Food & Drink Matters Issue 160

Hunter & Gather launches new range of healthy fats

Hunter & Gather, The brand behind ‘clean’ cooking oils and condiments (including 100% Avocado Oil and 100%

Olive Oil Mayonnaise) is launching a new range of Organic Certified healthpromoting fats that are 100% pure and free from nasties, following a year of strong growth.

The challenger brand, which grew annual revenue to achieve just shy of £3 million GSV turnover 21/22 (and is on track to achieve £5 million GSV 22/23) is launching a new range of healthy fats that are free from inflammatory seed and sunflower oils, artificial preservatives, and hexane chemicals and solvents.

The four new products - Pure Butter Organic Ghee (for cooking, baking, and bulletproof coffees), Extra Virgin Organic Cold Pressed Olive Oil (for drizzling, dipping and dunking), Extra Virgin Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil (for cooking, frying and baking) and Pure C8 MCT Organic Coconut Oil (for coffees, salads and smoothies) have been made with optimal health front of mind, making them a healthy choice for the whole family, as well as Diabetics, Keto, Low Carb, Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free.

Amy Moring, Co-founder of Hunter & Gather, says: “With Premium Oils driving growth in the sector, this is the right time for us to ramp up our growth in the category. As a brand, we’re on a mission to educate consumers that not all fats are created equal... There is growing evidence

to suggest that highly processed seed oils such as rapeseed, sunflower, and vegetable oils - which often contain harmful additives and are processed with hexane chemicals are inflammatory and linked to chronic disease. Simply replacing these unhealthy, heavily processed fats with healthier non-inflammatory fats such as fruit oils (olive, coconut and avocado) or traditional animal fats (ghee, tallow, lard) can have a positive impact on your health.

“Our new Pure and Organic Healthy Fats range has been created with health front of mind. By equipping consumers with knowledge, recipes, and products that are always free from seed oils, grains, gluten, and refined sugars, our mission is to make it easier for consumers to make healthy choices and to give them the tools to thrive.”

NEW! Hunter & Gather Healthy Fats are available to buy from www.hunterandgatherfoods.com with more stockists to follow.

High Yield, Matte White, In-Mould Labelling Film

Innovia Films is launching RayoForm™

EUP60, a white BOPP film for in-mould labelling (IML). Produced in Europe at one of our state-of-the art production facilities, EUP60 is a very high opacity, high yield product, having a density as low as 0.55 g/cm3. Combined with its specially formulated and printable matte surface, EUP60 is engineered to give outstanding high-speed sheet feeding and adhesion for both UV and oxidative inks.

EUP60 is designed with special features that make it suitable for any shape container or lid without risk of distortion to the container or lid. This film is perfect for use on small-to-medium size, thin or thick wall PP or PE containers, providing a tactile ‘soft-touch’ finish after moulding. It also means a finished, polyolefin monomaterial container can be produced, making the final pack fully recyclable, and meeting the Plastic Recyclers Europe packaging design recommendations.

Alasdair McEwen, Product Manager, Labels explains “As well as the technical performance of EUP60, we can produce reels for the customer that are longer than anything else in the marketplace. More linear metres in a reel leads to less changeovers and improved printing efficiency, with printing speeds of up to 14,000 sheets per hour being realised. This applies to either roll-to-roll or roll-to-sheet conversion processes and customers can choose either horizontal or large diameter vertical reel packing, depending on their requirements”.

The large diameter rolls that Innovia can supply, means less roll changes and higher efficiencies for converters as well as a dramatic reduction in packaging waste.

To find out more contact your local Innovia Films Sales Manager or email labels@innoviafilms.com

Spread the word

OuseValley proudly presents, ‘Spread the Word’, a deliciously witty trio pairing the delights of food and literature. The jars feature fruity Shakespearean illustrations by the renowned illustrator and cartoonist Ann Edwards and a light-hearted synopsis of the play in question.

Ouse Valley was founded in 2004 by Julian Warrender in Lewes, East Sussex and from its conception, has been the recipient of multiple awards. The quality of ingredients is paramount, with the team committed to delivering products that impress an ever-growing customer base.

‘Spread The Word’ is a joyful trio, each one packed full of flavour. This new collection is a collaboration of Julian and Ann’s desire to combine their love of good food and literature in a range that lifts the spirits and tickles the tastebuds.

Three Fruit Marmalade - 340g RRP £4.90.

A well-balanced blend of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit with a perfect bitter edge. Julian’s serving suggestion: As well being an excellent breakfast marmalade, it is superb warm, poured over a sponge pudding.

Potager Pickle - 300g RRP £5.60.

A deep golden pickle, made with a mix of courgettes and onions, sweetened by apples, apricots, and soft brown sugar. Turmeric and ginger also give an intriguing balance of sweetness and warmth. Julian’s serving suggestion: Excellent with pork pie, ham, or cheese.

Plum Jam - 340g RRP £5.60.

Made with the finest Victoria plums, a fruit dear to our hearts. Julian’s serving suggestion: a perfect ingredient in braised duck or game dishes.

*The range will also be available in a gift pack, with an RRP of £21.08*

T 01273 400230

www.ousevalleyfoods.com

Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: Ouse Valley Foods

Unigloves launches new biodegradable Nitrile gloves

Hand protection specialist Unigloves has launched a new food safe nitrile disposable glove – BioTouch – combining chemical resistance, comfort and grip with innovative, environmentally friendly, biodegradable technology.

The result is a glove ideally suited to a wide range of food industry applications which, after its working life, will achieve 90% biodegradation in landfill after just 490 days compared to traditional nitrile gloves which can take over 100 years.

Providing the wearer with high levels of comfort, flexibility and dexterity, BioTouch is also resistant to a range of chemicals and offers improved grip in wet and oily conditions thanks to its textured fingertips.

It is also compatible for use with mobile, tablet and touchscreen displays, has been tested to EN374 and EN1186 and is manufactured to medical grade standards.

Biodegradability performance is achieved thanks to an organic additive, which attracts microbes found in landfills. The biodegradation method is strictly enzymatic, dissolving and de-polymerising the polymer chain naturally. This biodegrading efficacy has been verified by an independent lab, using ASTM D5526 and ASTM D5511 methods, which saw BioTouch achieve 90% biodegradation in 490 days.

Crucially, BioTouch balances biodegradable technology without impacting physical performance or real-time

shelf life, with study results proving that the physical property of BioTouch gloves remain unchanged for up to 3 years.

They have also been proven safe for use against skin according to ISO standards, as well as with food handling according to European regulation (EU) No 10/2011, (EC) 1935/2004.

To find out more about the new BioTouch glove visit here, email enquiries@unigloves.co.uk or call Unigloves on 0800 049 6602.

Kocktail & Pasta Evangelists partner on first ever pop-up activation

Kocktail is running their first pop-up activation, in central London, in partnership with the fresh pasta specialists at Pasta Evangelists.

Hosted as part of Covent Garden’s Rosé Garden Party, which runs from 29th April to the 15th May, it’s the first pop up experience for the two doorstep delivery brands, who both started out as direct-to-consumer businesses.

Visitors have the chance to enjoy the ‘Spritz and Pasta Garden’ for the duration of the event, bringing a taste of Italian sunshine to the Covent Garden Piazza. Serving premium,

freshly made cocktails and fresh, artisanal pasta, the space has been designed as the perfect backdrop for spring socialising.

As part of the activity to mark the Rosé Garden Pop Up, Kocktail has launched a limitededition Rosé Collection, with just 100 boxes available. Featuring two refreshing Rosé Spritz cocktails - Rhubarb & Cucumber and Lychee & Elderflower, the Collection will be sold directly from the ‘Spritz and Pasta Garden’.

For more information on the event and to browse the online collection, visit www.kocktail.co.uk.

FoodDocs raises £1.8M to solve food safety compliance complexities with the help of Artificial Intelligence

Today, the process of getting and staying compliant with food safety rules is cumbersome and bureaucratic. As a result, companies struggle and spend significant resources to achieve compliance. FoodDocsan innovator in the food safety industry - raises £1.8M ($2.4M/EUR2.1M) to solve food safety compliance issues with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

The funding is led by Bonnier Ventures with Forward Venture Capital, and Spring Capital also joining the round with existing investor United Angels VC. The funds will be used to continue the strategic growth journey, drive further expansion in the US and the UK to reach more clients and partners, and further improve AI capabilities. “The food industry is hungry for change because of the pandemic”, said Katrin Liivat, co-founder and CEO of FoodDocs. “Compliance processes need to become more efficient and companyfriendly - that’s where we change the game. Leveraging AI, FoodDocs makes getting compliant 500x faster than the traditional method and allows food businesses to save 20% of their time on staying compliant.” Liivat added that the market is ready for innovative solutions to face food safety issues with simple yet genius food safety software.

The solutions that FoodDocs has developed are already valued by over 15,000 customers including Huboo, Smart Lunches, The Oxford Food Co., and Bolt Market. The latter company has used FoodDocs’ solution to expand to 40 new business locations in nine countries. FoodDocs was established by two female food safety experts. Their mission is to help serve safe food and make food safety rules easy to follow, offering one solution for all food safety tasks.

www.fooddocs.com

1,200 and counting for revolutionary Bandsaw Safety System

The manufacturer of the BladeStop bandsaw has announced the 1,200th installation, with businesses across 30 countries now employing the award-winning technology to prevent serious injury to operators.

Available in the UK and Ireland through Interfood Technology, BladeStop is an innovative system specifically designed to address the health and safety issues relating to bandsaws. The system was developed by Scott, the automation and robotics solutions provider, in collaboration with AMPC and Meat & Livestock Australia. BladeStop works by mechanically stopping the bandsaw blade when the unit senses that a person has come into contact with, or is dangerously near to, the blade. The BladeStop offers the fastest stopping time on the market, minimising the severity of an incident –potentially the difference between just a small skin cut and an amputated finger.

The issue of labour shortages which continue to plague the food industry has proved another driver in the take-up of BladeStop. With higher turnover of staff and less skilled operatives, the need to ensure safe working practices has been brought into sharp focus. Given the potential severity of injuries from blades rotating at high speeds, many abattoirs understandably switched from manual operations to automated equipment. With BladeStop, they now have the option to return to manual cutting and the benefits this offers in terms of improved yield and accuracy.

https://interfoodtechnology.com

Clean air – the key to healthy employees and a healthy business

It’s a no-brainer in these times of Covid-19, a must-have for every company that cares about its workers. Plus, it’s great for the balance sheet too.

That’s why air-quality experts Zehnder are calling on all businesses to make 2022 their year of clean air.

Clean air in the workplace not only stops workers inhaling harmful substances but can protect them from viruses too. And considering we spend one third of a typical day at work, that’s not to be taken lightly.

Typical sources of poor air quality at work Harmful pollution particles come in all shapes and sizes. Many of the most dangerous are invisible to the naked eye.

Specialists in Food Care

Food Care Solutions was established in 2003 to assist clients to achieve their goals for food safety, food quality, customer satisfaction and legality. Providing a comprehensive range of services to the food industry, Food Care Solutions offers services including food safety and food quality, local authority, SALSA, BRC, FSSC 22000 and other compliance, supplier auditing, training, hygiene inspections and internal audits, complaints and incidents management.

Gaining an industry leading reputation throughout its 18 years in operation, Food Care Solutions is renowned for its exceptional consultancy services for the food industry. The company’s consultants are trained in most aspects of the food industry and maintain a wealth of experience in food microbiology and other laboratory disciplines, as well as qualifications in food safety and quality systems auditing. The consultants have industry experience across the board and have the expertise to ensure their clients feel confident that they are getting the best service available.

Food Care Solutions is fully equipped and familiar with most of the third party standards, including BRC, FSSC 22000, IFS and the standards of some of the larger customer organisations such as Tesco, Morrisons, Yum! and Wetherspoons. The company is fully committed to ensuring a turnkey service for its client. Assisting throughout the whole process, they complete the task, fulfil the requirements, help to implement the strategy, and oversee it, to make sure it is working efficiently.

Food Safety Solutions also keeps its clients informed of any changes in law, new developments, and relevant occurrences.

Regardless of whether a client is only just starting, or wants to progress to certification against one of the standards, the company has the skills, time and experience to assist them to achieve their goals. Food Care Solutions works on a personal basis, gaining an understanding of the client’s needs and working with them in partnership to achieve their aims. With a strong focus on efficiency, the company aims to help the clients get where they want to be with as little complication and change as possible.

For more information on the company, please see the details featured below.

M 07811 192545 fcs@food-care.co.uk www.food-care.co.uk

They include:

● chemical vapours released by paint, glues or cleaning agents

● substances released when materials are heated or burned, such as in welding

● mould in damp rooms

● exhaust fumes from nearby traffic or forklift traffic that’s blown into the workplace

● dust or fumes from grinding and cutting, such as silica and nickel dust.

Clean air – a good return on investment

Various studies have shown that healthy indoor air reduces sick leave and increases productivity. Moreover, healthy employees are more satisfied and motivated.

Zehnder’s air purification systems, however, filter

dust, viruses and other harmful particles from the air before employees can breathe them in.

Industrial air cleaning in practice

There are thousands of companies around the world that have discovered the benefits of clean air from Zehnder.

Take Bells Food, one of Scotland’s best-known bakeries. Their philosophy has always been to put their employees first – and to go the extra mile when it comes to their health. After installing Zehnder air cleaners, Bells reduced harmful dust particles at their main Shotts factory by 68%.

info@zehnder-cleanairsolutions.com

www.zehnder-cleanairsolutions.com

Shaking up the industry with better coffee, better pay and better practices

In this issue of Food & Drink Matters, we are pleased to announce Pact Coffee as our Independent Speciality Coffee Company of the Month.

The journey for Pact Coffee began in 2012 when founder Stephen Rapoport launched the company from his home kitchen. On a mission to deliver better brews to the nation, Pact Coffee acquired a head of coffee early on in its life cycle. He was able to take full control of the supply chain and pioneer direct trade, which is a model that supports building direct relationships with the farmers who sell their products.

Fast forward 10 years and Pact Coffee has grown to be the UK’s number one independent coffee roaster. Delivering on its promise of making high quality, ethically sourced coffee accessible to all, Pact Coffee has worked incredibly hard to source speciality coffee

from over nine exciting origins and has forged many long-term relationships with over 150 farmers.

Pact Coffee’s slick service combined with a product that is well established within the industry has resulted in them receiving many awards for their flexible subscription plan. This initial avenue is where Pact Coffee first established itself, and its profile has only expedited further with the recent boom of ecommerce since COVID-19.

Pact Coffee is also largely active in the business-to-business and hospitality industry, where it has partnered with over 1,000 businesses worldwide. So whether you’re a large business or a scaling start-up, Pact Coffee can deliver coffee directly to your team, offer expert training, equipment and ongoing support. For the hospitality industry, Pact Coffee is proud to be the number one coffee brand of choice and has partners in

five-star restaurants and hotels as well as independent boutique businesses.

Pact Coffee comes bagged or within a pod and is soon to hit the market with the re-launch of its Nespresso compatible pods. George, Regional Sales Manager, explained, “We believe Pact Coffee’s brand-new Nespressocompatible coffee pods have finally delivered on that great espresso-hit strength with the same fantastic Pact flavour. Inside Pact pods you’ll find the same freshly roasted, highquality coffee from our wider range, sealed with recyclable aluminium foil. As they’re 100% recyclable at home, customers (and hotel guests) will enjoy a simple, world-class experience that is better for farmers and for the planet.”

The pods come available in two ranges, the Bourbon Cream Espresso pod, which has notes of rich chocolate, cream and biscuit, and

Iron Casting Manufacturer of the Month

the Fruit and Nut Espresso pod which has a lighter profile but still packs a punch with milk chocolate, almond and raisin taste notes.

If you’re interested in meeting Pact Coffee, you’ll find them at the following London trade shows throughout 2022:

● Imbibe, 4th - 5th July

● Caffè Culture, 1st - 2nd September

● Casual Dining / Lunch! 14th - 15th September

● Independent Hotel Show, 4th - 5th October

● Coffee Shop Innovation, 19th - 20th October

If you would like to learn more (and to request free samples!) contact George:

T 07540 455034

george.bradley@pactcoffee.com

www.pactcoffee.com

www.business.pactcoffee.com

Elevate your cooking with cast iron cookware

In this issue of Food and Drink Matters, we are pleased to announce Chamberlin & Hill Castings Ltd as our Iron Casting Manufacturer of the Month.

Chamberlin & Hill Castings Ltd is one of the UK’s most successful manufacturer of cast iron in the mechanical engineering industry. Its broad range of customers rely on its industry leading mechanical engineering capabilities from the automotive to the power generation and civil engineering sectors.

Chamberlin & Hill Castings Ltd has the world class experience and expertise to develop iron castings and fully finished precision components that suit every requirement.

Chamberlin & Hill Castings Ltd have been producing high quality iron casting at its Walsall foundry for over 130 years, and from the embers of this technical excellence, Emba Cookware was born. “COVID-19 allowed us to look into other markets and spread our capabilities further to see what we could do as a foundry, and it was agreed that we could manufacture and design consumer products. As a result of the diversification of Chamberlin & Hill Castings Ltd, we launched Emba Cookware last year,” stated Carl Darby, IT and E-commerce Director at CHAMBERLIN PLC.

Emba Cookware is a range of seasoned cookware that is marked to be the best cast iron cookware available to the UK market to date. Its product portfolio consists of cast iron skillets, griddles and cookware sets.

Recently added to the range is a new 12” skillet to accompany the 8” and 10” models. Specially designed to elevate your cooking, its crafted from double-seasoned cast iron and can be used on the hob, in the oven, over a BBQ or open fire.

“Due to the longevity of the business and our experience in cast iron, we use the same highly skilled designers that design our automotive castings to design Emba Cookware. We have

added lots of clever designs features to it, its UK manufactured, and we regard sustainability highly within our manufacturing.

All Emba Cookware is 100% sustainably sourced, made from 100% recycled materials and the only ingredients that go into its manufacture are cast iron which is a natural product, and a little bit of oil that is used for seasoning. This creates the natural nonstick coating that gets applied to the skillet,” explained Carl.

Emba Cookware has recently launched its brand-new website that includes all its latest products, as well as some tasty and innovative recipe ideas. Another recent addition to its

product range is the Cast Iron Cookware Sets with options for either single Griddle & Skillet Sets or the Complete Cookware Collection comprising of the reversible griddle and the 8”-, 10”- and 12”-inch skillets. Ideal for use indoor and for those soon pending summer months of outdoor cooking with the family.

In closing, we asked Carl what plans the company had for the future, he answered, “we will continue to grow the business as we believe this market is a good opportunity for us. We will be speaking to new and potential distributors and retailers over the next 12 months as we are also looking to expand the range of products.

For more information, see below. www.embacookware.co.uk

Northern Restaurant & Bar 2022 Review Top 20

The North’s Hospitality Event

Northern Restaurant & Bar 2022, sponsored by Uber Eats, was the first major hospitality show of the year, providing a blast of momentum for the industry. Once again NRB brought together operators and suppliers, promoting ideas and inspiration, representing and leading the sector in the North.

The show welcomed hundreds of regional, national and international exhibitors from a range of industry sectors including streetfood, bars, pubs, hotel and guest houses, restaurants, leisure venues, café and coffee shops, and caterers who came together to celebrate a fantastic event and showcase lots of their new products, deliver live demonstrations and meet lots of potential customers.

Attendees and exhibitors were inspired by live food and drink demos and left glowing reviews of how it felt to be part of the whole industry coming together.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from the show, listed here in alphabetical order: ABK Brewery, Cardrona Distillery, Cheesies, Clear Brew, Dojo UK, Hutech Robotics, Nationwide Energy Consultants, SLY DOG, The Baijiu Society, The Salford Rum Company, The Sunrise Patisserie and Total Produce. Further details can be found on this page and the next page.

Don’t miss out on next years event coming on the 14-15th March 2023 at Manchester Central.

For more information, see below. www.northernrestaurantandbar.co.uk

Reduce costs with Clear Brew

Clear Brew have been cleaning beer dispense lines since 2006, offering a fully managed, labour inclusive and money saving service to clients throughout the UK.

Clear Brew’s beer line cleaning service is performed by a highly trained technicians, the service is designed to add real value and profitability to any business owner operating in the licensed sector.

Clear Brew build ongoing relationships with all its clients and work continuously to ensure that the service is always of the highest standards.

The company’s regionalised business model means you’ll get to know your own local beer line cleaning technician but more importantly they’ll get to know you, your cellar and your unique requirements.

Clear Brew also offer a limited number of franchise opportunities to the right individuals. Its dedicated beer line cleaning service is currently provided to public houses, social clubs, sports clubs, holiday parks, hotels, bingo halls and cinemas. This means you will be entering a vast and varied marketplace, with plenty of opportunity, and

Creating the finest single malt spirits

Award winning single malt vodka, gin, liqueurs and whisky

The Cardrona Distillery is an artisan Single Malt distillery nestled high in the Cardrona Valley between Wanaka and Queenstown, New Zealand. We believe in using time-honoured traditional methods of hand-crafting spirits from malted barley. All of our spirits are made from scratch, starting with just malted barley, water, and yeast. Our barley is grown on the Canterbury plains, the variety is essential for making great Single Malt. Our water is from the highest alpine pass in New Zealand and embeds the character of our land into our spirits.

With the purest of local ingredients, the absolute finest distilling equipment and process, we are creating a reputation for exceptional single malt whisky, vodkas, gins and liqueurs.

If you would like to find out more, or taste one of our exquisite spirits for yourself, please see the details below.

www.cardronadistillery.co.uk

more importantly, you will be joining an established brand that is recognised as the UK’s premier independent beer line cleaning company.

For more information, see below.

T 01209 219889 enquiries@clearbrew.co.uk www.clearbrew.co.uk

NRB22

“Energy is a huge challenge for me”.

This is something in which Nationwide Energy Consultants has been, unfortunately, hearing a lot lately, including at the most recent Northern Restaurant & Bar Event in Manchester.

The first major hospitality show of 2022, many of the exhibitors & visitors we spoke to voiced concern over the impact of increasing costs for them and the trade in general.

We offered energy saving advice to over 100 hospitality businesses, with almost everyone telling us that energy was a huge challenge for them.

Several were, or were going to be, out of contract due to uncertainty as to what the best course of

Local by heart, global by nature’

Our BRC accredited multi temperature depot, 3 miles from Liverpool City Centre, offers a huge range of fresh Fruit and Vegetables, sourced wherever possible from our network of local growers with whom we have forged close working relationships over many years. Throughout the year we also hold an array of fresh produce and exotics from all around the world, based on both seasonal availability and customer requirements.

In addition, we supply a wide and varied range of Fine Food and ingredients, all of which are available for next day delivery along with our customers fresh requirements, 6 days a week.

We are very fortunate to supply many customers across all sectors of the foodservice market, including, fine dining restaurants, gastro pubs & bars, hotels, professional caterers, and many others.

We understand that great supply, is not just about excellent quality product on time every time. Supplying regular market information around seasonality and availability, as well as what to avoid, is key to our customers menu planning and in turn their customers dining experience. The years of

experience we have within our team means they really know their onions! This ensures our customers get regular updates and incites on all things fresh, along with details of our weekly buy of the week and monthly promotional offers.

From field to fork we pride ourselves on delivering the freshest produce, backed by exceptional service and value, to our customers across the Northwest on a daily basis.

Please get in touch with Jacqueline today on 0151 315 0215 or jhayes@totalproduce.com to find out more.

www.totalproducelocal.co.uk

Instagram totalproducefoodservicelpool Twitter@tpliverpool

The Salford Rum Company

TheSalford Rum Company was created in 2018 when James Harrison and Tommy Gaughan - rugby-league-playing high school friends - set out to make a local premium rum that would rival the innovative, luxury gin products on the market.

Salford Rum’s premium spiced rums - which include an Original Spiced Rum, a Dark Spice and a newly-launched Honey Rum - were created as a passionate celebration of the history, heritage and people of Salford Docks in Greater Manchester throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

An era whereby the city’s Salford Docks grew to be the third largest port in the UK, the spirits take inspiration from the rums, fruits and spices from the Caribbean which were landing on British shores for the first time.

Encased in highly collectible ceramic bottles designed by the iconic illustrator and artist, _Dave Draws_, famous for his intricate maps of northern towns and cities, the result is

action was given the price rises over the past 10 months.

To support those within hospitality, we advise on a number of measures, which can be tailored to your individual business needs.

However we also offer FREE Energy Saving Guides for Pubs, Kitchens & Clubs, as well as an Energy Self-Assessment Tool.

Through monitoring your energy usage, and implementing energy saving tactics, you could immediately see a reduction in your usage & therefore costs.

For more information or to download your FREE guides, please visit our website.

Contact

https://nationwide-energy.co.uk

something very special; much like the city where these rums were born - famous for its iconic music and cultural scene - character prevails, along with great taste and a versatility and confidence that pleases rum lovers, summer drinkers and experts alike.

The Salford Rum Company’s three expressions are available to the UK off and on trade via Ten Locks – sales@ten-locks.com

Northern Restaurant & Bar 2022 Review Top 20

The Baijiu Society

Over 25 years ago The Baijiu Society founder Craig Butler embarked on a journey to China. This journey would spark an enchantment for its people, culture and traditions. China’s centuries old Spirit Baijiu was at the very heart of this experience. Influenced and inspired by the way Chinese food has developed and evolved to enrapture western audiences for over a century the Baijiu Society was formed to do the same with this most enigmatic and yet beguiling of spirits and Beer.

In 2019 The Baijiu Society completed the build of its own distillery and blending facility to complement the brewery it acquired earlier that year. 2019 and 2020 saw The Baijiu Society Launch in Hong Kong and China to rave reviews and 2022 sees the range hit the UK and other selected western markets.

The Baijiu Society boasts a complete range of carefully blended and infused contemporary versions of an ancient spirit. Distilled in the UK bursting with unique floral and ripe fruit notes. Baijiu is the national spirit of China and the oldest spirit on earth. Baijiu means clear spirit in Chinese and is made using a complex and unique fermentation phase. Chinese Baijiu comes in many forms and classifications and is often extremely powerful and complex.

The Baijiu Society is on a mission to bring the oldest and most enigmatic spirit on earth to a whole new audience. Blending the heritage and culture of Baijiu with a western twist. Inspired by China distilled in the UK. Drink neat in the time-honoured fashion, or with tonic as a wonderful alternative to your favourite premium Gin or Vodka. Our Baijiu are perfectly balanced to open a new world of cocktail creativity and show a whole new generation just how incredible Baijiu is.

www.baijiusociety.com

ABK Brewery

ABK have been brewing the finest beers in Bavaria since 1308. We still use the same recipes we’ve always used in accordance with the Bavarian Purity Laws 1516, using only pure water, the finest hops, barley and yeast.

Dojo UK

Front of House Service Robots... Here

Ican see the look on your face already but go with me on this one.

At NRB22 in March, our robots generated huge interest from the sector for lots of reasons and it was agreed by everyone that they make the perfect addition to front of house teams.

Apart from being an immediate solution to the current staffing crisis, they’re able to do all the restaurant running between servery and tables, which is a huge aid to front of house service staff, allowing them to spend more time with customers and enhancing the customer experience.

Leaving staff free to engage with customers and do the emotional stuff as well as giving them time to upsell, something that often gets forgotten when they’re busy running backwards and forwards, the robots are a huge attraction to new customers delivering huge operational cost savings too.

Everyone agrees that freeing up FoH staff to spend more time actually front of house, rather than running backwards and forwards, means that customers actually get a better service, something that would only benefit the restaurant in increased return bookings and even staff gratuities!

We’d love to speak to anyone in hospitality and explore how robots can benefit your business.

david.ramsden@hutechrobotics.com

Made in secret, Drunk in style

SLY DOG is an award-winning premium spiced rum, carefully crafted for cunning creatures who always end up on top. Unleash your tastebuds to the blend of premium Caribbean rums, from carefully selected distilleries in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, that have been aged for up to three years.

Each spiced rum is crafted with a vicarious blend of spices, developed over 12 months alongside the UK’s leading flavour master using only the highest

quality, 100% natural ingredients.

You can expect a combination of tropical spices alongside their signature fiery Caribbean rum that delivers a smooth, warming and exquisite taste with soft sweetness that is seriously delicious.

Best served over ice, but tastes ever naughtier when paired with your favourite mixers. The range includes SLY DOG spiced rum 5cl mini, 20cl, and soon to come a bigger 70cl bottle.

If you’re thinking of hosting your own cocktail party, dash on over to the website where you’ll find a number of different cocktail recipes using SLY DOG RUM to tantalise your tastebuds and woo your guests. From SLY and ginger beer to SLYEYE espresso martini and SLYSHINE, you’ll find the perfect recipe for you.

For more information on the products and how to join the SLY CLUB, see below.

info@slydogrum.com

www.slydog.co.uk

at Dojo, we like to keep things simple.

Because simplicity is at the heart of everything we do: every product, every service, every idea. That’s how we empower over 40,000 businesses across the UK with the cutting-edge payments technology they need to thrive.

Whether it’s through paying them quicker than any other provider, or processing transactions 80% faster than the industry average – we focus on putting our customers first, so they can do the same for theirs.

If you’d like to find out more about Dojo please reach out to James Harper (Payments Consultant) at james.harper@dojo.co.uk or call 07514 378306

All our beers are Vegan friendly and are truly imported from our very own Bavarian Brewery.

Each brew is created and quality checked by Bernd Trick, our incredible Master Brewer, nothing leaves the brewery without Bernd’s approval, ensuring our Award Winning Beers are always of the highest standard.

ABK Hell recently won the prestigious Best Lager up to 5% award at the International Beer Challenge 2021 to add to our ever growing trophy cupboard.

ABK Beer Proudly Bavaria since 1308.

https://rokitdrinks.co.uk

Cheesies are here to make cheese snacking history. No really.

Hereat Cheesies, we take a block of cheese, cut it up and bake it til it goes properly crunchy. We then pop it in a bag. That’s it. No nasties, no rubbish, nada. Just cheese baked til crunchy.

As we’re sure you can imagine, Cheesies happen to be unbelievably delicious. The Great Taste Awards even called them “the very definition of moreish”. Can’t argue with that really. We started in the summer of 2019, and we now have a whopping 6 different Cheesies varieties: Cheddar, Chilli Cheddar, Red Leicester, Gouda, Emmental & Goat’s Cheese. Because Cheesies are literally just cheese, it means that they’re around 120 cals per serving, they have no carbs, no sugar, they’re high in protein and gluten free too. They’re also veggie friendly.

Cheesies are also properly delicious with a little tipple, such as a wine, beer or gin & tonic. So liberate your cheese from the fridge and get maximum snacktisfaction with Cheeesies.

Fancy stocking Cheesies? Email our Sales Team at sales@cheesies.co.uk.

A taste of Portuguese perfection

The Sunrise Patisserie was founded by Dan, who fell in love with Pasteis de nata in Porto, Portugal. After returning to the UK, Dan was dismayed to discover that he could not find an original tasting Portuguese Nata, that he had come to love. Determined to fill this gap in the market, Dan worked hard and teamed up with a bakery house in Portugal and now imports pallets of Nata’s to the UK every month.

Portuguese Nata’s are custard tarts, a delicious dessert favourite, with an exquisite taste and flaky texture. The Sunrise Patisserie offers a flavoursome experience, providing buttery, sweet tarts with an aromatic custard that gets baked until it’s just scorched on top.

The Sunrise Patisserie maintains a friendly team that work across the North West, attending a wide selection of events and markets. It also maintains a growing wholesale network across the North West, with expansion plans to deliver UK wide in the next 12 weeks. Included in its wholesale offering is

an advantageous next day delivery service, frozen for £96 for 120 units.

With many prestigious plans on the horizon, The Sunrise Patisserie is always looking for new people to join its growing team from across the UK. Also, if you are a cafe, bar, restaurant owner and if you would like The Sunrise Patisserie to attend your event, then get in touch.

For more information, please see below.

T 07894103177

www.thesunrisepatisserie.com

Beverages Matters

NIO Cocktails

After 24 years in the industry, Patrick Pistolesi, master mixologist of NIO Cocktails and founder of the award-winning Drink Kong in Rome, has mastered the art of bartending and at-home mixology. He firmly believes that embracing change is crucial to the success of the new-age bartender.

Pistolesi says the role of the bartender is to understand what people enjoy and guide them through new tastes and experiences, explaining, “I

OHMG® brand

always ask a couple of personal questions to kick start the relationship and get to know them. . . Whether they start out with a good or bad day, we want to move people through flavours.”

Pistolesi joined NIO Cocktails in 2017 with a shared mission to drive a cocktail revolution, allowing everyone to enjoy bar-quality cocktails outside of the bar, in the comfort of their homes or public-drinking spaces. Every one of NIO Cocktails’ drinks is designed and crafted by Pistolesi, and his signature adorns every cocktail.

“The pandemic meant that bartenders had to adapt and be creative which is what we did. NIO Cocktails was never about replacing the role of the bartender, it was all about bringing the drinks to where the bar could not be. You can never replace the relationship in the bar, but you can deliver great drinks to enjoy at home,” he says.

https://niococktails.co.uk

launches innovative range of relaxation drinks aimed at reducing anxiety & stress

Drinks brand OHMG has recently unveiled a range of still and sparkling waters that aim to reduce anxiety and aid relaxation by providing consumers with magnesium-enriched drinks.

OHMG’s new range of magnesium waters offer a refreshing alternative to the soft drinks market and are sure to challenge the relaxation drinks category. The brand recently scooped silver at the 2021 Nourish Awards where they won against hundreds of nutrition and health products.

The range of beverages are made with pure water that has been naturally infused with a bioavailable magnesium, delicious natural fruit flavours and extracts; along with functional botanicals, that help reduce anxiety, tiredness and fatigue and contribute to normal psychological function.

The new range, currently available in the UK, includes a plain still and sparkling magnesium water, plus three exciting flavour combinations including Raspberry

& Lemon Balm + L-Theanine, Peach & Rosemary + Ashwagandha and Blackcurrant & Echinacea + Vitamin C.

The OHMG drink range is available from Harrods and direct from the OHMG.shop, the brand is also in advanced talks with other major retailers and has secured £250k of investment for the launch stage. RSP is £1.99 per can, £5.85 for a trial pack and £23.40 for a pack of 12. www.ohmgwater.com

The Food and Beverage Challenges solved by SEEPEX PC Pumps

Themany challenges faced by the food and beverage industry can be divided into three major areas - raw materials handling, production, and waste removal. Pumps are integral to the majority of food and beverage operations, and the progressive cavity (PC) pump can deliver efficient solutions to help producers increase productivity and reduce operating costs.

1. Handling shear-sensitive media without compromising quality

The low shear action of the PC pump preserves the integrity of shear-sensitive products such as yoghurt, cream, yeast, ice-cream and sauces, removing the need to add costly additives downstream to restore product texture and appearance.

2. Batch and continuous dosing with high precision and repeatable accuracy

PC pumps are ideal for dosing applications where a specific quantity of product must be dosed with high accuracy. PC pumps are virtually pulsation free so they meter additives such as flavours or colours in a smooth, continuous action optimising product quality. Output is directly proportional only to the rotational speed of the pump elements resulting in excellent linear accuracy.

3. Gentle handling of solid particles

PC pumps can handle solid particles without damage. The cavities formed between rotor and stator are neither compressed nor contorted in operation, i.e. ingredients such as fruit or vegetable pieces can easily be transported.

4. Viscosity

PC pumps have excellent suction characteristics and can handle highly viscous or sticky products. For non-flowable products, auger

Low shear SEEPEX EHEDG pumps

mechanisms have been developed to constantly feed viscous media into the pump elements. As a result, media with dry solids content up to 45 per cent and viscosity in excess of 1,000,000 cP can be successfully handled.

5. EHEDG certified pumps fulfill the stringent demands of cleanliness

To fulfill the most stringent hygiene requirements, SEEPEX offers EHEDG certified pumps with enhanced internal design to ensure residue free cleaning.

6. Hygienic waste removal

Production waste can be removed in enclosed systems using PC pumps. Open hopper pumps with a feed auger and macerating knives chop and pump food waste in a single operation, reducing waste volume by up to 60% with OPEX costs considerably lower than vacuum or compressed air systems.

Products such as reject whole fruit and vegetables, poultry (DOA, heads, feet, necks) and even ready meal packaging are hygienically removed through pipework from high care to low risk areas.

Contact SEEPEX for additional information

T 01935 472376 sales.uk@seepex.com www.seepex.com

Alcohol Free Beer Company of the Month

The lowest calorie non-alcoholic beer in the UK

In this issue of Food and Drink Matters, we are pleased to announce The Alcohol Free Brewing Company Ltd as our Alcohol Free Beer Company of the Month.

Nothing beats a refreshing bottle of iced cold beer, but can you really make a healthy beer? UNLTD.® is a great-tasting, alcohol free beer that is low in calories, low in carbs, high in vitamins, gluten free and vegan friendly.

Bottled here in the UK, founder Johnny Johnson had a dream of creating a brewing company that made high quality alcohol-free craft beer that didn’t actually taste alcohol-free. Using only the finest ingredients and modern brewing techniques, UNLTD.® was created giving a delicious fullstrength flavour that gives you the full experience of beer but without the hangover.

Johnny established the company in June 2020 from his own experience of giving up alcohol for three months. In search of a better, healthier alternative, that actually tasted great, Johnny was consistently let down by the many watered-down, weak flavoured non-alcoholic beers.

UNLTD.® is the first non-alcoholic beer brand created by The Alcohol Free Brewing Company

and brewed in West Sussex. There are two products available, an IPA that is only 13 calories per bottle, is their best seller and won Bronze at the World Beer Awards UK 2021, and a Lager that is only 23 calories and won Gold at the European Beer Challenge 2021. Each product boasts a sweet, delicious and charismatic flavour, that embodies everything of a standard alcoholic beer, but is rich in vitamins B6 and B12, gluten-free, low in sugar and have less calories than an apple.

Since its launch, UNLTD.® has taken the alcoholfree market by storm. As well as being available to purchase online via their website, Amazon and various online retailers, you will also find UNLTD.® stocked in over 150 independent pubs,

bars and restaurants around the UK. Furthermore, the good news of UNLTD.® has spread globally, and is now exported to countries including the USA, Australia, Singapore, Morocco, Finland, Netherlands, and New Zealand.

UNLTD.® IPA was unofficially launched towards the back end of 2021 and is soon to be officially launched this year. With aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, deep and complex malt flavours and a perfectly balanced bitter backbone, UNLTD.® IPA is set to be one of the best nonalcoholic beers that has ever graced the UK market.

A true beer with benefits, UNLTD.® IPA is only 13 calories, has a rich nutritional profile, and is proven to improve memory and boost energy. UNLTD.® IPA is sustainably brewed from a solar powered brewery and using locally sourced ingredients. At only 0.5% alcohol per bottle,

Fresh Food Producer Company of the Month

Top quality microgreens

In this issue of Food and Drink Matters, we are pleased to announce Simply Grow Ltd as our Fresh Food Producer Company of the Month.

Established in May 2021, by Sylwia Golebiowska and Max Warkoczynski, Simply Grow Ltd is one of the UK’s up and coming Microgreen’s food producers.

Through a system built by Max that uses 70% less water and energy to grow their crops than traditional methods, the company aims to bring fresh, healthy food produce to the UK market. The range consists of a variety of healthy, natural products including microgreens powders, fresh pasta made from microgreens powder and semolina flour, microgreens, gift boxes, growing kits, herbs, growing tools, and a variety of seeds to which they are in the middle of the application process to have their own license for organic seeds.

“Our fresh, micro packed Microgreens contain no pesticides or chemicals throughout their production and hold a highly nutritional profile as they are sourced from 100% non-GMO organic suppliers,” stated Sylwia.

All Microgreens are grown hydroponically and on a coco coir medium, negating the need to rinse off soil. As the Microgreens come still attached to their coco coir, they stay fresh and nutritious far longer that pre-cut microgreens.

Simply Grow Ltd are active amongst a new market that is on the rise within the UK named urban farming. Some clients include commercial, hotels, restaurants, schools, private chefs, caterers, and cafes, and is an ideal product for those who follow a vegan, vegetarian or healthy lifestyle.

A unique product from Simply Grow Ltd is the Fresh Microgreens Pea Shoots Pasta. Made with semolina flour, it comes in three varieties Rigati,

the product has already received many five-star reviews from customers who can’t get enough of the product.

After recently closing its first crowd-funding round where they managed to raise over £400,000, the opportunity to hire a full sales and marketing team will be imminent in enabling the company to fully crack the UK market and expand further into Europe. In such a short space of time, UNLTD.® has become a household name in the UK with an abundance of awards already in its back pocket, marking a future that is full of unlimited opportunities.

www.unltd.beer

Conchiglie, and Gemelli. Another popular product for adults and young children is the Microgreens Growing Kit. A fantastic idea to involve the family and learn how natural food grows and a great way to source your own vitamins and nutrients.

Grow your own nutritious microgreens in just seven days that contain up to 40 times more nutrients than standard adult leaves. Or why not treat a loved one, or yourself, to a Simply Grow Gift Box, which is a larger version of the growing kit. Designed as a wooden box that comes with three types of organic seeds, step-by-step instructions for growing, mouth-watering recipes and even a 10% voucher for their store.

“You can buy our Growing Kits on our website and through Amazon UK,” said Sylwia.

Recently, Simply Grow Ltd outgrew their old premises in Cheltenham and moved to a larger warehouse based in Bristol. Bristol is a vibrant hub for local businesses in the urban farming sector, “we all support each other to raise awareness of organic, home-grown produce. This type of food is for everyone, its healthier but also very cost-effective. Healthy food shouldn’t be expensive, we are trying to change people’s perceptions and show them that there are better ways than to purchase form large supermarkets. We are working hard to become a net zero company, to stop food waste we work with Too Good To Go, and also we have dropped our prices to accommodate for recent economic changes,” stated Sylwia.

Marked as one of our previous Top Exhibitor’s at the BBC Good Food Show Winter Review, Simply Grow Ltd will be returning to the show at both the summer and winter later exhibitions this year.

For more information, see below.

www.simplygrowshop.co.uk

Instagram @simply_growltd

Facebook @SimplyGrowLtd

Food Testing Matters

Experts in thermal control and measurement

LAUDA continues to provide an expanding range of feature-rich, future proof solutions with energy efficiency and connectivity front of mind, serving a diverse range of industries including food & beverage, brewing, chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, oil and gas, composites, automotive, aerospace, digital printing, laser and beyond.

From food and drink research laboratories to pilot plant and full-scale production, with typical applications from rotary evaporators, incubators, stills and freezers to autoclaves, fermentation chambers and brewing vessels, LAUDA can supply the right temperature control or measurement solution matched to the precise equipment need.

LAUDA’s new range of water chillers has been designed not only to comply with the new Ecodesign directive, but to surpass it through the innovative use of variable speed modules that automatically reduce their duty cycle in line with the cooling demand hence reducing energy consumption and running costs, giving a tangible return on investment for the user, while ensuring full compliance with the latest regulations on refrigerant (fluorinated) gases.

Further portfolio expansion delivers the new LAUDA ‘Versafreeze’ ultra-freezers, (deep-freeze storage down to -85°C), and higher power ‘Integral’ process circulators, (process control from -90 to 320°C with >25kW of cooling @20°C), with pressure overlay options to increase the working range of water/glycol up to 140°C.

Furthermore, for applications requiring customised solutions tailored to individual requirements, we offer a made-to-measure design service using a long-established and highly skilled team. Project engineering is a core competence of LAUDA and using the modular engineering approach we can design and scale a system specifically matched to the application needs.

With the capability to provide accurate heating and cooling in the range -150 to +550°C using a variety of proven modules including heat transfer systems, process cooling systems, secondary

circuit systems, fired heaters and molten salt plants, we are able to provide unique, cost-effective solutions unparalleled by others.

Beyond temperature control, LAUDA has a well-established suite of solutions for measuring viscosity and surface/interfacial tension aimed at the development of surfactants, oils, and polymers.

LAUDA is here to assist with your technical requirements from the first stage of the application discussion, all the way through the process to the final commissioning, and after-care services throughout the lifetime of the equipment. A strong and experienced after-sales service function provides further peace of mind, with

Brewing Matters

impressive first-time fix rates, and backed up by a fully kitted workshop at our newly configured facilities near Stamford.

We look forward to hearing from you: T +44 (0)1780 243118 info@lauda-technology.co.uk www.lauda-technology.co.uk

Quality counts when it comes to bagasse

Despite competitors dropping the weight of their bagasse offering in order to keep prices down, Herald continues to present a stronger product, ensuring its customers can maintain the supply of a premium choice to takeaways and fast food outlets around the UK. The disposables manufacturer and supplier is resolute in its commitment to supplying only the best quality bagasse products. Managing director of Herald, Yogesh Patel explains: “It’s a false economy to provide customers with anything but stock of a substantial weight as you run the risk of affecting the final food offering and jeopardising the opportunity for repeat business.

“These disposables are used for a wide variety of hot

dishes and sauces. If the container isn’t heavy enough, the heat of the food will break the packaging down running the risk of accidents and spillages and spoiling the overall enjoyment of the meal. The preferred option should always be to go with quality in order to give the end-user the best experience.”

Herald’s bagasse selection forms part of its biodegradable product range and includes square, round and rectangle plates, in varying sizes, along with bowls, containers and hot boxes. The latter particularly appeal to the food to go market and those who supply to takeaway and fast food outlets.

For further information on Herald and its products, log on to www.heraldplastic.com or call 0208 507 7900.

Clean water, grease control, safe establishment

As the catering industry moves to a new normal, with patrons eagerly returning to holidaying and eating out, it is essential to focus on an establishment’s overall health and compliance. In addition to meticulous food and general hygiene, this means ensuring clean, safe, water and air. Your water system must have an up-to-date Legionella Risk Assessment and comply with L8, the code of practice issued by the HSE. This may mean undertaking remedial work, as well as routine water tank cleaning, water testing and monitoring.

As the demand for cooked meals has risen, so, inevitably, will the accumulation of grease deposits within your kitchen extraction system. This grease must be removed at regular intervals by expert technicians, as stipulated in the tables in TR19® Grease, which is issued by BESA. Failing to remove this grease layer allows a potential fire risk to accumulate, and could constitute negligence, for which there can be serious legal consequences. In a case of fire, a non-compliant extract system could result in your insurance company refusing to pay out.

Indoor air quality should also be safeguarded by regular cleaning of the ventilation system in accordance with TR19®. If your ventilation system is fitted with fire dampers, these should also be drop tested annually in accordance with BS:9999. www.swiftclean.co.uk

VOG Products: Certified organic quality from TrentinoSouth

Tyrol VOG Products: Certified organic quality from Trentino-South Tyrol

The fruit processing company VOG Products is the world’s largest producer of organic apple juice, concentrate and purée at one location. Alongside its Bioland certification, the company recently received Bio Suisse certification.

High organic production standards, tightly meshed quality control and traceability right back to the farmers are particularly valuable in the organic sector. These criteria are also important for VOG Products, the processing company. The producers’ organisation from South Tyrol has acquired another certificate for its organic products: Bio Suisse, alongside the EU organic seal and Bioland partnership. The Bio Suisse umbrella organisation is the largest organic organisation in Switzerland and in addition to the criteria mentioned above, focuses on developing organic agriculture in Switzerland. Like Bioland certification, the label has more stringent guidelines for cultivation and processing than those laid down in the EU regulation on organic production. “It guarantees a high organic production standard that corresponds to the standards of VOG Products,” said Christoph Tappeiner, the CEO of VOG Products.

The modern fruit processing company headquartered in Laives belongs to 4 producers’ organisations from South Tyrol and Trentino plus 18 cooperatives from South Tyrol with a total of around 10,000 members. Most of the members are small family operations that care for their apple orchards with love and devotion

In the organic sector, the figures show a clear trend: in three years, the quantity of organic raw goods delivered to VOG Products has more than trebled. As a result, the fruit processing company has become the world’s largest producer of organic apple juice, concentrate and purée at one location. VOG Products continues to source its organic goods exclusively from its members’ members –in other words, from the Trentino-South Tyrol region.

info@vog-products.it www.vog-products.it

Print & Packaging Matters

Next generation innovation extends aluminiumfree solution to more food & beverage products

SIG announces SIGNATURE EVO, the world’s first full barrier aluminium-free aseptic carton solutions for a wide range of products

SIG recently announced the launch of SIGNATURE EVO, the world’s first aluminium-free full barrier packaging materials for aseptic carton packs. SIGNATURE EVO extends SIG’s lower-carbon aluminium-free packaging materials – already available for plain white milk – for wider use with oxygen-sensitive products such as fruit juices, nectars, flavoured milk or plant-based beverages.

“By extending our SIGNATURE portfolio with SIGNATURE EVO – the world’s first aluminiumfree packaging materials for aseptic cartons with full barrier protection – we are taking the next step in our aluminium-free journey and underlining our position as an industry leader in sustainable innovations,” said Ali Kaylan, SVP Innovation at SIG. “We are delighted to give our customers additional opportunities to bring low-impact packaging solutions to more categories and more consumers around the world. Sustainable innovations like this are central to SIG’s commitment to partner with customers and go Way Beyond Good for people and the planet.”

Industry-leading sustainable innovation SIGNATURE EVO is the latest evolution in the SIGNATURE portfolio – SIG’s innovative offering of the most sustainable packaging materials available for aseptic carton packs.

SIG led the industry with the first ever aluminiumfree solutions for aseptic cartons. By eliminating the need for an aluminium foil barrier layer, combibloc ECOPLUS cut the carbon footprint of SIG’s standard packaging material by 27% when launched in 2010.

SIGNATURE 100 cut this further in 2017, offering a 58% lower carbon footprint than SIG’s standard packaging material by linking the polymers to 100% renewable forest-based materials via a certified mass-balance system (results based on ISO-compliant life-cycle assessment CB-100732c for Europe).

With more than 1.9 billion packs now sold with these aluminium-free long-life packaging solutions for liquid dairy products, SIG has built on this success to create the first full barrier aluminium-free solutions for aseptic cartons.

SIGNATURE EVO packaging materials are expected to offer a similar carbon footprint reduction to combibloc ECOPLUS, to be confirmed through an independent, critically-reviewed life-cycle assessment. Like all SIG packs, SIGNATURE EVO is fully recyclable in existing recycling streams.

Extending aluminium-free solutions to more products

With barrier properties comparable to standard aseptic cartons that include an aluminium foil barrier layer, SIGNATURE EVO packaging materials ensure that even oxygen-sensitive products are protected over long periods of time without the need for refrigeration. This enables customers to bring the

Hospitality Matters

environmental benefits to many more food and beverage categories.

SIGNATURE EVO will initially be launched in the combiblocMini portion-sized format before being extended to other formats. It is suitable for both oxygen-insensitive products like plain white UHT milk and oxygen-sensitive products like fruit juices, nectars, flavoured milk or plant-based beverages.

Standing out with SIG’s most sustainable packaging solutions

SIGNATURE EVO enhances opportunities for customers to differentiate their products with an aluminium-free pack that offers both on-shelf appeal and stand-out environmental credentials.

In the future, it will also be available in more options such as SIGNATURE EVO 100 – SIG’s full barrier solution for aseptic carton packs linked to 100% renewable forest-based materials.

This announcement not only reinforces SIG’s position as the leading supplier of aluminium-free aseptic carton packaging solutions, it also underlines SIG’s commitment to offer the most sustainable food packaging solutions on the market as it goes Way Beyond Good for customers, society and the environment.

Find out more about SIG’s way beyond good commitment: www.sig.biz/en/responsibility/ way-beyond-good

BeerX UK Review Top 10

The UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event

BeerX UK is the UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event and 2022 was set to be the best yet, with a huge industry trade show, regional beer bars and trade-only beer festival, the SIBA AGM and Members’ Conference, the independent beer and business awards presentations, plus a packed schedule of seminars, talks and panel debates from the beer industry’s leading voices.

After a completely virtual event in 2021, BeerX UK 2022 was back bigger and better than ever and took place on the 16-17 March this year at Liverpool Exhibition Centre. The must attend event was a perfect opportunity for anyone in the beer and brewing industry to connect with key industry professionals in the British Independent Craft Beer industry.

Whatever your role within the industry as an independent brewer, republican, beer shop owner, national retail buyer or industry supplier, there was only one place to be in March 2022. The event provided little nuggets of knowledge alongside large doses of inspiration for all the relevant industry

related news and updates from the British beer scene.

The event delivered an exciting programme of workshops, masterclasses, and panel debates including more tasting session than ever before. The event was designed to inform attendees on all that is new within the industry, discover the latest brewing techniques and ingredients, and hear how to reduce business costs to make breweries more efficient.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from the show, listed here in alphabetical order: Brewers Select Ltd, Bulk storage & process systems Ltd, Enterprise Tondelli, HINTERKOPF, Micro Can, Moorgate Brewery Finance, RASTAL, SSV Limited and Weishaupt. Further details can be found on this page and the next page.

For more information, see below.

www.beerx.org

Perfect taste inside – perfectly printed outside

Whether Scottish, Welsh, Irish or English – as different as the country and its people may be, they all have one thing in common: the love of a real, handmade beer.

Just as craft beer brewers put all their experience and passion into producing and maturing a unique beer, we have applied our German engineering know-how and

craftsmanship here at HINTERKOPF into developing the presumably best digital printing machine of the world.

So what could be better than combining the best of both worlds? Perfect taste inside as well as a perfectly printed design outside of the can – the highest pleasure for the palate and the eye. And the best news is: Small and very small runs are now possible, quickly and economically at any time.

Thanks to state-of-the art seven color technology (CMYK, orange, violet and green), the D240.2 digital printing machine by HINTERKOPF offers a greatly increased color space for all beverage cans, which allows for even more vibrant colors and exact color matching.

https://hinterkopf.de

Weishaupt

Weishaupt gas and oil burners are notable for their economy, durability, and reliability. They can be found throughout the brewing and distilling industries worldwide, on grain dryers, malt kilns, and stills.

Weishaupt is a long-established business. For almost 70 years, the firm has developed and built heating equipment at its plant in southern Germany. Having started with oil burners, Weishaupt today has a wide range of experience in the energy technology, energy recovery, and energy management sectors.

The Weishaupt name stands for reliability, high

quality, and first-rate service. As an ownermanaged, medium-sized business it is big enough for its energy technology products to be a global success and, at the same time, slim enough to act independently, responsibly, flexibly, and consistently.

In the Weishaupt research and development centre, around 100 highly specialised technicians, designers, and engineers develop innovative heating technology through to series production. This is where the foundations of reliable Weishaupt technology are laid.

Weishaupt demands the utmost quality and precision. The expertise of its skilled employees is in every product and underlies the successful development of the company. At Weishaupt, only really well-engineered devices and accessories come onto the market, where they perform reliably for customers.

T 01902 609841

Brew the best with Brewers Select

Brewers Select is a one-stop-shop supplier of ingredients and equipment, sourced from around the world for the craft brewing and distilling industry.

From its warehouse facility in Peterborough, Brewers Select supply a high-quality range of malt, hops, yeast, adjuncts and equipment, including casks and kegs. Brewers Select’s primary focus is to provide UK brewers with the ability to offer a wide range of brewing ingredients all on one order. Furthermore, Brewers Select offers an easy ordering process and a fast and efficient delivery service.

The company partners with suppliers around the globe, giving them advantageous access to unique brewing ingredients.

Its impressive global reach also gives Brewers Select the ability to provide its products on a worldwide scale, through its network of parent and sister companies.

Since it was founded in 2013, Brewers Select has grown its product range and is continuously searching for new ways to expand and meet new market demands through partnering with suppliers. Brewers Select is committed to providing a range of innovative products that support its customers in creating new, exciting, and great tasting beers.

For further information, please see below. www.brewersselect.co.uk

Enterprise Tondelli

Enterprise Tondelli have been exhibiting at BeerX for a number of years and have found it a great way to meet new and existing customers. This year Enterprise were focusing on can fillers and canning equipment. With their range of can fillers starting off with a rotary counter pressure craft can filler at 25 cans per minute using simple mechanical technology to their state of the art flow meter can filling from 6,000 cph to 80,000 cph. Enterprise can meet all customers needs in this area and have many UK references for this.

Tunnel pasteurisation is also an important area at the moment and Enterprise have some very small units at just 6 sq. meters upwards with some energy and water saving features that reduce the total cost of ownership and reduce environmental impact. Recent installations include 2 two forty square meters and another sixty square meters too.

Kegging, depalletising, bottle filling, labelling, conveyoring, cartonning and shrink wrapping and palletising equipment mean Enterprise can supply from single machines as above to complete turnkey bottling, canning and kegging lines.

Tel 01525 718288 or visit their website on www.enterprisetondelli.co.uk and check out some of their case studies to see real world applications and read what customers think of Enterprise Tondelli.

BeerX UK Review Top 10

The UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event

BeerX UK is the UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event and 2022 was set to be the best yet, with a huge industry trade show, regional beer bars and trade-only beer festival, the SIBA AGM and Members’ Conference, the independent beer and business awards presentations, plus a packed schedule of seminars, talks and panel debates from the beer industry’s leading voices.

After a completely virtual event in 2021, BeerX UK 2022 was back bigger and better than ever and took place on the 16-17 March this year at Liverpool Exhibition Centre. The must attend event was a perfect opportunity for anyone in the beer and brewing industry to connect with key industry professionals in the British Independent Craft Beer industry.

Whatever your role within the industry as an independent brewer, republican, beer shop owner, national retail buyer or industry supplier, there was only one place to be in March 2022. The event provided little nuggets of knowledge alongside large doses of inspiration for all the relevant industry

RASTAL

Over the past 100 years, RASTAL has become a highly regarded partner to renowned clients operating in the national and international beverage arena, in the hospitality and catering sector as well as in the wholesale and retail trading business.

The family-run enterprise manufactures up to 120 million glasses per year. Numerous well-known brands across the globe rely

Bulk Storage & Process Systems Limited Install New Bulk Malt Silo At Felinfoel Brewery

Felinfoel Brewery, one of the oldest breweries in the UK has been brewing at this site since 1878 producing quality cask ales. The production of beer in cans commenced in 1935, making it the oldest canners of craft beer in the world!

The traditional Mash Room is situated on the top floor of the building and until 2020 50 Kg bags of whole malt were delivered for milling and lifted with a sack elevator. Two years ago a bucket elevator was installed to enable the bags to be unloaded at ground level before being weighed and lifted to be milled. With the demand to reduce raw material costs the idea of a bulk malt silo was investigated to bring in the malt using 27T bulk lorries thus eliminating the need to handle the bags manually.

So Felinfoel looked to Surrey and Northampton based company, Bulk Storage and Process Systems Limited (BSPS) to design and install a bulk malt silo and conveyor to the malt elevator. The design and implementation of the new silo needed to be in keeping with the historic building and BSPS were able to achieve this by designing external wood cladding system around the silo.

BSPS undertook all planning, design, and installation with their own fitters.

For more information call Bill Egerton 01483 202211

related news and updates from the British beer scene. The event delivered an exciting programme of workshops, masterclasses, and panel debates including more tasting session than ever before. The event was designed to inform attendees on all that is new within the industry, discover the latest brewing techniques and ingredients, and hear how to reduce business costs to make breweries more efficient.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from the show, listed here in alphabetical order: Brewers Select Ltd, Bulk storage & process systems Ltd, Enterprise Tondelli, HINTERKOPF, Micro Can, Moorgate Brewery Finance, RASTAL, SSV Limited and Weishaupt. Further details can be found on this page and the next page.

For more information, see below.

www.beerx.org

Moorgate Brewery Finance

It was great to return to BeerX as a faceto-face event, with both familiar faces and new people to meet. The turnout and atmosphere were great, as was the selection of beers available at the bars over the two days.

When speaking to attendees it became clear that additional challenges will be met head on by the industry. With increasing energy costs and the deposit return scheme on the way, being green was high on the agenda, as was distributional channels and it was interesting to listen to the group forums and the Q&A sessions.

We have been working hard to increase funding options for not only new brewhouses, taprooms and canning lines, but to offer further solutions for solar panels, raw materials, and refrigeration solutions. By working with our customers, we have been able to offer long term solutions to improve

the sustainability of the brewery industry and allow them to grow.

The other aspect that we have help our customers with is growth into new markets by allowing them to fund their invoices where clients have demanded payment terms. This has allowed brewers to enter the wholesale and supermarket model at a time of consumer interest.

T 01908 926262

How it started vs How it’s going

on RASTAL’s experience and technological expertise in all aspects of brand staging and branded consumer experience.

In order to assist clients in finding a wellrounded solution, RASTAL offers not only internationally recognised know-how in the field of glassware design, production and finishing, but also an extensive array of services ranging from the sensorial analysis of glasses right through to case-specific logistics solutions.

Contact www.rastal.com

If you stopped past the SSV Limited stand at BeerX you would have seen their brand new Brew Bloc 4. It has a 20 UK BBL (32HL) per cycle cold wort production capability (brew length) with the ability to produce up to 8 brews per day or 52,000HL (assuming only weekday/5days per week operation).

The brewhouse was destined for a new home at Quantock Brewery and arrived at the newly expanded brewing site within 24 hours of the BeerX doors closing.

It forms part of a full turnkey project for SSV Limited and the equipment is now fully installed including water system, brewhouse, cellar, CIP system, new steam boiler, Chiller, raw materials handling plant and C02 distribution.

The expansion offers Quantock maximum flexibility and the ability to meet seasonal and product variant demand pressures with

ease as they have the ability to produce a 10HL seasonal within 3.5hours right up to producing 260HL of a core range product in 24 hours and any mix of variants in between ensuring their production equipment can keep pace with their ever growing sales demand for years to come.

For more about SSV Limited and their offering visit their websitewww.ssvlimited.co.uk

Manufacturing Matters

PEMAC Contractor Management & Health & Safety Case Study – Tayto Snacks

Tayto Snacks (previously known as Largo Foods) is the leading manufacturer and distributor of premium snack foods in Ireland including brands such as Tayto, King and Hunky Dorys. The Irish factory based in Ashbourne Co. Meath has been in operation since 1983 and employs more than 500 people. Its takeover by the Intersnack Group in 2015, led to significant capital investment in technology, equipment upgrades as well as work practices which led to a need for a new way of managing certain elements of their operations.

The increased volume of project works happening on site required improved methods and procedures for managing contractors as well as maintaining a safer

working environment. The existing excel and paperbased systems were not providing enough details of contractor work activities throughout the business.

Very few people knew what contractors were on site, what work was being done, and there were no permanent records of contractor daily activity available. Overall, the correct level of reporting was not being completed and paper-based work permits gave a restricted view of any safety issues and potential accidents.

PEMAC was able to provide a solution to integrate with other software working through the factory, making the implementation and adoption smoother. PEMAC’s user-friendly interface ensured everyone

could monitor the various stages of contractor work on a daily and forecast basis.

Now all contractors coming to site are checked for the prerequisite documentation and skills. All departments can easily view what works are being carried out and whether or not they will impact on production. Proper permanent records on all contractor activity for inquiry and reporting are now kept and readily available.

Contact

T +353 1 466 3888 sales@pemac.com www.pemac.com

DMN-WESTINGHOUSE wins a hot order for rotary & diverter valves

DMN-WESTINGHOUSE

has recenrlty won a significant order for several BL Blow Through Rotary Valves and MTDV Multi-Port Diverter Valves for installation in one of Asia’s largest spice processing factories. The customer was facing problems with their existing valves of other makes, so they opted for DMNWESTINGHOUSE to provide a solution. With a wide range of rotary and diverter valves that are particularly suitable for handling spices, DMN-WESTINGHOUSE provided a high-quality, cost-effective solution to ensure smooth processing.

The customer has recently developed an entirely new, fully automated pneumatic line design for its growing export market. Before the new and improved system design, the material was weighed manually, leaving more room for error and maintenance costs. A proper airlock system below the silo and above the pneumatic convey line was necessary for metering the product and achieving accurate measurements.

The system design avoids all manual intervention and requires international standards of hygiene. To solve this problem, DMN-WESTINGHOUSE offered the BL blow-through valve series. The product is metered through the valve into precise batch amounts, making it easier and more efficient when mixing the blends with the different products. The valve also acts as an airlock to reduce air leakage.

The BL valves are a perfect fit to handle the spices’ hygroscopic nature while meeting sanitary design requirements. The valve’s design allows the product to blow through the line while clearing the rotor pocket. As a result, product build-up in the rotor pockets is minimized, thus cleaning is not required as frequently. The valves are also equipped with an air purge regulator kit and FDA Approved gland sealing. This highly effective seal arrangement prevents the product from entering and damaging the seal, thus reducing maintenance and downtime.

The new system also requires sanitary diverters to transport several different spices for a spice blend. The MTDV Multi-Port diverter was a perfect solution to lower equipment costs and reduce downtime. Rather than installing several 2-way diverters, the customer opted for the MTDV to reduce extra pipework costs.

The MTDV valves are equipped with 1 inlet and 5 outlet ports and can be used in converging and diverging applications. It meets the sanitary design requirements with FDA Approved product surfaces. The unique swan neck design ensures smooth passage of product and is ideal for handling products with poor flowability.

DMN-WESTINGHOUSE commented: “We are delighted with this order. DMN-WESTINGHOUSE is already a leader in the supply of hygienic valves. However, this order demonstrates our ability to meet the customer’s design specifications perfectly with our high-quality products and technical expertise.”

DMN-WESTINGHOUSE offered the best technical solution and met all required criteria, with optimum design standards and premium service levels. We were able to come up with a customized solution to meet the customer’s specifications. Our valve design and pricing results in higher accuracy, less wear, reduced maintenance, and overall increased cost savings.

Contact https://dmnwestinghouse.com

Manufacturing Matters

NSK Silver-Lube® bearings bring long service life to food industry applications

Continuous high speeds, demanding hygiene standards and challenging operating conditions call for robust, reliable bearings that deliver cost-effective production at food and beverage plants. Any bearings deployed in these applications must reliably prevent the onset of corrosion, which is a common threat on production lines subject to harsh wash-down regimes.

Central to NSK’s product offer for the food and beverage industry is its RHP Silver-Lube® range of bearing units. These innovative bearings comprise a host of corrosion-resistant components, including inserts with high-grade stainless steel rings and balls, cage, flingers, and set screws. Furthermore, the inserts sit within a high-strength PBT thermoplastic housing featuring a stainless steel grease nipple.

Excellent protection against corrosion, chemicals and detergents ensures Silver-Lube® can endure challenging operating conditions at food plants around the world. A case in point is a facility that processes baby leaf products for sale to leading supermarkets.

Here, the leaf harvester machine previously featured numerous low-cost mounted-unit bearings to support shafts of various diameters. Unfortunately, the machine was prone to ongoing failures due to the ingress of dirt and water into its bearings. The upshot was recurring production downtime and, on occasions, ruined crops.

NSK experts accepted an invitation to review the application and operating conditions. This appraisal process ultimately led to the replacement of the existing mounted units with Silver-Lube® featuring an innovative flinger seal arrangement and stainless steel bearings.

During the subsequent harvesting season, just two bearing failures occurred, improving productivity and generating savings of €63,300 thanks to significantly lower production losses. As this success story illustrates, Silver-Lube® bearing units are ideal for applications requiring frequent wash-downs, optimum hygiene standards and good chemical resistance over a broad temperature range.

As well as optimal protection against corrosion, Silver-Lube® offers durable and heat-resistant silicon rubber seals that protect against penetration by water or dirt, which is important to prevent the onset of defects and avoid washout of the bearing’s wide-temperature USDA H1 food-grade grease.

Complementing the seal is the stainless steel flinger,

which prevents the ingress of bacteria and helps the seal to resist impact damage.

Further Silver-Lube® advantages include: a paintfree resin housing to eliminate any risk of chipping or flaking; a smooth finish to prevent dirt adhesion; a cavity-free design to avoid ‘bug traps’ that might harbour bacteria or mould; suitability for working temperatures from -20 to +90°C; long service life; and low cost of ownership. Silver-Lube® is also NSF-approved, meeting strict standards for public health protection.

Another noteworthy attribute is the ability of Silver-Lube® bearings units to accommodate any initial misalignment from mounting errors, making them ideal for use in food and beverage plant machinery such as shakers, fillers, centrifugal separators, bottling machines and conveyors.

Silver-Lube® bearings units are available in pillow block, two-bolt flange, four-bolt flange and take-up unit configurations.

www.nskeurope.com

NSK Silver-Lube® bearings withstand wash-down fluids on bottling line conveyor

In operations where contact with process fluid is unavoidable, poorly specified bearings that fail prematurely can prove costly in maintenance labour and production downtime. For this reason, increasing numbers of food and beverage plants are turning to the beneficial attributes of NSK’s Silver-Lube® bearing units.

Silver-Lube® provides optimal protection against the ingress of wash-down water and detergent while simultaneously ensuring corrosion resistance. Among those testifying to the advantages of Silver-Lube® is a market-leading milk processing and bottling plant. The facility was experiencing repeated bearing failures on five conveyor lines, where the company was changing bearings approximately every 16 weeks. With every replacement taking approximately one hour to complete, the plant invited NSK’s team of experts to recommend a solution.

As part of its AIP Added Value Programme, NSK’s specialist engineers analysed the failed bearings, concluding that the ingress of water during the wash-down process was causing internal corrosion and premature failures. Further review of the application and operating conditions led the NSK team to recommend its proven Silver-Lube® housed bearing units.

The plant commenced a trial of Silver-

Lube® bearings featuring food-grade grease on one of its bottling line conveyors, a solution that resulted in an immediate improvement and significant lifetime extension. Silver-Lube® features durable and heat-resistant silicon rubber seals that protect against fluid penetration and prevent washout of the lubricating grease. Complementing the seal is a stainless steel flinger, which prevents the ingress of bacteria and helps the seal to resist impact damage. Silver-Lube® bearings also

comprise numerous corrosion-resistant components, including inserts with highgrade stainless steel rings and balls, cage, flingers, and set screws. Furthermore, the bearing insert sits within a high-strength PBT thermoplastic housing featuring a stainless steel grease nipple.

After the initial trial, the plant implemented Silver-Lube® housed bearing units on all five of its milk bottle conveyor systems. The result: a reduction in machine downtime,

maintenance labour and replacement bearings costs, leading to annual savings of €7,625. Indeed, no failures of Silver-Lube bearings occurred for more than five years.

Importantly, Silver-Lube® bearings units can accommodate initial misalignment from mounting errors, making them ideal for bottling machines and conveyors used by the food and beverage industry. Additional attributes include: a paintfree resin housing to eliminate any risk of chipping or flaking; a cavity-free design to avoid ‘bug traps’ that might harbor bacteria or mould; a smooth finish to prevent dirt adhesion; and suitability for working temperatures from -20 to +90°C

www.nskeurope.com

Manufacturing & Machinery Matters

6X: VEGA’s simple radar formula for better processes

VEGA ushers in a new era in level sensing with the radar sensor VEGAPULS6X.

With VEGAPULS 6X, VEGA radar “thinks” in a new way. The result: A new level radar sensor that can measure in virtually every conceivable application. The time when users had to choose their level instrument from a multitude of different types are now history.

Traditionally, the search for a suitable level sensor begins by thinking about things like: what solution would be best for my application, how can I ensure I choose the correct and most reliable device for a

successful outcome for my project? Of course radar offers great answers for these questions.

The customer already knows their own process, the details of product properties and processing to be controlled, the temperature ranges involved, the standard needed to be met and installation fittings that are available. But, until now, choosing a radarbased level instrument was a laborious task, matching these process details to myriad radar frequencies, part numbers and options on offer. Now the process is being completely transformed by VEGA with its new VEGAPULS 6X. One device for all and a new selection

and ordering method that is customer-application focused. It enables complete, correct configuration and even pre-calibration of the specific sensor required - for any application, whether for liquids or bulk solids.

“Ultimately, it’s not the sensor that counts, but what the users can achieve with it in their individual processes,” says Florian Burgert, who, as a product manager, has been closely involved in product development from the very beginning. “Just knowing that they’ve chosen the best possible measurement solution and that they’ll reach their goal faster with it, makes a big difference in their everyday operations.”

Over 1 million instruments in use worldwide. The success story of today’s world market leader in radar level measurement began 30 years ago. In the meantime, VEGA’s sensors have optimized millions of industrial processes. The story includes milestones such as the world’s first two-wire radar instrument and the first 80-GHz radar sensor for liquids on the market, which revolutionised radar level sensor performance for customers. Behind this success are the many people who share a common passion:

“At VEGA we don’t do a hundred different things, we concentrate on what we do best: Radar.”, says product manager Jürgen Skowaisa, speaking for all of them.

All-round protection

The new VEGAPULS 6X offers the best that is technically feasible today: a self-diagnosis system that immediately detects damage or interference, that ensures significantly high availability and safety, it also has new radar-chip technology, with expanded application possibilities and simpler operation.

The radar features SIL certification, and the matter of cybersecurity has also been fully taken into account: Compliance with security standard IEC 62443-4-2, which specifies the strictest requirements for secure communication and access control.

The value lies in making it easier for users to select their device and monitor their industrial processes. The ultimate purpose of VEGAPULS 6X is just that - through maximum simplification. It is one sensor that can handle virtually any application.

In the future, the customer will no longer have to worry about the technology, frequency or instrument version. Even setup and commissioning has been reduced to a minimum, requiring now just a few clicks and basic application parameters. In many cases, all application-specific settings can be made in VEGAPULS 6X before it leaves the factory, so it’s just left for the user to install, connect, done: It doesn’t get any simpler.

More information available at www.vega.com/radar

Target Net Zero

We are all aware that the food packaging industry has a responsibility to its customers and stakeholders to reduce its environmental impact.

National Flexible believe that this is not only in supplying packaging that can help reduce CO2 but that we need to work in a sustainable manner along with our other social and environmental responsibilities.

To this end, we are, wherever possible, developing our working practices to enable us to improve our business management in these areas.

In 2021 we helped our customers reduce their carbon footprint by 1010 tonnes CO2 through packaging reduction, plastic reduction, emission free printing and carbon neutrality. This is equivalent to 2.5 million car miles or 774 long haul flights.

We have reduced our own carbon footprint by 709 tonnes CO2 through initiatives like the installation of solar panels, creating a Climate Positive Workforce and tree planting. This is equivalent to 1 .8 million car miles or 543 long haul flights.

In total last year we saved 1719 tonnes CO2

We have also successfully gained ISO 14001 which is the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS).

Come and see us on Stand D52 at Packaging Innovations NEC.

www.nationalflexible.co.uk

On a Roll! Printed laminate containing over 30% PCR content

Cake

Décor is the UK’s largest manufacturer of cake decorations, producing extensive ranges for Plant Bakeries, Blue Chip Food Manufacturers, Artisan Businesses and Major UK Supermarkets.

They were founded in 2006, owned by Orkla since April 2021 and have built a strong reputation for quality product and the highest customer service.

They have a ‘right first time’ approach to NPD and have innovation at their very core, so when Waitrose wanted to change to printed film for their Ready to Roll Icing, it was an easy discussion to have. Changing from a traditional laminate to one with post-consumer recyclate beats the Plastic Tax, introduced this month.

According to the Government website, the new tax has been introduced to “encourage the use of recycled rather than new plastic within plastic packaging. This will in turn stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste, diverting it away from landfill or incineration”.

“Moving to a PCR film was made easy by working with National Flexible. It ran first time on our packing lines and both we and Waitrose are very happy with the result.” Robert Simpson Cake Décor. www.nationalflexible.co.uk

Print, Packaging & Labelling Matters

DataLase launch new coatings range for laminated substrates

DataLase, the global leader in Photonic Printing solutions, has expanded its coatings and substrate application offering by launching a new coatings range for laminated constructions called SB Lamination Coatings. The coatings, which are available in four variations depending on CO2 or fiber laser marking system usage, offers translucent to white and white to black colour change options.

Suitable for a variety of end products, such as yoghurt pouches, pet food and beauty products, the coatings are designed for use in the laminated packaging sector in either solvent-based flexographic or gravure printing processes. The patch, which forms the middle part of a laminated

construction between an outer layer of OPP, PE or PET and inner layers of barrier films to avoid direct

food contact, can be surface printed or reverse printed to provide anti-counterfeit tamper-proof coding.

Providing an alternative to continuous inkjet (CIJ), pressure sensitive labels and laser ablation of variable data coding onto laminated substrates, the lamination coatings address the challenges faced by brand owners and retailers seeking highly legible machine-readable tamper-proof coding and marking that avoid direct food contact.

For further information about DataLase, please visit https://www.datalase.com/ sb-lamination-coatings/.

label.co.uk – the label printers

As an online company, label.co.uk want to make it as easy as possible to order your labels for your brand and business. We understand that not every company is 9-5. That’s why you can order labels on our website 24/7.

Ordering with label.co.uk is simple: Go to our online calculator on our website, input your parameters such as quantity, shape, material and finish and the calculator will immediately display your quote. In the next steps, simply enter the details of your order, upload your file(s) and we print your labels. Plus: Our

delivery is free across Europe and we have express options available if required.

You need inspiration for the perfect design and material? Our free sample book contains all the information, finishes and pre-cut samples you’ll need to touch and feel our papers and foils in person.

Your artwork is not quite print ready? Then we have services available to ensure it is fit-to-print as well as proofing, template and design services.

And finally, for those extra special final touches,

we offer plenty of premium finishes such as hot foil stamping as well as lamination, protective varnishes, embossing and even personalisation to make your labels truly unique.

info@label.co.uk

Recyclable pouches join the family of McCoos

How can a recyclable pouch possible do justice to the Steven Brown Art's – the McCoos?

When Deans of Huntly wanted to launch their range of Cookies in a recyclable pouch, they approached National Flexible for ideas. They had the designs which are incredible, incorporating Steven Brown Art’s McCoos but were worried that a recyclable laminated pouch wouldn’t do the designs justice as some recyclable materials can have a ‘dull’ finish similar to polyethylene.

National Flexible had already had extensive experience of recyclable films and pouches and were able to help. The pouches needed to have intensity of colour not only in the main design but also in the photographs of the small packs on the front.

“We needn’t have worried. National Flexible understood exactly what we wanted to achieve. We are extremely happy with the pouches – they look amazing!” said Michael from Deans of Huntly.

T 01274 685566

sales@nationalflexible.net

www.nationalflexible.co.uk

Proper have moved into the fast growing snack bar category with a healthy alternative. The two flavours, Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Praline, are vegan and gluten free, have no palm oil and use ‘Proper’ ingredients.

The launch is in response to demand from shoppers for healthier on-the-go snacking options as the nation moves towards more mindful snacking.

The packs are made from matt and metallised film with 30% recycled content, meaning they are exempt from the Plastic Tax.

The Plastic Tax is being introduced in April 2022 to “provide a clear economic incentive for businesses to use recycled material in the production of plastic packaging, which will create greater demand for this material and in turn stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste, diverting it away from landfill or incineration”.

A full range of films with recycled content are available now.

Print & Packaging Matters

Icertech

Icertech, a specialist in temperaturecontrolled packaging, are excited to announce the latest addition to their product range; Aqua-Chill.

Over the last seventeen years, Icertech has grown to be one of the trusted suppliers in the chilled packaging market, supplying a range of ice packs and insulated boxes. Having built a reputation as an independent manufacturer and supplier of high quality, low cost gel-based coolants, Icertech is now very excited to announce the launch of a water-based equivalent in Summer 2022 – our ‘Aqua-Chill’ coolants. Traditionally, gel-based coolants have proven popular on the basis that they provide a higher level of leak resistance (and do not ruin pack contents when they do leak), and they are also simpler and cheaper to manufacture in the most efficient way.

However, despite the gel contents being drain-safe, and having multiple options for re-use, there is a growing concern amongst end users over disposal. This has led many market leaders to opt for water-based coolants for their product.

There is currently a lack of choice when it comes to water-based coolants for the ‘Direct To Consumer’ industry, with only a couple of manufacturers in the UK offering such a product. As a result, the market pricing can be somewhat high, coupled with an insufficient level of customer service, especially for smaller businesses.

Through our years of experience and development of robust and efficient internal processes, Icertech is proud to be supporting the growing ‘Direct To Consumer’ market for our Food & Drink customers, enhancing the supply chain and driving forward competitive pricing within our industry at a time of ever-increasing prices.

Icertech will be launching its Aqua-Chill with pallet prices for our 500g and 1kg coolants set at 18p/each and 28p/each respectively (Excl. VAT, Ex Works). Our efficient-to-manufacture single –pouch coolant format delivers the best level of performance at the most cost-effective price for the customer.

An unprecedented amount of investment has been made on a bespoke

machine built in Germany that is suited to liquid fill applications of this type. The company has performed trials on many different films from several suppliers to identify a laminate film that provides a high level of puncture and leak resistance, whilst still being 100% recyclable.

Welsh tap water is taken through a

triple filtration process – micron, carbon & UV; before being purified through chlorination, ensuring the coolant contents are 100% food safe, and also safe should an end user accidentally consume the contents.

Icertech has also invested in its water supply system to increase capacity, with a

20,000 litre master tank that is fed from an enhanced connection to the water main, which is then delivered via a dual pump and water batching system to serve the individual requirements of our four coolant production machines.

Contact www.icertech.co.uk

Print & Packaging Matters

Celebrating 85 years of twistwrapping!

individual sweets! The company’s Cellophane™ films were used on the first automated twistwrap machines and often referred to as a ‘transparent paper’ due to being made from renewable wood pulp. Over the years, the films became synonymous with confectionery wraps, and established as the packaging of choice thanks to their excellent technical performance and aesthetic appeal.

Alifetime of wrapping sweets, with an end of life to help the future.

Futamura is celebrating 85 years of twist wrapping

Cellophane was the ideal choice for twistwrapping: the films ran extremely well on packaging machines, staticfree, wrapping at high speeds with an incredibly low level of miswraps. They also held their twist naturally, without the need of heat sealing or adhesives. This

meant that the wraps could be easily opened.

In the last 20 years, Futamura responded to the growing demand for environmentally responsible packaging and launched NatureFlex™ films. This next generation of films is the natural evolution of the original Cellophane: the technical performance of Cellophane, renewable and sustainably sourced raw materials, with sustainable end-of-life options. NatureFlex is certified for home composting by

TÜV Home compost and meets European and international norms for industrial composting including EN13432 and ASTM D6400.

Compostability, the solution to the small format

flexible issue

It is becoming increasing apparent that mechanical recycling cannot be the solution for all applications. The study ‘Breaking the plastic wave’ made it very clear: the industry must use all options available to resolve the current packaging end of life issues.

Today, it is widely acknowledged that small format flexibles are extremely difficult to handle and recycle. Twistwraps fall into this category, small by design, often scrunched up or torn, rendering them even smaller.

By using compostable NatureFlex films for small format applications, consumers can simply place the film in a home compost bin, where it will break down in 6 to 8 weeks. As facilities develop, industrial composting will become an increasingly familiar option, like it is in some European countries such as Italy and Ireland. Both home and industrial options produce valuable soil enriching compost.

Additionally, in the unfortunate event that sweet wrappers are littered (never condoned by Futamura), NatureFlex wrappers will break down, with a lower environmental impact than ones produced with conventional plastics.

According to Futamura Sales & Marketing Director, Andy Sweetman; “the combination of exceptional wrapping performance coupled with an enhanced end of life solution make NatureFlex the logical choice in small format flexible applications such as twistwrap”

High performance packaging

SACMI Chocolate Spa. (est. 1907) has produced confectionery wrapping machines since 1957. SACMI regularly runs NatureFlex on their machines. Valentina Bergami from SACMI Chocolate Spa. sales and marketing department said: “NatureFlex is a very reliable material, with all the features a material needs to have when running on a wrapping machine: elasticity to withstand the traction in the unwinding process, where the film is unwound from its reel and fed to the wrapping area. Rigidity, so the film can be pushed through the feeding unit of our wrappers where it is cut to length right on top of the product. And last, but not least: elasticity to be twisted and memory effect so that the twists are held and don’t re-open.”

Ms Bergami added; “We have tested various versions of NatureFlex with various looks, transparent or metallised, and the material passed with very good results through our trials. Therefore, we actively recommend it to our clients seeking for new ecofriendly alternatives to plastics.”

NatureFlex films can be found on your family’s favourite colourful chocolates, through to niche vegan brands.

Contact www.natureflex.com

The Source Trade Show Review Top 10

Must-attend event for Food and Drink Sectors

The Source Trade Show was held at the Westpoint Arena & Exhibition Centre, Exeter on 9th to 10th February 2022. The Source Trade Show is the South West’s biggest and best show of its kind. Serving the Food, Drink and Meals sectors, with a rewarding and valuable mix of comparative tastings, sharing of innovative ideas, networking opportunities and inspirational experiences.

The event provides everything a food or hospitality business could possibly want, all under one roof. Consisting of high quality

produce, innovative equipment, stylish furniture to the latest EPoS systems, and a look as the year’s kitchen design trends; the Source Trade Show is the perfect platform for the Food and Drink sectors.

The event is regarded a mustattend event for anyone interested in speciality foods, quality drinks, profitable catering and inspired hospitality.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from the show, listed here in alphabetical order: Canned Wine Co., Everett King and WILD

Canned Wine Co.

Canned Wine Co. launched in 2020 with the aim to innovate sustainably in the wine industry, making exciting wines more accessible, sustainable and convenient for all wine drinkers. We work closely with our winemakers to produce great quality single varietal wines from across Europe without compromise. The outcome, a truly premium award-winning wine in a 100% recyclable format.

Our range of six vegan-friendly and sustainable vintage wines spans across white, rosé and red wine in single-serve cans. This means less wastage and more choice in smaller volumes without negative impacts on quality. As a founding member of Wine Traders for Alternative Formats we’re working hard to be part of reducing over 750 million kilos of CO2 emitted directly due to glass bottles in the UK wine industry.

We’re proud to be stocked in Harrods and the National Trust, as well as working with hundreds of independent venues across the UK.

Gelato. Further details can be found on this page.

The show will be returning in 2023 at the Westpoint Arena & Exhibition Centre, Exeter, on the 8th and 9th of February 2023. www.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk

We would love to partner with you too! That’s why we’re offering you the chance to get 8 CASES FOR THE PRICE OF 7 CASES until the end of June when you order over the phone and quote SOURCETRADESHOW22.

T 01225 780040 hello@cannedwine.co https://cannedwine.co

WILD Gelato

Handcrafted Authentic Italian Gelato and Plant-Based Gelato created in the English Riviera.

Focusing on the refreshing and indulgent experiences that have you coming back for more. Our unique high-quality products combine creamy, velvety tones with mouthwatering textures and flavours that will tantalize your tastebuds. Established in 2020, we’re on our journey to bring you the very best frozen desserts and change what is considered ‘the normal.’

At WILD, we’re proud to partner with businesses in our local community. We’ve recently started supplying various kiosks and restaurants all around Torbay such as

Everett King

Cantina, Three Degrees West, Waffle Inn, Sara’s Beach Kiosk, The Prince William, Wesup, Twenty1, On The Rocks and many more throughout Devon and Cornwall.

Life is all about experiences and we believe good food is a large part of those special moments. From family gatherings, dining out in

Everett King have been delivering accountancy, bookkeeping, payroll and stocktaking services including liquor and food stocktaking, handover stocks and counts to businesses in the hospitality sector.

We recognise that the success of your business depends on how effectively your stock is turned into cash and provide valuable advice and prompt results to enable timely remediation and action and this real-time data allows a business to be proactive and responsive to its needs. Let us help your business to improve yields and profits because regular stocktaking is the key to the success of your business.

Offer for new clients: Sign up for 12 months with Everett King for your bookkeeping, payroll and bimonthly stocktaking and receive your 6th stocktake of the year for FREE. This will be a saving of up to £275.

Offer commences 1st March 2022 and ends 31st December 2022.

Water Filters Matters

restaurants, dog walks and hand holding moments in your favourite places. Our mission at WILD is to be a part of those important moments by putting a smile onto everyone’s faces. We love being a family here at WILD and we wouldn’t want it to be any other way.

Find us on all socials @wildgelato. andrew.ward@wildgelato.co.uk www.wildgelato.co.uk

To avail of this promotional offer please contact:

Email: dawn.lake@everettking.co.uk

Quote code: FOODDRINKMATTERS2022

Restrictions on entry: The promotion can be applied to new sites, venues, pubs and any new address that is not currently serviced by Everett King. Everett King reserve the right to change or amend or withdraw this promotion at any time.

www.everettking.co.uk

Rum-based Drink Company of the Month

Ride the Rum Wave I

n this issue of Food and Drink Matters, we have selected Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch as our Rum-based Drink Company of the Month.

Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch is not just a label on a bottle, it’s a long established, family run business, with roots dating back to 1984 and spanning continents.

“Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch comes from a family recipe, which my mom would mix up and take to my father’s beach bar to serve it where they lived, on an island in the Caribbean called Anguilla,” mentioned Silma Ramsaywack, Owner.

A vibrant beach bar which is still running to this day, Silma’s father (Ernest Harrigan), affectionately known as Uncle Ernie, started Uncle Ernie’s Beach Bar and with his wife Catherine, developed his signature, world famous rum punch. Inspired by her father’s legacy, Silma set out to continue to provide his legendary rum punch recipe and launched Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch in 2020. Since then, the company has been run by Silma, Silma’s three children, Esther Lea, Josh Ramsaywack and pro skateboarder Benny Fairfax, who is also a brand ambassador.

“The beach bar had been

something that had been left to us by my parents, and I wanted to have something that I could pass onto my children. That’s when it occurred to me to bring the rum punch to the UK and put it in a can or bottle,” added Silma.

After building a renowned reputation among visitors of Uncle Ernie’s Beach Bar, Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch’s distinctive brand is already a favourite for tourists, especially from the US.

Determined to push the brand’s awareness further, Silma has been helping to ‘Ride the Rum Wave’ here in the UK and has received recognition on a global scale.

“Last year, we won a double silver medal in the Proof Awards in Las Vegas.” Silma continued, “We are famous on the island and many of our visitors are from the US, and we are becoming well known around the world. I’ve been attending various events in the UK over the last year and I supplied drinks for London Fashion Week,” said Silma.

Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch’s range currently consists of two drinks; the signature Rum Punch and Rum Cocktail; a slightly sweeter, clearer version. From its natural ingredients to its vibrant packaging, Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch’s recipes transports you to the white sand beaches of Shoal Bay.

“The authenticity of the drinks can be traced back to the original recipe and the real back story of Uncle Ernie’s Beach Bar, which is really important to us. Anguilla is a small island which is dependent on tourism and has been hit hard by COVID-19 travel restrictions. We want to build a brand which as a family we are proud of and encourage tourism and raise the profile for the island,” mentioned Silma.

From a beach bar in Anguilla, to the homes, shelves and restaurants of the UK, Uncle Ernie’s Rum Punch legacy lives on and its journey does not end here!

Silma explained, “We are currently working on two new flavours and we are attending the International Food and Drink Event at the ExCeL London in March 2022, in the Speciality Food section at Stand number 3606, where we hope to be able to offer samples. We are expecting many more events this year and our next plan will be looking at expanding our presence in the US and abroad.”

For any further information, please see below. www.uncleerniesrumco.com

Vacuum Packers

Healthy, high quality and taste driven products

In this issue of Food and Drink Matters, we are proud to announce that we have selected Jack Berry™ as our Ethical Healthy Food Company of the month.

Jack Berry™ was established by Jack Bieniek and started trading in October 2020. The company supplies gluten free flours and bread mixes, speciality flours, raw seeds and honeys.

“We are an ethical company supplying healthy gluten free, speciality flours, natural seeds and different types of honey. The company was borne out of a strong desire to promote good health and well-being for all, while encouraging individuals to make good nutritional choices based on the latest medical advice and evidence available,” stated Jack Bieniek.

Dedicated to quality, the company source the highest quality grains and seeds which are then brought to customers in the form of a varied selection of flours which include: Wheat, Rye, Spelt, Red Lentil, Emmer, Einkorn, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Oat and Millet. Furthermore, all of its flours are totally natural and most importantly additive and preservative-free.

“We take great care to price our products in a

range that allows them to be accessible to all as we believe that good healthy food choices should not be prohibitively expensive,” said Jack.

The company works closely with the Vegan Society UK and Coeliac UK, who fully endorse Jack Berry™ products. This passion for quality in how food is produced, is of the utmost importance to the company and Jack Berry™ is equally as passionate about the environment.

“Our flours are all additive and preservative free and our gluten free flours and bread mixes are registered with Coeliac UK. Our natural raw honeys (Linden, Buckwheat and Multifloral) are of the highest quality, deliver maximum health benefits and are farmed in an ethical way to limit impact on the natural environment. We aim to deliver our diverse range of high quality ethically sourced products in eco-friendly, recyclable packaging,” added Jack.

In terms of its customer base, Jack Berry™ customers are usually individuals who are health aware and are keen to make healthy choices. Its

range of Vegan products appeal to persons who are Vegans and other ethically aware individuals who are ‘working’ towards a more plant based diet.

“We are constantly evolving and reacting to our customers’ needs. With this in mind we recently introduced our ‘No Bee Vegan Honee®’ and our ‘Not the Bees, Vegan Honee and Mustard dressing’ – both currently registered with the Vegan Society UK,” mentioned Jack.

No Bee Vegan Honee® is a honey alternative which is ‘made by humans for humans’. Providing the distinctive honey qualities, it resembles natural honey in taste, scent and smooth liquidity.

A lot of the time natural honey is mistaken as being Vegan friendly, however Vegans choose not to consume any foodstuffs made from or by animals and honey falls into this category. Providing honey alternatives made by humans, Jack Berry™ captures the same texture, and qualities of honey, follow a similar process to that used by bees but creating an all-natural and all-Vegan alternative.

Jack explained, “Our No Bee Vegan Honee® is registered with the Vegan Society UK. We also offer an exciting range of delicious Fusion Honeys (Raspberry, Cocoa, Strawberry, Orange and Blackcurrant). The Fusion honeys are a great addition to our range, natural raw honey with the delicious taste of natural fruits and berries.”

Regarding other recent developments for the company, as Jack Berry™ launched during the pandemic, the company has faced numerous challenges. With outdoor events and markets cancelled due to COVID-19, company exposure was limited and coupled with reduced footfall on the high street, made it very difficult for the company’s bakers and retailers to sell its products in the numbers it had anticipated prior to launch.

Determined to raise its profile, the company maintains many plans and is working towards Jack Berry™ goods becoming the ‘go to’ brand for bakers, Vegans and individuals who require a range of food products which are of the highest quality, excellent nutritional value and reasonably priced.

The company has planned to attend various

food events and markets this year as well as selling their products via their online sales platform. A notable appearance for Jack Berry™ this year, the company is targeting large events such as the BBC Food show and Vegan/Free From events.

Indeed, Jack Berry™ is not slowing down and is constantly looking for new ways to showcase its unique, high quality products. In closing Jack added, “As a small company on a limited budget we have to be extremely creative, flexible and always thinking outside of the box and looking for ways to get our fantastic products on the shelves. Small company with big dreams. So, if there is anyone out there willing to work with us we would be extremely grateful and excited.”

For more information, please see the details below.

T 01253 370083

www.jack-berry.com