Food & Drink Matters Issue 165

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Tel: 01562 756960 – www.foodanddrinkmatters.co.uk – March 2023 – issue 165

Inside this issue:

Eat.art from Spice Inspired

Deliciously Different Editor Recommends See them on page.............. 3

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he eat.art brand is driven by a passion for food and combine this with meticulously detailed, eye-catching designs that incorporate the latest in Food and Packaging trends, adding a further layer of intrigue. eat. art has carved its niche in the global fine food industry since 2003, as an innovator of unique food gifting products, of the highest quality.

Riso Gallo

Company Of The Month See them on page.............. 5

A premium exotic fine food range that is exquisitely packaged and designed especially for the discerning foodie connoisseur. The gifting range isn’t overtly themed according to a special occasion, allowing all year merchandising options and maximising potential selling periods.

The vial selection boxes come in slide out gift trays with glass test tubes and aluminium lids, being eco-friendly and sustainable. The tubes are stored in the gift tray and easily retrieved from spice cupboards! All the gift sets bring an element of luxurious quirkiness but

packed with deliciousness flavour! eat. art are passionate about combining their discoveries of global exotic ingredients to bring excitement and joy to kitchens in every home.

Being creative in the kitchen and escaping from all the daily stress and woes of the world, experimenting and cooking up new tasty dishes couldn’t be easier.

100% natural goodness – no artificial flavourings and colourants. No added MSG or preservatives. Non-irradiated and non-GMO. Suitable for Vegans and Vegetarians.

Spice Inspired is proudly the importer and UK distributor for the eat.art brand in the UK and EU since 2018. Join us as we continue our quest to spark culinary curiosity and broaden flavour horizons.

Contact Debbie on +44 (0)7534 204836 or be@spiceinspired.com www.spiceinspired.com

Harkwell Labels Company Of The Month See them on page.............. 9

Contents: 2-3 Editor Recommends 4 Scotland Fine Food Preview 6 Manufacturing Matters 8 Source TradeShow Review 10 Foodex Preview 12 Cleaning Matters 14 Process & Manufacturing Matters 16 Pet Food Matters

The entire content of this publication is advertorial based. To place an advertorial or an advert, please call 01562 756960.

Editor Recommends

​100% natural dog treats!

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ll Pet Bakery treats are handmade using the highest quality human grade ingredients, resulting in the best quality treats for dogs.

Premier Foods Paxo packaging wins award

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remier Foods decided to replace the PVdC coated packaging film on their Paxo stuffing range as part of their commitment to the UK Plastics Pact.

• Flexible Plastic Pack Of The Year • Resource Efficient Pack Of The Year

The challenge to the technical team at National Flexible was to supply a film that: • Provided consumers with a fully recyclable solution • Incorporated as much recycled content as possible • Matched the sealing integrity and performance of the PVdC coated film • Maintained full food packaging compliance

These awards recognised that the replacement film had 60% recycled content by combining Post-Consumer Recycled waste (P.C.R.) with industrial regrind, to produce a film which met the Premier Foods commitment to the UK Plastics Pact. Research for the project was over a year in the making and the film was also trialled and approved in conjunction with capital investment in new machinery at the Premier Foods site.

The resulting replacement film developed by National Flexible in conjunction with the polymer supplier and the film manufacturer, was ‘Highly commended’ in 2 categories at the 2022 UK Packaging Awards held at the London Park Lane Grosvenor Hotel:

In summary the replacement film eliminates the use of PVdC, which is disruptive to the recycling of plastics.

The new film is 100% recyclable, has a lower carbon footprint, reduces the use of virgin material, and has many sustainable and environmental advantages.

National Flexible provide (without commitment) FREE Environmental Packaging Audits. These audits invariably result in a resolution in film usage and/or reduced packaging costs. Please contact Scott McEvoy on (01274) 685566 for more details or vist www.nationalflexible.co.uk

​ e aim to produce treats which are so good, dogs & W owners will think you made them yourself!

All the ingredients are beneficial for dogs. We also place emphasis on ensuring that our treats are fully traceable.

There are no artificial preservatives and no added salt.

Our artisan doggie delights are the perfect treat for pampered pooches out and about with their family.

All treats are available in handy, resealable, 190g packs.

Ideal for pubs, restaurants or cafés to sell in packs or as an addition to a menu especially for dogs.

There are 4 irresistible crunchy biscuit options with a texture that dogs adore!

• Cheeky Cheese Paws - made with chunks of real cheese.

• Sunday Roast Bones - full of lip smacking meaty flavour, with beef, garden peas and carrots.

• Tasty Chicken Mini Bones - made with real chicken and a hint of rosemary • Festive Christmas Dinner - with turkey and cranberries. (Seasonal only) And for pudding!

• Luxury Liver Brownies - delicious, rich, gourmet cakes made with liver, honey, egg and salmon oil.

Contact sales@kennelpak.co.uk for more information.

East Anglian Insallation Systems

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AIS is a leading Manufacturer and Supplier of storage and transportation products supplied both to the Foodservice and Healthcare industries. Proud to be based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk we are renowned for our innovation and ability to offer solutions which not only meet the customer’s demands, but their expectations as well.

Whether you are looking for food storage shelving, racking systems, trolleys and fabrication, or maybe its healthcare shelving and medical trolleys or even bespoke design products. With the combination of our ability to hold vast stocks of our key product lines, combined with our hugely experienced and award winning customer service it has made EAIS the number one choice within the Industry.

Why not put us to the test and let EAIS become your Ideal Solution?

Contact our sales department on either 01553 765205 or sales@eais.co

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is sponsored by The Label Group – see them on page 7

Editor Recommends

Deliciously Different

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he Award for Best Small Independent Brand 2022 at the Free From Christmas Awards was secured by Slightly Different Foods for their Deliciously Different range of Free From & IBS Friendly condiments, cooking sauces, mayo’s and salad dressings.

With the Free From, Gut Health and Vegan consumer market growing each year, they have created an extensive range of everyday store cupboard essentials, all of which are; Vegan Approved, Gluten Free Certified, Exclude All 14 Allergens, FODMAP Friendly Certified and contain No Artificial Preservatives, Flavouring or

LittlePod Vanila

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Colouring. They are also produced in a Nut-Free environment.

Aside from securing Best Small Independent Brand 2022, they have won multiple awards at the Nourish Awards, Free From Food Awards, Great British Food Awards. In 2021 they also secured a Finalist position at the Food and Drink Federation Awards in the Innovation category.

The recognition achieved is not just testament to their commitment to deliver healthy products, most importantly they taste great and provide numerous options, whether it be a mid-week curry or pasta

dish, or a summer party or buffet, with a selection of tasty and healthy options to tickle your taste buds!

To find out more and visit their store head to: www.deliciouslydifferentfood.com

ittlePod’s products are here to make YOUR bakes shine this springtime!

Explore our Chef’s Collection online and find inspiration for perfect picnics and sophisticated dinners, with recipes galore from Peter Gorton, LittlePod ambassador and Master Chef of Great Britain. From Peter’s Roasted Pork Tenderloin to his Poached Pears in Filo Pastry, there are delicious dishes to suit all tastes on our new website, featuring our innovative, easy-to-use natural vanilla paste, as well as our extracts of vanilla, coffee and chocolate.

Used by home cooks, professional chefs and food manufacturers all over the world, there’s lots to love about LittlePod vanilla, be it the taste or the aroma, or the environmental benefits that cultivating this precious crop can bring, both to the vanilla farmers and their communities in the Equatorial regions and, much further afield, to the wider world.

Did you know that the beautiful vanilla orchid replenishes the soil in which it grows? In choosing to purchase REAL vanilla, you can help preserve biodiversity and protect the fragile ecosystems that are so important to us all.

LittlePod makes it simple to make a difference, so join our Campaign for Real Vanilla and create something special this spring!

Look us up online at www.littlepod.co.uk and follow @little_pod on Instagram.

It’s pronounced Skrokkia-rella

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crocchiarella is the ultimate foodie experience that delivers the very best baked brilliance with minimal fuss. Ready to eat in under 10 minutes, you can be serving authentic Italian homemade pizzas, sandwiches, flat breads, and many more items to your hungry customers in a flash.

But what makes Scrocchiarella so unique?

Using sourdough as the key ingredient, Scrocchiarella derives from the Italian scrocchiare which is used to describe something that’s very crispy. Available exclusively from Fleming Howden and its partners (see scrocchiarella.co.uk), Scrocchiarella is a new freshly par-baked frozen product that can be used to make pizzas, bread, crisp breads, and even pastry recipes. Ideal and easily adaptable for use in pubs, restaurants, pastry shops, ice-cream outlets and street food snack bars, you can easily pair it with sweet or savoury ingredients to completely transform and take the starter, main course, dessert, or on-the-go snack to a new level.

Vegan friendly, Scrocchiarella is made with premium quality sourdough and is developed using traditional artisanal materials and methods. The sandwich variants is pre-sliced for extra convenience, and there is no need to defrost before use as Scrocchiarella takes under 10 minutes from frozen to service.

Saving you time, money and food waste, deliver fantastic authentic Italian cuisine with Scrocchiarella.

T +44(0) 131 333 6666 fleminghowdensales@abmauri.com www.scrocchiarella.co.uk

is sponsored by Decarb It – see them on page 9

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Scotland Trade Fair Review

Scotland Trade Fair

Hemp it Up

cotland Trade Fair is Scotland’s biggest and only trade fair. Each year over 500 companies exhibit thousands of products to trade buyers from department stores, online outlets, tourist attractions, farm shops, delis and independent retail stores.

ohn and Ali Easson grow Hemp on their family farm in Angus which is harvested for the seed. Ali is so in love with Hemp and its many benefits she gave up her job in 2022 and created a new business called “Hemp it Up”.

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On the 22-24 January 2023, an abundance of exhibitors from all over Scotland and other parts of the UK descended on the SEC in Glasgow for a packed three days of building connections, learning from retail experts and discovering new products and brands.

Show Best Product Awards Winners for 2023 were also announced, to which visitors were then able to view the winning products that were placed in the glass cabinets at the ‘Best Product Awards’ area in the middle of the Show.

The Food & Drink area was bustling with attendees all keen to peruse the latest featured giftable food and drink products such as confectionery, biscuits, alcoholic drinks and so much more.

For more information, see below. www.scotlandstradefairs.com/welcome

There was an extensive seminar theatre timetable that was jam packed with talks and sessions on topics such as how to improve your retail marketing strategies, how to prepare for industry changing trends, the dangers of social media, and how to keep the value of your local community.

Cheese and spirit from one herd of cows

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hree generations of family, working on a small dairy farm, on the wild west Coast of Scotland with help from 120 cows, produce milk to make cheese and spirits. The cheese is made from raw milk and then matured for more than a year in our Cellars. This produces a cheese with great flavour, fruity and spicy.

The beautiful Island, the grass the cows eat and the water they drink, give a special taste to both cheese and spirits that can be found nowhere else.

We love people to visit us.

Hemp it Up takes these super little seeds and squashes them into extra virgin cold pressed Hemp seed oil which is incredibly healthy for both humans and animals due to them being highly rich in Omega-3, 6 &9.

Hemp takes gold place when it comes down to environmental benefits, from sucking out atmospheric carbon, rejuvenating the soil and growing without the use of Herbicides and Pesticides.

Scottish – healthy – superfood

It is hard to believe that only 1 tablespoon daily can make such a difference to your heart and overall health.

Very soon Hemp it Up will be offering gluten free Hemp flour and protein powder to add to the primary product range. The vision is to add more flavour, widen the consumer audience and make us all healthier in the process.

Scotland's Trade Fairs & Scotland's Speciality Food

Generating our electricity from water and heat from the local forests, not wasting anything, being sustainable. True to our principles of no waste, we are now distilling the whey from the cheese making. To produce a clear spirit, Sgriob-ruadh Spirit and Isle of Mull Coo J’N.

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hemp shakes, brown bread and start hemping up your life.

Please look out for Hemp salad Drizzles, Protein bars,

Kinnaird Kitchen

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innaird Kitchen was established in July 2021 and is located in the original pantry of Kinnaird Castle on the Southesk Estate in the heart of the Angus countryside.

We produce handmade luxury fudge and tablet made in small batches using our family recipe which is over 100 years old, creating the foundation of all our products. Using the very best ingredients we add no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives in any of our products.

Our confectionery is made using manual techniques and the entire process, including packaging, is done by hand.

We use approximately 6% of alcohol in our flavours, comparable to other brands which use less than 1%, so you are guaranteed each piece of fudge is packed full of great taste.

To take guided tours around the farm and get a real feel of what are we do. Possibly eat our cheese and taste our spirits in the Glass Barn Café / Farm Shop.

Isle of Mull cheese and Isle of Mull Spirit is available

throughout the UK, in many delicatessens and wholesalers.

For more information: J.& C. Reade & Sons Isle of Mull Cheese Sgriob-ruadh Distillers 01688 302627 office@iomc.co.uk

We carefully curate our flavours and collaborate with other Scottish producers to bring high quality flavours to our range; these include Glen Grant Whisky in Speyside, Innis & Gunn in Edinburgh and Maison Dieu Coffee Roasters in Brechin.

Try our delicious range of flavours: Original Fudge, Original Tablet, Glen Grant Whisky Fudge, Maison Dieu Coffee Fudge and Innis & Gunn Beer Fudge.

For more information on our range or to become a stockist please contact Kinnaird Kitchen quoting “Food & Drink Matters”.

T 07888 146403 info@kinnairdkitchen.co.uk www.kinnairdkitchen.co.uk

Taza Bake

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ur fully fitted bakery operation started in Edinburgh in March 2015. Taza means Fresh, and that is our aim to deliver a freshly baked products on daily basis.

Our Products We are specialists in Syrian flatbread (or so called wrap bread or Khobez), We produce it in different sizes, and different kinds of flour (Wheat flour, Whole wheat flour).

We are extremely proud that we are the first producer for these kind of products in Scotland, Our production line Our bakery machinery were all shipped to Scotland from thousands of miles away to ensure the production of best quality Khobez. The production line is considered safe for the environment and for the workers, designed to be suitable for work as per European Standards, and most important it reduces the direct contact between the dough and the humans to the minimum.

Our aim To supply our freshly baked bread directly to shops and restaurants throughout the UK. www.tazabake.co.uk

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is sponsored by The Label Group – see them on page 7

Premium Alcoholic Sparkling Water Company Of The Month

The dawning of the Hard Seltzer era I

n this issue of Food & Drink Matters we are proud to announce Yan Tan as our premium alcoholic sparkling water Company of the Month.

flavours: Damson and Rhubarb and Elderflower & Hawthorn, resoundingly British ingredients, lovingly bottled to gold standard in the iconic Robinsons’ Stockport brewery.

In the UK, we thrive on creative innovation: ripping up the status quo with nerves of steel and impassioned hearts.

Elderflower brings subtle pear nuances to dry Hawthorn: quintessentially British. Damson brings fruity tinges to tart rhubarb, perfect straight from the fridge, on the rocks or spritzed with other cocktails.

Yorkshire brothers Tom & James Henderson used Lockdown as a hiatus from the humdrum of big city life, to reflect on a new drinks company. James had worked in the drink industry for years and together the two brothers started brainstorming ideas for their vision board. Gradually, the ideas fermented in the shape of a hard seltzer: with the brothers’ dad suggesting the name Yan Tan: from old Swaledale sheep-counting dialect.

Yan Tan means ‘one-two’- a perfect choice for two brothers in business, paying poignant homage to a dialect with Old English and Norse roots.

Since 2021 the brothers-in-arms have taken the drinks industry by storm and won the top ‘Master’ award at The Spirits Business’ Hard Seltzer Masters, from a tough, global competitive field of over 300 brands. We caught up with co-founder James Henderson to find out more about this award-winning drink, “We set out to make the best tasting products in the new hard seltzer category; made in the UK, with quality natural drinks that make enjoying drinking as easy as possible.

We really think we have a recipe that isn't just the best in the category, but good enough for drinkers to choose over beer, wine or spirit mixers regularly.”

Hard Seltzer was invented by a fifth-generation Connecticut brewer named Nick Shields over a decade ago, gradually becoming more mainstream five years ago. Whilst the appeal is strongest with Gen

The premium crafted seltzers are 100% natural: free from artificial sweeteners or flavourings, gluten-free, vegan-friendly and with only 71kcal, bring maximum flavour with zero sugar or carbs. The alcoholic content (4% abv) is almost half of premium lager, making this a healthier, delicious alternative.

Yan Tan was a triumph at the Northern Restaurant & Bar (NR &B 2023) from the 14-15 March, with delegates delighted by the light, refreshing moreish taste. The drinks industry has been so impressed with the Yan Tan launch that the IWSR has forecasted an annual Hard Seltzer ready-to-drink category growth of 71% for the brand.

Z drinkers across the pond and here in the UK, the brothers hope to make Yan Tan more desirable across all age groups, “We believe Yan Tan is truly democratic, and we've found it appeals across ages and situations. We hope we can transcend this to make our products something that works at a house party, festival, or at the family home from the fridge.

We are working on some exciting new labelling and a canned line in time for the Spring. This will help us partner with live events and festivals – something Yan Tan is absolutely perfect for.”

Award-winning Yan Tan is available in two delectable

Not only are these refreshing seltzers deliciously healthy but they help combat fruit waste too. Yan Tan is made from wonky fruit- rejected by supermarkets for imperfect appearances but making perfect ingredients for Yan Yan’s award-winning range.

In the UK, we thrive on creative innovation and these two Yorkshire brothers epitomise true entrepreneurial ingenuity.

To support this uniquely, independently British crafted brand, visit the website and Instagram page below: www.yantan.uk Instagram.com/yantandrink

Italian Risotto Rice Company Of The Month

Sustainable Italian rice & risotto experts: from the field to fork I

n this issue of Food & Drink Matters we are proud to announce Riso Gallo as our Italian risotto rice Company of the Month.

Risotto rice is synonymous with Italy, conjuring up feasts such as the hearty Risotto con Gamberi with fresh shrimps or the springtime, soupy Risi e Bisi, made with peas and lashings of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Italian cuisine ranks as one of the most popular across the UK, with Ristorantes and Trattorias often full and BBC MasterChef frequently featuring the latest in creative risotto dishes. A hearty risotto dish makes a great statement centrepiece: perfect for mid-week family gatherings or weekend entertaining with friends.

Risotto is incredibly versatile, blending well with autumnal pumpkin, fresh seafood and shallots, layered with lemon zest: there is a perfect risotto dish for everyone.

Across the hospitality, foodservice sector and food retailers, there is only one unmistakeable risotto rice brand: Riso Gallo. Established in 1856, Riso Gallo is the oldest risotto rice producer in Italy and has been lovingly delivering to customers across the world for over six generations from its rice mill in Robbio, Lomellina.

We chatted to Jason Morrison, MD Riso Gallo UK to find out more, “Riso Gallo is one of the longest surviving rice companies in Italy and it is still growing. It is owned, and still run by the Preve family, in Italy. The Gallo 1856 logo has been recognised by the Economic

department of the Italian Government as a historical Italian brand, and has been listed into the special national Italian registry of trademarks. Our mission is to spread the culture of rice and risotto throughout the world by using innovation that constantly adapts to the needs of the modern consumer.”

At the heart of Riso Gallo is the production of the best premium risotto rice: Arborio, Gallo traditional risotto and the ‘king caviar’ of risotto: Carnaroli.

At the Quality System and Research and Development Centre in Robbio, Lomellina, the research team are focussed on continued risotto rice innovation and sustainable agricultural projects, as Jason elaborates, “Riso Gallo is the first international brand in the sector to have undertaken the production of rice from sustainable agriculture, making our premium bestselling risotto rice fully sustainable. We are the leading rice miller in Europe when it comes to sustainability and the environment.

Sustainability and CSR is at the heart of everything

we do, from the field to the fork, so in effect from where the rice is grown until it arrives on the plate.

The biggest selling products are also in packaging that can be recycled. The rice mill now also runs on 100% renewable electric energy.”

One of the latest innovations to come from the R&D centre is the new Riso Gallo Carnaroli Risotto 1856 range: made with 100% premium Italian Carnaroli rice, it is quick to make at home for a tasty supper or filling lunchtime treat. The cook-at-home risotto range is suitable for vegans and coeliacs, making this an

inclusive, family staple mealtime favourite. The mouthwatering range comes in four delicious flavours: porcini mushroom, saffron, vegetables and tomato & basil.

This family-run company is committed to taste innovation, through optimal agricultural sustainability but it doesn’t stop there.

Every year Riso Gallo sponsors the UK & Ireland Young Risotto Chef. The competition is aimed at 17–23-year-olds, studying catering colleges courses or working in the catering industry.

With regional heats across the country and a grand final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the competitors are judged by some of the best Michelin Head Chefs across the country. It is a perfect opportunity for young, budding chefs to showcase their risotto culinary skills and network with some of the greatest, experienced chefs.

To find out more about Riso Gallo’s premium-tasting risotto rice and the Young Risotto Chef competition, see the websites below: T 0113 834 7946 sales@gallouk.com www.risogallo.co.uk www.youngrisottochef.com

is sponsored by Decarb It – see them on page 9

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Manufacturing Matters

Titan Enterprises expands patents for its ultrasonic flowmeter technology

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itan Enterprises has been granted additional patents for its ultrasonic flowmeter technology used within their range of Atrato®, MetraFlow® and Process Atrato® flow meters.

frequency sound waves to measure flow using the time-of-flight principle within the liquid in a small pipe.

As a specialist liquid flowmeter manufacturer, Titan’s patented ultrasonic technology has led to an expanding line of ultrasonic flowmeters and patents ranging from signal processing methodology to novel mechanical design.

The very high signal to noise ratio from these devices has been widely proven to enable metering of extremely low flows with great precision. The Atrato® ultrasonic inline flowmeter models operate over a flow range of 2ml per minute up to 20 litres per minute with accuracy of better than ±1.0% of reading.

Titan’s ultrasonic flow sensors use high

Titan’s ultrasonic flow devices are independent

of Reynolds numbers and can therefore operate from laminar flow through to turbulent flow.

This makes them highly commercial, ideal for batching systems and industrial processes, able to accurately measure liquids ranging from water to high viscosity oils. Being through-flow devices, they can also be tolerant to impurities in the system which would cause havoc to meters with moving parts.

Further information: T +44 (0)1935 812790 sales@flowmeters.co.uk

Babcock wanson steam boiler top of the class at food peeling test centre

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OMRA Food, one of the world's largest peeling solutions providers, has installed a Babcock Wanson VAP600RR Coil Type Steam Boiler into its test centre in Dublin, Ireland, where it is being used to carry out tests and demonstrations for food peeling applications.

The VAP600RR is being used at high pressure 29 bar - to produce steam which is used to peel potatoes and other vegetables. Steam peeling is the most efficient method of removing skin from vegetables, resulting in significant savings of raw material and energy. TOMRA Food is the leader in steam peeling and food sorting, and their solutions are present in the processing facilities of the world's leading food producers.

Although Babcock Wanson has worked with TOMRA Food on third-party projects on a number of occasions, this is the first time TOMRA Food has become a direct client.

Previously, TOMRA Food used a different type of steam boiler to produce steam for the peeling process, but this was insufficient for their needs.

The Babcock Wanson VAP600RR Coil Type Steam Boiler, featuring three full gas passes plus an in-built combustion air pre-heater for high operating efficiency, proved an ideal replacement.

Babcock Wanson has supplied the VAP600RR with a full set of ancillaries, including water treatment, feed tank, blowdown vessel and separator. With the availability of steam from a cold start in as little as three minutes and a low volume of water under pressure, the VAP600RR combines efficiency with safety, even at very high working pressure, all of which made it the ideal choice for this unusual application where usage is intermittent Babcock Wanson offers a complete range of products and services for boiler houses and other process heating needs, from steam boilers, thermal fluid heaters, rapid steam generators, process air heaters and hot water boilers to VOC and odour treatment by thermal oxidation, water treatment or process air heating solutions.

The company aims to help optimise customer's energy production with high quality products and efficient service.

For more information, please contact Babcock Wanson on 020 8953 7111 or info@babcockwanson.com or go to www.babcock-wanson.com

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is sponsored by The Label Group – see them on page 7

Sustainable Food Packaging Company Of The Month

Hit the bull’s-eye! Goodbye plastic, hello paper Marketing Director, to find out more about this dynamic company: “We are a supplier of environmentally-friendly food packaging products and meal packaging systems, but our approach extends far beyond that of a supplier; we think of ourselves as your partner in food packaging: creating real, meaningful partnerships with all our customers, working together as their business grows and their requirements change to ensure their meal packaging keeps pace with the demands of their business.”

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n this issue of Food & Drink Matters we are proud to announce Bullseye Food Packaging as our sustainable food packaging Company of the Month.

In 2022, food and drink packaging amounted to the largest type of plastic packaging waste (83%) discarded

by UK homes (source: Statista.) Even more worryingly, in 2021 an estimated 2.5 million metric tons of plastic packaging waste was thrown away, with only 44% of this being recycled. The shocking statistics have galvanised the UK Government into action: from October 2023, there will be a single-use plastic plate, tray, bowl and, cutlery ban across many food businesses. The ban also includes particular types of polystyrene cups and food containers.

Campaign groups are hoping this will just be the start of further Government legislation to tackle plastic waste.

All the paper used in Bullseye’s meal trays comes from fully renewable, sustainable sources, and all their trays are either recyclable, compostable or both, depending on the range and specific materials used.

However, the benefits go far beyond the trays’ sustainable credentials, as there are ergonomic and aesthetic advantages too, as Alex confirms, “Our trays carry the advantage of having an interior liner.

Fibre-based trays which do not have this liner are often vulnerable to damage when utilised for wet or oily foods as there is no barrier to stop any sauces or gravy soaking into the tray.

They also do not typically film-seal very effectively, as there is nothing smooth on the tray for the film to adhere to, so the film ends up sticking to the fibrous material, leading to fibres being pulled away when the film is removed, which increases the risk of contamination to the meal.

Bullseye Food Packaging is one of the leading UK experts in sustainable food packaging tackling this plastic waste crisis. Established in 2009 by Peter Prior, this family-run Solihull business prides itself on supplying eco-friendly food packaging to a variety of customers across the food industry.

Our trays avoid all these risks and complications.”

One of their biggest supporters is Scottish-based celebrity chef Praveen Kumar, who was on the lookout for more sustainable meal packaging to match his locally-sourced, delectable Indian cuisine.

“Bullseye were so supportive in making this project work.

They were always at the end of the phone if I needed help or advice. As my business grew that support was vital, as I needed to switch from my manual sealing machine to a semi-automatic option to meet demand.

Bullseye’s machinery is so easy to use, produces a superb seal on the trays and their continued support is second-to-none.”

The team at Bullseye partner with customers to provide bespoke meal packaging solutions across a diverse range of operations and production lines, with their product range also including a wide variety of eco-friendly catering consumables, such as cups, straws, cutlery and containers.

Keeping to Bullseye’s ethos, all of these items are, made from sustainable materials such as paper, fibre or plant-based plastic alternatives, and Alex was delighted to share the next step of Bullseye’s development:

The popular Bullseye product line includes a wide range of film-sealable, paper-based meal trays, fully suitable for oven, microwave and freezer usage and is routinely used by small community meal providers, and local ‘Meals on Wheels’ suppliers through to larger-scale industrial catering operations.

We spoke to Alex Prior, Peter’s son, who is the Sales and

“We are in the process of launching our own online shop, allowing us to help even more people make the switch away from unsustainable catering consumables.”

To find out more about Bullseye Food Packaging, see the details below: T 0800 011 2311 info@bfpuk.com www.bfpuk.com

Labelling Company Of The Month

Correct allergen information labelling I n this issue of Food & Drink Matters, we are pleased to announce The Label Group as our Labelling Company of the Month.

Since 2003, The Label Group has been independently advising and supplying labelling solutions to companies large and small. The Label Group was established by Simon Hann who was then joined by his brother Stuart – it is now a small family run business with other family members having joined over the years. The company prides itself on delivering an excellent customer service coupled with ongoing support to both prospective and existing customers.

The Label Group works with a range of different clients from retailers and manufacturers to franchisees.

You can be sure to find the right solution for your needs if you work within the Healthcare, Transport & Logistics, Retail, Leisure, Automotive

industries, and in particular the Food & Beverage sector where The Label Group can help to provide items such as food-safe adhesives, as well as other products for all hygienic requirements.

“We supply a complete service for labelling including label printers and software, consumables such as labels and tags, linerless labels, ribbons, wristbands, RFID tags, and bespoke labels. We also have an extensive line of accessories including label dispensers and rewinders.

Recently, The Label Group has been focusing on helping manufacturers labelling for the changes in allergen information with ingredients on food products. Nutritional labelling has become increasingly more important in today’s world where there is now much more to consider when labelling certain allergies for food. The Label Group can work with you to ensure your allergen labelling is clear, concise and conforms to government standards.

“The majority of our work is within the food industry and during COVID19 Natasha's Law came into effect

so we were pretty busy helping customers with allergen labelling,” said Stuart.

Natasha’s Law came into effect on October 1st 2021. Essentially the law covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and requires all food outlets to provide full ingredients with clear allergen labelling on all PrePacked for Direct Sale (PPDS) food. Any business selling PPDS food must ensure that the mandatory top 14 allergen information is available to consumers before purchasing the product and also when it is received.

The Label Group will ensure all the necessary criteria for food labelling is met taking the stress and worry out of your hands. To comply with Natasha’s Law you must identify that the foods you serve are PPDS, review your current packaging, ensure your labels have all the correct information and formation, and then decide how you will produce your labels.

The Label Group can work with you from the initial enquiry through to the end product offering a full turnkey solution that is completely bespoke to your requirements.

For more information see below.

T 01736 810334 info@thelabelgroup.co.uk www.thelabelgroup.co.uk

is sponsored by Decarb It – see them on page 9

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Source Tradeshow Review

The Source Trade Show 2023

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he Source Trade Show took place on the 8-9 February 2023 at Westpoint, Exeter, and was a roaring success.

Bringing together all types of food businesses, small or large to showcase their wide range of artisan food and drink, foodservices, essential goods and services. The Show delivered a fantastic round-up of all the latest innovations, food and drink trends as well as an opportunity to learn how to do business in an eco-friendlier way through its new ‘Leading Innovation & Sustainability’ area.

Delivering a rewarding mix of comparative tastings, innovative ideas, networking opportunities, and inspirational experiences, The Source 2023 was an event not to be missed.

If you’re interested in attending The Source 2024 tickets are available now. The event will take place on the 6-7 February 2024, Exeter.

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

Over 160 exhibitors were in attendance, showcasing all products from dairy to drinks, fresh food to foodservice and much more.

Marked as the South West’s biggest and best trade show for the food and drink sector, the Show was a great opportunity for all that are interested in speciality foods, quality drinks, profitable catering, and inspired hospitality.

Hullabaloos Drinks

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We have a network of distributors covering the whole of the UK (and beyond!).

60 years later and the company has gone from strength to strength, and since March 2023, Bartlett became an Employee-Owned Trust where it transferred ownership to over 70 members of staff who operate across the company’s three branches based in Exeter, South Brent & Redruth.

With many of its staff having been

Known as the South West’s premier catering equipment, refrigeration and air conditioning company, Bartlett has a reputation for providing a reliable and efficient service that is also great value for money. Through its partnership deals with many leading manufacturers such as Rational, Hobart, Falcon, Williams and many more, Bartlett is able to provide quotations for full kitchen installations or smaller projects which include refrigeration, catering or air conditioning equipment

and they are also able to provide refrigerated trailer rental at competitive prices.

For more information, see below.

Exeter 01392 203000 South Brent 01364 641500 Redruth 01209 218334 www.bartlett.co.uk

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ornwall based winemaker leading the way in revolutionizing English Vermouth and its identity.

Vermouth has experienced a surge in sales in recent years and as a staple in many classic cocktails, no home bartender should be without a quality bottle of Vermouth on their bar. The versatility of Vermouth is another reason for its rise in popularity, with consumers looking for a new way to enjoy their favourite tipples in a more sustainable fashion.

We are proud to make our range of all natural soft drinks deep in the Somerset countryside. We use nothing artificial and all our drinks are non-carbonated, making them a refreshingly different alternative.

Our drinks come in either 330ml or 750ml glass bottles, and we also offer a 10 litre bag in box option for busy cafes and restaurants, while not compromising on flavour.

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at the company for over 40 years, it was a very proud moment and will be highlighted as a huge milestone within its history.

ormed in 1958, K F Bartlett Ltd began trading as a family concern with the main objective being to offer an efficient service to all clients through its expertise in commercial refrigeration, air conditioning, catering equipment and engineering services.

Knightor Winery

ullabaloos Drinks are made to get your tongue tingling and make your taste buds come alive.

Enjoyed by all, they hit the memory bank of how soft drinks ‘used ‘ to be made and helps make new taste memories.

We have won Great Taste Awards for all our range which includes Original Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade, Elderflower Presse, Ginger Beer, Lime & Mint Lemonade and Citrus Lemonade. We also have a new drink on the block by way of a super fresh Somerset Farm Pressed Apple Juice.

Bartlett become an Employee-Owned Trust

To find out more about our naturally different range please get in touch – we would love to hear from you so you can find out what the Hullabaloo is all about!

T 01934 733696 hello@hullabaloos.co.uk www.hullabaloos.co.uk www.instagram.com/hullabaloos_drinks

Knightor Winery, a winemaker located on the South Cornish coast produces and bottles their own collection of Vermouth using carefully curated recipes. The exciting blends have different characteristics to complement any taste, from the fruity Rosé to the floral notes of the White, the blend to the rich spice of the Rosso to the underlying bitterness of the Dry.

a series of cocktails, with their Cornish Spritz an ever popular choice among bothconsumers and bar managers.

This easy-drinking aperitif, full of botanical flavour is a simple combination of equal parts (50ml) of Rose Vermouth and soda water, garnished with a sprig of rosemary, a slice of orange and ice. Time for an aperitif!

The company has forged its own reputation since the production of their Ver mouth started in 2014, crafting

For more information on Knightor and their entire range, contact the team on winery@knightor.com.

Pumps & Valves Matter

The new DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) from Pump Technology Ltd

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he New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) from Pump Technology Ltd. Developed for easy installation and maximum reliability

A reliable “Hot Wastewater” Pump The pump features a rigid external float arm with a large triangular float! This robust design ensures accurate and reliable automatic stop/start of the pump, even when food debris is present.

connections external to the tank into a single inlet, making installation easier and space saving!

Compact and easy to maintain The compact dimensions (380mm W x 290mm D x 322 H) of the rigid, recyclable Polyethylene collecting tank

ensure that it will easily fit into most spaces. The lid covers the entire top of the tank and fits onto a captive seal with four screws, making it easy to remove for inspection.

The company’s DrainMinor, DrainMajor and DrainKing

wastewater pump systems are also renowned as robust and reliable commercial kitchen drainage solutions.

For more information, see below.

T 0118 9821 555 www.pumptechnology.co.uk

In addition, a Silicon Carbide mechanical shaft seal, oil chamber and inboard shaft seal ring protect the motor within the submersible pump.

Easy to install The DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) has a low-level inlet height of just 70mm, designed specifically for Combi Ovens.

Inlet connections from multiple ovens and a sink can each be cut direct into the rigid Polyethylene collecting tank. This avoids the need to manifold multiple inlet

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is sponsored by The Label Group – see them on page 7

Kitchen Decarboniser Company Of The Month

Making kitchens shine with Decarb It I

n this issue of Food & Drink Matters, we are proud to announce Decarb It as our kitchen decarboniser Company of the Month.

carbon residue, using a biodegradable cleaning detergent, heated to 80° Celsius. Kitchens are left sparkling and free from bacteria and viruses.

Having a five-star FSA food hygiene rating is one of the first things that customers notice about food and hospitality establishments. It is vital to always be fully prepared for a visit from an EHO and a kitchen decarboniser is a sure-fire way of maintaining excellent kitchen facilities.

Decarb It offers the perfect short-and long-term solution, with flexible decarboniser hire and purchase solutions.

The dedicated, expert team delivers and installs the decarboniser, complete with full PPE equipment.

In busy pub or restaurant kitchens, carbon/grease build up quickly onto everyday equipment, from oven internals to grill plates. A decarboniser will remove this undesirable

Established in 2016, the Decarb It team have a wealth of hospitality industry experience, from gourmet Michelinstarred restaurants to corporate hospitality. We had an in-depth chat with Company Director, Sam Rushworth to find out more, “We provide hassle free, fully inclusive short-term and long-term hire plus full purchase options of decarboniser tanks, powder and accessories. We offer fully serviced or self-serviced contracts and they all include: delivery, set up, chemicals, gloves, goggles, drain down and collection.”

Magnus: perfect for small to medium-sized kitchens. With fast-heating action, the decarboniser will remove carbon and grease: air filter grease/carbon is removed between 2-4 hours and from cooking plates in 6-8 hours.

Based on the outskirts of the Ribble Valley in the NorthWest, Decarb It can deliver and install to companies all over the UK, from the northern island of Lewis, to the southern Isle of Wight.

Customers simply load the items, leave for the recommended time, then remove and rinse. The decarbonisers can be used on a wide range of kitchen facilities including: stove tops, chargrills, fryer baskets and stainless steel/aluminium pots and pans.

Companies can take out a short-term hire from 2-4 weeks or longer hire for 24 months and choose from an extensive range of three top-quality kitchen decarbonisers: Parvos, Magnus and Grandis. The most popular model is the

The hospitality industry was hit hard during COVID19 and Decarb It is working as a partner with many customers, to help through the current cost-of-living crisis.

Their decarbonisers are hugely efficient, in energy costs and operator-time, as Sam outlines, “We‘ve conducted some internal studies recently which show our decarbonisers are the most energy-efficient on the market. The superior insulation and control over the operating temperature, both increase efficiency by reducing energy consumption. Our decarbonisers can even be turned down low enough to accommodate the newer ESP extractor filter cells, which are becoming increasingly popular.

Our tanks are custom-designed, and our powder formulation is unique to us rather than off-the-shelf, so our customers can be confident they really are getting the best quality product for their money.

We're also about to launch our lemon scented non-caustic decarbonising powder in 5kg bags (currently only available in 10kg bags) which, again provides a more flexible and economical option for our customers, particularly those smaller ones.”

The future looks sparkling for this company, with a brand-new marketing team finding new and exciting ways to reach customers and a new local, manufacturing collaboration, supporting the increasing demand for kitchen decarbonisers.

For more information, see the details below.

T 0161 871 7393 info@decarbit.co.uk www.decarbit.co.uk

Digital Printing Technology Company Of The Month

Always at the cutting edge

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n this issue of Food & Drink Matters we are proud to announce Harkwell as our digital printing technology Company of the Month.

The Harkwell team use cutting-edge digital technology to increase workflow and during the last twelve months the streamlined “WebCenter” has revolutionised output. WebCenter is a cloud-based portal, allowing the Harkwell team to send designs on proof to the art designers and nutritional/scientific experts for proofreading. With 24/7 digital access, it puts an end to unnecessary reams of pdf files clogging email inboxes and streamlines the content into a handy one-stop cloud-platform. The WebCenter is easy to use and with handy automated notification reminders: it keeps everyone focussed on the task at hand.

Visual marketing is a powerful marketing tool: visual memory is coded into the medial temporal lobe of our brain, the same place where we process emotions. We react quicker to visual stimuli than words, engaging viscerally with the image. Art designers will spend days agonising over the right typography, images and colour formatting for branding. With the advent of Instagram and other visually-driven social media, a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Harkwell is a leading digital label printing technology company, turning art designs into stunning labels and flexible packaging across sectors from beverages, cosmetics to food. For the last 18 years, this Poolebased family run business has used HP Indigo and ABG finishing lines to produce high-end labelling designs.

The expert team offers a full consultation process, from initial enquires about compostable labelling to specific line widths on metallic silver backgrounds. If you’re looking for glow-in-the-dark educational stickers for a school or glass bottle labels for a new Mediterraneaninfused gin, Harkwell can support these orders and many more. We caught up with new Managing Director, Andrew Mansfield to find out more, “We are a digital label and flexible packaging manufacturer. We print single ply and peel and reveal labels and are able to embellish the labels with different

finishes. Flexible packaging provides digitally printed film on the reel and constructions that can be formed into sachets or bottom gusseted pouches.

Our high definition and perfect registration quality, covers 97% of the colour gamut without origination costs. We can print multiple sorts within the overall quantity without additional cost.”

This exceptionally versatile approach to packaging, allows Harkwell to offer labels for plastic/glass bottles, cans/jars, cartons, food packaging, cosmetic products, pharmaceutical packaging and even moisture resistant ice buckets. Self-adhesive labels can be printed on polyethylene, polypropylene, paper, metalised film and various sustainable substrates. Detailed embellishments can be added, including barcodes, QR codes, sequential/random numbering, peel n’reveal stickers for promotions/allergy warnings and tactile triangular

varnish finishing, with raised shape indicating hazards.

The in-house printing team can offer mosaic and collage label printing, perfect for clever, original marketing branding, as Andrew demonstrates, “In 2014, Coco Cola printed thousands of individual names on their bottles, causing everyone from children to grandparents to raid local shops in the vain hope of finding their name on a bottle. It was a very clever marketing exercise: although initially costly in outlay, Coco Cola sales went through the roof.

Here at Harkwell, we can employ the same printing technique, allowing a randomisation on a word or colour spectrum. We are all effected by subliminal marketing techniques and this is one of the best techniques. Similarly, the collage effect can move three horizontal lines of images across an image, creating diverse images on each label.”

This digital cloud-based platform has increased workflow significantly and allowed Harkwell time to focus on sustainability, with its Zero to Landfill declaration. All company waste is 100% recycled and that’s not all. The Poole facility has 120 solar panels, an electric van and all the HP Indigo Press heat is recirculated to heat the entire building during winter.

Now, that’s smart thinking!

For more information, see below.

T 01202 735300 sales@harkwell-labels.co.uk www.harkwell-labels.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/Harkwell.Labels https://www.instagram.com/harkwelllabels/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harkwell/ https://twitter.com/HarkwellLabels https://www.youtube.com/@HarkwellLabels

is sponsored by Decarb It – see them on page 9

9

Foodex Preview

Food & Drink Expo 2023

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oming soon on the 24-26 April 2023 at the NEC in Birmingham in association with The Grocer, the Food & Drink Expo 2023 is a great place to discover the innovations and NPD in Healthy & Natural and Low2NoBev. It offers hundreds of companies access to showcase their products, as well as opening the eyes of thousands of buyers and decision-makers across the industry to the latest trends, product launches and vision’s set for the future of the UK food and drink market.

This year, the Food & Drink Expo will run alongside Farm Shop & Deli Show, National Convenience Show and Foodex Manufacturing Solutions as part of the UK Food & Drink Shows. This is a fantastic opportunity to blend the grocery, specialist retails, wholesale and foodservice sectors together under one roof.

Some exhibitors include CRACKED, Planted, Grumpy Mule Coffee, Suma, The Savvy Chef, The Skinny Food Co, Better Nature, and many more. As the flagship

event for retail, wholesale and foodservice audiences focusing on finished products, the 2023 Show will mainly focus on how to tackle solutions within these sectors.

our great exhibitors.

Book your tickets now. www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk

Alongside a cutting edge programme, there will also be debates and seminars from high-profile key-note speakers, The Grocer Magazine’s Talking Shop Live event, masterclasses and panel discussions, as well as an abundance of yummy samples available from all of

Delicious Juicy Goodness Trim down your waste with Rotech at FoodEx 2023 for over 90 years

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cean Spray® is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers in the United States, Canada and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. Formed in 1930, Ocean Spray is now the world’s leading producer of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries and is the best-selling brand in the North American bottled juice category. The cooperative’s cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 100 countries worldwide.

Ocean Spray® has experienced almost 20% brand growth in the UK since 2019. In recent years, different brands have introduced cranberry beverage options. However, it is important to note that the difference between a common drink and an Ocean Spray® drink is its origin and its cranberry content. Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic juice drink always provides at least 27% cranberry juice, which

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ith sustainability and the rising costof-living being the hot topics of this year’s show, Rotech will highlight ways in which their innovative solutions can help food and drink manufacturers reduce their waste, while also shedding excess pounds spent on their coding and marking processes.

is equivalent to the juice from 35 cranberries per 200ml glass or 175 cranberries per litre.

The power of cranberries is strong antioxidant, prebiotic, heart health, digestion and immunity - and we are committed to the health of people and the planet, driven by purpose to connect our farms to families for a better life.

Ocean Spray® will be at the Food & Drink Expo 2023 at the NEC, stand K211.

Be your berry Best with Ocean Spray®

Targeting troublesome areas with TIJ The waste produced by coding and marking technologies, and the recyclability of such waste, can vary drastically, and should be a key consideration for manufacturers looking to reduce their environmental impact.

On our stand P141 we will be comparing the waste produced by our favoured technology, thermal inkjet (TIJ) against that produced by other technologies commonly seen in food & drink production environments, thermal transfer (TTO) and continuous inkjet (CIJ).

Increase productivity levels with the RF Lite Manually hand labelling or stamping date and batch codes onto packaging can be a timeconsuming, labour-intensive process, one that often results in mislabelled or printed packs that have to be thrown away, a waste of both product and the manufacturers time.

By automating the process with the RF Lite,

manufacturers can see productivity levels rise dramatically; the compact system can feed and print up to 400 packs per minute, freeing up skilled workers for other tasks.

Misprinted packs also become a thing of the past. The RF Lite accurately feeds product through to the printer, which triggers at the same point on each pack, producing a quality, clear print each time – a print automatically generated by the printer’s intuitive iDesign formatting software.

Shed pounds and aid recyclability by printing direct to the box. Rotech’s large area printers allow for information previously carried on a label to be reliably printed directly onto outer cases and boxes at high speed.

As a result, you save costs on consumables, printing, and the need for an application system. With the ability to print a barcode to the required standard, the savings of direct box printing are substantial.

Lastly, due to the adhesives and ink used, labelled boxes can be more difficult to recycle.

However, when boxes are directly printed, their composition remains unchanged so they can continue to be widely recycled.

reduce your waste while subsequently helping you to save money, without compromising on quality or efficiency.

For any further information on Rotech, or any one of our solutions, visit our website www. rotechmachines.com

Could Rotech help with your transformation?

Visit stand P141 to talk with any of our experts about how we can work together to

is sponsored by The Label Group – see them on page 7

Handling & Storage Matters

New sustainable packaging and supply chain solutions I n this issue of Industry Update, we are pleased to announce Loadhog as our Sustainable Packaging Solutions Company of the Month.

Loadhog is a globally renowned multi-award-winning UK manufacturer that is dedicated to the design and manufacture, sale and pooling of Returnable Transit Packaging solutions. Ranked as one of the UK’s fastest growing SMEs in 2017 for international exports in the

annual Sunday Times Export Track, Loadhog serves a number of different industries including automotive & manufacturing, retail, postal, food, beverage and nonfood sectors.

Since its establishment in 2003, the company has committed itself to introducing new paths and products designed with the express purpose of solving customers packaging and transport problems. Every sustainable

Manufacturing Matters

solution designed at The Hogworks – Loadhogs HQ, can and will save companies value time, money and labour.

Interestingly, Loadhog is and always has been owned by its employees, bestowing a culture of power to every individual involved. From its HQ in Sheffield, UK to its other offices based in Obernai, France and Chicago, USA, Loadhog continues to develop innovative solutions to the unseen supply chain issues.

“We far outweigh any competitor because through intelligent design we can offer additional vehicle fill, less damages, and more longevity through use of better material with better impact properties, our products always solve a problem,” stated Shaun Khan, Managing Director.

Over the last two years, Loadhog has entered the automation arena where its products are used in fully automated warehouses. One product that is specifically suitable for all conveyors and transfer units is the Autotote 6545, and this is because it features an optimised base design that reduces deflection and noise. It’s 100% closed underside ensures a smooth and silent running which protects the longevity of the conveyor belt and increases the base’s strength by more than 30%. There is also an option for drainage holes that are compliant with FM Global/VDS regulations and comes with a number of other different options and accessories.

Another market Loadhog is keen to enter in 2023 is the intralogistics market. Shaun explained, “2023 will bring some positive and new changes. Firstly, we have decided to set up a new manufacturing facility in Obernai, Strasbourg. It will be a 55,000 sq ft manufacturing facility used to serve our European customers better on all service and support levels.

We are also heavily concentrating on targeting the intralogistics market as this market heavily relates to automated warehouses to which our Autotote and Autotray products are particularly useful for.

Tying in with its 2030 Vision, the company will always endeavour to create innovation, service and sustainability across all areas. By committing itself to reachable goals such as having all products 100% recyclable by 2025, by Loadhog’s 25th birthday it also estimates that it will be sending 0% waste to landfill with minimal carbon emissions as well as investing heavily into targeting overall material usage of recycled plastic to 90%, which will be up by 60% on last year. 2023 will also see the company celebrate its 20th year, and its recent success in ecommerce which enabled the company to nearly double its sales turnover to £30m throughout COVID-19 only goes to show how influential, innovative and groundbreaking Loadhog’s products are.

For more information, see below.

T 0114 2800 800 info@loadhog.com www.loadhog.com

is sponsored by Decarb It – see them on page 9

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Cleaning Matters

Specialist hygiene company achieves Zero Waste to Landfill as sustainable initiativestake hold W

arrington-based Christeyns Food Hygiene has achieved Zero Waste to Landfill for the last two years as it puts sustainability at the heart of company policy.

By working in partnership with ACM Environmental, the firm has achieved exceptional environmental performance with Zero Waste to Landfill in 2020, 2021 and on target for 2022.

Christeyns Food Hygiene, as part of Christeyns UK, has been working on a strategy for reducing waste and emissions and is part of a group initiative, Project Terra, which focuses on every aspect of the firm’s business in relation to sustainability and the environment.

Considerable budget has been invested in equipment and training to ensure facilities are as modern and efficient as possible. This has included installing low energy LED lighting across the whole site, creating a reduction in usage of up to 75%.

Other initiatives completed over the past two years have been the installation of EV charging points, the recycling of all toner cartridges, adding plants to the site to improve and restored biodiversity and the collection and monitoring of all gas, electricity, and water data to establish targets for reductions.

Raw materials are purchased from carefully selected suppliers, sustainability being a key requirement when choosing ingredients. Recent developments have also led to the introduction of concentrated formulations that reduce the number of deliveries and hence carbon footprint.

Containers are washed and reused and wash-out water from both customer sites and the firm’s manufacturing facilities, is recovered and reused, reducing the amount of effluent being deposited into the environment.

Sarah Hobbs, Health, Safety & Environmental Supervisor at Christeyns Food Hygiene said: “Being one of the largest food hygiene providers in the UK, it is important for the whole team to

lead by example and minimise the impact of our business on the environment.

More and more of our clients are focusing on green issues and it is reassuring for them to know that their supply chain is equally committed.”

environmental issues both on site and in the wider community. A range of project are currently running to meet these goals, including motion sensor lighting, solar panels, hybrid and fully electric vehicles, and the re-using rainwater for washing out containers.

For more information, see below.

Increased focus at Board level is adding impetus to Christeyns’ strategic goals on tackling

www.christeyns.com

BICSc Training

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ow do you train your cleaning operatives, housekeepers, or cleaners, do you train them at all?

BICSc has an easy-to-follow route to train anyone who works in the cleaning and hygiene sector. It can all be done at a time to suit your business and can provide your staff with accreditations for the training they undertake.

To start with there are 4 free courses covering some of the most important safety aspects for anyone in a cleaning role – Understanding Colour-Coding, Hand Hygiene Explained, Understanding Chemical Hazard Pictograms and Understanding PPE. Once you have worked through these, we recommend our Licence to Practice (LTP) course which covers the essential skills required for anyone who carries out cleaning tasks. Candidates must complete the LTP to understand the reasons and practicalities of safe working before progressing to further skills training within the Cleaning Professional’s Skills Suite.

Once the LTP is complete, we would recommend a choice of skills that best suit your business.

There are over 40 skills and our most popular are available online.

Either visit our website to see what we offer, give us a call, or email us so that we can tailor the training to suit you.

T 01604 678712 trainingandservices@bics.org.uk www.bics.org.uk

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is sponsored by The Label Group – see them on page 7

Print & Packaging Matters

Target Net Zero 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.

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

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

Cleaning Matters

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). www.nationalflexible.co.uk

What do electrical vehicle manufacturers and BW Flexible Systems have in common?

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e want to create a better world, holistic approach required.

Sustainability needs to be more than just a cool term to throw around. It’s a mindset and a vital part of the conversation that all people and all companies globally must include in their strategies.

We believe it is most important to have a conversation of the entire story, not just one chapter.

A holistic and realistic approach to sustainability.

We do not claim we are sustainability experts nor that we have the perfect answer for every solution.

However, our eyes look to the future. Our vision and strategy are based on what could and will be: A better world.

When it comes to sustainability in the packaging industry, the discussion is often polarized around the packaging materials used: Recyclable, compostable, paper. If you’ve ever worked with any of these materials, you know there are both advantages and disadvantages, it’s not as easy as it sounds. For example, paper and some other sustainable films can decrease shelf-life of the product, resulting in increased food waste and a net increase in CO2 emissions.

There are alternative opportunities to becoming more sustainable, including reducing food waste through alternative film and sealing technologies, investment in higher efficiency equipment, and pre-planned maintenance of your production lines to ensure those efficiencies are maintained.

Purchasing a lower cost piece of equipment can affect all aspects of manufacturing if it needs expensive and time-consuming repairs, so we need to consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to deliver sustainable solutions.

There is no perfect solution available yet, but if we never start searching for one, we will never find one.

At BW Flexible Systems, we stay true to our name.

We’re flexible not only in finding flexible packaging solutions for our customers but also in the way we work: we’re a team with versatile experience from all around the world that shares resources, insight, best practices, and perspectives to give our customers a dedicated experience and to find the best possible solution.

Sustainability in packaging is not a one-size-fits-all issue. At BW Flexible Systems, we work with you to understand your goals and priorities, identify your challenges, and map out sustainable solutions that are appropriate to you and your business.

With over 100 years of experience building packaging machines, we’ve seen packaging materials come and go, so we stay up-to-date on the latest innovations in packaging materials sciences. Our knowledge will help you cut through the noise to find the packaging material that best suits your product and your goals.

We enjoy working with our customers to develop the solutions they want and need, including finding opportunities for sustainable practices.

Your priorities are our key drivers, and if we are moving in the right direction, we will find many opportunities to make this a better world.

Let’s do it together. www.bwpackagingsystems.com

is sponsored by Decarb It – see them on page 9

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Process & Manufacturing Matters

Leading the way in recyclable pump technology I

n this issue of Industry Update, we recognise Quantex as the leading provider of recyclable pumps.

The first Quantex pump was invented by Quantex Founder, Dr Paul Pankhurst, to create a less expensive, more accurate alternative to a peristaltic pump.

Several years of R&D and customer collaborations, led to the successful development of several off-theshelf, recyclable pumps with varying flow-rate ranges.

In June 2021, Quantex was acquired by PSG, an operating company of Dover Corporation and now sits alongside 13 other pump and flow measurement brands.

Quantex headquarters is located in Hammersmith, London, UK, with a dedicated manufacturing plant in High Wycombe. Through PSG’s acquisition, Quantex is now a part of PSG Dover, providing Quantex with clean room manufacturing facilities in Duisburg, Germany, where Quantex is supported by fellow PSG pump brand; Quattroflow.

“Quantex is the leading provider of recyclable pump technology, where, instead of the pump being a part of the fixed equipment, it is attached directly to the

liquid packaging – similar to the way a tap is already connected to a bag in box of wine. But instead of pressing the tap and allowing liquid to dribble out using gravity, the pump is clipped into a motor drive in the fixed equipment, and the product is dispensed accurately, at a range of precision flow rates suitable for all kinds of liquids. When the product supply is finished, you simply replace the bag and pump with a new bag and pump,” stated Gillian Harding-Moore, Director – Marketing.

dispense by sucking the product back into the pump.

Another very exciting capability is its in-pump dilution option, where it can pump high-ratio concentrates, and accurately mix them with water at the point of dispense. This takes water out of the distribution channel, saving the customer both money and carbon emissions from shipping their products around the world,” added Gillian.

With the drive to save single-use plastic waste, the wealth of benefits of using Quantex pumps has been recognised by UK and European supermarkets, who have been attempting to trial refill stations, where consumers bring their reusable bottles to refill in stores instead of using single use pre-packaged goods. Dispensing liquids has been proving to be too expensive and labour intensive for shop-floor staff.

fluid. Quantex is working with several refill equipment manufacturers, who are designing their next generation of dispensers around the Quantex system.” Gillian continued, “Several global brands and retailers are excited by the early prototypes that allows product replenishment to be 75% faster, with no cleaning or maintenance, and no drips that cause dangerous slip hazards in supermarket isles. The aim is to provide a better refill experience for consumers and therefore, encourage more refill adoption.

The first machines are planned to be in European supermarkets trials from October this year, with a roll-out scheme planned for 2023. It is an exciting market to be in, as it is just the beginning of a big change to the way we shop, and Quantex is sitting at the heart of the movement.”

“Quantex technology provides the key enabler for scaling up refill in supermarkets, with a low maintenance, low cost and flexible solution that can be standardised for dispensing virtually any

Quantex’s system is extremely hygienic and requires no costly cleaning or maintenance. The Quantex pumps also maintain vacuum capability which equips them with the ability to handle high viscosities such as mayonnaise, hair conditioner, or glue, and can evacuate the bag by 98%.

As the company looks ahead, in addition to Refill, Quantex is moving into the Biopharma market, and aligning with other Dover brands; Quattroflow®, em-tec, Malema®, and CPC®. Gillian added, “The alignment will strengthen our PSG offering, providing pumps, flow measurement solutions and connectors that serve cell and gene therapy and bioprocessing needs from early process development through to upstream and downstream applications.”

“The pumps can also reverse cycle which is widely used for cleaning the nozzle at the end of each

T +44 (0)20 8735 5880 www.quantex-arc.com

New compact safety light barriers for the food processing industry

W

uppertal, 20 February 2023.

Schmersal has developed a new series of safety light barriers that are suitable for hygiene-sensitive applications in the packaging and food-processing industries, such as milk and meat processing. With a diameter of 62 mm and a height of 115 mm, the single-beam light barriers in the SLB series are extremely compact. This makes them ideal for thermoforming machinery for food packaging, for use on cutting equipment or on other machinery with narrow installation spaces.

SLB440 light barriers with IP69 degree of protection SLB440 light barriers have been designed along the lines of the SLC/SLG440 IP69 safety light curtains and grids, which have been widely used in the food-processing and packaging industries for years. The new single-beam light barriers have been designed to cope with the high levels of stress placed upon them by the cleaning processes that are commonplace to these industries.

Thanks to a sophisticated, detailed design, the SLB440 series achieves IP69 degree of protection and is thus protected against ingress of water during close-range high-pressure and hightemperature spray downs. This means that the external and internal seals on this contactless active protective device (AOPD) meet very strict requirements and are able to withstand frequent cleaning with alkali solutions, foam, hot steam or high-pressure jets.

Stainless steel locking caps – PC safety tubes The new AOPD product line has also been created based on the principles of hygienic design. The locking caps on the SLB440 are made of stainless steel (V4A) as are the cable

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inlet, pressure equalisation diaphragm and fastening parts. Made of polycarbonate (PC), the transparent protective tubes not only offer high resistance to cleaning agents, but also withstand strong mechanical loads. If spray lances should accidentally strike the SLC440 IP69’s enclosure during pressure washing in food production, the safety and protection function will continue to work thanks to the robust protective tubes.

The materials thus ensure higher process reliability as well as a lengthy safety light barrier service life. The independent testing laboratory Ecolab has also verified the high resistance of the materials used in these components.

Integrated evaluation The AOPD series features integrated evaluation with two safety outputs that are connected directly to the higher-level control system.

Additional features of this AOPD series are the integrated setup aid and straightforward connection option with M12 connector (4-pole or 5-pole). The SLB440 light barrier achieves Performance Level PLe, type 4.

Visit Schmersal at Hannover Messe between 17 and 21 April 2023: Stand D09, Hall 09

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