64|Retail News|January / February 2018|www.retailnews.ie
Shelf Life COUNTRY Crest, the north Dublin based family owned agri-business, and Tesco Ireland have confirmed a further extension of their almost 20-year relationship until 2020. Owned by Gabriel and Michael Hoey, Country Crest will continue to supply all potatoes, onions and sweet potatoes to Tesco Ireland’s 149 stores and via online shopping in a deal worth over €60m. Sheila Gallagher, Commercial Director, Tesco Ireland, is pictured with Michael and Gabrial Hoey, Country Crest. PRO14 Rugby, The Sunday Times and The Times, Ireland Edition have launched their partnership ahead of the first ever Guinness Pro14 Final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on May 26, 2018. The Sunday Times and The Times, Ireland Edition will act as the official media partners for all six games in the Guinness Pro14 Final Series for 2018. Fans of the Guinness Pro14 as well as readers and subscribers of The Sunday Times and The Times, Ireland Edition, will benefit from exclusive offers, bespoke events and premium content as the anticipation intensifies ahead of this season’s showcase game at Aviva Stadium. Meanwhile, ROS Nutrition have become the latest addition to the Guinness Pro14 sponsorship family after their appointment as the Official Nutrition Partner for the Championship for the next two seasons. KOELNMESSE had a record-breaking year in 2017. At over €350m, the trade fair company’s turnover surpassed that of the previous record year of 2015 by around 10% and once again far exceeded expectations. “We achieved our ambitious growth targets as promised and even added a bit on top,” says Koelnmesse CEO, Gerald Böse, for whom this latest success is symbolic of the “turnaround and sustained growth that the company has achieved in recent years as a result of hard work.” TAYTO’S core crisp impulse bags have had an Irish upgrade! Ireland’s No.1 crisp and snacks brand is now showing the flavours ‘as Gaeilge’, including Cheese & Onion - Brioscáin Phrátaí Faoi Bhlas Cáise & Oinniúin; Salt & Vinegar - Brioscáin Phrátaí Faoi Bhlas Salainn & Finéagair; Smokey Bacon - Brioscáin Phrátaí Faoi Bhlas Bagúin Dheataithe; and Prawn Cocktail - Brioscáin Phrátaí Faoi Bhlas Manglaim Cloicheán. The change has come following two years of promotional campaigns featuring the Irish language and now this Irish upgrade to packs is here to stay! WILLOWBROOK Foods, a leading Northern Ireland company specialising in pre-packed vegetables and convenience meals, has strengthened its position in the Republic of Ireland by securing Stg£2.2 million worth of additional business for 2018, including increasing sales with existing customers and winning new business within the foodservice and retail sectors. “Strengthening our presence in the Republic of Ireland is central to futureproofing Willowbrook Foods' success, as the market represents a major percentage of our business and huge growth potential," noted Willowbrook Managing Director, John McCann (pictured). As part of the ambitious growth plans, Willowbrook is preparing to open a new state-of-the-art production site in the coming weeks in county Down.
MARY KATE Kelly, aged five, from St Sylvester’s Infant School in Malahide, Co. Dublin, is pictured helping to launch the national GIY and innocent Drinks Big Grow initiative. The GIY and innocent Drinks Big Grow project enables school children across Ireland to grow their own food in the classroom this spring using free growing packs which will be distributed by GIY and innocent. To register for a free pack see https://innocentbiggrow.com.
IRISH gin is expected to go global this year, with exports set to rise significantly, according to Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), which recently released its outlook for 2018. While 2017 marked a breakthrough in term of exports for Irish gin producers, 2018 is set to see Irish gin going global, with exports expected to grow significantly in the US, Canadian, UK and German markets. TESCO Ireland and its grower, TJ Sheehan from Cork, is set to divert 29 tonnes of red cabbage from waste by temporarily changing the specification to accommodate a bumper crop. The Irish grown red cabbage crop has seen changes to traditional growth patterns as a result of recent weather conditions. Almost three quarters of the red cabbage crop grown by Sheehan’s, Castletownroche, Co. Cork, have reached beyond the regular 1.5kg specification. A temporary specification change saw increased size cabbage heads and altered cabbage portions of the perfect quality crop in stores and online, as a result. Commenting on the bumper growth crop, Sarah Leonard, Fresh Produce Quality Manager, Tesco Ireland, said, “We have no time for waste so we’re constantly looking at ways of helping suppliers avoid good quality, edible food from going to waste.” PIONEERING healthy food brand Wheyhey is making significant inroads in its mission to revolutionise the way we eat, by securing major funding to drive forward exciting plans for further innovation in 2018. Working with like-minded members of the Adjuvo network, Wheyhey has secured not only Stg£3m of investment but the support of a group of high profile, experienced individuals who have recognised the company’s enormous potential to change the face of food forever, including Giles Turrell, the former CEO of Weetabix, Lance Batchelor, the CEO of Saga and former GM of Amazon, Alan Parker CBE. Founder and CEO of Whenhey, Damien Kennedy (pictured) says: “Receiving such significant backing at this stage in our journey is testament to not only the strength and uniqueness of our products, but also the fact that we are relentless in our pursuit to transform the face of food for the better.”