WHEN I was much smaller than I am now, in the days when some people still had black and white TVs, there were a few certainties in life: my grandma would serve Welsh Rarebit and baked potatoes followed by Mr Kipling’s Fondant Fancies for tea on a Friday; the BBC would show the news at 9 o’clock (yes 9 o’clock, none of this 10 o’clock malarkey), and England would lose to Australia at cricket.
And on Christmas Day my grandad would sit back in his chair, replete and content, and say «well, only 313 shopping days until Christmas». It was as traditional as the Queen’s Speech. Christmas wasn’t Christmas without it. If the meal ended and it hadn’t been said, time sort of stood still, people hung about and waited. What would happen if he didn’t say it? It didn’t warrant thinking about…
Sadly he died before Sunday trading became legal, as that would have added a bit of spice to the event. Everyone would have been on tenterhooks, anxious to see whether he’d adjusted his figures. To be honest I don’t know if 313 was ever actually correct, did he take into account what day of the week Christmas fell on? Who knows, you don’t challenge the patriarch of the family in their prime…
Well, in the words of dear old Frederick, «there’s only 91 shopping days until Christmas». Which is a lot… for your average man or woman on the street, it’s still ages away. Anyone who has started their Christmas shopping is either far too organised or has far too much time on their hands. Although I did notice our local Co-op is already stocking mince pies… who is buying them? Who? But for anyone in the food packaging game, 92 days is nothing. In fact, I would go as far as to say many larger companies will have had Christmas planned months ago, they’ll probably be on to Easter…
But for some companies out there, 91 days means Christmas is still an event to be planned, to be maximised from a sales point of view….
If you’re one of the companies for whom Christmas is still be be considered, we have lots of ideas that could make the difference this Christmas to your food sales? From nylon packaging for roast turkeys to oven-ready food dividers, Sirane has the answers. Nylon roasting bags for your turkey, salmon boards with a festive design, oven-ready dividers for pigs in blankets and other side dishes; our varied range of food packaging solutions will help give customers a stress-free Christmas – and help your products stand out on the shelves.
Whether you’re selling turkey, side dishes or fish/vegetarian alternatives, we’re here to help. And we have products that will give your Christmas sales the quality and edge they need. Nylon, for example, is the best roasting bag material on the market…. it browns the meat, won’t stick, leaves it tender and flavoursome, and stops it drying out. After all, no-one wants to gamble on Christmas dinner.
MARK LINGARD, MARKETING
