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EDITOR’S LETTER I t’s hard to believe we’re already midway through 2021, but what a year it’s proving to be, so far. Industry events are at the forefront as the sector deals with the new normal: from SPAR Australia’s Supplier of the Year Awards to Ritchies’ 150th anniversary celebration, the Metcash Supplier of the Year Awards to The Distributors 40th gala anniversary in Sydney recently. The resounding sentiment for the independent sector has been strongly positive, with closer than ever collaboration between retail, suppliers and wholesalers to support the industry through this most challenging of times. At Retail World, we’re looking forward to exploring the latest products, trends and innovations at the upcoming Naturally Good Expo, Food South Australia Summit (also celebrating its 10th anniversary), Foodservice Australia 2021, foodpro 2021, and Food and Hospitality Queensland. Watch this space for more news and developments. The Australian Food & Grocery Council has presented a vision for doubling the size of the nation’s food and grocery manufacturing sector to $250 billion by 2030. Its new report, ‘Sustaining Australia: Food and Grocery Manufacturing 2030’, identifies major opportunities and vulnerabilities for the sector, as well as potential growth paths. The full report is available at the AFGC’s website. The ANZPAC Plastics Pact (ANZPAC) has launched in the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific islands region, uniting businesses, NGOs and governments behind a series of ambitious 2025 targets to eliminate plastic waste. ANZPAC represents the total plastics supply chain, including leading brands, packaging manufacturers, retailers, resource recovery leaders, government institutions and NGOs. Read more in this issue’s sustainability feature. In the latest Retail World 360, Drakes Supermarkets Director John-Paul Drake uses the analogy of his love for motorsport racing and discusses whether the customer and customer experience should be prioritised. Food South Australia CEO Catherine Sayer outlines the four dimensions of the Sales Growth Navigator, an online tool to identify sales growth strategies based on the specific business, stage of growth, capacity and capability. Australian Institute of Packaging Executive Director Nerida Kelton says the time has come to rethink the way packaging is designed and used, to provide long-lasting environmental value. Head to Retail World 360 for more inspired thought leadership on the evolving world of IIOT, packaging, sustainability, manufacturing, logistics, automation and technology. This issue features the winter edition of The Beverage Guide, looking at the latest trends and products to hit the market, while in other Retail World pages, we share what’s in season in the frozen food, soup, and pasta and pasta sauce categories, and what’s trending in sustainability, and supply chain and logistics. The Beverage Guide includes IRI’s beverage overview, and a summary of emerging category trends, market value and category growth across various beverage segments. Additionally, there’s research from the Australian Beverages Council showing that consumers continue to make informed choices in line with the industry’s efforts to encourage healthier lifestyles. And Exceedra says better-for-you and functional products are highlighting the need for a review of the traditional beverage category. We hope you enjoy this issue of Retail World. Join our community and subscribe to our magazine e-newsletter here, and don’t forget to follow us on our social platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Lorna Gloria Managing Editor 2 RETAIL WORLD JUN, 2021