FMCG Business November-December 2022

SEASON’S GREETINGS

The uncertainty of the last two years has been relentless, but after dealing with multiple crises and new challenges, we can finally look forward to summer holidays.

Times are tough for many families right now and consumers are seeking out brands that respond to their core values at an economic price. While shoppers are exploring money-saving strategies, such as cooking from scratch, they are still keen to sample new experiences, ensure personal wellbeing and support planetary health. There is more pressure than ever on brands and manufacturers to deliver value while still meeting all these expectations.

How can our industry meet these demands and remain profitable in the midst of so many challenges?

While inflation and rising costs are beyond our control, we must focus on factors in our business that we can influence. Care for your customers, support your team, concentrate on what you do well and do it consistently.

Look at waste minimisation, optimise your supply chain and explore new sustainability measures. You’ll find some inspiring sustainability stories on pg 30-35.

Turn to page 37 to find out why it’s also very important to make time for self care.

We hope you enjoy this special edition of FMCG Business with ideas for Summer entertaining, new product launches, category insights and top trends for 2023.

Our team is now taking a well-deserved break over Christmas, but please look out for our next issue in February, which will include our annual Leaders Forum with expert tips for the year ahead.

Best wishes from all of us for a safe and healthy festive season for you and your families.

PUBLISHED

trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz

ON THE COVER

Meet PopCorners, the brand new, never-fried popped-corn snack!

This delicious part-popcorn, part-chip snack is offering a new, glutenfree alternative. See the full story on pg 21.

COMMERCIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR James Wells james@intermedia.com.au

HEAD OF CONTENT Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz ph: 027 278 4761

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER C&I NZ Deb Jackson d.jackson@c-store.com.au

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Vicky Bennett vbennett@fmcgbusiness.co.nz ph: 021 626 115

ART DIRECTOR Leanne Hogbin leanne@intermedia.com.au

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

DIGITAL AND PRINT COORDINATOR Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz

C&I Media takes its Corporate and Social Responsibilities seriously and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. We continuously strive to improve our environmental performance and to initiate additional CSR based projects and activities. As part of our company policy we ensure that the products and services used in the manufacture of this magazine are sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers. This magazine is printed on Impress stock from Spicers Paper using FSC® MIX source pulp from responsible sources and other controlled sources. We print using BIO-inks that contain base materials from renewable resources including wood resin (rosin, colophony), vegetable oils, linseed oil and soy bean oil. This magazine is printed by SCG, an ToitŪ enviromark gold certified printer.

ISSN 2382-1663 (print) ISSN 2624-4802 (online)

FMCG Business is audited and verified by ABC.

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by C&I Media (NZ) 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 © 2022 - C&I Media (NZ) Ltd

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, Tamara Rubanowski

IRI STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 2022

Keep innovating and adapting and stay resilient. This was the message from the IRI team, at the end of their annual State of the Industry report.

IRI’s presentations were led by experts in the Australian and New Zealand markets, including: Paul Hinds, Managing Director for APAC with IRI, Craig Irwin, IRI Managing Director, New Zealand, Debbie SimpsonPudney, Head of Retail and S&I, IRI, New Zealand, and Nick Tuffley, Chief Economist, ASB Bank.

Paul Hinds said: “Australia and New Zealand have shown extraordinary resilience in the face of one of the most significant catastrophic world events in modern history. While we are now coming out the other side of the pandemic, we are walking straight into another unique set of challenging circumstances that require equally careful navigation. Inflation, weather events, continuing supply chain issues and labour shortages are impacting our day-to-day life as well as our ability to plan and invest with confidence into the future.

“Despite this, we know the future holds immense scope for innovation and growth for the FMCG sector, provided we understand how to translate the macro and micro challenges and consumer sentiment and changing behaviours into opportunities.”

Craig Irwin said: “The retail sector played a key role in supporting people and communities through the pandemic and together as an ecosystem situated at the front line of the economy we will continue to work together and power ahead providing leadership and a pathway forward as we move through the next phase of the post pandemic recovery.”

Strong retail sales in NZ

The presentations revealed that we may be facing another bumpy year in view of the current supply chain challenges, weakening global growth, rising inflation and a tight labour market, as well as an energy crisis that is mainly affecting Europe.

However, New Zealand is experiencing strong retail sales, despite a cost-of-living crisis.

Consumer spending patterns are shifting, driven by new work-from-home routines.

Online grocery shopping is now worth $1.72B, with Countdown leading in this space. Total Prepackaged Goods Grocery is worth $16.9B (MAT 14/08/22) and 14 new supermarkets are expected to open over the next year, including new Four Square and Metro stores.

Look out for changes in consumer behaviour and in demographics in the near future, said Debbie Simpson-Pudney, who predicts that 1-2 person households are on the rise. She also sees a shift in consumer spending, driven by our new work-from-home routines.

Climate change and a focus on sustainability are the defining problems of our time - 86% of consumers are concerned about these issues and brands will need to embrace this trend, said Simpson-Pudney.

IRI’s highly anticipated annual State of the Industry event is the region’s largest gathering of industry professionals in the FMCG sector. It took place on 9 November in the form of a virtual event and is considered one of the most important events of the year for the sector. The IRI team explored the aftermath of the global pandemic, the challenges and opportunities facing both retailers and manufacturers and how to drive growth in an inflationary environment impacted by volatility, climate change and increased demand for personalisation and convenience.

Put Women’s Health First!

Energy, mental focus, immunity, iron levels, conception, breast-feeding, urinary tract health – the list goes on! With so many key health needs, Blackmores’ range of Women’s Health products can support in every area. Designed with premium quality ingredients and efficacious dosages, trust Blackmores extensive women’s health range. blackmoresnz.co.nz or 0508 757 473

Shaking up the breakfast aisle

Move Foods are shaking up the breakfast aisle with their range of ‘shake & go’ Smoothie Blends. Just add 1 cup of liquid and shake to make a 450ml smoothie on-the-go - no blender needed! Feel even better knowing that 10% of profits go towards creating healthier, more active communities. For more information contact dominica@movefoods.co.nz or visit movefoods.co.nz

pure delish has gone Crackers!

pure delish is excited to announce the launch of their very own Seeded Cracker range –three deliciously tasty crisp crackers made from 100% natural ingredients, featuring Sea Salt, Wild Rosemary and Roasted Garlic. The perfect addition to your nibbles platter, try them topped for lunch, or snack straight out the pack! With 10% of profits to the Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust, they’re also gluten-free and plant-based! RRP$6.99. For more info email info@puredelish.co.nz or phone (09) 574 5701.

Dip your way into summer!

Food Snob has extended its range to include Authentic Cheese Dips. Handcrafted in NZ made using authentic cheese from place of origin, these whipped cheesy dips are sure to be a crowd pleaser on any platter or summer BBQ. Available in 3 flavours: Smoked Danish Havarti & Black Pepper, Creamy Danish Blue & Honey, Aged English Cheddar & Jalapeño. Find them in a chiller near you! www.foodsnob.co.nz info@foodsnob.co.nz +64 9 304 0550

Wellington Chocolate Factory X Palliser Estate

Palliser Estate and Wellington Chocolate Factory’s festive collaboration is back, with an exquisite Hibiscus and Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar that pairs perfectly with Palliser’s delectable sparkling wine, ‘The Griffin’. Sweet and floral, with succulent blackberry and a dash of cinnamon, it’s a true labour of love sure to bring joy this festive season. wcf.co.nz (04) 385 7555 retail@wcf.co.nz

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT INTERSNACK ANZ, SNACK BRANDS AUSTRALIA AND GRIFFIN’S SNACKS

Snack Brands Australia (SBA) is one of the leading snack manufacturers in Australia with a wide portfolio of brands. Griffin’s Snacks, another Intersnack ANZ company, is New Zealand’s largest biscuit manufacturer with iconic brands including Griffin’s, Huntly & Palmers and Gingernuts. Griffin’s also owns and manufactures Nice & Natural, Eta and Uppercuts.

After 24 years with the business, Paul Musgrave, CEO Intersnack ANZ will be stepping down at the end of 2022 while continuing to support the board as Non-Executive Director.

Musgrave helped SBA set up as a new business in 1998 and has been instrumental in the growth and expansion into new products and markets including Griffin’s in New Zealand.

His passion for building team, engaging leaders and developing a positive culture has been key to the success of the ANZ group of companies. Musgrave will continue to play an active role supporting

planned significant investment and business transformation initiatives.

As a result of Musgrave’s move, Intersnack ANZ has appointed snack foods veteran, Kurt Preshaw as CEO and Chair of the ANZ board. Preshaw joined the SBA business in February 2020 as the Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer before taking on the Snack Brands Managing Director role at the beginning of 2022. Preshaw has been heavily involved in developing the ANZ transformation agenda, has delivered great results across sales and marketing and has more than 20 years experience in FMCG.

Mark Fryday, current Marketing and Innovation Director for Intersnack ANZ has been appointed Managing Director, Snack Brands Australia. Mark has been with SBA for 12 years and has a proven track record of delivering strong growth through brand and product innovation. Dan Gilbert remains Griffin’s Snacks Managing Director.

FUSE NEON

Sometimes you listen to smooth beats to relax and get in the flow of work, you know, for concentrating. Or maybe you wear headphones for Teams, Zoom or Google Hangouts calls these days.

Then, other times you listen to upbeat energy music or something a little flashier, letting the colour of the music express itself and raise your mood. Well, Fuse Neon Tunes Bluetooth Headphones are engineered for all the above.

TUNES

– THE SOUND OF FUN!

play time. When you eventually run them flat, you can quickly recharge via USB-C or if you don’t have power but need to use them instantly, they also come with a wired 3.5mm port and cable to get you out of trouble immediately.

We were looking to build a headphone that was for everyone, that you could use practically during the day taking calls and listening to podcasts, but then use at your leisure to really enjoy the music and have a great time, we thought, that sounds like fun.

We built headphones you could truly immerse yourself in, with amazing sound quality, delivering high fidelity audio for crisp and powerful tunes on the go. You can stream music, podcasts and enjoy calls with the reliability of Bluetooth 5.1 wireless technology. If it is a long day, you can also have confidence in the up to 25 hours wireless

At Fuse Audio we also want to make things that look like fun so with the Fuse Neon Tunes you can enjoy yourself with dynamic RGB Lights. Got a zoom call with your boss? Don’t worry these lights are off by default but double tap play and you’re just that little bit flashier than before. You can have confidence your boss can hear you too via a built-in microphone with advanced audio profile to ensure crystal clear hands-free calls. Made for daily use Fuse Neon Tunes are lightweight, comfortable and fold up to save space to store in your bag or while travelling. Need these in your life or want to learn more? Contact sales@signaturenz.com.

Intersnack ANZ has appointed Kurt Preshaw as CEO and Chair of the ANZ board.

SUPPORTING PASSIONATE, HARD-WORKING PEOPLE

It was one of the easiest decisions of my life to say yes, when I got the call asking would I be interested in my name going forward to the Board of the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council as a candidate for the Chief Executive role.

Having had more than 15 years’ experience working in and leading other industry associations at the Hospitality Association of NZ (now Hospitality NZ), Bus and Coach Association, Rental Vehicle Association, and Business Central and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, I relished the opportunity to be a strong advocate for an industry again.

Supporting passionate and hard-working business people make their case to government and to help them meet emerging trends and challenges has always been invigorating and rewarding for me.

Being able to do that for the manufacturers and suppliers behind New Zealand’s food, beverage, and grocery brands – such a vital part of our economy – I saw as a rare opportunity.

It would also be where I could put to use my background and qualifications in food and nutrition.

Like many New Zealanders of my vintage, I had many after-school and holiday jobs in cafes and restaurants. Those jobs in commercial kitchens fostered an early interest in food and nutrition, which led me to study human nutrition, food science, and food safety at Otago University. Following my degree, I gained further practical experience in the food industry by running a food operation that served meals to 170 university students three times a day seven days a week, and lectured for a couple of years in the Department of Human Nutrition.

More recently, an eight-year stint in two agencies within the public service has given me valuable experience of the machinery of government from the inside.

Following the highly respected Katherine Rich in the role and all she’s achieved for the industry means there is a great platform for me to work on the remaining implementation of the changes announced by the Government in response to the Commerce Commission’s Grocery Market Study. This is a key priority and will play out over the next couple of years at least.

It was great to be able to meet with Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark along with Katherine and FGC Chair Mike Pretty, of Heinz Wattie’s, on my second day. I also met with the team of officials from MBIE who are working on the programme of reforms, and was impressed by their experience, calibre, and the pace of the programme.

Another busy and important area of work being undertaken by FGC is the raft of measures to improve

sustainability. Minimising food waste, boosting recycling and packaging stewardship, and navigating container deposit schemes are areas of early focus for me.

I learnt quite a bit about this area during my seven years as a Board member on the Wellington Zoo Trust Board. The zoo is a champion of conservation and sustainability, and was the first in the world to become certified as carbon neutral and has retained this carbon zero certification every year. I also found my time as a member of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Low Emission Transport Fund Panel very informative. That panel considered some very innovative applications for initiatives to achieve lower emission transport, and it’s great to see progress being made in this area.

I’m really looking forward to working in the sustainability area to make sure the way forward is sensible, evidence-based, and happens at a pace that is reasonable for members and actually achieves demonstrable positive improvements.

My first priorities at FGC will be on meeting members and learning about their businesses and, of course, attending the annual conference in early November in Queenstown, where we have a great programme of speakers.

“MY FIRST PRIORITIES AT FGC WILL BE ON MEETING MEMBERS AND LEARNING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES”

TOP TRENDS FOR 2023

“Redefining Value” heads Innova Market Insights’ Top Trends for 2023, as consumers adapt to a global cost-of-living crisis in the face of economic and political volatility. With budgets stretched and supplies under strain, brands need to be flexible in action and open in spirit to connect with consumers, while also taking full advantage of rapidly emerging technological opportunities.

The annual trends from food innovation and insight specialist Innova are based on wide-ranging global consumer surveys. Coupled with comprehensive market and new product data, they reveal not only what is driving consumer decisions now, but also ways in which brands and innovators can successfully adapt to future realities.

Over the last year, cost and value for money have become more important to more than half of food and beverage consumers worldwide. Today’s shoppers are increasingly exploring money-saving strategies, such as choosing lower cost items and cooking from scratch. But they remain determined to sample new experiences, ensure personal wellbeing and support planetary health. There is more pressure on brands and manufacturers to deliver value while still meeting these wider public expectations.

“Redefining value throughout the food and beverage industry will lead in 2023 as consumers seek brands that listen, understand and respond to their core values. They want brands that provide quality, trust and confidence via their product formulations, communications and wider sustainability actions,” says Lu Ann Williams, Global Insights Director at Innova Market Insights.

In addition to a heightened demand for competitive pricing, consumers have told Innova they still seek nutritional value and expect a continued shared responsibility for environmental security. Meanwhile, younger generations who have grown up in an inclusive digital age are gaining greater influence, changing markets and creating new opportunities. Against that complex backdrop, here’s a taste of what Innova’s Top Trends show has in store for the food and beverage industry in 2023:

1. Redefining value

Brands, innovators, producers and consumers are wrestling with rising costs and greater instability. Combating this requires a deep understanding of where consumers draw the line on compromise. Strategies such as simple price increases, or flexible ingredient lists to cope with supply chain fluctuations, can work in the short term. However, brands need to be open in their communication and clearly show the benefits they are bringing.

Despite political and economic volatility becoming the second biggest concern for consumers in 2022, the health of the planet remains the top global issue and financial pressures are leading to an increase in eco-friendly behaviors. Consumers tell Innova they have reduced food waste and upcycled or recycled more as part of their belt-tightening. As the cost-of-living crisis continues, brands can achieve success through actions that combine economic benefits with clear health and sustainability goals.

2. Affordable nutrition

Over the past 12 months, 62% of consumers have reported a noticeable rise in the cost of their food and beverages. As a result, they are turning their attention to simple but nutritious goods that are affordable. Key behaviors include buying in bulk, opting for private labels, cooking from scratch, reducing spending on luxury items and purchasing fewer items. Consumers are actively looking for affordable ways to maintain a healthy diet, offering brands many opportunities to test their capabilities to new limits. To meet the nutritional, environmental and economic demands of consumers, manufacturers must innovate to extract maximum value from raw materials and the production process.

3. Generational push

Younger consumers, raised in an interactive digital world, are creating trends and defining what markets should be providing. For Gen Z and Millennials, food and brand choices are important signifiers of lifestyle, beliefs and values. These demographics have a strong voice and are used to sharing their views openly and widely. While health is an increasingly important purchase driver – as it also is across older generations –novel and international flavors are winning the hearts of a young and experimental audience. These consumers embrace the new and different, while being extremely responsive to positive engagement from brands.

4. Plant-based: unlocking a new narrative

The rapid rise of the plant-based sector has, almost inevitably, hit some roadblocks, necessitating a refocusing on consumer demands for high quality, flavoursome products. No longer merely a mimic, green gastronomy will blossom as a standalone sector in 2023, giving brands significant opportunities to diversify and expand. Consumers still want to see improvements in taste and texture, but there is a huge appetite

for culinary creativity and worldwide flavor profiles. Two-thirds of respondents to Innova’s global survey expressed a desire to try plantbased versions of traditional, local cuisines. The industry is responding with a large increase in ready-meal offerings, while there is great scope for expansion into meal kits and inventive recipe combinations. Interest in underused ingredients is also growing, creating opportunities to introduce variation in flavor and nutrition while simultaneously addressing supply concerns.

5. Farming the future

Public curiosity for innovative technologies such as vertical and regenerative farming is increasing. As well as helping to maximize flavor, nutrition and yield, these advances can win consumer support where they are shown to improve the quality and sustainability of global food production. Today’s consumer is increasingly invested in the source of food as it ties in with major global concerns of health, sustainability and waste. The welfare of agricultural workers is equally important, with 65% of respondents to Innova’s surveys agreeing they would rather buy fruit and vegetables from farmer’s markets than large stores. Brands need to demonstrate how novel production techniques are benefiting farmers, people and the planet.

Commenting on the food and beverage industry’s future direction of travel, Lu Ann Williams reveals: “At Innova, we have seen a considerable consumer demand for value redefined throughout the supply chain, with creative and flexible approaches to the use of technology and reducing waste proving pivotal. With financial concerns a dominating factor, 2023 is a significant year for new developments that answer these growing demands. Based on our consumer and market research, our Top Trends deliver insights to support brands as

they innovate and grow.”

“YOUNGER CONSUMERS, RAISED IN AN INTERACTIVE DIGITAL WORLD, ARE CREATING TRENDS AND DEFINING WHAT MARKETS SHOULD BE PROVIDING.”

BEST IN SEASON

BBQ season has begun, and salads and berry fruit come into their own at this time of year, while Kiwi favourites such as sweetcorn are always sought-after. Produce buyers should keep an eye out for the earliest of the country’s watermelon crop from December through to March.

Strawberries

Strawberries are the definition of summer for many consumers and they are at their best in mid-November/early-December. Ensure you keep a good supply during peak season, especially in the week before Christmas.

What to look for: Strawberries will not ripen once they are harvested. Select bright red berries with a natural sheen and fresh, green leaves. Avoid those with white tops or tips.

Storage/handling: Strawberries are highly perishable and should be stored and displayed under refrigeration at 0-2°C unless stock turnover is high. Remove stock that shows signs of deterioration.

Nutrition: Strawberries are a good source of Vitamin C which supports immunity, and they are also a source of folate which is great for growth and development.

Potatoes

Potatoes are one of New Zealand’s most popular vegetables. 53% of us consume fresh potatoes four times per week and 21% eat them daily. New season potatoes are harvested from October to February.

What to look for: Potatoes should be firm textured with no cuts, bruises, green patches or shoots. The skin of a new potato is very delicate and should be able to be easily flicked off with your fingers.

Storage/handling: Potatoes should be stored at 7°C in a dark, dry, aerated place. They will sprout if kept above this temperature, and below this level the starch turns to sugar causing flavour changes.

Nutrition: Potatoes are a good all-round nutrient source. One serving contains 47% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of Vitamin C. Potatoes also contain folate, thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, and potassium and are a source of dietary fibre.

Cherries

Early season cherries are predominately from Hawke’s Bay while our main crop is from Central Otago. Cherries are in high demand in the weeks before Christmas.

What to look for: Cherries do not continue ripening once harvested. Look for fruit with firm and glossy skin. Avoid those that are soft or have wrinkles.

Storage/ handling: Stock rotation is crucial. Store at 4°C before displaying on your shelves.

Nutrition: Cherries are a good source of vitamin C, which supports healthy bones, gums, teeth and overall immunity.

Berries

Berries are a customer favourite throughout the summer months, with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries rotating in and out of stock from November to March.

What to look for: Berries will only ripen before they are picked. Choose brightly coloured and evenly sized fruit with a natural sheen.

Storage/handling: All berry supplies need to be stored and displayed under refrigeration at 0-2°C unless stock turnover is high.

Nutrition: Berries are good sources of Vitamin C and are low in calories for consumers concerned with weight management.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are at their sweetest in the summer months with a good volume available on the local market.

What to look for: Select smooth, firm and plump tomatoes with an even colour and no blemishes.

Storage/handling: Tomatoes should not be stored under refrigeration as this negatively impacts their flavour. They are susceptible to bruising, so only build loose displays a maximum of two layers deep.

Nutrition: A single serving of tomatoes provides 73% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C and a further 15% of Vitamin A.

“CHERRIES ARE A GOOD SOURCE OF VITAMIN C, WHICH SUPPORTS HEALTHY BONES, GUMS, TEETH AND OVERALL IMMUNITY.

•

• International and Ethnic Foods Rice, Noodles and Pasta

Cold Drinks

• Skincare

• Beauty and Make-up

• Organic Products

• Sugarfree Products

• Ice Cream and Desserts

• Cleaning and Homecare October

Sustainability

• Back To School Products

• First Aid Supplies

Snacking

• Deli • Fish and Seafood Summer Issue

• Personal Care Products

• Oral Care • Summer Entertaining

What’s popular this summer at the bach, on the BBQ, and on festive tables? We asked the FMCG Business team and a few clients to share their favourites.

Art Director Leanne says: “For me over Summer (especially Christmas) it’s all about the prawns! Mostly devoured cold, or cooked on the BBQ… and lots of mangos (I’ll be enjoying a beach holiday in Queensland, hence the easy access to prawns and mangos).”

Vicky, our National Sales Manager, is looking forward to a traditional UK Christmas dinner, in the sunshine, with lots of Yorkshire puddings. Our Digital and Print Coordinator Eclypse says: “We love a festive side of salmon with pomegranate glaze on the Christmas dinner table, and on the BBQ we love to cook fresh asparagus and sweetcorn. A favourite summer meal is spaghetti vongole made with seasonal cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs, local olive oil and cockles we’ve gathered at the beach.”

Editor Tamara is planning to support

LET’S GO OUTSIDE!

local producers this holiday season. She says: “We’re so lucky to have the freshest produce, top quality meat, fish and seafood and delicious cheeses available in New Zealand. I like to to source a few award-winning local products as a special treat for Christmas and New Year celebrations, knowing that they will always bring a WOW factor to the table.”

Hellers – the BBQ Kings

Forget Charles, this summer Hellers is still the reigning King of the BBQ!

“Last summer saw huge growth in the BBQ category, driven by athome grilling due to level four restrictions – the sausage category grew by 8.1%* and Hellers Prepacked Sausages contributed to 14%* of the packaged sausage category’s total volume growth. Fresh Sausages are growing faster than the rest of the category at 43%*,” says Marketing Manager Brydon Heller.

“Fire up the BBQ and lift the lid on summer sales with some new Hellers BBQ inspiration. Hellers have collaborated with Good George launching a Pork & Cider Sausage, which will add crispy freshness to

New inspiration for alfresco meals and easy entertaining.

Total Frozen Meat & Snacks

Dollars (000s) Dollars Growth % YA

$458,803 7.2%

Frozen Meat $256,007 6.5%

Savouries $135,559 7.8%

Frozen Snacks $67,237 8.7%

Total Prepackaged Smallgoods $502,670 0.8%

Prepack Bacon $191,935 -3.3%

Prepack Sausages $98,183 0.6%

Prepack Salami $60,153 3.1%

Prepack Ham $58,452 6.7%

Prepack Chicken $29,750 7.1%

Cont Sausages* $17,181 7.7%

Other Smallgoods $47,016 2.9%

your consumers’ tastebuds. With cheese sausages the fastest growing flavour, Hellers Jumbo Cheese Brats will be sure to be on the grill.”

He adds: “The new Hellers Craft Bratwurst Range – Caramelized Onion and Smokey Spicy are packed with flavour and are quick to cook. Finally, the fresh crumbed butchery category has seen 8.2%* volume growth compared to the previous quarter and crumbed rissoles and sausages contributes 52% to the total crumbed category. Hellers new crumbed range are an absolute must for the shelves over summer.”

“Hellers Lamb Burger took the gold medal at the 2022 Great NZ Sausage and Burger competition – make sure this is on your shelves to continue to drive the Burger category growth which saw a volume increase of 3.8% compared to the previous quarter (PP).

Hellers are investing over $500k in media over the summer months with a campaign covering TV, bus, billboard, instore demonstrations, and social media.” For orders and more information visit hellers.co.nz Source:

Plant-based goodness from Let’s Eat

Following on from the successful launch of Let’s Eat into the Frozen Vegetarian Category, the brand is now launching new Southern Style Bites (RRP $13).

“The crispy Southern Fried coating and the juicy centre allows consumers to get their next Southern Fried fix as plant based,” says Marketing Manager Ben Ward.

“Let’s Eat has quickly found popularity among Kiwi shoppers, rising to the number two plant-based brand in frozen vegetarian over the latest Quarter*, and all SKUs are performing strongly.

“The launch of Southern Style Bites will help retailers capitalise on the trend towards snacking and plant based further, so stock up now!” says Ward.

Tuck into Let’s Eat brand new Southern Style Bites

for your next delectable plant-based snack – also perfect with salads, in tacos, or in a wrap. Keep these Southern Style Bites in the freezer for your next Southern Fried snack fix!

Available from most supermarkets nationwide. For orders contact Inghams ph 0800 800 785. www.letseatplantbased.co.nz

*IRI Frozen Vegetarian Value Scan Sales QTR to 22/10/22

Farmland Foods

Farmland Foods started in a family butcher shop in 1964, a proud New Zealand family-owned business still passionately run in Bulls in the Rangitikei district. Farmland Foods employs over 180 local staff, including fourth generation family members. Farmland has always been committed to quality and innovation. Their mission is to help bring families together through their passion for food.

This year the company has been proudly nominated for its branding and packaging refresh in the Best Design Awards NZ.

“Our brand refresh has come to life across all the categories we are involved in, now consumers can easily identify our brand throughout their shopping journey and know that what they are putting into their trolley is high quality product they can be proud to serve to their loved ones,” says Brand Manager Steven Young.

Farmland was a finalist for best bone-in ham at the Retail Meats 100% NZ Bacon & Ham Awards and was also a finalist at the inaugural Foodstuffs Supplier

leading and global brands, a testament to the hard work of our family of 180 and the great relationships our teams build with our customers and account partners.”

With the warmer weather on its way, BBQ’s will be firing up in Kiwi backyards across the country. Just in time for the BBQ season, Farmland is introducing new and improved Pigs in Blankets with premium streaky bacon-wrapped sausages, and

FARMLAND WAS A FINALIST FOR BEST BONE-IN HAM AT THE RETAIL MEATS

100% NZ BACON &

HAM AWARDS”

Bacon Twisters - the perfect starter, and a delicious alternative to chicken kebabs. These innovative products complement the convenient meal solutions in the Grillmaster range including BBQ Bacon and Burger Bacon.

For orders contact 0800 806 328 or email sales@flf.nz

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 data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz

“

SUPER SNACKS

Healthy options and snacking on the go are trending.

Kiwis are always up for trying something new when it comes to snacks, says Minal Patel, Category Manager Snacking at Countdown. “Whether it’s with new flavours, textures, formats or brands - and we’ve got plenty of exciting innovation hitting Countdown stores in the next couple of months!

“We’re also hearing from customers that they want more healthy snacking options, for example snacks that are high in protein, have high fibre or contain no artificial additives - and we’re continuing to add more and more of these options to our shelves.

“Another interesting trend is towards meat snacks where we’re noticing a real upturn in demand - we expect that this is largely driven by the continued prominence of the Keto diet,” says Patel.

Meanwhile over at Foodstuffs, a 100% New Zealand owned and operated co-op, stores have seen strong growth in their snacks category, as customers are increasingly looking for cheaper and convenient alternatives to enjoy every day on the go.

Emma Wooster, Head of Public Relations at Foodstuffs New Zealand says: “We’ve seen growth in the snacks category driven by new and innovative products as our customers love to see and try exciting flavours and limitededition products. Salty snacks are still a customer favourite and most picked option at our New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores.”

“Customers are enjoying new snacks options that they can easily fit in

kids’ lunchboxes or handbags, which brings about a key emerging trend in Snacking on the Go and portion control - resulting in innovation via multi packs such as Ceres Organics Seaweed snack packs.

“Since Covid, customers are keeping entertained indoors with movie nights and get togethers that are fuelled by convenient snacking options. “We’ve seen great growth of +6.6% in the Premium Potato Chips category and +7.8% growth in the Multi Packs category in the last 12 months,” says Wooster. “Some of the most popular and successful innovations in recent years in the snacking and on-the-go category include: SnackaChangi Chips, Calbee Harvest Snaps and Graze Skinny Dipped.”

The Macro trends fall within four main trends:

• Health and Wellness – Consumers focusing sharply on health & wellbeing and in particular keeping a strong immune system.

• Digital landscape – Customers want instant access and availability to products online at the click of their fingertips.

• Value Redefined – Providing value to customers through different ways in which they see value, which includes indulgent snacking, artisanal flavor profiles and loving local brands.

• Sustainability – Customers mostly relate to sustainability via packaging/waste reduction, which Foodstuffs New Zealand are invested in.

Mother Earth Baked Oaty, refreshed!

The iconic Kiwi snack bar, Baked Oaty Slices have new look packaging rolling out this December.

“Mother Earth Baked Oaty Slices, found in many pantries, backpacks and school lunchboxes, is the number one sub-brand* and a driving force behind growth in the Nutritious Snacks category*,” says Brand Manager Danielle Pentecost. “Consumers can be rest assured that although the packaging has had a refresh, the product remains unchanged and continues to provide the same great taste and snacking experience.”

This packaging refresh allows Mother Earth to bring Baked Oaty Slices packaging in line with their brand and sustainability goals, including the use of design elements, a change to environmentally friendly water-based inks and locally sourced cardboard. A welcome addition to the recent launch of 20% less plastic packaging across Mother Earth Nuts product ranges.

*Source: IRI data, NZ Grocery, Dollars, MAT to 25/09/22

Leading popcorn brands

Wilson Consumer Products markets and distributes three market leading brands in the popcorn category: Pop n Good and Sweet As (ready-to-eat popcorn) as well as and ACTII (microwave popcorn), explains Marketing and Business Development Manager Susan Harvey.

“Pop n Good is the number one ready-to-eat popcorn brand in NZ which is popped in Te Awamutu and has a strong 28.8% share of the total popcorn market,” says Harvey. “Pop n Good Popcorn is air popped and grown right here in NZ and is gluten free. Popcorn is the perfect guilt free snack that everyone enjoys and its wholegrain, is high in dietary fibre and low in calories as well as tasting delicious.

“Pop n Good offers popped corn as well as popping corn in its range. With such a wide variety of flavours and product formats there is a Pop n Good product for everyone – it’s so popping good!

“We are also popping to share our good news with you. Over the next few months, we will be highlighting on pack that that Pop n Good packaging

is soft plastic recyclable. To recycle, simply rinse and put in the local soft plastic recycling collection. Adding instructions on how to recycle the pack will make it easier for our customers to do the right thing by the environment and recycle.”

It’s back! This year the nation’s favourite Christmas party, Coca Cola Christmas in the Park, returns to the big stage! Pop n Good is proud to be a sponsor of this event, which supports Youthline. Coca Cola Christmas in the Park will take place in Christchurch at Hagley Park on November 26 at 7.30pm, and in Auckland at The Domain on December 10 at 7.30pm. Can’t make it? You can donate $3 to Youthline now by texting YL to 5144.

Sweet

As Marketing and Business Development Manager Susan Harvey says: “Sweet As popcorn, is the number one premium ‘wet-popped’ popcorn brand in NZ, which is batch made for freshness. Sweet As has 8.6% share of the total popcorn market and is also growing strongly at +9.43%.

“This year we are delighted to launch a limitededition flavour – Gingerbread. Being gluten free and dairy free it’s the perfect treat for everyone this Christmas.

ACTII POPCORN TASTES JUST LIKE FRESHLY POPPED POPCORN AT THE MOVIES

– SUSAN HARVEY, MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

ACTII

“ACTII is the number one microwave popcorn brand in NZ, it has 27% share of the total popcorn market and is growing +10.7%,” says Susan Harvey, Marketing and Business Development Manager.

home with a marketing support campaign during November and December.”

IRI Pop n Good Popcorn dollar share of total popcorn MAT to 18/9/22.

IRI Sweet As dollar share of total popcorn MAT to 18/9/22. MAT Sweet As dollar growth YAGO to 18/9/22

IRI Act II dollar share of total popcorn MAT to 18/9/22. MAT dollar growth Act II and total popcorn versus YAGO to 18/9/22

SNACKS

Total Snacking

“ACTII is the perfect companion for snacking and gaming at home. With the football world cup coming up it’s the perfect opportunity to ‘Live the Game at Home’ while enjoying freshly popped ACTII popcorn. ACTII popcorn tastes just like freshly popped popcorn at the movies, so by popping ACTII at home you can enjoy that freshly popped taste experience. We will be reminding consumers to enjoy ACTII at

Dollars (000s) Dollars Growth % YA

$780,396 4.3%

Snack Bars $207,874 7.7%

Potato Chips $198,535 2.9%

Other Chips $150,323 5.7%

Snacking Nuts $119,094 1.5%

Corn Chips $58,475 0.8%

Popcorn $35,599 4.2% Jerky $10,495 2.5%

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 data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz

HEALTHY SNACKS FROM OFF-PISTE PROVISIONS

Auckland based Off-Piste Provisions is celebrating its 1-year anniversary this November. Launching in 2021 with a flagship range of plant-based Jerky (flavours include Sweet & Hot, Teriyaki, Original, and a limitededition collaboration Culley’s Ghost Chilli Jerky), followed closely by a South African inspired Biltong, the growing demand for healthy, clean, on-the-go protein snacks has never been so satisfied.

Using cutting-edge food technology, the range of Jerky is high in protein (45%), gluten free, dairy free and soy free but most importantly, has the texture, taste, and mouth feel that traditional jerky eaters know and love.

Taking the snacking category by storm, Off-Piste Provisions recently launched a plant-based crackling to tremendous consumer feedback, and have another three categories in their sights before H2 2023. Off-Piste Provisions intends to be at the forefront of these categories, using experts in plant-based food technology, aggressive marketing and an ongoing new product development programme.

consumer looking for a new snacking option and taking them on an epic journey along the way, Off-Piste is available in Foodstuffs, Farro Fresh and specialty retailers across the country. For more information email will.baldock@offpiste.co.nz or phone +64 21 190 5960

Source : IRI Market Edge Grocery MAT to 23/10/22 (Selected segments)

Meet PopCorners, the brand new, never-fried popped-corn snack! This delicious part-popcorn, part-chip snack (as seen on the cover of this issue) is here with its bold and indulgent flavours, broadening the appeal to people looking for new snack alternatives.

These crunchy and tasty snacks are available in three flavours:

1. Sea Salt

2. Cheddar Cheese

3. Sweet and Salty

PopCorners are a delicious, fun and wholesome snack because they:

• Have no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives

• Are less than 100 calories per serve

• Are gluten free

Supporting this launch will also be a sampling campaign held throughout leading supermarkets nationwide, keep your eyes out for product in stores! Look out for the new range full of flavourful goodness, launching on the 7th of November.

The packaging is recyclable via New Zealand’s soft plastic recycling scheme. Order yours today from Bluebird Foods. If you are a new customer, reach out to us at 0800 652 583.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Consumer interest in haircare bars is growing in New Zealand (6% of total category), with more consumers ready to pay more for ethical products with strong environmental credentials, says Angelina Ashcroft, Marketing Director of ecostore.

She explains: “Ecostore’s normal shampoo bar is the number one haircare bar sold in New Zealand supermarkets, according to IRI data. The popular bar uses argan and coconut oils to hydrate, refresh and

revive normal hair, and is made with a naturally derived fragrance of apple, jasmine, and vanilla.”

Made from plant and mineral-based ingredients, the clever bars are all vegan, 100% soap-free, triple milled for a luxurious lather, and free from nasties.

New Smoothing Shampoo bar

Ecostore has expanded its popular haircare bar range by adding a new Smoothing Shampoo bar.

The new bar is enriched with the proven smoothing power of flaxseed oil, fights frizz and defines curls, and is made with a naturally derived fragrance of macadamia and vanilla.

What’s driving sales in the personal care category this summer? Local suppliers share their news.

The ultimate travel companion for summer

Ecostore bars come packed in recyclable cardboard packaging. No plastic bottle, no soap, just concentrated, hair loving ingredients to the bottom of every bar.

They provide approximately 60 washes per bar, making them last longer than your average bottle of shampoo.

Doing away with liquids also means less hassle while going through security and zero risk of leakage in your suitcase, making them the ultimate travel companion for summer.

Shop the range at supermarkets nationwide, specialty grocery stores and online. For more information and orders, visit www.ecostore.com/nz

Solimara

You can tap into the rise of the conscious consumer with Solimara - natural sun and skincare, says CoFounder Rosalind Berben.

She explains: “Our products are New Zealand made and owned, cruelty-free, coral-reef safe, and most importantly - Certified 100% Natural. This certification ‘NATRUE’ by BioGro, the leading Australasian certifying organisation, gives consumers the reassurance that our products are compliant with a strict international standard and are 100% natural. Free from synthetic chemical fragrances, parabens, colours, preservatives, phthalates, and silicones. An important

part of this certification ensures how the ingredients are extracted and manufactured is also natural and ethical.

“An important part of our philosophy is our commitment to New Zealanders - their health, our environment, and Kiwi businesses. You can find our products in locally owned Health and Wellness stores across the country, such as HealthPost, Huckleberry Farms, Hardy’s Health Stores and Piko Wholefoods to name a few.

Check out our amazing products!

• SP50 Mineral Sunscreen - Face and Body Sales are about to increase significantly as we approach Summer!

Zinc, Sweet Almond oil, Shea Butter, and Beeswax.

• Skin Rebel Active Serums - Brightening & Lightening and Collagen Stimulating Jojoba, Apricot, Plum, Hemp, and Rosehip

• Pink Clay Face Cleanser Bar Olive oil, Coconut oil, Rosewater, and Rose Geranium essential oil.

• NEW! Body Cream - Hydrate and Repair Sweet Almond oil, Apricot Kernel oil, and Aloe Vera.

COMING SOON!

• Hand Cream - Nourish and Protect Sweet Almond oil, Shea Butter, Chamomile.

• Blue Light Defence Day Cream Aloe Vera, Jojoba, Mango, Shea Butter and Sodium Hyaluronate.

For more information and orders please visit solimara.com

“ECOSTORE HAS EXPANDED ITS POPULAR HAIRCARE BAR RANGE BY ADDING A NEW SMOOTHING SHAMPOO BAR.”

Goodbye outdoor skincare

Being a small New Zealand business and working at the edge of the category in premium skin care is both exciting and challenging, says Brand Manager Becky Cashman.

“When Goodbye became a nationwide FMCG brand with Goodbye SANDFLY in 2010, they finished their first year with just over 2% of the personal repellent market. Year on year, Goodbye SANDFLY has quietly grown its customer base, increasing market share to 12.6% by dollar of personal repellents (IRI, TKA MAT Feb 2022). This

and diligence for choosing products that are effective, safe and natural,” she says.

Alongside Goodbye SANDFLY, Goodbye OUCH Manuka Balm offers a multi-use balm that successfully sits in lip balm with both a tube and eco tin option.

Cashman says: “Goodbye OUCH Sun Balm sunscreen is beginning to break the barriers of the sun care category with its water-free, certified natural and fully tested sunscreen. More than ever before, customers are reading labels and making decisions based on considerations well beyond price.

“Goodbye outdoor skincare began life as a tourism supported brand and has matured into a fully supported Kiwi brand. These NZ made, certified natural, water-free products provide diversity and innovation in traditional skincare categories.” For more information and orders visit goodbye.co.nz

Tampons as they should be

Crimson Organic tampons is a brand creating real social impact by elevating the category from an embarrassing bathroom product to a lifestyle and fashion statement.

Founder Vicki Scott says: “we have not only captured a niche part of the market, but also enhanced the success of our donations programme.”

Crimson Organic offers natural, safe products with the prettiest packaging in the category. It is aimed at women who want personal products with a feminine touch that make them feel good, as well as safe.

The brand has a heart too. Since its launch in 2018 more than 104,000 tampons have been donated via Crimson Organic’s online tampon donation programme. Real social impact has been driven through education that organic is better for the environment and most importantly the safer alternative to synthetic period products. Crimson Organic champions physical health, wellbeing, and period equity.

In June 2021 Crimson Organic was chosen as an

schools across New Zealand. This pilot programme led to the Free Period Products in Schools programme.

As a criminal defence lawyer for 25-years prior to creating Crimson Organic, Scott has publicly advocated for an end to period poverty. Through Crimson Organic she has raised awareness about it through social media campaigns, radio, and print media interviews, speaking at women’s events and to vulnerable women. She has joined forces with grass roots organisations such as women’s shelters, Auckland City Mission, marae, iwi social agencies, church groups, and youth development programme providers.

After all is said and done, universal access to safe period products should be a fundamental human right; and human rights was something she is very familiar with protecting. For more information contact vicki@crimsonorganic.co.nz www.crimsonorganic.co.nz 027 575 4150

Share Satisfaction

Sales of personal lubricants are on the rise in New Zealand, and Share Satisfaction, a popular sexual wellness brand based in Wellington, has created a range of lubricants to help cater to increasing demand.

The global personal lubricants market is forecast to grow to USD 1646.6 million by 2028. According to Wholesale Solutions, New Zealand’s largest distributor of adult products and the company behind Share Satisfaction, lubricant sales in New Zealand have increased by 29% since 2019.

Taslim Parsons, Share Satisfaction’s Business and Product Development Manager, says the increasing demand in personal care items such as personal lubricants is due to several factors, with normalisation being key to its growth.

“More people are realising the benefits of sexual wellness products such as adult toys and personal lubricants and they have become very normalised. The stigma around these types of products have lessened over the years which has contributed to their growth,” she explains.

“Lubricant is a sexual health essential, and our vision is for Share Satisfaction to be New Zealand’s number one sexual wellness brand for everything people need to have healthy, happy and fulfilling sex lives. We have become very well-known for our adult toys, with our flagship product Kama making the top 10 list for the best-selling adult toys in New Zealand three years in a row, so it was natural for us to expand the range to include quality lubricants at an affordable price.”

PERSONAL CARE

Dollars (000s) Dollars Growth % YA

Total Oral Care $156,256 0.9%

Toothpaste $68,362 2.0%

Toothbrushes $37,475 1.3% Whitening Toothpaste $21,742 -1.9%

Mouthwash $21,564 -0.4% Dental Floss $7,114 1.1%

Total Suncare $16,625 3.2% Sunscreen $15,130 3.0%

After Sun* $809 17.3%

Artificial Tan $615 -8.8% Tanning* $70 30.0%

Total Cleanser $15,073 -4.8% Facial Cleaners $9,358 -5.3%

View the complete range at www.sharesatisfaction.com and visit www.wholesalesolutions.co.nz or email info@sharesatisfaction.com to express your interest.

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest data a category reports, please contact trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz

NEW SOCIAL SUPERMARKET FOR OTŪMOETAI

Walking arm in arm with the community is the driving force behind the opening of a social supermarket in Tauranga. A partnership between Linkt Community Trust and Foodstuffs North Island, the Otūmoetai Social Supermarket is located at 8 Claremont Terrace, and enables locals experiencing financial stress to shop for their groceries in a supermarket environment for a koha (donation).

Partnering with Foodstuffs provides local organisations with the knowledge, skills and ongoing support to successfully run a social supermarket for whānau in their community.

Lavina Good, Linkt Community Trustee says: “This social supermarket is needed in the Otūmoetai community. It’s designed to help working families cope with the strain of the rising cost of living. The contribution model means whānau can save some money on groceries and allocate that money to other important needs, including school camps, swimming lessons and maybe tutoring.”

“The social supermarket will be an exciting hub owned by the community of Otūmoetai. Linkt Community Trust is proud to answer the Community’s needs and walk hand in hand with Foodstuffs and the hapori (community).”

Willa Hand, Head of Membership Experience at Foodstuffs North Island says: “We’re delighted to have partnered with Linkt Community Trust. Our social

supermarket partnership model works because our team brings retail expertise, we support on all the logistics of setting up a supermarket, training a team to operate it, and sorting replenishment processes and the local community organisation decides exactly how things will run and what the offering will be for customers. Then, our local Foodstuffs owner operators provide ongoing support.

“Having strong local leadership who connect deeply with people in their community is what really makes a difference. Foodstuffs North Island is a 100% NZ owned co-operative, with individual grocers operating stores in their local community, so we believe in the power of local leadership and empowering people to make decisions that are right for their community.”

Foodstuffs is committed to backing locally led projects that make a difference, and this is the fifth social supermarket location for Foodstuffs North Island.

Linkt Community Trust Founders, John and Jackie Paine, are pleased to be extending their network of support. The opening of the Otūmoetai Social Supermarket is the first step for Linkt Community Trust, with plans to expand and provide a wrap-around support for shoppers with a specially trained team who can refer shoppers on to social workers, financial mentors, and other forms of support.

(L to R) Chris Quin, Jackie Paine, Lavina Good, John Paine, Brendon Good and Willa hand at the Otūmoetai Social Supermarket opening.

FGC CONFERENCE IN REVIEW

More than 200 delegates from food and grocery companies around New Zealand were treated to thought-provoking and informative speakers at the annual conference of the NZ Food & Grocery Council, One Voice, in Queenstown in early November.

From the (inspiring, sad, funny) presentation by celebral palsy sufferer and international speaker Cam Calkoen, the tales of entrepreneurship and perseverance by 42 Below, Ecoya, and Trilogy founders Geoff Ross and Justine Troy, and Nick Ashill’s story of endurance and overcoming the odds, to Sacha Coburn’s delightful takes on leadership potential and extreme ownership, and Theresa Gattung’s valuable tips on business innovation and governance – the conference had it all.

But that was just the lighter side of things.

There was plenty of the serious side of the business of FMCG to make this another wish-I-had-gone-after-all conference.

Jodie Farrell, Costco’s GM Packaged Food Australia NZ, gave a rundown on their NZ operation, including that it has many fewer SKUs than

Delegates were treated to a sneak preview of IRI’s State of the Industry announcement, with Craig Irwin and Debbie Simpson-Pudney running delegates through how the surge in online spending since Covid has taken online forward five years, and how sustainability is such a big thing for consumers “it’s critical the industry starts to own this”.

Breakout sessions are always among the most popular on the programme, and this year was no exception. They were all about industry relations, where members could connect with FGC’s Industry Relationships Working Group around what they would like to focus on with each retailer, along with member engagement. Sessions on Foodstuffs South Island and North Island, Woolworths NZ, other retail, and member engagement all drew spirited discussion.

Code of Conduct

A sneak preview of IRI’s State of the Industry announcement, with Craig Irwin and Debbie Simpson-Pudney.

One eagerly awaited session was the address by MBIE’s Deputy Secretary (Building, Resources and Markets), Paul Stocks, who updated delegates on where the Code of Conduct and the Grocery Commissioner were at. He said they were both part of the Grocery Industry Competition Bill, which is due to be introduced to Parliament next month. The powers of the Commissioner would be “quite extraordinary”, with the ability to review the workings of the market each year and to make recommendations to the Government a “really powerful tool”.

FGC Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley and FGC Chair Mike Pretty

“SUSTAINABILITY IS SUCH A BIG THING FOR CONSUMERS, IT’S CRITICAL THE INDUSTRY STARTS TO OWN THIS”

Countdown sent two people in place of MD Spencer Sonn (who had to cancel at the last minute) to give members an update on how they were travelling: Steve Mills, Commercial Director - Packaged Goods, Drinks, Everyday needs & Replenishment, and Pieter De Wet, Commercial Director - Fresh & FoodCo, crossed a wide range of topics, including a future focus on digital transformation, speed of delivery, investments in regenerative farming, progress on sustainability on private label packaging, and reimagining the end-to-end fresh value chain. Foodstuffs did not attend.

FGC’s

new Chief Executive

But of all the presentations, members seemed keenest to find out more about new FGC Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley. Apart from one-on-one’s during networking sessions and lunch breaks, the best opportunity was in an enlightening Q&A on stage with FGC Chair Mike Pretty. They covered Raewyn’s career and how it has set her up for taking the reins of NZFGC. She said understanding what members wanted and how they worked was key for FGC, and she wanted to do that quickly, being aware of opportunities to do things that are valued by them, such as widening or refining what the working groups are doing. She was impressed with how FGC has been operating, how knowledgeable and engaged members are about the issues they face, how genuine the intent of the industry is to have good outcomes around sustainability and consumers getting fairer prices, and how they care about things not being wasted on bureaucracy. She said her challenge was to get across this and to represent it really well on members’ behalf. “The real exciting challenge” was working with the membership, the Board and the Government to make sure the market changes will be “truly effective”.

GROWING BRANDS FROM THE ROOTS UP

Because we specialise in the packaged goods sector, the team here at Brother Design has built up quite a stock of knowledge about what works across categories. It’s knowledge we put to good effect in helping Inghams develop their award-winning Let’s Eat range.

The company was well attuned to the developing dietary behaviours of Kiwis, increasingly seeking non-meat options on the menu. Inghams tasked us with creating a complete brand identity, including naming and packaging, for a wheat and pea protein-based range for the freezer aisle. A crowded and competitive sector, the challenge was to stand out while conveying an irresistible taste appeal to ‘omnivorous millennials’ wanting an alternative to meat in their diet.

In Let’s Eat we created a brand

bursting with pride about the potential of plant-based eating.

movement that embraces positive, balanced menu choices, and the bold pack design made a real statement in store. We also helped Overall, Let’s Eat is a perfect example of how we can add value throughout the stages of a brand’s development. From creating an identity to delivering pack design with real punch, there’s nothing we like better than growing brands from the roots up. If you’re inspired to make your brand a winner in its

Jenny McMillan, Brother Design

The Q&A session One of the working groups at the conference

FMCG BUSINESS PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER

The winner of the 2022 FMCG Business Product of the Year award is the Let’s Eat range of plant-based Burger Patties, Tasty Tenders and Golden Nuggets.

The plant-based movement has reached mainstream status in New Zealand, thanks to convenient, locally made products such as Let’s Eat.

This delicious range is right on trend. Let’s Eat plant-based nuggets, tenders, burgers and bites are made from nutritious wheat and pea protein, combined to provide a tasty alternative to traditional protein sources. Premium coatings like crispy tempura and flaked pea crumbs ensure it all comes together to form one delicious, crunchy bite with over 10g of protein in each delicious serving. The products are approved by the NZ Vegetarian society and are low in saturated fat and contain no cholesterol or trans fats.

Since launching in 2020, the locally made Let’s Eat range has seen excellent sales growth. This just goes to show that New Zealanders are certainly eating less meat, and in turn seeking out plant-based alternatives at the check-out. But many Kiwis are also conscious of the wider environmental effects of food production.

Let’s Eat is a Toitū net carbonzero certified product and was New Zealand’s first carbon net-zero plant-based protein range.

Let’s Eat also took out the Below Zero Award in the New Zealand Food Awards 2021, which are powered by Massey University. For more information visit www.letseatplantbased.co.nz .

FMCG BUSINESS PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Do you have a Hero product that stands out from the crowd? If there’s a tasty tastebud teaser, NPD rockstar, or best seller in your portfolio that deserves to be crowned ‘Product Of The Year’ - we’d love to hear from you! We’ll showcase some of the finalists in upcoming issues and reveal the FMCG Business Product of the Year later in 2023.

The Let’s Eat production team with their trophy: (L-R) Ben Ward (Marketing Manager), Lan Ruan, Winston Howard (Quality Assurance Officer), Channy Teng, Reed Flavell, Phil Miliona (Plant Manager), Nathan Johnson.

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES

Is your business actively addressing the urgent issues of our time? Are you encouraging environmentally responsible, sustainable strategies? Is your packaging designed to be recyclable?

Single-use plastic cotton buds, drink stirrers and PVC plastic meat trays are among single use plastics banned from sale or manufacture in New Zealand from 1 October 2022.

“This is the first group of the most problematic plastic products to be banned in a progressive phase out over the next three years,” Environment Minister David Parker said.

“Stopping the sale of these plastic products will reduce waste to landfill, improve our recycling systems and encourage reusable or environmentally responsible alternatives.”

Plastics that are banned from sale from 1 October 2022 are:

• Single-use plastic drink stirrers

• Single-use plastic cotton buds

• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pre-formed food trays and containers*

• Polystyrene takeaway packaging for food and beverages

• Expanded polystyrene food and beverage retail packaging (such as foam takeaway containers or some instant noodle cups)

• Plastics with additives that make them fragment into micro-plastics

The Packaging Forum and the NZ Food & Grocery Council (NZFGC) have welcomed the announcement by Minister for the Environment David Parker, that they will jointly lead the project to co-design a Plastic Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme for New Zealand.

The announcement will see The Packaging Forum and NZFGC work with organisations across the plastic packaging supply chain to develop a product stewardship model that best fits the New Zealand priority product criteria and will deliver a best practice scheme.

Both The Packaging Forum and NZFGC have considerable experience in facilitating industry-led solutions – the Packaging Forum has more than a decade’s experience with the development and management of voluntary product stewardship schemes for glass packaging, soft plastic, and public place recycling/litter. NZFGC is part of a global leadership group on product stewardship, and directly engaged in the Australian Food & Grocery Council’s research to design a soft plastic product stewardship scheme in Australia.

Businesses unite to tackle food waste

Did you know that 40% of all food produced globally is wasted from farm to fork?

New Zealand’s largest food businesses have joined the Kai Commitment, a new voluntary initiative to reduce food waste and emissions, which launched in October. The Kai Commitment is being led by the New Zealand Food Waste Champions, a charitable organisation established to progress UN Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG) 12.3, reducing food waste by 50% by 2030.

Fonterra, Countdown, Goodman Fielder, Silver Fern Farms, Foodstuffs and Nestle, representing more than $40 billion in collective turnover, are the first organisations to join Kai Commitment. In pursuit of UNSDG 12.3, they commit to measure their food waste under the agreement, set an ambitious target to reduce it, and implement an action plan. They will also collaborate on new initiatives through the supply chain.

Kaitlin Dawson, the Executive Director of New Zealand Food Waste Champions says: “In New Zealand, landfilled food waste contributes

Environment Minister David Parker

4% of our total emissions and represents a lost economic opportunity of up to $2 billion per year. What’s more tragic than the numbers is that one in five Kiwi kids live in constant hunger. Through the Kai Commitment we hope to collectively work on developing a food system in Aotearoa New Zealand that values every piece of food we produce.

“We’ve seen globally that voluntary agreements make a meaningful impact on reducing food waste. The UK’s equivalent agreement, the Courtauld Commitment, contributed to the UK reducing food waste by 28% nationally in the last decade and being on track to meet the UNSDG12.3 goal.

“Reducing food waste also makes good business sense. Global studies show that for every $1 investment in reducing food waste, there can be a return of $14.”

The establishment of the new agreement is being supported by the Ministry for the Environment and is an action under New Zealand’s Emissions Reduction Plan (Action 15.1.2). For more information visit Kaicommitment.org.nz .

Finalists announced for 2022 Sustainable Business Awards

The Sustainable Business Awards recognise businesses, local government, social enterprises and individuals for success in sustainability. The finalists for this year’s Sustainable Business Awards span sectors from food and beverage to transport, construction, biotechnology and retirement.

Rachel Brown ONZM, founder and CEO of the Sustainable Business Network, which runs the Awards, says: “The 71 finalists showcase what is possible in a more sustainable economy. These businesses are all playing a crucial role in actively addressing the urgent issues of our time, including the climate emergency and our nature crisis. They include corporates, small enterprises and individuals from the public and private sector, showing that whoever you are, you have a part to play.

“Our awards have been running for 20 years and continue to prove that our small nation can make a big difference to these challenges. For some their impact is significant and local, and for others it has the potential to change the way whole sectors work.”

The winners for all categories will be announced at a ceremony at the end of November. The ceremony will be held in Auckland and broadcast online. For more details go to sustainable.org.nz/awards.

The finalists for the 2022 Sustainable Business Awards are: Sustainability Superstar Sponsored by NZI

• Dave Rouse – CarbonClick

• Dawn Baggaley – NZ Post

• Deborah Manning – KiwiHarvest

• Luke Nutting – Lightforce

• Michael Quintern – MyNoke

• Monique Kelly – Wao Aotearoa

• Patrick Moynahan – Computer Recycling

• Wendy Zhou – Perfectly Imperfect Food for Good Sponsored by New World

• Hōhepa Hawke’s Bay

• KiwiHarvest

• New Zealand Food Network

• The Kai Ika Project

• The Sustainable Food Co.

• Whāingaroa Environment Centre

“

4% OF OUR TOTAL EMISSIONS AND REPRESENTS A LOST ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY OF UP TO $2 BILLION PER YEAR”

(L to R) Bernard Duignan, CEO Goodman Fielder; Catherine Langabeer, Head of Sustainability, Countdown; Kaitlin Dawson, Executive Director, New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3 Trust (NZFWC 12.3); Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; Amavi Mey, Community Engagement Manager, Fonterra; Nicola Johnston, General Manager Growth, Silver Fern Farms; Sandy Botterill, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Foodstuffs; Jennifer Chappell, Country Manager & CEO, Nestle New Zealand

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks at the Kai Commitment launch.

Communicating for Impact

Sponsored by Federation

• Citizen, WITHWILD, BurgerFuel & Fiordland Wapiti Foundation

• Ecotricity

• Good Change

• Mitre 10 (New Zealand)

• Priority Communications & Timaru District Council

• Tauranga City Council

Social Impactor

Sponsored by MAS

• All Heart NZ

• AWWA

• Beautification Trust

• Greenfern Industries

• Hōhepa Hawke’s Bay

• Karma Drinks

• MyNoke

• Trow Group

• two/fiftyseven

Going Circular

Sponsored by Auckland Council

• All Heart NZ

• Awa Water

• Emma Lewisham

• Greenfern Industries

• Levela Deconstruction

• Medsalv

• Perfectly Imperfect

• Planet Protector Packaging

• Sustainably Limited

• Will&Able and Abilities Group

• YY Nation

Climate Action Leader Sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

• CarbonClick

• DB Breweries

• DETA

• East by West Ferries

• ESP

• Hybrid Bikes Limited

• Lion

• McCain Foods (NZ)

• Neocrete

Outstanding Collaboration Sponsored by Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment

• ATL Group

• Fonterra, Ministry for Social Development & Sanitarium

• Fulton Hogan & Matta Products

• Greenfern Industries & Sustainable Foods

• New Zealand Food Network

• Ports of Auckland & Damen Shipyards

• Summerset Group Holdings & Waste Management NZ

• Waiheke Marine Project

• Westpac NZ

• Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne

Regenerating Nature Sponsored by Department of Conservation

• Conservation Volunteers New Zealand

• HealthPost

• Pattle Delamore Partners, Auckland Transport, Koru Environmental, Manaaki Whenua, Natural Habitats, Aireys Consultants & PDP

• Trees for Survival Trust

• Trees That Count

• WAI Wānaka

• Yealands Wine Group Change Maker Award

• Anna van Riel – The Wanda Foundation

• Bridget Williams – Bead and Proceed

• Margarita Khabitueva – Trevelyan’s Pack and Cool

• Millie Porter – Countdown

• Samantha Walmsley-Bartlett –Circularity

SEA CLEANERS TEAM UP WITH FUTURE POST TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON PLASTIC

Local not-for-profit, Sea Cleaners, is helping to close the loop on plastic waste through a trial collaboration with Northland Waste and Future Post.

Sea Cleaners is dedicated to preserving New Zealand’s oceans and water ways for future generations by removing marine litter.

This year, the not-for-profit organisation launched a new pilot initiative to sort and recycle the marine litter collected and turn it into plastic fence posts.

Sea Cleaners founder, Hayden Smith, said the collaboration explores new ways of reducing waste and helps to close the loop on plastic.

“Historically, the litter collected by Sea Cleaners went to landfill but the new scheme provides a sustainable useful solution, creating highquality products that go back into the community,” said Smith.

The marine plastics collected by Sea Cleaners north of Auckland are dropped off at Northland Waste, which consolidates plastics suitable for recycling before sending them to Future Post.

Future Post is used throughout New Zealand, providing fencing for everything from vineyards to cattle farms to protect wetlands and waterways.

Founder of Future Post, Jerome Wenzlick, said the collaboration with Sea Cleaners and Northland Waste ensures that there is less waste in both New Zealand’s waterways and landfill.

“The plastics we receive from Sea Cleaners’ efforts are chipped up into

Sea Cleaners is dedicated to preserving New Zealand’s oceans and water ways by removing marine litter.

tiny little bits and used to produce our fence posts. If one ever breaks, it’s not wasted, we simply put it back in the mix to create new posts.”

Smith knows that keeping New Zealand’s water litter free is a job that he can’t tackle alone.

“I’m hugely grateful for partners like Future Post, Northland Waste and The Coca-Cola Foundation, who are making it possible to achieve so much more than when we first started out 20 years ago. Through collective efforts like these we can really make a difference in the world,” concluded Smith.

RADIANCE IN SUSTAINABLE TINS

If there’s one thing Radiance has done well over the last quarter century, it’s innovate. It’s the reason we’re able to develop such unique, high-quality formulas that have set new benchmarks in natural health, all the while using premium quality ingredients that are clinically researched and rigorously tested.

But we know innovation isn’t limited to the type of ingredients we use or how potent they are. You’ve got to look at the big picture. That’s why you might notice our tin packaging. We do not use plastic, but once did! Gone, replaced by more sustainable, reusable, aluminium tins.

We couldn’t be happier. We’ve gone for more sustainable, re-usable tins. In the big scheme of things, we know it’s a small step but it’s a good example of how we’re always trying to do better, bit by bit.

They say that good health comes from within, and Radiance couldn’t agree more. We believe Kiwis should have the most natural health formulas on the planet, that are better for the environment. We are committed to only having sustainably sourced ingredients. Where applicable, Radiance products have BIO Grow Certification.

With the move in 2020 from plastic packaging to 100% recyclable aluminium packaging we have eliminated over 500,000 plastic bottles from being manufactured. Radiance also changed all shipping materials to sustainable/recyclable options such as paper and cardboard.

We have partnered with CarbonClick to offset 1kg of CO2 for every package we create (1kg of CO2 is like an average car driving for 4km, this may not seem like much but across out thousands of packages it really adds up).

This will reduce the carbon footprint of each item by supporting amazing local and international renewable energy and reforestation projects.

We’ve gone for more sustainable, re-usable tins.

If there’s one thing Radiance has done well over the last quarter century, it’s innovate. It’s the reason we’re able to develop such unique, high-quality formulas that have set new benchmarks in natural health, all the while using premium quality ingredients clinically researched and rigorously tested.

But we know innovation isn’t limited to the type of ingredients we use or how potent they are. You’ve got to look at the big picture. That’s why you might notice our tin packaging. We’ve gone for more sustainable, re-usable tins. In the big scheme of things, we know it’s a small step but it’s a good example of how we’re always trying to do better, bit by bit.

of carbon is offset with CarbonClick by purchasing any Radiance™ product

1kg

ITS ABO U T DOING THING S BETTER

AT MSC, SUSTAINABILITY IS OUR PURPOSE

goals have propelled us to determine our priorities, understand the ever-changing sustainability landscape, and adapt our infrastructure, strategies, and operations to better serve our purpose.”

Envisioning a green future

“MSC’s work for a sustainable future is centered at the heart of our business. Through constant development and implementation, MSC’s main sustainability priorities lie in carbon neutrality efforts, logistics transition solutions, and energy efficiency.

“Our unique positioning allows us to be at the forefront of the decarbonization of global supply chains, and through leadership and collaboration with industry partners, MSC promotes innovative solutions and initiatives for others across our industry and beyond to follow.

Digital solutions to keep moving forward

“Part of the journey towards a more sustainable future involves the use of innovative technologies integrated across our various business operations,

showcases information for every step of the business process, including tracking, bookings, and vessel schedules. Other digital solutions, including eBL (electronic Bill of Lading) and direct integrations, help us, our customers and partners advance sustainability goals, and seamlessly encourage digitized interactions for increased efficiency.”

Our vision for a better world

“Caring for our environment and engaging in sustainable practices is one of the core factors of MSC’s business, but our aim stretches across other initiatives and goals that foster inclusivity and diversity, strengthen local economies and promote fair trade practices.

“Due to our global reach, MSC focuses on empowering local economies in developing countries, increasing access to trade, and building resilience across the global value chain. Knowing the impact our business has across many areas of the world, we have been able to adapt our values to better serve and empower the communities we work with.”

For more information visit https://www.msc.com

PHOENIX ORGANICS SPONSORS SUSTAINABLE COASTLINES

Sustainable Coastlines’ mission to remove litter and restore waterways has been given a refreshing boost by Phoenix Organics, one of New Zealand’s original organic drink companies.

A founding partner of Sustainable Coastlines since 2014, the team at Phoenix Organics took to an Auckland beach and reserve recently to remove rubbish washed ashore. The teams’ collection added to an incredible 1.7 million kilograms of litter Sustainable Coastlines has already removed from our beaches and waterways since the charity’s inception in 2009.

Phoenix Organics, which is part of The Better Drinks Company and Asahi Beverages, has also signed an additional three-year gold sponsor partnership with Sustainable Coastlines to ensure the great work the charity delivers the New Zealand environment continues.

NZ CEO Andrew Campbell, who took part in the clean-up, says helping forge a more sustainable future for New Zealand is a key element of Asahi Beverages’ overall business strategy.

“We know it’s important to our people, customers, and consumers to do what we can to reduce the impacts of climate change, use more sustainable packaging, aid the circular economy, and encourage the recycling of our products. That’s why we’re proud to be renewing and extending our partnership with Sustainable Coastlines. We’re also grateful for access to their resources to educate and inform our people on how we can individually do more to support the planet.”

To that end Asahi Beverages is accessing DIY rubbish collection kits from Sustainable Coastlines on top of its partnership extension for its 400 New Zealand employees. The kits will enable employees to collect and remove rubbish from their local parks, beaches, and waterways across the country ahead of summer.

“We have staff based throughout the country,” Campbell explains, “and

will be providing everyone with access to collection kits so they can get out with friends or family and do their bit for the environment. This is something our people have asked for. They want to work for an employer doing more in terms of sustainability – they also want to help personally do their bit and our beach clean-ups are a great example of this.”

CEO Sustainable Coastlines Josh Borthwick highlights what a valuable partnership this has been since 2014 and looks to the future with Phoenix Organic’s continued support. “Sustainable Coastlines exists to reduce ocean litter together and this mahi is made possible thanks to epic sponsors like Phoenix Organics. They’ve been with us from the beginning and thanks to their support we enable events across Aotearoa, through delivery and in celebration. We call it the “high-five” effect, when people are buzzing with feel-good energy after a hard days’ mahi out on the coast, we like to celebrate over a cold Phoenix Organics drink. Phoenix Organics is a treat for our volunteers, and we’re delighted to continue this partnership to reduce coastal litter well into the future.”

Phoenix Organics (and the wider Asahi Beverages business) is also a member of the Packaging Forum, which is focused on the recovery and recycling of beverage containers (glass, aluminium, and plastic). The recycling and mindful disposal of caps and lids (metal and plastic) is also a target area for the business, which recently supported a pilot project (run by Plastics NZ) that saw three tonnes of lids collected across Hawkes Bay schools in 10 weeks.

Campbell says while 70% of glass in New Zealand is recycled through the various kerbside collection schemes and recycling stations around the country, more needs to be done to encourage purchasers of beverage products to ensure empty glass, plastic and aluminium containers are recycled or reused.

The team at Phoenix Organics took to an Auckland beach and reserve recently to remove rubbish washed ashore.

MORE THAN A CHORE? VOLUNTEERING VS EMPLOYMENT IN GLORIAVALE

The Employment Court has recently issued a judgment, Courage v Attorney General [2022] NZEmpC 77, which involved a claim by three former members of the Gloriavale Christian Community. The applicants argued that, from the age of six until their departure from the community, they were required to “work long hours, and under harsh conditions” in Gloriavale businesses. The applicants claimed that they were employees.

The work carried out by the applicants included collecting moss, farm work, and work in a honey factory. The applicants argued that, as a result of the control exercised by Gloriavale’s commercial enterprises, they were in an employment relationship with Gloriavale. By contrast, Gloriavale argued that the plaintiffs were not employees and they did not enter into any contract for services. Gloriavale argued that the work carried out was in the nature of chores, and subsequently work experience, and that they were simply contributing to the community voluntarily.

Whether a person is in an employment relationship depends on the “real nature” of the relationship. That means a Court will go beyond the contractual relationship (if any) between the parties and consider “all relevant matters, including any matters that indicate the intention of the parties.” That includes looking at the levels of integration and control exercised by the putative employer over the work, who is benefitting

from the work, and the economic reality of the relationship. Chief Employment Court Judge, Judge Inglis, noted that: “It will be apparent that I do not accept the Gloriavale defendants’ characterisation of work undertaking in this period of the plaintiffs’ lives as “chores” which might normally be required of a child by their caregiver… it was work as work is commonly understood. It was laborious, often dangerous, required physical exertion over extended periods of time and it was for commercial benefit… The Plaintiffs’ parents were not involved in any meaningful way in decisions about whether the work took place, how long it took place for, where it took place, or when their children would be required to work.”

The New Zealand economy is made up in no small part with family businesses: corner dairies, neighbourhood restaurants, and farms, to name a few. Many of us grew up spending holidays helping to man the front desk or till, or pulling on our Red-Bands to pitch in with milking or mucking out. The situation in Courage v Attorney General went well beyond that. Chief Judge Inglis found that the plaintiffs had been fully integrated into the business structure of the Gloriavale enterprises and the plaintiffs carried out work for reward; in this case food, shelter, and a continued place within the Gloriavale community.

There is a distinction between the work carried out by the applicants in Courage v Attorney General and the type of pitching-in many of us did during our summer holidays. However, characterising relationships – employment vs volunteering – can be a nuanced thing. The Court did not deal with children helping out in their family enterprises so it remains to be seen whether Courage v Attorney General would capture such a situation, but it is important to approach any volunteering situation (family or not) with caution.

“WHETHER A PERSON IS IN AN EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP DEPENDS ON THE “REAL NATURE” OF THE RELATIONSHIP. ”

WHY IT’S TIME FOR LEADERS TO PRIORITISE THEIR OWN SELF-CARE

The uncertainty of the last two years has been relentless, with overwhelm, anxiety and burnout impacting all organisations. A recent report by Deloitte and independent research firm Workplace Intelligence indicates that employees and senior executives are struggling to prioritise their wellbeing. It found that one out of three are constantly struggling with fatigue and poor mental health, and the main reason they aren’t prioritising themselves is due to a heavy workload, stressful job and a lack of time due to long work hours.

As leaders, we have a responsibility to care for ourselves first. A lot of livelihoods rely on us. Our staff, our colleagues, our families. However, with so many of us feeling like we are stuck in survival mode, it can be hard to know where to turn and what to do first.

It’s time to for us to prioritise our own self-care.

So often we get caught up in work and life and family and commitments that we forget to look after ourselves. To put ourselves first. To recharge OUR batteries. We recharge our phones every day, we need to do the same with our minds and bodies.

Connecting with yourself and prioritising self-care is a conscious choice. We make decisions around this every day, about what we think, what we eat and drink, when we go to bed, who we associate with, and how we bring joy to our lives. Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause, take a breath and focus on yourself, even briefly.

The benefits of self-care

When we practice self-care, we do things that make us feel good. It’s essential for our physical health, mental health and emotional wellbeing, and is clinically proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, and reduce stress at home and work. It allows us to reconnect with ourselves, which makes us more effective as it gives us improved concentration, happiness and energy, and reduces negative emotions such as frustration and anger. Demonstrating that we are important enough to practice self-care also sets an excellent example for our employees, colleagues, kids, and others who look up to us.

A lot of people think self-care needs to be expensive. Or that it is all about champagne, massages and pedicures. It’s not – not that I would say no to any of those! Self-care is really about creating the time and space to focus on yourself. Self-care also looks different for everyone. What’s soothing to me could

be stressful to you. One of my most effective self-care methods is to have a walk on the beach and a quick swim in the ocean. It restores my energy and refreshes me enormously. Some of my friends love a pyjama day in front of Netflix. One of my clients loves bushwalking. Others go for long bike rides.

Foundations of self-care

There are five core foundations we need to get right when it comes to self-care:

1. Be aware of your health – make regular medical checks not-negotiable, and understand and manage your stress levels.

2. Get the basics of food, exercise and sleep right.

3. Have clear boundaries and stick to them – saying no to things you don’t want to do is a good way to take back some control over your life.

4. Do something every day that brings you joy - when we focus on joy, even for as little as 30 seconds a day, our stress hormones reduce, oxygen flow to our bodies increases, and we are happier.

www.melkettle.com

IS THAT A PHARMARKET OR A SUPERMACY?

These days you hear a lot of people talking about “sticking to your lane”, as if there are some sort of competitive road rules that restrict your innovation.

But in the natural order of things it is commonplace for companies to reach into new territories to disrupt the status quo and pinch market share.

One area that is continuing to blur boundaries are supermarkets and pharmacies.

Lew Bentley Head of Strategy Shopper Marketing Agency Energi lew.bentley@energi.co.nz

For a long time now pharmacies have evolved from dispensing drugs to selling fragrances, cosmetics and personal products, and assorted other products. My local has a big display of Crocs which unnerves me every time I go in.

The big revolution with pharmacy has of course been the inroads of the Chemist Warehouse. They are incredibly aggressive retailers first, pharmacists second. The initial impression is a barrage of sales tickets and promotional hooks to grab your attention. Their range is also vast compared to traditional pharmacies.

Talking with a range of different clients that distribute through pharmacy and it is clear that Chemist Warehouse is seen as the power channel.

One well-informed person suggested that each Chemist Warehouse store delivers the equivalent of 30 other pharmacies. In an ironic touch Chemist Warehouse now offers free subscriptions; the original raison d’etre of pharmacies. As a positive gesture of goodwill they claim to have given away $32 million to New Zealanders in the form of free subscriptions.

This will be placing significant pressure on other pharmacies such as Green Cross, who must defend their market share based on location convenience or service, or some other trick up their sleeve.

Meanwhile, in supermarkets there has been a steady trend to more pharmacy-type products and more of a role in health and beauty for families. Some offer a store-within-a-store model with a pharmacy either in or adjacent to the supermarket. There has also been a significant increase in the presence of health and beauty products on shelves.

Over recent years one of the big trends has been the rise of ‘wellness’; that fertile and profitable space between health, nutrition and lifestyle. This is a powerful trend for supermarkets which can offer wellness in a multitude of forms such as dedicated wellness brands, functional foods, health tonics and supplements.

Supplements is a challenging category with an incredible proliferation of SKUs and a general busyness. There is also a lot of product parity and generic ingredients in the category, thereby placing greater onus on differentiation at a brand level.

There are three brands that seem to be doing well in bringing pharmacy values into supermarkets.

Health by Habit brings a wide range of supplements that cover the modern demands of everyday wellbeing support. The brand is differentiated by beautiful colour-coded pack design that blends a traditional pharmacy look and Pantone swatches.

Musashi cut its teeth as a high-performance sports nutrition brand with protein tubs and bars. It is now steaming ahead into the mainstream market off the back of product extensions in energy drinks and cookies.

Essano is a local success story based on the idea of bringing salon and pharmacy quality personal products into supermarkets. They have successfully leveraged rosehips as their power ingredient.

The competitive world we live in is a great breeding ground for sprouting new ideas and ways of satisfying human needs.

Now that we’ve covered supermarkets and pharmacies; what do you get when you blend a supermarket with a DIY store?

In supermarkets there has been a steady trend to more pharmacy-type products.

UNILEVER ANZ EXPANDS FOUR-DAY WORK WEEK TRIAL

Unilever Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) has announced it is continuing its 4 Day Work Week experiment in New Zealand and is extending the trial to Australia.

The expansion comes off the back of promising results from Unilever’s 18-month pilot in New Zealand, which saw all 80 employees participate in the trial. As part of the initiative, staff retain 100% of salaries, while working 80% of the time, while still committing to 100% delivery for the business (100:80:100).

Results from the New Zealand trial showed strong results against business targets, including revenue growth, with the vast majority of staff reporting feeling engaged, and absenteeism dropping 34%.

Individual wellbeing also improved, with stress dropping 33%. Meanwhile, feelings of strength and vigour at work increased by 15%. Work/life conflict fell 67%.

Stakeholders and partners also took to the trial favourably, with 100% agreeing that the NZ team completed work on time and to high quality.

Unilever New Zealand Managing Director Cameron Heath says the 4 Day Work Week is an extension of Unilever’s commitment to a performance culture that drives triple bottom impact – people, planet and profit.

“A high performing business requires thriving people, and the need to attract and retain passionate talent is more critical than ever. It’s imperative for us to continue to deliver superior business performance, whilst also meeting the evolving needs and expectations of our thriving workforce.”

The extension of an initial 12-month trial to Unilever’s Australian operations will implement many of the same principles and tools to encourage more efficient working styles.

Leveraging existing technology proved essential to the success of the New Zealand trial. Staff were guided in removing projects, processes and protocols that added less value throughout the week, ensuring they were able to free up time to work on items that matter most. Teams were encouraged to work through logistics and develop individual and team plans to ensure business continuity. Recommendations for change included less frequent but more efficient meetings, less reliance on emails and adoption of software such as Microsoft Teams.

“We’re excited to see the trial extend to Australia, and know the toolkit and learnings we realised in Aotearoa will translate well to our peers in Australia,” Heath said.

Professor Bronwen Dalton, Head of the Department of Management at UTS Business School, which monitored and measured the trial, says it is the most comprehensive study into flexible working arrangements to date.

“The Unilever New Zealand 4 Day Work Week trial week produced successful, independent measurements,” she says. “Through rigorous, in-depth academic research, we have produced a robust, multi-level data set that can be used to further refine the initiative over time.

“In conducting this trial in collaboration with UTS Business School, Unilever ANZ has been a pioneer in helping to create an evidence-base that can inform ongoing research into the future of work,” she says.

Heath says Unilever NZ is committed to driving the future of work through its unique employee offering. “We know our learnings will be useful at a time of change in the workplace, particularly as New Zealand moves through the headwinds of the pandemic, and as businesses embrace new and exciting ways of working. We’re proud to be leaders in equipping our own people and others for the future.”

Cameron Heath, Unilever NZ Managing Director

“A HIGH PERFORMING BUSINESS REQUIRES THRIVING PEOPLE” – CAMERON HEATH, UNILEVER NZ MANAGING DIRECTOR

NEW SUPERMARKET FOR TAUPŌ SOUTH

Taupō South residents have welcomed a new supermarket to the neighbourhood with the official opening of a state-of-the-art Countdown. The new 2,300sqm store is a joint investment by Countdown and Kokomea Village Centre that’s been five years in the making, and has created 70 new jobs for the local community.

Countdown’s Director of Property, Matt Grainger, says Countdown has been a part of the Taupō retail landscape for over six decades and the supermarket is excited to now be part of the next chapter for the vibrant community.

“We’re seeing some really incredible growth in Taupō, as more and more people build their lives in this beautiful part of the country. With two thirds of all growth in the Taupō area projected to happen in Taupō South in the next two decades, we wanted to take the opportunity to deliver a supermarket to meet that growth.

“We’ve also been hearing from locals for a while now that they need more flexibility when they shop with us online, and we’re delighted that with our new Taupō South store we’re making that happen. We’ll have more delivery slots available to a wider range of suburbs, particularly through the busy holiday season, and we’ve also introduced a purpose-

orders,” says Grainger.

The store has a number of sustainability features including electronic shelf labels to reduce paper use, bike racks, and doors on dairy fridges to help reduce energy use. Countdown Taupō South is partnering with local food rescue organisation, Halo Charitable Trust, to divert food that can’t be sold but is still good enough to eat.

Countdown Taupō South, at 16 Kokomea Village Drive, is open 7am10pm, seven days a week.

HI-CHEW EXPANDS STICK AND GF RANGE

Since launching its Hi-Chew fruit chews in collaboration with exclusive NZ distributor, Tokyo Food Co., Ltd., Hi-Chew sales have grown exponentially and the sweets can now be found at all major supermarkets and retailers nationwide. In addition to adding new flavours to its mixed bag range in recent months, Hi-Chew has also launched two new flavours to its ever-growing Hi-Chew 57g Stick range: Cola and Sweet & Sour Pineapple.

Paying homage to the original soda, the new and improved Cola chews feature a real punch of fizzy cola flavour giving consumers’ taste buds a refreshingly sweet experience in each chewy bite.

Made with REAL fruit juices and purees, Hi-Chew Sweet & Sour Pineapple delivers the same vibrant colour and fresh flavour found in pineapples, but with the sensationally chewy texture Hi-Chew fans have come to love.

Each stick includes 12 individually wrapped chews that pack a blast of flavour.

Pushing Against the Grain: Everyone deserves a sweet treat and that’s why Hi-Chew is proud to announce its range of best-selling mix bags will include the Crossed Grain logo on the packaging from this summer!

• Original Mix 100g

• Tropical Mix 100g

• Sweet & Sour Mix 90g

Gluten-free treats that don’t compromise on Hi-Chew’s iconic soft, chewy texture and true-to-life fruit flavours. For more information or to become a stockist, please contact Tokyo Food Retail Manager - Mark Whiteman,

IT IS HERE…

The wait is over. New Zealanders asked us to help them create mini eco infrastructures. They wanted quality products built to last that could access clean, energy efficient and practical products for their home and commercial environments.

Introducing Output Envy, (powered by A-Ward)

A foundation of innovation in international recycling led us to examine how we could share or replicate our ‘mini’ sustainable partner products. Kiwis we spoke to were tired of cheap mass produced, inferior quality, and often chemical laden products that often carried the most important life sustaining elements such as drinking water. In addition, overwhelmed by the complex, cumbersome energy system products on the market they wanted easy and portable energy outputs they could apply to the home, beach house, tiny house, RV, boat, or off-grid!

This December, Output Envy is launching! Our suite of life sustaining output products is on the move, and we will endeavour to keep you updated with the latest output innovations to add value to our customers’ surroundings as our products become available.

We hope our products will positively change the way people think about their everyday actions and to have control, be independent and not rely on costly or unhealthy infrastructure that is currently on offer.

Our products meet official testing standards for safety and efficiency, and we believe in offering high-quality items that last. While also supporting local Kiwi businesses, Output Envy has partnered with our exclusive internationally recognised brands from Europe and the USA to provide sensible products.

Together we are ready to thrive! www.outputenvy.com

Deborah Ward, Founder of Output Envy

NEW ZEALAND FOOD AWARDS CELEBRATIONS

Described as a true free range “Paddock to Plate” product, Poaka Artisan Cured Meats has been crowned the Massey University Supreme Award winner for its whole chorizo salami, at the 2022 New Zealand Food Awards. More than 350 guests attended the gala dinner at the Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North, where the winners were revealed.

Poaka Artisan Cured Meats focuses on traditionally made free range meats. Their heritage breed Tamworth, Berkshire and Wessex saddleback pigs are slow grown on open pasture and finished on acorns and sweet chestnuts, delivering a “melt in your mouth” texture traditionally found in European charcuterie.

Judges described the entry as, “A journey from a traditional style Catalan product to a modern high quality New Zealand chorizo, this is a unique product to be savoured by consumers in our high class restaurants, food service and speciality food markets.”

Head judge Kay McMath says the chorizo salami is a delicious product with a compelling and engaging story and is an exciting contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand’s cured meats selection.

“A key aspect to the success of the product was the careful consideration and addressing of challenges along the whole value chain, from animal production and feeding through to the development of new drying procedures and facilities, and the journey to scale.

“Poaka is to be commended for their efforts to implement a longterm, resilience-based perspective throughout their farming practices and their production of premium foods that deliver a special consumer experience,” she adds.

Poaka Artisan Cured Meats also won the Cuisine Artisan Award and the New Zealand Food Safety Primary Sector Award.

Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says the finalists and winners are proof that Kiwi ingenuity continues to thrive, despite a difficult few years.

“It was fantastic to see such a broad range of products and businesses at the awards. The innovation, sustainability and excellence was inspiring, world-class and a true snapshot of the ingenuity happening up and down the motu, across the food and beverage sector. It was also lovely to be able to share the evening with finalists, sponsors and members of Aotearoa’s food and beverage industry, kanohi ki te kanohi, face to face, after the disruption of the past few years. And in Manawatū, a true food hub.”

Kiwi favourite Whittaker’s Peanut Slab Chocolate Bar won the AsureQuality Product Lifetime Achievement Award. The award, which was introduced in 2019, celebrates Kiwi products that have withstood the test of time.

Josh Hill (Poaka), Massey University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas, Doug Hill (Poaka).

Poaka Artisan Cured Meats’ whole chorizo salami won the Massey University Supreme Award.

Food Hero Award for KiwiHarvest

The public were also able to take part in the judging again this year, as part of the People’s Choice campaign. The Food Hero Award, in association with Palmerston North City Council celebrates people or organisations that continuously support the New Zealand food and beverage supply chain in some way. The judges selected the finalists, but the winner was determined by public vote.

Food rescue company

KiwiHarvest was awarded the Food Hero Award, voted for by a People’s Choice campaign. KiwiHarvest rescues 170,000 – 200,000 kilograms of good quality surplus food every month and diverts this back to people who are struggling, across the country.

Other category winners included: The Wild Fermentary’s Kefir Soda - Beet & Berry, winners of the Beverage Award, in association with the New Zealand Food Network; Little Island’s Tropical Nice Block, winners of the Food HQ Below Zero Award; and allmite gold® yeast spread, winners of the Countdown Pantry Award.

The New Zealand Food Awards have celebrated local food and beverage manufacturers, focusing on innovation, sustainability and excellence, since 1987. Powered by Massey University, the awards are open to small and large food and beverage manufacturers, primary food producers, food service providers and ingredient supply companies. Massey has played an important role within New Zealand’s food industry since its establishment in 1927.

Finalist and winning products earn the New Zealand Food Award’s quality mark to highlight their technical capability, consumer acceptability, regulatory compliance, and food quality and safety to shoppers and industry.

The awards’ programme is made possible with the support of Palmerston North City Council, New Zealand Food Safety, Countdown, Cuisine, FMCG Business, BNZ, New Zealand Food Innovation Network, AsureQuality, Kiwiso, FoodHQ, Americold, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, The New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology Inc., XPO Exhibitions and Villa Maria.

• Massey University Supreme Award

Poaka Artisan Cured Meats – Salami whole – Chorizo

• AsureQuality Product Lifetime Achievement Award

Whittaker’s Peanut Slab Chocolate Bar

• Americold Chilled Award

Aoraki - Pōhutukawa Hot Smoked Salmon

• Beverage Award, in association with the New Zealand Food Network

The Wild Fermentary – Kefir Soda – Beet & Berry

• BNZ Business Innovation Award

Kōrure

• Countdown Health and Wellbeing Award

Rebel Bakehouse – Gluten Free Sourdough & Super Seeds Wraps

• Countdown Pantry Award

allmite gold® – Yeast Spread

• Cuisine Artisan Award

Poaka Artisan Cured Meats – Salami whole - Chorizo

• Food Hero Award, in association with Palmerston North City Council

KiwiHarvest

• Food HQ Below Zero Award

Little Island – Tropical Nice Blocks

• KiwiSo Novel Award

Good Sh*t Soda – Ginger

• New Zealand Food Safety Primary Sector Award

Poaka Artisan Cured Meats – Salami Whole - Chorizo For more information, visit www.foodawards.co.nz

Kristina Dias (Countdown), Shannon Kelly and Laura Fisher (allmite gold), Sara Bernstone (Countdown).

Mike Fisher, General Manager of Breadcraft (centre, holding award) with Rebel Bakehouse team.

WE’RE SEARCHING FOR NZ’S OUTSTANDING FOOD PRODUCERS

The Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards celebrate Kiwis who harvest, grow and make top quality food and drink. Into their seventh year, these Awards are established as a leading quality mark in the New Zealand food industry.

A team of at least 20 food professionals assess all products on aroma, appearance, flavour, consistency and quality. Specialist judges review sustainability and brand story.

Why enter?

• The prestige of being recognised by robust judging led by NZ food champion, Lauraine Jacobs

• Build product recognition with leading food professionals

• Outstanding marketing and publicity opportunities

• All producers receive feedback on their entries

• Associated with respected trade and consumer media partners; FMCG Business, Hospitality Business, NZ Life & Leisure and Coast

• Network with food producers and judges at the Champions Party and Winner Dinners.

"Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards medal stickers have helped us secure a number of new suppliers and are a great way to communicate credibility to customers.”

Kelli-Jo Walker, Owner – The Wild Fermentary

"FMCG Business has been a proud media partner of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards since 2018…. It’s a privilege for me to be involved as a judge alongside respected food professionals and experience the very robust judging process…”

Tamara Rubanowski, FMCG Business Head of Content

Entries close Friday 10 February 2023

For more information outstandingfoodproducer.co.nz

Thanks to the support of:

Chatham Island Food Co Supreme Champion 2022 & Seafood New Zealand Water Champion 2022

New World Gore.

Finery founder Jane Allan won the Soda Inc’s RISE UP competition, which recognises female entrepreneurs that have created businesses with global potential. Allan received a prize of $10,000 to boost the cocktail in a can business.

Delwyn Tuanui from Chatham Island Food Co received the Supreme Champion Award from Kathie Bartley (R) and Nicola McConnell (L) at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards.

The ecostore team helped plant trees and clear out rubbish on Waiheke Island as part of Keep NZ Beautiful Clean Up Week.

C&I NZ EXPO RATED A HUGE SUCCESS

The 2022 C&I NZ Expo and Symposium exceeded all expectations and proved

The Convenience & Impulse Retailing New Zealand Expo and Symposium returned to The Cloud in Auckland on 19-20 October, for two days of education, networking, and business building.

The C&I NZ Expo returned with an excellent line-up of speakers at the Symposium, sharing insights from across Australia and New Zealand. The two-day event also included a vast array of new product launches to discover and excellent networking opportunities.

As you walked around this unique trade-only expo, attendees were able to discover new products and new companies to connect with, along with some exclusive deals.

Across the two days, attendees were able to see, hear, touch, taste and try the latest that the industry has to offer.

The success of the C&I NZ Expo proves that there is nothing quite like dealing face to face with people in your industry, developing relationships and catching up with colleagues again. Rubbing shoulders, sharing a coffee, and tossing around a few ideas with other retailers and suppliers can be a tonic for both you and for your business.

The inaugural C&I NZ Expo in 2019 brought together hundreds of retailers and suppliers from all banners and brands, and after a few setbacks due to the pandemic, the 2022 event exceeded all expectations, proving there is a hunger for a dedicated trade event for the New Zealand market.

PETROL AND CONVENIENCE NEWS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY

there is a hunger for a dedicated trade event for the New Zealand market.

A new addition to the C&I NZ Expo this year was the Great Retailer Pallet Giveaway where one lucky attendee walked away with a pallet of stock valued at more than $20,000.

The pallet giveaway was supported by more than 34 suppliers and included a wide range of products from beverages to snack foods, packaging, ice cream and more, which was a welcome addition to the shelves of the lucky winners in the lead up to the busy Christmas trading season.

Safa de Valois, Group Publisher and Commercial Director of C&I Media, said that the Great Retailer Pallet Giveaway had created a huge level of excitement and that he hopes it will become a permanent addition to the show.

Diane Holmes of Lakeside On The Spot in Te Anau on the South Island was the lucky winner, and although she wasn’t there for the draw, the C&I team was able to give her a call to let her know, and she was absolutely thrilled.

“It’s just so exciting. We’re from a small tourist town on the South Island and Covid just ruined us,” Holmes told C&I. “Trying to find money for stock has been such a challenge as all our money has gone into keeping staff, so we are just so thrilled.

“We really are over the moon. This stock is going to be such a great help to us coming into Christmas. We’ll have to have a big staff party to celebrate because our staff has been so wonderful and stuck with us through the last few years.”

C&I’s de Valois was delighted to give Holmes the news, and her reaction brought a tear to the eye of the whole C&I team, who were delighted for the prize to go to such a wonderful person and deserving business.

“We’d like to thank all of the sponsors who have supported the C&I NZ Expo and donated to the Great Retailer Pallet Giveaway, valued at more than $20,000,” said de Valois.

“We have had such a great response to this giveaway from attending retailers and can’t wait to do it again at the next C&I Expo.

“A big congratulations to Diane Holmes of Lakeside On The Spot Te Anau who was the winner of the $20,000 worth of stock.”

Another major giveaway at the C&I NZ Expo was from Pump TV, which gave one lucky attendee a prize of $20,000 worth of digital hardware for their petrol station forecourt.

Lewis Preston from NPD Retail was the lucky winner who walked away with the Pump TV prize.

Vern Brickman, Principle of Pump TV, congratulated Preston and provided some wonderful feedback about the C&I NZ Expo.

“On behalf of Pump TV, we’d like to congratulate Lewis for being drawn for this exciting digital prize and we offer all back end support to ensure that his journey into the digital age will be a smooth one,” said Brickman.

“This has been the most successful expo that we’ve been involved in for the last 10 years all over the world. We have found that the New Zealand business associations are very savvy and have adopted the digital footprint from a nice to have to a need to have. We expect to see huge growth here in New Zealand and we look forward to a new chapter with New Zealand being one of our most exciting markets.”

“

THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EXPO THAT WE’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS ALL OVER THE WORLD.” – VERN BRICKMAN, PRINCIPLE, PUMP TV

MEET… KATHLYNN LEE

The New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores’ 2022 Peter Jowett Scholarship program asked finalists to present an idea on the following topic:

You have been given a project involving category, marketing, and operations. Your task is to take any existing category in convenience other than fuel or tobacco and re-invent or revolutionise it.

This played right into the strengths of Kathlynn Lee, who is a Communications and Campaign Specialist at bp and who has a strong background in marketing. Lee wowed the judges with her presentation and was named the winner of the 2022 scholarship and won a trip to Las Vegas to attend the NACS Industry Trade Show alongside runner up, Fernand Dignadice.

Here we speak with Lee about how it felt to take out the 2022 scholarship, how much preparation went into her presentation, and any advice she has for next year’s finalists.

C&I:

Lee: I am an adaptive, creative, and self-driven marketer with a passion for building brands and delivering unique customer experiences.

I am currently a Communications and Campaign Specialist at bp, where I manage the electric vehicle charging and fuels brands and communications for our customers across Australia and New Zealand. Prior to this role, I was in the bp graduate program where I completed rotations in marketing, communications, and external affairs.

I’m also a One Young World ambassador, a role that is tasked with creating an impact in their countries, communities, and organisations. With this responsibility, I have pledged to bring more diverse, inclusive, and equitable customer experiences to brands.

Outside of work you can usually find me at one of the following places: Auckland’s latest restaurants, weekend farmer’s market or the hockey pitch.

C&I: Why did you decide to participate in the Peter Jowett Scholarship?

Lee: Several of my colleagues across the ditch have participated in the Peter Jowett competition and have rated it highly. They commended the invaluable skills they learnt and networks they built internally, so I decided to give it a go!

C&I: How did it feel to be named the winner?

Lee: I feel beyond honoured to have won this incredible accolade and be recognised amongst a very talented group of finalists in this year’s Peter Jowett Scholarship awards.

C&I: How important is the Peter Jowett Scholarship to young people in the industry?

Lee: The Peter Jowett Scholarship is an invaluable experience for those forming their careers as it provides a platform within the business to lead their own ideas, test and learn, while engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders.

C&I: How do you think this experience will help you within your career?

Lee: The experience has given me the extra confidence in myself to lead my own ideas and engage with cross-functional stakeholders with greater understanding.

C&I: Do you have any short or long-term career goals that you’d like to share with us?

Lee: In the short-term, I’m looking to diversify my skillset as a brand marketer to one that has a greater understanding of digital and customer experience, and how that shapes the overall brand experience. Next year I’m looking to begin my overseas work experience in London and seeing where that takes me.

Kathlynn Lee is a Communications and Campaign Specialist at bp. She is also the winner of the 2022 NZACS Peter Jowett Scholarship. This is her story…

Tell me a little about yourself and the role you’re currently in:

L-R: Dave Hooker, Executive Director, NZACS with Kathlynn Lee

“THE PETER JOWETT SCHOLARSHIP IS AN INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE FORMING THEIR CAREERS AS IT PROVIDES A PLATFORM WITHIN THE BUSINESS TO LEAD THEIR OWN IDEAS, TEST AND LEARN, WHILE ENGAGING WITH A DIVERSE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS.” – KATHLYNN LEE

MEET... FERNAND DIGNADICE

Fernand Dignadice, or Fern for short, is Territory Manager (Route) – East Auckland and Waiheke at Frucor Suntory. He was also the runner up of the 2022 NZACS Peter Jowett Scholarship. This is his story…

The Peter Jowett Scholarship, held by the New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores (NZACS) is an opportunity to celebrate and challenge future industry leaders. Candidates must be under the age of 36 and are given the platform to present their ideas on a specific topic in front of leaders of the New Zealand convenience industry.

Here we speak with Fernand Dignadice, Territory Manager (Route) –East Auckland and Waiheke at Frucor Suntory, who was the runner up of the 2022 scholarship and won a trip to Las Vegas to attend the NACS Industry Trade Show in October.

C&I: Tell us about yourself and the role you’re currently in:

Dignadice: I was originally born in the Philippines and moved to New Zealand with my family when I was four. I was raised in the Auckland suburb of Howick and attended Macleans College. Growing up, I was always passionate about being part of a team – football in particular – and have been part of Bucklands Beach Football Club for more than 20 years.

In my current role as Territory Manager (Route), I can apply many of the values I hold dear in my personal life, such as being dependable to both my customers and my team, contributing to a great team culture and creating strong relationships.

C&I:

Why did you decide to participate in the Peter Jowett Scholarship?

Dignadice: I am passionate about self-development and being honest with my areas of weakness. Presenting was a big weakness that I wanted to address, and I believed the best way to accomplish this was by throwing myself in the deep end. The Peter Jowett Scholarship provided a challenge to holistically develop my presenting skills, innovative my thinking, as well as making internal connections within the business.

C&I: How did it feel to come runner up?

Dignadice: Achieving runner up was a very rewarding feeling as it took many hours on top of managing my workload. It took a couple of days after the event to fully appreciate how far I had come from the start of my Peter Jowett journey, where I had initially severely struggled presenting to only my direct team of five people.

C&I:

Dignadice: It taught me to embrace feedback and my areas of development. It helped my confidence in creating internal connections to assist me to learn new skills. It has also helped me promote my personal brand to industry leaders, something I know I will appreciate further down in my career.

Dignadice: Short-term I am focusing on presenting and winning Frucor Salesman of the Year. Long-term I will continue to strive and further develop my skillset to help attain a Key Account Manager position within this industry.

Dignadice: The petrol and convenience industry will face many obstacles, now and in the future. The Peter Jowett Scholarship plays a very important role as it provides a great platform for young people to share their enthusiasm for innovation. The concepts presented in this competition will help to combat the pain points our retailers will face in the future.

Dignadice: Keep your idea simple. Get out in the trade and listen to your customers/retailers as more often than not they’ll provide you the platform to come up with a strong concept.

This is easier said than done, however try to enjoy the journey. It was an amazing feeling to have my whole company wanting me to do well – it was like they were all on the rollercoaster ride with me! It motivated me to keep persisting in delivering a great presentation.

C&I: How important is the Peter Jowett Scholarship to young people in the industry?

L-R Dave Hooker, Executive Director, NZACS and Fern Dignadice

How do you think this experience will help you within your career?

C&I: Do you have any short or long-term career goals that you’d like to share with us?

C&I: Is there anything else you’d like to mention about your Peter Jowett experience?