Targeting the correct sales channel
Building a relationship with a professional distribution and marketing agency can make your business more efficient and keep you informed of key promotions in order to stay competitive and drive sales
Print22 April 2014
Keeping your brand visible on shelf in the multiples and convenience stores around the country takes time and effort and many brands simply don’t have the capabilities to achieve this. Many brands choose to collaborate with sales and marketing specialists to outsource their sales, distribution and marketing functions to a company that has the experience of dealing with similar brands in a changing market place. The huge influx of own-brand products has meant that traditional brands need to work that much harder to fight to be noticed and to create a point of difference for their product that engages with the customer. Having a professional company working on behalf of your brand gives you the edge that other products might not have and, let’s be honest, everyone needs that extra push in today’s super competitive marketplace.
Maximising brand performance
DETAILS
SHS
Unit Q1
Aerodrome Business Park
Rathcoole
Co. Dublin
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0) 1 4016200
Fax: +353 (0) 1 4016222
Web: www.shs-sales.ie
Email: info@shs.ie
Key contacts
Managing director:
David O’Neill
Sales director:
Des McCullough
KEY BRANDS
Askeys
Bottlegreen
British Pepper & Spice
Calpol
Cara Matches
Cricket Lighters
Cookeen
Crisp & Dry (chilled)
Deep Heat
Irish Atlantic Sea Salt
Johnson & Johnson Baby Care Range
Jordans Cereals
Juvela
Listerine
Maguire & Paterson Matches
Marigold
Mars Drinks
Millstone
Options
Orangina
Ovaltine
Primula
Ryvita
Savlon
Shloer
Snapple
Soft & Gentle
Ten Motives
Tommee Tippee
Twinings
Tyrrells Crisps
WKD
In tough times, brand owners are working harder to secure shelf space and deliver greater value in already competitive channels. To gain an edge, many are collaborating with specialists like SHS Sales & Marketing Ireland which provides outsourcing, sales, distribution and business support.
"More and more businesses are turning to companies like us, because of our channel expertise and proven ability to improve brand performance," says the company’s managing director, David O’Neill. "We not only allow brands to tap into our wealth of resources and experience, but also to access established relationships with buyers and retailers."
Part of the SHS Group, SHS Sales and Marketing Ireland has more than 30 years’ experience of growing brands across a range categories and has emerged as a dominant player in the delivery of outsourcing, sales, distribution and business support services.
The company manages a wide portfolio of brands in the household, healthcare, grocery, soft drinks and alcohol categories – including brands owned by its parent company such as WKD, Shloer, Bottlegreen and Cara matches. It is also one of the few Irish companies that can offer a full British Isles solution, enabling brands to grow across markets rather than just within categories and channels.
"Being part of a group that is both a brand owner and brand manager gives SHS Sales & Marketing Ireland a unique perspective, particularly in recognising and adapting to changing trends," says O’Neill. "Buyers and brand owners recognise the value of the unique service and solutions that we provide and how we can help forge relationships with key decision-makers and generate reliable market insights.
"There is no doubt Irish consumers are becoming more shrewd in their shopping habits. With convenience buying for example, shoppers are no longer simply top-up shopping. They expect to see leading brands across all store formats and at competitive price points. That’s prompted retailers and suppliers alike to look again at how they can maximise value and develop promotions which satisfy bargain hunters without impacting heavily on already tight margins."
The rise of discounter stores in Ireland has also increased the pressure. Aldi and Lidl, for example, control a 14% share of the Irish market, more than twice their share of the UK market, according to Kantar data. "The reality is that local brand owners and distributors have not yet forged the same trading relationships with these accounts," says O’Neill, "and in many instances are likely to find it difficult to do so".
The company’s strong performance in Ireland has seen it grow its portfolio of well-known client brands including: Askeys, Cricket, Deep Heat, J&J, Jordans, Juvela, Mars Consumer Drinks, Orangina, Snapple, Ryvita, Savlon, Tommee Tippee, Twinings and many more.
It recently collaborated with Marigold gloves to secure additional listings for its ranges in Dunnes Stores, MRPI Warehouse and Woodies DIY. Maguire & Paterson Fireside Matches, a SHS Group-owned brand, has been a major success story for the sales and marketing business which has grown the listing in Irish Tesco stores from eight to 109.
O’Neill says: "Successes like this do not come quickly or without effort. Our strategy relies on a deep understanding of consumer trends and ensuring brand visibility is fully optimised with effective in-store ranging, merchandising and compliance checking. We carefully evaluate market changes and shifts and respond strongly to position brands in the right way and in the right places so they reach their audiences.
"We know that the FMCG sector is under greater pressure than ever. That’s why we invest time working closely with brand owners in developing bespoke solutions that generate results and value for money."
Proven capability to deliver
DETAILS
Allegro Ltd
Jamestown Business Park
Finglas, Dublin 11
Tel: 00 353 1 8580824
Fax: 00 353 1 8580656
KEY BRANDS
Nivea
Colgate-Palmolive
Sanex
Glade
Mr Muscle
Philips Electrical
Philips Avent
Bord na Mona
Del Monte
Douwe Egberts
Lillets
Simple
Blistex
Symprove
Allegro is one of the largest and longest established sales marketing and distribution companies operating on the island of Ireland. The company is a full service distributor and marketing partner to the grocery, pharmacy, departmental, optical, health food, garden and leisure and petrol forecourt sectors. Allegro states its proven capability to deliver varied yet cost effective solutions to brand owners is achieved through a clear focus on the distinct needs of individual clients to accomplish quality driven results.
Allegro’s ability to forge sustainable strategic long term relationships with clients and key service providers is critical in creating sustainable competitive advantage in both the FMCG and other sectors. The dynamic management and sales teams are performance focussed, committed and have significant expertise in representing diverse client portfolios of premium blue chip international brands.
An ongoing strategy of significant financial investment in information technology and systems development is vital to Allegro in providing a full menu based service option for all clients. Systems and processes are extremely flexible with an ability to interface with both principals and customers systems.
The critical mass and financial security that Allegro enjoys enables the company to offer innovative and cost effective solutions to all prospective customers regardless of the scale or nature of their request.
Why choose Allegro?
• Ireland’s premier distributor
• 77 years of outstanding sales performance and marketing support in the Irish grocery market
• State of the art distribution facility
• Expertise in all trade sectors
• A complete understanding of supply chain
• Strong relationships with buyers / key decision makers
• Ready to go call database
• Skilled experienced employees are our biggest asset, so we employ the best
• Proven record of achievement throughout the organisation
The total brand management solution
DETAILS
PRM Ireland Ltd.
Rathdown Road,
Lissue Industrial Estate,
Lisburn,
Co. Antrim.
Northern Ireland
048 92 620200
048 92 621148
www.prmgroup.co.uk
KEY BRANDS
Alpro
Carbery Group
Clandeboye Estate
Cottage Catering
Cuinneog ltd
Cully & Sully ltd
Dairy Crest ltd
Emmi UK Ltd
Fayrefield Foods ltd
Ferrero
Finsbury Food Group
Fresh Food Kitchen
Galberts
Gazebo Fine Foods
Gerber Foods Ltd
Giovanni Rana
Greencore
Herta
Innocent Drinks Ltd
Isle of Man Creamery
Karro Foods Ltd (Cookstown)
Kepak Foods
Kiren Foods
Mash Direct
Muller Dairy
Nor-Sea Foods Ltd
Quorn
Rivermill Ltd
Rumblers
Ter Beke Pluma
Total Greek Yoghurts
TSC Foods ( Glorious soup)
Unilever Foods Ireland
Wexford Creamery
William Carr
With PRM’s heritage over the past 25 years it has become FMCG specialists for the retail and food service trade. The total solution of brand management from factory gate to customer basket is where it prides its service to principle brand owners.
Joint business planning, local relationships and the understanding of its customers’ needs are all key in the supplier and PRM relationship. In many cases it is seen as the Irish division for international and national brands; giving local brands time to concentrate on marketing and product development.
Customer insight and a unique offering to give a category solution are key in standing out from the crowd. Delivering options around food to go and dairy alternatives are just two of the latest projects from PRM to give retailers growth and provide brand owners with confidence so that PRM can deliver new opportunities to grow brands and product ranges.
An open and transparent relationship, common goals and a team willing to live and breathe your brand are all points to look for when looking for a partner, to gain a solution that covers all aspects of your brand’s requirements.
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