Meet Grind Coffee - London's Hottest Ready-To-Drink Iced Coffee

Grind is on a mission to change the way we drink coffee for the better. Because with the amount of coffee we all consume, they realised it would be nice to drink it with a clear conscience…

Back in 2011, Grind’s founder, David Abrahamovitch, turned his father’s mobile phone store into the first Grind café in the heart of Shoreditch, East London. Now, Grind is all over the city with cafés, coffee shops, coffee trucks, and a state-of-the-art coffee roastery; and all over the UK with their sustainable at-home coffee range. A certified B Corp, this is a brand committed to driving positive change.

Grind Coffee's Original Shop, the home of their Ready-To-Drink Iced Coffee

Why Is Change Necessary in the coffee industry?

The mainstream coffee industry has become a major contributor to water pollution, deforestation, exploitation, and landfill waste. Too often farmers are not paid enough by big coffee brands, forcing them to forgo sustainable farming practices so that they can produce more in the short term rather than protecting the environment for the long term.

Grind is doing things differently: roasting speciality coffee that’s ethically sourced from small-scale, sustainable farms, using planet-friendly packaging, and recovering ocean-bound plastic with every coffee they sell.

How Is Grind a Better Ready to drink Iced Coffee Brand?

A man and a woman drinking Ready-To-Drink Iced Coffee in a sunny location

By working directly with the farmers who grow their coffee beans, Grind has established and maintained long-term collaborative relationships with sustainable producers around the world, ensuring not only that the coffee they use in their ready-to-drink iced coffee cans is of the highest quality, but has also been farmed in an ethical and environmentally-friendly way, because making sustainable choices shouldn’t mean compromising on quality or taste.

The farms Grind works with are, by nature, sustainable: the growers implement regenerative agricultural practices, focusing on resource efficiency and supporting biodiversity, because these practices don’t just lower their carbon footprint, but ensure the longevity and resilience of the farms as well as the quality of the coffee itself.

Grind also set up their own charitable foundation, The Better Coffee Foundation® ️, as a commitment to undoing the damage of the global coffee industry and to tackling the ocean-pollution crisis. In 2023, they recovered 64,000kg of ocean-bound plastic, and in 2024, they pledged to do more: rescuing the equivalent weight of ocean-bound plastic with every compostable coffee pod, iced coffee can, and cup of coffee they sell.

Doing all this means that Grind has received their B Corp certification, making them part of a global movement of companies who are using business as a force for good, committing themselves to always balancing profit and purpose. Certified B Corp companies prioritise the planet and its people in the way they operate, harnessing the power of business to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Tell Me About Grind Ready to Drink Iced Coffee Cans.

a hand holding a grind Ready-To-Drink Iced Coffee

Over a decade’s worth of café knowledge and experience has gone into Grind’s range of ready-to-drink iced coffee cans—their collection of flavours is inspired by customer favourites, so that people can get the same barista-quality coffee that they know and love at home or on-the-go.

Unlike so many of the canned iced coffees on the market, Grind’s speciality coffee is roasted in London before being carefully cold-brewed to preserve the coffee’s natural flavours and rich aromas. This also gives it a smooth texture that’s lacking in most ready-to-drink iced coffee cans. It’s then combined with barista milks for a creamy finish that replicates your favourite café coffee.

What Is Cold Brew Coffee?

Cold brew coffee is extracted from coffee beans slowly and gently, using ambient or cool water, instead of rapidly in hot water. Cold brew consumption in the UK has increased by 60% in the last three years [Nielsen]. Grind uses this technique because it helps to extract all the natural flavours from the coffee beans, resulting in lower acidity, deeper flavour, natural sweetness, and a smoother mouthfeel.

The result is the delicious, exciting, and complex flavour profile that differentiates Grind’s iced coffee range from other canned coffees, which use hot brewed coffee that leads to a more acidic and bitter taste.

What’s on the Grind Ready to Drink Iced Coffee Menu?

Being both an in-store and at-home coffee company means that Grind is able to stay on top of real-time coffee trends, and this is what their iced coffee can flavours are inspired by: the best-selling Iced Flat White, for instance, is a cooler version of Grind’s most popular coffee shop order, featuring their signature House Blend with the perfect portion of milk.

Seeing the rise of orders with plant-based milk alternatives, Grind has two oat drink iced coffee cans: an Iced Oat Flat White and an Iced Vanilla Oat Latte, which has a kick of fruity sweetness.

With caramel being a particularly popular flavour, Grind has created an Iced Caramel Latte that combines the rich taste of coffee with a little added caramel sweetness, without an intense sugar hit or sickly sweet flavour. On the other hand, the Iced Black Coffee is made for people who want all the rich and delicious flavours of Grind’s cold-brewed speciality coffee, neat.

Every can has a double shot of coffee to give customers a cool caffeine kick on-the-go or at home.

Why Ready to Drink Iced Coffee Cans?

Grind's Ready-To-Drink Iced Coffee

The ready-to-drink iced coffee market is growing rapidly, and its popularity is expected to continue rising. Iced coffee is no longer solely a summer drink—Grind has found that even throughout the winter months in 2024, the consumer demand for iced coffee was higher than it has ever been.

The convenience of ready-to-drink iced coffee cans only heightens this demand, and consumers are becoming more attuned to the quality and flavour of the iced coffee that they pick up off the shelf.

83% of consumers expect innovative flavours and new experiences in convenient grab-and-go formats to fit in with their busy lifestyles, and 63% are looking for coffee brands that emphasise unique brewing and roasting methods, craft, and origin [Global].

This is where Grind comes in with speciality-grade, ethically-sourced coffee that’s roasted in London, providing a ready-to-drink iced coffee can that both tastes great and offers a zero-effort way to be more sustainable.

What’s Next for Grind?

a hand holding a phone with grind Ready-To-Drink Iced Coffee social media platform stats

With the ready-to-drink iced coffee industry set to continue growing, Grind is looking to expand its collection in accordance with consumer trends. They want to get their cans into the hands of more people across the UK, showing them that they can get unmatched barista-quality, sustainable coffee anytime, anywhere. This is a compromise-free way to enjoy your favourite iced coffee on-the-go.

Want to find out more about Grind?

Visit Grind's profile or get in touch with one of our account managers

How Retailers Can Capitalise on the Olympics Excitement With In-Store Theatre and Relevant Products

Focus on: The Olympics

The 2024 Olympics kicks off in Paris on Friday (26 July) and lasts for just over two weeks, to 11 August. This is then followed by the Paralympics, running from 28 August to 8 September.

With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics attracting a TV audience of 36.4 million, the Olympics and Paralympics represents two opportunities for retailers to create in-store theatre and a relevant range for shoppers hosting events to watch the Olympics at home.

Who is the Olympics for?

How Retailers Can Capitalise on the Olympics Excitement With In-Store Theatre and Relevant Products - The Olympics Blog Image 1

The biggest challenge for retailers is maintaining excitement following sporting events, like The Euros. “People aren’t as interested in the Olympics as they are with football, which can make it a struggle, but if we push it, it’s a big opportunity,” explains Bobby Singh, owner of BB Nevison Superstore & Post Office in Pontefract, Yorkshire.

Faraz Iqbal, from Premier Linktown Local in Kirkcaldy, Fife, believes the Olympics are geared more towards older shoppers. However, with so many events throughout the Olympics, there is something for everyone. This gives retailers plenty of avenues to explore.

For example, are you near a gym? It’s likely these gym-goers would be inspired by weightlifting Olympic events, so consider advertising this in store. You can then create in-store theatre around this, utilising any protein-focused products you stock.

Track and field, gymnastics and swimming are three of the most popular Olympics events, so if you’re looking to support specific events, this could be where you start.

The Olympics is televised throughout the day, so there will be plenty of at-home workers tuning in who might buy additional products to treat themselves when events are on.

How to create sports-focused in Store Displays

We all know the importance of in-store theatre and how it can help draw your customers to specific areas of the store.

The simplest form of in-store theatre is bunting highlighting the Olympics. These can be purchased online for a small cost, or some suppliers will have created their own, so reach out to them to see what’s available.

Run an Olympic-style event in store

In-store theatre is only the first step. Keep your shoppers in store for longer by launching your own Olympic-style event in store, as Singh is doing.

“We plan to launch an Olympic-style Supermarket Sweep offering customers the chance to win their shopping for free,” Singh explains.

The competition will not only help to highlight the Olympics, but support customers struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. “It will run like a giveaway. Customers will have a set time to run round the store and whoever has picked the most will get to keep their shopping.”

The event will be ongoing, the retailer said, with one winner announced at the end. The majority of products will be included across grocery, confectionery, snacking and alcohol – all lines typically bought when watching an Olympic event.

Snacking is a core area to focus on

The Olympics Blog- Friends Drinking Karma Cola

So, you’ve created your in-store theatre, but what are customers actually buying when they tune into the Olympics?

Singh explains: “The Olympics is all about comfort snacks and soft drinks, which go hand in hand.”

Iqbal experiences the same uplift and adds: “It’s always about getting those snacks in for the Olympics, but we do notice healthier choices made compared to football events.”

Water and lower-calorie products sell better for Iqbal during Olympic events, so he makes sure he stocks up on these types of snacks. With any snack, though, taste is key, which is where Epicurium can help.

We specialise in healthy, nutritious and flavourful brands, with relevant lines such as:

The Olympics provides ample opportunity to partner with brands and suppliers, especially as many support them themselves. You can then reach out to them for specific branding or utilise their products in store.

Engaging with your customers

Not everything you do for the Olympics needs to result in more profits. Simply engaging with your customers can show your interest, and this will usually lead to stronger loyalty.

Iqbal, for example, will do regular posts on Facebook asking questions about the events or reminding them that they’re coming up. This will prompt customers to comment and offer their views, helping to boost your page, too.

Singh plans to use TikTok to highlight his Supermarket Sweep-style event. He plans to create short reels and videos to increase engagement and show his work for the community.

“We’ll pair them with the right sounds, ideas and hashtags as this helps boost visibility and reach a wider audience,” he concludes.

Are You Ready for The Olympics?

If you are looking to make the most of Olympic season, Click Here to register an account with us and get in touch with our expert sales team to start building an Olympic level snack range.

Spice Up Your Sales: The World Flavours Opportunity for Retailers

Why You Should Stock World Flavours

The world flavours opportunity is unmatched and provides ample opportunity for retailers to tap into an ever-growing market.

If you’re not convinced yet, Mintel’s UK Food Cuisine Market Report found that 92% of Brits ate world cuisines at home in three months to March 2023.

“World foods has certainly grown for us, but it’s the snacks that are helping us to really drive sales, like olives and naan breads,” Jeet Bansi, owner of Meon Vale Londis in Stratford-upon-Avon, says.

Shoppers want to add more variety into their diets, which the report says is the reason behind the growing popularity of world foods, whether as a meal or as a snack.

Which World Flavours Are Driving Growth?

world flavour crisps, Howdah, bombay streetfood inspired indian crisps

World foods covers a lot of cuisines and each store will likely have a different one that’s more popular than other stores.

For Bansi, he’s experiencing growth in Eastern European, Indian and Mexican foods. “We have ambient bays for them and then merchandise linked products near them to drive sales, like beer or poppadoms for those making Indian food at home, for example.”

Kumar Patel, from Patson Local Bradford in Yorkshire, has been stocking world foods for the past 20 years and says Czech, Slovakian and Polish products are his top three cuisines. 

“We only sell European foods now and only a core convenience store range,” he says. “It’s all about your demographic on what will be popular.”

What Are Popular Sub-Categories Within World Flavours?

world flavours, beer caps

Grocery and ambient play a key role in world flavours, but it’s snacks, confectionery and alcohol that are driving growth.

“We started stocking global confectionery a few months ago and it has become popular. Taki’s, for example, are strong sellers,” explains Nimit Patel, owner of three stores in and around Kent.

The retailer has since dedicated 2m of space to global confectionery, which has helped him capture a younger audience.

For Bansi, alcohol has been a strong growth driver. “With the Euros happening, customers have become more experimental with beer and lager, particularly European beer,” he says. “It’s been a real conversation starter.”

Bansi says the key is knowing your range in depth, understanding current events, like the Euros, and communicating solutions with customers. He then says it becomes easier to create loyalty and entice them to try other products you stock.

“World beers can also remind customers of a recent holiday, which is another great conversation starter,” he adds.

Create a Full Meal Solution

Customers want one thing, convenience. And as retailers, you need to ensure it’s as easy for customers to find what they need as possible.

“We have a grocery aisle, where customers will find a broad range of products for cooking meals at home,” Bansi explains. “For example, with Mexican food, customers will find their fajita kits with sauces and drinks.”

Think about the foods or ingredients often bought to make various food dishes and grow from there.

If you’re unsure where to start, talk to your customers, which is a strategy both Bansi and Nimit Patel, owner of three stores in and around Kent, follow. “We talk to our customers all the time because they know what they want,” Patel says. “We also get information from our daughter, the next generation, who will tell us what’s trending on TikTok.”

How to Source World Flavoured Products

world flavours, fiid meal pouches

To create a stand-out range of world food, retailers need to consider a broad range of sources. This is where specialist wholesalers like Epicurium can help.

Epicurium specialises in offering premium brands that help you stand out and its world food range includes products such as Itsu Noodles, Wat Kitchen and Fiid Meal Pouches. You’re able to find all sorts of international products across every category, from snacking to soft drinks.

“We go through a symbol group for well-known world foods products, but if customers want something specific, we have some external wholesalers we use,” Bansi says.

The benefit of using additional wholesalers is you can utilise their experience and knowledge of the category. “Build a relationship with them, it will only help you in the long run,” Patel advises.

Bansi adds: “Having multiple wholesalers means our availability is strong, which is what you need for world foods to be successful and long-term.”

Getting Started With Your World Flavours Range

“Start with a basic range. Go to different shops and supermarkets, see what they stock,” Bansi advises. “You’ll see they don’t carry everything and that’s because you should start with a core range.”

Choose your focus. Are you going for a full meal solution, or prioritise snacks and drinks? If you specialise in alcohol, it’s probably best to focus on global alcohol lines, but if customers do a full shop with you, focus on a sauce, meal kit and seasoning from various countries.

Bansi also recommends trialling international brands of products that are already popular in store. “If mayo is popular, for example, dabble in or experiment with other brands and then expand as needed,” he says. “Also, take shopper and staff recommendations, they are the knowledgeable ones.”

Are you looking to stock world flavoured snacks?

Register an account and begin curating your own range by clicking here

How Trade Media Wins Over Retailers

Brand Guide: How Trade Media Can Improve Your Business

Trade media is the number-one way that retailers find out what’s going on and what’s new in the industry.

Retailers look for new products and brands to work with – and review category features to gain insight from suppliers and fellow retailers alike.

They will – as confirmed by both Nishi Patel, owner of Londis Bexley Park in Dartford, Kent and Amy Sohal, owner of Ken’s Convenience (Premier) in Cheshire – coincide this with trade marketing to enhance their businesses.

How Retailers Find New Brands

Trade Media Magazines

“We always look for new releases in the trade press and find what takes our fancy,” Patel explains. “This could be through the product sections in magazines or in features ­– we look everywhere.”

If Patel finds a brand or product he has yet to stock, he’ll research the manufacturer and reach out to them directly. “I recently saw a product online, but it was exclusive to a specific company. However, I have a good relationship with the rep, so I reached out to see if it’s possible to get some in.”

If this process fails, he’ll look to his wholesaler. “They get quite a few exclusives and it’s an easier process to get products in because they do most of the legwork,” he says. 

Sohal follows a similar process but reaches out to Booker. “I check online and if they don’t stock that line, I challenge them and ask why.”

If that doesn’t work, Sohal reaches out to the supplier directly. Most recently, this was Hell Energy: “I didn’t stock it before and it’s very new,” she says. “We were struggling to stock it, so the company sent their rep out who gave us some trade marketing assets to help sales.”

Both retailers, however, agree that retailer recommendations are what they’re ultimately looking for when finding new brands and products within trade media.

Why Providing Insight as a Brand Is Important

“Insight from suppliers is important, especially when discussing why they’ve launched a specific product. They’ve got the funding and backing to dive into why a certain product or flavour is important for the market, and it’s interesting for us to know, too”. Patel explains.

For Patel, the insight from brands could be the difference between stocking it or not. He looks at why the product has been launched, which is usually explained in category features within trade press, before deciding if it will work for his store and demographic.

“If it’s being launched because premiumisation is an increasing trend, I’ll move on to thinking about whether I can sell a premium product,” he says. “It’s about using their insight, applying it to your own knowledge of your business and customers, and making the right decision for you.”

Sohal, however, is more interested in retailer reviews, especially when it comes to knowing what products to stock. “Retailers have tried and tested these products, so I’m more inclined to listen to them,” she says.

“I read all the advice suppliers and brands offer, however, and take it with a pinch of salt because it might not apply to my business. I take what resonates with me”.

How Utilising Media Marketing Can Improve Sales

Trade Media Blog, Man Using wholesaler website on his computer

Effective trade media marketing can not only help excite retailers about your upcoming launch, but enhance their in-store theatre, too.

Retailers want bright, colourful marketing assets that are going to stand out, as noted by Patel. He adds that retailers need supplier help to advertise new products.

“The social and marketing assets suppliers create are miles apart from what we can make ourselves, but we want options”.

The retailer works closely with suppliers and says collaborating with retailers will help elevate your trade marketing and its success.

“By working with suppliers on their retailer panels, we’ve been able to guide brands on new releases and PoS designs that work for us in store,” he says. “And there’s been a clear uplift in sales by getting access to this, while giving us options”.

Above all, retailers believe it’s all about the relationships you hold with them.

“We attend events and suppliers approach us directly,” Sohal explains. “But I also attend monthly meetings with Booker to discuss new products and issues, and we also hold relationships with trade press journalists.”

Patel echoes this and adds: “Sometimes it’s about who you know rather than what they produce.”

Using the Right Platforms to Advertise New Products

The way retailers consume information is forever changing. Some retailers still prefer print, while others prefer online or through apps.

“We largely use print titles, which is where we also get a lot of trade media marketing ads,” Patel says. “The likes of RN, Retail Express, Asian Trader and The Grocer are our go-to.”

Sohal, however, prefers to consume marketing assets and ads online or through email. “If it’s a new launch, I want to know about it straight away, so getting supplier ads through emails is best for us.”

Like What You Read and Want to Start Shopping With Epicurium?

Register an account by clicking here or get in touch with our dedicated expert sales team

How to Attract Working Professionals: Easy Shopping, For Busy Customers

How to attract working professionals

Attract Working Professionals Blog Image 1 - a group of employees having a discussion round a small coffee table

In the UK, there are 33 million people aged 16+ in employment, showing a high opportunity for retailers to attract working professionals, generating higher sales.

Working professionals have two priorities when they visit your store: convenience and ease of shopping.

“You need to remove their need to think, so workers can start their relaxing evening sooner than they planned,” explains Sunita Aggarwal, owner of two Spar stores in Sheffield.

“Most workers have decided what products they want on their drive to your store and it’s essential we provide everything they need.”

Vishal Trivedi, owner of D & R News in Bolton, echoes this and adds: “Working professionals are looking for quick solutions and a fast shopping experience, otherwise they’ll find somewhere else to shop.”

Build an evening meal solution

Attract Working Professionals Blog Image 2 - A plate of fiid rich chana masala on a pancake with various bowls of sfruit surrounding

After a long day, working professionals often just want to buy their dinner and get home to relax, so make it easy for them by having a full evening meal easily accessible.

Aggarwal offers an evening meal deal that changes every three weeks. She utilises her symbol group’s meal deal promotions and creates her own.

“By doing this, customers have a choice, and they won’t get bored,” she says. “We tend to stick to food within this meal deal and drinks are an additional cost.”

Speaking of drinks to include with any evening meal solution, variety is key. Some will want alcohol, while others will choose soft drinks. For Aggarwal, most of her working professional customers will buy four-packs of beers or wine.

“In the evening, they’ll also treat themselves, especially if they’ve had a hard day. So, you need to make sure they have easy access to chocolate or, if it’s a hot day, make sure you have Tango Ice Blast or F’real available as sales can be high,” she adds.

Find unique products

Working professionals often look for products that combine various health benefits, such as protein, multivitamins and fibre. Epicurium’s range can help you cater for this. Determine if your workers need protein or meal replacements like Huel, which can help keep workers fuller for longer, or hydration drinks with electrolytes, like ActiPH.

That’s not to say that treats aren’t important. After a particularly challenging day at work, this demographic may be tempted to trade up and spend more on something to sweeten the day. Premium confectionery products like Candy Kittens play a critical role here.

Cater for single-person households

Attract Working Professionals Blog Image 3 - A chicken kiev on a plate with mash and peas

The average household in the UK is getting smaller, driven by young professionals living alone. Therefore, buying full meal solutions might not be top of the agenda, especially as reducing waste is important to many.

There are ways around this. Field Fayre is a frozen foods company that offers single products, such as a single croissant or a one chicken kiev, etc. The concept is designed for people buying for themselves, and it’s something Aggarwal is looking to introduce.

“Our frozen food sales have increased quite significantly, but due to shoppers wanting easy-to-cook food and avoid wasting food, this concept means they can use what they need, rather than use a full pack,” she says. 

Ask your shoppers want they want

No-one knows what they want from your store better than your customers, so ask them what they want. This is Trivedi’s strategy.

“We have a lot of competition near us, so to set ourselves apart, we cater for what workers want,” he says. “If they want pasta or tuna pots, we get them in. It’s all about what they want, rather than what we think we should stock.”

Space is limited for Trivedi, so he’s become quite ruthless in his range, but says recommendations from workers have helped him build a core range for them.

“Our most-commonly bought product among working professionals are energy drinks, which is brought throughout the day,” he says. “But people who buy in the evening buy it as a top up for the following morning.”

For Trivedi, mid-price brands are more popular than own label and working professionals are willing to pay a little more for these products. “Working professionals want quality and they get that from well-known brands,” he says. “We also run promotions if we’re trying to shift products quickly.”

Become a one-stop shop

Playing on the convenience trend, retailers can become a one-stop shop. Aggarwal, for example, offers a parcel service. It also means shoppers will often buy additional items, so it’s a great way of driving footfall.

Think about what working professionals normally have to do before or after work, or during their lunch break and determine if introducing additional services are worth it. This could be parcel collection or even having a Post Office can help drive footfall.

Market effectively

Attract Working Professionals Blog Image 4 - A man working at his desk on a laptop, with a can of C4 energy focused in the foreground

While most working professionals are busy, many make time for social media – which is where you can market your business to them while they work.

Trivedi, for example, regularly posts on TikTok to market to younger working professionals and then utilises Facebook and Instagram to target older workers.

“We regularly post on social media about specific products, and it helps bring workers through the door,” he says.

It’s worth prioritising short reels to showcase your range or any promotions that will entice them. This could be snacks if there’s an event happening, especially as the Euros continue, or even an evening meal deal if you run one.

Like what you read and want to start shopping?

Register an account or get in touch with our expert sales team for more advice on the latest trends

GUNNA: The Fizzy Drink Revolution That's Shaking Up the Industry and Saving the Planet

Guest Blog Written By Gunna

GUNNA, the game-changing UK soda brand, is storming onto the beverage scene with its bold flavours and fierce commitment to sustainability that'll make you customers sit up and take notice. These lemonades aren't just crafted from real fruit and inspired by classic cocktails—they're here to rewrite the soda script and light the way to a brighter, more environmentally friendly future.

Is The Sun Setting On Traditional Soda?

Gunna Lemonades surrounded by bowls of fruit on a dark wooden table

The demand for healthier, functional drinks is skyrocketing, and GUNNA is perfectly positioned to capitalise on this trend. According to Mintel's 2023 report on attitudes towards healthy eating in the UK, a staggering 92% of people say they are conscious of the need to eat and drink healthier, with 63% actively trying to consume healthier products all or some of the time.

Moreover, 45% of customers say it is essential that the food or drinks they buy boost immunity, and 65% actively want their favourite soft drinks to offer added health benefits. With its immune-boosting Zinc and Vitamin C content, GUNNA is poised to meet this growing demand.

The UK market size for functional drinks is set to more than double over the next three years, and a whopping 58% of consumers say that they want to see healthier soft drinks in retailers' ranges. As a testament to the value that consumers place on healthier options, twice as many shoppers are willing to pay more than double the average price of a normal soft drink for functional drinks.

But what really sets GUNNA apart from the rest of the fizzy drink lot?

It's not just their cracking taste—it's their unwavering dedication to being a planet-positive alternative. These guys are proudly carbon-negative and always plastic-free, offsetting double the carbon they emit and giving plastic pollution a good kicking. By choosing GUNNA, you're not just sorting out your customers thirst—you're making a stand and supporting a brand that puts the health of our planet first.

Mixing With The Best

The headliner of GUNNA's summer lineup is Pink Punk, a cheeky raspberry lemonade inspired by the classic Shirley Temple mocktail. And for those looking to add a summery twist to their cocktail menu, the Pink Punk Lemonade Gin Cocktail is the perfect upsell. Let's face it, the weather's been rubbish this summer, but this refreshing tipple is sure to put a smile on your customers' faces.

Pink Punk Lemonade Gin Cocktail:

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by GUNNA DRINKS (@gunnadrinks)

To whip up this beauty, mix 50ml gin, 15ml simple syrup or agave, 35ml Pink Punk, and the juice of half a freshly squeezed lemon in a rocks glass filled with ice.

Give it a good stir to chill, and garnish with some dried flowers or herbs for a serve that's sure to rack up the likes on Instagram.

But that's not all – GUNNA's range also boasts Turtle Juice, a tropical beauty inspired by the lip-smacking Mango Daiquiri, and Miss Mojita, a quirky take on the classic Cuban mojito, packed with lemon, mint, and ginger. Each flavour is a testament to GUNNA's commitment to creating refreshing, top-notch drinks that stand out from the crowd.

As if their eco-credentials and cracking taste weren't enough, GUNNA also packs in 100% of the recommended daily intake of immune-boosting Zinc and Vitamin C in every can. So, your customers can enjoy a flavourful, refreshing drink while giving their overall health and well-being a nice boost.

Join Their Fight Against Plastic

GUNNA: The Fizzy Drink Revolution That's Shaking Up the Industry and Saving the Planet - Blog Images New 14

GUNNA's calling on everyone to join their revolution and become part of a movement that champions extraordinary flavours and a planet-positive future. Whether you're sipping on a Pink Punk, Turtle Juice, or Miss Mojita, you can feel chuffed knowing that you're not only treating your taste buds but also doing your bit for a brighter, more sustainable world.

Just in time for The Great British Summer, GUNNA has shared some tasty cocktail recipes - check them out below -that show off just how versatile and delicious their lemonades are. Do you want to booze them up? Add a single shot of a white spirit to make these concoctions perfect all day and night. So, grab a can, mix up a cocktail, and raise a glass to bold flavours and a greener future. Cheers

GUNNA Cocktail Recipes:

Apple Raspberry Mocktail

Gunna Raspberry Mocktail

Layered Blue Curaçao Highball

GUNNA: The Fizzy Drink Revolution That's Shaking Up the Industry and Saving the Planet - Blog Images New 15

Basil "Mojita”

GUNNA: The Fizzy Drink Revolution That's Shaking Up the Industry and Saving the Planet - Gunna Mocktail 2

With their bold flavours, eco-friendly credentials, and health-boosting properties, GUNNA is not just a refreshing drink—it's a revolution in the making.

Want to Introduce some GUNNA Attitude to your range?

To Join the movement, stock up on GUNNA, and cater to the growing demand for healthier, planet-positive beverages, click here to register an account and get in touch with our expert sales team to start building your range.

Epicurium's Guide to Pub Snacks: From The Classics to New and Exciting.

A group of friends enjoying pub snacks together

Crisps, nuts, and pork scratchings are the classic snacks of any pub. If you're serving
top-notch pints, cocktails, and wines, your snacks should be complimenting those drinks. Offering some of our suggested pub snacks can generate new upsell opportunities as well as enhance the overall experience of your guests.

Let's take a look at some of the best pub snacks and what wholesale pub snacks we can offer to keep your bar stocked and profitable.

Differentiating Pub Snacks: Upgrading Classics

The classic pub snacks aren’t going anywhere, and neither should they, but they don’t need to be the same old, same old.

Crisps

Bombay Inspired Pub snacks from howdah

A must-have offering in the world of pub snacks. Crisps adorn shelves behind the pumps up and down the country, but a snack so widespread and so readily available doesn’t need to be boring. You don’t need to stock the same as everyone else, let’s talk about crisps with a differentiating factor.

Howdah – Indian inspired ancient grain

Proper – Chickpea chips for their shape and texture

Savoursmiths – For a premium version of a classic, both packaging and taste

Nuts

Cambrook, premium hotel nuts on a table with a natural brick background

Whether it’s the salted or sweet variety your guests are after, you can even banish bland nuts and make the upsell opportunities easier. We’ve got two suggestions to make that happen, Cambrook and Snaffling Pig.

Cambrook – Premium feel packaging with a range of flavours to match

Snaffling Pig – Standout packaging designed to draw the eyes of your guests.

If it’s premium nuts you are after then you don’t have to look further than Cambrook. Available in 16 different flavours and having won 24 great taste awards, these nuts are designed for the bar at high class hotels and you would probably see them sitting as a compliment at the likes of the Ritz. 

Pork Scratchings

The final in our list of classic pub snacks, is pork scratchings. We’ve got two brands we’d suggest looking at, one for their big flavour profiles, the other for their more unique take on the pork scratching.

Epicurium's Guide to Pub Snacks: From The Classics to New and Exciting. - Blog Images New 12 1

Snaffling Pig offer Pork Crackling in 4 different flavours, Chilli Pork, Low & Slow BBQ, best-selling flavour Perfectly Salted and finally Salt & Vinegar

The Curators pork puffs take inspiration from chicharrónes a Latin street food snack, meeting the trend for world flavours, offering their pork in a slightly different format if your customers are seeking a lighter more crisp-like product.

Raising The Bar: Cheese Snacks, Meat Snacks, Popcorn and more!

We’ve differentiated the classic pub snacks , now let’s take a look at some new snack types altogether.

Cheese snacks:

cheese O's baked cheese balls cheese board

When you think of pub cheese snacks, your first thought is probably blocks of cheese, with a side of pickled onion, in a dish on the bar. This format is almost a pub classic, but it comes with its drawbacks, it takes time to prep, is often just a complimentary item on the bar and some hygiene concerns due to sharing food with strangers.

This is where Cheese O's can fill the gap…

Cheese O's are made from 100% cheese, think of them like an impulse cheeseboard ready to go, their flavoured baked cheese snacks deliver that satisfying crunch that pairs wonderfully with a cold pint or a glass of wine.

Available in Cheddar, Cheese & Onion, Pickled Onion, Salt & Vinegar, Sour Cream and Sweet Chilli. These delicious cheese snacks come in an impulse bag with a loud package design that wouldn’t look out of place alongside your modern well-designed session IPA’s.

Meat Snacks

Meat Pub Snacks- Ember Biltong

Meat and pints often go hand in hand, and biltong is as easy as it gets when looking at meat pub snacks. No prep, no fuss – just portion it out or serve it in its original packaging.

We know running a pub means juggling lots of things, and spoilage is a headache you don’t need. With the great shelf-life of Biltong you don’t have to worry about wastage and so can buy it wholesale.

Ember Snacks offers no-nonsense, sustainable high-quality biltong, farmed, and produced in the UK. Its rich, savoury flavour is just begging to be washed down with a nice cold lager.

Popcorn

Pub Snacks- Popcorn shed maple bacon

Popcorn might seem like a simple snack, but it's got a lot going for it. Popcorn is one of those snacks that pretty much everyone likes, but maybe don’t have that often. Flavours have also come a long way within popcorn too, of course there are the classics such as sweet and salty, but we also have flavours such as cheese and cinnamon.

From a business perspective, stocking popcorn makes a lot of sense. It's inexpensive to buy in bulk, has a long shelf life, and can be sold at a decent markup.

Proper – Big brand, classic and differentiating flavours

Popcorn Shed – Standout packaging and interesting sweeter flavours

Olives

Pub Snacks- Ollys Olives in cocktail glasses

Olives are a sophisticated addition to the pub snack lineup, adding a touch of Mediterranean flair and a burst of flavour that pairs wonderfully with a variety of drinks, perhaps as a savoury side to a sweet cocktail. They offer a healthier option compared to some of the more traditional pub snacks and can be served in a way that’s both convenient and appealing.

Olly’s Olives – These come in vibrant, eye-catching packaging that makes them a perfect fit for modern pubs. Available in the flavours; Basil & Garlic, Lemon & Thyme, and Chilli & Rosemary, they are pitted and ready to eat, ensuring convenience for both you and your customers.

Food for thought

When choosing your snacks, think about how they pair with your drinks and what will keep your customers coming back for more. After all, the right snack can turn a good night at the pub into a great one.

Are you ready to upgrade your pub snacks?

All these pub snacks are available in bulk here at Epicurium, request an account with us and get in touch. We can help you with expert advice, making your snack range make sense for you and your customers.

How convenience retailers can thrive in festival season

How convenience retailers can thrive in festival season - Crowd at a music festival

With around 1,000 festivals held in the UK each year, there’s a real sales opportunity for retailers to get involved, with something for every customer.

For a starting point, make sure you know the details of the events closest to you, and then use social media to advertise them, highlight promotions and boost engagement.

Fi Malone, owner of Premier Tenby Stores & Post Office in Pembrokeshire, for example, has the Ironman, Ironkids, Car10 and a scooter rally right outside her store. “Most of our festivals are sports-related, but it really helps bring the tourists to town,” she explains. “The key to higher sales is ensuring you have a full range, fully stocked and the store looks great.”

How to stock the right range for festival season

How convenience retailers can thrive in festival season - Athletes and a large crowd at the ironman competition

The range you need will depend on the type of festival, with protein and hydration high on the agenda for Malone’s array of sporting events and festivals. “We make sure to increase our drinks range, from protein shakes to water,” she says. “Grenade is a big seller during Ironman, for example, as it will help with their energy throughout.”

Prior to the Ironman event, Malone’s town hosts the Ironkids event, so offering healthy grab-and-go items is required. “For the kids’ events, we have plenty of water in,” she says. “Gel sachets are also growing in popularity.”

Alcohol, soft drinks and snacks are the likely go-to products for music or day festivals, as noted by Paresh Vyas, of Jack Lane Convenience Store in Manchester. “We have the Festival of Gold about a 30-minute walk from our store, which is a family day out, so customers will come in and buy picnic items,” he says.

Crisps, snacks and chilled options are good sellers during this period for Vyas, but it’s also worth ensuring premium and health snacks form part of your range. Epicurium, for example, enhances the festival food and drink culture with a variety of crisps perfect for sharing. Their offerings include bags from the Bombay street-food-inspired brand Howdah and new lines from the established brand Proper. Proper is now exploring global flavours with their chickpea chips available in exciting varieties such as Katsu Curry, Ghost Chilli & Yuzu, and Jerk Sauce.

The importance of in-store theatre

In-store theatre captures the attention of your customers, resulting in additional sales. This can be as simple as building stacks of multipacks of alcohol, or something more complex that includes decorations or branded displays.

Malone creates a huge soft drinks display and uses PoS to advertise the event. “We have a stand and make it look professional by having a small display and regularly update the stock levels. We also use posters to show the events happening and when.”

Meanwhile, Vyas places them across his shop window so customers see it as they’re passing by, or as they enter the store. “We advertise the Cirque du Soleil every year, which brings shoppers through the door, and they ask us about the event,” he explains. “They’ll often buy something as well.”

Impactful promotions

The right promotional packages, such as multibuys or money off, are vital to maximising the festival season and will help boost spend. For instance, Mike Lakhani, owner of St Mary’s Supermarket in Southampton, reduces his alcohol range to cost-price and positions them as ‘mega deals’, which customers respond well to.

This is where suppliers can play a role. If they sponsor a festival, they will likely run a campaign of their own or produce limited-edition packaging. They will also have PoS to utilise.

The festival season is one of the biggest opportunities in summer for retailers who throw themselves into the fun. Get in touch to find out how we can help you maximise your sales.

Top tips to capitalising on festivals

  1. Festivals run all year round, so make a list of when and where relevant ones near you are
  2. Research each festival to determine the audience and therefore which products are likely to sell.
  3. Prepare ahead of time and stock up to cope with demand.
  4. Make your range stand out with in-store displays. Reach out to suppliers and wholesalers to see if they have any relevant PoS materials available.
  5. Advertise upcoming festivals on your social media, highlighting your displays and promotions you’re running.

Are You Ready For Festival Season?

Register an account or get in touch with our sales team to curate a range right for you and your festival season customers

Stand Out, Sell More: Powerful Convenience Store Display Techniques

How displays can drive sales for convenience retailers

Convenience Store Display Techniques - Till point barebells fsdu

Investing in in-store theatre and standout displays will help boost customer engagement, increase footfall, and drive sales – all of which is a core part of running a convenience store.

“It’s vital to the day-to-day running of my store,” explains Bobby Singh, owner of BB Nevison Superstore & Post Office in Yorkshire. “In-store theatre is about enhancing how customers see my store and helps deliver a full service.”

The right in-store theatre display should have the following elements:

“Additional displays and in-store theatre helps boost availability and overall visibility, as you’ll have two locations for the one product,” Singh adds.

Building the right display

Stand Out, Sell More: Powerful Convenience Store Display Techniques - Misfits FSDU

Every area of your store needs to pay for itself, which includes PoS and in-store theatre. If there’s a display that isn’t helping sales, consider if it should be there at all.

First, determine the right location. If you’re introducing a new snack line, think about linked purchases, like drinks. This not only boosts visibility of a new product, but also sales of additional products.

Alternatively, place the display in a high-traffic area, like the entrance, near food to go or by the till, to drive visibility. Then monitor its success through your sales data. If you haven’t noticed an uptick, consider changing the location.

The challenge – or balance – is not going overboard with your displays, as this can hinder sales.

“Be sensible,” Singh adds. “In-store theatre and its displays should enhance your business, rather than impact sales. Consider why in-store theatre is important to you and adapt your offering accordingly to make it work.” 

Working with suppliers

No-one knows your business better than you, but there are plenty of suppliers big and small out there who are keen to support you in return for opening their brands up to new customers. While larger suppliers have bigger budgets to make these relationships work, speciality and challenger brands often bring the energy to reward early stockists and work collaboratively to drive mutual success.

Goran Raven, owner of Raven’s Budgens in Abridge, Essex, has discovered the benefits of working with smaller suppliers.

“We build displays on an ad-hoc basis, as we like to utilise the work we do with local and challenger brands,” he says.

Most recently, Raven redesigned a chiller to highlight his work with brands that can only be found in his store. “We stock a range of handmade cakes, pies, sausages, sausage rolls, etc, and it’s something customers see the moment they enter the store.”

This display has helped change the store’s reputation of being a “standard convenience store”, instead showing the team’s passion for helping other businesses.

Tidying up your displays

The clearer your displays are, the more likely they are to drive sales. This is why Raven has invested in electronic shelf edge labels (ESL).

“We invested in ESLs for the whole store, which was quite the investment,” he explains. “But we’re already seeing the benefits. The display looks tidier, cleaner, and more professional.”

Raven used Vusion, a company that specialises in ESLs, as it connects to his EPoS system, allowing him to gather more data than ever before. “It allows us to understand our shoppers’ buying habits, as well as cut down on staff time updating price tickets manually,” he says.

Building an impactful display doesn’t always need to be a big show of posters, banners, and shelf-edge barkers, even the simplest of changes can help a shelf stand out. Don’t forget the basics, such as bringing items to the front of shelves and double facing bestsellers to minimise the risk of gaps.

Theatre goes beyond your four walls

Stand Out, Sell More: Powerful Convenience Store Display Techniques - Blog Images New 2

One area where challenger brands are particularly great at supporting retailers is in digital marketing.

“In-store theatre is great for when customers visit your store, but you need to entice them in store to buy that product and witness your displays,” explains Singh.

“Our creativity is important to us, and the right digital assets help us deliver that creativity.”

In his work with suppliers, Singh always asks for digital assets which, he says, challenger brands are always responsive to. When building your displays or reaching out to suppliers, see if they have anything readymade for you to use.

Videos and reels are also a great way to drive engagement – and a more unique concept than a post. Video your display and add three good things about the product, like ‘it’s new’, or ‘on sale now’ or its price. You can also monitor current TikTok trends and reflect these with your displays.

Your displays are your store’s personality, so why do the same as everyone else? Stores that create impactful displays around brands that customers aren’t used to seeing every day can position their store as an exciting source of new and interesting products, capable of meeting a board range of needs.

Get in touch to find out how we can help you alongside our network of brand partners.

Want your own display units to enhance your store?

Just let your account manager know or if you are shopping online head to our display section to explore our range of floor displays, till displays, clips strips and more.

The health ingredients driving convenience store sales and profits

What growing health ingredients should you be offering?

The health ingredients driving convenience store sales and profits - protein and fibre 1

Becoming healthier is top of the agenda for many consumers. In fact, more than three in five say they would like to change their diet to make it healthier, according to a poll by the Food Standards Agency.  Within this, 68% agreed they would like to eat more fruit and vegetables, with 61% wanting to reduce their calorie intake.

Over the years, many ‘diets’ have become popular, such as keto and atkins, with clubs like Slimming World and Weight Watchers dominating the health industry. However, protein and fibre are now growing in importance as education increases on how these types of food can help keep you fuller for longer.

Retailers have already capitalised on the protein and fibre trend with many dedicating entire bays to bars, nuts and drinks, as well as newer editions to the category, such as protein cereal.

But now protein and fibre are well established, what else is growing in convenience stores that will help achieve high sales and long-term customer loyalty?

Why you should stock meal replacement shakes

health ingredients driving convenience store sales and profits - ready to drink meal replacement shake, huel black edition

Meal replacement shakes sales are growing, according to both Avtar (Sid) Sidhu, owner of St John’s Budgens in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. “Huel is really popular with our customers, which made it big through social media,” he explains. “The likes of Nurishment has also grown recently, even though it’s been around for years.”

Sidhu always keeps an eye out on the latest trends, but the decision to stock such a line depends on demand. He sources these products through both his symbol group Budgens, and third-party suppliers.

“They expect to see these products everywhere, because they are so accessible,” Sidhu continues. “You can find them online, in Lidl, Aldi, etc and with convenience being the most important mission, we’re expected to stock it.”

Stocking these in-demand products has helped Sidhu become the go-to for this category and customers buy a few at a time, especially as many of these want convenience after a workout. “Changing shopper habits are really working in our favour because customers don’t want to travel to Aldi or Lidl necessarily. They also don’t want to do a large shop that often, it’s all about little and often.”

Meanwhile, Jack Matthews of Bradley’s Supermarkets in Quorn, Leicestershire, has also seen a shift towards meal replacement shakes and found most of his products using smaller wholesalers, like Epicurium. “We’ve just ordered Huel Black and we’re hoping it’s as popular as other lines in their range,” he says.

Huel Black Edition is a vanilla-flavoured ready-to-drink complete meal and is available in packs of eight 500ml bottles. Its RRP is £3.80 and it contains 75% more protein, with each 500ml bottle containing 35g, 28% fewer carbs and zero artificial sweeteners.

The rise of functional drinks

health ingredients driving convenience store sales and profits - functional health waters.

Functional drinks are not a new category; however, retailers are reporting a heightened demand for them once again. For Sidhu, his top brands are Purdey’s from Britvic and Nocco. “Anything with added vitamins, minerals, etc has grown over the past six months,” he says. “Customers have become aware of what they’re putting into their bodies and it’s a different way of getting your recommended dosage in.”

Most suppliers and health professionals are urging shoppers to hydrate by drinking more water, but some consumers find it boring. This opened a gap in the market for ‘functional water’. “We moved quite early on the flavoured and functional water trend and we’re now seeing the benefits of doing so,” Matthews says.

The challenge with so many products on the market is knowing what is healthy for you, and what is another marketing gimmick. If you’re new to the category, it’s good to start with a water or drink that offers electrolytes or vitamin C.

Electrolytes, for example, are needed after exercising to replace the ones lost through sweating, etc. Outside of water, look at energy drinks that offer vitamins or minerals, as many will consume these as part of their everyday diet.

Once you have a core range in place and sales are increasing, you can look to expand your range outside of drinks. Sidhu, for example, now stocks gummies that offer added vitamins. “Consumers are finding new ways to get their daily intake,” he says.

Honey offers natural benefits

Summer is fast approaching - even if it doesn’t seem like it currently - which means topping up on your summer remedies range. But this year, think past your core range to products such as honey.

According to the National Institute of Health, evidence indicates that honey acts as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and has antidiabetic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and nervous system protective effects.

Paresh Vyas, owner of Jack Lane Convenience in Manchester, is trialling honey as a treatment for colds. The retailer reached out to his local garden centre and made a deal to trial their range on a sale-or-return basis. “We wanted to offer our customers a more natural choice or to enhance their remedies, and there’s no risk to us. We’re doing this to help our customers and sales are going well so far,” Vyas explains.

How to market these new products

Retailers are well aware of the impact that marketing can have on sales. It can mean the difference between high sales and needing to delist a product because it isn’t moving.

Vyas, for example, markets his honey using posters in store, on Facebook and throughout his local community.

Sidhu, however, encourages a member of staff to make TikTok videos to highlight new products. “She will study the songs and dances that go viral on TikTok, and she makes a video doing the dance and the product will be at the forefront of it all,” Sidhu explains.

Reels and videos are being prioritised on social media and will help bring higher exposure to your page, so research new trends going viral and get your whole team involved. If dancing isn’t your thing, taste tests and unboxing videos are always popular on social media.

Top tips to sourcing these products:

  1. Make sure you have the right market. Ask your customers first when they’re shopping in store or via social media. You can then determine if investing in these ingredients will be the right move for your business.
  2. From here, buy a small selection of products. Sidhu recommends looking at key categories, like shakes, soft drinks, bars, etc. He says laying the foundation is key to maximising these new ingredients.
  3. If sales are higher or growing and the demand is there, you can then look into expanding the area to its own category or adding to other existing categories you have in store.

Do you want to stock the latest healthy snacks and drinks?

Capitalise on the latest health trends by getting in touch with our expert team or register an account here to start shopping.