FMCG NEWSLETTERS

It’s a fact that in times of recession, luxury items are the first to get the chop from the shopping list. But if recent consumer research is anything to go by, South Africans are investing more in their health and wellbeing, despite the increased price tag and supressed economic climate.  read more

South Africa’s recent trade talks with Nigeria has placed the continent’s most populous nation in the spotlight; this time for the right reasons. read more

With no visible signs that the economy is set to improve any time soon, business investors need to be increasingly vigilant as they go about their investigations into new investment opportunities. read more

Competitor research is vital to any successful product range. In fact it would be almost impossible for any brand to establish an effective unique selling proposition (USP) without first analysing the strengths and weaknesses of its competitors. A brand’s competitor analysis should form part of its category positioning strategy.  read more

Today’s consumer is exposed to thousands of different products during the course of a single shopping expedition. This makes it difficult for brand managers to attract their attention and instigate sales. Of course the answer to this challenge lies with strategic branding techniques that have the power to convince shoppers to adopt your product as a brand of choice. read more

It can be said that in order to truly be successful in today’s world of business, it is essential to develop a considerable online presence. However, a business can enlist as many different digital tools as it likes but without a comprehensive understanding of how digital platforms work as part of an integrated online strategy, they will do little for overall business performance.  read more

Continuous research into- and development of access control solutions means businesses can take advantage of a wider selection of low-cost technology. This technology is designed to offer complete security and empower decision makers with control over the environment.  read more

As technology evolves and social media changes the media landscape - marketing to the student market has become more complex than ever before.  read more

Experts in Human Resource and payroll administration infrastructure management believe South Africa’s public and private sector has to work closely with government in order to ensure the success of job creation initiatives and austerity measures outlined within the Budget Overview of 2013. read more

A brand is built through a consistent, relevant and credible message. As the economic outlook continues to be uncertain, now more than ever successful brands must focus on tightly integrating each stage within their brand’s business cycle. read more

Consumers have been encouraged by the acting Consumer Commissioner to "seek redress" under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) with regards to the content of their meat product, but according to Chris Charter, Director in the Competition and Regulatory practice at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, those consumers looking for a payday will be most likely be disappointed. read more

Promoters have the potential to make or break an experiential marketing campaign. While many people might be under the assumption that the experiential process is as simple as placing a few sales savvy representatives at a brand exhibition and allowing them to do the rest, leading experiential marketing companies know that the procedure involved in pairing the right promoters with the right brand is in fact far more complicated.  read more

Private label is a topic that is debated at all levels of retail. While opinions are often polar, there is no denying that all retailers “do private label”, but only a few retailers “do private label well”. The more I see and learn about private labels, the more I understand that there is no real right or wrong approach to making a success of a retailer’s own brand offering. read more

When seeking marketing platforms that will effectively and directly translate into an increase in sales, PR is not generally the tool that springs to mind. read more

Any successful retailer will tell you that building strong brand awareness is the best long - term marketing strategy. However, creating a sustainable brand in new and emerging markets presents a unique challenge for international retailers.  read more

Digital PR strategy has become a vital area of expertise for any leading PR firm, but for many brand and product managers the understanding of what exactly digital PR is, remains a point of confusion. read more

While this may seem like a question too obvious to ask, a clear and well-defined Brand Plan is essential in giving a business direction and helping a brand achieve its goals. read more

Retailer, Pick n Pay, has been in the spotlight of late as it puts its turnaround strategy in motion to regain lost share in South Africa’s grocery retail market. Of particular interest has been its drive to hire specialists with international experience to compliment its bounce back plan and overall business goals.  read more

SA government and business initially pulled its nose up to Walmart’s 51% stake in Masmmart saying it would be to the detriment of local producers and business owners. However, after a number of enquiries and debates, an agreement was reached to benefit the stakeholders concerned.  read more

Acquisitions, economic uncertainties and labour negotiations have made 2012 an eventful year for retail. As we rush into the festive season and the New Year, may 2013 bring exciting retail technologies and developments that keep us on our toes. read more

‘Everyone within the food supply chain is accountable and must ensure a quick and effective product recall can be conducted to minimise risks and costs. Everyone – from the raw material and ingredient supplier to the packaging supplier, the equipment supplier, the manufacturer/ producer, the distributor, the importer, the retailer, the wholesaler and the consumer.’  read more

Reducing salt content in processed foods has been an issue of much debate between food manufacturers and government this year. The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa provides some background on the matter and suggests how stakeholders can work towards an implementation plan.  read more

Nestlé South Africa recently announced the results of its Rainbow Nation Health Monitor study at an industry breakfast held in Johannesburg. read more

There are multiple lessons that brands can take from corporates, even those operating in other industries, when putting their own crisis communication strategy in place. Janine Lloyd elaborates using an oil conglomerate as a practical example.  read more

Those who have handled crises situations before know very well that we can’t control every possible incident that may affect company reputation and share value. read more

BP, one of SA’s top fuel retailers, has announced that it will be investing significantly over the next three years on its BP Express upgrade project, which will entrench the petroleum company’s position at the top of the retail convenience channel and ensure South African consumers continue to enjoy convenience shopping innovation. read more

The case for Genetically Modified (GM) food is a hotly contested topic from experts in the food industry to consumer bodies with one of the big questions being: what are the long term effects on this for our health?  read more

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa has embarked on a process that will see it transition into an effective organisation that has the skills, network and authority to act on behalf of the industry. The council has always had an impressive array of names on the board of directors, but without a strong management infrastructure to implement and drive the strategies developed by the board. read more

A recent trip to the UK drew my attention to how retail technology has developed since my last visit. In particular, I was excited to see the progress made by self checkout in UK supermarkets. I can’t help but wonder how successful this would be in South African retail, if used in the right conditions. read more

To meet the needs of today’s South African grocery shopper, advanced mobility systems are needed in order to provide fresh, quality products on demand. Although the consumer rarely sees these processes first-hand, they are essential for streamlining the distribution process and speeding up the delivery of product to shelf.  read more

Avoiding a complaint sent by an irate consumer via social media can cause extensive brand damage and harm its overall reputation. Instead, consumer brands should constantly listen, measure and engage consumer feedback on these platforms. read more

Greater investment in centralised distribution means that food retailers now have more ownership and control over the supply chain process, setting new rules for an industry that has almost entirely been dominated by outsourced service providers.  read more

Human Resource managers now have a fresh concern in a disturbing new trend affecting output and productivity. The traditional problem of ‘burn-out’ has made way for ‘bore-out’, which describes a scenario in which an employee’s zest for work is extinguished by the mundane rather than an unmanageable workload.  read more

LinkedIn has released a highly informative white paper on employer branding. Strategy Recruitment Marketing analyses the information and discusses this in the South African context.  read more

This year independent marketing strategy consultancy – Yellowwood, built on the findings of its 2011 Engager Survey, by focusing on the FMCG category and assessing the relationship between brand-engagement and shopper marketing.  read more

Heritage brands have an almost indefinable magic that is hard to emulate and virtually impossible to copy. They have the ability to prosper and grow in a competitive market place; they cross from one generation to another and build strength and presence, while lesser brands fall victim to changing consumer trends and tastes. read more

In a recent presentation at the Utilizing Packaging and its evolving trends to Maximize Profits: Innovation and Sustainability In Packaging conference, Dr Inka Crosswaite, a South African cultural insight and semiotics specialist with a Doctorate in Social Anthropology from the University of Cape Town, identified what the world means by ‘sustainability’. read more

Customer feedback is being increasingly recognised as critical to success. Customers like to be asked for their feedback (so long as they think it's leading somewhere other than down a black hole) and are increasingly giving that feedback whether they are asked for it or not. read more

Every now and again we come across a phrase that is widely used and rather vague in its definition. “Social Retailing” is as out-there as a retailer can get, for now at least. Some would have you believe that if a retailer is not solely focused on “harnessing the power of the social network”, “working the crowd” or “fully immersed in F-commerce”, they are likely to be out of business within the next six months. While these are great catch-phrases for presentations, they are not that realistic.  read more

Managing one’s print budget is a critical task for many consumer brands, especially for those requiring a large quantity of printed material.  read more

A brand is built through a consistent, relevant and credible message. As the economic outlook continues to be uncertain, now more than ever successful brands must focus on tightly integrating each stage within their brand’s business cycle. read more

Some of the largest companies in the world are grocery retailers and some of the most profitable companies in the world depend on retailers to distribute their products to consumers. Retailers certainly play a pivotal role in any economy but their impact on an emerging economy is even more critical. The migration from informal retailing to corporate retail helps to structure and grow the economy as a whole as well as improve the lives of ordinary people.  read more

“Consumers have the power and are responsible for the shifts we are seeing in retail shopping. As shoppers tighten their belts, the sale of private label products has increased significantly and this leaves retailers in a quandary as to how to invest in their own brands,” says Deloitte Partner and Consumer Business leader in the Western Cape, Michael van Wyk. read more

As POS becomes the heart of technology in-store, interlinking more closely with digital marketing and the overall shopping experience, it has to readily adapt to a retailer’s demands and changing environment. read more

An HR policy and procedure document is an active, ‘living’ resource without which businesses would struggle to ensure balance and productivity in the workplace. read more

As the business world’s gaze turns towards African developing markets, outdoor advertising companies need to understand the different segments in the economies and how best to reach disparate groups of consumers. As part of its consumer and media insights focus group series in various African countries, Continental Outdoor Media has released its research findings of consumer behaviour in Malawi so as to understand how outdoor advertising can affect habits. read more

Over the past decade, bilateral trade between Thailand and South Africa has demonstrated steady growth. In 2011, combined trade between the countries reached an all time high of USD 3.5-billion – a significant increase over the USD 2.2-billion of 2010. read more

“One of the most significant trends in business today is a growing interest in Africa,” says John Thomson, Managing Director of Exhibition Management Services, organisers of the Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX). read more

It's no secret that the internet has revolutionised our lives, from the way we socialise to the way we do business. Communication is faster, responses are immediate and events are recorded in real-time.  read more

No longer can brands rely on the loyal, regular and rational customer; in fact, products are likely to be bought by a disloyal, irregular and emotional customer. Essentially, companies need to totally rethink their marketing strategies. So said Pip Hainsworth, guest speaker at Continental Outdoor Media’s first Continental Conversations function. read more

People development specialists believe the global trend of focusing on health and education of individuals, from a young age, is the best way to equip future workers to handle the pressures of the modern market. read more

FMCG brands need to give more attention to their consumer care strategies as regulatory frameworks and consumer demands dictate the accuracy and speed at which they respond to grievances and complaints.  read more

The local potato processing industry finds itself in a crisis situation due to a sharp increase in the importation of frozen French fries from Europe. read more

Very often an FMCG supplier’s biggest challenge has little to do with the manufacture and delivery of goods. The delay between making a delivery and receiving payment for it is responsible for a great deal of anguish. read more

Namibia, in southern Africa and Uruguay, in South America may not be making a huge blip on the global radar in terms of economic size and stature, yet both, in their respective ways, are making significant waves in the meat industry. read more

Food Lover’s Market in Main Road Tokai, Cape Town, sets a benchmark for fresh produce retail and retail as a whole in South Africa.  read more

FMCG brands have a plethora of media available to them for targeting consumers. They also have the important responsibility of choosing the right media to fit their target market’s profile. In addition to this, digital technology has weaved its way into all types of media, giving FMCG brands greater flexibility in designing content and better control over creative delivery.  read more

If food retailers want to keep ahead of competitors, they will need to invest in supply chain strategies that reduce costs and waste in getting goods from suppliers to shelf, while maintaining the highest services standards and continuous availability of goods at the same time. read more

The baking fat category saw good volume increases in 2009 and 2010, with growth rates of 7.6% and 4.6% recorded for these two years respectively. read more

Do consumers and suppliers have immediate access to your to all your product allergens, ingredients and nutritional information, 24/7? They should.  read more

The coffee market saw relatively good growth (5.3%) during 2010, where this was driven by mixed instant, mixed ground and pure ground coffee volumes. This follows a fairly static market state in the two years prior to that.  read more

The terms of purchase are integral to a retailer’s supply chain and the more simplified this process is, the easier it is for retailers to maintain tighter margins and optimise profits. The role of a retailer buyer is essential in making this work. read more

Private labels are taking on a new role in retail, positioning themselves as higher quality products on supermarket shelves, rather than the “low quality’ option they were initially perceived to be. read more

There is much talk about the store of the future and what this store might look like and how it will operate. Will it be a self-service store that only has self-checkout points and no staff? Will all the store signage take on the form of holograms and virtual displays? The list is as long as your imagination. read more

Branded foods and beverages company, Clover, recently launched the “Way Better” campaign to communicate its new brand positioning statement to consumers. Fast-moving speaks to Clover’s Brands and Marketing Director, Dr Chris Lerm, about the general intricacies of re-branding and the best steps an FMCG company should take to position a brand successfully.  read more

In a surprising statement Pick n Pay announced the resignation of its CE0, Nick Badminton, yesterday. The retailer said that Badminton would resign from the board at the end of the financial year.  read more

I was fortunate enough to attend the National Retail Federation show in New York in January and what an experience it was. The scale of the US retail sector is simply jaw dropping and watching 26 000 delegates register for the event is a graphic representation of that.  read more

Whether launching a new FMCG brand or rejuvenating an existing one, in-store promotion is essential for grabbing a consumer’s interest, ahead of the clutter and many other brands in-store, all competing for the same attention.  read more

With online consumer spending on the rise in South Africa last year, brick and mortar retailers should jump on the bandwagon and capitalise on the Internet as a sales platform.  read more

Marketing to consumers is at the heart of any retail business and although retailers may follow a similar procedure to roll out their marketing campaigns, the brand perceptions they create are often very different.  read more

Fastmoving.co.za would like to wish you a relaxing end-of-year break, should you be taking leave during this time. We’re excited about what 2012 holds in the retail and the FMCG industries and look forward to bringing you the latest news and commentary. read more

Moving into 2012, retailers are going to have to begin implementing the ambitious expansion plans set out in recent months. The bulk of new store openings by South African retailers will be taking place outside of our borders.  read more

Fastmoving.co.za is about helping brands communicate with retailers and giving brand managers the tools they need to organise and store their electronic data.  read more

The arrival of the Internet and all things digital has raised many debates about the future of traditional print media. SA’s biggest retailers would face a predicament if print media falls away in favour of its digital counterparts, since they make use of broadsheet price promotions as their staple print advertising diet.  read more

Gaining a consumer’s loyalty is at the heart of most retail marketing campaigns as retailers battle it out to win over consumers and influence their buying habits. In South Africa, long-term programmes have typically been used to achieve this through loyalty cards and accumulative point systems.  read more

The recent bids received for a renewable energy plan from 53 independent electricity producers should be good news for big business, particularly agribusinesses, given the fact that high electricity tariffs have a crippling effect on operating costs and profit margins.  read more

Retailers play an essential role in the recycling chain. They are the last exit point for food packaging and should be the first point of entry for re-useable waste. read more

Agriculture is one of South Africa’s most important industries and accounts for a large percentage of our GDP. It’s already a large employer, has potential to create more jobs and is a major driver of investment. read more

Food price inflation is a fickle and difficult to track; it’s influenced by a complex web of interdependent factors that are subject to varying degrees of volatility, which rarely benefits consumers. read more

Africa has become a prime destination for retailers in their quest to break into new markets. Our growing consumer populations combined with slower growth in developed markets, among other factors, all contribute to making it a sought-after business destination read more

I was fortunate enough to visit Germany last month and spent a great deal of time speaking to retailers and visiting stores. I also had the opportunity to visit the Real – Future Store, which is an enlightening step into the store of the (not too distant) future. read more

All retailers are faced with the difficult task of driving sales in specific periods for certain categories, regardless of what they’re selling. One way to do this that works particularly well is to implement short term loyalty programmers. Such programmes incentivise sales and get customers through a retailer’s doors.  read more

Regulations set by the Consumer Protection Act have businesses in the food industry scrambling to ensure that their product packaging meets all the necessary requirements before the deadline in March 2012. read more

With a number of upcoming events on our calendar, it’s an exciting time to be in FMCG and retail. Conferences, workshops and the like, play an important role in growing and shaping our industry.  read more

Convenience stores offer evident benefits for consumers, like 24 hour access and ready-to-eat foods, but these C-Store formats also offer the opportunity for retailers to put greater emphasis on particular categories. International trends offer some comparable insights on how this can be successfully achieved.  read more

The race for African retail dominance has begun. Nigeria, which is predicted to be the globe’s fastest growing economy between now and 2050, is a key destination. It is already clear which retailers are aggressively seeking their slice of the pie. read more

Price optimisation is a business strategy for retailers to seriously consider implementing as it helps them improve margins and streamline the supply chain. But, more importantly, it provides retailers with a tool to make intelligent pricing decisions. read more

Local food manufacturers will soon be challenged by two international FMCG players, namely Diplomat and Iffco. Iffco is a food manufacturer and distributor based in Dubai and has a presence in more than 85 countries. Diplomat is one of Israel’s largest FMCG distributors and has made its way into South Africa under an agreement with Proctor and Gamble (P&G). read more

Electronic Shelf Label technology has, for some time, been a concept that could clearly deliver significant benefits and cost reductions to retailers but costs have made that investment case just a little too risky for most. read more

Falling short of gazing into a crystal ball, one can only speculate what effects the recent global trends will have on consumer spending and retailers. On the whole conditions don’t look favourable, especially looking at durable and semi-durable items. Food retailers, on the other hand, remain more resilient through tough economic periods.  read more

While reports suggest that consumer confidence has declined in South African retail, the recent international interest in South African retail and logistics paints a completely different picture.  read more

As we become more conscious about sustaining our environment the product packaging consumers’ use today needs to be more environmentally sustainable than before.  read more

South African authorities have recently announced three areas of proposed regulation aimed at helping consumers make informed choices when buying certain goods. These are a proposed ban on alcohol advertising, placing warning labels on energy drinks, and proposed shock advertisements for smokers.  read more

This week Pick n Pay announced that it would be retrenching a shade over 3000 employees. I have no doubt that this would have been one of the most difficult decisions that management has ever made, Pick n Pay prides itself on its commitment to its people and its actions have proven time and time again that it goes the extra mile for the team. read more

The recent outbreak of a deadly strain of E. Coli in Germany prompted the local Food Safety Initiative (FSI) to compile food product recall guidelines. These guidelines allow a product recall to be initiated by the food processor/supplier, or a regulatory body such as the department of health, or by a consumer complaint. This is an important and necessary measure, and my only criticism is, why did it take the outbreak of a deadly disease to instigate these changes? More concerning however, is the outbreak itself.  read more

Many consumers, who have spent time overseas, particularly in Europe, may find themselves recognizing some familiar products on the shelves of local stores. That's because retailers have taken it upon themselves to import 'grey goods' to provide "wider choices with a range of lower-priced alternatives" and to build competition in "certain categories where large suppliers may dominate the market".  read more

Food security is a global threat and it goes hand in hand with water security. Fresh water is a vital element in the food production process and is used intensely throughout. Because of its perceived abundance it is often used with abandon, and now the cost is being seen.  read more

Sustainability is no longer a project undertaken by a small team within a company, it has become an integral part of doing good business. The results are measurable and executives are held to account, not just by shareholders or regulators but also by consumers. Sustainability is not just about minimizing the negative impact of a business but also about actively striving to make a positive impact on the environment and on the lives of those associated with the company.  read more

Now that the Walmart deal has been approved it is only a matter of time before the South African retail landscape changes significantly. The giant’s entry will have implications for all South African retailers, it’s not just the grocery specialists who will find themselves under fire. Arguably the retailer with the most to lose from Walmart’s entry would be Pick n Pay. It poses the question: Can Pick n Pay afford not to do a deal with Tesco? read more

We were fortunate enough to interview James House, CEO of 5one. 5one works with retailers and consumer goods businesses to deliver sales and margin improvements through developing and implementing a customer-centric business strategy and are the architects behind Pick n Pay’s Smart Shopper loyalty programme.  read more

This week saw a somewhat predictable slow in retail sales. With sales slowing to just 5.1% year-on-year in March, down from 5.5% in February, it marks the third consecutive month of the downward trend. Although growth is still positive, if no momentum is found soon it could have an adverse effect on the economic recovery. That considered, an average growth of about 5% per month has been forecast throughout the year. read more

Many business are subject to external influences that are not always purely economic. Food retailers are particularly exposed to these influences. read more

This week marks the launch of the new and improved Fastmoving.co.za. While everyone else was off enjoying the extended Easter break our team was working away, tweaking and tinkering to get the new portal ready for its public debut.  read more