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Taking stock of trends

1 December 2020

Health drive shifts gear

Flavours drive Greek growth

Visibility can be effective

THE institution of the Burns Supper, now an annual celebration of the works of Scotland’s – and one of the world’s – great poets, Robert Burns, began in the very early 19th century. In 1801 some chums who were great admirers of the recently departed Rabbie, and who were also pretty fond of a dram, met on the fifth anniversary of the great writer’s death to wine, dine, toast his memory and recite some of his works. The following year the celebration moved to the date of the bard’s birthday 25 January and the rest as they say is history. The Burns Supper habit spread across Scotland. Within a few years a Burns Supper was being held in Oxford University. Today they are held all over the world. These days formal suppers can be quite posh with a multi-course dinner, a piper, a toast to the immortal memory of our great literary hero, a cheeky toast to the lassies, an even cheekier reply from the lassies, an address to the haggis and a recitation of Burns’ great narrative poem Tam o’Shanter. Other celebrations in homes and elsewhere are often much simpler. But virtually all will include two items that retailers can highlight in Burns season each year ... haggis and whisky. It’s sad that, because of marketing restrictions on alcohol products in Scottish off-trade outlets, it’s effectively impossible to cross-promote the two Burns Supper essentials or even to place them together in a display. But that’s all the more reason to promote them individually. Try highlighting haggis in your meat chiller, carry a few different sizes to suit the variety of sizes of households, use point-of-sale material to remind shoppers of Burns Night and the part that haggis plays in the celebrations. And you could make January a special malts month or simply arrange to focus on whisky generally in your drinks area. If you have a whisky deal that’s giving you a good margin highlight it within your drinks section. And creating a Burns theme in store, with tartan and maybe even pictures of the man himself, will help get the message across.

Power of the Bard

Soaring malt brand adds expressions

2 January 2014

• ABERLOUR, the malt whisky whose 10-year old stormed to the highest malt whisky position in last month’s Kantar WorldPanel top 25 Scottish drinks...

Something in the water

1 April 2018

HEALTHY choice buying has played a big part in the water category rising by £148m in the past two years, says Barr Soft Drinks.

Perky option for breakfast on the move

1 June 2014

PERKIER, the free-from brand created by coeliac Ann Perkins, has added breakfast-on-the go options and snacking treats to its product roster. Perkins estimates that some...

Young crowd want snacks

1 January 2018

Healthy options attract the youth

Bringing free from into focus

1 November 2017

With gluten-free variants now available for everything from breakfast cereal to beer it’s time retailers switch on to the free-from opportunity with cakes.

Smoked sausages are a core part of the Polish diet and Smithfield Foods has brought one of the most popular brands, Morliny, to the UK.

Euro growth

6 May 2015

POLISH shoppers looking for a taste of home and British shoppers looking for new flavours helped grow the world foods category in the UK...

Farmer’s call for action

1 November 2021

CLIPPER Teas has pledged to support Fairtrade farmers ahead of COP26.

Intoxicating new spirits

1 August 2019

Scotland's first tequila company has unveiled a new range and a UK distribution deal, as it targets a wider audience.

A person is putting an empty plastic bottle into a reverse vending machine.

Industry experts welcome DRS grant support

8 April 2026

DRS organiser Exchange for Change has announced new exemption rules for smaller retailers as well as a new grant scheme to support these stores.

Mackie’s fires on all cylinders

6 April 2021

IT’S been a busy time at Mackie’s, with the Scottish snack and ice cream maker rolling out rebrands and new SKUs across its portfolio.

Bryce Cunningham, founder of Mossgiel Farm, stands in a field with cows behind him with a pack shot of a Mossgiel Dairy Farm Chocolate Milk bottle.

Mossgiel Farm launches zero-waste Chocolate Milk

31 October 2024

Scottish dairy farm Mossgiel Farm has launched a new all-natural chocolate milk variant with its Mossgiel Brown Cow Milk, using a unique waste-free method.

Home grown ready meal sales soaring

5 April 2017

Strathmore Foods has reported double-digit growth for its ready meal range, with Kantar Worldpanel figures showing 14% growth for the year to January 2017. The...

Margarine with a mission

10 December 2022

Calling itself margarine with a mission, The Flower Farm is vegan and palm oil-free.

Better on the go

15 April 2015

SANDWICH brand Urban Eat has created a range of healthier-choice, food-to-go products. Products in the Eat Better range highlight nutritional benefits such as high protein,...

Birthday discount as Co-op marks wine’s 10th

1 February 2014

THE Co-operative Food reckons it was the first major retailer to launch own-brand Fairtrade wine in the UK. The Co-operative now offers 21 Fairtrade wines,...

Dressing impresses with charity

1 June 2020

Salad dressing brand Tigg’s has been doing its bit for good causes during the coronavirus pandemic

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