Hybridising Health & Hedonism – US Beverage Trends

Carlsberg’s London Pop Up Chocolate Bar

Highlights from BeverageIn View June 2016:

Consumer research finds that taste/flavour is the primary deciding factor for consumers’ preferred beverage, cited by 72%. Other choice influencers are health and nutrition (21%) and functional attributes (16%). Hybrid beverages that combine great taste with better-for-you benefits are increasingly available and popular. The top three categories of non-alcoholic beverages have seen little growth or even declines. Carbonated soft drinks and juices both recorded 0.1% growth while dairy milk fell 7%. In contrast, energy drinks grew by 8.9%, and coffee sales increased 8.7%. (Source: US Official News, March 25, 2016)

Tea is being mixed with alcoholic beverages such as Bourbon, Vodka, Wine and Cocktails.

The top 10 beverage companies with distribution in the U.S. ranked on 2015 sales are:
The Coca-Cola Co. $44, 294 million; Anheuser-Busch InBev $43,064 million; PepsiCo Inc. $29,636 million; Nestlé SA $24,477 million; Heineken NV $23,391 million; Diageo $22,741 million; Suntory Holdings $22,410 million; SABMiller PLC $22,130 million; Starbucks Corp. $19,200 million; Unilever Group $19,200 million;

After increasing 89% in 2013 and 71% in 2014, hard cider sales rose only 10% in 2015 leading some to theorize the cider craze has peaked.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority created a custom beer brand #WHHSH, a social media hashtag for the city’s famous tagline. The black-labeled beer won’t be sold to the public but will be given away for free at events designed to promote Las Vegas to potential tourists. The beer is brewed by Tenaya Creek Brewery of Las Vegas, a local craft brewer. (Source: Advertising Age, April 11, 2016)

The global beer market is expected to hit $688.4 billion by 2020. The international beer market has been shaken up by beer’s increasing popularity in China. Four of the 10 top-selling beers worldwide are Chinese. The top 10 beer brands internationally and their market shares are: Snow (5.4%), Tsingtao (2.8%), Bud Light (2.5%), Budweiser (2.3%), Skol (2.1%), Yanjing (1.9%), Heineken (1.5%), Harbin (1.5%), Brahma (1.5%), and Coors Light (1.3%). (Source: Business Insider, May 9, 2016)

A survey of craft beer drinkers found they are more interested in healthy habits such as exercising, watching their weight, and drinking alcohol only occasionally than other monthly drinkers. Sixty percent of Millennial craft beer drinkers say they only drink alcohol on weekends and 44% observe periods of not drinking at all to maintain their health. Given the healthy focus of many craft beer drinkers, brewers are encouraged to be transparent when it comes to nutrition labeling which 78% of craft beer drinkers say are important to read when buying food and beverages. (Source: Brewbound, June 10, 2016)

A new study delves into the habits of craft beer drinkers at point of purchase. Almost 60% have used their smartphone to help decide what beer to choose off the shelf while 74% have used their mobile device to read up on beer before going to the store. Among craft beer drinkers, 72% say they are more likely to try a new beer if they can read information about it. Those who are searching for information about a brand while standing in front of the shelf are looking for reviews about one-third of the time. Craft beer drinks who use their mobile phone in-store would like to be offered rebates or coupons (75%), information about pricing (65%), brand specific information (52%), and retail locations that carry specific brands (51%) or have it in-stock (49%). (Source: Adweek, June 19, 2016)

A federal judge refused to block a San Francisco ordinance that requires warning labels on outdoor advertisements for soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. The new rule will take effect on July 25. The warning must appear on posters and billboards and say “WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. This is a message from the City and County of San Francisco.” (Source: Law360, May 17, 2016)

The City of Philadelphia approved a tax that would raise the price of a soft drink – both sugar-added and artificially sweetened – by 18 cents per can. The tax will be used to help pay for pre-kindergarten and other popular services. At 1.5 cents per ounce, the proposed tax levy is 50% higher than the assessment in Berkeley, California, the first city to impose such a measure. A recent poll found that 59% of Philadelphians backed the sugary drink tax which has been endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer. (Source: The Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2016; CNN Money, June 16, 2016)

 

In the past 15 years, per capita consumption of bottled water has increased 120% from 16.7 gallons in 2000 to 36.7 gallons in 2015. During the same time, the combined volume of all other liquid refreshment beverages decreased from 95.7 gallons per person to 80.1 gallons, a 16.3% decline. An analysis estimates that by choosing bottled water over other drinks, an average individual consumed 24,000 to 27,000 fewer calories in 2015 than a typical person did in 2000. (Source: Beverage Industry, June 7, 2016)

Coffee houses are reporting increasing demand for more iced espressos and lattes. During the last quarter of 2015, Starbucks reported a 20% increase in iced drinks nationwide following its introduction of a new cold brew coffee. Coffee makers – including Peet’s, Illy, High Brew, La Colombe, and Chameleon Cold-Brew – are pushing to get more high-end, low-calorie, less-sugary cold brews and lattes onto store shelves. The U.S. ready-to-drink coffee market has been growing by double-digits annually since 2011 and is expected to reach nearly $3.6 billion by 2020. (Source: Bloomberg, May 23, 2016)

Consumers have begun to realize how much sugar sports drinks contain – over 50 grams per 32-ounce bottle, much more than the average person needs. In response, sports drinks are offering lower- and no-calorie versions. Sports drinks are also being tailored to meet specific needs such as a high-sugar version for athletes needing energy, carb-heavy versions for athletes needing endurance, and low-calorie options for simple hydration needs. In addition, Gatorade and Powerade have eliminated brominated vegetable oil from their ingredient lists in response to an online campaign begun by a 15-year old. The next phase of sports drinks appears to be meeting individual nutritional needs. Gatorade is testing small pods of liquid formulated to individual needs as determined by Gatorade’s sweat patch. The pods snap into bottles of Gatorade to deliver the necessary nutrients. (Source: Business Insider, March 26, 2016)

Overall, revenue for the U.S. distilled spirits category grew 4.1% in 2015 while volume was up 2%. The gap between dollars and cases is expected to widen as more drinkers opt for premium and superpremium drinks. Among sub-segments, Irish whiskey had the strongest growth rate at 16.1% followed by single malt Scotch whiskey at 13%, blended whiskey at 8.8%, tequila at 7.4%, and brandy and cognac at 7.2%. Sub-segments with declining growth include cordials at -1.9%, gin at -1.8%, and rum at -1.5%. (Source: Beverage World, May 2016)

Juice sales have stagnated in recent years due to increasing competition from other healthy drink categories, heightened concerns about the calorie and sugar content in juice, and growing aversion to artificial ingredients. (Source: Beverage World, May 2016)

A new survey finds that Americans’ favorite place to drink wine is at home with 47% of Millennials and 61% of Gen X and Baby Boomers preferring it over social gatherings, restaurants, or wineries. This preference could be part of a wider movement towards “hometainment” or socializing at home to save money. The same survey found that bars are the least popular place to drink wine with only 3% choosing it as their favorite. (Source: Business Insider, May 3, 2016)

And from the “Only in America” file:

New Belgium Brewing is teaming up with Ben & Jerry’s to offer another ice cream-inspired ale. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale will roll out this fall. The two companies previously released Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale. Proceeds up to $50,000 from the sales of the new offering will benefit Protect Our Winters which is a non-profit focused on climate change. (Source: Fox31 in Denver, June 20, 2016)

Carlsberg created a chocolate bar – a drinking establishment made entirely out of chocolate – outside of the Old Truman Brewery in London as part of the ongoing “If Carlsberg Did” campaign. Initially the bar was disguised as a billboard in the shape of a giant candy bar which was unwrapped to reveal the bar which was constructed from 1,000 pounds of chocolate. Measuring 5 meters wide by three meters high by two meters deep, the bar included bar stools and a television and served half-pints of Carlsberg beer in chocolate glasses. The bar was only in business for half-a-day and the promotion was tied to the Easter holiday. (Source: Adweek, March 24, 2016)

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Self-Serve Beer Taps, Virtual Wine Tastings, Mead, Cold Brew Coffee and Natural Wine: Beverage Trends from the US

BeerSelected items from the MARC Research Beverages InView Report Jan 2016:

Millennials of drinking age are willing to learn about new styles and flavors of drinks while balancing the desire to explore new tastes with loyalty to a few favourite brands. They are likely to purchase beer, wine, and spirits at a variety of retail and on-premises venues. They drink more than one type of adult beverage with 30% doing so on their last on-premise occasion. Cost is the leading factor in deciding what drink to order. As they age they explore craft beer and wine varietals.

Around one-third of diners order an alcoholic beverage with their meal. Beer wine and spirits account for 85%,  8.9% and 6.2% respectively. On-premise drinking occurs at bars (40%), casual dining spots (38%), hotels (9%), and fine dining restaurants (5%).

Since 2013 the on-premise drinkers that say the drink menu influenced their decision to visit a particular restaurant, has increased. Drink menus are shrinking with adult beverage items declining 2.2% year-over-year. This parallels the trend towards smaller, more focused food menus.  Less than one-quarter of consumers overall say price is more important than quality in drinks.

Trends include venues that focus on a particular type of alcohol, e.g. bourbon bar; wine on tap; cocktails made with wine, beer, and hard ciders; classic cocktails  such as Martinis and Tom Collins’ are making a come back; more choices in serving sizes; boutique, better-for-you, and hand-crafted options for alcohol, mixers, and garnishes.

Ten beverage trends to expect in 2016:  
Fresh herbs and spices
Low-alcohol cocktails that don’t skimp on flavor
Ethnic mashups
Creative applications for different types of tea including ‘matcha’
Fermented drinks
Grilled citrus to add a sweet smoky flavor to drinks
Carbonation of coffee, tea, and other drinks
Greater demand for seasonal ingredients
Cold-brew coffee
Focus on drink presentation style

In Total Wine & More’s 21st century liquor store, customers can experience virtual wine tastings via live-streaming video on a massive HDTV. They can also enter meal ingredients and cooking method into an app on a tablet and receive a list of suggested wines at different price points to pair with the meal. They can scan the barcode of a product and instantly receive descriptions and ratings for it.

 

 

Pubs and fast casual restaurants are installing self-serve beer taps.  Drinkers provide ID and receive a wireless bracelet or card that permits operation of the taps. Customers can choose from dozens of beers on tap and sample several or pour a full glasses.

Craft beer sales grew 15.2% in 2014, this market being driven by younger consumers looking for brands which offer a certain level of distinction as well as beers that are produced locally. The category continues to see innovation such as hard sodas and ciders.

Letsee Beer is a new app which uses augmented reality to provide instant access to beer reviews. Users launch the app, take a photo of the beer they are interested in and the app immediately serves up user reviews and ratings.

Mead sales grew 84% between 2012 and 2014 and production increased 128% from 2013 to 2014. 42 new meaderies opened in 2014 with more planned across the nation. Mead makers experiment with dry, lighter, carbonated meads and as like craft beers, they can be found on-tap and offer an alternative for non-beer drinkers.

Sparkling water volume has grown 26% in the past year. The US top seller in LaCroix  has experienced 50% sales growth. LaCroix, Perrier and San Pellegrino have 30% , 15% and 12% market share respectively. Coke and Pepsi are preparing to launch flavored sparkling water entries.

„’Woodsy’ waters offer an alternative to coconut water. Cactus or nopal water contains prickly pear cactus juice and is the only known fruit to contain all 24 betalain skin-beneficial antioxidants and is also said to be good for muscle recovery. Birch water,  native to the Nordic and Baltic regions for centuries, helps to eliminate uric acid and contains a naturally occurring sugar, Xylitol. Maple water has a light, refreshing maple taste and is low-calorie and nutrient laden.

Cold brew coffee retail sales grew 115% between 2014 and 2015 and 300% since 2010. 24% of U.S. consumers have purchased cold-brew coffee at retail with older Millennials (55%) and men (30%) are more likely to buy it. However, 58% of those who don’t drink cold brew coffee aren’t even interested in trying it. Among those who have tried it, 48% did not like its taste while 9% said it cost too much.

A new coffee shop concept in Philadelphia asks customers to serve themselves from a wall of single-serve coffee pods. Customers choose from 136 varieties of hot beverages, purchase their single-serve cup for $1.75 for regular and $3.00 for gourmet blends, and then make their own coffee in a single-serve machine. The shop’s staff cleans and recycles the cups.

Natural wines have no more than one percent share of the wine market but debate is rife. The character of natural wine more closely reflects the places where the grapes were grown. Makers offer more transparency about where and how they were made; however, since they haven’t the additives of mainstream wine (which makes for consistent taste and prevents the wine from turning into vinegar), each bottle of wine a wild card until it is opened. Many natural wine makers are still learning the craft and relying on market feedback for guidance.

Full Report Here: BeverageInView Dec 2015

Coming Our Way? Sugary Drink Taxes, Tea Cocktails, Bulletproof Coffee and Coffee Wine

Bulletproof Coffee Recipe from Optimoz

If you take the view that Australia follows the US in food and drink trends, then the latest US beverage trends from M/A/R/C Research’s InView will interest foodies and those in food and beverage.

Here’s a round up on the US trends in sugared drinks, fads, tea, millennials, craft brews, bottled water and wine.

Sugary Drink Taxes

Sugar-sweetened drinks with at least 209kJ’s per 236 ml’s are said to contribute to 180,000 deaths worldwide through diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vermont and Illinois have levied a taxes on sugary drinks and other states are considering following suite.

Bulletproof Coffee

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that coffee bars (chocolate-like wafers that offer the equivalent of a shot of expresso), activated charcoal lemonade (supposed to detoxify and reduce bloat) and Bulletproof or Sherpa coffee (fresh brewed coffee blended with grass-fed butter and a shot of coconut oil) are the latest fads to hit the beverage scene.

Starbucks Applies for Liquor Licences

About 100 locations will offer beer, wine, and small plates as Starbuck applies for liquor licenses in an effort to improve sales via a new evening menu.

Brewed Tea the Cool New Mixer

The Detroit News reports tea-flavored vodkas including Seagram’s sweet tea-flavored vodka and Absolut’s Wild Tea also containing elderflower is becoming popular.

Experimental Millennials

Heineken estimates Millennials will account for 70% of future beer growth due to their experimental  natures and the fact that they equate cost with quality. As the economy and their economic standing improve, they trade up so Heineken use digital aspirational and experiential campaigns to capture this group.

Cannabis-Infused Beer

Targeted News Service reports that craft beer market is growing and growing. At the end of June there was an 18% increase in the number of US breweries operating with 1,755 further breweries in planning. Specialist brewers have introduced alcoholic ginger and root beers and a (legal derivative of cannabis called cannabidoil or CBD) cannabis-infused beers.

If Bottled Water is King, Then Water Enhancer’s are Queen

Between 2000 and 2014, annual US per capita consumption of bottled water doubled and per capita consumption of soft drinks fell 25%. Driven mostly by the health and wellness movement, US analysts believe that by 2017 bottled water will surpass soft drinks and become the dominant non-alcoholic beverage. Brands are launching products with exotic flavors in waters and water enhancers.

Coffee Wines

PR Newswire reports: The fastest growing wines are a range varietals, styles, and regions with interest in wines with interesting stories, philanthropic connections, unique production methods, and convenient packaging. Wine retailers note that consumers are more likely to purchase a new brand at a higher price point than remain with a familiar brand that raised its price. Boxed wines recorded double-digit growth with 187-ml wine bottles also selling well.

The World’s First Coffee Wines have been launched: Cabernet Espresso and Chardonnay Cappuccino under the Friends Fun Wine brand. Fun Wine is positioned as a drink for 21 – 35 year old new an occasional wines drinkers that want an affordable alternative to beer and wine with a lower alcohol content.

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My Third Reinvention

business card at July 1 2015

My Third Reinvention

The time has arrived for my third career reinvention. To be truthful, I feel like I have been preparing for this reinvention my whole life, especially when you consider the strength of the early influences from my mother and what I have been doing the last 20 years.

I spotted this infographic recently and realised that I am well along on the pathway. My reasons for considering a career path change are 1, 2, and 3.

This career matches my interests as I am an “Analytical Promoter,” based on a personality assessment test.

This career area has great future predicted growth and all my strengths and skills are transferable.

Undertaking the Gastronomic Tourism classes in the Masters program with SCU and Le Cordon Bleu fills in the knowledge gaps. A huge bonus to taking on Master’s level study at this age is that I am fascinated by the subject matter and this makes the challenge to my brain much more pleasant.

I am enjoying re-establishing and building new connections in food tourism, council and tourism in my region and I have found a new mentor in Barossa Baron, Barbara Storey.

Offering my services gratis and sharing my old and new found knowledge as a speaker is something I really enjoy. My local tourism authority’s training arm (for small tourism businesses and volunteers) are always on the look out for speakers and have already been asked to present a talk on food tourism with one of my current clients.

Studying online has meant I have had to re-embrace the habit of reading and doing lots of research online. During this process I have ample opportunity to keep up with the trends in this industry – and they are very interesting.

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The Learning Myth – Why You Should Never Tell Your Child They Are Smart

Frimageom a Post by Salman Khan:

“My 5-year-­old son has just started reading. Every night, we lie on his bed and he reads a short book to me. Inevitably, he’ll hit a word that he has trouble with: last night the word was “gratefully.” He eventually got it after a fairly painful minute. He then said, “Dad, aren’t you glad how I struggled with that word? I think I could feel my brain growing.” I smiled: my son was now verbalizing the tell­-tale signs of a “growth­ mindset.” But this wasn’t by accident. Recently, I put into practice research I had been reading about for the past few years: I decided to praise my son not when he succeeded at things he was already good at, but when he persevered with things that he found difficult. I stressed to him that by struggling, your brain grows. Between the deep body of research on the field of learning mindsets and this personal experience with my son, I am more convinced than ever that mindsets toward learning could matter more than anything else we teach.

Researchers have known for some time that the brain is like a muscle; that the more you use it, the more it grows. They’ve found that neural connections form and deepen most when we make mistakes doing difficult tasks rather than repeatedly having success with easy ones.

What this means is that our intelligence is not fixed, and the best way that we can grow our intelligence is to embrace tasks where we might struggle and fail.

However, not everyone realizes this. Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University has been studying people’s mindsets towards learning for decades. She has found that most people adhere to one of two mindsets: fixed or growth. Fixed mindsets mistakenly believe that people are either smart or not, that intelligence is fixed by genes. People with growth mindsets correctly believe that capability and intelligence can be grown through effort, struggle and failure. Dweck found that those with a fixed mindset tended to focus their effort on tasks where they had a high likelihood of success and avoided tasks where they may have had to struggle, which limited their learning. People with a growth mindset, however, embraced challenges, and understood that tenacity and effort could change their learning outcomes. As you can imagine, this correlated with the latter group more actively pushing themselves and growing intellectually.

The good news is that mindsets can be taught; they’re malleable. What’s really fascinating is that Dweck and others have developed techniques that they call “growth mindset interventions,” which have shown that even small changes in communication or seemingly innocuous comments can have fairly long­-lasting implications for a person’s mindset. For instance, praising someone’s process (“I really like how you struggled with that problem”) versus praising an innate trait or talent (“You’re so clever!”) is one way to reinforce a growth ­mindset with someone. Process­ praise acknowledges the effort; talent­ praise reinforces the notion that one only succeeds (or doesn’t) based on a fixed trait. And we’ve seen this on Khan Academy as well: students are spending more time learning on Khan Academy after being exposed to messages that praise their tenacity and grit and that underscore that the brain is like a muscle.

The Internet is a dream for someone with a growth mindset. Between Khan Academy, MOOCs, and others, there is unprecedented access to endless content to help you grow your mind. However, society isn’t going to fully take advantage of this without growth mindsets being more prevalent. So what if we actively tried to change that? What if we began using whatever means are at our disposal to start performing growth mindset interventions on everyone we cared about? This is much bigger than Khan Academy or algebra — it applies to how you communicate with your children, how you manage your team at work, how you learn a new language or instrument. If society as a whole begins to embrace the struggle of learning, there is no end to what that could mean for global human potential.

And now here’s a surprise for you. By reading this article itself, you’ve just undergone the first half of a growth­-mindset intervention. The research shows that just being exposed to the research itself (­­for example, knowing that the brain grows most by getting questions wrong, not right­­) can begin to change a person’s mindset. The second half of the intervention is for you to communicate the research with others. We’ve made a video (above) that celebrates the struggle of learning that will help you do this. After all, when my son, or for that matter, anyone else asks me about learning, I only want them to know one thing. As long as they embrace struggle and mistakes, they can learn anything.”

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Mastering the Art of Small Talk – Tips for Networkers

Small Talk

From an article by James Adonis for the SMH:

“For those like me who are too shy, too awkward, too bored or too incompetent to engage in small talk, here’s a selection of tips courtesy of Debra Fine from her bestseller, The Fine Art of Small Talk, published a decade ago.

Talk to a stranger: Rather than waiting to be introduced to someone, just walk up to a colleague you haven’t met and start chatting. Make an effort, too, to remember their name and to insert it occasionally into the conversation.

Arm yourself with icebreakers: A few suggestions from the author include:

  • “How did you come up with this idea?”
  • “What do you see as the coming trends in your business?”
  • “What’s the most difficult part of your job?”

She suggests a question should always be prefaced with a statement so that it doesn’t sound too full on. The first bullet point, for example, can begin with “I love your idea”, before leading to an enquiry about it.

Infiltrate a group of people: Fine recommends this can be done by standing close to them and making it obvious you’re listening. Then, and this is the important bit, be cognisant of signs they want you to join them, such as when they start “asking your opinion”. An easy one to miss, that one.

She has many other ideas, many of them useful. Ask open-ended questions (those that can’t be answered with just one word). Ask probing questions (those where you seek to hear more about a particular point). And observe what people are wearing, how they’re acting, where they’re working, and ask questions about that stuff as well.

There’s a theme here, I think. It seems to be linked to the old truism that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason.”
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/managing/blogs/work-in-progress/master-the-art-of-small-talk-20140912-3fem4.html#ixzz3D3PdsUT8

Blessed Are the Cheesemakers!

blessed-are-the-cheese-makers-1

Anyone who knows me well, would be aware that I am a cheese lover. Pathological cheese lovers have an overwhelming desire to share their passion and so I have provided cheese tastings with all the trimmings for my children since they were quite young. These included palate cleansing, pear, cabernet, quince pastes and tasting notes.

Yes, I am the woman who scans the imported cheese case in Woolies every week hoping to nab a special and  yes, I am the woman who almost every week will have 8 or 9 cheeses in her trolley – camembert or brie, ricotta, haloumi, parmesan, mozzarella, cream cheese, gorganzola or goats cheese, feta, bocconcini or buffalo mozzarella.

The gift from my partner for my recent birthday was a Cheese & Wine Appreciation Experience at Fort Denison on Sydney Harbour. The regular experiences are run by McIntosh and Bowman Cheesemongers. Claudia Bowman was our hostess for the two hour event and it was truly a rapturous and memorable occasion for me. Think kid in a candy store….

We caught a bus from home to the city (about an hour) and walked quickly (ran) the 700m from Wynyard Station to Circular Quay to meet the Fort Denison Ferry. Claudia greeted us there and informed us of the sequence of proceedings. There were 23 of us in all – all couples but one lady with ages ranging from early 20’s to mid 60’s.

Claudia’s passion and knowledge of all things cheese just oozes from her like the heart of Normandy room-temperature Camembert. She is passionate without being over-the-top and shares her knowledge and opinion without pretentiousness or arrogance.

On disembarking our ferry we are served sparking wine to take up to the top of the Fort where the canon is and the wind was. Photos with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background were pretty much obligitory.

We then repaired to the tasting room which was beautifully decked out with our 10 cheeses, three wines, sour dough roll and later Coopers Ale and chocolate ganache.

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We had range of fresh, bloomy, washed rind, hard pressed and blue veined cheeses with Australian and European of the same type to compare. Cheese for tasting is arranged clockwise from 12 o’clock – mildest to strongest. We are encouraged to taste the effect that a dry fruity white, a bold red, a dessert wine and a Coopers Ale has upon the cheese and the effect the cheese has on the tasting of those beverages.

Some QI’s that stayed in my head after the event included:

  • There are no buffalo herds in Australia. All buffalo milk is imported from Europe to one of the 6 producers in Australia
  • Holy Goat Matured Skyla is an award winning Goat’s cheese of $240 per kilo from Sutton Grange, Victoria. They have only 68 milking goats and cannot keep up with local demand – thus the price.
  • Australian Camembert appearance and flavour bears no resemblance to the real thing from Normandy, France largely because we use food grade chlorine to clean cheese making equipment and different rennets etc and this radically effects the resultant product. French Camembert, when ripe, smells a little like cooked cauliflower or broccoli. This distinctive smell took me instantly back to my days in France as girl of 18.
  • There are 7 types of cheese: Fresh, Bloomy, Washed, Semi-Hard, Hard Pressed, Blue Vein and processed (everything else) from 4 types of milk: cow, sheep, goat and buffalo.
  • The highest fat cheeses are the hard pressed because, of course, any fat has been concentrated in them. This then is my license to gorge on buffalo and fresh goat’s cheeses.
  • Chocolate and blue vein cheese together taste amazing – seriously – you need to try it.

My partner who is not as big a cheese gourmand as I and who is quite particular, enjoyed this experience and felt it was excellent value for money.

Claudia let me take home a set of cheeses in a little container for my 13 year old daughter to try. I set up a simple tasting for son (22) and daughter. Son devoured them before I could finish the tasting notes on each one, but daughter, after telling him to slow down, savoured hers like a true gourmande. It’s good to know the cheese/brain washing has not been wasted on her.

Hiring Older Women is Good for Your Share Prices – Keep Calm and Avoid a Terrible Waste of Human Capital

50It is a serendipity, I suppose, that the Diversity Council Australia released its Older Women Matter: Harnessing the talents of Australia’s older female workforce report today, the day after my 50th birthday. This has not been an easy birthday for me. My 30th and 40th did not affect me so acutely as this one has, and frankly I can’t wait till all the hoopla in my head is over and done with and I can move on.

A Terrible Waste of Human Capital

In the report, older female workers (defined as 45 years plus) represent a significant employment participation group of Australia’s workforce – 17% to be exact.

Relative to their male counterparts, older female workers have lower labour market participation rates, higher underutilisation rates and Australia’s performance in this regard lags substantially behind comparable countries.

With one of the highest life expectancies in the world, most people, particularly women, need to work for many more of these extended years to ensure their financial security.

As Australia ignores the huge pool of talent and experience represented by older women, it is not only a terrible waste of human capital, it undermines the national imperative of growing the economy which results in significant loss to businesses and it impacts the financial, emotional and physical wellbeing of the many women who are consigned to unwanted early retirement.

The Government responded to public interest in the challenges facing older workers by introducing legislation to extend the Fair Work Act 2009 ‘right to request’ flexibility provisions from parents of young children to any employees with caring responsibilities and mature aged workers 55+.

Women’s employment also continues to be a focus for government, as evidenced in the recent passage of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 and the implementation of government-provided paid maternity leave and parental leave schemes.

The Benefits of Hiring Older Women – It’s A No-Brainer

The proven benefits organisations experience hiring older women include: sustained job performance, high motivation levels, high reliability, improved retention and accumulation of experience, knowledge and skills over working lives, reduced attrition, enhanced innovation, group performance, access to target markets and financial performance, and minimising legal and reputational risks.
  • Market share – organisations that align workforce and customer demographics will better understand changing market needs and demand, and therefore customer service and product development. It is said that in customer service areas it is best to hire staff that are 7 years either side your target/ideal customers age. Given the massive actual spending and spending potential of baby boomers hiring older women for these roles just makes good business sense.
  • Retention – Workers aged 55+ are five times less likely to change jobs than those aged 20-24, and organisations stand to gain an average net benefit of $1956 per mature-age employee per year, via lower attrition, absenteeism and recruitment costs.
  • Innovation – Research examining 15 years of panel data of management teams of S&P 1500 firms, has found that more women in top management improved the performance of firms which were heavily focused on innovation.
  • Reliability – Research reviewed in the World Economic Forum’s report Global Population Ageing: Peril or Promise? suggests that mature age workers may be more reliable than younger workers, being less likely to engage in theft from their companies, be absent or quit their jobs.   ABS surveys have found that a smaller percentage of women employees aged over 45 have days away from work, either because of their own illness or to care for others, than younger women.
  • The Bottom Line – there is a large body of research showing a correlation between gender diversity in management ranks and improved organisational financial performance. One US study found that companies with the most women board directors outperformed those with the least on return on sales (ROS) by 16% and return on invested capital (ROIC) by 26%.
  • Return on Investment (ROI) – ACCI guidelines highlight the better return on investment in human capital businesses can experience by retaining or recruiting the advantages’ of significant length of service, investment in training and wealth of accumulated experience. To illustrate in relation to ROI on training, research shows 45% of workers aged 45+ intend to remain in the workforce until the age of 65-69, representing a potential 20 year investment in training, while those aged 30-39 are likely to remain with an employer for an average of only 5.8 years.
  • Productivity – Research shows workers aged 65+ have the highest productivity and motivation levels, and that workers aged 55+ perform at their best for seven hours out of eight per day (an achievement unmatched by workers in other age groups)
  • Reputation – Research in the US has found that when a diversity complaint goes public, the company’s share price drops within 24 hours, and when an organisation wins a diversity-related award, its share price rises within 10 days.

Does all this positive data make me feel better about being 50? No, because one report does little to break down the fundamental societal attitudes that underlie age and gender discrimination. The fact that Australia has to legislate in order to force employers to recognise the realities of being older and give women a ‘fair go’ the workforce is a tragedy.

Influence Through Great Storytelling Online/Offline – Tips from Aristotle et.al.

AristotleSince attending the Content Marketing World Conference in Feb this year I have been thinking a bit about the art and science of ‘storytelling.’  In the last couple of weeks I came across four references to storytelling in my reading and thought they would be valuable to share. My favourite revelation is this one from Aristotle:

Aristotle (Greek Philosopher 384-322BC) said people needed three things to successfully influence: logos (logic), ethos (credibility) and pathos (emotional connection). Emotion is a fast track to the brain, so storytelling is an effective way to create memorable messages.

Business Storytelling

Management Consultant Yamini Naidu says two things matter in business storytelling: The first is how engaging your stories are – that is, do people hang onto every word you say? Can they remember it? Can they repeat it? The second is how purposeful you are – that is, What message do you want your story to contain?

Most people (90 per cent) in business use the “reporter” (logos) style, because that’s the behaviour that is reinforced, but contemporary research suggests ethos, followed by pathos, is more important. Logic informs, but it doesn’t influence and change behaviour. If it did,nobody would smoke or speed and we’d eat right and exercise.

Here is how Naidu described the four main types of storytellers in business:
Avoiders – low inengagement and low in purpose.These people either don’t tell stories, or they tell the wrong kinds of stories – usually about “the good old days”, or war stories, and they’re the person you want to avoid when you’re in a hurry.
Jokers – highly engaging but low on purpose. These people have lots of funny stories; they’re life of party at work, but they miss an opportunity to convey a message with their stories.
Reporters – lots of purpose but low on engagement. These people are really purposeful with their stories; they have absolute clarity on what message they want to tell. But they’re using a lot of data, stats, facts and figures, so they’re low on engagement
Inspirers – highly engaging and highly purposeful. Inspirers, are “not rah-rah evangelical hyped-up storytellers, but people who connect authentically, and are able to influence action.

Storytelling To Get In The Press

Amber Daines has written a book called “Well Spun – Big PR and Social Media Ideas for Small Business.” In a story in the Sydney Morning Herald where she gives tips about how to get your story in the press, she talks about the importance of understanding what is a newsworthy story. That means, making sure your story emphasises the ‘new’, the ‘big deal factors’ such as ‘how is this changing lives?’ or ‘how much money will this save them?’ and aligning your story to relevant cyclical events.

Storytelling to Get Sales

In a recent Sydney Morning Herald story on the resurgence of people making handmade goods and finding a market online, Anna Blandford, a successful etsy.com seller says she likes knowing the personal story of the creators of the handmade products she buys for herself. She says when you buy at a shopping centre, there is no personal connection.

Angela D’Alton the community manager for Etsy says people have always yearned to have a connection with those they trade with and the web has ultimately broadened the boundaries of the traditional town market. “Its the personal stories shared online that are bringing us back in touch.”

Here are some of tips provided for making a handcraft business work and which include elements of storytelling:
* Share your personal story – online buyers love to know a bit about you, so spend time writing the page about yourself and the things that inspire your work.
* Good photographs are essential  -A picture’s worth a thousand words, so you can tell a story without using words.
* The descriptions of your products can also improve your sales: make your descriptions appeal to the senses (What does it feel like? What does it smell like?) Here again  is Aristotles’ ‘pathos’ for influence.

Story Telling to Attract a Listening Audience

Here are some thoughts from John Paul Media’s Blog:
If you can master the art of storytelling on the radio, you’ll probably always have a job  and a huge audience. People want to hear stories, not reports. Stories don’t have to be long winded. You can tell a story in just a few lines and still be riveting, but it takes practice and a plan. Here are a few storytelling tips that I’ve learned along the way:

  • Stories are not reports
  • The subjects are about common and relatable life events
  • Have moments of genuine humor
  • Are delivered one-on-one and allow for interactivity
  • Are rehearsed so they have maximum impact when told
  • The listener should think of you as a friend. The best way to do this is to open up and share personal stories, experiences and opinions with your listener.
  • Don’t be afraid to make fun of yourself. Self-deprecation is not only relatable, but endearing.
  • Good story telling not only has the ability to make you stand out and be remembered, but it also can help you feel better

 

 

How A Man in an Orange Suit and Another in Heston Glasses Rocked my World

Jay Baer, me, Joe Pullizi - Content Marketing

In mid-Feb 2013 I saw an ad for Content Marketing World at the end of  a marketing blog. I was delighted to find that two US gurus of content marketing were hauling themselves and their team the 20 hours to Sydney to share insights and emerging trends over a 2 day conference in the CBD.

I fondly remember the days 15+ years ago when my employers in Australia and the US, routinely (and happily) forked out $1000 a day for a one or two day seminar on the fast moving Marketing trends of the time. Yes, I did Relationship Marketing in 93, Telemarketing in 94, Database Marketing in 95, Positioning Marketing with Trout & Ries in 97 and 98, Strategic Communication in 98 and then more recently, Social Media Strategy in 2011.

And when I got back from each of these inspiring events, I breathed all that I had learned back into the organisation and whipped up the staff in a frenzy of new ways to market. My employers really did get value for their $1000 or $2000 which is no doubt why they continued to send me.

When I studied the speakers and topics of Content Marketing World, my heart began to beat faster and I thought:

  • I would get to meet Joe Pulizzi and Jay Baer in the flesh! (Photo op.)
  • I would get to hear their American accents which would remind me so much of my youth in California!
  • I would get to hear great speakers that would inspire me with their challenging journeys and subsequent victories with content marketing!
  • I would get to talk to grown-ups that understood the storytelling marketing I had been doing for 10 years! (but was called something else)
  • I would get to meet suppliers of content, software, hardware and other fantastic content related services – some of which I could use!
  • I would get brewed coffee, 6 kinds of tea, 2 kinds of juice, delicious morning/afternoon tea treats on tap, as well as lashings of luscious lunch offerings!
  • I would get to fill out dozens of “rate your speaker” surveys! (breathe now)
  • I would need to get a bus from Kellyville at some ungodly hour to get there and then get home to my kids at some ungodly hour! (sigh)
  • I’m too old for this now. I bet I will be the oldest one there? It will be full of Y and X gens and they will snicker at this old duck turning up at such an event! (double sigh)

And then I decided not to go…

Two days later I was at my 40 year old accountant’s house to sign some documents. I happened to mention the Conference to him and how much I would love to go. I told him how it was hard to keep up with the mountain of reading I should do, the emerging technologies and strategies, stay focussed and inspired about what I was doing while working from home and being a proactive mum and carer of 2 dogs, 6 cats, a 12, 21 and 51 year old. I told him that I was too old to go to Conferences now, at my age I was really downcycling now.

And then he said, “Rubbish!

“You should go, you need inspiration, you have another 15 years you will have to work – you should be ‘cranking it up’ not ‘cranking it down’!”

And then I decided to go…

So then what happened…?

  • I got to meet, listen, chat, laugh and have my photo taken with Joe Pulizzi and Jay Baer in the flesh!
  • I got to hear American accents which reminded of my youth in California – and I felt young again!
  • I got to hear great speakers from all walks of business, that inspired me with their challenging journeys, wisdom and “in-progress” victories with content marketing!
  • I got to talk to grown-ups that understood the storytelling marketing I had been doing for 10 years! (but had been calling it PR)
  • I got to meet suppliers of content, software, hardware and other fantastic content related services – some of which I could use!
  • I got brewed coffee, 6 kinds of tea, 2 kinds of juice, delicious morning/afternoon tea treats on tap, as well as lashings of luscious lunch offerings!
  • I got to fill out dozens of “rate your speaker” surveys!
  • I got a bus from Kellyville at an ungodly hour to get there and got home to my kids at an ungodly hour!
  • I discovered I’m NOT too old for this game.  I was NOT the oldest one there. It was NOT full of Y and X gens and they did NOT snicker. (not that I saw)

I guiltlessly gorged myself on inspiration, insights and ideas over the two days. And to keep the high going, Content Marketing afficionados know I will be able to “shoot up” with Joe and Jay’s blogs until March 2014.

Thanks guys – you rocked my world!