Cash & Carry Management Oct 22

SPOTLIGHT ON PETER JACKSON, CEO OF SYSCO GB

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR CASH & CARRY/DELIVERED WHOLESALERS

Cyprofood Wholesale opens a new C&C depot in Tottenham

CLOSING THE GENDER GAP

More women move up to board level but wholesale still behind CATEGORY INSIGHT

Hot Beverages OTC Remedies Confectionery ® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. Serving Suggestion.

OCTOBER 2022

DELICIOUS #CARNATIONCREATIONS

® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A

S’mores Slice PREP: 30 MINS COOK & CHILL: 95 MINS

QUITE EASY

SERVES: 24

Ingredients

Method

Digestive biscuits, crushed 250g

STEP 1 OF 3 Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter, then press it firmly into your tin and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Butter, melted 55g Chocolate (at least 50% cocoa solids) 300g Carnation Condensed Milk 397g Marshmallows 100g You will also need: 20cm square tin, line with baking parchment, cut short so it doesn’t set alight under the flame/grill Cook’s blowtorch (alternatively you can use your grill)

This Smore’s bar recipe can be kept for up to two weeks – just put in an airtight container and store in the fridge!

STEP 2 OF 3 Melt the chocolate and Carnation condensed milk together, stirring until combined and thick. Pour over the chilled base and return to the fridge for another 20 minutes. (Preheat the grill to 200C if using.)

STEP 3 OF 3 Once the chocolate layer has set, place the marshmallows over it in one layer. Then scorch the top of the marshmallows with your cook’s blowtorch (alternatively put under the grill for a few seconds) until golden brown. Let the marshmallow set up in the fridge for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and cutting into squares – dip your knife in hot water (then dry on kitchen towel) to make it easier to cut through the chocolate.

Each serving typically contains: Energy

Fat

Saturates

Sugars

Salt

846 kJ 202 kcal

8.9g

4.9g

21.4g

0.20g

10%

13%

25%

24%

3%

of an adult's Reference Intake (RI)*

Energy per 100g: 1845kJ/440kcal Reference Intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal). Portions should be adjusted for children of different ages.

For allergens, always check the ingredients list of each product used. Recipe contains: Milk

Contents

October 2022

This month don’t miss...

06

Booker steps up its activity to promote its Just Eat partnership.

06

07

Bobby’s launches its first bagged confectionery range: £1 PMPs.

Martin Ward is promoted to CEO of Country Range Group.

ESSENTIALS 05 06 31

12

Editor’s Comment Industry News Products & Promotions

FEATURES 10

News Extra JW Filshill announces solid financial results and explains how it is responding to market challenges.

12

Spotlight Peter Jackson, Sysco GB’s chief executive officer.

14

In Focus Around 800 delegates at SPAR Scotland’s Tradeshow were told how the wholesaler is enhancing its value proposition.

16

Supplier Profile Simon Gray, founder and CEO of Boost Drinks.

17

Peter Jackson, CEO of Sysco GB, skiing with his family. Next on the list is a trip to South America when his youngest son turns 18.

31

13

Product of the month

Talking Point The Women in Wholesale conference highlighted aspects of diversity & inclusion in the wholesale industry that need to be addressed.

CATEGORY INSIGHT 18 24 28

OTC Remedies Hot Beverages Confectionery

CCM Chefs’ Own-Brand Awards lunch to be held on 10 November.

KP Snacks introduces its ‘best ever’ Tyrrells Veg Crisps.

www.cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk

October 2022

03

[ EDITOR’S COMMENT ]

Using data to make strides

F

or many years now, wholesalers have shared their detailed sales data with suppliers, but usually at a price. However, CJ Lang & Son – the SPAR Scotland wholesaler and retailer – is offering its suppliers free access to its SalesTrack platform from 1 January (page 14).

As long as a supplier has a local joint business plan in place with CJ Lang, it will be allowed to use the SalesTrack data service, which is run in partnership with TWC. CJ Lang’s trading director Richard Collins told Cash & Carry Management: “We really do believe in collaboration and developing mutual business. We can’t grow without growing suppliers, and our data can unlock so many opportunities for us both.”

He added: “We are focusing on being data led and need suppliers on the journey with us.”

What makes this move particularly headline-worthy is that CJ Lang was reportedly the UK’s first wholesaler to have a data solution combining its wholesale shipments data with EPoS sales data from its company-owned stores.

This means that, from the New Year, suppliers will be able to track – for free – their products’ performances from wholesale into retail and out to the consumer.

As Tanya Pepin, managing director of TWC, has previously pointed out, this level of transparency is something that the supplier community has long been

Cyprofood Wholesale opens a new C&C depot in Tottenham

CLOSING THE GENDER GAP

Kirsti Sharratt Managing Editor

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE...

SPOTLIGHT ON PETER JACKSON, CEO OF SYSCO GB

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR CASH & CARRY/DELIVERED WHOLESALERS

clamouring for, as it shows not only whether plans have been delivered end to end, but also where growth can be achieved.

While success of CJ Lang’s initiative clearly depends on how the wholesaler and its suppliers respond to insights from the data, this is a positive step towards building even stronger partnerships with suppliers to drive mutual growth. I wonder how long it will be before other wholesalers follow suit.

Another example of using data to effect change in the wholesale industry is the Diversity & Inclusion Survey recently commissioned by Women in Wholesale (page 17). This study showed that the number of women working at board level in the UK wholesale trade has risen to 20% from 11% in 2016 – but this is still behind other industries. The research also highlighted areas where more work is needed to advance diversity & inclusion within wholesale.

The Women in Wholesale organisation will now use the detailed research findings to inform its education and discussion programme for next year.

In today’s digital age, unlocking the power of data is a key element in better decision making, and it is good to hear of individual wholesalers and trade bodies making strides in this regard.

OCTOBER 2022

Cash & Carry Management is free to cash & carry and delivered wholesale directors, buyers and managers.

The magazine is available to other subscribers for just £74 a year or £7 per copy. Overseas yearly subscriptions are priced at £95. Back issues dating back to 2011 are available online.

More women move up to board level but wholesale still behind CATEGORY INSIGHT

Hot Beverages OTC Remedies Confectionery ® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. Serving Suggestion.

Email mail.winlove@btconnect.com or call (01342) 712100 for more information.

Address Winlove Publications Ltd PO Box 366 East Grinstead RH19 4ZE Tel (01342) 712100 Email mail.winlove@btconnect.com Publisher Winlove Publications Ltd EDITORIAL Managing Editor Kirsti Sharratt Contributor Siobhan Kielty ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Publishing Director Martin Lovell Media Sales Manager Clare Phillips 4,448 July 2018 – June 2019 Audit Bureau of Circulations Printed by Bishops Printers ISSN 1352-254X All media rates, feature lists and deadlines can be accessed online by visiting: cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk

THREE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED THIS MONTH 1. ONLINE Catch up on all the latest news via our website, including developments from wholesalers and suppliers, and view our current online magazine edition, as well as back issues. cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk

2. LINKEDIN Join our official page for latest events, announcements and forum discussions.

3. TWITTER Follow us to receive breaking news, plus live updates from industry conferences. @CandCManagement

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October 2022

05

[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]

Deal strengthened Booker has strengthened its partnership with Just Eat, with the wholesaler’s sales team now promoting the delivery service to its symbol group operators as a preferred partner.

Londis, Premier, Budgens and Family Shopper retailers will be able to offer customers a range of fresh food, everyday essentials, drinks and tobacco, delivered to the door within 25 minutes.

“As Just Eat’s delivery network can service over 3,000 symbol group stores, the new partnership is set to accelerate the delivery platform’s expansion in the

convenience sector at pace,” said Paul Singer, an area manager for Just Eat. In addition, ‘restaurant partners’ of Just Eat – foodservice operators that sell food through Just Eat – can now get a bigger range of discounts on products they buy ‘week in, week out’ at Booker or Makro. These include chips, cheese, soft drinks, chicken and takeaway packaging.

The offers are not shown in store; instead, the exclusive prices are activated at the checkout.

The promotions change every four weeks, and stock is limited to 10 cases per SKU per customer per day on all soft drinks.

Just Eat restaurant partners also earn cashback every quarter of up to 7% on almost all their purchases at Booker or Makro. In addition, all qualifying purchases at Tesco earn foodservice operators 3% cashback.

£1 PMPs launched Bobby’s Foods, the Bromsgrove-based distributor of snacks, sweets and cakes to retailers nationwide, has launched its first bagged confectionery range.

Specifically tailored to the convenience channel, Bobby’s £1 pricemarked hanging bag range is designed as a mass-market impulse treat that delivers on quality, price, availability and range.

The range initially comprises 18 variants, featuring a mix of proven sellers, modern favourites and NPD. Bobby’s marketing manager Carmelina Mancini said: “Our mission is the same as it has always been at Bobby’s: to serve local retailers with proactive range extensions which deliver fantastic sales through products designed specifically for convenience shoppers.

“That’s why we embarked on a solution-focused project to deliver a unique bagged sugar confectionery range unlike anything currently available.”

A bespoke metal stand is available to retailers and designed exclusively for the convenience store environment, with a footprint only slightly larger than an A3 piece of paper. It displays all 18 products.

“We have seen increasing demand for £1 bagged products, and I do not doubt that this new range will cement itself as a firm favourite with consumers,” added Mancini.

“With the current market and pricing pressures, we’re proud of the £1 price point and the NPD we’ve been able to achieve – this allows us to continue to support our retailers and offer them a point of difference.”

Change and investment by Nisa Nisa chief executive officer Michael Fletcher has stepped down after nine months in the role.

He has been replaced by former Co-op divisional managing director Peter Batt.

Co-op CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq commented: “Michael Fletcher will pursue a new career path, supporting multiple businesses. He leaves behind a huge legacy.

“Peter Batt has extensive experience in retail and trading, having been our divisional managing director in the South, and brings with him both commercial and operational experience from his roles outside of Co-op.

06

October 2022

“I have the upmost confidence that Peter will hit the ground running to support our Nisa partners.”

Fletcher’s departure follows that of sales director Steve Leach, who left Nisa in May in search of new

leadership challenges.

Other changes made by Co-op include Jo Whitfield stepping down as Co-op Food CEO after five years in the role. She has been replaced by former commercial director Matt Hood, who

The core essentials range was highlighted at the Nisa Expo.

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is now MD of Co-op Food.

In other news, Nisa is investing £5 million in ownbrand pricing to help shoppers weather the cost-ofliving crisis.

More than 1,000 price reductions went live to Nisa retailers in early October, with the top 100 most frequently purchased products down in price. Co-op Fairtrade bananas, free range eggs, carrots and bacon are included in the list.

Alongside the price investment, Nisa has introduced the core essentials range of 330 Co-op ownbrand lines recommended for all Nisa retailers.

[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]

Martin Ward promoted to CEO Country Range Group has appointed Martin Ward as its new chief executive.

Ward (right), who officially began his new role on 1 October, has been with CRG for over 20 years. He joined in 2002 as a foodservice buyer and played a key role in the development of the Country Range brand. He became trading director in 2015.

“I am delighted to be appointed the new Country Range Group chief executive and am truly excited about the opportunities ahead for our members and the group as a whole,” he commented.

“It’s been an incredibly tough last few years and turbulent times may lay ahead, but if I have learnt anything

in recent times it’s that our group has the resources, creativity, resilience – and most importantly the amazing people within our teams – to face and conquer anything thrown at us. I have learnt so much from our members

during my time and am passionate about the group retaining its place as leaders in our industry for many more years to come.”

Ward added: “Fortunately, I have a fantastic team supporting me, as well as an

enthusiastic and motivated board and members who creatively collaborate to ensure we remain the best at what we do.

“We have ambitious plans over the next few years to reach a target of £1 billion in sales turnover.”

Commenting on Ward’s appointment, John Gould, the longest-serving CRG board member and MD of Turner Price, said: “Martin knows the members and group inside out, and his detail and knowledge when it comes to buying are second to none.

We know he has the skills, determination and tenacity to succeed at whatever he does, so we’re delighted he accepted the role.”

Developing drivers in-house to tackle shortage Brakes has won the Training Award at the Motor Transport Awards for its Changing Gears programme, which was introduced to provide a sustainable solution to HGV driver shortage.

The programme was already in development when the HGV driver shortage hit the headlines as Debbie Spear, Changing Gears programme manager, explained: “The shortage of HGV drivers has been around for many years, which is why we already had our own programmes to recruit, train and retain the best talent in the industry. However, the pandemic and Brexit accelerated the impact on the sector and we launched our new initiative, Changing Gears.”

She added: “Changing Gears is a great example of industry not waiting for the Government to deal with the shortage, but acting to create

our own bespoke solutions.

“It’s about identifying driving talent and giving people really strong support to not only pass their HGV test, but also become great drivers.

“It allows current and new colleagues to take on driving roles, with their training and testing funded by Brakes. It’s not just about passing the test, it’s about supporting the professional development of the drivers of the future.”

Currently the programme

has a 100% pass rate and a 96% retention rate.

Over at AF Blakemore, the wholesaler has enabled 108 of its employees to gain a new LGV [large goods vehicle] driving licence in the past 12 months, free of charge.

As a result of embarking on LGV driver training with the company, 77 colleagues have obtained a Class 1 licence and 31 a Class 2 licence.

AF Blakemore has covered all training costs and fees. A further 34 people are currently on a driver training scheme with the business.

The wholesaler launched its first LGV driver training programme in 2008, and today it runs two schemes that enable both employees and prospective employees with no prior LGV driving experience to train as Class 1 or 2 drivers. Class 1 upgrades are available for colleagues with six months of service.

Logistics compliance manager Dave Higgs commented: “The driver shortage in the UK is one of the biggest challenges facing the logistics sector.

“As a business we have been doing our best to step up to the challenge by adjusting our recruitment processes, reviewing driver pay and benefits, and investing in driver training.”

www.cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk

October 2022

07

[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]

Braving the shave Following a recent skydive

by Harvest Fine Foods’ managing director Richard Strongman to raise funds for Hospitality Action, the wholesaler’s commercial director Mark Wright has had his head shaved in aid of the same good cause.

As this article went to press, Wright (pictured) had raised £1,100 for the charity, which offers support and advice to people in need working in hospitality.

Record sales week Branding updated Hancocks has given its Kingsway pick & mix brand a new look to mark its 60th birthday.

The logo has been updated from a jester crown to a royal crown, with the founding year added to emphasise the brand’s longevity in the confectionery market.

Parfetts achieved record sales – £14.6 million – in the week ending 18 September.

The wholesaler ran a ‘September Savers Trade Week’, which saw sales hit a new high across its depot network. The Aintree branch was the best performing of the company’s seven depots, achieving sales of £3.5 million during the promotion.

Guy Swindell, joint managing director of Parfetts, said: “We continue to invest back into the business to support retailers through this challenging economic period.

Our promotions calendar continues to grow and means we see existing customers shopping with us more often while also attracting new customers to our retail club and fascia groups.”

In other news, a former church in Garston, Liverpool, has become one of the largest Go Local Extra stores in the UK. Retailer Matt Mahalingam, who operates five other Go Local stores in Liverpool, has extended his relationship with Parfetts with the opening of the new 3,000 sq ft store.

New Purple Pineapple range KFF has created a selection of premium quality sandwich fillings under the Purple Pineapple brand.

The wholesaler’s team of development chefs has come up with a range of over 70 fillings, including fish,

08

October 2022

meat, vegetarian, plantbased, and low-fat options.

All are mixed by hand so that the more delicate ingredients are kept intact, giving the finished products a homemade appearance, something that is often lacking in machine

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blended alternatives, says the company.

Eggs in the fillings are free-range, as are those used in the mayonnaise.

The Purple Pineapple fillings are made at the point of order to maximise their freshness and shelf life.

Orders placed before noon are delivered the next day, although best sellers can be ordered until 5.30pm.

Available in 1kg and 2.5kg containers, the fillings are made to the same recipe each day and are versatile – KFF suggests they can be used on jacket potatoes or as part of a salad, as well as in wraps and sandwiches.

Product types have been given their own colours to make navigation and recognition easier.

Kingsway will also shortly introduce a new premium range labelled ‘Experts Choice’, with an easily identifiable gold crown and logo.

Awards date The winners of the prestigious CCM Chefs’ OwnBrand Awards, run in association with the Craft Guild of Chefs, will be announced on 10 November at an exclusive lunch at The Royal Horseguards, Whitehall, London.

To purchase tickets, please contact Martin Lovell at mail.winlove@btconnect. com or 01342 712100.

[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]

Own-brand push JJ Foodservice is promoting its own-brand portfolio with a dedicated web page and a social media campaign running until February.

More than 20 brands developed in-house by the JJ team are visible on the page, including its bestselling Super Crisp Chips, Letsdough bakery range and VIVAT water. The page also features 19 product categories covering the 500 plus lines in the wholesaler’s own-brand portfolio.

“We want to make it easier for our customers to find affordable, high-quality options against a backdrop of continuous price rises,” said chief product officer Sezer Ozkul.

More than a third of JJ Foodservice’s total sales (36%) came from own-brand products in the financial year ending 31 March 2022, an increase of 20% on the same period the previous year.

“Our customers are recognising the savings they can make by shopping ownbrand,” said Ozkul. “We are proud to be able to work with many of the world’s leading brands together with our own-brands to be able to offer our customers a great choice.”

A social media campaign is promoting a different ownbrand range every week.

Relieving hunger Castell Howell Foods provided more than 16,000 food care packs and supported local authority catering teams to help eliminate holiday hunger over the summer.

The family-run Llanellibased wholesaler has supported school holiday nutrition since 2015 with the local authority ‘Food and Fun’ initiative. Castell Howell Foods has delivered quality ingredients, locally grown vegetables and freshly made meals to children who would have gone without meals. It has also provided sports and nutritional education.

The Caterforce member has worked in collaboration with its suppliers to develop nutritionally compliant meals, arranging the stock, packing the boxes and even loaning

out the refrigerated vehicles for additional storage.

Director Matt Lewis said: “Times have been challenging for many families in our local area, with more challenges to come, and we want to play a role in ensuring that children are given an opportunity to develop, safe in the knowledge that their dietary needs are met.”

A healthy eating lesson from Castell Howell development chef Stewart Williams.

Cyprofood move

Cyprofood Wholesale has opened a new depot in Tottenham, London.

The Sugro member acquired the former Bestway branch in 2021 and has since redeveloped the warehouse to accommodate 7,000 lines.

The premises are three times the size of Cyprofood’s existing depot, which is adjacent to its new site and is now being used for storage.

Cyprofood held a grand opening on 1 October, with

supplier stands and promotions during the day and a VIP event for staff and suppliers in the evening.

Since it was founded in 2007 as a 24-hour fresh produce wholesaler, Cyprofood has extended its product offering, and its latest move means that it can now offer a full range of frozen, chilled and ambient foods, alcohol, soft drinks, tobacco, confectionery and non-foods, as well as fresh fruit and veg.

Ex-FWD chief dies Alan Toft, who was director general of the FWD for 16 years, has died at the age of 91.

During his time with the FWD, Toft created the ‘My Shop is Your Shop’ campaign, as well as Independents’ Week, which focused on the value of local family-owned stores to the community. He also established Blueprint, a merchandising template for drinks categories.

On his retirement in 2009, Toft received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the FWD’s Gold Medal Dinner from the then chairman Francis Ball.

James Bielby, the current chief executive of the FWD, commented: “Alan was a passionate advocate for all

In 2009, Alan Toft (right) received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the then FWD chairman Francis Ball.

things independent and their role in the community, and under his leadership the FWD played a key role in demonstrating their value to consumers and suppliers.”

www.cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk

October 2022

09

[ NEWS EXTRA ]

Strong performance by Filshill Despite ongoing market challenges, JW Filshill continues to grow and remains confident that its profits will continue at a satisfactory level.

G

lasgow-based JW Filshill saw turnover increase to £200 million – up 4.4% from £191 million – in the year ending 31 January 2022.

The fifth-generation wholesaler, which supplies KeyStore convenience stores across Scotland and the north of England and national accounts including the Scottish Prison Service, also saw operating profits rise from £2.3 million to £2.7 million.

Filshill recorded gross profit of £17 million (8.5%) and net assets grew to £17.1 million compared to £15.2 million the previous year, an increase of 12.6%.

Keith Geddes, chief financial & operating officer, said that while sales and operations during the year were once again heavily impacted by the ongoing pandemic, tight controls and efforts by the Filshill team minimised disruption and helped the wholesaler to deliver a high level of service to its customers.

Last month, the company ramped up investment ahead of its move to its new distribution centre in early 2023 with the acquisition of the independent Iain Hill Ltd wholesale business, located just a few miles away in Linwood.

Commenting on rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis – in particular increases in the cost of fuel and food and drink – Geddes said: “This causes uncertainty for the group, our staff, and our customers and suppliers.

“However, the directors are confident that profits will continue at a satisfactory level going forward.”

Nevertheless, he cautioned that the group remained exposed to various financial and non-financial risks, including a highly competitive independent retail market and the risk of debts becoming irrecoverable. “The group operates tight credit control processes 10

October 2022

Simon Hannah: ‘We invest in long-term return projects to protect future revenue streams.’

and has entered credit insurance arrangements for certain key balances,” he noted.

Addressing supply issues, he added: “Industry-wide supply issues have been a challenge. However, to offset this the group works hard to maintain strong partnership-based relationships with all suppliers, and we were recently ranked number one by suppliers in an independent survey by The Advantage Group across our key competitors all over the UK for the twelfth consecutive year.”

Despite the ongoing challenges facing Filshill and the wider wholesale/food and drink sector, the group continued to support many local community programmes and good causes as part of its ongoing commitment to CSR. It also continued to heavily engage with its workforce on health and wellbeing, particularly with regard to mental

health, with this work winning several industry awards.

Simon Hannah, Filshill’s chief executive officer, commented: “Mental health and wellbeing remains at the heart of our strategy and we recognise that as a responsible employer we need to do this not only for our employees and their families but also because of the positive impact it has on our business and our customers.

“Our safety-first culture is a cornerstone of everything we do, and our workforce retention and ability to recruit have been positively impacted by these initiatives.”

Hannah added: “We invest in longterm return projects to protect future revenue streams and this includes constantly updating our technology, equipment and vehicle fleet – an approach that has resulted in greater efficiencies and customer satisfaction.”

The company, he said, continued to measure revenue, gross margin and operating profit as key financial indicators and monitored non-financial KPIs including staff performance, vehicle fuel performance, sales service levels/range achievements, unanswered telesales call, returned orders and early warning date codes as part of its business performance review.

Filshill is also identifying areas where it can influence a reduction in its carbon impact and work towards a net-zero emissions position. Driven by its environmental team, the company saw a reduction of 9% in its intensity ratio measure CCM of carbon per case delivered.

Filshill will move to a new distribution centre in early 2023.

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Introducing New Attached Caps We’re proud to be leading the industry in Great Britain, introducing attached caps across our entire portfolio* making it easier to collect and recycle the whole package and ensure no cap gets left behind. The change is êŚŤƞĴĔƊ ƒƞĔƇ ŤŚ ŤĆêɀ ŤŏêɌƒ ʼnŤƦƊŚĔDŽ ƞŤƾêƊčƒ a World Without Waste, helping to reduce waste, prevent litter and support the creation of a circular economy for our PET packaging.

Keep cap p attached & recycle togetherr

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[ SPOTLIGHT ] Peter Jackson, chief executive officer, Sysco GB What has been the biggest challenge you have faced and how did you overcome it?

I’m a great believer in breaking challenges down so that nothing is insurmountable.

What is your favourite film, book and song/piece of music?

The music’s easy – Teenage Kicks by The Undertones, an anthem for a generation!

I do love the Jason Bourne movies, which are a great bit of escapism, but my favourite movie is probably The Usual Suspects. And the book would be The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, which, although written in the 1940s, remains a timeless classic.

‘I don’t like formality’ What have been your biggest achievements in work and outside work?

Covid was a massive challenge for everyone in our industry and I’m particularly proud of the way Sysco Ireland, which I was leading at the time, came together, working to protect our colleagues, support our customers, all the while creating a strong business fit for the future.

Outside of work, I’d always wanted to run a marathon and I was delighted and somewhat relieved to have completed the Dublin City marathon. My family is also incredibly important to me and I think my biggest achievement is probably raising two fantastic children, and hopefully they’d agree we’ve done an OK job of it!

Who has been the biggest inspiration to you?

Without hesitation, it has to be my mother, who supported and encouraged me. She brought me up to treat people with respect and that’s something that I keep with me every day in my business life, along with her sense of community and recognition of how important that is. She’s 88 now and sharp as a tack, and still keeps me and my four brothers and sisters in line.

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What were your ambitions when you were growing up?

Like so many children my boyhood dream was to be a professional footballer, but sadly my ambition was not matched by my ability. With my dreams of lifting the FA Cup fast disappearing, I hung up my boots and became the first in my family to go to college. There, my thoughts pretty quickly turned to the world of business to which I was far better suited. Although in a quiet moment you can still dream the incredible dream...

What are your interests outside work?

I’m probably not the best at keeping a work-life balance because I love my job and the challenges it brings. But when I’m outside work, I like to watch football, run and ‘enjoy’ the occasional round of particularly bad golf.

How would you describe your personality and what approach do you take in business (and in life)?

I’m an informal person, but very driven.

I don’t like formality as I think it’s a barrier – I prefer to dispense with formalities, roll up my sleeves and work with colleagues (and outside work) to find the best approach to any given problem.

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If you won a holiday, where would you go and who would you take with you?

My wife and I have promised ourselves a once-in-a-lifetime trip to South America, particularly Argentina, Chile and Peru, when my youngest son turns 18, so that’s definitely top of the list.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I used to have an earring – and I can still probably put one in for you if you like, although I’m not too sure my children CCM would be that impressed!

Business degree After graduating from Dublin City University with a Business Studies degree and an accountancy specialism, Peter Jackson embarked on a career in business. He launched his career with Pierre’s Foodservice, rising to finance director. A 12-year stint at Kepak Convenience Foods followed, which saw him rise to chief executive, and he then headed back to Pierre’s Foodservice parent company, Aryzta Ireland. In 2018, Jackson joined Sysco Ireland as chief executive, before he took the short hop across the Irish Channel in January 2022 to take charge of Sysco GB.

AWARDS WINNERS LUNCH Venue: The Royal Horseguards, Whitehall, London Date: Thursday 10 November 2022 Midday – Drinks reception, Churchill’s Bar 12.30pm – Lunch, River Room 1.30pm – Awards announcement To purchase tickets, please contact mail.winlove@btconnect.com or phone 01342 712100

[ IN FOCUS ]

‘We’re turning heads’ SPAR Scotland continues to strengthen its position, adding stores and boosting its value offer for consumers while also enhancing retailer margins.

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avid Sands Group, which owns David’s Kitchen and Pinkie Farm convenience stores, has left Nisa to join SPAR Scotland.

News of the coup was announced by Colin McLean, CEO of SPAR Scotland’s wholesaler and retailer CJ Lang & Son, at the company’s Tradeshow in Aviemore last month.

David’s Kitchen has three existing stores – in Glenrothes, Falkirk and Kirkcaldy – and a fourth is currently being built in Bo’ness. The Pinkie Farm store is in Musselburgh.

Commenting on the development, McLean said: “It is great news to have such a high-profile convenience store group join us.

“David and his colleagues have built a hugely successful award-winning business, and their growth has been very impressive over the years. We are delighted that David and his team have decided to continue the next part of their journey with SPAR Scotland.”

McLean added: “Given the recent changes in the symbol group market, we recognise the sizeable commercial opportunity and are well placed to take advantage of this. We’re turning heads.

We’ve got the value, we’ve got the range, we’ve got the proposition, we know where we’re taking this business, and we’re very clear about how to use all that to recruit people.”

The 800 delegates that attended the Tradeshow also heard that CJ Lang achieved strong growth in the year to the end of April 2022. The results are to be announced formally in the next couple of weeks. “The business is certainly 14

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Colin McLean: ‘We’re going to help our customers through these tough times.’

moving in the right direction,” commented McLean. “Profits protect jobs, and we have a robust financial platform to build upon. We have better business alignment and greater consistency, we’re modernising the SPAR Scotland brand, and we have now secured additional investment to take the business forward.”

However, he added, the Ukraine war has led to considerable challenges including high levels of inflation and a cost-of-living crisis. “We’re going to help our customers through these tough times,” McLean promised. “We’re putting together some strong deals, we’re back on TV – there’s no other symbol group in Scotland on TV as frequently as us – and we’ve got great stuff coming with the SPAR brand.”

CJ Lang recently launched a value campaign featuring bread and six-packs of eggs at £1 each and two-litre bottles of milk at a ‘multiple-matching’ £1.27.

The campaign is being supported with instore PoS and radio coverage, as well as social media activity. “We’re bringing the ‘value on your doorstep’ message to life in our stores, with lots more to

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come,” said trading director Richard Collins.

For example, CJ Lang is supporting the SPAR Brand Spotlight initiative, which has the theme ‘Our Best For Less’. This involves putting 125 of the bestselling SPAR Brand lines into all SPAR stores in Scotland by midJanuary. “This is the single biggest focus on the SPAR Brand for many years,” he reported.

Collins asked suppliers to help SPAR Scotland enhance its value proposition: “Offer EDLP [every day low pricing] on key lines rather than go down the highlow route, protect our availability, and supply price-marked packs on at least the same terms as plain packs,” he urged. “SPAR Scotland is also the place to come if you want to get your NPD off to a flying start. We’re hungry for anything that will stimulate sales and category growth.”

Free SalesTrack data CJ Lang & Son is offering all of its suppliers free access to SPAR Scotland’s SalesTrack data from 1 January 2023.

The service, which is run in partnership with TWC, allows suppliers to dig deeper into category performance through wholesale shipments data and company-owned retail sales data.

“We want to be data led and we want you on our journey,” CJ Lang’s trading director Richard Collins told suppliers at the company’s Tradeshow. “Data is a key enabler and we have plenty to share with you.”

CJ Lang is also introducing e-bate, a price and margin management platform to enable suppliers to track activity on their products.

[ IN FOCUS ] SPAR Scotland customers in numbers 25% are ‘everyday elderlies’ 30% are single mums 16% are ‘family feeders’ 45% are searching for value 86% are looking for increased digital activity £3 to £6 is the typical basket spend

CJ Lang’s conversion of the former Nisa store in Dalbeattie to the SPAR Market format has put two percentage points on the store’s margin.

Steve Irons, wholesale sales director at CJ Lang, told delegates that SPAR Scotland compares its pricing with Booker’s and Nisa’s every week. “Our results are good,” he said, “and we need to land that message and change perception that we’re expensive because it’s not the case.”

At the same time as boosting value for shoppers, CJ Lang is aiming to increase retailers’ average margin from 20% to 30% by driving more profitable product categories, including vape, which offers margins of over 40%, and food to go, which can generate margins of over 35%, said Irons.

SPAR Scotland includes around 200 stores run by independent retailers and 100 stores owned by CJ Lang itself.

Some of the improvements, such as new refrigeration and the introduction of CJ’s food-to-go concept, that CJ Lang has made to its estate over the past year are being used to showcase SPAR Scotland’s offer to independent retailers.

In addition, the company is keen to highlight the successful development of the former Nisa store at Dalbeattie, near Dumfries, under the SPAR Scotland banner. “This was a top 20 performing Nisa store and we have put two percentage points on its margin without changing the format,” said McLean. “This was our first company store acquisition in many years and the exciting news is that we have more company-owned stores to follow.”

He concluded: “We’re not complacent. We recognise we’ve got more to

do. The beauty about being a family business is that we can take sensible long-term decisions to move the business forward. Yes, there’s a recession going to happen at any moment, but the reality is that we’re having discussions about what to do between now and 2030.

CCM It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

•

SPAR Scotland’s inbound availability over the last 17 weeks was just 92%, reported trading director Richard Collins. “It’s not good,” he stated. “In fact, the figures would be a whole lot worse if I stripped out the likes of tobacco and fresh milk for which we always get 100% availability from our suppliers.”

Addressing suppliers directly, he said: “We need you to make this your number one area of focus because we

£20,000 is the average annual income of a SPAR Scotland shopper

must add at least 4% to these current availability levels. It’s not only product shortages; late deliveries are compounding the situation.

“It will be lost sales and profits for us all and potentially lost customers for good if we cannot provide customers with what they want, when they want it and at a price they are prepared to pay.

We are convenience retailers after all.

Availability and reliability are not options; they are demanded.”

He added: “These availability challenges are partly fuelled by us not providing forecasts. We are fully aware of this and we are determined to sort it.”

In the latest Advantage Group survey, suppliers rated SPAR Scotland second out of 11 wholesalers – a rise from ninth place three years ago. “Now we’re aiming to be No.1,” said Collins.

Back haul service available to suppliers CJ Lang is promoting its back haul service to suppliers. Once delivery drivers have completed all their drops to SPAR Scotland stores, they can collect products from suppliers on the way back to CJ Lang’s distribution centre in Dundee, ready for onward despatch to retail stores.

“This service maximises utilisation of our return leg journeys, taking road miles out of the supply chain,” explained distribution director Colin Chapman.

About 20 suppliers, including Angus Soft Fruits and Total Produce, are currently taking advantage of the service.

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[ SUPPLIER PROFILE ] Simon Gray, founder and CEO, Boost Drinks adapt to fit in with these healthier lifestyles.

What has been the best product you have been involved with and why?

Our Boost one-litre SKU. It put the Boost brand on the map and had the biggest impact commercially. It connected us with the consumer and trade, and paved the way for the four functional ranges we have today.

‘Boost was going to be called Blast’ What has been your career path to date?

After school I moved to Newcastle to study Business Information Technology at university. I thought that the course was about computing in the business world but it was more about getting inside PC hard drives. I left after just one year due to the course not being right for me – and partying too much!

I then decided to take a degree in European Marketing at Leeds University; this turned out to be much better suited to me. During the summer breaks I worked at a food wholesaler doing warehouse work, which marked my first step into the food and drink industry.

One year later, in 2001, after working in the wholesaler’s trading office, I had started my own business – Boost!

What has been the defining moment in your career?

I took a big risk launching the Boost brand – but an even bigger risk changing the brand name 24 hours before launch day! The brand was originally 16

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going to be called Blast, but I decided to change it at the eleventh hour because my wife thought the name Boost had a better ring to it.

What is the best business advice you have been given, and who gave it?

I can’t recall who shared this pearl of wisdom with me, but it was: ‘To not fall in love with your brand so you are open to constructive feedback’.

Since you started work, how has the FMCG market changed?

The FMCG market has changed drastically, and more so in the past five years than the last 15 years. More and more wholesalers and retailers are merging, and the increase of online shopping and the need for wanting things more quickly have changed the market.

Health and wellness is high on the agenda for consumers; especially in the past five years, people have been wanting more products that are better for you. Covid has definitely accelerated this change, so the market has had to

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How do you maintain a work-life balance and how do you spend your time outside of work?

Work-life balance is achieved with a quality team of people around you to help delegate, and I have learnt to step away from the detail. As we came out of the pandemic, that time taught me what the important things are and to look after yourself as your work will then thrive.

Outside of work, I enjoy golf, sport, family and travel. I am an avid Leeds United fan, and Boost is also a sponsor for the club. In August we extended our partnership for a further three seasons and became the club’s first Gold Tier Partner, which puts the Boost brand at the heart of match days at Elland Road.

For new people moving into this industry what advice would you give?

The wholesale channel is unique and the scale of it is bigger than you may think. It’s a relationship-led industry and the people make it happen, so supporting your partners is crucial. However, it’s not as complicated as you may think it is. Some might be put off by the chain of people compared to working directly with supermarkets, for example. But having that chain means you can build more relationships and increase the brand’s exposure.

If you could change one aspect of your working life, what would it be?

Commuting – it would be great to fix it and make it more efficient and enjoyable. Most recently the traffic, flight cancellations and strikes make it a very CCM unenjoyable task!

[ TALKING POINT ]

More women at board level The Women in Wholesale conference highlighted the progress made on diversity & inclusion in wholesale and identified aspects that still need to be addressed.

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he number of women working at board level in the wholesale trade has increased to 20% from 17% in 2019 and 11% in 2016. However, wholesaling remains behind other industries in this regard (benchmark: 29%).

A Diversity & Inclusion Survey, commissioned by Women in Wholesale (WiW) and conducted by TWC, investigated the progress made since the launch of the WiW initiative, which supports women working in the wholesale industry with education, networking and coaching.

The research findings were shared at the recent WiW annual conference, which attracted more than 250 delegates from wholesale businesses and their suppliers.

“Diverse organisations grow faster and are more profitable,” said Tanya Pepin, managing director at TWC. “That’s why it’s so important to have this industry-specific insight which will help to get some important conversations around diversity and inclusion started in our sector.”

Speakers at the WiW event covered a range of topics, including situational leadership.

The study was conducted in August/September 2022 and involved 184 people (66% female, 34% male) working for retail and foodservice wholesalers.

According to the research, the biggest disparities between male and female responses concerned equal opportunity, with only 57% of females agreeing that “all people can succeed in my organisation” compared with 80% of men.

Meanwhile, 60% of women agreed that they “trust my organisation to be fair to all employees” versus 80% of men. In addition, women were three

times more likely than men to feel that they are not included in decisions that affect their work (17% versus 5%).

“This groundbreaking study shines a positive light on the progress being made in our sector – as well as helping us to identify where we can improve,” said WiW founder Elit Rowland.

The survey findings will inform the WiW 2023 education and discussion programme.

The WiW conference saw a record attendance, with numbers up by 39% compared to before Covid.

Themed ‘Be the Best You’, the event featured presentations from Victoria Crouch, head of customer merchandising at Brakes; Sheila Gallagher, commercial director at Booker; Keira Campbell, sales director at Henderson Foodservice; Lisa-Jayne Hanson, category controller at Bestway; and Elaine Haynes, business manager at Costco Wholesale. Clare Bocking, chief commercial officer at DCS, chaired the proceedings.

Topics included diversity & inclusion hacks, situational leadership tips, advice on managing menopause, and guidance on improving the workplace for returning parents.

The guest speaker was Lee Warren, an expert in behavioural persuasion and CCM influential communication.

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[ OTC REMEDIES ]

Big brands make healthy sales Consumers are continuing to seek out trusted brands in the over-the-counter remedies category. Wholesalers and their customers should stock up ahead of the winter season.

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he OTC remedies category saw 86% growth in 2021 (Nielsen), with the strongest performers being cold and flu multi-symptom products (+130%) and decongestants (+55%).

Another solid performance is predicted this winter, according to Andrew Freestone, sales & commercial director at SHS Sales & Marketing: “We’re set for a challenging winter but one where consumers will want to find reasons to celebrate with their friends and family when they can. As such, we’re anticipating that there may be an increase in those seasonal coughs, colds and ailments that have been suppressed for a few years,” he says.

“As consumers have become more confident in selfmedicating over recent years, it is likely they’ll be heading for their local store to pick up the remedies they need, and depots can help ensure that retailers are well stocked up with a wide range of formats and flavours to fight off whatever consumers are suffering from this winter.’’

Freestone adds: “Whilst there is much in the media about the cost-of-living crisis, cost isn’t always the driving factor in OTC choices – whilst shoppers are looking for value, this doesn’t necessarily mean the cheapest product.

Shoppers want the products that will treat their 18

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symptoms most effectively and ones they know they can trust.”

Whether its retailers shopping in depot or customers in store, the aim is to make the experience as quick and easy as possible, with access to the leading brands across all key sectors of the category, advises Freestone.

The focus in winter is largely on remedies to fight colds and flu, and shoppers will be looking for decongestants, throat lozenges and multi-action medicines that fight a range of symptoms.

Freestone reports that Strepsils was among the top performing brands in the last 12 months, showing a 121% increase. Beechams is also one of the most recognised brands for fighting cold and flu and offers a range of different formats including powders and tablets. “Depots should seek to stock different flavours and formats to enable retailers to offer choice to their consumers and ensure the widest range of options,” he says.

However, winter remedies are not restricted to colds and flu. “With the party season incorporating lashings of rich food and perhaps a glass of bubbles, consumers may also be reaching for painkillers and indigestion remedies so that they can function effectively,” Freestone points out.

The SHS Sales & Marketing team is on hand to help cash & carries maximise the category opportunity. “The key advice the team will share is to ensure that all the key sub-sectors of the category are covered in a depot range and clearly segmented so that retailers can quickly find whichever products they are looking for,” says Freestone.

“Leading brands such as Beechams, Strepsils, Panadol and Gaviscon should be used as signposts for each of those sub-sectors to highlight the section, with products placed from value to premium so that retailers can purchase from across the whole range.”

Freestone adds that on-fixture merchandising should be supplemented with off-fixture promotions and activity to highlight any deals or discounts.

Lanes Health has announced that a new TV ad will support decongestant brand Olbas from October.

The campaign will be supported by a £1.5 million media investment, as well as a strong PR programme to ensure that the brand and retail sales are well supported throughout the peak cold and flu season.

Brand manager Claire Campbell says: “With previous TV advertising campaigns having such a positive impact on our sales, we feel confident that consumers are going to love this campaign just as much as our previous ones.”

Nielsen YTD % SOT; Nielsen total market incl. 21.05.2022

[ OTC REMEDIES ] She adds: “Despite the cost-of-living pressures, consumers are still seeking out trusted brands that offer reassurance and efficacy, with branded remedies continuing to win out over own label in the cold and flu category. Olbas has a strong heritage and is a well-known brand, and is proud to provide a range of winter remedies suitable for the whole family.”

Owned by family-run business Lanes Health, Olbas Oil continues to be manufactured at the firm’s Gloucester-based factory. The Olbas range includes Olbas Oil, Olbas For Children, Olbas Inhaler, Olbas Nasal Spray, Olbas Menthol Pastilles and Olbas Bath.

Campbell reports that the percentage of adults A new TV ad will support experiencing a cold in Olbas from October. the last 12 months has increased by 12% to 37% (Mintel) as a result of greater socialisation and interaction.

As this continues into the colder months, the Government has warned that flu cases could rise to higher levels than before the pandemic in winter 2022 (Pulse Today). And value sales of cough, cold and flu remedies are set to rise by 7.8% in 2022 (Mintel).

“Wholesalers and cash & carries should be prepared for an uplift in demand for cold and flu remedies this winter,” Campbell comments. “As consumers are prioritising their health, retailers should provide effective and trusted products that offer a range of treatment benefits.”

Also available from Lanes Health is Jakemans, which has benefited from a new pack design. Remaining true to the brand’s heritage, the new look includes a redesigned logo and a stand-out white label. A new ‘J’ icon has also been introduced.

In addition, the bag sizes have been changed to reflect consumer trends for smaller product sizes for on-the-go consumption. The classic Jakemans variants of Throat & Chest, Honey & Lemon, Cherry, Peppermint, Menthol & Eucalyptus, Blackcurrant and Blueberry are now available in a handy 73g format, whilst the top three selling varieties, Throat & Chest, Honey & Lemon and Cherry, are also offered in a 160g size.

All Jakemans products are sold in shelf-ready packaging making them easy to display, whether on shelf or at the till.

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“Jakemans is one of the most popular mentholated lozenge brands, with its Throat & Chest 100g being the top selling SKU within medicated confectionery over the last 12 months (IRI),” reports brand manager Elizabeth HughesGapper. “Overall, the brand accounts for 10% of value growth in the category (IRI).

“The ongoing success in the category can be attributed to Jakemans’ 100+ year heritage of the brand. 85% of Jakemans users would recommend the product to others (Mintel). This recommendation and loyalty translates into sales – Jakemans’ value sales are currently up 57.7% (IRI).”

Jakemans will be supported this winter season with a TV, out-of-home, radio and PR campaign, ensuring that consumers recognise the new packs on shelf and that the brand remains front of mind throughout winter, spring and other key seasonal moments.

The past two years have been a rollercoaster for the medicated confectionery sector, according to Jon R White, regional business manager for Fisherman’s Friend in the UK. “Relentless lockdowns undeniably dented growth in the category, as people simply weren’t socialising – leading to a dramatic fall in the incidences of cold and flu and a subsequent fall in demand for products relieving cold and flu symptoms,” he explains. “But now the picture is very different, as pandemic concerns lessen.”

Ex-factory sales of Fisherman’s Friend Original Extra Strong in the convenience channel were up by 89% year on year to June 2022, but there is still plenty of scope for retailers to capitalise on the growth of the brand, White maintains.

With the cost of living rising, and store visits typically up 10.3% and basket spend down 12.4% as people continue to shop little and often (Nielsen), winter 2022 is likely to continue marking a new era of cautious shopping, White predicts.

“As a result of this, we expect to see many medicated confectionery purchases during the coming cold and flu season, likely fuelled by a combination of needs-based and impulseled purchasing decisions,” he says.

“During uncertain times, people turn to more familiar and established brands that they know and trust. And with Fisherman’s Friend containing one of the highest menthol contents of any brand available, this widely sought after and well-loved product is a must-stock ahead of the cold and flu season.”

[ OTC REMEDIES ] To help retailers reassure shoppers that they are getting a fair price, Fisherman’s Friend is once again offering 80p price-marked packs across its standard 25g range through wholesale.

Original Extra Strong remains the brand’s best seller – accounting for more than 60% of sales – with Sugar-Free Blackcurrant the second most popular flavour, making up 16.8% of sales. SugarFree Honey & Lemon, Aniseed, and SugarFree Mint complete the line-up of the top five selling flavours, closely followed by Sugar-Free Spearmint and Sugar-Free Cherry.

For the past few years, Fisherman’s Friend has invested heavily in marketing with its ‘Whatever the Day Throws at You’ campaign, with an integrated approach across TV, digital, social media and PR activity, peaking during the important winter sales period. The campaign will be back on screens this winter, from October until mid-December.

“Celebrating our brand’s fishing heritage, which has been at the heart of the family-owned business since 1865, our campaign coincides with the winter season where we traditionally see a spike in demand, whilst our strong start to the year [value growth was 28.6% between January and March

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2022] proves how much sales growth benefits from marketing support,” explains White.

“As such, it is a natural decision to repeat the activity to ensure our lozenges remain front of consumers’ minds, and we’re confident that it will help to further boost sales for Fisherman’s Friend.”

Following the pandemic, consumers’ views on self-care have shifted: 69% of people who might not have considered self-care as their first option before the pandemic said they were more likely to do so in future (Nielsen).

“With the common cold affecting adults in the UK up to four times a year (Nhsinform.co.uk), the increasing rate of sale of winter remedies during winter months offers retailers a huge opportunity,” says Victoria Gell, fruity confections UK brand director at Mars Wrigley.

“As a familiar and trusted brand, Lockets has helped keep Brits going through the winter months and offers products consumers can depend on.”

Lockets, which contain a soothing liquid centre and a clearing menthol flavour, come in three flavours – Honey & Lemon, Extra Strong and Cranberry & Blueberry. Each pack contains 10 sweets.

Relief candy proved a popular category as consumers sought solutions to the winter coughs and colds that arrived with the full lifting of lockdown restrictions in 2021, points out Susan Nash, trade communications manager at Mondelez International. “In fact, relief candy as a category has grown by a significant 35% (Nielsen) over the past year, highlighting just how important it is for cash & carries and retailers to get their ranges ready for this season,” she says.

Category-leader Halls (Nielsen) has grown by 50% year on year. “This makes the Halls range the fastest growing brand this cold and cough season, with penetration rates up 63% year on year too (Nielsen) as consumer interest in this type of offering continues to expand,” Nash reports.

“Whether it be for menthol clearing or gentle soothing, shoppers will look for brands they know and trust in store,” she adds.

Products that are developed to help target specific issues, such as blocked noses, at an early onset drive high sales volumes. Best-seller Halls Mentholyptus Extra Strong provides the feeling of menthol clearing, while the Halls Soothers range, including best-selling flavour Blackcurrant, is developed to help gently soothe sore throats.

Singles are the most important format across the category, making up 61% of sales (Nielsen), and Halls boast a cohesive look across the portfolio, designed to enable consumers to find their chosen CCM solution with ease.

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More than a quick cuppa

[ HOT BEVERAGES ]

Shoppers are expecting a whole lot more from their local convenience retailer when it comes to the hot beverages category. From barista-quality coffees to health-improving teas, there are a host of developments and upgrades providing profit opportunities. he hot beverages fixture is one that should not be underestimated by convenience retailers or wholesalers. The category is one that can spark a topup shop, drive premiumisation, add incremental sales and encourage trial.

Coffee is a reliable positive performer in convenience retail, with growth this year of 1.8% (IRI). Taylors of Harrogate highlights the importance of the premiumisation trend in this growth. This is not necessarily a simple case of trading up; consumers replicated the barista experience with at-home experimentation during lockdown and this trend has stuck.

Coffee bags – of which Taylors of Harrogate has been a driving force – have increased dramatically in popularity and are now worth £12.5 million.

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revamped the packaging of its Espresso Beans, making it more sustainable and more striking.

Lincoln & York has a firm foothold in the sustainable coffee market, with 80% of its coffee either certified fairtrade, organic or Rainforest Alliance.

The packaging is also a sustainability innovation, made from award-winning, fully recyclable low-density polyethylene.

“We are seeing a rise in demand for sustainable options as 52% of consumers are making purchase decisions based on a brand’s eco-credentials,” says Ross Schofield, commercial director. “Cash & carries and wholesalers will have the opportunity to boost sales and stand out from competitors as retailers and coffee shops turn to them for sustainable, ethically sourced hot beverage options.”

Seasonal adaptations A solution for busy people “With the popularity of coffee bags only increasing, and Taylors of Harrogate’s position in this growth, they are a staple of store shelves as the ideal solution for busy people who want a proper roast and ground coffee but who may be short on time,” says assistant brand manager Penny Webster.

“Taylors of Harrogate’s Rich Italian coffee bags are our best-selling line in the range and a key part of our portfolio, offering a smooth blend of roast and ground coffee. We’ve championed this format throughout 2022 with a multimillion-pound investment in TV advertising to drive consumer awareness of the product benefits and quality.”

Along with the growth in coffee bags, Taylors of Harrogate emphasises the opportunities to be found with coffee beans. “Similarly, beans continue to represent a key area of growth within the coffee sector, with this format gaining a 6% total market increase and 15% rise in convenience – a result attributed to consumers wanting to replicate barista-style coffees at home,” explains Webster.

“As coffee beans experience key growth within the sector, offering a quality option from a trusted brand is key, whether for use in an Americano or as a base for experimentation with additional flavours and syrups.”

Taylors of Harrogate recently 24

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The supplier also recommends that wholesalers take seasonality into account when ranging, beyond the basic ‘cold weather, hot drinks’ consideration. “We are expecting to see a spike in the number of consumers wanting seasonal hot beverages using flavoured syrups, such as cinnamon, salted caramel and pumpkin spiced. Therefore, cash & carries need to increase their stock of syrups, based on the time of year, to increase profits and allow coffee shops and out-of-home venues to make these simple seasonal adaptations to their menus,” Schofield continues.

“An additional way to boost sales at this time is to offer promotional discounts on particular coffee blends to grab the attention of customers, such as offering a free autumnal flavoured syrup with every pack of coffee bought.”

Choose the UK’s NO.1 Instant Premium Coffee

*Source: IRI Market Advantage | Hot Beverages | Database 52 wks | value sales | W/E 13th August 2022 ®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A

[ HOT BEVERAGES ]

Notes Coffee is also upping its eco-credibility, having been granted the Organic Food Federation certification.

“There is huge growth and potential in the organic coffee market at the moment, and as this trend continues to storm the nation, speciality products are proving more popular with consumers. This is an area we will continue to focus on as we move forward with our organic coffee range. But ultimately, it all comes down to quality. Consumers want products that look great, smell great and, more importantly, taste great too,” says Ali Anderson, sales manager.

The speciality coffee roaster has a fully traceable product that offers quality, ethics and sustainability. The organic Ethiopian Mohammed Aki and Dambi Uddo single origin coffee is now part of an updated production process that complies with UK organic regulations and is fully documented during roasting. The coffee is roasted at Notes’ Blackwall roastery in East London, producing over 2,000kg each week for retail and wholesale markets, as well as Notes’ 12 café bars across London.

Notes coffee products are available as beans or ground coffee in 250g and 1kg bags plus Nespresso-compatible home-compostable pods.

Year-on-year growth The hot chocolate segment as a whole is in year-on-year growth (Nielsen), and Mondelez International has a strong position in the category – its extensive range includes Cadbury Hot Chocolate, Cadbury Instant, Cadbury Highlights, Cadbury Bournville Cocoa Powder, Fry’s Hot Chocolate, and Green & Black’s Cocoa and Hot Chocolate.

“Cadbury is the UK’s No.1 hot chocolate brand and is growing at 8.7% year on year (Nielsen),” says Susan Nash, trade communications manager. “Cadbury offers a lighter alternative to enjoy hot chocolate through the Cadbury Highlights brand.

Balance and wellbeing remain important considerations for many, which provides an opportunity for wholesalers and retailers.”

Cadbury Highlights Milk Chocolate has a recently improved flavour and pack design to give strong stand-out on the shelf.

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Tea continues to be the nation’s favourite hot drink, adding £3.4 million in value to the hot beverages category last year (IRI/Kantar), and Taylors of Harrogate’s Yorkshire Tea is the No.1 brew.

Brand awareness has been boosted by a series of adverts featuring famous Yorkshire faces such as Sean Bean, Michael Parkinson, Dynamo and the Kaiser Chiefs. A new campaign is targeting a wider range of consumers by appearing in cinemas as well as on prime-time television, and features Sir Patrick Stewart.

“Our ambition is to grow the tea category, which means we will continue to diversify our media strategy to really tap into our consumers’ interests, as we see a move away from people watching TV in the traditional way. Whether through cinema adverts or our social presence, we know that the Yorkshire Tea brand inspires a feeling of affinity, which we think will serve it well into the future,” says Carly Murphy, Yorkshire Tea assistant brand manager.

Black tea remains the largest segment of the tea sector and is a big draw for a convenience top-up shop, so it needs to be prominently displayed. “At the start of the year, 88% of consumers used a convenience store, with the top-up shop being the most common type of shopping trip. To maximise on this, stores should ensure that essential items are always available and well-stocked, in order to meet consumer demand,” advises Murphy.

Premiumisation a key driver “Premiumisation can be a key driver of hot beverage sales in convenience, providing an opportunity to increase overall basket spend and profits, so retailers should ensure they carry the best-selling lines that are optimised within the fixture.”

Although black tea still heads up the segment there has been an interest in alternative teas and this is steadily growing.

“Many people are leaning towards variety in their tea drinking, enjoying more than one type of tea in their day and including non-caffeinated hot drinks in their everyday consumption, resulting in decaf becoming incremental to the category,” Murphy continues. “Customers won’t expect a huge range, but with the growth of hot beverages in the convenience channel, adding a great-tasting decaf tea to your offering will appeal to shoppers who want variety in their tea drinking, potentially gaining incremental sales.”

Another vital piece of advice from Taylors of Harrogate is the inclusion of price-marked packs. “Don’t underestimate the importance of PMPs within the tea category in convenience stores,” Murphy warns. “They give consumers confidence in pricing, making them more likely to purchase.

Customers are becoming more conscious of everything they buy, including everyday items. As PMPs communicate value to the customer, and help independents build trust with their consumer base by offering consistent pricing, PMPs will CCM become more important in the convenience sector.”

* COFF COF FFE FEE BAGS

BRRAND

Find your nearest distributor

[ CONFECTIONERY ]

Meeting tastes and budgets Manufacturers are continuing to generate excitement in the confectionery category with NPD and limited editions while also promoting PMPs as a popular choice with shoppers.

C

onsumer trends in confectionery – such as increased interest in dark chocolate – are being tapped into by suppliers, who are also highlighting HFSS-compliant sweets to help the trade fulfil the new regulations and price-marked packs to deliver value.

Mondelez International has extended its Green & Black’s Organic tablets range with Smooth bars in Plain 50% Cocoa and Mint variants (90g bars, rsp £2).

Brand manager Alanta Moodley says: “Consumers are more interested in organic products than ever before – in fact the organic market is now worth almost £2.8 billion.

“What’s more, we found that 29% of chocolate consumers would like to try dark chocolate but many imagine it to be too bitter. The Smooth bars aim to attract these dark chocolate aspirants, providing a perfectly balanced intensity of our finest organic and ethically-sourced sun-dried cocoa beans for a deliciously smooth, less bitter dark chocolate.”

The launch will be supported by a marketing campaign spanning in-store, out-of-home, cinema and digital activities.

This year, Mondelez has stimulated consumer interest and demand with a number of new products.

‘On-trend and relevant new flavours account for 28% of chocolate category growth’ Susan Nash, Mondelez International’s trade communications manager In sugar confectionery, the company introduced the Juicies range, comprising Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums Juicies, Maynards Bassetts Sports Mix Juicies and The Natural Confectionery Co Juicy Snakes. The products contain fruit juice and natural colours and flavours.

“The new Juicies bags are HFSScompliant, meaning they are not subject to the restrictions now in place and retailers can site the products anywhere in store,” points out trade communications manager Susan Nash.

Meanwhile, in chocolate, a new limited-edition flavour, Salted Caramel, has joined the Cadbury Wispa Gold range in a single 45g bar.

“Wispa Gold Salted Caramel is the latest way in which Wispa is delivering value to the singles category through innovation. On-trend and relevant new flavours are a key growth driver in chocolate, accounting for 28% of category 28

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growth (Nielsen) and attracting incremental younger adult consumers,” says Nash.

A limited edition, Golden, has also been introduced for Toblerone. “Toblerone Golden is perfect as a seasonal gift, helping retailers to drive premium sales and trade up with a remarkable and distinctive limited-edition offer,” says Nash.

The new line will also help retailers appeal to younger adult shoppers (Kantar), who have shown an appetite for the caramelised white chocolate used in Toblerone Golden.

Caramelised white was the biggest chocolate NPD in 2021 by more than double the second place NPD, worth £18.5 million at retail sales value (Nielsen).

Mars Wrigley is also capitalising on consumer trends – the dark chocolate segment is growing by 15% (Nielsen) and Dark Maltesers appeal to consumers looking for a more intense cocoa experience. Made with 65% more cocoa and 30% less sugar than original Maltesers, Dark Maltesers also meet the demand for more permissible sweet treats – a reduction in sugar content is one of the top three priorities for shoppers (IGD).

Dark Maltesers are available in a £1 PMP treat bag. With half of all convenience baskets including PMPs (KamCity), this is a significant opportunity for wholesalers to maximise sales, says the company.

Another recent innovation from Mars Wrigley is Skittles Squishy Cloudz – the first product from the company that sits within the gummy segment. The aerated gummies have the intense fruity flavours of Skittles while offering a different texture to recruit new consumers.

Mars Wrigley says it is essential that main fixtures contain best-selling brands and any NPD because 45% of confectionery products are picked up directly from main fixtures (Lumina).

Increasing the visibility of must-stock items will create more intrigue for consumers, resulting in higher sales, it adds. These products should be placed at eye-level, or buy-level, in order to achieve this.

Swizzels has also been busy this year, introducing several new lines to tempt consumers.

Following a licensing deal with Universal, it produced a limited-edition Minions-themed range of confectionery to coincide with the UK release of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru in the summer.

The collection includes a Banana & Blueberry flavour of Squashies, Minions Tropical Chew Bars in Peach & Passionfruit and Mango & Pineapple flavours, and Minions Tropical Fizz individual chew bars.

NE W

WE ARE NOW

SINGLE ©

M&M’s Block successfully rocked the confectionery world and new Single Bars are about to do the same.

Research shows that single bar is a winning format!

NEW M&M’s Single Bars will: Fulfil the needs of on-the-go, afternoon treat occasions Offer an attractive 200kcal balanced portion Drive trial and encourage purchase of M&M’s Block

STOCK UP NOW TO MEET DEMAND! © 2021 Mars or Affiliates.

[ CONFECTIONERY ] Meanwhile, in the £24 million mallows category (IRI), Swizzels introduced Marvellous Mallows in Drumstick raspberry & milk flavour. These come in a £1 price-marked pack.

“In our current cost-of-living crisis, over 53% of Britons surveyed are having to reduce spending to pay their bills (TWC),” says sales director Mark Walker. “As such, PMPs are a must stock for retailers as they provide value reassurance to shoppers. In fact, 58% of shoppers prefer retailers that sell products with price on the packaging (TWC).”

Squashies, which come in £1 PMP hanging bags and a 50p PMP treat size, have grown by 2.4% over the past year and are known as the No.1 sweets brand in the UK (IRI).

“Price is the No.1 factor when purchasing singles confectionery (Lumina) so this 50p PMP is a must stock for wholesalers looking to attract retailers,” says Walker.

For the rest of the year, Swizzels has impactful PoS displays for cash & carries, wholesalers and retailers, ensuring

Top p tips for depot displays Display a core range covering singles, duos, blocks, bags and gifting. a Allocate the space according to sales potential, giving more space to best sellers. a Highlight best-selling lines. a Have clear pricing, showing clear cash margins. a Offer both PMP and non-PMP lines. a Encourage retailers to make the most of the seasonal opportunity, for example by displaying on rack ends at appropriate times. a Ensure NPD and promotional products are stocked in advance of consumer media and work with suppliers who are supporting launches and creating consumer awareness. a 32% of retailers purchase confectionery from the main aisle so create impactful displays to catch the eyes of retailers when they are making purchase decisions in depot. Displaying products by the till point is one of the most effective placements. a Use the category knowledge of suppliers who help to promote best practice to retailers, including sharing planograms. a Advise retailers about spending strategy – some retailers go for best margin but that’s not always the best approach. A great margin on a product that doesn’t sell isn’t helpful. a

Source: Mondelez

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that its key marketing activities and NPD are supported. And in 2023 it will be running more competitions for retailers, who can win free stock for their stores and cash prizes.

Storck UK is another supplier that puts resources into promoting its brand – Werther’s – through wholesale.

“This year the brand has continued its support of wholesalers through the use of branded PoS in the form of pallet wraps, shelf wobblers, posters, aisle flags and bus stops to help drive awareness and stand-out at depots,” says managing director Andy Mutton.

“Werther’s Original is now not only a £27 million brand but also the UK’s No.1 caramel brand (IRI).

Its popularity is demonstrated by the fact that 15% of UK households purchased Werther’s Original in the year to mid June 2022 (Kantar).”

Perfetti Van Melle is the largest supplier of sugar-free sweets in the UK, and its sugar-free range is growing by 22% year on year.

Talking about the impact of the new HFSS regulations on the confectionery category, marketing & trade marketing director Mark Roberts says: “Confectionery is one of the top five categories purchased on impulse in convenience stores (Lumina), and there is a clear opportunity to provide shoppers with more sugar-free and better-for-you products that offer portion control and added health benefits – this will be vital in supporting category growth going forwards.”

Another trend highlighted by Perfetti Van Melle is the increased interest in veganism. “With over 1.6 million vegans now living in the UK (finder.com), and Veganuary hitting two million total participants this year, appetite for healthy alternatives is not going away,” Roberts points out. The Fruittella gelatine-free range is now worth £1.52 million (IRI).

Kervan Gida recently launched Bebeto Just Bears, describing them as the ‘gold standard of gummy bears’. The sweets contain real fruit juice and no artificial colours, and are Halal certified. Each pack contains up to 12 flavours: apple, lime, blue raspberry, pineapple, mango, watermelon, lemon, orange, cherry, strawberry, grapefruit and grape.

Gabriella Egleton, senior brand manager, says: “Bebeto is all about enjoying the little things in life and creating moments of happiness, and our Just Bears NPD is the perfect example of this. We are bringing genuine excitement to the category and in doing so we will be helping drive extra sales for our customers all year round.”

Bebeto Just Bears are available in £1 PMPs as well as nonPMPs. £1 PMP ranges are the main driver of confectionery sales growth in convenience and impulse, and represent 70% of the sharing segment (Lumina). Egleton adds: “PMPs are also a great way for retailers to underline their store’s value offering, with over two-thirds of consumers agreeing that PMPs provide a guarantee that they are not paying more CCM than they should (Lumina).”

[ PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS ] PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

‘Best ever’

Limited edition

Prize promotion

KP Snacks has launched its ‘best ever’ Tyrrells Veg Crisps.

Tyrrells has invested in new technology, including vertical ovens, to fry, dry and spin its Veg Crisps ‘to perfection’.

The product is available in three variants: Veg Crisps with Sea Salt, Veg Crisps with Balsamic Vinegar & Sea Salt, and Sweet Potato Crisps with Sea Salt.

Tyrrells is already the No.1 vegetable crisp, with a 43% share (Nielsen).

Dan Winslet, global Tyrrells marketing controller, says: “We are delighted to be launching our best ever Tyrrells Veg Crisps in line with our commitment to deliver the tastiest premium snacks.”

Pernod Ricard has unveiled a limitededition design for Beefeater London Dry. London-based artist Lakwena has given the gin a bold makeover that celebrates ‘The Spirit of London’ in a way that reflects the multi-cultural and multi-faceted make-up of the city.

The Beefeater x Lakwena design is available on 70cl, 75cl and one-litre formats across the UK on and off-trade.

To support the launch, Lakwena has taken over the Beefeater Distillery in London with a large-scale mural. There are also activations at Boxpark Shoreditch and Croydon.

Mondelez International has launched a promotion on belVita as part of the brand’s ‘Positive Energy’ campaign.

Shoppers will have the chance to win one of 250 prizes including Spotify and Netflix gift cards, Lifestyle vouchers and Headspace subscriptions.

Additionally, all entrants will be enrolled into a grand prize draw, with five winners being awarded a £650 gift card.

The promotion is running across the range, including the three new nonHFSS additions: belVita Fruit Crunch (Raisin & Currant and Apple & Pear) and belVita Soft Bakes Filled Apricot.

In foodservice

Packing a punch

Two-litre refills

Birds Eye has introduced its plantbased Green Cuisine Battered Fishless Fillets into the foodservice channel.

The launch follows on from the success of the brand’s Fishless Fingers, which feature the same rice protein filling but with Birds Eye’s signature golden crumb coating.

Gerard Purnell, business development controller for foodservice at Birds Eye, says: “Our mission is to make the benefits of plant-based food accessible to all, as well as capitalising on the huge opportunity for the fishless category within the growing foodservice sector.”

Boost Drinks has expanded its Juic’d 500ml range with the launch of a new flavour – Tropical Fruit Sour Punch.

The new line has an rsp of £1 and joins the three existing variants – Mango & Tropical Blitz, Watermelon & Lime Twist and Pineapple & Guava Punch – which Boost Drinks introduced in May to tap into the 500ml can segment of energy drinks, which is seeing 28% growth (IRI).

Adrian Hipkiss, marketing & international business director, says: “Due to the unbelievable feedback and sales to date of our new Juic’d range, we wanted to add a new bold flavour.”

Delphis Eco has launched two-litre refills for several of its cleaning products with the aim of helping consumers to save time and money.

Refills are now available for the company’s Multi-Purpose Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner, Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap, Heavy Duty Degreaser and MultiPurpose Descaler, with further range extensions to follow.

Delphis Eco is claimed to be the most environmentally-friendly, effective cleaning product range available to consumers. Products are plant-based, vegan and biodegradable, while also ‘extraordinarily powerful’.

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Give your surplus purpose “

FareShare is a safety net for us.

“

FareShare redistributes surplus food to 9,500 UK charities and community groups in the UK, helping people in need.

Knowing it’s there has been really comforting during these

We work with wholesale and food service companies like yours to help get that surplus food onto people’s plates.

Find out how we can work together: fareshare.org.uk/giving-food

unusual times.

Neil Beattie, Shetland Islands Council