hamlyns-porridge

Health focus for porridge brand

THIS year will see Scottish porridge brand Hamlyns shine a spotlight on its health credentials
Calypso

Looking for young views

DRINKS firm Calypso, whose products include 500ml Fairtrade Pure Orange Juice and Pure Apple Juice, Fairtrade 200ml Pure Orange and Pure Apple Juice cartons...
Macsween

No more landfill

HAGGIS producer Macsween has changed its manufacturing process so that no waste products are sent to landfill. Earlier this year the company was recycling 90%...
Mara Seaweed flakes

Scots producer is worth its salt

A Scottish seaweed brand has been selected to join Tesco’s Incubator programme which has supported a number of successful brands since its launch in 2017.
Michael Ballantyne UWA Tequila

Intoxicating new spirits

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

Get ready for the RVM revolution

PREPARATIONS for DRS are well underway, with the Scottish Government, scheme administrator and retailers now all working towards an August 2023 live date.
Ribena is just one of Suntory’s soft drinks brands to undergo sustainable changes

Eco-activity is racing ahead

Suntory drives change across brands

Consider a solar solution

MUCH has been written in recent years about the great returns on investment retailers can make by replacing their old chillers with new energy-efficient...
borders-biscuits-in-machinery

Big spend pays off for biscuit firm

Independent biscuit maker Border Biscuits has invested £1m in its Lanark manufacturing plant
Frosty Jack’s and Crumpton Oaks

Tonnes of plastic gone

ASTON Manor Cider has been rolling out new packs made from 100% recycled plastic while removing plastic rings from its entire can range.
Marco Bertacc new chief executive at Quorn foods

New boss has big ambitions

Meat alternative brand Quorn Foods has appointed a new chief executive, as demand for vegetarian options grows at pace

A sweet choice

THE alternatives to sugar market in the UK is worth £52m and a quarter of  households buy products in the category four times a...
Refill station

Refill station reduces waste

A LONDON Nisa store has been offering customers a more eco-friendly way to fill their cupboards
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

THE institution of the Burns Supper, now an annual celebration of the works of Scotland’s – and one of the world’s – great poets,...
Birds Eye

Flocking to veggie market

There is more to Birds Eye than frozen fish, and the brand has stepped up its free from credentials
edinburgh-gin-cocktails

A spirited discussion

Neil Boyd, UK managing director at Edinburgh Gin sees opportunities in convenience stores