Stocktake Autumn 2016 - L2

Our take on Australia’s retail landscape

Back to basics approach transforms food industry Pop culture has triggered a massive shift in how people think and feel about food. Bloggers, cooking shows, celebrity chefs, and online communities such as Instagram have seen many people do a complete 180o turnaround to embrace fresh food.

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Autumn 2016

Back to basics approach transforms food industry Continued from page one: With health-conscious consumers on the rise, retailers aren’t wasting any time catering to this rapidly growing market. Shopping centre food courts are now filled with an array of health food options such as salad bars, raw food treats, and smoothie and juice stands, while supermarkets, butcheries and produce stores are widening their range and lowering their prices as demand for fresh food increases.

According to US marketing intelligence company Mintel, 2015 was a game changer for the food industry, with consumers opting for sustainable lifestyle changes rather than restrictive diets. People also wanted to know more about the ingredients in their food as well as the companies that sell it. Celebrityinspired meals became more easily obtainable through an increase of fresh home food box deliveries.

Research company Ipsos indicates that Australia is following these global patterns, with consumers putting more emphasis on fresh, authentic and conscientious food experiences. In order to capitalise on this growing mindset, Kate Poulter, director of food strategy consultancy company Brain and Poulter, says retailers need to plan ahead, particularly when it comes to making wholesome food convenient.

“Retailers need to think about the convenience factor to help customers lead healthier lives without the discomfort of having to go back to making food from scratch,” she says.

Big retailers agree. Woolworths is always looking for ways to make shopping an easier, faster and enjoyable experience for our customers as they pick up fresh Australian fruit & vegetables and a huge range of grocery items at great prices.

“Our online site is proving ever more popular and customers are taking advantage of services such as Track My Order, Click & Collect and the 3,000 personal shoppers we employ to hand pick their chosen fresh groceries and get them delivered straight to their door,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.

As ALDI continues to grow its focus is on introducing new and innovative products.

“A key priority for ALDI is to respond to evolving customer shopping behaviour and adapt our product offering to ensure we meet the needs of tomorrow’s consumer. One example of this is our Li’l Snackerz range, which offers shoppers convenient, snack- size portions of various fruits. The range also demonstrates how we are consistently working with growers and suppliers to ensure a maximum utilisation of fruits and vegetables throughout the year,” says an ALDI Australia spokesperson. Supermarkets continue to adopt on-the-go food and beverage options in-store, such as sushi and coffee bars.

According to Kate, this type of forward thinking is right on the money.

“We believe the next area of growth will be adding a food catering component so people can not only pick up fresh to take home, but they can also eat fresh while there,” she says.

Supermarket giant Coles is a part of this movement.

“We’re always trying to find ways to bring new innovative fresh products to customers by working closely with farmers and growers across Australia. We’re also continually introducing a ready-to-eat food range such as salads, pre-cut fruit and vegetables for the convenience of time-poor customers,” a Coles spokesperson says.

Along with a demand for fresh convenient food, it seems Australians also want to purchase locally. According to Woolworths, buying local will be extremely important to future generations, which are predicted to be busier than ever. More consumers will be interested in using in-store cafes that feature fresh ready-made options, and apps will also assist in making everyday decisions around lifestyle and dietary requirements.

Kate says now is the time for retailers to really make technology part of their strategic development plan.

“Technology will play a big part in the future. I don’t think Australia is as advanced as overseas. Are people using Facebook? Yes. But are they really embracing the technology that can reduce costs and improve ordering? We still believe there’s a long way to go for food and catering operators to allow technology to lead them in terms of what they should be selling next.”

She says an example of this is integrated systems which allow “click and collect” fresh food orders.

Experts say 2016 will be another big year for the food industry. It’s predicted that restaurants, bars and fast food joints will continue to push healthy menus that feature natural ingredients. An upward trend in African and Middle Eastern food suggests these could be the flavours of the year. And move over coconut water: foodie forecasters say camel milk will increase in popularity and seaweed could replace kale as the golden child of health food. Other areas of growth are anticipated to be in home-brewed coffee, craft beer and superfood lattes. As far as takeaway goes, tech-driven delivery is expected to expand.

2015 the rise of…

• Fermented food • Sprouted beans, flours, legumes, nuts and seeds • Cold-pressed juices • Coconut sugar • Butter

• Smoothie bowls • Nut butters • Nut milks • Matcha • T urmeric tea • Bone broth • Grass-fed dairy

• Hot smoothies • Chargrilled food • Camel milk • Sustainable protein such as algae, nuts, vegetable, yeast and even insects!

• Seaweed • Cashew cheese

• Adaptogen super-herbs • Homemade fruit-infused water • Home-brewed coffee • Craft beer • Beertails

2016 the rise of…

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 2

Article continued

The future shopper – 2034 THE FUTURE SHOPPER WILL LOOK FOR A

multicultural RANGE OF FLAVOURS

THEY WILL TEAM UP WITH NEIGHBOURS, FRIENDS AND NEARBY SHOPPERS TO MAKE FOOD SHOPPING A

social experience

THEY WILL FOCUS THEIR SHOPPING ON THE ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE OF

browsing selected fresh & local foods

PRESENTED THROUGH IN-STORE FARMERS’ MARKETS THEY WILL

centre their shopping on fresh and local produce Source: Future of Fresh – Part of the Woolworths Trolley Trend Series, August 2014.

Technology around the world US supermarket guru Phil Lempert says 24-hour delivery services will increase with companies such as Amazon, Google, Instacart and Uber continuing to lead the way. He told Australia Food News that, in 2014 alone, $500 million was invested in food delivery start-ups in the States.

Baum and Whiteman, a leading international restaurant and food consultancy based in New York, agrees, saying this type of technology will be the biggest disrupter in food retail and services.

The UberEats service delivers straight from restaurants in Toronto, Paris and 10 cities in the US, while Google and Amazon have taken to delivering groceries. Here in Australia food delivery services are following international trends. Deliveroo, originally founded in 2013 in the UK, and Suppertime, currently service the Sydney and Melbourne regions, delivering restaurant meals right to customers’ doorsteps by bicycle.

Also facilitating 24-hour food retail, the first unmanned food store opened in Sweden earlier this year. Customers at the store in Viken, southern Sweden, use their mobile phones to unlock the door with a swipe of the finger and scan their purchases.

A growing interest in protein has forecasters saying many consumers will reach their protein quota with plants more than meat. US company Beyond Meat are market leaders in this movement and aim to help people reduce meat consumption by creating delicious meat alternatives which resemble meatballs, tenders, mince and patties that are high in amino acids, fats, carbohydrates, trace minerals and water – all of which makes these items a complete substitute for meat.

In 2016, there will also be an emphasis on getting back to basics with more consumers avoiding overly processed food. In response, food companies are getting rid of artificial flavours. An example of this is Canadian company Kraft Dinner, soon to be known as KD, which has vowed to eliminate all artificial preservatives or synthetic colours by the end of 2016.

Consumer concerns

87%

THINK THERE’S TOO MUCH SUGAR IN WHAT PEOPLE EAT

82%

SAY THERE’S TOO MUCH FAT IN THE AUSTRALIAN DIET

89%

AGREE MINIMAL PROCESSING OF FOOD IS IMPORTANT TO THEM

75%

SAY THEY TRY TO AVOID ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS Source: Ipsos Australia, emma™ food trends and insights, June 2015.

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 3

Food for thought Welcome to the new look Stocktake Retailer News now delivered straight to your inbox. The new format will help you quickly get inside the minds of shoppers and keep up-to-date with the latest news on what customers are prioritising.

In this issue we take a look at how Australians are embracing fresh, healthy food with an emphasis on provenance and seasonality and how retailers are responding to the trend. We’ve also partnered with Inside Retail to bring you a unique insight into the food shopping experiences of the future and how retailers are finding creative ways to bring food to their customers.

What’s inside Back to basics approach transforms food industry

Page 1

In conversation: A fresh look at the latest food trends

Page 5

Food revolution on show at Wetherill Park and Jesmond

Page 7

Feed the demand for prime logistics and distribution hubs

Page 8

Back to the future

by Inside Retail

Page 9

From fashion to food

by Inside Retail

Page 10

Celebrity chef joins Stockland to inspire home cooks

Page 11

Getting back to A to Z food basics with Jamie’s Ministry of Food

Page 12

Green Hills the flavour of the month

Page 13

We’re prioritising well curated dining and compelling fresh food offerings in our centres. For example, at Stockland Wetherill Park, which opened three months ahead of schedule in December, we’ve added more food options for customers to savour and experience with The Grove, an 800 seat indooroutdoor dining precinct, which complements Kinchin Lane. Both are examples of high-quality ingredient dining experiences in casual settings that diners are looking for.

Tenant Satisfaction Survey You will by now have received a Tenant Satisfaction survey from Monash University. Stockland supports this survey and we encourage your participation as it is a great way for us to get a better understanding of the service provided to our retailers and any areas for improvement.

To bring food to life in our centres, we’ve teamed up with celebrity chef Miguel Maestre to launch our exciting new retail food campaign, the A to Z of Mmmm, to inspire Australians to cook, learn and engage with food and food culture across Stockland’s shopping centres. As the face of the campaign, Miguel will create exclusive recipes each month; meet local food retailers and discover their food secrets for a web content series that kicked off last month; and front promotions and events in some of our centres.

We’re excited to announce that construction on the $372 million upgrade of Stockland Green Hills has officially begun. As one of the most productive centres in Australia already, the expansion, focused on a strong fresh food offering and a new outdoor dining pavilion, will deliver a vibrant shopping, fashion, leisure and entertainment destination for the region.

I hope you enjoy reading about the food revolution that’s underway and how Stockland is embracing the community’s passion for fresher, healthier menu choices and new food experiences.

Kind regards, Tony Tsekouras General Manager Retail Leasing

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 4

In conversation 2016 is shaping up as the year consumers are looking closely at the journey from farm to fork and asking for simple, fresh, locally grown, and authentic produce. As the demand for more natural, ‘less processed’ and well-curated food continues, we asked two key retailers and a retail food consultant to share their outlook for the future of food retail.

We asked •W hat are the most exciting food trends at the moment?

•T he trend to merge multiple types of experiences in one store is common in apparel retail, but how do you see this trend evolving for fresh food and dining retailers?

•H ow do you see technology influencing the business strategy of food retailers over the next 12 months?

•W hat do you think customers are looking for in 2016?

•W hat are some examples of how retailers are responding to the growing customer demand for fresh food?

With Barry Barber General Manager, Top Juice Food trends We’re noticing a growing demand for fresh, healthy offerings that reflect the broader community’s awareness of health and wellbeing.

Consumer expectations are growing as they become more concerned with more authentic, natural and less processed foods.

Retail landlords are investing in making better quality foods more accessible in casual and desirable environments that increase dwell times in centres, which benefits everyone.

In-store experiences Today it’s less about the retail transaction and more about the retail experience. Within shopping centres, more fresh food retailers are offering more dynamic experiences for their customers. The more variety you have, the more desirable the proposition becomes for your customer. For instance seafood retailers are now offering fresh and cooked seafood.

Technology For us, there’s a real opportunity to influence and engage with our customers using technology. We’ll see online pre-ordering and mobile payments play a bigger role in enhancing the customer experience. Of course, social media will continue to play a significant role in ‘social selling’ and in the way people eat.

Customer wish list Our customers are aware of the importance of a diet rich in fresh, natural, and quality produce so they’ll continue to seek out fresh and healthy. We’re constantly looking for new trends, innovations and super-foods in the industry and liaising with our farmers and growers to provide our customers with authentic, seasonal and locally grown produce.

Fresh demand Over the past 12 months we’ve listened to our customers and introduced products such as cold pressed juices.

With Tony Trimboli Managing Director, Trim’s Fresh Food trends Our customers are increasingly interested in new products and food experiences driven by reality TV shows and celebrity chefs.

We’re carrying an ever-expanding range of fresh products to inspire our customers and if we don’t have a product in store, we’ll get it within 24 hours. The trend of preparing vegetables in new and exciting ways and meat-free days is very exciting for us.

In-store experiences For fresh food retailers the most important in-store experience is giving customers an enjoyable sensory experience when they’re browsing fresh produce. For us that translates into better choice and more inviting displays that highlight our selection of produce.

Technology While we use technology to inspire and educate our customers, most of our customers really want to be able to see, smell and feel the produce in store and this won’t change over the next 12 months. The opportunities for us are to educate our customers about our suppliers, explain nutritional benefits, and provide ideas on how to incorporate our fresh produce into their meals.

Customer wish list While value for money will remain key for our customers, price is not everything. Our customers are considering their health when they shop.

They’re doing regular small shops because they enjoy the experience, and they’re seeking out compelling fresh offers at a competitive price.

Fresh demand Our customers are fresh-focused – they want access to locally sourced, quality fresh fruit and vegetables that are great eating.

We’re responding by offering an impressive choice of seasonally varying quality produce.

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 5

Article continued With Suzee Brain Director, Brain and Poulter Food trends There are two particular mega trends that we’re noticing at the moment. The first is the continual growth of the night-time economy for shopping centres. As a whole, the mature shopping centre gets about 40 per cent of all retail sales now occurring within centres, but food catering is only about 20 per cent. That’s driven by the fact that food catering is usually a night-time activity and most of the food courts close early or don’t have an evening casual dining offer.

There’s a big opportunity for the centres to become positioned as the place in the community where people think of going to dine.

The second trend is more in the retail fresh food space. There’s a lot of pressure in that sector because supermarkets are continuing to grab more and more market share, especially as people become ‘assemblers’ rather than cooks, with meals often composed of ready-made salads or meals such as Jamie Oliver’s pulled pork.

There’s a huge opportunity to blend food catering and food retail.

What this means is the ability to do fresh food shopping combined with a dining-in experience. This is called a Food Hall. So instead of just selling cuts of meat, the butcher might also offer sausages hot off the barbecue into a roll or they might have a carvery, while a green grocer might have a juice and salad bar within their store.

In-store experience Every single specialty store will want to include food catering.

Retailers are now exploring what has been taking place in shopping centres for years, which is that if you have lots of experiences under one roof you extend the stay and therefore have a greater chance of customer engagement. Everyone – be it a supermarket, chemist, barber shop or clothing store – thinks food is the way to do that, and that’s why we are finding more and more cafés in retail shops popping up.

Technology We are still shocked by the number of food retailers that don’t have EFTPOS facilities – something like 15 per cent of all transactions at the moment occur by EFTPOS so straightaway they’re losing 15 per cent of their sales. That just has to become mandatory. These retailers haven’t caught up with the fact that millennial shoppers just don’t carry cash, even if it is only $3 for a coffee.

We’re predicting there will be a significant rise in home delivery and again the retailers (particularly in food catering) need to make sure they either join one of the collective delivery programs such as Menulog or Uber, or develop their own home delivery apps.

Do we need to start building shopping centres that have actual dedicated pick-up zones in casual dining precincts for customers to be able to click and collect? Australia is definitely behind on that front. We work in places such as India and every single food court operator is working their shop at night doing home deliveries.

We’ve got Domino’s already trialling a drone to deliver pizzas – it’s call the Domi-copter! There will definitely be growth in this sector.

Customer wish list The big issues at the moment are about authenticity, sustainability, provenance and nose to tail. The everyday shopper will start to read labels more and will demand to know where their food is being sourced from.

For example, is that tuna sustainable? Were there any dolphins caught in that catch? What pesticides have been sprayed on my vegetables?

What food safety programs are in place? These are the things retailers will need to start informing their customers about more.

Fresh demand The big players are responding to the demand. Just look at McDonald’s: they’ve introduced premium lines such as the Angus range and the Make Your Own range. Plus, they’ve now got salad bars and are starting to push hamburgers that have been made just for you.

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 6

Food revolution on show at Wetherill Park and Jesmond Fresh food and well curated casual dining is a central offering in the newly redeveloped Stockland Wetherill Park, which opened three months ahead of schedule at the end of 2015.

A new state of the art Coles supermarket forms part of the broader fresh food market upgrade at the centre.

The centre has more than doubled its fresh food and casual dining offering with over 21 per cent of the retail mix now focused on food as well as also being home to the first Jamie’s Ministry of Food in NSW.

The December completion of the $228 million redevelopment included another 5,600 square metres of retail space with 20 new fashion and homewares retailers together with The Grove, a new 800-seat indoor-outdoor casual dining precinct.

The Grove’s northerly aspect with floor-to-ceiling windows, which concertina for an alfresco dining experience during fine weather, is already proving popular with diners. The Grove features 14 new restaurants, cafes and food operators including Fogo Brazillia, Mashita Sushi, Soul Origin, Le Wrap, Subway and Top Juice and complements the laneway dining precinct, Kinchin Lane.

The re-fashioning of food at Stockland centres will continue as a new generation of home cooks and adventurous eaters embrace the exciting and authentic cuisine on offer and discover the pleasures of buying and cooking the best local and seasonal ingredients.

Stockland Group Executive and CEO of Commercial Property, John Schroder, said: “There is no other mall quite like Stockland Wetherill Park anywhere in Australia. It delivers an unparalleled retail experience, anchored by fresh food and fast casual dining with a modern twist on laneway-style street food vendors and entertainment.

“When we asked our customers what they wanted from their new centre, the overwhelming response was: “a place to celebrate life and culture,” explained Mr Schroder. “And after more than 30 years in Wetherill Park, we knew that a big part of the way the local community celebrates is through festivals and food, shared with friends and family, so that’s exactly what we’ve created: a new, freeflowing shopping centre where people can meet, shop, eat, socialise, be entertained and be seen.”

One year on and Stockland Jesmond’s alfresco casual dining precinct, Eat Street, continues to be a focal point of the centre by offering customers the right balance of home comfort and exciting local and international cuisines and flavours.

“With its cosmopolitan feel and food offerings, relaxed atmosphere and customers who are passionate about food, Eat Street is the perfect home for Harry’s Schnitzel Joint. We’re trading really well since opening a year ago.”

At the heart of the food revolution in Stockland shopping centres is connecting with community and being part of a neighbourhood where people want to come and socialise with one another outside the home.

Hear from our retailers at the recent Wetherill Park opening.

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 7

Feed the demand for prime logistics and distribution hubs

The Logistics and Business Park team have started onsite works at two of Sydney’s newest industrial sites in high growth corridors in Sydney.

At Warwick Farm in southwest Sydney, Stockland has commenced clearing 11.5 hectares of trees at Coopers Paddock in preparation for a 52,000 square metre four-building logistics hub. Situated on Governor Macquarie Drive, the rezoned site is a former horse training facility that will offer flexible purpose-built warehouse and office opportunities with direct access to the Hume Highway and M5 Motorway.

Stockland Development Manager Christian Kublins said, “The site is a rare infill opportunity in Sydney’s mid-ring south-western market and at six times the size of the Sydney Cricket Ground, we believe the excellent exposure at Cooper’s Paddock will appeal to tenants.”

Works of $9 million, including servicing, new internal road works and upgrade works to Andrews Road, have started at Waterside Corporate, a 30-lot land subdivision located in Penrith’s emerging industrial and commercial precinct. Demand is high with 28 of the 30 lots already sold. Adjoining the Waterside residential community, Waterside Corporate includes lots from 1,000 square metres to 15,000 square metres for business use. Works will be complete late in 2016.

Stockland National Development Manager Robert MacKay commented on this project to speak about the community benefits.

“Waterside Corporate offers the Penrith business community a rare opportunity to acquire tightly held land evidenced by the strong pre-sales. The works we will undertake by Stockland at Andrews Road will greatly benefit the community and new businesses moving to Waterside Corporate will also invigorate the local economy.”

Stockland Logistics and Business Park General Manager Tony D’Addona said, “Both projects reinforce our diverse development capability and the great outcomes we can achieve through collaboration evidenced here of the development and project management teams. These projects coupled with the Oakleigh and Ingleburn projects already underway reinforce our strategy of growth by development.”

stockland.com.au/cooperspaddock stockland.com.au/watersidecorporate

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 8

Back to the future by Inside Retail A range of US retailers are returning to a century-old retail practice to help them get ahead in the modern cyber world.

of restaurants. The group includes the award-winning Pizzeria Vetri, which was named the best pizza restaurant in the US by Food & Wine magazine.

Hoping to get shoppers off their smartphones and back through their doors, retailers are establishing eateries in their physical stores.

“Spending on casual dining is expanding rapidly, and thus we believe there is tremendous opportunity to expand the Pizzeria Vetri concept,” Urban Outfitters CEO, Richard A. Hayne, noted at the time.

But they do have to create the right experience to make it worthwhile for customers to get into their cars and driving, rather than clicking with ease online. They have to create an experience destination for consumers, not just a place for them to buy a new item.

Urban Outfitters has since opened several pizza cafes inside its stores in a move that market commentators said is aimed at improving brand visibility and foot traffic. It’s expected to gain directly from restaurant revenues and indirectly from cross selling.

In days gone by, many a venerable department store included a tearoom or restaurant in its offering, and some still do. Macy’s flagship store in New York, for example, is home to Stella 34 Trattoria, a modern Italian restaurant with Empire State Building views that serves upscale food and cocktails.

US retail expert, Warren Shoulberg, the editorial director for several US home furnishings business publications and a contributor to The Robin Report, recently noted, “Those first merchants of retailing knew what today’s generation is having to relearn – that retail stores are more than a place to buy stuff.

They are the centrepieces of communities, focal points where people gathered for special occasions, to mark moments in their lives and to celebrate. And oh, while they were doing all of that, maybe they bought a new shirt or a frying pan.”

One US group hoping to relearn the wisdoms of the past benefit from embracing food is Urban Outfitters, a lifestyle specialty retailer. Last year, after releasing disappointing results for its third quarter, it announced the acquisition of the Vetri family group

Also taking the leap is luxury home furnishings brand, Restoration Hardware (RH). It opened a café and a bar in its new and extravagant Chicago store in October and has plans to continue the concept in its other design galleries.

The Chicago store’s eatery, overseen by a celebrated chef, contains a café with a glass-and-steel skylight, wine vault and tasting room, and an espresso bar. It is part of RH’s plan to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor, home, retail and hospitality.

Moving in the same direction, Ikea recently said it would give all 41 of its US stores a restaurant makeover in a bid to make them stand-alone dining destinations.

In addition to a revamped menu, its restaurants will have three zones, each catering to different types of dining. The furniture used will be made by Ikea, so diners can test drive what else the retailer has to sell.

All eyes are now focused on who will be next to innovate by using dining to drive foot traffic.

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 9

From fashion to food by Inside Retail With reality shows putting gourmet cooking on the map and the health focus increasingly on what we eat, retailers keep looking for creative ways to bring food to their customers.

Iconic Australian retailer, Target, for example, has started integrating modern cafés into its new stores and is now serving up a selection of sweet and savoury foods as well as its award-winning Victorian roasted coffee and other drinks.

According to Target’s buying manager of food, Paul Horwell, this started with the relaunch of its Frankston store last year and has been an integral part of some of the chain’s biggest store openings ever since, including Chadstone, Eastland, Midland, Joondalup, Springfield Orion and Stockland Wetherill Park.

The move should boost Target’s customer experience.

“We know that food is an extremely important part of the shopping experience, whether it is an impulse buy or stopping for coffee and a sandwich to relax and unwind,” said Horwell.

In addition to this, Target has created its own exclusive, private label, The Fabulous Food Company (TFFC). This range of cookies, savoury biscuits, nuts, popcorn, confectionery and more is showcased in a dedicated area in selected stores and is made with natural ingredients, with no nasties such as artificial flavours or colours.

Over Christmas, Target rolled out celebrative platters and mince tarts and Christmas puddings, and this Australia Day it celebrated with ANZAC biscuits and other quintessentially Australian treats.

“We want shoppers to know Target is their one-stop shop for special occasions,” Horwell said, adding that Target would widen this range this year.

“Food is becoming the new fashion,” Horwell mused.

“We can see it with the influx of restaurants and bars into global fashion high streets and the focus it has on social media. Target is always tapping into the latest trends across fashion and décor and we are proud to be delivering the latest in food retailing to the Australian people too. “We are also looking forward to providing food solutions for special occasions and with Easter on the horizon, we are excited to debut our Fabulous Food Easter range. With prices starting from $1, and lots of unique and exclusive flavours and designs, we’re looking to position ourselves as the go-to destination for big calendar events, as well as day-to-day shopping.”

But while Target is bringing food into its stores, some food retailers are taking their wares straight to the customer.

One of them is Sumo Salad, which has been sending its food truck to a range of music, sporting and family events this summer. Petra Orrenius, head of marketing at Sumo Salad, explained that the main objective was to create awareness of Sumo’s products and to test the market.

“In the US, mobile food vendors are a US$600 million a year business and we expect it to boom in Australia,” she noted. With most food trucks in Australia selling hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos and nachos, Sumo Salad wanted to assess how a healthier option would be received.

“If it’s well received, we can look at doing this permanently,” said Orrenius. “It is a perfect opportunity for us as a brand to be living the brand, particularly since food is a universal passion, the life source, a moment of joy. What could be better than taking it outdoors where people are having a great time with family and friends. By having a food truck on the road, you can say we are truly delivering on our journey to make Australia a healthier and happier place.”

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 10

Celebrity chef joins Stockland to inspire home cooks Celebrity chef and cookbook author, Miguel Maestre, is the face of the ‘A to Z of Mmmm’, and each month will create recipes taking inspiration from the alphabet – from Arancini to ‘Za’atar and everything in between – to motivate Australians to try new things, expand their food horizons and add a little ‘mmmm’ to their weekly meals.

The Living Room host will feature in a web content series where he will meet with food lovers in Stockland shopping centres to discover their food secrets.

Miguel will visit Stockland shopping centres across the country. His first stop took place at Stockland Merrylands on 4 March, where he met with food lovers.

Ben Allen, General Manager Marketing at Stockland, said: “Stockland shopping centres are the heart of their local communities, connecting customers to an abundance of food. We now want to connect the community to an abundance of food ideas, food traditions and food experiences from Jamie’s Ministry of Food classes to new exciting restaurants and dining experiences, and the much loved local fruit and veg shop.”

Celebrity chef, Miguel Maestre

Stockland has launched a new retail food campaign, the ‘A to Z of Mmmm’, to inspire Australians to cook, learn and engage with food through an ever-evolving collection of online recipes, articles, and videos as well as events and promotions across its 41 shopping centres.

“We’re seeing a shift in the way people interact with food in a retail environment. Australians are visiting shopping centres as a place to meet with friends for a coffee, a destination for a family Friday night dinner or to visit multiple fresh food retailers for their weekly shop and engaging with local providores from delicatessens to spice shops.”

Miguel’s A to Z of Mmmm recipes, articles and videos can be found online at stockland com.au/food #AtoZofMmmm

View the first video in the #AtoZofMmmm series here.

A minute with Miguel Celebrity chef and Stockland spokesperson Miguel Maestre shares his take on fresh food in Australia.

Q What influence do you think modern cooking shows have had on people in Australia?

A Cooking shows have a great influence on people because it creates a necessity of experimenting with new recipes.

It’s inspiring for the everyday cook to get new ideas. It enriches the gastronomic culture of people and makes them more adventurous to buy new ingredients or check out new restaurants.

Q When it comes to preparing and cooking fresh food, what is a common barrier people tend to come up against?

A Overcooking fresh food is one of the biggest mistakes people make. For example, if you overcook something like a duck breast it becomes rubbery and tasteless and you won’t want to cook it again.

Q What should people look for if they’re wanting to buy fresh meat and produce?

A To get the freshest food, you must look for whatever is in season and make sure you buy local or

authentic food with the domination of origin. Most importantly though, keep it simple when you are cooking and let the ingredients shine to release maximum flavour.

We should be looking for free-range products such as chicken and eggs as well as handmade items.

Q How do you think food retailers and supermarkets are keeping up with higher demands for fresh food?

A The level and standards of supermarkets are extremely high in Australia and the consumer expectations have increased to this level, which makes our fresh food availability very good.

Q What would you like to see for the future of fresh food and food purchasing in Australia?

A I would like to see people cooking fresh food at least five days a week and increase the recipe repertoire using the richness of cultural diversity that we have in this country. i.e. Spanish on Monday, Indian on Tuesday, Chinese on Wednesday and Greek on Thursday.

Stocktake • Autumn 2016 11

Getting back to A to Z food basics with Jamie’s Ministry of Food The Jamie’s Ministry of Food centre at Stockland Wetherill Park and the Jamie’s Ministry of Food Queensland Mobile Kitchen are working in tandem with Stockland’s new A to Z of Mmmm campaign to make healthy eating more accessible for time-poor shoppers.

Jamie’s Ministry of Food offers practical, hands-on cooking courses for people interested in learning to cook delicious, healthy food on a budget and with minimal fuss. Jamie’s Ministry of Food is a practical solution to the problems of obesity and diet-related disease and a successful response to the lack of basic food skills in the population. By teaching people to start cooking again and equipping them with some simple skills and knowledge, Jamie’s Ministry of Food inspires and empowers change in the way families think about food, shop for food and eat.

At the Jamie’s Ministry of Food centre at Stockland Wetherill Park, the 90-minute hands-on cooking course has been extremely popular, with over 1,600 participants enrolling in the program. The emphasis is on learning basic cookery skills to make simple and nutritious meals from scratch in a friendly, supportive and fun environment. In January, Jamie’s Ministry of Food marked its first birthday at the centre with a cooking demonstration and the announcement of some additions to its cooking program.

The cooking course at Wetherill Park has been extended to seven weeks and the centre will also introduce a school holiday cooking program. This is a fun, action packed course that teaches children the skills they need to cook delicious, nutritious meals for the rest of their life. The first round of the school holiday cooking program will commence in the April holidays for children aged 12 years and up.

The program aims to educate and inspire people to enjoy good food, learn to cook and understand where food comes from, and recognise the power it can have on health, happiness and finances.

Participants are given the tools and information they need to make better food choices to help build healthier and happier communities.

Research conducted by Deakin and Melbourne University on Jamie’s Ministry of Food Ipswich and Victorian programs, shows that the program has resulted in positive sustained impacts in participants’ cooking confidence and healthy eating behaviours, including increased fruit and vegetable consumption, and decreased fast food consumption.

Stockland has hosted Jamie’s Ministry of Food Mobile Kitchen in Rockhampton, Gladstone and Point Cook, with excellent feedback from the centres, shoppers and local community.

Later this year Jamie’s Food Revolution Day activation will promote the same philosophy of back to basics cooking with healthy eating and nutrition workshops, further amplifying the A to Z of Mmmm campaign’s message.

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Green Hills the flavour of the month Stockland hosted a ground breaking event in March to mark the start of major construction works for the $372 million redevelopment of Stockland Green Hills in the lower Hunter Valley.

Stockland Green Hills will more than double in size to around 70,000 square metres and will feature the first new format David Jones department store in the Hunter Valley as well as a new JB Hi-Fi Home store and a new Harris Scarfe department store.

In response to shoppers’ growing affinity with food and casual dining, Stockland Green Hills will include an inspiring new dining and entertainment precinct, a new indoor-outdoor casual dining precinct, and more fresh food offerings.

The expanded centre will also feature more than 225 specialty shops, Big W, a new format Target and a new Dan Murphy’s store. The existing supermarkets and ‘mini-majors’ will be retained and improved as part of the development process, including Woolworths, Coles, Best & Less, Blooms the Chemist and Hot Dollar.

Stockland Group Executive & CEO of Commercial Property, John Schroder said” This is the beginning of an exciting era for the Hunter. Our $372 million redevelopment will create 1,350 jobs during construction and more than 1,250 permanent fulltime retail and hospitality jobs when completed.

“Stockland Green Hills is currently one of the best performing sub-regional shopping centres in Australia and we absolutely want to carry this momentum through development as we work to fulfill our vision of creating the most vibrant, thriving shopping, leisure and entertainment destination that will be the pride of the Hunter.

“In addition to increasing its standing at the centre of the local community, Stockland Green Hills will draw customers from the Upper Hunter, Newcastle and the North Coast,” Mr Schroder said.

The Maitland Mayor Councillor Peter Blackmore OAM welcomed the redevelopment: “This is an exciting day for our community and the surrounding area. Not only is this project providing the people of Maitland with more great shopping options, but it is generating thousands of jobs during construction and even more once it opens.”

As a reflection of the company’s commitment to the future of the community, Stockland will establish a connectivity and training centre with our construction partners Brookfield Multiplex, focusing on giving young people pathways into jobs and training in construction and retail in the long term.

The redevelopment and expansion of Stockland will involve three scheduled and controlled stages of works over two and a half years. Practical completion is scheduled for mid-2018.

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Stockland Corporation Ltd ACN 000 181 733 Head Office Level 25, 133 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2000

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Autumn 2016