Benefits of Deal Loading Automation From Nonna's Kitchen to Supermarket Shelves Shaping a Sustainable Future Together
We were thrilled to see how much you all engaged with our first edition, where we more than doubled our readership! In this edition, we are excited to bring you another insightful collection of articles and interviews that will keep you updated on the latest happenings in our business and within the Trade Partner network.
We are also proud to feature stories from our Trade Partners, keep an eye out for the innovative and inspiring tales of Fitchix by Honest Eggs and Bippi Foods.
We’re always striving to make things better for our amazing network of Trade Partners. Scan the QR code to share your feedback and let us know what you’d like to see in future editions. Sit back, relax and enjoy this edition of Curated. Happy reading!
Rebecca Boustead General Manager Supplier Engagement and Capability
We are always Customer 1st
We behave like business partners
We do what we say
We balance business sustainability & market competitiveness
We inspire and challenge each other to do better
We drive our business through the Merchandise Manager and Joint Business Plans
7
We make it right when we fall short
Last month we held our Mid-Year update to take our Trade Partners through the tremendous achievements we had together in FY23 and take a look at our strategy for FY24. I want to thank you for your feedback on the session as it will help us ensure that we continue to improve these updates.
As I shared in the update, this financial year we are committed to improving customerled joint planning, the availability and accessibility of our team, our delivery against commitments for promotion and marketing plans and making it more straightforward to do business with us. As part of our commitment to engaging proactively and in good faith with all our Trade Partners, we announced our Trade Partner Complaints Integrity Policy, to hopefully remove any concerns of raising any code related issues.
Once again I wanted to acknowledge the incredible partnership and engagement we have seen over the past 12 months.
Your willingness to share feedback and your views has been instrumental in ensuring we continue to work hard to be your partner of choice. Thank you for all the feedback we recently received in the annual Advantage Mirror survey, and rest assured that we remain committed to continuing to listen, learn and act on the feedback we receive to be better partners.
If you weren’t able to join us in the Mid-Year Update, you can watch the entire session here or click on the links for Brad and Natalie’s update and the breakout sessions with our Category team.
Thank you once again for your ongoing support and continued partnership.
Regards, Paul
Paul Harker Chief Commercial OfficerSupermarkets and Metro
Phased out plastic bags from checkouts nationally
$9.5m in food relief funding for OzHarvest, Foodbank and FareShare
$5.5m raised for State & Women’s Charity Partners
-6.7k tonnes plastic reduction per year
$1 million in grants to 1,107 primary schools through Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program
With Natalie Davis, Managing Director Woolworths Supermarkets
With Brad Banducci, CEO & Managing Director
We brought ‘a little good’ to Australians in FY23New Art Bags give back with Yothu Yindi Foundation
Build Australia’s best Commercial team, working seamlessly in partnership across our business to drive better outcomes
Give our customers a great shopping experience both in-store and online, making sure they can always “get their Woolies Worth” as they shop the freshest fresh food, a curated range of products that makes sense to their community, along with more healthier and sustainable options
To be the most preferred trading partner of our suppliers, through living our Trade Partner Charter
~2,700 new products launched in FY23 excl F+V
44.7% were 3.5 HSR or above
Giving customers their Woolies Worth in FY23 with Dropped programs
1,800+ Products with prices dropped 14% Sales growth YoY 1:1 Adding more value with 1:1 Promotions
Supporting the community
600k Redeemers per week
+96% Redeemer Sales Growth
6,000+ and providing over 6,000 products on Weekly Specials
$900 Saving the average family $900 per year
$2.81m
100% up on LY Fundraising
4.5m meals
In surplus food + 200,000kg in non-food New Vendor Campaign supplier SKU sales +25% supplier units sold +20%
We have always prioritised listening to our Trade Partners, and your input continues to shape our journey towards improvement. Below are the recommendations from the Advantage Survey on how we can continue to improve our results.
Strategic Planning, Partnering & Purpose that Fosters Collaboration and alignment
Best in class perceptions of Operational Efficiencies & Effectiveness
Leadership in adapting to future Retail Landscape and Customer Needs
Accelerate
Effective Business Engagement & Efficient Ways of Working across Ecosystem
Delivering Mutual Commercial Outcomes that Create Joint Value
We continue to be very open to feedback from our Trade Partners and welcome any feedback through:
Woolworths-appointed representative IssuesManagement@woolworths.com.au
Our Trade Partner Speak Up service is available to any Trade Partner, contractor, or consultant, as well as their relatives and dependents, which provides goods or services to the Woolworths Group in Australia or overseas.
How to make a Supplier Speak Up report
Australia 1800 447623 (Grocery Code reporting line) WoolworthsSpeakUp.ethicspoint.com
codearbiter@wowgrocerycode.com.au
Australia 1800 772 173
New Zealand 0800 393 76736
Through the commitments in our Trade Partner Charter, we strive to be our Suppliers Trade Partner of choice. We are pleased that Trade Partners continue to provide feedback through our Voice of Supplier survey, through our internal complaints resolution process, our Independant Code Arbiter and the Independent Reviewer Annual Report. To help give our Trade Partners confidence to raise complaints without fear of retribution of any kind we have implemented a Supplier Complaints Integrity Policy. The essence of the policy is that the Managing Director of Woolworths Supermarkets will be involved in reviewing the commercial relationship and dealings with a Trade Partner after a Food and Grocery Code of Conduct complaint is made to ensure there are no adverse repercussions for raising a complaint. You can access the policy here.
Watch the different segments from the Mid Year Update here
Store Activation and Execution with Matt Spiteri: State Director - Operations
Yellow Promotions Program with Mitch Greatorex, Category Manager - Confectionary
Range Curation with Tom Rojas, Category Manager - Dinner
Curated Range with Serena Anson-Cope, Head of Specialty Range and Supplier Development
Healthier Choices with Shruti Gupta, Merchandise Manager for Health and Wellness
HSR Ratings with James Macmahon, Category Manager - Yoghurts and Chilled Desserts
Sustainability - Plastics & Packaging with Rhonda Ma, Category Manager - Kitchen Needs & Sustainability
Sustainability - Eco Destinations with Richard Jones, Merchandise Manager - Personal and Household Care
Evolution of Quantium FMCG
Nomination Handbook
It’s that time of year again, where we come together to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions of our Trade Partners.
We are thrilled to announce that for the very first time, we’ll be opening up the nomination process for five of our awards, giving both you and the Woolworths team the opportunity to shine a spotlight on your business, people and products for recognition. Nominations officially open on Monday July 24 2023.
Stay tuned as we’ll be sharing more updates on the event of the year! We look forward to an unforgettable celebration of your achievements and celebrating the power of working together!
Honest Eggs Co. is not your average egg producer. The Australian-based company is driving the industry forward with their innovative approach to regenerative farming. They go beyond raising some of the healthiest chickens in the country, using regenerative farming practices to look after the soil, plants and other wildlife in the ecosystem. It's about creating a balanced and holistic approach where everything thrives.
Now Honest Eggs Co. have taken their commitment to regenerative farming to a whole new level. Introducing FitChix, the world’s first step counter for chickens! The device tracks the average daily steps of the chickens, and these steps are printed onto the eggs produced. Customers can see how many steps the chickens have travelled, giving them peace of mind that their eggs are sustainably farmed. It’s a fun, innovative way to give customers an insight into regenerative farming practices.
We had the pleasure to speak to Honest Eggs Co. General Manager Roger Boyd and learn more about their innovative approach. Sharing the inspiration behind FitChix, he says, “It was very much a collision of ideas between our farm’s focus on regenerative farming, understanding our chickens’ health and how we could communicate our mission in an interesting and engaging way.”
He explained that the tracker helps inform them on how much feed their chickens need. It also shows how healthy their chickens really are through a simple device that’s accessible for everyone. Honest Eggs Co. prides itself on regenerative farming practices, and Boyd shares that its co-founders, Paul Righetti and Ian Garsed, are third and fourth-generation custodians of their farms.
“We follow regenerative and holistic farming practices and work with six other third and fourth-generation farming families who share the same values. The farms can span between 400 to 2,000 hectares, and they ensure that there are less than 30 chooks per hectare, giving them plenty of space to roam.”
Regenerative farming is a fascinating area that focuses on the health of the soil. Soil contains a plethora of microorganisms that are crucial for natural processes, like nitrogen and carbon cycles, which form the basis for life. Intensive farming practices that overuse fertilisers and chemicals can disrupt the balance of these microorganisms and lead to issues like compacted soils, reduced water-holding capacity, and other environmental and animal-health problems.
Roger explains that regenerative farming aims to adopt a more holistic approach that is gentle on the land. On their farms, their chickens naturally fertilise the soil. They then let the soil rest and bring in cows or sheep to graze on the grass that grows on the fertilised soil. This creates a cycle that helps regenerate the soil naturally.
The team at Honest Eggs Co. have also noticed an increased interest in regenerative farming from customers, not just in Australia but worldwide. This growing demand for regenerative and pasture-raised products stems from people being drawn to the transparency and honesty of more sustainable farming practices.
“Honest Eggs Co. are committed to being good stewards of the land and ensuring that future generations have healthy soils to work with.”
The response to FitChix has been overwhelmingly positive. Roger states that Honest Eggs Co. has received a lot of love and support for their mission and the idea of using technology to monitor their chickens’ health. “Our community has doubled, website visits have increased (by five times), and we’ve received national attention, like being featured on the Today Show, and international attention through people contacting us from all over the world, from as far away as France and Canada!”
Dean Johnston, Category Manager for Eggs and Cream, has seen some exciting emerging patterns with the Woolworths customer base. There has been strong growth in all segments of free-range eggs over the past few years, as customers have great choices when shopping here. He adds that “We’ve noticed that our premium customers are stepping into purchasing regenerative-farmed eggs. In the past year alone, we’ve seen sales increase by over 30% on the Honest Eggs Co. line and we only expect sales to keep growing.
Sustainability is very important to all of our suppliers, and more is being done each year, whether it’s investing in solar or water projects to full-scale regenerative farming. It’s great to see with Honest Eggs that we are aligned on the sustainability journey.”
Honest Eggs Co. is a fantastic example of a company that is doing good things for the planet and bringing customers along for the journey. With their commitment to regenerative farming and innovative approach with FitChix, they are leading the way in sustainable farming practices and we couldn’t be more egg-cited to be part of it!
“The farms can span between 400 to 2,000 hectares, and they ensure that there are less than 30 chooks per hectare, giving them plenty of space to roam.”
We’realways on the lookout for suppliers in order to expand our product range and cater to the diverse needs of our customers. Our love of Australian-made, sustainable and unique products is also shared by our customers, which is why we take pride in partnering with small suppliers who share the same values.
Bippi Foods, a small Australian brand, has gained considerable popularity in just three years since its founding in 2020. We had the opportunity to speak to the founder, Ben, to learn about his entrepreneurial journey and how the company came to be. Heartwarming and inspiring, it’s a story rooted in family, tradition and a secret recipe from Ben’s nonna.
Q: What inspired you to start the brand?
When I was a corporate professional working in finance back during the pandemic, I stumbled upon an Italian chilli that reminded me of what my nonna used to make when I was little. I decided to recreate the recipe with Nonna, which resulted in a small batch of home-made Italian-style chilli that quickly gained rave reviews from friends and family. Inspired by the positive feedback, and since I had time to spare during lockdown, I decided to pursue it as a small business.
Q: How did you come up with the name ‘Bippi Foods'?
The name ‘Bippi’ is a slang word for chilli in Italian. It is a special nod to my childhood in Mildura, Italy, where my grandparents are from. It brings back fond memories of my childhood where everyone in the family would use the word ‘Bippi’ to request chilli when they wanted to add some heat to a meal. It felt like the perfect fit for the brand to be called Bippi.
Q: What makes Bippi different from other chilli brands out there?
We use fresh Australian chillies which are pickled and jarred within days of being harvested. This creates a uniquely fresh and flavourful product. An interesting fact is that locally sourced Australian chillies have a different flavour profile compared to those grown in Italy or other regions. There is a pleasant sweetness that adds a special touch to this Italian-style chilli. We source our chilli from local Australian farms, and it truly feels like a full-circle moment, being able to continue the tradition of my grandparents, who were also chilli farmers in Italy.
The past three years have been a bit of a whirlwind. Our journey has been unpredictable and exhilarating, encountering many unexpected opportunities and challenges, from forecasting steady growth to suddenly securing a deal with the likes of Woolies. For a small business, such jumps can have a significant impact, especially in our planning and supply chain. Even so, I’m committed to continue growing Bippi Foods and keeping it on the right trajectory.
Last year, we were part of the Seedlab start-up program to help us get supermarket ready. The program helped us gain insights into the commercial side of the food industry, from logistics, production and other aspects of running a food business. When the time came for us to pitch to Woolies, we were well prepared.
Our partnership with Woolies is one of our significant milestones for us here at Bippi Foods. When we received the news that Woolies wanted to work with us, it really was a dream come true. I can still remember the moment when the category manager broke the news to me. It was so surreal, and now we’re on the shelves of over 200 stores across Australia!
It’s never too early or too late to pursue your dreams and start a business. There are always people in the industry willing to help. Take time to invest in your branding and packaging to create a product that stands out on the shelves and brings customers back for more. Scaling and sustainability are also key considerations, and I highly encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to have a plan in place to achieve long-term success. Above all, it’s your passion that will drive success and keep the fire burning through challenges and uncertainties.
With a bigger production facility, we now have the capacity to continue building on our partnership with Woolies and expanding the presence of Bippi Foods in more stores across Australia. I would love to continue innovating and creating new products while staying true to Nonna’s recipes and the values of using natural, local ingredients. We have exciting new products in the pipeline, including launching our popular Chilli Olive Tapenade into 200 Woolworths stores. We refer to this as the ‘Italian Vegemite’, which is a take on the tapenade, consisting of the purest combination of chilli heat and olive flavour. Blended with capers, parsley and garlic, the tapenade tastes perfect spread on warm ciabatta bread or as a dip on the antipasto platter.
Bryce Walker, UP Range and Supplier Development Manager at Woolworths, adds: “Working with Ben and his team has
been a great experience. We’re very excited about the results we can continue to achieve together with the Bippi range and with the launch of the Bippi Chilli Olive Tapenade. It has been a refreshing collaboration where we have been able to leverage our collective strengths to bring a unique product range to life in Woolworths.”
From our time speaking with Ben, it is clear that Bippi Foods is not just any food brand; it is a labour of love, a tribute to Nonna’s recipes, and a testament to Ben’s entrepreneurial spirit. As we continue to work towards tailoring our range for customers in our supermarkets, we’re always on the lookout to spotlight small suppliers, whose journey can serve as an inspiration to us all.
“It’s never too early or too late to pursue your dreams and start a business. There are always people in the industry willing to help.”
In May, we welcomed over 500 Trade Partners to our support office in Sydney and over 1,000 joined us virtually for category specific updates with our commercial team. The commercial team shared key updates on our strategy as well as customer insights as we prepare for an exciting run into FY24. A big thank you to everyone who attended the update in person or joined us online!
Our Fruit and Veg commercial team connected with fruit and veg Trade Partners and industry representatives at the annual Hort Connections event in Adelaide, Australia and New Zealand’s largest horticulture conference.
Our Commercial Director of Fruit and Veg, Paul Turner, joined a panel to speak about industry trends, as hort professionals gathered to hear about the latest research, technologies and innovations in the fresh produce industry.
Woolworths Group’s Scope 3 value chain emissions program update
Along with many of our Trade Partners, Woolworths Group remains steadfast in our commitment to achieving a more sustainable future. Many of us share common goals to change the way we operate across our entire value chain to reduce carbon emissions.
In June 2022, we invited a group of 55 Trade Partners to join us in trialing a new program, including the use of THESIS on SupplyShift, a multi-retailer platform. The platform was designed to support businesses in understanding and mitigating their emissions. The pilot program proved to be a valuable learning experience, informing our approach as we now extend this invitation to a border group of Trade Partners.
Here are some interesting facts about the pilot program:
Scope 3 carbon emissions originate from sources within our value chain that Woolworths Group does not directly own or control. This includes all activities spanning from growing, producing, manufacturing, packaging and transportation, all the way to our distribution centers and stores.
Our goal is to work together hand in hand with our Trade Partners to create a better tomorrow by reducing our impact on the planet. By harnessing science-based solutions and fostering collaborative problem-solving, we aim to achieve largescale reductions in our emissions.
To initiate the program, we initially focused on six key categories that significantly contribute to emissions across the value chain. Trade Partners in each category were invited to explore and understand the emissions within their own operations and value chains.
The Trade Partners who participated in the pilot study last year showcased promising results and progress. 79% of Woolworths Group participants had Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas goals, compared to the THESIS average of 46%. In addition, 69% of Woolworths Group participants indicated they could provide information on greenhouse gas intensity.
Based on the results from the pilot group, we’re now extending an invitation to a broader cohort of Trade Partners to share their progress via THESIS on SupplyShift. The anticipated timeline for participation spans from September 2023 to November 2023.
We welcome all Woolworths Group Trade Partners to join the program. To register your interest or find out more, please reach out to us via email.
TimDudding, Meat and Seafood Commercial Director, and Bridget Gliniany, Meat Merchandise Manager, together with Anna Speer and Rose Scott from Greenstock, spent a day with the Hewitt team at their Ambalindum property outside Alice Springs.
Ambalindum is 330,000 hectares in size and serves as a cattle-breeding operation for Hewitt, which packs under Woolworths' Macro Organic brand. Hewitt is an industry leader in animal welfare and sustainable agriculture, and the Woolworths team had a fantastic day discussing plans on how to partner together to lead the future of protein.
Congratulations to our Trade Partners Tess and Andrew Herbert from Gundamain Pastoral Co, for being recognised for their outstanding contributions to the agricultural industry with the prestigious Farmers of the Year Award 2023!
Greenstock is a standalone, integrated multi-channel beef, pork, and lamb business within Woolworths Group. Greenstock consolidates livestock procurement, primary and secondary processing, planning, and channel management.
This esteemed accolade, co-founded by the ABC and the Kondinin Group in 2010, celebrates the outstanding achievements of those who make a significant contribution to Australian agriculture. We are proud to be on this journey with Tess, Andrew and the entire Gundamain Pastoral Co team team and extend our heartfelt congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.
Ambalindum
“I see Woolworths Group being a voice for generations: learning from failure with humility, making hard choices today to create better tomorrows. This is what leadership looks like. This is a plan to be proud of.”
- Karen Mundine, CEO Reconciliation AustraliaOur new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) launched in June 2023. Over the next two years, it sets out meaningful actions and deliverables contributing to reconciliation and supporting communities and businesses. We’re proud of all the passionate people who brought us here and we’re excited to get to work.
In 2019, we made a commitment to supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Two years later, we established our First Nations Advisory Board. Today, we continue learning from the past and listening to Indigenous voices on the journey to reconciliation.
We believe that Woolworths Group has a unique opportunity to impact many of communities for good. As one of Australia’s largest retailers, we have the honour of serving thousands of communities and millions of people across rural, remote and metro areas.
“As one of the largest employers of First Nations people, the changes that we can make through reconciliation can be felt very close to home.”
- Brad Banducci, Woolworths Group CEOWe employ team members across Australia, including more than 4,500 First Nations team members. That makes us one of the largest employers of Indigenous Australians. However, there’s more we can do to build a team that reflects the communities we serve.
Our RAP aims to increase First Nations representation from 2.6 per cent to at least 3.2 percent through tailored recruitment, retention and succession planning.
“Very few companies are as well positioned as Woolworths to create genuine opportunities that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of First Nations communities.”
- Adam Bray, General Manager of Indigenous Affairs
As always, we’re passionate about increasing access to nutritious food in remote communities. That’s why we’re partnering with regional fulfilment providers and retailers to offer affordable wholesale products. We’ll also help grow Indigenous businesses through new partnerships and increased spending with First Nations suppliers.
We believe that everyone has a role to play in the journey to reconciliation. It won’t be easy, and we won’t always get things right. But for our First Nations peoples and communities, we are committed to working with a brave heart for a better tomorrow.
“Let us all draw upon my people's spirits as we continue on our journey.”
- Councillor Yvonne WeldonClick here for more information about the Woolworths Group RAP
If you would like to discuss this further with us reach out to your Woolworths lead, who can connect you with our team.
Asa proud Wakka Wakka man, artist and Executive Director of Gilimbaa, David brings a lifetime of culture and connections to Gilimbaa.
David was influenced by his immediate family and his Elders who encouraged him to use his creative skills as a tool to connect his culture to the wider community.
David uses creativity as an effective tool of 21st century cultural communication and a platform to share, educate and celebrate First Nations culture.
Asalways, we're committed to living our Trade Partner Charter and driving business through the Merchandise and Joint Business Plan. This issue, we’re focusing on our Trade Partner Plan on a Page (POP). The POP is a light, low-intensive plan that helps Trade Partners understand their role within the category. Plus it helps us grow together and meet our customers' needs.
Recently, we spoke with Michelle Rukavina, National Business Manager at Hive & Wellness, an Australian-owned brand, with honey being their major category. This was a great opportunity to learn more about their Plan on a Page experience with the Woolworths team. Michelle shares her experience with the process and how it’s helped her team collaborate effectively with Woolworths.
The process of developing a Plan on a Page involved initial discussions with our General Manager and identifying opportunities for strategic partnership. Michelle explains: “There were the initial discussions of finding out what we can do - what are the opportunities to partner strategically with Woolworths? What does that mean and how do we formalise it?
Once the discussions were underway, the process involved aligning our goals at Hive & Wellness with the objectives of driving growth and volume, and collaborating with Woolworths on key business drivers.”
One of the significant benefits of using Plan on a Page, according to Michelle, is that it has brought a higher level of focus and alignment internally at Hive & Wellness. Leveraging their strengths as a small
supplier, joint planning has enabled them to have a strategic approach and align their goals with those of a larger retailer like Woolworths. She states: “With our internal stakeholders, we are all aligned on achieving the outcomes and within each department at Hive & Wellness. It’s critical for all of us to be motivated with the goal or the pillars that we’ve actually implemented. We are very targeted in our approach, and that involves everyone, from the marketing team to supply chain to sales as well.”
It is just like a recipe where you get all the right quality ingredients together and you know you’ve nailed it and you’re excited to share it!”.
Transparency and accountability are key elements of the Plan on a Page process, and Michelle emphasises the importance of ensuring that both parties are working towards the same goals effectively, especially in line with the pillars that they have mapped out in their one-pager. Michelle compares the partnership with Woolworths to a marriage, where continuous communication, feedback and commitment to delivering on commitments are vital for success.
Another key benefit of joint planning is the ability to identify and activate great examples of collaboration. Michelle cited winning in seasonal events with their Capilano brand for winter, and having off-location promotions, as one of the successful activations from their joint plan. She also mentioned supporting Woolworths with price drop activations and aligning
their business structure to ensure clarity and transparency in their goals.
The Plan on a Page approach has brought clarity and fostered collaboration to Hive & Wellness’ partnership with Woolworths. Michelle shares her excitement about the opportunity to work together with the Woolworths team, stating:
“We’re really working together. We had Sanjay (Meat Merchandise Manager) and the team here at our factory three weeks ago, and we were able to walk them through what we do and showcase our scalability. It highlights where we want to be with Woolworths. It’s been open and transparent and purely collaborative.”
Michelle aptly describes the Plan on a Page as a recipe: "You get all the right quality ingredients together, and you know you’ve nailed it, and you’re excited to share it!”
A light, low-intensity plan that helps Trade Partners understand their role within the category and how together we can meet customer needs and grow.
A plan with all categories where a Trade Partner is ranged.
For example, Household and Personal Care.
A plan with a specific category or subcategory –for example, Oral Care.
A lighter, less intensive plan that helps Trade Partners understand the role within their category and how they can grow and meet customers needs.
Between April and May, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have provided further guidance to retailers and brand owners on soft plastics recycling labels (including the ARL).
Key messages in this guidance include:
• New packaging – as businesses are creating and ordering new stocks of packaging and labelling, they should be updating these new stocks of packaging and labelling to remove all references to:
– REDcycle, the REDcycle scheme and the REDcycle logo
– soft plastics being recyclable at present
– ‘Return to Store’ ARL
• Existing packaging:
– Businesses should take all reasonable alternative steps to ensure that representations to consumers are accurate and help dispel any customer confusion from packaging and labelling that features any REDcycle references or the Return to Store ARL.
We understand APCO is seeking industry feedback on an updated soft plastics ARL and will share further updates in the coming months.
Brand-aligned owners should carefully consider this guidance to ensure there is clarity and transparency for consumers about what is happening, and contact the APCO directly for further information.
Listening to feedback from our Supplier Sustainability Council for Packaging and Recycling, we are now providing clearer sustainability guidance for off-location displays such as towers and display bins. New guidance includes:
Waste streams available in our stores, so that displays can design their off locations in line with the circular economy principles of reducing waste and increasing recyclability.
How to communicate correct disposal instructions to store teams in order to maximise recovery.
The guidance can be found on our Partner Hub site. We encourage you to brief relevant colleagues or display manufacturer partners to help us move towards this best practice.
Wehave now phased out our 15c reusable plastic shopping bags from checkouts in NSW, VIC and TAS.
This marks the end of our journey of removing the 15c reusable plastic bags from all stores across Australia, which will result in over 6,000 tonnes of plastic being removed from circulation annually, with more to follow as our online plastic bags are phased out of remaining states by the end of the year.
8 in 10 customers are already bringing their own bags when they shop.
Weare refreshing our range of reusable bags and have recently introduced our stylish Art Bag, retailing for $2 each.
The range features three designs, each of which were proudly designed in partnership with Nungala Creative. This range is the first in a series of collaborations with fresh Australian artists.
This year, as part of our Art Bag partnership program, we’re partnering with the Yothu Yindi Foundation to give back to Australian communities by supporting the education of Yolngu students in Northeast Arnhem land, NT.
These bags are made from 70% recycled content are larger than our current 99c bag, with an additional long strap for easier carrying over your shoulder.
June sees us announce the recipients of the fifth annual round of Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants. Through this program we are helping to inspire children across the country to get hands-on and care for the natural environment.
More than $1 million has been awarded to 1,112 primary schools and early learning centres, and each beneficiary is receiving up to $1,000.
Through this partnership with Landcare Australia, we are highlighting the importance of taking action now to create a better, more sustainable future by driving education and awareness among our next generation of eco-warriors.
We’re proud to help get kids involved in projects relating to sustainable food production, improving waste management,
enhancing native habitats and learning more about First Nations perspectives.
Through this grants program, we’re enabling schools to create practical, hands-on teaching activities, and this is just one way we are helping to drive long lasting sustainable education.
You can read more about the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant projects underway near you using this interactive map.
We’re partnering with conventional and organic fruit and vegetable growers to help grow or start a journey to boost organic farming. Through the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund, we’re offering interestfree loans and grants, on top of contracted purchase volumes, to eligible Australian farmers.
Wayneand Natasha Shields’ organic vegetable farm, Peninsula Fresh Organics, is a rainbow of green, leafy salad plants, carrots, broccoli, leeks and an assortment of other vegetables. The lifelong market gardeners have been awarded $500,000 through the Woolworths Organic
Growth Fund, to invest in their organic farm and purchase new harvesting equipment.
Starting in 2009 with 3 acres and supplying produce at local farmers’ markets, the Shields have grown their farm to 200 acres and expanded operations to include another farm further north on the Murray River. They operate year round, juggling weekly planting and daily harvesting to ensure a consistent supply of seasonally grown, high quality organic produce.
With the money from Woolworths’ Organic Growth Fund, the Shields plan to expand their farming operations and purchase new harvesting equipment, seeing it as an opportunity to move their business forward.
Click here to read more about other family businesses who have benefitted from the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund, or to complete an expression of interest form.
In this year’s Living Healthy Report, we tell a story about our nation’s health with a pulse check on how we’re faring during the current challenging times.
Sadly, 5 million years of healthy living were lost to Australians in 2018 alone. The good news is that 38% of this is preventable through lifestyle modifications such as how we eat, move and feel. The retail space has the privilege and opportunity to influence healthy habits through the environments it creates. This means environments that support healthy habits, and enable health to be more accessible. This leads to more years of healthy living for Australians, and that is exciting to be part of.
The report shows some unique data, particularly around what Australians are purchasing for at-home eating across all retail outlets. We found that Australians are not hitting the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommended servings for any core food groups.
There is no time to waste. Follow the link here to the Living Healthy Report 2023 for more details, so we can all help increase years of healthy living for Australians.
is all about customers, so we recently tapped into the Woolworths Gather Panel to go deeper with Drinks category customers across six key subcategories. The study heard from 2,911 customers, looking at purchase drivers, shopping behaviours, retail media interactions and expectations of brands.*
Overall, customers told us that over three in four notice or engage with retail media while they’re shopping in the Drinks category.
They said taste and quality are the top purchase drivers ahead of price, and we learned that energy drinks and soft drinks are the most frequently purchased (on a monthly basis).
When shopping for drinks, customers are looking to be informed as product ingredients and functional benefits of drinks most stand out to customers.
In the soft drink category, customers are loyal, with 9 in 10 purchasing at least monthly, 72% sticking with the same brand and over half stocking up when on sale.
One in three say they always pop by the sports drinks and iced tea section and keep an eye out for limited-time offers and savings. They’re open to change, with around half (51%) switching brands.
Non-alcoholic drinks are a regular part of customers’ shopping repertoire, with 7 in 10 purchasing at least monthly to enjoy socially (64%) or during special occasions (58%). Thirsty
In the ever-evolving landscape of retail promotions, we are constantly seeking ways to optimise our processes and improve workflow efficiency, for both our teams and our supply partners. We have listened closely to your feedback and, as a result, have begun trialing a new Promo Deal Loading Automation process, which loads accepted deals into the Promotional Portal in real time (based on agreed, signed-off slotting boards). This initiative has shown promising results to date, significantly reducing admin tasks for our Trade Partners and Assistant Category Managers, allowing teams to invest more time into value-adding activities.
For Trade Partners managing a large portfolio of SKUs, they know the complexity their teams face when planning high volumes of promotional activity. This process requires
close collaboration with the Woolworths team to ensure that promos are planned and executed effectively. The process also currently requires significant amounts of resource investment to administer end to end promo planning including slotting, portal loading, comparing spreadsheets, demand planning and in-store execution.
By minimising low-value promotional administrative tasks such as portal deal loading, teams can allocate more time to explore opportunities that unlock greater value. The time saved will allow for deeper collaboration between partners, enabling teams to explore higher value opportunities such as removing inefficient promotions, deeper activation planning and supply chain alignment.
We had the opportunity to speak to some of our Trade Partners who have been trialling the new initiative. Here is what they have to say:
“It was great to be part of the trial. We already had our aligned slotting boards in Excel, so to be able to submit that to be loaded automatically was fantastic. We were able to automatically load nearly 600 deals into the Promo Portal, which equates to roughly 25 hours of admin time back for our team.
The process was optional, but for us at Hanes, there was no clear downside to automating the highly time consuming deal loading process. We are able to retain full oversight of deals in Portal and make changes or renegotiations as necessary. My advice to others considering participating is to invest time and effort in building an aligned slotting plan with your Assistant Category Manager.”
Shannon Coates, National Sales Manager for Bonds Apparels from Hanes“We were thrilled to be part of the trial to automate promo deal loading. For us, loading promo deals into Portal is a highly time consuming exercise, so we jumped at the chance to take that admin task off of our teams and automate the process. We did invest time to double-check the deals were accurate - and thankfully they were - but that effort was significantly less than if we were loading them manually. We are looking forward to continuing to utilise this opportunity and unlock greater value with our partnership with the Woolies team.”
Stacey Muchmore, Account Manager for RevlonWe will be launching the Promo Portal Automation process as part of the F24 H2 slotting season. Importantly, the process is optional, and Trade Partners can continue to manually load promotional deals into the Promo Portal if they choose.
If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to your Assistant Category Manager, who will be able to share more information about this exciting initiative.
As you may have seen from our May Trade Partner Category Updates, the Partner Hub team have shared some exciting developments. In case you missed it, here’s a summary of the updates:
You can now view your products on our Woolworths website directly from the Supplier Product Article by clicking on a new link, “View on Woolworths Website”. The link will be enabled for articles that are active online. If the link is not enabled for a particular product, refer to the information icon for further details.
This functionality was tested with a selected group of Trade Partners since January (we thank you for your participation and feedback) and has been made available from May (except for Fruit and Veg). This provides the ability to upload article submissions via an Excel spreadsheet with up to 50 articles.
PARTNER HUBWe have heard your feedback on the difficulty of locating the Woolworths Supermarkets Buying Team contact details on the Partner Hub site. To make this as simple as possible, we have added a Quick Link on the Landing Page that will take you to the contact details information and allow you to find Category Managers’ names, emails and phone numbers in no time at all.
Enabled self-registration for fortnightly online training sessions via Eventbrite.
We have enhanced Self-Help options with “Walk Me” guided navigation and Partner Hub need help navigation.
Wednesday 26th July & Thursday 3rd August
across Woolworths group are presenting two exciting sessions for our trade partners. It’s a great chance to share your ideas and explore what’s happening in the world of Primary Connect.
• A comprehensive update on our Distribution Centre network
• Information on getting ready for automation and meeting Supply Standards
• The latest from our BIG W and Replenishment teams
• A transport and safety update
• Tips on working better together with Primary Connect+
Melbourne sessions
8 Nexus Court, Mulgrave VIC 3170
Wednesday 26th July 2023
9am – 12pm or 1pm – 4pm
Register now
Anyone interested in joining us is welcome. We’d especially love to see your supply chain contacts, like Warehouse and Transport Managers, as well as your replenishment contacts.
This is also an opportunity to speak with the teams at:
• GS1 Australia
• CHEP & Loscam
• Matthews Australasia (Labelling)
• Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds
If you have any questions, please email us at supplychainpartners@woolworths.com.au
Sydney sessions
1 Woolworths Way, Bella Vista NSW 2153
Thursday 3rd August 2023 9am – 12pm or 1pm – 4pm
Register now
Amaysim
Anthony’s Space Stand
Arnotts
Asahi
Australian Produce Partners
Baiada Poultry
Bega Dairy and Drinks
Belladotti
Bertocchi
Blackmores
BOS Iced Tea
Brownes Dairy
BSc Body Science
Bundaberg Brewed Drinks
ByAsia Food
Calbee Australia
Campos
Carman’s Fine Foods
Chobani
Clorox
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Costa
Cranky Health
D’Orsogna Ltd
Darrell Lea
Doodles Creek
Edgewell Personal Care
Energizer
feast on this Pty Ltd
Ferrero (Aust.) Pty Ltd
Fettayleh Foods
Fonterra
Frucor Suntory
General Mills
Goodman Fielder
Gourmet Food
Hanes
InComm Payments Australia
Inghams
Jalna Dairy Foods Pty Ltd
Johnson & Johnson
KB Seafood Company
Kellogg (Aust.) Pty Ltd
Kenilworth Dairies
Kinrise
Korbond Industries Pty Ltd
Kraft Heinz
Lactalis Australia
Little Moons
Maggie Beer Holdings
Majans
Mars Confectionery
Mars Food
Max Foods
McCain Foods
Mirabella
Mondelez
Montague
Nestle
Newell Brands
NMPS Food Group
Norco
nudie Foods
Optus
Patties Foods
Perfection Fresh Australia
Pharmacare
Phillippas
Premier Fresh Australia Pty Ltd
Primo Foods
Procter & Gamble
Purina Petcare
Random Harvest
Reckitt Hygiene
Red Bull
Red Rich Fruits
San Remo Macaroni Company
Pty Ltd
Sanitarium
Saputo Dairy Australia
SC Johnson
Simplot
Smiths Snackfoods
Snackbrands
StrangeLove
SunRice
Swisse Wellness
tar10
Tassal
Think Products
Tip Top
TPG Telecom
Two Boys Brew
Undivided Food Co
Unilever
Upfield
v2
Vege Chips
Who Gives A Crap
Thursday 7 September Chilled,
Tuesday 12 September Meat, Seafood, Poultry and Fruit and Veg Trade Partner Update
Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 October Christmas and Summer Trade Show
Tuesday 31 October Sustainability Showcase
Tuesday 5 December Trade Partner of the Year
