Retail

Checkout Conference 2020: Sustainable Growth for a New Decade

February 01, 2020 4:50 AM By Donna Ahern

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Checkout Conference 2020: Sustainable Growth for a New Decade

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Taking place once again in the Intercontinental Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin, the Checkout Conference will be held on 4 February 2020 and will focus on key issues that will set the agenda for grocery retailing in Ireland over the coming decade.

For a comprehensive guide or to buy a ticket, see our brochure below:

Key issues that the Checkout Conference 2020 will address include:

The always-connected consumer who want convenience, personalisation and value in an omnichannel world
The next chapter in the struggle between online and bricks and mortar retailing
What the ethical and responsible shopper really wants
How will sustainable retailing be defined over the next decade
The future of packaging, including what the supply chain will look like in 2020 and beyond
The latest expert analysis on the impact of a post-Brexit world on Irish retail
Having the right data strategy to exploit the customer insights that are now available

Must-attend event of the grocery retail calendar

Organised by market-leading business to business publication, Checkout, this conference is the longest-running dedicated conference for the grocery retail and FMCG industries in Ireland.

It is considered a must attend event for senior executives in the trade, due to the high calibre of speakers and its status as a premium networking opportunity for retail and FMCG professionals.

Well-known and highly respected speakers who have addressed the Checkout Conference in recent years include Lord Mark Price, former managing director of Waitrose, Kari Daniels, Chief Executive Officer, Tesco Ireland, Seamus Griffin, Chief Executive, Griffin Retail Group, Andrew Yaxley, chief executive, Tesco Ireland, Maggie Timoney, chief executive, Heineken Ireland, Fiona Dawson, president, Mars Chocolate UK, Caroline Keeling, chief executive, Keelings, Dieter Brandes, former managing director, Aldi Nord, Bruce Langlands, director of food, Harrods, and Gordon Campbell, managing director, Spar International.

Over 200 senior industry executives attended the Checkout Conference 2019, including Aryzta Bakeries Ireland, Glanbia Consumer Foods, Valeo Foods Ireland, The Maxol Group, Smurfit Kappa Display, Mondelez Ireland, Aramark, Applegreen, Aldi Ireland, Aurivo Consumer Foods, Barry Group, Bord Bia, Boyne Valley Group, BWG Foods, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland, Donnelly Fruit & Veg, Gala Retail Services, John Player, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, Mars Ireland, PepsiCo UK & Ireland and Philip Morris Ltd.

What the conference offers

Insights from leading experts on the retail industry in Ireland and Europe
Advice from leading FMCG suppliers on effective branding, NPD, category management and marketing and promotional strategies
A greater understanding of the typical shopper’s needs in a highly competitive marketplace
Exclusive research from Irish and European industry specialists
Access to the top FMCG networking event of the year.

With special thanks to our coffee break sponsor for 2020

THE SPEAKERS ARE...

Gordon Lawlor, Managing Director, Circle K Ireland

Gordon Lawlor assumed his role as Managing Director of Circle K Ireland in August 2019. He is responsible for leading the business in Ireland, with the Circle K rebrand process close to completion and several exciting opportunities on the horizon for the fuel and convenience retail space. He previously held the role of Fuels Director within the company.

Gordon has significant industry expertise, having held several management and leadership roles in the fuel and convenience retail sector over the last 21 years.

Noel Smith, Founder and Managing Director, Fresh the Good Food Market

Noel Smith is the Founder and Managing Director of the award-winning Fresh the Good Food Market, a high-quality grocery and delicatessen supermarket group with a distinct product range from around the country and internationally.

Their mission is to provide customers with a combination of fresh, quality and authentic food for now and take-home grocery, as well as a range of premium wines and craft beers from around the world.

Joanne Mellon, Logistics Director, BWG Foods

Joanne Mellon is the Logistics Director of BWG Foods, one of Ireland’s leading wholesale and retail groups.

Part of BWG Group, BWG Foods is a leading retail and wholesale business. From the company’s state-of-the-art 240,000 sq ft National Distribution Centre, the business supplies more than 1,000 independently owned stores nationwide across leading retail brands Spar, Eurospar, Londis, Mace and XL.

Mark McCulloch, Proprietor, Supersonic Inc, Premium Brand and Marketing Strategists

Mark McCulloch is one of the leading food, drink and hospitality brand and marketing minds in world. Mark has over 20 years brand, marketing, digital and social media experience, holding senior positions at lastminute.com, Barclaycard, YO! Sushi and Pret A Manger.

Mark co-founded brand and marketing agency, We Are Spectacular Ltd in 2012 and now runs premium brand and marketing strategy consultancy Supersonic Inc, which is based in London and Brighton, and helps C-Suite level marketers and executives amplify their business across multiple sectors.

Ivan Baxter,Head of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, Nestlé UK and Ireland

Ivan Baxter, Head of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, Nestlé UK & Ireland, is one of the Nestlé’s key leads on packaging and sustainability. Nestlé is the largest food and beverage company in the world with 2,000 brands globally, 80 of which are sold in the UK and Ireland market.

It is estimated that two billion Nestlé products are sold in the UK and Ireland every year.

Ivan is proactively pursuing sustainable practices with Nestlé, with the overall goal of having 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. He will talk about the challenges and opportunities involved in achieving Nestle’s ambitious 2025 goal, including food safety and food integrity, and about what the supply chain will look like in 2020 and beyond, including the future of packaging.

Regan James Leggett, Executive Director, Thought Leadership and Foresight, Global Markets – Nielsen

Regan James Leggett has worked on future-focused projects in the automotive, banking, government, technology and FMCG sectors for over 10 years.

A regular guest speaker at conferences and in universities, his presentations focus on foresight methodologies to help clients ‘future-proof’ their businesses.

Regan’s presentation to the Checkout Conference 2020, titled ‘Global Change - Local Impact,’ will look at global drivers of change and predict (with Irish numbers in context) the challenges and opportunities that FMCG will face over the next five to 10 years.

Laura Jacobson, Strategic Senior Retail Analysis, IGD UK

Laura leads IGD’s UK market research team, and is also responsible for developing the Retail Analysis platform’s health, beauty and wellness coverage.

She regularly delivers customised reports, presentations and workshops to retailers and suppliers to help them adapt and grow their businesses.

Laura has over 10 years’ experience in the grocery and consumer goods industry. Prior to IGD, she worked in Tesco’s customer insight team, and in online strategy & proposition development.

Hannah Phang, Marketing and Advocacy Manager, Futerra

Hannah Phang is a strategic designer with a passion for sustainability and social good. Her background is in building communication and sustainability initiatives for start-ups, non-profits and Fortune 500 companies.

Hannah has a particular passion and focus on bringing sustainability and ethics to the fashion industry, and has consulted for organizations such as the UN Fashion Charter on Climate Change, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, REI, and Kao.