‘It comes and goes in a blur’: those who bring us Christmas

Here comes the Christmas break. While the rest of us get ready to wind down over the festive period, retailers and suppliers come under pressure to keep the shelves stocked and the goods flowing. It’s a huge operation but it’s also finely balanced and depends on a well-functioning society. A truck drivers’ strike, a volcanic ash cloud or widespread civil unrest or economic collapse could all bring Christmas, not to mention society, to a grinding halt. Merry Christmas, eh?

For now, at least, the show goes on, but it's not so merry for Verona Murphy, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association and managing director at DruMur Transport. For her, Christmas is the busiest time of the year.

Turkeys are among the goods that have to be transported from Italy or Denmark to Ireland in refrigerated units. Time is of the essence and hauliers may only get three days' notice to transport the goods. Any delays reduce the time they can be on the shelf. Every second has to be accounted for and drivers are limited in how far they are legally allowed to travel every day.

Surely, at least, the camaraderie is like a big Christmas ad for Coca-Cola? "No, it's not like that at all," says Murphy. "Christmas comes and goes in a blur. I don't get to do a Christmas food shop as we don't have the time. I remember one Christmas working in Spain and spending it driving and eating in McDonald's. But drivers understand that this is the busiest time of year and that the food needs to be on shelves."

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A year-round operation

Christmas doesn’t just happen in November and December, it is a year-round operation, says Finbar McCarthy, group buying director at

Aldi

. “We began planning our Christmas 2016 product range in January 2016. Our previous Christmas ranges, feedback from customers and the latest product trends were all reviewed to make sure we have a leading offer. Previous sales data and experience is hugely important, as is reviewing current market tastes and trends.”

New products are trialled to assess customer demand. “We’ve been tasting turkey, ham and goose since early this year, as there is a firm cut-off point for placing orders with suppliers, and our products are ordered in specific quantities so as to adequately balance expected demand and unnecessary surplus,” says McCarthy.

Christmas takes a heavy toll on the environment, with most of us consuming more than we need and generating waste in the manufacture, transport and disposal of goods. Some food waste is inevitable for retailers such as Aldi and Tesco, although both retailers are partnered with FoodCloud, an innovative charity that donates surplus food to charities and community groups across the country.

Traffic, weather and other events

Traffic, weather and other events can all conspire to delay the movement of products from A to B. With online sales soaring, this puts retailers, truckers and couriers such as Nightline under pressure.

McCarthy says they have a series of contingency plans to deal with unexpected challenges. Over the years, technological advances have allowed retailers such as Aldi to develop systems that keep all their freezer, lifelong and ambient products (including alcohol) reordered automatically, but all fresh products are ordered manually. “The journey from supplier to store is extremely short for fresh produce,” he adds. “From the time the order is placed to delivery to store is a maximum of 35 hours, with stock staying for the minimum possible time in our distribution centres.”

Verona Murphy's drivers are among those who can easily find themselves on a gridlocked M50 at Christmas. "We're trying to get the goods to the warehouses, which may be closed when we arrive if the boat has been delayed or traffic has been worse than expected. People don't always understand what it takes to get the goods to the shelves and the Minister for Transport doesn't seem to have a clue what we do."

This is the complex planning and arduous behind-the-scenes work that bring us Christmas. As we consume more and more, though, damaging the environment in the process, Christmas could easily become a victim of its own success. With a global political climate threatening the fabric of the economy, perhaps we should enjoy it while it lasts.

TESCO’S BUSY CHRISTMAS

- Begins on December 5th;

- Staff process 2.2 million cases of goods;

- 1,700 deliveries with drivers moving 290,000km;

- Its busiest week starts on December 19th: 1.1 million cases of fresh and frozen produce across 1,800 deliveries moving 290,000km;

(Source: Geoff Byrne, chief operating officer, Tesco Ireland)

CASHMERE CHRISTMAS: 50 YEARS OF MONAGHAN’S

Few retailers have seen as many Christmases as Tom Monaghan, owner of Monaghan's Cashmeres off Dawson Street, Dublin. He is now into his 90s and started the business back in October 1960 with his wife, Tess. Their first Christmas was a surprise, for all the wrong reasons.

"We were all geared up for December 8th, when country people came to Dublin for a big shop," he says, "but it was slower than we expected. The first few years were tough. I'd come home from work, and my beloved Tess would ask how it went: when I told her, she'd always say that tomorrow would be better. I'd miss seeing my kids as much as I'd have liked but, over time, we built up a loyal base, including from the United States. "

Christmas is easily his busiest period. “We do our buying for Christmas in January and February, primarily from a Scottish manufacturer. Nine out of 10 times, we will end up with too much stock, but Christmas never lets us down. It is our harvest and, over the years, we have learned to gear up for it.”

Monaghan’s four children and 12 grandchildren are involved in the family business; some of his grown-up grandchildren, who are at college, appreciate the part-time Christmas work. His daughter, Suzie, has launched her own range for women. “Christmas has changed so much. There are so much more shops than when we started in 1960, but we enjoy the competition. There’s no time for yourself in December, so we take some rest in March and April.

“Christmas is special, especially Christmas Day; still, it’s back to work for the sales afterwards. I’m sure people must pass the shop and wonder what that aul’ fella is still doing in there, but I love what I’m doing. My family are around me. Tess and I have had so much happiness and the children have brought their share of love to us. The sacrifices have been worth it.”