ShelfLife Jan 2022

LARGEST INDEPENDENTLY AUDITED GROCERY TRADE CIRCULATION IN IRELAND

January 2022

Minimum unit pricing All-island approach needed to level the playing field

+

Omicron surge Retailers severely affected by staff shortages

Dalkey delight Experienced c-store retailer Dave Whelan has created his own premium brand, Barnhill Stores

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

OPINION 3

ShelfLife January 2022 Vol. 29 No.1

Brighter times on the horizon as the Omicron variant gets 2022 off to a rocky start

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

Undoubtedly, many retailers have had a turbulent start to the new year, given the Omicron variant’s high transmissibility and the knock-on impact upon store staffing levels.

Once again, retailers and their staff have stepped up to the plate and done everything in their power to keep the show on the road, even when that involved difficult decisions like reducing opening hours and working considerable amounts of overtime.

Fortunately, as Dan White writes in his monthly column on page 12, “it’s difficult to resist the conclusion that Omicron is at or close to its peak and will soon begin to decline rapidly”.

Having crunched all the relevant numbers, he reckons that “instead of having to endure another lockdown stretching to Easter or beyond, the outlook is almost certainly much brighter. By early next month, with the number of new infections falling rapidly and no spike in deaths, the government will be able to unwind most of the Covid-19 restrictions.”

We sincerely hope this is the case. Meanwhile, another important development which has already occurred this year is the introduction of minimum unit pricing on alcohol products, which came into force on 4 January – a subject covered in detail by Fionnuala Carolan on page 6. On this topic, I feel it would be remiss not to mention the ingenuity displayed by Colm O’Sullivan, owner of Sam’s Gala in Dunmanay, Co. Cork, who made national headlines by offering customers a credit note for the value of a €47 slab of beer when they buy €30 of plastic glasses. The credit note can also be redeemed against the price of other products sold in the shop - such as a vacuum cleaner or a mop.

“This increase in prices in alcohol goes directly to the retailer and I'm not proud of that so I see this as my way of giving it back by offering value in a range of products,” O’Sullivan said.

It’s certainly thinking outside the box at any rate, and a flexible mindset is something sure to be crucial to us all as 2022 progresses.

Gillian Hamill, editor, ShelfLife magazine

ShelfLife is a controlled circulation magazine, available to selected individuals with interests in the retail and wholesale grocery trade, who fall within the publisher’s terms of control.

For those outside these terms, annual subscription is €98.00 including postage & packing.

Contents January 17

16

20

37

COVER STORY 6

Minimum unit pricing: Fionnuala Carolan asks whether MUP will help reduce alcohol consumption, or force people to shop across the border?

NEWS&ANALYSIS Managing Director JOHN McDONALD; Sales Director PAUL BYRNE Operations Director BILLY HUGGARD Published monthly by Mediateam Ltd., 55 Spruce Avenue, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

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

4 10 24 33 41 42

ShelfLife is a member of Magazines Ireland

CSNA news Marketing news Food focus Off-trade news NOffLA news

FEATURES&REPORTS 8

Circulation audited by Audit Bureau of Circulations.

News grid

Under pressure: Gillian Hamill looks into how retailers have been affected by Covidrelated staff absences

12 Dan White: Despite the high

transmissibility of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, Dan White

is hopeful that the end of the pandemic is nigh

14 Londis store profile: Brian

and Jean Malone of Malone’s Londis Ardee are delighted with the results of their recent renovation

18 Nearby store profile: Roisin Harkin, manager of Nearby in Glenties, Co. Donegal, tells Fionnuala Carolan about what’s next for the store

20 Barnhill Stores profile:

Fionnuala Carolan talks to founder and manager of Barnhill Stores in Dalkey, Dave Whelan, about how his brand has exceeded his expectations

37 Retailers Against Smuggling: How has the increase in large seizures of illicit tobacco and cigarettes impacted legitimate retailers?

ADVISOR 16 Recruitment 17 HR 22 Marketing

MARKETING& CATEGORY FOCUS 26 Vegan 34 Cooked Meats 38 Bottled Water

4

NEWS

NEWSGRID The top news stories in FMCG

and retail from across Ireland

Retailers hit by Covidrelated staff shortages

Dunnes takes number one spot in latest Kantar stats

Covid-related staff shortages have led to a quarter of retail staff being forced to close for a period of time in recent weeks, according to a survey by Retail Excellence.

As a result of the highly transmissible nature of the Omicron variant, Duncan Graham, MD of Retail Excellence, said many of its members were operating with a “skeleton staff” due to Covid-related issues.

For more on this issue, turn to page 8.

Irish grocery sales were worth €3.1 billion during the 12 weeks to 26 December 2021, according to the latest figures from Kantar.

Dunnes retained the number one spot as Ireland’s largest retailer, securing 23.2% of the market. SuperValu and Tesco were both close behind, with shares of 22.2% each, while Lidl and Aldi accounted for 11.7% and 11.6% respectively.

Regulator advises removal of Genrui antigen tests from shelves The State’s medical devices regulator has said one of the most commonly used Covid19 rapid antigen tests, Genrui should be removed from the shelves, after over 500 users complained about false positive results.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said retailers were removing the product from sale on a voluntary basis pending further investigation.

CMO calls for “robust” application of Covid protection measures in shops Chief medical officer Tony Holohan has issued the following message to retailers about the need to robustly apply Covid health and safety measures: “Given the current epidemiological situation and the expected impact of the Omicron variant, it is absolutely critical that those sectors that remain open are robustly applying the full range of protective measures to ensure safe environments for staff and customers,” he said.

CMO Tony Holohan

Dunnes Stores asks appeals board to overturn Monkstown store refusal Dunnes Stores has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála against Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s refusal of planning permission to redevelop The Outer Spaces, a Diarmuid Gavin-led gardening shop and cafe it opened last year at 14/15 Monkstown Cresent, south Dublin. It is seeking planning for a convenience store of 400sq m.

The council initially refused planning permission after 20 local residents objected and the council said it would constitute overdevelopment. Dunnes Stores argued that the outlet will not have an adverse impact on existing properties in the local area. A decision is due on the appeal in May.

Freshly Chopped expands to six new countries Healthy fast food retailer Freshly Chopped recently signed a new partnership deal with the Dutch company FFF International Holding B.V. (Fresh Food Fast Company) that will see the Freshly Chopped brand open 120 new outlets in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden over the next five years. For further details, turn to page 33.

Brian Lee, founder and CEO of Freshly Chopped with Hans Wingender, MD of Fresh Food Fast Company in Leiden, Netherlands

Christmas 2021: Grocery sales finish ahead of previous year Christmas 2021 saw Irish people spend €732 on groceries every second in the four weeks to 26 December according to new research from NielsenIQ. Total sales surpassed €1.7 billion, representing a growth of +0.3% versus Christmas 2020. In comparison to a pandemic free Christmas in 2019, total value sales were up +12% this year. Overall, Irish shoppers spent €28 million more during Christmas week this year versus in 2020.

Sponsorship set for 8% growth in 2022, says Onside The Irish sponsorship industry grew by 6% to reach €180m in 2021, and while the sector’s size has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, the 16th annual Onside Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey estimates there will be further growth of 8% in 2022 to €195m. According to Onside’s survey results, 54% of sponsors will be increasing their sponsorship investment levels in 2022, up from 41% in 2021.

Tributes as coffee business legend Patrick Bewley dies aged 77

Patrick Bewley

Tributes have been paid to the former managing director of Bewley’s, who has died aged 77. Patrick Bewley, who passed away after a long illness, was involved in the Dublin institution for 53 years. He imported the first Fairtrade Certified coffee to Ireland in 1996.

“Paddy Bewley made an immense contribution, not just to the success of Bewley’s over the past 35 years, but to improving the lives of others in need,” said Paddy Campbell, whose family acquired the Bewley’s business in 1986, forming the Campbell Bewley Group. Patrick Bewley’s great-grandfather, Joshua Bewley, founded the company in 1840. ■

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

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6

FEATURE

All-Ireland approach needed for MUP This month the government introduced minimum unit pricing (MUP) of alcohol and it has divided opinion on whether this will have the desired effect of reducing alcohol consumption or if it will just force people across the border to shop while we wait for Northern Ireland to enact similar legislation to level the playing field.

Fionnuala Carolan reports

N

ew measures to tackle alcohol consumption came into effect on 4 January this year. For the past decade the government has been talking about introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol in an attempt to reduce the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption in society.

Now that this legislation has finally been passed here without the promised alignment with Northern Ireland, it has divided opinion as to whether it will have the desired effect or just drive people over the border and put further financial strain on low income families in the south.

The new rules will affect off-licences, shops and supermarkets who will benefit by way of increased pricing but may also lose out on sales because people now deem it too expensive to buy and those close to Northern Ireland will be sure to buy low-cost alcohol in the north. The on-trade, restaurants and bars will be unaffected as their minimum prices already exceed the threshold.

Alcohol Action’s Eunan McKinney thinks it’s about drinking a little less and a little less “The objective of the Public Health Alcohol Act is to reduce consumption across the whole country by 20% over seven years,” says Alcohol Action’s Eunan McKinney

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

often. “The objective of the act is to reduce consumption across the whole country by 20% over seven years,” he says. “There will be a small windfall for retailers now but it’s a long game. It is a bit like selling cigarettes, it’s gone from 40% of the population smoking to 16%.”

Alcohol consumption is already declining in Ireland and last year it reduced by 6.6% to its lowest level in 30 years although this fall was accelerated by Covid-19 and the closure of the hospitality sector. However it is still seen as a major problem with Ireland experiencing at least three alcohol-related deaths a day.

The new measures The new measures mean that a standard bottle of wine cannot be sold for less than €7.40 and a can of beer for less than €1.70.

Spirits with up to 40% alcohol content cannot be sold for less than €20.70 and a 700ml bottle of whiskey for less than €22. The wellknown brands are unaffected by this move as their prices were already higher than the new minimum pricing.

Research in 2016 by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) carried out on over 3,000 adults found that the cheapest alcohol products are favoured by the heaviest drinkers, regardless of their income levels and 14% of the population will feel the effect of MUP. As expected, not everyone is pleased with the measures and some are questioning who this is really benefiting. President of the Students’ Union at NUI Galway Róisín Nic

Lochlainn said the new law was being introduced at the worst time during a pandemic, with pubs being closed at 8pm.

“It isn’t going to stop people buying alcohol.

It just means that if a student or working class family is in the supermarket, the drink will still be bought but at the expense of another essential item in the basket,” she said.

International best practice Here in Ireland the effect of alcohol on our society is costing in the region of €3.2 billion a year. Public health experts say the new measures are shown to be working internationally, with a reduction in the number

CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association, Vincent Jennings says the minimum unit pricing policy needs to be implemented in both the north and south of Ireland

FEATURE

7

of admissions to emergency departments and a drop in the number of alcohol fuelled assaults. Similar measures to those taken here have been proven to work in places like Scotland, Wales and Canada, showing a significant reduction in alcohol retail sales and consumption.

After the introduction of MUP in Scotland, alcohol consumption decreased by 7.6%, Scotland’s alcohol sales fell to their lowest levels since records began and consumption levels were at 9.9 litres per capita which is the lowest level since 1994.

On the launch of the legislation, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was confident that it will have a positive outcome: “Today Ireland joins a small number of countries in the world to introduce minimum pricing,” he said. “This measure is designed to reduce serious illness and death from alcohol consumption and to reduce the pressure on our health services from alcohol related conditions. It worked in Scotland and I look forward to it working here also.”

Northern Ireland While we might achieve a reduction in consumption, the other issue at stake is the certainty that consumers will cross the border to shop. According to an Ibec economic report a unilateral MUP move would increase the existing price differential on alcohol between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland from 27% to 38%.

Additionally, it’s estimated that it would result in a €94m loss to the Irish Exchequer in increased sales across the border.

Long before this legislation came into being, retail lobby groups said that while it was supported it needed to happen in unison with Northern Ireland or else it would have detrimental effects on retailers in border regions. This unfortunately has not come to pass.

In July 2020, Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Robin Swann committed to a public consultation on the introduction of minimum pricing for alcohol. The findings are expected to be released in early 2022 but no official date has yet been given.

CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association, Vincent Jennings, said it supports MUP, but not this way.

“When this came through... it was suggested, and very clearly, guarantees were made that this would be happening alongside the north of Ireland doing the same thing,” he said.

“The Minister himself had promised that, and then most recently at the end of last year, the Minister said if we proceed with this policy unilaterally, we risk undermining the effectiveness of it,” he said.

Additionally, Tara Buckley, director general of RGDATA told ShelfLife that there are real concerns among retailers about the shopping habits of consumers until the north commits to the same minimum pricing.

“Whilst it is early days in terms of the impact of minimum unit pricing on alcohol sales and purchasing habits, retailers, particularly those in border counties, are concerned about the impact of people opting to go north to purchase cheap alcohol and

Under the new measures, a can of beer cannot be sold for less than €1.70

then doing the full weekly shop when they are up there.

“Obviously it would have been much easier if MUP was introduced in Northern Ireland simultaneously but this does not look likely for some time yet,” she said.

She said that retailers were also concerned about the significant increases in the wholesale price of alcohol following the introduction of MUP – up by almost 60% in one particular case raised with RGDATA – and about the impact that this will have on their sales and margins.

“RGDATA and our members have consistently opposed below cost selling of alcohol but it remains to be seen if MUP will deliver any health benefits by reducing alcohol consumption or will it just change purchasing habits.”

Retailers in border counties are particularly concerned about the impact of people opting to go north to purchase cheap alcohol and then doing the full weekly shop when they are up there, says RGDATA director general Tara Buckley

Dragging its feet So why is Northern Ireland dragging its feet and can we hope to see similar legislation there anytime soon?

A spokesperson for the Department of Health in Northern Ireland stated that the introduction of MUP for alcohol has the “potential to be a key population-level health measure” to address the harms related to alcohol consumption.

Head of treatment at Northlands Addiction Treatment Centre in Derry, Tommy Canning, welcomed the Republic of Ireland’s move but said an all-island approach is necessary to battle alcohol addiction.

“There is some work ongoing at the moment within NIADA [Northern Ireland Drugs and Alcohol Alliance] both regionally and nationally around minimal alcohol pricing and they are bringing that to our local Executive and local Assembly,” he told BBC Radio Foyle.

“Northlands would like to see the assembly lifting this issue and looking at it seriously, again, as one part of the puzzle that would help to relieve and reduce alcoholism within the island of Ireland.”

According to the Belfast Telegraph’s Seamus McNamee, the director of the First and Last off-licence in Jonesborough, said that while the change in pricing will benefit his business, he wants to see the same changes brought into Northern Ireland.

“Over time, we would like it to be brought into Northern Ireland as well. Everybody will be on the one playing field regarding health service and abuse of alcohol,” McNamee said.

It would seem that there is a unanimous appetite for MUP to be introduced to Northern Ireland so it is hoped that a decision to come into line with the south will be made within the next couple of months and legislation to follow soon after. Everyone wants to see problem drinking eradicated but an all-Ireland approach to MUP is the only sensible way for it to happen. n

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

8

FEATURE

Retailers hit by Covid-related staff shortages Some 25% of retailers said they had been forced to close for a period of time, which could be shorter hours or closing for a full day, according to a Retail Excellence survey

As the Omicron variant surges, retailers’ staffing levels have been severely affected As ShelfLife headed to print, the government had just announced that from Friday, 14 January onwards, the restriction rules for Covid ‘close contacts’ would be relaxed. The news comes as a welcome development for retailers who have struggled to maintain staffing levels in the face of the Omicron variant’s high transmissibility rates.

As a result, boosted people who are identified as close contacts are no longer required to restrict their movements. They are instead being advised to wear a medical grade mask or a FFP2 for ten days, and to take regular antigen tests.

Close contacts who have not had their immunity boosted have still been asked to restrict their movements for seven days and to also take regular antigen tests. The HSE says boosted means an individual is either at least seven days post booster or has a combination of primary vaccination and infection within the last three months.

Meanwhile, anyone who has Covid-19 now has to self-isolate for seven days; down three days from the previous rule of 10 days’ isolation.

The announcement is an important one for the retail sector, given that Covid-related staff shortages have led to a quarter of retail staff being forced to close for a period of time in recent weeks, according to a survey by Retail Excellence.

Duncan Graham, MD of Retail Excellence, said many of its members were operating with a “skeleton staff” as upwards of 20% of employees were off work due to Covid-related issues.

“About 25% said they had been forced to close for a period of time, which could be shorter hours or closing for a full day or something,” Graham said. “If things don’t

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

improve, 50% said they would anticipate having to close for a period of time in the coming weeks.”

Describing the situation as another blow for businesses, particularly smaller ones, Graham said before restriction guidelines were relaxed that the problems were occurring “primarily” as a result of the close contact isolation rules, and if they were eased in some way then the situation would improve.

“Clearly there are people who are off because they contracted the virus, but it’s the close contact rules that are causing the biggest problem,” he added.

Impact on grocery sector Wexford People previously reported that Pettitt’s SuperValu had to keep its Key West branch closed for a period at the beginning of this month due to Covid-related staff shortages.

Pettitt’s St Aidan’s store manager Nicky Byrne said a decision was taken to adapt the service provided to customers as a result of some 40 staff members in total between the two stores being unable to attend work in recent weeks due to contracting coronavirus infection or becoming household or close contacts following the Christmas break.

“One of the main things I would like to highlight is how brilliant the staff have been,” Byrne said. “They have to be commended. We have an amazing team of people who have been so resilient throughout all of this.

“Everyone has been there to help each other and lean on one another for support during a difficult time. They have been doing everything they can to keep the store trading.”

He also thanked customers for their support, noting: “Everyone understands that there is an issue with regard to staffing levels.”

Over 100 absent on one day Meanwhile, Liam Ryan is the owner of the Ryan’s SuperValu group in Cork and operates three stores in Cork and one in Limerick. He told The Pat Kenny Show earlier this month that 102 staff were absent on just one day alone (Wednesday, 5 January).

He explained: “We’ve learned to cope over the last 21 months… our regular staff have stepped up to the plate and have done a wonderful job. But since Christmas, we’ve had a particular issue with the new variant.

“We are trying to take a positive outlook,” he added The number of close contacts seems to have settled and staff whose isolating period is over are coming back.”

Liam Ryan said the staff are doing a “fantastic job” covering other jobs wherever possible, but they are under “great pressure”.

“Yesterday, we had 102 staff missing – either directly through Covid or as close contacts,” he said, speaking on Wednesday, 5 January. “That has improved this morning – we’re down to 91 people out.”

The business has made temporary adjustments in response to the current situation – including earlier closing times for one store on several days the previous week.

“We as a SuperValu group have specialists such as butchers and bakers… one store has a particular issue, in that two butchers are out,” he said. “Because we’re a group, we’re able to manage staff and fill in the [gaps].”

Ryan believes there will be staffing issues for the next 3-4 weeks before the current wave tapers off, but hopes they’ll “be back on track” by the end of January. ■

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10

CSNA NEWS

CSNA NEWS New Year’s resolutions: Retailers’ checklist Energy audit – Avail of a free CSNA energy audit.

Contracts of Employment – Ensure that all contracts are up to date and compliant with current legislation.

JOHN PAUL LONERGAN, national president, CSNA

Age-restricted products – Ensure that you have policies in place for age-restricted products (alcohol, tobacco, Lottery products).

Repak – Are you paying too much? Avail of the free CSNA Repak audit.

CSNA Lottery Sub-Committee tips: Lottery consumables

Ensure that you are receiving the weekly CSNA newsletter: if you’re not, please contact the CSNA office on 045-535050.

Check new employment incentives from the Department of Social Welfare.

Worried about your shop Insurance? Contact CSNA today.

Covid-19 employment supports – Contact CSNA for more information.

Ensure you get 2022 off to the best possible start by caring care of the tasks listed here.

New cash deposit deals exclusive for CSNA members The CSNA is delighted to announce to members that after collaborative work with the CSNA Deals and Services sub-committees, they have negotiated two great offers for CSNA members for cash deposit services from GSLS and An Post.

We are sure that either of the offers will be a welcomed money saver for our members that use cash deposit services. If you bear in mind that the

main banks are now charging between 45c and 60c per €100, currently with an application to increase these rates already submitted, you should find at least one of these offers delivers a cost-saving exercise for your business.

If you would like any further details, please call the CSNA office on 045-535050 or email info@csna.ie.

For an urgent order of Lottery consumables, phone the Lotto Hotline at 1800 224455 or contact your rep

Do you know that when you order Lotto Terminal consumables such as Lotto rolls and playslips, they are automatically placed on back order to go out with your next scheduled scratch card delivery? Depending on the timing, this could be up to 14 days later.

If your order is urgent, you must phone the Lotto Hotline at 1800 224455 or contact your rep and the order will be dispatched immediately.

The two new offers will be a welcomed money saver for CSNA members

Keep updated on the Covid-19 situation on the CSNA website: www.csna.ie ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Reminder: Maintaining in-store standards during Covid Given the current epidemiological situation and the expected impact of the Omicron variant over the coming weeks, it is absolutely critical that those sectors that remain open are robustly applying the full range of protective measures to ensure safe environments for staff and customers. It is important that there is continuing engagement and communications with the retail sector and the public in relation to measures that should be in place.

In particular: • The need for effective controls on the numbers accessing retail premises to ensure physical distancing should be maintained – at previous stages of the pandemic there were very visible controls on the doors of retail premises and this should be re-instated. Wherever possible, there should be separate entrances and exits to help control the flow of customers.

• Physical distancing in queues outside stores.

• Strict application of mask wearing requirements.

• The promotion, provision and maintenance of hygiene stations and enhanced cleaning measures throughout stores, including the provision of hand sanitiser at entrance of stores.

• Ensuring good ventilation, including maximising fresh air coming into the premises.

• Use of signs, floor markings and queue management systems to help people keep a safe distance from others particularly at potential pinch-points of congregation like tills.

• Ensuring staff are not presenting for work if symptomatic.

If there is anything that you are unsure about, please contact the CSNA office on 045-535050. n Ensure your in-store hygiene stations are maintained and always refilled with sanitiser

CSNA CONTACT DETAILS

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

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12

OPINION

Dan’s Digest

With Dan White VieWs on the latest eConomiC & politiCal neWs

Omicron’s darkest hour is before the dawn Despite the extremely large numbers of people being infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19, deaths and serious illness are mercifully still relatively low. Are we entering the end phase of the pandemic?

Dan White reports

W

ith new infection numbers running at over 20,000 a day, the Omicron variant is breaking all records. But, with more than 90% of the adult population already fully vaccinated, the darkest hour may be before the dawn.

At the time of writing (12 January), Omicron was sweeping all before it. The seven-day average of new Covid-19 infections, driven by the new variant, was running at over 22,000 a day. That’s more than three times the previous daily peak of 6,500 we reached in January 2021.

As it seeks to slow the spread of the extremely infectious new variant – the official total number of cases has doubled to over 1 million in the past two months – the government has responded by reimposing restrictions, most notably closing nightclubs and shutting pubs and restaurants at 8pm.

‘Lockdown lite’ Far more significant is what the government has not done. Instead of going for a fourth lockdown, it has instead opted for more targeted restrictions, a sort of ‘lockdown lite’ instead.

While popular exhaustion with health restrictions after almost two years of the pandemic, not to mention the huge economic cost, partially explains the government’s reluctance to reimpose a full lockdown, there are also other factors at play.

Despite the enormous numbers of new infections, the situation is now utterly different from 12 months ago. We now have extremely ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

effective vaccines while several extremely promising new medical treatments are about to hit the market.

Vaccination success By 12 January, 3.9 million people, 92% of all those aged 12 or over, had been at least partially vaccinated. Even when one includes under-12s, about 775,000 people, that means that almost 79% of the total population, as measured by the 2021 population and migration estimates, have now been at least partially vaccinated.

In addition, 2.41 million people, 57% of those aged over 12 and 48% of the total population, have received booster shots which further enhances their resistance to Covid-19.

With the vaccination of five-to-eleven yearolds now beginning, the total percentage of the population who have received their jabs will rise even further in the weeks ahead.

Although vaccination doesn’t provide complete immunity to infection from Omicron, with so-called “breakthrough” infections, all the available evidence suggests that the vaccinated, particularly those who have received their booster shot, are far less likely to be hospitalised or die even if they are infected.

An Antigen test card from a kit outside the Department of Health, Miesian Plaza, Dublin (Photograph: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie)

These very high vaccination rates will, when combined with the extremely large numbers being infected by Omicron, almost certainly ensure that the new variant will burn through the population of those who are prone to infection extremely quickly – chief medical officer Tony Holohan estimates that up to half a million people were infected in the week to 6 January. Most of these new infections would not have been recorded in the HSE’s official Covid-19 statistics.

Milder than Delta However, despite the extremely large numbers of people being infected, deaths and serious illness are mercifully still relatively low. This would seem to bear out predictions that Omicron would be much milder than its predecessor-variant Delta.

In January 2021, when the seven-day average of new infections peaked at 6,500, the seven-day average of deaths topped out at 60 three weeks later. The seven-day average of deaths is currently running at just five. It’s a similar story with patients in intensive care units. While there were over 180 Covid-19 patients in ICUs at the time of last winter’s peak, the number stood at 92 on 11 January.

In other words, despite the number of new

“Despite the enormous numbers of new infections, the situation is now utterly different from 12 months ago. We now have extremely effective vaccines while several extremely promising new medical treatments are about to hit the market.”

OPINION

infections more than tripling, deaths are down by over 90% while the numbers in ICUs have halved.

Close to peak Throw in the predominance of the unvaccinated – research by the US Centers for Disease Control has found that unvaccinated patients were at least four times more likely to die from pre-Omicron Covid-19 variants as those who had been vaccinated - and it’s difficult to resist the conclusion that Omicron is at or close to its peak and will soon begin to decline rapidly.

This is already happening in South Africa, where Omicron was first identified. Not alone is the number of new infections now falling rapidly in that country, there has been no significant spike in deaths.

So instead of having to endure another lockdown stretching to Easter or beyond, the outlook is almost certainly much brighter. By early next month, with the number of new infections falling rapidly and no spike in deaths, the government will be able to unwind most of the Covid-19 restrictions.

13

Boots on the block The great British retail sell-off continues. Latest in the crosshairs of the private equity crowd, aka the asset strippers, is pharmacy chain Boots. On 11 January, Boots’ owner, US pharmacy chain Walgreens Boots Alliance, said it was conducting a “strategic review” of its Boots business.

"This review is very much in line with our renewed priorities and strategic direction. In particular, our increased focus on U.S. healthcare.

While the process is at an exploratory stage, we do expect to move quickly," said WBA chief executive Rosalind Brewer.

Then, right on cue, the Brewer announcement was immediately followed by a series of apparently well-sourced stories that Boots was about to be sold to a consortium of private equity buyers led by Bain Capital of the US and CVC of the UK. A price tag of up to £11bn for Boots, which has over 2,200 retail outlets in the UK and Ireland including 83 in this country, was speculated upon.

History of changing hands If the deal goes through, and all the indications are that it will, this will be the fourth time in recent years that Boots has changed hands. In 2006 Boots “merged” with Alliance Unichem, in reality an Alliance takeover, to form Alliance Boots.

Then the following year Alliance Boots was

A price tag of up to £11bn has been speculated for Boots (Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie)

bought by a consortium led by US private equity giant KKR and Alliance Boots deputy chairman Stefano Pessina for £11bn. Alliance Boots then merged with US retail pharmacy giant Walgreens in 2014 to form WBA. Now Pessina, WBA’s executive chairman, is getting ready to flog off Boots to give him the financial firepower to fund his own buyout of Walgreens. Honestly, this is the sort of thing that gives wheeling and dealing a bad name!

And for those of you who think that the name CVC sounds familiar, you’re right. CVC led the consortium that took Debenhams private in 2003 before returning it to the Stock Exchange, loaded up with debt, three years later.

And we all know how that one ended folks. ■

APPOINTMENTS Garin Murphy

JTI Ireland appoints Garin Murphy as sales director

Garin Murphy has been appointed as the new sales director of JTI Ireland, the country’s number one tobacco company and a leading manufacturer of e-vapour and nicotine pouch products. In his new role, he will lead the company’s sales operations, including a nationwide team of sales representatives, dedicated key accounts contacts, a telesales and customer service department, as well as overseeing JTI’s trade-specific digital platforms, with a focus on supporting and collaborating with JTI’s business partners across Ireland.

Murphy joined JTI in 2006 as a sales representative and over the course of the following 16 years has held roles of increasing responsibility across both sales and marketing, including operational planning manager, head of brand portfolio, and head of portfolio, consumer and trade marketing strategy. His most recent role was marketing director, leading a team of 14 and overseeing JTI’s marketing strategy across all product segments and platforms. Prior to joining the company, he worked in merchandising and business development for C&C. A native of Cork City, Murphy holds graduate and post graduate qualifications from UCC, along with qualifications from the Digital Marketing Institute in Dublin, London Business School and Ashridge Business School in the UK and IMD in Switzerland. He succeeds Derek Mooney who retired from JTI at the end of 2021 after a career spanning 42 years with the company.

Colin Hughes

Colin Hughes appointed CEO for Four Star Pizza chain

Colin Hughes has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) for Irish-owned pizza chain Four Star Pizza.

Operating out of the company’s headquarters in Dublin, Hughes will be responsible for the successful leadership and strategic direction of the Four Star Pizza brand, overseeing all of the chain’s operations and developing and implementing business plans to maintain and grow its overall performance in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

His CV demonstrates a wealth of experience, having previously held senior executive positions for numerous hospitality-based companies including Subway, Pret a Manger, and Barburrito, as well as Marks & Spencer and Wyevale Garden Centres.

A graduate of Queen’s University Belfast with a prize-winning Executive MBA from Cranfield University School of Management, Hughes is looking forward to his new role at the helm of Ireland’s biggest indigenous pizza company.

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining the Four Star Pizza business at such an exciting time,” he said.

“This is a terrific opportunity to lead the brand to greater things and we have ambitious growth plans to make this happen.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting new colleagues and working together to support and deliver for our franchisees and customers,” he added.

Four Star Pizza Ireland opened its first store in Crumlin, Dublin, in 1986. Now the brand employs more than 1,000 people across its 60 stores on the island of Ireland, including 15 in Northern Ireland. ■

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

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STORE PROFILE

Owning their shop in Ardee, Co. Louth for the past 20 years, retailers Brian and Jean Malone exemplify the Londis ‘Local like you’ ethos. After recently undergoing an extensive renovation, Gillian Hamill spoke to Jean Malone to learn more the project and its impact on the longstanding family business

Local like you!

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or an in-store design to be truly effective, it must combine striking visual elements with practical considerations that make the store easier to navigate with better flow throughout. That is exactly what experienced retailers Brian and Jean Malone feel has been delivered at Londis Ardee with their recent renovation.

Renovation “We have changed the position of the deli altogether to the back of the store,” Jean Malone tells ShelfLife. “We have much more room and the store is more open. It’s a better designed layout.” From the entrance, customers can now see right through the store to the impressive Bia Blas deli full of appetising options. The Malones also swapped their larger coffee stand with a more compact Bewley’s version, which still contains everything customers need and has the added advantage of freeing up more space in-store.

Impressively, the Londis store traded throughout its eight-week renovation which began in June 2021 and was completed in six different phases. Initially, the refurb was delayed by over a year as a result of Covid, but once the Malones got their start date from contractors, it was full steam ahead. The

STORE PROFILE

Retailers: Brian and Jean Malone Address: Malone’s Londis, Dublin Road, Ardee, Co. Louth Staff: 16; eight full-time and eight part-time Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 6am-10pm ; Saturday - Sunday and Bank Holidays: 7am-10pm Malones had also decided to switch from their previous symbol group partners to working with Londis. “We felt the store just needed a good updating and freshening up,” Jean says.

“We weren’t sure who to go with, but we just said we needed a change, and we opted for Londis. We’re very happy with the work they’ve done.” Indeed, the Malones say they have found Londis to be a great support across all areas of the business, and their retail development manager (RDM) Tommy Devlin is always on hand to help.

As our readers will know, an extensive renovation of this nature involves plenty of early starts to clean the store before opening and so forth, alongside a flexible mindset to juggle all the various changes taking place.

Fortunately, the Malones are now delighted

Jean and Brian Malone with their tight-knit team of staff

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Retailers Jean and Brian Malone are delighted with their recent store renovation

with the end result which Jean says has garnered a multitude of positive feedback from shoppers: “Everybody says ‘Oh, it’s really nice, well done!”

Another positive aspect of the store is its strong location, with “passing trade and repeat customers every day”. Jean adds that “there’s a lot of new faces coming in too; there’s a lot of new houses in the area and a lot of new people coming into Ardee from Dublin”.

Hardworking duo Like countless other retailers, particularly in recent weeks with the rapid surge of the Omicron variant, the Malones have previously experienced difficulties with staff needing to isolate due to ‘close contact’ restrictions. It has also proved difficult to attract new experienced staff in the current climate. The situation was easier during the summer months when students were eager to find work and fortunately, the store has now secured several strong new staff members, but nevertheless Jean concedes: “At one point it was really hard. We were putting in long days for a long while.” This is no doubt a point which many of our readers can identify with.

Indeed, with no store manager, Brian and Jean are used to long hours and are the real

Londis Ardee has now been freshened up with a bright and airy feeling throughout the store

STORE PROFILE

With modern new lighting and signage, the off-licence department at Londis Ardee makes a striking visual impression

face of their business and an established part of their community. This is great for locals to see; to know that the hands-on owners are always present and can easily be contacted.

“We work nearly seven days a week both of us,” Jean tells ShelfLife. “Brian might go for an odd game of golf but we’re always here. We’re used to it now. We still do 6am – 10pm every weekday; we used to do 6am – 11pm, but when Covid started we cut it back and we didn’t go back to it then.” This saves a valuable hour every day for the hardworking duo and has not impacted trade, with many people not venturing out as late as they used to pre-Covid.

Local focus The Malones have also always strived to help local clubs and initiatives where possible. “The school is beside us here and at the GAA Club, the lads [in the family] are all members and we give sponsorship to local clubs around the town, they’d come in and look for sponsorship.

We’ll always do our best to help out.”

Having run the shop for 20 years, Jean and Brian are well-known by many in the area.

While Jean’s background is in accountancy, Brian’s family background was in retail also. At the time, 20 years ago, Jean explains, “they

The Malones swapped their larger coffee stand with a more compact Bewley’s version, which still contains everything customers need

had a garage in the bottom of the town and he just felt it was time to move out on his own”.

Although Jean originally did the books, she quickly realised that she would have to become a skilled multi-tasker in the retail game. “I just came in and did the books, but you had to do everything. When someone’s off, you have to come in and do what you have to do!”

Flexibility, of course, is a central quality which every successful retailer has had to hone over the years, and Jean says she enjoys the varied nature of retail, as opposed to a more sedate office life. “We met a lot of nice people that have come in down through the years,” she says, “and you get to know them and that’s what I like, meeting different people, it’s quite interesting”.

Leaving a legacy The couple have four children, three sons, Shane, Cathal and Lorcan, and a daughter Éilis. While they have all worked part-time in the store, their sons now work in different fields. Their youngest, Éilis, currently works in the store part-time and Jean is full of praise for how well she is able to turn her hand to all the different tasks involved. “Now I have a lassie, Éilis, she’s the youngest, in fifth year in school and she works in the store and she’s

With a great range throughout the store, Malone’s Londis has a loyal custom base

15

really good in here, she can do anything, she’s a great girl,” she says. In fact, she even jokes that perhaps this isn’t surprising, laughing as she exclaims: “Leave it to a woman!”

While we go on to have a conversation about the various challenges within retail currently, during which Jean pinpoints a number of topics affecting the industry, such as supply chain issues, inflation and the arrival of electric cars, we nevertheless get the feeling that the Malones are a steady pair of hands, well-equipped to get through every potential issue. As Jean says about the greater rolling out of electric vehicles in the coming years, there are a number of unknown quantities, “but sure that’s progress and you just have to go with it really!”

While she says they maybe would have considered buying another store in the past, at this stage they are happy to focus on one store and dedicate all their efforts to that.

Jean says personally that “my plan would be to stay for a few years and maybe retire in another five years. That’s my plan but that could change!” she laughs. With an impressive new appearance to match their enduring work ethic, the retailer is certainly on track to leave an impressive legacy in Londis Ardee. ■

Londis’ innovative Bia Blas deli concept is hitting all the right notes with customers

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

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ADVISOR: Recruitment

Recognise to retain!

Excel Recruitment’s annual Salary and Sentiment survey shows that over 50% of respondents have considered quitting their jobs because they were not being recognised for their efforts. With that in mind, Barry Whelan offers advice on how to ensure your staff members feel valued within the team

BARRY WHELAN managing director of Excel Recruitment

www.excelrecruitment.com

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mployee recognition is as important for employee retention as renumeration.

Employers should be making every effort to recognise their employees as often as possible. People are much more likely to stay loyal to a company if they are constantly appreciated.

Feeling valued Salary is obviously one draw that impacts job satisfaction, but our own surveys show that more and more, employees want to feel valued. We asked this question as part of our annual Salary and Sentiment survey and found that 58% of workers say that the feeling of being valued is extremely important. We also found that over half of our respondents have considered quitting their jobs because they were not being recognised for their efforts.

That means recognition has become an essential ingredient in the recipe for retaining employees.

Managers should also understand that recognition is not just about praise, it is also subtle and can even involve adjusting your management style or an office set-up. For instance, try to accommodate employees’ preferences

and work styles in order to improve performance. For example, if a person is very talkative, they may want to have less privacy from other people in the office and vice versa.

Recognition Employee recognition is important for employee retention. However, how a manager provides recognition can either help or hurt retention.

Managers should consider three things when creating a recognition programme: How do you recognise an employee’s performance? Everyone is different in how they want to be recognised. Not all employees want to be recognised publicly. You must make the effort to get to know your team.

Before you recognise an employee’s performance, ask your employees how they want to be recognised.

How often to recognise an employee’s performance? Don’t overdo it. If you over-recognise, your employees will become numb to the recognition.

Who can offer recognition? While our survey shows that employees prefer to be recognised by leadership (49%) or direct management (43%), getting recognition from the boss is great, but so is getting recognised by your peers. Make sure you give the team the ability to recognise each other.

Different approaches Recognition can come in many forms; here are just a few approaches:

One way of helping employees to feel valued is to “create an internal system that allows managers and employees to give a shout-out to each other for a job well done”

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Communicate via video. A simple way to show gratitude is with a personalised video message via text.

In addition to the message itself, it also shows an investment of your time. This can be used when employees reach a milestone, celebrate progress, or get promoted.

Personalise rewards. This is an excellent method to demonstrate to

employees that you appreciate them and that they are valued employees. It shows that you’re interested in everyone.

For example, if an employee’s birthday is approaching, consider interviewing their co-workers to find out what they are most interested in and what they would likely appreciate as a gift. Assume, for example, that they adore Italian food. Instead of a generic birthday card and cake, give them a voucher for an Italian cooking class or reserve a table for them and their family at the best Italian restaurant.

Play games. “Gamification” is the approach that keeps employees engaged while making them feel valued. For instance, certain tasks could be assigned point values, which each employee would receive upon completion of said task. These points can then be redeemed for anything ranging from work-from-home days to a fully paid gym membership. It is a great strategy to keep the morale high and make employees feel like they matter.

Run an ‘internal props’ portal.

Create an internal system that allows managers and employees to give a shout-out to each other for a job well done. It doesn’t have to be anything custom — you could just use an existing Teams feed. Recognising employees in a public forum goes much further than something in just their individual team.

Introduce opportunities for growth. If the person who deserves recognition is also someone who deserves more opportunities for career advancement, one last suggestion is extending an invitation to coffee (in person or virtual) to talk about their career goals or to connect them to someone in your network for a mentoring conversation. In the virtual world, you can easily invite the person to attend a high-level meeting with you to learn about a new area. ■

ADVISOR: HR

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Your wellbeing during Covid-19

With the Omicron variant spreading at an exceptional pace, The HR Suite’s Caroline Reidy explores how employers can help support staff members throughout this challenging time

CAROLINE REIDY

managing director, The HR Suite

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hen we talk about wellbeing, we refer to our general quality of life, our level of health, happiness and our belief that we are doing well.

The WHO defines wellbeing as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Wellbeing focuses on all areas of our life from the physical, mental and financial aspects as well as aspects like family and personal growth and development.

You should never feel that you’re alone if you’re not feeling the best. There are many supports available both inside and outside workplaces. Many employers now offer a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) service or they have an open-door policy where you can share any worries or concerns. If that is not applicable in your workplace, then talking and sharing your feelings with a colleague or a close friend or family member will help.

Signs to look out for Our mental health can operate along a scale from feeling well to feeling unwell. Every day, we can experience these ups and downs.

Not everybody feels the same way when they are experiencing mental ill-health, but there are a number of common symptoms that we should look out for: It is important to meet with employees on a regular basis, adhering to social distancing or via virtual means

• • • • • • • •

Feeling sad or down Too many fears or worries Withdrawal from friends and activities Serious tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate Inability to cope with daily problems or stress Alcohol or drug abuse Major changes in eating habits

Watch out for yourself, your friends, family and work colleagues. If you recognise any of the above, seek help.

As we all know, Covid-19 is still a challenging event and taking care of yourself and others during this time is vital.

These hints and tips will help you stay well and will help you when interacting with others.

Personal hygiene

CONTACT THE HR SUITE:

If you are an organisation based in the Republic of Ireland and require further information or advice relating to HR, please do not hesitate to contact The HR Suite’s office on (066)7102887.

• Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds using hot water and soap – remember to wash before and after work at each break.

• Sanitise your hands regularly, especially after close contact with others and before and after each transaction.

• Do not wear gloves instead of washing your hands. The virus gets on them in the same way it gets on your hands.

Also, your hands can get contaminated when you take the gloves off.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow when you cough or sneeze.

• Put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands.

• Avoid touching your face and eyes.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Respect social distancing • Social distancing is helping to slow the spread of coronavirus as it is minimising contact between potentially infected individuals and healthy individuals.

• Respect the 2 metre guidelines and minimise time spent in close contact with others whether they appear to have symptoms or not.

Media coverage Stay informed but set time limits for news and social media.

Use trustworthy sources for a maximum of 30 minutes e.g.

RTE, HSE. If you find the coverage on coronavirus is too intense for you, talk it through with someone close or get support.

Keep up your healthy routines • Exercise regularly, especially walking - you can do this even if you need to self-isolate.

Talking • Remember talking things through with someone can help lessen worry or anxiety - you don’t have to appear to be strong or try to cope with things by yourself.

What employers can do For employers, you can implement some of the following tips on managing wellbeing within your organisation, especially during these unprecedented times: • Policies: Policies and procedures can be put in place to protect and support employees and can include a Coronavirus Proactive Policy and Dignity & Respect at Work Policy.

• Information: Provide information on general online wellness ideas i.e. online exercise details, online nutritional information, supports groups and emergency numbers to help support employees.

• EAP: To help support employees, an Employee Assistance Programme could be offered which is free and confidential to the employee. This is a service that provides advice and counselling supports to employees in times of need. For further enquiries on an EAP please contact our office on the details displayed for a quote.

• Maintain communication: Meet with employees (adhering to social distancing or via virtual means) on a regular basis. If this cannot be done face to face due to social distancing restrictions, the employer should facilitate weekly online meetings one to one to discuss performance and goals.

• Culture: Create an open environment for employees to learn about their own wellbeing and share ideas with their colleagues during these unprecedented times.

• Online training: Provide online training on a number of topics to help reduce stress or to create awareness; time management, wellbeing and mental health awareness, dignity and respect etc. ■ www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

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STORE PROFILE

In the hills of Donegal Opened on 8 October 2021, Nearby Glenties is already impressing locals with its range and service

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he duo running Nearby Glenties, owner Salindar Kumar and manager Roisin Harkin are relatively new to the world of convenience retail but already seem to have a keen understanding of what is needed to make this store a success. Having the support of a wholesaler like S&W Wholesale is a huge advantage and something they don’t take for granted.

The store officially opened its doors on 8 October 2021 during a challenging time with the ongoing pandemic. It had previously been another symbol brand after changing hands before closing down. Kumar made the decision to open in March but it took until October to have the shop fully functional.

With the help of his manager Roisin Harkin, Kumar has had a busy few months but already the store has become a familiar part of the streetscape and has already amassed a strong repeat custom base.

Kumar comes from New Delhi in India. He had studied in the UK before moving to Ireland to pursue various business ventures.

He saw potential in the shop in Glenties and decided to engage with S&W who agreed also that it was a promising site and could see the bigger picture for both the retailer and the local community.

There are already a number of retail outlets in this small Donegal town including close

STORE PROFILE

Retailer: Nearby Glenties, Co. Donegal Owner: Salindar Kumar Manager: Roisin Harkin Staff: Four staff members Opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 8am - 9pm; Sundays: 8am - 6pm competition. However they remain unfazed by the competition and already have a point of difference in that they have longer opening hours than any of the other shops. The shop is open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 6pm on Sundays.

Staff At the moment they are managing with four staff but are keen to recruit at least two more as soon as possible to cover the long hours that the shop is open. However, as is the story the length and breadth of the country, staff are hard to come by especially in rural towns where a lot of people are still availing of the Covid unemployment payment. “It’s hard to find people who want to work in retail at the moment because of the government supports.

Hopefully in the new year, things will change there,” says Harkin.

Nearby Glenties has a wide ambient range and plans to introduce more toys to its offering in the future

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

The Nearby store in Glenties, Co. Donegal has only been open a short time but has ambitions to offer unrivalled service to the local community. Fionnuala Carolan spoke to manager Roisin Harkin about her experience so far and their plans for the future of the business While they never knew what it was like to operate outside of Covid, they are thankful that they have had no issues with customers refusing to wear masks or keeping their distances so far. Opening during Covid has had its challenges though. These include looking to implement certain services in the shop like the Lotto or in obtaining a wine licence. “We have been waiting months for the Lotto licence. Because people are working from home, often there is no one physically in offices to collect post and process it. This has been our experience. It’s the same with the wine licence,” says Harkin.

Glenties is a small town that is generally quiet in the winter but has become ever-more quiet since the onset of Covid. They are hoping that the store will really come into its own in the summer as they are in a prime location to benefit from tourists, being located between a number of popular beaches and well-known Burtonport Pier.

Range While they are still refining their offering, confectionery and household cleaning products are their best categories at present.

Firewood and kindling are also popular. There is a strong ambient line but they don’t currently have a deli and are waiting a little while before they look to implement one as it would involve

Nearby Glenties has an important point of difference from rivals in that the store has longer opening hours

STORE PROFILE

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“We aim to always make the customer our priority.

We are always looking to improve what we do for the customer.” some structural work and they feel this would be too distracting for them at present. However they are hoping to have an ice-cream machine set up by St Patrick’s Day and are already enjoying the trade from the school children next door who come in for their hot chocolates at lunchtime and after school. S&W’s exclusive coffee concept – Cuppa is proving a popular choice too. Cuppa provides convenient, quality coffee, teas and hot chocolate for people on the go with a competitive loyalty scheme.

Harkin explains that they are also planning to introduce a toy range. S&W are behind this and working to add some new toy suppliers to their range. In the lead-up to Christmas they were also selling a range of gift sets including toiletries like Lynx sets, which have been moving “very well” according to Harkin.

S&W There has been great support from S&W Wholesale when opening the store especially with advice on decorating and arranging stock on shelves, organising training for staff and helping with labelling. Their BDM (business development manager) Stephen Vincent has been with them throughout their journey and visits the store every week. Speaking about the S&W support, Harkin says: “This has been hugely important as we find our feet. We think Stephen’s advice is invaluable. Stephen has a wealth of knowledge within the sector and already works with many stores so he has the benefit of seeing how other retailers do things and can advise us on how best to do it.”

According to Harkin, one of the initial most attractive elements of S&W is the absence of a franchise fee. This is especially important to a start-up business that has so many costs and needs to plough all the money they have back into the business. While this lack of franchise fee is certainly attractive, the real draw to S&W seems to be the unrivalled value and exceptional service levels. “The pricing and

Confectionery and household cleaning products are the store’s best performing categories at present

delivery is very strong,” explains Harkin.

“They are extremely competitive and have a great range of stock. We love the look and feel of the Nearby brand. The customer feedback has been really positive; commenting on how the colours stand out and how attractive it looks.”

Community Local businesses and customers have been very supportive and welcomed the new addition to the town which meant a lot to Kumar and Harkin. While many local businesses are frequently asked for money to support different initiatives, it is generally accepted that they need to get on their feet first.

However, keen to show their support for the community they have already donated prizes for the local Comprehensive school’s Christmas raffle.

Another focus of the store is to support local suppliers as much as possible. They have local bread, milk, chicken fillets and yoghurts and they say that there is no limit on how many suppliers they will use.

“We use Molloy’s Milk and have a few other local suppliers like Donegal Country Products for other chilled products like natural yoghurt and turkey breasts.” They also use Gallaghers in Ardara for their bread and this is a huge draw for customers and in fact, they have had to increase the delivery from every three days to every day due to demand. “We want to support local as much as we can. By working alongside some of our local suppliers we are supporting the local economy and providing our shoppers with the local brands they know and love,” says Harkin.

prospective customers to travel further afield to shop now. These challenges are being felt nationwide but these local shops are the heartbeat of these towns and it is vital that they survive.

Background This is Harkin’s first role as a manager but she has worked in retail for many years as a retail sales assistant so she has a strong knowledge of the trade. However, there is a lot to take on as a first-time manager between ordering stock, rosters, getting to grips with the till systems and a host of other responsibilities.

“Thankfully, Stephen and the team at S&W have been very much at hand to support me on this journey. Their support has been invaluable,” she says.

Harkin adds they want to be known as very customer focused and this is something they are striving for. “This means having a smile and a welcome for everyone that comes in the door. But also it means that if a customer asks us to source a product for them, we will endeavour to do that.”

She explains how they try to source any products that people request. “Recently a customer was looking for Savlon antiseptic cream,” she says. “We didn’t have it but we got it in and that made a big impact. We want our customers to know that customer service is at the essence of this store.

“We aim to always make the customer our priority. We are always looking to improve what we do for the customer,” adds Harkin.

With an attitude like this, they can’t go far wrong. ■

Challenges

Nearby Glenties has become a familiar part of the streetscape and has already amassed a strong repeat custom base

Some retail businesses in small towns have experienced difficulties over the past 20 years as larger out-of-town retailers have dominated the landscape. Harkin says that adding to this problem is the closing of the banks in smaller towns. “The Bank of Ireland closed in the town around the same time as we opened.

This has taken customers away from the town and meant that they are travelling to bigger towns like Donegal and Dunloe in order to bank and shop.” There is no bank left in Glenties which is another reason for

S&W Wholesale has provided comprehensive support to the store including advice on merchandising, organising training for staff and assisting with labelling

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

20 STORE PROFILE

Founder and manager of Barnhill Stores in Dalkey, Dave Whelan is a well-seasoned retailer having previously owned eight convenience stores before taking the plunge and creating his own brand that has gone above and beyond all his expectations. Fionnuala Carolan reports

Sales at Barnhill Stores in Dalkey are up 100% on last year

Optimum convenience W

hile still attending school, Dave Whelan began a part-time job in the old H Williams supermarket in Killiney, south county Dublin and subsequently he left school to start working full-time in retail. After a decade working as a manager for a number of SuperValu and Centra stores he bought his own Centra store in Bray in 1999. Within a few years he had accumulated eight stores along the M11 including a second in Bray, two in Tinahealy, one in Greystones, Gorey, Ballybrack and finally Dalkey. Running eight stores eventually took its toll and Whelan knew it was time for a radical change of pace which culminated in Barnhill Stores in Dalkey.

So what triggered the decision to change tack and leave Centra behind? “We weren’t playing to our market here in Dalkey,” he says.

“I knew I could create something special. I was 49, I had three young kids and I decided that before I was 50 I wanted to make a change and not be running around between so many shops.” As part of a lifestyle choice he decided to sell the Centra businesses back to

Barnhill Stores features an impressive offlicence section, where John Hoade is the resident wine enthusiast

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

STORE PROFILE

Retailer: Dave Whelan Address: 11-12 Barnhill Road, Dalkey, Dublin, A96 F789 Staff: 60 staff; 20 full-time and 40 part-time Size: 5,000sq ft Opening hours: Monday – Sunday: 7:30am-9pm

Musgrave. “I wanted to spend more time with my kids and we wanted to develop a local store and the community here lends itself to that,” he explains. His wife Karen and three daughters supported his decision to go it alone and he says they are very proud of the brand he has created.

Super suppliers Barnhill Stores is a 5,000 square foot bespoke store, which officially opened in February 2021 and is packed to the brim with the best produce there is on the market. This involves partnerships with suppliers such as Two Fifty Square Coffee, Naomi’s Kitchen, George’s Fish Shop, FX Buckley Butchers, Rustic Honey Baker and Unique Flowers.

“Our vision was never to be the person that created everything because we want the experts in each field to do that and we bring it all together in the shop,” he says. “If you try to do too much and fail you could kill your brand in an instant.”

He describes himself as a hands-on retailer who likes to be on the floor and do back office work at night. The store is managed by Whelan’s long-standing staff member Mikey O’Brien, with Aoife Peare as assistant manager and John Hoade as the resident wine

enthusiast. Anndrea Carydias, previously a chef for Avoca, is the fresh goods innovation manager and curates all the fresh food in-store. Whelan feels he has a really strong team delivering his vision.

Whelan’s experience of dealing with the public and his understanding of the convenience model has benefited him greatly and allowed him to create a very unique brand.

He explains that he has been on a journey to bring this luxury convenience model to life and uses the example of how he sells hummus to demonstrate this. “We get our hummus from Lilliput Trading Company,” he says.

“They wanted us to take a big wooden barrel and put it in our deli. We are a high-end on the move convenience store. Our customers don’t have time to spend all day waiting at the deli counter. I told them (Lilliput Trading Company) that I wanted to do hummus in a pot which is not how they would traditionally supply it. We now sell over 500 pots of hummus a week,” he says.

Whelan has witnessed many of his suppliers thrive during Covid because they seized new

From salads to sandwiches, free range rotisserie chicken and savoury delights, the deli department prides itself on using only the freshest, seasonal ingredients every day

STORE PROFILE

opportunities. He cites Naomi’s Kitchen as a prime example of a supplier who adapted quickly during the pandemic. This business would have traditionally catered for large events but it partnered with Barnhill Stores to give them a full ready-meal solution and that partnership is working really well. “Naomi was adaptable and willing to change things up to survive the pandemic,” says Whelan.

Streamlining One year in and the business is much busier than he ever imagined and he hopes to have paid back the €2 million investment in less than three years, probably closer to two he candidly admits. “Our sales are up 100% on last year so we are just trading out of our skins. The shop is actually overtrading. We’re constantly wishing that the new year was upon us and things will calm down. It’s exhausting going at that pace,” he says.

They are “blown away” by the financial end of it and the only piece of the model they have left to work on is to tweak the offering on the shop floor. He admits that they took on too many brands at the start because he found it hard to say no to all the lovely artisan products they were being presented with but now needs to fine-tune the mix to make it easier to manage. While you can still buy Brennan’s bread and Avonmore milk, most wouldn’t be using Barnhill Stores for their full weekly shop.

“If I put tins of Roses on sale I can’t give them away. They’ll go to Tesco for that,” he explains. “At the beginning some customers were saying it was so expensive but now there is that expectation and they are coming in to get something that they can’t get elsewhere like Skelligs Chocolate or Sheridan’s Cheese for example. We don’t stock the brands that are in Centra or Dunnes. People might say the shop is very expensive but it’s their taste that is expensive,” he frankly states.

Customers are coming into Barnhill Stores to find something a little different that they can’t find elsewhere, says retailer Dave Whelan

“Yes I suppose with Centra everything was push a button and you could order 80% of the shop’s lines,” he says. “Now we have 120 suppliers so that means 120 emails, contacts etc so there’s a lot of work.”

For products that can be ordered through central billing and the IT and back end processes he is using BWG Foods. “We’re not totally independent. We are using BWG for the back end. They allow you to be yourself but you can use the platform for all the run of the mill stuff,” he explains and says that the option to do this with Musgrave was not available to them after the sale of his shops despite retaining a good relationship with the group.

there for this high-end concept postpandemic? Whelan is realistic yet confident.

“I’d be naïve to think that the end of Covid won’t hit us in some form but Dalkey is a village that has returned to normality mostly despite restaurants not being at full capacity. I don’t believe that workers are going to go back to offices full-time so we’ve gained a new type of customer who might have eaten in town twice a day and now we have them, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

Speaking of Covid he strongly feels that the government has taken retail staff for granted during the pandemic and not regarded them as frontline workers. Barnhill Stores has 60 staff, 20 full-time and the rest part-time and Whelan has been impressed with their commitment during a difficult time. “Our staff are dealing with really stressed, demanding individuals at times. They are not thanked or getting a national day’s holiday or being clapped on their way home. I don’t think the government has done enough to thank retail staff. It’s such a vital service,” he says. He made the decision to reduce the opening hours to take the stress off the staff at either end of the day.

Five-year plan

Brand support

Post-Covid

Needless to say, Whelan is delighted with the trajectory of the brand but we wondered was there anything he missed from trading with a symbol brand like Musgrave?

While many people have more disposable income at the moment due to a lack of socialising and travel and are happy to spend it on luxury fare, will the demand still be

The first anniversary of Barnhill Stores is nearly upon them and like all successful entrepreneurs, Whelan is already thinking about the next step. He is planning four more stores over the next five years and has already pinpointed locations in south county Dublin to expand into. He explains that replicating the model is easy once the location is right.

“It’s like the Centras, you get to grips with that model and you apply your own standards to it. It’s easy to expand to the next one so you are just reapplying the same model.”

While you would question whether he is moving any closer to achieving his work life balance goal from his days running between eight stores, he is definitely relishing the journey and has immense pride in what he has created. Watch out south county Dublin for the next instalment of Barnhill Stores as a new era of high end convenience takes hold. ■

Barnhill Stores offers a veritable cornucopia of enticing artisan brands, including a partnership with Sheridan’s Cheeses

The bespoke store features partnerships with suppliers such as Sheridan’s Cheeses, Two Fifty Square Coffee, Naomi’s Kitchen, George’s Fish Shop, FX Buckley Butchers, Rustic Honey Baker and Unique Flowers

The store is always learning and increasing its wine collection, to deliver a unique and intriguing selection

21

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

22

ADVISOR: Marketing

Making a marketing New Year’s resolution

As we embark on a fresh new year, a revolutionary approach to marketing could pay dividends, writes Colin Gordon

COLIN GORDON

marketing expert

As we start a fresh new year, “It’s almost impossible not to think of something that couldn’t be improved,” writes Colin Gordon

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new year with new promises and new resolutions, targets and commitments, almost always personalised and very ‘health’ oriented. Most of us have, or at least most know friends or family or associates who have weight loss, fitness, smoking, drinking resolutions.

Or promises to learn a language or finally get to finish that patio or any number of other personal (or maybe family) objectives. But how many of us would think of adopting or seeking business new year objectives? There’s no reason why a new beginning or new resolutions can’t be adopted for your professional life, or even your business.

Organisational health targets A new approach to how we go about our work, how we organise and behave in our professional life. I’m not talking here about everyone throughout the ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

organisation deciding at the one time to do everything differently. That would lead to chaos. But marketing is not ‘everyone’. Marketing sits between the customer (and the consumer) on the ‘outside’ of the company and the operational system of the company on the inside. It is uniquely placed to see how it, and the company is best organised for success. So, it has the opportunity to set organisational ‘health targets’, and why not in January? I’m not talking about market share objectives, or click-through rates, or net margin achieved. I’m certainly not thinking about the dreaded annual plan! I’m looking as to

how marketing can best work with others in the overall value chain to ensure all the points of difference (all the points that make selling easier – or not) are met.

Ideas from different fields Let me back up a bit. I was doing a bit of reading over the holiday period, some magazines (I recommend the FT Weekend for so many good insights on how people are behaving), and several books that I’ve been accumulating over the last few months (one to look out for is Mark Henry’s In Fact – An Optimist’s Guide to Ireland At 100 for a

If enough people buy into the idea of improvement and the need to reassess and ask why something is being done, or not being done, then something magical could come out of it.

ADVISOR: Marketing

very illuminating view on Ireland’s progress and how we as consumers have changed). I’m a strong believer in how marketing is part social science, part behavioural experimentation, part art, part business and part intuition, but it’s this mix that allows you to pick up ideas from a number of different fields. And I find reading from a wide range of areas or topics helps give a broader view as to what we as marketers are trying to achieve.

Social solidarity In this vein, I was reading a piece recently about social solidarity. I was probably bothered by the lack of solidarity we seem to be experiencing in such places as America and post-Brexit UK, and in so many parts of the world, notwithstanding the pandemic, but it was a timely and very thoughtful piece. It was based on work done by an American philosopher, John Rawls, some fifty years or so ago and since refined in the late 90s. It was he who initiated the thinking around the so-called ‘veil of ignorance’. The objective here is to set out how a society should or could be structured based on solidarity, if the people setting out that

structure did not have a bias as to where they will end up if everyone was aiming to achieve the maximum for (in this case) society’s benefit. And that got me thinking. Why not apply such a revolutionary approach to business?

It’s a bit like Jack Welch’s provoking idea (using my words): if tomorrow you don’t like where you are today, then what are you going to do about it today!

Don’t suffer on knowing it could be different. The ‘it’ here doesn’t have to be the whole cartload of the business. It could be the way the sales function and marketing could work better, or how information is presented, or how to deal better with customer service issues. Or, it could indeed be the whole shebang!

Why not? It’s almost impossible not to think of something that couldn’t be improved. And if enough people buy into the idea of improvement and the need to reassess and ask why something is being done, or not being done, then something magical could come out of it.

January is a natural time to start new things and to start anew. What better time to look at the role of marketing in the business ■

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‘Marketing is in trouble: How we got here and 10 steps to get us out’ by Colin Gordon is now available to purchase, published by Orpen Press.

To get your hands on a copy, visit the following: www.orpenpress.com UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M9XY6HF US: www.amazon.com/dp/B08M9XY6HF Ireland: Marketing is in trouble eBook by Colin Gordon - 9781786051127.

Rakuten Kobo Ireland - www.kobo.com/ie/en/ ebook/marketing-is-in-trouble.

INTERVIEW

20

QUICK QUESTIONS WITH

IRENE QUEALLY

founder and managing director of Irish company, Pipin Pear 4. Which social media platform do you use most?

Tik Tok, I love the wild, varied and less filtered content.

5. Best ad on telly?

The Woodies ad with Mrs Higgins, it would melt your heart!

6. Worst ad on telly?

VHI Tik Tok ad.

Irene Queally

1. Best place for coffee?

Carters Choclate Café here in Waterford – Illy coffee with a free chocolate, what’s not to like!

7. Favourite grocery shop?

Ardkeen Quality Foodstores, a beautiful independent store giving a platform to quality Irish artisan food brands.

2. Favourite movie?

The Princess Bride.

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

The 200th prawn cocktail to be served on the show. I would win on personality alone!

3. Top book recommendation?

Mythos by Stephen Fry. The Greek myths beautifully retold.

9. First thing you would do if you were Taoiseach?

Address the homelessness crisis, everyone

should have the right to shelter and a place to call home

Being one of eight, when I was little my biggest fear was being last to the table.

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

Iceland for its rugged beauty, its cold snowy winter and very cool people.

16. City or beach break? Beach.

11. Greatest achievement to date?

Winning my 3rd class egg and spoon race.

No seriously, creating Pipin Pear from an idea I had when weaning my daughter.

I wanted to create the best quality meals and snacks for children without compromise and I’m so proud that we have.

12. Best website? www.omfgdogs.com.

13. Most annoying public figure? Dustin.

14. Best piece of advice you ever received?

My dad always says: “Find love in your heart, you never know what anyone’s going through”.

15. Biggest fear?

17. Top restaurant recommendation?

Las Tapas De Lola on Wexford St, Dublin, a real hustle bustle, atmospheric restaurant serving quality Spanish food.

18. Pop or rock?

Pop – I wanted to take Madonna as my confirmation name but my mother was having none of it.

19. Favourite time of the day?

When I collapse on the couch after my day is done, bliss!

20. Last compliment you received?

Hmm… “Mommy this dinner is delicious, you make the best Mac & Cheese in the world.” Easily pleased my son! ■ Pipin Pear baby and toddler food products are found in the chilled aisle of supermarkets nationwide, and its latest healthy snack range, Freggie Bites, are in the baby aisle.

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

24 MARKETING NEWS

GroupM Ireland reports 20% growth in advertising market in 2021 The Irish advertising market grew by 20% in 2021, according to GroupM Ireland’s ‘This Year, Next Year’ Report. The media investment company predicts growth of 9% in the Irish advertising market in 2022.

This follows a decline of 6% in 2020 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

GroupM partly credits the growth in the Irish market to the country’s resilience and resourcefulness, which is enabling it to emerge from the pandemic in a position of relative strength.

Cinema advertising is expected to grow by nearly 90% in 2022, as studios release their backlog of films

This growth rate is closely aligned with GroupM’s projection for global advertising growth of 22.5% in 2021 and 9.7% in 2022, according to the company’s Global End of Year Forecast Report.

The sector which saw the highest level of growth in advertising spend in Ireland in 2021 was the drinks industry (both alcoholic and soft drinks), which saw a significant growth rate of 80%. This was driven by a focus on the in-home trade for both alcoholic and soft drinks brands as well as a pivot to supporting non-alcoholic variants in response to tightened advertising guidelines.

Other traditional high spend categories such as household services, finance and government, social, and political organisations retained similar market share by maintaining the high levels of advertising seen throughout 2020.

In 2022, GroupM is expecting to see lower levels of growth, but continued consistency in the top four spending categories of: retail, household services, finance and government, social, and political. It expects the highest year-on-year shifts to come from the entertainment and media, travel and transport and possibly motors.

At a rate of 23%, spending on digital advertising grew at a greater pace than the rest of the industry. It now accounts for 60% of Irish advertising spending, up from 58% last year. GroupM predicts this will continue to rise to 62% of market share in 2022. GroupM credits this growth to the continued expansion of the app ecosystem, increasing consumer adoption of e-commerce and the growing role of cross-border media marketplaces. Search advertising also outperformed the average growth rate for digital.

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Television advertising spend grew by 16% domestically in 2021 (compared to 11.7% globally), accounting for 18% of market share, while radio grew by 12%, accounting for 9% market share. Print titles temporarily halted previous declines, with newspaper advertising rebounding by 15% due to a strong digital-first bounce back from smaller scale, local advertisers. Newspapers accounted for 8% market share in 2021 and magazines accounted for 1%. Newspaper advertising is expected to fall by 8% in 2022 and will account for 7% market share next year according to the report.

Outdoor advertising experienced growth of 19% in spending in 2021, in recovery from an exceptionally low base, and is expected to grow by a further 27% in 2022, outpacing the international growth rate for outdoor of 17.1% in 2021 and 6.4% in 2022. Outdoor is benefitting from new digital formats which allows for incremental sources of demand to emerge. Better targeting, the capacity for real-time and/or programmatic buying and an increasing number of locations for digital signage are all positive factors leading into 2022 and beyond.

Cinema advertising only partially recovered this year, but is expected to grow by close to 90% in 2022, as studios release their extensive backlog of films and audiences’ pent up demand to re-engage with a perennially popular leisure activity is finally sated.

While digital accounted for 60% of the advertising market over the past year, the report notes that many smaller advertisers will allocate all or nearly their entire budget to this format, while larger advertisers typically allocate a larger share of their budget to TV. In an analysis of GroupM’s own data, it was revealed that a large advertiser in Ireland typically allocated 40% of its budget to TV and 30% to digital in 2021. This trend was replicated across GroupM’s clients in the UK and Germany.

The global advertising industry has expanded at a faster rate in 2021 than GroupM had previously anticipated, with indications that this will continue into 2022 and that Ireland’s domestic industry is participating fully in this this rapid growth.

Iconic Dublin sign illuminated again after 13 years

Ireland’s first ever animated neon sign was restored to its former glory last month for the first time in 13 years.

The iconic McDowells Happy Ring House sign on Dublin’s O’Connell Street has been given a new lease Dublin Lord Mayor, Cllr of life thanks to a grant Alison Gilliland, at the official turning on of partially funded by Dublin the iconic ‘The Happy City Council.

Ring House’ neon sign at It was created and McDowells Jewellers for erected in 1952 by sign the first time since 2008 experts Gaelite – and 69 years later, the firm was called back to restore it after it fell into disrepair in 2008.

The restoration project began in September, involving the removal of existing neon tubing for testing to use as templates for replacement manufacturing, before sections of the letters and symbols where rust had caused damage, were re-soldered or replaced.

St Etchen’s National School wins €3,000 Avonmore Super Milk prize

Christmas came early for one Kinnegad school last month as the students of St. Etchen’s National School celebrated winning €3,000 after taking part in the Avonmore Super Milk Super Science Experiment competition.

Now in its third year, the Avonmore Super Milk Super Science Experiment is an exciting initiative encouraging primary schools nationwide to engage in a STEM-based lesson, while learning about the importance of bone health.

St. Etchen’s National School intends on using the cash prize to build a new play area, having recently undertaken a fundraising drive for a new play Teacher Sandra Champkin area at the with students, Sophia, Molly, Dominykas, Ava and Caedyn school.

A special 3D build was carefully crafted with over 400 Jameson bottles individually lit and pixel mapped with the latest LED technology

Talon Ireland and Irish Distillers lit up Dublin with Jameson Christmas tree

IRELAND END-OF–YEAR FORECAST

DECEMBER 2021

GroupM Ireland predicts the Irish advertising market will grow by 9% in 2022

Talon Ireland, the specialists in innovative out of home (OOH) communications for brands, recently joined forces with Irish Distillers, Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and its leading brand Jameson Whiskey to light up Dublin for the Christmas season.

Working closely with media agency Spark Foundry, creative agency Nineyards and XL Media, the team devised a festive themed OOH installation, which saw the front of the well-known Barge Pub in Ranelagh transformed into a Jameson Christmas tree. ■

FEATURE

25

Alpro Partners with Bewley’s to Launch Bean-To-Cup PlantBased Coffee Docks Nationwide Pioneer of plant-based eating and drinking, Alpro, has partnered with Ireland’s leading independent coffee roaster, Bewley’s, to offer new plant-based menu solutions for Bewley’s coffee operators nationwide

Alpro has collaborated with Bewley’s and convenience store trade forerunners, the Casey Group, to roll out the first six bean-to-cup plant-based coffee docks in Ireland. A first to market plant-based coffee concept and a first in trade, Alpro and Bewley’s are providing plant-based alternatives for coffee drinkers using the Alpro Barista Oat Gluten Free.

Catering to a growing consumer segment that demands healthier drinks with a strong sustainability story, Alpro’s partnership with Bewley’s shows real innovation in the sector.

Worth over €47 million per annum, the plant-based segment in Ireland is growing at a rate of 25% year on year. Working together, Alpro and Bewley’s identified the opportunity in the market following the results of Bewley’s annual coffee report, which revealed a significant increase in plant-based coffee consumption amongst consumers in Ireland.

The report showed a substantial rise in consumers opting for plant-based drinks, with a third confirming they have tried plant-based alternatives.

Alpro and Bewley’s ran three months of premarket testing before launching the first bean-to-cup plant-based coffee dock in

November 2020. With some barista outlets anticipating that plant-based coffee purchases will outstrip traditional dairy purchase by 2024, and with convenience store coffee following the same trajectory, this pioneering move to develop a bean-to-cup plant-based coffee dock has been a great success with rate of sales doubling at some bean-t0-cup sites in the last 12 months. In 2022, Alpro and Bewley’s will continue this ground-breaking approach, providing the finest plant-based oat coffee and hot chocolate offer to new locations across the country.

David Jiscoot, Marketing Director at Alpro UK & Ireland, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Bewley’s to maximise the plant-based opportunity that out of home coffee offers. We are continuing to see strong growth for the category as plant-based products serve not only a purpose for needs-based consumers and those wanting to follow a plant-based diet – they are also a popular choice for those who simply want to make positive changes for their health, and the planet without comprising on taste. With their distinctive flavour characteristics, our four-strong line up – smooth soya, light oat, nutty almond, and

creamy coconut – offers a more comprehensive menu to customers, whilst opening up new possibilities in terms of coffee and flavour pairings.”

Commenting on the continued partnership, Jason Doyle, Managing Director of Bewley’s Ireland & UK said, “We are thrilled with the progress of our partnership with Alpro and in continuing Bewley’s commitment to providing world-class coffee to all of our consumers and operators. Our consumer research identified a rise in popularity for plant-based coffee and this partnership has clearly answered that need. We’re delighted that the Casey Group has committed to the program, and we’re excited to roll this out across our network in the coming months.”

For more information, visit www.alpro.com and www.bewleys.com ■

David Tarrant, Managing Director at Casey Retail Group

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

Cooked Meats

Bottled Water

Vegan

26 CATEGORY FOCUS Vegan

Just the veganning…

With the month of ‘Veganuary’ offering the perfect opportunity for health-conscious consumers to try out even more plantbased products, it’s important to ensure your offering doesn’t disappoint, writes Gillian Hamill

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onsumer demand for plant-based food is growing rapidly and exponentially and the market is set to grow even further this year. Food Matters Live reports that whilst almost all types of food are available in vegan form these days, there are still some areas that need further research and development, such as fish and cheese alternatives. In 2022, more proteins from vegetables to be used in plant-based meat alternatives will be making an appearance; keep an eye on cabbage and potatoes.

A pan-European survey, by ProVeg International in partnership with Innova Market Insights, the University of Copenhagen, and Ghent University as part of the Smart Protein project, has indicated that there is a significant shift towards plant-based eating taking place across the continent.

Biggest brand evolution yet The team at Denny have been experts in meat for over 200 years and recent years have seen the brand’s biggest evolution yet as it moved into the meat free arena for the first time. The first products launched as part of the new range were the Meat Free Sausages, Burgers and Mince. This move paid off for Denny, as it quickly established itself as the fastest growing chilled meat free brand, with the

The survey published in November 2021, examined consumers’ perceptions of plantbased products. These include that nearly half of flexitarians (45%) think that there are not enough plant-based choices in supermarkets, restaurants, etc. 48% would like more information about plant-based products.

Nearly two-thirds of flexitarians (61%) trust that foods based on plant protein are safe, and also think that they are accurately labelled (60%). The research also found that flexitarians trusted plant-based proteins the most, followed by fungi and algae-based proteins.

“The survey suggests tremendous potential for plant-based foods in Europe and gives a green light to all relevant players in the field to develop more and better products. Consumer demand for alternative proteins is growing at

a remarkable rate, with no end in sight,” said Jasmijn de Boo, vice president, ProVeg International.

One pertinent example which shows just how popular plant-based alternatives have become in Ireland is the announcement by McDonald’s earlier this month of the national roll-out of its plant-based offering, the McPlant, to all restaurants across Ireland since Wednesday, 5 January 2022, following a successful trial last year. The McPlant, which took over three years to develop, features a patty co-developed with Beyond Meat and the fast food giant reports that it has already proved hugely successful with McDonald’s customers.

With more and more consumers looking for plant-based options, it’s important to have a varied range on your shelves and in fridges.

number one chilled meat free product with its Meat Free Sausages*.

Denny has always recognised emerging trends in the industry and caters to the changing needs of consumers. 2021 saw the brand embrace the opportunity to expand its Denny Meat Free range, with the launch of its Unbelievably Meat Free Ham and Chicken Style Deli Slices. Denny has also expanded its Meat Free breakfast offering to include delicious Meat Free Bacon and White

Pudding. These tasty new products have been developed using soya protein, coconut oil and the famous Henry Denny signature seasoning, which delivers the great and delicious taste of Denny. Denny remains the fastest growing meat free brand in Ireland*.

The Denny Meat Free range is available nationwide. Prices range from €2.50 - €3.50 (RRP).

Denny Meat Free Ham Style Deli Slices are made with soya protein, coconut oil and Henry Denny seasoning

Denny has quickly established itself as the fastest growing chilled meat free brand

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

*(Source: Dunnhumby 52-week data up to 14/11/21)

Denny Meat Free White Pudding has all the taste you’d expect from Denny, with the added benefits of being a source of protein and fibre

Denny Meat Free Sausages are the number one chilled meat free product

Denny Meat Free Rashers are a scrumptious plant-based alternative

Full of Taste. Free of Meat.

New!

Cooked Meats

Bottled Water

Vegan

28 CATEGORY FOCUS Vegan

Give plant-based a go The Happy Pear is encouraging everyone to incorporate more plant-based meals into their weekly repertoire this new year.

In 2022, Dave and Steve from The Happy Pear are on a mission to encourage everyone to eat more plant-based, doing better for themselves and the planet.

The good news is that even adopting just one plant-based meal into your week couldn’t be easier, with the help of The Happy Pear.

The brand’s range, available at SuperValu, Centra and Daybreak stores nationwide makes incorporating plant-based meals the easy option. With everything you need, from readymade meals, breakfast options, a full range of dinner-ready sauces, super snacks and everything in-between, The Happy Pear is your one-stopshop for giving plant-based a go this January.

The simple fact is, eating more plant-based meals is better for you, and better for the

A

&

planet. By pledging to make one simple mealswap with The Happy Pear, you’ll be doing your part for the planet while nourishing your body with delicious food made with natural everyday ingredients.

Dave and Steve say: “We feel passionately that eating plant-based is easy and achievable for everybody. With our range, we aim to make the swap easier than ever. We have everything you need to make the move into eating plant-based the easy option, no matter who you are and what your lifestyle is. The new year is the perfect time to give it a go.

Everyone is looking to be a bit healthier and make less of an impact on the planet and going plant-based is an easy switch you can do to make this happen, even if it is just for one meal or one day a week.”

The Happy Pear range is stocked in SuperValu, Centra and Daybreak stores nationwide.

Join the conversation at #HappyPearNewYear #TheHappyPear #eatmoreveg.

Instagram: @supervalu_irl @centra_irl @thehappypear.

with Darragh Flynn,

Darragh Flynn

director, The Happy Pear

Q: Inspiring people to improve their health by eating more veg is central to The Happy Pear’s ethos. What are some of the benefits of eating a plant-based diet?

A: A wholefood plant-based diet is super high in nutrients, low in calories, low in saturated fat and naturally high in fibre which is essential for our immune system. What’s more, a wholefood plant-based diet is the only diet clinically proven to reverse and prevent heart disease.

We have seen plant-based diets transform more than 50,000 people through our Happy Pear online courses, where we work with gastroenterologists, cardiologists, dieticians and performance psychologists to help our users through this process and transform their wellbeing for the better by eating a whole food plant-based diet.

Q: Through its One Week Plant-based Challenge, The Happy Pear gives consumers the tools they need to sustain a plant-based

Happy Pear sauces make it easy to rustle up a tasty, healthy meal

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

The Happy Pear range includes super snacks such as the Coconut Bliss, Chocoluv Brownie and Mighty Millionaire bars

diet in the long term. What advice do you have for those making the switch for the first time?

A: Going all in works best for some people but taking it slow and going step by step is a tangible way for most of us. Our food habits are typically very habitual, so starting with swapping out one meal each week and building from there is key. Maybe it’s going meat-free on Monday or picking one lunch or breakfast; the important thing is to give it a go and build on this. If you want easy healthy hacks, try one of our 60 delicious plant-based products across soups, meals, salads, granola, pizzas, sausages or if you need recipes, there are more than 500 recipes on our Happy Pear YouTube channel, all are free, and we’ve had more than 40 million views on them with lots of the recipes taking only five minutes.

Q: What are some common misconceptions Irish consumers have about plant-based

The Happy Pear Spicy Red Pepper Pesto is a real flavour explosion – it’s bright, spicy and a little creamy

eating? How does The Happy Pear hope to change those misconceptions?

A: Here are some common misconceptions: 1. Plant-based foods are tasteless.

We have created 60 delicious tasting plantbased products, many of them award-winning, where we have focused on ensuring they taste great first and be healthy and nutritious, with many of them being two of your five-a-day.

2. Plant-based foods cost more.

Vegetables and lentils are less expensive than meat or dairy, so focusing on eating whole food plant-based will be lighter on your pocket.

3. I’m going to become a skinny, hippy vegan person.

David and Stephen have been eating this way for over 20 years now, and they are a proven example that eating a whole food plant-based diet can assist people in becoming strong and healthy. Our family just won Ireland’s Fittest >>

The Happy Pear Thai Red Curry Meal Pot is a deliciously creamy curry with edamame beans, baby corn and brown rice

Eat More Plant-Based Because powered by plants is better for you and the planet.

Vegan

30 CATEGORY FOCUS Vegan

Cooked Meats

Bottled Water

Q: What marketing and innovation plans does The Happy Pear have in store for 2022?

The Happy Pear Lentil & Sweet Potato Dahl Meal Pot is a beautifully creamy coconut dahl packed with sweet potato, spinach and brown rice

>> Family Celebrity Edition over Christmas, which is a testament to our whole food plant-based diet.

4. I’m going to become part of a cult!

Health is such an essential factor in terms of well-being and happiness, and eating more veg, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds is a proven factor to assist your health and has also been proven to be beneficial for our planet.

Q: With more Irish consumers embracing vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diets than ever before, how does The Happy Pear ensure it stands out in an increasingly competitive market?

A: We’ve been around nearly 20 years now, published five cookbooks and have almost 50m YouTube views of our recipes. We feel we bring practical experience to life and deliver it in a human, light-hearted, fun way which we feel is accessible for people of all ages.

We also have vibrant Happy Pear fixtures in SuperValu and Centra stores as well as Daybreak and independent stores, where consumers can browse our full range of

Wholesome ingredients One-to-watch within plant-based products for 2022 is wholesome meatless meat brand, Thanks Plants. Created by Dublin vegan

Dublin vegan Aisling Cullen decided to create her own meat-free range with ingredients that are as wholesome as possible

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

The Happy Pear Mexican Style Chilli Meal Pot is a heartwarming chilli with peppers, black and kidney beans and brown rice

products. We’re in this to change lives for the better and the long game and are committed to making plant-based products available to Irish consumers.

Q: The Happy Pear has played an integral role in the rising popularity of plant-based eating in Ireland. What do you think the future of the Irish plant-based market looks like?

A: We believe the future of the Irish plantbased market will be more whole food plantbased and less junk food vegan. Right now, we have an extensive range of retail products from breakfast granolas to midmorning snacks, lunch options right through to family dinners. We believe there will be even more meal solutions across all dayparts and more ingredient box type solutions where consumers can expand their plant-based repertoire.

We expect stronger links between consumers and local farmers with awareness of where our food is coming from and how it is being grown continuing as consumers push for more transparency.

Aisling Cullen, she was fed up of buying meat substitutes for her family that contained ingredients that she didn’t understand, so she set out to create her own products with ingredients that are as wholesome as possible. The range comprises three flavoured sausages in Apple & Sage, Sundried Tomato & Herb and a Frankfurter.

There is also a roast dinner centrepiece called the Everyday Roast, stuffed with wild rice and apricots, and a seasonal Festive Roast.

“We have lots of plans for 2022,” says Cullen. “This starts with a move into a larger kitchen where we will be rolling out our products nationwide. We also have new products in the pipeline for this year including Chorizo Crumbles which will be great on pizzas or in a taco, and a Spring Roast at Easter which is a lamb alternative stuffed with roast potatoes, red peppers and rosemary. We also intend to extend our foodservice capabilities as we get a lot of

A: We have an exciting plan for 2022. This January, we have a full 3600 campaign challenging consumers to ‘Eat More PlantBased’ because powered by plants is better for you and the planet. Our communications will be seen across bus shelters and 6-sheets, via digital display advertising, on national radio, on all our social media channels, and in-store in participating Centra and SuperValu stores as well as Daybreak and independent stores nationwide.

2022 will see The Happy Pear expanding our retail product range into some inspiring new categories - more to come on this soon, however, we expect to launch 20 new great food solutions for customers this year, enabling them to eat healthier plant-based foods.

The Happy Pear online educational courses continue to be a key priority for the brand, with our new Happy Pear lifestyle App now available on both iOS and Android with new key features.

We will also be launching a community farm at the scale of 2 acres focused on producing high quality, organic food for the local surroundings (the wider Greystones area) with a key focus on regenerative agriculture, building soil and increasing biodiversity.

The Happy Pear has a range of pestos to suit every preference

enquiries from restaurants, cafes and takeaways.”

Thanks Plants products are currently available in SuperValu stores around Dublin and in good independent stores.

The Thanks Plants range includes flavoured sausages and roasts with exciting plans for new additions in the pipeline this year

Vegan CATEGORY FOCUS

With its rainbow of flavours, the Roots and Shoots range is set to refresh consumer taste buds in 2022 Roots and Shoots Chickpea and Butternut Tagine is full of natural ingredients including chickpeas, butternut squash, carrots, yellow peppers, herbs and spices

Bottled Water Cooked Meats

Galmere’s Roots and Shoots vegan meal bowls range of slow-cooked, globally inspired dishes is set to refresh consumer taste buds in 2022. Fresh from having won a 2021 Great Taste Award for Roots and Shoots, Galwaybased Galmere was also awarded Gold membership in 2021’s Bord Bia’s Origin Green sustainability programme.

With its rainbow of flavours, set to make January taste sensational, Roots and Shoots is available in selected Tesco Ireland stores and Joyce’s of Galway as well as Avoca. And for a limited January period, Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland will feature Roots and Shoots as a special across the 32 counties.

According to Galmere CEO, John Casey: “With Roots and Shoots we wanted to create an innovative range of calorie friendly, healthy meals for busy people, who also want dishes that inspire. So, for example, Kerala Aubergine Curry has just 256 calories, while Green Lentil Dahl has just over 400 calories, so this is a perfect low-calorie way to try out meat-free meals. They are all perfect for someone who would like to try a Veganuary approach and have a reset while not losing any of the flavour.”

To find out more about Galmere’s ranges including Roots and Shoots’ collection of award-winning vegan meal bowls, visit: www.galmere.ie and www.rootsandshoots.com/.

For trade queries, contact the sales team on +353 (0) 91 751 796 or email: sales@galmere.ie.

Vegan

Serving up global flavours

31

Roots and Shoots’ innovative range of calorie friendly, healthy meals for busy people, have been designed to inspire mouthwatering meals

Roots and Shoots Green Lentil Dahl is full of natural ingredients including chopped tomatoes, green lentils, onions, coconut milk, fresh coriander, herbs and spices

Roots and Shoots Chana Palak Masala is made with natural ingredients including chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, spinach, potatoes, coconut milk, herbs and spices

32

CATEGORY FOCUS Vegan THE IRISH Vegetarian Food SHOPPER

Vegan

3 insights in a nutshell

Cooked Meats

Bottled Water

50%

Rank: #21

23%

25% 0%

The Flahavan’s Oat Drinks range contains no added sugar and offers a deliciously subtle oaty flavour, made from Irish oats

Outstanding oats!

Flahavan’s is one of Ireland’s most trusted family food brands and has been providing consumers with wholesome, natural oat-based products for seven generations. Based in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, the company prides itself on the simplicity and consistent quality of its product range which comes not only from its unique milling expertise, but also from sourcing the highest quality oats from local farmers based within 60 miles of its mill.

Recognising changing patterns in consumer behaviour around health and the growing trend toward plant-based diets, Flahavan’s is well-positioned to cater to the needs of consumers embracing a vegan way of life with its wide range of traditional and organic porridge offerings. Porridge is a simple breakfast solution for vegan consumers – a single-ingredient oat product providing energy, fibre and nutrients to help fuel busy lives.

Flahavan’s added two new vegan-friendly products to its Granola range last summer – No Added Sugar Raisin, Cashew & Almond and No Added Sugar Strawberry & Almond.

High in fibre and providing a source of energy, these new granolas are packed full of real fruit pieces, nuts and seeds as well as Flahavan’s finest Irish oats, toasted to perfection.

The latest addition to Flahavan’s veganfriendly Irish Oaty Flapjacks range is Chocolate & Hazelnut, combining rich Belgian dark chocolate and roasted hazelnut pieces for a deliciously indulgent taste experience.

Made with over 40% wholegrain oats, each flapjack provides 7% of your daily fibre requirement, helping fill the energy gap between meals. Other varieties in the range include Original, Choc Chip, Dark Choc &

High in fibre and providing a source of energy, Flahavan’s Granolas are packed full of real fruit pieces, nuts and seeds as well as Flahavan’s finest Irish oats

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

50%

35%

Vegetarian Food

Rank: #10

31% 19%

25% 0%

Total Store

‘How important is innovation when shopping for category?’ (on 1-5 scale)

‘Want to spend time browsing’

Average of 4 traffic statements

Vegetarian Food

Rank: #1

5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0

3.4

2.9

Vegetarian Food

Total Store

Total Store

Traffic driver

Browse

Innovation

Vegetarian Food is more likely to drive traffic (ranked #21 of 127 categories).

Veg Food shoppers browse more and they pay more attention to it (#10 of 127).

Innovation/NPD is VIP to Veg Food shoppers (ranks #1). CSR and enjoyable shopping are also important.

Action: Retailers need to lead with it as Vegetarian Food is a big traffic driver.

Action: Engage shoppers at shelf. They are much more willing to browse or spend time shopping the category.

Action: Focus on these most important factors to attract attention, engage and drive shopper satisfaction.

i

Data from survey of 22,852 Irish shoppers, Aug 2020-March 2021.

Shopper insights available for 127 FMCG categories in 2021

Orange, and Cranberry & Orange.

Launched in August 2020, Flahavan’s range of Oat Drinks includes Barista, Vitamin Rich and Organic varieties. Made with Irish oats, the Flahavan’s Oat Drinks range contains no added sugar and offers a deliciously subtle oaty flavour, which has proven extremely popular among Irish consumers of plant-based drinks.

As consumer demand shifts more toward healthy vegan-friendly breakfast, snacking and drink offerings, Flahavan’s product range will continue to evolve and expand to cater to this market’s needs. Flahavan’s is a proud member of Love Irish Food.

You’ve got the power!

Colm Rooney, Country Manager Ireland colm.rooney@shopperintelligence.com www.shopperintelligence.com

Sweet news for vegans Rowntree’s, one of Ireland’s most popular confectionery brands has further extended its vegan friendly range with Rowntree’s Fruit Gums and Rowntree’s Pick&Mix joining the full range of Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles sweets using a new vegan-friendly recipe.

“We’ve had many requests from consumers over the years asking if we can make our range vegetarian or vegan,” says Maria McKenna, confectionery marketing manager, Nestlé Ireland. “We want the brand to be enjoyed by as many consumers as possible and so we were delighted to be able to introduce our new vegan friendly recipe across the full range of Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles sweets in 2020. We are now extending that even further with the launch of vegan friendly Rowntree’s Fruit Gums and Rowntree’s Pick&Mix. “In developing the new formulation, we were very conscious of our responsibility as custodians of this much-loved brand and its long history,” she adds. “Through this recipe change, we’ve made the sweets slightly softer, which we know has been a market trend for a number of years. However, our priority was to develop a recipe which is as deliciously chewy as it has ever been, whilst at the same time being suitable for those following vegetarian, vegan and religious diets.” ■

Birds Eye Green Cuisine successfully moved into the chicken-free segment last year

‘You’ve Got the Power’ with Birds Eye Green Cuisine this Veganuary. Green Cuisine is a plant-based brand which consists of ‘veg foods’ and ‘meat substitutes’. The perfect brand for vegans, flexitarians and consumers who simply want to reduce meat intake in their family dinners. Since launch, Birds Eye has invested increased media and trade spend for the Green Cuisine brand year-onyear. 2021 saw the launch of Green Cuisine into ‘chicken-free’, with a range of small pieces (dippers, strips and nuggets), and more recently, larger pieces (grills and burgers). In 2022, the brand continues to optimise investment further with a fully integrated Veganuary campaign supported above-the-line through TVC, VOD, digital partnerships and social, through to in-store activity.

With a robust pipeline in place, integrated with exciting activity plans, there is a lot more to come for the Green Cuisine brand in 2022.

Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles, Rowntree’s Fruit Gums and Rowntree’s Pick&Mix are now vegan friendly

Rowntree’s priority was to develop a deliciously chewy recipe suitable for those following vegetarian, vegan and religious diets

Subway introduces new plantbased menu item for Veganuary Subway has unveiled a new addition to its plantbased menu for Veganuary – the T.L.C. Tikka (Tastes.

Like.Chicken).

A new spice-inspired twist on the original roastchicken inspired T.L.C., the T.L.C. Tikka is a special addition to the menu exclusively for Veganuary, available from Wednesday 29 December to Tuesday 15 February in select stores across Ireland and the UK, replacing the classic T.L.C. for a limited time.

Made from soybased protein and a unique recipe, with slices of Violife vegan cheese, the T.L.C. Tikka is fully customisable and is available as a 6-inch or Footlong Sub, a salad or a wrap for The T.L.C. Tikka is approved even more choice. by the Vegan Society

O’Brien’s launches new ‘Power of Choice’ menu in collaboration with Natalya Coyle Following the recent appointment of sports star Natalya Coyle as its official Brand Ambassador, O’Brien’s Sandwiches and Natalya have spent the past few months collaborating on the healthy new ‘Power of Choice’ menu which will be in outlets from 10 January 2022.

New items on the menu include Poached Eggs on Avocado Sourdough Toast, Spiced Chicken and Chickpea Soup, and the delicious Rainbow Chicken Bowl. Not only are these new Natalya Coyle is O’Brien’s dishes lean, but they official Brand Ambassador are also hearty and created to be nutrient dense, filling and above all, tasty and convenient.

O’Brien’s is marking its 33rd year in business this year.

McDonald’s Ireland rolls out McPlant nationally

McDonald’s is rolling out its plant-based offering, the McPlant, to all restaurants across Ireland from Wednesday 5 January 2022, following a successful trial last year.

The impressive McPlant, which took over three years to develop, features a patty co-developed with Beyond Meat.

Michelle Graham-Clare, chief marketing officer, McDonald’s UK and Ireland, said the group saw “a remarkable response to the trial period back in October”.

The McPlant features a vegan sesame bun, mustard, ketchup, vegan sauce, fresh onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato and vegan cheese. It is cooked separately from other McDonald’s burgers and sandwiches using dedicated utensils.

Following a successful trial, McDonald’s Ireland is rolling out its first ever plant-based burger to all its restaurants

FOOD FOCUS 33

Freshly Chopped expands to six new countries The master franchise Healthy fast food retailer deal will see Fresh Food Freshly Chopped recently Fast Company own the signed a new partnership Freshly Chopped master deal with the Dutch franchise until 2032. The company FFF International first location will open in Holding B.V. (Fresh Food February in Leiden with a Fast Company) that will further seven outlets see the Freshly Chopped planned to open in the brand open 120 new Netherlands in 2022. Both outlets in the Netherlands, company and franchise Belgium, France, Germany, restaurants will then open Denmark and Sweden over across Belgium, France, the next five years.

Germany, Denmark and Launched in Dublin in Sweden over the next five 2012, Freshly Chopped years. already has over 60 stores Hans Wingender, across Ireland, the UK and managing director of Cyprus and employs over Fresh Food Fast 1,000 people.

Company, is confident Brian Lee, founder and Brian Lee, founder and CEO about the brand’s growth CEO of Chopped, says the of Freshly Chopped with Hans prospects, noting that new partnership represents Wingender, managing director leading food brands must of Fresh Food Fast Company in “an incredible be able to respond to the Leiden, Netherlands announcement for Freshly consumer demand for Chopped. healthier options at the “Signing this deal to bring the brand to six right price and fast. new countries is a great moment for us and “In 2020, when I first encountered Freshly another important milestone on our global Chopped, I knew this was the brand that we rollout,” Lee said. could grow across Europe,” Wingender said.

GAA star Philly McMahon teams up with Tesco to provide families with free food packages Dublin GAA legend, Philly McMahon has supplemental support at home this winter. teamed up with Tesco to announce a new Tesco began partnering with the Good pilot programme that will provide thousands Grub Initiative as a pilot programme in of meals to feed children and families across November 2021 and the pilot campaign Ireland. which will run until February will see Tesco Stronger Starts, in partnership with the provide the equivalent of over 120,000 Good Grub Initiative, will provide 1,000 thousand meals to families most in need in families per week with free nutritious food communities around Ireland. packages containing potatoes, carrots, As part of the campaign, Tesco will also onions, and apples, to support them in partner with a number of Local Heroes from preparing healthy meals at home. around Ireland who will create compelling Good Grub is a video content to not-for-profit demonstrate how initiative that has, healthy and since the start of the nutritious food is Covid pandemic, the best ingredient delivered nutritious in any recipe. fruit and veg parcels Once the pilot is directly to the complete in families of a number February, Tesco of DEIS school and the Good Grub children around Initiative will review Ireland. During the and refine the pilot, home school programme with David Kelly, co-founder of The Good Grub community liaison the aim of Initiative; Kari Daniels, CEO, Tesco Ireland; officers in over 40 reaching more co-founder of The Good Grub Initiative, Denis DEIS schools will children and O’Reilly; with former Dublin GAA footballer, identify families who Philly McMahon at the launch of the Stronger families across may need Ireland. ■ Starts programme

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

Cooked Meats

Bottled Water

Vegan

34 CATEGORY FOCUS Cooked Meats

Meat you can’t beat!

Nutritious and delicious, offering maximum convenience and speed, every store should offer a strong selection of cooked meats, not just for their traditional prominence within kids’ lunchboxes, but a whole host of tasty recipes, writes Gillian Hamill

T

he Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns saw a huge boost to at-home meal occasions, with increased cooking from home benefitting the cooked meats sector, market analyst Mintel reports. The long-term increase in working from home will continue to lend support for the packaged meat industry going forward.

This certainly makes sense, considering that cooked meats make it easy for consumers to rustle up a tasty sandwich, salad or even a quick and tasty pasta dish or stir-fry for their lunch or dinner while working from home.

Another important trend within this sector is the emphasis consumers place on knowing the origin of meat products. Subsequently, the products that will perform best are those that can demonstrate they are natural with no artificial nasties, with full traceability from animals that are well cared for, where sustainability measures are in place. According to Mintel data from the UK, 46% and 40% of red meat and poultry eaters respectfully trust products that advertise about how they are made and who made them more than products that don’t.

Pinnacle of success Carroll’s of Tullamore has been riding the wave of success within the cooked meats category for the last number of years, seeing year-on-year growth across a wide range of products. Carroll’s celebrated the pinnacle of success in 2021 reaching the coveted number one brand position in the pre-pack sliced cooked meats category*. During 2021, the brand jumped a further three places in the rankings to number 26 in the ShelfLife 100 Master Brands at Home, as measured by Kantar.

The Carroll’s of Tullamore brand enjoyed an exciting year of targeted consumer campaigns and invested heavily in innovative new product launches. 2021 also marked the 30th anniversary of Carroll’s sponsorship of Offaly GAA, 1991-2021, well known as one of the

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Mintel also reports that the impact of meat production on the environment and the increased consumer focus on health is going to fuel interest in the sustainability credentials of brands.

These findings chime with a recent 2020 Euromonitor Ireland report on the sector, which reported that shelf-stable meat and seafood benefits from stockpiling, as consumers stocked up on cupboard fare in case of a decline in the availability of fresh meat and seafood.

With Carroll’s unique New York Deli shaved range, your customers can immerse themselves in the tastes of New York, the capital of food fusion

Carroll’s Signature Roasts range provides the perfect balance of convenience and flavour for those looking for high quality cooked poultry

NOW THE #1 BRAND IN PRE-PACK PRE PACK SLICED COOKED MEATS *Source: Kantar Worldpanel PPSCM Value Nov ’21

Cooked Meats

Bottled Water

Vegan

36 CATEGORY FOCUS Cooked Meats

Bord Bia to spearhead €13.4 million EU campaigns across Asia, Europe and US

Carroll’s innovative grab-and-go Delicatessen range offers premium quality deli meats sliced and prepacked for convenience

longest standing county sponsorships within the GAA. Offaly GAA celebrated victory in 2021 following Offaly’s All-Ireland U20 final, bringing a big lift to the county and a sign of good things to come.

2022 is already looking set to be an exciting year for the Carroll’s of Tullamore brand, with investment in consumer communications to further elevate the brand’s growth.

Carroll’s continues to enjoy unprecedented success across many of its ranges, including its unique New York Deli shaved range and innovative grab-and-go Delicatessen range; premium quality deli meats sliced and prepacked for convenience. Carroll’s of Tullamore is a cooked meats brand that offers both quality and choice for consumers.

Whatever your customers’ appetite, Carroll’s has what they are looking for. A trusted Irish brand which is a must-stock in your cooked meats range in 2022. *(Source: Kantar ROI 52 weeks Value to 28 November 2021)

100% natural Green Farm is a tasty, cooked meat choice that is 100% natural and packed with protein.

As the range of chicken and turkey products are naturally high in protein, they provide a nourishing addition to any sandwich, salad, stir-fry or snack.

Bord Bia has won the contract to promote EU beef, lamb, dairy and horticulture across Asia, Europe and the US in three campaigns valued at €13.4 million* for the next three years. This comprises €9.7 million in EU funding and €3.7 million from Bord Bia and industry funding.

The second campaign, ‘Working with Nature - European Beef and Lamb’ will be targeting trade buyers in China, Japan, South Korea and the US. Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia chief executive, welcomed the funding and said that Bord Bia’s imprint on the campaign will widen the recognition of Ireland as a secure supplier of safe and sustainably produced beef, lamb and dairy at a time when market diversification in response to the joint impact of Brexit and Covid-19 is strategically important.

“This is the biggest sustained investment we’ve made in dairy, and meat across species in third country markets, and it’s the first EU funding of its kind for the dairy sector,” she said. “A key element in securing this funding is how Bord Bia’s new threeyear strategy aligns so closely with the EU’s farm to fork strategy, in that it allows us to focus on linking sustainable production with sustainable nutrition and consumption.

This campaign affords us the opportunity

to deploy each of these to the benefit of Irish and EU producers.”

Starting in 2022, the three EU campaigns will be rolled out across a total of nine market territories between Asia, Europe and the US, each of which will have a specific target audience, product focus and tailored promotional activities. Targeting importers, retailers, foodservice providers, chefs and media outlets, the campaigns will concentrate on digital media, PR, trade fairs, seminars and inward visits to Ireland. *(This figure represents the gross campaign spend, which includes VAT)

Bord Bia plans to widen the recognition of Ireland as a secure supplier of safe and sustainably produced beef, lamb and dairy

customers are tossing them in a pasta, curry, stir-fry or salad, the Green Farm cooked chicken fillet range is ideal to have in their fridge for those busy days. The range is currently stocked in selected Tesco, SuperValu, Dunnes and convenience stores nationwide.

Green Farm has a rich heritage of keeping the health and wellbeing of the consumer as a key focus. A marked milestone on this journey was the removal of artificial flavours and preservatives from all Green Farm products in 2011. Since then, the brand has consistently delivered product innovation, supported by recipe inspiration, to make eating well easy for the consumer.

The latest development on the Green Farm brand is the recent launch of the awardwinning cooked chicken fillet range, bringing healthy convenience to dinnertime. This range of 100% natural, protein powered chicken fillets help consumers eat healthily without the hassle of scratch cooking. Whether your

Staple of fridges across Ireland Since 1820, Denny has been a staple of fridges all over Ireland and the team take great pride in helping ensure lunchboxes are filled with its slow cooked Irish carved ham.

2022 will see some exciting developments across the Denny sliced cooked meats range; watch this space. ■

THE IRISH Cooked Meats SHOPPER 3 insights in a nutshell

‘Planned to buy before entering store’ ‘Part of my routine shop/ stock up’ Planned

85%

’I don't mind paying a bit more for better quality/premium’ 65%

16

Regular purchase

75%

14

Average of 18 satisfaction statements

Open to trading-up to premium

17

60%

Green Farm has consistently delivered product innovation, supported by appetising recipe inspiration

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

2021

Overall satisfaction

40

60%

55%

Pre-Covid

70%

65%

65% 55%

75%

Pre-Covid

2021

Pre-Covid

2021

VIP category

Premium

Satisfaction decline

Cooked Meats Shoppers are even more planned compared to 2020/Pre-Covid.

A VIP category for the shopping list.

Action: Get on the shopping list prestore. Consider catalogue/ pre-store marketing.

Cooked Meats shoppers are happy to go premium - but they are open to both brands and private label (not shown here) Action: Invest in Premium range/ brands in the category. Make sure this premium tier stands out in-store.

Shopper satisfaction scores have declined in general for Cooked Meats – especially Price and Assortment.

Action: Improve satisfaction on key areas of importance to drive satisfaction, engagement and sales.

i

Data from survey of 22,852 Irish shoppers, Aug 2020-March 2021.

Shopper insights available for 127 FMCG categories in 2021 XX Rank of 127 categories

Colm Rooney, Country Manager Ireland colm.rooney@shopperintelligence.com www.shopperintelligence.com

FEATURE

37

Record year for tobacco smugglers An increase in large seizures of illicit tobacco and cigarettes last year points to a lucrative black market for organised crime gangs.

Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS) reflect on the impact on legitimate retailers A significant spike in major seizures of cigarette and tobacco products in 2021, suggests that the black market being exploited by crime gangs is more lucrative than ever.

That’s according to Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS), reflecting on one of the busiest years for Revenue which announced 57 major tobacco seizures over the past 12 months, 14 of which had an estimated retail value of over €1 million.

Commenting on the impact felt by registered and legitimate retailers, national spokesperson for Retailers Against Smuggling, Benny Gilsenan said: “The sheer magnitude of seizures reported by Revenue this year vindicates our concerns that tobacco smuggling is on a sharp rise. This is resulting in a rapidly growing black market which retailers like myself simply cannot compete against.

“It’s clear that criminal gangs are taking advantage of the tidy profits that can now be made from illicit tobacco while undercutting legitimate retail prices,” he added. “The large consignments we’re seeing seized, primarily at our major ports, is just the tip of the iceberg.

We know that the majority of illicit product

being smuggled into the country is finding its way onto the black market hitting the bottom line of registered retailers.”

A RAS analysis of Revenue announcements made via press release in 2021 vs 2020 looks at the significant increase in seizures. This shows a total of 57 major seizure announcements were made in 2021, up 24. Of these seizures, 14 were valued over €1 million, up four. In total, over 50.2 million cigarettes were seized, up 2.1 million from the previous year. Over 35.5 tonnes of loose and roll your own tobacco was likewise seized, up 28.4 tonnes.

The data also showed 28 major seizures were made at Dublin Port and Rosslare Europort, up 15 from 2020. Meanwhile, the total estimated retail value of seizures to date is over €57.1 million, up €24.4 million.

Organised crime gangs “The discovery of 906kg of tobacco linked with last month’s €9.8m drugs seizure at Dublin Port clearly indicates the type of organised crime gangs behind large-scale tobacco smuggling,” Gilsenan added. “We continue to argue that the current government

In April 2021, Revenue officers stopped and searched a Czech registered van that had disembarked a ferry from Cherbourg, France. With the assistance of their mobile x-ray scanner, they discovered cigarettes concealed within a mattress in the load

policy of placing annual excise increases on tobacco products is making illicit tobacco trade a more lucrative and appealing market for these gangs. This is further fuelled by growing consumer demand as smokers are forced to turn to the black market due to duty paid tobacco products sold by registered retailers becoming too expensive.

“There is growing apprehension among the retail community that the financial incentives for gangs bringing product onto the black market now far outweigh any risks,” he continued. “For example, other than the possibility of the product being detected and seized, there appears to be no obvious deterrents such as meaningful court prosecutions which might make criminals think twice about smuggling large-scale illicit tobacco consignments into the country. We can also be sure that criminal gangs account in advance for the projected percentage loss associated with the detection and seizure of product.”

Detection and prevention “At the same time, we must fully commend the work undertaken by Revenue and Customs officers this year to yield such an increase in large-scale seizures, particularly at our major ports,” Gilsenan concluded. “It’s also encouraging to see continued investment in technology like the state-of-the-art mobile x-ray container scanner deployed at Rosslare Europort, to help officers successfully detect illicit product. These detection efforts are critical in stemming supply into the black market, protecting both the Exchequer and registered retailers.

“However, until key individuals behind these crime gangs are targeted and handed appropriate prosecutions, they will continue to find more sophisticated means to smuggle large shipments of illicit tobacco. Financially, tobacco smuggling has now become a core pillar of the business models for these gangs.

As a preventative approach at government level, greater focus needs to be placed on delivering robust prosecutions and in turn strengthening the deterrent to engage in tobacco smuggling.”

For more information about RAS, visit: www.retailersagainstsmuggling.ie. n

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

Bottled Water

Vegan

38 CATEGORY FOCUS Bottled Water

Cooked Meats

Wonderful water!

Leading players within the bottled water sector have worked hard to improve their sustainability credentials, writes Gillian Hamill

F

or a number of years, environmental concerns within the bottled water sector have been a major consumer focus. As Euromonitor Ireland stated in a report on ‘Bottled Water in Ireland’ published in December 2021, “the theme of sustainability is growing in Ireland with local consumers becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of plastic bottles and cans. The trend is expected to continue to gain momentum amongst the population, encouraging players to make substantial investments to address public concerns.”

Indeed, leading manufacturers have worked hard to address these concerns and improve the sustainability of their packaging, including the key players outlined here; Deep RiverRock, Tipperary Water, Ishka Irish Spring Water and Ballygowan.

Another development which is an important marker of Ireland’s progress on the sustainability front is the fact that Minister Eamon Ryan last year signed the legislative regulations for a Deposit Return Scheme

(DRS) in Ireland for plastic bottles and aluminium cans, which is expected to be operational by Q3 of this year.

The introduction of a DRS scheme will assist in reducing single use plastics, help Ireland meet EU targets and promote a wider circular economy.

In drafting the regulations, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has worked closely with representatives from the beverage industry who will fund and operate the scheme.

Euromonitor Ireland also found that emerging water variants are adding excitement to the category. “Innovation within bottled water is expected to drive greater demand for flavoured and functional options over the forecast period,” the analyst stated. “The fundamental growth driver for bottled water is therefore expected to be improved health consciousness of Irish consumers and the focus on preventative health.” Meanwhile, sourcing is important to six in ten people when buying bottled water.

Mintel has also reported on the importance of health, noting: “Health will continue to be at the forefront of consumers’ minds for some time to come, with many interested in various supplements and health benefits. 39% of people show an interest in branded supplements that add minerals to tap water, while 40% are interested in both immune health and skin health.”

As Brian O’Connor, senior consumer analyst, states: “With Covid-19 impacting sales of drinks, particularly via the on-trade, the water and juice markets will respond by embracing the wellbeing trend more fully, potentially moving towards immunity boosting benefits to sustain consumer usage.”

In positive news for the sector, NielsenIQ reports this month that soft drinks were the lead performer during Christmas 2021, with sales up +11% compared to Christmas the previous year*. *(Source: NielsenIQ Total Store Read (Multiples excl. Dunnes/ Discounters + Forecourts + Symbol Groups + Specialist Off Licences) 4 weeks ending Sunday 26 December 2021)

Nice one!

Every three seconds in Ireland, an impulse Deep RiverRock product is sold

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Introduced to the market in 1994, Deep RiverRock is a quality water sourced from deep beneath the glacial hill of Co. Antrim. It is rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, all naturally occurring within the source.

Deep RiverRock was the first water range on the island of Ireland to move to 100% recycled bottles in 2019 and continues to innovate to eliminate unnecessary plastic from its packaging. In 2018, Deep RiverRock introduced smaller bottle caps, reducing plastic use by 10%. The bottle is also one of the lightest on the market, using 34% less plastic than in 2016.

The brand says it has evolved to reflect changing Irish society, becoming a more modern and sustainable brand, but retaining its uniquely playful tone of voice. The new strategic direction and brand platform - Nice One! – reclaims the popular Irish phrase as a pure expression of happiness.

Cooked Meats

Bottled Water

Vegan

40 CATEGORY FOCUS Bottled Water

Deep RiverRock is the number two impulse water brand in Ireland and every three seconds an impulse Deep RiverRock product is sold. Deep RiverRock offers a full range of products including still water, sparkling water and flavoured water, made with natural ingredients, which contribute to the normal function of the immune system.

Twist the cap to change the world With growing concern worldwide on the use of single-use plastic, Tipperary Water is on an eco-friendly journey, providing an alternative to the traditional plastic drinks bottle. Made from 88% plant-based materials and 100% recyclable in Ireland, Tipperary Water is encouraging customers to stay hydrated on-the-go and ‘Twist the Cap to Change the World’. This highlights how by making small changes each day, such as choosing Tipperary Water’s eco-friendly carton water, they can help to make a big difference to the environment in the long-term.

“Tipperary Water has been listening to customers and consumers who are looking for an alternative to single-use plastic,” says Gareth Davey, brand manager non-alcoholic beverages, Bulmers Ireland. “Our new ecofriendly carton is the perfect solution, and we are excited to bring consumers on this journey with us to becoming a more eco-friendly brand.”

The Tipperary Water carton water is available across Ireland, stocked at SuperValu, Londis, Centra, Spar, Maxol, Tesco, Mace and Dunnes.

Follow Tipperary Water’s eco-friendly journey on Instagram - @tipperarywater_.

Guaranteed Irish Ishka Spring Water is now available nationwide from 250ml to 5L, in flat and sports cap formats

Deliciously fresh spring water Ishka Irish Spring Water is one of the few ‘certified spring water’ brands in Ireland.

The 40-year success story of Ishka Irish Spring Water, since 1978, has been due to the brand’s relentless drive for perfection in production and service to its valued customers – retail, wholesale, foodservice and vending. Flowing from its exclusive on-site natural springs and bottled on-site, in Ballyneety, County Limerick, Ishka Irish Spring Water certified spring water is unprocessed and untreated for maximum health and wellness benefits – just as Mother Nature intended.

Ishka offers a wide range of easy-to-store spring water multi-packs

Pure, authentic goodness bottled at source; the range includes the following choices: Ishka Still Irish Spring Water is naturally pure and low in sodium, rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium. With a naturally balanced pH of 7.3, Ishka Spring Water is naturally pure, crisp, healthy and delicious, with nothing added for taste or enhanced with extras. The team simply bottle it and preserve its natural quality and taste. Guaranteed Irish Ishka Spring Water is now available in all main nationwide wholesalers and retailers from 250ml to 5L, in flat and sports cap formats.

Ishka Sparkling Irish Spring Water is a refreshing treat to enjoy any time of day or night. Characterised by an exceptionally clean and delicate taste, the tiny bubbles are on hand to give consumers some extra feel-good vibes whenever they need them.

Tipperary Water says its new eco-friendly carton is the perfect solution for those looking for an alternative to single-use plastic

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Ishka Irish Spring Water has a naturally balanced pH of 7.3

Ishka multi-packs - Ishka stocks a wide range of easy-to-store spring water multipacks, making it convenient for shoppers to stay hydrated across a whole range of occasions, catering for the increase in staycations and a ‘one big shop’ mentality.

Ishka is licenced by the HSE, FSAI, Guaranteed Irish and is a member of Repak.

For further information on any of Ishka’s product ranges, contact the brand at info@irishspringwater.com or telephone 061-450705.

Ireland’s original and number one Ballygowan is Ireland’s number one water brand. Following a brand relaunch last year, in 2022 Ballygowan is continuing its drive to remain as Ireland’s most sustainable water brand. All Ballygowan’s plastic bottles are now made from 100% recycled plastic and continue to be 100% recyclable.

The shift to recycled bottles removes 51 million virgin PET bottles (non-recycled) annually which is 1,288 tonnes and replaces it with 100% recycled and 100% recyclable rPET bottles. When recycled correctly, the new rPET bottles can be reused over and over again, becoming a contributor to the circular economy, and resulting in a positive impact on the planet.

Ballygowan’s home at Newcastle West, now operates on 95% renewable energy and 100% renewable electricity. That is the highest level of renewables use by any Britvic factory worldwide. The facility at Newcastle West has also achieved zero waste to landfill.

Ballygowan offers Irish consumers the opportunity to buy a locally produced brand, bottled at source in Ireland. Not only does this support Irish jobs, it also reduces the environmental impact of transporting bottles of other water brands from factories across Europe.

Ballygowan’s new Bottled Wild brand campaign leverages the brand’s localness and its leading sustainability credentials. It is a celebration of Ballygowan’s unique wild provenance coupled with its sustainability journey. The team at Ballygowan firmly believe that localism and the importance of embracing their heritage and nationality as part of their storytelling and connection with Irish consumers, is key to unlocking continued new growth. ■

All Ballygowan plastic bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic and continue to be 100% recyclable

OFF-TRADE NEWS

Irish Whiskey Association reports significant global achievements in 2021 The Irish Whiskey Association has expanded international trade opportunities and protections for the Irish whiskey industry in 2021.

That’s according to the representative body for the Irish whiskey industry, which has published its snapshot of 2021.

A number of positive global developments for Irish whiskey occurred throughout the past year.

These include new rules-of-origin in the UK-Australia free trade agreement (FTA) to protect crossborder Irish whiskey supply chains on the island of Ireland. Tariffs on Substantial achievements were secured in Irish whiskey in the US and Nigeria 2021 on international trade, protection, and ended, and levies in Canada were regulatory matters reduced.

What’s more, over 90% of Irish whiskey global sales are now subject to legal protection.

In further positive news, US tariffs on Northern Irish single malts ended, while substantial reductions to provincial levies in Ontario and Quebec, Canada’s two largest provinces, were achieved. 2021 also saw the elimination of 25% Import Adjustment Tax in Nigeria which was Irish whiskey’s fastest-growing market in 2021.

Following a 4% dip in global sales in 2020 (as a result primarily of the collapse on sales in travel retail), there has been a strong double-digit percentage rebound in 2021, setting a new all-time high for global Irish whiskey sales.

The latest figures from the CSO also show that the value of Irish whiskey exports to India for the first 10 months of 2021 are up 106% compared to the full 12 months of 2020.

In 2021, the association also conducted investigations in relation to over 55 infringements of the Irish whiskey geographic indication (GI) around the world.

Drinks Ireland Annual Review shows a resilient sector amid Europe’s strictest lockdown measures Ireland’s Covid-19 lockdowns were by far the longest in Europe for pubs, bars, and restaurants according to the 2020/2021 Drinks Ireland Annual Review. The review shows, however, that the drinks industry showed remarkable resilience, with companies producing hand sanitizer and working to help shuttered bars and restaurants in the early stages of the pandemic as well as working together to ensure the safe reopening of the Overall alcohol consumption hospitality sector when it was permitted. declined in 2020 by 6% Periods of global closure of the on-trade and worldwide and by 6.6% in Ireland global travel retail over the last two years, as well as restrictions in supply to off-trade channels in some markets, saw overall alcohol consumption decline by 6% worldwide in 2020 and by 6.6% in Ireland.

The review also highlights the fact that beer remains Ireland’s favourite alcohol beverage but that the closure of the hospitality sector saw beer sales decline by over 17% in Ireland, with the share of beer sold in hospitality businesses down from 60% in 2019 to less than 30% in 2020. Wine is Ireland’s second favourite alcoholic drink with sales rising due to wine’s association with home consumption coupled with the hospitality sector lockdowns. Sales of spirits, the country’s third favourite category of alcoholic drink, dropped by nearly 5%, while Ireland’s fourth favourite drink, cider, saw sales hit hard by the closure of pubs, down by over 11%.

41

Minimum unit pricing (MUP) now in force Minimum unit pricing for alcohol came into effect in the Republic of Ireland on 4 January.

The minimum price is calculated based on the number of grams of alcohol, with one gram costing at least 10 cent. A standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol in Ireland, with the result that the minimum cost of a standard drink is now €1. A 12.5% bottle of wine has 7.4 standard drinks and should cost at least €7.40. A 500ml can of beer (4.3%) should cost a minimum of €1.70 while a 700ml bottle of spirits (40%) should cost a minimum of €22.09. For A 12.5% bottle of wine should further details, turn to page 6. cost at least €7.40

High demand for information on alcohol continues, says Drinkaware Drinkaware, the national charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse, has released figures that highlight the Irish public’s demand for information on alcohol.

Throughout 2021, over 1 million pages were viewed on drinkaware.ie, over 6,000 people placed orders for public health resources through the website and over 32,000 individual resources were sent out to the public With support from Retail Ireland, Coca-Cola, Lidl, Diageo and Bulmers, Drinkaware launched a digital campaign aimed at raising awareness of the HSE low-risk weekly alcohol guidelines, binge drinking and what a standard drink is. This drove an increase in orders for public health resources and visits to drinkaware.ie.

New Revenue data shows alcohol consumption continues to fall New data from the Revenue Commissioners shows alcohol consumption in Ireland has fallen again. Every category of alcohol has seen a fall in sales since before the pandemic, with total sales down by over 10% in the last two years.

“Having endured the The data shows that for the first strictest lockdown in nine months of 2021, compared to Europe, it is hardly the same period in 2020; beer sales surprising to see this dramatic fall,” said are down 3.6%, spirits sales are up Drinks Ireland director 0.4%, wine sales are down 13.0% Patricia Callan and cider sales are down 11.8%. Total alcohol sales are therefore down 6.4%.

The comparison between the first nine months of 2021 and the same period in 2019, before the pandemic hit, are even starker; beer sales are down 17.8%, spirits sales are down 0.8%, wine sales are down 1.4% and cider sales are down 20.3%. Total alcohol sales are down 10.4%.

Drinks Ireland director Patricia Callan said the data showed the long-term trend in falling alcohol consumption continuing, exacerbated by pandemic restrictions.

“The fall is even more dramatic in the context of alarmist and erroneous claims at various times in the last two years that alcohol consumption was rising or even soaring – it simply was not,” Callan said. n

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

42 NOFFLA NEWS

www.noffla.ie

2021 AGM: Chairman’s report highlights association’s achievements and industry developments

The National Off-Licence Association AGM was held virtually on Thursday, 18 November 2021.

NOffLA chairman Gary O’Donovan welcomed all attendees and took the opportunity to provide a brief update on the association’s work over the past 12 months Public Health (Alcohol) Act Firstly, Gary O’Donovan covered the ramifications of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act. This legislation has implications for all aspects of our industry and is being phased in over a number of years.

Structural separation which limits how alcohol can be displayed and advertised in mixed retail outlets, was introduced in November 2020.

Next, in January 2021, regulations on alcohol promotions came into effect, introducing restrictions on loyalty cards, vouchers and shortterm price promotions. Then in November 2021, new laws restricting advertising alcohol during sports and children’s events came into effect. These laws also restrict alcohol sponsorship of certain events, such as events aimed at children or events involving racing or motor vehicles.

Minimum unit pricing (MUP) The most significant development over the last 12 months is that minimum unit pricing was commenced in the Republic of Ireland on 4 January of this year, O’Donovan continued.

NOffLA welcomed the Minister for Health’s decision last year to commence MUP in the Republic of Ireland. It is the association’s view that MUP should be introduced in Northern Ireland as soon as possible and that an allisland approach to alcohol pricing would be in the best interests of public health. In the coming months, NOffLA will be continuing its political engagements to expedite implementation of MUP in Northern Ireland as a matter of priority. As always, if any members have questions

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

NOffLA chairman Gary O’Donovan said the commencement of minimum unit pricing was the most significant development to have occurred during the past 12 months within the off-trade sector

regarding the Alcohol Act, please do get in touch with the association. NOffLA’s colleagues at Hume Brophy are always here to help.

Budget and excise Budget 2022 marks the next stage of the government’s policy response to Covid-19, which is aiding the economic recovery while also bringing public finances back under control, after record levels of government spending in response to the initial stages of the pandemic.

In its Pre-Budget Submission this year, NOffLA called for a 7.5% reduction in excise duty in Budget 2022, followed by a similar reduction again in next year’s Budget, in order to begin to align Irish alcohol excise rates with EU levels and to protect the commercial models of businesses within the drinks sector, post Covid-19. This was in collaboration with the Budget ask of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland and NOffLA’s drinks sector partners.

In addition to this, the

association again initiated its international Wine Excise Campaign this year. Again, NOffLA would like to thank those of you that engaged with your suppliers on this. “We view it as paramount that pressure on the Irish government from wineproducing countries is maintained to gradually move the dial on Ireland’s wine excise levels, which remain the highest in Europe,” O’Donovan said.

NOffLA will be continuing its excise campaign with the Department of Finance, political and industry stakeholders in 2022, highlighting the need for a reduction in light of MUP coming into effect.

It remains NOffLA’s objective that members and suppliers are recognised for this level of excellence, which the association is proud to do through the annual National Off-Licence of the Year Awards, held in November, and the NOffLA Wine Show Awards held in October.

NOffLA was delighted to achieve great coverage and recognition in national media for both these events.

“It’s important that the work, professionalism, and expertise of our sector is highlighted through the media activity we do around these awards and that the excellent service our members provide is given greater visibility,” O’Donovan said.

Recognition of NOffLA members

Thank you

“After a challenging year our members continue to persevere and deliver exemplary standards of service and professionalism to customers,” O’Donovan continued. “This is what sets us apart as independent, specialist retailers.”

Sadly, the association was not able to meet in person for its AGM again in 2021. However, O’Donovan nevertheless thanked attendees for their continued professionalism over the last year and for continuing to represent the off-trade sector so well.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announcing Budget 2022.

NOffLA’s Pre-Budget submission called for a 7.5% reduction in excise duty

NOFFLA NEWS 43

www.noffla.ie

Council members 2021/2022 announced

The following retailers have been named as Council members 2021/2022. NOffLA would like to thank each member for their continued support and work on behalf of the association.

NOMINEE

OUTLET

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Costcutter, Kinvara, Co. Galway Boyle’s Off-Licence, Kildare Jus de Vine, Portmarnock S.C., Co. Dublin Deveney’s of Dundrum, Dublin 16 Mitchell & Son, The chq Building, IFSC, Docklands, Dublin 1 Higgins Off-Licence, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14 The Vintry, Rathgar, Dublin 6 Keller’s Carry Out Off-Licence, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary The Molloy Group, Dublin The Coach House Off-Licence, Ballinteer, Dublin 1 McHugh’s Off-Licence, Kilbarrack Road, Dublin 5 Carry Out Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15 O’Donovan’s Off-Licence HQ, Little Island, Co. Cork Diceys Bottle Store, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal James Redmond & Sons Ltd., 25 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Londis, Malahide, Co. Dublin Sweeney’s D3, Fairview, Dublin

BARRY Jim BOYLE Judith CULLEN Tommy DEVENEY Ruth DUNNE Peter HIGGINS Lisa JONES Evelyn KELLER Pat MOLLOY Richard MONAGHAN Phyllis MC HUGH Cathal O’KEEFFE David O’DONOVAN Gary O’REILLY Brendan REDMOND Jimmy SHIEL John SWEENEY Padraig

REGION Connacht/Ulster Leinster Dublin Dublin Dublin Dublin Dublin Munster Dublin Dublin Dublin Dublin Munster Connacht/Ulster Dublin Dublin Dublin

NOffLA contacts If you have any queries regarding NOffLA membership or services, please contact our administrator, Reggie Walsh, at Block D, Unit 6, Nutgrove Office Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, by telephone on 01 - 296 2326, by fax on 01 - 296 2451 or by email at info@noffla.ie.

The NOffLA website can be found at www.noffla.ie. ■

OFF-TRADE NEWS

Wine, spirits and beer brands can now enter London Competitions The London Wine Competition, London Spirits Competition, and London Beer Competition are international wine, spirits, and beer competitions organised by the Beverage Trade Network.

The competitions reward wines, spirits, and beers that are made well, taste great, offer great value for money and stand out on the shelf. Winning a Gold at the awards demonstrates how well the winning wine, spirit, or beer will be perceived in the market and will give the trade a good indicator to stock that product.

Wine, beer and spirit brands can enter the competitions before 28 February 2022 and grow their brands globally with Beverage Trade Network’s media network. The below links provide more details and outline how to enter.

The London Competitions have been created exclusively by the Beverage Trade Network, the US drinks events, services, business, and publishing group dedicated to helping drinks producers and brand owners get closer to the buyers, distributors and retailers that can bring their products to market.

Visit the following sites to enter: • London Wine Competition: www.londonwinecompetition.com • London Spirits Competition: www.londonspiritscompetion.com • London Beer Competition: www.londonbeercompetition.com

Organised by the Beverage Trade Network, the competitions reward brands that are made well, taste great, offer great value for money and stand out on the shelf

Huge public interest in minimum unit pricing as public seek information on alcohol Drinkaware reports it has seen a significant spike in public interest in information on alcohol, particularly regarding Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) that went live on 4 January 2022.

New statistics released by Drinkaware show that between the 1st and 6th January, Drinkaware’s MUP explainer page attracted almost 18,000 (17,926) page views making it one of Drinkaware’s most sought-after resources over the holiday period.

Interestingly, consumers also spent longer than normal digesting the information available, with the average time spent on the MUP page clocking in at an unprecedented 6mins 55secs, highlighting public appetite to understand the changes afoot.

Drinkaware says it welcomes MUP as one important element of the suite of measures in the Public Health Alcohol Act, that will support the prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harm. However, the charity contends that legislation alone cannot deliver the sustainable change with regard to alcohol that Ireland needs, and that it believes the public clearly wants.

The charity is therefore calling for broader and more inclusive education, and awareness, engagement and information programmes in 2022, as also being essential to the creation of a different relationship and narrative on alcohol. ■

www.shelflife.ie | ShelfLife January 2022

44 MARKET MOVERS

Bounce Back

Bounce Back, the first post-social replenishment drink launches in Ireland Bounce Back, the first ever post-social replenishment drink, has just launched in Ireland.

This new category of health drink, created by two biochemists, is unlike others since it is designed to be drunk before bed after socialising, to give your body the replenishing nutrients it needs – while you sleep.

Bounce Back’s unique science-based formula of 17 vitamins, minerals, and amino acids ‘puts the goodness back in’ while you sleep. This blend of active ingredients works in harmony with your body’s natural restorative processes, to help alleviate the stresses of an active social life so that you can start tomorrow feeling refreshed.

Whilst Bounce Back is formulated with the right balance of nutrients for your body, it only contains 40 calories per 250ml serving. Indeed, Bounce Back is designed to be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and a healthy, active lifestyle.

Bounce Back is a lightly sparkling drink available in two flavours – Tropical and Raspberry, both offering a refreshing taste.

This new beverage is designed around the principle that there are four pillars of health.

These include sleep, nutrition, exercise and mindfulness. We know that an active social life can disrupt the balance of the four pillars of health – and Bounce Back has been formulated to replenish your body overnight as you sleep.

So with your sleep and nutrition pillars taken care of, Bounce Back supports the feeling of replenishment the next morning – putting a bounce into your day. The result is you don’t just wake up…you wake up better!

Formulated to support your body’s ability to replenish itself overnight, Bounce Back is the best thing to drink before bed after socialising.

The recommendation is to replace the usual glass of water before bed if you have been out, with a can of Bounce Back. Down a can and seize back tomorrow!

Bounce Back is the brainchild of two biochemists whose inspiration came from a late night out and an important meeting missed.

Subsequently, they were on a quest to ‘save future lost tomorrows’!

Dhruv Trivedi, Bounce Back drinks co-founder and biochemist also studied finance and economics at Harvard Business School. Trivedi

said: “After oversleeping due to a late night out socialising, I missed an important meeting. I was annoyed with myself - and thought I wonder how many opportunities are lost across the world, because people stayed out too late the night before? Instead of getting angry with myself, I thought hey, let’s see if I can put my biochemistry training to good use and come up with a solution. Hence Bounce Back was born!”

Bounce Back’s other co-founder is Vandana Vijay. Vandana Vijay is a biochemist, qualified marketer, and the brains behind the meticulous formulation. Her mission was to craft a range of nutritious drinks that restored the balance of the four pillars of health - and after years of development, she co-founded Bounce Back with Trivedi - to do just that.

Bounce Back is available as a single purchase (at RRP €3.50), with 4 packs and 12 packs coming soon. Find it on Instagram @DrinkBounceBack and Facebook.com/ DrinkBounceBack.

Bounce Back is distributed by JR Byrnes, Clondalkin, D22 XD77.

Applegreen/Plant-It

Tayto

Applegreen and Plant-It join forces to launch chicken-free fillet roll

Tayto introduces new snack on the block: Tayto Lentil Chips

Award-winning, Irish plant-based food brand Plant-It, has announced a partnership with Applegreen, to release a new chicken-free fillet roll, a plant-based version of the deli counter favourite.

Launched in 2021, Plant-It produces a wide range of plant-based food, including 100% Irish meat-free, chicken-free, egg-free, fish-free and veggie products. Using its own in-house texture technology, Plant-It has successfully managed to produce products that mirror the taste and texture experience of meat while being reassuringly plant-based. All Plant-It products are fortified with Vitamin B12, Iron and Calcium, which are traditionally lacking in plant-based diets.

Recent research conducted by Bord Bia has found that almost one in four (19%) adhere to a flexitarian - meat and plant-based combination diet. Providing high quality, locally sourced food and beverages to the consumer in transit has been a key pillar of Applegreen’s success over the past 30 years.

You can find the new chicken-free fillet roll in participating Applegreen Bakewell sites since 6 January.

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

Tayto, Ireland’s number one crisps and snacks brand*, has just launched its latest product offering; Tayto Lentil Chips. Tayto Lentil Chips contain 40% less fat**, are a source of fibre*** and have no artificial colours and no added MSG. Never one to rest on his laurels, Mr. Tayto has been busy in the kitchen creating this brand-new snack that is a lighter option but still has all the great taste of Tayto. Tayto already has proven success in the better-for-you market with Tayto Treble Crunch which has also recently undergone a packaging redesign.

Tayto Lentil Chips will be supported throughout 2022 with a heavyweight marketing campaign with particular focus across January and February including TV, radio, out of home, digital, social and PR. In store, shoppers will be engaged on their path to purchase with a strong display presence.

Tayto Lentil Chips are available in two mainstream flavours; Cheese & Onion and Sour Cream & Onion. Available in both sharing and multipack formats, Tayto Lentil Chips are sure to make a big entrance and further enhance Tayto’s presence in the ever growing better-for-you market*. ■ *(Source: Nielsen Value Sales December 2021) **(40% less fat per 100g compared to Tayto Cheese & Onion fried potato crisps) ***(Contains 3.5g of fibre per 100g)

Northern Ireland.

Bringing our world-class food and drink to your table.

When you source food and drink from Northern Ireland you can be sure of its pure, natural, quality. That’s why Invest Northern Ireland’s Food and Drink division works with local producers to help them take their products around the world. Whether it’s helping companies to find new markets in the Republic of Ireland, or working with UK supply chains to drive new sales, Invest NI partners with our local producers to help them identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business.

Learn how you can serve our quality food and drink.

Northern Ireland. Altogether more.

For further information contact Jen Guiney, Invest NI E: Jen.Guiney@investni.com M: +44 79 8511 1024

Grand Central Hotel, Belfast, Co. Antrim

We work with NI producers to help identify new trends, bring forward innovative products and grow their business.

46 HOTSPOTS

Taking to social media, one user thanked the retailer for “keeping up the tradition in this much-loved store”

Veg out!

Easter eggs at Christmas

While we may be known in some quarters for drinking pints and eating potatoes, the Irish are also keen on their fruit and veg. So keen in fact, research has found we eat more fruit and veg than any other citizens in the EU. This is according to a new survey from the European Commission, which found Ireland had the largest proportion of its population who had five servings of fruit and vegetable among the 27 EU member states. One third (33%) of Irish people reported having their ‘five-a-day’ in 2019.

What’s more, Irish women are more likely to have a healthy diet than their male counterparts. The figures show 37% of females in the Republic consumed five daily portions of fruit and vegetables, compared to 28.5% of males. And that’s not just an Irish trend. Across the EU, 15% of adult women eat five portions of fruit and veg, compared to just 10% of men.

Other countries with relatively high five-a-day consumption are the Netherlands (30%), Denmark (23%) and France (20%). The lowest daily intake of fruit and vegetables was found in Romania where that With 33% of people eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, Ireland figure plummets to just 2%.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Easter in one North Dublin supermarket. Mere days before Christmas, JC’s Supermarket in Swords made good on its annual Easter egg promotion and began selling Crunchie, Twirl, Creme Egg or Wispa Easter eggs to excited shoppers.

The unconventional Christmas tradition heralds the start of the Christmas season for many who live in the area. Locals say the promotion has been going on for decades. Story has it that JC, “the owner at the time, put in an extra order to Cadbury’s for Christmas selection boxes,” one customer told DublinLive in 2019. “The order got delivered and they thought everything was okay until they opened the packaging on the pallet to discover it was Easter eggs. They phoned up Cadbury’s, but they wouldn’t take the order back, hence Easter eggs at Christmas.”

Sure enough, the Easter eggs flew off the shelves and it has been a yearly practice ever since.

In a pinch

landed the top spot

Following the Twitterati ■ @brendanzpmiller Used the super scan thing-a-mi-jig in SuperValu the other day and felt like I was doing the shopping for the Jetsons.

■ @GlassHalfArsed Was getting a roll in Spar and I heard the person after me ask for a roll but to “take the bread out”. And the girl at the deli just hollowed out the inside of the roll so just the crust remained. Is this a common thing?

I’ve never encountered it before.

■ @roisinmeaney Dear Santa, l ate a whole bag of jelly sours today. In my defence they were only a euro so if you want to blame someone, it’s @dunnesstores you want. Please don’t cross me off the good list. Yours remorsefully, Roisin PS I’ll put you into a book if you forgive me.

■ @DanEireDesigns What’s the most Irish thing you’ve seen lately? Today in @CentraIRL the guy in front of me sanitised his hands and then used the excess in his hair as..Gel?!

■ @gramsey_turner Have to do the shopping for mam cos she’s got Covid, the lady in the fruit and veg shop knew who I was straight away because of what basket I was using.

Grocery around the globe UK

Grocery price inflation added nearly £15 to an average monthly bill over the festive period in the UK, data firm Kantar has found. The monthly increase was the sharpest since January 2018, bar a short period in spring 2020 when retailers suspended promotions to keep products available during panic buying at the start of the pandemic.

The most significant increases were seen in the price of beef, savoury snacks, and skincare products.

Austria

Spar Austria and social impact company Too Good To Go have sold 100,000 bags of food nearing its use-by date. Within 10 weeks of signing a nationwide partnership, 90,000 Spar Austria customers helped stop 1 million food products from going to waste, and about 750 tonnes of related CO2 emissions by purchasing the bags.

ShelfLife January 2022 | www.shelflife.ie

An extremely rare orange lobster was saved from certain death after being rescued from a Canadian grocery store tank.

The one-in-30-million orange lobster, who now goes by the name Pinchy, had spent weeks living in a tank in an Ontorio grocery store where he garnered no interest from buyers.

Eventually, his unusual colouring caught the attention of the store’s manager, who was concerned that he was being “picked on” by the other lobsters.

“Obviously it stood out,” said Niki Lundquist, whose husband manages the store. “It’s not every day you see a lobster that looks like it’s pre-cooked walking around. Being picked on and being stuck in a tank seemed like a terrible way to go, so we started thinking about what we could do for it.”

The pair decided to buy the lobster and safely transported him to Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto, where he now lives.

In a post on Facebook, the aquarium said: “Pinchy is settling in very well to his new home and is doing Rare orange crustacean sat in a tank brilliantly!” for weeks with no interest from buyers

India

India’s Reliance Industries has invested $200 million for a 25.8% stake in Bangalore-based delivery platform Dunzo. Existing backers Lightbox, Lightrock, 3L Capital and Alteria Capital invested another $40 million into the company, which helps small and local businesses fill online orders for food, medicine, and consumer goods in 300 neighbourhoods in India. Last year, Google invested in the company as part of a $10 billion plan to accelerate India’s digital economy.

US

California officials have sued Walmart Inc, accusing the retail giant of illegally dumping pesticides, lithium batteries and other hazardous materials in landfills across the state. California attorney general Rob Bonta alleged Walmart unlawfully disposes of 80 tons of hazardous waste a year in municipal landfills that are not equipped for such waste. Pollutants from discarded products can seep into drinking water and contaminate air, the lawsuit said. ■

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