SupermarketNews Magazine | July 2019 by Review Publishing Ltd

10.95

July 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Vol. 12 No. 7

goodfortheplanet

(see page 23)

editorialcomment SHUT THE DOOR new, free online programme called Meal Prep Mate. The programme gives consumers all the tools they need to successfully plan, shop, cook and portion up to five days’ worth of meals a time, and use all of the food purchased. A recent campaign has launched to ban door-less fridges in supermarkets. Over 20,000 people in the UK have signed a petition to ban retailers from using fridges without doors in an effort to conserve energy and limit waste. It has been thought previously that doors on fridges and freezers significantly reduce the buying habits of customers. But Jonathan Golding, who submitted the petition disagrees. “If you need milk, you need milk, you are not going to worry about opening a door,” said Golding. In this issue of SupermarketNews, the team takes a closer look at how brands, retailers and suppliers to the industry are taking steps to be better for the planet.

Consumers aren’t the only ones going green. Retailers have continued to make significant changes over the years from supply chain to the checkout to lessen impacts on the planet.

Sarah Mitchell Editorial Director

sarah@reviewmags.com

Being July, it is now official that in New Zealand, businesses cannot provide consumers with single-use plastic bags. And while some little independents are trying to get around the ban by simply cutting off the handles, most retailers are doing their part in providing customers with environmentally friendly options. Aside from the plastic bag conversation there are many other ways in which the banner groups are incorporating ‘good for the planet’ decisions into its stores. Many stores have discounted produce, but Hy-Vee in the USA has taken a technological approach to this to make sure its fresh produce finds a home before it rots. An app has been created to let customers know which products are nearing the end of their shelf life so that they can be purchased at significantly reduced prices. An environmental advocacy group NRDC, has made it easy for American consumers to reduce food waste by rolling out a

diarynotes

GOT NEWS? Please feel free to email us any news, npd or new appointments, and we will feature it online or in the magazine.

July 20: Inspire+ Artisan Awards entries close

October 05 – 09: Anuga 2019

July 25 - 28: Food Show, Auckland

October 29 – 31: Gulfood Manufacturing 2019

August 15 – 19: Hong Kong Food Expo

October 31 – 03: Taste of Auckland

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SupermarketNews is published under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to SupermarketNews. The opinions and material published in this edition of SupermarketNews are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated. All material in this publication is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2019

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

ISSN No.

Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com Caitlan Mitchell, caitlan@reviewmags.com Ed Scott, ed@reviewmags.com Felicity-Anne Flack, felicity@reviewmags.com Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com Ciaran Carroll, kez@reviewmags.com

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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

Enjoy the issue.

October 01 – 05: World Dairy Expo, USA

03 News 08 Behind the Business 19 Going Nuts 23 Good for the Planet 29 Market Insights

ATTENTION GROCERY SUPPLIERS

food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

www.fgc.org.nz

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 an industry conference that covers industry issues and is addressed by international speakers. The organisation monitors product quality and 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

news 1899 TONNES OF PLASTIC BAGS REMOVED In celebration of Plastic Free July, Countdown has announced the introduction of a new 100 percent recyclable, Forest Stewardship council-certified paper bag for customers who forget to bring their reusable bags. KIRI HANNIFIN The bag will be available to purchase for 20 cents at checkout. Since May 2018, Countdown has removed 1899 tonnes of plastic bags from circulation in New Zealand – that’s the equivalent of eight fully loaded jumbo jets. The data released by Countdown shows that

TRACEABLE EGGS

New Zealander’s have embraced a plastic bag free country. Customers are now bringing their own bag or not using one at all, and this number is only increasing month on month. Kiri Hannifin, Countdown’s general manager of corporate affairs, safety and sustainability said the company’s plastic reduction strategy has diverted 278 million singleuse plastic shopping bags from landfill so far. “Our customers are proof that Kiwis are ready to make positive changes when it comes to plastic bags,” said Hannifin. Almost 90 percent of our customers are bringing their own bags every time they shop with us, and we’re delighted that more and more of them getting behind initiatives like our BYO container trial to help reduce single-use plastic in other areas as well,” said Hannifin. n

New Zealand’s egg tracing system is about to launch. Most NZ eggs will be stamped with a number which allows customers to trace the egg back to its farm. Egg Producers Federation executive producer Michael Brooks said that the code would consist of a two-letter definition of the farming system, such as FR for free range and BN for barn, and then three numbers to identify the egg producer. “You then go to a website called Trace My Egg, and enter that code. That takes you to information about the farm. For the farmer, they could put a link to their own website and give more information about the farm.” The voluntary scheme helps to provide consumers with more transparency when it comes to what they eat. n

MR REACH IS BACK

Everyone remembers Mr Reach, the character with the flip-top head. He’s funny, charming and now he’s back in a big way, promoting Reach toothbrushes on TV screens. With fresh love from new owners LG Household & Healthcare, and local market management by PAVÉ Ltd, the Reach brand has been reinvigorated with sharp new packaging and a re-launch campaign including TV, billboards, TV On Demand, YouTube pre-rolls, social media and more. To leverage the Reach campaign in your store contact your PAVÉ representative. n

July 2019

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news OVER 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS RAISED AFM Group has raised an impressive $54,900 from the sales of its Anzac biscuits and collectable tins for the NZ RSA. Mike Fisher, director, AFM Group had the privilege of presenting the check to the RSA. “I’m very stoked to be involved with this great association and raise the muchneeded funds they need to give back to the community and those that fought for the beautiful country we have,” said Fisher. n

20 YEARS OF QUALITY SERVICE New World Victoria Park has celebrated its 20th year since opening back in 1999 to capitalise on the America’s Cup. Jason and Kimiora Witehira, the current owners, took over from Rob McGregor who launched the store on June 29 with a 14-hour trading day. “We inherited a store which was so well received by inner-city customers who were desperate for a quality selection of fresh produce, top-notch butchery and baking, and the best local and international groceries to feed family and friends. We picked up a roaring success and have gone on to win accolades and customer loyalty with an unswerving focus on meeting our customers’ needs – whether they are global yachting superstars, hungry office workers or fitness freaks grabbing the latest vegan falafels in their New World reusable bag.” Jason and Kimiora’s commitment to superior service and experience comes down to spotting and rewarding incredible talent

INTEGRATION

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in store. Jason has four team members who have been serving customers since opening day, which is a testament to his and Rob’s leadership. Anna Dean, Kala Aholelei, Amrit Lal and Haddis Woldegebriel are stand out employees who have sailed through 20 years of shopping excellence at New World Victoria Park. A core component of the store’s success has been its unstinting support for the community. “We’re very aware we have a responsibility to help those who are less fortunate and also to celebrate some cool community initiatives,” added Jason. On a personal level, I have a close relationship with Auckland City Mission, and I’m working with them to help raise funds for their centre – it’s an absolute must. Education is also a big thing for me, and with the team, we throw our energies into supporting local schools and community groups – helping kids and their families how to live and eat well for better health,” said Jason. n

MORE FISH

Foodstuffs NI has announced its acquisition of Leigh Fisheries, one of New Zealand’s most reputable independent seafood companies. The purchase enables the co-operative to ensure a ready supply of premium, New Zealand-caught fish for its New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores, as well as its Gilmours wholesale customers. Foodstuffs CEO, Chris Quinn said that the company is continuously on the lookout for new ways to please their customer and providing sustainably sourced fish and great value is another way of doing this. “Leigh Fisheries is a fantastic New Zealand business with strong environmental values, a world-class brand, and a promise to guarantee customers the best quality fish on the market. Their ‘Lee Fish’ brand gives customers another compelling reason to shop with us and is an exciting point of differentiation for our seafood story.” Dave Jose, Foodstuffs national seafood manager, has played a key role in the Leigh Fisheries project. “As a passionate advocate for excellence in this category, we definitely put our best foot forward to secure this sale in the best interests of our customers,” said Jose. “We were attracted to Leigh Fisheries for a number of reasons, not the least of which is their commitment to quality and sustainability. This purchase will better enable us to supply snapper, tarakihi, hāpuku and line-caught tuna for our customers.” A leading supplier of longline premium chilled fish, Leigh Fisheries has one of the largest independent holdings of quota in New Zealand along with lobster and tuna allotments. The company is unique in its ability to catch, process and distribute fresh fish to customers in New Zealand and across the world. Fish are caught domestically and processed at the company’s facility in Leigh before being delivered to domestic and international destinations. Once the deal is complete, Lee Fish will be introduced to customers instore from August 2019. n

ORGANIC ONIONS Local grower Bostock New Zealand has exported the country’s very first organic onion to Europe. Bostock New Zealand owner John Bostock said there is a lot more labour and work required to grow organic onions as farmers can’t reach for chemicals to spray weeds. “Organic onions are very challenging to grow. It’s a different mind and skill set altogether. We can’t use chemicals to spray the weeds. We have to hand weed all our onions, and we rely on expensive GPS technology to help with this weeding process.” “We will have over 200 staff weeding one onion paddock at the necessary time during the season. The team will each have a little knife and be hand weeding every individual onion plant. It’s an intensive process having a whole field weeded by hand. There is so much care and nurture behind growing organic onions that people need to understand,” said Bostock. “No pesticide sprays are used on our organic onions, so the love these onions receive is quite something. Ultimately it means our organic onions are safer to eat because they are grown naturally. Consumers are becoming more aware of the use of chemicals on fresh produce, so we want to provide a safer organic alternative.” Bostock organic growing manager Sam Reynolds is currently in Europe with some of the Bostock team. He was there to inspect the first container of organic export onions. “It was very exciting to open the container and see that the quality of our Bostock Organic Onions was extremely good. They had been on the sea for six weeks, so we wanted to ensure that our European customers were receiving the highest quality New Zealand organic onions. The Bostock team are meeting with other organic onion growers and service companies in Europe to build relationships and learn better growing techniques which they can apply in Hawke’s Bay. n

WESTLAND SOLD TO YILI

West coast based independent milk producer Westland Milk has been sold to Chinese dairy products producer Yili after 93 percent of shareholders voted “yes” for the acquisition to go ahead. At a share price of $3.41 per share, Yili has bought the company for a total of $588 million. “I said right from the beginning when I stood for the board that I wanted to be part of a very competitive co-op that had a good payout and that farmers did well. But if it couldn’t do that then we’d need a different ownership model and that’s what we’ve done,” said Pete Morrison, Westland Milk Products chairman. The transaction will secure a competitive milk pay out for shareholders for the next ten years. Yili is China’s market-leading dairy products producer and is listed on the Shanghai stock

Contact your DKSH New Zealand Limited representative for more information exchange. The Mongolian company is known for producing milk products such as ice cream, milk tea powder, powered milk, and fresh milk. n July 2019

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techbytes EV IS ON THE WAY

BLOCKCHAIN TECH

Nestlé has announced plans to invest in blockchain technology to track some of its products such as milk and palm oil. The business has partnered with blockchain technology platform OpenSC, which allows the customer to track their food back to their farms. The technology will initially be used to track milk from New Zealand farms to its Nestlé factories and warehouses in the Middle East. The company has been testing the use of blockchain technology for some time now. April saw Nestlé use blockchain data for the first time through Mousline purée in France. The trial allowed customers to scan a QR code, which then took them to a secure platform on their smartphone. Once scanned, the user is provided with information about the varieties of potatoes used, the length of time it was in storage, manufacturing locations and quality control. The platform was founded by WWF Australia and The Boston Consulting Group Digital Ventures. n

An electric vehicle (EV) fast charger was ceremonially opened at PAK’nSAVE Mill Street in Hamilton by the town’s Mayor, Andrew King. The EV Fast Charger is the result of strong collaboration between ChargeNet NZ, Foodstuffs, EECA, and joins a list over 70 supermarket locations spanning Bluff to Kaitaia that will be up and running this year. PAK’nSAVE Mill Street owner-operator Hamish Walton said Foodstuffs is committed to sustainable practices and promoting the uptake of clean energy transport. “We’re helping to promote the future of transport in a high-profile Hamilton City location and giving electric vehicle owners a convenient place to recharge,” said Walton. Mayor Andrew King added that he was excited by the development. “I’m thrilled Hamish and his team at PAK’nSAVE Mill Street are taking the initiative to enable Hamilton residents, businesses, and visitors to transition to environmentally-friendly vehicles. This will help us transition more rapidly to a low carbon future.” ChargeNet NZ continues to strengthen the charging infrastructure in New Zealand, enabling EV

drivers to go further. They now have over 130 operating fast-charging stations, with half of these at New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores around the country. ChargeNet NZ CEO Steve West is delighted to be part of this great collaboration story in Hamilton. “This charger forms another essential building block in the ChargeNet network, opening up more of our beautiful country to the electric revolution and helping to shape New Zealand’s sustainable transport future.” n

DELIVERY TO PUBLIC PLACES

Convenience chain, 7-Eleven will now deliver to public places such as parks and beaches through its app 7NOW. Customers will be able to select from over 2,000 7-Eleven ‘hot spots’ using 7NOW pins that are scattered around public places such as New York’s Central Park and Los Angeles’ Venice Beach. The chain hopes to expand its “hot spots” to reach over 200,000 destinations in the future. n

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SCAN ON THE GO

Woolworths is now trialling Scan&Go at four of its Sydney metro stores and its full line supermarket in Mona Vale. Customers will be able to scan goods with their smartphone as they walk through the store and pay via the app before tapping off at a dedicated checkout. The expansion of the pilot follows the success of the Woolworths Double Bay trial over the last ten months. “Our customers lead busy lives, and they want us to make shopping more convenient than ever before,” said Paul Monnington, Woolworths Group head of payments and financial services. “The trial in our Double Bay supermarket has been a success, with positive feedback from our customers and team, and we’re pleased to now extend the benefits of Scan&Go to more shoppers. Most customers in our CBD Metro stores just want to duck in and out for a few items, so we expect the speed and ease of Scan&Go will be quite a popular offer in this setting,” added Monnington. “We’ve also taken the opportunity to trial Scan&Go at Mona Vale following the renewal of the supermarket. This will allow us to test the offer with even more customers in a different setting so that we can determine the best role for it in the future.” n

NEW

Constellation brands announced an increase of 2.4 percent in year-on-year net sales in its first quarter. The growth is primarily driven by its Modelo Especial beer brands, which includes Corona and Estrella. For the three months up until the end of May, the company’s net sales were valued at $2.1 billion. Meanwhile, Constellation brands also announced that its wine and spirits net sales for the quarter were down 7.8 percent. The business is currently in the process of divesting an estimated 30 of its wine and spirits brands and six of its US winemaking facilities to Californian winery and distributor, E & J Gallo Winery for $1.7 billion. Constellation has said that it wants to focus on its premium beverage portfolio and so is selling a number of its wines priced at $11 or less. Brands included in the deal include; Ravenswood, Black Box and Estancia. While the six wineries involved in the deal include Mission Bell, Clos du Bois, Wild Horse, Hogue Cellars and Canandaigua. Constellation brands CEO, Bill Newlands said that “one of the hallmarks of our success over the years has been our ability to evolve and stay on the forefront of emerging consumer trends.” This year also saw Constellation brands purchase US whiskey producer Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. n

PACKAGING BREAKTHROUGH Nestlé has been busy and achieved the world’s first recyclable packaging for a snack bar. The packaging was created after employees discovered a way to use recycled paper in a high speed’flow wrap cold seal’ packaging line. The new wrapper is made using coated paper that is sustainably sourced and has either a Forest Stewardship Council or a Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification accreditation. Nestlé plans to package its new brand of fruit-based and nutbased bars, YES!, in the new recyclable packaging. The design of the bar’s packaging showcases the line, “carefully wrapped in paper” to signify the work that has gone into wrapping the new bar. The experts who worked on the packaging explained that the difficulty lied in creating a paper that was durable enough to go through the

high-speed production lines. Nestlé will launch the bar into the UK this month followed by a number of European countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and France. n

NEW CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER The Woolworths Group has named Andrew Hicks as chief marketing officer. Hicks first joined the company back in 2008 as national sales manager of Dan Murphy’s. He then moved to the role of general manager of the Woolworth’s Liquor group before being named as the director of marketing of Woolworth’s Supermarkets and Woolworth’s Food Group. Woolworths Group CEO said that Hicks’ experience made him perfect for the role. “Given Andrew’s marketing experience across many aspects of our Group over the last few years, he is well placed to drive the next horizon of our brand and marketing agenda.” n

Contact your DKSH New Zealand Limited representative for more information

July 2019

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behindthebusiness

HOW WRONG DESIGN CHOICES KILL BRANDS

DELIVERING THE DIFFERENCE Alliance Marketing Demonstration Division

Product demonstrations are an effective and cost-effective way to introduce your products direct to your target consumers. The in-store demo provides the opportunity for open dialogue between a company and consumer creating more awareness and therefore boosting sales. Alliance Marketing offers a fully trained national demonstration team who have a passion for sales. According to Duncan Kerr from Nelson-based potato crisp producers, Proper Crisps, “Alliance Marketing run a consistently reliable

demonstration team. Their dedication from the training of their instore team, instore presentation and execution through to the final reports ensure an excellent cost-effective sampling program. Over the three years of sampling with Alliance, they have run a passionate team who promote our products and provide tangible sales results.” If you want quality professional demonstrators with passion and sales skills to represent your brands then call Liz Brash, Alliance Marketing National Demonstrations manager at Alliance Marketing 09 263 9466. n

Brother’s Business Director, Jenny McMillan, covers some of the subtleties that separate success from failure in FMCG brand design. “Marketing has always been a tough discipline, but today’s marketers face an unprecedented, almost bewildering, level of choice. And not just in things like comms channels, digital tools and distribution strategies. Accessing a plethora of creative talent and resources is now easier than ever, or so it seems. It’s a situation we sometimes face when clients ask why they should work with us rather than, say, their colleague’s daughter newly graduated from design school. After all, she’s got a Mac and some programs and top marks. When so much about design choices can seem so subjective, and given we know the focus group research can sometimes prove fatal to genuine creativity, how does one make the call?

And does it really matter all that much anyway? Surely giving a brand’s look a bit of zhuzh-up can only be better, right? Yes and no. Sometimes, a brand or packaging is so bad it can only get better. But a lot can go wrong in the process. You can kill off valuable equity or lose something important to the brand. You might end up saving a few bucks on the design, but you’ve still made an investment which you want to hang on to - a potential stumbling block if you need to make hard choices later. Your new design might look more contemporary, but that also might mean it looks like everything else out there and gets completely lost. These are just a few of the pitfalls we’ve seen clients encounter before they come to us. The value we bring is a synthesis of market and design understanding, letting us create a design that stands out and sells. It’s not easy, and it’s not easily taught either. Rather, it’s the product of years of doing it for real on top of the best training. So, for marketers feeling daunted by the potential choices for their next design project, I have two really strong recommendations. One, definitely include a respected, professional design group in the process. And two, remember that being bold is not the same as being reckless.” For more information visit www.brotherdesign.co.nz n

Introducing Traditional Pork Pies Handmade Pork Pies made with selected cuts of quality pork, encased in a traditionally rich hot water crust pastry with real crunch. Made using Westmere Butchery’s original recipe. Traditionally eaten cold, and the perfect addition to a deli style platter. Available now in all leading supermarkets.

For more information contact: 027 597 8251 | sales@rocketfoods.co.nz | www.rocketfoods.co.nz

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MAKING EXPORTING AND IMPORTING EASY As a New Zealand-owned and operated logistics company, Orbit International Ltd has been providing food manufacturers with integrated transport and customs solutions for more than 30 years. Orbit International Ltd delivers quality services to its customers through its local and international network of logistics partners. The company offers a multitude of services such as air freight and ocean forwarding, export documentation services, tariff consultancy, customs brokerage, cargo consolidation, supply chain management and order processing and tracking. “We let our customers focus on what they are good at, such as producing delicious food, while we are there

to get it to its destination. We can do this because we have agents worldwide, who can assist with whatever they need,” explained Vicki Garelja, managing director, Orbit International Limited. “We provide free consultations whether it be by phone or a personal visit, where we can chat directly with the customer about what they need and how we can help.” The overall aim of Orbit is to provide customers with cost-effective and easyto-manage shipping and transportation services. “We are a customer service focused company who is all about meeting our client’s needs and expectations. For example, when we are dealing with a new company, they might have five pallets that they need to export, so we can take those pallets and organise them to be shipped by sea

VICKI GARELJA

to most destinations worldwide. We co-ordinate the pick-up with customers to ensure the correct packing has been used for export as it is essential that the product arrives in good condition. Also all documentation has to be correct, so as not to cause delays in exporting or delivery to clients overseas.” As for what products are the most difficult to export, Vicki told SN that “Pet food, honey and milk powder all require special handling.” Being a local New Zealand-owned company gives Orbit the ability to create lasting relationships with their clients. “We are a smaller team, which gives us the ability to be more customer orientated and build relationships with our clients. A lot of our customers have been with us for many years.” One of these companies is Oriental Merchant, who has worked with Vicki Garelja for ten plus years. “Vicki is one of those professionals, that goes the extra mile to exceed your expectations. When it

comes to freight forwarding so many things can go wrong, often outside of work hours, but this doesn’t stop her from problem-solving and getting issues sorted overnight so that freight can travel smoothly,” commented Chris Hutton, director, Hutton Consulting Ltd. Orbit doesn’t just provide global exporting and importing solutions; the company can also help businesses who manufacture in the North Island but are looking to service the South Island or vice versa. Prior to starting up Orbit, Garelja worked at importing companies, and handled all shipping and service delivery standards. She has also worked for freight forwarding companies as a customs broker, which gives her an extensive understanding of both sides of the industry and what service levels are expected and required. “I am a customs broker by trade, so can help with all sides of the business.” For more information contact Vicki at vicki@orbitintl.co.nz or phone

Enliven your senses with the ultimate chocolate luxury, Excellence. With this range you will discover the expertise and craftsmanship of our Lindt Master Chocolatiers in blending the most aromatic cocoa beans with the finest ingredients to create a rich and refined chocolate of intense flavour and elegant texture.

EXCELLENCE 95% COCOA: This luxuriously intense dark chocolate is rich and profound on the palate with a distinct depth of cocoa flavour. To fully appreciate this masterpiece, we recommend you break off a piece and allow it to slowly melt on your palate, to release a decadent and stunning flavour bouquet.

DKSH New Zealand Limited 279 Railway Road, Milson, Palmerston North 4470 Private Bag 11077, Palmerston North 4442 Phone +64 6 356 5323, Fax +64 6 356 4726 customerservice.nz@dksh.com, www.dksh.co.nz

July 2019

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e’stelwater KEEP NEW ZEALAND COOL Nelson-based, E’stel Beverages was grown out of love for exceptional, clean water and modern, minimalist design. The company’s founders, Andrew Strang and Wayne Herring couldn’t find what they were looking for in New Zealand and so decided to start a company that stood out in terms of taste, quality and design.

To achieve this, they firstly focused on the bottle knew they had found the perfect match. The New design. After two years of trialling more than Zealand owned and operated business now has a 200 prototypes, the sophisticated team of 35 employees and a range of premium, sport, square bottom bottle that glass and boxed water. E’stel Beverages has been looks good at the dinner making waves in the market in recent years. table, gym and even the Last year saw the company achieve ranging office desk were created. in Woolworth’s stores across Australia and Keeping in line with expand its ranging in Countdown and sophistication, they knew Foodstuffs stores in both the North and that the bottle didn’t South islands. only have to be great The business is also looking to relaunch but so did the water. So, NZ Orchard Gate later in the year. The when they discovered one launch will see the brand showcase a new of New Zealand’s deepest packaging design but keep the same New bores with 27,000-yearZealand grown fruit juice. Supporting the local old glacial water that was community is important to the team at E’stel ANDY BUNNY, ANZ SALES MANAGER naturally alkaline, the pair Beverages. The company has aligned itself with E'STEL BEVERAGES 3625 Brother-PR_SupermarketNews_HalfPage_210x155mm_PRINT.pdf

several sports organisations. They are involved in local grassroots rugby, sponsoring the E’stel Tasman Trophy and becoming the official hydration partner for the Mako Rugby Team. The business is also the official hydration partner for the Good Oil Tactix netball team and the Nelson cricket team, among others. In addition, the company sponsors the local Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter. Sustainability is also important to the business. Their RPET bottle is made from 100 percent recycled plastic, and the company plans to continue to expand its glass bottle range. As for what’s to come, E’stel Beverages recently signed a lease for Takaka Springs Water and is looking to expand its range of premium New Zealand owned and operated water offerings. For more information, contact Nicole at Pavé on Nicole.silk@pavebrands. n

We know how to turn heads and steal hearts

Great design gets noticed, makes a connection and increases sales. If that’s what you’d like, contact Jenny McMillan 021 193 2141 or 09 970 9892 jenny@brotherdesign.co.nz www.brotherdesign.co.nz

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COLOGNE, 05. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 09.10.2019

AMAZING Meet old and new friends. Priceless networking since 1919.

Secure admission tickets at www.anuga.com/tickets For further information and support with travel and accommodation planning: Robert Laing Messe Reps. & Travel 09 5219100 robert@messereps.co.nz

July 2019

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storeofthemonth

COUNTDOWN HAWERA

SHANE COOPER, STORE MANAGER

Shane Cooper started his career in the grocery industry 21 years ago as a retail assistant. He progressed to become a member of the Woolworths family after an opportunity arose for him in the Palmerston North distribution centre as an inwards goods assistant, picker and forklift operator.

“I

then worked in New Plymouth as produce 2IC as well as other roles such as duty manager/ longlife assistant. I took up the responsibility as Longlife Manager (LLM) at Countdown Spotswood, while supporting other stores in my group. In 2015, I opened Vogeltown as the LLM, which was by far my most exciting time in retail so far,” said Cooper. He was later appointed as store manager at the old Hāwera store where he spent two years in the role before relocating to Countdown Spotswood as store manager. Since June, Cooper has held the position of venue manager at the brand new Countdown Hāwera store. The new Hāwera store is the first store in the country to be an accredited Be.Accesible store. To achieve this accreditation, the store had a large focus on creating a store that was more accessible for everyone. This included a number of initiatives such as providing mobility scooters for its customers, wider aisles with less clutter, an EVAC chair in case of emergencies, contrasting colours for doors, wider mobility carparks, a visual alarm system and specially designed disabled persons shopping trolleys for a simpler and easier in store shopping experience. “The trolley is called a Caroline cart. It allows those customers who may find shopping difficult to be seated at the rear of the trolley with a parent or carer pushing.” The store also plans to hold Quiet Hours once the team and customers have settled in. The special hour is designed to support a low-sensory shopping experience and is beneficial to people with conditions such as Autism. In addition to earning a Be.Accesible accreditation, the new store has improved its capability to provide both pickup and delivery for online shopping. “We reviewed our customers’ delivery options, evaluating delivery areas to service both north and south Hāwera. This has resonated well with our customers as this service assists in making Kiwi’s lives a little better and easier every day.” The number of both serviced and self-service checkouts was also increased along with the addition of some the latest innovations such as produce fogging for maintaining fresh leaf vegetable

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quality, a significant increase in ‘better-for-you’ offerings, multimedia screens highlighting grower and supplier stories and products within the store, and a wider range of trolley options including kids sized shopping carts. “We have dedicated ‘better-for-you’ aisles, which include a health foods chiller with healthy options for customers. We have also increased the number of our SKUs from 171 to 619, and this continues to be well received by our customers,” added Cooper. “We want to make Countdown Hāwera the most preferred supermarket in Hāwera, through our extended product range, customer service and fresh foods offering.” Cooper also makes a point to support local businesses when he can - local producers like Hamish and Kate Dunlop who are growing the South American ancient super seed quinoa. Countdown Hāwera is also committed to sustainable initiatives and reducing waste. One of Countdowns policies is to donate safe, high-quality surplus food to The Salvation Army and other local

food rescue charities and food banks. This assists in minimising the stores waste that would previously be sent to landfill. It is part of Countdown’s goal towards zero food waste as well as directly helping those New Zealanders who might otherwise go hungry. “We watch what we throw in the bin, recycle what we can and if it’s not in use we turn it off,” he explained. “The single-use plastic bag phase-out was the standout highlight for our customers not only in Hāwera but for the entire company, as a business pioneering the change and having an environmentally friendly initiative was great.” Customer engagement has also been a focus for the team. Countdown Hāwera welcomed 17 new team members as they transitioned from the old to the new store. Cooper explained however, that the team still has a number of long service team members who have built up a rapport and that service confidence with local shoppers. “The store team is very engaged and provide a great shopping experience. Our people are an

Footprint 3,360 m2

160 Carparks

Selling Area 2,220 m

Checkouts: 8 regular 89 staff

9 self-checkouts

Opening Date: 8th May 2019 STORE MANAGER: SHANE COOPER

important part of our business, and we’re proud to provide great employment opportunities for Kiwis in communities like this one.” The grocery industry is a fast-moving juggernaut which creates a challenge for Cooper and his team. “Keeping up with customer demands which are changing every day can be a challenge. We need to be one step ahead of not only the competition but the customer also.” With his 21 years’ worth of experience in the industry, Cooper has a lot of achievements under his belt. From becoming group special matter expert in the longlife department, to becoming the manager of this new store. But his greatest achievement comes down to adaptability. “This may sound like a cliché, but I think the greatest achievement I have made within the business is the ability to listen and learn from everybody, whether you are a CEO or a checkout operator everybody has something to contribute.” n

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More Sparkle Fast Health Lemony Beer Bud Light has launched a new lemon tea flavoured beer. The light lager, which is brewed with real lemon peels and aged on tea leaves, is being marketed as a summer varietal by the brand, which is owned by St Louis-based Anheuser-Busch. The drink follows in the footsteps of its Bud Light Orange and Bud Light Lime counterparts. Bud Light Lemon Tea will be available in America for a limited time.

Bonduelle’s new Heat & Eat Harvest Bowl promises to be a quick way to grab lunch and boost your health. Full of fresh vegetables, meats, hearty grains and flavourful sauces, the French company’s new microwaveable bowls contain between 13 and 19 grams of protein and less than 410 calories. Free from artificial preservatives, sweeteners and flavours, the new bowls are available in the following flavours; Chipotle Chicken, Basil Pesto with Turkey Meatballs, Moroccan Inspired Chicken and Korean Inspired Beef.

Norwegian mineral water company VOSS is adding more sparkle to its sparkling water range with two new flavours. Raspberry Rose and Strawberry Ginger will join the already successful range of zero sugar, zero calories drinks in the company’s iconic glass bottles. The range uses only natural flavours with no artificial ingredients.

Berry Inventive

Up On Energy Californian-based premium energy drinks company Uptime has created two new flavours ahead of the American summer. The new additions include a Blood Orange flavour and a White Peach Lemonade option, both of which will be available in standard and sugar-free formats. Packaged in aluminium bottles with a resealable cap, the ‘better for you’ energy drinks claim to give users a balanced boost while helping with clarity and focus.

Driscoll’s has launched two new innovative limitededition berries – Rosé Berries and Sweetest Batch. The berries were created using traditional breeding methods and therefore are GMO-free. Rosé Berries are available in both strawberry and raspberry varieties and have a distinctive blush-colour and aromatic flavour. The Sweetest Batch is grown using one singular, proprietary variety to create an extra sweet flavour.

Tropical Tipple Fentimans has expanded its range to include a pineapple inspired, tropical soda. The drink has been created to be paired with rum and has a subtly spicy, cardamom note. The soda will join the brand’s range of sodas made to be paired with dark Spirits such as its Curiosity Cola, Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale. The drink is set to be launched in the UK.

Sizzling Shave

Popping Breakfast Kellogg’s is causing a storm on social media with the launch of its latest flavour innovation. The grocery giant has revealed white chocolate flavoured Coco Pops into stores in the UK. The crispy-coated white chocolate bites also have 30 percent less sugar than its milk chocolate counterpart. The launch will also see the introduction of a new mascot pictured on the box – Nula the Narwhal.

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Gillette Labs has released the latest innovation in shaving technology. Introducing the Heated Razor by Gillette Labs. The razor has an adjustable warming bar that once activated, can heat up in just one second. Once the temperature has been set, the shaver glides effortlessly across the skin. The razor also comes with an Intelligent heat safety control system, a wireless magnetic charging station, a lithium ion battery, and features a premium zinc handle.

Cookie Ice Cream Biscoff Cookies have launched a new superpremium ice cream range. The Belgian owned company will now be combining its world-famous cookies with delicious ice cream in both pint and bar formats. The range will feature five varieties; Original, Chocolate Brownie, Salted Caramel, Belgian Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Cheesecake. The bar format will offer a cookie butter ice cream covered in cookie butter and dipped in Belgian chocolate. The ice cream has no added colours and is GMO-free.

Convenient Cookies

The Power Of Cauliflower Last year, Caulipower made a scene with the launch of its cauliflower-crust pizza and this year it intends to do the same with the release of its latest innovation – better-for-you chicken tenders. The all-natural chicken tenders are farm-raised with no antibiotics and offer a healthy and convenient frozen option for consumers. The tenders are baked in a gluten-free, crispy coating and packed full of cauliflower. The product has zero saturated fat, 15 percent more protein and 26 percent more fibre than its competitors. The tenders will be released across the US this month.

Wandering Bars WOLO WanderSnacks is a range of specially formulated bars for travellers. The bars provide antioxidants to boost immunity, fibre to aid digestion and have under six grams of sugar. Each WOLO bar is constructed with three layers: a crispy bottom, a nougat-like second layer and a sprinkled topping. Available in Packs of six and twelve, the range consists of variants such as Cocoa Crunch Frequent Flyer, Salted Caramel Bon-Bon Voyage, Lemon Cake Dessert Oasis, Peanut Butter Road Tripper and S’mores Happy Camper.

Nestlé now has a range of edible cookie dough. The Nestlé-owned brand Toll House has released two cookie dough varieties to provide consumers with a tasty and easy snacking option. The Chocolate Chip flavour offers a buttery chocolate taste without the use of preservatives, artificial colours or flavours. While the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Monster variant combines the flavour of oats with candy-covered chocolate and peanut butter. The range which will be launched in the US is safe to eat straight from the container.

Vegan Treats Free Little Pigs

New Sausage Ranges

America’s largest producer of natural and organic meats, Applegate Farms, LLC, has launched a new line of fresh sausages under its New Food Collective brand. The line is the first to be made with American Grassfed Association-certified free-range pork, and features four flavours: Sweet Italian, Hot Italian, Ginger-Scallion, and Breakfast Sausage.

Arksansas-based Tyson Foods has launched three new sausage product lines: Aidells Whole Blends, which blend chicken with ancient grains and vegetables; Aidells Blue Moon Sausages, made with Blue Moon ale and perfect for grilling; and Hillshire Farm Tajin, a collaboration with Mexican spice giant Tajin. Twelve-ounce, fourserving packs retail for a suggested US$5.49.

Low Carb Cereals Activated Snacks Boundless Snacks have launched a range of activated nuts and seeds rich in probiotics in the UK. The 30g bite-sized pouches come in four flavours: Cayenne & Rosemary; Tamari & Aleppo; Orange, Ginger & Maple; and Turmeric & Smoked Paprika. They retail at a recommend £1 per pack.

Low carbohydrate food manufacturer Catalina Crunch has added a new flavour to its range of keto-friendly ‘breakfast cereals’. The new Maple Waffle flavour joins Catalina Crunch’s Dark Chocolate and Cinnamon Toast flavours and is sweetened with monk fruit extract. The ‘cereal’ retails at US$49 for a one-off delivery of four 90g packs, or a monthly subscription for $39.

London’s Raw Halo is adding four new variants to its range of vegan chocolate in August. Dark 85%, Dark & Salted Caramel, and Dark & Pink Himalayan Salt will launch exclusively to Waitrose. Dark & Raspberry will go to the brand’s existing stockists, including Holland & Barrett, Ocado, and Whole Foods. The chocolates retail at a recommended £1.10/22g, £1.99/35g, or £2.99/70g.

Birthday Breakfast Arizona’s ice cream parlour chain Cold Stone Creamery have entered the breakfast cereal market with two new flavours launched in collaboration with Post Consumer Brands. Strawberry Blonde is a honey graham and strawberry-flavoured cereal combined with marshmallows, whilst Birthday Cake Remix offers the taste of birthday cake combined with chocolateflavoured marshmallows.

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Green Desire

Going Bananas

Cadbury has delivered a fresh twist on a Kiwi classic, creating Perky Nana Lumps – bite-sized banana flavoured chews covered with a delicious dark choc coating. The new limited-edition Perky Nana Lumps combines two legends – Pineapple Lumps and Perky Nana bars for an exciting new way to enjoy a Kiwi favourite. “Pineapple Lumps and Perky Nana are part of Kiwi culture. They continue to be some of the most popular and iconic lollies in New Zealand. What better way to pay tribute to these much-loved treats than through a limited-edition collaboration that combines these two products into one shareable pack?” said Cara Liebrock, country manager for Mondelez New Zealand.

Introducing the deliciously new Demon Desire – offering a blend of Demon Original and twist of tasty green apples, a flavour combination which will be a hit with consumers and a great addition to the current range of Demon Energy. Available now in 500ml cans. Contact your DKSH representative for more information.

Smooth & Sustainable

Green & Black’s new Smooth range has finally landed in New Zealand. The range is made using ethically sourced cocoa that doesn’t compromise on taste or quality and is available in four delicious flavours – 70 percent Cocoa, Mint, Orange & Almond and Salted Caramel. The chocolate is also packaged in 90gram blocks and is encased in premium, colourful packaging representing one of four flavours. The cocoa in the Smooth range is sourced through an independently verified programme, Cocoa Life that supports sustainable farming. Green & Black’s work directly with cocoa farmers across the globe, empowering them to address challenges faced by the cocoa farming industry and to inspire future generations of cocoa farmers.

Silky Smooth

As one of the world’s most loved and trusted skincare brands, Nivea offers women and men effective skincare solutions and has been doing so for more than 100 years. This year, Nivea has taken underarm care to the next level with the launch of its innovative, new Nivea Black & White Invisible Silky Smooth Deodorant. The new range conditions the underarm for a velvety smooth, irritation free shave. It has anti-white protection for black and antiyellow stain protection for white clothing. Nivea Black & White Invisible Silky Smooth also contains zero percent ethyl alcohol to help prevent a burning sensation after hair removal.

Traditional Pork Pies Rocket Foods have added Traditional Pork Pies to their extensive baked savoury range. Each pork pie is made with selected cuts of quality pork, encased in a traditional rich hot water crust pastry with real crunch. Every pork pie is handpressed in their Auckland bakery and follows Westmere Butchery’s original recipe, which Rocket Foods have proudly acquired. Pork pies are traditionally eaten cold, and perfect to be served on a platter along with cheese, homestyle pickle and freshy baked bread. Available via direct distribution across North Island New Zealand. For more information contact our Sales Manager on 027 597 8251 or email sales@rocketfoods.co.nz.

Less Sugar, Great Taste Nestlé has added the new Milo 30 percent Less Added Sugar to its range. Milo 30 percent Less Added Sugar still has the malt barley, milk powder and cocoa that Milo is known for, but uses stevia for sweetness and soluble corn fibre for texture instead of cane sugar. Nestlé business manager, Anna Stewart said the new product, which has been two years in development, gives people the option of drinking Milo without added cane sugar. She added that like Milo Classic NZ Taste, new Milo 30% Less Added Sugar contains lactose, which is a naturally occurring sugar in the milk powder, and added sugar in the malt barley, but doesn’t have any cane sugar.

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Nuts About Almonds Chantal Organics has launched a delicious new Organic Almond Snack range. The portable snacking category continues to grow strongly with snacking nuts enjoying 10.7 percent growth (Source: IRI Grocery State of the Nation Survey 2018). This outstanding new range from Chantal Organics comes in convenient snack-sized 175g packs. Perfect for the workplace and school lunch boxes, or a healthy snack in between meals. The range features three delicious flavours; Roasted Almonds, Tumeric Tamari Roasted Almonds and Activated Almonds.

Spidey Spice

In celebration of the new Spiderman movie, Spiderman Far From Home, Doritos have launched a red coloured chip which delivers a punch of heat with a hint of lime. Customers who purchase the Spidey Spice chips can also visit the website to go into the draw to win a trip to New York or a $500 daily cash prize.

Healthy Shine Schwarzkopf has increased its popular leave-in hair treatment, Extra Care Normal Balance Leave-In, to a 150ml size. The conditioning treatment helps to restore the elements to the hair structure protecting it from ageing, heat damage and colouring.

Bold, Bright Hair Inspired by the fashion runways, Schwarzkopf latest innovation keeps hair colour bold and brilliant. LIVE Colour Boost Shampoos are designed to let colour live longer. The shampoos work with a three-prong approach; maintaining vibrancy, intensifying colour and creating a pastel hue to lightened locks. The range is available in four shades – Silver, Purple, Pink and Blue - and contains no ammonia, sulphates or peroxide offering an intense shine to your locks.

Fruit Infusion

Fresh Breath On The go

Ti Ora’s unique collection of New Zealand-made teas has welcomed a vibrant new blend – Forest Fruits with New Zealand Manuka Leaf. The new flavour combines blackcurrants, raspberries and blueberries. The tea is then balanced with a touch of native New Zealand Manuka Leaf, hibiscus, rosehip, liquorice and rose petals, to create a flavour that is both delicate and invigorating. Ti Ora also contributes to projects that support a more sustainable planet, as part of the global ‘1 percent For The Planet’ Collective. As such one percent of Ti Ora’s yearly turnover is invested into projects that support and restore the environment.

The new Listerine Go! Tabs give users a clean mouthfeel in today’s busy lifestyles. The chewable tablets transform from solid to liquid in seconds, leaving your mouth feeling as clean as brushing and rinsing at home. Sugarfree and containing zero alcohol, Listerine Go! Tabs are available in both 8 and 16 packs.

Premium Pancakes

Premium pancake makers Marcel’s ha added a new limited-edition flavour to its range of pancakes - Marcel’s limited edition Apple Cinnamon Flavoured Pancakes. Filled with sweet and tangy apple pieces and spicy cinnamon, Marcel’s new Apple Cinnamon Flavoured Pancakes are a perfect cosy pick-me-up on a cold winter’s day. Simply warm them up in the microwave, a frying pan or even a toaster. For more information and to order, contact them at info@marcels.co.nz

Rapid Relief

Recognising a need in the market for people with sensitive teeth, GSK launched Sensodyne Rapid Relief - a unique formulation that works rapidly to form a barrier over the sensitive areas of your teeth and reduce sensitivity within just 60 seconds , by applying a pea-sized amount to a clean finger-tip and rub gently into each sensitive tooth (maximum twice per day) for one minute. With twice-daily brushing, the new formulation builds ongoing protection with every brush, supporting the long-term management of dentine hypersensitivity, a painful, chronic condition affecting as many as one in two people. Through this and its broader Sensodyne portfolio, GSK Consumer Healthcare intends to make dentine hypersensitivity a manageable condition over the long- term. Sensodyne Rapid Relief is available in two variants – Original and Extra Fresh. For more information visit www.sensodyne.co.nz.

Better For Baby Little Bellies is New Zealand’s leading baby and toddler snacking range, which has strong loyalty and engagement with millennial parents. The brand believes nurturing comes naturally, so it simply provides good foods that parents trust throughout their child’s natural development. As children grow, Little Bellies will be in the background with plenty of age appropriate wholesome snack options. Little Bellies’ snacks are designed to support every step of a child’s natural progression; from palate development to motor skills. The Baby Bellies’ Tasty Textures range for 7+months and More to the Explore range for 10+ months, introduces subtle flavours and new texture experiences for mini mouths and little fingers. The Toddlers in Training range for 12+ months includes snacks with adventurous textures, shapes and flavours to encourage a positive transition to toddlerhood. The range is all certified organic, have no unnecessary sugar or salt and do not contain added colours, flavours or additives. Little Bellies has also created ‘Our Happy Bellies Pledge’ to help consumers do what’s natural and make informed snack choices. For more information visit www.bellies.com.au or contact info@everybite.com.au. Follow Little Bellies on Instagram @belliesofficial and Facebook @little.bellies.organic.food

Supremely Convenient Instant coffee is a Kiwi invention, first patented by D. Strang of Invercargill, 1890. It has been a staple of backcountry huts, rural tea rooms, thermos jugs and Arcoroc mugs for years. Coffee Supreme Instant has added a chapter to that story. The company sourced delicious coffee from the Yacuanquer region in Colombia for its first instant product. Coffee Supreme Instant is 100 percent coffee with no additives or fillers. Coffee Supreme take the same quality coffee, roast it, brew it and freeze dry it. Instant coffee with traceability, who would’ve thought? July 2019

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guestcontributor Sometimes the things we do to make a change aren’t all that visible – and that’s OK Mike Sammons Sustainability Manager, Foodstuffs NZ

Foodstuffs North Island recently launched a pilot programme to stop waste flowing to the sea and other waterways, using the innovative Litta Trap™ product from Kiwi company Stormwater 360. It’s an environmental initiative that’s totally invisible to our customers, unless a sharp-eyed shopper spots a bronze plaque unveiled by Associate Minister Eugenie Sage, at New World Wellington City. And, that’s ok. Not everything we do to reduce waste and our footprint on Papatūānuku is loud, obvious and proud – like banning bags, microbeads or rolling out brightly coloured

Electric Vehicle Fast Chargers at more than 70 stores. We’re dead set on doing what’s right and what makes a real difference. We’re also very proud to be leading the sustainability conversation in New Zealand, taking a leap of faith, with an eye on the numbers, in every aspect of our business. Whether reducing emissions, plastic waste or ensuring an ethical supply of goods, donating food, or quietly revamping private label packaging and the materials we use to promote our brands, much of what we do is not immediately visible or customer facing. One of our most important initiatives was enabling the Foodstuffs co-operative to move to natural CO2based refrigeration for instore which hugely reduces our carbon emissions and electricity usage. Foodstuffs adoption of this technology was groundbreaking and we now deploy this in all new builds and store

SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS Katherine Rich

Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council

Environmental sustainability has become a big part of most companies’ thinking and planning, and those in food and grocery are doing some of the groundbreaking work on this. Starting with the supermarket chains, everyone’s aware of their bans on the use of single-use plastic bags, but their work on sustainability doesn’t stop there. NZ Food & Grocery Council companies and retailers Foodstuffs and Woolworths NZ, through their New World, PAK‘nSAVE, Four Square and Countdown stores, have policies covering a range of issues around sustainability in all its forms – social, environmental and economic performance. Both supermarkets can point to

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initiatives and targets that include recyclable meat trays, free reusable bags, electric delivery vans and car charging stations, diverting store waste away from landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by way of energy-efficient and natural refrigeration systems, using LED lighting, freezers that reduce cold air loss, heat reclaim technology, and developing processes and markets for recycling and recovering plastics. That’s not the full list, but it’s impressive and shows how serious they are about the environment. Food and grocery suppliers also put a lot of time and money into improving both their manufacturing operations and the effect their products have on the environment after they have left their hands. One recent example of this is the work being done by global company Unilever. What they’re doing is particularly significant because of the size of their product line and their reach. They have 800-1000 active product lines across 17 categories on the shelves of supermarkets and stores up and down New Zealand. So whatever they do around developing sustainable production methods or product packaging or biodegradability can have a big influence on what doesn’t go into our landfills or waterways. OWNED

redevelopments, radically shrinking our carbon footprint. It adds up to a 20 percent-plus reduction in energy consumption thanks to lids and doors on freezers, LED lighting and heat recovery on refrigeration. Our unremitting focus on reducing waste at source has seen some of our stores divert up to 95 percent of what used to be considered trash away from landfill. We’re recycling plastic pallet wrap, cardboard and paper and sending over six million meals to foodbanks and charitable organisations every year. We firmly believe that healthy food should not be a privilege and that every New

Zealander deserves a leg up. We are 100 percent a part of that solution. The one thing running counterintuitive to a supermarket is the absence of product. Increasingly, we’re making the call not to sell products which have a detrimental effect. When a product is no longer available, there’s no longer demand – so banning oxo-degradable plastic wraps, plasticstemmed cotton buds and plastic applicator tampons has an instant positive impact on our drains and waterways. Just like Litta Traps. They may be invisible, but we believe they are going to make a big difference. n

Behind Unilever’s ambition “to make sustainable living commonplace”, their Sustainable Living Plan lists recent technological breakthroughs that include solving the recyclability of black plastic bottles, developing a waste-free shopping system that uses durable, reusable, and refillable packaging, and introducing at least 25 percent recycled plastic in bottles of many locally made products.

that any company would be proud of (and they’re not stopping there), but is there anything others can learn from them? Most companies, particularly small to medium-size ones, don’t have the resources that a giant like Unilever can put into such a big programme of work, so what can they do? Maybe the key is in not trying to take on too much, rather looking at one or two of the initiatives the big companies have introduced and seeing if they can be adapted. For example, every company uses water for something – can it be used more carefully? Every company uses packaging – are there biodegradable or compostable options available, or alternatives to plastic? Every company creates waste of some sort – can it be recycled or put to second use? There’s always something that can be learnt from others, and the food and grocery sector has an opportunity to lead the way. If you’d like to share what your company is doing in relation to sustainability, get in touch. The Food & Grocery Council would like to help share great ideas and best practice through our networks.” n

The plan has three goals:

• improving health and wellbeing for one billion people by 2020; • reducing environmental impact by half by reducing greenhouse gases, water use and waste; • and enhancing livelihoods for millions of people, including suppliers and employees. Some of the environmental achievements in the eight years since the plan was formed include: a 44 percent reduction in water use per tonne of production, a 31 percent reduction in waste, a 97 percent reduction in total waste per tonne of production, 56 percent of agricultural raw materials sustainably sourced, 48 percent of their portfolio by volume meeting highest nutritional standards, a 52 percent reduction in CO2 from energy per tonne of production, and a 2 percent reduction of water associated with consumers’ use of products. They’re the sort of achievements

food& grocery COUNCIL NEW ZEALAND

goingnuts

Top Trend Cont inues to Grow

New Zealand’s nut butter segment is continuing to grow at an alarming rate. According to Comtex, the global peanut butter market is currently valued at three billion with a CAGR of 4.2 percent by 2026 while the overall food spread market is predicted to reach a CAGR of 3.5 percent by 2023. Non-peanut nut butters are increasing in demand as consumers continue to seek healthier options. The spread aisle has changed drastically in the last few years as

various nut butters have taken over the shelves. New Zealand supermarkets are now stocking a range of nut butters; check out some of the country’s favourites below:

NUT BROTHERS

The team at Nut Brothers spend their time crafting delicious nut butters you’ll love. They take the finest high oleic peanuts you can source, and roast and mill them to perfection the very same day here in NZ. This guarantees the ultimate freshness and the best taste. The butters are then packaged in cool wide-mouth recyclable glass jars for your enjoyment. The Super Crunch peanut butter is as crunchy as Peanut Butter can be made and yet still packed into a jar.

CERES ORGANICS Ceres Organics have created two new products that harness the power of hemp. Hemp is still very much a trending food after its legalisation late last year, and with good reason. It contains nine essential amino acids, quality protein and a favourable omega

Having won the 2019 Outstanding NZ Food Producer gold award, it’s proof positive it’s ‘all good’. Their new five-star health rated Salted Carmel Peanut Butter has the perfect balance of salted caramel crunch for you to enjoy without the chance of any guilt. It’s also vegan-friendly and gluten-free, so polish your spoon and dive right in. To view the full range, check out nutbrothers. co.nz or for more information contact Jono at info@nutbrothers.co.nz or call 022 072 3739. n

profile. These are the first organic peanut butters with hemp inclusion to hit NZ supermarket shelves. Plus, Ceres’ product has double the amount of hemp as others in the global marketplace. Peanut Butter Hemp has the usual peanut punch you’d expect, with a touch of green from whole hemp seeds, while the Cacao variant is an indulgent experience that will have consumers spreading it thick and coming back for more. Certified Organic by BioGro, these spreads aren’t just good for the body, but for earth, too – organic growing respects and enlivens the environment it’s grown in, and the perspective of the people along its journey. For more information, visit www.ceres.co.nz. n

UNCLE JOES

Uncle Joes smooth or crunchy Walnut and Hazelnut spreads are not only 100 percent natural but also hand-made from walnuts and hazelnuts grown and harvested in New Zealand orchards. The team at Uncle Joes crack them, hand sort to select the best quality nuts, slightly roast and then grind them into smooth and crunchy spreads. Uncle Joes strives to give you all the health benefits these nutritional

giants have to offer. Uncle Joes provides an easy way for consumers to start their day by spreading the goodness and delicious flavour of walnuts or hazelnuts on toast in the morning. A New Zealand first, Uncle Joes have also added more bite with their new Crunchy Hazelnut, and Crunchy Walnut spreads. Contact sales@unclejoes.co.nz for more information. n

CHANTAL ORGANICS Chantal Organics Tahini is one of the fastest-selling spreads in the Health and Wellness category at 5.3 units per store per week and with 31 percent growth vs one year ago (Source: IRI Health & Wellness, MAT to 31.03.19). Chantal Organics Nut Butters and Tahinis are made with only the finest selected organic nuts and seeds. These are then roasted and stoneground in the Hawke’s Bay with no emulsifiers, sugar or

preservatives. Their fully organic nut butter range includes Whole and Classic Peanut Butters and Almond Butter. The Organic Tahini range includes Hulled and Whole Tahini and the unique Black Tahini. All of which are pantry essentials for baking, sauces, Asian-inspired meals, making homemade hummus or to enjoy straight off the spoon. For enquiries please contact 06 842 0763 or email: sales@chantal.co.nz. n

COCOMANUTS Love coconut? Love peanut butter? Inspired by a trip to Hawaii in 2016, CocoMaNuts combines only two ingredients to create its unique nut butter spread. Using only the finest quality coconuts from the Philippines and high-oleic peanuts grown in Argentina, CocoMaNuts is 100 percent natural, gluten-free, keto-friendly and vegan. It’s perfect for toast, as a fondue, in smoothies, drizzled over pancakes or even sets as an ideal shell on ice

cream. Try it in a Thai or Malaysian style satay dish or devour straight from the jar. For more information, contact info@cocomanuts.co.nz. n

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Food, Drink Diet Trends

I’m often asked to comment on global food, drink and diet trends and what impact these will have on our supermarket shelves in the future. It’s hard sometimes to decipher between a quickfire fad or a long-term megatrend.

Deb Sue

Dietician, Countdown

We also have to consider whether dietary trends from overseas will work with Kiwi lifestyles or our taste palates. Not all products that resonate well

DANIEL BARKER Store Manager, Countdown Howick

Born and raised in East Auckland, Daniel Barker initially went to AUT to complete a Bachelor of Health Sciences. “I didn’t fall in love with it,” he told SupermarketNews, “so I decided to leave and work for a year, while I decided what I wanted to do.” That year off turned into a whole career, one that has seen Barker rise from humble beginnings as a meat assistant at Countdown Botany to become the store manager of Countdown Howick. “When I first started my full-time role, I got really excited about being able to sell stuff that we were told ‘doesn’t sell’,” said Barker.

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in other countries work here, such as cricket flour, so far Kiwis don’t seem too keen, but I guess we’ll wait and see. Global diet trends do certainly impact new product development and the sales of certain products. Some run hot for a couple of years like eating for your blood-type or the Atkins diet, whilst others resonate a lot longer like paleo, gluten-free, vegan and more recently keto. The popularity of these global trends has seen both major international food companies and smaller local suppliers bringing out new products to cater for the increased demand. The move towards vegan and vegetarian diets has seen fantastic product launches, like Magnum and Cornetto vegan ice cream at Countdown. Paleo cereal and keto bread are flying off our shelves. Products that help support digestive wellness continue to resonate with consumers across the world and here as well. We’re seeing double-digit growth for fermented foods and drinks like kombucha, kimchi and switchel, as well as probiotics in yoghurt or cereals. We are constantly reviewing our range and we’re set to expand our offering even further as several kefir drinks will start to appear on our shelves soon. Kefir has previously been found in some of our yoghurt products, but the drinks are extremely popular in other countries and it’s my prediction they’re the next ‘it’ product when it comes to gut health. We already know that health and wellness is a mega trend across the globe. And concerns for the planet and the environment are also driving changes in our diets. Both here and globally there is a growing popularity for vegan and vegetarian meal solutions. We’ve

certainly seen this within our sales data and the percentage of vegan customers has doubled in the last year. We’re certainly not saying that all Kiwis are becoming vegetarians, we do still love to create a meal based around meat, however, in recent years we’ve seen more of our customers adopt a flexitarianbased diet where they actively choose to have meat-free days and plant-based meals instead. We’re seeing lots of exciting product development in this space and I think this will continue, especially as more and more experts promote diet changes as a critical part of addressing changes in our climate. We’re also starting to see, particularly out of Asia, an increase in new products that claim to help prevent ageing. Food producers are taking their inspiration from the beauty industry and focusing on inner health and wellbeing. Products that can help people of all ages improve their bone, joint and brain health, as well as proactively address other age-related health concerns such as relaxation, stress and sleeping, will certainly continue to grow in popularity. And then of course there is convenience; society is time-poor and we’re all looking for a healthy and quick meal solution. Reading about trends of the future, global innovators are now looking to harness artificial intelligence to find us easy meal solutions. It begs the question, would you trust your phone to plan all your meals and order your groceries for the week? I think that many of us would probably jump at this opportunity, particularly if it included cooking the meals as well. Anything is possible.” n

“It all started when I was meat manager at Countdown Aviemore Drive, and Brett Ashley, the general manager of operations and supply chain, visited and challenged me to come up with a way to sell beef cheeks.” Ever since then, Barker has looked for different ways to sell products not traditionally pushed in the supermarket. “This is what drives me to push the boundaries of what we traditionally do as a business.” Day-to-day, Barker leads his team with the principle of ‘team first, customer first.’ “I see my team as my customer and adopt the mentality that if they are happy in their role and store, they will do what they can to pass that onto our customers.” When it comes to leadership and team management, Barker cites British entrepreneur Richard Branson as a source of continual inspiration. “A lot of his talks and teachings are not around how to be successful and how to grow your empire,” Barker explained. “They are about how you treat your team and the time you put into them.” By challenging his team constantly and pushing them to see what they can achieve, Barker ensures that there is always a goal to aim for and a sense of accomplishment in achieving that goal. “Don’t have a plan B,” Barker said. “Plan B is a safety net that teaches us there is

another option. If we don’t have a plan B we have one option, and that is to succeed. We don’t fail, we learn. “ Such unwavering, principled thought can perhaps be attributed to Barker’s other great hero – bodybuilder Nathan Williamson. Williamson has discussed managing the complexities of modern life using the vivid metaphor of a clown spinning plates. “We all have plates in our lives, each one representing a certain part of our life,” Barker explained. “When one plate wobbles, we need to put time into it, whether it be family, business or ourselves, and after a while that plate will begin to spin on its own for a while. But for us to be successful as well as get a good work life balance, all plates must be spinning at once.” Despite his driven work ethic, Barker is not one to undervalue leisure time. When he’s not spinning the plates at work, he enjoys a spot of touch rugby in the summer and tending to his hobby of Lego (the adult stuff, he was quick to point out). He also loves to travel, with Fiji and Australia top of his list, as well as America. Later this year, he’ll be taking a well-earned trip to the West Coast of the USA. “Retail is such a fast-paced industry, if you blink, you miss it. I have brought this into my personal life: enjoy the moment, don’t sweat the little things and always look forward.” n

meets

CLIVE SHER LITTLE BELLIES

Recent studies have shown just how much the baby food category has experienced rapid growth in the last five years, particularly for the 0-36-month age range. As women are heading back into the workforce earlier, the need for convenient, better-forbaby-and-child snacks have increased.

alking down the baby aisle in the supermarket, Clive Sher, was surprised to see it lined with baby food options that were practically pseudo-confectionery filled with highly refined sugars, fruit juice, concentrates and added sugars, making it difficult for parents to navigate the oftenoverwhelming category. It sparked a business idea, particularly after seeing his nephew struggle with severe food allergies from a young age and healthy, ‘better-for-you’ foods quickly became a major part of their lifestyle. Nine years later, Little Bellies is not only the fastest growing snacking brand but also the category leader. “In Australia, there was a lack of organic, ‘betterfor-you’ products in the baby aisle,” said Sher. “Little Bellies is built on the foundation of ‘best-for-baby’. It’s not until you have children that you find yourself in the baby aisle of a supermarket, and every parent wants to make the best choice they can for their little one. However, just because it is organic or stocked on shelf, doesn’t necessarily mean it is healthy or right for baby.” Sher believes that the category is often filled with products that are not nutritious options for baby. “A good example of this is custard, firstly why is a sugary dessert in the baby aisle, let alone 20. There is an expectation with parents that if it is on shelf then it must be good. When really, the retailer and the brand should work together to put forward products that parents can purchase confidently.” Snacking is an integral part in a child’s development, and Sher believes that giving kids foods they can easily pick up enhances their motor skills, and allows for shapes and sizes of snacks to be explored without making too much of a mess. “Research has shown that snacking helps development, especially those who like to play with their food. It is the only form of food that children can self-feed and physically get involved. Playing with food can help children develop a more relaxed and positive association with food. Play is one thing that children all do naturally, and we have started to evolve our brand beyond great products to reflect our position on parents and kids doing what’s natural. A healthy attitude to play through movement can assist in developing healthy habits later in life.” It’s not just the hand to mouth coordination and experimentation. Palatability plays a big part in the Little Bellies range. Babies at seven

months old are often familiar with purees and baby rice and the taste of breastmilk or formula. While the Little Bellies range, to an adult with a well-developed palate, may taste like there is no flavour in there, there is more than enough for a baby to taste and explore flavour variants. “The mild flavours are to ensure that taste buds can evolve naturally. Our brand aims to provide little, independent individuals with development opportunities with a range of ageappropriate, organic snacks.” Shapes, textures and flavours become more complex through the brand’s stages, from Baby Bellies’ Tasty Textures (7+ months) and More to Explore (10+ months) to Little Bellies’ Toddlers in Training (12+ months). The range caters to development milestones by nurturing a child’s palate and pincer grasp, as well as other basic motor skills. “One of the key snacking considerations for parents is self-feeding, and the importance of safety around ingestion and nurturing the palate. Pick foods that are shaped and sized for tiny fingers, soft to ingest, dissolve easily and are mild in flavour so taste buds can evolve naturally.” Sher believes strongly in educating the young palate, and in doing this, can set the child up for life. If palates are saturated with high sugar level snacks, then that is what is expected down the track, with foods tasting overly sweet and sometimes a far cry from the original taste. The brand has recently rolled out a brand-new look across New Zealand retailers. Containing the same snacks that kids know and love, the new packaging, by London’s leading FMCG design agency, B&B Studio, features three distinct characters across the range of Little Bellies, Mighty Bellies, and newly branded Baby Bellies products, designed to help parents navigate across different developmental stages. The new packaging will make it easier for parents to make informed decisions that meet their child’s developmental needs: from Baby Bellies’ organic foods with no added sugar and salt (0-1 years), through to Little Bellies’ organic foods (1-3 years), up to Mighty Bellies’ better-for-you foods (aged 3+). The easily identifiable brand architecture appeals to kids with its new fun, playful look which reflects the underlying brand ethos that recognises play as a vital component to child development. “I am extremely proud of our brand and the benchmark we have set for the category, where parents rely on us for a better-for-baby product. The challenge now is to make the concept more widely understood within the category and set as an industry standard, helping parents to make natural, informed choices guaranteed to cater to a child’s age and needs.” n July 2019

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foodrecall DO YOU NEED TO DO A FOOD RECALL?

New Zealand Food Safety (a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries/MPI) works with local councils and food businesses to help ensure food for sale to consumers is safe, correctly labelled, and suitable for its intended use. Food safety problems can arise even within the best-managed food businesses. In some cases, where there is a food safety problem in food that has been distributed, this may lead to a food recall. Although a food recall may have an immediate impact on a food business, it will protect a brand in the long run. Customers can trust that a business is doing the right thing and that the business cares about their well-being. Food manufacturers, retailers, distributors, producers and wholesalers should be prepared by having a food recall plan in place. Information on developing a food recall plan, and templates for use, are available at www.mpi.govt.nz/foodsafety/food-recalls/ The first step in any potential recall process is to notify the MPI Food

Compliance team, via Food.Compliance@mpi.govt.nz or phone 0800 00 83 33. The Food Compliance team will work with you to decide whether a recall is necessary. There is a risk assessment form to help you prepare information and is used by MPI to help determine whether a recall is needed. If the risk assessment shows that the food is unsafe or unsuitable, and likely to affect public health, a food recall will be needed. To ensure that public health is protected at all times, a food business must apply the precautionary principle when assessing risk. In short, this means that if there is doubt; err on the side of caution. Once a decision to recall is made, it may be either a trade level recall or a consumer-level recall. A trade level recall generally involves food that has

not been available for direct purchase by the general public and is not publicly notified. A consumer recall is more extensive than a trade recall. It recovers the food from all points in the production and distribution network, including any affected food in the possession of consumers. Therefore, customers must be informed of a consumer recall. The

LEARN TO THE RECALL

Concern over reputation impact is the major reason companies hesitate and quibble over recalls. They need not worry.

Mark Blackham Director Blackland PR

In the UK TV reality show Gogglebox, two sisters watched a news item about a nationwide recall of a beloved chocolate bar. Within minutes the newly-hungry pair had found the bars in their kitchen and were devouring the recalled product. Consider also, Samsung’s exploding Note 7 back in 2016. It was labelled

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a PR disaster that could ruin the company, with one pundit predicting at least half of the users would switch brands. Yet one year later, Samsung’s sales and brand reputation were higher than before the recall. Customers are resilient and tolerant. They can handle the truth and work out what to do next. Customers can also be disinterested and inflexible in purchasing habits. They’re often not listening to you, and even if they do, their behaviour is unlikely to change. Make no mistake, the PR risks are real: delays or obfuscation can result in very annoyed customers who can make your life hell or change loyalties. But

Food Compliance team will work with you on a communications plan that will use a variety of communication channels to best reach your customers. The Chief Executive of MPI can order a recall under the Food Act 2014 and can also make privileged statements to protect consumers and to inform the public. Both recalls and privileged statements are public statements. n

this is usually in response to how you communicate – it’s very rarely directly related to the fault at the heart of the recall. The first challenge is what conditions should trigger a recall. Many product issues are not transgressions of the law (such as the food safety), and even if they are, can be confined to a few individual products, not whole batches or product lines. The government has guides to help you decide, and an external advisor can bring perspective to your in-house anguish. The next challenge is how to conduct a recall. The obvious step is to communicate with your distribution chain and customers where you have individual records. The member-based organisation, GS1, has an excellent recall system you can use. The Ministry for Primary Industries, and the Trade Standards arm of MBEI each have a guide to logistics and communication. These appear prescriptive but are not necessarily legally binding. If you’re still worried, check out www.recalls.govt.nz/. The high number and wide range of recalled products will ease your mind. With some smart management, it’s unlikely to mean the end of your business.” n

goodfortheplanet

PLASTIC FREE MONTH As it continues to become abundantly clear that consumers care about sustainability, SupermarketNews celebrates Plastic Free July and the initiatives producers are adopting to become ecofriendlier. According to a recent report from Nielsen, 73 percent of consumers say they would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment.

Not only do consumers care about the planet, but they are also growing more conscious of what they are putting in and on their bodies. This has led to a rise in natural/ organic products, with 41 percent of global consumers stating that they would be willing to pay more for products that contain all-natural or organic ingredients.

In order to secure this new generation of consumers, manufacturers have been hard at work producing innovative new formats and programs and joining sustainable initiatives. Most recently New Zealand company Grin partnered with Alibaba Philanthropy UN Environment and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors to launch an ocean protection initiative. “Grin has been committed to spreading New Zealand’s environmental philosophy to countries around the world through their innovative use of natural materials and their environmentally friendly recycling program,” said Grin marketing manager, Paul Stokes. Grin hopes that through the partnership, the brand can help to raise the flag on plastic pollution. Another innovation that champions environmentally friendly initiatives is oob organics recent launch of organic frozen vegetables and Bostock’s announcement of their first shipment of organic onions. As for reducing plasticuse, both of the country’s major retailers, Countdown and Foodstuffs, have both introduced BYO containers in several of their stores while Proper Crisps won the race to be the first in the country to manufacture compostable chip packets with the launch of their new organic Marlborough Sea Salt and Purple & Gold Cracked Pepper & Sea Salt. While the food and beverage industry still has a long way to go, significant strides have been made this year that are good for the planet. n

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goodfortheplanet PLASTIC-FREE PACKAGING Is it possible to produce a plasticfree barrier coated packaging that can be processed in New Zealand after use so that it has zero negative impact? Berica wrestled with this question but have finally found the answer. In ‘Plastic-Free July’, the company is excited to introduce Erthical packaging to the New Zealand market. The innovative packaging will help to reduce the use of plastic, is recyclable and compostable, and if discarded outside conventional waste streams it will still break down.

A first for New Zealand, Erthical packaging is made from a newgeneration foodboard, which is a zero-plastic paperboard, with an organic barrier coating, that is food safe for both hot and cold foods. To launch the packaging, Berica has secured an exclusive New Zealand/Australia distributorship of this new paperboard, which has been eight years in development.

ZERO-USE PLASTIC The first of this month marked the ban of single-use plastic bags, a huge step forward for New Zealand. This rule applies to any type of plastic less than 70 microns thick, has carry handles, is provided for carrying sold goods, and is made of bio-based materials like starch. It also covers bags made of plastics that are degradable, biodegradable or oxo-degradable. Typically, the checkout bag that equates to around 750 million bags per year. But many companies ignore or accept the humble waste bin sat in the corner: what harm can that one bin do? Many companies have 20 bins plus, that’s over 7,000 bags per year, and if you are a multi-national organisation it could run into millions, and these bags are also usually only 50 to 70 percent full before they are changed. Easi Recycling Longopac Waste Bagging system gives a uniform approach to collect waste, the benefits in time, cost and the environment are substantial and sustainable: • Every bag is 100 percent full, saving at least 70 percent of plastic. • Less plastic and less spillage: Bags are three times stronger yet half the thickness of standard bags. • Hygienic: any residue on the rim simply pulls through to the inside of the next bag. • Elimination of lids: each bag is sealed to avoid any spillages or odours. • Tie the bag off when it suits you: whether that’s at the end of a shift, during quiet times or before the rush, you only throw away what’s used. • No overflowing bins: simply pull more bag through and keep filling. For a free trial, please contact us today on 0800 342 3177 or visit www.easirecycling.co.nz n

For more information visit Berica.co.nz or call 0800 237 422 to discuss opportunities for your business. n

NEWVEGE RANGE

certified organic

FROZEN

Available No nasties, no

stores. e v a S ’n k a P d n World a in leading New gh quality numbers, just hi /OobOrganic

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gredients.

and organic in c

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anic.co www.ooborg

So sweet. So fresh. So tasty. Passionately grown in our cool southern climate in rich, 100% organic certified soil, our So Sweet organic range is 100% certified delicious.

0800 PARSNIP

So Sweet Produce

sales@sosweet.co.nz

sosweet.co.nz July 2019

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goodfortheplanet PACKAGING INDUSTRY TACKLES WASTE HEAD ON The country’s leading packaging and the recycling and end use of the industry group is moving forward materials.” The intention of the project with efforts to end plastic waste in is to develop a whole-of-industry, New Zealand. The Packaging Forum’s product stewardship approach for rigid Rigid Plastic Stewardship Project is plastic food and beverage packaging. holding its first working meeting on 26 Product stewardship sees manufacturers August in Auckland, where an advisory and retailers take responsibility for their group will be formed, and the work products at end of life. Salmon believes plan discussed, said project manager the project will also help members Dominic Salmon. achieve ‘Pledge 2025’, in The project will which members of the accelerate the Forum committed development of to make all their solutions to meet rapid packaging recyclable demand from the or compostable by industry, consumers 2025. and government, The project will particularly for combine research, problematic plastics issues of food safety 3-7 as well as beverage and food waste, effective DOMINIC SALMON containers. “We are recovery, and recycling developing practical, on the systems. “It’s important to ground solutions for rigid plastics,” remember plastic actually prevents explained Salmon. The Government waste, such as keeping food fresh for recently issued $40 million from the longer. This work will therefore also Provincial Growth Fund for recycling include balanced education on the use and reuse projects. “Our project will of plastics.” also help guide investment in this area To attend the meeting email by looking at both recovery systems dominic@packagingforum.org.nz n

FRESHLY FROZEN ORGANIC GOODNESS

oob organic’s mission is to make high-quality organic food mainstream and accessible to everyone. It’s for this reason oob organic has set out to create a wide variety of fresh and frozen produce that can be enjoyed all year round. “We believe being chemical-free is enough reason alone to choose organic,” said Erik Tams, sales and marketing manager, oob organic. Being an organic grower means that the plants are allowed to grow and ripen as nature intended, without chemical enhancements to speed up ripening, harden the skins, or make them less susceptible to heavy rain. “We believe eating organic is not only better for you but also better for the planet and being certified organic is a commitment to the land, the plants, our farmers and staff, and to our customer.”

It’s this mantra which has led the company to its latest endeavour – organic frozen vegetables. The new range from oob organics contains; broccoli florets (370g), garden peas (400g), sweetcorn (400g), green beans (400g), spinach (500g) and potato wedges (500g), All of which are organic, freshly picked and snap frozen. The business believes in organic produce, but it does come with its challenges. “Organic orchards choose to exclude the use of growth-enhancing chemicals to assist with rapid growth, therefore our yields are naturally going to be lower, and since we won’t use chemicals, we hand weed which incurs greater labour costs. We believe the extra effort is worth it,” added Tams. The range is available nationwide. For orders contact orders@oob.co.nz. n

Smarter and Greener Waste Handling

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goodfortheplanet SO SWEET, SO SUSTAINABLE

Sprawled across the fertile and lush pastures of southern New Zealand is a produce company that has dedicated years to refining its growing craft. Southland-based grower So Sweet, with its high quality and nutritious yams, parsnips, potatoes and several varieties of carrots among its offering, has just boosted its commitment to environmentally sustainable practices by launching its organic range. Not only has So Sweet’s produce had a revamp, so has its packaging. So Sweet operations manager Regan Queale said the organic range represented a new direction and way of thinking for So Sweet. “We really want our organic products to be the hallmark of So Sweet going forward. This means expanding our role in environmental stewardship by making sure we’re working green in all areas of the business,” he said. The new boxes for the organic produce will be made from cardboard, are recyclable and have a reduced plastic component with a search for viable

alternatives in place for packaging across nonorganic produce. Bringing out an organic range also provided more transparency to So Sweet’s alreadyclear traceability record, with the process for organic certification requiring growing to take place in organic certified soil. The accreditation for this process is displayed on the packaging and shows consumers how their food is grown. New to the shelf with the organic range are So Sweet’s juicing carrots. Packaged in cardboard boxes, the carrots are densely packed with nutrition but were previously not available for customers. Queale said the company felt the growing issues with food waste were weighing heavily on everyone’s minds, leading So Sweet to figure out a healthier way of doing business. “It’s really important to us that we’re doing our best across all operations, including cutting down on food waste, because every bit helps” he said. For more contact sales@sosweet.co.nz n

sausageawards SIZZLING SUCCESS

HOWLER HOTDOGS Howler Hotdogs are a perennial favourite for kid’s parties, as a nice warm snack after school and winter sports and for takeaway nights at home. As part of their philosophy of having a hotdog for everyone in the household, Howler has recently launched a Vegan Hotdog and Vegan Mini Muncher Hotdogs to complement their already successful Mini Munchers, Original and Gluten Free Hotdogs. It’s been a labour of love as it was company owner, Jo Williamson’s son Todd, a vegetarian, who campaigned hard for the inclusion of a Vegan option in what has always been seen as a traditional animal-based product. Jo said that development of the Vegan Hotdog had been one of the most technically challenging new product developments the company has undertaken and the company has been completely overwhelmed by the feedback from vegans and vegetarians since its launch. The new Vegan Hotdogs were one of three local manufacturers to pick up an award in the inaugural Vegan Society of Aotearoa NZ Sausage Awards, receiving the Nostalgia Award. For more information, contact Joe at jo@goldengoose.co.nz. n

New Zealand’s first-ever Vegan Sausage Awards were held recently. The awards saw over thirty 100 percent plant-based entries from producers both large and small. Judges taste tested all entries and selected six winners across three categories: Sausages, Hot Dogs and Sausage Rolls. The awards were held to commemorate Meat Free Week which was held on the 21st of June. Claire, the media spokesperson for the Vegan Society of Aotearoa New Zealand, said that the team was overwhelmed and heartened by the response. “Two years ago, a competition like this wouldn’t have of been possible. All this started when we held our first Vegan Pie Awards last year due to the increase in vegan offerings.” Claire added that the group was surprised when they received 30 entries a number of whom were New Zealand owned. As more and more consumers are adopting a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diet, Claire anticipates that the amount of vegan offering will only continue to expand. “We will be holding our vegan pie awards

competition later in the year and look forward to next year’s Vegan Sausage Awards.” Beyond Meats Beyond Sausage, which is unfortunately not yet available in New Zealand retailers, was named the Supreme Winner of the competition. Other winners included local New Zealand producers; Amanda’s “Bambino”, Tonzu’s Italian Herb, Howler Hotdogs and Fry Family Food Co. n

FRY FAMILY FOOD The Fry Family Food Co.’s 100 percent plant-based sausage roll is the inaugural Vegan Society of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Sausage Roll champion. The succulent sausage filling – made from a selection of nature’s plant proteins – is delicately flavoured with herbs and encased in a flaky puff pastry. Perfect for the whole family, these are great as a light lunch, an easy dinner or even just as a comforting nibble. Fry’s was started in 1991 by Wally Fry who wanted to make nutritious meat alternatives for his family who were all passionate about plant-based eating. With passion and determination, great things can happen, and Fry’s is now a second-generation family business that supplies delicious plant-based foods to over 8000 supermarkets and speciality stores in 30 countries. The Fry Family Food Co. products are all non-GMO sources of protein and naturally cholesterol-free. For more information go to www.fryfamilyfood.com. n July 2019

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HEIDI STIEFEL Organic Supply Manager, Bostock’s New Zealand

Heidi Stiefel was destined for the horticulture industry from a young age having grown up on a lifestyle block growing everything from berries to asparagus in the beautiful Rangitikei. Her father was a researcher at AgResearch and ahead of his time, researching organic production technologies and adapting them for New Zealand conditions in the 1980s.

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tiefel decided to take a similar path and attended Massey University, where she completed a Masters in Applied Science, looking at why growers adopt sustainable technologies. “I have always been interested in sustainable technologies for commercial horticulture production and am very passionate about the wonderful quality fruit and vegetables we can grow in New Zealand,” she told SupermarketNews. For the past 20 years, Stiefel has been working for Bostock’s – since the first orchard was converted to organic production and has been an integral part of driving the company’s sustainable practises. Stiefel has been the driving force behind Bostock’s compostable apple sticker trial, a Southern Hemisphere first with the release of the compostable PLU stickers for the company’s apples. The sticker laminate is 100 percent industrially compostable and meets FDA and EU regulations for direct food contact and breaks down when put in an industrial compost. “It’s important to know that they are industrial compostable, but they will break down in your home bin – it just takes longer.” “A year ago, I met the manufacturer in Hong Kong to discuss the product and set up a trial. We worked with a New Zealand label company in New Zealand who sourced the materials from overseas suppliers,” she explained. “We ran a small trial in 2019 as we wanted to make sure we had no issues running the PLU over the machinery we have in place. “So far, the sticker trial has been very successful, and we have had no technical issues. We will definitely work with the supplier to roll out more compostable stickers across our apples in 2020.” While the compostable stickers are better for the planet, not having to use PLU stickers on their apples at all would be best. “Many of our OWNED

I have always been interested in sustainable technologies for commercial horticulture production and am very passionate about the wonderful quality fruit and vegetables we can grow in New Zealand. customers don’t like the PLU stickers on the apples, particularly organic consumers. We do not want to put them on the apples either as it adds waste and cost.” However, the retail trade requires the use of PLU stickers so that customers can identify organic from conventional apples and also as a way of identifying the brand, variety and country of origin – this is particularly important for Asian markets as “produce from New Zealand” is very important. “If we can move away from retailing our apples loose and use compostable bags or trays instead, then we can minimise the use of PLU stickers applied to individual fruit.” As for what other environmentally friendly initiatives Bostock’s is working on, Stiefel revealed that the company is working on a certified home compostable pouch bag that the team hopes to release in 2020. “We already use cardboard trays to pack our apples into in China, Malaysia, Russia and New Zealand. In New Zealand, they are covered with a compostable film.” Stiefel credits the innovation that the sustainable movement has brought about in the industry – “there are a lot of very cool innovative products on the market.”

Every year she makes the trek to Berlin to attend the Fruit Logistica trade show. “I take time to visit the companies working on innovative packaging and new technologies. There are a lot of great products. For example, packaging made from 80 percent grass. It feels like waxy cardboard. These are made into trays, and we are packing our apples into them for a customer in Europe,” she said. “The problem is that these new environmental products are more expensive and require an investment in new machinery. Plastic is cheap, convenient, and readily available. Consumers want plastic alternatives but don’t want to pay extra, and supermarkets don’t want the added cost, so this poses challenges for us as a business committed to providing environmental alternatives.” Stiefel believes that there needs to be a financial incentive for companies to make a move towards either fully recyclable or compostable products. “We need to see innovative investment into recycling plans to manage soft plastics to turn them into playgrounds, roads and other infrastructure.” n

roundtable Do you believe enough is being done by the FMCG industry to achieve sustainable packaging solutions? And what is a solution that you have seen that has stood out? The waste and recycling systems in New Zealand and across the globe are overwhelmed. They cannot cope with the volume and various kinds of packaging that businesses and consumers are using. It’s a very significant environmental problem and one that we must all - businesses, government and consumers - come together to solve. There has been a lot of talk around the need to move to sustainable packaging solutions – but not enough action. There are good intentions by FMCG businesses to move to more sustainable packaging solutions and a lot of goals being set, but the timelines on these goals are often three to five years out. We need to make changes now if we are to start to address the packaging challenges. There are two different parts to the packaging challenge: source and waste. We must all work to employ solutions that address both. Ecostore addressed the source issue back in 2014 by moving away from non-renewable petrochemical plastic to plastic made from sugarcane. We chose this option because it comes from a renewable resource, and the sugarcane actually removes carbon from the atmosphere as it grows. We are also committed to doing our part to address the waste issue, to help take the pressure off New Zealand’s overwhelmed systems. We plan to have new programs in place this year to help us to do just that – watch this space. A company that I think has stood out for their packaging solution is a small Nelson business – Aunt Jean’s Dairy. Duncan Kerr, They’re taking full responsibility for their Proper Crisps packaging by going back to the old model of using glass milk bottles. They collect all the empties and simply reuse them. If a small business can step up and make this work, then larger ones can too. The industry as a whole has taken some very crucial steps to Jemma Whiten, combat the plastic pollution crisis, yet more could be done. In Australia and New Zealand, Nestlé has started implementing new Ecostore labelling to help consumers recycle their packaging correctly, a scheme developed by Planet Ark. Fonterra has also just announced plans to make the last 10 percent of their products recyclable for items such as yoghurt pottles, plastic straws and foil seals on drinks. Something we’re particularly proud of at TerraCycle is Sadly, no. There are many boutique businesses our Oral Care Recycling Programme, in partnership with Colgate, emerging that have sustainability as a key which allows New Zealanders to collect and ship their oral care part of their ethos. But until a reduction in waste, including toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes, to us for packaging is legislated, it is likely to remain free. As well as diverting waste from landfill, what makes this a lower priority for large corporates. On the programme special is its donation incentive for New Zealand positive side, there has been a massive shift schools and charities. FMCG’s could go one step further, however, in consumer thinking regarding plastic, and by making their packaging ultra-durable and reusable as well especially around packaging and people are as recyclable, through our latest overseas initiative called Loop. now demanding products with less packaging. Based on the circular economy, Loop is an online platform which partners with 25 of It is our hope this will put pressure on bigger the world’s largest companies and would businesses to make the change to plastic certainly help close the Loop on the free. One product that stood out to waste crisis in New Zealand. us is Living Green’s Lavender Jean Bailliard, and Aloe laundry powder – a natural product, no plastic TerraCycle Australia packaging and a bamboo and New Zealand scoop inside! Love it.

Finding the solution to sustainable packaging is a long journey, not a silver bullet. Over the next five years, there will be huge changes in the regulations, waste management process and technology improvements in packaging. However, in a category that will produce another 1,000,000,000 of bags before the packaging accord comes into place, we need to make a start. With what we know today, home compostable packaging is the best solution as it does not need a waste management solution, just a compost bin with oxygen, soil, micro-organisms, heat and water. For companies to make the change now to compostable packaging does mean more cost to their products, greater scrutiny from other suppliers and consumers and an unproven path on what the best consumers option in sustainable packaging. However, companies need to consider that by doing something, they will be positively perceived by their employees, customers and consumers. There are some great companies that are taking small yet bold steps towards sustainable packaging. It is not taking one big action that will reduce packaging waste but hundreds of small ones.

Tara Mcquinn, Honeywrap

July 2019

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RETHINKING RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING Packaging innovation is being challenged by rapidly escalating consumer expectations. As a result, a wide range of initiatives are being trialled and adopted locally and globally to dialup sustainability narratives. Such initiatives are being leveraged to become key brand differentiators that drive loyalty. There has been a change in the conversation around sustainable packaging as new innovations move away from focusing on waste management and towards waste minimisation or avoidance. Samantha Firsow

Market Insights Consultant Solutions & Innovation at IRI

The FMCG industry, manufacturers and retailers alike, acknowledge that they can have a profoundly positive impact on waste mitigation, so it’s not surprising sustainability credentials are a key battleground to win over customers.

Why does this matter? The Better Futures 2019 report found that plastic build up is the most pressing concern among New Zealanders – with 72 percent of Kiwi’s rating this as their highest concern. This has only intensified over the past year, up a significant 9 percent on 2018.1 The minimum expectation when it comes to sustainable packaging is that it is recyclable, with 75 percent of us agreeing all products should use recyclable packaging.2 However, the majority of Kiwis (85 percent) believe reducing disposable packaging in the first instance is the right thing to do and 77 percent believe we can individually make a difference by reducing the use of disposable packaging.1

As an example, plastic protests and returning single-use packaging to retail stores have become more commonplace. The Government has taken legislative action against plastic, with microbeads and single-use plastic bags already being banned. The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with manufacturers and retailers, have produced the New Zealand plastic packaging declaration. The key objective of this pact is to commit to 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025. The European Union has gone even further, implementing measures to further phase out single-use plastics such as cutlery, plates, straws and cotton buds. Companies looking for growth need to be quick to respond to concerns raised and ensure ongoing communication of their initiatives.

The proliferation of purpose-led retail Retailers are strengthening their commitment to being environmentally responsible, with a tranche of trials occurring globally across the major players. Packaging

Consumers have high expectations on brands, manufacturers and retailers and are holding them to account.

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Homegrown sustainability initiatives are also blossoming

RefillNZ started in October 2018 and has already had over 380 retailers sign up to offer free water refills, with the main aim to make carrying a reusable water bottle the new norm for consumers. Bring-your-own container is already the heartland for specialty retailers such as GoodFor Refillery, which has expanded to three stores in Auckland and intends to further expand its footprint through 2019. Ecostore is considered by New Zealanders as the number one FMCG brand in sustainability and now has refill stations in over 60 retail stores, supplying household and personal care liquid products. In May, they made their debut into a major retail banner, New World in Christchurch. Major New Zealand grocery retailers are beginning to appeal to their shoppers changing expectations. Foodstuffs North Island announced bring-your-own containers to counter areas instore, and Countdown swiftly followed suit with a trial across 18 stores. Countdown has been steadily removing plastic packaging from produce such as bananas and onions which is making a big impact (saving over 117 tonnes). New World has introduced ‘nude produce’ across a number of stores, with benefits that expand beyond sustainability such as enhancing the in-store experience.

Manufacturers are pioneering sustainability innovation

To meet increased expectations from consumers, retailers and the Government, suppliers need to respond at pace. There are many examples of innovative sustainable credentials, as global brands experiment with packaging changes to

minimise their environmental impact. Phasing out plastic rings for beer has become commonplace already. Carlsberg introduced its Snap Pack technology which utilises rubberlike glue dots to attach cans together whilst Corona Fit Pack cans screw together. Skipping Rock Lab has created edible seaweed pods that can hold water and other beverages, but could also replace sauce pouches in fast food. They rapidly biodegrade and seaweed is highly sustainable. New Zealand company Ethique replicate liquid beauty products into solid highly concentrated bars that last 2-5 times longer than standard products, in plastic-free packaging that breaks down quickly, leaving no trace. Ethique are experiencing strong interest and high demand from retailers around the world including Amazon. Over the next month, their product will be available in over 1,000 stores across the United Kingdom. Large scale circular reusable packaging initiative ‘Loop’ (www. loopstore.com) take the ownership of packaging out of shoppers hands. The system uses durable packaging that can be returned and reused 100+ times meaning consumers no longer need to worry about waste, recycling and cleaning. Major global manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Mondelēz have signed on bringing with them economies of scale and a wide range of available products.

In summary The FMCG industry is going through a major paradigm shift centred around sustainability. This is being driven by a heightened awareness of the impact our consumption habits have on our planet, with consumer attitudes now at levels that are forcing business to react faster than ever before. Government, retailers and manufacturers alike are implementing initiatives to appeal to these rapidly changing expectations. It is becoming increasingly important to have a purpose-led authentic narrative on sustainable packaging. The cost of not doing so would be detrimental to attracting and retaining consumers, as 72 percent of New Zealanders today would attest to. Doing good, is good business. [1] is Source: Colmar Brunton Better Futures Report 2019 [2] is Source: IRI NZ SOTI Grocery 2018 Survey n

IRI is a leading provider of big data, predictive analytics and forward-looking insights that help CPG companies, OTC health care organisations, retailers, financial services and media companies grow their businesses. With the largest repository of purchase, media, social, casual, and loyalty data, all integrated on an on-demand, cloud-based technology platform, IRI helps to guide its more than 5,000 clients around the world in their efforts to remain relentlessly relevant, capture market share, connect with consumers and deliver market-leading growth. Move your business forward IRIworldwide.com

Shoppers demand change and Government takes an active interest

reinvention takes centre stage at Rimping Supermarket in Thailand, which wraps its produce with banana leaves secured by flexible bamboo string instead of using plastic. The Waitrose unpacked trial store in the United Kingdom most notably showcases an extensive range of refill options, from bulk bins, through to household cleaners as well as beer and wine on tap. UK Retailer Coop is trialling in-store water refill stations to discourage shoppers purchasing bottled water, a significant challenge to beverage manufacturers.

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