HoneyWorld is the largest Mānuka honey retailer in Singapore and represents a highly strategic acquisition into a business that is the market leader in core Comvita categories in one of Asia’s premium growth markets.

Combined with their existing business in this market, Comvita’s market share in the Mānuka honey category in Singapore will be around 50%. Together, Comvita and HoneyWorld have identified incremental opportunities to further grow household penetration and share of the category in this important market over time. 

This acquisition will be immediately accretive to Comvita with a HoneyWorld forecasted 24% increase in return on capital employed (ROCE) once integrated. For the Comvita group this acquisition is forecast to deliver a 22% improvement in EPS. HoneyWorld is forecasting revenue in FY24 of over SG$13M (NZ$15.85M). The acquisition is to be debt funded.

Comvita CEO David Banfield said, “This agreement represents a highly strategic opportunity for Comvita to acquire a high-quality business that is the market leader in Singapore. We are achieving strong results in our other retail stores in markets throughout Asia and are delighted to add HoneyWorld’s renowned capability and influence to the Comvita family. We are also pleased to have retained the services of its founder Pearline Goh, adding more talent to our business. We see strong demand in Asian markets and with this acquisition we will gain further market share and importantly, accelerate delivery of our FY25 target of $50M EBITDA.”

Pearline Goh, Founder and Director of HoneyWorld commented, “We are thrilled to be part of the Comvita family, as we share a vision of being a premium wellness and lifestyle brand. As customers become more discerning, we see Comvita’s scale and ability to introduce quality natural products backed by world-class scientific know-how as being sustainable and important.”

HoneyWorld was founded in 1997 and operate 18 outlets in the Singapore market with a loyal consumer following and are poised for significant growth. Comvita will supply the HoneyWorld own brands in store as well as grow the Comvita Mānuka brand and range. Comvita is very excited to be working with the HoneyWorld team and customers will continue to see the same people on their daily honey shopping.

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For the fifth consecutive year, Whittaker’s was announced New Zealand’s most trusted brand in the annual survey* commissioned by Reader’s Digest. The survey also revealed that New Zealanders like to start their day with Sanitarium and Vogels and end it with a Villa Maria wine purchased from New World.

Whittaker’s knows the sweet taste of success well – not only is it the number one brand across all categories surveyed, the brand also won the confectionery category and was voted most iconic NZ brand. Samsung and Dettol sit in second and third place, respectively, on the most trusted list. Dettol was also in the top three last year.

New World is a first time category winner and the honour of being New Zealands most trusted supermarket comes hot on the heels of a gold award, a few months ago, in the Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards. The most trusted Supermarket/Home Brand this year was Pams.

The New Zealanders surveyed were asked what factors influence them to place their trust in a brand. High reputation, great customer service, reliable and cost effective, quality and innovative, promise keepers, consistent and durable (stood the test of time) were the answers.

The 41 category winners are listed below.

Iconic NZ brands – Whittaker’s

Aged Care and Retirement Villages – Ryman Healthcare

Banks – Kiwibank

Beds – Sleepyhead

Bicycles – Avanti

Bread – Vogels

Breakfast Food – Sanitarium

Car Rental Companies – Hertz

Carpets – Cavalier Bremworth

Cars – Toyota

Cat Food – Whiskas

Charities – St John

Cleaning Products – Dettol

Confectionery – Whittaker’s

Crackers – Griffin’s

Dog Food  – Tux

DIY Power Tools – Bosch

Electronics (TV & home entertainment) – Samsung

Gardening Equipment – Masport

Gardening product – Yates

Hair Care – Schwarzkopf

Heat Pumps – Panasonic

Home Builders – Lockwood

Insurance (general, housing, car, contents) – AA Insurance

Insurance: Life – AA Life

Jewellers – Walker & Hall

Meat & Poultry – Silver Fern Farms

NZ Wines – Villa Maria

Pain Relief  – Panadol

Paints – Resene

Petrol Companies – Z

Real Estate Agencies – Harcourts

Retailers (exc supermarkets) – The Warehouse

Small Kitchen Appliances – Panasonic

Supermarket/Home Brand – Pams

Supermarkets  – New World

Tea – Dilmah

Tyres – Firestone

Vacuum Cleaners – Dyson

Vitamins & Supplements – Healtheries

Whitegoods – Fisher & Paykel

*The survey ranks New Zealand’s top 10 trusted brands (of brands surveyed) and 41 category winners. The results come, not from a reader poll, but an independent, commissioned survey. Reader’s Digest used Catalyst Marketing & Research to survey a representative sample of 1214 New Zealand adults on the most trusted brands in 41 categories of products and services across a broad range of industries.

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The New World Wine Awards were judged in Wellington recently by an independent panel of 13 expert wine judges, using the same internationally recognised system as other leading wine awards. To be eligible to enter, wines must retail for $25 or less and there must be at least 5,000 bottles available for sale. The results will be announced in October.

The judges award Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, with the best wines in each category re-tasted to determine the Champion wine of each varietal, plus the overall Champion Red and Champion White. A record number of 1,325 wines from 162 wineries were entered in the awards this year and over 60% of the wines entered are from New Zealand winemakers.

FMCG Business Head of Content, Tamara Rubanowski, caught up with Chair of the judging panel, Jim Harré, in Wellington. He says: “The New World Wine Awards are among the most recognised wine shows in New Zealand and highly regarded by the judges.” He adds: “The 2016 vintage was spectacular. This year, we are seeing more Pinot Noir entered and we are noticing more layers of flavour and complexity.”

Jim’s passion for wine runs in the family – his grandfather, father and brother were all winemakers, and his other brother is involved in the wine and food industry in France. Jim has been chair of judges for the New World Wine Awards since 2008, and has extensive experience judging in New Zealand as well as in Australia, China, Japan, UK and USA.

The winning wines will be distinguished in New World stores by medal stickers (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and the Top 50 Gold medal selection will be showcased online and in the New World Wine Awards booklet.

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(L to R) Dona White, CEO of North Port Events with the WilliamsWarn team and Awards Judge Trina Snow, Manager Buy NZ Made.

The brightest stars in the food industry have been recognised at a biennial bonanza in Auckland. Fine Food New Zealand, the international trade event for the food service, food retail and hospitality industries, has announced the winners of the prized Innovation Awards, sponsored by James & Wells and FMCG Business publishers, Intermedia.

Entrants came from categories covering everything from dairy­free coconut yogurt to a cafe­friendly beer and cider brewed from Manuka honey to a coeliac dining out programme.

Choosing the winners proved difficult, says Dona White, CEO of North Port Events, which runs Fine Food New Zealand. “Due to the high calibre of entrants, our judges had no easy task.”

Now in its fourth edition (the show has run every two years since 2010) New Zealand’s biggest trade event for the influential food industry is enjoying its biggest outing yet. Close to 300 exhibitors, both national and international, are on show for an expected 7000 trade visitors from around the country and abroad.

Fine Food New Zealand covers everything big and small: in the kitchen, front of house and in the food retail environment. It recognises the country’s unique selling position as an innovator in the entire culinary field, says Dona White. “We are seeing products that address the growing sophistication of palates, but many exhibitors are tapping into global food trends and allergen­friendly diets that are not going to disappear.”

The winners of the Fine Food 2016 Innovation Awards are:

Most Innovative Retail Grocery Product

MANUKEE UMF 10+ Manuka Honey Daily Wellness Drink

Regarded as a new drinks category, every bottle of Manukee contains two teaspoons of certified 100% traceable Manuka honey. Manukee targets busy urban professionals and their families who require functional, health­supporting foods and beverages that are convenient to consume on the go.

Most Innovative Artisan Product

Winner – RebelFood NutriBombs

Designed to be one of the world’s highest natural nutritional snacks to be found, NutriBombs have been designed by an athlete and former chef for the sole purpose of boosting human health, not destroying it.

Most Innovative Food Service Product

Winner – Coeliac New Zealand

Dining Out Programme

The Coeliac New Zealand Dining Out Programme is a gluten­free training and accreditation programme for the hospitality and catering industry. The programme is designed to ensure that gluten­free food is produced and served safely for diners who have coeliac disease, or who are sensitive to gluten. A wide range of businesses can become accredited through the programme.

Most Innovative New Equipment

AND James & Wells Champion of Innovation Award

Winner – WillamsWarn

WilliamsWarn BrewKeg 50

Better than Dad’s backyard shed attempt, each BrewKeg 50 can produce 50 litres of beer or cider in five to seven days, with no formal training required. Ideal for smaller bars and cafes wanting to put their own individual touch on their particular brew.

Champion of Innovation Award winner Ian Williams, himself a Master Brewer, said his BrewKeg50 was like Uber for the brew market. “Bars, clubs and cafes can make beer at half the price of what they get from the brewery, in seven days. And it gives them the power to create their own brands. It’s very disruptive.”

Says Dona White of the winners: “Food, beverage and hospitality are all growth areas in New Zealand, and it’s fantastic to see an investment in exciting new products that will fuel the industry.”

Fine Food New Zealand is held at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane, Auckland and finishes on Tuesday June 28 at 5pm.

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A literally record breaking event on Monday 29 February in Auckland, New Zealand, set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title; The Loudest Crunch of an Apple. SweeTango apples are grown by The Yummy Fruit Company in Hawkes Bay. For this GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt the iconic Kiwi family-run company partnered with former NZ Bachelor, TV personality Art Green.

Paul Paynter from The Yummy Fruit Company is very passionate about his product and delighted to now finally have official proof: “There have been earlier, non-official, scientific attempts to measure the crunch of an apple. However, these were not attempted by a human being and certainly not in an official soundproof environment. Tonight’s success confirms what I’ve always known; in a world of soft mushy apples or hard impenetrable apples, SweeTango really stands out. Go on, take a bite of a Royal Gala, the king of apples, and then a try a SweeTango. SweeTango will win every time. And now, that’s even official!”

With an outstanding 79,1 db(C) measured by a certified and approved sound engineer on a Bruel & Kjaer 2250 precision grade sound level meter, Art Green crunched his way to the top. The minimum requirement to set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the loudest crunch of an apple was 75 db(C). This is just a few decibels less than the sound of a doorbell with average 80db(C) or a mixer with 85db(C). Art’s bite and technique exceeded the set level and set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for yummy SweeTango apples.

“I can’t really tell how many SweeTangos I’ve been crunching over the last few weeks,” says Art Green. “Fresh apples were delivered to my doorstep almost on a daily basis and I’ve been trying all sorts of techniques. It all comes down to the fruit and the size of a bite. It was a challenge to find out if smaller apples crunch louder than larger and what difference their temperature makes. Honestly, this is apple science at its best. And I officially prefer a chilled, medium sized SweeTango for the loudest crunch.”

To further support the success of this achievment, The Yummy Fruit Company have donated 5,000 SweeTango apples to the Auckland City Mission, which will be used in emergency foodparcels and the Auckland community food programme for Kiwi families in need.

The official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS certificate will now go on a journey throughout New Zealand, accompanied by The Yummy Fruit Company’s soundproof SweeTango booth for consumers to take a crunch themselves. Timings and locations can be found on www.theyummyfruitcompany.co.nz and on www.facebook.com/yummyapples/.

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Findings from a report carried out by food scientist Carolyn Lister of Plant and Food New Zealand show that just a handful (100gms or 3 – 5 mushrooms) of Meadows provides:

• An excellent source of B Group vitamins (in particular B2, B3, B5 and B7) to support heart function, energy, and optimise the condition of skin and hair;
• 36% of RDI of selenium to boost immunity, and mood; and
• Potassium to help maintain normal blood pressure.

Nutritionist Nikki Hart reported recent statistics that a third of all adults do not eat the three or more servings of vegetables per day recommended for heart health. She also noted that key results from the 2013/2104 New Zealand Nutrition survey show that fruit and vegetable consumption in New Zealand has dropped overall. “Cardiovascular disease is responsible for 30% of all deaths in New Zealand, so we need to take a look at what we are eating,” Hart said.

“The low fat, low saturated fat and low sodium content of mushrooms makes them a very heart-friendly vegetable to add to meals,” she said.

Meadows’ Director, Miranda Burdon, says that while consumer research shows Kiwis love mushrooms (with 79% of all Kiwi households saying they buy them), the superior nutritional benefits of mushrooms aren’t well understood relative to some other produce. “When compared with some of the other so-called ‘super-foods’, including quinoa and kale, we see that mushrooms actually pack a bigger punch. Just a handful gives you a whole lot of nutrition,” she said.

“Meadows ‘Food Fight’, which kicked off last week, is a challenge to all Kiwis to find more ways to get Meadows into their diets by sharing their favourite recipes and ideas via social media. Ideas and inspiration from Mike, Nikki, Julia & Libby can be found on-line on our website, Facebook or Instagram.”

For 45 years Meadows has been dedicated to putting fresh mushroom on Kiwis’ plates. Founded in 1970 in Prebbleton, near Christchurch, Meadows is a family-owned and run business that has proudly grown with New Zealand. “We are passionate about mushrooms, and we want to see Kiwis get more of the good stuff into their daily diet,” Burdon said.

About the Meadows Food Fight

The Meadows Food Fight is a challenge to Kiwis to find more ways to enjoy the nutritional benefits of Meadows more often. A social media campaign, which launched Thursday 16 September, will encourage Kiwis to post a photo of their favourite Meadows dish or upload their best Meadows recipe to be in to win – a luxurious weekend for two of food and wine, including flights and accommodation, at The Sherwood in Queenstown. #handfulofgoodness #meadowsfoodfight @meadowmushroomsnz

For more information please go to: http://www.meadowmushrooms.co.nz/

www.facebook.com/meadowsnz

https://instagram.com/meadowmushroomsnz/

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Johnson & Johnson Pacific MD Phil Lynch, Kimberly-Clark Australia and NZ CEO/MD Robert Rietbroek  and Coles MD Ian McLeod, will be among the speakers at Nielsen’s annual thought leadership and industry event.

Nielsen’s NZ Managing Director, Rob Clark, said he was thrilled with the speaker line-up and believed these industry leaders would generate invaluable insights, aligned with the conference theme. “Consumers are changing, we consume media in evolving ways and the way we buy and what we buy are also changing,” Clark said.

“In addition, the business of consumer insights is facing a paradigm shift due to new technology and media fragmentation. Australian and NZ leaders are uniting at Consumer 360 to debate and discuss where it’s all headed.”

Eddie Yoon, a Principal with The Cambridge Group, will join the stage to present his views on what’s next in brand marketing. Eddie has helped clients create winning growth strategies and business models in Consumer Packaged Goods and Durable Goods. He has particular expertise, research and articles about helping market leaders drive category growth and create new categories.

From New Zealand, Paul Maher and Liz Fraser from Mediaworks share their story of how they took the network from free fall in audience, revenue and profit leading to receivership and capital restructure, to growth and a sustainable future.

Consumer 360 Pacific will be held in Australia from July 30 to August 1, 2014 at the Fairmount Resort at Leura in the NSW Blue Mountains. It’s attended by senior leaders from retail, advertiser, agency, publisher and industry backgrounds.

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L’Oréal New Zealand is the third largest haircare# manufacturer in New Zealand, selling Garnier Fructis, and L’Oréal Paris Elvive and Hair Expertise ranges.

The grocery haircare market has seen steady growth over the last five years, adding over $4.1 million in sales*. L’Oréal has been a key contributor, up $6 million (+100.2%) as the Garnier and L’Oréal Paris brands have established themselves in the grocery channel. “All L’Oréal’s brands are in growth# and we anticipate this will continue as we bring further meaningful innovation to the NZ market,” says Nicky Richman, Senior Brand Manager.

Innovation is a key growth driver and the last 12 months have seen the L’Oréal group launch new franchises such as Fructis Goodbye Damage and Elvive Fibralogy.

“Elvive Fibralogy is our latest scientific revolution, which comprises a shampoo, conditioner and serum. It contains the thickening ingredient Filloxane, which penetrates the hair fibre and expands from within. It has a cumulative effect, so hair looks thicker wash after wash^”.

Elvive also recently entered the bulk pack market, launching 700ml shampoo and conditioner in their top four franchises – Total Repair 5, Colour Protect, Smooth Intense and Arginine Resist. Sales of larger pack sizes (above 400ml) have jumped by 14.3% to reach 16.3% share of Shampoo & Conditioner#, so the launch of Elvive 700ml will meet this consumer demand, explains Richman.

She adds: “A key value driver in the haircare category is extending consumers’ regimes and encouraging trade up to treatments. The L’Oréal group’s treatment portfolio includes Fructis Sleek & Shine Serum, which is the No.1 treatment in the market+, and Elvive Extraordinary Oil which is the No.1 oil+ in the market.”

Data sources:

# Aztec Total Key Accounts, Total Haircare ex styling, value sales, MAT to 20/4/14 and L’Oréal YTD 20/4/14

*Aztec Total Key Accounts, Total Haircare ex styling, value sales, full year 2009 to 2013

^Instrumental test after five uses of shampoo + conditioner + serum

+ Aztec Total Key Accounts, Total Haircare ex styling, Treatments value sales, MAT to 20/4/14 and   L’Oréal YTD 20/4/14

Fashion phenomenon

One of the latest hair colour trends, the layered-colour look, with dark roots and light ends is fashion’s “it” phenomenon, the style that the world’s VIPs are loving right now. For the first time in at-home hair colouring, it’s now possible to create a wild, luminous, layered-colour look by lightening only the ends of the hair for permanent results with Préférence Wild Ombrés, the first Ombre home hair colour kit by L’Oréal Paris. This easy to use formula, with a specially designed brush applicator allows consumers to achieve a two-tone colour finish, to give hair that fashionable ombrés look. After application the conditioning shampoo leaves hair feeling healthy and smooth for a professional finish.

The Préférence Wild Ombrés range was launched in New Zealand in April and is available in two different shades.

Category leader

Bio-Oil is a specialist skincare product known to help reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks. However it can also help to alleviate the symptoms of ageing skin, dry or dehydrated skin, and uneven skin tone.

The market is increasingly aware of the benefits of using good quality oils as skincare products, which is reflected in the growing number of oil based products that are now available in stores.  Bio-Oil is a “dry” oil that absorbs quickly into the skin and so won’t leave it feeling greasy.

BDM Grange Senior Brand Manager, Kate Feek, told FMCG Business: “Bio-Oil is proud to be able to say that it has been in New Zealand for over 10 years, and continues to lead the scar and stretch mark category*. Its formulation has actually remained unchanged since it was first launched in South Africa over 25 years ago, and during that time there have been various clinical trials carried out which substantiate the different claims that Bio-Oil is able to make.”

This positioning is further supported by the ongoing testimonials that Bio-Oil receives from consumers about their success stories and the different ways they use Bio-Oil. In addition, Bio-Oil is the brand most recommended by GPs and midwives for reducing the appearance of scars and stretch marks (as researched by Colmar Brunton).

Bio-Oil made a return to TV earlier this year, with a second burst scheduled for August, plus there is further activity planned during October with the ongoing support for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

*Aztec scan sales – Total key accounts value sales MAT to Dec 13

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

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FMCG Business finds out what’s new in these substantial categories.

New Zealanders have a love affair with biscuits – $375million* of love in supermarkets alone.

Josette Prince, Griffin’s GM Sales and Marketing says: “At the heart of this is Griffin’s, New Zealand’s number one biscuit manufacturer, who is currently celebrating 150 years of baking history. Our market leadership is based on consumer relationships.”

What fuels this love affair? First and foremost is chocolate biscuits, accounting for over 35% of all sweet biscuits value** in the NZ market with brands consumers love: Griffin’s Toffee Pops, Griffin’s Squiggles, Arnotts Tim Tam’s, Griffin’s Mallow Puffs and the recently extended range of Choco-ade flavours. Prince comments: “Our recent Choco-ade flavours launch has shown that new news is key to maintaining consumer love and we have so much more new news to drive retail sales growth in 2014.”

But the story is much more than chocolate; the plain sweet and kid’s segments represent 35% of the sweet biscuit category”.  Prince adds: “As we celebrate our 150th year of baking, its brands like Gingernuts, Shrewsbury and Super Wines Kiwis have grown up with that still form the core of the category. Griffins bake nine of the top 10 selling biscuits and we plan to continue baking for a long time to come”.

Despite so much heritage in the biscuit category, changing consumer needs have seen crackers deliver strong growth of 15% in the last three years to be a $150 million category in its own right.  This growth has been fuelled by innovation in segments including Rice, Multi Grain, Entertaining Crackers and Lite Bread.

Olivia Sutherland, Griffin’s Marketing Manager Biscuits adds: “With Huntley & Palmers Better for you’ ranges (Lite bread, 10 Grain and Seeds, Wholegrain), 15.7% value growth in last 6 months**, meeting consumers demands for healthier alternatives and the huge success of Snax, 53% value growth in the last six months**, through innovation and its ‘1001 ways to Snax’ campaign, it’s been a great summer for Griffin’s crackers and the category. We are really excited about our plans for the summer 2014/15 to continue this success”.

Data sources: Aztec

* Total Supermarkets MAT to 15/5/2014

** Total Supermarkets six months to 15/5/2014

Wake up and smell the cookies!

Cookie Time has just launched its own take on convenience breakfasts, with new Breakfast Cookies designed to satisfy and sustain. This innovation taps into two key category trends – the growth of cookies in the biscuits category; and the growth of convenience breakfasts.

New Breakfast Cookies in two flavours – Superfruits and Nut Seed & Honey – roll up the good things you’d typically have for breakfast – eggs, fruit, butter, nuts and seeds, cereals – and combine them in a delicious, convenient, grab and go breakfast option. They are a good source of fibre, with reduced sugar and energy to go.

Breakfast Cookies are the latest innovation in the Cookie Time Limited (CTL) portfolio, which includes more than 15 types of cookies. Cookie Time Brand Manager, Melanie Mackenzie says Breakfast Cookies are the perfect marriage of nutrition, taste and convenience. CTL consumer research conducted as part of product development showed 15% of people buying cookies were already eating them instead of breakfast.

“While nothing beats a sit-down breakfast, Breakfast Cookies provide a convenient on-the-run option – as well as a specific breakfast choice for those already eating cookies for breakfast,” she says.

Mackenzie adds: “Overall, while the biscuits category is in decline – down 2.2% according to Nielsen December 2013 MAT data – cookies as a subcategory are in growth. And breakfast biscuit offerings are also showing promising growth. In the breakfast category, convenience breakfasts are growing at more than 10 times the rate of the overall category. Nielsen scan data (February 2014) puts this convenience breakfast category growth at 9.5%, within an overall breakfast category now worth $278.8 million.”

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

The post Category insights: Biscuits and cakes appeared first on FMCG Business.

One of the biggest supermarket chains in Australia is planning various upgrades.

Recently appointed Coles MD John Durkan pledged at a Wesfarmers strategy briefing to focus on improving the customer offer and in-store experience in Coles’ liquor business, as well as improving Coles’ market share in fresh food.

In convenience stores, Coles Express is set for network expansion through quality co-located and alliance sites.

The convenience offer will grow through an expansion of ‘Down Down’ discounts across key categories, a strong fuel offer and a roll out of food and coffee benches.

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