A warm hearth
As energy costs rise, consumers are turning to traditional heating methods like fires, stoves, and outdoor fire pits to stay warm without breaking the bank, writes Shauna Bernard
Print17 October 2024
As energy costs continue to rise, finding cost-effective, safe, and convenient ways to heat homes has never been more crucial for shoppers. With the colder months approaching, consumers are seeking efficient heating solutions that help them stay warm without significantly increasing their energy bills. One of the most traditional yet enduringly popular methods of home heating remains the comforting glow of a fire, whether it’s in a fireplace, stove, or outdoor fire pit.
While the appeal of cosying up in front of a roaring fire is timeless, this year, it could also prove to be a practical way to lower energy expenses. The use of firelighters, coal, briquettes, and other solid fuels provides a reliable heating alternative or supplement to central heating systems, which can be costly to run during the winter months.
These products offer an accessible way for households to heat specific areas without having to rely entirely on electricity or gas, allowing for greater control over energy consumption.
For retailers, ensuring a well-curated selection of heating products is essential to meet customer demand. Firelighters, coal, and briquettes should be key components of any winter stock. Offering a variety of options – ranging from traditional solid fuels to more innovative, eco-friendly alternatives – can help cater to a wide range of consumer preferences and budgets.
Stocking high-quality, easy-to-use firelighters and fuels that ignite quickly and burn efficiently will appeal to customers looking for simplicity and reliability in their heating choices. By providing the right selection, retailers can help customers embrace the warmth of the season while keeping their energy costs in check.
Zip into warmth
As winter approaches, households are facing rising energy costs and searching for affordable, reliable, and efficient heating options. For the firelighter and solid fuel market, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The demand for firelighters, fuels like coal and wood, and innovative sustainable products such as the Zip 100% Natural Heat Logs, is set to rise as consumers seek cost-effective heating solutions. Meanwhile, the phase-out of peat from the Irish market and the increasing focus on the environment are driving significant changes in product offerings. For businesses like Zip, success in the 2024/25 winter season will depend on adapting to these shifts by providing a balanced product mix and targeting evolving consumer priorities.
The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has made price a top concern for many households. Heating, a necessity in colder months, becomes a financial strain for many. Firelighters, an integral part of fire making, are essential for quickly and efficiently starting fires, making them a high-demand product during the winter. In response, Zip offers a range of traditional kerosene-based firelighters and natural firelighters to cover a variety of price points and consumer preferences. While kerosene firelighters remain a reliable and affordable option for many, natural firelighters are gaining ground as a sustainable alternative, offering a cleaner burn, making them an attractive option for eco-conscious consumers.
A well-rounded product mix is crucial in today’s market. Alongside firelighters, we continue to offer conventional fuels such as kindling, coal and wood, which are still essential for many households. However, there’s an increasing need to provide sustainable alternatives. Enter Zip 100% Natural Heat Logs made from sugarcane waste – an eco-friendly fuel source that demonstrates how waste materials can be repurposed into high-efficiency, renewable heating solutions. Sugarcane heat logs burn longer and have a lower carbon footprint than traditional solid fuels, making them a perfect fit for consumers seeking both sustainability and value.
As we look ahead to winter 2024/25, marketing strategies must evolve to address both the cost-of-living crisis and the growing demand for sustainable products. Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on a product’s environmental impact, but cost remains a significant factor. It’s crucial to highlight the dual benefits of our product range: value for money and quality. Digital marketing offers a way to reach a broader audience to share the advantages of our products. Social media campaigns and content that educates consumers on the benefits of firelighters and fuels range can help raise awareness and drive sales.
Sales are expected to spike during the colder months, and preparing for this seasonal surge is critical. Ensuring adequate stock levels, particularly of Zip’s traditional firelighters and sustainable fuel option, the Zip 100% Natural Heat Logs, will help meet the growing demand from households looking for cost-effective, sustainable and quality options. Winter 2024/25 presents a significant opportunity for firelighter businesses to align with consumer values and build long-term loyalty in a rapidly evolving market.
Q&A with Frank Cahalan, commercial controller Ireland, Standard Brands
Frank Cahalan, commercial controller Ireland, Standard Brands
Heatlog replacing peat market
What challenges have you faced in transitioning customers from peat to Heatlogs?
One of the main challenges in transitioning customers from peat to heat logs has been overcoming tradition. Peat has long been a staple in Irish households, and many are hesitant to switch due to its familiar warmth and burning experience.
Educating customers on the benefits of heat logs has been key. Many are unaware of their efficiency, cleaner emissions, and longer burn times, especially with a sustainable option like sugarcane waste heat logs.
By focusing on education and highlighting the similarities to peat and the eco-friendly nature, we’ve successfully built customer trust and acceptance.
Marketing plans for winter 2024/2025
What are your key marketing initiatives for Winter 2024/2025 to drive awareness and sales?
For Winter 2024/2025, we’re continuing with the “Start of a good time” campaign to drive awareness and sales, focusing on creating warm, memorable moments with our ZIP 100% Natural Heatlogs and firelighters. The campaign begins with a winter radio push, promoting our ZIP 100% Natural Heatlogs and our ZIP High Performance All Purpose Firelighters, reaching listeners during peak times to highlight their role in making every fire the start of a good time.
Supporting this, we’re investing in out-of-home advertising, with billboards and six-sheets placed in high-traffic areas, ensuring our products are top-of-mind as customers travel to stores. These visuals reinforce the “Start of a good time” messaging, building excitement around the idea that lighting a fire is the beginning of something special.
Online, our social media campaign supports this message, targeting customers with engaging content, guiding them to online stores via link click ads. Shoppers will see our ads on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, google and TikTok, reminding them of our products before they even set foot outside.
Once in-store, eye-catching displays prominently showcase our range, making it easy for customers to find our products. This multi-channel approach ensures a seamless shopper journey that builds brand awareness and drives purchase.
Sustainability – How the business has been making improvements
How are you improving sustainability while maintaining product performance and cost efficiency?
We’ve made significant strides in improving sustainability while maintaining product performance and cost efficiency. Our production facility operates with 100% renewable electricity, ensuring a clean energy footprint. We’ve also adopted a zero-landfill policy, repurposing all waste for energy re-consumption, further reducing environmental impact.
In addition, we’ve doubled our target, saving 9.9 million litres of water and cutting total manufacturing wastage by 50%. These initiatives allow us to enhance sustainability without compromising the quality of our firelighters. Through efficient resource use and sustainable practices, we ensure our products remain high-performing and cost-effective for consumers.
Secondary displays / metal stand / POS FSDUs to disrupt the shopper journey
How do your secondary displays or metal stands help increase product visibility in-store?
Our secondary displays and metal stands play a key role in boosting product visibility in-store by positioning items in high-traffic areas. These eye-catching displays attract attention, encouraging impulse purchases and making it easier for customers to find products. They allow us to showcase our seasonal range as well as offering an additional instore location for our products, increasing awareness and driving sales.
The flexibility of our metal stands offers an additional permanent fixture and enables retailers to strategically place products in key areas of the store alongside complementary items, further enhancing visibility. Overall, they’re an effective way to create stronger brand presence and maximise product exposure in any retail setting.
Fueling a greener future
Liam Mulcahy, sales director, Willow Warm and managing director, Stafford’s Eco Fuels
How long has Willow Warm been in production, and where is your company based?
Our biomass fuel production plant is based in Kells Co. Meath and we have been selling Willow Warm Briquettes for over three years now.
What sets Willow Warm apart from other solid fuel options in the market?
Sustainable, clean, carbon neutral briquette, guaranteed Irish, high heat output and low ash content and available nationwide.
Can you share how many briquettes Willow Warm produces annually and what this says about your production capacity?
We produce 40,000 tonnes of Willow Warm Briquettes annually in addition to wood pellets and Willow Warm’s Eco Nuggets.
As an Irish company based in Meath, how does Willow Warm contribute to the local community?
We have 70 people employed locally working in our production plant in Kells. We currently sponsor Meath GAA and the Fairyhouse Races and we will continue to support the local community.
Our sales team have organised multiple on-site giveaway activations in local stores. The goal here is to try and educate the public on the benefits of using our carbon neutral solid fuel.
We have also organised these activations in some of Ireland’s largest retailers nationwide.
What are Willow Warm’s plans for growth in 2025, and how do you see the Irish solid fuel market evolving?
There has been an increase in the level of domestic stoves and other biomass appliances in the Irish market. This is leading to record level demand for carbon neutral energy over the traditional solid fuels.
Willow Warm is perfectly positioned to provide the market with the sustainable alternative to peat briquettes. We see our next step as expansion into the UK market with plans to sell our excess capacity to this market from 2025 onwards.
How does Willow Warm ensure consistent quality and service in delivering eco-solid fuel to its retail partners?
Our manufacturing plant is state of the art and is highly automated with six briquetting lines and two pellets lines presently – producing over 100 tonnes daily of our Willow Warm briquettes to highest quality specifications.
Stay warm and save
Why superser heaters and butane cylinders are the smart choice for spot heating this winter
As the chill of winter approaches, many homeowners are considering the most efficient and cost-effective ways to keep their homes warm without breaking the bank. One popular option is the use of Superser heaters and butane cylinders for spot heating. Here’s why you should consider this versatile solution to keep cosy this winter.
Cost-effective heating
Unlike central heating systems that require the entire house to be heated, a Superser heater allows you to heat only the areas you’re using. This “spot heating” approach can significantly reduce your energy bills, especially during periods when you only need warmth in a single room. The price of butane cylinders remains competitive, offering an affordable alternative to electric or gas-powered central heating.
Portability and convenience
One of the biggest advantages of a Superser heater is its portability. You can easily move it from room to room, ensuring warmth follows you wherever you go. Whether you’re in the living room, kitchen, or a home office, your heating solution is always within reach.
Safety and reliability
Modern Superser heaters are designed with built-in safety features, including oxygen depletion sensors and flame failure devices, ensuring that the heater shuts off if any issues arise. Butane is also a safe and reliable fuel, especially with proper storage and handling, providing peace of mind alongside its warmth.
Choosing a Superser heater powered by butane cylinders is a smart and flexible option for keeping your home warm while controlling costs this winter.
Read more: Heat heroes
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