Andy Mckimmie

A huge fall from grace for Quorn Foods ! Losses racing past £60m in 2023 as sales slumped... Back in 2015 when Monde Nissin bought the business for £550m there was a lot of noise about it becoming a $1bn brand. Fast forward to 2023 and group sales are back at 2017 levels of £205m. Following the deal, hundreds of millions of £ were being invested in the Billingham factory, creating hundreds of new jobs and there was hope Quorn would take over the world. Now, staff have been let go, the value of the factory written down, exports dropping, the value of the US business written off to zero and Monde Nissin itself writing down the value of its investment in Marlow Foods (Quorn and Cauldron's parent) by hundreds of millions of £ However, it remains the UK market leader in meat-free by some distance and continues to innovate with new products. Be interesting to see how a turnaround is able to take shape. Read more on the latest financial results in The Grocer

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UK soft-drink maker Britvic plc has rejected a £3.1bn takeover bid from Carlsberg Group , saying the Danish brewer was “significantly” undervaluing a group whose brands include Robinsons and Fruit Shoot. Carlsberg made an initial bid of 1,200 pence per share earlier this month, before sweetening its all-cash proposal to 1,250p, which London-listed Britvic rejected on June 17. As well as producing its own brands, Britvic is PepsiCo’s bottler in the UK. Carlsberg is PepsiCo’s bottler in Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Cambodia and Laos. The brewer of Kronenbourg and Tuborg said the acquisition of Britvic would offer it “long-term growth opportunities”. It said it was considering its position after Britvic rebuffed its second bid. The acquisition of Britvic would offer Carlsberg the opportunity to expand its drinks bottling in Britain, for both alcoholic and refreshing beverages products. Interesting to see how all this plays out in the weeks and months ahead for both Carlsberg Group and Britvic plc and what potential wider impact this may have on the beverages industry, across both alcoholic and soft drinks categories. #carlsberg #Britvic #beer #softdrinks #alcohol Lars Jensen Jean-Philippe Delforge Paul Villis Carol Dunne Alison Wilkinson Thomas Hahlin Ahlinder John Savage Farrah Gilsenan Sheelagh Pentony Erlon Pereira Ian Chesworth Marc LEJEUNE Breda Kelly Francois Sonneville Stephen Rannekleiv Bourcard Nesin Jim Watson John Craven Bryan Roth Mark Gallo Erika Minaguchi Kristof König Linda Chatton Gilles Halotel Jerry O'Keeffe Wayne Donovan David Deeley Brian Short Gwyneth Kelly

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Did you know that over 95% of cider made in the world is drunk in the UK? Despite the British's long love affair with cider, mainstream brands are seeing a steady decline in their sales. However, craft cider producers who focus on provenance and varietals are seeing real business opportunities to build on quality and flavor. Unfortunately, the big players want cheaper ingredients, and their interest ends with the bottom line. Preserving British traditional orchards, such as the one in Monmouthshire, is crucial to the harmony of the local habitat and not to mention all the carbon it was sequestering. It's sad to hear about the loss of this orchard, especially just days before Beltane, the pagan celebration of life and fertility. This would have been the time in which the orchards were in full bloom, buzzing with bees, wildlife, and happy walkers enjoying the blooms. So, how do we go beyond category trends and big marketing investments to educate and remind ourselves that eating and drinking food made from regenerative agriculture is the only way forward for people and the planet? Because, as the Cree proverb states, "Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money." The HEINEKEN Company how does this support your goal to deliver net Zero by 2030? We at Avallen Spirits | BCorp have proven that apples grown in traditional orchards are hands down one of the most eco-friendly crops to make alcohol from - giving back more than they take. Let's drink more apples, not just because they are delicious or a celebrity told us to. Let's drink our apples because they are grown in a way we must intend to go on living: from a thriving, dynamic ecosystem where people, planet, and even profit can work in harmony. We know our independent cider, apple brandy and calvados producer friends agree. #British #orchards #regenerativeagriculture #sustainability #drinksindustry #apples #orchards #businessforgood

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Guinness 0.0 has surpassed Heineken 0.0 to claim the title of the UK’s biggest alcohol-free beer. Guinness 0.0 has seen its off-trade sales rise by nearly +110% to £33.2m in the past year [NIQ 52 w/e 13 July 2024]. Over the same period, Heineken 0.0 sales have only climbed by +4.2%, to £28.3m. According to NIQ, Guinness 0.0 overtook Heineken 0.0 at the end of March, based on 52-week rolling data, and has maintained its lead since. Rounding out the top five alcohol-free beers in UK retail are Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, Corona Cero and Beck’s Blue. A focus on product quality, marketing activations around rugby’s Six Nations Championship and Diageo’s work with retailers to grow the awareness of alcohol-free had contributed to Guinness 0.0’s rise. #beer #guinness #zeroalcohol #alcohol #beverages #diageo #heineken Lars Jensen Jean Noel Ortal Paul Villis Carol Dunne Gwyneth Kelly Michelle Osagie Gilles Halotel Ian Chesworth Erika Minaguchi Francois Sonneville Bourcard Nesin Jim Watson Stephen Rannekleiv Andy Crawford Mark Gallo John Craven Nuno Teles Stephen. O'Kelly https://lnkd.in/e7w5V6TM

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This is a great issue of FMCG CEO Magazine, which features our interim Managing Director, Jude Allan who explains how clear and consistent recycling labels on packaging helps consumers engage with recycling. You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/djAwQDHs #OPRL #recycling #packaging #labels #RecyclingLabels #pEPR #SustainablePackaging

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WHY BIG FMCG WILL NEVER REALLY BE DISRUPTED…BY SOMEONE TRYING TO DISRUPT IT: PART 2 – All founders are looking for that headline-grabbing exit to a trade buyer...which only goes to further entrenching the incumbent advantages of big FMCG.   I’m part of a brilliant WhatsApp group of c.500 beverage founders/start-ups (great work Jack Orr-Ewing and George Frost) and pretty much everyone in it dreams of that eight or nine-figure exit to a trade buyer. They all want to be the next Casamigos Tequila, Don Papa Rum, Skrewball Spirits or Monkey 47 of the spirits industry.   Big FMCG is not good at innovating but they (mostly) know it and it doesn’t matter. A healthy disruptive ecosystem is a massive positive for the large companies as it effectively acts as OUTSOURCED R&D. They can sit back, wait and see which brands break out from the pack and THEN buy them when they’re already proven but still comparatively small. Yes, it costs more, but relative to the gains from scaling them via their own distribution, the returns on that capital are still immense and they limit the downside of failure and internal distraction. Indeed, it’s difficult to find any of big FMCG that hasn’t used M&A as a major tool for long-term success - it’s arguably the single biggest differentiator between good and great companies in the industry.   - When The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. bought Jo Malone London, it was doing $5m in sales. It’s now closing in on $1bn. - When Campari Group bought Aperol, it was doing €23m in sales. It’s on track to do c.€900m this year. - When Unilever bought Liquid I.V. four years ago, it was doing ~$100m in sales. It’s now close to $1bn. - When L'Oréal bought Kiehl's Since 1851, it was doing €40m in sales. It’s now over €1bn. DISTRIBUTION IS EVERYTHING.   Even at high prices, their distribution advantage makes well-executed deals a no-brainer. And those purchases reinforce their scale and distribution advantage, making them stronger and stronger and less and less disruptable.   Can anyone name a $500m turnover privately-controlled brand that has launched in the last 30 years and not sold out? If anyone can come up with anything other than Chobani or Tito's Handmade Vodka, I’ll send you a prize*.   Why does nobody seem to aspire to have a brilliant private business like Haribo, Tito's, Red Bull, Mast-Jägermeister SE or Ferrero?   Hamdi Ulukaya Peter Gialantzis Simon Squibb Daniel Lubetzky John Craven Andrea Illy Seth Goldman Ken Sadowsky *UK only delivery for prize recipients. First correct answers only. Brands originating from larger groups (e.g. White Claw Seltzer Co from Mark Anthony Brands Inc.), or listed companies (e.g. CELSIUS Holdings, Inc.) don't count, nor do brands that are forecast to do $500m but are not there yet (e.g. OLIPOP PBC).

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After weeks of "will it, won't it", Britvic plc's board has finally given its seal of approval to a £3.3bn takeover bid by Carlsberg Group. The improved offer – of £12.90 per share plus 25p per share dividend paid out by Britvic to shareholders before the deal completes – will create what Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen has described as a “one-stop shop” for booze and soft drinks, with a range that meets a variety of customer needs. With Britvic and PepsiCo firmly on board, the deal looks all but done, but there's there's still a chance for a late sting in the tail. With Britvic continuing to outperform in a challenging soft drinks category, and shares in the company yet to reach the amount offered by Carlsberg, investors may feel more juice can be squeezed from the Danish brewer. Will 75% of its shareholders vote in favour of the deal? Via The Grocer.

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Interesting read on The Grocer today....and got me thinking. 1) How do we make the food industry interesting to get into? 2) Why would people want to stay in the food industry? On top of this, I read an article the other day on the public sector (NHS) and how they are trying to make flexible working part of what they can offer individuals and how it was helping those where they have already implemented it. Now this is great, but how can this be sustainable in a sector that is under resourced and unattractive to join as it is? Along with the fact of shifts and having to be available 24/7. There surely has to be a give and take on this....who suffers? I think there are real parallels with the food industry on this topic.....employment engagement is great, and I think you have to listen and help implement change, but there is only so much you can do, surely? Flexibility and innovation is great for office members, but what about shopfloor/factory staff who are on shift? How do you keep these individuals onboard with the business values and encourage retention and longevity? Lots of our clients hold BBQ's, Friday Fish and Chips & Family days along with many more ideas......but is this enough? Can we be doing more? I would be interested to hear thoughts as to what a solution to the long term stability of employment and retention in the Food and Fresh Produce sector could be and how do we get more people interested in joining what is a fantastic sector!? https://lnkd.in/eEWi9e9z

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I have consulted on plant-based food over the last couple of years and have come to some arguably 'no-brainer' conclusions. This display in Tesco with their new Root and Soul range as the centrepiece, addresses three such points below, that aren't always so well executed. 1. For many flexitarian consumers actively reducing their meat consumption, having more varied plant-based offerings is a good thing as people are crying out for inspirational choices. This bold Root and Soul display with multiple new products does that well, to my mind, whether targeting vegans or occasional meat-free Mondays. 2. The healthy eating debate, especially on plant-based versus meat-based comparisons, and when venturing into convenient ready meals can be a complex minefield on ingredients and perception. But the focus isn’t just about health with plant based purchases. Above all else TASTE is often the key driver of repeat purchase. The underused word ‘Deliciousness’ is a simple call to action here. After trial, the truth will then be in the tasting but the expectation is set. 3. The old adage of “everything in moderation” is a good rule of thumb as trends come and go. The side displays here are a case in point. With the historic side of Veg now the meal centrepiece, some freedom is afforded for the new sides to include treats of crisps, and breadstick twists, accompanied by a glass of wine. With some portion control assumed, this is just treating plant-based shoppers as adults in my view and doesn't clash. An extra trade-across could be to offer wine bottle stoppers and those plastic pegs to reseal opened crisp bags, as some adults do still welcome some helpful nudges for self-restraint. OK, I'm talking about myself here... There’s often a way to keep things simple where category content meets comms, and we keep our eyes peeled at JB to see what’s going on across multiple sectors. Please get in touch for anything on category, shopper, or research and let's see if we can help you on content or visualization. There is no fee for an exploratory chat, especially if we can share some inspiration and start putting the world to rights.

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Fraught with challenges like inflation and supply chain disruptions, the resilience and innovation of FMCG companies are truly inspiring. The latest Alantra Fast 50 report unveils remarkable growth rates among top-performing businesses, with a notable trend emerging: an increasing number of female-led companies taking the lead. From CBD drinks brand Trip to Rheal and Vegetarian Express, female-led businesses are spearheading this surge, reflecting a positive shift towards greater diversity and inclusion in the FMCG industry. With more women breaking barriers and driving success in FMCG, we're witnessing a transformative shift towards a more inclusive and equitable future. At Manners Maclean International, we recognise the invaluable contributions of diverse talent to organisational success. As executive search recruiters, we're committed to championing diversity in leadership roles and empowering businesses to thrive. Let's continue to celebrate and support the remarkable achievements of female leaders in FMCG, and together, pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future. #DiversityandInclusion #FemaleLeadership #FMCG

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Love a good news story on a cold rainy Monday. Heineken is investing £39m to refurbish over 600 of its UK pubs, with plans to reopen 62 pubs and create over 1,000 jobs. The investment aims to revitalise suburban pubs into premium local spots, in response to reduced city-centre commuting. This initiative includes enhancements for various customer activities like sports watching and dining. Two pubs in Essex and another in Bromsgrove have already been renovated, with several more scheduled to reopen throughout the year. This move by Heineken's Star Pubs operation seeks to enhance community engagement by offering versatile, value-added pub experiences. By Eri Sugiura in the Financial Times: The HEINEKEN Company to reopen closed UK pubs as cost of living pressures ease https://on.ft.com/4b3ns7H Mark From-Poulsen #HeinekenInvestment #UKPubs #PubReopening #LocalPubs #PubJobs #CommunityPubs #SuburbanPubs #PubRefurbishment #HeinekenUK #StarPubs

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Today on the Business of Drinks podcast, we’re talking with Allison Luvera, co-founder and CEO of Juliet Wine, a company that’s reshaping the narrative around boxed wine. Allison has a really interesting background having worked in fashion advertising for Vogue and InStyle magazines, then later as director of Pernod Ricard’s luxury marketing division, as brand marketing lead for Perrier-Jouet Champagne, Martell Cognac, Tequila Avion, and others. Juliet has forged new territory in the boxed wine category, with very stylish branding and packaging. It’s a cylindrical carton with a velvet rope handle, and really stands out on the shelf as a premium pick. The brand is having phenomenal traction in hospitality venues — it’s now being served poolside at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and several Auberge resorts. Customers are ordering the whole box and perching it on tables to keep refilling their own glasses. And at retail, Juliet has defined itself as a go-to for gatherings, from bachelorette parties to PTA meetings. We discuss how Allison and co-founder Lauren DeNiro identified the whitespace in the boxed wine category, and pursued a solution — and a specific customer — with laser-like focus. Juliet has now raised more than $5 million in funding, and has surpassed 10,000 cases of 1.5 L cartons. Some key takeaways from the episode:  - Why boxed wine is a predicted to be a bright spot in the wine category in the coming years - How Juliet closed a new round (in a tough fundraising environment!) to bring its fundraising total to $5 million - Why Juliet is moving from a predominantly DTC model to a wholesale model - How public relations and paid social campaigns drove growth in the early days - Why “customers are the new influencers” – and how to engage and incentivize informal brand ambassadors - Why on-premise partnerships in prestige accounts are crucial for discovery and brand-building Listen in! https://lnkd.in/eCgiPEQF #brandbuilding #drinksindustry #winebusiness #womeninwine

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Something I learnt [but kinda already knew] from making 83 sales outreach calls to Heads of Department and Senior Leaders in FMCG on behalf of a Find me the Leads® Client yesterday... These folks get a tonne of emails!! One Commercial Director I spoke to said: "I am just back from annual leave and have over 500 emails to get through. I have chosen to power delete so apologies if your email was amongst them" What I also learnt is that if you say when you sent your email, they are happy for you to stay on the phone whilst they find your email just so they can give you a YES/NO answer and be done with it! Key lessons: 📧Bear this in mind next time you complain that "no one responds to emails" 🤔Accept that no one responds to emails and adopt a multi layered communication strategy 📱If you have a mobile number for the person you are trying to contact - cherish it, this is your route to a YES/NO answer --------------- I'm Leisa, I use the telephone to connect and reconnect with prospects on behalf of Clients and have been doing so for 10 years! --------------- #leadgeneration #prospecting #telesales #telemarketing #coldcalling #findapro #fmcg #decisionmakers

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Here’s my take on what’s going on in gin based on what I see from Waitrose shelves. 👇 The Gin category took up (almost) all of these pick faces 2 years ago. It’s now half. It hasn’t gone elsewhere and in another part of the store – other sections (Whisky, Tequila, RTD’s) have grown and expanded. Cumulatively, that’s put a squeeze on gin’s space by pushing SKU (in this case liqueurs, but in other places vodka etc) into what had previously been gin shelves.* There’s still a lot of choice. There’s around 45 SKUs here. What’s decreased is the way that so many used to be two or three pick-faces wide. For example Gordons used to be around a dozen pick faces as a brand between all the SKUs – now it’s 5. So it’s not a case of less choice for the consumer – less space is more likely a reflection of the rate of sale that doesn’t warrant the width / exposure. Flavoured gin might be on a slower burn right now with dry gin making a comeback according to the statisticians / data. But the mix is still 50/50 proving once more that flavoured gin is here to stay. Flavour and brand differentiation within Dry Gin segment is almost impossible to tell by eye on shelf. So much of the work needs to be done before the consumer enters the store. Which has always been the case – but when you see so many custom bottles and great design work all next to each other, it’s clearly harder than ever to stand out. Digital and activation / awareness drives are the (not so) hidden layer influencing success on shelf. What you can’t see easily is the price tags. But take my word for it, the value and competition is wild. Such good independent products (liquid, ethics, aesthetics) are cheaper than ever, while the multinationals (also fantastic products) are a bit more expensive than before due to the inflation and duty hikes. With 2 outliers either side – the entire category is between £18 and £39. That window of margin to deal with rising COGS, make the growth investment in visibility drives in-store and play with RRP’s is tighter than ever. Most are on discount frequently too. Last thought. 45skus but around 30 brands up there. There’s at least 100 more in the UK who could make a genuine claim for why they deserve a spot and why they are of equal calibre. If you slip up or slow down… 💀🪦 All in all – still great for shoppers, but explains why it’s such hard work for brands, even when you have that treasured grocery listing. *Not included No-Low as in this shop, that’s always been placed elsewhere and while it’s grown massively, it hasn’t pushed anything out of the way other than other soft drinks. It’s size in this store does not impact the number of spirits available, let alone gin.

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Market research group KAM’s annual report into the UK alcohol-free market shows that all age groups are drinking alcohol less frequently and less alcohol in total. While there are a growing number of non-drinkers (particularly among Gen Z) the big shift has been in existing drinkers of alcohol cutting down. The rationale might vary by demographic — older drinkers cut back alcohol to preserve physical health, while for younger ones it’s more about mental health and an active lifestyle. But the direction of travel is clear, multi-generational and, broadly speaking, global.  “Moderation,” the KAM report concludes, “is now a changed behaviour, not a fad.” And it’s set to continue. Drinks market analysts the IWSR predict the non-alc category will grow at 5% a year for the next five years. #meiningers #noalc

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