Aldi Ireland has been announced as the sponsor of the Irish Cancer Society’s annual 5K Colour Dash, which this year takes place in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Sligo. Commenting, Aldi Ireland’s Group Buying Director Finbar McCarthy said, “The whole Aldi team has shown huge enthusiasm for all our Irish Cancer Society fundraising initiatives and I am sure our colleagues across our 123 Irish stores will get behind the Colour Dash.”
Checkout was delighted to attend the Engage Shopper Marketing Workshop in The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown last Thursday. It was a masterclass on how to deliver effective Shopper Engagement lead by two of Irelands leading experts in the area. Stephen Rust and Sharon Yourell-Lawlor delivered a fantastic day’s training outlining how business can apply a clear integrated approach to shopper marketing delivering excellent results for brands and retailers alike. Sharon and Stephen are available for in house training sessions with companies where the content can be tailored for specific channels and or categories. Contact +353 (0)1 6875776 or email [email protected] for more information.
RGDATA has called for the creation of a National Town Centre Management Strategy, with mandatory Town Centre Health Checks. Speaking at the Irish Planning Insitute’s conference last week, RGDATA’s director general, Tara Buckley said that there is a need for Local Authorities to step up to the plate in driving town centre regeneration, and that “we all must learn lessons from the past if we want to arrest the decline in Irish towns and villages”.
Mondelez International has introduced its new staff wellbeing programme, Live Well, to its Irish operations, with the help of Bernard Brogan. The programme focuses on nutrition, fitness and mindset, and encourages staff to sign up to a 60 day ‘Choose Your Move’ team challenge. It will also see a series of wellbeing workshops take place at the company’s Coolock site.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, will visit China and Japan this week, alongside a delegation of European agri-food executives, to promote EU products. Agriland.ie reports that Hogan hopes he can also make make some progress on hindrances to current trade in the region.
Wine distributor Edward Dillon and Co’s profits grew 68% last year, reports The Irish Times. Accounts filed for the company, which distributes Veuve Cliquot, Bombay Sapphire, Jack Daniel’s and Dom Pérignon, recorded a rise in pre-tax profits to €1.67 million, from €989,000 in 2014
Mars Food has unveiled a new health and wellbeing strategy that will see core brands like Dolmio feature labels advising consumers that products high in fat, salt and sugar should be only eaten “occasionally’. The news follows the food giant becoming the first major player to demand salt guidelines from the US Food and Drug Administration.
Quintessential Brands has appointed Dick Spring as a non-executive director. Spring, a former Labour leader, will assist the company in the development and expansion of its Irish drinks operations. His appointment follows Quintessential Brands Ireland’s recent announcement of its €10 million acquisition and investment in the Dublin Whiskey Company, which will see it build a new whiskey distillery and visitor centre in Dublin.
Ten food and drink producers from Cork are exhibiting at the Food and Drink Expo 2016, taking place in Birmingham this week. The small food businesses travelled to the event as part of the Taste Cork regional export programme, supported by Cork County Council, Cork City Council and the Local Enterprise Offices in Cork.
Almost £3 million in additional export sales were generated last year for Northern Ireland’s milk processors, as part of a Dairy Council for Northern Ireland initiative to help the industry counter price volatility. It helped milk processors expand sales in South East Asia and the Middle East through participation in targeted exhibitions and a programme of ‘meet the buyer’ events.
The Small Firms Association says that small businesses in Ireland are facing an insurance cost crisis. SFA Chairman, AJ Noonan commented that costs have increased by 29.6% since 2011, noting a rise in the frequency of claims and an increase in the average cost per claim of 27% in employer liability.
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