SupermarketNews Magazine | October 2021

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October 2021 • Vol. 14 No. 9

ANUGA taste innovation show (see page 44)

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Top 10 product '20 $/stores/weeks over O

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ATTENTION GROCERY SUPPLIERS The Food and Grocery Council is an industry association for grocery suppliers providing members networking, events, industry information and strong advocacy.

Contact us for information on the benefits of membership: katherine.rich@fgc.org.nz • Networking • Industry Updates • Conference and Events • Education and Training • Advocacy and Law Reform

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food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

www.fgc.org.nz

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This magazine is published monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to Review Publishing Co Ltd. This magazine is a platform for the industry and may include content that expresses views and opinions by contributing writers. Content is attributed to the author, and these opinions and the view/s are those of the author/s. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. The opinions and material published in this edition are not necessarily those of the publishers unless expressly stated. All material appearing in the magazine, website and social media platforms is copyright and may only be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2021

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

PETER MITCHELL Tania Walters Kieran Mitchell Sarah Mitchell Caitlan Mitchell Felicity-Anne Flack Raymund Sarmiento Debby Wei

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

ISSN 1173-3365 (Print) ISSN 2744-595X (Online) Retail 6, Heards Building, 2 Ruskin Street, Parnell, Auckland. PO Box 37140 Parnell, Auckland Call: (09) 3040142 | Email: edit@reviewmags.com

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NEW KID ON THE BLOCK INTRODUCING FOUR CANDLES

With the drive from the ComCom report asking for more banner groups to provide competition for the big two, it is exciting to see a new player come to market.

F

our Candles Foodmarket opened this month with partners Chris Fisher, Murray Snowden and Ross Barraclough, the driving force behind this foodmarket newcomer. Chris Fisher, most will know from his years at Coundown and Mitre10. Partner Murray Snowden has worked in retail for around 30+years for the likes of Iceland and Northern Foods in the UK. Fisher first met Snowden at ASDA in the UK, and since being in New Zealand, Snowden has worked with Griffins and Mitre10. The final partner in the trio, Ross Barraclough is a Kiwi born and bred with an extensive background in real estate, and the current owner and operator of Mitre10 MEGA in Takanini.

"For me, well, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. At 48 though I think retail is in my blood," Fisher explained.

Fisher feels that this business opportunity gives him the chance to put into practice all the ideas that he struggled to get across the line in past roles. Opening a new supermarket is no small feat, with two leading players already dominating the grocery game, Fisher said that he felt that Four Candles weren't challenging them.

"With the arrival of Costco next year, number six globally, and the inevitable entrance of a hard discounter at some time in the future, trying to build a challenger in the volume sector from the ground up, based on New Zealand costs to operate and our market size would be nigh on impossible," he said.

"That said, everyone loves value, and we believe we can offer something different in the premium sector by focussing on the customer while keeping a keen eye on cost control."

Fisher added that the evolution of retail would change with the growth of New Zealand as a country. He recalled a time in the UK where Aldi and Wholefoods didn't exist, but as the population grew and changed, they arrived to fill gaps in the market.

"I am sure we will see the same happen here in the coming decades."

Feedback from the opening has been excellent, and customers love the range, layout and service.

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"Suppliers love a new player in the premium segment of the market. It helps that we are a no-nonsense fact-based say it to your face retailer, and suppliers are certainly lining up at our door."

The opposition has paid a visit. From Farro to the Foodstuffs team and, of course, Fisher's old colleagues from Countdown.

"We aren't the defensive types. Competition is good for everyone, and we welcome it; we believe we can drive a better outcome by challenging each other to benefit the customer.

"There are many customers, with differing needs. Retail doesn't have to be the same."

With much talk in the industry around the lack of competition, Fisher has some thoughts on that.

"It's tough to have the conversation with so many aspects often over-simplified by people who have never been in the trenches.

"Let's assume you are talking about a new start-up in New Zealand, one that cannot rely on revenue from their core stores in international markets to fund the growth. Then the barriers to entry are huge," according to Fisher.

The partners spent over a year trying to find a site. For a variety of reasons, the search wasn't easy.

"In one prospective site, we had a restrictive covenant from 1996 which prevented any food competition despite a willing landlord and a willing tenant!"

"At another site, the deal fell over at the last moment.

Now with the site secured and the foodmarket open, the trio who financed everything themselves (as the risk profile for financial institutions meant they were risk-averse in supporting a new venture) their goal is to remain focused on their plan, and these were just barriers to overcome.

"Additionally, we have set up costs, including a situation where most of what we are buying is more expensive than sourcing internationally," said Fisher.

Some in the retail sector believe that just because things are easy overseas, they should be as easy here. However, Fisher believes we are at a different stage in our market evolution.

We aren't the defensive types. Competition is good for everyone, and we welcome it; we believe we can drive a better outcome by challenging each other to benefit the customer.

"We focus on our plan, what is in front of us and what is in our control."

Opening a new market amid a pandemic some would call foolish, and the best in the market would call challenging. However, for this team, COVID has had less impact on thinking about the future and more drilling in on the needs of this store's target market.

"We feel that people want more room in the shopping space, so we have allowed for that with wider aisles."

"We have also seen how lockdowns have moved more and more people online. However, we don't feel that we need to follow immediately into this space," he explained.

That said, the one area Fisher feels they are missing out on is the ability to create engagement between the supplier base and customers.

"That is a big miss. Like everyone else, we are looking forward to the day when we can connect our customers with the suppliers of some outstanding products and ranges," said Fisher.

So what next for the dream team? Fisher laughed and said that he could make some grandiose comment about how great they are and how great they will be, but seriously the reality is that they are up against some seriously great businesses.

"We have Farro here in Auckland who is an amazing business and one we admire greatly for their customer focus," said Fisher.

"However, one company we see as the pinnacle of a great in-store environment is Moore Wilson in Wellington. Such great food and an electric atmosphere."

"So who knows? We'll continue to focus on what is in front of us each day, treat people as we would like to be treated and see how our customers respond. If it works - we will grow; if it doesn't, we will change, then grow. Other than that, ask me again in five years," Fisher concluded. n For those wondering why Four Candles (and not old enough to remember Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker), here's the clip of the skit courtesy of the BBC.

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All Love, No Sugar

After watching multiple members of her extended family develop adult-onset T2 diabetes, Rachel Bajada, Managing Director at Noshu, set out to cut down her own sugar consumption and realised how difficult it was to find any great tasting, low sugar and low carb treats – especially those made without synthetic sweeteners.

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ajada understood that reducing sugar was a difficult mission in the absence of great tasting alternatives, and saw an opportunity. She realised that with time, the market for low sugar and natural products would only gain momentum and traction especially as consumers educated themselves on the link between sugar consumption and metabolic disease - and that the government would respond by setting policies to address the issue.

“From our humble beginnings eight years ago with our first range of donuts, today we have a suite of 30 products available throughout Australia and New Zealand.”

The terms ‘decadent’ and ‘sugar-free’ don’t usually go together, but in this new era where consumers are putting health top-ofmind, they don’t want to compromise on taste. For Nōshu, indulgence and health are at the core of what it does.

“We strive to create a world where the two can co-exist, because we believe a healthier product should never taste bland, bad or like cardboard – that’s the challenge,” expressed Bajada.

“Technically it’s very difficult given sugar is the key functional ingredient in

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our favourite traditional indulgences, but with the ‘IP bank’ we’ve built up over the last eight years, we’ve developed our own proprietary combinations of natural ingredients as well as processes to help replace the functionality and taste of sugar.

Most importantly, ‘fun is always on the menu’, that’s why you’ll see items like birthday cake donuts, funfetti cake slices, unicorn sprinkles and even chocolate coated snack bars in our range!”

While the pandemic may have sparked the surge in ‘better-for-you’ food and beverage choices, it is a trend Bajada is confident will continue.

“The pandemic has been a reminder for all of us of just how important our health is, and everything from immunity to gut health and weight management is back under the spotlight. With consumers having spent inordinate amounts of time stuck at home, a new-found appreciation for home made and healthier foods has arisen, not to mention a few excess kg’s gained from being too close to the fridge and pantry all day.

Consumers may have an acute awareness of health right now, but I think this will evolve longer term into an ongoing desire for better balance in life – not only getting

that family/work and home life balance back, but being able to enjoy treats and indulgences with balance and moderation, without the negative health consequences.”

Although impossible to come out completely unscathed by COVID and its disruptions, Nōshu is fortunate to be in an industry that has remained resilient during these challenging times.

“We have not had to change our business model in response, however consumer demand for various product categories has fluctuated a great deal since COVID, making it more difficult to plan and forecast for these variances, especially with long lead time materials – despite 100% of our products being manufactured locally, but we put a lot of effort into this and have managed through this quite well.”

On top of COVID, businesses are also grappling with issues affecting the global supply chain, Nōshu being one of them.

The crisis has added a lot of complexity, mostly delays on imported raw materials which range from weeks to months on top of their regular lead time. Bajada noted that in some cases it’s difficult to even book containers.

“We just have to look longer and work

with our suppliers to build an appropriate inventory of raw materials. We’ve also adjusted our minimum boundaries on finished goods cover based on the level risk by product. The cost of import and export has also exploded since COVID and we don’t see this slowing down any time soon unfortunately.”

From day one, Nōshu set itself up with ethics at the core of both the company culture and the brand’s philosophy.

“Sustainability encompasses not only the environmental footprint that we make as a brand, but also the choices we make in our supply chain, and the industries we both choose to support or avoid based on our values,” Bajada explained.

“As with many FMCG businesses, we are limited by the current lack of functional and affordable options for sustainable food packaging, so our focus is currently

on minimising single use plastics and transitioning to ensure 100 percent of our hard plastics are RPET or fully recyclable with less carbon miles attached. Unlike packaging, our raw materials supply choices give us more power to support fair trade and sustainable practices, were Noshu supports initiatives such as Rainforest Alliance (previously UTZ) and RSPO.” Nōshu is currently working with a new New Zealand agent and distributor, HOOP, to expand its portfolio into supermarket banners across the country, with a focus on increasing distribution of its kids snacking range “Snackles” rice pop bars. A broader offering in unique snacking products is expected to follow in early 2022.

“High sugar, high indulgence categories have traditionally been a barrier to category engagement from health-focused consumers,” concluded Bajada.

“However, the ranging of low-sugar, high indulgence and better-for-you offerings in snacking and bakery categories is now actively pulling these lapsed consumers back in.”

For more information visit www.noshu.com.au. n HOOP is New Zealand’s largest privately owned Brand Activation Company. With a 30-year history in FMCG supporting some of the largest global brands, HOOP’s latest expansion into brand agency offers Noshu an integrated platform in New Zealand, from key account management through to strong representation at field level.

LET PL ANTS TAKE C E NTR E STAG E TH I S S U M M E R

PAC K E D WITH FRESH VEG!

LIVE N U P YO U R C H I LLE R AN D G E T A P I EC E O F TH E P L ANT- P OW E R E D AC TI O N !

Food Nation is an award-winning range loved by flexitarians, vegans and vegetarians alike. Jam-packed with fresh NZ ingredients and bursting with flavour, Food Nation comes in recognisable formats including Magic Minces, Happy Patties and Amaze Balls and now Super Sausies.

FO R SALE S C O NTAC T: B U D S@ FO O D NATI O N .C O. N Z

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Design and innovation is New Zealand’s future.

HOMELAND Peter Gordon and Alastair Carruthers, have always believed that Aotearoa and the Pacific hold the world’s most important sources of food.

Peter Gordon and Al Carruthers

They have formed a company in the time of Covid-19 with clear social and commercial objectives and a long-term vision for every enterprise associated with food production.

We were delighted to work with Peter and Alastair on the launch of Homeland, a food embassy for Aotearoa and the Pacific. Partnering with the finest New Zealand producers including, Moodew, Cloudy Bay Clams, The Taipa Salt Pig, Niue Honey and many more. Homeland includes a Cooking School and Dining Room that host regular Community and Food Sector events.

Their purpose “Powerful, Sustainable, Tradable Kai” is at the heart of everything and they live and breathe this. Baseline developed the Homeland Identity taking inspiration from New Zealand and Pacific food heritage and a whakatauki* that sits at Homeland’s spiritual centre. *Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourouka ora ai te iwi / With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.

“We felt very reassured by the rigour of Baseline’s brand audit process, and their confidence in presenting an identity that speaks for itself. They moved quickly and we and our customers love the results.”

- PETER GORDON & AL CARRUTHERS

FUTURE-PROOFING Baseline is a New Zealand owned family business. Specialising in strategy, design, production and complex logistics, we can deliver for your brand end-to-end. It’s easy for us to spot a company with a well-defined purpose, positioning and values. And it’s wonderful to see them flourish! We know that businesses with a clearly defined and understood purpose do better. Every decision an organisation makes ties back to their purpose, the “why” that is at the heart of their business.

Our view is that design and innovation is New Zealand’s future. Whether it’s service, brand identity or packaging design – it’s about re-imagining and future proofing. Good design thinkers can provide the tools and frameworks and bring the customer to the table.

Businesses like Homeland, think differently about their offer and how to compete locally and Internationally. Partnerships and collaborations, and working with people we know and trust, is the way forward.

Kim Worthy – Head of Design with Stephanie Gasperini – Chief Executive READ MORE ABOUT OUR PROCESS AT

BASELINE.CO.NZ

Baseline are working with a range of start-up and established New Zealand companies to help bring their brands to life. For now all we can say about them is watch this space!

HI-CHEW, THE SENSATIONALLY CHEWY FRUIT CANDY! WHAT’S YOUR FLAVOUR? If you’re a Hi-Chew fan, you may have spotted our new Pineapple Sweet & Sour variant. You may have also noticed that during this pandemic backdrop of rising retail prices, the Hi-Chew sticks have increased in size (from 50g to 57g) but not in price.

Keep your eyes peeled and ears to the radio – this summer, you’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more about the brand.

Exciting above the line brand support will include fun promotions on Mai FM and The Edge, bus advertising and social media giveaways. It’s been a tough year with lockdowns and Hi Chew is preparing for the return of our social lives! In anticipation of this, the brand has ordered ship-loads of bright and cheerful Hi-Chew merchandise

for give-aways – including rugby balls, picnic blankets, frisbees, cricket sets and beach towels. Ask your friendly Tokyo Food sales rep about support options for retail this summer.

to become a global FMCG player and Morinaga redesigned the package into a Kiwi-friendly product that is available in local mainstream supermarkets, petrol stations and dairies.

Until recent years, Hi-Chew had a bit of a cult-like following – recognised and liked mainly by Japanophiles and “kids in the know” – but this has changed in recent times. Kids and sweet-lovers around the country are asking for them, and they’re now readily available across a wide range of retail channels.

Consumers rate these "love at first bite"!

If you haven’t got Hi-Chew on your shelves already, then please get in touch with the Tokyo Food team at order_retail@tokyofood.co.nz. n

A little background for you…

Hi-Chew has actually been around longer than you may think. Tokyo Food Co Ltd, New Zealand’s leading importer of Japanese foodstuffs, has been importing and distributing Hi-Chew lollies for over 20 years. Originally, it was a Japanese packet with Japanese writing and not Kiwi friendly. It was often seen in the Asian grocery stores, but not yet gracing the shelves of mainstream supermarkets.

Over time, the confectionery has grown

WO U LD YO U LI KE SAU C E W ITH THAT? Our new range of sauces will be loved by flexitarians, vegans and vegetarians across NZ. With unique new flavours, this range is like no other. Mealtimes are about to get tastier, saucier and a lot more exciting.

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FIRED UP

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Pairing two hot favourites, a homestyle tomato sauce with a little bit of spice to keep you Fired Up this summer!

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Add a little heat to the moment with this smokey number. Perfect paired with almost anything, Holy Moly this a crowd pleaser!

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FO R SALE S C O NTAC T: B U D S@ FO O D NATI O N .C O. N Z MAD E W ITH LOVE I N N Z

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Neill Arnold

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ARE YOU READY FOR A CATEGORY W REVIEW?

Whilst currently one of the hottest discussion subjects in FMCG circles, Category Reviews are not a new concept by any means. Anyone who has worked in FMCG Category, Sales or Marketing either globally or in NZ for any time will have participated in reviews. oolworths NZ have operated this process for at least the last 10 years with timelines, launch windows and headoffice controlled ranges. Over time they have developed their approaches and increased reliance on their own data through the Quantium platforms but actively seek suppliers to share insights, innovations and ideas to drive growth.

Equally, whilst Foodstuffs North Island have always conducted

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reviews, it is clear in the last 18 months the process has changed and developed, more centralised control of the offer has been executed and the role of their own data through the Dunn Humby Shop platform has increased in importance.

Let’s be clear, retailers need to review, manage and optimise their offer to shoppers, store space is finite and the available products constantly changing so the category review is here to stay.

Businesses large and small need to be ready to participate in the process and ensure they have the best chance of success.

I have outlined four steps I think enable your best chance to effectively participate in the process.

1. Get close to your customer and understand their view of you today.

Whether its from a formal scorecard, to a coffee conversation discussing your offer, you need to know as much about your customers view of your offer; your strengths and weakness and how your offer is rated to meet the retailer category objectives.

These may be tough conversations; you may hear feedback you are not happy to hear but knowing about issues ahead of the formal category review process reduces the chances of surprises as you proceed.

The old saying “a problem shared” works well in FMCG; a problem shared, particularly by a retail partner is an opportunity for you to consider and address it before it impacts your long-term growth potential.

2. Really understand your performance in the category context Being informed and aware of your performance has never been more important.

Our retail partners have more information to assess in their review processes than at any time I have experienced in NZ FMCG. They have increased the role of their shopper data within decision making and this comes with risks and opportunities.

Businesses, large and small need to make choices on their data strategies and ensure that they have the right blend of sources to build real understanding of performance today, and allow for the development of insights that will drive tomorrow.

In my opinion, the days of smaller businesses relying on great products and strong selling relationships in a few stores are ending.

Being able to understand and articulate your performance is key.

How are the most effective performance reviews delivered? By a trusted voice with some degree of independence from the day to day performance. This may be your own category team or a trusted partner could also be useful. Ensuring the true position of your products performance is understood and assessed once again ensures early actions and minimises surprises.

3. Your solutions must deliver a three-way win; Category, Shopper, Supplier.

During the category review process, you need to ensure when you pitch a winning idea that it really delivers a three-way win; you deliver a category benefit that will develop and grow the category for your retail partner, shoppers will understand and support the benefit and your business can deliver this benefit sustainably for the long term.

With the review processes in NZ becoming increasingly sophisticated, grounding your category solution in consumer insights and showing the growth journey is key.

4. Ensure you tailor your submission to meet customer objectives and your offer is vital to the future category growth.

It may sound obvious but ensuring you have made it simple for a time poor category manager to link up your key objectives and benefits with the objectives they have set for the category is where the magic happens so to speak.

Businesses large and small need to be ready to participate in the process and ensure they have the best chance of success.

If your customer has made it clear they believe that Plant Based offers are the future and you have a formulation that meets that brief celebrate it. Even when you believe this is not your primary benefit to consumers, being able to meet your customers’ needs is crucial.

It is worth remembering that as the category process proceeds, you will not be presenting your solutions to the review team, the Category Manager becomes your advocate. Making it simple, logical and aligned to their needs should ensure you have the great chance of success.

Do I offer a guarantee these four steps will deliver success?

Unfortunately, no, history shows that even with a well-developed and category grounded solution sometimes you do not make it through the process.

What I can guarantee is if you can sit back and assess that you have delivered on all four of these steps at the end of the review process you know you have given yourself the best chance of success and you have not missed out on an opportunity because you failed to prepare and deliver your best.

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ARE YOU TREATING YOUR PACKAGING AS YOUR BIGGEST MEDIA CHANNEL? Marketers are starting to understand more and more that their packaging is the most important media channel they have. As marketing budgets tighten and traditional above the line channels are a smaller part (or not part at all) of campaigns for most brands; focus has moved to the most cost-effective ways to drive shoppers through the path to purchase, and ultimately result in product being selected from shelf and put in the trolley (or basket online).

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ocial media is playing a bigger role for most brands campaigns, but ultimately FMCG marketers not only need to drive engagement or fans for their brands, they also need to drive sales. Visually connecting the brand cues used in communications to the packs instore is key.

With packaging being a more fixed component of the marketing mix, we are passionate about testing every element of your packaging to ensure its future-proofed, delivering more than just a functional purpose and engaging consumers on more than just a visual/design level.

Work with the team at Onfire Design and expect us to dig deep to intimately understand your brand; its positioning, strategy, history and your vision for it for the future.

We will pressure test everything; from your packaging materials (Is it recyclable? Is it made using recycled materials?) to its functionality (Is it resealable?) to its shelf presence (Does it need secondary packaging to stand on shelf? What facing do we have to design with?).

Before we even begin on our design journey, we want to understand whether your packaging format will have a point of difference in the category and whether it will tick all boxes for

shoppers and consumers? We want to understand how the facets above help to support your positioning, how they help your brand stand out versus the competitor set, and what parts we can leverage on our design journey.

We passionately believe packaging for an FMCG product needs to work hard on its own to disrupt shoppers and drive purchase.

Packaging is a part of your marketing mix, it's your biggest media channel and the one that consumers will see with the most frequently.

The right packaging design solution for your brand will depend on its positioning and personality. Some brands can push design to innovative places. Consider the likes of Garage Beer (where packaging design per product is unique yet strongly connected as a range, and connects with shoppers) or the work from 20 years ago for V multipacks where the wraps were designed to look like B Grade Movie posters.

Both of these examples show a brave, cheeky personality at work.

This approach wouldn’t work on all brands but there could be other ways we can help challenge your thinking around a packaging element that can be equally as engaging.

Think about the elements of your pack that play a purely functional role – could they be more fun? Could they create connection between a user and your brand? For instance, the foil seal on the yoghurt pottles of a 6 pack could carry a cute message underneath to engage users. These elements might not be seen on shelf, but could create a much deeper connection and drive brand preference and repurchase. It could be the FMCG version of unboxing of the likes of Apple products.

If you’re keen to think differently about packaging, in a way that could be engaging but feasible, give the team at Onfire Design a call. Sam Allan, Creative Director available on +64 9 480 2036, or sam@weareonfire.co.nz.”

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Flexible working

A little over a year and a half ago, there were many organisations that operated some form of flexible working, and there were some organisations who were considering it in the future before BOOM we were all ‘flexibly working’ and organisations and employees had to adapt at breakneck speed. Initially, there was some anxiety but generally a lot of people enjoyed not having to sit in traffic for an hour a day and working hours that more suited them and yes it was a pain with the kids at home as well but hey you can’t have everything.

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Leadership

Com pa n

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Gerry Lynch

BALANCING THE NEEDS OF THE TEAM & THE INDIVIDUAL

R eal The , r o t rec Di

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allup was even surprised to see the percentage of ‘engaged’ employees rise for the first time in decades in this ‘honeymoon’ period. But now the honeymoon is over, and Gallup has seen a large fall in engagement, the lowest for over 8 years, driven more by leaders and managers.

Most of the fall can be attributed to lack of certainty about the future and how to deal with hybrid working.

Many companies have no official working from home policy, many let employees work their own hours and many tell employees which days and hours they can work from home. So, what’s the best approach?

From studies in the US, there is no right or wrong approach as it is still too early to determine but there are some core principles that have worked for many companies that are worth considering: 1. Determine when your team needs to be together to collaborate in person and why - There are times when getting together to work on a piece of work together is most effective and efficient in person – Sharing updates is not one of those times.

2. Seek input from your team individually on their preferences in terms of working.

3. Determine when your team needs to be available for other stakeholders, it could be customers, other departments, or suppliers and whether it needs to be in person or can be virtual. If you have a receptionist who needs to deal with couriers, it’s going to be tough dealing with this at home!

4. Look at options and trial with the team and individuals, remember that you will probably trial something and it may not work, that is ok, it is worth reviewing the arrangement monthly in the first instance. Remember it has to work for the organisation and the individual for it to be sustainable.

5. Keep lines of communication open to ensure good feedback and clarity for your people.”

If you need leadership coaching or help building a high performing team, drop me a line 021 895 044, or email Gerry@realleadershipnz.co.nz.

I have been in the FMCG sector for over 20 years working across several different categories as a supplier and part of the retail side of our industry also. I deeply care about our industry and its people and have always been proud to be part of what I know to be a dynamic, high-energy, professional, and fun sector to be involved in. In recent months I have been sitting back and listening/reading to the discussions surrounding our sector, but I can’t sit on the side-lines anymore.

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think it is important to deal in facts and not personal attacks or hyperbole. No industry can claim perfect behaviour of each of its players all the time, and with as many suppliers and retailers in a sector the size of ours, there are bound to be people and behaviours that on occasion step outside the rules, despite leadership intentions and policy. It’s a people game after all and people are not perfect. What I know however is that some of the claims being made are simply not true: Corporate or private label will not ruin the business model of the NZ suppliers, nor will it stifle innovation. Private label (as a % of total scanned grocery sales) has been circa 11-14% for my entire tenure in the industry and NZ lags a long way behind some of the countries that are claimed to be a far easier place for suppliers to do business. There are suggestions that Aldi coming to the market would be a great thing for NZ suppliers and NZ consumers.

Aldi are a fantastic retailer, they have a clear strategy, they execute well, and they have a clear price position vs. their competitors, but, the majority of their offer is private, controlled, or corporate label (whatever you want to call it), so you can’t claim on one hand that “Private label could Kill NZ food companies” and hold up a business model like Aldi as the saviour of NZ suppliers.

I have read claims that range reviews are only focused on doubling margin and don’t consider the impact of suppliers or customers. Everything that a retailer does is to win the hearts and minds of customers, without them walking through your doors you don’t have a platform to

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arrange supplier products to sell, the trick is balancing the 1000’s of products available vs. the fixed amount of space able to be used to present it to customers. Once you build a store the amount of space on shelf is fixed until you renovate it or knock it over and start again. (And neither building nor renovating a retail store is easy, cheap, or quick).

Much of the commentary I have read seems to assume that retailers should stock everything for everyone whether they be performing products or not? The truth is customers are often overwhelmed when there are too many different versions of the same thing? The dichotomy of choice dictates that when there are too many options of one product, people struggle to decide, and either opt-out, or the resulting volume is spread around too many products for them all to be viable. I have also never met a supplier that isn’t prepared to back their portfolio over others and suggest that over ranging their products will benefit the retailer and the customer at the expense of their competitor (the other suppliers) and thank God, as if they didn’t back themselves and their products they shouldn’t be there.

I have read claims that FSNI have “decimated” Sealord’s range and that all NZ will have left to choose is Alaskan Pollock? This is simply not true. I asked, and I trust the facts that were given to me. Yes, Sealord has lost some range, but they retain the products in the freezer that currently deliver 70% of their volume.

They backed themselves and offered FSNI a deal to take 90% of the available space and

suggested that FSNI put the retail price up to make more money. FSNI chose not to accept that, and Sealord produced another offer. Frozen fish had 62 different options available for kiwis in the freezers of FSNI stores. Of those 62, 20 of them represented 80% of the volume. If you want to make space available for other new products, innovation, or simply be able to hold the stock you need to meet the commitments to suppliers and importantly Kiwis daily demand you must constantly focus on how many versions of each category go on shelf.

It’s the same for frozen fish, breakfast cereal, whisky, or champagne.

I read that FSNI has said that “consumers don't really mind where their fish comes from” That’s just not true either, FSNI have not made that statement and simply never would. The truth is quite the opposite.

FSNI, FSSI, Countdown, and I would suggest any food seller, be they a retailer,

restaurant, or a pub, know very well that Kiwis care about where their food comes from. With specific attention to fish, FSNI has invested in quota for over 20 years working with suppliers and fisheries to ensure that they can supply Kiwis with NZ finest sustainably caught, premium species. The provenance of fish available in FSNI stores, frozen or fresh is strategically important, deeply understood and specifically invested in.

There is no doubt that our industry is large, there are daily negotiations between suppliers and retailers in-store and at support offices and given the commercial nature of these discussions they are private discussions. Our industry is full of passionate people all trying to do the best they can, and for the most part they are good people who (I think) have created a dynamic exciting industry. I have been involved in 100’s of negotiations over the

years, on both sides of the leger, some small, some large, some have been really tough, many of the toughest with people I know the best. There has always been, and always will be a healthy tension between supplier and retailers as there simply is not enough space to host every product.

These decisions are based on facts, insights, and yes, a commercial outcome, but the main driver for retailers in NZ is about delivering the best value, product offer, ease of shop and experience they can provide, and without engaged, connected, and sustainable supplier relationships retailers know that they cannot deliver this outcome for kiwis. It’s not always easy (nothing good ever is) but to use such large amounts of factually incorrect information seems deliberately misleading. Let’s deal in facts shall we, and if you don’t have them pick up the phone and ask, I know the people, and they will take your call.

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Stephen Wa lker

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THE DOS AND DON'TS OF COLLECTING CUSTOMER INFORMATION

For supermarkets, big data is everything. Understanding a store’s key customer demographics—how they shop, when they shop, how much they spend, and their favourite products—allows supermarkets to not only tweak their inventory based on this data, but also create highly targeted marketing strategies.

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owever, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the risks associated with giving away their personal data, and they are increasingly distrustful of companies who may not store that data correctly. In fact, according to our recent research on data privacy, the majority (80%) of Kiwis said they’re concerned about the collection of their personal data, with 53% stating companies are requesting too much personal information.

There’s a fine line between getting the right amount of data to help improve business performance and asking for too much information for a customer’s comfort.

Supermarkets must find a happy medium between the two and build customer trust while also improving the bottom line.

LOYALTY DRIVEN INSIGHTS E-commerce makes data collection a breeze.

Every click of an online transaction can be used to glean rich and detailed customer data.

However, it’s not so easy to do this in store.

Loyalty programmes, therefore, are one of the best ways for supermarkets to keep track of in-store purchases; the data from which can be used to drastically improve performance.

A testament to this can be seen with UK grocery chain Tesco’s, which, after launching its loyalty programme in 1995, was able to increase sales by 50% in just five years. Such is the power of collecting transactional data and

using the insights to adjust the business’ focus.

In New Zealand, shoppers are very open to joining loyalty programmes. Our own research showed that the vast majority of Kiwis (92%) were already members of at least one loyalty programme. However, shoppers are fully aware that their personal information and shopping data is being used and collected by supermarkets, with over half (53%) stating they received little-to-no recognition for sharing this information. Fifteen percent also admit to setting up dummy emails specifically for the purpose of deals and loyalty programmes.

Supermarkets need to address concerns about data collection in order to build customer trust. But more than that— following the initial findings of the Commerce Commission into the New Zealand grocery market, which showed that loyalty programmes may affect consumer decision making and reduce price competition—supermarkets will need to ensure shoppers clearly understand how data collected through the loyalty programme is used, and that they fully understand any associated terms and conditions.

PRIVACY CONCERNS The majority of Kiwis (80%) surveyed said they were concerned about the information collected by companies, and half (53%) stated that companies are requesting too much personal data for their liking. The biggest concern for shoppers is the possibility

of the data being hacked and their personal information stolen (76%), closely followed by the concern that their data will be shared or sold to other companies (58%).

When it comes to online activity, the findings showed that Kiwis take a number of measures to protect their browsing data from being collected. Just under half (41%) disable location-based services on their devices, and 32% disable cookies in their browser. Using a private browsing window (31%), browser add-ons like Ghostery or Ad Blockers (31%), or a VPN to connect to the internet (18%) are other ways New Zealanders are protecting their privacy online.

The good news is that consumers have more faith in retailers’ ability to securely store their personal data than other organisations, such as businesses, brands, and even NGOs. But even though a third (33%) of respondents believed retailers were trustworthy when it came to handling and storing their personal data, around one in four (27%) did not trust

retailers with their personal information. This is still a significant number of shoppers whose trust needs to be won.

TRUST, TRANSPARENCY, AND REWARDS It’s clear that shoppers want to feel like they’re being rewarded for handing over their data. If one in two shoppers (53%) feel as though they’re not receiving enough value and recognition from giving away their personal information, supermarkets should be ramping up the rewards and incentives associated with their existing programmes as a way of addressing this issue.

Most loyalty members (45%) would prefer cash rewards as an incentive, followed by points to collect and redeem for products or services later (42%). Only 13% of respondents said they’d prefer exclusive discounts or offers as a reward, so focusing exclusively on discounts isn’t going to help

win shoppers over. Of course, ensuring that all customer data collected is stored securely is also imperative to building–or regaining– customer trust.

Having access to rich customer insights is crucial when it comes to developing datadriven business strategies. And luckily for supermarkets, Kiwis are more than willing to participate in loyalty programmes which help provide this data. But it’s evident that as shoppers become more savvy about data collection and more concerned about their privacy, supermarkets must adjust the way they approach loyalty programmes and other means of data collection in order to maintain the delicate balance between getting enough information and asking too much. When supermarkets can clearly communicate the reasons why data is being collected and provide adequate incentives for doing so, it will go a long way towards building customer trust, and ultimately, improving customer loyalty.

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As the pandemic and associated supply chain issues continue to take a toll on businesses worldwide, an Auckland family run food company has cause to celebrate.

F

fowcs Williams is marking 40 years in business this year.

Managing Director Miranda Ffowcs Williams has been running the company since 1995 when she took over from her father.

“Owning a business is a privilege, but is not for the faint hearted,” she says. There have been many more successes than failures and that is all thanks to the amazing team of suppliers, customers and our staff who work every available hour to get the job done.

Ffowcs Williams says being a food supplier has meant they have been fortunate to be able to continue to operate through Covid restrictions and while it hasn’t all been smooth sailing she doesn’t want to focus on the negative nor complain.

“We know our customers all have challenges to deal with - what they want from us is safe, nutritious, good value options. They don’t need to worry about our obstacles.” But she admits there have been hurdles.

“There have been lots of shipping delays with us receiving weekly and sometimes daily delay notifications. The costs of our local and imported raw materials have increased as have shipping costs, local freight costs, and packaging - we get a notification that something else is going up every day!”

She says the biggest change the business has had to navigate over the past 18 months is in its forecasting and stock holding areas.

“The shipping delays mean we are carrying many more months’ worth of raw materials and packaging. But we’re managing that well and it is nice to see customers are making food at home on a more regular basis and concentrating on eating healthier options because of the lockdowns. We have seen a huge increase in the demand for our frozen fruit range.”

Currently the biggest sellers for Ffowcs Williams are “blueberries, blueberries and oh yes, blueberries. We offer cultivated, wild and organic blueberries, which are all great sellers”

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ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES AND MARKING A MILESTONE

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Ffowcs Williams is justifiably proud of the business her father started four decades ago and proud, too, of its history.

“When I was ten my family came to New Zealand. Mum, Jo, is a kiwi and came back with my Welsh father, Tomos, a master mariner, and three children. He wasn’t sure what to do so left us for six months to figure it out. Tom ended up in Wellington with a tonne of frozen broccoli which he went on to sell and just like that FFOWCS WILLIAMS was born.”

Ffowcs Williams was incorporated as a company in 1981 and grew from one employee to 25 and moved from the family home office to a purpose built cold store and warehouse.

“By 1995 succession planning was on Dad’s mind. He’d run the company for 13 years and completed an MBA. One Friday he called Mum to say he wasn’t coming back and that I should take over. I was 27 with no formal training and was completely thrown in the deep end but learnt to swim and here we are today, thriving.”

But she says now is not the time to take her foot off the accelerator.

“We are now focusing on value added variants with health and well-being top of mind along with our export markets. We have a great following in Malaysia and are concentrating on growing this market.”

And while she is not anticipating a trouble-free immediate future in terms of coping with the challenges caused by the pandemic, Ffowcs Williams is confident her team has it covered.

“Our focus now is on keeping cost increases down. All businesses are facing the rising costs, the supermarkets included, and we are all just trying to keep costs down as much as possible.”

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WEAK COMPETITION AND HIGH RETURNS The recent draft report by the Commerce Commission confirmed New Zealand’s supermarket market structure is a duopoly, that there is weak competition and that the returns are high. While there are few opportunities and competition to own a supermarket, there’s not much competition once you have one.

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nter Tex Edwards, a former trolley boy for Countdown supermarkets and the founder of telecommunications company 2degrees. Setting up 2degrees was no small feat and to do that he took on the Telecom monopoly, not a duopoly.

His language, flamboyance and dogged approach to lobbying at that time was awesome, in terms of the accurate literary meaning of the word. He created awe. When lobbying for telecommunications change, he was a familiar figure around Parliament. I recall he visited me twice while I was an MP and Chair of the Commerce Select Committee.

His attention to grocery retail is certainly an interesting development many grocery suppliers are welcoming.

They are welcoming the discussion of market alternatives at a time the supermarkets themselves are staying relatively quiet. He has spoken about splitting the supermarkets into four or five separate players, not just two. It’s not a pie in the sky scenario because New Zealand did have a similar number of options, though some decades ago now.

Consolidation since the last three-to-two merger has meant incremental but steady increases in power, margins and earnings for the supermarkets, while costs and risks have been shifted back to suppliers strategically over time.

The Commerce Commission’s analysis showed this clearly. So far, the rebuttal has been weak.

Supermarkets have repeated the classic lines about being a highvolume, low-margin business that profits only a few cents in every dollar. An example given to Newshub: “Every dollar spent in a supermarket, 68c goes back to the supplier, 13c is tax, and the supermarket takes 19c. Fifteen cents of that is used for things like paying staff so it only profits 4c.”

Of course, the grocery business is high volume, but the margins are not insignificant and the profits are high compared to other markets.

Whether the line is 64c or 68c, the line about a large proportion of money going to “the supplier” is not true.

For a start, that money does not go to one supplier and does not

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represent the money made by the supplier. That 68c represents many in the supply chain who play a role in creating the product, from manufacturers, sales and distribution agencies, raw ingredients sellers, growers, farmers, warehousing and distribution operators, transporters, merchandisers – all those who have played a role in growing or making the product and getting it on the shelf.

Referring to “the supplier” is designed to create the impression he or she takes the lion’s share and the retailer takes only a small fraction.

Even taking into account all the entities represented by supermarkets as “the supplier” it’s still not the full 68c in every dollar sale. Analysts suspect from figures released by Foodstuffs North Island that this probably includes their own warehouse margins and freight costs, plus may not include all the extra deductions from suppliers for promotional costs and display fees, settlement discounts, rebates, and other fees that add to profits alongside the new supermarket cost du jour – data.

A more realistic comparison is made by looking at where the profits are made throughout the supply chain, and that’s where the supermarkets dominate.

According to FGC members, retailers’ cash margin for the provision of shelf space is close to three times that of suppliers. When, in many cases retailers are not even paying to put the product on the shelf and have shifted so much risk and cost back onto suppliers, it’s no surprise the Commerce Commission concluded returns were higher than would be expected if there was more competition.

But back to the 4c profit scenario that does have a useful role in explaining grocery profits for those seeking reform.

At 4c, that admits some supermarkets are still more profitable than others in comparable markets. I know 4c doesn’t sound like much to consumers, but if you are a PAK’nSAVE store turning over $5 million a week then $200,000 is clear profit per week – $10m a year. After costs.

This probably goes a long way to explaining why there’s a crush at the gate to get a store, and as a PAK’nSAVE owner you’re more likely to end up on the NBR Rich List than a food maker or farmer.

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Zac De Silva

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR STAFF PRODUCTIVE DURING LOCKDOWN

The elephant in the room for many business owners and senior managers now is, should the people in my team be relaxing at home, or should I keep them busy? And if I do keep them busy, what can I get them to do?!

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have plenty of clients who have had these same questions.

I think the first thing you should be doing is asking them if they want to take the lockdown as a holiday — this might be a win/win for both of you, allowing them to happily sit on the couch watching Netflix and enabling you to relax, knowing they don't need "managing".

I think it's important to moderate your expectations around productivity for your team members who continue to work through.

As well as the challenges that come from working from home (juggling it with homeschooling and often sharing the communal dining table), some people are also fighting very real battles around being in lockdown. Being lenient and allowing a bit of chill time is a good idea as Covid has been such a rollercoaster, and resting the brain and looking after wellbeing goes a long way to giving you a very positive future ROI. That said, now is a great time to get your team to be proactive and do things that they usually don't have the time to do, even if it's for less than a handful of hours a day.

GIVE EACH TEAM SOME IMPROVEMENT AREAS TO WORK ON It's an excellent time to take a bird's-eye view of the business and see where you can improve, especially around people and processes.

You can decide on these tasks yourself or with group brainstorming using Zoom or a shared Google doc. Ask these questions:

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• What has been going well in our team of late?

• What has not been so good?

• What are our current frustrations?

• What should we have fixed in our team that we still have not addressed?

• What are we not taking maximum advantage of in our team that we should be?

• If we could do anything (literally anything) for our team to work together better and achieve greater things, what would we do?

After answering these questions, identify the top three to five things that would make a real difference to your team performance.

Then spend the rest of lockdown making progress on those three to five priority focus areas by solving the issues, working on better ways to do things, changing processes, upskilling, communicating as a team, etc.

These projects have one thing in common: for your team to perform better in the eyes of your internal and external customers.

NOMINATE A SPECIFIC WORK-RELATED PROJECT FOR PEOPLE TO WORK ON, EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP • Is your website copy overdue an update?

• Are there case studies or testimonials you've meant to get post up on your website?

• Do your pitch documents need finessing?

• Are there any admin duties that your team has always been too busy to get to but need to do?

• Is there a new product or service you've been eyeing up but have been too busy to research and put together a business case study?

• Competitor studies?

Now is the time! Get on top of those niggly jobs that always tumble down the priority list but are important to your business.

USE THIS LOCKDOWN TIME TO GET EACH INDIVIDUAL IN YOUR TEAM TO CONSIDER HOW THEY CAN GET BETTER WITH THEIR PERSONAL JOB PERFORMANCE • Get them to consider how they can address their weaknesses or personal opportunities.

• What personal habits or self-beliefs does each individual have that's holding them back?

• What new, good habits would be impactful?

• What areas of knowledge could they upskill in — both personally and professionally – to improve how they do things?

• Depending on how open your team and company culture is, you could have everyone share their individual focuses on increasing accountability to improve their areas.

The best sports team have completely open feedback where each team member can suggest areas that others can improve for the benefit of their team. They literally sit in a circle and share constructive and positive qualities about one another.

It'd be great if your culture were open enough so that each person in your team wants to know how others thought they could do better. Once they've decided on their challenges and opportunities, a mountain of online resources can help, from webinars and YouTube to online workshops.

They can even download relevant books from the library app Libby.

ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM LEADERS TO DO SOME SELFLEARNING ON HOW TO BE A BETTER LEADER AND MANAGER You could get each person in your team and business to identify one or two things that they will do some personal research to improve their skills. It could be lean, strategy, innovation, customer experience, culture, finance, KPIs, management, negotiation skills, people skills, emotional intelligence, health and wellness, budgeting, and money.

As a leader, you could lead the way and nominate what one to two things you will do about self-learning.

Take this self-learning to the next level and encourage all in your team to share their assignment with the rest of the group at a set date in the future, talking for 10-15 minutes on what they learnt, what others might learn from it and how what they learnt will change how they do things.

People are more likely to complete tasks if they know others will see the results at a specific time.

IF THEY'RE UP TO IT, CHALLENGE YOUR TEAM TO DO A SIMILAR REVIEW ON THEMSELVES ABOUT THEIR LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK They might assess how they perform as a parent, a partner, a friend, a family member, a community person or whatever. Get them to ask what they are doing well and where they need to focus more to improve.

You might even do this sort of thing with someone else that you trust: someone from your team, your partner, another family member, a friend etc.

In theory, sharing where you can improve with others will help you be more accountable, especially checking two-way progress.

Sometimes this focus on their performance and what-could-be elevates them out of the current negative situation and gives them the "why" that's so important in business and life.

The quietness of lockdown is a great time to truly consider what is going well and what you could be doing better, and things to start doing that help you be more successful as a team and as a person.

Just remember to be realistic about productivity and allowing for more downtime than usual.

Zac de Silva is a profit and growth coach at business changing, where he helps business owners and managers with strategy, planning, mentorship, leadership and accountability.”

For more information, please visit www.businesschanging.com.

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HOPE KEY TO WEATHERING UNCERTAINTY

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Covid fatigue, fog, inertia; call it what you will, but we are all suffering some form of this with the current lockdowns. Last year the very concept of a lockdown was new and brought with it new challenges. Along with a new language, “let’s zoom”, new skills (let’s learn to zoom) and a personal look into the lives of our colleagues via Zoom (is that what your house looks like!).

You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

Admiral James Stockdale

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ast year we baked banana bread, learned the art of sourdough and new DIY skills, exercised, and bingewatched Netflix and Neon. In 2020, the focus was on pivoting the business; employees were engaged and willing to step up into this new world and deliver fresh ideas and strategies.

This year we have ongoing challenges with the threat of progressive mutations of the virus coming slipping through our borders. With this growing feeling of uncertainty and isolation, the team of five million wonder when this will end.

So how do we reinvigorate our employees, ourselves and our clients to not only survive but thrive?

Like all things, COVID-19 will settle down, either as an ongoing virus that we learn to live with, as we do with other diseases. It will pass entirely through herd immunity or vaccination protocols.

We sat down (via Zoom) with Megan Jenkins, Registered Organisational Psychologist and committee member of the Institute of Organisational Psychology to talk about how businesses can help their staff cope with COVID-fatigue in the current lockdowns.

“The first thing I would say to team leaders and business owners is to break down what appear to be mountains to small hills.

“Empower staff to take ownership of their work tasks, which is important for their feelings of self-belief.”

“Readjusting mind frames to accept less activity, by breaking the working day down to tasks that the employee feels that they can achieve today rather than this week or this month,” said Jenkins.

“Businesses have moved from peacetime to wartime, survival mode if you will. They are trying to comprehend rapidly changing circumstances, and goals are changing, from long term to short term to immediate.

“We are all feeling a bit bewildered, shell shocked if you will, and that is understandable.”

Jenkins believes in creating moments in each day, readjusting expectations on the norms of productivity. This self-efficacy will give employees confidence in their ability to exert some control over the current situation, and help both wellbeing and motivation.

“If we normalise our feelings, say ‘what is one thing can I do now? Or ‘what was a success today?

“Not I have to stay home, but rather I can do this while I am at home.”

At many zoom meetings, we have moved away from engagement; teams often don’t fully engage. COVID fatigue or fog is the new wellbeing issue for staff; not answering phones, emails unanswered for days, with zero in-boxes a distant memory.

Jenkins believes in allowing employees to normalise what they are feeling by sharing with others. Sharing perhaps an emoji on-screen when you are in a team zoom meeting, it’s a quick way to see how the team is feeling and allows others to empathise.

“Resilience takes time to build, and building teams takes an equal amount of time.

“It’s important to use self-compassion and have hope. Research shows hope as key to weathering uncertainty. This lockdown will pass, and even at the next lockdown; we will have learnings that we can take from this one,” Jenkins concluded.

The Stockdale Paradox and the related discipline of survival psychology shines light on our present and how we manage our current circumstances.

Recommended reading: Jim Collins’s bestselling book From Good to Great

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LIQUORLAND TOASTS 40 YEARS LIQUORLAND IS reaching a significant milestone in 2021 with the iconic liquor retailer celebrating four decades in business.

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he company opened its first outlets in 1981, and now has 135 stores and 80 franchisees around New Zealand.

Liquorland CEO Brendon Lawry says the occasion is an opportunity to reflect on the strength of the business and to recognise those at its heart. The 40th anniversary will be toasted at Liquorland’s annual conference in August and a major consumer campaign will also roll out through its stores.

POWERED BY THE PEOPLE

Liquorland’s success, says Lawry, is easy to pinpoint. “When you’ve got franchisees fully

invested and they’ve got skin in the game and they really care about the outcome, not just today but into the future, that’s the key.

The difference is a group of really engaged and energised business owners.”

He says “bleeding green” is a term often used within the company, in reference to the green of the brand. “From my perspective, you know how much people ‘bleed green’ by the time you’ve been in the store for no more than a minute, you can sense it. Our franchisees are as proud of you walking into their store as you would be having your friends over for dinner and hosting them at your house. It’s genuine care for not

only what they do today, but to keep their business sustainable and exciting into the future.

“We get to deal with franchisees who are passionate – and it’s incredibly satisfying to work alongside them on their businesses and see them succeed.”

Liquorland’s franchisees range from recent additions to those who have been with the business for more than 20 years – and even one whose tenure stretches back to those early days in the 80s.

Lawry says their love for what they do is the common theme. “Most of our franchisees could talk to you all day long about their favourite categories. We try really hard to make sure that we can stand in front of what we sell and talk about it, whether it be aperitifs or how to make a cocktail, or what wine goes with what food.

Helping to solve the customer’s problems – that’s very much a given for us. The energy of our franchisees is the reason why this business keeps going.”

A TRUE PARTNERSHIP

Liquorland’s structure has strengthened the partnership between the company as the franchisor and its franchisee owners.

After shifting to a franchise model around 15 years ago, it adjusted that model in 2019

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He says having a responsibility to the community to be the best they can be includes everything from stringent systems around age and ID checks, to creating a more premium environment with a friendly in-store experience for locals. “There’s something really engaging about looking somebody in the eye and acknowledging them when they walk into your store.”

ON A PATH FOR GROWTH

to introduce a rebate structure that allows profits to be shared with franchisees.

“We moved a pretty traditional franchise structure closer to a co-operative, increasing franchisee profitability,” explains Lawry.

“It’s built a lot more trust between franchisor and franchisee. As a consequence suppliers are more willing to invest with Liquorland… because there’s a much better execution from the beginning of an idea all the way through to it happening in store.

That’s been game-changing and incredibly

exciting to be a part of.” He says franchisees are also drawn to Liquorland’s premium positioning and branding and the fact it is a responsible retailer while being relevant, fun and high energy.

RESPONSIBLE RETAILING

Being part of communities around New Zealand is something that Liquorland takes very seriously. Brendon Lawry refers to this as a “social license to trade” and says it’s a big part of the company’s philosophy.

While 40 years is a significant achievement for any business, Liquorland continues to look ahead. Lawry says it is currently reinventing its online and digital approach to the market and work is also underway on the next phase of Liquorland in terms of its premium look and feel, with development on store format coming in the next 18-24 months.

He says it’s about staying ahead and exceeding expectations. “At Liquorland, we try not only to be great retailers in the context of traditional liquor, we try to be great retailers full-stop.

“We believe we have the opportunity to grow the business, with Liquorland as the most premium and the largest in terms of revenue and store numbers in New Zealand.

That’s the path we’re on.”

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CREATING A BUZZ Proudly born and bred in Rotorua, Ryan Christensen, the new CEO at Good Buzz, has had over a decade’s experience in FMCG, working across various sales, marketing, operational, and leadership roles.

K Ryan Christensen CEO

GOOD BUZZ

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ickstarting his career as an Assistant Manager at a Liquor King retail store in Tauranga, Christensen went on to work in the Customer Service Centre at Lion NZ where he soon progressed, becoming Assistant Brand Manager, National Wine Ambassador, National Sales Operations Manager and then Regional Sales Manager for Auckland and Northland.

“I then moved to Sydney with Lion Australia and took on two roles as Sales Strategy Leader and National Account Manager for Coles Liquor,” he explained.

After a brief stint at Reckitt Benckiser as National Account Manager for Woolworths, Christensen returned to New Zealand in late 2020. In 2019, he founded Izakai Bar and Eatery in Mount Maunganui alongside two friends and in early 2021, he cofounded a creative design agency, Herd.

“A former colleague at Lion rang me after I had just sold Izakai and informed me of the opportunity at Good Buzz and I leapt at the chance to meet with the owners!”

Christensen took over the CEO role at Good Buzz Beverage Co in March 2021 and since then he has already released new product ranges and pack formats, created an innovation pipeline for the next few years, built a new team of ten people to support the growth and is incredibly excited about having a successful 2021/22 summer.

“My passion is in leadership, strategy, creativity, and learning,” he expressed.

Christensen’s love of learning and creativity are evident in his years at

university, first studying Politics and Media at Victoria University. He then went on to study at the University of Auckland Business School and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration in 2016. In addition, Christensen studied Performing Arts at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City and completed his first three levels of The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certificate.

It’s this diverse portfolio he brings to his role at Good Buzz.

“I love being creative and open, I think creative people are often more open to new ideas or looking at new ways of doing things,” noted Christensen.

“I also think my design and creativity background allowed me to see the opportunities that Good Buzz needed, such as the recent rebrand, being able to envision how to tell the right story to our customers.”

First and foremost for Christensen, it was the taste of Good Buzz Kombucha that excited him about the role.

“Good Buzz is such a great tasting Kombucha and an exciting brand to be a part of. When I first met (Good Buzz founders) Alex and Amber over six years ago at a trade show, I loved the things they stood for and could see they made a great product.”

With Kombucha riding a popularity wave at the moment, and so many competitors out there, products need to stand out from the crowd, for Good Buzz, this means creating a Kiwi made Kombucha, accessible

to all, that doesn’t skimp on quality or take any shortcuts in the brewing process, and most importantly, tastes great.

“One of the most common things people say about our Kombucha is how good it tastes. The comment, ‘I didn't like Kombucha until I tried Good Buzz.’ is all too familiar to us.”

Because Good Buzz make its Kombucha in the traditional way, with nothing to hide, the brand is able to make a ‘Natural’ flavour (formally called ‘Original’).

“It is really our Kombucha at our most paired back form without the fruit flavours.

It is a way we get to show Kombucha drinkers who we really are with nothing to hide.”

Rebranding Good Buzz to clearly tell its story to the consumer was important to Christensen.

“Communicating the key things that make you stand out is really important. For example, people didn’t realise that we’re organic, or a small business that’s locally brewed in Tauranga. The old bottle didn’t quite tell that story, now it’s clearer who we are as a brand.”

According to Christensen, the small and (very) passionate team at Good Buzz is incredibly proud of its hand-crafted Kombucha that’s born and brewed in Aotearoa.

“And we’re buzzing with excitement to be able to launch our new look alongside a new

flavour and new cans to our customers, so that they can experience the next step of our journey with us.”

To truly embrace the diverse range of booch drinkers out there, Good Buzz needed to shake things up and continue to push boundaries, giving Kiwi Kombucha drinkers what they want. The fresh, clean design reflects these changes, offering a modern day twist on a traditionally-made Kombucha.

Christen believes that having a clear vision is really important for leadership, but it’s also about the people you surround yourself with.

“It’s not just thinking about tomorrow or next month but six months, 12 month, and even years into the future. I also think

surrounding yourself with great people is key and giving them an environment that they feel trusted to give their opinions and challenge when needed.

“Great leaders shouldn’t know everything, in fact when leaders think they do that’s a really dangerous space to be in. I think surrounding yourself with a diverse range of opinions, provides an environment to thrive and grow. I believe it’s about building teams with complementary skills and relying on their expertise rather than dictating the way it should be.”

His advice to smaller brands wanting to make it big is to keep innovation and new products a secret from consumers, but not from the retailers.

“The more you can share with retailers early and work on mutually beneficial goals, the better. The other piece of advice is to work from the ground up. Sweat every store ranging, facing and display. Build slowly store by store and retailers will reward you with support.”

Christensen and his team at Good Buzz are really looking forward to continuing to create a buzz this summer with the release of a premium range using local ingredients such as Kawakawa and Manuka, as well as moving into a brand new facility.

“We are also innovating in areas outside of Kombucha which is really exciting,” he teased, but we’ll have to ‘watch this space’ for more information on that. n

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SME CONFIDENCE PLUMMETING T

Confidence among local SMEs is plummeting as revenue has taken a hard hit in the wake of the latest COVID-19 community outbreak and as ongoing challenges of running a business during the pandemic take hold. he latest MYOB SME Economic Snapshot – a survey of more than 500 local SME business owners and decisionmakers – found that more than half (55%) of New Zealand’s SMEs expect the economy to decline in the next 12 months, with almost a quarter (24%) expecting that decline will be significant. In comparison, polling for MYOB’s July Economic Snapshot revealed more than a third (38%) of SMEs at that time expected the economy would decline.

In line with this trend, just 24% of SMEs believed the economy would improve over the next 12 months in the latest survey, compared with 33% expecting an improving trend in the July Snapshot.

This falling confidence reflects the impact on business earnings seen from the latest round of COVID-19 restrictions, with almost half (48%) of the SMEs surveyed reporting their revenue is now down on a Continue reading on page 36...

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Jo Tozer - Head of Customer Service, MYOB

Continued from page 35...

year ago – compared to just over a third (34%) in July. Expectedly, this trend is particularly noticeable in Auckland where businesses have borne the brunt of restrictions, with 57% of businesses in the region seeing their annual revenue fall. Nationwide, retail businesses have also been hit hard, with 60% reporting a decline in revenue.

Looking forward to 2022, the picture somewhat improves, but negativity is still weighing on local SME owners and operators. Just under a third (31%) of SMEs believe their revenue will be down in 12 months’ time, while almost a quarter (24%) are forecasting increased revenue and 36% expect their revenue will be about the same.

MYOB Head of Customer Service, Jo Tozer, said the latest SME Economic Snapshot makes for sobering reading, particularly after many businesses had been enjoying a steady recovery following the initial impacts of the pandemic last year.

“What we are seeing here is a combination of factors: both the immediate results of the latest community outbreak of COVID-19 and the restrictions that have been put in place, as well as the challenging nature of doing business now the broader impacts of the pandemic – on supply chains, production costs and skills shortages – have become clear,” she explained.

“While in early 2020 we saw a short, sharp shock in terms of business performance, prior to the pandemic, we hadn’t seen these levels of revenue declines in over 13 years of our SME surveys. In fact, SMEs reported a more significant fall in revenue for the 12 months to October 2021 than they did in the aftermath of the GFC.” Broad COVID-19 impacts beginning to bite Although the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to have by far the most significant effect on the mood of SMEs, with 68% saying it is having the biggest impact on their confidence – up from 49% in July, a broader range of factors emerging in the economy are also making the picture more complex and uncertain for local businesses.

“While many of the businesses we have spoken to over the last year have been pleasantly surprised at the level of demand they have seen in the local market, it has now become much harder to do business,” continued Tozer.

“There’s so much uncertainty – from what final percentage of

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LOCAL FACTORS HAVING THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE (RESPONDENTS COULD SELECT MORE THAN ONE OPTION): • 68% - COVID-19 pandemic • 31% - COVID-19 vaccine roll-out • 30% - closed or restricted borders • 18% - shortage of skilled employees • 17% - median house prices • 16% - consumer confidence.

vaccination levels will be needed to avoid various future restrictions, to when the borders may re-open – that SME operators are really struggling to plan ahead.

“At the same time, finding the right staff to meet their needs, getting goods into New Zealand or out to export markets, and the rapidly rising costs of components in everything from construction to electronics, are all putting real pressure on both their operations and their margins.”

Inflation on the rise as businesses face increasing costs Those rising costs, highlighted by the 2.2% surge in inflation for the September quarter, are set to continue and now, more local SMEs signal they intend to pass on price increases to their customers.

In the new SME Economic Snapshot, 44% of respondents said they planned to raise their prices in the next six months, including 56% of those in the construction sector, and 54% in manufacturing. Almost half (49%) of Auckland businesses surveyed also said they intend to put their prices up before April 2022.

A range of factors are contributing to this decision, including increasing supply costs (59%), increasing operational costs (55%), rising costs of production (52%), the increases in the minimum wage (35%) and the cost of utilities like power and internet (34%). A third (33%) of SMEs surveyed also said their decision to raise prices was driven by the need to recoup losses from COVID-19 disruptions.

“While we bounced back strongly from the initial lockdowns, businesses are now really starting to hurt – and not just those on the front-lines of the pandemic, such as hospitality and tourism.”

“Businesses will be extremely interested to see what the Government has to offer on Friday, both in terms of additional support and the promised roadmap out of the current restrictions. At this point, a clear direction is absolutely vital,” Tozer concludes.

“One thing is very certain – many businesses will not be able to cope with a longer period of major restrictions or the uncertainty of moving up and down alert levels. While the health of New Zealand is vital to the health of the economy, with other options available, now is the time for a new strategy for recovery, before the losses SMEs are currently experiencing become any greater.” n

Indie retail innovation agency HYPER has announced the appointment of Kylie Stafford to lead the company’s retail marketing division.

HYPER H RAMPS UP RETAIL MARKETING WITH NEW AGENCY LEAD

YPER CEO Ben Partington said “Kylie’s appointment was really serendipitous for us. One of those rare occasions where someone with the perfect experience, skillset and team fit puts their hand up at exactly the right time. We’ve got huge capability and growth aspirations for our retail marketing division and Kylie is without question the right person to spearhead that effort.”

The retail marketing division of HYPER is the below the line agency of record for a range of the companies most recognisable CPG’s including Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Lion and Sanitarium.

All companies and brands who are known to push the boundaries of traditional marketing in order to provide customers with unique and immersive brand experiences. This plays well to HYPER’s strengths as a retail innovator.

“I’m really excited to have joined the team. What drew me to the role was the ability to leverage the capability of HYPER’s other strategic business units to help drive innovation and growth for our client partners. With the rate of change the retail industry is experiencing I believe that agencies need a broader toolkit to help CPG’s address the challenges of modern retailing and turn them into opportunities," said Stafford.

The business units Stafford references are a big part of what makes HYPER unique in the retail marketing space. Traditional agency services aside, the business has capability spanning industrial design, CX, software development, technology manufacture, field marketing services and owned retail proximity media networks.

“The ever-expanding capability of the company allows us to solve a range of new problems for our customers that aren’t just communications related," said Stafford.

"This is a totally different conversation which is already resonating well with our CPG customers and retail partners alike." n

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1. LETS PUT PLANTS CENTRE STAGE THIS SUMMER! Building on the internationally awarded Food Nation range, the NZ start-up has again lifted the bar regarding product innovation.

Launching for summer are these two unique new products; the Super Sausies are the first sausage in the range. A mouth-watering combination of fresh hand-picked New Zealand mushrooms and locally grown buckwheat and quinoa, supported by sunflower seeds and a hint of thyme.

Already a winner with consumers, this is the only Vegan Certified and Gluten Free Certified sausage on the market and will be popular on BBQs this summer.

AMAZE BALLS The new Vietnamese Pea & Kaffir Lime Amaze Balls hit just the right note for a nation with a love of Asian flavours. Tasty and versatile, these new Amaze Balls build on the success of the already popular Beetroot, Kumara and Quinoa Amaze Balls. For sales contact buds@foodnation.co.nz.

2. AUSSIE ICON INTRODUCES CREATION Macy and Tailor are proud to collaborate with an Aussie icon to introduce their latest creation.

Macy and Tailor's already popular pressed pretzel is now available in Vegemite flavour. Contact Glenn Beattie on 021 758 184 or glennb@macyandtailor.co.nz.

3. INSPIRED BEAN TO BAR STORY Whittaker’s Cocoa Pods have a 33 percent cocoa Five Roll Refined Creamy Milk chocolate shell with a wonderfully soft centre of hazelnut gianduja.

Inspired by Whittaker’s bean-tobar story, they are each crafted into an elegant and unique shape that resembles a natural cocoa pod. Each individually wrapped serve is a generous 12.5g. The individually wrapped Whittaker’s Cocoa Pods come in two pack sizes, a 125g pouch and a 200g gift box.

4. WOULD YOU LIKE SAUCE WITH THAT? Launching this month to liven up the Chilled Sauce category in time for a hot summer is the new range of Food Nation Sauces.

Unique new variants are designed to suit all meal occasions. The range adds colour and taste to this high growth category. Introducing three tasty new sauces: the one and only Herbivore, a fresh, herby Aioli, featuring a creamy aioli blended with herbs including kawakawa, mint & coriander.

There's the new Holy Moly, and Chipotle Aioli is a firm favourite with consumers. And for some BBQ action, the new Fired Up homestyle spiced tomato sauce finishing off a trio for all occasions.

With over a third of NZ consumers actively looking to eat more plants, Food Nation is a proudly New Zealand way to support local and be part of this globally exploding category. For sales, contact buds@foodnation.co.nz.

5. WELLY FIRST AID LAUNCHES REFILL PACKS Less than a year after launching Welly First Aid into specialty grocery and gift stores, Welly's refill packs are now available, making the colourful bravery bandages more accessible to young (and young at heart) adventurers.

Local distributor Cook & Nelson has introduced three refill packs to the existing range: Monsters, Unicorns and Colourwash. Each refill pack of Kid's Bravery Badges includes 24 latex-free flexible fabric bandages sealing on all four sides to keep out germs and dirt.

The refill packs can be used to stock up the bright 48 pack tins or to add to any existing first aid kit/handbag/ school bag/sports kit/beach bag and glove box.

These colourful bandages also boast a gentle adhesion for notear removal. They are proudly B Corp Certified, taking care of the social and environmental world where we live and play. www.getwelly.nz, www.getwelly.com, www.cookandnelson.co.nz.

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6. NEW PITA BREAD INNOVATION FROM GIANNIS

8. QUEEN ANNE CHOCOLATE FISH BITES 170G RANGE

Giannis is bringing innovation to the Specialty bread Category with the new Giannis Premium Sourdough Pita Bread and Giannis Flatbreads just in time for a sizzling Kiwi Summer...!!

Giannis Premium Sourdough Pita Bread is a delicious and soft pita bread made with Olive Oil and a Traditional European Sourdough taste sensation perfect for the BBQ season.

Sourdough is a popular and growing segment of the overall bread category. Giannis are excited to bring this new innovative product into the Pita Bread Category to stoke up some growth in this mature market segment.

Giannis Flatbread is also new to the range, a great alternative to traditional pizza bases with a unique Oval shape and a thin and crispy base, perfect for smaller individual pizzas or sliced and baked for crispy flatbread snacks.

For more information contact Simon Rangihaeata on simon@giannis.co.nz or 021 854 091.

Following the success of the Queen Anne Chocolate Fish 50g range, an opportunity was identified for a premium, and New Zealand made 'bite sized' Chocolate Fish. These products will be ranged for everyday sales to add value in the Share Pack sector of the chocolate confectionery market.

The strong visual graphics support both gifting and impulse purchase of these boxed products. Queen Anne Chocolate Fish Bites are gluten free with natural flavours & colours. The current Chocolate Fish Bites variants are the #1 selling Dark Chocolate Raspberry Marshmallow Fish Bites 170g & the iconic Milk Chocolate Strawberry Marshmallow Fish Bite 170gs. There are plans for flavour extensions in this range.

The Queen Anne Chocolate Fish Bite Range is a Highly Commended Finalist in the recent NZ Artisan Awards.

For further information please contact your Alliance Marketing representative.

7. LATEST BARS GO DARKER Bennetto is going darker with their latest bars using Madagascan cocoa's rich, complex and exceptional quality. Launching this week is Exceptionally Dark 82% cocoa and Coffee in Madagascar 76% cocoa. Both bars directly support the MaMa Bay Conservation Project to bring 300 hectares of deforested land back into the tropical Rainforest on Madagascar's northeast coast.

Available wholesale direct through contacting orders@bennetto.co.nz or the foodstuffs exchange.

9. BEING TOGETHER THIS SUMMER Proper is all about being Together this summer. It's what we've missed. As simple as matching the new crisp perfectly with a stunning Garage Project IPA. The perfect crisps for the perfect IPA, two new creations to redefine snack time. Proper's Big Cut are unpeeled, thickly sliced golden potatoes dusted in finely ground sea salt, and hand cooked to extremely crispy glowing perfection. Joining the core range is the new Barbeque Rub, crafting a spicy, smoky rub that pairs perfectly with Proper spuds.

Designed by renowned cartoonist Trace Hodgson, the much loved big bag of perfectly hand cooked Marlborough sea salt crisps is back. Contact your local Alliance Marketing representative.

10. REAL BUZZ FROM GOOD BUZZ Kombucha aficionado, Good Buzz, is set to create a real buzz this month, unveiling a fresh new look across its entire range of organic kombucha. Unlike its otherwise fruiter line-up, the new Natural option will deliver the taste profile of pure kombucha.

Good Buzz kombucha will also be available to buy in a fourpack slimline can this Summer.

The full Good Buzz range consists of six flavours including, Natural, Feijoa, Blueberry Peach, Passionfruit Guava, Pineapple Mango and Raspberry Lemon.

Each is available in a one-serve 328ml size or multi-serve 888ml size bottle.

For more information visit, www.goodbuzz.nz or call 07 543 5126.

Good Buzz – Born and Brewed in New Zealand

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ANUGA PRESENTS THE TOP INNOVATIONS OF 2021 The Anuga taste Innovation Show is a trend barometer and a source of inspiration for the global food business.

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t has brought professionals from all over the globe to its new digital platform, Anuga@home. Under the key theme “Transform”, more than 4,600 exhibitors from 97 countries presented a variety of products in 10 trade shows.

As always, Anuga has been the home of new trends of which international product innovations are of particular interest here.

In this context, the Anuga taste Innovation Show takes on a key function as a trend barometer for the global food business. Selected by a jury comprising of international trade journalists and market research analysts, the most important new products of Anuga are presented to the trade visitors and media representatives.

In total, over 418 companies applied to have their over 1,332 ideas included in the special event. The jury selected 67 products and concepts from among these, which convinced in terms of the idea, innovative power, sustainability and creative implementation – spanning across the different Anuga trade shows.

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In addition, ten products were also distinguished as being especially innovative.

The top ten innovations were: ◆ Dried salmon – Jerky Chips by Royal Nordic (Latvia) ◆ Ready to Eat – Beet Root Tots by Frostkrone (Germany) ◆ Aztek Lager by IMAG Organics (Mexico) ◆ THE COOLIVES by Aceitunas Torrent (Spain) ◆ 12 Scallops on Crispy Crackers by Escal (France) ◆ Frozen Pesto Drops by Il Pesto di Pra’ srl (Italy) ◆ Safran Sosse – Sugosi® I Prestigiosi by Surgital (Italy) ◆ Compostable Coffee Capsules by Café Sati (France) ◆ Lotao Green Jackfruit Veggie Balls by Lotao (Germany) ◆ Happy Veggies – Beetroobee by Finest Selection Kft. (Hungary) Winners are flagged on the following pages.

All of the new products were presented

in a special event at the show as well as on Anuga@home.

The innovations of Anuga 2021 are characterised by sustainability, health and convenience.

Plant-based products are an ongoing theme. The trend towards plant-based protein has recorded a big breakthrough in 2020. Various food and beverage companies are seeking to use plant-based ingredients as supplements or the main attraction of their new product developments.

Consumers are becoming more sensitive to sustainability and plant-based proteins are also becoming increasingly popular.

Foodstuffs that carry the product claim “purely plant-based” are particularly popular. Plant-based sources of protein include soya, peas, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. New products include whole grain chickpea crackers, protein balls, plant-based fish salad, a plant-based sauce made of fava beans or beetroot wraps.

Alternative meat proteins form a second main trend. Meat substitution is one of

the strong food trends of the future – and we are no longer just talking about veggie burgers or vegetarian meat substitution products.

The new alternatives range from laboratory meat or cell-based meat through to insects as consumer demand for a meatless diet and alternative products are constantly increasing. The new products at Anuga ranged ready-made meals with plantbased meat balls, through to plant-based chicken nuggets or sausages. Cell-based meat was presented at Anuga in the scope of the New Food Conference.

The third main trend topic of this year’s Anuga encompassed products with healthrelated additional benefits and natural ingredients without artificial colourings.

This is where clean label products come into play. Clean labelling provides the end user with information on the ingredients, origin, ethical factors and ecological factors. Here, the exhibitors presented for instance Turkish coffee with collagen, which combats the classic effects of coffee such as vascular constriction and wrinkles. Products containing kombucha are also trending,

The innovations of Anuga 2021 are characterised by sustainability, health and convenience.

with a variety of ranges from lemonades, teas, through to kombucha shots, which contribute towards healthy intestinal flora.

The subject of sustainability also remains topical. Here, products such as compostable coffee capsules, lemonade made from unusably sour grapes, through to paperbased cups were popular with visitors.

Unusual flavour profiles and ways of presenting products are not restricted to beverages – they were also be found in the frozen foods segment. Examples include spirulina dyed blue as an energy booster for athletes or purple-coloured chips.

The latest trends and potential future solutions were also be found at Anuga’s other special events and themed areas. These included the sections Dairy Alternatives, Meet more Meatless or Clean Label.

This year’s congress programme also provided insights into food transformations.

The New Food Conference discussed the opportunities of cell-based meats, the Nutrition X Innovation Summit addressed solutions for personalised diets and the ZNU Congress dealt with holistic approaches for sustainability. n

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ALPENHAIN FROZEN BAKED CAMEMBERT DONUTS FROZEN FOOD

WINNER

Piquant baked Camembert rings with a generous crispy breadcrumb coating. Alpenhain Baked Camembert Donuts made from fresh alpine milk.

No added flavour enhancers, preservatives or colourings. Vegetarian and without genetic engineering. Piquant baked Camembert rings made from fresh alpine milk with a generous crispy breadcrumb coating.

WINNER

BOCALICIOUS FROZEN FOOD

A sweet range of jars is a balance between a traditional chocolate recipe and more innovative recipes. The acidity of the citrus fruits is subtly nuanced by the slightly accidulated flavour of strawberry or mango.

The added texture in each jar of delicious handmade crumbles.

WINNER DR. MANNAH’S DAILY VEGAN DER CREMIGE DAIRY

NEW! Dr. Mannah’s Daily Vegan Der Cremige.

The vegan Camembert alternative based on cauliflower.

Der Cremige, is a melt-in-the-mouth product innovation, revolutionising bread toppings, delights when warmed in the oven as a tarte flambée topping and creates WOW moments on cheese platters. With cauliflower as the base, a completely new product category has been created that stands out from previous vegetable alternative products and, as a pioneer, paves the way for new ingredients.

WINNER EZEL TURKISH COFFEE WITH COLLAGEN HOT BEVERAGES

Ezel is a renowned producer of Turkish coffee for more than a century, providing high-quality Arabica type coffee. The packaging and production processes are approved for international quality standards. Aluminium pack. (packaging for export is negotiable).

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WINNER PROTEIN BALLS MIX FINE FOOD

WINNER

3 Protein Balls Mix. In a resealable and 100 % recyclable pack.

Plant Based – NON GMO - NATURAL INGREDIENTS.

GARDEN WRAPS WITH BEETROOT BREAD & BAKERY

Garden Wraps are enriched with vegetables, and the line includes both a wrap with beetroot and one with carrot.

The Garden Wraps with Beetroot contain pieces of beetroot and concentrated beetroot juice. The product is fully approved for the V-label, which is also shown on the labelling.

All breads are produced using 100% renewable and carbon neutral energy.

SMOOTHIE BOWLS CHILLED & FRESH FOOD

These Smoothie Bowls are made with fresh fruit and vegetables that are cold-pressed and preserved using HPP (high pressure processing).

They are perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack, the smoothie bowls come with a granola topping (gluten free). All raw and 100% fresh ingredients.

Gluten-Free | No Added Sugar | On-the-Go | Vegan

WINNER

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PLANT-BASED FISHLY SALAD ITALIANO FINE FOOD

WINNER

Vegan product.

Ingredients: Vegetables in various proportions 50 % (chickpeas, lentils, red paprika, dried tomato), pea protein 25%, rapeseed oil, water, salt, onion, garlic, white pepper, basil flavour, natural lemon flavouring, vinegar powder.

The product does not contain any ingredients made from genetically modified raw materials and does not contain allergens.

Ready to eat.

3D SNACK PRINTER ORGANIC

High biological value snacks, made of 100 % natural products, 3D printed.

WINNER

WINNER HAKUMA FOCUS GREEN TEA MATCHA CARTOCAN DRINKS

HAKUMA FOCUS ensures the right amount of concentration – with a refreshing combination of green tea matcha, mango, ginger and lemon.

HAKUMA works with full focus on a sustainable value chain. That is why an innovative CartoCan is used. The CartoCan, made of composite materials with a predominant proportion of cardboard, is ideally suited to save the planet many tons of CO2.

Iced Tea like you‘ve never experienced before.

WINNER BLACK TRUFFLE BUBBLES FINE FOOD

The truffle bubbles are spherifications of black truffle juice, covered with a natural membrane obtained from seaweed. Excellent taste of truffle, with caviar’s texture, colour and salinity.

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TOP 10 THE COOLIVES FINE FOOD

Aromatised olives with 8 different flavours: 6 with cherry, pineapple, coconut, garlic & paprika, black truffle and curry flavours.

There are also the traditional green and black olive flavours. Innovative packaging in a tin that is 100% sustainable. These olives are single-serving with no liquid or pit, ready to eat. Convenient packaging, together with the nutritional values of olives and low salt content, make THE COOLIVES a healthy snack.

TOP 10 AZTEC LAGER DRINKS

New, low-alcohol, Aztek Lager is a complex blend of both new variety hops and the noble variety Golding.

When used in combination the agave syrup & agave inulin in Aztek lager, works to bring clean and refreshing taste to what is typically a harder recipe to make taste great when low in alcohol. The agave enhances the body and mouthfeel while also delivering a slight sweetness to the final product attributes.

The beer has a ‘moreishness’ that is often missing in the no2low sector.

PAPERCUP

CHILLED & FRESH FOOD The PaperCup is an incredible innovation. It is 100% fully recyclable made from renewable materials FSC® certified paper. This allows replacing plastic with a completely paper waste recyclable product.

Customers have a comprehensive view of the product from the top transparent head-sealing film. The container is identified as a C/PAP 81 or PapPet (Paper + plastic) cup. The multilayered material preserves fresh olives packed brineless.

WINNER

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LOTAO GREEN JACKFRUIT VEGGIE BALLS ORGANIC

The tender “meat” balls made from jackfruit are a vegan and exotic variation on the crosscultural, rustic classic. Spicy fried, with toasted sesame, jackfruit and Far Eastern spices. The finely fibrous jackfruit balls are a firm-to-thebite, juicy taste experience. Also available as Jackfruit Burger and Rice Burger.

Healthy variety for your shelves!

TOP 10

WINNER B’MORE WATER WITH PLANT STEM CELLS DRINKS

Premium enriched shot-bottled water with plant stem cells that provide high nutritional value. Plant stem cell uniqueness is a high nutritional value in the small volume, which allows development of smart future beverages and food. Nordic Food is a pioneering company in the production of food with plant stem cells.

WINNER HEMP & GINGER BITES FINE FOOD

Hemp Protein Raw Fruit Bites are a mixture of hemp protein, ginger, cashew, desiccated coconut and dates.

No sugar added, no artificial colour or flavour, vegan, raw, gluten free, 100% plant based, non GMO, dairy free, excellent source of protein.

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GRACI MUESLI SWEET FRUIT&ROOT ORGANIC

WINNER

Graci Organic Overnight muesli‚ “Sweet Fruit&Root” is a scientifically tested product developed with the brain-gut relationship in mind, that involves direct and indirect pathways between cognitive and emotional centres in the brain with peripheral intestinal functions.

Clean your gut, empower your brain!

The product is rich in prebiotics, with no added sugar, vegan friendly and in 100% recyclable packaging!

WINNER VEGAN COMPLETE MASHED POTATOES FINE FOOD

For Engel, vegan is no marketing trend, but a healthy nutritional form, and so the creation of a vegan mash potato, which is gluten free and rich in protein: 100% delicious and nutritional-full.

Because service food is challenging, this vegan mash potato is instant, free of lumps and easy to make. It is stable for four hours in bain-marie and microwaveable.

TOP 10 SAFFRON SAUCE – SUGOSI® I PRESTIGIOSI FROZEN FOOD

A line of exquisite sauces, prepared from finest ingredients, I Prestigiosi offers you a sauce of the highest organoleptic quality and protected by careful deep-freezing.

GOOD GRAPES DRINKS

The world‘s grapest soft drink!

Good Grapes is made from Verjus, the refreshing, subtly sour juice of unripe grapes, which are cut from the vines before the actual harvest. This is done to achieve a better yield.

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FROZEN PESTO DROPS FROZEN FOOD

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Little drops of frozen pesto containing the unique aroma of scented Basil grown in the farming firm in Genova Pra‘ since 1827, together with an accurate selection of the other ingredients.

This packaging is the combination of the culinary Genoese tradition and the innovation of the frozen product, which mantains the organoleptic characteristics of Pesto and guarantees its goodness and freshness.

The Pesto drops (15g each) are suitable for all uses in two different sizes for Horeca & Retail.

TOP 10 BIO HAPPY VEGGIES VEGETABLE BAR BEETROOBEE FINE FOOD

ORGANIC Happy Veggies VEGETABLE BARS Beetroot – Beetroobee contain 100% natural ingredients. This is possible because the bars are made with nothing other than fruit and vegetables.

The bars contain no added sugar, syrup or other sweeteners, added flavouring, aromas or flavour enhancers.

No preservatives, nothing but beetroot and apple.

All bars are free from gluten and milk as well as being vegan friendly.

WINNER GIANNINIS BIO PIZZA VEGANA FROZEN FOOD

Organic stone oven pizza 29 cm with tomato sauce, Mediterranean oven vegetables and spicy vegan pizza topping made from cashew nuts and chilli. Handmade in Berlin with a 48h dough fermentation. Vegan.

WINNER TARTUFO DI PIZZO – PISTACHIO FROZEN FOOD

Pistachio ice cream filled with pistachio and coated with white chocolate powder. Pistachio gelato with a heart of pistachio.

Thanks to a rich recipe with premium ingredients, this product is characterised by the intensity in taste and aftertaste of pistachio.

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STAY STRONG PROTEIN MILK DAIRY

SHIITAKE MUSHROOM CHIPS FINE FOOD

Shiitake mushrooms are well known for their bursts of Umami.

These MushGarden Shiitake Mushroom Chips are cooked at low pressure and low temperatures to crispy perfection.

With enhanced savoury flavours while preserving the shiitake mushroom’s nutritional elements, mouthwatering flavour and wholesome ingredients.

The new high protein milk for those who strives for a healthy and active lifestyle.

With a lot of protein, little fat, vitamin D and lactose-free, Stay Strong protein milk has a full-bodied taste and can be used in a variety of ways.

Coming soon! Stay Strong‘s will soon be available as protein quark.

BBQ GRILLED PORK SAUSAGES ON WOOD EMBERS MEAT

Traditional Italian pork sausages, grilled on certified wood embers.

Slightly flavoured with natural spices.

Shelf life 120 days at 0 / +4°.

Minimum weight guaranteed 150 gr. No weight loss, as completely cooked.

Ready to eat.

The original BBQ flavour on real wood embers.

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RICELY – RICE FRUITS SMOOTHIE DRINKS

WINNER

Ricely is a vegan rice smoothie. It is 100% glutenfree. More creamy than a milkshake and very fruity.

Ingredient: water, 20% fruits, 8% rice, askorbinacid, salt.

Storage life: 1 year without cooling.

4 flavours: mango-mandarin, cherry-raspberry, ananas-bergamot, quince-mandarin.

WINNER

TOP 10 JERKY SLICES, SALMON SKIN CHIPS

MY COFFEE SPICE CACAO KISS

CHILLED & FRESH FOOD

FINE FOOD

Crispy Queen Harbour Chips are high in content of protein and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that makes this product preferred over regular chips. The unusual taste and texture are widely used by experienced chefs for cooking.

Made from high-quality chilled Atlantic salmon from Norway.

Convenient easy-open vacuum packaging allows maintaining of product freshness and taste, for a long time.

With delicate taste and unique smoked flavour of the Queen Harbour salmon.

For chocoholics and anyone else who can‘t get enough chocolate: Cacao Kiss turns coffee and hot drinks into a tantalisingly sweet experience.

Chunks of chocolate brittle with a delicate hint of caramel and vanilla give any kind of coffee an irresistible flavour of chocolate.

Can be freshly ground onto cappuccino, a flat white, a hot chocolate or desserts. High visual appeal.

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WINNER SOUL REFRESH DRINKS

Soul Refresh by Chiefs®, the lifestyle drink in Rise, Move, Glow and Calm varieties is a fruity refreshing drink with selected plant extracts and valuable vitamins and minerals. These four daily drinks ensure sufficient hydration. The calorie-free, noncarbonated drinks are available in Pineapple & Ginger, Strawberry & Aloe Vera, Apple & Mint and Mango & Guarana.

WINNER WHOLEGRAIN CRISPBREAD CHICKPEA “FALAFEL”

2B HEMP GIN DRINKS

A high quality gin made from organic wheat. By introducing the fruits of the multi-fruit drink 2B HAPPY (including apricot, pomegranate, lemon balm, ginger and real hemp powder) into the distillation process, 2B HEMP GIN convinces with the balanced and mild aroma of these fruits and the typical hemp note.

FINE FOOD

New Dr. Karg’s Wholegrain Crispbread Chickpea “Falafel” is inspired by the cuisines of the Levant region as well as the current chickpea trend. With black and white sesame and a colourful palette of spices, this creation will take you away to a world of delights straight from 1001 Nights.

Extra virgin olive oil rounds out the flavour and provides the typical airy bite. The Variety of the Year 2022 is vegan and a natural, plant-based source of protein.

Note: only available in Germany.

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DRIP COFFEE HOT BEVERAGES

Ground coffee from Costa Rica: Best beans, shade grown, handpicked, harvested and roasted in Costa Rica, simple brewing process, no equipment required.

El Gusto Gourmet Drip Coffee delivers a convenient and portable coffee experience with exceptional fragrance, aroma and flavour from the finest specialty-grade beans of amazing Costa Rica.

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BUCKWHEAT WHITE CHOCOLATE FINE FOOD

WINNER

Nature’s Own Factory handmade chocolate crafted using Bean-to-bar technology. It involves quality control of the whole chocolate manufacturing process: from choosing cocoa beans to the finished bar. The chocolate consists of high-quality cocoa beans grated on stone millstones with buckwheat tea from Nature’s Own Factory. Only high quality natural ingredients are used.

Creamy taste of white chocolate with cane sugar and biscuit notes of Tartary buckwheat.

WINNER VEGAN CHEESE – BAKED PROTEIN CHIPS BREAD & BAKERY

PROTEIN Pyramids are slowly baked crisps from cereals and vegetables with the addition of natural, nutritional yeast, which create a wonderful VEGAN CHEESE TASTE with a hint of green onion. Only natural and allergen-free ingredients and the addition of pea protein and sunflower oil.

Gluten-free, vegan, alergen-free ingredients.

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WINNER

OVOPLUS PASTEIS DE NATA BREAD & BAKERY

Typical Portuguese tart made with OvoPlus. This allows for a pastry with 50% less sugar, 30% less fat and 85% more protein than a traditional egg-custard tart, but with much more flavour and better quality. Heat for 8 mintues in oven.

Frozen product (5-month shelf date). Retail format: box with 4 items.

HORECA format: box with 36 items.

WINNER CAULIFLOWER WINGS WINNER

HERBAL TEA STICKS – ORGANIC COLLECTION

FROZEN FOOD

Apetit‘s deliciously crunchy Cauliflower and Broccoli wings will change people‘s preconceived notions about frozen vegetables. The wings will increase the average purchase of frozen vegetables through higher added value. These delicious vegetables are quick to prepare in the oven, airfryer or deep-fryer. Vegan, glutenfree and palm oil free. Nutri-Score A.

ORGANIC

A unique collection of teas on sticks, handmade, selected with the greatest care from the highest quality raw materials. The ingredients used in the production were obtained from natural resources and from an organic herbal garden. The herbs were collected at the optimal time of growth, so they contain the most active substances.

The teas are characterised by a pleasant, herbal taste and aroma.

The herbs were harvested according to the biodynamic calendar.

ZERONIG FINE FOOD

Principessa’s Zeronig is the vegan and sugar-free honey alternative.

On bread, in muesli, in pastries, for sweetening and baking or simply spooned pure: Zeronig is a sweet pleasure that tastes like honey but is not honey. In true Principessa quality, without palm oil, artificial colours or preservatives and of course free of gluten and lactose.

WINNER

AMMI HORSE MEAT BAR MEAT

Rich flavour protein bar made of premium quality horse meat, mixed with dried tomatoes and natural spices.

AMMI MEAT BARS use high-quality ingredients natural supplements rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, which enhance the useful qualities of the product and add a unique taste. Gluten-free product, high in protein, low in carbohydrates.

Storage: at room temperature.

WINNER October 2021

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JACK DANIEL’S SWEET & SPICY BBQ SAUCE FINE FOOD

For an extra “kick” try Sweet & Spicy Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce and add excitement to any meal or appetizer. This is blend of a little bit of heat and a little bit of sweet that delivers zip and zing but won’t overpower your palate.

WINNER

WINNER WINNER CHARDOLINI WHITE & ROSÉ DRINKS

DAIRY

The perfect alternative to wine to add a touch of sparkle to any occasion.

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HARD CHEESE TUBER – MEDITERRANEAN

supermarketnews.co.nz

A special kind of hard cheese is this is at least three months ripened cheese tuber. With its panade of tomatoes and basil, it is especially suitable for refining pasta, casseroles, risotto, or steamed vegetables.

Grated on warm dishes, it becomes creamy. DIE KÄSEMACHER, this hard cheese tuber is the regional answer to Parmesan.

WINNER LIQUID SPIRULINA WINNER SHREDDED DUCK CONFIT – SPECIAL BURGER

FINE FOOD

A patented manufacturing process, enables the production of spirulina in liquid form. The blue colour of our spirulina is due to the quality of extraction of the phycocyanine, the addition of active element of spirulina. The several ingredients to the liquid spirulina further increases the energy content of this product.

MEAT

Shredded duck meat for a premium burger that sets menus apart.

Delicious confit flavour, shredded texture for extra gourmet appeal.

A product made from 100% French fattened duck meat. Pre-cooked and shaped into discs: time-saving and easy to use. Frozen for longer storage. Perfect diameter for bread rolls.

COWFETTI DAIRY

Cowfetti Cheese is an unique colourful 50% fat idm cheese. It is a mild tasting cowmilk cheese with a touch of smoky aroma and a beautiful taste palette of chili, pepper, paprika, mustard and coriander.

One wheel is appr. 5 Kilo.

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MEEAT TIKKA MASALA MEAT

WINNER

Meeat Tikka Masala is a delicious plant-based sauce made from stomach friendly fermented fava bean. The sauce is gluten free and easy to prepare by heating it through.

WINNER

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COMPOSTABLE COFFEE CAPSULES AT HOME HOT BEVERAGES

SUPER SODA HEMP -QUINCE PASSION FRUIT DRINKS

True to the motto “Skip the Bullshit”, these sodas contain 100% natural ingredients. No artificial sweeteners, industrial sugar, stabilizers or acidity regulators.

All natural, low calories, no added sugar, vegan.

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Range of eight coffee capsules.

The capsules are compostable in less than six months at room temperature and made from 100% renewable materials. Zero waste when recycled in a domestic compost.

0% plastic, 0% aluminum, 100% biobased, limited carbon footprint, compostable capsule in the garden Capsules that can be composted at home, compatible with Nespresso machines (except for vertuo).

TOP 10 WINNER

“SPORT HONEY” WITH TAURINE AND CRANBERRIES FINE FOOD

READY TO EAT – BEET ROOT TOTS CHILLED & FRESH FOOD

Small and vegan with a vegetable mix of beetroot, potatoes, onions, apples, shallots and the slightly spicy flavour of horseradish, with a mild coating of millet, quinoa and linseed.

Ready to eat for immediate snacking or to enjoy warm after five minutes in the oven. Available in convenient pack sizes of 100g (approx. 12 pieces).

“Sport honey” is a new line of honey for a healthy diet. A functional honey product for people seeking to lead an active healthy lifestyle, an additional source of vitamins, micro- and macroelements. Created jointly with the Research Institute of Honey and Bee Products.

Honey is 100% assimilated by the body and is an excellent conductor for the maximum assimilation of all nutrients in the product. “Sport honey” with Taurine and Cranberries for weight control, improves energy and metabolic processes.

MEATLESS FARM READY MEALS FROZEN FOOD

Honest, craft made and full of flavour. 100% vegan made with fresh ingredients and meat substitutes of the highest quality. Each meal contains at least 200gr of vegetables and 50% of daily nutritional value. Flash frozen after cooking to preserve the flavour and nutritions.

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DEMI-LAPIN DÉCOUPÉ LAPIN & BIEN

MEAT

WINNER

Cut out half rabbit.

Rabbits fed with a non-GMO diet (<0.9 %) and in compliance with the Bleu-Blanc-Coeur approach (a brand recognised by the French and European authorities for its nutritional and environmental value) This is an innovative and totally new method of breeding: the rabbits are raised on the ground in wide pens with night areas and shelter to promote animal well-being.

WINNER

WINNER

WHOLEY AÇAÍ BOWL ORGANIC

Packed with the superfood from Brazil, Wholey Açaí Bowl adds a twist to the breakfast table. With a hint of creamy coconut, and ready in just 60 seconds.

All ingredients in Smoothie Bowls are 100% organic and all natural. They are flash-frozen and preserved without any additives or chemicals.

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VEGAN ORGANIC MOZZARELA BALL IN BRINE DAIRY

A vegan alternative to the classic mozzarella ball.

WINNER WINNER AL!VE CHOCOLATE DROPS FINE FOOD

AL!VE Chocolate drops is an innovative chocolate with a convenient shape, modern to go packaging (32 g) and superior taste. This is a functional chocolate with added vitamins and minerals which help to improve the immune system. peanut and nutty drops contain milk proteins and reduced sugar; energy drops is vegan – dark chocolate with enriched orange flavour and contains natural caffeine.

CUPCAKE PINEAPPLE-OATS FROZEN FOOD

Vegan sponge cake with pineapple cream flavoured with coconut.

A fresh, fruity cupcake with a tropical topping. Fluffy sponge cake with pineapple puree and walnuts, covered with an exotic, coconut-flavoured pineapple cream and pineapple preparation, decorated with coconut flakes.

COLOURFUL SWEET POTATO FRIES FROZEN FOOD

An amazing trio of yellow-freshed, red-freshed, and purple-freshed sweet potatoes that has a rich, creamy, and sweet flavour.

100% food colouring free.

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AÇAÍ TRIBE SORBET FROZEN FOOD

Açaí is a dark coloured fruit with an intense flavour, and an excellent nutritional composition, highlighting the great levels of anthocyanins and flavonoids, important antioxidants and omega.

Açaí Tribe Sorbet is prepared with 50% of fruit pulp, does not contain dyes, preservatives, dairy products and it is GMO free.

2B HAPPY HEMPDRINK DRINKS

Developed by Dr. Armin Breinl – gynecologist from Graz, this multi-fruit drink contains only natural ingredients – 61% fruit content (apple, hops, apricot, pomegranate, lemon balm, ginger) combined with real hemp powder and valuable vital substances such as L-tryptophan and spirulina algae provide not only a great taste experience but also regeneration and relaxation.

Completely without added sugar.

SAFFRON-PISTACHIO ICE CREAM DAIRY

Velvety and incredibly creamy, with the incomparable taste of saffron and pistachios. A premium class ice cream with subtle hints of piquant nuttiness and the unique aroma and taste of saffron.

BIO VIGO KOMBUCHA SHOTS ORGANIC

The brand-new approach to wellness shots: BIO VIGO Kombucha shots.

Good health comes from the gut flora and gut microbiota is at the core of the approach to these wellness shots.

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FISH-FREE STICKS FROZEN FOOD

These are the fish sticks you grew up with but improved. Made from plants, featuring a flaky whitefish texture with a light, crispy breading. A good source of plant-based protein and a convenient freezer friend for quick and easy meals.

Sized perfectly for little hands to dunk into ketchup, they make craveworthy grownup meals too – top with a cool slaw and wrap in warm tortillas for an easy fish taco fix.

PLANTON DOUBLE PLEASURE DESSERT DAIRY

A plant-based double layer dessert without added white sugar. Lactose free, casein free, gluten free with a clean and short label and low fat content.

This healthy treat comes in three different flavours, Almond & Caramel, Hazelnut & Chocolate and Coconut & Chocolate.

12 SCALLOPS IN CRISPY WAFER SHELL FROZEN FOOD

Serve these “mini” scallops on crispy wafer shell with finely tuned garlic-parsley cream as an appetiser or aperitif! Portioned as a single bite. The small crunchy morsels complement buffet and finger food catering.

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Supplying quality Italian smallgoods to New Zealand supermarkets, hospitality trade and delicatessen wholesalers.

Call us now for authentic quality Italian smallgoods.

Granarolo New Zealand Ltd

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337 High St, Boulcott, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand

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