A Christmas cracker!

With the most wonderful time of the year upon us once again, decking your aisles with Ireland’s bestselling brands is essential to maximise your sales potential. Read on to ensure you are stocking the right product mix guaranteed to spread a little festive joy during Christmas 2023

Brand Central

5 December 2023

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As any retailer will tell you, Christmas is an absolutely vital sales period and indeed, last year’s Kantar data demonstrates major growth during the Christmas season. Take-home grocery sales in Ireland increased by 10% in the four weeks to 25 December 2022 as the average price per pack soared 13% and visits to store increased by 7%, according to Kantar’s data. The first Christmas since 2019 with no Covid-19 restrictions saw shoppers spend an additional €119m, making it a record-breaking month with sales of €1.3bn, and the strongest growth since February 2021.

A significant increase in average price per pack saw shoppers spend an additional €95.31 compared to the same time in 2022. However, Kantar noted that while value sales were up 6.7%, grocery price inflation was the real driving factor behind this.

“Christmas was certainly different this year. Even though 46.5% of buyers claimed they would spend less than previous years, the cost-of-living crisis didn’t stop Irish families from looking for ways to keep spirits high, with the average shopper spending €58 more on groceries during December than they did last year,” said Emer Healy, Kantar business development manager, commenting on the Christmas 2022 results.

Nearly half of the population stocked up on festive treats on Friday, 23 December, the busiest shopping day of the year, with €94.4m going through the tills. This was €8.6m more than the busiest trading day in 2021 (Thursday, 23 December).

Sales of festive treats or niceties such as chocolate, cheese and paté rose by 9.9% and mince pies by 15.5%, but all declined in volume terms. Wine bucked the trend with shoppers spending an additional €13.3m year-on-year with strong volume growth of 7.3%. Smaller Christmas gatherings in 2020 and 2021 led to more households opting for rolled turkey, but in 2022, 25,000 more households tucked into whole turkeys, reflecting the 32% of buyers that planned on having 5-7 people for Christmas dinner.

During December, sales of cold and flu products, as well as household cleaners, also grew as Irish shoppers spent an additional €828,000 on cold treatments and €547,000 on vitamins. A restriction-free Christmas also meant that more people were hosting others and cleaning their homes, resulting in shoppers spending an additional €6.8m on household and cleaning products.

Do more in-store this Christmas

For Christmas stamps, email your order to aprs.orders@anpost.ie or call 1800 300 150

PostPoint is a wholly owned subsidiary of An Post, offering retailers the opportunity to provide a comprehensive range of convenient and essential services in-store.

Top of the list for PostPoint retailers this Christmas are stamps and One4all gift cards. These products, exclusive to An Post, encourage impulse purchases and drive additional footfall to your store. Christmas stamps first went on sale on 2 November. Email your order to aprs.orders@anpost.ie or call 1800 300 150.

Christmas will come early this year for some lucky retailers. PostPoint is giving retailers the opportunity to enter various competitions in the lead-up to Christmas. The latest iPhone 15, Playstation 5 and €500 One4all gift cards up for grabs. Keep an eye out for correspondence from PostPoint and follow the group on social media to find out how you can win.

TFI Leap was added to the PostPoint range of services in May of this year. Customers can now purchase tickets and top-up Leap cards in PostPoint outlets nationwide. Customers everywhere can now avail of the convenience and savings to be made on Ireland’s urban and rural link transport network with TFI Leap.

Transform your store into a destination hub and offer customers the facility to pay their bills, top up their phone or Leap card and even pick up and return their online shopping. All Postpoint services are backed up with comprehensive marketing support throughout the year.

PostPoint would like to wish all its retailers a Happy and Busy Christmas Season and thank you for your support throughout the year.

Give the gift of bliss

Lindt Lindor has strengthened its position as the number one boxed chocolate brand in the Irish market. €1 in every €5 spent on a box of chocolates in Ireland is spent on a Lindor box,* proving that Lindt Lindor continues to be a must-stock for retailers in 2023.

Lindt Lindor Festive Edition Milk and Assorted Chocolate Truffles (200g) are the ideal addition to any gathering for sharing and gifting

Lindt Lindor’s success comes not only from the much-loved classic Lindor milk recipe but also through its continual innovations to the market that are guaranteed to excite and delight your shoppers.

Gifting couldn’t be easier this Christmas with new Lindor Festive Edition Milk and Assorted Chocolate Truffles (200g). It’s the same iconic Lindor boxes and taste, but with a new enchanting, sparkly and festive packaging. These seasonal special edition boxes are the ideal addition to any gathering for sharing and gifting. Discover an irresistible selection of smooth Milk, decadent White, rich Extra Dark and crunchy Hazelnut chocolates in the Lindor Assorted box or choose Milk Chocolate for that creamy, melt-in-the-mouth smooth chocolate experience; it’s total bliss.

Get into the festive spirit with new limited-edition Lindor Irish Cream Truffles (200g). Their creamy filling contains the finest milk chocolate with an irresistibly smooth melting Irish Cream filling which provides the ultimate indulgence.

As market leaders, Lindt will deliver a massively up weighted national support plan this Christmas behind the Lindor brand, with Lindor TV advertising returning to your screens from October and a strong push in-store with premium point of sale and display.

The Lindt Lindor Assorted Selection Box (227g) offers a selection of the most iconic Lindor products

With a format for every occasion, give your shoppers the gift of bliss this Christmas: Lindor from Lindt!

Also new from Lindt this festive season, bring Teddy to life with Lindt’s new and innovative Teddy Augmented Reality Advent Calendar 250g. Through the use of a QR code, your customers can join Teddy on a new adventure behind every door; a heart-warming and enchanting tale that encapsulates the magic of Christmas. The Lindt Teddy AR Advent Calendar will include 24 of the finest Lindt milk chocolates, including the iconic Lindt Teddy (100g) with his unique and magical heart charm.

The Lindt Lindor Milk Selection Box (234g) is made by Lindt’s master chocolatiers using the finest ingredients

The Lindt Teddy AR Advent Calendar is the must-have festive gift this season; spreading joy, creating memories, experiencing an enchanting story, and of course, enjoying chocolate.

Lindt will continue to give the gift of bliss, this Christmas with the Lindor Milk Selection Box (234g) and Lindor Assorted Selection Box (227g). Discover a selection of the most iconic Lindor products — from tempting truffles and heavenly hearts to irresistibly smooth chocolate bars — all made by master chocolatiers using the finest ingredients. The perfect gift to delight loved ones, or oneself, this Christmas.

So, whether your customers are travelling to see family, visiting friends, or treating loved ones or themselves at home this festive season, it wouldn’t be Christmas without Lindt.

*(Source: Nielsen: Total Market: Ttl Scantrack ROI (excluding discounters) data to 10/09/2023)

The cream that makes Christmas!

Don’t forget Avonmore Cream this Christmas! Avonmore’s festive cream range includes fresh pouring cream and ready to serve whipped cream: the perfect accompaniments for all your shoppers’ Christmas needs.

Avonmore’s festive flavours will be available to stores from early December, including Avonmore Fresh Pouring Cream, Avonmore Freshly Whipped Cream, Avonmore Brandy Whipped Cream, Baileys Whipped Cream, and the new limited-edition Avonmore Salted Caramel Whipped Cream.

For some delicious, festive recipe inspiration, check out avonmore.ie which features a wide selection of Christmas starters, main courses and desserts as well as treats and festive drinks.

Avonmore Cream is the number one branded cream in the Irish market, with 33% category share*.

*(Source: Nielsen Scantrack, 52 w/e 30 July 2023, value)

Skyrocket your senses!

With a 16.6% share of the market, KP Nuts is Ireland’s number one branded nut

Quality has always been at the heart of KP Nuts, so it is little wonder that they will be included in the nation’s trolleys for the Christmas season. KP continues to hold the number one branded nut position with a 16.6% share of the market*.

When looking for a tasty snack to wind down with at the end of the day, consumers are seeking out crunchy textures. KP continues to innovate and has brought KP Flavour Kravers to the market in exciting flavours. Flame Grilled Steak is a fired-up barbecue of bangin’ beefy, mouth-watering flavour, while Smokin’ Paprika is a fun-packed fiesta of peppery punch and smokey flavour. Get ready for something that torpedoes your tastebuds, skyrockets your senses and seriously livens up your day. The range is high in fibre, a source of protein and suitable for vegetarians.

Throughout November, KP is live across digital and static out-of-home (OOH) sites, celebrating the full KP range including its latest hot product, KP Flavour Kravers.

*(Source: Nielsen MAT Value Sales 08 October 2023, Nuts)

Dreaming of a white (chocolate flake) Christmas?

With a proven track record in-store, the Butlers Chocolates range is supported by a quick turnaround on orders

Butlers Chocolates, Ireland’s premier family-owned firm dedicated to the craft of exceptional chocolate making, has Christmas chocolate indulgence all wrapped up and filled to the brim with gorgeous chocolates that exceed expectations.

For a luxury chocolate gift that hits all the sweetest notes, Butlers Ballotins are a must-stock premium Irish-made chocolate gift. Available in three sizes (160g, 320g and 480g featuring, 12, 24 and 36 chocolates respectively), the beautifully gift-wrapped boxes showcase a carefully curated selection of classic Butlers favourites, guaranteed to please. The irresistible selection inside each box includes white chocolate Raspberry Heart, dark chocolate Intense Truffle and seasonal favourites including Marzipan and Orange Crunch.

Also available is The Chocolate Collection by Butlers – an iconic chocolate assortment featuring a stylish and contemporary selection of chocolate truffles, pralines and caramels in 185g and 300g sizes – a perfect chocolate gift for everyone on the nice list. Presented in a smart lid and base box, the box is embellished with a bronze and gold foil art deco print sleeve with a hoop cut-out.

Taking chocolate indulgence to the next level, Butlers also produces an extensive range of beautifully co-ordinated large 180g and 100g solid chocolate bars in a variety of decadent flavours such as White Mixed Berry, Milk Salted Caramel, Mint Crunch and also vegan friendly options of Dark Almond & Orange and 70% Cocoa. Each bar features striking on-pack iconography highlighting Butlers responsible manufacturing practices of using recyclable packaging, sustainably sourced cocoa, vegetarian ingredients and no palm oil. Also called out on front of pack is solar power, as the Butlers factory is home to one of the largest solar roof installations on an industrial premises in Ireland.

With a proven track record in-store, supported by a quick turnaround on orders and direct supply from the factory in north Dublin, it’s never too late to stock up on or place additional orders for Butlers Chocolates this festive season! Email the team at sales@butlers.ie for details on these or any of our other lines.

Baking up fabulous treats

From savoury to sweet, Cuisine de France has a range of delectable treats to adorn your shoppers’ tables this Christmas

Each year at Cuisine de France, the team creates the most delicious festive treats on the market, and this year is no different. Cuisine de France researches and understands its consumers so that it can put the best quality products and ingredients on their tables. Cuisine de France has developed a range of products from savoury to sweet that will suit people on the go while also catering to those festive gatherings with family and friends.

This year, Cuisine de France has introduced five new products that are sure to be Christmas essentials this festive period, including:

Date, Honey & Walnut Bloomer

Packed with dates and lightly spiced; this is the perfect bread for a cheeseboard or to make the ultimate toasted glazed ham sandwich.

Classic Sweet Mince Pie

Scrumptious shortcrust pastry bursting with rich fruits, juicy sultanas, sweet currants and mixed spice: So good Mrs. Claus wants the recipe!

Festive Sausage Roll

Light pastry wrapped around a pork filled sausage roll that is flavoured with herbs and finished with Ballymaloe cranberry sauce.

Retailers will have the chance to maximise your sales this Christmas with the new Cuisine de France festive products. You can learn more about the products at www.aryzta.ie or speak to your local business developer.

Inclusive design

NaviLens technology enables blind and partially sighted people to shop independently for their favourite Pringles flavours

NaviLens technology has been added to Pringles cans in Ireland to make them more accessible to blind and partially sighted people.

The new packaging will allow a smartphone to easily detect the unique on-pack code and playback labelling information to the shopper with sight loss. NaviLens first appeared on some Pringles varieties from 1 November, with the full rollout to be completed by the end of 2024.

The move from Kellanova – the new name for the company that owns Pringles and Kellogg’s – comes after the success of the addition of NaviLens to Kellogg’s brands in 2022, which has appeared on over 750 cereal boxes.

Kellanova, the owner of Pringles and Kellogg’s, was the first food company in the world to use NaviLens on packaging

Many other brands have since followed Kellogg’s lead, with NaviLens technology now appearing on numerous well-known products.

The idea came after the company met with pupils from St Vincent’s in 2019, a specialist school in Liverpool for children with sensory impairment. It was the pupils’ insights that inspired the business to look for solutions to make its packaging more accessible. Important information, such as allergens, can often only be found in small print making it impossible for blind or partially sighted people to read.

This solution came in the form of the NaviLens code, which allows smartphones to pick up the on-pack code from up to three metres distance when a shopper points their device in the direction of the product. The user does not need to know exactly where the code is located to scan it.

When the phone senses the NaviLens code, it is alerted. From here, the shopper can choose to have ingredients, allergen and recycling information read aloud to them – as well as reading it on their device using accessibility tools.

Kellanova’s design director, Pete Matthews, says: “Following the success of adding NaviLens to our cereal packaging last year, we are now really pleased to feature this technology on our iconic Pringles cans. This provides equal access to important information on-pack and enables blind and partially sighted people to shop independently for their favourite Pringles flavours.

“We were the first food company in the world to use NaviLens on packaging and have been delighted to see many global brands follow our lead. It continues our movement for inclusive design and helps fulfil our purpose to ‘create a place at the table for everyone’.”

A true Christmas classic

The Jacob’s Elite range has an option to delight every family member this Christmas

Christmas is all about spending time with loved ones, sharing special moments, and choosing gifts that will make them smile. Jacob’s has been delighting taste buds for generations, and this Christmas season is no exception. Whether your shoppers are on the hunt for a present for their partner, best friend, mum, or the neighbour who always takes in your deliveries when they’re not home, Jacob’s is a perfect gift to show how much they’re appreciated.

Jacob’s Elite range is sure to be a favourite this Christmas. Your shoppers can choose from Elite Chocolate Mikado, Elite Chocolate Tea Cakes, Elite Kimberley and our new Elite Favourites tin, which includes Jacob’s timeless Chocolate Kimberley, the classic Chocolate Tea Cake, and delicious Chocolate Dreams.

The All Butter Shortbread and Belgian Biscuit selections have also launched for this Christmas and are sure to become festive family favourites. The All Butter Shortbread Selection is a delicious assortment of original, chocolate chip and salted caramel shortbread biscuits.

The Belgian Biscuit Selection has a mix of plain and chocolate coated biscuits, made with milk, dark and white Belgian chocolate.

Alongside its classic Afternoon Tea and USA selections, Jacob’s has something for everyone!

Wholesome turkey alternative

Following on from its sell-out success last year, Irish meatless meat brand Thanks Plants has launched its Festive Roast for 2023 which is crammed with Christmas flavours and available from a wider range of stockists.

With almost 30% of Irish people choosing either a flexitarian (16%), vegetarian (9%) or vegan (2%) diet*, there is a requirement to offer more than the traditional turkey and ham at Christmas in order to satisfy the tastes of all diners at the table. The Thanks Plants Festive Roast it ideal for this, an artisan product made from premium wholesome ingredients, it’s bursting with delicious flavours and is the perfect alternative to a stuffed turkey crown.

The Festive Roast features a delicious gourmet stuffing made with mushrooms, chestnuts and cranberries. The meatless meat part is a mix of seitan flour, pearl barley, cannellini beans, vegetables, herbs and spices. Thanks Plants founder Aisling Cullen recommends basting the Festive Roast with a glaze that is one part maple syrup, one part olive oil and one part soya sauce and serving it with all the traditional trimmings.

“More and more Irish people are choosing to reduce their consumption of meat so this is an ideal product to serve alongside the traditional turkey and ham. It also works great as leftovers – just like a turkey or ham sandwich,” Cullen says.

The Festive Roast retails at €19.95 and at 1kg serves 5-6 people. It is available online from www.thanksplants.co and in select SuperValu stores and independent retailers from mid-November. Tesco will stock the Festive Roast from the first week of December.

‘For the ones you really know’

Featuring some of the world’s best loved dessert recipes, Lily O’Brien’s Desserts Collection and is available in two box sizes: 16 chocolates and a larger 30 chocolates box

A gift of Lily O’Brien’s chocolates is ideal for your customers to show friends and family how much they know and love them this Christmas. Made in Ireland and crafted with Lily O’Brien’s signature chocolate, this mouth-wateringly delicious range is the perfect choice for gifting and sharing this Christmas.

Lily O’Brien’s is the largest of the Irish brands in the premium box chocolate market in Ireland and is the second largest brand overall in the total premium box chocolate category. (Source: Nielsen MAT Dec 2022). From the bestselling decadently indulgent Desserts Collection, the Ultimate Chocolate Collection, the Exquisite collection and the most recently launched Truffles range, Lily O’Brien’s has the perfect product range to suit your shoppers’ needs this Christmas.

Lily O’Brien’s Ultimate Chocolate Collection is stylishly presented and ideal for impulse gifting opportunities

Firm family favourites with Irish shoppers and ranked in the top five premium chocolate collections (Source Nielsen MAT December 2022), the iconic Desserts Collection and the Ultimate Chocolate Collection are must-stock items for Christmas 2023. The Desserts Collection includes some of the world’s best loved dessert recipes and is available in two box sizes: 16 chocolates and a larger 30 chocolates box.

For gifting on-the-go, stock up on the Ultimate Chocolate Collection. This gorgeous gift-wrapped double layer ballotin box of delectable milk, white and dark chocolates is stylishly presented and is ideal for impulse gifting opportunities. The Ultimate Chocolate Collection is also available in a stylish and contemporary single layer box.

Lily O’Brien’s Exquisite Collection

For shoppers looking for that that extra special gift, the Exquisite Collection delivers a taste journey like no other. With eight delicious recipes from almond and cranberry to blueberry truffle, this collection is sure to delight with every bite.

Lily O’Brien’s Truffles range is perfect for informal get-togethers over the festive season with family and friends. Available in eye catching single flavour 200g cartons of individually wrapped chocolate truffles, there are three delicious products in the truffles range – Milk Chocolate Truffles, Salted Caramel Truffles and Vanilla Truffles. Perfect for moments of “O’ooh! So delicious” enjoyment, Lily O’Brien’s truffles are sure to be a winner with shoppers this Christmas.

The Lily O’Brien’s brand is supported with an above-the-line (ATL) campaign and impactful POS for in-store display this Christmas. The campaign message ‘For the ones you really know’ positions Lily O’Brien’s with consumers as the ideal gift to choose for family and friends to show how well they are known and loved.

For a successful Christmas season and to continue to grow your sales this year, the brand advises you make sure to stock Lily O’Brien’s chocolates. Available to order through Tennant & Ruttle, contact your sales representative for more information (www.lilyobriens.ie).

Gorgeous gifts for 24 days of Christmas

The Magical Christmas Village with Lights and Music (€22.50, 249g) is a breath-taking box of delights

It wouldn’t be Christmas at M&S Food without the ultimate range of gorgeous gifts, and this year, the retailer is confident its festive gifting range has brought the magic of Christmas to life, holding something special for everyone to enjoy, and better yet, at amazing value too.

M&S’s team of experts work closely with the best producers, to ensure the best quality ingredients are sourced and the most stunning packaging is created for both its new and beloved festive favourites.

With the seasonal fayre now in stores, M&S customers will have the opportunity to start shopping early to spread out the cost in the lead up to the big day, and more importantly to get their hands on the retailer’s must-have gifts. In the spirit of the advent’s 24 days, M&S spotlighted 24 of its festive favourites this year.

To highlight just a few examples; the festive range includes the Percy Pig Pig ‘n’ Mix (€7.50, 250g). This is a moreish mix of milk chocolate Percys, Percy flavour choc snouts with Percy Piglets gummy sweets and candy-coated milk chocolate beans.

A favourite festive friend, Spencer Bear (€4.50, 85g) is carefully crafted from delicious, creamy Belgian milk chocolate. It’s a perfect stocking filler or treat for a loved one.

Meanwhile, the Magical Christmas Village with Lights and Music (€22.50, 249g) is a breath-taking box of delights which follows a car on its journey home to the wondrous magic of the village in the distance. It weaves through a snowy forest of milk, dark, white, and blond filled Irish chocolates towards a Christmas market in full swing and the sound of the orchestra playing ‘The First Noël’.

Indulgence is never square!

Toblerone Truffles are individually wrapped diamond-shaped truffles made with Toblerone chocolate around a velvety centre of honey and almond nougat

Toblerone, the famously triangular chocolate, has expanded its iconic range with the addition of new Toblerone Truffles. The sweet new addition comes in a quirky diamond shape, reinforcing that indulgence is truly never square.

The premium product features individually wrapped diamond-shaped truffles made with Toblerone chocolate around a velvety centre with tiny pieces of crunchy honey and almond nougat.

Toblerone Truffles allow consumers to experience indulgence from every angle. This exciting new product will bring shoppers the iconic high quality of a classic Toblerone product in the form of deliciously different bitesize truffles, perfect for gifting.

Toblerone Truffles aim to recruit younger adult shoppers who have shown an appetite for a slice of indulgence within the premium chocolate segment and in turn help grocers grow the Toblerone premium gifting offering with Christmas being the perfect time of year for shoppers to “trade up” and treat themselves and their loved ones.

The new Truffle gift box (180g) is deliciously different, with each truffle offering a deceptively angular outer shell of iconic Toblerone chocolate before revealing an indulgent smooth and nougatty centre, meaning it is well-positioned to give a decadent touch to the festive season this year. Packed in a gold and red box, it delivers the iconic quality of classic Toblerone products consumers know and love.

“Toblerone Truffles have arrived, and we are delighted to help brand fans celebrate those special moments, whether treating yourself or your loved ones,” says Maighread Lynch, brand manager for Toblerone at Mondelēz.

“Toblerone Truffles are the perfect seasonal gift for those who enjoy a slice of indulgence within the premium chocolate segment,” she continues.

Toblerone Truffles are now available in retailers nationwide since October 2023. The 180g pack RRP is €9*.

*(Retailers are free to set their own prices)

Perfect solution for corporate needs

BWG Foods Wholesale Division will work closely with you to create the perfect corporate gift

BWG Foods Wholesale Division offers the ideal solution to your corporate gifting needs this Christmas with perfectly curated solutions designed to build customer relations through meaningful gifts.

Through BWG Foods’ enhanced corporate gifting offering and expertise, along with its commitment to outstanding service and great value for money offering, the group aims to exceed customer expectations and is passionate about ensuring its bespoke hampers give you the opportunity to create the ideal corporate Christmas gift made specifically to your requirements.

From everyday to luxury ranges, Irish artisan foods, sweet treats and savoury delights, world-renowned wines, beers, and spirits, BWG Foods Wholesale Division caters to all tastes. You can rely on the group’s innovation and professionalism to help you create a special gift and its team of experts are on hand and will work closely with you to create the perfect gift or help you with your selection from its existing range.

BWG Foods Wholesale’s local presence around the country means its team are always close to you, no matter where your business is. Representatives are ready to discuss all your corporate gifting needs and offer a nationwide delivery service. Let them take care of everything!

If you have specific requirements in mind, BWG Foods Wholesale’s experienced team would be delighted to help you create the perfect corporate gift this Christmas and all year round.

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