Morrisons News
Retailer will stock wonky carrots, potatoes, onions and parsnips in new range after Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall highlights food waste
Morrisons is launching a new permanent range of wonky vegetables before the end of this year at a discounted price.
The new range will include wonky veg such as onions, potatoes, carrots and parsnips, Morrisons told FPJ. A spokesperson said the retailer already sells Class 2 carrots as part of its Savers range, but the new wonky range is a new addition.
The news comes following a programme by celebrity chef and food campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, named Hugh’s War on Waste, where he gave away outgrade parsnips outside a London branch of Morrisons to highlight the problem of food waste.
In response, the retailer conducted a trial of selling wonky courgettes alongside Class One courgettes, but found that the ‘ugly’ vegetables sold much more slowly which was anticipated. Morrisons said this was because it had been priced the same as the Class One produce, and wonky veg only works when it is discounted.
Fearnley-Whittingstall criticised the trial as “pathetic” and told the Guardian newspaper that placing Class One next to substandard produce is “not what we’re asking supermarkets to do”.
It’s not the first time a celebrity chef has been instrumental in prompting a supermarket to stock outgrade produce – earlier this year Jamie Oliver persuaded Asda to launch its first-ever range of wonky fruit and vegetables after meeting growers as part of his Channel 4 series Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast.
Morrisons is initially running a trial at ten stores across the country, with full roll-out expected by February 2016
Morrisons is to take down sweets from its main-bank checkouts and replace them with fruit.
The move, which will be in full effect by February 2016, comes after the retailer sought the view of its customers.
Nuts and bottled water will also be offered in place of sweets, alongside fruit. Morrisons already offers alternatives to sweets at one in five of its supermarket checkouts.
To make sure the confectionery is replaced with items that customers want to buy, Morrisons is initially running a trial at ten stores across the country, where checkouts will be stocked with the new snacks, as well as magazines and bags for life. Action will be taken dependent on the results of the trial.
David Potts, CEO at Morrisons, said: “We have been listening to parents and guardians who have told us that sweets on checkouts can sometimes lead to pestering from their children. This change will make the trip through the checkout easier and less stressful.”
Bryonie Hollaert,Morrisons’ company nutritionist, said: “We are doing what we can to help customers choose healthier foods. As well as taking chocolate away from checkouts, we are also removing sugar and salt from other food and drink products. Last year alone we removed nearly one billion calories and over 38million teaspoons of sugar from our soft drinks.”
Retailer’s pre-tax profit falls by almost half in H2 as it prepares to close 11 supermarkets and finalise sale of M Local
Morrisons will close 11 supermarkets and sell 140 of its convenience shops after reporting that like-for-like sales fell by 2.7% in the first half of this year.
The six month results to 2 August also saw total turnover fall by 5.1 to £8.1 billion while pre-tax profit fell by almost 50 per cent to £126 million.
M Local convenience shops, in the process of being sold, will be re-branded as ‘My Local’ with the 2,300 staff kept on. An extra 200 jobs are to be created by reopening 10 shops that are currently closed, the BBC reported. They are understood to have been bought by convenience veteran and former Spar man Mike Greene, backed by investment firm Greybull, according to the Telegraph.
Chief executive David Potts said he expects profit to be higher in the second half of the year, but stressed that recovery will be “a long journey”.
“The immediate priority is to deliver a better shopping trip to stabilise trading performance. Our six strategic priorities will then deliver improvement in the core supermarkets, where we have the greatest opportunity,” he said.
“It will be a long journey. We approach the challenge with energy, confidence and many strengths, particularly our strong balance sheet and cash flow, which enables investment in improving the customer shopping trip.”
Morrisons also named two new non-executive directors – Belinda Richards and Irwin Lee.
Chairman Andrew Higginson said: “David has very quickly formed a new team that combines the best of Morrisons home grown and external talent. I am also delighted that two new non-executive directors – Belinda Richards and Irwin Lee – have recently joined and strengthened the board. They bring a wealth of experience, which will prove invaluable to Morrisons.
“During the first half, the team has made good progress in starting the turnaround journey. While the management team need time to settle in, make the changes they see as important, and build trading momentum, I believe the team will deliver much improved profits and returns for shareholders.”
Big Four retailer sincerely apologises after Amanda Janney claims to have found a slug in among broccoli and cauliflower florets
TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall once created a series of recipes for adventurous cooks to willingly include slugs.
British student Amanda Janney claims to have had an involuntary slug cuisine experience, though.
The 20-year-old, based in Lincolnshire, had nearly eaten a whole bag of Morrisons own-brand frozen veg – which includes renowned UK produce such as broccoli and cauliflower – when she says she found the slug.
She told the Daily Star: “I had about one or two bowls left and put some in the microwave. But when I went to pour the bowl out onto my plate I saw something dark.
“I picked it up thinking it was just a burnt bit of veg and then saw it was a slug.”
A spokesperson for Morrisons said: “Despite the rigorous checks and quality control we ask all of our suppliers to have in place, there are very rare occasions where objects are not detected.
“We apologise to Amanda and have already offered her a gesture of goodwill.”
David Potts started at Tesco aged 16, and rose to become finance director, but moves to Morrisons to replace Dalton Philips
Morrisons has named ex-Tesco director David Potts as its new chief executive.
Potts, who started his Tesco career at age 16 and rose to become retail director in the UK and chief executive of its Irish businesses, will take charge from 16 March.
He takes over from Dalton Philips, who said in January he would leave the troubled supermarket after five years in charge.
Morrisons chairman Andrew Higginson was previously the finance director at Tesco.
Morrisons’ chief executive Dalton Phillips is to leave the company after five years in his role, as the supermarket announced a fall in like-for-like sales (LFLs).
LFLs fell 3.1%, excluding fuel, over the Christmas period, for the six weeks to 4 January. The supermarket also announced the proposed closure of 10 stores, echoing a decision announced by Tesco in its Christmas statement.
However, the Christmas trading figures were slightly better than analysts’ forecasts, that predicted a fall of about 3.8%, but were still worse than rivals Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s..
Morrisons announced Philips would leave after guiding the company through “significant change”. However, Philips has been under pressure after the supermarket posted consecutively poor results.
Chairman Sir Ian Gibson praised Philips for his work, but acknowledged the business needed change: “In the next chapter of Morrisons’ development, we need to return the business to growth. The board believes this is best done under new leadership. I would like to thank Dalton for his contribution as CEO. He has brought great personal qualities and values to his leadership of the business, having had to manage against a background of considerable industry turmoil and change. He deserves particular credit for facing into and dealing with the pricing issues that have now become evident, for taking the business into the convenience and online channels, and for the steps he has taken to modernise the Company’s operating systems. We wish him well for the future.”
In a statement, Philips said he was “proud” to have worked for the supermarket and would continue in his role until the year-end results to ensure a “smooth transition”.
Sir Ian Gibson is set to retire on 22nd January and will replaced by deputy chairman Andrew Higginson.
Retailer launches new price match scheme that compares with Aldi and Lidl as well as top four on branded and own-brand items
Morrisons has launched the first-ever price match scheme that compares with discounters Aldi and Lidl, as well as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda.
The scheme, named ‘Match and More’, will refund any differences in price of comparable products as points onto cards, using price data from independent analysts Profitero.
The retailer said that if Lidl is 60 pence cheaper than Morrisons then 600 points are added to a shopper’s Match & More account.
It will launch as a phased roll-out starting today (3 October) and will be in stores in time for Christmas.
When 5,000 Match & More points are collected the customer receives a £5 voucher at the till, while shopper information from the cards will be collected and used to tailor future offers.
Morrisons CEO Dalton Philips said the retailer has learned from other price match programmes so customers will not collect lots of small vouchers or have to redeem them online when they get home.
“Because it price matches the discounters, the Match & More card will provide the ultimate guarantee about Morrisons’ value-for-money,” he said.
Morrisons said it also has plans to allow points to be redeemed as vouchers for leisure activities such as eating-out and travel.
Price matched products will cover branded and own-brand products as well as items that are on promotion elsewhere.
Morrisons has revealed new beef farming ‘protocol’, which aims to reduce the time it takes to prepare cattle for slaughter by up to 10 months.
The plan, in which participation is voluntary for its beef cattle farmers, will see cattle reach the 340kg deadweight slaughter weight at 14 months as opposed to 22 months. The supermarket reported this would help the industry become “more sustainable and competitive”, while delivering a £397 (40%) cost reduction for producers, according to economic analysis by Scotland’s Rural College.
Morrisons intends to achieve this by selecting cattle on specific genetics, combined with a special feeding programme.
Andrew Loftus, Morrisons agriculture manager, said the plan was already proving popular: ”Our voluntary protocol has already received strong interest from farmers and is intended to help the beef industry become more sustainable and competitive.
“Currently the average beef animal undergoes 2.4 lifetime movements, typically from one farm to another, but with this new protocol we are able to reduce this to just over one on average. This is a big win for the farmer, retailer and the environment.”
Loftus also highlighted reducing the life span of the cattle would subsequently reduce emissions: “Beef production is often criticised as more environmentally damaging than other meats, but this new system means that overall environments costs can be reduced to levels similar to pork.”
Morrisons was celebrating after scooping the top title in the annual British Turkey Awards last week.
The Bradford-based business took home the title of Retailer of the Year, beating off strong competition from Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and The Co-operative, with judges unanimously deciding the chain offered a great range of turkey products year-round, with Asda following a close second.
Morrisons was also successful in the Best Christmas Traditional Product, with its Fresh Turkey, while rival Asda took home the Best Christmas Premium category with its Blue Slate Turkey.
Sainsbury’s also did well on the night, with its Turkey Breast and Thigh Joint with Cranberry and Apple Stuffing, Topped with Cranberry and Apricot being declared the Best Christmas Convenience Product, while its Thigh Joint with Herb and Cranberry Crumb took the title of Best Meal Solution.
Paul Kelly, chair of the British Turkey Federation, said: “The 2014 British Turkey Awards has once again been very exciting and I would like to extend my congratulations to all the deserving producers and retailers who are working hard to put the very best turkey products on our plates both at Christmas and the rest of the year. Winning products will be flagged up to customers on packs using a British Turkey Awards winner logo to show they really are buying the best of British.”
The evening also raised money for the children’s medical charity Sparks, and Dravet Syndrome UK, with entertainment provided by comedian and television host Patrick Kielty.
The winners in full:
Best Meal Solution (sponsored by Hybrid Turkeys)
• By Sainsbury’s Thigh Joint with a Herb & Cranberry Crumb
Best Christmas Convenience Product (sponsored by Securcom)
• Sainsbury’s Turkey Breast & Thigh Joint with Pork, Cranberry & Apple Stuffing, Topped with Cranberry & Apricot
Best Christmas Traditional Product (sponsored by Easichick)
• Morrisons Fresh Whole Turkey
Best Christmas Premium Product (sponsored by Clarke Group Construction)
• Asda Butchers Selection Blue Slate Whole turkey
Best Innovation Christmas (sponsored by ABN)
• Sainsbury’s TtD Norfolk Black Free Range Turkey Parcel. Layered With Chestnut, Maple and Thyme stuffing, Cranberries and wrapped in Oak-smoked Bacon
Best Innovation All Year Round (sponsored by ABN)
• Asda Chosen by You Turkey Mini Fillets with Brie, Cranberry Sauce & Bacon
Best Foodservice Product for Cost Sector (sponsored by Noble Foods)
• The UK Foodhall Ready to Roast British Turkey Breast
Best Foodservice Product for Profit Sector (sponsored by Noble Foods)
• Mitchells & Butler – Toby Carvery – Carvery Turkey Crown
Best Ready-to-Eat Product (sponsored by Calor)
• Adlington Roasted Turkey Breast Stuffed with Ham & Wholegrain Mustard
Foodservice Operator of the Year (sponsored by Coveris)
• Mitchells & Butler – Toby Carvery
Best Blogger Recipe (sponsored by Red Tractor)
• Foodycat Alicia – Turkey B’stilla
Student Chefs of the Year (sponsored by Aviagen Turkeys)
• David Pullin of South Staffordshire College for his ‘Oasis of the Middle East’ Turkey Bonbon, Yellow Split Pea Hummus Shredded Turkey Thigh in Moroccan-Style Chutney, Saffron Couscous, Arabic Flatbread Shard and Mint Yoghurt Dip
• Jessica Marshall of Hull College for her Golden Saffron Potato Surprise with a Blanket of Rice topped with Fried Spinach and Spiced Turkey Batons coated in a Pomegranate Reduction with Ground Pistachios, surrounded by a Crab Apple and Blackberry Jam Sauce with Poached Rose-water Rhubarb
Retailer of the Year (sponsored by Zoetis)
• Morrisons