Hitting the right note

Our magazine, exclusively for colleagues

Summer 2016

Seventh heaven

Our new food

brands are getting

people talking

Britain’s Got Talent act, The Neales, take

to the studio to record charity single

Pedal powerChris Boardman

explains why bikes are the future

Brian FranklinDriver Brian showed his caring side by taking part in a workshop for young people held by the British Deaf Association.

Taunton SuperstoreA group of colleagues joined local organisations to spruce up a patch of parkland alongside the River Tone. They litter picked along the riverbank to help wildlife there.

Solihull ExpressColleagues collected 600 Easter eggs to donate to their local Marie Curie Cancer Care Hospice.

Tanzania trekkersAn intrepid bunch of eight Tesco adventurers scaled Kilimanjaro to raise £24,670 for Cancer Research UK.

Margate MetroThere was a hop in colleagues’ steps when they dressed as the Easter bunny to give gifts to children.

Distribution Support, DaventryColleagues from Daventry rolled up their sleeves to do their bit for the community by giving a sheltered home’s garden a facelift.

2

Belfast DC

We wrapped one of our tractor units from Belfast in yellow to promote the Cancer Fund for Children around Northern Ireland.

Pontypridd ExtraOur superheroes put on their favourite costumes for a dress-up day in Pontypridd, which raised a brilliant £438 for charity.

Leigh Morris, Lockerbie SuperstoreLeigh and whippet Hazel received the plaudits when they won the Reserve Best in Show and the Hound Group at Crufts.

Share your pictures by using #TimeForT3

HelloThis time last year, we were celebrating the release of our first issue of t magazine – now look at us.

We’re bringing in summer with an incredible mix of content that should cover all the things we’re talking about, whichever part of the business you’re in. And that’s what we do as the Colleague Communications Panel: find out what we think will interest you most and get it in the magazine.

Since the last issue, our recruitment drive for new panel members has picked up pace. While our newest members are only just being appointed, we’re confident the new blood will add something extra to our group. Keep an eye on OurTesco for biographies on our new panellists.

They’ll soon be involved in putting together features for future editions. Some of us have been

Find out more about our panel

Log on to OurTesco to read short

biographies on our panellists and

get in touch with them on Yammer

Tell us what you think Share

your stories on Yammer, by

post at the address below or

email to t.magazine@uk.tesco.com

in the thick of it this time. In fact, Mark Kanaris got his whole family involved as he and two other colleagues tried out the seven new food brands that have hit our shelves. Spoiler alert: we think Mark’s clan enjoyed themselves.

We’ve also been flicking through our contacts book to dig out some brilliant colleague stories that will get us into the swing of things as the summer’s sporting events take hold.

There’s the three footballers (two old, one young) who are keeping us on the ball as our home nations head to France, and a physical challenge that should inspire us to be more active – all with a little help from a celebrity friend.

It makes for a cracking read, so we hope you enjoy flicking through in the sunshine.

Tesco Editor-in-chief: Simon Rew; Contributor: Deborah Hatch Sonder Editor: Chris Evans; Content Director: Justine Ragany; Sub

Editor: Kate Feasey; Art Director: Wayne Hayton; Designer: Natasha Lipinski Cox; Production Manager: Julia Fulford; Advertising

Account Manager: Adam Turner. Photography Dave Charnley, Roy Kilcullen, David Cordner, Nigel Hillier, Harry Chambers,

Paul Tibbs. Get in touch with us by post Colleague Communications, Omega, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1GA

Your panel

Give&Take

4

10 Let’s ride away

Olympic cyclist takes our

colleagues out for a ride

18 What’s on our menu?

Colleagues try out our

new food ranges

22 On the right track

Our 26-day delivery from

China to Middlesbrough

29 Scouting for goals

The former footballers

who have turned to Tesco

36 Shooting for the stars

Britain’s Got Talent act, The

Neales, are aiming for No 1

40 Artificial intelligence

The imposter keeping

an eye on our potatoes

8 Golden moments

Colleagues rewarded

for customer service

9 A royal party

Get geared up to celebrate

the Queen’s birthday

REGULARS

FEATURES

Our magazine is

printed on FSC-

approved paper

Please recycle

after use

10

Contents

Meg Cowley

By day she’s a Customer

Assistant at Bradford

Extra, but by night

multi-talented Meg is an

author and illustrator.

As she launches a

charity colouring book

full of her sketches, the

26-year-old explains

what makes her tick.

Meg’s crowning glory“I had an idea for a trilogy and

couldn’t ignore it. The series

is called the Books of Caledan and

my first novel was The Tainted Crown

– I’m currently working on the third.

I’d describe them as Game

of Thrones for teenagers,

although adults read them

too. I love fantasy: give me

magic and dragons any day.”

“I’ve been writing and drawing for as long as I

can remember. It fell by the wayside while I was

growing up, but I got back into it as an adult.

I’ve always been a bookworm because

of the escapism it provides –

sometimes life can be boring and

books allow you to break free

and go on an adventure.”

The great adventurer

5

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE“I’m keen to build the business side of things over the next few years: my aim is for my writing and illustrating to become an even bigger part of my life. I’d love to be the next J.K. Rowling. I really enjoy working with my

colleagues and customers at Tesco though, as it’s valuable to get away from my desk and not become too introverted.”

FEELING THE DRAW“I do sketches as well and colouring books are my focus currently. There’s a big boom in the market at the moment, but you need to make sure you’re

producing something of good quality that people want to colour. I’ve had fantastic feedback from people affected by dementia and mental illnesses who say how much my work

has helped them, which is a privilege.”

Making a difference“I wanted to do some good with

my work, so I approached the World

Land Trust, which protects

nature reserves around the

world and lists Sir David

Attenborough as one

of its patrons. I created

The Exotic Colouring

Book and a pound

from each one I sell

goes to the charity.”

If you want a copy of The

Exotic Colouring Book or

would like to try a free

sample of Meg’s work,

visit her website at

megcowley.com

Get

colouring

6

Joanne PayneCustomer Assistant, Kingsteignton Superstore

FundraisersSheffield Abbeydale Superstore

Charity superhero Joanne starred in the lead role of her very own costume drama to raise money for our National Charity Partnership. Joanne racked up 50 days in fancy dress to surpass her £1,000 fundraising target. Joanne swapped her Tesco uniform for lots of wacky dress-ups, including Batman’s trusty sidekick Robin.

Colin risked blisters galore to tackle an incredible four-marathon challenge. The runner wasn’t satisfied with doing one marathon: he put his body through a quartet of gruelling endurance runs. Colin ran marathons in Paris, Manchester, Brighton and London, and can now be found shopping for a new pair of trainers.

miles run105

A youngster with a life-limiting condition was given a specially made tricycle by caring colleagues. Seven-year-old Billy has Prader-Willi syndrome, which means he has low muscle tone. When the team heard he needed £1,700 to buy the trike, they held a series of activities to raise enough cash to get him some new wheels.

days of fancy dress50

raised for Billy£1,700

Our superhumansMeet our crew of extraordinary charity challengers, who are doing their bit

to boost the fundraising totals of worthy causes

600 ways to donate foodWe’ve added 100 new food

collection points in stores across

the UK to give colleagues and

customers even more chances

to help people in need locally.

The extra points, which have

been placed in our larger format

stores, take our total number

of collection points to over

600 – more than any other

retailer in the UK. We’ve selected

communities where our partner

charities The Trussell Trust and

FareShare have a need for extra

donations of long-life foods, and

we have pledged to top up all

collections by another 20% based

on their weight.

Our summer Neighbourhood

Food Collection is in Express stores

from 20 June to 2 July, and in all

other stores from 30 June to 2 July.

Find your nearest

collection pointWe’ve launched a new interactive

map to help customers find their

nearest collection point simply by

entering their postcode. You can

also see how much food we’ve

collected and who it benefits. To

give it a try, visit ourtes.co/1reawWB

Colin WoodsGraduate Technology Manager, Welwyn Garden City

The latest innovation

from our tech gurus

7

Check out the things

causing a stir with us

(and what’s not so in style)

Holiday essentials

Wherever you’re going,

make sure you’ve got

everything before you

set off. We’ve got

all the essentials, so

make a stop at a Tesco

shop part of your

preparation.

Summer style

Look chic in the sun with F&F. Inject some

colour into your summer wardrobe with

our amazing ranges online and in store.

Runners-up

With a summer of sport ahead, our heroes

will be doing us proud. While you’re

cheering them on, grab snacks and drinks

to turn the big match into a social occasion.

Wasted days

British summertime is always

unpredictable, but don’t be

left cooped up indoors.

We’ve got loads of

deals for activities

with Clubcard

Boost.

What’s hot?

What’s not?

Walking for AlastairColleagues were shocked

when Alastair Brown died

of a heart attack. Now

they’re walking Hadrian’s

Wall in his memory and

want your help to do it

When Alastair Brown suggested walking Hadrian’s Wall to raise money for our National Charity Partnership, the Store Director – Large Stores North had no idea the challenge would take place in his memory. The 44-year-old made the suggestion at a North Leadership team meeting – just two days before suffering a heart attack that claimed his life.

The team wanted to honour much-loved Alastair and will take on the Walk the Wall hike in July. And for support with fundraising, they’re asking colleagues around the UK to hold an equivalent challenge on a treadmill or cross-trainer.

NAME Tesco on If This

Then That (IFTTT.com).

WHAT IS IT? IFTTT allows

you to do clever things such

as update your social media

accounts at the same time

or get emails when rain is

forecast. As Tesco now has its

own IFTTT channel, customers

can add products to their

online orders, depending on

variables like weather.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

You can set up triggers to

add a specified item to your

basket, for example, if a

product drops in price or if

it’s forecast to be barbecue

weather over the weekend.

WHAT’S NEXT? Sign up for

an account at IFTTT.com

How can

you help?We want teams to hold their

own Walk the Wall event in

stores this summer by clocking

up 84 miles of walking in their

workplace. You can donate

to the cause at

ourtes.co/27cZMrK

30 the number of miles

the North Leadership

team are attempting to

walk across Hadrian’s

Wall in July

£120,000 the figure we’d like to raise

through sponsorship and

colleagues holding their

own Walk the Wall events

“We all deeply miss Alastair’s energetic

personality and infectious smile. This is a

fantastic way for everyone to get involved in

something that Alastair cared passionately

about – it’s a great tribute to our dear friend.”

JONATHAN TAYLOR

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

8

serviceNew award celebrates service success

We’re recognising our

top-performing colleagues

with a gold medal for their

efforts – well, a Gold Service

Superstar badge anyway.

It’s all part of a new initiative

we’re running twice a year – in

September and January – for

colleagues from any team

who give outstanding service

to our customers.

The Gold Service Superstar

award helps us to say thank

you for the small, everyday

gestures that create an

excellent shopping experience.

It will be given to colleagues

as the highest service

achievement if they’ve been

given the bronze and silver

awards in the past.

And what’s the best bit

about becoming a Gold

Service Superstar? The awards

are voted for by colleagues in

your store, so it’s chosen by

the people who know you best.

Here is a selection of

our winners from earlier

in the year.

Harvey Radford,

Nights Customer Assistant, Glastonbury Superstore

Harvey is known throughout the

store for his amazing energy and

positive attitude. The Nights

Customer Assistant puts everyone

in a good mood and lifts morale

around the store, making him as

popular with customers as he is

with his colleagues.

Jemma Parker,

Customer Assistant, Horsham Extra

While working on Scan

As You Shop, Jemma

has attracted lots of

attention. She’s friendly and

helpful, and always receives floods

of praise from people, including a

Facebook message that thanked

her for being great with children.

Amy Wallace,

Customer Assistant, Chapeltown Express

The secret to Amy’s success isn’t

just her faultless customer service,

but also how she helps her fellow

colleagues in the South Yorkshire

store. Amy is always the first to

help new starters and is happy to

stay behind to work overtime if

her colleagues need support.

Clive Ratcliffe,

Nights Customer Assistant, Faversham Superstore

Known for his cheery demeanour

as early-rising customers visit

Faversham Superstore, Clive is

always smiling. You know if

customers have been speaking

with Clive because they walk

away with a grin on their face.

Faheem Khan,

Customer Assistant, Camden Express

The compliments just

keep flooding in for

Customer Assistant

Faheem. He impresses colleagues

and customers alike with his great

personality and works hard to

deliver the best results at all times

– even if that means covering

holidays at short notice.

CEO Matt Davies put pen to paper to sign the Time to Change Employer

Pledge. The pledge is our commitment to ensuring those struggling with

mental health problems are treated with fairness and respect. You’ll find lots

of helpful resources on mental wellbeing at TheColleagueRoom.com and

remember, talking about how you’re feeling can make a big difference. Help

us make a change by asking a colleague or customer how they’re feeling.

It’s time to talk about mental health

Golden

9

A day to remember Get your party poppers at the ready – it’s Queen Elizabeth’s

90th and we’re helping the nation get into the spirit

To use the service, all you have to do is order online at tesco.com/easyentertaining and your products will be delivered with your online grocery or Click+Collect order.

Reveal your coloursIf you’d prefer to give your birthday spread a more personal feel, then why not bake something with a British feel? We’re selling a range of patriotic accessories for your cupcakes, from Union Jack decorations and blue glimmer icing to a special red, white and blue selection of sprinkles.

Show us how you’re celebratingWhether you’re holding your own Queen’s birthday party or just raising a glass, show us and post your pictures on Yammer using #QueensBirthday

Time to partyIf you enjoyed celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, then it’s time to get the Union Jack bunting out again for another knees-up.

Our monarch was 90 in April, although the nation will be celebrating her official birthday in style on Saturday 11 June. It’s a great time to get in the party spirit with friends and family, and we’re here to help you make the most of it.

Order in the foodTake the stress out of organising a get-together for friends and family by using our Tesco Easy Entertaining online food-to-order service. It helps everyone cater for any occasion, with buffet favourites, sandwiches and cakes, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options.

4 millionthe number of people in the UK

who live with diabetes, causing

24,000 deaths each year

Thanks to your fundraising

efforts, we’ve passed the

£10-million mark for our National

Charity Partnership. Here’s what

the money is helping to stop

135amputations each week

as a result of diabetes

188,000heart attacks occur in

the UK each year

25%of people are living

with heart disease

Money for good

One colleague has taken his passion

for cycling and charity to new extremes

by completing a thigh-burning

endurance challenge.

Grocery Manager David Huyton took

time away from Springhill Superstore

in Northern Ireland to cycle a total of

1,764 miles – from Land’s End to John

O’Groats and back again.

The 48-year-old is taking up the

challenge to raise £10,000 for the

Cancer Fund for Children, which

THE BIG PUSH

provided support to his friend’s grandson,

Todd, when he was diagnosed with a brain

tumour at a young age.

To complete the 30-day challenge, David

cycled an average of 60 miles per day

and stopped off at a host of stores up

and down the country along the way.

David isn’t stopping there though as

he has also signed up for the London

to Brighton bike ride for the British Heart

Foundation in mid-June, giving his legs

just enough time to stop aching.

10

No, we hadn’t either. But thanks

to former Olympic champion

Chris Boardman and British

Cycling’s #ChooseCycling network, we

sent three colleagues to find out firsthand

if two wheels really are best

Have you heard th

cyclist, the driver

Stewart Cardin,

Produce Manager,

Sale Superstore

The

cyclist

#ChooseCycling

e one about the and the pedestrian?

Gail Trowbridge,

Community Champion,

Salford Extra

Vic le Vesconte,

F&F Manager,

Sale Superstore

The

driver

The

pedestrian

11

SALFORD QUAYS

NATIONALCYCLINGCENTRE

TESCOPICCADILLY

EXPRESS

BICYCLE

CAR

TRAM

STEWART

VIC

GAIL

Salford

Ordsall

NorthernQuarter

Bradford

AncoatsUniversity

of Salford

12

tewart Cardin is being swallowed up

by the city’s hustle and bustle, but he’s

not moving anywhere.

Tapping his phone, the Lycra-clad cyclist

stands in the heart of Manchester’s swanky

MediaCity, with the Salford Quays

glistening with the sun’s reflection around him.

“I just can’t see it in my head,” says Produce

Manager Stewart, as he stares into the cityscape

trying to envisage his path.

This is home territory for the 31-year-old Mancunian

from Sale Superstore, so his temporary absent-

mindedness at the start of a five-mile journey across

the metropolis is as uncharacteristic as it is untimely.

Stewart and two other colleagues from our

Manchester stores – Sale Superstore F&F Manager

Vic le Vesconte and Salford Extra Community

Champion Gail Trowbridge – are at the start line for

a challenge that is pitting a bike against two much

larger modes of transport: a car and a tram.

Plotting a route has been easier for Stewart’s

rivals, of course. Armed with a Metrolink map

and a satnav respectively, Vic and Gail look more

confident about how they’ll pick their way across

the city. The question is, who will be the quickest?

TESTING THE MYTH

The trio’s destination is the National Cycling

Centre, home to an Olympic-standard

velodrome and some of the world’s

most decorated cyclists.

Our racers are heading there to

meet Barcelona ’92 gold medallist

Chris Boardman, British Cycling’s

Policy Adviser for projects

including #ChooseCycling, which

is encouraging more people to ride.

And to celebrate Tesco pledging our

support to the scheme, we’re testing

out Boardman’s claim that two wheels

are better than four or, well, more.

It isn’t as simple as pitching motors against

pedal power though. Travelling around on a warm

summer’s day is thirsty work, so we’ve asked our

S“I drive to work each day and

there are a couple of cyclists

who beat me there”

Pedal power is Stewart’s friend as he

makes his way through the city – is

that Vic’s tram in the background?

#ChooseCycling

13

three challengers to pick up

a bottle of water from our

centrally based Piccadilly

Express along the way.

BATTLING THE TRAFFIC

No sooner has Stewart started to pull away from the

quayside and he’s already lagging behind. Even after

walking to her car, Gail’s power advantage is painfully

obvious as she passes the bike on the approach to

Manchester’s busy ring road.

A driver who admits she always opts for the car

keys rather than a helmet when she’s got somewhere

to go, Gail isn’t allowing herself to be too confident.

“I drive to work each day and there are a couple

of colleagues who live nearby and cycle instead,”

she says. “It always amazes me that they beat me.”

It’s almost like a mystic prophecy. No sooner

has Gail finished talking and one of Manchester’s

many traffic lights slips from an inviting green to

a bright red. Standstill.

The summer sun makes Vic’s stop

to visit Piccadilly Express a much

more pleasant experience

“I’m a cyclist myself and

have never driven, so I’m no

stranger to public transport”

Gail’s power advantage is no

use when she hits Manchester’s

congested city centre

One place there isn’t any traffic is Vic’s tram.

The steady rhythm of track might be interrupted

every two minutes by bleeping warning tones of the

doors opening and closing, but Vic is nonplussed.

“It’s not a bad day to watch the world go by,”

Vic reports, while the tram snakes its way past

Manchester Central Convention Complex and

towards the city’s throng.

“I’m a cyclist myself and have never driven, so

I’m no stranger to public transport. I can’t control

how quickly I get there, so I’m just sitting back and

relaxing. I’m training for the London to Paris bike

ride with Stewart this summer, so if I’m going to

lose, I hope it’s to the bike.”

SCOURING THE CITY

The chances of that happening seem slim, with Gail

and then Vic breaching central city limits ahead of

Stewart. Pedal power has some catching up to do.

Gail is homing in on Piccadilly Express, although

she’s got a problem before she can hit the store.

Where can she leave her car?

With a crammed bus and tram stop directly in front

of the store, her task is to find the closest car park.

And one with a spot she can leave her vehicle in.

Turning into a small, covered entrance she surveys

her arena, discovers there are no available bays and

hastily turns out towards a neighbouring multistorey

to try her luck there.

Earn big on your

everyday shop

Whether you’re stocking up on groceries or

topping up with Tesco Mobile, there are plenty

of places to collect Tesco Clubcard points.

The more points you collect, the more

vouchers you’ll get in your next statement,

so just remember to scan your Tesco Clubcard

or Privilegecard whenever you shop with us.

Plus, you can enjoy even more value from

your vouchers with our great Clubcard

1BSUOFS�P� FST�

Discover all the places you can collect points

at tesco.com/clubcard/collect-points

#ChooseCycling

15

The delay has chipped away at Gail’s

lead and, as she approaches the store,

she spots a familiar face fastening up

his bike to one of the railings outside.

It’s Stewart, who has put his directional

worries to one side to claw back the

time he lost to the car.

WELCOME TO THE WACKY RACES

Before they can acknowledge each

other, Vic appears at the store’s entrance carrying

a bag and a cheeky grin. Avoiding the temptation to

go all Dick Dastardly and sabotage his colleagues’

attempts for victory, Vic heads straight to the tram

stop and looks up to see when his chariot will arrive.

It’s neck and neck as the trio sets off on the final

leg. Stewart is the first to get moving again after

picking up his bottle of water, although the others

aren’t too far behind. It’ll all be down to who can

get the clearest run out of the city.

With the silhouettes of Sportcity’s stadia looming

on the horizon, disaster strikes for Vic. One of the

tram’s doors appears to jam, leaving him marooned

in a carriage and losing time.

With a walk from the Velopark stop to the National

Cycling Centre still ahead when he finally arrives, the

52-year-old’s hopes of taking the chequered flag

appear to be over.

Gail must be favourite now. After winding her

way out of the city, there’s now clear road ahead

of her and it must be a matter of following the

robotic instructions of her satnav to the finish line.

“I can be quite competitive, so I have to remain

calm this close to the end,” Gail explains, as she

negotiates the roundabout shortly before rolling

down the hill towards the finish line.

A PHOTO FINISH

There’s no sign of the others and it looks as though

engineering has triumphed over cycle power.

Then as Gail climbs out of her car, a glint of

sunlight a few yards away catches her eye. The

cycling centre’s glass door swings open to reveal

Stewart swigging from his water bottle.

“Where have you been?” he asks, walking

towards her. “I got here a few minutes ago.

“Getting around the city on two wheels helps

you avoid the heaviest traffic. It was all down to

getting my legs to do the work after that.”

Get on your bike

Watch Chris Boardman’s

expert top tips for

getting started on your

cycling journey at

ourtesco.com/chrisboardman

As Gail reluctantly concedes that cycling has

beaten her driving for time, as well as for fitness

and environmental benefits, a red-faced Vic appears

over the bridge opposite the building’s entrance.

Stewart and his bike have won hands down,

welcome news to #ChooseCycling ambassador

Boardman as he greets our group.

As the Olympic champ starts chatting, Stewart

is the man who is enjoying that winning feeling. O

“Getting around the city on

two wheels helps you avoid

the heaviest traffic”

Things are hotting up for our trio as they

approach the National Cycling Centre

Boardman’s cycling ambition

16

CHRIS BOARDMAN

Q & AThe cycling champ

tells our racers why

#ChooseCycling could

change the face of

transport in the UK

How do you see the future unfolding

for young cyclists?

In the future, I want cycling to be a real

choice for my children so they are able

to ride to school or to their friends’

houses if they wish. Right now, I wouldn’t

let my kids do that and our surveys show

that other parents feel the same way. If

we build a dedicated safe space, we can

all make our short journeys by bike, which

is good for us all.

Our Cycle To Work

scheme gives you tax-free

savings when buying a

bike. Find out more at

ourtes.co/27vZuMV

Let us help

you start

pedalling

What is

#ChooseCycling?

O Formed by British Cycling

in 2015, the #ChooseCycling

network is a group of major

British businesses with a

collective workforce of more

than half a million people.

O�The group believes promoting

cycling and walking as everyday

transport options will help their

businesses thrive – encouraging

healthier living and making

Britain a more pleasant place.

O #ChooseCycling promotes

the benefits of cycling to their

businesses. People who cycle

take fewer sick days, are more

motivated and suffer from fewer

serious conditions caused by

lack of physical activity.

O The network supports the

creation of safe and accessible

cycle routes. Evidence shows

that people will use these routes

to get to work if they’re

available; saving money,

improving their fitness and

cutting down journey times.

Most people can ride a bike but

choose not to. Why is that?

Cycling is a skill that most people learn

as a child and then forget about when

they get older. It’s got to be social and

safe for it to be sustainable, and it’s got

to be fun. Normal people in normal

clothes won’t get on their bikes unless

it’s easy, convenient and enjoyable.

Is safety one of the biggest hurdles that

British Cycling has to jump?

Every survey that’s been done shows

that 70% of people would like to ride

a bike more, but they don’t feel safe.

Statistically, cycling is safe, but it doesn’t

look it or feel it. The only answer to that

is to make space and that’s what the

network is about: making the public

aware that we’re challenging the

decision-makers a bit more.

Money has been invested in cycle lanes

already, but what more can be done?

People say that some of the cycle lanes

we have now aren’t very good, but they’re

the first step and you need to do that to

get to the next one. They give cycling a

visibility on the roads. It would be a lot

more efficient if we just got it right to

start with, but it’s not an option – culture

change is always slow and you need to

do the first bit to get to the next one

and so on.

By getting people on their bikes,

wouldn’t that help more people

get active too?

Statistics show that 37,000 people are

dying of obesity each year, but also that

25,000 people are dying prematurely

from illnesses linked to pollution. It’s

proved that people who cycle regularly

have fewer days off sick and suffer fewer

serious conditions caused by lack of

activity, so there’s tonnes we can do

by getting more people on their bikes.

Brought to you by Tesco Bank

Double Clubcard

points. In the bag.If you’re a permanent colleague you’ll earn

double Clubcard points when you use your

Tesco Bank debit card in Tesco. That’s two

points for every £1 spent - double what

you’d get with a Clubcard.

The Tesco Bank Current Account is available to residents of England, Wales and Scotland, aged 18 or over. Accounts are subject to status. For spend in Tesco: you’ll

get 1 point for every £1 you spend on your debit card, together with your standard Clubcard points (1 point for £1). Spend outside of Tesco: 1 point for every £8

in each debit card purchase transaction (standard Clubcard points don’t apply). Exclusions apply. The Clubcard scheme is administered by Tesco stores who are

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Visit OurTesco.com for

full colleague deal terms and

conditions.

Current Account

18

Tayla Smith

To see the full ranges

in our new brands,

visit ourtes.

co/1VLaguM

Taste the

flavour

Mark Kanaris

SUNTRAILFARMS

Q U A L I T Y P R O D U C E

I MP O R T E D F R O M A R O U N D T H E W

O R L D

EXCLUSIVELYAT TESCO

Food brands

19

&great value”Tongues are wagging about our seven new

brands, so we challenged three colleagues

to rustle up a meal using the products

Value and quality are two of the

most important things for any

customer, so we launched seven

new brands that provide just that.

Exclusive to Tesco, the brands

give customers everything they

expect when they shop with us

and are another example of how

we’re serving Britain’s shoppers

a little better every day.

Each product offers great quality

at an outstanding price and has been

sourced with care from our network

of farmers and growers across

the UK and the globe.

The seven brands cover fruit,

vegetables, meat and poultry –

with 76 new products now on

our shelves nationwide.

To celebrate the launch, we visited

the homes of three colleagues in

Sheffield to see how they use the

products day to day to create tasty,

healthy meals.

Our new

brands

SUNTRAIL FARMS

Imported fruit

ROSEDENE FARMS

Berries, apples

and pears

WILLOW FARMS

Poultry

REDMERE FARMS

Vegetables

WOODSIDE FARMS

Pork, bacon

and sausages

NIGHTINGALE

FARMS

Salads

BOSWELL FARMS

Beef

The seven brands

that are causing a stir

across our meat and

produce departments

tasty

Step into our colleagues’ kitchens

“Bright,

Sarah Hallam

20

Name Tayla SmithJob title Team LeaderLocation Sheffield West Street MetroMeal Chicken fajitas with guacamole

KEY INGREDIENTS

• Willow Farms Chicken Breast Portions

• Nightingale Farms Peppers

• Redmere Farms Garlic

“It’s usually me who does most of the cooking

in my flat. I like to try lots of different spices and

ingredients, and the new ranges give you the key

products to make pretty much any meal.

“It’s unbelievable how much chicken I go through,

so it’s really important that the Willow Farms

chicken is a good size and high quality for the price

you’re paying. The garlic comes in a pack of three,

with large cloves, which create a strong flavour.

“One of my favourite meals is fajitas. All of

the ingredients came together nicely in the wrap

and each bite was full of fresh flavours.

“Reaction to the new brands is positive

and customers are coming into our store

to buy lots of the products.

“Price is always a big factor

because a lot of our customers

are students and are looking

for a bargain.

“The food is bright,

colourful and tastes good.

It’s great value for money

for what you’re paying.”

Name Mark KanarisJob title Area Manager, ConvenienceLocation Sheffield and South YorkshireMeal Sticky sausages, apples and potatoes with radish salad

KEY INGREDIENTS

• Woodside Farms Pork Sausages

• Redmere Farms Baby Potatoes

• Rosedene Farms Small Tangy Apples

“The meal was very

tasty, great quality and

colourful. It was easy to

cook and was a brilliant

opportunity to get all the

family together to help

make it. The smell of the

meal cooking had our

mouths watering.

“The flavours all came

together nicely and show

you can make a great

meal with the range. The

cost for a family of four highlights how it’s possible

to create something tasty and healthy on a budget.

“The sausages in particular were full of flavour

and the meat had a nice taste, while the kids liked

the potatoes and the apples we used. The apples

are a good ingredient for a meal or as a tasty snack.

“The brands’ price point makes us even more

competitive, which our customers love, and having

seven distinct brands make similar products easily

identifiable across the store.”

SUNTRAILFARMS

Q U A L I T Y P R O D U C E

I MP O R T E D F R O M A R O U N D T H E W

O R L D

EXCLUSIVELYAT TESCO

Summer73

“I was surprised to see how many lines were included in the new range. I was impressed with the prices and the quality was good.”

Food brands

21

Name Sarah HallamJob title Store ManagerLocation Eyre Lane ExpressMeal Chilli beef and mushroom stir-fry

KEY INGREDIENTS

• Boswell Farms Beef Sirloin Steak

• Redmere Farms Mushrooms

• Suntrail Farms Lemons

“I’ve heard a lot of customers talking about the new

brands, especially the steak. They’ve said that the meat

is a really good quality cut for the price you’re paying.

“Making the stir-fry with the steak was quick and

easy. I didn’t have to cut out lots of fat or worry about

the strips of meat being of different thickness.

“The entire range is good quality and always looks

fresh in store. The meat I’ve tried is very good: it isn’t

tough and stands up against similar products in

different ranges. It’s juicy as well as tasty.

“The customers that visit our store like that there

are brands for products that are easily recognisable.

Feedback has been good on the prices and quality

too, which is really important to remain competitive

with other retailers.

“I hope that there will

be more products

and brands

appearing across

these ranges in

the future.”

Give your meals

an extra kick

Need some mealtime

inspiration? Visit

realfood.tesco.com

for more healthy

recipe ideas

Spread the word

about our brands

Tell everyone about

what we’re doing

by sharing your

thoughts on Yammer

using #BrandNew

Give&Take

Conversations about our seven new

brands are starting via members of

The Orchard at Tesco. Here is a taste of

what they’re saying

suejn64

“I bought Boswell Farms lean minced beef and made chilli con carne, and used Willow Farms chicken and cooked it in a bag with piri-piri seasoning. Both were delicious.”

Foragergirl

“Made a vegetable

and cheese bake with

a selection of veg I

#GotForFree with

The Orchard. Redmere Farms carrot,

courgette and spinach, and Nightingale

Farms baby plum tomatoes.”

Debbie2833

“I got three packs

of Woodside Farms

bacon. I would

recommend the

price and flavour to other people.”

What do our

customers think?

WESTERN H

EMISPHERE

The worldwi

65,000

container

movements

each year

22

2,000

global suppliers

delivering into

UK and Central

Europe

EASTERN HEM

ISPHER

E

Long-distance deliveries

de webOur global network

bringing customers

must-have products

20%

cheaper

transporting by

rail compared

to air

75

countries

we import

products

from

500+local suppliers

in the UK

23

24

itting in the middle of the train track that trails across bustling Haryana, the swarm of protestors shows no sign of budging.

With large crowds forming and strikes in place across the North Indian state, the region’s transport links and other key functions have ground to a halt.

The Indian blockade’s main aim may be to take a stranglehold on services in nearby New Delhi, but the aftershock is being felt more than 4,000 miles away in our offices too.

Triggering an email with an update on the latest rumblings, the unrest soon becomes a talking point for our team of transport gurus, who mastermind the safe delivery of our imports to the UK.

A GLOBAL SERVICE

“We manage a global operation, so every day is completely different,” says Inbound Logistics Operations Manager Dave Marshall. “You open up your inbox each day to see what’s happening where. It’s not just dealing with the confines of the office space: it’s dealing with different cultures, attitudes and time zones. You have to adapt to that.”

Strikes are just one of several challenges our team contends with when they’re plotting the routes to deliver stock to our shores. Working closely with carriers and logistics partners, Dave and his

The 26-day cargo trip to

our distribution centre

Scolleagues in the Logistics team need to overcome any issues to guarantee the safe and timely arrival of our cargo.

With 75 countries spanning across four continents supplying us with everything from bananas and school uniforms to kitchenware, our network of ships, lorries and trains are always on the go.

Each year, more than 65,000 containers brimming with products arrive at our distribution centres from outside the UK, so it takes a truly global effort to keep everything on track.

“Understanding local conditions is where we come in. We’re on the ground in these countries,” explains Global Programme Director Diane Sampson, who works for logistics partners, Damco.

“Sometimes you think moving stock 10 kilometres won’t be a problem, but when it’s on a dirt track in India, it takes a lot longer than the same distance on the M25 – most of the time anyway.

“We have the knowledge on bad weather like monsoons, and about any political unrest or holidays that can impact on delivery. For example, during Chinese New Year many factories close for three to four weeks, but cargo still needs to reach the UK.”

Wuhan

The train is loaded

at the train-head port

and starts on its journey

Kazakhstan After snaking its way across

China, the cargo enters

Kazakhstan

Russian border Monitored by customs and high

security, the train passes over into

Russia and heads north

The Trans-Siberian adventure

The Trans-Siberian railway has opened up new

options for deliveries (left); we regularly use

the UK container port in Felixstowe (right)

Long-distance deliveries

25

So when a challenge dropped on Dave and Diane’s desks to get a consignment of tableware from Wuhan in China to Middlesbrough without going by sea or air, it meant a leap into the unknown. Quite literally.

OVER LAND AND SEA

The delivery needed to hit the north-east of England in less than a month – something that couldn’t be achieved by ship – and had to stay on land. The Trans-Siberian Railway was the only option. That meant a 26-day trawl across eight countries through armed guards and several unpredictable customs stops.

“Because some deliveries go through areas that aren’t as safe

as the UK, the containers are loaded door to door so nobody can open the containers without lifting them off the train,” Diane picks up.

“While we don’t send anyone through high-risk areas, our freight does travel along lines which require armed guards to accompany the cargo.

“The cargo entered the train at Wuhan and went with the same company to Europe. As it goes over borders, it was connected to different engines. At each customs point, it could be pulled and checked, although that only happens to a tiny percentage of ours. If there’s an issue, the train company passes it on to us.”

The freight travelled from the Far East, into Kazakhstan, across the Russian border to Moscow and through Europe via Belarus, Poland and Germany.

Once the load hit Central Europe, it was transferred from the train to a lorry and driven the rest of the way to Middlesbrough. Carrying pottery over such a distance by rail and road was a risk, but one that was calculated.

Moscow

Home to Red Square

and the Kremlin, the

Russian capital is the

next port of call

A few days on

the Trans-Siberian

railway ends,

as our haul of

tableware hits

European soil

Poland With transport easier through

Europe due to the Schengen

Agreement, the load is transferred

to a lorry and taken by road

Dunkirk Passing Germany, Holland and

France, the freight turns up in

Dunkirk to catch a ferry to Dover

Day 26

MiddlesbroughThe final leg is more than

300 miles to Teesside, where

the products reach our DC

and the end of their trip

DAVE MARSHALL,

INBOUND LOGISTICS OPERATIONS MANAGER

“We manage a global

operation so every day

is completely different”

Belarus

26

DIANE SAMPSON,

GLOBAL PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, DAMCO

“We have the knowledge on

bad weather or if there is any

political unrest or local holidays”

“We’re calling rail freight a middle gear for our deliveries,” Dave explains. “We’re always looking at new ways to transport goods, and need to be aware of certain cost and environmental issues.

“Rail is the second-most environmentally friendly way to transport goods behind sea freight, but it would have taken 38 days to do it that way. And it only cost 20% of what it would transporting by air, as well as being better for our carbon footprint. It was the best choice for this delivery.”

BRINGING THE HAUL HOME

“It all just fell into place as this route was one we had only just opened for Tesco,” interjects Diane. “The fragile cargo was high risk, but you might as well test yourself if you’re going to trial something new.

“We had a GPS tracker on the container, which tracked the whole movement across the globe and told us if it’s been opened, what the temperature is and if any light has got in. We can find out what’s going on straightaway from our office.”

And with the safe delivery of goods reaching Middlesbrough on time, the journey was considered a success. The new route has opened up several more options that will help us to import stock more efficiently.

“Orders can be available up to six months in advance. We run forecasts to understand the peaks and troughs that affect our transport planning, then we’ll work out the best way to get the cargo from A to B,” Dave explains.

“The most important thing is to make sure we have products on the shelves for our customers and we go the extra mile to achieve that. People don’t realise that there’s so much that goes on between leaving the factory and ending up in our stores.”

So next time you pick up an imported product from our shelves, take a moment to consider the journey it’s been on to get there. O

An incredible 65,000 containers

full of our products are imported

on to the UK’s shores each year

Fragrance-free and

dermatologically

tested to care for you

and your family

Andrex®

Gentle Clean

*Winner Household Paper

Category. Survey of 11,586

people in UK & ROI by TNS

The British Skin Foundation recognises

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*Winner Household Paper

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The British Skin Foundation recognises

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DECOR

Make the most of your BBQ with a beautiful outdoor

table setting.

Tesco footballers

29

DEFENDER

DIE

TM

AR

BR

UC

K

CLUBS

1961-70 Coventry City 189 (7); 1970-72

Charlton Athletic 56 (0); 1972-74 Northampton Town 41 (0)

AT TESCO

Community Champion, Coventry Arena Extra

With football taking centre stage this summer,

two colleagues wind back the clock to remember

their days as the main men on the pitch

Action replay

MIDFIELDER

GE

RR

Y G

OW

CLUBS 1969-81 Bristol City 375 (48); 1981 Manchester City 26 (5); 1981-83 Rotherham United 58 (4); 1983-84 Burnley 9 (0)

AT TESCO Customer Assistant, Portland Easton Superstore

30

Q. How did you come to sign for

Coventry City as a teenager?

A. I was born in Danzig (now

Gdansk in Poland) in 1944 and

we moved to Berlin when I was

very young. I never met my father

because he was killed when a train

he was travelling on was blown

up. While in Berlin, my mum met

my stepdad; an Englishman in

the RAF. We moved to Coventry

when I was four.

Q. Didn’t your German nationality

nearly put a halt to your football

career though?

A. I signed schoolboy forms with

Coventry City when I was 13 but

came close to doing German

national service when I got older.

Shortly after I signed my first

contract, I went to Germany and

was asked to leave my passport

when I got there. Luckily, my

stepdad sussed out what was going

on and hastily arranged for me to

become a British citizen. Weeks

after, I got papers to station in

Berlin for national service. That would have

been my two-year playing contract gone.

Q. But didn’t you get a call-up of a different

kind after that?

A. After I broke into the first team at Coventry, the German

national team called me up to their squad. I’d played for

England under-18s when I was younger and when the

Germans found that out, they soon lost interest.

Q. You played at Coventry for 11 years. What made

it so special?

A. A lot changed during my time. When I started, we were

struggling in the Third Division. By the time I left, I had two

championship medals and had played in Europe, after we

finished fifth in the First Division. Jimmy Hill was manager

for most of that time and he did

so much. He put not only the club

on the map, but Coventry too.

Q. What was it like to play for Hill?

A. He was one of a kind and did so

much for football. Among many other

things, Jimmy was a great motivator.

I remember playing away at Plymouth and it

was one of our worst performances. He came

in at half-time and said ‘you’ve got 45 minutes

to redeem yourselves. If you don’t, you’ll be

doing laps until 10pm tonight’. We won 5-1.

Q. Was it difficult when you left the Sky

Blues for Charlton in 1970?

A. It was very strange to move somewhere new.

The writing was on the wall when Jimmy left

because the new manager wanted to get rid of

his players. Charlton had been pushing to sign

me and I was really impressed with them.

Q. What are your proudest memories

as a footballer?

A. The match that made me was

at the start of my career, when

Coventry played Sunderland in

“I got papers to station in Berlin

for national service. That would

have been the end of career”

DIETMAR BRUCK

Q & A

Tesco footballers

31

“I started at Tesco in a

community role, so being a

recognisable face helps”

the FA Cup. We were in the Third Division and they were in

the First, and we beat them 2-1. With eight minutes to go, I

hit a screamer from 35 yards that flew in – I was lying face

down on the floor with people jumping on top of me. I’m

also very proud to have played against every England

player who won the World Cup in ’66.

Q. What did you do after retiring?

A. I was manager at Weymouth and Redditch, before

completely changing careers and becoming a financial

advisor. I started at Tesco several years ago, when I was

looking for something new. I took on a community role,

so being a recognisable face helps with promoting

events. I really enjoy it and can’t thank Tesco enough

for supporting me over the years I’ve been here.

GERRY GOW

Q & A

Gerry went head-to-head with

England legend Glenn Hoddle

in the 1981 FA Cup Final

Dietmar is a regular in the stands at his beloved

Coventry (main picture); Jimmy Hill’s memorial

statue at the Ricoh Arena (below left)

Q. You’re best known for playing for Manchester

City in the 1981 FA Cup Final. What was it like to

run out in a big match at Wembley?

A. Nowadays, clubs don’t take the FA Cup as seriously,

but years ago, to play in an FA Cup Final was every player’s

dream. There were 100,000 people there and it was the last

time they had that sort of crowd – if you don’t feel nerves

before a game like that, you won’t play your best.

Q. Most people remember the ’81 final for Ricky Villa’s

goal to win it for Spurs. What do you recall of that?

A. Villa had a bit of a nightmare in the first game and

got pulled off, but in the replay, he turned it on a bit. I

could probably have taken him out on the halfway line

before that goal, but I’d just been booked and didn’t want

to be sent off. There were enough defenders to look after

him, but Villa did a bit of skill and got past everyone.

That’s football though.

Q. While you reached the cup final with Manchester

City, you played 375 times for Bristol City before moving.

What was it like there?

A. Bristol is a special place for me. I was one of the first

youngsters to break through there and, the following year,

six or seven others from the youth team joined me. We

grew up together and are still very close. I only left because

the club had to sell their assets to stay afloat, but I couldn’t

have gone anywhere better than Man City after that.

Q. After growing up in Glasgow, you got your big break

in Bristol. Were there any other offers on the table?

A. About three weeks before Bristol City got in touch,

I was on trial at Derby County. This was when Brian Clough

and Peter Taylor were there – although Mr Clough was a bit

daunting. I didn’t spend a lot of time with him, but he was

ranting and raving then, so I went with Bristol. I did get the

chance to go back to Glasgow with Celtic in 1977, but

Bristol City turned down their approach.

32

Q. How close did you come to playing for Scotland?

A. With Bristol being that extra bit further away from

Scotland, I didn’t get called up until I moved to Man City.

I was called up for the home internationals, but a couple of

weeks before they started, I got a bad knee injury that put

an end to that. I did play for Scotland under-23s against

England at St. James’ Park though, which was probably

one of my proudest moments.

Q. Did you always know you wanted to be a footballer?

A. From the moment I could walk, football was the only

thing I did. If I wanted something for Christmas, it was a

new football strip, pair of boots or a ball. I played all-day

long – from when I woke up until the moment I went to bed.

Being a footballer was the only thing I wanted to do.

If somebody offered me £20 to play and £2 million

not to, I’d have taken £20 every day of the week.

Q. How did you come to be a Customer Assistant

at Tesco?

A. I ended up on the south coast when I became

manager of Yeovil and Weymouth. I started at Portland

Easton Superstore when it opened five years ago – it’s

a small place and I know most of the customers. They

all know I used to be a footballer, but I don’t expect any

special treatment from them. There are a hell of a lot of

jobs more important than playing football. O

When Leicester City striker Jamie

Vardy became the unlikely holder

of the Premier League’s record

for scoring in consecutive

matches, his success gave new

hope to a nation of dreamers.

If Vardy – a man playing for

Fleetwood Town in the

Conference in 2012 – could do it,

why not them? Or at least that’s

how football-mad colleague Luke

Roberts saw it, anyway.

“If you don’t stop believing you

can do it, you never know where

it might go,” explains the Customer Assistant, who

combines shifts at Southampton High Street Express with

turning out for Poole Town. “I’m a Southampton fan, so my

dream is to play for them. While it might not be likely,

things can happen quickly.”

A late bloomer, who has been

climbing the ranks of the south

coast football scene, hotshot

Luke is making his own waves.

From the

past to the

present

Netting regularly for Southern

League Premier Division champions

Poole, the 22-year-old forward will be

playing only one league below English

football’s professional ranks. “As you

keep going up, you play at bigger

grounds with better facilities – it can

help you improve,” Luke says. “The

higher you play, the more you can get

noticed. If I keep my form, I can push on further.”

After signing for the Dolphins from AFC Totton in 2015,

Luke is no stranger to attracting the interest of the scouts

swarming around in the hunt for the next Vardy. Balancing

his football career with life at Tesco is the challenge.

“My manager and colleagues are flexible,” says Luke.

“When I had a game on a Monday, I swapped my shift.”

With goals on Luke’s mind in more ways than one, our

sharpshooter won’t be standing still for much longer.

He might not be a household name,

but if 22-year-old Luke Roberts

has his way, he’ll be moving to the

Football League before you know it

Luke (above left) has proved to have a

happy knack of getting himself on the

scoresheet through the leagues

B R I T I S H

T H I S S U M M E R

SH A R E T H O S E G R E AT

®Registered Trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc. ©KCWW

34

Ballymoney Superstore’s Community Champion Jackie

Brogan reveals her secrets to building strong relationships

Part of the

Getting in with the locals“I’ve been Community Champion for three years

and act as an ambassador for the store. I get

involved in fundraising activities, organise the

Neighbourhood Food Collection in our store

and support Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.

I’ve always lived in Ballymoney, which helps

because I know loads of people and what

matters most to them.”

community

Ballymoney resident Jackie

is a recognisable face around

the Northern Irish town

Community Champion

35

A DATE WITH

THE QUEEN

“Ballymoney is a close-knit

community. When we hold an

event, such as a charity boxing

match or a car boot sale, lots

of people get involved. In 2014,

we were one of the top Tesco

fundraisers in the UK and I was invited to meet the

Queen at an event in London for Diabetes UK. It was

nerve-racking but one of my proudest moments.”

Looking to the future“We’re engaged with all 25 schools in the area.

We run Farm To Fork trails on Tuesdays and

Wednesdays, which always go down well with

the children. We’re also getting more involved

with Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA)

and I regularly go down to muck out the horses.

It’s important to help people of all ages.”

A TOWN’S GENEROSITY

“There are only 15,000 people in Ballymoney,

but they’re so generous when it comes to the

Neighbourhood Food Collection – we collected the

second most in the UK in 2015. Talking to customers

about the collection is important so people can ask

questions about where their donations go.”

We’re all friends here“We support local groups based on what feels right

for our community. We’re heavily involved with an

elderly person’s home round the corner. The residents

come in to store each day and like to have a chat. I’m

really passionate about showing customers we care

and regularly arrange lunches with them or just go to

see them. We want to be friends with our customers.”

BRINGING LIFE TO RACE DAY

“We’ve always supported Cancer Research UK’s Race

for Life, but not just with sign-ups. We put on a variety

of activities across the weekend to get customers

involved. Last year, a colleague shaved her head at the

front of store and we held door collections, which

raised lots of money and created a huge buzz.”

Peter Rollins, Director, Ballymoney Foodbank

“Without Jackie and Tesco, Ballymoney

Foodbank wouldn’t have opened. We needed

three tonnes of food available on the day we

opened and, with their help, we managed more

than that. It was achieved by Jackie promoting

us in the run-up to the collection and

colleagues manning the stall to get it open.”

Want

more?Watch a video of Colleague

Communications panellist

Karol Gyore’s visit to

Ballymoney to see Jackie

at ourtesco.com/ballymoney

36

tood on the edge of stage, Phil Neale can see thousands of people waiting expectantly for him. But there’s one man in particular that has captured our Marketing Executive’s attention: Simon Cowell.

Sat impatiently, with his trademark briskness exuding from his body language, Cowell cuts a formidable figure. Especially when it’s your first-ever live performance.

Phil is joined by his dad, two older brothers, and Ant and Dec, naturally. As the four-piece group – minus the lovable Geordies – walk out to perform, there’s no going back. It’s time to become part of Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) folklore.

TAKING TO THE STAGE

“It was such a whirlwind and was so surreal,” recalls Phil, just over a year after his family ensemble, The Neales, did their BGT audition. “We’d been there for 14 hours and were one of the last on. You get a tap on the shoulder to do an interview, then you’re next to the stage and can hear the buzzers going off.

“When you see Simon Cowell, you start thinking ‘what’s going on’? Then you’re talking to him and singing. It feels so alien; that’s what helps you through it.”

While hordes of wannabes have tried and failed to impress Cowell and co, things went much better for The Neales: receiving

S

Behind the scenes as

Britain’s Got Talent act

record their charity single

DAD!for you,

This is

The Neales

37

four yeses from the judging panel to make it to the next round and trigger a run that saw them reach the live final.

It was a landmark day for the family in more ways than one. The performance marked a 10-year anniversary since Phil’s dad, Laurie, suffered a heart attack that threatened to tear the family apart.

Lawyer Laurie was moving a piano for his first performance since joining a local music school when he collapsed, leaving a 14-year-old Phil and his brothers with an anxious wait to find out if he’d pull through.

A MUSICAL LIFESAVER

“I remember playing Pro Evolution Soccer on the PlayStation at the time,” Phil says. “My mum explained that my dad had been rushed to hospital. When you hear the

words ‘heart attack’, you think of someone dying.“My dad was never overweight, he didn’t smoke, but his unhealthy lifestyle was

that he worked too much and was too stressed. After that he turned to music to relax. I don’t look back on it now as a difficult time because he got through it.”

From that moment, the family’s life changed. With Laurie following his hobby on to the stage, he turned his attentions to

convincing his three sons to join him behind the mic.

Get your copyBuy The Neales’ charity

single, I’ll Be There, in larger

stores, selected Metros or

online from Friday 10 June.

All proceeds will go to our

National Charity Partnership

Dad Laurie followed his passion

to the music world after surviving

a heart attack a decade ago

(l-r) Dan, Laurie, James

and Phil warm up their

vocal chords

And while karaoke-shy Phil was initially reluctant to sing (“it was awkward singing in front of each other at first,” he laughs), The Neales were born in time to enter last year’s BGT competition.

Earning rave reviews and even some tears from stone-faced Cowell after an emotional semi-final performance of Cat Stevens’ Father and Son, the band refused to let their talent-show adventure be their only musical outing.

HEADING FOR TOP SPOT

Now they’ve got their sights set on a number-one single, as they record a charity hit supporting our National Charity Partnership. Due to be released in time for Father’s Day and promoted on checkouts in our larger stores and Metros, The Neales’ record will mix in the charts with the likes of Justin Bieber – with a little help from our colleagues.

“With colleagues’ support, we can all reach number one, so we want to make something we can all be proud of,” explains Phil. “We took a long

time to make sure we got the right song for everyone. The sentiment is what we want because we’ll always be there for each other, whatever life throws at us; that’s the remarkable

thing about family. In a way, it’s the same with our colleagues.”

As the boys step up to the microphone in the riverside studio that has played host to other chart-topping acts such as Royal Blood, The Neales’ closeness is instantly evident.

“Sorry for being an idiot,” laughs lead singer James, as he misses his cue on his first attempt. Instead of hoots of derision accompanying the eldest brother’s mishap, there’s a chorus of support. It does the trick, as the 30-year-old finds his rhythm and the ballad’s melody starts to come together. Just as t settles down to hear how the track goes from soundbites to the finished article, it’s time to leave.

“There’s still lots of work to do,” explains Phil, ushering us out before putting the finishing touches to their masterpiece. “If we make it to number one, it won’t just be our achievement, it’ll be for every colleague because they’ll have helped us. We’re so grateful for everyone’s support.

“Every colleague who sells or buys a CD is raising money for Diabetes UK and the British Heart Foundation – helping more people be there for the ones they love.” O

“With colleagues’ support, we

could reach number one, so

we want to make something

everyone can be proud of”

The family on

holiday in 1991

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Goodbye tasteless cardboard.

40

The bionic

potatoThe man-made spud that’s masquerading

as a real potato for the greater good

Quality control

41

Among the hubbub of humble, just-washed

potatoes jogging gently along the factory conveyor,

a suspicious-looking spud tries to lose itself. It’s the

right shape and size, and is doing the same gentle

jig as the others, but this is no ordinary potato.

Its hard orange shell and artificial blue underbelly

clearly mark it out as a brazen imposter with no

business bobbing alongside our batch of tender,

creamy-skinned tubers.

Suddenly, the stream of potatoes, intruder and all,

is swept into a swirling carousel, before landing on

another conveyor belt for grading.

POTATO POWER

“We wouldn’t normally put the potato on with the

real things,” explains Tom Seagrief matter-of-factly, as

he stops to study its digital download on the tablet

he’s holding. “The potato is packed with sensors so it

can travel around as a normal potato would and

identify where we can reduce bruising,” he continues,

before whipping the suspect spud out of the throng.

Tom is Site Services Manager at potato supplier

Branston Ltd and today’s tour guide of their Lincoln

HQ, which has been filling our stores’ fresh produce

departments with tasty taters for the past 24 years.

While Branston has always supplied us with top-

class potatoes, it has turned to technology to achieve

even greater quality. By dropping the man-made

bionic potato into the mix, it acts like the real thing,

while transmitting vital intelligence to the TuberLog

app about what could cause a typical potato to

bruise if it was in its place.

By using acceleration and deceleration readings to

detect any drop on to a solid

surface, this bionic version

of a simple spud won’t

just quietly bruise like its

counterpart. It pinpoints any

damaging twist, turn, drop

and climb a potato faces on

its way from source to shelf,

enabling Tom and his team

to help eliminate them.

Thousands of potatoes pass through

Branston’s Lincoln factory each day

42

“When the app revealed that our old forward tipper

was too bumpy, we replaced it with a rotary tipper

and have rolled out new soft landing pads to cushion

the potatoes in all the major drop points on our

machinery too,” Tom adds. “It’s reduced the impact

of any fall, ensuring they get a softer ride through

the factory, while we keep quality

high and waste low.”

The regular spud may look robust,

but it bruises as easily as any other

produce does. A problem that

poses a serious issue for producers

the world over. Now growers and

processors can use the robotic

roaster to take preventive action

to reduce losses and help us deliver

the best-quality product. But what

of the potatoes that are deemed

too big, wonky, green or damaged?

“Nothing goes to waste,” confirms Tom. “Any spuds

that don’t make the grade get used for cattle feed,

are peeled and sold ready-prepped, or turned into

green electricity at our anaerobic digestion plant.”

DOWN ON THE FARM

It’s not just Branston’s Lincoln packing factory – and

its similar operations in Somerset and Scotland – that

has a bionic potato used in the midst of the tonnes of

potatoes that pass through every day; it’s growers on

the farms too.

A bit of TLC goes a long way for our

spuds, as our suppliers guard against

unwanted bumps and bruises

Quality control

43

ANNABEL HAMILTON,

ASSISTANT FARM MANAGER

“Customers don’t know if there’s

bruising until they get home. We

want to remove that frustration”

44

“The potato is packed with

sensors so it can tell us if the

others are having a good ride”

TOM SEAGRIEF,

SITE SERVICES MANAGER

“We offer the technology to all our growers as

part of our service,” explains Technical Manager

Ben Pickwell, as he takes up the tour along winding

country lanes to a nearby Patrick Dean Ltd farm.

“More than 200 tonnes a day can be lifted from

a field during harvest, so if a crop is bruised, it’s

important to quickly pinpoint where and why.”

Ben’s vehicle turns into a large farmstead behind

Assistant Farm Manager Annabel Hamilton’s Land

Rover. Snaking alongside a potato field, the convoy

passes two tractors sowing seed for a crop of reds,

which will be ready for harvest in October.

“The first thing we do at the start of any harvest

is run the bionic potato through the harvester,” says

Annabel. “Although bruising is the biggest problem,

we can control it if we know where we need to speed

machinery up, slow it down or lower drop points.”

SOFT HANDLING

Before bionic potatoes, the quality of a crop was

commonly assessed by storing it at an ambient

temperature for its six-day shelf life, before peeling it

to check for bruising. A slow process when, like the

Patrick Dean farms, you’ve got 500 acres of crop

to harvest, and you’re paying a skilled team to wait

around while you identify a problem and how to fix it.

“We’re lucky that we grow our potatoes so close to

where Branston packs them,” Annabel adds. “We help

each other to ensure every crop is the best quality

and even share the same bionic potato.”

As all the intelligence suggests, a soft touch goes

a long way with our tender tubers.

“The thing about potato bruising is it’s under the

skin, so a really nice-looking bright potato could still

be damaged,” confides Annabel.

“Customers don’t know if there’s bruising until they

get home and start peeling. We want to take that

frustration away and being able to identify problems

at our end instantly makes a huge difference.”

Having witnessed the epic journey our potatoes

make from source to shelf, dropping them absent-

mindedly into a shopping basket or cupboard

would be more alien now than a bionic potato

seemed this morning. O

Branston’s teams work closely

with potato growers to make

sure the quality produced is right

Helps campaign

47

A million little helpsWe challenge colleagues to tell us how they’re

making a difference to our customers

We’ve launched our Million Little Helps Challenge to find and share everything

colleagues are doing to go the extra mile for our customers and communities.

The campaign aims to bring to life the impact we make through our third value – every little help makes a big difference – and unearth some of the countless examples of this that happen all over the business each day.

No help is too small and anybody can submit a story about something you or a fellow colleague has done to make a difference. It’s easy to send in your story, simply visit ourtesco.com/share-little-helps/ and fill in the form.

Need some inspiration? Here are some of our favourite stories so far.

Colleagues from Fenny Lock Fulfilment Centre helped a customer who faced having his table tennis set delivery delayed for a second time. Customer Service Manager Mark McRae contacted Fenny Lock, who sent a team, despite the order not coming from their centre.

Fenny Lock lends a hand

Putting smiles on children’s facesWhen a local pre-school was broken in to and their outside play equipment damaged, colleagues from Honiton Superstore were determined to help. The group teamed up with the school’s staff to host a month-long book sale in store.

A micro emergencyCustomer Service Manager Wendy Spink sprung into action after receiving a call from an elderly customer who needed a new microwave. Mrs Murphy had only eaten bread and butter since her old microwave had broken two weeks before. Wendy got in touch with Bournemouth Extra Customer Assistants Matt Turner and Nathan Fry to find a new microwave for the 90-year-old and even cooked her dinner.

Saving livesWhen a seriously ill patient came in to the North Shields Extra Pharmacy, colleagues Phil and Christine not only recognised the emergency, but also drove the customer to A&E. They waited with the customer as he was

cared for at hospital and only left when his family arrived.Penny to

the rescueMother-of-three Penny Parkin spotted a fellow mum in distress, so the Lee Mill Extra Customer Assistant rushed to her side. The customer was having problems paying for her family’s breakfasts in the cafe and caring Penny

treated them with her own cash. The customer later paid Penny back

and said her kindness wouldn’t be forgotten.

It’s easy, just fill in the

form at ourtesco.com/

share-little-helps/

Send in

your helps

48

Enjoy a trip for two to the northwestern

tip of Europe, courtesy of the MSC.

The land of the midnight sun and

source of our MSC-certified cod and

haddock, Iceland is a country with a

special charm you’ll rarely find elsewhere.

To celebrate us rolling out the MSC

ecolabel on our seafood, we’re giving

you and a guest the chance to visit

Iceland to see where it’s produced.

As part of your two-night trip, you’ll

get a VIP visit to one of the MSC-

certified fisheries that supply our fresh

fish counters and a stay in the capital

Reykjavik, with some time at the famous

Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa.

We’ll also feature your trip in a

future issue of t so you can share your

experiences and pictures with the rest

of your colleagues. So what are you

waiting for? Check that your passport

is in date and sort out your entry now.

To be in with a chance of winning,

simply answer the question, right,

correctly and send your response

to us – along with your name and

contact details – at icelandcomp@

madebysonder.com by 5 August 2016.

Win an all-expenses-paid visit to the

magical Nordic nation with the MSC

A trip to

ICELAND

WIN!

Terms and conditions Entry to our colleague competitions is free. As part of this prize, the winner will appear in a feature and photo shoot for a future

edition of t magazine. See full T&Cs right.

Enter by sending your answer to us at icelandcomp@

madebysonder.com

What is the

capital city

of Iceland?

WIN!

Win with us

49

Get your hands on a money-can’t-

buy prize that is sure to send

sport fans into a spin – a British

Cycling goody bag, signed by

some of our Olympic stars.

As well as a branded

notebook, mug, pin badge and

other accessories, we’ve also

got a replica jersey to give

away. Worn at the recent World

Track Cycling Championships, the

jersey is signed by a host of top

Give your tastebuds a treat by winning

a glorious hamper of products from our

award-winning Free From range.

The selection includes all your favourites,

both savoury and sweet, including our Free

From tomato & chilli pasta sauce and tiger

rolls, and our finest* white chocolate and

cranberry cookies. The prize also includes

a £50 voucher so the winner can pick

up some extra ingredients to make their

perfect Free From feast. To enter our prize

draw, email your name and phone number

to freefrom@madebysonder.com

Terms and conditions Entry to our colleague competitions and prize draws is free. To enter, you must be a Tesco colleague and live in the UK or Northern Ireland. You can only enter each competition or prize draw once and only the first entry per colleague per competition or prize draw will be accepted. Colleagues or personnel who are involved in administering the competitions and prize draws or drawing the winners cannot take part. Illegible, damaged, lost or late entries cannot be accepted (proof of posting is not proof of receipt). The prizes include products only and will not include additional costs, such as travel expenses – unless stated. Entries must be received by 23:59 on Friday 5 August 2016 and the winners for each competition and prize draw will be independently selected at random from all eligible entries. Each winner will be notified via email within seven days of the closing date. If the winners do not respond to the email communication within 10 days of notification to organise delivery of the prize, alternative winners will be selected. The editor’s decision is final and no cash alternative will be offered for any prize. Personal data will only be used for the purpose of administering the competitions and prize draws, and notifying the winners. The entry instructions form part of the rules. By entering, you agree to accept and be bound by the rules.

A signed cycling bag

A Free From hamper

WIN!

WIN!

pedallers, including three-time

Olympic gold medallist Jason

Kenny and former world champ

Becky James. With another

summer of success expected in

Rio, the signatures could take

on an even more golden hue.

We’re also giving four lucky

runners-up signed pictures.

Drop us an email with your

name and phone number to

cycling@madebysonder.com

and you’ll be entered into our

random prize draw. Good luck!

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an

W ith the recent launch of our seven new food brands

across our meat and produce departments, it’s great to see our customers enjoying them. We expect the brands to

continue to grow in popularity, so I’m delighted to see some of our colleagues trying them out (p18-21). If you haven’t already, I’d recommend giving the products a try – I’m sure you’ll love them.

One of the nation’s pastimes, especially during the summer, is going for a bike ride. Cycling is fun, gets you out in the great outdoors and, most importantly, is a perfect way to stay active. That’s why the feature with former Olympic champion Chris Boardman (p10-16) will strike a chord with many of you. We’ve recently signed up to British Cycling’s #ChooseCycling campaign to encourage more people across the UK to hop on to their bikes.

As a dad, I’m also interested by the bond between this edition’s cover stars, The Neales,

whose family act wowed Britain’s Got Talent audiences last year. They’re releasing a Father’s Day single for our National Charity Partnership (p36-38), which we hope – with the help of you all – could make number one.

I also want to reserve a special mention for everyone who is giving our customers great service. There are loads of examples of colleagues doing their bit to put customers at the heart of everything we do and it’s great to see some of our stars being recognised with our new Gold Service Superstar awards – check them out on page 8. We’ve also launched our Million Little Helps campaign (p47), which challenges colleagues to share how they’re serving shoppers a little better every day. Whatever you’re doing, I enjoy hearing your stories, so make sure you send your little helps to us.

And finally…

50

Earn even bigger

when you boost

It’s easy to boost your Tesco Clubcard

vouchers – the only hard part is choosing

where to boost them. Remember, every

£2.50 in vouchers can get you up to £10

with some of our Clubcard Partners.

Enjoy fun days out, meals at great

restaurants or even save on your holiday

with our travel Partners.

See where your vouchers can take you

at tesco.com/boost

Terms and Conditions: Three quarters of customers who use the app and buy Tesco Car Insurance will receive a discount, and at least

10% of over 25’s will get the 20% discount. Tesco Drive + Reward discount is only available on new policies underwritten by Tesco

Underwriting Ltd and doesn’t apply to add-ons or Box Insurance. A minimum premium applies.

The colleague discount for Tesco Bank Car Insurance is for new and renewing customers with a Privilegecard. It is subject to a minimum premium and doesn’t

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