s because Voltaren Osteo Gel 12 Hourly is formulated to last longer. It’s concentrated formula, with twice the strength, needs application only once every 12 hours, for relief of mild osteoarthritis pain of the knees and fingers.

Available in a 100g tube.

Always read the label. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional.

Whittaker’s Goes Dark Dark Chocolate Lovers are in for a treat with Whittaker’s latest creation, 72 percent Dark Ghana Fruit & Nut, a classic new addition to Whittaker’s 250g permanent range, which is bound to become a pantry staple.

Holly Whittaker, Whittaker’s marketing manager, said this responds directly to requests from Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers.

“A dark version of Whittaker’s Creamy Milk Fruit & Nut block has been one of Whittaker’s most widely requested flavour combinations, and we hope they’re going to love what we’ve come up with as much as we do,” said Whittaker.

Made with only the finest batch roasted Ghanaian cocoa beans, Whittaker’s 72 percent Dark Ghana Fruit & Nut is bursting with other high quality ingredients including juicy Californian raisins and fresh roasted almonds.

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Almighty Shake Up Artisanal organic juice brand, Almighty, has launched a range of sparkling waters set to shake up the carbonated drinks category and further cement its commitment to providing healthy, organic beverages to all New Zealanders.

Almighty Water is a range of charcoal-filtered sparkling waters that contain zero sugar, natural flavours derived from real fruit and contain very low calories. Three initial flavours are available including Activated Charcoal Sparkling Water, Lemon Sparkling Water and Peach Ginger Sparkling.

The Almighty Water activated charcoal range is a new addition to the company’s organic juice range, Almighty Juice, made with organic fruits, vegetables and super foods which includes vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Taking Pre-orders Now

Hemptation is the plant-based Hemp Seed and Oat Milk that is just too hard for consumers to resist. Deliciously nutty, seductively creamy and silky-smooth, Hemptation with oat is the perfect choice for essential food and drink offerings like lattes, flat whites and is one of the only dairyalternatives that won’t separate in hot drinks. Made from nature’s most nutrient dense seed, premium Pure Hemp Seeds from HempFarm, as well as being packed full of goodness, this product has a perfect balance of omega fatty acids, including GLA, which is known for its antiinflammatory properties. Hemptation contains all amino acids, making it a complete and easily digestible protein, plus a great source of vitamins and minerals, including calcium and magnesium.

Hemptation is taking pre-orders for its 1L and 450ml bottles.

Register your interest and pre-order now so you don’t miss out on this new and innovative product.

For more information visit www.hempfarm.co.nz contact 07 560 1020, or email sales@hempfarm.co.nz.

Fresh Fish Fillets

Aotearoa’s most premium pre-packed fish fillets are being brought to supermarkets

by Moana New Zealand.

Five years ago, the Moana New Zealand pre-packaged fish fillets launched into My Food Bag deliveries and they went down a treat. Sourced carefully from the pristine waters of Aotearoa, and vacuum sealed with a proven extended shelf life, these exceptional fillets have now hit the shelves in supermarkets.

When it comes to protecting the fresh taste and texture, Moana New Zealand is the first to market to supply pre-packed white fish fillets in a world-first barrier tray that is recyclable and made from raw materials. Using this PLANTIC packaging alternative means Moana can continue to provide the world with New Zealand’s premium seafood, while living true to its value of kaitiakitanga and sustainability for future generations.

For more information visit www.moana.co.nz.

Mid-Afternoon Boost Coca-Cola Oceania has launched Nutriboost, its first brand to carry 5 Stars on the Health Star Rating System.

Boosted with four key nutrients – protein, calcium, fibre and vitamin D – Nutriboost is the perfect snack to turn to for a tasty morning or midafternoon treat that is nutritional, convenient and delicious. The launch is part of The Coca-Cola Company’s transformation into a total beverages company which offers consumers more of the beverages they want for all occasions. The Nutriboost range will be available in two flavours, chocolate and vanilla, both with no added sugar. The drinks come in 340ml sized recyclable bottles. For more information, contact CocaCola Amatil New Zealand on 0800 262 226 or nzl.coke@ccamatil.com.

Sauces Make Burgers Better

Already popular internationally, ready-made burger sauces have made a splash on New Zealand shores with Wattie’s new range that has hit supermarket shelves. The three product range consists of a Classic Burger Sauce, Smokey Bacon Flavour and a Chipotle & Green Jalapeño flavour.

Each of the three sauces are sure to mix up the next burger night and bring a welcome change to the standard condiment selection found on dinner tables and in fridges around the country. The three new flavours of delicious burger sauces promise to make everyone’s homemade burger taste like a restaurant bought one.

Clear Market Leader The team at pure delish are excited to announce two amazing new breakfast creations – a keto friendly/no added sugar Strawberry & Pistachio Breakfast mix and a beautifully tangy and crunchy Raspberry Crunch Quinoa Grain-ola.

Handcrafted, like all pure delish products, from only the best ingredients they can source, the new cereals are currently rolling out to leading independent grocers and selected New World, PaknSave and Fresh Choice Supermarkets around New Zealand.

Both cereals are range-extensions of pure delish’s top selling Primal Breakfast Mix and Passionfruit Crunch Ancient Grain-ola. Along with their amazing natural taste both are naturally gluten, dairy and egg-free, are packed full of nuts and seeds, and offer many other fantastic nutritional and health benefits.

Pure delish are the clear market leader in super-premium cereals ($12+) and have five of the top five selling super-premium sku’s. pure delish revolutionised the muesli category in New Zealand around 12 years ago through the introduction of a whole new level of premium. Creating the super-premium segment in breakfast meant pure delish has set the standard for quality that has allowed others to follow.

For more information on pure delish, please contact Amanda Macdonald, email amanda@puredelish.co.nz or ph 09-5745701.

Just Better

Mother Earth Better Bars are now better than ever with the addition of a new flavour to the range – Chocolate Apricot.

Made with the goodness of oats, real dark chocolate and sweet apricot pieces, Chocolate Apricot Better Bars taste delicious, with less than a teaspoon of sugar per bar. Better Bars are made using plant-based chicory root fibre, a natural ingredient that is used for its binding properties to reduce some of the added sugar or syrups.

The range of bars are perfect for kid’s lunch boxes, a 3pm office snack or a convenient snack on-the-go. The Chocolate Apricot variant joins Raspberry and Chocolate Berry flavours in the range.

For more information contact your Prolife Foods Account Manager on 0800 80 80 88 or visit www.motherearth.co.nz.

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reducereuserecycle

CHANGES FOR GOOD Silver Fern Farm’s retail packaging is changing for good. Hitting shelves in New Zealand supermarkets over the coming weeks, the fresh new retail packaging will be instantly identifiable in a smart recyclable cardboard outer sleeve. Group Marketing Manager, Nicola Johnston said the packaging change is an important signal to consumers that Silver Fern Farms has a focus on responsible use of resources and lowering its environmental impact.

“We want to do the right thing for our environment,” said Johnston. “Our consumers are also asking how we use plastic. They want to know we use it responsibly, so we have developed our recyclable cardboard sleeve, which will reduce plastic in our supply chain. The move to our new packaging shows that we have listened to our consumers. The new outer cardboard sleeve is sourced from sustainably managed forests and it is kerbside recyclable and biodegradable.”

Through this change, Silver Fern Farms are keeping in step with its sustainability goals. “We have removed up to 50 percent of the plastic used to protect our

retail range, and although this is only a start, it is an important signal to consumers that our business is focused on making material progress on our sustainability goals.”

All packaging changes have been introduced without compromising product food safety or shelf life and there is no change to the quality cuts inside. The company remains mindful of its responsibility to not contribute to the growing food waste issue, and the need to balance responsible plastic use with the highest regard for food safety. The new packaging continues to proudly position Silver Fern Farms premium quality products by standing out and improving shelf presence in a busy and expanding protein market. As one of New Zealand’s most trusted brands, consumers see Silver Fern Farms as leaders in the red meat industry.

“Our consumers trust our products and are looking for more from our brand.” With these customers in mind, Silver Fern Farms has introduced two new cuts this summer season to lead discerning consumers to more delicious dining experiences, Beef Brisket and Venison

Tri-Tip Grill Steaks.

“With the confidence our customers have in our premium product range, the new offerings will encourage them to build on their previous experience and extend their culinary boundaries. The Venison Tri-Tip is a perfect new grilling steak option that will provide a real point of difference when entertaining and the Beef Brisket with spice rub included is perfectly aligned to the southern US-style slowcook barbecue trend that kiwi foodies are starting to embrace.”

Silver Fern Farms believes quality matters in every cut: in the quality of the cuts themselves, and the quality of the consumer experience. Its retail packs stylishly share Silver Fern Farms grass-fed story and present their vision to consumers to become the world’s most successful and sustainable red meat company.

Delicious Starts Here.

For more information visit www.silverfernfarms.com or contact your Silver Fern Farms representative. n

PACKAGING BREAKTHROUGH

A packaging breakthrough has made a circular economy an immediate opportunity for New Zealand.

Figures from Nielsen’s latest research is clear; 73 percent of consumers would change their buying habits to reduce their impact on the environment, but supply has a lot of catching up to do.

Creating a circular economy is the ideal sustainability solution but, as it stands, the

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recycling of black plastic food trays in New Zealand is anything but circular. Currently, black rPET food trays pass undetected through the scanners in our recycling plants and straight into landfill. Clear rPET trays are an alternative, but their production traditionally requires a greater percentage of virgin plastic than black trays.

Products and brands that align with customers’ sustainability values will capture and grow sales.

New Zealand packaging suppliers Contour International have the toolkit.

The business is proud to announce a packaging breakthrough for New Zealand. DETECTA; an advanced black rPET food tray that is made from up to 100 percent recycled material and is detectable by the Near-Infra-Red sorting equipment in NZ Recycling facilities, making it 100 percent recyclable.

The first circular-economy black rPET food tray in New Zealand.

“This has the potential to divert countless tonnes of black plastic from ending up in landfill each year,” said John Smith, Contour International.

“DETECTA Trays are a uniquely formulated

black rPET food tray which is fully recyclable, can be seen, sorted and recycled by Material Recovery Facilities (MRF’s) with existing Near Infra-Red (NIR) equipment, providing the first real possibility of a circular economy for black RPET plastic packaging,” These food trays are the key to enabling the environmental benefits of recycling black plastics to be fully realised. DETECTA Trays are also made from up to 100 percent recycled materials, making this product as environmentally friendly as possible.

The breakthrough plastic that makes truly recyclable black food trays a commercial reality for smart FMCG brands. The brands that lead the charge will gain an immediate competitive advantage.

DETECTA rPET food trays are made of up to 100 percent recycled PET, and are fully detectable and recyclable in NZ recycling plants.

It is commercially viable, food-grade certified and immediately available for New Zealand businesses exclusively through Contour International.

Set your business apart with sustainability. Contact Contour Packaging for more details about DETECTA rPET trays, tray sealing equipment and the automated packaging lines to seal, weigh and label them on info@contoursales.co.nz. n

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reducereuserecycle COULD COMPOSTABLE BE THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?

An interesting development in grocery is the emergence of compostable plastic packaging. Driven by conscious consumers ready to actively engage in sustainable solutions, producers in premium categories are starting the move away from oil-based packaging, into home and industrial compostable solutions. As with all innovation, it is not without its challenges, but in New Zealand, what happens to compostable plastics after use? SupermarketNews chatted to Janine Bickerton from Marx Design to find out more. “Compostable plastics have the potential to contaminate our recycling collections due to difficulty in differentiating them from recyclable plastics,” said Bickerton.

“New Zealand councils have unanimously agreed that until the technology improves to enable noncompostable plastics to be easily identified and removed, current and future council-provided kerbside food and green waste collections will not accept compostable packaging.”

With both home and industrial solutions, compostable plastics require a well-managed compost that is hot enough to ensure they biodegrade within the certified timeframe which is typically three months.

Organic composters won’t accept compostable plastics as the organisations who certify finished compost regard them as synthetics. “If a compost contains too much synthetic feedstock, they won’t award it the organic certification. It is important to note that compostable plastics are causing the issue for the composters, not the compostable wheat straw, sugar cane, potato starch, bamboo, or paper packaging materials.”

So how do retailers and suppliers help consumers do the right thing? Bickerton believes this is starts on the pack itself. “Certification must be the first step, however, from a brand owner perspective, this is currently a very expensive exercise. The material

3625 Brother-PR_SupermarketNews_HalfPage_210x155mm_PRINT.pdf

suppliers provide certification on is the raw materials.

Once they have been created into a finished product with inks, coatings and adhesives, they must be certified again at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars.”

Bickerton notes that this can be hard to quantify if the product is not likely to sell high volumes. As a brand owner considering compostable packaging, working through a series of questions is a great discipline.

Will the compostable materials provide the required shelf life?

What are the cost implications of renewable biobased feedstocks?

Can I afford to have my final package certified?

Do my customers actually have home composts?

Are there industrial composting facilities in my key selling locations, willing to accept my packaging and do I meet their criteria?

Will food residue assist in providing additional resource from composting?

Is there a collection infrastructure to sort and collect this packaging? If not, could I collaborate with other

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We know how to turn heads and steal hearts

Great design gets noticed, makes a connection and increases sales. If that’s what you’d like, contact Jenny McMillan 021 193 2141 or 09 970 9892 jenny@brotherdesign.co.nz www.brotherdesign.co.nz

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brands and retailers to organise a collections scheme similar to the soft plastics collection?

And most importantly, have I communicated clearly on my packaging to give the end consumer the best chance to dispose of it correctly?

“Compostable packaging and compostable plastics have the potential to play an important role in the circular economy, creating our sustainable future, and solving the plastic pollution crisis. If we are to truly solve the plastics pollution crisis in NZ, we need everyone to collaborate and work through the various solutions together. To the brands still trialling these new materials, good on you. We need more brands on board to build scale and momentum for better infrastructure to meet demand and close the loop.

For more information about sustainable packaging design, contact Janine Bickerton, janine@marxdesign. co.nz or visit www.marxdesign.co.nz. n

REDESIGN AND REPURPOSE

Farmland Foods has put its stamp on creating a more sustainable future for New Zealand with the freshly redesigned Just Cut packaging from NZ-sourced recycled number one rPET plastic.

Although a lot of number one plastic states it is recyclable, NZ-recycled is very different, and plays a critically differentiating role. The plastic material for the tray is sourced from Flight Plastics NZ, a business that actively captures NZ waste stream plastic from kerbside collection, reprocessing it through its wash plant, and transforming it into food-grade material which Farmland Foods then use to make the trays.

All other number one PET are 100 percent imported materials, some of them virgin material, some of them recycled in other countries, but all of them are an entire addition to the country’s imported plastic volumes.

A key factor in this redesign is that Kiwi consumers will know that their recycling efforts now have a local use, saving the need

No.10 New Product Pacesetter *

for more imports, more carbon, more freight, and supporting New Zealand’s economic and environmental performance.

With consumer demand growing for environmentally sustainable products and packaging, the new recyclable tray will be diverting over half a million packets per year from landfill, making a true step towards a circular economy in NZ, where resources can be used again and again.

Farmland Foods plans to expand the use of NZ number one rPET to its other pre-packaged meat ranges in the coming future.

Along with the fresh new look for the Just Cuts range, the brand has added a new variant, Glazed Ham to the range of six flavours which includes Pastrami, Roast Beef, Corned Silverside, Hot Beef and Hot Pork, giving consumers premium cuts of meat at an affordable price.

For more information please contact your sales rep or phone 0800 806 328, email info@flf.nz or visit www.farmlandfoods.nz n

Thankyou is a top performing non-food brand in grocery, based on first full year of sales June 2018 – July 2019.

For results-driven packaging & communications, contact Ryan Marx on 021 683 040 ryan@marxdesign.co.nz marxdesign.co.nz

branding & packaging *IRI NZ New Product Pacesetter Report, August 2019

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reducereuserecycle SIMPLE STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

For those concerned about how to achieve greater sustainability in their packaging, the news is not all bad. In fact, the reality is more positive and more achievable than many think. Let’s start at the sharp end, where waste is either recycled or sent to landfill. While plastic has been the focus of a lot of bad press, many councils and other organisations are doing a great job of sorting and processing plastics and other materials. They’re also focussed on greater consumer buy-in to improve recycling rates. This means, in many places, that plastics labelled one to seven (usually found in the middle of the recycling symbol on the underside) can all be recycled. Some councils still stipulate only one and two, or perhaps three, but

things are moving on. The team at Brother Design are doing their bit too. Sometimes there is no economically-viable alternative to plastic, but knowing the options that are available and when it can be substituted is the key. For example, the team recently completed packaging design for Trade Aid, an organisation keenly focussed on doing the right thing. Using a 100 percent compostable film gave the brand’s organic, fair-trade chocolate range a premium feel while fitting the sustainability brief perfectly. In other projects by Brother Design, the team have substituted bamboo closures and measuring scoops for the predictable plastic alternatives. It is important for businesses and consumers alike to accept that plastic can’t always be eliminated, at least not yet. But there are things that can be done and actions that can be taken to mitigate environmental impact. The industry is changing all the time, so it’s essential to stay in touch with developments. Above all, don’t be despondent. Between what’s happening in the waste stream, materials development and consumer and business efforts, a positive difference can be made.

For more insight into packaging design, call Jenny McMillan on 021 193 2141. n

SUSTAIN AND SAVE WITH EASI RECYCLING Anyone who regularly reads the news will know that the future of the planet makes the headlines each week. The truth is that the environmental landscape of this world is fast-changing and the planet is now in ‘power-saving’ mode. As a result, many businesses are now becoming serious about the need to conserve energy and resources to help save a dying habitat.

One important area to tackle is the widespread use of plastic that is creating a massive problem globally. The solution?

Easi Recycling benefits business owners and facility managers, helping to reduce plastic usage by adopting innovative, cutting-edge technology from Longopac. The bags use 70 percent less plastic and are made from ultra-thin polyethylene material which is half the thickness, yet three times the strength of a traditional waste bag.

This solution offers not only better functionality, but more importantly, it’s environmentally friendly with the bonus of saving time and money. A bag that lasts longer and is always 100 percent

full reduces yearly consumption, proving to be more sustainable on nature and budgets too.

Here is just one example of how a typical supermarket could benefit when changing to the Longopac unique bagging system: • Carbon Savings - 4,990 tonnes p.a • Plastic Savings - 982kg • Time saved - 253 Hours • Recycling rates increase by 50% + (Figures based on 120-litre bins emptied twice per day) Embracing the innovative bagging system benefits both the environment and saves your business money.

To find out more please request a Free Online survey, a Free Trial, visit www.easirecycling.co.nz or call 0800 342 3177. n

Look at what a typical supermarket could save when changing to Longopac!

FREE TRIAL 0800 342 3177

Carbon Savings -4,990 tonnes p.a Plastic Savings - 982kg Time saved - 253 Hours Recycling rates increase by 50% +

www.easirecycling.co.nz 22

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(based on 120 litre bins emptied twice per day)

Complete your range of reusable bags with the award winning Zerobag 2.0

50 WASHABLE

WWW.ZEROBAG.CO.NZ

+64 21 379 844

INFO@ZEROBAG.CO.NZ

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5 / 950 Ferry Road, Ferrymead Christchurch November 2019 I 23

functionalfeature PETE’S NATURAL

ENERGY THE HEALTHY WAY When looking for a healthy alternative to sugar laden energy drinks, the CocoCoast range is the natural alternative. With no added sugar or preservatives, and sourced from the sweetest young green coconuts of Vietnam, CocoCoast transforms the coconut water category with a line-up of great tasting and brilliantly branded products. The 500ml range is great value and offers six different flavours, the 1.25 litre bottle is perfect to keep in the fridge for smoothies or adding to cooking, and the 320ml sparkling cans are perfect for those times when you just want something a little special. For the perfect summer drink, it is hard to go past CocoCoast’s watermelon water which is nothing other than 100 percent pulped watermelon. Whether it is a post-workout drink, as a mixer for summer barbeque drinks, or the base for an amazing cocktail, this drink will be at home anywhere.

Motueka’s Pete’s Natural recently launched a ‘first in NZ’ hemp seedinfused functional beverage. Pete’s Natural Hemp & Manuka is made from lightly sparkling water, freshly squeezed lemon juice, manuka honey, hemp seed infusion, monk fruit extract, and spinach juice. Rich in both Omega 3 and 6, hemp seeds contain high levels of antioxidants that support heart and skin health and reduce inflammation. Pete’s Natural Lemon & Manuka Switchel is also new. It’s made from lightly sparkling water, freshly squeezed lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, manuka honey, and monk fruit extract. Apple cider vinegar boosts immunity and assists digestive health. Brewed in the traditional way, all Pete’s Natural beverages contain 30-50 percent less sugar than other leading brands. Believing that ‘fair trade starts at home’, Pete’s Natural brews its beverages using 100 percent New Zealand-grown freshly squeezed spray-free fruits, and natural, Aotearoa-sourced ingredients. Pete’s Natural’s gluten-free, vegetarian range contains no additives, artificial preservatives, concentrates, colours or flavours. For more information contact pete@petesnatural.co.nz.

KARMA DRINKS

AREPA New Zealand ‘smart drink’ brand Ärepa has successfully filed a patent for its new v2.0 formula.

The nootropic beverage is packed with a bioavailable plant-based formula. With only 37 calories per serving, each bottle contains 500mg of New Zealand NEUROBERRY Blackcurrant extract, 200mg of L-theanine SUNTHEANINE, and 150mg of New Zealand Pine Back Extract ENZOGENOL. L-theanine is a rare amino acid found in green tea. It is structurally similar to the neurotransmitter l-glutamine and is proven to cross the blood-brain barrier. Ārepa’s extract is 100 percent pure and sourced from the finest green tea in Japan. Enzogenol is an ultra-pure extract from the bark of New Zealand-grown pine trees. A broadspectrum polyphenol extract, containing many different flavonoid compounds,

it is particularly high in oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), with exceptional antioxidant properties.

In addition, each serving contains the equivalent of 140 New Zealand blackcurrants – which, due to the increased levels of UV exposure and optimal climatic and soil conditions, contain 30 percent more antioxidants than European and North American varieties – and 1.5kg of fruit and vegetable flavonoids. Ārepa’s products have taken the market by storm, with dozens of customers leaving rave reviews on the company’s Facebook page. “As a busy professional, I have found Ārepa just amazing,” writes Mons Longely. “If you are looking for something that works for clarity and focus than you just can’t go past this wonderfully refreshing beverage.” “As a professional working with athletes, adolescents, and the general public, I have found Ārepa very invigorating and refreshing,” writes Taeufu Taito. “I normally get a bit tired halfway through the day however after discovering Ārepa, it has not only kept me functioning with mental clarity but given me the extra focus needed to tend to each of my clients empathically. I think this supplement has shifted my paradigm of thinking about ‘supplements’.”

For more information visit www.drinkarepa.com or touch base with sales@drinkarepa.com for wholesale enquiries.

WONDER OF KOMBUCHA

Leading the way in the innovation of functional beverages, Wonder Drink presents its new Organic Prebiotic Kombucha. The new range is available in three fruit-forward flavours. The certified organic prebiotic fibre selectively nourishes the naturally-occurring probiotic gut bacteria, tipping the balance in favour of good health. Shelf-stable in a value size 355ml recyclable can. This effervescent drink is guaranteed nonalcoholic, gluten-free and vegan.

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New Zealand-owned Karma Drinks has entered the functional beverage market with the introduction of its Karma Drinks Switchel; a refreshing mix of sparkling water, New Zealand apple cider vinegar and natural fruity flavours. These Switchels are sugar free, organic and contain live probiotic cultures. Available in three zingy flavours - Lemon and Ginger, Peach and Passionfruit and Apple and Blackcurrant.

For samples or more information please contact James Boshier james@karmacola.co.nz 021 457 422.

DELIVERING HYDRATION Powerade has launched a new addition to its line-up – Powerade Active Water, the brand’s first scientifically formulated sports water with added B vitamins for energy, natural flavours and no sugar. It has all the benefits of the ION4 electrolyte system to help active Kiwis stay hydrated. The new drink is formulated with sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium to replace electrolytes lost during sweat, B vitamins for energy and natural flavours for taste. Available in two delicious Peach & Apple and Lemon, in a new no sugar formulation, Powerade Active Water is the perfect choice for consumers living a busy active lifestyle.

functionalfeature BATCHWELL X KOKAKO CASCARA KOMBUCHA COLLABORATION

This is a story about sustaining indigenous communities, empowering women, reducing waste, craft and the future of food.

This is Cascara Kombucha; the story of how it is produced and how it differs from other kombuchas.

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f you’re not totally familiar with the process of coffee harvesting and processing, coffee is a seed that grows on trees which bear fruit commonly termed cherries. After harvesting, cherries are processed using either a dry (often referred to as natural processing) or wet method which is referred to as washed coffee. In both scenarios, the coffee bean is removed using a pulping machine that squeezes it out and separates it from the cherry skins. Translated, this cherry skin peel is Cascara in Spanish.

CASCARA AT ORIGIN For the most part many coffee farmers consider the pulp a by-product of coffee production that they often leave to decompose. This was something our Managing Director Mike picked up on during successive origin visits to Papua New Guinea; he noticed that the coffee farmers never considered the cherry husks as being of value.

Having tasted Cascara from other coffee-producing regions, it was during an origins visit in 2017 that Mike first demonstrated Cascara’s potential value to cooperatives. Much to the amusement of the farmers, he collected fresh pulped cherry skins, drying them off in the sun. He then prepared Cascara tea — brewing both hot and carbonated versions, explaining how this byproduct could create additional income for the farmers, their families and the cooperatives. Although there was some interest from the coffee farmers, none of the cooperatives seemed that interested in considering Cascara. Thankfully there was one person on the trip that did take an interest — Debbrah Yassah, an extension officer for the Papua New Guinea governmentrun Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC).

EMPOWERING THE WOMEN FARMERS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA Mike provided Debbrah with all his notes, brew guides and methodologies for harvesting and solar-drying the coffee cherry to create Cascara — and then made sure he kept in touch.

Later that year Debbrah contacted Mike as she had been selling Cascara at local markets in the city of Lae. Since receiving positive encouragement from her superiors at CIC for her initiative, Debbrah partnered with women farmers from the Sikilan Village of the Neknasi Coffee Cooperative in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.

Together these women collect, sun-dry and bag coffee pulp for transportation to Lae. In August 2018 Mike and Kōkako head roaster Sam McTavish headed back to Lae, Papua New Guinea and met with Debbrah again. It was at this point we managed to confirm Kōkako’s first initial Cascara order. “Although it took eighteen months to obtain just eighteen kilograms of Cascara we reckon it was worth it. We sold out of this limited launch pretty quickly and if anything, we were more intrigued with the opportunity of Cascara for kombucha beyond brewing tea,” said McTavish.

Cascara is found somewhere at the intersection of

coffee and tea — ideal for farmers who now have this opportunity to provide two crops from the same trees. We wanted to help and show Debbrah and the Neknasi Coffee Cooperative that there was an appetite for Cascara; that we could buy more. This project would also give those involved in the supply chain the confidence to go through with Fairtrade certification, which is no small undertaking. It was at this point our team approached Richard Old from Batchwell.

Given Kokako’s ethos, Batchwell Kombucha is everything the brand stands for — organic. Its kombucha is handcrafted locally using organic tea blends, steeped in twice-filtered water. And while Batchwell have helped build kombucha awareness amongst the public, the team and the brand have always remained steadfastly committed to the tradition of craft. All its kombucha is raw and unpasteurised. A New Zealand first, Batchwell started with producing flavours fermented using cold-pressed organic fruits and vegetables. With two recent collaborative limited-edition releases — a Sauvignon Grape and Motueka Hops, a Cascara Kombucha continues Batchwell’s commitment to innovation. This Cascara Kombucha project represented an opportunity where Kokako could combine its passion with Batchwell’s. And as it would turn out, when Mike and Sam from Kōkako suggested a collaboration, Rich from Batchwell had already been experimenting with Cascara Kombucha while living in Los Angeles.

Cascara is fermented with Batchwell’s organic tea blend and kombucha culture to create a raw, unpasteurised juicy brew that is some sort of deceptive deliciousness. Although Cascara comes from the coffee plant, the drink doesn’t taste anything like coffee, evoking notes of sour cherry with a long, sweet aftertaste and umami texture. The caffeine content of Cascara Kombucha is nothing like that of coffee either. And so, after months of trials, and once Kokako were confident in production, we placed a more significant order with Debbrah and the Neknasi cooperative.

Kokako are proud to note that this is also the worlds’ first certified Fairtrade Cascara Kombucha!

EMBRACING A MORE CIRCULAR APPROACH TO FOOD Cascara Kombucha embraces the work of the women farmers of Sikilan Village in Papua New Guinea and the entrepreneurial skills of Debbrah Yassah. With climate change and food insecurity increasing, one of the primary purposes of our origin visits is that we have opportunities to share knowledge and empower our coffee farmers.

With this project, beyond creating a product, Kokako has created new jobs, another revenue stream for coffee farmers — empowering the women and the indigenous communities of Papua New Guinea. The brand is keen to embrace this circular approach to producing whilst celebrating waste as a valuable resource for the future.

This is Cascara Kombucha, and the team hope a conversation starter; an opportunity to rethink and reimagine the constraints of the current food system.

Waste is nothing more than a failure of the imagination!

So if this sounds a bit like you and you’re curious, you can pick up a case of Cascara Kombucha from Batchwell Kombucha. n

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functionalfeature A GOOD REMEDY GOES GLOBAL The team at Remedy are on a mission. A mission to transform the drinks landscape by making beverages right without all the added horribles and terribles.

long age fermentations. Green coffee bean extract is then added along with naturally energising ginseng.

The drinks category is being transformed by the rise of natural and organic energy drinks. In the US alone, energy drink sales are forecasted to rise 47 percent from 2016-2020, reaching $19.2 billion. This growth is driven by consumers’ increasing health consciousness and hectic lifestyle. Consumers are demanding drinks that have less sugar, are made with natural ingredients and offer functional benefits.

Remedy’s range also includes no-sugar sodas.

These old-school favourites have been reinvented for a modern, healthier market, reclaiming traditional drinks for what they are meant to be, live-cultured, refreshing drinks made in small batches, with love, from real, natural ingredients. This range targets the soft drink consumers who are ready to make the switch as well as newbies to the fermented drinks category.

They want to make healthier choices, and they want to try something new, but not too new.

The brand recently launched its Coconut Water Kefir which has been brewed to remove the sugar, leaving a fizzy, refreshing and tasty drink that is jam packed with real probiotic goodness.

There is no risk of re-fermentation in Remedy Kombucha as the live culture has consumed all of the sugar in its extended fermentations prior to packaging.

S

arah and Emmet Condon began brewing kombucha in their Melbourne kitchen over 15 years ago and took a chance by leaving their jobs to enter the food and drinks world.

The duo has a vision to rid the world of the need for sugary drinks and believe that not all ‘better beverages’ are created equal. Using the original kombucha ‘mother’ culture, each bottle of Remedy is smallbatch brewed over 30 days in a warm, controlled environment, using the highest quality ingredients.

The result is a delicious, live-cultured kombucha that contains no sugar, naturally.

Not only does Remedy taste great by delivering a unique tangy taste profile, its traditional brewing process means it contains no sugar. The range sits comfortably in the ‘better for you’ category being a live, unpasteurised beverage that is natural with live cultures, antioxidants and healthy organic acids. Today, the brand has gone global entering US, Canadian, Asian, European and UK markets.

There is no risk of re-fermentation in Remedy Kombucha as the live culture has consumed all of the sugar in its extended fermentations prior to packaging.

Sugar is consumed by the live culture and is converted to healthy organic acids. Every batch of Remedy Kombucha is tested for alcohol and sugar content, ensuring the product is of a high quality and can be safely stored out of the fridge, and will remain so throughout its shelf life.

According to consumer research undertaken by Remedy, kombucha appeals to a wide demographic and over-indexes with millennials. Two out of three millennials have tried kombucha with a third of them now drinking it regularly. However, 62 percent of these kombucha drinking millennials also consume energy drinks. Remedy's research unearthed a tension between consumers wanting to make healthy choices but also needing an energy boost. “On one hand, consumers are going with their gut and drinking kombucha but

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then also smashing a few energy drinks on the side.

So, we decided to make it right and develop an energy drink that’s actually good for your mind, body and gut,” said Emmet Condon, co-founder.

Enter Good Energy, the world’s first kombuchabased energy drink. It offers an energy kick without any sugar or artificial ingredients which is usually found in energy drinks. “Until now, there hasn’t really been a healthy, tasty alternative to traditional energy drinks,” said Condon. “Remedy Good Energy is a market first and one we think people will jump on-board with having already been bitten by the Remedy booch bug.”

Remedy Good Energy contains all the goodness and benefits of kombucha including live cultures, organic acids and antioxidants with the added good vibes and good energy buzz of raw green coffee bean extract, green tea and ginseng for a smoother, more enduring real energy kick minus the nasties.

It is available in three variants including Blackberry, Kakadu Plum and Coffee. It is made using the brand’s traditionally brewed kombucha, which starts with steeping organic green and black tea, rich in antioxidants (catechins), amino acids (theanine), vitamins and caffeine. The caffeine reduces during the

So, is the Remedy range ok to be sold as ambient product and not stored in the fridge? The answer is yes.

“We know that the Remedy range is a-ok in or out of the fridge because we brew out all of the sugar and our live cultures are strong, healthy and safe, meaning they not only survive but thrive in and out of the fridge,” said Deva Dhar, country manager at Remedy Drinks.

“We’ve tested throughout shelf life to prove it.”

The live cultures in every beverage stay strong because of the old-school, long-aged brewing process that uses a relative of the same live culture that was used in Remedy’s very first batch. The brewing process happens in a warm environment and testing has shown the live cultures stay alive right throughout shelf life with absolutely no difference in quantity or quality whether kept in or out of the fridge.

“This is an opportunity to add to your sales, not change where you sell Remedy in store. That means keeping what you’ve got in the fridge where it is and adding the 4-packs of cans to the soft drink aisle and/ or fridge. Our 330ml and 750ml glass bottles are a premium product, sold at a premium price, with a cold drink RRP, while the 250ml can 4-packs are an opportunity to run off-location displays out of the fridge.” Its new four-pack wrap includes information to explain the Remedy story and process to consumers.

This includes how and why its kombucha is raw and alive, but ok out of the fridge.

“Previously we advised that Remedy must be kept refrigerated. This was until we were 100 percent sure it was ok to be stored ambient also. Although kombucha has been around for donkey’s years, as a commercial product, it is still pretty new. Shelf life advice is generally based on historical category data so we did our own testing to confirm.”

For more information and have Remedy stocked on your shelves contact Deva Dhar, country manager – NZ, on 021 245 2363 or email deva.dhar@ remedydrinks.com. n

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New Energy and Investment

For over 30 years, Leonard’s Superior Smallgoods has provided New Zealanders with high-quality meat, from Christmas hams, sausages and continental meats.

I

n March 1989, Leonard’s produced its first sausage and has since expanded its range and continued to grow in the market. The business has invested a substantial amount of money, time and effort into establishing the necessary standards to ensure the highest product quality. New owners Robert and Elisabeth Bell took over the business in April 2019 and have since maintained the high-quality production of Leonard’s smallgoods.

Robert Bell has a background in finance, sales and operations, and he worked internationally in London and Texas across numerous industries. However, his passion for food led him and his wife to Leonard’s. “The biggest highlight for me was launching the new brand in just seven months,” he explained. “The brand packaging had little investment for many years, and it was looking drained. The website was dated, and packaging looked low-quality.” The couple took the initiative and worked with Brother Design to make the brand exactly what they wanted it to be.

Over the years, Leonard’s has won several awards in the Annual Retail Meat NZ Sausage awards, and this year they won silver for their pork flavoured sausage.

The renewed brand better reflects its position in the market.

“The brand is bold, cheeky and contemporary. Just look at our trucks.” Many of Leonard’s competitors are foreign owned and controlled by private equity/investors, whereas Leonard’s is proudly New Zealand family owned. One of the current trends in the chilled category is New Zealand owned and managed businesses working towards offering quality products. “Modern branding, high-quality products that are visible and packaging that is sustainable and recyclable are currently on-trend.”

There are many opportunities for brands in the chilled category, especially the development of healthy products and sustainability.

“Locally sourced and New Zealand based ownership rather than foreigncontrolled businesses is beneficial to the industry.” The company can see

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themselves providing sustainable, convenient and healthy products for their consumers.

Despite the success in Leonard’s, when asked about challenges faced in the industry, Robert’s view is: “Home brands expanding at the expense of smaller manufacturers may reduce innovation and new product development.The push for meat substitutes, and for free-range and free-farmed, come at a cost and there may be an unwillingness for the consumer to pay for it.”

Leonard’s current products consists of a variety of hams, a gourmet bacon range, a variety of sausages and deli-meats.

Most of the range is gluten-free. The brand is looking to add new products to the field in the upcoming future.

Robert and Elisabeth have given Leonard’s the necessary revamp to keep them up to date in the market. “The business needed new energy and investment, which is why we bought it,” said Robert. “I have been extremely fortunate in purchasing a business where there is a loyal, passionate and hard-working team who have been very welcoming to me.” n

T O P S R U O Y K O O B E O C T R U E C O S N E A R H C Y T T S S U D LA N I L A T I V S I H T IN

SARAH@REVIEWMAGS.COM

09 304 0142 EXT 702 November 2019

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anugareport Supergarden

The brainchild of Laura Kaziukoniene, Supergarden is just one brand under Geld Baltic. The young and innovative brand hails from Lithuania, and produces high quality organic freeze-dried food products. Its best seller is a meal in a pill called Bites; this food of the future is 100 percent natural. Focusing on creating future foods, there are 75 products in Supergarden’s range, all of which have very long shelf life and are 100 percent natural, vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free.

For more information or to become a stockist, email laura@supergarden.lt or visit www.supergarden.lt.

Marmetube

The new innovative German company, Marmetube, produces an assortment of fruit spreads in squeezable tubes. Inspired by squeezable bottles of honey, friends Daniel, Dennis and Max created six flavours of fruit spreads; Strawberry, Cherry, Raspberry, Apricot, Peach and Blackberry that taste of fruit and not sugar. The top seller is the Strawberry flavour fruit spread, all six flavours come in a practical, convenient and no-mess squeezable tubes that have 66 percent fruit content. “But it’s not just about the flavour. It’s about the sustainable and innovative packaging. It’s about questioning every step of the process and established ways of doing things. It’s about staying true to our values as we continue to grow,” said general manager, Daniel Hutscheneruter. Marmetube is hoping to grow globally with creative and innovative ideas.

For more information or to become a stockist, email info@marmetube.de or visit www.marmetube.de.

Farm Brothers

Quai Sud The France-based company, Quai Sud, focuses on selling good quality products in beautiful packaging.

As the manufacturer of over 1000 gourmet products for delicatessen, Quai Sud’s innovation and creativity differentiate them in the market. The large range of food and beverage products available means that there is something for every consumer. The current best seller is the Mojito Spice Mix that can be mixed with rum and macerated for 90 minutes to give the taste of a delicious sparkling cocktail. For more information or to become a stockist, email jc.lecointre@quaisud.fr or visit www.quaisud.com.

The Farm Brothers’ mission is to make consumers aware of the degrading soil around the world due to the overuse of land and pesticides. Owner and sales director Tjebbe van Meereran has created cookies made from oats, spelt and rye to save the earth’s remaining fertile land. Farm Brothers’ organic, tasty, palm oil-free cookies made with real butter have become the leading organic cookie brand in the Netherlands. The best seller is the new Vegan Brownie Almond which is one of the first cookies in the world made with coconut oil. For every pack of cookies sold, Farm Brothers will buy and donate degraded farmland to farmers who are transitioning from conventional farming to organic farming. For more information or to become a stockist, email tjebbe@farmbrothers.com or visit www.farmbrothers.com.

Up To Good

Eat Grub

UK company Eat Grub sells edible insect snacks that can be eaten in place of jerky or nuts. Insects are a sustainable alternative to protein consumption and are delicious and nutritious. Eat Grub was first started by friends Shami and Neil who wanted to encourage people to embrace insects as a tasty food source which uses less of the planet’s resources to farm than meat. Eat Grub’s best seller is its Roasted Crickets in three flavours, Smokey BBQ, Sweet Chilli & Lime and Peri-Peri. “Eat Grub’s passion is to encourage people to embrace insects as a sustainable, nutritious and above all tasty source of food.” With a diverse and exciting range of insects from Mealworms, Grasshoppers, Crickets and Buffalo Worms, Eat Grub provides exciting sustainable options to the market. For more information or to become a stockist, email jordan@eatgrub.co.uk or visit www.eatgrub.co.uk.

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Under the Sustainable Coffee Fruit company, the brand UP TO GOOD produces a natural and upcycled energy drink made from the fruit of the coffee berry, Cascara. Traditionally, coffee farmers discard the cascara fruit but UP TO GOOD utilises all their resources to ensure there is no waste. Their hero product is the original Sparkling Cascara Energy Drink, and the product range also includes three additional flavours of Lemon Ginger, Classic Cola and Hibiscus Berry. UP TO GOOD prioritises sustainability by upcycling the coffee fruit, using only natural caffeine and brewing it without using additional extracts.

For more information or to become a stockist, email lars@uptogoodenergy.com or visit www.uptogoodenergy.com.

Gadal Tea Romanian company Gadal Tea focuses on producing an organic range of tea products.

Sales manager Felix Ernst explained that Gadal Tea provides something completely new to the market. “The name means growth and development in Hebrew. As the name suggests our goal is to lift up your spirits through pleasant tastes and aesthetics.” The range comes in six blends and three pure plant teas, but Gadal Tea’s best seller is the Lolita tea that comes in three flavours of grapefruit, cornflower petals and rosehip.

For more information or to become a stockist, email felix@gadaltea.com or visit www.gadaltea.com.

Vivalicious Fourteen years ago, Vivalicious started off in Australia where mother of three Viveca found herself struggling to feed her kids their daily fruit and vegetables.

Deciding to incorporate fruits and vegetables in a fun and delicious way, Viveca created a range of nutritious juices and smoothies which she then shared with the rest of the world. “We will never add any sugar or dairy products as we think about a greener and healthier future.”

During her travels, Viveca realised that the Swedish baby food market was filled with unhealthy choices. As a result, Viveca created baby food with vegan Omega-3 oil. With a good source of vitamin C, 56 percent of the baby’s daily intake comes from only one pouch. With a range

of juices, smoothies, vegan baby food and energy bars, Vivalicious are heading towards a healthier future.

For more information or to become a stockist, email viveca@vivalicious.se or visit www.vivalicious.se.

Popcrop

Owner of Popcrop, Robert Karabon discovered bluecorn when travelling in Mexico, he brought it back to Poland where he created a range of healthy cereal snacks made with whole grains with no additives except Himalaya salt. Popcrop has a diverse range of cereal snacks with various flavours and an additional gluten-free line. Their best seller is the Organic Pyramids Bluecorn. All Popcrops are made in a slow process to ensure the taste and nutrients of the grains are maintained. Popcrop provides ideal snacks for in between meals or to share. For more information or to become a stockist, email info@popcrop.pl or visit www.popcrop.pl.

Vevi The brand VEVI under the company VEVI Foods IKE is a family run business, based in Athens. VEVI focuses on the cultivation, production and processing of Greek aromatic and medicinal plants, annually harvesting herbs and preserving them. With a range of ten different herbs in three to four different forms of packaging depending on the market, VEVI aims to make their high-quality Greek herbs known to the rest of the world.

Their best-selling herb is the symbolic Oregano. Oregano is more unique than the other herbs VEVI manufactures because the smell and flavour changes depending on its origin. With a strong focus on the organic production of herbs that are free of pesticides, VEVI believe in distributing and promoting each herb separately, to uphold its highest quality. For more information or to become a stockist, email cp@vevi.ca or visit www.vevi.ca.

Anthon Berg Since 1884, Anthon Berg began producing chocolate in Denmark and in 1922, popular demand led to the introduction of liquor filled chocolate bottles. Today, Anthon Berg’s range of chocolate liquor bottles are available in a wide range of assortments. There are 18 branded liquor filled chocolate bottles, four cocktail filled chocolate bottles, four coffee and liquor filled chocolate bottles and Single Malts Scotch and Cognac collections available for both travel and retail markets. Anthon Berg’s ability to produce high quality, liqueur filled chocolate in artistic ways gives consumers a premium taste experience. For more information or to become a stockist visit www.anthonberg.com.

Karma Bites

Made from popped lotus seeds, Karma Bites is a new healthy and nutritious snack on the market. CEO Ashwin Ahuja founded Karma Bites to introduce consumers to an exciting and healthy snacking experience.

“They are completely gluten-free and vegan, with no artificial ingredients and refined sugars.” Available in five unique flavours of Coconut & Vanilla,

Caramel, Himalayan Pink Salt, Peri-Peri and Wasabi, Karma Bites is the healthy alternative to popcorn. With each bag carefully harvested and lovingly prepared, Karma Bites are gently dried and popped at a low heat before being flavoured to perfection. For more information or to become a stockist, email goodness@karmabites.co.uk or visit www.karmabites.co.uk.

Two Wise Chimps Two Wise Chimps delivers supplements to consumers in an environmentally friendly way. The sustainable UK brand produces functional natural chewing gums that are plastic-free, sugar-free, biodegradable and made with a natural gum base. Naturally sourced from trees, Two Wise Chimps has a range of four different gum flavours which serve different purposes. They have a Charcoal Gum for teeth whitening, Caffeine Gum for energy, Beauty Gum for nail and hair health and a CBD Gum. With no other gum in the market that is fully biodegradable and plastic free, Two Wise Chimps provides different functions for individual preferences that adds additional health benefits. “We strive to bring the most effective and convenient ways to boost the stuff that your body and mind need to function at its best,” said co-founder Doug Spinney. For more information or to become a stockist, email d.spinney@twowisechimps.co.uk.

November 2019

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