Waitrose
Pork farmers supplying Waitrose have saved an estimated £850,000 on feed per year since 2010, following a £3 million investment to roll out an innovative feeding system known as Eco Pig.
The feeding system has a lower environmental impact than traditional systems, according to Waitrose, which reported on the investment in the 2015 John Lewis Partnership annual report, published on 24 April 2015.
Waitrose has a sole pork supplier, Dalehead Foods, and its subsidiary, BQP, footed the £3 million bill.
Waitrose said its “respectful partnership approach” with suppliers had given BQP the ability to invest in the individual farms with which it works. “This helps to increase capacity, improve standards and efficiency, and encourage the next generation of farmers,” the annual report stated. “This respectful partnership approach has given BQP the ability to invest in the individual farms with which it works.”
The report added that, since 2010, 44 of Dalehead’s farmer partners have invested more than £13 million in buildings, during a period of low confidence in the sector as a whole, to create new capacity.
Retailer continues expansion programme with 16 new shop openings in 2015 along with two major redevelopments.
Premium retailer Waitrose has announced that it expects to create 2,000 jobs through opening 16 new shops and carrying out two major extensions.
The retailer is opening 14 shops across the UK from spring this year, including seven new supermarkets and seven new ‘little Waitrose’ convenience shops. It has already opened two so far this year.
It is also relocating one supermarket and carrying out two major extensions to existing branches in Saffron Walden and Bayswater. In total Waitrose will add around 230,000 sq ft of selling space to its portfolio.
The news comes as the supermarket also unveiled a new e-commerce grocery depot, known as a Dot.com Fulfillment Centre (DFC) in Couldson, south London.
New supermarkets include Wollaton (Nottinghamshire) Milngavie (East Dumbartonshire), Bagshot (Surrey), Oxford, King’s Cross (to incorporate a new cookery school), Basingstoke (Hampshire) and Guildford (Surrey).
The business will be also be creating additional roles in its distribution department to service the expanding number of branches.
Waitrose director of development, Nigel Keen, said the move shows Waitrose’s investment in an “omni-channel approach”.
“Last year many of our new branches received than more than 10 applications for every vacancy – so we’re delighted to be able to create an additional 2,000 roles in 2015,” he said.
Like-for-like sales also increased by 2.8% at the retailer for the five weeks ending 3 January 2015
Total sales (excluding fuel) were up by 7.0% on the equivalent period at Christmas last year at Waitrose to £728 million.
Mark Price, Waitrose MD, said: “This strong sales performance in a tough trading environment is a tribute to all our partners who work so hard to give the high quality products and outstanding service that customers want all year round and especially at Christmas.
“As a business owned by the people who work here, we can take the long-term view and our Christmas results show the effectiveness of our strategy of investing in good value, in making our shops attractive destinations and in building our online business.”
Online sales also did extremely well compared to the same period last year.Grocery sales through Waitrose.com grew by 26.3%, with wines, flowers and hampers showing a 39% increase.
Premium store and the discounters grow sales and market share at a time when like-for-like prices are down
There was further evidence that the two ends of the grocery market are where the action is with the release of new figures showing strong sales for Waitrose, Aldi and Lidl.
Waitrose was the big winner in the latest Kantar Worldpanel figures, securing a record 5.2% market share on the back of 6.8% growth in the past year. The company has now grown its sales every month since March 2009.
At the other end of the price spectrum, Aldi’s growth might have slowed slightly, but it still recorded a 27% increase versus last year, leaving it with a 4.8% market share.
Fellow German discounter Lidl’s share hit 3.5% after an 18% sales rise.
“We are seeing clear polarisation of the market with both the premium and discount ends of the market gaining share, while the mainstream grocers continue to be squeezed in the middle,” said Kantar’s head of retail and consumer insight, Fraser McKevitt.
Among the big four, Asda continued its form by growing sales ahead of the market – up 1% over the year, compared to like-for-like overall market decline of 0.2% – and boosting its share to 17.3%.
All eyes are on Tesco after its recent struggles. Its sales show a 3.6% decrease, but that at least represents its best figure since June.
Both Sainsbury’s and Morrisons’ sales slipped, by 3.1% and 1.8% respectively.
Judges unable to split Waitrose and Sainsbury’s as 21st Bramley apple awards celebrate industry excellence
To a retailer, sharing a stage with a competitor is usually the ultimate no-no.
But it was all smiles at the Brammy Awards yesterday as representatives of Sainsbury’s and Waitrose posed for photos after becoming the first joint-winners of the Best Bramley Retailer of the Year gong.
The 21st Brammy Awards was held at Quo Vadis in London, having skipped a year due to the poor crop in 2013. Judges said they were unable to split the two retailers, with Sainsbury’s having shown widespread support for Bramley within its Eat Well For Less campaign, recipe development with Jack Monroe and social media activity, while Waitrose impressed with its dedication to promoting the versatility and cooking qualities of the fruit.
Best Manufacturer of a Savoury Bramley Product was Darlington & Daughters for Mrs Darlington’s Autumn Fruit Chutney, while Tesco Apple Pie by Kensey Foods won the Sweet Bramley Product category.
Best Bramley Apple Sauce went to Cottage Delight, while Chegworth Valley got the nod for best Bramley Apple Drink.
Mr Kipling was named Best Catering/Foodservice Company, and in the individual categories The Times’s Lindsey Bareham won Best Bramley Food Writer and Tom Kerridge was Best Media Chef.
Adrian Barlow, chairman of the Bramley Apple Campaign, said: “The awards present the industry with an opportunity to recognise retailers, manufacturers, catering companies, journalists and chefs who are championing the iconic Bramley apple. The winners have shown outstanding support for Bramley apples over the past year through the quality and breadth of products they have developed, the innovative promotional activities they have undertaken, and their highlighting of Bramley in the media. I am delighted that we have this opportunity to celebrate their achievements.”
In the wake of the UK’s beef pricing crisis, Waitrose has raised its “price floor” for British beef.
The supermarket set a minimum price it would pay British farmers for their beef at £3.40 per kilo until September 2014. However, this has now been raised to £3.45 per kilo until 1 October 2014. In addition to this price rise, Waitrose will also raise the price paid for standard British cattle, used for the Essential Waitrose range, by 0.02p per kilo. “Because British beef is such a key part of our business and we are certain that a further erosion of prices will not serve well processors or producers, we decided, in early May, along with our own dedicated processor Dovecote Park, to set a price floor for beef,” a spokeswoman for the supermarket told Meatinfo.
Meatinfo has reported extensively on the beef pricing crisis affecting British farmers, who have seen the farmgate price for beef cattle drop significantly. Farmers argue this has been caused by cheaper imports flooding the market, especially from Ireland, coupled by a lack of commitment from supermarkets to support British farmers.
This step from Waitrose has been welcomed by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which is urging other supermarkets to follow suit. Pete Garbutt, chief livestock advisor at the NFU, told Meatinfo: “This is good news and an example of a supermarket standing by its suppliers and looking to the long term.
“When Waitrose announced its threshold price last month the NFU came out and praised it publicly. This is a great example of supermarkets working for the long term and would love other supermarkets to take a similar view.”
As a means of tackling the issue of waste in the supply chain, the UK retailer has launched a new pack of imperfect tomatoes
UK supermarket chain Waitrose has announced that it is selling mixed packs of tomatoes that have either naturally fallen from the vine or are misshapen, as it looks at ways to reduce waste at its stores, The Guardian has reported.
Such tomatoes would not usually be put on sale, but criticism from campaigners has forced retailers to act. Waitrose has previously had success selling misshapen strawberries and plums, as well as weather-blemished apples, at a discount.
Waitrose tomato buyer Peter Cooke commented: “When it comes to tomatoes, there’s absolutely no reason why beauty has to be skin deep. Every one of our mixed selection packs is different, which for me is the real beauty of using tomatoes that wouldn’t normally be offered in this way to customers.”
According to Waitrose, tomatoes are, along with avocados, one of the leading causes of waste in the fruit and vegetables category.
The retailer’s ‘Limited Selection’ tomatoes will reportedly be available in 77 Waitrose outlets in the UK, priced at £2.99 for 1kg. The first pack includes a mixture of round, cherry and baby plum varieties, but each will vary depending on seasonal availability, Waitrose stated.
Steve’s Leaves has introduced new Persian Cress to the market and had listings of staple products doubled at premium retailer Waitrose
Specialist salad producer “Steve’s Leaves” has strengthened its ties with premium retailer Waitrose with the launch of a new range and increased listings.
Distribution of two Steve’s Leaves’ staples, Baby Watercress & Little Leaves and Pea Shoots & Baby Leaves, will double to feature in 300 Waitrose stores.
Recently launched Persian Cress & Luscious Herby Leaves will be promoted by a new partnership with Michelin-starred chef Daniel Clifford, who will develop recipes and offer a meal at his restaurant, Midsummer House, as a competition prize.
Clifford, who will also feature on the Steve’s Leaves website, described Persian Cress as sweet, peppery and aromatic.
Ruth Amigo, brand manager at Steve’s Leaves, said the company looks forward to introducing further new varieties into the market.
“Since launch our aim has always been to bring something a little bit different to the salad aisle. We’re delighted to build on our successful partnership with Waitrose,” she said.
Waitrose salad and prepared produce buyer, Tom Moore, said: “Our customers are looking for high-quality, great-tasting ingredients and they like to try new things. The Steve’s Leaves brand ethos and its new Persian Cress & Luscious Herby Leaves salad is ideally placed to meet this need.”
The brand, created by watercress academic Steve Rothwell, has been stocked in Waitrose since 2010.
Steve’s Leaves has introduced new Persian Cress to the market and had listings of staple products doubled at premium retailer Waitrose
Specialist salad producer “Steve’s Leaves” has strengthened its ties with premium retailer Waitrose with the launch of a new range and increased listings.
Distribution of two Steve’s Leaves’ staples, Baby Watercress & Little Leaves and Pea Shoots & Baby Leaves, will double to feature in 300 Waitrose stores.
Recently launched Persian Cress & Luscious Herby Leaves will be promoted by a new partnership with Michelin-starred chef Daniel Clifford, who will develop recipes and offer a meal at his restaurant, Midsummer House, as a competition prize.
Clifford, who will also feature on the Steve’s Leaves website, described Persian Cress as sweet, peppery and aromatic.
Ruth Amigo, brand manager at Steve’s Leaves, said the company looks forward to introducing further new varieties into the market.
“Since launch our aim has always been to bring something a little bit different to the salad aisle. We’re delighted to build on our successful partnership with Waitrose,” she said.
Waitrose salad and prepared produce buyer, Tom Moore, said: “Our customers are looking for high-quality, great-tasting ingredients and they like to try new things. The Steve’s Leaves brand ethos and its new Persian Cress & Luscious Herby Leaves salad is ideally placed to meet this need.”
The brand, created by watercress academic Steve Rothwell, has been stocked in Waitrose since 2010.