How to get ahead for Christmas in speciality retail

As we all know, Christmas prep starts long before the first frosts arrive, so by the time consumers start to dust off their decs retailers are well and truly in full swing with their festive celebrations. Key to a successful season is planning ahead, prepping as much as possible, and making sure that you maintain a carefully curated balance of trend and tradition throughout your selection. 

For WBC, personalisation is the name of the game. “Personalisation can take on many forms. From the way in which your products are packaged and presented, to the experiences you can evoke in-store,” begins Eve Reid, managing director. Playing the personalisation card doesn’t just help indies stand out from the crowd; it has tangible value, too. “For fine food retailers, this identification is everything. You want to reinforce the high quality of your products and increase the perception of these items to have more inherent value, so that consumers are inclined to pay more with the confidence that this is a purchase they can trust. 

“There are numerous studies that suggest that by leveraging personalisation you can drive sales, forge connections through customer satisfaction, and create long lasting brand impressions.”

Of equal importance is carefully chosen packaging, and it is especially vital for retailers to hone in on the perfect packaging for their items ahead of the festive season. “Christmas is renowned for its gift-giving traditions. Customers are either spending on presents for others, or indulging in impulse buys for themselves. So, when it comes to fine foods, it’s imperative to get items from point A to B in the same pristine, presentable condition in which they were purchased,” Eve continues. “Whether you’re delivering on eCommerce demands or looking for off-the-shelf solutions, providing your products with unparalleled protection means that your fine foods can be safely presented with the same consideration and care that has gone into their creation.”

Sprucing up the festive freezer aisle

Of course, the freezer is an invaluable tool when it comes to planning ahead for the festive season – both for consumers and retailers. Thankfully, Fieldfare is on hand to support both in their mission for a delicious, smooth-running Christmas, says managing director, Matt Whelan. “Premium frozen has grown in popularity over the past couple of years and in a recent shopper survey we conducted with YouGov, over a third (35%) of shoppers stated that they had bought premium frozen products from independent or speciality stores recently. This represents a big opportunity for retailers as Christmas is a time when people want to treat themselves and premium frozen can offer them something special, as well as the convenience they have come to expect from frozen.”

As well as avoiding waste and the danger of overstocking, Fieldfare’s frozen range is ideal for occasions throughout the festive season. “Retailers can tailor-make a unique selection for the season, scaling up or down on products as needed,” says Matt. “A large number of our products are complementary to the farm shop Christmas offer but equally as relevant into January and beyond, so because the products are frozen, retailers can stock up for Christmas without the concern that products will be wasted after the festive period. The range is adaptable and flexible.” 

A particularly smart stocking option is Fieldfare’s range of frozen pastries, including its best-selling croissants alongside other indulgent pastries, for hosts to bake fresh for guests throughout the Christmas period. Indeed, Christmas Day is the busiest day for Fieldfare’s website, with customers flocking to the site for cooking instructions. Desserts are also sure to prove popular, with “indulgence starting to return to dining tables nationwide,” begins Matt, and convenience being an attractive proposition for busy home cooks. “Individually portioned desserts such as our award-winning Melting Chocolate Fondant, Salted Caramel Fondant, White Chocolate Fondant and Vanilla Panna Cotta, offer an indulgent treat and fun take on the classics, whilst irresistible, creamy potato gratins make for a great alternative to the traditional roast potatoes or mash side.” 

Lest we forget, the festive season extends beyond the big day itself to incorporate the weeks before and after, so smart retailers will “help shoppers to plan for the days in between Christmas and New Year,” suggests Matt. “Our award-winning range offers a wide variety of choices that are complementary to the Christmas lunch and beyond, so it should be included in the retailer’s Christmas catalogue. For example, vegetarian options for Boxing Day and a range of fantastic products for brunching in between Christmas and New Year.”

Hampers remain at the heart of gifting

Hampers are strong sellers every Christmas – and with good reason. As well as being easily personalised (have you considered offering a build-your-own hamper service?), flexible to your stock levels and themes (local, sweet tooth, cheese lover…) they look great in-store and can help make you a destination for shoppers who visit seasonally as well as perennial customers. 

Their downside, of course, is that they can take time and resources to implement – which is where carefully pre-made hampers from the likes of The British Hamper Company come in. Rest assured, the team share your passion for championing British artisans so you can be confident that they will provide goods worthy of your shelves.

“We’re passionate about sharing the best of artisan Britain with the rest of the world,” begins the brand’s spokesperson. “Rich flavours, bold designs and personable service carefully hand-packed into beautiful gift boxes and hampers; we deliver artisan British experiences across the world.”

“The Artisan Collection is a triumph of British classics, but with a modern twist. The treats, created by Britain’s best makers, bakers and growers, are a representation of artisan excellency. We’ve searched from John o’ Groats to Land’s End to find the most skilled, dedicated artisans creating the best flavours. Feel their passion through the rich, contemporary flavours of Britain’s most loved treats. Enjoy the buttery punch of each shortbread round, the meticulously blended Lincolnshire tea and the pang of Cornish sea salt amongst the wave of caramel in the fudge. From the Cornish fudge kitchen to the Suffolk bakery, The Artisan Collection takes consumers on a gastronomic journey through artisan Britain.”

One to watch

Nicholas Jinks, general manager at Random Harvest, introduces the gifting-ready range with impressive (and delicious) credentials
When it comes to great gifting options, Random Harvest is certainly a producer to watch. While its impressive list of clients – Harrods was the very first UK stockist of the brand’s products, and it is now available to independent retailers via Cotswold Fayre – might suggest otherwise, the business’s selection of premium quality, 100% Australian-made produce hail from a small-scale, entirely family-run enterprise as well as being prime gifts for food lovers across the UK. 

“Our range of rock candy, homemade fudge and nut brittles are ideal for gifting,” begins Nicolas Jinks, general manager, “not least because it’s 99% natural and gluten-free so suitable for the vast majority of customers.” At present Cotswold Fayre is the main supplier of Random Harvest for UK fine food retailers. “They will stock six to eight variants of our rock candy, as well as our caramel and assorted fudge, peanut fudge and popcorn fudge,” begins Nick. 

Beyond confectionery, Random Harvest’s selection of Australian truffle products is also not to be missed. “In the range we have a 100% natural truffle oil which combines extra virgin olive oil with real Australian truffles, a truffle balsamic vinegar and a truffle hot sauce – an addictive blend of peri peri and Australian truffles. Plus a truffle mustard, truffle aioli and truffle salt which infuses salt from the 5,000,000 year old Lake Deborah with real Australian truffles.” Ideal for get togethers as well as smaller scale indulgent nights in, the truffle range perfectly suits the British shopper’s appetite for high quality, affordable luxury at home. 

The Australian provenance of Random Harvest’s range is sure to be a selling point for fine food consumers. “While to begin with some people seem put off by the fact our products are made in Australia, the reality is that they are a lot lower in air miles than a lot of products because everything – from the food itself to the packaging, even the glass bottles of our condiments and oils range – is produced locally to us in Australia. We’re not sourcing ingredients from one country, packaging from another, putting them together in Australia then shipping them across the world, they’re 100% produced in Australia then shipped directly to the UK.”

Delicious, affordable luxury with proven provenance – Random Harvest are ticking a lot of gifting boxes this Christmas.

Advice from the counter

Shirley Aubrey, food buyer at Harvey Nichols, talks us through the iconic retailer’s approach to the all-important festive season

“We believe the joy of Christmas is in the giving, so we take the hard work out of shopping for customers and curate beautiful edits of high-quality gifts, both Harvey Nichols own label and branded. We think about our customers, who they buy for, and what they will be doing, whether that’s attending parties, buying stocking fillers or being the best gift giver with the ultimate showstopper present.

We work on Christmas throughout the year, focusing on our Harvey Nichols own label range, as well as hand-picking traditional, up-and-coming, and new brands to elevate our edit. We also build iconic hampers filled with the finest Harvey Nichols range of food and beverages. As soon as Christmas is over, we start thinking about the next. We look back and take inspiration from the previous trends and sales to begin curating and preparing for our next festive launch.

We experiment with products and innovative flavours, and analysis our customer buying habits, but favourites such as stocking fillers will always be on our radar. Mini mince pies are a Christmas staple, paired with our wonderful Harvey Nichols Cognac Butter. We experiment with flavours and ingredients of our Harvey Nichols own label range to curate innovate products, such as our Strawberry & Champagne Jam using our Harvey Nichols Champagne and Christmas Pudding Gin using our Christmas Pudding.

Harvey Nichols Hampers are an extremely exciting part of our offer. With something for everyone, each hamper is filled with the most enticing range of food and beverage. Every year we ensure we have something new to offer. This year we will be launching a Harvey Nichols Amaretto to perfectly pair with our wonderful food range. Our in-store displays offer customers an inspiring edit of exciting gifts, with tastings to allow customers to sample our wonderful products.”