Tunnock’s keeps it simple to meet consumer demand
MANUFACTURING is very rarely plain sailing according to Fergus Loudon, sales director at Tunnock’s, but he believes in a simple philosophy that can help get through the difficult times.
He said: “At the moment, chocolate is the big issue but this time next year it may well be something else that confronts us.”
He continued: “We don’t have a magic wand, just a simple philosophy, keep your product quality high and don’t let your customers down.
“Thomas Tunnock started the business with that mindset and five generations and a hundred and thirty five years later we see no reason to change.”
Loudon pointed out that the company has faced raw material price spikes and shortages before and he expects that the industry will face these again in the future.
He said: ”What we really need to guard against is, as an industry, being blamed for societal problems which are most definitely not of our making.
“Obesity is a serious issue but it’s an issue that only education will address.
“Banning chocolate biscuit ads on TV before nine o’clock to prevent obesity is rather like banning foreign holidays to prevent skin damage from too much sun.”
He added that chocolate biscuit makers have enough to do right now dealing with the problems of price and supply without the Government making its marketing more difficult and more expensive.
Loudon pointed out that Tunnock’s main product lines, Caramel Wafers, Tea Cakes, Caramel Logs, Snowballs and Wafer Creams are all very different and each has its manufacturing challenges.
He said: “Each also has its fan base. We have to ensure that at the end of the entire process, when someone unwraps their favourite Tunnock’s product and takes a bite, they are pleased and satisfied.
“That hasn’t changed and it’s the same for all the manufacturers irrespective of the price or availability of raw materials.”
He said that Tunnock’s listen very carefully to its customers, including supermarkets and independent retailers, adding: “Over the years we have responded, usually very quickly, to their ideas and suggestions. “
Talking directly to retailers, Loudon added: “We are all in this together and if we keep our standards high the current problems we face will be overcome.”
Reflecting on the challenges and rewords in the chocolate biscuit category, Loudon summed up: “To borrow a famous Oscar Wilde observation, the only thing worse than being in the chocolate biscuit business is not being in the chocolate biscuit business.”
