The Bulletin - January / February 2020

January / February 2020

FISH & SEAFOOD Sustainability explored

SMART TECH AI supply chains

ALLY DINGWALL Interview

T: 01580 752878 E: sales@nortrade.co.uk W: nortrade.co.uk

The Bulletin

Richard Harrow Chief executive

BRITISH FROZEN FOOD FEDERATION Registered office: Warwick House, Unit 7, Long Bennington Business Park, Main Road, Long Bennington, Newark NG23 5JR. A company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England and Wales No: 7687541

WELCOME

01400 283090 www.bfff.co.uk

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Richard Harrow richardharrow@bfff.co.uk 07930 345326 ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP Kate Miller katemiller@bfff.co.uk 07793 499871 BULLETIN EXECUTIVE Neesha Ramsingh-Cleary neeshacleary@bfff.co.uk 01400 283090

PUBLISHER Pelican Communications www.pelicancommunications.co.uk EDITOR Suzanna Bain suzanna.bain@pelicomms.co.uk CHIEF WRITER Emma Scott emma.scott@pelicomms.co.uk @BFFF_Tweets BFFF British Frozen Food Federation @Britishfrozenfoodfed @Britishfrozenfoodfed

IN THE NEXT ISSUE...

Lead feature: Meat, fruit & veg Industry Directory: Equipment & Packaging To contribute to this issue or advertise, contact your account manager or email: bulletineditorial@bfff.co.uk

Go online

As this is our first edition of 2020, let me first of all take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the year ahead.

At the time of writing this introduction I have been in the role for 40 weeks.

I do not claim to know everything about the Federation, but I certainly know a lot more than when I walked through the door on 26th March 2019.

During the summer months I spent as much time with members as possible and managed to meet 46 in all, from very small businesses to major brands. The one common impression I had was of the passion and commitment to the frozen category, combined with an amazing range of new product developments.

These member meetings formed the bedrock for a strategy day I had with the BFFF non-executive board on 5th November. As a Federation we have a remarkable board. Their combined knowledge, wisdom and expertise is an invaluable resource that I am fortunate to be able to call on.

At the strategy day we followed the Simon Sinek concept of defining ‘why’ the Federation exists and how we then bring this ‘why’ to life.

This is the first step in a process that will see us make changes in the way the Federation works. It is a little early to share details with you all as we still have some work to do, but there will be more on this in the next issue of The Bulletin and the Business Conference on 5th March.

Early on in my tenure I realised it was important for our hardworking team to have clarity of purpose to help them support members in their day jobs.

It is clear we already do many things members find greatly beneficial, but as business becomes more complicated, members need to seek help in so many more areas; allergens, sustainability and plastic reduction to mention just a few.

However, we can only be effective when we have support from our members. So I urge all members to please get involved by attending our events, supporting our special interest groups and reinforcing the positive contribution the Federation makes to end users, be they professional chefs or retail buyers.

The Bulletin is the exclusive magazine for BFFF members.

Printed six times a year, it has a readership in excess of 3,000 industry leaders, decision makers and buyers.

The Bulletin is available to read online at www.bfff.co.uk/about-bfff/bulletin where you can also read all the latest news from BFFF and its members.

richardharrow@bfff.co.uk Tel: 07930 345326 January / February 2020 | 3

The Bulletin

C O NTEN TS

6

Member news

FROZEN’S GOT Join us as we celebrate the biggest and brightest stars in the frozen food industry!

20

New products

Titles up for grabs include:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Rising Star Supply Chain/Logistics Team of the Year Business Transformation of the Year Unsung Hero Product Developer of the Year Marketing Campaign of the Year Sustainability Champion Commercial Team of the Year Technical Champion / Team Health and Safetly Champion / Team Lifetime Achievement Award

22 24

2020 predictions

CEO update

25

Kantar facts & figures

To book tickets to attend the awards dinner visit:

https://tickets.bfff.co.uk Feature:

27 4|

Sustainability in fish & seafood

The Bulletin

CON TENTS

The big interview:

31 Ally Dingwall 38

Annual Luncheon

47

34

The social networker

IGD: Exploring shopper behaviour

50

53

57

62

Health & Safety

48

Technical & Legislative

Industry Directory

Membership update

Dates for your diary January / February 2020 | 5

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

Sustainability more than a buzzword for Bakkafrost Sustainability index ranking proves Bakkafrost is realising its vision of producing the highest quality salmon without damaging the environment.

Bakkafrost has been named among the best performers in the 2019 Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index, which ranks the world’s largest listed producers on sustainability.

The GMO Food and Drug Administration in Germany has also certified Bakkafrost the GMO-free standard which is an add-on to their approved Global G.A.P Certification.

Torkil Davidsen, head of Bakkafrost UK operations, said: “Sustainability remains a top priority for us, and we will continue to work towards the strategic priorities in our Healthy Living Plan, which includes minimising our environmental footprint and moving towards having all our sites ASC approved in 2020.”

The company has invested heavily to establish a sustainable future, including the building of a new biogas plant using waste products to produce renewable energy that will not only power its own

operations, but also many homes in the Faroe Islands where the business is based.

Bakkafrost chairman Runi M. Hansen added: “The aim is moving Bakkafrost into a position to be much more capable to meet future opportunities and meet growing global demand for protein, with healthy and efficiently produced salmon products, and at the same time create value for our company, shareholders and society.

“An important step in achieving this was the publication of Bakkafrost’s first sustainability report which outlines our commitment to putting a sustainable and responsible approach to our salmon farming operation at the top of our agenda.” ● www.bakkafrost.com

In my view Marie Christine Monfort is president and co-founder of the International Organisation for Women in the Seafood Industry (WSI). WSI works to raise awareness of gender inequality among seafood stakeholders across the value chain and helps them tackle these complex issues. She asks, in an industry where sustainability is a challenge, can a business based on gender inequality qualify as truly sustainable?

While there has been some progress in this area, the seafood industry is still characterised by severe gender inequalities, and despite the fact that half of all workers are women, it is still thought of as ‘male dominated’.

Whether in the developed or the developing worlds, where contexts vary significantly, similar norms and stereotypes are deeply rooted in this industry, making the distribution of power and profit dramatically uneven between the two sexes.

Men and women occupy distinct roles all along the seafood value chain. Regardless of country, location or level of industry development, female workers are over-represented in low-skilled, low-paid, low-valued positions and remain mostly absent in the higher echelons of the value chain. They represent 70% of all aquaculture workers, 85-90% of the seafood processing worldwide and 50% of all seafood workers.

At the WSI we are convinced gender equality offers a great opportunity to the seafood industry. Not only is it a prerequisite to becoming truly sustainable, it is key to attracting the next generation into the industry.

Conversely, at the other end of the value chain women are prevented from accessing high profile and well-paid jobs, representing at most 10% of board members and just 1% of CEOs.

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www.wsi-asso.org

The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

Updates from BFFF members

Grants smokes the competition Cumbrian salmon smokers Grants becomes only independent smokehouse in UK to receive esteemed stamp of approval from the Good Housekeeping Institute.

The Good Housekeeping Institute’s independent experts test thousands of products each year in Quality Assessment Tests at its state-of-the-art facility in London’s Soho.

Only the finest products are awarded the Taste Approved certification and Grants Traditional Rope Hung Smoked Scottish Salmon is among the chosen few.

Grants owner Jonathan Brown said: “This is yet another honour for our premium product, the Rope Hung, which is widely recognised as being among the world’s best. It already holds a three-star Great Taste award, two gold medals from the Monde Federation and is the product of choice for some of the world’s leading chefs.

“The Rope Hung is so labour intensive and expensive to produce it makes little commercial sense to do so, but I wanted people to be able to enjoy smoked salmon as it really should taste. The Good Housekeeping Institute’s stamp of approval is of huge importance because it carries real weight with millions of shoppers. Only the finest products receive this accolade.”

The Rope Hung is made with hand-picked Atlantic salmon from Scottish suppliers with the highest environmental and aquaculture standards. It is hand-trimmed before being hand-cured in sea salt and rope hung in Grant’s brick kiln.

Under the close supervision of the master smoker, each side is then smoked for up to 36 hours over oak chips made from Scottish whisky barrels. After removal, it is allowed to rest in Grants’ conditioning room for 24 hours before being sliced by hand.

Last year was exceptional for Grants, having also received a BAP award to prove it is at the forefront of the industry in only using salmon from suppliers with the best aquaculture and environmental policies.

Jonathan commented: “As reliance on aquaculture grows, everyone in the seafood industry must do their utmost to follow best practice and the BAP accreditation proves we are doing that.”

Lawyers for the food sector

This year the company intends to begin using completely recyclable packing and sourcing salmon from onshore fish farms which have a negligible environmental impact.

Jonathan concluded: “When I started the company in 1984, straight after leaving school, I wanted Grants to be the benchmark of quality for the smoked salmon industry and these awards prove we remain just that.” ● www.grantsoaksmoked.com

• • • • • • • • •

Contracts Debt recovery Product recalls Agents and distributors Employment Intellectual property and branding Transport and logistics Competition Corporate and commercial

Contact Peter Cusick of our food team on: 01775 842500 www.roythornes.co.uk

January / February 2020 | 7

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

Student competition challenges perceptions Country Range event showcases catering career opportunities to help address skills shortage.

The Country Range Student Chef Challenge is seen by many as the pinnacle for catering students looking to showcase their culinary skills.

But as the industry faces the possibility of a skills shortage, this year it’s not just the students rising to the challenge.

Students being put through their paces in Loughborough

The Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2019/20 competition will once again hope to shine a light on upcoming talent from around the UK. With the catering industry viewed as a negative career to embark on due to short-term, part-time, low-paid and low-skilled jobs, the role the competition plays in raising the profile of young chefs has never been more important.

Emma Holden, organiser of the challenge, said: “A career in the hospitality industry is often seen as a negative path to take so we hope we can help change these unfair perceptions. With a supposed skills shortage on the way it’s vital we show young people the benefits of working in the catering industry, so hopefully the challenge can be a glimpse into what the future holds for them.

“A number of our previous entrants have gone on to work in top restaurants, so it just shows how the challenge can be a springboard for greater success.”

The 2019/20 challenge will focus on how students can use classic techniques and skills to maximise the use of ingredients and reduce food wastage. Teams of three full-time catering students will plan, prepare and present a three-course, four-cover meal in just 90 minutes.

The challenge is open to chef lecturers and colleges across the UK. Teams will compete in regional heats in January and February before the victorious students face-off in the grand final at the Hotel, Restaurant and Catering (HRC) Show at London’s ExCeL on Tuesday 3rd March 2020. ● www.countryrange.co.uk

Second Craemer site to open in Telford

around £27.8m in 2018.

After expanding the premises to a total of 3.6 hectares in 2013 we had reached our limits and needed to find an area for expansion as close as possible.”

German manufacturer of plastic wheelie bins, pallets, storage and transport containers expands portfolio with £25m investment in second UK site.

Purchased in 2017, the 5.3-hectare site at Hortonwood West is less than a mile away from the initial plant and provides room for further expansion in the future.

Plastics manufacturer Craemer Group has launched a facility for plastics injection moulding at Hortonwood West in Telford. It is the group’s second plastics facility in the area.

Craemer’s first own 1,100 litre wheelie bin (neo4), here presented by (left) Steve Poppitt, managing director of Craemer UK Ltd, and Frank Bross, finance and operations director.

(Photo: Carl Woodall)

The group has invested £25m in the new site including large machinery to add new products to Craemer UK’s portfolio, among which is a range of four-wheeled commercial waste bins and pallet boxes, which until recently could only be manufactured at the group’s German headquarters.

The new production plant consists of a 6,000-square-metre production and storage hall, plus adjacent technical, office and social area as well as outdoor facilities. Production has started with three injection moulding machines, with more to follow as business develops.

Steve Poppitt, managing director of Craemer UK, said: “Since the launch of our first Telford plant at Hortonwood in 2006, Craemer UK has grown significantly with turnover surging from £5m in 2006 to

At full capacity, Site B will create up to 70 jobs. At the same time, the new factory will help safeguard the 65 positions at Site A. Steve added: “In addition to creating new jobs and further supporting the local economy, the launch of this second Craemer Telford site also emphasises the Craemer Group’s ongoing commitment to its UK manufacturing arm. We are confident the investment in the new Telford facility and in new machinery will further strengthen Craemer’s position in the domestic, European and global markets for many years to come.” ● www.craemer.com

Recently launched: the Craemer Group’s second injection moulding facility in Telford.

(Photo: Carl Woodall)

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The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

Updates from BFFF members

Innovative tortilla recipe 'squashes' food waste Clever use of waste ingredient revolutionises product development to get 'high fibre' eligibility all wrapped up.

Campden BRI’s team almost doubled the fibre content of the humble tortilla by incorporating an unusual food waste product into the usual recipe.

Campden BRI, which provides scientific, technical and advisory services to the food and drink industry, replaced 20% of the wheat flour in a tortilla recipe with butternut squash peel powder – a food waste ingredient currently used in anaerobic digestion.

The result was a product with 97% more fibre and 3.5% less calories. If marketed, the tortilla would be eligible for a ‘high fibre’ claim.

Bakery technologist Leandra Molina Beato, outlined the challenges of reformulating the tortilla: “There are many factors to consider when incorporating dietary fibre into a product. An ingredient’s functionality can change the finished product in appearance, texture and taste, as well as the behaviour of the product during manufacture. Trialling different fibres in different products is the only

way to determine the impact on functionality and consumer appeal.”

Fortunately, incorporating butternut powder had a positive impact on the tortilla’s appearance.

Leandra added: “Colour plays a critical role in determining the consumer’s acceptance of a product and our reformulation created a golden yellow tortilla, a colour that’s generally accepted as appealing.”

Bakery technologist Leandra Molina Beato and the butternut squash tortilla

our factory and provides fertiliser for our crops. However, if the peel can be used for innovative, healthy products, that is the best place for it.”

On average, people in the UK do not consume enough fibre, while food waste is a major concern for both consumers and the food industry, making this development a double win.

The research is part of a three-year project which aims to provide the food industry with an understanding of the functionality of dietary fibres, their performance and potential new sources.

Barfoots of Botley, which specialises in semiexotic produce, provided the butternut squash peels as part of its sustainability work.

The next phase of the research will trial varying concentrations of commercial fibres in pizza bases, tomato sauces and meatballs while assessing characteristics that may affect product quality and consumer acceptability.

Technical director, Keston Williams, said: “The peel is currently used in our anaerobic digester, which produces electricity to run

● www.campdenbri.co.uk

Whitby Seafoods renews logistics contract with Reed Boardall to continue partnership Last year marked a decade since Whitby Seafoods began working with its logistics partner Reed Boardall.

A new contract will see the relationship continue into 2020.

Stevland Town, business development manager for Reed Boardall, said: “After more than a decade working with the team at Whitby Seafoods, we know their business inside out and have proved to be a reliable and responsive logistics partner. We can offer all the services they need from a single site and do everything we can to ensure maximum availability to their customers.”

UK scampi manufacturer Whitby Seafoods is building on its 10-year relationship with logistics partner Reed Boardall, with the company continuing to provide all primary UK cold storage and distribution needs for the North Yorkshire seafood specialist across its full frozen product range for the next two years.

Established in 1985, Whitby Seafoods is an independent family business that supplies to wholesalers, food service outlets and retailers across the UK and Ireland from its base in Whitby.

Reed Boardall began working with Whitby Seafoods in 2009 and will continue to collect frozen finished product, as well as raw materials, from the company’s Whitby processing site and transport it to

Whitby Seafoods’ demand planning manager Siobhan Robinson and Alan Thompson, purchasing and logistics manager, with Stevland Town, business development manager for Reed Boardall

the Reed Boardall cold storage facility in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, before onward delivery of finished products to the distribution centres of retailers and foodservice operators across the UK.

Whitby Seafoods’ demand planning manager, Siobhan Robinson, added: “As we are both family businesses, we share similar values with a focus on quality and customer care being central to both our organisations. Having an effective integrated storage and distribution service is a critical part of our operation, enabling us to provide the service expected by our customers.” ● www.whitby-seafoods.com January / February 2020 | 9

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

Whitby product gluten-free but flavour-full Whitby Seafoods receives Grocer new product prize for 'delicious and accessible' range of scampi, now available in ASDA and Sainsbury's stores throughout the UK. Whitby Seafoods' Gluten Free Scampi range has been named best in category at The Grocer New Product Awards. Shoppers commented the scampi was ‘crispy and tasty with nice large pieces.’ The Grocer experts were also impressed, observing the product is ‘genuinely delicious, whether you’re gluten-free or not’.

Sales and marketing director at Whitby Seafoods, Laura Whittle, said: “We want to make seafood more accessible to everyone regardless of dietary requirements. Our gluten-free range gives us the opportunity to bring our exciting and flavoursome range into a market that can sometimes be perceived as a bit bland.

“When researching the market and speaking to people affected by gluten intolerance or coeliac disease, they told us taste was important to them in their food and something that shouldn’t be compromised.

Therefore, we’ve made sure our gluten-free range tastes bloomin’ special just like the rest of our products.”

Whitby Seafoods' gluten-free range is available in Asda and Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. ● www.whitby-seafoods.com

Iceland calls for support in plastics pledge Frozen retailer Iceland seeks collaboration with UK’s biggest brands and manufacturers to drive Plastic Free Packaging Manifesto forward to reduce global plastic production.

In January 2018, Iceland committed to eliminate plastic packaging from its own label products by the end of 2023. It has now sent two separate letters to more than 400 suppliers to secure support in delivering its plastics commitment.

“Although our commitment only affects our own label products, we also wanted to write to our branded suppliers to encourage them to join us in working to reduce plastic production and offer to share our learnings so far.”

One letter was sent to branded suppliers, whose ranges are not included in Iceland’s pledge, outlining the retailer’s progress to date and suggesting further collaboration and shared learnings on plastic reduction.

Helen Nickells, head of packaging at Young’s Seafood, outlined support for the action taken: “Young’s Seafood continues to work closely with Iceland to turn down the tap on plastic packaging production. Iceland have approached their supply base with a spirit of collaboration that is helping us to meet Iceland’s own objective to remove plastic by 2023 and helping Young’s to reduce single use plastics, completely remove black plastic and make the plastics we do use easily recyclable.”

The other was sent to own label suppliers asking for their continued support in the retailer’s journey towards becoming plastic free across its own label product range. Iceland is already working closely with its 100+ own label suppliers on the pledge through working groups, category specific action plans and site visits to facilitate testing and implementation where appropriate.

Included as part of both letters is an outline of Iceland’s newly launched Plastic Free Packaging Manifesto, a 10 point plan detailing how the retailer will reduce global plastic production.

Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland, said: “We have been working in close partnership with our suppliers since making the commitment and see their support as crucial in expediting our plastics removal project. We are proud of the positive relationships we have with our suppliers, and the response so far has been particularly reassuring and reflective of the mutual support between our businesses.

A spokesperson for Birds Eye added: “We share Iceland’s passion for sustainability and are fully committed to playing our part in delivering the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals where we have the knowledge and expertise to genuinely make a difference.

“Birds Eye is constantly looking for ways to recycle and reduce excess packaging. A lot of our products are already packed into cartons and since our products are for in-home use we do not use single use plastic consumer packaging. Our focus is on moving our bags to recyclable materials and reducing excess packaging, we have a number of projects underway in this area. Nomad Foods are actively participating in the Plastics Pact with WRAP to work towards a circular plastics economy.”

Since it made its pledge, Iceland has removed 2,100 tonnes of plastic and implemented a series of industry-leading trials. ● www.iceland.co.uk

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The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

Updates from BFFF members

d’Arta and Bühler develop high capacity sorting solution for Yorkshire Greens When d’Arta’s Yorkshire Greens pea processing plant realised its output exceeded what its optical sorter could cope with, Bühler was on hand with a new solution. d’Arta’s longstanding relationship with Bühler Group proved invaluable recently when its UK-based Yorkshire Greens facility identified a need for optical sorting technology that could cope with its output.

Bühler was already in the process of developing such a solution for the frozen product sector when it was approached by Yorkshire Greens for a solution.

During the annual harvest, peas arrive already shelled at the Yorkshire Greens facility. They go through a series of washing and cleaning processes before being blanched and then move through an individual quick freezing (IQF) process. The frozen peas are then presented to an optical sorting machine to remove any out-of-specification product.

David McCambridge, applications specialist at Bühler, explained: “Yorkshire Greens installed our prototype machine in the processing hall and went on to help us test and validate it. d’Arta shipped frozen products of varying qualities to the site to see how the optical sorter coped with a wide variety of products – including cauliflower and broccoli florets, diced carrots, peas and diced potatoes.”

The accepted peas are stored in a freezer until the harvest is completed before being sent to the packing hall. Here they are presented to another optical sorter to remove any missed out-ofspecification product and other material which may have found its way into the batches.

Bühler’s hygienically designed SORTEX F range has the ability to accurately detect even subtle colour defects, extraneous matter and foreign materials in frozen fruit and vegetables, with the SORTEX FA2 able to handle processing capacities of up to 14 tonnes per hour.

However, because the IQF line at Yorkshire Greens can produce 15 tonnes of product per hour, a higher capacity sorting solution was needed.

The SORTEX FA3 has been developed to offer a solution for applications which require high capacity sorting but with no reduction in efficiency. With a throughput of up to 20 tonnes per hour, the compact new SORTEX FA3 also offers flexibility, featuring three individual chutes while new software enables clearer visualisation of defects and new operator interfaces simplify machine set up, allowing for even greater sorting accuracies.

Pieter De Backere, co-CEO at d’Arta, said: “This really was a win/win situation for both d’Arta and Bühler as the machine was rigorously tested and we were rewarded with improved frozen product following the testing process.” ● www.buhlergroup.com

Reed Boardall appoints new head of operations Temperature-controlled storage and distribution business welcomes Patrick Haslam to cold store division.

Patrick Haslam has joined Reed Boardall from Wensleydale Dairy Products where he spent almost three years as supply chain manager, responsible for purchasing, scheduling, logistics outbound, procurement and Patrick Haslam, head of operations and Andrew Baldwin, MD, Reed Boardall stores. Previously, he worked as a general manager at Sigma and as a customer services director at Moores Furniture Group.

TASTY, HEALTHY & SUSTAINABLE

SALMON Superior salmon from the

FAROE ISLANDS

In his new role Patrick will lead operations at the group’s cold store division, using his operational management skills, experience of scheduling and Lean Six Sigma expertise to implement further improvements and efficiencies.

Andrew Baldwin, managing director of Reed Boardall’s cold storage division, said: “There are so many facets to the role that, with his breadth of management experience, Patrick is perfect for this position.

He will bring some fresh thinking to the internal and external processes within our cold store operation and help us become even better at what we do.” ● www.reedboardall.com

Cooking suggestion

Frozen and individually vacuum packed premium quality salmon portions packed with delicious flavors ready to put on the pan or in the oven.

Delicious made Convenient!

Bakkafrost UK Ltd. - Grimsby - uk@bakkafrost.com

January / February 2020 | 11

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

Family-run Whitby Seafoods goes green

'Transformational leader' accolade for Neil Male

North Yorkshire based frozen seafood manufacturer now running on renewable energy.

GMS CEO recognised in West Midlands Leadership Awards following impressive business growth.

As businesses and individuals are increasingly looking at how they can help tackle climate change, Whitby Seafoods has announced its head office in Whitby and production site in Northern Ireland are now fuelled by 100% green electricity with zero carbon emissions.

Shining the spotlight on the region’s established and emerging leaders, the West Midlands Leadership Awards were created to recognise the importance of leadership in helping drive the region’s businesses and economy forward and to celebrate the best exponents of modern leadership.

The Kilkeel Seafoods site turned to green energy in September, with Whitby Seafoods head office following suit in October.

The green energy both sites are now using comes from 100% renewable technologies such as hydro, wind and biomass.

The production does not involve the burning of fossil fuels, making it carbon free.

Barry Harland, head of responsible business at Whitby Seafoods, said: “As a well-established family business it’s important we’re seen to be taking initiative on such a serious world issue. Climate change and the environment is at the forefront of everybody’s minds, with businesses and individuals making a conscious effort to find ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint.

GMS CEO Neil Male

CEO Neil was shortlisted for Transformational Leader having grown the Bromsgrove-based security business from £2.3m to £13m.

He commented: “I’m very proud to have won this award. It is an honour to be recognised amongst some great leaders throughout the West Midlands, not only for myself but for the whole of the GMS team who all play a part in delivering innovative security solutions to our customers." ● www.gms-group.co.uk

“For us, this is a small step in the right direction to making the world a greener place. After all, doing the right thing is a big part of our family values.” ● www.whitby-seafoods.com

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The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

Updates from BFFF members

Oakland sponsors future Olympian Financial backing from Oakland International helps young shooting champion target more gold medals in 2020.

Britain’s best international skeet and trap shooters battled it out over two wet and windy October days in Wales at the British Shooting Grand Final 2019.

“Oakland’s continued sponsorship means I can maintain training and compete next season without the financial burden on my family as they already do so much.”

The top shooters from each category went into a shoot-off to decide the medal positions, with 16-year-old Mitchell Brooker-Smith taking first place in the Olympic skeet junior men category.

Oakland International chief executive Dean Attwell added: “Mitchell is a talented young man and will no doubt become a successful future Olympian. He has great focus, determination and deserves to be British champion.”

The new British champion is sponsored by multi-temperature supply chain specialists Oakland International.

Support from the Redditch family business will cover the cost of Mitchell’s gun cartridges, competition fees and funding for his GB kit.

His plans for 2020 include pushing himself even further by competing against the top senior shooters in addition to shooting for Great Britain as a junior and focusing on a win

Mitchell Brooker-Smith with Oakland International chief executive Dean Attwell

at the Junior World Championships in Suhl, Germany.

● www.oakland-international.com

Mitchell said: “I’m extremely grateful for the support and sponsorship from Oakland International. It’s great knowing there are people who care about my shooting progression and future besides my family and friends.

Marshall Fleet Solutions moves Spacious new head office facility demonstrates commitment to long-term investment.

As part of its long-term business growth strategy, Marshall Fleet Solutions (MFS) has moved into a new head office facility in Cambridge, approximately a mile away from the company’s former head office site.

MFS managing director, Mark Howell, said: “This is a very important and exciting development for MFS which clearly demonstrates the long-term commitment and investment by the Marshall Group to the future of Marshall Fleet Solutions.

“MFS continues to change for the better and we are incredibly proud of the new head office facility in Cambridge. The move to this new spacious head office complex gives us a significant 40% increase in office space that will comfortably accommodate our future expansion plans.”

The new MFS head office is based at The Quorum, just over two miles east of Cambridge. ● www.marshallfleetsolutions.co.uk

January / February 2020 | 13

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

Q Award for BigFish Coveted accolade for Grimsby-based JCS Fish.

The team at JCS Fish picked up a Quality Food & Drink Award in November for the company’s new BigFish Signature Smoked Sea Trout, which collected the top prize for Best Smoked Fish.

The Q Awards have been celebrating Britishmade quality food and drink for 40 years.

Co-founder of JCS Fish Louise Coulbeck and financial controller Rosie Knight collected the award at a ceremony in London.

Louise commented: “This was a particularly big win for us as a small family firm as it proves our products can compete on the national stage. Our whole Grimsby team has put so much work into our new smokehouse and we think Signature is the best smoked fish we’ve ever produced. It’s brilliant the national Q Award judges thought the same!”

Louise Coulbeck and Rosie Knight (centre left and centre right) pick up the award from guest host Sally Phillips and awards judge Steve Lee.

The runners-up in the Best Smoked Fish category were Alfred Enderby’s Traditional Smoked Haddock (also made in Grimsby) and Asda Smoked Salmon. ● www.jcsfish.co.uk

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20/12/2019 13:44:59

The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

Updates from BFFF members

Cash and carry with a difference Dorset wholesaler’s new food store features eco-food refill station in response to growing sustainability concerns.

Hunts' Foodservice has opened its first food outlet store to supply affordable wholesale products to both trade and public.

Based in Sherborne, the new outlet will stock a unique range of products including restaurant-quality wholesale ingredients as well as everyday groceries and fresh meat. It will also offer an eco-friendly way to shop with a packaging-free refill station for everyday essentials such as rice, pasta and fresh milk.

This is the first outlet of its kind for Hunt’s, a founding member of the Caterforce group. Its aim is to supply wholesale products in a friendly retail environment where, unlike more traditional cash-and-carry scenarios, customers don’t need an account to purchase products.

Richard Hunt, managing director of Hunt’s Foodservice, said: “This is an extremely significant moment in the history of Hunt’s Foodservice.

We’ve made great strides as a business in recent years and this move reflects that continued growth. We want to offer consumers quality produce at wholesale prices and I truly believe we’ve achieved that.

“The family business had a shop back in the 1930s and it was a key part of the community. I wanted to be able to offer a unique shopping experience again to the people of Sherborne and I think the new Hunt’s Food Outlet does just that. If its family value packs of meat, burger boxes, vegan mayo or zero packaging you’re after, the Hunt’s Food Outlet has it all.” ● www.huntsfoodoutlet.co.uk

Oakland chief takes on second polar challenge Antarctica expedition will raise money for kids' charity.

Not content with conquering one polar region, Oakland International’s group chief executive is heading to the South Pole in 2020 to raise funds for children who are facing challenges of their own.

After successfully completing a North Pole challenge in 2017, the group chief executive of Oakland International is getting ready to undertake the second biggest charity challenge of his life: to reach the South Pole.

Oakland chief executive Dean Attwell

Dean Attwell is funding the polar expedition himself, meaning all the money raised will go directly to children’s charity Molly Olly’s Wishes.

Dean has been training hard with specialist endurance coaches at Forder PT to ensure he will be pole ready for this next frozen challenge, which begins with a 14-hour flight to Punta Arenas where, together with

the rest of his expedition group, he will spend two days checking kit, reviewing expedition procedure and undertaking final preparations before flying to Antarctica.

On arrival in Antarctica, Dean and the group will head to the Union Glacier basecamp, spending a day acclimatising before final drop off at the starting point for their trek across the frozen Antarctic landscape to reach the South Pole.

Molly Olly’s Wishes co-founder and trustee Rachel Ollerenshaw commented: “This is a really tough challenge and we hope people will dig deep to support and spur Dean on. Together we can make a very real difference and help to make those dark days brighter for children facing very challenging circumstances.”

Molly Olly’s Wishes supports children aged 0-18 and their families with additional help to ease the burdens of living with a terminal or lifethreatening illness, by granting children individual wishes and providing emotional therapeutic support.

Dean said: “We’ll be skiing between six and 10 hours a day at an altitude of approximately 3,100m before we finally arrive at the South Pole. All donations to support this wonderful charity, no matter how small, are very much appreciated and every penny will go directly to support the work of Molly Olly’s Wishes.” ● www.oakland-international.com

January / February 2020 | 15

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

Thomas Ridley reports double digit growth New website's intuitive features helps wholesaler achieve year-on-year growth of 18% as part of wider five-year plan.

Halfway through a five-year plan to hit £100m turnover, foodservice wholesaler Thomas Ridley reports it is outpacing the market and has taken a multi-faceted approach to drive business success.

Website development, click & collect and increased investment in operational technology are some of the initiatives that have driven the business to year-on-year growth of 18%.

Darren Osborn, e-commerce director at Thomas Ridley Foodservice, outlined some of the key projects it has implemented: “Our motivation is always around how we can make business simpler for our customers by making it easy for them to do business with us. Our recent focus on website ‘quick order’, click & collect, allergens, nutritional guidelines, sustainability and packaging are just some of the areas where we can help.”

Now customers can simply start to type the product required to bring up all relevant products, allowing a quick selection.

Customers can also add their own menus and order all the ingredients needed, or upload their own spreadsheets to the website to create an order.

Darren added: “One of our innovative features is the ability to view products according to

various selections. So, for example, if you run a nut-free site, it is very easy to remove this allergen from your product selection. This can be done across allergens so it’s a great tool for our customers.” ● www.thomasridley.co.uk

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The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

Updates from BFFF members

Erudus launches foodservices steering committee Specialist data sharing business keen to facilitate collaboration between wholesalers, caterers and suppliers.

A range of foodservice professionals attended Erudus’ inaugural steering committee meetings to discuss how best to tackle the management of food allergen and nutritional information.

Handling such data is one of the top hurdles for the industry and it is hoped collaboration amongst wholesalers, caterers and suppliers can ease the burden.

The steering committees are the latest move by Erudus to work closely with foodservice brands, with the company also launching a dedicated Slack channel, a cloud-based collaboration tool allowing free-flowing two-way communication.

Jon Shayler, chief operating officer at Erudus, said: “It’s vital we develop the system based on what’s important to the users and this covers functionality as well as its features. Our sole aim is to provide the industry with the best solution to dealing with allergen and nutritional product specifications.”

The next steering committee meetings are scheduled for 17th and 18th March 2020. Anyone interested in attending should contact Erudus.

Erudus' inaugural steering committee meeting gets underway

● www.erudus.com

Farm Frites creates Happy 30th birthday buzz with 'insect hotel' Meadow Vale Foods Potato products supplier demonstrates commitment to sustainable manufacturing at Netherlands HQ.

Poultry supplier celebrates milestone anniversary by looking forward to innovation-filled future.

Last year saw poultry suppliers Meadow Vale Foods celebrate its 30th anniversary, having been set up in 1989 as a trading company.

Back then Meadow Vale Foods identified a gap in the foodservice sector to supply high quality, further processed frozen poultry products, and soon developed manufacturing assets through a series of acquisitions and joint ventures in Thailand, Brazil, Poland, Hungry and Slovenia. This approach transformed the business from a trading company into a business with an integrated supply chain.

Farm Frites’ Holland headquarters has recently welcomed some new residents to its head office site. Bees, bugs, birds and amphibians are all being welcomed as part of the company’s sustainability efforts.

A natural noise barrier has been built at the potato production plant to absorb any excess noise created by the factory, in partnership with local businesses and the residents. This has given the manufacturer an opportunity to create a structure to support biodiversity.

The seven-metre-tall construction is made from soil residues from the potato fields and is sown with herb-rich grassland, flowers and trees in order to attract a diverse range of wildlife.

By 2009, and with a portfolio of more than 90 frozen poultry lines, the company outgrew its premises and moved into new purpose-built offices in Wrexham.

By then Meadow Vale Food's was part of a group of businesses that included Country Style, Highbury Poultry, Deemak International and Ready Foods. Today the six companies that comprise the Meadow Vale Holdings Group are all focused on supplying quality protein products to the retail and foodservice market and have a combined turnover of more than £170 million. Meadow Vale Foods remains the largest in the group.

Nic Townsend, trade marketer at Farm Frites, said: “It is widely known the decline of bees and other pollinating insects is disastrous for nature as well as agriculture. Our new insect hotel is just one of the many ways we are proactively protecting the environment and is a contribution to our aim of becoming an industry trailblazer by 2025.”

Nigel O’Donnell, managing director of Meadow Vale Foods, said: “The rate of change in food trends has never been greater.

According to recent studies, the UK leads the way in adopting new flavours and trends from around the world. It’s our job to stay at the forefront, providing caterers with everything they need for their customers. This year will see further exciting innovation in our range to help caterers keep their menus varied and exciting, and their customers coming back”.

● www.farmfrites.com

● www.meadowvalefoods.co.uk January / February 2020 | 17

The Bulletin

M EM BER NE W S Updates from BFFF members

SAI Global’s head of agriculture named 'best food technologist' Robin Levin scoops coveted SOFHT prize at 40th annual awards ceremony.

In November more than 300 guests from across the food industry attended the Society of Food Hygiene and Technology’s (SOFHT) 40th annual awards event to Robin Levin of SAI Global celebrate the winners from six award categories. One of the winners was SAI Global’s head of agri Robin Levin who was named Best Food Technologist.

Robin manages the UK and Ireland Agricultural Certification and Technical team and works closely with standards owners such as Red Tractor, GlobalG.A.P, and LEAF. He is actively involved in the shaping of agri-food auditing and has taken part in the first ever audit of the world’s largest and most technically advanced vertical farms. ● www.saiglobal.com/assurance

Company Shop gets £1.96m funding boost from Defra Leading redistributor of food and household surplus products secures landmark government help to further food waste mission.

As part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) commitment to significantly reduce the amount of food unnecessarily being wasted in England, Company Shop Group has been awarded £1.96m.

The Group is home to Company Shop stores and the award-winning social enterprise Community Shop, which sells high quality, low-cost surplus food to local members who are receiving welfare support.

The funding will be used to support the new Harnessing Harder to Reach Surplus (HHRS) project, which aims to rescue, repurpose and redistribute harder to reach surplus from higher up the supply chain, aided by the

creation of a new team of surplus intervention experts.

The profits from the HHRS project will be invested into Community Shop, with revenue raised from the sale of food then invested into the onsite Community Hub, where members can access personal development support such as debt advice, employability skills, mentoring and home budgeting.

Company Shop Group is already working with several retailers and manufacturers in its supply chain, but opportunities remain for other businesses to benefit before the end of the project in March. Businesses are urged to get in touch to find out if they are eligible. ● www.companyshopgroup.co.uk

Whitby Seafoods appoints fisheries improvement manager Sustainability and ethics to be key focus of Giles Bartlett's role.

Giles Bartlett has been appointed as Whitby Seafoods fisheries improvement manager.

His main responsibility will be to engage with the UK and Irish seafood suppliers to deliver sustainable and ethical improvements to the fisheries that Whitby Seafoods works with.

Giles said: “The challenge and opportunity for me in the role is to improve the performance 18 |

of the Nephrops fisheries that are so vital to us, including achieving MSC certification.

A significant part of this role is about addressing some sustainability and ethical challenges, either within the current management system or the system post Brexit, so the supply is secured into the future and we can be even more proud of how our scampi is produced.” ● www.whitby-seafoods.com

Appointments Steve Strong to head up MFS’s parts business

As part of its planned sales expansion programme, Marshall Fleet Solutions has appointed temperature-controlled industry specialist Steve Strong to the position of parts sales manager at the Cambridge-based company.

In his new role, Steve is responsible for ‘over-the-counter’ sales of spare parts and accessories, reporting directly to MFS sales director, Michael Kane.

Michael commented: “With a long and successful career within the UK temperature-controlled transport industry, Steve will further strengthen the expanding customer focussed sales team, bringing with him an indepth knowledge of the commercial vehicle aftermarket, including TK spare parts.”

Steve is the latest in a series of appointments within the new look sales team at MFS and joins the company from manufacturer Connexas Group, formerly Seven Telematics.

New operations director brought in at MFS

Les Gillies has joined Marshall Fleet Solutions as operations director to head up the company’s national operations team covering transport refrigeration, tail lift and fleet management services.

He brings to the role 30 years of experience within chilled and frozen food distribution and has previously held senior roles at large-scale bluechip companies, including Moy Park, Tulip, Grampian, 2 Sisters and Gist.

Les said: “This is an exciting challenge as I will be able to drive the nationwide MFS operational team forward by looking at our business activity through an operator’s eyes. This will enable me to fully understand our customers’ expectations and provide MFS with the operational experience that will move the business forward.”

The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

Updates from BFFF members

Caterforce predicts record turnover Foodservice buying and marketing group Caterforce's biennial conference reveals significant optimism for 2021.

During Caterforce’s 2019 Market Uncovered conference it was revealed the group expects a record turnover in excess of £600m by 2021.

It is also forecasting revenue of £537m for 2019, which represents a like-for-like increase of 9.1% compared to 2017.

The group has made major investments in its infrastructure over the past two years with more than £37m spent on assets including buildings, transport and technology.

Caterforce confirmed it will continue to invest further in the coming year.

Gary Mullineux, interim managing director, said: “Each of our seven members has continued to grow, invest in its infrastructure and as a group we’ve put a lot time and

budget into key areas such as people, technology and locations.

"All this, alongside the success of our Chefs’ Selections range and newly launched coffee brand Roast 440, will contribute to what we believe will be record turnover by 2021.”

Caterforce also used the conference as an opportunity to launch its new CSR policy and code of conduct for suppliers.

The new strategy contains aims and objectives for Caterforce and each of its seven members, including Philip Dennis’ commitment to saving 20 million kilograms of CO2 by using wind turbines and JB Foods’ work to reduce food waste.

Additionally, Caterforce’s Chefs’ Selections brand has committed to removing black plastics and moving to unbleached cardboard by 2022.

It has also pledged to ensure 100% of its plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

Gary added: “Consumers are now far more aware of issues such as sustainability, personal health, wellbeing and animal welfare.

"That’s why as a business we’re committed to change. On top of the recycling targets we’ll also be committing to reducing the amount of sugar and calories in our own-brand products by 20% by 2025.” ● www.caterforce.co.uk

Tributes

Norman Lynas, OBE. 1945 - 2019

Tony Goodson 1942 - 2019

Norman Lynas, chairman of Lynas Foodservice, passed away on 23rd November 2019 at the age of 77 after a short illness.

Tony Goodson had an early introduction to sales, helping his father run a vegetable stall in an open market.

Norman took over a small fish shop in Coleraine nearly 60 years ago and transformed it into the largest family-owned and run foodservice business in Ireland and Scotland.

Years later that experience would be put to good use when he became sales director of Shearway Foods prior to its takeover

by Ardo. He was then appointed managing director of the Kent-based branch of the Belgian company.

Ignoring the advice of his father, he took the business on from fresh fish to selling frozen food in the early 1970s. That decision enabled Norman to be at the forefront of the frozen food revolution that was happening in Northern Ireland and he grew the business steadily even during difficult times.

In 2017 Norman received an OBE for services to the business community and young people.

Concurrently with his Shearway activity, Tony helped his wife with the running of a successful business selling original oil paintings, where Tony exercised his woodworking skills by framing them.

Tony joined the BFFF’s PIB Committee in 1995, becoming vice-chair of that committee in 1999 and chair the following year.

He also served on the BFFF executive council from 1999 to 2001.

January / February 2020 | 19

The Bulletin

NEW

Caterforce adds 20 products to its Chefs’ Selections range including halloumi fries Chefs’ Selections, Caterforce’s range of own-label products, already offers frozen, ambient, grocery, cleaning and hygiene products. Now the food distributor and wholesaler has extended the range with the launch of 20 new products.

Among the 20 new products Caterforce has added to its range of own-brand products are a premium free-range egg mayonnaise, three varieties of cooked bacon, cultured dairy products, breaded mushrooms, halloumi fries and a selection of dilutes.

The new cultured dairy products include soured cream, full-fat soft cheese, luxury full-fat soft cheese, Greek style yoghurt, natural yoghurt, crème fraîche, mascarpone, clotted cream and buttermilk.

The dilutes will feature an orange juice cordial with no added sugar, blackcurrant juice cordial with no added sugar, apple and blackcurrant juice cordial with no added sugar and lime juice cordial.

accredited suppliers and comes quality assured so our customers can be confident of consistently high quality and great value for money.”

Caterforce has already won a number of accolades for its Chefs’ Selections range. Its Victoria Sponge Cake was recently recognised in the highly coveted Great Taste awards. A further three of its leading products - Sweet Potato Fries, Chocolate Pinata Cake and Balti Cooking Sauce - were winners at the 2019 CCM Chefs’ Own Brand Awards, and the American Battered Chicken Fillet won a silver award at the BFFF Product Awards last year.

Caterforce is also working on some innovative new products to launch early in 2020 including a range of cereals, tortilla chips and wraps, quiches and new cakes to add to its award-winning cake range.

Kelly added: “We have invested in developing and improving the products through extensive taste testing, enhanced technical support, benchmarking and regular quality assurance reviews. The existing products and upcoming ranges are available exclusively through our members.

Kelly Orme, group buying manager at Caterforce, said: “We develop new products with our members and follow a rigorous NPD process with ongoing quality checks. Every product is hand-picked from BRC

“Chefs’ Selections will continue to be a key area of focus for us as we expand the range to deliver more innovative new product development, responding to what our customers want.”

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● www.caterforce.co.uk

The Bulletin

Super savings with Super Longs

New cookie flavours from Dawn

Aviko’s 9.5mm Super Longs have been pitted against three leading competitors testing yield, visual appeal, portion control and chip length. The results found that with the help of Super Longs, operators could gain a staggering 19 extra portions of fries per case – providing a saving of £7,800 a year.

The results also showed operators who use 200 cases per month from an alternative brand could fulfil the same number of portions with only 142 cases of Super Longs, generating a total saving of 58 cases every month.

Super Longs are available in two varieties – original Super Longs and Skin-On Super Longs. www.aviko.co.uk

Dawn Foods has launched four new frozen cookie pucks which capitalise on the trend for fruit and chocolate combinations as well as flavours inspired by coffee culture.

The new pucks include a Blueberry, Banana & White Chocolate Cookie, ideal for serving at breakfast and a Chocolate & Lime Cookie, made using a lime flavour cookie dough and both white and milk chocolate chunks.

There's also an Apple & Cinnamon Cookie with lightly spiced dough, raisins and apple, and a Caramel Latte Cookie filled with salted caramel fudge pieces and a caramel latte flavour. www.dawnfoods.com

Bestseller goes gluten free

Chips fit for a duke by Lamb Weston

With an estimated one in 10 people now avoiding gluten it’s essential to provide great tasting options everyone can enjoy.

With that in mind Paramount has now made its award-winning MSC H&G Whitebait gluten free.

The original version was named Foodservice Product of the Year at the BFFF Product Awards 2019 and Paramount is delighted to be able to bring this bestseller to an even wider audience this year.

The whitebait is described as being ‘perfect as a bar snack or tapas item served in a cone with a selection of dips like sweet chilli and sriracha mayo’. www.paramount21.co.uk

In a recent consumer test almost 40% declared their love of chips as a side, more than 60% said they prefer skin-on in a pub, and 72% said they are willing to pay a bit more in a pub for a British sourced product. The most important attributes of a chip were said to be a crispy outside with a fluffy inside and thick hand-cut appearance.

In response, Lamb Weston has launched 'The Duke', irregularly thick-cut chips with a homemade appearance. Made from British potatoes, they are described as ‘beautifully crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside’ despite being non-coated and are available in both skin-off and skin-on varieties. www.lambweston.eu/uk

January / February 2020 | 21

The Bulletin

CEO update

All the latest news and views from Richard Harrow Caterforce On 14th November I was invited to the bi-annual Caterforce conference held at Celtic Manor. I was really impressed with the whole day, but two points really stood out for me.

Firstly, many of the members have really strong investment plans. Secondly, Caterforce members are keen to address the key issues of today. As an example, Lynas Foodservice in Northern Ireland has opened a plastics-free store. It was refreshing to see the independent sector so positive and active.

Welcome to Holly Jones

We are pleased to announce that Holly Jones has joined the BFFF as technical assistant working alongside Denise Rion, head of technical.

According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), China’s herd of pigs accounts for half of the world pig population. However, some 30% of the herd have been destroyed due to swine flu, which in some areas has meant a 70-80% drop in the herd.

Holly has a BSc (Hons) degree in Food and Consumer Studies as well as a National Diploma in Food Nutrition, Food Technology and Processing. She also brings with her a solid understanding of the food industry, having held technical positions at Bakkavor, Openfield Agriculture and Vittles Foods. We are therefore in no doubt she will be a valuable asset to both the team and the wider membership.

China is now importing pig meat from around the world, impacting the price of any product derived from pork.

This is likely to be a long-term situation as it may take China anywhere between five and seven years to rebuild its pig herd.

Labour The ONS issued an update on net immigration to the year ending June 2019.

We are now at the lowest number of EU workers coming to the UK for 16 years. This will inevitably put more pressure on an already tight labour market. The data shows the UK has seen fewer people arriving from the EU8 (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) looking for work.

The ONS commented: ‘’While there are still more EU citizens moving to the UK than leaving, EU net migration has fallen since 2016, driven by fewer EU arrivals for work. In contrast, non-EU net migration has gradually increased for the past six years, largely as more non-EU citizens came to study.”

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Cull of pigs in China due to swine flu impacts worldwide market

The Bulletin

CEO U PDAT E All the latest from Richard Harrow

Frozen good news The frozen industry was recognised with a number of awards in the last few weeks of 2019. Cook was recognised by The Grocer as the Independent Retailer of the Year, while Whitby Seafoods won The Grocer Gluten Free Savoury award for its Gluten Free Scampi. This was against chilled products.

Iceland then won the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association (PAPA) award for Everyday Pizza with its Gino D’Acampo Super Spicy Pizza and Aldi won the innovation category with its Carlos Cheeseburger Stuffed Crust. Again, both products were up against chilled ones.

Additionally, Asda frozen fish buyer Georgia Gilman (right) won The Grocer Own Label Buyer of the Year. It was wonderful to see this young person being recognised for her passion, commitment and energy in working with her supplier base to grow the frozen fish category.

Georgia Gilman

Birds Eye November was a good month for the Birds Eye team.

The transformation of the brand under the leadership of Wayne Hudson was recognised by awards from both The Grocer (Brand of the Year) and IGD (Business Transformation Award). Wayne will be speaking about his success at Pelican Communications' Dawn of a New Ice Age event in Leeds on 5th February.

Potato crop under pressure A recent update on the potato crop by the AHDB raised concerns about the effects of the wet weather in November on the potato crop.

The update highlighted key growing areas were way behind on lifting the crop, with the North West having only 67% of the crop lifted and Yorkshire having some 21% of the crop still to be harvested. This comes on the back of the previous year when the crop was impacted by dry weather.

Potatoes for processing, which are harvested late to allow the tubers to bulk up, may be affected disproportionally. There are also fears that when the crop is lifted the remaining moisture may impact quality in storage.

Food waste project In the UK we throw away around a third of the food we buy, of which 61% (4.1 million tonnes) is avoidable. So, during the last few weeks of 2019, some of the BFFF team took part in a project aimed at highlighting just how much food we waste on a daily basis. It has to be said, the exercise has been a real eye opener and led to more than a few new year’s resolutions around reducing food waste and changing behaviour. Well done to everyone who took part and rose to the challenge which has helped raise awareness of this important issue.

January / February 2020 | 23

The future is frozen Predictions for 2020 and beyond Following a fascinating presentation by Kantar at last November's Industry Forum, BFFF chief executive Richard Harrow looks at the consumer trends that could make 2020 a great year for frozen.

Recent data from Kantar shows growth in the frozen market has slowed compared to 2018. As sales of ice cream dropped due to the cooler and wetter summer, the overall market sales saw value growth of 0.3% versus 4.7% in 2018. (Interestingly, this was higher than chilled food which saw growth of just 0.1%.)

At the Federation, we believe the role frozen food can play in helping consumers control their food waste will become more evident in 2020 and beyond. With consumers still accounting for 70% of the 10m tonnes of food wasted annually, frozen food has a great message to convey: ‘buying frozen food is the smart thing to do for the environment’.

Nevertheless, frozen food is still purchased by 99% of consumers 48 times per year, appearing in 1.3bn baskets. Indeed, while value may be on the weak side, volumes are the second highest ever recorded - clear evidence consumers continue to seek the value and convenience frozen offers.

We also need to reset consumer views that frozen food is processed.

Many products we sell in the frozen category, such as vegetables and fish, are natural products where nature’s pause button – freezing – has been used to extend shelf life. Frozen fish is fresher than fresh fish, with frozen being caught and filleted in a matter of hours.

In terms of the channels of purchase, discounters continue to perform well across frozen. However, it is not just Aldi and Lidl; we are also seeing growth in bargain stores as this channel expands its food and frozen food offering.

Even Marks & Spencer highlighted the role frozen food can play in its top 10 trends for 2020. With the ‘king’ of chilled retailers starting to tell consumers ‘buying frozen is the right thing to do’, this could be an amazing year for the category.

With the growth of both Aldi and Lidl forecast to continue for the next few years, we can see that own label will take a bigger share of the market, although this market update by Kantar highlighted a number of branded launches bringing excitement and innovation to the category.

These included Birds Eye Perfectly Baked and Green Cuisine ranges, McCain’s Brew City and Gino D’Acampo in Iceland.

Kantar also identified several key consumer trends that frozen is uniquely placed to tap into:

Iceland has also been working hard to capture more spend from consumers with an extensive range relaunch across all parts of the store in September 2019. Kantar has reported that initial market performance has been strong for Iceland, although the launch was backed up with strong incentivisation activity of £5 when spending £20.

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Quick, easy and tasty products at great value

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Focus on meals not proteins

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Healthier with benefits

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Help with assisted and scratch cooking

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Plant-based meals

If you would like to see the full Kantar presentation from November’s Industry Forum, it can be found on the BFFF website: bfff.co.uk/events/bfff-industry-forum-6

Facts & Figures Vegan trend drives meat sales into decline In the run-up to a predicted record Veganuary, sales of frozen meat continue to suffer according to the latest figures from Kantar (52 weeks to 1st December 2019).

The latest statistics from Kantar Worldpanel reveal another difficult trading period for the frozen meat sector which has reported the biggest decline (-11.4% in volume), driven by fewer shoppers engaging with the category as well as a reduction in frequency of purchase.

The frozen ice cream and confectionery category has also seen a reversal of fortunes over the last two years. While it enjoyed a very good summer performance in 2018 due to the hot weather, 2019's summer was cooler and wetter, dampening sales in this area.

It’s now estimated a quarter of shoppers are actively trying to reduce their meat intake which, combined with the continued rise of vegetarian and vegan diets, is having a profound impact.

At the other end of the scale, frozen pizza has again shown impressive growth (+6.3%) driven by bigger basket size and more shoppers engaging with the category. NPD has also played a part, as manufacturers take full advantage of trends through different flavourings and toppings.

Toni Vernelli, head of communications at Veganuary, told Talking Retail before Christmas: “The Economist predicted 2019 would be the year of the vegan, but 2020 is going to blow it out of the water. With 65,000 people already pledging to try vegan with Veganuary this January, we are on course for our biggest year yet.”

Indeed, the frozen vegetable category has seen increases in both value (0.2%) and volume (1.8%).

James Spicer, business unit director at Kantar Worldpanel, said: “When looking into the sector performances health is a large factor, especially within the convenience sector which can be perceived as unhealthy. Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned with making healthy and environmentally friendly choices.”

A significant contributor has been the brand refresh of Chicago Town.

More premium packaging combined with a new marketing strategy has seen the brand grow +14.1%, driving the frozen pizza sector as a whole.

Richard Harrow, chief executive of BFFF, commented: “These figures reflect the changing lifestyle choices of consumers. The sectors must continue to offer innovative frozen solutions that combine these developing trends with the convenience, value and nutritional benefits of frozen.

“This presents a particular challenge for the frozen meat sector, however the rise of ‘flexitarian’ diets is an area that can be capitalised on.

I have every confidence our industry can turn these challenges into opportunities.”

52 w/e 2 Dec 18 52 w/e 1 Dec 19

1,600,000 1,400,000

52 w/e 2 Dec 18 52 w/e 1 Dec 19

-1.1

-6.6

0.5

-9.7

0.2

3.3

-2.1

6.3

2.3

-2.5

-6.0

-2.6

-11.4

6,330,286

2,099,024

6,317,331

2,084,721

1.8

0.9

-1.5

8.9

0.5

January / February 2020 | 25

Sustainability what is it and are you getting it right?

Sustainability - the buzzword of the moment. We know it’s important; to consumers, to the planet and to the reputation of your business.

But is your fish and seafood truly sustainable? Emma Scott investigates.

For retailers this raises the question; how far do you need to go to fulfil your sustainability promises?

In an environmental context, ‘sustainability’ is defined as the ‘avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance’.

Managing director Steven Tilston explains: “In its natural habitat it’s not affected by any antibiotics or other unnatural factors. In simple terms the babies are brought up on land to secure the best environment and then put to sea when they are ready.”

Given this definition you may feel confident your fish and seafood offering meets all the requirements, but at every stage of the supply chain there are sustainability pitfalls.

Maris is also clearly aware of the issues surrounding the provenance of feedstock.

Take for example news from last October, when it emerged some UK farmed fish and seafood labelled as ‘sustainable’ were being fed with fish meal and fish oil (FMFO) that damages marine life.

Two of the UK’s most popular fish - salmon and tuna - survive on diets of fishmeal and fish oil, which is usually sourced from wild fish stocks.

It means approximately 20% of the total wild catch worldwide is not being caught to be eaten by humans, but to be processed and fed to farmed fish.

According to Dutch NGO Changing Markets this has led to collapsing fish stocks in India and Vietnam, forcing fishing vessels to ‘systematically plunder’ the oceans for species that have not previously been caught for FMFO.

Perhaps the first consideration is whether you opt for aquaculture (also known as aquafarming) or commercial wild fishing to supply your product.

For UK frozen seafood importers Maris Seafoods, there doesn’t exist a more sustainable seafood production than farmed salmon or cod.

Steven adds: “During the sea phase they are in the ocean where they belong and only fed the best feed possible which starts out at 75% marine ingredients and then goes down to just over half when we go to the grown feed. Salmon starts below 50% and drops to around 30% in grown feed. All ingredients in the feed can be traced back to component suppliers which we ensure are sustainable suppliers.”

Fisheries improvement manager for Whitby Seafoods, Giles Bartlett, is also aware of the potential problems surrounding unsustainable fish feed, but most of the business' seafood products are from wild-caught fisheries and do not require fish meal or fish oil.

January / February 2020 | 27

The Bulletin

Of the farmed species Whitby uses, he says: “They come from ASC certified producers who use marine ingredients which are either MSC or IFFO RS certified and are fully traceable to the fisheries from which the material came, as well as the factories where the fish meal and fish oil was processed.”

our dependence on non-renewable resources increases. As much of the fish in supermarkets is packaged in plastic bags, film and trays - the majority of which are not currently recycled - it could be argued that by using this packaging you are falling at the final hurdle in your sustainability efforts.

Feedstock is just one point of difference between aquaculture and commercial fishing, and which many argue affects the sustainability of seafood.

Fish and seafood brands are increasingly concerned about the end-to-end sustainability of their products, and with good reason.

According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization’s most recent analysis of global fisheries and aquaculture, seafood production from aquaculture exceeded production from marine capture fisheries for the first time in 2016.

Feedstock is just one point of difference between aquaculture and commercial fishing, and which many argue affects the sustainability seafood.

Research shows consumer buying decisions are increasingly being driven as much by their beliefs as their budgets. According to IGD, shoppers are not only more time-pressed and digitally engaged than ever before, they’re also more socially conscious.

In fact, ‘socially conscious’ is among IGDs five shopper trends for 2025, with 60% of under-35s claiming concern for the environment will be more important to them in the next five to 10 years.

This is undoubtedly a result of the benefits offered by this type of farming. It’s an efficient way to provide good quality food to the world’s growing population, as well as generate jobs and revenue in developing countries.

However, aquaculture has been heavily criticised because of the environmental damage it can cause, predominantly the destruction of ecosystems to construct aquaculture farms, as well as the environmental impacts of the effluents released into the surrounding areas.

But the range of benefits make it worth pursuing ways to make aquaculture a sustainable practice.

Steven Tilston gives an overview of what Maris Seafoods is doing to this end: “Our group has a cod farming project (norcod.no) underway in which we will use battery driven boats and farms together with land-based electricity to limit the energy and diesel usage.

“All locations are closely monitored and between each batch of fish the site will be fallow. We very carefully chose our sites for the best location regarding stream, depth and water replacement in order to minimise what energy we use. We are also feeding with cameras so as to minimise feed waste.”

Of course the issue of waste is a branch of sustainability that needs to be considered throughout the supply chain. And for brands looking to minimise waste, frozen offers an unbeatable solution as Jenny Kenyon, head of marketing at Paramount 21, observes: “Frozen seafood dishes can be the perfect option for busy chefs, saving time and money. Individual portions reduce wastage and freezing allows dishes to be served to order, reducing the need for fresh raw ingredients that have the potential to quickly spoil.”

It’s a prediction Steven Tilston echoes: “Sustainable, environmentallyfriendly products packed in less or zero plastic packaging must be the trend and focus for 2020 and years to come – meaning more focus on the environment than the fish itself.”

Pacific West also understands the importance of keeping a clear focus on reducing plastics across the business.

UK sales and marketing manager Martin Finegan says: “As we continue to invest in our business, you will start to see our new packaging design rolled out. This is part of our commitment to sustainability, where we are working to reduce the use of plastic across our business.”

So what are the key things you need to do in 2020 and beyond to meet the customer expectation of truly sustainable fish?

Firstly, it’s vitally important to have an in-depth knowledge of where your fish and seafood comes from and what goes into its production.

It would be unthinkable to label a cake ‘gluten free’ without knowing every ingredient that had gone into it. Similarly, it’s important to know exactly what has gone into your seafood product if you are to label it as sustainable. This includes knowing the fish feed has come from a sustainable source.

Jack Coulbeck, commercial manager for JCS Fish, agrees: “Transparency is absolutely fundamental to customer and consumer trust in any programme of ‘responsible’ sourcing. For this reason, we have signed up to the Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP) to provide clear information about how our fish is grown, where and by whom. During 2020 this will allow us to demonstrate that 100% of the salmon and trout we buy are from farms with third party ‘responsible producer’ certification.”

If your seafood products find their way into supermarkets packaged in hard-to-recycle materials, is your otherwise sustainable product suddenly rendered unsustainable?

But if your seafood products find their way into supermarkets packaged in hard-to-recycle materials, is your otherwise sustainable product suddenly rendered unsustainable?

Plastic is often made from synthetic materials derived from fossil fuels.

As the process used to make them relies on petroleum-based products 28 |

The Bulletin

Established by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, the ODP provides a common template through which companies can report the fisheries and fish farms they source from, alongside information on provenance, stock status, management techniques and environmental impact.

Secondly, look into recyclable packaging options.

Cornish fish and seafood supplier Fish for Thought has done just that and in 2017 became the first online seafood supplier to launch fully-recyclable packaging which uses materials including sheep’s wool, cardboard, gel packs and is all entirely biodegradable.

comply with the strict requirements of the international GLOBALG.A.P. aquaculture standard. This covers food safety, environmental integrity, animal welfare and social responsibility.

Work to make these things easier is already underway. Demand from all sectors for reusable and recyclable packaging means strides are being made in this field. From biodegradable packaging made from banana waste to a mushroom-based polystyrene alternative, in the coming years who knows what options there will be to make your packaging more sustainable?

"Sustainable, environmentallyfriendly products packed in less or zero plastic packaging must be the trend and focus for 2020" Steven Tilston, Maris Seafoods

Finally, only buy from certified suppliers, looking out for the blue Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label. MSC certification proves a fishery meets international best practice for sustainable fishing. To become certified, fisheries are assessed by independent certification bodies.

In 2019, JCS Fish went a step further and signed up to the GLOBALG.A.P. (GGN) aquaculture label for its BigFish brand, the first UK company to do so. The GGN label stands for certified and responsible aquaculture, indicating that production processes

As for alternatives to fish meal and fish oil, a contender may have already been identified. Black soldier flies are said to be a protein-packed, inexpensive and high-quality alternative to the unsustainable feeds currently on the market.

It’s easy to say sustainability is high on your agenda, but putting your good intentions into action requires an understanding of what this buzzword really means, and taking the initiative to ensure your standards are being upheld at every stage of the supply chain.

January / February 2020 | 29

The Big Interview:

Ally Dingwall

With more than 25 years in the industry, Ally Dingwall is responsible for Sainsbury’s fish sourcing policy.

He recently shared with Emma Scott his thoughts on sustainability, the future for the industry and his personal favourite fish dish.

Catch of tomorrow Ally Dingwall grew up in the Highlands of Scotland where his passion for fish and fishing was nurtured in the hill lochs and streams where he fished for trout. Having decided at age 10 he wanted a career in fish, he qualified with a degree in Marine Biology from Heriot-Watt University in 1987. Since then his career has taken him to the other side of the world and back to the UK, where he is now aquaculture and fisheries manager at Sainsbury’s.

How did you arrive at your current position at Sainsbury’s?

After graduating I took a job as a salmon farm management trainee on the west coast of Scotland. I worked in various roles in that industry for nine years before moving into seafood processing for another 10 years where I developed connections in the UK retail sector.

In 2006 I moved the family to South Australia to take up a role at a Tasmanian salmon farming business, before returning to the UK in 2008 to work for Sainsbury’s in the aquaculture and fisheries policy role.

I’d managed to maintain the retail connections I’d made during my time in UK processing whilst in Australia, who I guess recognised I knew a little bit about fish by then!

What does a typical day look like for you?

sell across the business – that’s about 40 wild caught species and eight farmed species from farms and fisheries around the world – so there’s a lot going on.

I’m responsible for our overarching commitments on sustainability in seafood, which means I’m engaged in the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and fishery improvement project, as well as on the aquaculture improvement agenda linking to biosecurity and feed development.

I also represent Sainsbury’s within a number of external organisations, all of which have a role to play in shaping our future seafood offering and in ensuring sustainable practice and supply. For example, I work with the Supervisory Board of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, the Board of Trustees of Fisheries Innovation Scotland and the Board of Global Seafood Assurances, plus the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability, ARCH UK, the Global Tuna Alliance and Global Ghost Gear initiative.

One of the most exciting and innovative projects I’ve worked on recently has been our move to sourcing Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) free skipjack tuna and the work we’ve done with OceanMind on verification of legality and FAD free capture, using satellite derived vessel monitoring data and other data sets. It’s shown what’s possible when you have good supplier relationships and the huge potential in linking to innovation in technology and data interrogation systems.

I don’t think there is a typical day. My role covers sourcing policy and supplier engagement on raw materials for all the fish and seafood we January / February 2020 | 31

"A well-controlled freezing and thawing process can deliver more consistent quality."

As more people see plant-based diets as better for them and for the environment, what’s the future for the fishing industry in the UK? From a health perspective, fish can stand (or swim) on its own merits.

The health benefits associated with fish are well documented and we need to eat more – the government currently recommends we eat two portions of fish a week and one of those should be oily. I think more could be done to raise awareness of this across the UK, increasing consumption and sales accordingly.

Roughly speaking, if we were to double consumption in the UK, we’d need more than half a million tonnes of extra fish, so from my perspective fishing clearly has a future, but it must be managed at a sustainable level. The future for fish farming is bright but we need to have the tools to deliver responsible and sustainable production growth.

Do you think there is a stigma around buying frozen fish and what more can be done to tackle this?

I think there is a general perception that frozen fish is in some way inferior to chilled fish. Those of us working in the industry understand a well-controlled freezing and thawing process can deliver more consistent quality, but I’m not sure this message gets across to customers.

I’ve always found it interesting how the frozen pea industry has managed to land that message, but the fish industry hasn’t. I think many consumers don’t like handling fish, so perhaps it’s the extra handling stage in defrosting that presents the barrier? That doesn’t exist with peas, so perhaps we need to find an innovative solution for natural (non-coated) fish and market it effectively.

How important is sustainability to the consumer and do you think people are willing to pay more for a sustainable product?

Sustainability is increasingly becoming front of mind for our customers, 32 |

particularly around issues such as plastics and climate change.

In respect to seafood, at Sainsbury’s we don’t expect our customers to pay more for a sustainable product, so our entry level products are sourced to the same standards as our Taste the Difference range.

Our customers shop with us because we say we are sourcing with integrity, so it is an inherent expectation. Our role is to continue to work with our suppliers to ensure we offer responsibly sourced products at affordable prices.

How important is clear labelling when demonstrating a product's eco-credentials?

Sainsbury’s has always had a clear and consistent position on sourcing and labelling. When we signed up to the Sustainable Seafood Coalition Voluntary Code on labelling (and environmental claims) in 2014 we were instantly in compliance as our business practice met the requirements.

I think our position with MSC is underpinning what we do, in that we’re providing independent assurance. I also think it’s important to carry the ecolabel or chain of custody message on pack rather than just claiming to be sourcing from a certified fishery without bearing the assurance costs.

Our customers expect us to source responsibly and do the right thing on their behalf and this sits at the heart of all our operational decisions.

Seafood production from aquaculture exceeded production from marine capture fisheries for the first time in 2016. What do you see as the pros and cons of aquaculture vs commercial fishing?

We recognise the need to manage wild fisheries consistently within sustainable biological levels, so the growth opportunity is limited in that respect, but there is still scope to diversify species consumption within the UK market and that will benefit wild fisheries.

Aquaculture will, by necessity, have to contribute to the majority of future consumption growth. Aquaculture also has the ability to provide consistent quality and volume year-round so delivers from a consumer perspective.

That said, production growth must be sustainable and as such it’s critical we have the appropriate technologies and controls in place to support growth.

There are mounting environmental and biological challenges in most species (with climate change playing an increasing role) and innovation needs to keep pace.

The development of standards such as IFFO RS have played a significant role in driving awareness and improvement and should be recognised as such. We also need to consider the environmental and social impacts of feed ingredients grown on land, and the emerging ASC feed standard will deliver significant improvements in this area.

"Our customers expect us to source responsibly and do the right thing on their behalf."

The development of novel feed ingredients will be critical in supplementing, not replacing, existing raw materials in supporting an aquaculture industry capable of playing a role in delivering food security.

What is your favourite fish and do you use frozen fish at home?

There is more work to be done, but I believe we will get there and am encouraged by the work being done on novel feed ingredients, vaccines, farming infrastructure and the recognition of the need for appropriate funding support mechanisms to foster innovation.

How hard is it to ensure the feed for your fish is sustainable?

We’ve been working on the pathway to delivering sustainable aquaculture feeds for over a decade and significant improvements have been made during that time.

I’ve always believed if we are to catch wild fish, these fish should be used to feed people. But if they can’t be consumed due to lack of demand or unpalatability, they should be used to feed fish as the next most efficient use of the resource.

I don’t subscribe to the theory that growth in aquaculture will inevitably lead to overfishing of wild stocks to manufacture feeds.

If source fisheries are managed appropriately with effective traceability processes in place, then overfishing can be avoided. This should be our focus within the seafood industry.

I’ve been extremely fortunate to experience seafood all over the world.

Some highlights include haddock in Iceland, crab in Scotland and black cod in Alaska. The latter is probably my favourite fish although it’s not readily available in the UK and it’s expensive! At home I like haddock and salmon - I’m a Scot after all - and I’m partial to a coley curry.

We always have fish in the freezer - I’m happy to defrost as we’re not near a Sainsbury’s!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I’ve been very privileged to have visited some amazing locations and worked with incredibly committed and knowledgeable people throughout my career, but a couple of recent events stand out. Helping Sainsbury’s achieve recognition as best sustainable seafood retailer in the world in 2017 (it’s quite rare to be recognised globally) and receiving the Seafood Champion Award for Leadership at the Seafood Summit in 2016. It was a humbling experience to be nominated by my peer group, let alone receive the award.

January / February 2020 | 33

The Bulletin

l a i c o s e Th networker The Annual Luncheon may be behind us, but there’s no slowing down for BFFF events manager Charley Price.

ers and their more than 850 memb saw we r be vem No in Back our 2019 Annual Hilton Park Lane for guests gather at the received some ran smoothly and we Luncheon. Everything e and see ag u can read full cover fabulous feedback. Yo on page 38. pictures from the day the Annual k in the office following When we arrived bac ess Conference on turned to our Busin Luncheon, thoughts so ce on Thursday nner which will take pla and People Awards Di nilworth. ord Grange Hotel, Ke 5th March at the Chesf during the three d planning takes place Much of the detail an short break for the event, with just a months leading up to n!

Christmas in betwee to put together hard since last spring We have been working with a great lineup ormative programme an interesting and inf regal and Comma delighted to have Da of speakers and we are adline sponsors of ibo Systems as joint he in partnership with St

s really is a great space is filling up as thi Our popular exhibition d promote what you of fellow members an event to get in front ere refreshments es place in the room wh do. The exhibition tak s to visit the stands to encourage delegate ir and lunch are served ain be showcasing the members will once ag during breaks. Some t. rke food ma providing lunch in our delicious products by please get in touch ibiting or sponsorship exh in d ste ere int e If you’r iller@bfff.co.uk. with Kate Miller, katem ng scenes from processi much goes on behind g itin As with all events, so wr banners, ning and organising the the bookings to desig badges for all me na g isin ure and organ content for the broch see so many of worthwhile when we delegates. It’s all made always such a great g on the day; there is our members attendin rs sparking great rence with the speake buzz around the confe s during the breaks! bates between delegate conversations and de by visiting ur place booked now Don’t miss out! Get yo u there! k forward to seeing yo tickets.bfff.co.uk I loo

the event.

d covering a wide ing good speakers an It’s no mean feat sourc ers find something ics to ensure all memb enough variety of top 20 programme ticks you will agree the 20 of interest, but I hope ge. t more on the next pa all the boxes. Find ou

Con f Pe o e re n c e a p 5 th M l e Aw a r n d d a rc h s t i c ke ts.bf f f. c o .uk

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hibiting For ex sorship on and sp nities u o p p o r t Ka t e Mi l l e r t c o n t a c e r @ b f f f. c o . u k ll katemi

Thursday 5th March 2020 Chesford Grange Hotel, Warwick, CV8 2LD

Today and Tomorrow

Programme

08:30 Registration / Refreshments & Exhibition

Tomorrow

09:15 Welcome from Conference Chair, Julia Glotz Welcome the 2020 delegation to the ninth BFFF Business Conference.

1.45

Donna Champion, Nottingham Trent University Distributed Ledger Technology: Does it work?

2.10

Christopher Barnatt The Rise of AI: Cognitive Computing in the next 10 years.

2:35

Peter Backman Restaurant Delivery – threat and opportunity.

3.00

Forum for the Future Sustainability: Responsible for accelerating a shift toward a sustainable future by catalysing transformational change in global systems.

Today

3:25

Panel Q&A

10:20 James Spicer, Kantar An up to date view of the UK grocery scene with a focus on frozen food.

3:40

Refreshments & Exhibition Viewing

4:00

Keynote Speaker, Mandy Hickson Mandy was the only female pilot on her frontline Tornado Squadron, flying multimillionpound fast jets for the Royal Air Force.

Relating her experiences of working within an elite team of fast jet operators to audiences with great clarity.

09:20 Richard Harrow, Chief Executive, BFFF Richard will provide an update on the latest BFFF initiatives for members and context for the day.

A View from our Economist 09:35 Economist Roger Martin-Fagg A look at the economic indicators for the UK and what they predict for the next two years.

10:45 Simon Wainwright, IGD IGD’s view of how the UK market is changing and what it means for the industry.

11:10

Refreshments & Exhibition Viewing

11:30

Christine Tacon, Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine will share her view of the results achieved through GSCOP and the challenges that lay ahead.

11:55

Fiona Speakman, CGA As the out of home and retail markets continue to grow Fiona will provide unique insight into the hospitality sector.

12:20 Andrew Staniland, Iceland Making Frozen the New Fresh

5:00 Close Day Delegate Member - £240 + VAT Non-Member - £340 + VAT Business Conference / People Awards Dinner (1 Night Residential) Member - £440 + VAT Non-Member - £540 + VAT

Includes Business Conference, refreshments, lunch, People Awards Dinner, overnight accommodation and breakfast the following morning

12:45 Lunch & Exhibition Viewing

Book Now! https://tickets.bfff.co.uk

WANT BETTER CASHFLOW? LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN. Our Business Payments are flexible and innovative, so your business can free up cash to fund growth. Use our solutions to pay your suppliers and then benefit on additional terms of up to 55 days.

It’s one of those ‘win-win’ situations.

For more information, please contact Gregg Morris at gregg.i.morris@aexp.com Terms apply for maximum payment period.

Terms apply for maximum payment period. American Express Services Europe Limited has its registered office at Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9AX, United Kingdom. It is registered in England and Wales with Company Number 1833139 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Copyright © 2020. American Express Company. All Rights Reserved.

HEALTH & SAFETY

The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

BFFF Annual Luncheon 2019 Almost 900 guests attended the Annual Luncheon on Tuesday 26th November 2019 at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

It was another fantastic event where members and their guests took the opportunity to network with industry colleagues during reception drinks before enjoying a delicious five-course lunch prepared by Hilton executive chef Anthony Marshall and his team.

Then it was over to BFFF president Nigel Broadhurst who delivered his speech.

After welcoming the guests and thanking the sponsors, Nigel touched on some of the challenges facing the industry, not least the ongoing Brexit uncertainty.

Nigel focused on the reasons frozen is the fastest growing sector of the food industry, one of which is of course its green credentials.

He said: “We don’t fly fresh vegetables around the world every day - any necessary transport is done by much more efficient shipping routes generating much less carbon emissions - enabling us to guarantee high quality, convenient food that’s available 365 days a year.

“Additionally, consumers who switch to frozen food reduce the number of supermarket trips or home deliveries they require, reducing their individual carbon footprint. This is also true of food service operators who switch to frozen food.”

Nigel later went on to outline both the economic and health credentials of frozen food: “We flash freeze our food so we don't have to use additional preservatives, maintaining freshness and integrity for much longer.

Fresh produce loses vitamins during storage, but freezing vegetables uses nature's pause button, locking in those crucial vitamins and minerals.”

After the speech came time for the entertainment, which was provided by stand-up comedian Ian Stone who had the whole room in fits of laughter.

The 2019 event was also a great opportunity to support two brilliant causes; Community Shop and Fareshare.

Community Shop is an award-winning social enterprise that sells high quality, low cost surplus food to local members who are receiving welfare support. Revenue raised from the sale of food is then invested into the onsite Community Hub, where the team engages and connects with every member who comes through the doors. Here, members can access personal development support, with everything from debt advice and employability skills to cook clubs, mentoring and home budgeting.

Headline Sponsor FareShare is the UK’s largest food redistribution charity, working with more than 500 food companies to identify and access surplus which they can then redistribute to more than 10,000 charities and community groups across the UK. The food redistributed

by FareShare reaches almost a million vulnerable people every week.

Tyson Foods Europe was the Headline Sponsor at the 2019 Annual Luncheon, while XPO Logistics sponsored the President’s Reception and Meal Creations (part of Kerry Foods) sponsored the General Reception.

American Express, Coppenrath & Wiese, Freiberger UK and Moy Park were event partner sponsors and Iceland Foods continued its sponsorship of the seating brochure.

The Annual Luncheon is just one of the highlights of the BFFF calendar. Up next is the Annual Business Conference and People Awards Dinner on 5th March. This is another fantastic opportunity to meet industry colleagues, as well as recognise the key players in your businesses and say thank you for the contribution they make.

We’re expecting this to be another popular event, so book your tickets early! tickets.bfff.co.uk

Thank you to all our sponsors

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The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

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1. Partner sponsor American Express shares a table with Albert Bartlett, Dawn Foods and GMS Group 2. Andrew Roberts welcomes guests of Bidfood 3. BFFF staff raise a glass of welcome to all BFFF members and their guests

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4. Andrew Roberts, Lina Hovanessian and Nishan Eleyadath of Bidfood (l-r) 5. The BFFF team

January / February 2020 | 39

The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

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1. Partner sponsor Coppenrath & Wiese share the day with Crown Foods, Klaas Puul, Quicook and Sam Browne Foods 2.

Claire Dibb and Charlotte Collinson of Heron Foods with Malcolm Reid of d'Arta and Rebecca Stanton-Hall and Sophie Peters of Heron Foods (l-r)

3. Bidfood and guests 4.

Simon Brentnall, BFFF head of health & safety, and Carla Brown, health & safety assistant, welcome guests to the Health & Safety Expert Group table

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The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

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11 7 6. Iceland Foods and guests 7. Howard McEvoy welcomes guests of McEvoy Foods International 8. Event partner sponsor Moy Park and guests 9. Bonita Smith and Leigh Morris of Riverside Holdings (l-r) 10. Fran Hutton of Dalziel Ingredients and Paula Gilbert of Abergavenny Fine Foods (l-r)

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11. Gordon Darbyshire and Tom Lee of Craemer UK with Julie Hanson of Global Cold Chain Alliance (l-r)

January / February 2020 | 41

The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

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5 1. Meadow Vale 2. Headline sponsor - Tyson Foods Europe 3. Richard Harrow, BFFF chief executive, welcomes guests 4. Denise Rion, BFFF head of technical, hosts guests of the Technical Expert Group 5. The Great British Egg Co. 42 |

The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

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7 6. David Bell with guests of Norish Foods 7. Greenyard enjoys the Wellington Ballroom Reception prior to the meal 8. Jon Cummings and Hugh McLaughlin of Glenhaven (l-r) 9. Denise Rion of BFFF, Ken Glauch of Booker and Lynne Regent of Anaphylaxis Campaign (l-r) 10. Helen Spauls (c) chatting with Ali Hannaford of Paramount 21 and Peter Day, BFFF honorary life member

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11. Joe McNamara of Limerick Fruit Supplier, Ian Hardman of Farm Frites and Barry Mason of Limerick Fruit Supplier (l-r)

January / February 2020 | 43

The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

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4 1. Ted Pryor, toastmaster 2. Richard Harrow delivers grace at his first Annual Luncheon as BFFF chief executive 3.

Lisa Nicholson and Rachel Freeman of GMS, Shane Brennan of Cold Chain Federation, and Julie Hanson of Global Cold Chain Alliance (l-r)

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Mark Smith of Arco, Julia Messervy- Whiting of Shakespeare Martineau, Helen Atkinson of Wakefield MDC, Simon Brentnall of BFFF and Matthew Peace of Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue (l-r)

5. XPO Logistics - sponsors of the President's Reception - and guests

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Past and present presidents - Nigel Broadhurst, BFFF president, Ali Hannaford, Paramount 21, Peter Day, honorary life member and Howard McEvoy, McEvoy Foods International (l-r)

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Nigel Broadhurst, Adam Leyland of The Grocer, Andrew and Jane Thorne of Freiberger UK, event partner sponsor (l-r)

9. Kathy Sowersby and Joanna Frost of Sam Browne Foods (l-r) 10. Kate Miller, BFFF membership account manager, welcoming guests 11. Nigel Broadhurst and Richard Harrow welcome Graeme Day, ex BFFF to the Luncheon (l-r)

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12. Khaled Fando of RFC International chats with Richard Harrow (l-r) January / February 2020 | 45

The Bulletin BFFF ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2019

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1. Ian Stone, comedian 2. President's Reception 3. Richard Harrow, BFFF, Tracey Wadsworth, Ivor Rawlins and Trisha Rasor, of Crown Foods (l-r) 4. Marie Shaw and Lauren Liburd of Coyote Foods (l-r) 5. Santiago Pozo and Raul Forner of Quicook (l-r) - new BFFF members 46 |

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Exploring shopper behaviour in frozen meals, meat and fish Dan Gillett, shopper insight manager at IGD

How much products cost is more important in frozen meals, meat and fish than the average category and therefore one of the biggest challenges is how to drive premiumisation and reduce reliance on promotional activity.

Dan Gillett, shopper insight manager at IGD explores shopper behaviour when purchasing frozen meals, meat and fish and what this means for retailers and suppliers.

Shoppers are likely to prefer an EDLP (everyday low price) strategy in the frozen meals, meat and fish category as this provides reassurance of low prices, but quality continues to remain important to shoppers.

Retailers and manufacturers should continue tracking the impact of promotional activity to ensure it’s having a positive impact on the brand, the category and/or the retailer.

In addition, the use of colour and appealing imagery will help to grab shoppers’ attention and encourage them to try new products.

It is important to evaluate packaging in the context of the total fixture; this will help ensure it stands out against competitors.

Shoppers demand variety Our research shows there is shopper demand in the frozen meals, meat and fish category for more variety, as well as an opportunity to inform shoppers’ choices and make the category easier to shop. The category ranks sixth out of 35 categories where shoppers would like a greater choice, indicating there could be the opportunity to range new products if you can demonstrate to retailers the role your product can play in driving category growth.

Packaging is important too As well as price, packaging is more likely to influence shoppers when buying frozen meals, meat and fish than in other categories, with over a quarter (26%) of shoppers agreeing that they’ve purchased from the category because the packaging caught my eye. Furthermore, packaging has an important role to play to inform shoppers of the key features and benefits of the product and is an effective way to communicate quality to shoppers through imagery of the product and its ingredients.

Retailers with own label ranges can ensure there is a clear distinction in the packaging of value, mainstream and premium products, helping shoppers to determine easily the most suitable products for their needs.

Top categories in which shoppers claim to have chosen a product because 'the packaging caught my eye'

30%

Fresh fish

World foods

28%

Wine

27%

Chilled meals

26%

Frozen meals, meat and fish

26%

Average category

18%

Indeed, the lack of variety in frozen meals, meat and fish is causing frustration within the category with it ranking 33rd out of 35 categories where shoppers claim they were satisfied with the choice available.

Help shoppers make a choice There is some demand from shoppers for more information and ideas that will help them make a choice - at 5.2 out of ten the score is low, but it is higher than the average category.

For shoppers that would like more information the greatest request is for recipe ideas and more visible nutritional information – anything that isn’t relevant is likely to be ignored or frustrate. Manufacturers and retailers should consider how to inspire shoppers at the shelf in a clear and simple way without disrupting shoppers that are looking to get in and out of the aisle as quickly as possible.

Top categories in which shoppers would like more information or ideas at the shelf to help them make a decision - mean score out of 10 Fresh fish

5.9

World foods

5.9

Fresh red meat

5.7

Skin care

5.5

Chilled meals

5.5 5.3

Wine Frozen meals, meat and fish

5.2 4.9

Average category

IGD ShopperVista, Category Benchmark Report, July 2019

January / February 2020 | 47

The Bulletin

T EC H NICA L & L E G I S L AT I V E

From head of technical, Denise Rion

update

The following article has kindly been provided by one of our members, Trade Interchange.

Artificial intelligence: the smart supply chain Artificial intelligence already features in our daily lives often without us realising it; Google’s predictive searches, online maps and directions, Siri and Netflix recommendations are all the result of artificial intelligence. 50%* of companies already use AI within their business, however the speed with which new technology emerges suggests those not embracing artificial intelligence and its benefits could easily be left behind.

Media attention largely portrays AI as a force for good, able to predict heart attacks** five years in advance and revolutionise the health sector. While the majority of AI is as yet futuristic idealism, it can be implemented within your business to ensure supplier compliance and adherence to company and government legislation.

AI can help to reduce supply chain risk and create a first line of checks for key documents, instilling confidence in the information and certificates uploaded by the supplier.

ARCUS® SIM is Trade Interchange’s supplier information management module, part of the ARCUS® Supply family, which uses built-in artificial intelligence to verify the accuracy of key documents uploaded by the supplier at the point of submission. AI’s machine learning functionally in SIM contextualises documents within the system, with a 99.5% accuracy rate.

Using SIM, responsibility is placed on the supplier to upload all company and government specific information which is then centrally stored, providing key stakeholders with remote access to all documents at any time. SIM’s artificial intelligence checks key documents and industry specific accreditations at the point of upload, verifying 48 |

insurance documents, health and safety certificates and modern slavery statements

While it is necessary to gather large amounts of documents and information to be confident

to ensure they are correct and valid, while matching other previously gathered information.

in the supply chain, this method of supply chain management can be time-consuming and tedious, resulting in silos of information and no single source of data. Using SIM’s built-in artificial intelligence, the process of collecting documents can be automated, reducing the time it takes to chase information and allowing the appropriate professional to prioritise documents for review.

If there are any inaccuracies or inconsistencies within the document, the supplier will be alerted before being given the opportunity to change the document.

If the supplier decides to proceed regardless, an automatic alert will be sent to the company which they supply, allowing the appropriate professional to prioritise erroneous documents for review. This increases the confidence in documents uploaded by suppliers, reducing risk, creating an auditable system and ensuring there is evidence of due diligence.

Trade Interchange’s survey of managers and above working in UK food and drink companies shows 68% of managers do not currently use artificial intelligence in a significant way within their organisation.

With the remainder considering AI to be an integral part of their company, there is an opportunity for some companies to grow far faster than others based on their confidence in suppliers, protection from risk, accuracy of information and automatic prioritisation of documents.

Artificial intelligence can revolutionise the supply chain, a sector which has thus far not benefitted from the advantages of industry specific software systems. Trade Interchange’s survey found that, as a result of the lack of solutions within the industry, 32% of businesses still use paper-based systems to manage their supplier information, while another 33% use simple spreadsheets.

Numerous staff within businesses spend far more time than necessary using these paper-based systems; Trade Interchange’s study found employees, on average, spend the equivalent to almost 163 weeks per year on supply chain tasks, which can be easily automated using artificial intelligence. 48% of those surveyed believe assessing supplier and contractual risk takes up the most time, which is yet another process which can be easily automated using SIM. Using AI to help manage supply chains not only saves time and money, but also increases the accuracy of information which can help protect your brand from risk and instil confidence in your suppliers’ documents.

By eliminating the need to rekey data, information held on suppliers is far more likely to be accurate. A detailed, cloud-based system allows companies to prove due diligence has been employed throughout their supply chain, minimising the potential risk of noncompliant, unethical, or uninsured suppliers. SIM automates compliance with industry, government and company legislation, ensuring suppliers have correct and valid certificates qualifying themselves and their

The Bulletin

sites. Furthermore, automatic reminders sent before a document or certificate is due to expire ensures compliance throughout the supply chain, which can easily be overlooked using paper-based systems.

Trade Interchange can help your business reduce risk in the supply chain by using artificial intelligence to verify suppliers’ key documents at the point of upload.

The ARCUSÂŽ software can provide the resources necessary to deliver supply base confidence through a streamlined solution.

For more information about how Trade Interchange can use AI to help reduce risk, please visit us at www.tradeinterchange.com/bfff or call us on 03333209933.

* Source: Forbes, August 4th 2019 ** Source: Digital Health, Sept 3rd 2019 January / February 2020 | 49

The Bulletin

HEALTH + SAFETY

update

From head of health & safety, Simon Brentnall

The missing link: motivating managers to enforce safety policies Do you find that despite your company having operator training, risk assessments and relevant safe systems of work (SSOW) in place, forklift accidents, near misses and bad habits persist? Mentor FLT Training explains why skilled and confident managers are key when it comes to upholding safety in your operations.

What’s holding managers back?

According to a recent Mentor survey of businesses using forklift trucks, one in four respondents said their operators were either not aware of the SSOW in place at their company or didn’t comply with them.

Sadly, despite their basic training, human behaviour means that operators can soon forget or become complacent and develop bad habits, which soon leads to unsafe practice - if you let it.

Lack of knowledge Managers aren’t legally required to be able to operate a forklift truck, so they might not have first-hand experience of the risks involved.

“Even though managers don’t necessarily drive the trucks themselves, it’s still essential they are able to identify where the dangers lie, so they can spot unsafe practice and correct it. This is a requirement under the Approved Code of Practice (L117), which all managers should be familiar with,” says Stuart Taylor, managing director of Mentor FLT Training.

Vital reinforcement We hear from customers, safety professionals and even HSE inspectors themselves that, too often, the safety message gets lost in translation between best practice documented at senior level and what’s happening on the ground. There seems to be a missing link.

The importance of following procedures put in place for their protection is simply not impressed upon the workforce. To bridge the gap, it is necessary to engage your supervisors and managers, so they can steer complacent operators — who are either unaware or unconcerned of the risks — away from bad habits and poor practice.

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Proactive management makes a real difference to the safety culture of your business. But many face a number of barriers that stop them from effectively upholding safety procedures on site. What are they and, more importantly, how can they be overcome?

Lack of experience Nowadays, fewer managers have spent time working on the shop floor, so they may not be aware of common shortcuts or bad habits encountered day-to-day that should be monitored. But the latest sentencing guidelines for H&S offences mean the stakes are higher than ever — in the event of an accident, businesses (and responsible individuals) could face crippling fines or worse. Training your managers to understand the importance of regular monitoring will reduce the risk of accidents and is ultimately a much more cost-effective use of resources than the hefty penalties that often follow an incident.

The Bulletin

Lack of skills Given the current skills shortage, it can be difficult to find the right people with the required knowledge to manage your operations.

If you don’t have the relevant managers in place, upskilling is a great alternative. Existing staff have an understanding of your business, so why not utilise this and supplement with additional knowledge so they can fulfil the role?

The solution: flexible online training

Lack of time Despite other responsibilities, it’s vital that managers do not neglect their duty to monitor forklift operations. Stuart explains: “Your policies only work if they are enforced. To ensure best practice is followed, managers must see the importance of ‘walking the floor’ and correcting anyone not following safe systems of work. A big part of this is ensuring managers understand the potential consequences for themselves, their colleagues and the business should bad practice be allowed to continue and result in an accident.”

Mentor’s new e-learning course — Managing Forklift Operations — has been designed with these challenges in mind:

Equipping your managers with the tools to fulfil their roles effectively is key to ensuring your H&S policies are put into practice day-to-day.

But many companies struggle to find a relevant training course that doesn’t require them to release senior staff for long periods away from the business.

l

l

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Protect operational productivity — Managers can learn wherever and whenever suits them, rather than attending face-to-face training. They can fit training around production, daily deadlines and targets, so training them up needn’t slow things down.

Complete training in less time — The course is completed in a few hours, rather than a full day, and can be taken at a pace that suits the individual.

Reduce travel time, costs and organisation – Online training eliminates any travel time, costs or associated administration to arrange for multiple colleagues to attend a face-to-face course.

The new Managing Forklift Operations e-learning course is available now.

For further information contact Amy Alton of Mentor FLT Training on 01246 555222.

Lack of confidence Regardless of potential peer pressure, it’s vital that standards are upheld, for everybody’s sake — those on site will be kept safe from accidents and injuries, your managers (and your business) will be meeting their legal responsibilities and your operations will remain productive. By ensuring your managers have a firm grasp of what’s safe and what isn’t, they will feel confident in stopping bad practice in its tracks. Empowering them with the skills and knowledge to do so will also show them they have your backing to make safety a priority.

Please don’t forget that BFFF has a range of assured guidance available such as the Materials Handling Equipment Observational Guidance. This guidance provides details of a methodology that can be adopted by organisations to carry out observation assessments of their operatives using MHE (materials handling equipment). It also provides additional information to ensure that supervisors are competent and knowledgeable about how to complete such an assessment.

The guidance will assist organisations in meeting their obligations under Regulation 9 of PUWER and to achieve the aims of Paragraph 75 of the ACoP L117. For further information contact simonbrentnall@bfff.co.uk January / February 2020 | 51

UPCOMING EVENTS Two great conferences brought to you by the

British Frozen Food Federation

TECHNICAL

HEALTH & SAFETY

Confirmed speakers include:

Confirmed speakers include:

The Government Chemist ‘Priorities for the industry and the work programme for 2020 - 2023’

Dr Shaun Lundy ‘Challenges of the Health and Safety Practitioner’

WRAP - Tackling Food Waste

Sam Bradbrook, Futurist ‘The Future World of Work’

The National Food Crime Unit - ‘The increase in food fraud in a global market’

Terry Mallard The Black Museum (Enforcement Stories)

Other topics include:

Other topics include:

• • •

• • •

Emerging Technologies Cybercrime Artificial Intelligence For more information email: deniserion@bfff.co.uk

Mental Health Well-being Modern Slavery For more information email: simonbrentnall@bfff.co.uk

Thursday 14th May 2020 British Motor Museum, Warwickshire CV35 0BJ To book tickets go to: https://tickets.bfff.co.uk To book an exhibitor stand at either of these conferences contact Kate Miller Mob: 07793 499871 / Email: katemiller@bfff.co.uk Inspirational Speaker: Chris Moon, MBE ‘Step Beyond’ While supervising mine-clearance in Mozambique in 1995, Chris Moon was blown up in a supposedly clear area of the safety lane. He lost his lower right leg and right arm and survived only through sheer determination. Less than a year after leaving hospital, he ran the London Marathon, raising money for charities assisting the disabled, defying all expectations for his own future. He has since completed more than fifteen other marathons, including the punishing Marathon des Sables, which is a 137 mile race across the Sahara.

The Bulletin

Membership update Kate Miller, BFFF membership account manager, welcomes new members and updates us on the exciting developments at head office.

Thank you to everyone who attended the BFFF Annual Luncheon in November. We had a fantastic turnout with nearly 900 people in the room and as you can see from the coverage in this edition, there was plenty of networking to be done and your continued support is appreciated. We now look forward to the BFFF Business Conference and People Awards on 5th March.

In the last few months we have seen several new members join BFFF to take advantage of the many opportunities we offer to engage with the frozen food community and understand more about the performance, trends and challenges we face as an industry.

Comma are food and beverage data specialists. Recognised as market leaders in information management, Comma provides the skills, processes and knowledge you need to become a data-driven organisation.

EFAFLEX specialises exclusively in the design and manufacture of high-speed doors for industrial and commercial applications. With more than 90 different models in its portfolio, including spiral, folding and roll-up door styles, there is a solution to match every application and budget.

Brecon Foods, established in 1990, is a frozen food merchant actively doing business in more than 52 countries worldwide. Brecon serves as your personalised gateway to new markets and quality products.

We welcome back Sam Browne into membership, whose expertise includes new product development coupled with advanced technical and manufacturing capabilities to develop bespoke solutions based on your exact requirements.

Maris Foods has offices in Warrington and Hull and an experienced team dedicated to supplying some of the UKs largest retail, wholesale and foodservice customers with more than 6,000 tons of high quality frozen seafood.

JDM Food Group is innovation led and operates from a state-of-the-art facility in Lincolnshire. It delivers a total solution service from the supply of core ingredients through to the manufacture of roasted vegetables, sauces, dressings and marinades.

Luiten Food Group is a large family-owned processing and distribution company of meat and seafood. Offering a wide range of products from exotic game meats to lamb and mutton, it services the retail, foodservice, wholesale and further processing industries.

We look forward to welcoming these new members at upcoming events and can't wait to see you all at the Business Conference on 5th March at the Chesford Grange Hotel. Book your tickets now at tickets.bfff.co.uk Plans are now afoot for the Gala Dinner Dance and Annual Luncheon. There are new and exciting opportunities for you to become an event partner - get in touch today for more information!

Tel: 01400 664320 Mob: 07793 499871 Email: katemiller@bfff.co.uk

January / February 2020 | 53

Maris Seafoods Ltd Christian Riber and Steven Tilston co-founded Maris in 2015 with the support of Sirena Group. Having identified a gap in the market for a high-end seafood marketing company without the overheads most other well-established companies appeared to have, their approach was simple: clean seafood, lean business, and keen pricing.

At Maris we promote sales of wild caught seafood from across the world. Our bespoke team is truly passionate about the seafood industry and strives to bring a new and innovative approach which in turn complements our clients' service to their customers with continuity of flawless seafood, servicing EU and UK retailers, foodservice, processors and wholesalers.

We have eight staff based in our Hull and Warrington offices in the UK and back up in our Copenhagen headquarters.

We have long-standing close cooperations with an assortment of fishing vessels around the world. In some instances, exclusive sales and marketing rights for 100% of their catch. In addition, fully utilised workshops processing groundfish.

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During the first few years our key focus was on building a strong client base. Now established, we feel it necessary to help market frozen food.

The quality of frozen seafood over fresh is clear by a mile and fresh/ refreshed sales not only promote lower quality, but significantly more waste, which is a detriment to the planet and the future of it.

It’s a corporate social responsibility path we have set out on and it won’t stop at the BFFF. We will engage in the support of a marine conservation programme in 2020 to help safeguard our seas.

Having global access and group knowledge has helped us lay our foundations over the last four years and we are confident our strategy for the future will contribute towards game-changing seafood.

Contact Tel: 01925 649236 Email: info@marisseafoods.co.uk Website: www.marisseafoods.co.uk

EFAFLEX UK Limited EFAFLEX are global leaders in the design, manufacture and installation of high-speed doors for industrial and commercial applications. Founded in 1974, it is the only company worldwide that specialises in high-speed doors with installations across 50 countries and five continents.

We are a privately-owned, family run business with our head office based in Bruckberg, Germany. We employee nearly 1,400 staff worldwide with our centrally positioned office in Telford providing a speedy UK-wide service.

With a heritage of nearly 50 years, we work with many high street supermarkets and their supply chains.

At EFAFLEX we offer a door solution for every application and budget.

With three main door opening styles; spiral, roll-up and folding, each is configured to suit the specific needs of the client and focused on delivering cost saving benefits, improved user safety and driving performance efficiencies.

Rapidly becoming the product of choice, EFAFLEX supply to businesses across most industry sectors, including food production, processing and logistics.

Our market-leading spiral design is the world’s fastest vertically opening door, with operating speeds of up to four metres per second.

They are not only engineered to the highest standards using quality materials, but can also reduce energy costs by as much as 50%.

Within facilities, EFAFLEX doors can be seen in all significant areas, including loading bays to speed up logistics, production lines to improve the efficiencies within materials and handling, and production where our deep freeze option (TK-100) is the first truly single-door solution that couples the highest speeds with the best insulation values.

We have joined the BFFF to network with like-minded companies, share views, discuss future trends and ultimately showcase how EFAFLEX are driving business improvements within the food processing, production and logistics industry. l

Reduce energy costs by up to 50%

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Improve user safety and drive performance efficiencies

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A high-speed door for every application

Contact Tel: 01952 582641 Email: marketing@efaflexuk.com Website: www.efaflex.co.uk January / February 2020 | 55

The burger bun effect: How good data management makes it easier to respond to market trends

Poor data management

Big Chain Burger Co

Offering a standard sesame burger bun

Isn't brioche a pastry? Poor data management means slow response and even slower implementation.

Good data management You want brioche? They've got brioche. MDM makes it quick and easy to respond to trends.

Market disruptor...

Fancy brioche buns

offered by small, agile business that can quickly respond to market demand

Unhappy customers

Happy customers

Sesame is so last season.

Customer goes elsewhere.

Profit declines, further limiting agility.

Know they can get what they want.

Sales increase. Business is ready for the next trend. Smiles all round.

Comma Group Limited Comma are data management experts with years of experience within the food and beverage, retail and hospitality sectors.

Recognised by Gartner as global market leaders in Information Management Consultancy, Comma takes a pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to data systems and processes.

Comma data services delivers value to your business regardless of which stage of your data journey you are at:

We are driven by business outcome and long-term success for our clients. We place a high focus on people and process as well as technology. We are not just another system integrator but instead a strategic partner invested in delivering solutions that align to your business objectives. We aim to connect people and data, allowing our clients to realise the true value of their information and to become data-driven organisations.

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Advice on data strategy and compliance

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Master data solutions for product, customer and supplier data

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Particular expertise in recipe and ingredient data management including allergens and nutritional/calorific data

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Data quality and data governance

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Guide your business through a data change programme

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System delivery, integration and ongoing support and enhancement

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Contact Tel: 01926 911820 Email: info@comma-group.com Website: www.comma-group.com

The Bulletin The Bulletin

M EM B ER N EWS

From transport partners to solicitors, suppliers to retailers, The Bulletin Industry Directory is your go-to guide for member services.

Lineage Logistics

Reed Boardall

Industry Directory

Updates from BFFF members

January / February 2020 | 57

200+ global facility locations.

1.5 billion cubic feet of capacity.

End-to-end cold chain solutions.

Expanding our UK footprint in Heywood and Peterborough and reimagining your food supply chain.

LINEAGELOGISTICS.COM

The Bulletin

IN D USTRY DIRECTORY

SECTOR

Storage and Distribution

Lineage Lineage Logistics is the industry’s leading innovator in temperature-controlled supply chain and logistics.

Lineage’s expertise in end-to-end logistical solutions, its unrivalled real estate network and its use of technology combine to promote food safety, increase distribution efficiency, advance sustainability, lessen environmental impact and minimise supply chain waste.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jonathan Baker owned businesses increase the efficiency and protect the integrity of their temperaturecontrolled supply chain. In recognition of the company’s leading innovations, Lineage was recognised as the No 1. Data Science company on Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2019, in addition to ranking 23rd overall in an evaluation of thousands of companies worldwide.

ADDRESS Hareshill Road, Heywood, OL10 2TP PHONE 01706 694600 WEBSITE www.lineagelogistics.com

As a result, Lineage helps customers ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small familyJanuary / February 2020 | 59

Reed Boardall

Solutions to

lighten your load

Reed Boardall can provide all the frozen and chilled services you need – and more.

We work round the clock to the shortest response times to ensure fast, next-day delivery, all from our single-site distribution centre, with additional services including multi-temperature distribution, blast-freezing, up-tempering and SSCC labelling. It all adds up to fully integrated logistics for the modern temperature-controlled supply chain.

The Reed Boardall Group, Bar Lane, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire YO51 9NN Tel: 01423 321315 Email: roundtheclock@reedboardall.com

The Bulletin

IN D USTRY DIRECTORY

SECTOR

Integrated cold storage and transport

Reed Boardall

Reed Boardall With a heritage of more than 25 years serving food retailers and food service customers throughout the UK, Reed Boardall has become the trusted partner of many of the key players in the sector. Reliably providing frozen food storage and distribution services from its single site in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, the group prides itself on its customer focus and its ability to foster long-term relationships.

Operating 24/7 to ensure a swift and reliable response to its customers’ needs, the integrated temperature-controlled storage and distribution businesses is supported by its own 170-strong fleet of vehicles which move up to 12,000 pallets a day. The group prides itself on its ‘order today, deliver tomorrow’ promise, enabling it to ensure stock reaches retailers’ shelves swiftly and efficiently.

Established in 1992, Reed Boardall is a family business with Marcus Boardall in the role of chief executive, Graeme Richardson leading its transport division and Andrew Baldwin heading up cold storage operations. Its four cold stores at the 55 acre Boroughbridge site offer a combined capacity of 142,000 pallets.

The group also provides a number of ancillary services including blast freezing, picking and packing.

Having perfected the art of meeting orders by combining different products from various suppliers, Reed Boardall is able to provide efficient and cost-effective next day delivery even for small orders.

Now the largest frozen food consolidator in the UK, Reed Boardall has consistently proved itself to be a reliable, responsive and costeffective partner to the best-known names in the UK food industry.

ADDRESS Bar Lane, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, YO51 9NN PHONE 01423 321315 WEBSITE www.reedboardall.com EMAIL enquire@reedboardall.com

KEY TEAM MEMBERS Marcus Boardall CEO Andrew Baldwin Managing Director, Cold Storage Graeme Richardson Managing Director, Transport Stevland Town Business Development Manager

January / February 2020 | 61

DATES f o r y our

D IARY 2020

3rd- 5th March HRC Show ExCeL London www.hrc.co.uk

The UK's largest foodservices and hospitality event

5th March

BFFF Annual Business Conference & People Awards Chesford Grange Hotel Kenilworth, Warwick CV8 2LD www.bfff.co.uk

Find out about the future of frozen foods

23rd - 25th March

IOSH Managing Safety Course Venue TBC Limited Availability Email: carlabrown@bfff.co.uk www.bfff.co.uk

30th March- 1st April Food & Drink Expo NEC Birmingham

Five UK shows under one roof

21st - 23rd April

Seafood Expo Global Brussels Expo, Belgium www.seafoodexpo.com/global

14th May

Health & Safety Conference British Motor Museum Gaydon, Warwick Technical Conference British Motor Museum Gaydon, Warwick

26th - 27th May

PLMA show Amsterdam www.plmainternational.com

International Trade Show

11th June

BFFF Industry Forum Venue TBC www.bfff.co.uk

Focus on foodservice

11th June

BFFF Gala Dinner Dance & Annual Product Awards London Hilton on Park Lane www.bfff.co.uk

The definitive awards for the frozen food industry

17th September Workplace Transport /Road Risk Seminar Newark Showground

Keep up to date with the latest news www.bfff.co.uk

18th - 22nd October You can now book tickets for all our events online!

Or contact Jilly direct: 01400 283090 Email: jillywallis@bfff.co.uk

SIAL Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.sialparis.com

26th November

Annual Luncheon London Hilton on Park Lane www.bfff.co.uk

Top networking event for retail and foodservice

MEMBER BENEFITS BREXIT & IMMIGRATION SUPPORT

TRAINING SUPPORT

CONTRACTUAL / BUSINESS LAW

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING ADVICE

COMMERCIAL INSURANCE ADVICE

THERMOGRAPHIC RISK ASSESSMENT

PRIMARY AUTHORITY

WORKING WITH YOU TO WIPE OUT FOOD WASTE

CALL: 0845 697 0412

CALL: 0845 697 0410

CALL: 0845 697 0415

CALL: 0845 697 0416

CALL: 0845 697 0414

CALL: 0845 697 0417

CALL: 0845 697 0411

CALL: 0845 697 0418

ENERGY, BROKERAGE & CONSULTANCY

MAJOR INCIDENT GROUP EMAIL: deniserion@bfff.co.uk

HR SUPPORT & TAX ADVICE

CALL: 0845 697 0413

CALL: 0845 697 0419

For more information of any of these benefits, visit our website: http://bfff.co.uk/members/member-benefits

In partnership with:

DON’T MISS OUT ON £1.97M OF SURPLUS REDISTRIBUTION FUNDING. Turning hard to reach food waste into surplus product.

We have the government funding to make it happen.

NO TIME TO WASTE, DON’T MISS OUT. Only 3 months to go!

Get your free government-funded surplus food and drink audit and harness the value of harder to reach surplus.

funding@companyshopgroup.co.uk companyshopgroup.co.uk