Speciality Food Magazine JulyAugust 2024

curated balance of trend and tradition throughout your selection. For WBC, personalisation is the name of the game. “Personalisation can take on many forms. From the way in which your products are packaged and presented, to the experiences you can evoke in- store,” begins Eve Reid, managing director. Playing the personalisation 14 A s we all know, Christmas prep starts long before the first frosts arrive, so by the time consumers start to dust off their decs retailers are well and truly in full swing with their festive celebrations. Key to a successful season is planning ahead, prepping as much as possible, and making sure that you maintain a carefully card doesn’t just help indies stand out from the crowd; it has tangible value, too. “For fine food retailers, this identification is everything. You want to reinforce the high quality of your products and increase the perception of these items to have more inherent value, so that consumers are inclined to pay more with the confidence that this is a MATT WHELAN FIELDFARE JAMES TOD THE GREAT BRITISH HAMPER COMPANY NICHOLAS JINKS RANDOM HARVEST TUDOR EVANS HOLLEYS FINE FOOD SHIRLEY AUBREY HARVEY NICHOLS COMMENTATORS EVE REID WBC purchase they can trust. “There are numerous studies that suggest that by leveraging personalisation you can drive sales, forge connections through customer satisfaction, and create long lasting brand impressions.” Of equal importance is carefully chosen packaging, and it is especially vital for retailers to hone @specialityfood WHOLESALER VIEWPOINT Tudor Evans, head of commercial at Holleys Fine Foods, highlights the business’s must-stock products for Christmas 2024 “A large part of our offer each year is our Christmas range, which contains over 1,000 products,” begins Tudor. From tins of biscuits to confectionery, all festive requirements are catered for, but it’s important for retailers to stock up on the basics too. “Pantry products, the kind of thing that is stocked year-round such as preserves, pates and chutneys, tend to see a boost in sales around Christmas so it’s important that Speciality Food readers plan ahead for that rush,” he continues. New to the Holleys range is ambient charcuterie, sure to be a strong seller this season, alongside Christmas favourites such as panettone from Italy and stollen from Germany, plus traditional mince pies and festive cakes from brands like Bakewell & Browne. On the savoury front, the popular West Country Legends range of cheese snacks is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, as is the rest of Holleys’ sizeable snacking range. Holleys customers can be sure that whatever they order, the wholesaler will deliver. “One of the cornerstones of our offer has been certainty of supply,” says Tudor. “Whatever the customer orders is what we will deliver, and we make sure to work with suppliers who can live up to that expectation too.” Tudor’s key tip for successful selling during Christmas 2024? “Look for products that help with displays and merchandising,” he says. Continental products and items with attractive packaging that will catch the customer’s eye are valuable “Farm shops and garden centres tend to cater to a lot of impulse shoppers during the festive season, so stock a range of recognisable classics as well as more unusual items that could be suitable for gifting.” Now’s the time to get ahead to make Christmas 2024 your best yet. Here’s some expert intel to help you do just that ‘TIS THE SEASON Look for products that help with display andmerchandising