FMCG Business - April 2018

fmcgbusiness.co.nz

L E A D I N G

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

April 2018 – Volume 5 – No 3

Introducing CottonSofts’ new improved product and packaging This 10.6% volume share brand set to show strong growth in 2018 †

* All 2 ply bigger & softer.

Source: IRI Vol share of Toilet Tissue MAT to 11/02/18.

†

PLUS! NZ EVENTS ■ NEW PRODUCTS ■ MERCHANDISING MAVENS ■ NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AUDIENCE

Discover

Lindor

70% Cocoa

• LAUNCHING INSTORE April 9th • Capitalise on Lindor’s biggest launch, supported with TVC and sampling • Flavour innovation driving Lindor bag growth

Phone: +64 6 356 5323 Email: customerservice.nz@dksh.com

contents

April 2018

Up Front

41

Events Calendar

4

Editor’s note

42

The Chocolate & Coffee Show

6

Industry news

43

Social Sphere Industry members spotted out and about

10 Gear

New technology for work, rest and play

The Shout

Category Insights

3

Editor’s note

14

Soups

4

Industry news and insights

19

Natural Beauty Products

30

Pet Care

7 Can do attitude

Soda, beer and now wine – it’s in a can, but is it here to stay?

Regulars 12

Best in season Fresh produce in store

13

Cover story More innovation from Cottonsoft

8

14 Meet the winemaker

Introducing some of New Zealand’s winemaking experts

Good Business Industry news

34

Legal advice What are Smart Contracts?

35 Export

Being here and there – the secrets to having in-country presence around the world 36 FGC

Celebrating women in the FMCG industry 37

Plus Pinot Gris Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS

13 The wine regions of New Zealand

A map showing all the places you can drink a good drop

24 Feature

Merchandising & Marketing Mavens

33

10

15

opping busy at 2018 NWBCA H judging Insights from Chief Steward Craig Bowen

16

till going strong S Beer writer Neil Miller takes a look at higher alcohol beers.

19

Buy NZ Made Focus on priorities

Events 38

NZ Champions of Cheese All the trophy winners revealed

40

Fine Food New Zealand

41 Best BBQs, Bourbon & Brews

Tamara Rubanowski visits Meatstock in Auckland

14

See the latest gear and new products in this issue.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

3

[ editorial ]

Welcome to our April edition!

I

n this issue, we reveal the NZ Champions Of Cheese Trophy Winners, find out what’s trending in soups, and talk to local merchandising and marketing experts. Whether you’re planning a new product launch or creating exciting and innovative in-store ‘theatre, you will find plenty of inspiration on pg 24-29.

Did you know that we are the leading FMCG title in New Zealand in terms of reach and engagement across our digital channels? Our website had 14,530 unique visitors in the month of February and we are also proud to say that almost all of our magazine cover positions are already booked well in advance for this year. So if you’d like to be part of our success story, please contact our friendly team. If you have a new campaign, or other news to share - we’d love to hear from you!

On pg 36 in our Good Business section, FGC Chief Executive Katherine Rich looks back on International Women’s Day and reminds us to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and to set new goals.

I wholeheartedly agree with Katherine and I truly hope that women are treated fairly and with respect in all situations in New Zealand, every day of the year, at work, as well as at public events. Time is up on all sorts of archaic behaviour, as women – and supportive men – begin to draw a line in the sand, all over the world.

Take care,

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136 PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz EDITORIAL DIRECTOR James Wells The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd AUSTRALIA james@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CONTENT Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 027 278 4761 NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Joel Bremner jbremner@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 370 065 SALES DIRECTOR Wendy Steele wsteele@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 300 473 THE SHOUT EDITOR Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 774 080 THE SHOUT SALES MANAGER Sam Wood swood@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 256 6351 ART DIRECTOR Ryan Vizcarra ryanv@intermedia.com.au

Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz

MUST TRY Treat yourself to an award-winning NZ cheese this month!

See pg 38-39.

HEAD OF CIRCULATION Chris Blacklock cblacklock@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz

fmcgbusiness.co.nz

L E A D I N G

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

April 2018 – Volume 5 – No 3

ON THE COVER Turn to pg 13 to see how CottonSofts is set to regenerate growth for the toilet tissue category with its new improved product.

Introducing CottonSofts’ new improved product and packaging This 10.6% volume share brand set to show strong growth in 2018 †

* Al l 2 pl y bi g g e r & s of t er.

Source: IRI Vol share of Toilet Tissue MAT to 11/02/18.

†

PLUS! NZ EVENTS n NEW PRODUCTS n MERCHANDISING MAVENS n NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AUDIENCE

J16866 CottonSofts FMCG Cover_OUTPUT.indd 1

21/03/2018 2:25 PM

FMCG BUSINESS IS PROUDLY ASSOCIATED WITH

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by New Zealand and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

Copyright © 2018 - The Intermedia Group Ltd

TO FR AT EE TE ND

9-10 May 2018 ASB Showgrounds, Auckland

Showcasing the future of cleaning – New Zealand’s only dedicated cleaning and hygiene trade show Bringing you the latest tools and trends, making life easier for you in your fast paced work environment On display will be a wide range of cleaning technologies, equipment and innovations from the latest autonomous cleaning machines through to virtual reality (VR) and eco-friendly cleaning chemical solutions.

In an industry like yours we know keeping the workplace clean is of the utmost importance. Come and check out the expansive range of new products from leading industry experts including RapidClean, Makita, Clorox, and many more big players from the industry. You won’t believe what you can achieve.

In conjunction, we have a number of local and internationally acclaimed speakers who will provide you with insightful educative seminars covering a range of different topics.

Get your ticket now at cleannzexpo.co.nz or phone 0800 451 590 In Association With

Lanyard Sponsor

Awards

Pre Dinner Drinks Sponsor

Media Partner

Organised By

[ news ]

New CEO for Fonterra Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited has announced that, as part of a planned CEO succession process, the Fonterra Board and its CEO Theo Spierings have agreed that Spierings will leave his role later this year.

Fonterra says its Board and Spierings had formally commenced succession discussions last year. As a result of that, the Fonterra Board initiated international searches in November last year to identify potential candidates and was now shortlisting candidates.

Fonterra Chairman John Wilson says the Board was taking the decision to bring forward the announcement, which the Board was expecting to make in April, to avoid speculation.

“It is not yet clear exactly when any appointment for Theo’s replacement will be made, but it is absolutely clear that Theo will continue in the meantime to drive the Co-operative’s strategy and business, with special emphasis on China.

“The Board and Theo are committed to a high-quality transition to a new CEO and when we have more information in regards to timing we will let our farmers and the wider market know. Until then it is business as usual with the focus on driving returns to our farmers and unitholders.

“We envisage that even after the announcement of our new CEO, Theo will be involved in an advisory role so that we make best use of his knowledge and expertise during the transition,” says Wilson.

Spierings says that he has been proud to have led Fonterra as CEO for seven years as the Co-operative has established a strong demand-led strategy and oriented itself to become innovative and sustainable.

Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings will leave his role this year.

“It is now time for a new CEO who can lead the Co-operative through this next phase. The time is right for the Co-operative and that is important to me and to the Board. It is also the right time for me personally. I look forward to new challenges, but right now my focus is on Fonterra. That will be the case until I finish with the Co-operative.”

Tea tops global hot drinks list Euromonitor International recently released its hot drinks research, which expands coverage to 98 countries worldwide. The world drank 1.8 trillion cups of tea, almost 1 trillion cups of coffee and 200 billion cups of other hot drinks in 2017, meaning the average person alive last year drank 238 cups of tea, 132 cups of coffee and 27 cups of other hot drinks.

China was the world’s largest market for hot drinks last year with retail sales of over US$18 billion. The USA is still the world’s largest market for coffee.

Global growth in coffee pods sales is now slowing down as the category matures.

Fast facts for NZ • In 2017 in New Zealand, coffee records retail current value growth of 6% and volume growth of 8% to reach sales of NZ$259 million.

• Fresh ground coffee pods registered the strongest current value growth of 35% as pod coffee machines become more accessible in NZ. • Nestlé New Zealand remains the leading player in coffee with a retail value share of 33%.

• Over the forecast period, coffee is set to post a volume CAGR of 5% and a value CAGR of 1% at constant 2017 prices to exceed sales of NZ$277 million in 2022.

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

[ profile ]

T

STEVIA – SWEET FLOWER POWER

here’s heightened interest from consumers these days as to what’s in the food and beverage products they’re buying, for themselves and for their families. This goes hand in hand with the overall trend to seek out healthier lifestyles choices too, which is a big driver for many in 2018.

Consumer demand tends to drive trends, and high kilojoules, high sugar foods have concerned the health conscious for a while now, but sweet salvation has come to those seeking out alternatives to sugar in the name of Stevia. This is a centuries old sweetener derived from a natural source – the stevia plant.

Stevia can be used in lots of different ways. It’s most commonly found in beverages as a sugar alternative sweetener blend. It can also be used in cooking and baking, and added to the smoothie mix, it gives active bods a calorie-free boost of energy.

Stevia hits the sweet spot Stevia is a naturally-sourced sugar substitute that’s calorie-free, has 200 times more sweetness than table sugar (this means that you can use much less), and for the growers in its countries of origin, it has a small social and environmental footprint too.

These days, shoppers are conscious about what they’re consuming and of Fair Trade practices too. Given these issues, stevia has a lot going for it and overseas it’s increasingly popular.

In New Zealand though, a lot of Kiwis don’t seem to know what stevia is, and of those who have heard of it, a significant number aren’t aware that it comes from a natural source – the leaf of the stevia plant.

STEVIA IS A NATURALLYSOURCED SUGAR SUBSTITUTE THAT’S CALORIE-FREE.” As well as being a calorie free sugar alternative, stevia has an interesting legacy.

A relative of the Chrysanthemum family and native to Paraguay, it has been grown, harvested and used in recipes by indigenous people for centuries.

Stevia was first brought to the attention of the United States government in 1918 by a botanist explorer who immediately realised its widespread potential uses in the West.

It has been sold in Japan for over 40 years, was approved in the US as a food additive in 2008, and in the EU in 2011.

A 400% increase globally in products using stevia was seen following its US approval, and the number of products that incorporate stevia continue to rise significantly.

Today, more than 75 countries around the world use stevia sweeteners in their food and drinks, and it continues to increase in popularity as a naturally-derived, mainstream sugar alternative that’s now an ingredient in thousands of products all over the world.

It’s in teas, soft drinks, juices, nectars, yoghurt, soy milk, granola and snack bars, baked goods, cereals, salad dressings, chewing gum, canned fruit, jam and confectionery. Several beverages in New Zealand are already sweetened with stevia.

This new age wonder product enjoys a small environmental foot print too. It requires less water, energy and land than farming other kinds of sweetener crops, and stevia doesn’t compromise farmers’ staple food crops such as cassava, beans or maize.

Instead, it provides local primary producers with additional income and supports their traditional farming practices. And that makes a lot of people feel good.

Sponsored by Coca-Cola FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

7

[ news ]

Farro to open sixth store

Farro Fresh has a conditional agreement to purchase the business assets of the Grocers Market (originally known as Mt Eden Nosh) from Receivers and plans to reopen the site as Farro’s sixth Auckland store soon.

Farro was opened in 2006 by co-founders James and Janene Draper in Lunn Ave and the family-owned business has five Auckland stores employing over 400 staff. The current stores are located in

Mt Wellington, Constellation Drive, Grey Lynn, Orakei and Epsom.

CEO Bryce Howard believes the Mt Eden site will be a great addition to the Farro family. He says: “A lot of customers have contacted us about the site on Dominion Road and begged us to take it on. We were approached by the Receivers and we felt it was the right time. The site location, parking and street level access is all very good and we feel we can deliver the full Farro offering within the current footprint.”

Farro has maintained a strong commitment to supporting over 550 small New Zealand artisan food producers over the last 12 years. It offers many small producers the opportunity to launch into New Zealand’s food retail shopping environment. Something they will continue to do at the Mt Eden store location.

“What is really exciting is, that as Farro grows, its suppliers also grow,” says Howard. “A sixth Farro store, will enhance a secure environment for our small producers. It will also offer the Mt Eden community a local Farro Fresh food experience right on their doorstep.”

Countdown MD steps down Countdown has announced that Managing Director Dave Chambers will leave the business on 30 June 2018. Chambers has been with Countdown and Progressive Enterprises for 39 years in total, and has been Managing Director on two occasions. He also spent a year as Director of Woolworths Supermarkets in Australia.

Chambers says that the Countdown business is performing strongly and because of this momentum he can now leave the business confident it is well placed to continue on this trajectory.

“I am proud to leave the business performing strongly, with a committed and passionate team that care about each other, our customers, our suppliers and the communities we operate in,” he says.

“I am delighted with the transformational work we have undertaken around team culture and I am also proud of the way Countdown leads the industry in a number of important ways, including being New Zealand’s first supermarket to phase-out caged eggs and single use plastic carrier bags.

“I’ll miss our team and the incredible rush of retail, but the time feels right to take some time out to travel with my family before looking for a new challenge,” says Chambers.

Woolworths Group CEO, Brad Banducci says Chambers has had an amazing career with the business, starting as a young student on the shop floor to becoming the Managing Director twice.

“Dave has contributed a huge amount to this business, including moving to Australia at the drop of a hat to help to stabilise our business here, and then, a year later, moving back to New Zealand to implement a new strategic direction for the business there.

“He leaves our New Zealand business in good heart, and I want to thank him for his important contribution to the Group and wish him well into the future,” says Banducci.

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS FOLLOW US ON

CHECK OUT WWW.FMCGBUSINESS.CO.NZ

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

Countdown MD Dave Chambers.

[ news ]

T&G sells processed foods businesses

®

REDUCES BLOOD CHOLESTEROL

T&G Global Limited has entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement for the sale of the major assets of its subsidiary ENZAFoods New Zealand Limited (trading as T&G Foods) to Cedenco Foods New Zealand Limited.

Under the terms of the agreement, Cedenco will assume control of T&G Foods processing business, employees and assets in Hastings and the fruit ingredient assets based in Nelson together with the realisable value of existing inventory. Japaneseowned Cedenco will also take an assignment of the long-term property lease in Hastings.

T&G’s pipfruit division has agreed a long-term apple supply agreement with Cedenco for processing apples. The intended settlement date is 20 April 2018. In the interim, T&G will continue to operate T&G Foods including the procurement of fruit, the processing and sale of products while retaining its existing employees.

T&G has also entered into an agreement for the sale of its small format pouch assets in Nelson to NZ Apple Products Limited and will enter into a three-year lease agreement of its Nelson site to NZ Apple Products Limited.

T&G Chief Strategy Officer Tim Clarkson says the company is delighted to be working with its new processing partners and to have secured a positive outcome for its employees.

“T&G Foods’ people, products and production facilities will benefit from being owned and operated by Cedenco and NZ Apple Products Limited who are both focused on fruit processing and are willing to invest for the long-term. The New Zealand apple and pear industry needs good fruit processors and T&G is delighted to have such strong local partners to take the business forward.”

T&G’s pipfruit division, formerly known as ENZA and Apollo Apples, is not part of ENZAFoods New Zealand Limited.

The Grocery Charity Ball is back!

The Grocery Charity Ball remains the premier event on the grocery industry social calendar since 2004, proudly directing profits to charitable trusts throughout New Zealand. This year, the Grocery Charity Ball will be held at SkyCity in Auckland on 1 September at 6.30pm.

The organisers have a great evening planned, so get in quick to secure your table for the black tie event by booking via http://grocerycharityball.org/ . If you would like to be involved as a sponsor, please email jackie@s2n.co.nz.

The charity event’s beneficiary for 2018 is Big Buddy - a free, secular, mentoring service run by dedicated professionals who recruit male volunteers from the community to become mentors to fatherless boys. Big Buddy envisions a community in which every boy experiences a nurturing one-to-one relationship with at least one adult male. Their highest vision is that every fatherless boy in New Zealand who needs one, will have a good male mentor to guide him into adulthood with true self-worth, enabling him to make positive life choices towards living a life of purpose and meaning as an involved member of our community.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

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[ gear ]

Pat Pilcher’s monthly round up of all the tech worth knowing about, for work, rest and play.

Philips Hue Philips connected LED lights, also known as the Hue range, put smarts back into lightbulbs. Using a small hub capable of controlling up to 50 bulbs, Hue lights can display 16 million different colours.

Preset colour schemes can be assigned to individual bulbs and integration with IFTTT.com, which means Hue bulbs can be set to switch on or change colours with specific events (e.g. switching on automatically at sunset flashing the colour of your favourite footy team when they score a goal). For adding a range of infinitely customisable moods to a room, they’re unbeatable. RRP from $89.99 per bulb https://www2.meethue.com/en-nz

Trend Micro Network security

3SIXT Quick Charge Wireless Charger Remembering to plug your smartphone into its charger can be a royal pain and there’s nothing quite as useless as a flat smartphone. For select iPhone, Samsung, Sony and LG phones, 3SixT have the answer in the form of a wireless fast charger pad. When plugged in, charging your phone becomes a simple matter of plunking it onto the charging pad. For Apple and Samsung phones, the charger can crank out even more power to significantly speed up charging times.

RRP $89.95 https://www.3sixtgear.com/product/new/quick-chargewireless-charger-15w/ 10

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

It’s one of the ironies of our age. The more smart home gadgets we connect, the bigger the risk of our home networks being compromised by hackers. Computer security specialists, Trend Micro have launched the Home Network Security system connects to your home network router to monitor network activity and block any unauthorised access attempts. Trend Micro also bundle an easy to use mobile app so you can keep an eye on your network.

RRP from $349 http://shop.trendmicro.co.nz/homenetworksecurity/ default.asp

[ gear ]

Bose SoundSport Free AKG Headphones AKG have long had a well-deserved reputation for crafting quality headphones. Their latest ear-gear, the N60 NC noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones also offer excellent audio with the wirefree convenience of Bluetooth and noise cancelling, making them the ultimate travel companions.

RRP $499 https://www.akg.com/Headphones/Over-ear%20%26%20 On-ear/N60+NC.html

Having to constantly untangle unruly earbud cables is about as much fun as a DIY cranial lobotomy. Not with Bluetooth wireless earbuds though, they’re awesome. Not only are there no wires to untangle, but they’re small enough to carry in your pocket or purse. Thanks to Bose’s newly launched SoundSport Free ear gear, wireless earbuds have just become extra-awesome.

They don’t just hint at bass, they deliver it in spades. A wireless charging case keeps them charged and makes them easier to carry while the Bose connect app makes pairing them up with a smartphone a no-brainer.

RRP $349.95 https://www.bose.co.nz/en_nz/products/headphones/ earphones/soundsport-free-wireless.html

Samsung S9 After months of rumour and speculation, Samsung have finally lifted the covers off their latest smartphones, the S9 and S9+. Both phones bare a resemblance to the earlier siblings, but come with a vastly improved rear camera to make the already amazing shooter even better. An IP68 water proof design and Bixby vision, which can overlay map pins on a city scape to highlight entertainment/food and transport options combine to make the s9/S9+ the ultimate travel companion. Storage has also been given a boost, with capacities ranging from 64GB to 256GB. RRP $1,399 - $1,799 http://www.samsung.com/nz/smartphones/galaxy-s9/

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

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[ fresh produce ]

Best in season

A

pples and pears remain in full swing this month while new season kiwifruit makes a welcome return to the marketplace.

New Zealand grown sub-tropical fruit such as persimmons, feijoas and passionfruit will be available for a very short window in April and May. Exotic sub-tropicals like figs and pitaya are also in season right now.

Wet, humid weather in late February/early March resulted in a sudden rocky supply patch after many vegetable crops rotted in the ground or never matured. Barring any more adverse weather events, the main crops of broccoli, cabbage, celery, cauliflower, lettuce and silverbeet should now be back in full supply.

Yams will start appearing in April while main root crops like carrots, parsnips and swedes will also be available. Make sure you change your displays regularly and feature different vegetables to encourage consumer purchasing. This will help carry your trade through winter.

Kiwifruit Allocate large areas of shelf space to kiwifruit this month and use signage to highlight the fact it’s new season fruit. Consumer demand for Gold kiwifruit will continue to outstrip Green. But ensure you stock a full range including KiwiBerry punnets and Red kiwifruit (a new variety with a red blush in the centre) if you can get your hands on any.

Storage/handling: New season fruit will likely be quite firm so condition your fruit before putting out on display. A firm Zespri kiwifruit that is stored at room temperature will take about 2-3 days to ripen.

What to look for: Plump, fragrant fruit that yields to gentle pressure.

Availability: April until January (then replaced by imported kiwifruit).

Carrots Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, dietary fibre, vitamin B6 and folate. Orange carrots are the main type grown in New Zealand but yellow, purple and white carrots also exist.

Storage/handling: Store at 0°C with a relative humidity of 90-100%. Carrots are ethylene sensitive so store separately from ethylene producing fruit and vegetables.

What to look for: Choose carrots that are firm and well-formed with a good orange colour.

Availability: All year round but carrots are coming into main crop now.

Cabbage Cabbages are from the brassica family and are one of the oldest known vegetables. Varieties grown in New Zealand include red, green or white with smooth or crinkled leaves. Taste variations are subtle. Offer a choice of varieties as well as whole, halves and quarters.

Storage/handling: Store at 0°C with a relative humidity of 90-100%. Keep away from ethylene producing products. Wrap when cut to retain freshness and trim the base of whole cabbages daily.

Display in refrigerated shelving and keep moist.

What to look for: Firm heads that are heavy for their size with an even colour and crisp outer leaves.

Availability: Year-round but main crop is now underway.

CARROTS ARE A GOOD SOURCE OF VITAMIN A, DIETARY FIBRE, VITAMIN B6 AND FOLATE.”

Nashi Nashi is the Japanese word for pear. They’re native to East Asia where they are very popular and widely grown. They’re often called apple pears because they are crisp and juicy like apples but have a distinctive texture.

Storage/handling: Keep Nashi in your chiller until the last possible moment before displaying.

This fruit bruises very easily and kid gloves are required when gently placing them on display – never tip Nashi in or out of bins.

What to look for: Choose fruit that feels heavy for its size and is light yellow-green in colour. Nashi turn a golden colour and lose their crisp texture once they’re overripe.

Availability: Nashi will be available until June.

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

United Fresh has over 27 years’ experience supporting and promoting the fresh produce industry in New Zealand and providing leadership on pan produce issues. For further information or to become a member of United Fresh, visit www.unitedfresh.co.nz

[ cover story ]

More innovation from Cottonsoft Proudly ECNZ certified

C

ottonsoft Ltd will be celebrating their 30-year anniversary in May 2018 by releasing a CottonSofts limited edition 30-year anniversary pack. CottonSofts is owned by Cottonsoft Ltd – a locally operated and managed tissue converting company that manufactures, markets and distributes leading tissue brands throughout New Zealand. With factories in Dunedin and Auckland, Cottonsoft have been proud providers of jobs in New Zealand since 1988.

CottonSofts is now set to regenerate midrange growth for the toilet tissue category with its new improved product, which rolled out in March.

CottonSofts has been a feature of the NZ market since 2002 and has grown to be a strong brand in the toilet tissue aisle with over 10% market share (IRI NZG Volume MAT 11/02/18).

The CottonSofts 2-ply sku’s are now bigger and softer than ever before. Consumers will love this product even more now as they will get premium softness at a mid-market price.

This latest product improvement means the brand will continue to grow from strength to strength.

The new product has also had a packaging and media facelift for 2018 – with a modern and stylish new look. Recent research from consumers revealed that the new packaging was seen as significantly more modern and unique*.

Sustainability is critical to Cottonsofts’ business and since 2013 CottonSofts has been awarded ECNZ certification.

“This is New Zealand’s most comprehensive environmental certification giving consumers complete peace of mind and reassurance that we operate sustainably and responsibly and that they are purchasing products that are proven to be better for the environment,” explains Calver. “We can trace a single toilet roll back to origin, making sure that it is from a sustainable forest”.

“Long roll is a key area of growth in this category showing 16.4% growth (IRI NZG MAT) vs a decline in standard rolls (-5.5% IRI NZG MAT). Therefore two fantastic new skus have been launched (replacing Marine print, DL 6’s and DL 4’s),” comments Senior Brand Manager Denise Calver.

CottonSofts XL 4’s CottonSofts XL is more than twice as long as most rolls, delivering more tissue and revenue from an efficient pack footprint (vs equivalent standard length pack).

CottonSofts Hypoallergenic XL 6’s The growth of hypoallergenic and skin sensitive products is also a global and local trend, so CottonSofts Hypoallergenic XL 6’s is designed to capitalise on this. CottonSofts Hypoallergenic tissue for sensitive skin is double embossed, without added inks dyes or fragrances and has been tested and certified “excellent” on sensitive skin by DermaTest GmbH.

Cottonsoft Ltd is also proud to be a foundation member of the soft plastics recycling scheme. Well over 100 million plastic bags have been recycled – that’s about 477 tonnes of plastic, which would have otherwise gone into New Zealand landfills or the environment.

Did you know?

CottonSofts also continues its support for Bowel Cancer New Zealand with a collaborative approach to projects, including Bowel Cancer awareness month in June annually, plus bespoke packs and promotions to raise money over and above sponsorship. For more information visit www.cottonsoft.co.nz or www. beatbowelcancer.org.nz *Colmar Brunton 2017 quantitative research

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

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IT’S SOUP SEASON!

S

Cooler weather calls for meals that warm the soul.

oup has always been a mainstay of Kiwi family meals in autumn and winter. In fact, we manage to eat nearly 8,000 tonnes of it every year in New Zealand!

The busiest period for soup sales is between April and September. It’s also during this period that we are more likely to see price promotions in the supermarkets as soup brands compete for shopper loyalty. Right on trend – as more and more shoppers look for healthy and nutritional food - soup can be a great, convenient way to get a whole lot of goodness into you.

“At La Zuppa, we are passionate about living well - and soup,” says Christine Barnardt, Brand & Key Account Manager. “Soup is one of life’s greatest comfort foods, but we know

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

not everyone has the time to make them from scratch, so we do it for you, giving you a convenient meal option that is healthy and all natural.

“Sharing our passion means providing New Zealanders with high quality soups made using fresh wholesome ingredients that are full of flavour, completely free from nasty artificial ingredients or flavour enhancers,” says Barnardt.

La Zuppa also caters to those consumers who are looking for a gluten and dairy free meal alternative that is 99% fat free.

The La Zuppa range includes: • Tuscan chicken and Veg • Pumpkin soup • Chicken Veg and rice • Chicken Noodle

LA ZUPPA ALSO CATERS TO THOSE CONSUMERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A GLUTEN AND DAIRY FREE MEAL ALTERNATIVE THAT IS 99% FAT FREE.”

Love your Soup on the go?

Enjoy a hearty and wholesome meal in minutes that’s 99% fat free, all natural, gluten and dairy free.

lazuppa.com.au

/lazuppasoup

[ category insights ] Hansells all natural soups “With authentic flavours inspired from around the world, the Hansells All Natural soup range continues to show growth ahead of the category,” says Marketing Manager Kylie Jillings.

She adds: “The range has a commitment to being 100% natural, with natural flavours and colours and no preservatives, the products are a convenient nourishing lunch option as well as great to use in cooking.

Global food trends we are seeing show consumers looking for healthier options without sacrificing convenience, and it is just as important what is not in the products as what is. As well as being All Natural, many of the Hansells All Natural soup range are gluten and dairy free, providing options for those who may have an intolerance, or simply be avoiding those ingredients.

“The soup category is evolving from a flavour perspective with growth coming from flavours that are inspired by Asian ingredients, while the more traditional Tomato, Chicken and Pumpkin varieties continue to be top performers,” explains Jillings.

Tasty Pot - now with free-range meat Tasty Pot’s award-winning range of 13 gluten-free meals and soups are a perfect option for lunch or dinner.

Just three minutes in the microwave for a delicious 100% natural healthy meal that tastes homemade, “or use them as an ingredient in cooking as a quick and affordable way to feed the family”, says Cofounder Andrew Vivian.

From April, Tasty Pot are moving all recipes to free range meat, which will be communicated through packaging and social media. This will be fronted through Tasty Pot’s new brand ambassadors, including Kane Williamson (NZ Cricket) and Damian McKenzie (NZ Rugby).

Vivian adds: “Our packaging is ‘100% Recyclable’, which will also be communicated as pots are a more sustainable alternative to pouches, of which most end up in landfill due to the difficulty and expense of recycling.”

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

Tasty Pot also have two new soups available from mid-April: • INVIGORATE SOUP green goodness with 10 different types of vegetables • RECHARGE SOUP with sweet potato, golden beetroot, goji berries, touch of crème fraiche Vivian explains: “These recipes will join Boost Soup, which we launched last winter, under a ‘Vegetarian Goodness’ sub range. It’s a nod to more functional based recipe descriptions, something the smoothie category has done very well, bringing a fresh new offering to the soup category. They’re tasting incredible”

New packaging and fresh flavours from Pitango Pitango has a full range of soups and risottos that include vegetarian, certified organic, gluten free, no added preservatives and free range options.

The range available nationally includes soups and meals.

Mary Boulton, General Manager Pitango Pty Ltd comments: “The last 12 months have been incredibly exciting for Pitango. We have released a whole new range introducing our Meal Pots for one, a seasonal special Halloween edition pack for our most popular soup flavour and getting ready to launch a brand new design this winter. The aim of our refreshed design is to reinforce our core brand proposition of ‘Food As Nature Intended’.

The new look reflects the naturalness, goodness and authentic home-style cooking method that Pitango is famous for. The refreshed look distils the freshness of the ingredients and highlights that our soups and meals are made by cooks with a passion for producing the best tasting dishes that are full of flavour. The distinctive new packaging will signpost the category for retailers and will aid flavour navigation for shoppers.

“We are always planning and creating at the Pitango Kitchen and this year we are excited to be releasing new flavours as well as fresh new packaging and tweaking our recipes for our soups and risottos to make them even better and healthier for you.

“Customers are looking for healthier products that have reduced sugars and sodium. In response, Pitango will be removing all added sugar from their full soup and risotto range as well as have an (on average) 15% reduction in sodium.

“Every year we launch new flavours, but we are particularly excited about our two new winter options. Our gluten-free, dairy-free Creamy Carrot & Coconut Soup will launch nationally in time for winter and is a fresh new take on the traditional carrot soup. It contains three serves of veg per pack, only 123 calories per serve and is creamy, light and incredibly tasty. Second is the introduction of our ‘Soup of the Month’ range.

This will be a rotation of new recipes we will

[ category insights ]

be launching into the market giving our customers a constant stream of innovation!

Our first will be our brand new Soup of the Month: Tomato & Basil, which is gluten free, includes three serves of your daily veg and contains only 113 calories per serve.

“We always create healthy, natural soups, meals and risottos using only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients hand cut, hand cooked and packaged fresh. We pride ourselves on being a healthy and convenient option for our customers.

You can trust that Pitango will taste great and contain no added sugars, or preservatives,” says Boulton.

Fond family memories with King Traditional Soup King soup has been cooking in Kiwi kitchens for more than 60 years and it is still proudly made in New Zealand.

Wilson Consumer Products markets King Traditional Soup in New Zealand. Marketing and Business Development Manager, Susan Harvey, told FMCG Business: “Being economical, comforting and versatile it is easy to see why Kiwis love King traditional soup mix. While TSM - Nielsen ScanTrack - MAT to 25/02/2018 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Fresh Soup

24,689,422

10.50%

Total Soup

57,355,190

1.71%

Canned Soup

24,127,060

1.6%

Instant Soup

17,088,520

3.0%

Packet Soup

10,073,711

2.3%

Soup Mix & Pulses

6,065,898

-2.2%

many customers enjoy it as a soup, adding water or their own vegetables/meat, it is also a popular hearty base for casserole and slow cooked meals.”

She adds: “While cool weather is obviously a key trigger for soup purchases, wet weather also plays a big part in consumer’s appetite for soup.

“Making King Soup is a go-to activity during winter months when you don’t want to go outside and need something warm and nourishing to eat. Unlike other soups, King soup takes 1 ½ hours to cook. This is a benefit as it fills the house with wonderful cooking smells, which are warming and comforting and as King soup has been around for more than 60 years, it reminds many of family times together.

“We will be reminding customers this year via radio ads to stock up on King Soup prior to cold and rainy weather. Ads will play around the weather forecast to encourage purchase before treacherous driving conditions set in during winter,” says Harvey.

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest Nielsen data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz.

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

[ category insights ]

NATURAL BEAUTY Skincare and haircare with quality ingredients is in big demand.

M

ix Limited is New Zealand’s leading cosmetic manufacturer, with natural certification by the world’s largest organic certification body, Eco Cert, says Rachel Morrison, General Manager Marketing & Innovation.

She explains: “With category leading brands; Essano, Dominate and Primal Earth, Mix provides trust and reassurance to consumers in a category that is full of green washing.

Mix uniquely control their entire manufacturing process, hand selecting the best ingredients, formulation and producing them inhouse with their team of internationally renowned cosmetics chemists and manufacturing on-site in Auckland.”

Morrison says: “Driving category growth, Essano is New Zealand’s #1 Natural Skincare Brand* and the leader in organic skincare, having the largest amount of certified organic skus in grocery skincare.

Essano has also driven growth across multiple categories with strong offerings in Haircare, Body and newly launched Home Fragrance. The introduction of Essano Home with 100% soy candles, natural diffusers and premium fragrances is encouraging consumers to channel swap from traditional gift and department stores, into Grocery.

Newly launched Clear Complexion is a unique offering for younger consumers or those with oily skin. With clinically proven ingredients and two certified organic skus, the brand offers a natural solution to problem skin and a first for the category.

She adds: “Dominate, the mainstay of Mix’s portfolio is the #1 brand in men’s hairstyling in NZ^ and a market leader in all major retailers in Australia and Asia. Dominate continues to innovate to drive growth and deliver barbershop quality products at affordable prices. Primal

Earth has long been one of Australasia’s leading Natural Men’s skincare ranges. Formulated with only natural ingredients and harnessing the power of plants, Primal Earth is focused on shave and skincare products that don’t irritate as they don’t contain any harsh chemicals.” * Data Source: **in NZ grocery. IRI RetailEdge – dollar share national skincare – MAT 25/02/18 - in NZ grocery IRI ^ Data Source: IRI RetailEdge - dollar value – Total NZ Grocery Quarter to 18/02/18

Okana offers natural skincare “When I started my journey to natural beauty I had no idea I would end up here – creating natural but effective skincare solutions for all women to enjoy,” says Vibs Amin, Okana Co-founder.

“I used to spend far too long in the skincare section of the supermarket searching for something to help my skin. Because of my skin problems, I’m very conscious of what I put on my skin so it needed to be natural.

You almost need a chemistry degree to understand the long list of ingredients on some products! How could I trust a product that I did not understand?

“It turns out the answer to all my skin problems was creating a skincare with my own hands, in my own kitchen using fresh quality ingredients. The moisturiser and scrubs I developed at home contained the bare minimum of raw food ingredients, but in much higher concentrations which meant they were more effective in providing nourishment for a healthier skin. And perhaps most important, I trusted the ingredients and knew what I was putting on my skin was safe. I learned early on, for a healthy skin I need to start treating my skincare the same way I treat my food – made from fresh FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

19

[ category insights ]

NATURAL INSTINCT IS FORMULATED WITH HIGH QUALITY PLANT-DERIVED INGREDIENTS, CERTIFIED ORGANIC EXTRACTS AND PURE ESSENTIAL OILS.”

quality edible ingredients and using only ingredients that my skin needs and nothing else. The results I saw on my skin inspired me enough to create Okana, which took me five years.

“I set out to develop a 100% natural, raw, fresh, quality food-based skincare range because there simply wasn’t a product this good anywhere in the market. When it comes to ingredients our philosophy is less is more. It may be cliché but it’s true. By using fewer ingredients we’ve created a much more powerful skincare range with no chemicals to dilute the products. We stick to easy to understand and essential ingredients.”

Amin explains: “At Okana, our skincare products are given the same integrity and respect as healthy food that you would put inside our body. They are made from fresh, simple minimally processed natural ingredients that will provide the most nutrients and be safe to your skin.

“Our entire product line is so natural you could eat them! We believe that skincare should be wholesome, luxurious and safe. Our promise to you... If you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, we won’t put it in our products.

“I am proud to say that Okana is New Zealandowned and operated. Our labels are easy to read, and the ingredients are easy to understand: Okana is real food made beautiful,” says Amin.

TSM - Nielsen ScanTrack - MAT to 25/02/2018 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Total Defined Facial

70,806,254

1.40%

Moisturiser

28,800,491

1.50%

Cleanser

11,382,741

6.60%

Wipe

9,805,335

-2.60%

Skin Medication

5,820,285

-6.00%

Other Types

5,383,963

7.10%

Male Grooming

4,375,417

-4.40%

Serums & Eye Creams

3,831,163

6.70%

Toner

1,406,859

9.30%

Total Haircare

140,399,604

-0.50%

Shampoo and Conditioners

95,889,292

0.00%

Hair Colourants

25,294,801

1.40%

Hair Treatments

2,480,553

6.00%

Hair Creams

498,075

7.90%

Total Hand Body (Excl. Baby)

26,347,082

4.40%

Body

21,500,460

3.60%

Hand

2,531,903

-1.40%

Face

1,970,082

10.20%

Wash

344,637

182.80%

Truly natural skincare with proven results When it comes to skin care, ingredients matter.

Since much of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our bodies, it’s important to choose quality products with natural ingredients that nourish your skin – with no hidden nasties.

When it comes to truly natural, plant-derived skincare, what Natural Instinct leaves out of their products is just as important as what they put into them. Natural Instinct products are formulated with a naturally-derived base and then powerful anti-ageing ingredients are added to deliver nutrient rich effective skin hydration results. All Natural Instinct products are 100% free from sulphates (SLS and SLES), propylene glycol, parabens or PEGs, artificial colours or fragrances, harsh detergents, silicones and mineral oils.

Natural Instinct’s high-performing face care range is formulated with high quality plantderived ingredients, certified organic extracts and pure essential oils to nourish and transform skin in just six weeks. Delivering proven results in independent clinical trials and a recent New Zealand 6-week face-care challenge participants saw noticeable differences in skin hydration, skin tone and radiance and reduction in fine lines in just six weeks, so the results speak for themselves.

The complete Natural Instinct face care range is now available in Countdown supermarkets nationwide including the new Skin Refining Cleansing Oil and 2018 Product of the Year, Dark Circle and Wrinkle Correction Eye Crème.

Natural Instinct is truly natural skin care that doesn’t compromise on results, skin care you can feel good about and that is good for the environment. Know more because it’s on your skin.

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest Nielsen data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz.

20

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

Truly natural with proven results

12HOURS CONTINUOUS HYDRATION

Nourishing Daily Moisturiser and Restoring Night Cream

87%*

ACHIEVED REDUCTION IN SKIN FATIGUE AND STRESS

93%*

ACHIEVED RAPID WRINKLE & DARK CIRCLE REDUCTION

Plump and Renew Serum

Dark Circle and Wrinkle Correction Eye Cream

Know more, because it’s on your skin.

Available from leading supermarkets nationwide

www.naturalinstinct.co.nz

B E Y O N D C O M PA R E

Simplicity

Our philosophy is less is more.

By keeping our ingredients to an absolute minimum, each ingredient is more concentrated and more potent, providing your skin with higher doses of vital nutrients. We seek out the most effective natural ingredients from around the world, each with a specific purpose.

Food-based

Naturally-derived ingredients based on nutritional wholesome food are biocompatible with our skin and can deliver stunning results.

We use raw ingredients like 100% active juice, natural oils and vegetable purees packed with antioxidants. food has the power to keep your skin radiantly beautiful.

Vegetable Garden Day Moisturiser

This 100% natural lightweight moisturiser contains active carrot and tomato juices, harnessing antioxidants and vitamins to benefit every skin type. We use concentrated apricot and olive oils to provide maximum nutrients for your skin. This luxuriously silky formula penetrates deep into your skin to balance, hydrate and protect.

Fragrance free

Fragrance isn’t important for your skin. In fact, it’s often highly-sensitising, causing allergic reactions, redness and swelling. We believe fragrances in skincare may cause long term health issues. Our products only contain essential ingredients that benefit you – and nothing else.

Edible

Our product range is so natural you can almost eat it. We believe that skincare should be wholesome, luxurious and safe. There are no ingredients that are not edible.

Berry Mix Night Moisturiser

This nutrient-packed, rich and sumptuous facial cream helps to restore and transform your complexion, supplying vital nutrients while you sleep. Our nutrient-rich superfood berry juice, along with our macadamia nut oil and apricot kernel oil, make this moisturiser ultra-hydrating for a more youthful appearance.

Wake up to skin looking replenished, restored and renewed.

Apple Juice Foaming Face Cleanser

This self-preserving vitamin-enriched foaming cleanser gently cleanses away oil, dirt and dead skin cells while preserving your skin’s natural oils and minerals. The amino acid from real apple juice supplies your skin with vital nutrients for a healthy, clear complexion, regulates the natural moisture in your skin and helps it to rebalance its Ph-level.

7

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

A rich hydrating blend of raw brown sugar, olive oil and apricot oil, combining with the deep penetrating action of the scrub removes dead skin cells and moisturises your skin at the same time. Brown sugar is natually high in glycolic acid, important in keeping your skin vivacious and healthy. The scrub is specifically designed to break down glue-bonded skin cells to support your skin’s cell turnover, leaving your skin feeling revitalised, soft and hydrated.

5

Bamboo Beads Face Scrub

A non-irritating, soothing exfoliator, rich in minerals, providing nourishment to your skin. Bamboo powder is high in silica and minerals and acts as a gentle exfoliant, efficiently removing dead skin cells without damaging delicate tissue.

It renews, re-mineralizes, and conditions your skin and evens out your skin tone to leave a natural, luminous finish. No preservatives, fragrances, alcohol or oil.

7

Cucumber and Lettuce Juice Toner This toner helps to even your skin tone and neutralises the pH balance, providing the finishing touch to your cleansing ritual. Lettuce juice is full of nutrients, minerals and vitamin A, revitalising your skin by stimulating the growth of new healthy skin cells. Cucumber juice contains vitamin C, B1, E and K, leaving your skin moisturised and refreshed with a a hydrated feel and plumper-looking appearance.

This toner is also suitable for sensitive skin.

7

Avocado Body Butter

A rich body butter with high skin penetration and rapid absorption, designed to restore essential fatty acids, natural oils and moisture to your skin. Our fresh, coldpressed, unrefined avocado oil is one of the richest sources of monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, phytosterols, vitamin E and other antioxidants. Our body butter helps to soften skin and reduces the appearance of age spots, improving your skin’s overall appearance.

4

Mango Sorbet Butter Cleanser

The first step in your cleansing ritual. A rich, hydrating cleanser that provides vitamins and nutrients, strengthens your skin’s moisture barrier and balances its oil production. This oil-based cleanser removes oil-based impurities, including sebum, sunscreen and makeup. With its rich fatty acid content, the cleanser helps to hydrate and plump your skin, leaving a soft, refreshed, non-greasy feeling.

4

Okana Skincare PO BOX 217092 Botany Junction Auckland 2164 | Ph: 021981127

[ feature ]

MARKETING & MERCHANDISING MAVENS

E

very great enterprise begins with an idea.

Behind the development of The Engagement Group is an idea. An idea borne of decades of understanding and experience of the dynamics of retail and the complexity and factors influencing our decisions as shoppers.

This idea is summarized by the company identity and reinforces the core premise that when we are engaged, we are ready to purchase.

What leads to that engagement is a coming together of functions, experience and product positioning that ensures that the key messages that influence shopper engagement are well executed and carefully managed.

The founders of Engagement Group, Steve Wright and Rod Smith, have recently brought together a group of companies, experienced individuals and in-field teams that share the vision of providing end-to-end retail solutions delivering effective shopper engagement. Whether a new product launch, critical in-store auditing, sales, replenishment and merchandising, or creating exciting and innovative in-store ‘theatre’, EG delivers across the board capability, including digital marketing strategies.

With extensive experience in general and FMCG retail merchandising and activation and sales and marketing experience across multiple categories, we empower our talented teams to produce their best work, enabling brands to achieve above their expectations.

The EG group of companies and personnel have an impressive history of delivering highly valued services to local and international brands in New Zealand’s best retailers.

24

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

“Engagement Group have been paramount in executing our sales strategy in stores.

The extremely positive outcome could not have been achieved without our partnership.”

- Sistema

Grow your brand with New Zealand’s most experienced retail services agency.

Merchandising, product activation, sales and innovative digital marketing. The team at Engagement Group have vast experience across multiple categories.

We empower our talented teams to produce their best work, enabling brands to grow beyond their expectations.

Contact us today to work with a company who are as passionate about your brand as you are.

Call Managing Director, Rod Smith: +64 21 938 806

en gagem entgroup.co.nz

Ac tivati on

Merch an d is i ng

B roke r a ge

D i gi ta l

[ feature ] MST The Merchandiser Support Team Ltd, was established in 2004. Since that time, we have steadily grown our presence and reputation in the NZ market and now proudly support some of NZ’s finest brands. With a nation-wide team, MST provides fast response coverage that reaches every part of the NZ retail landscape.

Product Placement MST acquired Product Placement in 2015 to add additional national services that we could offer the brands we support. Product Placements delivers product activation, in-store sampling, events and product launch services to a range of top brands across New Zealand.

Selecting, training and supporting top talent, PPL also offers assisted selling in-store to quality brands such as Nespresso.

Topline Marketing

STORELINK PROVIDES AN OUTSOURCING OPTION THAT DELIVERS TANGIBLE OUTCOMES.” GENERAL MANAGER, ANGIE SAMUEL

26

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

Acquired in August 2017, Topline Marketing has established itself, over 30 years, as a leader in the highly competitive FMCG field, specialising in agency, brokerage, brand management, direct sales support and merchandising.

With experienced key account managers, 13 in-field sales people and a team of specialist FMCG merchandisers covering NZ supermarket retail, Topline Marketing offers EG clients with a one-stop partnership, assisting brands to access New Zealand’s grocery, general merchandise and hardware retail footprint. This support is essential to generating growth in market share and sales.

Tribe Mobile With shopper marketing landscape creating unprecedented ‘noise’, brands need to be up to speed with innovative ways to cut through and achieve reach and engagement.

As of this year, EG also adds a new and compelling mobile marketing platform – Tribe Mobile – to ensure that our clients have the opportunity to reach shoppers, loyalty members and new demographics directly on their mobile devices and in social media channels. Tribe also provides powerful data capture capability, redemption methods, analytics and will deliver unlike anything you have seen in mobile marketing.

Today, EG delivers important in-field support and promotion services via its national sales, activation, merchandising teams to many wellknown and important brands.

Start working with a company that cares as much about your brand as you do.

Contact us today.

Storelink’s General Manager, Angie Samuel

Storelink – proudly New Zealand owned Storelink’s General Manager, Angie Samuel told FMCG Business: “Storelink is proudly 100% New Zealand owned, with expertise and experience in retail across a wide variety of channels including grocery, oil, mass retail, as well as boutique retail outlets. With a field team of over 430 merchandisers supported by 21 Field Managers, as well as a dedicated Sales team of 11 Territory Managers who specialize in selling to grocery and Mitre 10 Mega outlets, Storelink is set up to drive great results for your business.

“With pressure on margins continuing to prove a challenge for many businesses, outsourcing is an avenue which continues to gain traction. Storelink’s passion for managing our client’s brands as though they were our own means we can deliver excellent results.

Lanocorp New Zealand’s results are an example of our passion, where Storelink has worked collaboratively with this innovative supplier to deliver growth in Foodstuffs in excess of 50% year on year (Nielsen, MAT to 25 February 2018).

“With over 70 Sales and Merchandising clients, including Sanitarium, Hanes, 3M, Griffins, Trilogy, Atkins and Lewis Road Creamery, as well as Sanofi who have recently returned, Storelink provides an outsourcing option that delivers tangible outcomes. We view ourselves as an extension of our clients’ businesses and love celebrating our clients’ successes. With our ever-expanding portfolio of services, which now includes a team of almost 50 in-store demonstrators country-wide, Storelink can customize a service package that is transparent, provides meaningful insights and exceeds expectations,” says Samuel.

DKSH New Zealand Limited DKSH is the leading market expansion services provider with a focus on Asia Pacific, helping other companies and brands to grow their business in new or existing markets. Publicly listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 2012, DKSH is a global company that is headquartered in Zurich. In New Zealand it employs over 300 staff and has its head office and distribution centre located in Palmerston North.

The company’s best-selling products are very much household names, some of which DKSH have represented for over 20 years, including 3M, Chupa Chups, Ezipop, Jack Link’s, Lindt, Maille, Mentos, Quorn, Peckish, Pfizer and Werther’s.

“DKSH is the largest company in an industry we call market expansion service providers, known as sales and merchandising agencies (SMAs) in New Zealand,” said Paul Harris, General Manager - Sales and Marketing.

“Our expertise and broad local knowledge, together with our infrastructure, enable us to better understand our clients’ needs and to deliver customised solutions to grow their business.”

Aside from DKSH’s proven track record of delivering growth, businesses should consider a partnership as the company gets their clients closer to their market via real-time field information technology. “Our sales teams drive their client’s brands like their own without clients losing ownership or passion. We ensure availability and visibility across multiple channels with our strong grocery team and direct sales team in dairies, oil, airport, retail and convenience routes.”

DKSH offer a comprehensive portfolio of market expansion services tailored to their client’s business needs.

“The most important aspect of a partnership is the people, and DKSH’s sales teams are industry leaders. The sales growth and length of client relationships speak to that.

We welcome the opportunity to introduce DKSH and our high performing team to you and explore ways to grow your business,” said Harris.

For more information contact Paul Harris at paul.harris@dksh.com, phone 021 902 588.

[ feature ] Ashon Ventures Ashon Ventures brings a world of experience, brands and growth opportunities for its New Zealand and Pacific FMCG Partners.

Established in 1989 – Ashon Ventures (NZ) Ltd is part of the wider Ashabhai Group Pacific Distribution network – servicing FMCG markets throughout New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.

Ashon’s full time sales team are assigned to service and support key accounts across all retail channels including: Supermarkets; Wholesalers, Route trade and Hospitality Trade.

Ashon Ventures proudly distribute a wide range of quality house-brand and third-party branded products including Pacific Crown™

Canned Tuna, Mackerel, Sardines, Edible Oils, Sugar, Rice, Biscuits and Sauces; Solo’s Choice™ Coconut Cream, Malee 100% coconut water, Natural Goodness™ Confectionery, Taste of India™ Simmer Sauces and chef-inspired baking and cooking ingredients; Golden Country Canned Meat; de Power Brite™ Cleaning and Home Care, Personal Hygiene and Indepthskincare™ Sunscreen and Osom Spiced Natural Spring Water.

The transformation of Ashon from a ‘distribution company’ to an innovative ‘product-based company’ underlines Ashon’s commitment to efficient value-added supply chains servicing the growing consumer demand for ‘quality and value’.

Double-digit sales growth for key brands is one area where Ashon Ventures has been able to deliver tangible value to their commercial and retail partners.

Ashon Ventures continue to deliver excellent growth opportunities and operational efficiencies for their manufacturing and retail partners via their fast-growing wide reaching sales and distribution channels.

Contact Ashon Ventures to discuss your brand representation: phone 09-274 3030.

With new owners and an exciting new website, Storelink is your retail service partner of choice.

When you choose Storelink as your outsourced retail service partner, you can be assured that our passionate team will take that responsibility seriously and represent your brands as if they are our own.

Our services include: • Tailored field sales and merchandising services • Merchandising retail implementation • Relays • Display builds • Compliance reporting

• • • • •

Demonstrations and tastings Customised, real-time reporting Product recalls Key account management ISP expertise with dedicated resource based at PEL

Read more about the ways in which we can tailor a solution to maximise your sales results at www.storelink.co.nz or call us on 09 475 9039.

Alternatively you can email us at enquiries@storelink.co.nz

PET CARE TRENDS

Global and domestic trends in pet food are in a really exciting phase.

P

remiumisation and humanisation of pet foods has seen a strong shift away from economy and mainstream products into the premium sector. Treats are in strong growth. Customers (and presumably the end consumers) are more interested in what is in pet foods and becoming far more aware of quality and ingredients. There are some strong product characteristics that are trending on the domestic market – health is increasingly important.

Simon Thomas, Divisional Manager for Omega Innovations (A division of the New Zealand King Salmon Company Ltd) explains: “From our perspective, the salmon content of Omega Plus and omega fatty acid in our finished 30

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

products gives a very strong differentiating point. As we own the supply we can use it in much higher volumes than other pet food companies and we can also ensure the best possible quality of the raw materials.”

He adds: “The label ‘Product of New Zealand’ has proven to be a very strong selling point in the domestic and Asian markets in particular. Sustainability and food safety are also becoming increasingly important to purchasers. Provenance and brand story play a big part of the whole picture and help to position our product in a unique position.”

Omega Plus has King salmon as the primary ingredient in all products. The Omega Plus food and treats range consists of dry food for cats

[ category insights ] and dogs, wet food for cats and dogs, freeze dried treats for cats and dogs and a pure king salmon oil – recommended for cats and dogs.

“As we have a very young brand, we have had a number of new products launched in the last 12 months. We are moving wet cat food out to the market now (3 skus) - wet dog food has been in the market for about nine months (3 skus),” says Thomas.

“We have NPD launching soon. We are working on an air dried salmon heart as a pet treat (for cats and dogs). There are lots of other novel salmon products we are considering. We are looking at salmon roe and salmon cheeks as new treats; line extensions in the dry cat and dog offerings; and toppers as these products start to become increasingly more popular. Toppers are wet food used as a treat. We want to look at 100% salmon toppers to add to dry food.

“There are a number of novel salmon products we have access to that are very unique and have the added advantage of great health benefits to animals.

“We are moving all our dry food and treats products into printed pouches. We launched in stand up pouches with labels or sleeves so we could amend our packaging as the brand moved

into the market and to act on feedback we received. We have been through a number of iterations and now feel confident in our brand appearance, messaging and commitment to the packaging volumes needed. This will be hitting the market later this year.

Additionally, we are redesigning our salmon oil bottle,” says Thomas.

Omega Plus contains high levels of marine based long chain essential fatty acids. Thomas explains: “We produce a product that has an ideal range of omega 3 and omega 6.

This ratio and the high levels of salmon we have in our product have an anti-inflammatory response in animals. Additionally, Omega Plus contains astaxanthin – a powerful antioxidant found in salmon, which is proven to have a positive effect on brain function and may aid in reversing the effects of degenerative brain diseases. All our products are made in New Zealand and once we move to printed pouches all our soft plastic will be made in New Zealand also.”

OMEGA PLUS HAS KING SALMON AS THE PRIMARY INGREDIENT IN ALL PRODUCTS.”

New Packaging in stores May For trade enquiries, please contact your local Alliance Marketing representative or phone 09 263 9466

omegaplus.co.nz FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

31

[ category insights ] Pestigon Flea Treatment Pestigon Flea Treatment gives consumers certainty and value for money.

Pestigon flea treatment for cats and dogs has been in the New Zealand market for nearly two years and continues to grow at double digits in the Foodstuffs banner group.1 Deejay O’Dowd, Grocery Account Manager for Multichem says: “Pestigon is a cost-effective flea treatment for cat and dog owners, with three TSM - Nielsen ScanTrack - MAT to 25/02/2018 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Total Cat Food

234,453,143

3.70%

Dry Cat Food

84,086,766

1.80%

Canned Cat Food

56,925,849

2.10%

Pouch Cat Food

50,865,777

4.60%

Wet Cat Food

25,666,888

5.90%

Cat Treat

14,432,158

16.20%

Pet Milk

2,474,681

3.30%

Total Dog Food

177,413,774

5.40%

Dry Dog Food

62,953,652

4.30%

Wet Dog Food

57,378,395

5.10%

Dog Treat

34,109,280

9.10%

Canned Dog Food

21,293,504

5.40%

Pouch Dog Food

1,678,944

-10.70%

Total Pet Accessories

40,166,237

5.70%

Cat & Dog Accessories

26,243,476

8.3%

Bird Feed & Accessories

10,134,625

1.4%

Other Pet Accessories

2,526,196

3.6%

Fish Accessories

1,261,940

-5.4%

months’ supply at less than $30 retail. The active ingredient in Pestigon is Fipronil, which has been trusted in veterinary medicines to eradicate parasites for years. Not only does Pestigon treat fleas, it also treats ticks and lice.”

Of importance to note for cat and dog owners is that due to the life cycle of fleas, New Zealand veterinarians recommend using a flea treatment such as Pestigon regularly, rather than only when fleas are noticeable on their pet. If cats or dogs suffer from flea allergy dermatitis, then constant use of flea treatments is required.2 O’Dowd explains: “95% of fleas are not on the animal, but are developing in the environment where the animal lives. If pet owners only use a flea treatment when they detect fleas on their pet, then this will make it much harder and time consuming to break the life cycle of the fleas.

Prevention of fleas is vital. Pestigon is also proven to be safe and no danger to the animal with constant usage.”

Pestigon is sold in New Zealand by Multichem under the ‘Ethics’ brand, which is well known to consumers for offering quality products and value for money. To find out more about Pestigon and the treatment of fleas, ticks and lice in cats and dogs, either contact Multichem or find Pestigon on Facebook.

Sources: 1. Total Foodstuffs, Current QTR to 18/2/18, Value Sales +27.4%, Unit Sales +22.6% 2. “Flea control – products and their use” by Elizabeth Lee, Proceedings of the NZ Veterinary Nursing Association, 1992

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest Nielsen data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz.

®

On your marks... get set... GONE!

FIPRONIL FLEA and TICK Spot-On Solution

Pestigon® races to kill fleas, ticks & lice in cats and dogs with its fast action and long lasting spot on treatment.

Why pay more than $30 for 3 months flea treatment?

Available from selected New World and Pak’n Save Stores.

Ethics Pestigon Spot On Solution for Cats and Ethics Pestigon Spot On Solution for Dogs contains fipronil. Suitable for use as part of a treatment programme for Flea Allergy Dermatitis. For further information contact Multichem NZ Ltd.

Find Pestigon on facebook

[ good business ]

T&G and All Good come together T&G Global has strengthened its relationship with All Good Bananas beyond ripening and distributing its fruit to managing the supply and sales for growing demand for the leading Fairtrade banana brand.

The two companies have been working together for three years with a real focus on delivering quality Fairtrade fruit to Kiwis produced on the simple principles of being All Good. Good for banana-lovers; good for growers and good for the environment.

The new agreement sees All Good become T&G’s premium Fairtrade banana brand. Combining T&G’s extensive distribution network with the fun and engaging All Good brand will give Kiwis greater access to the tastiest Fairtrade bananas available.

All Good will retain creative ownership of the brand and the two companies will work closely to drive awareness of the All Good benefits across a number of sponsorship and retailer relationships.

“By combining T&G’s strength as one of New Zealand’s larger growers, marketers and distributor of fresh fruit and vegetables with the All Good brand, we’re better able to meet the growing demand from New Zealanders for more sustainable, ethically produced great tasting fruit,” says Andrew Keaney, General Manager New Zealand at T&G. “T&G is committed to growing the Fairtrade produce category in New Zealand and this partnership will help us to achieve this while ensuring a fair return to our growing partners in El Guabo, Ecuador; supporting them, their communities and their businesses,” he says.

Countdown’s partnership with turtle rescue

(L to R) Matt Morrison, Co-founder of All Good Bananas and Andrew Keaney, Executive General Manager, T&G Global.

Did you know?

Kiwis eat an average of 18kgs of bananas per year. Bananas are also a great source of fibre, vitamin C, potassium and manganese, and a very good source of vitamin B6, making them perfect energy food.

Countdown’s three Whangarei stores went plastic bag free at the checkout and online for a day and gave away free reusable bags in celebration of the release of two endangered marine turtles off the Whangarei coast. The initiative was part of Countdown’s new partnership with Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s Turtle Rehabilitation Programme, New Zealand’s only turtle rescue and recovery service.

Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s released the turtles back to the wild near the Poor Knights Islands, after they were in a rehabilitation programme for more than a year.

Daniel Henderson, General Manager, Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s says of the seven species of marine turtles that exist in the world, five can be found in New Zealand waters. All are classified as endangered, with some being on the verge of extinction.

“Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s is dedicated to supporting marine life through our world-class rehabilitation services and 30 years of combined experience, and this release was no exception. After years of rehabilitation and hard work in nursing these turtles – Oscar and Kiwa – back to health, it was very rewarding to see them swim off into the distance,” says Henderson.

“Unfortunately, the awful reality is that most of these turtles are impacted by plastic pollution in our seas. At Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s we are currently looking after a Hawksbill turtle that had ingested three types of plastic. Our aim is to educate the public on the effect plastic pollution has on not just turtles but marine life in general, and we are pleased that Countdown is dedicated to reducing its plastic footprint,” he says.

Kiri Hannifin, Countdown’s General Manager Corporate Affairs, says: “Countdown was the first supermarket in New Zealand to commit to phasing out single use plastic carrier bags from our checkouts and online shopping by the end of this year. We know it’s just one step and there’s more to do to reduce plastic pollution.”

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

33

[ legal advice ]

What are Smart Contracts?

V

Joseph Wright is a commercial solicitor at Steindle Williams Legal, specialising in contract and transactional matters. www.swlegal.co.nz

34

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

irtually all business transactions make use of a contract in some form. Some deals are sealed with a handshake and spoken word, others require written terms and signatures.

The type of contract the parties are willing to use depends on the nature of the relationship and the transaction involved.

When business is conducted between two unknown parties trust becomes a key factor.

Ensuring that mutual trust exists between parties means middlemen such as lawyers are often needed to ensure a business transaction runs smoothly.

For example, when making payment for a large asset you are purchasing, the vendor’s lawyer would first confirm to your lawyer that on receiving payment they would hand the asset over, your lawyer would then pay and provide a confirmation that after making the payment, it would not be reversed. As these confirmations are legally binding between the parties, their cross over creates the trust and the transaction is completed without a hitch.

In order to remove the need (at least in part) for a third party, smart contracts utilise blockchain technology. The blockchain is a peer to peer decentralised ledger or database which has been used primarily as a way to exchange cryptocurrencies up until now. However in terms of how the blockchain works the word ‘exchange’ is slightly misleading. If I want to (generously) give you one bitcoin we request that this transaction is recorded on the peer to peer network of computers known as the blockchain. This network of thousands of computers then simultaneously records and adds to the ledger that I have one less

bitcoin and you have one more bitcoin and the transaction is complete. As this ledger is recorded in a decentralised, unalterable way the system is not controlled by any one agency.

In the same way that blockchain technology can be used to exchange bitcoin it can be used to administer a set of rules. For example, a contract between two parties can be transferred to a program which automatically runs a code and at some point, if the code validates a condition and recognises that payment has been received, the code then automatically determines whether the asset should go to the purchaser or back to the vendor. While this is all happening the decentralised ledger also stores and replicates the transaction which gives it a certain security and immutability.

You might wonder what happens if the code does something shady behind the scenes?

What is important to understand here, is that once a smart contract is in place it will stay there, forever, and is unchangeable. With this in mind, before you agree to participate in a transaction using a smart contract, you should insist on seeing the code that will be used, as once used it is unchangeable and will do as it is designed to. You should also take appropriate expert advice, to avoid the danger of misunderstanding what the code will actually do.

Although everyday use of smart contracts may be some way off, with companies such as Maersk and Amazon creating their own blockchain systems it is only a matter of time before these become a usual occurrence in business transactions.

[ export ]

Being here and there

– the secrets to having in-country presence around the world

A

fter 14 years at Heinz Wattie’s, Shane Don was brought in to GreenMount Foods just under a year ago as GM of Sales & Marketing, to take the growing family SME to next level. I caught up with him to glean some tips on out-of-the-box thinking.

With production facilities in Hawkes Bay (vegetables) and Tauranga (stocks and meals), GreenMount Foods provides high quality meal components for food service, retail and manufacturing customers in Asia, USA, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

Being in-market “As I’ve travelled around the world I’ve found that it pays to have someone on the ground in-market working for you,” says Don. “For example, I may get to Dubai two or three times a year, but it’s not enough. We now have a business manager there working for us who is fully available to visit customers, sort out any problems, get samples out, sort out any issues with products on the wharf, etc.

“We’ve just cracked into the USA and we’ve done the same thing – so we have a business manager based in LA. We’ve also got one in Japan, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong. We’ve found them through networking, relationships, distributors and working with NZTE. “If companies just starting out can’t afford their own in-country manager, I’d recommend partnering with other Kiwi like-minded companies to employ a consultant in-market.”

Chef ambassadors Don has recently introduced a chef ambassador programme, which he aims to employ in each country.

“We’ve just signed up a chef in Sydney who will act as a chef ambassador for us in Australia, NZ and the US. We also have one in Dubai and Japan, and we’re working with a distributor in Singapore to secure one there too.

“The chef ambassadors are really effective at events where they can give cooking demonstrations. It’s valuable having that reputable third party endorsement on the quality of our products, and it frees us up to build relationships with prospective new clients.

“These investments help us remain competitive in the international playing field. As a small company from a small country, we have to innovate and think differently.”

Collaborate onshore to compete offshore One of Don’s tips for other Kiwi exporters is to consider partnerships with like-minded NZ companies that have complementary products.

“We try to team up with meat companies where we can. That allows distributors to have a basket of products to present, and a better return.

“For example, we’re working with a company in Hong Kong that has built a model to import and distribute NZ products. They have some strong partners – such as Fonterra and Alliance – and we’ve joined that group. Within this partnership, we’re working on recruiting a sales person in-market.”

Quality counts “Our products are top-end and have a clean green aspect, especially being from NZ. We also have a paddock to plate story,” says Don. “We can control the supply chain – right from the locally grown vegetables, and everything is made as chefs themselves would make it, from scratch.

“We’re also working on our story telling capability – especially through social media, with videos of our chefs doing cooking demonstrations using our products. We’re focusing on getting our StockShop Co brand out into the market.

“In the future, and as more people get into cooking through watching TV cooking shows and want quality products that chefs use, we aim to expand more into retail space to meet the demand for high quality meal components from New Zealand. We will be making these available online and through retail channels.”

Catherine Beard is Executive Director of ExportNZ, which serves its members via regional offices throughout the country.

To find your nearest office go to www.exportnz.org.nz

CONSIDER PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIKEMINDED NZ COMPANIES.”

Shane Don, GreenMount Foods GM of Sales & Marketing.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

35

[ FGC ]

Celebrating women in the FMCG industry

I Katherine Rich Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council www.fgc.org.nz

WOMEN PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN GROCERY – FROM THE CHECKOUT AND UP. . .”

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

Lion says their success is based on their people, and they’ve backed that up by setting a 50:50 gender target for 2026, launching new inclusion and diversity policies, and embedding a flexible work programme initiative. Last year they won the Work-Life Balance category at the DiversityWorks NZ Awards, and the Gold – Champion at the YWCA Equal Pay Awards.

Nestle are committed to the UN’s Women Empowerment Principles, so enhancing gender balance is a big goal. But they go further. As the world’s biggest food company, they source ingredients from many corners of the world, so they decided to influence their supply chain as well. Not only does their commitment to gender balance affect their New Zealand workforce, it reaches women in the cocoa and coffee supply chain in places such as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia and Ecuador.

I must mention another FGC member, Constellation Brands NZ. They announced a topup to government Paid Parental Leave entitlements so new-parent permanent employees receive their full salary or wages for 18 weeks. Also, those not the primary caregiver can take two weeks on full Setting new goals pay upon the birth of the baby and two further In New Zealand, there was lots going on – from a tea weeks to help their partner return to work or party hosted by the Governor-General, breakfasts and transition a child to daycare. These initiatives lunches and marches by costumed revellers in centres support women and families, and I bet they pay off up and down the country, and speeches by all manner in long-term sustainability of talent. of dignitary, to quiet in-house company celebrations.

These are just some of what’s happening in the It was a great day to celebrate the social, economic, industry, and they make me proud to be part of it. cultural and political achievements of women, and to Of course, there’s always more to do. There are, set new goals. for example, very few FMCG chief executives and I spent a good part of it at two of the food and managing directors who are women (I can think of grocery industry’s biggest companies – Lion and Karen Jenkins of General Mills), and very few sales Nestle. I was delighted to be invited to speak to their directors (Rachel Stotter of Goodman Fielder). We staff because both companies have strong diversity still also see too many FMCG company boards policies and work hard to encourage more women to with no women directors. reach senior leadership.

FGC has moved to be a catalyst for further change by hosting diversity seminars, and I know from the response to those that change will happen. Women play a vital role in grocery – from the checkout and up – and when I look at the work being done by our members, I’m confident we’ll make good progress.

But it won’t happen unless we focus on improving participation.

That’s why I celebrate International Celebrating International Women’s Day with the Nestle New Zealand team.

Women’s Day each year. nternational Women’s Day celebrations continue to grow in prominence each year.

This year was bigger than ever. Perhaps it had something to do with the activism for women’s equality fuelled by the #MeToo and #Timesup movements that have been sweeping parts of the world.

There was certainly no end of stories in the media, prompted by the #PressforProgress catchcry to motivate and unite friends, colleagues and communities to think, act and be gender inclusive in the workplace and in life.

In New York, a Wall Street firm put up a bronze statue of a small girl in front of Lower Manhattan’s massive bronze charging bull to call attention to the lack of gender diversity on corporate boards and the pay gap of women in financial services there. Even Barbie honoured America’s inspiring women of the past and present by choosing 17 modern-day and historic role models, ranging from Amelia Earhart to Katherine Johnson, to honour with a doll in their likeness. McDonald’s contribution was to turn the golden arches upsidedown to create a W.

[ Buy NZ made ]

Focus on priorities

A

fter 11 wonderful years at the Buy NZ Made Campaign, I have decided it is time to move on. As this is my last article for FMCG Business magazine, I wanted to thank you all for being an amazing audience and provide some last basic tips.

One of the biggest blocks to achieving success that we see for many of the professionals we deal with is not having enough time in the day to do what they feel they need to do.

So how do you cut through the work and achieve those tasks that are important for your business?

There are many articles on the web offering some great suggestions, but based on our experience, here are some basic tips easily implemented by all businesses, which should help keep you organised and save a little time.

1.Do not continually check your digital messages (social or email), set aside certain times of the day to do this.

You will find that, if you are continually checking your messages, your focus will change from the task you are currently engaged on to whatever the other emails need you to action. You will be far more efficient if you complete the task at hand before starting on another.

2. Keep your workspace and your inbox tidy.

Available research indicates an uncluttered desk enhances productivity as generally things are easier to find, making tasks easier to perform. In one particular study, researchers asked participants to solve a puzzle in a cluttered and in a clean environment. The people working in a cleaner

environment were able to get the job done faster.

Having a clean and uncluttered work environment also has other benefits, such as increased security.

This policy also works well for your email inbox.

Create folders for follow-up, to action and for completed actions and file emails accordingly as you open and deal with them.

3. Prioritise by importance and urgency.

We all have a list of things we need to do. If you have not yet written them down, do so now as this will immediately help you to prioritise those items with deadlines that align with the success of your business and are therefore important. You will also clearly see the less urgent stuff that can wait.

If you have some larger tasks on your list, break these down into smaller tasks, it will help make them more manageable. Depending on your job, it may help you to revise your list every morning.

4. Look after yourself.

We often hear and see how tired busy people are, easy to spot as they are a little unfocused, can make mistakes and often miss important information.

The best way to stay efficient at work is to make sure you are well rested and have time for yourself and your family. When you are well rested, you might find you achieve a task in one or two hours, which could have otherwise taken three to four hours. Also, problems never look quite as bad as they did when you were tired and stressed.

Working long hours every day will soon undermine your efficiency.

Hopefully this was of some help and I wish you all fantastic success now and moving forward!

Trina Snow Manager Buy NZ Made www.buynz.org.nz

THE BEST WAY TO STAY EFFICIENT AT WORK IS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE WELL RESTED.�

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

37

I

NZ CHAMPIONS OF CHEESE

n a year where the international Master Judge said the quality of New Zealand-made cheese has never been better, the top two awards have gone to small, independent cheesemakers.

Countdown Champion of Champions Cheese – Commercial, was awarded to The Cheese Barn Organic Cumin Seed Gouda, and Puhoi Valley Champion of Champions Cheese – Artisan was awarded to Clevedon Buffalo Ricotta.

Master Judge Russell Smith, from Australia, who judges cheeses at competitions around the world, said the quality of New Zealand cheese continues to improve. He says New Zealanders should be proud of the local cheese available from their supermarket or cheesemonger.

For more than 20 years Kelvin and Cathy Haigh have owned and run The Cheese Barn in the Thames-Coromandel district.

They make BioGro certified organic cheeses and yoghurts that are unhomogenised, gluten free, have no GMO, no artificial additives, no antibiotics or growth hormones and no chemical sprays. They have

The judges at AUT in Auckland.

38

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

entered cheese in the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards since 1998 winning many medals. This is the first trophy-winning cheese, and so the first time they have also been awarded the commercial champion of the show.

Master Judge Russell Smith said “this Cumin Seed Gouda was an absolutely superb cheese and that’s why it’s been named champion.

The flavour profile exhibited all the best characteristics of this traditional style. The piquancy of the cumin blending beautifully with the slightly sweet yet savoury notes of the cheese.”

To be eligible for the Champion of Champions Commercial cheesemakers must produce over 25 tonnes per annum.

Puhoi Valley Champion of Champions Cheese – Artisan, Clevedon Buffalo Ricotta Owned and operated by Richard and Helen Dorresteyn, Clevedon Buffalo Co. south of Auckland was the first commercial buffalo farm

MC Mike Puru presents the Awards.

[ events ] in New Zealand. They own 150 Riverine water buffalo and use their milk, which contains more protein and calcium and roughly half the cholesterol of cow’s milk, to make a delicious range of mozzarella, bocconcini, yoghurt, marinated cheese and ricotta.

Smith said “What an amazing feat for a fresh style of cheese to win Champion. This indicates just how good this ricotta really is. Sweet with just a hint of savoury all balanced by a superb texture from the buffalo milk. Ricotta just doesn’t get any better than this.”

To qualify for the Champion of Champions Artisan cheesemakers must produce less than 25 tonnes annually.

Three Trophies for Meyer Cheese Waikato’s Meyer Cheese were also significant winners, collecting three trophies: Milk Test NZ Champion Cheesemaker Award for Geert Meyer, Eurofins NZ Champion European Style Cheese Award for Meyer Maasdam and Martinborough Vineyard Champion Flavoured Cheese Award for their Meyer Cracked Pepper cheese.

This was the 15th NZ Champions of Cheese Awards, run by the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association. More than 2000 kg of cheeses were assessed by 28 expert judges at the AUT School of Hospitality and Tourism. They awarded; 23 trophies, 41 gold medals, 66 silver medals and 53 bronze medals to New Zealand cheesemakers.

The NZ Champion of Cheese trophy winners were announced at a Gala event on Thursday 15 March.

Chris Anderson, New World Merchandise Manager and Debbie Van Leeuwen, Business Manager FSNI, Global Consumer & Foodservice - with the Champion Cheese Lover’s Award.

Cheesemaker Miel Meyer of Meyer Cheese scored several awards.

Jason Tarrent (Puhoi Cheese) presents the NZ Champion of Champions Artisan Cheese award to Richard Dorrestyn of Clevedon Buffalo Co.

NZ CHAMPIONS OF CHEESE AWARDS TROPHY WINNERS 2018 Countdown Champion of Champions Cheese Award – Commercial The Cheese Barn Organic Cumin Seed Gouda – The Cheese Barn Puhoi Valley Champion of Champions Cheese Award – Artisan Clevedon Buffalo Ricotta – Clevedon Buffalo Co Milk Test NZ Champion Cheesemaker Award Geert Meyer – Meyer Cheese Green Valley Dairies Champion Fresh Un-Ripened Cheese Award Clevedon Buffalo Ricotta – Clevedon Buffalo Co Kiwi Labels Champion Feta Cheese Award Zany Zeus Creamy Feta – Zany Zeus CHR Hansen Champion Soft White Rind Cheese Award Thorvald Sheep Milk Camembert - Thorvald 180 degrees Champion Goat Cheese Award Talbot Forest Goat Parmesan - Talbot Forrest Cheese Sheep Milk NZ Champion Sheep Cheese Award Thorvald Sheep Milk Curado - Thorvald Thermaflo Champion Washed Rind Cheese Award Puhoi Valley Cellar Range Washed Rind – Puhoi Valley Cheese

Ecolab Champion Blue Cheese Award Puhoi Valley Matured Kawau Blue – Puhoi Valley Cheese Eurofins NZ Champion European Style Cheese Award Meyer Maasdam - Meyer Cheese AsureQuality Champion Dutch Style Cheese Award Barrys Bay Aged Cumin Gouda – Barrys Bay Traditional Cheese Ministry for Primary Industries Champion New Cheese Award Clevedon Buffalo Cherry Mozzarella – Clevedon Buffalo Co Fonterra Co-operative Group Champion Original Cheese Award Over the Moon Southern Cross by Neil Willman - Over the Moon Dairy Tetra Pak Champion Cheddar Cheese Award Fonterra Lichfield NZMP Strong Cheddar - Fonterra Co-operative Group Emerson’s Farmhouse Cheese Award Thorvald Sheep Milk Camembert - Thorvald Martinborough Vineyard Champion Flavoured Cheese Award Meyer Cracked Pepper – Meyer Cheese Renco New Zealand Champion Export Cheese Award Kapiti Kikorangi – Fonterra Brands NZ AUT School of Hospitality and Tourism Aspiring Cheesemaker Thomas Fredrickson – Mercer Cheese New World Cheese Lovers’ Choice Award Kapiti Kahurangi Creamy Blue – Fonterra Brands NZ Cheese Lovers’ Choice Favourite NZ Cheese Company Award in association with New World Whitestone Cheese Co Cas-Pak Products Ltd Champion Cheese Packaging Award Clevedon Marinated Buffalo Cheese – Clevedon Buffalo Co Curds & Whey Champion Home Crafted Cheese & Cheesemaker Tony Hamblyn, Karaka Brick Gold FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

39

[ events ]

Innovation, growth the name of the game

H

elen of Troy was the face that launched a thousand ships, but Fine Food New Zealand is fast becoming the hospitality, food retail and food service show launching a thousand Kiwi businesses.

No other trade event gives small artisan producers a big chance to showcase products to a targeted, qualified audience of trade delegates on this scale. For example, Creative Edge Food got 385 leads and improved turnover by 20%.

It’s evidence like this that already has Artisan Alley fully booked – the place where small scale innovators can break into the mainstream by impressing the ‘who’s who’ of the retail, culinary and hospitality industries.

In fact, demand is so great that Fine Food New Zealand is creating additional affordable stand options – alongside the SilverChefs seminar series - to cater for the growing demand from newcomers looking to make their mark at the country’s biggest and most significant trade show of its kind.

It’s not just the domestic producers. This year, 40+ international

exhibitors are on board, including from Australia, the Pacific Islands, Malaysia, Thailand, UK, Japan and the USA. The best in beverages are on display thanks to Top Shelf, and event catering by Little Wolf ensures delegates won’t only see the best food and drink on offer but enjoy it too. The exclusive Networking Lounge is sure to be a major drawcard for meeting, greeting, eating and doing deals.

With four halls, 10,000 square metres of space, more than 330 exhibitors, the Mojo Cafe Hub, Wellington’s Finest, Fonterra feature, SilverChef Seminar Series, the Innovation Showcase and Awards and much, much more, the facts are simple: Fine Food New Zealand is the event of the year for producers, distributors, hoteliers, event organisers, processors and marketers.

Book your place now for the trade only show of the year.

Entry is free of charge for registered trade delegates and takes place from June 24-26 at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland.

To register, visit finefoodnz.co.nz.

FOOD. IT’S OUR BUSINESS. You’re invited to New Zealand’s leading food industry trade show – Fine Food New Zealand 2018.

Touch, taste and experience what’s cooking in the food retail, foodservice and hospitality sectors. Discover cutting-edge food, drink, and equipment from leading producers, learn the latest industry trends, meet new contacts and suppliers, and network with your peers.

Strictly trade only.

Register now for FREE entry at www.finefoodnz.co.nz using code: FMCG3

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FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

24 – 26 June 2018 ASB SHOWGROUNDS AUCKLAND NZ www.finefoodnz.co.nz

Best BBQs, bourbon and brews

S

moky flavours, slow-cooked meat and spicy sauces are right on trend, so we decided to check it all out at Meatstock festival in Auckland. It was great to see the barbecue movement in full swing there, over a weekend that was jam-packed with delicious burgers, brisket, bourbon, brews and live music.

Meatstock also hosted two of the meatiest names in the BBQ world: Tuffy Stone and Hillbilly Wes. These two smokin’ Pitmasters were in charge of BBQ classes and demonstrations for competitors and the public. Tuffy Stone is one of the most successful guys on the competition BBQ circuit and has amassed an amazing 37 Grand Championships. Known as “The Professor” for his attention to detail, Tuffy is a classically trained French Chef, who became obsessed with barbecuing and is now a judge on America’s huge reality TV show BBQ Pitmasters, whilst expanding his BBQ restaurants around the USA. Over 50 teams from across New Zealand battled it out at the second Meatstock NZ BBQ wars for $8,000 in cash and prizes and more importantly to be crowned the best barbecuers in the land. Over 20 butchers went head to head to win the NZ’s best butcher title and Culley’s King of the Que - a competition using a traditional barbecue – was designed to find the nation’s best Burger, Wings, Steak and Bacon.

There were loads of winners at Meatstock – but smoking the competition to be crowned Culley’s King of the Que with wins in both the Bacon and Burger categories was the Smugglers Bar BBQ team from Waiheke, the only team to take home two trophies.

Events 2018 APRIL

JULY

6-8 THE FOOD SHOW Horncastle Arena Christchurch, NZ www.foodshow.co.nz/whats-on/ christchurch-2018/

26-29 THE FOOD SHOW ASB Showgrounds Auckland, NZ www.foodshow.co.nz

MAY 2 OUTSTANDING NZ FOOD PRODUCER AWARDS Fresh Factory Auckland, NZ https:// outstandingfoodproducer.nz/ 9-10 CLEAN NZ ASB Showgrounds Auckland, NZ www.cleannzexpo.co.nz 11-13 THE FOOD SHOW Westpac Stadium Wellington, NZ www.foodshow.co.nz

JUNE

SEPTEMBER 1 GROCERY CHARITY BALL SkyCity Auckland, NZ http://grocerycharityball.org/ 18-20 FOODTECH PACKTECH ASB Showgrounds Auckland, New Zealand www.foodtechpacktech.co.nz

OCTOBER 6-7 THE CHOCOLATE & COFFEE SHOW The Cloud Auckland, NZ https://chocolatecoffeeshow. co.nz

24-26 FINE FOOD NZ ASB Showgrounds Auckland, NZ www.finefoodnz.co.nz

15 FMCG Business Head of Content Tamara Rubanowski and partner, Rex Wainwright.

Free-range Patagonian lamb with corn salsa and hot sauce from Miss Moonshines.

15

Visit the websites and contact the event organisers for further details and updates.

To have your event listed in FMCG Business email: trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz.

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

41

Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 October 2018 The Cloud, Auckland Waterfront Stands and partnerships now available!

Contact Sam: swood@intermedianz.co.nz

[ social sphere ]

Out & About

ten awards at the The Countdown team won ng Association Awards. recent NZ Direct Marketi

(L to R) Founder Sir Geo rge Fistonich and Winemaker Gianni Flego celebrate Villa Maria’s 12 gold s and two trophies at the Royal Easter Sho w Wine Awards.

Steven Cole (Owner) and Craig Taylor (Butchery Manager) at New World Otaki won the Best Pork Sausage Award in the annual New World North Island Sausage competition.

SNAP & WIN!

(L to R) Bevan Lyn ch, GM Tea Total ; Dale Spencer, Publishe r Intermedia NZ ; and Hayley McLarin at the NZ Champions of Cheese Award s.

Has your team moved to new premises, or been part of a fun event, great harvest, or promotional activity? Send us your favourite snapshots to be in the draw to win a Maison Therese gift pack (worth $70) including all six Maison Therese relishes, a jar of pickled onions and pickled gherkins, plus an apron.

Just email your high res image with a caption to trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz

FMCG BUSINESS - APRIL 2018

43

www.theshout.co.nz April 2018

PLUS PINOT GRIS ■ MEET THE WINEMAKER ■ HIGH-STRENGTH BEER NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIQUOR AUDIENCE

From a place where nature runs wild.

Crafted by explorers who write their own rules, comes a wine that tastes like adventure feels.

Unbounded. Unexpected. Untamed.

To order contact your Quench Collective representative or call 0800 946 326

sacredhill.com

[ editorial ]

Big and small, we love it all

The Shout Editor Charlotte Cowan

INNOVATION IS something we Kiwis are pretty good at – but at the same time, we can be wary of change. When the screwcap was introduced on wine bottles, the general consensus amongst wine lovers was ‘holddddd onnnnnn, this is just not ok’. But a few years, and many millions of bottles later, you’d be lucky to find a corked wine that isn’t sparkling produced in this country.

Will the same be true for wine in a can? This phenomenon (you might call it) is relatively new to New Zealand, with canned wines sporadically popping up over the past couple of years. But wine producers such as Misty Cove and Joiy are predicting canned wines are the way of the future – especially for Millenials.

Would you be happy to pop a tab off a cheeky Rosé? If the answer is no, then take a look at Can do attitude on pgs 7-9, we might just change your mind.

From small wine to big beer, we also take a look at high-strength brews this month in Still going strong on pgs 16-17.

This category has been expanding in New Zealand and consumers now, more than ever, are searching for higher ABVs. Beer writer Neil Miller chats to brewers Jason Bathgate and Luke Nicholas to find out more.

Are you loving our new website at www.theshout.co.nz? If you haven’t visited yet, then make sure you take a look. And we’re super-happy with all our likes and followers on Instagram and Facebook @theshoutnz – keep it up!

See you next month.

CONTENTS April 2018

15

4

News and industry insights

7

Can do attitude Soda, beer and now wine – it’s in a can, but is it here to stay?

10

Plush Pinot Gris Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS

13

The wine regions of New Zealand A map showing all the places you can drink a good drop

15

Hopping busy at 2018 NWBCA judging Insights from Chief Steward Craig Bowen

14

Meet the winemaker Introducing some of New Zealand’s winemaking experts

16

Still going strong Beer writer Neil Miller takes a look at higher alcohol beers

Editor’s picks

Joiy Sparkling White Wine If you haven’t tried wine in a can yet, you’re missing out. These super-portable little cans will bring a lot of joy (see what I did there?) to your life. But don’t worry, the quality of canned wine doesn’t equate to cask wine. Joiy won a Silver Medal at the NZ International Wine Show in the open Sparkling and Champagne category in 2017 so it’s fair to say, it’s delish. For more on this innovative trend in wine packaging, head to pgs 7-9.

Maude Central Otago Pinot Gris 2017 Combining lush fruit from premium vineyards in Central Otago, including Maude’s family-owned vineyard in Wanaka, Mt Maude, this Pinot Gris has aromas of ripe pear, quince and brioche, leading to a rich textured palate. For more on some of New Zealand’s best Pinot Gris, take a look at Cameron Douglas tasting notes on pgs 10-11.

McLeod’s Brewery Traders Scotch Ale This 7.2% ABV Ale from Northland’s McLeod’s Brewery incorporates McLeod’s house English ale yeast and rich, caramelladen malts to create the perfect tribute to Waipu’s immigrant Scottish traders. It’s just one example of the many higher-strength beers that Kiwi brewers are producing (and consumers are loving).

For more on why big ABVs are going from strength to strength, take a look at Neil Miller’s beer feature on pgs 16-17.

MANAGING DIRECTOR-PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136

EDITOR Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 774 080 SALES MANAGER Sam Wood swood@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 256 6351

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

3

[ news ]

Sacred Hill releases 2015 Special Selection reds SACRED HILL has announced the addition of three red wines from the 2015 vintage to its Special Selection collection – a category reserved strictly for the pinnacle of the craft. To be deemed worthy for Special Selection status, the wine is only produced in outstanding vintages from top quality fruit.

The Special Selection reds, which are available now, are all from the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay and include the Helmsman – a tightly bound, elegant yet powerful red wine; the Deerstalkers Syrah - intensely coloured with tremendous depth of flavour; and the Brokenstone – a wine with mouth-filling richness and meaty complexity.

Born from Hawke’s Bay vineyards and optimum conditions, all three wines were fermented in small open-topped fermenters, then aged in French oak for maximum balance, structure and flavour.

“Our Gimblett Gravels reds have proven themselves again and again at blind tastings around the world and this vintage is proving to be one of our finest,” says Sacred Hill Winemaker, Jack Cornes. “2015 was our third sensational vintage in a row and it’s in vintages like these that we really get to capture the essence of the vineyards and let the varieties shine through. These wines will definitely reward those who wait - if they have patience!”

The Special Selection collection is available from selected wine stores and Quench Collective and can enjoyed now or cellared for 10-15 years.

Babich Wines announces new Principal BABICH WINES has announced that André Babich will André Babich join the family wine business in the role of Principal, after 18 years in investment banking.

Continuing the growth of Babich Wines, André Babich joins his father, uncle, cousin and colleagues, following 18 years with Macquarie Capital. His focus at Babich will be on key projects across the business.

André is a grandson of Babich Wines’ founder, Josip Babich, a third generation family participant, and an existing Director of Babich Wines.

Executive Director Joe Babich says it is a fascinating time for their industry and business. “We’re seeking aggressive growth, investing significantly, and there is a lot of change,” he says. “We’re thrilled to have André’s expertise and day-to-day involvement as we continue to expand.”

André says he always expected he would join the business in time. “It’s a responsibility and a luxury to do so now, continuing the family tradition.”

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS FOLLOW US ON 4

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

Sir George Fistonich

Villa Maria named No.1 NZ wine brand for fourth year VILLA MARIA has been named the highest ranking New Zealand winery in the World’s Most Admired Wine Brands list for the fourth consecutive year.

In the survey, done by global beverage publication Drinks International, judges focus on consistency or improvement in quality, the wine being a true reflection of the country of origin, and meeting the needs and tastes of its target consumer, as well as marketing and packaging.

Sir George Fistonich, founder and president of Villa Maria Estate, says that for a relatively young winemaking nation like New Zealand, inclusion on this list is immensely powerful for New Zealand wine and the New Zealand export sector.

“Being named as the most admired wine brand in New Zealand four years in a row is testament to the level of quality our wines consistently deliver and shows we exceed in all the award criteria,” he says. “It’s such an amazing recognition for Villa Maria and I’m incredibly proud that we continue to rate the highest New Zealand winery on this most prestigious of lists.”

Spain’s Familia Torres topped the World’s Most Admired Wine Brands list for the second consecutive year, followed by Chile’s Concha y Toro and Australia’s Penfolds.

CHECK OUT THESHOUT.CO.NZ

[ news & industry insights ]

Foodstuffs announces responsible drinking campaign FOODSTUFFS, In a joint initiative with Cheers NZ, has launched a new campaign set to subvert the old adage that ‘eating’s cheating’ with a new message for New Zealanders to ‘Always Graze When You Liaise’.

The campaign, featuring former youth worker turned social media star, William Waiirua, aims to drive home a vital responsible drinking message – to eat while drinking alcohol.

“This campaign is not about me telling you with whom, how often, how much, with what and where you liaise,” says Waiirua. “It’s about showcasing Kiwi occasions and offering ideas on how you can Always Graze When You Liaise.”

Cheers NZ spokesman Matt Claridge says the campaign is targeted at driving behavioural change across a new generation of Kiwi drinkers.

“It’s no longer cool to encourage unsocial drinking habits, like not eating.

Our goal is to change the way Kiwis approach drinking alcohol to ensure good habits like eating, keeping hydrated, pacing yourself, knowing what a standard drink looks like and planning your night to get home safely are formed early,” he says.

“William Waiirua is the perfect front person to share this message with New Zealanders through his ability to connect with people in a fun and entertaining manner.”

Registrations are open for Top Shelf 2018 REGISTRATIONS ARE now open for New Zealand’s largest trade liquor event, Top Shelf 2018.

Scheduled to take place from 24 to 26 June 2018, Top Shelf – a component of Fine Food New Zealand – is a liquor festival dedicated to wine, beer, spirits, craft drinks and suppliers. Top Shelf will combine some of the best local and international brands in one place, including Good George, Misty Cove, Harrington’s Breweries, Yealands Wine Group and many more.

There will also be The Shout Lounge, offering demonstrations, tastings, mixology, educational sessions and meet-and-greets.

Exhibitor, event partner and Managing Director of Intermedia Group New Zealand, Dale Spencer, says Top Shelf is a must-attend event for the FMCG sector.

“Grocery and retail liquor merchants should definitely register to come along to Top Shelf at Fine Food,” he says. “Exciting new liquor brands, new product launches and much more will be on show!”

For more information and to register for the event, visit www.finefoodnz.co.nz.

Limited exhibitor stands are still available, for bookings contact Sam MackeyWood on 021 256 6351 or swood@intermedianz.co.nz.

GABS here we come!

MELBOURNE’S GABS Festival (Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular) is one of the top beer events in this corner of the planet.

It’s so popular that the Melbourne-based Martin Craig event now operates Brewers Guild of New Zealand spin-off festivals in www.brewersguild.org.nz Sydney and Auckland.

Hosted in the spectacular Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building, GABS 2018 starts on 18 May. It runs to 20 May in Melbourne – the Sydney event is on 2 June and Auckland is 30 June.

With days of beer-related events all around Melbourne before and during GABS, this is the prime time for a migration of Kiwi brewers across the Tasman to display their wares and check out brewing’s next big thing.

One of the biggest attractions at GABS is the range of one-off brews produced for the festival. Brewers enjoy experimenting and showing off their chops.

Visitors get the chance to try something unique, and sometimes odd!

This year, Queenstown’s Altitude Brewing is experimenting with a Gruit - an ancient beer style that pre-dates the introduction of hops to Europe. Altitude’s Ik Ben Gruit uses a combination of juniper, lavender, cherry bark and stone fruit, fermented with a spicy Belgian yeast and then aged in Chardonnay barrels.

McLeod’s Brewery is also following a Belgian theme, with a Red Saison with Brettanomyces. Brewer Jason Bathgate said, as we went to print: “Still tasting young, fruity with a bit of cherry spice, lightly sour. No funk yet but that could change!”

The Pink Boots women’s brewing collective brewed up at 8 Wired as part of the International Women’s Day brew. Starting with a black IPA, the batch was split so Pink Boot’s GABS entry could be aged further in bourbon barrels.

And working on the logic that it’s easier to transport 100kg of brewer than 16,000L of beer, Liberty’s Joe Wood travelled to Melbourne’s Hawkers Beer to make a GABS collaboration with Hawkers and Adelaide’s Wheatsheaf.

“We are calling it Framboise a Trois. It’s a Raspberry Milkshake Sour IPA, 6.5% ABV with minimal hopping.

It’s brewed using raspberries and lactose, with extra raspberries added in the fermenters.”

Martin is a beer writer and journalist FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

5

International Credentials for Sommeliers An exciting opportunity for the wine and hospitality sectors of New Zealand has once again become available to all wine and service professionals.

The Court of Master Sommeliers is returning to New Zealand to offer its highly prestigious certification programme. The first two levels of the four level Sommelier Programme will again be available to career minded individuals who have a passion for people, service, wine and beverages.

The Court of Master Sommeliers is an internationally recognised examining body. Career minded individuals who want or require the correct credential for their chosen profession can engage in this programme to enhance their career, employment prospects and further validate their role in the hospitality sector.

Sommeliers can and do make a significant difference to beverage sales in any On or Off-premise business.

WHEN AND WHERE Introductory Course and exams May 26th - 28th 2018: Lakeside Room, Villa Maria, Mangere, Auckland. $850.00 programme and exam fee*.

Limited to 40 participants.

Certified Sommelier Exams May 28th: Lakeside Room, Villa Maria, Mangere, Auckland $500.00 Exam fee. Limited to 20 Participants.

ENQUIRIES to: Cameron J. Douglas – Master Sommelier email: cameron@guildsomm.com For more information about the Court of Master Sommeliers please visit: www.courtofmastersommeliers.org.

Comprehensive textbook available now NZ$80.00. *Members or new members of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association are offered a discount to the Level One course. http://www.sommelier.co.nz/

[ wine feature ]

CAN DO ATTITUDE

Soda, beer and now wine – it’s in a can, but is it here to stay?

The Shout NZ Editor Charlotte Cowan asks those in the know.

WINE IN a can. It’s not something that we Kiwis have a lot of experience producing (or drinking) but times, my friends, they are a changin’. This innovative packaging of our favourite grape drop is becoming big business and we have seen an increasing number of Kiwi canned wine options popping up in the last year alone.

But while we’re just starting to jump on the wine in a can bandwagon, in the US and Canada canned wine is now one of the fastest growing categories, with sales in the United States increasing 437% since 2015 (Nielsen 2017) and more than 50 canned wine brands available (including a house brand from retailer Trader Joe’s that sells for US$1 a can}. In fact, canned wine has been produced in the States since as early as 2004, when famed Hollywood filmmaker, and winemaker, Frances Ford Coppola created his now infamous pink 187ml Sofia Blanc de Blanc in a can (complete with straw). Coppola initially created the full-size bottled wine as a gift to his daughter Sofia Coppola (also a Hollywood filmmaker) but wanted to produce mini versions as well. Coppola didn’t want plastic screw tops

on his mini bottles of bubbles, he wanted corks – but that was too hard. And so the idea of putting the wine in a can was born.

“The more we kind of played with the idea, the more we warmed up to it,” said Earl Martin, former president of Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery. “We realised we could make a can very cool and very elegant.”

And consumers thought it was cool too – the Sofia Blanc de Blanc Mini took off. Oprah called it one of her “favourite things” and Wine Business Monthly called it “the hottest packaging innovation to hit the wine industry”. After an initial run of 5,000 sold out, the company upped production to 50,000 for its next run and it is still for sale today (alongside its sister can, Sofia Brut Rosé Mini).

Perusing the liquor store shelves in New Zealand, you will now find the likes of Misty Cove ‘de-Can-ters’ of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Sparkling Wine; Joiy Sparkling White and Sparkling Rosé; Crafters Union Rosé, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc; and Jacobs Creek Moscato. While Millennials have, until recently, largely been ignored as a driving consumer

Sofia Blanc de Blanc Mini

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

7

IF POOR QUALITY WINE HAD BEEN INTRODUCED THROUGH THE CAN, IT WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED AS A CATEGORY.” CATH ARCHER, CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF JOIY

for the wine industry, wine producers are now taking notice of their drinking habits and, just as canned beer has made a comeback in the craft beer category, canned wine is gaining momentum for its convenience, portability and sustainability, amongst other driving factors.

“With today’s young consumer, the price [of alcohol] isn’t as important as it used to be,” says Andrew Bailey, Founder and Managing Director of Misty Cove Wine Group Ltd, which released its first wine in a can in New Zealand in 2016. “With social media, they need to be seen with cool products to help stand out amongst their peers - and the cans tick this box, especially with it being wine with no additives.”

Misty Cove’s Andrew Bailey

Joiy’s Cath Archer

8

Bailey says wine in a can has gained momentum in the industry because it suits our outdoor Kiwi lifestyle and that the pros of wine in a can far outweigh the cons for the consumer.

“There is no oxidation (which can happen with cork) and no light strike (which can happen with bottle),” he says. “They are also portable and there is no wastage, which can happen with 750ml bottle product, especially if one person opens the bottle and only drinks half the bottle and then tips it out.”

Cath Archer, Co-Founder and Director of Joiy, which is currently the largest exporter of wine in a can from Australia and New Zealand, says that environmentally, the wine industry will be driven by the canned format more and more.

“Glass is not as recyclable as aluminium, which is the most recyclable vessel. The cost of freight is halved and the industry can’t ignore that for too long,” she says. “Biodynamic and organic drivers for wineries must lead to the use of cans and alternative packaging to fit their philosophy of looking after the environment.”

And while some people may screw their nose up at wine in a can, thinking they will be compromising on quality or taste, both Archer and Bailey say this is simply not the case.

“There is an assumption that if it’s in a can, it will be less quality, but the wines released in New Zealand, Australia, US and Canada are largely of high quality wine that has been sold in bottles for some years and happily enjoyed by consumers,” says Archer. “If poor quality wine had been introduced through the can, it would not have survived as a category and thrived as the fastest growing wine segment [in the US].”

Bailey says Misty Cove, which is 99% a bottled wine producer, including both sustainable and certified organic wine, has run numerous blind tastings with wine in a can and tasters are unable to pick which product comes from a can versus a bottle.

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

[ wine feature ] “It’s simply ‘perception’,” he says. “Because it comes in a can, consumers automatically think it’s less quality. The same happened with the screw-cap when it was introduced, but through education, screw-cap is now the norm. The same will happen with wine in can as long as wine producers put the same wine in can as they do in bottled product.”

Archer says that while consumers are happy to have their soda or beer in a can, for some reason many assume the taste will be compromised with wine. “For those who like to have the aroma and the tactile feel of glass as part of the wine drinking experience, then pouring it in to a glass is how it’s best drunk. How often do we feel obligated to drink wine straight from the bottle? Yet people seem to think we are suggesting this with a can. It just provides both options,” she says.

Bailey says the future of wine in a can is bright in New Zealand as long as consumers and the industry are educated.

“We need to remember we are not trying to convert consumers from bottle to can, all we’re doing is offering another packaging to assist with convenience,” he says.

Archer agrees that wine in a can is here to stay and says that hopefully it will encourage consumers to try something out of their comfort zone - in terms of packaging, as well as varietal.

“The consumer is more likely to explore different varieties as it’s not a big risk at around $5-8 for a can,” she says. “This will translate into them having confidence in buying a 750ml bottle. I pick a resurgence in Chardonnay (I say hopefully)!”

Misty Cove ‘The Embezzler’ Pinot Noir, ‘The Charlatan’ Sauvignon Blanc and ‘The Hustler’ Sparkling Wine

WE TOAST THE MISCHIEF MAKERS with their spells of laughter and the game changers who alter our ever after.

We cherish the irreverent.

The gracious. The dare devils and the angels.

Here’s to blue sky dreamers and free thinkers.

The smart. The savvy.

The down to earth and audacious.

MAKE THE ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY!

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

9

[ tasting notes ]

Plush Pinot Gris Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. He is a Senior Lecturer at AUT University in Auckland, local and international wine judge, wine commentator and wine educator as well as a speaker and presenter in New Zealand and internationally.

Cameron is also an examiner with the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide. He writes the wine lists for a variety of establishments including Merediths, Mekong Baby, Nanam Republic and Michelin-Starred New York establishment The Musket Room.

10

The right combination of aromas, flavours and textures at the core of decent Pinot Gris are leading quality, drinkability and cellar-ability of this variety.

In New Zealand, winemakers of Gris have, on the most part, discovered how their vineyards can best grow and mature Gris and that is at the core of quality examples. Winemakers play an important role too, understanding the correct volume of juice to extract from the fruit - whether to have whole-bunch or destemmed fruit (or both) and how much skin contact to allow. Whether resting the ferment on spent lees is a good idea or not and if oak is used – how much and for how long.

Gone are the days where all Pinot Gris were steel tank fermented, fined and filtered then into bottle for immediate sale.

Some of the typical flavours to expect from Gris are white-fleshed fruits especially pears, apples (perhaps quince) and white-fleshed stone fruits like nectarine. Acidity is usually medium (above for some), firm textures from some skin contact cushioned by plush fruit concentration and warmish alcohol are collectively the main drivers of aroma and palate feel.

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

Some of your customers may ask if Pinot Grigio (Italy) is the same variety as Pinot Gris (Alsace) – the answer is yes - with the main difference being the clone of Gris used and how the fruit responds to the soils it is grown in and the effects of climate.

Sometimes the use of oak, though this is rare.

Some producers also take advantage of being legally allowed to add juice from other varieties notably Gewürztraminer and Riesling - without having to put this information on the label. Be sure to read back labels or visit the producers web pages.

Pinot Gris works well with many different cuisines styles so long as the weight and intensity of food are similar to the wine then good matches come about. Gris can work well with fresh cheeses, plain roast chicken breast with white vegetables and even flaky fish such as gurnard and dory.

Styles of Pinot Gris to watch out for are those with some lees contact – adding texture and flavour on the palate; a component of juice settling solids in the ferment can add texture and mineral flavours, and those with some oak components – again adding texture, but also enhancing the flavour with some subtle spice layers.

[ tasting notes ]

1

Q WAITAKI VALLEY PINOT GRIS 2017 Sophisticated, elegant and charming bouquet with a mix of mineral, ripe fruit and white flowers. On the palate - crisp, refreshing and dry; citrus, nectarine and white peach. Fantastic texture and length, a fine example of Gris from the Waitaki. Drink now and through 2022.

Points 93 RRP $35.00 Distributor: Q Wine Phone: (021) 349 400 www.qwine.co.nz

2

RUA CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT GRIS 2017 Refined and pure fruited bouquet of Gris with crisp, ripe pear, Pacific rose apple, quince and crushed mineral. Lees spice and a citrus moments adding complexity. Vibrant and textured on the palate with very lively acidity, spice, concentration and length.

Drink now and through 2022.

Points 93 RRP $24.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (03) 445 4292 www.akarua.com

3

MAUDE CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT GRIS 2017 Pure varietal bouquet of Gris with crunchy pear and apple, a hint of quince, light leesy spice and squeeze of citrus. The spice notes increase on the palate with a soft oak layer contrasting with ripe fruit flavours, medium+ acidity and lengthy persistent finish.

Great balance and length. Drink now and through 2022.

Points 93 RRP $24.00 Distributor: EuroVintage Phone: (03) 443 2959 www.maudewines.com

4

JOHANNESHOF MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017 Immediately engaging aromas of apples and pear with both fresh and baked version suggested; a core of stony minerality and Alsace-like citrus peel. Just dry on the finish with flavours that reflect the nose; fine line of acidity and citrus spice to finish. A lovely example.

Points 91 RRP $29.00 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (03) 573 7035 www.johanneshof.co.nz

5

HUNTERS MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017 Bright, fruity, varietal, refreshing and engaging bouquet of Gris. Zesty-edged fruit flavours with pear and apple skin, some quince and plenty of spice texture. Fruity finish, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2019.

Points 88 RRP $19.90 Distributor: EuroVintage Phone: (03) 572 8489 www.hunters.co.nz

6

MAZURAN’S DIRECTORS MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2017 Rich and fuller bouquet of Gris with aromas of baked pear, white peach, some spice and lees layers. Rounded and creamy texture on the palate with a little vanilla and lees interaction; flavours of whitefleshed fruits, lychee and apple. Medium acidity and moderate length. Drink now and through 2021.

Points 88 RRP $39.00 Distributor: Mazuran’s Vineyards Phone: (09) 838 6945 www.mazurans.com Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order. Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

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FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT YOUR GIESEN GROUP REPRESENTATIVE OR PHONE (03) 3446270

[ wine map ]

THE WINE REGIONS OF NEW ZEALAND Lost on the difference between Marlborough and Martinborough?

Here are locations of all the major wine regions in New Zealand.

2005 Vineyards

Twelve

NORTHLAND

MATAKANA

KUMEU

WAIHEKE ISLAND AUCKLAND

WAIKATO & BAY OF PLENTY

AUCKLAND

NORTH ISLAND GISBORNE

major wine regions Total producing area:

HAWKE'S BAY

37,129 Ha

WELLINGTON

WAIRARAPA MARTINBOROUGH

NELSON MARLBOROUGH

SOUTH ISLAND QUEENSTOWN

WAIPARA VALLEY

CHRISTCHURCH

WATAKI VALLEY CENTRAL OTAGO

ALEXANDRA

Statistics and regional data from www.nzwine.com

CANTERBURY

Top producing varieties:

76% Pinot Noir 72%

Sauvignon Blanc

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

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[ people ]

MEET THE WINEMAKER Introducing some of the talented people behind New Zealand’s most successful vineyards.

14

Warren Gibson

Bruce Taylor

Chief Winemaker for Trinity Hill Warren Gibson began his winemaking career in New Zealand in 1987, subsequently travelling the world as a Flying Winemaker, including vintages in Australia, Italy, Hungary, France and California.

In 1997, with partner Lorraine Leheny, also a winemaker, they established their own brand, Bilancia. In Italian, Bilancia translates to ‘balance and equilibrium’ and the la collina Syrah is now in its 15th vintage.

In 2015, Gibson spent time as visiting winemaker on a Walter, Carew and Richard Reynell Fellowship as guest of the University of Adelaide mentoring the Hickinbotham Roseworthy Oenology students.

He has been a regular judge at all of New Zealand’s major wine, shows plus a range of wine competitions in Australia. In 2016, Gibson was Chairman of Judges for the Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards and was also appointed the new Chairman of Judges for Air New Zealand Wine Awards for 2017.

Gibson is about to embark on his 21st vintage at Trinity Hill, currently as Chief Winemaker and also heading the viticultural team.

Chief Winemaker for Kono Originally from the Bay of Plenty, Bruce Taylor grew up on the beach with a family of scientists, but a love of books and surfing initially drew him to studying history at Waikato University. After much travel and a winding career path, he found himself back at university completing a Bachelor of Wine Science.

After extensive travelling and working in wineries around the world, Taylor returned to Aotearoa in 2006 and became Chief Winemaker at Kono in 2008. Heading up vineyard and winery teams in Marlborough’s Upper Awatere Valley, and the Moutere, Bruce oversees production of Tohu, Aronui and Kono Wines. He has a particular passion for terroir-driven Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and, of course, Sauvignon Blanc. “As a winemaker you are always striving to make a wine you are proud of, and people enjoy drinking,” he says. “Working for a Māori-owned family company that genuinely cares for its people and its land also a privilege.”

Taylor lives happily in Blenheim with his wife Julie, daughters Eve and Ellie, and a 1970 Valiant coupe.

Olly Masters

Sam Rose

Winemaker for Misha’s Vineyard Forging some of New Zealand’s most consistently fine Pinot Noir over more than three decades, Olly Masters has carved a reputation as one of New Zealand’s leading winemakers and wine judges. Joining the Misha’s Vineyard team in 2006, Masters has been at the helm of winemaking ever since.

Masters’ credentials include an honours degree in Biotechnology from Massey University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology (Distinction) from Lincoln University. He began wine judging in the mid-90s and has served as a senior judge at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards for more than a decade. He continues to judge in New Zealand’s major national competitions and is also regularly invited to judge overseas.

Starting his career in Martinborough in 1989, Masters has worked with Dry River as well as wineries in Hawke’s Bay and Burgundy before joining Ata Rangi in 1994 where he was winemaker/viticulturist for many years.

Chief Winemaker for Wairau River Wines Sam Rose was born in 1978, the year his parents Phil and Chris Rose began their quest to convert Phil’s family farm land to grapes. So, you could say that from the beginning he has been involved in the family wine business. As a youngster, Rose and his four siblings helped in the vineyard; pruning, and wrapping vines, and come harvest time they would be handed a set of secateurs and set to work picking grapes. Appreciation of food and wine has always been important to the Rose family.

After a few years of living and working as a builder’s labourer in Australia, Rose returned to New Zealand to complete a Bachelor of Oenology at Lincoln University. He then set about travelling the world gaining valuable vintage experience in France and USA. In 2003, he returned to the family winery the winemaking operations as Chief Winemaker.

When he’s not at the winery, you will most definitely find Rose fishing and enjoying the stunning Marlborough Sounds.

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

[ beer & cider ] IPA up again while wheat wanes

HOPPING BUSY AT 2018 NWBCA JUDGING This year’s New World Beer & Cider Awards saw almost 600 brews from more than 90 breweries vying for the top titles. We find out more about the 2018 NWBCA judging process from Chief Steward Craig Bowen.

IN THE biggest year of competition yet, thousands of glasses of beer and cider have been poured, swirled, sniffed and sipped at the 2018 New World Beer & Cider Awards judging.

Nearly 600 entries were received across the 12 classes from more than 90 breweries, including more than 20 breweries entering for the first time.

Chief Steward, Craig Bowen, was tasked with wading through the record number of entries in preparation for the two days of judging held at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium last month.

Meticulously sorting through the entries, his team made sure each beer and cider was judged in the appropriate class, tasted in the right order and served in prime condition.

“In many ways my role is to represent the breweries on judging day, so every beer and cider is served as they would serve it themselves,” he says.

While the judges blind-tasted at the event, Bowen’s stewarding role gave him a unique view of the competition. He can’t name names for obvious reasons, as the results aren’t due out for a while yet, but he’s given The Shout NZ some behind-the-scenes insights.

New brews Bowen says what stood out most was the continued growth in the number of entries to the New World Beer & Cider Awards this year, from 519 at judging in 2017 to just shy of 600 this year.

“Breweries are understanding what the kudos of winning at these awards can mean to them in terms of publicity and increased sales opportunities,” he says.

There was also a number of new breweries throwing their hats in the ring.

“These first-time entrants were a mix of new breweries and smaller breweries now moving into commercial volumes,” says Bowen.

With the chance for nationwide distribution through 135 New Worlds stores, Gold medal winners must be able to provide set volumes to avoid disappointing the thirsty shoppers who now hotly anticipate the Chief Steward Craig Bowen award results.

The ever-popular IPA class continued to be the most hotly contested, jumping from 75 entries in the 2017 New World Beer & Cider Awards to well over 100 in 2018.

Meanwhile, the wheat beer class waned to less than 20 entrants, reflecting what Bowen says is a trend being seen in other competitions.

“Brewer romance with traditional styles can sometimes be fickle and unfortunately it appears to be the wheat styles that are suffering at the moment.”

Tasty trends Being careful not to give too much away, Bowen also highlighted some of the flavours shining through across the classes.

“Coffee is coming through as being a little more popular this year.

“Fruit flavours are led by peaches, citrus – especially grapefruit and berries.”

Flavour trends in the cider class were “right across the board” says Bowen, and there was no shortage of creativity.

“From traditional additions of berries, citrus and hopped ciders, we are now seeing peach, cucumber, spices, and more exotic ingredients like pineapple and coconut,” he says.

The results of the 2018 New World Beer & Cider Awards are due out mid-year.

NWBCA judging FYI • Nearly 600 entries from over 90 breweries from around NZ and the world • More than 20 first-time entrants • 13 pallets of beer, cider, glasses and other equipment were required • The stewarding team set up more than 4,700 bottles in their correct positions in a single day, and poured well over 3,000 glasses of beer and cider over the two judging days • A dedicated glass-washer kept 1,000 Spiegelau glasses at the ready • Brewers and beer and cider experts made up a 16-strong panel of independent judges, headed by Michael Donaldson • Entries were blind-tasted and rated on technical excellence, balance, mouthfeel and most importantly, drinkability • Last year, 27 Gold medals were awarded FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

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STILL GOING STRONG

Statistics show that more New Zealanders than ever are enjoying high-strength beers - award-winning beer writer Neil Miller chats with two Kiwi brewers to find out more.

Neil Miller is an awardwinning beer writer. To contact Neil regarding beer features or samples, please email him at beerlytweeting@gmail.com

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MY FIRST ever beer review was published in 2005 and it was about an immensely powerful (if not flavourful) English lager called Skol Super.

Admittedly, the article appeared on a now defunct website and I was paid zero dollars and zero cents which, after re-reading the review, appears a fair price.

I had a few reasons choosing this particular beer - it was a protest against the fruit essence-infused lagers on the market at the time, the beer was the official sponsor of the world’s darts championship, and because it was 9% ABV. Skol Super is critically unacclaimed, scoring an astonishing rating of just one on the prestigious RateBeer website out of a possible 100 marks. However, it remains a guilty pleasure of mine.

Figures from Statistics New Zealand show that the consumption of stronger beers jumped 17% in the year ended December 2016 (the latest figures available). However, the definition for ‘strong beer’ that Stats uses is anything over 5% ABV. This seems increasingly dated, as New Zealand beers have steadily crept up from an average of 4% to at least 5%, particularly since the debut of Steinlager, Stella and Heineken.

For the purpose of this article, a strong beer is defined as over 6.5% ABV. Some of the best examples include, but are not limited to, Tuatara Double Trouble (a double IPA with a 3D label), Liberty Knife Party (fruity and bitter), Funk Estate Super Afrodisiac (made with secret romantic ingredients each Valentine’s Day), 8 Wired Hopwired (one of the first genuine Kiwi Pale Ales), Renaissance Stonecutter Scotch Ale (a beautifully

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - APRIL 2018

complicated and intriguing dark brew), Rocky Knob Snapperhead IPA (so wonderfully hoppy), and the much maligned Harrington’s Ngahere Gold, which has recently moved from a student budget beer to a far more respectable drop.

My most quaffed big beer of summer has to be the excellent Mac’s Birthday Suit Double IPA (7.6% ABV) while the new release I am looking forward to the most is a collaboration between Behemoth Brewing (the brewer is 6 foot 5) and Gigantic Epic’s Luke Nicholas

[ beer feature ] Brewing from California (the brewer is 6 of nowhere” but its Paradise Pale Ale was foot 3) who have produced a rare Triple IPA recently voted the best beer in New Zealand called (appropriately enough) Too Big to Fail by the Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA).

(10.6% ABV). It is brewed with Citra, Simcoe, Asked about his strong brewing Nelson Sauvin and Lemon Drop hops, the philosophy, Bathgate says the two-man brew last of which does not visit these shores team at McLeod’s makes all kinds of beers very often. but always beers that they would want to Two of my favourite strong beers, and drink. “If you want to have a brewery, you indeed two of my favourite beers of all need to have a broad range of styles,” time, are made by Luke Nicholas at he says. “We are doing several monster Epic Brewing Company. The beers in beers. These are occasion beers, beers question here are Epic Armageddon you want to finish the night on. They (6.66% ABV) and Epic Hop Zombie are the ones that people ‘oh and ah’ (8.5% ABV). Nicholas proudly confirms about, and they are always the highest that “pretty much everything we make rated beers on sites like RateBeer and breaks the 6.5% threshold” and he Beer Advocate.” took some time with The Shout NZ to McLeod’s Traders Scotch Ale (7.2% explain why.

ABV) is described by Bathgate as a “The brand is called Epic because “really nice English strong ale that had I’m not out there to make to beers sex with a Scottish Wee Heavy”. that everyone else is making. I want to “I also make a really nice horopito drink beers with a lot of flavour and tea that goes in post fermentation,” sometimes that requires a bit more he says. “Horopito has anti-bacterial alcohol. I’d rather drink one or two properties which would stop big brews. I’m making these beers fermentation otherwise. It is there to because they taste really good, and if add complexity, that horopito spice Epic Armageddon IPA other people want to drink it then it is a and some aromatics.” Traders Scotch win-win”, he said.

Ale is dark and rich with traditional Two of Epic’s most popular high-strength notes of caramel, peated whisky and honey beers are the Armageddon IPA (6.66% ABV) and Bathgate is about to release a bourbon and Hop Zombie (8.5% ABV). barrel aged version.

“Armageddon has won best IPA so The McLeod’s Tropical Cyclone (8% ABV) many times that the beer sells itself,” is a different beast – a Double IPA which the says Nicholas. “Zombie is more next brewer describes as a big fruit monster. dimensional. I get feedback that Zombie “The combination is wicked fruity with is apparently ‘too balanced for such a this big bright tropical fruit bowl aroma,” big beer’. [They say] it is not high hop he says. “It is super aroma, it is not high hop flavour, and it lean on the malt is not high hop bitterness. Actually, it character and is all of those things but it is extremely we have upped balanced and extremely drinkable. the bitterness Zombie is lighter and drier than most after getting beers in this style,” he says. some comments Asked why brewers are drawn to that it wasn’t stronger beers, Nicholas says that quite double IPA brewers can often fit more flavour into enough. I think it’s a higher-alcohol beer both in terms a pretty bang on of malt and hops. “Some styles, by tropical style IPA. definition, are always stronger such as Customers seem Imperial Stout, Barleywine or Imperial to be liking it and Pilsner,” he says. “The ultimate aim is it is selling out.” that the drinker goes ‘f*** me, that is Obviously, good!’ Customer demand for bigger stronger beers beers across the board suggests that should be drunk is the case.” responsibly. I McLeod’s Traders Jason Bathgate is the self-described recommend sharing Scotch Ale ‘McBrewer’ at McLeod’s Brewery, a with friends to best small but prolific Northland brewery experience the big founded almost five years ago. Bathgate describes flavours that these big beers the operation as “a small brewery in the middle can bring.

THESE ARE OCCASION BEERS, BEERS YOU WANT TO FINISH THE NIGHT ON. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT PEOPLE ‘OH AND AH’ ABOUT.” JASON BATHGATE, MCLEOD’S BREWERY McLeod’s Brewery’s Jason Bathgate

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