Restaurant Update - December 2019

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The latest news, products and services from the restaurant industry, for the restaurant industry December 2019

Featuring BBP Marketing A leading UK Manufacturer of environmentally friendly, reusable polycarbonate drinkware & catering products.

See pages 16-17

Image: Taylor UK Millenium display cabinets

December 2019

4 12 20 44

Industry News Soho Wala Companies of the Year Recommended Suppliers

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All that glistens is gold at St Martins Lane this Christmas There’ll be more than five gold rings in Covent Garden this festive season as St Martins Lane hotel is transformed into a glitzy world of golden glamour in partnership with Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne.

If it can be draped, painted, or decorated in gold, chances are it’ll be found behind the sophisticated doors of this boutique hotel.

The golden wonderland begins at the hotel’s entrance, which will be adorned with clusters of metallic-hued, sequined Christmas trees. Guests will then enter the lobby, which will have been transformed by a festive Midas touch - textured golden foil will swathe the pillars and the check-in desk, creating the impression that the hotel has been wrapped up like a glittering Christmas present. Festive lighting will be further created through an array of candles arranged on top of the reception.

Blind Spot will also receive a similar golden makeover.

The iconic gold hand that marks the entrance to the renowned speakeasy bar will now be gesturing towards the hotel’s decorative tea wall that will be newly wrapped in golden paper. A few cubby holes will be exposed like doors in an advent calendar, revealing a host of miniature golden Christmas trees. Inside the bar, columns will be handsomely dressed in big golden leaves and candles will be piled around the bases of the pillar, creating a cosy atmosphere that is perfect for reclining on one of the comfortable chairs topped with gold sequinned cushions and ordering a gold-themed cocktail.

The golden cocktail list in Blind Spot oozes luxury, as it is based around Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne. Carol-themed offerings include Figgy Pudding (Grey Goose vodka, fig cordial, clarified lime juice and Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne) and Gold Rings (Maker Mark’s bourbon, green apple cordial

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and Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne, all topped with gold dust) – both £14.

Exotic golden botany will be rampant in The Den, too, where a gold themed afternoon tea will be available from 25 November to 5 January. The savouries will focus on Christmas flavours, including a turkey and mushroom quiche and rye bread with smoked salmon, lemon crème fraîche and apple, before a series of glittering sweets will be served including a glistering choux bun with vanilla and hazelnut and a sparkling panna cotta flavoured with cinnamon, candied walnuts and golden sultanas. Prices start at £35 for signature tea, £45 with the addition of a Signature Den G&T, or £48 with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne.

The Den will also host a festive sundown cocktail tea, featuring the same seasonal spread plus three signature cocktails including the indulgent Once Upon a Time (apricot brandy, Malbec, Pimm’s, orange shrub and bitters) and the fruity The Fun Starts Now (Ketel One vodka, vanilla and salted caramel syrup). It will be available from 25 November to 5 January and will be priced at £39.

St Martins Lane will be dressed up in its extravagant golden attire from Monday 25 November onwards.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas at the London Hilton on Park Lane

‘Tis the season to be jolly with friends and family at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

The luxury hotel offers a wonderfully festive and indulgent afternoon tea from 23rd November to 6th January in the stylish Podium Restaurant and Bar. The tea is accompanied with a sumptuous selection of freshly baked scones, in a choice of plain, chocolate chip or raisin. Layer generously with an indulgent filling of your choice – salted caramel spread, Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam.

These special treats provide the perfect opportunity to embrace the magic of Christmas whilst sipping on a warm cup of organic Hope and Glory tea or a chilled glass of Pommery Champagne.

London Hilton on Park Lane’s Festive Afternoon Tea is priced at £39 per person. For added festive sparkle upgrade to a Champagne afternoon tea £49 per person.

After a busy day Christmas shopping, or enjoying the festivities at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, relax and unwind with classic seasonal sandwiches and a selection of festive fancies including a chocolate and chestnut tart, passion and coconut log, chocolate Christmas tree, mulled wine bauble and a strawberry and lime parfait. For the pièce de résistance a ‘letter to Santa’ is gifted, which breaks open to reveal a seasonal surprise.

Located in the heart of Mayfair, London Hilton on Park Lane is an enchanting destination to visit during the festive season. Situated just minutes away from Hyde Park and West End’s famous bars and landmarks, it is the ideal venue to spend Christmas with your loved ones.

For more information on Podium Restaurant and Bar visit www.podiumrestaurant.com or call 020 7208 4022 to make a reservation.

Jamie Oliver to launch new restaurant chain overseas British chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver, whose UK restaurant empire collapsed earlier this year, is launching a new chain of all-day casual dining concept restaurants later this month as part of an expansion of international restaurant operations.

To begin with, Jamie’s Italian sites in Bali and Bangkok will be converted into Jamie Oliver Kitchens and opened under a partnership with franchisee HPL. The Jamie Oliver Kitchen in Bangkok will offer a low and slow short rib cooked in massaman spices, as well as a softshell crab burger with a green papaya salad and sriracha mayonnaise, while the outlet in Bali will offer summer rolls, insanity burger, and beef cheek cooked in local spices.

The celebrity chef’s UK restaurant business collapsed six months ago, forcing the business into administration in May. Efforts to bail out his business failed, resulting in the closure of 22 high-street sites. This included the UK arm of his Italian and training restaurant Fifteen London.

In a television interview in August, Jamie Oliver admitted that the collapse of the UK business was the result of complacency.

After the collapse, Jamie Oliver continued to expand his international reach, opening several restaurants under franchise. In September, he opened Jamie’s Italian in Bergen, Norway.

Jamie Oliver said: “Over the past 20 years, I have travelled around the world to discover exciting flavour combinations, picking up incredible influences along the way. The new restaurants will bring those inspirations to life and serve some of my absolute alltime favourites.”

Jamie Oliver Group chief executive Paul Hunt said: “While diners around the world continue to enjoy our established brands including Jamie’s Italian, we wanted to add to our portfolio and create a concept that allows us to really showcase the best of Jamie Oliver, while giving our franchise partners in each market the flexibility to adapt menus to local tastes and trends.”

Jamie Oliver’s global portfolio comprises 70 restaurants in 27 markets. He is currently working with 20 franchise partners and plans to open 19 more by the end of 2020.

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Costly Christmas in store for hospitality, warns Lynx Purchasing There is likely to be a costly Christmas in store for catering and hospitality operators, as price rises kick in for many festive menu staples, warns buying specialist Lynx Purchasing.

Both turkey and Brussels sprouts, essential components of a traditional Christmas dinner, are forecast to see higher prices in the run-up to the festive season. Other food items, from lemon for the pre-dinner gin & tonic to cream for the Christmas pudding, are also in the inflation firing line.

“While we’re still waiting for clarity on how Brexit, in whatever form it takes, will affect the supply chain, other factors are having an impact as operators get ready for the peak trading season,” says Rachel Dobson, managing director of Lynx Purchasing. “Extreme weather, from the spring floods to the summer heatwave in Europe, has affected many crops, and there are various other challenges facing meat, seafood and dairy.”

as to the improving economy in Eastern Europe.

Pork: African swine fever continues to spread in China, as well as other parts of Asia and Europe, creating high demand for unaffected supplies. Pork prices set a new record in August and are expected to rise further.

Farmed fish: Overcoming any concerns chefs have about using farmed fish is important in supporting sustainability initiatives in the hospitality sector, and farmed fresh and smoked trout is a useful and tasty alternative to salmon on Christmas menus.

The advice comes as Lynx Purchasing publishes the Autumn/Winter 2019 edition of its regular Market Forecast, which offers operators an in-depth look at pricing and product trends over the coming months, using exclusive data gathered from the range of suppliers who work with Lynx Purchasing.

Salads: Recent storms in Spain, thought to be some of the worst in over 100 years, led to some fairly extensive crop losses. Prices will remain high for the foreseeable future as growers try to ‘catch up’. The tomato is now the most expensive crop to cultivate in Spain, with reports suggesting that costs have increased by 20% in the past season.

“All in all, operators who haven’t yet secured the essentials they need for their Christmas menus may find some items in short supply,” adds Dobson.

“Even where they have placed firm orders, they’re likely to have higher-thanexpected bills to pay when it comes to settling up with suppliers in January.

Brassicas: Record rainfall in the spring, followed by a sustained period of record-breaking temperatures, has affected cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage harvests, and volumes of Brussels sprouts are also expected to be lower than usual as the peak season approaches.

“There is some good news. While there were concerns about the quality of the potato crop, in fact supplies are looking to be up to scratch in terms of quality, as well as good value. Most customers probably won’t object to a few more roast potatoes and not so many sprouts, but that won’t be much comfort for operators trying to manage margins across the whole menu.”

Fruit: July’s heatwave across Europe did little to help fruit growers, with the World Apple and Pear Association forecasting that the European apple and pear crop will be significantly lower than last year.

Additionally, heavy storms in some parts of Spain have caused extensive citrus crop damage.

Areas highlighted in the Market Forecast include: Turkey: Turkey prices have been higher than usual for much of the year. This was initially driven by concerns over lack of margin that prompted some farmers to switch to other types of poultry. In addition, there has been a constriction on seasonal workers needed by producers, due in part to Brexit, as well

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Dairy: Increasing demand for dairy from manufacturers in the run-up to Christmas, combined with seasonally lower production, is putting upward pressure on prices. The UK imports considerable amounts of cheese and butter, and whatever the impact of Brexit, European suppliers have other markets for their products as global demand grows.

“There are fewer opportunities to use specials boards to make the best use

of changing availability in the run-up to Christmas,” says Dobson, “as operators have often published menus and taken bookings well in advance. However, any flexibility that can be built into menus will help businesses make the most of the best value produce available “Equally, suppliers are just as concerned as operators about the ongoing political uncertainty and the resulting consumer caution, and will be grateful for any certainty they can get, so operators who can give forecasts of their potential orders to help suppliers plan will be in a stronger position when it comes to price negotiations.”

The Autumn/Winter 2019 Market Forecast is available to download free from the Lynx Purchasing website at Lynx Purchasing Market Forecast Autumn Winter 2019.

Lynx Purchasing works with more than 2,200 accounts in the hospitality and catering sector, on a no-membership and no-contract basis that offers like-for-like products at lower prices and often better quality than operators could obtain by negotiating alone.

As purchasing professionals, Lynx works with leading suppliers in the hospitality and catering industry. These include specialist fresh food suppliers, wines & spirits, catering equipment providers, utilities, and specialist service providers such as telecom, business rates consultancy and waste management.

For more information on Lynx Purchasing, visit www.lynxpurchasing.co.uk call 01325 710143 or email savings@lynxpurchasing.co.uk.

Other Side Fried latest opening sees a return home to Brixton Next Monday 2nd December sees street food favourites, Other Side Fried, opening the doors to their first bricks and mortar restaurant in a converted railway arch in Brixton.

The launch marks a homecoming for the founders, Matt and Tommy, who started the brand five years ago when living in Brixton together took their fried chicken burgers to Brixton night market in their converted food truck. Now, the two are bringing an updated menu of signature burgers,

strips and sauces – with the addition of the team’s very first vegan burger and vegan Dirty Tots!

The site will also serve a drinks menu of Camden Hells lager on tap and NICE white wine cans as well as whisky & coke and gin & tonic cans.

Designed as a 16 cover takeaway restaurant, the site will join Other Side Fried’s kiosks at Leicester Square, Pop Brixton, Peckham Levels and Camden Market – and will mark the fifth anniversary of the brand.

New favourites for the festive season Parsley in Time Christmas collection 2019 includes eco-friendly crackers Whisper it quietly, but Christmas is coming. The festive season is one for much merriment, glitz and glamour, and Parsley in Time brings a touch of style to the table with its new glittering Christmas collections.

One of the centrepieces for festive presentation is the cracker, and Parsley in Time has launched two new ranges to add more choice to the big day’s bangers.

The environmentally-friendly Winter’s Tale collection has been introduced for 2019, so it won’t just be the tree that’s green this Christmas. This FSC certified range features two eco-friendly cracker options, 11” or 12,” available in cases of 50. Both their body and contents are made from responsible sources, and can be complemented by two eco napkin options. These napkins are adorned in a ‘Winter’s Tale’ scene to match the crackers

and are manufactured from 100% recycled paper.

are three content prize packs to pick from.

Meanwhile, the new Sparkle ‘mix and match’ crackers selection provides flexibility for the festivities. These glittery goodies are available in five colours that can all be styled together, alongside a choice of two contents packs. The options on offer provide a solution for an occasion of any size and budget, especially with these crackers coming in cases of 24x12”. Despite their added sparkle, the glitter applied to the crackers is stuck to the board and won’t rub off onto hands or into the environment.

Prices for Parsley in Time’s crackers start from £30.14 for a box of 50 Winter’s Tale 11” Crackers.

For more information, and to shop online, visit www.parsleyintime.co.uk.

For expert advice on tableware and light equipment, or to enquire about exclusive products, call 020 8317 5080 or email info@parsleyintime.co.uk.

In addition to these new festive favourites, Parsley in Time already offers a pre-existing Christmas catalogue. This includes an established selection of crackers, with four colourways available in cases of 50x12”, and two others in 100x11”. To accompany these, there

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‘Tis the Season for Festive Feasting at The Harwood Arms ‘Tis the season for festive feasting, and making it as delicious as possible is top priority at The Harwood Arms.

Crafted by the Queen of Game herself, Head Chef Sally Abé will be serving elegantly traditional seasonal festive inspired dishes worthy of the inevitable food baby. Set in the heart of Fulham, the Michelin-starred pub is founded on a passion to bring the countryside to London, which, when coupled with its cosy and charming atmosphere, is set to provide the perfect setting for an unforgettable Christmas meal. À la Carte Menu The pub’s ‘field to fork’ approach to dining will see decadently festive yet comforting additions to the à la carte. Dishes will include the likes of Whipped goose livers with prune jam; Red legged partridge with creamed kale and bacon and bread sauce, and Eggnog cream with spiced shortbread and stewed fruit – a celebration of wild British produce bound to get diners into the festive spirit.

Ideal for couples and large groups of family and friends alike, the festive

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menu will be available from December 3rd until the end of the month.

Christmas Set Lunch Menu (£49.95) Available from 3rd to 30th December, the restaurant will be transforming its famously good value set lunch menu into a mirthful feast, serving a classic three course spread of Gin cured salmon with citrus, dill cream and buckwheat blinis to start, followed by a sumptuous Roast bronze turkey with all the trimmings.

Ending with a classic finale of Christmas pudding and brandy butter, diners can sit back and enjoy the traditional yet charming atmosphere of Fulham’s best worst-kept secret.

New Year’s Eve Menu (£100pp) Revel in the New Year with a magnificent six-course tasting menu set to leave buttons bursting at the seams in the best way possible. Starring the likes of Shellfish and brandy bisque with crab and caviar gougères and Fallow

Prickett Wellington with creamed potato and greens, the dazzlingly decadent menu will be finished with double desserts - Black forest gâteau with candied walnut ice cream, accompanied by New year millionaire shortbread to end.

To book a table, please telephone The Harwood Arms: +44 (0)20 7386 1847 The Harwood Arms, Walham Grove, London, SW6 1QP www.harwoodarms.com

Christmas with Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Ducasse Paris’ signature chocolate brand, Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse, created and manufactured in Paris, is delighted to introduce its 2019 Christmas collection, which sees this year’s seasonal iteration, the Hexagon take centre stage alongside the brand’s signature artisanal chocolate treats These Christmas treats are now available for purchase at the Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse’s store at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, at their corner in Harrods and online.

Under the creative eye of Ducasse Paris’ artistic director and designer Pierre Tachon, Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse has revamped its Christmas 2019 collection to be inspired by the hexagonal shape.

More than a reflection of the brand’s signature focus on geometrical designs, the hexagon also gives a warm nod to the shape of France on a map.

The new range will feature chocolates of all sizes as well as the Le Chocolat’s signature DIY Christmas Tree returning for its 7th edition.

A new addition for 2019, The Star Tree Spinning Top (£45 – available in milk or dark chocolate) evokes childhood memories full of tenderness and elegance. Inspired by a favourite childhood toy, this tree has two facets: upright, it appears to be streamlined tree however as it tips over, the shape transforms into that of a shooting star. Filled with small hazelnut praline Christmas figurines, it is a singular gift that is sure to delight and surprise.

of Christmas through motifs such as fir branches, stylized pine cone shapes and stars with candied fruits and nuts. The Hexa-Sortment, an assortment of small hexagons in either dark or milk chocolate, holds a unique praline flavor, each with a velvety, light crunch of almond, chestnut or hazelnut, the perfect winter afternoon snack, whilst The Hexa-Star lends itself to the perfect last minute gift, containing a melting center of almond praline and chestnut crumble.

Alongside these new creations, Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse also offers its signature DIY Christmas Tree, available in a dark and milk chocolate version (£52) or fruit and nut (£59). Made of two types of chocolate hexagons, milk and dark, the idea remains the same: to build, share and taste together with family and friends. The DIY Christmas Tree is sold in its specially designed flat box, and comes with white gloves for assembly.

The 2019 Christmas collection complements the assortment of single-origin and flavoured ganaches, pralinés “à l’ancienne”, chocolate bars and more on offer at Le Chocolat Alain

Ducasse all year round. Sourced from more than 15 origins – such as Peru, Sao Tomé, Madagascar, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Vietnam – Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse’s chocolatiers work together to fine-tune chocolates to best express their origins and character, rediscovering the precise and laborious process required for making chocolate with expertise and ingenuity.

Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Christmas Collection is available to purchase instore at Coal Drops Yard and Harrod’s.

Orders can also be placed at the store for UK deliveries (with extra charge).

Follow on Instagram: @ lechocolatalainducasse lechocolat-alainducasse.com #lechocolatalainducasse #ducassemanufacture Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse Coal Drops Yard, 15 Bagley Walk Arches, London, N1C 4DH Monday to Thursday: 10am to 7pm Friday to Saturday: 10am to 8pm Sunday: 12pm to 6pm

This year sees the new hexagonal Advent Calendar (£45) take you on a “Journey to the center of the Cocoa Jungle” illustrated by the artist Agathe Singer and paying homage to the French impressionist, Douanier Rousseau. Singer has created a colourful and imaginative jungle in a landscape of dreamlike nature and quirky animal details. Behind each day, Le Chocolat’s latest creation awaits, including sugar-coated almonds, praline bonbons, mini chocolate bars and a very special final surprise. Singer’s playful illustrations also adorn the Discovery Box (£43), a mix of 30 classic and exclusive bonbon flavours.

Weaving the hexagonal theme across the collection, The Hexa-To Share (£22), The Hexa-Sortment (£32 for 13 pieces) and The Hexa-Star (£14 each) brings a touch of charm and elegance to the festive season and can be shared by the whole family or offered as gifts for loved ones.

Available in dark and milk chocolate, The Hexa-To Share is decorated with geometric shapes that evoke the spirit

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Taylor UK launches latest version of the Millennium ice cream and pastry display cabinets

One in a Millennium!

ISA has released a new version of its most popular ice cream/gelato display cabinet, the Millennium. Distributed

by Taylor UK, the new cabinets are equipped with advanced technology, excellent build quality, and are even more durable, innovative, and sustainable than previous models.

glass panel and, with the narrower upper glass supports, it allows customers greater opportunity to see the products on display.

The ISA Millennium not only looks good, it is easy to use too. The rear curtain, with magnetic closing and side runners, means operators can The refrigeration system offers open the cabinet easily with one caterers sustainable technology, with hand. Alternatively, caterers can all models using R290 propane, which choose to equip the display cabinet is environmentally friendly and fully with a plexiglass sliding door system. compatible with European standards. The internal design of the unit, including the dust filter for cleaning The optional Dual Temperature the condenser and the double function allows the gelato display drain valve, makes daily cleaning cabinet to switch temperature easily operations easy. The front glass is to become a pastry display cabinet. equipped with hermetic seals and Its sleek good looks include a choice the curtain with side runners helps of either a curved or straight front caterers save energy by reducing heat loss as well as minimising the risk of external contamination.

To help caterers manoeuvre the display cabinet it is equipped with rear brake casters, heightadjustable feet, and rear handles.

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The Millennium’s exterior panels, which come as standard in bright white, can be customised, with any RAL colours, to adapt the cabinet to compliment a colour scheme.

“The new Millennium is a fabulous new product,” says David Rees, marketing manager at Taylor UK. “Not only is it energy saving and easy to clean, its sleek design means it looks stunning.

With the massive interest in ice cream and gelato, we expect it to make a big impact.”

Taylor UK is part of the Hubbard Taylor Group (HTG Trading Ltd) and is the exclusive distributor of the Taylor, Frigomat, Prática and Quality Fry ranges in the UK, and a preferred supplier of ISA and TurboChef equipment.

Taylor UK distributes direct or via dealers nationwide and has over 45 years experience in sales, product development, distribution, service and aftercare specific to the UK marketplace.

For more information and details of local stockists, freephone Taylor UK on 0800 838 896, call 01473 350000, email sales@taylor-company.co.uk or visit www.taylor-company.co.uk

‘COFFEE TASTING’ FROM ARTIS®

Tailor-made for serving coffee with style

Coffee Tasting is a new collection of beverage service crockery from Tafelstern, an international manufacturer of tableware. It is distributed on an exclusive basis

by Artis®, the country’s foremost distributor of tabletop products to the UK foodservice industry.

‘COFFEE TASTING’ Oozing Continental style, this new white porcelain range is designed to fit perfectly with today’s café culture.

This multi-functional collection features a vast choice of matching cups and high lipped saucers, handle-less cupping bowls, plates, cereal bowls and hot chocolate mugs together with matching glasses. It is undoubtedly the perfect collection to indulge a Barista’s passion for serving great tasting coffee.

The Coffee Tasting range works well in conjunction with all of Tafelstern’s tabletop porcelain collections and can be complemented by the recently launched range of tableware accessories in the Playground range.

List prices of cups start at £5.99 with a matching deep saucer from £3.50.

Coffee Tasting is just one amongst a myriad of tabletop ideas contained in the Artis portfolio.

This may be viewed online at: www.artis-uk.com/downloads. For a free hard copy of the complete Artis 2019 illustrated price list, call 020 8391 5544.

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Soho Wala

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This Indian street food twist restaurant is attached to the ever popular courthouse hotel and is directly opposite liberty shop and one minute from oxford circus.

This interesting and well-priced (for this area) restaurant serves up an arrangement of well spiced and beautifully presented street food. The Panl Puri comes out in a movable cart, a must for the instagram posters. I would recommend being brave and trying various dishes the chicken biryani and pomegranate raita gave a fantastic mixture of flavour texture and taste, plus the mini garlic naan’s complemented the mains.

The decoration in the restaurant provides a back drop of contemporary Middle Eastern, offering private booths and spacious dinning. The service is attentive and our waiter had great knowledge of the dishes he served, which is handy as the menu display was varied. The wine list complements the dishes on the menu and attentive waiters meant our glasses were hardly empty.

Overall solo wala offers an escape from the pretentious restaurants in this area, it’s fun and varied, offering great presentation for those quirky food pictures at good value prices. The street food vibe is subtle; therefore the restaurant still portrays a classy environment, with blended taste and western spice level. This is an experience not be missed. www.sohowala.com

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INTERNATIONAL FLAIR AND ZEST AT JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW The glamour of European furniture and the verve of international ingenuity will be in abundance at January Furniture Show 2020.

From seating to lighting and rugs to decorative objects from around the world, over 40 International companies will show their latest models and collections.

Running from 19th -22nd January at Birmingham’s NEC, the 4 day trade show will see over 500 UK and international exhibitors show their latest developments and new ranges - presenting buyers with the perfect opportunity to select furniture and accessories from around the globe without the need for a passport.

Introducing buyers to style trends from every part of the world is a feature of January Furniture Show.

Scandi cool, Italian chic and Oriental exotic are favoured design modes and will be much in evidence amongst the international exhibitors.

More modern and unusual geographic design characteristics

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and fashions will capture the attention of buyers with clever texture and colour combinations.

After a successful show in 2019, Dutch table and chair specialist Hartmann are returning with more of their technically advanced resin chairs and dining tables.

Cutting edge design and funky looks make their furniture stand out from the crowd. Seating of a different kind will be provided

by Violino, one of China’s leading upholstery manufacturers who have large inhouse design and production resources. It will show a varied selection of their classic and contemporary sofas, chairs and recliners in fabrics and leathers.

Matera in Italy is home to Calia Trade, they also had a successful January Furniture Show in 2019 and will show more of their Italian pizazz in

2020 as vibrant and ultra-modern sofas, beds, modular and swivel chairs will be on display in their colourful and texture rich designs for the year ahead. Fellow Italians Ego Italiano, Italia Living and Tomasella are JFS favourites and will all show their high-end sumptuous leather and fabric upholstery models - in both natural and colourful hues.

Streamlined Italian living and dining furniture in high gloss and high style will be on show from luxury Italian cabinet experts ALF who pride themselves on their continual dedication to technological innovation and Camel Group who continually research new materials will show new space saving, trendsetting designs, which are not only striking head-turners but are beautifully engineered too. New collections for living, dining and bedroom will be on show from both

companies using mixed materials and new finishes.

German bedroom cabinet expertise is renowned and Weimann, Rauch and Nolte return to January Furniture Show in 2020 with their infinitely flexible, ever developing and practical bedroom storage solutions.

A multitude of styles and finishes with details unique to each will be Hall 4 features. Denmark’s Skovby are the experts of Scandi cool and their effortlessly stylish living and dining collections - which reveal the smooth beauty of the woods they use, will again be a hit in Hall 2.

From the Republic of Ireland Alfrank will demonstrate their modern approach to living and dining furniture, multi case supplier VIDA Living will introduce both new cabinet and upholstery collections.

Belgium is represented by expert

upholstery manufacturer ROM, whose distinctive sofas include everything from corner suites to compact two seaters. SITS are one of Poland’s biggest upholstery manufacturers and they return with new sofas and chairs in their individual relaxed trademark style and colour choices aplenty.

In LIGHT@JFS – January Furniture Show’s dedicated lighting sector, WOFI from Germany will exhibit at the show for the first time. With a 60 year history and firm focus on innovation in the 400+ new designs they launch on to the market each year, they have an extensive collection of eye-catching, contemporary designs to show buyers.

Gwinner and Stone Italia are just a few of other companies making an international splash at January Furniture Show in 2020.

To see the full list of UK and international exhibitors, and to register for your free attendance please go to: www.januaryfurnitureshow.com

The list of international companies of note is extensive: Artedi, Bontempi, Blue Bone, Global Home, PAGE

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BBP Marketing, a market leader in enviro reusable polycarbonate drinkware and c

In 1882 BBP originally started off life as a ship chandler in Liverpool, known as Charles Buckley & Sons.

Wooden items, such as brushes and buckets were supplied to the trade.

The brushes were the key product made by the business and ended up gaining interest in the brewing industry. Upon entering this previously unexplored territory, the company put its wood working skills to use manufacturing cask closures.

By 1917, Charles Buckley & Sons had outgrown its current premises so abandoned ship - as it were - and moved to Mirfield, West Yorkshire where we still are today.

The company then divided into two - Buckley’s Brushes and The British Bung Company.

Brush soldiered on until the early 2000’s, even helping with the war effort of WW2 by making ammunition boxes.

The British Bung Company is still going today, making the same wooden cask closures we did back in 1917.

Fast forward 60 years or so, manufacturing had drastically modernised, so British Bung needed to catch up. This is where BBP was started, or British Bung Plastics. An injection moulding business was born; one that is now a leading UK manufacturer of reusable polycarbonate drinkware and catering products.

We are now a 24 hour manufacturing site with 80,000 square feet of working space, supplying UK made products all over the world.

Our main market for many years has been the drinks industry. We have worked to create a large range of drinkware of all shapes and sizes to cater for the varied needs of the end user – usually nightclubs and bars.

All of our Elite range is manufactured from premium, food grade polycarbonate. This makes our products virtually unbreakable, so almost endlessly reusable. We expect our products to last a minimum of 1000 uses. Once they come to the end of their long life, they are 100% recyclable. This

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onmentally friendly, catering products

We have also released a small batch of chefs pinch bowls that go hand in hand with the plate. Available in 4 different sizes 2.5”, 3”, 4” and 5” They are great for use in the kitchen to hold different types of ingredients or seasoning. Or even on at the dinner table for snacks, dips and sauces.

Again, being made from virtually unbreakable polycarbonate, the risk of breakages is practically nonexistent. This rules out the risk of smashed bits of glass finding their way into food products – particularly vital in a commercial kitchen.

As well as looking at the catering industry, BBP have been itching to make an impact on the coffee market. Many years ago, we released a coffee cup as well as a latte cup, but only in an 8oz size. The market has grown exponentially since then, so it was time to catch up with the trend. We now have a proper mug design in two larger sizes – 12oz and 16oz; both available in clear or white.

involves grinding up the polycarbonate into pellets and feeding them back into the injection moulding industry.

Why throw something away when you can reuse it.

We are expecting sales of the mug to lean more towards the coffee related end user, but in actual fact, the product is suitable for any kind of hot drink.

BBP started dipping its toes into the catering industry when we first started making jugs. We even won a contract with the NHS to design and manufacture a jug, exclusively to be used by the UK’s Hospital network.

This certainly gave us a taste for the potential of catering products.

As well as being incredibly strong, polycarbonate has fantastic insulating qualities. Even with a fresh cup of tea, the mug will not be too hot to touch. With all that heat being kept in, your drink will stay warmer for a lot longer than the ceramic equivalent too.

In fairly quick succession, we have released a small range of chef’s pinch bowls, two sizes of coffee mug and a dinner plate, complete with stacking rings and covers.

For more information on our products, please visit bbpmarketing.co.uk, and take a look at our Instagram page too @bbp_marketing.

The plate is of an industry standard size (10.5”), suitable for all types event. The vented stacking rings allow each plate to be loaded with food, and then stacked on top of each other without the risk of damaging each serving. Then our vented plate cover can be placed on the top plate, keeping its contents warm. These stacks can then be placed in a heated banqueting trolley until they are served.

Making the products out of polycarbonate alleviates any risk of frequent breakages when using the equivalent in porcelain. No breakages obviously saves the cost of having to replace the broken items. And don’t forget the time saved not having to clean up hazardous shards from the kitchen floor.

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RESTAURANT

UPDATE

FRI-JADO IS HIGHLY COMMENDED IN FCSI SUSTAINABLE CATERING EQUIPMENT AWARD Fri-Jado’s range of Custom Counters was highly commended in the FCSI (UK & Ireland) Sustainable Catering Equipment Award 2019.

The presentation of the award was made at a gala dinner on 14 November, during the Catering Equipment Suppliers’ Association (CESA) Annual Conference held at the Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel.

Fri-Fado demonstrated that its Custom Counters incorporate innovative features, which deliver sustainability on several levels, not least in terms of energy efficiency.

The counters feature the company’s unique and patent pending OmniCold refrigeration system, which works by blanketing the food on display from all sides. A low velocity air flow of approximately 120 m3/h/m circulates above and below the food. This feature combines the benefits of forced and static air flow cooling systems. The OmniCold air flow system, together with efficient LED lighting, DC fans, triple pane insulated side glass and a fully insulated shell, significantly reduces energy consumption to 4.54 kWh/day/m2 at 3M0. This figure is some 43% below the ECA Energy Efficiency Index threshold.

OmniCold refrigeration technology, with low velocity air circulation, also delivers accurate holding temperatures, reducing the rate of growth of pathogens and spoilage organisms, whilst slowing down physiological, biochemical and physical processes within food.

This helps to ensure that food is maintained at perfect quality and appearance, over extended periods, reducing the amount of merchandise that may be price discounted or thrown away, due to product deterioration.

Fri-Jado has led the way in phasing out the use of refrigerants with higher ozone depletion potential, such as R404A and R410A. Its Custom Counters have been designed to operate efficiently with wide range of energy efficient,

18 PAGE

future-proof refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP), minimising the impact on the environment. Refrigerant options offered for use with the counters include R744/CO2, R455A and glycol for remote systems and R1234yf for integral systems.

In the development of its Custom Counter range, Fri-Jado has addressed issues, relating to the depletion of the planet’s precious raw materials. The high build quality and durable components used in the construction of the counters ensure that they have a longer operational life than competitive models.

The inherent smart design means that the majority of components are compatible with future store upgrades, with all external panels,

cladding, interior, worktops and even the glass suitable for use in refurbished or upgraded counters.

When the products eventually reach their end-of-life cycle, they are 99% recyclable.

Fri-Jado UK’s Director of National Accounts, Gary Thacker, stated: “We are proud of the recognition we have received in this prestigious award category, against very stiff competition.

We have adopted and will continue to practise a holistic approach to sustainability, encompassing green production techniques and an ongoing commitment to the development of equipment, which sets the standard in our business sector. We are confident that we are helping food retailers and foodservice operators reduce their impact on the environment.”

INTERIORS

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Register now at januaryfurnitureshow.com

RESTAURANT

UPDATE

It’s been a busy year for Aloha

by NFS, the leading EPOS software for restaurants, bars and hotels – and 2020 is looking even more positive.

Busy year of growth for NFS Technology Group and Aloha EPOS

By Luis De Souza, CEO of NFS Technology Group

The company has seen existing clients expanding internationally, new clients coming on board and technology partners being selected to add further strength to the Aloha mix.

Here’s just a flavour of some of the big developments in 2019.

New partners Keeping ahead of trends in the hospitality industry is vital in these quick-changing times, and NFS is constantly building on the capabilities of Aloha to meet new demand.

Deliveroo: With home delivery opening up new revenue streams for many restaurants, NFS added integration with Deliveroo to its armoury this year.

Head of Sales and Marketing, Chris Cartmell says: “Aloha now really streamlines the process of fulfilling home orders for many restaurants.

“When a customer orders via Deliveroo, the Aloha takeout management system displays the order at exactly the right time on a tablet in the kitchen or prints it via the kitchen printer – there’s no need to re-key the order into the system.

“This saves staff time and means the order is prepared swiftly for delivery with the minimum of admin.”

Alexa: Aloha’s new Voice Ordering service harnesses Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant to provide customers with an incredibly effortless link to your restaurant or bar. It works like this: Customer: “Hey, Alexa – open the app for my favourite eating place.”

Alexa: “Would you like your usual?”

The customer says yes or no, making another selection if necessary, then agrees the delivery or collection time.

The order is relayed instantly to the restaurant kitchen and payment is taken automatically.

20 PAGE Companies of the Year

Como: Aloha is now partnered with this leading customer loyalty program, which helps hospitality businesses keep track of all their customers and know their every move—then motivate them to come back and spend more.

Kitchen CUT: NFS has consolidated its relationship with this unique software that helps chefs designing meals to track potential allergens right down to ingredient level, and also provides a tremendous ability to calculate and cost individual dishes and menus.

9 reasons why hospitality businesses choose Aloha by NFS

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1. Handheld devices

Aloha customers Aloha by NFS is used by a wide range of hospitality businesses across the world, including Hawksmoor and Dishoom, who appreciate the way it streamlines operations, controls stock and labour and reduces waste.

But several clients have made some particularly significant moves during 2019 with the help of the more-than-EPOS system. They include: BrewDog: The incredibly successful UK based craft beer brewing and bar company uses Aloha across its estate – and recently extended it to Australia.

Chris Cartmell says: “BrewDog have successfully opened their DogTap Brisbane, which is a brewery as well as bar, and asked for support from Aloha by NFS. “We sent all of the technology Down Under, and it’s up and running perfectly for this amazingly ambitious and innovative customer.”

BrewDog have also opened another DogTap in Berlin, and are due to open an Outpost branch in Dublin.

Coyote Ugly: The bar chain has continued to expand across the UK – and will soon be operating as far afield as Cologne in Germany and Singapore, with launches planned.

New clients have also been gaining the benefits of Aloha by NFS all through the year – one of the latest is the M Restaurant group, which has merged with a long-standing Aloha customer, the Argentinian-style steak restaurant group Gaucho.

Aloha is operating in the fine dining sphere, too – in September, chef Ben Tish opened Norma at the Stafford on Charlotte Street in Fitzovia, London, inspired by his travels around the Southern Mediterranean.

WATCH THE VIDEO * Learn more about Aloha by NFS at

www.nfs-hospitality.com

Servers use handheld devices including tablets and smartphones to take customers’ orders and payments right at tableside, while managers gain an end-to-end view of operations online from their mobile or laptop.

2. Speedier service Serving staff send orders direct to the kitchen, where the POS software integrates with kitchen automation screens or printers so the meal is delivered swiftly. And after the meal, staff can take payment at tableside, splitting bills easily.

3. More engaged guests The technology captures important information about your guests from the minute they book online. This includes info on their preferences – eg vegan food, or a preferred table – so you can create targeted email offers to bring them back again.

4. Easier course management You can split courses to help the kitchen, and make changes such as a starter being chosen as a main course. You can also set the kitchen up so the printer or screen displays the correct information to each station, such as a grill chef.

5. Better menu management With Aloha restaurant management technology, you can manage the display for different times of day so staff don’t have a huge menu to deal with. You display a screen layout appropriate to the job code of the staff member.

6. Flexible order management Aloha provides flexible table maps where you allocate specific orders to specific tables. It allows you to transfer the whole or part of the ticket, and merge or split tables up if guests move.

7. Improved control of costs, allergens and waste Aloha technology gives restaurant owners valuable control over areas ranging from cost reduction to ingredient selection and allergen warnings.

It tracks your most popular menu items, spotting trends and delivering accurate forecast reports. It helps you make good procurement decisions and cuts waste.

8. Better cash management Aloha restaurant POS tracks all transactions in real time so your cash position is always immediately visible.

9. Upskilled staff Aloha is intuitive to use, and staff can be taking orders within a couple of hours so there’s little disruption.

Companies of the Year PAGE 21

RESTAURANT

UPDATE

HOT AIR FRYER / HOT AIR DRAWER / HOT AIR OVEN NO EXTRATION + NO FAT + NO MESS SMALL FOOTPRINT - PLUG & PLAY MODEL 13amp The Quik n’ Crispy ® countertop 13amp unit offers simplicity and versatility.

Many operators want to serve the Ubiquitous Chips/Fries/ Wedges but often can’t.

It could be premises limitations, or maybe the landlord won’t permit deep fat fryers, or there’s insufficient extraction, or limited power availability.

Here’s the answer to overcome most, if not all, of these obstacles limiting your profits.

The model GF11D solution offers the potential to expand your menu giving customers many of the most popular food-on-the-go items.

In addition to the potato products mentioned, think Sweet Potato Fries; Pizzas–traditional or Skinny; breaded Mozzarella Sticks, Spring Rolls; Samosas; Onion Rings; Chicken Nuggets; Fish Fingers; Scampi; Hot Dogs; grilled corn cobs; and more For an on-trend offer to meet individual customer preferences in this rapidly changing food world, a simple way to meet these diverse demands is to use separate cook drawers:

• Vegan – use a brown handled drawer • Vegetarian – use a green handled drawer • Meat or other Animal Protein products – use a black handled drawer

There is minimal potential for cross contamination: the searing high heat from the forced hot air, plus radiant heat, plus the elevated perforated drawer system, reduces particulates which are burned off, and the effective hot air movement ensures hot air reaches every corner for speedy results.

Programmable Touch Pad controls allow one-touch operation and up to 15 pre-programmed menu items.

Ease of use and simplicity of operation means just about anyone can quickly become familiar and be producing your menu within minutes.

Used extensively in the Prison service, these compact and fast hot air units are now making headway into the high street and brewery markets .

Equip Line has a 200msq well equipped Live Kitchen that customers are very welcome to visit to test their own products in the unit.

Call to arrange a demonstration on 01895 272236, or email info@equipline.co.uk 22 PAGE Companies Of The Year

www.equipline.co.uk

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NIECO Conveyor Char-Broilers Save Money, Make Money, and Consistently Cook Your Product to bring customers back Again - and Again - and Again After all ten thousand+- BK’s can’t be wrong!

Cook Chamber Close-Up

Multi-product 3 Lane Nieco Conveyor Char-Broiler shown left.

• Use for Rare, Medium, Well Done • OR Red Meats, Chicken, Vegetables • OR designate to suit your own food offering.

Plus many other models!

For those of you not able to visit the NAFEM food equipment show this year, you can see the system in action and TASTE What’s Cookin’ in Downtown Uxbridge, Middlesex – also minus Potato Rolls!!

Not quite the same ambience as Orlando, Florida, but the cooked products are just as the Ad says – you have to Taste it to believe it!

Whether Burgers, or Steaks, or Tandoor Chicken or Lamb koftas or Kebabs, or Lobster tails, or chargrilled vegetables, come and taste all.

Equip Line’s Live Kitchen can be booked by phoning 01895 272236. Or ask to speak to a NIECO Char-Broiler expert: info@equipline.co.uk also works!

Companies Of The Year PAGE 23

DO YOUR CUSTOMERS LIKE TIPPING? While we may not be quite as big on the tipping culture as other countries, such as the USA, there’s no doubt that tipping has become ingrained in our ‘dining out’ experience. UK consumers use tipping to show their approval of their experience with you and there are major variations in the generosity of tips across the country. According to a new study commissioned by Valitor amongst 2000 UK consumers, 34% of Londoners and 30% in Scotland & NI believe you should always tip, compared to 22% in Wales & the Midlands, and only 19% in the South West. No matter what part of the country your business resides, no tip can speak as loudly as a healthy one when it comes to analysing how well your establishment is rated. Although UK consumers generally don’t like tipping and most would not leave a tip at all if the service was poor, there is a clear generational divide when it comes to tipping preferences. Understanding these preferences is essential, especially if you want to increase customer retention and receive glowing reviews.

The generational divide.

Gen Z are twice as likely as Boomers to think you should always tip even if service wasn’t that great. When it comes to working out how to split the bill and how much to tip, Gen Z and Gen Y find this part extremely frustrating - with more than 1 in 3 wanting suggested tip amounts on the card machine so they don’t have to do the maths. Ensuring that your card terminal has the feature to automatically split the bill or suggest the amount of tip, could really help you succeed in this part of the dining experience.

Payment is your customer’s biggest frustration.

So much effort goes into ensuring that every customer receives top level service; from the moment they enter your establishment, creating the right ambience, ensuring their food is delivered correctly, that sometimes it’s easy to forget the bill at the end of it all. In fact, 51% of our respondents stated that their

biggest frustration was catching the attention of their waiting staff to ask for the bill and then waiting for the bill to arrive. With 8 in 10 restaurant customers preferring to pay by card, making sure you deliver your bill swiftly and having your card terminal ready for payment, will help your customers make the speedy exit they are hoping for!

Customers want control of how they tip and how much.

Your customers’ largest concern with tipping is their suspicion about whether tips will be shared fairly. Being transparent about your tipping policy would certainly reduce some of these suspicions. Especially with baby boomers, they prefer service not to be included in the bill, so they can make their own decision about how much to tip. Most would not leave a tip at all if service is poor – but more than half would leave a tip over 10% for excellent service. At the end of the day, customers want to control how much they tip – so make sure you make this decision as easy as possible for them.

Once you’ve agreed that tipping is here to stay for your business and appreciate that your customers do not like tipping, the next step is upgrading to technology that better suits your customer base. If most of your customers are Gen Z and Gen Y, it makes sense to upgrade your card terminal to one with a tipping feature. Convenience is the name of the game and digital tipping is just one of the ways you can improve your customers’ dining experience.

To view the full report, follow us on social, and be the first to download our report in January 2020. www.facebook.com/ValitorPayments Visit www.valitor.com or call 0800 881 8104 to find out how we can help your business accept card payments.

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RESTAURANT

UPDATE

The advent of smart LED lighting has transformed the way hospitality, entertainment and sports venues can improve their customer experiences, to utilise once pre-designated spaces for multiple use activity and give the interior and exterior of their premises a wow factor, whilst, in many cases, offering considerable savings on energy and maintenance costs.

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Adding the option to alter the colour of the lighting, both internally and externally, gives more flexibility and offers the opportunity to pay tribute to and celebrate national days, saints days, parties, weddings, sporting events, corporate events, Christmas and other seasonal celebrations. A specific architectural or design feature highlighted in a different colour, or a subtle colour wash on one wall, coloured hidden cove lighting, coloured shapes on tables, the options are many and varied but the effects can be stunning.

Pulsar’s heritage of over 40 years, is in lighting and lighting control for entertainment venues, so, we have used this expertise and creative flair to develop cutting edge lighting and lighting control products that offer incredibly flexible and customisable solutions to meet the exact requirements and aspirations of the owners and managers of restaurants, hotels, clubs, bars, or indeed, any other space where innovative lighting can enhance the venue and your clients experience.

Varying the colour temperature of the lighting in a space can dramatically change the ambience and, the effect on people using the space. ‘Circadian Rhythm’ is a term very much in vogue at the moment, in simple terms, dealing with a person’s physiological process over a 24 hour period, sleep wake cycles and the periods of the day when we feel most energised and most sleepy. Lighting can have a significant influence on our physiological rhythms, in much the same way that, our ancient ancestors used the variable light of the day to shape their daily activities, soft light of dawn to attend to their camp and animals, the strong clear light of the day to hunt and work, the warm evening glow of the setting sun to relax, eat and socialise, maintaining the mood after sunset with the warm glow and safety of the camp fire, which, still evokes in many a sense of calm and wellbeing.

So, with a the ability to adjust the lighting temperature, a restaurant, conference room or hall can be a perfect venue for example, a conference during the day, with clear white light to make sure the delegates are fully focused and productive then, as the clock crawls to 5pm, lowering and warming the lighting, the harassed delegates have the chance to unwind, relax, and enjoy the evening food and drinks in a convivial and inviting atmosphere. The simple addition of variable white lighting and control gives the flexibility to make the full use of every space for multiple events both day and night, making variable white lighting a popular and important new element in hospitality lighting in the coming year.

Externally, well designed and illuminated with thought, external lighting of properties, facades, outdoor dining venues, terracing and external views certainly offers a wow factor that adds quality and value to a venue.

26 PAGE Companies of the Year

Our award-winning products, manufactured at our facility in Cambridge, meet the highest standards and specification. Achieving exceptional light output and colour rendition, we are proud to have several installations that have been operational, without failure, for over 100,000 hours, even in the harsh climate of the Middle East. The other major benefits of installing Pulsar products are the cost savings on energy, maintenance, and, over the incredible life span of the products, the huge saving of having to replace the system, possibly up to three times against poorer quality systems.

With the large reduction in heat generated by LED lighting and the real benefits to the environment of not using the harmful gases in many existing lamps, there is the added feel good factor of having embracing sustainability and helping to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, so, with our products also being over 90% recyclable, you and your clients can feel good whilst basking, (or dancing) in the reflection of super cool, great quality, sustainable, ecofriendly lighting.

Brighten Your Bookings With SOS Electricals

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The success of your establishment relies on more than just the quality of the food and drinks.

The presentation of your dining area, complete with the lights, décor and ambience all play a big part in whether patrons will visit and spend time in your establishment.

Time and time again, research shows what a significant impact lighting has on dining guests. In fact, your guests will be making a snap decision on the mood and atmosphere of your establishment, and this could be the difference between a full house or an early close.

At SOS Electricals, we specialise in innovative and imaginative lighting design and installation, so that your establishment attracts the right clientele.

The clientele you want to attract will have a significant impact on the best lighting choices for your needs. Fast-paced establishments will need to focus on high-energy, bright lighting that invokes a fun, friendly, but speedy service.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for customers who want to linger and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere that your business offers, then low, intimate and warm accent lighting can help to make your guests feel like they are the only people in the whole room.

When designing lighting concepts for dining and entertainment, SOS Electricals always spend plenty of time with the business owners and determining the perfect mood and feel for the environment.

Hart Lounge – A happening hub SOS Electricals were proud to be part of the project transforming a run-down pub in North London into the popular and vibrant shisha and bar destination, Hart Lounge.

We were tasked with creating a concept design that would suit a buzzing social hotspot with capacity for over 100 people.

With both indoor and outdoor settings, we kept the natural light and airy theme consistent throughout, using accent lighting to highlight the plants, vines and rustic features. The overall finish was one that used and mimicked natural daylight while using warming tones for the light to make it cosy, with each table being its own hub of activity.

Of course, the lounge had to be practical for its staff and the safety of guests too. Subtle but effective task lighting was added to illuminate the key areas while still retaining the chilled-out ambience of the shisha lounge.

The refurbishment and design have been a huge success, with Hart Lounge being hugely popular every night of the week.

Elegant and exclusive Whether your establishment is indoors or outdoors, we can install safe, beautiful lighting that dramatically transforms your space for the better. At Hilton Syon Park, SOS Electricals enjoyed creating the external lighting that creates an exclusive high-end feel. With a terrace and private cabanas style seating, each seating area needed careful consideration to create the perfect atmosphere for guests. Smart lighting was essential in this case, to alter the lighting depending on the time of day while safety lighting was implemented to illuminate stairs and pathways while still retaining the sophisticated style.

If you want to get the ambience right for your establishment, SOS Electricals would be happy to help with our bespoke concept designs and stunning lighting installations. Simply get in touch on 020 3713 0037 to discuss your requirements and our expert team will be happy to help.

www.sos-electricals.co.uk

Companies of the Year PAGE 27

RESTAURANT

UPDATE

UK Continues Significant Growth The 2018-19 year-todate results (to 31st August) show that the UK demand for ‘shelled’ California Walnuts has grown significantly.

28 PAGE Companies of the Year

UK shipment figures to 31st August highlight a year-on-year increase for ‘shelled’ California Walnuts of over 15%, equating to an uplift of 1,358,293 pounds or just over 616 metric tonnes1, a sizeable increase on 2017/18.

the UK food and restaurant industry to use more walnuts from California.

Pamela Graviet, Sr. Marketing Director, International, California Walnut Commission comments on the season, “The growing season started with some heavy rains which delayed bloom and we have had a fairly mild summer. As with any natural product, weather plays a big part in production from year to year. This season we’re anticipating a slightly smaller crop than last year. But over the past 10 years, our crop size has doubled to meet the growing demand”.

During November CWC exhibited at Food Matters Live 2019 (19th and 20th November), at London ExCeL. California Walnuts were the ‘official 2019 plant-based supporter’. The focus over the two days was to embrace the plant-based movement and showcase how California Walnuts can be used in a variety of ways.

California Walnuts at Food Matters Live 2019

The 2019 California Walnut production is forecast at 630,000 tons (571,526 MT), down 6.8% from 2018’s production of 672,723 tons (610,284 MT). The forecast is based on 365,000 bearing acres, up 4.3% from 2018’s estimated bearing acreage of 350,000. 2

Nick Richardson, from The Garden Marketing & PR, the trade representative for California Walnuts in the UK, comments on the show: “We encouraged our Stand visitors at Food Matters Live to taste California Walnuts and to consider how they can be used in a variety of dishes and other NPD plant-based applications.

California Walnuts are a great option for a plant-based diet, as they deliver protein, fibre and a variety of micronutrients”.

With the UK being an important market for the California Walnut Commission (CWC), trade initiatives continue to encourage

Richardson continues, “One of our core messages at the show was to update that Walnuts are truly unique; ‘the only tree nut to

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contain a significant amount of alphalinolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 essential fatty acid’. A 30 gram serving of walnuts provides 2.7 grams of ALA. In addition to essential ALA/omega-3 fatty acids, 30 grams of walnuts (a handful) offers 4.4 grams of protein and 1.4 grams of fibre.”

If you missed the CWC at Food Matters Live 2019, head over to the California Walnuts’ website to view the post-show update and receive a complimentary copy of the CWC PlantBased Eating Resource Guide, featuring new recipes (available as a PDF) – click here.

The CWC, established in 1987, represents the California Walnut industry made up of over 4,800 growers and just over 90 handlers.

The sunny climate of the Central Valley of California is ideal for growing walnuts and is home to numerous walnut orchards – many of which have been family-owned for generations.

Incidentally, close to two-thirds of global walnut trade comes from California.

The CWC actively promotes California Walnuts’ benefits to the UK trade and consumers through a wide range of marketing, press and public relations activities.

Graviet comments, “For over 25 years the CWC has supported health-related research on walnuts, investing close to US $20 million in 11 countries and working with more than 55 institutions and universities,” adds Graviet. “Over 160 scientific publications have helped provide knowledge and understanding of the unique health benefits associated with consuming walnuts.”

California Walnuts research has resulted in the EU confirming the

EFSA-approved health claim that ‘a 30g handful of walnuts a day, as part of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, can have a positive effect on the elasticity of the blood vessels and can thus help with keeping the cardiovascular system healthy.’ 3

For a round-up of California Walnuts at Food Matters Live 2019 – click here.

Read an update of the recent CWC activity in 2019, see the autumn newsletter here.

For all CWC trade related news visit: www.californiawalnuts.co.uk/trade.

Involved in scientific research, examining the nutritional value of walnuts, the CWC explore the role of walnuts in a healthy diet as well as export market development activities.

According to Graviet, a key part of the CWC strategy is supporting health research and publicising California Walnuts’ numerous health benefits.

1 CWC Shipment figures in August 2019 - shelled pounds - 2017/18: 8,689,019 against 2018/19: 10,047,312 2 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service 2019 California Walnut Objective Measurement Report, Released: August 30, 2019 3. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to walnuts and maintenance of normal blood LDL¬ cholesterol concentrations (ID 1156, 1158) and improvement of endothelium ¬dependent vasodilation (ID 1155, 1157) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal 2011; 9(4):2074. [19 pp.]. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2074.

Companies of the Year PAGE 29

RESTAURANT

UPDATE

LOLLYLOYALTY LAUNCHES - Digital commerce specialist enhances offering by adding loyalty to its stable, supporting the entire purchasing process for busy hospitality providers - LollyLoyalty supports repeat service, increased footfall and revenue Lolly, the digital commerce specialist, has launched its own loyalty app. With the launch of LollyLoyalty today’s busy hospitality provider can now complete the entire purchasing process using Lolly’s in-house software support services, ranging from pre-order, to collection, self-serve, payments, and now, loyalty.

The LollyLoyalty app is easy to use, and available on both Android and IOS. The app software also easily integrates with existing Lolly PoS and self-serve applications. It enables customers to collect points, stamps and offers all at the touch of a button. Rewards can then be redeemed at traditional point of sale or using self-serve tablets and kiosks – via the app. Points and stamps accrue in an engaging way, keeping everything branded to the business. Customers can also opt-in for app notifications, mailing lists and more, allowing business to keep the dialogue open.

Peter Moore, CEO of Lolly, comments: “Available at affordable pricing, the app opens up opportunities for hospitality providers of all sizes, allowing them to build interactive relationships with customers and deliver the customised and rewarding service that is becoming an expectation.

Repeat custom and driving the bottom line are key within our highly competitive sector. Having the ability to encourage customers to return via a loyalty proposition is now vital.”

30 PAGE Companies of the Year

LollyLoyalty provides best-of-breed software, but – as with all Lolly innovations – has been designed to support hospitality providers, via enterprise-level support at an affordable price.

Peter Moore adds: “Digital commerce is evolving, and everyone wants to be part of the revolution.

Having a loyalty programme is an expected part of the purchasing process and keeping up-to-date with emerging customer loyalty trends will be allimportant as we move forward, using the data to inform future developments.

“Our ambition has always been to arm hospitality providers to offer order, collect, payment and loyalty in a single payment moment. Today, we are proud to be able to offer this entirely via Lolly’s custom-built software to support increased sales volumes.”

At Restaurant & Bar Tech Live 2018, the company was proud to launch LollyServe, enabling hospitality providers of all sizes to benefit from the speed and convenience of self-serve technology. The first-to-market technology has been well-received by the industry and is set to be further enhanced by Lolly’s latest app launch.

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From PoS to self-serve, payments to pre-order and loyalty, Lolly provides the very best in digital service – future-proofing your hospitality business.

Let your customers self-serve from as little as ÂŁ125 per month

Get in touch www.itslolly.co.uk

0800 038 5389

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The Commercial Kitchen Ventilation & Fabrication Experts

+44 (0) 1733 230 378 | info@ckdirect.co.uk | ckdirect.co.uk

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Dutchglobe is a young, flexible company that focuses on the production of completely, contemporary wooden tables, chairs and lighting.

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We are committed to providing exceptional and innovative furniture to the business market, based on our considerable expertise and love for wood. Our designs are based on quality, flexibility and a timeless character.

We are committed to providing exceptional and innovative furniture to the business market, based on our considerable expertise and love for wood.

Our designs are based on quality, flexibility and a timeless character.

In an ever more rapidly changing world, companies also need to respond faster to these events.

This is especially true in the Hospitality industry, where efficiency and speed are vital.

Meetings followed by interactive teaching programmes, presentations and large or small seminars are booked successively in various conference centres.

As a hotel or conference space, you want to be able to serve all these clients effortlessly.

That is why Dutchglobe will be present at the upcoming Hospitality Fair 2019 on 17 to 19 September with our new solid stackable table.

The A line ultra.

A contemporary design with an innovative character.

The beauty of solid wood, combined with the latest techniques in woodworking to create a spectacular table.

We have created a lightweight conference table from solid wood panels and we have even reduced the traverse weight.

The all-wood table makes labour-intensive tablecloths in your room

superfluous and ensures a warm atmosphere in any room. You don’t have to cover these tables and you no longer need to wash table linen as they are no longer required. The 2-component varnish provides a scratch-free and moisture-resistant layer, so you can hold meetings around these tables without any concerns.

The low weight of the innovative attachable tops are easy to connect to the tables, ensuring more legroom and fewer legs with any setup.

Switching between different set-ups can be done by a singular person, while

also reducing space needed for storage when the tables are not needed.

The tables can be stacked to a maximum of 6 pieces and can be moved around with a simple trolley for chairs and tables.

The tables are available in sustainable FSC wood or environmentally friendly rubberwood and they can be varnished in several colours.

Dutchglobe creates contemporary, solid furniture with innovative solutions.

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A ING L R K R M A OR P S F A R U A YE TZ AQ Z FI PRIT S

36 PAGE Companies of the Year

Since launching exclusively to the on-trade in 2018, Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz has started a revolution in the way operators view and position their premium non-alcoholic drinks offer.

2019 has been another incredible year with a fantastic number of operators taking full advantage of the amazing benefits an installation brings. Here are a few highlights and stories from across the trade....

Another university installation! We are

nshire Lincol oln – Linc sity Univer

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very proud to be part of Lincoln Universities latest opening, Pier Cafe who have further enhanced their environmental credentials by installing Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz.

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The university first came across us at a New Concepts event run by The Universities Caterers Organisation (TUCO) last year when catering manager, Chris Whaley was still planning the sites drinks offer.

Kent sex & Sus ing & t i h W – ond Hamm

Brian Whiting’s award winning chain of

gastro pubs have continued their love of everything Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz by adding nearly £70,000 in net sales to their bottom line from a whopping 85% gp! They also hit the trade headlines in September with their astonishing removal of 10,000 single use bottles from their supply chain in the year.

All possible because of Mr Fitz!

‘We wanted something new and innovative with green credentials that would complement our sustainable tea and coffee brands and felt that Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz would be the perfect solution’ said Chris. ‘We also felt that something different and premium would work well in the high end coffee bar theme we’ve created giving appeal not only to our students but a wider business market in Lincoln, and the environmental savings verses single use bottles and cans is really very impressive’

Being awarded Restaurant of the Year at

The winners are announced in February so good luck to Gareth and his team!

Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards 2019 was a much-deserved accolade for Candice and her hard working team. One really part of the new restaurant’s offer is to focus on food miles and sustainability.

Good news then that the Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz system will reduce their single use soft drink waste by 90% and water bottle waste by 100% !!

When manager Jamie Stokom first tasted our Sour

Keep up the good work guys!!!

The Blue Ball near Tadworth is a Star Pubs & Bars Awards Finalist in the ‘Best Soft Drinks Pub’ category. ‘We’re absolutely delighted’ said General Manager Gareth Nixon ‘We heavily promoted Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz within the application and went straight into the finals!

It’s so different, premium quality and so environmentally friendly’

Cherry, Red Grape & Hibiscus Spritz he knew a Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz installation would prove a winner for the Pub People site and now it is Not the ‘go to’ for all his non-alcoholic drinks tin and table water dispense. So much so – Th ghamshi re e Ch in fact that they no longer stock or cram e q u their fridges with single serve softs or at R e anb rs indeed any water!

y

Another worthy finalist too as Jamie and his team came runners up in the highly coveted BBC Countryfile ‘Pub of the Year’ award back in March being recognised for the sites overall ambience, service plus food and drinks offer.

Congratulations once again Team Chequers!

Mr Fitz has made himself a new home in Northern Ireland with Eamon McClusker’s ground breaking AMPM concept. Irresistible food, friendly service and an intoxicating bohemian atmosphere all guaranteed, as is their category bursting profit from Mr Fitz of 89% per serve!

Belfa s N.Ire t land – AM :PM & Chub by Cheru b

Deli Fons e – Liv ca erpoo l

We’re really excited to announce the launch of our

d …an ing m o c in n o o s 0 202

fantastic counter top dispense system - perfect for tight spaces and back bar placement but still delivering all the fantastic benefits a Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz installation brings.

Just the tonic! – We are launching our very own range of premium tonic syrups.

Naturally light quinine based tonics available as a syrup to mix at the bar from the Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz font. Higher profit and massive glass waste reduction guaranteed!

Want to see how Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz can revolutionise your non-alcoholic offer?

Visit us at www.mrf itzaquaspritz.com or call 01484 300450 and let’s have a natter.

Initially Eamon’s team could not decide which of the 28 Mr Fitzpatrick’s botanically infused flavours to choose from and so we sent them one of each to try them all. Their final choice of 10 is now included within their highly commended Drinks List publication (page 92 if anyone’s interested).

Sister site Chubby Cherub were not far behind with their installation either. The authentic Italian themed super site has even trumped its sibling by offering 12 flavours including all of the no added sugar range!

Bravo Eamon!

Companies of the Year PAGE 37

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