Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Magazine - June 2024 - Issue 222

Welcome

It was an absolute privilege to travel to Naples, nally getting the opportunity to taste probably the best pizza in the world – and it didn’t disappoint. The Italian passion for food was inescapable, while the teams at Mulino Caputo and Solania ensured I had an unforgettable experience.

The plant-based and free from categories continue to impact and grow the pizza/pasta sector, as consumers seek healthier and more sustainable choices. We caught up with Dawn Farms, Eurostar Commodities and Cornwall Pasta Co.

SwiftCloud and Advantage Utilities take us through their innovative AI & tech capabilities, alongside all the usual magazine regulars. Enjoy!

ALEX BELL - EDITOR alex@jandmgroup.co.uk

Editor Alex Bell telephone 01291 636349 e-mail alex@jandmgroup.co.uk

Advertising Andrew Emery telephone 01291 636334 e-mail andrew@jandmgroup.co.uk

Production Gareth Symonds telephone 01291 636339 e-mail gareth@jandmgroup.co.uk

Subscriptions telephone 01291 636338 e-mail subscriptions@papa.org.uk

J & M Group Engine Rooms, Station Road, Chepstow NP16 5PB

Opinions expressed in Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of J&M Group, Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Magazine or The Pizza & Pasta Association. No responsibility is accepted for the opinions of contributors. Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Magazine is published by J&M Group Ltd. and supports The Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Association. It is circulated to managers, executives, buyers, retailers and traders in the pizza and pasta business. © J&M Group Ltd. 2024

Contents

NEWS 4-14

PROFILE

16-19 Keeping Italy in the family – Pizza Pilgrims 60-61 Feast for the senses – San Carlo 62-63 What’s it all about, Al o? – Sotto Cucina

PAPA ASSOCIATION

20-27 PAPA Awards 2024

CENTENARY SPECIAL

28-32 A century of excellence – Mulino Caputo

TOMATOES FOCUS

34-45 Silbury / Solania / Mutti / Theo Randall

PLANT-BASED & FREE FROM SPECIAL

46-53 Dawn Farms / Eurostar Commodities / Cornwall Pasta Co

RECIPE SPECIAL

54-55 Tom Gozney’s Pizza Volume 01

AI & TECH EXCLUSIVE

56-59 SwiftCloud / Advantage Utilities

REGULARS

64 Classi eds

65 Index of suppliers

ALPHIN PANS ap

Alphin Pans

We delve deep into the latest financial updates, new appointments, restaurant launches, product developments and fundraising efforts.

Glowing predictions for global pasta market

Research analysis by Fact.MR has delivered an exciting outlook for the global pasta market. A compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% is predicted, reaching a value of US$93.3 billion (£73.5bn) by the end of 2033. This is driven by increasing sales of shelf-stable and packaged food products, along with a rising preference for convenient food options.

More consumers now concentrate on the consumption of healthier food. They are becoming aware of the nutritional benefits of organic pasta, alongside hectic lifestyles in metropolitan cities. People are opting for different types of

Fluctuating protein content in wheat flour makes standardised baking processes particularly difficult, as the amount present impacts water absorption, dough processing and baked product quality. Hamburg-based GoodMills Innovation has developed a solution to this problem in the form of its SMART® Wheat high-protein flour.

Recently, the protein content of wheat flour appears to have declined. It is assumed this is as a result of EU fertiliser regulations, but climatic changes, such as drought increases, can have an impact.

The use of SMART® Wheat reportedly compensates for harvest-related fluctuations in the basic flour, which not only improves end product quality, but also the efficiency of the baking process. SMART® Wheat is obtained from protein-rich, high-stretch wheat through purely physical fractionation. Unlike

pasta, owing to their easy availability and preparation methods, which is estimated to accelerate opportunities for market players over the forecast period.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

● Global pasta market valuation of £39.3bn in 2023

● Dry pasta is set to remain the most widely consumed type

● Europe predicted to hold a significant revenue share.

“Growing demand for international cuisines, transformation in the foodservice sector, increasing preference for convenience foods and packaged food products, and rising consumption of Italian pasta in Asian countries and the US are driving the sales of pasta globally,” said a Fact.MR analyst.

There has been a noteworthy increase in demand for readyto-eat products. Moreover, the increasing employment rate has led to increased demand for convenience and instant food products owing to the shortage of time.

Growing demand for organic food products around the world is anticipated to stimulate manufacturers of pasta to invest in R&D activities to prepare different varieties of organic pasta. Therefore, manufacturers are producing new product varieties, which are made of organic wheat.

SMART thinking on wheat flour from GoodMills NEWS

commercially available wheat gluten, GoodMills Innovation does not use water for rinsing or high temperatures during production. High-protein wheat varieties are finely ground using a gentle crushing process and the highly active, native protein particles are separated. This preserves the natural functionalities of the wheat protein.

The native protein it contains enables the gluten network to form more quickly, with direct effects on the dough. Its extensibility is improved, resulting in easy-to-work, fluffy doughs.

Compared to doughs prepared with conventional gluten, SMART® Wheat provides a predictable and reliable dough quality, which contributes significantly to final proving stability and allows for a higher volume of baked goods.

SMART® Wheat is ideal for a wide range of end products, from small wheat to multigrain and wholemeal baked goods, yeast doughs and Berliners. Recommended dosages vary depending on the product type and range from 2% to 10%, according to the desired protein quality and specific requirements of the dough. SMART® Wheat is available in both conventional and organic quality.

Inflationary trends deliver increased optimism

The latest Foodservice Price Index report from Prestige Purchasing and CGA brings encouraging news for the industry, with inflation rates returning towards more normal levels.

Figures for April 2024 indicate a significant YoY fall in inflation of 2.5%, continuing a trend towards stability in pricing.

While the overall decline is welcome, the data reveals a nuanced picture across different food categories. Only two recorded month-on-month deflation, while six others showed inflation rates of 1% or less. While there is a degree of price stability across most segments, some areas are subject to fluctuation. This has led to the first month-on-month inflation since January – a sign that although the foodservice sector is recovering well from recent global disruptions, some supply issues continue to impact pricing.

Standout categories in the latest Foodservice Price Index report include vegetables, which saw the highest month-onmonth inflation of 1.4%.

This increase follows extreme weather conditions in the UK and Europe, including one of the wettest winters on record. Conditions have hampered planting and impacted crop yields, leading to a scarcity of fresh produce and driving up prices for both consumers and businesses.

Shaun Allen, CEO of Prestige Purchasing, said: “This paints a picture of cautious optimism. While some categories are still experiencing price fluctuations, the general trend towards lower inflation rates is a positive sign for the sector’s recovery.

“However, it is important to remain vigilant about the potential impact of external factors in the coming months.”

James Ashurst, client director at CGA by NIQ, said: “Business across the foodservice sector will be hugely relieved to see some stability in pricing. It should give confidence a much needed boost and will hopefully feed through to increased consumer spending. Nevertheless, the supply chain remains vulnerable to micro-inflationary pressures, and all hospitality businesses need to continue managing costs very carefully.”

Jury in place for S.Pellegrino Young Chef Comp

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, a global initiative searching for the most talented young chefs aged under 30 as part of its Young Chef Competition, has announced its jury line-up for its 2024 UK regional final, taking place this September.

Alex Dilling, Adam Smith, Santiago Lastra, Lorna McNee and Nokx Majozi will undertake the task of identifying the UK’s next star chef to compete in the global finale in Milan

next year. During the competition, the five jurors will mentor participants to help them bring their vision for the future of gastronomy to the table, as well as equip them to take their culinary skills to the next level.

Selected participants for the UK competition will join the Regional Finals on 25-26 September in London, to compete in front of the prestigious jury.

S.Pellegrino is passionate about inspiring new generations of young chefs with the knowledge and expertise of experienced professionals. This is why, through its academy, the business is campaigning to improve perceptions of the sector and nurture the talent of tomorrow.

Applicants must submit a signature dish that expresses their unique creativity and vision, which will then be assessed by ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts, before a shortlist of competitors is drawn up.

Signature Dishes will be evaluated on three Golden Rules:

Technical skills: ability to select the finest ingredients in terms of quality, freshness and uniqueness, to obtain an excellent taste, combined with technical skills that bring out the flavours of the ingredients, while maintaining their original essence.

Creativity: ability to explore original, stimulating and innovative perspectives with a personal and contemporary style.

Personal belief: ability to communicate a clear message that summarises the ‘vision’ of their work, their vision of the world of food and contribution to society in general.

The winner of last year’s UK regional final, Marcus Clayton, said: “It was a real highlight in my career.”

With more than 15 years of experience, including the best part of eight years heading up sales and marketing at catering brand distributor Valentine & CuisinEquip, Steve Elliott is the company’s new managing director.

Following the retirement of Bob Witherall, who moved to the role of chairman, Elliott has been promoted from sales director.

First joining the company as a national sales manager in 2008, Elliott became sales director in 2016. He has spearheaded growth of more than 150%, taking the business to a turnover in excess of £4m and becoming the exclusive distributor for several new manufacturers in the process.

Known by many as a champion of the hospitality industry, Elliott’s love for foodservice began when he trained in hotel and catering management at Norwich City College. He went on to become an accomplished chef, working in several fast-paced, high-footfall sites, before hanging up his whites in return for a career in catering equipment sales. Stints with Falcon and Gram (now Hoshizaki) proved to be great experience for Elliott’s move to Valentine in 2008.

Businesses have teamed-up with homeless charity NishkamSWAT to deliver food in Reading.

Barny Bains, franchisee for Papa Johns in Shinfield Road, has been working closely with the charity for six years and is encouraging more local businesses to become involved.

“The Sikh charity NishkamSWAT helps unite and transform financially disadvantaged communities by focusing on projects which make a difference to people’s lives in the short term and improve their prospects in the long term. They provide vegetarian meals through their homeless project and we deliver free pizzas every week.

“However, we are just one of several local businesses supporting the charity and we’d like to invite more organisations to get involved. For us, delivering pizza is a small contribution but it means a lot for disadvantaged people in our community. People queue up for food donations and it shows the importance of the work NishkamSWAT’s team is doing to help those most in need.”

NishkamSWAT, which was awarded a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2019, provides meals on a Wednesday and Sunday evenings through their homeless project outside the Old Town Hall.

Rupee Chagar, lead volunteer NishkamSWAT in Reading, said: “We have around 25 active

“It’s a proud moment,” said Elliott. “To take charge of a business with a heritage spanning some seven decades is a real honour – I genuinely see my role as one of a custodian, ensuring the company continues to thrive under my leadership and the ongoing commitment of the wonderful team we have.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bob for his incredible dedication of more than 40 years with Valentine & CuisinEquip, growing it from a small distributor to the nationally and internationally renowned business we are today. I would also like to thank our customers, dealers, distributors and partners for their ongoing support – it’s very much appreciated.”

The appointment comes shortly after Philip Sanderson was promoted to business development director and Carol-Ann Marshall as regional manager for Scotland – bringing a wealth of experience to the sales team.

Elliott takes reins at Valentine & CuisinEquip Reading Papa Johns franchisee in charity drive

volunteers and run purely on donations, serving hot food for 180-200 people in Reading every week. If that’s a family, or someone in a suit struggling on a low income, we don’t judge and welcome anyone. We aim to cook 100 meals at the Sikh temple and Papa Johns and House of Flavours in Reading also donate hot food. We are grateful for their continued support.”

Bains has been a Papa Johns franchisee for 11 years and also runs three other stores in the area, employing more than 70 people. “Community is so important to us and if we can give something back, it is always worthwhile.”

WHEN NATURE BECOMES PERFORMANCE

THE AUTHENTIC FLAVOR OF WHEAT. le5stagioni.it/en

Rustic, type 1, and whole grain flours, produced through gentle milling at low temperatures to ensure the extraction of flour with the richest aromas and flavors. Flavor and performance for pizzas with a distinctive character.

New arrival Fellini celebrates La Dolce Vita

The team behind one of London’s legendary 90s haunts has opened its latest restaurant, Fellini, in Chelsea. It prioritises the personal touch and valued relationships over gimmicks and maximalism, while retaining a Dolce Vita feel throughout.

Based on the successes of Paparazzi Café, the focus is on the true essence of hospitality and the old-timer recognition of loyalty, encouraging guests from every walk of life. On the menu is a range of sharing options, making the venue an appropriate choice for a colloquial lunch, a long afternoon or an evening meal kicking on late into the night.

Food is to be approachable and unfussy, with classic dishes and specialities, made with ingredients from carefully sourced suppliers in Italy and around the UK. Felliniis branded as a healthier, holistic approach.

Dish highlights include the Fellini Primavera with homemade aubergine and basil pesto and courgettes, and the

entirely vegan Ravioli Rossi, consisting of spicy chickpea-filled pasta served with a butter and sage sauce. There is an array of main-sized salads, and a selection of veg-forward pizzas are prepared with organic and excellently sourced seasonal produce, with the option to make any pasta dishes and pizzas gluten free.

Secondi include Veal Milanese and simply grilled fish, with the menu rounding out with much-loved Italian desserts such as the Fellini Tiramisu and a Flourless Chocolate Cake. Alongside there will be an ever-changing specials board chosen by the knowledgeable team, and a Sunday Feasting menu is planned to launch soon after opening.

Guests can expect Fellini to evoke a sense of the slow-paced Italian summer lifestyle in leafy London – attractive and luxurious without the gauche.

The restaurant will feature olive trees, providing a taste of Tuscany, while the walls will be lined with black & white photos of familiar faces. There is backlit

banquet seating surrounding the edge of the room, with the glass front halfshuttered with rich walnut slats and roman blinds in olive linen. A terrazzo marble bar runs the length of the room, where guests are encouraged to join the barstaff for an aperitif or digestif upon their visit.

The dining room sits 75 covers inside, with a wraparound terrace providing another 20 al fresco that opens to the public in June.

Owner, Tony Aalam, said: “We’ve been looking forward to opening Fellini for some time. Our commitment to ‘Come Era Una Volta’, or ‘How It Used to Be’, will be prevalent as we revive the personal touch of 20th-century Italy, delivering true hospitality and timeless service. We hope that Fellini will naturally become a go-to for our neighbours and indeed draw visitors from across the city.”

Fellini is open seven days a week, 12pm-12am.

MKN taking further steps to make an impact

MKN has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable performance with a series of investments to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations.

The introduction of a new automatic production line at MKN’s HQ in Germany includes a 45m-long, energy-efficient laser-cutting machine for stainless steel, which has halved energy consumption by up to 50% compared with traditional laser cutting and bending technologies.

In addition, MKN’s new production house needs almost no heating due to advanced insulation measures, while the manufacturer will have installed 1MW of solar PV on its manufacturing facility by summer 2024, which will provide one-third of all electricity needed on site.

An innovative new precision-fit packaging machine is delivering savings of around 50% on packaging materials for accessories and spare parts, while also improving utilisation of freight space to streamline deliveries and reduce emissions.

MKN also continues to source materials and components locally where possible, with 80% of parts bought from Germany and 98% from within central Europe.

Wayne Bennett, VP sales and marketing UK and Ireland for MKN, said: “With rising energy costs and greater regulatory

pressure, sustainability tops the agenda for clients in all sectors now. We’re working hard to help make a difference.

“With sustainability, we take a holistic approach that not only focuses on our own processes but also on how we collaborate with suppliers and support wider society. We recognise our responsibilities to support end users by developing products that operate reliably and efficiently for many years, while consuming as little energy and water as possible.”

For more info, visit mkn.com/en.

Springboard to mental health fundraising

To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week last month (13-19 May), Springboard launched Virtual Race 2024. A fun, fundraising virtual fitness challenge for the hospitality industry, raising money for the Springboard Charity while encouraging and championing wellbeing for the mind and body.

This July 2024, over 400 individuals will compete in the annual Springboard Virtual Race 2024, To Cambodia and Back, which invites teams (of up to 20) to cover 14,000 miles virtually from 1 July-31 July 2024.

This year’s theme derives from the recent Springboard Cambodia Trek (which took place between April-May 2024) and saw 23 individuals navigate 100km through the Cambodian Wilds, as well as building eco bungalows in the Siem Reap area. The volunteers (made up of hospitality professionals) raised an incredible £94k for the Springboard Charity.

The next stage continues back in the UK and invites teams or individuals to cover the miles any way they like – by walking, running, cycling, wheeling, swimming, skipping. Any pace, anywhere – all abilities are welcome. It is £15 to enter, which includes a goodie bag and T-shirt, as well as prizes for the winning teams (across various categories), including the fastest and most money raised.

Springboard chief executive, Chris Gamm, said: “As we reflect on Mental Health Awareness Week across the hospitality industry, we hope our Springboard Virtual Race charity challenge will offer some mental health relief for the body and mind through this fun, healthy, social, fitness outdoors activity! And all while fundraising for the Springboard Charity – as we continue our mission to provide training and employment opportunities in hospitality, to young and underprivileged people facing challenges.”

Virtual Race headline sponsors, Nestlé and CH&CO, will also be competing, along with Gold Sponsors and teams including Bidfood, Wafflemeister, Kraft Heinz, Unilever and many more.

Lupa Foods welcomes Dyson as sales director

Lupa Foods, a cornerstone in the UK food industry known for its extensive array of products and ingredients, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rory Dyson as sales director. With a heritage spanning over 120 years, Lupa Foods is driven by a legacy of Italian tradition and a commitment to innovation.

Dyson brings a wealth of experience, complemented by passion for culinary arts as an avid foodie and chef. He joins from the Belazu Ingredient Company, where he played a pivotal role in expanding market share and enhancing their presence in both food manufacturing and foodservice sectors.

Manish Mandavia, CEO of Lupa Foods, said: “Rory’s visionary

leadership and profound understanding of the food industry dynamics make him an ideal fit. His appointment is pivotal as we continue to navigate through the evolving market landscapes and aim to capitalise on emerging opportunities.”

Dyson will oversee the development and execution of sales strategies that align with Lupa Foods’ mission to supply exceptional quality and fit-for-purpose ingredients. His approach will focus on strong relationships with key stakeholders and enhancing customer engagement.

Dyson added: “I am thrilled to join the Lupa Foods team and contribute to its distinguished legacy of quality, excellence and customer service. I look forward to working closely with the team to deliver value to our partners and customers.”

Since the business rebrand following the successful merger between Donatantonio and Compleat Food Network in 2018, turnover has doubled to over £40 million. This strategic appointment marks another significant milestone.

The company is committed to being an integral partner to the food industry, combining rich heritage with cutting-edge innovation and sustainability goals to meet customer needs across food manufacturing, recipe box and foodservice sectors.

For further info, visit lupafoods.com.

Exclusive Ranges confirms Ceda membership

Exclusive Ranges has announced its membership of ceda, the Catering Equipment Distributors Association, confirming its commitment to the ceda Code of Practice, to uphold high standards of service.

A leading provider of innovative catering equipment solutions, Exclusive Ranges is keen to demonstrate how this strategic partnership can strengthen its commitment to supporting foodservice distributors in delivering exceptional projects.

The membership gives Exclusive Ranges access to a wealth of industry knowledge, support and resources, allowing it to make a valuable contribution to ceda members. This partnership empowers Exclusive Ranges to provide unparalleled expertise to foodservice distributors, enabling them to create outstanding projects to exceed client expectations.

Trevor Burke, managing director Exclusive Ranges, said: “Our membership with ceda showcases our ongoing dedication to supporting the foodservice industry. We are looking forward to collaborating with ceda’s industry experts and to leveraging their insights to deliver exceptional experiences for our valued clients.”

Ceda is a respected association within the foodservice, catering and hospitality industry representing UK catering equipment distributors. With a focus on promoting best practices and driving professional development, ceda provides a platform for collaboration and growth within this sector.

Exclusive Ranges will strengthen its position as a trusted partner for foodservice distributors with this membership, offering support and solutions tailored to their unique needs. The company remains committed to delivering cutting-edge equipment, unrivalled knowledge and exceptional service to help distributors thrive in a competitive landscape.

To find out more, visit exclusiveranges.co.uk.

Brakes serves up 10m meals with FareShare

Brakes, the UK’s largest foodservice supplier, is celebrating providing the equivalent of 10 million meals to FareShare.

The partnership between FareShare, the UK’s leading food redistribution charity, and Brakes started more than 10 years ago, and has since flourished, culminating in Brakes being recognised as a FareShare Leading Food Partner for 2024.

The donations from Brakes support a range of charities across the country, including community centres, older people’s lunch clubs, school clubs and hospices.

Paul Nieduszynski, CEO of Sysco GB, said: “While we always want to minimise surplus food, there are times when it is unavoidable. That’s when it is reassuring to know that we have partners like FareShare on hand to ensure that we are helping to support some fantastic charities.

“When many people are struggling to make ends meet, it’s good to know that Brakes and Sysco are playing their part in helping FareShare in its vital role.”

Lucy Allison, head of key food partnerships at FareShare, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the support from Brakes, for providing the equivalent of 10 million meals worth of food that would otherwise have gone to waste.

“This food has made an enormous difference to support our network of 8500 charities and community groups across

the UK, including after-school and breakfast clubs, hospices, homelessness charities and older people’s lunch clubs. Without support from Brakes and Sysco, we would not be able to combat the environmental impact of food waste for social good, strengthening communities up and down the country.”

As part of its Global Good Goal, Sysco has pledge to provide $500m worth of good to its global communities, including 200 million meals by 2025.

Wholesale approach for Original Cipriani Bellini

The Original Cipriani Bellini cocktail is a blend of Italy’s finest white peach purée and Prosecco, invented by Giuseppe Cipriani at the renowned Harry’s Bar in Venice in 1948.

It is now available for the first time from wholesalers, Alivini in London, Continental Quattro Stagioni in Glasgow and Brakes nationwide.

It is named after Italian Renaissance painter, Giovanni Bellini. The brand has become part of Venetian legend, a real classic, and an eternal symbol of freedom, art, and refined revelry.

It’s also on trend for low-alcohol drinking and RTD mixes and is also available as a Virgin Bellini in 180ml bottles – the same taste, colour and perfume but alcohol free. The small 200ml blue bottles are super stylish served with a straw and the 750ml bottles are ideal for sharing.

Order direct from wholesalers or contact Sacla UK Sales Director, Neil Arthey, at narthey@sacla.co.uk.

Chimney fan for pizza ovens removes smoke and bad odours

In many restaurants, the wood-fired catering equipment is situated near a high-capacity extraction canopy for the stoves. This can interfere with the natural draught in the chimney of the wood-fired oven or open barbecue fire and cause smoke to be drawn out into the kitchen. The result? A kitchen full of smoke and unsanitary particles.

The Exodraft chimney fan ensures an optimal draught in the chimney, resulting in a kitchen and restaurant without smoke and bad odours.

At the same time, the fan ensures that you always have a consistent draught which helps create consistent cooking results.

Often due to the positioning of the pizza oven, long horizontal complicated flue runs will be required to take away the smoke. The Exodraft chimney fan will allow complete flexibility in the positioning of the oven.

Ultimate brunch goals with Burnt Chef collective NEWS

The Burnt Chef Project has announced a collaborative initiative – The Burnt Brunch – aimed at pioneers, thought leaders and disruptors actively looking to change the menu and highlight wellbeing in hospitality.

Designed to address the challenges teams face and bring new ideas to the table, The Burnt Brunches are a series of six networking lunches at some of the UK’s most desirable restaurants throughout 2024. Complete with a panel-style discussion, insightful Q&A debate and conversations around positive leadership, it’s a place for experts and business leaders to come together, network and engage.

Each event will focus on a relevant wellbeing topic, including resilience, nurturing the next generation, success, imposter syndrome, recruitment and retention and work-life balance – featuring guests including leading chefs and influential personalities from the region. The first is on 25 June at The Pem in London, hosted in conjunction with chefs Sally Abe and Romy Gill. They will discuss their career journeys and how they navigated changes of direction, ultimately leading to a conversation around resilience in difficult situations.

The second is on 22 July at Simpsons Restaurant in Birmingham, with Luke Tipping and Louisa Ellis. Focusing on how Gen Z approaches the industry, it will highlight mentoring and accessibility for young people.

On 6 August, The Hovels in Leeds has Eddy Lascelles and ex-footballer Eddie Gray touching on how they’ve pivoted and changed approach

at the renowned Harewood House and whether failure can be just as important as success.

Next up is Smoke, Hampton Manor in Birmingham on 17 September, with a guest appearance from Stuart Deeley. Opening up on imposter syndrome, Deeley will talk through his experience of winning BBC’s Masterchef: The Professionals in 2019 and how to embrace praise, accolades and popularity. Two further events will be announced in due course.

Kris Hall, founder and CEO of The Burnt Chef Project said: “We’re delighted to launch a series of networking events across the UK throughout 2024. Combining restaurants, incredible chefs, inspirational guests and the opportunity to discuss wellbeing topics impacting the industry, The Burnt Brunches will be a hub of idea generation and learning. Each one has a capacity of 40, meaning almost 250 of our biggest decision-makers, thought leaders and pioneers will come together during the next six months.”

There are limited tickets available, valued with a one-off donation of £20.

Visit theburntchefproject.com.

launches Tesco chilled range

Modern Italian food brand, Crosta & Mollica, has introduced a range of its Sourdough Pizzas into the chilled aisles at Tesco across nationwide stores and online. Featuring the Sourdough Pizza Formaggi first available at Tesco, the new chilled line also includes Crosta & Mollica’s Ready-to-top Sourdough Pizza Base and its single-serve Pinsa Roman Pizzas in Tomato & Mozzarella and Salami & Mozzarella varieties.

Crosta & Mollica’s Neapolitan style Sourdough Pizzas are designed to offer restaurant-quality, premium meal solutions at an accessible price point. All pizzas are made in Italy, starting with the signature sourdough base, which is proved for 24 hours before being fired in a wood oven on a lava stone from Mount Etna and hand-topped.

The Formaggi Sourdough Pizza offers Tesco shoppers an elevated vegetarian take on a classic cheese and tomato pizza, topped with a combination of buffalo mozzarella and smoked provola cheese, finished with a sprinkling of aged hard cheese. The Pinsa is a smaller sized pizza with a paddle shaped base, offering a more ‘cloud-like’ textured serve. The Ready-to-top Sourdough Pizza Base is one of the brand’s best-selling products, offering a customisable option, for aspiring pizzaiolos to get creative.

Dean Lavender, marketing director at Crosta & Mollica, commented: “More and more people are discovering our authentic Italian Sourdough Pizzas, with retail sales more than doubling in the last three years, and now we are proud to introduce a chilled range of pizza products into Tesco.”

Keeping Italy in the fami ly

We talk to Thom Elliot, who with brother, James, has helped established Pizza Pilgrims as one of the most vibrant and successful pizzeria operators in the sector today.

You first pizzeria opened 11 years ago. What are the key business learnings? Eleven years is unreal – and the truth is we have learned almost EVERYTHING in that time. We started from a position of zero experience.

In many ways, this naivety has led to some of our best decisions, as we’ve never followed an existing playbook. That has obviously meant more mistakes

but also plenty of happy accidents along that form a large part of how we operate (when it comes to things like after-shift beers, tips, holidays, etc). I hadn’t even heard of a P&L when we started.

Pizza is an enduring meal choice. But is it difficult to stay original?

That is true – pizza is a very well stocked market. I think one of our strengths

“In many ways, this naivety has led to some of our best decisions, as we’ve never followed an existing playbook.”

has been staying original in a crowded space, so we stand out from the crowd.

We do this through pizza choices (blending an authentic Neapolitan backbone with more original and broadly inspired topping options), as well as our site designs and a sense of fun. We want to blend Neapolitan influence with a base in London and the UK, to create unique spaces that celebrate all things Southern Italian.

So, you became B Corp this year?

It has been quite a journey but we are just getting started. We want to be a best-in-class business – and that includes sustainability. However, it is an incredibly complicated and technical area, with loads of pitfalls and false starts.

We have appointed Jonny [Lockett] from blue+yellow to help. He has more than 10 years of experience in hospitality sustainability so what he doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing. We also partnered with Zero Carbon Forum for our carbon measurement and reduction targeting.

We identified B Corp a few years back as a potential framework to ensure our desire to be a ‘business doing good’. It was two years of hard work getting accredited – only the fourth hospitality business in the UK to do so – but we have already set our eyes on our next target score and are working through the areas where we can do better. It’s an amazing project to unite teams in a common goal and make sure our key strategic pillar of ‘happier world’ has a clear focus in making sure we are improving our B Corp score every year.

And the Euston site in London is up and running?

Yes! It is always exciting opening a new pizzeria and Euston is no exception –not least as it opened on our mum’s

birthday. It is brilliant, with a massive amount of natural light streaming in. And the area already has so many iconic hospitality venues that have been trading there for years, including Roti King opposite us.

James has once again done an amazing job with the fit-out, inspired

by train journeys to the Amalfi Coast (including a working train set). I don’t know where he gets the ideas but they are always original.

Talk to us about partnerships. All of our key ingredients (namely flour, Fior di Latte and tomatoes) are built on

relationships that have existed for over 10 years. Some go back to before we sold our first pizza.

For example, Caputo flour. We first met Antimo Caputo on our first ever pilgrimage to Napoli in 2011. We bought our first flour for our first pizza from them in 2012 and have worked together ever since. We have probably been to the Caputo Mill around 30 times – for commercial meetings, engagements with managers and head chefs, plus filming. Their passion for flour is second to none, with the quality unrivalled.

The strength of that relationship has allowed us to begin conversations about their plans. We have been to their field outside Naples, where they are testing new wheat varieties with a view towards a more sustainable product using fewer fertilisers and looking after the soil. This is close to our hearts, and it is amazing to see the steps they are taking to improve products one step at a time.

Equipment, interior/exterior design –how important are these areas?

I think the truth is that we are both very close to these elements of the business, while of course partnering with some great people.

While James still leads the way, we

work with Philip Watts Design to help bring fresh ideas and capture some of his thoughts in a manageable way.

We are always looking to bring fresh ideas to fit-outs (for guests) but also find operational efficiency and improvement to sites (for our teams). We have learned a lot about how our pizzerias operate in 10 years, especially as new initiatives like delivery take hold. The fact is a small improvement in our kitchens can have a massive effect on those that work in them every day – whether that’s via tech layout or just new tools. It’s a contact and iterative process and one we have no intention of resting on. We have also recently brought our project management resource in-house and have been embedding Darren into our kitchens to ensure he understands the problems so we can help fix them together.

What is so special about Italy?

We feel very close to it, for sure. But mostly Southern Italy and particularly Napoli. It is a very special city (we visit around five times per year). The place has a totally unique energy, and of course the best pizza in the world.

“The fact is a small improvement in our kitchens can have a massive effect on those that work in them every day – whether that’s via tech layout or just new tools.”

It really is the people and the passion of the place. Food is at the heart of it but it crosses other factors. We went back last year for our 10th birthday in a Vespa and sidecar that turns into a pizzeria – and we witnessed Napoli FC winning the league for the first time in 30 years. It was one of the most amazing experiences of our lives!

Our goal is to continue to honour the best of this amazing city and its people. Not only for the pizza but their amazing hospitality.

What’s in the future?

We really want to be a business that is here for a long time, not just a good time – making decisions that ensure PP is as good or better 10 years from now.

Part of that will look like growing the company… but it’s mostly about being happier across the board – from team to guests to product. Innovation will continue, bringing ideas to the table while giving staff members the best chance to grow in the company as well. It has been quite the journey for James and I. And we are blessed with amazing people.

We feel quite the responsibility to not let them down and ensure we are making the best decisions for everyone over the coming years!

WHERE CREATIVE VISION MEETS RECOGNITION

Nominations are open for the PAPA Industry Awards 2024. The highlight of the industry calendar, winning at the PAPAs shines the spotlight on you, your business and the success you’ve achieved, resulting in:

• Prestige, trust and credibilty

• Increased brand visibility

• A point of difference in a crowded market

• Customer and investor confidence

• Increased engagement and market access

• Premium pricing through perceived value

So, perhaps you’ve launched an exciting new product; experienced fantastic business development or had a breakthrough in reaching environmental and sustainability goals.

If so, then there’s an award that could have your name on it.

The awards qualifying period is 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024 and you’ll find this year’s categories on the following pages.

Thursday, 7 November 2024 at the Royal Lancaster, London is when and where the PAPA Industry Awards Dinner will be held. It could be you on stage receiving the recognition your creativity and hard work deserves.

Full details, including how to enter or to book your place, can be found on the awards website: www.papaindustryawards.co.uk.

We love being part of the PAPAs! I take great pride walking through the supermarket and seeing the winner’s logo on the pizza box... it’s a seal of approval and you know it’s going to be a good one.

Rhian Kinman, Senior Marketing Manager Futura Foods

Pizza Delivery Chain Award

All of the major high-street names in the pizza delivery sector are potential winners in this category.

Italian Restaurant Chain Award

Presented to those Italian restaurants chains bringing food, families and friends together across the nation.

Manufactured Pizza Award

Italian Style Ready-Made Main Meal Award

With this award there’s something for everyone. The judges will consider both value range and premium entries.

Pasta Retailer Award

Presented to the multiple retailer whose performance has driven sales in the pasta sector.

Convenience Store Pizza Award

Presented to the convenience retailer whose performance has driven sales in the pizza sector.

An award for new, ready-made Italian style main meal dishes for both retail and foodservice.

Chilled Pizza Multiple Retailer Award

Presented to the multiple retailer whose performance has driven sales in the chilled pizza sector.

Pizza Restaurant Chain Award

This award looks at the everpopular pizza restaurant chains to recognise the best on the high street.

Italian Style Food Award

For new and inspiring food products or ingredients intended for chefs and product developers to use when creating their menu.

Frozen Pizza Multiple Retailer Award

Presented to the multiple retailer whose performance has driven sales in the frozen pizza sector.

Business & Product Innovation Award

For technical or marketing initiatives; software, apps and ordering systems; packaging, equipment or other non-food products.

Environment & Sustainability Award

Rewarding the work being done to reduce the sector’s environmental impact and improve sustainability.

The award qualifying period is 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024. Closing date for entries is 7 August 2024.

HELP US FIND THE BEST INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS AND DELIVERY OUTLETS

There’s surely no one better placed to recognise great Italian food or fantastic pizza than the people who work in the pizza, pasta and Italian food industry.

We are on the hunt for the best independent Italian restaurants, pizza restaurants and delivery outlets in the UK. However, with so many hidden gems across the nation, it’s impossible for us to find them all.

That’s where you come in.

If you enjoy dining-out or indulging in a takeaway, then chances are you have a firm favourite independent retailer that could be deserving of recognition at this year’s PAPA Industry Awards. So, tell us about them.

Pete Ward, managing director of J&M Group and PAPA Awards organiser, explains: “Italian restaurants bring something special to the community, wherever they are found. Whether a cosy, romantic meal for two or a family gettogether, the passion for great food which

Independent Pizza Restaurant Award

With many superb independent pizza restaurants to choose from, this award recognises the best of them.

independent restaurant owners exude always makes for a special occassion. We want to hear about the best in your experience.

“Meanwhile, pizza is something that most of us will agree on as a firm favourite. So, who is the local takeaway, delivery or independent restaurant on your speed dial when you feel in the mood for pizza? We need to know!”

Of course, if you run a successful Italian restaurant, pizza restaurant or delivery store, why not nominate yourself?

The process is really easy. Just drop a line to awards@papa.org.uk with as much information as you can about your nomination and we’ll do the rest.

Independent Pizza Delivery Award

A huge contributor to our industry, independent pizza delivery outlets are considered for this award.

Independent Italian Restaurant Award

This award is presented to those independent Italian restaurants bringing food, families and friends together.

www.papaindustryawards.co.uk

The challenge is on once again as Pizza Chef of the Year returns for 2024. Will reigning champion Brigi Stamber retain the title or do you think you can claim the crown?

This competition stands head and shoulders above the rest by testing the chef’s creativity in making use of specially selected ingredients from our sponsors.

Head judge, Theo Randall, had this to say at the conclusion of the 2023 event: “Every year, I can’t wait to see what pizzas are placed before me. The entries were unbelievable.

“I am always wowed by the diversity of flavours, textures and toppings, including some delectable vegetarian ingredients that impressed.

“Even after 25 pizza slices, I remembered the very first one I tasted – Brigi’s incredible Return of the M.A.C.”

Sponsored by

Very Pizzable meat toppings

Very Pizzable meat toppings

The Sponsor Ingredients

PIZZA CHEF of the year 2024

FUTURA FOODS YAMAS! GREEK FETA CATEGORY

Produced in Greece by our longstanding partner dairy, made with pasteurised sheep and goatsʼ milk to a PDO recipe.

Feta is a traditional Greek cheese which is salty and tangy with a creamy finish. It is highly versatile and great for adding injections of flavour.

WHITWORTH BROS. FLOUR CHEF’S SPECIAL CATEGORY

Using our Originals Strong Pizza Flour, chefʼs can create a pizza worthy of the “Chefʼs Special” designation.

SILBURY CLASSIC BBQ SAUCE CATEGORY

A smooth, rich flavoured BBQ sauce specifically designed for use as a pizza sauce.

DANISH CROWN PEPPERONI & HOT DOG CATEGORY

From the sponsorʼs SuperTops range, the chosen ingredients are mini sliced pepperoni, diced pepperoni and hot dog sausages.

A century of excellence

With 100 years to celebrate, it was the perfect time to go behind the scenes with the passionate team at Caputo Flour in Naples.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN…

My heart quickened as the corrugated iron roll-door elevated. I was about to enter a sacred place. A our mill with a remarkable 100 years of history at its core, where one of the most essential ingredients in Italian food had led to a culinary dynasty, currently on the precipice of even further expansion.

Welcome to Mulino Caputo, where the specialist slow grinding process of the machinery delivers a staggering one million kg of our per day, across the historic HQ in San Giovanni a Teduccio, Naples, and Ripalimosani, Campobasso – which will soon become the greenest and most modern mill in Europe thanks to an investment of €60m Euros – plus a Bergamo site specialising in gluten free.

Twenty types of Caputo product reach professional chefs, pizza makers and pastry chefs in 100 countries around the world every day. It’s a business proud to bring Italian excellence to artisans of taste on all continents, with a special focus on the booming markets of Asia, South America and the Middle East, alongside the UK – where the work of Enzo Santomauro at importer Casa Julia has helped make it the number one imported our.

But such success isn’t just built on a traditional passion for culinary excellence. There’s a unique level of technical skill that Caputo employs, unlike anywhere else.

EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

“The wheat plant grows everywhere in the world,” said Mauro Caputo, quality manager. “And depending on the geography, climactic conditions and agriculture characteristics, we may have di erences in every single crop. So, our knowledge strategy is to research these varieties. Plus, we also have very good wheat here, especially in Campagna in the centre of Italy and to the north as well.

“What we do is study every single grain by verifying all its characteristics. Once we have a passport for each, we decide how to blend di erent varieties. The perfect grain doesn’t really exist, so we pull together up to seven, eight, even

10 geographical regions – these include Germany, France, Northern Europe, Poland and Kazakhstan.”

This microscopic level of detailing enables Caputo to discern the exact parameters and standards for every our it produces. And the most important target is to not have variation in quality. The pizzaiolo, pastry or bread maker using the Caputo ingredient wants consistent delivery.

“Our daily work is to research, study and apply,” continued Mauro. “We have a couple of scientists and another lab (in

Campobasso) that work on every grain supplied to our plant. We control all raw materials and ours batch by batch. There is also more than 3000 hectares of eld where we grow Caputo wheat – all around Campagna, south of Lazio and north of Puglia. We then combine this with our global sourcing.”

A few years ago, grain would come from Russia, but obviously things have changed. Looking forward, it’s impossible to predict supply, as climactic conditions, socioeconomic factors and global con ict will all play a part.

But as I saw a small dough ball, made with water, salt and our, dropped into an ingenious sensor machine that simulated the leavening action to detect its elasticity, capacity and capabilities, I felt con dent that Caputo can probably weather any storm it faces.

SHARED SPIRIT

Going into the corridors of power, I’m welcomed warmly by managing director, Antimo, before shaking hands with his father, Carmine. Three family generations building a brand, with a determination to use the same milling methods it always has, while embracing the latest technology. But Antimo has ambitions and goals for the entire agricultural sector.

“I share the spirit of farmers,” he said. “There must be a balance between economic and environmental sustainability of the planet. We must also support them in innovation, pushing towards the uni cation of companies, favouring cooperatives, consortia, storage and common commercial agreements –making the Italian agricultural system much stronger.

“We need a general plan for agriculture in Italy, a Marshall Plan I would say. After all these market shocks, with the pandemic, wars in the Ukraine and Middle East, with consequences in the Red Sea, we are facing a shock to all economic systems. And, unfortunately, Italian agricultural production is tied to outdated schemes. There is a very large fragmentation of property, with farms that from my point of view are too small. And we have poor storage, which could be a safeguard for farmers by giving them shelter from extreme market uctuations. With cereals, for example, it’s obsolete, which is unsustainable.”

Closer to home, plans are well underway for the fourth mill

“I share the spirit of farmers. There must be a balance between economic and environmental sustainability of the planet. We must also support them in innovation.”

about 1km from Campobasso, measuring around 16,000 sq m. Completely powered by renewable energy with solar panels, it will be equipped with the most advanced technologies for grinding and preserving cereals. Scheduled to open in the second half of 2025, the complex will employ up to 80 sta .

“We are able to cover the whole world thanks to the great alliance that exists in the world of Italian cuisine, which we hope will achieve the result of being recognised by UNESCO,” continued Antimo. “It is with great pride that we reach the seventh year of the supply chain with ‘Grano Nostrum’, which includes all wheat from Southern Italy, which is close to our hearts because it allows the farmer to have satisfaction for the return on capital.

pandemic we had a period of slow-down. But there was a great opportunity with chefs and pizza makers who told their secrets on social media – and their doughs exposed us to an at-home audience, giving us great space within Italian distribution. The mill today remains the transmission belt between the world of agriculture, the wheat eld and the customer.”

“In addition, our relationships with chefs, pizza makers and pastry bakers have allowed us to hand down recipes and avours. The slow grinding process means we protect the raw materials, creating a specialised product. During the

And a fresh-looking Caputo logo is also aimed at those who are passionate about cooking.

“I use the phrase: ‘Together we go far’,” concluded Antimo. And it’s a philosophy that should still be prevalent in 2124!

PARTY TIME

The Caputo Cup is one of the most highly regarded and wellestablished cooking competitions on the planet, with the World Pizzaiuolo Championship the ultimate accolade for any pizza creative. From June 17-19, 2024, the city where the dish was born, Naples, will bring together the brightest and the best.

Competitors over the age of 18 from anywhere and everywhere have been getting involved, with a variety of categories, including ‘Classic’, ‘Seasonal’, ‘Contemporary’ and ‘Juniors’ (for U-18s) being crowned at La Mostra D’Oltremare.

The rst event was in Japan in March, with other international showcases in Korea, Mexico and Germany.

Dozens of pizza makers have taken part but they will all have their eyes on the ultimate prize in Italy. Delegations from the likes of America, Taiwan and China and more are all set for three days of culinary excellence.

To conclude, there will be a special celebration of 100 years of Caputo – making this a one-o occasion not to be missed.

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Pick bunch of the TOMATOES

Silbury tomatoes are highly sought after – but this is a business refusing to rest on its laurels.

BASIC PRINCIPLES

When you supply major manufacturers, retailers, high-street chains and foodservice businesses across the UK, Ireland, Europe, Scandinavia, South Africa and the UAE, your insights are worth listening to. And with almost 40 years of experience, Silbury has picked up some key learnings along the way.

“Always be reliable, react to customer requirements, maintain quality, be price competitive and embrace change,” said director, David Page. “We understand the market that we operate in and have the requisite expertise.”

With the tomato being a staple of every Italian kitchen and restaurant, it’s imperative your produce is exceptional, just to stay ahead of the competition.

“Our tomatoes are grown within an 80-mile radius of our factories and processed within 48 hours of being

picked,” continued Page. “This enables us to produce high-quality sauces with exceptional taste, nutritional value and an intense colour and aroma.”

QUICK-MOVING

Silbury has a team of industry specialists and customer service professionals that have built long-standing relationships. “This has particularly helped with recent challenges. Our established logistic networks covering sea and road, together with flexible storage and strategically located warehousing, allow us to offer flexible services with secure supply.”

This control of the end-to-end process guarantees in-house quality assurance alongside external certifications, such as BRCGS Agents & Brokers, M&S A List agent (processed tomatoes).

“The goal is to make it as easy as possible for customers to cater for as many people as possible, which is why our products are designed for a wide range of dietary requirements. As well as being packed full of healthy tomatoes, all our pizza and pasta sauces are gluten free, vegetarian, and suitable for halal, coeliac and kosher diets. Our pizza and pasta sauces are ambient, ready to use and have an 18-month shelf life. They come in easy-to-use pouches, helping customers reduce food wastage.

This packaging format uses 20% less space compared to traditional cans and is easier to dispose of.”

PERSONAL TOUCH

The sustainability model is becoming a priority in supply. And it’s a key area of focus for Silbury, with a tangible increase in the demand for environmental, social and governance (ESG) information over the past 18 months. Sustainability manger, Rob Bailey, has been working closely with clients to support them.

“Customers understand the need for stockholding in the UK as we have experienced historical logistical issues,” said Page.

“A big challenge is transparency across supply chains. The integrated nature of Silbury and our commercial supply partners allows us to provide greater transparency. We often see that efficiency and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels helps us to reduce costs.”

Another evolving sector is online ordering. “There are certainly more artisan-type pizzas, with gluten and vegan options today. Deliveroo and Just Eat have changed the way they are delivered.” Recent figures from Statista back this up, with the total market value of foodservice delivery in the UK estimated at around £13.4 billion in 2022 – forecast to rise to £17bn by 2026.

Whatever the demand, Silbury products are sure to be right in the mix.

We grow the highest quality tomatoes and turn them into delicious pizza & pasta sauces, as well as crushed, diced, passata & tomato paste.

We grow the highest quality tomatoes and turn them into delicious pizza & pasta sauces, as well as crushed, diced, passata & tomato paste.

To find out more please visit www.silbury.co.uk

To find out more please visit www.silbury.co.uk

TOMATOES

Heaven sent

There is nothing like seeing the Solania production line up close, where the world-famous San Marzano range is cultivated for the world to enjoy.

GUEST LIST

If it’s good enough for Nigella Lawson and Heston Blumenthal, it’s certainly good enough for me. These are just two culinary connoisseurs to have visited the Solania tomato production plant, where San Marzano takes pride of place – and there are more exciting products set to make their mark in the UK later this year.

Solania is celebrating 30 years of cultivation and marketing of fresh tomatoes. Its owner and passionate figurehead is Giuseppe Napoletano – a

charismatic, cigar-smoking businessman, who was destined to take an agricultural path, with both parents coming from a tomato farming background.

Having graduated with an economics degree, Napoletano travelled the world but eventually returned home to start a manufacturing plant. Today, the craftmanship and cultivation methods of Solania are admired the world over.

The Nocerino-Sarnese countryside is a unique territory, with a microclimate that comes from the Gulf of Castellammare.

In the shadows of Mount Vesuvius, this fertile land of Campania delivers special properties, close to aquifiers and springs. San Marzano has had Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.) status since 1996 and it is celebrated with pride, with the plots touching the provinces of Naples, Salerno and Avellino.

SURVIVAL OF THE TASTIEST

So, while geography plays a crucial role, the people involved in the cultivation processes are just as important.

TOMATOES

“The QR code on our labels explains where the plant was grown and where it was picked. It is selected, scalded and peeled.”

“We have 30 farmers working directly for us,” said Napoletano. “From the seeds up to the finished canned product, this leads to ultimate traceability. We are one of very few companies to also have three processing plants, delivering consistency and quality.

“The QR code on our labels explains where the plant was grown and where it was picked. It is selected, scalded and peeled. Then, after this first transformation phase, selected again. This genuine processing ultimately respects the tomato’s delicacy.”

Sowed, planted and raised on chestnut poles, this facilitates the

stages of ripening and harvesting. Expert female fingers in the plant ensure only the best make it through. Crop production is from around the end of July until September/October.

“And when it’s finished, we celebrate,” continued Napoletano.

IN SAFE HANDS

Italian operators can actually choose their production batch. The ‘Mio San Marzano’ is an ambitious project, where pizza makers and restaurateurs select the cultivation and production lot and customise the label of the San Marzano tomato tin with their logo, image or any other distinctive sign. This responds to the business needs within the local community.

“Whether it’s restaurant chefs or supermarket consumers, quality is our only

aim. Tomatoes are the purest product you can eat but when it comes to a pizza, only the best flour, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and other ingredients ensure satisfaction every time.

“This is why we have brand ambassadors such as Italian restaurateur and chef Massimo Bottura and the

TOMATOES

No. 1 pizza flour in the UK

No. 1 pizza flour in the UK

Offer available between 200,000 sacks in total,

Offer available between 20th May 200,000 sacks in total, so order

likes of Francesco Martucci and Diego Vitagliano endorsing our product. And we cooperate with so many other

talented people. Remember, you cannot grow tomatoes everywhere – and especially not ones like San Morzano.”

Export partners include the US, Japan and Australia – and of course the UK, via distributor Casa Julia. Products include Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro SarneseNocerino D.O.P, Pomodori Pelati Interi, Pomodorini Datterini, Passata di Pomodoro and Pelato al Forno.

Napoletano’s phone is always on by his bedside, as he rises at 6am and finishes late to talk across different time zones. There are also further products in the pipeline, including ready-tocook sauces for those with limited time in the kitchen.

But the 56-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down – and with three sons

(aged 22, 20 and 17), the business should remain in the hands of a Napoletano. And upcoming appearances at The Italian Show (30 Sep) and The European Pizza Show (26-27 Nov) confirm that there are many more chapters to be written in this Solania journey.

Email info@casajulia.co.uk.

ew

To celebrate 100 years of Caputo flour (1924-2024) Casa Julia will have a limited time summer offer!

To

Casa

To celebrate 100 years of Caputo flour (1924- 2024)

Get up to £1.00 off per sack on selected flours!

Casa Julia will have a limited time summer offer!

With over 50 wholesalers in the UK, ask for the nearest to you.

Get up to £1.00 off per sack on selected flours!

With over 50 wholesalers in the UK, ask for the nearest to you.

Diego Palladino, Italian World Pizza Champion 2023, Only uses the finest ingredients including Solania San Marzano Tomatoes and Caputo flour.

between 20th May – 8th July 2024. Limited to total, so order yours as soon as you can!

in total, so order yours as soon as you can!

Diego Palladino, Italian World Pizza Champion 2023, Only uses the finest ingredients including Solania San Marzano Tomatoes and Caputo flour.

Limoncello Strega has a perfect balance of flavour and aroma. The skilled infusion method of lemon peels creates an intense aroma coupled with a rich, velvety, and juicy flavour. Limoncello Strega is an excellent end of meal.

Amaro Strega distinguishes itself in virtue of its dark amber colour and pleasantly bitter flavour. A velvety and surprising flavour which reveals special notes of bitter orange, rhubarb and exotic herbs. Ideal for all occasions and a perfect digestif.

Quest for quality

Mutti’s ambitions span new product ranges, alongside forward-thinking sustainability goals. Dhiresh Hirani, managing director, gives us the lowdown.

Tomato products, and Italian food in general, are as strong as ever in the UK. What trends are you seeing?

There has been a surge in interest and demand for better-quality ambient tomato products. Price used to be the primary factor but consumers want elevated value and that means better quality. Ingredients treated with care, different from others, natural, and produced by a socially responsible company that looks after the environment and people through its supply chain.

With consumers able to access highquality ingredients from supermarkets, this is enabling them to make restaurantquality dishes at home – especially with inspiration online and through social media. In the midst of the current economic climate, this is also a preferred option to save money but still allows the creation of satisfying and special meals.

Talk to us about your key relationships. Our mission as a company is to raise the tomato to its highest expression – this passion has driven us for 120 years. Even

TOMATOES

“Even though we work with over 800 farmers, we know each of them by name – as they are part of our family. Our relationship with suppliers is honest, and they share our dedication to excellence.”

today, we are learning things about this wonderful fruit and constantly improving every aspect of its production to make the best products we can.

Even though we are working with over 800 farmers, we know each of them by name – as they are part of our family. Our relationship with suppliers is open and honest, and they each share our dedication to excellence. As a result, we can pay them more, helping them develop their farms further and try new, innovative ways to improve results and protect the environment.

Tomato growing is a tough business. Each year, weather conditions change and affect the harvest in ways that cannot be foreseen. Most of our farmers have dedicated their lives to understanding and mastering the entirety of the growing cycle. It cannot be emphasised enough that in our business, quality is the result of the entire production chain – everything that happens from farm to table.

You’re in a hugely competitive sector. How do you stay ahead of the curve? Mutti is a family company, delivering for four generations. From the beginning, uncompromised quality has been a core value. Producing tomato products

TOMATOES

exclusively allowed us to focus on a single fruit and gather over 120 years of experience in choosing the best tomatoes and preserving freshness.

We work with farmers who agree on strict standards – from sweetness to colour and natural sugar content. Finally, we execute more than 800,000 quality tests every year, from the moment the tomatoes arrive on the trucks at the factory from the harvest, through the processing, concluding with final checks. Additionally, all our tomatoes are, on average, grown within 60 miles of our factories and processed within 24 hours of harvest.

The Mutti logo was registered in 1911, presenting two lions who protect our first quality award. This symbolises the company direction and is demonstrated every year at the Pomodorino d’Oro awards where we reward our 40 best farmers, and through the higher average price we pay for high-quality tomatoes.

Can you expand on your sustainability model – and what the future looks like?

For us, it means respect for the land. Mutti has worked closely with the WWF in Italy to help farmers find sustainable ways of reducing water consumption and CO₂ emissions. The Italian WWF

not only sets goals but it also allowed farmers to analyse and review data to identify what they can do. For example, the organisation recommended special sensors that recognise moisture content of the soil and provide useful information to support efficient water use.

Mutti invested in technology, education and technical support for farmers and agricultural organisations. Even after our five-year project came to an end, we are still committed to minimising our environmental impact and improving every production step.

How has 2024 been for Mutti so far?

We have climbed the ranks to become the No. 2 brand in the category. Not only is Mutti growing rapidly but it has contributed the most significant value addition to the category – a huge £6.3m.

Mutti will drive growth and excitement. With a significant media investment this year, along with strategic marketing and stand-out consumer events, we will guide shoppers.

Look out for our upcoming campaign, ‘Make it Mutti’. Designed to inspire consumers to create delicious meals at home, it will focus on education, trial and engaging with a younger demographic through social and digital channels. Plus, the much-anticipated return of the Golden Tomato Shopper campaign promises even more rewards.

Fresh Prince

Blessed with vibrant flavour and versatility, tomatoes hold a special place in the heart of celebrity chef, Theo Randall.

“Try and buy smaller tomatoes on the vine as they will have a better flavour. Don’t keep them in the fridge and serve simply.”

PASSION PROJECTS

When it comes to knowledge of the humble tomato, there is no one better placed than chef, Theo Randall. Regarded as one of the UK’s finest exponents of Italian cooking, his passion for this staple fruit knows no bounds!

Having journeyed from Chez Panisse in California to head chef and partner at The River Café (where he received a Michelin star), it was in 2006 that Randall brought this experience to No. 1 Park Lane, London, opening Theo Randall at the InterContinental – winning ‘Italian Restaurant of the Year’ at the London Restaurant Awards soon after.

He’s a regular on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and has published five books, with another on the way this year. His latest offering – Verdura: 10 Vegetables, 100 Italian Recipes – delivers simple dishes, with the finest produce. And his love affair with tomatoes is ongoing.

“We use them in so many ways,” said Randall. “From a simple roasted Datterini tomato bruschetta to a base sauce for many pasta dishes.”

He mainly sources from a company called Natoora. “They have a great relationship with growers all over Italy. The supply of tomatoes is all year round, as there are superb winter varieties like RAF and Camone. We have a great business relationship, as we buy all our tomatoes from them, plus plenty of other ingredients.”

SAUCE CODE

On the InterContinental menu, it’s impossible not to salivate at the five-star fare. But when it comes to tomatoes, Randall’s premise is straightforward: “The best way to serve seasonal tomatoes is raw and we do many different dishes with them. Currently on our Puglia regional menu, we have three varieties with fresh Burrata.

“A good tomato sauce is key in any Italian kitchen, so I use San Marzano plum tomatoes. And we make a fresh pasta with the new season’s borlotti beans and mix together in the sauce to create a perfectly fresh ‘Pasta e fagioli’.

Morocco has now overtaken Spain as the second-largest supplier to the UK [Netherlands is No.1], while the importation of ingredients into the UK is under constant scrutiny and subject to change – due to challenges related to Brexit, climate factors and higher costs.

“I am a big fan of tomatoes grown in the UK, especially the Isle of Wight, so I can see us looking at more locally grown options. But unfortunately, they need warmth and sunshine. A lot of imported tomatoes have little flavour as they are picked before they are ripe, so they don’t get spoiled in transit. A way round this is to leave the firm tomatoes out at room temperature and this will increase their ripeness and flavour. Treat them like you do with fruit as, after all, it is a fruit.”

TOMATOES

GREATER UNDERSTANDING

The tomato sector has undergone great change in recent years, with the rugose virus impacting production. However, resistant varieties are fighting back, with LED lighting a key player as energy price hikes subside, although it is still a more expensive product.

“We are more interested in different shapes and sizes, understanding that smaller ones tend to be sweeter and larger ones fleshier, so each one has a different use. While we like Natoora for fresh tomatoes, I do require a good passata – my favourite is Mutti.”

As head judge for our very own PAPA Pizza Chef of the Year competition, Randall is fully abreast of the recipe trends – and has handy tips for those looking to maximise purchasing power.

“Try and buy smaller tomatoes on the vine as they will have a better flavour. Don’t keep them in the fridge and serve simply. They don’t need too much as they are great on their own. A classic ‘Caprese’ buffalo mozzarella, tomato and basil salad with good olive oil, salt and pepper is a classic for a reason.”

Verdura: 10 Vegetables, 100 Italian Recipes (Quadrille, £28) sees Randall share his 10 favourite vegetables and best ways to cook them, covering aubergines, zucchini, asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, beans, squash and potatoes.

Protein packed!

Bryan Murphy, UK sales director at Dawn Farms, examines evolving consumer expectation, while reflecting on a memorable, award-winning night at The Sammies.

Is it fair to say demand has evolved greatly, especially since the pandemic?

Factors such as Brexit, the pandemic, inflation and geopolitical turmoil have all shaped the current business environment. Consumers are spending more but eating out on fewer occasions. Market sentiment appears to be gradually improving, and it is crucial that we are prepared to offer new, appealing options as we transition into a more stable and optimistic period. The world has changed significantly in recent years, and although slower than anticipated, the rate of inflation has eased and the consumer price index is expected to stay at, or around, the national target of 2%. It remains higher in the QSR/food-to-go sector, subject to strained supply chains, labour shortages and raw material volatility.

Is it di cult to balance a sustainable, plant-based approach with cost?

Sustainability, health and cost are becoming more intertwined. People want to feel good about the choices they make but are not willing to pay a premium. Flexitarians are a growing middle ground, with consumers not looking to move to a completely meat-free diet – for most that’s too big a jump –and many were disappointed by their experience with the first

wave of plant-based meat substitutes. As an initial principle, it’s integral to focus on delivering the quality and taste that draws consumers in and keeps them coming back. While there are challenges associated with this balance, it also provides an opportunity to become creative and push the boundaries. To do this, it’s necessary to keep on top of trends and behaviours, understanding the insights behind buying habits to ensure product developments meet a number of these requirements at any one time.

There are so many di erent types of products. How do you ensure all needs are covered?

We are a ready-to-eat (RTE) cooked protein company serving some of the world’s great food brands, so our NPD focus is on the consumer of our customers. Today, they have multiple options to meet nutritional needs. To stay relevant, it’s essential to offer a considered portfolio to appeal to a broad and, some would say, fragmented audience.

Attitudes towards protein are evolving. Choices are being made on the basis of lifestyle, nutritional needs, health grounds, clean label, climate impact, plus occasions/day parts. To meet these needs and take advantage of our own processes and cooking capabilities, the goal is to provide a

variety of protein solutions. These range from our signature cooked and fermented meat products (batch85.ie), to our TMI bacon and cooked sausage (meat and plant) and cooked vegetables (TMI.co.uk), to our new generation, plant-based proteins (plantdeli.ie) to a range of so-called hybrid products – a mix of plant- and meat-based. These can tick a lot of boxes in terms of profile, taste, texture and immediate GHG reductions.

The sustainability model is more important than ever. How do you continue to deliver?

Dawn Farms was a founding member of the much-admired Bord Bia Origin Green programme, established in 2012. This is the foundation of the All Our Futures Programme, which incorporates TMI in the UK and Haas in Germany. Our targets were mapped out with the assistance and input of the Carbon Trust, subsequently approved by the Science Based Target initiative, which aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

developments in hybrid or fusion products essentially enhance the meat offering and offer immediate wins on GHG-reduction targets, and our capability is well developed in that area.

Is there a battle to convince consumers around plant-based & free from in the pizza industry?

There are four key pillars: Health and Nutrition, Workplace and Community, Sustainable Sourcing (TMI Foods are members of EFECA) and Environmental, which was the recipient of the Environmental & Sustainability Award at The Sammies in May. As consumers demand more proof of sustainable food production, and regulations tighten as 2030 targets get closer, we are well placed to meet increasing needs of customers. The

Taste is paramount, especially with an indulgent or comforting choice like pizza. While there is a challenge in convincing consumers to embrace more sustainable, free from options, it is possible. We recognise that for many, taste and texture are critical factors that can make or break their willingness to switch. Consumers are becoming more vigilant about food choices, questioning unfamiliar ingredients and preferring

“While there is a challenge in convincing consumers to embrace more sustainable, free from options, it is possible.”

PLANT-BASED/FREE FROM

more natural options while still craving the taste and texture typically associated with meat. Our NPD policy always prioritises clean label, natural ingredients wherever possible. We already offer a range of pizza toppings free of E numbers, featuring reduced salt and saturated fat. For example, our bestselling Jackfruit Pepperoni and recent Vegeroni are all about taking a step in the right direction on the sustainability journey.

Talk to us about your expertise and processes.

We were pioneers in this emerging plant-based/free from sector during the 1990s, focusing on a B2B approach with trade customers. This enabled us to proactively develop processes, building unmatched expertise and a high level of trust. Fortunately, the pizza category continues to grow, and we collaborate with customers who value our toppings expertise. Our offerings include a secure and transparent supply chain, fully ready-to-eat and safe products, and a pizza-specific, insight-led approach to innovation. Looking ahead, we have new technology in clean smoke coming on stream and have introduced groundbreaking full sensory product service and capability, Sensory Plus. We have trained 30+ trained sensory panellists using a bespoke booth designed to the required ISO standards. This can be used by customers to drive innovation, and as a training centre to help deliver more accurate sensory decision-making for new and existing products.

THAT WINNING FEELING!

It was the 30th birthday of the biggest night in the Sandwich & FTG calendar, The Sammies, on 9 May. And it was extra special for Dawn Farms, as it took home the Environmental & Sustainability Award.

“We were delighted for the All Our Futures team at Dawn Farms and our sister company, TMI Foods,” said Murphy. “We are committed to producing sustainable protein products across manufacturing locations in Ireland, the UK and Germany. This includes membership of Origin Green (Ireland only), as well as a commitment to Science Based Targets, for greenhouse gas reduction across all operations and supply chains.

“This award recognised our environmental investment and reductions in waste, energy and water usage – as well as our commitment to sustainable sourcing, biodiversity, animal welfare and community engagement. Most importantly, it is a shared recognition of the commitment between ourselves and our customers, with a one team approach that gave us the edge over high-achieving competitors.

“The Sammies are vital to the UK sandwich industry. They recognise excellence and innovation, enhancing the reputation of winners and setting standards. The awards provide significant publicity, promoting the quality and diversity of UK sandwiches and FTG options. They showcase products and creative recipes, inspiring improvement. The event is also a key networking opportunity, fostering connections and collaboration among professionals. This recognition boosts consumer confidence and drives economic success, increasing sales and job opportunities. In short, The Sammies promote excellence, benefitting both businesses and consumers alike.”

And while the global business climate remains unpredictable, Dawn Farms retains a straightforward focus. “A safe, secure supply chain as a trusted supplier of products, protecting our customers’ positions in the marketplace. It is our firm view that consumer insight drives growth, so we will keep our finger on the pulse of needs and preferences.

“Finally, we look forward to an uptick in consumer confidence later this year. For us, everything starts and ends with the customer. By staying familiar with their evolving needs and delivering products that meet expectations, we aim to continue to foster strong, lasting relationships and drive sustainable growth.”

At Dawn Farms, we o er premium protein solutions that are lower in fat and salt, higher in fibre, and sustainably sourced, with a reduced carbon footprint and full traceability from farm to fork. For All Our Futures.

Product focused

Regenerative, gluten free and clean label – welcome to the tech-savvy and increasingly sustainable outlook of Eurostar Commodities.

INDUSTRY KNOW-HOW

It’s been 30 years in the foodservice industry for Eurostar Commodities. Initially set up by Philip Bull in 1994, this family run business has been successfully supplying the finest commodities to manufacturing, wholesale, foodservice, ethnic and retail markets.

The gluten-free range encompasses more than 20 products, from pizza flour to cornflour, tortilla flour and fusilli pasta – with brands such as Granoro, Nona Rosa and Della Terra.

“We have grown tremendously in terms of revenue, team members and premises – but also in product offering and

diversification,” said Jason Bull (son of Philip), who was announced as managing director in January 2024.

“New products for the pizza market continue to be developed, in conjunction with Grand Molini Italiani (GMI), as well as our range of gluten-free flours – including clean label, allergen-free pizza flour for the retail and foodservice market. Sustainability and ESG are at the forefront, along with being a technically led business in conjunction with commercial. We are growing with our customers as demand increases for the likes of sushi, pizza and specialist breads.”

BROAD PLAN

It appears that most ingredients are currently subject to dramatic changes in cost and supply, due to weather and socioeconomic factors. Wheat futures prices have increased, following concerns over the impact of dry conditions on the US hard red winter wheat.

Meanwhile, UK Flour Millers trade association fears that our summer wheat crop could be 40% below last year –meaning increased importation to meet demand, hiking costs. So, an agile approach is essential, while maintaining an environmentally conscious approach is an ongoing challenge.

“We have a broad sustainability plan in place with key suppliers to ensure we are working towards net zero by 2050 and buying regeneratively farmed product where we can,” continued Jason. “We are launching a new brand of regen wheat flour in conjunction with The Green Farm collective this

year and are working with suppliers and farmers across the world on new ways of farming to reduce carbon footprint/ methane emissions – as well as increasing margins for the farmers when they adopt these methods.

“Consumers and buyers are very focused on the state of our climate, as we all should be. We have navigated drought, flooding, decimation of crops and poor quality/ yields by leaning on our global supply network and supplier relationships and pivoting where necessary. But I think it’s now well known that we must start paying more for higher quality food and supporting more sustainable practices.”

Global supply chains are also in a complicated place.

“We have fantastic relationships with loyal suppliers and have built these up over the past 30 years. The key is to get into market and be present. Teams calls are great and convenient but there is nothing that beats face-to-face and time with suppliers. People buy from people – and our relationships are a testament to that.”

SCALING UP

The plant-based and free from sectors are as volatile as they are innovative, with various operators struggling to survive, while a raft of products are being introduced in the manufacturing and retailing sectors. But Jason’s view is unequivocal: “I have never been a big fan of plant-based to be honest – and feel that the market has levelled out and is in rapid decline.

“Free from is completely different, whereby it’s growing and evolving. Clean label ingredients are being developed to replace E numbers and additives/fillers and consumers are more receptive to understanding what they are putting into their bodies. Companies such as ours are scaling up, reducing costs to consumers and businesses through economies of scale, and developing wonderful products that can be used with ease.

“More finished goods with long ambient shelf life are in train, with a focus on ‘allergen free’ rather than just gluten free. Consumers are choosing free from as a lifestyle choice rather than a dietary requirement, although of course higher levels of diagnosis are leading to a growth in coeliac disease and therefore demand.”

As we approach the halfway point of 2024, the Eurostar Commodities approach is crystal clear for the next six months.

“GF pizza flour is flying, as well as the traditional wheat-based Italiana and Lievito (natural yeast). We have run several masterclasses with the fabulous Marco Greco – via the Pizza Academy of Excellence – and the results are permeating into increased demand for the GMI pizza range. We have launched our 100% Italiana doughball to a rapturous response so look out for those. And perhaps a regen version, with a range of regen wheat flours for various uses, including pizza.

“Regen is the revolution in farming and consumer behaviour. Quality is important – you need strong wheat to create the best flour, rather than poor wheat with additives. We monitor trends and continue to develop lines with our partners GMI in Italy to stay ahead of the curve and give the pizza chef what they need to separate themselves from their competition,” concluded Jason.

Blue-sky thinking

The heartbeat of Cornwall Pasta Co is one man, who continues to innovate in the organic pasta sector – and has exciting products in the pipeline.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

New varieties of organic pasta are helping to stimulate the sector, as consumer demand continues to impress, with a desire for products free from pesticides, synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

A study by Persistence Market Research predicted that in 2023, the organic pasta sector will be valued at over £510 million, with an estimated growth rate of 9.3% over the next nine years. Whether it’s the likes of

frozen, restaurant-quality fare to enjoy at home or pea-based products, key manufacturers are investing in development methods.

One UK business fully focused on taking advantage is Cornwall Pasta Co, the brainchild of founder, Nick Egan. “I began working in professional kitchens at age 13 – and by 16, I was at one of the best restaurants in York, being made head chef within another three years. Food has been my life, so in 2020 I set up Cornwall Pasta Co, here in Mylor.”

With the majority of UK pasta being imported from Italy, Egan saw a gap in the market.

“I wanted to produce a British pasta made with the best ingredients, so I set out to do so from my home in Cornwall – luckily enough, I am surrounded by exceptional ingredients. Perhaps not luck, but provenance!”

CLEAR DIRECTIVES

Post-Covid, sustainability has become more of a priority for the consumer. “We

“I have always used my own ethos to shape the company. Food not only good for the planet but good for us to eat.”

should all take responsibility for the food we eat and how it’s both packaged and produced,” continued Egan.

“So, at Cornwall Pasta Co, I have always used my own ethos to shape the company. That looks like producing food that is not only good for the planet but good for us to eat. Pasta that is certified organic and clean, free from the nasties we know to be harmful – such as E-numbers and chemicals, including carcinogens. This is also the notion we apply to our packaging.

“We have also been fortunate to work with The Eden Project for over two years – and have been producing larger volumes of pasta to support their restaurants on site. Due to the continued success, we are now connecting with universities and other educational facilities to supply them with our clean, organic British pastas.

“I guess really we are expanding into foodservice, which feels more familiar due to my earlier experiences with large hotels and hospitality venues. In the retail space, we have partnered

PLANT-BASED/FREE FROM

with some of the best brands in the world – such as Selfridges and Harvey Nichols – with many other fantastic independent retailers nationwide.”

TRIED & TRUE

This success is reflected by Cornwall Pasta Co’s product expansion, including a new Everyday Organic range which is now available. “And I can give you an exclusive. To celebrate 25 years of the Speciality & Fine Food Fair (10-11 Sep) at Olympia, we are launching an Organic Cornish Truffle pasta. We will be giving away tasters and it’s super-delicious. There are other surprises too but you will have to come along for those!” Organic pasta is always having to balance its price point with cheaper

competitors, but Everyday Organic is a slightly lower cost than the Speciality range and sits at 500g for additional affordability.

With so many organic and healthier brands now on the market, Cornwall Pasta Co’s philosophy remains consistent. “I guess we stick to what we are good at, which is sourcing the absolute very best of organic British produce, while making unique and innovative pastas you don’t find anywhere else.

“The sector was quite slow preCovid, but today, people are shopping smarter – and the trajectory is brilliant for organic sales. People are so much more aware of what’s good for them and their families. We are now seeing organic sales across all sectors rising well.”

Tasty trio

Dorset-based founder and face of the outdoor pizza oven brand, Tom Gozney, has published Pizza Volume 01 (HarperNonFiction, £25), just in time for summer.

It celebrates recipes from Gozney himself, representing his pizza making journey, alongside a host of other award-winning chefs – including Lee Tiernan and Missy Robbins.

The book also tackles dough styles, toppings, pizza parties and common pitfalls.

Adam’s Chorizo & Manchego Pizza

A menu special from Adam Akins, aka Peddling Pizza. Fatty chorizo and fiery teardrop peppers are balanced perfectly with a combination of buffalo mozzarella and grated manchego.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60-90 seconds

Makes: 1 x 12-inch

INGREDIENTS

● 1 x 260g (9.2oz) Neapolitan-style dough ball

● 80g (2.8oz) Simple Tomato Sauce

● 30g (1oz) Pecorino Romano, grated

● A few fresh basil leaves, torn

● 75-100g (2.6-3.5oz) fior di latte mozzarella, cubed or torn

● Needles from a sprig of rosemary

● 50g (1.8oz) sliced chorizo

● 8-10 pickled teardrop peppers

● Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

● 10g (0.3oz) manchego, grated.

1. Preheat pizza oven to 430°C (800°F) (stone floor temperature).

2. Press and open the dough into a 12-inch circle, top with the tomato sauce, grated Pecorino Romano, basil, fior di latte, rosemary needles, chorizo and teardrop peppers.

3. Transfer to a lightly floured peel (aka shovel) and redistribute any toppings as required.

4. Drizzle some olive oil over the pizza then launch into the oven and bake on a high flame, rotating the pizza 90 degrees every 15-20 seconds. It should take 60-90 seconds to cook in total.

5. Once baked, sprinkle with the grated manchego.

Margherita

Bringing together three simple flavours – basil, tomatoes and cheese – to make magic. Reportedly created for Queen Margherita of Savoy, the colours represent the Italian flag.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60-90 seconds

Makes: 1 x 12-inch

INGREDIENTS

● 1 x 260g (9.2oz) Neopolitan-style dough ball

● 75g (2.6oz) Simple Tomato Sauce

● Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

● Basil leaves

● Fior di latte mozzarella, cut into 1cm (0.4in) cubes

● Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1. Preheat pizza oven to 430°C (800°F) (stone floor temperature).

2. Press and open the dough into a 12-inch circle, top with the tomato sauce, a light covering of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, a few basil leaves and a handful of fresh fior di latte mozzarella cubes.

3. Transfer to a lightly floured peel (aka shovel) and redistribute any toppings as required.

4. Lightly drizzle some olive oil over the pizza then launch into the oven and bake on a high flame, rotating the pizza 90 degrees every 1520 seconds. It should take 60-90 seconds to cook in total.

Roasted Mushroom Pizza Bianca

Bianca meaning ‘white’. No tomato sauce. Covered in garlic oil and topped with roasted mushrooms, this pizza packs flavour. Don’t underestimate a pizza without a sauce.

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 60-90 seconds

Makes: 1 x 12-inch

INGREDIENTS

● 1 x 260g (9.2oz) Neopolitan-style dough ball

● 50g (1.8oz) ricotta

● 20g (0.7oz) Pecronio Romano

● 75-100g (2.6-3.5oz) fiore di latte mozzarella, cut or torn

● Parsley, roughly chopped, to garnish

FOR THE MUSHROOMS

● 100g chestnut mushrooms (or mushroom of choice), sliced

● 15g unsalted butter

● Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

● Flaky sea salt

● Two garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1. Preheat pizza oven to 260°C (500°F) (stone floor temperature and heat a cast-iron pan for the mushrooms.

2. When the pan is hot, add mushrooms with the butter and a glug of olive oil and fry in the oven for a few minutes, then add salt and sliced garlic. Cook for a few minutes more until mushrooms are a lovely golden colour then set to one side.

3. Heat the pizza oven to 430°C (800°F)

4. Press and open the dough into a 12inch circle and top with the ricotta. Grate over the pecorino and top with the fiore di latte and mushrooms.

5. Transfer to a lightly floured peel and redistribute any toppings as required.

6. Drizzle some olive oil over the pizza then launch into the oven and bake on a high flame, rotating the pizza 90 degrees every 15-20 seconds. The pizza should take 60-90 seconds to cook in total.

7. Finish the pizza with chopped parsley and a little extra Pecorino Romano.

Made to order

James Clarkson is CEO and founder of Adventoris, the SaaS firm behind SwiftCloud. He shares his views on how digitising sales processes can make life so much easier. how digitising sales processes can

In simple terms, how can you assist operators in the Italian food sector?

SwiftCloud helps wholesalers, suppliers and distributors by offering them a 24/7, B2B ordering platform which handles complex orders and custom pricing lists. We’ve experienced incredible success in the Italian food sector, supporting Amato Food Products and Annessa Imports, to digitise their sales processes.

The technology offers a fully branded ordering app and web portal, as well as a sales manager module. These features help to streamline operations. One example is those who supply to supermarkets, reducing errors, growing basket value and increasing order volume. Our clients experience savings of over 50% in ordering time and see basket sales increasing by 15%.

What errors are foodservice businesses making currently?

We are often seeing order processes riddled with mistakes. Customers are limited to placing orders between 9am-5pm, which creates a rushed experience and errors with the actual submission. One of our clients explained that customers were vague about quantities or formats when ordering products like mozzarella.

“Sometimes they were not specific in what they were ordering, not specifying

large or small in some instances. They could choose mozzarella and not say if it was block, grated, balls, diced, etc. This sort of thing related to many other products, and we would then have to spend a lot of time either trying to contact them or looking through past orders,” said Angela Wallwork, account manager, Amato Food Products.

So, the ordering process can be prone to errors. By digitising it with SwiftCloud, businesses can eliminate issues and offer a more flexible experience that caters to customer needs and preferences.

Costs are already high for operators. Is this type of digitalisation expensive?

Our software is very reasonably priced, especially when you break down the cost per order vs other methods. SwiftCloud is constantly updating, so operators will never have to spend more money improving their ordering system, as it moves with the market.

Digitalisation can also be entirely scalable based on a customer’s needs, saving wholesalers, suppliers and distributors money and time, while future-proofing operations.

Talk to us about key partnerships. We have a fantastic relationship with the Italian food sector, working with Amato Food Products and Annessa

Imports, to name a couple. Food & drink is our bread and butter and we have developed great relationships over our 12 years in business.

Since the start of this year, there have been over 45,000 orders placed for the sector through SwiftCloud.

When Amato Food Products approached us to digitise its system, we knew that their ideal package would include the B2B app and web portal modules. These are now becoming ingrained in Amato’s sales process, truly changing the game.

“SwiftCloud is saving us a lot of time, as we no longer have to manually input orders; they come straight into our system and all we need to do is print them out,” continued Wallwork. “We have noticed a big improvement in errors and accuracy of products ordered. Customers are finding products they didn’t know we sold.”

The size and scale of ingredients is massive for the likes of Amato Foods. Is this a re ection of continued popularity of Italian products?

Italian food has always been a family favourite in the UK, and the demand we’re seeing this year through the SwiftCloud platform shows no sign of changing any time soon!

Based on customer feedback within

the sector, SwiftCloud’s ability to have thousands of different products, each with different variants and sizes visible, in a way that is easy for the user to view, has been a big contributor to success within the Italian food industry. Making order processes as simple as possible is key to competing with busy working lives and less tech-savvy competitors.

How di erent is the Italian food sector to others that you work with?

Primarily because of the amount of variables and sizes with each singular product, similar to the mozzarella example! The sector is very nuanced and being able to provide flexible solutions to fit these niche requirements has been key to our success.

Software is constantly evolving. Is it fair to say that this tech could be obsolete in a couple of years?

SwiftCloud is evolving too. We’re always improving our technology to ensure the effectiveness, compliance and structure of the software is the best it can be. We’ve got some exciting things in the

pipeline, including our eagerly awaited new web portal.

What do you see in the future?

I see the SwiftCloud brand continuing to be the best B2B sales solution for wholesalers, suppliers and distributors – not only in the UK but also Europe and North America. This year got off to a great start as we landed some major

global clients, including Pepsi Co. with its turnover of $6billion.

We upgraded our infrastructure to the latest Oracle platform and recruited a manager to match scalability with a brand new server set-up, meaning we’re in the best position to deliver incredible results. Throughout this growth, building real, lasting relationships is at the heart of everything we do.

Smarter financial precision

Bureau services can save restaurants money and time, according to Nicoleta Sandu of energy and sustainability consultancy, Advantage Utilities.

MARKET VOLATILITY

In the past two years, UK restaurants have experienced dramatic energy price volatility. The cost-of-living crisis also continues to eat into profit margins, with closures reaching their highest ever quarterly figure in Q4 of 2023, according to Price Bailey data. What’s more, numbers from UKHospitality indicate that roughly 40% of UK restaurant owners are operating at, or even below, break-even point.

In difficult times, it is therefore

essential that restaurants of all sizes have the most precise usage information available to budget plan as effectively as possible.

Through bureau service software, owners can gain 24/7 access to their energy and utilities usage data, mitigating the disruption caused by unexpected billing errors which can damage planning.

Here, we explain how bureau service technology can aid Italian food restaurants on their journey towards

greater financial precision through smarter consumption and management.

CONSUMPTION CONFUSION

When it comes to the meters that restaurants primarily use, these are likely to be either Half Hourly (HH) – which bill restaurants by sending automated readings to the data collector – or Non Half Hourly (NHH) meters that bill based on the readings provided by those restaurants. From my experience, businesses don’t always provide these

readings on a regular basis and they end up being billed by estimates. Last year, based on bill validation conducted by Advantage Utilities, this happened in over 60% of bills from NHH meters.

But even HH meters are sometimes billed by estimates due to miscommunication with the data collector, presenting a serious problem to developing financial precision. Here, estimated bills are not going to be financially fruitful because restaurants will either end up paying too much or too little for what they consume. That can create significant confusion in consumption patterns.

However, another issue in energy management stems from the accounts payable process.

Surprisingly, approximately 10% of bills have at least one error, which leads to wasted time of accounts payable staff (inspiredplc.co.uk) – especially considering that more than half of invoices arrive in a traditional-based format. This has led to inefficiency within the process, with 25% of time being spent on handling exceptions within invoicing (coupa.com, Empowering the Ecosystem). Fortunately, by using bureau service technology, restaurants can gain control over these challenges, helping to minimise errors.

HOW IT ALL WORKS

A bureau service allows restaurants to efficiently understand their contracts and uncover any discrepancies that arise during the bill validation process between rates, taxes and/or levies. This

applies to electricity, gas, water and waste. Gas is likely to be a significant expenditure for most Italian food restaurants, but for some that produce larger quantities of waste, having greater insight into disposal costs may also shed light on further opportunities to reclaim costs. Once all errors are highlighted, a bureau service provider can then liaise with the supplier of the organisation to confirm these errors and reclaim any incorrect charges. To enable restaurants to gain insight into errors found within their processes, a bureau service also produces a monthly report pack containing the key information that impacts business decision-making.

The results of these actions have been dramatic. In 2023, the team at Advantage Utilities collectively discovered and recovered more than £100,000 for companies using its bureau service. What’s more, since the start of 2024, we’ve discovered £54,000 in overcharges and have already recovered more than £18,000 of this. We will continue to recover these overcharges.

SOLVING INACCURACIES

Here’s a practical example of how a better energy plan enables financial precision. A bureau service such as Advantage Forensics can monitor kVA (kilo-volt-amperes) consumption versus the kVA set for each meter in a restaurant – i.e. the measurement which designates apparent energy use. However, any difference between these two readings will result in an inaccurate bill for owners. Think of it

this way: almost all of us have a mobile phone contract with data included. But what if, after a few months of signing, you are consuming less or more than contracted? You would call your provider and ask for a new plan in order to save money. It’s the same thing with the setup kVA. After restaurants view their historical consumption, they can put a new kVA setup in place.

Reports such as these are downloadable and customisable to each restaurant’s needs. The portal also details invoices received, as well as the carbon footprints of a business’ HH meters.

To conclude, Italian restaurants should consider adopting a comprehensive bureau service in order to navigate the complexities of energy billing with ease. Errors are common, but by efficiently highlighting all too frequent inaccurate sums, owners can be sure that the bills they receive are accurate. This, combined with monthly reporting, will improve and enhance decision-making processes – unlocking greater financial precision at such a critical time for hospitality.

For more information, visit advantageutilities.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicoleta Sandu is bureau manager at Advantage Utilities, with over 15 years of experience as an economist. She helps a range of businesses improve financial precision and sustainability through bespoke solutions, playing a central role as a bill analyst and providing carbon emissions and energy reporting.

Feast for the senses

Italian food success in the UK is so often integrated with family, alongside a passion for mouthwatering cuisine – and San Carlo is no exception.

A CUT ABOVE

With concept restaurants across the UK, Middle East and Asia, San Carlo prides itself on the best ingredients and a refusal to compromise on quality. Its award-winning fare is certainly reflected by a diverse and exciting summer menu.

“As operations director at San Carlo Restaurant Group, I’ve witnessed firsthand our dedication to excellence in every aspect of our operations,” said Nicola Colosimo. “From humble beginnings to our status as an international culinary leader, we’ve remained committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences rooted in Italian tradition and innovation.”

With the warmer months upon us, highlights from the A la Carte San Carlo menus include Culatello from Bassa Verdiana, Lemon Sole with Clams and Asparagus and Linguine Scallops and Caviar. The development of these delectable offerings goes back more than six decades.

“The San Carlo story begins in Sicily, the birthplace of our chairman Carlo

Distefano,” continued Colosimo. “A tale of entrepreneurial success, Carlo arrived in Britain in 1962 aged 17, with £12 in his pocket, a work permit and the promise of a job at a barbershop.

“From humble beginnings to our status as an international culinary leader, we’ve remained committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences, rooted in Italian tradition and innovation.”

“A self-confessed workaholic, by the age of 20, Carlo opened his first joint business venture: a hairdressing salon in Leeds. He also had interests in coffee and disco but food was always the primary passion. Working six or seven days a week, any free time would be in London, where he’d dine at the most lauded restaurants – including the Savoy, the Dorchester and Simpson’s. It was here

that Carlo’s passion for great food, style and service became his driving force.”

GLOBAL PRESENCE

In 1992, he opened his first eponymously named restaurant in Temple Street, Birmingham, with a humble 20 tables.

“But soon, celebrities, sporting stars and loyal diners made San Carlo their restaurant of choice and a success story was born. Bristol opened in 1996, Leicester in the late 90s, and then Manchester, which has gone on to become possibly the highest profile, busiest restaurant outside of London.”

Joined by two generations of the Distefano family, the San Carlo group of Italian restaurants has grown to become a £60 million empire which currently numbers 24 authentic eateries across the UK – from Covent Garden, Piccadilly and Knightsbridge Green in London, to Liverpool, Leeds and Cheshire, alongside a growing number of sites overseas –including Dubai, Bangkok, and Qatar.

“Our approach to expansion is strategic and mindful of local tastes and

preferences. We have more international openings planned this year, including Miami, a Signor Sassi Mare concept in El Gouna, Egypt, and a Signor Sassi in Bahrain, opening early 2025.

“Each new site offers authentic Italian flavours tailored to the unique culture of its location. Our creative concepts showcase our willingness to explore avenues in the culinary world. We also recently invested £2m in refurbishing our San Carlo Flying Pizza location in

Leeds, demonstrating a commitment to providing guests with unforgettable culinary journeys. Advanced negotiations for future sites in Dublin and Istanbul signal further growth is on the horizon.

“With regards to the menu development process, it is driven by a passion for innovation, while staying true to our Italian heritage. We use only the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients. Many are flown in from

produce markets across Italy to ensure authenticity. By working closely with trusted suppliers, we ensure that each dish is not only delicious but also environmentally conscious.

“We’re proud to share that both of our new 2024 summer menus at Cicchetti and San Carlo have been carefully crafted to celebrate the richness of Italian cuisine and delight the senses of our guests. From traditional favourites to innovative creations, we offer something for every palate, ensuring that everyone leaves satisfied and inspired.

“At Cicchetti, you can indulge in a diverse selection of small plates bursting with flavour. From the Agnello Scottadito, featuring lamb cutlets with sweet and sour peppers, to the Tagliolini Crab & Caviar, with hand-picked crab and Italian sturgeon caviar.

“Meanwhile, our San Carlo Summer menu boasts an equally impressive line-up of dishes that celebrate the rich flavours and culinary traditions of Italy. From the Burrata e Pomodoro, featuring traditional Burrata from Corata, Puglia, to the Linguine Gamberi e Pesto with grilled Argentinian red prawns and basil pesto,” concluded Colosimo.

HIGH & LOW

Led by Sicilian executive chef Alfio Laudani, Sotto Cucina & Bar has launched at Hyatt Place London City East in Whitechapel. And this contemporary kitchen and bar promises a truly authentic Italian experience.

Laudani is ideally placed to lead the project. Sotto serves up contemporary Sicilian dishes with a focus on quality British ingredients. This menu marries the influence of Laudani’s food-centred upbringing in the Catania region of Sicily with his 17 years cooking in top London restaurants – including The Rex Whistler and Cipriani.

Freshness and quality are essential, with UK produce wherever possible. Key ingredients such as Etna olive oil and lemons are notable exceptions.

“We source locally and directly from the suppliers and farmers to build a relationship with them,” said Laudani. “Our trout is from ChalkStream, where sustainable fish farms are located on the

River Test and River Itchen in Hampshire. It is famous for being healthy and fit, along with having a clean taste. I have been working on my relationship with them – and am often invited to the farm to review the trout.

“Another supplier is O’Shea’s Butchers in Tullibardine, Perthshire, Scotland. It’s a family-run business for over 100 years, supplying the finest, ethically sourced quality meats.”

At the underground kitchen and bar, guests are treated to the trattoria charm, with interiors combining rustic elegance with contemporary art. An industrial staircase takes you to the lower ground floor, where the 70-seater restaurant with deli bar and outdoor ‘terrazza’ is a sanctuary from the streets above.

Wall art includes murals from street artists, along with an exhibition of sustainable art and a new Sam Kerridge, specially commissioned for the launch of the restaurant, in addition to his wall mural across the alfresco Terrazza.

What’s it all about, Alfio?

Sotto Cucina & Bar promises a modern culinary journey, steeped in Sicilian principles.

In fact, Sotto will be a space for new artists, having commissioned a series of sustainable pieces from students at Norwich University of the Arts. The frames are made of recycled wood, with watercolour prints to hanging silks. At the entrance, guests will also find a striking mural from street artist Jay Kaes.

THE MENU

In a selection of aperitivo dishes, the Caponata comes straight from Laudani’s family recipe book. While his Saffron Arancini with Datterino tomato jam and superstraccia are a break from tradition in being entirely vegan.

Other antipasti include Terrina di Pollo alla Stimpirata. Stimpirata is a sweet and sour stew typical across Sicily but served as a terrine of pressed chicken with roast peppers, capers and mint.

Pasta dishes include the signature Timballo alla Norma. This baked pasta with Sicilian Anelletti, tomato sauce, aubergine and ricotta salsa is cooked

PROFILE

to Laudani’s father’s recipe. Other options are Taglioni Gaberretti e Zucchine, Taglioni pasta, king prawns, bisque and courgette, and Maccheroni con Ragù di Salsiccia, with a spiced Sicilian fennel sausage ragout.

Plenty of seafood is a given, with British fish the star of the classic Sicilian dishes. Mains to enjoy include Branzino alla Ghiotta – with whole grilled seabass, cherry tomato, olives, capers and Tropea onion. Alongside Merluzzo in Agrodolce, with fried cod cheeks, sweet and sour onion, crispy potato and mint.

Tagliata di Manzo is chargrilled, 35-day aged beef sirloin, baby bell pepper fritti and Etna olive oil. Vegan dish Scarola e faggioli – usually served as

a soup – comes as a borlotti bean stew with escarole steak and pistachio crumb.

“Sotto has a unique angle, as it focuses on Sicilian food but with a twist, creating standout dishes that merge different tastes and ingredients. For example, chicken terrine is not popular in Italy – but we thought it would be a great addition,” continued Laudani.

Desserts include Cuccia, a typical Sicilian speciality of ricotta and wheatberry pudding, orange peel, chestnut honey and cinnamon; and Torta Mandorle e Cioccolato, a dark chocolate and almond cake with chilli jam and mascarpone cream.

The wine list from Manuel Lorente Rubio focuses on the Mediterranean.

“I have seen a lot more Italian influences on menus, especially at Michelin-star restaurants. This is related to the idea of going back to simplicity.”

Cocktails, created by Lucrezia Frosutto, will be aperitivo inspired. Signatures include the Assolato with Bourbon, peach liquor, Amaro Averna, lemon juice and sugar syrup and the Biondo with vodka, Aperol and Limoncello.

“I have seen a lot more Italian influences on menus, especially at Michelin-star restaurants. I believe this is related to the idea of going back to simplicity. People do not like to see a lot of things on their plates – not only because of the visual element but also the taste and experience of certain flavours,” concluded Laudani.

Visit sottorestaurant.london.

index registered suppliers

999 PIZZA TOPPINGS (UK) LTD.

Unit 6, Teakcroft, Fairview Industrial Park, Marsh Way, Rainham, Essex RM13 8UH

Contact: Homayoun Aminnia Tel: 01708 558885 sales@999pizzatoppings.com

ALLIED MILLS LTD.

Sunblest Flour Mill, Port of Tilbury, Tilbury, Essex RM18 7JR

Contact: Chris Brown Tel: 01375 363100 chris.brown@allied-mills.co.uk www.allied-mills-semolina.co.uk

ALPHIN PANS

Oakdale Mill, Delph New Road, Delph, Nr Oldham OL3 5BY

Contact: Liz Crossland Tel: 01457 872486 sales@alphin.co.uk www.alphin.co.uk

BELLAVITA EXPO LTD

Unit 204, Brickfields, 37 Cremer Street, London E2 8HD Tel: 020 80376723 www.pizzapastashow.com

C.CARNEVALE LTD

Carnevale House, Blundell St, London N7 9BN

Contact: Luigi Carnevale Tel: 0207 607 8777 info@carnevale.co.uk Depots: Bedford, Huddersfield, Gateshead, Bristol, Glasgow www.carnevale.co.uk

The following businesses are members of The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association (PAPA) and subject to its rules and guidelines. While the Association cannot guarantee the products and services supplied by those listed, it does believe that those listed are reputable and is confident in recommending them.

CONVENI FOOD LIMITED

Seafield Lane, Beoley Redditch B98 9BD

Contact: Noel Reidy Tel: 07903 526 457 www.convenifood.com

COOKTEK C/O MCS

TECHNICAL PRODUCTS LTD

MCS Technical Products, Building 2, Westmead Industrial Estate, Westmead Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 7YT

Contact: Steve Snow Tel: 01793 538308 sales@mcstechproducts.co.uk

DAIRY PARTNERS LTD

Oldends Lane, Stonehouse GL10 3RL

Contact: Will Bennett Tel: 01453 828890 Will.Bennett@dairypartners.co.uk www.dairypartners.co.uk

EURILAIT LTD

Leighton Lane Industrial Estate, Leighton Lane, Evercreech BA4 6LQ

Contact: Andrew Ford Tel: 01749 838108 andrewford@eurilait.co.uk www.eurilait.co.uk

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association, Engine Rooms, Station Road, Chepstow NP16 5PB Telephone: 01291 6363358 or email subscriptions@papa.org.uk

EURO CATERING EQUIPMENT LTD.

Unit 4 Egerton Close, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 8PE

Contact: Steve Lane Tel: 01455 559969 sales@euro-catering.co.uk www.euro-catering.co.uk

FREIBERGER UK LTD

Broadgate House, Westlode Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 2AF

Contact: Andrew Thorne Tel: 01775 767655 / 01775 767656 andrew.thorne@ freibergerukltd.co.uk

DANISH CROWN – TOPPING

Bommen 9, Thorning

DK-8620 Kjellerup, Denmark

Contact: Kevin Peacock Tel: 07790 988121 KPEAC@danishcrown.com www.danishcrown-toppings.com

DAWN FARM FOODS

Lodge Way, Lodge Farm Industrial Estate, Northampton NN5 7US

Contact: Jon Watkin Tel: 01604 583421 info@dawnfarmfoods.co.uk www.dawnfarms.ie www.dawnfarms.ie/tmi-foods

DELIVERECT

35-41 Folgate Street, E1 6BX London

Great Britain

CONTINENTAL QUATTRO STAGIONI

Trafalgar Mills, Leeds Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD2 1YY

Contact: Mr Roberto Giacobbi Tel: 01484 538333 r.giacobbi@continental-wine.co.uk www.continental-food.co.uk

Sales contact: Ashleigh Jansen Ashleigh.jansen@deliverect.com www.deliverect.com

FUTURA FOODS UK LTD

The Priory, Long Street, Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4HR

Contact: Rhian Kinman Tel: 01666 890500 rhian.kinman@futura-foods.com www.futura-foods.com

HUNGRY STARS

156a Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 0AX

Contact: Alex Serdaris Tel: 07944 891 914 info@hungrystars.com

INSURANCE PROTECTOR GROUP

B1 Custom House, The Waterfront, Level Street, Brierley Hill DY5 1XH Tel: 0800 488 0013 business@ipgdirect.co.uk www.insuranceprotector.co.uk

JESTIC

Units 3+4, Dana Industrial Estate, Transfesa Road, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6UU Tel: 01892 831 960 info@jestic.co.uk www.jestic.co.uk

LAKESIDE FOOD GROUP LTD

The Courtyard, Ketteringham Hall, Ketteringham, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9RS

Contact: Gary Irvine Tel: 01603 813888 girvine@lakesidefoods.co.uk www.lakesidefoods.co.uk

LEATHAMS PLC

Units 10-12, The Circle, Queen Elizabeth Street, London SE1 2JE

Contact: Mr James Faulkner Tel: 07803937324 james.faulkner@leathams.co.uk www.leathams.co.uk

LEPRINO FOODS LTD

4 Royal Mews, Gadbrook Park, Rudheath, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 7UD

Contact: Lynne Utting Tel: 01606 810900 lutting@leprino.co.uk

PAN’ARTISAN

Unit 25-26 Holmbush Industrial Estate, Holmbush Way, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9HX

Contact: Charlotte Kilduff Tel: 01730 811490 Charlotte.kilduff@panartisan.com www.panartisan.com

PEPPACO LIMITED

Wesley House, Bull Hill, Leatherhead KT22 7AH

Contact: Simon Harris Tel: +44 1372 502143 simon.harris@peppadew.com www.peppadew.com

PERCO (NORTH EAST) LTD

Perco House, Norton, Stockton on Tees TS20 1DN

Contact: Leah Homer Tel: 01642 361515 leah@percofoods.com www.percofoods.com

PIZZA PLUS FOODSERVICE

Light Industrial Estate, Liverpool Road, Walmer Bridge, Preston PR4 5HY Tel: 01772 610415

Contact: Chris Smith chris@pizzaplusfs.co.uk

QUALITOPS (UK) LTD

Simon Scotland Road, Hardwick

Industrial Estate, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4JF

Contact: Lea Hall Tel: 01553 772 522 admin@qualitops.co.uk www.qualitops.co.uk

SILBURY MARKETING LTD

Beaumont Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 1RH

Contact: Louise De Leon

Tel: 01926 410022 sales@silbury.co.uk www.silbury.co.uk

STURDY FOODS

Unit 15 Keld Close, Barker Business Park, Ripon Yorkshire HG4 5NB

Contact: James Sturdy info@sturdyfoods.co.uk Tel: 01765 641200 www.sturdyfoods.co.uk

STATESIDE FOODS LTD

31-34 Great Bank Road, Wingate Industrial Park, Westhoughton, Bolton BL5 3XU

Contact: Phil Goodall Tel: 01942 841200

Mobile: +44 7714999206 sales@stateside-foods.co.uk www.stateside-foods.co.uk

WHITWORTH BROS LTD

Victoria Mills, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 2DT

Contact: Gary Somers Tel: 01933 441000 enquiries@whitworthbros.ltd.uk

YORK HOUSE FOODS

Shannon Place, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2YH

Tel: 01767 260114 sales@yorkhousefoods.com www.yorkhousefoods.com

of products

index registered suppliers

BEVERAGES

Beer

Carnevale Ltd.

Coffee Carnevale Ltd.

Mineral Water

Carnevale Ltd.

Soft Drinks

Carnevale Ltd.

Wine, Spirits & Liqueurs

Continental Quattro

Stagioni Ltd.

Carnevale Ltd.

CHEESE, DAIRY & EGGS

Cheese

999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd.

Carnevale Ltd.

Dairy Partners Ltd.

Eurilait Ltd.

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

Leprino Foods Ltd.

Leathams PLC

Perco (North East) Ltd.

Stateside Foods Ltd.

Eggs

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

Leathams PLC

Mozzarella

Carnevale Ltd.

Dairy Partners Ltd.

Eurilait Ltd.

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

Leprino Foods Ltd.

Parmesan

Eurilait Ltd.

Futura Foods UK Ltd.

DELIVERY & PACKAGING

Heated Pizza Delivery

Bag Systems

Alphin Pans

Cooktek (MCS Technical Products)

Pizza Lid Supports

Alphin Pans

DOUGH & PIZZA EQUIPMENT

Dough Trays

Alphin Pans

Pizza Accessories

Alphin Pans

Pizza Plus Foodservice

Pizza Boxes

Perco (North East) Ltd.

Pizza Making Systems & Equipment

Alphin Pans

Cooktek (MCS Technical Products)

Euro-Catering Equipment

Pizza Ovens

Euro-Catering Equipment

Jestic

Pizza Plus Foodservice

Pizza Pans

Alphin Pans

FISH & SEAFOOD

Other Fish & Seafood

Continental Quattro

Stagioni Ltd.

Leathams PLC

FLOUR & BAKERY

Concentrates

Allied Mills

Durum Semolina

Allied Mills

Carnevale Ltd.

Flour

Allied Mills

Carnevale Ltd.

Whitworth Bros. Limited

Icings

Allied Mills

Improvers

Allied Mills

Premixes (Bread & Cakes)

Allied Mills

FOOD WHOLESALERS

Continental Quattro

Stagioni Ltd.

Leathams PLC

Stateside Foods Ltd.

FRUIT & VEGETABLES

Chargrilled Vegetables

Carnevale Ltd.

Olives

Leathams PLC

INSURANCE

Insurance Protector Group

KITCHEN & SERVING

EQUIPMENT

Bakery Ovens

Euro-Catering Equipment

Baking Pans

Alphin Pans

Chargrills

Euro-Catering Equipment

Displays

Euro-Catering Equipment

Drinks Systems

Carnevale Ltd.

Fryers

Euro-Catering Equipment

Jestic

Griddles

Cooktek (MCS Technical Products)

Euro-Catering Equipment

Induction Cooking & Holding

Cooktek (MCS Technical Products)

Preparation Counters

Euro-Catering Equipment

Refrigeration

Euro-Catering Equipment

MEAT

Bacon

Dawn Farm Foods Ltd.

Leathams PLC

York House Foods

Beef

Leathams PLC

Chicken & Other Poultry

Leathams PLC

York House Foods

Ham

Carnevale Ltd.

Dawn Farm Foods Ltd.

Leathams PLC

Stateside Foods Ltd.

York House Foods

Italian Meat & Sausages

Dawn Farm Foods Ltd.

Pancetta Carnevale Ltd.

Danish Crown

Qualitops (UK) Ltd

Pepperoni

Carnevale Ltd.

Danish Crown

Dawn Farm Foods Ltd.

Qualitops (UK) Ltd

Salami

Carnevale Ltd.

Danish Crown

Dawn Farm Foods Ltd.

Qualitops (UK) Ltd

OILS & VINEGARS

Olive Oil

Leathams PLC

Silbury Marketing Ltd.

PASTA, POLENTA, GNOCCHI & RICE

Pasta (Dry)

Carnevale Ltd.

Continental Quattro

Stagioni Ltd.

Leathams PLC

PIZZA DOUGH, BASES & CRUSTS

Dough Balls

Pan’ Artisan

Pizza Plus Foodservice

Pizza Bases & Crusts

Pan’ Artisan

Pizza Plus Foodservice

Stateside Foods Ltd.

Sturdy Foods

PIZZA TOPPINGS

Fish

Carnevale Ltd.

Fruit & Vegetables

Carnevale Ltd.

Peppaco Ltd.

Meat

999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd.

Carnevale Ltd.

Danish Crown

Dawn Farm Foods

Perco (North East) Ltd.

Pizza Plus Foodservice

Qualitops

Silbury Marketing Ltd.

Stateside Foods Ltd.

READY MEALS

Italian Conveni

READY PREPARED

Prepared Pasta Meals

Freiberger UK Ltd.

Prepared Pizza (Chilled)

Conveni

Stateside Foods Ltd.

Prepared Pizza (Frozen)

Freiberger UK Ltd.

Pizza Plus Foodservice

Stateside Foods Ltd.

RECRUITMENT/ CONSULTING/ PROPERTY

Hungry Stars

SOUPS, SAUCES, STOCKS & DRESSINGS

Garlic Spreads & Mixes

Stateside Foods Ltd.

Pasta Sauces

Continental Quattro Stagioni Ltd.

Leathams PLC

Peppaco Ltd.

Pizza Sauces

Conveni

Leathams PLC

Peppaco Ltd.

Perco (North East) Ltd.

Pizza Plus Foodservice

Silbury Marketing Ltd.

Stateside Foods Ltd.

Sturdy Foods

Soups

Conveni

TOMATOES

Canned Tomatoes

Silbury Marketing Ltd.

SunBlush© Tomatoes

Leathams PLC

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Carnevale Ltd.

Continental Quattro

Stagioni Ltd.

Leathams PLC

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association is the trade body representing the UK Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association. The Association is given direction by a Management Committee comprising:

CHAIRMAN

Richard Harrow (Consultant)

VICE CHAIRMAN

Sunny Chhina (The Fat Pizza)

FROZEN PIZZA

MANUFACTURER

David Jones (Pan Artisan)

CHILLED PIZZA

MANUFACTURER

Phil Goodall (Stateside)

PIZZA RESTAURANTS

Chain - Alessandro de Mauri (Pizza Express)

PIZZA DELIVERY OPERATORS

Chain - Julian Durrant (Papa Johns)

Small Chain - Khalil Rehman (Caprino’s Pizza)

Independent

Geoff Parsons (Basilico)

Katy Habibian (Village Pizza)

SUPPLIERS

Cheese

Nick Waring (Eurilait)

Mozzarella

Lynne Utting (Leprino Foods)

Meat

Jon Watkin (Dawn Farm Foods)

Flour

Gary Somers (Whitworths)

Equipment

Richard Norman (Jestic)

Tomatoes

James Faulkner (Leathams)