Aegg's top reflections and predictions
Aegg has had an incredible 2017, not just with its 27% turnover increase, but also through the company milestones achieved.
Several members of the Aegg team have cogitated, constructed and combined their thoughts to bring you their key reflections from the last 12 months as well as their predictions for 2018. (Comments by Jamie Gorman, Managing Director; Nick Parker, Marketing Director; Richard Drayson, Sales Director; Olivier Chereau, Export Manager.)
2017 Reflections:
1. Brexit: new opportunities presented
Nick Parker: “Of course, the opportunities for individual companies reflect their specific circumstances. For Aegg, the decision in 2017 to invest in UK manufacturing will reap huge rewards as currency fuels our attractiveness as a manufacturing and exporting company.”
Olivier Chereau: “Feedback from new European markets is that they are very impressed with Aegg’s quality and design.”
Richard Drayson: “We have experienced growing numbers of enquiries from European-based manufacturers interested in a UK manufacturing option post-Brexit to ensure their supply chains are protected.”
2. Increased interaction with customers and suppliers
Jamie Gorman: ‘More and more customers are interacting with us for both bespoke design services as well as off-the-shelf catalogue items. In addition, interaction has increased from Blue Chip manufacturers looking to mitigate Brexit and have a UK home for their packaging. The trend has also continued to increase for more collaboration with our existing supply base.”
3. Ocean Plastics reaching a tipping point
Nick Parker: “The whole consumer perspective of the ‘ocean plastic’ issue is reaching what the marketing industry might term a ‘tipping point’. Quite where this leads everyone involved in the plastics industry is yet to be discovered. However, we will be increasingly involved in the discussions.”
4. More structured and process-driven unity
Nick Parker: “As a company 2017 was a big year, displaying our confidence for the future: a newly restructured sales team, investment in new CRM systems, new key finance personnel, development of a new factory and new investment in new products.”
2018 predictions:
1. Retail-based initiatives
Richard Drayson: “We recognise the increasing trend into 2018 for reduced portion sizes, driven by increasing dairy costs versus a retail requirement for holding recommended selling prices, which applies particularly to meal deals/ dine-in deals. The premiumisation of desserts also looks set to continue in 2018 as well as the growth of defined chiller space for ‘free from’ foods.”
2. More focus on UK Production
Jamie Gorman stated “Brexit confusion continues over trade agreements, which will lead to more companies looking to mitigate risk through UK production.”
Richard Drayson: “This will lead to dramatic growth in European business, which is also boosted by the new focus of the company.”
3. Recycling and mitigating waste
Olivier Chereau: “Food manufacturers across Europe are continuing to look for ways to mitigate waste, with increased focus on the use of recyclable materials such as PET, revised packaging design or increased use of recycling schemes.”
Nick Parker: “The environmental considerations of plastic use, eg Recyclability by Design, will become a more prevalent tool in retailer product listing & product development decisions. Development of new employment/engagement models will also need to continue in order that companies can harness the skills necessary to carry out projects, such as those driven by environmental concerns.”
4. Growth in the HORECA markets
Jamie Gorman: “There will be more focus on Aegg’s sister service miniAegg in 2018, offering smaller orders from one box upwards, especially in the HORECA (Hotel/Restaurant/Cafe) markets.”
5. Investment in partnership project management approaches
Nick Parker believes that “investment in partnership project management approaches will need to increase. The world, and purchase considerations, are becoming ever more complex that sustainable competitive advantage will be won by those companies who can move their discussions beyond a price focus.” We would love to hear your thoughts on industry reflections and predictions. Please feel free to add to the discussion... To see a video of more Aegg reflections for 2017, click here
