Retail News July/August 2019

Retail News JULY/AUGUST 2019

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Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie|1

Contents News

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Does This Government Care About Retail?

OUR biggest news story in this special double issue of Retail News is not about the fact that we remain nowhere nearer any sign of agreement over Brexit.

Instead, we are focused on the issue of Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol products, which has raised its head again via Health Minister, Simon Harris TD (Page 2).

This despite the Taoiseach’s very public declaration that introducing Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol in the Republic of Ireland without similar legislation in Northern Ireland would be futile. So one Government department is seemingly hellbent on shoehorning legislation through, despite the fact that many other departments remain opposed to its introduction.

Once again, the retail sector could be forgiven for feeling ignored by this Government, and for asking loudly if Ministers and their departments actually converse with each other before issuing statements? Surely common sense will prevail here and not send millions of euros to retailers outside the State because the Health Minister wants to use a hammer to crack a nut?

What’s even more grating is the fact that the use of cheap alcohol as a loss leader was predicted when the Groceries Order was repealed back in 2006. A ban on below cost selling, similar to that enshrined in said Order, would solve this problem without causing a stampede to Northern Ireland.

Kathleen Belton, Editorial & Marketing Director.

National Dairy Council 24 Love Irish Dairy and It Loves You

Retailers fear cross-border exodus over Minimum Unit Pricing.

3

3

Community is key for New Retail Ireland Chairperson.

4

Brexit preparedness at food and drinks firms rises; Appointment at Musgrave Wholesale Partners.

5

Business leaders assess Government performance in key areas; New board members at FSAI.

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7

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Discussion topics announced for retail exhibition; IGBF reveal panel for annual sporting legends lunch; Mace retailers raise €100k for Down Syndrome Ireland.

On The Vine: Top Wine Brands 32 Jean Smullen reveals Ireland’s top selling wines for 2019.

need a Dual Music Licence from IMRO.

Associates argues that sustainability is a real concern when it comes to product packaging, while also highlighting some of the key trends in packaging design.

Shop Profile 16 Rory and Raymond Hannon discuss

their investment in their Daybreak shop on Greenhills Road, Tallaght, and explain how changes in their customers’ needs led to a complete transformation of the shop.

Conferences/Meetings 44 The variety of venues and themes

for corporate events, conferences and team building exercises is growing all the time, explains Michelle Thornton of Hotel Solutions DMC.

Cider Industry 21 Aaron Dodd reports from the

successful relaunch of the Irish Cider Association.

Anuga 22 The 35th Anuga will take place from October 5-10, 2019, in Cologne, Germany, celebrating 100 years of the biggest food event in the world.

Shopfitting 49 Top tips for retail success from

the Shop and Display Equipment Association.

Regulars & Reports

@RetailNews1

Editorial & Marketing Director:

Published by: Tara Publishing Ltd,

Kathleen Belton

kathleenbelton@retailnews.ie

14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.

Editor: John Walshe

johnwalshe@tarapublications.ie

Tel: 00353 1 6785165 Fax: 00353 1 6477127

Sales: Brian Clark

brian@retailnews.ie

Web: www.retailnews.ie Email: kathleenbelton@retailnews.ie

Sales: Aaron Stewart

aaron.stewart@retailnews.ie

Subscription to Retail News: e95 plus VAT

Graphics: Catherine Doyle

Heineken Ireland’s Communications and Sustainability Manager, explains how Heineken is becoming a truly green brewer.

Packaging Design 40 Ian McConkey of McConkey

facebook.com/RetailNews1

Printed by: W&G Baird

Brewing 30 Barbara-Anne Richardson,

Late summer fails to dampen grocery growth; Aldi opens new Dublin store.

Managing Director: Patrick Aylward

Production: Ciara Conway

in the US vaping market, is now available in Ireland.

Music In-Store 38 To play music in your shop, you

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen

Vaping 26 Juul Labs, the leading start-up

Musgrave MarketPlace invests €2.6m to upgrade Galway and Derry branches; New trade finance product launched for SMEs.

Retail News Chief News Reporter: Pavel Barter

Back’ is the new campaign from the National Dairy Council, and we have the science to prove it’s true, writes Jeanne Spillane, Marketing Manager, NDC.

Email: ciara@tarapublications.ie Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

10

Industry News

20

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

43

Drinks News

52

Back To School / Lunch Box

55

Forecourt Focus: News

56

Shelf Life

2|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

News

Retailers Fear CrossBorder Exodus Over Minimum Unit Pricing RETAILERS are concerned that a government move to fast-track the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) on alcohol sales could cause a new wave of cross-border shopping.

Under the plans, introduced as part of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, a 75cl bottle of white wine, costing €5.99, will increase by €1.11. A 70cl bottle of Tesco vodka, currently priced at €12.99, will see an increase of €7.72.

While groups such as Retail Ireland have "no ideological opposition" to the introduction of MUP, which increases prices according to the amount of alcohol in each product, they insist it should only be done in tandem with a reciprocal move in Northern Ireland.

"Our concerns stem from the potential for cross-border trade, should the differential between alcohol products in the south versus those in the north grow as a result of MUP," said Thomas Burke, Retail Ireland Director. "Two products drive footfall across the border: babies’ nappies and alcohol. The last 20 years have shown us that. We don't want a return to 2008 when we saw significant floods across the border. It damages business and ultimately consumers."

According to Gerard Brady, Ibec's chief economist, if MUP is not aligned with Northern Ireland it will result in a crossborder trade loss of €550m to the retail sector. In the case of a no deal Brexit, which is becoming increasingly likely, it could mean a €180m loss to the Exchequer.

"It flies in the face of a lot of what we've been hearing from Government, about the importance of assuring regulatory alignment across the island of Ireland," said Burke.

Campaigners suggest the introduction of MUP will "save lives and lead to a reduction in alcohol harm". In May 2018, MUP was introduced in Scotland, which Alcohol Action Ireland has cited as a role model. However, according to data from Nielsen, 203.5 million litres of alcohol was purchased from Scottish shops over the 46 weeks to March 2019: an increase of 1.8m litres (the equivalent of four million cans of lager) over the same period in 2017-2018.

Moves to fast-track MUP contradict previous government commitments, suggest retail groups. In 2013, when the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill was first proposed, the Government decided not to introduce MUP unless it was in line with a similar move in Northern Ireland.

More recently, "the Taoiseach has been on record in the Dáil as saying the introduction of MUP in the 26 counties, without a similar move in Northern Ireland, would be futile," added Burke.

Simon Harris TD, Minister for Health, has indicated his intention to seek a reversal of that decision. "As far as I'm aware, the Department of Agriculture, Finance, Business and Trade are still opposed to [the introduction of MUP without alignment in Northern Ireland]," said Patricia Callan, Director of Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI). "There is a memo about this in circulation to cabinet. Those departments will give their observations from an evidential-based process.

I'm hoping the evidence will weigh out."

Since Northern Ireland's Executive is still on hiatus, retail groups believe MUP should be stalled in the Republic. However, they insist they would be happy to move forward with the initiative if it is introduced within the six counties.

"ABFI is an all-island body - we represent companies in the north - and there is a consultation in the north around alcohol policy," continued Callan. "When the executive is restored, they will be able to quickly move to introduce MUP. Within about two months of the executive coming back, they will be able to advance their plans. That's a reason to say to the health lobby, 'It's not like this is going to be forever'. There is consensus around MUP, but it needs to time to implement and it cannot be done outside a north-south agreement."

Retailers appear to lack the same consensus. The National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) takes a different stance entirely.

Evelyn Jones, NOffLA Chairperson, has called "for the immediate commencement of MUP as a means of promoting public health through clamping down on reckless retailing, and saving money to the Exchequer through reduced below invoice

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News cost selling."

She added: "Narrow sectoral interests should not be given precedence over this public health initiative."

Such mixed messages to government may provide Simon Harris with enough leeway to fast-track MUP. One alternative in combating the alcohol discounting among multiples (NOffLA's bone of contention) is through a ban on below cost selling, suggested ABFI's Callan.

"We have the second highest excise rate in the EU, so alcohol is not generically cheap here," she explained. "In fact, we have the second most expensive alcohol in the EU. The multiples’ discounting gives the impression of really cheap alcohol."

The Groceries Order banned supermarkets from selling alcohol as a loss leader. When the Order was repealed in 2006, alcohol prices plummeted. Re-introducing a policy that prevents retailers from selling below cost alcohol products

could be a solution.

"Most politicians insist we just need to get rid of cheap drink," said Callan. "If you're looking for immediate action, and you don't want to wait around for the Northern Ireland Executive, a ban on below cost selling achieves the same objective. Legislatively, it is also easier to do.”

The Public Health (Alcohol) Act includes a number of other mechanisms that address dangerous alcohol consumption in Ireland. Perhaps politicians should refocus their energy toward these alternative plans instead of threatening the livelihoods of retailers, suggest lobbyists.

"They need to look at those rather than destablising trade in the south, and potentially putting a significant cohort of border retailers under severe pressure at a time when the cost base is increasing," argued Burke. "It is a challenging space in the independent retail trade at present. I think Government should step back from the precipice and sense should prevail."

Community is Key for New Retail Ireland Chairperson BRIAN Donaldson, Chief Executive of The Maxol Group, has been officially unveiled as the new Chairperson of Retail Ireland. Donaldson will serve a two-year term and replaces outgoing Chairperson, Willie O’Byrne, Managing Director of BWG Foods. He will be joined at the helm of the organisation

by Bernadette Lavery, Managing Director of Boots Ireland, who takes on the role of Vice-Chairperson.

Retail Ireland has been working over the last two years to realise the ambition contained within its strategy document, ‘Shaping the future of Irish retail 2020’. The final pillar of that strategy focuses on Irish retail’s contribution to the communities which it serves. This will be a major area of focus for the incoming Chairperson.

“Not every industry can impact positively on multiple facets of life at an economic and social level, nationally and locally. The retail industry can and does,” said Donaldson.

“As Chairperson of Retail Ireland, I will focus on the leadership role that retail takes across four core areas; sustainability, town & city regeneration, health & responsible retail and community engagement.”

The new Chairperson praised the retail sector as “a vanguard for so many initiatives in areas such as community involvement, sustainability, labelling, traceability, fundraising and sponsorship”, but stressed that the role retail plays and the collective work undertaken “are not always recognised by government or indeed, our colleagues in other sectors”.

“I know that there is a lot more to be done, particularly in areas such as sustainability and climate change,” Donaldson admitted, “but as an industry we are committed to communities and that means making a commitment to the things that are important to communities, at both a micro and a macro level. Retail is at the heart of every community in Ireland, playing an active role in keeping towns and cities alive, connected and economically vibrant. This is a position we want to maintain and develop so that future generations will derive even more benefits from our sector.”

He paid tribute to the work of his predecessor, Willie O’Byrne, and expressed how he was looking forward to “taking up the mantle at a very interesting time for retail both in Ireland and globally”.

Incoming Chairperson of Retail Ireland, Brian Donaldson, Chief Executive of The Maxol Group, is pictured with Thomas Burke, Director of Retail Ireland.

Welcoming the incoming Chairman, Retail Ireland Director, Thomas Burke said: "Retail Ireland has been on an exciting journey over the last two years and the organisation stands ready to address the major challenges facing the retail sector over the coming months and years. I would personally like to thank Willie O’Byrne for his commitment and contribution over his term as Chairperson. We look forward to working with our new Chairperson, Brian Donaldson, and Vice Chairperson, Bernadette Lavery, to further the prospects for our sector in the coming years."

4|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

News Brexit Preparedness at Food and Drinks Firms Rises BREXIT preparedness amongst Ireland’s food and drinks companies has risen to 93%, up from 74% in 2018. However, firms are increasingly concerned by the cost implications of customs compliance and stockholding, potential weak links in logistics and many have halted investment plans due to the continued uncertainty of the evolving Brexit landscape, according to the Bord Bia Brexit Barometer 2019: Results & Actions published recently.

Bord Bia’s 2019 Brexit Barometer is the third in a series of annual studies that provide a comprehensive measure of Brexit readiness across Ireland’s food and drink sector, with findings from 130 companies. It is the basis and risk diagnostic tool from which Bord Bia offers a tailor made suite of supports to Ireland’s largest indigenous industry, which is uniquely impacted by Brexit. The UK accounted for 37% (+2%) of all Irish food and drink exports last year, amounting to trade worth €4.5 billion.

Informed by the findings from the 2019 Brexit Barometer, Bord Bia moves into the next phase of Brexit support for industry, focusing on specific services and actions to prepare client companies, including upskilling on Commercial Marketing Strategy development, as well as Key Customer Management. This will complement new and existing training in critical areas such as customs compliance, logistics and supply chain and currency management. To date, Brexit related support has been provided by Bord Bia to companies representing 72% of exports to the UK. “Amidst the continuing uncertainty around Brexit, this report highlights the true value of preparedness,” said the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, at the launch. “My Department, working with Bord Bia, has dedicated considerable resources to ensuring that the unique position of the Irish food and drink industry in all Brexit scenarios is firmly understood. The coming months will bring another Brexit deadline, but it is encouraging to see that our industry is doing all it can to prioritise what it can control in facing these challenges.”

Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia, said that it points to a year of emphatic progress as Ireland’s largest indigenous industry prepares for one of its most significant challenges ever: “With 93% of food and drinks companies that responded to the Barometer, representing 72% of all UK exports, making plans and taking action, we have witnessed transformative levels of engagement due to two interlinked factors: firstly,

Pictured launching the Bord Bia Brexit Barometer 2019 to over 150 senior figures from the food and drink industry are Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Michael Creed TD. the expectation for much of 2018 that a negotiated agreement was finally in sight and, secondly, the return to prominence of a ‘cliff edge’ no deal Brexit, which remains a looming threat.

This experience left Irish exporters in no doubt that their future trading relationship with UK customers should be managed as a priority.

“Also strikingly clear from the 2019 data is the spirit of resilience and determination that is at the core of the response from the Irish food industry. It has been said that there are no net upsides to Brexit for Ireland. It is a challenging political and economic scenario that puts pressure on the close tie with our nearest neighbour and our largest trading partner. What the 2019 Brexit Barometer shows is that our industry is attuned to the issues that lie ahead and both realistic and resolute in its response to them. Eight out of 10 companies plan to maintain or grow sales in the UK, whilst simultaneously, three quarters of Irish companies are actively looking beyond familiar marketplaces. This process is gaining momentum as planning around Brexit translates into concrete actions in the months ahead.”

For the full report, visit www.bordbia.ie/industry/brexit/.

Appointment at Musgrave Wholesale Partners MUSGRAVE Wholesale Partners has appointed Ciara McClafferty as its Trading Director. Previously appointed as Trading Director for Musgrave Northern Ireland in 2015, McClafferty has now assumed the role of Trading Director for Musgrave Wholesale Partners and is responsible for the Musgrave MarketPlace, Daybreak and Day Today brands. She joined the Musgrave Group in 2008 as a Category Manager, following previous roles with Superquinn and Lidl. Prior to this, she was Head of Buying at Budgens and Head of Fresh at Musgrave Retail Partners GB. Welcoming McClafferty to her new role, Noel Keeley, Managing Director, Musgrave Wholesale Partners, noted that “Ciara has an outstanding track record of maximising the commercial opportunities for the business, developing and implementing our customer offering, and developing and managing our various food and drink category plans.”

Ciara McClafferty, recently appointed Trading Director for Musgrave Wholesale Partners.

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News Business Leaders Assess Government Performance in Key Areas BWG Group has released the results of a new leadership survey of Ireland’s major food manufacturers and distributors, which includes an assessment of the performance of the Government across a number of key areas. The survey was undertaken over the past month with senior executives across the food supply chain in Ireland, with responses received from over 53 companies who between them employ thousands of people in Ireland and generate multi-billion euro annual revenues.

More than half of survey respondents ranked the Government’s performance on housing and health as poor or very poor. Similarly, just 15% of respondents believe the Government has performed well in relation to education and childcare. In contrast, the Government’s management of Brexit and job creation were ranked as ‘very good’, with its stewardship of the economy rated as ‘good’. The Government is seen as doing ‘ok’ in areas including labour market regulation, personal taxation and transport but is seen as having much more to do to encourage returning Irish emigrants.

The survey results were presented to over 300 food industry representatives at a briefing, marking the commencement of BWG Foods’ Annual Trade Show, the largest food industry event of its kind in Ireland.

The research findings also highlight that the food industry is optimistic about the outlook for Ireland’s economy, with 91% of respondents expecting their turnover to grow over the next 12 months. Similarly, in relation to the Irish grocery sector, 98% of respondents felt that the market would perform the same or better over the next 12 months, meaning that very few (2%) expect the various challenges facing the sector to result in negative turnover performance.

The positive sentiment that is felt across the industry not only relates to future revenue growth but also to employment, with over two-thirds of respondents (67%) believing that they will employ more people in 2022, with a further 55% expecting to employ more by 2024. While a smaller proportion (42%) expect to employ more people in 2020, just 2% of respondents feel they will employ fewer staff next year.

That said, respondents also revealed where they see the biggest challenges in the months ahead, calling out rising business costs, followed by price discounting, insurance costs and labour shortages as the key issues that will need to be addressed.

In terms of immediate threats to consumer demand, Brexit remains the number one concern, followed by the increased cost

Leo Crawford, Group Chief Executive of BWG Group. of living and price inflation.

“Our suppliers, who represent all the major food manufacturers and distributors operating in Ireland, have provided a frank assessment of the Government’s performance, highlighting that while the Government is doing well at a macro level, it’s failing to address the fundamental needs of Irish citizens in terms of housing, health and education,” explained Leo Crawford, Group Chief Executive of BWG Group. “If not addressed, the concern is that these issues will undermine the positive momentum that is driving current economic growth and job creation.”

The CEO noted how “separately, suppliers have called out increased business costs as their biggest challenge and this mirrors the experience of food wholesalers like BWG and our many independent retailers. We have to avoid a repeat of the past, where we eroded our competitiveness through unsustainable increases in the costs of doing business, including wages, local taxes and regulation.”

Over 200 indigenous and multinational suppliers, spanning categories including health and wellness, fresh food, preprepared meals, chilled produce, beverages and confectionery, attended this year’s BWG Foods Trade Show, receiving exclusive access to approximately 1,800 retail representatives representing 900 stores, across the Spar EuroSpar, Mace, Londis and XL retail brands.

The survey was conducted electronically by an independent research agency on behalf of BWG Group. The make-up of the stakeholder sample included indigenous, Irish only companies (28%), Irish companies with international operations/sales (38%) and multinational companies with operations in Ireland (34%). They were manufacturers (19%), distributors (25%) and both manufacturers and distributors (56%).

New Board Members at FSAI THE Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has announced the appointment of Professor Francis Butler, Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan and Gerry McCurdy to the Board. Professor Butler is a Professor at the University College Dublin (UCD) Centre for Food Safety and Head of Subject in Biosystems Engineering at UCD. Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan is a Consultant in Public Health Medicine, who has worked as Director of Human Health and Nutrition at safefood and as Specialist in Public Health Medicine at the HSE. Gerry McCurdy has over 40 years’ experience working in a regulatory environment dealing with food safety, public health and consumer protection.

New appointees to the Board of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are (l-r): Gerry McCurdy, Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan and Professor Francis Butler.

6|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

News Discussion Topics Announced for Retail Exhibition SEPTEMBER 5 is a date to remember, as the Food Retail & Hospitality Show, in tandem with the Forecourt and Convenience Retail Expo, takes place at the Citywest Exhibition Centre, Dublin, highlighting the key trends and challenges facing food retailers, foodservice operators and hospitality providers, while also showcasing the latest innovations, developments in best practice and new technological solutions available.

An impressive list of keynote speakers has been assembled to cover topics of interest, to highlight challenges facing the industry and to suggest practical solutions. Topics being addressed include: • Brexit – the retail impact; • Key findings from the 2018 PwC Retail and Consumer report; • How back-office technology can transform retail organisations; • Introduction to growing a loyal community on social media; • Feed customer satisfaction with data made simple; • How to connect with the evolving Irish shopper;

•

The movement of money - driving efficiency in payment acceptance.

The Food Retail & Hospitality Show and the Forecourt and Convenience Retail Expo are part of the 2019 National Food & Drink Business Conference and Exhibition, which encompasses all major sectors of the Irish food and drink industry - dairy, meat, seafood, poultry, bakery, confectionery, convenience foods, fresh produce, snacks, brewing, distilling, soft drinks and bottled water, grocery retailing, food service, craft brewing and distilling, convenience and forecourt retail. Now in its seventh year, the annual event is expected to attract over 2,000 visitors from across Ireland. For more information, see www.foodhospitality.ie.

IGBF Announce Panel for Annual Sports Lunch sponsored by

The Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund would like to invite you to the annual

Sporting Legends Lunch Friday August 30th 2019 | 12pm | Aviva Stadium

Sile Seoige MC

Paul O’Connell Panel

12:00 Drinks Reception

Paula Radcliffe

Jason McAteer

Panel

12:30 Lunch

RSVP: Email Bernard Brogan at bernard@legacycommunications.ie Recommended dress code: Business Casual Cost: €220 each or table of 10 is €2000

Panel

14:30 Sports Panel Discussion

Sponsor

Partners

THE Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund has announced the sporting legend line-up for its highly anticipated annual Sports Lunch taking place on August 30 in the Aviva Stadium, with tickets on sale.

Guests will be inspired and entertained by this year’s legend panel, made up of Ireland’s third most-capped Rugby Union player and former Ireland, Lions and Munster captain, Paul O’Connell; highly respected Irish footballer, and scorer of the decisive goal against the Netherlands that sent Ireland to the World Cup in 2002, Jason McAteer; and British long distance runner and Women’s Marathon record holder, Paula Radcliffe. Hosted by Irish television presenter, Síle Seoige, it is set to be the best IGBF event yet.

The IGBF Lunch would not be possible without its sponsors and a huge thank-you goes to The Sales Institute, Kelloggs and Kind for their support. Tickets cost €220 each or €2,000 for a table of 10. For more information, contact Legacy Communications on (01) 5252544.

Mace Retailers Raise €100k for Down Syndrome Ireland Ahead of this year’s Tour de Munster cycle event in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland, Mace retailers recently handed over an incredible €100,000 donation to the charity for monies raised over the term of its official partnership. With participating Mace stores right around Ireland supporting Down Syndrome Ireland by hosting their own Tour De Mace events in store, it is anticipated that Mace will be making another sizeable contribution to the charity in the coming months.

This year, a number of Mace stores along the 640km Tour de Munster circuit will be providing support to all those taking part and, in participating stores, a separate fund-raising initiative will see retailers, their families, staff and customers offered the opportunity to engage in the Tour de Mace event by cycling on stationary bikes in-store to raise money.

“Mace is very proud to be associated with this very worthy charity,” said Mace Sales Director, Daniel O’Connell. “Our Mace retailers have really taken our support of Down Syndrome Ireland to their hearts and are delighted to support them in any way we can. Our Mace retailers are very excited about the Tour de Mace events they are running."

Mace Sales Director, Daniel O'Connell, and Down Syndrome Ireland CEO, Gary Owens, pictured celebrating the launch of this year’s Tour de Mace and the handover of monies fundraised by Mace retailers.

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News Musgrave MarketPlace Invests €2.6m to Upgrade Galway and Derry Branches MUSGRAVE MarketPlace has invested €2.6m in upgrading their Galway (€1.7m) and Derry (€0.9m) branches across the first six months of 2019.

The work to upgrade the Galway and Derry branches is the latest step in a €12.6m plan which Musgrave MarketPlace has undertaken to transform each branch into a state-ofthe-art Food Emporium and improve their environmental performance, reducing their carbon footprint.

The newly revamped branches in Galway (opened on July 24), and Derry (opened on June 20) have been designed with the customer and environment in mind. As well as offering amazing value, great service and a broader product range, the newly revamped branch in Galway includes a new Food Theatre for product demonstrations, a bespoke butchery counter, a new coffee counter, as well as in-branch expert advice.

All upgraded branches have been designed to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. It is estimated that

Musgrave MarketPlace Galway will reduce its CO2 output by 82,000kg per annum, which is equivalent to the annual electricity required to run 50 homes.

As part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to eliminating food waste, Musgrave MarketPlace Galway has joined forces with social enterprise company, FoodCloud, which sees surplus food go to charity. So far in 2019, Musgrave MarketPlace Galway has donated over 2,000 meals to local Galway charities.

Speaking on the investment in Musgrave MarketPlace branches in 2019, Noel Keeley, Managing Director of Musgrave Wholesale Partners, said: “Upgrading our branches is a response to the changing needs of our customers, needs that were not present 10 years ago. Our Food Emporium format gives our customers a greater range across all products, from world foods to bespoke meat cutting in branch and crockery and equipment.”

New Trade Finance Product Launched for SMEs A NEW Trade Finance product that allows businesses to buy, receive and sell goods before needing to pay for them has been unveiled by Bibby Financial Services Ireland, a leading provider of financial support and funding solutions to SMEs, in collaboration with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). The new product is ideally suited to Irish SMEs looking to buy goods for resale, either within Ireland or from overseas.

Purchasing goods for resale can offer significant opportunities for growth, but small-to-medium sized businesses will often lack the resources and in-house skills to manage the complexities of buying and selling overseas.

SMEs can also face difficulties accessing sufficient cash for the purchase of goods, or may be unable to obtain or agree credit terms with suppliers. However, the new Trade Finance product guarantees to pay a business’s suppliers once goods are dispatched, and can also provide SMEs with much-needed funding to bridge the gap between paying suppliers and receiving payment from customers.

The Trade Finance product is being offered in collaboration with the SBCI, which has partnered with Bibby Financial Services Ireland since 2016 to make €70m in funding available to Irish SMEs. Under the terms of the product, Bibby Financial Services Ireland will make a sameday payment to suppliers, as well as paying duty, VAT and freight costs. The product is funded through the SBCI, and offers SMEs a discount of 2.16% per annum.

Clients will also have access to additional products, including the foreign exchange service, offering more competitive rates than many of the leading banks, and Bad

Debt Protection, to protect against a customer’s insolvency or inability to pay.

“I am delighted that Bibby Financial Services has announced a new Trade Finance product developed in collaboration with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland,” noted Pat Breen TD, Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, going on to note how “this product is designed to provide short-term finance to fund upfront purchase of stock and, with Brexit on the horizon, investment in working capital diversification has never been more important.”

For more information, see www.bibbyfinancialservices.ie.

8|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

News Late Summer Fails to Dampen Grocery Growth SUMMER may have been late to arrive to Ireland, but new figures from Kantar show that the grocery Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend market has remained buoyant in the face of inclement weather, 12 Weeks to 17 Jun 2018 12 Weeks to 16 Jun 2019 change** %* %* % up by 4.6% for the 12 weeks to June 16, 2019. While overall Total Grocers 100.0% 100.0% 4.6 sales remain robust, hot weather Total Multiples 88.5% 89.2% 5.4 categories which experienced a SuperValu 21.7% 21.1% 1.9 surge in popularity this time last Tesco 22.3% 22.0% 3.0 year have dipped in line with the Dunnes 21.6% 22.1% 7.2 falling temperatures.

Lidl 11.6% 11.7% 5.8 “Last June was one of the Aldi 11.3% 12.3% 13.3 hottest in years, with over 100 Other Outlets** 11.5% 10.8% -1.9 more hours of sunshine than the *= Percentage Share of Total Grocers year before. The first half of June **= Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers And Cross Border shops this year has been a different story, with fewer opportunities to been an increase in how often shoppers visit, this has been sunbathe and socialise outdoors. This has led to sales of ice tempered by them spending €0.80 less each time. Tesco has cream and sun care products declining dramatically on last successfully cashed in on Irish shoppers’ appetite for soft year – down 9.2% and 38% respectively,” explained Douglas drinks this period, with carbonated beverages and mineral Faughnan, Consumer Insight Director at Kantar. “Drinks water growing by 17.5% and 11.9% respectively. sales have also experienced a slowdown. While cider was Meanwhile, Aldi and Lidl’s rise shows no sign of a particularly popular choice this time last year, its current abating. The retailers registered growth of 13.3% and 5.8% growth of 0.1% is considerably lower than the 14% experienced respectively this period. “Aldi now accounts for 12.3% of last summer.” overall grocery sales in Ireland and has enjoyed particularly However, while there is no men’s World Cup this year, Irish strong growth in more indulgent categories over the past 12 retailers have benefited from four English teams reaching the weeks. In particular, sales of biscuits grew by 20%, chocolate finals of major European football competitions. By stocking up confectionery by 50%, and morning goods like croissants were on snacks and treats, football fans helped sales of crisps to up 23%,” Faughnan revealed increase by 2.5%, popcorn by 6.4% and soft drinks by 5% in the “Lidl’s 11.7% share has been underpinned by strong most recent 12 weeks. performance in Munster, which now accounts for 26.1% of Dunnes’ impressive growth of 7.2% is underpinned by a the retailer’s overall sales. However, Dublin remains Lidl’s substantial increase in spend per buyer. “The average Dunnes heartland and is responsible for almost a third of its sales. Inshopper spent almost €20 more this period compared with the store bakeries continue to help the retailer to stand out. Bakery same time last year through a combination of higher prices, products are up by 15% year on year, predominantly driven by bigger trolleys and more frequent trips - shoppers on average an 18.2% increase in bread sales.” bought an additional six items from Dunnes this period,” Growth of 1.9% for SuperValu was the highest rate the Faughnan explained. retailer has seen since August 2018, and the retailer registered The average Tesco customer made one additional trip to a market share of 21.1% this period. the retailer in the most recent 12 weeks compared with last Grocery market inflation stands at 3.1% for the 12 week year, contributing to growth of 3%. However, while there has period ending June 16, 2019.

Aldi Opens New Dublin Store ALDI’S nationwide expansion continued with the opening of a new flagship Project Fresh store at Royal Canal Park in the heart of Dublin 15. Creating 20 new jobs, the new store is Aldi’s 21st in Dublin and follows the recent opening of Aldi Blackrock in the Frascati Centre, while the retailer will open a new store in Swords later this year. Featuring Aldi’s exciting award-winning Project Fresh layout and design, the new store boasts a large shop floor spanning 1,118m², 75 free car parking spaces, wide aisles and hispec fixtures and fittings.

The new store is part of Aldi’s €160m investment in its Irish store network. Aldi has committed €100m to constructing and opening 20 new stores, while Project Fresh sees Aldi invest a further €60m in revamping the layout and design of all its stores nationwide.

Aldi Royal Canal Park team members are pictured outside the new store at Royal Canal Park, Dublin 15.

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This advertisement is for tobacco retailers only and should not be made available to the public nor should it be displayed in any area where it is visible to the public.

Toradh caithimh tobac – bás.

Smoking kills.

10|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Londis Retailers Go to Hell & Back for Pieta House MORE than 200 Londis retailers and staff undertook the gruelling Hell & Back challenge at the picturesque Kilruddery Estate in Bray, Co. Wicklow, on June 15 to raise funds for the Londis charity partner, Pieta House. This year’s venture, ‘To Hell for Joy’, was a tremendous success and, according to Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director, the most popular yet among Londis retailers: “We received great support from Londis retailers for this year’s Hell & Back challenge. We had more than 200 Londis retailers putting themselves through Hell in order to raise funds for Pieta House and I know the charity are delighted with our ongoing support. Londis understands how important community spirit is and I am thrilled that our retailers were in the middle of the action, having fun and raising funds for Pieta House.” To date, Londis Retailers have donated over €300,000 to Pieta House through their various enterprises.

Gala Launches ‘Live Chat’ Customer Service GALA Retail has become the first retailer in the Irish convenience retailing sector to launch a Live Chat function on both its consumer and retailer websites.

Due to high levels of incoming traffic to Gala.ie, the company has responded to demand with an instant messaging function in the form of Live Chat. Gala Retail prides itself on having its finger on the pulse when it comes to modern-day communications with its customers and how they wish to engage with brands in 2019. Currently Gala boasts a whopping 190,000 followers across three of the main social platforms - Facebook, Instagram & Twitter - and has expanded its communication channels with Live Chat to accommodate the increase in inbound enquiries at Gala.ie. The new Live Chat feature, running on Gala.ie now, will serve both as an additional customer service function for Gala consumers, as well as providing a convenient online support option for Gala retailers. Gala Live chat will be available from 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday at www.Gala.ie.

A Lotto Prizes Handed Out NATIONAL Lottery HQ in Dublin recently saw three major prizes claimed on the same day, including two Lotto jackpots, totalling a massive €11.25m.

The prizes consisted of a Lotto jackpot worth €6,197,310, won by a family syndicate from Co. Meath, who bought the winning ticket at Tesco Extra on Donore Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth, as well as a Lotto jackpot of €4,051,610, won by a Galway man, and a Lotto Plus 1 top prize of €1m, won by a family syndicate from the midlands who bought their ticket at Spar/Maxol store and service station on Church Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Staff from Tesco Extra, Donore Road, Drogheda, are pictured celebrating the Lotto win, (l-r): Karl Fallon, Peter Hughes, Maria Ghetu, Paul Doran, Jacinta Tuite, Chloe Duffy, Deirdre Tuite, Sarah Bannon and Dawn Farrell.

Fyffes Fit Squad Receives Star Award IRISH fruit importers, Fyffes, has been presented with a 2019 APMC Star Award in recognition of its on-going work in helping to combat childhood obesity through its fitness-based Fit Squad initiative. Designed to recognise best-in-class marketing campaigns, the award was presented to Fyffes in the category ‘Best Use of Experiential Marketing Within A Budget of €30,000’ at a gala awards ceremony held recently in Dublin’s Marker Hotel. Developed by Fyffes' Sports Marketing and Events Agency, Titan Experience, in conjunction with Irish health and fitness expert Tom Dalton, the main purpose of each unique 40-minute session is to demonstrate to young people in schools and clubs throughout the country how they can increase their physical activity in a fun and interactive manner. Pictured with the 2019 APMC Star Award are Fyffes Marketing Manager, Emma Hunt-Duffy, Tom Dalton, and Michael King from Titan Experience.

12|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News Dundalk FC and Fyffes Raise €7k for Temple Street DUNDALK FC, in partnership with club sponsor Fyffes, has raised over €7,000 for Temple Street Children’s Hospital under the club’s new purple-patterned ‘third kit’ initiative revealed to fans last March.

Worn in place of the club’s familiar white jerseys in EA Sports Cup and the FAI Cup matches, the new purple kit is reproduced in the colours of Temple Street Foundation. The money raised came from a combination of sales of the new kit, salary donations from players and staff and a bucket collection at a recent match. Denise Fitzgerald, Chief Executive Officer, Childrens Health Foundation at Temple Street Hospital, is pictured with Dundalk FC team captain Brian Gartland and players, Sean Gannon, Daniel Cleary, Daniel Kelly, Robbie Benson, and Dane Massey.

Tayto Launch Airport Pop-Up TAYTO is the number one Irish brand missed by ex-pats living abroad and has been providing a taste of home to the Irish diaspora for many a year. So Tayto has answered the call of Tayto lovers who live abroad and are visiting Ireland or the family and friends visiting them or even those who just can’t go a day without a bag of Tayto on holidays. From July 2 to August 2, Tayto has opened a pop-up shop in Dublin Airport, located at Terminal 2. The pop-up shop will stock Tayto crisps, including its newly launched sharing ranges, Muchos & Ripples, as well as travel exclusive Tayto merchandise. Mr. Tayto will also be making appearances to wish travellers Bon Voyage.

Coca-Cola Help to Clean Coasts 27 tonnes of marine litter was removed from Irish beaches and coastlines during Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week 2019, from June 1-9. Entire communities hosted beach clean-ups and celebrated the Irish coastline with fun activities based around the water, all of which aimed to get people more engaged with the coast. Events included free beach yoga classes, poc fada, kayaking, seaweed workshops and plogging (the Scandinavian trend of picking up litter while jogging) to just name a few. Over the course of the week, in the Republic of Ireland alone, 189 registered clean-ups took place, with 3,591 volunteers taking part in the initiative, up from 2,908 in 2018, while in Northern Ireland, 65 events took place with 1,859 volunteers. Pictured are (l-r): Ciara Cashen, Communications Manager, Coca-Cola HBC; Paddy Christie, former Dublin GAA All Star; and Sinead McCoy, Clean Coasts Manager.

Barry Group Syndicate Wins €500k EuroMillions Prize A GROUP of nine colleagues from the Barry Group in Mallow, Co. Cork, won a EuroMillions prize of €500,000 on June 11, just two years after another syndicate from Barry Group won €369,210. All nine delighted members of the syndicate travelled from Cork to National Lottery offices in Dublin to pick up their cheque for €500,000, which equates to over €55,000 each. The group purchased their winning ticket at Dano’s SuperValu store in Mallow, Co. Cork.

ABP Recognised in Leading UK Grocer Awards ABP has been announced as the winner of the overall Own Label Supplier of the Year Award at the prestigious Grocer Gold Awards in London. ABP was chosen ahead of representatives from across all own label food categories by a panel of CEOs and commercial directors from the UK’s leading supermarkets, wholesalers and buying groups. “We are absolutely thrilled to receive such recognition from the retail industry. It is a real endorsement of a commitment to doing the right thing for the customer by all of our colleagues in ABP’s UK’s operations and across the wider ABP Group,” noted Tom Kirwan, Managing Director of ABP UK (pictured).

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This advertisement is for tobacco retailers only and should not be made available to the public nor should it be displayed in any area where it is visible to the public.

Toradh caithimh tobac – bás.

Smoking kills.

14|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Industry News SuperValu Steaks Its Claim!

SUPERVALU’S renowned steak range received more global accolades at this year’s World Steak Challenge, held for the first time in Ireland, with SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Hereford Fillet Steak and Signature Tastes Hereford Ribeye Steak both scooping gold awards at the international competition. SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Hereford Sirloin Steak also received a silver award. “These awards reflect the world class produce that we serve up to shoppers every day,” noted Ray Kelly, Marketing Director, SuperValu. “As the number one supporter of the Irish agrifood industry, all of our SuperValu beef is 100% Irish – born, bred and reared in Ireland. As a result, we can guarantee the quality and provenance of our beef and it is a great endorsement to see our commitment and quality of our Irish beef recognised on a global stage.”

McGuigan Wines Lands Newstalk Sponsorship

McGUIGAN Wines has confirmed a year-long radio sponsorship with national radio station, Newstalk. McGuigan Wines are sponsoring ‘The Thursday Interview’ on The Hard Shoulder from July 4, complemented by ad spots running throughout the week. McGuigan & Newstalk will also be giving away an amazing all-inclusive ‘money can’t buy’ trip for two to the home of McGuigan Wines, Hunter Valley, Australia. Winners will be treated to a tour of the renowned McGuigan Cellar Door, wine tasting with McGuigan wine makers and plenty more memorable experiences. “We are very excited to announce this sponsorship,” said Chief Operating Officer, Julian Dyer. “We are committed to continue investment into the Irish market, following on from the success of our 2018 campaign. The main objective for us is to continue driving awareness of the McGuigan brand, as well driving affinity and conversion of the brand in the Republic of Ireland. We will be executing an ‘always on’ approach, where we aim to excite and delight new and existing customers with a fully integrated marketing execution, including a suite of activations and a content driven social media strategy.”

Glendalough Rose Gin Wins Masters Award GLENDALOUGH Distillery has picked up a highly coveted Masters award for its new Rose Gin at this year’s Spirits Business Gin Masters. Glendalough’s much-loved gins, including the new Rose Gin, are made using fresh wild ingredients, picked in the mountains around the distillery in Co. Wicklow. “We are absolutely thrilled with the reaction the Rose Gin has received both home and abroad and now picking up the highest accolade at the Gin Masters is a testament to the quality of this beautifully balanced, flavourful gin,” noted Gary McLoughlin, co-founder and Marketing Director of Glendalough Distillery.

Shop for a Smile this Summer ONE4ALL recently ran the annual Shop4Crumlin charity campaign for the fifth year. From July 614, the campaign raised money for the CMRF Giggle Fund, dedicated to giving a giggle or spreading a smile to the little faces of patients at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. During Shop4Crumlin week, One4all donated 50c to CMRF Crumlin for every transaction made using a One4all Gift Card in any of its 8,500 retail outlets nationwide or online. For further information on Shop4Crumlin, visit www.one4all.ie/shop4crumlin.

Java Republic Partners with iNua Collection JAVA Republic has been named as the official coffee and tea partner to The iNua Collection. Java Republic’s premium coffee and 100% organic tea is being rolled out across all eight of their properties, starting with the Radisson Blu Athlone. Grace O’Shaughnessy, Managing Director of Java Republic commented: “Everyone at Java Republic is delighted to be working alongside The iNua Collection to bring a premium hot beverage offering to their guests.”

16|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Shop Profile

Daybreak Dawns in Greenhills Rory and Raymond Hannon discuss their investment in their Daybreak shop on Greenhills Road, Tallaght, and explain how changes in their customers’ needs led to a complete transformation of the shop.

RORY and Raymond Hannon have a total of 40 years’ retail experience between them. The brothers opened their first shop in 1999 and the Hannon Group now operates a total of six sites, including four Centra shops, one SuperValu and one Daybreak. The brothers have owned the Daybreak store in Tallaght for 14 years, but the last couple of years have seen some big changes.

“We have a fantastic working relationship with Musgrave, and we operate shops across its family of brands,” Rory tells Retail News. “Apart from world class support and an absolutely vast array of knowledge about, and expertise on, the Irish grocery retail sector, one of the really great things about a partner like Musgrave is access to the family of brands, each with its own identity and strengths. Our SuperValu shop serves the needs of different customers, in different ways, to our Daybreak. As retailers with a number of different locations, it is fantastic to have that kind of flexibility.”

A Store Transformed The brothers decided to make a change to their Greenhills store in 2017 after spotting a change in customer dynamics.

As Rory explains: “Due to the way we had seen customer needs change in the previous years, we knew Daybreak’s new store format would be ideal for our Greenhills shop. We wanted to give the shop an ultra-high convenience format, with an almost pure foodservice proposition. We felt that the Daybreak package was the best fit for what we wanted to do, and of course, we would still be working with Musgrave, so we were entirely confident in the support we would receive.”

Pictured outside Daybreak Greenhills are (l-r): store owner Rory Hannon, with Thomas Maher, Store Manager.

Although the conversion that took place 18 months ago did not involve any major structural works, it completely transformed the look, feel and function of the Greenhills store. The project took less than four weeks to complete and the Hannons saw an immediate return on their investment. By choosing the Daybreak brand, the brothers were able to integrate the 9 Grams premium coffee offering; it was one of the first Daybreaks in the country to see the arrival of the Munch & Co deli; and Rory and Raymond chose to include a Subway concession in the shop as well.

“Our customers wanted primarily a food-to-go offering in the Greenhills shop,” Rory reveals. “We have a huge

number of workers around us in industrial estates and offices and they’re less interested in purchasing groceries from us. At around the same time as we changed our brand, a Costa Coffee opened up near us: despite the extra competition, our new coffee offering saw a 100% increase in sales over the old shop straight away. We have a truly unique offering; the fact that we have the Munch & Co deli as well as a Subway unit means we can serve more customers more quickly, and it allows them a huge variety of choice. Rather than compete with each other, the two units complement one another and help drive even more footfall into the shop.”

Given the store’s location, this store is

Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie|17

Shop Profile also one of the first stores to trial the new Daybreak Deli App, which allows customers to order and pay for their lunch using their mobile and then collect it in-store at their chosen pick-up time.

Great Staff Make a Great Shop Staff are also critical to the success of the busy Daybreak store. As the economy approaches full employment, like most grocery retailers, Rory and Raymond have noticed that it is becoming more difficult to attract new staff. “If you lose a staff member, it has definitely become harder to replace them, especially with good people,” Rory admits. “We have always seen staff retention as a priority.

We have a lot of staff with over five years of service and having people who know their job well and do it well is absolutely vital to the proper running of any shop.”

The two brothers remain very “hands-on” in their approach to managing their stores, as Rory notes: “We would be in the Greenhills Road shop at least a couple of times a week if not more. When we are there, we are not afraid to pitch in and help out, but also to engage with staff. Our people have very clear areas of responsibility and ownership; they often have suggestions to help improve processes and ideas to drive sales in their area. Because we have a number of shops, we are able to have our own HR executive to deliver regular training programmes, specifically designed for our shops.

Great staff make a great shop, we can’t stress that enough and we are very lucky to have such great staff.”

Perfect Purchase Experience The final, and most important part of the

retail success FACT FILE: story is a happy Owners: customer, and this is where Location: Hannons Size: really excel.

No. of Staff: “We judge our

success by how happy our Opening Hours: customers are,”

Rory insists.

“Every part of the purchase experience has to be perfect. Our staff and regulars can have great banter in the shop; there is a really lively feel to the place. It’s popular, but quick and convenient, with a huge variety of choice to keep our regular customers smiling.”

The support of Musgrave allows

the brothers to “create fantastic value packages in the deli and other FMCG products to make sure our customers

Rory & Raymond Hannon Greenshills Rd, Tallaght, Dublin 24 1,800 square feet 20, full time & part time (including Subway) 6am-6pm, Monday-Friday; 6am-4pm, Saturday & Sunday.

get great value for money along with great quality,” Rory concludes. “By choosing Daybreak as our partner for the Greenhills Road shop, we have been able to create a unique offering and identity that genuinely satisfies the needs of our customers and keeps them

coming back day in and day out. As a retailer, that is exactly what you want.”

By repositioning their offer to further focus on foodservice, the Hannons have been able to diversify and strengthen the business model of the shop. In Daybreak, the Hannons discovered precisely the right fit for their plans, and the shop has gone from strength to strength over the last 18 months as a result.

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20|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update RATES REFORM VITAL TO RETAIL COMPETITIVENESS ON August 7, 2018, Minister for State for Local Government, John Paul Phelan TD, published the Local Government (Rates) Bill 2018. Six months later; on January 30, 2019, the bill was introduced in the DĂĄil for its first debate among TDs. To date, this bill is still awaiting detailed scrutiny in the Oireachtas Housing and Local Government Committee a further six months on. It is understandable that the process for writing a bill of this complexity is an arduous one, with some rates legislation dating back to the 19th Century, but the delay of this legislation in the DĂĄil will create further unnecessary ambiguity among the retail community, who are wondering how this proposed legislation will affect them and in turn how they will pay their rates bills and to whom. We must also consider the ongoing uncertainty around the revaluation process, the basis for which remains a mystery to much of the trade.

While we in Retail Ireland welcome the work by Minister Phelan to date on this and many other issues, these delays are creating a feeling that again, business and the retail sector in particular are not a strong priority for this Government. We have seen further evidence of this in the way that the Judicial Council Bill has slowly progressed through the Seanad and has only just passed that House after being introduced in November of 2017. While these bills will go some way towards tackling the concerns that exist around the insurance and rates issues in particular, the fact that they are taking so long to make their way through the legislative process gives rise to a sense of Government neglect amongst retailers.

In the case of local authority rates, it must be remembered that local businesses, not central government, are the primary source of income for local government in Ireland. In 2019, business contributions will directly account for â‚Ź1.55 billion or

34% of the total local government budget. This represents a 14% increase in the total value of commercial rates collected since 2010. Rates are now increasing annually. Local authorities generally exercised restraint during the recession. Recent freezes to the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) were forced upon some local authorities due to the rates harmonisation arising from the abolition of town councils. This has now been completed. The revaluation process has also contributed to higher rates for the business community. Commercial rates are a form of local taxation, mostly to fund services that businesses do not consume. Local authorities use business to balance their books. In other words, business picks up the tab for any expenditure gaps or funding shortfalls that arise in their annual budgets. Reductions in central government contributions and other revenue sources have resulted in local authorities becoming ever more reliant on local business for their revenue.

This is not sustainable and urgent, sweeping reform is long overdue.

Upskilling is the Key for Retail Development and Retention AS retailers, we are all aware of the transformational changes that are taking place in our sector. The fundamental principles of retailing, such as customer service, buying, selling, promotion, merchandising and pricing are changing operational activities at a rapid pace. The challenge as retailers is to use the change to create opportunities and an organisational readiness to respond to political, societal, economic and technological changes. Fundamental to our ability to adapt and keep pace with change is through the development of our people. We must create a workforce that is confident and equipped with the necessary skills to drive change at all levels, creating an organisational culture that embraces learning and new ideas.

The part-time Degree in Retail Management Practice three-year degree offers an ideal pathway for retailers looking to equip their teams with the necessary future management skills. The programme was developed in collaboration with retailers, so the content is practical and relevant, delivering real-world learning to students. The content covered in the degree programme is diverse and enables students to develop a wide range of skills necessary in the modern retail environment, including financial management, legal issues in

retail, digital marketing, e-commerce, leadership, economics, and innovation. Exclusively, Retail Ireland Skillnet can subsidise 50% of the fee costs for retail employees who enrol in the programme.

The part-time degree is delivered in Retail Ireland Skillnet's training room, located at Wolfe Tone Street, Lower Henry Street, Dublin 1. The content is delivered on a part-time basis, so the student only attends 16-classroom-based days per year, meaning there is minimal disruption to business operations.

In addition, all the assignments associated with the modules are designed to address organisational opportunities and challenges, delivering real value to participating organisations.

The Retail Ireland Skillnet part-time retail degree has a proven track record since 2012, with hundreds of retail employees graduating from the three-year programme.

Registrations are now being accepted for the programme commencing in September 2019. For more information or to enrol on the programme visit https://www.retailirelandskillnet. com/product/batchelor-of-business-in-retail-managementpractice-ordinary-degree/ or telephone the Retail Ireland Skillnet team on (074) 9176853.

Tel: 01-6051558 www.retailireland.ie Need more?

For more information about what we do and how your retail business can benefit from our unique services and supports, please visit us at www.retailireland.ie.

Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie|21

Cider Industry

Apple Days Are Here Again Aaron Dodd reports from the successful relaunch of the Irish Cider Association.

TOTAL cider consumption rose by 0.43% in Ireland in 2018, according to figures from the Irish Cider Association. The news of the success came by way of the first Irish Cider Association Market Report since 2012, which found that 64m litres of cider was consumed in Ireland last year, which accounted for a €61m contribution to the exchequer in excise payments in 2018 To mark the first market report in several years and the good news which accompanied it, 15 Irish cider producers came together to showcase their products in the historic vaults of the CHQ building, which saw different varieties of Irish cider expertly paired with Sheridans cheese.

A Passion for Cider Each stall was manned by a representative from one of the Irish cider companies, who enthusiastically explained the process of cider making, the variant of apples used, and the differences between a sweet and dry cider. Although each cider had a unique taste, the one thing all Irish cider producers have in common is a passion for the product. This passion is not only shared by the producers but can also be seen in the consumers. The appetite for homegrown cider continues to grow; roughly 75% of cider consumed in Ireland is made in the Republic of Ireland and 50,000 tonnes of apples are used each year by producers, which benefits Irish apple growers.

One potential shadow hanging over the Irish cider industry is Brexit, particularly in the event of a ‘no deal’ which would see Britain crashing out of the single market. “Today, about 85% of cider exports go to the UK,” explained

Pictured are (l-r): Ray Ellard, Food Safety Authority of Ireland, and Paul Kelly, Director, Food Drink Ireland.

Jonathan McDade, Head of the Irish Cider Association. “The likelihood of a no-deal Brexit, with potential tariffs on both inputs and finished products, has increased uncertainty for producers and could impact investment within the sector. It is vital that the Government does all it can to mitigate these external negatives for the industry.”

New Market Opportunities It is not all bad news for cider makers: Gabe Cook, self-appointed “ciderologist” and guest speaker on the day is excited about the future of cider and the potential for Irish cider. Although

the future of exporting to Britain is uncertain, Cook noted that new cider markets are developing in North America, Northern Europe and as far away as Australia and Japan. Irish cider producers should look to capitalise on these new consumer bases, he insisted, while Cook also explored the possibility of mixing cider and tourism, creating a cider trail; a weekend of cider tasting while walking in the Irish countryside could raise awareness of Irish cider, as could a meal paired with cider instead of wine. With new markets and new opportunities, the future for Irish cider looks bright.

Picture shows Tara Doyle, Corporate Affairs Executive; Dominika Rychlewicz, Junior Brand Manager; and Paula Conlon, Customer Marketing Controller, all from Heineken Ireland.

22|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Anuga

Anuga Celebrates 100th Anniversary The 35th Anuga will take place from October 5-10, 2019, in Cologne, Germany, celebrating 100 years of the biggest food event in the world.

ANUGA celebrates its 100th birthday this October, as around 7,400 exhibitors from 100 countries are expected to participate in the world's biggest and most important business platform for the international food industry.

10 Trade Fairs Under One Roof Anuga incorporates10 trade fairs under one roof, as the event is divided up into themed areas.

Anuga Fine Food, the trade show for delicatessen, gourmet and basic food, is the largest of the Anuga trade shows, with numerous nations taking part at joint pavilions, which present the typical food and regional specialities of their home country. Cross-cutting issues such as halal, superfoods or functional foods are also at home here.

Anuga Frozen Food showcases some of the most important trendsetters within the trade and on the hospitality and foodservice market.

Anuga Meat is the trade show for meat, sausages, game and poultry, while the increasingly more important meat alternatives, whether vegan or

vegetarian sausage products or meat products made of insects, also find their platform here.

Anuga Chilled & Fresh Food is the trade show for fresh convenience foods, fresh delicatessen, fish, fruit & vegetables The trendsetter segment predominantly presents products for consumers with little time, as well as in-between snacks.

Anuga Dairy, the trade show for milk and dairy products, bundles international market leaders as well as specialists from all over the globe.

Anuga Bread & Bakery also includes jam, honey, chocolate-nut spreads, peanut butter and other sandwich spreads.

Anuga Drinks includes beverages for the retail and foodservice trades, including both alcoholic and alcoholfree, with a particular emphasis on innovation and new flavours.

Anuga Organic presents a wide range of organic products, enhanced by the special event, Anuga Organic Market, which also focuses on the organic products of Anuga exhibitors from other trade shows. Furthermore, impulse lectures by the practitioners and pioneers of the organic segment are being offered in the Anuga Organic Forum, so that the visitors can inform themselves in detail about the current developments.

Anuga Hot Beverages presents coffee, tea and cocoa, doing justice on an international level to this sector that is proving attractive for both the trade and the out-of-home market.

Anuga Culinary Concepts showcases new trends and products in the hospitality and foodservice market, offering room for ideas, innovations and networking. Among others, the top-class finals of the young talent competitions,

the ‘Chef of the Year’ and ‘Patissier of the Year’, will be held on the Anuga Culinary Stage.

100 Years of Anuga The first Anuga took place in Stuttgart in 1919 in conjunction with the 12th association congress of the Reich Association of German Delicatessen Merchants. It was a small-scale samples show, at which around 200 exclusively German companies took part. The General Food and Luxury Food Exhibition was conceived as an annual touring exhibition, which moved around up to 1929. After achieving poor results in both Koblenz and Kiel, Anuga was not staged again before the war.

At the beginning of 1950, the German Food Retail Federation decided to hold the exhibition again, with the first post-war Anuga taking place from in October 1951 in Cologne, featuring over 1,200 exhibitors from 34 countries.

The decision was taken to continue to stage Anuga in Cologne every two years, and the exhibition has blossomed since to become the largest trade fair in the world. The last event in 2017 saw more than 7,400 companies from 107 countries set a new record, while around 165,000 trade visitors from 198 countries took advantage of this unique offer for sourcing, information and ordering at top level. For more information, visit www.anuga.com.

COLOGNE, 05. – 09.10.2019

AMAZING Meet old and new friends.

Priceless networking since 1919.

Secure admission tickets at www.anuga.com/tickets International Business Media Services 42 Christchurch Road Ringwood BH24 1DN, United Kingdom Tel. +44 1425 48 68 30 info@koelnmesse.co.uk

24|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

National Dairy Council

Taking a Fresh Approach to Dairy

‘Love Irish Dairy and It Loves You Back’ is the new campaign from the National Dairy Council, and we have the science to prove it’s true, writes Jeanne Spillane, Marketing Manager, NDC. ‘LOVE Irish Dairy and it Loves You Back’ is the new campaign from the National Dairy Council.

It’s not just an ad line, or a feeling, or an idyllic notion. It’s the truth, the whole truth, and we have the science to prove it. All the nutrients found in Irish dairy as part of a balanced diet can make a valuable contribution to your wellbeing. And when something nutritious tastes this good, you want to tell the whole world. That’s what our latest campaign is all about.

The Science Bit Lots of people love Irish dairy for its delicious tasty goodness. But how can Irish dairy love you back? The answer is simple: it’s chemistry!

Irish dairy is packed with essential vitamins and minerals, each of which contribute to normal body functions.

The NDC’s new campaign aims to offer a fresh and inspiring approach to dairy for a younger generation.

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National Dairy Council There’s Calcium for them bones of course. But there’s a whole lot more going on, from ‘A to Zinc’!

Here are just a few examples: Vitamin A contributes to normal vision; B vitamins contribute to normal energy metabolism; calcium is needed for the maintenance of healthy bones; iodine contributes to normal cognitive function; protein contributes to muscle growth; and zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails.

But that’s not all; dairy foods also make an important contribution to nutrient intakes in the Irish population, providing 44% of our iodine, 39% of our calcium, 37% of our vitamin A, 35% of our vitamin B12 and more (Source: British Journal of Nutrition)! This is why dairy is included in the Department of Health’s guidelines for healthy eating, with three servings from the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’ food group recommended each day, as part of a balanced diet.

Lots of people enjoy Irish dairy.

Some, however, are limiting their consumption and they’ve forgotten just how good it tastes. But even more than that, they’ve forgotten the wide array of nutrients, vitamins and minerals Irish dairy can offer them and their busy lifestyles. In this campaign, the National Dairy Council and TBWA\Dublin sets out to remind viewers that if you ‘Love Irish Dairy’ it will ‘love you back with essential vitamins and minerals’.

Dairy & You: A Healthy Relationship This is the second phase of Irish Dairy

The new NDC campaign uses humour, whilst also communicating the nutritional value and importance of dairy in the diet.

Irish dairy is packed with essential vitamins and minerals, each of which contribute to normal body functions.

- The Compete Natural advertising campaign and aims to offer a fresh and inspiring approach to dairy for a younger generation. We deliberately wanted to inject some humour into these ads, whilst also communicating the nutritional value and importance of dairy in the diet. Working across TV, radio, online and outdoor, we created a series of rib-tickling commercials to reflect the benefits of a healthy relationship with Irish dairy!

Taking inspiration from classic love stories and romantic movie tropes, these tongue in cheek spots show our protagonist in various romantic scenarios. Each time we open on a heartfelt declaration, and each time we reveal the object of his affections is an item of Irish dairy produce. But this isn’t an unrequited love, as there’s always a ‘Science Bit’ to support the rekindling of their healthy relationship.

Shot over three days, a total of 20 different videos were captured.

Director of Social & Content at TBWA\ Dublin, Andrew Murray, noted that, “In order to target a younger audience of various tribes, we broke from traditional campaign planning and adopted a digital-first, television-second sequence.

The bulk of sequential storytelling takes place online through AV and social media – while the campaign will be extended through highly-targeted television spots which complement the main creative. It’s an approach that we’re now consistently taking to target that difficult to reach 1830 cohort.” The campaign also includes OOH, targeted DOOH and radio.

A Real Grá for Irish Dairy TBWA\Dublin developed the campaign to

provide a fun and memorable reminder of just how good Irish Dairy is, and the benefits consumers can lovingly enjoy as part of a balanced diet.

Creative Director of TBWA\Dublin, Des Creedon, concluded that, “From our research, we knew there was a real grá for Irish dairy. Our job was to remind people of this. Because the moment you go back to real Irish milk, you know immediately you’ve been missing out

The new rib-tickling commercials reflect the benefits of a healthy relationship with Irish dairy. big time on taste. But we also wanted to remind our audience that they may have been missing out on all its essential vitamins and minerals too.”

You can view the campaign at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pK0AqihfjQ

26|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Vaping

Juul Labs Launch in Ireland Juul Labs, the leading start-up in the US vaping market, is now available in Ireland, underpinned by Juul Labs’ industry-leading code of practice, to ensure responsible and restrictive advertising, marketing and age-gated product access.

JUUL Labs, the leading start-up in vaping technology in the United States, has come to Ireland as a switching option for the country's 830,000 adult smokers. Juul is now on sale in 160 Circle K service stations and 50 Hale Vaping stores across the country, as well as on the new Juul.ie website, as the company takes another step in its mission to improve the lives of the one billion adult smokers worldwide.

Currently, 22% of Irish people smoke. In 2013, Ireland committed to reducing that figure to 5% and becoming “tobacco-free” by 2025, but latest estimates suggest this target will not be met until 2052 at the earliest (Source: HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, 2018). Meanwhile, every week, over 100 people die in Ireland (approximately 5,800 annually) as a direct result of smoking.

New findings by Red C Research, from a survey of 832 adult smokers, show some 84% of smokers say they want to quit smoking, with 95% wanting to quit for health reasons. However, the study demonstrated the significant challenges with traditional methods of quitting, as 58% of the smokers unable to quit had been unsatisfied with cigarette alternatives and 56% missed the ritual of smoking. Meanwhile, 53% of smokers agreed vaping helped smokers to quit and 67% said the Irish Government should prioritise helping smokers quit.

An Effective Switch Alternative Gareth Smyth, General Manager of Juul Labs Ireland, says: "We are delighted to be working with Circle K and Hale Vaping as we introduce the Juul range to Ireland. Tobacco causes millions of deaths worldwide and kills over 5,800 in Ireland alone every year. Our mission

Juul Labs Ireland General Manager, Gareth Smyth, and Juul Labs EMEA President, Grant Winterton (right), with Judy Glover from Circle K.

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Vaping

Juul is a simple, functional and portable device with unique technology, requiring no buttons, leads or wires.

is to improve smokers’ lives by offering an effective switch alternative and our ultimate goal is to eliminate cigarettes.

The launch of Juul in Ireland, a country with some 830,000 adult smokers, is an important step towards this goal

and towards helping Ireland reach its tobacco-free targets, which won’t be delivered at current quit rates.”

Smoking remains the largest public health problem and the primary cause of preventable death in Western countries, which is why many leading health organisations support vaping as an alternative to tobacco.

Public Health England, a body of the UK Ministry of Health, asserts that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking, and entities such as the American Cancer Society and the UK College of Physicians also recognise the potential of vaping as a harm reduction alternative to combustible cigarettes.

The Juul Starter Kit comes with four flavour pods.

Closed Vaping System Juul is a simple, functional and portable device with unique technology, requiring no buttons, leads or wires.

Through a closed vaping system with capsules (pods) and a patented temperature control design, it provides users with a consistent and satisfying experience, but without the carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals that are the key health risks present in smoking combustible

Juul Labs Ireland General Manager, Gareth Smyth (centre), with Stuart Fagan and Aaron Hutchinson from Hale Vaping. tobacco. A carefully selected range of flavours, developed specifically for adult palates, assist in the switch by providing options that move away from the tastes of traditional cigarettes. Irish customers can choose from Alpine Berry, Apple Orchard, Glacier Mint, Golden Tobacco, Mango Nectar and Royal Crème.

Industry Leading Code of Practice The launch in Ireland has been underpinned by Juul Labs’ industryleading code of practice, to ensure responsible and restrictive advertising, marketing and age-gated product access. All retail partners must comply with Juul Labs’ “Challenge 25” policy, whereby any customer who looks under the age of 25 must produce ID to prove they are over the age of 18, and regularly monitored through a ‘secret shopper’ programme. Advertising and marketing are testimonial-led, featuring the stories of adult smokers who have successfully made the switch from combustible cigarettes.

MAKE THE SWITCH

Cuimsíonn an táirge seo nicitín, This product contains nicotine which

THE ALTERNATIVE FOR ADULT SMOKERS No smoke No ash No tar No smell JUUL.ie Designed for adult smokers. Not for sale to minors.

NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS: This is an age-restricted product and age verification is required at sale.

TM and © 2019 JUUL Labs, Inc. JUUL and JUULpods are trademarks of JUUL Labs, Inc. All rights reserved.

ar substaint an-andúile é. is a highly addictive substance.

30|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

Brewing

Heineken’s Green Journey Gathers Pace Barbara-Anne Richardson, Heineken Ireland’s Communications and Sustainability Manager, explains how Heineken is becoming a truly green brewer.

BECOMING a green brewer across all stages of the journey from barley to bar is no mean feat. Brewing world class beers and ciders sustainably, moving large quantities of malted barley and kegs, lighting large spaces such as our 160-year-old brewery, and transporting our much loved beers and ciders around Ireland in a way that preserves the perfect Heineken serve are all activities that require a lot of energy. That’s why our focus as a business is on ensuring that as much of that energy used as possible comes from zero or low carbon sources.

Our journey to becoming a truly greener brewer is one which the business has been on in earnest for a decade now, led by the global ‘Brew a Better World’ sustainability strategy, and it permeates every part of our brewery and our business. Our latest sustainability report for 2018 captures how far we’ve come in that decade. It also sets stretching targets for how much further we want to reach by 2030 to ensure our business continues to make a positive contribution to the environment around us.

Today, we are a zero waste to landfill

But, a sustainability mindset alone cannot shift the dial. It needs to be backed up with an action-driven approach and measurable outcomes.

For Heineken, Brew a Better World is our sustainability road map and our compass on this journey.

Today, we are proud to be a market leader in sustainably brewing premium beers and ciders using quality ingredients.

We have a vast heritage in Ireland that goes back 163 years and means we have very respectful relationships with the communities around us.

It also means that we have a deep-rooted sense of being responsible for safeguarding a sustainable tomorrow as we want to be here for another 160 years.

Our Brew a Better World sustainability strategy has six key focus areas that are linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and include Barbara-Anne Richardson, Heineken Ireland’s reducing emissions, protecting Communications and Sustainability Manager. water resources, advocating responsible consumption, sourcing sustainably, growing with our business, meaning all waste produced communities and promoting health and by us was recovered and reused or safety. Allow me to illustrate how we recycled. Across our production process, delivered against these sustainability we have reduced CO2 emissions by pillars. a transformative 58%, far ahead of schedule and exceeding our target Powering Success with Green Energy almost three-fold.

We are committed to continually Last year, we were also founding reducing CO2 emission through our signatories to Ireland’s first carbon ‘Drop the C’ programme. This year, pledge with Business in the Community we truly embraced green electricity and we are publicly committed, along to reduce our carbon emissions. We with 46 other firms, to achieving a focused on where we source our further 50% reduction in carbon electricity from and on what it powers emissions by 2030. for us. This razor-sharp focus saw us achieve a 58% reduction in CO2 Brewing a Better World production since 2008, exceeding the Sustainability is a top priority for us.

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Brewing target set of 20% by 2020.

Today, 100% of the electric power we use in the production of our beers and ciders comes from Raheen wind farm in Mayo, which is a green, zeroemissions wind-powered source. We have also replaced our total forklift fleet with new electrically powered forklift trucks at our brewery, which has delivered a reduction in carbon footprint of 112 tonnes per year. This is the equivalent of taking almost 10 family cars off the road.

The installation of an LED energy efficient lighting system throughout our site was a game changer. This reduced our energy consumption by more than 400,000 KwH, which is the equivalent of fully powering 45 family homes for a year.

We also optimised transport routes, increased the number of deliveries going direct to customers, consolidated regional secondary distribution keg depots and implemented the use of high capacity trucks and trailers, which all contributed to increasing loads by 19% and resulted in 10% fewer truck journeys.

We are focused on protecting every drop of water, and have reduced water used to produce each litre of beer by 6%, making Heineken Ireland’s Lady’s Well Brewery in Cork one of the most water efficient in Heineken’s global network.

We also promote a permanent focus on health and safety throughout our business, which has reduced accidents by 57% since 2015.

We passionately advocate responsible consumption. Heineken is leading growth in the emerging low

Pictured is Heineken Ireland MD Maarten Schuurman. and no alcohol market, ensuring that we provide products that empower consumers to make choices that suit their lifestyle. Our introduction of Heineken 0.0% was driven by consumer needs and offers real choice to support a healthy lifestyle. In addition, 10% of the Heineken media spend was on its landmark responsibility campaigns, 'Enjoy Heineken Responsibly', through to 'When You Drive, Never Drink'.

We are committed to sourcing locally and sustainably right across our supply chain. 100% of our suppliers have now signed up to the Heineken Ireland supplier code, which ensures the highest standards of integrity and respect for the environment and human rights.

We have a deep respect and dedication to growing with the communities around us. Last year, through our ‘Growing with our Communities’ programme, we committed almost €0.5 million in funding to over 50 community and local causes throughout Ireland. This included developing urban green spaces with Walk in Dublin and delivering life changing social enterprise’s with Down Syndrome Cork’s Field of Dreams project.

The Mark of a Sustainable Company After a decade of a focused approach on sustainability at Heineken Ireland, one moment in the past year stands out. Last November, Heineken Ireland became the first drinks company in Ireland to achieve the Business Working Responsibly mark from Business in the Community in recognition of our responsible and sustainable business practices. As the only independently audited standard for CSR and sustainability in Ireland, we welcome the

transparency that this auditing process brings to our sustainability strategy.

Being amongst a select group of only 33 companies that have achieved this mark, and the resulting recognition from our peers for our commitment to being a company that cares and that delivers a measurable impact, was a moment of immense pride. For us, it is a clear signal to our stakeholders, our customers and our consumers that we are listening; that we know sustainability matters to them as much as it does to us; and that we are working every day to make Heineken Ireland a truly green brewer. It also inspires us to set stretching targets and increase our sustainability efforts into 2020 and beyond.

A Green Future It means so much to every person in our business that when a consumer orders a pint of Heineken, this beer is brewed sustainably in the heart of Cork city. We have achieved so much but we are not done yet. A respect for our people and our planet guides us in everything we do and we are proud to put our focus on actions that make a difference. The pride we have in what we’ve achieved drives us to increase our efforts towards our end goal of being the greenest brewer and business we can be. Our 2030 targets are ambitious and mean we have a lot to do. This year’s achievements show we have both the ability and momentum to meet and surpass our sustainability commitments.

If you would like to follow our journey to becoming a truly green brewer and see how we’re putting sustainability at the heart of our business every day, check out www.heinekenireland.ie/ sustainabilty.

32|Retail News|July/August 2019|www.retailnews.ie

On The Vine: Top Wine Brands

Ireland’s Top Cellars

Jean Smullen reveals Ireland’s top selling wine brands.

FIGURES for the retail wine sector in Ireland on a MAT basis for the period March 2018-2019, show that the wine market is flat. According to Scantrack, the MAT volume figure for nine-litre case sales to March 2019 were 5,612,045 against a total of 5,689,969 in March 2018 showing 0.00% growth. During the same period, value sales also remained the same.

MAT figures in March 2018 show that in the off trade, nine-litre case sales of Chilean wine rose to 1,312,504 (+7.47%), while the value of Chilean wine sales for the same period rose by +6.25%. In March 2019, nine-litre case sales of Chilean wine were much the same at 1,311,598.8, with value sales growing by 0.04%.

The volume market for Australian wine grew slightly up from 856,214 cases in March 2018 to 870,177 in March 2019, an increase of +0.4%. French wine had a volume decline, as case sales of 775,591 in March 2019 dropped from 868,203 in March 2018, a decrease of -1.7%.

Overall, though the market is

sluggish with value and volume flat, the average price per bottle moved slightly upwards to €8.10 but when one considers that 60% of the value goes in tax, the available amount of “wine” in the bottle remains under pressure. Nielsen figures for off trade sales to March 2019 show the volume market breakdown by country of origin as follows: 1

CHILE

23.02

2

AUSTRALIA

15.21

3

FRANCE

14.10

4

SPAIN

12.18

5

ITALY

10.50

6

NEW ZEALAND

7.62

7

USA

5.50

8

SOUTH AFRICA

4.70

9

ARGENTINA

3.13

10

REST OF THE WORLD

2.38

Source: Nielsen Scantrack March 2019

The top five wine brands to March 2019 were the same as in 2018: 1 Santa Rita 2 Casillero del Diablo 3 McGuigan 4 Wolf Blass 5 Torres More than 40% of Chilean sales comes from Santa Rita and Concha Y Toro as they consolidate as the number one and two brands on this market; together, they now hold a 10% total share of value sales.

The brands showing the largest increase in volume case sales for the period March 2018-2019 are (in relation to their volume growth): 1. Barefoot 2. Las Moras (Dada) 3. [yellow tail] 4. Concha y Toro Viña Santa Rita - Chile (Gilbeys of Ireland) Viña Santa Rita remains Ireland’s biggest wine brand for the fifth year in a

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On The Vine: Top Wine Brands row. The brand continues to innovate to meet market demands. Viña Santa Rita’s 120 Reserva Especial Early Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2018, launched last year, is performing well. This low alcohol white (ABV 11%) is very much on trend in terms of the growing demand for wines with lower ABV. Made with grapes from Colchagua Costa and the Maule Valley, it has a fresh acidity, which adds to its consumer appeal. Look out too for their brand-new varietal, the 120 Moscato

year.

This year, Casillero del Diablo launched a Rosé Special Edition bottle followed by a new white variety made from the Chilean grape, Pedro Jimenez. They have also renewed their partnership with Virgin Media for another year, with an exciting series sponsorship starting this autumn. Look out for a big push around Halloween for the famous Casillero ‘Hallowine’ promotion that will once again go big instore and in terms of media, with TV and digital ads. There will also be below and above the line campaigns in the run-up to Christmas, so make sure to look out for the wine from the Devil’s Cellar!

Their newest addition to the range, Diablo Red Blend, launched in 2018

by Concha y Toro, has also caught consumer attention. It is made from premium fruit sourced in the Maule region. The focus and back-story of the brand is perfect for Halloween or Christmas, and this wine is a great offering for the consumer who is looking for a mid-priced premium wine.

Look out too for their Argentine brand Trivento. Founded in 1996 by Vina Concha y Toro, Trivento Bodegas y Vinedos produces quality wines from Mendoza, Argentina. Since 2013,

Trivento has been the number one selling Argentine wine brand in Europe and its future on the Irish market is promising. Following their strong promotional activity last year on the Irish market, this year they are going even bigger, with a ‘Win a Trip for 2 to Patagonia’ competition, which will run in partnership with both The Irish Times and via a global campaign with the Discovery Channel. The competition will also be highlighted in-store with neck collars and displays (on request).

McGuigan - Australia (Barry & Fitzwilliam) McGuigan wines continue to outperform the market. McGuigan is still the number one Australian wine brand in the off trade. Neil McGuigan, Chief Winemaker, has won the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) award as the Best Winemaker in the World four times, which is a world first. The McGuigan Black Label varietal range includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Rosé and Malbec.

McGuigan continue to innovate and

Viña Santa Rita: Ireland’s biggest wine brand for the fifth year in a row.

2018. The 120 Moscato is made from fruit grown in the cool climate Limarí Valley.

This is a very appealing wine, made from 100% Moscato; it has floral and perfumed aromas and flavours of ripe tropical fruit.

With an ABV of only 8.5%, this is very much an on-trend wine. For consumers watching their weight or alcohol intake, this is a great wine to recommend, with plenty of distinctive aromas and flavours.

A must stock, especially this summer.

Casillero Del Diablo (Concha y Toro) Chile Casillero del Diablo is the famous wine producer Concha y Toro’s hero brand and Ireland’s second most successful wine brand. Casillero del Diablo has shown excellent consistency in quality throughout the years and in terms of volume growth was fourth overall in by size of increase in sales as a brand this

New McGuigan Delight is a range of de-alcoholised wine with only 0.5% ABV.

Casillero del Diablo has enjoyed excellent growth in the Irish market.

recently introduced McGuigan Frizzante to the market. This is a light style of sparkling wine. The acidity, together with soft citrus fruits and a hint of

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On The Vine: Top Wine Brands dryness, make for a lovely balanced wine. McGuigan Frizzante is made from Glera, the same grape variety used to make Prosecco. It is also made in the same way; the only difference is that the wine is produced in Australia and not in Italy. “Like Prosecco? Love McGuigan Frizzante!” McGuigan Frizzante is available in 750cl and 20cl. McGuigan have also launched a new range of dealcoholised wine called Delight; with only 0.5% ABV, the range also has a Rosé and a white made from the Moscato grape.

Wolf Blass - Australia (Findlater & Co.) Iconic Australian brand Wolf Blass has enormous recognition with the Irish consumer for both Wolf Blass and its sister label, Eagle Hawk. Look out for their new additions to the range, including Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Rosé and Wolf Blass Yellow Label Malbec.

Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Rosé is made from Shiraz and has tons of summer fruit. It is a perfect wine for summer drinking and is bound to be a huge hit with the consumer who already has a strong loyalty to the Wolf Blass brand.

Yellow Label is the Wolf Blass flagship brand for varietals, and the addition of Malbec to the range means that Yellow Label Malbec, made from fruit grown in South Australia, will soon have a following from fans of one of the best known red grape varieties.

organically grown grapes certified by the BCS Öeko Garantie GmbH. Barefoot (E&J Gallo) – California, USA (Comans Beverages) The brand showing the strongest growth for the 2018-2019 period is Barefoot, which is also showing double digit value growth. 2018 was another very strong year for E&J Gallo in Ireland, their seventh consecutive year of growth as their wines continue to resonate with the Irish consumer. Comans took over the distribution of Gallo on the Irish market in 2018 and this has also impacted in a positive way.

Ambassador’s residence. Barefoot have also been promoting beach cleans with An Taisce, sampling their range at the Sea Sessions in Bundoran and will be at the Tipp Classical concert in Thurles in September.

Barefoot’s Pinot Grigio is the number one New World Pinot Grigio sold in Irish supermarkets.

Barefoot is also way ahead of the curve in terms of packaging innovation.

It is one of the first major wine brands to move into cans on the Irish market.

Younger wine consumers, more environmentally aware, are the market for these products. Look out for the Barefoot 250ml can featuring Pinot Grigio and White Zinfandel with an ABV of 12% and 8.5%. The product has an RRP of €4 and is guaranteed to be a huge hit this summer at music and lifestyle festivals. Expect to see more and more of these products emerging as the wine consumer gets used to drinking wine from a re-cyclable can.

Villa Maria - New Zealand (Barry & Fitzwilliam) Villa Maria has been New Zealand's leading wine award winner, both nationally and internationally, since the early 1980s. Villa Maria is still the number one New Zealand wine brand

Torres - Spain (Findlater & Co) Torres has consistently been named Ireland’s favourite Spanish wine brand for its wines such as Sangre de Toro and Viña Sol. Torres owns 2,432 hectares of vineyards, 2,000 of which are in Spain, 400 in Chile, and 32 in California.

Torres’ flagship Sangre de Toro range is performing very strongly at the moment, and has been extended to include single varietal wines and a mid-price reserve level range. Look out for Torres Naturo, their alcohol-free wine range, which is available in both red and white varietals.

New to the market from Torres is Las Pisadas, a modern style Rioja produced at La Carbonera winery in Rioja Alavesa, and Sons de Prades from the DO Conca de Barberà in Southern Catalonia, which is a truly exceptional wine.

Cono Sur - Chile (Findlater & Co) Cono Sur continues to go from strength to strength on the Irish market, thanks to Findlater’s crack marketing team.

The company’s “green” credentials, clever marketing and clear concise labelling have all helped to create greater awareness for this brand. The Cono Sur organic range is now available to order from Findlater, made from their

Villa Maria: the number one New Zealand wine brand in the Irish market.

Barefoot is showing strongest growth over 2018-19.

Barefoot has worked hard in in Ireland, supporting worthy causes with the LGBT community such as the Pride Run during Dublin Pride Week and the July 4 celebrations at the US

in the Irish market and is the fifth most admired wine brand in the world, according to Drinks International 2019.

Villa Maria offers a range of skus from Private Bin, Cellar Select and Reserve. Villa Maria’s latest launch is Villa Maria Private Bin Lighter range of

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On The Vine: Top Wine Brands lower alcohol wines. Consisting of three varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and a Rosé, each wine contains 25% less alcohol than the same varietal in the standard Private Bin range.

“An increasing number of consumers are looking for drink options to suit their healthier lifestyles. This range offers these lifestyle conscious consumers exactly that - a lighter alternative in terms of alcohol and calories but made without compromising on taste,” noted Paul Raper, UK & Ireland Market Manager at Villa Maria Estate. [yellow tail] - Australia (Gilbeys of Ireland) In the small Australian town of Yenda, the Casella family has been making wine for generations. It is here that [yellow tail] wine was created with a simple philosophy – to make great wines that are easy to find, easy to drink and easy to enjoy with family and friends.

Gerry Conlon told RetailNews that [yellow tail] Rosé is performing particularly well at the moment.

Sales of [yellow tail] have increased significantly over the last year.

Although coming from a low base, Rosé wine, with 5% of the Irish market, has become a very strong category for them.

Sales of [yellow tail] increased significantly this year. The third fastest growing wine brand on the Irish market

this year, [yellow tail] is leading the way in terms of increasing volume and value sales from Australia in this market. With good value offers in the multiples, which the consumer is embracing, the last 12 months saw a particularly good performance from this brand.

Campo Viejo - Spain (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard) Spain has a number of key brands such as Campo Viejo who perform extremely well in Ireland.

Look out for the up-coming off trade promotion of Wines from Rioja in Autumn 2019, with most of the key Rioja wine brands offering support for the promotion with POS packs.

Wines from Campo Viejo is Rioja asks very popular that retailers with Irish wine feature at drinkers. least three different Rioja producers, and promote red, white and rosé wines from the region. Retailers can organise masterclasses, in store tastings and feature window displays to highlight the wines. To sign up or for more information, contact: rioja@thisisphipps.com.

E&J Gallo - California (Comans Beverages) 2018 was another the seventh year of consecutive growth for E&J Gallo in Ireland. Varietally correct and fruit forward, the Gallo portfolio offers wines for every moment.

Within their premium tier brands, Comans will soon be offering a range of premium range from the Gallo stable.

Robbie Rugman, Fine Wine Ambassador of E&J Gallo Winery, talked us through their key flagship wines, Orin Swift, Louis M. Martini and MacMurray Estate Vineyards.

With their truly unique style, iconic labelling and diverse winemaking, Orin Swift wines are a departure from traditional California wine styles. Winemaker Dave Phinney was determined to be different by creating Rhône and Bordeaux style wines from grapes sourced throughout California.

Known worldwide as the ‘King of Cabernet’, Louis M. Martini uses grapes harvested from some of Napa and Sonoma’s most coveted sites, including the world-famous Monte Rosso vineyard, to create some of the world’s finest artisan Cabernet Sauvignon. MacMurray Estate Vineyards produces mainly cool climate Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from Russian River and Central Coast grapes.

Blossom Hill – California, USA (Findlater & Co) The Blossom Hill range includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, White Grenache, White Zinfandel and new Sparkling Zinfandel. Innovative wines like their reduced alcohol wine based Vie (5.5% ABV) are gaining more recognition. Look out for the Blossom Hill Spritz cans, now widely available and perfect for picnics and summer festival season.

Hardy’s - Australia (Gilbeys of Ireland) Hardy’s is one of the most powerful Australian wine brands in the world.

Hardy’s enjoys a loyal following in Ireland.

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On The Vine: Top Wine Brands Hardy’s Stamp of Australia is their entry level wine. The Stamp series is a barbeque-friendly wine and the varietals are perfect for summer drinking. Hardy’s also have a good range in the mid-price sector, mostly single varietal and blends sold as the Private Bin. Gerry Conlon of Gilbeys told RetailNews that the key selling point for Hardy’s is that the consumer trusts it. A well-loved visible Australian brand, it has a loyal customer base.

relatively small here, though sales are growing well due mainly to the popularity of Malbec. Doña Paula retains its position as the number one Argentine wine brand in Ireland. Look out for the 2018 Doña Paula Chamal, the newest wine from the estate. Chamal is a Malbec (85%) to which 15% Chardonnay has been added. An interesting and complex wine, this is bound to appeal to the wine enthusiasts as well as to fans of good quality Argentine Malbec.

Oyster Bay - New Zealand (Delegats Wine Estate) Delegats Wine Estate’s Irish office have just appointed a new country manager who will take over the Irish office from July 2019. The Oyster Bay range includes Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir, as well as two sparkling wines, the Oyster Bay Brut and Oyster Bay Rosé. With a new country manager in place, expect to see more activity from Oyster Bay in the coming year.

Jacob’s Creek - Australia (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard) Owned by Group Pernod Ricard, Jacob’s Creek has a comprehensive range of key wine styles, including the premium Double Barrell range and the lower alcohol Cool Harvest range, which includes Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc, the very popular varietal range, and a great value and very wellmade range of sparkling wine styles.

Viña Carmen - Chile (Gilbeys of Ireland) Viña Carmen, the flagship premium wine from the Santa Rita stable, has had a long and very loyal following on this market.

Look out for the Carmen Insigne range, which has recently been rebranded and is a modern fruit forward varietal wine.

The range includes the 2018 Insigne Carmenère, 2018 Insigne Merlot, 2018 Insigne Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 Insigne Chardonnay and 2018 Insigne Sauvignon Blanc.

Doña Paula - Argentina (Gilbeys of Ireland) Argentina’s market share is still

Doña Paula retains its position as the number one Argentine wine brand in Ireland.

Faustino - Spain (Richmond Marketing) Philip Cullen, Brand Manager for wines and spirits at Richmond Marketing, told RetailNews that Bodegas Faustino have launched Cava Brut here this year, which is so far performing well. Faustino have been running in-store sampling with SuperValu for the last few months, which The Faustino range has resulted in will be available a good uptake at special offer in sales. Philip prices this summer, tells me they including Faustino would also like 1 Gran Reserva. to offer in-store tastings to the independent sector, so customers should contact him to arrange this. Look out for offers on the range this summer.

Brancott Estate - New Zealand (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard) One of the three top New Zealand brands on the Irish market, Brancott performed

Brancott Estate showed significant growth over the last 12 months.

well in the last 12 months and showed significant growth in value sales during that time. 2019 is set to be a great vintage in New Zealand. A wonderfully warm summer has contributed to a superb vintage for New Zealand’s wine regions, with 413,000 tonnes of grapes harvested during Vintage 2019.

Although smaller than anticipated, the quality of the harvest is being touted as exceptional from top of the North to bottom of the South Island. However, Vintage 2019 is the third smaller-thanexpected harvest in a row, so volume growth is expected to be constrained.

Dada (Fincas las Moras) - Argentina (Comans Beverages) The Dada brand from Argentina has become enormously popular with the Irish wine consumer and is the second highest growing brand on the Irish market, both in volume and value sales.

Dada 1, as it is now known, is made from a blend of Malbec and Bonarda; this fruit forward style comes from Argentina’s top producers, Fincas las Moras. This year two more varietals have been added to the range; Dada 2 is made from Merlot, and Dada 3 is a blend of Cabernet and Shiraz.

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Music In-Store

Tune Into The Benefits of Music in Your Business

Playing music in-store has been proven to relax customers, while leading to increased time spent in-store and increased sales. But to play music in your shop, you need a Dual Music Licence from IMRO.

THERE is little doubt that the general ambience and shopping experience in a retail environment would not be the same for customers and staff members without the presence of in-store background music.

The relationship between music and business has come a long way from the days when the only music customers ever heard was muzak in an elevator or instrumental versions of well-known pop hits as they walked up and down

supermarket aisles. Savvy retail business owners are using music as a means to enhance the whole shopping experience in order to compete with the upward trend towards online shopping.

Taking out a Dual Music Licence from IMRO for the use of music in retail premises ensures that you can legally use their vast repertoire of music to create a more positive and productive environment for your customers and

staff. You are also ensuring that the music creators behind the music you use to enhance your business are fairly remunerated for their work.

Recent consumer research revealed that 60% of customers who like music-in-store agree that they would spend more time in a shop if they hear music they like. Music has been proven to relax customers, which in turn leads to more time in stores and the spending of more money.

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Music In-Store Music to Help Your Brand Music is a useful tool in helping shape a brand’s identity; the correct music can help set the right lifestyle image for a brand in the mind of their customers, for example, young and edgy or sophisticated, creating a strong and constant brand image. In addition, brands with music that ‘fits’ their identity are 96% more likely to prompt memory recall. This increased brand awareness can lead to increased sales.

Shoppers are more likely to make impulsive purchases when overstimulated. The use of music in combination with exploiting other senses within a retail environment can help create an atmosphere that draws in customers and makes them purchase more.

76% of small retailers believe they can positively influence the behaviour of customers through music.

78% of small retailers recommend that other retailers should play music to improve productivity and staff morale, while 99% of staff who work in stores without music think that retail stores that play music tend to be more modern and appealing places to shop. Music has been proven to increase work productivity, leading to a more efficient workforce.

In another recent survey, 71% of employees said they would like to be able to listen to music in work, while 88% of employees believed they worked more accurately when listening to music.

88% of staff who work in stores with music would prefer to listen to music by recognisable performers rather than imitators.

A Dual Music Licence from IMRO gives you access to a vast repertoire of music that you can use to transform and

add value to your business. Music has the power to relax, enhance and entice.

Consumers and employees enjoy better experiences when they’re surrounded by music.

Dual Music Licence Previously, businesses in Ireland that played recorded copyright music were obliged to obtain two separate licences covering different copyrights; one covering the public performance of the musical work on behalf of composers, songwriters and music publishers, and the other covering the public performance of sound recordings on behalf of record producers and performers.

Since January 2016, one Dual

Music Licence covering both of these copyrights is now administered by IMRO. This new arrangement makes life easier for businesses in Ireland by enabling them to obtain both the required IMRO and PPI copyright music licences through a single contract, receive a single invoice, make a single royalty payment, and administrationwise, interface with a single licensing body.

Just like any other valued service provider, the creators behind the music you use to enhance your business must be paid for their work.

Enabling the Artists Music creators appoint IMRO to licence their music to businesses on their behalf, whether it be played by means of a television, radio, recorded music device, streamed from an online service or performed live. With IMRO, you can easily tap into the wealth of music you need to drive your business forward, in full compliance with copyright legislation. And all for a single annual fee.

By paying your annual licence fee to IMRO, you are enabling music creators and artists to continue making music that you will ultimately use to improve your business operation.

If you play copyright music in your retail premises for background purposes, you will need a Dual Music Licence for your business.

For further queries, contact IMRO's Customer Support Team at 01 661 4844, by email at customerfirst@ imro.ie or visit www.imro.ie/duallicence

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Packaging Design

Sustainability is More Than Just a Passing Fad Ian McConkey of McConkey Associates argues that sustainability is a real concern when it comes to product packaging, while also highlighting some of the key trends in packaging design and advising on the fundamentals when it comes to getting your design right.

TRADITIONALLY, packaging - barrels, bushels, containers etc. - just had to communicate the commodity it contained. Nowadays your pack or presentation plays a vital role in not only protecting your product and satisfying labelling legislation but also in building the emotional bridge with your customer, as well as creating a unique identity for your brand that works online and on-shelf.

The Irish consumer is becoming increasingly engaged with CSR and environmental sustainability on a daily basis and what it means in their weekly or daily shop. According to Repak, 91% of packaging waste is being recovered for recycling, not bad for a nation

that didn’t care about rubbish. Pester power is ensuring that environmental consideration is applied to all aspects of running the household. And Nielsen reports eight in 10 Irish consumers “worry about the effect all my grocery packaging has on the environment”.

So, healthy for the consumer and healthy for the planet is a genuine trend that demonstrates a producer’s commitment to the environment, bolsters brand value and fuels growth and profits. Nielsen also suggests that one of the key three trends that will dominate in 2019 is Sustainability & Plastics (alongside Health & Wellness and Origin & Provenance) so if you’re not up to speed yet, you should consider

Some classic brands and packaging from the Irish FMCG sector.

ways to make yourself so. Kantar says a third of consumers (33%) are now actively choosing to buy from brands they believe are doing social or environmental good.

Establishing a Beachhead in the Consumer's Cupboard What’s your new product going to be presented in? Do you follow fashion, trends, a house style, work within existing brand guidelines? BordBia.ie have a useful pocket guide that leads you through the steps if you’re new to developing a pack from scratch, and they have a good Alerts blog to keep pace with goings-on in the market.

Fsai.ie can help with the legal /

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Packaging Design regulatory mandatories that have to go on your pack.

A good designer is one who will tell you that packaging is the single most important thing to get across what it is your product stands for and to establish that beachhead in the consumer’s cupboard, shelves or fridge / freezer. How do you turn buyers of your product into brand ambassadors or missionaries? Great design! Start with the function and form; keep it simple and practical.

Understanding the needs, applications and storage of your product will help you objectively judge the proposals in front of you. Then consider the look, feel and presence of the pack. Make sure it reflects the brand personality, identity and value proposition you want your target audience to feel. Then consider, do the pack and outers add value and make it easy to flow through the supply chain and trade channels before it reaches the household in pristine condition? eCommerce – multiple touchpoints demand packaging stability and integrity.

However, excessive packaging frequently results in un-environmental waste that customers love to jeer in unboxing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR IAN McConkey heads up Creative Sevices at McConkey Associates and is the company's lead designer. He has, over the course of an extensive career, worked for various clients, including Land Rover, Irish Forestry, Glanbia, permanent tsb, Tiger Beer, Crowne Plaza, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Cristallo di Milano, Musgrave, ABB and Henkel.

videos. Visual design has become even more relevant online, where the physical elements of the pack can’t be appreciated. Less is more: reduced weight can lead to lower shipping costs.

It can be time consuming and expensive to get it right but necessary if you aspire to sustaining a business online.

“

Healthy for the consumer and healthy for the planet is a genuine trend that demonstrates a producer’s commitment to the environment, bolsters brand value and fuels growth and profits.

Design Trends Other recent trends to be aware of but not necessarily follow are: •

• • •

Reusability – pouch rather than package. Can you add value and help climate change through reuse, refills or recycling?

Minimalism in graphic design, the bare bones, honesty to the core in presentation; Typography – less is more, keep it clear and clean for greater communication; 2d or ‘flat’ illustrations that offer impact on a screen;

•

•

”

Contrasts: highlights / luminous gradients / neon flashes / pastels / B&W, a personal preference but very much a la mode and / or relevant to the brand palette.

Remember, great brands set - not follow - trends; Nostalgia / retro / vintage, back to

Foxpak Flexibles Opens New Louth Plant FOXPAK Flexibles, the pioneers of digital flexible, sustainable, packaging, has officially opened its new manufacturing plant in Collon, Co. Louth, which sees an investment of €3m in new equipment and facilities by the innovative business.

Foxpak offers flexible packaging that complies with strict performance criteria required in various products, such as cereals, seafood, baby food, pet food and confectionery. The company exports 65% of its product to Northern Ireland, the UK, Europe and the USA and employs 35 staff members.

Founded in 2001, Foxpak Pictued are Louise McKeon, Boylan Flexibles Ltd pioneered the Fruits, with Paul Young, CEO, Foxpak development of digital flexible, Flexibles – Boylan Fruits use Foxpak’s compostable packaging and is a compostable packaging. global leader in this technology.

Its mission is to provide clients with competitively priced packaging of superior quality and by introducing the latest technology, support brands to increase their market share. The company developed short-run digital packaging to complement its existing high volume offering; being able to offer both short run & volume packaging is great for the environment and great for the end user and customer.

“It’s great to see an Irish company leading the development of sustainable packaging in the food sector,” noted Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, at the opening. “The investment in this new facility and equipment is encouraging and a very positive step in the transition from traditional plastics to the new era of compostable, recyclable and paper based alternative packaging.”

Paul Young, CEO, Foxpak Flexibles Ltd. commented, “We are very proud to officially open our new manufacturing plant, which offers the most modern and innovative print facilities in the market.”

For more information log onto www.foxpak.com.

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Packaging Design Nestlé Say ‘Yes!’ to Recyclable Paper Packaging A TECHNICAL breakthrough in confectionery packaging will see Nestlé’s Yes! snack bar range wrapped in recyclable paper for the first time.

Nestlé experts, working at its confectionery R&D centre in York, have found a way to use a recyclable paper wrapper in a high-speed ‘flow wrap cold seal’ packaging line. It represents a world first for a process that, in the past, was only suitable for plastic films and laminates. Nestlé’s Yes! range of nut-based bars will become the first brand to convert to the new recyclable paper wrapper to be rolled out from this month.

“Yes! represents exactly what more and more people are demanding from manufacturers like Nestlé now and for the future,” noted Stefano Agostini, CEO for Nestlé in the UK and Ireland. “Last year we introduced Yes! as an entirely new brand using wholesome ingredients and offering a healthier snacking option of tasty fruit and nut bars. Now we’ve turned our attention to the wrapper so that the packaging is sustainable and easy to recycle. It’s an important step as we work to make all of our packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.”

Yes! bar wrappers will now carry the message “carefully wrapped in paper” to reflect the work that has been done in adapting production lines to handle the new packaging • • • •

the future!

Tactile – touch, feel, flexibility, texture, braille, even thermo strips; Free From: chlorine, toxic inks, plastic, gluten, ingredients, purity, health & wellness, amongst others; The importance of your background ‘story’ or heritage and how you can refresh/sustain the message off-pack, online and in Social Media cannot be underestimated.

Consumers expect to be able to find

more gently during the manufacturing process.

The new packaging is made of a coated paper that is widely recyclable with other paper.

The paper itself comes from sustainable sources, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.

Nestlé is introducing a new flavour of Yes! bar in Ireland to coincide with introduction of the new paper wrapper.

Delicious Dark Choc, Banana & Pecan will join existing favourites like Tempting Dark Choc, Sea Salt & Almond and Sumptuous Cranberry and Dark Chocolate.

more information, if they want it, easily to justify their purchase and producers should look upon their ‘story’ as an opportunity to educate apostles and not just to provide instructions. This includes making sure your various touchpoints are clearly labelled on your package.

Recycling Packaging at the Point of Purchase My wife is delighted that Lidl now offers

The Irish consumer is becoming increasingly engaged with environmental sustainability on a daily basis and what it means in their weekly or daily shop.

a facility to return (and hopefully recycle) your packaging at the point of purchase.

This has implications for downstream brand value and how you exploit your packaging in the minds of your consumers at POP and at home.

I had a mentor who claimed there was never time to do it right but always time to do the job over after a rushed (botched) job hit the printing presses. It reminds me of Dr Ralf Speth’s (of Jaguar Land Rover) infamous quote “If you think good design is expensive, you should look at the cost of bad design.” Taken in the context of tooling and plant upgrades for a new vehicle, it’s a huge investment and they have done a fantastic job of packaging their product in their retailers’ but it is an observation just as relevant to your brand.

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Drinks News Irish Beer Producers Commit to Providing New Info on Labels

ALCOHOL Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) has committed to sign a European-wide Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will provide consumers with clear information regarding ingredients and energy values on labels. The MoU will be signed by ABFI and the sector’s European trade association, Brewers of Europe, in September, formalising their commitment to provide this information on all beer bottles and cans in the EU by 2022. Patricia Callan (pictured), Director of ABFI, said: “This collaborative approach at EU level is the best way to ensure consumers get the information they need in the most effective and efficient way, further empowering them when making purchasing choices. Our industry is proud of the products it makes and this ground-breaking commitment highlights the role we can play to inform consumers and help governments and regulators meet their policy goals”.

Jameson Experiences Welcome More than 500k Visitors JAMESON Distillery Bow St and Jameson Distillery Midleton welcomed more than 500,000 visitors from 70 nations around the world in the last year. As well as being a highlight of Ireland’s tourism trail, Jameson Distillery Bow St and Jameson Distillery Midleton are also fast becoming the go-to attractions for the domestic market, with Ireland recording the highest year-on-year growth to date. Jameson Distillery Bow St (pictured) was awarded Europe's Leading Distillery Tour for the second year in a row at The World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony 2019, and was named the World’s Leading Distillery Tour at the World Travel Awards.

Redbreast Launches New Packaging IRISH Distillers has unveiled a new look for its iconic Redbreast range, more than a century after the brand was first introduced. The world’s largest selling single pot still Irish whiskey has been given a refreshed look to highlight Redbreast’s strong heritage and endearing brand personality, while broadening its appeal to a new audience of consumers driven by curiosity, discovery and authenticity.

Bottles will now feature the Robin Redbreast, hand drawn by illustrator Denise Nestor, and dynamically brought to life in different flight positions across the range. Tasting notes on the front label have been added to showcase the unique characteristics of each expression, accentuated by a brighter cream colour and craft textured background on the revamped bottle. The new Redbreast design will be released throughout the year, with Redbreast 12 Year Old, Redbreast 15 Year Old and Redbreast Lustau available from July. The new packaging will be introduced to Redbreast 21 Year Old and Redbreast 12 Cask Strength from autumn 2019.

Malt Whiskey Distilling Begins at Roe & Co

THE malt whiskey spirit has been flowing through the spirit safe at the Roe & Co Irish Whiskey distillery, with the doors opening on James’ Street in Dublin on June 21, with guests welcomed into the visitor experience.

Inspired by one of the biggest names in Irish Whiskey in the 19th century, George Roe, the iconic Guinness Power Station has been regenerated into a new visitor experience and urban distillery. The 75-minute tour allows guests to observe the operational distillery, hear the hum of production, and witness the copper pot stills from an impressive elevated glass walkway. A visit to the fully live, working distillery also involves guests clocking in and clocking out as they commence a ‘shift’ at the Power Station with a time card, a nostalgic nod at the building’s past as an operational power station. The experience concludes with guests able to clock off work with one of Roe & Co’s world class cocktails in the showstopping Power House Bar.

Coca-Cola Launches Premium Mixing Range DARK spirits and premium vodka are making a comeback with cocktail drinkers in Ireland and across the globe, and so Coca-Cola is excited to embrace the dark side with its new range of Coca-Cola Signature Mixers. Launched in Ireland recently, and a global first for the brand, Coca-Cola enlisted some of the world’s most influential and inventive bartenders to create four new specially crafted Coca-Cola Signature Mixers; Smokey Notes, Spicy Notes, Herbal Notes, and Woody Notes, which are now available in leading bars across Ireland. Coca-Cola Signature Mixers bottles are inspired by the brand’s heritage and served in Hutchison glass bottle, a silhouette that pre-dates the iconic contour.

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Conferences/Meetings

Getting Creative with Conferences!

The variety of venues and themes for corporate events, conferences and team building exercises is growing all the time, explains Michelle Thornton of Hotel Solutions DMC. WHILE the summer is now in full swing, with companies and hotels refocusing on both the holiday and leisure market, it’s also time to plan for the autumn meeting or conference season as the year-end will come into view quickly. The Hotel Solutions DMC team are gearing themselves up for the busy season ahead, saving our clients time and money in the process.

With a changing attitude on how meetings are held and structured, many clients are now looking at something different to get the creative juices flowing and seeking options where they can use a ‘No Limits’ style set-up for their particular meeting. This is a more informal style set-up with comfy couches and whiteboards, as some believe a table creates a barrier. By listening to our client feedback, we became involved in focus groups with hotels to deliver the perfect ‘No Limits” style room. Hotels such as Castleknock Hotel embraced this in offering the innovative ‘Thinking Factory’ meeting space with its stateof-the-art technology, which is a perfect place for brainstorming, product launches and strategic meetings.

Interesting New Venues In recent weeks, we were invited to the relaunch of The National Gallery as a potential venue for events. It is a hidden

The Hotel Solutions DMC team have organised a host of events for the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund. gem located in the centre of Dublin’s cultural quarter, overlooking Merrion Square, and was not somewhere we had thought of before. We now know this will work for any high end events or product launches, as the venue space will offer an unforgettable experience, with the

various dining and meeting options available in elegant surroundings. An added bonus is a private viewing of pieces from their collection and special exhibitions, which is very impressive for attendees and offers an extra dimension to any event, particularly for people who

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Conferences/Meetings About the Author ESTABLISHED in 2002, Hotel Solutions DMC is a secondgeneration family business, specialising in venue sourcing, conferences, incentives and events.

They provide a creative and innovative approach to the management and delivery of your business events and travel on the island of Ireland. For more information see www.hotel-solutions.ie.

enjoy the arts.

Another interesting addition to event space is The Vaults in the heart of the Liberties; it is an exciting new venue which combines team building and corporate space alike and a welcome addition to Dublin city with its immersive live theatre and two unique spaces available for private hire.

Just down the road is the development of The Hyatt Centric Hotel, opening in the Liberties this autumn, offering 234 bedrooms and 500 square metres of dedicated meeting and events space, catering for meetings ranging in size from 24 to 270 attendees. The hotel is owned by the Hodson Bay Group, who have handled numerous conferences and events for our clients throughout the years. They deliver an excellent level of customer service, hence we are delighted that they are expanding into

The Hyatt Centric Hotel, opening in the Liberties this autumn, will cater for meetings ranging in size from 24 to 270 attendees. the Dublin market. Definitely one to watch out for…

Changing Food Culture With the change in the food culture, Fáilte Ireland will launch an exciting new initiative this September, ‘Taste the Island’. This is an all-island celebration of Ireland’s food and drink, which showcases our worldrenowned produce and food and drink hospitality experiences from September to November 2019. This celebration

The National Gallery of Ireland offers a perfect space for high end events or product launches, as the venue space will offer an unforgettable experience, with the various dining and meeting options available in elegant surroundings.

will offer clients the opportunity to experience Ireland’s world class food and drink, high quality local ingredients and our incredibly creative chefs, distillers, brewers and food producers.

The programme of events is extensive, including food & drink festivals, visits to food producers, distillers and brewers; food trails; participation in traditional skills; opportunities to forage and fish or simply letting the client sit back and enjoy the best modern Irish cuisine in traditional pubs and small-town cafés.

It’s, therefore, no surprise the way our clients look at the tea/ coffee breaks & lunch offerings while attending meetings. This requirement has changed considerably through the years as clients now want a broader focus on healthier foods. We are always working closely with our preferred hotels and venues to create more interesting offerings, to include things like smoothies, granola pots and fruit choices for tea and coffee breaks, as people are a lot more health conscious. Bowl food lunch options have also become increasingly popular, replacing the traditional sit down. This move towards a healthier working environment as a matter of corporate policy also assists in the creative process for brainstorming.

Team Building: From Axes to Alpacas Team building has also grown in importance as it develops a strong team spirit, and a motivated team is paramount to all organisations, whatever their dynamic. We have witnessed a big uptake in this sector,

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS Whether it’s a conference, an event or a meeting our team at CorkCARE International Hotel will ensure TAKING OF BUSINESS TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS your business gets a standing ovation.

Whether it’s a conference, an event or a meeting Whether it’s a conference, an event or a meeting our team at Cork International Hotel will ensure our team at Cork International Hotel will ensure your business gets a standing ovation. your business gets a standing ovation.

+ 353 (0)+ 21 454 9800 | CorkInternationalHotel.com 353 (0) 21 454 9800 | CorkInternationalHotel.com + 353 (0) 21 454 9800 | CorkInternationalHotel.com

PROUDLY CURATED BY TRIGON HOTELS PROUDLY CURATED BY TRIGON HOTELS PROUDLY CURATED BY TRIGON HOTELS

& CONFERENCE CENTRE

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NaTIoNWIDE DIsTrIbUTIoN oF NEWspapErs & MagazINEs

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eM News Distribution (Ireland) Ltd Unit 7, Willsborough Industrial Estate, Clonshaugh, Dublin 17.

Tel: 01 – 802 3200 Email:customer.service@emnewsdistribution.ie Web: www.emnewsdistribution.com

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Conferences/Meetings

Clients can go trekking with Alpacas as part of a bespoke team adventure. with companies investing more in their employees. Depending on budget, we can offer anything from a yoga or mindfulness session right up to building a racing car out of cardboard, breadmaking to more traditional elements of outdoor based pursuits. Themed offerings are now widely available, influenced by TV programmes, including events such as axe throwing or foraging for food which you cook later, or interacting with animals in specific locations where clients go trekking with Alpacas as part of a bespoke team adventure: this can also be paired with a fruit based wine experience from a locally made wine. This experience is great fun - ask our team for more details or a quotation.

Another fun element is the ‘Vintage Tea’ tour, which is a unique and different option for smaller numbers travelling around Dublin city in an old style double decker bus and offers great value for money.

New to the market and another favourite of ours is the Inner Winner Institute, where you can reconnect with your story and purpose, develop new leadership skills, experience clarity, purpose and focus, while making memories which will last a lifetime.

This represents a new space of selfreflection, wellbeing, learning and development. Alan Kerins (a celebrated, Irish elite performance GAA sports star) invites you into a transformative environment that is the culmination of experiences gained through his work as a sportsman, humanitarian and social entrepreneur. Why not try his ‘Connemino’ workshop in the inspirational settings of Connemara,

while staying in the stunning Ballynahinch Castle for that truly memorable experience?

Creativity to the Fore The competitive area of meeting and events across the country, not unlike the FMGC sector, sees various venues and hotels constantly exploring how to attract both local and national business to use their spaces for all types of events by offering something different and quirky. Creativity in both meeting room structure and set-up is an area which hotels and venues focus on as they strive to offer something different, developing ongoing relationships with clients.

Hotel Solutions DMC has been involved in many focus groups at development

stages to assist in bringing something new to the sector. When you boil it down, the hospitality sector is all about people; service is the key to the success of any meeting or event.

Such are the numerous venue offerings now available that it can be difficult for clients to get an overview of what might suit their requirements.

We can make things so much simpler for our clients as we have a very broad knowledge of the meeting and conference market, allied to the team building sector. The event management market has grown year-on-year as businesses from all sectors continue to offload the responsibility and stress of organising key events to event management players.

Hotel Solutions DMC have handled numerous events on behalf of the IGBF, including their annual Christmas lunch for up to 1,250 people and the TWIG lunch event for over 460 attendees.

Established since 2002, our focus is on strong customer relationship management; central to that success is the relationship we have developed with our service providers. Our management of the interface between our clients and suppliers is exceptional. We look after your event, which in turn allows you to turn up and focus on your own company objectives. We know all the best venues and critically, we have stronger buying power with our preferred suppliers, based on the volume of business we give them. Let us source and arrange your meeting or conference and save you time to meet your day-to-day deadlines.

Contact info@hotel-solutions.ie for a quotation.

Axe throwing, just one of the team-building events growing in popularity.

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Shopfitting

The Perfect Fit! Top tips for retail success from the Shop and Display Equipment Association.

FOR somebody who has natural design creativity and flair, the art of good store design may be simple. But for most of us, designing an exciting store can be really tough! You may have thousands of different products to display in a compact space. You may be fearful of losing existing customers or missing a valuable sale and have certainly never considered your store as a work of art before. Does this sound familiar?

Setting up a shop is not an easy option these days. The competition is vast, the sophistication and demands are intense and consumer confidence and spend are very changeable, given the uncertainty of the coming months.

Sometimes even the muscles of the multiples, flexed and toned to perfection, are struggling for survival.

Internet sales continue to rise and have an increasingly detrimental effect on our traditional shopping routes, with smartphones opening up another convenient shopping channel. The latest mobile phone apps make shopping, or sourcing a bargain, even easier. Many apps direct users to the nearest and cheapest store stocking a particular product: all they have to do is scan the item.

Modern, Minimal Interior With so much competition, getting the right mix is essential for survival. You must be aware of the trends and be prepared to apply them to your business, boasting both unique products and unique in-store interior!

No more cramped, cluttered stores, which is where so many retailers go wrong. A modern, minimal interior, backed up by good customer service, is the answer and works every time. It gives the customer more space to shop, both physically and emotionally, and in turn allows the products to stand out, increasing sales and securing repeat business.

The good news is that people still love to shop, but the bad news is their expectations are even greater! They want to look good; they want the latest trends; they want to keep up with technology;

they want the best, and above all, they want the ‘best’ price.

This is where the London-based Shop and Display Equipment Association can help. Here are our ten top tips for independent retail success: SDEA’s Top 10 Tips 1. Strip out the clutter to create a clean and more spacious environment where the customer feels comfortable and wants to stay longer; 2. Branding is vital – whether you are an independent or multiple store, the overall design must reflect your corporate identity, brand heritage and outlook; 3. Consider the products that you stock and how they fit together, what colours and styles work best together, what they convey and what you want to get across to the public; 4. Identify your target market and aim your product displays and shopfittings at that audience. For

instance; if you’re target audience is young, the store needs to bright and bold, definitely fashionable and trendy, if you’re attracting 30-40-somethings, it should be more stylish and elegant with a contemporary edge, and, for an older clientele, classic colours and themes with a twist (they’re not as old as they used to be!); 5. Choose a relevant theme, create a unique feature, enlarge upon it and make it the very essence of your shop. You could do this using, props and accessories, and be very flamboyant and quirky, or you could use actual fittings and fixtures to help convey the store's overall outlook; by selecting rugged, unfinished shelving and railing for an outdoors feel, or perhaps intricate and elaborate designs for a one-off look. Bear in mind that smart, modern, relatively neutral fixtures and fittings create the perfect backdrop, allowing the

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Shopfitting Astron Engineering

A modern, minimal interior, with good lighting and backed up by good customer service, works every time.

1. product to shine! Whichever route you choose, the design should embody your core ethics and outlook.

2. Stunning windows bring shoppers in! Be creative, use lots of colour and have fun. Even when the shop is closed, it can continue to work, so if you have a window display, it needs to be powerful! Windows and in-store displays must work together in order to entice the customer in and excite them into purchasing.

Another popular alternative is to open up the entire storefront using a glass facade so that the customer can see right across the store and navigate their journey before even entering. Large format graphics have become popular display aids. They are a great means to convey ‘lifestyle’ branding - a picture speaks a million words - and are economical and easy to roll out to multiple stores.

3. Good lighting is essential!

It has the ability to make or break a great store layout.

Bright lighting is imperative for successful display, way-finding and the feel good factor. There are a number of thriving retailers, particularly clothes retailers, that use dramatic, theatrical lighting within very dark stores as part of their inherent identity, like Desigual, Superdry, and All

Saints, but there is no place for a poorly lit store!

4. Smells and tastes are also important. No one wants to enter a foul smelling store, or changing area! These elements really come into play with food stores, delis and cafés, where delightful aromas of coffee, cake and freshly baked bread entice shoppers into buying.

5. For the perfect retail mix, add a variety of in-store events, special offers and customer loyalty benefits to ensure additional footfall and sales in quiet times.

6. Good customer service – there’s absolutely no point in investing in your store interior unless you invest in your staff. Polite and courteous staff, well informed about the product range and willing to help and offer advice when necessary, will win every time.

SDEA has a unique guide to retail display, full of creative and innovative ideas and inspiration for creating retail environments that work. The SDEA Directory lists all our members with detailed descriptions of their products and services. The showcase gallery offers a visual interpretation of their many retail display items and the quick reference guides help you locate a supplier by the retail trade or the products in which they specialise.

For more information on this, visit www.shopdisplay.org.

ASTRON Engineering are specialists in the design and manufacture of customised food display equipment for the retail and hospitality sectors.

They understand that customers buy with their eyes and design displays to make your products look great and stay fresh for longer.

Astron Engineering’s product range has grown over the years from their well-known signature salad bars to bespoke fish counters, cheese displays, island hot bars and deli / hot serve overs, and they can offer full integration solutions, all to the highest standards. Additions to their portfolio include ice cream kiosks, high end deli / café fitouts, from refrigeration requirements to ambient counters. Astron Engineering are also Ireland’s only approved agent for Dry Ager cabinets, the masters in traditional dry aging meat in a modern and sterile environment.

They design and manufacture all bespoke equipment in their Co. Wicklow factory. “From concept to completion, we offer the full service that our reputation has been built upon,” notes Tom O’Dowd, Managing Director. “No job is too big or too small, Astron Engineering can design and build a solution just right for you."

For more information, contact: Tom O’Dowd, Managing Director.

Email: todowd@astroneng.ie. Tel: 087 2565484.

Jennifer Hayes, Business Development Manager Email: jennifer@astroneng.ie. Tel: 087 6914557.

Astron Engineering Ltd Charvey Lane Rathnew Co. Wicklow A67P656 Ph: (0404) 69215 e-mail: info@astroneng.ie website: www.astroneng.ie

Astron Engineering specialise in the design and manufacture of customised food display equipment .

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Industry Update

Manor Farm Bringing Hope to Haiti in Partnership with Haven IRISH chicken producer Manor Farm is launching a ‘Bringing Hope to Haiti’ on-pack promotion in the retail trade across multiples, symbol groups and independent butchers, with their charity partner Haven. Throughout August and September, a 10c per pack donation will be made to Haven. The on-pack promotion will be featured on Manor Farm fresh chicken products.

Manor Farm has supported Haven since 2015 and volunteer teams have travelled to Haiti to help support families locally become more self sufficient in a domestic chicken enterprise. Manor Farm has built over 40 chicken coops in Haiti, as well as contributing to local community projects in education and clean water access. In September this year, 20 volunteers will travel to Haiti from Manor Farm Ireland, along with colleagues from the wider organisation

across Scandi Standard, with the ambition of building a further 20 chicken coops, while also supporting and educating local Haitians to develop a sustainable livelihood.

Broadening the CSR Commitment “We are delighted to partner with Haven again this year and have a team of 20 volunteers from the company travelling

from Ireland, Norway and Denmark,” explained Vincent Carton, MD, Manor Farm. “Our commitment to Haven's activities locally in Haiti is to reach an overall target this year of €200K. As a business with a long Irish heritage, we support a number of charities in Ireland and partnering with Haven has allowed us to broaden our CSR commitment, share our values and expertise, and help educate families in Haiti to become more self-sufficient.”

Manor Farm's 'Bringing Hope to Haiti' on-pack promotion will be supported in retail with in-store POS visibility, as well as the on-pack 10c Haven donation message to coincide with the team travelling to Haiti. Manor Farm, which dates back to 1775, is the largest chicken processor in Ireland.

For more information, see Manorfarm.ie or Havenpartnership.ie.

Making a Beeline for Women’s Health & Vitality ONE in five Irish people experience ongoing gastrointestinal problems like bloating, constipation or diarrhoea. Stress has unfortunately become an inevitable part of modern life and women are also prone to iron deficiency and pregnancy or hormonal related discomfort.

Beeline Healthcare have a range of supplements to help relieve symptoms of stress, poor digestion and contribute to women’s overall health and vitality over the summer months.

Beeline Fibe has been scientifically proven to help optimise the levels of friendly bacteria in the intestine vital for good health and vitality and helps maintain digestive balance. Fibe capsules contain 4 billion friendly bacteria, along with Vitamins C, B6 and Vitamin D, which help to support the immune system and also contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Beeline Vitality triple action

vitamins support women’s general health, vitality and wellbeing.

It contains key vitamins Iron, Vitamin D and Beeline Vitality triple Folic Acid, action vitamins support which women’s general health, support vitality and wellbeing. brain health, the immune system and contribute to a reduction in fatigue.

Folic Acid is also highly recommended for women of childbearing age as it helps prevent neural defects developing in the foetus.

Beeline Evening Primrose Oil plays an important role in female

metabolism by maintaining hormonal balance, healthy skin and supple joints. Each capsule has added Vitamin E to help promote healthy looking skin.

Beeline Folic Acid: it is recommended that Folic Acid be taken for 14 weeks prior to pregnancy and for 12 weeks after pregnancy.

Beeline Iron Sustained Release capsules release iron gradually throughout the day using a breakthrough formula which ensures the steady release of Iron over a 24hour period.

A vegetarian or vegan diet may lead to a deficiency of certain key nutrients, such as B12, Vitamin D3 & Iron. Beeline has created two new products specifically to help support the nutritional needs of vegetarians and vegans, which have been approved by The Vegetarian Society; Beeline Vegetarian Multivitamin Effervescent Tablets and Beeline Vegetarian Multivitamin Tablets.

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Back To School / Lunch Box

The Lunch Bunch

The move towards health and wellness is a key trend across all mealtimes, including the lucrative lunch market.

LUNCH is big business for retailers, and not just at the deli counter. Time-pressed consumers are increasingly bringing packed lunches and dining ‘al desko’, with a wealth of new products aimed at this market.

Just because workers are bringing lunch with them, however, they don’t want to compromise either on taste or on nutrition, with the health & wellness trend now firmly enshrined right across the meal-time spectrum, including lunch. Manufacturers are extremely cognisant of this, with a host of new products offering new flavours and authentic tastes, without compromising on health credentials.

The same goes for school lunches, with parents increasingly concerned about their children’s diets and intent on providing them with nutritionally balanced lunches that deliver on both nutrition and flavour.

Denny Since 1820, Denny has been a staple of fridges all over Ireland. “Whether it’s making sure that kids’ lunchboxes are filled or mid-afternoon cravings are met, we’re proud to serve our reliable and trusted Denny range,” revealed Nicola Weldon, IOI Marketing and Category Director, Kerry Foods. “The reliables

Fire & Smoke, inspired by the flavours of the American Deep South. include our Bord Bia Approved Denny Slow Cooked Carved and Crumbed Ham, our 100% Turkey Breast Slices and our 100% Chicken Breast Slices.”

Exploration is in the DNA of Denny’s chefs, taking inspiration from the original man himself, founding Denny’s 4-Day Bord Bia Dry Cure Ham is proving hugely father Henry Denny. popular with Irish consumers.

“Our craft range experiments with cures, flavours and more, indulging those looking for a taste of tradition with a twist,” Weldon added. “Elevate your packed lunches with our Fire & Smoke range – inspired

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Back To School / Lunch Box by a trip to the Deep South, or try our 4 day Bord Bia Dry Cure ham. This range is constantly evolving so keep an eye out!”

Strings & Things Kerry Foods’ Strings and Things is the new family of kids snacks that feature family favourites Cheestrings & Yollies, and now the new cheese snacking innovation, Cheeshapes! Cheeshapes Icons and Cheeshapes Randoms were co-created with kids and parents, meaning kids love them and parents have the comfort of knowing they are full of dairy goodness. Each bag of Cheeshapes contains real cheese pieces in either emoji or random shapes, playing into key kids’ trends whilst also up-aging the kids snacking category.

Cheeshapes are designed to spark the imagination of kids and are set to rocket the cheese snacking category penetration skywards.

training. Protein not only helps to build muscle, it also helps to maintain the muscle you have. Tuna is a fantastic source of natural protein, and salmon also provides a good intake.”

Innovations such as John West Infusions and Creations make it easy for consumers to eat fish twice a week, as recommended by healthy eating guidelines.

Their latest innovation is the new John West No Drain Tuna Fridge Pot! This is a new format for the brand’s No Drain tuna, that makes it even easier for your active customers to get in a natural protein snack into their training diet.

They simply peal it, reseal it and pop it in the fridge!

Glenilen Farm Glenilen Farm has added a range of children’s yogurts, Live Yogi to its portfolio of over 50 products. The children’s range, designed to function as a healthy snack for kids, is produced on the family farm, made with live yogurt, just a few simple ingredients, and no “nasties” and will offer a greater choice to Irish consumers who want to purchase Irish produced children’s yogurts. The Live Yogi range of three flavours includes Strawberry, Vanilla and Banana, all of which are served in perfect kids sized portions (90g), with 4 x 90g available in a multi-pack.

Naturally Cordial Naturally Cordial is delighted to introduce two new flavours. Fragrant Orange and Lemon & Lime Leaf will now be available in new smaller, 330ml party-size bottles and will retail for €3.49 per bottle.

Fragrant Orange combines orange with extract of orange blossom, giving the drink gorgeous floral notes. Lemon & Lime Leaf is a twist on the existing Naturally Cordial Lemon & Lime flavour.

The Kaffir Lime Leaf adds a strong citrus savour to the cordial, making it really different.

The party-size bottles are a great way to try out the new flavours. Two

Cheeshapes Icons, part of Kerry Foods’ Strings & Things range, loved by kids and parents alike.

John West John West has always been a trusted family name, synonymous with quality everyday fish. “At John West, we strive to reach our loyal customers, while appealing to new consumers by launching innovation that is not only tasty and convenient but is also relevant to our consumers’ active healthy lifestyles,” noted Anne-Claire Monde, Marketing Manager, John West.

When your customers are looking for solutions and inspiration to get a protein rich snack that fuels their active healthy lifestyle or even their sport training, fish can be a great natural alternative.

According to Sarah Keogh, John West’s Consultant Dietitian and Nutritionist, “Fish is a great source of natural protein, one of the most important nutrients we need during

The Live Yogi range from Glenilen Farm comes in Strawberry, Vanilla and Banana flavours.

Innovations such as the John West Fridge Pot make it easy for consumers to eat fish twice a week, as recommended by healthy eating guidelines.

Naturally Cordial is made and produced in Wexford from whole fruit to a traditional recipe, then pasteurised.

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Back To School / Lunch Box other bestselling Naturally Cordial flavours are also available in the smaller size; Wexford Blackcurrant and Strawberry, Cucumber & Lime.

Naturally Cordial is made and produced in Wexford by Clodagh Davis. The range is made from whole fruit to a traditional recipe, then pasteurised.

Using local fruit from neighbours and friends along with organic citrus fruit ensures their cordials are bursting with flavour.

Nesquik Nesquik, the iconic family favourite milk drink, has joined the long list of flavours available in the Nescafé Dolce Gusto system. Providing the familiar cocoa flavour adored by generations, each serving of Nescafé Dolce Gusto Nesquik hot chocolate also offers a generous foam top, giving drinkers a unique and indulgent experience.

Nesquik is the latest Nestlé brand available within the Nescafé Dolce Gusto system, which also offers the classic Chococino and Chococino Caramel hot chocolates Nesquik, the iconic family under the favourite milk drink, is now Nescafé available in the Nescafé Dolce Dolce Gusto Gusto system. label.

Earlier this year, Nestlé welcomed the iconic American Starbucks coffee brand to Nescafé Dolce Gusto, bringing coffee shop favourites like Starbucks Caramel Macchiato and Starbucks Americano House Blend Medium Roast, into the homes and workplaces of millions of Nescafé Dolce Gusto users around the world.

In addition to introducing customer favourites, Nescafé Dolce Gusto has also embraced the origins trend with its Colombia Sierra Nevada Lungo, Peru Cajamarca Espresso, Honduras Corquin Espresso and Mexico Chiapas Americano drinks, offering a worldclass, premium, organic origin coffee experience, available online at www.dolce-gusto.ie.

“I’m delighted to welcome Nesquik to the Dolce Gusto offering. Nesquik is a firm family favourite, and a great addition to our current offerings of coffees, hot chocolates and teas,” noted Nescafé Dolce Gusto Ireland Manager, Carol Anne Deasy. “We are committed to offering our consumers the widest possible choice in the fast growing and competitive portioned serve capsule category.”

The Happy Pear The Happy Pear have launched new compostable pouches for their granola and compostable tubs for their sprouts. The new compostable pouches replace plastic tubs and are now available in SuperValu

Lindor Treat Bar is available in three flavours: the classic Lindor milk recipe, an orange flavoured milk chocolate and a new mint flavoured chocolate.

Lindor Serves Up a Treat!

The smooth melting Lindor Treat Bar is Ireland’s number one premium chocolate countline and is a proven must stock product for retailers this year (Source: Nielsen Scantrack MAT, Snacking Countline Market, to May 19, 2019). Available in a slim stick format, it is the perfect on-the-go treat and is available in three delectable flavours – the classic Lindor milk recipe, an orange flavoured milk chocolate and a new mint flavoured chocolate for those looking for something with a little twist.

The Lindor Treat Bar range also includes Lindor Milk and Orange Multipacks, the same slim stick packaging but in a convenient multipack format, perfect for filling lunch boxes or as a little picnic treat while you are out and about.

The Lindor Treat Bar 38g range retails at €1.29 and is available nationwide. The Lindor Multipack is available in all leading retailers and retails at €2.69.

The Lindor Treat Bar range includes Lindor Milk and Orange Multipacks, perfect for lunch boxes. stores nationwide.

The Happy Pear have a team dedicated to sustainable packaging and over the last year, they have extensively reviewed their packaging and moved to more sustainable solutions. They continue to look for sustainable packaging solutions for their products, which also ensures the quality of the food inside isn’t compromised in any way.

Stephen and David Flynn from The Happy Pear are pictured at the launch of the new compostable pouches.

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Forecourt Focus: News Applegreen Drops Fuel Prices in Ireland APPLEGREEN recently dropped fuel prices across the Republic of Ireland by 4 cent or more.

In a reaction to recent lower crude oil prices, Applegreen is passing savings directly on to their customers.

“We are committed to our customers and to our 'low fuel prices always' promise, so we’re delighted we can help our customers’ hard-earned cash go that bit further this summer and share the cost savings of recent lower crude oil prices with them," explained Applegreen Managing Director for Ireland, Dáire Nolan.

FUEL PRICES DOWN!

We’ve dropped

4c off fuelgood fuel prices in every Applegreen

*

*T&C’s apply.

Circle K Announces Partnership with Paralympics Ireland

Pictured are: Jordan Lee, high-jumper; Niall Anderton, MD of Circle K Ireland; John Fulham, President of Paralympics Ireland; Orla Comerford, sprinter.

Applegreen Partners with Taste of Dublin APPLEGREEN was the Official Coffee Partner at this year’s Taste of Dublin, for the second consecutive year. Applegreen takes pride in its coffee culture, and serving sustainably sourced, great tasting coffee to their customers, and this partnership further showcased their commitment. Visitors could immerse themselves in the coffee culture by visiting the Applegreen stand and experiencing their passion for coffee, taste their specialty Rainforest Alliance, 100% Arabica coffee and try their range of signature drinks and delicious treats on offer.

CIRCLE K has announced a new partnership with Paralympics Ireland, which will see the forecourt retailer become the Official Fuel and Convenience Partner to the Irish Paralympic Team as they continue their preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games next summer.

Irish European Para Athletic Championship bronze medallists, Jordan Lee and Orla Comerford, joined Circle K’s Managing Director Niall Anderton and Paralympics Ireland President John Fulham at Citywest Hotel in Dublin to make the announcement, as Circle K welcomed over 500 staff and independent dealer partners to its annual conference.

Over the coming months, the partnership will become integrated across Circle K’s expansive network of 410 sites nationwide, ensuring visibility of its support of Irish Paralympians in-store, on the forecourt and on the road.

“We’re excited to support Irish Paralympians on their journey to Tokyo, as part of a new partnership with Paralympics Ireland,” said Niall Anderton, MD of Circle K. “Communities are at the heart of everything we do as an organisation and the Paralympic Games bring communities across Ireland together in support of the extraordinary people who represent them.

“We are looking forward to bringing this partnership to life across the Circle K network over the coming months, along with our sponsorship of Team Ireland’s Olympic athletes ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Games and wish all athletes every success for the journey ahead.”

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Shelf Life THE House of Peroni returns to Dublin this summer for its fourth instalment, from August 22 to September 1. Part of a global House of Peroni series, which includes events in Barcelona, Paris, Stockholm, Santiago and Johannesburg, this year’s Dublin residency will see the Royal Hibernian Academy on Ely Place, Dublin 2, transformed into a stylish Peroni inspired experience, with input from three Irish creatives – Roisin Lafferty, multi award winning designer; Killian Crowley, chef de partie at Michelin-starred Aniar restaurant in Galway; and Kev Freeney, a creative director in Algorithm, widely known for their highly technical and creative productions. They were immersed in the style of Peroni along with the beauty of authentic Italian design, culture, architecture, food and craftsmanship, and will bring this inspiration back to Dublin to create this year’s House of Peroni residency experience: www.thehouseofperoni.com.

IRISH festival goers are becoming a lot more eco-conscious, according to new research carried out by Musgrave MarketPlace.

80% of people polled say it’s important for food vendors to offer compostable cups and cutlery, and half say they are more likely to purchase food and drink from vendors who don’t use single use plastic. So important is this, that 62% say they will seek out food and drink sellers who have a reputation for environmentalism at the next festival they attend. The move towards less plastic is also reflected in the growing demand for compostable products at Musgrave MarketPlace. Earlier this year, Musgrave MarketPlace reported that sales of eco-friendly products were up 198% in the first nine weeks of the year, with that figure rising to 228% by June 2019.

ABP has recently recorded success at two prestigious international sustainability award ceremonies.

ABP was awarded the Sustainable Supplier Award by International Food Service and Production Group OSI in Munich in June. The company was also presented with a Sustainability Leadership Award at the Sustainable Food Awards 2019 in Amsterdam. Eoin Ryan and Amanda Carroll from ABP are pictured with the awards.

THE Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI), the independent self-regulatory body committed to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications in Ireland, has appointed Ann Marie Lenihan, CEO of NewsBrands Ireland (left), to their Board, alongside Clare Mulcahy (right), Senior Consumer Protection Manager at Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to the Independent Complaints Committee.

KEPAK Group has claimed a staggering 16 awards at the fifth annual World Steak Challenge. Kepak was awarded four gold medals in the grass-fed categories and claimed an additional gold medal in the grain-fed category. “Kepak is extremely proud of its success at this year’s World Steak Challenge, which is a significant achievement,” said Tom Finn, Kepak Chief Commercial Officer.

“Awards like these reaffirm Kepak’s commitment to providing highquality meat for all our customers, based on our stringent selection process and butchering and maturation expertise, which have been refined and perfected over our many years in business.”

WALSH Whiskey has created a new core expression for its Writers’ Tears range which focuses on exploring the rarest of whiskey blends first made popular in 18th century Ireland, aged Single Pot Still and Single Malt premium whiskeys.

Writers’ Tears Double Oak is a blend of the two premium whiskey styles aged in two types of wood - American and French Oak. It is triple-distilled, nonchill filtered and bottled at 46% ABV. The new expression is made possible by a close collaboration between the Walsh family in Ireland’s County Carlow and the Legaret family in Cognac, France.

KINETIC Ireland, the leading Out of Home (OOH) media agency, has appointed Michelle Harrison as Communications Manager. In her new role, Michelle will apply her skills in traditional and digital marketing, social media, project management, sales and event planning. She will work closely with the marketing team, compiling key content and will have responsibility for the production of internal and external communication materials. In addition to this, Michelle’s work will involve building and maintaining their social media channels and website.

HENEGHAN PR has announced the promotion of Emma Gallagher to Account Director. Prior to her new role, Emma served as a Senior Account Manager with Heneghan PR since 2016. On a day-to-day basis, she directs communications and media relations campaigns for a number of leading clients across a range of sectors, including ABP Food Group; National Broadband Ireland; SSE Ireland; NTR; Kinetic; Kantar Media; and the South / South West Hospital Group.

LILLET, the classic apéritif from Bordeaux, and a staple of sidewalk cafes and early evening cocktail parties across Paris, is quickly becoming the must have summer spritz in Ireland. The Lillet Rosé Spritz is the prettiest cocktail you’ll see this summer, created from 50ml Lillet Rosé, 100ml premium tonic water, a slice of lime and sliced strawberries.

TEELING Whiskey recently celebrated the fourth anniversary of its award-winning distillery. In June 2015, Teeling Whiskey began a new chapter in modern Irish whiskey history when it opened the first new distillery in Dublin for over 125 years to the public. In the past four years, over 425,000 people have visited the Teeling Whiskey Distillery, to experience the unique sounds and smells of an authentic, modern Irish whiskey distillery in the heart of Dublin’s city.

Show Ireland 2019

5th

www.foodhospitality.ie

1 Day 200 Speakers 3,500 Delegates 200 Exhibitors  50 Supporting Associations

CITYWEST D U B L I N SEPTEMBER 5TH

2019

THE LARGEST GATHERING OF FOOD INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ON THE ISLAND OF IRELAND

Join 3,500 delegates, 200 speakers and 200 exhibitors at Food, Retail & Hospitality Ireland on 5th September 2019.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: • Supermarkets • Symbol Groups • Convenience Stores • Independents • Online Retail • Wholesalers & Distributors • Restaurants • Hotels • Cafe Bars • Food Producers • Contract Catering • Corporate Catering • Takeaways • Healthcare Catering • Education Catering • Bakeries • Pub/Clubs • Event Catering • Prison Catering • Defence

The purpose of the Food, Retail and Hospitality Ireland has a singular focus – to bring together retailers, foodservice companies, hospitality groups, regulatory groups and key suppliers of equipment, technology, food and services to Irelands commercial kitchens and food retailers, in order to facilitate sharing of knowledge and best practise as well as offering an unrivalled opportunity to connect key buyers from the food retailing, foodservice and hospitality sector with key exhibitors supplying into these sectors.

DELEGATES WILL ATTEND FROM: • Food Processors and Manufacturers • Food Retailers • Convenience Stores • Independents • Pubs & Cafe’s • Food Service • Restaurants • Forecourt Retailing • Craft Beers & Spirits • Artisan & Fine Foods • Contract Catering

As well as an action packed conference, over 200 exhibitors will be on hand to guide and inform our delegates about equipment, technology, food and services that can improve their business.

This 1 day event will gather all of the key players working in the food industry in one room for one day. The event is Co-located with a number of other events. Delegates simply need to register for one event and then then move freely between all the dedicated conferences and exhibitions. A selection of the events is listed below:

CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

THE BREXIT FOOD SUMMIT Citywest Exhibition Centre

Artisan

The Pub and Off Licences

I R E L A N D

Expo

& fine foods show

Import, Export and Foreign Direct Investment Conference Citywest Exhibition Centre

Consumer Behaviour

Dublin, 5th September 2018

Future Food Factory

Dublin, 5th September 2018

The

& CONVENIENCE RETAIL EXPO

& Future Trends

Citywest Exhibition Centre

Dublin, 5th September 2018

Contact Colin at Colin@prempub.com or on 353 1 6120880 for more information

FUEL PRICES DOWN! We’ve dropped

4c off fuelgood fuel prices in every Applegreen *T&C’s apply. See applegreen.ie for details.