Speciality Food October 2024

Fork. “Many, in fact most regularly take substantial percentages of their annual income in only a few short weeks. Average spend rises and items are bought that are never repeated at other times of the year. “When to launch your Christmas range? I recall visiting Harrods some years ago and finding a Christmas department trading in July,” says Edward. “The explanation that I was given at the time was demand from overseas visitors. I was more concerned at the sanity of With Christmas the most valuable season for fine food retail, now’s the time to master the art of merchandising SETTINGTHE SCENE @specialityfood the employees having to listen to Jingle Bells every day for nearly six months!” Naturally, opinions differ across the sector, whichmeans it’s important to learn from last year’s triumphs and errors to find the correct balance for your business. “Traditionalists would say that you shouldn’t begin your Christmas sales thrust before December, but as so much emphasis is put on this period, then ensuring sufficient time to meet targets may mean an earlier start. 22 festive spirit when people aren’t quite ready and missing out on sales from your more organised customers. This is the season when planning ahead really comes into its own – without investing time into how those busy weeks will ideally run you run the risk of unnecessary stress and, even worse, missed opportunities. “Christmas adds an extraordinary and exceptional dynamic to the retail year, and food shops encounter unbelievable experiences,” says Edward Berry, partner at The Flying T he most wonderful time of the year is nearly upon us, and with the consumer expectation for fun festive experiences at every turn – and bottom lines dependent on a successful festive season – it’s vital for Speciality Food readers to create the kind of atmosphere that will get customers inspired to spend. Thankfully, there’s a myriad of ways to set yourself apart from the competition and create an atmosphere worth returning to. “Merchandising is crucial in retail at Christmas for four key reasons,” says Will Gadsby, managing director of Gadsby. “First, increased consumer spending during the seasonmakes it vital for retailers to showcase products that appeal predominantly to shoppers’ emotions. Second, festive merchandising – softer lighting, filled Christmas-themed hampers and decorations – enhances the shopping experience and encourages customers to spend more time in-store. Independents can create a cosy, more personalised shopping atmosphere with bespoke decorations and holiday-themed displays that reflect their brand’s character.” If that ‘character’ is local and rustic, Will has a simple display solution that will help you stand out from the crowd. “Highlighting niche, artisanal or locally made products in well-organised gift sections helps attract customers seeking unique items. Place these products in rustic wicker display baskets or wooden crates to add to the ‘handmade’ appeal. Baskets and crates are great for reusing and repurposing throughout your store.” “In a sea of competitors, you need to stand out, making your store the go-to choice on every list, whether it contains gifting must-haves or grocery supplies,” says Caitlyn Smith, product manager at WBC. “With beautiful displays, noteworthy packaging or a vibrant fabric bag, you have the opportunity to give your brand identity extra visibility, creating a memorable impact and ensuring that customers can distinguish you from the crowd.” The aim of the game is to invite your customers into a wonderland of festive fine food, and that doesn’t need to cost muchmoney to create. “Customer expectations run high during the festive season, so creating an emotional buy-in is essential,” says Caitlyn. “Think out of the box and introduce elements that appeal to the senses and embrace the Christmas spirit using mouthwatering aromas, visually appealing counter displays and music that sets the mood. Think along the lines of beautifully presented mince pies, fresh from the oven and piled high on raised food stands and branded ribbons tied around enticing hampers of your best ploughman’s selection.” Plan for success While Christmas is the most profitable time of the retail year – and therefore should be maximised wherever possible – there’s a fine line between attempting to sell the COMMENTATORS WILL GADSBY GADSBY SHIRLEY AUBREY HARVEY NICHOLS EDWARD BERRY FLYING FORK CAITLYN SMITH WBC RETAILER INSIGHT Shirley Aubrey, food development and buying manager at Harvey Nichols shares festive merchandising tricks used by the iconic London store We group products into themes in the stores, particularly around hampers and stocking fillers that our customers are shopping for. Using plinths and shelves to add height to make more impactful displays. Our Christmas theme runs throughout the store from the windows to the shop floor and continues into the foodmarket.