Ahead of this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards, we find out more about our sponsors – this time we focus on VaporLinQ, who are sponsoring the Forecourt of the Year Category 1 award.

VaporLinQ is excited to sponsor the Neighbourhood Retailer Awards 2024 Forecourt of the Year Cat 1 award, recognising the crucial role that Northern Ireland retailers play in communities across the region.

As the first established all-Ireland vape company, VaporLinQ is known for its focus on quality, safety, and innovation. Supported by a dedicated team strategically located in the Northwest, the company has expanded its reach across the UK and Ireland, adapting swiftly to the post-Brexit landscape.

Under Managing Director, Stephen Ryan’s leadership, VaporLinQ has continued to thrive and create skilled job opportunities.

As leaders in the vaping industry, VaporLinQ ensures its products continue to meet the highest quality and safety standards, offering consumers a reliable alternative in a market often filled with non-compliant products. The company is dedicated to improving public health and has taken a proactive approach to regulation.

“Retailers are the lifeblood of our business and key to making our products accessible to customers, and we believe in investing in their success as much as our own,” said Stephen.

“VaporLinQ’s success has continued to grow through master distributorships and partnerships with leading brands such as Pixl, Hyola, Crystal, Pablo, Killa, and many more, guaranteeing the best prices possible for the retailers. Our retail app revolutionises how retailers interact with the brand, streamlining ordering processes, saving time, and reducing operational costs.

“Looking ahead, our goal is to maintain and expand our retailers’ product range and revenues, especially with next year’s legislative changes. With 15 years of experience, dedicated industry knowledge, and close partnerships with major brands, we aim to alleviate our retailers’ concerns within vaping and the rapidly expanding NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) space.”

For more info, visit: https://vaporlinq.net/

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We continue our focus on our fantastic award sponsors in our series, Sponsor Spotlight. This time we focus on Spice O’ Life, sponsor of the Butcher of the Year award.

Spice O’ Life has evolved into a leading company in the world of seasonings, spices, glazes, and sauces. Our journey began with a passionate entrepreneurial spirit, which remains deeply ingrained in our team today.

This drive fuels our innovation, inspires our culinary creations, and empowers us to make healthy cooking accessible and enjoyable through vibrant flavours.

With a solid foundation in chemistry and food science, combined with our training from renowned flavour companies in America, we pride ourselves on being a flexible and forward-thinking organisation. Our commitment to continuous innovation ensures that we stay ahead in a dynamic market, always ready to delight our customers with new and exciting offerings.

At Spice O’ Life, we believe that food is more than just sustenance; it’s an experience that fosters connections and creates lasting memories. Each of our spices tells a unique story, and every sauce, marinade and seasoning is crafted to stir the soul. Our products not only enhance the taste of meals but also bring people together, turning everyday cooking into cherished moments.

As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to our mission of enriching lives through flavour, ensuring that every bite is a celebration of culinary artistry. Spice O’ Life is not just about what you eat; it’s about the joy and togetherness that comes with every meal. Join us on this flavourful journey, where innovation meets tradition, and every dish is an opportunity to connect.

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It’s almost time for the 2024 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards, and we continue our focus on our fantastic award sponsors in our series, Sponsor Spotlight. This time we focus on Solmatix Renewables, sponsor of the Sustainability Champion of the Year award.

At Solmatix Renewables, we are dedicated to helping retailers achieve long-term sustainability goals while delivering cutting-edge renewable energy solutions.

Specialising in solar PV systems, battery storage, and energy-efficient technologies, we work in partnership with our clients to provide tailor-made solutions that reduce energy costs and environmental impact.

Our full-service approach, from initial consultation through to installation and ongoing support, ensures that our retail partners benefit from a seamless transition to renewable energy. Whether it’s reducing carbon footprints or meeting sustainability targets, Solmatix delivers the results retailers need to thrive in an evolving market.

Managing Director, Neville Bell expressed his pride in sponsoring the Neighbourhood Retailer Awards and supporting the retail sector.

“We’re honoured to sponsor this year’s event and to celebrate the incredible achievements of Northern Ireland’s retailers,” said Neville.

“The retail sector has shown real leadership in adopting sustainable practices, and we’ve been privileged to work alongside many businesses to help them reduce their environmental impact.

“At Solmatix, we believe sustainability is the future, and we’re committed to helping retailers lead the charge. We look forward to seeing more success stories as we continue our partnerships across the industry,” added Neville.

As a sponsor of the awards, Solmatix extends our best wishes to all the nominees and celebrates the vital role that retailers play in building a greener, more sustainable future for Northern Ireland.

The post Solmatix Renewables: powering sustainability for Northern Ireland’s retailers first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

It’s almost time for the 2024 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards, and we continue our focus on our fantastic award sponsors in our series, Sponsor Spotlight. This time we focus on Thompson’s Tea, sponsor of the Food to Go Store of the Year award.

For Thompson’s Tea, it all started in 1896 at a tea warehouse near Belfast docks, where founder Robert S. Thompson trained in the art of tea tasting and soon became known for his uncompromising devotion to quality.

With a passion for quality, they take great pleasure in selecting teas from only the very finest gardens in Assam, Kenya and beyond. To this day, every blend that has ever been produced, has first been taste-tested and approved by a member of the Thompson family.

Today, as the makers of Northern Ireland’s best-selling tea, Punjana, they have been proudly blending and packing their award-winning range in Northern Ireland for over 125 years.

Marketing Manager, Jamie Thompson, said: “Since 1896, our family-run business has grown through building rewarding relationships with many of the fantastic local retailers here in Northern Ireland, and so we are delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor the Food to Go Store of the Year at this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards.

“We appreciate the consistent hard work from our local retailers and their staff throughout the past year, and it is gratifying to have the opportunity to recognise this.”

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As the countdown continues to this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards, we find out more about our sponsors – this time we focus on PRM, who are sponsoring the Store Manager of the Year award.

For over 35 years the award-winning PRM has mastered the challenge of market penetration for chilled and frozen brands across the island of Ireland.

The family-run business was initially built upon supplying local retailers in Northern Ireland, many of whom remain as valued customers to this day.

Now in 2024 in addition to their core sales and distribution platform, the company operates two food production sites and offers a wide range of haulage, logistics and distribution services.

PRM’s product portfolio includes leading brands such as Fage, Muller, Kinder, Nomadic and Oddlygood, as well as local suppliers Galberts, Clandeboye Estate Yogurt, Cookstown, Mash Direct and Cottage Desserts.

PRM are much more than just a ‘distributor’, they manage all of the business functions required to take a product to market, from factory gates to the shopper’s basket. The company currently deliver over 300,000 cases of chilled and frozen goods to the trade each week, delivering a service which is tailored to the needs of its customers.

Philip Morrow, CEO & Founder, PRM said: “This is an exciting time for PRM as we begin development of an additional site for us to further grow our operations and expand the range of services we offer. Getting to this point would not have been possible without the continued support of local retailers across Northern Ireland.

“We are proud to sponsor the Store Manager of the Year award at the upcoming Neighbourhood Retailer Awards 2024, celebrating and recognising excellence across the sector.”

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