FMCG - April 2017 by The Intermedia Group

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L E A D I N G

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

April 2017 – Volume 4 – No 3

PLUS! SUPER SOUPS ■ MARKETING & MERCHANDISING ■ EVENTS ■ NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AND LIQUOR AUDIENCE

SURROUND YOURSELF

with Nature

AVAIL ABLE AT ALL LEADING SUPERMARKETS.

contents

April 2017

Up Front

Events

Editor’s note

Industry news

T&G Global marks 120 years in business

Cover story From success to success

Double Dutch at NZ Champions Of Cheese Awards

Feature Nutrition trends to watch

AACS Downunder Study Tour

Events Calendar

Social Sphere Industry members spotted out and about

Category Insights 14

Health & Beauty

Super Soups

Pet Care

The Shout

Regulars 12

In Season Fresh produce in store

Proﬁle Darrell Lea

Editor’s note and industry news

Industry news

Kiwis dominate New World Beer & Cider Awards

Botanical beer

India Pale Ale

Two Paddocks, Three Pinots Q+A with actor and winemaker Sam Neill

Feature Marketing & Merchandising Proﬁle BAKED gets people to believe in frozen pizza again!

What’s Hot New products in store

Striving towards sustainability Vineyards keeping NZ beautiful

Fruity Pinot Gris

Meet the winemaker

Good Business 36

Industry news

Buy NZ Made

Legal advice What’s in a domain name?

FGC Helping consumers

52 FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ editorial ]

Best practices for a sustainable future

ack at my desk after an epic trip around the world, I suddenly feel immense gratitude for all the things we often take for granted in New Zealand: smog-free blue skies, relatively clean water, good coffee and the freshest, nourishing food. Our home offers us a unique chance to enjoy a healthy lifestyle that is the envy of many. New Zealand’s status as one of the last pristine environments on this planet is certainly worth protecting. We need to preserve this treasure and our precious resources for the next generation of Kiwis and with this in mind we bring you our monthly ‘good business’ section. It offers fresh ideas around sustainability, innovation and best practice and the occasional reminder that we are all in fact the architects of our future. While travelling through Bangkok, a city that assaults all your senses in the best (and worst) possible ways, I noticed the absence of dedicated recycling bins for glass and paper in the shopping malls. It’s such a simple solution to an ever-growing waste problem. Thankfully, this aspect is now well managed in New Zealand. On the other hand, I was surprised to see that ultra-modern advertising displays are now ubiquitous all over Bangkok. If you use the public transport system there, you are surrounded by TV screens, giant electronic billboards and advertising messages on every surface imaginable. The entire exterior of the train I took - and even the overhead hand straps on the train - were covered with images of a popular cosmetic brand. It certainly was next level marketing! Meanwhile, a world-leading, 21st century digital screen network has also arrived in New Zealand, positioned right at the point-of-purchase. You will find all the details in our news section, as well as the latest updates on local marketing and merchandising services in our special feature on pg 26-32. Our team is thrilled to see a very fast growing audience, as well as amazing support for FMCG Business from a wide range of industry members. Did you know that almost all of our magazine covers are already booked for new campaigns for the next year? If you have NPD or other news to share, please get in touch - we’d love to hear from you! Enjoy this issue,

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136 PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz EDITORIAL DIRECTOR James Wells The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd AUSTRALIA james@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CONTENT Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 027 278 4761 NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Joel Bremner jbremner@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 370 065 SALES DIRECTOR Wendy Steele wsteele@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 300 473 THE SHOUT EDITOR Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 774 080 THE SHOUT SALES MANAGER Angela Bowes abowes@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 130 6824 ART DIRECTOR Ryan Vizcarra ryanv@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CIRCULATION Chris Blacklock cblacklock@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz

Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz

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I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

April 2017 – Volume 4 – No 3

ON THE COVER Hellers employs more than 400 people nationwide and is the country’s acknowledged market leader in sausages, bacon, ham and pre-prepared small goods. Read the full story on pg 8.

PLUS! SUPER SOUPS n MARKETING & MERCHANDISING n EVENTS n NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AND LIQUOR AUDIENCE

FMCG BUSINESS IS PROUDLY ASSOCIATED WITH

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by New Zealand and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2017 - The Intermedia Group Ltd

Our pineapples are rainforest-friendly, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why they carry the Rainforest Alliance green frog seal. Choose sustainable products such as our pineapples to help make a difference in this world.

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[ news ]

Smartscreen Network launches in NZ Scentre Group’s Westfield SmartScreen gives brands a powerful new way Network has made its debut in New to reach, engage and convert the Zealand shopping centres. Set up to Westfield shopper right at the point of maximise their location and shopping purchase.” patterns, when used to its full potential, The delivery of the Westfield this media network will enable insights SmartScreen Network follows Scentre for retailers and their brands. Group’s decision to internalise the As retail experts, Scentre has made a media sales representation of these significant investment in this technology. floor-based portrait panels. “Following A purpose built facility, the LAB based the success of the network in our in Sydney Australia has assembled and Australian centres, it is now the dispatched 175 SmartScreens to the right time for us to take control of New Zealand market. The Westfield this media opportunity within our SmartScreens will be fully operational environment,” says Burton. from 27 March 2017. “The Westfield SmartScreen Network “The Westfield SmartScreen will fundamentally change the way network has been designed to enable brands can maximise the Westfield meaningful connections between retail marketing environment. It gives retailers, customers and brands. This is them a level of quality, national scale, Bill Burton, General Manager, Brand & Media Experience for Scentre Group. a new way for advertisers to reach, and control and digital flexibility that they engage shoppers”, says Bill Burton, General Manager, Brand & Media have been waiting for, enabling digital efficiency and effectiveness Experience for Scentre Group. never before seen in New Zealand retail. “The New Zealand screens are part of 1,500 interconnected digital screens showcasing the latest in unit design and advertising Did you know? technologies to deliver advertisers a more sophisticated way to connect with the shopper. Through one simple screen retailers and brands can know “We’ve created the Westfield SmartScreen Network to drive brand the age and gender of a shopper engaging with the screen, success in retail. We design, build, lease, manage, and care for these enabling industry breaking insights. Customers will see digital, shopping centres every single day – retail is what we do. We’ve used high definition, flexible content formats with opportunities all of that knowledge to ensure the Westfield SmartScreen Network for interactivity.

Senior leadership appointments at Coca-Cola

Robert Long.

The Coca-Cola Company has announced a number of senior appointments, which will be effective when President and COO James Quincey becomes Chief Executive Officer on May 1. The changes include: • Combining Global Marketing, Customer and Commercial Leadership, and Strategy into one combined function under the leadership of a new Chief Growth Officer to drive growth across five

strategic beverage categories. • Appointing a Chief Innovation Officer to elevate Global Research & Development into a standalone innovation function reporting directly 6

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

to the CEO. This represents the increased importance of innovation to the company’s growth plans. • Positioning the Information Technology function as a direct report to the CEO given the importance of digitization as a growth enabler for the company’s business. • Combining key global transactional and expertise services into an expanded and reconstituted Integrated Services organization that will primarily focus on financial, procurement and associate shared services. Quincey said: “We are moving quickly to structure our organization for faster growth and to ensure we can respond to the fast-changing needs of our consumers, customers, system and associates around the world.” Leaders assuming new or expanded responsibility in the organization and reporting directly to Quincey, include Francisco Crespo, who currently serves as President of the Mexico business unit. He will fill the newly created role of Chief Growth Officer. Robert Long, currently Vice President, Research and Development, will become a direct report to the CEO as Chief Innovation Officer. Barry Simpson, currently Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, will remain in his role but be elevated as a direct report to the CEO to increase visibility and focus on efforts to digitize all aspects of the company’s business. Simpson oversees all of the company’s global information technology strategy, services and operations.

At the heart

… a fresh NEW look

ü Brilliant new freezer presence ü Popular range and choice ü Trusted brand - fresh look ü TKA VALUE ADDED SEGMENT GROWTH $2.8M/9% luable sku

va nd most MAT to 22/01/17 growth

0% st valuable sku $1.5M/2

ACU_ING_11429

9th mogrowth MAT to 22/01/17

Creating excitement at the heart of Kiwi tables … a modern look for two popular favourites.

range‘em... your customers will Love‘em. Data Source: Aztec scan sales MAT to 22/01/17

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

[ news ]

Sanitarium NZ appoints new GM

Rob Scoines is Sanitarium’s new General Manager in NZ.

Sanitarium has announced Rob Scoines’ appointment as General Manager New Zealand. Scoines brings excellent leadership and experience in building high performing teams to his new role. His wealth of experience in Sanitarium is represented by his significant years of service in a variety of roles, including accounting,

HR, logistics, and manufacturing in locations across New Zealand and Australia. Most recently, Scoines’ achievements as the General Manager for logistics has seen Sanitarium Australia become the preferred supplier with the company’s trading partners over the past 10 years. He has accomplished incredible feats of endurance personally through his participation in marathon events and mountain climbing, and has shown genuine passion for making a difference in the community. “I enjoy a challenge and am motivated by Sanitarium’s purpose of sharing health and wellbeing,” says Scoines. “I see leadership as a privilege because it’s an opportunity to positively impact people as they grow and develop, while they in turn make a positive impact on the business and the community. Being the country’s number one breakfast food manufacturer offers us a unique opportunity to make a difference.” In the last financial year, Sanitarium New Zealand achieved a sales turnover of $150 million and provided more than 500 million serves of healthy products for consumers.

From success to success At a time when so many New Zealand-owned food industry businesses are being swallowed up with relish by overseas ownership, one Kiwi household name is steadfastly maintaining its independence and moving forward. Kaiapoi-based Hellers (as seen on our cover) is a genuine New Zealand success story. From humble beginnings in Todd Heller’s New Brighton butcher’s shop, Hellers now employs more than 400 people nationwide and is the country’s acknowledged market leader in sausages, bacon, ham and pre-prepared small goods. This success is built on an almost insatiable appetite for progression. Put simply, they never stand still. It’s this vision and far-thinking outlook that has seen Hellers create significant sustainable growth for its New Zealand supermarket partners. Proof of this can be seen in their introduction of the first air-modified, long-life packaging; an innovation that helped stimulate the creation of an entirely new category - pre-packed, sliced and shredded cold meats. This is just one in a list of firsts that bear the Hellers signature. The company recently launched its first range of authentic Dutch and Italian salamis, along with an expanded gourmet range of precooked sausages, including Spicy Pork Bratwurst and Angus Beef & Caramelised Onion. Hellers’ acquisition of the popular Santa Rosa Chicken brand has brought with it an entirely new look for the product portfolio across Smoked Chicken, Boneless Chicken Roasts and new pre-packed Sliced and Shredded Chicken. This diversion towards growing a presence within the quality Convenience Food category enjoyed another boost when Hellers introduced their My Main Course range of pre-prepared meat and vegetarian meal bases. My Main Course is a clever meal solution for time-poor shoppers that combines meat or vegetable bases with a selection of tasty, on-trend sauces. All customers need to do is heat 8

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

the My Main Course ingredients and add rice, pasta, salad or whatever they prefer, to make their meal. As Hellers see it, it’s just like homemade, without the hard labour. The My Main Course range includes: • Savoury Mince • Thai Chicken Curry • BBQ Pulled Pork • Mexican Chicken • Green Lentil Dahl and; • Slow Cooked Baked Beans Backed by an extensive and sustained through-the-line marketing campaign, My Main Course appears certain to carve new and profitable territory for Hellers and its trade partners. No matter what the future brings, however, you can be sure that Hellers will be at the forefront of fresh thinking and positive change it’s just the family way.

Contact your local Giesen Group representative or phone 03 344 6270

Whatever the occasion, we have you covered!

LEN GE 2

NUTRITION TRENDS TO WATCH

Look out for personalised nutrition, digestive wellness products and turmeric this year.

hen a giant food company invests $32 million in a start-up focusing on personalised nutrition – as Campbell’s recently has – then you know that “personalisation” has reached its tipping point. Personalised nutrition is a key growth opportunity for food and beverage companies as consumers increasingly turn to individually-tailored diets. “Personalisation is about consumers ‘taking back control’,” says Julian Mellentin, Director of New Nutrition Business* and author of the newly-published report 10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition and Health 2017. “They want to feel more empowered and confident to create their own healthy eating patterns. It goes hand-in-hand with growing awareness that diet is a personal matter – and it’s another stage in the long slow death of one-size-fits-all dietary recommendations.” Many consumers are embracing personalised services such as wearable gadgets that provide guidelines based on their weight, height, sleep pattern, heart rate and activity. A smaller but growing number of consumers look for more in-depth services, such as a genetic profile, or metabolism and disease risk via DNA tests. “The industry can tap into the personalisation trend in three ways,” says Mellentin. “First, smart companies will create a portfolio of brands, made to meet the needs of different consumer diets and preferences. Second, they will invest in a multi-platform approach, 10

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

offering support and tailored dietary advice. This means partnering with entities providing advice on diet planning or with fitness gadgets. Finally, they should invest in e-commerce, as it has proven to be a main route to niche consumers.”

Anti-inflammatory foods Personalised nutrition services also include tests for biomarkers for chronic inflammation, connecting to another Key Trend for 2017: Inflammation. If you are looking for ‘the next gluten-free’ – the next high-potential long-term growth opportunity – this is it. “Just like gluten-free back in 2001, many people say inflammation faces several challenges: consumers don’t understand it, it doesn’t have strong scientific support, and you cannot immediately feel the benefit of anti-inflammatory foods. In fact, all of these objections are rapidly being overcome,” says Mellentin. And like gluten-free before it, one of the most important drivers of growing interest in inflammation is consumer belief. Like glutenfree, inflammation taps into deeper wells of consumer concern than is immediately apparent. Like gluten-free, it is fuelled by multiple benefit platforms (including the powerful digestive wellness trend) and early signs of its potential are connected to the intense growth in consumer interest reflected already in surging sales of supplements of the flagship anti-inflammatory spice, turmeric. Turmeric is a trend in itself – and also a health halo ingredient that

[ feature ] acts as a gateway for consumers to the complex idea of inflammation. Turmeric lattes can be found in cutting-edge city-centre cafes from Australia to Scotland, and a small but increasing number of adventurous, trend-riding entrepreneurs are starting to use turmeric as a health halo in foods and beverages. And turmeric’s appeal is not limited to entrepreneurs. Larabar, a former start-up nutritionbar brand now owned by General Mills, recently introduced a line of Organic Superfoods bars in three varieties based on ‘trend-forward’ ingredients, two of which include turmeric.

Sportification Growth opportunities can also be found in Sportification, another key trend. Regular foods with a health halo are increasingly popular among people who do sport for health reasons – as opposed to elite athletes – and they want a natural product. “Some people have long argued that sports nutrition would go mainstream, and that foods designed for elite athletes would become regular food for everyone,” says Mellentin. “While this is happening to some extent, by far the bigger trend

is one which has gone the opposite direction. ‘All natural’ foods are becoming more attractive in sport. Regular food companies that are not sportsoriented can drive success if they attach their product to the image of health and sport.”

Digestive wellness Digestive wellness is a long-established benefit platform now entering a new era thanks to new technologies, new products and new understanding of the broad effects that gut health has on overall health. Consumers want to ‘feel the benefit’ and they are willing to try a variety of routes to get it. The popularity of products with a free-from benefit, such as gluten-, lactose- and dairy-free, was powered by the perception that avoidance of a specific ingredient would make consumers feel better. Many new types of avoidance are emerging – and new food types, notably fermented foods (like kimchi) and drinks (like kombucha) are taking digestive wellness in exciting new directions. *New Nutrition Business is a research and consultancy company with an expert focus on the business of food and health since 1995. It has offices in the United States, Europe, and New Zealand and affiliates in Japan and South Korea.

The rise and rise of healthy drinks

PERSONALISED NUTRITION IS A KEY GROWTH OPPORTUNITY FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPANIES.”

n a recent trip around the world, FMCG Business Editor Tamara Rubanowski noticed a plethora of new functional drinks in supermarkets overseas. From beverages that were fortified with collagen and vitamins for ‘beautiful skin’, to new soft drinks designed for men only, the mind boggled seeing the wide range of personalised nutrition offers. While fruit juice has had some bad media coverage, European juice drinkers remain strongly of the view that fruit juice is a healthy beverage with an important role in their diet. Millennial fruit juice drinkers in Europe overwhelmingly view 100% fruit juice as a healthy beverage, according to the findings of a new, independent consumer survey conducted by Concord grape juice supplier Welch’s Global Ingredients. Researchers asked French and German fruit juice drinkers aged 18-35 a range of questions. When asked to rank a selection of popular beverages in order of how healthy they considered them to be, the respondents listed sparkling water, 100% fruit juice

A functional drink seen in a Bangkok supermarket last month.

and milk as the healthiest choices. The results show that, among Millennial fruit juice drinkers in Europe, the reputation of 100% juice as a healthy beverage remains largely untarnished despite the bad press that the fruit juice sector has received. Wayne Lutomski, Vice President International at Welch’s Global Ingredients Group, said: “Millennial fruit juice drinkers believe what we have known for years; 100% fruit juice is a delicious and nutritious beverage choice that can be part of a well-balanced diet. It’s clear that these consumers appreciate that fruit juice not only contains natural sugars, but also delivers science-backed benefits and valuable nutrients for health.” Overall, the three most important things these juice drinkers are looking for from their fruit juices are good taste (83%), nutrition and health (58%) and real food ingredients (41%). The survey found that 80% of respondents would be more likely to buy a fruit juice that highlights that it is made with real fruit. FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ in season ]

Autumn produce ripe for the picking

utumn is in full swing with April’s produce offering up a wide variety of choice for fresh, healthy meals. Here are our top picks for the month.

Passionfruit Passionfruit is in plentiful supply as April marks the peak season for this subtropical fruit. This fruit needs to be stored at approximately 5°C, and if stored correctly, will keep well. Passionfruit is best displayed with other exotic fruit and can be kept on the shop shelves for approximately two weeks. Passionfruit has a unique taste reminiscent of the tropics. Once customers experience the exotic lemon, jasmine and honey flavour of passionfruit, they become repeat buyers.

Feijoas The feijoa harvest is expected to start early this season with good quality fruit and a range of varieties on offer to customers. Supply will initially come from growers in the Far North and Gisborne. Once that drops off, the supply will be filled by growers in Bay of Plenty, lower North Island and the South Island. Feijoas are best stored in a chiller at 4°C. To avoid bruising, stack by hand, check displays daily and remove any brown fruit. Native to South America, feijoas have become a distinctive New Zealand fruit. They can be used in a number of different ways from chutneys to smoothies or simply cut open and eaten raw.

Broccoli A popular vegetable, broccoli is well-known for its health benefits. There are three different types of broccoli available here: broccolini, gaai laan (or Chinese broccoli) and the most popular, sprouting broccoli, which is simply called broccoli. Look for compact bud clusters and avoid yellow colouring or large open buds. Heads should be dark green or have a purple tinge. Due to its highly perishable nature, purchase broccoli that has been put through an ice water bath and transported and marketed under refrigeration. Display on refrigerated shelving on a bed of ice. Buy small quantities regularly and display beside cauliflower. Sprinkle with water before returning to the chiller at night. Store at 0°C 12

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with a relative humidity of 90-100%. Keep separate from other ethylene-producing fruit and vegetables.

Brussels sprouts These little green globes can be grilled, steamed, sautéed, boiled and roasted. Choose Brussels sprouts that are roughly the same size, and avoid any with yellow, loose, soft or wilting leaves. Display on refrigerated shelving as cool temperatures retard yellowing. Buy small quantities regularly to guarantee freshness. Trim ends and offer pre-packed bags. Brussels sprouts are best stored at 0°C and at 90-100% relative humidity. Avoid contact with other ethylene-producing fruit and vegetables.

Kiwifruit New season green and gold kiwifruit will be in store this month, with the size and taste of the fruit looking good. Industry forecast predicts green kiwifruit volumes will be down this season but gold volumes are expected to climb as more vines reach maturity. The main supply of kiwifruit comes from Gisborne and Bay of Plenty.

Potatoes The variety of potatoes available in New Zealand means there is one suitable for every cooking method. Potatoes are a popular choice with customers due to their versatility. This season, the main crop of washed potatoes will come from Ohakune, while growers around the country will have a good supply of brushed potatoes. Look for potatoes that are free of cuts, bruises, green patches or shoots. To avoid sprouting, store potatoes at 7°C, with a relative humidity of 90%. Potatoes are ethylene sensitive and should be stored separately from ethylene-producing fruit and vegetables wherever possible. Also good in April: New season apples and pears, raspberries, blackberries and figs. To become a member of United Fresh, visit www. unitedfresh.co.nz.

THE FEIJOA HARVEST IS EXPECTED TO START EARLY THIS SEASON WITH GOOD QUALITY FRUIT AND A RANGE OF VARIETIES ON OFFER.”

HEALTH & BEAUTY

What’s trending in skin care and hair care? Local suppliers share their product launches and best sellers.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

o matter what the season, most of us like to take care of our appearance and present ourselves as close to our best as we can. There are extremely good reasons why it is very sensible to take care of our skin with the future in mind. For instance, protecting it from excessive sun now can help to avoid dealing with skin cancers decades further down the track, while moisturisers might help to prevent premature aging. And sometimes, especially with hair and the scalp, there are certain problems that just have to be dealt with promptly.

Earthwise In 2016, Earthwise Group launched their revamped sub-brand, Earthwise Nourish – following the ever-growing international trend for environmentally friendly personal care products. With a focus on using natural ingredients as the building blocks to create the new range, Jamie Peters (Earthwise Group Director) explains: “We fully understand the family shopper, and recognise the strong consumer need for gentle alternatives and the conscious decision to select more earth friendly products. Our strength lies in our new product development, and of course a lot of research goes into the creation of our formulations. We also have the credentials and certifications behind us with the Environmental Choice tick, which is considered the gold standard.” Earthwise Group won 2016 Countdown Non Food & General Merchandise Supplier of the Year, which Peters is thrilled to have been awarded, and it is a fantastic sign of their healthy relationship. The Earthwise Nourish range, which encompasses haircare, soaps, body wash and hand wash has shown amazing growth in the Environmental Personal Wash category with +48.5% (dollars growth % YA). In the Environmental Hair Care and Body Cleaning section, Earthwise Group has grown at +59.4% (dollars growth % YA). (Source: IRI Market Edge Scan Data MAT to 12.02.2017) Earthwise Group will celebrate their 50-year anniversary this year. For more information visit www. earthwise.co.nz or call NZ 0800 327 849.

[ category insights ] Mix Limited Mix Limited is an Australasian business with a strong focus on natural ingredients – known for its brands such as: Essano, Skin Therapy, Dominate and Primal Earth. “All Mix Limited brands are strong performers in their respective categories,” says Marketing Manager Rachel Morrison. “Mix’s laboratory is certified organic by Eco Cert, the world’s largest cosmetic certifier. Driving category growth through pioneering the Natural Skincare segment, the brand is now the # 1 selling Natural Skincare brand in New Zealand (in mass retail channels, IRi OnWeb, NZ Grocery, 13 Week Value w/e 15/1/2017).” “Last year Essano went on to launch a range of natural haircare products. Formulated with salon grade ingredients, the professional plant-based formulas are based on key ingredients including Argan Oil from Morocco, coconut milk and Keratin Complex. More recently a new range of plant-based body washes, lotions and handcremes have been released,” Morrison says. “Essano will never contain any harsh chemicals that could irritate, contaminate or be unsafe for consumers. A strong focus on sustainable, transparent business practices, cruelty free formulations and a strong environmental and ethical stance means Essano is a genuinely natural brand that consumers can trust. “Focused on delivering fashionable, trending ingredients from more premium channels into grocery, Skin Therapy is using clinically proven natural ingredients to build a strong consumer base and an increasing number of new products. The range now consists of three key pillars:

THE EARTHWISE NOURISH RANGE, WHICH ENCOMPASSES HAIRCARE, SOAPS, BODY WASH AND HAND WASH, HAS SEEN AMAZING GROWTH IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERSONAL WASH CATEGORY WITH +48.5%.” EARTHWISE GROUP DIRECTOR JAMIE PETERS

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ category insights ]

MIX’S LABORATORY IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC BY ECO CERT, THE WORLD’S LARGEST COSMETIC CERTIFIER.” MARKETING MANAGER RACHEL MORRISON

Dragon’s Blood, Bee Venom complex and the new Eternal DNA Jellyfish complex. “The #1 brand in men’s hairstyling in NZ and a market leader in all major retailers in Australia, Dominate continues to innovate to drive growth (in mass retail channels, IRi OnWeb, NZ Grocery, 13 Week Value w/e 15/1/2017). “The newly launched Premium Men’s Grooming delivers on a demand for growing sophistication and premium cues, with barber shop quality and style. With three hero SKUs and a growing distribution base, this is an exciting piece of innovation. The Dominate Core range has also had a revamp with improved packaging,” says Morrison. “Primal Earth has long been one of Australasia’s leading Natural Men’s skincare ranges. Formulated with only natural ingredients and harnessing the power of plants, Primal Earth is focused on shave and skincare products that don’t irritate men’s skin as they don’t contain any harsh chemicals. “Ranged in all leading NZ grocery stores as well as Farmers, Primal Earth continues to deliver sensitive, irritation-free shave and skincare solutions for Kiwi guys,” concludes Morrison.

Ecostore launches new ‘Skin by ecostore’ brand Ecostore, well known for its personal care products, is launching a new brand – Skin by ecostore. The April 2017 launch collection has facial skincare and body care products made from a powerful combination of scientifically proven New Zealand bioactives. This premium skincare offering is at the forefront of global trends, with a huge growth opportunity in the natural skincare segment in New Zealand. The facial skincare collection of six products, including cleansers, moisturisers, a night cream and a multi-nutrient facial oil, is made from a combination of bioactives including marine extract from the pristine Marlborough Sounds. The range also contains New Zealand grapeseed extract and blackcurrant oil that are uniquely high in antioxidants and help protect and regenerate skin. Skin by ecostore is an offering for different skin types. And true to its owner ecostore, it’s made from ingredients that are safer for people and the planet, and it’s free from irritants or other ingredients that could harm. Dermatologically 16

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tested, consumer triallists loved Skin by ecostore – 80% of those who tested the multi-nutrient facial oil and night cream would recommend them to others.* *Blackbox 2016, 700 participants.

Ecostore Haircare Ecostore’s shampoos and conditioners are gentler for your hair and skin. The products have been carefully formulated for nourishing goodness, using plant and mineral based ingredients like sweet almond oil, olive oil and argan oil to help detangle and shine – these oils also complement the ones hair naturally produces. Ecostore hair care is free from irritants and the silicone dimethicone, and it leaves out any harsh ingredients that might strip your hair of its natural oils. The shampoos and conditioners cater for different hair types – there are normal, dry, damaged and coloured, volumising, ultra-sensitive and dandruff control ranges. Along with all of ecostore’s body care, these products are cruelty free. Ecostore shampoos and conditioners are safer for you, your family and the planet, without compromise. “After only using ‘professional’ shampoo for years, one day I decided to buy ecostore shampoo and my hair felt amazing! I have been using it for a year and my hair has been in the best condition.” Chloe.

Skinfood NZ Skinfood NZ has its Skinfood and Little Skinfood ranges well distributed throughout New Zealand supermarkets. General Manager Alex Gage-Brown says the Little Skinfood range was launched in mid-2016 – “a line of six natural and organic skin care products for little ones that came to creation after members of the Skinfood team had babies over the past two years. We quickly realised there was nothing out there that we felt comfortable putting on baby’s skin at an accessible price point. And after talking to our Skinfood consumers we realised they felt the same, as many of them are mothers themselves. “Skinfood was already renowned for its efficacious, natural and organic formulas, so it was a no brainer for us to find a way to fill this gap in the market and broaden our offerings,” GageBrown says. “Because a little one’s skin is thinner, more delicate and more permeable than our own, it was imperative that Little Skinfood products, like their adult Skinfood counterparts, be hypoallergenic, and free from synthetic preservatives, fragrances and colours. “We’re extremely happy with how the Little Skinfood range has been received nationally. We hit all distribution targets in the first quarter and our sales continue to grow strongly through traditional and new retail.

New from the company that consumers love and trust. Join the Skin by ecostore movement today and watch your natural skin care category sales soar. Contact Twin Agencies Ltd: 0800 258 946

Supported by an extensive integrated marketing campaign: Ambassadors Sampling eDM Mailers Print Media Outdoor Media PR Social Media Campaign

[ category insights ] “The Skinfood range will soon be launching a Certified Organic Coconut Mist Toner, a gentle toning mist that instantly hydrates and revitalises skin with its abundance of organic ingredients, as well as helping to balance the skin’s pH levels, remove excess impurities after cleansing and tighten pores,” Gage-Brown explains. She adds: “We’ve found that there’s a huge importance on the quality of ingredients being used and how transparency around this can really help the consumer’s trust of a brand, specifically in skin care. We noticed that there was an underlying trust of the new Little Skinfood brand due to a lot of that target consumer already being a Skinfood consumer and knowing that we don’t use any baddies in our products.”

Wilson Consumer Products One of the companies that delivers a wide range of products to the category is Wilson Consumer Products, where the Brand Manager – Health and Beauty, is Shannon Colligan. She says Blistex is “a well-known and trusted lip care brand, offering a broad and appealing high quality product range tailored for specific lip concerns. “Blistex has an extremely loyal user base, and continually brings innovation to the lip care category. Regularly advertising on TV with proven results year on year, Blistex drives category value. NIELSEN DATA Total Supermarkets - CURRENT MAT to 26/02/2017 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Total Haircare

$140,971,910

Shampoo and Conditioners

$95,697,710

1.6 3.7

Hair Colourants

$24,940,676

-0.3

Hair Styling Aids

$9,983,784

-4.0

Hair Spray

$6,444,059

-2.6

Hair Treatments

$2,339,144

-18.7

Topical Anti Parasitics

$1,104,505

6.8

Hair Creams

$461,554

-5.1

Total Hand Body (Excludes Baby)

$22,719,150

-0.6

Body

$20,062,493

-0.8

Hand

$2,633,876

0.5

Face

$22,781

Total Defined Facial

$72,118,223

1.5

Facial Moisturising

$28,933,041

-0.5

Facial Cleansing

$12,463,146

9.9

Wipe

$10,010,600

2.4

Skin Medications

$6,267,718

-1.8

Facial Other Types

$4,990,244

2.4

Male Grooming

$4,576,194

-8.2

Facial Serums & Eye Creams

$3,589,696

7.6

Facial Toner

$1,287,584

-0.6

363.4

Blistex remains the market leader in grocery with 36% market share and 20% growth.” (IRI MarketEdge dollars QTR to 12/02/17). When a troublesome problem arises with the scalp, Colligan says an effective solution is NeutraLice. “NeutraLice Advance is clinically proven to kill head lice and eggs with fast and effective treatment technology suitable for sensitive skin. Also available in a non-pesticide formulation, NeutraLice offers a total head lice solution (lotion, natural spray, shampoo/conditioner and Nitcomb). “NeutraLice Advance’s larger family value pack is particularly performing well, and NeutraLice continues to be market leader in grocery with 82% share and 19% growth (IRI MarketEdge dollars MAT to 08/01/17)). NeutraLice advertises on TV every year, with the next campaign on air March through to May 2017,” she says. Also in Colligan’s stable of products is Palmers. “Palmers is a trusted, global brand, which has been firmly established in the New Zealand market for many years. Palmers Cocoa Butter Range is an affordable, effective skin care range, which covers every category from face to body. “Palmers continues to innovate with a move to offer an on-trend, luxurious Coconut Oil product range. The Coconut Oil range complements the established Cocoa Butter segment,” she says. “Coconut oil has superior hydrating properties, offers skin healing benefits along with a natural, exotic fragrance. Palmers Coconut Oil is free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, sulphates and dyes. “Palmers supports sustainable farming methods, is a member of World Cocoa Butter Foundation and is cruelty free (i.e. not tested on animals). New Zealanders are able to purchase premium quality, well priced Palmers Cocoa Butter and Coconut formulations at selected supermarkets nationwide,” Colligan adds.

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest Nielsen data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz. 18

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

New Zealand’s largest FMCG audience eNewsletter

6,974

subscribers

Print Mag + eMag

Social Media

4,478

10,990

6,723

Monthly

Monthly UV’s

FMCG Business is New Zealand’s leading source of business information for the FMCG industry. Our media community consists of 29,165 industry professionals. Key decision makers & influencers include: • Supermarket owners • Directors

Website

• Supermarket managers • Producers

In addition www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz is the online content library, and includes an extensive array of news items and content plus an internal search engine. FMCG Business also has a rapidly growing social media reach of 4,478 followers courtesy of content shared through dedicated Facebook and Twitter pages.

The backbone of the FMCG Business brand is the magazine (11 Issues annually, print & digital). The circulation is 8,000 print copies nationally and 2,990 digital. A weekly eNewsletter keeps 6,974 opt-in subscribers up to date between magazine editions by featuring the latest news content, tips, trends, events, product releases and giveaways.

Magazine (print & emag) eNewsletter Subscribers Social Media followers Unique Website sessions

38% 24% 15% 23%

15%

Total Audience 29,165 every month (as of February 2017) To discuss print, digital and social media advertising opportunities contact Joel Bremner - 021 370 065 - jbremner@intermedianz.co.nz

SUPER SOUPS

Autumn weather turns our thoughts towards meals that warm the soul.

lthough a meal of tasty chilled gazpacho in the summer heat has always had appeal to some, it is the first signs of autumn that usually trigger thoughts of soup. As the temperature drops and the skies become darker, what better than a steaming bowl of chowder to warm the body and

hearten the soul? For most New Zealanders, that feeling may well have come early this year as record rains lashed much of the country in early March – particularly in the North Island. At the same time, cold weather in the deep south would almost certainly have seen a big jump in supermarket soup sales. As Wilson Consumer’s King Soup Marketing and Business Development Manager, Susan Harvey put it, “while cool weather is obviously a key trigger for soup purchases, wet weather also plays a big part in consumer’s appetite for soup.” As the March weather could hardly have been any wetter, sales statistics may prove to show a significant spike in soup sales. But there are other factors in play than the weather. Pitango New Zealand Innovations & Marketing Manager Mary Bolton points out that busy lives continue to influence a significant trend. “With the explosion of social media and mobile technology we are finding that people have the battle of less time to cook, but have more education on the importance of a healthy meal. Consumers are always on the lookout for an easy, convenient meal that is healthy for their families. “Consumers are consistently and continually on the search for healthy foods made from real, fresh ingredients that use minimal 20

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

processing to bring out the natural flavour, and have no added preservatives or artificial flavours. On top of this there is an increase in dietary requirements; with more people searching for gluten free, organic and free range for example,” Bolton said.

King Soup Made in New Zealand, King Soup has been cooking in Kiwi kitchens for more than 60 years. “Being economical, comforting and versatile it is easy to see why Kiwis love King traditional soup mix,” Susan Harvey said. “While many customers enjoy it as a soup – adding water or their own vegetables or meat – it is also a popular hearty base for casseroles and slow cooked meals.” Additions to the range within the last year are King Gluten Free Vegetable and King Beef and Vegetable, which Harvey says have proved popular. “We’ve been delighted with the positive response to our new variants, adding over $200K of sales to the range since launch (IRI MarketEdge – TKA Grocery King Gluten Free Vegetable and King Beef and Vegetable soups $ sales 6 months to 18/12/16). Customers had requested a gluten-free variant for a while and it’s been great to add this to the range. It is the same price as the rest of the range too, which makes it an affordable option, which is often not the case for gluten-free products.” King Gluten Free Vegetable was awarded the Healthy Food Guide 2016 award for best ‘free from’ allergy-friendly product, she said.

[ category insights ]

Campbell’s Soup

IAM all about Protein

Also enjoying considerable success in the category is Campbell’s Soup. Marketing Executive Nicola Piper told FMCG Business: “Campbell’s is now leading the category with 26% growth for the Campbell’s Soup portfolio in New Zealand in the latest quarter (IRI quarterly value growth, TSM, w/e 19/02/17). This is driven by our brands Campbell’s Condensed, Campbell’s Country Ladle, Campbell’s Chunky and Campbell’s Cafe. “It’s been a while since the wet soup category has seen growth – now growing at 13%,” said Piper. “Campbell’s Chunky soups have seen growth of over 41% in the last quarter and Campbell’s will be extending the range by adding a hearty soup for big appetites – Chunky Stock Pot, which will be in stores this month.” Piper says NPD played a critical role in the success of the category by bringing out popular, delicious flavour extensions. “Campbell’s have identified an opportunity within the canned soup category for a soup created with the best quality ingredients and in April will be launching a delicious range of premium soups, co-created with Manu Feildel. “We are passionate about quality and we have sourced the freshest and best ingredients, such as free-range chicken and grass-fed beef. These soups combine gourmet flavours with nourishing ingredients to deliver a premium taste experience. With no artificial colours or flavours and only the best ingredients, co-created with Manu Feildel, these are delicious tasting soups that we are excited to bring to the market,” said Piper. “This premium range will appeal to those consumers who want quality ingredients, and exciting, restaurant inspired experiences at home. The range has four SKUs: Pumpkin & Smoky Bacon; Free Range Cajun Chicken & Rice; Grass Fed Beef Fillet & Barley and Classic French Onion.”

Marketing Manager at Topline Marketing, Rebecca Limbrick says Topline is “excited” to introduce the IAM Superfood range to NZ shelves this April. “IAM Superfood creates exciting, flavourful, high protein, high fibre meals that are convenient to cook and crammed full of taste. The Supergrains range features four ‘grains of the moment’ including quinoa, bulgur wheat, spelt and barley; all within flavoursome pouches that microwave in 60 seconds. “Supergrains are a good source of protein, low in saturated fat, have no artificial flavours or colours and are a great source of fibre. The convenient snacks also include gluten free, vegetarian and vegan friendly options,” Limbrick said. “The Souper range is the meatier option of the two, with three tasty flavours including Peppered Beef with Superbeans, Pulled Pork with Jalapenos and Chicken with Super Grains. The chunky

CAMPBELL’S IS NOW LEADING THE CATEGORY WITH 26% GROWTH FOR THE CAMPBELL’S SOUP PORTFOLIO IN NEW ZEALAND IN THE LATEST QUARTER.” MARKETING EXECUTIVE NICOLA PIPER

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ category insights ]

IAM SUPERFOOD CREATES EXCITING, FLAVOURFUL, HIGH PROTEIN, HIGH FIBRE MEALS THAT ARE CONVENIENT TO COOK AND CRAMMED FULL OF TASTE.” MARKETING MANAGER AT TOPLINE MARKETING, REBECCA LIMBRICK

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

soups provide customers with fresh tasting, high quality, nutritious meal options, which are low fat, high in protein and fibre, and are artificial additivefree. And did we mention they are chunky?” Limbrick says 2017 will see shoppers look for tasty, healthy and convenient options in their supermarkets. “The convenience food category grew last year by 24% and the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) market segment is growing at 30% per year. (sustainable.org.nz) “IAM Superfood’s meal options provide shoppers with easy, tasty and healthy choices. With innovative, bold and sustainable packaging, these products will stand out on your shelves and breathe life into Readymeal and Soup Grocery Categories. “Contact your Topline Marketing Representative for more information about the range, or phone Topline HQ on 09 419 4061.”

Naked Cuisine Naked Locals continues to be the market leader in the Chilled Soups category, growing at 13.3% MAT vs year ago (IRI MarketEdge data to 5/02/17), says Naked Cuisine Senior Brand Manager, Vicki Sew Hoy – Willis. “We know Kiwis have a love for pumpkin soup and this year we’re introducing a new East Coast Sunshine Pumpkin Soup with Turmeric and Ginger – it’s packed full of pumpkin, kumara and is naturally sweetened with apple. Like all of our Naked Locals soups, it’s made with local vegetables sourced from New Zealand’s best growing regions,” she said. “At Naked Cuisine we love that people are so passionate about locally made food. We develop recipes inspired by people and places, whether it be from local provenance or from exotic places around

the world. It’s this journey of discovery with delicious food that we want share with New Zealand,” Sew Hoy – Willis said. “Naked Kitchen also continues to perform very strongly as the market leader in Chilled Meals, growing at 26.9% vs year ago (IRI MarketEdge data to 5/02/17). Japanese Miso Noodle Soup and Indian Spiced Cauliflower Kedgeree were launched into the range last year and on the back of their success, we’ve created some delicious new on-trend meals just in time for winter. “Firstly, there’s a Vietnamese Pho Noodle Soup with mint, coriander and lime, made with mushrooms, crunchy water chestnuts, carrots, spinach, and includes both rice noodles and sweet potato noodles – balanced with fragrant herbs mint and coriander and finished off with lime juice. This delicate soup will be one of your winter favourites. She adds: “Our next new meal is our California Wellness Bowl, inspired by the California Big Sur and the yoga well-being movement. It’s a hearty mix of red lentils, green beans, butterbeans, tomato, carrot, fennel, parsnip, spinach, ginger and turmeric.”

Tasty Pot Tasty Pot’s award-winning range of 13 gluten-free meals and soups are a perfect option for lunch or dinner. Just three minutes in the microwave for a delicious 100% natural healthy meal that tastes homemade. Or use them as an ingredient in cooking as a quick and affordable way to feed the family. “Following our packaging refresh last year, Tasty Pot soups have grown at +71% value (yoy), making us one of the fastest growing brands with four out of the six fastest growing recipes in the category,” says Andrew Vivian, Co-founder. He adds: “We are about to launch two new soups: *NZ FISH CHOWDER with New Zealand Cod, potato, corn, cream, dill *BOOST with carrot, coconut, turmeric, ginger, honey. “Both are gluten free, high in fibre, low in sugar and provide 2+ of your daily recommended veg. Our new Boost recipe is also Paleo friendly.” Vivian says: “Kiwis are increasingly looking for meal solutions they trust will look and taste homemade, and that’s what we’re trying to give them. There’s no production shortcuts, just good honest cooking using quality natural ingredients like you would at home.

[ category insights ] “We have a different approach to most of our competitors in that we pack our recipes into pots not pouches. Looking at more developed international markets there is a clear preference towards pots, as a more convenient packaging option for consumers (you can microwave the pot, eat out of it, and reseal it for later). Most importantly it means we can gravity fill our pots (rather than pump through pipes like you fill a pouch), which results in a higher quality ‘homemade’ taste and texture”. Proof is in the pot so to speak, with Tasty Pot having won Best Convenience Meal at the Healthy Food Awards for three out of the last four years.” Tasty Pot is a husband & wife team that started six years ago from their factory in South Auckland. Fiercely passionate about making good eating easier, the dream was to create a range of meals and soups you can trust will always be delicious, convenient, affordable, healthy and natural. What to eat is a daily decision you don’t always feel like making - sometimes it’s nice to have some help!

Pitango Pitango sells its range of soups, risottos and meal pots nationally in New Zealand. Included in their offerings are: • Pitango Organic Soup Range (600g) that includes: Organic Pumpkin & Ginger and Organic Minestrone • Pitango Classic Soup Range (600g) that includes: Free Range Spring Lamb, Seafood Chowder, Green Pea and Ham, Free Range Chicken & Vegetable, Super Green Soup • Pitango World Flavours Soup Range (600g) that includes: New York Free Range Chicken Noodle, Japanese Free Range Chicken Miso, Spanish Free Range Chicken Paella, Mediterranean Tomato Soup • Pitango Risotto Range (500g) that includes: Pumpkin, Leek & Spinach, Tomato, Feta & Basil, Chicken & Garlic, Salmon, Dill & Pumpkin • Pitango Meal Pot Range (350g) that includes: Creamy Beetroot Risotto, Japanese Miso Chicken & Soba Noodles, Spanish Chorizo & Chickpea Punero

• Artisano Soup Range (500g) that includes: Pumpkin & Parmesan, Hearty Minestrone, Thai Chicken & Corn, Beef & Paprika, Lamb, Mint & Couscous, Creamy Mushroom Soup. Innovations & Marketing Manager Mary Bolton said over the last 12 months Pitango has “relaunched a new design in our packaging across our soup range that now highlights the key inherently natural nutritional benefits of the soup, including veg serve per packet. This helps our customers to make better, more informed choices. It also makes it easier for those with special dietary requirements to identify suitable products (e.g. gluten free).” “We have added two new healthy soups to our product offering in that category. These are the Souper Greens Soup, which is a bowl full of green goodness cooked with a medley of seven green vegies, including kale, spinach and broccoli, as well as our Mediterranean Tomato Soup that has a rustic and delicate smoky flavour – cooked with fresh vine ripened tomatoes, flame roasted red capsicum and zucchini.” “Pitango has also introduced a new Italianinspired risotto; the Pitango Tomato, Feta & Basil Risotto,” Bolton said. She adds: “The Super Greens Soup was launched in May 2016 and immediately made it into the top 20 selling SKUs of those retailers it was ranged in. It consistently sold over $50.00 per store per week and reached a peak of almost $100 during the peak of the soup season. “The Mediterranean Tomato also had a successful launch averaging over $50.00 per store per week during the winter season where it was ranged. Both products were in the top 30% bestselling SKUs in the retail channel where ranged.” NIELSEN DATA Total Supermarkets - CURRENT MAT to 26/02/2017 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Canned Soup

$23,745,740

0.4

Fresh Soup

$22,345,224

7.4

Instant Soup

$16,598,326

-3.1

Packet Soup

$9,843,757

0.1

Cereal Soup

$3,874,023

-13.6

Soup Mix & Pulses

$2,327,211

15.0

[ category insights ]

PET CARE Treasured pets enjoy trend towardsÂ higher quality foods.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

s our knowledge grows of the strong connection between food and our health, most of us are far more conscious of the quality of what we eat than we were a few years ago. New Zealanders have one of the highest pet ownerships per capita in the world and we usually regard our animal companions as treasured members of our families. It is only natural for us to want similar health benefits for them. Leaving sentiment aside, it is a very sensible attitude in purely economic terms. When something goes wrong with the health of Fluffy or Rover, most owners are well aware that appointments with a vet can rival in cost those of their own when they go to see their doctor. Far better to keep those beloved pets’ teeth and other body parts in the best condition possible. And that starts with what those owners put in their food bowls. Just like we do, animals need a carefully balanced blend of proteins and other nutrients – but one that is also tasty so they will actually want to eat it. The result is that recent years have seen manufacturers bring a number of innovative, scientifically developed products to the local market.

Omega Plus An example is Omega Plus, a brand-new range of pet food from New Zealand King Salmon. “The pet food category is trending towards premium quality and natural food over the more mainstream options,” says Omega Plus Brand Manager, Katrina Beneke. “Consumers are taking the time to read the ingredient list and understand what they are feeding their pets, the same way they are for their own diets. Our King salmon is rich in omega-3 and protein, making it the ideal food for pets.” “With all products 100% New Zealand made and using King salmon as the number one ingredient in every product, Omega Plus is a highly nutritious and natural range with high levels of omega-3 providing a range of health

[ category insights ] benefits, including healthy skin and coat, brain maintenance and joint mobility,” she says. Omega Plus dry food comes in two varieties for both cats and dogs, King Salmon and King Salmon + Beef. The dog food is packed in a 2.4kg bag (RRP $25.99) and the cat food is in a 500g bag (RRP $8.99). The range also contains wet dog food (canned), freeze dried King salmon treats and a King salmon oil dietary supplement. “The full range is available now and is currently being sold in Foodstuffs stores throughout New Zealand, with more stores coming on board every day,” says Beneke.

THE PET FOOD CATEGORY IS TRENDING TOWARDS PREMIUM QUALITY AND NATURAL FOOD.” OMEGA PLUS BRAND MANAGER, KATRINA BENEKE

NIELSEN DATA Total Supermarkets - CURRENT MAT to 26/02/2017 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Total Cat Food

$226,009,082

Dry Cat Food

$82,559,976

4.5 1.7

Canned Cat Food

$55,675,849

-0.4

Pouch Cat Food

$48,602,423

13.1

Wet Cat Food

$24,353,382

7.3

Cat Treat

$12,421,303

12.6

Pet Milk

$2,396,149

-1.0

Total Dog Food

$168,035,540

6.0

Dry Dog Food

$60,464,932

2.5

Wet Dog Food

$54,316,678

5.8

Dog Treat

$31,178,747

13.4

Canned Dog Food

$20,195,049

6.0

Pouch Dog Food

$1,880,135

14.3

Total Pet Accessories

$38,178,270

2.0

Cat & Dog Accessories

$24,410,548

2.6

Bird Feed & Accessories

$9,996,233

2.0

Other Pet Accessories

$2,437,860

-1.5

Fish Accessories

$1,333,629

-3.0

MARKETING & MERCHANDISING

MCG Business talked to some of the experts in New Zealand’s marketing and merchandising sector to find out what’s essential for your business and your campaigns this year.

Black Box Marketing – fast, targeted, cost effective

Black Box has fast become one of the leading consumer marketing channels and is now entering its fourth year of operation. Committed to driving commercially useful outcomes, its client list now covers over 200 companies including the who’s who of grocery, along with a variety of nongrocery companies such as 2 Degrees Mobile and Ford Motor Company among others. With a highly profiled membership of over 140,000 New Zealanders, Black Box prides itself on being able to use exacting methods to target who is selected for each campaign as well as covering all grocery retailers and many other nongrocery retail channels. The modus operandi is to provide tangible ROI metrics for companies, including post-trial conversion, brand repertoire analysis as well as specific market research results. 26

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Black Box has one of the most engaged digital platforms, capturing extensive consumer engagement and content with each campaign. This is a unique element that no other Australasian trial platform has managed to attain. The future looks very exciting. Having just recently launched into Australia, in the first three months of 2017 Black Box has delivered over 20,000 campaign boxes to Australians living in New South Wales, Victoria and ACT. Regarded as a leading market research opportunity for FMCG marketers, Black Box delivers a fast, targeted and cost effective way of getting both qualitative and quantitative results. Black Box has completed bespoke research for New Zealand and International companies. We are proud to announce the cream of the crop from our 2016 campaigns. Products that achieve outstanding consumer recommendation levels of 90% or more are eligible to use the Black Box Gold Medal logos

2016 MEDAL WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS to products trialled in Black Box that achieved GOLD and SILVER medals from consumer recommendation levels!

SUPREME WINNERS RECOMME S’

ATION • ND

GOLD

• MEMBE R

Freya’s Traditional Tortilla 6pack

2016

Campbell’s Real Stock Chicken & Beef

WINNERS

GOLD

Best Foods Pinch of Mustard Mayonnaise Best Foods Touch of Garlic Mayonnaise Betty Crocker Gluten Free Fudge Brownie Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devils Cake Mix Betty Crocker Gluten Free Mix Choc Chip Cookie Blackmores Kid's VitaminC & Zinc Gummies Burgen Soy & Linseed Chux Multi Purpose Super Cloth Dairyworks Edam Cheese & Rice Crackers 10 pack Dairyworks Edam Natural Cheese & Rice Crackers 4pack Easiyo Greek Style Yogurt Edmonds Café Creations Chocolate & Vanilla Pancake Mix Edmonds Café Creations Blueberry & Buttermilk Pancake Mix Edmonds Deli Style Balsamic & Roasted Garlic Edmonds Deli Style Creamy Roasted Garlic Edmonds Deli Style Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Ethics Clear Skin

Heinz (Seriously) Good Caramelised Onion Mayonnaise Heller's Mild Chorizo Morning Fresh Eco Dishwashing Liquid Mother Earth 'Nuts About' Nut Bar Nutters Chocoholic Chomp Palmolive Ultra Fusion Clean Vinegar & Lemon Palmolive Ultra Fusion Clean Baking Soda & Lime Pop'n'Good Popcorn POST-IT® Super Sticky Notes POST-IT® Lined Notes Quality Bakers Wholegrain Muffin Splits Turkish Bread Fresh Wraps Spinach / Wholemeal / Classic Verkerks Coarse Cut Chorizo Salami Villa Maria Pinot Gris 375ml Waitoa Free Range Butterfly Chicken Honey & Rosemary WaterWipes Watties Tomato Paste Sachet

LOOK OUT FOR THESE GREAT PRODUCTS IN STORE. THOUSANDS OF NEW ZEALANDERS RECOMMEND THEM!

[ feature ]

BLACK BOX DELIVERS A FAST, TARGETED AND COST EFFECTIVE WAY OF GETTING BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESULTS.”

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

on packaging or other collateral. The medals have high levels of authenticity and relevance as each has been awarded by thousands of New Zealanders who are the target market for the product. The medals are a sure sign of a quality product and can be trusted to deliver a great consumer experience. For more information contact General Manager Clinton Beuvink on 021 535 631, visit www. blackbox.kiwi or www.blackboxau.com.au.

Havas opens agency office in New Zealand Innovative global network Havas has acquired leading Auckland advertising agency, Mr Smith, in a deal that sees the two Mr Smith founding partners John O’Leary and Ben Handy heading the NZ operation, which has recently rebranded to Havas New Zealand. Havas New Zealand offers full programmatic digital media and offline media planning and implementation, brand/channel strategy, content creation and production across all platforms. Havas New Zealand clients include Emirates, Firth, Flooring Xtra, GBC Winstone, JDE (including Moccona, L’Or Espresso, Bell Tea, Jed’s and Hummingbird Coffee, TiOra), Les Mills

International, 100% Appliances, Philips Lighting, Simx and Southern Cross Hospitals. Mr Smith’s existing client base will take full advantage of Havas’ dynamic, integrated offering and its global network of expertise and unrivalled access to some of the world’s biggest media and entertainment companies through strategic global partnerships. Key partners include Vivendi, Universal Music, Studio Canal and Daily Motion. “Havas is a forward thinking, content-inspired company whose beliefs align strongly with ours”, says O’Leary, who becomes the newly anointed CEO of the Auckland office. O’Leary adds: “In Europe and the US, Havas clients are having conversations with agency heads, asking for a better agency/client model where all services are provided within a single office, with content at the core. Clients have worked through a decade of the segregated agency supplier model, which can often create brand disjointedness and consumer disconnection and they want something to fix their brand issue.” Handy, who has been appointed Havas New Zealand’s new Chief Creative Officer says: “Throughout a number of global markets, Havas is creating ‘Havas Villages’, offices that house all the talent a modern brand needs. This includes teams

THE WHOLE OF ENERGI USED DEMANDSCOPE™ AS A FRAMEWORK TO ANALYSE CHRISTMAS 2016... THIS REPORT PROVIDES VALUABLE INSIGHTS FOR ANYONE WANTING TO ATTRACT 2017’S CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS.” of strategists, media and content producers truly collaborating, with no agendas, across multiple channels. We have seen Havas clients successfully get connected with cohesive brand collusion using this model rather than the fractured process and work that you see across multiple platforms now.” As a testament to Havas’ commitment to brand services and demonstrating their expertise and insights into marketing and consumer behaviour, Havas produces an annual ‘medical check-up’ for advertising around the world called the Meaningful Brands survey. One significant statistic from the 2017 survey, which collated responses of more than 300,000 people from 30 countries, found that consumers wouldn’t care if 74% of the brands they use disappeared. Handy added: “Consumers are turning away from the bombardment of bland advertising and gravitating towards content that delivers a strong, connected and cohesive brand message across multiple channels, particularly through mobile. The challenge is to appeal to each consumer’s own quirks and keep them engaged!” Contact John O’Leary 021 517 107, Ben Handy 021 333 719, or visit www.havas.co.nz.

Winning shopper hearts, minds & sales DemandScope™ is a new methodology developed by the team at Energi to attract and drive shopper behaviour. With a mix of data analysis, strategic insight and creativity, DemandScope™ is designed to help retailers and FMCG marketers tackle big and nasty business challenges, and to find new ways to compete. We can provide answers to your questions: • “How do we gain a competitive advantage in our over-supplied, parity market?” • “How do we get a better alignment

between our brand strategy and what we deliver at the point of purchase?” • “There are many different things we could do, but with limited resources, what is going to make the biggest difference to drive sales?” • “We’re not performing, but I don’t know why, and what to do about it.” DemandScope™ is shopper-centric. It is designed to help companies better understand who their customer is, what they want, and how to satisfy them. It uses behavioural economics to chart their course through the path to purchase, uncovering the drivers and barriers that influence what they buy. The inputs for DemandScope™ are holistic, looking at both the external marketplace and internal organizational influences on performance. It draws on both existing data and fresh research to get right to the heart of the issues at hand. This is important because in today’s information-rich world it is easy to suffer too much data and not enough insight. The outputs are integrated shopper marketing strategies, big ideas and simple tactical initiatives that are tailored to move the needle on sales performance and help clients win. Over recent months DemandScope™ has been put to good use in a variety of situations. It helped one FMCG marketer who was unclear about how to best solve his trading problems. In his words: “You’ve taken the guesswork out of it. I now know exactly what to do.” It has helped identify a great new way for one retailer to break the category parity that they have been struggling with. For one client, DemandScope™ was used to help integrate the brand’s advertising campaign into an effective shopper marketing programme. It has been used to develop promotional programmes and social media strategies.

WELLINGTON CHRISTCHURCH

&DUNEDIN DID IT LAST CHRISTMAS

706,000

people did Christmas shopping online for the first time.

For further insights from the 2016 Energi Christmas Shopper Report contact Louise 021 883 229.

Shopper marketing specialists since 1984

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ feature ] DemandScope™ has been used to help make #2 brands become more effective challengers. Energi has also used DemandScope™ as a framework to analyse Christmas 2016, New Zealand’s biggest ever shopping event. This report provides valuable insights for anyone wanting to attract 2017’s Christmas shoppers (see infographic on pg 28). Take a look at DemandScope™ for yourself. Call Louise Henderson at Energi on 021 883 229.

Outsource to Storelink with confidence “With over 25 years’ experience in merchandising in the NZ retail channel, when you outsource to Storelink you can rely on our large team of over 410

Storelink staff deliver superior results.

With new owners and an exciting new website, Storelink is your retail service partner of choice. When you choose Storelink as your outsourced retail service partner, you can be assured that our passionate team will take that responsibility seriously and represent your brands as if they are our own. Our services include: • Tailored field sales and merchandising services • Merchandising retail implementation • Relays • Display builds • Compliance reporting

• • • • •

Demonstrations and tastings Customised, real-time reporting Product recalls Key account management ISP expertise with dedicated resource based at PEL

Read more about the ways in which we can tailor a solution to maximise your sales results at www.storelink.co.nz or call us on 09 475 9039. Alternatively you can email us at enquiries@storelink.co.nz

merchandisers and 20 Field Managers to ensure your products are available on shelf to maximise sales opportunities,” say Coowners Angie Samuel and Tony Puppyn. On 1 February 2017 Storelink ownership changed to Angie Samuel, Tony Puppyn and John Bishop. “As new owners, we are proud to take over the Storelink reins from the Hewitt family and we thank the previous owners Ken and Karin Hewitt for their many years of service within the business and wish them the very best for the future,” say Samuel and Puppyn who remain in their current leadership positions. They explain: “We proudly represent a number of New Zealand’s leading FMCG companies such as Sanitarium, Griffins, Wrigleys, Lewis Road Creamery, Taylor Brown, Natures Organics, Sun Valley, Pacific Brands and many more. About 75% of the 296 000 + tasks we performed in 2016 were done in the grocery channel, making us experts in this field.” “Some of the benefits of outsourcing to the experts include our team of welltrained merchandisers, 40% of whom have more than two years’ experience, along with our Field Management structure, which comprises of 20 Regional / Area Managers who work actively in the field to ensure we meet client infield execution standards. Also, Health & Safety is engrained in our culture so you can rest assured we make our teams’ well-being a priority, plus we’ve invested in state-of-the-art technology solutions which provide our partners with access to information and photographs as well as reports which can be customised to suit your business needs. “We understand that each client has different requirements, so we customise and tailor our services to suit our partners. We respect our partners’ investment in our services and value transparency when it comes to our costing model – there are no surprises and budgeting is easy with us. Our partners seek a broker who offers superior results – Storelink delivers this through getting the basics right, then through adding value and ultimately driving sales of your products. Last, but definitely not least, is our culture. The Storelink team shares the same values and passion, integrity, and transparency - striving for success and excellence is something we all embrace. “Ultimately, what clients are looking for in a sales and merchandising broker is

superior results. Storelink delivers,” say Samuel and Puppyn. Contact Storelink on ph 09 4759039 or email enquiries@storelink.co.nz www.storelink.co.nz

Boutique merchandising specialists gsd 4U is a boutique merchandising specialist, providing unique and effective merchandising and marketing solutions. With over 40 years’ experience in sales and marketing, gsd 4U are leaders in their field. The head office team has extensive knowledge on best in class account and category management, data insights and executing with excellence on the ground. Supported by a highly motivated and reliable merchandising team, covering a national footprint, they have the resource and expertise to ensure clients’ brands excel in the market. The company was established in 2015 after identifying a need in the marketplace for a company to thoroughly understand business needs and provide expertise in sales and execution. gsd 4U understands that the marketplace is ever changing and evolving. They recognise the importance of investing time and resources developing and upskilling their merchandising team and are committed to providing ongoing support in field to merchandisers to ensure readiness and adaptability to ongoing market changes. gsd 4U acknowledge that “Retail is Detail” and when it comes to winning in execution, this is key! Working closely with clients to understand their unique needs, the team at gsd 4U draws on their vast expertise within FMCG to provide a hands-on, solution focussed approach that maximises clients’ brand equity and sales. Services include the collection and analysis of store level data, an invaluable tool, which provides timely market insight allowing clients to make fact driven decisions with urgency. Their merchandising team are not just ‘feet on the ground’, they’re also the eyes and ears to the ever-changing instore landscape, providing business critical information, which can identify opportunities that drive results. gsd 4U believes in the brands they represent; they vow to remain small enough to care, but big enough to make a difference. Since inception, gsd 4U has proven

gsd 4U MERCHANDISING SOLUTIONS

M: 027 473 4811 E: gsd4uoffice@xtra.co.nz

Get in touch with us

salesmerchandising&marketing

BEST WAY TO [ feature ] OPTIMISE PERFORMANCE CROSSMARK HAS OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A LEADING SMA IN NEW Stephen Hay ZEALAND AND ALSO OPERATES IN AUSTRALIA, USA AND CANADA.”

its value to their clients, any of which would be happy to recommend them. They do just what their company name stands for – get sh*t done for you! Get in touch, have a chat, and see how they can ‘gsd’ for you. For more information call 027 473 4811 or email gsd4uoffice@xtra.co.nz

stations. In addition to these two teams, stock replenishment and display building merchandisers are also available. According to Leach, there is an increased appetite to outsourcing of both sales and merchandising services by many of the larger manufacturers. “In the past, this option wasn’t seen as preferable due to some unreliable operators that had tarnished the SMA’s reputation, but I believe this has mostly changed,” he said. “Any good SMA worth its weight in salt will have very robust systems, processes and reporting that are on par, if not ahead, of many manufacturers, and will contractually be held accountable to mutually agreed KPIs.” KPIs should be no different to those that the manufacturers would hold their own sales team to, including GSV growth, share of shelf and distribution. To ensure that all specific needs are met, Crossmark has developed a bespoke solution. “One of our unique offers is a true ‘pick and mix’ option, where customers can select all or just part of the service offers, ranging from comprehensive wharf to shelf solution, key account management, nsales and merchandising.” For more information, confidentially contact Grant Leach on 021 996 638.

MOVING AT CUSTOMER SPEED

Tailored solution for every need Based in Takapuna, Auckland, Crossmark has over 30 years of experience as a leading SMA in New Zealand and also operates in Australia, USA and Canada. The company provides full nationwide coverage in grocery, route, oils, pharmacy, hardware and mass retailers, with a team of more than 500 staff. “We offer customers three fundamental team skills set options, enabling them to purchase the service that best fits their needs and maximises the effectiveness of their budget,” says Grant Leach, Managing Director, Crossmark Asia Pacific. Whatever the trading environment you are targeting, the company has it covered, offering senior territory managers for Pak’nSave and New World, as well as a sales assist team that loves persuading and influencing in the likes of Countdown, TWL and service

We’ve hatched the gold standard for SMAs If you want a no compromise, Dedicated Sales and Merchandising service without the associated costs, it is now available with Grocery Partners. Grocery Partners is the new Gold Standard in SMAs. The sales team at Grocery Partners is of the highest calibre, having consistently delivered exceptional results in this highly competitive market. Grocery Partners provides nationwide sales and merchandising coverage in All Grocery banners, supported by the Best in Class reporting platform and management.

When only the best will do, confidentially contact Grant Leach on 021 996 638.

32 FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017 supermarketnews.co.nz 100% OWNED

[ profile ]

GET BAKED!

ver the past few years as a consumer, it’s been awesome to see so many supermarket categories get a shake-up, from chocolate milk to craft beer, gourmet cereal, the list goes on. Ethics, quality and responsible eating is the new black and supermarkets are leading the charge. “The next giant to fall in this battle will be the frozen pizza category, where traditional brands have gone unchallenged, driving the price down with poor quality toppings and zero kitchen skills in the art of making pizza,” say Callum Davies, Stuart McMullin and Jason Buckley the co-owners at BAKED. “We all know the old chef’s rule that people eat with their eyes. When you open that box, first impressions are everything. If you think back to your last frozen pizza, you may want to close your eyes!” The good news is that supermarkets are smart and know their customers, which is why they are raising the bar. “With convenience food, we know that once trust is lost in a product it takes a long time to turn it around and win that customer back.” Callum and Stu have first-hand experience in this after selling HELL in 2006 at the top and buying it back in 2008, broken and limping. But the good news is it’s possible, you just need to put your customer first and create an experience they love. Look at HELL today! BAKED’s challenge as the challenger is to get people believing in frozen pizza again. The first step to regain trust is to only use the best ingredients. BAKED uses the award-winning Harrington’s Smallgoods in Wellington, who produce a tasty certified free range meat. “We then hand-make each pizza, taking the dough and forming it in a pan with a crust. Sauce is spooned on, ingredients carefully placed and finally

(L to R) Callum Davies, Stuart McMullin, Jason Buckley.

it’s topped with mozzarella”. Pizza needs to be cheesy and stringy when cooked, just ask the guys at the Fonterra factory testing laboratory, who measure the quality of the cheese by the elasticity of mozzarella on pizza. Stretch is good. “All frozen pizza currently is par-baked, which is why the base never tastes great. Essentially it’s overcooking it, while the topping and cheese melt”. BAKED is not par-baked, instead it’s blast frozen at the fresh dough ‘proofing’ stage, then baked in your oven. “Transparency is very important to get people to trust in frozen pizza. Which is why we have a window on the front of the box, so you can see what you are buying”, says Stu McMullin. BAKED sell three pizzas (a new edition coming soon). The MOREPORK (because it has more pork) a meaty BBQ pizza, and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (Hawaiian with slices of ham, not cubes or strings). “Our third pizza is the MAKE & BAKE. From our research there is no frozen pizza in the NZ market like it. It’s simply a base, with base sauce and mozzarella cheese, and all you do is add a topping.” Wastage is top of mind for customers. Make & Bake solves the pain of leftovers in the fridge. Just flick on the oven, cut up your leftover ingredients, take a Make & Bake from the freezer, place on your toppings and bake a masterpiece! The BAKED team says: “Selling pizza should not be a race to the bottom, it should be about creating premium at the top. Everyone else is racing to the bottom – instead we create the best and charge a fair price. We occupy the premium space because the $ margins are much better there and it’s where the repeat customers hang out!” “To get BAKED in your store, go to www.getbaked.pizza or speak to our agent Rothfords International Ltd, or contact Jason through feedback@baked.pizza.” FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Get spicy with Lee Kum Kee

My Main Course My Main Course helps with inspiring fresh meal ideas that can be customised to create your own homemade meal. The range features four meat in sauce and two vegetarian varieties that can be found in the chilled foods section. Flavours include Thai Chicken Curry and Savoury Mince, available now. www.mymaincourse.co.nz 0800 435 537

New from Lee Kum Kee, Sriracha Mayo is a delicious blend of sriracha chilli and creamy mayonnaise. It’s perfect for adding a touch of heat to sandwiches, wraps, burgers, dips and spreads plus it’s gluten free. Available in convenient squeeze bottles in both a 275 ml size and a larger 445 ml size. www.acton.co.nz Phone 0800 699 090

New High Protein Breakfast Muesli High Protein Breakfast Company is a batch-made Kiwi muesli full of flavour and texture, with no puffs, refined sugar, processed oils or cheap fillers. Its unique combination of fats, carbohydrates and very high-protein makes a nutritious, delicious and sustaining breakfast, specifically created for weight management goals. Flavours include: Feijoa, Peach + Nectarine, and Berry. www.highproteinbreakfast.co.nz

Grin creates 100% natural tooth gel for kids First Light Foods Wagyu Beef First Light Foods is a NZ grass-fed Wagyu Beef and Venison business based in Hawke’s Bay and is currently the only Wagyu available for retail in New Zealand. The wagyu steaks are guaranteed to be 4-5 marbling and all of their animals are 100% grass-fed on free-range pastures as nature intended. Check out the current range of products on offer, with more products launching into the market this year to meet demand. Find out more: www.firstlight.farm

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Grin has created New Zealand’s first 100% natural tooth gel for kids with three active organic ingredients. Developed in cooperation with New Zealand Dentists and Chemists to gently clean teeth and soothe gums. Free from toxic nasties, added sugar, artificial flavours and colours. Available in natural strawberry or orange flavour. Grin Natural Products sales@grinnatural.co.nz 0800 474 646

[ what’s hot ]

Earthwise Nourish Natural Soap

Barnyard’s small animal feed range Barnyard’s new premium feed range is available in 2.0Kg and 2.5Kg formats. A convenient source of nutritionally balanced feeds to meet the needs of free range laying hens, rabbits and guinea pigs. Packed in resealable, clear, stand up bags with user friendly information on the back. Contact: 0800 367 3447 Mainfeeds.co.nz

Earthwise Nourish Natural Soap is a delightful accompaniment to any kitchen or bathroom sink and comes in four beautiful scents. Lemongrass and Ginger is crafted using native manuka honey which is loaded with skin healing properties. Coconut and Gardenia is light and fresh enhanced with coconut strands to exfoliate rough hands. Rosehip and Almond Oil soap to soothe and restore your skin. Goat’s Milk and Shea Butter to moisturise and replenish your skin. Available in 90g and 3x90g packs. Contact Customer Service on 0800 327 849 www.earthwise.co.nz

Arnott’s Shapes Originals – back by popular demand Original Shapes are back in New Zealand! Pizza and Barbecue Originals are appearing in-store now; Original Cheese & Bacon and Cheddar will return in July. Since the launch of new Shapes last year, Arnott’s has been monitoring consumer feedback and due to demand, will now complement the new Shapes flavours with the return of four Originals. Talk to your Arnotts store rep or call 0508 276 688

Pure Plus Aloe Change your drinks, change your life with Pure Plus Aloe brought to you by The PARKERS Beverage company. Pure Plus is one of the worlds leading brands and it is very exciting to see them entering the New Zealand market. Full range of flavours and formats available. Please contact The PARKERS Beverage Company for prices and orders. Ph 020 412 71256 drinks@parkers.kiwi

Get BAKED New Zealand’s first hand-crafted, certified free-range, rolled with a crust and blast frozen pizza. Made with the same quality ingredients as iconic Hell pizzas. Customers can even check out the pizza toppings through a window in the packaging, so they know what they’re buying. Everyone is getting BAKED, you should too! BAKED Limited feedback@baked.pizza www.getbaked.pizza FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ good business ]

Pricing problems a priority

The Commerce Commission in New Zealand is taking a close look at pricing this year, building on two high profile cases. Bike Barn was fined $800,000 for misleading price claims and 45 charges have been laid against Bunnings for its various “lowest price” claims. Bunnings has pleaded not guilty to the charges. “Retail pricing is a focus area for us in 2017. We know that consumers are being misled by pricing claims, such as in the Bike Barn case, and we know it infuriates consumers. We want retailers

to be on notice that this is a focus area for us and we will be actively enforcing the law,” said Antonia Horrocks, the Commission’s General Manager Competition. The Commission wants to build awareness of pricing issues following the Bike Barn case, says Horrocks. “We are increasingly seeing this sort of conduct as retailers rely more and more on making sales during promotion periods. Genuine discounts are great for consumers. Exaggerated or false discounts are misleading and unlawful,” she says. The Commission is also seeing consumers misled by other pricing practices such as “opt out”, where pre-selected goods or services are added, usually during an online purchasing process. The Commission has already achieved notable behavioural change over this sort of conduct. Air New Zealand, JetStar and Air Asia all stopped adding such services during online booking processes following Commission intervention. Other companies which agreed to end the practice include House of Travel, Ticket Direct and Chocoprice.

Did you know? The Commission’s 2016 Consumer Issues Report noted that 26% of consumer complaints are about pricing concerns.

Fonterra backs innovative game-changers Entrepreneurial individuals and businesses have a new avenue for support with the launch of Fonterra Ventures Co-Lab. The open platform – www.fonterraventures.com – provides the opportunity for anyone, anywhere to collaborate with Fonterra on disruptive ideas for mutual benefit. Individuals, small businesses or large corporates around the world can submit game-changing concepts that the Fonterra Ventures team will review and then potentially partner on to scale and succeed together. Submissions could relate to any kind of disruptive innovation such as new business models, services, technologies or processes. “Fonterra is fortunate to partner with some brilliant businesses in New Zealand and across the globe and we’re looking to join forces with them in increasingly innovative ways to accelerate growth and ultimately return more value to our farmers,” said Judith Swales, Chief Operating Officer Velocity & Innovation. “We’re also actively looking outside our organisation and are open minded as to where that could lead us. Through Ventures Co-Lab, we want to collaborate with innovators to think big and win big, together.” There is no set formula for the type of relationship to come out of Ventures Co-Lab, but the ultimate goal is to build long-term partnerships with companies that will work in synergy with Fonterra. Successful applicants can tap into the Co-op’s global reach and know-how at every step of the supply chain, while also getting support from a dedicated team whose sole focus is to drive disruptive innovation. Fonterra Ventures, led by General Manager Komal Mistry, is a passionate group of entrepreneurial enablers constantly looking for new ways to meet the needs of future consumers and customers. 36

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Judith Swales, Chief Operating Officer Velocity & Innovation

In addition to looking externally for innovative ideas, Fonterra is cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship internally through programmes like Disrupt. Disrupt harnesses the curiosity and talent of people within the organisation to create innovative businesses models. Staff are given the opportunity to submit ideas, proceed to a 12-week accelerator and potentially land a new day job if their concept is implemented within the business. “We know that innovation and disruption can come from anywhere,” added Swales. “We invite people to join us on the journey and radically change the way things are done.”

[ Buy NZ Made ]

Top Waikato free range chicken producer scoops Hero Award

aikato-based free range chicken specialist Waitoa is the latest New Zealand company to win the Buy NZ Made campaign’s monthly Hero Award for February. The ‘Heroes’ programme is a new initiative from the Buy NZ Made Campaign, which identifies companies excelling in the promotion of their NZ Made status that have also excelled in several other key commercial areas. Waitoa has a dedicated team of poultry farmers working throughout the Waikato region producing high quality free-range chicken. It has become one of the country’s most successful free range providers blending care, innovation and best practice to produce some startling results. Waitoa’s Marketing Manager Allister Bathgate said Waitoa’s success was down to a combination of consumer awareness and demand for quality home produce. “There’s no question now that conscious consumption is driving growth,” he explained. “Consumers are looking for accredited suppliers with provenance in free range. “Waitoa is SPCA blue tick approved and concentrates on high animal welfare standards. The blue tick is New Zealand’s only 100% independent accreditation scheme for animal welfare,” said Bathgate. Animal welfare is growing in importance to discerning New Zealand buyers - a trend being witnessed across many food categories. The recent joint Horticulture New Zealand and Consumer NZ survey found 71% of New Zealanders wanted country of origin labelling on fresh, tinned and frozen fruit and veggies and 70% wanted to buy home grown. “It’s more than that. Consumers want to know

where everything comes from, including their meat, and of course they are interested in the unique characteristics of land, farm or farmer. “Waitoa production is vertically integrated and we control everything from eggs, to the breeding of chickens and feed. Every step of the way we manage in a sustainable manner and we reinforce this in all our communication. “Our chickens are grown in the green sunny valleys of the Waikato and we reinforce this message at all touch points. We feel it adds to the quality perception and reinforces provenance,” Bathgate said. Waitoa is the fourth NZ company to win one of the monthly Hero Awards. It will receive a certificate, promotion on the Buy NZ Made website, promotion in target media, Hero artwork which can be used in marketing and a social media advertising voucher worth $100 to be used on the Buy NZ Made social media channels. The company will also be automatically entered into an annual competition where it and 11 other monthly winners will be voted on by the public for the Ultimate Hero Award. The ultimate award winner will receive a trophy and certificate, artwork displaying their ultimate hero status and an advertorial in a magazine of their choice.

Trina Snow Manager Buy NZ Made www.buynz.org.nz

WAITOA IS SPCA BLUE TICK APPROVED AND CONCENTRATES ON HIGH ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS.” FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ legal advice ]

What’s in a domain name?

Y Scott Gazley is a barrister and solicitor specialising in commercial and civil litigation. STEINDLE WILLIAMS LEGAL LIMITED www.swlegal.co.nz

IF YOU’RE A VICTIM OF SQUATTING OR OTHER UNFAIR ONLINE BEHAVIOUR DON’T TAKE IT LYING DOWN.”

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

our business’ online presence is becoming increasingly important. But it’s also becoming more vulnerable. This article talks about the ways you can protect your business’ name and reputation online. Most important of all is your domain name - the “www.” address customers type or click on to go to your website. First - how your business might be vulnerable. Competitors have at their disposal tools to reduce your business’ online visibility and capture internet traffic that would have previously been headed to your website. We’ll look at just a couple: “Typosquatting” is the practice of registering domain names that are only very slightly different to domain names of other businesses. The difference is intended to catch out customers who make typographical or punctuation errors when typing your business’ domain name and so are directed off to a competitor’s site. “Cybersquatting” is when someone registers a domain name not to mislead but to make money by selling it to the owner of the goodwill in that name. An infamous example was when a Canadian high school student named Mike Rowe registered MikeRoweSoft.com much to the annoyance of Microsoft. If your business is the target of this sort of online underhandedness often the best recourse is to contact the Domain Name Commissioner’s Dispute Resolution Service (“DRS”). It only costs $2,000 plus GST to pursue a complaint in the DRS. All .nz domain registrants

agree to be bound by the DRS when they register or renew a .nz domain name, so this offers complainants a binding and inexpensive option. To succeed in a complaint to the DRS the complainant must show, first, that it has rights in respect of a name or mark which is identical or similar to the domain name and, second, the registrant made an “unfair registration”. The “unfair registration” is easy enough to show if the registrant is obviously engaging in typosquatting or cybersquatting. But where many businesses run into difficulties is with showing their rights to the name or mark. This is just another reason why registering a trademark for your business’ name or slogan is so important. Once trademarked a complainant would have prima facie rights in respect of the name which the DRS would find highly persuasive. It is possible to register and administer your trademarks yourself via https://www.iponz.govt. nz/about-ip/trade-marks/. But it’s best to take legal advice to ensure your mark is adequately described and compliant. Obtaining online a preliminary advice report from the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office is an inexpensive way to see whether there are existing registered or pending trademarks that are too similar to your proposed name, and whether it meets the criteria for trade mark registration. If you’re a victim of squatting or other unfair online behaviour don’t take it lying down. But better still make sure that your name and reputation online is well protected first.

[ FGC ]

Helping consumers

e all know that the food and grocery sector is competitive. It’s big company against big company, all striving to improve existing products or develop the next iconic one – the next big ice cream treat, the special chocolate bar, the closer multi-blade shaver, the longer lasting deodorant, the multipronged action shampoo. It’s also the small to medium-sized companies striving to carve out a niche, in the hope that one day their home-grown products will capture enough imagination to turn into something a whole lot bigger. But whether it’s a multinational with factories around the world or a tiny jam maker from Eketahuna, there are two imperatives above all others that help make the desired result achievable – listening to consumers and helping them improve their knowledge so they can make the best informed choices. Successful and responsible companies constantly do this. The more obvious examples can be seen every day on supermarket shelves in the form of Health Stars and the Heart Foundation Tick. With the Heart Foundation Tick in the process of being phased out, the voluntary Health Star Rating system has become the predominant signpost for consumers as to how healthy a product is compared to other foods in the same category. The fact that it’s voluntary but that we now have more than 3000 products sporting the distinctive stars shows how serious industry is when it comes to listening to and informing consumers. Consumers want healthier products so companies remove sugar, salt and fats and whatever else to comply. The industry has moved in other ways, too. FGC has produced a series of videos to help consumers shop better and eat healthier. Subjects include creating an energy gap, identifying snacks and treats, making smarter choices when shopping, food fads, healthy breakfasts, and choosing the right processed foods. We also have a website – HealthyBalance.nz – which is aimed at consumers, with information on eating seeds and pulses, and on consumption of salt, sugar, fats, fibre, vitamin K and vitamin D. There’s also material on fitness.

the move by two of our biggest companies – DB and Lion – to add nutritional information panels to the back of bottles, cans, and packaging for their beer products. This move follows a Colmar Brunton survey commissioned by the Brewers Association which showed that 75% of respondents said they wanted nutritional content shown on alcohol product packaging. Among them, it showed that 83% of women were in favour of this. The Brewers Association says it’s aware that sugars and preservatives are particularly important to consumers, so they will be highlighted. DB and Lion clearly took all this information seriously and are now running with it. As a result, more than 450 million beer bottles and cans will carry information on sugar, dietary fibre, protein and carbohydrate, on top of the standard drinks labelling. This is a further great example of industry listening to its consumers and then acting on it to give them more information to make more informed choices. It’ll be interesting to see if the wider industry picks it up and follows suit.

Katherine Rich Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council www.fgc.org.nz

Making informed choices Many companies have healthy eating information and tips on their websites, with some of the bigger ones investing a lot of time and money into this way of helping consumers make informed choices. A recent example of companies going well out of their way to help keep consumers informed was FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ events ]

T&G Global marks 120 years in business

T&G Chairman Prof. Klaus Lutz and CEO Alastair Hulbert

&G Global (formerly Turners and Strong presence in NZ Growers) has celebrated the start of T&G began operating in 1897 first as a its 120th year in business at Fruit small fruit auctioneer in Auckland. It’s Logistica in Berlin. Fruit Logistica now an internationally vertically integrated is Europe’s biggest annual fresh grower, picker, packer, shipper, trader and produce tradeshow attracting tens marketer of fruit and vegetables including T&G IS ON TARGET of thousands of growers, customers and suppliers JAZZ™, Envy™ and Pacific Rose™ apples. TO ACHIEVE ITS from around the globe. T&G has a strong presence in New Zealand T&G shared its stand within Fruit Logistica with 12 markets across the country selling FINANCIAL TARGET with 100 customers and representatives from locally grown and imported produce. OF $2 BILLION Zespri, Plant and Food Research among others T&G’s CEO Alastair Hulbert says REVENUE BY 2022.” who collectively celebrated the start of the reaching 120 years is an exciting milestone company’s 120th year. T&G also took the with more to celebrate in the coming opportunity during Fruit Logistica to showcase refreshed branding years. T&G is on target to achieve its financial target of $2 billion for its trademarked JAZZ premium apple. The new branding will revenue by 2022. be rolled out globally as new fruit comes into season. New Zealand “Our success lies in consistent growing practices, committed fruit is just arriving in market this month. growers, supportive customers and our passionate people. We’re T&G intends to recognise its milestone, and the contribution of constantly striving for quality produce while exploring sustainable local customers and growers, in a number of ways over the course growing practices to maintain year-round freshness to ultimately of the year. help people lead healthier lifestyle.”

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Co-located with

23-24 AUGUST 2017

International Convention Centre Sydney

TRADE SHOW FREE TO ATTEND AACS CONVENIENCE LEADERS SUMMIT BOTH MORNINGS AACS PETER JOWETT CONVENIENCE INDUSTRY AWARDS JUDGING AACS GALA AWARDS DINNER OVER 150 COMPANIES EXHIBITING For more information or to register visit www.candiexpo.com.au or 0800 451 590

[ events ]

Double Dutch at NZ Champions Of Cheese Awards

wo New Zealand cheesemakers of Dutch origin have stepped outside their traditions with two new cheeses that have claimed the top prizes at the 2017 NZ Champions of Cheese Awards. The Smoked Goat Gouda by Meyer Gouda Cheese was judged as the Countdown Champion of Champions (Commercial), and Fifty Fifty by Mercer Cheese was awarded as the Puhoi Valley Champion of Champions (Artisan). Both Meyer Gouda Cheese and Mercer Cheese are from Waikato and both have won top honours in the past with traditional Dutch style cheeses. This year it is their innovation with new cheeses that has set them apart from the hundreds of entries submitted for judging. Both the Champion of Champions cheeses were gold medallists in the Ministry for Primary Industries New Cheese category. The best New Zealand cheeses were judged by 34 international and local cheese experts, from more than 370 entries. The category winners were announced at a gala dinner in Auckland, following a two-day cheese competition. Master Judge Russell Smith, says “Dutch Kiwis have a growing reputation for making inspirational cheeses with New Zealand milks. The 2017 champions are great examples of this expertise. The Smoked Goat Gouda by Meyer Gouda Cheese is an absolutely gorgeous goat cheese, and a pleasure to eat.” Smith was also clearly impressed with Fifty Fifty by Mercer Cheese, describing it as “a beautifully aged gouda, with complex sweet and savoury flavours coming from the combination of cow and goat milk.” A rare cheese, Mercer Cheese only makes it on occasional years when the last of the summer milks are right for this type of Gouda to be produced, and then aged. 2017 was notable for the inclusion of three new cheese companies entering into the awards, including Winsam Farm. This new player to the cheese scene produced an incredible feat, scoring a perfect 100 for 42

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

The 2017 Champions of Champions: Albert Alferink of Mercer Cheese (R) and Miel Meyer of Meyer Gouda Cheeses (L).

their Just Ewe Winsam Farmhouse cheese. The result lead its cheesemaker Catherine Oakley of Winsam Farm to be named the Cheesemaker Of The Year (Milk Test NZ Champion Cheesemaker), with her first ever entry. Just Ewe Winsam Farmhouse was also named the NZ Chefs Association Champion Sheep Cheese. A popular Kiwi blue cheese, Kapiti Kikorangi from Fonterra Brands NZ, won the Ecolab Champion Blue Cheese Award, the Renco New Zealand Export Cheese Award and Fonterra Champion Original Cheese Award. Officially the most decorated blue cheese in Awards history, Kapiti Kikorangi was described by judges as a truly exceptional and distinctive cheese. “The very seductive creamy texture of this cheese is combined with sweet, spicy blue flavours,” Smith says. The New World Champion Favourite Cheese Award – a competition where New World shoppers had the opportunity to judge

their personal favourite - was won by Kapiti Kahurangi Creamy Blue from Fonterra Brands NZ. “The people have spoken,” Smith said, commenting on the developing sophistication of New Zealanders’ palate in selecting such a full favoured cheese as their favourite. Another notable win from a classic Kiwi cheesemaker, Puhoi Valley Cheese, was the Puhoi Valley Feta which was awarded the Kiwi Labels Champion Feta Cheese Award. Puhoi Valley Cheese also went home with the Thermaflo Champion Washed Rind Cheese Award with the Puhoi Valley Cellar Range Washed Rind. Three of the four golds awarded to washed rind cheeses went to Puhoi Valley Cheese. Now in its 14th year, the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards are held annually by the NZ Specialist Cheese Association, to honour excellence in cheese making. A full list of all Award winners and medallists is available on www.cheeselovers. co.nz.

AACS Downunder Study Tour

ere’s your chance to visit the latest stores from BP, Caltex, 7-Eleven, Puma, AA, APCO and Coles in Australia and enjoy networking with industry members over dinner. Guest Speaker this year is Julie Laycock, Head of Marketing at 7-Eleven, and Vice Chair of the AACS. This is a local study tour to visit the latest innovations in convenience stores in and around Melbourne. The tour will begin with a detailed presentation into our industry. Not only will attendees then get to visit stores they may previously not have seen, but they will also be hosted by senior executives from the various stores to be given insights into the store operations. The AACS Downunder Study Tour has been developed to appeal to up and coming leaders in our industry with the benefits of not only seeing stores and hearing from senior executives who they may not otherwise meet, but to network with others in the industry. This year the tour will also include an exclusive visit to the new Monash University Food Innovation Centre. See how products may be developed from scratch, to 3D THIS YEAR THE model printing and testing, to virtual full store planograms. TOUR WILL The tour is ideal for Account ALSO INCLUDE Managers, Category and AN EXCLUSIVE Marketing Managers, Sales and Operations Team managers. VISIT TO THE Dates will be May 31st and NEW MONASH June 1st 2017. Get in early as UNIVERSITY FOOD numbers are limited. To book visit https://secure. INNOVATION eventswithmoore.com.au/ aacs/2017/ CENTRE.”

Events 2017 APRIL

JUNE

7-9 The Food Show Christchurch Horncastle Arena Christchurch, NZ www.foodshow.co.nz

4-5 Naturally Good Expo ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre Sydney, Australia naturallygood.com.au

MAY 20-21 Healthy Food Guide LIVE! Incorporating the Gluten Free Food & Allergy Show North Shore Events Centre, Auckland www.healthyfoodlive.co.nz/ directory/gluten-allergy-show/ auckland/ 26 NZ Ice Cream Awards Auckland, New Zealand www.nzicecream.org.nz 26-28 THE FOOD SHOW WELLINGTON Westpac Stadium Wellington, NZ www.foodshow.co.nz

31-1 JUNE The AACS Downunder Study Tour https://secure.eventswithmoore. com.au/aacs/2017/

JULY 28-31 THE FOOD SHOW AUCKLAND ASB Showgrounds Auckland, NZ www.foodshow.co.nz

AUGUST 30-1 SEPT. Anufood Peking, China www.anufoodchina.com

SEPTEMBER 2 Grocery Charity Ball The Langham Auckland, NZ

OCTOBER 7-11 Anuga Cologne, Germany www.anuga.com 28-29 Healthy Food Guide LIVE! Incorporating the Gluten Free Food & Allergy Show Pioneer Recreation & Sport Centre, Christchurch www.healthyfoodlive.co.nz/ directory/gluten-allergy-show

Visit the websites and contact the event organisers for further details and updates. To have your event listed in FMCG Business email: trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz. FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ social sphere ]

Out & About

R) Store ntdown Mosgiel: (L to At the opening of Cou member n, Countdown team kso Coo Pam er nag Ma l. edin Mayor Dave Cul Sandra Ross and Dun

Members of the Farro Fresh team celebrate the opening of their new store in Orakei, Auckland.

ned their new rity KiwiHarvest ope Fresh food rescue cha KiwiHarvest Chairman R) to (L nd. kla Auc headquarters in en Party MP Denise Mayor Phil Goff, Gre . David Kirk, Auckland ive DeborahÂ Manning cut Exe ef Chi st rve Roche and KiwiHa

SNAP & WIN! 44

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Foodstuffs NI Merchandise Manager Deli, Chilled, Froz en & Bakery, Christofer Anderson; Fonterra Business Manager for Foodstuffs NI Christiaan Crous and Foodstuffs NI Category Man ager Deli, Rebecca Tuhakara ina with the New World Champion Favourite Cheese Award for Kapiti Kahu rangi Blue cheese.

Has your team moved to new premises, or been part of a fun event, great harvest, or promotional activity? Send us your favourite snapshots to be in the draw to win a copy of Dinnertime Goodness, with more than 85 nourishing and delicious dinners from Nadia Lim and the My Food Bag team. Courtesy of Penguin (RRP $45), this book is on sale from 3 April.

Just email your high res image with a caption to trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz

Vineyards keeping NZ beautiful

INDIA PALE ALE

■

SAM NEILL

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PINOT GRIS

NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIQUOR AUDIENCE

[ editorial & news ]

Clever Kiwis

The Shout Editor Charlotte Cowan

IN A country like New Zealand it’s easy to take what we have for granted. Crisp, clear waterways, luscious greenery and clean air – but what will our country look like in 50 or 100 years? We may not think about this on a daily basis but vineyards around New Zealand are striving towards sustainability to ensure their footprint on our land is minimal and our country’s future is bright. One Marlborough vineyard is taking it one step further and aiming to be the world’s most sustainable vineyard – find out who on pg 54. Also in The Shout this month, beer writer Neil Miller tries to take an impartial look at his favourite beer style, India Pale Ale; we chat to actor and South Island vintner Sam Neill; and the winners of the New World Beer & Cider Awards are revealed! For more of New Zealand’s leading liquor news, head to www.theshout.co.nz and sign up to our dedicated fortnightly eNewsletter and make sure you ‘like’ us on Facebook @theshoutnz. Have an amazing April!

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136 MANAGING DIRECTOR-PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz EDITOR Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 774 080 SALES MANAGER Angela Bowes abowes@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 130 6824

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Gold times two for Galbraith’s GALBRAITH’S HAS picked up two Gold Medals at the 2017 International Brewing Awards in England last month, making it the only New Zealand brewery to win a Gold Medal and the only brewery in the world to win two. The Auckland brewery won a Gold Medal in the Lager class for its Galbraith’s Bohemian Pilsner, and a Gold Medal in the Strong Dark Beer class for its Galbraith’s Rurik Stout. Forty-five judges assessed more than 1,100 beers and ciders in 34 classes from 21 countries and only one Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal were awarded in each class. “This is huge for us, and for New Zealand craft beer in general. To be acknowledged by a group of your peers that your Ale and Lager is of world standard is the peak of my 40-year career,” says Galbraith’s founder Keith Galbraith. “At Galbraith’s, we make beers for ourselves first and foremost, and ask customers to share our vision. “We do not produce beer to ‘fit’ into the categories that many beer competitions impose on entries. We find this limiting, as most beers begin to taste the same given the tight parameters,” he says. “The beers that performed so well in this competition have been thrown out of other comps, in spite of their quality, because they didn’t conform. We embrace nonconformity, as it lets us express ourselves in the best possible way.”

New Zealand wine cracks US market THE VALUE of New Zealand wine imported into the US has grown significantly in the past 12 months, according to a recent Gomberg Fredrikson Report. In 2016, the total value of New Zealand wine imported into the US reached US$400 million, now only surpassed by Italy (US$1,960 million) and France (US$1,589 million). “To be third ranking in terms of value in the world’s largest wine market is outstanding, especially given New Zealand produces less than one per cent of the world’s wine,” says Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. New Zealand wine, especially Sauvignon Blanc, is very popular in the United States and continues to grow at a rate much faster than the total market says Jon Moramarco, owner of The Gomberg Fredrikson Report. “The growth doesn’t surprise me, just because of the quality and value of what New Zealand has to oﬀer.” New Zealand wine exports have reached a record high and now stand at $1.61 billion, up 5% for the year end January 2017. New Zealand wine is exported to more than 90 countries, and is New Zealand’s seventh largest export good.

[ news ]

New winemaker for Waipara Hills ANDREW BROWN has been announced as Waipara Hills’ new winemaker, taking over from Simon McGeorge, who has pursued a successful tenure at the winery since 2006. Brown, who is renowned for his expertise with aromatics, makes the switch from assistant winemaker at Framington Wines in Marlborough where he has been since 2009. The new chief winemaker says is looking forward to getting his hands amongst the soils and vines of Waipara Hills where he has had a long term fascination and respect for the wine produced in the Valley. “I’ve always been a fan of the Waipara Valley so am really thrilled to be taking up the role as Waipara Hills winemaker. I am looking forward to working with the fruit, championing the region and becoming part of the team,” he says. Brown has worked in wineries in Alsace, Oregon, Central Otago and Marlborough and even with 10 harvests under his belt, and one just around the corner, he still thrives on the thrills and challenges they deliver. “Trialling winemaking techniques and learning from these is what I really look forward to,” he says. “As well as working with new vineyards and ferments … as long as they behave themselves!”

Have you met mead?

Craft beer revolution continues CONSUMER DEMAND and a growing passion for craft brewing mean the craft beer revolution is taking hold in more countries across the globe, according to a new survey by Alltech and The Brewers Journal. Results of the survey show that the number of breweries worldwide has surpassed 19,000, representing 209 countries and territories surveyed. Some 17,732 (or 94%) of these breweries can be defined as craft beer producers. The largest craft beer producer remains the US, with 4,750 craft breweries out of a total of 5,025 breweries. However, the UK has the most craft breweries per capita with 25 breweries per million people, compared with 15 in the US and 16 in Germany. “The US and the UK fermented their lead in craft beer production as a result of legislation that paved the way for craft brewers,” says Tim Sheahan, editor of The Brewers Journal. “In the US, the pivotal point was in 1978, when President Jimmy Carter allowed home brewing for the first time since Prohibition. The UK’s watershed moment came in 2002 with Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s progressive beer duty legislation, which reduced beer duty to nil for breweries producing less than 5,000 hectolitres.” Although the US is recognised as the originator of the recent craft beer movement and has heavily influenced the modern take on traditional styles, there are more craft breweries in Europe than North America. The top 10 craft beer-producing countries are the US, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Australia.

LONG BEFORE beer, wine and cider, there was mead – the oldest alcoholic drink known to man. Made by fermenting honey with water, mead is a taste you may have never come across before but now Mac’s has released a new limited edition mead called Love Buzz. Love Buzz is a 5.5% ABV gluten-free beverage made from Kamahi, Clover and Manuka honey, creating a subtly-sweet, sparkling, goldencoloured mead. Kurt Gross, brewer and Lion Beer Ambassador says, it’s great to see mead making a comeback as more people want to experiment with new flavours and ingredients. “The biggest misconception about mead is because it’s made from honey, it has to be overly sweet, but that’s not the case,” says Gross. “Mead can vary in sweetness from sweet, semi-sweet, to dry. “Love Buzz has a slight sweetness upfront, with a classic dry finish. It’s also completely gluten-free, something that we’re really excited about,” he says. Mac’s Love Buzz is available for a limited time, RRP $14.99 for a four-pack.

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[ awards ]

KIWIS DOMINATE NEW WORLD BEER & CIDER AWARDS

ew Zealand breweries have dominated this year’s New World Beer & Cider Awards, winning 10 out of 12 category Champion titles. Of the 10 local winners, Auckland breweries took home five category titles - including Champion Pale Ale, IPA and American-style Ale - while the other winning breweries hailed from Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Hamilton and Gisborne. Both international category winners came from Belgium. The awards, which saw more than 500 beers and ciders blind tasted by an independent judging panel of 19 industry experts, handed out a total of 212 medals - 27 Gold, 66 Silver and 119 Bronze. All Gold-winning brews will be stocked at 133 liquorselling New World stores nationwide. Chair of Independent Judges for the New World Beer & Cider Awards, Michael Donaldson, says with the local brewing industry growing at a rate of 35% per year, there has never been more competition for retail shelf space. He says that by focusing on drinkability, the awards put a premium on promoting quality brews that shoppers can trust. “These awards help shoppers explore outside their comfort zone and give them the confidence to try the unfamiliar,” says Donaldson. “When they choose a Gold Medal brew, they can be sure it’s a very good drop.” Steve Anderson, Managing Director, Foodstuffs (NZ) Ltd, says the New World Beer & Cider Awards 48

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

are the only local awards that can give winners an instant boost in sales and brand visibility. “Our Gold [Medal] guarantees a nationwide audience,” he says. “It gives us great pleasure to be able to support the local brewing industry, and in turn give our shoppers ready access to such fantastic, award-winning brews.”

The winning brews… Lager: Hawke’s Bay Pure Lager – Hawke’s Bay Pilsner: ParrotDog Pandemonium – Wellington Pale Ale: Bach Brewing Driftwood Session Pale Ale – Auckland IPA: Epic Armageddon IPA – Auckland British-style Ale: Good George Amber Ale – Hamilton American-style Ale: Deep Creek Dusty Gringo India Brown Ale – Auckland Stout, Porter & Black Beer: Sparks Brewing Outlander Extra Stout – Auckland Wheat & Other Grain Beer: Bach Brewing Witsunday Blonde IPA – Auckland Specialty, Experimental, Aged, Wood-aged & Flavoured Beer: Petrus Aged Pale – Belgium Apple & Pear Cider: Scrumpy Apple Cider – Gisborne Fruit & Flavoured Cider: Good George Drop Hop Cider – Hamilton For a full list of medal winners, head to www.newworld.co.nz

[ beer styles [ Q&A ]

BOTANICAL BEER Beer made with ginger, bog myrtle, seaweed or Manuka may sound like the latest hipster brewing trend but it is actually a throwback to ancient ales. Beer writer Neil Miller looks at New Zealand breweries bringing back the concept of a botanical beer.

VIRTUALLY ALL modern beer is based on four ingredients – water, yeast, malted barley and hops. Obviously other ingredients, such as fruit or coffee, can be added for certain beers. Of the central ingredients, it is hops which is the relative newcomer. Beer has been made for at least 7,000 years but hops only started being used around 1,200 years ago. Only in the last 500 years did hops become a staple in the brewing kettle, utilised for aroma, flavour, bitterness and as a natural preservative. Before then, brewers used a vast range of flavourings including flowers, herbs, spices and roots. Scottish brewers used the Highland Heather flower to flavour their warming dark ales - a modern example is Fraoch Heather Ale from Williams Bros. Brewing Co. It is available in limited quantities in New Zealand and traces its roots to 2000 BC, back when a Scottish brewer would have no idea what a hop was, far less have access to a reliable supply of them. New Zealand is no different. The first beer brewed in Australasia was by Captain Cook in Dusky Sound. The key flavouring ingredient was native Manuka (above), long used by Maori for medicinal purposes, while early European settlers adopted it as a substitute for tea. Wigram Brewing Company makes its Spruce Beer based on the Captain’s own recipe in his log book. It is certainly challenging to the modern palate. The Mussel Inn brews a modern interpretation. Its Captain Cooker Ale is easily one of the most distinctive and interesting beers ever produced in New Zealand. A judicious use of Manuka tree creates a unique combination of Turkish Delight, honey, rosewater, caramel and ginger notes. Founder Andrew Dixon says brewing with Manuka is basically “reinstating something that used to be”. Upper Hutt’s Kereru Brewing Company has turned to the sea and the land for its Karengose Salty Seaweed Ale. Head brewer Chris Mills says Karengose uses two unlikely but welcome botanical companions to produce this beer. “The beer gets its name from one of them – Karengo - which is an edible purple sea lettuce harvested

from the Kaikoura coast,” says Mills. “The dried, dark-purple fronds bring a refreshing saltiness to the traditional North German sour beer style known as Gose, and the various complex starches in the seaweed also lend a lovely mouthfeel to the beer and help to build a nice, meringue-like head. “The other botanical is coriander seed. The sharp aroma from these is nicely softened by the wheat and barley malts, and balances well with the sourness of the beer,” he says. “Some have described this beer as being a bit like being at the beach on a nice day. Karengose has very few hops and is consequently not very bitter. It has a delicate flavour which pairs well with sweet fish dishes - scallops, sushi, and salty cheeses with fruit, like pears and parmesan.” While still a very niche style, botanical beer is becoming more common, though virtually all now use hops as well. Some great examples of these include Garage Project’s Venusian Pale Ale, which includes lemon grass, kaffir lime leaf and grapefruit peel; and Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta Tea Leaf IPA, which showcases Earl Grey Blue Flower tea. If you think these beers are pushing the envelope, rest assured brewers are already working hard on new and interesting flavour combinations. The world of beer continues to expand and New Zealand is at the cutting edge.

BEER HAS BEEN MADE FOR AT LEAST 7,000 YEARS BUT HOPS ONLY STARTED BEING USED AROUND 1,200 YEARS AGO.”

Kereru Brewing Company uses coriander seed in its Karengose beer

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ beer feature ]

GOLD IN A GLASS It is no secret that India Pale Ale is the absolute favourite beer style of The Shout beer writer Neil Miller. In this issue, he attempts to take an impartial look at his beloved IPAs.

Neil Miller is an awardwinning beer writer. To contact Neil regarding beer features or samples, please email him at beerlytweeting@gmail.com

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

INDIA PALE ALE (IPA) was a beer created out of necessity by the British in the Colonial Era, and has gone on to become the dominant style of craft beer brewed in New Zealand today. British beer writer Pete Brown described the original IPA as: “Pure gold in the glass – a semi-mythical beer from the late eighteenth century, brewed in Britain to travel halfway around the world, through ocean storms and tropical sunshine, and arrive in perfect condition for a long, cold drink on an Indian veranda.” Brown actually wrote a lot more about IPA than that. In fact, his entire book Hops and Glory – One Man’s Search for the Beer that Built the British Empire is dedicated to understanding the history and the future of this revered style. Here is a summary of the ‘IPA Story’ which is a compelling tale and is almost all true… When the British ruled India, their troops were naturally thirsty in the unaccustomed heat. Unfortunately for them, these high temperatures also made brewing beer locally completely impossible - that would have to wait for refrigeration to be invented. Worse still, the spirits drunk by locals were fearsome and particularly affected the British troops.

Traditionally beer such as Porter or Pale Ale shipped from Britain arrived in poor condition, at best. Often it was undrinkable, which was bad for morale. Beer does not generally like heat or movement, so six months in an unrefrigerated ship played havoc with even the best British beer of the time. In response, several English brewers responded by making beer that was higher in alcohol (less likely to spoil) and more heavily hopped (hops are a natural preservative). To the surprise of the brewers and the delight of the soldiers, the months of sloshing around on board in oak barrels actually improved the beer, which became known as India Pale Ale. It is important to note that the beer is not ‘Indian’ Pale Ale, as it was not intended for the Indian population and, to this date, has not been brewed in India. Returning UK servicemen wanted to enjoy IPA at home and it became a popular global style. In the last 10 years, IPA in New Zealand has moved from a niche category to a staple for most brewers. When I started being involved in beer competitions, the IPA category was a speciality – now it is the most hotly-contested style. One of the most decorated IPAs, both here and overseas, is Epic Armageddon IPA. It won a trophy and

[ beer feature ]

Epic’s Luke Nicholas

Gold Medal at both the 2015 and 2016 New Zealand Beer Awards, a trophy and Gold at the Australian International Beer Awards, and was crowned Best IPA at the Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival. I actually named Armageddon when put on the spot at a beer tasting with brewer Luke Nicholas (no royalties yet), and it weighs in at 6.66%, which Nicholas calls ‘The Number of the Yeast’. In 2009, Nicholas recreated the epic nautical journey of the original IPAs by putting his Armageddon in two custom-made oak barrels and having them travel back and forth on the Interisland Ferry for six weeks. One of the barrels was called Pete because Pete Brown’s book was the inspiration for the challenge. Having personally tried the beer, the results were utterly delicious but hard to replicate commercially these days. Nicholas explained: “I make so many IPAs because I absolutely love the style. There are so many wonderful new hop varieties being released year after year. Every time I get a new one, I have to put it into an IPA and see how it works. It is an evolution of awesomeness! Customers like IPAs and they like them a lot. We don’t nail it every time –

Epic Armageddon IPA

IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, IPA IN NEW ZEALAND HAS MOVED FROM A NICHE CATEGORY TO A STAPLE FOR MOST BREWERS.” there are always learnings – but there are plenty that stand out. I am pretty sure I know what I am doing.” Asked if IPA brewers could ever add too many hops, Nicholas replied: “You can

Neil’s top five Kiwi IPAs

Snapperhead throws a punchy citrus nose before a full body of grapefruit, passionfruit and tropical fruit salad underpinned by a firm malt body.

Behemoth Brewing Company Dump the Trump IPA - Brewed as a protest against the US President but it is not a gimmick. A well-balanced Pale Ale with a landslide of American hops, which sees grapefruit and mango dominate before a strong, clean finish. Baylands Brewery Woodrow’s Veto IPA - Named after US President Woodrow Wilson who heroically vetoed the Prohibition legislation in 1919 only to be subsequently over-ridden by the House and Senate. Veto simply bursts with notes of orange, grapefruit, pine and spice.

because they can block up the tank and you can’t get the beer out! Seriously, it is all about balance and thinking about how the hops work together. It not about just chucking hops in – those beers can be a little bit unbalanced or the hop varieties can clash. “The great thing about Armageddon, in my mind, is the balance and the absolute harmony of the hops. It is a seamless experience – not like you get a big punch of hops and then some awkward malt before finishing with frugal bitterness. Armageddon is so well integrated,” said Nicholas. India Pale Ale is set to remain the most popular style of Kiwi craft beers for some years to come. And I, for one, could not be happier.

Liberty Brewing Co. Citra IPA – A 9%, 100 IBU behemoth with plenty of hop action (grapefruit, citrus, resin, passionfruit, pine) and enough bitterness for even the most hardened hophead.

Rocky Knob Snapperhead IPA - Loaded with Citra and Nelson Sauvin hops,

Epic Armageddon IPA - Fruity, punchy and bitter with pronounced ginger notes. This has provided some real new zest into one of the single finest beers this nation has ever produced.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ Q&A ]

TWO PADDOCKS, THREE PINOTS What will be the biggest challenges facing the New Zealand wine industry? Trade seems to be under threat now with the re-emergence of protectionism. This could be bad news for the wine business, and New Zealand generally.

Sam Neill Photo: Christopher D Thompson

YOU MAY recognise Irish-born Kiwi Sam Neill from movies such as Jurassic Park and Hunt For The Wilderpeople but perhaps you don’t recognise this Hollywood actor as an accomplished South Island winemaker? Neill planted five acres of Pinot Noir grapes at a vineyard he named Two Paddocks in Gibbston, Central Otago, in 1993. Since then he has added three more vineyards to his repertoire, all producing world-class Pinot Noir and making Two Paddocks the only Central Otago winery with a vineyard in all three of Central Otago’s valleys – Gibbston, the Alexandra Basin and the Cromwell Basin. The Shout grabbed a quick chat with Sam Neill on the eve of the release of three new Two Paddocks Pinot Noir vintages. Where did your love of Pinot Noir come from? Drinking Burgundy in the early ’80s when it was still affordable! Those days are sadly long gone but miraculously, here we are in New Zealand producing amazing Pinots, and great value for money too. What don’t most people know about Pinot Noir? • Pinot is the most difficult wine to grow – it’s not called the ‘heartbreak grape’ for nothing. • It is essentially a hand-crafted wine – we estimate each of our vines is visited by an actual human 12 or 13 times a year, you therefore need to spend a little extra to buy a good Pinot. • Pinot needs to be grown in a cool climate and so frost is the greatest enemy of the Pinot producer. • It is the most sublime of all wines (in my humble opinion). Which of your vintages are you most proud of and why? We, along with all Central Otago, have had a great run of vintages 2012-2016 but we’re also much more experienced at growing 52

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Pinot Noir now down in this challenging landscape, so a more difficult vintage is tackled with a hard-earned wealth of farming and winemaking experience that will ensure a solid expression of quality wine. What is the most unusual food match you think works well with Pinot Noir? Pinot pretty much goes with anything other than dessert - do not try it with Hokey Pokey ice cream. Ever.

What are your predictions for the future of organic wine in New Zealand? Organics in wine, and in farming as well, I think are our future. We need to be aiming at the premium end of the market, as well as being as clean and green as we say we are. What are your hopes for the future of Two Paddocks? In the short-term, our release in May of our 2015 single vineyard reserves [The Last Chance, The Fusilier and The First Paddock] which is very exciting. And in the long term - respect! Two Paddocks’ three 2015 single vineyard Pinot Noirs are due for release on 1 May.

Did you know? Sam’s great-grandfather Percy Neill emigrated from Belfast to Dunedin in the 1860s where he founded Neill & Co, a wine and spirits importer. The Neill family has therefore been part of the deep south’s wine industry for more than 150 years.

The Fusilier Pinot Noir

The Fusilier Vineyard, Felton Rd, Bannockburn. Photo: Christopher D Thompson

A NEW RELEASE FROM THE MAKERS OF THE NED Distributed through Lion

[ Q&A ]

STRIVING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY Committed to the future of our clean, green country, New Zealand vineyards are leading the way in sustainable winegrowing practices.

n a world where sustainability is at the forefront of people’s minds, New Zealand vineyards are taking the lead in sustainable winegrowing practices. In the first ever report released by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, figures show that last year, 98% of New Zealand’s vineyard area was Sustainable Winegrowing Certified. That’s more than 35,000ha – a number unmatched by any voluntary sustainable winegrowing scheme around the world. “Sustainability is critical to the legacy and longevity of New Zealand’s wine industry,” says Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. “The Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand programme provides best practice sustainability guidelines for wineries and vineyards to guarantee better quality control from the vineyard through to the bottle, and assure consumers that New Zealand wine is made with minimal impact on the natural and social environment.” One Marlborough vineyard is taking sustainability to the next level and is on the way to achieving its goal of being the most sustainable winery in the world. We spoke to 54

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

take out, making sure you leave the land better than you found it for generations to come. It’s about being innovative and finding new ways of facing the challenges of growing grapes on a large scale with the minimum environmental impact.

Peter Yealands, founder and Principal of Yealands Family Wines

Peter Yealands, Principal of Yealands Family Estate, to find out more about the winery’s sustainable winegrowing practices. What does sustainable winegrowing mean to you? For Yealands, sustainable winegrowing is about putting more into the land than you

What has Yealands done to ensure you are sustainable? Our winery has been carboNZeroCertTM since inception. We have the largest solar array in New Zealand on our winery roof which provides 30% of the power we require to run our winery sustainably. It’s the equivalent of producing enough power for 86 average New Zealand households. We also actively encourage biodiversity and have planted over 200,000 native shrubs and plants and created 25 wetlands around our Seaview Vineyard. As a result, many native birds and the protected Monarch butterfly have made Yealands their home. To reduce emissions and cut down on the use of pesticides on the vineyard, we use chickens as a natural form of insect control and miniature Babydoll sheep and Kunekune pigs to keep our vine rows tidy.

[ Q&A ]

TO NEW ZEALAND WINERIES AND GRAPE GROWERS, SUSTAINABILITY MEANS DELIVERING EXCELLENT WINE TO CONSUMERS IN A WAY THAT ENABLES THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, THE BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITIES INVOLVED, TO THRIVE.” SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING NEW ZEALAND We also bale and burn our vine prunings in specially built burners which are used to heat water for the winery and eliminate over 180 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year. We have lots of small initiatives that together make quite a big difference. Why is sustainable winegrowing important in New Zealand? It’s not just important in New Zealand, I’d say it’s important everywhere. When I was younger I didn’t think about preserving our environment in the way I do now. It was seeing this beautiful land in the Awatere Valley where our vineyard is based that really made me understand the importance of preserving what we have, not just for us, but for everyone who comes after us. I started Yealands with a determination to do it in the most sustainable way possible. And you can never sit back and say you’re done with something like sustainability, it’s a constant process, we’re always working on something new. How can sustainability aﬀect the wines that are made here? We’ve found that sustainability has only improved the quality of our wines. We allow the land to talk for itself, we treat it well and it helps us grow some fantastic grapes, some of the best in New Zealand. We’ve always grown our grapes sustainability and have some great accolades to show how this has resulted in top quality wines.

Yealands Estate Seaview Winery has New Zealand’s largest solar panel array on its roof

How can new or small wineries take the first step towards sustainability? There are some fantastic governing bodies out there who can keep a winery on track and guide them through the process of becoming carbon neutral certified. But from my point of view, it’s about thinking creatively and being innovative. Don’t follow the crowd, look for new ways of doing things that have less of an impact on the land and the environment. It takes commitment but, as I said, there are lots of people out there now to help companies keep on track. How can sustainable winemaking practices positively or negatively impact the cost of wine for the consumer? We’ve been making our wines sustainability since the beginning, so for the consumer there is no added cost. Our focus has always been on quality as well as sustainability. Great tasting wines that don’t cost the earth and don’t cost a fortune! What do you see for the future of sustainable winegrowing in New Zealand? I only see it growing. As technology and knowledge improves so will solutions to the bigger problems associated with growing wine grapes on any kind of scale.

Key focus areas According to Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand there are a number of key focus areas for vineyards striving towards sustainability, including: Biodiversity – Enhancing biodiversity to biologically control pests, diseases and weeds, and improve soil quality. By-products - Reduce, reuse and recycle waste from vineyard and winery operations, such as vine prunings, grape stalks and skins and seeds. Water - Optimising water use to protect the purity of waterways and ensure the supply remains clean and sustainable in the future. People – Offering education and training to staff on how to reduce costs and wastage and increase efficiency and good environmental outcomes. Energy – Using energy-saving initiatives such as hydro-electric energy, solar, wind and geothermal generation. Pest and disease management – Controlling pests and disease costeffectively and with the lowest possible impact on people, property and the environment. Soil - Preserving and enhancing the soil in vineyards. In 2016… • 99% of vineyards used non-chemical controls to manage pests and diseases. • 99% of wineries measured and monitored electricity and fuel use. • 99% of wineries optimised water conservation and limited volumes to the waste system.

Yealands is the only winery in New Zealand to bale vine prunnings

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ tasting notes ]

Fruity

Pinot Gris

Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. He is a Senior Lecturer at AUT University in Auckland, local and international wine judge, wine commentator and wine educator as well speaker and presenter in New Zealand and internationally. Cameron is also an examiner with the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide. He writes the wine lists for a variety of establishments including Merediths, Mekong Baby, Nanam Republic and Michelin Starred New York establishment The Musket Room.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

Pinot Gris is as popular today as it has been for the past 10 years, with sales at supermarkets and restaurants steady. Part of its popularity is based on the price paid, which has remained at the $12.99 to $29.99 band (and above) at retail and $39.00 to $79.00 (and above) in restaurants. The aromas and flavours at the core of many examples are expected to be scents of white fleshed fruits - especially pears, apples and white nectarine - a medium to slightly higher acidity level, firm(ish) to lightly creamy textures, plenty of alcohol and dry to off-dry finish. Incidentally Pinot Gris’ cousin Pinot Grigio (Italy), is the same variety. Over time there have been some clones developed that better suit the Northern or Southern hemisphere climate and soils, but essentially the grapes remain genetically the same. Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are also genetically linked, but produce quite different wines in the vineyard. In New Zealand, winemakers of Gris are now taking this variety to a new and higher level of quality, with some very impressive examples in this month’s tastings. What sets many of the better examples apart from others is the increasing confidence and

use of indigenous fermentations (using only the yeast cells that are stuck to the grape skins to start and finish the ferment), sometimes called wild or natural fermentation. Winemakers are also experimenting with yeast post-ferment by allowing the wine to rest on the spent yeast (lees) for a period of time (weeks or months) allowing complexity to build. Tasters experience this more as texture rather than flavour, though both are possible. Finally, the use of old oak is becoming more common with some very good results. New oak barrels, or near new, can add aromas and flavours of toast, vanilla, clove and timberlike characters (sawdust) to a wine and in a Chardonnay, for example, this can be desirable. In Pinot Gris however, too much oak can make the wine smell and taste just like a Chardonnay, so many producers who like to use oak in Pinot Gris have tended towards older neutral barrels. The effect of oak on their wines is one of complexity and subtlety rather than oak flavour. All Pinot Gris should be tasted before purchased, where possible, so that the style, texture and use of oak can be discovered.

[ tasting notes ]

OSTLER AUDREY’S WAITAKI VALLEY PINOT GRIS 2014 Very distinctive and attention-grabbing bouquet with aromas of quince, lemon, pear and yellow apple, some yellow plum and loads of mineral undertones; complex and inviting. On the palate – delicious and different; flavours of quince and green gauge plum, lemon and crunchy pear, there’s a floral mineral layer adding depth and complexity; medium+ acidity, dry finish, lengthy. An intriguing expression with a long finish and quite complex. Drink now and through 2021. Points 94 RRP: $35.00 Distributor: Ostler Vineyards Phone: (03) 436 0545 www.ostlerwine.co.nz

MAIN DIVIDE ‘POKIRI RESERVE’ LATE PICKED WAIPARA VALLEY PINOT GRIS 2014 Striking appearance of Crunchie Bar gold and toasted honey hues, very bright. On the nose and palate - aromas and flavours of quince, honey, spice, ginger, baked apricot and nectarine, some passionfruit/banana; more than enough acidity to keep this wine going for a few years yet; creamy(ish) texture and a lengthy tapering finish with suggestions of brown spice and Manuka honey. Delicious! Drink now and through 2026. Points 93 RRP: $24.99 Distributor: EuroVintage Phone: (03) 314 6869 www.pegasusbay.co.nz

WOOING TREE CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT GRIS 2016 Vibrant, lush and immediately engaging bouquet with aromas of sweet pear and ripe red apple, lees and spice line with a moderate complexity overall. On the palate – just off-dry with a edge of sweetness to offset the crisp and clean acid lines, spice layer returns; silky texture, medium weight and persistent finish; luscious finish – what’s not to like! Points 92 RRP: $32.00 Distributor: Wooing Tree Phone: (021) 944 471 www.wooingtree.co.nz LEEFIELD STATION MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2016 Distinctive bouquet capturing aromas of quince, apple, citrus, peach and white flowers, honey suckle and some white spice adds complexity and charm. On the palate – just dry with salivating acidity then flavours of apples and pears laced with white spice, noticeable acidity and warming alcohol are in balance with the drive and texture this wine offers; finishes as it begins with vibrant fruit flavours and a lick of honeysuckle and floral. Drink now and through 2021. Points 90 RRP: $19.99 Distributor: Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine New Zealand Phone: (09) 522 9684 www.marisco.co.nz

MAIN DIVIDE WAIPARA VALLEY PINOT GRIS 2015 Ripe and totally engaging aromas of tree fruits, fresh and some with a light poached layer. Spice and a gentle whiff of honeysuckle. On the palate – off-dry with a medium minus level of sweetness, plenty of contrasting acidity, light creamy texture and a gentle lees-like quality. Generous and flavourful throughout the palate with medium+ weight and length, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2023. Points 90 RRP: $20.99 Distributor: EuroVintage Phone: (03) 314 6869 www.pegasusbay.co.nz MARISCO ‘THE KING’S THORN’ MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2016 Immediately engaging bouquet with aromas of spicy poached apple, crisp Bosc pear and peach, some spice and light mineral tones. On the palate – juicy, creamy and fruity; a lush and vibrant texture is pushed along with the youthful medium acidity; lengthy finish, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2019. Points 88 RRP: $22.95 Distributor: Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine New Zealand Phone: (09) 522 9684 www.marisco.co.nz Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order. Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2017

[ people ]

MEET THE WINEMAKER Introducing some of the talented people behind New Zealand’s most successful vineyards. Chris Scott

Wendy Stuckey

Winemaker at Church Road Chris Scott began working during his summer holidays in the vineyards and cellar door, before joining Church Road Winery as a cellar hand in 1998 and working his way to Senior Winemaker in 2005. Named Winestate New Zealand Winemaker of the Year in 2013 and 2016, Scott has a passion for Chardonnay and red blend winemaking and has been the driving force behind Church Road TOM Chardonnay and Church Road TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, which are regarded as two of New Zealand’s most iconic wines. His most recent addition is the inaugural TOM Syrah 2013 which was added to the TOM range of ultrapremium wines.

Chief winemaker for Constellation Brands Wendy Stuckey is an internationallyacclaimed winemaker whose 27-year career has spanned the US, Australia and New Zealand. At Constellation Brands New Zealand, Stuckey leads a team of senior winemakers and labs across three wineries in Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough. She oversees all aspects of winemaking for Constellation, and drives quality for top brands such as Kim Crawford, Selaks, Crafters Union and Wild Grace. Last year, Stuckey joined the judging panel for the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, and during her time in the US, she was recognised as one of the Top 20 Most Admired People in the North American Wine Industry and Intowine.com’s Top 100 Most Influential US Winemakers.

Nikolai St George

Simon Fell

Chief Winemaker at Giesen Wines Nikolai joined the Giesen winemaking team last year but his winemaking career has taken him to Chile, France, Australia and the US and seen him win three consecutive ‘Winemaker of the Year’ titles - at the New Zealand Royal Easter Wine Show in 2013 and 2015 and the 2014 New Zealand International Wine Show. Originally from the King Country, St George moved his family to Marlborough last year where he says Giesen has amazing viticultural resources, such as Marlborough’s first hillside vineyard, Clayvin. He is driven to create great tasting wines that people love to drink and wines that have a sense of place, and tell the story of the growing season. His practical, rural Kiwi upbringing means St George embraces the season and adapts his winemaking to work harmoniously with what nature provides.

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Winemaker for Thornbury Thornbury winemaker Simon Fell has been making wines for more than 20 years. His career has seen him working vintages across the globe - including in Bordeaux, California, Chile, Australia, and now New Zealand. Fell’s Thorbury wines are grown in regions throughout the country that best embody the spirit of each varietal. His Sauvignon Blanc, which recently won its category at the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards, is distinctly Marlborough and produces a combination of fruit that offers richness and weight, balanced by finesse and minerality. While his Pinot Noir hails from Central Otago which has lowyielding vines, ideal for developing the intense flavour and tannins needed for a rich Pinot Noir with hints of spice, wild herbs, as well as some dark cherry notes. Fell’s is a five-regions story born from a global winemaking perspective.

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