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13 On The RunHealthier alternatives open the door to breakfast throughout the day.

19 Express YourselfCard vendors can help retailers create the right variety of greetings for their customers.

25 On Paper, Looking GoodAfter a volatile five years, sanitary paper products market expected to stabilize.

27 Seventy and Just StartedThe best years are still ahead for SunRype Products Ltd.

36 The Asian Food ExplosionEveryone knows the Asian category is growing. The challenge is how to approach it and where to put it all.

39 Don’t Be Left Out in the ColdFrozen meals and appetizers are adding flavour to consumers’ plates.

47 Food FraternityVancouver’s Food Executives Club provides a unique industry service.

51 Santa Cause Celebrates 15 years!

53 Ethnic Evolves into the Mainstream Market Indian foods are becoming a popular choice.

57 Turning Shoppers Into BuyersKick-starting impulse purchases.

WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM 5

On Our Cover

Publisher & Editor, Frank Yeo; Associate Publisher & National Account Manager, Robin Bradley; Western Account Manager, Melanie Bayluk; Editor/Editorial Production Coordinator: Nicole Sherwood; AdvertisingProduction Manager, Marsha Coombe; Creative Manager, Sarra Burton; Circulation Department e-mail: [email protected]; Advertising Consultants: David Bastable, Sheilah Davila, Loren Fox, ElaineDufault, Edna Saito. Publisher: Western Grocer Magazine is published bi-monthly by Mercury Publications Limited Head Office: 1313 Border Street, Unit 16, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0X4 Tel: (204) 954-2085 Fax: (204) 954-2057 www.mercury.mb.ca • e-mail: [email protected] Associated Publications: C-Store Canada Magazine, Votre Dépanneur, Commerce & Industry Magazine, Western Hotelier, Western Restaurant News, Health& Wellness Retailer, Western Food Processor and Bar & Beverage Business. Circulation: Western Grocer Magazine serves the grocery and allied non-food industries. Readership includes distributors, brokers,manufacturers, wholesalers, independent grocers, food processors, bakeries, supermarkets, convenience stores, principal food service outlets, food researchers and consultants, government, voluntary groupsand co-ops in the four Western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Northern Canada and the Northwest Ontario area. Subscription Rates: $45.00 for one year, $63.00 fortwo years, $93.00 for three years; $5.00 for single copy, plus 7% GST. Canadian rates only. Advertising: Deadline is 25th of the first month. Editorial: The contents of this publication may not be reproduced inwhole or in part without written consent of publisher. Photo credits not given unless requested in writing along with photo submission.

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55 Pointing the WayThe Importance of store signs and graphics

Cover Photography: courtesy of ArtHouse Design

Departments

In this Issue

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 • VOLUME 101 , NO.6

Serving Western Canadians for 100 Years

13

39

366 Market Update 60 In the Bag10 Calendar of Events 62 Retail Collaboration45 Category Management

We have all heard and experienced how the weaker

Canadian dollar is making it much more difficult

for retailers to keep prices low on anything pur-

chased in U.S. dollars — produce in particular has risen

exponentially in recent months. While there has been some encouraging news that meat

prices are beginning to moderate from all time highs — last year bacon and ham went

up 25 per cent due to a devastating outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea or PED — the

prediction for this coming year is an overall average price increase exceeding four per

cent, considerably higher than last year’s 2.6 per cent average increase. The Food Institute at the University of Guelph in Ontario recently put out its annual

report on food prices and it predicts prices for just about everything to rise for the sec-ond straight year.

Across all food types, here’s what price increases the University of Guelph says to expect in 2016:

• Meat: three-five per cent• Fish: three-five per cent • Dairy and eggs: -one - +one per cent• Grains: zero – two per cent• Fruit & Nuts: one – three per cent• Vegetables: three-five per cent

What will be the fallout from this? Will consumers tighten their belts once again byswitching down to less expensive items? Or will they just absorb the increases andmove on? These questions will only be answered as we proceed through the year. Butgiven Canadians’ penchant for buying on discount /promotion we can expect there willbe a continuing move to less expensive cuts of meats and more selective purchases ofvegetables. And margins may well be affected as grocers will have to discount more tomove volume.

Frank Yeo,Publisher & Editor

Will Price Hikes Dampen Demand?

publisher’s perspective

Robin Bradley

Associate Publisher &National Account Manager

[email protected]

Melanie Bayluk

Western Account Manager

[email protected]

53

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© 2015 Blue Diamond Growers. All rights reserved.

BUILD SALES THE GOOD WAY

CONSUMERS KNOW AND TRUST US

• USE ONLY THE 2 TOP GRADES OF ALMONDS: NONPAREIL AND CARMEL

• 100% DEDICATION TO ALMONDS

• 100% PEANUT FREE

Give your consumers what they have been waiting for – a snack that is portable, packed with nutritional goodness and available in popular flavors that make snacking fun.

PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA

marketupdate


Buy-Low Foods is the First Major Grocer in North America to Achieve Sustainable Seafood Commitment In less than two years since publically announcing their sustainable seafood policy with SeaChoice,

Buy-Low Foods has become the first North American major grocer to remove all fresh and frozen red-listed “Avoid” seafood and replace these products with seafood from more sustainable sources at itscorporately-owned locations including Nesters Market.

Buy-Low Foods implemented an aggressive work plan to successfully replace red-listed “Avoid”seafood with more ocean-friendly choices, discontinuing the sale of many high demand species suchas open net-pen farmed salmon, Atlantic cod and Russian king crab.

“Buy-Low Foods has worked extremely hard to find innovative solutions to many challengingseafood issues, including farmed salmon and shrimp, in an effort to meet the goals of their robust sus-

tainable seafood policy,” said Bill Wareham, SeaChoice member from the David Suzuki Foundation.Buy-Low Foods President, Dan Bregg stated, “We are proud to be the first retailer to achieve our sustainable seafood commitment to

remove all red-listed items from our stores. With our dual-focus on sourcing more responsible alternatives, we continue to have a great selec-tion of choices that customers can feel good about feeding their families. Our stores will continue to work with SeaChoice to find new waysto support healthier oceans for today and tomorrow.”

McCormick Flavour Forecast 2016 Unveils theTastes of Tomorrow

Emerging Trends and Flavours Identified by a global team of McCormick chefs, food technologists and flavourexperts, these trends offer a taste of 2016 and beyond:

1. Heat + Tang – Spicy finds a welcome contrast with tangy accents to elevate the eating experience. • Peruvian chilies like rocoto, ají amarillo and ají panca paired with lime • Sambal sauce made with chilies, rice vinegar and garlic

2. Tropical Asian – The vibrant cuisine and distinctive flavours of Malaysia and the Philippines draw attention from adventurous palates seeking bold new tastes. • Pinoy BBQ, a popular Filipino street food, is flavoured with soy sauce, lemon, garlic, sugar, pepper and banana ketchup • Rendang Curry, a Malaysian spice paste, delivers mild heat made from chilies, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, tamarind, coriander and turmeric

3. Blends with Benefits – Flavourful herbs and spices add everyday versatility to good-for-you ingredients. • Matcha’s slightly bitter notes are balanced by ginger and citrus • Chia seed becomes zesty when paired with citrus, chili and garlic • Turmeric blended with cocoa, cinnamon and nutmeg offers sweet possibilities • Flaxseed enhances savoury dishes when combined with Mediterranean herbs

4. Alternative “Pulse” Proteins – Packed with protein and nutrients, pulses are elevated when paired with delicious ingredients. • Pigeon peas, called toor dal when split, are traditionally paired with cumin and coconu • Cranberry beans, also called borlotti, are perfectly enhanced with sage and Albariño wine • Black beluga lentils are uniquely accented with peach and mustard

5. Ancestral Flavours – Modern dishes reconnect with native ingredients to celebrate food that tastes real, pure and satisfying. • Ancient herbs like thyme, peppermint, parsley, lavender and rosemary are rediscovered • Amaranth, an ancient grain of the Aztecs, brings a nutty, earthy flavour • Mezcal is a smoky Mexican liquor made from the agave plant

6. Culinary-Infused Sips – Three classic culinary techniques provide new tastes and inspiration in the creation of the latest libations. • Pickling combines tart with spice for zesty results • Roasting adds richness with a distinctive browned flavour • Brûléed ingredients provide depth with a caramelized sugar note

Sobeys Inc.Better Food FundAnnouncesPartnership withSpecial OlympicsCanada

The Sobeys Inc. Better Food Fundhas announced a new national part-nership with Special Olympics Cana-da. The partnership will centre onproviding increased access to nutri-tion education for Canadians withintellectual disabilities.

Launched in 2014, the Sobeys Inc.Better Food Fund supports access toand the advancement of better foodthrough donations and partnershipswith national and regional charities.

The partnership between Spe-cial Olympics Canada and theSobeys Inc. Better Food Fund willresult in early introduction ofbetter food, knowledge and skillsin order to help combat theincreased risk of chronic disease,additional stresses of families withmembers that have an intellectualdisability and the need for increasedfood knowledge. Thousands ofCanadians living with intellectualdisabilities — from two years ofage to senior citizens — as well astheir families, caregivers andcoaches will access nutritionguides, cooking classes and freshaccessible food, through the hun-dreds of local Special Olympicsprograms across the country.

“We are proud to partner with theSobeys Inc, Better Food Fund,” saidSharon Bollenbach, CEO of SpecialOlympics Canada. “Special OlympicsCanada and Sobeys believe in theneed for new and improved healthand nutrition resources that willhave a positive impact on the livesof Canadians with intellectual dis-abilities. Together, we can changethe game and set our athletes, andtheir families, caregivers and coach-es, on a course for a long, healthy,active life. “

Have a Halftime with KIT KAT and the NFL!Nestlé’s NFL promotion returns for its 8th consecutive season offering consumers snacks

for game day and the chance to win tickets to Superbowl 51. New this year is the KIT KATFootball. A unique football shaped bowl of NFL team branded KIT KAT Juniors perfect forwatching the big game. Contact your Local Nestlé representative for more information.

2015

SAVE THE DATE!Grand Prix

New Product Awards GalaJune 1, 2016

Toronto Congress CentreRCCGrandPrix.ca #RCCGrandPrix15


marketupdate

Alberta Honey Producers Co-operativeCelebrates its 75th Anniversary!

Much has changed since January 18, 1940 when a visionary group of beekeepers cametogether to form the Alberta Honey Producers Co-operative (AHPC). What hasn’t changedis AHPC’s steadfast commitment to its members and to supplying the finest 100 per centpure Canadian honey to homes throughout the world.

“It’s exciting to see the Alberta Honey Producers Co-operative reach this milestone,”states Rob Dickson, chairperson. “The co-operative has continued to grow and to be an inte-gral part of the success of Bee Maid Honey Limited. We are so proud of our beekeeper mem-

bers and their continuedfocus on innovative beekeep-ing practices, bee health andproducing quality, Canadianhoney.”

AHPC went from taking in300,000 pounds its first year

of existence to intake of over 10 million pounds in 2014. That growth is remarkable and is atestament to the commitment of the 140 members from Alberta, British Columbia andSaskatchewan. “As a joint owner of Bee Maid Honey Limited, demand for our high qualitywhite honey is strong domestically and internationally, so we are set for continued growth,”Dickson continues.

“The co-operative turning 75 is a time to reflect on our achievements within our co-oper-ative business model. AHPC continues to invest in our future with new plant equipment,expansion of Bee Supplies and building renovations. We are proud to have multigenerationalfamilies as members and move forward with a rich appreciation of our history and roots,”Dickson comments.

Alberta Honey Producers Co-operative will acknowledge this exciting milestone duringtheir Annual General Meeting in Spruce Grove in November.

The SIALInternationalFood Showwill be back at Montreal’sPalais des Congrès forits 13th edition!

SIAL Canada (the SIAL international foodshow in North America) is back in Montrealfrom April 13th to 15th, 2016 for its 13th edi-tion, which promises to offer a number ofnew elements. Held at Toronto’s Direct Ener-gy Centre in April of 2015, the latest editionwas a resounding success and boasted arecord number of exhibitors and growth ofmore than five per cent in terms of industryprofessionals in attendance. In fact, nearly14,000 visitors from all of Canada’sprovinces and from 60 countries rushedthrough the aisles of the 2015 edition.

With its return to Montreal, SIAL Canadais proud to position itself as the only showin Canada that has adapted itself to chang-ing consumer trends. With more than 850exhibitors expected and ready to meet withthe 15,000 industry professionals in atten-dance, this will definitely be the must-attend meeting for the retail, food-service,and food-processing industries!

SIAL Canada is pleased to announce thatthe United States will be its country of honourin 2016. As Canada’s number-one supplierand customer, and thanks to its agri-foodtrade worth more than $45 trillion annually,the United States remains a major partner forCanada. Honouring the United States with thehelp of the USDA through their Taste US pro-gram also serves to open the North Americanmarket to the industry as a whole, especiallylocal and international exhibitors. In addition,the United States’ representatives will unveiltheir new projects, which are sure to impressall industry professionals.

Finally, following the success of theAmerican Buyers Program in Toronto, andfor the first time in Montreal, SIAL Canada2016 will offer American buyers andimporters a unique meeting platform. This isthanks to the new program organized aspart of the show from April 13th to 15th,2016, in partnership with the AFI and NGA,two major associations representing Ameri-can importers and retailers.

1 12/17/2015 1:46:33 PM

marketupdate

Upcoming EVENTS

February 5-9. 2016EuropainParis-Nord Villepinte, FranceFor more info:www.europain.com

April 4-5, 2016Grocery & SpecialtyFood WestVancouver Convention CentreVancouver, BCFor more info: www.cfig.ca

April 13-15, 2016SIAL CanadaPalais des congrèsMontréal, QuebecFor more info: www.sialcanada.com

May 14-15, 2016CHFA WestVancouver Convention Centre, West BuildingVancouver, BCFor more info: www.chfa.ca

May 24-26, 2016Sweets & Snacks ExpoMcCormick PlaceChicago, ILFor more info: www.sweetandsnacks.com

June 5-7, 2016Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminarand ExpoHouston, TexasFor more info: www.iddba.org

October 16-20, 2016SIALParc de Expositions de Paris-Nord VillepinteParis Nord Villepinte, FranceFor more info: www.sialparis.com


Bothwell’s Marble Cheddar Wins 1st Place Manitoba’s Bothwell Cheese has once

again claimed top spot in the MarbledCheddar category at the 88th AnnualBritish Empire Cheese Show — winningfirst place for the ninth time in the pastten years. The company also took firstplace with its Monterey Jack and secondplace with its medium coloured cheddar.

“We continue to place well in thiscompetition and that says volumes about the consistency and quality of our cheese,” saysBothwell Cheese President Kevin Thomson. “Our team takes pride in what they do, from pro-duction through to packaging; care is taken every step of the way.”

“It takes considerable time and effort to grade (tasting and testing) product” says BothwellCheese Production Administrative Assistant Nathan Dueck. “We select varieties that stand outbased on flavour profile and texture, the ones with the potential to take us to the top.”

Kruger Products’ Efforts to Advance SustainabilityRecognized By Canada Clean50 Award

The 2016 Clean50 award recipients have beenannounced and Steven Sage, vice-president of sustain-ability & innovation at Kruger Products, has been recog-nized for his efforts in the manufacturing & transporta-tion category. The award recognizes 50 individuals, 15

projects and 10 emerging leaders that have made a major impact in furthering clean capital-ism and sustainability in Canada in the last two years.

Nature’s Path Makes Top 10 ListNature’s Path is the only food company

to make the Financial Post’s 10 best com-panies to work for in Canada. This is thesecond consecutive year that Nature’sPath received this honour. Staff atNature’s Path are gushing with pride tobe part of a great team dedicated tomaking delicious organic food that’sgood for people and the planet, and tothe promise of always leaving the earthbetter than they found it.

Fairtrade Canada has Awarded Doi Chaang Coffee Co.the Licensee of the Year Award

Fairtrade Canada has awarded Doi Chaang Coffee Co. the Licensee of the Year Award foroutstanding contributions to promoting the Fairtrade systems and certified products. Sincefounded in 2006, Doi Chaang has supported farmers living and working in a northern Thai-land village with steady access to running water, electricity and improved infrastructure.

“We’re proud to be a family-owned business that allows us to give back and support our glob-al community”, said John M. Darch, co-founder of Doi Chaang Coffee. “Our relationship withthe Doi Chang Village farmers stemmed from our desire to help a community that, despite theirdedication and determination, have not been successful in helping themselves”.

Doi Chaang has an equal partnership with Doi Chang village, in northern Thailand, meaningits farmers receive 50 per cent of the company’s profits. While Fairtrade partnerships providefair working environments, wages and labour rights, Doi Chaang goes a step further by provid-ing 50 per cent ownership to the workers involved, which they’ve coined Beyond Fairtrade.

Vancouver, BC Twitter:

@CFIGFCEI #GSFShow16

April 4 & 5, 2016 GSFSHOW.COM

Connect.Innovate. Di�erentiate.


Once dominated by RTE cereals, the breakfast food aisle in Canada continues to evolve toinclude granola, bars, and shakes and snack sizes. “Ultimately consumers are looking forvariety at breakfast. A consumer that may want a natural product one day may also be

looking for a tasty treat the next,” says David Bagozzi, director of marketing, Post Holdings Inc.This desire for variety has led to recent declines in RTE cereals by four per cent in the last year

alone, prompting manufacturers to re-think their formulations with less sugar, sodium and more fibre.Today’s consumers are looking for more from their food, whether it’s health, comfort,

value or convenience. These shoppers are label savvy and are actively seeking outproducts that resonate with their needs. Breakfast provides the additional opportunityfor personalization both in taste and health requirements. “People are starting to recognize that we all react differently to meals, what may cause

one person to lose weight may result in another gaining,” says Brian Mullins, Hapi FoodsGroup Inc. As a direct result, families often purchase a variety of breakfast products torespond to their families needs.

BREAKFAST

By Anne-Marie Hardie

Courtesy of Shutterstock


Overall Market When it comes to why consumers seek

out breakfast foods taste remains theprimary consideration with healthfollowing at a close second. “Breakfast ischanging with consumer interest ineating fewer carbs, and fuelling up onprotein,” says Stephanie Grunenfelder,vice-president, international marketing,American Peanut Council. “Products thathave protein such as eggs and peanutbutter are continuing to show higherconsumption in the morning.” With more time on their hands, states

Joel Gregoire, senior food and drinkanalyst, Mintel the over 65 set gravitatestowards protein-based meals like eggs,meat and yogurt. This could speak towardsthe recent decline in cereal volume. “Thissubset wants to eat better,” says Mullins.“They not only want to know what’s intheir food for themselves, they are nowfeeding their grandchildren.”The hot cereal segment continues to

experience growth. This is likely influencedby its popularity amongst new Canadians,shares Gregoire, particularly, Chinese.Bakery on Main’s gluten free hot cerealsegment has shown a positive increase.“The whole hot cereal is growing strongestfor us. Our instant oatmeal has flax, chia,amaranth and quinoa,” says MichaelSmulders, president, Bakery on Main.While traditional RTE cereals have

experienced decline, granola has beenposting double digit growth. This could bein part because bagged granola is oftenperceived as a healthier product, saysSmulders. Manufacturers are respondingto this perception by offering healthieralternatives, adding in fibre, seeds, nuts

and super foods to their products. “Growing consumer and shopper

knowledge about health and wellness, pairedwith a growing demand for ‘better for you’options that taste great too, have and willcontinue to impact how and what consumerschoose for breakfast,” says Lores Tomé, director- communications & corporate affairs, Kellogg’s.Tomé states that today’s consumers are seekingproducts with progressive nutrients andingredients, such as quinoa. This is why organic cereals continue to

grow, with several retailers includingthese products in both the designatednatural section and the mainstreamcereal aisle says Ryan Labong, director ofCanadian National Sales at Nature’s PathFoods Inc. Or, why products like Post’sShredded Wheat with their singleingredient message or gluten freeproducts are showing positive growth.

Powered up Breakfasts When it comes to cereal, Canadian

consumers are paying attention to allfactors from the type of sugar added, tothe amount of carbohydrates. Proteincontinues to be seen as a vital player inbreakfast foods, with traditional granolabeing infused with protein dense/energyingredients such as chia, hemp seeds, and,dark chocolate, blueberries and nuts. Companies are responding with bars,

drinks, and cereals infused with proteinrich options. In the third quarter of2015, Kellogg’s launched Vector Granolathat offers 20g of protein per 1/2 cupserving. “This product was designed tohelp meet the nutritional needs ofactive, health-conscious people whonever stop,” says Tomé. Consumers are

rushed more than ever, so they arelooking for options that are alreadyprepared or can be eaten on the go.

The Millennial Movement The entrance of the millennial cohort

into the grocery market identifies anadditional opportunity for the cerealindustry. Manufacturers can relate toMillennials not only though discussingbenefits around energy and convenience,but also through nostalgic messaging giventhat they are more likely to indicate theystill love the brands they had as a kid,”says Gregoire. “Established brands cantherefore capitalize on this linkage and asMillennials have kids of their own, look tohave them share that same heritage.”Consumers are also looking for added

value, shares Bagozzi, whether that comesin a price or a limited time offerings suchas Post’s Star Wars collectable packs.Offering choices continues to appeal tothe Canadian consumer, whether its twoshelves of granola, clean labels or fun kidfavourites. “Health-conscious Canadiansare also making choices based on what isnot in their food, selecting organic foodswithout toxic persistent pesticides, non-GMO, low sugar, and gluten-freeoptions,” says Labong.

Not just for Breakfast AnymorePeople are drawn to the convenience of

breakfast foods, spending on average lessthan five minutes preparing breakfast.“Ready to eat cereal continues to be arelevant and compelling choice forbreakfast as it provides a quick andnutritious start to your day,” says Bagozzi.

© General Mills.© Disney.

Trademarks of YOPLAIT MARQUES S.N.C.(France) used under license. © Yoplait Canada.

or on the goAt home

General Mills brings the iconic brands families love for a nutritious and delicious start to your day.

Contact your General Mills representative to review multi-category breakfast solutions for your consumers.


One interesting phenomena is the shiftof consuming breakfast foods, includingcereal, throughout the day. These on thego shoppers are seeing the advantages ofincorporating traditional breakfast farethroughout the day. “It’s not just forbreakfast, Canadians are having cereal atnight, as a snack or with other foods likeyogurt and even ice cream,” says Mullins. Gregoire agrees with consumers

continuing to look for flexible options inboth preparing and eating cereals, includingmix and match cereals, purchasing separatetoppings or ingredients to customize cerealingredients and purchasing cereals thatcome in snack-sized bags. Manufacturers like Kellogg’s have

responded to this trend by demonstratinghow their products can be integratedthroughout the day. “Kellogg’s All Brancereal’s latest campaign, Good ThingsCome from All-Bran, is designed to changethe perception of the brand from simply abreakfast cereal to a healthy staple ofbeautiful and nutritious recipes for foodlovers to consume throughout the day,”says Tomé “More specifically, All-Branwants to inspire Canadians to trysomething new by showing them hownutritious, home-cooked meals don’t needto compromise on taste or ‘wow-factor’when you add fibre.” These shifts away

from traditional breakfast times providean opportunity for retailers to bothdisplay and in turn sell both new andtried and true products.

Maximizing Opportunity inthe Breakfast Food SectorRetailers should continually be looking

for new opportunities to enticeconsumers to try breakfast foods. Thecereal aisle has become a staple for manyconsumers, and retailers can maximizethis space by integrating healthieroptions within the mainstream aisle.They can do this in a variety of waysfrom segmenting cereal by age; forexample, children’s organic cereals areconsistently posting double-digit growth,to having a pop-up display of granola inthe dairy aisle. Labong recommendssegmenting cereal sets by age toencourage the consumer to walk downthe entire breakfast aisle to shop foreveryone in the household.Merchandizing should mirror the two

growth trends of healthier options andbreakfast throughout the day. “Today’sconsumers are busy, confused, andbombarded with choice,” says Labong. “Theyneed easy, clear indicators that the products

they are putting in their carts will help themnourish themselves and their families.” Tomé agrees emphasizing that con-

sumers are looking for the benefits intheir foods, and retailers can maximizeon this trend by including the benefitsup front. “Highlight functional benefits,such as fibre and protein, in ads, at-shelfand on displays by promoting productsthat deliver on these,” says Tomé. Cross-merchandizing strategies, like

positioning bread and peanut butter, inclose proximity, will also maximizepurchase opportunities. Breakfast themeddemos, and on the go breakfast optionsat the checkout are two other ways thatretailers can encourage moving theproduct from the store to the home. Canadians are showing a renewed

interest in breakfast, eating it bothinside the home and on the go. It is thisengaged consumer that will continue topush for cleaner labels, less sugar andhealthier alternatives. No longer limited to the morning meal,

breakfast foods have evolved to ahealthier alternative throughout the day.Retailers can maximize on this market byoffering a large variety of productsthroughout their store. ●


Across Canada, approximately $100 million ofgreeting cards are sold in grocery stores everyyear. That’s a whole lot of “Happy Birthday”

and “Get Well Soon” for a category that’s driven bycustomer traffic. Stocking a variety of cards withdesign diversity in a highly-visible location with spaceto shop the category will help ensure customers findtheir perfect sentiment.

What to sellMid-priced cards ($4-$5 range) sell best in most grocery

stores, explains Andrew Shapiro, national sales manager,Canada, Sellers Publishing, while for discount/valuegrocery stores, value cards ($1-$2 range) sell best. And,while he states the most popular sellers are usually cardswith trendy and edgy humour, and cards with babies andanimals, diversity is very important.“Selection, selection, selection is the best way to

ensure you capture the lion share of greeting cardcustomers,” agrees Tammy Barrett, director ofmarketing and trade development forCarlton Cards, Canada’s number onegreeting card company, whichoffers thousands of differentgreeting card designs andcaptions that appeal to

different tastes and demographics under theirflagship brand, Carlton Cards, premium brand,Papyrus, and Recycled Paper Greetings, an ever-evolving, sometimes edgy line designed entirely byindependent artists. “By having a large selection ofcards within your store you make it easier for yourcustomer to find the perfect card for any occasion.”But it’s not necessarily just throwing up lines

ranging from “Congratulations” to “HappyAnniversary” it’s working with a vendor to create theright selection for your store and customers.“Look for vendors that will help you by customizing

their product mix and department size to fit your needson a store by store basis,” states Shapiro. “Manyvendors will offer you a ‘single box’ solution that willnot differ in any way from what they have in yourcompetitor’s store down the street. Differentiationdrives sales — particularly for Millennials.”Saverio DeCristofaro, director of national accounts

for Hallmark Canada, agrees.“Having the right product in the right

place at the right price is essential tomeet consumer needs. It isimportant the offering meetsconsumers’ expectations ofthe store they are shopping

CARDS & GREETINGS By Carly Peters


®


(localization/customization),” explainsDeCristofaro, adding Hallmark is able toprovide customized and localizedsolutions to help retail partnersmaximize sales within the category.One way Hallmark aims to meet

customers’ expectations is with theexpansion of their Signature card line.“Based on the success of our Signature

card line we are expanding the offeringto include gift wrap and stationeryofferings,” says DeCristofaro.The Signature brand offers fresh,

sophisticated designs that are pairedwith concise andrelevant messages.It leans into

embellishments that include removableheadbands, usable chalkboards, hairpins, necklaces, ribbon, faux pearls,beads and feathers.

Where to SellCards in grocery stores are pre-

dominantly an impulse buy, which is whycard departments need to be in visiblelocations.“Cards sections have higher productivity

when placed in high traffic zones withinthe store and areas of high visibility suchas close to the front of the store betweenfood and general merchandise,” saysDeCristofaro, adding make sure there arealso strong adjacencies. Carlton Card’s Barrett suggests retailers

can capitalize on store traffic when theystrategically position the greeting carddepartment a third of the way through theshopping experience: too early or late inthe shopping experience such as behind thecheckouts or at the front entrance will notgive optimum results. “And, ensure the carddepartment is away from the freezers andnot too close to the doors,” she adds.

Designer Greetings offers an in depth premium product line under their “Give the Best for Less” program.

Narrow aisles can also be a nuisance – agreeting card shopper will stand in thedepartment for quite some time to find theperfect card and if they are constantlyinterrupted by passing carts squeezing bydue to narrow aisles it may deter them fromshopping that department in the future.Tying cards into your floral department is

also effective in helping drive incrementalrevenue growth, states Katelyn Schuh,marketing for Designer Greetings, whichoffers an in depth premium product linethat targets a growing segment of the

Carlton Cards offers thousands of designs and captionsfor different tastes and demographics.


grocery market under the “Give the Best forLess” program which features over 22,000everyday and seasonal cards.“Designer Greetings has proprietary

display programs to suit many groceryretailers’ needs. We have quad spinners forfloral section outposts, deep mahogany,inline waterfall racking up to 15 tier, 24-inchroll-a-way easels for seasonal out posts, andthe thinnest double-sided greeting card

fixture in the industry (just 16 inches),”she states, adding Designer Greetings alsogets involved at driving the marketingmessage to retailers’ local demographicwith prepared ad flyers for new storeopenings, seasonal card rotations, andcustomer appreciation specials.

Sell MoreOnce a retailer has the appropriate

selection and store location, the greetingcard department still needs to becontinually monitored to achieve thoseoptimum sales results.“Retailers can encourage extra sales by

assigning a store staff member the task ofstraightening and tidying the carddepartment for just 15 minutes each day,”suggests Barrett. “A neat and tidydepartment is easier to shop and will helpincrease sales. We also recommend thatyou keep the greeting card aisles clear ofcut cases and other floor displays. Thesecan block the greeting cards and make theaisle difficult to shop.”Shapiro also suggests that old cards

should be treated like old produce.“Make sure the vendor you work with

continually addresses old/unproductive

Sellers Publishing notes that mid-pricedcards sell best in grocery stores.

cards in your display. If they do nothave an active program that removesunsalable cards (both everyday andseasonal) then you will see a significantdrop in department productivity overtime, he states. In order to effectively manage this, a

retailer’s card vendor should have themechanics in place to measure planogramoutput, as well as the budget to see theproduct changes through. “The morehands-on a supplier is, the moreproductive your space will be,” he states.Picking a card is very personal and

offering the right selection in the rightlocation will help customers find theperfect sentiment in your store. ●

Hallmark Canada’s Signature card line offersfresh, sophisticated designs which are pairedwith concise and relevant messages.


It’s been a somewhat rocky five years for the Canadian sanitary paper products category, but there are signsthat growth will return to this sector that includes paper towel, bathroom tissue and facial tissue. Between2010 and 2015, industry revenue decreased at an average annual rate of one per cent, according to IBIS-

World, which was partially due to an unsteady U.S. economy, but between now and 2020, annual growth isexpected to be around 0.5 per cent. So what — or who — will drive this slight but steady growth? According to IBISWorld, one factor will be

demographic changes. It’s no secret that North America’s population is aging, and people from this growingdemographic will need more sanitary paper products. Canadians are also expected to have more money in their pockets over the next few years, and when

disposable income is high, consumers are more likely to purchase high quality and high value products. It’sa trend Stephen Turner is seeing with paper towel in particular. Turner is the corporate director of marketdevelopment and retail operations for Kruger Products, which has a 43.6 per cent share of the Canadiansanitary paper products market. “Over the past little while, and it’s something we’re continuing to see, is amigration to more premium products, whether it be Bounty or Sponge Towels Ultra or our other qualityitems,” he says. And while disposable income may be one explanation for this change, he says it’s also beendriven by promotional activity. Another recent trend is the move toward eco-friendly paper towel, bathroom tissue and facial tissue, says Brad

Kornelson, the co-owner of True Earth Paper, which uses bamboo instead of trees in all of its products. “About 20per cent of consumers are strongly interested in green and environmentally-friendly products, and that 20 percent is growing rapidly,” he says. “When we launched this product four years ago, I had one retailer tell me,‘You’re onto something, but you’re five years too early.’ He was right.Our business is now really starting to take off.” Turner isn’t quite so optimistic about the green trend,

however, but his cautions have more to do with paper towel,bathroom tissue and facial tissue made with 100 per centrecycled fibre. “Two or three years ago, there was somegrowth in this area, and then it’s almost as if recycled has

PAPER PRODUCTS

By Jordan Whitehouse



sort of plateaued.” In 2015, for example,Kruger Products’ eco-friendly paper towelsmade up about 10.5 per cent of theirpaper towel sales, a slight drop from theprevious year. Recycled bathroom tissuehas shown similar numbers, he says. According to IBISWorld, those numbers

may reverse in the coming years, though,as rising environmental concerns drivedemand for greener products. In theshort term, IBISWorld believes con-venience will help maintain stabledemand, a belief held by Turner as well.Whether it’s recent moves to offer more

sheets on paper towel and bathroomtissue rolls or more units in multi-packsof facial tissue, customers are gravitatingto products that last longer, he says. And when it comes to merchandising

items in this category, convenience is keyas well. “We try to give people a cross-section with each of these products, so aneconomy brand versus a quality brand,and environmentally-friendly products,too,” says Darcy Manners, manager ofHeriot Bay Tru Value on Quadra Island,British Columbia. “In the past, customerswere never really given a choice, andwhen I came here six years ago I kind ofchanged it over a little bit because I knowthe demographic is a little broader thanthey were catering to.” Manners also says that always having an

aisle stack or end display of paper towel,or bathroom tissue, or both can reallydrive sales, while Justin Schley, amerchandiser with Quality Foods, saysthey always make displays large andimpactful. “We also find it advantageous totie in paper towel with bathroom tissueand ensure all products are from the samebroker or vendor,” says Schley. “And wefind it advantageous to tie in other

complementary household cleaning items,such as laundry soap, bleach or dish soap.”As for selling environmentally-friendly

products, retailers might not need todiscount them like they do other types ofproducts, particularly bathroom tissue.“The bathroom tissue category is a lossleader to the retailer,” says Kornelson.“But what we’ve found is that becauseour product caters to the eco-friendlyconsumer, you do not have to give itaway. So some retailers have figured outthat on the same day they’re advertisingbathroom tissue for $4.99, they can

advertise ours for $6.99. So they’rebringing in the consumer with the lossleader and then steering them to themore profitable brand.”However retailers choose to steer

customers to bathroom tissue, facialtissue and paper towels over the nextfew years, it doesn’t seem they’ll alsohave to deal with the volatility thiscategory has seen over the past five.

Bolstered by an agingpopulation, more dis-posable income andmore eco-conscious con-sumers looking forconvenience, the sanitarypaper products categoryappears to have a stablefuture. ●


Visualize any iconic food brand, and chances areit seems like it’s always been a part of our cul-tural fabric. It’s the brand you loved as a kid

and perhaps rediscovered later in life. In a blindfoldtaste test, you would instantly recognize it; and intoday’s ever-changing marketplace, you take comfortknowing it will always be available.It’s not a stretch to include SunRype in that rarefied

iconography: Western Canadians in particular associatethe famous rising sun label with quality juices, andyoungsters know it for its Fruit to Go snacks and fruit-based bars. But whether the consumer is old, young, orin between, they are assured that SunRype wascommitted to clean labels and simple ingredients long

before those values became the rage.But like other famous brands, the history of

SunRype Products Ltd. is less well known to theaverage person on the street — apart from thecompany hailing from British Columbia’s OkanaganValley. “It’s ironic, because we have an incredible storyto tell, full of passion, risk, and innovation,” saysPresident and Chief Executive Officer Dave McAnerney. McAnerney adds, “There are a lot of fun facts people

don’t know. For instance, we were launched in 1946 bythe BC Fruit Growers Association to use their process-grade apples, and today, after so much expansion andevolution, we still operate out of the original buildingthat was constructed for us.”

COMPANY PROFILE

By Robin Brunet

The best years are still ahead for SunRype Products Ltd.

Quality Foods make their displays large and impactful.

Kruger Products currently has a 43.6 per cent share of theCanadian sanitary paper products market.

As for selling environmentally-friendly products, retailers mightnot need to discount them like they do other types of products,particularly bathroom tissue.

Heriot Bay Tru Value on Quadra Island, B.C.provides a cross-section of economy brandversus a quality brand as well as environ-mentally friendly products.


McAnerney doesn’t cite history idly.SunRype is gearing up to celebrate its 70thanniversary, and aside from a host of newproducts, 2016 will see much attention paidto the company’s rich past. “We’re unveilinga campaign that will make extensive use oftraditional and social media in order forconsumers to share their SunRype storiesand demonstrate how intertwined the brandis in our Canadian lifestyle,” he says.As a processor, SunRype is arguably at the top

of its game. “Several years ago we underwent asubtle but powerful mindset shift, fromthinking of ourselves as a juice company to afood and beverage company,” says McAnerney.“That really took root, and it underscores ourambition and propensity for innovation.” Ambition is an understatement, if

SunRype’s 2016 schedule is anything to goby. First, its entire fruit leather (Fruit toGo), FruitSource 100 per cent fruit snacks,and other items will be labeled vegan, nut-free and gluten-free, as well as Koshercertified in the New Year. “We continue tohear from consumers who are looking forthese options, and so we’re making thecommitment across our entire range,”explains Barb Broder, SunRype’s consumercommunications manager. “This meanssourcing gluten free oats — ours will besome of the first bars in Canada with this— and following strict procedures withinour manufacturing facility.”Second, a new SunRype Fruit & Chia bar

will be unveiled, providing a great fruittaste combined with the fibre, iron, andomega 3 benefits of the chia seed.But that’s only the beginning of new

launches in 2016. “We’ll also introduce a line

of SunRype iced teas that arereal-brewed and contain only70 calories per serving,” saysMcAnerney. Two flavours willbe available: Iced Green andIced Black Tea.And then comes an

offering that is typical ofSunRype’s habit of breakingnew ground in food development. “We’ve heardtime and time again that everyone should`consume more veggies’, so we combinedtomato and mango, made it low sodium and noMSG, reduced the sugar content, and the resultis Tomango,” says McAnerney.Broder adds, “We think Tomango will

revolutionize the red juice section, a $154million category that is currently flat interms of growth. Two varieties will beavailable: Tomango, and Tomango SpicySriracha Lime.” The latter taps into thesriracha sauce craze that has captivatedNorth American consumers and is used ineverything from chips to vodka. When pressed to describe the amount of

effort it takes to create new lines (as well asmodify existing ones to be Kosher) within thecompany’s 300,000 square foot Kelowna facility,McAnerney says only that “It’s a sizeablecapital outlay as well as a risk – because

A true classic – SunRype’s signature Blue Label Apple Juice.

SunRype juices were promoted with free samplesand standalone displays in the 1950’s.

“It’s ironic,because we havean incrediblestory to tell, fullof passion, risk,and innovation,”says President and Chief Executive OfficerDave McAnerney.


with food processing in general, no matter howmuch you think a new product is a winner,shoppers can always prove you wrong.”Given its seven-decade track record of

success, the idea of any new SunRypeproduct failing to captivate the public’sinterest seems highly unlikely. But the factremains that SunRype has often takengambles that had they gone south, couldhave easily resulted in the Kelowna facilityclosing its doors for good.But instead of the fear that governs

many chronic risk-takers, McAnerney andhis 466 employees exhibit unfailing goodcheer. Their brand of risk-taking isinformed by extensive research anddevelopment as well as by having a firmfinger on the pulse of consumer trends, andthe resulting effect is one of invigoration.“We work hard, but we’re proud of what weaccomplish,” says McAnerney.In fact, pushing the envelope and

establishing new frontiers in fooddevelopment are qualities that compelledMcAnerney to join SunRype as a vice-president of operations a decade ago, afterspending over 20 years in the beer-brewingsector. “I thought the company’s trailblazingreputation — which was the direct result oftaking well-informed risks — was unique,”he recalls. “And I got the distinct impressionthat even though SunRype was then 60 yearsold and a market leader, its best years still layahead. I still believe this to be case.”Despite McAnerney’s methodical rise in the

SunRype ranks, he’s still a new kid on the blockcompared to other employees: no less thannine staffers have been with the company forover 40 years, and many others have passedthe 30 year mark. “The amount of cumulativeacumen is amazing,” he says. “To take onesmall example, our current head of engineering

was the same person who installed our firsttetra pack line in the 1970s.”A casual perusal of SunRype’s history

reveals why it is such a powerhouse marketleader today. Shortly after the first applejuice was produced in the state of the artprocessing facility built for BC FruitProcessors Ltd. (as SunRype was initiallycalled) in 1946, the company focused onnew product development and finding newways to use the fruit from the orchards.Early innovations included dehydrated

apples (for pie filings); opalescent applejuice (fortified with vitamin C); and applelime juice (which Broder points out wasreintroduced a few years ago “because wekept hearing from consumers that theymissed it”). By April of 1959, the SunRypebrand had become a household name inWestern Canada, and BC Fruit Processorschanged its name to SunRype Products.The 1960s was an important decade for

SunRype, if only for the fact that itssignature Blue Label apple juice,introduced in the 1950s, skyrocketed

“Several years agowe underwent asubtle but powerfulmindset shift, from thinking ofourselves as a juicecompany to a food and beveragecompany,”says President and Chief Executive Officer Dave McAnerney.

SunRype TRiKiDStriathlon series – another way SunRypegives back to familiesacross Canada.

into popularity: today, this formulation isthe top selling apple juice sku in Canadaand arguably the product the company isbest known for.The 1960s was also when SunRype

branched out into producing citrus juices. In1963, it teamed up with the Fraser ValleyMilk Producers Association to distributejuice cartons on Vancouver milk routes; asfor its retail presence, the company was anearly master of merchandising. “In-storedisplays were a key to driving sales, evenback then,” notes Broder.But it was in the 1970s when SunRype

truly hit its innovative stride, by switchingfrom aluminum cans to tetra (aseptic)containers consisting of 85 percent renewablefibre. “In retrospect this helped make us aleader in the juice industry, but at the timethis type of packaging was unheard of, andthere was a lot of concern whether consumerswould be willing to purchase something theyhad to open using scissors rather than a canopener,” says McAnerney. “Considering thehuge outlay of capital required to overhaulour packaging operations, the risk wastremendous.” Aseptic containers quicklybecame the norm in Western Canada, andsubsequently across the country.More recently, the company undertook

another major risk when it decided to blendvegetables with fruit juice. “Again, the ideawas unheard of, and many people in theindustry thought we were crazy,” saysMcAnerney. “We were very much inspired byconsumers telling us they wanted to havemore vegetables in their daily diet but hatedthe taste of them. So our research anddevelopment team spent a lot of timeformulating a product that would benutritious and, most importantly, have great

taste. Fortunately, today,fruit and vegetable blendsare mainstream.”

Yet more trails were blazed when SunRypedeveloped its fruit leathers in the 1990s. “Wewanted something that looked like atraditional leather but would be soft and juicy,and with the help of a local company — whichwe subsequently purchased — we pioneereddrying technology to give us the desiredproduct,” says McAnerney. As with otherSunRype products, the leathers were reviewedby an internal taste panel before beingintroduced to the market; today, Fruit to Go isthe top-selling branded fruit snack in Canada.A lot could be said of SunRype’s scrupulous

attention to quality (which, amongst otherthings, translates into a vastly efficient andspotlessly clean production facility of pipes,conveyers, heaters, coolers, evaporators,sterilizers, and drums), or the fact that everyfacet of its business is managed under oneroof (including a five-member research anddevelopment department; finance; marketing;and quality control). But at the core of itssuccess is something many companies professto have but is in fact a rare thing: passion.“That’s the driver,” says McAnerney.

“And I got thedistinct impressionthat even thoughSunRype was then60 years old and amarket leader, itsbest years still layahead. I still believethis to be the case.”says President and Chief Executive Officer Dave McAnerney.

Passion for the brand comesthrough in creative in-store displaysand promotions.



Perhaps a better term would be curiosity. Forexample, during lunch hours McAnerney canfrequently be found eating his sandwich whilewandering the aisles of local grocery stores, absorbingthe conversations of employees and shoppers. “Yes,we participate in trade shows and events to get ideas,but there’s nothing like being at street level todetermine food trends and decide what to developnext,” he explains. In this regard, many SunRypeemployees routinely seek input from their ownchildren to learn what’s popular and what’s not — andit almost goes without saying that everyone withinthe organization is welcome to share product ideas. Not surprisingly for a company of its longevity,

SunRype has undergone many corporate changes. Inthe 1990s it was converted from a co-operative to apublic company, (which enabled it to finance majorcapital improvements); in 2013 it became part of theJim Pattison Group; and in between those two eventsits various business strategies made headlines, such asits 2010 purchase of Yakima Juice in Selah, Washington— which stoked fears amongst Kelowna’s orchardiststhat SunRype would abandon its Canadian operations. Of this, McAnerney says, “That is absolutely the

most impossible scenario imaginable. We’re an integralpart of the Okanagan: for the past 70 years we’ve livedup to our contract to take 100 per cent of theorchardists’ process-grade fruit, and we have nointention of breaking that bond. Our Washingtonacquisition was merely to boost capacity.”Of the acquisition by Pattison, McAnerney remarks,

“Mr. Pattison takes a wonderful long-term perspectiveof the companies under his wing, and the relationshipis all upside for us.”Although the SunRype team is too busy focusing on

the future to dwell overly on the impact it has madein the food industry, Broder notes that “Many of ourproducts, including the juice and vegetable blendsplus Fruit to Go, have not only changed the face ofour company but the juice and snack categoriesthemselves.”With 2016 hurtling into view, McAnerney confines

himself to expressing a few New Year’s wishes. “We areexcited about our innovation and look forward tocontinued product growth both here in Canada and innew markets like China and the U.S. that we haveonly just begun to tap into. But at the end of the day, we’ll continue to abide

by the values that put us on the map to begin with.Our commitment to quality and taste will never waver,and the same goes for our goal of helping people livehealthier lives. These are the elements that truly setus apart from the competition.” ●

WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM 3736 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM

Back on March 29, 2013, a VancouverSun headline read: “Asian influencechanges Canadian food landscape:

As industry becomes more competitive,retailers must adapt to survive.” The article goes on to say, “One of the

top trends in food and general merchandiseretail over the next decade will be the‘rising power of Asian and South Asianconsumers’— a group that will make up 70per cent of growth in consumer spending,according to CIBC World Markets.”Two years later, the truth of that

prediction is hardly surprising. According to Nieslen MarketTrack stats

providing by Gail Castillo, category insightmanager AB World Foods, the Asian saucesand pastes category is growing at six percent in the latest 52 weeks. “More than half of Canadian

consumers are eating Asian food,” saysCastillo. “One of the fastest growingitems in the category is hot chili orsriracha sauces.” Sriracha, which has its roots in

Thailand, has become an internationalsensation that highlights a challenge

retailers currently face: defining theincredibly vague term “Asian.”“Initially, we need to classify what is

meant by the Asian food category,” saysPhilip Issenman, president of I-D FoodsCorporation. “Many items fromdifferent ethnicities classify under thisbroad definition.” Issenman’s focus is Chinese, Thai, and

Vietnamese cuisine. Then there is Indian, Pakistani,

Korean, Japanese, and Filipino… andthat’s before you look at regions.“In China, there are eight major

regional cuisines,” says Jerry Chang,sales and marketing at Le Kiu Importing. How specific you need to get starts

with looking at what is driving thegrowth. Chang breaks it down into threeareas: increased immigration from Asiancountries, new excitement among localfood consumers, and more variety withinethnic cuisine.Immigration is the biggest factor. “The top countries that we are seeing

the most immigration from are 13 percent from Philippines, 11 per cent from

China, and 10 per cent from India,” saysYuriko Kitano, senior category manager atTree of Life Canada. “We like to call them‘the big three.’ That is where we are goingto see a lot of popularity and growth andinnovation in terms of food products.”Terry Wong, who heads authentic-

ethnic marketing for Tree of Life Canada,adds, “Studies have shown that certaindemographics, in particular South Asian,East Indian, the birth rates are usually alot higher and that compounds thegrowth over time.” “So I would think that a lot of these

retailers are concentrating on thosethree groups,” says Wong.Sometimes the authentic product is

important; the Filipino market is a greatexample. “The Filipino market is a fast-growing

category because the Philippines nowis the largest source country forimmigrants, surpassing China and SouthAsian countries like India and Pakistan,etc.,” says Vincent Uy from CorinthianDistributors Ltd. And it is growing at a rate of about 15

ASIAN FOODS By Carolyn Camilleri

Everyone knows the Asian category is growing. The challenge is how to approach it - and where to put it all.

to 20 per cent a year, he adds, quotingStats Can 2011. Uy describes Filipinos as very brand loyal

and says they will buy brands that arefamiliar to them. They also prefer certainflavour profiles; for example, they like UFCSpaghetti Sauce because it is sweeter.Wong offers a similar example. “We represent a brand called Tea Party

India, and that tea is really well knownwithin the South Asian market but, atthe same time, it does not taste muchdifferent from Red Rose or Tetley exceptthat sometime when it is on special, theprice is a lot cheaper,” says Wong.Keep in mind, however, that consumer

behaviour among new immigrants is notconstant.“We talk about acculturation and the

path to biculturalism, which is how aconsumer functions within two differentcultures simultaneously,” says Kitano. She explains that a newcomer who

has been here less than two years willbe very interested in retaining home-country traditions and will be seekingingredients to cook from scratch. Whenthey shift to “recent immigrant,’ theirmain cultural practices are still of theirhome country, but they have started tobecome more familiar with productsand traditions here. “After five years, they are coined

‘lifetimers.’ They speak a little bit moreEnglish. They still maintain a lot of thosecultures, but they become moreaccustomed to the North Americanculture, as well, so they will be eatingmore North American foods. They aremore open and willing to try differentthings,” says Kitano.“The point is that there is only a small

portion of the population that would stillwant that very authentic products,” saysKitano. “Products that are authentic butwith a mainstream undertone, they are agood crossover and are going to appeal tomore consumers.” However, it isn’t always immigrants

looking for ethnic products. “Foodies play a huge part in this,

especially the younger generation whoare tired of eating what Mom and Dadcook,” says Wong.Issenman also remarks on this

influence, noting an increased focus onreplicating restaurant food at home, aswell as social media as an educationalplatform.

How retailers deal with these changesdepends on their market.“There have been a lot retailers moving

towards carrying a lot of very authenticproducts. But it is important to thinkabout the mainstream products that area crossover between both because thoseare the ones that are going to do welland have a long-term success in themarket,” says Kitano.Wong names Thai Kitchen Coconut

Milk as an example. “It is a truly ethnic item but with a

mainstream crossover,” he says.Blue Dragon Sriracha sauce and Sweet

Thai Chili sauce also appeal acrossmarkets. “These two new sauces are very

versatile and can be used with traditionalAsian meals, as well as a dipping saucewith chicken and French fries or as acondiment in sandwiches, salads, andrice dishes,” says Castillo.Wong Wing is appealing across markets

using a promotion partnered withDreamWorks.“With the upcoming launch of Kung Fu

Panda 3, Wong Wing created an on-packcontest. Consumers will have theopportunity to win movie merchandiseDVDs, as well as movie tickets by using aPIN number found on limited editionWong Wing Kung Fu Panda 3 packaging,”says Gupta.Of course, holidays create a big

demand. “Nielson data shows that theAsian appetizers and Wong Wing multi-serve entrees category has grown 14 percent over prior year,” says Gupta,quoting figures for the period endingSeptember 26, 2015. “The growth wasdriven by Wong Wing promotions duringChinese New Year and Moon Festival.” Castillo also describes a leap in holiday

sales. “Sales of Asian sauces and pastesduring the four weeks leading up toChinese New Year spike an estimated 25to 30 per cent above the average fourweekly period,” says Castillo. “Promoting menu ideas during these

festive times can encourage non-ethniccustomers to partake in the celebrationsand embrace the cultural diversity thatwe have in Canada,” says Tang. The same applies to retailers wanting

to make the most of the growth ofAsian food. Look around at yourcustomers and where they come from—and embrace the culture. ●

All this emphasizes the importance ofretailers showing an understanding ofthe cuisine in order to guide establishedCanadians. “Customers are looking for good

quality and authentic flavours,” saysEmily Tang, sales and marketing managerat Fine Choice Foods. “Cooking and travelshows on TV have opened up a world ofnew flavours to the consumer. Flavoursonce considered exotic are now availableat your local grocery store.”As Chang points out, decades ago,

Cantonese Chinese food was consideredexotic. Now, it’s as mainstream asanything else in Canada.“According to a comprehensive Asian

meals study, Chinese food remains thetop ethnic cuisine, with 80 per cent ofCanadians ordering Chinese foods inrestaurants or for takeout and one inthree Canadians purchasing frozenChinese foods from the grocery store,”says Karishma Gupta, associate brandmanager for Wong Wing. “Now that more Northern Chinese are

flooding into Canada, we begin to see amore spectrum on variety in Chinesefood,” says Chang. “This also creates anew excitement for the locals who onlyknew about Cantonese food as Chinesefood before.” Tang concurs.“Consumers are becoming more

adventurous and looking to some moresophisticated flavours,” says Tang.“Flavours, such as Gochujang andTogarashi are starting to appear inmainstream restaurants.”Tang offers other examples. “Complex Korean and Japanese

flavours are favoured over some of the‘safer’ flavour profiles that we haverecently seen. Potstickers are a hot itemand seem to be a making a presence onthe menus of many popular restaurants,which is driving the demand in thegrocery stores,” says Tang. “Ramen isanother crowd pleaser and not the kindthat comes in a cup.” Issenman also notes a shift.“In the last couple of years, we saw

strong growth from the stir fry andcooking sauce segments, but with thatnow slowly reaching maturity, we see thehighest growth coming from the pastesand dipping sauce segments as well as arenewed interest in specialty Asiannoodles,” he says.

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Canadians are becoming more adven-turous with their food especiallywhen it comes to experiencing eth-

nic cuisines. These new tastes can meangrowth for the frozen meals/appetizerscategory, once thought of solely as thedreary TV dinner.“A benefit of the frozen meals category

is its ability to engage consumers in‘culinary adventures’ allowing them toexperience world cuisines cost-effectivelywithout having to know how to preparethem. As such, manufacturers can leveragethis benefit by tying their brands to newexperiences competing not only with otherin-home options, but with foodservice as

well,” says Joel Gregoire, senior food &drink analyst, Mintel Group Ltd.Most Canadians have consumed frozen

ready-to-eat meals recently with 86 percent doing so in the previous six months.Frozen side dishes are more commonlyeaten (81 per cent) suggesting anopportunity to develop the category byfocusing on centre-of-plate options thatresonate with the consumer to supportsales and volume growth; just over half(57 per cent) turned to single-serveoptions at some point and 56 per centturned to multi-serve options.Only one quarter (24 per cent) of

consumers stated that they turn to

ready-to-eat meals when they have otheroptions. This is due to concerns oversodium and overly processed foods,which hamper consumers’ perception ofthe category. They are looking for mealswith fewer preservatives and artificialingredients.“Engaging in strategies that focus on

‘cleaner’ ingredient decks can be a toppriority for manufacturers in buildingcredibility with consumers and posi-tioning frozen meals as a primary (ratherthan a secondary) consideration atmealtimes,” shares Gregoire.Changes in the country’s cultural and

ethnic makeup also translate into what

FROZEN FOODS By Nicole Sherwood



consumers are interested in when it comesto frozen meals with 36 per cent lookingfor ethnic inspired foods. However higherquality or gourmet prepared meals at ahigher price also register on consumers’radar which signals an opportunity forcompanies to innovate beyond price with afocus on providing high quality options.With health and snacking being two key

trends Sofina Foods is seeing the wholemuscle segment and snack-friendlyproducts continuing to trend up.“Whole muscle items speak to the

preference for less processed foods whilestill hitting all the ease of use and tastecues the consumer demands,” says LindaFox, marketing director, Sofina Foods.Snack-friendly items such as nuggets arestill very popular. “Items like our Janes PubStyle Chicken Fries and Janes Fish Bitesare ideal snacks and have been largelyincremental to their respective categories.It speaks to both the meal occasion andsnack/finger food occasion. And whilesnacks are a growing trend across consumergroups, those dayparts don’t seem to begrowing as much in away from homeconsumption.”While Sofina Foods sees growth in these

segments they are noting other growth as well. “Frozen chicken continues to grow. More

specifically breaded formed items(strips/nuggets/burgers) are up seven percent year over year in dollars. Breadedwhole muscle (i.e. fillets) is up 16 per cent.In both cases private label items are

outpacing the category,” shares Fox.However not all segments are up. “Wings isrelatively flat — possibly due to the higherprices this segment has seen in recentyears, but at + two per cent wings andbreaded formed remain the two largestsegments within frozen boxed chicken.”While interesting new flavours (ethnic

foods) continue to pop up in the categoryone demographic that is impossible toignore are the millenials who speak to afaster paced, social media driven world.“As a broad consumer trend we recognize

that millenials are entering child-bearingages in the next few years, and this isexpected to be advantageous for thecategory as families with children tend toconsume more pizzas,” says Yuri Minski,brand manager, Dr. Oetker CanadaMinski speaks to the universal love of

pizza with 70 per cent of Canadians buyingit at least once a year. “The new products and formats definitely

appeal to a particular segment of consumers,

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Quality for over 40 years

The Janes brandhas been providinghigh quality foodproducts to Canadians for over 40 years.

A trusted brand,Janes has beenproud to contin-ually launchingnew items thatmeet Canadians’needs. A coupleof recent launch-es include Ultimates BatteredChicken Fillets and Pub StyleChicken Fries. The mostrecent entry to their fish line-up includes Janes BatteredFish Bites – fantastic for tacos!

Family Oriented

Dr. Oetker is a leading pizzamanufacturer offering high quality products in every segment of the category.

GiuseppePizzeria is thelatest additionto the familyof brands – afamily orientedpizza offeringclassic vari-eties on threedifferent crusts – Rising, Thin,and Multigrain Thin Crust.


but it is important to recognize that newofferings will almost never replace thecore crust types and skus in the category,and retailers as well as manufacturerscan’t take their eyes off of what forms thecore of the category and gives it massappeal to Canadians,” explains Minski.In terms of category specific trends Dr.

Oetker sees several opportunities thatrange from pizza customization toleveraging the ‘authentic’ experiencesand flavours. “In the pursuit of newareas of growth many pizza playersincluding private label are experimenting

with new products in order to leveragecurrent or emerging consumer trends.For example, the Dr. Oetker Casa di Mamabrand is adding a frozen pizza withpulled pork — a new variety by pizzarestaurants in Canada,” Minski shares.While new offerings and flavours are a

definite appeal that’s not all they arelooking for. When it comes to the frozencategory convenience, prices and loyaltyalso play a role.Convenience can be key when cus-

tomers are looking for something that iseasy to prepare.

“For frozen vegetables in particularconsumers generally consider steamingto be the gold standard cookingmethodology, but they are looking formore convenience (quicker and easier toprepare), plus steaming on the stove topcan yield inconsistent results,” says LisaBrowne, director business development,Pinnacle Foods.Fox notes that while convenience may

be the cost of entry in this category (easyto keep on hand and easy to prepare) itshould not be confused with speed. “It can mean many different things to

a consumer depending on their state. Itmight be that it is important to sit downto a meal together as a family — andeveryone will happily eat breadedchicken fillets so that checks a box forthem. It can also mean a convenientmeal on the go and can be simple toprepare and form the basis of a totalmeal by just adding a side or two. Abrand they trust is a big component inthis,” shares Fox.Minski agrees that many consumers

exhibit a high degree of loyalty to theirfavourite brands and interest to newflavours or concepts.“Once brand and price decisions are


made and consumers are standing infront of the section or product display itbecomes all about flavour. Very oftenconsumers purchase several varieties atthe same time in order to cater to thetaste preferences of several familymembers,” Minski says.When it comes to merchandising this

section different products should betreated separately.Browne notes that frozen vegetables

are a moderately-promoted category.“Use the larger family-size bags as trafficdrivers and strategically use the morepremium items (i.e. Swanson Steamfreshor flavoured vegetable mixes) with two-three tactical flyers and two-three in-store offers per year.”Browne also recommends working with

vendors to suggest frozen vegetables inrecipes online to provide shoppers withmeal solutions that involve varioussection of the store.Sofina Foods recommends brand blocking.

“It is easier for the consumer’s eye tofollow and it is a key attribute for makingtheir selection. Once they have decided onsurf or turf the next thing they thinkabout is brand, then they look at price,

the size that best meets their currentneed, form (breaded, whole fillet, wing)and of course flavour,” says Fox.When it comes to pizza Dr. Oetker

recommends merchandising the categorywith boxes standing up to generateimpulse purchases, and to better featurethe wide flavour and crust options.Stores should also consider the following

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT By Sue Nicholls

Iwork with many individuals andorganizations around the world inareas related to category manage-

ment, data and analysis - it’s one of theprivileges of running my own company -I keep learning and evolving with thechanging industry, different geographiesand unique organizations. One thingseems to be consistent across most orga-nizations — a tendency to be too linearthinking, with focus on one data sourceor one tactic at a time.Learn how to build strategic thinking

into your analysis to understand moreadvanced shopper solutions.The opportunity? Think outside the

box, incorporate strategy into yourchoices and recommendations, digdeeper only when necessary and tie ininsights and opportunities with actionthrough the category tactics. Based onthis, I’ve put together eight ways tohelp you get out of this linear rut andmove to a more strategic place in youranalysis.

1. Start “higher” in your analysis:

Before starting an analysis project –particularly if you’re going to do an in-depth tactical analysis (for example anassortment, promotion, shelving orpricing analysis), start with a biggerpicture perspective. Take some time toreview the category and trends from abig picture perspective. Look one or twolevels above in geography – not justretailer vs. rest of market or remainingmarket. For example, look at thenational market across key channels:

• Who’s growing and declining?

• How does this compare to your region and channels?

• And how does the Retailer/banners compare to these results?

These insights can give you someperspective on the bigger pictureopportunities that you can thenincorporate into your tactical analysisand recommendations.

2. Drill down for better insights:

Drilling through data gives youa broader perspective of yourbusiness results.

• Look at more than one time period (at least one long-term and one short-term period, for example “latest 52 weeks” and “latest 12 weeks”) to understand short- and long-term trends.

• Look across different segments based on the consumer decision tree to consider the consumer or shopper in your analysis.

• Look across different data measures to consider volumetric and share results as well as tactical results and trends.

3. Don’t be linear in your analysis:

When completing analysis, use multipledata sources: Retailer point of sale data(syndicated market data, market gapopportunities, comparison vs. market);Consumer panel data (consumerdemographics, consumer purchase

behaviour, heavy / light buyers). We’retaught how to pull and use each datasource in isolation with more of a tacticalapproach to the data. The opportunity isto learn how to look across data sourcesand incorporate insights from one sourceto help you make better decisions inbusiness issues or opportunities that youare trying understand. This will take youfrom “good” to “great” (or even“amazing!”) in your analysis and insights.My tip no. 8 below can help you with this.

4. Don’t generalize what your numbers mean:

Think beyond a number. If you tie inwith strategy or find relevant bench-marks to compare against or createvolume opportunities, the numbers canbecome much more meaningful. Here aresome examples:

• When using a fair share index, don’t assume it’s “good” or “bad” based on if it’s above or below 100. Think about how the index relates to the goals and objectives for the category, target shopper and overall retailerstrategies.

• When using consumer purchase behaviour, compare to numbers that help establish benchmarks to determine where the opportunities are. You’ll only know if a penetration or share of requirements measure is “high” or “low” by comparing with other retailers in the same category or comparing to related categories.

RETAILER ONLY

5. Incorporate Retailer strategy and Shopper into your analysis:

Retailers need well-developed strategiesthat relate to their store formats, thetactics, Private Label and their targetshopper. They need to incorporate theseoverarching strategies into theircategory decisions, including dataanalysis, insights and decisions for theircategories. The strategies give a retailerthe guidelines, principles and processesassociated with the most importantelements of their strategy. It helps yourretail teams make the best decisions for

when making a planogram of thissection: crust type segmentation, brandblocking, place new items at eye level,price promoted groups.No matter what item consumers are

looking for when it comes to a frozen mealvariety, convenience and flavour willalways be key and retailers need to keepthis in mind or be left out in the cold. ●

Eight Waysto Move to More Advanced Category Management Analytics


In many ways, the dinner and dance atVancouver’s Sutton Place Hotel on aSaturday night in November seems like

an exaggeration of a formal industry event.Instead of lively chatter in the

reception area, the collective banter of 273attendees is ear-splitting. Instead of semi-casual attire, bespoke suits and designerdresses are in abundance. The wine doesn’tflow, it erupts, and far from petering out,the dancing continues joyously until thesmall hours of the morning.Most remarkably, the discourse amongst

food industry attendees isn’t aboutbusiness, but rather how their kids aredoing in school and what they’replanning for Christmas. And that’s very much in keeping with

the fraternal spir it of the FoodExecutives Club of Vancouver, whichstaged its 59th annual dinner dance onNovember 21 and whose functions aresuch that even the industry’s fiercestcompetitors can congregate underfriendly circumstances.

On its website, the Food Executives Club,which is currently celebrating its 60thanniversary, states its purpose as a group“Dedicated to fostering relationships withthe grocery retailers and their suppliers; themembers are the most senior salesexecutives within their company.”As outgoing President Kyle Leslie (who

is also vice-president of businessdevelopment for Star Marketing Ltd.)explains at the dinner dance, “There’s noother organization like it in Canada.There’s a similar club in Calgary, but it’sstructured completely differently thanours, and further east there’s nothing

— not even in Ontario.”He adds, as guests tug his sleeve for

attention, “Our events are a great way forsuppliers to network, and as any of our138 active members can attest, the club isa great way to meet colleagues from othercompanies within the food industry.”Former President Deneen Cleveland is

living proof of that statement. A 30 yearfood industry veteran, she was workingfor her family business, Albion Fisheries,when she was a club member; by thetime her one-year presidential termended in 2006, she had been inspired toswitch gears: “Due to listening to


By Robin Brunet

their categories based on what theretailer is trying to accomplish. Thebetter articulated the strategies, thebetter and more aligned the decisionmaking for your retail organization.

VENDOR ONLY

6. Think “category” and“brand”:

Start looking at your business througha category, subcategory and brand lens.Looking at the category and subcategorylevels gives a broader shopper pers-pective and allows you to understand thebusiness based on the most importantsegments for them (based on the con-sumer decision tree). This understandingalso helps you uncover better solutionsfor your brands.

7. Incorporate Retailer strategy and Shopper into your analysis:

Don’t forget the retailer’s strategyand their unique shopper when youare completing any type of analysisfor them and making fact-basedrecommendations. Brand-only solutionsfocused on your brand consumer aren’tnecessarily the right ones for yourretailers. Whether you’re creating anassortment analysis, doing shelvingwork, creating a pricing analysis orsetting up promotions for next year,remember to check back to theirtarget shopper and overarchingstrategies to make sure that therecommendations you’re makingmatch well with what they’re tryingto accomplish.

ADVANCED CATEGORYANALYSIS

8. Use thresholds in your analysis:

Thresholds can be applied to youranalysis to give perspective on whetherthe business drivers we apply to ourbusiness are actually driving sales. Thiscan be done across the tactics. Forexample, we can measure sku (or item)efficiency by looking at the number ofitems that each brand added in thisperiod, as well as the $ share of eachitem, as indicators of efficiency. Thenwe can bucket the results together tolook from a different perspective for the# items change vs. year ago.Moving to more advanced analysis

also includes predictive analysisincluding collaborative filtering, clust-ering algorithms, regression models andtime-to-event models to name a few.The only way you’ll be successful inthese more advanced approaches ismaking sure you keep some of the tipsabove in consideration.Moving to a more advanced Category

Management approach as an individualor team usually requires training, whichcan be used not only to advance skills ofyour team members, but can also beused to level set your team. Once youget an aligned approach on yourCategory Management team, the biggeropportunity is to use CategoryManagement to align your organization- including your multi-functional teams,i.e. Marketing, CatMan, Sales, Logistics,Retail Ops, etc. — and to streamlineprocesses and approaches based on someof the foundations. Not only will thisset you up for success in areas likecollaboration, shopper and big data —but more importantly, itwill create consistentand aligned approachesthat are consistent withwhat you are trying toaccomplish as anorganization. ●

Sue Nicholls is the founder of “Category Management Knowledge Group”, an online, accredited category managementtraining company. She can be reached at [email protected].

The only way you’ll be successful in these moreadvanced approaches is making sure you keep someof the tips above in consideration.

Board of Directors (L-R) Alex Kingston, John Vuckovic, Mike Abbey, Mike Fuller, Tony Llewellyn, Roger Antoniazzi, Sandy Mutiger.


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speakers at our monthlylunches and rubbing shoulderswith other people during theannual dinner dances, I wasinspired to become a food broker.” Today, Cleveland is a business development

manager for Impact Sales & Marketing Inc.,whose customers are grocery, massmerchants, drug, and other retailers. The Food Executives Club’s allure is

such that prior to joining, Clevelandactively fantasized about one daybecoming a member. “The eventssounded like so much fun, and thedinner dances had become so successfulthat people routinely skipped their ownChristmas parties to attend,” she recalls.But more so, Cleveland was attracted by

the club’s simple structure. “Essentially, allthe members are executives from thesupply sector, and they invite retailers tospeak at their monthly lunches,” she says.“This concept is enormously beneficial toboth parties: we suppliers, who are too busyto follow everything that is happening tospecific retailers, can catch up when theyspeak; and the retailers in turn feel free todiscuss developments with an audience thatdoesn’t include competitors.”New members are just as excited as was

Cleveland to climb the club’s seven-yearhierarchal ladder, in which one firstserves as a director at large, then directorof communications, and so on until thesixth year and presidency, followed by astint as past-president before returningto normal member status. The newest director at large is Darryl

Moore, business development manager atTerra International Foods Inc. “Basically,you volunteer for the seven-year stint,and club members choose the luckycandidate at our annual general meeting,”he explains. “I volunteered because in myeight years of being a member I wound upforging so many business contacts that Idecided it was time to give back.” Whether sending out invites or

organizing events, the duties performedby the directors and presidents eat up aconsiderable amount of their spare time— but they don’t view it as aninconvenience. In fact, the newestpresident, Josianne Legare, is so devotedto the club that even though she wasrecently relocated by her employer toToronto, she will fly west at least 10times in 2016 to fulfil her obligations.“As senior vice-president sales Canada forLassonde Sales Group I would have tovisit Vancouver anyway, so I’m justincreasing my presence,” she says.Like Moore, Legare is compelled to give

back to the club, in her case because duringthe seven years she worked in Vancouver onbehalf of Lassonde, “I was a new vendor inthe west, and the club helped me meetdifferent companies and retailers a lotfaster than I would have on my own.” Retailers are equally effusive in their

praise of the Food Executives Club.“We’ve spoken at their luncheons yearly

and regard the organization as a greatvenue in which to further develop ourrelationship with our vendors,” says TroyDewinetz, general manager, marketing &merchandising for Buy-Low Foods.

Dewinetz adds thatoverall, the club’s month-ly luncheons are atime-saver for retailerswho want to impartnews about their com-pany: “Rather than ushaving to organize manyseparate informationalmeetings, the club hasall key vendors in one

place at one time.” Not surprisingly, given a mandate that

emphasizes social intercourse, the FoodExecutives Club arose in an informalmanner. In 1955, following a visit toSeattle where he was a guest of thatcity’s Manufacturers RepresentativesClub, Founder Jack Carruthers imagined asimilar organization would be beneficialto his colleagues in Vancouver. The first formative meeting of

suppliers was held later that year at theold Pacific Athletic Club and attended bynotable executives of the day: JackMerrell, Jack Crompton, Harold McColland Russ Winfield.The club was officially incorporated on

April 28, 1958, with Carruthers havingstructured the organization to fosterbetter relations between members and thetrade “by creating an atmosphere of co-operation through collective discussionand dissemination of information.”The best way to disseminate that

information, it was decided, was to stagesocial events — and lots of them. Prior toincorporation, Carruthers and hiscolleagues established an annual golftournament for members and tradesguests (previously, the event had beenhosted by Consolidated Grocers). To thiswas added (in 1970) the first Annual FunCurling Bonspiel, which has sincebecome a perennial winter activity.Al Ibsen, who is retired from the food

industry, remembers first attending themonthly meetings back in 1966. “Inthose days you were allowed only oneperson from any firm, but you couldbring friends to the functions,” he says.Ibsen became president in 1974, 1981,and 1988, and he was the first person tobecome an Honorary Member.

Food Executives Club of VancouverDinner Dance 2015

Then as now, monthly club luncheonmeetings (when each month a specificretailer would be invited to speak) tookplace in a variety of locations: initially,at Vancouver’s Devonshire Hotel, andthen at the Dog House, the Marine DriveGolf Course, various Executive Inns, andother venues.As much of an insider’s organization as

the club may be, it exhibits a strongappreciation of the need to give back tothe community, and in this regard itsupports the British Columbia Instituteof Technology’s marketing managementprogram. “We also donate money tothe club members’ children andgrandchildren in conjunction with ThePhoenix Food & Drug Group forScholarships and Bursaries,” says Ibsen.“To date, over the last 15 yearscollectively we have donated almost

$400,000 for their better education.”Membership dues (which, at under $500

yearly, is considered a bargain) fund allactivities, and former president JohnBomhof, a benefits consultant who joinedin the early 1990s, points out that this hasobliged the club’s board “to keep a constanteye on costs; we’ve always been very mucha `make ends meet’ organization.’”Membership numbers are directly

affected by the ever-evolving foodindustry. “The recent consolidation thatswept our industry means that ournumbers will not grow spectacularly,”Bomhof explains. “Back in 1999, ourmembership actually dropped to about72, because Safeway moved its buyingoffice from Vancouver to Calgary.“However, even though the numbers

rise and fall, we share the convictionthat the club will always exist.”


The Calgary Food & Drug Executives(CFDE) hosted the 15th annual Santa Causeevent in collaboration with the Retail Councilof Canada (RCC) at Heritage Park in Calgary.The event was held December 7, 2015, at theWainwright Hotel. Guests of honour were theidea men whose after hours debriefing ses-sion one evening back in 2001 got the ballrolling on this annual tradition.

The initial idea of recognizing excellencein western Canada came after GrantHansen (President and COO Canada Safe-way) was awarded the “Golden Pencil” in2001 in Toronto. Manygrocery industry mem-bers in the West wereunable attend that eventto show their support.

The idea evolved froma discussion betweenBryan Walton (Vice-Pres-ident, Canadian Councilof Grocery Distributors)and Jim Rose (Vice-Pres-ident, Oppenheimer).Bryan called Rick Jolie(President, Calgary Foodand Drug Executives) and suggested theCCGD & CFDE co-host an event in westernCanada to recognize Grant being named a“Knight of the Golden Pencil.”

December 19, 2001 a Christmas OpenHouse was held at the Danish CanadianClub honouring Grant, with the proceedsbeing donated to the Boys and Girls Club ofCalgary. Feedback from that night wasoverwhelming, and the committee suggest-ed making this an annual event called the“Santa Cause”. Each year a nominatingcommittee puts forward individual’s nameswho have demonstrated outstanding com-mitment and leadership to our industry,and their community, and from that listrecipient(s) are chosen.

In 2011 when the CCGD dissolved its orga-nization, and the Retail Council of Canada(RCC) took over their membership, they wereinvited to replace the CCGD as a co-host.

Jim Rose started his career with CanadaSafeway in Winnipeg in the late 1960s. Afterseven years with them as a produce manag-er and learning the retail aspect of theindustry, he realized he was quickly gaininga keen interest in the supplier side. He leftSafeway and joined Seven Cities Food Bro-kers Limited as a sales representative. Roseworked his way up through various manage-ment positions, and in 1987 became presi-dent and co-owner of the company.

As the grocery industry in western Cana-da evolved, the supplier side had to changealong with it, and being a regional broker wasno longer an option for Seven Cities. They

merged their companywith Oppenheimer inBritish Columbia, andRamsay Brokerage inAlberta, to becomeOppenheimer across western Canada.Rose soon moved to Calgary to join thenew head office team that had beencreated there.

In 2000 Oppenheimer sold their businessto Crombie Kennedy Nasmark (now Advan-tage Sales and Marketing) and Rose stayedon until 2005, completing a 30 year career inthe food brokerage industry. Not ready toretire and wanting to stay within the industryhe loved, he joined Alberta Agriculture andRural Development (ARD) as marketingmanager working with local processors andmanufacturers to get their products into theretail world. He spent eight years with ARD.Rose retired after 45 years in the groceryindustry December 2013.

Bryan Walton started his career workingfor the Minister of Agriculture in Alberta.During his nine years at Alberta AgricultureWalton worked in several marketing rolesgeared to understanding markets aroundthe world and help Alberta based producersidentify market opportunities for export.Taking his skills working within a govern-ment department Walton’s next role was avice-president at Canadian Council of Gro-cery Distributors. His understanding ofgovernment helped Walton be a voice andadvocate for grocers in Western Canadaand on national issues. Working with all lev-

els of government, Bryan was especiallyactive on the Food Safety front. Managingthe file nationally, Walton opened the CCGDoffice in Ottawa to work closely with theFederal Government on many industry filesincluding Food Safety with lead responsibil-ity for crisis management.

Currently Walton is CEO of Alberta CattleFeeders’ Association and is GM for NationalCattle Feeders’ Association. Managing adiverse agenda of initiatives, having abroad range of contacts in the public andprivate sectors along with Cabinet levelpolitical experience, marketing in domesticand international arenas Bryan has a dis-tinguished career as an advocate for indus-try in Canada.

STARS and McMan Youth, Family and Com-munity Services Association were the benefi-ciaries of the evening’s charitable donation.

STARS Air Ambulance (Manitoba). STARSoffers time, hope and life-saving transport tocritically ill and injured patients in Alberta,Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

McMan Youth, Family and CommunityServices Association provides a wide rangeof innovative programs and individualizedsupport to youth and families who facechallenging social issues. ●

EVENT

Santa Cause Celebrates 15 years!Despite all the hard work, B.C. Food Executivemembers still know how to have a lot of fun.

Several days after the 59th annualdinner dance, Kyle Leslie expresses hisgratitude for having served his term aspresident. “But to be perfectly honest, I’llalso be glad to return to being a memberand enjoying all the events instead ofplanning them,” he says with a grin.As is the case with the best fraternities,

The Food Executives Club of Vancouver hasgiven Leslie the distinct sense that he hasnow joined the ranks of the `old guard’ –even though at 40, his best years in theindustry still lie ahead. “And there’s thebeauty of the club in a nutshell,” he says.“I have improved skills such as organizingand public speaking, and feel like I’m abetter person and colleague as a result.And I’ve made some amazing friends.”Deneen Cleveland summarizes the

sentiments of her fellow members whenshe concludes, “You know how so manyplaces talk about long-term change forthe future? We’re different. Apart fromwelcoming new people, we want the clubto stay exactly the same. Its function andintent is perfect as it is.” ●


INDIAN FOODS By Deb Smith

It is predicted that in five years, 20 per cent of theCanadian population will be visible minorities, and ofthose, more than one million will be of Indian descent. Those numbers alone

speak for a growing demand for authentic Indian Food products, but add to them thecontinuous exposure of all Canadians to different ethnic traditions and foods both at homeand globally and it’s clear that food retailing opportunities abound.According to Terry Wong, director of marketing International Foods for Tree of Life Foods in Calgary, one of Canada’s

largest distributors of natural and specialty foods, retailers fall into three main categories. “First we have the TraditionalEthnic Market, specific to a geographical location, stocking the items that Indian families would see in their homeland,truly authentic ethnic products.” Here price and a large selection are the primary concerns in purchasing and marketing.With a continuing increase in Indians immigrating to Canada, these markets are only going to thrive and grow.At Community Natural Foods in Calgary, with its Multi-Ethnic approach and commitment to providing unrefined and

organic foods, an increasing number of Indian Food products are being shelved. Nathan Froese, manager of the 61st



One of the first interactions a cus-tomer has with a grocery store isthrough the messaging presented

by the graphics and signs used. Thesetools offer retailers an opportunity todevelop rapport with consumers beforethey even enter a brick and mortar loca-tion. They create pleasing consumer expe-riences and build loyalty. And it startsfrom the outside in. “It starts from the front entrance,” says

Darren Norman, national account managerwith Eddie’s Hang-up Display Ltd. “Windowfront messaging is visible from outsidewhich draws customers into the store.” It creates an expectation for customers

starting the retail visit. How storesimplement signs and graphics will influencehow a customer experiences the store.Michael Vogler of Display People adds, “Two

critical elements of the user experience in agrocery retail environment are navigation andlayout. Graphics and signs can help achievethese elements. They are critical for attractingthe attention of shoppers.”

Be ClearCross-promoting products makes it

easy for consumers to try new products.“For example an information panel aboutnew soup mixes near the producerequired for that soup, make it easy forconsumers to try the soup mix,” suggestsNorman. “It’s about getting everyone totry and test something new.”“Colour helps the product or brand to be

easily identified,” says Vogler. In addition,he suggests retailers create guidelines tobalance corporate language with manu-facturer promotion. When done well itworks for both parties and the consumer.Functionally, signs create flow, directing

consumers to different areas to find theproducts they want. Properly managed,clear signage can also present shopperswith impulse purchase opportunities. “They create a perfect opportunity for

stores to sell or display the best brandsin the market, inviting shoppers tocontinue their loyalty with the store,”continues Vogler.

Norman agrees, adding “Clarity,including correct sizing and being easyto read are important. Know the rightbalance. Too much information canoverpower the customers.” “Shoppers will only notice signage and

graphics as long as they are clean, clearand not all over the place. Overwhelmingor excessive signage can be a bad thingfor the store deterring shoppers fromcoming back,” cautions Vogler.

Trending NowThere is no magic formula to signage.

Top things to consider include location,size, interchangeability, adjustability andsafety. Managers need to determine howbest to communicate store format. Acountry market-styled store will havedifferent messaging than a big box pricebuster location. “Style will vary with fonts and degree

of detail. Stores are not going to use thesame graphics to convey messages,”Norman observes.


Avenue SW location has seen his customersbranching out, trying new products anddiscovering how delicious Indian food canbe. “There’s definitely been an increase inthe demand for diversity in people’s foodswhile at the same time they are being muchmore cautious about what they’re eating. Isee Indian food being part of this trend withthe strong connections between vege-tarianism and the health food industry.”Rakesh Raniga, president and CEO at

Indianlife Food Corp. of Burnaby B.C.explains, “People are looking for healthyoptions, and all our traditional Indianfoods are natural and organic. As well,we offer many non-GMO certified items.”As consumers become increasingly awareof the health benefits of his products,Raniga is being approached more andmore by mainstream stores. “They arerealizing all the different foods that areavailable and how experiences arechanging people’s expectations.”Original Prema Chai, a young Canadian

company in Vancouver B.C., has enteredthis highly competitive, evolving marketwith its innovative Chai, an iconic Indiandrink that signifies love, respect andrelationship. Ariel Chu, the company’smarketing coordinator, is finding a strongresponse to their newly developed product.“We sell bottled ready-to-drink, tra-ditionally and locally brewed chai thatcomes in two flavours — original and Frenchvanilla. We see this product growing alongwith the trend in the market towards high

quality, healthy and authentic ingredients.” Canadian consumers are increasingly

taking the time to read labels, looking forno added sugar, no preservatives and non-GMO foods. If their local retailer doesn’tcarry these products, they are willing to gofarther afield to find them. Wong agrees,stating that 95 per cent of Tree of Lifenatural organic products are sold tomainstream customers coast to coast.“Superstore in Calgary has been doing thisfor many years with a large aisle thatcaters to the South Asian consumer butalso to the mainstream shopper looking forthe same products. And it has been verysuccessful in doing this.”Over the past few years, the ethnic food

aisle has become an expected groceryshopping location, appealing to moreworldly customers as well as variousgenerations of traditional Indianbackground. “Indian Food is becomingmore mainstream, with people who wereonce apprehensive about cooking Indiandishes wanting all the ingredients to trythem at home,” says Braham Teja of TejaFoods in Richmond B.C., a leading supplierof Indian foods in Canada. One of thecompany’s best sellers is their TejaPremium Basmati Rice, in high demand byboth ethnic and mainstream consumerslooking for the authentic India product.The company has recently introduced aGluten-free roti that is receiving verypositive feedback, adding to its IndianFood healthy choices reputation.

As well, Raniga sees Indianlife Foodsbecoming a larger part of the Canadianfood landscape. “People travel more, theyare more globally aware and curious; theywant to create Indian Food cuisine, butthat can be difficult if it’s not yourtradition. We’ve had great success withour authentic sauces and chutneys, itemsthat help them enjoy the process.” Wong believes these types of sauces

are important crossovers from ethnic intothe mainstream market. “We carryfamous East Indian sauces such asSharwoods, a popular U.K. brand ofIndian cooking sauce. We import it to beable to offer authentic Indian tasteexperiences.” He sees the same patternof growth in their Tea India, previouslypurchased mainly by ethnic customers.“Many retailers have developed specificethnic food sections, but they also needto consider integrating some productsthroughout the store as various foodsmove out of the specialty realm and intoeveryday consumer needs.”That’s a strategy that the SE Millrise

Sobeys store in Calgary has beenfinding successful for several years,carrying a variety of pre-bottled Indiansauces for those customers wanting totry something new but not quite readyto create recipes from scratch. In thepast year, Karolyn MacDonald, A LaCarte Food Clerk, has been offeringIndian food products for ready-to-makemeals along with selections that arehot and ready to go. “We keep someproducts such as butter chicken in arefrigerated area, but we also sellindividual Indian meals in the deli withtraditional naan breads nearby as acomplement.” The customer responsehas been positive, a good introductionto the many possibilities available inthe Indian Food section.As Indian Foods become everyday

choices, retailers need to expand productsinto the area of ready-made foods. PremaChai with a 90-day shelf life can be kept ina cooler up front for easy access or at thejuice/protein shake aisle promoting itsconvenient health benefits. By informing themselves and their

customers of the health benefits of manyIndian Foods, of how to explore differentcultures and tastes and add convenienceto an active lifestyle, retailers will beready to ride the wave of Canada’sexciting multicultural community. ●

SIGNAGE & GRAPHICS

By Karen D. Crowdis


www.eddies.com1-877-433-3437

Canada’s most recognized name in merchandising solutions.


You’ve got your shoppers through thedoor. You know the potential forunplanned purchases to increase

sales is vast. But how do you convert shop-pers into impulse buyers? There’s no magicwand, but with advice from top product mar-keters, it’s an attainable goal.While marketers and retailers are faced with

time-poor shoppers who spend an average ofonly 30 minutes in the store, the shoppersthemselves are on your side. A Mass MarketShopper Engagement Study conducted byPOPAI (Point of Purchase AdvertisingInternational) in 2014, found that shoppersuse little pre-store media to plan their trip,that few make a shopping list and mostoverestimate the amount of money they’llspend on a trip. All of this culminates in upto 62 per cent of purchases being unplanned.What are shoppers most likely to buy on

impulse? Greg Coles, category shopperdevelopment leader for Nestle Canada, says,“Confectionery is one of the most impulsivecategories in the retail environment andoffers retailers the unique opportunity bydisplaying an item that is not on mostshopping lists, but is certainly found inmost homes. Purchase is triggered simplyby seeing the product.” Coles explains thatsingle chocolate bars have the right size,price and broadest variety to engageconsumers. Not surprisingly, they also havethe highest weekly purchase rate.Coles has also found that innovation is

driving sales within confectionery. “So whileit is important to display the best items in thebest locations, retailers should also leverageinnovation to convert shoppers. Consumerslove trying new products and a chocolate baris a low risk, impulsive purchase.”James Quinlan, senior manager of shopper

marketing at Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada,


Recent trends include making efficientin-store price changes. Items like ticketmoldings, and miracle sticks are popularchoices. They stick on and peel off easilyleaving original price tickets intact forquick changes between sales. “Packaging that stays in tact on the

shelf is another trend in store signageand graphics. Boxes that cut awayleaving brand information on work well

to keep product aligned on the shelfwhile allowing brand identification,”continues Norman. Vogler notes that large overhead graphics

are favoured because “they are efficient atorganizing and categorizing large areas andcontribute to corporate identity.” Signagestaples like aisle invaders, pop ups and floordisplays continue to be popular and allhave the power of creating unique

experiences for shoppers. Technology items include LED lighting,

digital and motion activated products.They are always operational to garnerattention, but can require significantresources to maintain and may loseappeal as they permeate the market.

New DesignNew stores are designing sign flexibility

into layout with graphic supports includedin construction. Eddie’s Hang-Ups hasincluded push button mechanisms thatfacilitate incredibly fast sign changeover.While Display People has noticed that newstores are often using signage to create theircorporate identity and a better shoppingexperience with easier navigation. Existing stores can “catch up” with sign

trends. “The incorporation of modular ornew functional gondola fixtures is the

beginning of the transformation,” saysVogler. That can be followed up withadditional graphics and colour schemes toregenerate interest in a store. Norman also adds that stores “can

invest in bringing graphic support up toa certain level.” He suggests moving tocued checkout lineup procedures canstreamline things for shoppers whilepromoting impulse purchases in a singlelocation increasing sales.Signs are the first interaction with

shoppers and can create positive in-storeexperiences. Graphic products arechanging to keep up with changingshopper habits. Managed well, graphicsoffer stores an opportunity to build salesand shopper loyalty. ●

IMPULSE BUYS

By Korina Miller

The Right HeightT & T Supermarkets saves time tohang sign holders with the EasySlide adjusting cables from Eddie’sHang-Up Display Ltd. With a pushof a button the cables adjust downor up for quick height adjustments.Easy Slide eliminates the need forhigh reach equipment.



displayed out of aisle, has impacted overallperformance. “Don’t make your store toosterile. Tastefully merchandised off shelfdisplays can drive incremental sales, profitand consumer satisfaction. One of my oldbosses used to call it: Placing Merchandisein Danger of Being Purchased.”

Other strategies that encourage impulsepurchases include offering online orin-store recipes. Ensuring stores arewell-equipped for impulse opportunities isalso vital; strong display theatre, drinkcoolers near the checkout and effectivecross-merchandising are all importantin increasing unplanned purchases.“Understanding how shoppers think iscritical; the more we can understand whatshoppers are demanding,the better we can offersolutions to satisfy them,”say Quinlan. “We knowthat Canadian consumerslike to pair the food theylove with beverages theylove.” Pairings need tomake sense — chipswith pop, coffee withchocolate, and nuts orhealthy alternativesnext to candy.

Morello also advises marrying upprice points, making it easier tocommunicate and promote a variety ofproducts. “As an example, the U.S. hasbeen running 10 for $10 ads for a fewyears now rather than the traditional$1 ads we have been running in Canada.Another example may be pasta sauce at$2 and merchandising egg noodles,pesto, bread sticks and bruschettaaround the display, all at the $2 pricepoint. One item may be a loss leader, butthe others have margin and complementthe pasta sauce to help build the basket

and blend margins, while offering theconsumer a meal preparation solutionthat is more complete.”“Successfully capturing impulse buys

relies on having the right packageavailable at an attractive price in areaswith high traffic,” concludes Quinlan. “Itneeds to be within arm’s reach of theshopper to trigger the impulse sales,” saysColes. Strategically positioned displays.Well-known and innovative products.Sensible cross-merchandising. You’ve gotyour shoppers through the door. Youknow how to turn them into buyers. ●


agrees that immediate consumptionpackage sizes are the ones most likely to bebought on impulse. “Though, in truth,even our larger, take home packages attracta large impulse purchase component.”While confections are a high impulse

purchase, Anthony Morello, president ofAurora Importing & Distributing, reveals,“We are also seeing tremendous pick up onmany snacking items that are healthier,like dried figs, ready to eat nuts and evenready to eat sundried tomatoes.” Anotherarea of impulse growth are seasonal itemsthat are gaining momentumyear round — items likepanettone or Italian breadsticks. “Many of theseitems are found to beextremely vogue today,as more people arelooking for interestingnew foods that taste greatand are better for you,while fulfilling that in-dulgent, exotic craving.”According to POPAI, the

top planned grocery categories are freshvegetables, fresh fruit, and dairyproducts. Convincing a shopper to buyimpulsively in these categories is muchmore difficult and is most often attainedthrough well-displayed bargains.Not surprisingly, product placement is

vital to increasing opportunities forimpulse buying. POPAI found thatdisplays increase sales by 1.4 times. Withshort trips, most shoppers stay on theperimeter of the stores and so end of aisledisplays and product placement in check-

out areas remain high impactlocations. “Front end represents thelargest opportunity to confectionery,”explains Coles. “Having confectionerydisplays in high traffic areasaround the perimeter of thestore will convert moreshoppers into buyers.” Quinlan agrees. “The check-

out area still has the advantageof being the spot closest towhere shoppers are making theirfinal purchase decisions and

remains the strongest performingimpulse location in-store for Coca-Cola beverages. It is a location that

has both high traffic and high dwelltime.” However, he also concedes that,“other perimeter locations can be just asvaluable. The modern shopper is oftenshopping the perimeter of the store only.In a traditional grocery store, shopperstypically funnel through a transitionpoint between the produce section andthe rest of the store.” Quinlan believesthis is a great product placement location.Morello feels that for impulse purchases,

“any off shelf display works well andseems to convey an image of value.” Hebelieves store policies to have cleaner, lesscluttered floors and fewer products

Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada knows thatimmediate consumption package sizes aremost likely to be bought on impulse.

Aurora Importing &Distributing notes thathealthier snacking itemsare also seeing a growth inimpulse purchases.

Nestle Canada notes that confectionery is one of the mostimpulsive categories in retail.

Up to 62 per centof purchases areunplanned.

60 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM 61

in the baginthe

bag What’s new & improved in the grocery aisle

A. Lassonde Inc .......................................................................49Abcd NestlÈ Canada Inc ........................................................50American Peanut Council ......................................................15Aurora Importing & Distributing ................................. 58, 59Biro Manufacturing Company .............................................46Bruce & Clark ...........................................................................50C.B Powell .................................................................................... 7Carlton Cards Ltd ............................................................... 18, 21CFIG ......................................................................................... 11, 12Concord National .................................................................... 34Discovery Organics ................................................................IFC

Dr. Oetker Canada................................................................... 38Eddie’s Hang-Up Display Ltd................................................ 56Elias Honey ................................................................................ 16Ellis Packaging........................................................................ IBCEtalex ..........................................................................................56Falesca Importing ................................................................ OBCFlexstar Packaging Inc ............................................................ 31GBS Foodservice Equipment Ltd........................................... 3General Mills Cda...................................................................... 17Guru Lucky Snacks ................................................................. 52H&R Transport .........................................................................29Hallmark Canada .....................................................................23Harvest Fraser Richmond Organics Ltd ............................22Iceberg Cold Storage Ltd. .....................................................44

Indianlife Food Corporation ..................................................52Italpasta Ltd. .............................................................................26Kruger Products ......................................................................24National Confectioner’s Association ....................................9Original Prema Chai Inc ........................................................54Pinnacle Foods Canada Corporation ..................................41Polar Industries Ltd ................................................................44Retail Council of Canada ......................................................... 8Sellers Publishing ....................................................................20SIAL Canada .............................................................................42Sofina Foods .............................................................................43Sun-Rype Products Ltd ..........................................................35Tetra Pak Canada Inc .............................................................33 Valhalla Distribution Ltd .......................................................34

Advertisers Index

Introducing New AERO Truffle Tablet Bars!The new AERO Truffle tablet bars bring the unique, light, bubbly, melt in mouth experience of Aero,

along with the combination of a decadent Truffle filling to enhance the chocolate occasion. Availablein Milk Chocolate Truffle and Vanilla Truffle flavours.

Contact your Local Nestlé representative for more information.

Aurora Mediterranean TeasThis line of teas offers a Mediterranean experience here in Canada. Sicilian Lemon and Blood Orange

herbal tea are wonderful served hot but are also suitable for making iced tea. Digestive herbal tea (contain-ing anise seed, peppermint, liquorice root and chamomile) is a tea that is often consumed

before and or after a meal. Aurora Importing & Distributing Ltd. - www.auroraimporting.com

Goodtimes Introduces LunchMatesGoodtimes Brand Inc. now offers retailers in private label colourful plastic spoons perfect for kids of all ages! Easy re-

usable package to get your disposable spoons for yogurt, ice cream, desserts and much more… These spoons areFUN to have for parties, camping, barbecues to put a smile on your face! The pack includes 60 x 5” plastic spoons,which is also available on a pre-loaded clip strip merchandise solution. www.goodtimesbrand.com

Mayacamas Introduces three New Gluten Free mixes!Our all natural, gluten free products contain no hydrogenated oils / trans fats. Mayacamas has

introduced three new gluten free mixes, White Cheddar Sauce Mix, Mushroom Sauce Mix and TacoSeasoning Mix. Additionally, all of our products are vegetarian. For thoseof you, who are gluten intolerant, please see our list of gluten free itemsfor great tasting products for the whole family.

Contact your local Tree of Life sales representative for more information

New Mango & Coconut Sparkling Pressé from Bottlegreen!From family gatherings to birthday celebrations, from anniversaries to wedding parties, Bottlegreen’s sparkling

drinks are the perfectly delicious non-alcoholic drink for you and your guests. Simple serve Bottlegreen on its own,over ice — or get creative and make a cocktail or two. Bottlegreen’s new Mango & Coconut Sparkling Pressé is a trop-ical combination of sweet mango and mild coconut water, expertly blended with lightly sparkling water resulting in a

light, balanced and refreshing soft drink.Contact your local Tree of Life sales representative for more information.

Goodtimes To Go KitGoodtimes Brand Inc. now offers retailers in private label the perfect cups, lids, straws product perfect for kids of all ages!

The Goodtimes to-go kit brings cups, straws and lids together for fewer spills and less mess — so you can take your favouritebeverages along for the ride. Durable, high-quality single-use cups are perfect for any occasion. Multi-layer construction forrigidity, our cups don’t absorb liquid and resist cracking. Perfect for water, sodas juices & much more. To-GO Kit Includes:15 x Cups (9oz/266ml); 15 x Straws; 15 x Lids www.goodtimesbrand.com

Allessia Organic GrainsFarro and Einkorn it’s older cousin are super grains that have been around since biblical

times and have remained in their natural state without genetic tampering. Together withNerone Black Rice, Aurora provides the health-conscious consumer with these healthy solu-tions from Italy to make soups, stews, risottos that can also be milled into flours for baking.

Aurora Importing & Distributing Ltd. www.auroraimporting.com

Allessia Zuppa Now AvailableZuppa, Italian for soup, is another offering from Aurora that offers consumers a quick solution for

healthy eating. Just add water and simmer your way to Spelt Soup with Porcini Mushrooms, BarleySoup with Vegetables or Hearty Soup with Vegetables. Winners of the American Graphic DesignAward for packaging, these soups have a clean ingredient deck and show us Aurora’s commitmentto providing solutions to eat well. Aurora Importing & Distributing Ltd. - www.auroraimporting.com

New from Hippie FoodsThe big hunger for Hippie Foods’ delicious, nutritious and organic Coconut Chips has

spawned two irresistible new flavours from Burnaby, B.C.-based Left Coast Naturals: Tamari &Cracked Pepper and Coconut Bacon. “We like snacks as much as the next guy or gal, but wedon’t like our snacks to be full of empty calories and junk, and we don’t want to regret eatingthem almost as soon as we finish them,” says Ian Walker, president and founder of Left Coast

Naturals. “So we use healthy ingredients to create crisp, satisfying chips that leave us feeling well-nourished, too.” Sold in 56g bags, Hippie Foods’Coconut Chips are a handcrafted, nutritionally dense snack food that makes you feel great about your choice, even as you’re saying, “Mmmm…meat-free bacon.” Natural hickory smoke flavour, organic maple syrup, organic tamari soy sauce and roasted organic coconut make for a sensa-tionally tasty, crunchy, gluten-free, vegan snack food in Hippie Foods’ Coconut Bacon. You can also use these delicious treats on top of salads,soups, stir-fries — even on ice cream or sorbetto for a savoury counterpoint to your sweets.

Introducing New KIT KAT Tablet Bars!The No. 1 chocolate brand enters the growing tablet format with a differentiated offering to

address the evolving consumer needs for sharing occasions. KIT KAT tablet bars have 11 fingers toshare and are available in 3 flavours: Classic Milk, Mint and Cookies Cream.

Contact your Local Nestlé representative for more information.

Ocean’s New Tuna Salads: Perfect, Convenient Mealsfor People on the Go!

Ocean’s tuna salads come in five variants to suit almost any taste: Spanish, Italian, Greek, andnow new flavours Mediterranean and Thai. Ocean’s salads are convenient and ready to eat asthey come in an easy pull tab can with a spoon and napkin.

For further information, email: [email protected] or visit www.oceanbrands.com.

New Aurora BrothsCreated by Aurora to complement their line of tremendously successful bouillon cubes, these broths

come in a 900ml tetra pack with a screw cap for clean and easy usage. Canadian made and containingno preservatives, no artificial flavours, and no added MSG, and are also fat free and gluten free. Aurorahas launched four varieties to start: Beef, Vegetable, Chicken and Chicken with No Added Salt.

Aurora Importing & Distributing Ltd. - www.auroraimporting.com

St Dalfour Launches New Chestnut Flavour Ahead of the Holidays St Dalfour’s gourmet spreads have launched their first new flavour in almost five years. This latest addition to the growing

sweet spreads category provides a rich source of dietary fibre, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and potassium. Roast-ed to perfection, chestnut goes well with toast or morning pancakes as well as many other uses. St Dalfour spreads areimported from France and are naturally sweetened with grape juice. When sampled recently at the Quebec City “Salon de laFemme”, there was enormous interest from the foodie demographic in attendance.

Contact your local National Importers representative for more information, or call 1-888-894-6464.

Leading Experts of Quality and Service in Paperboard Packaging. Investing for the Future, Today.

RETAIL COLLABORATION By Jeff Doucette

Jeff Doucette is the founder of “Field Agent Canada” an iPhone-driven audit service that is revolutionizing how retail audits and mystery shops are completed in Canada. He can be reached at [email protected]


Arecent report authored by theUniversity of Guelph FoodInstitute predicted that food

inflation would be in the two-fourper cent range for 2016, meaningthat the average Canadian house-hold will see their food bill grow by$345 (including restaurants).The main culprits in driving up food

prices next year are predicted to bemeats, fruits and nuts and vegetables.We all know that consumers have

a limited household budget tospend so the risk is that consumerswill actually pare back their foodbudget or find ways to make cuts sothat they can maintain theirstandard of living.Additionally, with upheaval in

many parts of Western Canada dueto low oil prices, consumers arelikely going to be more frugal asthey roam the aisles of grocerystores in 2016.This likely sounds like bad news for

our industry but there are ways thatsuppliers and retailers can actuallyhelp consumers save and also driveincremental profitable sales.

Eat at Home MoreIn the grocery business we are

fighting the war for “share ofstomach”. Consumers eat food theyprepare at home and food theypurchase “on-the-go” outside thehome. Every time a consumer ordersfood from a restaurant, grocers arelosing share-of-stomach.One of the best ways that grocers

can help consumers fight foodinflation is to help consumers eatmeals that are prepared at home,

including meals that are prepared athome but eaten outside the home.Home Meal Replacement (HMR) is

definitely part of the solution.Often prepared meals purchasedat a supermarket are less expen-sive than those purchased at arestaurant, offering a savings and again in share of stomach. The challenge for HMR operators

is to go beyond pizza and barbecuechickens in order to align theoffering to meet the changing tastesand food preferences of Canadians.Retailers need to spend more timedeveloping meal solutions thatfollow the food trends that we see inrestaurants as well as creatingoptions that are healthier than whatis offered today.For those of you who have visited

Whole Foods stores, you will have asense of where HMR must evolve inorder to be relevant on a weekly /daily basis vs. a fill-in option whenMom is too busy to cook.Last year, the American fast

casual chain Olive Garden had aunique promotion where theconsumer could purchase an entréeto eat this evening and then theywould get a free meal to take homeas tomorrow’s lunch. If theconsumer is coming into your storeto buy dinner tonight, how canyou get them to also buy theirlunch for tomorrow — stealingshare of stomach from quick servicerestaurants located across town?Additionally, creating meal solu-

tions that encourage and make iteasy for consumers to cook moremeals at home is an important tactic.

This is especially important asconsumers are time-starved. Publixsupermarkets in the US has createda “one-stop-shop” in its freshdepartments where consumers canfind a weekly recipe option that iseasy to make and all the ingredientsare brought from all over the storeand merchandised on one display.

Less Food WasteIn late 2014, Value Chain Mana-

gement International reported that$14.6 billion of food is wasted byindividuals in Canada each year. Helpingconsumers waste less of the food thatthey purchase is a great cause forretailers to champion. It providessavings for the consumer and manypositive impacts for the environment.Educating consumers on preserving

food at home, offering a range of foodpreservation products in-store andreducing the dependence on “multi-buy” promotions in the retail mix canbuild good will between retailers andis simply the right thing to do.We wish you great success in

2016 and we are looking forward towhat the new year will bring ourindustry! ●

Turn Higher Food PricesInto Higher Store SalesPrices are trending up in 2016 but you can help consumers save big.

Documents

New WG Jan/Feb 05 - part 1 - Western Grocerwesterngrocer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/WG-JAN-FEB... · 2016. 2. 9. · market expected to stabilize. 27 Seventy and Just Started