Retail News April 2022

Retail News APRIL 2022

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

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Contents

News

A devastating conflict OUR thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Oleksander Zavhoridniy, the Ukrainian man and former Aldi assistant manager, who died in the Donbas region of the country recently, weeks after he left his longtime home in Ireland to join the fight against Russia.

Known as Alex, he worked at Aldi Sandyford in Dublin for almost 10 years, where he will be hugely missed by friends, colleagues and customers.

His untimely passing, at the age of 45, brings the terrible war in Ukraine even closer to home.

Here in Ireland, we have not been found wanting in our response to the humanitarian crisis, and the grocery/ FMCG industry has stepped up in a bid to help. Musgrave Group, along with their customers, have donated over €1m worth of funds and goods to support the Ukrainian people.

Noel Keeley, CEO of the Musgrave Group, described the impact of the war as “devastating”. “At Musgrave, we have Ukrainian colleagues, family members and friends, and we wanted to act quickly to help those who need it most,” he noted. “I would like to acknowledge all those who worked so hard to put in place such a fast response and a heartfelt thank you to our customers for their generosity. These donations are essential to help people who are suffering, but what we all want to see is a peaceful resolution to this conflict, sooner rather than later.” A sentiment we can all agree with.

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

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Retailers call on Government to spill the beans on coffee levy.

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90% of National Lottery sales returned to communities.

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FSAI issues warning over counterfeit Wonka branded bars; SuperValu TidyTowns competition launched for 2022.

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Grocery inflation rises at second anniversary of lockdown; Molson Coors making the switch to 100% green electricity.

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SuperValu Food Academy Programme open to food businesses; Lidl proposing to build 60 apartments alongside new Dublin store.

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Irish seafood economy grows to a record €1.26 billion; Irish Food Writers’ Guild Award winners announced.

The Future of Food 12

Love Irish Food’s recent webinar, ‘Embracing Change – Adapting to Change’ saw a top class line-up of speakers explaining the changing marketplace and predicting future trends.

Dairygold 16

Dairygold have launched a range of plant-based dairy alternatives, including cheeses and a spread.

Autism and Retailing 18

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David Little, Chair of the Irish Packaging Society, addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the Irish packaging industry as it faces up to the sustainability agenda.

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Mid Cork Pallets and Packaging 32

Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging are one of the country’s leading suppliers of pallet, packaging and storage solutions.

Form Fill Seal Packaging 34

Cavan-based Xtrupak are currently the only Irish company focused entirely on the Form Fill Seal market.

Cash & Carry / Wholesale Focus 37

A look at some of the biggest Cash & Carry / Wholesale brands in the country and the trends that will drive the market in the months ahead.

Cash Handling 44

A report into the latest developments in Cash Handling reveals how a Centra store is enjoying 100% cash security thanks to Premium Cash Solutions; Money Point partner with Arca on the latest cash management systems; ‘Safe-linK’ from APT is a one-way air tube and safe solution that reduces your risk of major loss due to robbery.

Employment Law

A special report into sustainability, including the 2021-22 Climate Survey, the launch of a new Food Processor Standard from Bord Bia, the results of new research into energy efficiency

Retail News

56

Barry Reynolds and Chris Ryan of DAC Beachcroft examine when conduct outside the workplace might become the business of an employer, resulting in disciplinary or other action.

Regulars & Reports

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

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Managing Director: Patrick Aylward

Packaging

To mark World Autism Month, we examine how a small change in one Clonakilty supermarket sparked a nationwide movement for inclusion and reveal how retailers can best support their autistic customers and employees.

Sustainability 22

attitudes amongst Irish businesses from Energia, Heineken Ireland’s latest sustainability report and a warning from Repak on the challenges ahead in meeting Ireland’s new plastic packaging recycling targets.

@RetailNews1

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Industry News

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Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

Editorial & Marketing Director: Kathleen Belton

kathleenbelton@retailnews.ie

Editor: John Walshe

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Wine Correspondent: Jean Smullen Graphics: Catherine McDonagh

Printed by: W&G Baird

Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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Tobacco Products

55

Drinks News

59

What’s New

60

Shelf Life

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News

Retailers call on Government to spill the RETAILERS want to know how a new levy on disposable coffee cups will be implemented. Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with responsibility for the Circular Economy, has proposed the introduction of a 20c levy on disposable cups by the end of 2021, following approval from the EU. However, retailers have concerns about the lack of details about the scheme’s practicalities and timeline.

“There are a significant number of unanswered questions when it comes to the administration of the initiative in-store, and the technology changes that would need to be applied,” Arnold Dillon, Director of Retail Ireland, told Retail News. “The priority for retailers is that, once a decision is made, there is an opportunity for engagement with Government.”

Arnold Dillon, Director of Retail Ireland.

Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with responsibility for the Circular Economy.

One of the central questions is this: who will collect the levy? “The last thing I want to see is a new quango being set up,” stated Vincent Jennings, CEO of the CSNA. “I would also be reticent to see local authorities being engaged.”

A spokesperson for the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications confirmed to Retail News the levy will be collected from the Revenue Commissioners “in a similar way to the plastic bag levy”.

Environmental levies on disposable cups will be paid into the Circular Economy Fund, currently known as the Environment Fund, and “ringfenced to provide funding to a range of environmental policies, programmes and initiatives”.

The Minister has stated his wish for consumers to migrate from disposable coffee cups to reusable Keep Cups.

However, Keep Cups present liability concerns for retailers. During the pandemic, the use of Keep Cups fell dramatically because of safety protocols.

What happens in the event that a customer presents a shopkeeper with a cup that has not been properly washed?

Who is responsible for a potential resulting illness? “When it comes to the practicalities of rolling them out, we need to cover all these issues,” said Dillon.

The Minister, in an address to the Seanad, declared his intention to legislate so that food and drink served

within a premises, such as a café or deli, must use non-disposable containers.

Arnold Dillon describes this as “a significant change for many companies”, particular those businesses (such as forecourts) that do not have crockery or dishwashers on-site. “A number of businesses have raised this concern,” Dillon noted. “We want to engage with the Department on that.”

According to statistics, 200m disposable cups are thrown out every year. In 2017, then Environment minister Denis Naughten TD explored the potential for local authorities to become part of a nationwide scheme, dubbed the Latte Levy, whereby customers could return their used reusable cups to participating outlets.

“The scheme did not proceed at a national level, although there are deposit and return schemes for cups throughout the country,” the government

Vincent Jennings, CEO of the CSNA. spokesperson told us.

The 20c levy will apply to compostable cups as well as environmentallyunfriendly paper ones, the spokesperson explained: “It is not intended to exempt recyclable or compostable cups from the levy. There are difficulties in recycling and composting single use cups. Most compostable cups are not suitable for home composting and must be composted commercially. Cups may be labelled as compostable but not certified as compostable; such cups cannot be placed in compost bins and should be disposed of as general waste.

“So, while certain cups may be recyclable or compostable, the problem is that if they are not disposed of correctly, they end up in landfill or turn up as litter on the side of our roads. Even

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News

beans on coffee levy if the cups were correctly disposed of, both options involve the entirely avoidable use of valuable resources to make, transport and dispose of a single use item. The use of a reusable cup is a small, simple action that we can all take that will help to move us away from the unsustainable linear economic model and towards a circular economy.”

Many Keep Cups are made of metals, ceramic and plastic.

Is this a sufficient trade-off? “Numerous Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs) of re-usable cups have found that these cups have a lower overall environmental impact than disposable cups, provided the re-usable cup is used enough times and washed efficiently,” the spokesperson revealed. “The break-even number of uses required will vary, depending on the material a re-usable cup is made from and the type of disposable cup compared to, but according to the LCAs can be as low as between 10 to 25 uses.”

Last July, the Government banned 10 single-use plastic products, including plastic Tara Buckley, RGDATA forks, knives and straws. The Director General.

20c levy on disposable cups is another step in the move to a circular economy. Under Minister Smyth’s plans, all non-reusable cups will be banned in Ireland by 2026. The Minster has stated his intention to ban the use of plastic covers on fruit and vegetables. A deposit refund scheme for aluminium and plastic cans and bottles, cartons and glass, is in motion. Retailers cite the success of the plastic bag levy as a way to make this scheme work.

“You would be hard pressed to find a plastic bag in the majority of our member stores,” said Vincent Jennings. “That is an enormous change in a 15-year period. The vast majority of our members deregistered from the revenue because they don’t supply bags any longer. That was a real success. I don’t believe the levy is going to reduce demand to any noticeable extent. I don’t think it’s going to be detrimental to business.”

“We’ve known for a long time that this is Government policy,” added Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General. “We’re supportive of a greener economy. We’re trying to do our bit to make sure we’re more sustainable and making less impact on the environment. Independent shopkeepers have been doing a lot in terms of managing their waste, doing more recycling, managing their refuse, being energy efficient. This is something the consumer wants to do and we play our part.”

Arnold Dillon concluded: “Businesses are up for the changes that are being outlined and they’re on board with the objectives around improving the circular economy.”

In response to concerns about the timeframe of a ban on single use disposable items, the department told Retail News: “The timeframe… will be set out following the enactment of the Bill. Any such proposal would be subject to a comprehensive public consultation process. It is unlikely a ban would be proposed before the proposed levy had been in place for sufficient time, to encourage greater use of re-usable cups among consumers.”

90% of National Lottery sales returned to communities 90% of all revenue generated from sales of National Lottery games is returned to communities in the shape of prizes, funding good causes and commission to retailers all over Ireland, according to Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), the operator of the National Lottery.

Approximate figures for the year ending 2020 revealed that €918m sales revenue was generated, with 58% returned in prizes (€528.9m), 27% transferred to the Good Causes Fund (€253.6m), and €49.3m (5%) paid in retail network commission.

“For every euro spent on National Lottery games in Ireland, 90c is returned to our communities in the form of prizes, Good Causes and retailer commission,” revealed Andrew Algeo, Chief Executive of PLI. “Each day, our players continue to have an enormous impact every time they buy a National Lottery ticket. Last year, over €289m was raised for the Good Causes Fund, which directly impacted thousands of charitable and community groups in towns and villages across Ireland.

“With almost 5,500 retail partners, the National Lottery retail network contributes significantly to the Good Causes Fund and in 2020, retail sales amounted to €783.1m. Retailer commission also grew to almost €50m, which benefited retailers all over Ireland,” the CEO continued. “2021 proved to be a life-changing year too for National Lottery players throughout the country with 29 brand new millionaires made with jackpot and top prize wins with amounts between €1m and €12.7m.”

Approximately 1.3m adults play National Lottery games and draws regularly. In 2021, this generated an average of €5.5m for the Good Causes Fund each week. One of the main purposes of the National Lottery is to raise money for Good Causes all over Ireland and since the inception of the National Lottery in 1987, more than €6 billion has been raised for Good Causes. Nearly 30c in every euro spent on National Lottery games goes to the Good Causes Fund and over 4,000 groups on average receive funding every year.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD announced in January that last year was a record-breaking year for the Good Causes Fund. National Lottery players raised an astonishing €289m for Good Causes in 2021, which represents a significant increase on the previous year and marks the sixth consecutive year in which the Good Causes Fund has experienced significant growth.

Pictured are Lotto presenter Kamal Ibrahim; Seamus Griffin, CEO, Griffin retail group; Sarah Orr, National Lottery; and Con Horgan of Fanzini productions and national circus festival.

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News

FSAI issues warning over counterfeit Wonka branded bars THE Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has warned consumers not to buy or eat Wonka branded chocolate bars, due to an increase in reports that counterfeit chocolate bars bearing this brand name are for sale on the market in Ireland.

The counterfeit chocolate bars may be unsafe to eat, as there is a possibility that they may not have been produced in line with food safety, hygiene and/or food traceability legal requirements to protect public health. Some examples of the issues identified to date with these counterfeit Wonka branded chocolate bars include: • • • •

failure to provide an accurate ingredients list e.g., undeclared ingredients and allergens on the label; false business name and address on the label; the rewrapping of various shop bought or homemade chocolate bars in Wonka wrappers; unregistered food businesses selling products online.

Kinder products, due to the possible presence of Salmonella.

The investigation into a food poisoning outbreak of Salmonella, which is affecting Ireland, the UK and a number of other European countries, is ongoing. To date, there have been 15 cases in Ireland, with the same strain of Salmonella responsible for the UK outbreak. A number of these Irish cases involved young children. The FSAI is warning consumers who may have the recalled products at home not to eat them. This extended food recall relates to Kinder Surprise, Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Egg Hunt Kit, and Kinder Schokobons. For more information, visit: www.fsai.ie/faq/kinder_recall.html.

“The FSAI is working closely with the food inspectors in

the Environmental Health Service of the HSE to ensure any counterfeit Wonka branded chocolate bars where there is a known or suspected consumer health risk are removed from sale,” noted Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI. “Consumers have a right to safe food and counterfeit foodstuffs will be pursued using the legal powers available to us.”

Meanwhile, at the time of going to press, the FSAI had advised that Ferrero have extended their recall of implicated

A number of counterfeit Wonka branded chocolate bars have been found in Ireland recently.

SuperValu TidyTowns competition launched for 2022 THE Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, recently launched the 2022 SuperValu TidyTowns competition, alongside SuperValu Managing Director, Ian Allen.

In place since 1958, the competition continues to grow from strength to strength. It is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development and sponsored by SuperValu.

“Seeing the competition back to its normal cycle is very welcome news and no doubt thousands of TidyTowns volunteers across the country are thrilled to see the competition back in full swing,” noted Minister Humphreys, who described the competition as “a great way to get involved in community life”.

The Minister commended SuperValu for “their continuing support and enthusiasm and for all they do in raising awareness of the competition.

Now in their 31st year of sponsorship, they continue through their nationwide network of retailers to make the competition one of the best known

sustainable and environmental initiatives in Ireland.”

Ian Allen, Managing Director of SuperValu, was delighted to be launching the 2022 competition in person following “a challenging couple of years for everyone”.

“This year marks our 31st year sponsoring the SuperValu TidyTowns competition and in Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Rural that time, we have and Community Development, and Ian Allen, seen it grow along the Managing Director, SuperValu, pictured in Ennis, way,” he said. “There Co. Clare, at the launch of the 2022 SuperValu is a great opportunity TidyTowns competition. to continue the evolution of SuperValu TidyTowns, enabling with colleagues, friends and neighbours us to engage and empower people in communities around the country to around the country to create sustainable make this a reality and we encourage communities, recognising the value of people to contact their local SuperValu our biodiversity, and coming together TidyTowns committee to join the efforts to play our part in response to climate being made to build more sustainable change. We look forward to working communities for all.”

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News Grocery inflation rises at second anniversary of lockdown IRISH supermarket sales fell by 7.3% over MARKET SHARE - TOTAL GROCERY Includes expenditure across Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Household and Health & Beauty categories the 12 weeks to March 20, 2022, according to the latest take-home grocery figures from Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend Kantar. However, sales are still up on 2020, % Change % Change although only by 1.3%, as the comparison 12 Weeks to 21/03/21 12 Weeks to 20/03/21 (year on year) (vs. 2 years) now includes the record demand for %* %* % % groceries before the first national lockdown in March 2020.

Total Outlets 100.0% 100.0% -7.3% 12.3% “All our remaining Covid-19 restrictions Total Multiples 90.1% 90.8% -6.5% 14.9% have eased across Ireland and that’s making Dunnes 21.1% 22.4% -1.7% 13.5% its mark on grocery sales,” notes Emer Healy, Senior Retail Analyst at Kantar. “Not SuperValu 22.2% 21.6% -9.6% 16.2% only are people heading back to the office, Tesco 21.8% 21.3% -9.3% 12.1% but they’re also enjoying returning to pubs, Aldi 12.1% 12.4% -5.2% 13.4% cafés, and restaurants, and as a result are Lidl 12.8% 13.0% -5.6% 21.7% picking up more food while on the go, rather than from the supermarkets.”

Other Outlets** 9.9% 9.2% -14.0% -8.2% The end of restrictions has coincided with price rises across the high street, * = Percentage Share of Total Grocers and grocery inflation now stands at 3.7% ** = Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers and Cross Border shops Source: Worldpanel FMCG – the highest level since October 2013. “As spiralling costs bite at the heels of retailers demographic buying online has nearly doubled, going from 14% to and shoppers, supermarket prices are 26% in March 2022. By 2024, we estimate that online will hold a 6.6% being pushed up,” Emer reveals. “The number of products sold share of total grocery sales – a figure which would have seemed on promotion has dropped by 5.7% as the grocers look to mitigate crazy before Covid-19 came along.” supply chain pressures, and we’ve seen a marked increase in the Another trend that’s showing its resilience is the rise of home average price of staples like bread, butter and toilet paper over the cooking: “After months at home, it’s safe to say that we’re all a lot last 12 weeks.” more comfortable flexing our culinary muscles and an increase in Inflation, rather than the pandemic, is now the main driver of cooking from scratch remains reflected at the tills. Sales of home changes to consumer behaviour in Ireland, according to Emer: “This baking and home cooking ingredients continue to see strong growth, is a stressful time for consumers and that anxiety is being felt on growing 14.6% and 20% respectively since 2019. Tea and coffee are the shop floor. With promotions down, shoppers are focused on another good example. Hybrid working means sales of hot beverages seeking out the cheaper alternatives. Private label’s share of the shot up by 23% over the latest period compared with pre-pandemic, grocery market is on the rise and has grown by 1.2% since last year. when we spent a lot more time in the office. Personal hygiene Retailers’ own lines now account for 46.3% of total grocery sales. remains top of the agenda too. Sales of liquid soap are up 36% Headlines around shortages of pasta and flour have also seen sales compared with 2019.” of those products soar, with both categories boosted by 22% and 30% All of the major retailers saw take-home grocery sales fall in the respectively during the month of March.”

12 weeks to March 20, 2022. “The competition between the grocers This latest data period also marks two years since the first is ramping up as people hunt for the best deals,” Emer reveals. lockdown and the Senior Retail Analyst believes that it’s becoming “Those grocers with strong messaging on lower average prices and clearer which pandemic grocery habits are here to stay: “The growth promotional offers are best placed to come out on top.” of online shopping has been one of the most staggering shifts to Dunnes retained their position as Ireland’s largest grocer and shopper behaviour in recent memory, with all retailers now offering holds a 22.4% market share this period. SuperValu pipped Tesco to some form of online shopping. Since 2018, online’s share of the second place, with the retailers claiming a market share of 21.6% market has grown by 3.1 percentage points, a boost largely driven and 21.3% respectively. Lidl follows behind with a 13% share of the by couples without children, who are natural converts to online market, while Aldi holds 12.4%. technology. Since the same period in 2018, the proportion of this

Molson Coors making the switch to 100% green electricity ALL of Molson Coors Beverage Company’s beers sold in the Irish market are to be brewed using 100% green electricity. The beers, including Carling, Molson Canadian and Miller Genuine Draft, are supplied by Molson Coors brewing teams in the UK, where the company has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with RWE, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, to supply its UK operations with electricity generated from the Tween Bridge wind farm in South Yorkshire. The 22 turbines at Tween Bridge will provide the electricity required to power all of Molson Coors’ UK sites, including the breweries at Burton, Tadcaster and Sharps in Cornwall, as well as the Aspall Cyder House in Suffolk.

Ryan McFarland, Regional Business Director, Western Europe at Molson Coors Beverage Company, said: “At Molson Coors, we are committed to playing our part in helping to address climate change, with the announcement that our UK operations are switching to using 100% green electricity marking an important step in achieving this goal. In Ireland, our beer is supplied from our breweries in the UK, alongside our Franciscan Well operation in Cork, with expert brewing teams in the UK responsible for brands such as Carling, Molson Canadian and Miller Genuine Draft. This is another step that we are taking as a business to ensure every pint we make is brewed as sustainably as possible.”

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News

SuperValu Food Academy Programme open to food and drink businesses SUPERVALU are calling on new and budding local Irish food and drink producers to join this year’s Food Academy Programme. This is a huge opportunity for those who have a fantastic idea for a food or beverage product but need support from experts in the industry to launch their business.

“Food Academy, run by SuperValu in collaboration with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices, helps new businesses to grow and get the support they need,” revealed Ian Allen, Managing Director, SuperValu. “With Food Academy, producers are on shelves 52 weeks of the year. By having this guarantee of shelf space, food producers can generate regular income and ensure their businesses thrive.”

The SuperValu MD noted how a wealth of former Food Academy producers have gone on to fantastic success, including The Happy Pear, Pizza Sorrento and SynerChi Kombucha.

“If you have a great idea for a food or beverage business, then this is your opportunity to sign up for Food Academy and make your dream a reality,” he said. “At SuperValu, we are committed to supporting local Irish producers and we are ready and waiting to nurture new talent this year.”

The programme, which has been an established part of the Irish food industry for nine years now, supports 1,500 jobs nationwide.

Currently the Food Academy Programme supports 290 Irish food and drink producers, whose products are available all year in their local SuperValu stores. Food Academy producers have sold a combined €200m of produce in SuperValu since 2013. 2021 saw a 6% growth in Food Academy sales, with participants delivering €30m in retail sales.

“At the Local Enterprise Offices, the Food Academy Programme is a vital part of our supports to drive entrepreneurship in the food sector,” noted Padraic McElwee, Chair of the network of Local Enterprise Offices. “It is the final element of our food pathway that brings entrepreneurs from idea right through to shelf, from the Digital School of Food, on to Food Starter and finally Food Academy. We have a fantastic history of food entrepreneurs and businesses in Ireland and we must continue to support this sector so if you are a new entrepreneur in the food or drinks sector we would urge you to get involved.”

Gillian Willis, Small Business Development Manager, Bord Bia, said: “Food Academy provides invaluable support to participants to get their small businesses off the ground, and to reach consumers nationwide on SuperValu shelves. This commitment, as well as the support provided by Food Academy, gives food producers a huge advantage when starting out. We in Bord Bia will continue to provide comprehensive market knowledge, consumer insight and branding expertise to Food Academy participants nationwide.”

As part of SuperValu’s continued support for its Food Academy producers, five local food producers were chosen from the 290

Five local food producers, from the 290 SuperValu Food Academy, were chosen to be showcased in SuperValu stores nationwide over a three-week period in March: King of Kefir, Co. Dublin; The Wild Wok, Co. Dublin; Jaru, Co. Dublin; Dan & Monstro, Co. Dublin; and Kilbeggan Farm, Co. Westmeath. suppliers to be showcased in SuperValu stores nationwide over a three-week period in March: King of Kefir, Co. Dublin; The Wild Wok, Co. Dublin; Jaru, Co. Dublin; Dan & Monstro, Co. Dublin; and Kilbeggan Farm, Co. Westmeath. Carmel Biggane, Food Academy Manager, SuperValu, said that these five

‘guest stars’ have created “unique and great tasting products” and the three-week period of nationwide sales will prove “a big boost to their growing businesses”.

For more information, visit: https:// supervalu.ie/real-people/food-academyprogramme.

Lidl proposing to build 60 apartments alongside new Dublin store LIDL Ireland recently hosted two community information evenings to brief local residents, community leaders and stakeholders on their plans for a mixed use development and new Lidl store on Herberton Road, Dublin 12, which would see the construction of 60 apartments alongside the store.

Lidl representatives and members of the design team answered a range of questions on topics such as traffic impact, parking and the sustainability credentials of the project.

The new development is set to include a spacious sales floor, 60 new apartments, as well as other retail spaces for use as potential café and pharmacy. Built to the highest environmental standards, the proposed store will also have EV charging points, a green roof and solar panels. The development will bring up to €15m in local investment to the community, as well as creating 60 jobs at Lidl, which the retailer hopes will be welcomed by the community.

“We had a lot of constructive engagement with the local community and are very thankful to them for taking the time to engage with us,” noted Vincent Cronolly, Regional Property Director. “We do believe that the mixed use aspect of this scheme, with 60 apartments included, makes very good use of the site available. We hope to bring significant local investment, new jobs and our market leading quality and value to the community around Herberton Road for many years to come.”

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News Irish seafood economy grows to a record €1.26 billion THE Irish seafood economy has grown to a record €1.26 billion, according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM) annual Business of Seafood Report. Despite the dual challenges of Brexit and Covid-19, the industry recovered from the trading difficulties experienced in 2020, with a growth in GDP of 15.3% year-on-year – the highest value seen since 2016. This growth was driven by strong exports to the EU and Asia increasing the total value by 11% to €674m.

Foodservice purchases of seafood in Ireland increased by 12% in 2021, following from a decline of 53% in 2020. Domestic consumption grew by 3% to €418m, €318m of which was at retail, with the balance of €100m in the foodservice sector. Meanwhile, the seafood balance of trade (exports – imports) also grew by 45%, driven by the strong export growth, particularly in EU markets. Overall investment in the sector increased during 2021 to €454m (+8%), showing renewed confidence.

BIM Chief Executive Jim O’Toole said that the sector had proven to be highly resilient and innovative: “The key insights from this report are the sector’s success in both identifying and driving

Pictured are (l-r): Jim O’Toole, CEO, BIM, with Dominic Rihan, Economics and Strategic Services Director, BIM, at the launch of BIM’s Business of Seafood Report. opportunities in different markets, along with an increase in value for some categories. While Brexit, and the additional impacts of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement [agreed between the EU and the UK] reduced quotas for key species, Government support along with private investment helped mitigate some of these impacts.”

The industry continues to adapt, he noted, citing the example of the seafood-tech sector, where there are now over 50 companies employing more than 700 people from disciplines including engineering, fintech and marketing, with turnover in this sector more than doubling in recent years.

However, the CEO warned that there are further challenges ahead for the sector, “with cost increases for fuel, energy, and materials as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. Support to the industry to help withstand this economic shock will undoubtedly be required.”

Irish Food Writers’ Guild Award winners announced EIGHT Irish companies had cause to celebrate, recently, as the winners of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards were announced.

Two years after the pandemic “changed the very nature of consumer behaviour and in turn, forced Ireland’s food producers to change the way in which they operated”, the Awards celebrate “the artisan producers and food businesses that stepped up to the plate, continued to serve communities and dug deep during the pandemic, despite all obstacles,” according to Caroline Hennessy, Chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild (IFWG). “Passion, hard work and a can-do attitude are core values that the winners of the 2022 IFWG Food Awards have in abundance.”

producers are putting their own stamp on things, creating something unique and something quite delicious,” said Caroline Hennessy.

Una Fitzgibbon, Director of Marketing and Communications at Bord Bia, said that the winners “really encapsulate the artistry, diversity, and integrity of Irish food production and gastronomy”.

The winners of the 2022 Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards are: • Food Award: Bread 41, Dublin; • Food Award: Calvey’s Achill Mountain Lamb, Mayo; • Food Award: Coolfin cheese, Galway; • Irish Drink Award: All About Kombucha, Galway; • Notable contribution to Irish Food Award: Stefan Griesbach of Gannet Fishmongers, Galway; • Environmental Award: Rock Farm, Slane, Meath; • Community Food Award: Our Table, Dublin; • Lifetime Achievement Award: Sally Ferns Barnes, Cork.

“Many of our 2022 winners are traditional products, but with a twist. From fishmonger to baker, cheese maker to the Galway duo who have played with the traditional Irish love of tea, innovative

Emmett Kerrigan and Keith Loftus from All About Kombucha, winners of the Irish Drink Award at the IFWG Food Awards 2022.

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Industry News SuperValu and Centra Customers contribute €500,000 to Ukraine appeal SUPERVALU and Centra customers have donated over €500,000 to the Irish Red Cross to support those impacted by the war in Ukraine. Through the generosity of shoppers in SuperValu and Centra, the Irish Red Cross has been able to repair vital infrastructure, support health facilities, and help families with life-saving food and hygiene items in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. “The past month has been horrifying for so many as we watched war unfold on our TV screens and phones,” noted Ian Allen, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra (pictured). “Our retailers and colleagues at SuperValu and Centra wanted to do something to help those impacted by the conflict as soon as possible, and together we implemented a huge fundraiser to raise money in stores in every community across Ireland. I would like to thank all our customers, retail partners and colleagues for their generosity in contributing to this campaign. 100% of the funds raised in SuperValu and Centra will go directly to the Irish Red Cross to help those who need it most.”

Cadbury launch ‘Worldwide Hide’ THIS year saw the return of the annual ‘Cadbury Worldwide Hide’, a virtual Easter egg hide that allows the public to hide an Easter egg anywhere in the world for a loved one. This year, Cadbury are donating €2 to Barnardos for every Easter Egg purchased on the Worldwide Hide platform. Using Google Maps Street View, the public could share a personalised clue that mean something only to the recipient, and when the recipient finds the virtual egg, they receive a real Cadbury Easter Egg delivered to their door (Republic of Ireland delivery only). “Over the last few years, we have helped facilitate connections with loved ones near and far and we want to continue to facilitate these connections as we enter a new era. We’re delighted to be working with Barnardos once again this year,” noted Maighréad Lynch, Cadbury Ireland Brand Manager. For more information, visit www.worldwidehide.cadbury.ie.

Tesco Ireland named a Great Place to Work

TESCO Ireland have been officially certified a Great Place to Work 2022, the fifth consecutive year that Tesco have been named a top Irish workplace, while the company was also recognised as a Best Workplace for Women in Ireland.

“This certification acknowledges the great work our colleagues do to make working at Tesco a great experience for everyone,” noted Maurice Kelly, People Director, Tesco Ireland. “It’s a tribute to all our colleagues and the agility they demonstrate every day. We’re proud to be a diverse organisation and are committed to continuously developing our business as an inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all.”

Fyffes open new €25m banana ripening centre FYFFES have opened a new banana ripening and distribution centre in Balbriggan, North County Dublin.

Representing an investment by Fyffes in the order of €25m, the new centre is located in the M1 Business Park at Courtlough, immediately south of Balbriggan. When operating at full capacity, the centre will have an output of over seven million bananas per week – approximating to over 60,000 tonnes annually – all for supply to Irish retailers, wholesalers and food providers, north and south. Constructed in line with new building regulations, the new plant is likely to be regarded as one of the most sustainable buildings of its kind in Ireland. “The new development will have a very positive impact on Fyffes by delivering even greater productivity and strengthening our ability to service the needs of our customers,” explained Fyffes Chief Executive Officer, Helge Sparsoe, who is pictured cutting the tape with board members at the official opening.

Appointments at M&P O’Sullivan CORK-based food wholesale company M&P O’Sullivan Ltd (M&P) have appointed a new Head of Finance and a Supply Chain Manager to the 117-year-old business to strategically drive its long-term sustainable growth. Richard Horgan (left) from Bandon, Co. Cork, is the new Financial Controller and Cathal Harris (right) from Fair Hill, Cork City, has been appointed to the position of Supply Chain Manager.

The fourth-generation family run company, which recently added Brennan’s Caterworld to its portfolio, has experienced substantial growth over the past five years. M&P grew its turnover in 2021 by over 22% to €37.9m and the company has similar growth targets for 2022 and beyond. For more information, see www.mpos.ie.

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Industry News Tesco relaunch €1m Community Fund

TESCO Ireland are calling on local community groups to apply to become ‘One in a Million’ as they relaunch their long-established and much-loved Community Fund programme for 2022, with €1m being made available to local causes across Ireland this year. For 2022, the Tesco Community Fund will focus on four key themes of community development, food, children and health, to showcase the incredible work local causes do for their communities.

Tesco are celebrating the local heroes who have made a positive difference in communities up and down the country, those who are truly one in a million.

Pictured are (back row) Mick Rochford, Aoibeann’s Pink Tie; and Michael Loughman, Sleep out Cavan; and (front row) Hugh Stephens, Ashbourne Men’s Shed; Rosemary Garth, Communications Director, Tesco Ireland; and Karen O’ Sullivan, Irish Community Rapid Response; at this year’s launch of Tesco Community Fund.

Ferrero launch website for retailers

FERRERO are launching their convenience retailing facing website, Your Perfect Store, to the Irish market for the first time. Live from the end of April 2022, the retailer hub is easy to navigate and provides clear information to digest, appealing to increasingly time-poor retailers who revert towards digital channels for support in running their stores. “We know that Your Perfect Store is already a well-known and established platform among retailers, but we want to improve it further by placing a greater focus on up-to-date information, must-stock products, planograms and regular exclusive offers and direct communication specific to the Irish market,” noted Levi Boorer, Customer Development Director at Ferrero UK & Ireland.

“We appreciate that hard-working retailers are becoming increasingly busy, particularly since the surge in shoppers visiting convenience stores following the pandemic, and we want them to feel reassured by the round the clock support provided on our website.” For more information, visit: www.yourperfectstore.ie.

Fyffes supporting Ireland’s first National Fitness Games IRISH banana distributors Fyffes have announced they are giving support to a weekend-long ‘festival of fitness’ at the UCD Sports Campus from April 22-24. Billed as Ireland’s first National Fitness Games, ‘Fuelled by Fyffes’, participation is open to individuals and teams, including corporate team entries, with an expected attendance of some 2,000 over the weekend. Providing a test in terms of power, endurance, speed and strength, challenges include weighted runs, rowing machines, sandbag carries, kettlebell snatches, assault bikes, deadlifts and more, from which ‘Ireland’s Fittest Male and Female’ will be crowned. Pictured launching the initiative are Ashbourne female team members Katie Byrne and Claire Hickey, with Fyffes Head of Marketing, Emma Hunt-Duffy.

Kellogg’s take breakfast to new heights KELLOGG’S have announced their title sponsorship of one of Dublin’s most iconic tourist attractions, the Skyline Tour at Croke Park. Renamed the Kellogg’s Skyline, this sponsorship announcement follows a successful 10-year long partnership between Kellogg and the GAA through their annual summer camps, Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps, which have seen more than 1.5m participants since 2006. For more information on the Kellogg’s Skyline, visit www.kelloggs.ie or www.crokepark.ie/tours/ skyline. Pictured at the announcement are GAA Uachtarán Larry McCarthy, Irish actress and best-selling author, Pauline McLynn, and Sarah Ferguson, General Manager for Kellogg Ireland.

Strong Roots launch nostalgic advert IRISH brand, Strong Roots, best known for shaking up the frozen food category with delicious plant-based options, are marking their continued business growth with a campaign aimed at a new generation of chip lovers. ‘Mammy or Chips’ aims to reignite the ‘90s debate started by chip giant and new Strong Roots investor, McCain, pitting parents against the humble chip. For the last five years, Strong Roots have been strengthening their portfolio across international markets, quickly becoming one of the fastest growing brands in the chips & potato market. With Ireland remaining at the heart of the brand, a new a consumer touchpoint championing its roots, whilst also paying a cheeky tribute to the new partnership with McCain, felt only right.

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Industry News Bewley’s offer Ukrainian

refugees employment and training help

Iverk Produce win €100m Aldi deal ALDI Ireland have agreed a new €100m fiveyear deal with Kilkenny-based Iverk Produce to supply all of Aldi’s 150 Irish stores with their 100% Irish grown and packed potatoes.

Iverk Produce have partnered with Aldi since 1999 and currently supply Aldi with Irish grown potatoes and carrots. As part of this contract extension, Iverk will supply 24,000 tonnes of locally-grown potatoes to Aldi annually. The producer is now responsible for supplying 75% of Aldi’s range of Irish Rooster, Maris Piper, Maritiema, Kerr Pinks, Golden Wonders and Baby Potatoes. Pictured announcing the new deal are (l-r): James O’Shea, Iverk Produce, and Paul Scally, Buying Director, Aldi Ireland.

Cadbury create unique fashion designs

UKRAINIAN refugees are to be offered employment and training help at an iconic Dublin café – which also put ‘Red Cross Buns’ on its menu to aid the humanitarian effort. Bewley’s Café in Grafton Street sold the pastries in place of its usual hot cross variety up to Easter, with all proceeds going to the Irish Red Cross. Coupled with the fundraising drive, the café is bringing in interpreters to provide a practical welcome and employment advice and training service to new arrivals fleeing the war in their homeland, in support of the Irish Red Cross.

“There is a real need for interpreters in the current crisis, and we have established a team of two Ukrainian speakers at the café to help to guide people who need an introduction to services or help with employment,” said General Manager, Donna O’Leary. “This is not just about Bewley’s – we also want to help to connect people with other potential employers and services.” Ukrainian nationals and interpreters, Oksana Karbiwska (left) and her daughter Kamilia Karbiwska (right), are pictured with Frank Phelan, Irish Red Cross, at Bewley’s Grafton Street Cafe in Dublin.

Circle K search for Ireland’s

most unique deli order

CIRCLE K have teamed up with social media star and sketch comedian Darren Conway to find Ireland’s most unique deli order, with a prize of six months of free Circle K deli food up for grabs. All the public have to do is share details of their unique deli order under Darren Conway’s post about the competition, from rolls and wraps to salads and sandwiches. “With over 15,000 combinations to choose from at Circle K deli counters nationwide, there are sure to be some very unique deli orders out there,” noted Judy Glover, Senior Market Director, Circle K Ireland. “With the support of selfconfessed deli aficionado, Darren Conway, we’re calling on the people of Ireland to tell us their most unique deli orders for the chance to win six months’ worth of Circle K deli food, as well as having their order immortalised on Circle K’s Instagram page for everyone to see.”

with sustainable designer

CADBURY recently announced an exciting fashion collaboration inspired by this year’s ‘How Do You Not Eat Yours’ competition. Cadbury Creme Egg X Aoife McNamara is the couture collab with a twist that is worthy of any Fashion Week runway. Designed by the sustainable fashion designer, Aoife McNamara, each item has been imaginatively conceived to prevent the wearer from eating their much-loved Cadbury Creme Egg. Fashionistas and Creme Egg enthusiasts could be in with a chance to bag the exclusive attire by entering a social competition to win the one-ofa-kind items hosted on @CadburyIreland social channels. The unconventional collaboration celebrates the ‘How Do You Not Eat Yours’ competition, which has seen a limited number of half milk and half white chocolate Creme Eggs being hidden in stores across the country. Lucky fans who find them just need to resist the urge to eat their winning eggs to claim a cash prize of €2,500.

Creative campaign for Lucozade Alert LUCOZADE Alert, the new stimulant energy drink from Suntory Beverage & Food Ireland, was launched recently with a new OOH advertising campaign from Poster Plan and Mindshare. The nationwide campaign aims to raise brand awareness around the new and exciting entry to the Irish energy drinks market from Ireland’s number one energy drink brand, Lucozade. To catch the attention of passers-by and reach energy drink enthusiasts on the move in Dublin City Centre, a four-metre 3D can of Lucozade Alert has been created and placed on a golden square in Wexford Street, a placement that is key to reaching target audiences. The creative build serves to drive attention, illustrate the design of the new 500ml can and let customers know what they can expect to see in-store. To build brand fame, premium placements, including a 240-sheet billboard in Ranelagh, also play a key role in the campaign. The campaign will also feature on a range of OOH formats in Northern Ireland to engage target audiences. Lucozade Alert contains high caffeine & Vitamin B3, helping to reduce tiredness without compromising on the great Lucozade taste.

MAKES FOOD TASTE GREAT

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The Future of Food

Hard habits to break A return to physical stores beckons, following the pandemic, Retail News learned from Love Irish Food’s recent webinar, ‘Embracing Change – Adapting to Change’, which saw a top class line-up of speakers explaining the changing marketplace and predicting future trends.

TRADITIONAL bricks and mortar stores are primed to play a big role in the future of Irish retail. In 2020 and 2021, due to pandemic-related restrictions, retailers explored new delivery methods, online services, and different ways in which they could connect with consumers. David Berry of market research company Kantar Ireland, one of the speakers at Love Irish Food’s recent webinar, ‘Embracing Change – Adapting to Change’, described this as “a fantastic, innovative response from retailers to the pressure coming through from the pandemic”. However, over the last few months, retailers and researchers have noticed a renewed focus on traditional, physical stores.

In Berry’s presentation, he illustrated how major retailers are undergoing new store openings, expanding floor space, and exploring acquisitions; in the case of Tesco Ireland, acquiring Galway-based grocer Joyce’s supermarkets.

James Wilson, Food Director at Dunnes Stores, another speaker at the event, described how Dunnes are planning to roll-out smaller shops in various locations. “Although people did shop online over the pandemic, they wanted to come back to stores as soon as they had the chance when the lockdowns were finished,” said Wilson. “We saw a

Alison Cowzer, co-founder of East Coast Bakehouse, chaired the Love Irish Food webinar.

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The Future of Food

David Berry, Director, Kantar. sharp rise in transactions in stores”.

Berry envisaged a “balanced” approach for retailers between online and physical stores. “Yes, they will to continue to develop online and look at different delivery methods, but they are also making sure they have the right physical store footprint,” he outlined.

Adapting to changing purchasing patterns Love Irish Food, the organisation that

aims to safeguard the future of Irish food and drink products, held the webinar to explore how Irish food and beverage companies are adapting to the rapid changes currently experienced by the sector. The event, chaired by Alison Cowzer, co-founder of East Coast Bakehouse, came on foot of changes in household purchasing and food consumption.

Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia, praised the “risk takers, visionaries, and innovators” within the food and drink sector who faced the challenge of the past two years. The webinar’s theme was about embracing change and adapting to change, McCarthy said: “If the past two years taught us anything, and current circumstances continue to teach us more, it’s how innovative and agile the Irish food and drink sector has been in navigating Covid-19, while simultaneously managing the transition to Brexit, global challenges such as climate change and sustainability, and now with the added complexity of a war in Europe.”

The effects of the pandemic James Wilson, as part of his presentation, explored how Dunnes Stores coped over the past two years of the pandemic and how they’re faring now. He described the pandemic as “a transformation” for the company.

After the initial spate of panic buying

during the first lockdown, he explained, transactions fell at Dunnes, largely due to restrictions on customer numbers. This experience identified the need for a home delivery service, which they subsequently introduced. Simultaneously, the in-store experience became more important than ever before, as consumers prioritised a single, designated supermarket for all their grocery purchases. “That meant they did a full shop with us, whereas they may normally shop around,” Wilson noted. “So they were able to try a lot of products they may not have tried before.”

This provided an opportunity for Dunnes to focus on their fresh Irish food and own label products. Local ingredients, local foods, and value for money, became hallmarks over lockdown. The pandemic changed behaviours within the Irish food market, with a well-documented upsurge in home baking and scratch cooking. These are trends that aren’t going away any time soon, suggested the speakers.

Raw ingredients are still high on consumer shopping lists. “We believe that the rise of home cooking - due to an increased workforce now working from home – is something that will continue to grow,” Wilson revealed. “Customers have become accustomed to entertaining at home. Some of our special occasion food, like our Simply Better brand, doubled over the pandemic from 2019 to 2022.”

Consumers continue to choose Irish brands as we move on from the pandemic

Homegrown brands remain hugely popular with Irish consumers, according to research from Kantar (Source: Kantar).

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The Future of Food lower in lockdowns, and that is aside from some Brexit-specific challenges.

Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia. James Wilson identified the “massive supply chain challenges” of the last two years, where spikes in demand put a huge strain on inbound supply, and the requirement for social distancing in depots required up to 40% range reduction, principally in fresh foods.

There were some international inbound supply issues, while here at home protein factories were hit periodically with Covid forced absence, causing production issues. He also noted how overall inbound service levels dropped, up to 6%

Irish consumers love Irish brands The pandemic illustrated how Irish brands remain a big draw. As part of his presentation, David Berry explored data from Ireland’s 100 most popular brands over the past five years. “We see food and drink as a whole performing well, but when we delve down into Irish brands, we see them performing even better,” said Berry. “43 of the Top 100 brands are Irish-produced. If we combine sales for those 43, it’s €1.1 billion. Even in the latest year, it’s continued to grow.

It isn’t just about one year of growth - this is about consistent growth. We see that in the numbers. There’s really strong performance, ahead of non-Irish produced brands. These brands count for a significant amount of sales.”

According to Berry, in 2018, Irishproduced brands captured 47% of consumer spend, a figure which has increased and hit a high point of over 48% in 2021: “That’s the highest level that we’ve seen. It’s continuously edged up over recent years. It’s a really strong success story and shows there’s a real demand there amongst consumers.

The importance of supporting local and buying locally produced goods is clear for Irish consumers. The more brands that can tap into that and make it clear in their messaging, the more potential success

they will have.”

Quality of product and value for money are not the only incentives for consumers to buy locally-produced ingredients and brands. Local produce saves energy and reduces carbon footprint. Sustainability is becoming built into all products and brands and “sourcing local is a big part of that”, according to Wilson. Dunnes Stores, he said, planned to put increased focus into “supporting smaller companies and removing unnecessary packaging”.

Identifying future trends Researchers Dr Joe Bogue and Dr Lana Repar, both of Cork University Business School, provided insights into the future of Irish food and drink from their research in Ireland and internationally.

There has been a shifting focus amongst shoppers, onto health and wellness priorities, particularly in regard to gut health, probiotics, and personalised nutrition. The researchers predicted a growth in products geared toward the elderly market. According to their statistics, the market for over 60s is likely to encompass €2.1 billion by 2050.

“We’re doing a lot of work understanding food choice for the elderly market and how we adapt products for this particular market – maybe changing the sensory profile or the taste-texture of our products,” said Bogue. “We have holidays for elderly consumers, banking for elderly consumers, yet in the food

Key take-outs for Irish Brands

1

Irish production engages consumers

Maximise impact of local messaging in communication

4

2

New customers vital for brand growth

88% of growing brands found new shoppers to help fuel growth

Local supply chain vital

International complexity makes home grown more and more important

5

3

Cost of Living the no.1 concern for consumers

Focus on value for money messaging to reassure

Link plans to the 5 Growth Levers

What actions can you take to capture more occasions

13

Key take-aways for Irish brands (Source: Kantar).

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The Future of Food

Shopping habits changed during the pandemic, with customers demanding better product availability through the week (Source: James Wilson, Dunne Stores). area, we tend to lump consumers together. I think there’s a huge opportunity to target this particular segment. We’ve learned from our research, elderly and aging consumers want products targeted at them with specific vitamin profiles – this is a good opportunity for companies to develop specific marketing strategies.”

Generation Z is another emerging segment. These future consumers have grown up consumed with technology and their purchasing habits are likely to follow suit. Over lockdown, Dunnes Stores launched an app that gives the company a tool to communicate with their shoppers. “We have an audience of 700,000 on our app,” said Wilson. ”50% of them use it every week. We see the app as a good way to tell people what’s going on in Dunnes Stores, both from the food and textile side. It provides a good way to let people know about our offers. A lot of people use the app to store vouchers in their digital wallet.”

The app also provided insights into their business. Online feedback showed gaps in product availability at certain times of the week. “With people working from home, the pattern of shopping has changed and now it’s a bit more spread out – it’s not as congregated on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,” Wilson continued. “[Dunnes Stores were] running out of some of our products in the early part of the week, so we need to look at how we can get more of it in. The demand that comes through the till generates orders, which help us in terms of trying to pick up availability.”

According to the webinar’s speakers, the future promises many new categories, such as nitrogen-infused cola Nitro Pepsi, a reimaging of the cola category. Also on the future agenda are meal replacement products, options for vegans, and new functional ingredients for reducing anxiety, stress and insomnia.

Dr Joe Bogue identified future product trends which will affect the Irish market.

Increased basket sizes Despite the myriad of challenges of the past few years, basket sizes have settled at a higher level than they were pre-pandemic.

“An additional €1.2 billion was spent on take home food and drink in 2021 compared to 2019,” said Berry. “So it isn’t just about that big pandemic peak in 2020 – it is more sustained than that. We think that demand is going to remain strong.

James Wilson concurred: “Since we came out of lockdown, we’re seeing that while the transaction numbers went back to normal, the basket size has increased since 2019.

People are holding onto some of the habits they had through lockdown.”

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Dairygold

Dairygold launch plantbased range Dairygold have launched a range of plantbased dairy alternatives, including cheeses and a spread, with products starting to hit shelves this month.

DAIRYGOLD, Ireland’s number one dairy spread brand, continues to maintain its position as market leader in the Butter, Spreads & Margarine category (Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack, including Dunnes & Discounters, w/e February 27, 2022). Now, Dairygold are expanding on their already vast consumer base by introducing their new plant-based range, which began appearing on shelves from April 4. The new line of products features plant-based cheese alternatives in grated and sliced format, as well as a plant-based version of the renowned Dairygold spread.

make this momentous leap followed many rounds of open dialogue with consumers all over Ireland. Feedback from consumers ultimately revealed that many struggled to find plant-based dairy alternatives from a brand they know and trust without having to compromise on taste and functionality. With trust and credibility key to Dairygold’s success, it was instrumental to them that they become the Irish brand that consumers have been looking for by allowing them to pursue their own nutritional goals, without having to make sacrifices along the way.

Adapting to consumer needs The new range, which is entirely vegan, dairy-free, gluten free and lactose free, comes as more and more Irish consumers seek to reduce their dairy consumption. Consumers are at the heart of the Dairygold brand and it has always been hugely important for Dairygold to continue to adapt to their evolving needs with innovative, great tasting products.

With the introduction of this new range, Dairygold becomes the first Irish brand to operate in plant-based across multiple categories. The decision to

Growing with consumers “Our consumers have always been a huge part of our brand and identity here at Dairygold,” explained Michelle Daly Lennon, Marketing Manager for Dairygold. “We are always grateful that our spreads have become such a staple of homes in Ireland and further afield and we know that we are one of the lucky few brands that have become synonymous with a deliciously creamy taste, comfort, and home.

“With the launch of our new plant-based range, we wanted to acknowledge the increasing percentage

New from Dairygold: a plant-based version of the renowned Dairygold spread.

of the population that are choosing to incorporate less dairy into their diets and ensure they feel seen by the brands that have always been a part of their lives. We pride ourselves in our relationship with our customers and so when they change and grow, we want to be able to adapt and grow with them.”

Dairygold are proud to say that the new plant-based range maintains the same deliciously creamy taste, whilst expanding their offering to become a brand that fits with the identity of all their customers, makes them feel great, meets their nutritional needs and fits with their sustainability expectations.

The Dairygold plant-based range includes plant-based cheese alternatives in sliced format.

Dairygold has been a staple in Irish hearts and fridges for over 30 years.

The brand is worth over €30m RSV and holds 20% market share within the BSM category (Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack, including Dunnes & Discounters, w/e February 27, 2022).

The long-term success of Dairygold has been built on the brand’s ability to continuously connect with consumers through its high-quality products and commitment to continuously evolving the brand’s communications platform.

B T A N S E A D L P · BASE T · N A D· PL ·

THE PLANT BASED

with the creamy taste

N E W BASED THE PLANT

with the creamy taste BASE T N A D· · PL NOW AVAILABLE IN-STORE

N E W THE PLANT BASED

with the creamy taste NEW

NOW AVAILABLE IN-STORE

NOW AVAILABLE IN-STORE

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Autism and Retailing

Autism inclusion in retail: small changes, big difference

In 2015, Scally’s SuperValu in Clonakilty introduced Autism Friendly shopping hours.

To mark World Autism Month, Retail News examines how this small change sparked a nationwide movement for inclusion and asks autism charity AsIAm how retailers can best support their autistic customers and employees. Words: Morgan Stokes.

WHEN UCD student Patricia O’Leary walked into Scally’s SuperValu in Clonakilty, Co. Cork, in early 2015, neither she nor store owner Eugene Scally knew that their conversation would spark one of the most revolutionary movements for inclusion in Irish retail history.

O’Leary was doing a course in Autism Studies and learning what the world looked like from the perspective of an autistic person. An autistic brain processes information from the senses in a different way to that of a non-autistic (often referred to as ‘allistic’) person. Though sensory processing varies hugely among individuals, this often means that sights, sounds, temperatures, and smells can be far more intense to autistic people, often to the point of overwhelming them. Spending time in a supermarket, surrounded by music, tannoy sounds, bright lights and sudden temperature changes, can be extremely stressful.

“She approached my parents and she said, ‘look I have this idea; it’s to do with autism-friendly shopping,” recalls Eoghan Scally. “It wasn’t done anywhere else before.”

Scally’s SuperValu became the first retailer in Ireland to implement autism-friendly shopping hours, turning lights and till sounds down and music off for a couple of hours once a week. The small change was set to snowball; over the past seven

Fiona Ferris, Deputy CEO of AsIAm.

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Autism and Retailing

Eugene and Eoghan Scally, owners of Scally’s SuperValu, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, the store that revolutionised the movement for autism inclusion in Irish retailing.

years, the interest it gained has resulted in an award-winning partnership for SuperValu with national autism charity AsIAm, a group-wide roll out of autism friendly shopping hours, the designation of Clonakilty as Ireland’s first autismfriendly town, and interest from retailers around the globe.

AsIAm and the importance of understanding While many SuperValu stores quickly followed Scally’s example, the initiative really took off with the development of the retail group’s partnership with AsIAm in 2018. As a charity staffed and led by autistic adults, AsIAm were perfectly positioned to advise on both sensory issues and potential gaps in understanding.

“One of the key barriers that exist for the autistic community to being able to participate meaningfully in their local community is the judgement and attitude of others,” says Fiona Ferris, Deputy CEO of AsIAm, and one of the main overseers of the partnership. The general public image of autism, she says, is “totally

inaccurate and not representative”.

“When we are talking about autism, we’re never doing it from an outside perspective… it’s about saying, well actually, this is how autistic people experience the world,” Fiona explains.

Getting information direct from autistic people themselves can help break stereotypes and humanise the experience.

The charity developed a series of e-learnings for SuperValu staff, covering communication barriers and the reasons behind certain behaviours, in addition to sensory issues. Eoghan Scally recalls being surprised at how little he really knew.

“Prior to the business going on this journey, the vast majority of people would have heard of autism but there was a huge lack of understanding. When there’s a lack of understanding, there’s a lack of acceptance,” he reflects. Eoghan particularly remembers being introduced to the word ‘stimming’, a term used by the community to describe physical movements, such as fidgeting, which allow an autistic person to better regulate

their emotions or focus on a task. Allistic people unaware of the term (or of a person’s diagnosis) may view an autistic person who is stimming as suspicious or strange, when they may just be trying to concentrate.

SuperValu, in turn, have sponsored a suite of AsIAm’s supports for autistic individuals and their families, including webinars, post-Covid back-to-school supports, and broader autism-friendly community initiatives.

Small steps, big benefits For Eoghan, the most surprising thing about the whole process was how easy the initial changes were to make.

“These are really simple steps to take but they are of great benefit to people,” he stresses. “That was probably the biggest learning; how things that seem so insignificant to you can have such an impact on somebody.” Turning the lights down and the music off is a relatively loweffort task for store owners, for example, but can remove a huge source of stress for an autistic individual.

Allistic customers and employees

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Autism and Retailing may not notice these changes, and feedback from the project suggests that many even found them beneficial.

“Elderly shoppers benefited from having a calmer atmosphere, employees benefited from the peacefulness of it all,” notes Eoghan.

Fiona points out that the measures can be a boon for people with other disabilities or illnesses like dementia, and that a more sensory-friendly environment can make all customers more comfortable. “There was so much positive feedback from members of the community who had no connection to autism,” she notes. “Autism-friendly measures are people-friendly. ‘I love the music during my shopping experience,’ said nobody ever,” she laughs. “Everybody has a sensory limit; for autistic people that might be a little lower, but that’s not to say that removing some of the sensory input during the shopping experience won’t make this a more pleasant experience for everybody.”

Accommodation at any time Autism-friendly hours may have made the autistic shopping experience far easier, but Fiona is keen to stress that a window of a few hours a week is not enough: “The autistic community should be able to shop accessibly all of the time.

How can we look at the environment?

How can we look at our staff and make sure that there’s a level of understanding in-store that will enable autistic people and their families to make shopping less of an overstimulating experience all of the time?”

Fortunately, Musgrave and SuperValu were very enthusiastic about increasing accessibility overall.

In partnership with AsIAm, the retail group developed sensory maps of the stores which identified areas that might be particularly bright, busy or cold, allowing autistic customers or caregivers to prepare themselves for their visit. An unpredictable sensory environment can be stressful; it’s hard to relax when you’re aware that an unexpected crash, alarm or flickering light could remove your ability to cook dinner that evening or cause your child to melt-down in the middle of the store. However, while that may be enough to make the environment accessible for some autistic people, everyone is different; some may still need to access the sensory-friendly hours.

Accessibility and employees Fiona is keen to stress that autism-

friendly retail needs to focus not just on autistic customers, but on autistic employees as well. While store environments can be overwhelming for some autistic people, others can and do work in the grocery sector, and store owners and suppliers may not actually realise that some of their workers are on the spectrum.

“When we started to engage in this autism acceptance and understanding education with SuperValu, there was an increased number of people disclosing, as a staff member, saying, ‘well actually, I’m autistic’,” she says.

Autistic employees may have a good performance overall but find aspects of their job confusing or distressing and might avoid asking for accommodations or clarifications for fear of judgement.

A more understanding attitude among employers can lead to higher overall productivity.

Fiona also wants employers to ask themselves if the right person for the job might not make it into their organisation at all. “We’re still in a situation in Ireland where roughly 85% of autistic individuals are long-term unemployed, or underemployed,” she reveals, insisting that this “is not due to a lack of wanting to work, or not being able to work. We’re seeing very highly qualified autistic people not being able to work in their chosen fields because they can’t get through an interview process.”

Interviews are often vague, unpredictable and anxiety-inducing, with emphasis put on elements of non-verbal communication that autistic candidates might struggle with. Ferris suggests making an interview as relaxed as possible, with direct questions asked in plain language and a task-based portion included; for example, asking the candidate to demonstrate their performance at a till.

Getting involved Eoghan notes that as soon as interest was piqued and understanding gained, the entire local community wanted to get involved. “The momentum grew behind it… people became interested,” he remembers. Interest and empathy were strong enough among local businesses and individuals that Clonakilty became Ireland’s first autism-friendly town in 2018.

Fiona says that this is typical of AsIAm’s experience in community education. “We’ve never come across a business or an organisation that

SuperValu’s ‘Tap to Donate’ fundraiser back for World Autism Month

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s ‘Tap to Donate’ fundraising campaign, SuperValu encouraged the nation once again to get behind the initiative for AsIAm during World Autism Month. Running for four days from April 7-10, the SuperValu ‘Tap to Donate’ fundraising drive allowed customers to simply tap to donate €2 at the till when making any purchase to help raise much needed funds for AsIAm. In 2021 over €50,000 was raised during the SuperValu fundraising campaign and all money went directly to the AsIAm Community Support Team.

“We are proud to continue our sixyear partnership with AsIAm as they continue with their impactful work in stores and communities around Ireland,” noted Ian Allen, Managing Director, SuperValu. “The ‘Tap To Donate’ fundraiser is an important event to not only raise much-needed funds, but to raise awareness about the barriers that autistic people face in local communities.”

For more information, visit asiam.ie or supervalu.ie. doesn’t want to learn,” she insists. “It’s something I’m quite moved by”. She does, however, emphasise that autistic voices should be central in these discussions: “Nothing about us, without us”.

Further information on AsIAm’s corporate partnerships, training and support programmes can be found online at asiam.ie.

22|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Sustainability: 2021-2022 Climate Survey

Irish people optimistic for green transition

The latest findings from the European Investment Bank’s Climate Survey reveal that Irish people are optimistic about the green transition, as new policies tackle climate change.

THE majority of Irish people expect better quality of life and net job creation from the green transition, according to the latest release of the 2021-2022 Climate Survey published by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union and the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects.

The findings from Ireland include: • •

• •

63% think climate policies will improve their quality of life; 59% believe policies to tackle climate change will create more jobs than they eliminate; 53% say that the green transition will be a source of economic growth; 21% expect to have to move to another region or country in the future because of climate change — this figure

•

increases to 39% among people aged 20-29; 20% fear they could lose their job because it will become incompatible with the need to mitigate climate change — this figure is 31% among 2029 year-olds.

Are policies to tackle climate change good news for the economy? A small majority of Irish people would agree: 53% say the green transition will be a source of economic growth (in line with the EU average of 56%).

63% of Irish respondents also believe that their quality of life will improve, with greater convenience in their everyday lives and a positive impact on the quality of their food and their health. Policies that address the climate emergency are also seen as good news for the job market: 59%

of Irish people believe these will have a net positive impact on employment levels within the country, creating more jobs than they eliminate. However, nearly three-quarters (72%) anticipate that their purchasing power will decrease with the green transition.

According to Irish respondents, the challenges related to climate change are here to stay. While one-third (34%) of them believe that the climate emergency will be under control by 2050, 64% feel that it will still be a serious issue by mid-century.

Irish respondents say they see climate change threatening their place of residence.

When asked about the longer-term impact of the climate crisis, one-fifth of them (21%) expect to have to move to another region or country because of climate change.

This concern nearly doubles among people in their 20s, with 39% of them saying they are worried about the possibility of

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Sustainability: 2021-2022 Climate Survey Sustainability top of the agenda for new Bord Bia Food Processor Standard BORD Bia have developed a new Food Processor Standard (FPS), with sustainability at its core. The new FPS combines and replaces the Meat Processor Quality Assurance Standard (MPQAS) and the Prepared Fruit and Vegetable Standard (PFVS), and is designed to ensure adherence to best practice in food processing from intake through to dispatch. The FPS will become mandatory from November 15, 2022, but processors can opt to be audited against the new standard from May 15.

“The new standard’s requirements are not vastly different from the previous schemes’ but there is greater emphasis on sustainability, food safety and, for meat processors, animal welfare,” explained Alice McGlynn, Origin Green Head of Operations. “To achieve certification to the standard, businesses will be required to have an independently verified sustainability plan in place, such as with Origin Green membership. The sustainability plan submitted must set targets and track progress over time. Members must also provide evidence of an appropriate food safety culture, which is a requirement of a new EU food safety regulation.

“From a marketing perspective, the new standard will demonstrate to national and global customers that Irish food processors are continuously evolving their practices to meet increasing market demands around sustainability, transparency, traceability, and authenticity, across all aspects of animal and food processing.”

Public-private partnerships to drive innovation in food packaging?

A NEW report from Finland’s Technical Research Center (VTT), “Recycling Food Packaging”, highlights the technology solutions expected to become commercially available in the next five years and says partnerships are essential to deliver the necessary technological innovations in food packaging recycling.

VTT’s team examined current and near-future recycling systems for plastic and fibre packaging and found that alliances between brand owners, recycling and sorting technology developers, and waste management companies are fundamental to the development of recycling solutions. Such partnerships are essential for future investment in new recycling technology as they provide, on one hand, accessibility to used material, and on the other hand, a potential user for the recyclate.

Commissioned by Huhtamaki, the global sustainable packaging solutions provider, the report aims to identify and increase understanding of the key drivers required to deliver a functioning circular economy, in which packaging is not only recyclable, but recycled.

“The study predicts a significant increase in industrial chemical recycling capacity in the United States, Europe and East Asia in the next 3–4 years. Chemically recycled polymers can be included in food packaging after full depolymerisation, whilst in practice today, recycled polymers certified as food contact material are mainly limited to rPET, used mostly in bottles”, says Mona Arnold, principal scientist at VTT. ”We believe a real push for systemic change – going beyond individual companies and bringing value chains together – towards low carbon circularity is needed today,” revealed Thomasine Kamerling, EVP Sustainability and Communications at Huhtamaki.

“It is not enough to manufacture recyclable products; they need to be recycled. This necessitates building the systems to recycle all waste and focus on reducing our carbon footprint collectively. This will only be possible through game changing innovation and partnerships across the value chain. The effective use of Extended Producer Responsibility systems to build a material-positive system for fit-for-purpose food packaging will also be helpful. The VTT report outlines how to make this happen and we hope it acts as reference point to support collaboration between industry, civil society and governments.”

needing to move due to climate issues.

Irish people, especially the younger generation, are also concerned about the sustainability of their jobs: almost onethird of respondents aged 20-29 (31%) fear they could lose their job because it will become incompatible with the fight against climate change (11 points above the national average of 20%).

Long-term lifestyle changes Irish people are conscious of the behavioural shifts that are needed to tackle climate change. According to them, individual lifestyle changes that reduce carbon emissions will gain significant traction in the next 20 years. 66% say they think that most people will be working from home to contribute to the fight against climate change, while onethird (35%) think most people will have adopted a plant-based diet and nearly half (48%) predict that an energy quota will be allocated to each individual.

“Irish people see clear opportunities in the green transition for their quality of life, as well as for the job market in general,” noted EIB Vice-President Christian Kettel Thomsen. “However, they are also concerned, notably the younger generation, about the long-term impact of climate change on where they live and on the sustainability of their jobs. As the EU climate bank, it is our responsibility to listen to these concerns and work with policymakers and industry partners to address them. In doing so, we can help power the transition to a greener and prosperous future that leaves no one behind.”

24|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Sustainability: Energy Efficiency

Irish businesses focused on energy efficiency New research from Energia reveals that Irish businesses are beginning to introduce energy efficiency measures and have already taken steps to lower their carbon footprints.

RESEARCH undertaken by Energia shows that climate change and energy usage are key focuses for businesses across Ireland for the year ahead, with three in five businesses (63%) surveyed highly interested in energy efficiency and learning how to reduce usage.

Energy efficiency & technology The research covered small, medium, and large businesses across multiple sectors. Of those surveyed, 12% of businesses stated that they have at least one electric vehicle (EV) charging point. In line with the Government’s Climate Action Plan, the research found that this figure will rise to approximately 18% by the end of 2022 as more businesses look to develop their EV infrastructure over the next 12 months.

Looking at other areas, the research found that 45% of businesses are interested in lighting upgrades to drive efficiencies, while over two thirds (67%) of businesses are interested in grants that enable energy efficiency upgrades.

Sustainability is a priority “Sustainability and energy efficiency have become priorities across all levels of society, from individual households to Government policies and, as this research shows, within businesses,” noted Andy Meagher, Director of Customer Solutions at Energia. “Indeed, our research found that 34% of Energia business customers have allocated budget to energy efficiency plans, higher than any of the other main suppliers, and 23% of Energia customers have at least one EV charging point. It is our hope to continue to grow these numbers and further support businesses and communities across Ireland in their development.”

Energia offer a comprehensive range of energy efficiency services to businesses of all sizes, enabling them to make greener and smarter decisions. The Energia offering includes a real time energy consumption dashboard, fully funded LED lighting solutions and grant funding for energy efficiency upgrades. They also offer bespoke commercial EV options.For more information, visit www.energia.ie/business/home.

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26|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Sustainability: Heineken Ireland

Heineken Ireland brewing “green” beer Heineken Ireland’s Cork brewery is 96% self-sufficient in carbon dioxide through capture and reuse initiatives.

THE fizz in Heineken Ireland’s beers comes from recycled carbon dioxide, which is created in the natural fermentation process and then captured and reused at the Cork brewery to carbonate its draught beer. The carbon dioxide reuse project is just one element of Heineken Ireland’s broad commitment to sustainability across all facets of their operation, both in Ireland and globally, revealed in their 2021 sustainability progress report, as they moved towards a circular economy through initiatives such as the reuse of by-products like carbon dioxide and grain dust and repurposing kegs of beer during lockdown.

Using recycled carbon dioxide for millions of pints of beer has helped make Heineken’s Cork brewery 96% carbon dioxide self-sufficient. Working with industry partners, the brewer also plans to remove more than half a million single use plastic cups from events this summer through the introduction of a reusable plastic cup.

With the hospitality sector continuing to suffer lockdowns in 2021, Heineken Ireland ensured no pints went to waste, continuing their efforts to repurpose kegs of beer – over 19m pints in total across 2020 and 2021 – from the cellars of pubs in lockdown and turning them into energy and animal feed.

Heineken Ireland also continued to lead the way in moderation, funding dedicated Zero Zone spaces in retail outlets to help showcase no alcohol and low alcohol options for consumers. So far, the brewer has created over 1,100 Zero Zones in off licences and retailers across Ireland, which showcase all no alcohol and low alcohol products, rather than just the Heineken Ireland brands,

further underscoring their commitment to the promotion of moderation.

Highlights from the sustainability report include: Environment Due to ongoing investments, the Heineken Ireland Pictured are Maarten Schuurman, MD, and Barbarabrewery is 96% self- Anne Richardson, Sustainability Manager, Heineken sufficient in CO2, and Ireland, announcing the 2021 sustainability results. at full production, the site recaptures over 2,000 tonnes of CO2 Ireland, with 700 more outlets being from the fermentation process for reuse added this year. in brewing. This green CO2 is recycled All Heineken brand campaigns and reused in the production process, in feature a strong Heineken 0.0% areas such as the carbonisation of beer, presence, while 10% of Heineken pressurising kegs, and pressurising brand media spend is dedicated to vessels. a standalone campaign promoting In addition to operating a Zero Waste responsible consumption behaviour and to Landfill site from their Cork brewery, encouraging healthier drinking habits all by-products from the brewing process every year. In 2021, this campaign (e.g., spent grain and grain dust) are reached over 1m people across Ireland. reused and recycled, with 30 tonnes of waste being repurposed per year as Social Impact animal feed.

Currently, 33% of Heineken Ireland’s Heineken Ireland have achieved a 28% senior leaders are female, with a reduction in emissions from production commitment to reach 50% by 2024. since 2018 and aim to achieve zero In 2021, Heineken Ireland launched emissions from their brewery by 2030.

Fresh Beginnings, a €10m stimulus They are also the first global brewer to programme to support the hospitality pledge carbon neutrality in the full value sector re-opening. Heineken Ireland chain by 2040. are committed to local suppliers, with Heineken Ireland have removed over 100% of their barley coming from four million pieces of plastic packaging Irish farmers. In total, they work with and removed PET plastic bottles from over 300 Irish suppliers, delivering their entire product portfolio. Reusable an annual spend of €54m to the Irish cups were successfully tested at events economy. in 2020/21, with a plan in place to remove “While 2021 continued to pose more than half a million single use plastic significant challenges for the drinks cups from events this summer. and hospitality industry, at Heineken Ireland we are incredibly proud that Responsibility we have continued to make substantial Heineken Ireland have continued to lead progress in our sustainability initiatives the market in responsible consumption, across the business and in setting moderation, and low/no alcohol options. ambitious environmental goals for So far, they have created over 1,100 Zero the future,” noted Barbara-Anne Zones in Irish off licences and retailers, Richardson, Heineken Ireland’s while Heineken 0.0% is also available Sustainability and Public Affairs in over 2,200 bars and restaurants in Manager.

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Sustainability: Repak

A challenge for Ireland

Meeting Ireland’s new plastic packaging recycling targets will be challenging, and we will have to change the way we manage these complex materials, according to Repak.

AT present, Ireland meets all of the previous EU targets set in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. In fact, we already exceed 2025 targets for Wood (69%) and Paper & Cardboard (84%). In the case of glass recycling, we already exceed our 2030 targets with a current recycling rate of 86%.

However, the new plastic packaging recycling targets will be more challenging for Ireland to meet and present an opportunity for Ireland to change the way in which we manage these often complex materials, which currently have a recycling rate of 31%.

To achieve the new EU targets of 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030 will require a dramatic change by all stakeholders in order to capture more of this material.

The business opportunity As a packaging compliance scheme, Repak funds the recycling of packaging waste in order to help Ireland meet its packaging recycling targets. In 2020, Repak saw a 3.5% decline in the tonnes of backdoor plastic packaging waste it funded versus 2019.

This is most often due to poor waste segregation practices on site as a result of: • Recyclable plastic packaging being discarded in business general waste bins; • Material being too contaminated when placed in a recycling bin, making it unsuitable for recycling; • Waste collection infrastructure or services that do not meet the current needs of the businesses.

Ireland’s new EU plastic packaging recycling targets of 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030 will require a dramatic change by all stakeholders in order to capture more of this material.

Although this decline is a concern, it must also present a significant opportunity to increase plastic packaging recycling rates, given circa 50% of all packaging waste generated in Ireland arises at commercial premises.

What can you do?

Legal Obligations on Businesses First of all, it is important to note that there are certain legal obligations on Irish businesses when it comes to the segregation of packaging waste.

Regulation 5 of the European Union (Packaging) Regulations 2014 as amended states that: • Producers should ensure that packaging waste is separated at source, by material type; • Packaging waste should be collected by a contractor for the purposes of recycling.

It is important, therefore, that your business is segregating all recyclable packaging. Plastic packaging materials, such as plastic pallet wrap, shrink hoods, case wrap and pallet sheets, should be separated from other types of waste. If in doubt about what your waste contractor will accept in the recycling bin or in bales, ask them for their assistance.

It is also essential that these recyclable materials are kept as clean and dry as possible, so that they are suitable for recycling at the point of collection.

If you need any additional support, you can also contact Repak’s packaging services team at preventandsave@repak.ie or call them on (01) 4670190.

28|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Sustainability: Packaging

Packaging coming of age David Little, Chair of the Irish Packaging Society and MD of Leonard Little & Associates, addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the Irish packaging industry as it faces up to the sustainability agenda.

HAS there ever been a busier, more stressful, complex time in packaging? Currently, the whole industry is facing challenges in every direction: lead-times have extended, prices are rising (it seems like every few weeks), raw material shortages continue to bite, general inflation, supply chain delays and staff shortages, combined with pressures in retaining staff.

There is also more pressure from retailers for increased recycled content, with an important drive for more sustainable packaging choices. This is all coming after what was a difficult couple of years for everyone. Covid made much of the sector very busy, with increased demand, while also adding a host of management issues in trying to balance sales and production with social distancing and absenteeism, and now we have the worries from the east.

There has been unprecedented growth in fibrebased packaging, driven by more sustainable thinking and in part by a knee-jerk move away from plastics.

The end user tends to see all plastics as a negative, fed by dreadful images of single use plastics in the sea, damaging wildlife, as well as litter on beaches etc. While this is appalling and wrong, littering is actually another issue, predominantly driven by lack of infrastructure and exacerbated by some of the largest food corporations in the world and the local governments. Between them, they introduced first world retail models and supply chains to developing nations without a thought for their waste infrastructure, or how people might handle the ensuing waste, with much of it ending up near or in rivers and ultimately the sea.

In Europe, we added to this problem, as we had the idea that if we collected waste packaging and shipped it abroad in segregated bales, then that constituted recycling. That is just collecting and sorting. What we

There is a massive onus on us all to keep the Circular Economy and the issue of sustainability firmly on the agenda.

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Sustainability: Packaging

There is more pressure from retailers for increased recycled content, with an important drive for more sustainable packaging choices. were doing was shipping our waste to developing nations that were effectively even less well equipped to deal with it than we were!

The demonising of plastics So the current changes are good and

“

necessary for us to take responsibility; not just collecting and sorting but also recycling in a sustainable, circular way.

This approach and the Single Use Plastics legislation is a good and necessary way to combat some of these issues and raise awareness, but it should not

It is amazing that the sustainable approach has not had a faster impact, as it does also bring good cost savings. When you change your packaging, or take the practical steps to change your factory lights to LED, or reduce your water consumption, or put solar panels on your roof, these all bring positive savings.

”

be extrapolated that all plastics are necessarily bad. Very often, plastics are ironically the best and cheapest way (in terms of CO2 emissions and final cost) to contain or wrap a product and other, more sustainable options will actually prove more expensive and may reduce barrier properties and shelf-life. That is why testing in advance of any pack substrate change is so important; sometimes it is necessary to take your time and not be first to jump, but do more testing.

The other big driver of growth in fibrebased packaging was the unprecedented growth in online sales during Covid and the subsequent demand for corrugated outers.

These two drivers, the environmental and the online aspects, are still driving high demand and continue to put pressure on paper manufacture, the supply chain, causing shortages in some liner types, with lead-times extending by up to 3-4 times the norm, and prices are ultimately increasing, it seems, nearly each delivery.

Some of these things we cannot change nor control, but some of them we can. I

30|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Sustainability: Packaging Installing solar panels can actually have a net zero cost, as excess energy can be supplied back to the grid.

am a big fan of training and I think the right knowledge and know-how can help improve most situations. Training can help increase efficiencies; it can help increase speed to market; it can help us make better choices; it can help save money; and it can help us feel appreciated.

Upskilling your staff Whichever side of the desk you are on, your people need to be upskilled to deal with these new challenges.

Retailers are demanding more and more in-depth or Advanced Packaging Specs. They now need to know the make-up of the board or laminate, the weights, the recycled content, the barrier properties etc. How can you make informed pack change choices if you do not understand the current or required performance of your pack? If you do not know the stacking strength of your current outers’ BCT (Box Crush Test), how can you suggest, recommend or agree to an alternative spec, one that has perhaps more recycled content?

Similarly for flexible film and laminates, if you are exporting plastic packaged products to the UK from April, you will need ideally to include

at least 30% recycled content or your customer will suffer a £200 per ton plastic packaging tax. Is the increased recycled content film supply available and at what cost, and will it perform as well as your current spec?

Here in Ireland with our Eco fee modulation, you may wish to move towards a mono-material rather than a multi-material laminate that is harder to recycle. In this case, you would need to understand the barrier properties of your material, MVTR and OTR (Moisture Vapour Transmission Rates and Oxygen Transmission Rates) and seal strength etc.

Packaging change like this requires testing: testing of what you are currently using as a control and testing of the proposed new material. In packaging, the volumes are usually very high, so mistakes are costly! An agreed process and protocol for pack change is essential and cannot be rushed, as failure will impact on shelf life, food safety and brand equity.

For me, the days of relying on our suppliers’ specs are now gone.

Companies need to work with their suppliers to develop their own in-house specs. They should, of course, contain

About the author DAVID Little is Managing Director of Leonard Little & Associates Ltd, Packaging Consultancy and Training: www.leonardlittleassociates.com. David has over 30 years’ experience in the Packaging Industry. David is a qualified Print and Packaging Technologist. He is Chair of the Irish Packaging Society, a member of the UK IOM3 Packaging Leadership Group and Head Trainer IOM3 (Packaging) and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.

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Sustainability: Packaging Innovation is the key to creating sustainable solutions. A drive for more sustainable specs, together with increased demand, will help to bring down the prices of greener options.

the basic product name, references, dimensions, colours, coatings, materials, unwind codes, weights, etc., but they should also state the required material pack performance, the tolerances, the test method, the recycled content, the box or pallet packing requirements and an agreed run sample provision, etc.

Taking control of your specifications and investing in Packaging Technologists and a packaging process, brings real benefits, in terms of raising quality and even warehouse efficiency. When you understand what you need, with quality checks you can reduce the number of pack fails, maintain better seal integrity/shelf-life and create faster reporting and tendering. By default, it also makes you more aware of possible alternatives, or new materials coming onto the market, which will give you an edge and an advantage over the competition.

These changes will help to support sustainability in your organisation; while packaging is just one aspect, it is very visible and easily judged, or misjudged, by the end-user. We need to get ahead of the game and remove unnecessary packaging, reduce (lightweight) where possible, design for re-use (think of the packaging format and the packaging material), and recycle (monomaterial / use higher recycled content). Only if all the above are impossible, should we consider energy recovery or, in a worst case scenario, disposal.

Keeping the Circular Economy on the agenda There is a massive onus on us all, despite the distractions mentioned at the start of this article, to keep the Circular Economy and the issue of sustainability firmly on the agenda.

The world and our children’s future really need us to stay

focused and avoid further increases in global warming beyond the already impactful 1.5 degrees C. Therefore, reductions in carbon emissions are essential. Renewable energy sources are imperative to drive forward with a focus on circular thinking and not the selfish, short-sighted, linear approach to life that we have had for the last 50 years or so.

It is amazing that the sustainable approach has not had a faster impact, as it does also bring good cost savings. When you change your packaging as mentioned above, or take the practical steps to change your factory lights to LED, or reduce your water consumption (with less volume hoses), or put solar panels on your roof, these all bring positive savings. The solar panels installation, for instance, can actually be done for zero cost, under contract, when you have a large factory roof area and supply excess energy back to the grid.

Focusing on the big picture We need to stay focused on the big picture and agree that we all must do our bit and consider our full impact, inside and outside our organisation. The Green House Gas Protocol’s Scope 1 deals with direct company facilities and vehicles, Scope 2 covers indirect purchased electricity and Scope 3 deals with indirect upstream (purchased goods and services, travel, transport etc.) and downstream activities, such as transportation, use of product, recycling ease and cost and product end of life etc.

Only if we take responsibility and drive the required changes with a united concerted effort, will we slow or stop the upward spiral of global warming, with all its consequences. The practicable examples above are a no-brainer. Sustainable packaging is actually a little more difficult to implement and in some cases, industry is racing hard to catch up with R&D; hopefully, innovations with suitable specs combined with increased demand will help to bring down the prices of these greener options.

The benefits of training As I mentioned, training is the answer, in my opinion, arming your organisation and your staff with the tools to make a real difference, both to the environmental performance of your business and to your bottom line. Here are two excellent part-time courses in packaging, a Certificate and a Diploma course that, depending on the requirements, will bring the novice to a new level of understanding of packaging, with all its challenges and opportunities. By way of full disclosure, I am one of the Trainers on these courses.

• Food Drink Ireland Skillnet (Ibec) have recently started a very successful Certificate in Sustainable Food Packaging, accredited by PiABC. Carried out online across 12 halfday sessions, it forms an introduction to sustainable packaging, covering all aspects of packaging functions, preservation, manufacturing, materials, NPD, testing, design for circularity and legislation. The course gives students an excellent introduction on how to assess their packaging and choose a more sustainable version. https://www. fooddrinkirelandskillnet.ie/Sectors/FDI/SKILLNET.nsf/vPages/ Training_Courses~Sustainability~certificate-in-sustainablefood-packaging~0031?OpenDocument • Design Print & Packaging Skillnet run the very successful Diploma in Packaging Technology, Accredited by TU Dublin.

This course creates Packaging Technologists and trains them on all aspects of packaging, including the fundamentals, substrates, conversion techniques, printing, packing line operations, legislation, etc. https://dppskillnet.ie/course/ diploma-in-packaging-technology/

32|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Mid Cork Pallets and Packaging

Striving for a better tomorrow

Sustainability is at the core of MCP’s business.

Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging are one of the country’s leading suppliers of pallet, packaging and storage solutions, with sustainability an integral part of the company’s strategy.

IN operation since 1978, Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging (MCP) comprises over 350,000 square feet of manufacturing and storage facilities, spread across both their operations in Clondrohid, Co. Cork, and Dunboyne, Co. Meath. MCP are the country’s largest automated pallet fabricator, producing over 2.5m pallets per annum, including ISPM15 Heat Treated Wooden Pallets, Euro pallets, custom crates etc. MCP also supply, store and distribute in excess of 6,000 custom designed corrugated/cardboard boxes across the food & beverage, e-commerce, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries.

Sustainability is at the core of MCP’s business, evident through their core product offering of pallets and corrugated packaging. The reusable nature of wooden pallets is renowned as a hugely sustainable form of transporting products, while corrugated packaging is famed for being renewably sourced and recyclable in nature. Therefore it is a win, win!

Sustainability: a key concern MCP are the country’s largest In fact, MCP have automated pallet fabricator, always been to the producing over 2.5m pallets every fore when it comes year. to sustainability, by strategically managing their operations so as to minimise environmental impacts in areas such as waste, energy use and emissions. “Sustainability is integral to our core business values and it shapes the way we work across our operations and how we engage with our supply chains,” explains Aidan Harty, Managing Director of MCP. “The aim of our business practices is to minimise the environmental impacts of our products by delivering innovative and sustainable solutions and services to our customers which promote circular economy

principles”.

MCP’s Environmental Management System enables the company to constantly review their business processes to achieve savings through the use of Lean Manufacturing principles, minimising the consumption of energy through the use of renewable energy, optimising transportation to reduce fuel consumption etc.

Investing in infrastructure For a company like MCP, sustainability and innovation are key to their continued success. The company have invested heavily in their infrastructure over the years and were one of the first businesses in Ireland to commission their own Combined Heat and Power plant (CHP) at their Clondrohid site. Operated by Cork Green Energy (MCP’s sister company), the CHP plant is fuelled by biomass and uses state-of-the-art technology to create green electricity, producing 1.2 megawatts of electricity per hour. Another energygenerating initiative saw MCP installing over 2,000 solar panels on unused rooftop space at both their Clondrohid and Dunboyne sites.

This involved the installing of a 598KWp solar generation facility on nearly 4000 square metres of rooftop in Clondrohid and another 100KWp solar installation in Dunboyne, which helped reduce MCP’s CO2 emissions by 265 tonnes a year.

“Preserving the environment’s future is something that dominates MCP’s business practices,” Aidan concludes, “and allows us to reduce our carbon footprint, one pallet or package at a time!”

For more information about how MCP’s pallets, packaging or storage solutions can meet your needs, contact them on (026) 41311, email sales@midcorkpallets.com or visit www.midcorkpallets.com.

Ireland’s leading pallet manufacturer & supplier of packaging and storage solutions

Clondrohid, Co. Cork and Dunboyne, Co. Meath Call: +353 26 41311 or +353 1 8252059 Email: sales@midcorkpallets.com Website: www.midcorkpallets.com

34|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Form Fill Seal Packaging

Xtrupak focus on Form Fill Seal packaging Cavan-based Xtrupak are currently the only Irish company focused entirely on the Form Fill Seal market.

“CURRENTLY 90% of base web film is imported from other European countries and UK into Ireland - we are currently the only Irish company focused entirely on the Form Fill Seal market across PET, PE rPET and PE Mono,” explains John Reilly, Commercial and Marketing Director. “Xtrupak now offer a solution for Film Slitting, Rewinding and Roll Restoration.”

Sustainability and recycling are key concerns when it comes to packaging, and Xtrupak are very conscious of their obligations in this area, as John notes: “All of our inputs are 100% recyclable and the materials that we use in production are fully traceable, from supplier to production to end product. We drive positive change throughout Xtrupak, from sustainable sourcing of raw materials to minimising our operational impact and lowering the environmental footprint of our customers. As an extrusion APET and rPET film manufacturer, our circular business model helps to embed sustainability in every aspect of what we do.”

Extruded Thermoplastic Xtrupak manufacture and distribute extruded thermoplastic for the print, packaging and display markets in Ireland and internationally.

A large part of their business has been supplying their XtruForm product to huge UK thermoforming companies, who subsequently supply supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, and Marks and Spencer.

Here in Ireland, the company supplies medium-sized sheet roll stock into factories that have an in-house machine which moulds their material into packaging, so it is formed, filled and then sealed, but Xtrupak are actively looking to grow their market domestically.

“We have invested in machinery to target the Irish FFS packaging market, so we can supply the XtruForm FFS brand directly into Irish retailers and food companies,” John explains.

When it comes to rigid films, Xtrupak offer a range of products for thermoforming and Form Fill Seal applications, ranging from high clarity food packaging and specialist recycled products to nonfood applications. All products are available with options such as anti-block by means of master batch, silicone coating and anti-fog coating.

Xtrupak’s rPET flakes are generated from recycled APET bottles, which they import from Europe, and then recycle to create the XtruForm sheet roll, using APET virgin material or rPET sheet roll stock.

“Our rPET film is 100% recycled and 100% recyclable,” John stresses. “Typically, the customer will specify how much recycled content must go into the sheet. XtruForm is dimensionally stable, high impact, high rigidity and has excellent mechanical properties.

The UV stable polyester film offers the best in thermoforming quality and maintains high transparency and light transmission properties before and after machining.”

XtruForm can be used in a host of packaging solutions, from fresh food to medium and long shelf-life products. It is widely used in the packaging of ready meals, salads, fresh sandwiches, fruit,

Xtrupak offer a range of products for thermoforming and Form Fill Seal applications, ranging from high clarity food packaging and specialist recycled products to non-food applications.

meat, and freshly baked products, as well as in containers for some healthcare products, like toothbrushes.

XtruClear The company’s product range also includes XtruClear, a range of thermoplastic, amorphous, polyester sheets, which can be used to produce products with complex shapes and demands, due to its flexible fabrication properties. “XtruClear is cost-effective, has excellent transparency, high impact resistance, chemical resistance and prints to an immaculate standard, making it a fantastic option in many situations,” John says.

XtruClear is ideal for shopping trolley bays, smoke shelters, POS display shelving, fridge and freezer lines and dividers, vending machine covers, box type and transparent packaging applications, convenience packaging and printed signage. The last two years also saw the material used extensively to produce protective screens, which were installed at till points in supermarkets and convenience stores in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Service The other thing that sets Xtrupak apart is the level of service provided, as John explains: “Our strategic geographical footprint through Europe allows us to be close to our customers, so that we can provide a more flexible and reliable source of film supply with shorter lead times and lower transport costs. Understanding that punctuality from order is key in meeting your deadlines.”

Manufacturing Apet & Rpet packaging rolls servicing the thermoforming industry under the XtruForm brand

Form Fill Seal PET/PE RPET/PE MONO Xtrupak now offers a solution for Film Slitting Rewinding and Roll Restoration.

Currently 90% of base web film is imported from other European countries and UK into Ireland - Xtrupak are currently the only Irish company focused entirely on the Form Fill Seal (FFS) market.

Additional investment is already in place to further develop our product range.

✓ High Quality, Fully Certified ✓ Flexible & Dynamic Service ✓ Sustainable & Recyclable

We offer Competitive Pricing for High Quality Products State of the Art Equipment Meeting Local Demand The Reilly Family Ownership 26 years of Extrusion Expertise

Gowna, Co. Cavan, Ireland +353 (0) 43 668 3464 | info@xtrupak.ie

QUALITY

ENVIRONMENT

I.S. EN ISO 9001:2015

I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015

HEALTH & SAFETY I.S. ISO 45001:2018

NSAI Certified

NSAI Certified

NSAI Certified

36|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

RETAIL IRELAND WELCOME FIRST GRADUATION OF APPRENTICESHIP FOR RETAIL SUPERVISION ON May 13, 2022, Retail Ireland and Retail Ireland Skillnet will see the first graduation of their Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme in Athlone. Minister Damien English TD will be the guest of honour who will present the degrees to the first graduates of the programme.

Acquisition and retention of talent has become increasingly difficult across all sectors in Ireland over the last number of years as the economy experiences an increasingly tightening labour market, exacerbated by the Covid 19 pandemic. In response to these challenges, 2019 saw Retail Ireland and Retail Ireland Skillnet coming together with national retailers to collaborate in the development of Ireland’s first National Apprenticeship for the retail sector.

The Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme provides an exciting opportunity to attract and retain talented individuals in the retail sector, while helping further define clear career paths for those in the industry, assisting them on a path towards management roles. This much-needed programme also addresses contemporary issues facing the domestic retail industry, including increasingly demanding consumers, digitalisation, and globalised competition. To navigate the skill requirements of the future, this two-year programme develops the human, digital and retail specific skills knowledge, skills and competencies to excel in retail.

The apprenticeship combines classroom learning and on-thejob learning experiences. The apprentice must attend a blend of classroom and online workshops over 23-24 days per year (24 days in year one, and 23 in year two), as well as completing workplace tasks as part of on-the-job learning to develop competencies and practical application in the retail environment.

The programme has a total annual intake of 180 apprentices, 60 in each location.

Since its inception, the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision has gone from strength to strength. The programme currently has approximately 170 apprentices enrolled from various retail subsectors around Ireland, including grocery, fashion, DIY, pharmacy, forecourt, convenience, food, and stationery. The average age of apprentices on the programme is 29 and women account for over 50% of enrolments.

Retail Ireland Skillnet recently announced that the programme was being added to a third location, starting in Cork in September 2022. For more information on this, please visit the Retail Ireland website or retailirelandskillnet.com.

EU MOVES TO REFORM FRONT OF PACK LABELLING IN May 2020, the European Commission adopted the Farm to Fork Strategy, which identifies clear information as key to enabling consumers to choose healthy and sustainable diets and reduce health-related costs. The Commission is due to propose harmonised mandatory front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling, which aims to support consumers in making informed and health-conscious food choices. This initiative will affect Irish retailers in the grocery sector as many are sellers or food producers, if not both.

Within the strategy the measures around Front of Pack labelling are particularly challenging for Ireland, due to our close trading relationship with the UK, which is of course no longer subject to EU rules, and the similar product range on offer in both countries. Any divergence in labelling schemes across the EU and UK markets would have significant implications on Irish businesses.

The most pragmatic solution is a provision whereby the European Commission formally acknowledges these local Tel: 01-6051558 |

market realities and endorses the use of additional or alternative schemes in particular member states, including Ireland. Retail Ireland actively engaged in the submission to the European Commission consultation through our European umbrella trade body, EuroCommerce, and will continue to represent the interests of our members.

www.retailireland.ie

Need more?

For more information about Retail Ireland and details of how your retail business can benefit from our unique services and supports, please visit us at www.retailireland.ie.

Retail News Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

Cash & Carry / Wholesale Focus Retail News provides a guide to the biggest Cash & Carry / Wholesale brands in the country, examines the impact of Covid-19 on the sector, and focuses on the trends that will drive the market in the months ahead.

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Cash & Carry / Wholesale Focus: BWG Foods

BWG Wholesale Division drives entire sector forward

BWG Wholesale Division is driving change in Ireland’s wholesale sector through technological advancements, combined with market-leading local knowledge.

AS Ireland’s largest national network of Value Centre and Cash & Carry branches, with 21 strategic locations around the country, their local knowledge is what sets BWG Wholesale Division apart because they understand and care about what their customers need and want. “We are flexible and are committed to helping our customers succeed,” explains BWG Foods’ Value Centre Sales Director, Paul Bealin. “Our business model is one based on meeting the needs of our customers, allied with our expert team of buyers, who closely monitor consumer behaviour and the latest trends to ensure we always have the right product mix available.”

Theirs is an expertise that is nearly six decades in the making. Value Centre have been serving the people of Ireland for nearly 60 years and the strength of their unique position in the Irish marketplace is predicated by their local workforce of subject matter experts, who take great pride in serving their customers and are supported by one of the largest sales teams in the wholesale industry. Their network of local Sales Reps has invaluable knowledge and experience and are available to help, whether in branch or on the end of a phone, and are critical to ensuring a convenient service to their customers.

Value Centre’s on-going nationwide success is not due to a single factor but a combination of them, including significant investment made in upgrading the branch network in order to improve efficiencies and deliver a more positive customer shopping experience. This is achieved through strategic investment, such as the acquisition of 4 Aces and Better Deal in recent years to further grow Value Centre’s footprint in the industry. Through their retail, licenced, hospitality and wholesale businesses, Value Centre serve more than 20,000 customers across the Republic of Ireland, employing more than 900 people directly.

According to Paul Bealin, the ambition for the future remains as bright as ever: “We have a clear ambition to make Value Centre Ireland’s leading wholesale cash & carry group. Key to meeting this target will be continued investment across

our branch network, in our highly sophisticated and market leading supply chain operations, and in our innovative product offering. We will also continue to seek out potential opportunities for further acquisitions, should they make strategic sense to the business and our customers.

Our success and consistent growth trajectory are primarily thanks to the support of the wider BWG Group, which gives us a distinct edge in the marketplace. Through these relationships, we have a unique insight into Ireland’s hospitality and retail markets and as a result, we’re well positioned to leverage emerging trends to the benefit of our customers and our overall business.”

Paul Bealin, Value Centre Sales

Director, BWG Foods.

Ireland’s first frictionless store BWG Foods’ Wholesale division is a lot more than its thriving Cash & Carry business, as evidenced by its recent collaboration with Compass Group Ireland in the development of Ireland’s first ever completely frictionless store, Market X Flutter, based at Flutter Entertainment’s newly renovated global headquarters in Clonskeagh, Dublin 4. The store uses AI-powered computer vision technology from leading global AI experts, AiFi, which allows shoppers to purchase items in-store without having to wait in line or stop to scan or pay, and as well as being the official wholesale partner, BWG Foods also contributed substantially to the development of this initiative.

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Cash & Carry / Wholesale Focus: BWG Foods Fact file: BWG Wholesale Division Name: Value Centre, 4 Aces, Better Deal Number of branches nationwide: 21 Number of customers: Over 20,000 Number of lines in product listing: Over 10,000 Tagline: Your Local Wholesaler Ordering options: Online: shoplink.ie Telesales: (021) 4548700 In-Branch: Dedicated Sales Developers Typical opening hours: 8am - 4.30pm Retail Partners: XL Retail Group Size-range of outlets: 12,000 – 60,000 square feet.

BWG Foods Wholesale Division and Cash & Carry network are able to leverage the company’s combined buying power and operate a truly seasonal offering for customers, focused on value and range.

Indeed, BWG’s contribution to this project included developing the planogram for the store with BWG’s Retail Development Team. This expertise allows for the seamless flow of the store’s interior, which makes the experience for the shopper even more enjoyable. BWG’s team also advised on the full range of products for sale, as well as creating in-store shelf dividers and assisting in mapping out all categories chilled and ambient - in consultation with Compass’ Retail IT team, which ensured products were picked up on cameras and worked on their systems.

Technological advancements “Advances in technology are driving the marketplace, particularly in the current environment, and it behoves us to not just stay abreast of these advances, but to drive them and stay ahead so that we can better serve our customers,” explains Paul Bealin. “The project with the Compass Group is a great example of this and the industry has evolved into a very customer-specific one. Technology allows us to have truly meaningful conversations with our customers, to predict and adapt to meet the trends that will allow them to maximise their sales and profitability.

“For example, our award-winning e-commerce platform ‘Shoplink’ can connect seamlessly to EPOS and is fully integrated and live with the supply chain.

Customers can access ‘Shoplink’ 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, enabling them to do business with us more efficiently and giving them back more of their time for other aspects of their business. With a flexible next-day delivery service, if the customer can’t come to us, we will do our utmost to ensure next day delivery. We also offer an emergency

top-up service for customers. Having technology at their fingertips allows our Sales Reps to access data and offers relevant to the customer in front of them and to adapt to meet their needs in an instant. In today’s world, you must be adaptable, which is something BWG Foods is very good at and our customers respect that and rely on it to help them.”

Continually expanding range One of BWG Wholesale’s greatest strength is the continual expansion of its range, which offers customers more choice than ever before. The business also prides itself on being first to market with new products, thereby giving their customers the opportunity to gain an advantage over competitors. There is also tremendous value offered through the BWG Own Brand offering, which

BWG Foods’ award-winning e-commerce platform ‘Shoplink’ can connect seamlessly to EPOS and is fully integrated and live with the supply chain.

consists of a retail range, Family Value, and a catering range, Chef’s Kitchen.

Both ranges are benchmarked and tested against the market leader or branded equivalent, and offer attractive savings without compromising on the quality of the product.

“We are confident that we have a strong offer for our customers,” Paul Bealin reveals. “We are constantly analysing the market and adapting and adjusting to ensure our customers have access to trends and the best and most competitive offers within wholesale. We run national promotions every three weeks, with further tactical activity generally centred on seasonal opportunities, offering customers incredible value all year round. We are working tirelessly to meet the needs of our customer base and part of this is ensuring each Value Centre branch has their own local deals for their specific customer base.”

As an additional advantage, being part of the BWG Group means BWG Foods Wholesale Division and Cash & Carry network are able to leverage the company’s combined buying power and operate a truly seasonal offering for customers, focused on value and range. As well as having access to that larger network - for example BWG’s exclusive range of wine offers a valuable differential in the marketplace - each branch also has their own local deals for their customers, so there is an incredible amount of offers to choose from all year round for customers.

As a consequence, as the world continues to recover from recent events, BWG Foods Wholesale Division remains confident of their ability to properly serve their customers, provide value to those customers and retain their place as Ireland’s largest and leading wholesale and cash & carry business.

40|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Cash & Carry / Wholesale Focus: Barry Group

Barry Group: a family concern Barry Group’s family ethos gives it a unique advantage when it comes to the Irish wholesale trade, as Jim Barry, Managing Director, explains.

BARRY Group have been providing cash & carry / wholesale services to retailers and foodservice operators since 1955, when it was founded by James A. Barry.

His son, Jim, is the current MD, and this family-owned business now features a third generation of the Barry family in the shape of Holly (Brand Strategist) and Amy (Organisational Development Specialist).

Indeed, Jim believes that it is the family ethos gives them a distinct advantage when it comes to understanding the operations and needs of the customers they supply, most of whom are family concerns too.

“I think it gives us a major advantage,” he stresses. “Large companies think differently; they have to. They are wired differently because of their sheer scale and size and because of that size they tend to be rigid. Being a medium-sized business means we are very flexible and the fact that we are a family business means that we really understand the dynamics of what goes in in a family business. Stuff is discussed at the kitchen table at home, and we understand all that.”

He believes that the company’s size is a key selling point, as customers can discuss their plans with Jim and the rest of the senior management team: “We can meet customers on a personal level, get

a proper understanding of their business, and share our vision.”

The MD insists that while they have ambitious growth plans, Barry Group are very conscious of what their strengths are and don’t want to lose them by growing too fast, too quickly: “We are conscious that we are a medium-sized business and we want to keep to the scale where we remain a medium-sized business; that might sound funny but I wouldn’t want to get beyond a €500m turnover because we might lose part of our magic if we did. We would still be optimistic about opportunity for the coming years but we are very clear that we don’t want to lose the family touch.

“I have two daughters now working in the business, taking greater roles within the business, and we have a number of long-term managers within the business who we see as family as well, because they are with us so long. I believe it is unique to have a have a decent-sized company within the Irish market with that authentic, honest family approach.”

Strong double-digit growth The Barry Group’s General Wholesale channel continues to perform well, with strong double-digit growth over recent years. The Group have also developed their Best Buys sales offering, which Jim

describes as “their primary sales effort for this channel that includes key lines at everyday competitive pricing, backed up by volume line deals which help drive sales for our valued customers”.

“We continue to develop this offering in book format and online, which is now a major part of our growth,” Jim reveals.

“Our dedicated sales team build great relationships with our customers and ensure that they are aware of the deals that will successfully drive their business.

Our aim is to enable independentlyowned retailers to compete in the market and aid them to run profitable businesses. We have a long history of delivering great value for our customers and this is a legacy that we are proud to continually deliver on.”

Barry Group endeavour to constantly evolve their customer offering for all parts of the business, including General Wholesale, as all seven departments come together to develop new plans and approaches. “We put a major focus on our range offering to ensure that it is competitive and delivers on value for our customers. We continually review our processes to ensure we are effective and efficient,” Jim notes.

This was very evident over the last two years of the pandemic, as Barry Group’s agility allowed it to respond

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Cash & Carry / Wholesale Focus: Barry Group effort remained a top priority, ensuring that our offering from both value and range did not change.”

Jim Barry, Managing Director, Barry Group. quickly to an ever-changing market, while maintaining the core strengths that helped the business become the force it is today. “Our focus and dedication to delivering on our customers’ requirements did not change,” Jim reveals. “Our constant striving to deliver value for our customers did not change.

Our delivery of our Best Buys selling

A key focus on wholesale The General Wholesale division has been a key focus on the business for the past few years. Barry Group heavily invested in this channel and have reaped the rewards as a result. “Our ambient core range remains a huge strength for the business from both a range and value perspective,” Jim reveals. “Additionally, our alcohol offering has been identified as a key benefit of trading with Barry Group due to our extensive portfolio. Our chill and fresh range has also had great success.”

Barry Group’s USP, according to Jim is that they are able to “bring scale of offering with our unique family business professional approach. Our team are highly trained in the importance of our customer, which is one of our key values.

Put quite simply, we deliver on what we promise, which may sound simple, but the fact that there are no false promises offers a point of difference over many of our competitors.

“As a company that deals with both symbol group and independent customers, we understand that every retailer is different, with unique needs.

Our aim is to have an offering to meet the needs of each of our customers and ensure that they have a wholesale partner that is focused on their success.

Our General Wholesale offering, while different to our symbol offering, is designed to support a professional retail partner, offering retailers who want to remain fully independent the opportunity

to do so. I am not so sure that Cash and Carry’s have the skill base to offer the range of services that retailers may require for the long term. This is why we believe it is imperative to have a wholesale partner who understands your business.”

Through their wholesale business, Barry Group service a number of independent retailers around the country, with 12 full-time sales reps on the road.

“We come from a trading background where value is always important to us and that has served us well,” Jim stresses. “Our independent business is going from strength to strength.”

The impact of Brexit Brexit has had a big impact on the FMCG business in Ireland, the MD admits.

A number of Barry Group’s suppliers operate from UK warehouses and are being impacted as the flow of stock slows down, while he believes that service levels have disimproved due to Brexit.

“When you add in scarcity of commodities and subsequent price increase, it is almost a perfect storm,” Jim states. “There is a supply chain problem in the trade in terms of availability of stock and the ability to deliver in an efficient manner to retailers.”

However, despite all the challenges ahead, Jim envisions a bright future for the trade here: “I do see a very good future for wholesalers who have scale, an extensive offering and take a professional approach to how they run their businesses and give their customers a great experience.”

Jim Barry (left), MD, and John O’Connell, Head of Logistics, pictured in the Barry Group warehouse.

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Cash & Carry / Wholesale Focus: Stonehouse

Stonehouse: fast, local and agile Tom Shipsey, Stonehouse CEO, assesses the continued impact of the pandemic and Brexit on Stonehouse members and on the wider cash & carry/wholesale trade in Ireland.

STONEHOUSE MARKETING Has the foodservice part of the business recovered to anything like pre-pandemic levels?

Foodservice in 2021 has shown great gains over 2020 but has not yet come back to 2019 levels.

Central Office: 12 Dundrum Business Park How has Brexit effected the sector and what will continue to Tel: (01) 296 6000 Fax: (01) 2 be its impacts going forward?

Brexit continues to be a challenge to all wholesale. Logistics,

Stonehouse is Ireland’s leading w pricing and out-of-stocks are the main issues. Theindependent long-term effect is a change in purchasing patterns to mainland Europe or warehouses nationwide. Stonehouse supports indigenous Irish manufacturers. each member quality of service and product e How has Stonehouse combatted the twin challenges of Covid client insight and market knowedge at the for and Brexit?

Stonehouse has incredible contacts throughout Europe, and it has a wonderful relationship with Irish suppliers and distributors. The group doesn’t get caught up in red tape or delays in listing. The members can and do make quick decisions on opportunities, are unafraid of “taking a punt” or buying larger quantities than required. Our product list has increased dramatically, with a lot more grocery and household items now available for our retail and foodservice customers.

MANAGEMENT: Chief Executive Officer:Tom Shipsey Group Retail Co-ordinator: Janice Gibn Foodservice & Beverage Coordinato Finance: TrevorhaveLogan What areas/innovations proven particularly successful?

While our strengths are in impulse, especially in soft drinks, alcohol, tobacco, confectionery and deli, our growth over the last two years has been in more traditional grocery and household.

TOM Shipsey, Stonehouse CEO, provides a concise update on the Irish cash & carry/wholesale trade in 2022.

What impact has the Covid-19 pandemic had on the cash & carry/wholesale business in Ireland?

The Covid-19 pandemic has had mixed results within the Stonehouse membership. Many cash & carry’s had an exceptional 2020 performance, with 2021 maintaining the gains of 2020. However, in the case of cash & carry’s in city centre locations, the results have been poorer as many people, especially in Dublin city centre, have not returned to work but remain home-working. In the case of foodservice, it also has been mixed. Take-away foodservice customers performed really well through the pandemic but naturally sit-down restaurants, coffee shops and pubs had a very poor 2020 with some recovery, but not to 2019 levels, in 2021.

What does the traditional cash & carry/wholesaler offer its customers and what does Stonehouse bring to the table that its rivals cannot?

Our offering has been extended greatly. We now are better placed as a ‘one stop’ supplier to retail and foodservice. Our speed to deliver, attention to pricing and value and personal local relationships with our customers continues to shine, especially through the two tough years of the pandemic/ shutdown.

How do you see the future for Stonehouse and for the cash & carry/wholesale business in Ireland?

There is always a future for people who offer a speedy, reliable, cost-effective service that is local and personal.

What is Stonehouse’s USP? Location, knowledge, value, relationships.

Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie|43

Nivea

Complete cleansing care with Nivea – no compromise CREATED to offer easy make-up removal, skin cleansing and care, the Nivea cleansing range delivers the most complete cleansing experience. The innovative collection of products, from Ireland’s number one face brand, helps to thoroughly cleanse the skin, while gently caring and protecting its delicate moisture balance. The Nivea cleansing line comprises various formats to suit all cleansing preferences with dermatologically and ophthalmologically approved products.

Daily Essentials Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water This award winning product has an innovative formula which cleanses and removes make-up, while moisturising the skin in one simple step. It respects the skin’s natural balance, requires no rinsing and is free of perfumes, colourants and parabens, making it ideal for sensitive skin.

Biodegradable Cleansing Wipes Gently and effectively cleansing the skin while maintaining its natural balance, these wipes thoroughly remove face and eye make-up, while providing the skin with refreshing moisture.

These soft and gentle wipes are made with 100% renewable plant fibres, are biodegradable, and are enriched with specially selected organic Argan Oil and organic Aloe Vera, ensuring they are suitable for even sensitive skin.

Daily Essentials Double Effect Eye Make-Up Remover This wonder product benefits from a gentle bi-phase formula

INSTANT HYDRATION

IN THE MORNING WITH MOISTURISING VITAMIN E

The Nivea cleansing which range helps to effectively thoroughly cleanse dissolves the skin, while gently eye makecaring and protecting up while its delicate moisture caring for balance. eyelashes and the delicate skin around eyes. The ‘oil phase’ is designed to remove waterproof mascara and eye make-up without irritation. The ‘aqueous phase’ is formulated to protect and care for lashes without leaving any oily residue. The highly effective yet caring formula is also enriched with cornflower extract, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.

Refreshing Facial Wash Gel This wash gel deeply cleanses and hydrates for a perfectly clean, refreshed skin look and feel. The formula combines effective cleansing with the mild and moisturising benefits of Vitamin E to help strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, while effectively moisturising to support your skin in maintaining its natural moisture balance every time you cleanse.

44|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Cash Handling: Premium Cash Solutions

SafePay: securing cash and peace of mind A Centra store in Mallow, Co. Cork, is enjoying 100% cash security and peace of mind thanks to end-to-end closed cash handling system, SafePay, from PCS (Premium Cash Solutions).

DANO’S Centra in Spa Glen, Mallow, Co. Cork, is a busy supermarket and convenience store in the heart of its community. Second generation O’Mahony family, owner Donal O’Mahony implemented a full roll-out of an end-to-end closed system, SafePay, with PCS last December.

“Last summer, we were going through a revamp of the store,” Donal recalls. “Therefore, it was timely to also look at an upgrade to our cash handling system and that’s when we were introduced to SafePay. We started with two systems on the kiosks and by December 2021, having become familiar with the system for about six months or so, we introduced two more across our checkouts, alongside its back-office solution.”

The benefits of SafePay The store previously operated a manual system, with cashiers managing and counting three or four floats a day per till, leaving their cash completely exposed in transit and open to temptation and human error. With SafePay, cash is never handled manually, and correct change is always given; therefore, unexplained cash differences and the task of dealing with them are a thing of the past. Cashiers no longer need to have responsibility for cash at the till or back-office administration. Closed cash handling establishes a single, secure, controlled routine for the whole store, automates counting and checking, and eliminates cash shrinkage completely, as the till drawer is replaced with a note and coin recycler, reducing the risk of human error, ensuring that every euro is automatically secured and accounted for at the POS. As it is integrated with the POS system, the correct cash amounts are always received and returned.

“Each of our tills has its own float and now self-balances,” explains Donal. “An employee simply takes the ink-protected cassette with the daily takings into the back office, where it’s inserted into the SafePay back office safe and mechanically emptied without cash exposure, completely tightening up our cash handling system and dramatically removing the everyday stresses around cash handling and staff safety. By automating

the process, it now requires minimal administration and saves our staff a lot of time during their shift. With more time on their hands, staff can better focus on increasing sales and improving our shopper experience.”

Safely managing the cash journey Whilst credit card transactions significantly increased throughout the pandemic, cash still remains king. SafePay better manages the journey of cash from the moment it leaves a customer’s hand until it With SafePay, cash is never handled reaches the manually, and correct change is always retailer’s bank. given, so unexplained cash differences are There are no a thing of the past. gaps in security and no weak links.

“We have seen cash return quite quickly, now that restrictions have eased, but we are very confident in our handling of it now that we have really tightened up our cash system and processes,” Donal reveals. “In my opinion, you can never be 100% cash secure without a system like SafePay; the peace of mind alone was worth the time and investment.”

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Cash Handling

saving you time and money WITH 9,000 systems across 3,000 customer sites, Money Point have 30 years’ experience supplying solutions to businesses handling cash.

When it comes to cash in a business, the owner needs to consider safety, security and risk, both for staff and the business. One of the biggest issues for any business is making sure you have the most efficient cash handling process at the lowest overhead cost.

Money Point have partnered with Arca, who develop systems for automatic cash management. Customers running these systems have said that they are “life changing”, “it takes the doubt out of counting cash”, and “it’s the best decision I ever made”.

Money Point have installed these systems in supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels, and fuel retailers, saving users and owners both time and money, as they no longer have to spend time counting cash.

Range of cash handling products Money Point also provide a range of other cash handling products, including small counterfeit detector units, and note and coin recyclers (made in Ireland), linked to the tills with customer or staff operation. Their range also includes customer self-service coin deposit machines, coin sorters, desk-top note counters and software to link your cash counter

back to your PC and accounts system.

A very simple and effective product for small shops is a drop safe linked to a web portal. Staff re-float their till at the end of their shift and drop the excess cash (their takings for the shift) into the drop Money Point have partnered with safe. Management Arca on the latest cash management can see this from systems. their mobile phone / tablet and the cash in transit company pick up the takings directly from the drop safe and take it to the bank. This can be very effective across multiple stores, as the web portal gives a view of the cash in the business, the performance of different stores, as well as control over the CIT operation and clearer bank reconciliation.

Contact the Money Point team to get an in-depth analysis and recommended solution for your business. Tel: (01) 8900466. Email: info@moneypoint.ie. Web: www.moneypoint.ie.

Secure cash management with ‘Safe-linK’ A ONE-WAY air tube and safe solution, ‘Safe-linK’ offers a reduced risk of major loss due to robbery. It is designed to assist your till staff remove surplus cash or other high-risk vulnerable items from the sales floor into a locked safe located in a secure, separate part of the premises by air vacuum.

Simple and user-friendly, ‘Safe-linK’ allows the cashier to load the carrier with surplus cash and insert it into the send tube; they then push the button and off it goes, directly into the locked safe in seconds, with no need to leave their post unattended.

‘Safe-linK’ can be installed into any building, is not limited to distance nor is it limited to the number of sending points.

‘Safe-linK’ can be used anywhere cash or valuables are collected and stored in a public area, including shop counters, booths, turnstiles and doorway admission desks, to name a few.

Customised to your needs The pneumatic tube system is available in sizes ranging from 50mm to 160mm (diameter) to move cash to a locked safe, keys in car showrooms and even devices for repair in phone stores! “We work with the retailer and customise each installation to their needs,” explains John Hughes of Advanced Pneumatic Technology Ltd (APT), who own ‘Safe-linK’. “‘SafelinK’ has been installed in grocery stores, phone shops, fish mongers, opticians, butchers, pubs and hotels.”

‘Safe-linK’ is a one-way air tube and safe solution that reduces your risk of major loss due to robbery.

​ To date, there have over 4,000 ‘Safe-linK’ Cash Tube Systems installed, each one providing security and peace of mind to every retail owner, cashier or staff member and helping to make their working day safer.

APT offer consultation and installation of new systems, as well as alteration, upgrade and relocations of existing systems.

They also provide 24-hour support and maintenance services.

For more information on their products and services or to see how APT can tailor a solution to suit your needs, call (01) 8413005 or visit www.safelink.ie.

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48|Retail News|April 2022|www.retailnews.ie

Tobacco Products

Black market grows as excise hikes bite

Legitimate tobacco retailers are concerned that repeated excise hikes are pushing more consumers to the black market, which continues to prove a lucrative area for criminal gangs.

THE Covid-19 pandemic had a big impact on the sale of tobacco in Ireland. The various lockdowns, with the associated travel ban, meant that Irish consumers were unable to purchase cheaper cigarettes and tobacco products from neighbouring EU countries.

However, the latest report into the sector

by Euromonitor International, predicts that tobacco is expected to revert to pre-Covid growth trends when the latest figures are released. Retail volume sales of cigarettes are likely to continue to decline, according to Euromonitor, as travel restrictions ease and consumers are able to purchase cheaper cigarettes abroad.

The high cost of cigarettes in Ireland, thanks in the main to our punitive excise duties, is fuelling a rapidly growing black market, according to Retailers Against Smuggling, who believe that a significant spike in major seizures of cigarette and tobacco products in 2021 suggests that the black market being exploited by crime gangs is more lucrative than ever. Last year saw Revenue announcing 57 major tobacco seizures, 14 of which had an estimated retail value of over €1m. Over 50.2m cigarettes were seized, up 2.1m from 2020, while over 35.5 tonnes of loose and roll your own tobacco was seized, up 28.4 tonnes.

National Spokesperson for Retailers Against Smuggling, Benny Gilsenan, said that the sheer magnitude of seizures reported by Revenue “vindicates our concerns that tobacco smuggling is on a sharp rise”. This, he contended, is “resulting in a rapidly growing black market which retailers like myself simply cannot compete against.”

“It’s clear that criminal gangs are taking advantage of the tidy profits that can now be made from illicit tobacco, while undercutting legitimate retail prices,” he stressed. “The large consignments we’re seeing seized, primarily at our major ports, are just the tip of the iceberg. We know that the majority of illicit product being smuggled into the country is finding its way onto the black market, hitting the bottom line of registered retailers.”

Retailers Against Smuggling argue that the current Government policy of placing annual excise increases on tobacco products is making the illicit tobacco trade a more lucrative and appealing market for criminal gangs.” This is further fuelled by growing consumer demand, as smokers are forced to turn to the black market due to duty paid tobacco products sold by registered retailers becoming too expensive,” Benny Gilsenan

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

Silk Cut Silk...it’s so much more than a fabric. As with Silk Cut, silk is premium, refined and defined by its quality. It’s exactly this quality that makes JTI Ireland’s Silk Cut the country’s number one cigarette brand (Source: Nielsen ROI Extended Scantrack, RMC SOM, YTD February 27, 2022) with over 20% share of the premium cigarette segment (Source: Nielsen extended scantrack, RMC SOM 21.2% latest 4 weeks data to February 27, 2022).

Silk Cut has an extensive range of cigarettes available for existing Irish adult

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Tobacco Products 2022). Mayfair’s biggest box now comes in 33s and, of course, is also available in 20s & 26s. Mayfair is also available in Sky Blue and Sea Green, both in King Size and Superkings formats.

Stock up today on Mayfair, the value

Mayfair: Ireland’s number one cigarette brand in the value segment.

Silk Cut: Ireland’s number one cigarette brand. smokers, delivering premium quality that cuts above the rest. Silk Cut is available in Purple, Blue & Silver, in both King Size & 100s formats, with a variety of box formats including 20s, 23s and 27s. As well as this, Silk Cut is also available in Silk Cut Choice Green & Silk Cut Choice Super Line Green, with innovative new blends, and Silk Cut Red King Size 20s. Now’s the time to stock up on Ireland’s number one cigarette brand (Source: Nielsen ROI Extended Scantrack, RMC SOM, YTD February 27, 2022).

Which is why Benson & Hedges Gold is now available in a 34s box format, as well as in 20s, 23s & 27s, with other SKUs and variants available including B&H Silver and B&H Select.

So, stock up today, because with more than 4,000 Benson & Hedges packs sold daily in Ireland (Source: Nielsen Extended Scantrack YTD February 27, 2022), you can feel confident that Benson & Hedges is the brand you need to succeed. Gold. It’s a state of mind.

Benson & Hedges Why has Benson & Hedges Gold been raising the bar since 1990? Because Benson & Hedges, from JTI Ireland, isn’t afraid of a challenge. It adapts and evolves to become an icon for the future as well as today, from the FirmTech filter to limited edition bundles, it’s a brand that never settles for second best, because nothing less than gold will do.

Mayfair When existing adult smokers want great value and quality, they know they can rely on Mayfair from JTI Ireland. Mayfair Original is available King Size and Superkings and, when every fifth box sold is a bigger box format, you know it makes sense to stock Mayfair Big Boxes (Source: Nielsen extended scantrack, RMC SOM 15.7%, Value RMC SOS 40.4%, latest 4 weeks data to February 27,

hero and Ireland’s number one cigarette brand in the value segment (Source: Nielsen extended scantrack, RMC SOM 15.7%, Value RMC SOS 40.4%, latest 4 weeks data to February 27, 2022).

Amber Leaf In 2010, Amber Leaf became Ireland’s number one Roll-Your-Own (RYO) brand and since then, it has gone from strength to strength.

Amber Leaf, from JTI Ireland, offers

Amber Leaf and Amber Leaf Blonde, offering innovation and added value to existing adult smokers.

Benson & Hedges Gold is now available in a 34s box format, as well as in 20s.

innovation and added value to existing adult smokers, with products such as the 3-in-1 Crush Proof Box with filters and papers included. It was the first to market with an alternative, smoother blend option, Amber

when and where KEVIN KEATING “ PRESIDENT OF APPEALS “

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Tobacco Products Leaf Blonde.

By rolling out products for existing adult smokers who believe in authenticity, passion and craft, Amber Leaf has remained the favourite of many existing adult smokers. In 2020, it triumphed once again, with a 10th successive year as Ireland’s number one RYO brand, and it doesn’t stop there.

Amber Leaf moves with the times, keeping up with innovations. That’s why they added ZipSeal to their Amber Leaf Original and Blonde 30g pouches, sealing in the same great taste and quality consumers have come to expect from Ireland’s number one RYO (Source: Nielsen extended scantrack, Combined SOM 21.5%, RYO SOM 71.3%, latest 4 weeks data to February 27, 2022). Both Amber Leaf Original and Blonde are available in two formats: 30g Pouch with papers & 30g Box with papers and filters.

Nordic Spirit Nordic minimalism is all about simplicity, and a less-is-more approach to life; Nordic Spirit embraces that spirit. Nordic Spirit’s high quality nicotine pouches, without tobacco, smoke or vapour, mean you can make the most of every moment, anytime, anywhere. So, stock up on Nordic Spirit today (18+. This product contains nicotine.

Nicotine is an addictive substance).

Nordic Spirit’s high quality nicotine pouches, in Smooth Mint and Berry Citrus flavours, have no tobacco, smoke or vapour.

BAT Ireland Pall Mall, Rothmans and Vogue are globally successful cigarette brands from BAT Ireland. “We have accomplished success by providing great quality products made with passion,” notes Simon Carroll, Country Manager, BAT Ireland. “We want to make sure to deliver over and above competitors so that our consumer always gets the best.

It’s our main motivation to keep the brand moving forward by regularly introducing relevant new products and solutions that are tailored to consumers’ needs.”

Over the years, Pall Mall in Ireland has always been the frontrunner of innovations, especially with menthol capsulated products and even when the menthol ban was introduced, the brand managed to bring new innovations to keep its most innovative, modern, progressive and differentiated brand in the market.

“Our brands provide consumers the highest quality of blends and packaging elements, Pall Mall also offers a low RRP,” Simon says. “Moreover, we have a

Pall Mall has consistently been to the forefront in terms of innovations in the Irish tobacco market.

Rothmans, the globally successful cigarette brand from BAT Ireland. differentiated portfolio within our brands including all product formats: Kingsize, Super kings, Bigger content packs, Full Flavour, Non-Full Flavour and also innovations such as Flow Filter and the super slim format in Vogue Essence Bleue.”

Providing high quality, diverse portfolio for an affordable price is BAT Ireland’s motivation, according to the Country Manager: “Retailers have worked with us over the years to provide this to consumers.

We would like to thank retailers for their continuing support.”

Please contact your BAT Ireland rep if you have any questions.

Vogue Essence Bleue, the super slim cigarette innovation from BAT Ireland.

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Ferrero

Nutella Biscuits driving sales

The Nutella Biscuits tube format is ideal for on-the-go consumption.

NUTELLA is perceived by consumers as number one for brand trust, brand love and great taste (Source: IPSOS, W7 1819 MAT Total Sample), and Nutella Biscuits allow retailers to offer their customers just this.

Since launching last year, the brand has had great success across the market (Source: IT IRI 52 WE November 1, 2020), with its handy sharing format offering retailers the chance to provide more choice and drive renewed interest in their offering.

The golden baked crunchy biscuit, enclosing a creamy heart of Nutella, gives consumers a new way to enjoy the great taste the brand is known for. By bringing this sentiment to the biscuit aisle, retailers can increase sales among the brand’s loyal following. The product is especially wellplaced to bring new customers to the biscuit aisle, who will be attracted by a familiar brand they already know and love.

Increasing sales and footfall The range caters to a range of shopper

trends, with the tube format ideal for on-the-go consumption. The Nutella Biscuits pouch is a larger pack, perfect for sharing with families, and has a seal to maintain freshness for longer.

The Nutella name is loved and recognised by shoppers across the country. This excitement, coupled with the versatility of the range, is wellplaced to support retailers with increasing sales and footfall this year and beyond.

The Nutella Biscuits pouch is a larger pack, perfect for sharing with families, and has a seal to maintain freshness for longer.

Retail News Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

in your pocket or on your desktop Subscribe FREE to our online magazine and newsletter at: www.retailnews.ie info@retailnews.ie @RetailNews1

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Drinks News Molson Coors launch Madrí Excepcional in off-trade MOLSON Coors Beverage Company are launching Madrí Excepcional in the off-trade to help retailers capitalise on the fast-growing world lager category. The European-style lager, a collaboration between Molson Coors and La Sagra Brewery in Madrid, is now available in major grocery stores and off licenses, building on the brand’s success since launching in the Irish ontrade in October 2020, where it has already broken into the top 10 best-selling draught world lagers. The roll-out will be supported by a multi-million-euro investment to drive momentum behind the brand, including TV, video-on-demand, out-of-home and digital activity, as well as a number of high-profile partnerships and activations. “The World Lager category continues to go from strength to strength and Madrí Excepcional’s crisp, refreshing double award-winning liquid and distinctive branding give it a real point of difference, which we already know from our on-trade success appeals to Irish consumers,” said Shane O’Sullivan, Customer Director, ROI Off-Trade at Molson Coors Beverage Company Ireland.

Two new Irish gins at Aldi

ALDI have teamed up, once again, with Monaghan based Old Carrick Mill Distillery to introduce two exclusive small batch Irish gins to 150 stores nationwide. Mo Chara Irish Pink Gin is distilled using a range of botanicals including pink grapefruit, juniper, lemon, lime, coriander, and angelica root. With its stunning blush tones, and distinctive notes of grapefruit, Mo Chara Irish Pink Gin will retail at €19.99. The second gin to hit shelves is an intriguing small batch Irish Gin distilled with pineapple, with subtle notes of other botanicals such as juniper, coriander, angelica root, cassia, pear, and lime, with a retail price of €19.99. “We have worked with the Aldi team for several years, and we continue to be impressed by their support of artisan Irish producers,” noted Steven Murphy, founder of Old Carrick Mill Distillery.

Alcohol consumption falling fast

NEW provisional data from Revenue shows that alcohol consumption in Ireland fell by 4.7% between 2020 and 2021. There was an even more dramatic fall of 9.6% between 2019 and 2021, showing the true impact of Covid-related restrictions and closures on hospitality venues. Beer and cider consumption saw the most dramatic declines due to their popularity in the on-trade. Beer consumption fell by 18.3% between 2019 and 2021, while cider was down by 15.1% during this period. Wine consumption was down by 13.1% between 2020 and 2021, and 2.7% between 2019 and 2021. Spirits consumption remained relatively static, rising marginally by 1.9% between 2019 and 2021. “This latest data shows the continued decline in alcohol consumption in Ireland, exacerbated by the pandemic,” noted Patricia Callan, Director of Drinks Ireland. “Alcohol consumption is now at its lowest level in 20 years, down by about 30% since the peak of 2001. The industry has worked hard to continue to tackle alcohol misuse. The growing trend we see at home and in other established international markets is people choosing to drink quality over quantity, which we welcome and will continue to encourage.”

Lyre’s partner with WellFest 2022

LYRE’S, the world’s most awarded nonalcoholic spirits brand, have announced a collaboration with WellFest 2022, at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on May 7 and 8, as the Official Non-Alcoholic Partner of the annual health and wellness festival. Headliners include health and fitness phenomenon Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, and doctor, mental health advocate and former ‘Love Island’ star, Dr Alex George. “We are delighted to partner with WellFest as the Official Non Alcoholic Partner for this year’s festival,” said Jayne O’Keeffe, Vice President of Marketing at Lyre’s. “At the heart of what we do at Lyre’s is provide a lifestyle choice that doesn’t impact on social experiences but will benefit overall well-being. It is exciting to be a part of such a positive movement and we can’t wait to share the weekend with like-minded brands and festival-goers.” For more information, visit wellfest.ie.

2022 vintage released of The Irishman Vintage Cask

WALSH Whiskey have released the 2022 vintage of The Irishman Vintage Cask, a rare cask strength Irish whiskey expression. This year’s vintage is limited to 6,100 bottles worldwide, with 1,200 bottles (750 ml) assigned to the United States and 4,900 bottles (700 ml) for the rest of the world. The 2022 vintage is the 14th release since 2008, when it became the first triple-distilled Cask Strength Irish whiskey released in over half a century. The Irishman 2022 Vintage Cask is a renowned blend of triple distilled aged Single Malt and aged Single Pot Still whiskey. The exceptional casks used for this annual vintage are hand-selected by The Irishman’s founder Bernard Walsh. The 2022 vintage is non chill-filtered and bottled at 54.9% ABV.

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Employment Law

Criminal Convictions and the workplace

In the first of two special reports into when conduct outside the workplace might become the business of an employer, resulting in disciplinary or other action, Barry Reynolds and Chris Ryan of DAC Beachcroft examine employee conduct which may be of a criminal nature.

THE law is increasingly called upon to recognise that the interests and obligations arising from the workplace can extend to conduct occurring elsewhere. It remains the case that employees’ work lives and personal lives are separate and the actions of an employee outside of the workplace do not typically ground disciplinary action. This traditional position was summed up in a recent Irish case: “an employer’s jurisdiction over misconduct of an employee ends at the company gate”.

However, that is not to say that all actions of employees occurring on their own time are outside the remit of their employer. In some cases, where the conduct is relevant to their role and/or is sufficiently inappropriate or unacceptable, an employer will have no option but to step in in order to protect its other employees, the business itself and its reputation.

In reality, drawing the line between employees’ personal lives and work lives can be an extremely difficult task for employers. Unfortunately for many employers, crossing the boundary from work life to personal life is something that is likely to occur and when this does happen, employers must tread the line very carefully; otherwise, they can expose themselves to a flurry of different claims, including unfair dismissal, discrimination and even breaches of privacy.

This month’s article is the first of two reports in which we take a look at when conduct outside the workplace might become the business of an employer, resulting in disciplinary or other action. This month, our particular focus is on employee conduct which may be of a criminal nature. In the May issue of Retail News, we will consider other aspects of conduct outside the workplace and in particular, in light of ever-growing social media use and, insofar as office staff are concerned, the shift to a dispersed workforce.

Misconduct outside work, disciplinary action and dismissal The question here is when conduct occurring at places other than the workplace may warrant disciplinary action by the employer and, in some cases, up to dismissal. Leading guidance was provided in the case of Crowe v An Post (UD1153). An employer is entitled to initiate a process under its disciplinary procedures where the employee’s conduct has an adverse impact on the business and where there is a “sufficient connection” between that conduct and the employee’s work.

The test for the employer to consider here is whether “the out

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Employment Law conviction and any sentence imposed stand to frustrate the employee’s obligation to be available for work?

A tribunal decision from the 1980s involving a retailer is illustrative in this regard. In that case, an employee broke into another retailer’s premises.

The conviction of the employee in that instance was understandably considered to be sufficiently connected to his employment that there was a breach of trust of the employment relationship that warranted dismissal.

This was a clear case as it affected another retailer and impacted upon the person’s honesty. If, however, the criminal conduct at issue relates to, for example, a minor assault or altercation, as opposed to theft or dishonesty, the prospects of a retailer standing over disciplinary action could well be reduced. It will depend on all of the circumstances.

Criminal allegations will not always be relevant Many of the most commonly arising criminal offences may have no bearing at all on the employment relationship.

For instance, it is common for employers to set out in employment contracts that convictions for serious crimes are a ground for summary termination, but certain other crimes (e.g. for minor road traffic offences or similar violations), especially where no custodial sentence is imposed, do not present such grounds. Even with such contractual clauses, an employer must approach the issue with an open mind and apply its processes fully and fairly.

In some cases, where the conduct is relevant to their role and/or is sufficiently inappropriate or unacceptable, an employer will have no option but to step in in order to protect its other employees, the business itself and its reputation.

of work conduct of the employee impacted adversely, or is capable of impacting adversely, on the employer’s business”.

The Crowe case further highlighted a number of important considerations when seeking to determine whether or not there is such a “sufficient connection”, including: • Whether the conduct risks bringing the employer into disrepute or causes reputational or other damage to the company; • Whether the employee’s offences make them unsuitable to continue in their role; • Whether the employee’s offence causes the employer to genuinely lose trust and confidence in the employee; • Whether the dismissal is more likely to be “fair” and defensible if the conviction is reported in the media.

The above are not set in stone as a cumulative list but rather considerations of varying importance from case to case. The key question is whether the employer can demonstrate any of the above kinds of likely or actual damage. The onus will be on the employer to show this. In essence then, the employer will have to consider the level to which there is a link between the conduct and the employment relationship and whether or not it leads to a breach of trust or causes reputational or other damage to the company. Otherwise, any ensuing dismissal is likely to be unfair.

Criminal convictions Criminal charges or convictions affecting employees can raise difficult questions for employers. Certainly, in some cases, a criminal conviction may justify dismissal, particularly if the conviction can be said to be related to the employment relationship. But employers must be aware that this is not always the case. Whether dismissal will be justified really depends on the circumstances. What is the nature of the conviction? Did the employee inform the employer of it and at what stage? Has there been a long interval between the commission of the offence and the employer seeking to address it under its own policies? Is there some nexus between the conviction itself and the employment relationship? Do the

Criminal allegations may give risk to an inability to perform the role Convictions can, on occasion, give rise to the loss or suspension of a driving licence, or other kind of permit which is essential for a particular role. This may warrant termination for some specific categories of staff. However, this will always depend on all of the circumstances and such potential terminations may not rely so much on misconduct as on the inability of the employee to continue carrying out their role. A recent High Court case considered an employee who was refused renewal of his airport identification card – which he needed for this role - as a result of having been charged with (but not found guilty of) drug possession. He was no longer able to fully perform all aspects of his role and was for that reason placed on unpaid leave and ultimately he was dismissed for the same reason i.e. it was not by reason of the criminal charge in itself. The terms of the employment contract and the employer’s policies will be key in such circumstances.

Candidates It is worth considering the position of job candidates as well as employees. Many employers formally enquire of candidates if they have any convictions. This can be with a view to potentially vacating the hiring process (or if they succeed in that process, terminating the employment relationship) if it transpires that they have convictions.

There is no general legal mechanism for conducting criminal background checks, save for certain limited exceptions. Many convictions would not, of course, have any bearing on many

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Employment Law It may be difficult to hold and complete a proper internal process Employers may find themselves unable to effectively apply their internal policies in circumstances in which an employee is accused, but not convicted, of a crime.

The employee may be entitled to rely on their constitutional privilege against self-incrimination and defensibly refuse to engage in any internal enquiry or process. This will not always mean that the employer cannot invoke its internal procedures, but it is easy to see how such matters can become complex and hard to manage.

The question at stake is when conduct occurring at places other than the workplace may warrant disciplinary action by the employer and, in some cases, up to dismissal.

kinds of role. These internal rules may entitle an employer to take action against an employee and the enquiries made at recruitment and the provisions of any related policy should be checked to ensure they are comprehensive and clear.

Specific protections may be triggered It is also worth noting that, while there is not currently any such statutory protection, it is possible that in the future it will be unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of a candidate or

employee having a criminal conviction.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has already recommended, as recently as in January this year, that this prohibition be introduced.

Some activities, to include drug use, may also, in some exceptional cases, trigger disability discrimination considerations under Equality legislation. At the same time, in limited circumstances, such conduct may render the person unsuitable for the role they occupy. It will certainly not always be the case.

Employers must remember that where an internal process is invoked, that it is carried out fairly. An employee who commits a serious crime, potentially tarnishing an employer’s reputation and resulting in a breakdown of trust, is still entitled to natural justice and fair procedures in the context of disciplinary procedures. Otherwise, that process will be ultimately flawed and any dismissal will be exposed to scrutiny by an employment tribunal.

If you have any queries or require any assistance in relation to any of the above, please contact Barry Reynolds or Chris Ryan.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

BARRY Reynolds (breynolds@ dacbeachcroft.com) and Chris Ryan (chryan@dacbeachcroft.com) of DAC Beachcroft (https://www. dacbeachcroft.com/en/gb/locations/ dublin/) are specialists in employment law. This article is for general information purposes only and does not comprise legal or professional advice. You should not rely on any of the material in this article without seeking appropriate legal advice.

Twitter: @dacbeachcroft LinkedIn: DAC Beachcroft Dublin

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What’s New LINDT EXCELLENCE CARAMELISED HAZELNUT

NESTLÉ IRELAND UNVEIL WHITE CHOCOLATE SMARTIES

NEW from Lindt comes the Excellence Caramelised Hazelnut bar, bringing together the two most popular ingredients in the bars category, Hazelnuts and Caramel (Source: Nielsen Total Scantrack Value Sales, February 2022), with shoppers rating it 8.4/10 in terms of taste (Source: Quantilope research flavour screening, July 2020). An experience to treat all the senses, Excellence Caramelised Hazelnut is a delicate blend of luxurious rich dark chocolate and crunchy caramelised hazelnuts combined with crisp caramel pieces.

Supported by a full 360 campaign, including TV, social, PR, in-store sampling and so much more, the new Excellence Caramelised Hazelnut is available now from supermarkets and retailers nationwide (RRP €2.90).

SMARTIES have been synonymous with colourful, chocolatey fun for 85 years – and now the brand is celebrating its landmark birthday with a brand-new product! Nestlé Ireland launched white chocolate Smarties in March. Like the rest of the range, Smarties White comes in recyclable paper packaging and initially launched in a 38g hexatube, with a 100g sharing bag available from June. “Smarties White have all the fun, colour, and crunch of regular Smarties, but with a delectable white chocolate filling,” noted Maria McKenna, Confectionery Marketing Manager, Nestlé Ireland. “White chocolate is becoming ever more popular with consumers, outperforming both milk and dark chocolate at a category level and growing every year to date and we are particularly delighted to now launch Smarties White.”

TALYSIS LAUNCH WEEKLY PRICING AND PROMOTIONAL TOOL

KEELINGS GREAT REWILDING INITIATIVE RETURNS

Talysis Ltd have launched a new service designed to make it easy for brands to keep their fingers on the pulse of pricing and promotional activity across the Irish retail market. PriceCube provides weekly SKU level pricing and promotional information on all FMCG categories, across the main Irish supermarkets, including Dunnes Stores & Tesco Ireland. Accessed through an easy-to-use dynamic dashboard portal and designed with headline and drill down capability, PriceCube provides access to current and trended insight. To develop even richer insights, it can also be integrated with sales data, internal field sales data, or any other data sources (such as weather & seasonal events). For more information, visit www.price-cube.com.

DIARMUID Gavin, garden designer and Keelings Great Rewilding ambassador, is pictured with Ben Geraghty (aged two and a half) at the Launch of Keelings Great Rewilding initiative, which aims to address Ireland’s declining bee and pollinator populations. The campaign is in its second year and will aim to distribute 250m native Irish wildflower seeds, an additional 150m seeds compared to last year. Keelings are inviting the people of Ireland to get involved by redeeming promotional codes from their unique berry punnets online, in return for free Irish wildflower seeds. Each seed pack is packed full of 30 different Irish wildflower species and will be sure to brighten up gardens across the country as summer approaches. For more information, visit https://keelingsgreatrewilding.ie.

HUNKY DORYS REVEAL TWO LIMITED EDITION FLAVOURS HUNKY Dorys have revealed two new limited edition flavours. Whether shoppers are looking for a snack on the go or a meaty filler for their sambo, they will not be disappointed with these two new flavour sensations! Enjoy the mouth-watering new Hunky Dorys flavours of Smoked Applewood Cheddar & Jalapeno and Pork Ribs Marinade. Smoked Applewood Cheddar & Jalapeno features smooth, creamy, smokey Applewood cheddar, matched perfectly with enough jalapeno to blow your socks off. Pork Ribs Marinade features succulent, meaty pork rib perfection with an obscene crunch. Hunky Dorys new limited edition flavours are available nationwide at RRP €1.15 (packs can be subject to special offer in different retail outlets).

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Shelf Life MUSGRAVE Group, together with their retail partners, colleagues, and shoppers, have donated over €1m worth of funds and goods to support the Ukrainian people.

Over €875,000 in funds has been donated to the Irish Red Cross and Unicef Ireland by Musgrave and their shoppers to support those impacted by the war in Ukraine. Shoppers across Musgrave brands, including SuperValu, Centra, Donnybrook Fair, Musgrave MarketPlace, Mace NI and Daybreak, donated €625,000 over recent weeks, while €250,000 was donated directly by Musgrave Group to the charities. As well as raising funds, Musgrave also provided several truckloads of essential supplies for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland and Poland. Individual Musgrave employees are also supporting this cause, with some providing help on the ground at the Ukrainian border and several Musgrave truck drivers driving goods to countries bordering Ukraine. Niall Conroy, Operations Manager, Musgrave Kilcock, prepares goods to support the Ukrainian people.

THE third year of Dairy Chef was held at GMIT in Galway recently, organised by the French Embassy in Ireland, in partnership with NDC (National Dairy Council) and CNIEL (Centre national interprofessionnel de l’économie laitière). The competition invites culinary students from top colleges in France and Ireland to create a three-course menu celebrating Irish and French dairy products. Each dish created must follow the theme of this year: “Sustainability and innovation in meals of the future”. Thierry Charrier, chef at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, one of the judges this year, is pictured surrounded by French and Irish culinary students taking part in Dairy Chef 2022.

Casillero del Diablo & entertainment.ie recently held the first of a series of ‘Devilish Movie Nights’ at The Stella Cinema Rathmines, bringing Casillero del Diablo to life by giving guests a premium night to remember, pairing the flavours of Casillero del Diablo classic range with cheese and a movie. Pictured are Eoghan O’Donoghue, Marketing Specialist Ireland; Emilie Biver, Marketing Manager Europe; and Francisco Reutter, Europe Director.

THE 2022 vintage of Writers’ Tears Cask Strength whiskey, the 12th edition of the super-premium expression from Walsh Whiskey, has been released. It is a unique cask strength whiskey crafted through an exceptional marriage of aged Single Pot Still and Single Malt Whiskey. Both whiskeys are triple distilled, natural non-chill filtered and aged in American Oak Bourbon barrels.

Each bottle is individually numbered and carries the signature of Writers’ Tears creator and Walsh Whiskey co-founder, Bernard Walsh.

KELLOGG’S have announced that salt in one of their biggest cereal brands, Special K, has been reduced by an average of 16.7% across the cereal range in Ireland. Salt is used in cereal not only to add flavour, but also to enhance other ingredients so even the slightest recipe change can make a difference to taste. Over 10 new recipes were created to find the right one that kept the famous Special K taste that people love.

When the new recipe was tested with Special K fans, 59% preferred the new recipe. “We are committed to making the best quality food and helping people make better choices in the morning,” noted Catherine Logan, Kellogg UKI Wellbeing Lead. “It has taken Kellogg’s food developers 12 months to reformulate the much-loved Special K cereal to include less salt but keeping the same iconic taste.”

A CLARE family syndicate had a truly life-changing week recently after walking into Lottery HQ and leaving with a cheque worth an astonishing €30,928,078 from the February 11 draw, after purchasing their winning ticket at Larkin’s service station in Ballina, Killaloe, on the border of Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. “Initially, we got the message on the app to say that we had won big and to contact the National Lottery,” noted a family member. “It was only at that point that we realised just how much the ticket in front of us was actually worth. I’d say the person on the other end of the line could hear us all jumping up and down in the house on that call. To hear that you’ve won over €30m just isn’t something that you ever expect!” A Dublin family also became millionaires recently, winning the €1m top prize in the Lotto Plus 1 draw on March 19, after purchasing their ticket at Cleary’s Mace on St. Gabriel’s Road in Clontarf, Dublin 3.

FLOGAS have increased their commitment to golf in Ireland by becoming the title sponsor of the Irish Women’s and Girls’ Amateur Open and the Irish Mixed Foursomes. The two-year deal means that the Louth-based company will now sponsor both events, alongside the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open in 2022 and 2023. Pictured at Co. Louth Golf Club are Mark Kennelly, CEO, Golf Ireland, with Eoin Murphy, Dundalk, alongside Emily Murray and Geraldine Meegan of Co. Louth Golf Club, and John Rooney, Managing Director, Flogas Ireland.

TEELING Whiskey have released a ‘United We Stand’ charity bottling of their Distillery Exclusive range, with all proceeds, including tax and duties, going to charities who are supporting Ukrainian families and in particular children as they navigate their way through this incredibly difficult time. This special bottling is limited to only 300 bottles. Each bottle is numbered and consists of Teeling Whiskey that has been given extra maturation in Virgin Hungarian Oak and bottled at 46% with no chill filtration. This charity release is only available online through the Teeling Whiskey Distillery shop, priced at €85 a bottle.

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At the IGBF we assist the families of over 300 of your colleagues every month. These families are more unfortunate than ourselves and without your support such assistance would not be possible...

But we still need your help to continue making the difference.

To Donate: ww.igbf.

For Assistance: ww.igbf.ie/help/our_help.html For Queries: info@igbf.ie

Registered Charity No: 6577 Registered Friendly Society No: 1775

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