Rothfords | News & Views

March

4 March 2011

March 4th 2011

It has been a little while since the last newsletter and I apologise for that. Very tardy on my part.

I could blame the Christmas slowdown and Januray holiday period, but in reality it is just that a number of things have kept my attention elsewhere and the period between December to now has been incredibly busy.

The recent events in Christchurch have been shocking. As a nation we all have watched in horror the aftermath of the earthquake and the impact it has had on the city and also the country as a whole. With a level of trepidation we are all watching and waiting to see what will happen next and how quickly Christchurch can regain a level of normailty amoungst the aftershocks and the grieving.

As with everyone in New Zealand and around the world our thoughts go to the people of Christchurch.

For us here at Rothfords we will be eternally grateful that no one on our staff or their families were hurt in the quake and after a week off to attend to their own aftermath issues, I am proud to say that Megan, Bronnie, Kieran and Tracey are back at work and helping their stores to get back on track.

I was in Christchurch for much of this week trying to help the team and it is a shock to see the extent of the damage and the randomness with which it has occurred.

Two of our clients - Pavillion Foods and Lahmajou are both based in Sydenham and both had alot of damage and disruption to their businesses. It is nothing short of inspiring to have visited them and seen the efforts they are taking to get back to work and maintain dispatch of orders to their customers. Both are back in operation and returning to business as usual.

Two other clients are also based in the area with Anzco Foods having their Head Office out by the airport and Mill Orchard at Rangiroa. Both have been active in assisting disaster efforts with Anzco donating large quantities of Angel Bay burgers and conducting BBQ meals for affected people in the city.

Mill Orchard have set up water stations in badly affected areas and the Mill Orchard juice has been provided to all the rescue workers in Christchurch and also to needy families in badly affected areas.

I took alot from the trip to Christchurch - the obvious sadness at seeing the devatstation and loss of life, but also I was inspired by the fantastic work being done by those affected in getting back up and running, neighbourhoods really pulling together and helping each other and the parts of the city that have not been badly affected not only helping their eastern neighbours, but also working twice as hard to take up the slack and keep the city running.

The supermarket and foodservice people that I met all have terrible stories of their own, damaged and uninhabitable homes, loved ones hurt or even lost and near escapes and yet they are back at work and providing a lifeline in food to the people of Christchurch in often very difficult conditions. Again it is incredibly inspiring.

Our IT partners - IT Link - were also based in the CBD and thankfully all escaped harm, but their offices were destroyed and yet from the ruins their Web Server continued to operate and our own and their other customers' PDA systems continued without interuption throughout the disaster. This is a great tribute to the forsight and back up systems that IT Link have put in place. They have now retrieved the kit from the ruins and have set up shop in alternative premises which again is another example of people pulling out all stops to keep things going and get back to normal as quickly as possible.

I would also like to thank all our staff and clients from around the country who have done so many things to assist in both small and big ways. One of the great things about adversity is that it can bring out the best in people - especially good people - and I am really proud of not only the efforts of our staff and clients based in the stricken area, but also everyone around the country and in our Wellington and Wairarapa offices who have shown compassion, understanding and teamwork to help in any way they can.

Again and on behalf of our company I would like to express our sincerest sympathies to the people of Christchurch and those that have been hurt or lost loved ones.

Tony Trilford

Dec News & Views

7 December 2010

General

As the warm weather of summer comes along with the chance to enjoy the outdoors more and look forward to the festive season ahead, it is normally and ironically enough, a manic time in our industry.

This is the time to maximise sales & focus on the traditional upswing, so here at Rothfords we have been working hard to ensure that our clients products are on shelf, well promoted and have the best opportunity to sell at optimum levels.

At the recent annual FGC Conference that I attended a number of speakers talked about the changing environment we now trade in - from the "I want it now" theory of marketing and required speed to market expected by the trade & consumers to the perpetual drive for efficiencies, it can be anticipated that the coming years will be testing for all.

But everyone has to eat - so irrespective of the state of the econonmy the food industry will continue to roll on.

At Rothfords we have this year focussed on our ability to efficiently harvest sales from the trade in the various formats available, gather and analyse market information and grow sales via all channels available.

The recent PDA implementation that automated our order collection processes and ability to gather market data has proven very successful and in 2011 our new telemarketing project to reach the route trade in a focussed and professional manner will assist in growing our clients sales into areas that have had little or no focus previously.

We also have an ongoing focus on staff development and training in keeping with our HEART values and vision to have the best people.

Staff News

It is with regret that I accepted the resignation of our Foodservce Manager - Gareth McDonald - the other day. Gareth is moving on to new things with Fonterra and I would like to formally recognise the invaluable contribution Gareth has made to the development of our Foodservice offerring.

Gareth will be sadly missed, but it has given us the opportunity to reflect upon the Foodservice business and how we can best meet the challenges of this segment of the market. Rothfords has been one of the few - if not the only - brokerage houses that has established an effective representation model in the Foodservice area nationwide and it is an area we would like to further develop.

So watch this space as we revise the format of our Foodservice structure to better grow our clients' business in this channel.

As we reflect on the past year I would like to also acknowledge the efforts of all our staff who have done a fantastic job in what has been a very testing year. Well done to you all and thank you.

I also would like to thank our partners in business - our clients - who have shared the ups and the downs of the past twelve months and I look forward to developing enduring partnerships going forward.

As the retail and foodservice sectors continue to mature the relationships we have with the people in the trade will continue to be crucial in understanding the requirements of our customers and how we can best be a part of making their businesses grow and prosper.

So I would also llike to thank the many people in the supermarkets and foodservice channels that we deal with on a day by day basis.

Summary

The past couple of months have been so very busy - so like everyone I am looking forward to the post Christmas Eve period where for a few days we can kick back and enjoy that lovely quiet time between Christmas and New Year. Even if you are working (as I am this year - bring out the violins) it always has that holiday feel to it and on behalf of everyone at Rothfords I would like to wish you and your families a Happy and Safe Christmas and New Year.

Tony Trilford

October

26 October 2010

General

As we move on from the dreariness of Winter weather and the promise of warmer spring and summer months the traditional lift in consumer spending commences in the lead up to Christmas. Labour weekend seems to always be the launching pad and so once again we have been preparing and attempting to maximise our clients’ shelf presence in retail and distributor loading in foodservice.

With the tax cuts in October it hasn’t taken long for people to realise they have a bit more money each week, but unfortunately the GST increase and more so the massive jump in fuel prices has tempered the positives.

The market is quite tough at present as people reduce discretionary spending per se and the food industry has been also hit – eating out has diminished with a flow on effect to the food service sector, but interestingly there has not been a responding lift in retail sales.

At Rothfords we see this is a time to focus on defining and maximising sales to stores and foodservice customers of products that meet their requirements for good volume sales and reasonable GP’s. Not easy to do, but an imperative to maintain and grow sales and relationships. Competition for space is almost vicious and only the best selling products at better than normal GP’s will hold the attention of the buyers – but more so product on shelf or in the warehouse must be attractive to the end users to stay in play and sell through quickly.

So more than ever we all need to be flexible and responsive to the changing market dynamics.

Rothfords now has over 50 people in the trade nationwide dealing with key decision makers and our reporting systems back to clients’ provides them with up to date market information that can be used to modify or change tactics.

Staff News

As indicated above we have a great team of people from the far North to the Deep South and we work hard to allow all our people to be the best they can be in their roles.

In our vision we talk about enabling our staff to take a leadership role in their activities and this does not just relate to management staff “leading” our teams, but each person being recognised as really good at what they do by their peers in the trade and an expert in representing the brands and clients’ we have partnered with. Using our HEART values and by continually reinforcing our commitment to being the best we are seeing staff really excel and even surprise themselves at what they can accomplish.

Ask Wendy Growcroft our Taranaki rep (and one of our more recent reps) how she feels now about selling pallets of product and being recognised by the supermarket buyers as a very competent rep – one of the best we were told by one recently.

That is a testament to Wendy’s tenacity and energy. It also shows how stepping outside of Wendy’s comfort zone she has made huge strides. I remember Wendy confiding in me once that she didn’t think she could get up to the level of others as it was all so daunting.

Well done Wendy – from what I have heard you have not only gotten there, you have stepped into a leadership role in your area.

Wendy is just one example of what the people & teams are accomplishing up and down the country – we realise we can always continue to improve, and we strive to do so - but it is also good to look at where we have come from and recognise the good growth accomplished.

Highlights

We have just signed with EasiYo yoghurts in the Foodservice area and are looking forward to building a long term partnership with this fantastic company.

As indicated above the seasonal upturn in sales is starting so our Angel Bay burgers, Shore Mariner Seafood, Giannis breads and Regal Salmon business is really starting to crank.

We have a new range of Tulsi Sauces coming to market as we speak and the initial performance of these has been incredible, not just a Curry sauce but a product that can be used in pastas, on pizza’s and even on salads and we expect great things from the Tulsi range over summer.

With warmer weather here it is also the time for ice creams, frozen berries and deserts to move up a notch and we are starting to see this develop week by week.

So all in all – it’s the crazy season once again, so I better get back to work. All the best and more news to come next month.

Tony Trilford
Waterboy

September

21 September 2010

General
The recent earthquakes in Christchurch and surrounds have been very challenging for our staff living there and for our clients based there such as Lahmajou (Giannis) Pavillion Foods (Gluten Free Breads), Mill Orchard Fruit Juice and Anzco Foods. We are all thankful no one was killed and with only a few serious injuries it really has been a miracle and testament to the building codes in New Zealand and the timing of the “big one” that Christchurch survived as it did.

Many of our customers were badly affected and personally I would like to recognise the efforts of Megan Maddigan, Leanne Baird, Keryn Craddock and Tracy Whear – our Christchurch staff – who were out and around the stores helping restock shelves and clear up the mess soon after the major quake hit. The disaster recovery efforts of our supermarket and foodservice customers was impressive to say the least, and our clients who worked what seemed 24 hours a day for much of the first week to get back to business and maintain supply was just as impressive.

The rest of the country looked on in disbelief and one can only imagine the stress of living through the aftershocks, trying to regain some semblance of normality and go to work as well as repair the damage on so many fronts.

At Rothford we have worked hard to do our bit to keep things going as well as is possible for our clients and customers and I think it is fair to say that the Christchurch quake has had a profound affect on the whole country in many different ways. This has been quite as wake up call for many – ourselves included – and we have been reviewing our own procedures so that in the event of an unforseen disaster occurring Rothfords can maintain business and get back to normal as soon as is possible.

Staff News
As mentioned I am extremely proud of the efforts of our Christchurch based team who definitely went the extra mile, but also our teams all around the country that have been very supportive and understanding during this period and it is very pleasing to see people from Whangarei to Invercargill doing what they could to work through any issues that occurred.

Rothfords has increased the number of staff by over 70% over the past three months as we invest in better systems and technology and take a direct focus on increasing our representation at store level and improve our expertise in the foodservice and administration areas.

Our resident Irish ambassador – Martina Harrington – who has been one of the people at our Wellington office over the past year and in constant contact with reps, clients and customers is now about to leave for home. Martina will be sadly missed by many, but the team in the office will continue in their normal excellent way.

One of the things that I have noticed since we started employing our HEART values is the calibre of people we are now attracting to the organisation and the new ideas and skills they bring. I can honestly say that Rothfords now has the very best teams of people around the country we have ever had – and the investment in our clients’ success and the dedication to getting it right for our customers is more than encouraging.

Great teamwork is a result of great people.

Highlights
Obviously getting through the Canterbury Quakes has been a highlight.

Also the continued success of the new IT platform we have implemented with the introduction of PDA’s through our solutions partner IT Link has been an overwhelming success. Well done Denise Cosgrove who managed this project and to our Key Reps who commenced professionally from day one and just keep getting better.

Also we have just signed two new clients – Regal Salmon and La Baguette (aka NZ King Salmon Ltd and The Natural Food Company respectively). These two new partners will be commencing in October and we look forward to assisting them in developing over the coming years.

Spring is here and with that the general mood of the nation seems to improve, so we look forward to a smooth and prosperous lead up to Christmas.

All the best and more news to come next month.

Tony Trilford
CEO

Waterboy September

2 September 2010

General
The year is flashing by once again and whilst we had hoped to have our new Website up and running some time ago this has been a very busy year again at Rothfords and so we have been a little slower than desired.

The company is going through considerable growth at present and the recent restructuring of the management team leading to one National Retail Sales Manager and one national Foodservice Manager has streamlined decision making and led to less regionalisation of procedures.

The recent implementation of our new PDA technology has been executed extremely well and the uptake from staff and clients has been more than encouraging. The results are also very encouraging and as we grow in this area more benefits will flow.

Our focus over the coming years will be to avoid missed opportunities and to immaculately execute our activities and projects to enable our people to be the very best they can be.

We have a great team of people in the company and I am proud of their achievements and positivity to our customers and clients and the opportunities that lay ahead.

The coming months will bring more exciting developments in reporting, telesales systems and special projects and I will keep you informed of these developments as they progress.

Staff News
As mentioned above we restructured the Retail Sales division and management team in April and Megan Maddigan stepped up to the role of National Retail Sales Manager from South Island Manager, and I have to say that I and the rest of the team are very proud (and in awe) of her abilities as things started to improve around the country almost immediately.

Gareth McDonald who has developed into a Foodservice Guru in New Zealand, continues to impressively lead the Foodservice Team, Denise Cosgrove in her role as Operations Manager has been responsible for the “immaculate execution” of our PDA project and Maree Trilford has continued to improve our HR and Financial systems so that the company provides the best information to our people who are committed to being the best they can be.

I still act as Chief Hydration Officer (another name for Water Boy).

We also have had a few new people start with us over the last few months and over the next few newsletters I will start to introduce some of these people to you.

Our company is very simply our people.

We work hard to ensure we train and support our teams within the terms of our company values and it is fair to say that those that subscribe to our HEART values of Honesty, Energy, Accountability, Reliability and Tenacity soar.

We don’t want to be the biggest – just the best and as part of that as a group we want to enable all our staff to be the best they can be.

Some of our clients & customers have commented on the positivity that pervades in the company and, for one, I am extremely proud that as a group of people we have been able to get to this point and to allow that level of enthusiasm to benefit our Client Partners’ businesses and assist in building enduring relationships in the trade.

Highlights
Recent highlights have been the National Conference we had in Turangi where for the first time we had all our key staff from around the country get together. The premise was our PDA implementation, but some clients also made time to come and talk about their journeys with us which was very beneficial.

The PDA implementation has, as stated above, been a major success and we look forward to building on this.

We recently signed with Lahmajou Ltd who manufacture the Gianni’s range of Pita & Flat Breads products. Lahmajou complement our other bread manufacturer – Pavillion Foods – who now specialise in the Gluten Free offering to the trade.

We have also recently commenced with Leanne’s Kitchen Asian Soups and Dumplings and sales in the Lower Nth Island and South Island have grown dramatically.

Another great company that has recently started with Rothfords is Mill Orchard Fruit juice – a range of New Zealand Apple based juices made ONLY from fruit grown in New Zealand. The product has no preservatives, no artificial flavourings, concentrates or added sugar and is about as close to making your own fruit drink picked directly from the tree as you can get. AND it tastes great. Watch this space – Mill Orchard is going to be a major player in the coming years.

It is one of my personal points of pride that the first client Rothford ever had – Anzco Foods with their Angel Bay range – is still with us today fourteen years on and still seeing record growth year against year. A true testament to the power of solid partnerships.

Another relatively new client we are seeing significant growth with is the Tulsi Asian meals which has always had a strong focus on the Lower North Island and is now successfully selling in record levels to the other areas of New Zealand.

The Fruzio range from Fruit Solutions has had phenomenal success over the past nine months and is poised to become market leader over the next few years.

At Rothford our client partners’ successes are ours and we celebrate not just the sales results, but the awards and recognition our clients receive as well – such as Emerald Foods major successes in the NZ Ice Cream Awards to Kaimai Cheese winning numerous medals and recognition in the NZ Cheese Awards.

Our other clients are also cutting new ground and developing innovative and impressive products and services to mark them as separate and different from the rest of the pack and Rothfords will be right beside them every step of the way and assist as best we can.

Some of these initiatives are commercially sensitive, but as we are able to I will talk about these developments in later newsletters.

This is an exciting, but testing time in the NZ food industry and by partnering with enthusiastic, competent and like minded people truly amazing results are achieved.

I again would like to thank our staff and our clients who work hard to overcome the daily issues and problems, keep their respective sense of humour and strive together to outgrow and outsell the rest.

Tony Trilford
Water Boy

Business with HEART

2 August 2010