SupermarketNews Magazine | May 2022

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May 2022 • Vol. 15 No. 05

IMPULSEconvenience

(see page 41)

New sea land flavours.

Every gurnard, green-lipped mussel, tender piece of beef, every last drop of rewarewa honey and down to the last capsicum, is gathered and harvested with a lightness of touch. The preparation of our ready-to-eat meals has been carefully orchestrated to preserve the best ingredients New Zealand has to offer.

For more information contact us at moana_feedback@moana.co.nz

contents

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ATTENTION GROCERY SUPPLIERS The Food and Grocery Council is an industry association for grocery suppliers providing members networking, events, industry information and strong advocacy.

Contact us for information on the benefits of membership: katherine.rich@fgc.org.nz • Networking • Industry Updates • Conference and Events • Education and Training • Advocacy and Law Reform

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30 food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

www.fgc.org.nz

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This magazine is published monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to Review Publishing Co Ltd. This magazine is a platform for the industry and may include content that expresses views and opinions by contributing writers. Content is attributed to the author, and these opinions and the view/s are those of the author/s. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. The opinions and material published in this edition are not necessarily those of the publishers unless expressly stated. All material appearing in the magazine, website and social media platforms is copyright and may only be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2022

CHAIRMAN PUBLISHER GENERAL MANAGER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE ADVERTISING SALES SENIOR DESIGNER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Peter Mitchell Tania Walters Kieran Mitchell Sarah Mitchell Caitlan Mitchell Sophie Procter Felicity-Anne Flack, Caroline Boe Raymund Sarmiento Debby Wei

food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

The NEW ZEALAND BEVERAGE COUNCIL is an industry association whose members cover all aspects of the non-alcoholic beverage market both in New Zealand and the export markets.

The Council members are spread throughout New Zealand and come together annually for a conference that covers industry issues and is addressed by international speakers. The organisation monitors product quality, sets standards for the industry and runs national competitions and awards.

THE NEW ZEALAND BEVERAGE COUNCIL (NZBC) P.O. Box 47, AUCKLAND 1140, New Zealand.

Email: info@nzbc.nz Phone: +64 9 309 6100 DDI: +64 9 302 9932

ISSN 1173-3365 (Print) ISSN 2744-595X (Online) Retail 6, Heards Building, 2 Ruskin Street, Parnell, Auckland. PO Box 37140 Parnell, Auckland Call: (09) 3040142 | Email: edit@reviewmags.com

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SUPPLY CHAIN WOES: Brand Switching is on the Rise, Leaving Long-term Loyalty in Question

For retailers around the world, the disruptions to global supply chains because of the pandemic have had dire consequences.

Supermarkets have struggled to keep up with consumer demand, which has left them with bare shelves, unfulfilled online orders, and frustrated consumers.

STEPHEN WALKER Regional Director New Zealand Toluna

R

ecent Toluna research shows that New Zealand shoppers are becoming increasingly frustrated by the continued supply chain issues and are changing their behaviour as a result. Shoppers are brand switching more than ever, and they’re also shopping around to find the items they need. Even though brands and retailers have no control over the supply chain issues, this may have serious implications for brand loyalty in the long term.

Difficulty sourcing products

Our recent research on New Zealand’s supply chain issues shows that, of the 555 Kiwis surveyed, the majority (77%) have experienced product shortages because of ongoing supply chain issues. Supply chain issues generally manifest in the form of empty shelves (80%) or buying limits

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(67%) when shopping in store. Grocery items appear to be the most affected, with 51 percent of respondents citing availability issues in grocery stores. The most difficult items to source? Pantry products (52%), fresh fruit and vegetables (31%), and pet food (31%) are the top three.

But supply chains are also impacting online shoppers, who report having recently experienced delivery delays (56%) and brand unavailability (51%). In fact, online shopping is becoming so unpredictable that almost half (48%) of respondents said they were willing to go back to in-store shopping due to products being temporarily unavailable online.

Brand loyalty and changing behaviours

While acute dips in revenue are an immediate threat, brands should most be concerned about how supply chain issues will affect customer loyalty long term. The findings show that, when their preferred brand is unavailable, most (66%) Kiwis are willing to substitute for a new brand. And once they’ve tried a new brand and gotten used to it, there’s always a risk they don’t revert back—even once their preferred brand is available again.

Across the various categories, shoppers tend to be happiest with switching to a different brand of household cleaning products (58%), pantry products (57%), or alcohol (54%)

when their preferred brand is unavailable.

However, when shoppers’ favourite brand of baby products (61%) or pet food (46%) is unavailable, they are more likely to shop around to find the exact product they need.

In addition to brand switching, almost four in ten (39%) respondents are now shopping in other locations, such as local butchers or farmers markets, that are less impacted by supply chain issues. Half (50%) buy extra of the products they need once they come back in stock, and over a quarter (27%) are stockpiling products such as canned goods, paracetamol, and toilet paper to boost supplies.

STRESSED OUT AND IN PREP MODE

The supply chain issues are more than just an inconvenience; they’re affecting shoppers’ moods, as well. Two-thirds of Kiwi shoppers feel disappointed (66%) and frustrated (64%) when they see empty shelves and missing products. For some, it can make them feel stressed (31%), anxious (25%), or even angry (23%).

Kiwis are also preparing themselves in case they get sick and must isolate. Over four in ten (41%) have created a ‘COVID kit’ filled with medicines they may need if they get sick, while almost a third (28%) are ensuring they have enough pre-prepared food in the fridge, so they don’t need to cook if they’re feeling unwell.

When asked how long they could live off their current fridge and pantry supplies without going to the shop, only one in five Kiwis (20%) said they could survive for more than two weeks. A third (35%) said they’d last 7-14 days, over four in ten (42%) could only last 1-7 days without needing to go to the shop, and three percent stated they didn’t have enough supplies on hand to last beyond a day.

Maintaining brand loyalty

While some shoppers will happily revert to their favourite brands when they return to the shelves, other shoppers will just as happily stick with the substitute brands they tried. Even once the supply chain issues are resolved, the next six to 12 months will be a challenging time in retail as brands fight to retain new customers while trying to win back old ones.

In these unprecedented times, it has never been more important to understand what consumers are thinking, and how they are engaging with your brand or category. By monitoring how attitudes and purchasing behaviour change as the pandemic progresses, brands and retailers can quickly pivot their strategy to accommodate new consumer interests.

We’re quite possibly reaching the end of the global health crisis – but just how long these ripple effects will continue to disrupt business is anyone’s guess. Although we can’t predict what supermarket shelves will look like six months from now, we do know that having real-time insights into consumer attitudes and behaviours will help brands adjust their strategies and stay ahead of the game. n

New Zealand

Artisan Awards

Follow along as the we discover new products and innovation across New Zealand.

For over a decade the New Zealand Artisan Awards has provided a platform for emerging and established artisan producers to showcase their latest creations.

11 May - 23 August 2022 Entries Open

Entries Delivery Dates 24 August 2022 Ambient 31 August 2022 Frozen 7 September 2022 Fresh/Chilled

21 September 2022 Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards Announced

ENTER NOW! Click here

19 October 2022 Supreme Winner Announced

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OPPORTUNITY MARKETING

FUTURE OF RETAIL MEDIA:

CUSTOMER FUNNEL TEAM

Disrupting the Consumer Purchase Funnel As technology transforms and enables the customers’ purchase journey, the concept of “top of funnel” awareness building and “bottom of funnel” transactions is becoming blurred, causing somewhat of a collapse.

C JACK MYERS

Media Ecologist and Founder, Media Village

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ustomers have information when and as they need it and, thanks to search, social and digital media in its entirety, they’re moving through the funnel faster than ever before.

With the rapid growth of online options accelerated over the past few years, traditional promotion and advertising approaches have been disrupted, requiring rapid response and innovation from marketers.

Words like these may seem like Henny Penny, who cried “The Sky is Falling,” to those who have been warned before of imminent change in an industry that has traditionally responded to new technologies only after they have been

adopted and embraced by consumers.

The key difference today is that marketers have been more proactive in adapting their advertising and promotional strategies in sync with changing consumer needs and behaviours.

Rise Of Retail, Global and Local Retail Media: At the Epicenter of Marketing 3.0 At the intersection of this shake up is retail media. As quoted by eMarketer’s Andrew Lipsman, retail media is digital advertising’s third big wave. For the foreseeable future, retail media will grow at a faster rate than all other media, including search and social media.

Dozens of retail media networks have launched over the past few years and according to Forrester’s Predictions 2022 report, retail media spend will grow to $50 billion globally in 2022. eMarketer predicts U.S. retail media spend alone will surpass $50 billion in 2023, representing 20% of total U.S. digital ad spend, with 2021 retail media surging 53.4% to $31.49 billion, following a nearly identical growth rate in 2020. They expect growth to begin tapering this year, rising 31.4% to $41.37 billion.

Global growth rates are comparable. In Australia, for example, the retail media market is expected to reach $1bn by 2025.

While Amazon has dominated retail media globally since the launch of their ad

marketplace in 2012, brand advertising and promotion budgets are now flowing into the growing market of leading retail media partners. Rich Lehrfield, SVP and General Manager for Walmart Connect, said “As a closed loop omnichannel media business of America’s largest retailer, we are working hard to innovate and move faster than ever before to deliver distinct omni solutions and accelerate growth for advertisers of all sizes.”

One of New Zealand’s leading players in the space, Cartology, is advancing local growth as part of the nation’s third largest and “most trusted” company - The Woolworths Group. At Woolworths, says Brad Banducci, Woolworths Group CEO, “we’ve been watching closely how other large-scale retail businesses internationally are better engaging customers along the path to purchase.” Banducci points out that “our suppliers are looking for simplified ways to engage with customers and the Woolworths Group is well placed to provide a platform for them to engage potential customers.” As customers shift their shopping behaviour to an omnichannel journey, retail media is positioned to reach customers both on and offline at crucial moments pre, during and post their shop.

The market response is the collapse of the funnel

Luke Kigel, head of Walgreen’s Media and Advertising Group, told Mark Stewart of the Association of National Advertisers (U.S.) that “Most funding for retail media networks still comes from Shopper Marketing budgets, with many retail media networks saying they aspire to access [brand awareness] budgets.

These are industry constructs that limit the value potential of a brand-retailer relationship and reinforce a more traditional and outdated purchase funnel. It doesn’t reflect how consumers actually discover, engage and shop brands and products.

“Consumers don’t see a difference between ‘brand’ and ‘shopper’ -- they are fluidly moving through their journey, in their own individualized way. There’s an opportunity for brands to disrupt legacy budgeting practices and enable fluidity and agility to best meet their consumers where they are, as that evolves in real time for each individual person,” Kigel said.

The recent growth of retail media is being spurred by upper-funnel display and video ads, bottom-funnel goals, and midfunnel retention and customer acquisition priorities. The evolving omnichannel marketing ecosystem requires that brands and retailers understand the role, purpose and performance of every tool in their arsenal, including online search and social, media advertising, sales promotion and in-store presence. This requires sophisticated data and analytics tools that, while still at an early stage, are influencing budget shifts both in response to positive performance results and in anticipation of growing privacy regulations

we’ve been watching closely how other large-scale retail businesses internationally are better engaging customers along the path to purchase. and third-party cookie restrictions.

Retailers are uniquely positioned to help brands understand the relationship among retail media, traditional advertising, digital media influence and offline sales.

Retailers, brands and agencies institutionalise retail media While advertising to consumers at or near the point of purchase is hardly new, retail media fills the vacuum of data that was either limited or non-existent in the past.

In the retail media environment, messaging and offers can be targeted to consumers based on their shopping behaviour and purchase history both on and off network.

Promotion and advertising investments across the traditional purchase funnel can be directly tied to sales outcomes. And with sophisticated technology now available, many retailers can deliver that data to brands in a secure and privacy-compliant way.

Spark Foundry, a division of Publicis Media, was one of the first media agencies to embrace the opportunity to collaborate with retail media on behalf of their food and beverage clients. Amanda Mollet, Senior Vice President, Director at Spark Foundry in the U.S., advises that while her team always looks at opportunities through a “commercefirst lens,” the key performance indicator is not simply a direct response, immediate conversion. There are upper funnel applications as well. “What’s interesting about our engagement [in this new offering] is that the budget actually came from a brand budget, not a DR or shopper marketing approach. We are seeing a lot of our Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) clients rethink the role of their shopper budgets,” she reported.

Blending brand and shopper marketing budgets As the business goals of retailers and marketers converge around data, highly effective programs and partnerships that deliver on mutual business objectives will expand the role of retail media throughout

the consumer journey. For decades, I’ve written extensively about and forecast the convergence of sales promotion and advertising budgets, a trend driven primarily by the growth of search and social and their direct connection to commerce. Retail media is accelerating that trend by delivering more sophisticated knowledge about the connection between consumers and marketing.

The best partnerships emerge through real customer insight and closed loop reporting that measures effective engagement, purchase influence and transactions. By disrupting traditional planning practices and blending brand and shopper marketing budgets, specific KPIs can be met by identifying the right audiences and delivering the right message at the appropriate moment on the purchase journey. Through these partnerships, both brands and retailers are activating deeper customer relationships, increasing repeat purchases, and generating improved media cost efficiency. Retail media is also uniquely positioned to eliminate cookies and assure customer privacy concerns are met.

The future of the funnel in retail media

The sales funnel has been a cornerstone of marketing strategy since it was invented by Elias Elmo Lewis in 1898. While it remains relevant in understanding product discovery and brand loyalty, marketers now operate in a reality of collapsed purchase funnels and personalised purchased journeys.

While the word “journey” may have less application to purchase decisions made from inception to transaction within seconds, which can occur online and in-store, consumers are engaging with retailers on a near continuous basis. Technology and data will continue to empower brands to think less about the role of retail media networks as a bottom-of-funnel investment and more about the role of retailers across the entire marketing budget. n

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airfryer

THE CULT KITCHEN PRODUCT THAT ISN’T JUST HOT AIR The pandemic created a global shift in how people cook at home.

Consumers wanted to replicate some of their favourite dine-out dishes in their own kitchen and the versatility of the air fryer propelled it into home-appliance stardom.

A

ir fryers are popular because they are affordable, don’t use as much oil as a traditional fryer, and heat food evenly and quickly. These appliances are much healthier than deep fryers and work more rapidly than a standard convection oven. This means consumers can enjoy fried foods without the guilt of deepfrying or even the mess of using a stovetop.

According to IRI’s State of the Industry report for 2021, nearly one in five households purchased an air fryer in the past year with most respondents noting ‘healthier cooking’ as their reason for purchase.

The appliance has been a catalyst for an increase in the sales of frozen potato (up 4.6 percent), chicken nuggets (up 5.2 percent), and chicken tenders (up by 40.2 percent).

Consumers are clever innovators too, not content with putting the obvious in their air fryer, IRI noted that products such as pizza, steak, and even cupcakes are listed among Kiwis’ favourite things to air fry.

The popularity of the air fryer has been boosted by social media with people all over

the world sharing their favourite air fry recipes, from classics to Cadbury Cream Eggs. With this rise, more brands are jumping on the air fryer bandwagon, demonstrating how well their products work in the air fryer format.

“We’ve been having customers contact us for a while saying how great Howler Hotdogs are in an air fryer, so we decided to include Air fryer instructions on our packaging,” expressed Jo Williamson from Howler Hotdogs.

“It was still a bit mind blowing to see that one in five households bought an air fryer during the last 12 months.”

Air fryers are also a good option for consumers looking to save money. Because they cook food at a lower temperature than other cooking methods, air fryers use less energy than other ovens or stovetops. With inflation on the rise this is an important aspect in consumer decision making.

Rather than a pandemic fad that will soon fade, the air fryer looks to become an essential part of the home kitchen and brands should take note of how they can express the air fry appeal of their products.

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airfryer

SHORE MARINER® PANKO CRUMBED SCALLOP BITES

SHORE MARINER® CRUMBED PRAWN CUTLETS 250G

SHORE MARINER® PANKO CRUMBED PRAWN BITES

Delicious, formed scallops coated in a golden panko crumb. Fast and easy to cook, they are ideal as a gourmet additional to any meal. The 375g retail pack contains approximately 15 pieces.

Air Fry: Fry for 9 mins at 180°C.

Delicious, butterflied prawn cutlets wrapped in a golden, breadcrumbs. Included is a sachet of sweet chili sauce as a perfect accompaniment for dipping. The 250g retail pack contains approximately 15 pieces.

Air Fry for 12 mins at 160°C.

Delicious prawn filling coated in crunchy panko crumbs. They are quick and easy to cook. Include them in a finger food platter or on their own. The 375g retail pack contains approximately 14-16 pieces.

Air fry for 10-12mins at 200°C and flip halfway through cooking.

Shore Mariner products are available in leading supermarkets and retail outlets throughout New Zealand.

MAKIKIHI FRIES

Kiwis can enjoy biting into a delicious and golden Makikihi fry in just 10-15 minutes using the air fryer.

Makikihi crinkle cut fries are crunchy on the outside and soft and smooth on the inside, using only Agria potatoes grown locally in South Canterbury. The company prides itself on being New Zealand’s most honest fry. Gluten-Free, No additives, NZ owned and operated with a Toitu certified Carbon Zero manufacturing process.

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airfryer

SEAFOOD BASKET FROM UNITED FISH CO

United Fisheries Ltd is a family owned New Zealand business that has created a broad range of globally recognized seafood brands: United Fish Co, Sea Cuisine, United Food Co & Nutri Zing.

The United Fish Co brand offers a range of convenient value added locally sourced seafood, processed in their Christchurch export factory and with 30+ years of experience they have been able to consistently deliver at a high level of quality that customers have able to rely on.

Adapting to the ever-changing food trends United have recognised the customers busy lifestyle shift towards convenient quick cook products & have

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started to incorporate oven bake able coatings that engage the healthier Air Fryer method of cookery that still delivers a crispy finish without the excess oil.

United offers brand confidence through development and innovation with products that matches the changing needs of customer.

For more information on any United products contact your Accounts Manager or email – orders@unitedfisheries.co.nz.

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KEEPING THE GROCERY SECTOR HONEST In the past week or so two new buds of grocery retail competition in New Zealand’s highly concentrated retail market have been pruned.

KATHRINE RICH

Chief Executive, New Zealand Food & Grocery Council

W

hen The Honest Grocer was launched in December 2020, CEO Ben Nathan said the plan was to disrupt the grocery market. He told the NZ Herald, “the supermarket duopoly needs a shake-up and I think there is a power imbalance, whereby consumers and producers are losing out to the might of the big chains”.

In June last year, a startup, This Local Piggy, trialed a service to deliver a range of grocery items to online buyers around Auckland. The goal was to make it easier for everyone to support local butchers, bakers and other suppliers “by pulling together what is local and available and presenting it on a marketplace”.

Good on both these brave entrepreneurs for investing their time and resources and giving their business ideas a crack. They saw an opportunity and gave things a go.

But as I maintain with the current industry structure, it would have been a miracle had these infant ventures survived into adulthood.

It’s very hard getting a full range of groceries at a competitive price and, as The Honest Grocer found, getting

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supply in the first instance was a mission.

Keeping that supply once the initial website was launched was another matter.

I was told The Honest Grocer lost supply because of supplier nervousness of actual or predicted pressure from the major supermarkets. As I have said numerous times, trying to break into a duopolistic market is not for either the fainthearted or the undercapitalised.

One has to feel sorry for Chloe Fong, who told the NZ Herald she’d put the equivalent of an Auckland house deposit into This Local Piggy, with little to show for it.

But there’s one new venture I’m not gloomy about. In fact, I’m positive and impressed.

Army-crawling slowly towards the competition over the past 18 months, The Warehouse is, post the Commerce Commission’s study into the grocery sector, rolling out its new grocery offering and it’s ‘out and proud’. You could not have missed the specials advertisements popping up digitally and on billboards and other media.

It’s clear it feels confident this time a grocery rollout will be different than it was in 2008, when both major supermarket chains made the brash move of buying blocking shares in the company and put pressure on suppliers to not supply them.

It was a powerful comment to the Commission that was referenced many times, that The Warehouse had a unique perspective due to what occurred in 2008 when it could “not make that entry work, notwithstanding its size, retail footprint, and brand awareness”.

Recently, I went to look for myself at the flagship store in Albany. It’s impressive.

It’s a bright and simple but elegant arrangement that says “value for money” to the consumer.

I saw a number of shoppers walk out with

traditionally non-Warehouse goods such as bread, milk and butter under their arms. Major brands are on shelf and some of the instore promotion prices are sharp as. It was old-school retailing (and I mean that in a positive, back-to-firstprinciples sense), in terms of exciting the consumer and getting them into the store.

It must be working because I’ve been amazed at the number of executive-level people who’ve told me they have driven across town for The Warehouse’s butter special.

This was backed up by a survey conducted by Stuff last month which compared grocery prices at The Warehouse to those in the two supermarket chains.

No doubt many shoppers were buoyed by the words of The Warehouse’s Chief Executive, Nick Grayson, who confirmed the company was interested in becoming involved in the sector in a bigger way, as long as there is access to supply on fair commercial terms and a regulator to prevent anti-competitive behaviours – both of which the Commission recommended and which the Government is due to talk about further in coming weeks.

One sure thing is the issue of cost of living as a political and social issue is not going to dampen for some time.

At a BusinessNZ meeting I attended last week, polling research was presented

by Curia Research. It showed last September just 2% of those polled said the cost of living was their No 1 priority. Now it’s the highest-ranked issue. It’s the same with IRI figures I have seen recently, too.

One thing is patently clear: with the cost of living rising rapidly (and not predicted to level off till at least the end of this year at the earliest), shoppers will be keenly looking for cheaper options. We just hope the Government is listening. n

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners NZ is one of the first in Aotearoa to report gender pay gap Coca-Cola Europacific Partners NZ is one of the first of the 50 organisations in New Zealand to report their gender pay gap as part of the Public Pay Gap Registry, and for the 4th year in a row, they have won Employer of the Year for their efforts.

E

arlier this year in March, MindTheGap launched Aotearoa New Zealand’s first Public Pay Gap Registry showing CCEP NZs commitment to pay gap reporting.

Live on MindTheGap.nz, the Registry lists over 160 of New Zealand’s largest employers, and states whether or not they are reporting their pay gaps. CCEP NZ is shown as a ‘YES’ on the registry and report their gender pay gaps on the company website.

It has been nearly 50 years since the Equal Pay Act 1972, and pay gaps continue to persist. Stats NZ reports the average gender pay gap in New Zealand is 9.1% and last-year, CCEP NZ gender pay gap was only 2%.

Chris Litchfield, Managing Director

of CCEP NZ explained the company is committed to delivering equal opportunities for its people and pay gap reporting is a way to demonstrate that commitment.

“We are proud to be included in New Zealand’s first Pay Gap Registry and are committed to building an inclusive and diverse business that operates on clear principles of fairness and equity for all our people.

“Our people are the heart of our business, which is why we have a longstanding focus on our Inclusion and Diversity Strategy. Nevertheless, there’s always room to do better.”

Pay gap reporting has been shown overseas and in the public sector to be effective in reducing pay gaps.

MindTheGap spokesperson Dellwyn Stuart says the Public Pay Gap Registry is an equality index for the country.

“The registry is a mark of diversity, fairness, and trust with investors, employees and customers. We congratulate Coca-Cola Europacific Partners NZ for committing to reporting their pay gaps and being part of the solution.”

General Manager of People and Culture at CCEP NZ, Clare Parkes, said the company has strategies in place to ensure equal opportunities for all but there is work in motion to make further, sustained progress.

“We have worked hard to ensure we deliver equal opportunities for our people, and our gender gap reflects this, being well below the national gender pay gap average. There are things we’re doing well, like our Inclusion and Diversity Strategy, ensuring benefits equitably distributed to all our employees, promoting flexible working and flexible leave.

“Nevertheless, we are committed to taking the actions that will help us to reduce our gender pay gap further, with a goal to achieve overall gender pay parity for CCEP NZ. “We have set goals to drive towards 50% senior leader female representation by 2025 across the business and are building a job architecture framework to ensure more accurate benchmarking of job roles, responsibilities, and reward frameworks, to ensure fair and transparent role accountabilities as well as fair and equitable remuneration.”

The Registry is live now on MindTheGap.nz. n May 2022

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New, Purpose Built Marketing Logistics Facility for BrandSpec Group For the first time in nearly 2 decades, BrandSpec Group has announced construction of a new, purpose built Marketing Logistics facility. The multimillion facility is being built in Wiri, Auckland, around 10 minutes south of the BrandSpec’s 4 existing premises in Onehunga and Penrose.

O

pening in mid 2023, the BrandSpec facility will be another step forward in the company's journey since being acquired by brothers Kerry and Mitchell Whitehouse in February 2021.

Building on the company's history of service to the FMCG sector for more than 30 years, Kerry and Mitchell's vision is for BrandSpec Group, (formerly known as Design Print Partners) to be NZ’s foremost specialist FMCG Marketing Point Of Sale (POS) Logistics and Asset Management company.

The site will become the hub of BrandSpec’s operations for all key services including POS storage, order management and distribution. It will also bring under the same roof for the first time BrandSpec's powered asset

Artists Impression

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fleet management, repair, and maintenance service which manages fleets of refrigerated or heated display assets (fridges, freezers, pie warmers, hot/cold display cabinets).

The large event logistics operations will also be onsite, while the brand army of people including print, production and procurement specialists and a FMCG design studio supporting BrandSpec’s clients will be housed in adjacent offices within the complex.

“After investing in our hugely knowledgeable people and developing best in-class software to empower them to better serve our clients, BrandSpec are excited to announce this new facility. It will enable us to move faster to remove complexity and stress from our clients roles, and speed up execution, communication and reporting.

Our clients are used to having state of the art manufacturing facilities, but often not having the best space or support for the operations of their brand, marketing and sales storage and campaign execution needs. So – we’re building that for them - all under one roof,” said Kerry Whitehouse, Managing Director of BrandSpec.

The facility will house a variety of state of the art methods for storing, maintaining and distributing marketing assets of all shapes and sizes, some as large as event trailers and pop-up-shop converted containers. "Our clients can need us to take care of everything from a bottle opener to a life size composite horse" according to Kerry.

The warehouse will include dedicated space for a workshop, electrical repairs area and welding stations, and

tens of thousands of cubic metres of high-care storage for costly marketing POS and merch assets. The layout and flow of the canopy area has been optimised for container movements, courier and freight movements and with spaces for cleaning and dummy setups of client event equipment.

Inside the new office spaces, the team has a collaborative working area for the client service, production/procurement and studio teams, modern kitchen and amenities.

Downstairs in a public area, the team have included an events space and hosting kitchen for BrandSpec’s clients and team to use to gather.

“It’s going to be a real move forward and we look forward to welcoming existing and new clients to the facility in 2023,” Kerry finished. n

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zerozone

Drinking Differently: The Rise of Low-to-No and Functional Beverages

Consumers’ increased awareness of health and wellbeing during the pandemic has had a knock-on effect that has seen a huge rise in the popularity of low-to-no alcoholic beverages and elevated soft drinks with functional benefits.

F

rom craft beer to energy drinks, all aspects of the beverage sector have evolved to reflect these new consumer trends.

Research into Kiwi beer buying habits, published by industry group the Brewers Association of New Zealand, showed a huge rise in the popularity of low- and no-alcohol beer.

Brewers Association executive director Dylan Firth noted that low-alcohol beers have come a long way in a short time, with most brands expanding to include a low-to-no offering and new players, dedicated to no-alcohol products are entering the scene.

NZ Alcohol Beverages Council (NZABC) Executive Director, Bridget MacDonald has also noticed that Kiwis are changing how they drink.

“Trends like premiumisation are about choosing a quality drink that may cost a little more and then taking a ‘sip and savour’ approach to enjoy the flavours and the experience of their drink in a slow and relaxed way,” she said.

“The health and wellbeing trend seen globally and in New Zealand, particularly amongst young adults, is influencing demand for ‘better for me’ drinks, such as zero-alcohol beers, lighter wines, low-alcohol seltzers, and lower carb and sugar options. Consumer research shows nearly half (47 percent) of adults had a lowalcohol beverage in the past year, that’s up seven percent on the previous year.

“Overall, we’re seeing a shift to moderation and better drinking decisions, and there is a wider range of beverages for people to choose whatever the occasion based on their personal situation, circumstances and lifestyle.”

Over the past few years, the quality and range of no-alcohol drinks have increased dramatically, primarily due to sophisticated de-alcoholising technology and processes maintaining the integrity of beverages. Brewers, winemakers, and beverage producers continue to refine their craft to ensure there is no compromise on flavour for discerning palates.

Foodstuffs North Island sold as much 0% wine in the first six months of 2021 as they did in all of 2020. So, it wasn’t surprising to see the New World Wine Awards add new judging classes for 0% wine.

It’s not just the hard beverage space that’s evolving though. As recipes have become more complex, soft drinks - once simply sugar-filled carbonated products based on tried and tested formulations - have evolved. Soft drinks are being used more and more for what is called “energy management” whether to enhance the fast pace of life or to slow it down.

Perhaps the most dramatic change in recent years in the soft drinks industry is the increasing number of countries that are placing a tax or levy on sugar. As the backlash against sugar continues, look out for sour becoming the flavour of the year, while flavour innovation is injecting new life into fizzy drinks – the more exotic or unusual the name of the flavour, the better.

Producers should be aware that consumers see their beverages as an experience, not just a drink. Innovation in this space will mean that more Kiwis can enjoy a beverage that meets their needs and fits in with their new health and wellbeing ethos, without compromising on quality or taste. n

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zerozone

Bigger, Bolder, Hoppier ... but Without the Alcohol

The days of abstaining from alcohol on a night out purely because you are the designated driver have disappeared. With rising trends toward moderation, health, and wellbeing, premiumisation, and general cultural shifts in ethnicities and demographics the market for no/low alcoholic drinks has boomed.

F

irst launched in the U.K, Big Drop Brewing Co. is a multi-awardwinning craft beer company devoted to crafting the finest alcohol-free beer with no more than 0.5 percent ABV. According to Sydney-based Country Manager, Darren West, as expertise and production methods have increased within the manufacture of no-low products over the past couple of years, consumers have been given greater choice combined with higher quality offerings.

“There’s no need to totally ‘abstain’ on a weeknight or drink a soft drink if you’re driving, because now you can have a highquality drink, without the alcohol and not miss out on the experience.”

Big Drop launched its first beer, Galactic Milk Stout, in November 2016 and then

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Pine Trail Pale Ale a few months later. Both beers scooped top prizes in beer awards, including ‘World’s Best’ at the World Beer Awards and the Holy Grail of any alcoholfree drink, beating their full-strength rivals in blind-tastings.

What sets Big Drop apart from other zero percent beers on the market is that the company was born from a human truth.

Co-founder Rob Fink was going through a lifestyle change but could not find any high quality, full flavoured non-alcoholic beers to enjoy.

“It was just a sea of mediocre sameness of the mainstream brands.”

Big Drop was not trying to replicate or create a line extension from a fullstrength brand or have an offering in a wider portfolio. They wanted to become the world’s first dedicated brewer of nonalcoholic craft beer, making beer for people to enjoy no matter what style they prefer or what their reasoning is to cut back or moderate.

“Our ethos from day one has always been that we want to brew the best beer we can, that just happens to be non-alcoholic.

“It sounds very simple, but adopting this mindset and approach meant that we removed any shackles or preconceptions and became quite experimental. This has led directly to all the different styles, the number of grains and hops we use and how we get more flavour and mouthfeel in our beers. And ultimately how we pioneered the brewing technique of lazy yeasting, that others are adopting today.”

Over the past six years, Big Drop has

brewed over 26 different styles of beer, ranging from flavoured stouts and porters, to sours and gossers as they keep pushing the boundaries of possibilities.

Big Drop’s launch into New Zealand has been a slow burn.

“It’s taken a while to get some traction, as we were probably ahead of the boom, but in a relatively short period of time, we’re now starting to see a growing interest from on-premise and grocery, as well as dedicated non-alcoholic online retailers such as ClearHead Drinks.”

The company has partnered up with a small distributor called LongBreeze, who is just as passionate about helping to grow the no/low category. Currently LongBreeze carries four of Big Drop’s core beers: Pine Trail Pale Ale, Paradiso IPA, Uptown Craft Lager and Galactic Milk Stout. Outside of the core, Big Drop have also introduced their first Summer limited release, Poolside DDHIPA into New Zealand.

This beer has performed so well that another brew has been planned due to strong consumer and retailer demand.

Poolside will be followed up by another seasonal release, Woodcutter Brown Ale, just in time for Winter.

“I can only see the category continuing to grow in New Zealand and, who knows, one day soon maybe we’ll be looking for a contract brewer to partner with there too,” concluded West You can learn more about Big Drop Brewing at www.bigdropbrew.com This article has been edited for space, you can read the full article here. n

@giesenwines | giesenwines.co.nz

*Contains not more than 0.5% Alcohol/Volume

zerozone CHI

It’s not just Dry July and Sober October that have consumers thinking about low alcohol drink options. Nor is 'low and no' something the Instagram influencers have brought to life with #nonalcoholic #soberlifestyle and #alcoholfree. Alcohol-free drinks have been around for a long while and New Zealand’s original premium nonalcoholic beverage was introduced to the market in the mid-1980s.

Gary Furniss saw the limited beverage options that were available to Kiwis and set

out on a mission to produce a nature-based herbal drink that everyone could enjoy.

Now over 40 years later, Ch’i Herbal Drinks Company has an incredibly loyal following and is all about making unique beverages with herbal influences for the moments you want to put yourself first.

The low and no preference is all about health benefits. Consumers are increasingly conscious of what goes into their bodies and how it affects them in the long run. Ch’i was considered a little left of field in the 80s, but now the Chinese inspired herbal drink is the perfect alcohol alternative.

Not drinking alcohol has become just as ‘cool’ as drinking it, however, it is still about the aesthetics of a drink. Being able to hold a chilled single-serve in one hand makes mingling all the easier.

Ch’i drinks are versatile, refreshing and a burst into nature. Keeping up with the demand for a convenient nonalcoholic drink, they have 250ml single-serve aluminium cans available from June. The

sparkling beverage is perfect for toasting with friends around the fire this winter or for a cool starry night at the beach.

“We’re excited to be a leader in this positive good-for-you movement,” said Ray Nicholls, Ch’i Herbal Drinks Company Managing Director.

The team at Ch’i are beverage pioneers that are here to stay, proving that low and no can be exciting. Because Ch’i time is me time.

New Zealand’s original non alcoholic Adult beverage.

Botanical and hand crafted 35 years before they became fashionable.

Enjoyed in moments of reconnection since 1987.

Coming soon - 100% recyclable 250ml cans.

REMEMBER RECONNECT REJUVENATE To discuss supply of CH’I for your customers contact us at info@chidrinks.com

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Fugazi

Don’t be deceived, sometimes things are not what they seem. The modest strength on the can belies the flavour within. A complex selection of malts and generous dose of Sauvin and Simcoe hops create a light but satisfying beer that punches well above its weight. A true sheep in wolf ’s clothing. This Session Ale comes in at 2.2% ABV and is available in single cans and six packs.

Tiny

Big things sometimes come in little packages. Say hi to Tiny: Brewed with pilsner malt, golden naked oats, Mosaic, Strata and Simcoe, Tiny is specially fermented to give you all the big, juicy hop character you’ve come to expect from a Hazy IPA - just without the alcohol.

Yup that’s right. Big flavour, without the booze so you can enjoy your hazy anytime. Tiny, but mighty. Tiny is available in single cans and six packs.

For more information email Hannah.lloyd@garageproject.co.nz ot call 021 186 4081

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zerozone Peroni

It’s been two years since Italian brewers Peroni (owned by Asahi Beverages) launched its first alcohol-free beer with Peroni Libera 0.0%. Created for those seeking a light to moderate beer as part of a balanced lifestyle, Peroni Libera (meaning ‘free’ in Italian) has grown in popularity around the globe including New Zealand thanks to its triplehopped flavour and signature Nostrano dell’Isola maize.

A dedicated yeast strain used in the brewing process produces citrusy aromas and hoppy notes, followed by delicate fruity aromas that emulate the company’s staple beer product. The end-result is a crisp tasting beer with a fine bitterness and a fast and clean finish. Salute! Peroni Libera 0.0% is sold in New Zealand in 12 packs (bottles)

by Asahi Beverages NZ. For more informtaiton visit www.asahi.co.nz or email sales@asahi.co.nz

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Steinlager Double Zero

Steinlager has launched New Zealand’s first double zero beer – Steinlager Zero 0.0% (<0.05% ABV), meaning Kiwis can now enjoy a great tasting Steinlager and not worry about the alcohol content or its carbon footprint.

Already a serious challenger in the rapidly growing low and zero alcohol space, Steinlager Zero was launched off the back of the long-standing successes of the wider Steinlager brand. As the first zero alcohol beer under the Steinlager brand, Steinlager Zero holds claim to the lofty title of New Zealand’s first double zero beer.

Toitū carbonzero certification has seen every step in the Steinlager product’s life cycle have its emissions reduced or offset – from growing the hops and barley, making the beer at the brewery, to bottles, caps, packaging, and transport – even right down to the length of time the beer will spend in the consumer’s fridge.

TASTE FULL LIFE.

Clausthaler was born out of the idea that a great tasting beer does not need alcohol.

It’s a testament to pioneering craftsmanship and brewing expertise. With its awarded quality and variety, Clausthaler refreshes and fuels everyday pioneers with big plans who enjoy life to the fullest. It’s our brewmasters dedication and commitment to our awardwinning non-alcoholic beer that showcases the pioneer spirit that Clausthaler was born out of.

Established in Australia in 2006, Edenvale saw an opportunity within the market for a sophisticated lifestyle beverage for those who choose not to consume alcohol.

Edenvale was founded on the belief that people should have access to premium alcohol-removed wines that offer the same taste, aroma, complexity, and variety of traditional wines.

With less than 0.5% alcohol by volume, a level similar to that found in fresh fruit juices, Edenvale wines are non-intoxicating, contain less than half the calories of normal wine, are rich in antioxidants and taste great.

Using grapes grown in Australia’s finest wine regions, Edenvale wines are made using traditional winemaking techniques, resulting in a classic, fully fermented wine. After the wine is produced in its

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traditional form, Edenvale uses spinning cone technology to remove the alcohol.

The spinning cone column, which has been custom modified for Edenvale’s specific requirements, gently removes the alcohol from the base wine through a process of evaporation, carefully protecting the delicate aromas and flavours. No chemicals are added to the wine.

The alcohol is removed at a relatively low temperature, similar to natural fermentation, ensuring that the integrity and flavour profile of each alcohol-removed wine varietal is not compromised.

Stemming from a background and love for the wine industry Edenvale’s extensive range offers a non-alcoholic alternative for everyone. From its classic range of Australia’s favourite varietals to the more elevated Premium Reserve Range and there is an Edenvale wine for all palates.

Edenvale proudly adheres to all the Australian wine standards throughout the wine-making process to ensure a quality product and a real wine experience.

Alcohol-free does not mean giving up the flavour sensations you love. Treat yourself to an indulgent and luxurious adult drink.

Every bottle of Ecology & Co. starts its journey as a selection of the finest ingredients. Fragrant aromatics, zesty spices and no artificial flavours or aromas ensure that the final product is a feast for the senses. We then distil each of the botanical ingredients individually without using any alcohol. This may seem like a painstaking process but we do so because it allows us to finely tune the flavour profile of each bottle of Ecology & Co. The end product is a truly alcohol-free distilled spirit that is sure to satisfy even the most refined palate. It’s a sugar-free, carb-free, fatfree and alcohol-free beverage base that’s perfect to enjoy at any time or any occasion.

Not too long ago we were socially challenged. You see, as our lifestyles became healthier, entertaining became harder. Finding a grown-up drink that gave us the same fulfilling experience as our alcohol-filled favourites, was a lost cause… and if you love to socialise like us, you’ll understand the dilemma we were in. That’s what led to the creation of Ecology & Co!

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In 2012, childhood pals Mike and Joe were mixing drinks in their Newtown, Wellington dive bar - but they couldn’t find a decent cocktail syrup for the life of them.

A

fter some dodgy batches and plenty of experimenting, they discovered the perfect formula for delicious syrups that worked in cocktails, mocktails, or as a soda. This is how Six Barrel Soda was born, and how the soda industry became forever shaken up for the better.

Now, Six Barrel Soda is celebrating their 10th Birthday!

largest whisky company • 10 years of being a formative part of Wellington’s creative food and drink scene • 10 years worth of replacing plastic bottles - their drinks have replaced around 5,000,000 330mL bottles or over 1,000,000 1.5L bottles!

• 10 years of helping people around the world to make wonderful drinks at home

THAT’S:

To celebrate this milestone, Six Barrel Soda made a special Birthday Cake Soda Syrup picture rich vanilla bean sponge, hints of raspberry and lemon, and sprinkles to top it all off.

Six Barrel Soda would like to thank the amazing community of soda lovers for the support during their first decade, and can’t wait to surprise and delight new markets for decades to come. n

• 10 years of creating smallbatch, real fruit, lower sugar drink syrup in their Wellington soda kitchen • 10 years of creating over 120 distinct delicious flavours, including everything from Kiwifruit to Kimchi!

• 10 years of collabs with partners all the way from local small producers to the world’s

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Speights Summit Zero

Off the back of Speight’s Summit’s soaring popularity, Speight’s Summit Zero lager was born.

With the lighter options beer category growing by +30 percent, the market for great tasting beer with less alcohol can’t be ignored.

This is the first zero alcohol beer under the Speight’s brand, which is New Zealand’s most popular beer brand by volume.

It has 100 percent of the crisp and refreshing flavour with <0.05% Alcohol.

Terps & Co

Pals 0%

Whether Kiwis are out all night, around the barbecue or nestled into a comfy chair, Terps & Co will give them more feeling with every sip.

Harnessing the elevating properties of the terpenes found in fruits, herbs and plants, Terps & Co takes the drinker somewhere tonic water and lime never dreamed of. Terpenes are the organic compounds found everywhere in nature within each herb, flower, and fruit that give them their unique scent and flavour. So, when someone says, “Stop and smell the roses,” what they’re saying is, “Stop and smell the terpenes.”

With five distinct varieties, gin-like, whiskey-feel, rum-esque, vodka-vibe, and tequila-style, Terps & Co has less than three calories per serve, is plantbased and gluten free, made in New Zealand, and 100% natural.

A better-for-you RTD, Pals went the extra mile on all aspects with high quality base spirits for a far more premium product, all-natural flavours, and real fruit extracts.

No artificial colours, sweeteners, or preservatives and zero compromise on taste. You can now enjoy that 100% Pals taste, with 0% alcohol.

Low in sugar (1 gram per 100ml), low carb, gluten free, vegan friendly and low calories (5 cals per 100ml). Flavours include Central Otago Peach, Passionfruit and Soda and Hawke’s Bay Lemon, Cucumber and Soda.

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Spreading the Good Vibes

VIBE was borne from a school food supply business that had traditionally been supplying students with sugary drinks.

VIBE was created to provide a great tasting alternative that allowed children to enjoy drinking carbonated beverages full of flavour but with zero sugar.

“V

IBE has become our way of transitioning kids from sugary drinks to a zero sugar water. A ‘transitional drink’ that tastes good,” explained managing director, Stefan Crooks.

Vibe isn’t just a transitional drink for children, however, it’s also a trendsitional drink for adults, a great way for Kiwis to enjoy a fantastic taste experience with good-for-you benefits.

Growing consumer awareness of health, function and wellness has pushed consumers across all ages to look for healthier alternatives from other carbonated beverages. This has been accelerated amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Consumers are looking for products like VIBE that support their emotional, indulgent and physical health needs, ranging from relaxation to hydration,”

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continued Crooks.

“VIBE drives better-for-you as a result of our successful formulas, ingredients, taste and branding. Today’s consumers want less sugar – no question. But they also don’t want to sacrifice taste.”

With taste still one of the top deciding factors for consumers when making a food or beverage choice, VIBE concentrates on the quality of its natural flavours made from New Zealand ingredients. From the real berry taste of raspberries to the nostalgic summertime vibes created by watermelon, the brand has a refreshing profile to suit every palate.

VIBE drinks also fit perfectly into the fast-growing segment of products that cater for specific dietary trends including vegetarian, vegan, and keto markets.

Crooks is also a diabetic, so it is important to him that all ingredients used are signed off by Diabetes NZ.

Soft drinks are evolving and consumers are not only demanding functional drinks that don’t compromise on taste, they are also looking for companies that adhere to a sustainable ethos, choosing to spend money with brands that are good for the planet, as well as being good for them.

VIBE’s mantra is: Leave no VIBE behind! That’s why there’s no plastic used on VIBE products.

“Our clear can design and branding highlights the aluminium can packaging and encourages recycling.”

This is a product made in New Zealand,

by New Zealanders, for New Zealanders.

VIBE is helping Kiwis celebrate the good times by evoking positive, safe, happy sensations, and it doesn’t stop here.

“Watch this space!” Crooks expressed.

“We are creating a new wave of clean drink options for the whole family. Plus, keep a look out for a new VIBE in the freezer this summer.”

VIBE is available in New Zealand schools and tuck shops, tapping into those tomorrow shoppers, and is exclusive to Foodstuffs.

“Thanks to Foodstuffs (New World, Pak’nSave & Four Square) for recognising VIBES advantages and benefits over other brands and supporting us with VIBE in their stores.” n

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Reconciliation!

T ERNIE NEWMAN Digital Economy Consultant

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hat’s what seems to be needed.

Reconciliation among the various parties, organisations and people who have emerged from opposing corners of the bruising campaign to deal with market failure in the grocery sector.

It came home to me when I read through Foodstuffs North Island’s new “Market Study Reporting Dashboard.”

It’s a constructive response to the Study – a proactive programme to deal with issues such as clearer pricing, simpler promotions, removal of land covenants, wholesale supply to non-members of the co-op, and an “independent” measure of price movements and their causes.

The especially interesting part was that on improving relationships with suppliers.

There will be a fortnightly Supplier Forum with 350 attendees, a “Foodies Connect” conference with suppliers in person every six months, a supplier working group, supplier guide, and supplier survey.

So far so good. But the glaring gap was any mention of interaction with the suppliers’ own organisation, the Food and Grocery Council.

Forums, working groups and conferences are all good stuff. They add to understanding and build relationships. But they are not places where the really grunty issues can be addressed in a robust way.

There will always be a need for suppliers to meet together as a distinct group, identify the issues, and then send delegates to talk with distributors as representatives of the wider supplier community.

That’s where the FGC has always had a key role. Way back when I was involved in its predecessor, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, there was regular, robust interaction. There was common ground in many areas – a proposed packaging tax, bar coding, and government food standards were examples.

And there was disagreement in many too – central distribution, promotional practices, house branding and import duties.

But the right of the GMA to speak out for the positions of its members was never challenged. There was mutual respect for the opposing views.

So its worrying that the FGC doesn’t rate a mention in the “relationships with suppliers” part of Foodstuffs’ Dashboard.

Nobody should be surprised that there has been damage to relationships during the Market Study process. The FGC did what it had to do – the result proves that beyond doubt.

It’s a pity the role of whistle-blower

ended up with the supplier organisation – with hindsight a number of government agencies and consumer bodies should be feeling uncomfortable that they failed to highlight the issue of market failure and act a decade earlier.

But the FGC picked up the challenge.

It did the job admirably, to the eternal benefit of its several hundred supplier members as well as the Team of Five Million.

Now is the time for the FGC, and the distributors, to rebuild bridges.

Relationships, commercial and personal, have been damaged during the battle.

These need to be repaired in a mature way. Maybe some independent facilitation could help?

There is much to be done jointly. For example, the industry is a target of public alarm about inflation. Woolworths’ Spencer Sonn recently published a thoughtful and constructive article defending some of the misconceptions. But this is a topic where supplier and retailer leaders could usefully collaborate at a high level to send common messages that aid public understanding.

The last time inflation got this much out of control it resulted in the Muldoon price freeze – a totally misconceived disaster implemented by people with zero understanding of the dynamics of commerce.

Absolutely nobody who went through that would want to repeat it! But its not inconceivable that something similar could be proposed today as the political heat intensifies. If you don’t believe me ponder this - the last one was the brainchild of a National government!

That’s but one of the issues in which a common understanding and good sector relationships are needed in this very crucial industry which lives, increasingly, in a glasshouse.

The notion that the sole role of a business is to maximise the short-term returns to shareholders has long passed.

Everyone is part of an economic and social ecosystem.

Supermarkets could reasonably view themselves as an intermediary between two stakeholder groups – the consumers to whom they provide a range of goods presented in a convenient way, and

suppliers to whom they provide a costeffective distribution service. Viewed like that, the need for collaboration and communication across all levels becomes even more compelling.

So I hope all parties will consider picking up the phone to one another. Or maybe someone independent might take an initiative by bringing them together. We’re a tiny country with a history of working together well.

Lets move on and get talking. n

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REDUCE MISTAKES BY REDUCING THE UNKNOWN If your food or drink brand is achieving success in your home market and you are looking to increase your export sales, high growth Asian markets offer an exciting opportunity for growth.

The sector is expanding rapidly with a rising demand for imported products and New Zealand products have a good reputation for quality and high food safety standards.

F

ood and drink exporters need to understand some very specific category indicators to determine whether an export market should be pursued.

STEP 1: CATEGORY ANALYSIS – START AT THE STORE LEVEL If you can, visit some of the major supermarkets and check out how much shelf space is dedicated to your category. If you can’t find similar products on the shelf in any of the stores you visit, then you can be confident that this is not an important category for the retailers, and you’ll need to be prepared for the challenges of ‘demand creation’.

Conversely, if the shelf space is significant and there are private label supermarket brands available in your category then this is a sign that it’s a strong category with good demand.

Finally, and most importantly, nothing compares to speaking to in-market industry experts who have a keen eye for picking winning products.

STEP 2: COMPETITOR ANALYSIS – CAN YOU COMPETE? There are many factors that have an influence on your products competitiveness in your category. Having a well-established brand in your domestic market is a good

starting point, but this success is not automatically transferrable to Asian markets.

Two factors are crucial: Packaging • Does your packaging stand out with visual appeal?

• The influence your packaging has on sales should not be underestimated. Resist the urge to change your packaging or add Chinese / foreign language characters, the best thing you can do is keep your brand integrity intact.

Taste • While attractive packaging will encourage an initial sale, it’s taste that will drive repeat purchases and sustainable sales volumes.

• To gauge how the taste profile of your product fits with local consumer preferences you can run tasting panels inmarket with consumers or seek feedback from distributors who have a good understanding of the category.

STEP 3: PRICE POSITION – SETTING YOUR PRICE STRATEGY

Your pricing strategy will be an integral component of your success. To understand your price position within the category you first need to calculate your retail

price using a cost model (price tree/price build) that estimates your retail price after all the relevant supply chain margins for target retailers have been applied.

You’ll need to know what your market entry model is and what the typical supply chain margins are for each grocery channel in target markets.

Ultimately, if you are not priced correctly against your competitors, it will be very challenging to gain market share, especially if you are putting forward a new product with no brand equity in the market. Knowledge is power when it comes to negotiating new grocery listings.

STEP 4: CHANNELS AND COSTS Supermarket grocery channels across Asian markets all have their unique characteristics with each country offering a few major supermarket retailers to target. Online grocery sales channels are emerging platforms across Asian markets, but bricks and mortar stores still account for most sales.

Something to be aware of is that the store count for each grocery banner is not huge and not all stores are suitable for imported products. Finding out the number of stores your product are likely to be sold in will shed some light on the potential sales volume for your range.

Entering Asian markets can be expensive.

Understanding what these costs are will be an important factor in calculating feasibility and your return on investment.

Incite can help you to quickly determine the right markets and entry model for your products, understand the local regulations and develop the perfect pitch to take your product to market.

For more information, visit www.exportincite.com or contact getincite@exportincite.com n

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2022 PERSIMMON CROP ADDS COLOUR TO AUTUMN DISPLAYS

“F

New Zealand grown persimmons are ready to brighten up autumn fruit displays in stores around the country. Ian Turk, Manager of the New Zealand Persimmon Industry Council, says local growing operations are reporting a solid 2022 crop and we should expect to see good volumes throughout May and June.

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ruit is looking great, we’ve got good size and good volume, probably an increase in supply from last year,” he said.

Once rare on our supermarket shelves, persimmons have become an autumn favourite for Kiwi shoppers who are finding new ways to incorporate the exotic-looking fruit into meals.

Turk says local growing operations have gone from strength to strength as New Zealanders discover the versatility of fresh and cooked persimmons.

“Initially persimmons were grown commercially for just exports markets, Japan in particular, but these days a much larger volume of fruit is sold domestically. In fact, we’re excited to have seen sales increase by 20 percent in just three years in the New Zealand market.”

The persimmon is actually a berry fruit and packs a considerable nutritional punch as a source of dietary fibre, magnesium, Vitamins A and C and potassium. Their sweet, mellow taste lends itself to autumn dishes such as salads while the fruit is also delicious roasted to bring out deeper caramel flavours.

While the persimmon originated in China, it has been grown in New Zealand since the 1870s, predominantly in the warm climates of the Gisborne and Auckland regions which account for over half the export crops while smaller plantings in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay also contribute to the annual commercial harvest.

“While we still have challenges with labour and freight, much of the commercially grown fruit will head offshore as freight issues have eased slightly since the start of the pandemic.

“Our export markets are really looking forward to receiving their shipments of New Zealand persimmons,” said Turk.

“Around 70 percent of our crop worth about $10 million will head to Australia, USA, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. We’re also developing markets in Vietnam which will increase demand for our fruit in the coming years,” added Turk.

Most of the persimmons grown commercially in New Zealand are the Fuyu cultivar, a non-astringent variety known for its vivid orange colour and sweet flavour.

Crisp when ripe, the fruit can be eaten when firm and has a short shelf life.

Persimmons should be bright and glossyskinned with in-store displays kept at room temperature as they are sensitive to chilling. n

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The Logistics Behind Soft Plastics Recycling Since the start of the year, soft plastic recycling bins have been introduced in stores in Dunedin, Ngatea, Mosgiel, Rangiora and Waihi. This month collections start in Masterton and Carterton, with expansion across Tauranga District from June and plans for Thames Coromandel in the works.

O

ur purpose is to provide New Zealanders with access to drop off recycling bins around the country. It’s not as simple, however, as just putting a soft plastic recycling bin at a supermarket or retail outlet. Before we do that, we need a sustainable collection and transport system so that we can pick up the soft plastic, bale it ready for transport back up to Auckland for processing. Every solution also has to be designed around the specific location.

We have a network of collection partners and transport partners and, where possible, we leverage the transport networks of member companies. For example, across the Upper North Island, participating Countdown stores bale the soft plastics ready for transportation via their store vehicle network to Auckland.

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In 2021 Goodman Fielder transported more than 55 tonnes of baled soft plastic from Christchurch via their transport network to be turned into posts at Future Post.

The recent relaunch in Dunedin was made possible through significant teamwork between Scheme members and local business.

Soft plastic from the region is collected from participating Countdown, New World and The Warehouse stores by Cargill Enterprises, and is baled by Waste Management. The baled plastic is backhauled to Christchurch by Cottonsoft, then via Goodman Fielder’s transport network to Auckland for processing.

In some regions, the problem is often finding a local operator that can bale the plastic and, on some occasions, sourcing a baler to provide a solution is a challenge.

It takes time to develop collection systems which are both cost effective and minimise, where possible, the environmental footprint.

Soft Plastics Courier Bag Trial Nearly 80% of New Zealanders now have access to soft plastic recycling within 20km of where they live or work, with almost 200 drop off locations and new initiatives with environment hubs and council community centres.

However, people living in rural areas, or in regions where we haven’t yet been able to resolve logistics issues, have been asking how they can recycle their soft plastic. This has led to an exciting partnership with NZ Post and Future Post offering Kiwis a courier pick-up service of their soft plastic.

This opens up soft plastic recycling to communities without current access to a soft plastic recycling bin, or those who are unable to get to their local store. It’s an additional and/or alternative service to the store drop off network.

The pre-paid soft plastic branded courier bags cost $7 each and are on sale from NZ Post stores, The Warehouse and The Warehouse Stationery stores, as well as online (www.nzpost.co.nz) and through a trial at selected New World stores in the Manawatu.

The courier bag is made from 80% recycled plastic waste supplied

by Scheme member Sealed Air. Soft plastic is lightweight and can be squashed down so a courier bag will take around 1kg of clean and dry soft plastic, which equates to approximately 125-150 bags or wrappers (this represents around 2-3 weeks’ worth of soft plastic waste for an average household).

The $7 price pays for a courier collection from home or work by NZ Post, the courier service back up to Auckland, collection of the bags from NZ Post’s Distribution Centre by Abilities Group who will bale the soft plastic ready to transport to Future Post and finally the processing costs of turning the plastic into Future Posts. People can also drop off the bags at any NZ Post shop. The courier bags themselves are recycled yet again with the baled plastic.

The courier bag service is a perfect solution for small businesses and workplaces to collect and recycle their soft plastic waste, with options to purchase multiple bags in cartons of 10 available. n

20minuteswith Sunny Kaushal, Chairperson of The Dairy and Business Owners Group

The Dairy and Business Owners Group grew out of the Crime Prevention Group when Sunny Kaushal realised no one was looking out for the safety of dairy owners and their businesses.

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ack in 2011, the Smokefree New Zealand announcement kickstarted the official formation of the Association. While the Association did not necessarily disagree with the Smokefree goal, it had to act as representation for the thousands of small businesses that would have to change their business models.

With Smokefree New Zealand now a legalised reality for 2025, cigarette demand should decrease. Yet, tobacco is still responsible for many sales in convenience stores, and sales do not look to be decreasing. Alongside this, crime is surging, and convenience retailers are in the middle screaming for help.

Ram raids are a type of burglary that primarily affect dairy owners. Ram raiders do hit all kinds of businesses. However,

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most common are those outlets that stock cigarettes and vape products but recently, different types of stores, from clothing to appliances, are also being targeted.

Since 2018, crimes against smaller retailers and dairies have increased 21 percent, to over 9,000 offences. According to Kaushal, the Government needs to step up and actively respond to the Association’s call for action.

“Since the convenience industry generates around $3.4 billion in sales each year and the government collects around $2 billion a year in cigarette excise duties, there should be resources available to fund security upgrades in dairies, but the funds seem to be going elsewhere,” said Kaushal.

“What we’d like to see here on the streets are Police Community Support Officers like they have in the UK, with traffic wardens taken off revenue-generating ticketing and instead put into public safety roles.

“With new technology available to handle parking tickets, surely we can shift the funding away from ticketing shoppers and tradies and fund programmes that address the anti-social crime that is going on all around us?”

Successive governments have promised more police, but we are nowhere near the 2017 promise of 1800 officers to date.

“What is worse, gangs outnumber police in three police districts,” said Kaushal.

The challenge is to fund correctional facilities designed for youth and residential facilities to get vulnerable people off the streets and into supportive care programmes.”

Kaushal expressed his frustration as, despite rates of crime increasing, the number of arrests has been decreasing. In Wellington, for example, offences went up 6 percent, but arrests went down 27 percent. Or Canterbury, where offences increased 14 percent, but arrests dropped 18 percent. This up and down pattern is seen nationwide and is a concerning statistic for the safety of dairy and small business owners.

Kaushal doesn’t feel the police have abandoned them to deal with ram raids alone but thinks the exposure to the threat of ram raids with no support is a growing concern. With under 17’s being the most common perpetrators, and for this group, often there are zero consequences for their actions. The police are likely just as frustrated as the Association.

“What we need is actions to have consequences. For ram raiders to know that, when caught, there will be a penalty, no matter their age.”

While the Association is calling for changes across the entire justice system, the main complaint is that youths need to be prosecuted, not just taken home.

Education is critical, and if these youths are also truants, then taking them back home without intervention is not the answer.

Security fog machines have been the subject of some financial support, and Kaushal noted that the funding should continue and could come from the cigarette excise. The units themselves cost around $4,000, with individual dairies covering $250 and the annual maintenance fee of about $350.

“We know from an OIA reply late last year that the Police Proceeds of Crime Fund is funding the purchase and installation of 1,000 fog cannons. Of which 891 had been installed into dairies most at risk from aggravated robbery, but that leaves over three thousand more businesses unprotected.”

“Be under no illusion, it is just a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured, and the government will be to blame because they have taxed cigarettes to be worth more than a bottle of whisky,” added Kaushal.

“That was once considered an unbelievable outcome and was often the subject of comedy satire, but it is now a reality for retailers. That tax-driven price of cigarettes and tobacco is why dairies are a target.” n Whites Dairy Devonport NZ, source: Wikimedia Commons

IMPULSE

CONVENIENCE

The Post-Covid Characteristics of Impulse and Convenience

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ike almost all other facets of the food and beverage industry, the impulse and convenience sector has evolved in response to the COVID pandemic and changing consumer tastes and trends.

Traditionally, the impulse and convenience sector has always been a strong avenue for the sale of snacks. Now,

with consumers becoming more healthconscious, healthy snacks have become more prominent in the category and many brands see the channel as pivotal.

Part of the appeal of convenience products has to do with the growing casualisation of food. In last year’s IRI State of the Industry Report, 54 percent of respondents have a more casual approach to food nowadays, with 36 percent of those under 45 years of age admitting they often snack/graze versus sitting down to eat a full meal – they are also less likely to cook often.

A third of respondents (33 percent) said they rely on convenience products to make cooking simple and solving mealtime solutions can be anything from ready-toheat meals to scratch cooking, to functional snacks that provide the nutrients and/or protein of full meals.

Convenience is the name of the game and

consumers want easy snacking solutions.

Food-on-the go and ready-to-drink beverages (up 10.2 percent and 12.4 percent respectively) are driving growth, but the rise of the self-care mindset and the quest for self-improvement spurred by the pandemic has called for the transition of many of these products into a better-for-you format. Of course, indulgence and taste are still key, and it is important for producers to carefully balance both aspects.

Convenience comes in many forms and supermarkets continue to appeal to household shoppers’ meal and snack solution needs.

Retailing is all about storytelling, however, and providing enough of a range relevant to your local consumers is vital, knowing they will not just grab a product today, but take comfort that they will be able to have healthier options on an ongoing basis. n

Memphis BBQ Style With increasingly busy lifestyles, one thing is for certain, consumers are looking for convenient and delicious meal solutions so they can spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing

the things they love. Tegel has got convenience covered with the brand new Memphis BBQ style Chicken Wraps. Combining quality New Zealand raised cage free chicken with no added hormones, mixed with a sweet and smoky Memphis BBQ style sauce, encased in tortilla wraps and topped with cheese, this new flavour taps right into the highly popular American BBQ trend that’s sweeping the country.

Joining Tegel’s current range of wraps, which includes traditional favourites Mexican and Italian, Memphis BBQ gives consumers another great flavour to add to their weeknight rotation.

The introduction of the new Memphis BBQ flavour is expected to contribute towards strong growth already seen with the current range. Tegel’s current range of wraps have never been more popular with sales growing +33% (MAT vs YA, Grocery IRI Scan Data to March 2022).

Memphis BBQ wraps are sure to be an instant crowd pleaser as more and more customers search for a classic taste of American BBQ. Each pack contains five wraps and are ready to serve out of the oven in just 20 minutes, making them a great solution for the busy individual, couple, or family meal. Find them in the butchery aisle of your local supermarket.

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IMPULSEconvenience PITANGO NEW SOUP FLAVOUR SELECTED

BY THE NEW ZEALAND PUBLIC Pitango, made famous for their fresh and home-made soups and meals, will be launching a new soup flavour this winter season, as voted by New Zealanders in a recent online poll.

The Pitango Thai Chicken Noodle soup won the top spot receiving 41% of the total voices. And will now be the Pitango new SOUP OF THE SEASON for the upcoming cooler months.

“Our customers are our influence when it comes to creating a new variant or flavour for Pitango,” comments Mary Boulton, Commercial Director for Pitango New Zealand, “so when we were looking for inspiration for our new Soup of the Season, we, of course, went to our customers asking for their ideas for a new, Pitango soup flavour.”

Pitango received around 30 unique flavour ideas from consumers across the country, with Thai Chicken Noodle Soup the clear favourite.

“We got some great ideas through this process,” continues Mary, “including Chilli and Chicken Dumpling Soup and even Bloody Mary Soup, but the Thai Chicken

DELIVERING ON TASTE & CONVENIENCE

Cartel Foods are the creators of ‘kick-ass’ burritos. From the original frozen range to the newest warm on-the-go option, we spoke to Melissa Philips, the La Jefa or Lady Boss, to discuss the brand's place in the convenience sector.

Cartel Foods has been in the marketplace for seven years, but only recently achieved its core range placement at Countdown and

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Foodstuff supermarkets. They see a lot of opportunity in the category, as a product that can be used across a broad range of occasions.

“Snacks, workplace lunch, dinner, afternoon tea or a late-night snack for teenagers and students, our frozen range is perfect anytime you need something quick and yum.”

The newest on-the-go range is something consumers should start to find in pie warmers

Noodle was unmistakably the most popular.

Pitango ran their survey alongside a competition allowing participants to win a Pitango Kitchen Pack valued at over $200.

“We had a lot of fun running this across our social media channels late last year,” states Mary, “and we received a great response with almost 5,000 people engaging in the posts and the discussion.”

The Pitango Free Range Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is made fresh and packed fresh with no added preservatives and no added sugar. With NZ free-range chicken pieces, packed full of vegetables and noodles, simmered in coconut cream, and blended with Thai green curry paste, it is guaranteed to be a favourite soup this season!

Heated in as little as 3 minutes, the Pitango Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is the perfect selection for lunch or dinner, garnish with some fresh coriander and sliced red chili for that final touch.

The Pitango Free Range Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is 99% fat-free, contains 2.5 servings of vegetables, and only 122 calories per serve.

Available in a 500g pouch from the chilled section at Countdown, New World, and PaknSave stores nationally from beginning May.

across the nation very soon. The trade route burritos are already heated up, ready for customers to eat immediately.

This range is currently completing a trial with BP in Auckland and will be found in the new ‘Fast n Fresh’ stores, but the burritos can also be purchased through Uber Eats.

Philips is also in discussion with other major Oil companies and said to “watch this space”.

Cartel Foods is focused on opportunities the supermarkets and oil channels present.

Consumer health trends are not such a worry for Philips, as they produce a recipe that is already a better alternative to most convenient foods in the freezer. “We have half the salt and fat of a pie, and no artificial flavours or colours.”

Cartel Foods was very fortunate over the pandemic, business was steady for them.

“When consumers are stuck at home, they want alternatives to cooking. There is only so much sourdough bread making and cooking one can do before they feel like something quick but tasty.”

One of Cartel Food’s biggest hurdles is convincing customers good food can come from the frozen category. There is a new level of premiumisation across supermarket freezers from ice cream to dumplings, so new customers are often pleasantly surprised when the frozen burritos taste good.

“Our burritos deliver on both taste and convenience.”

AFFORDABLE PLANT BASED MEALS Harmless Food Co is exclusive to Progressive/ Countdown stores, and is the most affordable plant based meals on the shelf. A brand created to bring food prices down, in a market where prices are constantly increasing. The product line launched in April 2022 as a cheaper alternative to current competitors' products.

The meals are 400 grams (single serving) and only cost $8.00.

The current plant based meal range consists of: Mango Chicken Curry, Creamy Chicken Pasta, Beef Enchilada, and Beef Lasagna.

40% of consumers across NZ & Australia are actively reducing their meat and dairy intake in their diet, (flexitarians or reducitarians). Consumers are also far more likely to consume plant-based meat alternatives when compared to tofu and vegetable based meals.

So products like this, that utilise meat alternatives, fit perfectly into what the key consumer trends are, they offer the comfort of something you love to eat without the impact of their non plant based counterparts.

natural, healthy ingredients

New Zealand made planet pleasing a better choice

2021 Chilled/Deli Category Winner

Available to order now.

Contact sales@sustainablefoods.nz to find out more.

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IMPULSEconvenience EASY AND NUTRITIOUS! Kiwi’s love our range of Diamond Rice Risotto and we are pleased to now have available our range of new Diamond Supergrain Risotto. Diamond Supergrain Risottos are a good source of fibre and taste great!

The new range was designed to be a cook’s best friend – the ultimate in easy dinner solution that not only tastes great but is also good for you.

The timing of this range couldn’t be better.

We know that Kiwi’s are feeling the rising cost of living and Diamond Rice Risotto makes the perfect value for money meal solution. You can simply enjoy it ‘as is’ or add any protein or vegetables that you have on hand. Save money and food waste by using up those leftovers in the fridge and adding them to your Diamond Rice Risotto or Diamond Supergrain Risotto We have also designed the range to be flexible to suit all tastes and dietary needs.

Two of the flavours in the range are plant based and are suitable for vegans (Red Malay

and Spanish Salsa) The new Supergrain Risotto range is made in New Zealand and has been designed to suit the Kiwi palette. For example, all flavours have a Kiwi spice level that is not too spicy (1 on the spice rating) The Supergrain Risotto range is blended from the perfect mix of chia, quinoa, buckwheat and rice. The super grains in this mix provide a good source of fibre which is important for a healthy diet and helps to make you feel full.

The mix of grains in Diamond Supergrain Risotto is not too heavy or too light and everything cooks at the same time.

Ready in just 20 minutes they are the ultimate regular meal solution and ideal to have in the pantry as a standby dinner solution or even enjoy cold as a salad. The

Diamond Supermarket news ad 210 x155 PRINT.pdf

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flavours are versatile, and you can add just about anything!

On the back of each of the packs there are also handy hints on perfect addition suggestions so you really can’t go wrong.

The flavours in this range are flavours from all over the world, designed to take your tastebuds on an adventure from Spain to the flavours of Asia.

There are three great flavours in the range: • Red Malay Curry • Vietnamese • Spanish Salsa Diamond was originally launched in New Zealand back in the 1940’s as a pasta brand offering staple products for Kiwi’s. Diamond is still Kiwi owned today and generations of Kiwis continue to love the Diamond brand as a Cook’s best friend.

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PRE-BUDGET SUGGESTS INCREASED RESOURCES AGAINST RAM RAIDS 2022 Pre-Budget gives hope to Dairy and small business owners amidst Ram Raid Crisis

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2022 Pre-Budget announcement has promised a major law and order package, giving hope to business owners in light of the growing ram raid and retail crime problem.

The Government is planning to invest over $562 million into the Police Force over the next four years. The funds will assist in delivering front line growth, establishing a new Firearms Business Unit, expanding the Tactical Response Model and tackling organised crime.

“We welcome the announcement made today on the commitment to law and order funding that will support retailers. We look forward to seeing the detail and working alongside the Government and relevant agencies on initiatives to assist retailers impacted by ram raids and retail crime,” said Retail NZ Chief Executive Greg Harford.

Ram raids and crime on small business owners are an increasing problem, especially in Auckland. The most recent raid occurred at 2:30 am this morning in Glenn Innes, following an attack in Panmure at 1:30 am on Monday morning.

An increase in police funding will be welcomed if it means business owners will receive better protection.

“Ram raids are hitting all sorts of businesses,” said Sunny Kaushal, Chairperson of The Dairy and Business

Owners Group. “We need more funding to protect ourselves.”

A popular security method is fog machines, costing around $4,000 each, late last year 1,000 were funded for installation, however, this still left three thousand businesses unprotected. While there are no exact figures from the Pre-Budget for the installation of more fog cannons, it does give industry owners hope.

“We will be taking action to combat the recent rise in ram raids. Similar to the process that supported the installation of a thousand fog cannons in retail outlets, we will help high-risk businesses protect themselves from ram raiders,” said Police Minister Poto Williams.

The Pre-Budget also saw significant steps toward tackling gangs and a modern approach to criminal rehabilitation.

“Gangs outnumber police in three districts,” mentioned Kaushal. “Actions need to have consequences, and a penalty no matter their age.”

“We are committed to doing things differently by ensuring those who commit serious and violent crimes are held accountable, while also providing pathways out of crime for lower-risk offenders,” said Kris Faafoi, Justice Minister.

Small Business and Dairy owners hold their breath for the official 2022 Budget announcement on the 19th of May. n

Authentic Italian Delicacies

Supplying quality Italian smallgoods to New Zealand supermarkets, hospitality trade and delicatessen wholesalers.

Call us now for authentic quality Italian smallgoods.

Granarolo New Zealand Ltd 337 High St, Boulcott, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand

+64 (0)9 551 7410

what's

new

Green Soft Drinks NEW 180 Degrees Cocoa Oat Crackers

A deliciously nutty cracker with delectable cocoa notes – and they’ll add the #excitement factor to any cheese platter!

Proudly batch-baked in NZ with wholegrain oats, these delicious crackers deliver a source of wholegrain and are carefully crafted to pair expertly with cheese! Available now from New World or Pak N Save, and in Countdown from June. Let these crackers delight your aisle, your customers, and your platters!

Green is a natural, carbonated soft drink created to offer people the opportunity to enjoy the great taste of a soft drink, but without the guilt!

Sweetened with Stevia, but containing no nasties: no aspartame, no preservatives, and no phosphoric acid. Green uses natural flavours, real juice (in the Lemon and Orange) and in the Cola, the caffeine is natural from green coffee beans.

Very low in calories and carbs Green soft drinks are a delicious and guilt free alternative to a regular soft drink, available in Cola, Lemon-Lime, Lemon (made with real lemon juice) and Orange (made with real orange juice).

To range please email sarah@greenroombrands.com or phone 027 447 2033

Handcrafted Small Goods Beard Brothers are a small, family-owned business with a big vision, proudly producing handcrafted small goods.

Using heritage recipes and traditional methods, we make a range of sausages, and patties, the old-fashioned way.

Our new Pitmaster series is a dynamite collaboration between an award-winning Kiwi sausage maker and the team at Rum and Que, award-winning creators of BBQ rubs and pitmaster sauces.

We are proud to bring these banging bangers to your BBQ and kitchen tables in this special range of craft sausages.

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Wild Chef There’s a NEW Hash Brown in Town!

WILD CHEF has launched their homely Hash Browns in a 500g Pack dedicated to mainstream freezers in supermarkets shaking up the Hash Brown availability.

Proudly Locally owned and produced – these Hash Browns look and taste like they were made from scratch in your own

kitchen! With freshly grated premium NZ Agria Potato and minimal processing – these Hash Browns will quickly become a household favourite.

Wild Chef has dedicated the last 20 years to supplying the Food Service market with their Chef Quality meal components and now sharing their quality and minimally

processed point of difference with Supermarkets.

These Hash Browns are Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegan friendly which everyone can enjoy together. Available in North Island New Worlds, PaknSaves, and Four Squares.

Moana New Zealand Premium Ready-to-eat Meals Every gurnard, green-lipped mussel, tender piece of beef, every last drop of rewarewa honey and down to the last capsicum, is gathered and harvested with a lightness of touch.

The preparation of our ready-to-eat meals has been carefully orchestrated to preserve the best ingredients New Zealand has to offer. There are six different products in the New sea land range.

For enquiries or orders please contact Nicola on 027 880 4211 or email moana_feedback@moana.co.nz

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Immunity Support

Support your wellbeing from the inside out with Bickford’s new wellbeing juice.

Bickford’s Immunity Support contains 250mg WELLMUNE per serve which is clinically proven to help boost the immune system.

A blend of citrus fruits with apple providing a great tasting juice with added immunitysupporting benefits.

Helping you take on the world.

Good source of Dietary Fibre and Vitamin C. Vegan friendly and Gluten free.

No added sugar, no preservatives and no artificial colours or flavours.

Proudly 100% Australian made and owned.

Protein Boost Molenberg’s new Protein Boost has 10g of protein per serve. That’s 25% more protein per serve compared with Molenberg’s original toast bread.

Baked To Perfection Fix & Fogg is an award-winning nut butter company located in Wellington, New Zealand focused on making meaningful, sustainable and delicious products.

After the release of their award-winning Everything Butter in 2019, Fix & Fogg added Choc Berry Everything Butter to the mix and have now released a peanut-free version, Almond Everything Butter! With a mix over eight different nuts and seeds (with some delicious inclusions) these products are award-winning and most importantly, delicious.

Leading the charge in other areas, Fix & Fogg

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is introducing their first product free from nuts into their line up in 2022. Fix & Fogg Cookie Butter has been made to match the flavour and crunch of a Belgian style, speculoos cookie. Baked to perfection - the cookies are crushed before adding the perfect amount of sweetness and spice to create a natural, creamy cookie butter.

Another innovator to their range is Peanut Butter and Jelly. It’s made with chewy berry pieces, raspberries and our crunchy peanut butter.

Free from artificial colours and flavours, it’s sweet, tart and moreishly delicious.

WANT TO BE FEATURED IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE OF SUPERMARKETNEWS? CONTACT THE EDITOR SARAH MITCHELL E: SARAH@REVIEWMAGS.COM