Fine Food Digest Volum 16 Issue 9 | Page 3

opinion What’s new this month: T p46 shoppers will also be tempted by the hose clever Germans (I don’t kind of Continental treats and novelty mean Volkswagen executives, sweets that would otherwise take obvs) are at it again. While them into the independent deli. many of us were tracking what It just piles more pressure on Waitrose and M&S were up to this specialist shops to find a point of Christmas, it seems Aldi and Lidl difference, and that will centre on two may put the squeeze on delis and familiar themes: product range and farm shops too, this time from the in-store experience. lower reaches of the market. As importer-distributor Empire As we report on p4, discounters Bespoke Foods told us, indies need are doing an annoyingly good job to drill deep with lines like lebkuchen, with some of the deli’s festive staples identifying superior versions the – smoked salmon, gingerbread, supermarkets won’t touch. If Aldi or lebkuchen and so on – and at price to Lidl are price-promoting, they won’t be trounce all-comers. highlighting the fact that better quality Given that gingerbread houses, options are available. Independents, novelty biscuits and chocolates are on the other hand, are perfectly something of a German speciality, placed not just to their presence in flag up superior Aldi and Lidl isn’t surprising. Discounters are doing products but to What has an annoyingly good job offer comparative and changed is the with some of the deli’s tastings actually talk to presence of so customers. I can’t many middle-class festive staples remember a lot consumers in those, of friendly sales patter on the few as a rather theatrical ex-colleague used occasions I’ve ventured into Lidl. to put it, down-marché stores. Communication is key. It’s no Natural-born Waitrose devotees good having a better class of product have inverted their snobbery and if you don’t let shoppers know it’s descended on the discounters in better. The best indies I visit these droves. The risk being that while days all have really good signage that buying those “amaaaazingly good suggests they are enthusiasts for, and value” wines, meats and Christmas understand, what they stock. turkeys (and even I And that feeds into the in-store might grab a bottle experience. I’ve just interviewed Mark of Aldi’s Great Handley of London Farmers’ Markets, Taste Top 50 Glen which runs open-air markets across Marnoch single the Capital, for next month’s FFD. malt, at half the He told me one reason markets still price of a branded appeal is “the personal side – dealing Islay), wellwith a real person, not an automated heeled checkout.” Indies and their staff offer the same huge benefit. They need to think about how they can make the best of it as December looms. . ^ p33 p45 p37 p37 _ MICK WHITWORTH Editor EDITORIAL GENERAL ENQUIRIES [email protected] Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] [email protected] www.gff.co.uk Editor: Mick Whitworth Deputy editor: Michael Lane Reporter: Arabella Mileham Art director: Mark Windsor Editorial production: Richard Charnley Contributors: Clare Hargreaves, Patrick McGuigan, Lynda Searby ADVERTISING [email protected] Sales manager: Sally Coley Advertisement sales: Becky Stacey, Ruth Debnam Published by Great Taste Publications Ltd and the Guild of Fine Food Ltd Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand Operations & Guild membership: Charlie Westcar, Karen Price, Jilly Sitch, Claire Powell Accounts: Stephen Guppy, Denise Ballance, Julie Coates Guild of Fine Food, Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £45pa inclusive of post and packing. Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset, UK © Great Taste Publications Ltd and The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2015. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the e F