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LARGEST INDEPENDENTLY AUDITED GROCERY TRADE CIRCULATION IN IRELAND

May 2021

Costcutter celebrates 21st anniversary

Barry Group MD Jim Barry reflects on brand’s key milestones

Mind the gap! Victory for Asda workers in Supreme Court highlights ever-present gender pay gap

Copycat conundrum Julia O’Reilly looks into intellectual property violations in the food industry

CONVENIENCE RETAILING • OFF-TRADE • SUPERMARKETS • NEWSAGENCY • FORECOURT

OPINION 3

ShelfLife May 2021 Vol. 28 No. 5

Breathing life back into the highstreet

Editor GILLIAN HAMILL (01) 294 7776 gillian.hamill@mediateam.ie Staff journalist JULIA O’REILLY (01) 294 7709 julia.oreilly@mediateam.ie Contributors CAROLINE MCENERY FIONNUALA CAROLAN BARRY WHELAN COLIN GORDON Head of business IAN MULVANEY (01) 294 7766 ian.mulvaney@mediateam.ie Account manager MARK MORGAN (01) 294 7767 mark.morgan@mediateam.ie Circulation subs@mediateam.ie Publisher JOHN McDONALD (01) 294 7744 john.mcdonald@mediateam.ie Printing W & G Baird Ltd

Whoever thought we would see the day when booking an appointment at Penney’s would be something akin to snaffling a gold ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory? Anecdotal tales of teenagers rolling up in limousines abound (we can only hope they’re in the same social bubble!), alongside suggestions of ‘Prinks pre-Penney’s?’ and the numerous tales of hardy shopping warriors who braved hour-long online queues to attend. Yes, it feels like there’s a breeze of optimism in the air! As Retail Ireland’s director Arnold Dillon puts it: “A buzz is finally returning to high streets and shopping centres after months of restrictions. Those shops that opened for appointments have been busy and shoppers are genuinely thrilled to be back. While there are strict limits on numbers, those making appointments are spending a lot more than normal.” Although pent-up demand will lead to an immediate splurge for many to get their shopping fix (not to mention the parents who were genuinely struggling to keep their kids kitted up), it will be interesting to see how the pandemic will affect long-term shopping patterns. Having gone without for so long, will shoppers have become better accustomed to a more frugal mindset? Or will the lifting of restrictions and re-found love of retail therapy usher in a ‘spend, spend, spend’ mentality? While non-essential retailers don’t expect to have to close again and government supports have been a lifeline for many businesses, challenges remain. “Debt levels have increased significantly, and many rent disputes remain unresolved,” Dillon says. “Supporting the experience economy and breathing life back into our towns and cities must be a top priority over the coming weeks and months. It is really important that a plan is put in place for getting offices open again.” Gillian Hamill, editor, ShelfLife magazine

ShelfLife is a controlled circulation magazine, available to selected individuals with interests in the retail and wholesale grocery trade, who fall within the publisher’s terms of control. For those outside these terms, annual subscription is €98.00 including postage & packing.

Contents May 20

COVER STORY 33

Barry Group special report: Celebrating Costcutter’s 21st birthday

NEWS&ANALYSIS Managing Director JOHN McDONALD; Sales Director PAUL BYRNE Operations Director BILLY HUGGARD Published monthly by Mediateam Ltd., 55 Spruce Avenue, Sandyford, Dublin 18. A94 RP22 Telephone (01) 294 7776 Fax (01) 294 7799 ISSN: 1393 0753

Circulation audited by Audit Bureau of Circulations.

ShelfLife is a member of Magazines Ireland

4 6 10 12 16

News grid Seen and heard CSNA news NOffLA news Dan White looks at whether a cashless society could be on the horizon

20 XL store proﬁle: Offaly retailer Enda Scully charts his recent store renovation

22 Copycat products: Julia O’Reilly looks at the issue of intellectual property violations in the food industry

24 Equal pay day: Fionnuala Carolan discusses how Asda’s legal case highlights the everpresent gender pay gap

ADVISOR 28 Marketing: Colin Gordon explains why it’s so important to respect a brand’s loyal customers when changing marketing strategy

30 HR: Caroline McEnery outlines how Parent’s Leave differs from Parental Leave

32 Recruitment: Barry Whelan offers advice on exit interviews

MARKETING& CATEGORY FOCUS 46 Summer drinks 60 Tobacco 68 PR & Marketing 74 Market movers 78 Hotspots

NEWS

NEWSGRID The top news stories in FMCG

and retail from across Ireland Retail Ireland welcomes reopening but warns of challenges ahead

Marks & Spencer proposes voluntary redundancies

Lidl Ireland ﬁrst retailer to offer free period products

Marks & Spencer is seeking 245 voluntary redundancies across its 18 Irish stores. According to the company, the shift to online shopping and a reduction in footfall especially in city centre stores due to people working from home and a lack of tourists has negatively impacted sales. Flagship stores in Dublin and Cork, including Liffey Valley and Dundrum shopping centres, would carry most of the redundancies but staff at all 18 stores with 10 years’ service could apply including those in HR, ﬁnance and marketing.

Lidl Ireland has become the ﬁrst major retailer in the world to offer free period products in stores nationwide to women affected by period poverty in partnership with Homeless Period Ireland and The Simon Communities of Ireland. The new initiative will see the retailer offer a dedicated coupon for a free box of sanitary pads or tampons per customer each month through the Lidl Plus app, and Lidl has also committed to quarterly donations to The Simon Communities.

Retail Ireland has welcomed the sector reopening fully on Monday, 17 May. However director of Retail Ireland, Arnold Dillon said that unfortunately some businesses will not reopen and many more will be relying on strong summer sales to ensure a viable business into the future. He called on the government to continue to support the economy in order to breathe life back into towns and cities over the coming months.

Early signs of optimism as Irish shoppers return to stores

Tesco Ireland sees sales jump by 13%

Grocery market growth in Ireland slowed to 1.9% in the 12 weeks ending 18 April, according to the latest figures from Kantar. In the Kantar’s data shows most recent four sales of chocolate Easter weeks, sales eggs were up by 17.4% declined by 3.3% compared with 2020 compared with the same period last year – a time when Irish shoppers were preparing for the first national lockdown and bigger shopping trips generated record-breaking sales for the supermarkets. While Ireland remains in lockdown, there are signs of growing consumer confidence this month.

Sales at Tesco’s Irish business reached €2.67 billion for the 52 weeks ending 27 February, an increase of 13% versus the prior year. Covid lockdowns also saw likefor-like sales increase by 14%. The grocery giant increased its capacity for online sales by more than 60% in the Republic of Ireland last year as a result of a spike in demand from shoppers, which saw online sales grow from 6% to 9%. With 151 stores across the Republic, Tesco said it had achieved “particularly strong growth” in its large stores.

75% of Irish food SMEs expect growth this year Irish food SMEs are optimistic about their growth prospects, according to new research by Love Irish Food and PwC, which found that 75% of companies operating in the sector are anticipating their revenues to increase in the year ahead. The 2021 Irish SME Food Barometer reveals that this optimism is echoed by a favourable outlook for the Irish economy with 65% of companies conﬁdent the economy will improve over the next 12 months.

CSNA warns of need to be vigilant against fraud on card terminals The Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association is drawing retailers’ attention to the need to be on guard against fraud. The association was present at two meetings in the past month where instances of signiﬁcant frauds perpetrated against merchants were outlined. The CSNA subsequently advises retailers to check (and double-check) the authorisation and legitimacy of all people seeking access behind the counter and to your payment systems.

Naas Shopping Centre on track for 2022 opening The Roche Group has submitted a preplanning application to Kildare County Council for Naas Shopping Centre, which had previously become a Nama managed property after failing to open as planned back in 2009. The National Asset Management Agency (Nama) sold the shopping centre to the Roche Group last year and now the new owner says the centre is on track to ﬁt out the site by 2022 with talks underway to secure some major retail brands for the centre.

An Post advises of stamp price increase An Post will increase stamp charges by 10 cent for domestic letters and 30 cent for international mail prices. National and international stamps were due to rise 10 cent in March 2020, but the ﬁrst Covid19 lockdown prompted An Post to stall the price increases. The company now intends to increase domestic letter charges to €1.10 from 27 May and international post charges to €2 from the same date to cover freight cost hikes sparked by the sharp fall in ﬂights in and out of the Republic. ■

For more details on all the above and the latest grocery-related news as it happens, visit www.shelﬂife.ie. ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

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SEEN AND HEARD

New Sealed Air shrink packaging is Designed-ForRecycling for circular economy

The new Cryovac sealed packs are easy opening, glossy with reduced haze and avoid discoloration of meats

Sealed Air has developed a market-leading Designed-For-Recycling shrink packaging solution to support food companies increasingly move to a circular economy. The new Cryovac brand Designed-for-Recycling Standard Presentation Shrink Bag and Shrinkable Rollstock are the world’s first RIC4 coded heatsealable food packaging materials, meaning they are 100% recyclable* to help food processors and retailers further improve sustainability. Enhanced efficiencies and environmental performance can also be realised through the range’s thinner, lighter EVOH barrier and excellent mechanical resistance. These features can help to reduce packaging material usage and overall carbon footprint by up to 60%, compared to widely used thermoforming packaging systems. Ed Roberts, global sustainability leader at Sealed Air said the new products’ “recyclability is complemented by high shrink, abuse resistance and barrier properties to reduce food waste, while also lowering sealing temperatures and energy usage during packaging”. The new Designed-for-Recycling Standard Presentation Shrink Bag and Shrinkable Rollstock have been tested in accordance with protocols setout by the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) and Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), with the 100% recyclability certified by Institut Cyclos-HTP. “As well as meeting growing demands for increased sustainability, the Designed-forRecycling packaging also satisfies other important consumer requirements,” Roberts added. “The sealed packs are easy opening, glossy with reduced haze and avoid discoloration of meats. Together, these performance properties help drive sales, which is another step towards less food waste and better resourcefulness.” Operators can run the Standard Presentation Shrink Bags with a wide variety of heat-sealing equipment including Cryovac brand VR and VS vacuum lines, while the Shrinkable Rollstock is compatible with Horizontal Form Fill Seal technology and a range of other loaders. *(The degree of recyclability of the final package depends on the specific product configuration or components intended for recycling and the scope and availability of appropriate local recycling facilities).

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelflife.ie

SuperValu calls on local producers to join its Food Academy SuperValu is calling on small food and drinks producers around the country to enter its Food Academy programme. Now in its eighth-year, Food Academy is a unique food business development programme between SuperValu, Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). Participants in the programme receive training in food safety, market research and branding, marketing, finance, sustainability and business development. The Food Academy programme currently supports 290 Irish food and drink producers including 140 female entrepreneurs, generating €170m in sales. In 2020, there was a 15% growth in SuperValu Food Academy sales with participants earning €28m. The Food Academy programme supports 1,500 jobs in local communities nationwide. “At SuperValu we believe in local business and are proud to continue to support local producers across the country,” said Carmel Biggane, Food Academy manager, SuperValu. “In collaboration with the Local Enterprise Office Network and Bord Bia, the Food Academy is a great way for us to help new businesses to grow and get the support they need.” If you have a consumer offer or an idea that you believe in and that meets a market need, contact your Local Enterprise Office (www.LocalEnterprise.ie) and register to join the Food Academy. For more information on Food Academy, visit: supervalu.ie/real-people/food-academy-programme.

Laura McCarthy, founder of Drinks Botanicals Ireland, which participated in the Food Academy programme

Hayley Milthorpe of The Cultured Food Company; another successful Food Academy participant

Home cooking soars nationwide as result of pandemic Just in time for the easing of some lockdown measures giving the nation a little more freedom, SuperValu has launched its ‘Freshly Prepared By’ range of over 90 quality convenient meals and side dishes to ease the burden of cooking meals at home and to give back those additional two hours daily that are spent at the stove. SuperValu’s pulse of the nation survey shows that over half the nation are spending 1-2 hours cooking from scratch each day with 49% cooking between 4-6 dinners each week. While these stats demonstrate a healthier approach to cooking as people are learning more about food and ingredients,

SuperValu has created a new ‘Freshly Prepared By’ range of over 90 ‘pop-in-theoven’ meals and sides

respondents stated they are tired of cooking and spending this amount of time in the kitchen each day. • 84% buy pre-prepared meals and/or takeaways to give them a much-needed break. • 43% prefer the pre-prepared meals and side dish options, an increase since the pandemic began, with 36% saying it is their go-to option 1-2 times per week. • Factors considered most important when buying pre-prepared meals are quality (85%), taste (74%), convenience (51%) and price (50%). • Lasagne was revealed as the firm favourite pre-prepared meal (22%) followed by curry and then pizza. “This range of over 90 ‘pop-in-the-oven’ meals and sides are real game changers as they give the convenient option without compromising on taste and quality and have been developed by our trading team following strong consumer insights along with input from some top chefs and local suppliers,” said Shane Lynch, SuperValu marketing manager. Check out the wide range of ‘Freshly Prepared By’ meals in-store and at www.SuperValu.ie.

PARROT BAY IS BACK! 5 Great Tropical Flavours Shelf ready pack with 36 pouches in a case 2 servings per pouch

Contact info@hi-spirits.ie for further details

SEEN AND HEARD

New Tru Clean range kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses Dettol has launched its first-ever range of antibacterial products with a plant-based active ingredient including biodegradable wipes^. The Tru Clean range, which comprises four biodegradable multi-purpose wipes and two trigger sprays, are all formulated with a plant-based active ingredient to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses**, including Covid-19*. According to new research commissioned by Dettol, six in 10 consumers say they would be likely to buy cleaning products that claim to be ecofriendly, over regular (non-eco-friendly) products. The Tru Clean range is taking steps to meet this demand by offering a formulation with a plantbased active ingredient, and biodegradable wipes, without compromising on the cleaning and disinfecting efficacy that shoppers expect from Dettol. Dettol’s Tru Clean products will help to support sustainably minded shoppers wishing to implement more eco-friendly habits at home by using products that are developed to have a better impact on the environment. Not only are Dettol’s Tru Clean multi-purpose wipes biodegradable and compostable, but the range has also been manufactured with zero waste sent to landfill, and each of the trigger spray and wipe formulations are free from bleach, dyes, and phosphates. “At Reckitt, over the past number of years, we have been on a journey towards creating more sustainable products,” says Will O’Brien, country manager Ireland at Reckitt. “Tru Clean represents the latest milestone in our efforts and is an exciting new phase in Dettol’s sustainability journey. “For more than 85 years, Dettol has gained expertise to kill viruses and bacteria,” O’Brien adds. “By switching to Tru Clean, consumers can feel peace of mind that the disinfectant products they are using not only help

Irish-produced chicken brand launches nationwide

Irish-produced chicken Sicín Sásta, which recently launched nationwide, is all about embodying Irishness. Sicín Sásta believes that great tasting chicken doesn’t happen by accident, which is why its chickens are born and raised on the same family farm, and are a slow growing breed looked after by farmers with generations of experience. With two new tiers of Sicín Sásta, ‘free range’ and ‘farmers’ own’, the socially conscious consumer has the opportunity to support an Irish business with welfare front and centre. Quality assurance influences the purchases of almost 50% of consumers and Sicín Sásta is proud to have the Bord Bia quality assurance mark and is a Love Irish Food affiliated brand. With quality, provenance, and value for money guiding most chicken consumers’ decision, Sicín Sásta ticks all the boxes. The Sicín Sásta ‘free range’ chicken offers a 1.5kg whole bird and 500g chicken breast fillets. The ‘farmers’ own’ chicken offers a 1.5kg whole bird, 500g chicken breast fillets, 420g chicken thigh fillets, and 380g diced fillets. To find out more, visit sicinsasta.ie.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

tackle their hygiene concerns but are also kinder to the environment.” Dettol’s Tru Clean range comes in three new fragrances, Crisp Pear, Lime & Lemongrass and Waterlily. The range is stocked now in major retailers nationwide. For more information on Dettol’s Tru Clean range, visit dettol.ie. Source: Research carried out on 927 adults in Ireland by Toluna, on behalf of Reckitt in April 2021. *Covid-19 virus: SARS-CoV-2. Use disinfectant safely. Always read the label and product information before use.” **e.g. Spectrum of Activity: Viricidal tested against Inﬂuenza A virus H1N1, Human Rotavirus (Strain Wa) and SARS-CoV-2. ^Biodegradable in active landﬁll conditions (in accordance with ASTM D55118 standards) and proven to biodegrade in industrial composting conditions (in accordance with European Standards EN 13432).

Taste of Dublin returns this September Taste of Dublin is back! The event is returning to the Iveagh Gardens from 1-5 September 2021 under the theme ‘savour the moment’. The event gives brands the opportunity to come to life again, to communicate key brand messages, promote food and drink ranges and associate themselves with the most prestigious brands, chefs and restaurants in the industry. Taste of Dublin offers both trade and consumer opportunities. Whether you are an artisan producer or a big brand, Taste of Dublin provides an exceptional platform from which to interact with and sell to knowledgeable foodies. To explore exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, contact the team at info@equinoxevents.ie. For more information, visit www.tasteofdublin.ie ■

Taste of Dublin provides a platform to interact with and sell to knowledgeable foodies

CSNA NEWS

CSNA NEWS Possible change afoot for tobacco licencing The Department of Health has published a bill for pre-legislative scrutiny that would require all tobacco retailers to be licenced annually

PETER GAUGHAN, national president, CSNA

Free Repak audit available for CSNA members

The CSNA’s free audit on packaging waste can save retailers hundreds of euros each year

As members are aware, the Waste Packaging Regulation requires retailers that are considered to be “major producers” of packaging waste – the actual packaging sold to your customers (bottles, cans, wrapping etc) – can create a legal obligation to join Repak, the only compliance body in the country for packaging. The main difﬁculty for retailers is to check whether they are obligated or not. The CSNA has a weight reckoner and can assist you in making sure that you only pay if you’re obligated. In one week alone recently, two members with turnover in excess of €2m each did not meet the 10 tonne thresholds – saving hundreds of euro each year. Contact us for more details about this free service.

For many retailers in the convenience sector, the sale of tobacco products is considered to be an integral and important part of their business. Consider how viable your business would be if you were prevented by law from retailing any tobacco products for an extended period of time? The Department of Health has published for pre-legislative scrutiny a bill that will require all retailers to be licenced annually if they wish to sell tobacco products; they will also need to be licenced to sell vaping products. A range of offences are created in the bill which could lead to the loss of, or refusal to renew, the licence. One of these offences is the sale of tobacco

to a minor, ordinarily detected through a HSE test purchase. All retailers need to be continuously vigilant that their policies and procedures are sufﬁciently robust to prevent the sale of tobacco to minors and should frequently interrogate the adequacy of your preventative measures. The association will be presenting detailed submissions to the Oireachtas on the bill, but it must be noted that the changes sought by the Department of Health will ﬁnd support with most TDs and Senators. In the meantime, our advice is to protect this important part of the business by vigilance and insisting to your staff that they carry out your preventative policies on every occasion.

CSNA attends first meeting of new retail crime prevention initiative The retail crime prevention initiative that Assistant Commissioner Hillman set up held its first meeting recently. It was impressed upon the members of the gardaí and Department of Justice that threats and intimidation had reached frightening levels in many parts of the country, with retailers finding it very difficult to continue to provide a service to their communities. The Department of Justice has promised that any proposal to rebalance the imbalance that seemingly favours the criminal will have their (and the Minister of State’s) support. The CSNA has been persistent in highlighting the need for more widespread use of ASBOs and commercial business exclusion orders in addition to legislation to permit the sharing of images forwarded by gardaí. We have suggested that a pilot scheme be devised and rolled out in a single garda division.

The CSNA has persistently highlighted the need for more widespread use of ASBOs and commercial business exclusion orders for repeat offenders

Keep updated on the Covid-19 situation on the CSNA website: www.csna.ie ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

2021 Commercial Rates waiver extended for Q2

CSNA Deals Partner GET Solutions

To assist the businesses that have been most affected by the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, the Irish government announced a new, targeted commercial rates waiver intended to apply to qualifying businesses during the first quarter of 2021. The government has announced an extension of this waiver to the end of the second quarter of 2021.

The waiver Qualifying businesses will be entitled to a 100% credit in lieu of their commercial rates liability in the first six months of 2021. Local authorities should automatically apply the credit in lieu to the accounts of businesses in the included business categories. Where a ratepayer who qualifies for the credit in lieu has already discharged its rates liability for 2021, a refund towards their 2022 rates liability will be arranged by the relevant local authority. Qualifying businesses will receive 100% credit in lieu of their commercial rates liability in H1 of 2021

CSNA CONTACT DETAILS

GET Solutions is proud to be an affinity partner of the CSNA. As your energy solutions provider, GET Solutions will upgrade your lighting to efficient retrofit LED lighting, and provide you with significant savings of up to 80%. GET Solutions will:

• • • •

Provide you with an energy audit Show you the data of how and where you can save money Provide you with the necessary funding to complete the fit-out so you have no capital outlay Enhance your premises to a bright, modern and energy efficient outlet

The company’s advice is clear: Talk to GET Solutions and start saving money today! “Make a big difference to your bottom line and put money back in your pocket.” Contact Niall today for prices and more details Call: 087- 286 9716. Email: niall.clarkin@getsolutions.ie. n

If you have any queries regarding CSNA services or membership please contact the office in Naas, Co. Kildare on 045-535050 or by email to info@csna.ie/www.csna.ie

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife Month 2021

NOFFLA NEWS

www.nofﬂa.ie

Molloys Liquor Store named National Off-Licence of the Year The winners in 13 categories were announced at an online ceremony for the 25th edition of national awards The National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) has announced the winners of the annual Off-Licence of the Year Awards 2021 which are now in their 25th year. The awards, which are usually held at the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, were hosted online this year on Monday, 19 April, in accordance with Covid-19 restrictions. The awards recognise and showcase excellence in the independent off-licence sector, which represents 315 specialist businesses throughout the country. The initiative highlights those retailers that offer exceptional service to customers and

demonstrate excellence in retail standards. NOffLA chairman, Gary O’Donovan said of the standard of entries this year: “Seeing the commitment of our members to their businesses and customers has made us incredibly proud of the independent offlicence sector, in particular over the last year. Their levels of professionalism are to be commended and this is what the NOffLA Awards strive to recognise. “We are delighted to showcase the expertise and high standards of service that are demonstrated by our members throughout the year,” he added. “I would like to also thank our sponsors for their ongoing commitment to these awards and to our sector which, as ever, is greatly appreciated.” The awards, which included 37 ﬁnalists, saw Molloys Liquor Store awarded ‘National OffLicence of the Year 2021’, O’Donovan’s OffLicence Group win ‘Responsible Retailer of the Year 2021’ and 64 Wine win ‘Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year 2021’.

All 37 ﬁnalists were awarded certiﬁcates of either ‘Merit’ or ‘Excellence’ and a Customer Service Award based on their performance. Other awards on the night included: 1.

The Champagne Ayala Best First Time Entrant 2021 – Carry Out Tramore, Co. Waterford

The Peroni Nastro Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year 2021 – 64 Wine, Glasthule, Co. Dublin

The El Coto Customer Service Award of the Year 2021 – O’Donovan’s Off-Licence, Riversdale Shopping Centre, Midleton, Co. Cork

The Redbreast Spirit Specialist of the Year 2021 – Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin

The Guinness Beer Specialist of the Year 2021 – Galvins Carry Out Carrigaline, Co. Cork

The Dona Paula Wine Specialist of the Year 2021 – McHugh’s Off-Licence, Malahide Road, Artane, Dublin 5

The Hennessy Munster Off-Licence of the Year 2021 – Carry Out The Reeks, Killarney, Co. Kerry

The Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Connacht/Ulster Off-Licence of the Year 2021 – Dicey’s Off-Licence, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal

The Alpha Zeta Leinster Off-Licence of the Year 2021 – Mary B’s, Arklow, Co. Wicklow

Molloys Liquor Store on Dublin’s Francis Street was this year’s supreme winner

Behind the scenes at the 25th annual Off-Licence of the Year Awards which were held annually this year

Blackrock Cellar won the Dublin Off-Licence of the Year Award 2021, sponsored by Bombay Sapphire

10. The Bombay Sapphire Dublin Off-Licence of the Year 2021 – Blackrock Cellar, Blackrock, Co. Dublin 11. The NOffLA RTC Online Trainee of the Year 2021 – Stephen Nugent, Carry Out Kilcullen, Co. Kildare 12. The NOffLA Responsible Retailer of the Year 2021 – O’Donovan’s Off-Licence Group 13. The NOffLA National Off-Licence of the Year 2021 – Molloys Liquor Store, Francis Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Anthony Robineau of 64 Wine in Glasthule, Co. Dublin, which won the Food Retailer OffLicence of the Year Award 2021, sponsored by Peroni Nastro

OVER

€

BILLION Has been raised for Good Causes all over Ireland since 1987. Thanks to all our National Lottery Retail Agents for your support.

YOU MAKE THIS POSSIBLE

NOFFLA NEWS

www.nofﬂa.ie

Thank you to award sponsors The National Off-Licence Association would like to express its gratitude to the sponsors of this year’s Off-Licence of the Year Awards 2021, highlighted here, for their support. Speaking at the awards ceremony, NOffLA chairman Gary O’Donovan thanked all the sponsors for their “ongoing commitment to these awards and to our sector which, as ever, is greatly appreciated”. The association is particularly grateful to the following sponsors: Champagne Ayala (Findlater & Co.) Peroni Nastro (Richmond Marketing) El Coto (Mackenway Wines) Redbreast (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard) Guinness (Diageo Ireland) Dona Paula (Santa Rita) Hennessy Cognac (Edward Dillon) Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin (Dalcassian) Alpha Zeta (Liberty Wines) Bombay Sapphire (Edward Dillon)

‘Commencing MUP would level the playing ﬁeld with multiples’: Gary O’Donovan

NOffLA chairman Gary O’Donovan says a reduction in excise duties would “support a recovery amongst our colleagues in the hospitality sector, keeping alive our vibrant local communities”

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

At the recent awards ceremony, NOffLA chairman Gary O’Donovan took the opportunity to update members on a number of recent policy developments and NOffLA’s lobbying efforts towards them. “First and foremost, in the last couple of months, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly brought in new regulations regarding the pricing and promotion of alcohol,” O’Donovan said. “These regulations included restrictions on meal deals, moneyoff vouchers, loyalty cards and short-term price discounts, and so this is something that all of our members – myself included – are adapting to.” Junior Minister for Health Frank Feighan also recently announced that he will bring a proposal to government to commence Minimum Unit Pricing in Ireland this year. “While we have been here before with MUP, and we have been disappointed in the past, NOffLA is engaging with all members of the Irish Cabinet at present. We have also asked all our members to contact their local representatives to voice their support for commencing MUP as soon as possible.” O’Donovan outlined that the commencement of MUP would be a positive development for NOffLA and its members, as it will “level the playing ﬁeld on pricing between us and the multiples, but we will have to wait and see what government decides”. Meanwhile, on the taxation front, as we hopefully move towards the re-opening of

the economy later this month, NOffLA will be joining industry colleagues to lobby for a reduction of excise duties in October’s Budget. “The impact of the pandemic and closure of the hospitality sector has been detrimental to the future viability of the community restaurants, pubs and hotels we all love,” O’Donovan said. “Their lack of trade has also had significant knock on implications for our suppliers, as the overall alcohol market in the country has declined significantly. “As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic in the coming months, policies will be needed from government to support the sectors most adversely impacted,” he added. “A reduction in excise duties would support a recovery amongst our colleagues in the hospitality sector, keeping alive our vibrant local communities. It would also help support the long-term position of the independent off-licence sector, which has only recently returned to profitability.” NOffLA is looking forward to kicking off its work with the Drinks Industry of Ireland on this subject later this year and hopes that government will support its call this year. The association is also planning on launching its Annual Members Survey in the coming weeks to inform NOffLA’s Budget asks of the government. Members will be contacted shortly in regard to this and are kindly asked to participate in this important consultation. ■

H C T A M T E G READY! STOCK UP WITH THE

NO.1 LARGE SHARING C*RISP BR AND

OPINION

Cashing out Dan’s Digest

With Dan White

With the Covid-19 crisis accelerating the move away from cash, Dan White examines whether banknotes are destined to go the way of the dodo or if their forecasted demise has been greatly exaggerated

he latest redundancies at Brinks, the second round of job losses at the cash-handling company in less than 12 months, provide a vivid illustration of how Covid-19 has accelerated the switch away from cash. Figures published recently by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland show that the value of contactless payments soared by 42% to €733m in February 2021 over February 2020, the last full month before the pandemic struck.

Contactless soars The volume of contactless payments increased by, a still healthy, 6.5% over the same period to 46 million transactions. What drove the much higher increase in the value of contactless payments was the increase in the limit for such payments from €30 to €50. As a result, the value of the average contactless transaction rose from €11.92 to €15.88 over the same period. There were 1.6 million contactless payments with a combined value of €26m every day in February. One of the outstanding features of major human and natural disasters; wars, revolutions, pandemics, economic collapses etc, is that they take existing trends and greatly accelerate them. Covid-19 has been no exception.

Moving away from cash Businesses and consumers had already been gradually moving away from cash. Figures compiled by the Central Bank show that card, both debit and credit, payments increased by almost 70%, from €35bn to just under €60bn between 2015 and 2019. By far the fastest rate of increase was recorded for remote, i.e. online, card transactions which almost doubled to €21.6bn. The Central Bank figures also show a significant reduction in ATM withdrawals even before the pandemic with the total number of withdrawals falling by almost 10% from 178 million in 2015 to 161 million in 2019. Unfortunately, we only have full payments data up to the end of 2019. However, Central Bank figures show that credit and debit card spending on groceries rose 14% to €1.44bn in March compared to the same month in 2020. The decline in non-store ATM withdrawals has also accelerated with just 232,000 such transactions being recorded in the first seven days of March 2021, down 37% on the same period last year. ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelflife.ie

A recent Central Bank paper estimated that the total value of Irish ATM withdrawals had fallen from the equivalent of a third of personal consumption in 2004 to a ﬁfth by 2019

Scandi approach To see where we might be headed, Sweden provides a possible pointer to our future. The Scandinavian nation is planning to become the world’s ﬁrst cashless society by March 2023, less than two years from now. Swedish retailers already have the right to reject cash payments, forcing their customers to pay by card instead. While that may seem pretty draconian to us in this country, it seems to be working with the Swedish Central Bank, the Riksbank, estimating that only 6% of all transactions are now conducted in cash. But it’s not just Sweden, with digital payments company PayPal recording a 31% increase in the value of payments processed to $936bn in 2020. PayPal boss Dan Schulman argues that we have now reached an “inﬂexion point” in the shift away from cash. However, as the model said to the judge, “he would say that wouldn’t he?”

Between two extremes So is cash destined to go the way of the dodo or have reports of the demise of the folding stuff been greatly exaggerated? What is fascinating to observe is the varying attitudes towards cash across different European countries. While the Swedes, followed closely by the Finns and the Dutch, can’t wait to get rid of paper money, others, particularly the Germans and the Austrians, remain ﬁrmly wedded to cash. Ireland lies somewhere between these two extremes.

ATM withdrawals A recent Central Bank paper estimated that

the total value of Irish ATM withdrawals had fallen from the equivalent of a third of personal consumption in 2004 to a fifth by 2019. Over the same period, the number of ATM withdrawals per capita fell from 42, almost once a week, to 30, just over once a fortnight. While the number of ATM withdrawals per capita has fallen significantly, the average value of each cash withdrawal has remained largely unchanged at just under €150. The Central Bank paper also contained another fascinating insight. While figures for cash in circulation are only available for the eurozone as a whole, the paper calculates the level of Irish cash returns since euro notes and coins were first issued at the start of 2002. As banknotes and coins pass from user to user their condition gradually deteriorates and they must eventually be returned to the Central Bank and replaced with new ones.

Cash in circulation The level of cash returns is thus quite a good proxy when seeking to gauge the volume of cash in circulation. What the Central Bank paper shows is that the value of banknotes being returned has more than halved since 2002 while the value of coins, which are much more durable, being returned has fallen by a quarter over the same period. While some of this decline may be due to the cash in circulation changing hands less often, the main explanation is almost certainly fewer banknotes. With Covid-19 having accelerated trends that were already well advanced, is the trickle away from cash now about to become a ﬂood? ■

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20 STORE PROFILE

Having recently moved to a 4,000sq ft site in Daingean, Co. Offaly, Enda Scully, of Scully’s XL Foodstore, tells Julia O’Reilly how he and his team have been faring

Making strides E

nda Scully is well accustomed to change. In December 2019, Scully, of Scully’s XL Foodstore in Daingean, Co. Offaly, upped sticks and moved to a much larger premises in town. Ever since, the store has gone from strength to strength, having undergone an extensive renovation. In Scully’s case, the business is a family one. Back in 1990, his parents bought a shop and ran it themselves for years. When his father passed away in 2006, Scully started to work with his mother in the shop. Originally a pig farmer, he juggled both roles for two years before embracing retail full-time. He now runs the shop with the help of his wife Mary. While the new gig was initially quite different to what he was used to, Scully says much of the essential values remained. “It was a big change of course; the jobs require totally different skillsets and mentalities,” he says. “But the core values are the same, and as always, you can’t spend more than you’re taking in.”

Enda and Mary Scully

STORE PROFILE

Retailer: XL Address: Daingean, Co. Offaly Staff: 14 full-time and 10 part-time staff Size: 4,000sq ft Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am-9pm; Saturday and Sunday 8am-8pm

Learning curve Still, there was a learning curve initially: “It took me a while to get used to what would and wouldn’t sell to the locals,” Scully adds. “It was a big learning curve, but I learned fairly quick.” When Scully went full-time in March 2008, he applied for planning permission and successfully extended the site from 600 to 1,450sq ft and modernised the store. By the time the renovation was completed

To accommodate strong demand for good food on-the-go, Scully’s XL offers a full deli selection, carvery lunches and ready meals, as well as an outdoor catering service

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

in late 2009, the country was experiencing an economic recession. “It was tough, says Scully, “from 2009 to 2012 was hard. But from 2012 to 2015, things started to pick up. We could see we were starting to make real strides again.”

Change of fortunes Scully’s fortunes changed again when a local convenience store closed in 2015, meaning he ran the only shop in the village. “Our turnover went up by 30% overnight,” he says. “Pretty soon, we realised we had outgrown our premises, but we had no scope to extend further. When the former c-store site went up for sale in 2018, we bought it at auction and here we are now.” Construction on the new site began in June 2019, and as Scully says, “there was a lot of work had to be done there to make it a viable site.” Today, it’s far more than viable. Sitting at 4,000sq ft, the new spacious site boasts a full

Standing at 4,000sq ft, the new spacious site boasts a full deli, offlicence area, an upgraded butcher counter, a fresh bakery selection and an ice cream counter

STORE PROFILE

off-licence area, an upgraded butcher counter, a bakery table for fresh baked goods and an ice cream counter for soft scoop and whipped ice cream. To accommodate strong demand for good food on-the-go, Scully’s XL also offers carvery lunches and ready meals, as well as an outdoor catering service. “Our aim is to make it a one stop shop,” says Scully. “We’re a village in the middle of north Offaly. There are two large towns on either side of us, but Edenderry is 19km away and Tullamore is 15km away and there’s nothing in between. So we feel it’s important that we’re able to give people what they need.”

Steady growth Since the doors of the new site ofﬁcially opened in December 2019, Scully says the experience has been incredibly positive. “Our sales jumped 25% overnight when we opened because of all the new offerings we had. There was steady growth each month in January and February. When Covid-19 hit in mid-March, we saw another jump again. We held that steady growth all of last year and now every category is up across the board.” Not only is the site bigger, but the team is too. Scully hired a new butcher when they moved, and butcher sales have since increased 400%. He also took on a new chef and a chef’s assistant, bringing the team to 14 fulltime and 10 part-time staff.

Team effort Running a successful store is a substantial team effort. Especially when it’s a store of that size. Scully is full of praise for the work his team does. “We have a very good team here,” he says. “Some of them have been with us since my parents’ time. They’ve all been exceptional throughout Covid-19. We are very lucky that our staff have been so diligent throughout. Between cleaning the shop and wearing PPE, they’ve done all that’s been required of them to ensure customers and themselves are safe.”

Scully’s XL has an inviting exterior, with plenty of plants to entice gardening enthusiasts within the local area

Scully says his wonderful team are a major factor in the success of the store. “The quality of our staff is extremely high. Customers are always commenting on how friendly and helpful they are. That makes an awful lot of difference. People always come back for good service.” Listening to what customers want is another way Scully keeps shoppers happy. “In general, if somebody comes in looking for a new product, we’ll source it and stock it. A lot of people want ready meals and fresh produce, so we’ve put a big emphasis on providing that for them.”

Brand support After undergoing plenty of changes, Scully is grateful for the guidance XL has provided throughout. “XL has been excellent, especially on this project,” he says. “They brought every resource they could to help us out. They had never done a shop on this scale before, to they brought in members

Customers can ﬁnd strong value-for-money within the store’s off-licence department

of the wider BWG team to help us get everything over the line. “My business advisor from XL, Barry Egerton is on the phone every day and calls in to the shop at least once a week. And it’s great to know that Colm Fitzsimons and Paul Bealin from BWG are at the end of the phone if we need anything.” For Scully, the support has made the transition much smoother. “We’re developing outdoor seating at the moment, for example, and XL has been helping us get that up and running.” As for what’s next for the store, Scully has a few more projects he’s still keen to bring to life: “Now, our next project is a dedicated ice cream parlour,” he tells ShelfLife. “We’re also developing an outdoor seating area and a car park. Other than that, we’re happy with how things are going, and we’d like to keep improving on what we have yearon-year.” ■

Across the store, retailer Enda Scully and his team are keen to listen to what customers want, noting: “In general, if somebody comes in looking for a new product, we’ll source it and stock it”

www.shelﬂife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

FEATURE

The EU Court of Justice has ruled that the taste of a food product cannot be copyrighted because it is too subjective

Cake wars With Marks & Spencer and Aldi embroiled in a caterpillar cake dispute, Julia O’Reilly looks at IP violations in the food industry

he food industry is an exciting one, full of creativity, innovation and invention. When it comes to flavour combinations, packaging design or product names, the sky is truly the limit. Then why is it that certain aisles in a grocery store elicit a sense of déjà vu? We’ve all seen them. Products that seem as though they were designed deliberately to look like that of an established brand. And there’s some reason for it. Packaging innovation, for example, has a direct impact on buying behaviour, with consumers gravitating towards products based on the colour, shape, or design of a packet. Taking cues from a successful design may seem a safe bet. But, when the line between inspiration and imitation is such a fine one, you could be playing with fire.

Protecting innovation That’s why knowledge of intellectual property (IP) is vital. IP gives business owners the legal tools needed to protect product innovation. In a highly competitive industry, food companies are often anxious to gain an edge over their rivals. To do so, IP, trademarks and patents are increasingly being used to protect the shape, colour, aspect, or distinctive feature of food products or packaging. The issue of IP is in the news again, thanks to a high-proﬁle battle between Marks & Spencer and Aldi. Last month, M&S took legal action against Aldi, arguing that the

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

German discounter’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake infringed upon its Colin the Caterpillar trademark. In an intellectual property claim lodged to the UK’s High Court, M&S claimed that the similarity leads consumers to believe the cakes are of the same standard. It added that Cuthbert “rides on the coat-tails” of M&S’s reputation. The retailer has three trademarks relating to Colin, which it believes means Colin has acquired and retains an enhanced distinctive character and reputation. In its claim, M&S said it wanted Aldi to remove the product from sale and agree not to sell anything similar in the future. Aldi stopped selling Cuthbert in stores in February, two months before its claim, so M&S was likely surprised by its rival’s next move.

for years). We just want you to use your own character. How about #kevinthecarrotcake? That idea’s on us... and we promise we won’t do Keith.” That M&S took action against Cuthbert is not wholly surprising. Colin the Caterpillar is a jewel in M&S’s crown. When Colin ﬁrst launched 30 years ago, it was the ﬁrst caterpillar cake of its kind to be sold by a retailer. Today, several major supermarkets sell their own version, be it Curly from Tesco, Clyde from Asda, or Cecil from Waitrose. Perhaps what’s most surprising is that M&S didn’t make a claim sooner.

Limited edition Cuthbert Mere days after news of the claim emerged, Aldi announced it was “bringing back a limited-edition Cuthbert next month”. In a savvy move, Aldi tweeted its plans to donate all proﬁts to cancer charities including Macmillan Cancer Support and Teenage Cancer Trust. Aldi then called on other supermarkets to join its effort to raise money for cancer charities through the sale of caterpillar cakes. M&S replied that while it loves a charity idea, Aldi should use its own character, stating: “Hey @AldiUK we love a charity idea (Colin’s been a BIG fundraiser

Marks & Spencer argued that Aldi’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake infringed upon its Colin the Caterpillar trademark (Pic: Instagram @ofﬁcial_colinthecaterpillar)

FEATURE

Zero-tolerance approach M&S said it has not yet ‘ruled out’ pursuing other retailers on this issue, but, as Gary Assim, an intellectual property specialist at law firm Shoosmiths, said to the BBC: “M&S may find their case against Aldi difficult, since there are other caterpillar cakes on the market. They should have taken a zerotolerance approach from the start if they felt that Colin and Connie were so important to them.” It’s not uncommon for cases of this sort to be difficult. In fact, several large brands have been involved in gruelling trademark disputes in recent years – to varying degrees of success.

Previous cases Cadbury lost a bid to protect the particular shade of purple it uses for its packaging in 2019. After losing an appeal, Cadbury gave up a trademark application when the court ruled it ‘too-wide-ranging’. In 2012, Cadbury won a case to stop other chocolate firms from using the colour, but the success was short lived and the next year, Nestlé challenged and won the appeal. Nestlé was embroiled in its own battles at the time, however. In 2018, Nestlé lost a decade-long battle to trademark its Kit Kat bar’s four-finger shape. The European Court of Justice agreed with rival Cadbury that its shape was not distinctive enough for consumers to identify all such bars as

Kit Kats. Perhaps that was sweet revenge on Cadbury’s part? Nestle’s trouble began in 2002 when it applied for a European trademark for Kit Kat. For the bar itself, which was embossed with the brand’s logo, the process was straightforward. But ultimately, Kit Kat failed to meet the criteria needed to trademark a shape. The verdict was a relief for the maker of a similarly four-pronged treat, such as Norway’s Kvikk Lunsj, which had been around for 80 years, as well as supermarkets that offer an own-brand alternative. Toblerone’s efforts were more successful. Its distinctive shape was registered in 1998, but it faced a dispute with Poundland in 2017 when the British retailer designed an off-brand version. Poundland argued that its product was not an infringement since Toblerone had recently changed the shape of its own bar to reduce weight. The disagreement was settled out of court and Poundland eventually agreed to re-design its bar. Back in 2006, Swiss chocolatier Lindt applied to trademark its red ribboned Easter bunnies. Its plans were halted by a German company that also produced gold-wrapped bunnies. Reportedly, Lindt suggested its rival change its gold wrapper to bronze and ban its use of a red ribbon. Lindt eventually lost the case.

Limits of copyright law There are several limits on what is protected

Centra sees demand for Moo’d Ice Cream increase during pandemic Centra has revealed a significant increase in demand for Moo’d Ice Cream products, with the brand generating €1.6 million as of week 16 in 2021. Retail sales for products in Centra’s ice cream offering have rebounded significantly in 2021 after Covid-19 lockdowns forced the closure of Moo’d counters for a number of weeks during 2020. Sales are now up 120% year-to-date in 2021. Figures for 2020 show the ice cream cone remained Ireland’s favourite form of ice cream, with the range accounting for 47% of Moo’d’s take-home ice cream offering, amounting to €2.8 million in sales. This was closely followed by sales of Moo’d Whilrlies which accounted for 34% of overall sales last year. Separately, sweet treats like milkshakes, gelato and slushies brought it €1.9 million in sales in 2020. “Centra has been a massive part of our business. When we started out with Moo’d, we had three members of staff and we now have ten full-time members,” said Lisa Clarke,

business development manager of Moo’d at Ice Cream Treats. “Our factory is based in rural Ireland where there were limited job opportunities and prospects. Partnering with Musgrave has enabled us to grow our business and employ local people supporting over 10 families in the local area,” she added. “Centra has played a massive role in growing our business and without them, we would not have been able to do this. We are delighted to be in partnership with Centra across all of Ireland and to be able to deliver fantastic products to customers and make their day.” “While Covid had a huge impact on the Moo’d counters, Ice Cream Treats were able to continue operating as a business due to the demand for the Moo’d take-home tubs range,” said Gerry Sheridan, owner of Ice Cream Treats. “As our factory is small and we have limited staff on the production line, we were able to operate safely with social distancing. We used the time to develop new Moo’d flavours, creations and engage with our Centra retailers.” Ice Cream Treats is a member of the Bord Bia Origin Green programme and is working towards reducing its emissions and waste

under copyright law. The taste of food, for example, is exempt. Brought forward in a case between a Dutch cheese manufacturer and its rival, The EU Court of Justice said the taste of a food product cannot be copyrighted because it is too subjective. In 2018, The EU Court of Justice said EU copyright laws prevent the taste of a food product being copyrighted because it “cannot be identified with precision and objectivity”, unlike a photograph, song, or piece of writing. To fall under the copyright rules, it said something has to be “expressed in a manner which makes it identifiable with sufficient precision and objectivity.” There is a chance, however slim, that this could change in the future. The court added: “It is not possible in the current state of scientific development to achieve by technical means a precise and objective identification of the taste of a food product which enables it to be distinguished from the taste of other products of the same kind.” While it’s hard to gauge how rapidly taste identification technology is developing, it’s probably safe to rule it out for now. If other disputes are anything to go by, this could be the beginning of a long battle between Aldi and M&S. While we await the final result, some curious consumers have taken the dispute into their own hands by taste-testing both desserts. The real winner? The customer can decide that for themselves. So, until we know more, let them eat cake. n

in manufacturing. The company has reduced energy consumptions by 70% over the last four years and is proud to say that Moo’d whirlie cups, gelato cups, milkshake cups, straws and spoons are all compostable.

Ice cream trends The latest sales data from Centra also shows that caramel is Ireland’s favourite ice cream topping with most consumers including it in the custom swirl cups closely followed by the Bueno Whirl. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a +22% increase in total ice cream sales in 2020 with demand for multipacks growing by 50% as people look to treat themselves at home during lockdowns. Centra has also reported a 50% increase in sales of premium ice cream products with people indulging themselves as the pandemic continues with chocolate-based products growing in popularity. n

Ice cream cones remain a firm favourite among Irish consumers, while demand for premium products and toppings continues to grow

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

24 FEATURE

Bridging the gap Just last month Asda workers in the UK won an historic Supreme Court appeal as part of a long-running equal pay claim. This was seen as a watershed moment for these mostly female staff, allowing them the opportunity to compare their work with other roles in the company traditionally taken up by men. Fionnuala Carolan looks at how Ireland fares when it comes to retail pay equality and what we can hope for with the recently published legislation on the gender pay gap ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

espite the fact that the female labour force participation in Ireland has more than doubled since the early 1980s, the gender pay gap remains stark. According to the latest Eurostat ﬁgures, the gender pay gap in Ireland is 13.9%, down from 17.3% in 2007. An Ibec report published in 2018 entitled ‘Mind the Gap’ written by Dr Kara McGann, senior labour market policy executive, explains that a gender pay gap does not indicate discrimination or an absence of equal pay for equal value work, it reports a gender representation gap. If women hold more of the lower paid jobs in an organisation than men, the gender pay gap is usually wider. While the Asda case is about equal pay for equal work, it all comes back to a similar issue – female workers are still not receiving equal treatment in the labour market and are not enjoying the same economic opportunities as men. More than 44,000 Asda store workers are signed up to ‘Equal Pay Now’, a campaign being led by British law ﬁrm Leigh Day in an attempt to bring a legal claim against the company. It aims for the workers to be paid a wage that would put them on an equal footing with their colleagues in other parts of the business. The recent Supreme Court ruling upheld an earlier court ruling that lower-paid shop staff who are mostly women, can compare themselves with higher paid warehouse workers, who are mostly men. The judge stressed the ruling did not mean the 44,000 claimants had won the right to equal pay, but are now free to take further action. According to Equal Pay Now, men and

women on shop floors across Britain do a challenging job and work long hours interacting with customers throughout their shifts, equating to the supermarket’s success. This has even more weight since the start of the pandemic with shop floor workers dealing directly with the public, working right at the frontline of the crisis. Despite this, those on the shop floor tend to be paid less than their co-workers in warehouse and distribution centres. Leigh Day is encouraging anyone (male or female), who is paid by the hour and has worked at a supermarket in England, Scotland and Wales in the last six months to bring a claim on a ‘no win no fee’ basis. At present, the law firm has seen thousands of retail workers from Tesco, Morrison’s, Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Next join the fight and the latest victory in the Asda case will spur them on further. The lawyers representing the store workers say warehouse workers are paid between £1.50-3.00 an hour more than shop floor staff. However Asda claims it has always paid the correct rate for the job, whether male or female, and pointed out that both men and women worked in both supermarkets and the warehouses. In another twist, it was announced in February that Asda was acquired by the Issa brothers for £6.8 billion. Within two weeks, the new owners had announced a restructuring plan that could affect 3,000 jobs so with the gender pay battle ongoing and the thousands of jobs hanging in the balance, staff morale must be pretty low at Asda. >> Ibec CEO Danny McCoy says gender pay gap reporting is part of a wider strategy to address female participation rates and employment gaps between genders

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26 FEATURE

Recruiter feedback As we watch this unfold in the UK, Irish retailers know that it won’t be long before Irish retail staff demand more transparency in pay rates for different roles. According to Barry Whelan, CEO of Excel Recruitment, which specialises in retail recruitment here in Ireland, he doesn’t believe there is a pay disparity in the Irish market “In my experience, wage rates in retail, equal if not surpass pay rates in industrial roles, until skills are added to the mix such as a forklift licence,” Whelan says. “Warehouse and distribution roles start at minimum wage here in Ireland. Where we see an increase in pay rates is when the warehouse operatives get experience. So for instance, a candidate who has a forklift licence, a reach or counter balance licence, or experience working in VNA (very narrow aisles), can secure a higher rate of pay.” “I think the case against Asda is a farce,” he adds. “I am pretty sure a guy working in the deli in Asda Wolverhampton is paid the same as his female counterpart with the only difference being length of service. I would be very surprised if this wasn’t the case in their distribution centres.” So how do we fare in Ireland as regards difference in pay between shop floor and warehouses? And what is the breakdown between men and women in this area? At the time of print, Tesco Ireland did not respond to a press query we put to them while Lidl Ireland was happy to confirm it has equal pay across the business for entry level staff, male or female on the shop floor or in the warehouse. Aoife Clarke, head of communications and marketing, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland said: “We are happy to confirm there is no pay differential from shop floor to warehouse in Lidl. We have always paid the same and right now it is the living wage rate of €12.30 per hour for anyone starting.” In terms of gender breakdown, she says: “Our store split is currently 52% to 48% male to female, so almost equal. Warehouse naturally attracts more males as it is seen as more manual work but over the past five years, the numbers of females in operative positions has risen by 127%.” So if the issue is not about gender-related pay, it is more about the roles that women and men typically take up. While warehouse jobs may also start at minimum wage, there is scope for them to increase by adding skills such as forklift driving. There might not be the same opportunities to upskill on the shop floor and this could be where the problem lies.

disparity between men and women. This bill, once implemented, will bring us another step forward in achieving a more equal society for everyone.” In Ibec’s Mind the Gap report, an example was cited whereby when offered a job, 7% of female MBA graduates attempted to negotiate compared to 57% of male MBA graduates (Source: In Babcock, L & Laschever. S. 2007 “Women don’t ask”). This is something that needs to change and possibly with legislation to support women, they will find the confidence to start asking for an equal share and this may help remove the secrecy surrounding pay rates in companies.

What’s next for Asda workers? Excel Recruitment CEO Barry Whelan says “wage rates in retail, equal if not surpass pay rates in industrial roles, until skills are added to the mix such as a forklift licence”

out of 28 EU countries; less than the UK (17%) and the US (18%). However, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2017, if we continue as we are, the overall global gender gap will take 100 years to close. The UK implemented a gender pay gap reporting measure that required private sector employers with 250-plus employees to publish their data annually, with the first reporting requirement in April 2018. Back home, Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, was given Cabinet approval in March to amend the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill in Dáil Éireann. Once implemented, the bill will require employers over a certain size to publish pay differences between female and male employees, including any bonuses. Announcing the move, Minister O’Gorman said: “We need to gain an accurate understanding of the gender pay gap to help address the root causes of the gender pay

While Asda workers may have won the battle, there is a long war ahead. The latest judgment relates to the issue of comparability, which is the first of three stages in an equal value claim. Leigh Day solicitors will now go on to argue that the roles are of equal value. In order to decide whether the work done by the store workers is of equal value to the work done by the distribution centre workers, the judge will assess a report provided by independent experts. If the roles are seen to have equal value, the next stage would be for Asda to show that there is a genuine reason, unrelated to sex, why men and women are paid differently. If the tribunal decides there is no material factor defence, and the judgment is not appealed, the claims will have been successful, and compensation will be decided, which could amount to around £500 million. All of the other supermarket claims will follow that route. It’s a long process and one that might stay in the courts for years, but it has put the spotlight on pay disparity in general. It’s time for employers to become more transparent about their pay rates and to encourage female workers to ask for what they have long been entitled to. n

New legislation Ibec is currently working with government and business to develop an appropriate method of gender pay gap reporting. According to Danny McCoy, Ibec CEO, gender pay gap reporting is part of a wider strategy to address female participation rates and employment gaps between genders. “Women are not fulfilling their potential in economic activity or in their contribution to the labour market and business has an important role to play in finding solutions,” he says. The national gender pay gap in Ireland of 13.9% compares well with the EU average of 16.7% and Ireland has the eleventh lowest gap

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelflife.ie

More than 44,000 Asda store workers are signed up to the ‘Equal Pay Now’ campaign led by British law firm Leigh Day

Find your escape this weekend

28 ADVISOR: Marketing

Don’t take brand loyalty for granted! COLIN GORDON

marketing expert

While it can be tempting for a new brand manager to make their mark on a product with a marketing overhaul, radical changes can prove insulting towards a brand’s loyal customers and a more gradual, considered approach is often beneﬁcial, writes Colin Gordon

was struck recently by an article in Marketing Magazine referencing Dr. Martens - the iconic footwear brand, which has been part of fashion culture for the last 60 or so years. In the feature, the “chief product and marketing ofﬁcer” Darren Campbell was discussing how every customer wants to be, or is, the brand’s CMO. Campbell wasn’t being facetious or critical. He was recognising how dear to customers’ hearts the brand was, or more precisely, is, and that therefore any initiative the company undertakes has to be done with care and proper respect. How cool is that! To have arrived at a point where your brand is much more than a pair of shoes; the customer is not just a purchaser, he or she are ambassadors.

Sense of ownership Many of us may have experienced this sense of ownership of a brand even to a limited extent. Some of us will have seen it professionally (i.e. within our business lives); most, if not all of us will have experienced it as consumers. How often have we looked on as a much-loved brand we’ve grown up with, or just grown to love, is changed by the brand owner and we are left saying to ourselves ‘why?’, and maybe even ‘who?’. As to the former, the professional side (and reminding ourselves that the consumer owns the brand, not the temporarily appointed brand manager!), I recall in a past life, research ‘directing’ us to a change in pack design for a particular brand, only to be told in follow-up research that the proposed redesign was too radical (objectively, it wasn’t; but the consumer is right, here as always). We learned that what the consumer ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Dr. Martens boots have played an iconic role in fashion culture for the past 60 years or so, endorsed by the likes of Pete Townshend, frontman of The Who

really wanted was minor tweaks to accentuate particular pack elements. When we did just that, the response was immediate and positive. The Kit Kat logo has been around since 1937, and the brand is famous for this continuous improvement approach to pack presentation or design, with pack designs today being really quiet different to those of say 25 years ago. And yet at the point of any one Kit Kat pack amendment, you’d hardly notice the change.

Slight modification On a different tack, I recall asking a research company to direct us as to why a particular brand was in decline. The thesis we had adopted was that consumers were switching off from the brand and we had assumed we would need new communications, new extensions, new pricing, and so on. The research concluded that

consumers were not in fact switching off; they had (merely, as far as they were concerned) moved from X packs per purchase to 90% X. What we saw was a 10% decline; what consumers said was that they were being as loyal as always but had modiﬁed their buying behaviour. Slightly! This insight made a huge difference to our response and resulting actions. Regularly, marketers - especially newly appointed marketers - are

“Sometimes we see a ‘need for speed’; don’t just stand there; do something! But often the opposite is the right course – don’t just do something; stand there.”

ADVISOR: Marketing 29

moved to do something radical. A new ad, new ﬂavour extensions, new pack designs or formats. The result can often be a jerking around of the engagement of loyal customers, a challenge to their loyalty. Any resulting changes to behaviour may not be immediately clear, or they may even be hidden in plain sight by newer customers coming into the brand’s orbit, attracted momentarily by the jerking, which can prop up sales volumes – in the immediate sense. But any ongoing ‘jerks’ can lead to a house built on sand, with no long-term viability.

Customer’s lifetime value The issue of a customer’s lifetime value (CLV) has been around for many decades, but was smothered for so long by its arch rival, shareholder value (SV). One is long term in focus and its underlying ethos; the other is all about growth (most often in proﬁts) now and continuously i.e. the short term. CLV is now becoming more popular as an idea because brand

owners are more and more conscious of the fundamental power of the consumer. They are also conscious of the cost of gaining (and, by corollary, losing) a customer or consumer. As an aside, it amazes me that a company can spend so much money and time buying another company to get access to its brands, to then just change so much of that second company’s brand personalities and essential characters. I guess the key point is not to take loyalty for granted. Sometimes we see a ‘need for speed’; don’t just stand there; do something! But often the opposite is the right course – don’t just do something; stand there! That’s a challenge to us all in this fast-paced, dynamic world of business, a world in which inaction is too often judged as inability. Business needs to think of the long term and the real value of consumer loyalty. Marketers need to remind themselves that they too are consumers – how would they react to a continuous jerking around of the character and personality of the brand that they have supported, and given life to, over so many years? ■

‘Marketing is in trouble: How we got here and 10 steps to get us out’ by Colin Gordon is now available to purchase, published by Orpen Press. To get your hands on a copy, visit the following: www.orpenpress.com UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M9XY6HF US: www.amazon.com/dp/B08M9XY6HF Ireland: Marketing is in trouble eBook by Colin Gordon - 9781786051127. Rakuten Kobo Ireland - www.kobo.com/ie/en/ ebook/marketing-is-in-trouble.

INTERVIEW

QUICK QUESTIONS WITH

CATHERINE O’CONNOR

account director, Elevate

1. Best place for coffee? I’m actually a tea drinker. Can you believe it, I have never had a cup of coffee. I have Barry’s Tea and a Lily O’Brien’s chocolate every day.

6. Worst ad on telly? I can’t think of one off the top of my head.

2. Favourite movie? That’s such a hard one, but I have to choose Shawshank Redemption.

8. What would you cook if you were to compete in ‘Come Dine With Me’ and would you win? I’m not sure. I am a good cook, but I know I’m not amazing so it would depend on my competitors on whether I would win. My starter would be a goats cheese crostini, main course would have to be prawn linguini with a garlic oil and fresh garlic bread and for dessert, sticky toffee pudding.

3. Top book recommendation? I tend to read autobiographies and the most recent was Keelin Shanley’s ‘A Light That Never Goes Out’, Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming’ and Dolly Alderton’s ‘Everything I Know About Love’. 4. Which social media platform do you use most? Deﬁnitely Instagram. 5. Best ad on telly? There have been so many over the last year during Covid, including Three’s Monster Hunter advert and I loved the TK Maxx goat advert. In the past, Guinness has created some iconic adverts and I love the emotive feeling Barry’s Tea offers consumers. It has a great way of connecting Irish tea drinkers across the world.

7. Favourite grocery shop? SuperValu.

9. First thing you would do if you were Taoiseach? I loved Lidl’s recent announcement about offering free period products to customers for a month. To continue this and to try and prevent period poverty, I would introduce free sanitary products into secondary schools. 10. If you had to live in another country, where would you choose? Italy, I just love it there and of course the food.

11. Greatest achievement to date? I would have to say my career, I’ve been very lucky to work with some of the industry’s leading experts including Emma Kelly, the MD at Elevate PR. 12. Best website? The Irish Times. 13. Most annoying public ﬁgure? Donald Trump. 14. Best piece of advice you ever received? Don’t worry about other people’s path, create and follow your own. 15. Biggest fear? Losing people close to me. 16. City or beach break? Oh, I love a mix of both. City to experience the hustle and bustle in the bars and restaurants and beach to relax and get a tan. 17. Top restaurant recommendation? It has to be The Ivy, Dawson Street. Not only is the food delicious and the cocktails so tasty, but I love that it feels like an experience even on a Monday night.

Catherine O’Connor

18. Pop or rock? Pop. 19. Favourite time of the day? Morning time, especially a Saturday morning sitting down to freshly made pancakes, Alpro on top and strawberries sprinkled all over. Still in my dressing gown of course. 20. What’s the last compliment you received? I recently hosted my ﬁrst IGLive with the MD of Elevate PR, Emma Kelly. I spoke all things inﬂuencers and how businesses can work with them and it seems to have gone down well and I received a lot of lovely compliments, which is great. ■

30 ADVISOR: HR

Parental Leave and Parent’s Leave explained CAROLINE MCENERY

managing director, The HR Suite

Although a similar intention lies behind both Parental Leave and Parent’s Leave, the leave entitlements vary. Crucially, Parental Leave is unpaid while Parent’s Leave is paid by the State. Here, The HR Suite’s Caroline McEnery outlines the provisions contained within each act

n recent years the Irish government has introduced further changes to family-related leave to improve the work-life balance of working parents. This article focuses on Parental Leave and Parent’s Leave.

Parental Leave The Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 allows parents to take Parental Leave from employment in respect of certain children. A person acting in place of the parent to an eligible child is also eligible.

While Parental Leave can be taken up until a child is 12 years old, Parent’s Leave must be taken within the ﬁrst two years of a child’s life

CONTACT THE HR SUITE:

If you require further information or advice on HR, please do not hesitate to contact The HR Suite’s consultants on (01) 9014335 or (066) 7102887 or email the company at info@thehrsuiteonline.com.

The provisions set out in this act are as follows: • Eligible employees are entitled to 26 weeks’ Parental Leave. • Parental Leave can be taken up until a child is aged 12. • Where an employee has more than one child, Parental Leave is limited to 18 weeks in a 12-month period. This can be longer if the employer agrees. ● Parents of twins or triplets can take more than 18 weeks of Parental Leave in a year. ● Parents are required to provide their employers with six weeks’ notice of their intention to take Parental Leave. Such notice should be given to the employer in writing and a copy of the same should be retained by both parties. ● Leave may be taken either as a block of 18 weeks or two separate periods of a minimum of six weeks each. There must be a gap of at least 10 weeks between the two periods of Parental Leave per child. • If the employer agrees, the employee can separate the leave into periods of days or even hours. • An employee is entitled to return to their original terms and conditions at the end of a period of Parental Leave. There is no entitlement to payment or social welfare payments during Parental Leave from the employer. Employees accrue annual leave and public holiday entitlement as if they were working as normal. Accrued entitlements can be taken at the end of the Parental Leave period. Management may refuse, in writing, to grant Parental Leave, if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the employee is not entitled. In relation to postponing the Parental Leave, management may decide to postpone for up to six months if satisfied that granting the leave would have a substantial adverse effect on the operation of the business, by reason of seasonal variation, if there are difficulties finding a replacement, or if a number of employees are already availing of Parental Leave. However, alternative dates when the employee can take the leave should be agreed with the employee in this instance.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Parent’s Leave The legislation governing Parent’s Leave is the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 which is amended by the Extension of Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2021. The provisions set out in the act are as follows: • Both parents are entitled to five weeks’ paid Parent’s Leave for a child born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019. • The leave must be taken within the first two years of the child’s life. • An employee can claim Parent’s Benefit while on Parent’s Leave once they have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions. If an employee qualifies for Parent’s Benefit, they will get €245 each week. • Employers do not have to pay an employee while they are on Parent’s Leave; although some employers may ‘top-up’ Parent’s Leave, this is at the discretion of the company. • The employee must meet certain criteria to be eligible to take Parent’s Leave. • The employee must give their employer at least six weeks’ notice, the notice must include the start date, the way the leave will be taken and how long the leave will last. • The employee can take this leave as one continuous period of five weeks’ leave or periods of not less than one week. • Parent’s Leave cannot be transferred between parents – except in specified circumstances such as the death of one of the parents. Similar to Parental Leave and other family-related leave, Parent’s Leave is also protected which means: • The employee is treated as being in employment while they are on Parent’s Leave • The employee is entitled to return to their original job after Parent’s Leave. • Annual leave accrues as normal while the employee is on Parent’s Leave. • Public holidays accrue as normal while the employee is on Parent’s Leave. • The company can refuse Parent’s Leave if the employee is not entitled to it. • The company can postpone Parent’s Leave for up to 12 weeks if there are seasonal variations in the volume of work, there is no replacement to carry out the employee’s work, due to the nature of the duties, if there are a number of other employees availing of statuary leave or any other relevant matters. • The application process is the same as Parental Leave requests. If you have any queries on the above, or any other issues, please do not hesitate to contact The HR Suite’s office on 066 7102887 and we would be happy to deal with your query. ■

REAL FAST

A differentiating offer under the Munch & Co deli brand, with delicious signature menu items for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Seriously good coffee under our new exclusive gourmet coffee brand 9 Grams.

To find out more contact:

Terry Donnan - 086 7714696

We listened to what our customers want and designed a completely new shopping experience. This is about surprising and delighting shoppers with a fresher, healthier, more innovative offer. It’s also about bringing independent retailers a dynamic, cost effective retail offer, that delivers above average returns.

Distinctive new ice cream brand called Lickety Split.

Succulent rotisseriespun chicken, served in delicious signature sandwiches and healthy salad bowls.

ADVISOR: Recruitment

Follow the exit signs!

If conducted properly, exit interviews with departing employees can provide valuable data on the strengths and weaknesses of an organisation and help reduce staff turnover, writes Excel Recruitment’s Barry Whelan

BARRY WHELAN managing director of Excel Recruitment

www.excelrecruitment.com

Wake me up before you go, go: Conducting an exit interview with a departing staff member can alert a retailer to issues hampering colleagues’ performance and workplace wellbeing

igh staff turnover is an extremely costly and seemingly uncontrollable problem for retailers. Retailers typically experience high turnover of staff, when compared to other industries, even when factoring the churn that will happen with parttime and seasonal workers. Reducing turnover is a positive for your bottom line and one way to combat poor staff retention is the exit interview. Exit interviews are a common means by which retailers try to gain knowledge about why their employees are

leaving. Such information is vital and can then be used to intervene and reduce staff turnover. Due to the costs inherent in employee turnover, any effort to understand and reduce it will have a positive effect. Understanding the reasons why employees leave the company and then taking steps to prevent or eliminate the causes of their departure is beneficial to both the company and other employees. Companies benefit by saving substantial amounts of money and resources for hiring and training new workers. Current and potential employees also benefit

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

as turnover adversely affects morale and productivity levels. The costs are varied including the lost productivity of the leaving employee, the lost productivity of those working with that worker, replacement costs, startup costs for new employees when on board, work undone during transition, search costs, human resource time, advertising job availability, selection interviews, staff meetings, travel and recruiting time and costs associated, training costs, and the costs of monitoring and managing turnover.

process that treats the information as important and respects the confidentiality of the information so that the employee is aware that no repercussions can occur because of the information given. This is quite difficult. Who conducts the exit interview and how it is conducted have been found to affect employee responses. The majority of exit interviews are believed to result in very superficial information because the employee fears repercussions and they do not want to burn their bridges.

Improving the work environment

Top ten questions

One weapon in the ﬁght against recurrent staff turnover is to conduct an exit interview. An exit interview is a one-on-one session with a soon-tobe-departed employee in which the reasons for leaving are explored. If exit interviews are a valid source of information about the reasons why an employee is leaving, it is therefore a crucial source of knowledge in reducing turnover. They should determine why people leave, and once knowing that, interventions can be developed which would reduce turnover levels. When exit interviews are conducted properly, they provide a database of valuable information on areas of the company which are successful and those that need improvement. Exit interviews can guide the creation of new policies and improve the work environment for all employees. The effectiveness of the exit interview lies essentially in the validity of its information. If employees do not give accurate information, attempts to reduce turnover based on that information will be worthless. A successful exit interview involves commitment from both the employee and the retailer. Employees need to feel comfortable and that it is ok for them to give accurate and honest responses. The retailer needs to conduct the interview within a

The top ten questions asked in exit interviews are as follows: 1. What is your primary reason for leaving? 2. What was most/least rewarding about your job? 3. Did you receive adequate training and support to do your job effectively? 4. Did you receive sufficient feedback about your performance between reviews? 5. Did this company enable you to fulfill your career goals? 6. Were you happy with your pay, benefits and other incentives? 7. Would you recommend working for this company to your family and friends? 8. How do you generally feel about this company? 9. What did you like most/least about this company? 10. Can this company do anything to encourage you to stay? If effectively carried out, an exit interview is a very useful source of information. From the retailer’s point of view, it can provide invaluable feedback about employees’ attitudes towards their working environment, the terms and conditions of their work, whether there are any structures or procedures that they need to adopt and the effect of morale (or lack of it) within the company. ■

SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP 33

Costcutter celebrates milestone 21st anniversary

Official Retail Partner of Triathlon Ireland Costcutter’s sponsorship will place a huge emphasis on local and supporting communities

Driving innovation A look at how Urban Sips, Market St. Deli and Freezi Licks concepts are enhancing in-store experience

34 SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

Evolving into an invigorating future

Barry Group managing director Jim Barry reflects on how the Costcutter brand’s evolution during the past 21 years has placed the group in good stead for the decades ahead

Jim Barry, managing director, Barry Group

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

eﬂecting upon the past 21 years of Costcutter being under the stewardship of Barry Group, there have been many key milestones that have made this partnership successful. From completing the deal with Costcutter UK in 2000, getting to know the network of Costcutter retailers, growing the brand in the Irish market, to today, where Costcutter is a forward thinking, dynamic and innovative symbol group. Today, we are proud of the current brand offering which has been enhanced over the past three years and now includes a range of concepts to meet the needs of the modern retailer in addition to a new immersive store spec. When taking these advancements for the brand into account, we believe our current offering, image and unmatchable levels of customer support offer us a competitive edge against our competitors. A key component of the Costcutter brand evolution has been the role played by our dedicated team, who are energised by the growth and success of the brand to date along with its future trajectory. These are the people behind the brand who enable Barry Group to deliver our industry-leading service offering to our valued retail partners. However, we acknowledge that the needs and requirements of retailers are ever evolving and therefore, this team is continually exploring how we best serve our retailer partners and spotting further opportunities for differentiation. This approach has been fuelled by our highperformance positive team environment mindset which has played an instrumental role in the strategic development of the Costcutter brand. This mindset is infused in all aspects of our business and ensures that we are focused on delivering superior levels of customer service, productivity, innovation, efﬁciency and enhancing Barry Group’s culture to deliver growth and cultivate long term value for our symbol groups. The present-day success of the Costcutter brand, fuelled by this ethos, is no coincidence.

SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

It is the result of a shared vision, dedication, persistence, and the refusal to accept anything but the best for both the brand and our retail partners. This has been evident through the development of our new store spec and portfolio of concepts, both of which were received with open arms by our retailers, in turn, enhancing their retail offering and increasing turnover. Our gourmet coffee brand Urban Sips is a true testament to this statement with coffee sales increasing by 30-40% for stores who have made the switch to this superior coffee offering. In addition, the introduction of our premium deli brand Market St. Deli and our ice cream brand Freezi Licks have also contributed to Costcutter being firmly positioned as a leading symbol group in the Irish market. The successful strategic development of the Costcutter brand over the past few years, acts as a beacon for our belief in the brand. I am fortunate enough to be able to reflect on the past successes of the brand and lucky enough to look forward with optimism to witness the execution of our planned future developments. A major milestone which ties into this point is the purchase of the Costcutter brand for the Republic of Ireland by Barry Group in the past year. This move portrays our confidence in the brand and allows us to further evolve the brand for our unique and world-leading convenience market in Ireland. Although we pride ourselves on being able to move in an agile manner in line with trends, consumer demand and economic development, there are certain components of our brand and offer that stay consistent. Throughout the past 21 years, we have always valued the relationship we have with our customers and consider it to be more of a partnership. We believe that we are an authentic medium sized family run business that inherently understand the needs of family businesses in the retail sector. We understand and have experience in the dynamics of family businesses and believe we are positioned well to partner with family businesses to support them on their journey in delivering retail excellence to their local community. We aim to help our retailers to run profitable retail stores, but also recognise that to successfully achieve this, it has to be on an individual basis to maximise the potential of a given store. Thus, we see every store as an individual store with individual needs. This ideology forms the approach we adopt when designing each store plan to ensure our retail partners maximise retail opportunities while adhering to the image and standards of the brand. Within the remit of our partnership approach, identifying with retailers on an individual basis is something we are extremely proud of. We understand that our retail partners form a major factor in the successful

execution of the brand therefore, we value their input at all stages of the process. Additionally, we ensure that our team, from account managers, fresh food advisors, store development, inside sales, category management, our buying and marketing teams are available to our retail partners and are committed to providing consistent service every day. The purpose of this is to ensure that our offering both meets and exceeds the needs of the modern consumer, and is supported by our logistics, IT, ﬁnance and HR teams. Combining the strength of each of these departments, our management team is focused on ensuring a cohesive and intertwined service to ensure customer satisfaction. Never has the value of this approach been more prevalent than in the past year as we have navigated through a global pandemic. Thankfully, it afforded us the opportunity to support our retail partners through the past 15 months of Covid-19 restrictions. These have undoubtedly been challenging times, but I am glad that the vast majority of our retail partners have come though this difﬁcult period and are showing encouraging signs of

growth over the last number of weeks. As we exit this period of lockdown, I am energised by our brand development plans which will commence in the second half of the year, significantly enhancing our retail offering. In conclusion, I look forward to leading our team into the next phase of our Costcutter brand journey. I am confident that not only are our management team aligned with and invigorated by our further plans, our wider team also welcome them, alongside our valued retail partners. We will jointly grow the brand and develop many profitable retail solutions for family businesses throughout the country. Here’s to another 21 years of success,

Jim Barry is conﬁdent that Barry Group’s management team, alongside their valued retail partners, will grow the brand and develop many proﬁtable retail solutions for family businesses throughout the country

www.shelﬂife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

36 SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

Why join the Costcutter brand? Barry Group prides itself on offering indisputable service levels across all aspects of the wholesale and retail industry. Here, the group outlines the advantages for retailers of joining the Costcutter brand

arry Group is Ireland’s leading family-run wholesale distribution company, servicing over 1,500 customers nationwide through its franchise and wholesale business divisions. The group prides itself on providing professional and proﬁtable retail solutions through its business partnership approach. Barry Group provides indisputable levels of service to its valued customers through every facet of the business. Built on a strong foundation of collaboration and expertise, Barry Group has uniquely crafted the Costcutter retail offering to meet the needs of modern retail operators looking to work with a retail partner who identiﬁes with and shares their vision for growth, development and success. Costcutter’s dedicated team is comprised of

multiple business disciplines and departments working together towards a shared vision; to not only meet the needs of today’s retail partner, but also work in collaboration with them to ensure they are leading business operators. It is this combined approach and understanding that fuels Barry Group’s ‘One Team, One Plan’ mindset and ensures the group delivers on its promise to provide leading retail solutions to retail partners. Celebrating 21 years operating under Barry Group’s guidance in the Irish market, Costcutter is a vibrant, innovative retail group that offers the perfect platform for your business. The combination of a commitment to innovation, along with the group’s experience, offers you the perfect partnership for growth and success. The variety and quality of the Costcutter

With the Costcutter brand, full category management support is provided across the store, from category plans to advice on must-stock ranges and assistance in maximising sales

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Barry Group’s store development team can help with all aspects of design, from new store set-up support and project management to advice on equipment and sustainability

offering is evident in the range and in the strong growth of the brand. With 15 additional new retail outlets joining the group this year, injecting 300 new jobs into the Irish economy, Costcutter has ﬁrmly established itself as a strong, innovative partner for prospective retailers. The Costcutter brand is thriving and competitively expanding in the Irish market. The group’s innovative approach to modern retailing can be seen in many facets of its retail offering, including its approach to concept development. The Costcutter brand team has signiﬁcantly invested in the research and development of these concepts to ensure that the subbrands are not only footfall drivers at store level, but also leading retail options.

Social media and marketing training is provided as part of the Barry Group’s comprehensive marketing support for its retail partners

SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

Barry Group retailers enjoy strong reputations in their local areas for the quality of their fresh food offering

Substance behind the brand Professional account manager role

Financial support

• • •

• • • •

Help maximise your sales Support your business control Guidance on store standards

Concepts and exclusive lines

• • • • •

Urban Sips Coffee Freezi Licks Ice Cream Market St. Deli Meadowbrook Farm Portfolio of own-brand and exclusive alcohol brands

Business plans System advice Analysis of business performance Financial advice

Store development

• • • • •

Shop design Project management Advice on equipment Advice on sustainability New store set-up support

Marketing support

Fresh food team

• •

• • • •

• • •

Social media and marketing training Market research on trends and best practice Promotion cycles with leaﬂet, POS and digital assets National and local marketing campaigns Online POS printing portal

Category management

• • •

Category plans Must-stock ranges Assistance in maximising sales

Staff training Range advice Product display advice Innovation

Information technology

• • • • •

EPOS system solution Customer BEACON ordering platform Ongoing support Supply chain 98% service level

• •

Multiple ambient and chill deliveries weekly Full central billing solution

Buying department

• • •

Competitive pricing Three-weekly promotional cycles Comprehensive pricing

HR department

•

Guidance on dealing with day-to-day HR best practice

Inside sales

• • •

Customer support Customer communication Promotional selling

Training

• • • • • •

Retailer manual Marketing Finance IT Sales Category and product updates

Barry Group’s fresh food team provides a host of valuable advice on range, innovation and product display, as well as staff training

www.shelﬂife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

38 SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

Innovative concepts

A cornerstone of the growing success of the Costcutter brand, is its commitment to innovation. Barry Group has invested signiﬁcantly over the past four years to ensure that the symbol group’s offering is not only competitive but also designed in response to the growing needs of today’s modern consumer. As part of this innovation process, there has been a focus on the development of concept brands to enhance the customer’s in-store experience and also the Costcutter offering

Costcutter retailers who have switched their coffee offering to Urban Sips have seen a sales uplift of 30-40% on coffee sales

Urban Sips

ike all good business ideas, Urban Sips began with an obsession to brew up a seriously good barista style coffee with an exceptional aroma and ﬂavour. This process began by gathering a team of likeminded strategists, researchers and designers who travelled the country, surveying the nation and listening to the enthusiastic suggestions of Costcutter’s retailers and customers to ensure they were equipped with insight and knowledge to select the perfect blend. The outcome of this venture was its specially developed 100% Arabica Gourmet blend of Ethiopian, Columbian and Nicaraguan beans, producing a medium roast coffee with an excellent overall body, pronounced aromas and a clean velvety texture with a balanced vibrant acidity – a ﬂavour to savour. Based on the success of this blend and a hunger from fans of the brand for more, an additional dark blend was added to the brand offering in the past year. Through the development of two differing blends to suit the requirements of modern retailers, Costcutter has a coffee blend in the Urban Sips offering to meet the needs of all retail partners.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Although the taste credentials play a key role in the success of the brand, Barry Group from the outset acknowledged the importance of Urban Sips taking an active stance from both a CSR and sustainability perspective. Therefore, as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility promise, the Nicaraguan bean in the 100% Arabica Gourmet coffee blend supports the Flores del Café (Women’s Fund Project), a fair trade coffee company that exclusively employs women and helps them obtain legal titles for their land. In turn, this affords these women access to credit and loans to support their families. Sustainability is also a topic which is held in high regard in the Barry Group and therefore, from the beginning, the Urban Sips takeaway cups have been 100% compostable, and the lids recyclable. It is a combination of all these elements of the brand that has led to Costcutter retailers, who have switched their coffee offering to Urban Sips, having a sales uplift of 30-40% on coffee sales. Aiming to further fuel the success of this thriving coffee brand, Barry Group is expanding the Urban Sips range to include takehome coffee pods and beans in its signature blend in the coming months.

SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP 39

Freezi Licks

ith quality being an integral component of Costcutter’s concept brand portfolio, Freezi Licks Ice Cream is no different and additionally supports Irish farmers, with the dairy being locally sourced. Freezi Licks Ice Cream is handmade using 100% fresh milk and cream delivered daily from grass-fed cows on West Cork farms. Its pure ingredients, along with using traditional methods, ensure every scoop delivers a burst of flavour and the signature Freezi Licks experience. A key benefit for prospective retailers interested in Freezi Licks is the fact that it is a bespoke concept that is created to maximise an individual store’s potential. Each unit is devised based upon an assessment of square footage, geographic location and footfall to ensure that the ice cream brand is a profitable retail solution. From this analysis, the store development team propose your optimal range to ensure profitability. An additional component of the Freezi Licks offering is staff training by the Barry Group’s fresh food team to ensure that every serve results in a memorable experience for your customers, ensuring repeat purchase.

Freezi Licks Ice Cream is a bespoke concept designed to maximise each individual store’s potential

Market St. Deli

arry Group’s commitment to developing Costcutter’s fresh offering is a focus that has been core to the growing success of the brand in recent years. Through the development of initiatives including Market St. Deli, the franchise group’s premium deli model, Costcutter retail outlets have been afforded the opportunity to compete within the premium deli market, in addition to traditional deli spheres. This deli option is catered to Costcutter stores who place a strong emphasis on their deli offering and pride themselves on their store standards and practices. The Market St. Deli offering differs from two perspectives: the spec of the unit and the deli offering. The spec of this unit offers a destination deli outlet that focuses on the customer experience with a refurbished oak cladding, a herringbone tile backsplash, and branded Market St. Deli uniforms for all staff members. Additionally, the deli offering excels in terms of both the standard of training offered by the Costcutter fresh food team and the premium gourmet builds with which retailers are provided.

Market St. Deli offers a destination deli outlet that focuses on the customer experience

www.shelﬂife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

40 SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

Supporting local communities In a year already full of activity to mark Costcutter Ireland’s 21st milestone birthday, the group is also the proud sponsor of Triathlon Ireland; a fantastic partnership due to their shared interests in cultivating community spirit, promoting healthy lifestyles and celebrating local

Costcutter is celebrating its milestone 21st anniversary with a year-long campaign, including a three-month summertime radio campaign with €20,000 in prizes to be given away

core competency of the Costcutter brand that offers a competitive edge to its retail partners is its unique approach to marketing. At Barry Group, while the marketing department consciously develops immersive and engaging marketing plans and initiatives to bring the brand to the consumer, the team is also focused on the strategic development and execution of the brand. This approach ensures that the Costcutter team, its retail partners and suppliers, have a shared vision and understanding of the brand, a component of the winning formula for the success of the brand. The lynchpin of the marketing plans for the year is the activation of, both locally and nationally, the Costcutter 21st birthday celebrations. “The Costcutter 21st birthday is a key milestone for the brand that we are delighted to be celebrating,” said Holly Barry, brand strategist. “Throughout this period of time, we have seen the brand grow, develop and prosper to the competitive retail solution that it is today. This has been fuelled by the development of a leading and competitive offering combined with strategic execution, in turn fostering market growth.” The year-long activation period includes a three-month radio and programmatic campaign for the summer months with

€20,000 in prizes to be given away. During this period of time, the retail group will be partnering with Today FM, Classic Hits 4FM, Spin 1038, Spin SouthWest, Best, Red FM and iRadio. Additionally, there will be influencer marketing partnerships, digital campaigns and in-store activations to mark the celebrations. In a year already full of activity, Costcutter Ireland is also proud to announce its sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland. This sponsorship deal finds Costcutter being the Official Retail Partner to the sporting body, along with the sole sponsor of Triathlon Ireland’s kids and youth activity series, including the Tri Heroes programme, the Children’s and Youth Triathlon Festival, the Post Primary School Championships and the new Triathlon Ireland Youth Series. Acknowledging the partnership, Alan Cronin, brand manager, said: “We are delighted to announce our sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland in such a commemorative year for

As well as being the Ofﬁcial Retail Partner to Triathlon Ireland, Costcutter Ireland is the sole sponsor of the sporting body’s kids and youth activity series

Costcutter’s sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland’s kids and youth activity series includes the Tri Heroes programme, the Children’s and Youth Triathlon Festival, the Post Primary School Championships and the new Triathlon Ireland Youth Series

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Costcutter Ireland is the proud sponsor of Triathlon Ireland

Costcutter. There is a fantastic alignment between Costcutter and Triathlon Ireland due to their shared interests in cultivating community spirit, promoting healthy lifestyles and celebrating local.” True to the roots of both Costcutter and Triathlon Ireland, this sponsorship deal will place a huge emphasis on local and supporting communities. This will be activated through the presence of Costcutter and its exclusive gourmet coffee brand, Urban Sips, at race meets, local retailers getting involved, in-store activations and national marketing campaigns to encourage the nation to get involved in a sport that gives everyone the chance to be extraordinary. Not only did Costcutter identify the beneﬁt of partnering with Triathlon Ireland due to the brand’s local roots, it also acknowledged the progressive nature of the organisation with the female participation rate of 36% being one of the highest for any sport in Ireland and the fact that its fastest growing membership category is junior membership. To tie this sponsorship deal into its 21st birthday celebrations, Costcutter will also be hosting a 21st Birthday Triathlon Race in Cork in September. A programme of activity will support this activation for the summer months to encourage the nation to train and get involved in the event.

Costcutter Ireland and its exclusive gourmet coffee brand, Urban Sips, will be present at all Triathlon Ireland race meets

Thank You To our suppliers who not only supported us in celebrating Costcutter’s 21st Birthday, but who have always been true advocates of the Barry Group over the years. We have appreciated your support to date and look forward to further working together in the future.

Proud to be local

42 SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

Retailer reviews

Costcutter retailers share their verdict on the service offered by the Barry Group and outline their experiences with the brand to date, often based on many years of partnership

s Ireland’s leading family-run wholesale distribution group, Barry Group prides itself on an ability to understand the needs of family businesses and considers its relationship with customers to be a partnership. “We identify with the challenges that our

retailers face and aim to offer competitive solutions with undisputed support from our accomplished team across all elements of our business including sales, inside sales, marketing and logistics just to name a few,” said Edwina Lucey, sales director.

“We are aware that this is not standard industry practice, but it is something that we pride ourselves on.” The credibility of this statement is further enhanced by the experiences of Barry Group’s customers, as outlined here.

Eddie Kavanagh, Costcutter Aungier Street, Dublin Having worked in the industry for most of my professional career, I have come to appreciate the value of having Barry Group as my partner for the past 15 years and have found it to be both a rewarding and enjoyable experience. A driving factor in my selection of the Costcutter brand time and time again lies in the fact that Barry Group is a family business that identiﬁes with the requirements of family businesses in the trade. Being a third-generation family business on Aungier Street, this is something I truly value and enjoy the close relationship that I have with the Barry Group team. Throughout good and bad times, particularly in the last year where Covid-19 has been a disruption, Jim and the Barry Group team have always been happy to lend a helping hand and support us. In all my years in the group, I have always felt staying with Costcutter was the right decision and look forward to seeing our relationship further develop in the future.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Barry Group’s off-licence design is fresh and vibrant

SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP 43

Michael Kelly, Candy’s Costcutter Carnew, Wicklow Although we may be relatively new to the Barry Group family, having three years under our belt as a Costcutter retail partner, there are many observations that we have made in this period of time. Firstly, the strength and recognisability of the Costcutter brand. It has a modern and fresh offering across each of its touchpoints which makes it uniquely identifiable but also allows for retailers to have a local flair. Prior to being a Costcutter, we had developed a nationally recognised bakery and evidently, we were keen to retain this unique selling point. Additionally, it was important for us to ensure that the shop accurately represents our customers, their requirements and our community. The Costcutter team worked with us to inject these local brand differentiators while also adhering to the brand spec. They worked in our brand identity into the Costcutter offering and the output was exactly what we wanted. From a service level point of view, the combination of the BEACON ordering system and the support from our account manager and ‘inside sales advocate’ ensures that our needs are met. BEACON is a top-class ordering system, which ensures that the stock that we order will be delivered, resulting in us having confidence in the system. The success of BEACON is backed by the service level from the warehouse and transport team who work really well together on delivering our orders. The beauty of the inside sales team lies in the fact that today, with everything being online, there is an obliging person on the end of the phone who calls every two to three days to remind you of deals and opportunities to enhance margin. My inside sales advocate knows my business so well that she knows the products and deals that work for us and more likely than not, I will always buy on her recommendation. It is reassuring for me that Barry Group has my best interest at heart. Our success to date is not just down to us. It has been influenced and aided by the brand in front of us and the wholesaler behind us.

Noel Daniels, Costcutter Ballina, Mayo The Costcutter brand is a great success story. A family business built over 21 years, through hard work and persistence. Now Costcutter is a nationally recognised brand in Ireland, a level of success to be very proud of. I am almost 10 years with the brand now and I know the Costcutter group well. They are a bunch of approachable, hardworking and knowledgeable people to work alongside. It’s great to be part of an organisation who regard the retailer on a personal level, as well as their business. I have no doubt there will be more celebrations in the future.

Shoppers can ﬁnd a host of affordable, tempting wines at Costcutter stores

June Murphy, Costcutter Macroom, Cork Working with the Barry Group and the Costcutter brand over the years has always been a positive experience. The support from the team, especially our account manager and inside sales advocate, is something that is quite unique. They are invested in our success and ensure that we have the opportunity to achieve it through their competitive offering and range that is available to us.

Shoppers looking for nutritious and tasty food-on-the-go are spoilt for choice at Costcutter stores

www.shelﬂife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

44 SPECIAL REPORT: BARRY GROUP

John Tierney, Costcutter Ennis, Clare The service provided by Costcutter and the Barry Group is fantastic. The shared focus between our team and our account manager and our inside sales advocate is so aligned, it’s like they are part of our team. Barry Group has created a number of unique brands within the off-trade sector, including Hellesbrau and Apple Tree, to name just a couple

Mark Curtin, Amber Costcutter Youghal, Cork Due to the family nature of Barry Group, our dealings with the Costcutter brand have always been personal and authentic. Having access to members of senior management has always been a positive and no matter who you call, they are always proactive in coming with a solution. This is something which is unique to Barry Group and a true asset to the running of their team’s operations. Health-conscious shoppers can ﬁnd plenty of options to whet their appetite at Costcutter

Cyril Crowe, Costcutter Minister’s Cross, Clare Choosing Costcutter as our retail partner was fuelled by Barry Group’s family business ethos. This was a differential factor as the understanding of a family business dynamic is imperative in our business operations. The range available from the group is top class across all key categories and offers us a competitive advantage in our local community. Since joining Costcutter, there has been great support from the network of local reps and fantastic training from the Barry Group team. ■

Throughout each store, Costcutter ensures retailers’ product needs are met, through a combination of the BEACON ordering system and support from each retailer’s account manager and inside sales advocate

The wide Market St Deli range helps Costcutter stores to stand out from the competition

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Barry Group’s store development team create a bright, inviting appearance throughout each store

Costcutter stores enjoy a strong reputation for fresh and tempting deli offerings

Summer Drinks Tobacco PR & Marketing

46 CATEGORY FOCUS Summer Drinks

Sunshine sensations! Few things in this life are more blissful than the first, tentative sips of an ice-cold, reviving beverage on a sunny day. Thankfully, the leading brands and some up-andcoming contenders have not disappointed with plenty of NPD and innovation to entice shoppers’ curiosity and engage existing brand fans

s staying in is the new going out, people have found innovative ways to mark special occasions throughout lockdown. Last summer, this resulted in a sales boom for alcohol. Kantar Worldpanel data showed that in the four weeks ending 14 June 2020, take-home

alcohol sales were up 93%. In the week leading up to the June Bank Holiday, shoppers spent an additional €60 million on takehome grocery categories, and a third of that spend was on alcohol. Thankfully, Covid restrictions look set to ease over the coming months, but many consumers will

Do what moves you A hero within the rum category, Bacardí reports that the brand has performed exceptionally well over recent years, showing the tremendous strength of the brand in the Irish market. Retailers consistently report that Bacardí is a favourite amongst their loyal spirit shoppers and the brand is fortunate to beneﬁt from a high proportion of faithful consumers who buy into and believe in the brand. Bacardi has also been a ﬁrm favourite with bartenders who love to experiment with the versatility of the brand and make recommendations to consumers.

Bacardí has loyal shoppers within the Irish market

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Bacardí is continuing to roll out its Coconut and Raspberry ﬂavours which give consumers a different option and are great in cocktails

The brand’s festival programme at Electric Picnic and Longitude has been highly successful in terms of recruiting new consumers into the brand. The programme gives them access to world class immersive experiential properties and opportunities to enjoy signature classics such as the Bacardi Mojito, while also allowing Bacardí to launch and trial new products in a more meaningful way. This is key for Bacardí, where there is a ﬁrm focus on NPD and innovation

remain cautious. With the fate of the summer hanging in the balance, there’s one certainty we can look forward to – the joy of sipping a refreshing alcoholic beverage on a sunny evening. And as the weather changes, so do consumers’ tastes, with rosé, Irish whiskey cocktails and infused vodka being the

warm weather drink of choice for many. We see this reﬂected in the exciting new offerings launched by drinks manufacturers just in time for barbecue season each year, so read on to ﬁnd out about the latest offerings and innovations sure to pique your customers’ interest this summer.

to continuously recruit new consumers, while also engaging existing fans of the brand. Over the next 12 months, Bacardí will continue to create relevance with its young, on-trend target audience through the Casa Bacardí Festival Programme. Bacardí Spiced will be a key strategic priority for the brand as interest in the spiced rum market intensiﬁes and Bacardí grows share within this segment. The brand will likewise continue its rollout of ﬂavours (Coconut and Raspberry), while also identifying

trade-up opportunities. In a recent interview with ShelfLife, Richard Brickley, market development manager of the Bacardí Martini portfolio at Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd, aptly summed up his optimistic outlook for the year ahead for Bacardí. “Covid has presented us with both an opportunity and a need to up-weigh e-commerce and brand and category education for consumers and trade will also be key,” he said. “So, a busy year ahead but one we are excited about and prepared for!”

Bacardí’s festival programme in recent years at Electric Picnic and Longitude has been extremely successful in terms of recruiting new consumers into the brand

INTRODUCING

SPICE IT UP DO WHAT MOVES YOU

Summer Drinks Tobacco PR & Marketing

48 CATEGORY FOCUS Summer Drinks

A summer state of mind

Fiery passion Martini Fiero and tonic were made for each other – this contemporary vermouth is a blend of citrus and bittersweet orange with crisp white wines – a perfect aperitif when mixed with tonic. Its fiery colour and zesty, fruity flavours are 100% natural and are the result of a careful, considered blending process by Bombay Sapphire Gin & Light Tonic has only 90 calories and 30% lower carbs than the signature Bombay Sapphire & Tonic

would expect from a bartender, expertly mixed and ready to drink, whatever the occasion. Bombay Sapphire Gin & Light Tonic is an invigorating and refreshing drink, vapour infused with exotic botanicals, mixed with the perfect balance of light tonic. With only 90 calories and 30% lower carbs than the signature Bombay Sapphire & Tonic, this option still delivers the familiar refreshing, vibrant and stimulating taste.

Hope Beer’s latest, and always popular, Summer Seasonal is a hazy session IPA and with an ABV of 3.6%, it’s designed for light summer drinking. It’s heavy on the hops but not heavy on bitterness, tending instead towards the juicy, fruity end of the spectrum. Summer Seasonal 2021 is brewed with a combination of the freshest hops including Amarillo, Meridian and Belma resulting in flavours of orange, strawberry and other red fruits and berries. Hope’s head brewer Richie Hamilton describes it as “sessionable with a light body. The low level of bitterness allows the fruity hop flavours to come through.” Hope brews its beers to be the perfect accompaniment to food and suggests enjoying the Summer Seasonal with a packet of Clinton’s Cheese & Onion crisps! Hope Beer will be celebrating

Discover the possibilities within This year Bombay is adding to its already popular portfolio by expending its ready to drink range. 2021 will see the introduction of Bombay Sapphire Gin & Light Tonic, a perfect gin and tonic to the standard you

Hope Beer’s Summer Seasonal 2021 is brewed with a combination of hops including Amarillo, Meridian and Belma

Bombay Bramble & Tonic has a rich bold berried flavour with no added sugar

Meanwhile, Bombay Bramble & Tonic is a rich bold berried flavour with no added sugar, featuring a blend of 100% natural blackberries and raspberries with the brand’s signature London dry gin mixed with a premium tonic.

Bombay Sapphire’s ready to drink options are expertly mixed

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelflife.ie

Hi-Spirits Ireland is launching the iconic Parrot Bay frozen cocktail pouches right on time for the summer season. Parrot Bay frozen cocktail pouches revolutionised the ready to drink (RTD) landscape as one of the biggest innovations of the last decade and are now returning to Ireland this summer in the same convenient 250ml pouch providing two serves. The range of tropical flavours includes Strawberry Daquiri, Mojito, Pina Colada, Margarita, and Passion Fruit Caipirinha, with a RRSP of €3 per 250ml pouch. With the RTD category delivering +131% growth in Ireland in 2020*, Parrot Bay frozen cocktails should help expand the category even further and bring a unique solution for consumers that crave frozen drinks. Parrot Bay is distributed in Ireland by Hi-Spirits Ireland and available in all major wholesalers. For more information on Parrot Bay, contact your local Hi-Spirits Ireland brand development manager, or email info@hi-spirits.ie. *(Source: Nielsen Off-Trade Volume, Jan-Dec 2020)

Martini Fiero’s fruity flavours are 100% natural and carefully crafted by Martini’s master blender, Beppe Musso

Martini’s master blender, Beppe Musso. The sparkle of tonic water makes a perfect pairing with Martini Fiero’s bittersweet orange taste. Best expressed in a balloon glass with plenty of ice, a mix of 50/50 Fiero and tonic will ensure the delicate citrus aromas are carried evenly throughout this irresistible long drink.

Flying ahead

its fifth birthday in June with the re-release of the Overnight Oats IPA from 2019, a previous limited edition and brought back following an online public vote. Summer Seasonal, Overnight Oats IPA and Hope’s core range of five beers can be ordered directly from the brewery or from its island-wide distributor Noreast. For more information, visit www.hopebeer.ie.

Parrot Bay is available in a range of tropical flavours including Strawberry Daquiri, Mojito, Pina Colada, Margarita, and Passion Fruit Caipirinha

100%

NATURAL FLAVOUR

*The ﬂavours in Martini Fiero are 100% natural

50 CATEGORY FOCUS Summer Drinks

Summer Drinks Tobacco PR & Marketing

and will hit the shelves in fourpack formats. White Claw is made from the ﬁnest natural ingredients; a blend of sparkling water, glutenfree triple distilled spirit, and a hint of natural fruit ﬂavour, at only 95 calories, 4.5% ABV and just 2g carbs, White Claw Hard Seltzer delivers a wave of pure refreshment like no other. Watch this space for more exciting innovation to come from White Claw in the summer. White Claw Hard Seltzer is distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam. *(Source: Nielsen Ireland Total Scantrack excl Dunnes & Discounters 52 weeks to 28 March 2021)

Wild and wonderful White Claw Hard Seltzer has only 95 calories, 4.5% ABV and just 2g carbs

Pure refreshment like no other White Claw Hard Seltzer is the phenomenal hard seltzer brand that revolutionised the US alcohol market. Following a May 2020 launch, White Claw has since become the number one hard seltzer brand and number two ready to drink (RTD) can brand in Ireland*. The hard seltzer category in Ireland is now worth in excess of €6m, with White Claw leading the way. Having seen success with the launch ﬂavours of Black Cherry, Raspberry and Natural Lime, White Claw will be adding Mango to the portfolio. White Claw Mango is the number two fastest selling ﬂavour in the US

With a collection of over 70 awards in its trophy cabinet, The Wild Geese premium Irish spirits collection has a range of delicious tipples ideal for making the perfect summer drink. The Wild Geese Irish Honey Liqueur is a blend of smooth premium Irish whiskey and 100%

A WOW offering

The Wild Geese Irish Honey Liqueur blends premium Irish whiskey and 100% pure natural honey from Tipperary and Kilkenny

Perfect summer drink With some form of restrictions likely to be in place across the summer in Ireland, consumers will continue to seek out new and exciting drinks to make the best of their time at home. In 2020 there was a 35% year-on-year increase in consumers enjoying cocktails at-home*, and 83% of consumers plan to continue to make cocktails at-home once we come out of lockdown**. “This surge in demand for at-home cocktail-making is a driving desire for cocktails like the Aperol Spritz, which is a great example of a spritz serve that is light, refreshing and easy to make – making it the perfect beverage for any at-home drinking occasion,” says Gavin Gillespie, premium spirits marketing manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland. As the best-selling branded cocktail in the world***, the Aperol Spritz saw huge growth in Ireland in 2020 and this is set to continue again in 2021. “Retailers can look to capitalise on this growth by stocking Aperol in-store,” Gillespie adds. A combination of Aperol, prosecco and a dash of Schweppes soda water, makes for a simple serve full of potential for bundles and crossmerchandising in-store – by merchandising the three core ingredients together, retailers can encourage shoppers to create the iconic spritz at home. *(Source: Campari UK Cocktails @ Home Survey (n=1,500 consumers)) **(Source: Mixed Drinks @ Home Q1 2021) ***(Source: CGA Mixed Drinks Q1 2020)

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

pure natural honey from the green fields of Tipperary and Kilkenny. Lifted aromas of honey and spice are expertly integrated to give a multi-layered complex palate and a long-lasting finish. Sublime on its own over ice or as a chilled shot, it also makes an excellent ingredient to a long or short drink mixer – perfect for sipping on a warm, summer’s evening. Meanwhile, The Wild Geese’s extensive range of Limited Edition, Rare Irish, Single Malt and Classic Blend Irish Whiskeys are an ideal base for any number of refreshing summer cocktails such as the Irish Apple – Classic Blend rolled over ice with dry cider and apple and rhubarb juice; or the tart and refreshing Flying High – The Wild Geese Rare Irish Whiskey, stirred with ginger liqueur, Benedictine and orange bitters, served on the rocks and finished with an orange twist. The brand is confident there’s a drink for every occasion in The Wild Geese award-winning range. Visit www.premiumirishspirits.eu for further information and more tasty cocktail recipes.

Listoke Distillery recently introduced its long anticipated Wise Owl Whiskey. Listoke teamed up with the Great Northern Distillery in the heart of Ireland’s ancient east and the Boyne Valley to develop its initial premium Irish whiskey. The resulting Wise Owl Whiskey (WOW) is triple distilled and ﬁnished in a range of different casks to bring the ﬁnal blend together. Although a relatively young

Wise Owl Whiskey (WOW) has a smooth deep taste

whiskey, Wise Owl Whiskey has a smooth deep taste that can compete with many premium Irish whiskeys. It is finished in an Imperial stout cask with a blend of grain and malt whiskey with a wee drop of peated malt. This premium Irish whiskey is non-chill filtered to capture all its unique flavours and scents. No artificial colour or caramel is added, ensuring the honest integrity of this premium whiskey. Wise Owl Whiskey has already garnered praise from whiskey aficionados and critics, with comments such as: “The light peatiness on first sip is lovely and really smooths out the flavour… a make you go back for more kind of taste” and “So smooth and yet full of flavour, a great sipping whiskey.” Wise Owl Whiskey is available online at www.listokedistillery.ie.

Signature serve: Aperol Spritz Ingredients • Half prosecco (50ml) • Half Aperol (50ml) • Dash of soda water (25ml) • Orange slice

Aperol Spritz is the best-selling branded cocktail in the world

Aperol Spritz is a registered trademark of Davide Campari-Milano N.V. 2021

APEROLSPRITZIREL AND

CATEGORY FOCUS Summer Drinks

The new Kylie Minogue Rosé Sparkling Prosecco is housed in an iconic “lovers” debossed glass bottle

Sparkling success In under a year, Kylie Minogue Wines has sold over 1 million bottles of wine, making it one of the most successful wine brands ever to launch. The first female artist to have number one albums across five consecutive decades, Kylie is now celebrating selling her millionth bottle with the official launch of her new Rosé Sparkling Prosecco. The Sparkling Rosé Prosecco is housed in an iconic “lovers” debossed glass bottle. “I am unbelievably humbled and thrilled by the global response to Kylie Minogue Wines,” the pop icon said. “To sell over a million bottles in less than a year has been incredible, and testimony to the amazing producers and winemakers Kylie Minogue Wines have been lucky enough to work alongside. I have been incredibly touched by the joy our wines have brought to so many people in the last year, and I am excited this month to release our new 2020 rosé vintages including a very special Sparkling Prosecco Rosé - enjoy!” Kylie Minogue Wines is an exquisite, elegant portfolio of bespoke wines, crafted with passion and integrity. Launched in 2020 in Ireland on Kylie’s birthday on 28 May, the rosé quickly become one of the most successful launches in its category ever. This Signature range is comprised of three wines from France. A delicate and pale dry rosé made from Cabernet and Carignan grapes, a light and zesty Sauvignon Blanc from Gascony and a smooth and juicy Merlot from the Pays d’Oc. Kylie has an amazing Côtes de Provence Rosé a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle and the latest addition, the Kylie Minogue Sparkling Prosecco Rosé. An elegant sparkling Prosecco Rosé, it has notes of fresh strawberries, raspberries and blossom. Featuring a brightly textured and crisp palate, with a refreshing citrus finish, Kylie

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelflife.ie

Minogue’s debut Prosecco Rosé is also vegan friendly. The Sparkling Prosecco Rosé comes from the prestigious Zonin estate, a familyowned winery spanning seven generations which pioneered the premium D.O.C. Prosecco and celebrates its 200th anniversary this year. Located in the heart of Veneto on the picturesque hills of Gambellara, Italy, lies the 4,000 hectare site producing arguably some of the best proseccos in the world. The Kylie Minogue Wines portfolio is distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam.

Add passion to your drinks!

The icon of weissbier Paulaner is the number one weissbier in Germany and one of the world’s favourites. Naturally cloudy and shining silky-gold in the glass under a really strong head of foam, at the first mouthful this weissbier classic has a mild aroma of banana. Finer palates detect a trace of mango and pineapple and the balance between sweet and bitter. Beer connoisseurs appreciate the fine note of yeast and the mild but sparkling mix of aromas. It is a typical beer garden beer, which brings people together all over the world. Meanwhile, Paulaner Weissbier 0,0% is strictly non-alcoholic with great flavour. Thanks to its balanced combination of fine malt aromas, refreshingly fruity weissbier flavours and a pleasing hint of sweetness, the nonalcoholic Weissbier 0,0% can be enjoyed on any occasion. This isotonic thirst-quencher is brewed using the traditional Paulaner Weissbier technique and the alcohol is carefully removed after a thorough maturing process. A complex procedure removes all the alcohol from the beer, without losing any of its refreshing flavour.

A passion-fruit liqueur, Passoã has only 17% ABV

Passoã is a passion-fruit liqueur produced in France, made with natural passion fruit and no artificial flavours. An incredibly versatile beverage, it’s delicious in cocktails and long drinks with only 17% ABV. Refreshing and light, Passoã is easy to make and to share with friends. Check out Passoa.com for the best cocktail suggestions, including Passoã Sangria, Porn Star Martini, Passoã Fresh and Passoã Rosa to name but a few. Did you know? Porn Star Martini started blooming on the London cocktail scene 15 years ago. And guess what? The original recipe was crafted with Passoã. It grew into a successful cocktail phenomenon. Its evocative name comes from the passion fruit, which is known to have aphrodisiac virtues. The sweet vanilla vodka flavours are balanced by the sharpness of the passionfruit and can be complemented by a shot of prosecco on the side. Passoã is distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam.

*Source: Nielsen, LEH+GAM without ALN, Alcoholic wheat beer, market share (value), 2019

Summer Drinks Tobacco PR & Marketing

Enjoy PAULANER Sensibly. DISTRIBUTED BY

The number one weissbier in Germany, Paulaner brings people together all over the world

The popularity of Paulaner beer has always extended beyond the city limits of Munich. The special enjoyment of beer, the highly skilled brewmasters and the famous Bavarian way of life are just a few factors contributing to Paulaner’s success – locally and internationally. More than 2 million hectolitres leave the brewery each year – travelling from Munich Langwied to over 70 countries. “Good, better, Paulaner” is the apt, well-known slogan of Paulaner Brewery. The name Paulaner has stood for the highest quality and Munich beer culture since 1634. Paulaner Beers are distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam.

THE IRISH

HARD SELTZER

CATEGORY IS WORTH OVER

€6M CAPTURING A

23% VALUE SHARE

OF RTD CANS*

WHITE CLAW IS THE

N0.1

WHITE CLAW HAS THE

FASTEST SELLING

HARD SELTZER BRAND

HARD SELTZER

WITH A

IN VALUE

IN IRELAND 58% VALUE SHARE OF

HARD SELTZERS

SINCE LAUNCH *

SINGLE CANS

ROS

THE U.S. HARD SELTZER CATEGORY IS WORTH OVER $4.58M L52W** NO.1 HARD SELTZER IN THE U.S. WITH OVER 53% MARKET SHARE** BIGGER THAN BUDWEISER AND CORONA IN THE U.S. OFF-TRADE $ SALES***

*Source: Nielsen Ireland Total Scantrack excl Dunnes & Discounters 52wks to March 28th 2021. **Source: IRI 52 weeks ending December 27th 2020 - Total US MULC + Liquor. ***Source: IRI consumption data ending CYTD 9-27-20.

Summer Drinks Tobacco PR & Marketing

54 CATEGORY FOCUS Summer Drinks

Lager like it should be Lost Lager is here; this planet ﬁrst German-style pilsner from BrewDog has a 4.5% ABV. According to BrewDog, lager is one hell of a beer if you make it right. Lost Lager takes back the ground lost over decades by lager monoliths. This is a dryhopped pilsner made with classic German Saphir hops, giving vibrant citrus and stone fruit notes. Built from Bavarian yeast, it has a crisp clean taste. This new beer is a carbon negative lager and, in keeping with BrewDog’s pledge to become a carbon negative company, the brand will plant a tree in its forest for every fourpack claimed. As part of BrewDog’s ‘Buy one, get one tree’ initiative, the brand has launched a 12,000+ hectare ‘Lost Forest’ which is where the trees will be planted. Lost Lager is brewed using surplus bread provided by local businesses, wind power from BrewDog turbines, and the new streamlined process used in the brewing process uses a third less water. Lost is lager the BrewDog way - craft premium quality that is fuelling an environmental solution. “Mind-blowingly delicious, this is lager like it should be,” says BrewDog, “with an extra dose of feel good for the planet.” BrewDog Lost Lager is distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam.

BrewDog Lost Lager is a dryhopped pilsner made with classic German Saphir hops

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Proclamation Irish Whiskey is a smooth whiskey of complex character with a reﬁned, clean taste

Celebrating Dublin’s unsung heroes 105 years ago, the famous words of the Irish Proclamation were immortalised into their distinctive print by three lesserknown Dubliners, William O’Brien, Michael Molloy and Christopher Joseph Brady, the printers of the Irish Proclamation document. Printed secretly during this time, the original document was created in two parts as the men had insufficient type to print the document all at once. Distinctive font along with a spurious ‘e’ are additional hallmarks of the original Proclamation, which together add another layer to a story in time, part of the backdrop to a significant period in Irish history. Proclamation Irish Whiskey, launched in 2020, was created in honour of O’Brien, Molloy and Brady, to acknowledge the important role these unsung heroes played over a century ago in Dublin. A blended Irish whiskey, created from the finest Irish grain and malt whiskeys, Proclamation Irish Whiskey is distilled and aged in new American Oak. It is a singularly smooth whiskey of complex character with a refined, clean taste. Matured in bourbon casks, the blend includes a touch of sherry finished malt to give a rounded, toasted finish. Attention to detail has been paramount through all aspects of the whiskey creation and presentation, with the label design reflecting the physical attributes of the Proclamation. Blind embossing of the label and distinctive fonts including the spurious ‘e’ were specially redrawn to emulate those of the original document to celebrate Ireland’s independent spirit and pay homage to the work of the three printers. The whiskey itself has been

handcrafted for distinctive character and complexity, matured to perfection in expertly selected casks for depth of ﬂavour. Tasting notes reveal an abundance of fruit and creaminess with a mellow ﬁnish. Award-winning Proclamation Blended Irish Whiskey is available in a new-look gift pack including an illustration of the then Sackville Street (O’Connell Street). Available in selected SuperValu stores, Carry Out offlicences and independent retailers nationwide, Proclamation Irish Whiskey retails at €35 RRP. For further information, visit www.proclamationwhiskey.com.

Opulent choices Torres Celeste Crianza was the ﬁrst Torres wine to be produced in the Ribera del Duero region in Spain, recognised as one of Spain’s ﬁnest. The wine, made from 100% Tempranillo grapes, at 900 metres altitude is aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months prior to bottling. Celeste is an opulent wine brimming with fruit, body and colour: as unique as the night sky in the Ribera del Duero. “On the nights of harvesting,

Torres Celeste Crianza’s label shows the constellations illuminating the Ribera del Duero

these are the stars that guard and contemplate the birth of Celeste,” reads the bottle in Spanish; a sentence that shines in silver over a beautiful label with a sky map design that shows the constellations illuminating the Ribera del Duero as the grapes are ready to become wine. On the nose, it’s dominated by ripe red berries, baked cherries and fresh plums, and complemented by a delicate touch of spice that grows stronger on the palate. Flavours of white pepper and nutmeg, as well as violets and a soft hint of roasted coffee beans are highlighted by a medium and elegant body. The wine’s mild acidity and present yet smooth tannins make it very easy to drink, and its mix between the fruit, the spice and the toasted lingers pleasantly on the palate. In 2005, the Torres family decided to establish its winery in the municipality of Labastida, in the very heart of Rioja Alavesa and within the DOC Rioja appellation. The family was keenly aware of La Rioja’s strength as a winegrowing region and the possibilities it offers in terms of producing high-quality wines with unique personality and great aging potential. This idea took shape after conversations with restaurant industry professionals and eventually gave birth to Altos Ibéricos. This is a wine for people who seek something different, but still want a Spanish wine. And it is a wine that builds closer ties to a new, modern and creative kind of gastronomy; an authentic and unpretentious way to enjoy tapas. The silky tannins of Altos Ibéricos combine particularly well with tapas made from fresh ingredients like red meat, ﬁsh, cheese and all kinds of cured meat and sausages.

The silky tannins of Torres Altos Ibéricos combine particularly well with tapas

Summer Drinks Tobacco PR & Marketing

56 CATEGORY FOCUS Summer Drinks

with Miguel Torres Maczassek,

CEO of Familia Torres and member of the ﬁfth generation

Following Drink International’s crowning of Familia Torres as the ‘Most Admired Wine Brand 2021’, we caught up with CEO Miguel Torres Maczassek to hear how the company has adapted its 150th anniversary plans to fit the current times Q: Congratulations on being named Drinks International’s ‘Most Admired Wine Brand 2021’. What were the factors that set Familia Torres apart from the competition? A: Thank you, it is a great acknowledgement for our family and all our team, and we feel extremely proud and honoured for such recognition. As for the factors, I would say it probably has to do with being a 150-year-old family winery, with a strong environmental commitment and a constant pursuit of excellence in all our wines that can be found in 150 countries across the world. We are a wine family with five generations as winemakers and we have grown vines since the 16th century. Our origins are in the Penedés (the oldest wine region in Catalonia with 2,700 years of history in winemaking) and near Barcelona, but later we also established vineyards and wineries in the Priorat and in six other Spanish denominations of origin. We have made the wines that we like as a family and this has often meant not following the trends in the market. For example, our Mas La Plana black label wine is an historic Cabernet Sauvignon, something quite rare for a Spanish wine. Our Grans Muralles wine is made with ancient varieties that existed in Catalonia before the philoxera and it took us more than 30 years to recover these varieties. Today we are planning for the future (and adapting to climate change) by planting vineyards in the highest mountain with slate soil in the Priorat or by planting the late-ripening ancestral variety Forcada on 700m in the Penedès by restoring old drystone terraces. We are focusing on making wines from singular vineyards or historic estates, and we believe our job is to preserve these unique places, care for the earth and carry on our legacy. As a family-owned and family-run winery, we think more long-term than short-term; because great wines need deep understanding of the vineyards and soils, there are really no shortcuts. We always strive to be a strong self-financed winery (we re-invest at least 95% of the profits every year) and we try to give back to society through social projects that Familia Torres Foundation supports. During the past 15 years we have deeply invested in reducing our carbon emissions by 30% and communicating about the effects of climate change on viticulture. ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelflife.ie

Q: The official Torres website states: ‘The More We Care For the Earth, the Better Our Wine’. What are the key measures you have implemented at Torres to improve sustainability?

Miguel Torres Maczassek

A: In 2008, we set up an ambitious environmental programme called Torres & Earth to adapt to climate change and reduce our carbon footprint. In 2019 we reduced our CO2 emissions by 30% per bottle across the entire emissions scope – from vineyard to consumer – compared to 2008 levels. This was our target for 2020 which we reached one year ahead of schedule, so we have set new goals: to reduce our direct and indirect CO2 emissions by 55% in 2030 and become Climate Positive by 2050. We have managed to reduce our carbon footprint mainly thanks to the use of renewable energies, measures to improve energy efficiency, the use of hybrid or electric vehicles, the reduction of bottle weight, or working with suppliers with a smaller carbon footprint. And also by planting trees in the Chilean Patagonia. But I believe vineyards have a great potential to capture atmospheric CO2 through regenerative viticulture. The objective is to reach a new balance based on increasing biodiversity and organic matter in the soil, thus enhancing the role of our vineyards to capture carbon from the atmosphere. This is a paradigm shift in vineyard management but totally necessary as I believe regenerative viticulture is currently the only solution that allows storing atmospheric carbon in the soil and fighting against climate change. We are totally committed to it and have established a five-year plan to regenerate over 500 hectares of our organic vineyards in Catalonia. We also try to get other companies involved in the fight against climate change and therefore we created, together Jackson Family Wines, a collaborative working group called ‘International Wineries for Climate Action’ (www.iwcawine.org) that addresses climate change through innovative carbon reduction strategies. Q: How has Torres navigated the challenges posed by Covid-19 and what are the key lessons learnt from this experience? A: It has been very challenging indeed but luckily, we were able to adapt very quickly to the new scenario thanks to the amazing responsiveness, professionalism and sense of responsibility of all employees. Most of the staff still work from home and the viticulture and production teams are very conscious about all the security and protection measures that have been implemented since the beginning. We had to cancel our 150th anniversary event and commercial trips, but we turned the situation into an opportunity and started organising virtual tastings, conferences and interviews, which helped us keep in touch with sommeliers, clients and journalists around

the world despite the travelling restrictions. I am convinced that this “screen communication” will stay with us after Covid in a combination with face-toface events, which in a way will be beneficial for the environment. We learned how supportive our society can be in front of major disasters: all the solidarity shown by businesses and people was almost overwhelming. We also tried to contribute in the fight against Covid by donating surgical masks to local hospitals and nursing homes, we used our 3D printers to build protective shields that we also donated to hospitals, and we provided food for a campaign where chefs were cooking for the families who were struggling in Barcelona. Unfortunately, Covid is not over yet and I am afraid that the economic impact for many companies and sectors will continue to be very high. Like many other countries, our normal life and economy was almost in a standstill state for months and still now, certain sectors like for example hotels, restaurants and bars are suffering intensely. As my family did before when having to face wars and other crises, I am certain that the wine will find a way to continue despite Covid. I believe that today a glass of wine is more necessary than ever as we have learned how important it is to celebrate life with our friends and family. But I have to say that although the past year has been very challenging, our sales in several countries – of course mainly in, wine stores, off-premise, monopolies and in e-commerce – have actually grown significantly and I am moderately optimistic for 2021. One of the things we have seen is in this crisis (also in others in the past) that consumers have the tendency to stick or to come back to well established brands such as ‘Familia Torres’ or our classic brands like Sangre de Toro, Viña Sol, Coronas or Viña Esmeralda. There seems to be a sort of timeless trust relationship between the final consumer and our wines, which of course is great.

Summer Drinks CATEGORY FOCUS

PR & Marketing

Smooth and mellow Conncullin Irish Gin is handcrafted at the Connacht Distillery in Ballina. Co. Mayo. The inspiration for the name Conncullin comes from the two Mayo lakes, Lough Conn and Lough Cullin, where the distillery’s water source originates. The beautiful bottle design is also inspired by the clear water of the lakes and would no doubt take pride of place displayed on the shelf of any gin lover. Made from a variety of carefully selected botanicals including elderberry flower and hawthorn berry, the flavours are big and bold with a strong berry nose. Although it has kept a relatively low profile since its launch in 2017, Conncullin Irish Gin has been widely commended by those in the know, receiving a Gold Medal from the International Review of Spirits as well as being rated at 91 points by Wine Enthusiast magazine and most

Tobacco Summer Drinks

Q: How does Torres intend to build on its status as ‘Most Admired Wine Brand’ and improve on this even further in the future? A: As a winery that exports to more than 150 countries, our approach has always been constructive and long-term. I am very satisfied with how our wines have performed in these past years. We will continue to improve our presence in the gastronomy sector in general, but especially in the top segment with ‘Michelin star’ and ‘50 Best’ restaurants where our singular and single vineyard wines are well represented. In this sense it has helped that we have implemented a more specialized distribution approach, in which our fine wines are now more clearly focused on the on-premise, giving our classic brands a broader focus including the off-premise. The good performance of our wines and brandies in past years is thanks not only to the joint effort of our Torres teams and our distributors, but also because we have been working on several innovative and premium projects that have been very well accepted by many wine lovers in the world on professional and final consumer level, such as Purgatori, Sons de Prades, Mas de la Rosa, etc. And we have several new projects planned for this year, such as a new wine with recovered ancestral varieties and a very special wine from Rias Baixas which has been fermented in granite tanks. I think the key for us is to continue doing what we love, and this is to make wines with distinctive personality, that reflect their origins and landscapes. Every day we have to challenge ourselves and keep experimenting and improving our vineyards and wines so we can always go one step further. Finally, this generation has an important job to do, and this is to make sure that the future generations can continue making great wines, and for that we have to keep fighting climate change and reach as soon as we can the carbon neutrality and help inspiring the wine industry to do the same thing.

Conncullin Irish Gin has been widely commended by those in the know

recently winning a Gin Masters Gold Medal in December 2020. This is a smooth and mellow gin ideal for savouring on the rocks, and also lends itself perfectly to a refreshing gin and premium tonic. Garnish with slices of pink grapefruit for an extra burst of flavour.

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

Summer Drinks Tobacco PR & Marketing

58 CATEGORY FOCUS Summer Drinks

Stunning summer selection Ampersand Wines is all set for warmer days and brighter evenings ahead with a stunning selection of summer wines. Launched last year to huge success, Mal.bek Rosé is expected to be another hit this year with its striking packaging and kendo shaped bottle. Originating from the Languedoc, where Malbec was originally found last century, this beautiful and modern take on Malbec rosé at €14.95 will give retailers an excellent and classy offering for their customers this summer, rain or shine. Pasqua Prosecco DOC or Pasqua Audrey Hepburn Label, as it is more commonly known, is one of Ampersand’s best-selling lines from Pasqua, one the top producers in the Veneto area of Italy. This product has had huge success around the world as a result of the combination of clever marketing, memorable packaging and a superb Prosecco Frizzante which now has the full entitlement of the DOC Classification. The name Audrey Hepburn comes from the Tiffany blue colour on the label that was inspired by the dress that was famously worn by

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelflife.ie

Audrey Hepburn in the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. (RSP €14.95). Ampersand is very excited about the launch of its Cecilia Beretta Prosecco Spumante DOC Rosé Millesimato. The Prosecco Governing Body in Verona approved the new DOC Classification for Prosecco Rosé last November. The result is a big step up in quality and recognition of the increasing rosé market which has seen this historic move. The varietals’ blend must be 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Noir at minimum yield and all labels must also have Millesimato and state the vintage year. Cecilia Beretta has been to the forefront with this change in law and has produced a wonderful example of what the world is looking for. Retailing at €24.95, a top-quality product awaits. Cecilia Beretta DOC Pinot Grigio Luna is one of Ampersand’s finest pinot grigios, also originating from the single estate of one of the top five producers in Italy, Pasqua Wines. All production and grapes are sourced on the estate. The grapes are hand-picked under moonlight to preserve acidity and the complexity that can be somewhat

Ampersand’s summer selection showcases offerings from renowned wineries

lost while picking under a blazing sun, thus giving the name Luna. Cecilia Beretta has recently updated its packaging, labelling and changed the bottle from a Bordelaise to a Burgundian style. This wine retails at €11.95 and is excellent value for one of the top selling pinot grigios in the country. LoLo Albarino hails from the top producer of albarino in the designated areas of Rias Baixas, Paco and LoLa. LoLo has quickly become one of the best and top selling albarinos in the country with sales growing each week. Recently voted as the top albarino in the world and an award winner at the Irish Wine Show, this superb award-winning wine has striking packaging and is a steal at an RSP of €14.95

The Asymmetric range of wines from Marlborough, New Zealand is a newly commissioned concept that includes a top-notch Sauvignon Blanc and a newly added Blush. The winery was recently acquired by one of the biggest wine companies in the world, Les Grande Chais de France and the quality and presentation of these wines is testament to its backing and at a price-point of €12.95, offers consumers superb value for money this summer. If you would like more information or would like to stock any of these wines, contact your Ampersand representative, call the Ampersand sales line on 01-4130150, or send an email to info@ampersandsales.ie. n

AT SPAr,WE NEVER STAND STILL

TOSEEHOWWECANHELPYOU ANDYOURBUSINESSGROW... join us Contact: ColinDonnelly,SPARSALESDIRECTOR: 0863803924 EMAIL:cdonnelly@bwg.ie OR SARAHCONROY: 0867760815 EMAIL:sconroy@bwg.ie

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68 CATEGORY FOCUS PR & Marketing

The magic behind the scenes

The secret sauce in many a successful business is the unseen work carried out in the background by its PR agency. From brand launches, planning campaigns, content creation, media training and crisis communications, a good PR firm is an invaluable asset to any brand. Covid created lots of upheaval and in many cases it was the PR agencies that advised on the best strategy to keep brands afloat. ShelfLife spoke to a number of Ireland’s leading PR firms to find out how they have navigated the storm and provided support when brands needed it the most Hunter Communications Established: 2010 Email: lynn@huntercommunications.ie Website: www.huntercommunications.ie Social Media @huntercomms Client List: Lakeshore, Don Carlos, Bonne Maman, Boyne Valley Honey, Popchips, Tayto, Hunky Dorys, KP, Tayto Bistro, O’Donnells Crisps, Hula Hoops, Musgrave’s Future Brands, Happy Pear SuperValu range, Frank and Honest, Caramico, Nosh and Co, HUKU, The Kind, Bobbi Brown, Pearse Lyons Distillery, Míl Gin, Bread 41, KIND, McDonnells, Bujo, Counterpoint, Spice Burger

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: We love being pushed out of our comfort zone and some of our best work has been produced when we’ve been forced to think outside of the box. In the past year at Hunter we’ve pivoted our campaigns to incorporate a more holistic approach, ensuring we

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Lynn Hunter, founder, Hunter Communications, explains why the company is wary of relying on online events going forward due to online event fatigue setting in

reach consumers directly in their homes. For us, this meant engaging with world-class content creators and bringing brands that have resisted this type of marketing before into the fold. Some major brands were hesitant to pass off some of the control when it came to delivering their brand message but we expertly bridged the gap between new and old media, enabling brands to reach their customers in fresh and exciting ways they hadn’t considered before.

One of our most loved campaigns over the last year was the launch of Tayto Cheesatees. We engaged with the Instagram comedian Michael Fry of Big Dirty Fry who has a cult following for his satirical indie song videos to deliver the message that Tayto launched their cheesiest crisps yet. The video was hugely successful, speaking directly to the target market in content they were eager to consume. >>

Creative Compelling Campaigns

We Connect Expert PR, Memorable Events, Compelling Digital Campaigns & Leading Influencer Content

huntercommunications.ie

70 CATEGORY FOCUS PR & Marketing

Summer Drinks

Tobacco PR & Marketing

with Lynn Hunter,

founder, Hunter Communications

Q: Covid-19 restrictions have obviously created logistical challenges for PR in areas such as photography and events. How have you navigated these challenges to continue to deliver impactful work for your clients? A: Covid aside, the PR landscape has changed beyond recognition over the last five years. We’ve seen a huge shift towards social media and original influencer content creation so while Covid presented some challenges, we were poised for the change as we were already really comfortable in this space. While traditional media and events are still hugely important for campaigns, we’ve seen social campaigns and influencer marketing move into the foreground. While this aspect was once a compliment to traditional PR avenues it has become the backbone of successful campaigns. Brands that maybe didn’t see the value in investing in social before now have redirected their campaigns and have seen real results. While there will always be a place for events, this last year has shown us they’re not necessarily integral to a campaign’s success. There’s a whole host of new content creators who are producing incredible content for major brands that don’t need big teams of photographers and editors and we’ve really seen a shift towards this type of marketing. We have unique insight and access to this world through our sister agency, The Collaborations Agency which enables us to give the brands we work with an unparalleled 360 approach. A great example of this was our campaign for Tayto Cheesatees; we worked with cult favourite Instagram comedian Big Dirty Fry to create one of his notorious satirical indie videos. This approach enabled us to reach our core market with content they would be eager to consume and share.

Q: Looking towards the future, Covid-19 restrictions are likely to continue throughout 2021. Are online events the way forward (and if so, how do you ensure these are engaging?) or do you believe alternatives such as smaller, more intimate events outdoors will be the way forwards? A: I’m wary of online events, especially as we move into summer and people want to be outside. I think at this stage people have online event fatigue. They can serve their place for a beauty launch or more targeted infoheavy press focused piece, but on the whole I don’t think they create the desired impact. They haven’t evolved to the level where they don’t feel stilted or forced and good PR should feel natural and enjoyable to the recipient. As the year moves on and we learn to live with restrictions we’ll be looking more towards intimate, bespoke events where we can create an immersive experience for attendees that showcases our clients at their best. As always though, people’s safety will be our top priority so we’ve been brainstorming some really exciting ideas that will ensure everyone’s safety and comfort and we’re really excited to get back to what we do best when the time comes. Q: How do you strive to ensure your copy will always land with publications for your clients? A: At Hunter we really think about who we’re speaking to before we approach a campaign. We take time to tailor our pitch to each individual publication, journalist or content creator. A one size ﬁts all approach doesn’t work so we ensure our tone and action plan is appropriate for the individual we’re speaking to. We’ve also built up great relationships over the years that we really value and appreciate. We’re lucky to work closely with the best in the business and really nurture those

relationships. We have journalists and content creators on our team at Hunter that can bring a unique perspective into what lands and how best to approach a pitch and that insight is invaluable, thinking about the end result at the start of a campaign. Our clients also really trust us to mould our campaigns depending on where we’re looking for coverage to land which is imperative, as at the end of the day, we need our clients to be happy. Q: In terms of social media posts, what are some of the key factors to consider to deliver an authentic and consistent brand identity / personality? A: We work on both sides, managing brands’ social media channels and also creating content for clients that approach us to be ﬁltered through their channels. Consumers are so savvy now, you can’t just throw anything out and expect it to land, you need to respect your audience and tailor your content for them. People consume so much content now you have to think, ‘how can I capture people’s attention and add value?’ Authenticity is key. It’s really obvious when a content creator has no interest in a brand or if what they’re peddling doesn’t align with their audience. It’s our job to ensure our brands are working with the right people, regardless of numbers. They might have some big names in mind when they come to us but if we don’t think they’re a ﬁt for their brand we state our case with alternatives and why we think they would work. On the surface our suggestions may have a smaller following but their audience will be receptive and we’ll get the cut through with who we need to be speaking to. It’s not cut and dry when it comes to social media, it’s not a numbers game anymore. It doesn’t matter if there are 500,000 eyes on a story if they’re not the people you’re trying to speak to.

The Collaborations Agency PR agency: The Collaborations Agency Established: 2007 Contact name: Lynn Hunter Phone: 086 417 4986 Email: lynn@collabagency.com Website: www.thecollaborationsagency.com Social media: @thecollaborationsagency on Instagram Client list: As a talent management agency with a variety of wonderful content creators, we are so lucky that our breadth of talent allows us to work so closely with all of Ireland’s leading FMCG brands and retailers, from Tesco, SuperValu, Aldi, Lidl, Centra, and M&S to Coco Cola, Dennys and McVities, to name just a few.

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: We’re living in a time where brand building and audience engagement is absolutely key to surviving on social, and inﬂuencer marketing is giving brands that essential means to reach and engage audiences in ways which are meaningful and relevant to them. It’s been clear to us for a long time, that creators have become an integral part of people’s lives; we rely on them for so much - from meal inspiration,

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

to news updates, to morale boosting content, to discovering new products and services - they have become our go-to advisor of sorts. And never has this been so evident as since the outbreak of the coronavirus. Across 2020 / 21, we have helped our clients, new and existing, adapt for success on social media, via cleverly executed collaborations. Having a rigorous matchmaking framework in place means we can remove the subjectivity of inﬂuencer marketing, and back up our selections with data and alignment to the brand and campaign, and ultimately generate

Lynn Hunter of The Collaborations Agency says audience engagement is absolutely key to surviving on social

the best results for our clients. We are firm believers that influencer marketing should complement the connection creators have already established with their followers, after all, creators who have spent years building up trust and credibility offer a type of expertise that brands can utilise by maintaining a collaborative mind set. It’s a very exciting time to be in this industry, as we begin to see more brands consider influencer marketing as a ‘must-have’ channel for their campaigns as opposed to a ‘nice to have’ option in their wider marketing mix.

PR & Marketing CATEGORY FOCUS

PR Agency: Cullen Communications Established: 1985 Contact name: Owen Cullen Phone: 01 668 9099 Website: www.cullencommunications.ie

Email: info@cullencommunications.ie Social media: Twitter - @CullenComms

Client list: Applegreen BSI Consulting Services - Cybersecurity and Information Resilience, Complete Laboratory Solutions, Continental Tyres, Easytrip, Enterprise Ireland, Ford, McGreals Pharmacy Group, Novaerus, O’Connors of Drumleck, Outdoorspaces.ie, SEAI, Wind Mobility

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: In the past year the FMCG sector has undergone profound change with the pandemic restrictions seeing many non-essential retailers closed or severely curtailed. It has brought about sweeping changes in the way people see, buy, and consume brand products, and there has been a huge surge in online buying. For brands, this meant no longer talking about digital transformation but actually having to do it to stay

afloat. This in turn posed fresh and exciting challenges for PR agencies like us, as we found new ways and alternative channels to launch products and campaigns by combining strategic digital, social, original content creation and media targeted approaches to reach audiences. As an agency we take a fluid approach with clients and help guide them to move in different and new directions. Having this agility has really benefited us over the last year by working with an innovative and integrated communications and marketing toolkit for campaigns,

Jailbird Communications PR Agency: Jailbird Communications Contact: Julie Blakeney Email: Julie:hellojailbird.com Social media: @hellojailbird

Established: 2019 Phone: 0863420794 Website: www.hellojailbird.com

Client list: Hendrick’s Gin, Tullamore D.E.W. Whiskey, Fulﬁl, Kopparberg, Fever Tree, Other Voices Music, Visit Tipperary

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: 2020 was a ‘throw out the rule book’ kind of year for many businesses and consumers. We were determined to continue to create attention-grabbing, effective work for our clients despite many hurdles! We knew people wanted to escape the bleak daily news cycle so our aim

was to build campaigns for clients and consumers that offered moments of fun, interest and solace during a very trying time. We were lucky that our clients were up for the challenge too! We built some amazing campaigns that brought about creativity, fun, and most importantly, results for our brands. We launched the Tullamore D.E.W. Virtual Snug which saw inﬂuencers take part in their very own

Harris PR Established: 2009 Email: sonia@harrispr.ie Social media @soniaharrispr

Contact name: Sonia Harris Pope Website: www.harrispr.ie

Client list: AYA, Bosch, BSHG, Capitalﬂow, Dingle Distillery (Whiskey, Gin and Vodka), Domino’s, Gaggenau, Gourmet Tart Co, Irish Haemochromatosis Association, Kaliedy, My Expert Midwife, NEFF, NUK, Porterhouse Brew Co, Pro-Ven, Siemens, StuffUNeed.ie, Tassimo, Uniphar, United Drug, Wing It

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: Once Covid hit, budgets were slashed, plans upturned, brands “pivoted” and everything was suddenly terrifyingly uncertain. But amidst all the confusion it was clear brands needed PR support more than ever. We were very quick to recognise the scale of the upheaval caused by Covid-19 and our consumer focused approach made it easier for us to impress upon our clients the need to reassure customers and to provide

support at the most challenging time in people’s lives. From helping Domino’s as an essential service to supporting start-ups provide food and services to frontline workers, to helping one of Ireland’s leading retailers close their doors forever as they embarked upon a new business, we showcased what we do best. We had worked with some clients since the agency’s inception and others came on board during Covid, but new or old, the challenge remained the same: how do we get through this, while safeguarding jobs, and protecting colleagues and customers?

Owen Cullen, managing director, Cullen Communications explains how the company has found new ways and alternative channels to launch products and campaigns over the past year

launches and brand announcements and also with public affairs. This has included stakeholder engagement, digital, social, webinars, media drops, and inﬂuencer marketing as well as traditional outreach, working with brands to build presence and create new conversations. Tapping into wellbeing, sustainability, community, and the new way of working has been a key part of getting brand messages to the right audience in the right way, that are meaningful and impactful. We have really become part of our clients’ team over the last year and this has resulted in signiﬁcant success for clients.

PR & Marketing Tobacco Summer Drinks

Cullen Communications

Julie Blakeney, founder, Jailbird Communications established the business in 2019 and lists Hendrick’s Gin and FulFil among her clients

Snug Session bringing the pub (and whiskey tasting!) live to their sitting room. We created the ultimate Kopparberg Hard Seltzer garden brunch for pals to enjoy from the safety of their own home. Throughout a very difficult year, we kept our brands front of mind with both media and inﬂuencers, ensuring we drove awareness, affinity and ultimately, sales.

Sonia Harris, managing director, Harris PR says that the pandemic has changed PR forever, and probably for the better

We set about meeting each client virtually, revising plans and deciding, initially, to take each day as it came. We offered counsel, providing daily reports (Monday-Sunday) outlining case numbers, government schemes, impacts on jobs and what everything meant for clients. This helped to inform our communications both externally to consumers and internally to our clients’ employees. We crafted plans based on what was happening at that moment and who we were talking to; their state of mind and their essential needs and wants, to deliver the best possible results for our clients. >>

www.shelﬂife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

CATEGORY FOCUS PR & Marketing

Summer Drinks

Tobacco PR & Marketing

with Sonia Harris Pope,

managing director, Harris PR

Q: Covid-19 restrictions have obviously created logistical challenges for PR in areas such as photography and events. How have you navigated these challenges to continue to deliver impactful work for your clients? A: We thought we understood how upheaval works in our PR world having gone from faxing print organisations 20 years ago to the instant communications with constantly updated digital platforms, the rise of the inﬂuencer and the dominance of social media we’re familiar with now, but nothing compares to the changes we’ve all seen in the last year. Instead of face-to-face media and inﬂuencer launch events, we organised virtual events that incorporated consumers, therefore widening the guest list dramatically. Where previously we might have entertained 50-100 people, all of a sudden 2,500 people are tuning into a brand launch, such as a recent panel event celebrating the arrival of My Expert Midwife to the Irish market. Photoshoots are happening on iPhones, as in the case of Jodie Wood launching her ambassadorship with Irish vitamin brand AYA and as for whiskey tastings, well they work just as well for Dingle as live events. In the last quarter of 2020, we launched their Descendants Cask Programme, selling 70x€10k+ casks in just 10 days, and their Fourth Pot Still with all 8,000 bottles selling within 24 hours. We’ve embraced the

cook along craze with Bosch and their series of Bakealong events for the family and for Domino’s launched Contact Free Delivery at the very start of the pandemic, and more recently In-Car Collection, as well as feeding frontline healthcare workers and vulnerable people in our society with over 200,000 slices of pizza. Q: Looking towards the future, Covid-19 restrictions are likely to continue throughout 2021. Are online events the way forward (and if so, how do you ensure these are engaging?) or do you believe alternatives such as smaller, more intimate events outdoors will be the way forwards? A: The pandemic has changed PR forever, and probably for the better. It’s got us thinking about how we can talk directly to consumers in other interesting and engaging ways, as well as through media. When planning virtual events, it’s vital to think of every viewer. Multiple voices with engaging content that educates people in an empathetic manner is now more important than ever. Live events will be great when they come around again, and they will come around, we’ll just need to work harder on the risk assessment and ensure people are safe and feel conﬁdent. Clients like to see options so we’re sure to present ideas for every scenario.

Q: How do you strive to ensure your copy will always land with publications for your clients? A: I feel that the press release has evolved; it’s important to agree messages and comms but I’d like to think that the age of agencies blind copying releases to multiple journalists is over. We craft stories for journalists that we think will be interested in that particular story or angle. It really is about the quality of content and understanding what the journalist is interested in. My background is journalism and some of the team have journalism backgrounds too so we think that helps carve the story too. There’s a real synergy between all types of media and a natural respect that comes from reading journalists’ content to better understand them. Q: In terms of social media posts, what are some of the key factors to consider to deliver an authentic and consistent brand identity / personality? A: There’s so much info on social media and most people scroll after a few seconds so for social media posts to deliver a punch they must be engaging, honest and generate interesting content for consumers. Visual assets are so important, people expect the production values to be high and rightly so, there’s little excuse for weak or poor-quality content on any channel. As well as static images, videos, takeovers, panel discussions and live content draw people in, and give them an understanding of the brand’s ethos and personality.

Narrate PR Established: 2019 Contact name: Hazel Dobbyn, founder / owner Narrate PR Phone: 01- 525 2187 Email: hazel@narratepr.ie Website: www.narratepr.ie Client list: Clients include Irish seafood and food producers, SMEs and companies in the healthcare pharma, property and tourism sector. Narrate PR, founded by experienced communications consultant Hazel Dobbyn, is a boutique communications consultancy with expertise across a variety of sectors including health, food, retail, property, tourism and the marine. As head of communications for Bord Iascaigh Mhara for 10 years prior to establishing Narrate PR, Hazel has extensive experience of developing and implementing high level campaigns and sponsorships in the retail and wider food space. Narrate PR offers tailored communications consultancy services to its clients including strategic communications advice, media relations, crisis communications, media training, content development and event management support.

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: Our work in the retail space took a different direction last year as businesses continued to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic. Narrate PR supported clients with creative PR campaigns to take advantage of the growing demand for healthy convenient food offerings on the home market.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

As consumers actively sought new products to try at home - particularly food products – one of our clients and one of Ireland’s longest established seafood processors, Morgan’s Fine Fish, launched its ﬁrst ready to cook seafood meal range ‘Morgan’s Seafood Kitchen’ in select Dunnes Stores. In the absence of in-store tastings, the company faced a signiﬁcant challenge to create awareness for the range and drive sales. Narrate PR worked with Morgan’s Fine Fish to develop a creative PR strategy

Hazel Dobbyn, founder/ owner, says Narrate PR’s approach is grounded in a passion for authentic, honest and creative communications

to build awareness and increase stockists through targeted media coverage and social media partnerships. Extensive media coverage was achieved across print, broadcast and online in addition to media partnerships with RSVP magazine and www.mykidstime.com. Despite the challenges of lockdown, stockists initially increased from ﬁve Dunnes Stores branches to 14 stores (SuperValu, Dunnes Stores and independents).

PR & Marketing CATEGORY FOCUS

Established: 2011 Phone: 087-2627977 Website: www.masonry.ie

Contact name: Kathryn Mason Email: km@masonry.ie Kathryn Mason, founder Masonry PR says it’s important to be seen as one of your clients’ team

Client list: Taste of Dublin 2021, Powerscourt Distillery, Thrive Wellness Festival, IMRO Radio Awards since 2014, Equinox Events

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: Feedback from our clients tells us that their sales teams see the real value of what our PR coverage delivers.

Coverage we achieve should demonstrate a bottom line return, public relations is not a cost, it’s an investment in your sales funnel. Awareness, visibility and placement tactics, really matter and have an impact on sales. When the return on the PR investment shows, your sales team will see real leads and real sales.

One of our principle pillars at Masonry is teamwork. Many of our clients consistently tell us how we’ve become an integral part of their team. By being at the heart of your day to day business, we get more from you and for you. Your business nuts and bolts matter to us. We believe that it is our job to get to know your business, and then let you shine on all news platforms.

PR & Marketing Tobacco Summer Drinks

Masonry PR

RNN Communications Established: 2012 Contact name: Riki Neill Phone: 048 9521 3621 Email: riki@rnncommunications.com Website: www.RNNCommunications.com Social media: Insta: @RNNComms / Facebook: @RNN Communications / Twitter: @RNNComms Client list: RNN Comms works across Ireland, delivering work in Ireland and Northern Ireland for FMCG brands, retailers, clients in the hospitality and foodservice sectors and within the renewables industry. The agency is unique in its all-Ireland delivery and for clients, this ensures campaign consistency and relevancy within both markets. RNN is ﬂexible in its agency model, working with clients on both a retainer and project basis; and clients can avail of fully integrated solutions or choose to engage in online-only campaigns. RNN has specialist knowledge of working for major food distributors, delivering partner brand solutions for the Irish market which include full integrated marketing campaigns, social media strategy and implementation, sponsorship, experiential activations including sampling and product launches. The agency has extensive experience working across the grocery, food & drink and foodservice sectors, delivering award-winning campaigns that directly impact on sales. Further information, including client case studies, can be located at RNNCommunications.com.

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience? A: The company has adapted, been ﬂexible and it has worked with all clients in partnership to prioritise their evolving needs. This is when the true value of an excellent communications partner is demonstrated when you need them most. For its FMCG clients, and indeed all clients, it audited marketing plans for the year ahead as soon as the country went into lockdown. Plans were reformulated, the company regrouped, and it responded to the ever-

changing landscape. Internal communications was vital to organisations and their teams, and RNN offered this service to all clients, delivering hundreds of pieces of internal communications over the last 12 months. RNN continually monitored public sentiment, created ‘of the time’ videography and imagery, revisited clients’ social media strategies, conducted SoMe audits, created exciting virtual initiatives, and delivered incredible projects that shone a light on those who had helped us most over the past year. For many of its FMCG clients, it signiﬁcantly increased online activity, trialled new platforms, developed

Riki Neill founded RNN Communications in 2012 and works across the FMCG, foodservice and hospitality sector

inﬂuencer campaigns and introduced SEO and PPC to online strategies. The company widened its breadth of delivery to develop social media strategy and implementation for brands in European markets. This online focus helped its clients to continually engage with audiences during a period when many other activations were off the cards. Key to demonstrating expertise over the past year was working with clients in the most challenging of times, being ﬂexible and mindful of the changing circumstances for business and people’s lives and delivering solutions for the new normal.

Burrell Marketing and Publicity PR agency: Burrell Marketing and Publicity Established: 1990 Contact name: Rebecca Burrell Email: rebecca@burrell.ie Social media: burrell_pr / @BurrellPR / Burrell Marketing and Publicity Client list: Tommy Hilﬁger / Boohoo.com / Nasty Gal / Karen Millen / Coast / Oxendales / Simply Be, Aveeno / Neutrogena / OGX haircare, Lenor / Flash / Fairy / Ariel, Eccles / Staunton’s / Number 31 / Wine Port Lodge, Grace O’Malley / Proclamation Whiskey, Wayward Spirits, Abundance and Health, The Iveagh Markets

Q: In the past year, how has your company demonstrated your expertise in enabling FMCG brands to get their message across to their target audience?

A: As an agency Burrell PR is small and agile enough to adapt to the challenges brought to the market with Covid and its effects on businesses. The company moved to digital where relevant and moved to be seen where consumers shifted

Rebecca Burrell, managing director, Burrell Marketing and Publicity, works with brands from Tommy Hilﬁger to Ariel

to, keeping abreast of buying patterns and habits as they changed due to lifestyle restrictions. Regular and clear communication with all stake holders was vital, with trust and efficiency at the core of building and maintaining relationships. ■

www.shelﬂife.ie | ShelfLife May 2021

74 MARKET MOVERS

Nivea

Ferrero

86% of shoppers enjoy new Nutella Biscuits Complete cleansing care with Nivea – no compromise Created to offer effortless skin cleansing and care, and easy make-up removal, the Nivea cleansing range delivers the most complete cleansing experience. The innovative collection of products from Nivea, Ireland’s number one face brand, helps to thoroughly cleanse the skin while gently caring and protecting its delicate moisture balance. The Nivea cleansing line comprises various formats to suit all cleansing preferences with dermatologically and ophthalmologically approved products, including: • Daily Essentials Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water This award-winning product has an innovative formula which cleanses and removes make-up while moisturising the skin in one simple step; free of perfumes, colourants and parabens. • Biodegradable Cleansing Wipes Made with 100% renewable plant fibres, these gentle wipes are biodegradable, and enriched with specially selected Organic Argan Oil and Organic Aloe Vera. • Daily Essentials Double Effect Eye Make-Up Remover This wonder product benefits from a gentle bi-phase formula which effectively dissolves eye make-up while caring for eyelashes and the delicate skin around eyes. • Refreshing Facial Wash Gel The formula combines effective cleansing with the mild and moisturing benefits of Vitamin E.

Following an exceptional performance in mainland Europe last year, Ferrero has brought its popular Nutella Biscuits range to Ireland for the ﬁrst time. Already available on-shelf in Dunnes Stores, Nutella Biscuits are the ﬁrst biscuit to contain the muchloved chocolate hazelnut spread. The new range has already proven to be a hit with consumers, with early research indicating 86% of shoppers enjoyed the product. “After an extraordinarily successful launch in Europe, where many shops in Italy and France completely sold out, we’re thrilled to bring our latest Nutella innovation to Ireland,” said Levi Boorer, customer development director at Ferrero UK & Ireland. “The range caters to a range of shopper trends, with the tube format ideal for on-the-go consumption. Our Nutella Biscuits pouch is a larger pack perfect for sharing with families, and has a seal to maintain freshness for longer. The Nutella name is loved and recognised by shoppers across the country. This excitement, coupled with the versatility of the range, will support retailers with increasing sales and footfall as the products hit shelves.” The Nutella Biscuits T12 tube (166g) has a RRP of €2.50, while the T20 pouch (276g) has a RRP of €3.50.

Red Bull

Ferrero

Red Bull unveils unique limited edition flavour for summer 2021 Cactus Fruit is set to become the unexpected taste of 2021 as Red Bull unveils its highly anticipated limited edition summer flavour, Red Bull Summer Edition Cactus Fruit. Inspired by the exotic looking cactus fruit, the latest taste sensation joins a line up of legendary summer flavours including Watermelon, Coconut Berry and Tropical. Red Bull Summer Edition Cactus Fruit delivers all the functional benefits of Red Bull Energy Drink, along with an invigorating burst of berry that blooms into exotic fruit and violet flower. Available for a limited time from May 2021 in 250ml cans, the mattegreen packaging will stand out amongst the rainbow of editions in the Red Bull product line. Visit RedBull.ie to learn more.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Tic Tac range ideal to unlock impulse purchases Ferrero’s Tic Tac core range includes Lime & Orange, Cherry Cola Mixers, Fruit Adventure, Intense Mint and Fresh Mint flavours, catering for a host of different shopper tastes. With consumers increasingly looking for mint, fruit and extra-strong mint flavours, the Tic Tac range is a great way for retailers to unlock impulse purchases, especially as part of a wider shop. The Fresh Mint flavour is arguably what Tic Tac is most recognised for, and the ever-present product is available alongside Intense Mint as part of the core range. Both of these products meet the growing demand for mint flavours and are available in T1 and T100 packs, with Fresh Mint also available in T200 format. “Now more than ever, shoppers have a functional approach to their visits, and have a clear idea of the products they need before entering the store,” said Levi Boorer, customer development director at Ferrero UK and Ireland. “The mints category in general is impulsive, so product availability and popular brands are key in helping to capture shopper attention. By stocking our much-loved Tic Tac core range, retailers can enable shoppers to pick up something extra that can give them a little treat to enjoy later.”

Our new look for a new generation. Caldesene prevents and treats nappy rash.

TENDER CARE AT

Every Change

For topical use only. Cleanse and dry the affected area before applying. A copy of the summary of product characteristics is available upon request. The active ingredient in Caldesene Medicated Powder is Calcium Undecylenate 10% w/w, 20g, 55g, 100g pack size. For supply through general sale. PA 126/152/1 PA Holder: Clonmel Healthcare Ltd., Waterford Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Date Prepared: October 2019. 2019/ADV/CAL/154C

76 MARKET MOVERS

Bretzel

Bretzel’s new colourtopped packaging will let customers quickly identify the bread that they want

Bretzel unveils new in-store packaging In a great pandemic pivot, the Bretzel Bakery reimagined its artisanal breads into a range of retail breads. Improvising a simple form of packaging, Bretzel was able to bring the same high-quality bread that consumers were used to having from their favourite sandwich makers onto retail shelves. Over the course of the last year the range available to retailers has increased to four favourites, and now Bretzel is introducing packaging that does justice to the quality of the bread inside! The new colour-topped packaging will let customers quickly identify the bread that they want: • Blue top: White Sourdough Sandwich: A classic authentic sourdough bread, with a good crust; a Gold Medal winner • Green top: Brown Sourdough Sandwich: The wholemeal version of Bretzel’s authentic sourdough bread • Red top: Seeded Sourdough Sandwich: A new sourdough bread, packed full of flavour and seeds, with a particularly nice texture; a Gold Medal winner • Yellow top: Multiseed Sandwich: a perfect blend of Irish wholemeal flour, seeds, rye flour and malt Bretzel breads always start with flour, salt, water and time which creates nutritious and delicious breads for consumers. Now, consumers can get four favourite breads from their favourite retailer, in four fresh packs.

Caldesene

Goodfella’s

Goodfella’s introduces impactful new packaging, ‘Made with respect’

Tender care at every change with Caldesene Caldesene powder has been keeping babies’ bottoms happy by preventing and treating nappy rash for over 45 years. All consumers have to do is cleanse and dry the affected area, and sprinkle on Caldesene after each nappy change or as directed by a doctor. Caldesene is the only medicated powder available for nappy rash and is available in 20g, 55g, and 100g formats. Available in pharmacies and supermarkets nationwide, for more information go to www.caldesene.ie.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Goodfella’s will be sporting a new look from mid-April with updated packaging across the entire portfolio. “The current pack design works well in helping consumers identify the range, but it’s not effective when it comes to communicating the brand benefits or the Goodfella’s story,” said Claire Hoyle, head of marketing for Goodfella’s at Birds Eye UK & Ireland. “We wanted to widen the brand appeal and communicate more effectively, as well as increase awareness about our standout product quality,” Hoyle said. Proudly displaying the ‘Made with Respect’ message, the bold new packs emphasise the brand’s Italian American heritage with an impactful block design, new imagery and a strong new logo to really make the products stand out. Speaking about the design, Hoyle added: “We spent a lot of time working through different design concepts and consumer testing to make sure the new packaging would be successful in the market. This included assessing brand recall and findability, so we are confident that this is the right way to go.” The new packaging will be rolled out in phases across the range, beginning with the core Stonebaked Thin range followed by Takeaway, with the remaining ranges hitting stores over the following weeks. ■

You’ll be in good company at MACE Line up with MACE brand ambassador Johnny Sexton and the rest of our winning team.

MACE, we’re looking for retailers who bring a smile to work every day to join our amazing team.

Take the first step and get in touch with Andrew or Liam who can give you a full introduction to what the MACE brand and MACE team can do for your business.

Our new stores are designed to be both bright and welcoming, to place you at the heart of the community in which you serve.

To find out more, contact:

Speaking of service, our quality fresh foods and innovations meet the ever-changing needs of people and have been proven to drive profitable sales increases for MACE Retailers. You will have the support of our experienced team around Ireland, along with award winning marketing to grow your business.

Andrew McCann (Regional Manager North) amccann@bwg.ie / 086 041 4334 Liam Attridge (Regional Manager South) lattridge@bwg.ie / 086 852 1362

www.mace.ie facebook.com/MACEIreland

instagram.com/MACE_ireland

youtube.com/MACE_ireland

twitter.com/@MACEIreland

78 HOTSPOTS

Sugar high has a whole new meaning

New technology allows customers to pay with just the palm of their hand

While the effects of sugar on children can be headache-inducing for parents, a new type of sweet on the Products containing signifi significant cant levels market has a much more sinister side of THC were intercepted by An Garda effect. The Food Safety Authority of Síochana and Revenue’s Customs Service Ireland (FSAI) has issued a warning about the danger associated with eating edible products, such as jelly sweets, containing cannabis components. This warning comes following a number of recent incidents whereby edible products containing significant levels of the psychotropic cannabis component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were intercepted by An Garda Síochana and Revenue’s Customs Service. In at least one incident, sweets containing cannabis oil were consumed by a number of teenagers, one of whom was hospitalised as a result. The particular sweets were apparently purchased online with the packaging carrying explicit warnings to eat the sweets cautiously and that a significant concentration of THC was present. According to Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive, FSAI, THC is a toxic contaminant and should not be added to any food. “This new development is a sinister attempt to sell narcotics in the form of sweets,” she said, “and those involved are obviously not concerned about the consequences of these products getting into the hands of vulnerable people like children who could consume these products unwittingly to the detriment of their health.”

Following the Twitterati ■ @MUFCshane Just signed up to SuperValu Car insurance, was nearly €300 cheaper than Liberty (and better pros) @shoparound ■ @psychpolis As a man I’ve no idea what it would be like to be anxious about not having sanitary products but I’m a dad of daughters, I’ve sisters, a Mum, this is great. How anyone would not support this is beyond my comprehension. Well done #Lidl #liveline #PeriodPovertyInitiative ■ @alankerins The absolute chaos in our house trying to find everything we need for first day back at training!! Great competition over on @CentraIRL page to win gift cards for your #sidelineessentials #welcomeback #gaa #hurling #sport #kids #play #returntoplay #fun ■ @munsterpixie They are selling Dunkin Donuts in the Spar beside me. This WILL be the rock I perish on! ■ @heachy 1979 So I can sit outside a pub but I can’t go inside to pay. Yet I can go inside Tesco & the local garden centre, spend 1 hour plus there, then pay inside just fine cos ‘the science’

Pay-by-palm Carrying a wallet is going to be so 2020 since Amazon announced that its Whole Foods customers in Seattle can now pay for their groceries with a swipe of their palms. The online shopping giant, which acquired Whole Foods in 2017, is rolling out pay-by-palm technology at some stores near Amazon’s headquarters to make paying quicker and more convenient. The technology, called Amazon One, lets shoppers scan the palm of their hand and connect it to a credit card or Amazon account. After the initial setup, which Amazon claims takes less than a minute, shoppers can scan their hand at the register to pay for groceries without having to open their wallets. According to the Amazon One website, ‘no two palms are alike’ which means it ‘can’t be used by anyone but you’.

Caterpillars at war as M&S sues Aldi over cake Marks & Spencer had begun legal action against Aldi to “protect” Colin the Caterpillar from the discounter’s rival chocolate sponge cake Cuthbert which is being sold for less and could potentially be mistaken for Colin. Colin has been on the scene since 1990 and had become a ﬁrm ﬁrm favourite at children’s birthday parties, with over 15 million cakes sold. M&S argues that the similarities between Colin and Cuthbert mean consumers think they are of the same standard, enabling its cheaper rival – Cuthbert costs £5 while Colin is £7 – to “ride on the coat-tails” of the company’s reputation for high-quality food. M&S, which has lodged an intellectual property claim with the High Court this month, wants Aldi to remove Cuthbert from its shelves and agree not to sell anything Marks & Spencer similar in the future. Does this spell the launched Colin the end for Cuthbert or will Colin be forced to Caterpillar in 1990 but is not happy accept that he’s not the only caterpillar in about the arrival of the village? For more on this case and its Aldi’s similar cake implications, turn to page 22. Cuthbert

Grocery across the globe UK

Waitrose and Deliveroo have struck a two-year partnership for rapid home grocery deliveries after a successful trial of the service. Waitrose said it would expand its Deliveroo service from 40 to 150 shops across the UK by the end of the summer, delivering food to about 13 million people. The move is expected to create 400 jobs at Waitrose shops, to fulﬁl orders ready to be collected by Deliveroo.

Walmart reports rising representation of women and people of colour in ofﬁcer roles - a sign that the company says it is taking to better reﬂect the country’s diversity among its top leadership. The big-box retailer is the largest US employer with a workforce of about 1.53 million people. It published its annual diversity and inclusion report in April.

ShelfLife May 2021 | www.shelﬂife.ie

Australia

Fast-food chain Subway Australia has unveiled a 24 hours express pick-up service in Brisbane, ahead of a broader national rollout. Customers can order their foods via the app or using a third-party provider and collect their purchases at an express pick-up window.

Japan

Japanese retail sales rose 5.2% year-on-year in March, representing the fastest pace of growth in ﬁve months as consumer demand returned after suffering a huge hit due to the coronavirus pandemic last year, according to a report. This said, Japan’s slow vaccine rollout and a resurgence of Covid-19 cases, leading to new state of emergency declarations, are expected to weigh on consumption in the near term. ■

The

CENTRA RANGE

QUALITY AND VALUE OVER

7O0DU0CTS

(The Centra Range varies by store. See instore for details)

TASTY

NEW LOOK