For suppliers in, or trying to crack, the impulse market, C&I NZ Expo isn’t just another trade show; it’s the premier stage to unveil the latest innovations and groundbreaking products that will shape the future of retail. Imagine the impact of showcasing your offerings to a highly qualified audience that includes independent grocers, convenience stores, petrol stations, corner shops, and the foodservice sector – all under one roof.

Retailers, attending the C&I NZ Expo is nothing short of essential if you’re serious about staying ahead in the competitive retail landscape.

Here is a quick look at the last C&I Expo in Auckland, which was held at The Cloud in 2022.

This event is your gateway to discovering the freshest trends and innovations tailored specifically for the impulse market and beyond. We know you are time-poor and understaffed, so we’ve designed this expo for you. Consider the advantages of exploring a vast array of new products and services through live demonstrations and hands-on experiences in a single day. This isn’t passive observation; it’s active discovery, allowing you to make informed purchasing decisions that could transform your business.

The C&I NZ Expo is a powerhouse of knowledge, offering morning Symposium sessions with presentations from the industry’s leading minds. This year, for the first time, the Symposium programme will include FMCG Business Summit speakers.

Retailers can gain exclusive insights into market trends and attitudes, best practices, and emerging technologies that can elevate their operations and enhance customer experience. Networking with suppliers and industry peers over two days further enriches the experience, fostering partnerships that can drive meaningful growth.

In essence, the C&I NZ Expo is not just an event; it’s a catalyst for development and change. It’s the meeting place where connections are made, ideas are born, and the future of convenience retail is shaped. So, whether you’re looking to exhibit or attend, make sure you’re a part of this transformative experience. Your business’s next big breakthrough could be waiting for you at C&I NZ Expo 2024.

WHEN

Wednesday 20 November-Thursday 21 November

WHERE

Due Drop Events Centre

Manukau, Auckland

EXHIBIT

Only a few stands are left – to exhibit contact

jaish@fmcgbusiness.co.nz

safa@c-store.com.au

Register free for C&I NZ Expo, and buy tickets for the C&I Industry Symposium at www.candiexpo.co.nz

The post C&I NZ Expo returns to Auckland appeared first on FMCG Business.

NZ-owned family business Forty Thieves is excited to see some of their products such as Peanut Butter and SuperFood Butter rolling out at more than 85 The Warehouse stores nationwide.

Shyr Godfrey, Co-Owner and Marketing Director says: “We have also launched two new SKUs (Chocolate Fudge and Cinnamon Donut Peanut Butters) in October, which have now been core-ranged in Foodstuffs. We’re participating at the NZ Fair at Cold Storage in Singapore next month and have some cool NPD coming up.

“Some of our team’s recent achievements include 122% significant growth in our three main export markets (Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan) with new store ranging in Mercato, Malaysia; 28% growth for our Peanut Butter in Woolworths over past 12 months and improved ranging in Woolworths off the back of this (3 x SKUs now ranged in up to 172 stores).”

“We are true believers that quality, natural food can fuel life’s everyday adventures, whether big or small.”

“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves was the inspiration for naming our nut butters. It’s a tale of an enchanted cave filled with hidden treasure. The cave can only be unlocked with the famous passcode; ‘Open Sesame!’

In our story, the treasures are the nutrients hidden inside nuts and seeds. And when we turn them into nut butters, they’re not just healthy, but delicious and versatile too.”

Bringing innovation and premiumisation to the yeast spread category

Creators of award-winning allmite gold® yeast spread, Laura Fisher and Shannon Kelly co-founded MiteyCo Brands after seeing that premiumisation and true innovation had not happened to the yeast spread category in over 50 years.

“Peanut butter premiumisation started in early 2010 and shows us that customers are willing to trade up to new delicious spreads,” shared Shannon, Managing Director and Co-founder.

The team launched allmite gold® Original at a local farmers market in mid-2022 and won the NZ Food Awards later that year. It is a deliciously creamy spread with a savoury umami taste made with tahini, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar and turmeric. In 2023 the team launched two further SKUs allmite gold® Mild Chilli and allmite gold® Three Seed, both of which also have a staunch customer following.

Customers are absolutely loving allmite gold® and can now find it in over 230 retail stores with a recent increase in ranging in Woolworths from 27 to 115 stores nationwide. “We’re also ready to roll out into more stores in Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island,” said Laura, Marketing Director and Co-founder.

The MiteyCo Brands team will be at The Food Shows in Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington as well as the Tauranga Food Show and Fieldays this year. If you are attending, check them out or you can email the team on admin@miteyco.com or order via UpStock to become a stockist.

New Zealand’s leading honey brand, Arataki Honey turns 80!

Established in 1944, New Zealand’s leading brand of honey this year celebrates 80 years of supplying high quality honey to New Zealanders.

From a handful of hives producing a few kilograms of honey, to New Zealand’s leading brand of honey with a 32% share of the market – Arataki Honey is excited to celebrate 80 years of producing delicious honey for generations of Kiwis to enjoy.

“Supplying quality honey to New Zealand supermarkets sits at the heart of this fifthgeneration family business. From entry level Multi-flora through to the high value Manuka UMF 10+ (263+ MGO) – the brand is in the unique position of performing well across all market segments,” explains Marketing Manager Genevieve Renall.

“The high value mono-floral Manuka honey is an area that has achieved considerable growth in the past 12 months. An increased awareness of health and wellness and the significant increase in visitors and overseas students to New Zealand have been key drivers of segment growth. Arataki Honey has the market’s two top performers in this mono-floral Manuka space – Arataki Honey Manuka UMF 10+ 250g (ranked #1) and Arataki

“The high value mono-floral Manuka honey is an area that has achieved considerable growth in the past 12 months. An increased awareness of health and wellness and the significant increase in visitors and overseas students to New Zealand have been key drivers of segment growth. Arataki Honey has the market’s two top performers in this mono-floral Manuka space – Arataki Honey Manuka UMF 10+ 250g (ranked #1) and Arataki Honey UMF 5+ 500g (ranked #2), achieving 65% and 67% growth in dollar sales year on year. A contributing factor to the sales performance has been the availability of the new presentation pack. This new packs works to protect retailers from potential stock loss as well as providing the customer with more accessible information at point of purchase.”

The Arataki Honey range of honeys is available in supermarkets nationwide. For more information regarding Arataki Honey contact order@aratakihoneyhb.co.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.

The post Super Spreads appeared first on FMCG Business.

Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin says that the co-operative is hugely appreciative of suppliers’ efforts to attend the Partnership Awards, despite facing significant disruptions following Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary floods.   

“We’re mindful many of our suppliers and Foodstuffs team members attending will have been impacted by the weather events, and while so much has happened since the last Partnership Awards in 2022, it’s important to find opportunities to acknowledge the huge effort suppliers have put in alongside our teams across the year as well as over the past few weeks to keep groceries on shelves. 

“It’s a testament to the resilience of our industry that despite huge challenges in the last 12 months, the customer-driven innovation in the grocery industry continues to be world-class, it’s wonderful to celebrate that through events like the Partnership Awards,” Chris says. 

Foodstuffs North and South Island stores presented five awards each recognising category excellence.  This included Grocery Partner, Grocery – Non-Food Partner, Liquor Partner, Fresh Partner and Emerging Supplier as well as one overall National Award. 

The overall National Partnership Award went to Reckitt Benckiser Hygiene, who were recognised for their consistent communication of challenges and opportunities through disrupted times, as well as a strong willingness to engage and collaborate, resulting in great new products for Foodstuffs customers across both islands. 

CEO of Foodstuffs South Island Mary Devine says the awards are an important way to recognise the innovation and excellence in the grocery industry and have everyone gather together to celebrate, despite a challenging few years. 

“I’m always struck by the passion and commitment by suppliers who like us, are focused on what matters most: feeding our communities. The finalists and winners celebrated at the Partnership Awards demonstrate what can be achieved despite the challenges that come our way,” Mary says. 

Congratulations to all finalists and winners!

Award Winners 

The post <strong>Foodstuffs celebrate supplier excellence and innovation at Partnership Awards</strong>  appeared first on FMCG Business.

“As we head into day four of the cleanup of our stores, our teams have changed gear from crisis management to project management and we’re seeing some amazing results. As of 7am this morning, New World Newmarket has re-opened for business. The $7.5 million store opened just four months ago and was inundated with floodwater on Friday night. To have it turned around and open for business in just three days is testament to the hard work and commitment of local owner operator Matt Hayward, and our teams.

“We have two stores currently closed, while we recover them to be safe for our teams and customers:   

•        New World Fresh Collective, Alberton Road, Mt Albert, Auckland

•        PAK’nSAVE Wairau Road, 30-60 Wairau Road, Glenfield, Auckland

“PAK’nSAVE Wairau is the largest of our stores in New Zealand, the flood damage was extensive and the sheer size of this store means getting it ready for re-opening is a huge exercise. Led by owner operator Quintin Proctor, his incredible store team, Foodstuffs Support Centre, contractors and supplier partners are working around the clock to re-open for the local community. We can’t yet provide a re-open date, but our goal is days, not weeks.

“Aucklanders are keeping calm and shopping local.  Four Square stores across Tāmaki Makaurau have seen an increase in customers as they’re staying closer to home and thankfully, no evidence of panic buying.  We’d like to thank our customers for only buying what they need, so everyone gets their fair share when they shop.

“Our supply chain remains in good shape, and we have plenty of stock in reserve thanks to the dedication and mahi of our distribution centre teams, many of whom live in flood affected areas.  We’ve largely caught up on the delays with transportation and whilst we can’t reach Four Square Coromandel due to the closure of State Highway 25, we’re exploring other options to replenish the store.

“It’s still too soon to tell what impact the rain will have on our locally grown produce partners.  Our buying teams remain in close contact with our suppliers and growers so we can anticipate any potential issues with supply and work with them on their recovery plans.

“We work with lots of community partners and they’re all working tirelessly to support their local communities. Our emergency funding support for flood impacted communities across Tāmaki Makaurau has seen us donate over $137,000 worth of goods to date. We’ll keep working with our partners to ensure they’ve got all the support they need to deliver their services.”

Read more on Newmarket here: https://www.foodstuffs.co.nz/news-room/2023/New-World-Newmarket-reopens-after-deluge-temporarily-closes-store

The post <strong>New World Newmarket re-opens for business</strong> appeared first on FMCG Business.

Its top spot placing as Fairness Leaders is another nod to the great work PAK’nSAVE is doing to ensure it delivers NZ’s lowest prices to its customers every day and follows its win as NZ’s Most Trusted Supermarket in the 2022 Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands survey.

“PAK’nSAVE’s promise to its customers is to deliver New Zealand’s lowest prices every day,” says Dominic Quin, GM Marketing and Customer Experience, Foodstuffs NZ. “We’ve been focused on delivering that promise across Aotearoa for 36 years, and in all those years we never take for granted our customers’ support, we’re humbled to be acknowledged as a leader in fairness and in corporate reputation, it truly means a lot to us.”

“It’s been a hell of a tough year for everyone, New Zealanders are facing rising costs across the board, and the supermarket checkout is the place where all the cost pressures are coming to a head as food producers and manufacturers are being hit with every global and domestic price hike.

“Kantar’s Corporate Reputation Index offers a window into what’s important to NZ, it’s reflective of our own customer research from around the same time. We’re listening to our customers, we know what matters to them, and what they expect from us. That’s why we’re focused on delivering value for all our customers and running our business as efficiently as possible, so we’re not adding costs. Within the 19 cents of every dollar on the supermarket shelf we’re responsible for, we’re working hard to keep costs under control.

“Every day our owner operators are providing the very best value to our customers in an environment where household budgets are stretched due to high inflation. Since mid-May our Price Rollback across PAK’nSAVE, New World and Four Square on more than 110 of the most shopped grocery items has delivered $5.3 million in savings to New Zealanders, and this has been funded entirely by our Foodstuffs stores.” 

The Kantar Corporate Reputation Index measures excellence on four key platforms: leadership/success, responsibility, trust, and fairness (pricing).

New World also delivered a world class corporate reputation score in the index ranking at 14 out of 50. PAK’nSAVE and New World also ranked as stand out New Zealand companies as Diversity and Inclusion Leaders, securing the #3 and #8 spot, respectively.

“Cost of living pressures are not going to disappear in the short to medium term,” continues Dominic. “As two New Zealand co-operatives owned by our 430 store owners throughout New Zealand, we’re on the shop floor every day, committed to our local communities and being held accountable by New Zealanders. We’re continuing to explore and deliver new and meaningful ways to help our customers find value, both PAK’nSAVE and New World have something cooking, so watch this space.”

Foodstuffs stores and co-operatives are proudly 100% Kiwi owned and operated, with all its locally operated stores playing an integral role in their local community. It has made a pledge to be Here for NZ centred around four social promises; providing access to healthy affordable food, supporting local communities to thrive, providing meaningful work and being leaders in sustainability. 

The post PAK’nSAVE ranked New Zealand’s fairest company appeared first on FMCG Business.

“Every year New Zealand generates more than 17 million tonnes of waste and sends almost 13 million tonnes of that to landfill,” Environment Minister David Parker said.

“We currently have inadequate rubbish collection and recycling systems. As a result, our recycling rates are low compared to other countries with better systems, and we have too much litter in our environment.

“I am asking New Zealanders to have their say on our “Transforming Recycling” proposal to improve the way we recycle and deal with our rubbish. The proposals will help reduce litter, emissions and pressure on our environment.

“It’s estimated that nationally only 28 per cent of materials are recycled and the rest goes to landfill. By contrast, Germany, Austria and Wales have the highest recycling rates in the world, with over 50 per cent of all waste being recycled.

“We are taking action that will make a real difference and want Kiwis to have their say,” Parker said.

There are three connected proposals covered by the consultation.

The first, looks at improvements to our household kerbside recycling system, including access to food scrap collections.

“We’re going to make it simpler and easier for people to recycle right. Standardising kerbside recycling will reduce confusion and help businesses design packaging that is recyclable anywhere in New Zealand.

“Food scraps make up more than a third of a typical household’s rubbish each week. When sent to landfill, they create greenhouse gas emissions.

“Providing access to household kerbside food scraps collections is a simple step to reduce emissions and return nutrients to the soil,” Parker said.

The second proposal is for a container return scheme for beverages, to incentivise people to return empty drink containers in exchange for a small refundable deposit. (A deposit of 20 cents is proposed).

“More than two billion drinks are sold every year in New Zealand. Less than half of these containers are recycled, meaning that over a billion containers end up as litter, are stockpiled, or sent to landfills every year.

“With a container return scheme in place, we can increase our recycling rate for beverage containers to between 85 per cent and 90 per cent.

“This will also result in increased supply of recovered materials for our onshore recycling systems and container manufacturers,” Parker said.

Consistent with most overseas schemes, containers of fresh dairy milk would be exempt from the scheme. Unlike most drink containers, those for fresh milk already achieve very high recovery rates through kerbside recycling collections. However we will continue to investigate how recovery can be improved further.

The third part of the consultation focuses on diverting business food waste from landfill to reduce their carbon footprint. The food scraps can then be used to improve our soil or feed animals.

“New Zealand businesses generate 25 per cent of all food waste that goes to landfill. Along with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, separating out food scraps can help businesses identify ways to reduce food waste and save money.

“By 2030, we want all businesses and households to separate food scraps from their rubbish,” Parker said.

Public feedback will help shape the final reform proposals.

“We want a future where everyone reduces waste, reuses, and recycles. We know New Zealanders want to do the right thing. With these proposals, we’re putting the right foundations in place to bring our recycling systems up to global standards,” Parker said.

Consultation will run until Sunday, 8 May. The consultation document and online submission forms will be available on the Ministry for the Environment’s website: Transforming Recycling consultation document.

Part 1: Proposed improvements to household kerbside recycling

Six proposals are being considered. 

Actions that improve the performance of kerbside recycling could include:

requiring councils to divert a certain amount of kerbside material from landfills

setting a standard list of materials all household kerbside recycling service will collect

requiring household kerbside organic waste collections (food scraps and possibly garden waste). 

Organic waste collections would likely divert 125,000–180,000 additional tonnes of food scraps from landfills per annum, contributing to emissions (methane) reductions and waste-diversion targets. 

Part 2: Proposed design of a container return scheme

A container return scheme encourages people to return beverage containers for recycling or refilling in exchange for a refundable deposit.

When someone buys a drink, they pay a small deposit as part of the normal price of the drink. When the empty container is returned to a collection point, that deposit is refunded to them 

Based on the proposed design, we expect the NZ CRS will increase recycling rates to 85–90 per cent, which will significantly reduce litter. This means that the scheme would receive over two billion beverage containers every year for recycling.

The proposed exemption for fresh milk applies only to white dairy milk that requires refrigeration, including cream. The exemption would not include beverages that are shelf-stable (long-life) or partially dairy/milk-based, such as (but not limited to) drinkable fermented dairy drinks like kefir, flavoured milk, smoothies, drinkable yoghurt and plant-based milk alternatives (eg, oat, almond, coconut, soy, etc.).

Part 3: Proposed separation of business food waste

The Climate Change Commission recommends reducing greenhouse gas emissions from waste by at least 40 per cent below 2017 levels by 2035. These proposals will help us reach proposed waste emissions targets.

The Government is proposing to make the separation of food waste from general waste mandatory for all businesses.

The requirement to separate food scraps could be phased.

The post NZ Government plans to transform recycling appeared first on FMCG Business.

Almost all shoppers are supportive of mandated face coverings while visiting an essential service, with 88% of respondents strongly agreeing with this decision.

Steve Anderson, CEO, Foodstuffs South Island says, “We welcome the government’s mandate for customers and team members to wear face coverings as a way to keep everyone safe. We have seen good compliance since this measure was introduced earlier in the week and think this is great advice for New Zealanders who have already increased their mask wearing habits significantly.”

“It is a government requirement that unless a person has an exemption, our staff and customers must wear a face covering while in-store and our teams will be managing this upon entry,” says Anderson.

An overwhelming 95% of New Zealanders somewhat or strongly agree that the Ministry of Health made the right decision to fast-track vaccinations for essential workers, including supermarket staff.

Chris Quin, CEO, Foodstuffs North Island says, “Making it quicker and easier for our team and customers – whether they’re customer facing, in our supply chain, or our supplier partners – to stay safe and get a vaccination is the right thing to do and we fully support this opportunity for our essential workers. We appreciate the hard work of the Ministry of Health and the DHB’s around the country who got the priority vaccination service up and running in a way that works for each community and locally owned store.”

Foodstuffs’ shopper research shows customers are more worried about their health than they were during the first Alert Level 4 lockdown in March 2020 – with 67% somewhat or extremely worried this lockdown compared to 59% in the first week of lockdown in March 2020.

Beyond wearing a face covering and seeing essential workers vaccinated, shoppers feel a lot safer visiting a supermarket when their trolleys and baskets are regularly cleaned (76%), have hand sanitiser available (64%) and see perspex protective screens at the checkout (57%).

“It’s great we’re already delivering all of the measures our shoppers want to see during Alert Level 4. We know it’s a challenging time for New Zealanders and it’s important we’re listening and doing everything we can to make them, and our staff feel safe,” says Quin.

Finally, the research revealed shoppers think their supermarkets are performing well and are delivering well to the Alert Level 4 requirements.

“Looking after our people and customers is our top priority which is why we have once again provided a 10% bonus during Level 4 for our essential workers. We’re incredibly grateful for our teams, their whanau and the wider Foodstuffs network and all our customers who are all playing their part,” Quin ends.

The online survey consisted of 1,001 PAK’nSAVE and New World shoppers across New Zealand conducted between 19 and 20 August 2021.

The post NZ shoppers support new safety measures appeared first on FMCG Business.

Since 2005, thousands of kiwi fans have been sprinkling the Raptor deliciousness over their breakfast, lunch and dinners and, just in time for summer, are two brand new flavours that are sure to impress. ‘Handle The Jandal’ is Kiwi-as, bursting with rich, smoky chipotle and tenderising kiwifruit power, kawakawa and peppery horopito. Riding the recent wave of love for DIY fried chicken, ‘Lucky Kentucky’ is Raptor’s mouth-watering new, natural version of the classic (except there’s no secret ingredients in here because everything’s listed on the jar!)

With 100% natural, freshly ground ingredients and no hidden flavour enhancers, shoppers can feel confident they’re making a healthy choice at mealtimes. The Raptor Naturals range is all vegan and free from gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, sesame and nuts.  

Beautifully packaged in premium glass jars with eye-catching colours, your customers will be proud to have these in their pantry. Don’t miss out on the Limited Edition Kiwiana summer Gift Boxes!

For your free samples contact hello@raptornaturals.co.nz or call 0800 116 115 

The post Are you stocked up for a delicious Kiwi summer? appeared first on FMCG Business.

In a time when many are facing daunting situations—from essential workers who need personal protective equipment to those trying to stave off feelings of isolation at home—some brands have chosen to meet these challenges with empathy and care for their communities and consumers’ immediate needs. 

Research has shown that consumers care about companies who support causes that matter to them. Pre-pandemic, 74% ofU.S. Millennials said they are more likely to buy brands supporting social issues they care about. For brands, this makes things simple. Rarely is there one cause that resonates so deeply with so many at once. The brands that pivot with purpose will ensure they not only survive, but build their reputations and grow loyalty over the long-term. 

To resonate with consumers, marketers need to reexamine their advertising to make sure that they are addressing consumers’ needs (while not appearing tone deaf) and connecting with them authentically. One social media influencer with millions of followers put it well when she reacted on Instagram to one brand’s shift to a one-for-one model to donate food to children impacted by COVID-19: “I love companies who take social responsibility seriously.” While brands can’t always count on public praise from their customers, this is both more authentic and more memorable than a paid ad.

As with any sustainability challenge, different industries will need to adopt their approaches to fit their unique skills, challenges and consumer base. However, there are some consistent themes across sustainability, brand loyalty and efficacy that demonstrate how brands can meaningfully pivot with purpose to advance the common good. 

PUT SAFETY FIRST

In an age of telehealth and delayed non-essential medical care, consumers are fighting to keep their families safe. For sustainable-focused manufacturers of cleaning supplies, this means it’s important to highlight your disinfectant capabilities, while food manufacturers may need to further underscore for consumers how they can address their health concerns through their everyday food choices.

There are positive signs demonstrating that consumers’ appetite for sustainable goods hasn’t yet slowed. An analysis of product attributes by Nielsen BASES showed that when it came to household cleaners, the importance of organic, sustainable ingredients and natural claims have diminished in importance during the pandemic. However, the claim ‘Kills germs / bacteria in a natural way’ was one of the top three claims, just after products that said ‘Kills germs in an effective way.’ Moreover, consumers have already spent $33.6 billion this year on sustainable goods, up 15.8% compared to the same period last year week ended April 4, performing about four percentage points better than conventional products. 

Some of sustainability’s growth during the weeks when consumers were stocking up ahead of living restrictions were driven by out-of-stocks. However, in the weeks following, we’ve seen the gap between conventional and sustainable sales growth level off. We expect this trend will continue as economic challenges persist, but that doesn’t mean sustainability is out of the game. Now is the time to make sure you are doing all you can to reassure your consumers—in authentic, meaningful ways—about the efficacy of your product, thus increasing consumer adoption and loyalty in the most sustainable way possible: consistently and reliably delivering on a true consumer need. 

FLEX YOUR MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAIN

This crisis is also a reminder that sustainability is not just about what goes into your product, how it’s made, and what happens after a consumer is done with it. Sustainable brands maintain a flexible, responsive approach to consumer need, with a nimble supply chain and operations to match. 

Facing a shortage of critical materials, some unlikely industries are stepping up to shine. Clothing, perfume and even alcohol brands are repurposing their production lines to meet demand for masks, hand sanitizer and other necessities. 

This isn’t about changing your brand’s purpose or mission, but pivoting or expanding your day-to-day work to be more effective in meeting consumers’ needs wherever (and whatever) they are. 

LOOK TO ALLEVIATE THE PAIN

Seemingly overnight, this pandemic has confronted people with new challenges—from small inconveniences to life-threatening situations—putting a magnifying glass on the social inequalities and health care policies within our societies. Companies can reduce the strain by thinking creatively about how to chip in to alleviate the burden. 

DONATE WHAT YOU CAN TO HIGH-PRIORITY COMMUNITIES

Diaper brands have stepped in to support single parents and low income families, meditation apps have made some services free, restaurants are feeding hospital staff, and still other brands are adopting a one-for-one model where each consumer purchase leads to an in-kind donation for a health care worker. 

Many of these models involve enabling consumers to pitch in and support these communities. Still, there are many more in need of support during this time. Consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers could also adopt this model and lean on their existing, long-standing connections with food banks and other non-profits to grow their impact through this network effect.

PUT YOUR EMPLOYEES FIRST

Over the past few weeks, countries around the world have seen record spikes in unemployment. Even as governments move to support their constituents, it’s businesses that may make the biggest impact on an individual’s life. Companies that communicate clearly, with leaders that act with empathy and who go above and beyond to keep their employees safe, will build brand loyalists for life. Nielsen data has consistently shown that consumers want to support companies that prioritize fair wages and other social responsibility attributes that positively impact the employees that power the brands they love.

REDUCE STAY-AT-HOME CHALLENGES

With most of the world quarantined at home, new and unexpected challenges are arriving—from parents trying to keep kids entertained and work from home to cooking more meals at home and dealing with more packaging than ever. A recent analysis of sales in the U.S. showed that products that advertised “less packaging” and “recyclable packaging” saw large spikes in sales upwards of 100% compared to last year. 

Brands have an opportunity to help by planting new seeds for their consumers about how they can reduce packaging clutter, repurpose used containers, or make their products last longer. As consumers buy in bulk to stock their pantries, they can realize new uses for discarded containers that perhaps would have been missed, such as using an old shampoo bottle as a planter.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

This pandemic will test many brands, and whether or not they react in a socially responsible and sustainable way will have meaningful implications not just on their own businesses but on how we rebuild our communities. 

Brands can position themselves both as supportive of consumers in the near-term crisis, while also acting as a bridge into whatever comes next, growing their bonds over time. 

For food brands, there are glimmers of hope even as the shifting economy takes its toll on wallets. In France, during the pandemic sales of organic have continuously outpaced conventional products and performed particularly well in regions with a higher population of families. In both the U.S. and France, since the last recession, the industry has responded by expanding its range of private label organic offerings. Meaning, that there are more value-options available to consumers than in recent years.

A 2019 survey also showed that 56% of French people have a very specific diet dictated by animal welfare, organic, local and other sustainable attributes. Year-to-date, Americans have spent $81.8 billion on vegetarian diets as of the week ended April 4. For these consumers who have moved towards vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based diets, organic and other sustainable methods will have an important role to play as consumers balance their dietary needs with availability to spend. 

No matter the moment in time, it’s when brands are able to make that connection between what’s healthy for me—the consumer—and what’s healthy for the world that we’ve seen sustainable outcomes grow as sales and brand loyalty rise.

By Julia Wilson, Vice President, Global Responsibility & Sustainability at NIELSEN

The post Sustainable brands can pivot with purpose to help address Covid-19 appeared first on FMCG Business.

We are a proud food-producing nation and all New Zealanders can be assured that there is no risk to the food supply.  We’re working closely with all our supplier partners and feeding the local market is collectively our first priority.

We are prioritising essential products to get into our stores over other, non-essential products. We have every truck on the road possible, and every team member possible working to support our stores and online services. 

We repeat our earlier calls to please not panic, and to shop normally.  There is no need to stock up and for every extra item you buy, someone else goes without.  When customers stockpile and buy more than they need, it creates a bottleneck in the supply chain that takes time to work through and leaves gaps on the shelves.  This isn’t fair for other New Zealanders and there’s no need – we will remain open as we always have and there will always be food.

Our stores will be open each day and we will be putting in place every possible measure to help keep our customers, team and the wider community safe. This means people will see some changes in our stores.

Customers should use their trolley as a distance guide and follow new floor markings, which will be in place from midday tomorrow, at checkouts to maintain distance. We’ll also be putting up posters across the store to provide our customers and teams helpful tips to minimise physical contact with others.

Other recommendations include using Paywave where possible and maintaining strict hand-washing routines prior to coming into our stores.  We will also continue our strict hygiene processes and cleaning in stores.

We are working on ways to ensure that older and vulnerable customers can get the help they need.  We are currently prioritising online delivery windows for existing online shopping customers over 70, and are working hard to expand this to other vulnerable customers who need this service for health reasons or because they are unable to get into our stores.

Our team is continuing to put amazing energy and effort into providing food and groceries for New Zealanders right across the country, and they’re working incredibly hard under difficult circumstances.  Please continue to be kind to them. We thank our customers for their ongoing patience and support as we work through these challenging times together. We’ve had some wonderful feedback and acts of kindness in our stores and we are incredibly appreciative of your support. 

For information and updates: https://www.countdown.co.nz/covid19update

Natalie Davis, Countdown’s Managing Director

The post Update from Countdown – 23 March appeared first on FMCG Business.