August 2022 • Vol. 15 No. 09 $ 10.95 sales,merchandising &marketing (see page 12)
2 I supermarketnews.co.nz PUBLISHER Tania Walters GENERAL MANAGER Kieran Mitchell EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Mitchell EDITOR Caitlan Mitchell ADVERTISING SALES Felicity-Anne Flack, Caroline Boe SENIOR DESIGNER Raymund Sarmiento GRAPHIC DESIGNER Debby Wei 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 vibedrinks.co.nz 4 8 14 26 10 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 2022 4456 50
“Our customers want to be more sustainable while grocery shopping but are unsure about how to incorporate more eco-friendly changes into our normal shop – besides bringing a reusable bag.”
“While we’ve had a wellloved self-selection offering for several years, we knew it was the right time to look at bringing innovation and creativity to a part of the supermarket that offers the great value and environmentally conscious choices that we know our customers are looking for,” said Williams.“TheCareFillery builds on the basics of what self-selection is all about – getting exactly what you want and need, which means less food waste and less packaging and great value. As our customers balance value and environmental impact, our CareFillery is a great effortless way to incorporate sustainable
news REVAMPING THE BULK FOOD SHOPPER EXPERIENCE
“It’s a real sensory experience and we’re bringing that magical moment to a supermarket environment. Or if shoppers want to try a new flavour in their smoothie but aren’t sure what their next favourite is going to be-they can just select a small sample to “Combinationstry.are only limited to the customer’s imagination and preferences,” he said.
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The hubs feature curated collections of ingredients for teas and smoothies along with the usual bulk buy foods like nuts, confectionery, and snacks.
The New World supermarket chain has launched a new refilling system to update the traditional self-serve bulk foods shopping experience.
Called CareFillery, the bulk food ‘hubs’ are being rolled out in stores across the North Island, starting with New World Pukekohe and New World New Plymouth.Category manager grocery at Foodstuffs North Island, Sally Williams, said they have been designed and researched “to reflect the changing needs of today’s more health and environmentally conscious New Zealanders.”Shecitedresearch showing that 69 percent of Kiwis are looking to reduce how much food they waste, and 67 percent agree they want to reduce their packaging waste.
habits into their everyday lives.”
The CareFillery was created in partnership with ProLife Foods, the suppliers behind Alison’s Pantry.ProLife’s self-selection marketing manager Aaron Begbie says selecting a good quality tea is now about so much more than picking a box off the shelf.
THANBETTERFREERANGE
as natural as possible and sustainably improves soil health. Pasture farming produces eggs that are bursting with flavour and nutrients. So, with eggs that look and taste great, it is easy to see why Olliff Farm stands out from the crowds.
She’s Not Like Other Hens
This regenerative farming method, alongside a multi-species approach, is
Their chickens are housed in stateof-the-art, solar-powered, moveable coops. Relocated onto a fresh pasture every few days provides a variety of nutrient-rich grounds for the girls to roam and forage - plenty of bugs, seeds and greens. The coops are also incredibly clean and healthy. Manure passes through purpose-built mesh floors on the inside, so there is no internal build-up, and the land is naturally fertilised.
Olliff Farm Premium Pasture Eggs. Taste the difference.
PASTUREPREMIUMFARMING
They’re not like the other egg farms. Olliff Farm cares for their land and their girls because, in their hearts, they know pasture farming creates better eggs. While the SPCA recommend up to 2500 birds per hectare of land, Olliff Farm operates well underneath this with only 250 birds per hectare. Olliff Farm manage micro-flocks with between 400-500 birds in “moveable coops,” whereas other farms often house over 5,000 birds in “fixed barns.” Their chooks are happy, stress-free and are always on healthy pastures.
They say you shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken, and Olliff Farm, located just North of Auckland, wholeheartedly agree - especially when it comes to egg farming. They are bringing back the wholesome, delicious experience of a ‘backyard egg’ through groundbreaking farming methods.
As pioneers of pasture farming in New Zealand, Olliff Farm has won numerous prestigious awards and lays claim to a zero-carbon footprint. Their hens are an integral part of farm biodiversity.OlliffFarm is an open book all the time because transparency is of the utmost importance. With nothing to hide, they are proud to have their operations visible and accessible to the public 24/7. Their chooks don’t have stage fright!
To find out more about stocking, retailing, or buying their eggs, contact Olliff Farm through their website www.ollifffarm.co.nz. You can follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram and view their full farming story on TVNZ on demand: Country Calendar – episode 6 2022.
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onthecover
August 2022 I 5
PHOTO CREDIT: SAM BRATTON
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The Asia-Pacific Region saw the most growth in the Global Convenience industry, according to NACS Global Report.Europe saw general decreases across most countries but growth in category sales for paper products, non-alcoholic beverages, pet food and health and beauty aids.
Click to read more
Southern Cross, in conjunction with research partner Kantar (formerly Colmar Brunton), has spoken to more than 5,000 New Zealanders since 2019 to inform the biennial study, which shines a light on the nation’s physical, mental, and social health andAccordingwellbeing.to the latest results, budgetary stresses are affecting New Zealanders in a variety of ways, from changing how they purchase food and prepare meals to impacting their sleep and exercise patterns. n
Click to read more
While New Zealand was not included in the report, nine of the 13 growth countries were from the Asia-Pacific region.
FOODSTUFFS EXTEND PRICE ROLLBACK
China saw wereSaltysalesincreaseTheretailunderperformedconveniencefoodtechnology,developmentssignificantinconvenienceincludingdigitalisation,serviceande-commerce.InNorthAmerica,Canadianstoredollarscomparedtootherchannels,down0.8percent.UnitedStates,however,sawanof2.3percent.Cigarettedecreasedinbothcountries.snacksandediblegroceriesbothtrendingitems. n
"We estimated this initiative would save customers about $500k each week, so its been fantastic to see the actual savings come in at over double that," said Chris Quin, Foodstuffs NZ Managing Director.PAK'nSAVE, New World and Four Square stores will continue the rollback initiative, which takes prices back to 2021 levels. n
The current economic uncertainty is affecting more than New Zealanders’ pockets, according to the latest Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report, with the cost-of-living crisis directly impacting both physical and mental wellbeing.
Click to read more COST OF LIVING TAKES TOLL ON KIWI’S WELLBEING
The Foodstuffs Price Rollback initiative took place in May this year, reducing select grocery items by ten percent. Since the initiative began, New Zealanders have averaged nearly $1 million a week in savings and purchased a total of 25 million rollback products.
The United Kingdom forecourt and fuel industry saw sales thrive. Food items purchased within the
sector now account for one in five pounds spent on grocery products.
GLOBAL CONVENIENCE REPORT
Click to read more
The Kiwi brewing industry has just celebrated the 2022 New Zealand Beer Awards. Christchurch brewery, Three Boys, took the top spot as Champion Exhibitor. Garage Project won New Zealands Best Beer with Chance, Luck andOtherMagic.awards for the evening included Awards for Beer Media, Sustainability in Brewing, the Packaging Award and Beer Tourism which was recieved by Wellington
Culinary Events Trust's Beervana.Thenewest trophy, No & Reduced Alcohol, proved to be quite popular for its first year with 29 entries. The winner being Behemoth Brewing Company's Low Hanging Fruit - Blood Orange and Passionfruit Edition.TheBrewers Guild saw a total of 828 beers entered across 119 different style classes. n
Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy, has put together its annual Brand Finance Food 100 Report.Nestle once again gets the top spot in the top 100 most valuable food brands, with a value of US$20.8 billion. Nestle credits
Following in second place, with a value up ten percent from last year, is Chinese brand Yili at US$10.6 billion. The brand reported a growth in sales of cheese, powdered milk and bottled water. Lay's brand value increased by 31 percent at US$8.6 billion, which put them in third Hershey'splace.takes out the top spot for the strongest food brand, with a Brand Strength Index score of 89.8. Following them are Quaker, Doritos, Cheetos and Ruffles - all of which are AmericanGrowingnames.bands are also of interest in the report. Belvita is the world's fastest-growing brand, with an increase of 62 percent. The convenience of their breakfast biscuits proved incredibly popular in a fast-paced world.
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BRANDVALUABLEWORLD’SREMAINSMOSTFOOD
NEW ZEALAND’S 2022 BEER WINNERS
their decentralised structure for the ability to respond to global challenges and consumer needs, which has contributed to the brand value growth.
NESTLE
MOLLY WOPPYTURNS
Kiwi cookie makers Molly Woppy turned 20 this August. They have been baking up a storm and handcrafting delicious cookies crammed full of premium, locally sourced and ethical ingredients over the last two decades and are incredibly proud of their journey.
ounders Alistair Parker and Hayley Molloy are passionate about creating good honest food that brings people joy, and they want everyone to fall in Love at First Bite® with every mouthful of a Molly Woppy cookie. Over the last two decades, Molly Woppy has grown into a loved and trusted kiwi brand. From melt-in-your-mouth shortbread to their iconic gingerbread, they are known for simple classic recipes.TheMolly Woppy Artisan range has a wide selection of ontrend flavours that appeal to a wide variety of consumers. They have always been an inclusive brand, recognising the need to cater to those often left out of the biscuit market and back in 2005, their much-loved glutenfree cookies were introduced. The recently released, awardwinning, positively plant-based cookies were launched in 2021 to rave reviews and are fast becoming a favourite. Their gourmet Pantry Pack
range doesn’t disappoint either - they are the perfect bite sized morsels for indulging and sharing and offers consumers a wide assortment of delicious flavours and Consumerstextures.recognize the Molly Woppy brand as one they can trust, and it’s not hard to spot Molly Woppy on the shelf. The Molly Woppy packaging is fun, bright and colourful representing the brand perfectly. “Our packaging is easy to stack, perfect for shelves, creates impact, and most importantly, keeps our cookies fresh. We like to be as sustainable as we can whilst not compromising the quality of our product,” said Hayley“ShoppersMolloy.are looking for locally made premium products that they can trust. The appetite to shop local has never been stronger than right now,” said Hayley Molloy. “We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved in the last 20 years and are excited about the future. Watch this space.”
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The New Zealand Health Survey 2018/2019 found that approximately one in nine children (aged two to 14) were obese, with an over-representation in Māori and Pacific“Today’scommunities.consumers are looking for products like VIBE that support their emotional, indulgent, and physical health
THE TEAM AT VIBE
VIBE, a company bringing delicious sugar-free drinks to schools and other outlets, has entered into an exciting partnership with Diabetes NZ.
VIBE was born from a conversation about
needs, ranging from relaxation to hydration. They want less sugar – no question. But they also don’t want to sacrifice taste,” said Crooks.VIBE concentrates on the quality of its natural flavours, which are made from New Zealand
Diabetes NZ is looking forward to extending the messaging about good nutrition in partnership with VIBE.
Stef ooks suppliernews
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eather Verry, Diabetes NZ CEO, welcomes VIBE to the organisation’s elite group of Champion Sponsors. ‘It’s a very positive move toward increasing awareness of the importance of reducing consumption of sugar in “Limitingbeverages.sugarintake is pivotal to improving health outcomes in our community, reducing the risk of obesity, type two diabetes, and ultimately the longterm complications that can develop later in life.”“We’re delighted to be working with Diabetes NZ. I have type two diabetes myself, so it’s important to me that all the ingredients used have been signed off by Diabetes NZ,” said Stefan Crooks, Managing Director of VIBE.
“That’s why there’s no plastic used on VIBE products. Our clear can design and branding highlights the aluminium-can packaging and encourages recycling.”
VIBE IS DIABETES NZ’S NEWEST CHAMPION SPONSOR
As VIBE is now available at schools across New Zealand, “it allows for strong opportunities to educate school principals on the importance of nutrition intervention, as they have the power to influence children’s knowledge and behaviour,” said Verry.
“Consumersingredients.arenot only demanding functional drinks that don’t compromise on taste, they’re also looking for companies that adhere to a sustainable ethos.
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improving the products their existing school food supply business offered. ‘VIBE was created to provide a great-tasting alternative to sugary drinks – one that allows kids to enjoy a carbonated drink full of flavour but with zero sugar.’
vibedrinks.co.nz
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he future is now, and it is a successful omnichannel, so when a customer sees a product online, it must be just as accessible in-store. The colours, sounds, and smells of physical advertising and merchandising need to line up with those on the website or social media. It is delivering an experience that the customer does not realise was tailored just for them, because a good shelf position can also lead to a new click. Here are some of the current sales, marketing and merchandising trends to help get ahead: Cross-selling: Locating complimentary products together on the shelf means having the corn chips and the salsa next to one another because customers want to purchase them together they just haven’t realised yet. Online, it can mean suggesting other products ‘customers also bought’ or ‘frequently bought together’ at the checkout. Phygital Technology: It sounds like a combination of physical and digital because that is exactly what it is. Bringing digital experiences to the physical one. It could be providing a tablet for customers to
While the pandemic put foot traffic on a temporary decline and eCommerce at the forefront, it is more important than ever for businesses to utilise sales, marketing and merchandising techniques.
browse online while in-store, having digital marketing displayed on screens, or utilising self-checkouts and hand-held scanners while browsing.
Being SMArt
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AI Technology: Artificial intelligence can be helpful across all areas of a business, through an online customer service bot or a physical sampling robot. Not only is there a novelty aspect when customers interact with such technology, but it can also save on human resources.
Sustainability: Sustainable practices are no longer just for product packaging or production. Every aspect of a brand can strive to be sustainable. Are carbon emissions being offset, can promotional material be recycled, can packaging be returned, or are product displays environmentally interactive?
In-store displays: Within grocery, sampling is the most common method of in-store displays, but with the rise of social media, they can always do more. Memorable displays that are worth taking a picture of and sharing online can build greater interest. An instagrammable stall, a mascot salesperson, or even using a robot. n on the Shelf
Paragon MultiPlex Ltd
MTN&fM[ keepin' NZ Fresh! --lOOYEARS-- ® (Mestemacher) -the. h�fi(fe.-l'J� To seek a little information on our serv ices or simply to have a talk and compare what you have with what you would like and what we can offer, simply call Phillip on +64 27 432 0349 or email him at Phillip@paragon-multiplex.co.nz
If you were to partner with us we can offer you real-time
insights into retail activity at shelf level, excellent relationships right across the grocery sector right up to senior management level. We constantly survey activity reporting on success and failures alike with these reports being shared with you on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
can offer you real-time insights into retail activity at shelf level, excellent relationships right across the grocery sector right up to senior management level. We constantly survey activity reporting on success and failures alike with these reports being shared with you on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Never more have these particular attributes been called for or valued than they are in today's rapidly changing grocery landscape. We know what works
One gains considerable experience and builds robust relationships when working within New Zealand's highly concentrated and competitive grocery industry over 35+ years as a distributor and outsourced sales force. Experience and industry insights shouldn't be taken lightly. Our team at Paragon MultiPlex certainly don't and the successful brand building that we have been involved with over this time is testament to the values that we place on these attributes.
One gains considerable experience and builds robust relationships when working within New Zealand’s highly concentrated and competitive grocery industry over 35+ years as a distributor and outsourced sales force. Experience and industry insights shouldn’t be taken lightly. Our team at Paragon MultiPlex certainly don’t and the successful brand building that we have been involved with over this time is testament to the values that we place on these attributes.
Contact us on 03 354 4065, emailSales@paragon-multiplex.co.nzorcontactPhillipviaPhiiIip@paragon-multiplexco.nz,0274320349.
Paragon MultiPlex Ltd are a privately owned company offering a wide range of services within the narrow supermarket and independent grocery sectors.
Never more have these particular attributes been called for or valued than they are in today’s rapidly changing grocery landscape. We know what works and how to deliver results. We are not afraid to ask the hard questions, either
and how to deliver results. We are not afraid to ask the hard questions, either at the retail level or further up the chain, or of our suppliers. If this sounds a little uncompromising then ask yourself, are you happy with your market penetration? Do you know what your category managers are looking for? Do you know how to deliver what they are looking for? Are your relationships robust enough to have the hard conversations with all parties? The Paragon MultiPlex team can say yes to all of this and what's more we can point to successes to support our proposition.
If you are finding it tough to build your brand, are unhappy with your current sales regime, or simply want some assistance, reach out and give us a call.
at the retail level or further up the chain, or of our suppliers. If this sounds a little uncompromising then ask yourself, are you happy with your market penetration? Do you know what your category managers are looking for? Do you know how to deliver what they are looking for? Are your relationships robust enough to have the hard conversations with all parties? The Paragon MultiPlex team can say yes to all of this and what’s more we can point to successes to support ourWeproposition.don’tjust look to the past but also embrace the future and have conducted some ground breaking promotions resulting in definite sales increases. If you were to partner with us we
Total Sales and Marketing Solutions
If you are finding it tough to build your brand, are unhappy with your current sales regime, or simply want some assistance, reach out and give us a call.
Contact us on 03 354 4065, email Sales@paragon-multiplex. co.nz or contact Phillip 027PhilIip@paragon-multiplexco.nz,via4320349.
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From breakfast cereal to snacks, beauty products to RTD’s, dairy to pet food, you’re hard pressed to find a category the business hasn’t worked on.
IGNITING BRANDS FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS
mini-mart given the number of brands on Onfire’s books.
“We pride ourselves on being able to apply the right measure of creativity wherever it is needed. It’s the process we love, not necessarily the category. That’s why you see such an eclectic range of clients. As well as FMCG, Onfire works with designled companies in manufacturing, lifestyle brands and agriculture – as they say, variety is the spice of life,” said Sam - and it’s hard to disagree when you see the range and quality of work being produced by this expressive outfit on the North Shore.
H
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owever, the challenges faced in the beginning set Onfire up to become one of New Zealand’s hottest design and branding agencies.“Things were a little different back then,” said Onfire MD Sam Allan. “We were in Birkenhead above a barber shop – I had more hair in those days, so that was handy. Seriously though, we really had to scrap for every client and every piece of work – and that work ethic instilled itself in our DNA. On top of being an incredibly talented team, everyone here at Onfire puts in the hardToday,yards.”visiting its office in Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a
Sam Allan, Founder of Onfire Design
It’s easy to start a fire on a dry day in the middle of summer. But Onfire Design was founded at the onset of the GFC – in other words, it was pouring with rain in a southerly buster!
REFRESHING AN ICONIC KIWI BRAND
Deep South ventured north to Onfire. Featuring refreshed livery, new packaging maintains provenance and pride in the South Island with a stylised representation of the region’s iconic mountains. Split into premium and mainstream offerings, the new ranges help broaden appeal across different price point.
WHO SAYS FIRE AND ICE DON’T MIX
IGNITING A BRAND FROM THE GROUND UP
Redefining what a ready-to-drink cocktail can deliver in terms of quality, ingredients and pure flavour, Finery as a brand speaks to the new spirit among consumers, those looking for an alternative to the mainstream. It also appealed to the judges at the Good Design Awards who described the packaging as “visually beautiful.”
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Looking for change, Hubbards came to Onfire to reinvigorate its range of breakfast foods. The team took this opportunity to turn Hubbards brand language up to the max. Out went the soft, earthy colour palette of its predecessor and in came a bold, bright and confident approach–without losing the all-important “Yum” factor.
Utilising its forest origins, Onfire Design went to work bringing the Talbot Forest story to life. The outcome is a fresh, bold design that embraces Talbot Forest’s roots and story but does so with a contemporary vibrant look that sparks curiosity and attention – a real game changer for the brand and for the category.
To ignite your brand, call 09 480 2036 or 021 608 204, visit their website www.weareonfire.co.nz. Or just pay Onfire a visit at the beach!
INSPIRATION FROM THEIR OWN BACKYARD
A Kiwi snacking staple since the ’70s, Snak Logs were getting lost amongst the growing ‘energy’ category – with more modern offerings presenting cleaner and bolder product propositions. Onfire focused on amplifying the existing proposition of ‘Nature’s power pack’. The small but mighty product range now literally shouts on-shelf.
While many of these projects have either won or are in the running to win major design awards, Sam said it’s great to get peer recognition but that’s not his motivation...“Look,we’ve won awards in the USA, Germany, China, Australia and the UK and been ranked 8th in the Top 50 most creative agencies judged by the World Brand Design Society. But it’s doing commercially successful work that gets us out of bed every morning. The team lives and breathes it. To be honest, I have
Getting the branding and package design right is vital to success.
complete faith in the design team lead by Creative Director Matt Grantham. Both Matt and I learnt the ropes in the UK at its peak and we’ve been building here in Auckland for 15 years. Now we’re finally seeing clients make a shift away from older agencies to more nimble teams like Onfire that offer better returns.”
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If successful brands are some the most valuable of commercial assets, it stands to reason that they should set themselves apart in a crowded marketplace, communicate credibility and instil trust.
“At Onfire, we take all the values and features that make up an identity and translate them into visual elements that clients and their customers love. It’s more than packaging – it’s all about communication and storytelling that can also carry across media.”
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RAISING THE BAR
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MAKING MERCHANDISING SUSTAINABLE
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It makes no sense for multiple cars to turn up to multiple stores on a daily or even weekly basis. The unproductive use of time and resources is not sustainable.
he risk for brands and agencies is high! Getting lost in the system, the risk of not knowing if the product is on shelf and being de-listed without being able to take any initiative.Brands, agencies and surprisingly stores need help identifying low/out of stock occurrences on shelf on a daily basis and then efficiently directing the resources to find the stock and replenish the shelves.
Inztore believes the most sustainable solution is a shared workforce and a truly independent digital platform that is used to schedule the shared workforce to complete the day to day merchandising requirements in the most sustainable way possible.
The trial has been successful and we are now working with Foodstuffs South Island to encourage the next round of stores to join the program and help create a more sustainable industry.
With the support of Foodstuffs South Island and the wonderful staff at New World Rangiora, Inztore has completed a 3 month trial using New World in store staff and the Inztore platform to provide brands, their agencies and the store immediate access to the status of the products on shelf.
We would love you to join us at Inztore. com to reduce out of stock, reduce your costs, increase visibility and help play your part in making merchandising sustainable. Contact Kelsey Maclean from Inztore to learn more at kelsey@inztore.com or phone +64 0273305018.”
The merchandising industry is changing with a push from large stores moving merchandising in house. This is great for sustainability but not great for brands and agencies due to the lack of product visibility.
ACHIEVERMERCHANDISING
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At Achiever Merchandising, General Manager Peter Erceg believes that a solid marketing mix is at the crux of success in a brand and product life cycle. He recognises that clients invest huge amounts into the advertising and development of brands, and merchandising is a pivotal component of this. Products need to be full on the shelf and in displays, if not, consumers will look at other brands.
o achieve this, Merchandisers can be in key stores up to seven days a week as they are motivated to strive for the achievement of 100 percent of their KPIs. They maximise stock pressure and prioritise real-time reporting, allowing clients to see data and results as they happen. “In the competitive world we live in today, businesses need to be nimble and quick-thinking. It’s about getting timely, actionable data related to client demands without waiting.”
For further information please contact Achiever 09 638 9277, Peter Erceg 021 224 7051 or email info@achiever.net.nz
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As an active, dedicated and hands-on manager, Erceg combines his corporate approach with a managerial ability to deliver without delay. Achiever prides itself on adaptability and response times, adjusting their approach and strategy as per client directives. “Achiever is also available as a lifeline for other unforeseen shortfalls and provides merchandising solutions to any problem because the show must go on in the FMCG
Withinarena.”theindustry, Achiever is heartened to see movement in the direction and spirit of the code of conduct - including mutually respecting staff health and wellbeing. “We all strive for the common good, which is to provide services to stock supermarket shelves. Merchandisers feeling supported and safe in their place of work matters. Positivity goes a long way.” With the current climate in human resources, no one can afford any untoward deterrents abating staff efforts. The team in the field is what matters most, and Erceg is immensely proud of his team, “a shout out
as always to our team of Trojans who remain steadfast.”Whenit comes to looking forward, the festive season always means keeping a good sense of direction and maintaining both hands on the wheel. Even though Achiever remains busy year-round, they are uninfluenced by macro forces, whether it be lockdowns or holiday celebrations, keeping everyone busy. Erceg would also be happy to see an abundance of motivated applicants looking for work in the industry soon.
Achiever has been providing merchandising solutions for 26 years, the staff on the front line are richly experienced in dealing with premium supermarket products. Merchandisers can be in key stores up to seven days a week as they are motivated to strive for 100 percent PKI achievement. With longterm relationships across health and beauty, frozen, chilled and general merchandise, they always have eyes and ears in store. A commitment to have ‘both feet on the ground’ means Achiever wants brands to get out there and generate as much consumer interest as possible for repeat sales. n
ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT FIELD REPRESENTATION MERCHANDISING RELAY EXECUTION
NZ enjoys a long client tenurepartners benefit from working alongside their team by leveraging the depth of resources, experience and capability. Let them drive your business forward, delivering what you need when you need it so you can quickly overcome the challenges of today and be prepared to better achieve the goals of tomorrow.
They integrate clients' plans into operations while striving to consistently deliver to the highest execution standard on every call, every day. They provide concise, frequent transparency over performance through reporting, so customers know they are getting great value by seeing sales opportunities realised every time. They meet the changing demands of clients by engaging all levels of a business’s team. Strikeforce then leverages its extensive geographical reach and talent depth to achieve a business's financial and strategic goals.“One of the questions we are asked by clients enquiring about our services is; how
do you outsource without compromising the focus on brands and execution standards? This is where Strikeforce are different to many. We are a true agency model, meaning we only represent your brands and not our own, resulting in a consistent, unbiased approach to what we do. Our approach is based on aligning values, direction, and working methods. We opt to work with partners where a clear synergy and unequivocal alignment of goals is evident – simply put, a genuine partnership. In an ever-changing environment with evolving geo-political, economic and health dynamics to navigate, today’s Go To Market strategy could look quite different tomorrow. More clients are demanding our kind of flexibility and consistent delivery,” commented Hamish Wright, General Manager.Strikeforce
As a Trans-Tasman business, the place of Strikeforce in the New Zealand FMCG SMA landscape is entrenched. They operate across various professional services, including demand planning, category insights and experiential and digital brand marketing. However, Strikeforce NZ remains focussed on its core business of continuing to build on its reputation as a best-in-class Agency. While outsourcing field teams can sometimes mean working with a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ agency, Strikeforce partners choose them for proven results.
THE TIDE IS CHANGING… HOW YOU CAN DO MORE, FOR LESS
August 2022 I 19
Start with an obligation free chat today – Call Hamish on 021 512 355 or email hamish@strikeforcenz.co.nz
Need to grow your sales?
LET'S
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TALK +64 9 600 1450 enquiries@strikeforcenz.co.nz
Hamish Wright, General Manager, Strikeforce
Level 3E/6 Kingdon Street, Newmarket, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
just becoming an option to consider, it could soon be the norm in the industry.
hether it’s sky-rocketing supply chain costs, an over-budget payroll or the challenges of maintaining headcount requirements in the tightest labour market in decades, there’s little doubt that suppliers to the supermarket channel are increasingly searching for better. For the most cost-effective way to service the market, outsourcing your Go To Market team is not
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HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY HOW TO PROTECT PROFIT AND DEVELOP A CLEAR ACTION PLAN FOR CHALLENGING TIMES
With the constant news around price inflation, cost increases and challenging retail environments, it’s tempting to close your eyes and hope that it’s all a bit of a beat-up and goes away quickly. Unfortunately, hope is not a strategy for navigating times like this and now is when you’ll see businesses that have been sailing too close to the wind fall over. The focus is now on profitability instead of top-line growth, and while taking a price increase is the first and most obvious way to help maintain profit margins, it’s a short-term solution to a longer-term situation.
Work with your finance team to dig into the numbers and get clear on where you make the most money by channel and retailer. Each retailer and channel have a different role to play in your business, and you should be clear on whether they are a grow, maintain or harvest channel. Making sure you have a balanced mix of retailers helps protect you against unexpected deletions and changes in buying behaviour. Although volumes can be lower outside the supermarket, you may find margins are good and it offers a way to do higher margin bulk lines to improve operational efficiencies and manage COGS.
By Janine Chamley, Pitchfork
f you want to develop a clear action plan, there are a few key areas to dig into right now.
“I
Rank your products across four key metrics – dollar sales, dollar profit, percent margin and unit/ store/ week. There can be hidden heroes with poor sales but high USW hiding in your range, and a
GET ALL OVER YOUR NUMBERS - INSIDE AND OUT
While changing packaging can take time, it’s worth making sure consumers understand the value proposition and what makes your brand worth buying. If your pack size is larger than a competitor (with a higher RRP) you could highlight a ‘better value’ offer on pack with a simple sticker. Helping consumers understand “500g = 50 serves” is an easy way for them to justify paying a higher price or consider turning your RRP into a ‘price per consumption’ measure - and then compare it against others. Nespresso are a world-class example of this by linking barista-style takeaway coffee costs in consumers mind against the cost per serve. Its an expensive home-made coffee, but a perceived huge saving vs takeout café coffee.
Go deep on your promotional program and make sure they’re delivering the volume and profit uplift to cover the cost. Consumers are changing how they shop, so look at the type of promo as well as your pack price architecture to ensure you’re encouraging them to purchase products that deliver good sales and profitability, for both you and the retailer.
PROTECT YOUR CORE RANGE AND BRAND HEALTH
distribution push can deliver good sales, quickly. If a product is not moving, then it's tying up capital, hindering cash flow and may either need to be deleted or sold through another channel.
By taking the time to dig into your numbers, understanding how consumers are changing their behaviour and working out what you need to do to get your core range firing strongly, you can develop a clear action plan to protect your profits and give your business the best chance of success in the challenging times ahead.”
Get instore and watch how consumers are shopping your categories. Are you seeing people spend more time looking at the different products on the shelf, or are they reaching for familiar favourites to treat themselves?
Get instore and watch how consumers are shopping your categories. Are you seeing people spend more time looking at the different products on the shelf, or are they reaching for familiar favourites to treat themselves? The sticker shock of rapid price changes is causing many consumers to rethink their purchasing, and now is the
Now is the time to make sure you’ve got your sales teams focused on maximising distribution, driving sales for top-sellers, and filling any gaps on the shelf. Make your brand the natural alternative for retailers and consumers if competitors exit the category.
UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR CUSTOMER’S SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR IS CHANGING
While NPD can be exciting, it takes significant time and resource for development, sell in, and advertising to drive customer awareness. If you need to bring new news into your category, consider resizing current products as part of your pack-price architecture planning, and reflect the fact that consumers are actively looking for better value-offers instore right now. Make it easy for them to stay with your brand rather than giving them an opportunity to switch.
While it’s tempting to slash marketing investment, keeping your brand top of mind, and retaining loyal customers provides protection not only for your brand's goodwill, but also for tough price discussions and category reviews. Focus on reminding consumers of the positive attributes of your product and why they should choose you when they’re shopping the grocery aisles.
best time to highlight the benefits that make your product worth buying.
August 2022 I 21
as much, if not more focus on brand development than ever before.”Trilford commented that the industry as a whole is perhaps coming out of a rather messy chapter and onto the next. With confusion around Regulatory and Political examination, changes in operating models and more streamlined sales systems, there is always something to overcome. “The crew here at Surge really relish the opportunity to not only be part of this new industry chapter, but enjoy being agile enough to react, support and create very real business development strategies for all clients and customers on a partnership basis.”
“Perhaps it is true that some of the mainstream ‘marketing’ activities such as TV, Radio and Magazines have reduced for more agile targeted ones, but from what we see, there is
Surge SMC was one of the earliest adopters of a full inclusion operating platform at all levels of the companywhich is something they are particularly proud of achieving.
22 I supermarketnews.co.nz
SURGE SMC
is highly rewarding and gratifying for both them and us. It'sMarketingfun." is such a broad definition for what Surge SMC do, but most confident brand owners are putting more effort into ‘marketing’ than ever before - targeted social media,confidence,communications,specialised‘beneficialcommunity’affiliations,customer-focusedcollaborationsandotheractivitiesarewhatleadtobuildingcredibility
urge SMC prides itself on total immersion and relevance to the industry. "Everything is shifting within a very volatile and change-orientated market, so understanding where each of our partners is in their journey is critical to ensure they and we remain relevant," said Tony Trilford, Managing Director. But it's not just about being relevant in current market conditions, it is about being strong contributors in the future too. He noted that there had been so much going on within the industry in the last few years where change was the only constant. With change comes opportunity, so being immersed and agile can produce great outcomes for the future.
and strength to brands in a measurable manner.
S
In an industry with so much competition, customers now more than ever look for confidence and value in their purchase decisions. Developing loyalty in strong brands takes dedication. n
TonyTrilford
"It was a huge undertaking and took many years to execute effectively, but we arewithpartnershipslevels."industrymultipleinsightsreportingwithprovideknowconfidentlythatweclientsthebestandacrossCurrentthecompanymoreinclusive than ever. The services are far more specialised, and it is no longer just a merchandising company. "The success our clients achieve by utilising our expertise in areas that aren't necessarily within their core competencies
sales,merchandising&marketing
They have staff equipped from the ground up with all the tools necessary to ensure fully integrated data collection and a suite of functions for clients and customers in real-time.
August 2019 I 29 For superior supermarket representation & strategic account management contact: Brian Phillimore 0274 419 050 brian@cha.co.nz or Richard Clulee 0275 435 323 richard@cha.co.nz. Web: cha.co.nz Frustrated?Ifyoursupermarketrepresentationleavesyoufrustratedwithbrokenpromisesandlacklustreperformance,trysomethingbrandnew.
THE STATS DON’T LIE...
• In 2021, 71 percent of Black Friday / Cyber Monday purchases were made from mobile devices, compared to 29 percent on desktops. That’s a four percent increase for mobile-based shopping (vs 2020).
• According to Klayvio data Q1 2022, on average, eCommerce brands are seeing sign-up rates of 2.5 percent for text communications and clickthrough rates of over 8.33 percent on their integrated SMS campaigns.
sales,merchandising&marketing
24 I supermarketnews.co.nz
By Fiona Kerr, Group Brand and Customer Experience Director, VAPO
• Shop Pay is now trusted by over 100 million
Mobile or SMS marketing is the practice of sending marketing messages via the medium of text message. Forbes reports that Mobile Commerce in the US is set to grow 68 percent (from $666 billion to $845 billion) by 2022 as more people shop on their phones. Which is interesting because SMS has been around for almost two decades but has only recently been seen as a reputable communication channel. Ironically, brands already communicate frequently with customers in a transactional manner sending text and SMS messages
MOBILE MARKETING IS FAST BECOMING A PREFERRED COMMUNICATION CHANNEL I got a text!
regarding delivery info, order completion confirmation, etc, so why not include marketing promotional activity communications into the mix.
Not surprisingly, the time that consumers spend looking at their phones has increased over the last few years. Recent studies suggest that we are spending (on average) 30 percent more time on our mobile devices since 2018checking our phones up to 150+ times a day, with screen time averaging around 4+ hours per day. As a result, RetailDive.com reports that “the average human attention span has fallen from 12 seconds to eight seconds.”
“F or marketers, this shrinking attention span of consumers is a real challenge in the age of multiple content sources and myriad engagement options. How do we capture a slice of this teeny tiny attention pie and make sure we are driving revenue?
IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL,MEDIUM HERE ARE SOME DO’S AND DONT’S:
• Compliance/legalities - for compliance, always ensure you are aligning with regional guidelines, legal restrictions and best practices such as TCPA, CTIA, GDPR and CASL. In New Zealand, you will need consumers to specifically opt-in to receive text message communications and
• Part of the whole for best practice - don’t silo your SMS marketing, it should form a part of your websitemessagesonecommunicationsintegratedplan.Nowantstogetthesameacrosstext,email,in-messageservice, and Messenger, etc. Make sure your automated message systems talk to each other and that you aren’t piling on duplicate communications or discounts •unnecessarily.Clearand purpose driven messaging - text messages max out at 160 characters so ensure your messages are punchy and relevant. Give customers a clear and immediate next step such as “Tap to see more” or “Click to buy” to promote conversion. Don’t wait for your competitors to gain ground, start putting your SMS strategy in place today to accelerate the path to purchase, encourage impulse buying and foster stronger customer relationships.
This is the most powerful sh*t I’ve seen since early email.
- Gary Vaynerchuk
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING TEXT IN YOUR MARKETING?
• Real time communications - text messages are instant, providing opportunities for LTO’s and taping into FOMO
• High open rates - Yotpo estimates that the average open rate for SMS campaigns is 98 percent. And while eDM open rates differ vastly between industries, Campaign Monitor places the global email open rate benchmark at 21.5 percent (22.5 percent for APAC).
allow for easy opt-out functionality.
• High engagement - this isn’t a one-way communication channel. Text allows your customers to converse with you on a more personal and reciprocal level. Yotpo reports that over 50 percent of consumers are interested in being able to text with their favourite brand and build a more personalised experience (if it benefited them).
August 2022 I 25 Proudly brought to you by Oriental Merchant (NZ) Ltd Your Asian Food Specialist Contact T: 0800 10 33 05 E: nzenquiries @oriental.com.au
behaviour. Klayvio estimates that approximately 90 percent of people open a text within 3 minutes of receiving it.
shoppers globally, delivering a four times faster checkout experience and an 11 percent higher conversion, with up to 85 percent of users becoming repeat buyers.
• Segment your offers - Yotpo reports that over 60 percent of consumers are more likely to make a purchase if the text message they receive is personalised for them, so make sure that you aren’t blasting out offers that aren’t targeted to those high-value, engaged consumers.
WIN WITH KML! LET'S TALK • KML has been successful with most Foodstuffs North Island CPT negotiations for its Brand Owners. • KML has a large team of highly engaged, experienced National Account Managers. • KML has a large team of senior Field Sales Managers, Territory Managers and Merchandisers. • KML has highly effective planning and analytical tools. • KML achieves results! We are keen to discuss your business needs and answer any questions you may have. Contact us NOW. Phone 021 580 159 Unit 3, Building 1, 4 Orbit Drive, Rosedale, North Shore City 0632
NORTH
NEGOTIATIONS
DEVELOPING TOOLS TO INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY
In today’s super competitive Supermarket industry, KML has developed some important tools to help monitor Nielsen results and identify opportunities using its customised Power BI analytical tool. It has also taken some publically available platforms such as iPhone/Apple Notes and Trello to help maximise planning to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
For more information about how to raise your in-store profile and get into more shoppers’ trolleys, contact John Timms on 021 580 159 or John.Timms@kml.net.nzemail n
has completed seven of these negotiations where its Brand Owner’s position has been improved vs. before these negotiations.
top of the NZ Grocery supplier industry. It has a very talented and motivated team of Territory Managers, Merchandisers, Sales Representatives and office staff. That’s why they continue to deliver great results for their Brand Owners year after year.
26 I supermarketnews.co.nz sales,merchandising&marketing
THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A MOTIVATED TEAM
KML is a company that has 86 percent employee engagement which puts it in the
W
FOODSTUFFS ISLAND CPT
ith COVID meaning staff numbers are down, difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff, supply chain disruptions, and increasing supply chain costs, the Foodstuffs North Island CPT negotiations represent a big bright light of opportunity in these challenging times. KML
VALUED BY CUSTOMERS
Different sales channels have different needs and brand success relies on understanding the customer and consumer needs.
• Optimised organisational structure.
D
o you want to accelerate your brand’s growth in the New Zealand grocery and foodservice channels? It may be time to review your route to market in the ever evolving retail landscape. Acton International Marketing (Acton) is a leading New Zealand sales and marketing agent that delivers yearon-year growth and specialises in building long term partnerships with brand owners.
WE DELIVER GROWTH
Come and talk to the Acton team at any time about your brands, we are participants in a fabulous industry that we care about deeply and we will always enjoy a discussion with likeminded people. We may not do business together but we can certainly build a link between our businesses to the industry we work
Benefits of moving to a Full Service Distributor or Brokerage model
TAILORED SERVICES TO YOUR NEEDS
Acton will tailor its services to best support your business growth, from merchandising services and brokerage, to a full service distributor based on your specific business needs. There is no one size fits all solution when it comes to your brand. It takes careful
discussion and planning to understand the right routes to market that delivers the greatest success and value to your business.
• Greater focus on core strengths.
• Leveraging Acton’s customer relationships.
Acton takes pride in the success it has achieved for itself and its brand owners. In partnership with our brand owners we have again and again demonstrated the ability to take brands from launch to market leader in their respective categories. And while we recognise and respect our past successes, we are continuously adapting our business to remain best in class.
productivity and sales results while providing up to the minute reporting on brand activation plans.
Strong partnerships that deliver year-onyear growth are the core of our business. Ray Thomas founded Acton over 40 years ago and many of the relationships he established then still endure today. We value the stability long term partnership provides to all parties and the confidence it gives to invest in brand growth.
August 2022 I 27
PARTNERSHIPS THAT DELIVER LONG TERM GROWTH
The first step in brand growth is the ranging and support of our customers. Retail and foodservice customers highly value Acton’s sales, marketing and merchandising teams in supporting their sales targets and margin expectations.Wehavestrong key account management for each of the major retailer groups as well as dedicated key account management for foodservice, industrial and Asian/ independent grocery. Our Key Account Managers are supported on the ground by a field sales team of 14 Territory Managers and over 70 Merchandisers. All our field sales team members are equipped with real time CRM technology that optimises field sales
• Business simplification.
CONTACT US TODAY!
PARTNERS IN GROWTH!
Gavin Siegel, Business Development Manager, 021 875912, gavin@acton.co.nz or Simon Gordon, General Manager, 0275 500 243, simon@acton.co.nz or visit www.acton.co.nz” n
Contactin.
Get touch today by contacting Janine Bickerton, General Manager
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This is a brand that is serious and assertive
toheadmoreFor marxdesign.co.nz +64janine@marxdesign.co.nz21934295
Stand out, get noticed.
used for the bold brand mark to stand out on crowded shelves. Ink-blue was used for the playful illustrations as a nod to homemade signs and a tie-in to the parent brand Kōkako. It is a visual play that is almost a form of activism, straddling FMCG packing into a campaign.Thecharacter illustrations represent a crosssection of New Zealand’s rich cultural diversity with small details that reveal themselves upon closer inspection and create a smile of the mind. In keeping with a coffee that is for everybody, the language is clear and easily understood with taste descriptors such as ‘a bit chocolatey’ and ‘a bit biscuity’.
Would you like to take market share, excite your sales team, improve distribution and delight your customers with award-winning packaging?
in
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A
fter 20 years of leading the way on all things ethical and environmental in specialty coffee, Kōkako Organic Coffee Roasters wanted to take their offering to the everyday consumer in-store –the retail segment needed an ethical shakeup. To separate it from their café offering, this coffee range needed a new name and identity. It needed to speak to a conscious consumer and look good in the kitchen, as well as retain a connection to its Kōkako Roasters credentials.Everybird was born with a nod to the flora and fauna Kōkako strives to protect and the social inclusivity they strive for. This coffee is for everyone – Fairtrade, organic, climate neutral, and compostable packaging… not to mention top quality, specialty coffee. With so many important messages to convey and a busy, competitive category, how do you make sure they’re all heard? Their approach was to make a hero of the messages and the broad demographic of New Zealanders that support them.High contrast white and vibrant colour was
about what it stands for, but neatly packaged up in friendly and approachable manner – full of charm and personality that attracts and holds attention. Gaining entry to the market is tough for new brands, particularly in wellestablished categories. It has often been said that establishing a clear point of difference is key, however, it goes beyond that. It is about having an idea to hang off that sits at the heart of the brand and helps avoid being just another pretty pack. This means being brave in design and willing to take a different direction. When it’s done well, it sets the brand up to grow.These Beans are one to watch with a healthy up-take in supermarkets across New Zealand.
WAKE PEOPLEUP
yourOptimisefield performanceteam’sSpecialisedplatform for field teamsLearn more at www.opmetrix.com CRM
CRM
Opmetrix CRM is the intuitive high productivity platform, designed for field sales reps and merchandisers. Simply sell more with Opmetrix. Quick to learn and easy to use, Opmetrix's digital, real-time reporting keeps everyone in the loop resulting in a more connected sales team. Enable productivity gains in the field and create more time to sell Streamline your customers end to end experience Intuitive app design for reps to easily pick up and start using Highly configurable platform to meet all FMCG requirements A scalable field solution that provides relevant real time data to drive business growth.
The catalyst of the retail media evolution can be credited to five driving forces.
What we all know to be true is the customer has changed.
They are in control like never before. In control of the media they consumer, brands they engage with, and the products they buy (and when and how). This change hasn’t happened overnight but has been solidified
THE FIRST OF THE FIVE DRIVING FORCES IS CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR.
• Over 30 percent of customers are now omnichannel shoppers, meaning they shop both online and instore
• 61 percent of online shoppers now research online and buy in-store within four days
The closer those relationship become, the
through the past 12 months of the pandemic.
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Well New Customer Behaviour means there's a need for new ecommerce and digital offerings.Retailmedia networks are investing in their ecommerce and digital capabilities, servicing customers no matter where or how they shop.
sales,merchandising&marketing
By Cartology NZ
So what?
• Over three quarters of shoppers have changed the way they shop for groceries
By combining the data on their online stores, with the intimacy of bricks and mortar shopping, they’ve been able to form a closer relationship with their customers.
THE FIVE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE RISE OF RETAIL MEDIA
“I
The game has changed and the old playbook doesn’t apply. We are in a world of disruption and transformation.
Other than making toilet paper a three-ply commodity, the pandemic accelerated the growth of digital and ecommerce.
n a Nutshell - and an organic one at that, they’re pretty simple. The pandemic changed customer behaviour which has accelerated growth of digital and ecommerce. But this growth is on a collision course with the new privacy laws which will soon come into play. That means to grow in the new digital era, marketers must find new ways to be relevant. They need a solution which can provide ROI andNow,trust.let’s look at those forces in detail, the evolution they demand, and how to meet that demand.
When supermarket retailers use data, people are engaging with brands they have a long relationship with. These items are family favourites, they are not products.
With government regulation coming into effect and third-party cookies set to disappear, first party data is going to be more valuable than ever.
Whenmediaitwas announced that third-party cookie tracking would be phased out, many marketers became concerned about the effectiveness of their ad spends and how they could accurately identify & reach their target audience. As they began to evaluate new channels for gathering robust customer data, many have started turning to retail media.
With no visibility over their audience,
more we understand and adapt to their needs. So if more people are headed online, then what does privacy and the cookie apocalypse mean for marketers?
So what?
THIS QUESTION BRINGS US TO FORCE TWO – AND FORCE TWO IS OF COURSE – PRIVACY.
August 2022 I 31
marketers will have to move from precision targeting to context based targeting, which, let’s be honest, can only go so deep.
Customers are tired of their data being used inappropriately.Youknowhow it is, browse a pair of sports shoes on the way home from work and then they follow you around for what feels like a lifetime.Luckily for consumers, when it comes to IOS tracking permissions, the cookies are about to crumble. While Google has pushed the end date back, now is the time to start making the shift as a marketer.
For retail media networks like Cartology, preparing for life post privacy laws comes down to maintaining a fine balance between leveraging loyalty data and respecting our customers' privacy.
If the third force wasn’t already the holy grail for marketers, it is now.
continue to page 24.
So how do you get the precision of third party data without cookies? The answer is retail
Well if you want guaranteed ROI, you need accountability, reliability, visibility and of course just-make-it-happen-ability.
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I’M TALKING ABOUT ROI.
They also offer zero-waste media targeting. When people enter a grocery supermarket, they are primed to purchase.
So, for example, when someone sees their favourite brand of beer battered fries on a digital display, they don’t see an ad, they see advice.Unlike traditional advertising, retail media placements aren’t barriers.
Increasing budget pressure, and accountability means marketers must have a true understanding of the impact they can make across all platforms. There’s also increasing pressure to practice more efficient and effective marketing.
sales,merchandising&marketing
Like a live stream into your marketing funnel, closed loop reporting provides marketers with end-to-end transparency and clarity.Unlike other media buys which only tell you click through rates and engagement, retail media networks can tell you results and figures from awareness right through to every single sale.
So what?
continue from page 23.
Unlike other media buys which only tell you click through rates and engagement, retail media networks can tell you results and figures from awareness right through to every single sale.
We’d much rather underclaim the impact and build trust, then over state our significance.Inotherwords, you can bank on our numbers.”
So how do you know who to trust?
THE FINAL DRIVING FORCE IS TRUST.
But what are these promises without trust you might ask?
The need for relevancy will never go out ofAsdate.amatter of fact, customer expectation for relevant content, in the right context has grown.Curated news feeds, retailer recommended buys, Spotify playlists, Netflix suggestions - customers expect brands to know them inside and out.
We just want to help them in ways that genuinely assist them while they are shopping.Customers know this.
With re-targeting, consumers are seeing ads that reflect their interests and search history.
When it comes to media, accountability and performance are paramount.
August 2022 I 33
Well, when relevancy becomes a vital currency, you need to be able to target customers in the moments that matter. You don’t want fragmented communications. Ads should add value, not get in the way.
When they enter a supermarket, they give up more mental availability, giving brands the ability to win the moment, and be there when they really do want to hear from them.With omnichannel, retail media provides marketing and contextual advertising like noAdvertisingother. which creates and sustains as much impact as possible and is key to building brand salience.
So what?
That trust also extends to the work that retail media networks do with brands and marketers.Theyoffer on-platform media. As a 100 percent brand safe environment, Retail Media Networks only count sales and customers who are in their rewards program. We don’t need to inflate our importance with metrics such as foot traffic.
THE FOURTH FORCE IS –RELEVANCY.
Trust, much like reputation, has never been more valuable. It can’t be built overnight. It can’t be bought.
A unique and memorable customer experience is something brands can look forward to the most when using a robot in-store. At restaurants that currently employ BellaBot, customers are coming in specifically to meet it.
"We have reports that customers are requesting to be served by robots, interact with them and ask what nights they are working. This obviously has drawn in more customers as word spreads in the community," said Maile.
Compared to a human worker, when a robot is employed, there is no worry about hourly wages or wage increases with an affordable daily lease fee instead. Robots do not need allocated break times; with a battery life spanning from 12 to 24 hours, they can interact with customers on the shop floor day and night. Sampling or cleaning wouldn't need to be limited to daylight hours, it could target some of the early risers or night owls in store. No external factors rely on a robot, meaning there is no sick leave or uncertainty around staff showing up for a shift. Once a robot has been programmed, it is as easy as turning its power on and leaving it to roam theGaisles.Robotics vision for supermarkets is almost a reality as Bellabot awaits its instore debut.
sales,merchandising&marketing
Robot employees are slowly making their way into the New Zealand Market. With multiple restaurants across the nation already employing BellaBot, the team at G robotics supermarketsencouragestobenext.
B
"All businesses that employ our robots are extremely happy," said William Maile from G DesignedRobotics.to operate on flat surfaces, it was as though the robots were destined for supermarkets that already cater to a highway of shopping trolleys. But brands don't have to worry about causing a scene in busy aisles, as the robots use dual laser and visual navigation systems to detect obstacles.BellaBot in particular, is ideal for in-store sampling. Standing at 1.29 metres tall, it features four levels of storage trays that can hold up to ten kilograms each - plenty of room for product. The range of facial expressions makes customer interactions
A robot that is set to land on Kiwi shores mid-September will make another great option for supermarkets. The autonomous cleaning robot is one that can be left to its own devices to sweep, vacuum, scrub and mop. Exploring aisles while identifying and managing any mess, it can reach every corner of the supermarket floor. The cleaning bot is up to the job with both manual and automatic modes.
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WHY ROBOTS?NOT
with BellaBot feel more real, and the touch for feedback button provides a two-way experience.TheKettyBot is another great option for in-store sampling. While it provides slightly less product storage space, it is a marketing expert on wheels. It features a centred advertisement display that allows the promotion of digital media campaigns while interacting with customers.
ellaBot is the newest design from Pudu, featuring superior humanto-robot interaction capabilities, laser spatial awareness and smart facial expressions. BellaBot, alongside PuduBot, HolaBot and KettyBot, want to make a mark on the supermarket floor - rest assured, it is not one you will have to scrub off. There is a robot to do that too.
To get a complete overview of the technical background, the potential business benefits, and the practical implementation of these scores, the team at Raygun has put together a comprehensive guide to Core Web Vitals for business leaders, which you can download for free.That’s enough technical information for one day. If you have follow-up questions or want to hear about a topic that’s a little more exciting, I do take requests. Fire your questions or ideas straight to my inbox at jd@raygun. com or reach out on Twitter: @traskjd.”
habits that you can pick up to minimise lags and interruptions.
RETAIL DECODED
HOW DO I TAKE ACTION?
The bad news is that if you’re a shopping site, it might be particularly difficult to do well on customer experience. This category tends to heavily feature images, videos, links to social media, and embedded third-party content, which can easily slow things down.
Passing these standards is challenging for even the most successful global businesses. But they’re also critical as user expectations rise and attention spans get shorter.
The first thing you need to do is work out where you’re starting from. After all, your scores might already be pretty good! You can use PageSpeed Insights, a free tool from Google, to instantly see the performance of your site. This will also give you a list of opportunities which you can work through to optimise your scores. Some of these are pretty technical and require a bit of effort and expertise, but some are as easy as changing the file format of your images. Even just grabbing those low-hanging fruit can make a difference.
It’s not easy to say what makes a good website. People have had different opinions over the years —after all, your definition of quality depends on who you are and what you’re trying to achieve. In the world of development, we’ve often focused on basic page speed, meaning the time it takes to load every component of a webpage, down to the fine print in the footer that nobody sees. However, we’re now starting to pay more attention to how fast and useful a page feels to the person on the other end.
Well, first of all, this isn’t limited to Kiwi brands; in March, an assessment of 1.8 million prominent URLs found that only 38 percent were passing all three of Google’s criteria. In fact, a larger and more complex business doesn’t necessarily have an advantage, because they’re likely to have more functions and dependencies on their websites. So, while a user can do more, the extra features also slow everything down.
The good news is that there’s a range of good
So in 2021, Google introduced three criteria (the Core Web Vitals) to measure if your website is fast, stable, and responsive enough to give your visitors a good digital experience. If you want to get into the technical details, you can read all about them here. These are intended to assess the webpage from the perspective of the person trying to access, explore, and interact with a site. Google now uses these criteria to help determine where you land in search results, but that’s not all. They also have a big influence on customer behaviour. A good score can improve your search ranking and also moneymaking website metrics like bounce rate and conversion rate. Better scores are better business.So,it’s a bit of a surprise that most of NZ’s biggest e-commerce sites — including The Warehouse and Countdown — don’t pass Google’s threshold for good experience.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT REALLY?
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column
By John-Daniel Trask, Co-Founder/CEO, Raygun
“Google’s digital experience assessment measures the quality of any site from the customer’s perspective.
WHY AREN’T THE MAJOR BRANDS PASSING?
Scoring highly on customer experience pays off in two distinct ways. As I said, performing well helps you show up early and often in Google search results. But these criteria also just help you to understand how decent your website is and show a clear pathway for delivering a faster-feeling, high-performing site that attracts and delights customers. If you ignore these scores, you’re effectively leaving money on the table — and your competitors are only too happy to scoop it up.
From there, you’ll need other tools to diagnose, test, and monitor your customer experience scores on an ongoing basis. Google recommends a workflow that uses PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, and a Real User Monitoring (RUM) tool. Learn more about testing with Lighthouse here, and detection and monitoring with RUM here.
HOW DO WE MEASURE A “GOOD” WEBSITE?
Entries Delivery Dates 24 August 2022 Ambient 31 August 2022 Frozen 7 September 2022 Fresh/Chilled 19 October 2022 Supreme Winner Announced 11 May - 23 August 2022 Entries Open 21 September 2022 Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards Announced Artisan Awards New Zealand
Follow along as the we
discover new products and innovation across New Zealand.
For over a decade the New Zealand Artisan Awards has provided a platform for emerging and established artisan producers to showcase their latest creations.
ENTER NOW! Click here
MR P’S PACKAGING CHANGE
These delicious drinks come in four different flavours - Cola, Lemon-Lime, Lemon and Orange. Available now in selected The Warehouse, SuperValue, Fresh Choice, New World, and PAK’nSAVE stores.
Green is sweetened with Stevia but contains no nasties. This means there is no aspartame, no preservatives and no phosphoric acid. Each soda variety uses natural flavours. There is real fruit juice in the Lemon and Orange sodas and caffeine from green coffee beans in the Cola soda.
Contact sarah@greenroombrands.com or call 027 447 2033 to join the GREEN side, and offer a healthier soft drink to your customers.
The three delicate sparkling flavours are; Organic White Tea and Mānuka, Organic Blue Spirulina and Pōhutukawa and the newest edition, Organic Pink Ginger, Rose and Wildflower. Jun is the perfect alternative to alcoholic drinks. Its subtle sweetness and gentle ferment mean it's sure to delight anytime. Available in 750ml and 300ml. Shipping Nationwide overnight.Formore information, call Source Botanics 0800 7672275 or email Hello@sourcebotanics.co.nz
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Meet Green, the sugar-free, natural, carbonated soft drink. It was made for the conscious consumer, those who seek a great-tasting soft drink without the guilt.
REFRESHING GREEN GOODNESS
“We can’t wait to see Kiwis popping open their favourite Pringles can with the new and improved seal while still enjoying the classic Mr P flavours,” said Robert Saunders, Kellogg’s New Zealand Marketing Manager.Thesmall pack may have a new look on the outside, but it doesn’t change what’s on the inside of every Pringles 53g can: perfect crunch and insanely accurate flavours that consumers love.
ORGANIC PINK GINGER ROSE AND WILDFLOWER SPARKLING 750ML
The change comes as Mr P’s team look for new ways to reduce plastic waste and create more sustainable packaging across all of their products. It will remove four tonnes of plastic waste annually in New Zealand and reduce the plastic on each Pringles can by 48 percent.
The iconic stackable snack connoisseur Mr P has announced a change in packaging within the Pringles range. The 53g varieties will no longer have the plastic cap and will instead be replaced by a foil seal.
Rich in naturally occurring organic acids and probiotics, they use Honey from around Aotearoa, organic white and green tea, and Tibetan living cultures to brew the Jun.
Source Botanics' Jun is often referred to as the champagne of kombucha, using New Zealand honey to aid the natural fermentation process rather than sugar.
THE CHAMPAGNE OF KOMBUCHA
Cinderella has been adding a little magic to Kiwi kitchens since 1956. Three generations on, Cinderella is still serving up scrumptious snacks and beautiful baking with quality ingredients. Introducing new soft and juicy Cinderella Figs, the latest delicious addition to the Cinderella dried fruits and snacking range. Say goodbye to seasonal availability and enjoy the taste of figs all year round. Perfect for snacking, in green salads or baking.
Iceland’s century-old secret to healthy living has landed in NZ. Tipped as the new “superfood”, Ísey Skyr is a remarkable dairy product that is rich in protein, naturally low in fat and deliciously smooth & creamy.
This month, Kiwi confectionery brand RJ’s has added two new products – Fabulicious Raspberry Sherbert Crunch and family-bag Fruit Tingles to the fast-growing Fabulicious family.
Ísey Skyr is available now in six delicious and unique flavours – Baked Apple, Creme Brulee, Strawberry, Blueberry, Vanilla and Natural.
NEW DAIRY FROM A TIMELESS TRADITION
A traditional favourite of Icelanders, Ísey Skyr is now being produced in Taranaki for the New Zealand and Australian markets, using the original Icelandic recipe that dates back 1,100 years. Ísey Skyr is the only skyr in New Zealand and the world that contains original Icelandic skyr cultures. The recipe contains three to four times more milk (skimmed milk) than typical yoghurt.
Isey Skyr is available now in the chiller at selected New World, PAK’nSAVE, Four Square and Fresh Choice supermarkets. For more information visit www.iseyskyr.co.nz or contact Surge SMC on 0800 949 333.
SOFT, SWEET AND JUICY
Available now at all leading retailers.
August 2022 I 39
FABULICIOUS FLAVOURS
These new releases follow hot-on-the-tails of the Fabulicious Grape Sherbert Crunch and the family-bag Fruit Pastilles released in May, with RJ’s now bringing a total of 4 products to market under the Fabulicious brand this year alone. It signals bigger and better things coming to the locally-run brand, with its iconic lolly factory in Levin.
Say hello to the new Fabulicious Raspberry Sherbert Crunch! With RJ's famous sherbet fizz centre with delicious crunchy bits, encased in a soft raspberry candy chew, is sure to delight tastebuds.
Also check out RJ's Fabulicious Fruit Tingles with Lifesavers. Fizzy flavours of raspberry, orange, lemon and lime in every pack.
Available to order now via the Foodstuffs Exchange or Direct via: orders@aladybutcher.co.nz
Their sauces are made with local, hand-picked peppers and have no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Their branding is inspired by religious iconography and tarot cards, as each bottle and its contents is a work of art. Their choice to move away from hot sauces’ typical hyper-masculine branding featuring skulls, flames and pain has helped them tap into a different market that is 70 percent female. A market segment largely ignored by their competition. This unique packaging has won a design and packaging award and generated a large amount of interest on social media.
Find out more about Apostle in the Sauces section.
With less than 85 calories per serve, the better-for-you Pea Crisps are baked, not fried, and have a 4.5 or 5 Health StarTheRating.delicious plant-based crips, made in New Zealand, are also gluten & GMO free and don’t contain any added MSG, artificial colours or flavours, or palm oil.
Sustainability is an important aspect of Apostle’s business. They offer a bottle return system that works in partnership with a number of their stockists nationwide for customers to return their used vessels to be sanitised and reused.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOT SAUCE
With bold flavours ranging from Sea Salt & Balsamic, to Dill & Pickle, Garlic Aioli, Sriracha & Lightly Salted, Something to Crow About Pea Crisps are putting the ‘zing’ into surprising – we dare you to try.
The six vibrant sauce flavours and icons from Apostle Hot Sauce are Judas Iscariot - Spicy Smoked Barbecue, Saint Phillip - Roasted Capsicum & Chilli, Saint Peter - Kiwifruit & Kawakawa Verde, Saint Matthew - Chocolate & Manuka Smoked Chipotle, Saint John - Mango, Turmeric & Ginger and Saint Andrew - Szechuan, Blueberry & Habanero.
A LADY BUTCHER
Apostle offers a unique range of handmade, natural hot sauces. With a range of six flavours, these sauces have a milder spice with complex and original flavour combinations. Apostle’s goal is to compliment a meal rather than overwhelm it with heat.
THE FULL OF SURPRISES SNACKS!
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Snacking has never been this adventurous! Get the taste buds ready for some surprising and delightful flavours with the new and innovative Pea Crisp range from Something to Crow About.
New to delicatessens across the country, A Lady Butcher’s made and raised New Zealand Charcuterie is now retail ready. Committed to making charcuterie out of the finest ingredients that the country has to offer, the meats are traditionally cured, like the meats from Europe, but with local ingredients. Southland Lamb, Hawkes Bay Wagyu, and Northland Free Range Pork sourced directly from the farm, then cured with Organic Marlborough Sea Salt and a selection of spices from Central Otago. It’s dried to perfection in their cave-like chamber, then packed and sent directly from our Mt Eden location. The premium addition to your deli; the charcuterie is perfect for year-round entertaining, cooking, or snacking. Dry-cured New Zealand meats that taste great while championing the quality of this beautiful country called home. Purposeful meat for purposeful people.
Silk is set to revolutionise the baby wipes and toiletries category with its fresh new look and innovation. Silk’s modernised packaging with distinctive cute animals will improve brand recognition. The strengthening of on pack claims such as ‘99 percent water with a hint of fruit extract’ and ‘biodegradable*, plastic free, plant based’ will also reassure Mums and Dads that we have shown they’ve made the right purchase decision.
Cinderella has been adding a little magic to Kiwi kitchens since 1956. Three generations on, Cinderella is still serving up scrumptious snacks and beautiful baking with quality ingredients. Introducing Cinderella Strawberries, the newest addition to the Cinderella Fruit Jerky family. Kiwis can now enjoy the taste of summer all year round. Deliciously chewy, and perfect for on-the-go snacking, in lunchboxes or on breakfast chia pudding and granola.
Customers can choose from two delicious options – Slow Cooked Wagyu Beef Cheek and Slow Cooked Venison Ragu with Free Farmed Bacon. Both options are gluten free and feature selected cuts of ethically raised meat with no added hormones.
*According to independent testing under controlled aerobic composting conditions. Rate of degradation in landfill may vary.
August 2022 I 41
First Light has created the ultimate convenience food – with no compromise on quality or taste.
DINNERTIME MADE EASY
An extensive media campaign will assist with getting parents up to speed with the relaunch.
NEWEST ADDITION TO THE CINDERELLA FRUIT JERKY FAMILY
First Light has done all the hard work, so all you need to do is reheat and serve with freshly cooked pasta, mash, polenta, buns or steamedEndlesslyrice.versatile, outrageously delicious!
**Free from parabens, phthalates, silicones and sulfates
A premium addition to the pre-cooked category – First Light is proud to introduce their new range of Heat & Eat meals. Featuring 100 percent grass-fed Wagyu beef and farm raised venison, each meal is lovingly slow cooked for 12 hours, making them meltingly tender and full of flavour.
SILK BABY PRODUCTS HAVE HAD A REFRESH
The Silk wipes range is a leading wipes brand which includes Silk Ultimate®, Silk Water Wipes, Silk Fragrance Free and Fragranced Wipes so there’s solutions for any budget.
Silk toiletries - Baby Oil, Body Wash and two in one Shampoo now contain no nasties** removing purchase barriers for parents.
*iOWN based on a Peugeot Partner. MSRP $45,990, iOWN from $160+GST ($183.51 inclusive GST), 48 month term, 30,000km allowance, 8.95% p.a. fixed interest rate, $136 establishment fee, $7.39 PPSR fee, optional final payment of $20,235.60 to keep the car, total loan repayments, $58,421.07. Responsible lending criteria and T&Cs apply. Peugeot Expert *MSRP $56,990, iOWN from $195+GST ($223.79 inclusive GST), 48 Month term, 30,000km allowance, 8.95% p.a. fixed interest rate, $136 establishment fee, $7.39 PPSR fee, optional final payment of $25,075.60 to keep the car, total loan repayments, $72,204.67. Responsible lending criteria and T&Cs apply. The warranty is conditional upon the recommended servicing schedule for your new Peugeot having been followed.
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Kiwi consumers love a good spread, from iconic Marmite to locally produced honey. Some might even lick the knife to indulge in a further taste sensation because spreads can be extra special.
rackers, bread, and other bakery product sales are on the rise, which means the demand for special spreads to go with them has increased. A ready-made and easily consumable product, spreads are perfectly convenient for an on-the-go lifestyle. However, as a product that generally can’t be consumed alone (some spoons might beg to differ), this can bring limitations to sales. It is important spread flavours and textures are versatile to stay in the market.
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clean,movehavecategorywithinpercent.Trendstheseenatowardshealthy,
Spreading the Love
For the five-year period between 2022 and 2027, it is estimated that the food spread market will have a compound annual growth rate of around 3.5
Unilever had to raise the prices of its Marmite by 11 percent due to rising inflation costs.
and sustainable products across all areas of grocery. While spreads are typically known for being indulgent, customers are seeking the same flavours with fewer health impacts. This means producing low sugar products and minimal ingredient spreads with no artificial sweeteners. To complement this, consumers seek sustainable and natural ingredients lists and products with environmentally friendly packaging and production chains. Unless it is a classic spread, brands need to look at variation and innovation in flavours to keep consumers interested. This could be through releasing limited edition products or creating a new classic.
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Exotic fruits, nostalgic flavours, natural flavours, andwithclassicsatwist are all baseddemandistrending.currentlyTherealsoariseinforplant-spreads.
The Manuka Collective win New Zealand’s 2022 Supreme Award at the National Honey Competition.
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Her Majesty the Queen pulled a marmalade sandwich out of her handbag with Paddington Bear during her Platinum Jubilee Concert early this year.
Spreadable newsaroundfrom the globe
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Peanut butter giant Jif released its Natural Squeeze Creamy Peanut Butter Spread which boasts 90 percent peanut content and provides customers extra convenience with a squeezable pouch.
The price of Margarine has risen by 25 percent due to increased demand for butter alternatives and supply pressures with the war in Ukraine and Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports.
spreads
For more information, contact Acorn Group on 09 273 1252.
Natvia Fruit Spread
Naturally tasty and diabetic-friendly, #IAmSugarFree is the way to go.
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Natvia is a Stevia sweetener made from 100 percent natural sources. It was created for customers who wanted a natural way to enjoy a little sweetness in their lives and one that was an alternative to traditional artificial sweeteners and sugar. Using only 100 percent naturally sourced, GMO-free ingredients, Natvia created a sweetener that tastes great in baking, cooking, teas and coffee.
he Natvia Fruit Spread is a healthy alternative to everyone’s favourite jams. Each low calorie fruit spread contains 55 percent fruit and chia seeds for extra nutritional benefits. But best of all, there is zero added sugar.The Strawberry and Raspberry fruit spreads are great at breakfast, in yoghurt or on toast. Better yet, they go down a treat at dessert time - sponge cake anyone? The Orange Marmalade is just as popular. With the refreshing and tangy sweetness of oranges, it too is perfect on toast or
MULTI-AWARD WINNERS AT THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL HONEY AWARDS THE MOST AWARDED HONEY PRODUCER IN NEW ZEALAND midlandsnz.com/honey
morning oats. Keep an eye out for Apricot Jam, the newest flavour set to join Natvia’s ranksNatviasoon.is filling the gap and meeting demands for lower sugar products in the spreads aisle and across other supermarket shelves. The Natvia Sweetener Canister is the number one selling Sugar Substitute SKU, with a 17.8 percent dollar share (MAT TKA 19/6/22).
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spreads
New Zealand’s Leading Honey Brand Arataki Honey
made from 100 percent recycled PET plastic. Launched in early 2022 the new Arataki Honey Squeeze Me™ 500g is set to take the brand to a new level with 8 percent growth in unit sales achieved in the latest quarter (v. same period last year)*.
Established in 1944, family owned and operated, Arataki Honey is New Zealand’s leading brand of honey with a 33.7 percent share of the market.*
n 1944 father and son registered 131 hives in the foothills of Havelock North, and so began a journey that resulted in the Arataki Honey many New Zealanders have come to know and love. Now available in supermarkets nationwide the brand has grown from humble beginnings to be New Zealand’s number one honey. In 2022 New Zealanders again voted Arataki Honey as the Readers Digest Most Trusted Brand of Honey.Sharing their story and passion for all things honeybee has been a key part of the brand’s plan to drive growth in the honey category. For the past three years the brand has used highly visible billboards, programmatic digital display ads and social media platforms to share brand moments and engage with consumers.
Arataki Honey has also invested in category growth through product improvement. They recently made improvements to New Zealand’s number one ranked* Arataki Honey Squeeze Me™ 500g with a new non-drip spout and bottle
Arataki Honey performs well across all segments within the honey category. The newest edition to their product range –Cocobee, extends their established brand credibility into the chocolate spread category. Made from just two ingredients stirred together – natural honey and sustainably sourced cocoa – Cocobee is packaged in bright, fun graphics with appetite appeal and shelf standout.
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*Source: NZ Grocery Data to 10/07/2022. 48 I supermarketnews.co.nz
As consumers look for natural sources of protection from winter illnesses and New Zealand’s borders reopen, honey sourced from our native manuka tree is sure to gain popularity with supermarket shoppers. Arataki Honey has manuka honey offerings across the budget spectrum – from entry level Multi-flora with Manuka (10 percent) through to the high value Manuka UMF™ 10+ (263+ MGO).
It’s
theSSSSssssshhhhhh....beesarestillsleeping. in our nature.
In 2019, the global culinary sauce market was valued at US$43.53 billion. This number is set to grow to US$55.31 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 3.3 percent during the five-year time period. Like many food industries, sauces have been hit by rising material, production, and transport costs. Since the pandemic began, however, there has been one thing for certain - easy-to-cook, ready-made sauces are great for the household stockpile.
while a classic sweet chilli is here to stay. There is a little bit of spice, with flavours such as jalapeno, chipotle, tajin and smoked paprika continuing to be popular. Favourites, chocolate, caramel and custard continue to be popular in sweet sauces. Flavours are what give customers diversity as they hope to be transported by a drizzle.
Most recently, on Tik Tok, a pink sauce went viral in July for its incredibly bright colour. Produced by user Chef Pii, a private Miami chef, the Pink Sauce product launch went a little bit sour as the ingredients and authenticity of the product was questioned. Regardless of what was really in the sauce or the intentions behind it, the Pink Sauce is proof that something a little bit dramatic, like an unusual colour, can bring a myriad of attention. n sauces
On the plate, consumers are not shying away from exciting flavours. Exotic botanicals and sweet and spicy crossovers are proving popular trends. Lemongrass, lavender and hibiscus flavours have squeezed their way into the market,
In the kitchen, trendsetting sauces include those that are health conscious. Salt-free and sugar-free sauces that cater as light or diet-friendly options. Protein-fortified sauces are those with ingredients that provide added protein value. There is the ‘plus’ concept, where not only does the sauce taste good, it has additional health benefits too. Organic and non-genetically modified sauces that do not contain any ‘nasties.’ For the healthyminded consumer, sauces with greater nutritional value are key.
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Sauce trends go in two very extreme directions.
August 2022 I 51
The South Island saw the return of the infamous Hot Sauce Festival and Chilli Easting Competition on July 23. The event started with only 250 attendees and has since grown to attract over 1,000. It featured some of the nation's best hot sauce vendors and a Chili eating competition.
More consumers are looking for gluten-free options, but they don’t want to compromise on flavour. Corles noted that trends in the market point towards consumers wanting more highquality, New Zealand made products, a place in the market
where Castle Rock Fine Foods fitsCastleperfectly.Rock is also starting to produce a no added sugar range for its list of products. These are still in the development stage, but the company hopes to have them in supermarkets soon.
In the North Island, the NZ Hot Sauce Festival is set to be held on September 24. There are 13 spicy
stallholders lined up, including Fire Dragon Chillies, Smokin Weasel Sauce Co., Morepork BBQ Kumeu, King Street Sauces, Spicy Boys, Wild West Worcester and more. Held at the Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen from 12-7 pm there will be over 100 sauces to try. It also hosts the NZ Chilli Eating Champs Final, where Jesse Painter will attempt to retain the title for the third year in a row. n
With dedicated festivals in both the North and South Islands, Kiwis love hot sauce.
“We started in 2012 as a café where we produced some of the chutneys and dressings for our menu. Customers started asking where they could buy them from, so that was the start of the business.”In2014, Corles had an accident that left them a tetraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.“Thismeant we had to close the café down as I was the Chef. So, I started developing more flavours and ideas for the products. I may not be able to make them myself now. But I still have the knowledge to come up with the ideas and recipes.
My mother-in-law, Margaret now makes them for me, doing everything by hand.”
For more information, visit castlerockfinefoods.co.nz n
recycled.“Weare trying to make our products as environmentally friendly as possible,” noted Andy Corles, Castle Rock Owner.
astle Rock Fine Food’s product point of difference is that it sources all its produce and fruit from local suppliers, plus Castle Rock’s products are all gluten free. The brand uses no preservatives or artificial colouring, which means a better product and they only use glass jars and bottles that can be
Apostle offers unique, handmade, 100 percent natural hot sauce. With a range of six products, the sauces have a milder spice with complex and original heat.overwhelmmealtoApostle’scombinations.flavourgoaliscomplimentaratherthanitwith
sauces
flames and pain labelling reflects a customer base that is 70 percent female. With many consumers wanting homegrownlikeonsaidhavocchilliawareunconventionalthepackagingAshleybottlestockistGuardianattentionrecievedGiftson2021,standpackagingproducts,‘instagrammable’Apostles'uniqueiswhatmakesthemoutfromtherest.Inthesaucewasfeatureddesignblogs“MustHavefor2021”listsandlotsofpositivemediafromStuffandtheUK.In2020,oneusedtheSaintAshleytocreateashrineforDrBloomfield.Theuniqueiswhatopenedproducttothemarketinways.Internationally,ApostleiswelloftheNorthAmericanshortagethathaswreakedonlargerbrands.Theyithadtheoppositeeffectsmallbatchproducersthemselves,whoutilisechillies.Thismeans
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that while covid provided them with plenty of shipping delays and extra expenses, Apostle was able to prioritise the New Zealand and Australian markets. Overall in the hot sauce category, Apostle is seeing the social media shift to video content. With Tik Tok now being one of the biggest social media platforms, there are huge opportunities for food brands. “This is quick and much less polished than traditional advertising. Many consumers now prefer more organic feeling content rather than feeling like they are being sold to,” said Lydia Harfield. Other trends include sustainability, as consumers want to know where their product comes from and what measures brands are undertaking. Apostle has a bottle return system, which works in partnership with a number of their stockists from around the country. n
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postle Hot Sauce was started by Lydia Harfield and Mat Watkins when the pair moved to Paekākāriki. Mat had been making homemade sauce for years, so they began selling it at the local market to meet the community. After an overwhelming response from new friends and neighbours, Lydia and Mat decided they wanted to do more with hot sauce.Each bottle of Apostle Hot Sauce is made with local ingredients, hand-picked peppers, and Kawakawa leaves from their own garden. They refuse to use any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. The branding on each bottle features religious iconography and tarot cards, as each bottle and its contents is a work of art. Their choice to move away from hot sauces’ typical hyper-masculine skulls,
Huy Fong Foods, one of the world’s largest producers of Sriracha sauce, suspended production back in June. Still, the global hot sauce shortage continues as the company only has 10 percent of pepper products coming in.
California is one of the world's largest producers of tomatoes, and with current drought conditions in the state, the USA is facing significant shortages.
August 2022 I 53
In the end, it came down to price. As vegetable prices rose, the product retailed at nearly $8 a bottle and sales targets were unable to be met - an unfortunate ending for the sauce that had Kiwi health at heart. n
November will see the expiration date for celebrity chef Simon Gault's sugar-free tomato sauce.
The sauce, which took three years of development, was the world's first to be sweetened with 100 percent New Zealand vegetables. It contained no additional natural or artificial sweeteners.
Assembly lines at the California factory typically produce 18,000 bottles a day. However, the current volume means there is only one conveyer belt working. David Tran, Huy Fong Foods founder and owner, has estimated they are two years behind on production.Thehotsauce shortage comes as droughts and unexpected crop failures diminished spring chilli harvests this year. n
Production of the sauce has stopped, and the final batch of sauce made for supermarket shelves expires on the sixth of November.
The industry that usually grows around a quarter of the world's tomatoes has faced wildfires, drying water reservoirs and labour shortages. The cost to grow and harvest one acre of tomatoes has more than doubled in the last ten years, currently sitting at US$4,800. Because of this, the price of tomato sauce across the USA is up 17 percent and ketchup up 23 percent. Liquidator stores selling bottles of spaghetti sauce for around US$5 (NZ$7.90) are being flocked with customers hoping to grab a reasonable price. n
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environments have significantly changed and to be a successful leader today, you have to be prepared to create a more inclusive and openTheenvironment.problemisthat many leaders today do not fully understand how to create that environment and in some cases they don't even want to. The most important leadership lesson a leader can ever learn is “the power of the mind.” You have to look to understand how and what makes people believe, because simply put, if they don't believe, they don't achieve.Butit
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majority of those who don't, that you in fact don't trust them.
In my view, there is no greater test of a leader than the retail environment, especially within the supermarket sector. The diversity and complexities of supermarketing creates this paradox or double edge sword where you experience the pure joy of selling, but also the ongoing frustration of managing the right resources (people and product) to meet demand.Supermarket leaders have traditionally been developed to manage their team through command and control behaviours and to be fair, this worked very well in those early environments even up until the early 2000s. But as we now know, our
believe that we all have the ability to become effective leaders of people, and that leaders are created, not born. So establishing the right environment is vital for leaders but more importantly, creating the right beliefs for yourself and others is the secret to being a successful leader.
RECOGNITION AND REWARD
Here are a couple of examples of how to create belief through specific actions:
Having worked in retail for over 40 years I am grateful for many things, like being able to establish a great career with significant financial returns and experiencing so many life lessons. But the most significant thing that I'm grateful for, is having the opportunity to develop as a leader.
is not just words that create the right environment. As you cannot just look to develop a business purpose and aspiration statement, then look to roll out a set of predetermined values to a team of people and expect them to believe in it. You have to create real ‘belief’ as beliefs create behaviours, which enable an environment to establish a culture, to ultimately deliver on your purpose. To create belief you have to develop an ongoing list of specific actions to ensure your team believes.
The supermarket retail environment is relentless, and it also comes with the constant pressure to perform — but it is important for leaders to make it fun, too. Leaders can easily find ways to have fun such as simply allowing the team to dress up on special occasions. You will find that this simple event will have a resounding effect on the team’s wellness. They relax, have lots of fun, and naturally become more actively engaged with their customers. Their energy and vibe will create an excellent in-store environment, proving that happy teams make happy customers.
FUN
TRUST
Being able to set corporate policies that relax controls on the team. Every company has developed over the years a set of policies to ensure their teams do not break the rules. Check these first, as most are designed to stop and catch the very small minority of people who do break the rules but in retrospect they only create a belief in the vast
By Brett Ashley, Founder and Managing Director of My Purpose Ltd
column LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM BRETT ASHLEY
Brett Ashley is a former executive with Woolworths NZ Ltd, with more than 47 years in the retail industry in both New Zealand and Australia. He is also the founder and managing director of My Purpose Ltd. His new book The Key to Unlocking Your Potential is available at www.mypurpose.co.nz.
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Most people are either motivated by more material things, like wealth and lifestyle, and others are motivated by more emotional factors, like fame, fear and love. Many leaders will tell you it is more important to provide recognition than rewards, but in my view it is simply more important to understand ‘how you make them feel’. First of all you need to find a way to pay people more and you need to find a way to pay them above their expectations if you want them to believe they are valued. You also need to find a way to ‘celebrate with cake every day’. The goal here is not to eat cake everyday but to symbolise that you are working every day to recognise and reward them.”
PROUDLY SUPPORTING To book your table visit: grocerycharityball.org “Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.” Lewis Carroll
Dr Maurer notes that the fresh produce industry in New Zealand already includes a
PROVIDING A FRESH PRODUCE PERSPECTIVE OF THE GROCERY CODE OF CONDUCT
he MBIE consultation paper has been drawn up with input from an advisory group that includes representatives of the major supermarkets, the Food and Grocery Council, and Consumer New Zealand, along with Dr Hans Maurer, Chair of the United Fresh Technical Advisory Group (TAG), and the New Zealand Director for the International Federation for Produce Standards.Representing the interests of the domestic fresh produce value chain in this role, Dr Maurer says he was pleased to be able to share a unique perspective with the advisory group.
As the Commerce Commission’s recommendations to improve competition in the supermarket sector begin to be implemented, options for a mandatory Grocery Code of Conduct have been developed by MBIE for consultation.
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By United Fresh, New Zealand
“Whatever the final details of the mandatory Grocery Code of Conduct, it’s certain that there will be more oversight for all transactions. For fruit and vegetable growers, wholesalers and retailers, this represents a significant change from the status quo. It’s important to have our voices heard in the early stages of the discussion,” said Dr Maurer.
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The development of a similar quality measurement such as the Australian
“Standards would need to be developed for every category of fruit and vegetables in consultation with all levels of the industry. It would be a huge undertaking, but it’s a path we may yet need to go down,” said Dr Maurer Dispute resolution within the fresh produce sector is also very different to other grocery categories due to the perishability and timesensitivity of the product.
“A shipment of apples isn’t going to be stored away by the retailer while an issue is raised under the Code of Conduct. While produce suppliers and retailers already have mechanisms in place to manage situations like this – it’s not clear how the Code will impact upon established systems,” he said.
Unlike Australia and the UK, Dr Maurer said the New Zealand Code will also recognise the role of tangata whenua and consider aspirations for Māori economic development.Therolethat fresh produce plays in health and wellbeing is also critical notes Dr Maurer.
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New Zealand’s produce value chain that reaches from growers into supermarkets differs from its UK and Australian counterparts. We can learn from the UK mandatory code and the Australian voluntary code, but our Code needs to reflect New Zealand realities – and fresh produce is just a part of this wider product range.
‘FreshSpecs’ produce specifications would represent a significant body of work.
“The Code will be mandatory but a mechanism to enforce it has not been announced,” he said. These matters will become more obvious once MBIE has settled on the Consultation Paper option it wishes to pursue.
“New Zealand’s produce value chain that reaches from growers into supermarkets differs from its UK and Australian counterparts. We can learn from the UK mandatory code and the Australian voluntary code, but our Code needs to reflect New Zealand realities –and fresh produce is just a part of this wider product range.”
“While fruit and vegetables might play the biggest part in diet-related health, they typically represent 10 -12 percent of supermarket turnover on average. We’re therefore pleased to have a place in this important conversation from the very start.”
“In Australia, a mandatory Horticulture Code in place since 2006 has resulted in the development of Fresh Produce Market Standards, the ‘FreshSpecs Produce Specifications’, which provide both growers and wholesalers with a set of measurable, industry-specific, concise metrics that underpin product related dispute resolution.
“New Zealand growers and suppliers will have to operate under a new mandatory broader supermarket Code, based on formal supply agreements and retailer quality specifications. Clear industry standards or specifications for each fruit or vegetable category are not mandatory in New Zealand and therefore do not exist as a matter of course,” said Dr Maurer.
“New Zealand’s growers, suppliers and retailers provide essential nutrition to whānau around the country every day. We want to continue to do that as efficiently and as sustainably as possible,” he said.”
Dr Maurer questioned how the Code will be enforced and how disputes will be resolved.
commercially viable independent wholesale sector, offering choice for growers and retailers alike, functioning on a competitive basis.
STANDING SUSTAINABILITYFOR
The year 2025 seems to be a popular target. Often, how quickly change happens depends on the complexity of finding new ways to protect products from deterioration. And though the issue is one for individual companies to tackle, backup and enablement from the government also plays a crucial role.
ccording to work conducted by the Food & Grocery Council’s Sustainability Working Group, New Zealanders consume about 860,000 tonnes of packaging every year but we recycle just 58 percent of it. There are no estimates of how much of that is contributed by food and grocery products but it’s likely to be substantial.Thankfully, the vast majority of food and grocery suppliers are moving to change that. Many have pledged to make all packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable – or are going to change to a different type of packaging – within just a few years.
Goods on supermarket shelves contribute hugely to the volume of packaging waste sent every year to New Zealand’s landfills.
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By Kathrine Rich - Chief Executive, New Zealand Food and Grocery Council
It came in the form of Transforming Recycling, a document containing the sort of proposals for action the grocery sector has been pushing for since before FGC began to tackle issues across plastic, fibre, and metal packaging, compostable plastic
A recent move by the Government will go a long way to tidying up New Zealand’s confusing recycling and waste system.
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The proposals in Transforming Recycling covered three areas:
FGC is a strong advocate of recycling efforts, as evidenced by our Sustainability Committee that comprises setting objectives for resource recovery and recycling in businesses.
A container return scheme (CRS): This would incentivise people to return beverage containers to a collection site for recycling or refilling in exchange for a 20c refund that was built into the price of the drink.
Separation of business food waste: Businesses would be required to separate food waste from other waste. The Government wants all businesses and households to be separating food scraps from their rubbish by 2030.
won’t deliver the desired outcomes. The proposed 20c refund, when added to scheme’s running costs of up to 12c per container, would increase the original cost of a product by 30c, resulting in a significant cost-of-living impact. We believe the refundable deposit should be 10c.
• We don’t support mandating businesses to separate their waste, but agree the separation of food waste should be phased in, depending on access to suitable processing facilities, such as composting.
Businesses would be required to separate food waste from other waste. The Government wants all businesses and households to be separating food scraps from their rubbish by 2030.
Now we wait to see the final document. In the meantime, the industry has been making big strides to improve uptake of the on-pack labelling scheme Australasian Recycling Label (ARL).
• We agree in principle with proposals to standardise kerbside collections and increase the quality and quantity of recovered material, but we raised concerns about the proposals that would result in 48 percent of councils reducing what they currently collect to get down to the level of the others. We suggest full cost-benefit analyses to ensure recycling programmes are cost-recovered and don’t cross-subsidise broader activities. We believe best-in-class education is needed to ensure people regard items as a resource rather than waste.
We’re excited to continue championing the adoption of the ARL, not just by the food and grocery sector but for all packaging.Youcanread FGC’s submission on our website here.”
FGC began supporting the adoption of the ARL last year after the Ministry for the Environment recognised it as the best recycling labelling approach, based on its evidence-based system that ensures packaging with the label can be successfully recovered.Wehave now formed a partnership with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation to increase uptake from the present level of 80,000 SKUs in New Zealand (there are 250,000 SKUs on-pack in Australia). There is a lot of optimism that uptake can be improved, with 69 percent of Kiwis saying they check packaging labels beforeWithrecycling.morethan 95 percent of scannable barcodes on packaging common across both countries, one labelling system would go a long way to eliminating packaging waste in landfills.
sector’s sustainability driver because it helps consumers recycle correctly by identifying where different packaging should be recycled, as well as supporting brand owners to design packaging that is recyclable at end-of-life
This is seen as a key plank in the grocery
products, a container return scheme, and a common recycling label.
Improved kerbside recycling: This proposes improvements to household kerbside recycling systems so the same materials are recycled by all councils, including having a food scraps bin, and possibly one for garden waste.
In our submission on Transforming Recycling we supported the vast majority of aspects of each of three proposals but had some significant concerns.
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• While we support a not-for-profit, industry-led CRS with multi-network drop-off points, we’re concerned it
