Simon Ford from Shopper Tracker spoke to over 200 people 23 March at the Drinks Association network breakfast hosted at the Sydney Cricket Grounds. By Michelle Manus Simon focused on the importance behind shopper marketing and brand decision making to maximize drive among retailer and consumer satisfaction. “It’s solution retailing not product retailing. That’s getting into the mind of the shopper, unders…

A group of 16 Bowral artists have found a way to collectively support local winemakers and breweries through its busy, town centre cooperative. The shop and gallery, named Ten Thousand Paces after the exhibitors that live within walking distance of the space, has thrown out convention to champion regional identity and a sustainable, creative community that benefits multiple producers in the area. About 1…

Pith & Vinegar is the new bar and beverage consultancy that’s quickly making a name for itself on the Melbourne scene. The business is being headed by well-known, former Senior Bartender of The Black Pearl, Fred Siggins, who has hung out his shingle to help the independent brands of the south. The business officially launched mid way through last year and offers marketing advice and brand advocacy, co…

The wine region of McLaren Vale now has its first dedicated whisky distillery, with several others in the pipeline for other SA wine regions, amid a groundswell of whisky production activity in the state. The McLaren Vale Distillery has been founded by John Rochfort, former CEO of Tasmania’s Lark Distillery, and his family, together with business partner Jock Harvey, who also owns Chalk Hill Wines. They a…

By Mal Higgs, Project Manager for the ALSA Retail Insights Project www.alsaretailinsights.com.au As retailers, we tend to spend most of our time concentrating on our ‘customers’, as these are the people who make our cash registers ring! This however, instinctively means that we are focussing on the customers who walk through our front door – our regulars. Occasionally we will read or hear about ‘consumer…

New Zealand’s award-winning Rochdale Cider is now being distributed through Dan Murphy’s in Australia. The family-owned brand, which uses only natural ingredients, is one of the country’s most popular ciders and its “honest” approach is also driving consumers to Rochdale in Australia according to the retailer. The cider is gluten free and has no added sugars or preservatives, which makes this product on t…

A survey conducted by Diageo Australia has found that a large percentage of consumers in this country are unsure about the volume of alcohol they’re consuming. When asked about the number of standard drinks in a beer, wine and single serve of spirits with a mixer, half of respondents said lower than the actual amount. The survey asked just under 1,000 Australians, both men and women, aged 18 or over, and …

Business is still going strong for Southern Independent Liquor a year on since it sold its liquor wholesaling and marketing group to ALM. SIL has said that business has been steady over the last 12 months, following its change over to a new service as a bonded storage and third party logistics provider for liquor and general goods. “Last year’s asset sale agreement between SIL and Australian Liquor Mark…

ALSA Retail Insights Project Manager, Mal Higgs, explains what relies on the health of the relationship between a supplier and retailer. Most would argue that for an industry to survive and thrive, there needs to be a healthy and productive relationship between the supplier and retailer. The supplier’s job after all, is to create the demand for their product in the eye of the consumer, while the retailer’…

LMG Marketing has announced a rebrand of its name and website to OnTap Data. The business launched as LMG Marketing in 1997 to provide consulting and data management services specific to the hospitality industry. 18 years on, Director and founder Leith McGregor said it was time for a change. “The business has grown so much over the years and we felt it was time to have a name that is a better reflection…