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Business Review 2006 from
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The role of small industry
Emma Richardson
Cimandis
According to a recent survey from Mintel, our shopping habits are changing and one in three adults like to support local businesses. This is great news for Jersey's smaller industries.
Jersey is extremely fortunate to still have a number of local businesses that provide islanders with fresh, high quality products. Products such as locally baked Island Gold and Island Bake bread, Jersey milk, Jersey Special and Best beer and local produce including the famous Jersey Royals all use quality as their differentiator in the marketplace and are all part of our Island's heritage.
This heritage should not be underestimated as these businesses have been serving the island for many decades. Our Jersey bakery was founded 166 years ago and has undergone many changes to survive in the island's small yet competitive market. One of the largest changes was implemented two years ago with the launch of Island Gold and Island Bake. The launch of these two new local brands was the result of a lengthy project that aimed to revitalise the range of locally baked wrapped and sliced bread and provide customers with unique recipes that matched their requirements.
As a local company with over 160 years of experience, we are perfectly positioned to understand the needs of the local market and translate this into a range of products that reflect the individual tastes and requirements of Jersey people.
This close relationship which exists between local companies and their customers creates many more advantages that are enjoyed by the island's community. Our Jersey bakery is able to provide freshly baked bread to islanders seven days a week. This is a real strategic asset for the island as Jersey can produce staple goods for its own population.
Transport
As a local company, we are not as vulnerable to problems with transport links and with a local stock holding of ingredients we can deliver bread to our customers regardless of weather conditions. This also means that customers receive our bread within hours of it leaving the oven, guaranteeing a freshly baked taste. Freshness and consequently taste can suffer when certain types of food travel and the fact that islanders can purchase fresh milk, freshly baked bread and new potatoes straight from the ground is something to be extremely proud of.
It is also important to remember that these local companies are also employers, taxpayers and investors in the Island. Our business regularly works with local charities to help raise funds and awareness; we work with local school children to explain the role of the local bakery and we have been working with the States of Jersey and the National Trust on a feasibility study for growing and milling local wheat. All of these projects are in the interest of not just our bakery, but the Island as a whole.
Despite these factors which defend the role of Jersey's smaller industries, it is a true marketing challenge to survive in Jersey's finite market. To achieve sustained growth requires skill in satisfying the multiplicity of customer requirements. In some cases (notably milk) it has also necessitated some level of government protection of the local supplier.
In the case of bread, UK research supported our desire to launch a range of high quality products. In the UK the value of wrapped and sliced bread sales have increased well above inflation with overall consumption remaining constant. From this we can deduce that consumers are moving away from buying purely on price, a fact also indicated by the recent Mintel survey that shows quality is a growing motivational factor. This does not mean that price no longer affects purchase behaviour but it does indicate that consumers also value other attributes such as freshness and the quality of ingredients.
For local producers to prosper, it's essential that islanders continue to actively choose local products and support its smaller producers as much as possible.
Like many other local businesses, our Jersey bakery plays a fundamental role in Island life and is committed to continuing it's positive contribution to the Island in both the short and long term. This is a rarity in today's economic climate and is part of our heritage that is worth protecting.
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