Did You Know… Nestlé’s iconic KitKat turns 80 years old this month? The brand was launched in 1935 in Yorkshire, and has gone on to be a global phenomenon. “With a brand that’s 80 years young, it’s important to celebrate reaching this milestone, but actually the most important thing is to plan for the future,” said Maria McKenna, Marketing Manager, Nestlé Confectionery Ireland.
Did You Know… Northern Irish farmers are planning a major protest at Stormont this coming Friday, with which they hope to ‘send a strong message’ to the European Commission about the challenges facing the industry. According to The Irish Times, the Ulster Farmers Union believes that the North’s farming industry is being marginalised by governments in Westminster and Brussels.
Did You Know… Tesco has announced that it will tap into the growing vinyl music market in the UK? The retailer has announced that it will sell the new album by rock legends Iron Maiden later this week at selected Tesco Extra stores across the UK, however there are no plans to extend this to Ireland. Tesco music buyer, Michael Mulligan, explained the reasons behind the move, saying that Tesco UK has begun to sell record decks in its larger stores, and initial sales are very encouraging, so “giving customers some new vinyl to play on those decks seems like the next logical step.”
Did You Know… The chief executive of Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, Anna Malmhake, has called on the government to reduce excise in the forthcoming Budget? Malmhake told The Irish Times that she is becoming increasingly concerned about the uncertain future of the Irish drinks industry as a result of ‘penal’ excise increases since 2013.
Did You Know… Fyffes has posted a 12.2% increase in adjusted EPS for the first half of the year, as well as confirming increased 2015 full year target earnings. “Cash generation has been strong in the year to date,” said Fyffes chairman David McCann, “with the Group moving from net debt of €11.7 million at the beginning of the year to a net cash position of €18.6 million at 30 June 2015. Fyffes is very focused on shareholder value and is increasing its interim dividend by 15%, given its strong performance in the year to date and in recent years”
Did you know… Minister Simon Coveney has told The Irish Times that he remains hopeful that the European Commission will release €800 million in funding, in order to guarantee minimum farm prices? The Minister told the paper, "We have a very clear proposal for the Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan - it’s a six-point plan and primarily it’s about asking for an increase in the intervention price which is the sort of guaranteed floor price for milk powders in the European Union."
Did you know… Swords councillor Noeleen Reilly has called on Lidl to complete a promised pedestrian crossing in the north Dublin town, which was a condition of the retailer being granted planning permission for a store on the Swords Road? The councillor told The Herald, "It's an extremely busy road and very difficult to get across. I can understand the residents' frustration."
Did You Know… Battery brand Duracell has launched a campaign focusing on the concepts of ‘power and endurance’, linking in with its sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup 2015? Duracell #Powercheck’ aims to help fans understand more about the 2015 Rugby World Cup, providing more information via Twitter and other mediums about the teams and players, along with sharing key moments in the Rugby World Cup 2015 tournament.
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