Background Nichols plc is a major British food manufacturer and food supplier with a £100 million turnover last year. Their interests include vending, soft drinks (Vimto), wholesale supply to foodservice, food packaging, international franchise & licensing and hot beverage systems.
There are six separate companies - mostly at different sites throughout the UK - under the umbrella of Nichols plc, some of which have been acquired in the last 10 years. Due to this recent expansion the companies still see themselves as separate - all are very employee-focused.
Brief
help bring the disparate parts of the group of companies together with the internal newsletter, an 8-12 page full colour tabloid glossy, The Fizz
keep employees informed about developments across the group
entertain employees with a light-hearted tongue-in-cheek read, featuring people stories and new product launches
provide a forum within which to publish six monthly financial results
Approach
With a total of over 700 employees, news champions were appointed in each of the six companies. These people are contacted for all the outline news stories and the interviews are undertaken in person or by telephone. The writing style suits the tabloid design to appeal to a broad cross section of readers and reflect the company's strong employee focus. Carries a strong emphasis on employee achievements and charitable involvement.
