ShelfLife June issue

LARGEST INDEPENDENTLY AUDITED GROCERY TRADE CIRCULATION IN IRELAND

June 2020

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Covid-19 in the meat industry We examine the factors behind the rise in coronavirus clusters across some meat processing plants

Click and collect Retailers express concerns about one wholesaler’s decision to sell directly to the public through click and collect points across the country

Brands in demand Kantar reveals Ireland’s 100 most-chosen brands for 2020

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

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OPINION 3

ShelfLife June 2020 Vol. 27 No. 6 Editor GILLIAN HAMILL (01) 294 7776 gillian.hamill@mediateam.ie

Grocers set example on ‘Roadmap for reopening’

Staff journalist JULIA O’REILLY (01) 294 7709 julia.oreilly@mediateam.ie Contributors CAROLINE MCENERY BARRY WHELAN FIONNUALA CAROLAN Head of business IAN MULVANEY (01) 294 7766 ian.mulvaney@mediateam.ie Account manager MARK MORGAN (01) 294 7767 mark.morgan@mediateam.ie Circulation manager CRAIG KINGMA (01) 294 7774 craig.kingma@mediateam.ie Head of production LIZ O’ROURKE (01) 294 7781 liz.orourke@mediateam.ie Managing editor COLETTE O’CONNOR (01) 294 7775 colette.oconnor@mediateam.ie Publisher JOHN McDONALD (01) 294 7744 john.mcdonald@mediateam.ie Printing W & G Baird Ltd 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.

‘Wof the day on social media as ShelfLife headed to print. Based, of course, on a ould you pay e9 for a bag of crisps with your pint?’ That was the hot topic

somewhat tongue-in-cheek reading of guidelines prepared by Fáilte Ireland, which state pubs will be allowed to reopen on 29 June, providing they serve “substantial” meals costing not less than e9.

The latest controversy along the ‘Roadmap for reopening’ is not the only point that has divided opinion as to its efficacy in counteracting the virus. Nevertheless, a widespread consensus has emerged that while remaining sensible of the threat posed by the virus, we need to kickstart the economy again.

Ibec group Retail Ireland welcomed the speeding up of the planned roadmap, with the news that non-essential high street retailers were allowed open from 8 June onwards.

The grocery sector has set an excellent example of how with the right safety measures and strict controls in place, the virus can be kept at low levels among staff.

One area unfortunately, where clusters of coronavirus cases have arisen, is at some meat processing plants – a topic which Fionnuala Carolan examines in further detail on page 5. Fortunately, according to Meat Industry Ireland (MII), 60% of affected workers have already recovered, and “whilst there have been a significant number of positive Covid-19 cases in some plants, it is important to recognise that many plants have had either no, or low numbers, of cases”.

Enjoy this issue and congratulations to the innovative brands featured in this month’s ‘100 Master Brands at Home’ ranking compiled by Kantar.

Gillian Hamill Editor ShelfLife magazine

Contents June 19

Published monthly by Mediateam Ltd., 55 Spruce Avenue, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

A94 RP22 Telephone (01) 294 7776 Fax (01) 294 7799 ISSN: 1393 0753

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42

COVER STORY 19

Managing Director JOHN McDONALD; Sales Director PAUL BYRNE Operations Director BILLY HUGGARD

9

100 Master Brands at Home: See how all our favourite brands rank in this year’s Kantar research.

Managing director of Kantar Ireland, David Berry explains how health remains a major trend while indulgence also features strongly this year. He also reveals the familiar brands that grew at +32% year-on-year in the lockdown period acting as a comfort to consumers in a time of crisis

NEWS&ANALYSIS

ADVISOR

4 News grid 8 CSNA news 10 Seen and heard

12 HR 18 Recruitment

FEATURES&REPORTS 5

Covid-19 in the meat industry: A look at how Covid-19 spread rapidly in the meat industry and what is being done to keep staff safe while keeping up with demand

9

Pallas Foods launches click and collect service: Retailers react to the news that the wholesaler has decided to sell directly to the public through click and collect points across the country

14

A fresh look for Centra Castlebar: Paul Keegan of Centra Castlebar talks to Julia O’Reilly about his ambitious store revamp completed just ahead of lockdown

MARKETING& CATEGORY FOCUS 42 46 49 54

Crisps and snacks Ice cream Packaging case study Market movers

OFF-TRADE 50 Off-trade news 52 NOffLA news

4 NEWS

NEWS GRID

5

NEWSGRID The top news stories in FMCG Delivery platform Buymie raises €8m total funding Buymie, the same-day grocery delivery company, has announced the injection of an extra €5.8 million in new investments into its business, to take its total capital raised this year to over €8 million.

This latest investment round was led by a new investor, Wheatsheaf Group, the food and agriculture investment arm of the Grosvenor Estate.

Follow-on investments were also committed from existing backers, including Act Venture Capital, Sure Valley Ventures, Haatch Ventures, and HBAN. Other notable investors include former Unilever executive Keith Weed and Scott Weavers Wright, former MD of Morrisons.com.

“This funding round will help Buymie achieve our goal of becoming the leading sameday grocery delivery provider across the UK and Ireland,” said Devan Hughes, CEO and co-founder of Buymie.

Circle K opens new service station in Dungarvan Circle K recently opened the newest station in its nationwide company-owned network; Circle K Dungarvan. A total of €2.5 million was invested in the redevelopment of the new site, which is located on the N25 road at Gallows Hill, Kilrush Roundabout, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.

The new site is a full redevelopment of the local service station. The opening brings the total of Circle K’s company-owned stores to 159 nationwide. Circle K has retained employment from all staff who worked there prior to the redevelopment, resulting in the creation of 13 Paul Dixon, senior director jobs in the locality. The new of retail sales station is expected to serve and operations over 18,000 consumers daily.

and retail from across Ireland

New partnership for Tesco Ireland will reduce carbon emissions

Tesco Ireland is planning to reduce carbon emissions by 1,200 tonnes per annum through partnering with Green Generation on a renewable gas initiative facilitated by Gas Networks Ireland.

The move, involving changes to its food management process at retail store level, will see enough renewable gas created from Tesco’s food surplus to power six of its stores in Ireland.

As part of the new initiative, Green Generation will process Tesco’s remaining food surplus, which has not been donated to FoodCloud, or given free of charge to colleagues, at its anaerobic-digestion plant in Nurney.

Lidl and Tesco introduce Covid-19 queue management systems Lidl Ireland is introducing a new Covid-19 queue management system designed to control the number of customers entering and exiting the store at any one time, in order to maintain social distancing during busy periods.

The innovative software controls an automated traffic light and monitor that signals to shoppers when they can proceed through the entrance based on individual customer limits that are in line with social distancing guidelines.

Tesco Ireland has also announced plans for a technology-based customer number and queue management system to be rolled out across its stores nationwide as it continues to respond to Covid-19.

SuperValu retains pole position in latest Kantar figures Shoppers support local during SuperValu has claimed the largest market share lockdown for the second month in a row and saw sales Shoppers in Ireland have chosen to ‘support local’ during the Covid-19 lockdown period, spending €178m on Irish sourced grocery products in the last four weeks ending 17 May 2020. This is an additional €35m spent on local products compared to the same period in 2019, according to new data from Nielsen.

Irish consumers are also opting for local when choosing their baking ingredients, with sales of Irish produced flour brands up +217% (+€786k) in the last four weeks, and Irish produced sugar increasing by +65% (+€250k), both significantly outperforming non local alternatives.

rise by 32.7%, according to the latest grocery figures from Kantar, for the 12 weeks to 17 May. Martin Kelleher, managing director of SuperValu, thanked both existing and new customers for their support, in response to the result.

“While the rise in sales can be attributed to people spending more time at home,” he said, “this would not have been possible without the efforts of our independent retail partners who operate our stores and our colleagues across the SuperValu network, who have been going above and beyond for customers over the past couple of months.”

CFO who steered Tesco through turnaround to retire Alan Stewart, the man praised

by Tesco as “instrumental in [its] turnaround” has decided to retire as chief financial officer and will leave Alan Stewart the company on 30 April 2021.

The board will now conduct a thorough search both internally and externally to identify a successor.

After joining Tesco in September 2014 and, as a member of the board and executive committee, Tesco said Alan Stewart “has led the corporate restructuring, rebuilt the balance sheet, guided Tesco back to investment grade and played a huge role in the financial transformation of the business in the last six years”.

Group CEO Dave Lewis thanked Stewart for his “huge contribution”.

PUP to be cut for part-time workers

The government’s pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) scheme has now been extended to 10 August 2020.

Under the extended scheme, part-time workers who had earned less than €200 per week before Covid-19, will see the PUP reduced from €350 per week to €203, in line with the Jobseeker’s Allowance.

For those whose prior employment earnings were €200 per week or higher (about 75% of recipients), the PUP rate will remain at €350 per week.

Both the CSNA and RGDATA had previously highlighted independent retailers’ concerns that the payment for part-time workers was acting as a disincentive to work.

Peter Gaughan appointed CSNA president Peter Gaughan, who runs Gaughan’s Spar in Balla, Co. Mayo alongside his wife Catherine, has been appointed as the latest president of the CSNA. Peter Gaughan Gaughan served as vice-president during 2019/20 working closely with outgoing national president Joe Mannion.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the CSNA was unable to host its traditional handover ceremony at the National Conference and Gala Dinner which was postponed until May 2021.

Looking ahead to his term in office, Gaughan aims to ensure that the local retailer gets the recognition from our government for the key role that they play in our local communities and the overall economy.

For more details, turn to page 8. n

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

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

FEATURE

5

Covid-19 in the meat industry The authorities are finally starting to take the Covid-19 crisis in the meat industry seriously but can they now manage to control these clusters before the domestic and export markets are affected? Fionnuala Carolan reports

C

ases of coronavirus in the meat processing industry in Ireland are spiralling towards 1,000 (925 at the time of writing) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) are being criticised for their slow response to the crisis.

Despite cases of Covid-19 emerging since March and mounting complaints from SIPTU and the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) about its failure to make inspections in meat processing plants around the country, the HSA only began inspections at the end of May. So why has it taken so long? The HSA said that the reason for the delay was due to an overlap with the HSE preventing it from making inspections.

A National Outbreak Team has now been put in place and asked to file a report to the National Public Health Emergency Team to advise the government on how to manage the issues facing the meat sector in the weeks ahead. Is it a case of too little, too late for this most vital industry?

Meat industry hit hard The obvious focus of the spread of the coronavirus was on hospitals and care homes, but authorities failed to identify food processing plants as another hotspot for the spread of Covid-19. While most of the country was on lockdown and working from home, the public were continually told of how there would be no disruption to the food supply chain. It was business as usual and full steam ahead in processing plants in order to keep up with demand, which was exacerbated by panic buying at the onset of the lockdown. However, according to emerging reports, some staff were not protected as they should have been mainly because it is difficult to maintain social distance in these plants and management simply didn’t have the know-how or the necessary advice on how to manage the situation.

Staff work in very close proximity to one another on production lines and are sharing toilets and canteen facilities. Also this is a low paid sector so many employees are forced to share both accommodation and transport making it close to impossible to keep their distance from one another.

However, the Irish meat processing industry is not alone in its plight. Around 5,000 workers in the US meat industry have been diagnosed with Covid-19. It’s also been prevalent in Spain, Brazil, Australia, Germany and Poland.

US president Donald Trump recently vowed to keep meat plants open as fears mount that prices and supply may be seriously disrupted.

Demanding action Greg Ennis of SIPTU and Edel McGinley of MRCI sent a letter to the HSA about the issues their members have encountered and demanded safety measures be put in place.

“We have been approached by our members and workers from various meat factories who feel that their safety at work has not been prioritised by their employers during this crisis,” they wrote.

“At the beginning of the lockdown, some employers were very slow to put in place safety measures, including staggered breaks, floor markings, shields between work stations, temperature testing, cleaning of work wear between use by different employees, and signage in languages people could understand,” they said.

SIPTU and the MRCI also asked that where the HSA decides to shut down workplaces, workers should not suffer any loss of earnings.

Furthermore, SIPTU alleged that the employer lobby group for the sector, Meat Industry Ireland, had refused to engage in

Clusters of Covid-19 in the meat industry • In March, workers at the poultry processor Moy Park in Portadown walked out over fears that the company was putting employees at risk of infection. Sean McKevitt of Unite, who represents the workers, said that following negotiations with the company, there was an improved picture for staff at Moy Park’s plants.

• At Kepak in Watergrasshill in Cork, 150 staff at the plant tested positive for Covid19, prompting the HSE to set up the special testing facility in Mallow for relatives.

• An outbreak of approximately 120 cases in Rosderra Meats plant in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, the largest pork-processing company in the country, saw more than half of the 350 staff off sick at the one time.

• Dawn Meats, one of Ireland’s largest beef companies announced a temporary shutdown after four of its workers tested positive for Covid-19. It produces more than 400 million burgers a year for McDonald’s outlets in Europe. In a statement, the company said that the plant had been closed “out of an abundance of caution”.

According to Meat Industry Ireland, “beef throughput is down about 20% on equivalent weeks last year and 30% compared to early March 2020, but this reduction in throughput is due to market disruption and the loss of demand from the foodservice market rather than any limitation on operational capacity”

discussions to deal with the problem.

However, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) issued its own statement claiming that the safety of members has been paramount.

“Despite enhanced safety and protective measures, as the Covid-19 situation has evolved across the country, unfortunately some meat processing facilities have had to manage the impact of positive cases,” MII stated. “In doing so, they have followed, in full, the advice and recommendations of the HSE and other authorities.”

The statement said that in order to provide continuity of food supply in the domestic, European and international supply chains, continued operations in meat processing is only possible due to “the incredible commitment and efforts of staff”.

“So far, production levels and processing throughput has been maintained in recent weeks in the pigmeat, lamb and poultry sectors. Beef throughput is down about 20% on equivalent weeks last year and 30% compared to early March 2020, but this reduction in throughput is due to market disruption and the loss of demand from the foodservice market rather than any limitation on operational capacity.”

The statement also made a promise that companies will continue to enforce strict guidelines at every site in order to reinforce and enhance safety measures, in accordance with the advice and recommendations of the HSE.

Time is of the essence Agri-food is the most important domestic industry in the country, employing more than 170,000 people. Produce is exported to more than 180 countries and the sector is worth €14bn to the economy.

The presence of Covid-19 has raised deep concerns that Ireland’s export-driven agri-food sector will be negatively affected if it is not very carefully managed. We can only hope that the new focus of the HSA on meat processing plants will result in fewer cases of Covid-19 emerging in the coming weeks. n www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife June 2020

6

FEATURE

Q&A with…Simon Carroll, country manager, PJ Carroll - British American Tobacco (BAT) Simon Carroll discusses the latest developments taking place within the tobacco and vaping categories, and outlines how PJ Carroll has continued to innovate to drive sales Q: What do retailers need to know about the ‘track and trace’ regulations?

A: As of 20 May 2020, all tobacco product packaging must display a track and trace unique identifier code.

Retailers must have an ‘economic operator identifier code’ and a ‘facility identifier code’ to purchase cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco products with unique identifier codes.

Following recent communications from Revenue, it is important that all economic operators update their address to the five-field format to ensure no disruption to the supply chain.

Q: What exactly does the menthol ban effective from 20 May 2020 mean for retailers who sell tobacco products?

A: As of 20 May 2020, menthol cigarettes were banned in Ireland and the rest of the EU and it is illegal for retailers to sell them after this date.

This ban does not apply to vaping products.

Q: How has PJ Carroll changed its product portfolio following the menthol ban?

A: The ban on menthol cigarettes is inevitably going to leave many adult smokers without their preferred product. That’s why it’s crucial that we can accommodate those looking for alternatives, particularly adult consumers who see the ban as an opportunity to make the switch to vaping.

Our expanded portfolio means we offer nicotine users a variety of alternatives, developed and tested to suit their tastes and preferences, and we want menthol smokers to know that our awardwinning alternatives are out there now. Our new menthol portfolio includes flavours like Peppermint Tobacco, Just Mint and Crushed Mint. We are also bringing to market a new mint limited edition Vype ePen 3 Starter Kit for smokers who want to use the menthol ban as an opportunity to switch for good.

For adult consumers seeking to continue using conventional cigarettes, we have been innovating across our Pall Mall, Vogue and Carrolls brands to replace menthol ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

The BAT Group’s new logo reflects its ethos which is centred around “being bold, fast, empowered, responsible and diverse”

cigarettes. The new portfolio now more closely mirrors the experience of smoking a menthol cigarette, with new blends, our tube filter innovation and new formats across the range, providing meaningful differentiation for adult smokers who previously preferred menthol.

This evolution offers a significant sales opportunity for retailers after the ban.

Q: How have you continued to communicate with retailers despite the Covid-19 crisis?

A: Everyone at PJ Carroll would like to sincerely thank all the staff in retail stores across Ireland for their huge commitment and efforts in keeping our country running. The pandemic meant that our reps were unable to visit shops as they usually would, but we have adapted as much as possible through engaging with retailers over the phone or taking orders on our B2B website, b2b.pjcarroll.ie. The safety of our staff, retailers and our customers remain our priority during this difficult time.

Q: How safe are vaping products compared to cigarettes and tobacco?

A: A large and growing body of independent scientific research concludes that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes and is helping record numbers of smokers to quit.

PJ Carroll and The BAT Group say they have always “offered consumers premium quality products at a very keen price” and now even more so with a price drop on the Vype ePen 3 products

Simon Carroll, country manager, PJ Carroll British American Tobacco (BAT)

Public Health England – which provides the UK’s Department of Health and NHS with world-leading scientific research – has stated that vaping is “at least 95% less harmful than smoking”. Other public health organisations which support vaping as a tool to reduce the harm caused by smoking include the UK Royal College of Physicians, British Medical Association, ASH UK, Cancer Research UK, Health Canada, French Federation on Addiction, American Council on Science and Health and Ministry of Health, New Zealand.

Q: What is BAT doing to ensure products are safe for adult consumers?

A: Consumer safety is at the heart of our approach to vaping. The BAT Group, which PJ Carroll is a part of, has invested over 3 billion in its portfolio of potentially reduced risk products. We have performed 164 tests and published the most comprehensive dossier of scientific data to date on a single vapour product for our flagship Vype brand.

We don’t just outsource production; we oversee the full supply chain, from manufacturing to market, for our Vype, Ten M and Cirro vaping products, which undergo thousands of hours of testing before they reach adult consumers.

Q: How are you continuing to innovate as a group?

A: For PJ Carroll, our focus remains on delivering a better tomorrow for all our stakeholders by reducing the health impact of our business through offering a greater choice of enjoyable and less risky products for our consumers. The newest addition to our portfolio of potentially risk reduced products is the Vype ePod. The sleek and stylish closed system device was launched about a year ago in the UK and has already been awarded Product Of the Year within the e-cigarette category surveyed by Kantar.

Q: Why did you feel it was the right time for a new logo? What are the changes involved?

A: Our new ethos launched by our CEO Jack Bowles in March is about being bold, fast, empowered, responsible and diverse. Our corporate evolution, including our new logo design, is a showcase of our new ethos in action. n

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8

CSNA NEWS

CSNA NEWS

PETER GAUGHAN, national president, CSNA

New government must put SMES front and centre of efforts to reboot economy

Meet the new CSNA president – Peter Gaughan

report says that the new State body should be established now to drive and support SMEs to reboot the economy.

The Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association is delighted to introduce our new national president, Peter Gaughan from Mayo. Peter served as vice-president during 2019/20 working closely with outgoing national president Joe Mannion. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, we were New CSNA unable to host our traditional president Peter handover ceremony at our Gaughan says local National Conference and retailers “adapt to Gala Dinner which was the needs of our communities rather postponed until May 2021. than try to sell Peter and his wife them what we think Catherine own Gaughan’s they want” Spar in Balla, Mayo, which they have successfully ran for over 20 years. Peter is also a postmaster and involved in the IPU. Over the years, he has fulfilled many important roles within the association, such as chairperson of the Legislative Committee and he is also the current finance officer for the association.

Looking ahead to his term in office, Peter aims to ensure that the local retailer gets the recognition from our government for the key role that they play in our local communities and the overall economy.

“The local retailer plays a huge role in paying and collecting taxes, supporting local producers and suppliers and creating a huge number of jobs in their localities,” he says. “During the Covid pandemic and the Beast from the East bad weather, we have seen many local retailers step up to the plate and be counted, making sure that the most vulnerable in our society were cared for and remaining open to ensure that the local communities were looked after.”

On the role of the local shop in the community, he adds: “We adapt to the needs of our communities rather than try to sell them what we think they want. We embrace and support local charities, clubs and societies both with time and money because we too are part of that community.”

Peter aims to lift our status and not just be seen small local shops, but to be seen for what we are, the biggest employers in Ireland and a foundation on which communities are built, stating “too often though we are taken for granted especially by our government who are happy to burden us with extra costs and bureaucracy and still expect us to be there when the hard times come around again”.

If you would like to make a representation to the national president on key issues of concern or if you have any suggestions as to how CSNA can best serve its valued members, please send your comments FAO national president to info@csna.ie or call 045 535050. n

Government should set up a State agency with specific responsibility to grow and develop SMEs, says a new economic report from the Local Jobs Alliance.

The alliance is an umbrella group including the CSNA and six other leading trade organisations whose members make up 24,850 businesses who employ 448,000 people throughout Ireland. The organisations are representative of SME businesses operating in every town, village and community across a range of sectors.

Prepared by economist Jim Power, the

Surviving Covid-19 The Local Jobs Alliance report also states that a range of measures are now necessary to ensure that as many small businesses as possible survive the shock posed by Covid19, as they will have to play an essential role in re-building the Irish economy as the virus passes and the economy is re-opened.

Businesses involved in the Local Jobs Alliance span retail, hospitality and many other areas of SME activity.

Many of these businesses are now shut down as a result of Covid-19, while others are playing a vital role in supporting the economy and society during these difficult times.

CSNA provides ice cream guidelines for members A number of members have contacted the office regarding guidelines for serving ice creams in their stores. To assist our valued members during these busy

times, we have created guidelines to ensure that both staff and customers are safe when ice cream is served in your store. These guidelines are available on the CSNA website (www.csna.ie).

CSNA speaks with Gerry Monks of JDM Insurance Gerry Monks discusses insurance issues with an emphasis on the Covid-19 fallout: We would encourage all retailers to take time to watch this online video Gerry Monks answers recorded by CSNA as it is both informative and relevant. CSNA members’ We would like to thank Gerry insurance queries

Monks from CSNA Deals Partner JDM Insurance for taking the time to sit down and answer some of our members’ queries. This is the first in a series of informative videos with experts on the issues that matter to our members most.

View the video on the CSNA website, www.csna.ie/news.

Philip Morris introduces price increase With effect from 4 June, Philip Morris has introduced price increases to a number of products. The CSNA has updated our price list to reflect these changes – you can download the CSNA cigarette pricelist from the CSNA website. Please ensure that your EPOS systems are updated with the new prices.

The full CSNA cigarette pricelist can be downloaded from the association’s website

Keep updated on the Covid-19 situation on the CSNA website: www.csna.ie ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

FEATURE

9

Retailers voice concerns about Pallas Foods selling to the public Local shopkeepers voice their dismay that the wholesaler has decided to sell directly to the public through click and collect points across the country

“Retailers are competing in an ultracompetitive environment; we deserve all competitors to operate from a level playing field,” said Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA)

A number of retailers have contacted ShelfLife to express their concerns over wholesaler pick-up locations in Clontarf, he adds: Pallas Foods’ decision to sell “I don’t see myself being directly affected, directly to the general public but that doesn’t change the fact that those via a ‘click and collect’ service retailers who are directly affected, are online. being placed at an unfair disadvantage.

The homepage of Pallas Foods’ website states its new service can help The food wholesaler is “This particular situation won’t last members of the public avoid unnecessary supermarket trips offering a ‘order today, collect forever and I would then have a concern tomorrow’ service to members and as a result has decided to “vote with [his] that Pallas Foods would [be] selling into of the public. Pallas Foods’ website states: feet” and switch some of his purchases to other the retail trade in the future,” he says. “I’d “Ireland’s number one food wholesaler – now suppliers. certainly be very concerned about that. I would open to the general public. Avoid unnecessary “If you’re going to compete with me, why have a definite attitude about how I would feel supermarket trips with our contact-free, next would I buy off you?” he asks. about that.” day Click and Collect service.”

Due to location, Gleeson’s business is not as badly affected as others closer to pick-up points.

Direct competition “They are operating beside a shopkeeper that O’Hara is unimpressed that any wholesaler Unfair playing field I would be very friendly with,” he says. “Their would decide to take this path. “I have a very Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience delivery point is right beside him so on a point good fruit and veg wholesaler calling to me,” Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA) of conscience, I am supporting my fellow he says, “and I would just wonder how as a told ShelfLife he was “gobsmacked” by the shopkeeper. retailer, I would feel if that wholesaler decided decision from a supplier to the trade to “set up “I’m probably far enough away that it’s not to set up a van outside the store [and sell to my in competition” with retailers. affecting me terribly but some of my custom customers], click and collect or otherwise. It’s “Retailers are competing in an ultrabase does come from the area where they’re a very simple analogy here. Pallas may have a competitive environment; we deserve all operating,” he adds. different view of it but I certainly would have competitors to operate from a level playing “I’ve certainly seen customers of mine [there] concerns.” field,” Jennings said. so that has upset me because it’s products that I As the wholesaler’s website shows, its While some retailers who spoke to us might be selling. I don’t think that’s acceptable. pick-up van points are located in car parks expressed surprise that a casual trading licence It smacks of running with the hares and hunting right across the country. These include the would have been granted at the pick-up with the hounds.” following: Dublin – Parkwest; Cork – Little locations listed online, a spokeswoman for Island; Dublin – Kilmacud car park; Limerick Dublin City Council confirmed to ShelfLife – Newcastle West; Athlone – Woodville that a casual trading licence is not required Disquieting Road; Dublin – Airside Swords; Galway – in this situation. “Click and collect services Clontarf-based retailer Gus O’Hara, who says The Huntsman; Limerick – Westward Ho, do not come under casual trading legislation Pallas Foods “would have supplied into our Mungret; Mullingar Park Hotel; Drogheda as the sale is not taking place in the public business model” from a catering perspective, – The Glenside Hotel; Cavan – Cavan Crystal domain,” she said. describes the wholesaler’s new venture as Hotel; Kilkenny – O’Loughlin Gaels car park; “disquieting”.

Waterford – Mount Sion, Ozanam Street; “They’re certainly not endearing themselves Point of conscience Castlebar – Breaffy House Resort; and Meath to retailers,” he tells ShelfLife.

Limerick retailer Shane Gleeson said he was – Clonard, The Monastery Inn. n Due to the fact there are no click and collect disappointed by the move by Pallas Foods www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife June 2020

10

SEEN AND HEARD

Brennans Bakeries’ distributors donate €5,000 to Mater Foundation

The distributors of Brennans Bakeries donated €5,000 to the Mater Foundation to help support frontline staff in the fight against Covid-19. Pictured are distributors David Shorten, Ger Trainor and Nicola Shorten from Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

SuperValu sales of Irish lamb set to reach €16.5 million SuperValu forecasts sales of €16.5 million in Irish lamb in its stores across Ireland this year, as consumer demand for new season fresh Irish lamb surges.

Hugh Fox at his farm in Glasson village outside Athlone in Co. Westmeath

Unsurprisingly in our current lockdown times, the rise in demand for lamb comes as consumers increasingly turn to home-cooked meals.

SuperValu stresses that all its lamb is 100% Irish-born and bred and sourced from Bord Bia quality-assured farmers.

One of SuperValu’s lamb suppliers is Willie Fox, a fourth-generation lamb farmer based in Co. Westmeath. Willie, who has been farming for over 60 years, runs his farm with the help of his nephew Hugh and Willie’s wife Ann and his mother Maura. Based in Glasson village outside Athlone in Co. Westmeath, the mixed grazing farm includes over 250 breeding ewes.

The Fox family have been supplying SuperValu for 30 years now.

“Our partnership with SuperValu has evolved

over the years,” Hugh Fox said, “and has allowed us to invest in our flock and in the farm to ensure that our practices are as sustainable as possible. We use traditional techniques, which have been passed on for generations, as well as the latest advanced techniques. This combination of the traditional and the modern mean that we supply SuperValu with the highest quality of meat.”

Martin Kelleher, managing director of SuperValu said that as “the number one supporter of the Irish agri-food industry”, SuperValu partners with thousands of local suppliers across the country. He emphasised that all SuperValu branded meat is 100% Bord Bia approved, supporting local Irish suppliers like Willie and Hugh.

SuperValu sales provide insight into lockdown shopping trends SuperValu has released a breakdown of the products and categories that have been selling strongly in its stores since the lockdown began.

The lockdown has seen the public spend more time in the kitchen: this has included a focus on broader culinary activity, with SuperValu reporting an 80% increase in olive oil sales. Meanwhile, the need to clean up more often in the kitchen saw a 60% rise in sales of dishwasher tablets.

With the majority of people working remotely since March, there has been renewed interest in baking and sales in this category have risen, most notably with flour products up 200%. There has also been a considerable uptake in demand for related products such as toppings, mini marshmallows and core baking ingredients like raising agents, flavourings and food colourings.

With many cafés closed, consumers are still looking for their coffee fix and SuperValu statistics show a 100% increase in coffee pod sales. Also, as families relax together by watching streamed series and box sets, there has been a 60% increase in sharing chocolate

Carley Dennan, system and resource duty manager at SuperValu, Blackrock, Co. Dublin

bars in SuperValu stores. However, shoppers are also craving healthy food, and SuperValu’s statistics show that a banana is being sold every second across its stores.

SuperValu shoppers have also become green-fingered, with plants and flowers sales rising 200%. The food retailer’s data also shows soap sales are up by 400% and due to Covid-19, SuperValu has sold enough toilet paper to go around the world eight times.

Edel Russell, innovation & consumer director of SuperValu said the statistics provide a unique snapshot of Irish shopping habits during the lockdown. “Our strong roots in communities across the country means that we are committed to serving vulnerable groups throughout the Covid-19 crisis,” she said, “and our trusted retailer network continues to provide these essential supports, with home delivery growth equivalent to opening 12 new SuperValu stores.”

Dettol donates 40,000 products to support HSE against Covid-19 Dettol, Ireland’s leading disinfectant brand*, has pledged its support to the HSE in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland with a donation of 40,000 Dettol antibacterial products over a 12-week period.

The Dettol antibacterial products will be distributed to hospitals and health service facilities and sites around the country with the aim of helping to keep these environments hygienically clean.

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

A total of 40,000 Dettol antibacterial products will be distributed to hospitals and health service facilities and sites around the country

Paul Reid, CEO of the HSE, expressed gratitude to Reckitt Benckiser and Dettol for their “significant donation”.

William O’Brien, country manager Ireland at Reckitt Benckiser, said the group wanted to extend its “warmest and heartfelt thanks to all of those who have been working extremely hard,

for exceptionally long hours, under extremely challenging circumstances to protect the nation against this virus and save lives.”

He added that he hoped the donation would help the HSE in fighting the pandemic in Ireland. “I know everyone at RB feels privileged and indeed proud to work for a company that is playing its part, however small, in this fight,” O’Brien said.

Echoing the donation made to the HSE, Dettol is calling on the Irish public to continue their efforts in the fight against Covid-19. *(Source: Nielsen MAT value, February 2020, Total Disinfectants)

SEEN AND HEARD

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SuperValu supports local as 15 Food Academy producers are listed in-store SuperValu is currently selling products from 15 new Irish food producers who have successfully completed its latest Food Academy programme.

Now in its seventh year, SuperValu Food Academy is a unique food business development programme between SuperValu, Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). Participants in the annual programme receive training in market research and branding, food safety, marketing, finance and business development.

The goal is to help early-stage Irish food and drink businesses to get their start in the food retail sector with their first, all-important supermarket listing in SuperValu.

This support for local is made possible

by SuperValu’s independent retail model,

whereby retailers can give SuperValu Food Academy members access to one or a small group of stores, allowing them to manage demand as they grow their operations.

One of the local food start-ups to list in SuperValu is Thanks Plants, a 100% plantbased, handmade vegan sausages brand.

Some of the other suppliers include: Larkins Farm, Muckross Creamery and Loch Measc.

These new suppliers reflect a shift in thinking towards sustainable, local food production and comprise healthy, plant-based and glutenfree offerings, underpinned by values of provenance, transparency, and authenticity.

Food Academy producers have sold a combined €140 million of produce in SuperValu since 2014, supporting 1,500 jobs in the economy. To date, 620 producers have come

Aisling Cullen of Thanks Plants, with her children Aida (5) and Sebastian (3)

through the programme, with 272 producers currently enrolled in the programme.

The programme is now open for applications until Friday, 26 June 2020. To apply, contact your Local Enterprise Office for an application form on www.localenterprise.ie.

PCS introduced as a nominated supplier to Musgrave

Beara hand sanitiser helps SuperValu staff to ‘StaySafe’

Premium Cash Solutions (PCS) has been appointed as a nominated supplier by the Musgrave Group for the supply and installation of cash management systems to SuperValu and Centra stores. In partnership with Gunnebo, a global leader in security hardware and software solutions, PCS provides cash handling and cash PCS delivers a multitude of management solutions across the island of benefits Ireland.

For many businesses, accepting and handling cash is virtually unavoidable; it is a labour-intensive process from counting, sorting, reconciling, and balancing of tills etc. This translates into excessive labour costs and loses due to counterfeit fraud, internal theft, administrative errors and even robbery.

The PCS range of products are designed to individually adapt to each company’s cash cycle and improve the cash management experience for everyone involved. PCS customises solutions that securely automate processes and simplify operations, for the better management of the journey of cash, providing greater security, efficiency and control to its clients and trusted partners including Circle K, BWG Foods, Maxol and many more.

Thomas Desmond, head of business development at PCS (ROI and NI), said the company is delighted to have been appointed by Musgrave.

For more information, visit www.premiumcashsolutions.com.

SuperValu has made ‘StaySafe’, an Irish-produced hand sanitiser, available to staff across its 223 stores. It is produced by Beara Distillery, better known as an awardwinning gin producer based in West Cork.

Under the terms of a €250,000 supplier agreement with Beara Distillery, SuperValu John and Eileen Power of Beara Distillery with their hand has secured the supply of sanitiser, StaySafe 27,000 litres of the StaySafe sanitiser, which will be used as part of its rigorous in-store sanitising requirements for staff, alongside safety and social distancing measures. StaySafe was developed in accordance to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, using 80% alcohol.

SuperValu said the partnership underlines its ongoing commitment to supporting local suppliers wherever possible.

Beara, which produces its distinctive, high-quality Ocean Gin at the Beara Distillery in Castletownbere, West Cork, is a member of SuperValu’s pioneering Food Academy programme, and has won a number of awards, including being voted Best Irish Gin late last year.

Guaranteed Irish announces new partnership with Centra Guaranteed Irish, the business membership network championing indigenous and multinational businesses operating in Ireland, has announced a new partnership with leading convenience retail group Centra.

Centra, which serves over 3 million customers every week, supports over 11,000 jobs at 473 locations throughout Ireland, with an annual Irish turnover of €1.7bn. With over 75% of the produce stocked on the shelves of Centra sourced in Ireland, the new official partnership will allow Guaranteed Irish to further nurture and grow its network of indigenous Irish businesses, as well as reach a new audience of health-conscious consumers, further building brand awareness amongst Irish shoppers of the importance of supporting local.

Guaranteed Irish businesses make a significant contribution to the Irish economy every year,

Martin Kelleher, managing director, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland and Brid O’Connell, CEO, Guaranteed Irish

both in terms of turnover and employment, as well as contributing to their local communities.

With the addition of 473 independently-owned

Centra stores, Guaranteed Irish now has almost 1,200 business members, employing 86,000+ people across Ireland, generating an annual combined Irish turnover of €12.9bn.

Centra invests more than €240 million in local communities throughout Ireland annually.

The retail group plans to invest close to €300,000 to promote its official retail partnership with Guaranteed Irish to highlight and raise awareness of the benefits of purchasing Guaranteed Irish brands. Marketing activations include: • Digital activation, including a website landing page, social media takeover and the promotion of Irish products across digital • Centra compostable bags to display the Guaranteed Irish symbol • Centra customer handbills to include the Guaranteed Irish symbol n

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife June 2020

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ADVISOR: HR 53

ADVISOR: HR

GDPR issues arising as a result of Covid-19 CAROLINE MCENERY managing director, The HR Suite

As Ireland gradually emerges from lockdown, Caroline McEnery of The HR Suite examines the sensitivities involved in the collection, storage, disclosure and retention of employees’ medical data, and outlines how to ensure your company stays on the right side of the law

I

t is safe to say that Covid-19 has challenged employers in adapting to the rapid development of the ‘new norm’ whilst also continuing to strike a balance between the business and their employees’ best interests. That certainly is a challenge of huge proportions that not many businesses could have been prepared for.

As our Covid-19 situation develops and we navigate this new storm, businesses begin to think about their contingency plan in the reopening or continuation of their business in the coming weeks, months and perhaps even years.

It is prudent for businesses to remember that whilst this crisis has brought about definite operational challenges in the best interests of their employees’ safety, it has also raised the bar in terms of general data protection regulation (GDPR) and the volume of personal data businesses now need to collect.

Safeguarding medical information The Commission Nationale pour la Protection des Données (CNPD) in Luxembourg has drawn a reasonable data protection concern over suggestions that daily health statements or temperature checks could be requested by employers, writes Caroline McEnery

Medical information pertaining to an employee is considered sensitive personal data and requires heightened vigilance from the employer in collecting personal information, which ultimately must be necessary and serve a legitimate purpose for the legality of its processing.

In the Irish government’s return to work protocol, it clearly identifies that additional measures need to be taken on behalf of the employer in relation to their employees before and during any return to the workplace. For example, a pre-return to work form, notification of feeling unwell and a Covid response team.

Each of these measures includes small print which silently whispers GDPR! The ripple effect of their input will mean that the employer holds the additional responsibility of safeguarding this information.

An employer, when collecting such data, must be clear and transparent in their communication of the purpose for collecting and retaining any information relating to an employee. Particularly, where medical data is concerned.

Clear response plan

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.

So, what happens when the alarm bells are raised for a suspected or confirmed case in the workplace?

Measures taken in response to a suspected case of Covid-19 in the workplace must involve a heightened awareness from a company perspective. This ranges from who is permitted to have access to the data, who is on the Covid response team trained on appropriate data collection and storage, and how much information should be relayed to a person at risk that may need to self-isolate.

It is imperative that a clear response plan pays tribute to these key GDPR matters.

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

For each data processing action in relation to the collection, storage, disclosure or retention of data, a balancing of interests must be struck between the legitimate interest of the employee to keep their personal data private and the obligation of the employer to ensure the health and safety of their employees at work. It is the employer’s legal obligation under the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act to protect the health and safety of their employees whilst at work. In this current pandemic, health and safety must prevail when it becomes necessary to communicate to staff regarding the possible presence of Covid-19 in the workplace.

Disclosure In the best interests of the health and safety of all employees, the employer may disclose the exposure to a person or people identified as at risk, to an extent that is proportionate and necessary, while refraining from revealing any personal data that is identifiable to the employee suspected or confirmed to have contracted the virus.

In emergency circumstances, where an employee is physically unable to give consent to process their personal data, it is permissible to process this individual’s data to protect the interests of the employee and others in the workplace.

Irrespective of these measures, employees must continuously be reminded of company policy and the requirement to remain at home if they begin to feel symptomatic. Employees must notify their employer if they begin to feel unwell and are showing symptoms related to Covid-19, so as to minimise the risk of exposure and necessity for the employer to consult with any employees on the need to self-isolate.

Data protection concerns Although there has been no advice published at present in relation to the dos and don’ts of GDPR and the current pandemic from the Data Protection Commissioner in Ireland at the time of writing, the advice available from the Commission Nationale pour la Protection des Données (CNPD) in Luxembourg has drawn a reasonable data protection concern over suggestions that daily health statements or temperature checks could be requested by employers. This is an interesting consideration as many talks continue around the possibility of temperature checks in the workplace in the not-so-distant future.

The HR Suite can advise you and your organisation how to be proactive in managing GDPR issues that arise as a result of Covid-19 in your organisation. If you require further information or advice on the above, please do not hesitate to contact its HR consultants on (01)9014335 or (066)7102887. n

CASE STUDY

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Revenue optimisation for the FMCG industry With margins growing ever tighter, consumer goods companies need now more than ever, to be driven by the insights hidden within their data. With the Advise solution, optimising efficiencies, effectiveness, and decisions may not be as expensive or as far away as you think

RecommenderX has developed the Advise solution to increase companies’ sales, by offering better insights into how products are performing: O’Brien Fine Foods is already reaping the benefits

Increased sales

F

or consumer goods companies, understanding the performance of their products and ranges across hundreds of stores in different retailer groups is a complex challenge. Data is available, but the signals needed are spread across a variety of disparate sources, and a large amount of manual effort is required, on an ongoing basis, to extract insight and turn it into action.

Dr. Kevin McCarthy, from RecommenderX, knows from his years of experience in artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics research that the data needed to empower better decision making within an organisation, is often locked away in databases and Excel spreadsheets.

Kevin and his team have worked with clients in the FMCG industry for several years. They talk the language of FMCG and understand the available data. Seeing the acute challenges being faced across the industry has led them to develop the Advise solution.

Advantages of Advise

• Increased revenues • Pricing and promotion optimisation • Reduced costs costs

Advise Advise is an out-of-the-box solution, which automatically brings together consumer goods data from multiple sources to create one view of the truth. Advise provides powerful data visualisation and predictive analytics capabilities over the various point of sale, promotion, and distribution data.

The team at RecommenderX configure and deploy Advise, specifically customised to each client’s needs, enabling them to make the most of their data, democratising access to all departments, and automating revenue optimisation.

O’Brien Fine Foods

Fundamentally, Advise is designed to increase sales, by offering better insights into how products are performing all the way down to an individual SKU at a specific store.

Field sales teams can access all of this information at the touch of a button, either at their desks or via a mobile device when on the road.

With faster and more complete access to relevant data, it is easier than ever for sales representatives to identify opportunities in the market and this guides their daily interactions with buyers and store managers.

Cooked meats specialist, O’Brien Fine Foods, recently deployed the Advise solution and it is already reaping the benefits. Advise has enabled O’Brien Fine Foods to examine the trends during Covid19 and has helped shape strategies to react to changes in shopper behaviour.

Advise has enabled O’Brien Fine Foods “We had been searching for a to shape strategies solution to integrate our various to react to changes in shopper behaviour sources of data to help streamline during the Covid-19 our insights process to enable more crisis informed and quicker business decisions,” says Stephen O’Neill, head of category and insight at O’Brien Fine Foods.

Pricing and promotion optimisation “The Advise platform gives us one view Back at base, category and marketing teams of our data, unifying the information and use Advise to track the performance of improving efficiencies, which means we will also products across the market from both their realise cost savings as less time is allocated to own ranges and those of their competitors. data mining across the departments.”

Advise automatically leverages insights in the market to guide these teams in the One time offer optimisation of future promotion strategies Advise is an affordable solution and the team and price points. Together, these Advise at RecommenderX can help you, as they have features help to better position products in helped O’Brien Fine Foods. RecommenderX the market. is offering free proof-of-concept deployments of Advise, fully configured and deployed, for Reduced costs qualified companies (terms and conditions Above and beyond increasing sales and apply). Contact Kevin and the Advise team optimising promotions, Advise offers today to learn more! n significant cost savings by making all roles in the business more efficient. Advise automates Contact Advise to set up a call: the monotonous, error-prone, and time kevin@recommenderx.com consuming action of codifying, aggregating, and maintaining category and product data. It Check out the website: presents insights through a range of easy to use www.recommenderx.com dashboards. This frees the category and insights teams, as well as heads of departments, to focus Try Advise now: on making informed decisions and driving playground.recommenderx.com change in their business. www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife June 2020

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STORE PROFILE

Maintain and improve

Centra Castlebar is situated on a busy road, with a lot of housing nearby, alongside a train station, substantial office space and student accommodation

When Paul Keegan of Centra Castlebar, dove headfirst into an ambitious store revamp, he didn’t expect the country to shutdown one week after it’s completion. Now, Keegan tells Julia O’Reilly how the future of the store looks bright

W

hen the opportunity to open a Centra in Castlebar arose, Paul Keegan jumped at it. At the time, he had other Centra stores in his portfolio.

But opening the first in Castlebar appealed to the Mayo man, who hails from Ballina.

Asserting to ShelfLife that when the opportunity came he ‘grabbed it’, he continues, “I’ve been with Centra since 2007, and have a couple of other Centra stores. This site used to belong to John Hanley. He’s been a retailer here in Castlebar for years.”

It was the potential in the catchment area that initially attracted Keegan to the site: “It’s situated on a busy road. There’s a lot of housing nearby, along with a train station, substantial office space, student accommodation. It’s all there,” he says. “Plus, ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

“Secondly, and more importantly, I wanted to create a best in class foodservice operation with a sit-down area, to harness an untapped market in the locality,” he adds. “The site is 4,000sq ft, so I knew I had the space to get the offer right and reap the benefits.

“To that end, I believe we have succeeded. We introduced Frank and Honest Coffees, a Wings and Ribs bar, Green Kitchen, healthy salads and M’ood Ice Cream, along with a fabulous sitdown area. I’m happy to say these additions have proven extremely popular with our customers.”

It is apparent that Keegan has nothing but admiration for the Centra team, who he says has been supportive of his vision for the store from the start.

“When Centra sales director, Dan Curtin, paid the store a visit during the planning process, he backed my vision 100%,” says Keegan. “This gave me further confidence in driving the project.”

Support network

“What makes Centra so exceptional is its support network,” he continues. “Through every step of this process, from financial planning to staff training, Centra had someone alongside me offering invaluable advice and guidance. A team of wonderful people helped I’m a proud Mayo man myself so it doesn’t me turn a dream into reality.” hurt that we’re at the foot of the MacHale The lengthy renovation process wrapped Park Road, beside the home of the Mayo GAA up just one week before the country went into football team.” lockdown. “We had a week to see everything The store originally opened in 1935 and in its glory,” says Keegan. “The onset of the traded as a supermarket until March 2019, virus probably couldn’t have come at a worse when Keegan brought it into the Centra family. time for the store.”

Few would disagree. Like every other Key ambitions retailer across the country, the pandemic “When I took over the store, it was obvious dramatically impacted his footfall and caused that it needed to be modernised,” Keegan says. his new sit-down area to shut temporarily.

“To my mind, I had two key ambitions with the Throughout, Keegan has been working site: Firstly, I wanted to maintain and improve closely with Centra to drive the business this traditional neighbourhood shop so locals through these tough times.

Demonstrating his could do a full shop in our store. business-savvy, the team introduced new takeaway offerings that have proven to be a hit with customers.

What’s more, as part of a nationwide Centra campaign, Centra Castlebar launched a new online shopping service. The team also run a phone-in delivery service for the elderly and vulnerable in the community.

“Customers can also order food on the Beat the Queue app,” adds Tara Reilly and Paul Keegan in Centra Castlebar’s inviting sit-down area Keegan.

STORE PROFILE

15

With an excellent range across all categories, such as fruit and veg shown above, the store has received strong customer feedback

While we speak, his conversation is regularly punctuated with bountiful praise for the Centra brand. “The thoroughly professional way in which Centra has kept me and my team fully briefed during Covid-19 has enabled us to successfully steer our way through this very unsettling time,” he says.

Team player His praise for Centra is matched only by that of his appreciation for the Centra Castlebar team. The staff is a mix of the store’s previous employees and new faces.

Describing his 15-strong team as a “great blend of experience and youth,” Keegan continues: “I believe in the importance of every single staff member and their ability to work on their own initiative, and as part of the overall team.”

As a manager, Keegan says he focuses on “offering advice and direction to anybody who needs or wants it. Once a team member has been trained to do their job, I feel confident that if there are any issues, they can come and talk to me at any time.

Centra Castlebar has achieved 70% growth in coffee sales

“Staff training is of huge importance to me,” he adds. “Thanks to the Musgrave Employee Training Program we have been constantly upskilling our team. When an employee is well equipped to do their job, it creates a great working atmosphere in-store. This is apparent in the way our team interacts with customers and in the pride they take in their respective departments.”

Asked how his team has adapted to the current crisis, Keegan replies: “They’ve been

In-store additions such as the M’ood Ice Cream concept “have proven extremely popular with our customers,” says retailer Paul Keegan

And how have the locals responded to the revamped store? “They love it,” replies Keegan, with pride in his voice. “The feedback from customers has been truly fantastic.

They love the new look and feel to the store.

Despite the decrease in football, I’ve seen more new faces every week. It’s been great to see.”

Welcome growth Despite the apparent challenges, Centra Castlebar experienced welcome growth during the period. Sales have been encouraging: “The areas that you would expect to see enjoying Paul Keegan and Tomas Vaskys in front of the deli, which has growth have landed,” seen sales rise by 30%, while bakery sales have grown by 60% Keegan tells ShelfLife.

“The likes of meat, poultry brilliant. The team has ensured that customer and fish, produce and off-licence have service goes above and beyond the call of experienced 100% growth.” duty. They’ve been doing a wonderful job and He is however, most pleased of the growth I couldn’t be more proud of them.” in areas that have nationally suffered due No one could doubt Keegan’s sincerity on to reduced footfall. “We’ve seen substantial this matter. He’s genuinely grateful for the growth in key convenience categories in team around him. the store,” says Keegan. “Bakery sales have While Keegan has been in Castlebar for grown by 60%, coffee by 70%, ice cream by over a year now, much of that time was 100%, and deli sales by 30%. spent focused on the revamp. “As a result, “I remain, by nature, optimistic and a I’m still finding my feet in the wider realist,” says Keegan. “Of course, some community,” he says. businesses are performing better than With the renovation finally complete, others, but all things considered, business is he now sees new faces coming into the good. store every single day. “I’m getting to know “Once the crisis is over, I see only great my customers on a personal level,” he says. things for the store,” he tells ShelfLife. “When “My doing home deliveries helps with that,” footfall increases, I believe we will be well he continues before turning philosophical: prepared to meet the expected demand.

“Unfortunately it often takes downturn times Centra Castlebar is going in the right like this, to really pull communities together.” direction. The future looks bright here.” n www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife June 2020

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ADVISOR Recruitment

People, not tech, will be key to retail’s rebound BARRY WHELAN managing director of Excel Recruitment

www.excelrecruitment.com

While technological advances often dominate business news headlines, recent weeks have brought the importance of human interaction in-store into clearer focus than ever. As such, Excel Recruitment’s Barry Whelan offers some sage advice to help your team remain motivated in the weeks ahead

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n retail, as with the rest of the world, there has been a huge shift in recent years towards a technology-centric way of doing, well, everything. The idea that customers are looking for cuttingedge tech in all aspects of their in-store experience has become standard, but has anyone actually asked the customers?

A recent survey by UK-based company Retail Choice has shown that this rush to the future may go against what customers actually want. According to its survey, 71% of consumers have used in-store technology before, with the most common being self-service checkouts (56%), followed by ‘scan as you shop’ (20%). Interestingly, only 9% of consumers have used technology such as an in-store tablet to learn more about a product and only 8% have used QR scanners for the same reason. The survey shows 67% of people are more likely to purchase a product if they receive personable and friendly customer service and over half of consumers (51%) return to their favourite stores because of the great customer service they receive.

So what does this mean? The lack of engagement with product information technology, according to Retail Choice, points to consumers wanting to speak to real people to learn about products and perhaps recent weeks have reinforced this way of thinking even further. What lockdown has proven without doubt is humans want to interact with other humans. As people became cut off from friends and family, shopping became for many the only way to see some friendly faces and their interactions with retail workers became even more valuable As a retailer, the type and scale of the tech you employ, if any, is down to you and your business needs. But the key to any changes being successful and how you will bounce back post-Covid will no doubt be your team. Here are some tips to utilise your current team to ensure your business goes from strength to strength no matter what else may change.

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

While a recent survey by UK-based company Retail Choice, showed 20% of consumers have used ‘scan as you shop’ technology, Barry Whelan writes that “what lockdown has proven without doubt is humans want to interact with other humans”

Ensure employees feel appreciated Make sure your team know how crucial they are to the customer experience and build reward and recognition into the regular routine of your business. While ‘employee of the month’, structured bonus schemes or social media shoutouts may look impressive, they don’t fit into every business. Things like biscuits for the breakroom after a busy period or simply saying ‘thanks’ or ‘well done’ shouldn’t be forgotten about and can go a long way in keeping morale up.

Ensure employees feel empowered Shoppers return to stores with friendly and personable staff who take the time to understand their needs and requirements. But staff need the knowledge and training to ensure this time is valuable for the customer and the business. Provide your staff with the tools to deliver excellent customer service whether that’s product training, tasting sessions or trials or visits from sales reps.

Give your staff as many opportunities as possible to learn more about your product range and take pride in it.

Ensure employees feel supported Retail, to state the obvious, is a peoplefocused business. This should extend to your employees. It is important to listen to the needs and wishes of your team. While it will be impossible as an employer to meet all of your staff’s needs all at the same time, just feeling like they have a forum to be heard can mean a lot to people. It’s also important to be able to spot trends, such as recurring technical problems or personality clashes in certain teams, to ensure overall morale isn’t affected.

Ensure employees feel in the loop In current times, there will be a lot of changes in-store. When introducing anything new to staff; new technology, new processes, guidelines etc., take the time to highlight changes to your team rather than just plonking something new and scary into established routines.

Be clear on the reasons why it has been brought in and the added value, or potential burdens, it will bring for your staff. The past few weeks have proven the resilience and flexibility to adapt by retail staff nationwide but that doesn’t mean that clear communication isn’t needed or appreciated by everyone. n

100 Master Brands at Home CATEGORY FOCUS

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Ireland’s 100 most-chosen brands COMPILED BY

The much-awaited Kantar 100 Master Brands at Home listing has landed! Here, Kantar Ireland managing director David Berry outlines the key insights and takeaways to learn from this year’s results

Q: How can the findings from this year’s ranking be used to help brands and retailers navigate through the uncertainty generated by the Covid-19 crisis?

A: At Kantar, we know that in times of crisis, shoppers turn to familiar, well-loved brands for comfort. We can see evidence of this in our latest data release which shows brands growing at +32% year-onyear in the lockdown period covered by the latest 12 weeks to 17 May. For brands, this is a reassurance of their role in providing comfort in a time of crisis. It is also a call to action to ensure you have a clear differentiation position to retain your consumers and price point in the recession to come. For retailers, at a time when shoppers are reducing their store repertoire and limiting their time in-store, it has never been more important to have the right brands in the right place at that moment of truth to keep your shoppers loyal. >>

Kantar Ireland managing director David Berry says that during the Covid-19 crisis, “it has never been more important to have the right brands in the right place”

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife June 2020

20 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home

How is the Kantar Brand Footprint calculated?

The complete ranking comprises over 200 FMCG categories tracked around the world by Kantar across beverages, food, health & beauty

and homecare.

The ranking is based on an innovative metric created by Kantar called Consumer Reach Points

(CRP), which measures each time a consumer chooses a brand. The data for this year’s ranking was collected in the 52 weeks to October 2019.

Ice cream

Crisps and snacks

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According to industry observers, these are the “levers” a brand should pull in order to attract new shoppers and new occasions

Q: Three major consumer trends that have been frequently reported during the past year include a greater focus on sustainability, health and wellbeing and vegan produce.

How have these trends been reflected in this year’s ranking?

Are there further major consumer trends you would add to this list?

A: Sustainability and health & wellbeing are certainly still major

considerations in consumer choice, and the trend towards plant-based/vegan produce is only becoming more popular and indeed more accessible thanks to brands’ innovation and range expansion.

Some brands in the highestranking 100 that stand out for their innovation within the health & wellness realm are Glenisk (number 18) and Ballyfree (number 63) – both tapping into the low fat/high protein trend, as

well as Alpro (number 20) and Kelkin (number 72). The latter brands are two of the biggest players in the free-from market, offering shoppers with specific dietary concerns such as dairy or gluten avoidance more choice.

That’s not to say that consumer choice is influenced primarily by health concerns; indulgence still remains a major trend this year. Twenty of the brands in the most-chosen 100 would be typically indulgent brands (within

confectionery, crisps and soft drinks), and 16 of these have seen their consumer reach grow. Jacob’s, Dairy Milk, Tayto and Coke all hold firm to their place in the top 10, and even the quintessential “healthy” brands we’ve mentioned – Alpro, Glenisk, Kelkin, Ballyfree – all offer healthier twists on indulgent products, ensuring that they’re also tapping into the indulgence occasion.

Focus on: Frozen vegetarian products Frozen vegetarian products were one of the fastest growing categories in 2019. Consumer reach increased by 10.6% year-on-year, now at 4.6m points. This growth was driven by 62,000 new shoppers buying into the category – which is now purchased by 30.8% of Irish households.

We know that veganism and vegetarianism is on the rise, as consumers seek out plant-based alternatives for a number of reasons – health, ethics, sustainability and environmental concerns. However, that’s not to say that this category is growing only through shoppers converting to a vegetarian diet. In fact, our recent study shows that there is a strong movement towards a ‘flexitarian’ diet, with 22.1% of Irish shoppers identifying themselves as such. Rather than eliminating meat and animal products entirely from their diets, a large portion of shoppers are making small changes to the way that they eat and cutting back on their

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meat consumption – some sticking to a vegan diet during the working week, others committing to ‘Meat Free Mondays’, others swapping out one meal a day for a plantbased alternative.

We’ve seen a number of brands innovate and expand their range to meet these increasingly widespread consumer demands. Birds Eye maintained a spot within the top 20 brands this year, helped by the launch of its meat-free ‘Green Cuisine’ range, which includes vegetarian burgers, sausages and meatballs. Quorn, a classic brand in this category, sits just outside the highest 100 this year, but has seen strong growth in its consumer reach thanks to its vast range of both vegan and vegetarian offerings.

Quorn would certainly be a brand to watch out for in next year’s rankings if this growth and indeed the growth of this category is maintained.

100 Master Brands at Home CATEGORY FOCUS COMPILED BY

What this research IS:

21

What this research IS NOT:

4 Data is sourced from 5,000 demographically representative Irish households recording their take home grocery 4 Comprises over 200 FMCG categories which are recorded by Kantar on a continuous basis – including those in the beverages, food, health and beauty and home and care sectors 4 The list is based on a measure of how many households purchased a brand at least once during the year (penetration), and the average number of times households bought the brand (frequency) 4 These two numbers are multiplied to calculate each brand’s ‘Consumer Reach Points’ (CRP) score

6 It is not based on sales or EPOS data, measuring either value or volume sales 6 The data does not reflect food purchased and eaten out of the home 6 Impulse pack products have been excluded from the dataset 6 The following categories are not included in the Brand Footprint ranking: batteries, tobacco, nappies or spirits

4 The report covers the period of 52 w/e October 2018 vs 52 w/e October 2019 4 Kantar provided households with barcode scanners in order to scan the goods that they had purchased for at home consumption

Q: Last year, Kantar reported that the categories achieving the strongest growth were mineral water, coffee & hot beverages and ready meals. Does this remain unchanged and if so, what are the factors responsible for this growth?

A: The coffee category is still in growth, with Nescafé increasing its footprint and jumping four places in the ranking, just outside the top 20. Although the category isn’t maintaining the same levels of growth that we saw last year, with increased at-home coffee consumption due to the increase in working from home and the current café closures, this is certainly a category we’d expect to see return to the top next year.

Mineral water, which was the strongest growing category last year, has seen a decline in consumer reach this year.

Last year’s success was largely circumstantial, as the soft drinks sugar tax and the summer heatwave created an advantageous environment for mineral water. With last summer’s cooler temperatures and the noise around sugar quietening down, shoppers had less of a draw towards this category.

A category that has seen incredible growth this year is frozen vegetarian products – increasing its consumer reach by 10.6%. In total, 30.8% of Irish households bought into the category – an additional 62,000 households since last year. Within the highest-ranking 100, Birds Eye (number 12), has expanded its range, launching meat-free

‘Green Cuisine’, to meet the needs of this growing group of vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians. Other smaller brands playing in this category sit outside the highest 100, however we would certainly expect to see them move up the rankings next year as this trend continues.

Q: Which two brands have recorded the largest leaps within this year’s ranking and what would you attribute this success to?

A: The results this year demonstrate the challenging landscape brands are currently faced with. Only 36 of the highest 100 brands saw an increase in their footprint, compared to 58 last year. As retailer own brands expand across a broader range of categories and price points, consumers are faced with many more choices resulting in a more competitive grocery market than ever.

With that being said, a number of brands performed very well this year. Two standouts this year that have moved forward 29 and 28 places in the ranking respectively are Aero – a new entry to the top 100 – and Lucozade.

Lucozade expanded its consumer reach by 25%, attracting an additional 40,000 shoppers making 1.2 additional purchases throughout the year.

Lucozade Zero was at the forefront of the brand’s success.

A strong marketing campaign including outdoor promotions on streets and in college campuses, TV sponsorship of First Dates

Ireland and consistent social media activity, drove brand awareness and engagement. This was especially effective among young shoppers; Lucozade Zero almost tripled its pre-family shopper base.

Aero expanded its consumer reach by 24%, securing its place in the highest 100 at number 84.

A new advertising campaign, as well as extending into the gifting category with the launch of Aero Bliss, helped the brand win over 43,000 new shoppers, with purchase frequency increasing +16.8%.

Q: Which brands have really stood out in the past year in terms of delivering a compelling 360° marketing campaign which has translated into sales?

A: 2019 was a big year for Tayto – a constant in the top 10 brands in recent years (now at number 7) - for two main reasons.

Firstly, the brand celebrated its 65th birthday in June of 2019, where the much-loved Irish icon, Mr. Tayto, launched ‘National Tayto Day’. The day was celebrated using various marketing activities, such as a social media scavenger hunt, prize giveaways, and wrapping up the day with a birthday party in Copper Face Jacks.

While the brand made sure to celebrate all things Irish around this time, Tayto also launched its new product Tayto Muchos with a tongue-in-cheek TV ad appealing to the younger shopper. The new, more exotic brand was launched to capture consumers who have been abroad or have

adapted a more adventurous palate here at home. Through focusing marketing efforts on the brand’s existing loyal customers with National Tayto day, and targeting new shoppers through the expansion of its range, Tayto managed to increase consumer reach by +13%, attracting an additional 37,000 households to the brand, as well as encouraging existing shoppers to purchase more often.

Q: The 100 Master Brands at Home ranking typically shows the strength of indigenous brands with a rich Irish heritage.

How can brands continue to capitalise on this moving forwards?

A: The recent crisis has made local more important than ever.

We see shoppers supporting local convenience stores and supermarkets, and choosing local restaurants offering new takeaway options. Local producers are finding directto-customer online routes too.

For brands, it is important to emphasise your role in the local community and in supporting the Irish economy as we emerge from lockdown into recession. In the last recession we saw the emergence of the ‘Love Irish’ brand directing shoppers to support Irish products. Similarly, we can expect that in the coming year having a meaningful ‘Irish’ story to tell, with regard to heritage, role in the community, and supporting the economy, will help your brand to resonate with shoppers.

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22 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home COMPILED BY

1. Brennans

Generations of Irish people have revelled in opening the famous yellow wrapping of a Brennans Family Pan and getting the aroma of fresh bread. This history combined with nostalgia-tinged advertising make Brennans Ireland’s most popular bread.

Brennans’ long term success has been based on three key pillars: a distinctive brand, a strong distribution network and – most importantly – a fresh, quality product. While those pillars are still as important today as they were when Joseph Brennan baked his first Family Pan, Brennans has

introduced numerous new and exciting breads in recent years, which have been created not only to meet changing consumer tastes, but to inspire them.

Brennans is also answering consumer needs by continuing to take active steps in its journey as a business, striving towards a more eco-friendly future. The team has introduced many sustainability changes to the bakery like rain water harvesting and energy monitoring systems.

Also, the wax paper packaging, which is used for many of its bread products, has recently been certified as 100% recyclable and industrial compostable.

Brennans delivers a distinctive brand, a strong distribution network and – most importantly – a fresh, quality product

2. Avonmore

Avonmore Super Milk is now a significant growth brand in the fresh milk category. Avonmore’s strategy for its largest milk brand has delivered year-on-year growth and value in the dairy isle.

Vitamin D is top of mind for consumers and much research in recent weeks has highlighted the importance of Vitamin D for healthy bones and also its role in immunity. Given the awareness around Vitamin D, it’s really important to stock up on both the Whole Milk, Low Fat and the most recent addition to the Super Milk range; Super Milk Fat Free.

Avonmore Super Milk has generated year-on-year growth

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100% RECYCLABLE

100% RECYCLABLE

t S r i F S y a w Al t S i L e h

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Brennans Bread. Always the first choice with consumers.

Our goal has always been to bake a fresh, quality and great tasting range of breads that marry our traditions with the needs of modern Irish shoppers. This ambition also makes sure we’re the number one bread brand in Ireland, year after year. Because no matter what, Irish consumers know they can always rely on Brennans delivering today’s bread today.

T O D A Y’S B R E A D T O D A Y

24 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home COMPILED BY

3. Jacob’s

much-loved classic, there is nothing like it on the market so keep your eyes and ears peeled for this!

Q & A with…

Claire Allen, snacking marketing manager, Valeo Foods Group

Q: The Jacob’s range focuses on the concept of providing ‘little luxuries’ and moments of indulgence. How has greater consumer knowledge of specialist coffees and beverages complemented and influenced this focus?

Q: The biscuits and snacks categories face heavy competition from private-label alternatives. How important a role does Jacob’s Irish heritage play in ensuring its brands stand out from rivals and can command a higher price point?

A: The Jacob’s brand has the highest brand penetration in the country,* meaning that you will find our brand in more kitchen presses than any other in Ireland. We’ve been part of Irish homes since 1851 and as a result, consumers trust that at Jacob’s we offer a range of highquality biscuits and crackers**.

Our consistent presence in the lives of Irish consumers has meant that we understand their needs when it comes to their snacking habits and can continue to evolve our range to meet those needs. From our Elite and Mediterraneo range of indulgent special treats and crackers to our plains and creams, our diverse portfolios offer something unique at varying price points for every occasion.

A: At Jacob’s, we know that many consumers can’t enjoy their favourite hot beverage without sharing it with their preferred biscuit. This has always been the case and both past and present we have been dedicated to finding the perfect hot beverage companion. Historically, in Ireland, tea was the hot beverage of choice, however in recent years we cannot ignore the dominance of the coffee occasion. This has more recently influenced our decision to launch more waferbased biscuits like our Caffè di Milano range and Elite Cream Wafer Bars. The wafer recipe creates a lighter eat making them the ideal choice to enjoy with your favourite cup of coffee.

Claire Allen

Q: How do believe the Covid-19 crisis will affect trends in the biscuit category going forwards and how will Jacob’s navigate these changes within the marketplace?

*(Source: Kantar Most Chosen 100) **(Source: Red C Qualitative Research April 2020)

Q: How has Jacob’s continued to innovate within the sweet treats and savoury snacks segments and meet the latest consumer trends, including a greater focus on healthy and sustainable choices?

A: At Jacob’s, we are proud of our distinctive core range of biscuits and crackers like our Kimberley, Mikado and Coconut Creams. We are also eager to continue to excite consumers and are therefore committed to a continuous innovation pipeline that will reinvigorate the biscuit category. We are delighted to have lots of exciting new product launches planned for 2020.

In savoury, the cheese and wine occasions are very prevalent and our new Wheat and Water Crackers, launching this August, are perfect for this. Consumers are becoming more aware of food wastage and are looking for convenient pack formats, these new lines will be available in snack packs answering to both trends.

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During the Covid-19 crisis, Jacob’s is confident its indulgent cracker range including Mediterraneo Tapas Crackers and new Water and Wheat Crackers will thrive, at a time when the in-home cheeseboard and crackers occasion is growing in popularity

While health is high on the agenda, consumers are still looking to indulge, and our Elite biscuits are all about those little moments of luxury. Our recent launch, Elite Cream Wafer Bars, have already been proving to

be a great success, offering consumers an individually wrapped luxurious chocolate biscuit bar. We’re also working on something extremely special, due to launch in September 2020. A delicious twist on a

A: Now more than ever, with many coffee shops and restaurants remaining unopen or offering take-away services only, in-home consumption has increased across all eating occasions. As consumers continue to entertain close friends and families in their own home, we believe this will continue to be a huge trend in the future. For biscuits, this will mean consumers will want to create that in-home café experience offering a premium range of biscuits and our range of special treats will become even more important here.

At the weekend, the in-home cheeseboard and crackers occasion we believe will also increase in popularity and as a result our indulgent cracker range like our Mediterraneo Tapas Crackers and new Water and Wheat Crackers will thrive.

While we know there are challenging times ahead for the economy, we believe that consumers will still look for affordable luxuries as a moment of escape and our biscuits and crackers offer just that.

26 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home COMPILED BY

6. Knorr

Meat Free just got better with the launch of Denny’s new Meat Free range

4. Denny

Denny is one of Ireland’s most iconic brands and is the fourth most chosen brand in Ireland. It has 200 years of heritage with Irish families and is a much-loved staple in Irish households. Denny continues to meet the needs of the Denny consumer of the future through launching a range of Meat Free products for people looking for meat alternatives.

This new launch brings the Denny brand into the new eating occasion of dinner time as well as its core eating occasions in breakfast and lunch. The Denny Meat Free range includes: Meat Free Sausages, Meat Free Burgers and Meat Free Mince. All packed with the great taste consumers expect from Denny, with the added benefits of being high in protein and a source of fibre.

The Denny Meat Free range is made with soya protein and the Henry Denny seasoning - mouthwatering and moreish.

Denny’s Meat Free range is available nationwide with RRPs of €3 for Meat Free Sausages and Meat Free Burgers and €3.50 for Meat Free Mince.

5. Cadbury Dairy Milk

Cadbury Dairy Milk, Ireland’s favourite chocolate brand climbs again in this year’s Kantar 100 Most Chosen Brands, claiming fifth place, up from sixth in 2019, making it the highest-ranking chocolate brand on the list.

Produced by Mondelez, Cadbury has been making chocolate in Ireland since 1932 when the first Cadbury factory opened in Dublin, with Cadbury Dairy Milk production starting the following year in 1933.

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Cadbury Dairy Milk is Ireland’s favourite chocolate brand

Knorr has been bringing flavour to people’s lives since 1838 and continues to do so today with the same dedication and passion as the brand has always demonstrated. Knorr uses natural, sustainably sourced ingredients to create authentic flavours and dishes for the enjoyment of the people it serves all over the world.

Proud to be Ireland’s number one stocks, ambient soup and meal maker brand*, Knorr strives to inspire consumers through its products, recipes, tips and tricks.

At Knorr, the team believes the choices we make about what we eat are really important – for ourselves, and for our planet. It’s obvious we’re not eating as many vegetables as we could be. Knorr is therefore on a mission to enable Irish families to cook and eat more delicious and nutritious, meat-free meals.

To help inspire consumers with their meat free creations, Knorr has a great campaign live through the year, supported by the launch of its Veggie Cook’s Stockpots in three tasty variants; Chipotle & Tomato, Kaffir Lime & Ginger and Paprika & Sundried Tomato. Perfect for building a depth of flavour, the range helps consumers create meat-free meals that are tasty and satisfying. *(Source: Nielsen Scantrack ,L52 Wks 17 May 2020)

7. Tayto As the most-loved chocolate brand in Ireland, Cadbury is always focusing on product innovation as the tastes of the nation continuously change.

Following the huge launch of Cadbury Darkmilk in 2019, Cadbury continues to innovate and support with the launch of Cadbury Darkmilk Giant Buttons, still the richest and creamiest chocolate Cadbury has ever made.

Following the huge success of the brand’s Premier League sponsorship and celebrating the return of football to our TVs, Cadbury FC continues its incredible activation and innovation to bring the perfect night in with tasty treats and compelling in-store and online shopper engagement.

Still to come in 2020; a followup to the huge 2019 launch of Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Treasures, with the launch of the new space themed toy

range plus new white chocolate Treasures.

Following the Irish success of Roscommon native, Callum Clogher, in the Cadbury Inventor competition, whose bar, Cadbury Dairy Milk Choca-Latte won the 2019 prize, Cadbury Inventor has returned, where entrants were able to choose up to three ingredients for a chance to have their bar physically created and sold in-store. The finalists’ flavours are soon to be announced.

Tayto is ‘The Original Irish Crisp’ and a clear favourite with Irish consumers; it holds a leading market position with 25.2% value market share.* The Tayto brand is loved locally and globally, consistently topping the polls as the most missed brand by Irish expats.

Tayto has a broad portfolio with a snack for every consumer’s need and a variety of occasions.

Whether it’s the original Tayto crisp, a family favourite like Snax or Mighty Munch, some popcorn

Tayto boasts a leading market position with 25.2% value market share

>>

-Introducing the newest members of our family-

- Available in stores now -

28 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home COMPILED BY

or a guilt free treat of Treble Crunch, Mr Tayto has something for everyone. Last year, Tayto’s range of sharing snacks was extended with the launch of Tayto Muchos which was the best-selling crisps and snacks NPD of 2019 with over a million packs sold.

2020 has seen a strong start for the Tayto brand and next month will see Tayto Bistro, which is Tayto’s gluten free, hand cooked crisp offering, changing its name to Tayto Bistro Occasions with an updated pack design and a new and improved Sweet Chilli flavour.

Later this year, Tayto will be back with campaigns that are sure to engage consumers and excite shoppers across the market.

Tayto is as relevant today as when it launched back in 1954.

With consistent activities like NPD, the introduction of limited edition flavours that bring excitement to the category, communications through TV and outdoor campaigns that reach mass audiences, and in-store activations that interrupt consumers’ shopping, Mr. Tayto engages with consumers in their everyday lives.

He embodies what the brand means to so many; Tayto is truly ‘More Than Just A Crisp!’ *(Source: Nielsen MAT April 2020, Value Market Share, Crisps and Snacks)

8. Heinz 9. Coca-Cola 10. Müller

Müller, Ireland’s favourite yogurt brand, and the tenth most chosen brand overall, is continuing with its strategy to add taste to life, and add further inspiration to its core range of branded yogurts as it targets category growth.

Shoppers in Ireland continue to look for the familiarity of wellknown and trusted brands, with sales of the dairy company’s famous Müller Corner up 12% versus 2019*.

In 2019 a new and improved Müllerlight recipe was launched,

which remains fat free, has a thicker and creamier texture, has 0% added sugar**, and is high in protein.

Earlier this year, Müller Corner returned as the proud sponsor of RTÉ’s Dancing with the The ‘Whoops, I’m a bit Veggie’ campaign has Stars, as it continued driven widespread awareness and trial of the to inspire people Birds Eye Green Cuisine range to live happier and healthier lifestyles.

In addition to a consistent The brand launched a special pipeline of category enhancing edition Müller Corner Dancing with innovation aimed at both Families the Stars multipack to help bring and Adults, Birds Eye has the brand to life, and add further continued to invest in Media and inspiration to the category.

Comms support across a number This month, the business is of its major brands including Fish going to shake up the super thick Fingers, Chicken Dippers, Chicken yogurt segment with its first Shop and Potato Waffles. ever Skyr product, Müller Corner 2020 has seen Birds Eye extend Icelandic Style Skyr. The three its focus into Plant Based Foods new thick and creamy variants all with the launch of the Birds Eye contain whole nuts granola, and Green Cuisine range of Meat are packed with 13g protein. Skyr Substitutes and Veg Foods. is now ‘Müllerlicious!’

The ‘Whoops, I’m a bit Veggie’ Müller customers will continue to campaign has driven widespread benefit from first class marketing awareness and trial, through campaigns, customer service, dedicated creative that focuses industry leading capabilities and on taste and doesn’t take itself product innovation. too seriously! Support integrates *(Source: Kantar Worldpanel data 12 weeks to 19 April 2020 vs 12 weeks to 21 April 2019) **(Contains naturally occurring sugars)

11. Irish Pride 12. Birds Eye

Birds Eye has once again retained the number one position as the top frozen food brand within the overall 2020 ranking.

Consistent investment in innovation, product quality and packaging design to create standout on shelf and distinctive communications have made Birds Eye Ireland’s most chosen Frozen Food brand for the seventh consecutive year.

Core categories include staples such as Fish Fingers, Coated Fish, Chicken, Peas, Steaming Vegetables and Potato Waffles with Birds Eye the clear market leader in a large number of segments.

TV, On-line Video, Social, Content Partnerships, Shopper and promotional support and will continue to run throughout 2020.

13. Pat The Baker 14. Yoplait 15. Keelings

Keelings ranks 15th on the ‘Kantar Most Chosen Brands for 2020’ and is a firm favorite with Irish shoppers. 2020 so far has seen a number of activations for the brand including the annual ‘Januberry’ campaign, which this year encouraged consumers to ‘Grow Your Glow’, with a calendar of self-care ideas for every day throughout the month of January.

During the month of June, Keelings will once again support its charity partner, ISPCC Childline, by donating 10c for every pack of Keelings berries sold. Childline

Keelings Irish Strawberries received an Irish Quality Food Award in 2018 provides an incredibly important service to children across the country, and as an Irish family business, Keelings is proud to be collaborating with the charity for a third year.

The Keelings farm, located in St. Margaret’s, Co. Dublin, has the capacity to produce over 100 million Irish strawberries for the Irish market. In 2018, the brand was awarded an Irish Quality Food Award for its Irish Strawberries.

For more information on the Keelings range or to view the brand’s collection of berry delicious recipes, visit www.keelings.ie.

16. Batchelors

Batchelors is both the number one brand in canned vegetables and the number one brand in baked beans in Ireland. Batchelors has been an Irish family favourite since 1935. Its range of baked beans, peas and pulses are a perfect addition to any mealtime, helping consumers create hearty and warming dishes that everyone will enjoy.

Batchelors Hoops and Shorts make an ideal filling snack or tasty addition for family mealtimes

New Müller Corner Icelandic Style Skyr is thick and creamy, contains whole nuts granola, and is packed with 13g protein

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

Birds Eye has continued to invest in media and communications support across major brands such as Fish Fingers, above

At Batchelors, the company is proud of its famous ‘secret’ tomato sauce and unique cooking process that makes its baked beans so delicious and Ireland’s favourite.

Batchelors is also passionate about quality and says it ensures that only the very best ingredients go into every Batchelors tin.

To continue to grow and expand

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30 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home COMPILED BY

its range, Batchelors is launching into the canned pasta category this summer with a new range Batchelors Spaghetti Hoops and Shorts. This range is a tasty and filling snack or meal addition for all the family to enjoy.

Hoops and Shorts are low in sugar and saturated fat, are gluten free and suitable for vegans. They also have no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

Available in a variety of formats, these are sure to be a hit with consumers with the increased in-home meal consumption set to continue into the winter.

17. McVitie’s

McVitie’s has a long heritage in delivering biscuits to Irish families for generations, underpinned by impressive credentials in baking.

The brand continuously focuses on product quality, winning innovation and a strong marketing plan for both NPD and the core range.

McVitie’s had a stellar performance over the last 12 months driven by a number of successful innovative NPD launches (including Jaffa Cake Nibbles and Digestive Twists), and growth of core brands in both the everyday treats (EDT) and everyday biscuits (EDB) segments. Family favourites, Chocolate Digestives and Original Digestives are now the largest branded biscuits sold in Ireland* with Digestives also delivering the highest growth of any biscuit brand in the Irish market in the last year**. Whilst innovation remains an important pillar, the core range of Digestives, Chocolate Digestives, Jaffa Cakes, Rich Tea and Chocolate Hob Nobs continue to deliver double digit growth***.

The brand’s focus on innovation continues with an exciting new launch later this year. As we face into the ‘new normal’, opportunities for consumers to treat themselves out of home

are few and far between, so at home indulgence has become increasingly important. McVitie’s has developed a delicious new creation to play in the ‘at home upgraded’ occasion. Watch this space for McVitie’s most indulgent NPD yet, launching Q4 2020.

shelter and income for families and communities, helping those most affected by, but least responsible for, climate change.

The campaign is supported across Glenisk’s Bio Organic Yogurt range, with new packaging launched earlier this year, as well as working with SuperValu as the exclusive retail partner to support in-store fundraising promotions throughout 2020.

The public can get involved by donating €5 to Self Help Africa, which will result in one tree being planted in Ireland and 10 planted in Africa. See selfhelpafrica. org/OneMillionTrees to pledge support.

To find out more about Glenisk’s new packaging and plans for a sustainable future, see www.glenisk.com.

*(Source: Nielsen, MAT to 17/05/20) **(Source: Nielsen, MAT to 17/05/20) ***(Source: Nielsen, YTD to 17/05/20)

18. Glenisk

Glenisk remains Ireland’s number one yogurt brand and number 18 on this year’s ranking of Kantar’s ‘100 Master Brands at Home’.

For over 30 years, family-run Glenisk has been producing premium and organic Irish milk and yogurt from its Co. Offaly base, and currently produces over 120 million servings of yogurt per year.

19. Cadbury Further working towards becoming a carbon negative business, Glenisk is partnering with development charity, Self Help Africa to plant over ‘One Million Trees’ in a bid to fight the growing threat of climate change.

This includes the planting of 100,000 native trees in Ireland and 1,000,000 in sub-Saharan Africa.

Planting trees is a useful, practical solution and a vital step in saving our planet. In Africa, native trees will provide food,

Green Isle believes your customers should never have to compromise on getting goodness onto their families’ plates. Green Isle vegetables are carefully

Family-run Irish business Glenisk produces over 120 million servings of yogurt per year This year marks the introduction of new carbon neutral, compostable packaging

by Glenisk, recently launching its new-look Organic Irish Milk and Goats’ Milk cartons with plans to move its entire range to compostable packaging later this year.

McVitie’s has recorded an impressive performance over the last 12 months

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

20. Alpro 21. Green Isle

Green Isle can help shoppers reduce food waste by enabling them to use exactly as much as they need, when they need it, before putting the rest back into the freezer

‘

“A category that has seen incredible growth this year is frozen vegetarian products – increasing its consumer reach by 10.6%.”

- David Berry, Kantar Ireland MD

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32 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home

COMPILED BY

Green Isle vegetables are carefully selected and frozen at their freshest selected, picked at their peak and frozen at their freshest before freezing to lock in vitamins, minerals and flavour, containing all the nutrition of fresh vegetables.

An Irish family favourite in many household freezers around the country, the Green Isle vegetable range has a brand new look appearing in stores nationwide.

Green Isle frozen vegetables help consumers save time preparing meals. Green Isle does all the chopping and slicing, ensuring customers can use exactly as much as they need, when they need it, before putting the rest back into the freezer for the next meal. Enjoying all the nutrition and taste with none of the food waste.

The Green Isle range helps shoppers ‘get to the goodness’.

Goodness that is quick, simple and perfect for every family’s plates.

For tasty five-a-day recipes ideas, visit www.greenisle.ie/recipes. #gettothegoodness #greenisle #wastelessbuyfrozen

22. Fairy 23. Nescafé 24. Colgate 25. 7-Up 26. Johnston Mooney and O’Brien 27. Pringles 28. Fitzgeralds

At number 28 on the Kantar 100 Master Brands at Home ranking, Fitzgeralds Family Bakery is up eight places and is Ireland’s fastest growing bakery brand.

The combination of traditional methods with modern thinking and product design has led to significant growth in the Irish market over the last few years, particularly since the brand refresh. Fitzgeralds Bakery range can also be found in the UK market where it continues to be well received and performs very well. The range includes Fresh bagged Bagels and Bagel Slims, Wraps, Bake at Home French and Italian Breads, Pittas, Naan Breads, and Skinny Italian Pizza Bases and the company is a market leader

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

The natural extension for the brand will encourage the next generation of home bakers that emerged from the lockdown to keep up the good work.

The brand’s Strong Baker’s Flour is the same flour it uses in the bakery every day and

35. Flahavan’s

‘Not your run of the mill oats’ – a slogan long associated with the Co. Waterford-based brand Flahavan’s, and indeed with 57%* market share, it’s clear that this 235-year-old family business continues to hold a special place in the hearts and cupboards of consumers across the country.

With traditional milling expertise handed down through seven generations, and a longstanding commitment to local sourcing – many of its growers are based within a 60 mile radius of the mill; Flahavan’s is well-known for the distinctive creamy taste and texture of its world-class porridge.

A brand built on trust – the consistent quality and nourishing goodness of its oat-based product range appeals to a growing cohort of health-conscious consumers seeking simple, natural breakfast solutions.

Fitzgeralds Family Bakery is up eight places compared to last year’s ranking is perfect for baking sourdough breads, yeast breads, pizza bases, bagels and brioche at home.

in these categories. The team at Fitzgeralds continue to innovate and introduce new products to the range and have shown a passion for understanding the consumer and offering quality.

Excitingly, there are a number of new products planned for launch later this year.

In July, Fitzgeralds also plans to launch a range of pre-packed flours to include Plain, Self-Raising and Strong Baker’s to attract new customers into the category.

29. Carroll’s of Tullamore 30. Miwadi 31. Clonakilty 32. Dairygold 33. Galtee

Flahavan’s is renowned for the distinctive creamy taste and texture of its world-class porridge

34. Goodfellas

Fitzgeralds Family Bakery is Ireland’s fastest growing bakery brand

Strong brand loyalty and emotional engagement were demonstrated in Bord Bia’s annual Brand Health Check**, with Flahavan’s outperforming more than 400 food brands researched under the customer satisfaction and advocacy metric ‘Net Promoter Score’. The brand’s premium credentials were also strongly endorsed through the research, with four in five consumers recognising Flahavan’s as a high quality brand, while almost two thirds of consumers agreed that it offers a superior tasting product compared with competitors.

Over the past decade, Flahavan’s has been at the forefront of driving a dramatic change in the way consumers think about oat-based

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34 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home COMPILED BY

foods and their compelling health benefits. By putting the consumer at the heart of its new product development and innovation, the company has not only maintained its category leadership position in hot oats (Source: Kantar 2020) but has also seen considerable sales growth in its snacking range with Irish Oaty Flapjacks. New product launches planned for autumn 2020 will see Flahavan’s expand its range into new categories and will further showcase the breadth of the brand’s innovation strategy.

Flahavan’s range includes more than 50 different oat-based products including Traditional, Organic, Jumbo, Gluten Free, Quick Oats Pots & Sachets, Super Oats, Overnight Oats, Muesli, Granola and Flapjacks.

Flahavan’s is a proud member of the Love Irish Food and Origin Green programmes. *(Source: Kantar Worldpanel - Feb 2020) **(Source: Bord Bia Brand Health Check – Feb 2020)

36. KitKat

KitKat is one of the most iconic and enduring confectionery brands and remains as relevant today as it was on its launch in 1935. The brand has stood the test of time for nearly 85 years for various reasons.

Earlier this year saw the launch of a limited edition KitKat Gold - a unique variant offering a new taste experience. The crispy, fourfinger wafer bar is coated with a caramelised chocolate with a rich, indulgent milk chocolate base.

37. Wrigley’s 38. Nivea 39. Nicky

Nicky continues to innovate and provide new paper solutions. The brand is excited to announce its new Nicky Defend Hand Towels; an innovative, hygienic way to dry hands.

Nicky’s shoppers are always at the core of its business operations, where Nicky aims to provide excellent quality, variety and new paper developments to enhance user experience.

Nicky Defend is a unique disposable hand towel, offering a safer approach for personal and household hygiene. It is a soft but strong hand towel, including antibacterial to help reduce the spread of germs and bacteria on hands and towels. It prevents further spread and protects homes and the people around us.

A more hygienic approach than using a traditional hand towel, it can be used for personal or household needs. It is a compact pack which can easily be held in any storage spaces assuring better performance. The product is easily disposed in bins, but if accidentally thrown individually in the toilet, it will dissolve. A soft 100% biodegradable towel made with unique advanced technology, enables the paper to dissolve harmlessly in water.

Nicky Country sales manager Shane Cassidy says: “The issue of hygiene is one of Sofidel’s key concerns, especially now that the

Nicky Defend Hand Towels offer a more hygienic approach than a traditional hand towel

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

Covid-19 pandemic has focused everyone’s attention – thanks to the efforts, among others, of the World Health Organization (WHO) and public health authorities worldwide – on the importance of using disposable paper products to ensure proper personal hygiene and cleanliness in the workplace and at home.”

Help protect your customers and their families from reducing the spread of germs, in a more hygienic way. Nicky Defend Hand Towels are available to order from Tennant & Ruttle Distribution Ltd on +353 1 4666600.

40. McCambridge 41. Brady Family

What makes Brady Family Ham so special is that it is real Irish ham. That means it is made from one single pork joint, slow cooked to perfection in the traditional way, with no added water. Brady Family master butchers source only the finest Irish pork legs, from Bord Bia approved farms when crafting Brady Family Ham. The ham is slowly cured for a three-day period before being gently steam cooked and dressed by hand. It is this traditional method that creates the distinct and delicate flavour of Brady Family Ham. Within its range, Brady Family has a vast array of products that can suit any mealtime occasion.

Its succulent slices of carved ham come in both standard and family size packs and are tasty in a wholesome lunchtime sandwich, while its Just Add Shredded Ham is a perfect addition to a homemade omelette or pasta dish. Brady Family’s deli range of ham joints have been a firm

The Brady Family Just Add Shredded Ham is a perfect addition to a homemade omelette or pasta dish favourite with consumers for decades while its multi awardwinning Glazed Ham on the Bone Joint is the centre of attention at any Christmas dinner table.

Over the years, the brand’s high quality standards when crafting its ham has never wavered which has resulted in Brady Family claiming the number one spot for not only the highest quality ham in the category but also the most recommended ham brand by its consumers. (Source: Bord Bia, Brand Health Check, Pre-Packed Cooked Sliced Ham Report, 2019) As you can see, craft and quality is at the heart of what this brand does, and that is what makes Brady Family >> ‘Your Only Ham’.

Brady Family’s deli range of ham joints have been a hit with consumers for decades

36 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home COMPILED BY

42. Charleville 43. Hellmann’s

At Hellmann’s, “we are on the side of food,” says the company, which is understandably proud of its continued success as the number one mayonnaise in Ireland*. “We help people enjoy good honest food for the simple pleasure it is without worry or waste,” Hellmann’s says.

The company is committed to sustainable farming, responsible business, and doing right by the people who help make Hellmann’s.

“Not just because we think it makes our products better, but also because it’s the right thing to do,” Hellmann’s continues. This is why it only uses 100% free-range eggs and sources 100% of oils responsibly in its mayonnaise.

Likewise, it’s why Hellmann’s is always working to create new products that help fight food waste, or generally do good for the world but don’t compromise on taste.

The brand is set to attract new consumers to the mayo category this summer with the introduction of its new Vegan Mayo Squeezy, adding to the success of its Vegan Mayo jar launch last year. All activity will be supported with strong communication plans to ensure Hellmann’s continues to be the mayo brand of choice for Irish consumers. *(Source: Nielsen Scantrack, MAT 19 April 2020)

44. Flora 45. Dolmio 46. Walkers

47. Connacht Gold 48. Barry’s 49. John West John West has always been a trusted family name, synonymous with quality fish. At John West, the company strives to retain loyal customers while appealing to new consumers. By continuing to launch innovative ranges such as Creations, Steam Pots and Infusions that are both invigorating and tasty, John

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

West continues to make it easy for consumers to get a natural protein snack into their diet.

The brand’s latest innovation is the John West No Drain Tuna Fridgepot. This sees a breakthrough in tuna packaging that has modernized the ambient tuna market. Simply peal it, reseal it and pop it in the fridge!

John West is continuously a top 50 brand in Kantar’s ranking John West is always looking to inspire consumers to cook and consume fish regularly, whether talking to the busy mums or the on-the-go young professionals looking for a healthy lunch alternative. John West’s Omega 3-rich fish is perfect for consumers aged 45+, looking to enjoy a good heart health; its protein-rich tuna products are a great snack for the sport enthusiasts to refuel after training.

At John West, the promotion of a healthy active lifestyle and engaging consumers around this topic is key to its strong performance this year. There is a wonderful opportunity to engage and inspire consumers to create simple but delicious meals with its products. New recipe ideas are constantly available through John West’s social media channels.

The John West GAA Féile partnership continues and sees the brand supporting GAA at a grassroots level across the country. Building a relationship with families young and old and promoting the importance of a healthy lifestyle is essential to the company. The John West Gaelforce sponsorship will see it support the 10K events this year and both sponsorships have a huge digital campaign on recipe inspiration and all aspects of keeping active whilst at home and preparing for a sporting event (skill drills, training tips, nutrition advice) to build relevance and usage for the everyday consumer.

‘Get the Best out of John West!’ is certainly an apt tagline for this innovative brand. #NaturalProtein

50. Staffords 51. Lyons Tea

In 1902, the Lyons family began their tea business in Dublin. The first ‘Original Blend’ was crafted using only the best quality tea leaves and Lyons remains a

The Hovis brand is growing at +14.6 % versus last year firm favourite in Irish homes to this day. The Lyons family was committed to creating the best quality tea, using only the finest leaves. Lyons Tea continues to be as natural as when it was first blended.

In 2004, Lyons introduced the distinctive pyramid bags - you might even call them the eighth wonder of the world! They act like a mini teapot giving the tea leaves 50% more room to move than regular tea bags, delivering a quality tea.

With sustainability in mind, Lyons has been on a journey to make its teabags biodegradable.

Over the last year, Lyons Tea has been stacking up the shelves with plant-based tea bags across its retail range*. And whilst doing this, Lyons has also never compromised on the great-tasting cup of tea consumers have come to expect from the brand; teariffic news! *Applies to Lyons Original, Gold, Tasty Decaf and Perfect with Dairy Free retail packs, across the 40s, 80s, 160s and 240s formats.

52. Keogh’s 53. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes 54. Dove 55. Bisto 56. Uncle Ben’s 57. Erin 58. Kinder 59. Lucozade

60. Hovis

The Hovis brand continues to make excellent progress in the Irish prepackaged bread category. In 2020, Hovis has achieved a ranking of 60th position within ShelfLife’s ‘Ireland’s most chosen brands’ ranking, compiled by Kantar.

The majority of Hovis bread sold in Ireland is baked at its Belfast bakery and although the brand does not have full market distribution in the Irish market, it continues to make excellent progress with the total brand growing at +14.6 % versus last year*.

The ‘Hovis Bread With Bits’ range, featuring the Hovis Granary and Hovis Seed Sensations, have been enjoyed by the Irish consumer over recent years. Taste is viewed by Irish consumers to be one of the key purchasing criteria when buying bread** and Hovis’ bakers work very hard to ensure that all Hovis products taste great.

Hovis Seed Sensations with its distinctive, seeded flavour and Hovis Granary with its appealing taste, provides a source of fibre and both continue to be loved by Irish consumers.

Hovis will continue with its quality and taste focus in 2020 and is hoping for another successful year in Ireland. Later on this year, Hovis has exciting plans for the brand; watch this space! *(Source: Hovis Ireland Internal Data % YOY Pack Growth. May 2020) **(Source: Walnut Unlimited Brand Tracking October 2019)

61. Old El Paso

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38 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home

COMPILED BY

Schwartz offers an extensive range to spice up any meal or snack

67. Schwartz Chef is Ireland’s number one brand in brown sauce and beetroot, number two in ketchup and number three in the table top category

62. Chef

Chef has been an Irish favourite since 1921, proudly made in Cabra, Dublin. It is the number three brand in table top, number two brand in ketchup and the number one brand in brown sauce and beetroot.

Irish consumers love Chef because of its distinctive bold flavour, which is unmistakable.

Introducing new Chef Chip Shop Curry Sauces; launching in June, this exciting range is sure to excite and delight consumers as they look for new ways to re-create their favourite takeaways at home.

Made in Dublin, Chef Curry Sauce delivers the right balance of heat and flavour.

The range consists of three formats – two dry sauces and a unique ready to use bottle format.

The dry sauces are available in two variants, standard and reduced (only 70 cals per serving). Ready in five minutes, these sauces are simple and easy to make.

The ready to use bottle is a particularly exciting product as it is a category first. No preparation required; simply pour straight from the bottle over hot chips or dare to dip!

It can also be used hot or cold (just microwave for one minute). This product is also gluten free so will appeal to coeliacs looking for a tasty treat.

63. Ballyfree

64. Comfort 65. Hunky Dorys

With the most intense flavour and obscene crunch, Hunky Dorys is delighted to hold the 65th position within the Kantar 100 Most Chosen Brands this year.

Established in 1996, Hunky Dorys

Hunky Dorys is Ireland’s favourite crinkle crisp brand and second most popular crisp overall

is the nation’s favourite crinkle crisp brand and Ireland’s second most popular crisp*. Hunky Dorys packs a satisfying punch, holding 8% value share of the total crisps and snacks market*.

Hunky Dorys aren’t like those other, scrawny crisps.

They’re thicker, heavier and ready to squash the rumble in stomachs with their massive flavour punch and “obscene crunchiness”. There are four unmistakable flavours in the range; Cheese & Onion, Salt & Vinegar, Sour Cream & Onion and Buffalo. Each bag is packed full of flavour and attitude, the ultimate in ‘Full On Flavour’. *(Source: Nielsen, Scantrack, Total Crisps and Snacks MAT March 2020)

66. Odlums ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

With more than 100 years of experience, Schwartz is McCormick’s leading ‘herbs and spices’ brand in Ireland, offering the greatest variety of herbs, spices and seasonings.

Schwartz’s extensive product portfolio spans into different sectors including recipe mixes, wet sauces and gravies.

A wide range of NPD is due to be introduced from summer 2020, including Burger Seasoning,

Kebab Seasoning and Jalapeno Chilli, perfect for BBQ season.

Schwartz will also expand its Chilli and Pepper ranges, and watch out for exciting street flavours!

looking to enhance sales from their confectionery. Not only are they best sellers from a recognised brand, but they are also positioned as the market’s top selling €PM bags within three euro price-marked packs.* “In addition to offering these best sellers, we are also recognised for providing more choice, with something for everyone,” McCulloch adds. “This is supported by our full-on chews, Maoam Stripes and Pinballs and also by our innovations such as Giant Strawbs, our much-loved vegetarian treat that is packed with Strawberry flavour.

“The Haribo brand is now over 50% bigger than our nearest competitor and twice the size of all other sugar brands***,” he continues. “Put simply, we are growing consistently as a result of our much-loved and new sweets that are delighting fans and delivering fun into the category to drive incremental sales for retailers.” *(Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack ROI, 52 wks ending 29.12.19 € Sales) **(Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack ROI, 12 wks ending 29.12.19 € Sales Growth) ***(Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack ROI, 12 wks ending 29.12.19 € Sales)

68. Activia 69. Maltesers 70. Dr. Oetker 71. Haribo

Family favourite treats are driving success for Haribo and should be core for stores, according to Ireland’s number one sweets brand*.

Experiencing +5.8% market growth**, Haribo is recognised as offering the best-selling euro price-marked (€PM) packs in the category*.

John McCulloch, head of sales for Haribo Ireland, comments: “Our core lines Starmix, Tangfastics and Supermix should be core for any store that is

Haribo Starmix, Tangfastics and Supermix are top selling euro price-marked packs

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#2 #1

* !* gs ba M €P ng lli se st be ’s ry go te ca e th k oc St

* Nielsen Scantrack ROI, 52wks ending 29.12.19, Value Sales ** Nielsen Scantrack ROI, 52wks ending 29.12.19, Value Sales €PM

No.1 sweets brand in Ireland*

#3

40 CATEGORY FOCUS 100 Master Brands at Home

COMPILED BY

‘

72. Kelkin 73. Club 74. Low Low 75. Downy 76. Premier Dairies

Premier Milk continues to be a strong player in the Dublin market. Given that the brand has now been on shelves across Dublin city and county for over 50 years, this is testament to Premier Dairies’ popularity and quality.

chocolates filled with a cocoa, “The recent crisis salted caramel or praline aerated centre and delicate chocolate has made local more pieces. Further innovation the recent launch of Aero important than ever. We includes Caramel as an indulgent sharing Growth is also being driven see shoppers supporting block. through an increase in the brand’s frequency thanks to a local convenience stores purchase new advertising campaign. and supermarkets, and 85. Tropicana choosing local restaurants 86. Kenco 87. Kerrygold offering new takeaway Kerrygold, the brand owned by Irish dairy farmers, has become options.”

79. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies 80. McCain 81. Hazel Brook 82. Weetabix 83. Innocent 84. Aero

77. Killeen 78. Cully & Sully

Cully & Sully is delighted to feature in Kantar’s ‘100 Master Brands at Home’ ranking for 2020. Cully & Sully’s soups and broths are ideal for lunch on-the-go, a light evening meal or even as a starter in consumers’ home restaurants!

Cully & Sully continues to make its soups with fresh ingredients and to the highest standards. All of the brand’s soups are made in Ireland and packed in fully recyclable pots.

A proud Irish brand, Cully & Sully states: “We are delighted to see so many amazing Irish brands join us in the Most Chosen 100 for 2020. Keep an eye out for Cully & Sully’s smaller 280g pots stocked in all good stores.

Aero has extended into the gifting category with the launch of Aero Bliss, a new premium, indulgent version of Aero.

Developed in response to a growing trend for people looking for light yet indulgent luxury products, Aero Bliss consists of individually wrapped, smooth milk

‘

Ireland’s most successful food export, exceeding €1 billion annual retail sales value. Kerrygold’s phenomenal global success is underpinned by Ireland’s grassfed family farming system and the commitment of Irish dairy farmers to produce the best quality milk in the world. The strength of the brand is a direct result of sustained investment for over 55 years which has secured phenomenal growth in many markets around the world.

The Kerrygold brand was created by Sir Anthony O’Reilly, CEO of what was then called An Bord Bainne, in 1962. His vision was to establish Kerrygold as a premium brand, befitting

“We can expect that in the coming year having a meaningful ‘Irish’ story to tell, with regard to heritage, role in the community, and supporting the economy, will help your brand to resonate with shoppers.”

the rich quality of Irish milk.

Today, Kerrygold is Ireland’s favourite butter brand and is an international household name, loved around the world for its naturally superior, grass-fed dairy products. It is a symbol of national pride providing Irish consumers with a sense of belonging and a link to home in many markets all over the world. Irish diaspora spot the familiar golden foil in shops around the world and it is an immediate connection to home.

Kerrygold has been responsible for some of the best-known adverts in Irish television history. Its advertising campaigns became viral at a time when YouTube did not exist, and to this day people of a certain age ask, “Who’s taking the horse to France?” and remind themselves to “Put a bit of butter on the spuds, André”.

Kerrygold recently relaunched a selection of its most popular advertising to phenomenal success in the Irish market, providing a nostalgic trip down memory lane and reminding Irish consumers of their deep emotional connection with the brand. This summer, the brand will launch a new TV and digital campaign which will draw on its strengths, securing it as Ireland’s most internationally successful food brand.

88. Koka 89. Ballygowan 90. Volvic 91. Always 92. Johnson’s Baby 93. Sensodyne 94. Cadbury Twirl

95. Roma 96. Cadbury Wispa Kerrygold attributes its impressive success to sustained investment for over 55 years

All Cully & Sully soups are made in Ireland

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

97. Nature Valley 98. Galaxy 99. Pepsi 100. Heineken n

Ice cream

Crisps and snacks

42 CATEGORY FOCUS Crisps and snacks

Snack satisfaction

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues – albeit with eased restrictions – consumers are on the hunt for tasty yet nutritious snacks to share during movie nights at home. Euromonitor Ireland reports that premiumisation and provenance are becoming more prominent – two developments which can clearly be seen in the product news and innovations outlined below, writes Gillian Hamill

promotions and retailer exclusive competitions.

Tayto has also worked with the Feed the Heroes group to extend its thanks to some of the frontline Popchips contain less than 100 kcals per pack HSE staff for their and half the fat of fried crisps work throughout the The range comes in impulse Covid-19 outbreak.

(23g) and multipack (six x 17g) The Tayto field sales team added formats with two tasty flavours. hospital drop offs to their already Firstly, Barbeque: Who needs busy routes to distribute over backyard smoke and sizzle to 20,000 packets of Tayto Cheese enjoy a lip-smacking barbeque? & Onion to the teams at hospitals Barbeque Popchips serve up the all over Ireland. taste of tangy sauce and a hint In upcoming of smoke on every chip, allowing news, the Tayto uring lockdown consumers to savour the flavour, Bistro range which uncertainty, many guilt free. is Tayto’s gluten shoppers can The Sour Cream & Onion free, hand cooked understandably often flavour is another ideal crisp offering, be found huddled in combination. On their own, sour will have a name front of the TV these cream is tangy and onion is change to Tayto days. With Netflix fast savoury and slightly sweet but Bistro Occasions. becoming the new together, they’re a power couple The name change national pastime, it’s – a taste sensation of delicious will feature an undeniable that snack togetherness! updated design foods are the perfect Overall, Popchips’ delivers a to the packaging companion to any straightforward yet memorable and a new and binge-watching session. message to consumers: ‘Pick up a improved Sweet Snacking has long been pack - pop it like it’s hot!’

Chilli flavour on the incline in Ireland Tayto Bistro has been renamed Tayto Bistro Occasions, which is sure to with an updated packaging design and a new and – in 2018 the Bord Bia Full on flavour get consumers’ Insight Centre reported that improved Sweet Chilli flavour Hunky Dorys is the nation’s taste buds tingling.

70% of consumers in Ireland favourite crinkle cut crisp 2020 got off to a strong start The new Tayto snack daily. and Ireland’s second most for Tayto with the launch of two Bistro Occasions design will be Sales are booming across popular crisp. The robust brand limited edition flavours. This year, on shelves from the end of this the category right now. Strong performance continues year-onTayto’s limited edition flavours month. growth was also recorded last year with Hunky Dorys currently were all about ‘original Irish Post-summer, keep your summer; Kantar’s take-home holding an 8% value share and favourites’ Bacon & Cabbage eyes peeled for Tayto’s new grocery sales figures for the 12 6.1% volume share of the total and Beef Stew. The in-store campaigns which are sure to weeks to 16 June 2019, showed crisps and snacks market*. launch was supported with drive sales in the market. that here in Ireland, sales of *(Source: Nielsen MAT April 2020, According to the brand, Hunky PR, influencer marketing and a crisps increased by 2.5% and Value Market Share, Crisps and Snacks) Dorys is the ultimate ‘hunger national 30 second radio ad which popcorn by 6.4%. buster’ with the most intense all led to a very strong pick-up by What’s more, shoppers are Popped to perfection! flavour and obscene crunch. shoppers who were intrigued to not just reaching for potato Naturally delicious and popped Each savoury offering in the try these new flavours. crisps, with Kantar reporting to perfection; Popchips recently range offers consumers full on Tayto Muchos was the bestthat alternative takes on launched in the Irish market. flavour in every bite. The range selling crisps and snacks NPD of the traditional varieties are Popped not fried; Popchips includes Cheese and Onion, Salt 2019 and 2020 saw the brand performing well. offer a healthier alternative to a and Vinegar, Sour Cream and back with a full above-the*(Source: Bord Bia Insight Centre. standard crisp.

Onion and Buffalo, with each bag Healthy Snacking UK and Ireland: line (ATL) campaign. For the January 2018) They offer a number of packed full of ‘full on flavour’. month of March, its bespoke advantages, including less than Earlier this year, Hunky TV advert reached 57% of Ireland’s favourite 100 kcals per pack and half the Dorys activated online and adults aged 18-34 while outdoor fat of fried crisps. Popchips partnered with Balls Media to interrupted shoppers on their Tayto continues to be Ireland’s are also gluten free, suitable give consumers the chance path to purchase. In stores, favourite crisps and snacks brand for vegetarians, and contain no to win three weekends of activations included HODs, holding a leading market position artificial anything. rugby (in Dublin, London and in-store samplings, price point with 25.2% value market share.*

D

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

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44 CATEGORY FOCUS Crisps and snacks

Ice cream

Crisps and snacks

As part of the ten-year celebrations, O’Donnells will launch two new promotional packs. These new promotional packs will be available in September for a limited period only and the brand is confident they’re sure to sell out quickly. *(Source: Nielsen MAT Value Sales March 2020, Crisps and Snacks)

Guilt-free Californian living

Hunky Dorys commands an 8% value share and 6.1% volume share of the total crisps and snacks market

Edinburgh), redeemable in 2021.

This campaign was activated on digital and social media with exceptional engagement rates.

Also, during this period, Hunky Dorys partnered with multiple retailers giving away bespoke competition prizes via in-store activations. *(Source: Nielsen, Scantrack, Total Crisps and Snacks MAT March 2020)

‘Cali Cali Foods, a guilt-free snacking brand inspired by Californian street food flavours and healthy eating trends, has just launched its new guilt-free sharing bags. The Cali Cali Crisps range includes four flavours; Hot Sauce, Thai Sweet Chilli, Buffalo Chipotle and Tangy Cheese & Red Onion, all of which are gluten free, high in fibre, 15% protein and vegetarian.

This unique style of crisps states eight nutritional claims in total and they are made using four real food ingredients - chickpeas, rice, peas and black beans.

The Cali Cali Foods team ultimately decided to bring forward the launch of its share size bags as impulse buying had dropped by 0.9% over the past 12 weeks due to current circumstances. “We are doing everything we can in the current situation to get ourselves out the other side of Covid-19,” says co-founder Tom Gannon.

The 84 gram share size bags are now listed across a multitude of channels such as Dunnes Stores, Spar and Eurospar with an RRP of €2.99. “The initial reaction of the product launch has been amazing and has left us feeling very hopeful for the

O’Donnells is celebrating its tenth anniversary as Ireland’s favourite hand cooked crisps

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

Ideal movie night treat Despite the uncertainty, since the lockdown came into effect, consumers have been indulging in more movie nights than ever before, resulting in a significant increase in appetite for the Joe & Seph Gourmet Popcorn range. The exciting flavour innovation offered by the brand in its range of over 50 flavours has been particularly appreciated by consumers, who are looking for exciting and premium treats to indulge in during these uncertain times.

Cali Cali has brought forward the launch of its 84 gram share size bags, with an “amazing” initial reaction to the new format

Leading hand cooked brand O’Donnells Hand Cooked Crisps are the leading hand cooked crisp brand in Ireland*. Over the last ten years, Ireland has fallen in love with the taste of O’Donnells crisps which were founded in 2010, by Ed O’Donnell.

Since the 1700s, Ed’s family have farmed at Seskin Farm, Co. Tipperary. His passion for food and his desire to create an authentic premium crisp working with local Irish food suppliers, led to the development of O’Donnells premium hand cooked crisps.

Today, the O’Donnells range consists of six tasty flavours, all of which are gluten free and each flavour has won many awards throughout the years for their great taste profile.

2020 is an exciting year for O’Donnells, as it celebrates its tenth anniversary as Ireland’s favourite hand cooked crisps.

To mark this historic milestone, the brand will be updated with a fresh new look during the summer. O’Donnells premium new packaging designs will be available in-store in August.

future,” says co-founder Niall Mc Grath. In the coming summer months, the team hope to be rolling out the product across multiple Irish retailers such as SuperValu and Tesco stores nationwide.

To find out more, visit www.calicalifoods.com, Facebook: Cali Cali Foods, Instagram: calicalifoods.

What’s more, the standard Joe & Seph Gourmet Popcorn pouches come in a sharing format, which is where the largest growth has been recorded over recent months.

Again, this helps Joe & Seph to position its Gourmet Popcorn brand as the perfect treat for movie nights in.

Stellar and sustainable performance Walkers has had a stellar yearto-date with growth ahead of the category at 7% (Source: Nielsen Scantrack YTD April 2020).

Core to the growth has been continued investment in its UEFA

Champions League partnership which saw Walkers’ biggest brand activation online and in outlets in February and March.

The brand also brought back its 50% extra free offering across its single serve range in January and February which added to its positive performance. Walkers has big plans for the second half of the year as FMCG recovers especially in the convenience and impulse side of the category.

Walkers will introduce innovation in its ‘family snacks’ range which will bring exciting news to the fastest-growing sharing segment of the crisp category. (Source: Nielsen MAT April 2020). Core to Walkers’ plans is a focus on sustainability and the outer packaging for its multipacks will see a 30% reduction in plastic being used. This is initially phased into Walkers Cheese and Onion six-pack and 12-pack offerings.

Walkers’ UEFA champions league partnership will be amplified as more snacks than ever are being consumed at the at-home occasion. Finally, within the ‘single serve’ segment, Walkers will bring back out its 50% extra free value offering and have tactical initiatives to support accounts at local level to drive footfall back into outlets and drive cash through tills.

Hotly successful launch Doritos is Ireland’s number one tortilla snack with 9.9% snacks category growth (Source: Nielsen Scantrack MAT April 2020).

A key contributor to this has been the successful launch of Doritos Flaming Hot! A full through-the-line campaign including TV, digital and in-store visibility supported the launch back in March and initial results have been very positive.

There are significant plans for the second half of the year with three key campaigns to support the growth of the brand, targeting the big occasions of summer and Christmas. A key lever of these activations are on-pack promotions giving shoppers the chance to win at home with football prizes, and keep your eyes peeled for an exciting

The outer packaging for Walkers multipacks will see a 30% reduction in plastic being used

Crisps and snacks CATEGORY FOCUS 45

Wild and wonderful Ampersand is the leading supplier of meat snacks to the Irish market. In response to the growing consumer trend for protein and meats snacks within the snack category, Ampersand partnered with the Irish Biltong Company in 2017 to distribute its award-winning range of Irish beef gourmet snacks nationwide with a focus on the convenience and forecourt channel. More

Wild West Jerky is high in protein, extremely low in calories, low in cholesterol and has only 3.5% fat content

Bean looking for a new plant-based snack?

Low in fat and nutritious, BlendiSnacks has honed in on the humble bean as the next snack sensation and its new range of flavoured broad bean snacks have gone from strength to strength, with online sales quadrupling, and a deal secured to be the official player snack of Wimbledon 2020.

BlendiSnacks delivers roast broad beans and peas in a range of tasty flavours like Firey Garlic, Red Onion, Salted and Bar-B-Q. Founder Yvonne Dolan is excited for the future of the product on the back of the massive popularity it has seen in the last two months, with high volume sales to the UK and Scotland, wholesalers, inclusions in some subscription boxes, and online collaborations with other small food suppliers.

However, Dolan is eager to get back to retail and is seeking an opportunity for an exclusivity deal with one of the Irish forecourts.

The beans will retail at €1.90 and BlendiSnacks has big plans for 2021 by growing its own beans here in Ireland.

For more information, visit www.blendisnacks.com or contact Yvonne Dolan at yvonne@blendisnacks.com.

The Clintons family farm in Skerries has been growing potatoes for seven generations. Clintons Crisps is run by two brothers, Martin and Sean. The brothers’ ethos is to keep things simple, but do it right, stating: “We’re about the down to earth, delicious crisp.”

Made with distinctive flavours and cooked in pure rapeseed oil, these crisps have the perfect taste that the Clintons Crisp is known for. All Clintons Crisps are gluten free, suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The brand’s main distributor is Stafford and Lynch, and it’s now stocked in selected SuperValu, BWG and Avoca stores.

For more information, visit www.clintonsartisancrisps. com, Facebook: facebook.com/ clintonscrisps, and Instagram: @clintonscrisps. n

Clintons is all about those special moments; whether it’s a lunch break from a hard day at work or a family day out, Clintons helps make these moments extra special

Ice cream

partnership with one of Christmas 2020’s most sought after gifts in Q4. Finally, the last campaign will be centred around the UEFA Champions league partnership dialling up the return of the 2020/2021 season and giving shoppers opportunities to win money-cannot-buy prizes.

recently, Ampersand has extended its meat snack range with the addition of Wild West Jerky to its portfolio.

Wild West Jerky is made in the traditional American style with no artificial additives or flavour enhancers. Wild West is all about high-protein and gluten free snacking. It is also extremely low in calories with less than 70 calories per 25g bag, low in cholesterol and has only 3.5% fat content.

Available from Ampersand are three tasty Wild West Jerky flavours; Original, Honey BBQ and Jalapeño in a 25g bag offering with a retail selling price of €2.

If you are interested in stocking Irish Biltong or Wild West products, contact your local Ampersand representative or you can call the Ampersand sales line directly on 01-4130150.

Down to earth deliciousness

Crisps and snacks

A full through-the-line campaign including TV, digital and in-store visibility supported the launch of Doritos Flaming Hot! in March

46 CATEGORY FOCUS Ice cream

The real scoop

The summer weather has so far lent itself to prosperous ice cream sales. Whether the excellent weather continues or not, ice cream is seen as an affordable treat and with so many exciting new products and formats being launched, there is sure to be strong activity in the ice cream category this year

A

ccording to a recent survey, 43% of Irish consumers agreed they would pay more for ice cream made with locally sourced milk*.

With this in mind, there is a definite shift towards homemade and locally sourced products in the ice cream category.

The other area to watch is children’s treat size ice creams which appeal massively to the ‘mum audience’ according to Shane Guest, country manager of Froneri Ireland, which is launching the Cadbury Freddo Sandwich. Low calorie options including frozen yoghurts are also feeling the love of the Irish audience this year.

in the Cadbury ice cream portfolio. Ideal for celebrating everyday moments as a family, the Freddo Sandwich provides a tasty treat that kids will love.

With four different faces to find, they’re fun for everyone.

Shane Guest, country manager, Froneri Ireland comments: “The Freddo Sandwich is the perfect treat for little ones. We’re really seeing an increase in ice cream as an everyday treat being driven by simple formats, size and ease of consumption in addition to

*(Source: Mullin’s Ice cream)

Sales hopping up Family favourite Freddo is hopping off the ice cream aisle as Froneri launches the new Cadbury Freddo Sandwich. Made from Cadbury chocolate ice cream sandwiched between two Freddo-faced cocoa biscuits, this treat is perfect for those shared family moments and what’s more, each sandwich is under 100kcals.

The launch capitalises on a much-loved family favourite while marking the first sandwich

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

Freddo is the first sandwich in the Cadbury ice cream portfolio

AT A GLANCE

Ice cream

Crisps and snacks

ICE CREAM n Froneri is launching the new Cadbury Freddo Sandwich n Oreo Stick Sandwich from Froneri features vanilla cookie ice cream sandwiched between two Oreo cookies coated in Cadbury chocolate n Moo’d is a 100% quality Irish product using dairy milk and cream from over 2,100 farms across the country n Moo’d Irish ice cream has won a Blás na hEireann Award and two Great Taste Awards n The new selection of gourmet Irish ice cream from Mullins includes two dessert-inspired flavours, Mullin’s Sticky Toffee Pudding and Mallowy Chocolate Chunks n M&Ms Ice Creams are now available in two flavours – Chocolate Splits and Peanut Splits

price which is why we’re excited to reveal this latest offering which appeals to our mum audience so effectively.”

Sandwich satisfaction Think of Oreo, one of the coolest brands in ice cream, in its sandwich format which is already a best-seller. It doesn’t get much better, right? Wrong!

Froneri has combined Oreo with much-loved Cadbury to create the Oreo Stick Sandwich which features vanilla cookie ice cream sandwiched between two Oreo cookies which are then coated in Cadbury chocolate and placed on a handy stick.

It’s as playful as Oreo and as indulgent as Cadbury, creating a winning combination, not only given that indulgent sticks are the biggest sector within the category, but the Oreo Stick Sandwich introduces a new level of innovation into the market with its unique concept. And, at only 185kcal per stick, it’s set to get hearts racing across Ireland.

“With the Oreo ice cream sandwich being such a hit, we wanted to see what else we could do to excite Oreo fans,” says Shane Guest, country manager, Froneri Ireland.

The Oreo Stick Sandwich features vanilla cookie ice cream sandwiched between two Oreo cookies coated in Cadbury chocolate

“The new Oreo Stick Sandwich is a sector-changing launch which appeals to a wide target audience given the combination of brand recognition, indulgent taste combinations and ease of enjoyment.”

Uplift your Moo’d Moo’d Irish ice-cream comes from the green hills of Cavan handcrafted by a group of Irish experts and enthusiasts (and cows, don’t forget the cows!).

A 100% quality Irish product using dairy milk and cream from over 2,100 farms across the country, the brand has been serving happiness aka whirlies, cones, soft-serves, milkshakes and sundaes in Centra and SuperValu stores across the country since 2016 and is now in over 230 stores nationwide.

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Ice cream

Crisps and snacks

48 CATEGORY FOCUS Ice cream

Moo’d is all about natural ingredients and simplicity, that’s why it steers clear of vegetable oils that could take from the creaminess of the dairy. It’s this creaminess and superior quality that has earned Moo’d Irish ice-cream a Blás na hEireann Award and two Great Taste Awards.

The team behind Moo’d says: “Whether you have the Monday blues or you’re riding high on that Friday feeling, we’ll do our best to uplift your mood to that next level. Give us a whirl.”

You can also chill at home with the Moo’d range of takehome tubs available in the most popular flavours; Madagascan Vanilla, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookies and Cream Gelato as well as Salted Caramel and Chocolate Brownie.

Serving up gourmet favourites Award-winning Irish ice cream brand Mullin’s is set to whip up excitement at the freezer with its gourmet ‘Ireland’s Favourites’ range. Launching later this month, the exclusive range offers the ultimate luxury ice cream experience to Irish consumers.

Made with Mullin’s signature ice cream, expertly crafted for over 60 years, the brand only ever uses locally sourced milk and cream, fresh from Irish farms.

The new selection of gourmet Irish ice cream includes two dessert-inspired flavours, Mullin’s Sticky Toffee Pudding and Mallowy Chocolate Chunks.

Available in 500ml tubs, the premium packaging has been designed to enhance and communicate the decadent Moo’d has been serving whirlies, cones, soft-serves, milkshakes and sundaes in Centra and SuperValu stores across the country since 2016 and is now in over 230 stores nationwide

nature of the product and achieve standout freezer presence.

With over 400 scooping sites in Ireland and the addition of 100 new parlours in 2019, Mullin’s success is credited to its continued commitment to make truly exceptional, Irish ice cream. Using care and craftsmanship to blend the finest ingredients with innovation, makes it one of the most loved local ice cream brands in the country.

Supporting local is still of high importance to shoppers, who are typically willing to pay more for Irish-sourced dairy that support Irish farmers.

43% of Irish consumers agreed they would pay more for ice cream made with locally sourced milk. With its farm-toscoop credentials, Mullin’s is perfectly positioned to capture this market for retailers and maximise their sales.

Smooch safely in a pandemic Smooch is still serving communities across Ireland, and with the demand for the brand growing continually, the in-store queues that a Smooch Parlour typically generates were its primary concern during the pandemic. Ice cream is one of the most frequent consumer purchases in the forecourt retail environment, making it a priority for Smooch to develop new ways for retailers to stay open.

“After queuing for the last 40 minutes, I’m definitely rewarding myself with an ice-cream.” That’s what one customer of Lynam’s Fine Foods remarked to retailer Paul Lynam: an apt reflection of the high demand for ice cream at present.

Here’s some of what Smooch introduced to adapt to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic: - Smooch take-home order forms Smooch developed new takehome menus to combat in-store queuing and encourage an online ordering system.

Made to allow customers to order from the comfort of their own home, this allowed retailers to maintain a safe two metre distance between customers at all times, keep their store queue-free and keep their sales up. With fun and creativity both core aspects of the Smooch brand, the company incorporated a quirky format to make this process as exciting as possible for children and adults alike.

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

Smooch has developed a number of measures to adapt during the Covid-19 crisis to ensure the safety of customers and staff is paramount

- Smooch Parlour safety screens The introduction of screens has helped encourage a contactless sales environment for Smooch’s customers. Working closely with retailers, Smooch listened to feedback and has refined this offering to allow for a quick and efficient, click-fit PPE screen protection that can be simply fitted in minutes by you.

- Offsite store monitoring Smooch’s remote 4D dial-in system meant social distancing was not an issue for its team.

With remote access to its retailers’ ice-cream machines at any time, from anywhere, Smooch remained in control whilst you stayed supported. Managed solutions have always been Dairyglen’s key focus, making the process of adapting to life during a pandemic that much easier.

With over 30 years of experience in this industry, challenging the status-quo is deep-rooted in the company’s DNA. Innovation has always played a central role in how Dairyglen does business; for 30 years it has paved the way for soft-serve icecream in the retail environment.

Adapting to this ‘new normal’ meant an immediate focus on operational excellence. With a team of expert technicians and food safety professionals, Dairyglen quickly prioritized effective solutions to allow retailers the opportunity to continue to sell ice cream safely.

Ice cream season is approaching and people still need a reason to smile: contact Smooch to start selling ice cream today. n

CASE STUDY 49

Radically reduced plastic packaging with no reduction in performance Sealed Air’s Cryovac brand BDF flow-wrap system has allowed Finnish market leader Saarioinen to pack 15 times more pizzas with the same amount of plastic

S

aarioinen has reduced the plastic packaging of its Pizza Lovers range by 93%, thanks to the Cryovac brand BDF flow-wrap system.

Saarioinen is the market leader in Finland for fresh ready meals. Based in the Tampere area of the country, Saarioinen is a familyowned business with a long pedigree: the Saarioinen Manor site was first mentioned in written sources in 1469, and the business has been operating since 1941.

Saarioinen produced the first ready meals in Finland in 1957 and began its long partnership with Sealed Air back in 1960 through the packaging of its whole chickens.

Finns love pizza, and Saarioinen is Finland’s largest pizza maker. The brand’s pizzas are baked at its Valkeakoski factory and the company produces an impressive 12 million pizzas a year.

The Cryovac brand BDF flow-wrap system fulfilled Saarioinen’s needs for strong presentation coupled with reduced plastic

The challenge Saarioinen’s main pizza product is economically priced, yet the company aims to strengthen its position in the high quality pizza segment by investigating modern packaging solutions which use less plastic and deliver a fresh look with excellent presentation.

The existing packaging for the half-cooked premium pizzas was a rigid (plastic) PET-tray (MAP) with a plastic film lid.

The solution In light of its long relationship with the company, in 2019 Saarioinen approached Sealed Air for a solution to this challenge. Sealed Air recommended the Cryovac brand BDF flow-wrap system.

Saarioinen understood that Cryovac brand BDF is the perfect solution to fulfill its needs of presentation coupled with reduced plastic.

For this project, Sealed Air worked closely with machinery partner Ulma, and recommended an Ulma FM 300C (flowpack wrapper for HFFS) and Cryovac CJ63 (hot air shrink tunnel). The pizza is placed on a recyclable card tray and Cryovac brand BDF is used to wrap around the product which is then sealed in the shrink tunnel.

By switching to this new packaging, Saarioinen has reduced the amount of plastic in its pizza packaging from 75g to just 5g – a reduction of 93% plastic content! With the same amount of plastic, Saarioinen can now pack 15 times more pizzas with Cryovac brand BDF. The Cryovac brand BDF offers many advantages over the previous rigid MAP-tray system: • Ultra-thin (21μm), shrink barrier film which is antifog and suitable for MAP • Thinner material, i.e. less plastic but no compromise on performance • Flexible system – can be used with/without trays, on a wide range of tray shapes, sizes, materials • Traditional store-wrapped look Find out more: www.sealedair.co.uk/en-gb/ customer-stories. n

50 OFF-TRADE NEWS

Stand out from the crowd Sun, sand, Míl Spritz in hand with Flying Flamingo Tropical Hard Seltzers Family-run Pearse Lyons Brewery & Distillery has launched Ireland’s first hard seltzer. With only 90 calories and 5% alcohol, Irish brand Flying Flamingo Tropical Hard Seltzer is more than just a drink, it’s a natural lifestyle brand that comes in two refreshingly crisp flavours: Pineapple Punch and Peach Fizz.

Flying Flamingo has been carefully Irish brand Flying Flamingo is bursting made with with rich fruit flavours purity, balance and refreshment at its core. Naturally gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and low-calorie with a crisp fresh taste, Flying Flamingo allows consumers to enjoy life without compromise. Bursting with rich fruit flavours, and the perfect amount of effervescence, Flying Flamingo delivers a drink option of epic refreshment.

Flying Flamingo is currently stocked in Tesco stores nationwide, RRP €3, on offer currently at four for €9.

Bursting with zesty southern sunshine and infused with Mediterranean botanicals, the Míl Spritz range of ‘ready to serve’ gin and tonic cans are the drink of choice this summer. Winner of the World’s Best Design accolade in the World Premix Awards, Míl Spritz is the perfect drink to have by your side in the sunshine.

Míl Spritz was named the ‘World’s Best Design’ winner at the World Premix Awards

Created by a team of adventurous ginthusiasts from the Pearse Lyons Distillery, located in the historic St James Church in Dublin, the Irish pot still gin has added two refreshingly distinctive flavours to its already established range, Míl Gin Spritz and Míl Gin Rosa Spritz.

Míl captures the essence of expedition, infusing pure Irish gin with Iberian flavours and its ready to serve cans portray this effortlessly.

Míl Spritz has added two refreshingly Targeting both male and distinctive flavours to its already female consumers, Míl Gin established range, Míl Gin Spritz and Míl Spritz is for the adventurous Gin Rosa Spritz individual.

Both products are canned at 5.9% ABV, with an RRP of €2.99 per 250ml can, and are stocked in multiples and independent off-licences nationwide.

Kylie Minogue launches French rosé creating a beautifully elegant wine which said of her latest creation. “Working with the To coincide with her birthday on 28 May, pop reflects the character of Kylie Minogue.” brilliant team at Benchmark Drinks, we have icon Kylie Minogue launched her signature Benchmark Drinks is a Londoncreated a rosé that I am truly enamoured French rosé in collaboration with Benchmark based distributor and brand developer by, it’s fresh, light and the perfect pink,” she Drinks. established in 2018. Led by MD Paul added.

Kylie Minogue Rosé is an elegant, bespoke Schaafsma, the combined trade “It has been a privilege collaborating with blend made from Carignan and Cabernet experience of the team totals over 100 Kylie to bring her rosé vision to life,” said Sauvignon grapes sourced from the sunyears, all in senior management roles. The Paul Schaafsma of Benchmark Drinks. “Kylie’s drenched southern French Coast, a region company manages a premium portfolio exquisite taste and refined palate made it a known for its innovative viticulture. of award-winning global brands from dream to develop this bespoke rosé blend, With a deliciously juicy and fresh first Australia, New Zealand, impression, the elegant Argentina and France. blend features a beautifully Kylie Minogue’s debut pale pink shade with delicate, alluring aromas of Rosé Vin de France will be fresh summer berries and launching in Ireland on white blossom, refined and www.WinesofTheWorld.ie refreshing on the palate and Carry Out Off-Licences with a fruity, crisp finish. at an RRP of €12.99. For more The wine is beautifully information and to purchase presented in a long-neck Kylie Minogue Wines online curved bottle with an visit www.kylieminoguewines. engraved label featuring com, and to join the Kylie Kylie’s signature, finished Minogue Wines community, off with a bespoke follow: Instagram.com/ pearlescent capsule.

KylieMinogueWines.

“I have a great passion For distribution enquiries for rosé and have loved here in Ireland, contact Kate working for the last two Barry of Barry & Fitzwilliam on Kylie Minogue Rosé is beautifully presented in a long-neck curved bottle with years on developing Kylie email at Kate.barry@bandf.ie an engraved label featuring Kylie’s signature, finished off with a bespoke Minogue Wines,” the star or telephone 021 430900. n pearlescent capsule

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

just waiting to get out.

John Boyle O’Reilly As a youth in Ireland John Boyle O’Reilly was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, or Fenians, for which he was transported to Western Australia. O’Reilly however, was no ordinary convict. He published poetry throughout the harrowing journey to Australia and once there outwitted prison guards to escape to America.

#liveinfamously

Michael Moore

James Wilson

Michael Moore, known as ‘The Pike Maker’ by his brothers, was a blacksmith for the cause.

He forged more dangerous fare than horseshoes for which he paid the price. He was banished for crimes against the crown and was the last of British convicts to be punished by transportation to Australia in 1867. In Ireland he forged chains, in Australia, he wore them.

Born James McNally in County Down he joined the British Army at the age of 17 (enlisting under a false name), before returning to Ireland where he became a Fenian in 1864.

In 1866 he was arrested, found guilty of desertion and mutinous conduct and sentenced to death.

However, this sentence was later commuted to penal servitude for life and was transported to Western Australia.

52 NOFFLA NEWS

www.noffla.ie

First time’s a charm John Fleming of ‘The Reeks’ Carry Out Off-Licence in Killarney, tells Julia O’Reilly about the team ethos that saw the business scoop NOffLA’s Best First Time Entrant title for 2020, as well as outlining how they’re adapting to keep meeting customers’ needs safely during the Covid-19 crisis

In January, John Fleming, the proud owner of Carry Out Off-Licence ‘The Reeks’ in Killarney, Co. Kerry, was named the Best First Time Entrant award at the 2020 NOffLA Awards.

Speaking with ShelfLife about the achievement, Fleming says: “It was a great honour for our Carry Out store on Tralee Road, Killarney to receive that award, particularly when it was our first time entering the competition. Receiving that sort of recognition was wonderful for both the team and myself.”

Customer service is key We were keen to hear what he thinks made his business stand out to the NOffLA judges. “I think it was the exceptional customer service offered,” replies Fleming. “We pride ourselves on our customer service. Our team has been together a long time now. We all work well together to help the customers.”

Elaborating on the customer service theme, he continues: “Without good customer service, a store cannot continue in business.

Without the team we have, we would not be in business this long. We all get on really well and that’s reflected in our treatment of our customers.”

His response showcases a modesty in Fleming. He makes no mention of the wealth of experience he himself has in customer service, having started out in the bar and hotel industry at a young age.

Two years ago, Fleming moved the

David Long, John Fleming and Kadri of ‘The Reeks’ Carry Out Off-Licence in Killarney, Co. Kerry, celebrating with the Best First Time Entrant award at the 2020 NOffLA OffLicence of the Year Awards

Trendspotting

Award sponsored by NOffLA

original store - which was one of the first Carry Out stores in Ireland - to a larger unit across the road.

“At 1,700sq ft, our new store has a lot more space,” he says. “That makes the whole shopping experience that bit better for our customers. It also delivers better display space while enabling us to increase our range.”

Catalyst for change

Retailer John Fleming says that during Covid-19 when many consumers are enjoying making cocktails at home, the business is now selling a range of liquors and bitters in higher volumes

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

Telling ShelfLife that he and his team implemented as many safety precautions as possible in response to Covid-19 he adds: “Provided everyone stays safe, we will get through this okay.”

The health and safety of his team and his customers are clearly his priority. He could have jumped right in, with a tale of woe about how tourism has been impacted by the pandemic and the importance of the tourist trade to his Killarney store. Instead, he chooses to view the situation through a lens of optimism. “For sure, our Killarney business is usually buoyed in tourist season, and that seems unlikely to happen this year, it’s likely the 2020 tourist season will be bleak enough,” he begins. “But on a positive note, we have seen an increase in business in our Killarney store and that’s a good thing.”

We talk then about whether easy availability of alcohol at supermarkets and petrol stations is a challenge for his business: “We have been dealing with the supermarkets and their lossleading approaches on alcohol in Ireland for years now,” he says. “As I see it, if you try to compete you lose and if you don’t try to compete you lose. So what we’ve done is focus instead on our own offerings, and on our own customer service and range.”

On the impact of the pandemic on his business, Fleming is candid: “When Covid-19 kicked off, no one really knew what it was or how it would affect us all,” he observes. “We immediately lost two very good members of our team. Both live with elderly parents and for their sake they felt uncomfortable coming to work.”

Fleming initially curtailed business opening hours to reflect that change, then later took on two new staff members. That was a catalyst for change for the business: “We have once again returned to normal trading hours,” he says.

On the topic of trends, Fleming is on the ball: “These days, we’re seeing a trend among our customers for making cocktails at home,” he tells ShelfLife. “To support that demand we are now selling a range of liquors and bitters in volumes that we probably wouldn’t have sold before.

“Every day we see new products and new tastes being developed,” he continues. “It’s great to see the revival of whiskey in Ireland and new distilleries opening up. Hopefully that’s a trend that will continue into the future.”

Fleming’s knack for knowing what his customers want before they want it, is just another of the positive business acumen traits for which he is renowned. Doubtless that’s a fact that wasn’t lost on the NOffLA judges who voted to award his Tralee business this year.

Like many a fine businessman, Fleming keeps his cards close to his chest. He’s busy plan-making, but we will have to wait to find out what’s in the pipeline: “We are currently working on something in the background that will hopefully take us to the next level. That’s all on the QT for the time being.”

As for what’s next, he says: “The development of our Muckross Road store.

That’s our next step into the future.”

NOFFLA NEWS 53

www.noffla.ie

Embracing the challenge Fresh off being named Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year at the NOffLA Off-Licence of the Year Awards, John Shiel of Shiel’s Londis and Off-Licence, catches up with Julia O’Reilly about Covid-19, customer service, and drinks trends Sean Murphy, Philip Donnelly and John Shiel of Shiel’s Londis and Off-Licence receive the award for Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year, presented

by Jeff Brennan of Richmond Marketing

Shiel’s Londis and Off-Licence, Malahide was the proud recipient of the Food Retailer OffLicence of the Year title at the 2020 NOffLA Awards. Recalling the victory, John Shiel says: “For both myself and the team, it was humbling to be judged against some of the finest retailers in the country. That all our hard work, effort, and enthusiasm was recognised, made the win feel all the better.”

Shiel doesn’t pause to hesitate when asked what makes his store stand out from the rest: “It’s a combination of things,” he says.

“But what’s core is that we’ve a wide range of products, beers, wines and spirits in our off-licence, perhaps much wider than would normally be seen in a 5,000sq ft store.”

Londis retailer and board member John Shiel, pictured with co-owner Rufina Shiel Mullen, and Frank Shiel, founder of Shiel’s Londis, Malahide

Team effort He’s quick to point out the impeccable credentials of his team: “They’re highly knowledgeable, having received WSET training for wine, and NOffLA training for beer. With that, everyone’s hugely customer focused and always on hand to offer advice with a smile. “ Having scooped the Food Retailer OffLicence of the Year award it’s right and proper that Shiel prides himself on the store’s fresh food selections. “Particularly our butchery, delicatessen, and fruit and vegetable offerings,” he adds.

That’s not all the store offers: “We offer both a party and a delivery service. We also offer advice on BBQs, birthday parties and weddings. These things may seem small, but

they’re important,” Award sponsored by Peroni he notes, and nobody would argue with the commenting on one occasion that this veracity of that. was the fourth consecutive night that It’s no surprise that Shiel has a heartening the seven of us were eating together. Daily appreciation of the value of customer service, family dinner had become a rare event in given that the business is in his blood. today’s busy, modern world. What’s particularly Back in 1973, his parents, Maeve and Frank moving is the way families are embracing the Shiel opened Shiel’s Londis in Malahide. Today return to this ritual, and savouring this time the store is being run by a second generation together.” of the family: John, his wife Krista and his sister Rufina, with the third generation also Drinking at home actively involved.

Have lockdown induced restaurant closures induced a shift? “Many once used to spending No stranger to a challenge €25 - €30 on a bottle of restaurant house wine, Like all successful retailers, they are no now they spend that amount buying something strangers to challenge. On the topic of Covidfar more special from us,” Shiel replies. “There’s 19, Shiel says: “From the outset, we embraced growing demand for better quality wine. the challenge with great support from BWG “Cocktail-making at home is more popular Group head office. now than ever. Guinness and Heineken drinkers “As a country, we adopted the right have been missing sipping pints at their locals. approach and got most things right,” he But they haven’t been going without. They’re continues. “As a community-based store, buying from off-licences instead.” business for us has been very strong. We have And craft beer drinkers? “They’ve been seen a notable increase. Sadly, I know that this experimenting with new brews. Our local Hope has not been the experience for all retailers.”

Beer craft brewery launched a 5L mini keg of While prioritising customer and staff some of its great brews. That was a job well wellbeing, Shiel noted carefully the impact done on their part.” lockdown had on his business: “People and We talk then about the growing popularity families with time on their hands began baking of drinking at home: “That’s a trend that’s and home-cooking on a large scale,” he says. likely to continue,” he says. “For the most part, “Yeast, flour and baking powder became like we’re also drinking better quality beverages. gold dust: much in demand but hard to find.

But this was to be expected given the quality “The practice of sit-down family dinner and range of Irish whiskeys, gins and craft returned. This was also the case with my own beers available.” family. My wife and I have five children. I recall Agreeing that there’s an increased readiness to try something different, he adds: “In some categories many are switching towards convenience offerings such as seltzers and pre-mixed gin and tonics.”

Our conversation returns then to customer service. “Whether their budget is €10 or €100, whether they be novice or connoisseur, we aim to keep our customers happy. We do that not just because happy customers return, but because excellent service is our priority.”

Does he anticipate the pandemic induced ‘new normal’ continuing long-term? “Nobody can know for sure,” he replies. “But the trade is certainly innovative and energetic enough to Shiel’s Londis in Malahide offers a wide range meet any challenge to come.” n of beers, wines and spirits

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife June 2020

A monthly roundup of new products & promotions

54 MARKET MOVERS Tic Tac

Dawn Meats

An encounter of two icons: Tic Tac meets Coca-Cola

Dawn Meats’ bespoke brands serve up ‘something special’

Available for a short time: the Tic Tac Coca-Cola limited edition will deliver the refreshment of Coca-Cola in a tiny Tic Tac. Ferrero is proud to launch Tic Tac Coca-Cola: the result of a unique collaboration between two iconic brands of the FMCG sector. Thanks to this collaboration, Tic Tac brings Coca-Cola into the sugar confectionery category, creating the first mint with the refreshment of Coca-Cola. This special edition will be available in the next few months in more than 70 countries all around the world.

With Tic Tac Coca-Cola, Ferrero states consumers will enjoy “an incomparable taste experience” which combines the refreshment of Coca-Cola with the instantly recognisable shape and format of Tic Tac. Both brands are appreciated all over the world, perfect for sharing, connecting people and providing refreshment. The introduction of this exclusive limited edition is supported by a 360° global integrated communications plan.

Tic Tac Coca-Cola will be available to retailers throughout summer 2020. Presented in the iconic Tic Tac boxes, the brand-new flavour is available to purchase across all channels.

For further information on Tic Tac, visit www.tictac.com/uk/en/.

Dawn Meats has combined tradition and innovation to create what it describes as “the next generation of premium quality beef”. Dawn Meats’ Red Hereford brand is renowned for its generous cuts of meat and pronounced beefy taste. With a natural disposition to the great outdoors, Hereford mature naturally and quickly on a diet of lush green grass. The secret of this great taste is the perfect distribution of fat throughout each cut, which produces a consistently superb flavour and texture every time; ideal products for the BBQ or sharing.

For shoppers who are after something a little more special, Dawn Meats’ describes its Black Angus as “the ultimate expression of premium quality Irish beef”. Famed for its undisputed 150-year pedigree and unique taste, Black Angus boasts succulent, tender meat of unmatched character and distinction. It is synonymous with exquisitely tender cuts of premium Irish beef, aged on the bone for a wonderful depth of flavour. The true mark of this breed is the unique marbling that runs through each cut. When cooked, these natural fats infuse into the meat, creating a delicately melting texture that’s consistently tender and delicious.

Featuring Dawn Meats’ unique patented ‘Truly Tender’ guarantee, the company has a full range of retail-ready products available in these bespoke brands.

For more information, email sales@dawnmeats.com. n

20 QUICK QUESTIONS

20

QUICK QUESTIONS WITH

Michelle White

Best place for coffee?

It’s got to be McDonald’s for quality and value!

Favourite movie?

Love Actually. Having spent many hours at airports over the years, to pass the time I would create stories about my fellow passengers or the people waiting for their visitors to arrive and this film bought my musings to life in such a wonderful way.

Top book recommendation?

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I read this at school over 30 years ago and still pick it up every couple of years to reread as the story had such a profound effect on me. Happiness or freedom?

ShelfLife June 2020 | www.shelflife.ie

MICHELLE WHITE, head of marketing with Dawn Meats Which social media platform do you use most?

LinkedIn from a professional perspective, but mainly WhatsApp. It keeps me up to date with what’s going on with my friends, family, my children’s busy social lives and their school activities.

First thing you would do if you were Taoiseach?

Fortunately for the Irish, I don’t qualify as I’m not an Irish citizen. I wouldn’t know where to begin but it’s not a job I would wish for in any case!

Best ad on telly?

Don’t typically watch much TV however I really admire Aldi’s Everyday Amazing campaign.

If you had to live in another country, where would you choose?

Somewhere that had a clear definition between the seasons. Hot in the summer and cold in the winter, rather than endless soft days and sunny spells.

Worst ad on telly?

I can’t remember the last time I watched live TV, so thankfully I tend to miss any truly terrible ads.

Favourite grocery shop?

A busy schedule doesn’t allow for much wandering around the shops, which is fine as I’m not much of a shopper anyway! I tend to order my groceries online, and top that up with seasonal fruit and veg from my local farm shop.

What would you cook if you were to compete in ‘Come Dine With Me’ and would you win?

I’d cook one of our award-winning Dawn Meats Red Hereford Steaks, paired with plenty of red wine – so I’ll be sure to win!

Greatest achievement to date?

Professionally it would have to be Dawn Meats’ first standalone exhibit in Paris at SIAL - one of the world’s largest trade shows, where over 120 countries are represented.

Best website?

Has to be Amazon. So easy to use and quick to shop.

Most annoying public figure?

I can’t single out any one particular person, however I get very annoyed with all these faux celebrities doing desperate things for a piece of the limelight!

Best piece of advice you ever received?

Never be afraid to make a mistake, learn from it, move on. Just don’t make that same mistake twice!

Biggest fear?

Walking into work one day and not feeling challenged. It hasn’t happened yet!

City or beach break?

Now that I have a family, give me a beach break every time.

Top restaurant recommendation?

Shanahan’s on the Green in Dublin. Fantastic place to have a Dawn Meats steak cooked to perfection.

Pop or rock?

100% it’s got to be pop.

Favourite time of the day?

First thing in the morning before getting out of bed when you’re still optimistic about all the things you’re going to achieve that day!

What’s the last compliment you received?

A rare compliment from my daughter about my culinary skills: “Mum you make the best food, even better than Nanny’s”. n

NEW KEY DATE AWARDS NIGHT: September 18 2020, Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.groceryawards.ie

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CATEGORY SPONSORS

TO THE THREE EUROMILLIONS JACKPOT WINNERS IN CASTLEBAR YOU LUCKY DUCKS IT C O U LD B E YO U